Alabaster: Wolves in Dark Horse Presents #9

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By Chuck Suffel

International Horror Guild Award-winning author Caitlín R. Kiernan brings one of her most enduring and popular creations to comics! Dancy Flammarion, the albino girl and monster hunter who first appeared in Kiernan’s 2001 novel, Threshold. From Dark Horse: “For nearly as long as she can remember, Dancy Flammarion has fought monsters, cutting a bloody swath through the demons and dark things of the world, aimed like a weapon by forces beyond her control or questioning.”

Caitlin R. Kiernan & Steve Lieber are launching their new series Alabaster in April. The first story, however, appears in Dark Horse Presents #9 out Feb 22nd. I got a sneak peek at that story. First stories can be tricky, especially when the character is established in another medium. Do you do an origin story? Do you set the scene? Page of exposition perhaps? No. Eight pages of story. Toss us right in let us try to swim with the current.

It. Worked. Perfectly. The premise isn’t groundbreaking there’s a girl who fights evil, monsters are real but trust me that’s where the similarities to other series end. I’d never heard of Darcy Flammarion before but it didn’t matter. I didn’t fall in love with her, something better happened, somehow for eight pages I was mesmerized. She’s tough, focused, believes in what she’s doing. She’s also weird and more than a little crazy. We aren’t given a clear picture of the world she lives in but suffice to say it’s bad and she’s trying to make it better. Allusions are made to some kind of event that caused the world to change though we aren’t told what it was or how long ago it happened. I won’t spoil what does take place in the story but I will say it was one of the tensest stories I’ve read in a long time. I was totally wrapped up in it. When I hit the end I realized I had been holding my breath the whole time.

The art is by Steve Lieber and it’s great, he’s known for such amazing work as Whiteout with Greg Ruka, Underground with Jeff Parker and this is right on par with his best stuff. If Dark Horse puts out any preview images you can be sure I’ll post them right here!

I hope the series, due out in April, packs the same feeling that little eight pager did. I’ll tell you one thing I’ll be there to read it. And I’ll let you know what I think.

Don’t forget February 22nd!

Dark Horse Presents #9
Writer: Paul Pope, Neal Adams, Brian Wood, Mike Mignola, M. J. Butler, Caitlín R. Kiernan, Steve Horton, Andrew Vachss, Tony Puryear
Artist: Paul Pope, Neal Adams, Michael Dialynas, Kristian Donaldson, Joe Querio, Mark Wheatley, Thomas Yeates, Steve Lieber, Geof Darrow, Tony Puryear
Cover Artist: Mike Mignola
Genre: Short Stories / Anthologies
Publication Date: February 22, 2012
Format: FC, 80 pages
Price: $7.99
UPC: 7 61568 17843 2 00911

Followed April 11th by!

Alabaster: Wolves #1
Writer: Caitlín R. Kiernan
Artist: Steve Lieber
Cover Artist: Greg Ruth
Genre: Horror, Fantasy
Publication Date: April 11, 2012
Format: FC, 32 pages
Price: $3.50
UPC: 7 61568 20295 3 00111

preview-BROKEN PIECES #2

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Mark Roslan – Writer / Micah Kaneshiro – Art

 

What is lost in life is found in…death!

Aspen Comic’s newest original series, BROKEN PIECES, continues!

 

Dr. Richard Adams’ life has been torn apart by a horrible discovery made by his wife Gabriella. However, the astounding breakthrough they made in the

science of bio-rejuvenation has left Richard with a small shred of humanity to cling to, as everything else crumbles around him. With the odds of

survival diminishing by the second—Richard will be forced to make the most consequential decision of his life, one which will effect the future of

mankind itself!

Written and created by Aspen’s own Mark Roslan and featuring stunning artwork by newcomer and series artist Micah Kaneshiro, BROKEN PIECES will

keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish! In stores February 22nd!

Bandai Renews Transforming Kanji Toys With Battle Line

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The Japanese conglomerate Bandai began selling a new set of Chōhenkan!! Moji-Bake-ru toys on Monday. The Chōhenkan Taisen Moji-Bake-ru G battle line toys transform from Japanese kanji characters into creatures and cost 158 yen (about US$2) each.

Unlike previous lines, every toy in this series transforms into a monster instead of a real-life animal. A collectible card bundles with each toy that buyers can use to play a battle game. The new set also includes five golden parts that collectors can combine into a special sei (sacred) kanji toy.

The five new monster designs (clockwise, starting at the top left) are:

  • Baku (explosive)
  • Yō (bewitched)
  • Zan (slashing)
  • Ja (wicked)
  • Yami (dark)

The Chōhenkan Taisen Moji-Bake-ru G line toys are available in three colors with a piece of gum in each package. Shogakukan’s Coro Coro Comics Special magazine is also publishing a tie-in manga inspired by the toy and game series.

The first Chōhenkan!! Moji-Bake-ru toys shipped in May 2010, and Bandai released the second animal line in November 2010. Including the release of the fourth series last November, more than 4 million total transforming toys have shipped. Bandai also plans to unveil the Chōhenkan!! Moji-Bake-ru 5 line in April.

The series’ name, which roughly translates as “Super Transformation!! Character-Altering,” is a worldplay on mojibake — the Japanese computer term for characters that have been garbled while being sent or stored.

Bandai began streaming a 15-second television commercial and a 5-minute promotional video for the new toys and game last month.

 

 

These are toys are am dying to own !!!

Aspen Comics Now Available on Nook Courtesy of Graphicly

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Aspen is now going to be available on Barnes and Noble’s Nook

Aspen Comics is expanding its accessibility in the digital comics marketplace by now offering their titles through Barnes and Noble’s popular Nook devices and apps, courtesy of their digital distribution partner, Graphicly. The move marks another platform fans of the publisher can seek to purchase Aspen titles while also presenting them to a new audience through Barnes and Noble’s massive online bookstore. Aspen Editor-in-Chief states:

 

“We’re excited to work alongside Graphicly to deliver our wonderful library of Aspen titles to a new audience and platform on the Nook. In addition to our launch collections, we will be working quickly to add to the number of books available, so fans can look forward to seeing even more new collected series on the horizon shortly.”

 

Aspen titles included in the initial launch on the Nook include: The Aspen Extended Edition, Executive Assistant: Iris Volume One, Fathom Volume One, Fathom: Cannon Hawke, Fathom: Dawn of War, Fathom: Kiani Volume One, Shrugged Volume One, and Soulfire: Volume One.

 

The initial launch titles will be offered as complete collected editions only and prices may vary. For more information on purchasing Aspen titles for the Nook please check www.barnesandnoble.com. For more information on Graphicly please check www.graphicly.com and for more information on Aspen Comics please check www.aspencomics.com