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- Genre: Post-Apocolyptic Fantasy
- A brand new creation from the writer who defined fantasy adventure in comics
Story by Roy Thomas
Art by Nathan Furman
Rath is a larger-than-life barbarian warrior around the turn of the 31st century—or what would be the 31st century if humankind in that day still kept track of time by the old methods. Sometime in the 21st century, a perfect storm of catastrophe struck the world—an interplay of nuclear, biological, and ecological calamities that affected the entire Earth and sent mankind reeling back, backward to a virtual level of existence. In the years since, most people, even the few learned ones, have forgotten nearly all their race’s previous history… a situation accelerated by the fact that most of the artifacts of past civilizations have been wiped out, or at least buried. Rath 3000 is a sword-and-sorcery series, written by the man who first brought Robert E. Howard’s Conan, Kull and Red Sonja (as well as Michael Moorcock’s Elric of Melniboné and many other classic fantasy characters) to the world of comic books, and illustrated by a role-playing game fan-favorite known for his contributions to the Conan RPG.
Yes, it’s a sword-and-sorcery series—only minus the sorcery. Sort of. In this world nearly a thousand years into a dark and unglimpsed future, there is no more true magic than would have been found in the 21st century. Not that its inhabitants know it, however—for, to them, this Post-Catastrophic Age is inundated by sorcery. There are wizards who can float through the air as if they had wings—witches who can transport themselves in an instant from one place to another—conjurers who with mere thought can lift a mounted man in armor off the ground and bring them both smashing down—warlocks who have cheetah-like speed, or great girth and strength, or the ability to stretch or contort their bodies into elongated, inhuman shapes, or who can bend flames to their will or breathe under lake or sea—sorceresses who can read minds (or control them)—magicians whose cyanide touch can kill—wonder-workers who can animate an empty suit of armor (or a corpse) to do their bidding. And there are beasts and behemoths in this world, as well. Strange hybrids—sharks that have grown legs and hunt their prey on land… vampiric jellyfish that float through the night air, seeking human blood… man-eating plants that shamble on leafy, thorn-covered tendrils. All these things, of course—both humanoid and animal—are considered “magical” by the terrified populace, but are actually the result of mutations caused by the Great Catastrophe. But there is hope, as well, for this world… and his name is Rath.
Praise for Roy Thomas:
“No one has done more to popularize Robert E. Howard’s Conan the Barbarian than Roy Thomas, whose thrilling stories and brilliant editing propelled the world’s favorite barbarian to the list of Marvel Comics’ best-sellers for more than a decade.”
–STAN LEE, co-creator of The Amazing Spider-Man and The Fantastic Four
“Robert E. Howard dreamed Conan the Cimmerian for himself, and set him free to roam the world of his own Hyborian soul… Roy Thomas dreamed him for all of us, and made that world come vividly to life within our own.”
–MICHAEL CHABON, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay and Wonder Boys
About the creators:
Roy Thomas has been a comics writer and editor since 1965, mostly for Marvel or DC but also for Dark Horse and other companies, and has been the recipient of many of the art form’s highest honors over the years. He is noted for bringing Robert E. Howard’s heroes to Marvel Comics in 1970 and for writing their adventures for all of that decade, and again in the 1990s and more recently scripted a 12-issue series, Conan: Road of Kings, for Dark Horse Comics. Thomas has co-created many characters that have gone on to be featured in movies and television, including Wolverine, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, the Vision, Ultron, Carol Danvers (Captain Marvel), and Red Sonja.
Nathan Furman is an artist who has been drawing covers and interiors for Conan role-playing games for several years. He has also illustrated various books related to Lord of the Rings, Elric of Melniboné, et al., and is a three-time Zuda finalist for DC Comics.
Sample Pages:
RATH 3000 TM & © Roy Thomas and Nathan Furman