CBR has an exclusive look at the characters featured in Alliances: Orphans, a new graphic novel co-created by Stan Lee.
Alliances: Orphans is co-created and co-written by Lee, with this being one of the final projects he worked on before he passed away in 2018. The world of Alliances, which was also co-created by Luke Lieberman (Red Sonja) and Ryan Silbert (The Coldest Case), began with Alliances: A Trick of Light, an Audible Original narrated by Yara Shahidi, and Alliances: A New Reality, narrated by Wil Wheaton. Characters included in the preview for Alliances: Orphans, listed in order of appearance, include Critter, a small pet monster with three eyes; Ekol Razel, the leader of an army of vicious creatures; Haze, who has shape-shifting abilities; Little Boy, who has the proportions of a five-year-old but is actually closer to 50 years of age; Rascal, an ace pilot; Samsi, who is equipped with a high-tech suit and weaponry than can cut through just about anything; and William Ackerson, who can control the electromagnetic spectrum, amongst other abilities.
Published by Dynamite Entertainment, Alliances: Orphans opens with a "Traitor's Revenge" prologue written by Lee, Lieberman and Silbert, with art by Bill Sienkiewicz (Moon Knight, New Mutants). The "Traitor's Revenge" story pays homage to Lee's work on Captain America #3 before jumping into Alliances: Orphans' core story, which features art by Szymon Kudranski.
What Is Alliances: Orphans About?
"The Alliances: Orphans original graphic novel introduces fans to a diverse cast of characters hurtling through a new saga," a description of the novel reads. "William Ackerson is a man lost in space on a quest to find the source of his uncanny abilities. He's joined by a crew wherein each member is the last of their kind, with the evil alien Hive having wiped out all their kin. Little Boy is the giant childlike leader of the Orphans. Haze is a caustic creature of pure vapor. Rascal is a self-loathing zealot with dark secrets. Then there is Critter, a monster with a puppy-like demeanor. Lastly, the mysterious stowaway Samsi is the fearsome survivor of a civilization that once ruled the galaxy. Together, this ragtag group will adventure through a fast-paced intergalactic treasure hunt across the cosmos. As gravity waves ripple across the galaxy, warping time and space around them, the Orphans must band together and become a family to save the very fabric of reality."
"When we would discuss cosmic storytelling with Stan, he would often look up, point toward the sky and then, when the idea came to him wave his hand like a magician" Lieberman and Silbert said in a statement about the novel. "Bringing Orphans to life in this new project, and expanding Alliances into the stars, is something we know fans have been anticipating for years. This is that moment.”
Dynamite CEO and Publisher Nick Barrucci added, "We're excited at Dynamite to help expand the Alliances universe with this highly anticipated graphic novel. Working with Luke, Ryan, and everyone involved, to our wonderful artists the legendary Bill Sienkiewicz and the talented Syzmon Kudranski, we're building a truly inspiring tapestry. It is incredible fortune that this all happens to be coming together the same year that would be Stan Lee's centennial, a man whose influence on this project and all of us is practically boundless."
Alliances: Orphans releases Oct. 5 in a 184-page hardcover format.
Source: Lede Company