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Swords Against! Sword & Sorcery Fiction Magazine

Created by Elastic Torch Publishing

Sword & sorcery fiction accented by great art. Our magazine explores the boundaries between the old and new, challenges where the genre is and was, and tells some kick-ass stories. The magazine is published in softcover and digital formats.

Latest Updates from Our Project:

Fulfillment Is Completed and other Notes
4 days ago – Sat, Aug 29, 2026 at 10:23:18 AM

All My Favorite Sword-Siblings, 

All Books are IN THE MAIL!

Many of you already have your books (thank you so much for posting on social media and discord!). As of this morning, I've shipped everyone that's completed their surveys and paid their shipping.

I also updated Pledge Manager with tracking numbers (and set you to fulfilled). If you don't have a book and think you should, check Pledge Manager for your tracking number. If there's a problem, don't hesitate to reach out to me directly either here or via e-mail: [email protected].



Swords Against #1 is Widely Available

If you want another copy, you want to recommend the book to your friends, or otherwise want to help get the word out, you can share this link, which goes to a landing page and links to buy the book from the Mystic Bull Games website (that's my TTRPG imprint).

https://www.mysticbull.com/post/swords-against-sword-sorcery-fiction-magazine

Swords Against #2 and #3 are in PLANNING

By the end of September, I'll be accepting submissions for the next two issues to be published in early 2027. We'll also be running a subscription drive running up to a crowdfunding campaign at the beginning of 2027. 

How Can You Help?

If you enjoy Swords Against! 

  • Contribute! This is a magazine that is intended to spread the love of sword & sorcery and celebrate the community. Be ready for our submissions window coming up in September. 

  • Consider subscribing. There *will* be 4 issues in 2027. The less we have to crowdfund, the more that can go into the magazine (crowdfunding campaigns are expensive!). More news on how to subscribe is coming. 

  • Spread the Word! We're on Facebook, Bluesky, and TikTok. We have a Newsletter site (expect to see some activity on that this week). Working on a dedicated Instagram, but either way -- Share us widely! 

Finally, I want to thank all of you again for your support. It means to the world to me and my team. 

 -- Paul

Books are here! And other News you can Use!
16 days ago – Mon, Aug 17, 2026 at 03:53:14 PM

Greetings, 

I've received the physical books and they are beautiful (and heavy!). 

All the shipping materials are here and staged.

I'm waiting on two things: 
  • Addresses to Lock (I believe that happens tomorrow. If you're address needs attention, be sure to take care of it!) 
  • Shipping funds to hit the bank (Wednesday, I believe. There are still a few outstanding folks that need to either update their cards or finish their surveys). 

This means, most likely, I'll start shipping on Wednesday, with an intention of having every book on its way by the weekend! Electronic versions of the book will be distro'ed directly after that (one man shop, here, so I gotta stay focused).

I've said it a lot, but I really appreciate the ya'll's support. After this week, I'm updating the website and newsletter site to have some regular features on sword & sorcery, so look for that. Already have an article from Moira McMahon (author of Baby Mama in our magazine).

Submissions for the first two issues for 2027 open around the middle of September. Maybe a bit before. Funding for those will likely be in February (still planning). 

Stay tuned for other news (especially if you reside in Los Angeles or points around it). 

Here they are -- hot off the press. (Ignore my paint splattered ottoman... I started painting tank miniatures last week and now I'm obsessed with that). 

This Thing is a Digital Thing
21 days ago – Wed, Aug 12, 2026 at 03:08:52 PM

Greetings!

I'm still waiting on my printer to give me that sweet sweet notification that I can come pick up the physical books (expecting that goodness on Friday), but today I finished up the draft of the electronic version of the magazine. I was wondering how it would look in paperwhite, but I think Rick's cover still looks pretty amazing.

That's all I really have to report. I've got all the mailing materials staged up. The order/pledge manager is locked. I'm not nervous, you're nervous.

I'll update when I get the physical books. In the meantime, I'm reviewing this and the FlipZine digital epub. Everything should go out at the same time.... 

We're at the finish line...
about 1 month ago – Fri, Jul 31, 2026 at 09:53:32 AM

Greetings Swordlings,

I just submitted a print order for 520 copies of Swords Against! Ya'll are the reason this thing exists, and it's finally done.

I also picked up the FlipZine collaboration we did with New Edge Sword and Sorcery. Unboxing below!

I don't currently have an ETA from my printer on when I'll have the actual magazines in my hand, but it's usually 7-10 business days, so I'm expecting to start fulfillment on or about the 14th of August. I'll update when I do!

And if you haven't backed us by now, you can always preorder both the magazine and the flipzine. Or tell your poor friends who know nothing about this great magazine. 

Thanks again for backing this magazine. As for future plans, I'm getting all the infrastructure together to both accept submissions and to launch a 2-issue Backerkit around the end of the year. I hope you will stay with us on this journey!





In the meantime, check out some other sword & sorcery projects that we love:

Seers in a Broken Season!

Arcanist!

Overlords of Steel!

Jordoba!

It's a Thing!
about 2 months ago – Thu, Jul 16, 2026 at 01:16:03 PM

Digging in on the Swords Against! proof along with some Enchiladas Y Mas. I'm so excited that it's finally a physical thing in my hand. It's looking good. Now to read it one more time cover-to-cover.

Thanks again to everyone that supported us. If you haven't responded to your pledge manager survey, please do so!