Dark Horse press releases (Oct shipping)

Jim Silke showcases classic beauties in
Pin-up: The Illegitimate Art

For the first time ever, Jim Silke, the man who gave you Bettie Page: Queen of Hearts, shares his hilarious first-person account of life as a pin-up’ artist! From the comic-strip vixens that influenced his youth to his real-life adventures photographing Hollywood’s most beautiful starlets and models to his slaving over the magical images of Bettie Page, Brigitte Bardot and a host of other beauties, Silke reveals all in this celebration of the female form.

Lavishly illustrated with over 100 new images by Silke along with classic ‘girl artists’ George Petty, Coby Whitmore, Enoch Bolles, Al Parker, Rolf Armstrong, and others, Pin-Up: The Illegitimate Art is a delightful, sharp, insightful look at the ‘bedtime babies,’ ‘devil women,’ and ‘bare-naked ladies’ that grace the walls-and hearts-of red-blooded lady lovers the world over.

Silke is one of the few artists who could write this story. From his Grammy Award-winning stint as a music industry art director to his years as a magazine publisher, glamour photographer, screenwriter, and comic book artist, Silke’s sensual artistic vision has made a distinct and lasting impact on contemporary culture. Throughout his varied career, one constant force of nature has served as his muse-the allure of the power, mystery, and beauty of the female and her boundless, intoxicating spirit. Here in Pin-up: The Illegitimate Art, he serves that female as few have.

Even if Jim Silke’s name is not familiar to you, you’re probably aware of the work generated from his extraordinarily full and diverse career. He wrote all four of Tor’s Death Dealer novels to complement Frank Frazetta’s famous character. He was also executive art director at Capital Records, in charge of all album packaging. “I also was a glamour photographer,” said Silke. “For ten or twelve years I shot actresses, primarily, for magazines all over this world.” That certainly shows in Jim’s various book projects!

Pinup: The Illegitimate Art, the first release from Dark Horse’s new imprint, DH Press, arrives late October with a retail price of $19.95.

ISBN: 1-59582-005-1

Conan continues to conquer!
Two Conan comics arrive this October

This October marks the twelfth month of Dark Horse’s remarkably successful Conan program. Dark Horse is pulling out all the stops to mark the first year of Conan’s triumphant return to comics, with both a special issue, Conan and the Daughters of Midora, and the launch of the second arc of the continuing series.

Jimmy Palmiotti and Mark Texiera are teaming up for Conan and the Daughters of Midora a special 48-page Conan one-shot, the first spin-off issue to complement the wildly popular monthly series. Texeira delivers stunning art in this high-adventure issue, which is written and inked by Jimmy Palmiotti, one of the creative forces behind the original Marvel Knights, and co-creator of Beautiful Killer and The Pro. This is the hard-drinking, bare-knuckled, older Conan in a story set years later than the events in the current ongoing series.

Palmiotti was “insanely happy” when offered the chance to write a Conan one-shot. “Conan and I got history,” Palmiotti said. “I grew up with this guy. I understand his motivations and his need to fight for what he wants.” When Mark Texeira agreed to draw the project, Palmiotti explains, “I made some notes as to what Mark’s particular storytelling strengths were and outlined what I thought was a fun and very traditional tale.

“What I wanted to achieve with this tale was something that a die-hard Conan fan could sink their teeth into and at the same time a new reader could appreciate in just the same way. I wanted to work on a classic tale of kings, beautiful women, wizards and monsters, and at the same time bring some out-of-control barbarian action and adventure to the story. I figured this was my one shot at taking on a character so dear to me and I wanted to include every element that appealed to me and try to create a classic.”

Meanwhile, in the continuing series, the second story arc begins in October, with new cover artist Leinil Francis Yu. Conan #9 features the return of the original creative line-up, Kurt Busiek, Cary Nord, Tom Yeates, and Dave Stewart, that brought readers the Eisner Award-winning Zero Issue and the first seven issues of the spectacularly received Conan revamp. In the first arc, Conan discovered the horrible secrets of Hyperborea, a land he imagined to be wondrous and beautiful. Now the same creative team that brought you those adventures follows Conan as he ventures into an even more treacherous setting – civilization.

Conan #9 is available October 20 for a retail price of $2.99.
Conan and the Daughters of Midora is available October 6 for a retail price of $4.99.
Edited by Scott Allie.

AL WILLIAMSON: HIDDEN LANDS
Comics legend rare works collected!

Al Williamson stands in rarified air, among the titans of the development of comics as an art form. Drawing from the tradition of the heyday of book, advertising, and comic-strip illustration, Williamson brought a command of craft and dynamics rarely seen, before or since, to a field that had largely valued speed over skill. As part of an amazing stable of young artists at E.C. in the 1950s, Williamson helped change the industry forever, but much of his work of the era has remained hidden. Al Williamson: Hidden Lands at last uncovers these gems, most of which have never been reprinted. Covered in depth by writers Mark Schultz, Thomas Yeates, and Steve Ringgenberg and gathered from extensive, lively interviews with Williamson, Al Williamson: Hidden Lands is an essential volume for any fan of this giant of graphic fiction as well as for those interested in comics history.

Al Williamson: Hidden Lands features the talents of Thomas Yeates (w), Mark Schultz (w), Steve Ringgenberg (w), and Al Williamson (a). The 224-page volume arrives on sale October 27 with a retail price of $22.95. Edited by Chris Warner.

ISBN: 1-56971-816-4

THE DARE DETECTIVES VOLUME 1: THE SNOWPEA PLOT
Wherever there’s danger, distress, and devilry, there’s The Dare Detectives!

The wild and wondrous vision of cartoonist extraordinaire Ben Caldwell (author of Action! Cartooning), The Dare Detectives throws Disney-esque illustration into the pop-culture blender to create a screwball smoothie of epic proportions. Reformed crook Maria Dare has assembled a team of misfits to crack the world’s weirdest cases! They have brains … they have guts … but they don’t have a clue! And in their first adventure … the Dare Detectives are finished! Rent’s due and their license is suspended, but Dare’s going-out-of-business festivities are interrupted by Madame Bleu-whose abominable snowmen pets are on a chef-stealing, radio-robbing, snowpea-swiping crime wave! Dare races against the clock to hunt down Madame Bleu with the help of corrupt cops and Chinatown’s old crime boss … but can these bunglers really prevent the most audacious-and inexplicably convoluted-crime of the century?

Dare Detectives Volume 1: The Snowpea Plot features story and art by Ben Caldwell. It arrives on sale October 27 with a retail price of $5.95. Edited by Chris Warner.

ISBN: 1-56971-816-4

HELLBOY: ODDER JOBS ILLUSTRATED NOVEL
Mike Mignola illustrates tales by top writers!

Mike Mignola’s award-winning series Hellboy has earned fans all over the world, among them some of the most respected horror, fantasy, and mystery novelists in the field, and some of Hollywood’s most talented writers and directors. Now a who’s who list of these writers are drawn together to tell their own tales of Hellboy, to play with the characters and worlds Mignola has created. As part of Dark Horse’s celebration of Hellboy in 2004, Christopher Golden (author of the Hellboy novels The Lost Army and The Bones of Giants) has brought together a stellar array of talents including filmmakers Frank Darabont, Mick Garris, and Hellboy movie director Guillermo del Toro, and novelists Charles de Lint, Graham Joyce, and Sharyn McCrumb, as well as many others.

Lavishly illustrated by creator Mike Mignola, Hellboy: Odder Jobs features the writing talents of Frank Darabont, Charles de Lint, Kim Newman, Guillermo del Toro, and more!
It arrives on sale October 6 with a retail price of $14.95. Edited by Scott Allie.

ISBN: 1-59307-226-0

MAGNUS, ROBOT FIGHTER
Classic science fiction comics collected!

In the year 4000, with the human race threatened by robots that would enslave mankind, one man alone has the power to fight back-Magnus, Robot Fighter!

Russ Manning, famous for his spectacular work on the Tarzan newspaper strips of the late sixties, brought fans his “Tarzan of the Future” in Magnus, Robot Fighter. While the original comics series lasted only twenty-one issues, Manning’s creation has survived generations, influencing countless science fiction artists and writers to this day. Fans of Alex Raymond, Mac Raboy, or Wally Wood should not miss this beautifully bound hardcover, the latest addition to Dark Horse’s line of science fiction comics classics.

Magnus, Robot Fighter features the talents of Russ Manning (w/a), Kermit Schaefer (w), and Don Friewald (w). This 220-page hardcover arrives on sale October 27 with a retail price of $49.95. Edited by Mike Carriglitto.

ISBN: 1-59307-269-4

TRIGUN ANIME MANGA VOLUME 1
Actual anime screen images!

Adding to the Trigun collection of fantastic television animation and dynamic manga, a new hybrid of the two mediums arrives to keep the experience alive. Composed entirely of frames taken from the popular Japanese animated television series, the Trigun anime manga books are enhanced with colorful sound effects and dialogue taken directly from the teleplay.

Trigun Anime Manga Volume 1 by Yasuhiro Nightow arrives on sale October 27 with a retail price of $14.95. Edited by Tim Ervin.

ISBN: 1-59307-105-1

GHOST IN THE SHELL VOLUME 1 2ND EDITION
New edition with additional material!

Ghost in the Shell Volume 1 returns! This second edition features the original Japanese size and additional material not published in previous U.S. editions!

Deep into the 21st century, the line between man and machine has been inexorably blurred as humans rely on the enhancement of mechanical implants and robots are upgraded with human tissue. In this rapidly converging landscape, cyborg super-agent Major Motoko Kusanagi is charged to track down the craftiest and most dangerous terrorists and cybercriminals, including “ghost hackers,” capable of exploiting the human/machine interface by re-programming human minds to become puppets to carry out their criminal ends. When Major Kusanagi tracks the cybertrail of one such master hacker, the Puppeteer, her quest leads her into a world beyond information and technology where the very nature of consciousness and the human soul are turned upside-down and inside-out.

Ghost in the Shell Volume 1 2nd Edition featuring story and art by Masamune Shirow arrives on sale October 6 with a retail price of $24.95. Edited by Chris Warner.

ISBN: 1-59307-228-7

BETTIE PAGE

Bettie Page Poker Set
On sale October 13, 100 multicolored poker chips in different denominations, 2 decks of playing cards in latching, hinged wooden carrying case, $74.99.

Bettie Page Playing Cards
On sale October 13, set of 52 plastic-coated cards, plus two jokers, $4.99.

If you play your cards right, you can sit opposite Bettie Page at the poker table!

Dark Horse Deluxe is proud to present this impressive set, which includes 100 poker chips, multicolored for different denominations, each graced with Bettie’s smiling face and 2 decks of retro-style cards in a latching, hinged wooden carrying case with Bettie’s signature burned onto the lid. A beautiful color photo of Bettie on the beach is laminated into the inside of the case’s lid, so when it is opened for use our favorite pinup is the centerpiece of the high-stakes action. Case measures 8 1/2″ x 7 7/8″ x 2 1/4″ closed.

The Dark Horse design team has come up with a deck of cards that will provide a winner every time! On the back of each card is a playful photo of Bettie on the sand. Other tantalizing images of Bettie decorate the face cards: silly, seductive, demure, and outrageous, you can’t deny the appeal of everyone’s favorite pinup girl. Pack includes 52 plastic-coated cards, plus two jokers.

Bettie is sure to bring luck to any hand!

http://darkhorse.com/profile/profile.php?sku=10-119

SHI MINI-BUST

On sale October 20, 6″ tall, fully painted bust, limited to 2,500 numbered pieces, comes with a certificate of authenticity and is packaged in a full-color deluxe box, $44.99

A follow-up to the sold-out Shi statue, we have now created a new sculptural interpretation of the samurai heroine as sculpted by master sculptor Jeffery Scott, with in-person consultation and approval by Billy Tucci.

” Celebrating Shi’s 10th Anniversary!