Dark Horse Comics April 2006 Solicitations

AEON FLUX TPB
MIKE KENNEDY (W) and TIMOTHY GREEN II (A)
On sale May 17, SC, 96pg, FC, 7" x 10", $12.95

Four hundred years in the future, the last of Humanity will live behind the protective walls of Bregna, an idyllic utopia built to shelter them from the deadly jungle growing beyond. Life in Bregna is perfect, or as perfect as the government can make the people believe. But not everyone is fooled by their mood-altering propaganda—a small band of freedom fighters wish to see things change, and they just might manage to pull off this impossible dream with the help of their top secret agent, the sexy, deadly Aeon Flux. As Bregnan authorities prepare a new weapon to use against the jungle pounding at their walls, Aeon prepares to turn their plans against them. But this time she is not alone—she has been instructed to train a new agent, a fiery young woman named Sithandra, who may not be all that she appears. Collecting the four-issue miniseries.

ARCHENEMIES #1 (of 4)
DREW MELBOURNE (W), YVEL GUICHET (P), JOE RUBINSTEIN (I), RICK HILTBRUNNER (C), and JIM KEPLINGER (L)
On sale April 5, FC, 32pg, $2.99

Ethan has no idea that Vincent, his roommate, is the villainous Underlord. Vincent has no clue that Ethan is the superhero called Star Fighter. In their costumed identities, they're mortal enemies, but as Ethan and Vincent they're the best of . . . wait, NO, as Ethan and Vincent they STILL hate each other's guts. Can comics' ultimate, super-powered odd couple keep their secrets secret AND learn to live together in peace? ArchEnemies is high-concept superhero action comedy drama times eleven. In our debut issue, it's a battle of wills as Ethan and Vincent try to drive each other OUT of the apartment and OFF the lease. But, in a moment of weakness, will one roommate go too far? [SPOILER ALERT: Yes. Yes, he will.]

Written by Drew Melbourne (stand-up comedian, South Bronx public school teacher, and freelance writer), with pencils by Yvel Guichet (Batman: Harley Quinn; X-Men Unlimited) and inks by comic book veteran Joe Rubenstein (Formerly known as the Justice League and "practically everything else at some point over the past several decades!")

BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL #112: ON THE PERFECTION OF ANATOMY part 1 (of 6)
HIROAKI SAMURA (W/A)
On sale April 12, b&w, 32pg, $2.99

Yamada Asaemon, the Shogun’s executioner and sword tester, arrives at Burando’s request! Known as Kubikiri Asa, the legend of this historical figure is explored in Dark Horse’s Samurai Executioner series, and his presence will certainly be felt in Blade of the Immortal! Medical examiner Burando continues his studies on limb transfers and Manji’s immortal body, with the hope that Asaemon’s deadly, precise skills can quicken the pace! Hiroaki Samura’s wild samurai ride takes a darker turn, as his horrific “On the Perfection of Anatomy” story arc begins! This issue also sports a beautiful, wraparound Rin cover, painted by Samura. FOR MATURE READERS

B.P.R.D. THE UNIVERSAL MACHINE #1 (of 5)
MIKE MIGNOLA (W/Cover), JOHN ARCUDI (W), GUY DAVIS (A), and DAVE STEWART (C)
On sale April 5, FC, 32pg, $2.99

After their catastrophic encounter with the monster-god Katha Hem, the B.P.R.D. begin the work of trying to pick up the pieces and rebuild the team. Kate Corrigan travels to rural France in search of an ancient text that might undo the death of Roger, while back at B.P.R.D. Headquarters, Captain Daimio finally reveals the truth about his own death.

Hellboy creator Mike Mignola, with artist Guy Davis and co-writer John Arcudi, launch the five-part series that will determine the future of the B.P.R.D., while revealing key secrets about their past.

CONAN #27
KURT BUSIEK (W), TIM TRUMAN (P), TONY HARRIS (Cover), and DAVE STEWART (C)
On sale April 19, FC, 32pg, $2.99

Double-barreled action as two tales intertwine! In one, Conan leads a daring raid in the high mountain ranges of the East for the prize of a new-minted crown. Is this the beginning of Conan’s kingdom, or will treachery and guile bring him down? In the other storyline, the Prince and his Wazir face turmoil on the empire’s border, and must punish a daring rebel—but is it justice? How the two tales, set centuries apart, affect one another make for surprise twists and a unique showdown that sets the stage for serious trouble to come.

CONAN: BOOK OF THOTH #2 (of 4)
KURT BUSIEK (W), LEN WEIN (W), KELLEY JONES (A/Cover), and MICHELLE MADSEN (C)
On sale April 19, FC, 48pg, $4.99

The young acolyte Thoth-amon rises quickly through the priestly ranks of Ibis as one by one his fellows fall victim to grisly deaths by an unseen hand. Bewildered and powerless to halt the carnage, one priest fears he has discovered the source of the evil encroaching upon the city, only to learn that the truth is far more horrifying than anyone could have imagined. Meanwhile, the citizens of Memphia are losing faith in the ability of Ibis to protect them, and rumors are spreading of a far more powerful and ancient deity—the snake-god Set.

This essential piece of the Conan mythos uncovering the origin of his greatest villain is co-written by Len Wein, creator of Swamp Thing and Wolverine, and Kurt Busiek, Eisner award-winning writer of the best-selling Conan ongoing series, and drawn by Kelley Jones, much-proclaimed master of horror!

CONAN VOLUME 3: THE TOWER OF THE ELEPHANT AND OTHER STORIES TPB & HC
KURT BUSIEK (W), CARY NORD (P), MICHAEL WM. KALUTA (P), and DAVE STEWART (C)
On sale June 21, SC, 168, FC, 7" x 10", $15.95
On sale May 17, HC, 168, FC, 7" x 10", $24.95

Eisner award-winning writer Kurt Busiek (JLA/Avengers, Astro City), Eisner award-nominated artist Cary Nord (Daredevil), and Eisner award-winning color artist Dave Stewart (Ultimate Fantastic Four; DC: The New Frontier) continue their roundbreaking run on Dark Horse’s best-selling Conan series with an adaptation of one of Robert E. Howard’s greatest Conan tales, “The Tower of the Elephant”!

Fed up with both civilization and mysticism, Conan travels to the infamous City of Thieves to take out his frustrations. When a bar fight uncovers the legend of the impregnable Tower of the Elephant, he becomes determined to rob it, setting out on a quest unlike any he’s undertaken—one that will involve new comrades, sudden death, horrifying creatures, and gruesome unsettling fates for both gods and men. Collecting Conan #0, #16-17, #19-22.

CONCRETE VOLUME 5: THINK LIKE A MOUNTAIN TPB
PAUL CHADWICK (W/A)
On sale May 24, SC, 208pg, b&w, 6" x 9", $12.95

Celebrity has its benefits . . . and its costs. Due to his status as the world’s most unusual travel writer—being a thousand pounds of walking, talking rock will do that—Concrete is approached by a group of radical eco-warriors to see firsthand and write about their efforts to save old-growth forest. What begins as a lark soon turns into a harrowing struggle, and Concrete must decide whether to dispassionately observe or to join these people who would risk anything, even life itself, to save the planet.

This value priced volume collects Think Like a Mountain #1-6; short stories: “Like Disneyland, Only Toxic,” “Stay Tuned for Pearl Harbor,” “A Billion Conscious Decisions,” “Objects of Value,” “Steel Rain,” various “A Sky of Heads” stories

THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON: TIME’S BLACK LAGOON Novel
PAUL DI FILIPPO (W)
On sale June 14, SC, 275pg, 4 1/8" x 6 7/8", $6.99

In 1954, deep in the Amazon Jungle, an expedition found what they assumed was one of those missing links in the chain of human evolution: an immensely powerful amphibian creature that seemed to step out of the mists of time. They tried to tame it, to break its will, to change its very being with surgery and torture, but the beast rebelled, killing almost all who stood in its way. But was the creature truly a throwback, a survivor of some prehistoric time before time . . . or was it something more?

In the year 2015 one scientist will try to answer those questions, using a time machine to pierce the veil of history and journey back to the distant Devonian era. What he finds there will not only splinter his vision of what the Creature might be, but may very well change the history of the human race forever!

Bending the conventions of what we feel we know about the Creature from the Black Lagoon on its ear, critically praised science fiction author Paul Di Filippo reinvents the classic monster with a tale of time travel, horror, and mystery that mixes the best elements of 1950s Cold War science-fiction with today’s cutting-edge cyberpunk in a vision of what terrors still lurk . . . in the swamp.

DREADFUL ED HC
ANDREW COSBY (W), Illustrated by TROY NIXEY, and DAVE STEWART (C)
On sale May 24, HC, 56pg, FC, 8" x 10 1/4", $12.95

Poor Ed! What’s a normal kid like him doing in a place like Nocturnia? He’s supposed to be the heir to the throne of his dastardly dad—otherwise known as the Boogeyman himself, Silas Grimm! But Ed just isn’t cut out for the work. Quiet, gentle, and altogether unspooky, it appears to everyone that Ed will never have what it takes to rule the land of nightmares and dark deeds.

Rather than giving up on his only heir, Silas ships Ed off to fright school, hoping his woefully un-strange little boy will learn the skills befitting of the next Boogeyman. Instead, Ed ends up learning something about himself that will shock everyone—everyone, that is except the mother who switched him at birth!

This beautifully illustrated hardcover book will be an instant favorite for anyone who loves fanciful kids’ stories with a delightfully dark edge.

EDEN: IT’S AN ENDLESS WORLD! VOLUME 3 TPB
HIROKI ENDO (W/A)
On sale May 3, SC, 224pg, b&w, 5" x 7", $12.95

The most action-filled Eden yet! In this shocking volume, character
revelations and intense battlefield decisions punctuate a roller-coaster,
book-length conflict. With new, cyber-augmented Propater villains (the
Aeon soldiers) making a vicious debut, the mysterious Colonel tries to
keep his ragtag group of freedom fighters alive. Kenji cuts a path
through armored soldiers, and Cheribum and Sophia suffer serious setbacks.
Kachua and Wycliffe make their way through secret Incan tunnels, not
knowing what horrors lie in the daylight. If you thought that the
previous Eden volume had a cliffhanger ending, you’ll be blown away by the
final pages of this thrilling ride! Hiroki Endo’s Eden is a garden of
violence, pathos, and philosophy, where endearing heroes face a constant
struggle for survival and violent surprises wait around every corner! Each volume comes shrink-wrapped and carries an 18+ content advisory.

FAVOLE PORTFOLIO
VICTORIA FRANCÉS (A)
On sale April 12, six 13 1/2"x 10 3/8" color prints in folder, $19.99

Dark Horse is proud to continue our series of portfolios with images
from the gothic-tinged and mysterious world of Favole, where images
emerge as if secret thoughts.

This handsomely packaged set of full-color pictures, each text free and
suitable for framing, is full of haunting illustrations by the
mysterious and romantic Spanish artist/writer Victoria Francés.

Six 13 1/2" x 10 3/8" color prints in folder. The back of the folder
pictures all the interior images, so they can be viewed in the store
without having to open the package.

GOON #17
ERIC POWELL (W/A)
On sale April 19, FC, 32pg, $2.99

Things have taken a turn for the worst in the battle for control of
Lonely Street. The Zombie Priest’s new army of monstrosities is quickly
overrunning the town, destroying everything in sight. Their mission:
destroy Goon and Buzzard. As the pair struggle to survive the attack of
these new nasty little creatures, Goon begins to wonder if perhaps Buzzard
isn’t sharing all he knows.

GUNGRAVE ARCHIVE ARTBOOK
Based on the game created by Yasuhiro Nightow, created by Softbank Editorial Division
On sale June 14, SC, 256pg, FC, 8 1/4" x 12", $19.95

First a hit first-person-shooter video game in Japan, Gungrave moved
overseas to become an American Playstation 2 favorite as well before
finally making the move to become a popular anime in both countries. Dark
Horse is proud to bring America the works of Yasuhiro Nightow, and the
artbook Gungrave Archives offers a new piece of the manga master’s
growing portfolio of works.

And Nightow’s additions are only a part of the wide range of materials
in this special, double-size artbook set. Already available as
separate, untranslated books, Archives brings them together completely
translated, at a more reasonable price, in equally high-quality binding, and
featuring two pull-out posters!

And completely unavailable in either book—photographs of an exclusive
Grave figure, custom made by famed figure modeler Takayuki Takeda! This
is the only chance to see this model, as it will never see production.
Also included is a short interview with Takeda about his challenges
creating the exclusive custom figure.

HOT STUFF AND CASPER
On sale April 5
Hot Stuff 10” Plush, $24.99
Hot Stuff 20” Plush, $49.99
Hot Stuff 3-Piece PVC Set, $12.99
Hot Stuff in Match Box Mini Statuette, $34.99
Hot Stuff with Grin Mini Statuette, $34.99
Hot Stuff with Bib Figurine, $24.99
Hot Stuff Pitchfork Guitar Figurine, $24.99
Casper Fishing Figurine, $24.99
Casper Snow Globe, $7.99

Hot Stuff and Casper return for more mischief! The statuettes and
figurines of these Harvey Comics characters, imported from France and
sculpted of the highest quality by Demons and Merveilles, continue to bring
praise from customers.

In addition to our ongoing line of statuettes and figurines, we are
excited to expand our line with a Hot Stuff plush available in two sizes,
and a Casper snow globe.

Dark Horse is pleased to offer nine new additions to our Hot Stuff and
Casper line.

JU-ON VOLUME 2 TPB
Originally written by TAKASHI SHIMIZU. Manga adaptation by MEIMU
On sale May 24, SC, 136pg, b&w, 5 1/8" x 7 1/4", $9.95

The bloody and vengeful grudge of Ju-On returns in this manga sensation
from Japan! The landmark horror film franchise is captured in comics
form, opening on a gruesome and tantalizing series of images from an
operating room, a lightning storm, gory medical instruments, and a single
witness to the scene and whatever lies on the table.

Cut to peaceful scenes of everyday life that are taking place in and
around a familiar apartment complex. But what eerie presence sits just
below the surface, itching to manifest itself and take out its
deep-seated rage on innocents? What could have caused such hatred, and why is the
spirit terrorizing again? The chilling answer to these questions is
found in the pages of Ju-On Volume 2.

KOTOBUKIYA COMMANDER BLY SOFT VINYL MODEL KIT
On sale July 12, 11” tall, easy-to-assemble parts, $99.99

Dark Horse continues its exciting import program of the award-winning
Kotobukiya Star Wars vinyl figures. Consisting of a few easy-to-assemble
parts, Commander Bly stands 11 inches tall.

Clone commander 5052, also known as Bly, was the leader of the Star
Corps of clone troopers assigned to Jedi General Aayla Secura. When the
executive command, Order 66, was received from the Supreme Chancellor on Coruscant,
identifying Secura as a traitorous enemy of the state, Bly, demonstrating his
unerring loyalty to the Republic, raised his rifle and opened fire on
his commanding officer, coldly killing the unsuspecting Jedi.

A recognizable character in the film Episode III Revenge of the Sith,
Commander Bly is a clone trooper not easily forgotten.

KOTOBUKIYA ROBOCOP TRILOGY FIGURES
On sale July 19
2 1/2" to 5" Figures, $9.99 (each)
On sale July 19

Robocop mixed case of Twelve (two of each character), packaged in
full-color counter display, $119.88

Robocop: MK-2
Robocop: ED 209
Robocop: Robocop
Robocop: Robocop Bust
Robocop: Robocop and ED 209
Robocop: Robocop with Flight Pack

Dark Horse continues its exciting import program of the award-winning
Kotobukiya figures. Our ongoing Kotobukiya Star Wars line consists of
large, eight-to-eleven-inch figures. With the Robocop series, Kotobukiya
gives us the same great quality and precise details in a smaller, more
accesible collectible. We offer six different figures, consisting of
2-7 easy-to-assemble parts, ranging in size from 2 1/2 to 5 inches.

What was at first considered merely a futuristic action film, Robocop
quickly gained a cult following due to its foreboding message about the
not-so-distant future. A world where a hard-working, honest cop is
turned into an emotionless weapon. When Officer Alex Murphy’s memories seep
into Robocop’s consciousness, a battle of morals and revenge commence.
The Robocop series is fondly regarded by many, and, we believe, it’s
time it was honored with some cool figures!

NEXUS ARCHIVES VOLUME 3 HC
Mike Baron (w) and Steve Rude (a)
On sale May 24, SC, 216pg, FC, 7" x 10 1/2", $49.95

This latest collection of the landmark sci-fi series re-presents the
original Nexus issues twelve through eighteen from First Comics—an
indispensable storyline in the history of Horatio Hellpop’s plagued
existence. Wracked by inescapable, visceral nightmares of the grave misdeeds of
his next targets, the executioner Nexus turns to the only solution he
can—a life-threatening procedure that places an implant in his brain!
This implant will prevent the dreams that Horatio has endured for years,
but at what price? His behavior changes, and the ensuing emotional
isolation pushes Sundra and her booming solar sailcraft business back to
Mars. Spy Ursula X. X. Imada resurfaces with Horatio’s twin daughters,
and Clonezone the Hilariator is up to his usual mischief and
misadventures! This collection also features a story about the Hammer, Judah
Maccabee, illustrated by the famed Oz artist Eric Shanower. Collects issues #12-18 from Volume 3 (First Comics).

SERENITY LOGO ZIPPO® LIGHTER AND ORNAMENT
On sale March 29, Logo Zippo® lighter, $29.99
On sale April 12, 6" long x 3 1/2" wide, full color ornament, $19.99

Joss Whedon, creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, made his big-screen
writing/directing debut with this sci-fi epic, continuing the story
begun in his fan-favorite TV series, Firefly. Fans of the cult-hit TV
series and the major motion picture, now available on DVD, will love this
Zippo® lighter, featuring the logo of the rogue ship, Serenity and an
ornament featuring the ship itself.

SCARY BOOK VOLUME 2: INSECTS TPB
KAZUO UMEZU (W/A)
On sale May 10, SC, 232pg, b&w, 5 1/8" x 7 1/4", $13.95

Kazuo Umezu returns with the second frightening volume of his Scary
Book anthology series. In “Butterfly Grave,” a book-length feature story,
ever since the mysterious and untimely death of her mother when she was
still an infant, Megumi has had an inexplicable, devastating phobia of
butterflies. Upon visiting her mother’s grave years after her death,
Megumi begins being haunted by a black butterfly that only she can see
and which seemingly causes waves of destruction and misery to Megumi’s
family and friends wherever it appears. But when Megumi’s father decides
to remarry, Megumi begins to fear that her new mother is turning into
the very thing she dreads most.

SHMOO VINYL FIGURE
On sale May 24, 8”tall, packaged in a full-color window box, and sporting a bright red ribbon, $17.99

In 1948, Al Capp introduced the Shmoo in his popular “Li’l Abner” strip and it truly took the nation by storm. The Shmoo was a lovable tub of glub whose bewhiskered smile was as cute as his button eyes. The Shmoo bred with a speed that would put rabbits to shame, consumed essentially nothing, and provided most everything that humankind could wish for. Besides producing both milk and eggs, its meat was pork when roasted, chicken when fried, and steak when broiled. During its heyday the Shmoo inspired one of the first true licensed-product bonanzas, appearing as a cornucopia of products that spawned as fast as the Shmoos themselves.

Dark Horse is adding to these vintage pieces with a brand-new version of the little rascal.

Packaged in a full-color window box, and sporting a bright red ribbon, we look for the “new Shmoo” to capture the hearts of new and old fans.

SPACE PINCHY: THE LABORATORY OF LOVE
TONY TAKEZAKI (W/A)
On sale April 19, FC, 32pg, $2.99

It seems it’s not possible for poor Pinchy to stay out of trouble. At the beginning of each story, it seems she’s in some kind of fix! But not this time. Nope. Now she’s visiting a retro mecha display of the seemingly undestroyable Captain Star! However, I’m sure by the time this issue’s over, Pinchy will find some kind of trouble, either with a giant robot, that pesky Robo King, or something else. For instance, what exactly is this “laboratory of love”?

From the wacked-out manga mind of Japan’s Tony Takezaki comes Space Pinchy, a story about a female space adventurer who won’t accept failure, and will probably never find a decent alien boyfriend. FOR MATURE READERS

STAR WARS: HONOR AND DUTY TPB
JOHN OSTRANDER (W), C. P. SMITH (P), LUKE ROSS (P), JASEN RODRIGUEZ
(I), DIGITAL CHAMELEON (C), and STEVE FIRCHOW (Cover)
On sale May 10, SC, 96pg, FC, 7" x 10", $12.95

Watch the fall of the Republic through the eyes of Sagoro Autem—Senate Guard, mercenary, prisoner, Clone Wars hero, and Imperial target—in a story that spans from before the Clone Wars to the first mission of Darth Vader!

Young Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Anakin Skywalker—his even younger Padawan—protect a senator from assassination attempts. Joining the Jedi in their mission is Autem, loyal Senate Guard. Yet, as Obi-Wan and Anakin fend off a league of master assassins, Autem discovers a link between the killers that will change his own life forever—a secret he will not be able to face until the Clone Wars have come and gone, and he finds himself on the run from the new Emperor’s enforcer, Darth Vader! Collecting issues 46-48 and 78 of Star Wars Republic.

STAR WARS KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC #4
JOHN JACKSON MILLER (W), BRIAN CHING (P), MICHAEL ATIYEH (C), and
TRAVIS CHAREST (Cover)
On sale April 26, FC, 32pg, $2.99

On the run and desperate to clear his name, fugitive Padawan Zayne Carrick guides his ragtag crew of scoundrels toward a treacherous asteroid moon, returning to the site of a significant moment in his Jedi training and to what he hopes will reveal the reason the entire Republic seems out to get him. The answers only lead to more riddles, however, and before they can fully interpret the information they’ve stumbled upon, the band of outcasts are assailed by yet another threat. And perhaps most surprising of all, their party grows by one as a new character enters the fray!

STAR WARS: REBELLION—MY BROTHER, MY ENEMY #1
ROB WILLIAMS (W) and BRANDON BADEAUX (A)
On sale April 12, FC, 32pg, $2.99

Seeking to exploit a fatal flaw in the Rebel fleet’s escape strategies, the Empire plants a sleeper agent in the Alliance’s midst and sets into motion a series of events that will have devastating consequences for Luke Skywalker and his companions. Meanwhile, Darth Vader’s own agenda runs counter to the Empire’s schemes, and he’s ensnared Lt. Janek Sunber to carry out a secret mission that will lead the idealistic Imperial officer straight into the heart of the Rebellion.

STAR WARS: TAG & BINK EPISODE I—REVENGE OF THE CLONE MENACE
KEVIN RUBIO (W) and LUCAS MARANGON (A)
On sale April 26, FC, 32pg, $2.99

Behold, the long-awaited prequel to the Tag & Bink saga! Many a Star Wars fan has lain awake at night, plagued by suspense and wondering just how this infamous Rebel pair came to be. Well wonder no more, faithful readers! Your plague has ended with this tell-all issue that caps the space-opera legend, courtesy of fan-favorite Star Wars creators Kevin Rubio and Lucas Marangon.

The origin story of our hapless heroes begins on their respective planets, Alderaan and Corellia. These future soldiers of the Rebel Alliance are sized up for Padawan potential, and we are treated to a rare inside look at the rigorous mental and physical training undergone by aspiring Knights in the Jedi Temple! Mace Windu, Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and the elder Fett each have a role in the miseducation of Tag and Bink, but despite all this schoolin’, the two decide that spying on Padme and “the Chosen One” is a pretty good idea . . .

TRIGUN MAXIMUM VOLUME 9 TPB
YASUHIRO NIGHTOW (W/A)
On sale May 3, SC, 200pg, b&w, 5 1/4" x 7 1/8", $9.95

This is the story of Nicholas Wolfwood and Livio, two boys for whom friendship was brief, but still burned deep into their boyhood consciences. Those bits and pieces, though full of light, are mere shadows to these men of guns and blood and violence.

Yes, in this volume of Trigun, our hero Vash takes a bit of a rest, and he certainly deserves one. So, now we’ll study a boyhood relationship, one that, in this very volume, just might come to a destructive and angry end. Though, it may be a bit tough for either one of these “friends” to knock each other off. They both have secrets up their sleeves, and Livio, well he might even have an extra sleeve!

As always, published in the ever-popular non-westernized format, with Yasuhiro Nightow’s commentary in the back and the comical original black-and-white covers printed on the inside.

USAGI YOJIMBO #93
STAN SAKAI (W/A)
On sale April 26, b&w, 24pg, $2.99

World-renowned storyteller Stan Sakai explores a very important part of Japanese culture in this special issue of Usagi Yojimbo. After an eventful stay, the time has come for Usagi to continue his wandering travels and bid farewell to the Geishu Province. Before he goes, he and Tomoe will first partake in the chanoyu—the formal tea ceremony. But is there something besides tea brewing between the two of them? Meanwhile, unbeknownst to either of the pair, arrangements are being made for Tomoe’s marriage.

This unusual issue explores the stylized, spiritual event of the tea ceremony, which epitomizes the feeling of Zen. Sakai’s attention to the historical details of Usagi’s feudal environment is a hallmark of the series, and this focus is highlighted this month in “Chanoyu”!

VINTAGE KELLOGG’S™ SNAP, CRACKLE, AND POP!® PVC SET AND VINTAGE
KELLOGG’S™ CHARACTER #6: SNAP®
On sale August 30, Vintage Kellogg’s™ Character #6: Snap!®, packaged in a litho-printed full-color tin box with a vintage-style pinback button, and booklet, $49.95

On sale August 16, Vintage Kellogg’s™ Snap! Crackle! Pop!® PVC Set, featuring the three elves together in musical-themed poses, $14.99

With 2006 marking the 100th anniversary of the Kellogg Company, Dark Horse has been busy digging through the Kellogg’s™ archives! Our Vintage Kellogg’s™ merchandise includes an eight-character series of statuettes in our Vintage Kellogg’s™ Character Series, vinyl figures, tin signs, and a Snap! Crackle! Pop!® PVC Set.

We are pleased to present Snap!® this month as the sixth statue in our Vintage Kellogg’s™ character series. (Watch for syroco sculpts of his brothers Crackle!® and Pop!® in the months to follow!)

Our Snap!® statue was sculpted by Yoe! Studios, in a style that recalls the 1940’s sculpting and painting style of “syroco” statues. Each statuette comes packaged in a litho-printed full-color tin box with a vintage-style pinback button and booklet about Snap!® and Kellogg’s™. The statue is available in an extremely limited edition of 500 pieces.

Our Vintage Kellogg’s™ Snap! Crackle! Pop!® PVC Set features the three elves together in musical-themed poses. This whimsical band of brothers will bring a smile to that kid inside of you!

Upcoming Fantagraphics releases

WE ALL DIE ALONE by Mark Newgarden
224-page color and B&W 7 1/2" x 8 1/2" hardcover $28.95

Acclaimed cartoonist Mark Newgarden debuted in the first issue of RAW magazine in 1980 and his work subsequently found its way into a variety of high and low profile media. He co-created the '80s pop culture fad "Garbage Pail Kids," wrote, drew, and syndicated a weekly humor feature in the '90s, and created a "Web Premiere Toon" for The Cartoon Network called "B. Happy." Newgarden's comic are hilarious, alarming, and masterful uses of the medium, alternating between old-time gags and avant-garde storytelling, often on the same page without missing a comedic beat. His syndicated strip in such publications as L.A. Weekly and The New York Press encouraged a fervent following and exerted a fresh influence on the medium. Today they remain as vital and entertaining as when they first appeared. Those syndicated comics will make up the bulk of this book, the balance drawing on Newgarden's long form stories from various anthologies, i ncluding the much-lauded "Love's Savage Fury." In addition to compiling his comics, this book will be a full picture of the artist, his influences, and his many other careers. An avid collector and historian of 20th century ephemera, Newgarden has achieved the rare distinction of both contributing to and furthering the mediums he collects: novelties, comics, and cartoons. Newgarden remains a great link to the past while moving ever further into the future. We All Die Alone will be an uproariously funny and fascinating book that will appeal to comics readers, pop culture buffs, and any appreciator of the graphic arts. Designed by Dan Nadel (The Ganzfeld, The Wilco Book) and Helene Silverman (Jimbo in Purgatory).

EL BORBAH by Charles Burns
96-page black-and-white softcover graphic novel $16.95

AN EARLY CLASSIC FROM THE AUTHOR OF BLACK HOLE, NOW AVAILABLE IN SOFTCOVER!
Meet El Borbah, a 400-pound private eye who wears a Mexican wrestler's tights and eerie mask. Subsisting entirely on junk food and beer, El Borbah conducts his investigations with tough talk and a short temper. He smashes through doors and skulls as he stalks a perfectly realized film-noir city filled with punks, geeks, business-suited creeps and mad scientists. El Borbah features five science-fiction and true-detective episodes: In "Robot Love," rebellious kids in nightclubs replace their "parts" with mechanical substitutes as part of a new fad, only to find that their parents have been automating themselves all along; in "Love in Vein" a mad visionary sperm donor plans a master race and turns "his" kids against their parents; "Bone Voyage" details the exploits of a cult called the Brotherhood of the Bone, a kind of cross between the Masons and the Mansons. The fantastic plots take up the weird fears of a scientific society, but the action is pure pulp. Charles Burns effortlessly spins yarns with gritty punchlines and pictures so perfect they must have existed in some collective memory of junk drama. And through it all crashes El Borbah, trying to make an honest buck from dishonest people. Burns is the author of Black Hole, the acknowledged masterpiece of the form that Fantagraphics serialized through the 1990s. El Borbah is Burns' earliest work, created in the early 1980s, though the work remains eerily contemporary. Steeped in a "sci-fi-noir" aesthetic informed by Burns' steadily childhood diet of B-movies and comic books, but with a sophisticated sense of humor that is often as disturbing as it is funny, El Borbah is comics as its most entertaining.

ROCKY THE BIG PAYBACK by Martin Kellerman
96-page B&W softcover $12.95

Martin Kellerman is the Jane Austen of 21st century twenty-something urban European slackers. Firmly in the tradition of Fritz the Cat, Hate, and Clerks, Rocky is his mostly autobiographical daily strip detailing the rudely hilarious travails of a young cartoonist and his circle of layabout pals and neurotic, indignant girlfriends. In this action-packed volume collecting the first year of the smash-hit strip, Rocky gets tossed out of his apartment, flies across the pond to visit a gay African-American pal (not realizing he lives in deepest Harlem); is ill-advisedly given the mission of euthanizing a friend's beloved pet rabbit ("Tom, give this job to Clemenza." "Yes, Godfather."); makes a spectacularly unsuccessful attempt to trade in his girlfriend for her younger, more buxom sister; gets a bowel inflammation and a colonoscopy; goes to a costume party dressed as Tinky Winky; tries to get laid while camping out at a rock festival - and basically drinks and fornicates (or tries to) his way through Stockholm and New York, with hangover following drunken binge and mortification following faux pas as night follows day. What will probably be amazing to American readers is how similar the day-to-day experiences of these Seinfeld-watching, Big Mac-eating, hip-hop-listening Swedes is to theirs. Rocky is a reminder as to how utterly global our culture has become - and a reminder that laughter is truly universal.

THE ACME NOVELTY LIBRARY #16 by Chris Ware
64-page full color hardcover $15.95

After four years of almost exclusively repackaging his sophomoric early work for the book trade, the children's entertainer and award-winning calligrapher F. C. Ware returns to his groundbreaking 1990s cartoon series "The ACME Novelty Library," a nearly decade-long publishing experiment which more or less single-handedly demonstrated the redemptive power a fancy paper stock or a little gold foil might exert over an otherwise dull, dry visual narrative. Ware rejoins the proud, vital esthetic forum of the American comic book with his ongoing serial "Rusty Brown," a love story concerning the ambitions and mistakes of seven consciousnesses at a private school in Omaha, Nebraska, all revolving around a universally reviled child - and absolutely certain to be a favorite with readers of all tastes and biases. As told through the eyes of someone absentmindedly watching a television sitcom circa 1975, this first installment begins one January m orning of that same year and describes everything of importance right up to and including the ring of the first period bell before eventually spiraling off into 1955, 2004, and toward the planet Mars, amongst other interesting and exotic time periods and locales. Though originally released by alternative comics vanguard Fantagraphics Books, this new sixteenth issue is the first to be entirely produced, printed and published by Mr. Ware alone; limited to a single press run, once it is sold out, pulped, and/or burned, neither of these narratives will be available again until "Rusty Brown" and "Building Stories" are eventually edited, collected and remaindered as hardcover books.

DAYDREAMS AND NIGHTMARES by Winsor McCay
176 pages B&W softcover $24.95

A fantasist of the first rank, McCay was a key pioneer in the histories of both comics and animation. He had a fascination with dreams that extended beyond his newspaper strip Little Nemo In Slumberland, and it was a fascination as compelling as that of Freud, Jung and Adler's, as proven in the pages of Daydreams & Nightmares. McCay's dream-inspired strips, illustrations and cartoons feature rarebit-induced nightmares, playful "what-ifs," moralistic panoramas, pictorial allegories and other fantastic visions. The highlights of the book are McCay's Dream of the Rarebit Fiend strips created for the New York Evening Telegram in 1905, as well as early efforts like A Pilgrim's Progress, Poor Jake, Day Dreams, Rabid Reveries, Little Sammy Sneeze ("He never knew when it was coming!") and more. The artwork in this book includes outstanding examples from several categories of McCay's career: illustrations from his first paper, the Cincinnat i Enquirer; anti-war and anti-materialist cartoons; playful strips for Life magazine; early dream sequences; futuristic illustrations for the New York Herald; and allegorical and editorial cartoons for the Hearst newspapers. The book spans the years 1898-1934, the bulk of McCay's career. McCay's world was the world of playfulness and whimsy that most leave behind in youth and encounter again only in dreams; Daydreams & Nightmares is a tour through that world.

MOME FALL 2005 by Various
136-page color and B&W softcover $14.95

Written and Illustrated by Andrice Arp, Gabrielle Bell, Jonathan Bennett, Jeffrey Brown, Sophie Crumb, David Heatley, Paul Hornschemeier, Anders Nilsen, John Pham and Kurt Wolfgang. Designed by Jordan Crane. Edited by Gary Groth & Eric Reynolds. This accessible, reasonably priced, quarterly anthology will run approximately 136 pages per volume and spotlight a regular cast of a dozen of today's most exciting cartoonists. Designed by acclaimed designer and cartoonist Jordan Crane (The Clouds Above), Mome will feature an iconic design and consistent format that should quickly establish the anthology as the most distinctive and accessible anthology of literary comics available. Mome is the first all-comics literary anthology designed to sit alongside publications like Granta, The Baffler, McSweeney's, et. al., and is designed to appeal as much to fans of contemporary literary fiction as longtime comics fans. Mome will feature the same collective of artist s every issue, allowing the artists and audience to grow together and build an ongoing identity that is highly unusual for the world of contemporary comics (where many authors publish sporadically by literary standards, given the labor intensive nature of comics).

NIGHT FISHER by R. Kikuo Johnson (2nd Printing)
144-page black-and-white softcover $12.95

In what we predict will be the most impressive comics debut of 2005, Kikuo Johnson has created an intimate and compelling graphic novel-length drama of young men on the cusp of adulthood.

First-rate prep school, S.U.V., and a dream house in the heights: This was the island paradise handed to Loren Foster when he moved to Hawaii with his father six years ago. Now, with the end of high school just around the corner, his best friend, Shane, has grown distant. The rumors say it's hard drugs, and Loren suspects that Shane has left him behind for a new group of friends.

At home, an unprecedented "B" on Loren's typically straight "A" report card has his father concerned. Dad's interrogation, however, is stemmed by an unexpected telephone invitation that Loren can't resist. Loren accompanies Shane to a weathered house in the harbor shadows. With the friends he meets there, he endures a night of drug deals, petty theft, crystal meth, porn and a stray punch in the face. The pressures of high school seem suddenly inconsequential in the morning. No longer seeking approval from anyone, Loren's strong work ethic becomes self-imposed, further veiling his escalating drug use. Loren is strung along late one night as the boys break into a construction site and drag some valuable equipment into the trunk of his S.U.V. A police chase ends with Loren in handcuffs as his baffled father struggles to understand what the hell is going on. At school, Shane's acceptance to MIT makes the front page of the campus paper. Whe n Loren offers his congratulations, Shane coldly suggests that they should keep their distance from each other until a court date is decided. Loren is once again left behind. What sets Kikuo's drama apart is the naturalistic ease with which he explores the relationships of his characters. It is at once an unsentimental portrait of that most awkward period between adolescence and young adulthood and that rarest of things- a mature depiction of immature lives. Visually, Johnson captures the languid tropical climate and strip mall tackiness of Hawaii in a rich chiaroscuro style reminiscent of Milton Caniff combined with the sensual ink work of Paul Pope or Jessica Abel.

THE GLAMOR GIRLS OF DON FLOWERS by Alex Chun & Jacob Covey
300-page B&W paperback, $19.95

When the life of Don Flowers was cut short in 1968, he left behind a career in newspaper cartooning that spanned more than four decades as well as one of the most fluid lines to grace the comics page. His cartoons evoked the art of Russell Patterson and Hank Ketcham, and nowhere was this more evident than in his quintessential single-panel pin-up cartoon, the aptly named Glamor Girls. Whether blondes or brunettes, showgirls or housewives, Flowers rendered his comely protagonists with equal aplomb. A close look at Flowers' body of work reveals that he was really an illustrator playing cartoonist. He was equally skilled with the brush and the pen, and was also highly regarded by his fellow artists for his expert spotting of blacks. Flowers boasted "about the finest line ever to be bequeathed to a cartoonist," wrote Coulton Waugh in his classic history, The Comics. "It dances; it snaps gracefully back and forth; the touches related." ; While Flowers spent nearly a quarter of a decade on Glamor Girls, it wasn't until the 1960s that he finally broke free of Russell Patterson's influence and established a more modern style that was uniquely his own. This volume collects the best of those cartoons, and showcases Flowers at the height of his skill. Don Flowers' Glamor Girls also features a foreward by cartoon legend Sergio Aragonés and an introductory essay by editor Alex Chun.

MEOW, BABY! by Jason
144-page black-and-white softcover, $16.95

After seven books that have ranged from tragedy (Hey, Wait...) to drama (Sshhhh!) to thriller melodrama (The Iron Wagon, Why Are You Doing This?), Jason unleashes his inner Scandinavian goofball with this big collection of hilarious shorter pieces. God, the Devil, mummies, vampires, zombies, werewolves, reanimated skeletons, space invaders, Death, cavemen, Godzilla and Elvis populate these most often wordless blackout gags, side by side with Jason's usual Little Orphan Annie-eyed, rabbit-and-bird-head protagonists - a "lighter side" of one of the best cartoonists of the new millennium.

NEW COMICS:

SCHIZO #4 by Ivan Brunetti
32-page full color 11" x 15" comic, $9.95

America's most beloved depressed cartoonist is off the couch and back to making us laugh at his misery! This long-awaited full-color oversized comic brings you right into the action! This time around Brunetti taps into his academic side with biographies of Piet Mondrian, Soren Kierkegaard, Erik Satie, James Thurber, Francoise Hardy, Louise Brooks, and J.K. Huysmans. And if that weren't enough, there are tributes to Charles Schulz and the Marx Brothers; a step-by-step guide on how to draw cartoons; and strips on misogyny, 9-11, suicidal ideation, and abortive crushes on waitresses PLUS so much more.

LUBA'S COMICS AND STORIES #6 by Gilbert Hernandez
32-page black and white comic $3.50

LUBA the comic may have concluded, but Gilbert still has tales of her extended family to tell. In this, the first of three concluding all-new issues of the series, Luba's adolescent half-sisters Fritz and Petra get on that bumpy road to adulthood in a story which will explain Scott the Hog's animosity toward Fritz, and...Luba meets aliens!

LOVE & ROCKETS #15 by Gilbert & Jaime Hernandez
32-page black and white comic $4.50

Hopey goes on a picnic, to a rock 'n' roll show and the bathroom in "Saturday is Shatter Day," the latest installment of "Day by Day with Hopey." And on the Beto side of the book, "On a Gut Level" features the return on Palomar's original heartbreaker Pipo, trapped in a mysterious castle with Fritz, her ex Mark Hererra, and his wife Mila...plus another Kid Stuff Kids"! VIVA LOS BROS!

DEADPAN #1 by David Heatley
32-page full-color comic $5.95

Never before offered through Fantagraphics or Previews! Back to the start with the first issue of David Heatley's autobiographical work. Exploring his dreams with a childlike adaptation, Heatley takes a peek into his own mind - which is decidedly filled with a less-than-childlike nature. Colored drawings, that resemble pictures drawn with crayons, tackle homosexual and heterosexual fantasies, child rape, bestiality and murder.

THE COMICS JOURNAL #272
Cover by Jeff Danzinger
192-page squarebound magazine, $9.95

This issue, take a journey through the world of editorial cartooning with two masters of the form: American gadfly Jeff Danzinger and Steve Bell of British newspaper The Guardian, both interviewed of whom discuss art, craft and politics with critic and scholar Kent Worcester. Also: Part two of Gary Groth's definitive interview with legendary cartoonist (and Batman co-creator) Jerry Robinson, a section of full-color "Thirteen" strips from Little Lulu cartoonist John Stanley, and all the comics, news, criticism and commentary you expect from America's most respected magazine about the form, The Comics Journal!

NEW "IGNATZ" TITLES:
A brand new collection of internationally-produced comics designed midway between comic book "pamphlets" and graphic novels, at a very reasonable price, the "Ignatz" series will offer a rotating collection of exciting new series, all produced in a deluxe, oversize two-color format of jacketed saddle-stitched comics on thick, deluxe stock The following are the fourth, fifth, and sixth volumes in the series.

INTERIORAE #1 (Ignatz Series) by Gabriella Giandelli
32-page 2-color saddlestitched 8 1/2" x 11" comic, $7.95

A high-rise apartment building in an unnamed European city. Its inhabitants come and go, meet each other, talk, dream, regret, hope... in short, live. A ghostly, shape-shifting anthropomorphic white rabbit roams from apartment to apartment, surveying and keeping track of all this humanity... and at the end of every night, he floats down to the basement where he delivers his report to the "great dark one." Lushly delineated in penciled sepia halftones, this debut "Ignatz" by Gabriella Giandelli offers a hauntingly unique vision and a tantalizingly open-ended beginning to an ongoing series.

GANGES #1 (Ignatz Series) by Kevin Huizenga
32-page 2-color saddlestitched 8 1/2" x 11" comic, $7.95

Kevin Huizenga introduces his everyman Glenn Ganges (previously seen in the acclaimed Drawn and Quarterly Showcase and Or Else) to the "Ignatz" family with this suite of all-new stories. Ganges tries to decide what to do when confronted with "The Litterer"; gets into an argument with his wife Wendy about The Beatles' "She's Leaving Home"; indulges in some whimsical "Time Traveling" while on a walk around his neighborhood; and more! Huizenga's elegant neo-clear-line style brings a crispness and humor to these low-key slice-of-life stories, and the gray-blue duotone he has picked gives the art a new depth and complexity.

CHIMERA #1 (Ignatz Series) by Lorenzo Mattotti
32-page black-and-white saddlestitched 8 1/2" x 11" comic, $7.95

Long a superstar in his native Italy, Lorenzo Mattotti has made sporadic incursions into the U.S. via appearances in RAW magazine, the classic Fires graphic novel, and the more recent, 2003 Eisner-winning Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde adaptation from NBM. (Not to mention regular gigs in The New Yorker.) All of these previous works have showcased his full-color painter style, but Chimera, with its intricate, hyper-expressive swirls of crisp line work, shows that Mattotti's genius is bound by no single technique. A wordless fantasia of birth, death, gods, monsters, and humans, Chimera is the most astonishing visual narrative you'll see all year.

Hardy Boys Books Complete List

See the Best Hardy Boys Sites on the Web.

Click links to order titles from Amazon.

The original Grosset and Dunlap series

1. The Tower Treasure
2. The House on the Cliff
3. The Secret of the Old Mill
4. The Missing Chums
5. Hunting for Hidden Gold
6. The Shore Road Mystery
7. The Secret of the Caves
8. The Mystery of Cabin Island
9. The Great Airport Mystery
10. What Happened at Midnight
11. While the Clock Ticked
12. Footprints Under the Window
13. The Mark on the Door
14. The Hidden Harbor Mystery
15. The Sinister Signpost
16. A Figure in Hiding
17. The Secret Warning
18. The Twisted Claw
19. The Disappearing Floor
20. Mystery of the Flying Express
21. The Clue of the Broken Blade
22. The Flickering Torch Mystery
23. The Melted Coins
24. The Short-Wave Mystery
25. The Secret Panel
26. The Phantom Freighter
27. The Secret of Skull Mountain
28. The Sign of the Crooked Arrow
29. The Secret of the Lost Tunnel
30. The Wailing Siren Mystery
31. The Secret of Wildcat Swamp
32. The Crisscross Shadow
33. The Yellow Feather Mystery
34. The Hooded Hawk Mystery
35. The Clue in the Embers
36. The Secret of Pirates' Hill
37. The Ghost at Skeleton Rock
38. Mystery at Devil's Paw
39. The Mystery of the Chinese Junk
40. Mystery of the Desert Giant
41. The Clue of the Screeching Owl
42. The Viking Symbol Mystery
43. The Mystery of the Aztec Warrior
44. The Haunted Fort
45. The Mystery of the Spiral Bridge
46. The Secret Agent on Flight 101
47. Mystery of the Whale Tattoo
48. The Arctic Patrol Mystery
49. The Bombay Boomerang
50. Danger on Vampire Trail
51. The Masked Monkey
52. The Shattered Helmet
53. The Clue of the Hissing Serpent
54. The Mysterious Caravan
55. The Witchmaster's Key
56. The Jungle Pyramid
57. The Firebird Rocket
58. The Sting of the Scorpion

Simon & Schuster

59. Night of the Werewolf
60. Mystery of the Samurai Sword
61. The Pentagon Spy
62. The Apeman's Secret
63. The Mummy Case
64. Mystery of Smugglers Cove
65. The Stone Idol
66. The Vanishing Thieves
67. The Outlaw's Silver
68. Deadly Chase
69. The Four-Headed Dragon
70. The Infinity Clue
71. Track of the Zombie
72. The Voodoo Plot
73. The Billion Dollar Ransom
74. Tic-Tac-Terror
75. Trapped at Sea
76. Game Plan for Disaster
77. The Crimson Flame
78. Cave-in!
79. Sky Sabotage
80. The Roaring River Mystery
81. The Demon's Den
82. The Blackwing Puzzle
83. The Swamp Monster
84. Revenge of the Desert Phantom
85. The Skyfire Puzzle
86. The Mystery of the Silver Star
87. Program for Destruction
88. Tricky Business
89. The Sky Blue Frame
90. Danger on the Diamond
91. Shield of Fear
92. The Shadow Killers
93. The Serpent's Tooth Mystery
94. Breakdown in Axeblade
95. Danger on the Air
96. Wipeout
97. Cast of Criminals
98. Spark of Suspicion
99. Dungeon of Doom
100. The Secret of the Island Treasure
101. The Money Hunt
102. Terminal Shock
103. The Million-Dollar Nightmare
104. Tricks of the Trade
105. The Smoke Screen Mystery
106. Attack of the Video Villains
107. Panic on Gull Island
108. Fear on Wheels
109. The Prime-Time Crime
110. The Secret of Sigma Seven
111. Three-Ring Terror
112. The Demolition Mission
113. Radical Moves
114. The Case of the Counterfeit Criminals
115. Sabotage at Sports City
116. Rock 'n' Roll Renegades

Pop Artifact! Farrah Fawcett doll

Vintage DC Comics house ad



See the Best Batman Sites on the Web.

CD new releases Jan. 10 and Jan. 17, 2006

Jan. 10

Brian Auger & Trinity Befour

David Bowie The Platinum Collection

Incredible String Band The Circle Is Unbroken: Live & Studio 1967-1972

The Move Message from the Country

Talking Heads Fear of Music, More Songs About Buildings and Food, Remain in Light and Talking Heads: 77

Jan. 17

Sidney Bechet Mosaic Select

Ornette Coleman Rock the Clock

Eric Dolphy Quintet with Herbie Hancock Left Alone

The Everly Brothers The Outtakes

Bill Haley Bill Rocks and The Rock 'N Roll Arrives - The Real Birth of Rock 'N Roll 1946-54

Gerry Mulligan Mosaic Select

NRBQ Grooves in Orbit

Wilson Pickett Wicked Pickett

Otis Rush Mourning in the Morning

Sam and Dave Double Dynamite

Sparks A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing and Halfnelson

Pop Culture Roundup Jan. 10, 2006

The B Side remembers Lou Rawls.

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The Boston Globe does a feature on animation pioneer and "Little Nemo" comic strip artist Winsor McCay.

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The Guardian has a new podcast from the hilarious Ricky Gervais.

DVD new releases Jan. 10, 2006

Eraserhead

The Flash - The Complete Series

Max Allan Collins - The Black Box Collection: Shades of Neo-Noir

The Zorro Cliffhanger Collection

More Upcoming DVD releases.

Upcoming goodies from TwoMorrows Publishing



SILVER STAR: GRAPHITE EDITION

Legendary artist Jack Kirby first conceptualized Silver Star in the
mid-1970s as a movie screenplay, complete with illustrations to sell
the idea to Hollywood. Too far ahead of its time for Tinseltown, Jack
instead adapted his “Visual Novel” as a six- issue mini-series for
Pacific Comics in the early 1980s, making it the last original creation
of his career. Now, in SILVER STAR: GRAPHITE EDITION, “King” Kirby’s
final, great series is collected at last, this time reproduced from his
powerful, uninked pencil art! Read the complete story of
Homo-Geneticus, the New Breed of humanity that spawns both hero (Silver Star) and
villain (the nefarious Darius Drumm), leading to one of the most
action-packed narratives and spellbinding climaxes ever conceived on a comics
page! And as a special bonus, read Kirby’s provocative screenplay,
reproduced in its entirety, including illustrations and never-published
character sketches! Plus there’s pin-ups and other rare Kirby art, and
an historical overview to put it all in perspective. A percentage of
profits from this book go to the Jack Kirby Museum and Research Center,
so don’t ask, just buy it!

The 160 page (plus cover), squarebound 7" x 10" Trade Paperback with a
full color cover and black-and-white interiors retails for $19.95 in
the U.S. and ships 22 March 2006.



ALTER EGO #57

Alter Ego #57 spotlights THE GOLDEN AGE OF MARVEL! ’Nuff Said? There’s
a full-color painted Captain America cover by JACK KIRBY & PETE VON
SHOLLY! A complete issue-by-issue index of Timely/Atlas/Marvel
super-hero stories—from Marvel Comics #1 (1939) to The Yellow Claw #4
(1957)—compiled by MICHELLE NOLAN—lavishly illustrated with scarce art
by Golden Age masters SIMON & KIRBY, EVERETT, BURGOS, ROMITA, AYERS,
HEATH, SHORES, SEKOWSKY, SCHOMBURG, PFEUFER, GUSTAVSON, POWELL, AVISON,
GABRIELE, MANEELY, SEVERIN, plus rare retroactive illos by KANE, The
Brothers BUSCEMA, ROBBINS, BUCKER, SEVERIN (the other one), HOOVER,
FRENZ, KUPPERBERG, et al.! GENE COLAN & ALLEN BELLMAN on the 1940s
Timely super-heroes—& JIM AMASH talks to Atlas artist VIC CARRABOTTA!
Plus FCA—MICHAEL T. GILBERT—BILL SCHELLY—& MORE!! Edited by ROY THOMAS.

The 100 page (plus cover), saddle-stitched 8 1/2" x 11" magazine with a
full color cover and black-and-white interiors retails for $6.95 in the
U.S. and ships 8 March 2006.



BACK ISSUE #15

BACK ISSUE #15 examines “Weird Heroes” of the 1970s and 1980s—and with
heroes like these, we’re glad they’re on our side! In all-new
interviews, MIKE PLOOG discusses Ghost Rider, MATT WAGNER revisits The
Demon, and JOE KUBERT dusts off Ragman. The pencil art of GENE COLAN is
spotlighted in “Rough Stuff” (with Batman, Wonder Woman, and Night
Force covers among the mix); JOSÉ LUIS GARCÍA-LÓPEZ recalls Deadman; and
“Greatest Stories Never Told” looks at DC’s unpublished Gorilla Grodd
series, with interviews and art by TERRY AUSTIN and CARL POTTS. Plus:
Ploog, DON PERLIN, GERRY CONWAY, and DOUG MOENCH on Werewolf by Night;
LEN WEIN on The Phantom Stranger; and BOB ROZAKIS and STEPHEN DeSTEFANO
on ’Mazing Man! Featuring rare and classic art by these artists, plus
JIM APARO and others. With an all-new Werewolf by Night cover by ARTHUR
ADAMS! Edited by MICHAEL EURY.

The 100 page (plus cover), saddle-stitched 8 1/2" x 11" magazine with a
full color cover and black-and-white interiors retails for $6.95 in the
U.S. and ships 15 March 2006.

Pop Artifact! Dolly Parton doll

Vintage DC Comics house ads



See the Best DC Comics Sites on the Web.

Comics previews

Mile High Comics has first looks at: 100 Bullets #68, Captain Atom Armageddon #4, Desolation Jones #5, DMZ #3, Elfquest The Discovery #1, Fables #45, Wildcats Nemesis #5, Ares #1, Daughters of the Dragon #1, Exiles #75, New X-Men #22, She-Hulk 2 #4, Son of M #2 and X-Men The 198 #1.

"Bewitched" season 3, "Flying Nun" and "Gidget" coming to DVD



A four-disk set including all 32 season 3 episodes of "Bewitched" will be out March 21. These shows originally appeared in color, which means fans won't need to make the black-and-white or colorized versions as they did with seasons 1 and 2.

Also due out March 21 are two shows featuring the delighful Sally Field (we like her, we really like her): "Gidget - The Complete Series" on four disks and the complete first season of "The Flying Nun," also on four disks.

More TV on DVD.

Dark Horse releases "Creature from the Black Lagoon" novel



From the press release:

DH Press is proud to announce the newest addition to
its original Universal Monsters novel series, Creature from the Black
Lagoon: Time’s Black Lagoon
. Following in the footsteps of previous DH
Press original novels featuring Dracula and Wolf Man, the Creature has
been revamped with a modern horror sensibility by noted sci-fi author Paul
Di Filippo and is set in the year 2015. This book will be released in
May 2006 at a retail price of $6.99 (ISBN-1-59582-033-7).

In 1954, an expedition found what seemed to be a missing link in the
evolutionary chain: an ancient, immensely powerful amphibian Creature.
Scientists tried to tame it, break its will, and even change its very
being with surgery and torture, but the beast rebelled, killing nearly all
in its way. But was the creature truly a throwback, a freak survivor of
some prehistoric era, or was it something more?

Six decades later, one scientist attempts to find out, using a time
machine to journey into the past. What he finds not only shatters his
vision of what the Creature might be, but could change the history of the
human race forever.

Turning the conventions of what we feel we know about the Creature on
its ear, critically-praised science fiction author Di Filippo reinvents
the classic monster with a tale of time travel, horror, and mystery
that blends Cold War science fiction with today’s cutting edge cyberpunk
in a vision of what terrors still lurk in the swamp.

“Di Filippo is like gourmet potato chips to me,” said Harlan Ellison,
famed science-fiction writer. “I can never eat just one of his short
stories.”

Pop Culture Roundup Jan. 9, 2006

Remember "Lost"? Cool TV show about a buncha folks on a mysterious island? The last new episode was on a year and a half a ago. Anyway, it looks like ABC is finally getting it's act together to show a new one someday soon. In the meantime, check out two new official "Lost" podcasts.

Newcomer Will Toale has been cast as the WB's "Aquaman."

Mike Sterling has more Batman Hot Links than a Gotham City IHOP.

Yahoo! Movies has sneak peeks at "Underworld: Evolution" and "X-Men 3."

Doc Savage Complete List of Novels

Click links to see if titles are currently available for order.

Nostalgia Ventures official reprints 2006-on

DOC SAVAGE DOUBLE NOVEL VOLUME 1 “Fortress of Solitude” and “The Devil Genghis”

DOC SAVAGE DOUBLE NOVEL VOLUME 2 “The King Maker” and “Resurrection Day”

DOC SAVAGE DOUBLE NOVEL VOLUME 3 "The Golden Peril" and "Death in Silver"

DOC SAVAGE DOUBLE NOVEL VOLUME 4 "Land of Always Night" and "Mad Mesa"

DOC SAVAGE DOUBLE NOVEL VOLUME 5 "The Spook Legion" and "The Submarine Mystery"

DOC SAVAGE DOUBLE NOVEL VOLUME 6 "The Polar Treasure" and "Pirate of the Pacific"

DOC SAVAGE DOUBLE NOVEL VOLUME 7 "The Lost Oasis" and "The Sargasso Ogre"

DOC SAVAGE DOUBLE NOVEL VOLUME 8: "The Sea Magician" & "The Living-Fire Menace"

DOC SAVAGE DOUBLE NOVEL VOLUME 9: "The Majii" and "The Golden Man"

DOC SAVAGE DOUBLE NOVEL VOLUME 10: "Dust of Death" and "The Stone Man"

Bantam Doc Savage paperbacks:

1) The Man of Bronze
2) The Thousand Headed Man
3) Meteor Menace
4) The Polar Treasure
5) Brand of the Werewolf
6) The Lost Oasis
7) The Monsters
8) The Land of Terror
9) The Mystic Mullah
10) The Phantom City
11) Fear Cay
12) Quest of Qui
13) Land of Always-Night
14) The Fantastic Island
15) Murder Melody
16) The Spook Legion
17) The Red Skull
18) The Sargasso Ogre
19) Pirate of the Pacific
20) The Secret in the Sky
21) Cold Death
22) The Czar of Fear
23) Fortress of Solitude
24) The Green Eagle
25) The Devil's Playground
26) Death in Silver
27) Mystery Under the Sea
28) The Deadly Dwarf
29) The Other World
30) The Flaming Falcons
31) The Annihilist
32) Dust of Death
33) The Terror in the Navy
34) Mad Eyes
35) The Squeaking Goblin
36) Resurrection Day
37) Hex
38) Red Snow
39) World's Fair Goblin
40) The Dagger in the Sky
41) Merchants of Disaster
42) The Gold Ogre
43) The Man Who Shook the Earth
44) The Sea Magician
45) The Men Who Smiled No More
46) The Midas Man
47) Land of Long JuJu
48) The Feathered Octopus
49) The Sea Angel
50) Devil on the Moon
51) Haunted Ocean
52) The Vanisher
53) The Mental Wizard
54) He Could Stop the World
55) The Golden Peril
56) The Giggling Ghosts
57) Poison Island
58) The Munitions Master
59) The Yellow Cloud
60) The Majii
61) The Living Fire Menace
62) The Pirate's Ghost
63) The Submarine Mystery
64) The Motion Menace
65) The Green Death
66) Mad Mesa
67) The Freckled Shark
68) Quest of the Spider
69) The Mystery on the Snow
70) Spook Hole
71) Murder Mirage
72) The Metal Master
73) The Seven Agate Devils
74) The Derrick Devil
75) The Land of Fear
76) The Black Spot
77) The South Pole Terror
78) The Crimson Serpent
79) The Devil Genghis
80) The King Maker
81) The Stone Man
82) The Evil Gnome
83) The Red Terrors
84) The Mountain Monster
85) The Boss of Terror
86) The Angry Ghost
87) The Spotted Men
88) The Roar Devil
89) The Magic Island
90) The Flying Goblin
91) The Purple Dragon
92) The Awful Egg
93) Tunnel Terror
94) The Hate Genius
95) The Red Spider
96) Mystery on Happy Bones
97/98) Satan Black/Cargo Unknown
99/100) Hell Below/The Lost Giant
101/102) The Pharaoh's Ghost/The Time Terror
103/104) The Whisker of Hercules/The Man Who Was Scared
105/106) They Died Twice/The Screaming Man
107/108) Jiu San/The Black, Black Witch
109/110) The Shape of Terror/Death Had Yellow Eyes
111/112) One-Eyed Mystic/The Man Who Fell Up
113/114) The Talking Devil/The Ten Ton Snakes
115/116) Pirate Isle/The Speaking Stone
117/118) The Golden Man/Peril in the North
119/120) The Laugh of Death/The King of Terror
121/122) The Three Wild Men/The Fiery Menace
123/124) Devils of the Deep/The Headless Men
125/126) The Goblins/The Secret of the Su

DOC SAVAGE OMNIBUS #1
127) The All-White Elf
128) The Running Skeletons
129) The Angry Canary
130) The Swooning Lady

DOC SAVAGE OMNIBUS #2
131) The Mindless Monsters
132) The Rustling Death
133) King Joe Cay
134) The Thing That Pursued

DOC SAVAGE OMNIBUS #3
135) The Spook of Grandpa Eben
136) Measures for a Coffin
137) The Three Devils
138) Strange Fish

DOC SAVAGE OMNIBUS #4
139) Mystery Island
140) Men of Fear
141) Rock Sinister
142) The Pure Evil

DOC SAVAGE OMNIBUS #5
143) No Light to Die By
144) The Monkey Suit
145) Let's Kill Ames
146) Once Over Lightly
147) I Died Yesterday

DOC SAVAGE OMNIBUS #6
148) The Awful Dynasty
149) The Magic Forest
150) Fire and Ice
151) The Disappearing Lady

DOC SAVAGE OMNIBUS #7
152) The Men Vanished
153) The Terrible Stork
154) Five Fathoms Dead
155) Danger Lies East

DOC SAVAGE OMNIBUS #8
156) The Mental Monster
157) The Pink Lady
158) Weird Valley
159) Trouble on Parade

DOC SAVAGE OMNIBUS #9
160) The Invisible-Box Murders
161) Birds of Death
162) The Wee Ones
163) Terror Takes 7

DOC SAVAGE OMNIBUS #10
164) The Devil's Black Rock
165) Waves of Death
166) Terror and the Lonely Widow
167) The Two-Wise Owl

DOC SAVAGE OMNIBUS #11
168) See-Pah-Poo
169) Colors For Murder
170) Three Times a Corpse
171) Death is a Round Black Spot
172) The Devil is Jones

DOC SAVAGE OMNIBUS #12
173) Bequest of Evil
174) Death in Little Houses
175) Target for Death
176) The Death Lady
177) The Exploding Lake

DOC SAVAGE OMNIBUS #13
178) The Derelict of Skull Shoal
179) Terror Wears No Shoes
180) The Green Master
181) Return From Cormoral
182) Up From Earth's Center