Dark Horse is very proud to present the first original graphic novel from Eisner Award-winning creator Eric Powell. Powell has been sowing the seeds of The Goon: Chinatown and the Mystery of Mr. Wicker for years in his award-winning bimonthly series The Goon, and salivating fans may now feast their eyes on the Goon’s formative back-story of love, loss, and extortion—a lengthy tale that demanded to be told in this uninterrupted format.

After taking a year off from the The Goon ongoing comic series, we are given the essential Goon story. Powell does it all. He did the writing, drawing, cover paintings, colors, and letters. It is being published as a hard cover with a dust jacket and all 112 pages in full color.

Spiritual leader of Tennessee and hero to the Great Unwashed, Powell escaped catastrophic death and mother-shaming scandal to bring this work to fruition. He’s a sensitive man in insensitive times. But be warned: This book ain’t funny. We are given the story of who the Goon is and why he became the character we know him as today.

“I put my heart and soul into this book,” says Powell. “If you people don't buy it and love it . . . well, you're soulless animals. Thanks for crushing my dreams.”

Almost immediately following the release of this essential work, January 2008 will see The Goon as a monthly comic, beginning with issue #20. That’s right, a new chapter in humor-laden horror hits the shelves every month for a whole year! And with the addition of new Eisner award winning colorist Dave Stewart to embellish Powell’s art, the visuals are taking a progressive leap! The team of Powell and Stewart are producing what will surely be the quintessential Goon run.

And on January 3rd Myspace and Dark Horse are welcoming in the Year of the Goon with an all Goon issue of Myspace Dark Horse Presents! Where comics creators John Arcudi, Herb Trimpe, The Fillbach Brothers, Bob Fingerman, and newcomers Rebecca Sugar and Frans Boukas recreate Eric Powell’s beloved character, the Goon, in four fun-filled, action-packed chapters!

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/DARKHORSEPRESENTS

But the kick off of Goon year doesn’t end there! To follow up on the success of the first Fancy Pants hardcover, The Goon: Fancy Pants Volume 2--The Rise and Fall of the Diabolical Dr. Alloy (limited edition signed hardcover) will be released in February! This special volume collects all the tales of one of The Goon's most nefarious villains-the diabolical mad scientist, Dr. Hieronymous Alloy-in one handsomely designed (and handsomely priced) signed hardcover. Chronicling the rise of the mysterious evil genius from his early days as a misunderstood visionary, to his status as one of the finest scientific minds in the world, and finally to his inevitable spiral into madness, this hardcover is a must-have for every serious fan of the Goon. What's more, every volume is signed by Powell himself. Buying this book should be like dodging a brick-a no-brainer!

The Year of the Goon will hold more than a few surprises throughout 2008. Happy Goon Year!