Official Press Release

ORANGE, CA -- It's one of the most critically acclaimed, highly respected and entertaining comics of all time. What's more, it comes highly recommended by fans and pros alike. But if you've been trying to catch up on your SAVAGE DRAGON reading, it's likely you've discovered back issues are scarce and several of the trade paperbacks are out of print! Erik Larsen and Image Comics have good news, though: Beginning this summer, Image is going back to press on all of the out of print books, while also increasing the frequency of new collections. The goal is to create the definitive SAVAGE DRAGON LIBRARY that will collect the 100+ issues of the ongoing SAVAGE DRAGON comic book series.

"As you can imagine, I'm tickled pink to have SAVAGE DRAGON collected in TPB form," Larsen said. "This has been a long time coming. Fans have been asking about this for years, but things have gotten in the way. Now that the monthly SAVAGE DRAGON comic book is back on schedule and I've wrapped up my other outstanding commitments, I've been able to focus on getting the SAVAGE DRAGON LIBRARY in order.

"I love trade paperback collections, but they can be a lot of work. I didn't want to do them if I couldn't do them right. At last I'm able to fully commit myself to making these collections everything that they ought to be."

Of the dozen SAVAGE DRAGON books already published, three have gone out of print over the last year: VOL. THREE: THE FALLEN, VOL. FOUR: POSSESSED and VOL. SIX: GANG WAR. THE FALLEN is first on the list to be reprinted, with POSSESSED and GANG WAR to follow shortly thereafter. All of the new editions will feature new cover designs, and POSSESSED will feature an entirely new cover illustration. The new printing of GANG WAR will also be accompanied by a limited edition hardcover to bring the current run of hardcovers up to date.

In addition to returning sold out volumes of the SAVAGE DRAGON LIBRARY to comic shop shelves, Image is also publishing paperback editions of two recent SAVAGE DRAGON hardcovers: VOL. EIGHT: TERMINATED and VOL. 15: THIS SAVAGE WORLD. Then, in September, Image will publish the all-new SAVAGE DRAGON, VOL. NINE: WORLDS AT WAR, collecting SAVAGE DRAGON #41-46. Future trade paperback collections will then arrive every three months or so until the book is caught up.

"Getting all these books into print is a high priority, but doing it right takes even greater precedence," Larsen explained. "I don't want to simply slap covers on these things and get them out there. Adding bonus material that can include new story pages, introductions and sketch book sections is a must. The purpose is to make these books worthwhile for even those fans that may already own the monthly comic books being collected. This also gives me a chance to fix typos and coloring mistakes and enhance the entire package.

"In the case of THE FALLEN collection, a new back cover was created and one of the stories was completely re-colored. The end result is not only superior to the printed comics, but to the first printing of this trade paperback as well."

SAVAGE DRAGON, VOL. NINE: WORLDS AT WAR will be available for order in the July issue of Previews and will arrive in stores in September 2003.

New printings of previously sold out volumes of the SAVAGE DRAGON LIBRARY will be available for order in June.