Hey, fellow late night nerds. If you’re cool and following me on the Twitter, you already heard me talking about this thing. Take it for a spin! I’ve been using it all night and it’s fantastic. I don’t buy into the claims about its effects on sleep, but whatever, its more direct and obvious effect on your monitor is quite nice.

This came out today.

Among the vampires and ghosts and giant monsters, it also features the next 22 pages of this story.

The next volume, Atomic Robo and the Deadly Art of Science, starts in November but the first two issues are already available for pre-order locally or online!

They look like this.

And this.

Issue 2 there has the distinction of featuring the weirdest solicitation text I’ve ever written. Behold!

JACK TAROT, Scourge of the Chicago Crime Syndicate, stalks the mean streets of New York City hunting down the truth behind a baffling series of high-tech robberies! Though if he knew that’d involve mentoring ATOMIC ROBO, he’d have stayed home. Hey, what’s Jack hiding behind that mask? And how does he shoot with it on anyway, I don’t see no eye-holes! Also starring Jack’s beautiful organic daughter! And a man with two skulls! And Tesla! And vampires! Again! But only a little. Every issue brings us one step closer to uncovering the secrets of THE DEADLY ART OF SCIENCE!

Yeah, so Hollow Earth Expedition is pretty cool. System’s fast but flexible and the setting is terrific pulpy playground. I gotta recommend Secrets of the Surface World too. Tons of material from secret societies to weird science, more archetypes and skills and talents and resources and flaws and goddamn just more of everything. I’d say it’s “the rest of the core book” but it’s not like the core book is lacking. Well, it was lacking “beyond human” scale stuff, but that’s covered in the psychic powers, magic rituals, and gadgetry in SotSW.

What I’m saying is: the core book is good on its own, but adding Secrets of the Surface World to it is enough of an improvement that you’d be stupid not to go for both. That’s like 400 pages total, and the rules themselves take up very little space, so most of that is material for you to have fun with.

Gonna try out Qin: The Warring States with a little Great Game action from the Weapons of the Gods Companion on the side.

Also, finally checking out Hollow Earth Expedition after staring at the cover for years.

Because I’m not busy enough, obviously.

First up. Volume 5, Atomic Robo and the Deadly Art of Science #1 is available for pre-order. Here’s a five page black and white sample from that issue.

Our fourth trade paperback, Atomic Robo and Other Strangeness, was due to hit stores today. But it appears the business of shipping comics on time is a complicated one. They’ll have it ready for us next week. On the bright side, that gives you more time to order it from heavyink.com or amazon.com or your local retailer.

Oh, and check this teaser for The Fictory’s upcoming animated short, Atomic Robo: Last Stop.