New Releases by Jim Cheung

Collects issues 22 through 27 of "Scion" comics in which Prince Ethan, having vowed to create a Sanctuary for the downtrodden Lesser Races becomes caught in the brutal conflict between the Heron and Raven kingdoms.

A world of technological advances hidden beneath a medieval veneer, Avalon enjoyed a truce between the rival Heron and Raven Dynasties for centuries. That uneasy peace, however, was shattered accidentally by Ethan, youngest of the Heron princes. Inevitably, full-scale war erupted. Among the first casualties was Prince Artor, Ethan''s oldest brother and heir to the throne, who was brutally slain by Raven Prince Bron. Swearing vengeance, Ethan has set out on a journey that leads to the very heart of Raven power, and a battle with Bron that will leave only one man standing.

Scion takes place on a world with one foot in the past and one foot in the future, a planet where a medieval facade masks advanced science. Two kingdoms hold sway here, kingdoms that have been plunged back into warfare after centuries of tenuous peace. And caught between them is a young prince with a gift that could save his world or doom it. Ethan sees first-hand the sufferings of the genetically engineered Lesser Races and is forced to choose between his loyalty to his family and his loyalty to a greater good. His decision is not only unexpected, it may well determine the course of history for his entire world.

The story of Ethan, youngest prince of an ancient empire locked in an uneasy truce with its Eastern rivals. In an age in which ritual combat has taken the place of real war, Ethan prepares to mark his passage into manhood by participating in his first tournament. Then an incident occurs which changes his life forever, and leads to the first open warfare in generations. Young, headstrong, and somewhat naive, Ethan embarks on a quest to avenge his brother''s death that takes him deep into the heart of the Eastern lands. This is a world where dragons are scientifically engineered creatures with on-board computers, hovercraft are decked out like tall ships, and Lesser Races are bred for toil.