Shades of Magic: The Steel Prince is an adult fantasy comic written by V. E. Schwab and illustrated by Andrea Olimpieri and Enrica Eren Angiolini. It is the first installment of the Shades of Magic: The Steel Prince series.[1]
It was be released in four issues before being published as a bind-up copy. The issues came out every month from October 2018 to January 2019, and the bind-up was released in March 2019.
Synopsis[]
The comic will delve into the thrilling backstory of Kell's adoptive father, prince Maxim Maresh, before he became the king of Red London. When Maresh is sent to a violent and unmanageable port city far away to cut his military teeth on strict orders from his father, King Nokil Maresh, he encounters an unruly band of soldiers, a lawless landscape, and a newly returned pirate queen.[1]
In Titan's new Shades of Magic: The Steel Prince series, young and unruly Prince Maxim of Red London is sent to the lawless city of Verose after disobeying the King. Little does he know that a fate worse than exile awaits him on the Blood Coast...[2]
Summary[]
Issues[]
| # | Title | Release date | EAN | Pages | Price | ||||
| 1 | Issue 1 | July 2018 (preview)[3] October 10, 2018 |
07447068266000111 | 32[4] | $ 5.00 (preview)[5] $ 3.99 | ||||
| In a gaslamp world where magicians navigate alternate realities, Prince Maxim pursues a dark version of his beloved Red London. Banished from court, he refuses to surrender his quest – and faces worse than exile![4] | |||||||||
| 2 | Issue 2 | November 14, 2018 | 07447068266000211 | 32[6] | $ 3.99 | ||||
| Harried by assassins and secrets, banished for his pursuit of a forbidden alternate London, the Red Prince Maxim finds himself in the court of the Pirate Queen of the Blood Coast![6] | |||||||||
| 3 | Issue 3 | December 12, 2018 | 07447068266000311 | 32[7] | $ 3.99 | ||||
| Prince Maxim, heir to Red London, is short on allies—but he'd have to be desperate to join forces with the Pirate Queen of the Blood Coast! Will he find the magic he seeks, the key to a forbidden reality—or discover only disaster?[8] | |||||||||
| 4 | Issue 4 | January 16,[9] 2019 | 07447068266000411 | 32[10] | $ 3.99 | ||||
| Prince Maxim at last claims the title of The Steel Prince, in the climax to New York Times bestseller V.E. Schwab's new story set in the world of her acclaimed gaslamp fantasy novel series, Shades of Magic![9] | |||||||||
Characters[]
Red London[]
- Maxim Maresh — The Crown Prince of Arnes, also known as the Steel Prince. He is sent to the Blood Coast by his father.
- Nokil Maresh — The King of Arnes.
- Tieren Serense — Head Priest of the London Sanctuary.
- Isra — A soldier stationed at the Blood Coast who becomes Maxim's primary ally.
- Osili — A soldier stationed at the Blood Coast.
- Toro — A soldier stationed at the Blood Coast.
- Arisa Rasora — The Pirate Queen. She has just returned to the Blood Coast.
Gallery[]
Covers[]
US cover.
B&N Exclusive edition.
Forbidden Planet Exclusive edition.
Forbidden Planet Exclusive edition, complete bundle.
Spanish cover.
Issue 1[]
Cover A (primary cover). Art by Claudia Ianniciello.
Cover B (first variant cover). Art by Tomm Coker.
Cover C (second variant cover). Art by Andrea Olimpieri.
Cover D (third variant cover). Art by Andrew G. H. Leung.
Forbidden Planet Exclusive variant cover.
Forbidden Planet Exclusive variant cover (backside).
SDCC exclusive ashcan preview cover.
Issue 2[]
Cover A. Art by Lenka Simeckova.
Cover B. Art by Claudia Ianniciello.
Issue 3[]
Cover A. Art by Toni Infante.
Cover B. Art by Roberta Ingranata.
Issue 4[]
Cover A. Art by Andrea Olimpieri.
Cover B. Art by Roberta Ingranata and Warnia Sahadewa.
Sneak peaks[11][12] and previews[]
Issue 1.
Issue 3.
Preview of the ashcan copy.
Trailer[]
Trivia[]
- The full first issue has four different covers—one official and three variant covers.[13]
- The B&N exclusive edition includes commentary from V. E. Schwab, character sketches, and notes detailing the comic's formation process from script to art.[14]
- The Forbidden Planet exclusive edition contains a script to art feature for three key pages with Schwab's uncut words, Andrea Olimpieri's layouts and inks, etc. It also includes a six-page "Director's commentary," a print of emblem of the House of Maresh, and comes with the first issue's signed ashcan preview.[15]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "V.E. Schwab announces new Shades of Magic prequel comic series" — EW
- ↑ "Shades Of Magic Prequel, The Steel Prince, To Launch From Titan This Fall" — Comicon
- ↑ "It will be on an ashcan (first 13 pgs from #1 + interview + goodies)."
(V. E. Schwab on Twitter) - ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Shades of Magic: The Steel Prince #1" — Titan Comics
- ↑ File:TSP Issue 1, SDCC Ashcan Preview.png
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Shades of Magic: The Steel Prince #2" — Titan Comics
- ↑ "Shades of Magic: The Steel Prince #3" — Titan Comics
- ↑ "Shades Of Magic #3 (Steel Prince Cover A Infante)" — Forbidden Planet
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Shades Of Magic #4 (Steel Prince Cover A Olimpieri)" — Forbidden Planet
- ↑ "Shades of Magic: The Steel Prince #4" — Titan Comics
- ↑ "V.E. Schwab's 'Shades of Magic' Novels Come to Comics With 'The Steel Prince'" — Hollywood Reporter
- ↑ "EXCLUSIVE: Shades of Magic: The Steel Prince #1" — CBR
- ↑ "There will actually be FOUR final covers—one official and three variants—when the series launches this October."
(V. E. Schwab on Instagram) - ↑ "Shades of Magic: The Steel Prince, Volume 1 (B&N Exclusive Edition)" — Barnes & Noble
- ↑ "Shades Of Magic: Volume 1: Steel Prince (Forbidden Planet Exclusive Signed Mini Print Edition)" — Forbidden Planet