The world of League of Legends continues to expand beyond the realm of video games.
Yesterday, an announcement was posted on Marvel Comics’ website, indicating a new collaboration between Marvel and Riot Games to bring League of Legends to the world of comic books for (surprisingly) the first time ever.
A new graphic novel will be published by both Marvel and Riot Games, with a tentative release date of May 2019. The novel will encapsulate the series monthly graphic novels based on the multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game, which will be available on digital platforms on Wednesday, December 19th.
Riot Games’ writer, Odin Austin Shafer, will be the writer for the series, with artist, Nina Vakueva – from the Heavy Vinyl comic series – providing the art. Cardinal Rae is attached to do the lettering.
The graphic novel titled, League of Legends: Ashe: Warmother, will detail the origins of the Iceborn warrior, Ashe. The series will follow her journey as the leader of her people through the world of Runeterra, while dealing with her mother’s lofty expectations of her.
Editor-in-Chief of Marvel, C. B. Cebulski, had this to say about the collaboration:
“Many fans of the Marvel Universe and comics share their interests and passion for storytelling with the gaming community. 'League of Legends' is one of the most well-known games in the industry, and their unique world and extensive roster of rich characters and are a perfect fit for comic books. We’re excited to partner with Riot and help build the League of Legends Universe for fans and players around the world.”
Riot Games’ Greg Street, Head of Creative Development, also weighed in on the project:
“We love comics as a way to tell stories because it gives 'League of Legends' fans an opportunity to see the world of Runeterra and not just read about it. We see similarities between the League of Legends Universe and the Marvel Universe, as both of them feature an array of characters with compelling and diverse backgrounds. Marvel's success at developing a world through comics and creating great stories is industry-defining, and we're thrilled to be working with them to bring our own stories to life."
As fans continue to hold out hope for a film adaptation of the popular game, hopefully the upcoming graphic novel will suffice for the time being. At the very least, it is a good sign that Riot Games is willing to take the franchise to other platforms, especially a media powerhouse such as Marvel.
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