Duncan Fegredo back on Hellboy - Midnight Circus launches in October

Following up on a collaboration which spanned multiple series, leading up to Mike Mignola’s return to both writing and drawing his beloved demon, British artist Duncan Fegredo will return to tell a story about a young Hellboy’s first brush with hell.

Out in October, Hellboy: The Midnight Circus is a beautifully drawn 56-page graphic novel that finds a young Hellboy runs away from the B.P.R.D., only to stumble upon a weird and fantastical circus and the few demons from hell who inhabit it.

“This one owes a lot to Ray Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes (pretty much my favourite circus story of all time), but even more to Pinocchio — especially all the spooky, disturbing bits Disney left out. And the work Duncan is doing here is just flat-out amazing,” said Mike Mignola.

“Growing up is tough enough, even when you don’t know the weight of the world rests on the future of your yet-diminutive shoulders. Mike has woven a tale of coming of age for the young Hellboy made all the more poignant for knowing his future. Wonderful, magical, terrifying, this is epic Hellboy on a smaller stage,” Duncan Fegredo added.

• Hellboy: The Midnight Circus arrives on 23rd October 2013 in a beautiful hardcover format similar to the previously released Hellboy: House of the Living Dead (created in collaboration with legendary artist Richard Corben in 2011)

• For more information on Hellboy: The Midnight Circus, check out the exclusive interview with Mike Mignola on Comic Book Resources

Peter Hogan pens "King's Road" for Dark Horse

Peter Hogan (co-creator of Resident Alien) returns to the pages of anthology-title  Dark Horse Presents this month with a new story entitled "King’s Road", drawn by Phil Winslade.

Dark Horse tell us King’s Road is sure to be another gem for the Eisner-winning monthly, a story that centres on some average suburban kids whose lives are turned upside down when  a nightmare from their father’s hidden past came to hunt them down. Now they must fight the evil forces of the usurping witch Malicia for the right to rule a magical kingdom.

“King’s Road is about someone from another world – a magical, semi-medieval world," Peter says, "who came to Earth about twenty years ago, and settled down and raised a family here. But now he has to go back again, taking his family with him, because he’s inherited the throne of that world.

"Meanwhile, there are all sorts of nasty magical creatures trying to kill him before he gets there."

Phil Winslade has been drawing comics since 1990, with his work published by Marvel, DC, Dark Horse, 2000AD and Fleetway on books such as Daredevil, Legends of the Dark Knight, Shadowpact, Nevada, Monolith and Howard the Duck.

• Catch King’s Road in Dark Horse Presents #23, on sale now in comic shops this week.

• Buy Dark Horse Presents #23 from Forbidden Planet

• Check out samples of Phil's work and music on Facebook

Dan McDaid on board for Dark Horse 'Catalyst Comics' project

Following the series announcement at last year’s New York Comic Con, US publisher Dark Horse has announced the official release date for Catalyst Comix, whose creative team includes Dan McDaid, Paul Maybury and Brendan McCarthy.

The creative team of Joe Casey and artists Dan McDaid, Ulises Farinas, and Paul Maybury will be turning the superhero genre inside out with a completely original take on capes, tights, and superpowers in the series.

Man of action Joe Casey reimagines powerhouse Titan, guardian angel Amazing Grace, and the subversive Agents of Change in three mind-blowing, intertwining stories. Superhero comics get a back-alley facelift as these very different champions confront a cosmic threat and personal demons -- and where better to start than the end of the world!

“With this book, we’re taking the kinds of creative chances that other corporate superhero series wouldn’t even think about,” said writer Joe Casey. “This thing looks great, it feels great, and it’s the kind of comic book that makes life worth living!”

“Joe and his team have created a very unique comic, existing quite far apart from your traditional Marvel and DC titles,” said Dark Horse President Mike Richardson. “I might even venture to call it the first postmodern superhero series.”

One of the most exciting and groundbreaking new series in Dark Horse’s superhero initiative, Catalyst Comix promises an inspired take on the capes-and-tights genre, with wraparound series covers from Rafael Grampá, Paul Pope, and Brendan McCarthy.

Look for the first issue in your local comic shop on 3rd July 2013.

 

Stan Lee Excelsior Award 2012 Winners announced

The full results of the Stan Lee Excelsior Award 2012 can now be revealed!

This award for graphic novels is fully endorsed by The Stan Lee Foundation and the School Library Association. Seventy seven UK schools took part this year and, of the eight shortlisted graphic novels, hundreds of students (in the 11-16 age bracket) chose the following titles as their winners:

1st Place - Star Wars: Blood Ties by Tom Taylor and Chris Scalf (Dark Horse)

A multigenerational tale of honor and redemption, starring two of the heaviest hitters in the Star Wars galaxy -- the father-and-clone team of Jango and Boba Fett.
 
Shortly before the start of the Clone Wars, Count Dooku sends Jango Fett on a mission that will affect the course of Boba Fett's life some 20 years later. But for now, neither of them knows what the future holds in store, and besides, they have their schedule filled dodging monsters and fighting bad guys! It's Jango Fett and Boba Fett together in a series featuring fully painted art by Purge artist Chris Scalf.

2nd Place - Chimichanga by Eric Powell (Dark Horse)

When Wrinkle's Travelling Circus' most adorable little bearded girl trades a lock of her magic beard hair for a witch's strange egg, she stumbles upon what could be the saving grace for her ailing freakshow - the savory-named beast: Chimichanga!

3rd Place - Green Lantern: Secret Origin by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis (DC Comics)

Witness the beginning of the career of the bravest Green Lantern who's ever lived as the secret origin of Hal Jordan is revealed. This title helps you to discover how and why Hal received the power ring. It also helps you to uncover the mystery of Abin Sur's death - and why Jordan's teacher and mentor, Sinestro, became obsessed with the prophecy of the apocalyptic end of the universe 'the Blackest Night'. 


There were also two further awards up for grabs:

Winner of the JABBICA (Judge A Book By Its Cover Award, voted for by school librarians) - Sita: Daughter of the Earth by Saraswati Nagpal and Manikandan (Campfire)

The winner of the TRUE BELIEVERS AWARD (for the school that returned the most Rating Forms) was Chilwell School, Nottingham.

• See the website at www.excelsioraward.co.uk shortlist2012.html for more details

Steve Parkhouse and Peter Hogan talk Resident Alien

Get along to the Kapow! convention, Islington Design Centre tomorrow to hear an episode of Panel Borders being recorded live, as Alex Fitch talks to writer Peter Hogan and artist Steve Parkhouse about their new serialised comic Resident Alien, published by Dark Horse.

The comic tells the tale of a 'grey' alien becoming a small town doctor in the USA and Alex will be talking to the creators about the genesis of the comic as well as Peter previous experience of writing about grey aliens in Vector 13 for 2000AD and Steve's earlier comic of suburban weirdness, The Bojeffries Saga with Alan Moore.

The panel is at 2.30pm, Sunday 20th May 2012, Room A, Kapow! comics convention, Islington Design Centre, 52 Upper Street, London N1 0QH

• More info at http://kapowcomicconvention.com/node/307

Hogan, Parkhouse on regular 'Resident Alien' title for Dark Horse

US publisher Dark Horse has commissioned British creative duo Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse to bring their epic Dark Horse Presents tale of an alien hero named Harry to a fully fledged series! beginning with Resident Alien #0 in April.

In Resident Alien, a stranded alien seeks refuge in the small town of Patience, USA, where he hides undercover as a semi-retired doctor, masking his appearance using his unique mental abilities. Now known as Dr. Harry Vanderspeigle, all the alien wants is to be left alone until he’s rescued. 

However, when the town’s real doctor dies, “Dr. Harry” is pulled into medical service - and also finds himself smack dab in the middle of a murder mystery! He’d rather be fishing. 

“I blame Steve Parkhouse," says Peter Hogan, whose numerous credits include editorship of 1980s titles Crisis and Revolver and strips for 2000AD such as Durham Red and Robo-Hunter, as well as US books such as Tom Strong and Sandman. 

"Having collaborated with him long ago on a couple of stories for The Dreaming, I was keen to do so again - and anyone who’s ever seen Steve’s work (on The Bojeffries Saga or The Milkman Murders, to name but two) already knows the reason why: he’s stunningly good.

“We introduced our friendly alien to the world in the pages of Dark Horse Presents last year, and those installments have now been collected into Resident Alien #0. Over the next few months, you’ll learn a bit more about Harry and his supporting cast and watch as he attempts to catch a murderer - and that’s just for starters. This alien is here to stay.”

Steve Parkhouse's wide range of work, which also includes Doctor Who, The Spiral Path and the graphic album Angel Fire is a singular talent in British comics. It's great to know we're seeing him back in action.

- Resident Alien #0 is on sale in comic shops from 18th April 2012. Resident Alien #1 is on sale 23rd May 2012.

Duncan Fegredo provides cover to latest Dark Horse Presents

The ace art of Duncan Fegredo graces the cover of the next Dark Horse Presents (#8), on sale 1st February.

Fegredo's British credits are of course extensive, including work for titles such as Crisis for Fleetway back in the 1980s, before working on Kid Eternity at DC Comics with writer Grant Morrison and Enigma, an eight-issue miniseries for Vertigo imprint. He's also drawn Judge Dredd for 2000AD.

Dark Horse Presents #8 features a brand-new B.P.R.D. story, the beginning of Brian Wood and Kristian Donaldson's The Massive, new Skeleton Key, and the conclusion of Howard Chaykin's Marked Man?

The legendary anthology also commemorates the 100th Anniversary of Edgar Rice Burroughs' Tarzan with Thomas Yeates, unravels the mysteries surrounding Neal Adams's Blood, Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson's Beasts of Burden returns, and more great comics!

- More info on the Dark Horse web site

In Review: Grandville Mon Amour

by Bryan Talbot
Published by: Jonathan Cape (UK) Dark Horse (US)
Out: 2nd December 2010 (UK) 22 February 2011 (US)

The Book: Set three weeks after the finale of Grandville, Grandville, Mon Amour pits Detective Inspector Archie LeBrock of Scotland Yard against an old adversary, Edward 'Mad Dog' Mastock - a psychotic serial killer whose shocking escape from his execution at the Tower of London begins this fast-paced, Hitchcockian steampunk thriller.

With a range of new and fascinating characters and a mix of Holmesian deduction, knowing humour and edge of the seat action, Grandville Mon Amour continues the vein of high-octane adventure begun in the first volume. Can even LeBrock escape the past or do heroes have feet of clay?

Follow the badger!

Mastock is a truly horrific villain and there are panels featuring him that might make
your hair stand on end. Or your cat's. Art © Bryan Talbot

The Review: Set in the same steampunk universe as Grandville but a standalone adventure in its own right, Grandville Mon Amour is a slightly more cerebral steampunk adventure than its predecessor but a delight all the same, peppered with the kind of action and humour we've come to expect of Mr. Talbot.

The tale opens with Mastock's brutal escape from the Tower of London and with LeBrock in pieces, his home a mess, still racked by remorse for his failure to prevent the death of “the Divine Sarah”. While the aftermath of the events of Grandville are in evidence they're not vital to the story, and, thanks to some TLC from friend Roderick, we're soon on the hunt for Mastock in France, who's taken to murdering prostitutes while searching for a missing and dangerous artifact capable of bringing down a government.

Although working outside the law after resigning his post following a blazing row with his superior officer, it's not long before LeBrock finds allies in the French police and the criminal underworld to help him track down the escaped murderer and bring to an end his horrific murder spree.  This, of course, proves no easy task - Mastock has to be one of the most brutal anthropomorphic villains I've ever encountered in a comic. Along the way, we're treated to some wonderful cameos and supporting characters, such as Madam Riverhorse, the brothel-running hippo, and Billie the Badger, a sex worker who helps Ratzi and LeBrock find Mastock - although not the way she probably wanted to.

There are twists in the tale, of course - a deeper game is afoot, beyond Mastock's murderous rampage through the city of Grandville. Without giving away the plot, LeBrock finds he's soon chasing far more dangerous villains who have been hiding their true natures for years, ever since Britain gained independence from France after a brutal uprising.

Grandville Mon Amour is an ingenious and enjoyable conspiracy-laden tale, set in a world Bryan himself describes as "like Jules Verne and Sherlock Holmes directed by Quentin Tarantino - with animals." The beautifully-realized story comes peppered with visual treats and asides, such as banged up miscreants that include a well known duck and a sex-obsessed aardvark, but these details never distract from the main story - like the grave-digging steampunk robot and Victorian pump room where LeBrock finally confronts Mastock, they're there to come back to on a second reading and savour all the more.

There's some fun dialogue too: I especially enjoyed sex worker Billie's off panel appeal, "looking for a good time, ducks?" only for Lebrock to turn and find her propositioning two well-heeled mallards, who respond, "Not with you, dearie. You're not even water fowl!"

On top of this, we're still left with questions. How can an anthropomorphised cat have a 'real' cat as a pet? What is the role of humans (or 'doughfaces') in this mad, twisted universe? All things you're left to ponder  -- and which Bryan tells me are both questions that will be addressed in Book 4: Grandville Noel.

A final word for the production on this book: the print quality is superb, doing full justice to Bryan's terrific art.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable romp of a book. Find it: buy it.

Web Links

• The official Grandville and Grandville: Mon Amour homepage
This is the official home on the web for Bryan Talbot's new graphic novel Grandville and its sequel Grandville: Mon Amour
 
• Order Grandville Mon Amour from amazon.co.uk


• Pre-order Grandville Mon Amour (Dark Horse edition) from amazon.com

• GOSH Comics London are selling an exclusive bookplate edition of Grandville Mon Amour. More details on their website

• Bryan Talbot will be signing Grandville, Mon Amour at Forbidden Planet, 179 Shaftesbury Avenue, London WC2H 8JR on Thursday 2nd December (6 - 7.00pm).

• Ten Questions for Bryan Talbot: downthetubes interview

• Comic Book Resources Interview with Bryan Talbot
August 2010

New Flash Gordon Collection

(Updated 1 April 2010): downthetubes has a bias towards comics of British origin but one American character of great interest to many British sci-fi/comic fans, Flash Gordon, is appearing in a new archival collection from Dark Horse, to be published in August.

The book will reprint seven complete comics originally published between 1947 and 1953 and is likely to appeal to fans of Dan Dare, Rick Random and those who like their sci-fi heroes retro.

While Dark Horse haven't specified the source, Flash Gordon fans online suggest the 312-page collection comprises comics originally published by Dell between 1947-49, drawn by Paul Norris in Four-Color #173, 190, 204 and 247; and from 1952-53:, three more from Four Color #424, #512 and Flash Gordon #2, featuring art by Jack Lehti and Frank Thorne.

Ardden Entertainment, a company with British connections, has the license to produce new range of Flash Gordon comics, and SciFiPulse.net reports the range has gone very well for them.

Another highly recommended Flash Gordon collection - Al Williamson's Flash Gordon: A Lifelong Vision of the Heroic was published last year, reprinting his Gold Key and Marvel Flash Gordon work.


• Flash Gordon Comic Book Archives Volume 1 is available to pre-order from Forbidden Planet and other onlibne stores.

• Flash Gordon Story Index

Tripwire's Wild Adventure

2009 is a banner year for the publishers of British comics and fantasy magazine Tripwire. Following hot on the heels of the success of its Superhero Special in March (reviewed here on downthtubes), they're now locked and loaded with the Tripwire Adventure Special.

84 pages of two-fisted features and reviews are topped off with a painted Solomon Kane cover by Mario Guevara launching the lead story on Kane, Conan and the Robert E. Howard properties at Dark Horse Comics, including with interviews with editor Philip Simon and writer Scott Allie.

The magazine also celebrates Belgian boy adventurer Tintin’s 80th birthday with a look back at the character’s history, the forthcoming movie and the artist Herge's influence on creators like Jason Lutes and Garen Ewing (plus there's a preview of the June opening of the Herge museum near Brussels).

Also interviewed is artist Joe Kubert to see what it’s like returning to his creation Tor after many years and talk with SF author Michael Moorcock about his early career and the influence of pulp pioneers like Edgar Rice Burroughs. Speaking of Tarzan, the magazine also explores the art of illustrator J. Allen St. John as well as other great Tarzan artists like Frank Frazetta and Roy Krenkel.

And of course, no adventure magazine worth its salt would be complete without an overview of the latest and greatest from Dynamite, publishers of The Lone Ranger, Zorro, Red Sonja and Buck Rogers.

Add profiles of pulp purveyors like Nostalgia Ventures, talks with Flesk Publications and their adventure artists Mark Schultz and Gary Gianni, graphic novel reviews of key genre comics, stir well and you have a full mix of great adventure content to set your pulse racing.

"This issue cements Tripwire's reputation as a top magazine covering genre media including comics, TV and film," says publisher Joel Meadows. "We reach deeper into topics than our competitors do because we have access others don't and we love the material so much!"

• The Adventure Special is Tripwire’s second quarterly issue of 2009 and can be found on page 310 of Diamond's Previews for April, Item Number APR09 1090 £4.95 UK/ $8.95 US 84pp, full colour

• Tripwire on the web: www.tripwire-magazine.com
• Joel's walls and bridges blog: joelm1-joelmead.blogspot.com
• Tripwire on Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/31004024@N04

Wilson's Star Wars Project Revealed

We've previously mentioned in passing 2000AD artist Colin Wilson's upcoming Star Wars project for US publisher Dark Horse, but now details about Star Wars: Invasion, which launches online in May, have been officially announced.

The series, set 25 years after the Battle of Yavin (when the first Death Star was destroyed, as seen in the original Star Wars film), kicks off in print on 1 July from Dark Horse.

The series features an older Luke Skywalker and other long established characters.

"Although Tom [Taylor]and I have been working together on a variety of projects over the last couple of years, this is the biggie, and we are both giving this new series our best shot," says Colin via his blog. "Invasion introduces the readers to the Galfridian family, and the peace-loving planet of Artoria. Unfortunately the Yuuzhan Vong are about to arrive..."

"The Vong are a real challenge," Colin told Comic Book Resources, "because so little is known about them. But early on I realized that this was also a huge advantage, as well.

"Once I got a good visual handle on these guys, I could pretty much do what I want with them, at least visually. The important thing I’d like to retain about the Vong is their aura of mystery. With these guys, anything can happen, and usually does. Big, bad, threatening... what else does a comic artist need?"

• For more details on the Invasion project, check out the Comic Book Resources New York Comic Con coverage here, and online interviews on CBR with Tom Taylor and Colin Wilson.

• Star Wars: Invasion launches on www.starwars.com in May with an eight-page preview web-only issue, followed by a second eight-page preview web-only issue in June.

In Review: The Great Game

I've just finished reading the hardback of the excellent Scarlet Traces: The Great Game. Written by Ian Edginton and drawn by D'Israeli this is their second sequel to HG Wells' The War Of The Worlds.

For those unfamiliar with the first Scarlet Traces, the basic premise is that the Martians only invaded Britain and therefore only the British Empire has access to the back engineered Martian technology, including the dreaded heat ray, and has become the only superpower on Earth. However, the geo-social divisions of late Victorian Britain have become more extreme with London as a gleaming capital on the surface and much of the rest of the country still in poverty.

The Great Game takes us to about 1940, with the British Empire having taken the war to the Martians on Mars, and it is not going as well as the news reports would have the populace believe.

I like these kind of retro-future stories. Ministry of Space or The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen also spring to mind, and Edginton and D'Israeli have turned this one into a paradise of in-jokes and outside references with visual references to The Quatermass Experiment, Quatermass and the Pit, Fireball XL5, Thunderbirds, Phoenix 5, Dad's Army and even Are You Being Served!

From a more comics perspective, the crew of the British fighter, call sign Eagle Leader, attacking the tripods on Mars are Colonel D McGregor and Flt Sgt A Fitzwilliam (do I really need to add Dare and Digby to the ends of those names for you?) while, also for the Dan Dare fans, an ancient chart of the solar system shows Mercury as being inhabited by Atlantines and Venus by Treens and Therons (separated by a flame barrier). It should raise a smile with Doctor Who fans as it also shows the Earth inhabited by Silurians and Sea Devils.

The space transport ship used by the British military is inspired by the Zero X from TV21 (and the Thunderbirds Are Go! film) both in its design and the way the wings and nose cone separate from the main body.

But my favourite has to be the kettle used by one of the characters. You may have thought that Daleks look like pepper pots before but just wait until you see one of their "heads" being used to boil water - which is poured out of the eyestalk!

The book, a reprint of the four issue comic book of the same title, is published by Dark Horse in the USA and it is unlikely that there will be a UK book publication because of the different copyright laws between UK and USA regarding the source novel. However, if you get a chance, take a look at it and wonder at the imagination (and nerve) of its creators.

Creepy and Eerie return... but who owns the characters?

I'm a huge fan of Warren's classic titles Creepy and Eerie -- the time travelling 'Rook' a particular favourite character -- so make mo apologies for a straight as supplied reprint of Dark Horse's press release about their revival, although I have to wonder quite where the copyright lies as regards some of the characters featured in the original titles. See below for more about this.

The magazines that gave a whole generation the shivers are back. Creepy and Eerie were the definitive horror and sci-fi comics of the 1960s and flourished up until the early 1980s. Dark Horse Comics has entered into an agreement with New Comic Company to create archive editions of this classic material, as well as launch new Creepy and Eerie comics for modern horror fans. The licensing deal will encompass publishing, select film and TV development, and merchandising. Many of today’s brightest stars will lend their talents to the venture, including horror legend Bernie Wrightson (City of Others) and modern master Steve Niles (30 Days of Night, Criminal Macabre).

Creepy is best remembered for its classic horror and was hosted by Uncle Creepy, while Eerie often ventured into science fiction and featured Cousin Eerie as its host. The rest of the gang includes Hunter, Child, El Cid, Marvin the Dead Thing, and the newly developed Creepy Family.

The magazines, originally published by Jim Warren are remembered as presenting some of the era’s greatest genre comics work.

“Both Creepy and Eerie are fondly remembered by comics fans as representing the best of science fiction and horror, and Dark Horse is proud and excited to relaunch these classic titles,” said Dark Horse publisher Mike Richardson.

“Mike Richardson and Dark Horse have an impressive and deep understanding of what it will take to help us correctly re-launch Creepy and Eerie. It’s a great fit for our brands,” said New Comic executive and Submarine Entertainment Co-President Dan Braun, who negotiated the deal in cooperation with CAA — who represents both New Comic and Dark Horse. Deals in TV and Film are expected to be announced shortly.

New Comic Company acquired all rights in all media to the Creepy and Eerie comic book series earlier this year and was formed by New York based Submarine Entertainment and Los Angeles based Grand Canal Film Works.

New efforts are expected to debut this fall with the classic tales being prepared for the hardcover Dark Horse Archive series.

New Comic and Grand Canal Film Works executive Craig Haffner added, “The depth of this library across the horror, sci-fi, and fantasy genres makes it truly tantalizing for a multitude of different platforms. Our association with Dark Horse will take us one step closer to realizing our goal of returning the Creepy and Eerie brands to their former stature and beyond.”

Dark Horse has set a tentative release date for the comics in early 2008.

I think this is great news: many of the Warren strips are simply superb, and well deserving of a modern collection. However, given the bizarre history of Warren, I suspect that since some creators feel they own the characters published -- creator Bill Dubay says he owns "The Rook" for example -- there may be some interesting spats ahead. Other characters and stories may also have reverted to the artists.