A storm is brewing...

The new graphic novel riders in the storm is about to be published.

The long wait for comic fans and BMW motorcycle enthusiasts will soon be over: The new graphic novel 'Riders in the Storm' will soon be available worldwide, both as English and German language editions. Here is a short preview of what you can expect from the unique limited edition collector's issue.

From darkness to light

When the world as we know it darkens, when evil strikes in an unknown form and with unimaginable severity to seize power, when machines turn against humanity, then three extraordinary heroines and a Black Rider come together to fight against the villain "Megavore" and to save the planet from destruction. Welcome to Riders in the Storm, the first graphic novel created in collaboration between BMW Motorrad and Panini Verlag GmbH.

Written by the Croatian author Darko Macan and illustrated by the well-known Italian comic book artist Riccardo Burchielli the limited edition graphic novel takes us full throttle on a journey into a fictional world full of extraordinary heroes and great motorcycles.

+ Read more

A memorable cast of heroes - and motorcycles.

A memorable cast of heroes - and motorcycles.

Why do the heroes fight against evil on their bikes? Without wanting to reveal too many details: The two main characters are Eve Langerholz, a passionate racing driver on a BMW S 1000 RR, and Makani Terror as a police officer, whose main companion is a mechanical Wolf with extraordinary superpowers. The inspiration came from the tattoo model and living piece of artwork Makani Terror. Makani drives a BMW G 310 R to perform her police duties.

+ Read more

Then there is the mysterious Black Rider whose bike of preference is a BMW S 1000 R Naked Roadster. The reader also encounters the extraordinary street art artist Nikki Animah, who has the ability to transform into various animals. Together, they fight the evil Megavore, a huge Transformer-like monster made up of motorcycle parts and car engine components.

+ Read more

Artistic license.

For BMW Motorrad it was extremely important that the person who brought these characters and their motorbikes on paper to life is a real fan of motorcycles. Fortunately, one of the world's best illustrators - the Italian Riccardo Burchielli – is the owner and driver of a BMW R 1150 GS and he was only too happy to help us illustrate 'Riders in the Storm'. The 42-year-old has worked as a comic book artist for the major comic publishers such as DC Comics, Marvel, and Dark Horse for over 15 years. Working on Riders in the Storm has made him particularly happy because was able to combine two of his greatest passions – illustration and motorcycling.

Who can resist when the story involves strong female protagonists (not something the comic book industry is known for), genetic transformations, monsters, their assistants and, of course, many different motorcycles needing be awakened to life? "It's a fascinating task. Drawing technology is always difficult because you need to breathe life into a thing that consists of metal and plastic. But it's been great fun. Comic books are a very direct medium and visual storytelling is a particularly effective way to depict stories. I therefore find it very appropriate." 

+ Read more

"
Drawing technology is always difficult because you need to breathe life into a thing that consists of metal and plastic. "

Riccardo Burchielli

Capturing the imagination of fans.

During the development of the graphic novel both Makani and Riccardo were diligent in terms of advertising. Makani attended the comic-book fair 'Comic Con' in Germany in June, for which she had an exclusively designed BMW G 310 R type bike. She and Riccardo were also invited to the BMW Motorrad Days in July to talk about their involvement in the realisation of 'Riders in the Storm'. They were very popular with all the fans and signed lots of autographs during the weekend. Makani is one of the most successful tattoo models worldwide and was already on the front pages of over 50 magazines all over the world.

Makani received her first tattoo when she started to ride motorcycle - at the tender age of 15. Back then she had 'Punk rock 4ever' tattooed on her right ankle. This is has long been covered by the numerous other tattoos that she since has had done. "You only keep count at the beginning", says Markani. "If you have tattoos everywhere, you stop doing it. Since my childhood, I have always been a big fan of comic books and dreamed repeatedly of being a heroine with superpowers. Who would have thought that my dream would one day become a reality!" 

+ Read more

The wait will soon be over.

This journey into the world of fiction was accompanied by a team of enthusiasts from the marketing department at BMW Motorrad that was excited about the publication of the limited collector's edition. The world waited anxiously and luckily the wait is over. 'Riders in the Storm' is available in both German and English since November 2016 from Panini Publishing under www.paninicomics.de. The print edition of the graphic novel costs €29 plus shipping (worldwide shipping) and the special edition is limited to 777 German and 1555 English language editions.

You can find more information about the graphic novel and BMW Motorrad under

www.riders-in-the-storm.com

brand.bmw-motorrad.com/en.html

+ Read more

More stories you might be interested in.

Suitable motorcycles.

spinner