The Return of Dark Horse Presents

[Angilas-Man]

I'll be getting the first issue of the new, supersized Dark Horse Presents in a few days as a birthday gift - thoughts from those who've already read it?


I'm really excited about a new Concrete story.

[kossori]

I'm looking forward to reading it, too. My DCBS order should be in by the 3rd, I hope.

[GordonM]

I've read it and was sadly left unimpressed and with no real desire to pick up issue 2. It seems bloated with lots of poor-quality filler material (Blood, Crimson Empire) and the over-hyped preview of Frank Miller's Xerses turns out to be only four pages of not very interesting material. The only two strips I really enjoyed were Concrete and The Snow Angel.

After all the good work done by MySpace Dark Horse Presents this feels like a real step backwards.

[Pocuserve]

Hopefully, they'll make another Serenity comic.

[Leocomix]

I liked it. Chaykin and Adams were okay.
I never tire of Gulacy's work. he had a good inker here though Palmiotti remains my favourite

[Judge-Sergeant-Marron]

Hoping to pick it up next time I'm near my LCS, been looking forward to it since it was announced. Always loved thumbing through back-issue bins looking for copies of the old run.

[Angilas-Man]

Just read the Concrete story. I was amazed it was only 8 pages. Cadwick managed to pack a whole lot of story into that brief page count.

I think the first three issues will all have new Concrete stories in them, and we'll have some Beasts of Burden and Hellboy coming soon.

[Arnold Layne]

The only things that really impressed me were the Gulacy and Corben artwork. Other than that, it was a complete disappointment, particularly Neal Adams' story.

[daedalus007]

i was quite disappointed as well. i have plenty of fond memories of DHP including Sin City, Concrete, and Matt Wagner's unfinished The Aerialist. i really hope he revisits the story one day but that's wishful thinking. maybe a Grendel tale or two in upcoming issues?

[matt levin]

Sadly, I too was disappointed. I bought the first issue the first time around, and every issue after that til long past the Sin City pages.

Color? Color? We don't neeeed no steenking color! Well, not so MUCH! Why, I remembers when DHP was ALL B&W, so lovely...

The 'Crete Story and "Marked Man" seemed very rushed to me, and one really had to've been following the Concrete stories of the past several years to 'get' a lot of this story (where'd little 'Crete come from?).

"Blood" seems obviously an intro, and a little over-bloody for me; "Finder" I enjoyed (longtime fan), but again--why the color (sales boost?); still haven't yet read Miller's interview (but look how eye-catching the B&W art is among all the rest!).

Old Masters Ellison and Corben sure still 'have it', if a little familiarly; in fact, stripped of words, Corben's piece could've been one of many past pieces. I'm not much a Star Wars fan: this didn't bring me in as a story, and Gulacy, like Corben, brings little new to me.

"Snow Angel" was interesting (but--a little boy in shorts & T-shirt (Charlie Brown?!) in the middle of winter? stealing a bike?) but a little confusing, and the "Quiz" just sort of one-shot juvenile funny, once.

All of which is why I voted for "Mr. Monster" as best offering-- as outrageous--even new--as ever, and here the color was stand-out, perfectly fit to the subject.

All considered, though, VERY glad to see DHP reappear and I hope for ever more and ever better. And black and white--!

[Angilas-Man]

Well, we're three issues in and the book has really grown on me. At first I was solely reading it for the Concrete stories (the last of which appeared this month, and I think it was the best of the bunch) but I went back and read the whole thing later and have done so with each subsequent issue. $7+ seemed real steep at first, but I really feel this comic is worth the purchase: with each issue you get a bit of excellent, a bit of good, a bit of okay, and a bit of crap - and going through it all makes for a good experience.

The biggest surprise to me is Finder, which I had never heard of before but have become and instant fan of.

The issues up 'till the beginning of next year are all must buys because of creators and characters featured therein (next issue has Beasts of Burden and Criminal Macabre, after that Eric Powell and then 3 issues with Mignolaverse stories) but I think I'll continue reading even when they don't feature such a personal draw.

[Angilas-Man]

Wow, for all of those who found the earlier issues underwhelming I strongly suggest you pick up #4. It's the first thoroughly brilliant issue of the title:

No more Concrete stories, but the always dependable Finder continues, joined by a great new Beasts of Burden (Yay!) and a lush, day-in-the-life of dinosaurs Age of Reptiles story. Criminal Macabre and Dog Mendonca and Pizzaboy are both effective monster mash type tales and have neat cliffhangers, and Resident Alien is a cool mix of detective fiction with a paranormal protagonist. Then the title closes with a neat little story about the Iranian revolution from the p.o.v. of some school kids. This book really did have a bit of everything. In the previous issues I usually only really liked about 3 of the stories, which was fine, but the fact that I loved most of the stories in this one has got me really jazzed!

I loved this book so much I'm already eying DH's omnibus collections of Age of Reptiles and Criminal Macabre.

I've been eying the Finder books for a few weeks already.

[weeks]

Wow, for all of those who found the earlier issues underwhelming I strongly suggest you pick up #4. It's the first thoroughly brilliant issue of the title:

No more Concrete stories, but the always dependable Finder continues, joined by a great new Beasts of Burden (Yay!) and a lush, day-in-the-life of dinosaurs Age of Reptiles story. Criminal Macabre and Dog Mendonca and Pizzaboy are both effective monster mash type tales and have neat cliffhangers, and Resident Alien is a cool mix of detective fiction with a paranormal protagonist. Then the title closes with a neat little story about the Iranian revolution from the p.o.v. of some school kids. This book really did have a bit of everything. In the previous issues I usually only really liked about 3 of the stories, which was fine, but the fact that I loved most of the stories in this one has got me really jazzed!

I loved this book so much I'm already eying DH's omnibus collections of Age of Reptiles and Criminal Macabre.

I've been eying the Finder books for a few weeks already.

i've read issues 2-4 (#1 is in the mail as we speak) and i completely agree that #4 is the best issue yet. my first exposure to beasts of burden, which i've been eying for awhile, so i think i might have to get that series. dog mendoca & pizzaboy was by far my favorite of the issue though. the art is gorgeous and the story is heartfelt, sad, and funny all within a few pages, which is very difficult to achieve. also enjoyed "the protest". wish it would have had a "to be continued" instead of "end". glad i gave this series a shot. love getting exposed to stuff i probably wouldn't have given a chance to otherwise.

[matt levin]

I have to get on the number-four is the one bus. I'd still like to see them go at least partly back to black and white, though. The only thing I miss from previous issues is Mr. Monster, but expect he'll be back someday. This 4th issue is more what I'd like to see more of-- Age of Reptiles, Beasts of Burden, Finder, Criminal Macabre & Resident Alien were the hits for me this issue. & on to number five...!

[Julian Fine]

There's Age of Reptiles along with Beasts of Burden? I guess I can't avoid it now.