To celebrate Dark Horse’s one year partnership with MySpace, the company is bringing back some of the key players who helped launch the online series.

Appearing in the coming months, look for a new Umbrella Academy short story by Gerard Way and Gabriel Bä, Joss Whedon and his older brother Zack step up with an exclusive tie in to Dr. Horrible’s Singalong Blog, and Tara McPherson offers up How to Heal a Broken Heart.

“Ever since the original DHP was canceled, I’ve been trying to bring it back, because I love anthologies, love the absolute liberty it gives you to try new things” says editor Scott Allie. “Hellboy Weird Tales was an attempt to rekindle that, The Dark Horse Books of Hauntings, etc., was also an attempt, but MDHP is the real thing. It gives us the flexibility to jazz around as much as we want to.” He continued, “with the sorts of creators we’re working with these days, it’s essential to have a place to do this. And with so many amazing people showing their stuff off online, it’s great to know that there’s something to throw their way as well.”

Keep checking the Dark Horse Presents page for more original titles on the first Wednesday of every month.

via Dark Horse

Image Comics Shadowline has announced it will debut the entire issue of Aletheia on MySpace Comic Books weeks before the issue arrives in stores.

“With the ever increasing amount of new titles on the stands, we really wanted to do something new and different to help ALETHEIA stand out,” said Shadowline President Jim Valentino. “Teaming up with MySpace in this manner gave the series a spotlight it may not have had otherwise had and we don’t doubt it will result in many more readers heading into stores for the book.”

This is not a new movie, Boom! Studios did something similar not too long ago, and the issue ended up selling out at the distributor level. Having these preview issues available online to give readers a taste of the real deal is a great gateway to purchasing the title and quite possibly others when the reader ventures into their LCS.

via Image Comics

MySpace and Dark Horse Comics announced today the two companies would partner to bring MySpace Dark Horse Presents to the online community.

This new online series, which is an homage to the original print Dark Horse Presents, will include original content, will be available exclusively on MySpace, and best of all, it’s free.

The August issue goes live on MySpace today, and will include the following comics:

• Sugar Shock, the debut new comic from artist F�bio Moon and Joss Whedon, creator of the popular television shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Firefly, and author of the highly successful Dark Horse Comics miniseries, Fray, among others
• The Umbrella Academy by artist Gabriel B� and Gerard Way, lead singer of the band My Chemical Romance
• Samurai by Ron Marz and Luke Ross
• Comic-Con Murder Mystery by Rick Geary

The comics contained in future issues of �MySpace Dark Horse Presents� will include a mix from both established, successful, comic creators as well as talented amateurs. Site editors from both MySpace and Dark Horse Comics will search MySpace profiles for new talent to feature in every upcoming issue. New issues will be available exclusively on MySpace the first week of every month, with the second issue premiering the first week of September.

via Dark Horse

MySpace is not that bad of a social networking site in spite of what NBC might say. Marvel Comics has created its own MySpace page that has a preview of Annihilation: Conquest for you to check out.

�The ANNIHILATION: CONQUEST PROLOGUE is the starting gun for the crazy sci-fi race that will rock all of your favorite cosmic heroes — and introduce you to some soon-to-be favorites,� explained editor Bill Rosemann. �NOVA writers Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning are sci-fi masters and–together with the amazing art of Mike Perkins (CAPTAIN AMERICA) –have crafted a kick-butt kick off to the entire event. As for what it’s about, I’d have to say: humanity’s eternal fight for freedom — but I can’t say who it’s against!�

The exclusive preview is available now on the Marvel Entertainment blog space at http://blog.myspace.com/marvelentertainment.

via Marvel