SWANBLADE: YEAR ZERO

YEAR ZERO

ILLUSTRATED BY
PAOLO REINA & ROBERTA SAMMARCO

WRITTEN, CREATED, & EDITED BY
D.K. KRISTOF

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December 1957.

The American city-state of New Radion Bay shines like a promise. Crime is crushed, corruption is buried, and its savior, Captain John “Atomic Ace” McAllister, lives a quiet, retired life filled with autograph signings and charity events.

But peace never lasts in a city built on ghosts.

As the holidays descend, the retired hero and widower lives quietly with his ballet prodigy for a daughter, Kayla, until a new terror — a young man obsessed with his family and legacy — sends the city spiraling into chaos.

Steeped in the heroism that made Batman an icon and written as a love letter to the brooding heart of The Animated Series, SWANBLADE: YEAR ZERO is an illustrated novel showcasing D.K. Kristof's signature cinematic style side by side with artwork by Paolo Reina and Roberta Sammarco; a snow-dusted, neon-lit origin tale that explores fatherhood, legacy, and devotion twisted into violent delusion.

★★★★½

"A supercharged origin story for an innovative new hero, Swanblade: Year Zero by D.K. Kristof is a dark but brilliant addition to the pantheon of superhero graphic novels.... Accented with vibrant illustrations and a hard-boiled voice that captures the heroic urgency and sacrifice of civic service, this first installment of Kristof’s ambitious series stands apart in a perennially crowded genre with its strict attention to narrative detail."

Self-Publishing Review

"This daring, fast-paced, bionic action-hero’s supercharged origin story serves Gen V energy."

Independent Book Review

"Swanblade: Year Zero is an intelligent and character-driven book that packs a wallop from its onset and proves to be a superb read. Author D.K. Kristof has crafted a winning tale with the perfect blend of law and order, justice, and revenge."

Book Review Directory

"Novelist Kristof and illustrators Reina and Sammarco richly pay homage to comic-book tradition with an inventive storytelling format, and the story they tell examines generational relationships and the effects of abuse. The plot is well thought-out, and the prose is clear and accessible."

Kirkus Reviews

"Atmospheric, emotionally charged, and morally layered, this is a gripping origin story that examines the costs of heroism while heralding the rise of a new, haunted protector. A relentless page-turner."

BookView Review