IDW PUBLISHING FOR MAY

Following are IDW Publishing's solicitations for May, with information coming from the company.

SMOKE #1

Written by Alex de Campi, art by Igor Kordey.

In a futuristic London run by a government both morally and financially bankrupt, an ex-soldier-turned-government-assassin must contend with a crisis in London, an unusual terrorist group and their even more unusual demands, and a vindictive ex-girlfriend, even as he tries to rebuild his own shattered life. A violent, blackly comic thriller.

48 pages, $7.49.

METAL GEAR SOLID VOL. 1 TPB & HC

Written by Kris Oprisko, art by Ashley Wood.

When genetically-enhanced terrorists threaten the United States with nuclear annihilation, Solid Snake, the world's foremost expert in infiltration and espionage, is sent in to preserve the peace. Written by Kris Oprisko with brilliant artwork by Ashley Wood, this special trade paperback collects issues 1-6 of the comic based on Konamiıs extremely popular videogame.

152 pages, $19.99 (signed and numbered hardcover, $19.99).

SILENT HILL: THE GRINNING MAN

Written by Scott Ciencin, art by Nick Stakal, cover by Ben Templesmith and Alex Garner.

For ten years, State Trooper Robert Tower has patrolled mist-enshrouded Silent Hill and never seen its nightmarish, demonic creatures. But now the gun-slinging double-barreled terror known as the Grinning Man has arrived. Horror is unbound and innocents caught in its explosive crossfire. For Tower, itıs going to be a hell of a last day.

48 pages, $7.49.

30 DAYS OF NIGHT: BLOODSUCKER TALES #8

Written by Steve Niles and Matt Fraction, art by Ben Templesmith and Kody Chamberlain.

In "Dead Billy Dead, Part 8," everything Billy has been through so far comes to a particularly nasty conclusion. Although it's not half as bad as what happens to Professor Saxon... meanwhile, in part 8 of "Juarez," Lex Nova looks to wrap up his case, but, as with most things in Lexıs life, this wrap-up goes horribly awry.

32 pages, $3.99.

BIGFOOT #4

Written by Steve Niles and Rob Zombie, art by Richard Corben.

Billy's parents were brutally killed by a Bigfoot when he was 10. His entire life has been haunted by the monster. As the miniseries reaches its horrific conclusion, Billy thinks taking the fight to the creatureıs habitat will set him freeŠ but Bigfoot doesnıt die so easily.

32 pages, $3.99.

SUPERNATURAL FREAK MACHINE: A CAL MCDONALD MYSTERY #3

Written by Steve Niles, art by Kelley Jones.

The escaped murderer and gene-splicing freak Dr. Polynice is out for revenge against Cal. And whatıs the best way to get that, since Cal himself has proven an elusive target? Strike at someone close to him. Will Cal's small inner circle shrink by one?

32 pages, $3.99.

CONTAINMENT #5

Written by Eric Red, art by Nick Stakal.

The story concludes with a fatal showdown between two of the remaining astronauts, one inside the ship, the other stranded outside in space, in a deadly war of wits. The winner will be determined by the third and last astronaut, who may or not be a zombie. Only one astronaut will live to face the terrifying and unexpected final twist.

32 pages, $3.99.

CASTLEVANIA: THE BELMONT LEGACY #3

Written by Marc Andreyko, art by E.J. Su.

Dracula, newly risen from the grave, has spirited away the new bride of Christopher Belmont. Christopher and his companions desperately attempt to reach her before Dracula can kill or turn her, but they'll have to fight their way through a legion of vampiric zombies to do it! Based on the wildly popular Konami videogame.

32 pages, $3.99.

METAL GEAR SOLID #9

Written by Kris Oprisko, art by Ashley Wood.

Solid Snake falls into Liquidıs clutches and is tortured by Revolver Ocelot, while the sadistic Sniper Wolf torments a wounded Meryl. When Snake escapes, it's straight from the frying pan to the fire, as he must face Liquid himself in a heavily armored Hind-D helicopter gunship.

32 pages, $3.99.

KARNEY #2

Written by Bryan Johnson, art by Walter Flanagan.

The Karnage begins as the Cavalcade of Oddities claim their first victims. The town is abuzz with speculation and suspicion as two young locals turn up missing. In other town news, a few young reprobates have assaulted two freaks and made the mistake of letting them live to tell about it. With the Cavalcade's newly acquired taste for blood, will they take it lying down? Not bloody likely...

32 pages, $3.99.

GRIMJACK: KILLER INSTINCT #5

Written by John Ostrander, art by Timothy Truman.

In order to smoke out the CADRE mole, John Gaunt places himself squarely on target. Personal betrayal follows professional betrayal as he discovers he has no place to run and no place to hide ... which is exactly when GrimJack is at his most dangerous, in this, the penultimate chapter of John Ostrander and Timothy Trumanıs brand-new GrimJack: Killer Instinct!

32 pages, $3.99.

JON SABLE, FREELANCE: BLOODLINE #2

Written and art by Mike Grell.

There are terrorists and there are terrorists, and Jon Sable must act fast in order to stop an assassination at the United Nations headquarters in New York. But first he must sort out the bad guys from ... the bad guys! We also revisit Jon Sable's origin as the legendary Mike Grell continues Bloodline, his first all-new Jon Sable, Freelance story of the 21st Century.

32 pages, $3.99.

CLIVE BARKER'S THE THIEF OF ALWAYS #3

Written by Kris Oprisko, art by Gabriel Hernandez.

Horror master Clive Barker's spellbinding tale of a boy's fight to regain stolen time concludes! Harvey Swick returns to the dangerous environs of Holiday House to face down the evil Mr. Hood ... but first heıll have to get through three dangerous minions intent on stopping him dead.

48 pages, $7.49.

THE UNAUTHORIZED PUFFED MOVIE ADAPTATION

Written by John Layman, art by Dave Crosland.

IDW presents a collection of one of the most darkly hilarious comics to come along in recent years, Puffed, finally available in a stunning deluxe trade paperback. By day, Aaron is stuffed into a sweltering, ridiculous-looking amusement park dragon costume, and heıs about to have the worst night of his life, beaten up and trapped in his costume in the 'hood. The Unauthorized Puffed Movie Adaptation collects the entire delightfully twisted cult-hit Puffed mini-series, along with the hysterically cruel where-are-they-now follow up one-shot, Stay Puffed, and a brand-new story, "Mo' Puffed." This definitive Puffed collection also features "director's cut" extra scenes, as well as an all-star pin-up and cover gallery of comic superstars John Cassaday, Frank Quitely, Sam Kieth, Ashley Wood, Jim Mahfood and many more.

132 pages, black and white, $16.99.

AMERICAN FREAKSHOW #1

Written by Steve Niles, art by Chee.

The Dawn of the Dead team, Niles and Chee, present "The Terrible Tale of Sloth Boy." In this gruesome tale, the bizarre and cruel life of a carny freak unravels into a story of redemption (maybe) and murder (definitely) in a Florida trailer park.

32 pages, $3.99.

CSI: SECRET IDENTITY #4

Written by Steven Grant, art by Gabriel Rodriguez and Steven Perkins.

The discovery of a burning coffin in the desert leads to more questions for Grissom and his team. It also leads to an increasingly complicated and puzzling murder conspiracy that the CSIs are desperate to solve before more bodies start piling up. Based on the top-rated CBS crime drama.

32 pages, $3.99.

DAMPYR #2: NIGHT TRIBE

Written by Mauro Boselli and Maurizio Colombo, art by Majo, cover by Ashley Wood.

After their near-fatal encounter with Gorka, the powerful Master of the Night, the unlikely trio of half human/half-vampire Dampyr Harlan Draka, the beautiful vampire Tesla, and tough warrior Kurjak prepare to face him once more. Visions sent to Draka draw the trio ever closer to their foe, and this time it is a bloody, horrifying fight to the death where only one can survive... continuing the long-running European Dampyr saga.

96 pages, black and white, $7.99.

EASY WAY #2

Written by Christopher Long, art by Andy Kuhn.

Duncan, Raz, Jimmy, and Joel enlist the aid of Steve, a small-time drug runner, to line up a buyer for the heisted cocaine. nbeknownst to them, psycho drug dealer Marcus, recently released from prison, and his crony, Nugget, embark on a killing rampage of every two-bit thug and back alley hustler in an effort to track down those responsible for stealing their drugs.

32 pages, $3.99.