Beauty in Ruins

An enthralling dark fantasy inspired by the Chinese Zodiac—where a lethal dancer is sent to assassinate the Dragon King, only to discover that no beauty can hide the rot of empire.

Beautiful, cunning Lady Soryan Anya of House Snake arrives at the opulent Zodiac court to compete for the title of the empire’s greatest fan dancer—and to win the hand of its handsome, arrogant king. Every lady of the Zodiac dreams of becoming his bride.

Anya plans to kill him.

Raised alongside her orphaned sisters by the Unnamed, a secret order of assassins, Anya has been entrusted with one final mission: find the Aether Seed, the source of the empire’s power, and kill the king. Her own life will be forfeit, but her sisters will finally be free. As will her people, long subjugated under Zodiac rule.

But nothing is as it should be in the palace. The Aether Seed is nowhere to be found; King Alexandre is as beautiful as the bards say, yet something sinister stirs beneath his perfect façade. And someone is leaving Anya anonymous notes suggesting her identity isn’t so secret after all.

As Anya delves deeper into the palace’s secrets, and draws dangerously close to the king, she begins to uncover a history at odds with everything she has been taught. Now, Anya must decide how far she is willing to go to save those she loves—and whether she came to the palace to slay a monster, or to become one.

Standard and Primary covers are widely available through general retailers. They often have higher print runs and can be cheaper, especially during sales.

In contrast, Direct Market (DM) and variant covers are primarily sold in comic shops. DM editions tend to have more limited availability and may be more valuable to collectors.

The main differences lie in artwork style, availability, price, and collector appeal. Ultimately, the choice between standard and variant covers depends on personal preference, budget, and individual collecting goals.

Comic book enthusiasts have various formats to choose from when collecting their favorite stories.
Here's a brief overview of the main types:

Omnibus

• Large, hardcover collections
• Usually contain complete runs or extensive story arcs
• Typically 800-1000+ pages
• Higher price point, often €100-€150

Oversized Hardcover (OHC)

• Similar dimensions to omnibus, but thinner
• Collect shorter runs or story arcs
• Usually 300-600 pages
• Priced between €30-€50

Hardcover (HC)

• Standard-sized hardcover books
• Collect 6-12 issues typically
• Similar dimensions to single issues, but with a hard cover
• Priced around €25-€35

Trade Paperback (TP)

• Softcover collections
• Standard comic book size
• Usually collect 4-6 issues
• Most affordable option, typically €15-€25

Other Formats

• Absolute Editions: Oversized, deluxe hardcovers (mainly DC Comics)
• Compendiums: Massive paperback collections
• Graphic Novels (OGN/GN): Original stories not previously released as single issues

The choice between these formats often depends on personal preference, budget, and collecting goals. Omnibus and OHC editions offer larger artwork and more content but at a higher price, while TPs provide a more affordable way to collect complete story arcs