Dark Horse Comics for April 2010

Dark Horse Comics sent Major Spoilers the cover images and solicitation information for titles arriving April 2010.  Take the jump for Conan, Buffy, and a Barb Wire action figure.

12″ BARB WIRE FIGURE

On sale June 16
12″ articulated figure
$119.99

The growth of sophistication of today’s highly articulated, elaborately costumed figures is one reason why now is the golden age for action figure collectors. Upstart toy company Triad Toys is winning fans and turning heads with their fabulous attention to detail, and being the sophisticated and smart company they are, have turned to Dark Horse as a source for their latest new figures.

In Steel Harbor, a bombed-out wreck of a town, thrill-junkie Barbara Kopetski— better known as “Barb Wire”—is proprietor of the Hammerhead bar and part-time bounty hunter.  Barb Wire was one of the stars of Dark Horse’s company-created “universe”, and she returns, courtesy of Triad, with a vengeance!

Triad has paid attention to every detail: from her fishnets to her gloves and armbands, buckles, to her blonde hair, this is the ultimate collector’s item. Accessories include an arsenal’s worth of weaponry—even her handcuffs.
You can take this high-quality heroine home just don’t call her “babe.”

ALIENS: FAST TRACK TO HEAVEN

Liam Sharp (W/A)

On sale June 16
FC, 40 pages
$10.99
HC, 7″ x 10″

Deep beneath the ice of Jupiter’s moon Europa, life teems in the depths of dark oceans fed by belching chemical-rich volcanic vents. But more spectacular discoveries of life elsewhere in the cosmos have left Europa little more than another commercial stopover with an orbital station and a decaying space elevator ferrying cargo and personnel to and from the moon. But when one of the massive elevators stops midway with no communication from the crew aboard, a rescue team soon discovers that the stranded elevator is transporting a deadly cargo from another world, a savage organism that threatens life on Europa and, ultimately, life on planet Earth.

From superstar creator Liam Sharp comes Aliens: Fast Track to Heaven, an all-new deluxe-format hardcover graphic novella. Sharp’s stunning visuals are well-known to comics readers from his work on Judge Dredd, Hulk, Testament, Gears of War and many others, and now having expanded into prose fiction with God Killers: Machivarius Point and Other Tales, Sharp is solidifying his reputation as one of graphic fiction’s emerging visionaries.

• Artist/Writer Liam Sharp is well known to comics readers from his work on Judge Dredd, The Incredible Hulk, Testament, and Gears of War.

Original hardcover graphic novella!

ALIEN LEGION OMNIBUS VOLUME 2

Alan Zelenetz (W), Larry Stroman (A), and Frank Cirocco (A)

On sale June 9
FC, 352 pages
$24.99
TPB, 6″ x 9″

The Alien Legion is the most feared fighting force in the Galarchy—and Nomad Squad is the best, and the worst, of the lot. Comprised of the outcasts, dregs, and idealists from three galaxies, the expendable grunts of Nomad jump into a series of intense missions prompted by everything from attacks by biomechanical religious zealots, orders to eliminate a traitorous legion hero, and the personal whims of a Galarchy bureaucrat. The squad is devastated when three veteran legionnaires die—and another faces an even worse fate in a legion “Mindrobber” machine. Nomad’s chemistry is further altered with the addition of Tamara, a cosmic valkyrie who catches Lt. Montroc’s attention.

Volume 2 features over three hundred story pages and rounds out the first Alien Legion series, including the long-out-of-print A Grey Day to Die graphic novel.

ALIENS VS. PREDATOR: THREE WORLD WAR #3 (of 6)

Randy Stradley (W), Rick Leonardi (P), Mark Pennington (I), Wes Dzioba (C), and Raymond Swanland (Cover)

On sale Apr 7
FC, 40 pages
$3.50
Miniseries

Against her better judgment, Machiko Noguchi is back with the Predators, trying to forge a coalition between the clan that once accepted her and a strike force of Colonial Marines. But it’s an uneasy alliance at best as neither side understands the motives or mores of the other. Every gesture is a challenge, every altercation an invitation to battle. But the real battle is yet to come—against a rogue clan of warlike Predators with an army of Aliens under their control. It is said that no plan survives contact with the enemy, but Machiko’s plan can barely stand up to her allies!

Featuring the creative dream team of original AVP writer Randy Stradley, Rick Leonardi, Mark Pennington, Wes Dzioba, and Raymond Swanland, Aliens vs. Predator: Three World War ties together story threads introduced in the 1989 AvP series and new Aliens and Predator storylines, setting the stage for the most epic AvP brawl ever imagined.

THE ART OF BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL

Hiroaki Samura (W/A)

On sale June 2
FC, 160 pages
$29.99
HC, 9″ x 12″

Hiroaki Samura’s Blade of the Immortal epic is a unique, expertly paced manga series that mixes Edo-era samurai grudge matches with anachronistic punk attitudes and mannerisms. It’s also one of the longest-running manga series in the U.S.! Samura’s stirring tale of a warrior’s search for redemption and a young girl’s quest for revenge has taken the world by storm, winning numerous awards across the globe and spawning an anime series and a novel spinoff. In Dark Horse’s The Art of Blade of the Immortal, Hiroaki Samura’s lush color paintings, detailed line work, and selected story pages and chapter breaks are on display in an oversized, 9″ x 12″, hardcover collection. This Dark Horse edition also includes an exclusive section with thirty-two extra pages of artwork, an introduction by acclaimed artist Geof Darrow (The Matrix Comics, Hard Boiled), and a translated afterword by Samura.

• Hiroaki Samura’s widely acclaimed Blade of the Immortal manga series has won numerous awards, including the Eisner Award in America, the prestigious Media Arts Award of Japan, and two consecutive British Eagle Awards. Samura is also the creator of the enchanting Ohikkoshi manga anthology—published by Dark Horse Manga!

AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER—THE ART OF THE ANIMATED SERIES

Bryan Konietzko (W/A), Michael Dante DiMartino (W/A), and Various (A)

On sale June 2
FC, 184 pages
$34.99
HC, 9″ x 12″

Since its debut in 2005, Avatar: The Last Airbender has remained one of Nickelodeon’s most talked about and highest-rated animated series to date, and it’s not too hard to see why . . . Not only does it offer an epic storyline, engaging characters, action, adventure, and a powerful message about the importance of hope in a world long-besieged by war, all the while serving up top-notch entertainment. It’s also beautifully executed, a stunning masterpiece of animated storytelling that harmonizes Western influences with aesthetic inspiration drawn from a diverse array of cultures, including those of China, Japan, India, and the Inuit.

An unprecedented look at the concept, design, and production art behind this smash-hit series, Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Art of the Animated Series chronicles the show’s development—from the very first sketch through to the series finale and beyond!—along with behind-the-scenes commentary from series creators Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino.

• Featuring hundreds of images, most of which Nickelodeon has never released to the public!

• Soon to be adapted as a trilogy of major motion pictures by M. Night Shyamalan and Paramount Pictures Studio.

BEASTS OF BURDEN

Evan Dorkin (W) and Jill Thompson (A)

On sale June 16
FC, 168 pages
$19.99
HC, 8″ x 11″

Beasts of Burden is a fun-filled adventure story that features a heroic group of dogs—and one cat—who are set with the task of keeping the residents of Burden Hill safe from supernatural occurrences.
Early experiences with the paranormal have set up Pugs, Red, Whitey, Ace, and the Orphan to become members of the Wise Dog Society, official animal agents to aid those with odd concerns. Following a slew of magical frogs, encountering hostile ghosts, setting off to rescue an old friend from a sewer filled with some very large rats, and discovering buried secrets in the local cemetery are all in a day’s work for this new team of unlikely heroes.
• This hardcover includes the original stories from the Dark Horse Book of . . . anthologies, plus the all-new series from this award-winning team!

“It’s a lot of fun, and ideal for kids who don’t mind a little gore and ghosts with their adorable animal.” —The (Onion) A.V. Club

B.P.R.D.: KING OF FEAR #4 (of 5)

Mike Mignola (W/Cover), John Arcudi (W), Guy Davis (A), and Dave Stewart (C)

On sale Apr 14
FC, 32 pages
$2.99
Miniseries

Beneath the ruins of the Hyperborean temple, Liz is given the most startling visions yet of the end of the world—and Abe discovers his role in it when he finds the link between himself and the frog monsters.

Will Liz and Abe lead the world to apocalypse?

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #34

Brad Meltzer (W), Georges Jeanty (P, Cover), Andy Owens (I), Michelle Madsen (C), and Jo Chen (Cover)

On sale Apr 7
FC, 40 pages
$2.99
Ongoing

Twilight has been unmasked. Buildings fall, oceans churn, and the earth moves as titans come together in a bizarre twist!

• Twilight part 3 (of 5)

Brad Meltzer’s earth-shaking turn on Buffy Season Eight continues!

THE CHRONICLES OF CONAN VOLUME 19: DEATHMARK AND OTHER STORIES

Bruce Jones (W), Mary Jo Duffy (W), Michael Fleisher (W), Alan Zelenetz (W), John Buscema (A), Ernie Chan (A), Ricardo Villamonte (A), Richard Howell (A), and others

On sale June 23
FC, 200 pages
$17.99
TPB, 7″ x 10″

The Chronicles of Conan Volume 19 collects “Deathmark,” which mixes tattoos, severed arms, and a decades-old grudge into a gruesome mystery, and “Tower of Mitra,” where a magically endowed beauty, seen in a previous Jones Conan story, returns to help defeat a demonic harpy. Writers Mary Jo Duffy, Alan Zelenetz, and Michael Fleisher also contribute one-shot stories to this collection, which finds Conan facing the Dragon of Solvanthia, numerous witches and wizards, rat demons, bloodthirsty swordsmen, and his own son by a priestess of the Cimmerian wilderness!

• This volume collects Conan the Barbarian issues #143 to #150.

CONAN VOLUME 8: BLACK COLOSSUS

Timothy Truman (W), Tomás Giorello (P/Cover), and José Villarrubia (C)

On sale June 2
FC, 152 pages
$17.99
TPB, 7″ x 10″

Conan, once a wandering thief, tries his luck as a professional warrior, joining Amalric’s mercenary forces to live as a rank-and-file soldier. However, something much more than luck will lead Conan on a collision course with the strongest, strangest army he’s ever faced! Princess Yasmela—the city of Khoraja’s remaining sovereign—has been haunted by terrifying apparitions of the wizard Natohk, and when Natohk threatens to bring his demonic hordes to Khoraja, Yasmela prays to the god Mitra for help. Mitra actually responds and tells her to place the fate of her entire kingdom into the hands of the first man she meets out in the city streets—and that man is a drunk, hesitant barbarian! Conan may turn out to be Khoraja’s best hope for survival, but his distrust of the soft upper classes and their disdain for his common station may derail any possibility of working together to halt Natohk’s bid for world domination.

• Collects Conan the Cimmerian #8-#13.

CONAN THE CIMMERIAN #21

Timothy Truman (W), Tomás Giorello (P), José Villarrubia (C), and Cary Nord (Cover)

On sale Apr 21
FC, 40 pages
$2.99
Ongoing

In the final episode of “Kozaki,” Conan realizes just how far he’s fallen—and how a seemingly small incident can impact entire nations and thousands of lives! Sick, surviving on swamp vermin, wounded, and weary, Conan confronts Shah Amurath’s soldiers, grave robbers, and ghosts from his past. We find out exactly how he came to be in the precarious position he’s now in—and if Iniri the sorceress’s eerie predictions come true. This issue features a stunning cover by fan-favorite Conan alumni and Eisner Award-winners Cary Nord and Dave Stewart!

• Kozaki part 3 (of 3)

CREEPY ARCHIVES VOLUME 7

Various (W/A)

On sale June 16
b&w, 200 pages
$49.99
HC, 8 3/8″ x 10 7/8″

Creepy Archives Volume 7 collects a fascinating array of stories from the second great generation of artists and writers in the history of the world’s best illustrated horror magazine. As the 1960s ended and the ’70s began, the original, classic creative lineup for Creepy was eventually infused with a slew of new talent, with phenomenal new contributors like Richard Corben, Ken Kelly, and Nicola Cuti joining the ranks of established greats like Reed Crandall, Frank Frazetta, and Al Williamson. This volume of the Creepy Archives series collects more than two hundred pages of distinctive short horror comics in a gorgeous hardcover format. This book reprints all of the original stories from issues #33 to #36 in crisp black-and-white and includes full-color bonus-page reproductions of each issue’s cover.

• Creepy Archives Volume 1 was awarded the 2009 Will Eisner Award for Best Archival Collection, and has sold more than 14,000 copies to date.

• Both the Creepy and Eerie Archives series have made numerous appearances on the New York Times Top 10 list of graphic novels.

DEVIL #3 (of 4)

Torajiro Kishi (W/A) and Madhouse Studios (W/A)

On sale Apr 21
FC, 24 pages
$3.50
Miniseries

A vampire virus threatens humanity, and it may come down to a rogue cop and his straight-laced partner to contain the freakishly super-human devils from rampaging across Japan. Why did the government create this virus, and what will result from its perfection? Find out in issue #3 of Devil!

Manga artist Torajiro Kishi (Maka Maka) and blockbuster anime studio Madhouse (Trigun, Paprika, Ninja Scroll) love comics. So much so that they’ve decided to publish an original, western-style comic exclusively with Dark Horse! Enter Devil, a thrilling, sci-fi take on the vampire genre.

DOMO

On sale Apr 21

Domo and Mr. Usaji Journal
$9.99

On sale May 19

Domo Sticky Note Book
$8.99

On sale May 19
Domo Party Lights
$14.99

Dark Horse is very excited to introduce some fantastic new Domo products that are guaranteed to delight both young and old. You can brighten up any festivities with the all-new Domo Party Lights, featuring five brilliant colors of Domo!

What is that strange concoction that Domo is about to eat with his good friend Mr. Usaji? Find out with the Domo and Mr. Usaji Journal.  Finally, leave it to your friend Domo for to-do lists and reminders with the Domo Sticky Note Book, which includes eight fabulous pads of sticky note designs.

EMILY THE STRANGE: THE 13TH HOUR #4 (of 4)

Rob Reger (W) and Buzz Parker (A)

On sale Apr 28
b&w, 32 pages
$3.99
Miniseries

When she received an ancient watch from her enigmatic Aunt LaRue in honor of her thirteenth year, Emily hoped the heirloom might play a role in uncovering her very strange family history. Instead, her hopes were snatched away—along with the watch itself!—by a sneaky beast with a secret link to Emily’s bloodline.  Now Emily’s pursuit of the creature called El Viego has lured her deep into the mysterious halls of Blackrock, her awe-inspiring ancestral home. But if Emily can’t beat El Viego at his twisted game of hide and seek, she might have more even more to lose than her connection to a lineage of legendary strangers!

THE END LEAGUE VOLUME 2: WEATHERED STATUES

Rick Remender (W), Eric Canete (P/Cover), Andy MacDonald (P), and Matthew Wilson (Cover)

On sale June 2
FC, 152 pages
$16.99
TPB, 7″ x 10″

Writer Rick Remender continues his acclaimed new series, joined by fan favorites Eric Canete (Iron Man) and Andy MacDonald (Punisher War Journal), for an all-new storyline, “Weathered Statues.” After the shocking events of the previous volume, in which half the cast was lost, Black and Arachnakid risk everything to take their revenge on the Smiling Man in his twisted city of Lore. Across the world in New Berlin, the fascist Wolfsangel puts a bounty on the remaining heroes in order to obtain the one item he requires to snatch lordship of Earth from Dead Lexington: An altruistic heart.

• Collects issues #5-#9.

GELASKINS

On sale Apr 21

13″ Laptop
$29.95

15″ Laptop
$29.95

iPhone
$14.95

Over the years, Dark Horse has been committed to incorporating art into our everyday lives through prints, T-shirts, mugs, and a variety of other items that help make this world more colorful. Now Dark Horse is proud to collaborate with GelaSkins to bring some fresh, new designs to their line of protective and decorative skins for laptops and phones.

Featuring a spellbinding Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 cover by Jo Chen: Willow looking as sexy and powerful as ever, and The Goon vs. Mr. Wicker from the epic “not a funny book” Chinatown, these all-new iPhone and laptop Gelaskins are the perfect way to protect your technology while showing off your signature style.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Willow 13″ and 15″ laptop

Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Willow iPhone

The Goon – The Goon vs. Mr. Wicker 13″ and 15″ laptop

The Goon – The Goon vs. Mr. Wicker iPhone

THE GUILD #2 (of 3)

Felicia Day (W), Jim Rugg (A), Dan Jackson (C), Matthew Stawicki (Cover), and Kristin Donaldson (Cover)

On sale Apr 21
FC, 32 pages
$3.50
Miniseries

Felicia Day (Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog)’s hysterical extension of her multiple award-winning web series continues with this brand-new story!

Since discovering role-playing games, Cyd Sherman spends more and more time in-game as the healer Codex. As her boyfriend ignores her in favor of his fledgling band and her therapist questions whether or not she has “real” friends, Cyd decides to form her own group within the game after meeting Clara, who teaches her about reputation points, and Zaboo, who introduces her to “friending” within the game.

Detailing the never-before-told origin of The Knights of Good, this is essential reading for fans of the show, and a great jumping-on point for readers new to The Guild. And don’t miss season three of the show at watchtheguild.com!

• Named “One of the Net’s Best Serial Shows” by Rolling Stone!

HELLBOY VOLUME 10: THE CROOKED MAN AND OTHERS

Mike Mignola (W/A), Joshua Dysart (W), Richard Corben (A), Jason Shawn Alexander (A), Duncan Fegredo (A),  and Dave Stewart (Cover)

On sale June 23
FC, 160 pages
$17.99
TPB, 7″ x 10″

The Eisner Award–winning miniseries The Crooked Man, by Mignola and Richard Corben, teams Hellboy with a wandering hillman in a devilish tale of Appalachian witchcraft. This volume also includes the rare “They Who Go Down to the Sea in Ships” by Mignola, Josh Dysart (B.P.R.D.: 1947), and Jason Shawn Alexander (Abe Sapien: The Drowning), never before available for purchase; Mignola and Duncan Fegredo’s “The Mole,” from Free Comic Book Day 2008; and Mignola’s most recent solo outing, “In the Chapel of Moloch.”

• Also includes a look into the artists’ sketchbooks!

• 2009 Eisner Award winner for Best Limited Series!

“Richard Corben shows these youngsters how it’s done . . . and it’s so good, in its grotesquely beautiful way.” —Comic Book Resources

HELLCYON #1 (of 4)

Lucas Marangon (W/A)

On sale Apr 14
FC, 32 pages
$3.50
Miniseries

Halcyon is a savage, unpredictable, brutal place. For some, it’s just another backwater world colonized and exploited for its resources. For others, it’s home. For decades the settlers of this aberrant moon have lived and worked like slaves, but now a new generation has decided that it’s time for independence. Amidst this struggle, cadet Nika McKay returns to his home colony after a decade on Earth in order to search for his true identity. What he finds instead is a young nation on the verge of a civil war.

An all-new adventure from Star Wars artist Lucas Marangon!

JET SCOTT VOLUME 2

Sheldon Stark (W) and Jerry Robinson (A)

On sale June 9
FC, 256 pages
$34.99
HC, 12″ x 9″

When the world is faced with strange anomalous threats, there is one man who can be called on to set things right—Jet Scott! Along with his colleagues at the Office of Scientifact, Jet uses the power of science to solve mysteries and save the day again and again! Created by the creator of the Joker, artist Jerry Robinson (Detective Comics) and scripted by screenwriter Sheldon Stark, Jet Scott Volume 2 is a treat for science-fiction fans both young and old! Featuring both daily black-and-white strips as well as color Sundays from September 1954 to the series finale in September 1955.

• Jerry Robinson is one of the best known of all the artists who have drawn Batman over the years and is often credited with creating the Joker, one of comics’ greatest villains!

• Dark Horse Comics is proud to collect the Jet Scott comic strips, for the first time ever, which were originally published from 1953 to 1955 by the New York Herald Tribune!

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF MARTHA WASHINGTON IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY

Frank Miller (W), Dave Gibbons (A), and Angus McKie (C)

On sale June 30
FC, 600 pages
$29.99
TPB, 7″ x 10″

Just in time for the Fourth of July! A masterpiece nearly twenty years in the making, this archival volume contains the complete life story of Martha Washington, the twenty-first century freedom fighter created by comic-book megastars Frank Miller (Sin City, 300) and Dave Gibbons (Watchmen), now in a more affordable softcover edition.

Our story begins in the squalid corridors of a maximum-security housing project, where a young girl will rise from the war-torn streets of Chicago to battle injustice in a world insane with corruption. Her fight will take her far, from the frontlines of the second American Civil War, to the cold, unforgiving reaches of space. She will be called a hero, a traitor, and nearly everything in between, but all along the way, her courage, her integrity, and her unwavering commitment to that most valuable of rights—liberty—will inspire a movement that will never surrender.

• The Life and Times of Martha Washington in the Twenty-first Century contains six hundred stunning pages of work from two of the top creators in comics!

• Collecting remastered versions of every Martha Washington story and featuring the same extensive behind-the-scenes section by Dave Gibbons and introduction by Frank Miller as the hardcover edition.

MASS EFFECT: REDEMPTION #4 (of 4)

Mac Walters (W), John Jackson Miller (W), Omar Francia (A), Michael Atiyeh (C), and Daryl Mandryk (Cover)

On sale Apr 7
FC, 32 pages
$3.50
Miniseries

Liara T’Soni’s search for Commander Shepard’s abductors comes to an end, but what other shocking discoveries will she make when she finds them? The comics debut of modern sci-fi’s greatest epic holds surprises right up to the very end!

With far-reaching repercussions for the Mass Effect saga, this tale of friendship and loyalty in the darkest corners of the galaxy closes with an issue sure to thrill fans new and old!

Don’t miss the sci-fi comics event of the year!

MASS EFFECT VOLUME 1: REDEMPTION

Mac Walters (W), John Jackson Miller (W), Omar Francia (A), Michael Atiyeh (C), and Daryl Mandryk (Cover)

On sale June 9
FC, 96 pages
$16.99
TPB, 7″ x 10″

The eagerly anticipated sequel to the blockbuster science-fiction epic IGN.com named the #1 Xbox 360 game of all time, Mass Effect 2 begins with the disappearance of Commander Shepard. The story of what happens next—exclusive to this graphic novel—will have the commander’s companion Dr. Liara T’Soni undertake a deadly mission of extraordinary importance in the Milky Way’s lawless Terminus Systems.

• Mass Effect Volume 1 features essential developments in the Mass Effect gaming saga, plus a special behind-the-scenes section with sketches and more.

• Collects the four-issue miniseries.

• Retailers, see your order form for a special offer.

NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: THE SHINJI IKARI RAISING PROJECT VOLUME 5

Osamu Takahashi (W/A)

On sale June 9
b&w, 192 pages
$9.99
TPB, 5 1/8″ x 7 1/4″

Shinji and Rei enter the plugs side by side for their new synchro test, where Rei is given the task to find her way out of an imaginary cityscape, and Shinji is given the job of helping her concentrate—but how likely is that, with all the chaos happening in their personal lives, a chaos everyone seems eager to encourage? Vol. 5 includes your fan art, letters, and special giveaways—plus, an exclusive preview of the brand-new Evangelion manga title starting in August from Dark Horse: Neon Genesis Evangelion: Campus Apocalypse!

• Each volume features bonus color pages, your Evangelion fan art and letters, and special reader giveaways!

ODDLY COMPELLING ART OF DENIS KITCHEN

Denis Kitchen (W/A), Neil Gaiman (W), Charles Brownstein (W), with design by John Lind

On sale June 9
FC, 200 pages
$34.99
HC, 9″ x 12″

A well-known personality in the comics world, Denis Kitchen has worn many hats: publisher, founder of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, and literary and art agent. But his career as a pioneering underground comix artist has been overdue for rediscovery—until now!

The Oddly Compelling Art of Denis Kitchen, the long-awaited collection of Kitchen’s comics, covers, and illustrations, brings Kitchen the artist to the forefront. A comprehensive career overview, this compendium includes approximately two hundred illustrations, most unseen since their original publication in the late ’60s and early ’70s, and many from regional publications not seen even by serious comix fans.

• Featuring an introduction by Neil Gaiman, and an expansive, career-spanning essay by CBLDF executive director Charles Brownstein, The Oddly Compelling Art is both a fond look back for underground comix aficionados and an excellent introduction for new fans of Kitchen’s body of work!

• Designed by John Lind, winner of an American Graphic Design Award for his work on Underground Classics.

“I think “oddly compelling” is a very good title for a book of Denis Kitchen’s work, and describes it very well.” —R. Crumb

OH MY GODDESS! VOLUME 15

Kosuke Fujishima (W/A)

On sale June 30
b&w, 000 pages
$10.99
TPB, 5 1/8″ x 7 1/4″

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!

The battle to control the minds of every student at Nekomi Tech comes to its showdown, as the power behind Queen Sayoko’s throne is revealed at last! Then it’s back to good old-fashioned campus rivalries, as Megumi squares off against a different kind of royalty . . . the one who rules the road on the Inokuradai Pass!

• This volume also includes a message from creator Kosuke Fujishima and your fan art and letters!

• Winner of the 2009 Kodansha Award for Best General Manga.
• Oh My Goddess! is the longest-running manga series in America!

RED TIDE

Jim Steranko (W/A)

On sale Jun 23
FC, 128 pages
$19.99
HC, 7″ x 10″

After emerging as Marvel Comics’ most controversial superstar, Jim Steranko tackled his greatest artistic challenge: creating an entirely new medium, the visual novel—not an illustrated novel or novel-length comic book, but a seamless fusion of interdependent graphic and prose narratives forming a powerful and original new method of telling stories. An artistic tour-de-force, Red Tide is hard-boiled detective fiction in the bare-knuckle tradition of Hammett, Cain, and Chandler, as well as the dark, atmospheric milieu of film noir. Dark Horse is proud to reintroduce this landmark work, remastered with state-of-the-art digital colors by Eisner Award-winner Dave Stewart, in a collector’s quality hardcover edition.

• 2006 Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame inductee.

• Steranko is best known for his work on Nick Fury.

A gritty, bare-knuckled detective fiction from award winner Jim Steranko!

SOLOMON KANE: DEATH’S BLACK RIDERS #4 (of 4)

Scott Allie (W), Mario Guevara (P), Juan Ferreyra (C), and Darick Robertson (Cover)

On sale Apr 14
FC, 32 pages
$3.50
Miniseries

The Cleft Skull may be the most dangerous place for travelers in Germany’s Black Forest, but, for the moment, it is Solomon Kane’s only sanctuary from the deadly demons without—Death’s Black Riders! They have surrounded the rickety inn and are waiting for the opportune moment to strike! If he and the Priest are to see England again, they’ll have to confront the Riders head on! Outnumbered and with only two shots in his guns, Solomon Kane will have to rely on his wits and his sword arm to save the Priest and escape the inn alive!

“Solomon Kane is a welcome addition to the other excellent Howard properties produced by Dark Horse…” —Comics Bulletin

STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS—IN SERVICE OF THE REPUBLIC

Henry Gilroy (W), Steven Melching (W), Scott Hepburn (P), Dan Parsons (I), Michael E. Wiggam (C), and Ramón Pérez (Cover)

On sale June 30
FC, 80 pages
$7.99
TPB, 5 1/4″ x 7 1/2″

Jedi Kit Fisto and Plo Koon take on a daring assault mission with a squad of tough Republic commandos on the ice planet Khorm. The Jedi seek to free the Separatist-enslaved Khormai people and destroy the Separatists’ mountain fortress. But on this assignment, nothing will come easy! An intense snowstorm, a cowardly Republic captain, and the arrival of feared assassin Asajj Ventress with her elite commandos test the skill of the Jedi and the Republic forces!

STAR WARS: LEGACY #47—THE FATE OF DAC

John Ostrander (W), Jan Duursema (P), Dan Parsons (I), Brad Anderson (C), and Sean Cooke (Cover)

On sale Apr 28
FC, 40 pages
$2.99
Ongoing

The Sith poison the waters of the ocean planet of Dac in an effort to wipe out every living thing—but Admiral Gar Stazi isn’t ready to abandon the native Mon Calamari without an attempt at evacuation.

Time is against him, and securing the assistance of his new Imperial allies will decide whether this rescue is a success . . . or a suicide!

The Rogue Squadron returns!

STAR WARS OMNIBUS: A LONG TIME AGO . . . VOLUME 1

Roy Thomas (W), Don Glut (W), Archie Goodwin (W), Mary Jo Duffy (W), Howard Chaykin (A), Tom Palmer (A), Terry Austin (A), Bill Wray (A), Walt Simonson (A), and others

On June 16
FC, 480 pages
$24.99
TPB, 6″ x 9″

Collecting the first twenty-six issues of the Marvel Comics Star Wars series that launched in 1977 (the same year as the first film), this first volume of Star Wars Omnibus: A Long Time Ago . . . is a must have for any Star Wars fan!

Future volumes will include material not previously collected along with the consecutively numbered Marvel run: the comics adaptation of Return of the Jedi, material from Marvel UK, the Droids and Ewoks series, and other rare Star Wars comics.

STAR WARS: PURGE—THE HIDDEN BLADE

Haden Blackman (W) and Chris Scalf (A/Cover)

On sale Apr 7
FC, 40 pages
$3.50
One-shot

On a remote world, Darth Vader chafes at the assignment given to him by the Emperor: guarding an Imperial manufacturing facility from the anti-Imperial natives. Vader feels the duty is beneath him—until he learns that a Jedi Master and his Padawan are in league with the natives!

Now the game is afoot, and Vader is on the trail of his favorite prey. No ambush, no local monstrous lizards, will deter him his pursuit. Woe be to the Jedi when Vader catches up with them! This issue follows events in Revenge of the Sith!

Vader vs. Jedi!

THE TERMINATOR #2 (of 3)

Zack Whedon (W), Andy MacDonald (P), Dan Jackson (C), and Massimo Carnevale (Cover)

On sale Apr 28
FC, 40 pages
$3.50
Miniseries

In the barely-remembered time before the Terminators, the life of a young woman key to humanity’s survival depends on the actions of Kyle Reese in present-day 2029. But Kyle may not live long enough to help Sarah Conner if he and his companions Ben and Paige can’t escape Skynet’s terrifying new weapon—Terminators that look just like people!

Guided by information about a hidden Cyberdyne facility, the three friends must brave T-800s, HKs, rogue resistance gangs, and other threats in their search for any advantage against the machines. What they can’t anticipate is the nature of the incredible resource hidden within the facility’s walls!

• Written by rising star Zack Whedon (Dr. Horrible, Fringe, Deadwood)!

• Terminator and Terminator 2 are on the AFI’s list of the 100 Most Heart-Pounding American Movies!

USAGI YOJIMBO #128

Stan Sakai (W/A)

On Apr 28
b&w, 24 pages
$3.50
Ongoing

The rabbit ronin’s warrior pilgrimage brings him to a new town, with new friends and new threats, in this standalone tale!

Having returned to the road, a rainstorm sends Usagi in search of shelter. Finding a town, Usagi meets Taro, a young maker of tera tera bozu—dolls that children construct to ensure good weather. Little Taro hangs one up on the eaves so that he and his new long-eared friend can play in the morning. The next day may turn out to be fine, but the night could be a killer.

• Tera Tera Bozu part 1 (of 1)

via Dark Horse Comics