The Order of the Stick: Start of Darkness is the second all-new, print-exclusive volume in the popular Order of the Stick collection of comedic fantasy roleplaying game comics. The companion volume to our best-selling On the Origin of PCs, this book delves back into the past to explore the genesis of the Order of the Stick's archnemesis, Xykon the lich sorcerer. Learn how Xykon became a lich, how he met Redcloak the goblin cleric and the mysterious Monster in the Darkness, and how he totally killed Roy's dad's master, like right in front of him. Ouch.

Stop! Bulleted list time!
* 112 pages of brand new, never-seen-before comedy that fans of the OOTS comic can't read anywhere else.
* Black and white, but with a special 16-page full-color insert telling the Secret Lore of the Crimson Mantle - in crayon format!
* Preface by Miko Miyazaki, paladin.

B&W w/ color insert

Ever wonder how the Order of the Stick met? Or why on earth Roy would ever hire Elan? Or whether any of the OOTSers ever knew each other before the team formed? All of these questions and many others have been left annoyingly unanswered in the online edition of the Order of the Stick.

But wait! Now you can know! Now your burning curiosity that borders on unhealthy obsession can at last be sated, for the new OOTS book is here and it's a prequel!

Yes, travel back with Rich Burlew, creator of the popular gaming comic The Order of the Stick, as he unearths the secret origins of your favorite adventurers in the first all-new never-posted-on-the-internet version of OOTS. In The Order of the Stick: On the Origin of PCs, you'll discover the answers to all of the following questions:
* How did Haley leave the employ of the Thieves' Guild?
* Why was Durkon sent into human lands by the high priest of Thor?
* What was Roy like in Fighter College?
* What ever happened to Elan's last employer?
* What does Belkar really think of the Monk class?
* Why DO they call themselves the "Order of the Stick"? (No, for real this time.)

Presented in 72 glossy pages of glorious black-and-white art (for that nostalgic "old movie" feel), the book also features a preface by Redcloak the Goblin Cleric. The Order of the Stick: On the Origin of PCs is a must for any fan of the comic series. Well, any fan who doesn't want to be kept up nights worrying about the horrible, horrible truth about their favorite characters. Trust us: your sanity practically DEMANDS you own this book!

The Order of the Stick is back in action (and in color!) in this second volume compiling the popular fantasy gaming satire webcomic in convenient book format. Watch in amazement as The Order of the Stick, everyone's favorite band of hopelessly incompetent adventurers, leaves the dungeon behind (probably a good idea, considering they blew it up anyway) and ventures out into the great outdoors. Thrill to encounters with bandits, dragons, assassins, and perhaps the most terrifying of all--paladins! Watch in amazement as the Order of the Stick finds itself caught between the forces of Good and Less-Than-Good as their stupid little adventure turns into a stupid epic adventure to save their very world!

SC, 160pgs, FC

The epic battle between good and evil becomes more epic-y than ever in the long-awaited third volume in The Order of the Stick story, War and XPs. Follow the continuing adventures of Roy, Haley, Elan, Durkon, Vaarsuvius, and Belkar as they persevere prophecies, revenge, true love, heroic battles, villainous treacheries, tragic falls, and one swingin' party. Read in white-knuckled edge-of-your-seat anticipation as the Order leads the charge in a massive siege that makes the Battle of Thermopylae look like a sorority car wash.

Continuing directly from the story in the award-winning No Cure for the Paladin Blues, this book is a must-have for those who have been collecting the entire The Order of the Stick story in print format. Only slightly briefer than its namesake, War and XPs is a mammoth 288-page comic book that weighs in at over 2 pounds of comedy and covers all of the OOTS comics between #302 and #484—but we didn't stop until we crammed more than 30 pages of never-before-seen bonus material into this book, too!

Check it out:
* More than 15 bonus comics that expand the story as it unfolds!
* Extensive author commentary, providing insight that he will likely regret revealing almost immediately!
* A two-page tourist's guide to Azure City!
* Foreward by Pat Rothfuss, New York Times-bestselling author of The Name of the Wind!
* Preface by Elan the Bard!
* A brief recap of the first two books by Vaarsuvius!
* Translations for Haley's cryptograms!
* Valuable money-saving coupons!

Finally, we at Giant in the Playground are proud to announce that for the first time, The Order of the Stick will be printed on 50% recycled paper, approved by the Forest Stewardship Council (which, contrary to dwarven beliefs, is not a secret cabal of deciduous overlords plotting the leafy doom of us all).

The Order of the Stick, Volume 3: War and XPs is far more than just the treasured continuation of your favorite stick figure comedic-action-fantasy story, it's...no, wait, that's pretty much exactly what it is. Do you want one? We're selling them, you know.

Author and Illustrator: Rich Burlew
Format: 288 pages, full color

The next stage of the stick figure action-comedy-drama-fantasy saga is here at last, and it's just waiting for you to add it to your growing collection of fine The Order of the Stick trade paperbacks.

Divided by the events of War and XPs, our heroes struggle to reunite in this fourth compilation of the popular online comic, The Order of the Stick! With their leader, ah, indisposed, Haley leads the quest to bring him back from the, uh, the place that he is at. (Hey, some people only read the comic in book form, I don't want to spoil it for them.)

Meanwhile, her love Elan contends with new threats at sea, including some direct competition for her man! And how will these problems drive one of the Order's own to take an offer they should have refused? Find out in the exciting continuation of the OOTS story, Don't Split the Party!

Here's what the book contains:
* All of the comics from #485 to #672, inclusive.
* More than 15 bonus comics, including two all-new deleted scenes: "Elan's Underwater Adventure" and "Get Roy".
* Ten pages of author commentary which will be horribly misquoted to support the more outlandish fan theories.
* A special dedication to Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, creators of Dungeons & Dragons.
* Preface by Roy Greenhilt.
* A recap of events-to-date by Belkar Bitterleaf.
* Printed on 50% recycled paper.

Format: 272 pages, Full Color Throughout, Trade Paperback