Not the easiest of things to find, the classic comics that were released way, way, waaaaaaaaay back before the comics code was instituted are coming back to shops. And it's all courtesy of Dark Horse comics.Starting at the end of this month, readers will once again be able to pick up some of the coolest stuff from the baby days of the comic book industry. And these aren't just the word for word copies that your Grandad collected- each issue will come complete with a foreword written by some of the best writers of the current age.
With a jaw-dropping selection of well-known titles, accurate color restoration, uncoated off-white paper, and an impressive roster of foreword writers, Dark Horse Archives is hitting another peak season this year with a lineup of pre-Code collections!I'm personally pretty excited to see these classic stories all spiffied up and re-released. As someone who's very much into the history of the industry, I can't wait to get my hands on these bad boys!
This heavy-hitting year will see more volumes in the Crime Does Not Pay Archives series, with engaging forewords from Greg Rucka and Howard Chaykin. Adventures into the Unknown Archives will feature a series of essays by Bruce Jones, focusing on the long-running horror anthology and the climate that led to the Comics Code Authority.
Historian Dan Nadel will provide enlightening introductions for Forbidden Worlds Archives—a true “grab bag” anthology where anything strange, fantastic, or horrific can happen—and writer/artist/historian Michael T. Gilbert will write a series of information-packed foreword pieces forSilver Streak Archives Featuring the Original Daredevil.
“The comics found in these collections are incredibly hard to find, expensive, and full of freewheeling, pre-Code fun (and sometimes viscera). It’s a joy to be able to handle these comics and work on these collections—but a bigger joy comes from being able to bring these stories to new readers and to finally assign credits to some creators who have been uncredited for decades!” said Dark Horse editor Philip Simon.
The comics in these anthologies are seen as revered and influential—but they’ve been impossible to find. Now Dark Horse is making these gems available in affordable collections for discussion, dissection, and inspiration!
Here's the release schedule as it stands right now:
- Adventures into the Unknown Archives Volume 1 is on sale May 30, 2012.
- Silver Streak Archives Featuring the Original Daredevil Volume 1 is on sale June 27, 2012.
- Crime Does Not Pay Archives Volume 2 is on sale July 11, 2012.
- Forbidden Worlds Archives Volume 1 is on sale December 12, 2012.
