ARMY OF DARKNESS MARCHES AGAIN IN JULY

**MattBrady** · 03-31-2004, 02:29 PM

The Army rises again in July. Confirming and clarifying initial reports of Army of Darkness comics, Devil’s Due has announced that it will release Army of Darkness #1 in July, produced by their new studio partner, Dynamite Entertainment.

The issue will be written by Andy (Danger Girl) Hartnell, with art by Nick Bradshaw. Covers for the issue will be provided by J. Scott Campbell, Marc Silvestri, Ben Templesmith, with the fourth cover being a photo cover. The four covers will be equally divided. Additionally a rare 1-in-25 J. Scott Campbell sketch cover will be available, as well as a Necronomicon retailer incentive cover.

As it was originally announced, Dynamic Forces had acquired the rights to Army of Darkness as a comic book property.

“I’ve been nothing short of incredibly impressed with what Josh [Blaylock, President of Devil’s Due Publishing] has put together since striking out on his own,” said Nick Barrucci, President of Dynamic Forces in a release. “When we got the license for the comics, with our license to do trading cards, lithos and statues, we knew we needed to have a cool publisher release the dynamite series! Now, with the creative teams involved, we’re ready to send Army of Darkness straight to the top of the sales charts!”

Tied to the mythology made famous by Sam Raimi in his Evil Dead movies, Army of Darkness #1 showcases Ash in a story where the hero gets a chance at a “do-over” – a chance to set right a new problem he inadvertently caused when he misspoke the magic words in the Army of Darkness film. Straight from the comfort of S-Mart, Ash has to retrace his steps to a certain cabin in the woods he’s all too familiar with.

According to both publisher Blaylock and Barrucci, Army of Darkness #1 is the firstfruit of a packaging partnership which will yield new projects by the likes of Jim Starlin and John Byrne.

“Army of Darkness is something we’ve wanted to do for a long time, and I’m psyched that DF chose us as a partner,” Blaylock said. “Adding legends like John Byrne and Jim Starlin to the list was icing on the cake, and I can’t wait to see what they do. It’s an honor to have them published under my label.”

Army of Darkness #1 will be in the Devil’s Due section of the May Previews, for items scheduled to ship in July, 2004. The issue will retail for $2.99.

Robert Kirkman · 03-31-2004, 02:41 PM

Living Dead?

Huh?

I believe sombody means Evil Dead. I'll be first in line for this stuff. Ash is the coolest movie hero ever.

-Robert

**MattBrady** · 03-31-2004, 02:43 PM

yeah - Living = evil in my mind.

MattB

Vyper · 03-31-2004, 02:46 PM

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS SSSSS!!!!

Sweet Mary Mother of Jesus!!!! Hooooooooooray! Groovy! Hail to the King, baby!!!

Okay, okay, I'm excited!

If you ask me, this is about ten years overdue. Now if we could only get Sam Raimi to make the 4th Evil Dead movie...

walterk · 03-31-2004, 02:55 PM

hokay...color me stupid/ignorant...what's the tie between Evil Dead and Army of Darkness? (asks the pop culture major who's still got a lot of movies to "catch up" on).

art looks good...not quite sure what to make of this series, though...

ah well.

~Walt

Vyper · 03-31-2004, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by walterk
hokay...color me stupid/ignorant...what's the tie between Evil Dead and Army of Darkness? (asks the pop culture major who's still got a lot of movies to "catch up" on).

art looks good...not quite sure what to make of this series, though...

ah well.

~Walt

Infidel!!! Dost thou not knoweth that "Ye Army of Darkeness" beeths but the third of yon "Evil Dead" films (or is it filmth?).

tridon · 03-31-2004, 03:01 PM

Yeppers... Army of Darkness is Evil Dead 3. I'm very excited about this! Does anyone know if this'll be a mini-series or an ongoing series?

djcoffman · 03-31-2004, 03:03 PM

Evil Dead was the first film. Evil Dead 2, was the second, and kinda jokey-- then Army of Darkness was full on satire, and the third movie in the series....

I was hoping they would have started it with Ash in the future world that he slept into!

Very cool though! I'll be checking this one out. I've been admiring Nick Bradshaw's Evil Dead fan art stuff for quite awhile now on his website-- very nice stuff!

Jason Seaver · 03-31-2004, 03:22 PM

Damn... A comic company has finally found a way to make me buy variant covers. And buy the collection as well as the individual issues (though I won't go completely nuts... I only have half the Evil Dead DVDs Anchor Bay has put out).

Vyper · 03-31-2004, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jason Seaver
Damn... A comic company has finally found a way to make me buy variant covers. And buy the collection as well as the individual issues (though I won't go completely nuts... I only have half the Evil Dead DVDs Anchor Bay has put out).

Do you have the Evil Dead: Fistful of Boomstick game for you console?

G Dog · 03-31-2004, 03:52 PM

Cool. Let's hope Devil's Due can succeed in making a cool comic based on a cool movie where Hurricane failed miserably with their Snake Plissken book.

mrhelm · 03-31-2004, 03:52 PM

As long as it isn't as painful as the AoD video games they released a while back, I'll probably take a look at these.

Jason Seaver · 03-31-2004, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Vyper
Do you have the Evil Dead: Fistful of Boomstick game for you console?

Nah, my most recent console is my Dreamcast (I can't remember the last time I purchased a still-in-production console; it sits proudly beside my 7800 and Jaguar). I did pick up a used copy of "Hail To The King" and put up with five whole minutes of suck before reconsidering how devoted a fan I really need to be.

Vyper · 03-31-2004, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jason Seaver
Nah, my most recent console is my Dreamcast (I can't remember the last time I purchased a still-in-production console; it sits proudly beside my 7800 and Jaguar). I did pick up a used copy of "Hail To The King" and put up with five whole minutes of suck before reconsidering how devoted a fan I really need to be.

I agree with you on the HttK issue there - not a very good game. But, Fistful of Boomstick was the sole reason I got a PS2, and I really don't regret it - no weird puzzles to solve, just massacre deadites with you trusty chainsaw and boomstick, watch some cool CG animation, and enjoy priceless Bruce Campbell lines like "I was sent to hell and back again... and... again." or "All right, all right, don't get your panties in a bunch... You are wearing panties, right?"

dollman · 03-31-2004, 04:10 PM

This was the only film of the Evil Dead series that I watched...not much of a horror fan, but my buddies insisted that I'd enjoy the humor. They were right.

Remember Bruce Campbell's short-lived but brilliant Adventures of Brisco County Jr. series on Fox? Perhaps DF can secure the comic rights for Brisco?

DigiHal · 03-31-2004, 04:15 PM

Sweet looking book.

Also, good to see that Campbell is still alive.

Jason Seaver · 03-31-2004, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dollman
Remember Bruce Campbell's short-lived but brilliant Adventures of Brisco County Jr. series on Fox? Perhaps DF can secure the comic rights for Brisco?

Fondly. Warner Brother Television owns Brisco, though, and I can't recall the last time Warner licensed one of its properties out. It's too bad, since I imagine a Brisco series would do well for someone like Devil's Due or Dark Horse, but probably wouldn't make the cut at DC/Vertigo/Wildstorm.

(Well, someone else did the Matrix collection of web comics, right? So it has happened)

Ryan Dunlavey · 03-31-2004, 04:46 PM

WOW!!! Nick Bradshaw got the gig - un-freakin'-believable! I love the Evil Dead mythology, but I'm going to be picking this up for Nick's art alone - I've also been a big admirer of his art by way of his website and I know he's a HUGE fan of Evil Dead. They couldn't have made a better choice - this is going to be one kick-ass comic.
Way to go Mr. Bradshaw!

Ryan Dunlavey · 03-31-2004, 04:52 PM

oh yeah, for those of you who don't know what I'm talking about:
http://nickbradshaw.com/evildead.html

G Dog · 03-31-2004, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ryan Dunlavey
oh yeah, for those of you who don't know what I'm talking about:
http://nickbradshaw.com/evildead.html

Aww, dude, thanks for the link. There's no way I can pass this up now. Wow.

Phoenix_Tetsu · 03-31-2004, 06:00 PM

Why, oh dear god, why?????!!!, not Evil Dead, please NOT Evil dead.......

I think this is like that Looney Toones movie with Brendan Fraser....

Gladiator2099 · 03-31-2004, 06:13 PM

I'll probably buy it just because its Army of Darkness.

That J. Scott Campbell cover looks good also.

BillReed · 03-31-2004, 06:41 PM

I love the movies, and if I can find this I may just check it out... I was just thinking about how I'd like to see Evil Dead comics the other day. This sounds okay, but it would've been more interesting to see what happens after the *original* ending for Army of Darkness, the one the studios rejected.

Dean · 03-31-2004, 07:25 PM

I had to register to post about this one.

This is so cool, finally some Evil Dead comics ( not counting the Army of Darkness adaptation when the film came out ).

I am really looking forward to this one especially as Nick Bradshaw got the job, his renditions of the characters are awesome Ash in particular, he really captured the essence of the character, kind of wry and crafty.

I hope they go with the Ash at the beginning of AOD who was basically a coward with a ridiculous amount of bravado, though I wont mind if they go with the one liner slayer that he would become, basically I will accept anything.

July cant come soon enough for me.

mc (_(\/)_)achete · 03-31-2004, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MattBrady
Covers for the issue will be provided by J. Scott Campbell, Marc Silvestri, Ben Templesmith, with the fourth cover being a photo cover. The four covers will be equally divided. Additionally a rare 1-in-25 J. Scott Campbell sketch cover will be available, as well as a Necronomicon retailer incentive cover.

1994, anyone?