The World of Warcraft: Ashbringer # 2 (Dec 2008) is available at newsstands and local or online comic shops as of October 28th. The cover by Chris Robinson is beautiful. It shows Darion Mograine on his knees in meditation. He is bathed by the Light emanating around his head and through his praying hands. The interior artwork by Ludo Lullabi and Tony Washington fits the WarCraft setting perfectly. The colorist was not credited, sadly. Whoever colored this comic book with the unusual orange-hued variations and vivid colors made justice to the limited series. It is a must-have due to its artwork, color and quality, and for its lore value.
And it is no wonder to have so much lore juiced and crammed up into 29 pages. The writer of this limited series is no other than Micky Neilson (Blizzard developer from the Creative Design Team). He works alongside Chris Metzen at the Irvine Headquarters. He has done great lore stories such as The Road to Damnation (Kel'Thuzad's backstory); The Unbroken (Akama's backstory); and Starcraft: Uprising (Kerrigan's backstory) .. to name a few.
Boasting 29 pages of action, this comic book fires up the climax of the story with a lot of information about Alexandros Mograine, the death of his wife giving birth to Darion. His tragic life, and service to the Light. The fleshing out of the betrayal of his son Renault, stabbing him through the back with the Ashbringer. The foundation of the Scarlet Crusade. More importantly, it sets in stone when in particular the Argent Dawn was founded and its founder.
This has been a mystery even by fans who read the Scarlet Crusade backstory made public on 2004 by White Wolf Publishing through Warcraft RPG: Lands of Conflict. The Argent Dawn can be found as early as level 1-10 by visiting Darnassus, and doing early quests in Blackfathom Deeps and Desolace. Later on at level 60, at Light's Hope. This book reveals it all. The origin of the Argent Dawn.
More review and spoiler summary after the break.
It is no surprise where issue # 3-4 might be leading to: The introduction quests of the Death Knight class in World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King (MMO) from level 55-58. Blizzard Entertainment has been following a predictable pattern in the past two years marketing-wise. The Burning Crusade expansion was accompanied by the release of the Pocket Star Book: World of Warcraft: Rise of the Horde (by Christie Golden). This book told the story of the Draenei's departure from Argus and their arrival to the planet they would name Draenor. The first encounter of Kil'jaeden with Ner'zhul and a lot of backstory lore of each region and quest chain found in the expansion.
The announcement of Starcraft II at the 2007 Blizzard Worldwide Invitationals (Seoul, South Korea) heralded the release of Starcraft: The Dark Templar, First Born (by Christie Golden). The pattern hasn't stopped there. The World of Warcraft: Ashbringer limited series (# 1-4) hit stores in unison with the worldwide release of World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King. Four days after, Pocket Star Books released World of Warcraft: Night of the Dragon (by Richard A. Knaak) set a few months before Wrath of the Lich King's status quo.
By this pattern, we can predict the Icecrown dungeon might be available near April 2009 when the Pocket Star Book: World of Warcraft: Arthas, Rise of the Lich King hits bookstores. Overall, World of Warcraft: Ashbringer delivers. I recommend it. Below is a spoiler summary of issue # 2. Being warned, it is up to you. If it encourages you to pick all four issues, the better. It is worth the $3.99 price. Alternatively, a hardcover containing all four issues will be available from Wildstorm on May 12, 2009.
And it is no wonder to have so much lore juiced and crammed up into 29 pages. The writer of this limited series is no other than Micky Neilson (Blizzard developer from the Creative Design Team). He works alongside Chris Metzen at the Irvine Headquarters. He has done great lore stories such as The Road to Damnation (Kel'Thuzad's backstory); The Unbroken (Akama's backstory); and Starcraft: Uprising (Kerrigan's backstory) .. to name a few.Boasting 29 pages of action, this comic book fires up the climax of the story with a lot of information about Alexandros Mograine, the death of his wife giving birth to Darion. His tragic life, and service to the Light. The fleshing out of the betrayal of his son Renault, stabbing him through the back with the Ashbringer. The foundation of the Scarlet Crusade. More importantly, it sets in stone when in particular the Argent Dawn was founded and its founder.
This has been a mystery even by fans who read the Scarlet Crusade backstory made public on 2004 by White Wolf Publishing through Warcraft RPG: Lands of Conflict. The Argent Dawn can be found as early as level 1-10 by visiting Darnassus, and doing early quests in Blackfathom Deeps and Desolace. Later on at level 60, at Light's Hope. This book reveals it all. The origin of the Argent Dawn.
More review and spoiler summary after the break.
It is no surprise where issue # 3-4 might be leading to: The introduction quests of the Death Knight class in World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King (MMO) from level 55-58. Blizzard Entertainment has been following a predictable pattern in the past two years marketing-wise. The Burning Crusade expansion was accompanied by the release of the Pocket Star Book: World of Warcraft: Rise of the Horde (by Christie Golden). This book told the story of the Draenei's departure from Argus and their arrival to the planet they would name Draenor. The first encounter of Kil'jaeden with Ner'zhul and a lot of backstory lore of each region and quest chain found in the expansion.
The announcement of Starcraft II at the 2007 Blizzard Worldwide Invitationals (Seoul, South Korea) heralded the release of Starcraft: The Dark Templar, First Born (by Christie Golden). The pattern hasn't stopped there. The World of Warcraft: Ashbringer limited series (# 1-4) hit stores in unison with the worldwide release of World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King. Four days after, Pocket Star Books released World of Warcraft: Night of the Dragon (by Richard A. Knaak) set a few months before Wrath of the Lich King's status quo.
By this pattern, we can predict the Icecrown dungeon might be available near April 2009 when the Pocket Star Book: World of Warcraft: Arthas, Rise of the Lich King hits bookstores. Overall, World of Warcraft: Ashbringer delivers. I recommend it. Below is a spoiler summary of issue # 2. Being warned, it is up to you. If it encourages you to pick all four issues, the better. It is worth the $3.99 price. Alternatively, a hardcover containing all four issues will be available from Wildstorm on May 12, 2009.
SPOILER SUMMARY
Hearthglen. Lord Commander Dathrodan tends to Renault's illness on his bed. In his weakest state, Dathrodan manipulates Renaults' emotions and thoughts to claim his rightful place as leader before his father. His father only has eyes and affections for his younger son Darion, while Renault works hard day to day to earn his acknowledgement and love. Dathrohan convinces Renault that his father sees him simply as he does any other soldier among the ranks of the Knights of the Silver Hand. And urges Renault to take action and demonstrate his father what he may yet achieve.
Ruins of Lordaeron.Alexandros Mograine, Fairbanks, Tyrosus and Brigitte Abbendis watch silently from the bushes on a hill overlooking the entrance to the Ruins of Lordaeron. The Forsaken marches with supply wagons to claim the ruins as their own. Brigitte Abbendis demanded they lay siege to the Forsaken to eradicate the filthy monsters. Alexandros called for prudency. These were no mere Scourge mindless drones. The Forsaken are intelligent and calculating. They needed a vast force to take them. Far away, her father General Abbendis was going to visit Tyr's Hand to seek alliance with them and to recruit their inhabitants into the organization. Once they had amassed an army they would come back to the Ruins of Lordaeron to obliterate the Forsaken.
In the meantime, Alexandros wanted to build a forward base near the Ruins of Lordaeron. The perfect place for this was a monastery he visited in his youth where he read at the libraries and prayed at the chapel. He guided his team toward the vacant monastery. Nearing their destination, the smell of meat cooking assailed their nostrils. He ordered the knights to scout the entire premises. The knights arrived with a troll held and dragged by his arms. Brigitte Abbendis assaulted the enigmatic intruder now held prisoner. She demanded his execution for defiling sacred ground.
The troll pleaded for his life. Tyrosus held her hand to prevent her from harming the troll, who he considered deserved the right to be heard. Alexandros Mograine agreed to let the troll speak too. The troll introduced himself as Zabra Hexx. He came months ago to the monastery seeking shelter from the Scourge. However, he started reading the books in the library and learned of the ways of the Light. He prayed and prayed, and the Light answered to him.
Alexandros warned the trolll he would find out the truth through divination calling forth the Light. Mograine placed his hand over the troll's forehead. And determined the troll said the truth. The light had blessed this troll. Thus he spared his life. Brigette spat on the ground uncomfortable with the idea of harboring a troll among them. The troll was grateful to Mograine for sparing his life and offered to depart voluntarily without further trouble.
Hearthglen. Young Darion reports to Lord Commander Dathrohan that General Abbendis and himself would now depart toward Tyr's Hand to recruit their inhabitants into the organization and to seek alliance with their lord. Dathrohan said Renault was still ill and resting, so he wouldn't be able to accompany Darion in this mission. Recommended not to see Renault. He was sleeping and his illness might be contagious. Getting rid of Darion, Dathrohan entered Renault's bedroom to poison his mind with evil thoughts and emotions. Dathrohan had contacted the Scourge and stroke a deal that would benefit both. Renault would be able to proof his worth to his father at last.
Tirisfal Monastery. Alexandros Mograine requested Brigitte Abbendis to stay and take charge of the Knights to defend their new forward base: the monastery. Mograine and Fairbanks would ride back to Hearthglen to report the new developments and the establishment of their new forward base. On their way to the borders of Tirisfal, Renault galloped toward Tirisfal and found his father en route to Hearthglen. Renault reported that Darion had been kidnapped by the Scourge for ransom during an ambush, and taken to Stratholme. Alexandros Mograine asked Renault to gallop to the monastery to warn the Knights and to tell them to rendezvous at Stratholme as reinforcements.
Mograine and Fairbanks rode their horses to their limit through the lands of Hearthglen and into the Eastern Plaguelands to reach Stratholme as fast as possible.With Stratholme on sight, they hoped Darion was still alive. Suddenly the Scourge ambushed them, surrounding them from the front and behind. Two men against hordes of Undead. With Ashbringer on his hand, Mograine decimated Undead by dozens with a single swing. However, Fairbanks finally succumbed to the many undead surrounding him.
Mograine cursed and went into a frenzy slashing through hundreds of Undead turning them to ashes with his sword. An Abomination slashed at him with a chain, wrapping it around his neck, and pulled Mograine high into the air, retrieving him. Ashbringer fell off his hand with the force of the chain pull. Mograine called forth the Light and it answered with the force of an explosion of Light that decimated the Abomination and any nearby Scourge. Every single scourge was turned to ashes. Regaining himself, he stood on his knees. Before Mograine incorporated to a full stand, he was stabbed through the back with the Ashbringer. The tip slicing through his chest. Mograine turned around in surprise to meet the gaze of his son Renault. Mograine collapsed to the ground and expired his last breath.
Tyr's Hand. Lord Valdelmar welcomes General Abbendis and Darion, accepting their alliance proposal. Tyr's Hand is sieged daily by the Scourge, and their numbers seem to grow each day.The Knights of the Silver Hand are now available to Lord Valdelmar and likewise request new recruits to serve the Light. Suddenly, a messenger rushed into the room. The emissaries, General Abbendis and Darion, were urged to return to Hearthglen immediately. Mograine and Fairbanks are dead.
Hearthglen. Lord Commander Dathrohan demanded the Knights of the Silver Hand to rally against the Scourge to avenge Mograine. Tyrosus Maxwell suggested they should recruit members of any race to help vanquish the Scourge. General Abbendis protested, and his daughter Brigitte seconded him. She demanded the purity of their order should not be fouled by the unclean (with fierce zealotry and racism). Suddenly, Knights broke into the room with a injured Fairbanks who immediately accussed Renault of treason and murderer of his own father: Alexandros.
Renault denied it, and Lord Commander Dathrohan claimed he had been watching and caring for the Renault's illness, invalidating his accussation. Dathrohan ordered the Knights to quarantine Fairbanks for exposure to the plague. He may have survived the Scourge, but there was no guarantee he wasn't infected. Getting rid of this witness, Dathrohan prepared to resume his demand to retaliate against the Scourge, when Tyrosus Maxwell interrupted to point out they had not seen any Scourge body or signs of battle in their way back to Hearthglen from Tirisfal. Dathrohan said their corpses may have been turned to ashes and scattered by the wind. Dathrohan turned the stakes around and placed Tyrosus in a dire position by accusing him of treason by implying anything. Lord Commander Dathrohan asked Tyrosus to choose whether to stand beside the Knights or step away.
Tyrosus chose the latter option. If Alexandros Mograine had been there, he would have listened to reason. This was no longer the case and called them blind zealous. To this, Tyrosus walked away from the meeting and departed with a few men.
Naxxramas. Alexandros Mograine has flashbacks of the moment his son Darion was born. He had to submerge the baby into the cold water to reanimate him after he stopped breathing. When returning back home, his wife Elena had passed away after the birth. Another memory set him at her grave screaming how much he loved her. Reality check. Kel'Thuzad asks who does he love. Mograine persists. Elena. His sons. Kel'Thusad insists. Love is nothing but a childish fantasy. Mograine's mental conditioning succeeds. He succumbs and acknowledged he loves no one. The corrupted Ashbringer runeblade is given to Mograine who wields it, binding his soul to the Lich King.
Tirisfal Monastery. Lord Commander Dathrohan baths Renault Mograine with the blessing of the Light proclaiming him the first commander within the ranks of the new order ... the Scarlet Crusade.
Naxxramas. Alexandros Mograine is appointed Champion of the Scourge.
Brill. Tirisfal Glades. Young Darion denounces his father's words. Of what use is the Light now ... his so-called greater purpose. All his life dedicated to the Light. His father lies now dead. From a bush, in the shadows, a figure spies upon Darion as he dwells in guilt. Zabra Hexx tells Darion what if his father was not dead yet. A connection was forged between Mograine and Zabra when he divined and spared his life. That connection between their souls tells him Mograine is alive. A dream told him he was in a floating fortress above a city in flames. Darion recognized this and settled to rescue his father from that fortress floating above Stratholme.
Zabra Hexx strangely sneaks away into the bushes, as figures approach. A green-skinned figure -- wearing a black tabard with a silver sun. -- is a female orc named Gruun'holde and is accompanied by two humans, a dwarf and a night elf. The orc asked young Darion why he is here alone. Tyrosus interrupts and informs Darion they have split from the Knights of the Silver Hand to found a new organization. One that welcomes all races. Tyrosus Maxwell openly invited Darion to join them.
Darion thought loud to himself ... his father had told him he shouldn't do it alone. The pursuit of his greater purpose. Tyrosus interjected, curious to what he meant. Darion proceeded to accept the invitation. Tyrosus welcomed Darion Mograine to the ranks of the ... Argent Dawn.
 Blizzard Quote: |
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| World of Warcraft: Ashbringer # 2 Betrayed by his own blood, Alexandros Mograine must fight for his life against impossible odds. The battle's outcome will drive a wedge through the heart of the beleaguered Order of the Silver Hand, and in the wake of devastation, two factions will emerge: the Scarlet Crusade and the Argent Dawn! Wildstorm | 40pg. | Color | $3.99 US On Sale October 29, 2008 Written by Micky Neilson; Art by Ludo Lullabi and Tony Washington; Cover by Chris Robinson; Variant cover by Lullabi and Washington |
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