Tomb Raider # 5: Eyes in the Heavens Review

Between the announcement of the new Tomb Raider game, Rise of the Tomb Raider, coming out in 2015 and the whispers of a possible reboot of the Tomb Raider Movies, what better time to release a comic series where the storyline picks up right where the most recent game leaves off.

Gail Simone, the writer, does a fantastic job of seamlessly placing flashbacks throughout the series to ensure that readers who have not played the game aren’t lost. Follow Lara as she returns to the island of Yamatai in the Devil’s Triangles to save her dearest friend Sam who has been kidnapped because four artifact were removed from Yamatai on their last visit. After four issues filled with gun fights, confusion, incoherently mumbled prophecies and lots of exposition the reader finally gets the true adventure expected of the infamous Tomb Raider and everything begins to connect and fall into place.

“Four Guardians, Four Calamities, Four Pieces to build his horse. The Circle has to be broken” The ill-fated statement made by Jonah in the first issue is starting to make sense. The leader of Sam’s captors, Matsu-Sama,  explains that he is not Solarii, but a group that worships the Solarii and seeks to resurrect Matthias the sole disciple to Himiko, the sun queen of the Solarii. The four guardians are  Matsu-Sama, his two daughters who are beautifully illustrated as statuesque Makara Lara finds in the second issue, and a mystery guardian yet to be revealed. As Matsu explains how they need Lara’s blood to bring Matthias back, Lara, while scaling a mountain on the outskirts of Yamatai, realizes that the ‘four calamities’ are linked to the four element. First there was the flood in the desert where it hadn’t rained in a hundred years. The second was when the fire on the ship and the last an avalanche the almost kills Lara.  Luckily after an ominous warning from Alex, her doomed comrade, “Beware the Fourth Guardian,” a stranger with a familiar face pulls Lara from the water. The man who saved Lara from her first encounter with Matsu-Sama… Serendipity or treachery?

Well looks like readers will have to wait for the next issue to figure out that last Guardian and the final calamity.  

Final Score: 7.5/10

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA HYRULE HISTORIA IS THE 1 BOOK IN AMERICA

THE LEGEND OF ZELDAHYRULE HISTORIA LANDS #1 ON NIELSEN BOOKSCAN WITH 400,000 COPIES AND COUNTING

February 8, MILWAUKIE, OR—In an amazing show of demand for Dark Horse’s newest hallmark in video game art book history, The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia™ soared to the top of the Nielsen BookScan charts last week, making it the #1 book in America!

In addition, the book has reached #1 on the Wall Street Journal and New York Times Bestseller list.  Dark Horse is also announcing a record print run approaching 400,000 copies, with the number continuing to grow as The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia dominates sales in the UK, China, Italy, Spain, and Canada.

This handsome hardcover contains never-before-seen concept art, the full history of Hyrule, the official chronology of the games, and much more! Starting with an insightful introduction by the legendary producer and video-game designer of Donkey Kong™, Mario™, and The Legend of Zelda™, Shigeru Miyamoto, this book is crammed full of information about the storied history of Link™’s adventures from the creators themselves! As a bonus, The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia includes an exclusive comic by the foremost creator of The Legend of Zelda manga—Akira Himekawa!

The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia is a must-have for any Legend of Zelda fan!

Praise for The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia:

“Perfect for Zelda fans and appealing to gaming historians, Zelda: Hyrule Historia is a shelf worthy piece of non-fiction about a great fiction.”—Newsarama

“With the full gamut of chronology on full display and a nearly ridiculous amount of history and artwork to sift through, this collection is huge and exhausting. It’s also well worth it, as this guide is the only one in its existence that could gather so many facts about such a beloved series and make it as terrific looking as it is.”—EGM Now / Digital Noob

“Hyrule Historia fulfills on its premise: a history of Hyrule, the wonderful, legendary world we’ve been falling in love with again and again since 1987. If you’re looking for the latest collector’s piece to celebrate your love for the franchise, look no further: Hyrule Historia is it.”—IGN

Look for this highly sought-after release at your local comic shop or bookstore today! Order online through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Things From Another World!

CRYSTAL DYNAMICS AND DARK HORSE BRING LARA CROFT BACK TO COMIC BOOKS

CRYSTAL DYNAMICS AND DARK HORSE 

BRING LARA CROFT BACK TO COMIC BOOKS STARTING WITH 

TOMB RAIDER: THE BEGINNING

MILWAUKIE, OR, JANUARY 30 – Crystal Dynamics™, a Square Enix® studio, and Dark Horse Comics, today revealed they have partnered to bring the re-imagined Lara Croft back to print in the world of comics. Look for news on the new series following the release of TOMB RAIDER®, the highly anticipated origin story for Lara Croft®, available March 5, 2013, and will chronicle Lara’s journey after her harrowing adventure in the Dragon’s Triangle.

To kick off the partnership, Crystal Dynamics and Dark Horse have teamed up to create “TOMB RAIDER: The Beginning.” This will be the first installment in the new TOMB RAIDER comic book series, and is a prequel to the events in TOMB RAIDER. “TOMB RAIDER: The Beginning,” was written by lead game writer Rhianna Pratchett. Fans can get the first series early when they pre-order TOMB RAIDER at Best Buy.

A 48-page, six-part hardcover omnibus, “TOMB RAIDER: The Beginning” follows the story of how the crew came together for The Endurance's fateful mission to discover the lost Japanese kingdom of Yamatai. Originally intended to feature as the latest instalment of Dr. James Whitman's successful archaeology show, Whitman's World, the show-biz archaeologist gets more than he bargained for when he enlists the help of Captain Conrad Roth. As Roth's unique and eccentric crew gradually come together and share their stories and secrets, the expedition faces unexpected threats before it's even begun.

“Lara Croft is an icon across all forms of media, including comic books,” said Karl Stewart, global brand director for TOMB RAIDER and Crystal Dynamics. “The team at Crystal Dynamics has worked closely with Dark Horse on ‘The Beginning’ to bring the relatable, re-imagined Lara Croft back to the comic book world.”

"Whilst penning Lara’s origins story for the game I had lots of ideas about the world she and the other characters inhabited, and the story behind their voyage: as great to be able to flesh out the world of TOMB RAIDER and work with the talented team at Dark Horse to bring Lara Croft back to comics,” said Rhianna Pratchett, lead game writer for TOMB RAIDER.

"The bold new vision of the game demanded we bring an equally fresh approach to the comics," said Dave Marshall, editor at Dark Horse. “We’re excited for TOMB RAIDER fans to experience a new side of Lara Croft as they accompany her on the earliest parts of her first adventure.”

To celebrate the partnership, Crystal Dynamics and Dark Horse revealed four pages from “TOMB RAIDER: The Beginning.” The full comic is available as a bonus when you pre-order TOMB RAIDER at Best Buy. More news on Tomb Raider comics will be available in the coming months.

Brian Wood's THE MASSIVE Goes Subcontinental December 12th

NEIL GAIMAN Falls In Love With Dark Horse Comic's HUSBANDS

NEIL GAIMAN FALLS IN LOVE WITH

DARK HORSE’S HUSBANDS!

A “smart and loving romp through genre,” says Gaiman in his introduction to the hard-copy collection of Husbands, a gay-marriage sitcom turned Dark Horse comic series.

DECEMBER 5, MILWAUKIE, OR—Amidst glowing reviews and a growing fan base, Dark Horse Comics is thrilled to announce that the digital comic series Husbands has found a fan in literary legend Neil Gaiman, who penned an introduction for the Husbands hardcover collection.

Written by Husbands creators Jane Espenson (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Once Upon a Time) and Brad Bell (VH1’s Pop Up Video), Dark Horse’s Husbands is a comic-book continuation of the sitcom phenom, which tells the story of accidental gay newlyweds Brady and Cheeks. In the comic, the couple receive a mystical wedding gift that launches them on an epic adventure—a tongue-in-cheek journey through iconic genre realms—filled with obstacles that threaten to tear them apart: a superhero showdown, a fairy-tale fantasy, a Holmesian mystery, an epic galactic battle, a madcap high-school romp, and a saucy secret-spy thrill ride.

“As a huge fan of Neil Gaiman, I am thrilled to discover he is a fan of Husbands. Brad Bell and I wrote the show that we wanted to watch. Now, to find that people we idolize are also watching? That is beyond gratifying,” exclaims Jane Espenson.

Brad Bell further explains that “switching mediums can be tricky. We didn’t want to just extend the sitcom. We wanted to reinvent what was possible for this story and make a kick-ass comic. I think there could be no better indication that we’ve done so than receiving Neil’s wonderful praise! It’s also such an honor to have Husbands recognized by an icon like Neil Gaiman.”

ET Online/The Insider praises Husbands by calling it “one of the smartest, most unique and powerful pieces of entertainment this year.”

In addition to Gaiman’s introduction, the print collection will include exclusive first-draft scripts, conceptual character sketches, notes between the authors, and an all-new cover by artist Ron Chan.

Husbands, the complete collection, arrives on March 27, 2013, and is available for preorder now through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, TFAW.com, and of course at your local comic shop!

Blur Studio's THE GOON Movie Kickstarter Enters Final Week

BLUR STUDIO'S THE GOON MOVIE KICKSTARTER 

ENTERS FINAL WEEK!

November 2, MILWAUKIE, OR - David Fincher, Blur Studio, Eric Powell and Dark Horse Entertainment have come together to launch a Kickstarter campaign for the award-winning comic series "The Goon." 

Learn more about the effort and watch Fincher, Blur Studio and Eric Powell introduce the project here: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/624061548/the-goon-movie-lets-kickstart-this-sucker

For over 12 years, Eric Powell's comic book "The Goon" has amassed fans around the globe with its fantastic world of mobsters, zombies, killer robots, giant fish-men and mayhem. Two years ago, David Fincher and Blur Studio optioned "The Goon", developed a feature film script written by Powell and created a proof of concept clip to show Hollywood studios the incredible potential of a Goon animated movie. While the clip generated lots of enthusiasm, the movie still isn't green-lit primarily because PG13 animation is a challenging concept for studios. 

"The Goon" Movie Proof of Concept Trailer: http://vimeo.com/50254919

After investing hundreds of thousands of their own money and countless hours of effort, the team has opted to reach out to "The Goon" fanbase, comic book lovers, the movie industry, and frankly anyone with a pulse willing to donate, with a Kickstarter campaign to take their development efforts to the next level.  

The proof of concept short featured the voices of actors Paul Giamatti as Franky and Clancy Brown as The Goon, both of whom will reprise those roles for the film. Slated to co-direct are Blur Studio co-founder Tim Miller and Jeff Fowler, a director who has been with Blur for ten years. Miller was creative director on the "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" opening title sequence and is also on board to direct "Deadpool" for Fox and "Gravel" for Legendary Pictures; Fowler directed the Academy-Award nominated animated short "Gopher Broke" and has helmed many commercials and projects at Blur Studio. 

"The Goon" on Last Call w/Carson Daly: http://vimeo.com/52485546

Blur Studio is an award-winning production and animation studio in Venice, CA made up of Oscar-nominated artists who have created stunning story-driven CG work for feature films, commercials and games for over two decades. Executive Producer David Fincher is the critically acclaimed director of Seven, Fight Club, The Social Network and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.

"I admit it—I came to this party late. Chinatown, and the Mystery of Mr. Wicker was—regrettably—my introduction to The Goon and the incredible world created by Eric Powell. I thank Tim Miller—who snapped me out of my Goonless existence when I was looking for material to possibly make into an animated feature, and he suggested I peruse a copy he had (suspiciously) nearby. Of course I marveled at the characters and was smitten with the mise-en-scene, but it was the language—that uncategorizable: Dead End Kids Meets Abbot and Costello Meet the Mummies—that unlikely Powellian patois that absolutely hooked me. If this is your first time, you are in for a treat—if not, you already know how lucky you are." - David Fincher  

Please visit the Kickstarter link for more details and feel free to share it with your readers. If you'd like additional information, images or assets feel free to contact Karen Raz @ RazPR.

 

 

NYCC: Naughty Dog's THE LAST OF US Receives Dark Horse Comics Series

NAUGHTY DOG’S THE LAST OF US RECEIVES

DARK HORSE COMICS SERIES!

October 13, NEW YORK, NY—The most anticipated video game of 2013, The Last of Us, comes to print with a comic series and an art book from Dark Horse Comics and Naughty Dog!

 

The Last of Us: American Dreams will be a four-issue series by The Last of Us lead writer Neil Druckmann, with rising star Faith Erin Hicks (Zombies Calling, Friends with Boys, The Adventures of Superhero Girl) as cowriter and artist.

 

Ellie, the heroine of The Last of Us, has grown up in a postpandemic world, shuttled between military orphanages in one of the last remaining quarantine zones and resigned to the fact that when she’s old enough, she’ll be channeled into the army or left to fend for herself—until she meets an older girl determined to find a third way out. American Dreams explores Ellie’s backstory and her first steps on the road that led her to her companion Joel.

 

The first issue of The Last of Us: American Dreams will appear in the spring of 2013.

 

The Art of The Last of Us, a deluxe hardcover exploring the characters, the infected humans, and the intricately realized world of the game, will launch in conjunction with the release of the game.

Check out the exclusive interview with Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann on IGN!

The Last of Us is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC.  Created and developed by Naughty Dog, Inc.

About Dark Horse

Founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. The company is known for the progressive and creator-friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists. In addition to publishing comics from top talent such as Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Neil Gaiman, Brian Wood, Gerard Way, Felicia Day, and Guillermo del Toro, and comics legends such as Will Eisner, Neal Adams, and Jim Steranko, Dark Horse has developed its own successful properties, including The Mask, Ghost, Timecop, and SpyBoy. Its successful line of comics and products based on popular properties includes Star Wars, Mass Effect, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, Emily the Strange, Tim Burton’s Tragic Toys for Girls and Boys, Serenity, and Domo. Today Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic book publisher in the US and is recognized as one of the world’s leading publishers of both creator-owned content and licensed comics material.

NYCC: Dark Horse To Publish DRAGON AGE Encyclopedia: WORLD OF THEDAS

DARK HORSE TO PUBLISH DRAGON AGE ENCYCLOPEDIA: WORLD OF THEDAS!

October 13, NEW YORK, NY—Dark Horse Comics is thrilled to announce the next comprehensive collection in its growing stable of collectible art books: Dragon Age: The World of Thedas Volume 1!

Invitingly designed and illustrated with hundreds of pieces of lush art from the creators of the games, this is the definitive guide to BioWare’s dark fantasy masterpiece!

For Dragon Age newcomers, this comprehensive volume brings you up to speed on everything you need to know about Dragon Age’s regions, religions, monsters, magic, and more!

For dedicated fans, never before have the secrets of BioWare’s epic fantasy been revealed so completely and so compellingly. The World of Thedas Volume 1 is filled to the brim with never-before-seen art by the creators of the games!

This dramatic, accessible, beautiful tome illuminates the world from the darkest corners of the Deep Roads to the most illusory reaches of the Fade, taking readers on a journey through one of the most fully realized fantasy universes of our time!

Dragon Age: The World of Thedas Volume 1 is on sale April 3, 2013!

For additional information, check out the exclusive on Kotaku! 

NYCC: Dark Horse To Collect MASS EFFECT In Hardcover Library Edition

DARK HORSE TO COLLECT MASS EFFECT IN HARDCOVER LIBRARY EDITION!

October 13, NEW YORK, NY—The series that revolutionized video game comics gets the presentation it deserves, in this super-deluxe oversized hardcover collecting every Mass Effect comic to date!

Made in close collaboration with the creators of the games, including Mass Effect 2 and 3 lead writer Mac Walters, the Mass Effect comics are tightly integrated and essential chapters of gaming’s most acclaimed science fiction epic.

This collection includes all four Mass Effect series—Redemption, Evolution, Invasion, and Homeworlds—as well as the short stories from MySpace Dark Horse Presents, USAToday.com, and the Dark Horse digital store, all annotated by the artists and writers who worked on them, as well as an extensive sketchbook of never-before-seen art. A must-own for any Mass Effect fan!

Praise for Mass Effect:

“To say [Dark Horse’s Mass Effect] comics have been good would be a gross understatement. They have frankly been stellar.”

—DualShockers.com

“The book stays true to everything we know and love about the Mass Effect games.”

—VGChartz.com

Mass Effect Library Edition is on sale May 22, 2013!

NYCC: Dark Horse Deluxe Goes Big With Mass Effect REAPER Replica

DARK HORSE DELUXE “GOES BIG” WITH

LARGE-SCALE MASS EFFECT REAPER REPLICA!

 

OCTOBER 12, MILWAUKIE, OR—Dark Horse Deluxe announces a brand-new phase of collectibles inspired by one of the most highly decorated franchises in the history of games, Mass Effect™. The first collectible to introduce this series is a limited-edition, large-scale replica of the Reaper known as Sovereign, which will be on public display at the Dark Horse booth (#1528) at New York Comic Con. Set for release on June 26, 2013, this premium replica will be offered at a retail price of $349.99.

 

Fans can preorder the strictly limited, 18.5” tall replica at the BioWare store today! Each piece will be individually numbered and will include an in-game bonus item for Mass Effect 3 multiplayer*! 

 

This craft is the flagship of the rogue Spectre Saren Arterius. Responsible for leading a devastating attack on the Citadel in the original Mass Effect game, Sovereign is an enormous sentient dreadnought larger than two kilometers in length. The Dark Horse re-creation of Sovereign also has a sculpted base depicting a devastated city and planetary surface to convey its huge scale.

 

The replica will be solicited to the trade in the Dark Horse Deluxe section of the November cover dated issue of Diamond’s Previews. While the final edition size has yet to be determined, it is certain less than 1,000 of this high-end collectible will be produced!

 

*This in-game item will only be available for the Xbox 360 and PC versions of Mass Effect 3. 

NYCC: EMILY THE STRANGE Returns! In Full Color And In Your Face

EMILY THE STRANGE RETURNS—

IN FULL COLOR AND IN YOUR FACE!

October 12, NEW YORK, NY—Emily the Strange creator Rob Reger teams up with cowriter Mariah Huehner (True Blood, Angel) and rising artist Emily Ivie (The Locked Maze, Rotsterarsil) for a brand-new, full-color miniseries titled Emily and the Strangers, featuring limited variant covers by rock-poster legends!

With the help of her trio of troublemaking cats, Emily is determined to make the most rockin’ song the world has ever known and win a legendary haunted guitar . . . but can she do it solo? Only one thing is for sure—what Emily wants, Emily gets . . . sometimes.

Now, Emily and her strange new bandmates are hard at work writing new songs and recording their first album, with big plans for 2013!

An Emily the Strange feature film is currently in development, with Chloë Grace Moretz (Let Me In, Kick-Ass) in the role of Emily.

Fans of Emily are welcome to stop by the Dark Horse Booth #1528 at New York Comic-Con 2012 for a signing with Rob Reger at 5 p.m. on Friday October 12^th!

Praise for Emily the Strange:

“If the White Stripes, Edward Gorey and Tim Burton had a baby . . . that would be Emily.”—Mania.com

Emily and the Strangers #1 is on sale January 30, 2013!

About Dark Horse

Founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. The company is known for the progressive and creator-friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists. In addition to publishing comics from top talent such as Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Neil Gaiman, Brian Wood, Gerard Way, Felicia Day, and Guillermo del Toro, and comics legends such as Will Eisner, Neal Adams, and Jim Steranko, Dark Horse has developed its own successful properties, including The Mask, Ghost, Timecop, and SpyBoy. Its successful line of comics and products based on popular properties includes Star Wars, Mass Effect, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, Emily the Strange, Tim Burton’s Tragic Toys for Girls and Boys, Serenity, and Domo. Today Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic book publisher in the US and is recognized as one of the world’s leading publishers of both creator-owned content and licensed comics material.

NYCC: Dark Horse Announces New York Comic-Con 2012 Schedule

DARK HORSE ANNOUNCES

NEW YORK COMIC-CON 2012 SCHEDULE!

OCTOBER 5, MILWAUKIE, OR—It’s here! New York Comic-Con is upon us, and Dark Horse Comics is telling you all the goods ahead of time! Plan accordingly!

NYCC 2012 Dark Horse Comics Signing Schedule

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11

3:00 p.m.            THE ART OF CAMILLA D’ERRICO: Camilla D’Errico

4:00 p.m.            THE MIGHTY SKULLBOY ARMY: Jacob Chabot

5:00 p.m.            ALIENS: COLONIAL MARINES: Joshua Williamson

6:00 p.m.             THE VICTORIES: Michael Avon Oeming

7:00 p.m.            DR. MCNINJA: Christopher Hastings

8:00 p.m.            STAR WARS: KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC & LOST TRIBE OF THE SITH: Andrea Mutti

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12

10:00 a.m.            DYNAMICS PRESENTS DARK HORSE SUPERHEROES: Phil Noto (Ghost), Joshua Williamson (Captain Midnight), Mike Richardson (Publisher)

11:00 a.m.            HELLBOY IN HELL: Mike Mignola

12:00 p.m.            TO HELL YOU RIDE: Lance Henriksen, Tom Mandrake*

                        •Ticketed event. Please see details below.

1:00 p.m.            NAUGHTY DOG STUDIOS: Neil Druckmann, Faith Erin Hicks

2:00 p.m.            BUFFYVERSE COMICS: Jane Espenson (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Rebekah Isaacs (Angel & Faith)

3:00 p.m.            THE MASSIVE, STAR WARS, CONAN: Brian Wood

4:00 p.m.            THE SKY, DEVA ZAN, VAMPIRE HUNTER D: Yoshitaka Amano**

                        **Ticketed by New York Comic-Con. Please see details below.

5:00 p.m.            EMILY THE STRANGE: Rob Reger

6:00 p.m.            ONCE UPON A TIME MACHINE: James Comey, Charles Fetherolf, Jim Giar, Marcus Muller, Rob Woods, Chris Stevens, Andrew Carl, Tara Alexander

7:00 p.m.            THE FIFTH BEATLE: Vivek J.Tiwary, Andrew C. Robinson

                        Enter to win an exclusive The Fifth Beatle print or The Beatles Stereo CD Box Set.

                       

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13

10:00 a.m.            POWERED BY CREATORS: Matt Kindt (Mind Mgmt), Michael Avon Oeming (The Victories)

11:00 a.m.            DARK HORSE HORROR SIGNING: Tom Mandrake (To Hell You Ride), Tim Seeley (Ex Sanguine), Christopher Golden (Baltimore), Eric Powell (The Goon), Evan Dorkin (Beasts of Burden)

12:00 p.m.            MASS EFFECT: Mac Walters, Kimberly Brooks (voice actress for Ashley Williams)

1:00 p.m.            THE SKY, DEVA ZAN, VAMPIRE HUNTER D: Yoshitaka Amano*

                        **Ticketed by New York Comic-Con. Please see details below.

2:00 p.m.            THE STRAIN: Guillermo del Toro*

                        •Ticketed event. Please see details below.

3:00 p.m.            COREY TAYLOR: To be announced*

•Ticketed event. Please see details below.

5:00 p.m.            THE TRUE LIVES OF THE FABULOUS KILLJOYS: Gerard Way, Becky Cloonan, Shaun Simon*

•Ticketed event. Please see details below.

6:00 p.m.            CREEPY & EERIE: Dan Braun

7:00 p.m.            B.P.R.D.: Tyler Crook, James Harren

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 14

10:00 a.m.            GREEN RIVER KILLER & THE CREEP: Jonathan Case

11:00 a.m.            MASS EFFECT: Mac Walters, Omar Francia

12:00 p.m.            BIOSHOCK: Ken Levine

1:00 p.m.            THE MASSIVE, STAR WARS, CONAN: Brian Wood

2:00 p.m.            THE IMMORTAL: Ian Edginton

3:00 p.m.            HUSBANDS: Jane Espenson, Brad Bell, Sean Hemeon

4:00 p.m.            BATTLEPUG: Mike Norton

NYCC 2012 Dark Horse & Dark Horse–related panels

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12

11:00–12:00            Expanding the Experience: Video Games & Comics—1A14

12:15–1:15            Brian Wood & Dark Horse: From World’s End to the Galaxy’s Beginnings—1A06

12:45–2:00                        Editors on Editing—1A07

1:45–2:45                        Dark Horse Presents: Yoshitaka Amano—1A21

6:30–7:30            Drawing on our Nightmares: Dark Horse Horror in Comics—1A14

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13

11:00–12:00                        Creepy and Eerie REBORN and UNDEAD—1A14

11:15–12:15            Once More with Feeling: 15 Years of Buffy the Vampire Slayer—1A21

5:15–6:15                        Hellboy in Hell: The Official Panel!—1A23

 *Tickets are available for free and on a first come first serve basis in the Dark Horse Booth on the day of the signing as soon as the convention hall opens.  Note that fans line up very early in the Javits Center (The Javits Center opens at 7:00 a.m., so fans can line up inside as early as that time each day.)

 **Tickets for signings with Yoshitaka Amano in the Dark Horse booth will be distributed by New York Comic-Con beginning at 7:00 am on Friday and Saturday. Please see newyorkcomiccon.com for details.

Lenni Reviews: Jam by Yahtzee Croshaw

(Image Source)

            The end of the world arrives not with a bang, not with a whimper, not with the groans of the undead but with the unsettling sound of strawberry jam squishing through the streets of Brisbane, Australia. Yes, my friends; the human race will face its greatest tribulations in the form of a man-eating condiment.

            The story begins with our protagonist, the gainfully unemployed Travis, waking up on a normal day and wondering how the job hunt will go. Except not a sound comes from the city outside his window and when he ventures out, the jam is up to the third floor of his building. Travis and a few other survivors make their way through the nearly empty city, meeting secret agents, battling plastic people, and a cult of office workers as they try to survive the jamocalypse.

            Facing this potentially hilarious circumstance, I had high hopes for this book. However, Travis is a dull narrator and the jokes at most inspired a mild chuckle. About 50 pages in, I was tempted to give it up but kept on out of sheer morbid curiosity. I mean, the city is covered in man –eating, strawberry jam. You gotta see how this pans out if for nothing more than to stop wondering who lives or who dies and to get to see the word “jamocalypse” in a sentence.

Few of the characters are likeable if you can flush out their personalities at all. They stand in as archetypes; The Normal Guy, The Roommate, The Jerk, The Girl, The Secret Agent, and so on. I couldn’t get deep enough in the world created in the book to really care about any of them. I felt tripped up by the uneven writing; sparse descriptions in some places, witty pop culture references in others, then some really great writing in between. It was enough to make me dizzy! If the effect was to make me feel like I was bobbing in the jam itself, it worked.

Overall, I cannot say I completely hated this book, but I didn’t fall in love with it either. It’s the overall premise that kept me reading; the novelty of the end of the world in a completely unexpected fashion. If you want to read this for a silly end of the world scenario and nothing else, then you could do a lot worse. But at 400 pages, that’s one hell of an investment and it may not be worth it for you. So, with that resounding “Meh,” my final word is this book will find its niche. Just not with me.

Dark Horse to Publish THE ART OF BIOSHOCK INFINITE

DARK HORSE BOOKS TO PUBLISH

THE ART OF BIOSHOCK INFINITE!

September 12, MILWAUKIE, OR—Dark Horse Comics announces plans to publish a comprehensive art book for BioShock® Infinite! 

BioShock® Infinite, developed by Irrational Games, won over 75 editorial awards at E3 2011, including the Game Critics Awards’ Best of Show.

In The Art of BioShock Infinite, delve deeper into the world of BioShock® Infinite and the city of Columbia—the fabled floating metropolis built by the US government in the late 1800s to serve as a floating world’s fair!

This deluxe hardcover features production designs and concept illustrations focusing on main characters Booker, Elizabeth, and Songbird from the highly anticipated BioShock® Infinite video game. See the evolution of the Heavy Hitters, the populace of Columbia, the Sky-Hook, Vigors, airships, and much more!

The Art of BioShock Infinite also features an introduction from BioShock® Infinite creative director Ken Levine.

 

Praise for BioShock® Infinite:

“The birth of a new gaming icon.”—Edge magazine

“A title that is likely to define the video game landscape in the years to come.”—Game Informer

For more on The Art of BioShock Infinite, check out the exclusive first look on IGN!

The Art of BioShock Infinite will be in bookstores and on comic shop stands February 27!

Dark Horse Unveils TYRION LANNISTER Statue

DARK HORSE UNVEILS TYRION STATUE

THE LATEST ADDITION TO THE

GAME OF THRONES^® COLLECTIBLES LINE!

 

SEPTEMBER 5, MILWAUKIE, OR—When looking for a key moment to immortalize as the second sculptural piece in Dark Horse’s highly coveted line of Game of Thrones collectibles, Dark Horse turned to none other than writer/producers David Benioff and D. B. Weiss for the most “statueworthy” moment in the then-unaired second season.

The two chose the memorable scene when Tyrion, as portrayed by Peter Dinklage, charges into battle, leading the defense of King’s Landing against an assault by King Stannis Baratheon in the Battle of the Blackwater. They further assisted with special photographic reference taken during filming, expressly for use as sculpture reference for the piece.

“When Dark Horse Deluxe began developing a new line of collectibles based on the HBO^® adaptation of Game of Thrones, we were pleased to discover we had the full attention of all involved, from the team at HBO Global Licensing to the principals steering in the production,” said Dark Horse’s VP of Product Development, David Scroggy. “The Tyrion statue is a benefit of that communication, and we know the fans and collectors will recognize the quality that is the result.”

Dark Horse is currently offering the statue to the trade for advance order. The Tyrion statue will be issued in a limited run, with the final edition size undetermined at press time.

This detailed figure measures approximately 10 inches in height and 9.5 inches across its base, which features Tyrion’s cast-aside helmet and other painstakingly re-created details.

 Hand painted and numbered, the Game of Thrones Tyrion statue will come packaged in a deluxe full-color box.

 Fans of the series can view a “Making of the Tyrion Lannister statue” video on the Dark Horse Blog.

 Look for these statues to arrive in stores on February 20, 2013, with a suggested retail price of $199.99.

Francavilla's THE BLACK BEETLE Returns

FRANCAVILLA’S THE BLACK BEETLE RETURNS TO DELIVER AWARDWORTHY PULP ACTION!

 

August 28, MILWAUKIE, OR—Dark Horse Comics is thrilled to announce a new creator-owned series from Francesco Francavilla, the 2012 Eisner Award winner for Best Cover Artist!

Francavilla’s critically acclaimed The Black Beetle returns in December with The Black Beetle #0, which will collect the three-part story entitled Night Shift that originally appeared in the pages of the Eisner Award–winning Dark Horse Presents. The issue will feature a brand-new cover, twenty-four story pages, and bonus sketch material and art! 

January brings The Black Beetle: No Way Out, a four-issue story that marks the first full series for Francavilla’s Black Beetle, continuing from the self-published, limited-edition ashcan comic of the same name—the first appearance of this exciting new pulp hero!

In Night Shift, an ancient artifact known as the Hollow Lizard—a powerful totem of dark magic—shows up at the Colt City Natural History Museum. Hitler sends his fearsome Werwolf Korps to collect the piece in hopes it will help him unlock the secrets of ancient Egypt’s Black Priests. Unfortunately for the führer, Colt City’s protector, the Black Beetle, is on the case!

In No Way Out, Black Beetle’s investigation of two local mob bosses is interrupted when a mysterious explosion murders them and a pub full of gangsters—taking out most of Colt City’s organized crime in one fell swoop. Who could pull off such a coup, and what damage might that murderous bomber inflict upon Colt City and Black Beetle? 

Francavilla’s The Black Beetle series will also showcase a letter page so fans have the chance to have their thoughts, comments, and compliments answered by the creator himself! E-mail blackbeetle[at]darkhorse[dot]com for a chance to see your letter in The Black Beetle: No Way Out!  

“Francavilla delivers the pulp noir that suits his style perfectly.”—Comic Book Resources 

Look for The Black Beetle #0 on comic store shelves everywhere on December 19, 2012!

About Dark Horse

Founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. The company is known for the progressive and creator-friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists. In addition to publishing comics from top talent such as Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Neil Gaiman, Brian Wood, Gerard Way, Felicia Day, and Guillermo del Toro, and comics legends such as Will Eisner, Neal Adams, and Jim Steranko, Dark Horse has developed its own successful properties, including The Mask, Ghost, Timecop, and SpyBoy. Its successful line of comics and products based on popular properties includes Star Wars, Mass Effect, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, Emily the Strange, Tim Burton’s Tragic Toys for Girls and Boys, Serenity, and Domo. Today Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic book publisher in the US and is recognized as one of the world’s leading publishers of both creator-owned content and licensed comics material.

 

Avatar: The Last Airbender- The Promise Part 2 Hits #1 On Charts

AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER—THE PROMISE PART 2 HITS #1 ON THE CHARTS!

 

June 18, MILWAUKIE, OR—In an amazing show of demand for Dark Horse’s latest graphic novel, Avatar: The Last Airbender—The Promise Part 2 soared to the top of the BookScan charts and the New York Times bestseller list last week!

Written by Gene Luen Yang, author of the National Book Award–nominated American Born Chinese, Avatar: The Last Airbender—The Promise Part 2 follows the Airbender television series and ties directly to the brand-new smash-hit television series The Legend of Korra!

Ever since the conclusion of Avatar: The Last Airbender, millions of fans have been hungry for more—and it’s finally here! The Promise rejoins Aang and friends for exciting new adventures, beginning with a face-off against the Fire Nation that threatens to throw the world into another war, testing all of Aang’s powers and ingenuity! 

Avatar: The Last Airbender—The Promise Parts 1 and 2 are must-have additions for any Airbender fan! This is the latest release in an ongoing partnership between Nickelodeon and Dark Horse to bring you the very best in Airbender books.

Avatar: The Last Airbender—The Promise Parts 1 and 2 are on sale now!

Avatar: The Last Airbender—The Promise Part 3 is on sale September 26, 2012!

About Dark Horse

Founded in1986 by Mike Richardson, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. The company is known for the progressive and creator-friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists. In addition to publishing comics from top talent such as Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Neil Gaiman, Brian Wood, Gerard Way, Felicia Day, and Guillermo del Toro, and comics legends such as Will Eisner, Neal Adams, and Jim Steranko, Dark Horse has developed its own successful properties, including The Mask, Ghost, Timecop, and SpyBoy. Its successful line of comics and products based on popular properties includes Star Wars, Mass Effect, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, Emily the Strange, Tim Burton’s Tragic Toys for Girls and Boys, Serenity, and Domo. Today Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic book publisher in the US and is recognized as one of the world’s leading publishers of both creator-owned content and licensed comics material.

 

About Nickelodeon Consumer Products

Nickelodeon Consumer Products manages the world’s number-one TV-based licensing business, representing leading properties such as SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer, and managing merchandising for Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, MTVN International, and Spike TV.

Nickelodeon is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books, and feature films. Nickelodeon’s U.S. television network is seen in more than 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 16 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B).

Dark Horse Does Vampires Right

Dark Horse Does Vampires Right Digital Sampler

If you've got a taste for bloodsuckers, then look no further! Dark Horse does vampires right and gives readers who crave creatures of the night a crypt full of creepy comics!

Step into the world of Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9, as everyone's favorite Slayer adapts to her new life in San Francisco. Then check out Angel & Faith, where the vampire with a soul and the once-evil Slayer work to atone for past sins.

This preview issue also features Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden's Baltimore, which follows a vampire hunter living in a world beset by a post–World War I vampire infestation; samples from P. C. and Kristin Cast's story of a vampyre boarding school in House of Night; and Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan's The Strain, in which Manhattan suffers from a vampiric plague!

• Issue features selections from Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9 #1,Angel & Faith #1, Baltimore: The Curse Bells #1, The Strain #1, and House of Night #1. Plus, the entirety of a short story entitled "Magical Mystery Tour Featuring the Beetles," a previously unreleased, digital-only retailer exclusive from Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9.

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