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Adroit Comics

Hey Adroit Family!

We’re in the middle of a move that has put a little cramp in our production!
We’ve been working to post every week day, but we’re just a bit behind. Our newest posts will be up, hopefully, later today!

If you’ve been reading our stories, we need to hear from you!

Please send your reviews, questions, and comments to adroitcomics@gmail.com.

Also, be sure to check out our Capital City Mysteries Club at
https://adroitcomics.com/mysteryclub!

Thanks for reading, and check back tomorrow for more awesome reads!

Peace, Love, and Comics,
Zee and Mannie

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Adroit Comics, Capital City, Club Lavish, Lola Foxx, Marquis LeBlanc, New Arkton, New Sienna, The New Arkton

Interview by Eshe Furaha

Music, dining, dancing, and “The Beautiful People” . . . What more could a social butterfly need in life? Or better yet, what could they need in their nightlife? Discerning partygoers have refined tastes and crave social experiences that they will never forget. It’s not easy finding the perfect combination of location, entertainment, and style.

Though it is not easy task, it seems the owners of the newest “It Club” of Capital City, Club Lavish, have definitely hit the mark. According to the murmurs of New Arkton’s most influential socialites, Club Lavish is certainly “Where it’s at!” — as the young people say. From politicians to movie producers, the city’s most notable names have been spotted on Lavish’s red carpet. And there’s no shortage of everyday people lined up, hoping to get a glimpse of the fascinating events unfolding inside.

Yes, ladies and gents, it seems there is a new contender vying for the title of New Arkton’s best night club. Especially now that Giseppe’s Lounge has closed its doors, due to a mysterious fire. Though they will be missed, it won’t be for long. Club Lavish has certainly superseded Giseppe’s as the finest club in town. It has bigger and better music acts, five star cuisine, and impeccable decor that would impress even the most royal of royals.

Owned by the experienced entertainment entrepreneur, Marquis LeBlanc, Club Lavish seems to have found that mysterious formula for long lasting success. But only time will tell if they can keep it up. Located in the heart of historic New Arkton, the location used to be The Olde Dullen Theatre.

Natives of Capital City will no doubt remember the theater back in it’s heyday. It was built at the height of New Arkton’s glittery and glamorous days of high society, dripping with wealth. The building is filled with artisan crafted fixtures and sculptures. It was constructed way back in 2990 for the “Capital City World’s Fair and Exhibition of Modern Human Ingenuity.” From the floorboards to the chandeliers, you can see that no expense was spared in the building of this monumental structure. Undoubtedly, there must have been equal care and expense given to the renovation and restoration of this historic gem.

“Groovy Baby! Groovy!” Shouts Marquis LeBlanc as he boasts over his current and past successes. “We’ve got the hottest ticket in the city, and that’s a fact Jack! The only joint that can give us a run for our money is The Groove Palace! But here’s the catch, Cap’n!” He continues dramatically, “We own that one too! Ha, ha, ha!”

As boastful as he may sound, Marquis has sound foundation for his claims. His Las Gracias venue has certainly made its mark on the city. The biggest names in entertainment can be found there any night of the week.

But let us not forget about his beautiful songstress and “partner in crime”, Miss Lola Foxx. After selling out shows night after night at the Groove Palace, we’re confident her shows in New Arkton will be even more spectacular!

Before concluding our interview, LeBlanc had this to say:

“Listen up cool cats! Here’s a message to all my folks who really know how to par-tay. Ya dig? Club Lavish is the new “It Club” of Capital City! It’s happening in a super groovy way baby! The grand opening is in just a few weeks, but we’ve got exclusive events lined up every night! The baddest names in music and film have already walked the red carpet. You know what I’m sayin’? Just last week, Donna Strong and TriLand Films hosted a preview party for ‘The Blue Mammoth.’ I’m tellling you, we’re going to blow up, just like that movie did at the box office. I mean, it should be illegal for a club to be this popular, before opening night! Ha, ha, ha! But that’s how we do baby. Keepin’ the groove real smooth.”

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Adroit Comics, Capital City Mysteries, Curtis Perry

It had already been a month since the last time I had met my brother for lunch. It seemed like not too much had changed in the last few weeks. Shavonne and I were still having the same disagreements, though we hadn’t broken up. However, there was some movement in my ongoing Adroit investigation.

I looked around the crowded subway car. It was amazing how every person in that tiny space had a story that could fill volumes of books. Each and every person there had experienced life changing events, and the memories were all held within their hearts and minds. My heart and mind couldn’t help but feel heavy if I thought about my own story for too long.

It was far easier to focus on everyone else’s problems.

My patience was wearing thin with main stream reporting. I was just getting so tired of the bosses trying to hide the fact that Adroits were real! I knew they were real. The good news was that more and more people were beginning to see the truth. It was hard not to. With all of the reported sightings of super power humans, anyone should be able to see what was really going on.

But with hard nosed, money hungry publishers like that gruff, old George Wilson running things, the truth would never get out. There was no way he would risk upsetting anyone important, or influential, especially not with so many big budget advertisers lining his pockets.

I had experienced the pitfalls of Wilson’s pugnacious profit driven publishing time and time again. I’d felt the sting of fury as my hard-hitting editorial submissions were rejected and ultimately ended up in the rubbish bin. It had happened more times than I cared to count.

The subway car rumbled as we sped through the tunnels. Of course, there were maybe a hundred diners between my apartment and Ronny’s Diner, but this one had been my favorite for years now. When I first moved to Capital City, it seemed like I ate every meal there. Even when my cash was low, the owners always made sure I had something to eat.

Now, it was tradition. And, to be honest, it was the only place in the city where I truly felt at home. Ronny and his wife Rhonda had always made me feel welcome, and Dexter too, no matter how rough he may have looked. Though I looked forward to seeing my brother, our last meeting had been so strange. I had never seen Dex act like that before.

Truth be told, I’d been uneasy since our last lunch. My mind had been pondering over what could have caused such a transformation. He mentioned something about a new program, and a job, but he didn’t say too much else. That weird staring thing wasn’t sitting well with me either.

As the subway came to a halt, I prepared to make my way out of the car. As the people around me did the the same, I couldn’t help but remember how I’d found Dexter on this very subway line years ago. He had been missing for a year or two, when suddenly, he just appeared on the train.

At first glance, I knew it was him. How could I not know the face of my older brother? But for a moment, I second guessed myself. “It can’t be him,” I thought to myself. It didn’t matter, I knew the truth, and I had to say something to the man.

It was hard, but he was happy to see me, and I felt the same way. That’s when I found out that he’d been drifting around the city from shelter to shelter, just trying to find his way in life. That day we had lunch at Ronny’s, and it’s been our tradition ever since.

Walking up from the underground station, my eyes had to adjust to the light. People hustled and bustled by me, tending to their ever so important business. I had business to to tend to as well, but first, lunch.

I still couldn’t shake that uneasy feeling that had been following me for the past month. Hopefully things were going well for my brother, and all of this angst would have been for nothing. My steps brought me closer to the doorway of Ronny’s Diner. My eyes scanned the street in front of the building for his familiar smiling face.

Dexter wasn’t there.

No matter how crazy his life may have been, he always arrived before me. Even the time that he ended up in the emergency room with a broken arm, he was still there before me, cast and all. This was definitely a change. An unwelcome change.

Maybe he was already inside waiting at our table. I didn’t see him through the window. The table was empty, waiting for us to arrive as always. Taking a deep breath, I opened the door and walked into the busy restaurant.

“Hey Curtis honey!” Shouted Rhonda from behind the breakfast bar. “Where’s Dex?” She asked.

“Hey Rhonda, how’s it going? I wish I knew. This is his first time being late for our lunch.”

“I’m sure everything is ok. He’ll probably show up any minute. Your table’s waiting for you honey. I’ll be right over.”

I just nodded at her and headed to the table.

In my heart, I really hoped that Rhonda was right.

To be continued . . .

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ABN News, Adroit Comics, Capital City, Capital City Monarchs, New Arkton, New Arkton Bears, RBL Baseball, Sports

Their bats were silent and New Arkton had a rookie on the mound. No problem.

On a day when the Bears struggled to string together much offense, the club got a big boost from 23-year-old starter Gary Cox. The left-hander quieted the Capital City Monarchs at Walnut Street Stadium to help New Arkton take the 2-1 decision and seize a 2-0 advantage in the best-of-7 League Championship Series.

Cox gave New Arkton a solid start. The left-hander allowed 1 run on 1 hit over 6 innings.

“If I go out there and help the team win, that’s all you can do,” said Cox.

Game 3 is set to be played Sunday at Monarchs Ballpark. The scheduled starters for the game are Hector Gomez for New Arkton and Kenta Takano for Capital City.

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Adroit Comics, Capital City, New Arkton

Greetings World!

We’ve been hard at work, as usual, working to create epic tales, amazing artwork, and rich characters that will keep you coming back for more. We are excited to announce the official release of “Adroit Comics Universe #2: The New King of Capital City”!

In this issue we’re sharing the stories of more characters. You can join us in taking a deeper dive into the darker side of Capital City, from the flashiest clubs to the most sinister corners of the criminal underworld. In our first issue of Adroit Comics Universe, we shared an introduction to our realm, and the many things that make it unique.

This time around, you’ll find that we took a different approach, paying special attention to the movers and shakers of New Arkton’s high society. These big wigs are all playing to win. But at the end of the day, someone must be the loser. Who will it be?

The two of us have been working on our stories for years, and years, and years. As artists, we’ve always wanted the world to receive our work, enjoy our work, and be moved by the stories that we have to share. It’s been such a blessing to hear all of the amazing feedback that our readers have shared! We hope that you will continue to enjoy what we have in store.

You may not know this, but we are committed to delivering free comic books to the community at large. We believe that everyone deserves an epic read, whether they can afford it or not. So you can always find our digital downloads on our “Free Downloads” page.

However, you can support us by ordering a print copy from our shop! Every purchase from Adroit Comics helps to fuel our mission of delivering epic reads and quality education.

Enjoy reading Adroit Comics Issue #2! And please share with all your comic book loving friends!

Peace, Love, and Comics,

Zee & Mannie

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Adroit Comics, Crimson Hawk, Hawk's Log

Sitting there, under the moonlight, I somehow began to feel cold. There, in the middle of the jungle, in front of a burning campfire, I somehow felt a chill going down my spine. I had been looking into the eyes of this man for months now, wondering what fueled the rage in his eyes. But now I was beginning to understand.

The air was thick, and I dreaded what would come next. However, it didn’t matter. This man and his wife had already lived it. The least I could do was listen to his tale. Pops continued to tell his story, and what followed was even more devastating.

“Mako’a returned to the clan with warriors who had defected to follow him. They stormed the village and stole all the holy books, artifacts and weapons. Those traitors set fire to our home, along with much of the village, before whisking away into the night. So many lives were lost, and it felt like our entire history had been obliterated. Even our beloved daughter, we lost her that night as well. It is a pain that has never mended.”

A reflection of the fire danced in Pop’s eyes. I may have even seen a tear well up in the corner of his eye. I know I felt my eyes tear up, just a little. I mean, I felt for the man. They had been through so much, and now here they were, nursing be back to health. These two souls had taken me in like a son. I knew I would do whatever I could to help them.

After a few moments, he continued to speak.

“All the survivors agreed to disperse and set up camps far away from what was once our home. We agreed to go underground and rebuild our strength. We prayed to The Heavens that our path to redemption and restoration would be guided by The Divine Light. One thing is certain, Likka has never given up hope that our daughter Ari’hi is still alive. I, on the other hand, am not so convinced.”

I could see Likka never giving up hope. She was always so positive and encouraging. It seemed like nothing could bring her down.

“Well, I think I’ll have to be on Likka’s side with this one Pops,” I replied. “I’m going to believe that your daughter is alive too. And I’ll do whatever I can to help you find her.”

Pops could only nod his head. I could tell that the story had worn him out. Reliving that ordeal would drain anyone. He excused himself for the night, but I couldn’t make my way to bed. I sat outside, staring at the flames for a long while. My thoughts were so deep, that I didn’t even notice Likka sit down beside me.

“What is on your mind young man? I can feel your soul is in turmoil. What troubles you tonight?” she asked in her usual kind voice. “Pops told me about what happened to your village. . .” I replied. “Oh,” she said softly, “ I see.”

I could feel my anger rising. “I want to help you both. I want to help you find your daughter. I want to help you avenge the wickedness that was done to your tribe. I just don’t understand how you can be so peaceful, after you’ve been through so much!”

She simply closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and placed her hand on my shoulder. It was like a cool breeze flowed through my very being. A wave of peace soothed my angry heart.

She drew back her hand and spoke softly. “Revenge is not our mission. We are here to help save the realm from Darkness. We cannot do this in rage. I believe that Divinity has a special plan for each and every one of us. Including my dear daughter. The greater the test, the greater our testimony shall be. From our pain, the future of the universe may be birthed. Nothing worth having comes easy, but to those who can endure the journey, there will be a great reward.”

I didn’t know exactly what she meant. But I believed every word.

To be continued . . .

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ABN News, Adroit Comics, Capital City, Capital City Monarchs, New Arkton, New Arkton Bears, RBL Baseball, Sports

The New Arkton Bears started the League Championship Series in dramatic fashion today, stealing Game 1 from the Capital City Monarchs in a walk-off. New Arkton won 4-2 behind a good day from starter Brian Duncan. The right-hander threw 7 innings of 4-hit ball in the win, which gave the Bears a 1-0 lead to start the best-of-7 series.

Bucky Hayes was the walk-off hero for New Arkton. With the game tied in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Bears center fielder hit a dramatic 2-run home run to send the teams home.

“Exhilarating win,” said Duncan.’

Game 2 is scheduled for tomorrow at Walnut Street Stadium. Slated to start are Elton Nord for Capital City and Gary Cox for New Arkton

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Adroit Comics, Capital City, Golden Bolt

The night is cool, and there’s an unsettling energy in the air. I’ve felt this feeling before. But it was so many years ago. When I was young man in Santina, I’d encountered another of my kind. Another Adroit with the power of speed crossed my path. The ensuing fight was swift, more of a sparring match really. It seemed as though we battled out of duty, not anger, or neccesity. However, that was when I knew the stories of my family’s past were true.

Centuries ago, the lands of Santina and Albatino were originally one great nation.Our family had ruled the land for centuries. The kings and queens of Tinéu had always been fair, compassionate and just. Blessed by an ancient legacy of Adroit powers, our clan had always been able to protect their land and citizens. For centuries the kingdom was prosperous and there were none that dared to challenge us.

Sadly, there came a day when turmoil began to ravage the land. In the year 2590, King Santiago passed away. Almost instantly, confusion broke out with everyone wondering, “Who would be the new ruler?” The king had left neither a will, nor an established heir. There were two contenders to the throne: Prince Albatino or Princess Santina. Both wanted to wear the crown. However, no-one knew how to choose which of his children should rule.

This conflict divided the nation in two. One faction believed Princess Santina should lead their nation. They felt that she was the eldest and more benevolent of the siblings. The other faction supported Prince Albatino. They believed that, though he was younger, his knowledge of war and international affairs would help the country to grow.

When no decision could be met, Prince Albatino and his followers declared war and seceded from the nation as a whole. Declaring their independence, the nation of Albatino was born. A territorial line was drawn and the, now two nations, fought furiously for years and years. As both siblings carried the Adroit genes, the powers continued to be passed down through the generations.

Centuries later, I was born. Early on I knew that I was carrying on our legacy of extraordinary speed. Each generation of our family yielded two speedsters. I am one. The other was born to our cousins, now turned mortal enemies. Each new protector of our family is called the Golden Bolt.

It is the Golden Bolt’s responsibility to help protect the nation. Blessedly, the century-long feud between our clans came to a truce. When it was my time to become the Golden Bolt, I told my parents that I wanted something different. Baseball was my love. With peace on the horizon, I’d hoped that I could pursue my dreams of playing professional baseball.

Thankfully, they agreed. I moved to New Sienna and played for the Avondale Fightin’ Mallards. For years, I was the best player in the league. My game showed no signs of slowing down. But one day, everything changed. My wife gave birth to a baby girl, and soon she proved to be far from average. Needing to protect her, I retired from baseball and moved to Sunnyside, on the outskirts of Capital City.

No matter what has happened, I never gave up being the Golden Bolt. Everyday I race to help save whoever I can. Now I can run this race with my daughter by my side. Training her has been no easy task, but she’s ready for the fight. At least I pray she is. There’s a speedy foe blazing around Capital City, and we’re on a mission to track him down. It’s my belief that an ancient legacy of war has come calling. If so, he’d better bring his best game, ‘cause I’m in it to win.

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Adroit Comics, Crimson Hawk, Hawk's Log, Max Norton

As we sat in front of the burning campfire, I gazed into the dancing flames. The chirping crickets and howling monkeys echoed through the air. For a long whole it stood still, cloyingly warm against my skin. But as Pops continued to share their story, it began to pick up more and more. It was as though the very wind was feeling his pain.

“Things were moving in a wonderful way. Likka and I had recently been married and she was now expecting our first child. As the new leader of the clan, I did my best to make sure everyone was taken care of, and that all of our warriors were training. It was also my responsibility to hold all families of the clan to the highest standard of morals and actions.”

At this point, I could only nod to let him know I was listening intently. I’d never seen this side of the man who had begrudgingly took me in. He was always so stern, serious, and resolved. He continued to speak.

“I knew that we could only continue our legacy if we followed the path ordained by Divinity from the dawn of our creation. But it was not long before the seeds of Chaos began to sprout within our clan.

One day, some years later, there came a challenge. My brother Mako’a had decided that it was unfair for me to be declared the leader over him. Being the eldest, tradition dictated that he should be the leader. That had indeed been the principal tradition. However what he didn’t want to acknowledge, was the fact that the leader must be pure of heart and unblemished in spirit. If it was found by the tribe council that the eldest’s heart held even hint of darkness, he would be disqualified.

My father had already confided in me that Mako’a would be enraged over not being appointed leader, and I knew it would be so. At a very young age, he saw a flame of greed in the eyes of Mako’a. From that moment he knew that it was I who should lead and not my older brother.

He’d warned me about what might happen. I thought I was prepared. But I was gravely mistaken. Our family was growing, our tribe was prospering. Life was good. Perhaps I had been so full of love and joy, that I did not pay enough attention to my brother’s plots and schemes.

On that fateful day he came alone, demanding that I relinquish my position to him. Of course I refused. A terrible argument ensued and it ended badly.

The argument turned into a physical confrontation. I was victorious in battle, but I could not bring myself to kill him. The way he came against me, I should have ended it then. I saw the Darkness in his eyes, but he was my brother. I just couldn’t do it. And that was the biggest mistake of my life.”

To be continued . . .

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Adroit Comics, Crimson Hawk, Max Norton

The knock up on the door, but sure and certain. Yet it was also soft and gentle with the head of femininity. Max looked up at the door and saw the silhouette of a petite figure. His ears had been correct. Yet, for a split second, he was on edge. It wasn’t often that folks came knocking on his door unannounced. Junk yard offices didn’t get too much traffic.

Of course that was just a cover. But he often wondered what his life would be like if he did simply run a junk yard and towing company. Though some might consider that a simple, unrewarding life, Max wouldn’t have minded the simplicity at all.

But alas, it was not meant to be. Max’s tension began to relax as he made his way to the door. This was because a soft, sweet, and familiar fragrance wafted in from the outside. He shook his head and sighed as he opened the door.

“Likka! Pops! Why didn’t guys call? You had me on edge wondering who was at the door,” He said with a sigh and chuckle. “You know I’m always ready for action!”

Likka rushed right into the small room talking quickly, holding a newspaper in her hand. Pops made his way in behind her.

“My apologies Max! We just had to march right over. This is a very big deal. Well, no. Big deal is an understatement. This is a huge, giant, immensely, big deal. I’d heard about this long, long, ago. But I’m sure it’s become obvious to all of us that these so called myths, are actually quite true. . . Have you read today’s newspaper?”

Before he could answer, Pops chimed in.

“Max, you know how she can be. When she gets her mind locked in, there’s no stopping this woman. It’s no wonder the whole realm hasn’t already been saved, simply by Likka’s sheer willpower and stubbornness. We were out running errands. She sees the newspaper headlines, and declares that we absolutely, had to rush right over.”

He shook his head and moved to take a seat.

Max looked at them both, and laughed. “You two are hilarious. Yes, Likka, I did read the newspaper today. Which article you talkin’ about? And yes, Pops, I do know Likka.” He replied with a smile.

He went to sit behind his desk as Likka continued.

“Did you read the front page?” She asked.

“You mean the breaking news article about that expensive and rare gem being stolen?”

Likka’s face lit up with a smile from ear to ear.

“Exactly. This gem is very important, Max. We have to find it!”

“Wait a minute!” He said calmly. “What do you mean we have to find it? What is so important about it? Not to mention the fact that its theft is being called an impossible crime. What am I supposed to do with that?” He asked with a laugh.

Of course he knew what was coming next. But he couldn’t keep from asking. In his heart, Max wanted help stop every single injustice that was happening in the realm. However, he was only one man.
“Believe me Max, this mystery is one we must solve. The fate of the very realm could depend on it!” She answered with flourish of her hand.

“And that my dear Likka, is exactly what I’m afraid of.”

Max could only sigh and prepare himself for what was coming next.

To be continued . . .

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Adroit Comics, Bucky Hayes, New Arkton, New Arkton Bears, RBL Baseball

At the age of 22, Bucky Hayes of the New Arkton Bears could very well have his best years ahead of him.

It’s a startling thought when you consider the year he had in 3073 was good enough to win the center fielder the National League Most Valuable Player Award.

“See the ball, hit the ball,” he said. “That’s my basic approach.”

The top hitter put up a .411 batting average this year, as well as a .537 on-base percentage. He played 157 games and racked up 232 hits, 26 doubles, 15 triples, 56 home runs, 182 RBIs and 191 runs scored.

He received 23 first place votes out of a possible 24. Brian Duncan of the New Arkton Bears finished second in voting with 1 first place vote, while Gary Cox of the New Arkton Bears finished third.

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Adroit Comics, National Government, New Sienna, Nu’ZarEil

The great nation, now known as New Sienna, was once upon a time simply “Sienna.” But our Royal Families had the foresight and fortitude to bring about a revolution that would change the face of the world.

Sienna had once been a peaceful land, full of cooperative works and peoples from across the realm. The land of Sienna was rich with resources: freshwater, acres, and acres of timber, fertile soils, and caverns full of precious metals and gems. Over the centuries, the native ruling family had been welcoming and supportive of newcomers.

But there came a day when the ruling family lost their way. Becoming foolhardy and greedy, the young King Shemaha Salamalan changed everything. His edicts were harsh and disruptive to the citizens of Sienna, both native and foreign. Families across the land were in an uproar and fearful of what the future could bring. However, twelve leaders united the families of Sienna to fight back against the king’s tyrannous rule. As happens so many times in history, there was one person who stood up to make a difference. There was one person who inspired the citizens to take action for what is right. That man was Devin Vonderdöm, of the Vonderdöm clan. His ancestors had arrived on the shores of Sienna almost one hundred years before. Traveling from Old Arkton, his family had always worked in trading precious metals and resources. The Vonderdöm clan had built much wealth before migrating to Sienna and had earned even more since they’d settled. Seeing that his family’s livelihood was in jeopardy from the king’s new orders, the noble Vonderdöm knew that he couldn’t sit by and see all that they had worked for be lost.

From that moment forth, I knew that everything would be different. How could I bear witness to such transgressions as these and say nothing? How could I, Devin, from the long line of Vonderdöms, allow the rights of myself and my family to be usurped? The answer is simple, I could not, and would not go down in history as a side-note. The world would not look back and say that Devin Vonderdöm did not fight for his family’s freedoms. The freedom to live, the freedom to build, and the freedom of enterprise.

– Excerpt from Devin Vonderdöm’s Personal Diary circa 2885

With that understanding, he joined with other like-minded leaders of the community. Together these leaders worked to unite families across the land to resist the new laws that threatened their prosperity. They urged their followers to fight for the rights that had long ago been granted to their forefathers. These same rights should be due to them as well.

These leaders became known as the Royals of New Sienna, and their war has gone down in history as The Royal Rebellion of Sienna. Lasting for five years, many lives were lost. Many mourned the losses of this great nation and looked with hopefulness to the future. And what a wonderful future it proved to be.

Under the wise and considerate leadership of New Sienna’s Royal Families, our nation has become the most powerful in the realm. In this, all of our citizens should take pride.

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Adroit Comics, Eboni Stone

Eboni Stone is a complicated lady. At first glance she might look like just another pretty face. But Mrs. Stone comes with many unexpected layers. She’s a lady who’s life has been far from smooth, and anything but easy. From her early years on the Capital City Police Force, to becoming an undercover private eye, and now novice protector of the realm — she’s seen more ups and downs than she cares to count.

“How did I get here?” is a question that rings out in her mind, more often than not. Every once in awhile, when she finds a rare, quiet moment, Eboni reflects on her past. She gives the deepest of thought to the whys and hows of her life. Unfortunately, she’s yet to find truly satisfying answers. All she can do is her best to make things better.

Never in a million years did she think her life would be like this. Since she’d met Max, Pops and Likka, her life had become surreal. Filled with top secret royal conspiracies and super powered humans hailing from ancient bloodlines, its like something out of the tabloids.

Back in the day, she and her husband would argue over whether Adroits were real.
He believed. She didn’t. Boy oh boy would he have been excited to say “I told you so!” Her parents had spoken of ancient family legacies, but only in passing. It
had all sounded like children’s stories as far as she was concerned. Dennis had always been more open-minded than she was. Oh, how she missed him. There wasn’t a day that went by without her thinking of his laugh.

It had been five years now. Though the pangs of loss had softened, they had not gone anywhere. But alas, there was much work to do, and Eboni Stone has never walked away from a challenge. Investigating her husband’s death was tough one for her. The answers she found weren’t pretty. However, she soon realized that investigation was leading somewhere she wasn’t ready to go . . . At least not yet.

Nowadays, Mrs. Stone is a private investigator working to help local folks who need her help. But now, things are getting crazier than she could have imagined. As someone who didn’t believe in all that Adroit hoopla, she’s certainly all in now. As the official guardian of her niece and nephew, she has no choice but to believe. The disappearance of their parents came as a shock to everyone. Now, Eboni is working to keep them safe. . . and get enough clients to keep the bills paid.

Everyday her to do list grows longer. But she’s focused. The twins need her guidance and help finding their parents. Pops and Likka are training her to be as strong as possible, while Max needs her friendship and a partner on his undercover missions. And now she’s somehow gotten sucked into an unending trail of conspiracies. That’s unfortunate for the bad guys because Eboni Stone can’t stop until her case is solved.

.

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Adroit Comics, Crimson Hawk, Guardians of New Sienna, Hawk's Log

“Our family has a long legacy of divine purpose. From the very beginning of this realm’s creation, we were tasked with helping to protect humanity,” Pops said solemnly.
“Protect humanity from what?” I asked sincerely.


Pops smiled at my question. Looking back, I can see how child-like I truly was at that time. With a blank slate, I was like a new born baby in many ways. Living in the jungle with my new family for those first few years was paradise. A paradise to which I often wish I could return.
But there is far too much work to do. My task is too great to even think about paradise any time soon. There are some very important mysteries that must be solved. Then maybe, just maybe I could retire in the jungle —away from all the craziness.

Now as I think back to the sorrow in Pops’ eyes, my dedication to fighting the darkness grows even more. However, there was much more than sorrow in his voice, and in his story. My question had been one full of naïveté. It was so simple, so child-like. I could not comprehend the magnitude of what he was about to say.

“We were tasked with protecting humanity from Darkness . . . The Ultimate Darkness. Every evil that has ever manifested in this realm can be traced back to The Ultimate Darkness. Some call it Chaos. It is called many different things in different tongues, yet they are all one and the same.”

I listened intently, trying process every single word. It was a lot to process. But somehow, I understood everything he said. It hit me in my heart like ringing bell of truth. Pops continued speaking and soaked it all in like a sponge.

“Over the millennia, it’s plots and schemes have shifted. It’s soldiers and operatives have changed. Even the tools it employs have evolved. However, it’s only goal is the utter despair and destruction of our universe.

This was some heavy news indeed. At the time, I wasn’t sure if I was ready for this answer. But it was too late now. I was all in.

There are many who have fought over the centuries. But my family, the Lolani, were one of the original warrior tribes. My ancestors were gifted with weapons of Light. Those weapons allowed us to banish the Darkness that threatened us all. We were instructed to stay vigilant, guard our weapons, guard our secrets, and pass this truth down to our children.”

At that moment Pops paused again, choosing his next words carefully. It was not until that moment that I felt it was alright to speak. I tried to encourage one of my only two friends in the world. It was a hard fact, but Pops and Likka were the only two souls I knew in the whole world.
“That sounds like a very important task Pops. I know you’ve always taken it seriously. I’m sure your ancestors would be proud of you. You and Likka have certainly helped to save and protect me.”

Pops’ only response was a small nod of gratitude before he continued his story.

“When the day came for me to lead my clan, I was thankful and believed that I could be a great leader. I knew in my heart that I had been chosen over my brother to lead for an important reason. I was prepared to make my family and The Creator proud. I did everything I could to take care of my family and all the members of our village. But, sadly there was one man who wanted everything I had . . .”

To be continued . . .

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Adroit Comics, Capital City, Capital City Mysteries, Curtis Perry, New Arkton

It was a brisk afternoon as I walked through the busy streets of New Arkton. My mind was moving still piecing together information from the many stories I was working on. But wasn’t that always the case? There was always another mystery to solve, another cover-up to uncover. However, today I had more on my mind than just work.

I’m not big on talking about feelings, emotions, and other sappy stuff like that. My life is based on cold, hard facts. But even guys like me have a heart. This afternoon my mind was consumed with both family and personal life. Both of these issues were big deals to me, even though I rarely, if ever, took personal time. Maybe that’s the problem.

Yesterday I had a big argument with my girlfriend. At least I hoped she was still my girlfriend. After that argument, I wasn’t too sure. We’ve been dating for a while, but it just seems like we’re on two different pages in life.

She was in the news biz too. But she looked at things differently than I did. My goal always has, and always will be to bust open the secret files of government officials, military operations, giant corporations, or anybody who is up to no good. She simply didn’t feel that way.

“Ahhhhhh,” I let out a groan of frustration.

The streets were filled with plenty of people walking about. A lady looked at me strangely as she passed by. I just shrugged my shoulders and kept walking. Women could be so confusing at times.

Step by step, second by second, I made my way through the crowded streets. It was easy to get lost in the shuffle of Capital City. Some days I could just walk and walk, letting the sounds of the city drown out my frustrations.

As I drew closer to my destination, my mind shifted to the other situation at hand. That family issue I mentioned before. Well, to be truthful, I don’t have too much family to speak of. My parents have been gone for some time now, and my siblings and I aren’t the best of chums. Though we do try to stay in touch. My sister Savannah lives on the other side of country. We send letters ever so often, and birthdays are celebrated with a call.

To the contrary, my brother Dexter, lives right here in Capital City. Sometimes he’s around New Arkton, sometimes he’s in Collinsville. You never quite know where he’ll end up. Dex is what some people would call a drifter always moving around from place to place. We both spent some time in the military, but it affected us differently. And he’s had a rougher time about it than me.

But no matter where he may be, we meet for lunch every month, at the same diner. It’s been a longstanding tradition of ours for years now. We even sit in the same booth every single time, never fail. It was always good to see him, and know that he was alright, even if he didn’t look all that great.

As I approached the diner entrance, I could see him standing to the side waiting for me. He never tried to go in before I arrived. He was always too nervous. I walked up to him and gave him a warm brotherly embrace.

“Dex! My main man! How’s it goin’ brotha’?” I asked with a smile.

“Oh it’s all good, little bro! How’ve you been?” He replied.

His smile was a little crooked, and his eyes seemed glassed over. Something about him was different. I took a step back and gave him a good look from top to bottom. He looked better than I’d seen him in a while. His clothes, shoes, hair, everything looked clean.

“What? You didn’t get all dressed up on my account, did you?” I joked and punched his shoulder.

“Aww man, naw,” he laughed, though he looked a little embarrassed.

“Come on,” I said, “Let’s grab our table. I’m starving!”

He just nodded and followed me inside.

When we were seated, I had to keep from staring at him. Sure, he looked cleaned up, but something just seemed different, odd, strange even. Not that the fella had been this pillar of normalcy over the years. But I was used to his scruffy face, and far off looks. This new version of Dexter had me wondering what was going on?

We ordered our food, and talked about things like we usually did. Then he let me in on his big news.

“I’m a little nervous talking about it,” he said between bites. “I just don’t wanna jinx it, you know? But here it is, I got new job!”

That was big news, and of course I was happy for the man.

“That’s great Dex! What kind of job?” I asked.

He paused for a moment, and looked off into the distance as though he was in deep thought.
“You know, I’m not really sure what I’ll be doing. Something about clean energy sources. Right now I’m in their ‘Transitionary Intake and Training Program’.”

Dexter stayed frozen in place for a few seconds. I stayed still myself, trying to figure out what was going on with him. Then suddenly, his trance broke and he went right back to eating.

Chewing slowly, I took a deep breath. “So, what’s the name of the company?”

“You know what,” he said with a smile “I can’t even remember!” He just laughed, shrugged, and kept eating his burger.”

I just tried to nod encouragingly. With Dex you never knew what to expect. I hoped that something good could come out of this.

After lunch, I usually tried to give him a few dollars to help out. But today he refused.
“It’s ok little bro, I don’t need it. I’m alright.”

“Are you sure? Man you know, like I always said, I’m here for you. You can come stay with me anytime. I hope things work out good with the job and all. But you can crash at my pad whenever you need to.”

“And what do I always say? I don’t want to give you my problems Curtis. Don’t worry about me,” he replied with a pat on my back.

As he walked away, my big brother shouted, “I’ll see you next month, same time, same place.”

“You know it!” I shouted back. I looked forward to next month and hoped Dex would have more good news.

To be continued . . .

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ABN News, Adroit Comics, Capital City, Collinsville, Jamal McCall, Local Government

There are many people surprised at the latest news involving the United Paper Company. No one suspected that such a longstanding and respectable organization could stoop this low. Authorities were surprised to discover that the new management of the main office was secretly using the company’s resources, facilities, and trucks to move stolen goods.

Apparently the police were alerted by someone working within the company that the criminal conspiracy was taking place. The chief had this to say, “We’ve been following this operation for some time now. We’ve been gathering intelligence and evidence to put the wrongdoers away for a long time. We’re confident about that.”

Official reports indicate that millions of dollars worth of stolen and illegal goods were shipped and delivered under the guise of paper and stationary.

When asked about their suspects in the case, Chief Robinson answered, “Our prime suspect is the general manager of United Paper Company’s home office in Collinsville, Mr. Michael King. All reports and evidence point to him as the leader of this operation. Any citizen who has information to help lead us to Mr. King will receive a substantial reward. You can call any precinct with your tips.”

He went on to say that Mr. King had gone missing, along with several of his reported business associates. Though he has not been declared guilty without an official trial, his fleeing the city is not helping his case.

According to reports, it seems that many employees of the company are trying to protect Mr. King, and deny that he was the ring leader. But that’s not what the evidence suggests.

We will continue reporting on this case as soon as we have more information.

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