Classic SNK game The Last Blade returns as a comic
The spiritual successor to Samurai Shodown, The Last Blade, lives again in comics
The cult-favorite '90s video game The Last Blade is back, as a webcomic.
The webcomics publisher Tapas Media has partnered with SNK Corporation for a broad The Last Blade webcomic franchise - beginning with an adaptation of the original 1997 Neo Geo game.
Set in 19th Century Japan, The Last Blade follows a 17-year-old samurai swordsman named Kaede who is seeking revenge for the death of his father. The Last Blade webcomic adaptation is scheduled to run for two 12-episode seasons on the Tapas' website and mobile application.
"Tragic characters coupled with climatic battles and a rich historical setting, Tapas is excited to collaborate with SNK to bring The Last Blade to webcomics with a faithfully reimagined story that will surprise fans and invite new readers to follow Kaede's epic, and emotional, adventure," says Hayden Robel, Tapas' head of production and editorial.
Robel will write Tapas' The Last Blade adaptation, with art by Cocoon Production. Here's a preview:
The Last Blade preview
Tapas' The Last Blade will be the first time SNK has licensed one of their games to be developed as comics outside of Japan.
"As global leaders in webcomics, we are very excited to partner with Tapas to adapt The Last Blade with a strong creative vision, vivid artwork, and a story that stays true to our fans and the game's celebrated heritage," said an SNK spokesperson in the announcement.
Comic deals, prizes and latest news
Get the best comic news, insights, opinions, analysis and more!
Tapas' The Last Blade webcomic will debut October 28, with a new episode each Wednesday.
The Last Blade game is available now on Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and Windows 10 platforms.
Check out our rundown of the best comics readers for Android and iOS devices.
Chris Arrant covered comic book news for Newsarama from 2003 to 2022 (and as editor/senior editor from 2015 to 2022) and has also written for USA Today, Life, Entertainment Weekly, Publisher's Weekly, Marvel Entertainment, TOKYOPOP, AdHouse Books, Cartoon Brew, Bleeding Cool, Comic Shop News, and CBR. He is the author of the book Modern: Masters Cliff Chiang, co-authored Art of Spider-Man Classic, and contributed to Dark Horse/Bedside Press' anthology Pros and (Comic) Cons. He has acted as a judge for the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, the Harvey Awards, and the Stan Lee Awards. Chris is a member of the American Library Association's Graphic Novel & Comics Round Table. (He/him)