AVATAR PRESS FOR DECEMBER

Following are Avatar Press' solicitations for December, with information coming from the publisher.

ALAN MOORE'S HYPOTHETICAL LIZARD #1

Written by Alan Moore, art by Lorenzo Lorente, cover by Sebastian Fiumara.

One of Alan Moore's greatest works, and his most critically acclaimed novella of all time, is now adapted to comic books. Moore's frequent collaborator Antony Johnston has preserved the story as it is presented in sequential form with grey-painted art by Lorenzo Lorente and Sebastian Fiumara, all under the watchful eye of Moore himself. This four-issue mini-series launches with an extra-large first issue. What would you pay to learn the innermost secrets of wizards? Young prostitute SomSom has made the ultimate sacrifice; literally sworn to secrecy by cosmetic surgery, the two halves of SomSom's brain have been severed, leaving her able to hear and see... but not speak or act. Now SomSom's unique attributes will put her firmly in the center of an impossible dilemma, as an old friend return to The House Without Clocks, and a deadly game of domination begins... Available in regular and wraparound covers by Fiumara.

40 pages, black and white, $3.99.

ALAN MOORE'S YUGGOTH CULTURES TPB

Written by Alan Moore, art by various, cover by Juan Jose Ryp.

The career-spanning short works of Alan Moore are collected here with more than 50 pages of additional material that was not in the original mini-series. Added in are obscure interviews about the man, his craft, and magic as well as essays from Moore himself and loads of additional new artwork. Yuggoth Cultures and Other Growths features tons of Moore's short sequential comic book stories that have been long out of print, stories that have never before been seen, and special developmental sections with original script pages and comments from Moore and the creators. Include is the Nightjar, a story written 20 years ago to run in British comic anthology Warrior Magazine, but never fully drawn. With art by Bryan Talbot, the first part of the story is finally illustrated and sees print here along with Moore's notes on where the series was originally going to go. As a special bonus, included is Moore's original script. Also included is the story Zaman's Hill, originally written for Moore's aborted novel titled Yuggoth Cultures, now seen in sequential form by master illustrator Juan Jose Ryp. Furthermore, two long-lost collaborations with Bryan Talbot, the classic Itchy Peterson story illustrated by Val Semieks, a short story drawn by frequent Warren Ellis collaborator Mike Wolfer, a short adapted by Antony Johnston and illustrated by Marat Mychaels, and story by Hunt Emerson, and another Lovecraftian story from the aborted novel Yuggoth Cultures, illustrated by the Courtyard artist Jacen Burrows! Rounding out the works is a piece that is vital to any Alan Moore collection, "I Keep Coming Back" with art by Oscar Zarate. This powerful story set in Whitechapel is a Coda to the masterpiece From Hell! Of course, all the material is written by Alan Moore himself. To top it off this volume has an extensive interview with Moore as he discusses Yuggoth Cultures, the stories inside, and some of the amazing tales the lead to their creation.

192 pages, black and white, $19.99.

JOE R. LANSDALE'S THE DRIVE-IN TPB

Written by Joe R. Lansdale, art by Andres Guinaldo, cover by Jacen Burrows.

Collected here is the complete four-issue series with bonus material including a new interview with Lansdale himself about the writing of The Drive-In. The original novel has a cult following as it personifies the best in Lansdale's writing, and this comic adaptation is true to the original -- it's undiluted, unaltered Lansdale at its finest adapted by Chris Golden. When a group of friends decide to spend a day at the world¹s largest Drive-In theater horror fest, they expected to see tons of bloody murders, rampaging madmen, and mayhem‹ but only on the screen. As a mysterious force traps all the patrons inside the Drive-In, the worst in humanity comes out.

112 pages, black and white, $12.99.

GARTH ENNIS' 303 #3

Written by Garth Ennis, art and cover by Ennis.

The truth is revealed, leaving the Russian Colonel with a task so terrible that he turns his back on all he has known. But there are battles still to be fought high in the peaks of the NorthWest frontier, and all concerned soon realize that Afghanistan isn't finished with them yet. One man and his ancient rifle set off on a rendezvous with death, in 303 issue 3. Available in regular and wraparound covers by Burrows.

32 pages, $3.99.

ENNIS' AND MCCREA'S DICKS WINTER FUN SPEICAL #1

'Tis the season once again, and the most demented creators in comics, goofy Garth Ennis and jovial John McCrea, open up another bag of goodies for all you cheerful boys and girls. Ah, who are we kidding, this is more twisted grot from a couple of sick minds. It nothing sacred to these crazy Irishmen? Sadly, no. Prepare yourself for more Christmas-time offensiveness with Dougie, Ivor, Wanker and the whole gang in the tale "Yule Log in the Bog." Available in regular and offensive covers by McCrea.

32 pages, black and white, $3.50.

LADY DEATH #1 10TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION

Written by Brian Pulido, art by Steven Hughes.

Avatar continues the re-launch of Lady Death here. The classic bad girl book that defined the genre is now a decade old and we are celebrating it with a 10th Anniversary Edition. This special edition of the original Lady Death #1 features all the manic energy of Steven Hughes artwork and Brian Pulido¹s script for the original launch for the character with newly re-mastered scans of the artwork. Now you can own an affordable copy of one of the most-popular back issues of the past ten years, with stunning new cover art. As well as this regular cover, also available with a painted cover by Romano Molenaar, a Black Leather cover with art by Matt Martin (limited to 600 copies), and a special Premium by Matt Martin (limited to 2000 copies).

32 pages, $2.95.

BRIAN PULIDO'S UNHOLY #1

Written by Brian Pulido, art and cover by Di Amorim.

This three-issue tale is set in the crummy under-crust of modern-day Detroit, Unholy is the story of Penny, a stoner, rebel, teen who is a nonbeliever in God. After a fatal accident, she's drafted by God to be His assassin, a God she doesn't even believe in. As a fallen angel, she is caught in a shadow war waged on city streets, in plain clothes, between Heaven and Hell. With her new found allies, a dominatrix, an exmob hit man and an alcoholic priest, she is dumped into the front lines of the war for salvation. But can she even survive her first twenty fours hours as a newborn fallen? As well as this regular cover, also available with covers by Ron Adrian, a wraparound by Amorim, a Black Leather cover with art by Amorim (limited to 600 copies), and a special Premium by Walter Geovani (limited to 2000 copies).

32 pages, black and white, $3.50.

BRIAN PULIDO'S BELLADONNA #4

Written by Brian Pulido, art and cover by Clint Hilinski.

Brian Pulido's full-color tale of vengeance continues. Colleen MacGrath's wedding to Donovan was to unite two powerful Irish families in bliss. Instead, all their hopes and dreams were laid to waste by marauding Vikings. Now a year later, on Samhain, Morrigan the Celtic goddess forces Colleen to rise and claim vengeance as Belladonna. In this issue, Belladonna tightens the noose around the neck of her Viking opponents and throws down the gauntlet of final battle. It is time for a reckoning, their entire army against just her. The lands will flood with the blood of the evil as Belladonna is unleashed. As well as this regular cover, also available with covers by Ron Adrian, a wraparound by Hilinski, and a special Premium by Paulo Sequeira (limited to 2000 copies).

32 pages, $3.99.

NIGHTJAR #4 TAROT

Written by Antony Johnston, art and cover by Max Fiumara.

This special edition cover is the fifth in a line of actual Tarot Deck covers featuring the characters of Nightjar! In this electrifying final issue, magic, faith and friendship are all tested to the limits as Mirrigan and the Phoenix clash for the last time. Mirrigan's power is failing, her inexperience placing everyone in danger and now she's led the Phoenix straight to her friends! But the Phoenix hasn¹t reckoned on the magic of the battlefield, and Mirrigan's link to the famous Pendle Witches may be stronger than anyone realized...

32 pages, black and white, $3.99.