Ed’s Dark Horse News from Emerald City Comicon & Picks for Feb, March & June

Dark Horse

I’ve been thinking about nothing but the 15th anniversary of Emerald City Comicon (ECCC) since last month and was very excited to see what Dark Horse Comics has plans on announcing this year. In addition to the artist and writer signings and giveaways at the show, there’s something always cool to be found when walking by! Had I gone to the main exhibit hall early in the morning, I might have walked away with a yellow tote bag, but alas, I was in another building awaiting photo ops with a few of this show’s entertainment guests.

Fortunately, I did not miss meeting artist Irene Koh (she’s illustrating the upcoming official Legend of Korra continuation due in shelves Jun 7) and writer Gene Luen Yang (Avatar: Last Airbender). I’ve been buying everything Avatar related this company puts out and plan on a huge binge-read. While waiting in line, I can only smile at how much of a strong fan base this series has, especially amongst the Asian community.

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Also, I got to see Mike Mignola again and learn he’s working on a new work. The Visitor: How and Why He Stayed is out and it takes place in the Hellboy universe. While the stories about the title character are finished, thankfully there’s more to enjoy in this realm from other perspectives. One hope I had is to see all the Hellboy stories packaged together in an omnibus collection; sadly the representative said there are no immediate plans. The collections we have now is it for those preferring the trade paperback route. My mix of one-shots and owning certain storylines sometimes gets me lost as to where each story fits in.

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How to Train Your Dragon: Serpent’s Heir TPB Review

HTTYD Serpents HeirBy Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

* Mild spoiler alert

If I had to decide between which How to Train your Dragon (HTTYD) comic book series to follow, my vote is for Dark Horse Comics‘ official follow-up. Penned by Dean DeBlois, director and showrunner of DreamWorks’ series, and Richard Hamilton (Star Wars: Dark Times), I’m enjoying the continuing adventures which take place after the second movie as it puts Hiccup into new adventures before he can even get comfortable with his new crown.

The Serpent’s Heir begins with everyone from the village of Berk helping to rebuild. After a few mishaps, King Hiccup gets a visitor from another island tribe. Calder’s village is being racked with earthquakes and while he expected to meet Stoick the Vast, he only finds the boy king. This young leader certainly has learned a lot from his dad, and he knows never to turn his back to those in need. Both he and his Dragon Riders travel to the island of Nepenthe to assist and find treachery in the midst.

While this first graphic novel is an easy short read, I feel these trials are just one of many in a series of books to help cement Hiccup as King of the Archipelago. News about Stoick’s death has not spread far, but it soon will. Other Vikings will come to challenge Hiccup. Unlike other burly soldiers who are hard to push over, this matchstick shaped lad may seem easy to bend.

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A Glimpse at How to Train Your Dragon, The Serpent’s Heir

HTTYD Serpents HeirBy Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

Solicitations have begun through Diamond Distribution for Dark Horse Comics‘ How to Train Your Dragon: The Serpent’s Heir. This volume goes on sale Feb 15, 2017, but for retailers (comic book shops), they can officially take in orders and the details are in for what to expect. Value-priced at an MSRP of $10.99, there will be 80 pages of goodness to admire. The trade paperback measures 6×9 inches.

Picking up just after the events in How to Train Your Dragon 2, Hiccup, Astrid and company are called upon to assist the people of an earthquake-plagued island. But their lives are imperiled by a madman and an incredible new dragon who even Toothless — the alpha dragon — may not be able to control!

Dean DeBlois and Richard Hamilton are the writers of this comic book tie-in to the upcoming 2018 film. This detail makes owning this volume quintessential for teases in what’s to come in Dreamworks product. For this HTTYD fan, while much of this news has been out for a while now, to see a tease in the advance order catalogue of what’s to come is a first look at the art.

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