Anthologies

Dark Horse presents a new anthology showcasing what we do best, with a healthy and diverse mix of action-adventure strips by some of the biggest and the best in mainstream and alternative comics creators. In a landmark Buffy story, Scott Lobdell and Jeff Matsuda reveal the first meeting between Angel and Dawn, set before Buffy ever came to Sunnydale, before she and Angel ever met. The X-Men and WILDCATS team of Joe Casey and Sean Phillips presents autobiographics from the mainstream, with a short piece about a comics writer. Peter David and Alex Maleev give us a glimpse into Spyboy's darker adventures, and Francisco Ruiz Velasco provides a short story spin off from Lone Wolf and Cub 2100, which is featured on the cover by X-Men and Highroads artist Leinil Francis Yu. Also featured are new strips by Dave Land (Star Wars: Infinities) and Craig Thompson (Goodbye, Chunky Rice), and Scott Allie (Star Wars: Empire) and Paul Lee and Brian Horton (Creatures of Habit novel). Hellboy editor Scott Allie interviews Hellboy director Guillermo Del Toro (Blade II) and Hellboy creator Mike Mignola during the early days of production on their Hellboy film. We are also proud to present a special Dark Horse Fine Arts section, with shorts by R. Sikoryak (Drawn & Quarterly) and the Fillbach Brothers (Poison Elves), and, we kid you not, a two-page comic strip by the most important artist of the twentieth century, Pablo Picasso (Guernica).

Collects New Mutants (1983) #98, Deadpool (1993) #1-4, Deadpool (1994) #1-4, Deadpool (1997) #1. He's the Merc with a Mouth, Deadpool, and with sidekick Weasel in tow, he sets out on a quest for romance, money, and mayhem - not necessarily in that order - only to learn he's being hunted by an enemy he killed years before! As if that isn't enough, the Juggernaut crashes into the action, and it's the unstoppable vs. the un-shut-up-able! But all may not be lost if the sultry Siryn can inject a little sanity into the proceedings! Will Deadpool be steered toward a better life by his new heartthrob, or stay the chaotic course he's set for himself? The answer is Yes! Guest-starring the New Mutants, Banshee, Sasquatch, and more!

Fractured history. Broken lives. Splintered souls. Since the alternate universe was first glimpsed in the classic episode "Mirror, Mirror," something about Star Trek's dark side has beckoned us, called to us, tempted us -- like forbidden fruit on the Tree of Knowledge. To taste it is to lose oneself in a world of startling familiarity and terrifying contradictions, where everything and everyone we knew is somehow disturbingly different, and where shocking secrets await their revelation. What began in 2007 with Glass Empires and Obsidian Alliances -- the first truly in-depth foray into the turbulent history of this other continuum -- now continues in twelve new short tales that revisit and expand upon that so-called "Mirror Universe," spanning all five of the core incarnations of Star Trek, as well as their literary offshoots, across more than two hundred years of divergent history, as chronicled by... Christopher L. Bennett - Margaret Wander Bonanno - Peter David - Keith R.A. DeCandido - Michael Jan Friedman - Jim Johnson - Rudy Josephs - David Mack - Dave Stern - James Swallow - Dayton Ward & Kevin Dilmore - Susan Wright

WELCOME TO THE SECOND “GOLDEN AGE” OF SUPERHEROES AND HEROINES Superheroes have come a long way since the “Man of Steel” was introduced in 1938. This brilliant new collection features original stories and novellas from some of today’s most exciting voices in comics, science fiction, and fantasy. Each marvelously inventive tale shows us just how far our classic crusaders have evolved—and how the greatest of heroes are, much like ourselves, all too human. In “Call Her Savage,” MARJORIE M. LIU enters the dark heart of a fierce mythic heroine who is forced, by war, to live up to her own terrible legend. In “A to Z in the Ultimate Big Company Superhero Universe (Villains Too),” BILL WILLINGHAM presents a fully-realized vision of a universe where epic feats and tragic flaws have transformed the human race. In “Vacuum Lad,” STEPHEN BAXTER unveils the secret origins of the first true child of the space age—and disproves the theory that “nothing exists in a vacuum.” In “Head Cases,” PETER DAVID and KATHLEEN DAVID blast through the blogosphere to expose the secret longings of a Lonely Superhero Wife. In “The Non-Event,” MIKE CAREY removes the gag order on a super-thief named Lockjaw . . . and pries out a confession of life-altering events. Also includes stories by Mike Baron • Mark Chadbourn • Paul Cornell • Daryl Gregory • Joseph Mallozzi • James Maxey • Ian McDonald • Chris Roberson • Gail Simone • Matthew Sturges . . . and an introduction by Lou Anders, “one of the brightest and best of the new generation of science fiction editors” (Jonathan Strahan, The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year ).

Some of the comic book industries best and brightest use their talents to welcome the next generation of comic book readers with the kid-friendly anthology, Fractured Fables ! Featuring an introduction by Bill Willingham ( FABLES ), this all-new, humorous take on our most beloved fairy tales boasts a cover by Madman Atomic Comics creators Mike & Laura Allred and all-new stories by award-winning creators including Jill Thompson, Bryan Talbot, Peter David, Ben Templesmith, Scott Morse, Doug TenNapel, Laini Taylor, Ted McKeever, Terry Moore, Bill Morrison, Larry Marder, Jim Valentino, Phil Hester, and New Yorke r artist Shannon Wheeler, among others.

Volume 2 of 2 of the Other Voices script book series for the Babylon 5 spinoff Crusade. This volume includes three never-before-published CRUSADE scripts: "Value Judgments" by BABYLON 5 reference editor Fiona Avery is the infamous unfilmed CRUSADE script featuring the return of BABYLON 5's Alfred Bester. "Tried and True" by Fiona Avery features a one-on-one confrontation between Dureena and her Thieves' Guild mentor, Mafeek of Tripani 7. "War Story" by Richard Mueller is the first episode of an unfinished three-part story that would have seen Dureena abducted by a mysterious alien ship after a huge battle with the Drakh. There's also "Ruling From the Tomb" by Peter David, in which Captain Gideon and the EXCALIBUR crew seek to capture a murderer bent on derailing a conference seeking a cure for the Drakh plague. For this episode, we've also included writer Peter David's original outlines, one featuring the return of a fan-favorite BABYLON 5 character who DID NOT appear in the finished episode. This volume is packed with extras, including an introduction to "Ruling From the Tomb" by Peter David, an in-depth interview with Richard Mueller, JMS's handwritten notes for the episode that eventually became "Ruling From the Tomb," the premise JMS wrote for Peter David to work from in crafting "Ruling From the Tomb," the biography of IPX archaeologist Maximilian Eilerson written by actor David Allen Brooks, a May 2011 interview with Dureena Nafeel actress Carrie Dobro, an interview with Warner Bros. executive Gregg Maday, three unused story ideas writer Richard Mueller pitched to JMS before landing the assignment to write "War Story," a detailed synopsis of "The Walls of Hell," 59 concept drawings, as well as our definitive guide to the six different ways to watch CRUSADE.

Do you think that there’s only one way to read a comic story? Think again when nine of the comic’s industry finest talents come together in “THE WRITER’S BLOCK, Writing Comics For Love And Money!” In this 128 page trade collection comic’s greats Mike Baron, Peter David, Jo Duffy, Fabian Nicieza, Gail Simone, Jim Shooter, Roger Stern and Mark Waid are given the same chapter of continuity to script without knowing anything about the plot or being allowed to speak to one another. The authors let their muses take them (and you) on a unique comics reading experience unlike any you’re likely to find. Each chapter is accompanied by an interview with the author to discuss how they approached this exercise in comics writing in particular and writing in general. This softcover collects the first two WRITER’S BLOCK, plus a brand-new issue with extras such as: original scripts, production notes/balloon placements and the never-before-printed original script to the chapter for the first WRITER’S BLOCK. Unlike "how to" books that talk about how to write comics The Writer's Block shows how comics are written by masters of the artform.

Original theme anthology. Eleven new tales set in the legendary worlds of Edgar Rice Burroughs. Contains stories by top writers such as Mercedes Lackey, Sarah Hoyt, and Mike Resnick. Eleven new tales set in the legendary worlds of Edgar Rice Burroughs. Most people don’t know it, but the best-selling American writer of the 1920s wasn’t Hemingway or Fitzgerald, but Edgar Rice Burroughs. Everyone knows that he created Tarzan, but he wasn’t limited to that one classic creation. There was John Carter, Warlord of Mars. There was Pellucidar, the wondrous world that exists at the center of the Earth, and Carson of Venus, the Wrong-Way Corrigan of space, who set off for Mars and wound up on Venus for four novels and part of a fifth. Many top science fiction and fantasy writers of today grew up reading Burroughs, and this anthology is their way of “paying back” and thanking him for stirring their imaginations. Join their celebration with these all new tales set in the astounding worlds that Edgar Rice Burroughs brought to life: giving their own spin on the unforgettable characters conceived by one of the great masters of science fiction, adventure, and fantasy. About The Worlds of Edgar Rice Burroughs : “More fun than I've had in an anthology in a long time.”— Critical Mass " [A]ltogether a fitting and enjoyable tribute to the worlds of Edgar Rice Burroughs."— SF Crowsnest

The Crimson Keep was created in 2011 when Crazy 8 Press made its public debut. “Demon Circle,” the first tale of the Crimson Keep, was a round-robin story written to raise funds for a worthy cause . . . but the authors couldn’t get these characters and this fantastical world out of their minds. Now, in celebration of its third anniversary, the authors of Crazy 8 Press—Russ Colchamiro, Peter David, Michael Jan Friedman, Robert Greenberger, Glenn Hauman, Paul Kupperberg, and Aaron Rosenberg—have gathered to craft all-new Tales of the Crimson Keep. This first-ever Crazy 8 Press anthology reintroduces you to teen apprentices Athis, Belid, and Klaria, and to their teacher, the powerful and enigmatic sorcerer known only as the Master. Within these pages you’ll meet the Master's very first student . . . encounter some thieves who washed out of the apprentice program...learn the fate of the dread demon Koliander the Undying . . . follow two novices on their inaugural mission . . . watch as another learns a hard-won lesson . . . and see how the lives of the apprentices—and the power of the Crimson Keep—crop up in the most unexpected places. So step inside and join the team at Crazy 8 Press on a series of truly magical adventures within the Crimson Keep.

Collects Nomad (1992) #4; Secret Defenders #15-17; Wolverine (1988) #88, 154-155; X-Force (1991) #47, 56; Heroes For Hire (1997) #10-11; material from Avengers (1963) #366; Silver Sable & the Wild Pack #23, 30; Wolverine Annual '95, '99; Contest of Champions II #2; Marvel Comics Presents (2007) #10; Breaking Into Comics the Marvel Way #2. Can't get enough of the Merc with a Mouth? Well, have we got the book for you, collecting Deadpool's incredibly hard-to-find early appearances -- titanic team-ups, anthology antics and gratuitous guest-shots by the sassin' assassin! From hanging with Marvel superstars Nomad and Silver Sable, to giving a much-needed sales boost to losers like Wolverine and the Avengers, the erstwhile Secret Defender (shhh!) and Hero For Hire (sweet Christmas!) sure gets around.

At least four times in Earth’s history, the continents have come sliding together to form a single mass—a super-continent. Geologists have dubbed the most recent such formation Pangaea. Of course, Pangaea broke up a long time ago, and because it did, different portions of mankind developed in drastically different climes and circumstances. But what if we were living on one of the super-continents? What if all of humanity was confined to a single landmass . . . and had been so confined for all of our recorded history? To explore this different world, we’ve harnessed the imaginations of some of science fiction’s most inventive writers—Michael A. Burstein, Adam-Troy Castro, Russ Colchamiro, Peter David, Kevin Dilmore, Michael Jan Friedman, Robert Greenberger, Glenn Hauman, Paul Kupperberg, Kelly Meding, Aaron Rosenberg, Lawrence M. Schoen, Geoffrey Thorne, and Dayton Ward. So come with us . . . and discover a world like none you’ve seen before. Discover Pangaea.

Pangaea Under Siege In Aristaya, the underwater turbine fields have been destroyed. In Hajawi, a military contingent follows a previously unknown tunnel on the trail of saboteurs. In Leshi, the life of a prominent statesman hangs by a thread. In Wymerin, a couple of young girls make an accusation that will shape the future of their society. An ancient race resurfaces, wreaking havoc across the face of the super-continent on which mankind has lived its entire life as a species, and the world will never be the same again. Sail the broad waters of Pangaea’s Inner Sea, whisper in the shadowed alleys of her coastal states, and brave the frigid passes of her mountains, all in the company of thirteen of science fiction’s brightest lights—Kirsten Beyer, Ilsa J. Bick, Michael A. Burstein, Peter David, Kevin Dilmore, Michael Jan Friedman, Robert Greenberger, Paul Kupperberg, Kelly Meding, Aaron Rosenberg, Lawrence M. Schoen, Geoffrey Thorne, and Marie Vibbert. One super-continent. Thirteen visions. A host of possibilities . . .

What if... Lincoln governed America in enemy territory? The United States annexed Persia? North Alaska and South Alaska went to war? Los Angeles spread across the world? These and many more questions are answered in this gripping alternate history anthology by some of the finest writers working today, from screenwriters to historians to speculative fiction practitioners to activists, in twenty-one tales of a United States of America that's not quite like the one we know. Join us as our all-star roster of science fiction and fantasy authors explore the frontiers of over a score of different lands in ALTERED STATES OF THE UNION . Featuring stories by: •   David Gerrold, award-winning author and writer of the legendary Star Trek episode "The Trouble with Tribbles" • New York Times best-selling authors Peter David and Michael Jan Friedman •   David Silverman, the president of American Atheists and author of Fighting God , and Hildy Silverman, publisher of Space and Time •    Ian Randal Strock, author of The Presidential Book of Lists , Ranking the Vice Presidents , and Ranking the First Ladies •   Aaron Rosenberg, Sidewise Award finalist for best short-form alternate history •   Anne Toole, Emmy award-winning author of The Lizzie Bennet Diaries …and Russ Colchamiro, Keith R.A. DeCandido, Debra Doyle & James D. Macdonald, Brendan DuBois, Malon Edwards, G.D. Falksen, Robert Greenberger, Glenn Hauman, Alisa Kwitney, Gordon Linzner, Sarah McGill, Meredith Peruzzi, Mackenzie Reide, and Ramón Terrell.

"15 high-energy and sentimental stories of love, fatal crimes of passion, and paranormal troublemaking. An entertaining mix of styles for fans of cross-genre SF/F." - Publishers Weekly Love science fiction stories that all include elements of Love, Murder & Mayhem? Then welcome to the latest anthology from Crazy 8 Press! This amazing collection from 15 all-star authors will delight you with superhero and supervillain stories. AI, off-world, and space cruiser stories. We’ve also got private eyes, sleep surrogates, time travel, an aliens/monsters mash-up and … one DuckBob!With tales ranging from wild and wacky, dark and gritty, to heartbreaking and fun, take the deadly leap with authors Meriah Crawford, Paige Daniels, Peter David, Mary Fan, Michael Jan Friedman, Robert Greenberger, Glenn Hauman Paul Kupperberg, Karissa Laurel, Kelly Meding, Aaron Rosenberg, Hildy Silverman, Lois Spangler, Patrick Thomas, and editor Russ Colchamiro. You’ll never look at Love, Murder & Mayhem the same way again … and that’s just the way we like it.

The Rocketeer Adventures continued where Dave Stevens' original masterpiece left off, creating for the first time new stories involving the ace stunt pilot Cliff Secord. This oversized deluxe edition collects all 24 stories by some of the most talented creators in comics.

The pulp magazine era was bristling with brawny men and statuesque women globetrotting, getting into and out of danger. Their exploits quickened the pulses of their readers, young and old alike. They gave rise to some of the most enduring heroes known the world-round. To honor and celebrate a bygone era, Crazy 8 Press has assembled a stellar line-up of writers – Derek Tyler Attico, Jim & Becky Beard, Russ Colchamiro,  Paige Daniels, Kathleen O'Shea David, Peter David. Keith R.A. DeCandido, Mary Fan, Michael Jan Friedman, Glenn Hauman, Robert Greenberger, Robert T. Jeschonek, Paul Kupperberg,  Karissa Laurel, Amy Lewanski, David Mack, Will Murray, Aaron Rosenberg, and Jenifer Purcell Rosenberg – to produce new thrills and chills, spanning mystery, sword and sorcery, horror, science fiction, romance, and adventures. Meet Professor Ironheart! The Blue Mask! The Green Lady! Cannon Belle! And many more new heroes. PLUS: A new before published story by the creator of Doc Savage, Lester Dent! Illustrators include Caio Cacau, Mike Collins, Karl Kesel, Peter Krause, Tom Mandrake, Jerry Ordway, and Mark Wheatley. Each yarn is bigger and better than the one before it!

Pangaea At War The super-continent Pangaea, on which mankind has lived its entire life as a species, has become a dangerous and unpredictable place. The ancient oppressors known as the Aristai are tearing civilization apart in order to rebuild it in their own image. If the nations of the world are to weather the storm of death and destruction, they will need heroes-not just leaders and lawmen, but also saviors from the most unlikely of places: A bodyguard who's lost his way in the wilderness. A chef who knows the value of keeping everything in its place. A truck driver carrying more than what's in his truck. A professor who's unlocked the greatest secret of the super-continent. To guide you on your journey through the lonely mountain peaks, the wild, wide plains, and the teeming seacoasts of Pangaea, we've enlisted the talents of a distinguished fellowship of science fiction luminaries-Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Ilsa J. Bick, Michael A. Burstein, Russ Colchamiro, Peter David, Keith R.A. DeCandido, Kevin Dilmore, Mary Fan, Michael Jan Friedman, Robert Greenberger, Dan Hernandez, Paul Kupperberg, Ron Marz, Aaron Rosenberg, Lawrence M. Schoen, Geoffrey Thorne, Marie Vibbert, and Dayton Ward. In this, the final volume of the Pangaea series, see who will rise, who will fall . . . and who will be left to pick up the pieces.

This book is a real mother. To celebrate bad-ass moms everywhere, Crazy 8 Press has assembled a fantastic line-up of authors to create stories spanning numerous genres, including sci-fi, contemporary, historical, and fantasy. Since moms and badassery come in infinite forms, the authors were given only one criteria: that their story be about a bad-ass mother or mother figure, whatever that meant to them. From grandmas to new moms, biological moms to adoptive moms to mom figures, this collection features a fantastic range of stories. A human mom on the PTA of a school for supernatural kids. A new mom who adopts two babies with special powers. A hard-boiled detective who stumbles upon a mystery while looking for childcare. A grandma who fights back against an unsavory mayoral candidate. A witch who battles dark magic while wrangling her kids. An artificial intelligence who nurtures delinquent boys sent to her care. And much, much more. STORIES BY: Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Derek Tyler Attico, TE Bakutis, Russ Colchamiro, Paige Daniels, Kathleen O'Shea David, Peter David, Keith RA DeCandido, Mary Fan, Michael Jan Friedman, Robert Greenberger, Glenn Hauman, Heather E Hutsell, Kris Katzen, Paul Kupperberg, Karissa Laurel, TJ Perkins, Jenifer Purcell Rosenberg, Aaron Rosenberg, Joanna Schnurman, Hildy Silverman, and Denise Sutton.

The 1970s are back! What better decade to inspire a new anthology of space opera stories than the one that gave birth to a certain epic set long ago, in a galaxy far, far away? Every story in this new book will feature the distinctive style of the 70s, transported to thrilling new worlds, fleets, and conflicts in the farthest and most exciting reaches of the universe. Groove to tales of cosmic heroes in bellbottoms and platform shoes…alien ships like glittering mirror balls…soundtracks of gritty soul, disco, and hard rock. You'll find everything from kung fu fighting to streetwise private dicks…all souped up with incredible ray gun/rocketship action brought to sizzling life by some of the most talented scifi scribes of today and tomorrow. Blast off with this galaxy of stories by a Star Trek screenwriter, a Nebula Award winner, comic book superstars, New York Times bestsellers, indie publishing giants, and more! Buckle up for the latest dazzling adventures by Marc Scott Zicree, Dean Wesley Smith, Cat Rambo, Peter David, Ian Douglas, Robert Jeschonek, Craig Martelle, Blaze Ward, Ron Collins, Annie Reed, Mike Baron, Mark Leslie Lefebvre, and Jim Gotaas ...plus an introduction by the one and only Barbara Bain, who played Dr. Helena Russell on classic 70s scifi TV series Space: 1999 .

41st annual VastiCon. 40 inches of snow. 38 travelers trapped in the hotel bar with booze to drink and stories to tell . . . In the late 14th century, writer Geoffrey Chaucer provided the work that later generations would remember him for: The Canterbury Tales. Written in Middle English, it depicted the stories of a group of pilgrims on their way to visit the Shrine of St. Thomas Becket in Canterbury. Some centuries later, a group of science fiction and fantasy fans were trapped at a convention hotel thanks to a snowfall of several feet. Stuck in the hotel for extra days, they had to find something to do to fill the time. And as they gathered in the hotel bar, with ninjas next to zombies and Amazons next to Trekkies, they told each other stories like the pilgrims of long ago—making sure to remain in character.

* How many people could you kill to guarantee your happiness? * Would you follow a stranger into a broom closet at a Grateful Dead concert? * How many times could you watch your own suicide? * What would cause you to give away a wish-granting genie? Those are just a few of the questions eighteen incredible authors answered in response to the call to take three historical figures, throw them together in some situation, and tell us the story that ensues. You’ll be fascinated by those stories featuring Julia Child, Jesus Christ, Michael Jackson, and Vlad the Impaler (well… not all in one story), plus dozens of others. These marvelous tales of time-traveling adventure flow from the imaginations of Eric Avedissian, Adam-Troy Castro, Peter David, Keith R.A. DeCandido, Gregory Frost, David Gerrold, Henry Herz, Jonathan Maberry, Gail Z. Martin, Heather McKinney, James A. Moore, Jody Lynn Nye, L. Penelope, Louise Piper, Hildy Silverman, S.W. Sondheimer, Allen Steele, and Lawrence Watt-Evans.