New Releases by Fred van Lente

The fairy-tale slasher reaches its terrifying conclusion! The chimes of midnight are about to strike. Princess-Detective Tanith has figured out the identity of the masked slasher called the Girl Without Hands and the reasons behind her bloody rampage—but is it in time to rescue her best friend, before they both Die Unhappily Never After?

The police have the Storybook Kingdom theme park in lockdown as they grill witnesses of the fairy-tale murders…but that just makes everyone trapped inside the next potential victim of the terrifying masked slasher known as The Girl With No Hands. Princess-Detective Tanith has been imprisoned in Storybook Jail, accused of The Girl’s crimes herself—can she escape in time to learn the hideous secret lurking in Rapunzel’s Tower?

Who will be the fairy-tale serial killer’s next victim among the “cast members” of the Storybook Kingdom theme park? Prince Prince Charming (yes, his name is Prince) of the Queen’s Guard? Joelle, the Littlest Mermaid? Jamar, a.k.a. John Henry, the Steel-Driving Man? Two of the above? All of the above? Princess-Detective Tanith must save them by exposing the masked killer in time!

The Bourne Identity meets X-Men in Bloodshot, an all-new origin story and a heart-pounding adventure featuring the popular comic book character from Valiant Entertainment. He wakes up in the middle of the woods with chalk-white skin, the ability to heal from any injury, and no memory of who or what he is. He is Bloodshot, and now he’s caught between the shadowy defense contractor that wants to capture him, and the underground network of dangerous psychics that want to destroy him. Now, Kalea, the young woman who found him, has a target on her back just for trying to help. To save himself and his friends, Bloodshot must stay alive long enough to unravel the mystery of his own identity—and deal with the real possibility that his own family are the ones who most want him dead.

Gory fairy-tale murders continue to plague the Storybook Kingdom amusement park, but Prince Prince Charming (yes, his name is Prince) and his Queen’s Guard (a.k.a. park security) care more about covering up the slayings than solving them. Defying her bosses, Princess-Detective Tanith ventures into the Spooky Forest to solve the mystery, only to find herself in a life-or-death encounter with the masked killer in the bowels of Dracula’s Castle!

In this climactic issue, the Volk and the Crooked Cross gangs have gotten hold of Jennifer Blood’s Battle Diary and figured out that she’s been playing them against each other this whole time. Now they’ve got her cornered and marked for death — just the way she likes it! Forensics expert FRED VAN LENTE (Marvel Zombies) and crime scene photographer ROBERT CAREY (The Outsiders) deliver a comprehensive postmortem in Jennifer Blood: Battle Diary #5 — featuring additional image analyses from CAREY, JOSEPH MICHAEL LINSNER, and LESLEY “LEIRIX” LI!

Though her signature combination of psychological manipulation and brutal violence, Jennifer Blood has the Volk white supremacist prison gang and the Crooked Cross biker fanatics tearing at each other’s throats. But now that she has provided the spark to light the flames, the resulting conflagration may be too big to contain — and threatens to consume everyone Jennifer cares about! Trusted reporters FRED VAN LENTE (Marvel Zombies) and ROBERT CAREY (The Outsiders) deliver all the details in Jennifer Blood: Battle Diary #4 — featuring additional coverage from CAREY, JOSEPH MICHAEL LINSNER, and LESLEY “LEIRIX” LI!

Back on the scene again after taking some time off to be dead, the unstoppable killing machine known as JENNIFER BLOOD has found herself a whole new class of scumbags to target. But wait, what’s she doing helping a vicious Nazi biker gang rob a bank? Has the world gone crazy? Or is this all part of Jennifer’s master plan to take them down? In any case, there’s definitely a whole lot of violence on the way! Court reporter FRED VAN LENTE (Marvel Zombies) and sketch artist ROBERT CAREY (The Outsiders) bring you the official transcript of the ensuing mayhem in Jennifer Blood: Battle Diary # 3 — embellished with artfully arranged mugshots from CAREY, JOSEPH MICHAEL LINSNER, and LESLEY “LEIRIX” LI!

Dying Light 2. Stay Human. Set right before the start of Dying Light 2, and 15 years following the events of Dying Light, the story stars orphans Daud and Aisha. They were just children when the Harran Virus outbreak struck the world, and have known nothing other than the plague for their entire lives. Evacuated and found by Berg, they were trained to become Night Runners, to work together and steal for him as his influence grows among the Survivors. Reaching young adulthood, Daud and Aisha are finally sick of living under his thumb, hatching plans to run away together. When the secrets are discovered, Berg sells off Aisha to a rival. Forcing Daud on a harrowing journey to rescue his love, through the deadly Volatiles and utilizing the game''s signature parkour. Writer Fred Van Lente is the perfect match for this official story, having penned hit comics such as Marvel Zombies and DIE!namite, joined by artist Adam Markiewicz. As they chronicle a thrilling and touching tale within the world that 17 million players have run, jumped, and fought their way through.

A Civil War–era historical novel featuring the first female agents in the Pinkerton National Police Agency, who work to foil an assassination attempt on President Lincoln’s life. The year is 1861, the eve of Abraham Lincoln’s inauguration. For Kate Warn, the first female private detective in American history, the only assignment tougher than exposing a conspiracy to assassinate the new president is training her new mentee, Hattie MacLaughlin, in the art of detection. The two women’s mission to save the president takes them from the granges of rural Maryland to the heart of secessionist high society, and sets them on a collision course that could alter the course of history. When Kate’s cover is blown, Hattie must choose between saving her new friend, and her country. Based on a true story.

Stop rubbing your eyes, fanboy, they don''t deceive you! Everyone''s favorite Merc with a Mouth stars in a third on-going series, hacking and wisecracking his way across the Marvel Universe. First up: when master assassin Arcade and Nightmare, Lord of the Dream Dimension, join forces to destroy Wade Wilson and THE INCREDIBLE HERCULES, they get more than they bargain for, taking on two of the MU''s most irresponsible heroes! Drunken mayhem, bad jokes, and billions of dollars of property damage ensue!

This massive collection features three classic Halo tales by some of the best writers and artists in comics. Halo: Uprising follows the Master Chief as he single-handedly takes on the Covenant''s miles-long Forerunner Dreadnought as it makes its way to Earth! Then, join the ranks of the UNSC''s meanest, most battle-hardened Marines in Helljumper, as a group of ODST respond to a remote science colony''s SOS call and discover an enormous Covenant military presence! Finally, a UNSC ship encounters a strange phenomenon that sends it plummeting toward an unknown planet. The Spartan Black fireteam needs to unlock the secrets of an ancient Forerunner installation if they''re going to survive the experience but, to complicate matters, they''re not the only ones shipwrecked. Check out their story in Halo: Blood Line!

There''s a new sheriff in the criminal-run town of Bountiful, and it''s Giulietta Romeo, Europe''s top hitwoman! Giulietta''s hot on the trail of Jennifer Blood, and needs to get her hands on the legendary vigilante''s "war journal" to help her--but the crooked judge who has it wants to strike a deadly bargain for it! It''s the annual Fourth of July celebration in Bountiful, and you can bet Jennifer Blood is bringing the fireworks! By FRED VAN LENTE (Wolverine) and VINCENZO FEDERICI (Red Sonja)!

So…once upon a time, a suburban housewife spent her nights as a mobster-murdering assassin, named JENNIFER BLOOD. Then she died…or did she? Because in the cozy cul-de-sacs of Bountiful, Utah, a noticeable number of normal people have gone missing. And by “normal,” I mean “mobsters under witness protection.” And by “missing,” I mean killed by someone that looks, sounds, and murders a lot like JENNIFER BLOOD… By FRED VAN LENTE (Wolverine) and VINCENZO FEDERICI (Red Sonja)!

EVIL SONJA and her SUPER-ZOMBIES want to access America’s nuclear arsenal. All that stands in Sonja’s way are the ragtag team of Vampirella, Ash from Army Of Darkness, and Jennifer Blood. In this issue, many, many (MOST) things explode. By FRED VAN LENTE (Marvel Zombies) and VINCENZO CARRATU (Zorro)!

HAWAII! Surfers! Bikinis! Evil zombies! Flesh-eating superheroes! And Vampirella meets the wrong end of Ash’s BOOMSTICK! Absolute batsh*t craziness from FRED VAN LENTE (Wolverine) and VINCENZO CARRATU (Zorro)!

In this issue: ANIME! ANIME! ANIME! How Japan conquered the world with a multipronged assault of giant robots, psychic bikers, and sailor moons! But Japan''s greatest animator, Hayao Miyazaki, rejects fantasies of power—and teaches everyone how to appreciate the power of fantasy! Also: Everyone remembers the smash-hit Pixar Image Computer that was in every household throughout the 1980s, right? No? Oh, right. It was a huge failure. But maybe you heard of the ground-breaking animation studio it spawned instead?

Don’t touch that dial! It’s “SATURDAY MORNING FUNHOUSE”! We roll into the 1960s, during which a CBS executive named Fred Silverman had the brilliant idea to turn Saturday mornings into all kids programming, transforming the toon landscape forever! Hanna and Barbera are fired from MGM, but become the biggest animators in the country—but what happens to all the jobs sent overseas? In Japan, the animation industry begins taking its first few steps toward dominance, where Hayao Miyazaki begins learning his trade—and yearning for more!

Put yourself in the mood for love...of delicious human flesh! Peter Cannon Thunderbolt has spent his entire life on a Himalayan mountain and his best friend Tabu is convinced to help him find a special someone, which is hard enough even in ideal conditions, but in the middle of a zombie apocalypse affecting all of Dynamite''s heroes, it may be impossible! Or...is it?

Who are the cosmic beings known only as the Psi-Lords? And how will they change the course of the Valiant Universe? Four space explorers awake in an otherworldly prison known as the Gyre with no memory of how they got there. Sent by space agencies from across the Earth and gifted with strange new celestial powers, these spacefarers will have to work together to survive. And out in these star-flung reaches, they?ll have nothing but their wits to guide them. That, and a mysterious voice in their heads that tells them if they want to escape and find their way home there is one thing they must do? Find the Psi-Lords. New York Times bestselling writer Fred Van Lente (IVAR, TIMEWALKER; GENERATION ZERO) and stunning artist Renato Guedes (SHADOWMAN) team up for a brand-new, galaxy-bending adventure! Collecting PSI-LORDS #1?8.

The team behind IDW’S Comic Book History of Comics returns with a brand-new series! From Aardman to Zoetrope, Disney to Miyasaki, Hanna-Barbera to Pixar, and everything in between! In this issue: Sound comes to cartoons, and Walt Disney takes the world by storm with Mickey Mouse, Silly Symphonies, and Snow White! A whole slew of icons are created, from the Fleischers’ Betty Boop to Warner Brothers’ Looney Tunes stars! But it''s not all fun and laughter for the animation workforce, whose strikes brings the industry to its knees!

Vampirella arrives on Mars but it may be too late for her and Dejah Thoris to save Barsoom...Things go from bad to worse as Earth Project: Zombiepowers spreads the killer virus throughout the globe...and Red Sonja and her mysterious companion may have the key to solving the plague, but first they’ve got to past an army of zombie gorillas. Did we say zombie gorillas? Yes, we said zombie gorillas.

A fast-break history of basketball--from its humble beginnings to its all-time great players--featuring engaging true tales from the court and vivid, dynamic illustrations. Whether it''s millionaire pros facing off in an indoor arena full of screaming fans or a lone kid shooting hoops on an outdoor court, basketball is one of the most popular and widely played sports in the world. The Comic Book Story of Basketball gives you courtside seats to the history of hoops. It chronicles the sport from its beginnings in a YMCA in Massachusetts to its current status as a beloved international game for men and women of all ages. Learn the true stories behind the college game, the street game, the women''s game, and the international game, with legendary players and coaches like Dr. J, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Steph Curry profiled throughout.

“A delightful, educational spin on history—and plenty of jokes,” said School Library Journal. “Sheer joy,” praised Booklist in a starred review. Finalist for the 2019 Excellence in Graphic Literature Award in Middle Grade Nonfiction U.S. history comes to life like never before in this full-color graphic novel! We all know that Theodore Roosevelt protected the environment and was the cousin of President Franklin Roosevelt. But did you also know that he was the inspiration for the teddy bear, wrote adventure books, and once gave a speech with a gunshot wound in his chest? Wimpy Kid meets the Who Was... series in these hilarious new graphic novels—where the history is real and the jokes are fake—from New York Times bestselling comic book author Fred Van Lente and award-winning cartoonist Ryan Dunlavey. Historically accurate and highly entertaining, Action Presidents’ bold and hilarious comic-style illustration is perfect for curious minds, filled with timelines, maps, charts, and more, readers will keep learning until the last page.

“A delightful, educational spin on history—and plenty of jokes,” said School Library Journal. “Sheer joy,” praised Booklist in a starred review. Finalist for the 2019 Excellence in Graphic Literature Award in Middle Grade Nonfiction U.S. history comes to life like never before in this full-color graphic novel! We all know that John F. Kennedy was a World War II hero and a pro at giving speeches. But did you also know he survived shark-infested waters, suffered a case of mistaken identity, and once used a coconut to send a secret message? Wimpy Kid meets the Who Was... series in these hilarious new graphic novels—where the history is real and the jokes are fake—from New York Times bestselling comic book author Fred Van Lente and award-winning cartoonist Ryan Dunlavey. Historically accurate and highly entertaining, Action Presidents’ bold and hilarious comic-style illustration is perfect for curious minds, filled with timelines, maps, charts, and more, readers will keep learning until the last page.

Collects Captain America (1968) #133, Incredible Hulk (1968) #287-290, Super-Villain Team-Up: M.O.D.O.K.''s 11 #1-5, Fantastic Four: Ataque del M.O.D.O.K.!, Marvel Adventures the Avengers #9, M.O.D.O.K.: Assassin #1-5, material from Tales of Suspense (1959) #93-94, Iron Man Annual #4. M.O.D.O.K. takes on the Marvel Universe in this heady collection of his greatest hits! A.I.M.’s most bizarre creation, the Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing, has a brain as powerful as it is oversized — and a burning desire for world domination! Watch as M.O.D.O.K. butts heads with Captain America, Iron Man, the Champions, the Hulk and the Fantastic Four — and even takes a bride?! Plus: M.O.D.O.K. gathers a team of villains for the ultimate heist! And on Battleworld, M.O.D.O.K. is the fearsome Merc with the Maw! But what happens when the Avengers are transformed into M.O.D.O.K.s too?!

Collecting Marvel Adventures Iron Man (2007) #1, 7; IRON MAN (1968) #234; IRON MAN (1998) #1. Iron Man is one of the greatest heroes in the Marvel-Verse - and these are some of his most action-packed adventures! When the genius Tony Stark is held captive and forced to make weapons, his best chance of escape lies in building the greatest weapon of all - the very fi rst version of the Iron Man armor! Then, Shellhead meets Webhead as Iron Man and Spider-Man team up to take down the deadly Radioactive Man! And when Tony Stark makes a dramatic public return to start the next chapter of his business life, a newly-souped up Iron Man finds himself targeted for death! Finally, does Iron Man stand a ghost of a chance battling the Marvel-Verse''s most fearsome armored foe - the dastardly Doctor Doom?!

Collects Incredible Hulk (2000) #106-112, Incredible Hercules #113-120 And Hulk Vs. Hercules: When Titans Collide; And Material From Giant-Size Hulk (2006) #1, Amazing Fantasy (2004) #15 And Incredible Hulk (2000) #100. Smashing out of the events of WORLD WAR HULK, the legendary Hercules takes center stage! Young genius Amadeus Cho recruits Hercules to help the Hulk — but when the dust settles, Herc and Cho find themselves outlaws! And the situation is further inflamed by Cho’s grudge against S.H.I.E.L.D. and Herc’s feud with his estranged half-brother, Ares, god of war! Then, the Greek Goliath assembles the godliest super-team ever to take on the deities of the invading Skrulls! Prepare for the pantheon-pounding premiere of…the God Squad! But who among them is a traitor? Plus: Untold tales of Hercules vs. Hulk — and Hulk vs. the Champions! And the excellent origin of Amadeus Cho!

Highlighting the illustration of Brian Ching and Guiu Villanova, Conan Omnibus 7: Witchcraft and Warfare offers over 400 story pages of ancient empires, bloodstained steel, and vile magic. Award-winning comics writer Fred Van Lente adapts Robert E. Howard''s "Xuthal of the Dusk" and "A Witch Shall Be Born." To heal his broken heart, Conan travels to the desert kingdoms to peddle his sword arm and seek treasure. But there will be little time for mourning when the barbarian warrior encounters his nemesis, the Stygian necromancer Thoth-Amon!

This illustrated mystery will appeal to comic book fans and anyone who appreciates an unconventional whodunit. Comic book artist Mike Mason arrives at San Diego Comic-Con, seeking sanctuary with other fans and creators—and maybe to reunite with his ex—but when his rival is found murdered, he becomes the prime suspect. To clear his name, Mike will have to navigate every corner of the con, from zombie obstacle courses and cosplay flash mobs to intrusive fans and obsessive collectors, in the process unraveling a dark secret behind one of the industry’s most legendary creators.