The Shantae video game series has been going strong for more than two decades, and the half-genie hero will soon make the jump to the printed page in her first ever comic book adventure. Announced by UDON Entertainment and BOZON, the 8-page story will appear in the 2024 Shantae Swimsuit Special #1, which is coming in September. The majority of the book will focus on pin-ups of Shantae and her supporting cast, including characters like Rottytops and Risky Boots. However, it will also feature the comic story, which is being written by Shantae co-creator Erin Bozon.
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The “manga-style” story will be in black and white, but the rest of the 32-page issue will be in full color. The standard cover of the issue is being handled by artist Nami Sakurajyousui. Fans of the series headed to San Diego Comic-Con next month will be happy to know that a special variant will be sold at the show, about two months before the issue goes on sale to everyone else! The SDCC variant will feature the same Sakurajyousui art, but with an alternate swimsuit on Shantae, as well as gold-foil stamping and a cardstock cover. That version will cost $25, though the standard option will be priced at $4.99. Several variant covers will be released, which are currently available for pre-order from UDON’s official store right here.
The Shantae series first started life on Game Boy Color in 2002, where it was one of the final games released for the system. The game was something of a commercial failure as a result, but Shantae has managed to return in multiple games since, and her original adventure was re-released on modern platforms a few years ago. Despite building a passionate following, Shantae’s appearances in media outside those games has been fairly limited, making her first comic story a pretty big deal! It might not be the main attraction for this package, but it will be interesting to see if it leads to more stories in the future.
Matt and Erin Bozon have shared a lot of enthusiasm for bringing Shantae to other mediums. In a 2020 interview with ComicBook, Shantae co-creator Matt Bozon discussed plans for an animated adaptation, but little has been heard about the series since.
Are you excited for the Shantae Swimsuit Special? Have you played any games in the series? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!
