A few days ago, I got a copy of World of Warcraft: Death Knight from Barnes & Noble. Inside its pages, I found a preview sketch of the official front cover to be used on World of Warcraft: Dragons of Outland. According to the preview, the first volume of the manga trilogy is finally coming out on June 2010.
A sneak peek at our forthcoming new trilogy … WARCRAFT: DRAGONS OF OUTLAND.
Acclaimed writer Richard A. Knaak and superstar artist Jae-Hwan Kim are teaming up once again! TOKYOPOP and Blizzard are proud to announce Warcraft: Dragons of Outland — the thrilling continuation of Warcraft: The Sunwell Trilogy.
At the end of Warcraft: The Sunwell Trilogy, blue dragon Tyrygosa and human Jorad Mace left the Ghostlands, but their story is far from over! The duo are drawn into a dark portal and into Outland … where they encounter a group of dragons unlike any Tyri has ever seen. Observing all of this is Ragnok Bloodreaver, a mysterious death knight with a dark agenda …
I wish I could tell you more, but I am sworn to secrecy! However, I can present a few sketches as a sneak preview! And don’t miss our interview with Richard A. Knaak! If you’re lucky, he might just reveal a few more juicy story tidbits …
Look for WARCRAFT: DRAGONS OF OUTLAND in June 2010. Trust me, it’s going to be worth the wait!
Here is a short snippet of the interview included within the final pages of World of Warcraft: Death Knight:
TOKYOPOP: Everyone is very excited about the new Warcraft trilogy you’re creating with Jae-Hwan, which is called Dragons of Outland. Can you tell us a little bit about the story and how it ties in with the Sunwell Trilogy and the Trag storyline featured in Warcraft: Legends?
Knaak: The trilogy ties in more with Warcraft: The Sunwell Trilogy, and will concern the nether dragons — no surprise there based on the title. We will see the return of Jorad Mace and Tyri, both of whom had personal troubles. You will get to see some of Outland’s fantastic aspects and meet some surprising characters.
TOKYOPOP: What other Warcraft projects are you working on?
Knaak: As mentioned, I am also finishing up WORLD OF WARCRAFT: STORMRAGE for Pocket Books. It concerns Malfurion and the Nightmare and ties in significantly with many coming game events. It’s due out on February 23, 2010.
Warcraft Legends Vol. 5 has an excerpt of it. I am also working on a single volume of manga concerning the mages, which wil be out in 2010. Not much I can reveal on that one just yet!
Non-Blizzard Projects
Those interested in other works of Richard A. Knaak, outside Blizzard worlds, he recently revealed his participation in RUNE KEEPERS.
RIchard A. Knaak is working on the final stages of a self-published eBook titled DRAGON MOUND, which will be available only through his website. The first chapter is already available:
Beginning Jan. 31st, on a roughly weekly basis I will serialize the novel chapter by chapter. The first chapter is free and available now. Those who subscribe will receive that chapter and successive ones through email. I
God, Ragnok! I didn’t remember him, it makes sense he would be the same one from W2. Bravo, mr. Knaak. I supposed it was a Scourge deathknight, related to the Nexus War, but having W2 death knights given some respect is pretty cool, too. Hope Teron gets a mention around, too. A flashback of Ragnok speaking about him and how he got imprisoned after being defeated by Turalyon would be pretty cool.
I’m so looking forward this 3 volumes. The Nexus War and Malygos will finally get some respect and we could even see the alliance of the ethereal with Malygos further developed.
With Mage, which I would love to be about Aethas Sunreaver, the Nexus War and the latest Kirin Tor activities, which could include the defections (willingly or by force) of some high ranking members, the Nexus War will be greatly covered. I always though of Telestra as a Council of Six member, whose betrayal opened the doors to Aethas and his Sunreavers, and it would be great if the book was about that.
Tyri’s hair color shouldn’t be relevant, considering she’s a shapeshifter.
Summarized; I have a lot on faith in mr. Knaak for this one. If he’s further developing old characters, then my faith is even bigger. I don’t expect him to disappoint me as a the lore-nerd I am, nor as the storytelling lover I am.
Hell, the “tie” possibilities are… nearly infinite. We could see Sintharia kidnapping Zzeraku or the in-game quest showing her, linking it up to Night of the Dragon. We could see arakkoa and their relationship to the Emerald Dream, linking it up to Stormrage. And of course, Mage, if they both cover the Nexus War.
Love it :D.
PS: Yeah, copy paste from my post at SoL, but, well, no point at rewriting the same content, nope?