We got this press release last night, and as a long-time fan of Hellboy, the plans for that property alone piqued my interest. But coupled with a recent Wizard Magazine spotlight on The Goon, Dark Horse may just have managed to wangle extra cash from my pocket. Damn them. Damn them all to Hell.

But then, that's only appropriate...

Dark Horse has proven to be an industry leader in manga, licensed, and creator owned comics. Beginning February 2003, Dark Horse will continue its track record as risk-taking pioneers as it enters the world of horror comics. With a stellar line up of books and trades by the industry's top talents, Dark Horse promises in 2003 to scare the wits out of readers everywhere!

The thrills and chills begin this February with the release of Hellboy: Weird Tales #1. Weird Tales is an anthology series featuring an amazing array of talent all with their own unique take on Mike Mignola's acclaimed creation. Weird Tales #1 features a stunning cover and stories by John Cassaday as well as art and stories by Andi Watson, Fabian Nicieza, and more!

Hot on the heels of Hellboy: Weird Tales comes The Art of Hellboy hardcover in March. Featuring previously unpublished art, unused and unfinished covers, and drawing upon ten years of sketchbooks, The Art of Hellboy provides the ultimate inside look at Mike Mignola's design, storytelling, and color theory. This is a must for any Hellboy fan or for someone simply interested in fine art. Truly a gorgeous package!

Also up in March is The Devil's Footprints. This mini series written by Scott Allie (Star Wars Empire) with art by Bran Horton and Paul Lee (Buffy) is the story of Brandon Waite, a young man who must delve into his father's dark past to end the curse on his family. The Devil's Footprints combines moody, atmospheric horror with two-fisted demon fighting!

April brings you the chilling Blackburne Covenant. Fabian Nicieza, one of the best-selling writers of superhero comics, teams up with Italian horror artist Stefano Raffaele to tell a tale about a popular fantasy novelist, who unbeknownst to him wrote a book that revealed secrets that the Blackburne Covenant would kill to keep quiet!

May brings more horror with acclaimed 30 Days of Night creators Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith presenting Criminal Macabre: A Cal McDonald Mystery #1. This mini series features monster hunter Cal McDonald on the trail of something big when he notices different races of monsters coming together for an unholy purpose!

Rounding out the month is the first in a series of B.P.R.D. one shots. These books feature the cast of unforgettable characters that work with Hellboy in the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense. Michael Avon Oeming and Miles Gunter bring you story and art on issue #1.

In June the horror continues but this time packed with laughs as Eric Powell's The Goon makes its Dark Horse debut. Battling the undead and an assorted array of unearthly creatures is all in a day's work for The Goon! Look for original material as well as reprint collections of Eric self published early Goon tales.

August brings the War of the Worlds inspired Scarlet Traces. Set post the events of the classic book, Ian Edginton and D'israeli bring you a chilling take on a society using newly found alien technology that comes with a price no one expected!

Two more debuts arrive in the fall. In September comes Hauntings, a hard cover anthology featuring tales by Mike Mignola, P. Craig Russell, Evan Dorkin and more! October brings Corpus Monstrum, a collection of Gary Gianni's acclaimed Monster Men stories.

Keep your eye on Darkhorse.com for more information and updates on this amazing line up of horror titles!

(Don't miss a chance to meet Steve Niles (Cal McDonald), Scott Allie (Devil's Footprints), and Eric Powell (The Goon) at this years MegaCon in Orlando, Florida on Feb 28-March 2, 2003!)

Derek McCaw