Just received the press release from Dark Horse Comics – as the adventures of Zayne Carrick come to a close in Knights of the Old Republic, John Jackson Miller will take us to a new era in the Star Wars Expanded Universe:
DARK HORSE ANNOUNCES ALL-NEW STAR WARS™ SERIES, KNIGHT ERRANT!
AS KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC DRAWS TO A CLOSE, WRITER JOHN JACKSON MILLER MOVES TO AN UNCHARTED CORNER OF THE GALAXY!
FEBRUARY 11, MILWAUKIE, OR—Coming off the heels of penning the breakout hit Mass Effect: Redemption and the gripping finale of Knights of the Old Republic, writer John Jackson Miller introduces us to Kerra Holt, a young Jedi who’s about to realize that her role in the galaxy is far more important, and vastly different, than she could have ever imagined.
Set one thousand years before Episode I, in a time referred to as the “Dark Age of the Republic,” this story takes place in an era when the Sith were legion and the Republic was strained to the breaking point, leaving large swaths of the galaxy with no one to turn to. This pivotal time in the history of Star Wars has been largely unexplored, until now.
Additionally, for the first time ever, the writer of this new comics series will also be authoring a novel for Del Rey Books, set in the same era and involving the same cast of characters in an all-new adventure. It’s going to be a unique event for Star Wars, and one that will give fans a whole new perspective on the galaxy.
“There’s such wonderful chaos going on in the galaxy in this period,” said writer John Jackson Miller. “More than a generation before Darth Bane introduced the Rule of Two, Sith Lords are colliding not just with the Republic, but with each other. Kerra’s going to find that good intentions just may not be enough in a galaxy gone mad! This is a wide-open area to explore, and I’m thrilled that Dark Horse and Del Rey have given me this opportunity to do so.”
“With John writing both the comics and the novel, Knight Errant will be a Star Wars story on a scale we’ve never undertaken before,” said comic-series editor Dave Marshall. “This will be a first-of-its-kind opportunity to introduce the Expanded Universe of the Dark Horse comics to the fans of the Del Rey novels and vice versa!”
With more news in the coming months, look for Star Wars: Knight Errant to arrive on shelves later this fall!
:::
This is really awesome news! I’m a big fan of John’s Lost Tribe of the Sith stories (eagerly awaiting the next story, Paragon), and I cannot believe the man’s luck! Writing a new Star Wars series AND a novel set in the same period, with the same characters?! 🙂 For once, I’m glad that I found out when everyone else did – it would have been hell sitting on this information! 🙂
Congratulations, John! Looking forward to the new series and to the novel! While we wait for Knight Errant, let me point you to John’s excellent Lost Tribe of the Sith series – each story is free to download and ties into the Fate of the Jedi series as well as Paul S Kemp’s excellent Crosscurrent!
John Jarrold has sold an SF novella by Chaz Brenchley, ROTTEN ROW, to Peter Crowther at PS Publishing. ROTTEN ROW is set in the same universe as his short story “Terminal”, which was shortlisted for the BSFA award and will be reprinted together with the novella.
Chaz Brenchley has been a professional writer since the age of 18, and has written over 20 thrillers, supernatural thrillers and fantasy novels under his own name and pseudonyms.
‘Although Chaz is known for his fantasy and dark fantasy, this is a wonderful SF story, it feels as if he’s been writing in the genre for decades,’ said John Jarrold.
Great, great news for Chaz! 🙂
And some news-bits from dark Horse Comics:
DARK HORSE SWINGS FOR THE BLEACHERS
DARK HORSE TEAMS WITH CHALLENGE GAMES TO DRAFT THE FIRST DARK HORSE BASEBALL BOSS TEAM
JULY 29, MILWAUKIE, OR–It’s no secret that Dark Horse loves comics, but perhaps lesser known is the fact that Dark Horse loves baseball, too!
In celebration of the summer season and America’s greatest pastime, Dark Horse Comics and Challenge Online Games have teamed up to create the greatest sports franchise ever. In a move that will have agents talking for weeks, Baseball Boss will now feature Dark Horse players, including Concrete, Hellboy, Abe Sapien (B.P.R.D.), X, Rumor and Kraken (The Umbrella Academy), the Mask, Conan, King Kull, Cal McDonald (Criminal Macabre), SpyBoy, Ghost, the Goon, Grendel Prime, the Occultist, Go Boy 7, and Heath Huston (Fear Agent).
The free-to-play online electronic trading card game combines the collectibility and trading aspects of collectible cards with the competitive excitement of multiplayer games. Harnessing Web 2.0 applications and asynchronous, short-form design, Baseball Boss and Dark Horse will set the bar for this emerging entertainment sector.
Plus, players can win a full set of virtual cards of the Dark Horse All-Stars team!
* First, players need to complete their free registration for the online game Baseball Boss and finish a quick account setup.
* Then, each time their team beats the Dark Horse All-Stars in a best-of-five game series, they can randomly win a card of the Dark Horse All-Stars for their collection.
* Players get three free packs of virtual baseball cards when they register for free for Baseball Boss.
To play their first game against the Dark Horse All-Stars, players should visit baseballboss.com/darkhorse.
Baseball Boss has been described by GameZone as “iTunes meets baseball cards.” The addition of Dark Horse superstars will allow players to create the ultimate dream team to go head to head with other players in a way never before imagined.
Dark Horse President Mike Richardson has this to say about the new program: “Being a longtime baseball fan, it’s great to see so many Dark Horse characters taking part in an online version of our national pastime and playing alongside some of my favorite real-life players.”
Jeff Petry, vice president of sports and licensed properties at Challenge Games, said, “Adding key characters from the Dark Horse universe creates a fun activity for our players. We hope that both sports fans and comic fans alike enjoy these highly collectible virtual cards. We’re looking forward to a great partnership with Dark Horse and to creating many more fun activities for all our players.”
And
OMG! DARK HORSE JOINS FELICIA DAY’S GUILD
SAN DIEGO, CA, JULY 24, 2009—Dark Horse Comics and Felicia Day, star of Joss Whedon’s Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, are teaming up in a quest to bring one of the funniest online shows onto the pages of what will soon be the funniest comic based on a webisode, ever. Srsly.
Winner of the 2008 Greenlight Award at SXSW, as well as the 2008 YouTube Best Series and Yahoo! Best Series awards, The Guild is an online sitcom of web shorts written by, and starring, Felicia Day (Dr. Horrible, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, House). Since its formation, the show has racked up over twenty million viewers at watchtheguild.com.
The Guild follows six players, AKA “Guildies” (Bladezz, Codex, Vork, Tinkerballa, Zaboo, and Clara), who decide to finally meet in real life after spending months playing together in an online world. Their individual social dysfunctions lead to several problems in the real world, but together, as in the online game, they become greater than the sum of their collected baggage and start to become . . . well . . . kinda normal . . . er.
The online show now stands as one of YouTube’s most-subscribed series. It started as an independent project funded by fan donations via PayPal before being sponsored by Microsoft and Sprint in season 2. Season 3 will debut on Xbox/MSN/Zune on August 25.
The new comic, titled The Guild, was first conceived at San Diego Comic-Con 2008 when senior Dark Horse editor Scott Allie noticed that Day’s sharp wit and diverse talent would transfer well into sequential art. The series will be all-new material that expands on the actual in-game environment never seen on the show.
Allie stated, “Felicia’s amazing, and her writing will translate smoothly into comics. This’ll make a great companion to our line of comics. It’ll fit great alongside our webcomics and our Whedon books. And I’m really looking forward to working with her to get into some areas the show simply can’t because of budgetary reasons.”
The artist of the initial three-issue miniseries is undetermined, but the story will be penned by Felicia Day. Day, a self-proclaimed gaming aficionado, stated, “I’m really excited to work in a new medium and expand the Guild universe. The comics will be a great way for fans to become more involved with the characters, and see the characters interact in environments that we can’t afford to show in the web series. I can’t imagine working with a better company than Dark Horse. It seems like a perfect match for the show. Indie cred to the max!”
And in case you missed this in San Diego –
DARK HORSE UNVEILS THE NEXT WAVE OF COMICS, GRAPHIC NOVELS, MANGA, AND MORE AT THE 2009 COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL
JULY 21, SAN DIEGO, CA–Dark Horse is proud to again deliver a loaded catalog of new projects that exemplify the evolution of the comics medium. Here are just a few of the highlights from this year’s Comic-Con International:
365 Samurai and a Few Bowls of Rice—Swiss artist J. P. Kalonji’s graphic novel comes to America. A young swordfighter must kill 365 samurai on a quest to avenge his master—in a fun, humorous, cartoony style.
Age of Reptiles—Film designer Ricardo Delgado returns with the third installment of his epic (silent) dinosaur comics series. Carnivores hunt herbivores on a migration south.
Aliens vs. Predator: Three World War—The 2009 relaunch of the Aliens and Predator series comes together with a creative team of John Arcudi and Rick Leonardi.
Archie Archives—The classic Archie comic books get the deluxe treatment in a series of hardcovers as the newest editions to the Dark Horse Archives series.
Blacksad—Collecting all three of the international award-winning European volumes, the third of which has not been published in English before. This crime noir about a cat detective, PI John Blacksad, is a phenomenal anthropomorphic story with fully painted artwork. By Juan Díaz Canales and Juanjo Guarnido.
Casper Anniversary Special—A 64-page hardcover celebrating Casper’s sixtieth anniversary and featuring his first appearance in comics.
Conan: The Weight of the Crown—Darick Robertson writes and draws our first Conan one-shot since the Conan the Cimmerian relaunch. This comic is part of Dark Horse’s all-new One-Shot Wonders program.
Dark Horse GelaSkins—Decorative coverings for phones and laptops featuring some of Dark Horse’s most popular properties, including The Umbrella Academy, Yoshitaka Amano, Tim Burton, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Hellboy, and many more. A select few will be available at the Dark Horse booth during the convention as supplies last. The whole program is set to launch in September 2009.
Devil—Devil is an original Japanese manga being created for Dark Horse by Torajiro Kishi and animation powerhouse Madhouse Studios, featuring genetically designed vampires in a sci-fi police drama set in Tokyo.
Electropolis—Electropolis: The Infernal Machine is the perfect companion to Mister X: Condemned. Visionary artist Dean Motter revisits his unique brand of “antique futurism” in a story full of familiar faces, including a memorable cameo by Mister X himself.
Final Fantasy Boxed Set—A luxurious edition that stays true to the original Japanese collection of the complete Final Fantasy artwork by Yoshitaka Amano.
Furry Water and Mesmo Delivery—Eisner winner Rafael Grampá comes to Dark Horse with two books: Mesmo Delivery, a reprint of his psychedelic small-press debut; and Furry Water, cowritten with Daniel Pellizzari, a six-issue postapocalyptic action comic.
One-Shot Wonders—A new program running from October to December, highlighting some of Dark Horse’s biggest characters and properties in standalone comics retailing at $3.50 each. The program includes “Sugarshock,” Conan, Hellboy, Abe Sapien, Star Wars (two titles), “Dr. Horrible,” and The Goon.
The Art of Blade of the Immortal—Hardcover edition of the original Japanese book with 32 new bonus pages not previously available. This book will be in the style of the Dark Horse The Art of . . . and Library Edition series.
and last but not least –
THE COMICS WORLD STANDS ON THE VERGE OF METALOCALYPSE IN 2009!
THE WORLD’S HEAVIEST ANIMATED BAND FROM ADULT SWIM ARRIVES IN AN ALL-NEW SERIES FROM DARK HORSE!
JULY 23, SAN DIEGO, CA–Following the release of the highly anticipated Dethklok vs. The Goon, Dark Horse Comics and Adult Swim announce a brand-new comics series based on the immensely popular animated show Metalocalypse. The band’s five members—Nathan Explosion, William “Murderface,” Skwisgaar Skwigelf, Toki Wartooth, and Pickles—will be featured in a full publishing program created by series co-creator Brendon Small and a collaborative team of Metalocalypse and Dark Horse artists and writers.
Co-created by Tommy Blacha and Brendon Small, the Metalocalypse television series follows the on- and off-stage adventures of the world’s most brutal band as they create a wave of mayhem, death, and destruction wherever they go. Since debuting on Adult Swim in 2006, the series has become one of the network’s highest-rated original series, and the second season was watched by more than five million 18 to 34-year-old viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research. This animated band has also had a lot of very real success, as the band’s debut CD, Dethklok: The Dethalbum, is the fastest-selling death-metal album of all time since debuting at #21 on Billboard’s Top 100 list, and a real-live version of the animated band has completed nearly sold-out tours. The follow up album, Dethklok: The Dethalbum II, will be released on September 8th from Williams Street Records.
“This collaboration with Dark Horse Comics is a great opportunity for us to partner with a company that has a shared sensibility and fan base with one of Adult Swim’s most popular brands,” said Christina Miller, vice president of Cartoon Network Enterprises. “Combining the pool of artistic talent of both companies, we have created a great publishing program that will both deliver the quality, entertaining content that our fans look for and will expose the hilarious antics of Dethklok to a new group of potential fans.”
“I am a huge fan of Eric and of The Goon,” says Dark Horse President Mike Richardson. “Eric, it turns out, is a huge fan of Metalocalypse. Once Eric suggested this team up, we began discussing the project and it seemed like a natural fit. We couldn’t be more excited about introducing these characters to the comics world.”
And now over to the folks of Angry Robot!
Press Release
4th August 2009 • For Immediate Release
CHANCE MEETING RESULTS IN BOOK DEAL
For French writer Aliette de Bodard, it was just another of those
annoying airport delays that plague us all from time to time. But it
turned out to be just the break she needed.
Forced to spend an extra day in Canada at Calgary airport on her
way back from the World Fantasy Convention last November, she
fell in with a couple of cheery Brits. They got talking, and the pair
mentioned they were setting up a new publishing imprint, and a
new literary agency respectively. After no little persuasion, Aliette
revealed that she, too, was in the writing game, and following a
few well-received short stories had been working on her debut
novel. A few months later, like the plot of a Hollywood movie,
she’s proud to announce she has a deal with both of them – with
the novels represented by new literary agency Zeno, and to be
published by new HarperCollins-funded imprint Angry Robot.
SERVANT OF THE UNDERWORLD is a wild mix of fantasy and crime novel, set in Aztec times. In this alternate world, though, the gods are real and stalk the temples, demanding sacrifices from the people. Amidst the bloodletting, a serial killer appears to be getting away with murder – but how do you find a murderer in a world where the streets themselves are awash with blood?
Angry Robot publishing director Marc Gascoigne, who was there that day along with Zeno’s John Berlyne, said: “It was a bit cheeky of us to cajole her into pitching there and then, but I’m very glad she did. We’re always looking for interesting new books to publish, but that day it was like the ancient gods themselves had all conspired to bring us to that spot! These are wonderful books, full of wild fantasy and cunning detection, and I’m so proud and pleased we’ll be publishing them.”
The deal with Angry Robot, made with publishing director Marc Gascoigne, is for three novels in this setting, to be published by the HarperCollins imprint from Spring 2010 onwards.
Press Release
29th July 2009 • For Immediate Release
ANGRY ROBOT NOW OBSESSED WITH THE LETTER G
Publisher possibly “out of his mind”
Last month Angry Robot supremo Marc Gascoigne announced the signing of not one, not two, but three new authors to our list who … well, OK, who all had names beginning with M. Yes, it was all just a spooky coincidence but a bit of fun, so yeah, we ran with it.
Today, he now claims, he’s signed two authors whose names begin with G. Surely Mr G is just messing with our minds now. What is this, some kind of cryptic Da Vinci Code homage? Has he buried some extraordinary Golden Robot at a secret location and wants us all to run around the countryside with spades? Or is it just one of those coincidences that actually happen all the time and are quite mathematically plausible, only we never really understand them because higher levels of probability analysis are frankly beyond us? Even top scientists are baffled, it says here.
So to sum up: all we can say for certain is that Angry Robot has signed up two more top talents for novels to appear in 2010 and beyond. And here they are:
In one, it’s GUY ADAMS. In a varied career, Guy trained and
worked as an actor for twelve years before becoming a fulltime
writer. He mugged someone on Emmerdale, performed a
dance routine as Hitler and spent eighteen months touring his
own comedy material around clubs and theatres. He is the
author of the best-selling Rules of Modern Policing: 1973
Edition, a spoof police manual “written by” DCI Gene Hunt of
Life On Mars. He’s has also written a two-volume series
companion to that; a Torchwood novel, The House That Jack
Built; and The Case Notes of Sherlock Holmes, a fictional
facsimile of a scrapbook kept by Doctor John Watson. He’s
also the current chairman of the British Fantasy Society. Enter his world at http://lizardsplay.blogspot.com
Now he’s moving into original fiction, with a pair of novels starting with The World House. Frankly, we were sold by the summary: “In a room is a box. In that box is a door. Beyond that door is a house. And in that house is a whole world.” The story comes to life when characters from different parts of the real world, and from different times, find themselves trapped within the World House – and not all will escape its secrets. We’ll bring you this extraordinary modern fantasy in February 2010, with its sequel, RESTORATION, towards the end of the year.
Aaaand in two, it’s GAV THORPE, popular author of bloodsoaked fantasy sagas under the Warhammer banner, now moving into original fiction with a truly epic historically tinged fantasy trilogy, THE CROWN OF THE BLOOD. Tipping a helmet to the decline of the Roman empire and the conquests of Alexander the Great, this sweeping tale looks at what happens when a great general realizes that he’s conquered all there is to conquer, and sets his sights on returning home – only to discover that the empire he has helped found is rotten to its very core. Massed battles, political mayhem and some truly startling priests, it’s a genuinely original retooling of what makes fantasy great. Volume one, itself called THE CROWN OF THE BLOOD, will be published by Angry Robot at the start of Summer 2010.
Gav Thorpe works from Nottingham, England and has written more than a dozen novels and even more short stories. Growing up in tedious town just north of London, he originally intended to be an illustrator but after acknowledging an inability to draw or paint he turned his hand to writing. Gav spent 14 years as a developer for Games Workshop on the worlds of Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000 before going freelance in 2008. It is claimed (albeit solely by our Gav, frankly) that he is merely a puppet of a mechanical hamster called Dennis that intends to take over the world via the global communications network. When not writing, Gav enjoys playing games, cooking, pro-wrestling and smiling wryly. His website is http://mechanicalhamster.wordpress.com
That’s it for now – check back tomorrow for David’s review of Kit Whitfield’s latest! 🙂
ESSENTIAL NEW PHOTO BOOK FROM DARK HORSE DOCUMENTS THE LIFE AND CAREER OF A PUNK ROCK LEGEND
EERIE VON’S MISERY OBSCURA FEATURES OVER 250 PHOTOS, CHRONICLING A CAREER OF OVER 20 YEARS
JUNE 22, MILWAUKIE, OR–From the deepest depths of punk rock’s 1970s primordial wastelands, through the stygian goth swamps of the 1980s, and on into the bloodstained arenas of 1990s heavy metal, Eerie Von witnessed it all.
Beginning as the unofficial photographer for punk legends the Misfits and later taking charge of the bass guitar as a founding member of underground pioneers Samhain and metal gods Danzig, the evil eye of Eerie’s camera captured the dark heart of rock’s most vital and bleeding-edge period, a time when rock and roll was not only dangerous, but downright menacing. Eerie Von’s Misery Obscura offers firsthand insight into everything from the Misfits’ humble beginnings in Lodi, New Jersey, to the heights of Danzig’s stadium-rock glory alongside metal superstars Metallica.
“I’ve been planning this book for twenty years,” Eerie Von stated. “The fans have been begging for it almost as long. It’s been a great ride, and I’m glad to be able to share some of it with those who were there, and those who wish they were.”
Misery Obscura is not only an essential visual document of music history; but Eerie’s scrapbook-style stories of triumph and damnation bring to life an era the likes of which will never again be seen. Featuring layout and design by Tom Bejgrowicz, who conceived and executed the release of the infamous Misfits “Coffin Box,” Eerie Von’s Misery Obscura: The Photography of Eerie Von (1981-2009) arrives on shelves this October, just in time for Halloween!
Jeremy S. Atkins
Director of Public Relations
Dark Horse Comics
Many of these press releases came through while I was unable to do anything on the net, so I decided to put the all in one post. 🙂 And yes, you’ve probably seen each press release already, but c’mon, humor me. 🙂
14 May 2009 DARK HORSE ENTERTAINMENT AND UNIVERSAL PICTURES HAVE A “SECRET”
MAY 13, MILWAUKIE, OR—Dark Horse Entertainment has announced the next picture to come out of its production pact with Universal Pictures: The Secret, an adaptation of 2007’s critically acclaimed graphic novel and comic series.
Scott Milam, who wrote the forthcoming remake of the horror classic Mother’s Day, has been signed to write this adaptation. Milam’s other projects currently in development include Bedlam for RKO/Twisted Pictures, Ab Tak Chhappan for Paramount Vantage with Jinks/Cohen producing, and Karnival at Rogue with Michael Zoumas producing.
The Secret tells of a group of high-school seniors who play a silly prank, only to see it backfire when one of their friends vanishes without a trace.
Mike Richardson, president and founder of Dark Horse, and writer of the comic on which the film is based, will produce for Dark Horse Entertainment alongside Scott Stuber, who will produce for Stuber Productions. Pam Abdy and Jared Pfeifer will oversee the project for Stuber Productions with Keith Goldberg and Chris Tongue overseeing for Dark Horse Entertainment.
Universal’s Senior Vice President of Production, Scott Bernstein, and Creative Executive Dave Targan will oversee the project for the studio.
“Scott is a terrific writer and we’re excited to be working with him on this project,” said Richardson. “The story is full of scares and surprises and goes places no one will expect.”
Scott Milam is represented by Endeavor. His manager is Brad Kaplan of Evolution, and his attorney is Adam Kaller of Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren & Richman, LLP.
Dark Horse Entertainment is represented by Endeavor and Gotham Group, with legal representation by attorney Keith Fleer.
Jeremy S. Atkins
Director of Public Relations
Dark Horse Comics
15 May 2009 DARK HORSE COMICS AND BIG HEAD GAMES BRING THE ACTION OF TERMINATOR OUT OF THE CINEMA
AND ONTO YOUR IPHONE!
MAY 14, MILWAUKIE, OR—In celebration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of The Terminator, Big Head Games and Dark Horse Comics are proud to release this heart-pounding, shoot-everything homage to the movie that started it all. The Terminator for iPhone and iPod Touch is an explosive, top-down, all-action shooter game with an episodic Story Mode and endless Quick Play Mode.
Features:
Bigger and badder weapons, from Gatling guns to bazookas.
Two extreme game modes for a lasting game experience: In Quick Play Mode, rescue fallen soldiers. In Story Mode, play as Kyle Reese taking on challenging missions.
T-800s and Hunter Killer Tanks from the original movie along with an array of new foes.
Multiple control modes and autotargeting options to match game play to every skill level.
Pounding soundtrack and SFX—play this game with headphones for a film-like experience.
Two parts: look out for an imminent update taking you belowground to take on the machines in their home ground.
“From the very beginning, Dark Horse has provided fans with top-notch entertainment experiences, whether in comics, on screen, or, most recently, on the iPhone. We feel our relationship with Big Head Games will do just that for fans of both The Terminator and mobile gaming.”
Big Head’s business director, Dave Vout, states, “We are extremely excited to be bringing one of the world’s top movie and game franchises to the iPhone/iPod Touch. Combining Dark Horse Comics’ extensive catalog of material and our game-development expertise has been a great experience and opportunity that we hope to continue long into the future.”
The Terminator for iPhone and iPod Touch is currently in submission with Apple and on release will be at a sale price of $0.99 for 72 hours.
YouTube link:
For even more explosive adventures in the Terminator universe, check out The Terminator: Death Valley, a comic for the iPhone. To celebrate the release of the new game, Dark Horse is making the first issue of Death Valley available for a free download for a limited time. All four issues are available for download now at http://www.darkhorse.com/Features/Mobile.
About Big Head Games
Formed in 2008 by the three directors of 8bit Games, Ltd., to focus directly on iPhone gaming. During the five years of 8bit Games they created some 30+ mobile titles for the world’s largest publishers and were nominated for best handheld studio in the 2004 Develop awards. In 2008 8bit and BHG developed Elefunk for Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, an original game designed for the PS3 PSN.
About Dark Horse Comics
Since 1986, 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 like Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Neil Gaiman, Gerard Way, and comics legend Will Eisner, Dark Horse has developed such successful characters as the Mask, Timecop, and SpyBoy. Additionally, their highly successful line of comics and products based on popular properties includes Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, Emily the Strange, Tim Burton, Trigun, and Serenity. Today, Dark Horse Comics is the third-largest comic-book publisher in the U.S. and is recognized as one of the world’s leading publishers of licensed comics material.
Jeremy S. Atkins
Director of Public Relations
Dark Horse Comics
15 May 2009 G4 AND DARK HORSE COMICS
LAUNCH SPECIAL “CON-TEST” TO FIND THE ULTIMATE COMIC-CON FAN
Winner Will Join G4’s Olivia Munn, Kevin Pereira and Blair Butler
as Special Correspondent at Comic-Con 2009 and Receive Exclusive Privileges from Dark Horse Comics
MILWAUKIE, OR, May 15 – Beginning today, G4 and Dark Horse Comics are kicking off a search for the ultimate Comic-Con fan who will receive the opportunity of a lifetime – the chance to appear in G4’s special coverage of the year’s most buzzed about convention. One lucky winner will be selected as a “Special Correspondent” to G4 and join “Attack of the Show” hosts Olivia Munn and Kevin Pereira, as well as Comic Book Expert Blair Butler on the show floor. Dark Horse, one of the largest comic book publishers, with titles like Hellboy, Star Wars, Umbrella Academy, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Alien will also welcome the winner as their “official guest,” granting access to their special event and more. To enter, fans are encouraged to create a video that demonstrates their pop culture knowledge and on-camera abilities, and submit to g4tv.com/comiccon. The “Con-Test” kicks off Friday, May 15, 2009, and closes at 11:59PM on June 22, 2009.
Once again, G4 will present special coverage of Comic-Con 2009 direct from the show floor. Last year’s attendance broke all records, topping 160,000 people and solidifying Comic-Con as the one of the biggest pop culture conventions in the world. G4 and Dark Horse Comics will bring one lucky fan to the heart of it all and put them in the spotlight at this massive event devoted to comic books, sci-fi, fantasy, horror, movies, video games, TV and more. G4’s Kevin Pereira and Blair Butler will announce the winner live on “Attack of the Show” on June 29.
“Comic Con International has become the ultimate pop culture gathering for fans of almost any medium,” said Dark Horse President, Mike Richardson. “What better way to reward our fans than with a chance to appear on the ultimate pop culture television show with our creators and top talent. The winner of this contest is sure to have the time of their life!”
“G4 viewers are huge fans of Dark Horse Comics and Comic-Con is the perfect opportunity for us to team up,” said Neal Tiles, President, G4. “Comic-con is a major event for our audience and we are excited to reward the hard and true comic book fans with a chance to experience the phenomenon in person.”
Contest details:
Fans must submit a video that demonstrates their knowledge and love of pop culture.
Submission dates: May 15, 2009 – June 22, 2009.
Winner will receive airfare and accommodations for themselves and 1 guest to Comic Con ‘09
Winner will have an opportunity to act as “Special Correspondent” for G4 and appear on air
Winner and guest will each receive a Dark Horse grab bag valued at $600.
Winner and guest will be given special access to all Dark Horse related events and signings.
Contestants will be judged on overall knowledge of all things pop culture, creativity and on-screen charisma demonstrated in their videos. G4 and Dark Horse Comics want to find the ultimate pop culture fanatic and stand-out personality who deserves this special Comic-Con opportunity. Videos must be at least 30 seconds in length and no longer than 10 minutes.
For official contest rules and to submit videos please visit http:g4tv.com/comiccon
About Comcast Entertainment Group
Based in Los Angeles, Comcast Entertainment Group operates E! Entertainment Television, the 24-hour network with programming dedicated to the world of entertainment, and E! Online; The Style Network, the destination for women 18-49 with a passion for the best in relatable, inspiring and transformational lifestyle programming; G4, offering the last word on gaming, technology, animation, interactivity and “geek culture” for the male 18-34 demo; and FEARnet, the world’s premier horror and thriller destination on demand, online and on mobile devices. E! is currently available to 96 million cable and direct broadcast satellite subscribers in the United States. In 2006, E! launched the E! Everywhere initiative underscoring the company’s dedication to making E! content available on all new media platforms any time and anywhere from online to broadband video to wireless to radio to VOD. The Style Network currently counts 60 million cable and satellite subscribers and G4, the #1 podcasted cable network in America, is available in more than 65 million cable and satellite homes nationwide. FEARnet is a joint venture between Comcast, Sony Pictures Television and Lionsgate. FEARnet.com ranks as the number one horror web site and FEARnet On Demand is one of the top five VOD networks.
About Dark Horse Comics
Since 1986, 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 like Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Neil Gaiman, Gerard Way and comics legend Will Eisner, Dark Horse has developed such successful characters as The Mask, Timecop, and SpyBoy. Additionally, their highly successful line of comics and products based on popular properties includes Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, Emily the Strange, Tim Burton, Trigun, and Serenity. Today Dark Horse Comics is the third largest comic-book publisher in the U.S. and is recognized as one of the world’s leading publisher of licensed comics material.
Jeremy S. Atkins
Director of Public Relations
Dark Horse Comics
23 May 2009 IT’S LIVE! THE TERMINATOR GAME LANDS IN THE ITUNES APP STORE.
MILWAUKIE, OR, MAY 22– Dark Horse Comics and Big Head Games are delighted to say The Terminator is live. As announced on May 14th The Terminator is an officially licensed, all action two part shooter, based on the ground breaking original movie now celebrating it’s 25th anniversary. Once again it’s man versus the machine.
The Terminator for iPhone and iPod Touch is currently available for $.99 for the next 72 hours only. After that, the price will return to $3.99
Since 1986, 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 like Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Neil Gaiman, Gerard Way and comics legend Will Eisner, Dark Horse has developed such successful characters as The Mask, Timecop, and SpyBoy. Additionally, their highly successful line of comics and products based on popular properties includes Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, Emily the Strange, Tim Burton, Trigun, and Serenity. Today Dark Horse Comics is the third largest comic-book publisher in the U.S. and is recognized as one of the world’s leading publisher of licensed comics material.
About Big Head Games
Formed in 2008 by the three directors of 8bit Games Ltd., to focus directly on iPhone gaming. During the 5 years of 8bit Games they created some 30+ mobile titles for the world´s largest publishers, nominated for best handheld studio in the 2004 Develop awards. In 2008 8bit and BHG developed Elefunk for Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, an original game designed for the PS3 PSN.
Jeremy S. Atkins
Director of Public Relations
Dark Horse Comics
2 June 2009 THE RABBIT RONIN TURNS 25, CELEBRATED BY THE FIRST-EVER USAGI YOJIMBO ORIGINAL FULL-COLOR GRAPHIC NOVEL, ARRIVING THIS FALL FROM DARK HORSE!
JUNE 1, NEW YORK, NY – Hailed across the world for his unparalleled storytelling, comics auteur Stan Sakai sets the bar even higher with Usagi Yojimbo: Yokai—writing, hand-painting, and lettering a thrilling original story.
Yokai are the monsters, demons, and spirits of Japanese folklore, such as the shape-changing kitsune, the obakeneko demon cats, and the evil oni ogres. Usagi faces all these and more when a desperate woman begs for his help in finding her kidnapped daughter. In his quest to find the girl, he encounters these creatures of Japanese legend, who need a living soul as the captor for their army to enter the world of the living. Fortunately, Usagi is joined by Sasuke the Demon Queller, who fights for the same cause. However, things aren’t always as they seem, especially when dealing with the supernatural!
“Yokai is my most ambitious project to date–writing, drawing, and painting a standalone story that is a good introduction for new readers and expands on the Usagi storyline to appeal to longtime fans. I also had a great time researching the folklore and legends of Japan from its malevolent spirits to its goofier creatures,” says creator Stan Sakai.
“Longtime Usagi Yojimbo designer Cary Grazzini and I were tossing around ideas for Usagi’s 25th anniversary,” says editor Diana Schutz, “and Cary commented that he would love to see Stan hand-paint an original story. Fans don’t often get to see Usagi in color, much less painted by Stan himself, so the standalone graphic novel seemed a perfect way to celebrate this special anniversary. And painted color will bring the fantastical creatures of Yokai to outstanding life!”
With beautiful watercolor art and story by the masterful Stan Sakai, this new mass-market hardcover graphic novel is a perfect introduction to the beloved samurai rabbit for first time readera and a must-own for any Usagi fan!
Usagi Yojimbo: Yokai arrives on shelves this November!
Jacquelene Cohen
Publicity Coordinator
2 June 2009 DARK HORSE UNLOCKS THE SECRETS OF THE DARKER SIDE OF HISTORY WITH GREEN RIVER KILLER: A DETECTIVE STORY
JUNE 1, NEW YORK, NY– Acclaimed entertainment writer Jeff Jensen presents the ultimate insider’s account of America’s most prolific serial killer in Green River Killer: A Detective Story. Jensen’s own father led the twenty-year investigation into the murders of over forty women at the hands of Gary Leon Ridgway.
In the summer of 1982, the bodies of five dead prostitutes were found on the marshy banks of Seattle’s Green River. One year later, the remains of six more women were discovered, prompting local law enforcement to officially declare that a serial killer was at work. Over the next several years more bodies were found, cleverly hidden and most of them long dead, and by 1988, the death toll reached forty-eight suspected victims. Yet despite the efforts of sixty detectives, the Green River Killer could not be found. In 1990, the Green River Task Force disbanded and the case was all but forgotten, to be left in the hands of one detective.
It was Tom Jensen who, in 2001, used DNA technology to finally link these atrocities back to one man: Gary Leon Ridgway. Jensen’s story should have ended there. But after Ridgway cut a plea deal with prosecutors in 2003 to spare his life, Jensen led a small team of detectives in interviewing the killer, in secret, for one hundred and eighty days—a journey as strange and disturbing as the twenty years that preceded it.
Informed by in-depth interviews with Jeff Jensen’s father and his colleagues, Green River Killer: A Detective Story is a true-crime comic unlike any other, a deeply personal behind-the-scenes chronicle of one of the most notorious serial-killer cases in American history.
Jeff Jensen says, “My father, in his wry, self-deprecating fashion, always joked that if anyone ever told his story, it would be in a comic book. Well, now that’s come true, but in the best way possible. I’m excited to be telling his story, and thrilled that we’re doing it as a graphic novel with Dark Horse. My father taught me to read with comics. As a teenager, I became a fan of the medium for life thanks to Alan Moore, Frank Miller, the Hernandez brothers, Neil Gaiman, Howard Chaykin, Harvey Pekar, and Daniel Clowes–artists who opened my eyes to how comics can tackle mature material in a sophisticated fashion. Ramón and I and everyone here want to do justice to my father’s story in a smart, compelling, sensitive way, and we hope that the result is worthy of the comics that have inspired us.”
Green River Killer: A Detective Story is written by Jeff Jensen, with art by Ramón K. Pérez. This groundbreaking and historic graphic novel will arrive on shelves in 2010 from Dark Horse Comics.
Jacquelene Cohen
Publicity Coordinator
2 June 2009 BEST-SELLING AUTHOR JANE YOLEN COMES TO DARK HORSE!
JUNE 1, NEW YORK, NY–Jane Yolen, the best-selling author Newsweek called “The Hans Christian Andersen of America,” comes to Dark Horse with her upcoming graphic novel, The Last Dragon. Painted by legendary fantasy artist Rebecca Guay, The Last Dragon is a textured and lyrical story of adventure, homelands, and heroism the hard way.
Two hundred years ago, humans drove the last of the dragons from the islands of May. For two hundred years, they have gone about their lives, fishing and farming, never expecting the great wyrms to return. But now, the last of the dragons has risen, and the islanders must once again band together in the face of a threat greater than any their peaceful lives have prepared them to battle.
“I have written a lot of girl power novels, stories, and picture books over the last forty years,” says writer Jane Yolen. “They have won awards like the Nebula (for the novella ‘Lost Girls’) and ALA Notable Award (for the folk tale collection Not One Damsel in Distress), the Golden Kite (for the collection of original fairy tales The Girl Who Cried Flowers), the Jewish Book Award (for the Holocaust novel The Devil’s Arithmetic), and others.” Yolen continues, “But nothing has been more fun than working on The Last Dragon, about the daughter of a healer who shows a reluctant hero how to fight the dragon that has killed her father and terrorized her village.”
Artist Rebecca Guay adds, “The Last Dragon, and the vision that Jane and I have for the book, will have all of the fiercely imaginative elements that drew me to comics in my teen years (and kept me reading them as an adult). We are given a hero on a mission of self-discovery and a heroine who leads him to his true path; love and falling in love; mystery, history, glittering and fantastic; and, at the fiery heart of it all, the gorgeous, dangerous, and inevitable Last Dragon. ”
The Last Dragon features story by Jane Yolen, with art by Rebecca Guay, and joins the ever-growing line of Dark Horse books for young adults in 2010.
DARK HORSE LAUNCHES MOBILE COMICS PROGRAM WITH TERMINATOR!
MAY 4, MILWAUKIE, OR—Dark Horse Comics, the third-largest American comics publisher, makes the leap into the digital world of mobile content today with the launch of a new app for the iPhone. With the release of the upcoming Terminator Salvation film in mind, Dark Horse has chosen a classic The Terminator story from its vast publishing archives to launch this program.
Following in its rich tradition of innovation, Dark Horse turned down multiple offers from various media developers, and instead opted to develop an application in-house. The result is a reading experience that Dark Horse feels best utilizes the mobile platform and delivers the same standard of quality fans have come to expect from the industry leader.
President Mike Richardson explained “Dark Horse has always attempted to work with great creators in order to create great stories. Over the years, we have been successful in taking those stories into other media. We have always been on the cutting edge of technology, and our new iPhone application allows us to reach a whole new generation of readers. We have always felt that it is important to provide our readers with the best reading and viewing experience possible, and this new endeavor is no exception. People have come to expect nothing less from us, and we will do our best to deliver.”
Chief Information Officer Dale LaFountain commented, “We’re very excited about the Apple iPhone platform and enabling fans to enjoy Dark Horse Comics in digital form. This is an evolution for the comics industry and we look forward to bringing our tradition of innovation and creativity into this new medium.”
The Terminator: Death Valley, originally published in 1998, features a story by Alan Grant and art by Steve Pugh. All four issues are available for download now at http://www.darkhorse.com/Features/Mobile for $0.99 an issue.
The four-issue The Terminator series is the very first of what will soon be an ongoing program for the Dark Horse iPhone app. More titles from Dark Horse’s immense collection will be announced in the near future.
Jeremy S. Atkins
Director of Public Relations
Dark Horse Comics
M.D. Thalmann, a novelist and freelance journalist with an affinity for satire and science fiction, lives in Phoenix, Arizona with his wife, children, and ornery cats, reads too much and sleeps too little.
Dave de Burgh 