Dark Horse Comics has arranged for 1000 advanced copies of Neil Gaiman and John BoltonÂ’s Harlequin Valentine to be flown in from Singapore. The advanced copies will be sent directly to Diamond Comics Distributors for allocation, with a scheduled in-store arrival date of December 19th, 2001. The decision was made at the expense of the Milwaukie, OR-based publisher in order to provide retailers with the opportunity to display the hotly anticipated hardcover during the Christmas holiday rush, a time when customer traffic is at its peak. The advanced-shipping copies are intended to provide a peek at this eagerly awaited work and generate additional orders and business for the retailer. One preview copy will be allocated to the top 1000 accounts that ordered the most copies of the book.

Due to printing circumstances beyond the publisher’s control, the official release date for Harlequin Valentine was forced to be rescheduled for January 2002 — just in time, appropriately, for Valentine’s Day sales.

Following up on author Neil GaimanÂ’s best-selling American Gods, Harlequin Valentine is the latest entry into the writerÂ’s already staggeringly impressive oeuvre. This time, the multiple Eisner Award-winning writer brings us a story in the form of a poetic and heartfelt retelling of a classic legend of tomfoolery and unrequited love. Based on the classic Commedia DellÂ’Arte, Harlequin Valentine updates the story of Harlequin, a buffoon burdened with a brimming heart, as he chases his sensible and oblivious Columbine around the city. HarlequinÂ’s plight is universal, as the lovesick and impulsive clown, hopelessly infatuated with Columbine, sees his heart dragged about town, with a charming twist that puts a decidedly modern spin on the timeless tale.

The handsome 40-page hardcover, priced at $10.95, is beautifully illustrated by fan favorite John Bolton. Combining digitally enhanced photorealism with BoltonÂ’s already outstanding paint work, Harlequin Valentine is sure to appeal to anyone whoÂ’s felt loveÂ’s warm embrace and its cruel sting.