With San Diego Comic Con out of the way, it’s time to look to the last half of 2016. Dark Horse has a lot of very cool books being released in October. Let’s jump into the picks, shall we?
10. Art For Your Eyeballs
So I’ve made it no secret that I’m not exactly a gamer. I don’t even own a console right now. However I have had the opportunity to look at some of these art books and they’re really great. They are pricey but there’s a lot of care put into the books and the really are collector’s items cause of this. I’ve heard of this game and I have seen people hype it so it’s safe to say that there are fans reading the site who would be very interested in picking this up.
The Art of Dishonored 2 HC (advance solicit)
Arcane Studios (W/A)
On sale Nov 22
FC, 184 pages
$49.99
HC, 9″ x 12″
The Empire of the Isles is home to fabulous wonders beyond count, and dangers to match. Now, walk in the same steps as heroes Corvo Attano and Emily Kaldwin as you examine the complexly beautiful concept and design of Dishonored 2!
Arcane Studios and Dark Horse Books are proud to present this gorgeous collection featuring hundreds of pieces of art chronicling the development of the blockbuster stealth-action title. The Art of Dishonored 2 is a must-have item for art fans and gamers alike!
• Exclusive, never-before-seen concept art from the making of Dishonored 2!
• The comprehensive companion to the wildly anticipated Dishonored 2!
9. The Most Interesting Coloring Book Yet?
Chuck Palahniuk is known for crafting really mind bending stories and in a rarity for “adult” coloring books, “Bait” is telling a completely new story with an all star team of artists. I’m not really into this craze but kudos to doing something new with it.
Bait HC
Chuck Palahniuk (W), Duncan Fegredo (A/Cover), Lee Bermejo (A), Alise Gluŝkova (A), Kirbi Fagan (A), Marc Scheff (A), Steve Morris (A), Joëlle Jones (A), and Tony Puryear (A)
On sale Oct 26
b&w, 128 pages
$19.99
HC, 8 1/2″ x 11″
New York Times bestselling novelist Chuck Palahniuk presents Bait: Off-Color Stories for You to Color, his first ever coloring book for adults. Bait is both the coloring book debut and the second short story collection for Palahniuk, author of Lullaby and Fight Club.
Palahniuk invites readers to collaborate on this unprecedented hardcover edition: “Maybe between your colors, the artists’ designs, and my stories we can create something that endures. Something worth keeping. Let’s create a well-bound book that can sit on any shelf and be available for a new generation to discover and enjoy.”
• Contains eight bizarre tales, illustrated in detailed black and white by Joëlle Jones (Lady Killer), Lee Bermejo (The Suiciders), Duncan Fegredo (Hellboy), and more.
• Chuck Palahniuk’s first ever coloring book for adults.
8. A Fan Servicey Coloring Book
To be honest, all coloring books are probably fan servicey but Dark Horse is finally putting out Buffy ones and they got artists from the ongoing comic book series to do the art. That’s a great move.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Adult Coloring Book (advance solicit)
Karl Moline (A/Cover), Rebekah Isaacs (A), Georges Jeanty (A), Yishan Li (A), Steve Morris (A), Newsha Ghasemi (A), and others
On sale Dec 28
b&w, 96 pages
$14.99
TP, 10″ x 10″
Enter the world of the Slayer, the Chosen One who wields the skill to fight vampires, demons, and the forces of darkness… Favorite characters and moments from the beloved television series are represented in this delightful adult coloring book. Containing 45 black-and-white, detailed, and original illustrations, you can add color to Buffy and Co. — and, of course, all the Big Bads!
• Includes 45 pieces of beautifully detailed black-and-white artwork!
7. A Beauty At a Steal
“Blade of the Immortal” is so good. Like really good. For $20 you can read a giant omnibus of it right before a Japanese movie adaptation comes out. It’s a huge story but so worth the time.
Continued belowBlade of the Immortal Omnibus Volume 1 TP(advance solicit)
Hiroaki Samura (W/A/Cover)
On sale Dec 21
b&w, 576 pages
$19.99
TP, 5 3/4″ x 8 1/4″
A cursed, seemingly immortal warrior aids a young girl in her quest for revenge. Samura’s massive manga series spawned an anime run, a spinoff novel, an art book, and a live-action film! Intense and audacious, Blade takes period samurai action and deftly combines it with a modernist street idiom to create a style and mood like no other work of graphic fiction! Collects volumes 1–3.
• A great way to start the series before the 2017 film!
6. We All Begin Somewhere
So a couple of weeks back, I reviewed “Conan The Slayer” and it was the first Conan starring book I had ever read and I’ve been looking to get into some more of it. I had no idea this was even being planned but I think I found where to start. This is a lot of comic for $25 and some high caliber talent to boot.
Conan Omnibus Volume 1: Birth of the Legend TP(advance solicit)
Kurt Busiek (W), Cary Nord (P), Thomas Yeates (P), Tom Mandrake (P), Greg Ruth (P), Dave Stewart (C), and Joseph Michael Linsner (Cover)
On sale Dec 7
FC, 472 pages
$24.99
TP, 7″ x 10″
Conan’s earliest adventures, now available in affordable omnibus format!
Featuring the legendary run of comics greats Kurt Busiek and Cary Nord, This 472 page omnibus features favorites such as Born on the Battlefield, The Frost Giant’s Daughter, The God in the Bowl, and more!
• Features the legendary run by comics greats Kurt Busiek and Cary Nord!
• Also features work by Thomas Yeates and Greg Ruth, with colors by Dave Stewart!
5. The Weirdness Ends…For Now…Hopefully
I really, really like this miniseries and while this isn’t the best place to jump into the series, I want to at least keep it on your radar, dear readers. Van Lente is one of comic’s funniest writers and yes, this is funny but the concept is so well executed that I want to see it continue past this miniseries.
Weird Detective #5 (of 5)
Fred Van Lente (W), Guiu Vilanova (A/Cover), and Mauricio Wallace (C)
On sale Oct 19
FC, 32 pages
$3.99
Miniseries
Det. Sebastian Greene is determined to rescue his partner, Sana, even if it exposes his true demonic nature, but his only clue is the monster killing people all over New York. Can he find Sana, take down the killer, and protect himself from the powerful alien forces corrupting the NYPD?
• Fred Van Lente’s newest original comic series!
4. This Is Not A Deadpool Book
I know, chimichangas are kind of Deadpool’s thing but thankfully that’s not what this is. After reading The Goon in full for our Dark Horse month here at Multiversity, I’m kind of obsessed with reading everything Eric Powell now. This is a new miniseries and should definitely feature Powell’s signature style.
Chimichanga: Sorrow of the World’s Worst Face #1 (of 4)
Eric Powell (W) and Stephanie Buscema (A/Cover)
On sale Oct 12
FC, 32 pages
$3.99
Miniseries
Wrinkle’s Traveling Circus’s most adorable bearded girl and her savory-named beast are back, and there is a new act in store! Come one, come all to the Sorrow of the World’s Worst Face! But beware: those who look behind the curtain are in for an awful treat, and it’s not just his face we’re talkin’ about!
• Featuring art by Stephanie Buscema!
“Chimichanga is full of that youthful vigor that makes The Goon such a delight.” — Broken Frontier
3. Slay, Lady, Slay
So by now I’ve gotten an early peek at “Lady Killer” #1 and it’s exactly as good as I was expecting. I adore Joelle Jones’ artwork so if you haven’t checked out the first miniseries, get it and preorder the upcoming series.
Continued belowLady Killer 2 #3 (of 5)
Joëlle Jones (W/A/Cover) and Michelle Madsen (C)
On sale Oct 5
FC, 32 pages
$3.99
Miniseries
Life in Florida gets a little twisted for Josie when she learns about the dark past of her mother-in-law and the connection to her new partner.
• The return of the best-selling original series from Joëlle Jones!
2. I Put A Spell On You
This was a big announcement for Dark Horse over last weekend at San Diego Comic Con so I’m glad I have this space to talk about it. “Spell On Wheels” looks like a blast. It’s got an amazing creative team (Levens is a fantastic artist) and the cover is absolutely pandering to me.
Spell on Wheels #1 (of 5)
Kate Leth (W), Megan Levens (A), Marissa Louise (C), and Ming Doyle (Cover)
On sale Oct 19
FC, 32 pages
$3.99
Miniseries
Three young witches are robbed of their magical items, and they’ll have to hit the road to track down the mysterious thief before he does any damage to — or with — their possessions.
• Supernatural meets Buffy and The Craft!
1. The Greatest Of All Time Gets A Definitive Comic
Muhammad Ali was the best boxer who ever lived but in the grand scheme of things, he was one of the most important figures in American history. Before the Vietnam War became unpopular, he stood up against it and refused to to serve. It cost him everything and at this time in history, as a black man, it could have cost him his life as well. His work for civil rights made him a hero and while this isn’t the first time he’s been featured in a comic book, this is a book focused on him as a man. Dark Horse published the fantastic “The Fifth Beatle” a couple of years ago so I have a ton of faith in this project.
Muhammad Ali HC
Sybille Titeux (W) and Amazing Ameziane (A/Cover)
On sale Oct 26
FC, 128 pages
$19.99
HC, 6″ x 9″
An original graphic novel celebrating the life of the glorious athlete who metamorphosed from Cassius Clay to become a three-time heavyweight boxing legend, activist, and provocateur: Muhammad Ali. Not only a titan in the world of sports but in the world itself, he dared to be different and to challenge and defy through his refusal to be drafted to fight in Vietnam, his rejection of his “slave” name, and ultimately his final fight with his body itself through a thirty-year battle with Parkinson’s disease. Witness what made Ali different, what made him cool, what made him the Greatest.
• The critically acclaimed French graphic novel, now available for the first time in English.
• Focuses on key figures in the Civil Rights movement.
What will you be picking up in October? Let me know in the comments below and check out the full solicitations over at CBR.
