New Releases by Duane Swierczynski

CONCLUDING THE FIRST, NOIR ARC OF THE FLAGSHIP DARK CIRCLE COMICS SERIES! “Bullet’s Kiss, Part 5”:The Black Hood finally corners the mysterious “Connection” on the abandoned seventh floor of City Hall. No cops, no witness—just the two of them, ready to throw down. But when the Connection finally reveals his identity, Greg realizes the game was rigged from the beginning. And it’s going to take all of the Black Hood’s strength to walk out of this building alive…

NEW ONGOING SERIES FROM DARK CIRCLE! “Bullet’s Kiss, Part 4” The Connection’s lieutenants have discovered the identity of the new Black Hood. And now Greg Hettinger has less than 24 hours to unmask their boss—the man who set Greg up! As the badly-injured Black Hood struggles to piece together the puzzle, he’s forced to put his faith in a woman who could end up saving him… or sending him straight to the slammer!

Collects Cable (2008) #21-25. From the moment Cable jumped into the time stream with the infant "mutant messiah," he''s had only one goal: keep Hope alive until she can choose her own destiny. But now, stranded on a planet in its death throes, eating fried rat on a stick for the millionth time, Hope turns to Cable and tells him she''s ready to go home. Thus begins "Homecoming," the penultimate chapter in the X-Men saga that began with "Messiah CompleX." It''s not only zero hour for Cable and Hope, but also for the mutant hunting them, Lucas Bishop, who is rapidly running out of chances to save mutantkind and the world. Because if Hope does make it back to the present, everything changes for the X-Men

Collects Immortal Weapons #1-5. One volume packed with six thrilling tales of Kung Fu action. Follow Fat Cobra as he uncovers the true story behind his decades of adventure. See the action unfold as Bride of Nine Spiders is forced to confront her past after a disturbing relic surfaces at an exclusive auction house. Learn the mystery of Dog Brother #1 and how he may be involved in the string of disappearing orphans in Under-City. Then itu0092s Tigeru0092s Beautiful Daughter u0096 her beauty is legendary; her kung fu, unmatched. Now learn how one of the most gorgeous women in the world also became one of its deadliest fighters! Plus: so many questions surround the Prince of Orphans. what is his mission on Earth? What is the nature of his incredible power? And is there anyone who can defeat his kung fu? When Iron Fist joins Aman on a life-or-death mission to fight monsters and banish ghosts, Danny may learn the answers to these questions...if he survives!

X''s former accomplice Leigh Ferguson is shocked to learn that her high school friend has become the latest victim of "the Skin Traders," a mysterious gang of surgically modified thugs stealing slices of flesh from their abductees. Only the resilient vigilante X can stand up to the demented plastic surgeon who leads this "patchwork" crew. Scalpels clash with swords in a bloody hospital showdown! Collecting issues #17 through #20, this latest volume of Dark Horse''s edgy superhero series is a perfect starting point for new readers, but it''s also packed with Easter-egg references for longtime fans.

NEW ONGOING SERIES FROM DARK CIRCLE! “The Bullet’s Kiss, Part 3” The Black Hood is supposed to be dead. Shot, de-masked, autopsied, buried. So who’s running around town in a ratty black hood, declaring war on the underworld? The City of Philadelphia is electrified by the fleeting glimpses they see on social media—but both the cops and the drug gangs want him stopped at all costs. However, the new Black Hood may not have to be stopped. He’s coming unglued all on his own…

A murderer?s row of comic talents ? Peter Milligan (Hellblazer), Duane Swierczynski (Birds of Prey), B. Clay Moore (JSA: The Liberty Files), Howard Chaykin (American Flagg), Lewis LaRosa (Punisher MAX), Manuel Garcia (Black Widow), and many more ? come together for a collection of stories from throughout the bullet-riddled history of Valiant?s most brutal and relentless hero! Meet the man behind Bloodshot ? or is he? ? when one soldier?s untapped killer instinct takes over in ?The Glitch?! Then, Russian superpies don?t die easy as ?Sleepers? takes Bloodshot deep into the biting cold of a former Soviet state and face to face with an enemy eerily similar to himself. Plus: the origin of Bloodshot retold, Howard Chaykin?s ?Protocol?, and much more! Collecting BLOODSHOT #24, the oversized BLOODSHOT #25 anniversary extravaganza, and an exclusive Director?s Cut of BLOODSHOT #1 ? featuring a never-before-seen, behind-the-scenes look inside the script, art, and character designs of the blockbuster first issue that set Bloodshot in motion!

NEW SERIES FROM DARK CIRCLE! “The Bullet’s Kiss, Part 2” The acclaimed crime series continues with another dose of deadly noir by two masters of the genre. When you steal from the underworld, the underworld will come looking for you—even if you’re a cop. Greg Hettinger has unwittingly crossed the city’s most fearsome drug lord—a man only known as “The Connection,” who sends two of his most fearsome lieutenants after Greg. It’s one thing to have trouble come knocking on your front door. But it’s another when it’s already inside your house…

Disguised as harmless suburbanites, "the Rents" are actually psychotic assassins, determined to take their place at the top of Arcadia''s food chain. Leigh delivers X''s traditional warning . . . but ends up in a construction site firefight with some _very_ unpleasant soccer moms! * Featuring guest artist Tony Parker (_R.I.P.D.: City of the Damned_)! * Comics'' most merciless hero cleans up the mess he made! 

NEW ONGOING SERIES from the brand new DARK CIRCLE imprint! “The Bullet’s Kiss – Part 1 of 5” When Philadelphia police officer Greg Hettinger stepped into the middle of a gunfight, hot lead shredded his face—and he pulled the trigger, blind. Now Greg is waking up in a world where he’s a killer, hopelessly scarred and hooked on painkillers. What does a man do when he can no longer face the world, yet still wants to do good? He puts on a hood…

It''s dangerous enough when an ordinary college girl turns confidential informant. Even more dangerous when she''s smarter than the killer, kingpins, and cops who think they control her. Honors student Sarie Holland is busted by the local police while doing a favor for her boyfriend. Unwilling to betray him but desperate to avoid destroying her future, Sarie has no choice but to become a "CI" -- a confidential informant. Philly narcotics cop Ben Wildey is hungry for a career-making bust. The detective thinks he''s found the key in Sarie: her boyfriend scores from a mid-level dealer with alleged ties to the major drug gangs. Sarie turns out to be the perfect CI: a quick study with a shockingly keen understanding of the criminal mind. But Wildey, desperate for results, pushes too hard and inadvertently sends the nineteen-year-old into a death trap, leaving Sarie hunted by crooked cops and killers alike with nothing to save her -- except what she''s learned during her harrowing weeks as an informant. Which is bad news for the police and the underworld. Because when it comes to payback, CI #1373 turns out to be a very quick study...

It''s a bloody showdown on Arcadia''s rooftops as X is assaulted by the pig- faced Berkshire, a maniac who can no longer feel physical pain! As Leigh fends off a swarm of the city''s thugs, Berkshire shatters the lock around X''s neck . . . and the mask finally comes off! * A cornerstone of Dark Horse''s new superhero line! This is a gleeful bloody spree that executes bullet pace writing and splatterhouse art to bring out one of the most brutal vigilantes in comics today." Comic Book Resources _X_ is a terrific combination of crime drama, vigilante action, and merciless revenge. After reading this issue, you will understand why X is one helluva scary superhero." Bloody Disgusting 

The vermin of Arcadia''s underworld chase Leigh into a literal urban maze. . .and what''s waiting at the end ain''t cheese! A revived Berkshire''s got a beautiful new face and an appetite for revenge, mobilizing the entire police force against X. "Very gritty story here, and that goes for the artwork as well! Bullets flying and blood splattering is on the menu, so if that''s your thing, don''t miss out!"Comic Attack 

Tango’s gang was a handful, but the Archon and his army, the Chosen, are more powerful than any enemy X has ever faced! Betrayed or abandoned by his allies, X must face Arcadia’s newest threat the old-fashioned way: alone! Collects issues #13–#16. • X faces the greatest foe Arcadia has ever seen! “X is, month in and month out, a brutally entertaining series.”—Comic Book Resources

With help from Leigh, Ruidoso, and his strange new ally, X is ready to take on the predatory drug lord Gundog . . . but another call of duty beckons, this time from _outside_ Arcadia. Is the man who gave his entire life for his city willing to leave it behind? I''ve come to enjoy seeing the man called X kill everything in sight in the name of his mission.�Bloody Disgusting

**Cover by Rafael Albuquerque!** The Archon returns to Arcadia to settle an old score with an enigmatic masked man called the Mark, and X is caught in the middle! But what can one man do to subdue two seemingly unstoppable titans whose skin can stop bullets? * Marked for Death� part 1, chapter 2!

A murderer?s row of all-star talents is going all-in for an oversized, 48-page milestone anniversary blowout chronicling the classified history of Valiant?s most dangerous, most brutal, most relentless hero ? BLOODSHOT! Meet the man behind Bloodshot ? or is he? ? when one soldier?s untapped killer instinct takes over in a feature-sized lead tale of blood, guts, and heart by Peter Milligan and Lewis LaRosa! PLUS?an all-new story by comics master Howard Chaykin! The original BLOODSHOT launch team of Duane Swierczynski and Manuel Garc?a join forces again for an all-new adventure! AND?Duffy Boudreau and Al Barrionuevo take you on Bloodshot?s journey from the end of the line with H.A.R.D. Corps to the Colombian jungle where Unity found him! Along with many more bonus stories and artwork, a complete cover gallery, and more!

**MARKED FOR DEATH!** The last time the Archon showed up in Arcadia, it was to deliver the beating of X''s life. X vowed that if the Archon ever showed his face in his city again, it would be for the last time. So when an enigmatic masked man arrives in town sniffing around for information on the Archon, he gains X''s full attention, whether he wants it or not! Be here for the first issue of the _Marked for Death_ saga that starts in _X_ and concludes in _Captain Midnight_!

**THIS PATIENT HAS LOST HIS PATIENCE!** The Skin Traders and their psycho leader, Dr. Heide, have tracked X to a besieged Arcadia hospital! Horrifically injured, X will have to use every dirty trick in his playbook to barbecue Pig Man and his snorting henchmen! Swierczynski and Nguyen serve up wall-to-wall action! * The final installment of the Flesh and Blood� arc! Swierczynski has hit his stride, making _X_ one of my favourite monthly reads.�Geeks Unleashed

The enigmatic vigilante X has shattered Arcadia''s criminal triumvirate, the Three Pigs, and fixed his eye on an even tougher target. But with the police department AND the crime establishment teamed up against him, muckraking blogger Leigh Ferguson may be X''s only ally! The brutal story of Dark Horse''s bloodiest hero begins anew! * Swierczynski and Nguyen relaunch the classic Dark Horse vigilante! * X is the letter of the law! 

X has a bone to pick with Arcadia''s political kingmaker Berkshire, and the two share some "face time." Meanwhile, Leigh''s online expos̩ attracts some murderously angry readers. Swierczynski and Nguyen take on Dark Horse''s classic vigilante! X MAKES HIS DARK HORSE RETURN WITH SWIERCZYNSKI! 

Three crime lords in the decaying city of Arcadia have received photographic death sentences from the mysterious X Killer.� Their cunning defenses won''t stop Arcadia''s vigilante from making sure each one of them _suffers_. From the pages of _Dark Horse Presents._ Duane Swierczynski (_Punisher, Godzilla_) and Eric Nguyen brutally relaunch Dark Horse''s classic vigilante! * Super Violent! 

**The perverse pig-man� unmasked!** A nameless man, scarred from an encounter with the Skin Traders, is wheeled into the hospitalonly Leigh Ferguson knows that this John Doe is none other than Arcadia''s most wanted, X! But the sicko surgeon that sliced him up is closing in to finish the job. Dark Horse''s _X_ is really hitting its stride and readers should get on board immediately.�Unleash the Fanboy

When Leigh Ferguson''s high school friend becomes the latest victim of the Skin Traders�a mysterious band of surgically modified thugs who slice skin from their abducted victimsshe knows X is the only person in Arcadia who can stop them. The only question is: who''s got thicker skin? * With a shocking Easter egg for longtime readers! * Perfect jumping on point for new readers.

X has faced some tough foes in his vigilante careerbut even Berkshire, Deathwish, and the Dogs of War were still regular humans! Now, a case of mistaken identity has pitted X against the immense (and immensely powerful) Archon . . . in a fight that will bring Arcadia to its knees! * A crucial chapter in the Project Black Sky event! I like where _X_ is headed and have bought in to Swierczynski and Nguyen''s world, lock, stock, and bloody barrel!�Unleash the Fanboy

An oversized, deluxe hardcover collecting Bloodshot?s brutal first year in the Valiant Universe! From his first no-holds-barred suicide run to the heated firefights of the Harbinger Wars, Valiant?s indestructible, nanite-enhanced commando begins the quest for the long-lost answers behind his origin in this prestige-sized collection by acclaimed writer Duane Swierczynski (Birds of Prey) and all-star artists Manuel Garcia (Black Widow), Barry Kitson (Amazing Spider-Man), Arturo Lozzi (Immortal Weapons), and Matthew Clark (Adventures of Superman). Collecting BLOODSHOT #1-13, the Bloodshot Deluxe Edition Book One oversized hardcover also comes jam-packed with more than 20 pages of never-before-seen art and extras, direct from the Valiant vaults.

With Arcadia in the grip of a war between the old gangs and the newly arrived militia known as The Chosen,� mob boss Carmine Tango arranges a meeting with a visiting billionaire. When X crashes the party, he''ll discover an enemy categorically unlike any he''s ever faced! I like where _X_ is headed and have bought in to Swierczynski and Nguyen''s world, lock, stock and bloody barrel!�Unleash the Fanboy

A merciless and unstoppable army calling themselves the Chosen� have invaded Arcadia, starting a full-fledged war with Carmine Tango''s forces. They''re looking for something . . . or _someone_. X has recovered from Tango''s torment and is ready to pound some answers out of both parties! * A game-changing new villaina new chapter in the Project Black Sky event!

In 1949, a crime reporter looking for a way to fill a column published the nation’s ten worst criminals as classified by the FBI: two accused murderers, four escaped convicts, a bank robber, and three “confidence men.” In addition to the stark black and white photos that accompanied the article, the public was most moved by the idea that law enforcement was asking them for help. Fired up by the gesture of confidence, Americans banded together to wholeheartedly support the motion, leading to tips that helped facilitate the capture of the advertised criminals. Some of those on the list even surrendered voluntarily due to the increased publicity. The rogues’ gallery showcases fugitives such as: • William Raymond Nesbit, first on the list to be captured • James Earl Ray, assassin of Martin Luther King Jr. • Ted Bundy, ruthless serial killer • Ruth Eisemann-Schier, kidnapper and first woman to make the Top Ten • Ramzi Ahmed Yousef, 1993 World Trade Center bomber This encyclopedia includes criminals’ photographs, crime details, and “interesting fugitive facts” as well as a brief history of the list and what it has accomplished in more than fifty years.

A masked vigilante known only as "X" dispenses justice without mercy to the criminals who rule the decaying city of Arcadia. When muckraking blogger Leigh Ferguson snoops down the wrong alley, she gets swept into X''s bloody war with a politically powerful crime lord. Duane Swierczynski (Godzilla, Cable and X-Force) and Eric Nguyen (Batman: Arkham Unchained) dish out nonstop, visceral action, with Dark Horse''s most brutal and exciting character—X! Collects issues #0-#4 of the ongoing series. * Nguyen''s shocking art is a fever dream of violence!