COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: AVATAR PRESS

SAN DIEGO -- Avatar Press will release the Frank Miller Robocop trade paperback in November, editor-in-chief William Christensen told The Continuum Wednesday night at Comic Con International.

"It will collect all nine issues," Christensen told The Continuum.

The book will cost $29.99, with a hardcover going for $39.99.

In other Avatar news:

* Brian Pulido, who was at the Avatar booth, has two projects launching in September -- Mischief Night and Bad Moon Rising. Both will have specials in September and then be three-issue mini-series.

"Coming off the licensed books, I had a number of ideas, and it just so happened that Williams was looking for ideas," Pulido told The Continuum.

Mischief Night will feature art and covers by Juan Jose Ryp.

Here's how Avatar describes the book:

"On October 30, 2000, Mischief Night, Jenny Fields and her sister Alexis were dared to stay in the old Crawford Mansion for the night. Inside Jenny and Alexis run into Jack and Jill, two twisted Goth / Metal outcasts with a heinous plan to kill everyone in school. Their plan backfires and Jack, Jill and Alexis die in a horrible fire. Jenny is labeled a hero.

"Now it's 2006 and with Mischief Night fast approaching, Jenny knows Jack and Jill are back from the grave ­ with an arsenal of supernatural powers - to finish what they started. As her friends die off, the town wonders: is Jenny telling the truth or is she the murderer?"

Bad Moon Rising will feature art and covers by Wellington Alves.

Here's how Avatar describes the book:

"One hundred years ago, mass murderer Black Jack Hatchet and his trusty ax, Mabel, cut a swath of death across Hope, Arizona in search of his lady love, Wynona Mullins. It took thirty of the town's men to put a stop to him. Sadly, Black Jack never caught up with Wynona.

"Now in 2006, Candy Mullins, the spitting image of her great, great, great grandmother Wynona, is a sixth generation resident of Hope and a freewheelin', carefree spirit. When a man drops off an ancient talisman for identification at the art gallery Candy works at, it sets into motion a horrible series of events that unleashes Black Jack Hatchet on the town all over again. But now Black Jack is supernatural, with a terrible mean-streak and a thirst for killin'. Nothing is going to get in the way of his quest for his true love, Wynonna."

"He's got his axe, Mabel," Pulido said with a grin. "It's fun slasher/horror."

* George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead: Back from the Grave is an authorized prequel to the film. written by the film's co-writer, John Russo, with art by Sebastian Fiumara. Christensen said the four-issue mini-series will launch in September.

* Also launching in September is Escape of the Living Dead: Airborn, by Russo and Dheeraj Verma. It's a three-issue sequel to Escape of the Living Dead.

* Avatar is selling an exclusive Lady Death vs. War Angel that was created for the convention.