Vertigo Solicits for February 2013

DJANGO UNCHAINED #4

Based on the screenplay by QUENTIN TARANTINO

Art by R.M. GUERA and JASON LATOUR

Cover by FRANK QUITELY

1:25 Variant cover by IVAN REIS

On sale FEBRUARY 27 • 48 pg, FC, 4 of 5, $4.99 US • MATURE READERS

• The adaptation of the screenplay from award winning director Quentin Tarantino’s latest film continues!

• Django and Dr. Schultz take a big risk against impossible odds inside the stronghold of slave owner Calvin Candie.

• This is the only way to read the entire, uncut story, which contains scenes that may not appear in the final film!

 

FAIREST #12

Written by LAUREN BEUKES

Art and cover by INAKI MIRANDA

Cover by ADAM HUGHES

On sale FEBRUARY 6 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • MATURE READERS

Rapunzel discovers that bloody vengeance will come back to haunt you. Frau Totenkinder and Bigby get caught in a war between Tomoko’s yakuza gangsters and Katagiri’s not-so-unassuming sumo school. There’s murder, mayhem, terrible compromises and unholy hairballs deep in the heart of a dark forest and in the frenetic streets of Tokyo.

 

FABLES #126

Written by BILL WILLINGHAM

Art by MARK BUCKINGHAM and STEVE LEIALOHA

Cover by JOAO RUAS

On sale FEBRUARY 20 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • MATURE READERS

Marriage and family are the most important components of the community. It’s in the book. Go ahead and look it up yourself. The official charter of Fabletown laws hold little the government as a whole can do to interfere in family matters. Mostly this is a good thing. Once in a great while—like in this issue, for instance—it isn’t. Also, Bigby and Stinky continue their road trip, trying to catch the hint of a scent of the missing cubs.

 

HELLBLAZER #300

Written by PETER MILLIGAN

Art by GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLI and STEFANO LANDINI

Cover by SIMON BISLEY

On sale FEBRUARY 20 • 48 pg, FC, $4.99 US • MATURE READERS • FINAL ISSUE

It’s the heart-rending conclusion of “DEATH AND CIGARETTES”—and the end of Vertigo’s longest running series. John Constantine has escaped, cheated, narrowly avoided and even reversed death on multiple occasions over the past 25 years. Now, we will test whether the old boy has one more second chance in him. Don’t miss this epic, oversized special issue celebrating everything that makes John Constantine so bloody unique.

 

100 BULLETS DELUXE EDITION BOOK FOUR HC

Written by BRIAN AZZARELLO

Art by EDUARDO RISSO

Cover by DAVE JOHNSON

On sale APRIL 10 • 512 pg, FC, 7.0625” x 10.875”, $49.99 US • MATURE READERS

In this new deluxe edition collecting 100 BULLETS #59-80, the Houses of the Trust are warily circling each other, looking for the right angle to take in their impending war, while the remaining Minutemen continue to choose sides—and set up their own battle plans. Then, following Lono’s ascension to warlord for the houses of the Trust, players on both sides ready themselves for the endgame of their private war.

 

JOE THE BARBARIAN TP

Written by GRANT MORRISON

Art and cover by SEAN MURPHY

On sale MARCH 6 • 224 pg, FC, $19.99 US • MATURE READERS

Joe is an imaginative eleven-year-old boy. He can’t fit in at school. He’s the victim of bullies. His dad died overseas in the Iraq war. He also suffers from Type 1 diabetes. One fateful day, his condition causes him to believe he has entered a vivid fantasy world in which he is the lost savior—a fantastic land based on the layout and contents of his home. His desperate attempts to make it out of his bedroom transform into an incredible, epic adventure through a bizarre landscape

of submarine pirate dwarves, evil Hell Hounds, Lightning Lords and besieged castles. But is his quest really just an insulin-deprived delirium—from which he can die if he doesn’t take his meds—or something much bigger? Collecting the 8-issue miniseries!

 

SAUCER COUNTRY #12

Written by PAUL CORNELL

Art and cover by RYAN KELLY

On sale FEBRUARY 13 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • MATURE READERS

It’s the run-up to election day, and Arcadia is racing to close the gap on her Republican rival. But meanwhile Prof Kidd’s life is falling apart, as he discovers the secret of the Pioneer Couple. Secrets are revealed, an election is won and lost, and several steps toward the truth are taken in Part One of the three-part tale “President’s Day.”

 

THE UNWRITTEN VOL. 7: THE WOUND TP

Written by MIKE CAREY

Art by PETER GROSS and RUFUS DAYGLO

Cover by YUKO SHIMIZU

On sale MARCH 20 • 144 pg, FC, $14.99 US • MATURE READERS

In this volume collecting THE UNWRITTEN #36-41, the War of Words is over, but the real world and the fictional world are both in turmoil, and the damage seems to be spreading. When a rash of mysterious disappearances catches the eye of young Australian detective Didge Patterson, it becomes apparent that the cult known as The Church of Tommy is involved. Can Tom Taylor heal “The Wound” before the real and fictional worlds crumble?

 

THE UNWRITTEN #46

Written by MIKE CAREY

Art by PETER GROSS and DEAN ORMSTON

Cover by YUKO SHIMIZU

On sale FEBRUARY 27 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • MATURE READERS

Richie continues to help Didge with her inquiries, and the Corpse Harvest Killer strikes again—against himself! Enter Madame Rausch, with a surefire plan for stopping the rising body count. All that’s left to settle now is her price...

 

Click here to see a gallery of art for the above titles.

 

(The cover for DJANGO UNCHAINED #4 by Frank Quitely)

Preview Monday: TEEN TITANS #13 and THE UNWRITTEN #42

For this week’s installment of Preview Monday, we’re giving you exclusive first looks at TEEN TITANS #13 and THE UNWRITTEN #42.

 

In TEEN TITANS #13, witness the origin of Wonder Girl! While on a dig in Cambodia, Cassandra is forced to save the life of her lover, Diesel, by convincing a spirit that has overtaken his body through an ancient mask to possess her instead. But how will Diesel react when this spirit works its powers on Cassandra instead of on him? And what will Wonder Girl find years later when she brings Superboy and Red Robin to the site where this all happened? From the creative team of Scott Lobdell, Fabian Nicieza and Ale Garza, TEEN TITANS #13 is on sale this Wednesday. Click here for an exclusive preview of the issue.

 

Tom Taylor needs to get to the land of the dead to rescue Lizzie Hexam, but the only way he can get there is through a story – literally. Sometimes, when a story is so deeply connected to a place, one can sometimes find that place and then simply walk into the story’s world. The nearest location for Tom and company is Australia’s Hanging Rock  – a place steeped in mystery and fiction from film, literature, and local legends. But has Tom chosen the right location? Will be able to, indeed, just walk into that story? And once there, will he be able to find the story Lizzie is trapped in? In stores this week, THE UNWRITTEN #42 comes to you from Mike Carey and Peter Gross. Click here for an exclusive preview of the issue.

Preview Monday: SUPERGIRL #0 and THE UNWRITTEN #41

For this week’s installment of Preview Monday, we’re giving you exclusive first looks at SUPERGIRL #0 and THE UNWRITTEN #41.

 

Supergirl’s origin is finally revealed! There’s a rift between brothers Zor-El (father of Supergirl) and Jor-El (father of Superman) that threatens to tear the El family apart. How will this impact Supergirl’s fate? Who sent her from Krypton to Earth – and why? Written by Michael Green and Mike Johnson and illustrated by Mahmud Asrar, SUPERGIRL #0 goes on sale this Wednesday. Click here to see an exclusive preview of the issue.

 

Meanwhile, Richie and a wounded Tom return to Villa Diodati and are visited by the ghosts of the writers killed by Pullman. But why do the ghosts accuse Tom of being responsible for their deaths? Meanwhile, what does Richie discover about Tom while nursing him back to health and what mysterious character comes to visit them at the Villa? THE UNWRITTEN #41 comes to you from Mike Carey and Peter Gross and hits stores this week. Click here to see an exclusive preview of the issue.

Preview Mondays: BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT #12 and THE UNWRITTEN #40

For this week's installment of Preview Mondays, we're giving you exclusive first looks at BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT #12 and THE UNWRITTEN #40.

 

Captured by The Scarecrow, Batman is forced to confront his fears and his dark past – namely the murder of his parents. At the same time, The Scarecrow reveals his own tortured upbringing and the events that led him to become a murderous villain obsessed with fear. From New York Times bestselling writer Gregg Hurwitz and acclaimed artist David Finch, BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT #12 goes on sale this Wednesday. Click here to see an exclusive preview of the issue.

Meanwhile, “The Wound” story arc in THE UNWRITTEN comes to its exciting conclusion! As Tom Taylor addresses an audience of his fans, the extremist Church of Tommy circles in on the proceedings when Pastor Filby takes the stage with a mysterious briefcase. But what’s inside and why does it scare Tom so much? In stores this week, THE UNWRITTEN #40 comes to you from the creative team of Mike Carey and Peter Gross. Click here to see an exclusive preview of the issue.

Tuesday Tonic with editor Shelly Bond and writer Mike Carey

Today’s Tuesday Tonic is all about The Unwritten’s magnificent Mike Carey:

What was your favorite book as a kid?
The Faraway Tree, by Enid Blyton, and its several sequels.  First fantasy I ever read, and the start of a lifelong addiction.  The start of my career, too, I guess.

If you could meet a famous dead person who would it be?  What would you ask him/her?
Hmm.  Maybe Shakespeare.  It would be cool to find out who he really was. And I'd ask him "why the second-best bed?"

Name 3 reasons why people need to meet your protagonist Tom Taylor:
Because he's two protagonists for the price of one - a real one and a fictional one.  Because he's about to do an Orpheus and go down into the land of the dead to rescue his girlfriend.  And because he's finally going to come face-to-face with - how can I put this? - the nastiest rabbit in the whole of creation.

You're nominated for an Eisner Award for Best Writer this year.  Any second-date jitters considering your first Eisner nod was for the much-missed LUCIFER series?
Nope.  I'm just hoping Yuko wins for best covers.  If she doesn't, there's no justice in this world.

What book are you reading now and do you read on paper or plastic?
Stop the Train - on paper.  I tried the Kindle, but I need my books to have a smell and a texture as well as words.  I know, I know, it's a generational thing.

THE UNWRITTEN #38 is in stores on June 20.

Preview Monday: TEEN TITANS #9 and THE UNWRITTEN #37

For this week’s installment of Preview Mondays, we’re giving you exclusive first looks at TEEN TITANS #9 and THE UNWRITTEN #37.

 

The thrilling conclusion to the The Culling crossover event finds the Teen Titans, the Legionairres and Superboy deep in the N.O.W.W.H.E.R.E. Complex. Will they finally defeat the madman known as Harvest? Or have they been playing into his hands the entire time? Leading directly into next week’s launch of THE RAVAGERS, TEEN TITANS #9 comes to you from the creative team of Scott Lobdell, Tom DeFalco, Ig Guara and JP Mayer. Click here to see an exclusive preview of the issue.

 

In THE UNWRITTEN #37, a young and relentless detective throws herself into the clutches of a mysterious cult to investigate a missing person case. But what will she find while in their clutches? And how is the cult connected to Tom Taylor? Written and illustrated by Mike Carey and Peter Gross, THE UNWRITTEN #37 is the first chapter in a new 4-part story arc, “The Wound.” Click here to see an exclusive preview of the issue.

THE UNWRITTEN-Tuesday Tonic with editor Shelly Bond

Dear Mike and Peter,


Hey, Guys!  Remember me...the person who steered you to stardom in the late ‘90s? Does The Morningstar/Lightbringer/Looks great in Black Tie ring a bell?  Just wanted to tell you both that I got my hands on a copy of THE UNWRITTEN #37 and upon reading it, I had to immediately reach out to both of you to ask you this:

Who ARE You?

(just kidding)

What I really want to ask you is this:

WHAT'S IN A NUMBER?

Sure I was around when you guys launched THE UNWRITTEN and I even read the first few issues...but then, well, to be honest, I got kinda busy.  I've edited lots of other VERTIGO titles since our little 75-issue stint on LUCIFER, the longest running title that spun out of the pages of THE SANDMAN.  No hard feelings when you dumped me for a newer editing model when THE UNWRITTEN launched 3 tears/I mean years ago.

THE UNWRITTEN # 37.  But don't let the number fool you.  It has the guts and the glory of a certified number one.  So it's going to be a serious hit with new and loyal readers alike.

The Neo Set will get a brief, insightful recap by way of the media pages and a new protagonist named Didge, an Australian cop who walks the talk --  especially when it comes to the wrong end of a shotgun.  She takes all the punches to infiltrate a cult a la the Jonestown Massacre. Only these Church of Tommy crackpots use a lexicon that includes all the books that made you who you are as the Kool aid.

Your loyal readers get some unexpected things too with this new direction. They'll find out if a certain vampire sidekick is really infected or if he's faking it.  And the solemn promise that Tom Taylor will neither whine nor cry, pout or pontificate over the death of his girlfriend, Lizzie, or over anything at all for that matter. He might not even BE in this series anymore, right...how about that?!

But I digress...

What I really want to ask you is this:
How did you get my number?

THE UNWRITTEN #37 is teeming with the requisite goods that you'd expect from an Eisner-nominated writer and an amazing artist:  swift, engaging prose, artful pages with gripping linework, lush, painterly color, and covers by an Eisner nominee who exhibits more sound and vision than a symphony.

Make no mistake:  It all starts here.

The Unwritten #37:  The Wound part one is in stores Wednesday, May 23.

p.s.  For what it's worth, I was particularly taken with the change in editorial direction.

But that's just me...
Shelly Bond

The 2012 Hugo Award Finalists Have Been Announced

The Hugo Award finalists for 2012, honoring excellence in science fiction and fantasy, were announced in the UK. In the Best Graphic Story category, the finalists include two Vertigo titles:

 

Fables Vol 15: Rose Red, written by Bill Willingham and illustrated by Mark Buckingham (Vertigo)

 

The Unwritten (Volume 4): Leviathan written by Mike Carey, illustrated by Peter Gross (Vertigo)

 

In addition, we’d like to give a special nod to Neil Gaiman for his nomination in the category of Best Dramatic Performance (Short Form), Paul Cornell in the category of Best Novelette and China Miéville in the category of Best Novel. Gaiman is the writer of the bestselling SANDMAN series and BLACK ORCHID,  available later this month in a Deluxe Edition, Cornell is currently writing DEMON KNIGHTS and the new Vertigo series SAUCER COUNTRY and Miéville is new to the group with his debut DIAL H coming from DC Comics this May.

 

Congratulations to all the finalists! For the full list, head over to TheHugoAwards.org. The winners will be presented at the 2012 World Science Fiction Convention, August 30 to September 3, 2012 in Chicago.

 

Preview Mondays: THE FURY OF FIRESTORM: THE NUCLEAR MEN #7 and THE UNWRITTEN #35.5

For this week’s installment of Preview Mondays, we’re bringing you exclusive first looks at THE FURY OF FIRESTORM: THE NUCLEAR MEN #7 and THE UNWRITTEN #35.5.

 

THE FURY OF FIRESTORM: THE NUCLEAR MEN #7 marks the first issue that acclaimed writer Joe Harris joins the series’ creative team and the first issue in which series co-writer Ethan Van Sciver serves full art duties. Click here to see a sneak peek at the duo’s take on the adventures of Ronnie Raymond and Jason Rusch. DC Comics’ THE FURY OF FIRESTORM: THE NUCLEAR MEN #7 hits stands this Wednesday.

 

And in THE UNWRITTEN #35.5, learn about the Grid – an arcane device that maps the flow of reality and fiction. Follow Tom Taylor, the cabal headquarters’ newest recruit, as he tries to make sense of this enigmatic contraption. THE UNWRITTEN #35.5 is written by Mike Carey and Peter Gross and illustrated by Gabriel Hernandez Walta. Click here to view an exclusive preview of the issue, which goes on sale this Wednesday from Vertigo Comics.

From The Editor’s Desk: Karen Berger

Ontogenesis or Onto Genesis? That Mike Carey is awfully clever, not only when it comes to creating catchy titles for storylines, but for also crafting a series month-in-and-month-out, with co-conspirator Peter Gross, that is a prime example of why Vertigo publishes the best comics around. Where else can you find a comics story that takes you back to the birthplace of our incredible medium and most importantly to meet Miriam Walzer, a comics writer and artist who uses Greek myth as a parable to an adventure story starring the deliciously strange, The Tinker? Miriam is one of the best realized characters I’ve read in any story, and I wish we could see more of her someday. And where else can you be transported back to the magical borough of Brooklyn (even if this story does take place during the Depression!) and walk the tree-lined streets of Flatbush, take a stroll through Prospect Park and ponder the universe while gazing through the spires of the Brooklyn Bridge? Plus there’s an unlikely, but passionate romance, a mysterious murder plot, and a very odd case of sibling rivalry. As an editor working here for many years on so many amazing stories, it’s so hard to choose favorites, but the On To Genesis storyline in THE UNWRITTEN volume 5, on sale this week, is definitely on that list. For fans of THE UNWRITTEN who wait for the trade to read the entire story, you will continue to be captivated. And for those who haven’t yet read this book, this is a perfect time to be swept away. Here are a few of my favorite pages, plus a spectacular cover by Yuko Shimizu, no doubt inspired by the great Fritz Lang! See you next week, Karen

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