Hermes Press proudly announces a second printing of volume one of its complete reprint of Gold Key Comics' television tie-in of the legendary supernatural suspense series Dark Shadows. Originally this volume was released in 2011 and quickly went out of print -- fans have been clamoring for a second printing of this book ever since. Now with release of Hermes Press' reprint of the complete Dark Shadows paperback library titles --32 books in all -- the demand for a new edition of Volume One has been even more intense.
The forerunner to today's immensely popular vampire-themed television programs and theatrical films, Dark Shadows still garners serious attention as one of the most memorable TV shows of the last forty years. A new television adaptation is also in the works. Volume One in Hermes Press' completely digitally restored series presents issues #1 through #7 of the comic book title presenting archetypal tales of vampires, werewolves, and the supernatural. The stories contained in the volume are thoughtful and beautifully crafted; they are the perfect companion for fans of the show, but they stand on their own as fine examples of compelling and effective comic book storytelling.
The second edition of Dark Shadows Volume One presents scripts by Silver Age comic book writer Donald Arneson with artwork by Joe Certa. In addition to reprinting the stories, Volume One contains a generous supplement of poster art, pin-ups, and documentary material from the show together with an essay about the history of Dark Shadows as well as other aspects of the show. Volume One will be available in August, 2020.
Arneson, Donald: - D. J. Arneson was a writer and editor for Dell Comics from 1962 to 1973. He wrote Dracula, Werewolf, and Frankenstein, which at that point were superhero comics. He wrote Dark Shadows for Gold Key. He is particularly well-known for creating the character of "Lobo", a western comic featuring a black gunslinger hero. The first comic book headlined by a black character (1965), ''Lobo'' was well ahead of its time, and was cancelled after two issues. After his time at Dell, Arneson turned to writing books, especially juvenile books, publishing more than 100 titles. Many of these books featured ghosts, monsters, haunted houses, aliens, and the supernatural.
Certa, Joe: - Joe Certa was born in 1919, educated through the Art Students League, and entered the field in 1946 through Funnies Inc. As part of the comic strip packaging service, Certa's first published work was on titles for Lev Gleason. In 1955, Joe Certa began his thirteen year run on DC's Manhunter from Mars, co-creating John Jones/J'onn J'onzz and his entire supporting cast, including Zook, Diane Meade, and Captain Harding. With the exception of Professor Hugo, Certa co-created every noteworthy Martian Manhunter villain of the Silver Age, including Mr. V, Marco Xavier, Vulture and the Diabolu Idol-Head.
The lion's share of Certa's art in the 1960s was produced for Western Publishing, for whom he worked exclusively after the Manhunter from Mars ended in 1968. Most of Certa's assignments were in horror titles and licensed properties like Boris Karloff Tales of Mystery, Dark Shadows, The Twilight Zone and Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Joe Certa retired in 1979 after thirty-three years in the industry, and passed away in 1986.
