News from Comic-Con: Day 1

Dark Horse Brings the Goods

From Dark Horse:

VISIONARY DIRECTOR GUILLERMO DEL TORO UNLEASHES HIS NEW YORK TIMES BEST-SELLING NOVEL SERIES, THE STRAIN IN COMICS!

 SAN DIEGO, CA—JULY 20, 2011—Fans, media and industry professionals mobbed the Dark Horse booth at Comic-Con this evening for a chance to catch a glimpse of Dark Horse’s fall line-up, including the upcoming comic adaptation of The Strain, created by visionary director, Guillermo del Toro and novelist Chuck Hogan.

When a Boeing 777 lands at JFK International Airport and goes dark on the runway, the Center for Disease Control, fearing a terrorist attack, calls in Dr. Ephraim Goodweather and his team of expert biological-threat first responders. Only an elderly pawnbroker from Spanish Harlem suspects a darker purpose behind the event—an ancient threat intent on covering mankind in darkness.

Adapting the first novel from Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan’s The Strain Trilogy, this horrifying first chapter—told in eight issues—deals with an outbreak of diabolical proportions that puts a terrifying twist on the vampire genre.

"When discussing The Strain, Chuck and I agreed on one thing regarding any possible adaptation: It should not start until after we were done with the last book in the trilogy and we would only entertain a medium that would allow us to expand the world and the characters we had created” said co-creator, Guillermo del Toro. Working with Dark Horse, David Lapham and Mike Huddleston provides us with the chance of expanding it further. A dream come true!"

“The chance to work with del Toro on any project was just too good to pass up” said writer, David Lapham. “But the fact that this is a vicious horror project, that I'm teamed with a great artist, and been given a great amount of creative freedom to interpret the novel has made this a dream project.”

Adapted by writer David Lapham (Stray Bullets, Kull), with art by Mike Huddleston (MK Ultra), the chilling first issue arrives on sale on December 14.

ORCHID STEMS FROM DARK HORSE COMICS! A CLASS STRUGGLE FROM THE MIND OF TOM MORELLO!

July 20, MILWAUKIE, OR—Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, Dark Horse Comics brings you a brand-new project from the creative mind of Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, The Nightwatchman).

A free exclusive music track from Tom Morello will be available with purchase of each issue to serve as a soundtrack to the story! Morello’s new album under the name of The Nightwatchman, entitled World Wide Rebel Songs, is due out August 30, 2011, from New West Records. Orchid is an epic fantasy story set in a dystopian future infused with Morello’s worldview and the politics of terror.

Part Suicide Girl, part Joan of Arc - Orchid is the tale of a 16-year-old street prostitute who learns that she is more than the role society has imposed upon her. When the seas rose, genetic codes were smashed. Human settlements are now ringed by a dense wilderness from which ferocious new animal species prey on the helpless. The high ground belongs to the rich and powerful that overlook swampland shantytowns from their fortress-like cities. Iron-fisted rule ensures order and allows the wealthy to harvest the poor as slaves. Welcome to the world of Orchid. Orchid features a variant cover by the well-known and influential street artist Shepard Fairey, with interior art by Scott Hepburn (Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic). Orchid is on sale October 12, 2011.

Avengers are Assembling

The first little tidbit to come out about the Avengers is this official teaser poster, as well as an official website that doesn’t have a whole lot on it yet. Earlier this week a grainy, low-quality version of the teaser trailer for the film leaked onto the internet. They’ve been doing their best to sequester that, but seeing that you can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube, as it were, perhaps they will decide to show it officially for an audience. I think that would be wise, Marvel!

This image came out of the Marvel Panel “Visualizing the Marvel Cinematic Universe.” This Captain America looks like it might be from the Avengers movie, or perhaps a reveal of his updated costume from the new movie. I love this look, just as much as the 40’s version.

Lois and Clark are Dunzo

The New York Daily News is reporting who the new beau is for Lois Lane in Superman #1 coming in September. While I’m a little disappointed that it isn’t an older, wiser Jimmy Olsen, this new guy, Jonathan Carroll, looks to make things interesting for ol’ Supes. I’m sure even more details will come out of the Con when DC’s Superman panel hits.

Written by Chris Harder

Tags: SDCC, Comic-Con, Comic Book News