Promo - Alpha and Omega:Cry Wolf, Vol. 1 by Paticia Briggs

ACE BOOKS AND DABEL BROTHERS ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP TO PUBLISH NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR PATRICIA BRIGGS IN COMIC BOOK AND GRAPHIC NOVEL FORMATS


Briggs's popular Alpha and Omega series to debut as Dabel Brothers comic books in August 2009 followed by the graphic novel from Ace in November 2009

New York, NY, June 11, 2009- Ace Books, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA), announced today the publication of #1 New York Times bestselling author Patricia Briggs' Alpha and Omega: Cry Wolf, Volume 1 in graphic novel form. The Dabel Brothers, who previously partnered with Briggs to create comic adaptations of her bestselling Mercy Thompson series, will now adapt her first Alpha and Omega novel, Cry Wolf, into a comic series starting this summer. Ace Books will then publish a graphic novel edition of the first four installments of the Dabel Brothers comic series this fall. The publication of Alpha and Omega: Cry Wolf, Volume 1 marks Ace's first foray into the graphic novel market.

The Alpha and Omega series grew from a novella of the same title, originally published in the anthology On the Prowl. This story, featuring two popular secondary characters from Briggs's bestselling Mercy Thompson series, was well received and Briggs decided to spin them off into a new series. The Alpha and Omega series began last year when Ace published the full-length novel Cry Wolf and will continue this August when a follow-up novel Hunting Ground hits bookstores.

"We already have a great relationship established with Patricia and are excited to be working with Penguin on this project," said Rich Young, Business Director of Dabel Brothers Publishing. "We think that this will be the start of another great relationship."

The Dabel Brothers will release the first issue of Alpha and Omega: Cry Wolf in August followed by three more issues to complete the first volume.

Then in November 2009, Ace will release Alpha and Omega: Cry Wolf, Volume 1, a graphic novel composed of issues 1 through 4 of the Cry Wolf comics.

"I'm so excited to work with the Dabel Brothers on the graphic novel adaptation of Patricia Briggs's novel Cry Wolf. Their work is stunning and I know they'll do her story justice. I can't wait to bring the werewolves Charles Cornick and Anna Latham to life through comics as well as in novels," said Executive Editor Anne Sowards.

Patricia Briggs is the author of 14 novels as well as several short stories, all in the fantasy genre. She is best known for her New York Times bestselling Mercy Thompson series. Bone Crossed, the fourth installment in this series-and the first to be published in hardcover-hit bookstores in February 2009 to rave reviews and spent several weeks on national bestseller lists.

Promo - Dusk (Graphic Novel) by David A. Doub

Dusk
Graphic Novel
David A. Doub
Dusk Comics
March 2009
ISBN# 978-0-578014364

Book Blurb:
As a battered wife, Eve's only concern was to keep her marriage together. But when she is kidnapped into the sordid supernatural world of vampires and foul magic, Eve finds she doesn't want to leave. Her mysterious benefactor, the Vampire Lord Ash, wish her to have a normal life but Eve chooses to stay in the service of Ash. Dusk is the stories about Eve and her challenges living in the darkness.
Dusk is a supernatural action/drama story done in a dynamic blending of the sequential art styles of American Comics and Japanese Manga. Several artists help tell these stark noir tales of Vampires and Unrequited Love.

To learn more about Dusk, visit David Doub: HERE

Kimberly Swan, DarqueReviews.com

The First Death by Laurell K. Hamilton

The First Death
Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter
Laurell K. Hamilton
Hamilton – Green – Alves
Marvel
Diamond Comics Distributors, Inc.
March 12, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-7851-2941-7

From the cover flap:
For more than a decade Laurell K. Hamilton’s vampire-slaying heroine Anita Blake has excited fans through a series of heart-pounding novels set in a world where the undead have won civil rights and come out from the shadows, a world where someone has to execute those undead who cling to their murderous heritage. An “animator” by trade, raising the dead for a living, Anita Blake is the person the cops call in when they get a case too macabre for them to handle alone, and the woman the vampires call “the Executioner.” Now, for the first time ever and exclusive to comics, Hamilton pens a tale set before the first Anita Blake novel, Guilty Pleasures, to reveal how Anita’s career began! In a story co-written by husband Jonathon Green, illustrated by Wellington Alves, and with covers by fan favorite Brett Booth, fans can finally read about the first meeting between Anita and the sensuous vampire Jean-Claude, the serial-killer case that began her involvement with the police, and how she became allies with the sinister hitman of all things supernatural, Edward! Whether you are a longtime fan of Anita Blake, or have only just discovered her, join us for the prequel fans have been waiting for, as we pull back the veils on the mysteries of Anita’s origins!

My thoughts:
Anita Blake is a necromancer working for Animators Inc., she raises the dead for a living. She’s also a vampire hunter, licensed to execute them for their crimes, and a consultant for the St. Louis Police Department’s Regional Preternatural Investigation Team (RPIT), that’s run by Dolph Storr.

When Dolph calls Anita to take a look at the victim of a grisly murder, a child, she responds to the scene. It appears that a vampire is preying on children and Anita isn’t about to let the monster go. Their investigation leads them to Jean-Claude, the manager of the vampire strip club Guilty Pleasures, and their meeting is a bit unnerving for Anita.

Just as Anita thinks she and her co-worker Manny have lost the killer’s trail, Edward shows up. He’s an assassin for hire and more than happy to hunt the monsters. Edward believes they’re working the same case, and despite her fear and distrust of him Anita has little choice but to exchange information if she expects to find the vampires responsible for the murders.

The First Death is set near the beginning of Anita’s work as a consultant with RPIT, when hunting vampires and raising zombies filled her days and nights. Anita is tough as nails when it comes to ridding the world of monsters, and she’s not about to let one get away, especially one who’s chosen children as the victims. Ms. Hamilton shares an easy to follow vampire murder mystery that’s co-authored by her husband Jonathon Green. The cover and artwork by Brett Booth, Ron Lim and Wellington Alves throughout this graphic novel are simply amazing. Graphic is the operative word, because the artists have really outdone themselves in capturing every aspect of the characters and the world around them, even the gory bits of The First Death. It’s a quick read, but as a longtime reader of the Vampire Hunter series having a visual of the action had me taking my time and savoring each page. There’s also a Guilty Pleasures Handbook included as part of this book that’s both fascinating and fun to read. Graphic novels are a new experience for me, one that I’ve wanted to try, but hadn’t really gotten the opportunity to before now. I’ll be looking forward to the next in the Guilty Pleasures series that’s currently scheduled to release on July 22, 2008.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews