The Amory Wars
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The Amory Wars, originally called the Bag On Line Adventures, is a series of comic books written by Coheed and Cambria frontman Claudio Sanchez and published by Evil Ink Comics. The storyline used in The Amory Wars is also the focus of the band's music, each album released by the band representing a corresponding chapter in the five part science fiction concept originally narrated by Sanchez's lyrics. The installments published thus far are The Second Stage Turbine Blade (originally planned to be released in serial parts), which has two issues illustrated by artist Wes Abbot (currently on hiatus) and tells approximately the first third of Chapter 2, and the graphic novel Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through The Eyes Of Madness illustrated by Christopher Shy, which tells the story of the first volume of Chapter 4. The first issue of The Second Stage Turbine Blade is now out of print, and the second is in limited supply. The Good Apollo graphic novel is still currently in print in large supply. Recently, The Amory Wars Sketchbook, an intro piece, has been sold in limited release.
In a recent interview, Claudio explained that the whole series will be re-done chronologically. Gus Vasquez, the illustrator of the Amory War Sketchbook, will presumably illustrate the series. Claudio said that the band did not have the money or "pull" to get either the Second Stage Turbine Blade completed, release Good Apollo in completion (Claudio said that they had to remove parts of the story because of financial constraints), or release anything for In Keeping Secrets. Now that the band has the ability to release the comics properly, they have started from scratch. A Second Stage Turbine Blade piece will be released in June 2007 according to a post on the band's official site.
It's important to note beyond the two comic books released for The Second Stage Turbine Blade, the graphic novel for Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness and a brief synopsis on the website for Evil Ink Comics, Sanchez has not confirmed many details about the story. Any other information is speculative and subject to change, although many fans of Coheed and Cambria enjoy interpreting the lyrics in attempts to figure unknown parts of the story out.
[edit] The Bag.On.Line Adventures
The original name of the story was The Bag. On. Line Adventures of Coheed and Cambria. This would also be the name of the first chapter of their story and the respective album (chronologically, from the story's standpoint, Bag.On.Line Adventures would come before Second Stage Turbine Blade, although they are "released" out of order).
The Bag. On. Line Adventures would essentially work as a prequel and would follow the story of Coheed, Cambria, and Jesse as part of an anti-terrorist agency called the K.B.I. K.B.I. stood for the Knowledge (referring to Cambria and her ability to see the future and other events), the Beast (referring to Coheed), and the Inferno (referring to Jesse).
In a recent interview, Claudio explained the revamped Amory Wars series will start by covering the Second Stage Turbine Blade. This explanation leaves fans wondering if or when this story will be released.
[edit] The Amory Wars Sketchbook
After Claudio Sanchez changed the name to The Amory Wars, he also released a sketchbook, illustrated by Gus Vasquez, which plots out the next comic. Originally dubbed comic zero, The Amory Wars Sketchbook was released at ComiCon. Later the Evil Ink website began selling the sketchbook in limited release. This comic explains the very beginning of the Keywork and Heaven's Fence. Years pass and the comic ends introducing Coheed Kilgannon on his home planet of Hetricus.
[edit] The Second Stage Turbine Blade
Released in the summer of 2004, the two comic books narrate the events of approximately the first third of Coheed and Cambria's concept album The Second Stage Turbine Blade of 2002. They introduce central characters, including the villains Wilhelm Ryan and Mayo Deftinwolf who orchestrate a sinister plot to murder the children of Coheed and Cambria Killgannon in order to use the dormant Monstar virus hidden within Coheed to destroy a rival Mage. Claudio Killgannon escapes murder at the hands of his parents, who have been tricked into believing that their children may cause the destruction of humanity if left alive, and becomes the protagonist of later chapters. As illustrator Wes Abbot is currently on hiatus, the first issue is out of print and the second is becoming rare.
Gus Vasquez will be illustrating the new Amory Wars series which will start off with a piece covering Second Stage Turbine Blade in its entirety. Claudio has stated that the first issue will be released in June 2007, and the Second Stage Turbine Blade storyline will last 5 issues. It will be published by Claudio's company Evil Ink Comics along with the help of Image Comics, and covers will be drawn by Tony More of The Walking Dead fame.
[edit] In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3
To this date, no comic books or graphic novels narrating the events of the third chapter of the Bag. On. Line Adventures, In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3, have been released, while its corresponding album from Coheed and Cambria was released in late 2003. However, Sanchez has given several hints containing plot details, and a small summary of the chapter's plot has been published on the Evil Ink Comics website:
Ten years after the "…Turbine Blade", son Claudio emerges from the depths of Shylos Ten, the Fence's "quiet" planet where the Red Army performs its brutal interrogations and imprisonments. In finding out that his entire family has been murdered, Claudio begins his quest for vendetta. His foes, Supreme Tri Mage Wilhelm Ryan and General Mayo Deftinwolf sense that he is still alive and holds special powers. They know they must stop him before he defeats them. Meanwhile, Inferno (Jesse Kilgannon) takes up arms against the Red Army (“Man your Battlestations”) in an effort to seek the same kind of vengeance on him. In Claudio’s re-emergence he teams up with Ambellina, the Prise who is cast out by her peers and forced to be his guide. The pair along with Sizer, a disassembled IRO-bot, seek out Inferno to find answers as to why his family were killed, but their plans take an unexpected turn in a ship called the Velourium Camper, and a freighter pilot named Al.
Claudio has stated that the new Amory Wars series, illustrated by Gus Vasquez, will cover In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 in its entirety.
[edit] Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness
A graphic novel entitled Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness, illustrated by Christopher Shy, was released in September of 2005 along with the album of the same name. The story of Good Apollo takes a step outside the science fiction narrative of the first three chapters and examines the life of the Writer, a character who is crafting the lives of the protagonist Claudio and his companions in the form of a fictional story. Through a series of delusional conversations with his ten speed bicycle about an unfaithful former lover, the Writer decides he must kill the Prise Ambellina to properly end his story. The events in the narrative itself build up to a final confrontation between Jesse's rebel forces and the Red Army of Supreme Tri-Mage Wilhelm Ryan under the command of General Mayo Deftinwolf, as well as a literal meeting of the Writer and Claudio culminating in the death of Ambellina and Claudio's emergence as the Crowing.
The new Amory Wars series, illustrated by Gus Vasquez, re-tells the story of Good Apollo I'm Burning Star IV Volume One. Claudio, in a recent interview, stated that a lot was lost from the graphic novel because of financial constraints. He further explained that although Christopher Shy's art is beautiful, it was not the best medium for Good Apollo's story-telling. Claudio looks forward to releasing a new version in chronological order so that the story will make more sense.
[edit] Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume Two: The World of No Tomorrow
The new album will be titled: Volume II: The World Of No Tomorrow. Claudio stated he didn't want to make it long. Little is known about the second volume of Good Apollo, other than it will conclude the saga of Coheed and Cambria. The album and other story medium have yet to be released, although they will probably be included in the Amory Wars series by Gus Vasquez. The album as a release set for spring or early summer 2007, so many speculate the novel may be released around that time. One theory pegs the arrival of the as-yet-untitled initial chapter of the story before the resolution of the Good Apollo saga.
Claudio said that in the next album, Wilhelm will drain the souls of the Keywork.
[edit] Known Characters
These characters are confirmed to exist in the Coheed and Cambria universe. Little else may be known about them.
References to Knowledge, Beast, Inferno (K.B.I.) - Cambria (Knowledge), Coheed (Beast), Jesse (Inferno).
* denotes that the character is an IRO-Bot.
- IRO-Bots (Interceptive Recon Operative) are not technically robots, they are Bioroid's, as they are flesh and blood. The first ones, the KBI, were created by Dr. Leonard Hohenberger. Jesse is a clone of Dr. Hohenberger himself (along with some superhuman modifications). IRO-Bots can feel emotions, reproduce and die (if completely destroyed such as incinerated). However, unlike a human, IRO-bots can be repaired and rebuilt.
[edit] The Kilgannon Family
- Coheed Kilgannon (The Beast, Thursday)* - married to Cambria and harbors the Monstar virus, which, when triggered, causes the cooling of the star transformers that hold planets in the Keywork. Previously a member of K.B.I. While the circumstances of death are unknown, Sanchez has revealed that Coheed is dead by the end of The Second Stage Turbine Blade.
- Cambria Kilgannon (The Knowledge, Wednesday)* - married to Coheed, and possesses some type of psychic or clairvoyant ability. Previously a member of K.B.I. While the circumstances of death are unknown, Sanchez has revealed that Cambria is dead by the end of The Second Stage Turbine Blade.
- Claudio Kilgannon (The Character, The Crowing)* - Son of Coheed & Cambria and the only known survivor of his family. He has met his 'uncle' Jesse and together the two plan to destroy Heaven's Fence and kill Wilhelm Ryan. The Prise Ambellina educates Claudio that he is also The Crowing, a messiah who will save the souls of the Keywork by destroying it, however he is not willing to accept this fate until the climax of GAIBS-IV Volume: One.
- Josephine Kilgannon* - Oldest child of Coheed and Cambria and fiance of Patrick McCormick. Assaulted by the Jersey Corner Boys gang and then murdered by Coheed after he was deceived by Mayo.
- Maria Kilgannon* - Child of Coheed and Cambria. Twin of Matthew and poisoned by Coheed after he was deceived by Mayo.
- Matthew Kilgannon* - Child of Coheed and Cambria. Twin of Maria and poisoned by Coheed after he was deceived by Mayo.
[edit] Allies Of Claudio
- Jesse Hohenberger (The Inferno)* - Although commonly referred to as Coheed's 'brother', Jesse (like Coheed) is an IRO-bot. Created in a visual likeness of Dr. Hohenberger. Jesse is leading the war against Wilhelm Ryan as the leader of the rebels. He was created with the purpose to destroy Wilhelm Ryan, and continues to fight until the day he dies. The third member of K.B.I., Jesse is said to have created Seven new IRO-bots. Jesse (Inferno) is the only one who knows the truth of everything that has happened so far in the story. He is killed on the surface of Apity Prime (Omega System) by Mayo Deftinwolf. Jesse is also a Boxer and goes by the name of The Prize Fighter Inferno.
- Ambellina - A Prise. Ambellina burns her wings off at the order of the other Prise so as to be more Human. She is sent to guide Claudio Kilgannon to his destiny as The Crowing. Like the rest of the Prise, her mission was to watch over the Keywork, and see that God's will was carried out. She is based upon the character Erica Court and represents the good and pure side. She is gruesomely murdered by the Writer at the end of Good Apollo by means of a guillotine in order for Claudio to become the Crowing and save the Keywork.
- Al The Killer - A Han Solo type character. Al is a racist psychopath. He captains the Starship The Velourium Camper. He is known to have an affection for killing white girls ("Die, white girls!" The Velourium Camper III: Al the Killer).("I shoot, you run."- A Favor House Atlantic) Al transports Claudio to House Atlantic and aids him in entering the area. Speculation exists as to whether or not he loves Newo Ikkin. He supposedly dies during A Favor House Atlantic. The "Faint of Hearts" is the sniper rifle he appears to have an unnatural romantic sensibility about, as explained in "The Velourium Camper I: Faint of Hearts." He also is in love with a woman who pilots the Connecticut (apparently it is another ship, unknown what kind).
- Newo Ikkin - Claudio's girlfriend/love interest. The name is based upon a former girlfriend of Claudio Sanchez, Nikki Owen (Reversed spelling). She is based upon the character Erica Court and represents the bad and evil side.
- Apollo - Newo Ikkin's pet dog who may have more to do with this story than anyone imagined.
[edit] Inferno's IRO-Bots
- Will* - He is one of the IRO-bot children Jesse created (possibly the oldest). He is envious of the youngest (chase), and asks Jesse to die if it would please him, but instead he is told to take care of the other children.
- Chase* - (The Vishual)She has the ability to hear the Writer as he writes the story, and she gives hints to the characters about the future. She is also "they one they call the vision that bears the gift, as mentioned in Silent Earth 3. Sometimes in cryptic messages, or directly telling them. She has a body of a 4 year old, and the mind of a mid-20 year old.
- Longcindia* - Speculation exists as to whether or not Chase created him herself. Longcindia was a malfunctioning IRO-Bot created before The Second Stage Turbine Blade album. Shortly after his creation, Jesse incinerated him in front of Chase and Sizer. It is later explained that he was killed because there is no room for error in the final battle.
- Sizer* - First appearance is next to a character who is in fact Chase (since it shows Jesse talking to Chase and saying her name) at the beginning of the first Second Stage Turbine Blade Comic. He is described as a hulk-like creature and in the Good Apollo graphic novel, we see a man missing an eye who transforms into a huge beast which is believed to be Sizer. During In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3, Sizer gives up his life to save Chase and is torn apart on Shylos 10, and rebuilt by Claudio Kilgannon.
- Travis* - Again, little to nothing is known about this character. He is possibly viewed in the Good Apollo graphic novel next to Sizer. His arms are covered in spikes, and he has corn rows on his head.
- The Navigator, The Pilot, Her Favorite* - 3 other IRO-bot children mention in Silent Earth 3. It is assumed that The Navigator and The Pilot are named for their assignments, and Her Favorite is said to be Mariah's favorite child.
[edit] Members of Inferno's Forces
- Henry - works for Jesse. Nothing else known.
- Michael - the pilot of the Grail Arbor, Jesse's ship.
[edit] Wilhelm Ryan's Forces
- Wilhelm Ryan - The Supreme Tri-Mage of the Keywork. He led the other mages in a major war against the Prise to take control. He knew of Mariah and used Coheed and Cambria to destroy her. When his plan failed, he killed her himself. He now fights the rebel army who is being led by Jesse (Inferno). His blue skin indicates a possible Prise origin. In the song "In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3", Claudio has comfirmed that the "Will" mentioned refers to Wilhelm.
- Mayo Deftinwolf - Ryan's Top General- Mayo does all his dirty work. He orchestrated the deaths of Coheed, Cambria, and the Kilgannon children, and ultimately kills Inferno on the surface of Apity Prime in hand to hand combat. He is a robot, and possibly an early version of the IRO-Bot created by Wilhelm Ryan.
- The Onstantine Priests - These enemies are extremely deadly, and work with the Red Army to hunt down The Crowing. They were contained at House Atlantic in glass "tombs". They are released some time in between Devil in Jersey City and Everything Evil. At least two of them have been killed. The Priests are 8 of the 12 Mages that ruled during the Mage War. Wilhelm Ryan took the 8 remaining Mages and transformed them into all seeing, blood-thirsty watchers.
[edit] Unknown Allegiances
- Mariah Antillarea - She is a mage who leads the rebel army to overthrow Wilhelm Ryan. She resides on Paris Earth. Mayo Deftinwolf used Coheed and Cambria to attempt to kill Mariah, and succeded when Paris Earth was cut off from Heaven's Fence along with the rest of Sector 12 after Coheed's Monstar virus was activated.
- Dr. Leonard Hohenberger - The scientist responsible for the creation of the IRO-Bots Jesse, Coheed, and Cambria. He implanted the Monstar virus in Coheed, and was later killed by Coheed. General Mayo Deftinwolf refers to him as a "terrorist", but this is suspect as Mayo's intentions are known to be malicious. Hohenberger may have Known of Detinwolf's plan and created Coheed and the monstar virus in an attempt to stop him.
- Patrick McCormick - Josephine's fiance who witnesses her murder. Possibly dies in the song 33.
- God - Although God has not yet been seen, he is a known character who created The Keywork and Heaven's Fence as well as The Three Races. God may also be an allusion to The Writer, for he is the pen behind the wills of all of the characters. This possibility is supported by Claudio's reference to The Writer as "my god" in Good Apollo. He is also mentioned in the song Delirium Trigger
- Paranoia - A little known Prise who worked with Dr. Leonard Hohenberger in the creation of the KBI. The next comic has yet to be released, so not much more is known about her, and her intentions.
[edit] Characters that exist outside the universe of Heaven's Fence
- The Writer - Also referred to as The Writing Writer, the issues in his own life make him see delusions that cause him to take out his own suffering on the characters in his story. The story gets darker as his own problems grow. He doesn't want The Character (Claudio) to feel the same pain that he has, so he interferes with the story. He sees the visions of Ten Speed who manipulates his thinking.
- Ten Speed - The manifestation of The Writer's ill will and malice which takes the form of his 10 speed bicycle. Ten Speed convinces the Writer that he needs to kill off Ambellina in order to end the story. If Ambellina is dead, Claudio will believe he is the Crowing and destroy the Keywork.
- Erica Court - The Writer's former lover, because of whom he is writing the story of Heaven's Fence that is causing him to descend into madness. It is also hinted that The Writer once asked Erica Court to marry him (The Suffering), and at some point in the relationship he turned hostile (Welcome Home). Erica is represented multiple times within the story, at one point in the guise of Newo Ikkin (The bad, evil side), and at another point as Ambellina (The good, pure side) the fallen Prise.
[edit] Characters to be discovered within "My Brother's Blood Machine"
- Cecilia Marie McCloud - My Brother's Blood Machine's main character. Her father molests her, and eventually she can't take it anymore and tries to convince Johnny to leave with her. She steals her two brothers, who are twins, and Johnny decides not to go. So she ends up running away with the twins into the woods, where she meets the Bleam family.
- The McCloud Boys - Cecilia's twin brothers whom she runs off with into the woods.
- Sir Arthur McCloud - The father of Cecillia and The McCloud Boys.
- Martha McCloud - Arthur`s Wife.
- Johnny Early - Cecilia's love interest. She wants him to runaway with her and her two brothers, but decides to not go.
- Moses Early - Possibly Johnny Early's father.
- The Bleam Family - Long-Arm & Butchie are two brothers in a horrific sort of "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" family. Cecilia McCloud meets them in the woods. Their mother is crazy and ends up telling these two kids that "God has come to me with a higher calling for you — you need to be the new Death," and she tells them that they have to go out and collect souls for God. The family's patriarch, a meth addict, dismembers his wife when he catches her pinching from his stash, and her death sends the Bleam boys on a downward spiral toward complete madness.
- Gunner Recall - The local crazy man, mocked by the village because no one believes that he can see Wayne Andrew's ghost.
Note: Many people believe Gunner Recall to be Long-Arm and Butchie's father, who kills his wife and tries to blame the murder on his sons. Not having enough evidence to do so, "guilty says the proof" and the town threatens to kill him, and he runs away.
- Wayne Andrews - "The Old Bee Keeper.", he is dead, and Gunner Recall is the only person who can see his ghost.
Note: Also believe to be Gunner Recall, now off the meth and realizing all his mistakes, he decides that returning home to his sentence may be the best of choices, feeling guilty for killing his wife, which never seems to let him rest.
- Judge Kevin - Margretville Courthouse's Judge.
[edit] Miscellaneous
- Heaven's Fence - A visible beam of light that goes through each planet and supplies energy. This is powered by the seven Star-Transformers.
- The Keywork - 78 planets divided into 12 sectors. Each Sector was given a capital planet and 5 follower planets, except for 7 and 12 which had 8 followers.
- Stars of Sirius - Massive generators which power The Keywork. In the Keywork symbol, the center circle is Star IV.
- Monstar Virus - A fluid surrounding Coheed's heart. If the serum is injected into Coheed he will become very powerful, and drain energy from The Keywork.
- Sinstar Virus - A more powerful variant of the Monstar Virus, passed down by Coheed and Cambria to their children. The virus' existence is disputed as a ploy by Wilhelm Ryan to make Coheed kill his children to prevent The Crowing (which was one of the four children) from living. Another popular theory is that the Sinstar Virus was actually "The Crowing Effect"
- The Crowing - A mythological creature whose role as a Messiah is to save the souls of Heaven's Fence by giving it a new start by destroying it, as God intended if the Prise failed. It is speculated that Dr. Leonard Hohenberger engineered the Monstar virus to mimic the effect of the Crowing. But the carrier of the Monstar virus (Coheed) failed to carry out his mission, but ironically Coheed's son Claudio becomes the Crowing. Other speculation leads to the idea that the Sinstar Virus enacts the body's change into becoming The Crowing.
- The Blood Machine (The Amory Wars) - A name for a heart. This can be seen in the song "in keeping secrets of silent earth" in the lyrics "sincerely written from my brother's blood machine", which is most likely directed at Jesse's brother, Coheed Kilgannon.
- The Blood Machine (The Prize Fighter Inferno) - A machine that Long-Arm & Butchie Bleam construct, to get the soul out of a dead body, which basically tears a body to shreds.
