Dark Horse Solicitations for September 2007

Dark Horse Comics has sent us the cover images and solicitation information for titles shipping in September. I’m really excited about the next installment of Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season Eight that features a character we haven’t seen in a while. Plus there Conan, Hellboy, and lots more.

BERSERK VOLUME 20
KENTARO MIURA (W/A)
On sale Nov. 21
b&w, 232 pages
$13.95
TPB, 5 1/8″ x 7 1/4″

The Black Swordsman Guts’ former captain and lover, Casca, has been taken by the Holy Iron Chain Knights to the “Tower of Conviction” of the fanatic torturer of the Holy See, Mozgus, who plans to treat the rumored witch to the proper agonies of the damned. And Guts is on his way to rescue Casca and dish out some chastisement of his own on any who get in his way. But forces in the demonic realms are in motion and are being drawn to the torture tower in what may be a prelude to a second Eclipse and an unprecedented release of malign spirits into the world!

Each volume comes shrink-wrapped and carries an 18+ content advisory.

BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL #129: BADGER HOLE part 2 (of 4)
HIROAKI SAMURA (W/A)
On sale Sept. 12
b&w, 32 pages
$2.99
Ongoing

Samura’s “Badger Hole” story arc continues, as Rin and Döa begin to explore the network of tunnels that wind below Edo Castle. One of these dank, dangerous tunnels may lead them to Kagimura and Doc Burando’s blasphemous “immortality workshop,” where they hope to find their missing friends. However, before they face the horrors of this demented bangashira’s operating room, they’ll have to get past more of Kagimura’s foot soldiers. If Döa has her way, they’ll be cutting a bloody path right to Isaku and Manji! Readers will also enjoy a flashback that sheds some light on hotheaded Döa’s past, detailing an early encounter with her beloved leader (and Rin’s nemesis), Anotsu Kagehisa. This issue will also feature a full-color pinup by rising star Rob Guillory!

• Winner of Japan’s prestigious Media Arts Award and America’s own Will Eisner Award.

2007 Eagle Award winner for “Favourite Manga Title”

B.P.R.D.: KILLING GROUND #2 (of 5)
MIKE MIGNOLA (W), JOHN ARCUDI (W)
GUY DAVIS (A/Cover), and DAVE STEWART (C)
On sale Sept. 12
FC, 32 pages
$2.99
Miniseries

Something wicked has come to the B.P.R.D. as Liz’s apocalyptic visions escalate and Daimio continues to withdraw from his teammates.

B.P.R.D.: The Killing Ground immediately follows B.P.R.D.: Garden of Souls. Written by John Arcudi and Hellboy and B.P.R.D. creator Mike Mignola, and drawn by acclaimed series artist Guy Davis, The Killing Ground will leave the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense and its members forever altered.

This series will leave the Bureau and its members forever altered!

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #6
BRIAN K. VAUGHAN (W)
GEORGES JEANTY (P)
ANDY OWENS (I)
DAVE STEWART (C), and JO CHEN (Cover)
On sale Sept. 8
FC, 40 pages
$2.99
Ongoing

The second arc of our bestselling Season Eight starts here. Top creator Brian K. Vaughan (Y: The Last Man; Pride of Baghdad; Lost) takes over writing duties and dives headlong into what Faith is up to—infiltration, assassination, and nonstop Cleveland. The fugitive Slayer is given the assignment that could change her life . . . if Giles’s specialized training doesn’t make her want to end it first. Artist Georges Jeanty (The American Way) remains at the top of his game—and Joss Whedon stays on as Executive Producer—in this first part of “No Future for You.”

Buffy creator Joss Whedon brings Buffy back to Dark Horse in this direct follow-up to season seven of the smash-hit TV series.

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER: THE LONG WAY HOME
JOSS WHEDON (W)
GEORGES JEANTY (A)
ANDY OWENS (C), and JO CHEN (Cover)
On sale Nov. 14
FC, 136 pages
$15.95
TPB, 7″ x 10″

Since the destruction of the Hellmouth, the Slayers—newly legion—have gotten organized and are kicking some serious undead butt. But not everything’s fun and firearms, as an old enemy reappears and Dawn experiences some serious growing pains. Meanwhile, one of the “Buffy” decoy slayers is going through major pain of her own.

Buffy creator Joss Whedon brings Buffy back to Dark Horse in this direct follow-up to season seven of the smash-hit TV series. The bestselling and critically acclaimed issues 1-5 are collected here for the first time, as are their covers by Jo Chen and Georges Jeanty.

• Collecting the first five issues of Season Eight. Only available in comics!

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER: PANEL TO PANEL
VARIOUS (W/A)
On sale Nov. 14
FC, 192 pages
$19.95
TPB, 9″ x 12″

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, captivating cult phenomenon and one of the most critically acclaimed TV series of the last decade, burst into the comics realm in August of 1998. Nearly every year since, the rich thematic material of good vs. evil, Slayer vs. vampire, friendship vs. isolation, and black vs. the new black has been explored at Dark Horse in over a hundred different issues—and by the biggest luminaries in the business. The stunning visuals unachievable on a small-screen budget have come to life, realized by Chris Bachalo, J. Scott Campbell, Jeff Matsuda, Mike Mignola, Terry Moore, Eric Powell, Cliff Richards, Tim Sale, and Ryan Sook, among others. Take a look back at the most dynamic and memorable line art and paintings from the first ten years of the Slayer in comics.

• Featuring the best Buffy art to be found anywhere in comics . . . cherry-picked from the Slayer’s first decade at Dark Horse!

CHRONICLES OF CONAN VOL.13: WHISPERING SHADOWS AND OTHER STORIES
ROY THOMAS (W)
JOHN BUSCEMA (P), SAL BUSCEMA (P)
ERNIE CHAN (I)
PETER DAWES (C), IAN SOKOLIWSKI (C), DENNIS KASHTON (C), and WIL GLASS (C) with ALL THUMBS CREATIVE (C)
On sale Nov. 7
FC, 168 pages
$16.95
TPB, 7″ x 10″

A new era begins for Conan the Barbarian, as he sets out, once more alone, into the savage heart of Hyboria— his wit, his strength, and his blade his only allies against a flood of foes both human and super-human!

Presenting more of the celebrated Roy Thomas/John Buscema Conan the Barbarian run, as well as a special guest artist appearance by Sal Buscema! All featuring completely re-mastered color; all proving once again why Conan is the greatest and most savage Epic Fantasy character of all time.

• Collects Marvel’s Conan the Barbarian #92 and #101-108.

CLASSIC COMIC BOOK CHARACTERS #8: GRENDEL
On sale Nov. 17
6″ tall
Limited to 550
$49.99

Dark Horse continues its series of vintage-style statuettes featuring the best characters from comic books. The sculpting and packaging design is inspired by the original “Hunter Rose” version of one of the modern era’s most interesting heroes, Matt Wagner’s Grendel. Produced in a limited edition of only 550 hand-numbered copies, making this a significant component in our celebration of Grendel’s 25th anniversary. Sculpting by Yoe! Studio from original designs by Wagner.
Each hand-numbered statuette comes 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 #44
TIMOTHY TRUMAN (W)
CARY NORD (P/Cover), and RICHARD ISANOVE (C/Cover)
On sale Sept. 19
FC, 32 pages
$2.99
Ongoing

The captivating conclusion of Timothy Truman and Cary Nord’s adaptation of the classic Robert E. Howard story!

A favorite of fans and critics alike, the seminal Conan story “Rogues in the House” first appeared in Weird Tales. Now, writer Timothy Truman and artist Cary Nord bring you the tale of the Red Priest, as you’ve never seen it before.

Trapped in the labyrinthine halls of the Red Priest’s house, and stalked by a mysterious horror, Conan and Murillo have made a wary alliance with the Priest himself.

• Full of fearsome foes, political double crosses, and horror in the best tradition of Robert E. Howard, “Rogues in the House” is sure to delight seasoned Conan fans and newcomers alike.

CRIMINAL MACABRE: MY DEMON BABY #1 (of 4)
STEVE NILES (W)
NICK STAKAL (A)
MICHELLE MADSEN (C), and TIM BRADSTREET (Cover)
On sale Sept. 19
FC, 32 pages
$2.99
Miniseries

To say that Cal’s been through hell and back would be a misstatement. He’s been to hell, all right, and he seems to be stuck there for good. When we last checked in on Cal, he and Mo’Lock had just witnessed the vile, horrifying transformation of Cal’s lovely ex, Sabrina Lynch, into a minion of the vampire Nosferatu. After that Cal disappeared for a bit, and at the start of our new series, Mo’Lock finds him just in time to lure him off the filthy couch in an abandoned house with an offer he can’t refuse—either he gets up and takes a new case, or Mo’Lock will kill him before the drugs can. And what a case it is. Devil worshippers in sunny SoCal are doing their best to bring Satan into the world, and by the looks of things, Cal’s already too late. What does one feed a bouncing baby Beezelbub, anyway?

From the creator of 30 Days of Night!

CRIMINAL MACABRE: THE COMPLETE CAL MCDONALD STORIES
STEVE NILES (W)
On sale Nov. 28
Novel, 576 pages
$12.95
TPB, 5 ¼” x 8″

The world has two faces. The natural and the supernatural. The face we see every day, people filing past us in an almost zombie-like stupor, numb to the horrors of everyday life or driven to madness by the pain and agony of modern-day existence. And those are the people who aren’t zombies or monsters!

Cal McDonald is a detective with one foot in the real world, and one in the world of magic. For Cal, the horrors we all dream about in the fevered darkness of the night are all-too real, kept at bay through an almost constant influx of drugs to numb the pain, but never erase it. Cut from the same mold as Sam Spade, Jake Gittes, and the famous detectives of Chandler, Hammett and Spillane, Cal McDonald, whether he likes it or not, is all that stands between us and the nightmare world just outside our vision.

• Collected for the first time in one book are the long-out-of-print prose adventures of the most unconventional detective of all time.

By the author of 30 Days of Night, soon to be a major motion picture.

DOCTOR SOLAR, MAN OF THE ATOM VOLUME 4
PAUL S. NEWMAN (W)
FRANK BOLLE (A)
On sale Nov. 21
FC, 240 pages
$49.95
HC, 6 1/4″ x 10 1/4″

After his debut in October of 1962, Doctor Solar swiftly rose to join Magnus, Robot Fighter as one of Gold Key’s most popular original heroes. Stunning painted covers sucked in even the most casual comics reader, and the source of Solar’s astounding powers—nuclear radiation—addressed one of the biggest fears of the day. While the character has been reinvented in the decades since, his adventures in this archive of Gold Key and Wilson comics completes the body of work that formed his foundation.

This collection restores and reprints issues twenty-three through thirty-one of the original Doctor Solar comic-book series—the revolutionary science-fiction adventure that gave birth to one of comics’ most distinctive and beloved superheroes—for the first time in over forty years. His guest appearance in The Occult Files of Dr. Spektor #14 is also included, making this the biggest Doctor Solar volume of them all!

EDEN: IT’S AN ENDLESS WORLD! VOLUME 9
HIROKI ENDO (W/A)
On sale Nov. 7
b&w, 232 pages
$12.95
TPB, 5″ x 7″

The Closure virus, responsible for wiping out about one-third of the world’s population, begins to mutate, and victims in India are found undergoing strange metamorphoses. This volume also finds Hiroki Endo moving Eden in new directions, with new characters, settings, and technology mixing with the old. Sophia and Kenji are back, going head-to-head with Propator forces in Eastern Asia, including Propator’s cyborg killers—the vicious Aeon soldiers! Elijah’s father flexes some political muscle, and Kenji uses some real muscle to protect an important political figure, the leader of a minority group in China still fighting for their human rights. This is another fast-paced, roller-coaster Eden volume, with explosive action, science fiction twists, incredibly violent surprises, and morsels of philosophical debate.

• Each volume comes shrink-wrapped and carries an 18+ content advisory.

ELFQUEST BUST: CUTTER
On sale Oct. 14
6″ tall
Limited to 1,500
Comes numbered with a certificate of authenticity
$49.99

One of the true modern classics of the graphic story medium is undoubtedly Elfquest.

Since its debut in 1978, this fantasy saga by Wendy and Richard Pini has won a worldwide legion of fans. Dark Horse Deluxe is proud to announce the first in a series of three limited-edition busts of the primary characters. Sculptor Tim Bruckner will bring these fictional beings to life, and to say he has been successful is probably an understatement.

The figure will be offered as a pre-painted bust, with unique “pivot” feature allowing the owner to adjust the display angle at their pleasure. Although each bust stands alone, when viewed as a set the relationship between the characters is obvious.

THE ESCAPISTS
BRIAN K. VAUGHAN (W)
JASON SHAWN ALEXANDER (A), STEVE ROLSTON (A), PHILIP BOND (A), EDUARDO BARRETO (A)
MATT HOLLINGSWORTH (C), DAVE STEWART (C), PAUL HORNSCHEMEIER (C), and DAN JACKSON (C)
On sale Nov. 28
FC, 160 pages
$19.95
HC w/dust jacket, 7″ x 10″

Wizard Top Ten and multiple Eisner Award-winning writer Brian K. Vaughan tells the tale of three aspiring comics creators with big dreams, small cash, and publishing rights to one forgotten Golden Age hero—The Escapist!

Inspired by Michael Chabon’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, this is Vaughan’s love letter to his chosen medium, a story about what it takes to start out with nothing in Cleveland, Ohio and end up with a comic so hot a major corporation wants to steal it from you! Brilliantly interweaving the lives of the creators with the world of their creation, artists Steve Rolston and Philip Bond bring the comic-booking trio Maxwell Roth, Case Weaver, and Denny Jones to life, while the inimitable Jason Shawn Alexander and Eduardo Barreto illustrate the thrilling trials and exciting extrications of the new—and old—Escapist!

• This high-end hardcover features new introduction by Michael Chabon!

FEAR AGENT: THE LAST GOODBYE #4
RICK REMENDER (W)
TONY MOORE (P)
ANDE PARKS (I), and LEE LOUGHRIDGE (C)
On sale Sept. 5
FC, 32 pages
$2.99
Ongoing

The last stand of Heath Huston and the fighting Fear Agents! After uncovering the Dressites’ horrible secret motivation, Earth’s last defenders are forced to travel to the moon in a desperate final fight for the survival of our species. Forced to somehow win an impossible battle, Heath must make the most terrible choice of his life-setting the stage for all that follows.

• “With each issue, Fear Agent gets just a little bit better. Give it another six months and this could be the coolest f@#$ing book on the planet.”
—Hilary Goldstein, IGN

THE GOON #20
ERIC POWELL (W/A)
On sale Sept. 19
FC, 32 pages
$2.99
Ongoing

Eric Powell has clawed his way out of Albatross’s basement and back into the hearts of horrified readers everywhere with the return of his flagship character in a new (or at least only gently used) ongoing series. The diabolical magician Draxton Entity and his saucy avian sidekicks are back—with a mission! Can Goon and Franky’s resolve withstand the charms of these tartish harpies? Does Franky even have resolve? Do we even care?

Eric Powell returns to The Goon!

THE GOON: CHINATOWN
ERIC POWELL (W/A)
On sale Nov. 21
FC, 128 pages
$19.95
HC, 7″ x 10″

Dark Horse is very proud to present the first original graphic novel from Eisner Award-laden swami Eric Powell. Powell has been sowing the seeds of Chinatown and the Mystery of Mr. Wicker for years in his award-winning bimonthly series The Goon, and salivating fans may now feast their eyes on the Goon’s formative backstory of love, loss, and extortion—a lengthy tale that demanded to be told in this uninterrupted format.

Spiritual leader of Tennessee and hero to the Great Unwashed, Powell escaped catastrophic death and mother-shaming scandal to bring this work to fruition. He’s a sensitive man in insensitive times. But be warned: this book ain’t funny.

• “The Goon is one of the most imaginative and original comic books on the market today.” –TheComicsReview.com

• Presenting the long-awaited and highly anticipated backstory to the Goon—and Powell’s very first original graphic novel!

Eric Powell’s first original graphic novel!

GROO: HELL ON EARTH #1 (of 4)
MARK EVANIER (W)
SERGIO ARAGONÉS (A), and TOM LUTH (C)
On sale Sept. 19
FC, 32 pages
$2.99
Miniseries

Groo is back . . . and oddly enough, that may not be the biggest disaster looming over the world. It seems to be getting hotter everywhere . . . that is, in those places where it isn’t getting colder than ever before. The usual suspects—Sergio Aragonés and Mark Evanier —bring you the first chapter of what will eventually be four issues. That is, if the planet in the comic survives that long!

• Sergio Aragones is not only a multiple Eisner Award-winner, but is a member of the Eisner Hall of Fame.

Groo is back and and celebrating 25 years of laughs!

GUNSMITH CATS REVISED EDITION VOLUME 4
KENICHI SONODA (W/A)
On sale Nov. 28
b&w, 480 pages
$16.95
TPB, 5″ x 7″

This fourth and final omnibus volume of the original Gunsmith Cats series is probably the single best GSC-related item available. Not only does it comprise the super-exciting “Mr. V” story line, with the usual gun-and-auto action and and special plot twist, but for extra punch, creator Kenichi Sonoda added a bunch of exclusive gag strips and a few issues of his left-to-right reading Riding Bean stories from way back in 1989. Also included are some “making of Riding Bean” comics and sketches and notes from the early days. See the beginnings of Sonoda’s awesome Gunsmith Cats series!

• Featuring over 480 pages of sexy action in every super-thick volume, the Gunsmith Cats Revised Edition series is a must for every manga collection!

• Each volume comes shrink-wrapped and carries an 18+ content advisory.

HANAMI: INTERNATIONAL LOVE STORY VOLUME 3
PLUS (W)
SUNG JAE PARK (A)
On sale Nov. 28
b&w, 200 pages
$9.95
TPB, 5″ x 7 3/8″

Joonho had stumbled his way into every teenage boy’s dream. He was surrounded by sweet, cute girls on all sides . . . Hanami, his magnetic next-door neighbor from Japan; Joori, his spunky coworker at the fast-food restaurant; and Sae-un, his longtime crush from back home in Suwon. But when Joori makes a pass at him—with a kiss!—Joonho is thrown into emotional turmoil! It’s hard to stay true to Sae-un when temptation gets this aggressive. And to make matters worse, Hanami is thinking about moving back to Japan. It’s time for Joonho to make a decision, and fast.

• Dark Horse Manhwa is proud to present one of Korea’s most popular titles—collected for the first time!

HARLAN ELLISON’S WATCHING
HARLAN ELLISON (W) and Introduction by LEONARD MALTIN
On sale Nov. 14
248 pages
$12.95
TPB, 6″ x 9″

Harlan Ellison’s Watching documents twenty-five years of this award-winning author’s writings on his obsession with motion pictures. Includes over fifty essays!

Most overviews of film are written from some high, sunlit mountaintop. In this first collection of Harlan Ellison’s cinema criticism come from the darkened interiors of a thousand movie houses where this most peculiar of all Observers of the Passing Scene has spent much of his life. The view is guaranteed to make you grind your teeth in anger, nod your head in blessed agreement, and open your eyes in a manner of judging films that is definitely not plebeian. Harlan Ellison’s love affair with movies is obvious. As an essayist, he has no equal; as a film critic he has no friends. Take care.

• Unavailable for fifteen years, this edition of Harlan Ellison’s Watching features a new introduction by renowned film critic Leonard Maltin.

HELLBOY: DARKNESS CALLS #6 (of 6)
MIKE MIGNOLA (W/Cover)
DUNCAN FEGREDO (A), and DAVE STEWART (C)
On sale Sept. 26
FC, 32 pages
$2.99
Miniseries

Hellboy’s epic battle with the immortal warrior Koshchei reaches its climax in the thunderous conclusion to this six-issue arc.

The long-awaited follow-up to 2005’s The Island, Calls sees Mike Mignola pushing his greatest creation, Hellboy, toward the next major turning point in his life, with haunting art by Duncan Fegredo (Enigma, Ultimate Adventures).

The final issue of Darkness Calls written by Mike Mignola.

HELLBOY 8″ QEE
On sale Aug 15
8″ tall
Limited to 1,500
$79.99

On sale Aug 15
8″ tall, Tara McPherson variant
Limited to 450
$79.99

We began our Qee line with the classic 2.5 inch Hellboy Qee. Next up, the much-coveted large size 8″ Qee. Only 1,500 will be sold worldwide, making this an instant collectible. Hellboy and Qee fans can rejoice and unite in toy heaven!

We asked Mike Mignola to pick an artist to design an 8″ Hellboy variant and he chose one of our favorite people: the talented Miss Tara McPherson! Tara was happy to comply, and has designed a magnificent Hellboy, turning it into a unique creation all her own! This piece is limited to 450, worldwide, so place your orders now!

Based on Mike Mignola’s Hellboy!

JOHN NORMAN’S GOR OMNIBUS VOLUME 1
JOHN NORMAN (W)
On sale Nov. 21
Novel, 768 pages
$14.95
TPB, 5 1/8″ x 7 ¼”

When Tarnsman of Gor was first published in 1966, author John Norman introduced the world to Tarl Cabot, a man ripped from his homeland and cast across space to the savage world of Gor, where thousands of kidnapped prisoners toiled as slaves for the all-powerful Priest-Kings.

Part science fiction, part adventure novel, the stories in the world of Gor would unfold to show Tarl Cabot’s growth from a novice to a man whose fate might determine the course of every man, woman, and child on Gor.

John Norman’s Gor Omnibus 1 collects the first three novels in the series. Prepare to take a journey to a land of passion and sorcery.

• The first of a series of affordable omnibus editions collecting the longest-running science fiction action/adventure series of all time.

• With twenty-six books in the Gor series, there are millions of copies in print, with a global audience that reaches across all age groups and demographics.

THE KUROSAGI CORPSE DELIVERY SERVICE VOLUME 5
EIJI OTSUKA (W)
HOUSUI YAMAZAKI (A)
On sale Nov. 21
b&w, 208 pages
$10.95
TPB, 5″ x 7″

The corpses whose last wishes Kurosagi delivers usually died not too long ago . . . for reasons that are gruesomely obvious. But when the ominous Mr. Nire returns to the scene with a re-animated mummy in tow, what they’re gonna do is go back . . . way back, as the kids kick it Egyptian Old Kingdom school! Then, travel from the past into the future of death, as the Kurosagi crew unlocks the cold business behind some cryogenically frozen heads!

• A U.S. live-action film based on The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service is tentatively scheduled for U.S. release in 2007.

• Each volume comes shrink-wrapped and carries an 18+ content advisory.

LEROY NEIMAN: FEMLIN
LEROY NEIMAN (W/A)
On sale Nov. 14
FC, 186pg
$49.95
HC, 9″ x 12″

On sale Nov. 14
FC, 186pg
$100.00
HC w/slipcase, 9″ x 12″

When LeRoy Neiman and Hugh Hefner met in the early 1950s, while Neiman was doing women’s high fashion drawings and Hefner was a copywriter in a Chicago department store, neither could have predicted that a twelve-inch woman called Femlin was waiting in the wings. But Femlin is mischievous. She’s spunky. And she knows how to strike while the iron is hot.

Fifty years later, Femlin is still going strong and sassy. Neiman has drawn her for every issue of Playboy for the last half-century, showing her at play, at sport, and at her ease. Wearing her trademark heels, stockings, and gloves—and not much else—Femlin has become a beloved icon of Playboy…and a celebrity in her own right.

This book features text and images by Neiman, and an afterword by Playboy founder and publisher Hugh M. Hefner.

• Playboy will celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the Femlin with a special feature in the August 2007 issue of Playboy magazine.

• In addition to the regular edition M Press will be releasing a slipcased, limited edition, numbered at only 250 copies and signed by LeRoy Neiman.

LOBSTER JOHNSON: THE IRON PROMETHEUS #1 (of 5)
MIKE MIGNOLA (W/Cover)
JASON ARMSTRONG (A), and DAVE STEWART (C)
On sale Sept. 5
FC, 32 pages
$2.99
Miniseries

“Beware my claw, for I’ve come to inflict justice!”

As America hovers on the brink of World War II, the Lobster and his allies must race against the clock as they fight their way through cannibals, yetis, and the machinations of a mysterious villain bent on fulfilling a deadly prophecy.

After years of captivating fans from the pages of Hellboy and B.P.R.D., the pulp-style adventures of Lobster Johnson take the limelight in the Lobster’s first solo series. Written and with covers by Hellboy creator Mike Mignola, and drawn by Jason Armstrong (Ferro City, The Sensational Spider-Man), Lobster Johnson: The Iron Prometheus is a wild ride full of fearsome monsters, mad scientists, and threats from the world beyond.

From the pages of Hellboy!

OH MY GODDESS!: FIRST END
YUMI TOHMA (W)
On sale Nov. 28
Novel, 208 pages
$14.95
TPB, 5 1/8″ x 7 1/4″

Keiichi Morisato was a typical college student, a failure with women, struggling to get through his classes, and in general living a pretty nondescript life. That is, until he dialed the wrong number and accidentally summoned the Norse goddess Belldandy. Not believing Belldandy was a goddess and that she could grant his every wish, Keiichi wished for her to stay with him forever. As they say: Be careful what you wish for! Now bound to Earth and at Keiichi’s side for life, the lives of this most un-normal goddess and most lucky human will never be the same again.

Based on the internationally successful manga, film, and television series, Oh My Goddess!: First End is the first novel in the franchise’s history and is sure to be a sensation to all its English-speaking fans around the world!

• The second season of the new Oh My Goddess! TV series is planned for DVD release in late 2007, which should build awareness for this property.

• In 2006 Oh My Goddess! became the longest-running American manga series in history.

This marks the debut of the first Oh My Goddess! novel published in America!

THE SECRET
MIKE RICHARDSON (W)
JASON SHAWN ALEXANDER (A)
On sale Nov. 21
FC, 112 pages
$12.95
TPB, 7″ x 10″

“I know your secret.”

Tonight is Tommy Morris’s big chance: he’s been invited to party with the social elite of Franklin High and maybe even hook up with Pam, the girl of his dreams. But when a prank call turns sour, Pam goes missing, and Tommy gets sucked into her disappearance deeper than he bargained for.

The Secret is a chilling coming-of-age mystery from Dark Horse founder Mike Richardson and Eisner-nominated artist Jason Shawn Alexander (Damn Nation; The Escapists).

• “This is a creepy book, one of the best I have read in a long time. Fans of quality horror comics should add this to their pull list.” —Newsarama

• Fully-painted interiors and cover from rising star Jason Shawn Alexander.

• Collecting the four-issue miniseries.

SERENITY: THOSE LEFT BEHIND
JOSS WHEDON (W), BRETT MATTHEWS (W)
WILL CONRAD (A)
LAURA MARTIN (C), and ADAM HUGHES (Cover)
On sale Nov. 14
FC, 96 pages
$19.95
HC, 9″ x 12″

Dark Horse’s biggest hit of 2006 is now available in a special-edition hardcover!

Joss Whedon, the pop-culture mastermind behind Buffy the Vampire Slayer, bridged the gap between his cult-hit Firefly TV series and his Serenity motion picture with this three-issue miniseries.

Penned by Whedon and Brett Matthews, a Firefly show writer, the ragtag crew takes on a scavenger mission with the promise of a big payoff. Only too late do they realize the gig is orchestrated by an old enemy eager to remake their acquaintance.

• Sporting a new cover by Adam Hughes, this oversized collection shows off the work of penciller Will Conrad and colorist Laura Martin, and the array of pinups by phenomenal guest artists. In addition, over a dozen backup pages delve into the work and art behind the scenes—original material assembled especially for this hardcover edition.

Joss Whedon’s 2006 hit with new behind-the-scenes material!

SHAMAN WARRIOR VOLUME 5
PARK JOONG-KI (W/A)
On sale Nov. 28
b&w, 208 pages
$12.95
TPB, 5″ x 7 3/8″

Yaki strives to survive in the nightmarish Butcher Camp for assassins, left in the desert by Genji in order to both “toughen her up” and protect her from the leaders in Kugai who want her dead. Yaki is the daughter of Kugai’s former military commander, Yarong, the powerful Shaman Warrior who was betrayed by his own general and king. With Yaki somewhat safe, Batu searches for Yarong’s killer, the heartless Death Lord Yuda, and plots to bring the rulers of Kugai to their knees. Batu and the young Shaman Warrior Horakaan seek counsel with the desert renegade Aragorn, who may be building an army against Batu’s former homeland. Back in the brutal Butcher Camp stronghold, Yaki considers a daring escape when she gains a few allies of her own.

• One of the best-selling manhwa epics of all time, Shaman Warrior recently won the Korean Culture & Content Agency’s 2006 “Best Manhwa of the Year” award!

• Translated by the mother/son team of Taesoon Kang and Derek Kirk Kim.

SPEAK OF THE DEVIL #2 (OF 6)
GILBERT HERNANDEZ (W/A)
On sale Sept. 26
b&w, 24 pages
$3.50
Miniseries

The peeping Tom is still on the loose. And now word is out that the Tom is a girl . . .

Val Castillo continues her secret nocturnal excursions as the neighborhood peeper. But her future as a promising star gymnast is jeopardized when she twists her ankle during a night of spying. Her chances of winning the local high school gymnastics championships appear to be gone forever.

But more disturbing to Val is the reaction of her boyfriend Paul to the mystery which lies in her dresser drawer . . .

From Love & Rockets co-creator Gilbert Hernandez!

STAR WARS: 30TH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION VOLUME 9— BOBA FETT: DEATH, LIES, AND TREACHERY
JOHN WAGNER (W)
CAM KENNEDY (A), and MATHIEU LAUFFRAY (Cover)
On sale Nov. 7
FC, 144 pages
$24.95
HC, 7 x 10

Throughout the vast reaches of the galaxy, wherever fugitives meet or lawbreakers conspire, one name is always uttered in hushed tones, a name guaranteed to strike fear into the stoutest heart—Boba Fett. His prices are exorbitant, but if you’re looking for revenge, or if you’re looking for protection, he’ll get the job done.

Of course, if you’re looking to reclaim your kidnapped fiancé, the heiress to a Hutt’s fortune, no price is too exorbitant. Navigating a web of villainy and deceit, Fett will go above and beyond the call to do what he does best—get it done and get paid!

• Each month, we will bring readers a limited-edition hardcover of the best of Dark Horse’s Star Wars graphic novels. Available only through Direct Market retail outlets, each volume’s print run is limited to initial orders and will not be reprinted.

STAR WARS: DARK TIMES #7— PARALLELS part 2 (of 5)
MICK HARRISON (W)
DAVE ROSS (P), and ZACH HOWARD (Cover)
On sale Sept. 26
FC, 40 pages
$2.99
Ongoing

As the crew of the Uhumelé heads for what they hope will be a big payday, Bomo Greenbark learns the reasons why pilot Crys Taanzer hates not just the Republic and the Empire, but even the Jedi. Events during the Clone Wars forced her to make a decision that she has lived to regret. And, though she cannot know it, her decision has had ramifications for Jedi Master K’Kruhk, as well.

But the real danger still lies ahead, as betrayal is piled upon betrayal. In the dark times, putting your trust in anyone, it seems, means putting your life on the line!

New, unexplored territory following Revenge of the Sith!

STAR WARS EPISODE III: REVENGE OF THE SITH PHOTO COMIC
On sale Nov. 21
FC, 96 pages
$9.95
TPB, 5″ x 7 1/2″

Experience the fall of the Jedi and the rise of the Sith with this manga-sized adaptation of Revenge of the Sith comprised of images from the film!

Anakin Skywalker becomes the dreaded Darth Vader in this final chapter of the Star Wars prequel trilogy. Desperate to calm his nightmarish visions of his lover Padmé Amidala’s death, Skywalker falls under the thrall of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine and his promises of power beyond all imagining. Once a slave to the dark side, Skywalker helps carry out a tragic conspiracy against the Jedi that will see the Republic transformed into an Empire.

• Pulled from the movie screen and put on the comics page, this unique comic is a must-have for anyone who wants to relive the thrill of Star Wars!

STAR WARS: KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC #21
JOHN JACKSON MILLER (W)
BONG DAZO (P)
MICHAEL ATIYEH (C), and CHRIS WARNER (Cover)
On sale Sept. 26
FC, 40 pages
$2.99
Ongoing

Negotiations between the Republic and the Mandalorians come to a head in this unthinkable conclusion to the compelling “Daze of Hate” story arc!

Aboard his massive flagship the Arkanian Legacy, Lord Adasca believes his plan to become nothing less than the most powerful being in the galaxy is about achieve fruition. If he is to be stopped, fugitive Padawan Zayne Carrick must risk it all with a quickly conceived and untested scheme that requires help from none other than his arch-nemesis and former teacher—Jedi Master Lucien! Yet as these two former enemies spring into action amidst Adasca’s carefully controlled meeting of the Republic and the Mandalorians, another plot is set into motion—one that will seal the fate of several major players forever!

• Continuing the ongoing monthly series set nearly four thousand years before the rise of the Empire and the fall of Anakin Skywalker (and seven years prior to the events in the Knights of the Old Republic video game).

• A great starting point for anyone interested in following the Star Wars saga beyond the films.

STAR WARS: LEGACY #16— DRAGON part 3 (of 6)
JOHN OSTRANDER (W)
JAN DUURSEMA (P)
DAN PARSONS (I)
BRAD ANDERSON (C), and TRAVIS CHAREST (Cover)
On sale Sept. 12
FC, 40 pages
$2.99
Ongoing

Much has been told about the legacy of the Skywalker family, but until now little has been said of the legacy of Obi-Wan Kenobi!

If you think you know the whole story, prepare yourself for a shock. In the wake of the Clone Wars, Obi-Wan fought a lonely battle—the outcome of which rocks the future of the Star Wars galaxy!

Another layer of the Legacy mystery is revealed!

STAR WARS: REBELLION #10
ROB WILLIAMS (W)
MICHEL LACOMBE (P)
WIL GLASS (C), and RYAN SOOK (Cover)
On sale Sept. 12
FC, 40 pages
$2.99
Ongoing

One of the Empire’s most valuable secrets is about to be compromised unless Darth Vader can get to it in time! This is the all-action conclusion to “The Ahakista Gambit”!

Deep inside an Imperial stronghold, a team of spies led by Wyl Tarson fight for their lives. Loyal to the Rebel cause, each is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to complete the mission, none realizing that Tarson marches to the orders of someone far more sinister than the Alliance. For Tarson, this is the moment of truth—will he betray those who trusted him with everything? One thing is certain, once Vader arrives, few will be left alive.

• A compelling new story set between the events of A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back exploring the Rebel Alliance’s desperate struggle against the Galactic Empire, delivered in high-octane, widescreen style by writer Rob Williams (Cla$$war, SW Tales) and artist Michel Lacombe (SW Tales, SW Empire)

THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY: APOCALYPSE SUITE #1 (of 6)
GERARD WAY (W)
GABRIEL BÁ (A)
DAVE STEWART (C), and JAMES JEAN (Cover)
On sale Sept. 19
FC, 32 pages
$2.99
Miniseries

Once, the Umbrella Academy was unstoppable. Under the tutelage of their guardian and mentor, Dr. Reginald Hargreeves, its members spent their childhoods fighting evil and honing their extraordinary gifts.

Until something went terribly wrong.

Now, nine years later, the estranged members of the Umbrella Academy are reunited by the death of the only parent they’ve ever known and the rise of a new and terrible threat. Will they be able to overcome their history for long enough to save the world—one more time?

Conceived and written by Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance, Umbrella Academy features interior art by Eisner Award-nominated artist Gabriel Bá (De:Tales), colors by Eisner Award-winning colorist Dave Stewart, and covers by multiple-Eisner Award-winning painter James Jean (Fables).

• Check out Umbrella Academy sample pages at umbrella.darkhorse.com

USAGI YOJIMBO #104
STAN SAKAI (W/A)
On sale Sept. 26
b&w, 24 pages
$2.99
Ongoing

Boss Bakuchi, eager to avenge the death of his son, has placed an extraordinarily large reward on the head of Inazuma. By doing so, he has signed the death warrant for more than a few greedy bounty hunters, as Inazuma is actually possessed by the terrible demon Jei, The Black Soul!

Wounded and relentlessly pursued, Inazuma has retreated to a peasant’s hut. It is there that Gen and Stray Dog encounter the mysterious samurai, along with a band of competing bounty hunters. Desperate to win their reward, and none too interested in sharing it, Gen and Stray Dog soon find themselves at the heart of a heated battle. Rarely impressed by the skills of other warriors, the two bounty hunters are nothing short of awestruck upon witnessing Inazuma’s skills.

Then, just as this deadly brawl is about to escalate out of control, the rabbit ronin Usagi arrives!

VAMPIRE HUNTER D VOLUME 9: THE ROSE PRINCESS
HIDEYUKI KIKUCHI (W)
YOSHITAKA AMANO (A)
On sale Nov. 14
b&w, 208 pages
$8.95
TPB, 5″ x 7″

In Sakuri, a young woman is about to be sacrificed to the vampiric Noblewoman who reigns over the village. But before the princess can drain the life from the woman, a young man tries to slay the vampire. He fails and manages to escape, but in doing so incurs the wrath of the entire town. The citizens of Sakuri have entered into a pact with the Undead princess and her monstrous bodyguards. With the ritual offering disrupted, the vampire’s armored bodyguards vow to murder the villagers one by one until the would-be hero is captured.

When Vampire Hunter D learns of the villagers’ bargain he knows he faces several almost impossible challenges—can he rid the town of the parasitic demons that plague it? What if Sakuri’s inhabitants don’t want to be rescued? And can he uncover the secret that even the vampire Noble is afraid to speak?

• The lead character has also been the basis of a best-selling PlayStation console game.

ZERO KILLER #2 (of 6)
ARVID NELSON (W)
MATT CAMP (A)
DAVE STEWART (C)
On sale Sept. 19
FC, 32 pages
$2.99
Miniseries

Decades after a devastating nuclear war, New York City is mostly underwater, and its once-proud corporate skyscrapers are now looted, skeletal husks inhabited by hostile crime lords and their vicious thugs. The remnants of humanity try to survive at the water’s edge, while these brutish gangs and the mysterious paramilitary forces of JOCOM terrorize them. One of the toughest survivors, the bounty hunter known only as Zero, inadvertently saves a young woman named Stark while he’s on one of his “trash collecting” missions. Whether Zero likes it or not, Stark’s determined to stay by his side. Traveling with him to one of his hideouts, she risks her life when she stumbles onto a closely guarded secret. Elsewhere in this wounded city, an incident with a JOCOM helicopter sparks a series of events that will bring more complications—and danger—to Zero’s life!

Working for anyone while pledging allegiance to none, Zero is a bounty hunter who hunts the dregs of a ruined society . . . he is the Zero Killer.

An all-new miniseries from Rex Mundi creator Arvid Nelson!