With winter holidays and end of the year quickly approaching, it's time to take a look back at some of the works Dark Horse has published this past year. These recommendations come courtesy of Dark Horse staff members, including voices from our Editorial, Marketing, Product Development and Trade Sales departments. Throw a log on that fire and cozy up on the couch with a blanket and hot cup of cocoa for Dark Horse's 2022 End of The Year Staff Favorites!
END OF THE YEAR STAFF FAVORITES 2022
MAZEBOOK BY JEFF LEMIRE
ARTIST: JEFF LEMIRE
COVER ARTIST: JEFF LEMIRE
"As a father to a young daughter, this book hit me in the feels pretty hard. Not only is it a wonderful story, but Lemire will take you through a gamut of emotions as you follow the red string and try to solve the maze. A wonderful read and the art is superb. (And check out the Limited Collector's Edition here.)" --Randy Lahrman, VP of Product Development and Sales
LADY BALTIMORE: THE WITCH QUEENS BY MIKE MIGNOLA AND CHRISTOPHER GOLDENARTIST: BRIDGIT CONNELL
LETTERER: CLEM ROBINS
COLORIST: MICHELLE MADSEN
COVER ARTIST: ABIGAIL LARSON
"Adventure, magic, and a ton of ass-kicking are set against the backdrop of an alternate-history WWII in Lady Baltimore: The Witch Queens HC! Lady Sofia Baltimore has taken on the mantle of her late husband, Lord Baltimore, and continues the fight he began against the dark forces of the Outerverse. There are nazis, monsters of all kinds, one of the cutest sapphic couples to ever hit comics, and an innovative story the likes of which you won't find anywhere else! While Lady Baltimore is associated with the broader Outerverse titles like the much-loved Baltimore series (all created by Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden, with artists like Ben Stenbeck and Peter Bergting), it's the start of a whole new story, and doesn't require previous background reading. Jump right in!" --Jenny Blenk, Associate Editor
CHIVALRY BY COLLEEN DORAN AND NEIL GAIMANARTIST: COLEEN DORAN
COLORIST: COLEEN DORAN
COVER ARTIST: COLLEEN DORAN
"Neil Gaiman's tale is full of gentle humor, as noble Sir Galaad, a medieval fish out of water in modern times, is confounded repeatedly by practical Mrs. Whitaker's lack of interest in his heroic deeds and otherworldly gifts--all attempts to gain the Holy Grail, which she has in her possession, having bought it for 30p at a secondhand shop. Colleen Doran adapts this story with expressive watercolors and beautiful illuminated calligraphy that perfectly illustrate medieval scenes, modern-day neighborhoods, and juxtapositions of both. Like Snow, Glass, Apples before this, Chivalry is an absolutely stunning book to just sit and look at. Each page is full of details to discover and savor. Chivalry is a must-read for anyone who loves Neil Gaiman's works, Colleen Doran's remarkable artistic ability, Arthurian legends, and good stories to enjoy with a cup of tea." --Cara O'Neil, VP of Marketing
LIEBESTRASSE BY GREG LOCKARDARTIST: TIM FISH
LETTERER: LUCAS GATTONI
COLORIST: HECTOR BARROS
COVER ARTIST: TIM FISH
"This historical fiction is about two gay men, one American and one German, falling in love in Berlin during the rise of the Nazi party. It's exceedingly well executed and affecting, and explores a part of history I hadn't seen before in comics." --Mark Bernardi, VP of Book Trade & Digital Sales
ALWAYS NEVER BY JORDI LAFEBREARTIST: JORDI LAFEBRE
COLORIST: CLEMENCE SAPIN
TRANSLATOR: MONTANA KANE
COVER ARTIST: JORDI LAFEBRE
"A beautiful honest-to-life romance told in reverse. Starting with a couple finally coming together after 40 years of touch-and-go moments and working back to the moment they met. With stunning visuals throughout and a brilliantly layered story, Always Never is as appealing to a 65-year-old paperback reader as it is to a 17-year-old struggling to handle their first crush. This book may not fix a broken heart completely but it is darn good medicine." --Konner Knudsen, Associate Editor
SURVIVAL STREET BY JAMES ASMUS AND JIM FESTANTEARTIST: ABYLAY KUSSAINOV
COLORIST: ELLIE WRIGHT
COVER ARTIST: ABYLAY KUSSAINOV
"I've been excited about Survival Street since it was announced and each and every issue has never let me down (maybe it's because I also relate too much to Gurgle and the way she reacts around ice cream...). Though it's meant to be satirical, the series has packed a punch that hits hard enough to make me feel like I'm truly looking at our future. It makes me wish we had our own rag-tag team of puppets to save the day. But since we don't, I'll keep pushing this series to other people, hoping that it'll be entertaining to them, but also enough to make them try to do what they can to change the world around us as well." --Kaitlyn Nash, PR/Social Media Associate
WINDS OF NUMA SERA VOLUME 1 BY MORGAN ROSENBLUM AND JONNY HANDLERARTIST: EDUARD PETROVICH, EDUARDO MELLO, ALESSIO MORONI, FILIPE ANDRADE
LETTERER: ISMAIL "NI HII" NIHAD
COLORIST: VALENTINA TADDEO, FILIPE ANDRADE
COVER ARTIST: PHILLIP KRUSE
"Winds of Numa Sera’ is a medieval fantasy epic with gorgeous art and a storyline that make the title terrific for escapism. There are a few main characters, each with different plights and varying levels of connection to each other. They are all fighting to create their own fate: the young Empress who came to rule after the sudden death of her father, the baron’s daughter who wants a lifestyle that is no longer permissible for her, a stable boy framed for murder and on the run, and a warrior who longs to change the old ways of his tribe. Throughout the story you visit multiple nations within the Empire of Numa Sera (and one without), each of them striking, with their own appearance, values, traditions, and levels of regard for the empire—making a very living background and foreground for the characters as they maneuver through their days. Simply . . . this book is entertaining, attractive, and filled with lots of adventure!" --Freddye Miller, Managing Editor
BREAK OUT BY ZACK KAPLANARTIST: WILTON SANTOS, JASON WORDIE
COVER ARTIST: ADAM GORHAM
"Zack Kaplan’s new comic series has all the makings of a 'breakout' new hit! This heist style comic features a bold exciting story with a diverse cast of characters! Like Ocean's Eleven with aliens and robots, each issue has kept me on the edge of my seat, eagerly awaiting to see whether Liam and his friends have what it takes to outsmart 'The Cube.' But more importantly, if they have what it takes to rescue their friends and family! The series also features stunning pages of artwork and color that truly bring the characters and world of Break Out to life! Whether you’re a fan of sci-fi, heist films, or just like reading stories about teenagers thrown into impossible situations, Break Out is an exciting ride that you definitely don’t want to miss out on!" --Chris Beltran, Public Relations Coordinator