Noted crime-fiction writer and children's rights advocate Andrew Vachss (Flood, Down in the Zero, Batman: The Ultimate Evil) has teamed with novelist James Colbert (Profit and Sheen and All I Have is Blue) to produce a new novel called Cross: Genesis. Dark Horse Comics will adapt this novel into a seven-issue comics miniseries, beginning in October with Cross #0.

"What makes this project unique," said editor Randy Stradley, "is that we are adapting this novel to comics before its general publication."

Readers who are familiar with Burke, the tough detective protagonist of such Vachss novels as Flood, Strega, Blue Belle, Hard Candy, Blossom, and others, won't be disappointed. Cross, the protagonist of the series, is a hardened survivor of the juvenile justice system and is feared and respected by the underworld figures he encounters and with whom he clashes.

Some of these people form a de facto "family" around Cross, characters like the horribly abused and disfigured strongman known as Rhino. And Princess, a hugely muscular and pugnacious associate of Cross' who dresses effeminately mainly because, as he puts it, "it helps me get into fights." These characters were first realized visually by Hard Boiled and The Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot artist Geof Darrow.

The Cross comic-book miniseries is scripted by Chet Williamson, with art by Shannon Londin-Gallant and Monty Sheldon. Geof Darrow contributes covers.