Fantasy and metal come together in this week’s Small Press Spotlight. Production company Incendium has announced their team up with Swedish metal band HammerFall for a set of fantasy comics and action figures under the music-focused Opus imprint. The first figure to come from the new HammerFall series will be Hector, a fully articulated 5” figure based on the cover art and lore of the tale.
Writer Ian Edginton (Warhammer, Judge Dredd, Planet of the Apes) and artist Kevin West (Iron Maiden, Creepshow, Guardians Of The Galaxy) head up the creative team. The book features cover artwork by Ryan Christensen. Letters are by Jacob Bascle.
Read details below:
“THE IMMORTAL PALADIN RETURNS
Templars of Steel, arise! HAMMERFALL and Incendium are teaming up for the launch of an epic high-fantasy adventure comic series that explores the legacy of Hector, the iconic mascot depicted across decades of album sleeves from the legendary Swedish heavy metal band.
In HAMMERFALL #1, a vile blight spreads across the land. When a lone warrior rides deep into the forest to face the savagery and madness head on, his quest for Justice leads him to a figure from his past, the herald to a dark master who cannot be undone by mastery of arms alone.”
“I’m really psyched to see Hector come alive as a comic superhero, showing his abilities and skills with his choice of arms: the mighty ‘Hammer of Dawn.’ It’s a great way to spread the epic and iconic legacy of Hector to a brand-new audience,” said Joacim Cans, lead singer of the band.
Llexi Leon, CEO of Incendium, added, “Hector is one of the great mascots in metal, his rich history explored across dozens of stellar tracks. HAMMERFALL keep the flame burning bright for heavy music fans and we’re delighted to bring their lyrics and artwork to life, not only for the fans but to celebrate Hector’s epic saga with a new audience”
The comic’s debut comes alongside the upcoming release of the band’s twelfth album, the 10-track Hammer of Dawn, which will be released on February 25, 2022 on Napalm Records. HammerFall is also set to start a European tour in spring 2022, joined by power metal band Helloween, who is also collaborating with Incendium on an Opus comic book series.
The first print edition of HammerFall #1 will be limited to 1666 copies and released as a prestige-format limited edition collectible comic book, featuring cardstock covers, specialty foil treatments, glossy pages, and individual numbering. The Hector figure is set to ship in summer 2022.
Check out the issue’s cover and some preview art below! Click here to order.
