Dark Horse press releases (July comics-August trades)

Posted: Monday, May 2, 2005
Posted By: Rik Offenberger

First ever Emily the Strange comic debuts with Dark Horse Comics!

Dark Horse Comics and the creative minds behind Cosmic Debris are thrilled to present

the first-ever Emily comic books, published as deluxe single issues with all-new stories

and art. Each issue of Emily comics will feature 48 pages of black, white, and red art

(with the occasional outburst of full-color freakouts!), illustrating a wild and wacky range

of Emily stories.

For more than ten years, pop culture cultists have revered and adored a mysterious,

brooding thirteen-year-old girl named Emily the Strange. Nobody knows much about the

young girl with a porcelain face and huge eyes framed by black bangs. Her ever-present

brood of black cats only adds to the intrigue. None of that has stopped a generation of

rabid fans from letting Emily put her spell upon them. Now, for the first time ever, Emily

fans will be welcomed into her dark and, well, strange world—a place where kitty friends

talk, the ghosts of famous weirdo’s come out to play, reality is never quite what it seems,

and— above all—a place where anyone who’s ever been considered a little “strange”

themselves will be made to feel right at home.

“The comic is yet a deeper look into the strange world of Emily and her imagination —

her inventions, way of life, the people around her, and of course her Posse of four cats,”

commented Emily’s best friend and legal guardian Rob Reger. “The story of Emily is

unfolding.”

When reached for comment, Emily cryptically said: “Hmmm... it looks like someone’s

been following me around documenting my every move. What a scary thought... I'll give

you something to write about!...Let the games begin! (he he he!)”

Emily the Strange #1: The Boring Issue arrives on sale August 3, with a retail price of

$7.95.

ISBN: 1-59307-323-2

Joss Whedon to bridge his TV series Firefly and his upcoming Universal Pictures feature film Serenity with a three-issue comic book miniseries for Dark Horse Comics

This fall Oscar‚ and Emmy-nominated writer/director Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire

Slayer and Angel) makes his big-screen directorial debut with Universal Pictures’

Serenity, the futuristic action-adventure feature film follow-up to his cult-hit TV show

Firefly. Firefly told the tale of a ship full of mercenaries, outlaws, fugitives, and one lawabiding

prostitute running across the fringes of space. The Serenity film continues the

story, and Dark Horse is proud to present a three-issue comic book miniseries that takes

place between the TV show and feature film. Universal Pictures’ Serenity is scheduled

for release in the U.S. on September 30, 2005 and in the UK on November 4, 2005.

The plot of the comic book series centers on the crew members of the ship known as

Serenity, who once again find themselves broke and on the wrong side of a number of

very large firearms when a heist goes awry, and some old enemies catch their scent.

After facing one failure after another, Malcolm Reynolds becomes the target of a

conspiracy between government and mercenary forces, and a tense and divided crew

must try to unite behind their compromised leader. Mixing intense Whedon-style

dialogue with cinematic action and violence, artist Will Conrad and colorist Laura Martin

paint a rough and wild world of adventure across a dangerous universe.

“Working with Joss is always fun and a privilege, and especially so when it’s Serenity,”

commented co-writer Brett Matthews. “I love the characters and the world so much, how

distinct and consistent the vision is and always has been. That sometimes to just keep

going is enough, that there’s meaning in the struggle even if you don't know exactly what

that meaning is -- that speaks to me, and you get it in Serenity in a way that's dusty and

real and organic, not forced. It just fits. It all just means a hell of a lot to me.”

Serenity is a three-issue comic book miniseries written by Joss Whedon and Brett

Matthews with art by Will Conrad and Laura Martin. Each issue of the series will feature

three different covers one for each member of the Serenity crew, drawn by the biggest

names in comics. Issue #1 features “Mal” by John Cassaday, “Inara” by J. G. Jones, and

“Jayne” by Bryan Hitch. Subsequent covers come from such artists as Joe Quesada, Josh

Middleton, and Jo Chen.

Serenity #1 arrives on sale July 6 with a retail price of $2.99.

Cassaday cover image:



Jones cover image:



Hitch cover image:





About Serenity

Joss Whedon— the Oscar®- and Emmy-nominated writer/director responsible for the worldwide

television phenomena of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel—now applies his trademark

compassion and wit to a small band of galactic outcasts 500 years in the future in his feature film

directorial debut, Serenity.

Based on Whedon’s cult hit television series Firefly (which has taken on a second life following

its December 9, 2003, DVD release, winning new fans and critical praise worldwide), Serenity

will continue and expand upon the adventures of the memorable characters launched in the

series, who will be joined by new characters created expressly for the motion picture adaptation.

Whedon will act as both screenwriter and director, with Barry Mendel (The Sixth Sense,

Unbreakable and The Life Aquatic) producing and Chris Buchanan and Alisa Tager (of Barry

Mendel Productions) serving as executive producers. The Serenity cast will include such

returning Firefly cast members as Nathan Fillion as Captain Malcolm ‘Mal’ Reynolds, Gina

Torres as Zoë Warren, Morena Baccarin as Inara Serra, Jewel Staite as Kaylee Frye, Adam

Baldwin as Jayne Cobb, Sean Maher as Dr. Simon Tam and Summer Glau as River Tam.

The film centers around Captain Malcolm Reynolds, a hardened veteran (on the losing

side) of a galactic civil war, who now ekes out a living pulling off small crimes and

transport-for-hire aboard his ship, Serenity. He leads a small, eclectic crew who are the

closest thing he has left to family – squabbling, insubordinate and undyingly loyal.

When Mal takes on two new passengers—a young doctor and his unstable, telepathic

sister—he gets much more than he bargained for. The pair are fugitives from the

coalition dominating the universe, who will stop at nothing to reclaim the girl. The crew

that was once used to skimming the outskirts of the galaxy unnoticed find themselves

caught between the unstoppable military force of the Universal Alliance and the horrific,

cannibalistic fury of the Reavers, savages who roam the very edge of space. Hunted by

vastly different enemies, they begin to discover that the greatest danger to them may be

on board Serenity herself.

This film has not yet been rated. Please consult FilmRatings.com or

ParentalGuide.org for more information.

About Universal Studios Consumer Products Group

Universal Studios Consumer Products Group is responsible for global licensing and retail

strategies as well as building brand recognition of the extensive catalogue of NBC

Universal properties. Universal Studios Consumer Products Group is a unit of NBC

Universal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the

development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a

global audience. Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi

Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates the No. 1 television network,

the fastest-growing Spanish-language network, a valuable portfolio of news and

entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television

production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme

parks. NBC Universal is 80%-owned by General Electric, with 20% controlled by

Vivendi Universal.

From the creators of Fist of the North Star and Berserk comes the explosive action epic Japan

Yuka Katsuragi, a beautiful TV news reporter, has attracted the affections of a Yakuza

thug, Katsuji Yashima, who travels with his brother all the way to Spain to find her, only

to have his affections rebuffed by Yuka. A terrible earthquake hits, and Katsuji, his

brother, and Yuka, along with four high-schoolers in Spain on a field trip, all fall deep

underground. While trapped below the surface, they encounter a mysterious old woman

who reveals to them prophecies that the wealthy nation of Japan will meet the same

demise as the once-prosperous city of Carthage. Katsuji and the others insult the old

woman, who then sends them to see the world of the future with their own eyes, a future

of desolation and death...

Japan features story by Buronson with art by Kentaro Miura. It arrives on sale August

10, with a retail price of $12.95.



ISBN: 1-59307-332-1

Tony Millionaire’s sock monkey helps a friend in the all ages Little and Large

Here is another delightful book from writer/artist Tony Millionaire featuring two

interconnected stories that tie together for the happiest of endings.

When Ann Louise’s grandfather crashes through the woods to cut down a tree for use in

his workshop, he never stops to think about all the creatures making their home in it.

Uncle Gabby then meets a spider displaced from his tree house and begins a quest to find

him a new place to live.

A weathervane? A dollhouse? A goose-wagon? Sadly, no, no, and no!

But just what is Grandfather building from the lumber?

“I was sweeping cobwebs from the ceiling of my garage one day when my three-year-old

daughter yelled at me, ‘Daddy! You’re sweeping the spiders’ houses!’, commented

writer and artist Tony Millionaire. “I thought of the poor spiders who would now have to

rebuild their homes, and I promised my daughter I would stop sweeping them. I guess

the spiders heard me because the next day they had built more cobwebs than ever.”

The Little and Large hardcover features story and art by Tony Millionaire. It arrives on

sale August 17, with a retail price of $7.95.



ISBN: 1-59582-010-8

Michael Chabon writes entire issue of The Escapist! (Titular hero curiously missing from issue, Mr. Machine Gun to blame?)

This very special seventh issue of The Amazing Adventures of the Escapist features… no

Escapist whatsoever! Instead, Pulitzer-winning author Michael Chabon takes over the

entire issue with a sensational story introducing the mysterious Mr. Machine Gun, a

character torn straight from the pages of Chabon’s The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier

& Clay.

Legendary duo Kavalier and Clay created scads of fascinating characters, and Mr.

Machine Gun was one of the best. A former guinea pig of Nazi bioexperimentation, the

WWII hero turned to a postwar career in politics. Now, dealing with an intensely

personal tragedy, Senator “Ben Vanderslice” struggles to once more gain control over his

murderous right hand!

With Chabon aided by artist Eduardo Barreto (Batman, Aliens vs. Predator), you’ll swear

that you’re reading the original Sunshine Comics edition—now an impossible find!

Who is this classic character that inspired a runaway issue-length tale from a Pulitzer

winner? Find out in this snub-nosed and smoking seventh installment of the popular

quarterly anthology!

The Escapist #7 features the talents of Michael Chabon (W), Eduardo Barreto (A), Paul

Hornschemeier (C), and Brian Bolland (Cover). It arrives on sale July 13, with a retail

price of $8.95.



ISBN: 1-59307-255-4

The creators of Fierce bring you an all ages ghost story adventure in Shadow Rock

After his mother’s death, young Timothy London moves from the big city to the small

New England fishing town of Shadow Rock to live with his father. His new home is up

the hill from a legendary haunted lighthouse where Timothy discovers the ghost of

Kendahl Fog, a little boy who died under mysterious circumstances. Timothy and his new

ghostly companion set out to explore the dark underbelly of Shadow Rock and the

mystery of Kendahl’s death. Harrowing thrills and chills ensue in this classic boy’s

adventure with a horror twist from Jeremy and Robert Love, the creators of Fierce.

Shadow Rock features story by Jeremy Love with art by Robert and Jeremy Love. It

arrives on sale August 31 with a retail price of $9.95.



ISBN: 1-59307-347-X

---

Got some comments on this item?
Have your say at the Silver Bulletins forum.

---