Dark Horse Comics News Feed

Dark Horse Extended Forecast for 11/18/2009

ComicList — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 21:06:52 +0000

Updated shipping information for Dark Horse comics and products being released beyond the week of 11/18/2009, provided by Diamond Distribution and our friends at Things From Another World.

Remember, when you order any of these titles, whether here or at your local comic book shop, NOW instead of waiting closer to the release date, you save money AND you save the time of hunting down the issue after it sells out. To find a local comic book shop, please browse The Master List of Comic Book & Trading Card Stores.

Original post blogged on ComicList.

Geek Goggle Reviews: Star Wars Purge Seconds To Die

ComicList — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 21:01:01 +0000

Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

Star Wars Purge #1
Dark Horse Comics
Ostrander, Hall, Lei & McKenna

This Star Wars one shot picks up on a concept that was explored at the end of the Star Republic ongoing series in a story titled "Purge". In that story, Vader is led into a trap by seven or eight Jedi shortly after the events of Revenge of the Sith. He emerges, but doesn't quite "beat" them all. In this issue we have a similar idea where a lone Jedi leads Vader into a confrontation at worst or a successful trap at best. It's a good issue and for those that missed the original Purge issue a few years ago will find this issue to be very fresh.

Plo Koon, a Jedi from Revenge of the Sith, had a niece, named Sha Koon. Weary from various battles during the Clone Wars she takes in some downtime at the Jedi Temple. She's sworn off the war, but is given a special assignment by her Uncle. She is to track down the hidden Sith by scouring the Jedi archives looking for clues. She embraces this role during the wrong time.

While in the library, her Uncle is killed on some other world as Order 66 is executed. Shortly after that event the Temple is filled with Clones and Anakin Skywalker. She spots Skywalker and decides to flee.

Later on she attempts to lure the Sith into a trap by contacting the Emperor directly. The Emperor dispatches Vader for the confrontation.

The issue allows Sha Koon to grow as a decent character very quickly. It explores the aspect of her personality mixed with her Jedi skills where she can see the future, present and the past as one collage. It's a good twist to set her apart from the dozens of Jedi that we've seen float in and out of these comics. While her motivation is clear for the confrontation it seems that even she isn't clear of her own desired outcome. This comic does a good job of establishing how confused surviving Jedi must have been after Order 66. This is a story that could have definitely been explored further in the Dark Times series.

The artwork is terrific. There isn't a lot of fighting in it but there are a ton of scenes from multiple points in the Star Wars film timeline and the character depictions are spot on. Vader looks as menacing as you would hope he would and the Emperor looks more creepy than scary, but it works here. He reminded me of the witch in Snow White which seems fairly accurate.

This is a good comic book for a Star Wars fan looking for a bit of a continuation of the Revenge of the Sith film. The story is good with good characters and it picks up threads of what Vader's mindset must have been like after he lost his confrontation with Ob-Wan. This is a comic book that fits nicely in with the movies and the comic book series'. This one is worth reading.

4 out of 5 geek goggles

Original post blogged on ComicList.

Wednesday New Releases: Blackest Night, Dark X-Men and Hellboy

tfaw — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:55:12 +0000

by Elisabeth@TFAW

New Reviews of This Week's Releases!

Oh yeah! We packed a lot of awesome stuff into just over two minutes in this week's Wednesday New Releases video blog! Thrill as you learn about Locke & Key: Crown of Shadows #1, Green Lantern Agent Orange HC, Booster Gold #26 w/Orange Lantern Ring, Rebels #10 w/Indigo Lantern Ring, Hellboy: The Wild Hunt #8, The Stand American Nightmares Premium HC, and Dark X-Men #1. Enjoy!

CHECK OUT THIS WEEK'S ARRIVALS

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Questions? Comments? Post them below!

Original post blogged on ComicList.

Buffy Season Eight Vol 6: The enemy advances, we retreat

ComicList — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:50:40 +0000

Media Release -- The newest addition to the Buffy Season Eight collection showcases the first retreat of the Slayer legion. Vampires have solid footing at the top of the totem and Slayers have been crushed to the bottom. In short, no one likes Buffy anymore... least of all this season's mysterious Big Bad, Twilight, who is hot on her magical trail!

Now that it's the world against Slayers, Buffy must find a way to return the status quo to... status quo -- and keep her girls alive long enough to do it! Enter Oz, the only person/werewolf Buffy knows who is down with the suppression of magic, and can take the Slayer army off of Twilight's magic-specific radar.

With Oz's assistance, the Slayers and Wiccans try to become "normal" through meditation and hard labor -- although, not everyone sees the advantage of being magicless, namely, Willow, Giles, and Andrew. And they could be right. After all, is a peaceful life for a Slayer even possible?

Retreat collects issues #26-#30 of the ongoing Buffy: Season Eight monthly series. The 168 page full color TPB carries a $15.99 SRP and has an on-sale date of March 3, 2010 (NOV090048).

Original post blogged on ComicList.

Knights Of The Old Republic: Demon nears its end

ComicList — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:07:22 +0000

The penultimate chapter of the most epic Knights of the Old Republic story ever told brings us one step closer to the end!

It is do or die for former Padawan Zayne Carrick as he desperately tries to save Jarael's life. He'll call in favors from the Senate, the Mandalorian Cassus Fett, and Admiral Karath of the Republic Navy -- but none can prepare him for what he's about to face!

This exciting 40 page full color issue carries a $2.99 SRP and has an on-sale date of January 20, 2010 (NOV090068).

Original post blogged on ComicList.

Shinjuku HC to feature original paintings by Yoshitaka Amano

ComicList — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:56:02 +0000

Media Release -- Writer and director Christopher "mink" Morrison (Dust) and legendary artist Yoshitaka Amano (Final Fantasy, Vampire Hunter D) join forces to craft an unforgettable tale of destiny, danger, and hard-boiled sorcery, featuring over a hundred original paintings by Amano!

In the year 2020, bounty hunter Daniel Legend finds himself tracking a quarry of a different kind: his long-lost sister. Armed only with his wits, his gun, and a mysterious postcard, Daniel makes his way to the heart of the seedy Shinjuku district of Tokyo, where a clash between two underworlds -- the criminal and the infernal -- threatens the very fabric of reality.

The 160 page full color Shinjuku hardcover carries a $24.99 SRP and has an on-sale date of March 31, 2010. (NOV090062)

Original post blogged on ComicList.

Dark Horse February 2010 Solicitations

ComicList — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 02:38:57 +0000

The kind folks at Dark Horse Comics have supplied ComicList with their solicitations for comics and other products featured in the December 2009 Previews, scheduled to ship starting in February 2010.

ACHEWOOD VOLUME 3: A HOME FOR SCARED PEOPLE

Chris Onstad (W/A)

On sale Apr 21

b&w, 104 pages

$16.99

HC, 9 1/2" x 7 3/4"

Picking up where they left off, Achewood and Dark Horse Comics present the third volume of strips from the massive Achewood archive. As with the previous collections, author Chris Onstad includes extensive character backstories, thorough strip annotations, the celebrated alt texts, and many print-only extras in the classic Achewood style. Time magazine named back-to-back Ignatz Award winner Achewood its 2007 Graphic Novel of the Year, and legions of devoted fans consistently report that it makes them feel the way Bloom County and Calvin and Hobbes did when they were young.

• Time magazine's #1 Graphic Novel of 2007.

• Ignatz Award, Outstanding Online Comic, 2007.

• "I'm addicted to Achewood. Chris Onstad is a dark, hilarious genius." —Dave Barry

• ". . . Some of the most brilliant, bizarre comedy happening anywhere, in any medium." —Lev Grossman, Time

ALIENS: MORE THAN HUMAN

John Arcudi (W), Zach Howard (P), Mark Irwin (I), Wes Dzioba (C), and Raymond Swanland (Cover)

On sale Apr 14

FC, 96 pages

$15.99

TPB, 7" x 10"

A group of wildcat planetary prospectors plant their flag on a distant new world, rich in land, resources . . . and the greatest archaeological discovery in history, an ancient complex of impossible proportions carved deep within the living rock, a mind-numbing labyrinth of passages, ramps, bridges, and galleries that seems to extend limitlessly. But as the exploration of the leviathan dead city proceeds deeper and deeper, the members of the team slowly begin to lose their grip on reality, and madness gives way to fear as the explorers begin to disappear. Something else lives within the necropolis, a faceless horror as deadly and merciless as space itself, a lethal terror that has waited centuries to awake . . . and destroy.

At long last, Dark Horse Books heralds the return to graphic fiction of the heavyweight champion of modern science-fiction/horror, Aliens! Features the top-flight creative team of writer John Arcudi, penciller Zach Howard, and inker Mark Irwin.

• Major release of new Aliens vs. Predator game for PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 in 2010.

• After thirty years, it's finally been announced that original Alien director Ridley Scott will helm the new entry in the franchise, a prequel to the 1979 blockbuster!

• Six value-priced Aliens Omnibus collections are now available, reprinting the classic Dark Horse Aliens library.

ALIENS VS. PREDATOR: THREE WORLD WAR #2 (of 6)

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

On sale Feb 24

FC, 40 pages

$3.50

Miniseries

Machiko Naguchi is the only human known to have lived among the extraterrestrial hunters known as Predators—and she's had plenty of up-close-and-personal experience with another deadly, otherworldly life form, the xenomorph Aliens, hunting the beasts alongside her Predator hosts. Machiko thought those days were long past, but now a long-lost rival clan of warlike Predators has emerged, using specially bred Aliens as weapons, and both Predators and humans are threatened. Now, Machiko must again don her Predator armor and negotiate a possible alliance with the very same race that made trophies of humans for centuries. And when you "negotiate" with Predators, there will be blood!

Featuring the creative dream team of original AvP writer Randy Stradley, superstar penciller Rick Leonardi, inker Mark Pennington, colorist Wes Dzioba, and stunning cover art from 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 BOOK OF GRICKLE

Graham Annable (W/A)

On sale Apr 7

b&w, 200 pages

$17.99

HC, 5 3/4" x 8 1/4"

Get ready for the most extensive journey ever into the brilliant mind of Graham Annable! A classically trained animator with credits in film (including as a storyboard artist on Coraline), television, and video games, Annable has for years spent his free time creating some of the funniest, most poignant comics anywhere. As befits his animation background, Annable's fluid art pulses with life, in stories that practically jump off the page. Alternately poetic and hilarious, Grickle presents a strange twist on the everyday with heart and humor. If you've experienced Grickle before, this is the greatest collection yet. If you haven't, there's no better introduction than Book of Grickle!

• Grickle was named one of Wizard's Top 25 indie books everyone must read!

• The best of Grickle, plus new and rarely seen material!

• Graham Annables's Grickle strips were selected for Houghton-Mifflin's 2008 edition of Best American Comics.

Introduction by Jeff Smith!

B.P.R.D.: KING OF FEAR #2 (of 5)

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

On sale Feb 10

FC, 32 pages

$2.99

Miniseries

While Liz and Abe lead a platoon of agents and soldiers into the Hollow Earth, Kate Corrigan tries to juggle work with romance. She travels to Austria to explore the ruins of Hunte Castle—the haunted Nazi fortress where crime fighter Lobster Johnson died and Hellboy fought the Conqueror Worm—where she hopes to place Lobster Johnson's ghost to rest and make him free the spirit of Johann Kraus.

Lobster Johnson returns to the scene of his death!

BUCK ROGERS FROM RETRO A-GO-GO

On sale Feb 24

Buck Rogers 1930's Collection Frame $31.99

Buck Rogers 25th Century Frame $31.99

Buck Rogers Collage Frame $31.99

Buck Rogers Logo Belt Buckle $21.99

Buck Rogers Ray Gun Belt Buckle $21.99

Buck Rogers Ray Gun Cigarette Case $29.99

Buck Rogers Rocket Man Belt Buckle $21.99

Buck Rogers Rocket Man Cigarette Case $29.99

Buck Rogers Small Case $22.99

Buck Rogers Space Girls Unite Belt Buckle $21.99

Buck Rogers Spaceship Key Chain $12.00

Buck Rogers Spaceship Small Case $22.99

Buck Rogers Vintage Cigarette Case $29.99

Buck Rogers Vintage Key Chain $12.00

Buck Rogers Wilma Cigarette Case $29.99

Buck Rogers Wilma Key Chain $12.00

Dark Horse is proud to introduce a stunning line of officially- licensed Buck Rogers accessories, produced by our friends at Retro-A-Go-Go for the modern space traveler! High quality stainless steel card cases to carry all your off world identification. Highlight the keys to your rocket car with our Art Deco inspired key chains. Or decorate your moon base with one of the stylish and functional photo frames! Buck Roger was ahead of his time, and guess what? He still is!

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #32: TWILIGHT part 1 (of 5)

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

On sale Feb 3

FC, 40 pages

$2.99

Ongoing

Faster than a speeding—you know. More powerful than a—yeah, one of those. Able to leap tall . . . castles in a single bound. Still working on that x-ray-vision thing. In the aftermath of battle with Twilight's army, Buffy has developed a host of new powers, but when will the other shoe drop, and will it be a cute shoe, or an ugly one? Still reeling from the losses of war, Willow goes looking for missing allies and discovers a horrifying truth about several of the Slayer army's recent ordeals.

Series artist Georges Jeanty, acclaimed novelist and comics writer Brad Meltzer (The Book of Lies, Identity Crisis), and executive producer Joss Whedon begin the buildup to Season Eight's climax in the storyline that finally reveals the identity of Twilight!

• The storyline revealing Twilight's true identity!

• Eisner Award-winning series.

Best-selling author Brad Meltzer joins Buffy Season Eight!

THE CHRONICLES OF KULL VOLUME 2: THE HELL BENEATH ATLANTIS AND OTHER STORIES

Roy Thomas (W), Gerry Conway (W), Steve Englehart (W), Doug Moench (W), Marie Severin (A), Michael Ploog (A), Ed Hannigan (A), and Alfredo Alcala (A)

On sale Apr 7

FC, 108 pages

$18.99

TPB, 7" x 10"

Dark Horse Comics presents the exciting second volume of The Chronicles of Kull, which completes the Kull the Conqueror run with #10—written by Gerry Conway and drawn by Marie Severin—and launches Kull the Destroyer, featuring the creative talents of such esteemed creators as Roy Thomas, Mike Ploog, Alfredo Alcala, and Ed Hannigan! This action-packed tome details Kull's surprising exile from Valusia and his return to Atlantis, where he faces the deadly kraken, winged demons, and the god of flame and frost! In these uncertain times for the former King of Valusia, Kull finds allies among enemies and fiends whom he would once have called friends!

• The Chronicles of Kull Volume 2: The Hell Beneath Atlantis and Other Stories reprints Kull the Conqueror #10 and Kull the Destroyer #11 through #20 in their stunning original colors, digitally cleaned and remastered!

• Features the writing of the legendary Gerry Conway, Roy Thomas, and Doug Moench!

• Art by the inimitable Marie Severin, Ed Hannigan, and Alfredo Alcala!

THE COMICS: AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF COMIC STRIP ART

Jerry Robinson (W), Walt Kelly (A), Winsor McCay (A), Milt Caniff (A), Hal Foster (A), and others

On sale Apr 14

FC, 296 pages

$24.99

TPB, 9" x 12"

From Jerry Robinson, legendary creator of the Joker, seventy-year veteran of the comics industry, and prominent figure in monthly books, daily strips, and comics journalism, comes a comprehensive history of the truly American art form! The Comics is a fully reworked and updated edition of the 1974 classic that chronicles the origins and evolution of comic strips, from prior to the Yellow Kid through today, and highlights the game-changing contributions of such creative luminaries as Milton Caniff, Walt Kelly, Hal Foster, and Winsor McCay, among countless others. A fascinating resource of enduring excellence for fans of the art form, historians, and casual readers alike, this edition has been extensively revisited by Robinson and tells the stories behind the newsprint page.

• The Comics is an authoritative history of the medium from living legend Jerry Robinson!

• Other books by Jerry Robinson include the biography Skippy and Percy Crosby and The 1970s: Best Political Cartoons of the Decade.

CONAN THE CIMMERIAN #19: KOZAKI part 1 (of 3)

Timothy Truman (W/P), Tomás Giorello (P), José Villarrubia (C), Justin Sweet (Cover), and Joseph Michael Linsner (Cover)

On sale Feb 17

FC, 40 pages

$2.99

Ongoing

Tomás Giorello returns to full penciling duties—with the remarkable colors of José Villarrubia fleshing out each page—and Timothy Truman scripts this first episode in a new, three-issue story arc entitled "Kozaki"! After burning a few bridges and making some questionable choices, mainly fueled by jealousy over Prince Julion's recent appearance in Khoraja and a hatred for pampered royalty and their courtly life, Conan leaves Yasmela and her palace behind. Now leading Amalric's mercenary army, Conan is again responsible for the lives of others. But is he skilled and experienced enough to do the job right? In this issue, we'll also discover more bleak premonitions and clues concerning Conan's near future, when Conan and his companions leave organized mercenary life behind in order to survive as a group of raiders and looters. Such actions will undoubtedly draw the attentions of others, though, and the troubles that began for Conan in the previous "Free Companions" arc are far from over!

• This issue features a cover by guest cover artist Justin Sweet—illustrator for Del Rey Books' Kull: Exile of Atlantis prose collection!

"The latest incarnation of Conan has done nothing but live up to its predecessors."

—Broken Frontier

DEVIL #1 (of 4)

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

On sale Feb Feb 3

FC, 24 pages

$2.99

Miniseries

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.

A virus is raging across the planet, turning people into bloodsucking superhumans referred to as "Devils." Most victims die within days, sometimes months, but there's a new strain, a new class of Devil that threatens to overtake mankind with power and bloodthirst. This new class of Devils derive from an experiment to clone a virus victim, and it looks like science has created a true monster this time. Can Takimoto and the Devil Investigation Section of the Tokyo police force stop this societal scourge? We'll just have to see.

• Exclusive comic specifically for the American audience and only available from Dark Horse!

This disease will devour mankind.

DOMO

Domo 2" Mystery Qee Figures Series 2 Display Case

On sale Mar 24

15 figures

$134.85

Domo 2" Qee Series 2 Figures

Domo Qee Flocked Classic Brown

Domo Qee Skeleton

Domo Qee Flocked Pink

Domo Qee Metallic Orange

Domo Qee Rusty

On sale Mar 24

$8.99

Following the smashing success of our collaboration with Toy2R on the first series of the 2" Domo Qee, we are excited to present an all new assortment of colorful designs. You like raindrops, candy canes, or even glowing radioactivity?! This new series of figures has all that and more!

This freshly hatched offering features fifteen all new limited-edition versions consisting of five new-flocked color Domo Qees as well as ten other fabulous designs, including the ultra rare Mystery figure.

Which one will you get? Well, you won't know until the box is opened!

As a supplement to our Domo Qee Series 2 figures, we have also created 5 limited edition Domo Qee designs that are will be available individually on blister card. With the exception of the Flocked Classic Brown Domo Qee, these exciting new designs are not available in the Series 2 Display Case.

EERIE ARCHIVES VOLUME 4

Various (W/A)

On sale Apr 14

b&w, 260 pages

$49.99

HC, 8 3/8" x 10 7/8"

Join Frank Frazetta, Steve Ditko, John Severin, Gene Colan, Angelo Torres, and other legendary artists for an eerie excursion through the haunted halls of comics history, as Dark Horse Comics unleashes the fourth big volume of Eerie magazine archives. Vampires, ghouls, werewolves, and ax-wielding maniacs are only the beginning of the thrills you'll find inside this huge collection crafted by the most gifted storytellers the medium of comics has ever known. You'll get 260 pages of luridly luscious artwork collected into a magazine-sized, dust-jacketed hardcover.

• This series has appeared multiple times on the New York Times Bestseller List.

• Eerie Archives Volume 4 contains bonus color pages.

GELASKINS

On sale Feb 24

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 over twenty new designs to their line of protective skins for laptops and phones.

Our next wave of designs characters from Tim Burton and Weta Collectibles' Dr. Grordbort, the new line of GelaSkins is the perfect way to protect your technology while showing off your signature style.

GROO: THE HOGS OF HORDER #4 (of 4)

Mark Evanier (W), Sergio Aragonés (A), and Tom Luth (C)

On sale Feb 24

FC, 32 pages

$3.99

Miniseries

The kingdom of Horder is about to be destroyed by the most horrendous and least stoppable force in the world . . . and, amazingly, it isn't Groo! But he's around and making his presence known, which means that he's making things worse. If you didn't buy the first three issues, buy this one, see how it ends, and then go back and find the first three so you have a clue as to what any of it means. From the infamous and award-winning team of Sergio Aragonés and Mark Evanier, with Stan Sakai and Tom Luth and, yes, a real. live letters column!

• Legendary Mad magazine cartoonist Sergio recently celebrated twenty-five years of Groo the Wanderer, and fans of mulch and cheese dip still can't get enough!

HELLSING VOLUME 10

Kohta Hirano (W/A)

On sale Apr 28

b&w, 192 pages

$13.99

TPB, 5" x 7"

One of the best things about Kohta Hirano's sexy apocalypse of warring vampires, Nazis, Catholics, werewolves, and Australian mercenaries is that all the way up to, and possibly through, this final volume, we don't know who's going to win. The streets of London are awash in blood, a zeppelin descends á la Hindenburg, and six of our favorite characters are locked in face-off fights. It's possible that no one will come away from this crescendo "alive." Of course, we're not sure who's alive or undead at this point. But what's most certain is that London needs babies, because there isn't a civilian soul left alive in this battle to the undeath. Alas, Hellsing, we knew you well.

• There are well over half a million copies of the Dark Horse Hellsing series in print!

• This is the final volume, the end of a very popular series. And yet, the protagonist lives…

• All volumes of the Dark Horse version of Hellsing are published in the original Japanese format!

MASS EFFECT: REDEMPTION #2 (of 4)

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

On sale Feb 3

FC, 32 pages

$3.50

Miniseries

Mass Effect 2 lead writer Mac Walters unravels more of the mystery behind BioWare's latest science-fiction epic!

Liara T'Soni searches Omega—the most dangerous space station in the galaxy—for clues that could save Commander Shepard, humanity's greatest hero!

A compelling adventure for any fan of smart science fiction, Mass Effect: Redemption exclusively tells a pivotal chapter in the story of Mass Effect 2, the feverishly anticipated sequel to the acclaimed game that has sold over two million copies!

• An ad for Mass Effect: Redemption—with the comic shop locator—will appear inside every copy of Mass Effect 2!

OH MY GODDESS! VOLUME 35

Kosuke Fujishima (W/A)

On sale Apr 28

b&w, 160 pages

$10.99

TPB, 5 1/8" x 7 1/4"

Ever since a cosmic phone call led five literal young goddesses—Belldandy, Urd, Skuld, and, like occasional vowels, Peorth and Lind—to live in college student Keiichi's residence, his personal life has been turned upside down, sideways, and sometimes even into strange dimensions!

Keiichi knew something was strange when his brutish seniors gave him a "gift" of a vintage camera to repair, but only learns how strange when he and Belldandy search out the identity of the beautiful girl whose picture they still find inside . . . a picture taken more than forty years ago! Plus 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!

"Oh My Goddess! is an eternally charming manga series with magical humor and a big heart." —Active Anime

RAPTURE

Michael Avon Oeming (W/A) and Taki Soma (W)

On sale Apr 21

FC, 144 pages

$19.99

TPB, 7" x 10"

After warring for a century, Earth's greatest champions and villains suddenly disappear, leaving the planet decimated. Like a rapture, the Powers are gone and humanity is left behind to pick up the pieces. Amongst this wreckage, two lovers, Evelyn and Gil, find themselves separated by a continent and will do anything to find each other again. But when a strange being named "the Word" turns Evelyn into a champion with an angelic spear, she finds the force of her love for Gil clashing with her newfound power. Love and destiny collide in what will become the worst breakup ever!

• Rapture is the first Dark Horse effort from creators Taki Soma (You'll Never Die) and Michael Avon Oeming (The Mice Templar).

THE SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN VOLUME 7

Chris Claremont (W), Michael Fleisher (W), Bruce Jones (W), John Buscema (P), Ernie Chan (I), Alfredo Alcala (I), and others

On sale Apr 28

b&w, 560 pages

$17.99

TPB, 7" x 10"

In The Savage Sword of Conan Volume 7, Conan faces brigands; magicians; gigantic mutated creatures; nameless, hideous demons; and a tenacious new foe—the disfigured, metal-clad Captain Sharaq. Some of Conan's most unusual and exciting adventures are reprinted here, including "The Colossus of Shem," "Demons of the Firelight—Parts One and Two," "The Cave Dwellers," and others. These vicious tales are scripted by Michael Fleisher, Chris Claremont, and Bruce Jones, and drawn by some of The Savage Sword's finest artistic contributors, like John Buscema, Ernie Chan, Alfredo Alcala, Val Mayerik, and Joe Chiodo!

• The Dark Horse Savage Sword of Conan reprint series has proven to be giant sized, with over 90,000 copies sold!

• This volume, which collects The Savage Sword of Conan #72 to #84, also includes Conan covers, frontispieces, and pinups from each issue!

• For the first time, these classic stories are being collected in a series of omnibus-style books, with over five hundred pages of sword-and-sorcery adventure in each volume—for the complete Conan collector!

SOLOMON KANE: DEATH'S BLACK RIDERS #2 (of 4)

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

On sale Feb 10

FC, 32 pages

$3.50

Miniseries

Travelers beware! The roads of Germany's Black Forest are haunted by all manner of wolf, bandit, and demon! After a harrowing battle with the disgusting and deadly Black Rider creatures, even confident, stalwart combatants like Solomon Kane and the mysterious L'Armon know enough to seek safety during the sinister hours of the night. The shelter they've stumbled upon looks foreboding, but its heavy doors will keep those that lurk in the forest at bay. However, will the wickedness within this strange tavern prove to be deadlier than the evil beasts roaming outside? Solomon Kane and L'Armon will soon find out. They're staying at the ominously named Cleft Skull—a place, it is said, that few come to visit twice! Scott Allie (Star Wars: Empire, Exurbia) adapts Robert E. Howard's classic "Rattle of Bones" tale, as Mario Guevara (The Lone Ranger and Tonto) and Juan Ferreyra (Rex Mundi, Small Gods) join him in another excursion into horror, suspense, and adventure.

"Solomon Kane is a welcome addition to the other excellent Howard properties produced by Dark Horse."—Comics Bulletin

"Guevara's art is the right fit for this series; it's dark and moody—just like Kane."

—Comics Buyer's Guide

STAR WARS: DARK TIMES VOLUME 4—BLUE HARVEST

Mick Harrison (W), Douglas Wheatley (P/Cover), and Dave McCaig (C)

On sale Apr 7

FC, 136 pages

$17.99

TPB, 7" x 10"

Three months after the events in Revenge of the Sith . . .

In a time when all Jedi are fugitives, surviving Jedi Dass Jennir is trying to live as an outlaw without actually becoming one. Accepting a job from a mysterious beauty, Jennir sets out to rid her town of a gang of slave runners. But when he finds that his employer hasn't been completely honest with him, he begins to doubt the course she's set him on. Outlaw or not, there's one thing he knows for certain: he has vowed to save this town—and a Jedi never gives up!

Meanwhile, Darth Vader makes a discovery that has him questioning his own future and the plans of Emperor Palpatine. There are many questions and few answers in these dark times!

• Collects Star Wars: Dark Times #13–#17.

• The first two volumes of Star Wars: Dark Times have combined to sell over 27,000 copies!

• Explore the uncharted Star Wars era between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope in Star Wars: Dark Times!

STAR WARS: KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC #50—DEMON part 4 (of 4)

John Jackson Miller (W), Brian Ching (P), Michael Atiyeh (C), and Benjamin Carré (Cover)

On sale Feb 17

FC, 40 pages

$2.99

Ongoing

The saga of Zayne Carrick, the Padawan-turned-undercover-and-unexpected-hero, ends in this last issue of the series that has been a part of the Dark Horse Star Wars line since 2006! Don't miss this final issue!

Zayne and the Mandalorian Rohlan rush to aid their friend Jarael against the demented scientist Demagol and the vicious slaver Chantique. If they can arrive in time, there is a chance that everything will turn out in their favor—but with Zayne's ever-awkward connection to the Force, nothing is certain . . .

The final issue!

STAR WARS: LEGACY #45—MONSTER part 3 (of 4)

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

On sale Feb 24

FC, 40 pages

$2.99

Ongoing

Wayland is a world overrun with Yuuzhan Vong flora and fauna—almost all of it hostile to humans. Cade and his friends have been separated, Deliah Blue has been captured, and they're about to meet the source of all of the Vongspawn!

Elsewhere, the Jedi, Roan Fel's Imperials, and the Sith are preparing to converge on Agamar—revealing some unexpected alliances . . .

STAR WARS: THE OLD REPUBLIC VOLUME 1—THREAT OF PEACE

Rob Chestney (W), Alex Sanchez (A), and Michael Atiyeh (C)

On sale Apr 28

FC, 96 pages

$15.99

TPB, 7" x 10"

An exclusive first look at the era of Star Wars: The Old Republic, written by one of the writers behind LucasArts and BioWare's wildly anticipated massive multiplayer online game, Threat of Peace unveils a galaxy on the brink of destruction three hundred years after the events of Knights of the Old Republic!

For decades, the Galactic Republic and the Sith Empire have been at war—the Sith have gained control of the Outer Rim, but their efforts to penetrate the Core Worlds have so far been thwarted. Now, representatives from both sides attempt to negotiate a peace treaty—but deception by the Sith puts the Jedi in an unfortunate position.

• Collects Star Wars: The Old Republic issues #1–#27, which appeared previously only online at swtor.com.

• Star Wars: The Old Republic Volume 1—Threat of Peace includes critical events prior to LucasArts and BioWare's soon-to-be-released massive multiplayer online game and is written by one of the writers behind the game!

Discover a new Star Wars era!

STAR WARS OMNIBUS: BOBA FETT

Thomas Andrews (W), Mike Kennedy (W), Ron Marz (W), John Ostrander (W), Ian Gibson (A), Cam Kennedy (A), Francisco Ruiz Velasco (A), and others

On sale Apr 14

FC, 496 pages

$24.99

TPB, 6" x 9"

Boba Fett, the most feared, most respected, and most loved bounty hunter in the galaxy, now has all of his comics stories collected into one massive volume!

In these stories, Boba Fett gets caught between the Rebellion and the Empire; seeks a mysterious relic from a wrecked Star Destroyer; settles a diplomatic dispute—with extreme prejudice; takes part in a bounty-hunter free-for-all; fights Darth Vader; and even goes up against a Boba Fett impostor! There's no job too deadly for the man in Mandalorian armor!

• A complete collection of Boba Fett tales!

• Boba Fett encounters Darth Vader, Han Solo, and . . . another Boba Fett?

• The Dark Horse Star Wars Omnibus series gives you over 400 big pages for only $24.99!

THE TALE OF ONE BAD RAT

Bryan Talbot (W/A)

On sale Apr 28

FC, 136 pages

$19.99

HC, 7" x 10"

Helen Potter lived a happy life until she got lost in a nightmare of sexual abuse. Now she's on a journey, a journey which takes her through urban and rural England along the same path that another Potter, Beatrix Potter, once took. Across the decades, two lives touch, and Helen discovers that the strength of two is far greater than one.

Bryan Talbot constructs a very special story in The Tale of One Bad Rat, which immediately endears the reader. The victim of childhood sexual abuse, Helen Potter becomes the armored knight before her own personal demons in this story of heroism and courage.

• This new deluxe hardcover edition features a new foreword by Neil Gaiman, updated background material, plus entirely new color separations that better highlight the dazzling artwork of this acclaimed, Eisner Award winning graphic novel.

• "A story of strength and pain and survival." —Neil Gaiman

• "Thoroughly excellent." —Alan Moore

USAGI YOJIMBO #126: NUKEKUBI

Stan Sakai (W/A)

On sale Feb 24

b&w, 24 pages

$3.50

Ongoing

The rabbit ronin faces a terrifying creature from Japanese mythology in this creepy, self-contained story! Nukekubi are supernatural monsters that take the form of normal humans during the day, but at night can detach their heads to attack their unsuspecting prey. Invited to take refuge in an isolated mountain hut, Usagi doesn't notice anything suspicious about the house until he is awakened late at night by strange noises and a feeling of danger. Immediately, he sees the screaming head of his host—with sharpened cannibal teeth—flying down from the rafters!

A self-contained tale of supernatural horror!

VAMPIRE HUNTER D READER'S GUIDE

Hideyuki Kikuchi (W) and Yoshitaka Amano (A)

On sale Apr 21

b&w, 240 pages

$13.99

TPB, 5 7/8" x 8 1/4"

An international sensation for more than two decades, the now-legendary monster killer known only as "D" has conquered the worlds of movies and comics, and, since the publication of the first novel in English in 2004, is becoming just as popular in America and the English-speaking world as he has been in Japan for more than a dozen novels. Now, for the first time, go behind the scenes of the phenomenon. With rare artwork from Yoshitaka Amano and interviews that shed light on the inspirations for the memorable stories, you'll have a front-row seat at the creation of the two animated adventures of Vampire Hunter D and learn new secrets about the novels through detailed summaries.

• Dark Horse has sold over 300,000 copies of Vampire Hunter D!

• This volume contains a Vampire Hunter D short story from the character's creator, Hideyuki Kikuchi.

• Featuring sneak peeks from upcoming novels, an extensive dictionary, and exclusive sketches and interviews!

WITCHFINDER: IN THE SERVICE OF ANGELS

Mike Mignola (W), Ben Stenbeck (A), and Dave Stewart (C)

On sale Apr 28

FC, 160 pages

$17.99

TPB, 7" x 10"

Mike Mignola teams up with artist Ben Stenbeck (B.P.R.D.: The Ectoplasmic Man) for a look into one of the Hellboy universe's greatest enigmas: nineteenth-century occult investigator Edward Grey!

In one of Grey's first cases as an agent of the queen, he goes from the sparkling echelons of Victorian London to its dark underbelly, facing occult conspiracies, a rampaging monster, and the city's most infamous secret society: The Heliopic Brotherhood of Ra.

• Collects Witchfinder: In the Service of Angels #1-#5.

• This volume also includes "Witchfinder: Murderous Intent," from MySpace Dark Horse Presents #16, by Mignola and Stenbeck, and "Henry Hood: The Burial of Katharine Baker," from Hellboy: The Wild Hunt, by Solomon Kane writer Scott Allie and Abe Sapien: The Haunted Boy artist Patric Reynolds!

"All in all, this is a detective story that blends just the right amount of cerebral investigation with Mignola's trademark horror and adventure. And perhaps best of all, the story stands on its own very well, regardless of your past experience with Hellboy or B.P.R.D.." —IGN.com

WONDERMARK VOLUME 3: DAPPER CAPS & PEDAL-COPTERS

David Malki (W/A)

On sale Apr 7

FC, 96 pages

$16.99

HC, 8 3/4" x 8 1/2"

It's Wondermark time again! Come along for the ride as Dark Horse returns to David Malki's silly, bizarre, and hilarious world that's not quite present day, not quite the Victorian era, and not like anything else you've seen before. (Unless you've read the previous Wondermark books, of course!) This newest volume of the Eisner-nominated series contains over one hundred comic strips originally published in The Onion and on wondermark.com, plus many pages of additional material by creator David Malki. More than just webcomic collections, the Wondermark books have been praised for their magnificent design and loads of extra content for casual readers and superfans alike.

• New installments of Wondermark appear twice weekly at wondermark.com, along with a hilarious blog from David Malki! The Wondermark site enjoys over 140,000 unique visitors per month.

• Wondermark is nationally syndicated in the print edition of The Onion, enjoying a circulation of over 700,000!

Dark Horse Comics® and the Dark Horse logo are trademarks of Dark Horse Comics, Inc., registered in various categories and countries. All rights reserved. • Text and illustrations of Achewood™: The Great Outdoor Fight © 2009 Chris Onstad. • Aliens vs. Predator © 2009 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. Aliens™ & © 1986, 2009 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. Predator™ & © 1987, 2009 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved. TM indicates a trademark of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. • The Book of Grickle™ © 2009 Graham Annable. • B.P.R.D.™ © 2008 Mike Mignola. • Buffy the Vampire Slayer™ & © 1998, 2008 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved. TM designates a trademark of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. • The Comics™ © 2009 Jerry Robinson. Illustrations are trademarks and copyrights of the respective owners. • The Chronicles of Kull © 2009 Kull Productions Inc. ("KPI"). KULL, KULL OF ATLANTIS, and related logos, characters, names, and distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks or registered trademarks of KPI. All rights reserved. • Conan © 2008 Conan Properties International LLC ("CPI"). CONAN, CONAN THE BARBARIAN, and related logos, characters, names, and distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks or registered trademarks of CPI. • Eerie © 2008 New Comic Company. • Text and illustrations of Groo™ & © 2009 Sergio Aragonés. • HELLSING volume 10 © KOHTA HIRANO 1998. Originally published in Japan in 1998 by SHONEN GAHOSHA Co., Ltd., TOKYO. English translation rights arranged with SHONEN GAHOSHA Co., Ltd., TOKYO through TOHAN CORPORATION, TOKYO. English translation copyright Dark Horse Comics, Inc./Digital Manga, Inc. • Mass Effect © 2009 EA International (Studio and Publishing) Ltd. Mass Effect, Mass Effect logo, BioWare and BioWare logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of EA International (Studio and Publishing) Ltd. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All Rights Reserved. • Oh My Goddess! © 2009 Kosuke Fujishima. All rights reserved. First published in Japan in 2007 by Kodansha Ltd., Tokyo. Publication rights for this English edition arranged through Kodansha Ltd.

• Text and illustrations of Rapture™ © 2009 Michael Avon Oeming & Taki Soma. • Savage Sword of Conan © 2009 Conan Properties International LLC ("CPI"). CONAN, CONAN THE BARBARIAN, THE SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN, HYBORIA, and related logos, characters, names, and distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks or registered trademarks of CPI, excluding RED SONJA which is a trademark or registered trademark of Red Sonja LLC. All rights reserved. • Solomon Kane: Death's Black Riders © 2009 Solomon Kane Inc. ("SKI"). SOLOMON KANE, and related logos, characters, names, and distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks or registered trademarks of SKI. All rights reserved. • Star Wars© Lucasfilm Ltd. & ™. All rights reserved. Used under authorization. • Entire contents of The Tale of One Bad Rat are copyright © 2009 Bryan Talbot. All prominent characters and their likenesses are trademarks of Bryan Talbot. All rights reserved. • Usagi Yojimbo™ © 2009 Stan Sakai. • Witchfinder: In the Service of Angels™ © 2009 Mike Mignola. • Text and illustrations of Wondermark™ © 2009 David Malki.

Original post blogged on ComicList.

Solomon Kane: The heart of another is a dark forest

ComicList — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:46:52 +0000

Media Release -- Taking place after the events in Solomon Kane: The Castle of the Devil -- but written to stand on its own -- this new series delves deep into the horrors scattered throughout Germany's Black Forest. When Kane comes across gypsies being terrorized by roving bandits, he's not sure what's worse -- the bandits who wish to rob and rape innocent travelers or the evils that spew forth from the forest, intent on killing every man and woman around!

With creature designs by Eisner Award-winning artist Guy Davis, this series uses Robert E. Howard's "Death's Black Riders" fragment and the "Rattle of Bones" short story as springboards to launch into a suspenseful and terrifying new excursion with Howard's troubled Puritan hero.

Dark Horse's new Solomon Kane series features the return of writer Scott Allie and artist Mario Guevara (The Lone Ranger and Tonto), who are joined by colorist Juan Ferreyra (Rex Mundi) and cover artist Darick Robertson (The Boys, Transmetropolitan)!

"With art and writing that perfectly captures the pulp weirdness of his birth, Solomon Kane officially becomes the only Puritan I've ever been a fan of. Don't miss out on these weird tales, you'll regret it." -Ed Brubaker

Solomon Kane: Death's Black Riders #1 kicks off the four issue limited series on January 13, 2010 (NOV090029). Each 32 page full color issue carries a $3.50 SRP.

Original post blogged on ComicList.

ComicList: Dark Horse for 11/11/2009

ComicList — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:42:56 +0000

ComicList: Dark Horse for 11/11/2009

Blood Song A Silent Ballad GN (Dark Horse Edition), $19.95
BPRD 1947 #5 (Of 5), $2.99
BPRD Vol 2 Soul Of Venice And Other Stories TP (3rd printing)(Release not confirmed by Diamond Distribution), AR
BPRD Vol 4 The Dead TP (4th printing)(Release not confirmed by Diamond Distribution), AR
Citizen Rex #5 (Of 6), $3.50
DH Capsule Adopt a Puppy Figures, AR
DH Capsule Ben 10 Figures, AR
DH Capsule Homies Series 11, AR
DH Capsule Nick Jr Figures, AR
DH Capsule Spider Man Superballs, AR
DH Capsule Spongebob Stickers, AR
Domo 5.5 Inch Flocked Vinyl Figure Green, $24.99
Electropolis TP, $14.95
Hellboy The Wild Hunt #8 (Of 8), $2.99
Insomnia Cafe HC, $14.95
Oh My Goddess Vol 13 TP, $10.95
Rapture #5 (Of 6)(Matt Wagner Variant Cover), $2.99
Rapture #5 (Of 6)(Michael Avon Oeming Regular Cover), $2.99
Star Wars Knights Of The Old Republic Vol 2 Flashpoint TP (2nd printing)(Release not confirmed by Diamond Distribution), AR
Star Wars Omnibus Emissaries And Assassins (2nd printing)(Release not confirmed by Diamond Distribution), AR
Star Wars Tag & Bink Were Here TP (3rd printing)(Release not confirmed by Diamond Distribution), AR
Star Wars The Clone Wars #10 (Hero Of The Confederacy Part 1 Of 3), $2.99
Star Wars Purge Seconds To Die (One Shot Wonders), $3.50
Tokidoki Coaster Set, $12.99

ComicList: Dark Horse Comics for Wednesday, November 11, 2009, by Charles LePage.

Now that you've read the list, subscribe via email or RSS, use the ComicList Printable Checklist, and catalogue your comics with Collectorz.com Comic Collector!

PLEASE NOTE- Not all of these titles will actually arrive in all stores. Let me know if any of the names or numbers are wrong. To find a local comic book shop, please browse The Master List of Comic Book & Trading Card Stores.

Original post blogged on ComicList.

Geek Goggle Reviews: Star Wars Invasion #5

ComicList — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:14:36 +0000

Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

Star Wars Invasion #5 of 5
Dark Horse Comics
Taylor, Wilson & Dzioba

Star Wars Invasion wraps up the first arc with the core Solo group figuring out that the Vong are masquerading as humans while the counter offensive led by factions of Finn's family seems to be working well. The issue has some sneaking around and some level action, but for the most part it is not a big bang ending that you might expect from a finale. On the other hand the arc's ending doesn't leave any wide open cliffhanger either. Instead what the issue has is simply a gentle ending to the beginning of a much larger story. It's a perfectly good comic book, but doesn't deliver the usual Star Wars fanfare that you might expect in an ending issue.

The issue opens with the jailbreak, led by Kaye, on the Vong's ship. This part of the comic may be the best as Kaye's character advances to become a full fledged leader. It's not just that she barks out orders and people listen to her, but she has the sarcasm and snappiness that you might have come accustomed to from Leia or Han from the movies. Kaye proves herself to be an interesting character and one worth watching.

The comic moves to Finn and the Solo family as they begin to track down a smuggler that has information about the Vong's invasion. The cat and mouse game that has Finn tracking various scum around the city is okay, but nothing too exciting. The plot development when they determine how the Vong have been infiltrating humans for years is where the story really jumps off the ground.

The comic ends as the reader begins to understand how the traitors are operating while some of the new characters begin to form a more widespread plan to fight back.

The issue has its ups and downs. Probably the most frustrating part of the comic is how difficult it is to distinguish the Solo children. Perhaps the majority of the audience has read the novels, but for those that have not it doesn't feel like any of the kids were established at all. To me, their dialogue is completely transferable to any other character and that's not a good thing.

The high point is the array of new characters we have and how they have been fleshed out. Whether it's the warrior, Arbeloa, Finn or the Queen, we have a bunch of new and interesting characters that are capable of supporting stories on their own. Sure, they fall into familiar stereotypes, but they have just enough uniqueness to make them likable.

The artwork is perhaps the best in this issue out of the whole series. I found the suspense and limited action to really add to the mood very well. I liked the color choices as well as I felt it turned away from the darkness of the previous issues which lends itself to some level of symbolic hope.

This mini series is just the first piece of the first act of the larger story. The comic book doesn't contain chases, huge gunfights or light saber duels. Instead it relies on laying out a long term plot using the slow burn style. It's a good comic that ties in new characters with established original trilogy characters very well. I enjoyed the story.

3.5 out of 5 geek goggles

Original post blogged on ComicList.