This January, Kel Symons and Nathan Stockman Kick Off An All-New Sword & Sorcery Epic

Fan favorite Kel Symons (THE MERCENARY SEA, I LOVE TROUBLE) teams up with Nathan Stockman (I LOVE TROUBLE) for an all new series in REYN, a sweeping fantasy following two unlikely adventurers on the path to uncovering the mysteries that surround their destinies.

REYN #1 introduces the main character of the same name, Reyn, a freelance swordsman and monster hunter who also might be the last of the legendary “Wardens” of the land of Fate, whose ranks long since faded into myth. Haunted and driven by visions from a “guiding angel,” Reyn sets out on a great quest—though he’s hardly the errant knight-type. Along the way he’ll rescue and partner with the sorceress Seph, a member of a coven known as the Followers of Tek, hunted as heretics for their beliefs, but who may also know what secrets Fate holds…

Symons wanted to do something that was inspired by his love of reading fantasy and science fiction growing up.

“Reyn pays tribute to adventures that dazzled my imagination,” explained Symons. “Fantasy tales, particularly Dungeons and Dragons, was a huge part of my formative years. I doubt I was the first kid who wanted to live in epic worlds like Middle Earth, Greyhawk or Hyboria. Tolkien and Howard created remarkably timeless worlds and practically invented the language of modern fantasy. Honestly, it’s hard to believe they were created in the 1930s.”

Symons envisioned the main character, Reyn, as a sort of reluctant Joan-of-Arc-type:

“His guiding angel is hardly a blessing, because it’s just not in his nature to be a do-gooder—he’s too unprincipled for that,” said Symons. “I imagined some of Clint Eastwood’s Man with No Name from the Dollars trilogy in Reyn. In fact, when I pitched this to Image, I said the vibe for the series should be ‘What if Frazetta painted spaghetti westerns?’ His traveling companion, the witch Seph, provides a nice emotional counterpoint to Reyn’s moral ambiguity. She was born to a cause and brings passion where Reyn lacks an emotional connection to the destiny that’s been forced upon him.”

The journey begins with REYN #1 (Diamond Code NOV140564), in stores on 1/21.