Fans of The Beginning After the End by Brandon Lee–also known as TurtleMe–rejoice! Rocketship Entertainment, the Ringo Award-winning publisher that puts webcomics to the printed page, just announced that it will be bringing the TBATE novels to print! Starting next week on Tuesday, August 5th, the publisher will launch a Kickstarter for the bringing softcover and hardcover illustrated editions of the first three volumes to life, along with merch exclusive to the campaign. Rocketship will then make those volumes available for retail purchase in 2026. The remaining nine volumes of TBATE will also have Kickstarters through the publisher.
For the full details, check out the full press release below, along with the cover to the softcover edition of volume one and a rundown of the series for the uninitiated! You can sign up here to be notified at launch of the Kickstarter.
And the official press release:
LOS ANGELES, July 30th – Today, Rocketship Entertainment, the industry leader in publishing hit webcomics and the 2021 Ringo Award winner for Favorite Publisher, announced that it will be publishing the novels behind the award-winning webcomic and anime phenomenon The Beginning After the End by author Brandon Lee, aka TurtleMe. The first three volumes will launch in a Kickstarter campaign on August 5th featuring softcover editions and deluxe hardcover illustrated editions along with exclusive merch. Those volumes will release in retail in 2026, followed by campaigns for the final nine volumes.
“Over the past decade since I first started writing The Beginning After the End, one of the most frequent requests I’ve received from fans has been for a novel print. I held off because I wanted to make sure it would be special, something true to my vision that fans could proudly showcase on their bookshelves when the time came,” said creator Brandon Lee. “Partnering with Rocketship and Kickstarter is finally giving us the chance to make this a reality, and I couldn’t be more excited.”
The series is described as:
The Beginning After the End follows the story of King Grey, who once benefited from unrivaled strength, wealth, and prestige in a world governed by martial ability, but now finds himself reborn in a society dominated by magic. Given a second chance at life, the once-king strives to understand his role in this new world and the purpose of his reincarnation while correcting the mistakes of his past.
“The Beginning After the End is a high watermark in isekai fantasy. TurtleMe has created an ageless story that has captured the imaginations of fans around the world,” said Rocketship Entertainment CEO & Publisher Tom Akel. “We’re absolutely thrilled to bring these novels to print for the very first time.”
Backers of the campaign can bring home the first three volumes of the series in hardcover or softcover editions. The hardcover is a deluxe illustrated edition that will contain ten full color original illustrations for each volume with covers that depict imagery and scenes from their respective volumes in debossed fourteen karat gold and mother of pearl on a die-cut barn door. Deluxe hardcovers will be clad in a leather-bound slipcase with a wraparound gate that is secured by a zinc alloy sword fitted into the sheath of the door. The campaign will also include a blind box collector’s enamel pin set and a gift box set featuring acrylic standees, a replica of the sword Dawn’s Ballad, and the maps of Alacrya and Dicathen.