Another cover Tze Kun Chin did for “Damnation Crusade” Issue #3 by Boom! Studios. This time Tze Kun Chin wanted to capture up close, that hatred the Black Templars have over their most wretched of foes, the Chaos Space Marines.
The Black Templars are more than just Space Marines—they are the living embodiment of unshakable faith, forged in the fires of the Emperor’s divine wrath. Clad in black armor adorned with purity seals and sacred relics, they march across the stars like medieval knights of old, only these crusaders wield chainswords and bolters, and their battlefields span entire star systems. They are not bound by the same limitations as other Chapters, for they scorn the Codex Astartes’ restrictions. Where others see structure, the Black Templars see chains, and instead, they embrace the boundless freedom of the eternal crusade, ever seeking to cleanse the galaxy of heresy and corruption.
Led by High Marshals who are warriors of legendary skill, their Crusades are unstoppable tides of righteous fury. The Templars’ beliefs are rigid, their zeal unmatched. In their minds, there is no room for compromise—no negotiation, no tolerance for weakness. Psykers, witches, and mutants are an affront to the Emperor’s divine will, and the Black Templars will not rest until they are eradicated. They do not use Librarians, as other Chapters do, viewing psychic powers as a taint upon the soul. Instead, their Chaplains lead them in battle, reciting litanies of hate and prayers to the Emperor, urging the Templars forward, ever deeper into the heart of the enemy. Every strike, every shot, is a hymn to their god, the Emperor of Mankind, and their faith strengthens them where others might falter.
In battle, the Black Templars are an overwhelming force. They are masters of close combat, their weapons blessed by their Chaplains, every kill a testament to their devotion. Their ranks swell with neophytes, freshly recruited from the worlds they liberate, each one eager to prove their worth in battle, each one a future legend in the making. As they charge into the fray, their voices rise in a battle hymn that echoes across the battlefield—an unrelenting roar of faith, fury, and the promise of the Emperor’s divine justice. To face the Black Templars is to face the unstoppable fury of the Emperor Himself, for they are His sword, His shield, and His undying wrath incarnate.