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Since the forming of Dark Horse Comics a little over 20 years ago, Dark Horse has been the home of many classic modern series. Star Wars, Concrete, Hellboy, Little Lulu, Doc Savage, Tarzan, King Kong , The Escapist, and many other titles have come from Mark Richardson and company.
Releases From A Dark Horse Since the forming of Dark Horse Comics a little over 20 years ago, Dark Horse has been the home of many classic modern series. Star Wars, Concrete, Hellboy, Little Lulu, Doc Savage, Tarzan, King Kong , The Escapist, and many other titles have come from Mark Richardson and company. My good friends have seen fit to keep me informed on their new releases. This month, my comic bin overfloweth with Hellboy, the Escapist, The Territory, Samurai, the Dare Detectives, Crying Freedman, and The Hire. Of these books, The Territory is Hardcover, and the Escapist (and Crying Freeman) are smaller format. Hellboy, "Strange Places", compiles the two issue mini-series, The Third Wish and includes 'The Island" and a bit of unpublished art. Also out is part II of Makoma, by Mignola and Corben. I gotta say, before this GN, I never appreciated Hellboy. He always seemed rather mysterious, and my mainline tastes did not stray that far. SP and The Island changed that. He is more than a red skinned, knob headed man/demon. His very existence in these tales takes him into new waters (literally) where his faith is shattered, and he discovers his reason for being....The Island examines that a little further, and when we choose not to decide, others can and do claim that right for us...Spiritual in nature, violent by nurture, that is the Hellboy I appreciate. One of the most unusual series from DH the last year has been the Hire. As part of the BMWFilms.com product line, artists like Matt Wagner, Bruce Campbell, Killian Plunkett, Mark Waid, Claude St Aubin, Kurt Busiek, Steven Grant, and Francisco Ruiz Velasco give their take on futuristic designs with storylines that pit The Hire in gritty adventures. Like fast cars? Fast adventure? Buy The Hire! Part hero and part artist, the Escapist is a fascinating character. Based on the Michael Chabon creation, this book (Volume 3) compiles issues 5 and 6 of the series. Or those of you, like myself, who are new to the character, it is a good primer. I loved the Will Eisner tale in front of the book....Thomas Yeates, Eisner, Howard Chaykin, David Hahn, Eric Wright, and Norm Breyfogle contribute their take on this unique character. Want to escape for an hour or so? Volume 3, priced at a slim $14.95 is waiting for you. Crying Freeman, the assassin who weeps at the fate of his victims, appears in North America for the first time this month. Volume 1 features story by Kazuko Koike, and art by Ryoichi Ikegami that introduces English readers to the assassin who kills on command. This true manga style book contains themes that range from erotic to violent and back again. Yo Himomura is a dark character you wouldn't want to be on the bad side of.... "Heaven and Earth", by Ron Marz (Green Lantern) and Luke Ross (Jonah Hex)is not your average Samurai story. Really. When was the last time you read about Samurai going to China, the cities of Europe, and then Paris (Versailles). Will the three Musketeers be a match for the lone Samurai in his pursuit of his lost love? An outstanding graphic novel presentation that exceeds even the most stringent expectations. Priced at $14.95, it is truly a book that should be on adventure lovers shelves. "The Territory" by Jamie Delano and David Lloyd , is an action adventure that tells the story of a man named Ishmael who is rescued by pirates and sold into slavery. Equipped only with courage, a talent for action heroics, and the inspiration of a half-remembered love, he must flirt with the sinister tentacles of Hydracorp to win his freedom. This graphic novel is a text book example of WHAT to do.....Highly enjoyable, it is an escapist romp through dangerous seas and rampant thievery. Three swords up! The prize for the most amusing title this month goes to 'The Dare Detectives', Volume II by Ben Caldwell. The Snowpea Plot is a great story. Stylish art, great dialogue, and an infectious sense of humor and wit make this a must read for the cynical adventure fan in all of us. $6.95...a great value. Darkhorse is a company that has always exceeded expectations. With superior products and a well defined focus, books like these are 'standard' issue for a group that is NO Dark Horse. Look for them at your local comic store, or online at www.darkhorse.com. Tim
The copyright of the article A Dark Horse Riseth in Graphic Novels/Comics is owned by Tim Lasiuta. Permission to republish A Dark Horse Riseth in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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