An unlikely friendship from beyond the afterworld is formed in El Zombo!
In the vein of classic stories like My Bodyguard or Angel On My Shoulder, comes El Zombo, a story of the unlikely friendship between a temperamental undead luchadore wrestler and an equally difficult 10-year-old girl from East LA.
Pro wrestling champ El Zombo gets a second lease on life after being unceremoniously murdered in a back alley for refusing to take a dive in the ring. Zombo is catapulted to the Afterworld where he learns he’s destined to go straight to hell! He is offered the opportunity to go to Heaven if he accepts a guardian angel mission to return to Earth to protect a troubled little girl, Belisa Montoya, from a horrible event about to happen to her. He accepts, at first returning for selfish reasons of revenge, but soon finds himself at a crossroads, forced to choose between his own vengeance and saving the life of this girl he now deeply cares for!
“Mike Richardson’s commitment to great stories and art are the reason El Zombo is here with Dark Horse,” commented writer Kevin Munroe. ” I am so proud of the way this book turned out – Dave Wilkins and (cover artist) Tony Washington’s art is a breath of fresh air in this industry, and I can’t wait for everyone to tell me how right I was!”
“Thanks to Big Mike, and everyone at Dark Horse for being there at every step and to everyone who gives Zombo a peek,” enthused artist Dave Wilkins. ” It took a long time to get here and we’re planning on stickin’ around for awhile!”
El Zombo is a three issue miniseries by newcomers Dave Wilkins (artist and co-creator) and Kevin Munroe (writer and co-creator). Issue #1 arrives April 21 with a retail price of $2.99.
Comics Criticism 101
Eisner/Miller conversation from Dark Horse this April
Are there any creators who have more greatly affected their chosen medium than Will Eisner and Frank Miller? Comics readers are now invited to read along as two of its greatest contributors-legendary innovator and godfather of sequential art, Will Eisner, and the modern master of cinematic comics storytelling, Frank Miller-discuss one-on-one, in an intimate interview format, the ins-and-outs of this compelling and often controversial art form.
Eisner and Miller seem perfectly coupled in such a dialogue, as editor Charles Brownstein explains: “They share a relentless passion for formal innovation and have equally keen understandings of the business mechanisms that drive the field. This conversation reveals the aesthetic passions and formal theories that are at the foundation of their bodies of work. It also portrays two opinionated views of comics history and two informed perspectives on how to make it in comics.”
Brownstein also believes this is a project whose time has come. “The book also opens up a new door in comics criticism. In film, it’s not uncommon for acclaimed directors to publish a discussion about their form and field, but in comics such documents are rare. Eisner/Miller brings to comics a tradition that stretches back to Hitchcock/Truffaut. Walking in, it was our hope that presenting a serious conversation between these masters of the form would open comics criticism up in a meaningful way.”
“Eisner/Miller is a surprisingly contentious exchange,” Brownstein continues. “While there is unquestionable respect between these two men, they have very heated exchanges about the history of the business, censorship, and their approaches to their jobs. Within this discussion we get a sense of what drives them both and of the forces that have driven the field since its inception.”
Brownstein believes that Eisner/Miller will enlighten comics historians, critics, fans, and creators. “The book lends insight to the climate of the comics business during Will’s career and how that climate carried over into the present day through Frank’s career. It sheds light on what goes into making masterful comics. It also reveals the real joys of cartooning and the intellectual depth that these men bring to every graphic novel they draw.”
The Eisner/Miller trade paperback is available April 28 with a retail price of $19.95
Criminal Macabre: A Cal Mcdonald Mystery tpb brings hardboiled monster-bashing mayhem!
The creative team behind 30 Days of Night, Wizard magazine’s “breakout hit of 2002,” launch a new series of occult detective stories featuring the monstrously hard-boiled Cal McDonald. A pill-popping alcoholic reprobate, Cal is the only line of defense between Los Angeles and a growing horde of zombies, vampires, and werewolves. The best-selling comics series is collected in this massive graphic novel, including the hard-to-find short from last Halloween’s Drawing on Your Nightmares special issue, and a new cover by Templesmith!
MGM has picked up the film rights to Steve Niles’ and Ben Teplesmith’s comic book miniseries Criminal Macabre through Dark Horse Entertainment!
The Criminal Macabre: A Cal Mcdonald Mystery tpb features the writing talents of Steve Niles and art by Ben Templesmith. It arrives in stores April 28, with a retail price of $17.95.
Get lost on a mysterious island in Hell Volume 1: Hell And Gone
Corey Rollins’ father disappeared ten years ago. The military claimed that Corey’s father went AWOL, but his family has never believed the story. After being pursued by FBI agents and encountering a mysterious stranger who claims that his father is still alive, Corey sets out on an adventure that will take him to the island known only as HELL! With packs of monstrous human/animal hybrids, and nightmarish swarms of “Chimera,” he may NEVER be able to leave! This is a run through the jungle you won’t want to miss. Collecting the four-issue series.
Hell Volume 1: Hell And Gone features the writing talents of Brian Augustyn with art by Todd Demong. It arrives in stores April 21 with a retail price of $12.95.
Master toy sculptor reveals all in Babes, Beasts, And Brawn: Sculpture Of The Fantastic!
Steve Kiwus of Eightball Studios, one of the most in-demand toy sculptors of the era, has now brought together his considerable body of eye-popping work into a collection like none other. Babes, Beasts, and Brawn: Sculpture of the Fantastic is a definitive look into the creation of these powerhouse playthings, with hundreds of stunning color photographs and fascinating insights into Kiwus’ creative process. Beyond the building of plastic toys, Kiwus has created some of the most stunning and in-demand limited-edition cast sculptures of comics and fantasy figures of all stripes, including three-dimensional representations of the paintings of Frank Frazetta and miniature renditions of the Queen of Pin-Ups, Bettie Page. Also included is an in-depth how-to section, where Kiwus chronicles his process step-by-step to aid aspiring professionals.
Babes, Beasts, and Brawn: Sculpture of the Fantastic by Steve Kiwus arrives on sale April 21, with a retail price of $19.95.
Usagi Yojimbo celebrates 75 Dark Horse issues!
Internationally celebrated creator Stan Sakai’s multi-Eisner Award winning adventure series Usagi Yojimbo reaches yet another milestone with issue #75 this April, which concludes the gripping two-part “Hokashi” storyline.
After surviving recent life-threatening incidents, wandering ronin Usagi and his young ward Jotaro are joined in their travels by Katsuichi-sensei and his student Shunji. Usagi is forced to consider revealing the secret of Jotaro’s parentage, even as the quartet is thrust into more danger.
Usagi Yojimbo is available April 28 for the retail price of $2.99.
Steve Rude is back!
WARNING!! Dark Horse takes no responsibility for bodily injuries sustained while reading The Moth #1. The unbridled action spilling from the pages are an understandable consequence of teaming penciler Steve Rude and writer/inker Gary Martin together. So if you get punched in the eye because you’re holding this comic too close, don’t come crying to us! In this issue, The Moth runs smack into the face of trouble, in the form of his arch rival, Nestor the bounty hunter. Check out the picture of Nestor next to the dictionary definition of the word scum!
Steve Rude’s the Moth is available April 21 for the retail price of $2.99.
Go Boy 7 rockets into trade paperback
Dark Horse’s inaugural Rocket book, Go Boy 7 gets collected this April. A mysterious plane crash claims the life of Jonny Zero’s parents and leaves him critically injured. Enter Professor Zero, Jonny’s uncle, who uses his experimental robotic nano-plasm to rebuild the boy. Jonny is transformed into Go Boy 7, the human action machine!
This collection of the first four issues of the series feature flash-fire action and high sci-fi drama. Written by Tom Peyer (The Authority), with kinetic art by hot newcomer Jon Sommariva, don’t let Go Boy 7 pass you by!
Go Boy 7 Volume 1: Ready Set Go TPB is available April 28 for the retail price of $12.95.
