Twenty years ago, the stars above Nothaar Akii’s head suddenly changed.

Christening it the Sky Shift, Nothaar found that this event was merely the harbinger of a devastating metamorphosis that was about to befall his world. More than anything, though, it impacted the children. Newborns came out of the womb with strange physical features, far different than anything seen before. As they grew up, the youths intuitively spoke a tongue that no one else understood. After learning these conditions were not isolated to his far northern village, Nothaar set out on a long journey of discovery, taking him all the way to the southernmost tip of the land.

With his expedition seemingly completed, Nothaar decided to retrace his steps and share his discoveries with everyone he had encountered along the way. However, those plans were quickly waylaid when he chanced upon a gift that had come crashing down from the heavens. Expecting just to find a rock filled with rare and valuable resources, he instead met Syraaq Sec and Ifuwukoogeeq. The mysterious duo not only spoke the Language of Children fluently, but also possessed knowledge far beyond Nothaar’s comprehension.

And then they declared Nothaar was the key to unraveling a great injustice, one that had been perpetrated upon his people and many others by the Starbuilders.

As humanity begins to tame the stars above, at what point do a group of colonists turn into a unique, indigenous people who will band together to protect their homeland... no matter what?

Lilit Sarkisian was an average young woman who made a living welcoming new immigrants to the floating city of Aestas, soaring high above the clouds on Venus. Then, one day, she met her new clients Ahmad Al Zaheri and Durojaiye Yakubu. From that moment onward, her life irreparably changed and forever altered the course of the place she had always known as home. Somehow, these two became her best friends in the whole universe, and her most loyal coconspirators.

Aestas appeared to be a successful colony, much more so than places like Mars where terraforming had ultimately failed. Yet the powers-that-be, both on Venus and Earth, refused to do anything to alleviate the pressures caused by its exploding population. To fully resolve these issues, Lilit found herself evolving from an unknown civil servant to the leader of a revolution to a dangerous interplanetary symbol. Her story did not end there, though, nor did the machinations of those who had other plans for her birthplace.

With the help of her most trustworthy companions Ahmad and Durojaiye, was Lilit able to save the irreplaceable Venusian society from forces far more powerful than her?

Marco Chung is the oldest human in the known universe.

Displaced in time by his job ferrying people and supplies to the extrasolar colonies around the galaxy, Marco finds no semblance of peace or belonging upon his rare returns to an ever-changing Earth. Meanwhile, despite centuries of exploration and settlement, everywhere that humans have looked there have been no signs of past or present life. Whether it is nearby Mars or far away Novissimus, it appears more and more likely that Earth is unique, at least within the Milky Way.

Despite these setbacks, colonization of the stars has become the pop culture of the day. Due to this, Marco has found himself a celebrity in his own right, even though he never sought it out. All he has witnessed is that on these so-called "Earth-like" planets, nature seems to be constantly trying to wipe every living thing off of their surfaces. After partaking in so many journeys to the outer reaches and having a hand in helping to create the occupations of these exoplanets, Marco is starting to wonder: if we are truly alone in the cold emptiness of space, then is life simply a mistake?

For the first time since George Washington, an Independent has been elected President of the United States of America.

But the new President may only have 254 days to make a point: that the world can be completely changed with a different approach. That short amount of time is all the President has between the inauguration and when the next budget must be approved. Should the President fail, the government will be shut down and the Republicans and Democrats in Congress may attempt a... different solution. After all, not everyone is going to agree that “doing the right thing” is the “right thing to do”, and there is a price to be paid for even trying.

The President’s tale unfolds from the perspective of the outside media, with all its various viewpoints and agendas. Each has its own story to tell for any-and-all reasons. Can a new way of doing politics truly supplant the entrenched system? Or will the system get its way and remove this President for good?

It was an age defined by a potentially apocalyptic situation running rampant, a partisan and dogmatic ruling class refusing to listen to anyone beyond the loudest voices in the mob, and truth and understanding lingering frustratingly out of reach.

But was it really that different than any other point in history?

Can the leader of a nation ever have a genuine mandate? Are the actions of certain lawmakers actually treasonous? Do religious beliefs supersede all other rights? Does progress always mean giving something else up? When will things finally improve? Or was it better in the past?

These are but a handful of questions explored in...

ALWAYS DIVIDED, NEVER UNITED
AND OTHER STORIES DURING A TIME OF PANDEMICS AND POLITICS

The United States government is broken to the point where we can no longer have a single discussion without claiming partisan favoritism. Perspective does not matter because the entire political process has become a quagmire where nothing happens. Why is it so out of control? Every side will blame each other, but where are the solutions?

NEW & IMPROVED: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA goes beyond the 230 years of how we got here. Instead, a myriad of amendments, laws, and policies are explored to show how we can do better. With these fundamental and forward-looking Constitutional updates, hope will be restored to disenfranchised voices and there can finally be a real conversation in the United States government!

| Certain people, events, organizations, and storylines in wrestling history have gotten a bum rap. Some writers have presented overtly critical comments and outright lies as fact, and others have followed suit. Well no more! "In Defense of..." has one reason: to bring the truth to the wrestling fan! |

This was part of the opening lines to every issue of the classic anthology series In Defense Of..., a 64-part exposé that fought to dispel the myths surrounding the Internet Wrestling Community's (IWC) most hated targets. Now, all 29 cases have been brought together under one title, edited into a streamlined format, and buoyed with rare and never before seen bonus material!

Join author, consultant, entrepreneur, and all-around defender of truth J.P. Prag as he sheds lights on much maligned professional wrestling targets such as Eric Bischoff, Bill Goldberg, Lex Luger, the Ultimate Warrior, Jeff Jarrett, Hulk Hogan, and more. Further, the Finger Poke of Doom, Earl Hebner screwing Bret Hart, Vince McMahon not buying out WCW's contracts, the McMahon-Helmsley Era, and other key events in wrestling history are explored and exonerated.

Remember: the trial is not over until the defense rests!

The Hamilton Ave Journal was the only professional wrestling news report focused solely on the business side of the industry. Looking not only at the stories that were important to investors and business-minded people, the Journal also delved into reports that most fans of wrestling would overlook. That was because the Journal was about getting the heart of the matters that affected the companies and outlooks of the wrestling world.

Hidden Highlights was about the small, hardly noticeable acts in entertainment that made large, positive differences. This could be camera people catching things perfectly, announcers making deep references, or even just interesting people in the audience. There were just so many unsung heroes that deserved to be highlighted for making what we watch that much better!

Certain people, events, organizations, and storylines in history have gotten a bum rap. Some have presented overtly critical comments and outright lies as fact, and others have followed suit. “In Defense of...” had one reason to exist: to bring the truth to the people!