Dark Horse Comics has provided Major Spoilers with covers and solicitation information for product shipping in December, 2006.
ALICE IN SUNDERLAND
BRYAN TALBOT (W/A)
On sale Feb. 07
FC, 328 pages
$29.95
HC, 7 1/2″ x 11″
Sunderland! Thirteen hundred years ago it was the greatest center of learning in the whole of Christendom and the very cradle of English consciousness. In the time of Lewis Carroll it was the greatest shipbuilding port in the world. To this city that gave the world the electric light bulb, the stars and stripes, the millennium, the Liberty Ships and the greatest British dragon legend came Carroll in the years preceding his most famous book, Alice in Wonderland, and here are buried the roots of his surreal masterpiece. Enter the famous Edwardian palace of varieties, The Sunderland Empire, for a unique experience: an entertaining and epic meditation on myth, history and storytelling then decide for yourself—does Sunderland really exist?
From Bryan Talbot, the acclaimed creator of The Adventures of Luther Arkwright and The Tale of One Bad Rat, comes Alice in Sunderland, a graphic novel unlike any before. Funny and poignant, thought-provoking and entertaining, traditional and experimental, whimsical and polemical, Alice in Sunderland is a heady cocktail of fact and fiction, a sumptuous and multi-layered journey that will leave you wondering about the magic that’s waiting to be unlocked in the place where you live.
“Alice in Sunderland is parochial in its focus—but not in content. I believe anyone interested in the way history is formed and, in itself, forms culture, character, and a sense of place will be entranced by it.”
—John Tufail, Carrollian scholar
THE BAKERS MEET JINGLE BELLE
PAUL DINI (W) AND KYLE BAKER (A)
On sale Dec. 6
FC, 32 pages
$2.99
One-shot
When two multi-Eisner-award-winning storytellers bring their funniest creations together, the result is nothing less than pure comics magic. This December, get ready for the wildest winter team-up since Frosty met Rudolph as Kyle Baker’s The Bakers meet Paul Dini’s Jingle Belle!
As the Baker parents try to frantically finish their holiday preparations, they find themselves in dire need of a baby-sitter. Enter Jingle Belle, fresh from a Christmas Eve defection from her father, Santa, and looking for a place to hide out. Somewhat skeptical of Jingle’s heritage, the Baker kids demand proof so she obliges with a whirlwind sleigh ride to the North Pole. Meantime parents Kyle and Liz are dealing with the horrors of last-minute shopping and the now-stranded Santa is mistaken for a prowler as he searches suburbia for both his daughter and his missing sleigh.
Drawn by Kyle Baker from a story by Paul Dini with gags contributed by the entire Baker family, The Bakers Meet Jingle Belle promises to be the must-have comics treat of the 2006 holiday season.
BERNARD OF HOLLYWOOD STATUE
On sale Feb. 14
Packaged in a full color box, limited to only 950 numbered pieces
$145.00
Legendary glamour photographer Bruno Bernard was one of the people who catapulted Marilyn Monroe to superstardom with a memorable series of images, but he also turned his lens to many stars of the day.
Dark Horse is proud to have been awarded the rights to create a three-dimensional sculpted piece of one of his best images, known colloquially as Got A Light. We engaged top sculptor Steve Kiwus to bring this 1950’s “bad girl” to life, and he has outdone himself.
BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL #120: THE SPARROW NET part 3 (of 4)
HIROAKI SAMURA (W/A)
On sale Dec. 13
b&w, 32 pages
$2.99
Ongoing
It’s almost funny, how Döa, the Ittö-ryü sparkplug, so brashly hurls herself into trouble. She’s in some serious danger now, though, and Edo’s angry police force has her and her friends cornered and outnumbered. With dexterous Döa swinging her daggers and Isaku showing off his heavy-handed fighting style, Rin is aghast, caught up in a senseless battle. Meanwhile, deranged Doc Burando stews in a jail cell, having failed his master too many times. However, that doesn’t mean that his twisted mind will stop thinking about Manji and the mysterious kessen-chu bloodworms that grant immortality to their hosts. This issue also features Stan Shaw’s final back cover “Seasons” illustration, which links up to issues 117 through 119 to complete a gorgeous color quadtych image!
2006 Eagle Award winner for “Favourite Manga Title”
CHRONICLES OF CONAN VOLUME 11: THE DANCE OF THE SKULL AND OTHER STORIES
ROY THOMAS (W), JOHN BUSCEMA (A), HOWARD CHAYKIN (A), ERNIE CHAN (A), and TONY DEZUNIGA (A)
On sale Feb. 07
FC, 168 pages
$16.95
TPB, 7″ x 10″
From the savage swamps of Iskander to the burning wastes of Stygia, Conan battles mutated man-dragons and a corpse-devouring abomination in this most recent volume chronicling the legendary exploits of literature’s greatest fantasy hero! Before the bronzed Cimmerian can return to the arms of his lover Belit, Queen of the Black Coast, he must face deadly treacheries and the dark spells of a cunning sorceress. Once reunited, the two shall storm the serpent throne and its dark owner—Thoth-Amon! With wit and steel alone, Conan seeks victory and a prize without rival on destiny’s bloody road to kinghood!
Featuring nine more issues (#82-90) from the famed Roy Thomas/John Buscema run on Conan the Barbarian, stories showcasing Conan’s adventures with Belit the She-Pirate.
CLASSIC PEANUTS CHARACTERS #3: LINUS
On sale February 14
5″ tall, limited to 1200 pieces, includes booklet and button
$39.95
Inspired by “syroco” sculptures that were popular in the 1930s and 1940s, the ten new Peanuts statuettes from Dark Horse are designed and manufactured in a style consistent with the earlier figures. This month we feature the third statue—Linus. Produced in a limited edition of hand-numbered copies, the figure is fully painted and ready to display.
Each hand-numbered statuette comes carefully packaged in a custom-tooled, full-color, litho-printed tin box. Also included is a small booklet about each character and a vintage-style pinback button of the character.
CONAN #35
TIMOTHY TRUMAN (W), PAUL LEE (P), DAVE STEWART (C), and TONY HARRIS (Cover)
On sale Dec. 20
FC, 32 pages
$2.99
Miniseries
The traitors are dead, but their treachery lives on . . .
King Conan has foiled a plot to assassinate him and usurp his throne, but the intrigue runs deeper than even he can guess, drawing the barbarian king into a web of dark magics and darker deeds.
Conan artist Cary Nord catches his breath as seasoned Conan veteran Paul Lee joins regular writer Tim Truman to spin this tantalizing tale of mystery, magic, and mayhem, set during Conan’s reign as king of Aquilonia.
Wizard Book of the Month—March 2005
An oft-requested peek into Conan’s years as king, and a direct sequel to Robert E. Howard’s “The Phoenix on the Sword.”
CONAN BUST: JANISSA THE WIDOWMAKER
On sale Feb. 14
Approximately 7″ high, this limited-edition piece is packaged in a deluxe full-color box
$54.99
One of the strongest characters of heroic fiction is back with a vengeance—Conan! One of Conan’s most exotic adversaries is the ferocious female warrior Janissa.
Her skills were honed in a nightmare ordeal of training under the sadistic direction of the mysterious “Bone Lady,” who is pictured on the base.
Sculptor Tony Cipriano, well-known for many projects for Dark Horse and others, has looked to illustrator Cary Nord’s art for his inspiration. Exacting in its detail and ornamentation, a’whirl with weaponry and animation, this piece brings forward a sculptural interpretation of the “fatal beauty” that delivers the goods. And then some.
CRIMINAL MACABRE: TWO RED EYES #1 (of 4)
STEVE NILES (W), KYLE HOTZ (P), MICHELLE MADSEN (C), and TIM BRADSTREET (Cover)
On sale Dec. 20
FC, 32 pages
$2.99
Miniseries
This is the one Cal McDonald fans have been waiting for—the biggest, scariest, weirdest Criminal Macabre story of all time and the start of the new ongoing line of Criminal Macabre comics.
Cal McDonald, boozer, druggie, private dick who hangs with dead dudes—welcome to Rock Bottom. Your only friend in the human world is dead, your girlfriend just dumped you and moved to another city, and the district attorney has a chip on his shoulder the size of a Chevy Nova with your name on it.
When that chip turns into a nasty case of police brutality, Cal ends up fighting for his life in the intensive care unit and wakes up days later . . . sober.
And what’s Cal been missing since he went under? Only the most horrifying convergence of sheer monster power ever to emigrate from the old world. Cal McDonald, meet Nosferatu.
DOMINION: CONFLICT 1—NO MORE NOISE
SHIROW MASAMUNE (W/A)
On sale Mar. 14
b&w w/color, 160 pages
$14.95
TPB, 8 1/4″ x 5 3/4″
Welcome to the future of vast bio-constructed cities with crime so severe that the cops drive tanks! For top tank-cop Leona Ozaki (and her trusty tank, Bonaparte), the day-to-day is a tall order already, but when the villainous and sexy (and super-powered androids!) Puma sisters become duly deputized officers of the law and are assigned to “help” Leona catch Urushi-Maru, “The Skyscraper Pirate,” things are bound to get out of hand, especially in the midst of a full-on, tank-on-tank streetfight between Leona and a corrupt arms manufacturer bent on getting the city’s police tank contract!
Produced by international comics superstar Shirow Masamune, creator of Appleseed and Ghost in the Shell, Dominion is an ecological-dystopian-police procedural adventure/comedy as only Shirow can create!
EDEN: IT’S AN ENDLESS WORLD! VOLUME 6
HIROKI ENDO (W/A)
On sale Feb. 07
b&w, 240 pages
$12.95
TPB, 5″ x 7″
As the survivors of last volume’s bloodbath regroup, a pivotal character lies in a coma, and young Elijah is separated from Colonel Kahn’s freedom fighters and swept into another complicated whirlwind of trouble. He’s caught between two violent groups, beaten and harassed by revenge-hungry policemen, and hounded by a sadistic drug lord who may have ties to Elijah’s father. In Hiroki Endo’s post-pandemic world, humanity is quickly rebuilding its cities and returning to the comforts and conveniences of large urban environments—but reviving destructive, age-old habits as well. While exploring the crippling vices that have plagued humanity throughout history, Endo also serves up a volume of bittersweet reunions, shifting alliances, and surprising new settings.
Eden volume 6 also includes a bonus section featuring character studies and pinups by Hiroki Endo and Hiroaki Samura (Blade of the Immortal)!!
Each volume comes shrink-wrapped and carries an 18+ content advisory.
EMILY THE STRANGE VOLUME 1
COSMIC DEBRIS (W/A)
Available Now!
b&w w/red, 160 pages
$19.95
TPB, 7″ x 10″
Emily the Strange is not your ordinary thirteen-year-old girl—she’s got a razor-sharp wit as dark as her jet-black hair, a posse of moody black cats, and famous friends in very odd places! She’s got a broodingly unique way of experiencing the world, and you’re invited along for the ride. Legions of fans worldwide have joined forces to make Emily a pop-culture phenomenon.
This volume collects the first three issues of the Dark Horse Emily comics series—“The Boring Issue,” “The Lost Issue,” and “The Dark Issue,” and includes one brand spankin’ new story that you’ve never seen before!
Dark Horse also offers a line of Emily products.
THE ESCAPISTS #6 (of 6)
BRIAN K. VAUGHAN (W), JASON SHAWN ALEXANDER (A), STEVE ROLSTON (A/Cover), EDUARDO BARRETO (A/Backcover), MATT HOLLINGSWORTH (C), and DAVE STEWART (C)
On sale Dec. 13
FC, 32 pages
$2.99
Miniseries
Wizard Top Ten writer and multiple Eisner Award winner Brian K. Vaughan (Y: The Last Man; Ex Machina; Runaways) reveals the fate of the Escapist and the plucky comic-bookers who brought this classic hero back to life!
As if betrayal at the hands of his onetime ally and lover Luna Moth wasn’t enough, the Escapist reels from an even greater revelation—one that will undo everything he ever believed to be true! Jason Shawn Alexander (Damn Nation, The Secret) illustrates this watershed moment in the history of the Escapist.
Meanwhile, artist Steve Rolston (Queen & Country, One Bad Day) captures equally stunning changes in the lives of the Escapist’s writer, artist, and letterer. When tragedy strikes, will the character that brought them together ultimately tear them apart? Find out in this fantastic final issue of the Escapist’s first miniseries!
Inspired by The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Chabon!
26 pages of story! No ads!
GHOST IN THE SHELL 1.5: HUMAN-ERROR PROCESSOR #3 (of 6)
SHIROW MASAMUNE (W/A)
On sale Dec. 20
FC, 32 pages
$2.99
Miniseries
Cybercrime special-ops unit Section 9 has been mobilized to protect a key witness in a trial involving defective micro machines. And the witness definitely needs protection—from remote-controlled corpses packing serious hardware! And if the identity of these dead assassins’ pilots isn’t enough of a mystery for Section 9, how about the unexpected appearance of long-missing special agent Motoko Kusanagi!
Ghost in the Shell 1.5: Human-Error Processor presents for the first time in America the “lost” Ghost in the Shell stories, created by Shirow Masamune after completing work on the original Ghost in the Shell manga and prior to his tour-de-force, Ghost in the Shell 2: Man-Machine Interface. This deluxe-format issue concludes “Fat Cat,” the first of four Ghost in the Shell tales.
GRENDEL: DEVIL BY THE DEED
MATT WAGNER (W/A), RICH RANKIN (I), and CHRIS PITZER (C)
On sale Feb. 14
FC, 48 pages
$12.95
HC, 7″ x 10″
A seminal work by groundbreaking comics creator Matt Wagner (Batman: The Mad Monk; Sandman Mystery Theatre) returns to print in a new hardcover edition with an introduction by Alan Moore!
When Wagner first serialized Grendel: Devil by the Deed as a backup in his critically acclaimed title Mage, its innovative storytelling techniques, philosophical undertones, and charismatic anti-hero ignited a devoted following. Introducing Hunter Rose as the brilliant, twisted assassin Grendel, it gave birth to what would become a centuries-spanning epic exploring the roots and consequences of violence.
This influential tale has been collected only twice in the past twenty years, quickly selling out each time. Now, for the first time in hardcover, Dark Horse presents the book that brought one of the most popular alternative comics characters to life and marked the auspicious arrival of one of the greatest visionaries of modern comics!
GUNSMITH CATS OMNIBUS VOLUME 1
KENICHI SONODA (W/A)
On sale Feb. 14
b&w, 464 pages
$16.95
TPB, 5″ x 7″
Gunsmith Cats is back! Kenichi Sonoda’s sexy stories about two bounty-hunting girls on the dangerous streets of Chicago have always been a favorite here at Dark Horse. So when the new, omnibus editions saw print in Japan, we just had to jump on them!
Rally Vincent and Minnie-May Hopkins are experts in their respective fields of marksmanship and explosives, but they’re so cute you’d never know. Neither would the perps unlucky enough to be their hunted.
Presented for the first time in the authentic Japanese format, these giant-sized volumes are action-packed, unretouched, and sure to please the gun-nuts, auto buffs, and manga maniacs!
Gunsmith Cats returns as big, affordable omnibus editions!
Unretouched, unflopped, unbridled!
HELLBOY ANIMATED
On sale Feb. 14
Hellboy Animated PVC Set, three piece PVC set featuring Hellboy, Liz and Abe
$17.99
On sale Jan. 24
Hellboy Animated sculpted magnet: Hellboy
3″ x 2.5″
$7.99
On sale Jan. 24
Hellboy Animated sculpted magnet: Right Hand of Doom
2.5″ x 1.25″
$7.99
New products from IDT Entertainment’s Hellboy Animated series! We’ve got a PVC Set, featuring Abe, Hellboy, and Liz, and two magnets.
In the big, bold spirit of Hellboy, this figure is larger than our usual PVC figures, measuring 4.5″ x 5.” Liz and Abe are in proportion to the gigantic Hellboy, at 3.5″ and 3″ respectively. In poses taken straight from the animated series, the B.P.R.D. team is ready for action!
We’re offering two sculptural magnets, one of Hellboy and one of the Right Hand of Doom. Hellboy measures 3″ x 2.5″ and the Right Hand of Doom is 2.5″ x 1.25″. Each sculpted icon is adhered to a sturdy magnet and placed on a backing card. Each comes packaged in a polybag with header card. Look for more magnets to follow as the series continues!
Don’t forget to go to hellboyanimated.typepad.com for the production diary of the episodes!
HELLGATE: LONDON #2 (of 4)
IAN EDGINTON (W), STEVE PUGH (P), DAN JACKSON (C), and ALEKSI BRICLOT (Cover)
On sale Dec. 13
FC, 32 pages
$2.99
Miniseries
Future London was razed to the ground when the gate separating the human world from the demon world ruptured. Overrun by ungodly and ravenous creatures, the stinking remains of this dead city may hold the key to humanity’s survival—and so the quest for the secret of the Sigil continues! Templar Commander Jessica Sumerisle, Cabalist Crowe Jane, and Demon Hunter Saul Petrus have reluctantly teamed together in the hunt to decipher this arcane symbol. Now exploring an ancient labyrinth under London, they come face-to-face with an ocean of the undead, but the deadliest foe of all is one they least expect!
Join us as Flagship Studios teams with Dark Horse to give you a tantalizing taste of their first groundbreaking game—an upcoming release that has the gaming world buzzing like mad!
This series leads up to the game’s highly anticipated release.
Check out hellgatelondon.com [and darkhorse.com]for the latest news and downloads.
The third issue of a four-issue series!
LITTLE LULU VOLUME 14: QUEEN LULU
JOHN STANLEY (W/A) and IRVING TRIPP (A)
On sale Feb. 14
b&w, 240 pages
$9.95
TPB, 6″ x 9″
Happy times are here again with another laugh-riot volume of classic stories staring America’s suburban sweetheart—Little Lulu! Have a hoot at the silly circumstances and crazy conundrums Lulu and her pals get themselves into, the diminutive heroes and heroines of a place called Main Street. Whether it’s growing worms in her parents’ bedroom, coming up with creative uses for custard pies, or nabbing a jewel thief, Lulu and the gang fearlessly face some of the funniest fiascos ever concocted.
These all-ages tales are more than just an exceptional piece of comic-book history, they’re all-out gut-busting fun, perfect for both kids and their parents.
“Recommended for all libraries; appropriate for young readers, but it will also appeal to adults, both out of nostalgia and for its own charm.”
—Library Journal, from a previous volume of Little Lulu
MAIL VOLUME 3
HOUSUI YAMAZAKI (W/A)
On sale Feb. 21
B&w, 208 pages
$10.95
TPB, 5″ x 7″
Private detective Reiji Akiba has a theory about those awkward moments and weird coincidences we all encounter in life. They are actually encounters with the dead—their way of sending us a message. But you may not want to open such strange mail from beyond—not unless you can see the ghostly attachment, like Akiba can. And not unless you carry a tool that can kill what isn’t alive, like Akiba’s sanctified gun Kagutsuchi . . . digging a divine grave to lay to rest the evil dead!
Volume Three opens with Detective Akiba taking a trip down memory lane, to his childhood, when as a young blind boy, he befriended a little girl in the woods near his house. In “Un-notifying,” Detective Akiba must help a young woman terrorized by the ghost of a lonely girl whose lifeline to the world of the living is an old cell phone.
Note this is the final installment of Mail, but Akiba’s adventures continue in two months, when he crosses over to appear in The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service Vol. 4!
THE MIGHTY SKULLBOY ARMY VOLUME 1
JACOB CHABOT (W/A)
On sale Feb. 07
b&w, 88 pages
$9.95
TPB, 5 1/8″ x 7 1/4″
Brazen robots! Hostile corporate takeovers! Ill-fated interns! Criminally insane turnips! Distinctly unhelpful helper monkeys! And hats, dear God, hats aplenty! All this and more await any brave soul ready and willing to enlist in the ranks of the Mighty Skullboy Army! How do you sign up, you ask? Just purchase this book, absorb its nefarious bounty (we recommend using the eyes-to-brain method), and say hello to your new lord and master, Skullboy! If he’s not home from elementary school yet, be sure to pick up a handy pager. You will be called upon when needed.
Oh, and be sure to beef up on that health insurance.
Get ready to wreak havoc on an unsuspecting world with Dark Horse’s New Recruits winner Jacob Chabot’s hilarious creation, The Mighty Skullboy Army!
NEXUS ARCHIVES VOLUME 5
Mike Baron (w) and Steve Rude (a)
On sale Feb. 14
FC, 216 pages
$49.95
HC, 7″ x 10 1/2″
In this volume, the enigmatic executioner meets his match in the evil Clayborn. If that weren’t enough, Horatio’s uncle, a religious anti-technology zealot, arrives on the moon of Ylum with the mission of destroying the Gravity Well—the same well that Ursula X. X. Imada, spy and mother to Horatio’s twin daughters, hopes will soon suck in the 400 billion people of the Web! Uncle Lathe incites a riot and has his eye on a deadly, Head-designed battle cruiser to further his crusade. Judah takes on the task of training Scarlett, Nexus’s extremely powerful young daughter, and Dave and Nexus travel to the library at Alexandria . . . in 47 B.C.!
Plus, Hellboy creator Mike Mignola kicks off a series of stories with guest artists, including Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, Rick Veitch, Jackson Guice, and more. Vootie!
A multiple Eisner Award-winning series that defined the careers of acclaimed creators Steve Rude and Mike Baron, Nexus is a modern classic not to be missed.
OH MY GODDESS! VOLUME 5
KOSUKE FUJISHIMA (W/A)
On sale Feb. 14
b&w, 192 pages
$10.95
TPB, 5 1/8″ by 7 3/16″
Ever since a cosmic phone call brought the literal young goddess Belldandy into college student Keiichi’s residence, his personal life has been turned upside-down, sideways, and sometimes even into strange dimensions!
When Belldandy learns that traditional Japanese custom dictates a woman make homemade chocolate for her love on Valentine’s Day, she vows to make this a V-Day to remember. When troublemakers extraordinaire, Urd and Mara toss themselves into the mix, it’s instant hot chocolate; but not as hot as the situation Keiichi is in when the Third Goddess splashes into his life—Urd and Belldandy’s “genius” of a younger sister, Skuld! Plus notes and commentary, a message from creator Kosuke Fujishima, and your letters!
Dark Horse is proud to present the early stories of Oh My Goddess!—now in the much-requested affordable, Japanese-reading, right-to-left format!
ONE MISSED CALL 1 + 2
YASUSHI AKIMOTO (W) and MAYUMI SHIHOU (A)
On sale Dec. 27
b&w, 264 pages
$14.95
TPB, 5″ x 7″
It’s an epidemic of accidental death! Multiple college students receive odd voicemails from themselves, messages from the future, and all they contain are the screams of their own deaths. A few days later, at the date and time of the message’s posting, they die in mysterious accidents, and oddly enough, each have a candy in their mouths.
Directed in Japan by the famed Takashi Miike, One Missed Call is coming to America. And to celebrate, Dark Horse is delighted to bring you the manga based on the movie. Full of mystery, horror, and suspense. Intensely drafted in Japan by Yasushi Akimoto and Mayumi Shihou, One Missed Call might make you think twice about pressing the answer button.
Presented in the authentic right-to-left manga format.
To be released as a major motion pictue in early 2007.
OLD BOY VOLUME 4
GARON TSUCHIYA (W) and NOBUAKI MINEGISHI (A)
On sale Feb. 7
b&w, 212 pages
$12.95
TPB, 5 1/8″ x 7 1/4″
Goto’s search to unearth the identity of his mysterious tormentor has led to one dead end after another, until he receives a tip that an old high school classmate may have orchestrated the kidnapping that began Goto’s ten years of isolation and imprisonment. But many years have passed since Goto’s seen his schoolmate, and he looks much different than Goto remembers. Has Goto found the true path to his final vengeance, or has he swallowed another piece of poisoned bait?
Old Boy is an intense, bare-knuckled urban thriller in the tradition of Pulp Fiction and Payback and is the manga that inspired the critically acclaimed 2003 film from director Chan-wook Park that took the Grand Jury prize at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival.
Original Japanese format.
Translated into English for the first time.
Each volume comes shrink-wrapped and carries an 18+ content advisory.
OUTER ORBIT #1 (of 4)
ZACH HOWARD (W/A), SEAN MURPHY (W/A), HANS RODIONOFF (W), and CHARLIE KIRCHOFF (C)
On sale Dec. 13
FC, 32 pages
$2.99
Miniseries
In space, no one can hear you scream . . . or belch, or swear, or cry like a little girl when you’re about to be taken down by merciless interstellar bounty hunters who want that mysterious idol you swiped from that hot chick who inexplicably gave you the tip of a lifetime (if you know what I mean) when you showed up at the wrong hotel room with the pizza delivery. This assumes that “you” are ne’er-do-well big-talker Quinn and explains—sort of—how “you” hooked up (not like that!) with a big badass of a former galactic cop (and current mama’s boy) by the name of Krunk, who is not your partner and not your buddy, got it? Oh, and by the way, the hot chick is hotter than ever (in the bad way) and she wants that idol back, and this time she’s probably going to give you a different kind of gratuity, like with a laser ax or a plasma grenade or something. Try talking your way out of that one, spacehole!
Created by Zach Howard (Shaun of the Dead) and Sean Murphy (Scarecrow: Year One; Off Road), with screenwriter Hans Rodionoff, Outer Orbit is outrageous, rude, hilarious space fantasy that takes the time-honored traditions of this beloved genre and leaves them face-down in a filthy alley in a pool of their own sick.
PATH OF THE ASSASSIN VOLUME 5
KAZUO KOIKE (W) and GOSEKI KOJIMA (A)
On sale Mar. 5
b&w, 312 pages
$9.95
TPB, 4″ x 6″
It’s a battle of ninja vs. ninja, with all the stops pulled out and every trick in the book. Well, almost every trick. Our protagonist/ninja, Hanzo’s young ninja wife, Tsukumo, must avenge her father’s death at the hands of another shadow warrior, but he’s as crafty as they come. This mystical, imaginative faceoff consumes all 300-plus pages of this action-stuffed volume.
Published in the popular pocket-sized manga format, Path of the Assassin packs historical fiction and fine art in yet another classic samurai series from Dark Horse.
Each volume comes shrink-wrapped and carries an 18+ content advisory.
THE PERHAPANAUTS: SECOND CHANCES #3 (of 4)
TODD DEZAGO (W) and CRAIG ROUSSEAU (A)
On sale Dec. 27
FC, 32 pages
$2.99
Miniseries
Have you ever written a story featuring a blood-thirsty Chupacabra, a Sasquatch, a Ghost, a Telepath, and a mysterious Outsider who work as agents for a vast secret organization dedicated to policing the borders of the unknown and protecting an unknowing populace from the strange and bizarre creatures that sporadically break through? Well, we have and we think you should buy it.
Note: For optimum enjoyment, The Perhapanauts: Second Chances #3 is best read with a flashlight in a tent in your backyard on a dark summer night with a friend, a can of warm root beer, and a bag of pretzel rods. (Also, there is one mosquito in the tent. And it is the size of a small dog.)
Praise for the first Perhapanauts series:
“Todd Dezago and Craig Rousseau are clearly having a great time with this miniseries, and I had a lot of fun with it, too.” —Brandon Carcia, The New Mexican magazine
THE PLAYBOY INTERVIEWS: MOVERS AND SHAKERS
STEPHEN RANDALL (W), Edited by the Editors of Playboy Magazine
On sale Feb. 14
Novel, 480 pages
$22.95
TPB, 6″ x 9″
Power. Control. Influence. In every business, in every area of professional achievement, only a handful of people have taken control of their industry or marketplace. With vision, determination, and passion, these people have bent the world to their will. Some were millionaires from birth, others have risen to the upper echelons of power by their bootstraps. From the computers you use, to the shoes you wear, to the cars you drive, their hands have shaped the fabric of your daily existence. In Movers and Shakers, fifteen of the most important people from the last forty-five years of American business speak candidly about their rise to power. M Press is honored to collect the historic Playboy Interviews with Donald Trump, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates Malcolm Forbes, and Hugh Hefner, among others. These entrepeneurs have moved America forward and have shaken the foundation of who we as Americans believe ourselves to be.
M Press title
Many of these interviews are being presented in this volume for the first time since their original publication.
REX MUNDI #3
ARVID NELSON (W) AND JUAN FERREYRA (A)
On sale Dec. 20
FC, 32 pages
$2.99
Ongoing
Rex Mundi is a murder mystery set in a 1930s Europe where sorcerers stalk the streets at night and the Roman Catholic Church never lost its grip on power. Master Physician Julien Saunière must uncover the two-thousand-year-old secret of the Holy Grail before all the world is drenched in blood!
In this issue, Julien and Genevieve join forces with a reclusive hermit in a remote French hamlet. The tiny village, it seems, was once the capital of the Merovingian kings, France’s ancient rulers, rumored to be descendants of Christ . . .
Meanwhile, the Duke of Lorraine, having taken over France, is forced south to rally his troops, bringing him closer and closer to Julien and Genevieve.
And at last, Genevieve’s motives in her dangerous double-agent role for Julien and the Duke are revealed. But she may have put Julien—and herself—in more danger than she thought!
SAMURAI: HEAVEN AND EARTH VOLUME 2 #2 (of 5)
RON MARZ (W), LUKE ROSS (A), and ROB SCHWAGER (C)
On sale Dec. 6
FC, 32 pages
$2.99
Miniseries
The swashbuckling epic from Ron Marz (Ion) and Luke Ross (Jonah Hex) continues! The samurai Shiro pursues his lost love, Lady Yoshiko, by booking passage on a Mediterranean trader, intending to follow her to the New World. But when Shiro realizes Yoshiko has been captured and taken to the Egyptian coast, he finds himself trapped on a ship that will take him half a world away from her. Even Shiro’s sword might not be enough to best an entire crew with cutlasses drawn!
Praise for the first Samurai: Heaven and Earth series:
“The magnificence of Samurai: Heaven and Earth results from the combination of a
charismatically earnest protagonist, the verisimilitude of the story’s early eighteenth century settings, and the sheer grandeur of Luke Ross’s artwork.” — Silverbulletcomics.com
“Samurai features some of the best artwork I have ever seen in a comic.” —IGN.com
SCARFACE: POINT OF NO RETURN
L. A. BANKS (W)
On sale Feb. 14
Novel, 275 pages
$6.99
TPB, 4 1/8″ x 6 7/8″
Released from prison, planning to set sail to America, the cruel yet honorable Tony Montana’s van explodes. But Tony and his fellows-in-crime survive, taking shelter in the multi-million-dollar headquarters of one of Cuba’s most vicious drug lords. Shrewd and intelligent, Tony watches and learns from Cuba’s best. He uncovers a plot to topple the most powerful crime families in Cuba, and masterminds a plan to escape from the carnage to come . . . Finally, with his bloody crimes trailing him wherever he goes, Tony Montana sets sail for America, and for a life more glorious, and more tragic, than he could have ever imagined.
Worldwide, Scarface the film has grossed $65 million in its original theatrical release in 1983, enjoying an unprecedented level of attention and devotion from a large and loyal fan base for more than 20 years.
The Scarface license is one of the most active at Universal Pictures with limited-edition statues, posters, action figures, apparel, and other merchandise targeted at new and established fans.
SHAMAN WARRIOR VOLUME 2
PARK JOONG-KI (W/A)
On sale Feb. 28
b&w, 208 pages
$12.95
TPB, 5″ x 7 3/8″
Marked for death by a jealous king, master warrior-wizard Yarong entrusts the care of his child to Batu, a loyal servant. With Yarong’s child in tow, Batu seeks refuge in a nondescript hovel, ready to defend the youngster against the king’s sinister henchmen. Help comes from a surprising source—a violent, headstrong young warrior who’s also felt the harsh sting of betrayal. Forming an alliance, they pit their wits, sword skills, and brute strength against the king’s approaching troops and colorful, ruthless bounty hunters.
Translated by the mother/son team of Taesoon Kang and Derek Kirk Kim (Same Difference and Other Stories).
Shaman Warrior is a brilliantly illustrated, violent fantasy epic with remarkable action scenes, imaginative characters, and moments of pure horror that will appeal to fans of Banya: The Exposive Delivery Man and Blade of the Immortal.
STAR WARS: DARK TIMES #3— THE PATH TO NOWHERE part 3 (of 5)
WELLES HARTLEY (W), MICK HARRISON (W), DOUGLAS WHEATLEY (A), and RONDA PATTISON (C)
On sale Dec. 27
FC, 32 pages
$2.99
Miniseries
These are dark times indeed, when even the noblest of undertakings must rely on stealth, deception, and possibly the betrayal and abandonment of friends and loved ones.
Events have led Jedi Dass Jennir and his companion Bomo Greenbark to the planet Orvax—slave marketplace to the galaxy. There they face not only danger from the slavers and the Empire, but they must confront the awful truth that their goal may be beyond their reach.
Meanwhile, Darth Vader must deal with some unpleasant realities—and memories—of his own. Though he is a Dark Lord of the Sith, even he must bow before the power of the Emperor.
STAR WARS KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC #12
JOHN JACKSON MILLER (W), BRIAN CHING (P), MICHAEL ATIYEH (C), and HOON (Cover)
On sale Dec. 27
FC, 32 pages
$2.99
Ongoing
Take fugitive Padawan Zayne Carrick, throw in a big-mouthed con artist, two mysterious refugees, and one grumpy droid and you’ve got the most unpredictable, fast-paced, just-plain-exciting take on the Star Wars universe since a scoundrel named Solo helped Luke Skywalker blow up the Death Star!
For this misfit crew of unlikely heroes, life in the Old Republic is anything by idyllic. Scheming to scrounge up some scratch on the banking world of Telerath, they’ve run afoul of two bounty-hunting brothers as dangerous to the galaxy as they are to each other. It’s going to take more than a lightsaber to get Zayne and his friends out of this one—such as deceits, disguises, and a bit of the good ol’ fashioned Force!
The flagship series of Dark Horse’s exciting relaunch of its Star Wars publishing line, celebrating the company’s twentieth anniversary.
A great starting point for anyone interested in following the Star Wars saga beyond the films.
Every issue contains concise “story-so-far” information for first-time readers.
STAR WARS LEGACY #7
JOHN OSTRANDER (W), JAN DUURSEMA (P), DAN PARSONS (I), BRAD ANDERSON (C), and ADAM HUGHES (Cover)
On sale Dec. 13
FC, 32 pages
$2.99
Miniseries
Lightsaber crashes against lightsaber in a battle between Jedi and Sith that marks a crucial turning point in the fate of the galaxy! The life of a central figure hangs in the balance, triggering Cade Skywalker to make a shocking choice that will challenge everything he’s fought so hard to protect, and start him down a path from which he can never return. The stakes are higher than ever before in the Star Wars universe—be there as the future of this epic saga is revealed!
This is the future of Star Wars, the continuation of the story that started in the original trilogy, and none of it has been seen before.
STAR WARS: REBELLION VOLUME 1—MY BROTHER, MY ENEMY
ROB WILLIAMS (W), BRANDON BADEAUX (A), and MICHEL LACOMBE (A)
On sale Feb 14
FC, 128 pages
$14.95
TPB, 7″ x 10″
Imperial officer Janek “Tank” Sunber makes a critical choice between his duty to the Empire and his loyalty to childhood friend Luke Skywalker in an explosive tale of Rebel spies, Imperial ambushes, and the dreaded Darth Vader!
Having rescued Rebel strategist Jorin Sol from the Empire, Luke Skywalker now leads X-Wing attack runs on Imperial convoys to rustle up much needed supplies for the Rebel fleet. Little does he know that within Sol lies a secret that will put the entire Alliance in danger. What’s worse, when Luke receives a coded message from Lt. Sunber, he must decide whether to trust his old friend or obey the orders of Princess Leia who believes Tank may be part of an Imperial plot to capture the Rebellion’s greatest hero!
A compelling new story set between the events of A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back exploring the Rebel Alliance’s struggle against the Galactic Empire.
TANPENSHU VOLUME 1
HIROKI ENDO (W/A)
On sale Jan. 17
b&w, 232 pages
$12.95
TPB, 5″ x 7 1/8″
Heart wrenching and complex, Tanpenshu, Volume one, is the first of two collections of powerful, shorter works by manga master Hiroki Endo (creator of the critically acclaimed, long-running Eden manga series). The three stories in this first volume are mature explorations of humanity’s constant, fumbling attempts to find hope and meaning in a confusing, violent world.
A disfigured misfit befriends a doomed yakuza outcast, a group of school kids fail to see the anger that’s about to boil over from one of their own, and members of an experimental theatre troupe embark on a project that will test both their friendships and the group’s grasp on reality.
By the creator of Eden, which AnimeOnDvd.com writer Jarred Pine deems, “one of the more riveting and gut-wrenching volumes of manga that I have not only read all year, but quite possibly ever.”
Each volume comes shrink-wrapped and carries an 18+ content advisory.
USAGI YOJIMBO #99
STAN SAKAI (W/A)
On sale Dec. 27
b&w, 24 pages
$2.99
Ongoing
When the rabbit ronin Usagi Yojimbo agrees to escort a beautiful young woman to the next town, he unexpectedly involves himself in a situation that could have deadly consequences. Upon arriving at his destination, Usagi discovers the town may not be nearly as safe as it first appears. Should he let the woman go, or insist she remain with him because of the danger? If she stays with him, he may be exposing her to even greater peril, but can he really just leave her? It is a difficult decision, one made even more so by the fact that their relationship may be blossoming into something more than just business. Internationally acclaimed comics creator Stan Sakai presents our long-eared hero with one of his hardest challenges yet in “Bridge of Tears,” this month in Usagi Yojimbo!
Master storyteller Stan Sakai has won many industry awards over the past twenty years of Usagi, including a Parents’ Choice Award, an Inkpot Award, multiple Eisner Awards, a 2004 Young Adult Library Services Association award, and the prestigious National Cartoonists Society Comic Book Division Award.
THE WORLD BELOW
PAUL CHADWICK (W/A) and RON RANDALL (I)
On sale Jan. 14
b&w, 192 pages
$12.95
TPB, 6″ x 9″
Fifteen years ago, from a hole in the ground in rural Washington, a tiny flying machine emerged and Charles Hoy found it. From all appearances, this small vehicle wasn’t built with any existing human technology and Hoy made a fortune selling that technology to the first eager customer. Now with his fortunes dwindling and his curiosity piqued with more than a decade of questioning, Hoy has hired a team of adventurers to enter this vast, underground realm in hopes of bringing back even greater discoveries. But while the team expects the unexpected and is prepared for danger, nothing they can imagine will prepare them for The World Below.
With The World Below, Paul Chadwick—creator of the internationally acclaimed Concrete—delivers a fever-dream hybrid of classic rip-roaring science-fiction adventure and quirky, unsettling psychological drama. Chadwick’s unsurpassed storytelling skill and eye for detail and realism make The World Below a journey unlike any other.
Paul Chadwick is a multiple Eisner and Harvey award-winning writer and artist.
