Hey gang, Here's the sneak peak of the first issue.
Above is the mockup artwork for the cover. The finished cover will have more details and blending, but this gives you a great feel for the overall cover.
From the cover:
When a rash of Eco-terrorism strikes the Seattle waterfront, Owen Ruger and his trusted friend Rafael Sernansa are hired to investigate the crimes and protect the assets of a large fishing company. Then during a rescue of a beautiful woman they see what can only be described as a merman swimming away from the scene. Driven by what they've seen, Owen and Sernansa race to solve the mystery and stop the destruction before fear grips the city. But they soon learn that everything isn't what it seems and the mystery swimmer maybe just another victim.
Prologue: Gone Fishing
Seattle WA, 1985
Nicholas Michniki walked briskly along the dock with his fishing pole in hand, carefully avoiding the frosted patches on the dock’s weathered wood to keep from slipping into the frigid water. Reaching the end of the dock, he pulled out a fresh cigarette, lit the unfiltered roll and took a deep drag. He stared across the calm waters of Lake Union with reverence. It was a typical January morning in the Puget Sound area with no hint of snow and just enough moisture in the air to cause everything to frost over and turn white. Nicholas watched his breath linger in the cold air and shivered deeply as the twenty-eight degree air bit through his clothing and licked his skin.
Inhaling the warmth of his cigarette, Nicholas set his fishing pole in a small wooden rowboat, stepped in and untied the line to the dock. Early morning fishing had become a ritual to him since retirement, and even in his seventies, he found it easy to row the waters of the lake. His cobalt blue eyes still sparkled as if he were in his twenties and seemed to hide the wrinkles and weathered skin of his pale face.
Nicholas set out on a steady course that led north along the shore and watched the Seattle skyline materialize as the sun began to rise. After nearly twenty minutes of rowing he reached his favorite fishing area and cast his line. It was then he noticed a large patch of red film on the water; not a blood red, but an oily tinted crimson that glistened in the morning sun. Curious, Nicholas dipped his fingers into the water and examined the liquid.
He rubbed the oily water between his fingers and tried to get a smell from it; it was odorless but felt like baby oil. Nicholas shrugged and wiped his hands on his jeans before reeling in his line and checking his bait, then casting the line again. He sat quietly and watched the white and red bobber float gently along the small lake waves.
Nicholas had no knowledge that his life was about to change as he sat in the predawn light. It started when he felt a slight headache building in his right temple and gave it a rub. He noticed that his vision was getting a little blurred and he blinked his eyes to try to refocus. The thought of a heart attack crossed his mind as his right arm began to throb and he became short of breath.
Suddenly Nicholas began to feel disorientated and lightheaded. The world around him began to spin uncontrollably as he gasped for air. He thrashed out in a violent convulsion that caused his little rowboat to rock wildly back and forth, capsizing and spilling him overboard. He watched the blue sky disappear and blur as he sank into the freezing lake water. But as the light slowly faded with each fathom, he soon realized that he wasn’t drowning; he was breathing.
Thoughts of his family raced through his mind as he plunged into unconsciousness and disappeared from the human race.
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