ÜberSciFiGeek – Page 5 – Celebrate Your Geekdom

Hatter M: Love of Wonder and Looking Glass Wars: Millinery Academy come to Kickstarter

New York Times best-selling author Frank Beddor (Looking Glass Wars trilogy) recently launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the publishing of his Hatter M graphic novel series and his latest prose series for fans of the LGW mythos.

Hatter M, Volume 5: Love of Wonder will be the FINAL graphic novel in the award-winning Hatter M Series and available to Kickstarter backers FIRST.

The campaign has been 20% funded in less then 24 hours from launch! Visit http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/149372651/the-looking-glass-wars-hatter-m to participate.

In addition, fans asked for another prose series from Frank and the result is Volume 1 of Looking Glass Wars: Millinery Academy.

Discover a young Hatter Madigan as a cadet attending the fabled Millinery Academy where he is trained to protect Wonderland’s Queens.

Beddor commented “It’s a great time to be creative, and I am so lucky to have such a remarkable platform to bring new work to life.”

LOOKING GLASS WARS: MILLINERY ACADEMY

Swordplay! Newfound friendships! School bullies! Budding love! Self-serving rivals! Scheming adults and soulless rebel plotters! Welcome to the world of Cadet Hatter Madigan, who has just entered Wonderland’s Millinery academy as one of the freshmen ‘Brims’. Those born to be Royal Bodyguards are trained at one of the four academies(Heart, Clubs Diamond, Spade) linked to the royal houses. Cadets will study the mystic and martial arts, as well as the sometimes more difficult art of successfully dealing with others. Once Hatter begins his training he is thrown into a competitive world of both boys and girls vying to be the best. Arsenal cubes, blade chasers and Hat blocking 101 are all rites of passage the young milliners first take on together but must eventually perfect, separately.

HATTER M: LOVE OF WONDER

In the 5th and final volume, looking glasses shatter as our worlds collide and characters from Wonderland increasingly cross over to aid or block Hatter in his single-minded quest to find Alyss and bring her home. Redd’s Black Imagination has ruled Wonderland for 13 years without fear of reprisal and now the specter of Alyss’ return to claim the throne has unleashed a storm of paranoiac rage. Hatter Madigan is at the center of this crusade as he must simultaneously battle the enemies of wonder as well as his own beliefs and loyalties. All paths through time and space, through blood and steel, from his world to our world, have led Hatter Madigan to this moment — a life or death confrontation with the only warrior in the Looking Glass Wars universe capable of defeating him and destroying the love of wonder.

www.facebook.com/goaskalyss

http://frankbeddor.com/

http://www.lookingglasswar.com/

https://twitter.com/frankbeddor

Dead @ 17: The Battle for Darlington Hills Deck-Building Card Game

Take on the role of Nara or Pitch in a battle between the holy resurrected and a seemingly endless army of demons –with original art from Josh Howard, creator, writer, and artist of ‘Dead @ 17’.

Never Peak Games, an independent producer of board and card games, announced the Dead @ 17: The Battle for Darlington Hills deck-building game. Josh Howard has been writing and illustrating comics for 10 years and is best know of the indie horror series Dead @ 17, published by Image Comic. His other credits include Black Harvet(Image), Clubbing (DC/Minx), Ghostbusters: Con-Volution (IDW), and The Lost Books of Eve (Viper). He is currently at work on the seventh installment of Dead @ 17, scheduled for release in 2014. Funding for the game is now taking place on Kickstarter: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/neverpeakgames/josh-howards-dead-17-battle-for-darlington-hills

The world of Josh Howard’s Dead @ 17 comes to life as players take on the role of Nara and her friends or relentless demons fighting a war for our souls. The battle rages through the streets of Darlington Hills where players must use every weapon they can get their hands on to protect our world or destroy it. Who will be victorious in this epic clash of good vs. evil? Using their starting decks, players will earn powerful cards and enhancements to fight for control of the familiar locations in the Dead @ 17 universe. Demons must be banished before the gates of Hell are opened.

Featuring 209 cards, 3 large location tokens, and 39 resource tokens with Kickstarter rewards and stretch goals that include an exclusive backer-only Dead @ 17 comic, promo cards, and multiple expansions.

Dead @ 17 is currently seeking funding at www.kickstarter.com. For more information about Dead @ 17 the board game, please visitwww.neverpeakgames.com.

About Never Peak Games

Founded in 2011, Never Peak Games is an independent producer of board and card games. Never Peak Games is looking to make its mark on the hobby gaming industry by combining amazing art with compelling game play that will keep players coming back to the table.

VIZ MEDIA BRINGS THE ACTION IN NEW BLU-RAY AND DVD HOME VIDEO EDITIONS FOR THE SCI-FI FANTASY ANIME SERIES ACCEL WORLD

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From Reki Kawahara, The Creator Of SWORD ART ONLINE, A Bullied Teen Finds Power And Strength In A Virtual Reality Video Game; Special Premium Art Booklet Included As A Free Gift With Purchase From Select Online Anime Retailers

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, invites fans to accelerate with the home video release of the ACCEL WORLD anime series on DVD and Blu-ray on November 26^th. The new 2-disc set features 12 episodes of the sci-fi fantasy series, is rated ‘TV-14,’ and carries a DVD MSRP of $44.82 U.S. / 43.24 CAN; Blu-ray MSRP is $59.97 U.S. / $66.15 CAN. Preorders are available now through select retailers.

A special 48-page premium art booklet featuring art and character profiles from this popular series and is also included (only while supplies last) as a special free gift with purchase from select online anime retailers including Right Stuf, Anime Pavilion, and Robert’s Anime Corner Store.

ACCEL WORLD dialogue features include English and Japanese stereo audio, English subtitles, as well as a character art gallery, clean opening and closing segments, and the original Japanese broadcast trailers.

In the year 2046, people use portable devices called Neuro-linkers to manage their daily lives in virtual reality networks. But advances in technology haven’t managed to do away with bullies, and 13-year-old Haruyuki Arita finds himself a frequent target. Haruyuki escapes his miserable life in virtual games – until the day Kuroyukihime, the most popular girl in school, introduces him to a mysterious program called Brain Burst and a virtual reality called the Accel World. This set contains Episodes 1-12 on 2 discs.

“ACCEL WORLD is the hottest new anime title to join the VIZ Media home video library and we are very excited to also offer it to buyers with a gorgeous, full-color bonus art booklet that is only available for a limited time through select anime retailers,” says Charlene Ingram, Senior Manager, Animation Marketing. “This series blends a highly imaginative online game with real world impact and adds a new twist to one teen’s solution to being bullied. ACCEL WORLD quickly became a fan favorite since VIZ Media debuted it on the same day as its Japanese broadcast and we look forward to the series drawing in new and veteran fans alike with this exciting release that arrives in time for the start of the holiday season.”

ACCEL WORLD is based on a series of popular light novels written by Reki Kawahara (Sword Art Online) and was produced by the famed anime studio Sunrise (TIGER & BUNNY, Mobile Suit Gundam, Code Geass, Cowboy Bebop, KEKKAISHI). Kawahara entered the first novel in the series into ASCII Media Works’ 15^th Dengeki Novel Prize in 2008 and won the Grand Prize. ACCEL WORLD has also inspired a popular manga series and several video games.

For more information on ACCEL WORLD and other animated titles from VIZ Media please visit www.VIZAnime.com/accelworld

Comics Return to Grocery Stores

Nemo Publishing announced today a partnership with the Hannaford grocery chain to sell a special bundle pack of The Undersea Adventures of Capt’n Eli graphic novels in the front end racks at 75 Hannaford stores all across New England.

Capt’n Eli is the son of the infamous Captain Nemo from Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea. The Undersea Adventures of Capt’n Eli takes readers into a mesmerizing world of time travel, high-tech ships, flying mini-subs, robots, lost civilizations, and undersea empires in conflict;accompanied by Jolly Roger, a 200-year-old parrot, and the faithful seadog Barney.

The bundle pack includes Books 1 and 2 in the series for $9.99. Each book normally retails for $9.99 so this limited time special is buy- one-get-one-free and is offered only at Hannaford supermarkets. Book 3 in the series is expected out in 2014. Nowhere near New England? You can order the same buy-one-get-one-free deal atwww.captneli.com.

“A good grocery store is much more then just a place to buy food,” explains Ed Crockett, president of Capt’n Eli’s Soda. “They have become our drugstores and, based off the necessity and frequency we visit them, they are often our newsstands. Hannaford is a forward thinking family grocer and realized that bringing in the Capt’n Eli graphic novel series was a great way to do more for their customers.”

Creator Jay Piscopo notes “The 10 year old in me is thrilled. I get to give a whole new generation of kids the same experience I enjoyed as a kid! Open a comic and escape into a world you can only imagine. It’s magical.” Jay is the founder of Nemo Publishing and writes and illustrates The Undersea Adventures of Capt’n Eli series.

Nemo Publishing was an organic creation through the Forsley family, founders of Capt’n Eli’s Soda. One man’s sense of adventure was so strong that a root beer was created in his memory, and that spark just wouldn’t stop. Capt’n Eli’s Root Beer became the Capt’n Eli’s line of sodas and then an entire graphic novel and toy line was developed through Nemo Publishing. The story keeps growing right along with the company and continues the wide range of products and quality that Capt’n Eli’s Soda is known for.

About The Books:

The Undersea Adventures of Capt’n Eli — Volume 1

Fans of classic adventure, meet Capt’n Eli! Created in the tradition of Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers, this is the story of a boy with extraordinary scientific abilities and unusual ties to the sea. Join Eli as he dives into the Sargasso Sea and meets the mysterious Golden Age hero Commander X. Featuring pin-ups by comics greats Steve Rude, Herb Trimpe and Howard Chaykin. Cover by Steve Rude.
6×9, 104 Pages, Full Color

The Undersea Adventures of Capt’n Eli — Volume 2
Stand by for adventure! Volume 2 of The Undersea Adventures of Capt’n Eli explodes with action as the mysterious Commander X introduces Capt’n Eli to a world of vast undersea empires. For all ages, this issue is a tribute to the Silver Age of comics and is an imaginative blend of solid comics storytelling and 3-D CGI. Featuring pin-ups by legendary comics artist Herb Trimpe, Joe Zierman of Big Bang Comics, and artist and animator Lauren Monardo. Cover by Joe Zierman.
6×9, 112 Pages, Full Color

Want to learn more about the line?

Visit www.captneli.com
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CaptnEli
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CaptnEli

NEW AGE OF BRONZE GRAPHIC NOVEL CONTINUES THE TROJAN WAR

Image Comics announces Age of Bronze:Betrayal Part Two, the new book in Eric Shanower’s award-winning Age of Bronze graphic novel series. The book compiles issues 28 – 33 of the critically-acclaimed Age of Bronzecomic book series, which tells the complete story of the Trojan War. Age of Bronze: Betrayal Part Two retails for $28.99 hardcover and $18.99 paperback. Find it at your local bookstore (hardcover ISBN 978-1-60706-757-3, paperback ISBN 978-1-60706-758-0), in your local comic book store (call 1-888-COMIC-BOOK for the store nearest you), or online at www.age-of-bronze.com.

As the Greek and Trojan armies clash, the action begins immediately where the previous volume left off. It’s the first battle in a war that will last for ten long years. Achilles fights Hektor with sword and spear while from high on the walls of Troy Helen watches warriors fall dying into the dust.

Inside the city of Troy elaborate schemes of royal intrigue play out. Pandarus manipulates his niece Cressida into becoming the lover of the Trojan prince Troilus. But when the Greeks take Cressida prisoner Pandarus’s plan blows up in their faces. The players scramble for safety, but not all of them can find it.

One of the fascinating aspects of Age of Bronze: Betrayal Part Two is how graphic novelist Eric Shanower adapts earlier tellings of the Trojan War into his story. Betrayal Part Two includes Shanower’s version of a William Shakespeare play. Shanower explains, “Shakespeare’s Troilus and Cressida from 1602 is considered one of his problem plays. The scene when Cressida meets the Greek leaders and they take turns kissing her is powerful, but many productions make Cressida a willing participant. I couldn’t see her doing that, so I found a way to stay true to Shakespeare and true to the characters at the same time.”

Shanower’s elegant pen-and-ink drawings and deft weaving of the story bring Age of Bronze: Betrayal Part Two to brilliant life. Readers will thrill to the action and suspense in this newest book in the series that Salon.com has called “fit for the gods.”

For more information see http://www.age-of-bronze.com and https://www.imagecomics.com/comics/releases/age-of-bronze-vol.-3b-betrayal-part-two-hc.

Image Comics is a comics and graphic novels publisher formed in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Since that time, Image has gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. There are currently four partners in Image Comics (Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino), and Image is currently divided into four major houses (Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline and Image Central). Image comics and graphic novels cover nearly every genre, sub-genre and style imaginable, offering science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. Visit www.imagecomics.com.

Arcana Acquires Jack Lawrence’s “DARKHAM VALE”

from Arcana Comics:

Hello and happy Tuesday! We at Arcana wanted to share our very exciting news with all of you.

Arcana is thrilled to announce that we have acquired the rights to the critically acclaimed series DARKHAM VALE, by Jack Lawrence.

When Ryan and his recently divorced dad move into the inherited country house in the town of Darkham Vale, they get more than they bargained for. First the mansion hides its own very dark secrets; and dark secret creatures that are willing to do anything necessary to keep themselves hidden. Second, this apparently mild mannered English countryside town is anything but mild mannered. Monster, talking crows and spiders, mysterious demon-dogs and more abound in this Hell-bent town, and its up to paranormal phenomena buff, Ryan to get to the bottom of the mystery that is Darkham Vale. Great for the Harry Potter set!

Check out some of the awesome quotes Darkham Vale has received so far.

“A comic Phenomena.” Benjamin Ong Pang Kean, Newsarama.com

“Think Buffy meets Gen13.” Rich Johnson, Dynamic Forces

“I would recomment Darkham Vale to most people with a love of comics.” Onimedia.com

“Lawrence’s work on this whole series never ceases to amaze me.” Immelda Alty, BrokenFrontier.com

“Certified Cool!” Diamond Previews

“A truly wonderful masterpiece. Stunning sequential art and a story to rival that of Harry Potter.” Hill City Comics

Be sure to check out Jack’s awesome deviantART page!

VIZ MEDIA DELIVERS THE NEW ANIME SERIES COPPELION TO NORTH AMERICAN AUDIENCES THE SAME DAY AFTER THE JAPANESE BROADCAST PREMIERE

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Following A Catastrophic Disaster, Three Genetically Engineered Youths Travel To Save Those Forsaken By The Rest Of The World In A Special Simulcast Series Premiere On VIZ Anime, Hulu and Hulu Plus

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, has announced the very special online simulcast premiere of the new sci-fi anime action series – COPPELION – on VIZAnime.com, the company’s own website for free anime, as well as on the free, ad-supported Hulu and Hulu Plus subscription service (www.hulu.com).

The new program (presented in Japanese with English subtitles) launches in North America on Wednesday, October 2^nd, the same day after its debut broadcast in Japan, with a new episode to be available to stream domestically each Wednesday.

COPPELION takes place in the not-so-distant future as a catastrophic event has turned the old capital of Japan into a wasteland, forever changing the lives of its people. Decades later, three schoolgirls set foot into the now forsaken city. They are the Coppelion, genetically engineered humans created by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Forces to operate under the lethal conditions of the contaminated city. Trained since birth, the girls must use all of their skills and resources to carry out their one and only mission: to rescue those left behind.

“COPPELION is one of the most anticipated anime for Fall 2013, and fans won’t want to miss the opportunity to catch the thrilling debut of this lushly animated series this week,” says Charlene Ingram, Senior Marketing Manger, Animation. “Ibara, Aoi and Taeko are a breed of genetically engineered beings known as the Coppelion who embark on often dangerous missions to restore hope and rescue people from the forsaken city. Plenty of action and unique characters are in store as the girls slowly uncover the Old Capital’s dark secrets!”

COPPELION is the animated adaptation of the popular manga series created by Tomonori Inoue that has been ongoing in Japan since 2008 and is currently featured in Monthly Young Magazine. The animated series is produced by GoHands, who also produced the original anime series K, seen domestically on VIZ Media’s VIZAnime and Neon Alley platforms.

To view the COPPELION trailer, please visit http://www.hulu.com/watch/539158.

For more information on COPPELION and other animated titles from VIZ Media please visit www.VIZAnime.com.

Brains have never been this sexy or … tasty.

Fifty Shades of Brains officially launches

What do you get when a comic-loving librarian and a professional smartass team up to poke fun at an erotic bestseller? Fifty Shades of Brains, a smart, snide and completely sick zombie apocalypse send-up of Fifty Shades of Grey. The soft launch occurred this summer to ensure that EVERYONE had a chance to get the book for Halloween. The first fifteen chapters can be read for free at www.fiftyshadesofbrains.com. Digital copies of the book are available via the Kindle, Nook, and the Kobo store. DRM free copies area available via Gumdrop. Print editions can be ordered from INGRAM.

About Fifty Shades of Brains: Written under the pen name BF Dealeo, Fifty Shades of Brains tells the story of Aurora Foyle, a self-conscious, oversexed Survival School student who becomes enamored with Seattle’s premiere zombie hunter, Caligula Green. Intense, intelligent and incredibly perverse, Green takes Aurora on as his apprentice – both in bed and on the zombie-filled backstreets of the city. Will our heroine find true love in the arms of the controlling, charismatic Green? Will Seattle’s socks-and-sandal-wearing zombies destroy its lovingly-tended pea patches? Will Aurora ever stop biting her lip and blushing? You’ll have to crawl between the covers to find out.

Dark, droll and delightfully depraved, Fifty Shades of Brains will amuse you, disgust you and it just might eat your face.

Early Reviews:

“Gross, funny, and, god help me, a little bit sexy. Just what my inner surrealist was looking for. I haven’t read that other Fifty Shades book, but now I feel like I don’t have to.” — GoodReads.com

“Fifty Shades hysteria + zombie apocalypse = hell yes! My grey matter sort of exploded all over the brilliance of this mashup.” —Jennifer Worick, New York Times-bestselling author of more than 25 books, including Things I Want to Punch in the Face

VIZ MEDIA DELIVERS THE NEW ANIME SERIES COPPELION TO NORTH AMERICAN AUDIENCES THE SAME DAY AFTER THE JAPANESE BROADCAST PREMIERE

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Following A Catastrophic Disaster, Three Genetically Engineered Youths Travel To Save Those Forsaken By The Rest Of The World In A Special Simulcast Series Premiere On VIZ Anime, Hulu and Hulu Plus

To view the COPPELION trailer, please visit http://www.hulu.com/watch/539158.

For more information on COPPELION and other animated titles from VIZ Media please visit www.VIZAnime.com.

Sci-fi/fantasy anthology, Other Worlds, Debuts at Rose City Comic Con, Sept 21-22

Sci-fi/fantasy anthology, Other Worlds, Debuts at Rose City Comic Con, Sept 21-22

A Wave Blue World and Bricker-Down Productions are pleased to announce the release of their latest anthology, Other Worlds, a compilation of sci-fi, monster, and experimental comic one-shots by writer/creator Justin Zimmerman, featuring the artwork of Mike Lawrence as well as a variety of other incredible, independent talents. Hailed as “ingenious” by Giant Fire Breathing Robot and “unpretentious, simple, elegant and enjoyable” by Comics Forge, Other Worlds will premiere in print at the Rose City Comic Con on September 21st and 22nd after its digital release on ComiXology in early September. Fans can find the book at the con at Booth #728.

Artist Mike Lawrence, currently drawing an upcoming graphic novel for AMP!, headlines the book, contributing the cover and three interior stories done in a range of media from charcoal to watercolor and inked work. Mike enjoyed working on the anthology, but it was his collaboration with the book’s creator that he found particularly satisfying. “Justin is an extremely versatile writer,” says Mike. “The book has something for everyone, from robo-librarians to alien bugs, and Justin can do it all.”

Other artists who’ve contributed to the anthology include the up-and-coming talents of Grace Allison, who’s worked for both IDW and Monkey Brain, and Tym Godek, Russ Brown, Matt Grisgby and Terry Blas.

A Wave Blue World publisher, Tyler Chin-Tanner says, “While comics certainly have their fair share of recycled space battles and monsters, it’s altogether too rare to find stories that captivate our imagination and appeal to our sense of wonder like those found in Other Worlds.”

For more information about Other Worlds, please contact Tyler Chin-Tanner at tyler@awaveblueworld.com.

Or visit www.awaveblueworld.com, or find Other Worlds on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/awaveblueworld.

Krel Komix Announces the Publication of an Exciting New Title

ARGENT STARR — TALES FROM THE ARCHIVES

WISE-CRACKING ACTION-ADVENTURE IN A SCI-FI NOIR SETTING

By Altemus & Lyn T. Byrd

Our striking full color 36-page premiere issue, Commencing Countdown, is the first chapter of an ongoing series that will be available on Comixology as a digital first and on IndyPlanet.com for print-on-demand copies. Issue one will be available for sale as of mid-Sept., 2013. The digital version will sell for a special introductory price of 99¢, and the print version for $3.99.

About ARGENT STARR — Tales From the Archives

The year: 2062. “They” have a plan for Earth and they’re not going to ask if we like it or not. Only one man on the planet, technopath Argent Starr, half human, half alien, can deflect the coming threat. His team; the ravishing badass commando Mrs. Thorne, and a trouble-making, brain-enhanced talking cat. The trio are swept into an off-world adventure pitting shape-shifters, alien gamblers, interstellar mobsters and a mysterious galaxy-controlling sect, against Argent’s hyper-tech powers of magic and super science.

Chapter one follows Argent and company into the dead of night as they investigate the seemingly unconnected actions of a rogue super spy, and a couple of out-of-control aliens, all pursuing wildly different secret agendas on Earth.

The sci-fi noir scenario of Argent Starr is adult entertainment combining hard science, soft sex and satire, for the geeky and not-so-geeky masses; a mix of action-adventure with elements of fantasy and comedy, featuring sabotage, assassins, sex, drugs, high-stake casinos, and espionage. Fans of properties such as Farscape, The Adventures of Buckaroo Bonzai, Fifth Element and Men In Black will enjoy this work.

Three issues are currently completed and two more are in production. The story has a finished script for a run of at least 24 issues. Current plans are for bi-monthly releases.

See our 12-page preview on the official website:

http://www.argentstarr.com/previews

Join us on Facebook.com/ArgentStarr or follow @argentstarr on Twitter.

The Creators

Altemus, life-long comics and sci-fi fan, is a New York based illustrator, graphic designer and type designer, recipient of well over a 150 national design, illustration and typographic awards. He has created artwork for broadcast networks, advertising and movie posters. He has art directed numerous magazines including Penthouse and US, and the official souvenir magazines for fantasy and sci-fi films including; Blade Runner, Back To The Future, Gremlins, Goonies, Jurassic Park, Star Wars, Mad Max, the first three Batman films, and The X-Files TV show. He was a partner and COO of the late ’90?s Silicon Alley internet development corporation, Interocity. He has designed and currently markets a series of over 50 dingbat fonts sold world-wide.

Lyn T. Byrd is a native New Yorker born in Manhattan, and attended New York City’s High School of Art & Design, before being recruited by one of the ’80s first wave of synth-pop bands,Comateens. The band was also among the first in the industry to record solely with a drum machine, joining the ranks of the burgeoning electropop avant garde along with bands such as The Normal, Suicide, and Kraftwerk. She is a writer, artist, designer, singer, and song writer, with over fifteen years experience in designing for the internet.

Learn more about Argent Starr’s exciting universe and motley crew of characters at our Web portal argentstarr.com.

OUTLANDER Casts Claire!

After a very lengthy search and multiple screen tests, Starz and Sony TV have found their Claire. Irish actress Caitriona Balfe (Now You See Me) has landed the lead in Outlander, a Ron Moore series based on Diana Gabaldon’s best-selling books.

It follows the story of Claire Randall (Balfe), a married combat nurse from 1945 who is mysteriously swept back in time to 1743. When she is forced to marry Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan), a chivalrous and romantic young Scottish warrior, a passionate affair is ignited that tears Claire’s heart between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.

“Hard to believe lightning can strike twice, but it surely did,” Gabaldon said. “The moment Caitriona Balfe came on screen, I sat up straight and said, ‘There she is!’ She and Sam Heughan absolutely lit up the screen with fireworks.”

Added Moore, “The casting of Claire Randall was a long and difficult one because the role is so crucial to the success of our show. Outlander is told from Claire’s point of view and we experience the entire story through her eyes, so it was vital that we find exactly the right actor to play her. Caitriona wasn’t on anyone’s radar, she wasn’t on any list, but when we saw her audition tape, we immediately knew she was someone special. Then, after we had her read with Sam, we knew we’d found our Claire.