Varsity Tug of War Between Friends Needs Love To Win

Love and War is a new comic book series set in the competitive world of varsity Tug-of-War.

Written by Andrew Wheeler (Shout Out) and featuring art by Killian Ng and Guillermo Saavedra, Love and War issue #1 (of 5) debuts on April 12, 2022 from Comixology Originals.

“Love and War is a romantic sports comedy about how our conflicting passions can pull us in different directions,” says Wheeler. “It’s a fun, upbeat, inclusive rom com about love, friendship, and competition in a world that takes varsity Tug-of-War much too seriously!”

Welcome to the Aster Academy School for Arts and Sport, where Tug-of-War is the game of champions. This year the varsity Tug-of-War Team is determined to win against their rivals Kingdom College. Thanks to Coach Toth, whose motto is “Excellence, Commitment, Determination, Passion,” Domo, a shy, heavy-set boy, is named the new co-captain of the Aster Academy team. Can Domo help lead his team to victory while he struggles with his feelings for ambitious rival Gabriel and new recruit Emil? Will his co-captain, Jocasta, a serious athlete who will stop at nothing to prove she’s the best, help or hinder their chances? And in the end, will Domo rise to the challenge of captain, or do his real strengths lie elsewhere?

Dark Horse, the legendary comic book publisher of titles including Black Hammer, Hellboy, Sin City and The Umbrella Academy, will publish Love and War in print for the first time this September.

Love and War [Dark Horse Books / 136 pages / color / on sale September 20, 2022 / MSRP $19.99/$25.99 / ISBN 978 1 50672805-6]. The book is available for pre-order at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble and your local comic shop.

Andrew Wheeler is an award-winning Toronto-based writer. His credits include DC Pride, Stillwater: The Escape, The Old Guard: Tales Through Time, Wonder Woman, Freelance, Another Castle, and the Dungeons & Dragons Young Adventurer’s Guides. He’s also the editor of the Prism and Shuster-nominated queer YA anthology Shout Out.

Killian Ng is a comics artist and background painter working in comics, animation, and games. Past credits include The Legend of Korra comic, Fionna and Cake: Birthday Bash Blues, Bravery Network Online, and WeAreOK. They are also a proud owner of over 100 house plants.

Guillermo Saavedra is an indie cartoonist from the Canary Islands whose print debut, the original graphic novel Siembra, was published by Dibbuks in 2021.