‘Thirteen Coins’: A New Digital-Only Comic Series

“What if a rare human gene that enables supreme athletic superiority and super-human warrior capabilities can trigger great power for good in one man and brutal evil in another? What if that gene was the result of angels having bred with mortals?” This is the question at the heart of 13 Coins, new e-comic series from Corinthian Productions Ltd., available now for download via iTunes. The app and first issue are free. Two additional issues are currently available; the fourth is due out December 13.

With Eisner Award-winning Simon Bisley’s gorgeous 3-D covers and the creative juice of Hitman Absolution videogame writers Martin Brennan and Michael B. Jackson, 13 Coins is set in present day New York and centers around ex-con John Pozner, a former high school basketball star, enroute to an NBA career, but halted by time in prison on a drug charge. Now out of jail, John is on quest to avenge the death of a woman he once loved. But soon, he finds himself enmeshed in a much greater fight — one for which he is destined.

Caught in the middle of a centuries-long secret war between two tribes claiming to be descended from the angels: Sons of Noah and The Fallen, John is soon unwittingly enmeshed in their battle, understanding along the way that he may well be the key to Earth’s future. For John, himself, is a “true blood” angelic descendant, and both sides consider him the prize, and it is, ultimately, for John to choose which side.

According to the creators, “The power of 13 Coins lies in our obsessive hero-worship of athletes, our fear of the supernatural, and our strong but varied religious beliefs.” It’s resonant brew for our troubled times.

The app and comic are beautifully rendered both on iPhone and iPad, and the experience is satisfying, from the 3D cover to the musical underscore and the realistic page turns. New issues are available for purchase within the app itself, and you can stay updated on the comic series by following on Twitter or Facebook.