On February 22, comic series Blue Book by James Tynion IV (Something is Killing the Children, The Nice House on the Lake, The Department of Truth), Michael Avon Oeming (Powers), and Aditya Bidikar (Grafity’s Wall, Barbalien: Red Planet) comes to print for the first time! (See the initial announcement here for more details.) To celebrate the series launch, Dark Horse and Tiny Onion Studios present several different variant covers for the first issue’s release. For more information on each variant cover, see cover art and descriptions below.
About Blue Book:
In this debut issue, Tynion presents what he calls his “True Weird” stories. Tales of ordinary people encountering the strange and the impossible. Teaming with artist Michael Avon Oeming, they retell some of the most popular UFO and alien encounter accounts starting with the infamous Betty and Barney Hill abduction–the widely publicized and very first abduction that went on to shape and influence all future encounter stories.
Issue #1 also includes the short “True Weird: Coney Island” by James Tynion IV, Klaus Janson, and Aditya Bidikar!
As shown below, check with your local comic shop and/or order online from your preferred comics retailers about the covers you’d like to collect. Visit comicshoplocator.com to find shops near you, including those outside North America, or browse TFAW.com and other retailer websites directly. You can also order from PreviewsWorld online if you have an account.
Blue Book #1 Variant Covers
Cover A features art by Michael Avon Oeming. This issue and cover can be ordered from your local comic shop. Diamond order code: DEC220411
Cover B features the art from Cover A by Michael Avon Oeming, but with special foil accents. This cover can be ordered from your local comic shop. Diamond order code: DEC220412
Cover C features art by Dave Johnson and can be ordered from your local comic shop. Diamond order code: DEC220413
Cover D features art by Jill Thompson and can be ordered from your local comic shop. Diamond order code: DEC220414
Cover E features art by Tyler Boss and can be ordered from your local comic shop. Diamond order code: DEC220415
Special Variants for Comic Shops
Cover F features the same art from Cover C by Dave Johnson, but includes glow-in-the-dark ink accents against a virgin background (no title, logos, or other text). This cover is a special retailer variant: for every 10 copies of Blue Book #1 (standard covers A-E) ordered, a comic shop can add one glow-in-the-dark cover to their order. Diamond order code (for retailers): DEC220416
If you’re interested in this glow-in-the-dark variant, be sure to talk to your local comic shop to make sure they order copies.
*Note: glow-in-the-dark ink should be “charged” in UV or other light first, so you may need to put your copy on a windowsill or up to a light before you try out the glow!
Cover G is another retailer special variant that features Tyler Boss’ artwork on a virgin cover (no logos, title, or other text). For retailers that order 25 issues of Blue Book #1 (Covers A-E), one issue of Cover G can be added. Diamond order code (for retailers): DEC220417
For fans: please talk to your local comic shop if you are interested in this cover.
Cover H of Blue Book #1 is a virgin (no titles, logos, text) variant of Jill Thompson’s artwork–a special addition ahead of FOC (final order cutoff for retailers). Diamond order code (for retailers): DEC220418
Cover I is a virgin variant cover featuring art by Michael Avon Oeming and can be ordered at shoptinyonion.com
Blue Book Volume 1 will also be available in a trade paperback in bookstores August 30, 2023 and in comic shops August 29, 2023. The trade paperback collects Blue Book #1-5. It is available to pre-order at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and your local comic shop or bookstore.
Praise for James Tynion IV:
“It’s this tension between love and cruelty, friendship and betrayal that drives so much of the drama, mystery, and appeal of The Nice House on the Lake and secures it as one of the most remarkable comic series of 2022.” —Polygon
“It’s [The Department of Truth] raw and achingly exposed, a vulnerable soft spot that makes every page feel like a fresh punch on top of an old bruise.” —The A.V. Club
“Something is Killing the Children is a great story being told with incredible writing and beautiful, haunting artwork. It is everything I want from a horror comic book.” —Comicbook.com
Source: Dark Horse
