Dark Horse

The influential and historic DARK HORSE PRESENTS anthology -- last seen as an online anthology available on MySpace and later adapted to print --...

Well here we are, the final month of the year. Most publishers have already launched their big titles last month, so that titles would be...

When Dark Horse announced their digital comics initiative back at NYCC, they went about it in a different way from most other publishers. Instead of partnering with an existing storefront like comiXology, they decided to use their own webstore and application to sell comics -- and at the $1.49 price point. There was also talk of add-ons that made going to the physical comics shop a part of the experience. Since then details have been sketchy, but today Dark Horse released the first information on the program, via a mailing to retailers in the Diamond Daily. A bit of the information was also released to the press, including the plan to release ORIGINAL digital material -- but only to those who purchase brick and mortar comics.

This book reminds me of the past, but not in a wistful, thinking-back-on-your-first-time-getting-laid way. It’s more a first-time-getting-caught-jerking-off-by-your-mom sensation. -- from NICK GAZIN’s COMIC BOOK...

Back to the previews, we're proud to present a peek at Bryan Talbot's Grandville Mon Amour, a steampunk talking animal mystery mash-up, or as Talbot puts it:

Grandville Mon Amour pits Detective Inspector LeBrock of Scotland Yard against an old adversary and ruthless urban guerrilla, Edward "Mad Dog" Mastock. It's a fast-paced, Hitchcockian steampunk thriller.

If you've been following Talbot's career at all you know he's one of the most eclectic storytellers in the medium, producing a string of amazing graphic novels that show a range of emotion and imagination few can match -- from Grandville to The Tale of One Bad Rat to Alice In Sunderland and the previous Grandville. This is no exception.

While in other places the indie periodical comic has languished, Stan Sakai and Usagi Yojimbo do not question, they just do. After five publishers and 26 years, this story of a wandering rabbit samurai in Edo period Japan has become one of the longest-running and best loved independent comics of all time. With a loyal home at Dark Horse since 1996 and 24 collections published, the Usagi saga has become a continuing epic of heroism, betrayal and romance, with a large cast of characters who weave in and out of Usagi's life. It's comics world building at its purest, and all-ages in the best way. A new issue is out this month that serves as a jumping on point (although truthfully, Sakai is such a strong storyteller that you can always catch up just by jumping on -- check out how the first page of the preview sets up the situation so you can just keep on going.)

Jason Little's second Bee book is coming soon from Dark Horse. Want!

In the spirit of the season, Evan Dorkin, Jill Thompson, and Mike Mignola provide an Eisner-heavy creative lineup for the Beasts of Burden/Hellboy One Shot which is on sale THIS WEEK and there's even a preview.

And speaking of Hellboy, the new Mike Mignola strip in USA Today has just started. Nothing beats the original.

At yesterday's Dark Horse panel, more details of their digital initiative were announced. It will be proprietary, available on every web browser, and sold for iPad and iTunes. (However, Apple only accepts prices that end in .99 -- one of the controlling things that folks were complaining about on Thursday --- so it's not entirely clear how that will work. There will be 170 titles available at first, with some titles available day and date.

Announced only via tweet from retailer Chris Butcher at this morning's Diamond retailer's breakfast. Dark Horse is announcing exclusive in-store downloads for those buying their digital comics, which will be priced at $1.49, according to Milton Griepp yesterday.

Dark Horse has a battalion of signings and creators and two exclusives: a limited edition Hawaiian Print Domo and a limited printing Xerxes Lithograph! Get 'em while you can!