Hellboy creator Mike Mignola takes this ominous opportunity to introduce his newest character, Dr. Gosbro Coffin -- the Sherlock Holmes of the Lovecraftian set -- who's out to solve the mystery of "The Bookroom Horror." But when the case is solved, will Dr. Coffin still be alive to appreciate the solution? Mignola's story is illustrated by Ryan Sook. Scott Allie and up-and-coming comics great Galen Showman bring our faithful readers "Worm Song," in which two paranormal investigators attempt to steal an ancient book from a powerful and an evil sorceress. Finally, Welles Hartley and Vince Giarrano team up for a look through "The Keyhole." When Dr. Carrigan died, he left behind a notebook filled with details of a forbidden experiment. Now someone has plans to resurrect that experiment and have a peek at what lies beyond our mortal plane. But something's peeking back . . .
"There's no question that H.P. Lovecraft had a profound influence on horror fiction -- and comics," said editor Randy Stradley. "We brought together three pairs of creators, each of which pays tribute to that influence in their own way. The results are surprising in that they each incorporate similar elements, but also manage to remain diverse and unique; a real demonstration of the breadth and depth of Lovecraft's vision."
Codex Arcana -- a Tribute to H.P. Lovecraft (a.k.a DHP #142) is 32 pages of black-and-white horror stories executed in the Lovecraftian tradition. This intrepid exploration of the world of the unknown will be summoned to comics shops everywhere April 14. Unlike most journeys through the realm of the forbidden, this won't cost your soul -- but it will set you back $2.95.