New Warcraft manga previews available
by Anne Stickney 
Apr 21st 2010 at 10:00PM
Warcraft: Shadow Wing, Vol. 1: Dragons of Outland, the new Warcraft manga written by Richard A. Knaak and illustrated by Jae-Hwan Kim, now has a preview available online at BlizzPlanet.com. Shadow Wing follows the continuing story of Jorad Mace and the blue dragon Tyrygosa, who parted ways with Kalecgos and Anveena at the end of the Sunwell Trilogy. Jorad and Tyri meet up in Outland -- and hopefully the manga explains what the two have been doing out on Celestial Ridge all this time, and how Tyri's research eventually ties in to Malygos' efforts up in Northrend.
In addition, there is also a preview available for Warcraft: Mage, the second in the series of class-based books that began with Warcraft: Death Knight. Unlike Death Knight, which detailed the untold story of Thassarian, Warcraft: Mage seems to be taking a different route and telling the story of a character as yet unseen in World of Warcraft. Aodhan is a young man who comes from a lineage of paladins and warriors, but finds himself drawn to an entirely different path. While training to become a mage in Dalaran, Aodhan and the rest of the city abruptly find themselves under siege by Malygos and the Blue Dragonflight. Warcraft: Mage is also written by Richard A. Knaak and illustrated by Ryo Kawakami, who has also done work for the Warcraft: Legends series.
While the manga novels still aren't available for pre-order, it looks like both novels will be released on June 1, 2010, from TOKYOPOP, and will be available at bookstores across the country.
In addition, there is also a preview available for Warcraft: Mage, the second in the series of class-based books that began with Warcraft: Death Knight. Unlike Death Knight, which detailed the untold story of Thassarian, Warcraft: Mage seems to be taking a different route and telling the story of a character as yet unseen in World of Warcraft. Aodhan is a young man who comes from a lineage of paladins and warriors, but finds himself drawn to an entirely different path. While training to become a mage in Dalaran, Aodhan and the rest of the city abruptly find themselves under siege by Malygos and the Blue Dragonflight. Warcraft: Mage is also written by Richard A. Knaak and illustrated by Ryo Kawakami, who has also done work for the Warcraft: Legends series.
While the manga novels still aren't available for pre-order, it looks like both novels will be released on June 1, 2010, from TOKYOPOP, and will be available at bookstores across the country.
Filed under: News items, Comics
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
BoB Apr 21st 2010 10:05PM
Ohh..pretty pictures...lore stuff thingeys...pretty pictures...learning what those NPCs are even doing...pretty pictures...
Lacuestajs Apr 21st 2010 10:15PM
Its only a matter of time until they do paladins. I am so waiting for that.
Eternauta Apr 21st 2010 10:40PM
It better be a Blood Elf or Tauren Paladin the protagonist of the Paladin manga. Almost all of these novels are ally-centric, or is it just me?
LiaG Apr 21st 2010 11:54PM
I really really hope that if they use a Horde race for the paladin manga that they use taurens. Sick of seeing belves using the Light (ok, ok, there was a retcon, but I'm still not ok w/ that).
Fletcher Apr 22nd 2010 12:05AM
Me'dan.
Yeah, it's just you.
Volkrin Apr 22nd 2010 12:37AM
No they should not use a hordie for the paladin series. Blood Elves are NOT paladins, they are Blood Knights. And, for that matter, I find it doubtful that Tauren will be true paladins either. Humans are paladins, dwarves are paladins, and if one is willing to stretch the definition a bit, then so are Dreanei. Having paladin-esque abilities does not make one a part of any true paladin order. While the light may be a philosophy/religion, and thus open to anyone, the paladins are a specific order and anyone who is not and never was a part of that order is not a paladin, they're just using similar abilities, most likely for gameplay reasons.
Coreplay Apr 22nd 2010 2:10AM
A good story for horde paladins would be the Blood elves path of redemption after the Sunwell is restored and how the learn to becoming true paladins. The Tauren story on how the get paladins needs to be epic funny full of holly cow jokes. Having them learn the paladins arts from a blood elf how is named Pai Mei and acts like his Kill Bill counterpart would be a epic win in my book.
Possum Apr 22nd 2010 8:32AM
You have a pretty narrow view on Paladins there Volkrin. They're a pretty standard fantasy trope, not specific to Wow. They're basically a sort of holy warrior that uses the power of a deity to fight with.
If you're going to be more specific to Wow they need to worship the light which the belfs and Draeni worship through the Naruu and the Tauren worship through the sun/earthmother.
Suzaku Apr 22nd 2010 1:19PM
"Sick of seeing belves using the Light (ok, ok, there was a retcon, but I'm still not ok w/ that)."
What retcon? A retcon is a retroactive change to continuity.
The high elves used the Light prior to having paladins, they had priests in WC2 and WC3, and there were high elves in the Silver Hand. When the blood elves were gifted with M'uru, many of their warriors used their newfound energy draining powers to create a new order of Light-wielding warriors, harnessing the Light by force and bending it to their will.
After M'uru's death in the Sunwell Plateau, Velen used its 'soul' to reignite the Sunwell, imbuing it with the Holy Light. The Blood Knights reformed and began moving towards being proper followers of the Holy Light, in the style of the Aldor, drawing on the Light through their connection with the Sunwell.
There's no retcon there, just solid story progression.
Suzaku Apr 22nd 2010 1:20PM
Also, the "paladins" are not part of any specific order. There are a number of different paladin orders, and regardless of what the orders are called, a paladin is a paladin (a divine warrior).
The Knights of the Silver Hand worship the Light as a philosphical concept, and include humans, dwarves, and high elves. Its various offshoots, including the Argent Dawn, Scarlet Crusade, Argent Crusade, and Scarlet Onslaught, each have a strong paladin presence.
The Hand of Argus worship the Light through the Naaru. This is the draenei paladin order. Their are also numerous draenei paladins in the Aldor faction, loyal to Shattrath.
The Blood Knights were mentioned in my previous post, and are restricted to blood knights. They had previously taken the Light by force, but now worship it through the Sunwell.
The Sunwalkers are presumably the name of the tauren paladins, and they will worship the Light through their sun god, An'she, who in their religion is the brother of Musha (Elune), the moon goddess.
Volkrin Apr 22nd 2010 4:29PM
Here's the thing: Both of the big paladin factions, the Scarlet Crusade and the Argent Dawn, are groups that fractured off from the Silver Hand. The individuals within are thus paladins because they were derived from the original order. Draenei "paladins" are not strictly speaking paladins either, they are members of the Hand of Argus and most often go by the title of Vindicator. It's like comparing a knight and a samurai, they both fulfill similar rolls in their respective societies and even have similar codes of conduct, but the differences between the two are such that calling them the same is inaccurate. As far as Blood Knights go, even if they have reformed and stopped being just plain evil, they still are not paladins, they are Blood Knights, with a different history and ethos to the organization. Undoubtedly when Tauren "paladins" arrive they, as Sunwalkers or whatever they end up calling themselves, will in turn have a different culture and ethos to any of the previously mentioned groups. The organization was created by humans and was until very recently the exclusive weapon of the alliance against the horde, and ignoring that history in favor of pleasing horde fans would do no more than further dilute the organization's name. Making a series entitled "Blood Knight", or "Sunwalker" to give tribute to those groups would be sensible and fitting, but don't try and pretend that paladins are not a mainly alliance tradition. If a series about paladins absolutely must have horde races involved then make i about the Argent Crusade, since as a derivation of the Silver Hand it's members can legitimately claim to be paladins.
sankto Apr 21st 2010 10:36PM
*distracted by pretty pictures*
Hih Apr 22nd 2010 2:14PM
I think you mean *distracted by the Night Elf's cleavage*
Volkrin Apr 21st 2010 11:03PM
Rather than stress myself out by further pondering what I read from those previews I'll just copy down what I've written at another place about Mage:
"This was honestly painful to read. The dialogue was stilted and so cliche-ridden that I'd be honestly surprised if Knaak hadn't been laughing to himself as he penned it. I should have known right from the beginning where Knaak is referred to as an "acclaimed author" that there was nowhere to go but downhill. Ignoring the two page treatise on how Rhonin is so totally awesometacular, we then get introduced to the stock standard "ran way to join the circus" yarn, simply replacing "circus" with mage city. The kid is such a big ball of cliches that even in these first few pages we have him whining to the teacher on how he's treated poorly compared to the rest of the students, and how he's such a victim. And then after that painfully obvious pity-party we have the immortal line of "Maybe then father and the rest will believe in me". I've honestly seen poorly scanslated shonen fight manga with better dialogue than this.
Fucking hell, this man is seriously giving me a migraine. I'm gonna need a stiff drink before I brave the Shadow Dragon preview."
I wrote that yesterday, and since then I have read the Shadow Dragon preview, and while it was not quite as offensively bad as Mage, I am less than eager to purchase the final product.
pancakes Apr 22nd 2010 4:40AM
Agreed. This mage comic preview is the first actual piece of writing by Knaak I've read. Sure, i'd heard all the stories about his writing, but i always sort of assumed they'd all been exaggerated somewhat. Alas, I was wrong. I'd say 95% of the quest dialogue in WoW is better written than this.
Adj Apr 22nd 2010 12:04AM
My thoughts when I saw this "Oh pretty artwork there. Who is the one writting thi... dammit."
Nathanyel Apr 22nd 2010 1:24AM
Psst, you mean Celestial Ridge (as stated in the quest link tooltip)
"Netherwing Ledge" is the "island" in/near Shadowmoon Valley
Anne Stickney Apr 22nd 2010 1:53AM
I did! ...this is what I get for working on three articles at once. Thank you, corrected!
Camaris Apr 22nd 2010 4:10AM
I'll find out about it when some random quest or NPC turns up that is totally unexplained in the game, but will come straight out of these manga things.
Possum Apr 22nd 2010 8:43AM
Maybe it's a blood elf in poor light with a purple dye job and contacts?