Preview: Titanium Rain

A title that has caught my eyes, ears and my imagination recently has been Titanium Rain from publisher Archaia.

I've heard the creators Josh Finney and Kat Rocha speaking on a number of podcasts in recent weeks and months and their enthusiasm for their book - and the efforts that they're going to to promote it - encouraged me to find out a little more.

So, what is Titanium Rain all about? Well, to quote from the Titanium Rain website:

To be alive is to be at odds with the world. Man against nature. Man against man. The instinct to survive is what has made us who we are. In the year 2031 mankind’s survival instinct is put to the test when a civil war in China spirals into global conflict. Nations are destroyed. Millions are killed. And for many, like US Air Force pilot Alec Killian, survival will mean shedding some of his humanity in exchange for biotech and machine.

Is this the ultimate corruption of nature? Or, the birth pains of a new chapter in mankind’s evolution? This is Titanium Rain.

Sounds interesting doesn't it? Science fiction: set in the future, grounded in the present.

The creators have released a number of preview pages via the website that look fantastic - sharp, clean super-realistic images with rich, deep colours: just how I like my comic book art.

With writing and art from Josh and art from Kat this is the creative teams second venture into comics, the first being Utopiates published by Bloodfire Studios.

Titanium Rain was originally launched in summer 2008 and was at that point expected to be a 12-issue series. Unfortunately, as a result of some restructuring at Archaia publication of the series stalled and issue 2 wasn't released. Now, with the restructure at Archaia out of the way attention has turned back to Titanium Rain, this time with a different publication plan ...

Titanium Rain will now be re-launched this August with a 54-page 'Prestige' format book that combines the previously released first issue (with improved and addition art) along with the pages that were intended for issue #2. This re-launch issue will also contain never before seen bonus material including maps and vehicles specs.

Then, the subsequent issue of Titanium Rain will feature issues #3 and #4: a double-sized issue with 48 pages. I really do think the title will benefit by relaunching through these 'Prestige' formats.

In addition to the website and a blog there are a couple of teaser trailers that do a nice job of promoting the book:

Trailer 1



click here for Trailer 2

I'd hope that every comic shop would be ordering a good supply of this title to give it a chance of the volume of sales I think it deserves. The reality is, however, that if you want to pick this book up - as is the case with so many titles outside of the main publishers, you'll want to pre-order to ensure you get a copy.

Titanium Rain #1/2, the double-sized re-launch issue, published by Archaia, has an order code of JUN09 0698.

Titanium Rain #3/4, also a double-sized issue has an order code on JUL09 0675.

I've ordered my copies and I'm looking forward to reading Titanium Rain over the months to come.

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footnote:
hear Josh and Kat talking about Titanium Rain on the following podcasts:
Comic Book Page Previews Interviews #20 June 2009
Kryptographik Episode 28 June 28
Kryptographik Direktor's Kut Episode 4
for a full list of interviews or features visit the Titanium Rain blog 'The Hangar'.