:::cracks knuckles, sips beer, and begins to type:::
The New Age is the title of the project of which I'm co-creator. It's two series of graphic novels, printed under the same title. Each is a full stand-alone story, but when both stories are read, they work in tandem to tell a greater epic. The protagonists of each of these books are a pair of twins, who have somehow grown up in separate, parallel Earths from one another. As they begin to awaken to greater powers, they try to solve the mystery of their past and their true identity and purpose.
Along the way, they encounter a cast of mysterious aliens whose destinies will ultimately tie with the twins, either as friends or foes. Some of these characters will begin in one of the series and finish their part in the tale of another. This is a finite tale, one which will have no sequels and which has a certain ending.
The New Age will be released on a bi-monthly basis, as a set of online, interactive graphic novels, which can be purchased on a membership basis. At present, we have plans to later release them in print, when we can find a way to translate the clue system from internet to paperback form.
Of course, I did mention clues, and that brings Me to the interactive element of The New Age. In various places throughout the books, sometimes obviously within plain sight, but most often obscured, we will have clues available. Many will come in the form of lost, ancient alien languages that require a decoder. In whatever form these clues take, they'll be found mostly in the graphic novels, but also elsewhere on the site, and on other promotional material. The various clues will allow subscribers to unlock bonus content, to decipher the meaning of an alien prophecy said to be as old as time, and to allow the most savvy to perhaps solve how the story will end, before the final issues are printed.
We believe that, with The New Age, we'll present a compelling story whose interactive element adds a few new fun features. Having said this, I hope that people also enjoy the scavenger hunt/investigation angle of this series.
We will be launching The New Age in mid-August, during the Chicago ComiCon. The website contains information that will be updated throughout the summer, as we draw closer to August. At approximately two months prior to launch, we'll be making available two introduction stories, which will be free to the public. Our website also has an Email sign up, through which we'll be doing a free raffle. What this means, simply, is that those whose names are chosen will receive an Email to let them know that they won some original artwork that went into the production.
The website for The New Age is:
http://www.artineffect.com