Heads Up: Dark Horse Previews – November 2011

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.

 

 Fabio Moooooon

Carla Speed McNeil, Evan Dorkin, Jill Thompson, Steve Niles, and Fabio Moon all in the same anthology. What more do you need to know?

DARK HORSE PRESENTS #6

Fábio Moon (W/A/Cover), Peter Hogan (W), Carla Speed McNeil (W/A), Filipe Melo (W), Evan Dorkin (W), Jill Thompson (A), Neal Adams (W/A), Steve Niles (W), Robert Love (W/A/Variant cover), and David Walker (W)

On sale Nov 23
FC, 80 pages
$7.99
Ongoing

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the comic shop, Dark Horse unleashes another monstrous volume of comics from today’s greatest creators! Boasting a brand- new story by Brazilian wunderkind Fábio Moon, this volume also features the second of three new Beasts of Burden stories by Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson! Throw in continuing stories by Steve Niles, Robert Love, David Walker, Carla Speed McNeil, Filipe Melo, Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse, and Howard Chaykin, and you’ll find yourself on the receiving end of another eighty-page dose of ad-free thrills!

 

Pent-Up Pentagrams!  

Mystical lynxsssesssessssesss!

HOUSE OF NIGHT #1 (of 5)

Kent Dalian (W), P. C. Cast (W), Kristin Cast (W), Joëlle Jones (A), Karl Kerschl (A), Jenny Frison (Cover), and Steve Morris (Variant cover)

On sale Nov 9
FC, 32 pages
$1.00
Miniseries

Until recently, Zoey Redbird was an average high-school student worrying about grades, boys, and breakouts. But priorities have a way of changing when you are marked as a vampyre, enroll in the vampyre academy House of Night, and have to figure out a whole new social hierarchy, affinities for elemental magic, and physiological changes that make you crave blood.

 

Guys. Hit mages. Murderous wizards for hire! Like Christopher Lee in real life!

THE OCCULTIST #1 (of 3)

Tim Seeley (W), Victor Drujiniu (P), Andrew Dalhouse (C), Steve Morris (Cover), and Jenny Frison (25th anniversary variant cover)

On sale Nov 9
FC, 32 pages
$3.50
Miniseries

While harnessing his new powers as the Occultist, college student Rob Bailey must defend himself and those around him from a series of hired Hit mages with unique magical abilities and a serpentine demon known as the Swordbreaker, all determined to kill him and to possess the powerful spell book known as the Sword!

Abe Sapien and co. face down their most terrifying foe yet. Real America!

B.P.R.D. HELL ON EARTH VOLUME 2: GODS AND MONSTERS TP

Mike Mignola (W/Cover), John Arcudi (W), Guy Davis (A), Tyler Crook (A), and Dave Stewart (C)

On sale Feb 1
FC, 144 pages
$19.99
TP, 7″ x 10″

Between tracking down the vagrant followers of a prescient teen pursued by crablike beasts and dealing with a redneck priest who preaches by way of human mutilation to a trailer park populated by a cult of hillbillies, the B.P.R.D. certainly have their hands full. Can a fractured team wage a winnable war or are they fighting a battle of attrition? B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth: Gods and Monsters continues the series Comics Alliance calls “one of the best books on the stands.” Collects B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth: Gods #1-#3 and B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth: Monsters #1-#2.

Severin’s interiors on this Weird western are absolutely tremendous. Occult investigator Edward Grey heads to the colonies for one of 2011’s true gems.

WITCHFINDER VOLUME 2: LOST AND GONE FOREVER TP

Mike Mignola (W/Cover), John Arcudi (W), John Severin (A), and Dave Stewart (C)

On sale Jan 25
FC, 136 pages
$17.99
TP, 7″ x 10″

In the hellish frontiers of the American Wild West, nineteenth-century occult investigator Edward Grey finds himself caught in a showdown with an evil witch, bloodthirsty criminals, and zombie cowboys!

EC Comics legend John Severin (Two-Fisted Tales) rejoins the Hellboy line after his stellar debut in B.P.R.D.: War on Frogs! Collects the five-issue miniseries.

That moose is flying. We desperately want to find out why.

THE MIGHTY SKULLBOY ARMY VOLUME 2 TP

Jacob Chabot (W/A)

On sale Jan 25
b&w, 128 pages
$14.99
TP, 6″ x 9″

Skullboy is back with a second volume of manic fun, and the robotic, rascally Unit 1 and super-smart, simian Unit 2 await his orders. They’re ready to face any challenge that comes Skullboy’s way, from dodge balls to monster brawls—but are you ready? Are you ready for necktie-wearing bears in thinking caps, ninjas in tuxedos, police chases, giant squid battles, time-travel showdowns, not-so-evil duplicates, vengeful pigeons, flying dogs, wrestlers, jungle commando clashes, and more? Well, are you?! That dull expression on your face doesn’t fill me with much hope. Well, when you can finally muster the courage and buck up, fill out that Skull Co. application and wait right here. Our secretary will be with you shortly.

 

As far as we know, Dan-El is not related to Kal. Technically.

BROTHERS OF THE SPEAR ARCHIVES VOLUME 1 HC

Gaylord DuBois (W), Russ Manning (A), and Jesse Marsh (A)

On sale Jan 18
FC, 272 pages
$49.99
HC, 7″ x 10″

Young Natongo and his adopted brother Dan-El share a bond much stronger than blood, so when they learn of Dan-El’s true father and his lost people, they pledge to discover the secret of his birthright together. Their journey across Africa reveals danger at every turn, but nothing to match the shock of finding Dan-El’s home enslaved by an evil witch doctor. With only each other to fall back on, can the brothers of the spear survive battle, exile, shipwreck, and more to overthrow the usurper so Dan-El can take his rightful place as king? Collecting the backup stories from Tarzan #25–#67! Featuring art by comics masters Jesse Marsh and Russ Manning!

Dracula is such a sucker for tradition. Over the threshold we go, my darling. But the words that really get my adam’s apple trembling? “Corben” and “mad scientist’s greenhouse.”

EERIE ARCHIVES VOLUME 9 HC

Various (W/A)

On sale Jan 25
b&w, 264 pages
$49.99
HC, 8 3/8″ x 10 7/8″

Eerie Archives Volume 9 collects issues #42-#46 of the original Eerie magazine run. This volume features classic stories from comic-book legends Richard Corben, Doug Moench, Reed Crandall, and Paul Neary, color covers by Luis Dominguez and Sanjulian, as well as mind-melting contributions from Eerie regulars Tom Sutton, Steve Skeates, Esteban Maroto, and Jerry Grandenetti. Whether traveling through space in “Someday” or trapped in a mad scientist’s greenhouse in “The Root of Evil,” you’ll be mesmerized by these timeless tales of horror! This collection also reprints all color stories, letters pages, and articles from the original magazines and features a new foreword by Timothy Truman (modern Creepy, King Conan).