It means that it can’t really be a prologue, because there’s no chapter one to then turn to. One issue of a comic doesn’t have a lot of pages. When we meet him in the books, he’s a king, so it’s entertaining to get a look at a younger version of him.īut even for those who don’t know the world, Schwab has spoken about her intention of making this series accessible - and indeed, there’s effectively a prologue in this first issue that serves as a nice refresher for old hands and a quick “here’s what you need to know” for newcomers alike. The Steel Prince is set in the same world, but rolls things back to the youth of Maxim Maresh - Rhy’s father.

A Conjuring of Light, the conclusion to the trilogy, just dropped last year. If you’ve been in fantasy for the past few years, then you’ve probably heard of the Shades of Magic series. Here’s hoping this will make her a name in comics as well. Schwab has made a name for herself in fantasy fiction. Shades of Magic: The Steel Prince, with issue #1 out today, is no different.īut it’s also possibly the best fantasy comic out there right now that can draw reticent-to-try-something-new fantasy readers in, just based on the first issue.

They come and go so quickly that you’re always left wanting more, and while that’s the point (to sell more issues), it still means that you’re left having to wait sometimes a month - or more - for the next part of the story. Speaking as a binge reader, it’s tough to review individual comics. Schwab’s first comic issue is only one part of the story, but for an introduction, The Steel Prince #1 is as solid as they come.

Shades of magic the steel prince 1