Being a comic fan can be tough. With so many publishers printing more and more books, canceling titles and starting new ones, it can be daunting when you head to the comic book shop on a Wednesday to know exactly what’s coming out.
The current system of presenting and ordering comics three months ahead of their release as set forth by the sole comics distributor, Diamond Comics, doesn’t make it any easier either. We’re not a fan of that system, we think it’s slowly strangling comics to death, but we realize it’s a harsh reality of how the industry works and we definitely don’t want you to miss out on any of the cool comics being published.
And so, as opposed to regurgitating the list of comics solicited in Previews each month, we present to you some of the highlights of things you probably won’t want to miss out on.
SPOILER WARNING – in order to get people to order comics, the publishers have a funny habit of revealing what’s happening in the books. If you don’t want anything at all to be spoiled, then you’ll probably want to skip this post and take your chances with your pre-orders and/or your shopping.
It’s *Another* Take on Superheroes
Faith Erin Hicks is a well respected cartoonist, and this is her work presented with the typical Dark Horse hardcover flair. Feel like a slightly different comic? Done.
THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERHERO GIRL HC
Faith Erin Hicks (W/A/Cover) and Cris Peter (C)
On sale Feb 27
FC, 112 pages
$16.99
HC, 10 13/16” x 6 5/8”What if you can leap tall buildings and defeat alien monsters with your bare hands, but you buy your capes at secondhand stores and have a weakness for kittens? Cartoonist Faith Erin Hicks brings charming humor to the trials and tribulations of a young, female superhero, battling monsters both supernatural and mundane in an all-too-ordinary world.
This is Not Ted Kord
We’ve all seen what Francesco Francavilla can do. But we’ve mostly seen what he can do in the many, many covers he does, and in the pages he’s done for Marvel and DC Comics, but with the Black Beetle, we’re seeing what he can do when he’s all on his own. That’s Black Beetle and it is pulp by the master of comic book pulp. If you missed it, unmiss it.
BLACK BEETLE: NIGHT SHIFT #0
Francesco Francavilla (W/A/Cover)
On sale Dec 19
FC, 32 pages
$2.99
One-shotWhen 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. Unfortunately for the führer, Colt City’s protector, the Black Beetle, is on the case!
From the mind of 2012 Eisner Award winner Francesco Francavilla (Batman: The Black Mirror). Collects three Dark Horse Presents stories from issues #11–#13.
A Steve Niles Paradox
When a Steve Niles meets itself in space and time, does it crossover? We’ve got 30 Days of Night and Criminal Macabre, and now we have this. It’s supernatural detective and vampires from the guy who does horror comics.
CRIMINAL MACABRE: FINAL NIGHT—THE 30 DAYS OF NIGHT CROSSOVER #1 (of 4)
Steve Niles (W), Christopher Mitten (A), Michelle Madsen (C), and Justin Erickson (Cover)
On sale Dec 12
FC, 32 pages
$3.99
MiniseriesIn this epic crossover with IDW, Steve Niles’s greatest characters come together in a final showdown.
Cal McDonald only wanted a beer, but what he got was a jaded federal agent and a story about vampires up in Barrow, Alaska. There’s a new vamp in LA, and he’s hell bent on escalating his attacks. When Mo’Lock’s sometimes ghoul-friend is murdered, Cal’s on the hunt . . . for Eben—the longtime protagonist/antagonist of 30 Days of Night.
Just Look at Those Names
The thing is, there are a lot of vampire comics out there. But Gene Colan and Marv Wolfman invented the vampire comic for all intents and purposes, and hey, what if Dave Stewart colored it? Ted Turner never imagined it could work this well.
THE CURSE OF DRACULA HC
Marv Wolfman (W), Gene Colan (A), and Dave Stewart (C)
On sale Feb 20
FC, 96 pages
$14.99
HC, 7” x 10”The Curse of Dracula is back in this deluxe new hardcover edition! A mysterious, charismatic figure is moving amongst the circles of San Francisco’s political elite. When Jonathan Van Helsing and his team of vampire hunters come to town investigating a string of grisly murders, they know it’s only a matter of time before they come face to face with the master of the dark!
Just a Little Empowered
What about if you can’t wait for the next full size Empowered? They’ve got you covered. Also: “devil mecha”.
EMPOWERED SPECIAL #3: HELL BENT OR HEAVEN SENT
Adam Warren (W/P/Cover) and Ryan Kinnaird (P/I/Cover)
On sale Dec 19
b&w, 32 pages
$3.99
One-shotCostumed crime fighter Empowered makes an ill-fated visit to a top-secret dumping ground for ultratech “superdebris” and wrecked “villainware” left over from cape-on-cape battle. Can Emp and her hapless teammate, Mechanismo, avoid annihilation when the junkyard nano spawns an apocalyptic cheesecake plague of flirty but lethal “cyberangels” and sensual but savage “devil mecha”?
If You Get Only One Comic in December…
This is literally the only thing I’m excited about in comics right now.
HELLBOY IN HELL #1
Mike Mignola (W/A/Cover/Variant cover) and Dave Stewart (C)
On sale Dec 5
FC, 32 pages
$2.99
OngoingAfter saving the world in The Storm and The Fury, but sacrificing himself and Great Britain, Hellboy is dead, cast into Hell, where he finds many familiar faces, and a throne that awaits him.
Mike Mignola returns to draw Hellboy’s ongoing story for the first time since Conqueror Worm. It’s a story only Mignola could tell, as more of Hellboy’s secrets are at last revealed, in the most bizarre depiction of Hell you’ve ever seen.
Dorkin!
There might not be a sharper wit in comics or cartooning as Evan Dorkin, and it’s hard to make comics funny for so many people, but this guy is the master.
HOUSE OF FUN
Evan Dorkin (W/A/Cover) and Sarah Dyer (C)
On sale Dec 5
FC, 32 pages
$3.50
One-shotEvan Dorkin’s sick and twisted sense of humor unleashes itself with a new Murder Family episode, multiple pages of Fun gag strips, and the return of The Eltingville Comic Book, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, and Role-Playing Club, and new Milk and Cheese strips. Collecting stories from Dark Horse Presents #10-#12.
You Ever Wonder What Comes After NOOOOOO?
I can’t believe they haven’t done this story yet. I assume the first panel is him clearing his throat.
STAR WARS: PURGE—THE TYRANT’S FIST #1 (of 2)
Alexander Freed (W), Marco Castiello (P/I), Andrea Chella (P/I), Michael Atiyeh (C), and Dan Scott (Cover)
On sale Dec 5
FC, 32 pages
$3.50
MiniseriesShortly after the birth of the Empire, Darth Vader master of combat, terror of his enemies, continues his purge of the Jedi Knights on a planet where his Jedi prey are revered. Amidst a planetwide insurgency, the Dark Lord must snuff out one surviving Jedi, as well as kill the fire of rebellion in the native populace. All will bow to the power of Vader and the Galactic Empire!
For the full list of Dark Horse previews for December, head over to CBR.
Find us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Subscribe to our RSS Feed
Some rights reserved.
I’m so going to buy read that Hellboy in Hell series, just won’t trade wait that thing. (unless… I’m not up to date with Hellboy, so would it be smart to dig into this stuff? I’ve read up to library vol. 2 of Hellboy
You could read it, probably, and enjoy it, but it is part of an ongoing story, so you’re jumping ahead some. I’d read it anyway.
Yeah, part of the brilliance of the Hellboy/BPRD books is that you can read solicits or reviews, and have plot points spoiled, but the story is never really spoiled. Even when you know what is gong to happen, watching it unfold in such a well executed manner is still a great reading experience.
If you really just want to read the “necessary” stuff before this, get The Wild Hunt/Darknes Calls, and The Storm and The Fury (library vol.4, and trade #12)
@TurdSandwich: Thank you on your input. This is the kind of thing those of us who aren’t up on everything need to know.
… And I’ll take my sandwich with more bread than turd, thank you.
“This is literally the only thing I’m excited about in comics right now.”
Josh, you’re not leaving comics again, are you???
Hellboy are some of the best comics period, I’m definitely buying that after buying all the library editions and some in soft cover cause well, they came out 1st. From BPRD to Hellboy, all the Mignolaverse material is amongst my favorite stuff ever.
I really wish Dark Horse would release their stuff through Comixology, instead of their own app. I like to have all of my comics in one place.
super stoked for Hell Boy and Vader.
X-mas in Hell.
with the Mignolaverse’s consistant awesomeness and Star Wars books being on the rise and heading in the right direction creatively, especially here of late, Dec looks to be an awesome month for us Dark Horse fans.
What makes ‘Hellboy in Hell’ so exciting is that Mignola is finally doing art again. He gave us a tease in the Moloch one-shot about two years ago. But now he seems to have a full schedule to do art again and I can’t wait to see him bring it with this story.
Not to say the artists who’s worked for Mignola over the years since his hiatus as artist are slouches.
Mignola’s excitement in recent interviews about not being forced to represent any specific culture or design motif for hell has got me super pumped to see what he comes up with. I think he’s going to blow our minds like never before.
I enjoyed Duncan Fegredo’s art, but I can’t wait to see Mignola return to drawing Hellboy again. I think that’s going to be one of the best books in December.
I’m going to buy the Black Beetle one shot as well, even though I’ve read the story in DHP. I love Francavilla’s cover art.
I think this will be the only time where I won’t be able to wait for the Hellboy trade. You guys think it is worth it?