THE CASTOFFS (2016)

"It's Mage against the Machine! Magic vs technology in Roar's newest mini-series. When three apprentice mages are sent to help a neighboring guild, they reignite a decades-old war with a robot army that has destroyed the world. Brian Smith, New York Times-bestselling author (Stuff of Legend), teams up with MK Reed (Americus) and artist Molly Ostertag (Strong Female Protagonist) on a thrilling new fantasy adventure!"

"Charris, Trinh, and Ursa are on their first mission-to respond to the cry for help of a healer from a nearby town. The robotic Surrogate isn't the only danger this forest holds-they also have to contend with marauding magical beasts! But these three are always getting on each other's nerves or in each other's way. How will they ever learn to fight as a team?"

"The apprentices arrive at the village, only to find it abandoned! Gripped by madness, the entire town has left for the Silver, a bizarre outpost in the desert where they plan to rebuild the Surrogate's robot army, under the sway of a cult-like Priestess. Now Trinh, Ursa, and Charris are on a stealth mission to track a cultist, deep into Surrogate territory and straight towards the danger! "

"The apprentice mages are in way too deep-they're being held captive by a cult leader and her massive hive-mind robot, in the middle of a desert and far from their guild. The Castoffs will have to trust and rely on each other if they're going to make it out alive-Hey nothing cements a bond like mortal peril right?"

"Now An Ongoing Series! The adventure continues, and the stakes just got a whole lot higher now that the Mage killing machines known as 'The Surrogates' are awake again! This is the perfect place for new readers to join in!"

"The Surrogate is back! Long thought destroyed in the Great Mage Machine War, the hive-mind robots have resurfaced in the town of Silver. A town that has now completely erased itself from the map as if it had never existed."

"After escaping from the Surrogate, our favorite young mages find their way back to Clifton, and the three of them-in fits and starts-are learning to work together to use their magical abilities as a team. But their studies are disrupted when they are sent back into the wastelands, on a new mission to find a missing map that could give the mages an edge in the ongoing battle against a awakened Surrogate. "

"This issues finds our mages searching for Ike's lost map-a much-needed edge in the upcoming Surrogate confrontation-while trying to learn to work together as a team. Rosalba has taught Trinh valuable new skills, but Ursa and Charris still can't seem to trust each other. But when the group runs afoul of a powerful loner deep in the wastelands, they'll have bigger problems on their hands."

"Our heroes' hunt for the Surrogate brings them to the usually quiet town of Plumstead, but a rival trio of mages have beaten them to it, and are tearing the place apart! Aren't these jerks supposed to be part of the same team? Their mission is to protect humans from the Surrogate, not terrorize them! It's up to Charris, Trinh, and Ursa to shut their rogue guildmates down!"