Black Library Weekly: Relics for the Relic God

Image credit: Games Workshop

Let's hear it for another Wallet Appreciation Week! No books up for preorder this week aside from a paperback release of Void Exile, by Robbie MacNiven (Vagabond Squadron, Oaths of Damnation).

Hopefully that's an auspicious omen for MacNiven, who is planning to participate this September in the Edinburgh Kiltwalk to benefit the Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity.

Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity supports families who have a child with a life-threatening or terminal illness. When a child has a serious illness, family life is turned upside down and time becomes more precious than ever. Rainbow Trust pairs each family with an expert Family Support Worker who enables them to make the most of time together, giving them practical and emotional support, for as long as is needed. Rainbow Trust supports the whole family including parents, carers, the unwell child, brothers, sisters and grandparents.

The Kiltwalk has been held annually since 2016 in various Scottish cities (virtually during the COVID pandemic), and to date has raised a £58 million for over 4,000 different charities. Walkers are free to choose the cause they'll be raising funds for, and I'd encourage everyone to support Robbie and consider a pledge to this wonderful and worthy cause.

Make sure to put 'Mon the Hoops' in the comment field when you pledge, he'll love that₁.

Warhammer Relics Day

While there isn't much to get excited about this week on the books front, those who enjoy creatively accentuating their libraries with memorabilia were excited at the arrival of Relics day. Like Skulls, Relics is a celebration of licensing partnerships with Games Workshop, but rather than just being video games Relics encompasses all kinds of merchandising.

So today we'll be taking a look at the different reveals from Relics, particularly with an eye towards how they might look decorating your Black Library bookshelves.

But first, a quick poll!

Image credit: Weta Workshop[/caption]

Wētā Workshop – Boingrot Bounder

Wētā- named after the Maori name for giant flightless crickets native to New Zealand- is a special effects and costumery studio that most notably crafted the armor, weapons, and props for the Lord of the Rings films. They've also turned their craft to producing high-quality replicas and statuary for a number of different licenses, and for Warhammer this includes a range of statues as well as miniature replica helmets (such as this stunning Khorne Berzerker one).

This year's offering, the Boingrot Bouncer, was an unexpected one. Wētā's statues are incredibly detailed works of art that range from USD $800 (for Skragrott the Loonking) to $1800 (for either Abaddon the Despoiler or an otherworldly Celestine the Living Saint). Skragrott always struck me as a "one of these things is not like the other" offering. I mean no disrespect to fans to fans of the Gloomspite Gitz, but is the line of fans with that kind of cash to burn truly that long? It seems like an awfully niche choice to select for a high-end collectible when, I dunno, Archaeon the Everchosen, Gotrek Gurnisson, or Malaneth Witchblade are right there.

But hey, nothing wrong with a one-off... it can't all be Ultramarines, right?... but then to double down with this guy take it from curious to straight puzzling. It's a nice sculpture, scaled down from 1:6 to 1:10 and with a smaller pricetag to match ($180 on preorder), which is a smart marketing position. But are the mushrooms really delivering the dollars?

Image credit: JOYTOY

JOYTOY – Space Marine Mk X Tacticus-pattern Captain’s Helmet

Okay, so maybe it can all be Ultramarines? JOYTOY looked for a moment like they were going to go wide with this line rather than deep when it offered a Dark Angels helm after the line's debut Lieutenant Titus one, but alas this latest offering is simply a reskin of the Titus helmet.

I preordered the Titus helmet as soon as it was announced during last year's Big Summer Preview, and I'm still awaiting fulfillment. I'm okay with that- I knew it was a preorder when I ordered it and delays happen- but it's hard to get excited for a new version of something I still haven't even been able to hold in my hands some seven months on. There's also the matter of the shipping charge to the US being $90. That's not a typo.

In my opinion the Blood Angels would have been a solid choice here, though (personal bias alert) I think that it would have been a terrific time to tease a Night Lords helm in advance of the upcoming Dark Heresy CRPG from Owlcat Games. You know, the one who's collector's edition features a new Night Lords novella from no less a personage than Aaron Dembski-Bowden.

Image credit: DK Books

DK Books - Warhammer Age of Sigmar: The Ultimate Guide

This one's an absolute slam dunk for me, and one I think some folks were hoping to see after the release of the 40K version last year. They really hit that sweet spot that exists between the lore and the tabletop models and miniatures.

I regularly see questions from folks in the fan forums asking how to get into Age of Sigmar, and a book like this will be an easy recommendation.

Image credit: Games Workshop

DK Books - Words of Waaagh!

This one, on the other hand, is a miss for me.

The Black Library is an extraordinary body of literature which has produced some incredible moments in story. On my BlueSky account I often enjoy posting notable passages from the books I'm currently reading, to share this appreciation of the well-crafted written word in this universe of ours. And so I picked up last year's Words of War with high hopes, filled with memorable quotes from the Space Marines.

With such a vast body of stirring and memorable literature to choose from, it was a real surprise just how generic this one felt.

Image credit: Jay Kirkman

Image credit: Jay Kirkman

Ultimately it feels more like a present that someone might buy you because they know you're 'into that Warhammer stuff,' rather than something you might be tempted to buy on your own. And if this is the best they could do for the Space Marines, I shudder to think what they'll take from the Orks.

Image credit: Tomy

TOMY - Warhammer Plushes and Wearable Power Fist

While these don't fit the more stately and serious tone of my own Black Library Museum, we frequently see them popping up as decorations in the libraries many of you share in the Black Library community.

They're also the tax I occasionally must pay when I bring my daughters into the Warhammer store with me, and somewhere in the house right now are the Squig, Skaven, and Gryph-hound stuffies. For the annual licensing reveal festival, this one's a layup that TOMY easily clears. The AdMech I personally thought was a nice touch, and the Power Fist I believe is the first 'wearable' design in the full range. Well done.

Image credit: UltraPro

UltraPro - Battlemat Playmats

Okay, so the applications for this one for your Black Library display shelves are probably somewhat limited, though I suppose the adventurous and intrepid may find ways to get creative. That said, for fans of the tabletop experience this is a good product to offer for two reasons.

First, there's clearly a demand for them. These playmats have been a staple top-tier offering at the Store Anniversary Celebrations, a free bonus item if you spend over a certain amount of money. I managed to score one myself last year and pick up a second online, in anticipation of the day I finally get around to learning Combat Patrol or Kill Team.

Second, the move to offer 'streamlined' Warhammer options is not without precedent, and opening up the availability on these will allow for some potential innovations. The Kill Team Starter Box released in late 2024 offered slotted MDF terrain as an easy and convenient alternative to the standard full terrain, so I could see different mats being offered for different maps. Or heck, why not worlds? I'd imagine Space Wolves players might be interested in a "Fenris" map that had a snowy landscape and decorative border art commemorating their preferred Chapter, or perhaps a giant black mat representing Cadia.

Too soon? Too soon.

Thus far their forays into licensed Warhammer products are mainly tailored to the Magic: the Gathering tie-in (playmats, deck boxes, and sleeves) as well as general gaming accessories like dice trays. Regardless, UltraPro is just scratching the surface here.

Image credit: McFarlane Toys

McFarlane Toys - Dawn of War IV Figures

Here's another common sight in many a Black Library collector library. Since their founding in 1994 by Spawn creator and Image Comics co-founder Todd McFarlane, McFarlane Toys has been well-known for a high standard of quality in their action figures.

In a canny marketing move, McFarlane Toys has timed its latest round of Warhammer 40,000 figures to tie in both with the excitement around the upcoming Dawn of War IV as well as catching the wave of this year's Relics fest. That's how you do it, folks.

Personally these have never caught on for me- again, they're good products but just not a fit for the vibe I'm going for in the Museum- but if someday they release a line for Age of Sigmar it might be just enough to push this guy- who remembers playing with LJN's line of Dungeons & Dragons figures back in '83- to take the plunge.

Image credit: Cubicle 7 Games

Cubicle 7 Games - Role-Playing and Tabletop Gaming

I'm a big fan of the work Cubicle 7 Games has been doing with the Warhammer licenses, but from a "hype and expectation" standpoint- the entire point of something like Warhammer Relics day- it's difficult to get a lot of enthusiasm going.

Take, for instance, the recently-released Darktide: The Card Game. You might be surprised to learn that it was originally announced in Relics 2024, with a declared release date of that Summer. And like many of you, I'm still wondering as to the fate of the Horus Heresy RPG, announced during last year's Relics fest and seemingly set to coincide with the launch of Horus Heresy's Third Edition.

Cubicle 7's casual fluidity with hitting release targets is somewhat at odds with consumer confidence, and for something like this there's an element of "I'll believe it when I see it."

In fairness to Cubicle 7, this time around no promises were made for any product releases- probably the better strategy. With the next edition of Warhammer Fantasy Role Play in the works, there's no need to let the air out of the balloon with strict targets in the first place. The cake'll come out of the oven once it's done.

Image credit: Yootooz

Youtooz - ???

No new product from the producer of plush and vinyl figures and accessories here- though from the above image you've probably got a pretty good guess at the upcoming releases they're hinting at.

The cartoony aesthetic of Youtooz isn't for my tastes, but all products are not for all people. Just as with the TOMY plushes, I'm sure these have already found their way to any number of Black Library shelves.

Image credit: Games Workshop

Warhammer Merch - Various

A few new reveals for the official Warhammer Merch store, ranging from new Horus Heresy-era wall banners (such as the one pictured above) to water bottles. The banners are terrific- I have one for the modern-era Night Lords- and it really ties the room together₂.

Image credit: Displate

Displate - Necromunda Wall Plates

I talked about Polish metal wall art company Displate awhile back when the Sanguinius Limited Edition plate was released, and they're expanding their range to include a number of Necromunda metal posters. I'm particularly intrigued by the Wanted posters on offer, a there's a long tradition of these in the Necromunda setting. Indeed, back when Inferno! kicked off in 1997 with an "issue zero" preview, amongst its contents was a wanted poster for King Hibited of the Flayed Dog.

Image credit: Burgschneider

Burgschneider - ???

Finally, costumier and prop maker Burgschneider got a mention as they continue to work on items to attire those wanting to cosplay in Warhammer's Old World.

Conspicuously Absent

Some companies that have been featured in the past posted missing this time around. Interestingly, most of these companies were still included in the massive Relics giveaway that's part of the celebrations. SECRETLAB's licensed gaming chair, for instance. Or the Foam Brain pins that were announced as part of last year's Relics but didn't appear to have anything new in the works for this year.

Two omissions I found truly puzzling. The first is Wicked Brick, maker of display cases for your Warhammer miniatures. These are a dream come true for those who, like me, want to use miniatures as part of their library or museum displays (though the pricetag they command has undoubtedly held back more mass appeal). Wicked Brick has introduced Limited Edition displays that are incredible, such as this one for Roboute Guilliman:

Image credit: Wicked Brick

Definitely something that would be right at home in an installment of Black Library Bibliophiles, right? What's odd to me here is that Wicked Brick appears to be going full steam ahead on more regular and deluxe Warhammer offerings, so not getting a share of the spotlight this year is a surprising omission. They aren't even offering a Relic sale discount code for Wicked Brick, unlike many other product partners.

The other absence I noted was Starforged, a brand I really enjoy for library decoration. I highlighted a couple pieces of theirs I have used for my Mechanicum display in the Museum here, and their omission raises some questions as to the longevity or value of the partnership. Unlike Wicked Brick, who at least get a mention as part of the merchandise giveaway, Starforged is completely absent.

Hmm.

In the Presence of Royalty

It's not often we get to see any aspect of the business side of being a Black Library author, but this past week it was "Royalty Day" for the writers. On this day the royalty checks go out based on sales performance for the past year, providing a residual income stream even for those no longer putting paper to pen for Warhammer.

While most were unsurprisingly mum about it, a few did take to social media to share their thoughts. Josh Reynolds (Hammerhal, Khârn: Eater of Worlds) posted a full thread on BlueSky detailing his top-performing works:

Hey, it's Black Library royalties day! Let's see what's shaking in the ol' backlist, shall we? First up, somewhat less money this time around, but not by a significant amount. We're back to 2021-2023 levels after that weird 2024-2025 surge. I still wish I knew what caused that.

The top spot is [drum roll] SOUL WARS. Yet again. Consistent four digit earnings for the last six or seven years. How long will it last? Who can say! Hopefully until the sun gutters out or UBI comes in.

PRIMOGENITOR is next in the earnings ranking, followed by CLONELORD and MANFLAYER, in that order. Which is same as it ever was, really. Fabius Bile is well-liked. If only the books were still in print, hint-hint, nudge-nudge... Reprint the omnibus, please.

RETURN OF NAGASH is next, because people like the End Times? I dunno. Apparently it's being offered as an inducement for folks to download the upcoming BL app, so who knows how that'll effect things going forward.

ROAD OF SKULLS and THE SERPENT QUEEN are next, which is a bit of a surprise. Usually it's LORD OF THE END TIMES, but that's dropped down to eighth place.

Ninth in the rankings is a real shocker: FULGRIM: THE PALANTINE PHOENIX. Usually it's higher, but I think primarch-fatigue is finally setting in. I was hoping the new Fulgrim model would lead to a sales boost, but - ah well.

APOCALYPSE is tenth in the rankings. Higher than the last statement, but lower than last year this time. Still a nice chunk of monies, but it's starting to fade as the meta-narrative rolls on.

DARK HARVEST is next. Moving on.

LUKAS THE TRICKSTER is doing well, but not as well as it has done. Maybe I should have written the sequel when they asked, hunh? Then, I think it works better as a stand-alone.

Everything else is doing the same as it ever does. Which is interesting, in and of itself. My Age of Sigmar stuff has slipped, which is not unexpected. AoS lore moves at a steady clip and my stuff is seven years old at this point. Frankly, I'm surprised folks are still buying it!

On the other hand, certain short stories sell consistently, if not well, and I have no idea why. "The Zheng Cipher", for instance. Sells a consistent amount every period. Why? It's a mystery.

Image credit: BlueSky

That's Mark Clapham, author of novels Iron Guard and Tyrant of the Hollow Worlds. Of course, I take issue with the idea that anyone who has been published in the Black Library is a "nonentity," Mark. Once you're in the club, you're in the club!

Then there's Nicholas Wolf (Negavolt, Miracles) who was pretty excited about the interest in one of his tales in particular:

Image credit: X

Finally, ending on a heartwarming note here is Sarah Cawkwell, author of Valkia the Bloody and Silver Skulls: Portents.

Image credit: BlueSky

Last Week’s Survey

The big topic of discussion last week was the upcoming introduction of the Black Library App, which would replace both the Black Library Audio app as well as the BlackLibrary.com website.

There appeared to be far more concern than enthusiasm in the usual forums, which perhaps unsurprisingly reflected in our unscientific, informal poll:

It was nice to see James Workshop dropped by to cast his vote, but the fact that 60% of readers see this as either a potential or actual bad should be a cause for concern. If there's a silver lining for GW it's that they still have the luxury of time to help address consumer concerns in advance of the taps being shut off in August, but clearly that ball will be very much in their court.

The flipside of this is that consumers still have plenty of time to get their concerns heard. It's not every day that a company changes (or reverses) course on account of customer pushback, but it's not 'no days' either.

Image credit: Games Workshop

ICYMI

We had a lot of book reviews this past weekend here on the ol' Goon. For 40K, I took a look at David Annandale's Apostle while Saelfe delivered some Age of Sigmar Goodness with a review of Bad Loon Rising by Andy Clark. In serendipitous timing, the same book was also the subject of the most recent Black Library Book Club on WarhammerTV.

And if you happen to be a BattleTech fan as well, lynnding-library reviewed Bryan Young's brand-new Star-Crossed Warriors novel- then sat down with him for an interview as well!

Over at Warhammer Community, there were other goodies this week including the announcement of Episode 1 of the newest 40K animated series, Adepta Sororitas: Penance as well as the next installment of the Pages from the Black Books series, this time focusing on the World Eaters.

Finally, Cinderfall Gaming ">reviewed Ashes of the Imperium, by Chris Wraight.

Image credit: Titan Books

Quick Hits

Graham McNeill (Lords of the Lance, Storm of Iron) has been busy writing some of the official lore for Trench Crusade, the skirmish wargame set in an alternate, supernatural-and-grimdark World War I. The game's rich setting has driven a lot of enthusiasm since its Kickstarter, and McNeill's deep lore cut is about the Unseen Priests of the Long Rifle.
Not enough Trench Crusade for you? Here's a free short story that McNeill wrote for the official rulebook, Blood & Iron, that he shared this week.
Sticking with McNeill one more time, he's also had a new interview go up with Ukrainian site UAGeek. Covering a range of topics "from Graham's writing career, Warhammer, his path to the Black Library and the Heresy of Horus, as well as his work on Arcane and current projects," its posted in Ukrainian but a quick click of the Translate button gets the job done. McNeill has had three books entered into our ongoing Black Library Readers' Hall of Fame project so far, so you know he'll have a lot to say about writing!
Titan Books' Heroic Legends Series are a series of shorts that explore the fantasy worlds of Robert E. Howard. The latest is Where the Whitethorn Meets the Black, featuring Solomon Kane and written by Cavan Scott (Tomb of the Necron, War of the Orks). Howard's Kane tales were a significant influence on the development of the original Warhammer Fantasy, so fans of heroes with a zealous faith staring down the grim and the dark will feel right at home.
Cavan also announced that three of his Halloween stories for Dark Horse Comics' Star Wars line are going to be released in a collection, Galactic Tales of Terror, this coming September!
Fans of military sci-fi will be pleased to note that Richard Fox, author of the Red Corsairs story We Were Brothers, has just released the debut novel of a new series, Ghost Division. Thane's Gambit pits humanity against an encroaching enemy that doesn't conquer worlds, but rather devours them.
Chris Roberson (Sons of Dorn, Dawn of War II) wrote a comic short story appearing in the upcoming Hello Darkness #20, the horror anthology comic book from BOOM!
The plaudits keep coming for Voidscarred, the Aeldari Corsairs tale by Mike Brooks. Runner-up for the Black Library Book of the Year, winner of the Best 40K Novel in the Goonhammer Book Awards... and now it's been added to the Science Fiction Writers' Association Nebula Award recommended reading list! Late to the party? No problem! Our own Falcon40K reviewed it here just last month.
"A small girl is thrown to a dungeon full of monsters, who decide to raise her rather than eat her. [It's like] The Jungle Book meets Dungeons and Dragons with a dash of Pan's Labyrinth" is how Gareth Hanrahan (Castle of the Exile, Grit in the Wheels) describes his upcoming novel, The Dungeon Book. Arriving in August, Gareth was thrilled to share a look at the cover. Love that vintage-style art, Gareth!
John Goodrich (Mud and Mist) had a short story picked up for a Hollywood horror movie! Paramount Pictures and director David F. Sandberg (Shazam!, Until Dawn) are attached to bring A Little Slice of Hell to the big screen. Congrats, John!
Last week we noted that Maria Haskins (The Jagged Edge) had a new, "gritty, bizzarro-world retelling of Winnie-the-Pooh" story Piglet Delivers published in Apex Magazine. This week they've run an interview with her about the story, writing, and plenty more!
New Edge Sword & Sorcery Magazine has just under two weeks to go in its latest crowdfunding campaign. While it's already blown past its initial target, it's still within striking range of a stretch goal that includes a short story critique by Nathan Long (Elfslayer, Blackhearts: The Omnibus)!
James Swallow (The Flight of the Eisenstein, Garro: Knight of Grey) shared that his bestselling Star Trek Novel, The Latter Fire, has turned 10 this week! In commemoration, he's posted an author's notes piece over on his blog. It's always fascinating to me to see how the writing process comes together!

Image credit: Games Workshop

Coming Attractions

Here’s a list of the known upcoming releases from the Black Library based on the available preorder information we have. As always, take all of this with a grain of salt unless it’s Games Workshop-confirmed.

This section will be updated weekly in this column. Any titles that are announced but without a date will be added once a date is assigned it, and anything highlighted in green is something just added (or updated) this week. Books that are underlined are previously unpublished titles.

Upcoming but Undated

Chem Dog, by Callum Davis
Ghazghkull Thraka: Warlord of Warlords, by Denny Flowers
Grombrindal: The Legend of the White Dwarf, by various
The Infinite and the Divine: Illustrated and Annotated Edition, by Robert Rath

Current PODs in Production

Era of Ruin, by various (POD Special Edition, window end 12/24)
Anarch, by Dan Abnett (POD hardcover, window end 1/12)
Blood Pact, by Dan Abnett (POD hardcover, window end 1/12)
Salvation’s Reach, by Dan Abnett (POD hardcover, window end 1/12)
The Warmaster, by Dan Abnett (POD hardcover, window end 1/12)

Upcoming in 2026

Carcharodons: Void Exile, by Robbie MacNiven (paperback, 3/21) (review)
The Green Tide, by various (paperback 4/7)
Carnage Unending, by various (paperback, 4/21)
Legends of the Waaagh!, by various (paperback, 5/19)
Yarrick: The Omnibus, by David Annandale (paperback, 5/19)
Horus Rising, by Dan Abnett (paperback, 6/2)
Tomb World, by Jonathan Beer (paperback, 6/30)
The Remnant Blade, by Mike Vincent (paperback, 6/30)
Voidscarred, by Mike Brooks (paperback, 6/30)
Krakenblood, by Marc Collins (paperback, 7/14)
Vagabond Squadron, by Robbie MacNiven (paperback, 7/14)
Starseer’s Ruin, by Adrian Tchaikovsky (paperback, 7/14)
Siege of Terra: Flames of Betrayal, by James Swallow (paperback, 7/28)
Warhammer Age of Sigmar: The Ultimate Guide (hardcover, 8/4)
Archmagos, by Guy Haley (paperback, 8/11)
Words of Waaagh!, by DK Books (hardcover, 10/1)

Footnotes

As a lifelong Bear, he'll find it truly motivating.
The Night Haunter abides.

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