Advance Preview: Hannah Templer’s Fabulous ‘Cosmoknights Book Two’ – The Return Of The ‘Gays In Space’ Series!

by Richard Bruton

Hannah Templer‘s Cosmoknights began as a webcomic before coming to Top Shelf as a graphic novel series – and right now it’s time to return to space and return to the adventure with Book 2!

Cosmoknights is, frankly, a blast. If you’ve been following Hannah Templer’s webcomic since the beginning or jumped onboard with the first volume of the series in print from Top Shelf, you already know that.

The first book of the series introduced us to the world of Pan, whose small-town life on a backwater planet in this wonderfully realised futuristic meets neo-medieval system of planets. The futurism of spaceships and hoverboards that we see in the early pages is in stark contrast to the ancient patriarchal idea of each world’s ruling Royal family offering up their Princesses to other Royals through the Cosmoknights tournaments.

None of this would have affected Pan were it not for her friendship with Tara, Princess Tara, who Pan helps to escape her fate, escape being married off to a man she doesn’t even know, and escape into space to who knows where… leaving Pan behind, heartbroken, and hated by her world.

Pan and Tara in happier times, from Cosmoknights Book 1

That happened five years ago. And Pan’s world would have stayed small were it not for two rogue Comsoknights fighting against the patriarchal foundations of their worlds, hiding their sex and their relationship, Cass and Bee, literally showing up on her doorstep asking for help.

Next thing you know, Pan is off-world, on the run, and has signed up to the idea of bringing the system down.

That was Book 1. And damn, it was everything you want from this sort of fabulous sci-fi – it’s got heart, it’s got style, it’s got huge mech-knight gladiatorial fights, it’s got a political message, and it’s absolutely queer-positive. And of course, the whole thing looks absolutely, spectacularly beautiful, with Templer’s art just a lush mix of pinks, greens, oranges, and more.

More from Cosmoknights Book One – Pan, Cass, Bee, and Kate – end the games, topple the patriarchy, change the world!

Yep, I’m a huge fan. So, now it’s time for Book 2 and I’m looking forward to reading it all again – having already read it in webcomic form. If you haven’t already fallen under the Cosmoknights spell, here’s your chance. It’s well worth it.

So, Book 2, here’s what Top Shelf’s blurb says about it…

“Pan has finally escaped her dead-end planet, piecing together a new sort of family with the rebel gladiators Bee & Cass and the mysterious hacktivist Kate. They’ve even rescued a princess… but what if this princess has her own ideas? Whatever happened to Pan’s childhood friend Tara? And if they become galactic fugitives, will the immense pressure of life on the run threaten to tear them apart just in time for the biggest heist of their lives?”

Yep, it’s back to the adventures of Pan, Bee, Cass, and Kate… with all those questions that remain unanswered. So it’s time to join Hannah Templer for the second fabulously exciting book of Cosmoknights… you’re in for such a treat!