Solicitations hit last week so you know what time it is! As usual, we kick things off with the best that Dark Horse has to offer us. In July, Dark Horse launches a couple of very big series, puts out a gorgeous Game of Thrones collectible and more. Let’s jump into this.
10. Bring Dragonstone Home
This isn’t the first time or the last time I’ve highlights Dark Horse’s Game of Thrones merchandise but this is one of the cooler things they’ve put out. For the person obsessed with making their bookshelves look fancy, this is perfect. These are bookends designed after the gates of Dragonstone. The detailing and quality is sure to be great on these.
Game of Thrones: Dragonstone Gate Dragon Bookends (advance solicit)
On sale Oct 18
7.5” tall bookends, packaged in a full color box
$124.99
When Daenerys Targaryen returns to her birthplace of Dragonstone, she enters the castle doors through the massive and ominous Dragon Gates, to claim her rightful throne. The Dragon heads warn all others of the power of the Targaryen family. These 7.5” tall bookends are sculpted and hand painted to perfectly match the details of the set pieces from HBO’s Game of Thrones.
9. Another Berger Books Reprint
Part of Berger Books has involved the reprinting of older material so a new audience can find them. “The Alcoholic” is something I am familiar with and enjoyed a lot so I’m glad to see it get new life this fall. I think it deserves that and the expanded material will make for a great read. I am stil really excited about Karen Berger returning to run her own imprint but I’m eager for new stories with new talent. “Mata Hari” was a great example of that and I want more like that.
The Alcoholic: Tenth Anniversary Expanded Edition TP (advance solicit)
Jonathan Ames (W), Dean Haspiel (A/Cover), and Lee Loughridge (C)
On sale Sept 12
b&w, 144 pages • $19.99 • TP w/French flaps, 6 3/4″ x 9″
This awkward and agonizing tale of a boozed-up, coked-out, sexually confused, and hopelessly romantic author explores the life of a failing writer who’s coming off a doomed romance and searching for hope. Unfortunately, the first place his search takes him is the bottom of a bottle as he careens from one off-kilter encounter to another in search of himself in this hilarious yet heartbreaking graphic novel debut by Jonathan Ames. Ames is the creator of HBO’s Bored to Death, Starz’s Blunt Talk and the critically acclaimed writer of Wake Up, Sir!, The Extra Man, What’s Not to Love?, and You Were Never Really Here, now a film starring Joaquin Phoenix.
Featuring gritty, yet poignant artwork by Emmy Award-winning artist Dean Haspiel (The Quitter, The Red Hook).
Features a new prose piece by Jonathan Ames expanding on the story material, as well as a special behind-the-scenes artist section!
For mature readers.
8. Expansion Pack
I know barely anything about StarCraft but I do know that it’s from Blizzard Entertainment and they make Overwatch, which is my jam. I also know that this is a game that’s been very popular for a long time. I also know that Jody Houser has a lot of experience in the RPG scene and so, she’s pretty much the perfect person to take this on.
Continued belowStarCraft: Scavengers #1
Jody Houser (W), Gabriel Guzmán (A/Cover), Michael Atiyeh (C), and Timothy Green II (Variant cover)
On sale July 25
FC, 32 pages • $3.99 • Miniseries
Official StarCraft comics!
Writer Jody Houser (Mother Panic, Faith) and artist Gabriel Guzmán (Mass Effect: Discovery, Star Wars) join forces for StarCraft, a new series further exploring the expansive universe of Blizzard’s hit game. A group of terran space scavengers hope to pull off the job of their lifetimes, ignoring a recent United Earth Directorate treaty to pillage a derelict protoss ship.
Produced by Dark Horse Comics in close collaboration with Blizzard Entertainment.
Writer Jody Houser takes readers on a sci-fi-horror thrill ride in space!
7. Hellboy’s Grand Finale
Dark Horse has steadily been putting out these omnibuses (omnibi??) all year now that completely collect the Hellboy saga in reading order. In the fall, you’ll be able to get your hands on the complete and value priced ending. With this price and page count, you can’t miss it and it can even be read on its own if you want just this.
Hellboy Omnibus Volume 4: Hellboy in Hell TP(advance solicit)
Mike Mignola (W/A/Cover) and Dave Stewart (C)
On sale Sept 5
FC, 288 pages • $24.99 • TP, 7″ x 10″
The Hellboy saga concludes, with the most ambitious chapter, Hellboy in Hell, collected in its entirety—all written and drawn by Mike Mignola.
Hellboy is cast into Hell, where familiar faces reveal secrets of his origins, and previously unknown family members come forward. Hellboy forever alters the face of Hell, giving new significance to his role of Beast of the Apocalypse.
While featuring big answers and one of the most momentous choices Hellboy’s ever made, Hellboy in Hell also offers a return to the simplest and best Hellboy stories, as Hellboy roams a unique world only Mignola could present, filled with strange and magical encounters rich with the power of folklore and myth.
The Hellboy Omnibus series collects Hellboy stories in chronological order for a definitive reading experience.
6. Ashes To Ashes, Dust To Dust
Between Stokoe and now this Hardman series, the Dark Horse Alien books are rich with talent right now. This is a can’t miss for me and I’m not even the biggest Alien fan.
Aliens: Dust to Dust #4 (of 4)
Gabriel Hardman (W/A/Cover), Rain Beredo (C), and Carlos D’Anda (Variant cover)
On sale July
FC, 32 pages • $3.99 • Miniseries
Days ago, Maxon was a twelve-year-old boy, concerned with the kinds of things that concern young boys. Then the Aliens came. Now Maxon must depend solely on his wits and his will to survive. It’s a hell of a way to grow up.
5. Danganronpa Is Back
To be fair though, it never really went away but now you can get the sequel here in America, legally, through your local comic book shop. This is always been a thing I’ve wanted to get into so maybe I’ll spend the summer doing that.
Danganronpa 2: Ultimate Luck and Hope and Despair Volume 1 TP(advance solicit)
Kyousuke Suga (W/A/Cover)
On sale Sept 5
b&w, 160 pages • $12.99 • TP, 5 1/8” x 7 1/4″
The ultimate teenage murder game continues! In this sequel to the original Danganronpa, a new class at the (in)famous Hope’s Peak Academy get a surprise school trip to a tropical paradise. Here, in the name of “hope,” Ultimate Lucky Student Nagito Komaeda is willing to kill anybody and everybody . . . including himself!
4. It’s Coming!
I am so excited for this movie to come out. I was literally a child when the first one came out so it’s been a very long wait. Putting out comics before the movie actually comes out is genius and only works to get me even more excited about what’s to come.
Continued belowDisney • Pixar The Incredibles 2 #1: Crisis in Mid-Life! & Other Stories
Christos Gage (W), Landry Walker (W), Gurihiru (P/I/C/cover), J Bone (P/I/variant cover), Andrea Greppi (P), Roberta Zanotta (C), Dan Jackson (C, Variant cover), and Angela Capolupo (C)
On sale July 11
FC, 32 pages • $3.99 • Miniseries
Dedicating a new submarine, Mr. Incredible is interrupted by the dastardly Bomb Voyage—who is intent on crushing the crowd of onlookers underneath the sub! Mr. Incredible’s struggle to save the day has him questioning his Super powers—could something be wrong?
Meanwhile, Bob tells Jack-Jack a bedtime story that has Violet and Dash calling foul: this battle from his glory days seems too amazing to be true. Then, on a visit to the park, Jack-Jack uses his powers to overcome a worthy opponent!
Three original stories are set during and after Disney • Pixar’s The Incredibles 2 feature film!
Written by Christos Gage from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Amazing Spider-Man!
3. The Real Summer Blockbuster
Technically this isn’t out until later in the year but whatever, it’s still great. This is one of my favorite crossovers ever because it’s fun and impeccably drawn by Sakai. It’s basically perfect and honestly, anyone who calls themselves a Turtles fan, absolutely needs this.
Usagi Yojimbo/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Complete Collection TP (advance solicit)
Stan Sakai (W/A/Cover)
On sale Sept 26
FC, 192 pages • $17.99 • TP, 7″ x 10″
A complete collection of the iconic team-ups for fans of all ages! Collecting every existing Usagi Yojimbo/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles crossover comic in existence, this book contains “Turtle Soup and Rabbit Stew,” “The Crossing,” “The Treaty,” “Shades of Green,” and the recent full-color tale “Namazu.” This volume also includes tons of extra material from Stan Sakai’s studio.
Legendary comics creator Stan Sakai’s complete Usagi Yojimbo/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles crossover collection!
2. Another Spin Off
“Black Hammer” has taken a look to the past and the present day within its own timeline but now, we’re going into the future. This big superhero universe just keeps getting bigger and Lemire keeps bringing in some extremely talented artists to give it life. I’m really excited for this one!
The Quantum Age: From the World of Black Hammer #1
Jeff Lemire (W), Wilfredo Torres (A/Cover), Dave Stewart (C), and Christian Ward (Variant cover)
On sale July 4
FC, 32 pages • $3.99 • Ongoing
Set in the world of the Eisner Award-winning Black Hammer series—but a thousand years in the future—a collection of superheroes, inspired by the legendary heroes of Black Hammer Farm, must band together to save the planet from an authoritarian regime. A young Martian must find a way to reform The Quantum League to save the world while solving the riddle of what happened to the great heroes of the twentieth century
Black Hammer creator Jeff Lemire (The Terrifics) is joined by Wilfredo Torres (Legion) in illustrating while Dave Stewart (Hellboy) adds his colorist skills to the mix.
Based on Jeff Lemire’s Eisner Award-winning series!
“Masterfully plays with all the many tropes and genres of superhero fiction over the past few decades.”—Entertainment Weekly
1. Berger Books Hooks A Big Fish
You would be hard pressed to find a bigger fan of Halt and Catch Fire than me. It’s one of my absolute favorite shows of all time and I’m always trying to get people to watch it. I was really eager to find out what the team behind it would do next and in the case of Christopher Cantwell, that’s comic books and that’s very exciting to me. I’m always a little concerned about men writing female characters well but in this case, I’m not worried. The premise sounds great and Morazzo’s work is something I’m a huge fan of. This books feels like it’s specifically targeting me and I’m okay with that.
She Could Fly #1
Christopher Cantwell (W), Martin Morazzo (A/Cover), and Miroslav Mrva (C)
On sale July 11
FC, 32 pages • $4.99 • Miniseries
In Chicago, an unknown woman appears flying at speeds of 120 miles per hour and at heights reaching 2,000 feet. Then she suddenly dies in a fiery explosion mid-air. No one knows who she was, how she flew, or why. Luna, a disturbed 15-year-old girl becomes obsessed with learning everything about her while rumors and conspiracy theories roil. Will cracking the secrets of the Flying Woman’s inner life lead to the liberation from her own troubled mind?
Written by Christopher Cantwell, co-creator/showrunner of AMC’s Halt and Catch Fire.
Martin Morazzo has worked on Nighthawk, Elektra, and the recently released creator-owned Ice Cream Man.
The latest from Karen Berger’s Berger Books imprint!
32 pages of story.
Did I miss anything? Let me know in the comments and check out the full solicitations at Comic Book Resources.
