Dark Horse Comics has provided CBR with solicitations copy and images for products scheduled to release in January, 2010. Click the link for the full listing. Here’s some of my personal highlights.
BLACKSAD
Juan Díaz Canales (W) and Juanjo Guarnido (A)
On sale Mar 24
FC, 184 pages
$29.99
HC, 8 3/8″ x 10 7/8″Private investigator John Blacksad is up to his feline ears in mystery, digging into the backstories behind murders, child abductions, and nuclear secrets. Guarnido’s sumptuously painted pages and rich cinematic style bring the world of 1950s America to vibrant life, with Canales weaving in fascinating tales of conspiracy, racial tension, and the “red scare” Communist witch hunts of the time. Guarnido reinvents anthropomorphism in these pages, and industry colleagues no less than Will Eisner, Jim Steranko, and Tim Sale are fans!
Whether John Blacksad is falling for dangerous women or getting beaten to within an inch of his life, his stories are, simply put, unforgettable.
• Dark Horse is very proud to present the first three Blacksad stories in a beautiful hardcover collection, completely relettered to the artist’s specifications and with the latest album, Red Soul, in English for the very first time.
• This internationally acclaimed series has won nearly a dozen prestigious awards—including the Angoulême Comics Festival prizes for Best Series and Best Artwork—and is a three-time Eisner Award nominee.
• Blacksad took Europe by storm in 2000 and sold over 200,000 copies in France alone.
Excellent! Now, I’ll be able to read the first story that has been out of print here in the States for awhile now. I’ll definitely be ordering this one.
GANTZ VOLUME 10
Hiroya Oku (W/A)
On sale Mar 31
b&w, 224 pages
$12.99
TPB, 5 1/8″ x 7 1/4″Plots are starting to twist in the Gantz storyline! Has Kato disappeared forever? Who is this cute girl Kei’s falling in love with? Does someone on the Internet know the secret of Gantz? And who is this huge fighter roaming the streets of Japan looking for the greatest fighting challenge? Well, the challenge he’s looking for might come from the least likely of physical specimens.
So far, the story of Gantz knows few bounds when it comes to plot twists and a constantly changing cast. When it’s kill or be killed against a universe full of odd and resilient aliens, a lot of characters get killed off quickly. So far the most constant, and consistently evolving, character is Kei, a classic antihero. The question begins to set in . . . if Kei succeeds in fulfilling his contract with Gantz, will he be willing to give up these superhuman powers he’s begun to take for granted?
• Gantz has proven to be one of the most popular adult anime in recent years, with over 190,000 copies sold in the U.S. alone!
• Each volume of Gantz comes shrink-wrapped and carries an 18+ content advisory.
This will end up on my wish list since I haven’t even read the first volume yet.
HELLBOY VOLUME 9: THE WILD HUNT
Mike Mignola (W), Duncan Fegredo (A), and Dave Stewart (C)
On sale Mar 10
FC, 192 pages
$19.99
TPB, 7″ x 10″When ancient giants begin to reawaken in the British Isles, Hellboy is invited to join an ancient band of fellow monster hunters called the Wild Hunt and help bring them down. But an unexpected betrayal sends Hellboy after a quarry far more deadly: the Queen of Blood, first seen in 2007’s best-selling Hellboy: Darkness Calls. This newly reborn evil has her murderous sights set on all of humanity, and the only way Hellboy can stop her is to finally confront the truth about his own dark heritage.
• Mignola reunites with artist Duncan Fegredo for the eagerly anticipated follow-up to Hellboy: Darkness Calls.
• Hellboy: The Wild Hunt collects the entire eight-issue miniseries, along with an extensive sketchbook section from both artists.
This is another wish list entry, especially since Mignola isn’t drawing any of the stories anymore.
STAR WARS: LEGACY VOLUME 8—TATOOINE
John Ostrander (W), Jan Duursema (P), Dan Parsons (I), and Brad Anderson (C)
On sale Mar 3
FC, 104 pages
$17.99
TPB, 7″ x 10″One hundred and thirty-three years after the death of Darth Vader, the Skywalker line has reached another low point—in the person of the last living heir, Cade Skywalker. Cade has abandoned his Jedi heritage for plans of quick wealth and a pirate’s life. And his actions have attracted all of the wrong kinds of attention.
Tracked by Imperial agents and targeted by Black Sun assassins, Cade is run to ground on Tatooine, where his two most famous ancestors had roots. But even if he can evade those who are trying to kill him, Cade can’t escape the family legacy. Before this adventure is over, Cade will be forced to think about who he is and who he wants to be—helped along by his mother, his half sister, and the ghost of Luke Skywalker!
• This newest volume of Star Wars: Legacy collects issues #37–#41!
• Star Wars: Legacy includes the uncharted future of Star Wars and the Skywalkers!
A return to the planet where it all began—Tatooine!
I’m way behind on this one. I really should remedy that. I don’t get nearly enough Star Wars in my life.
And, that’ll do it!
