Steve Niles to Write New Army of Darkness Comic for Dynamite

You can't keep a good franchise down, and Dynamite Comics have proven themselves to be the absolute masters of the art licensed comics in recent years (and their original offerings are pretty darn cool, too). So with the announcement that horror master, Steve Niles, is going to overhaul the very first title Dynamite ever published, a book that just happens to be fan-favorite Army of Darkness, well, that's good news. It looks like all previous incarnations of the title are out the window, though, but something tells us that Army of Darkness comic fans aren't really sticklers for continuity.

PRESS RELEASE:

Dynamite is proud to announce that their flagship comic book title, Army of Darkness, will receive a complete overhaul and a new ongoing series as imagined by Steve Niles, acclaimed author of 30 Days of Night and Batman: Gotham County Line.  A horror/action series with dark comedic overtones, the newly-titled Ash and the Army of Darkness continues the time-traveling, demon-fighting adventures of Ash Williams, the smart-mouthed hero of the 1992 cult-favorite film of the same name.

“What I’m doing with Ash and the Army of Darkness is a complete reboot,” says Niles.  “We start and the last frame of the film and then go right to the next.  It’s a wild ride and I think fans of the film will be very happy because I am bringing back a lot of what made the movie so fun.  My run of Ash and the Army of Darkness takes place almost entirely in the 1300′s setting. That was what made Army of Darkness stand apart.  I’m hoping readers agree.”

Comic book writer and novelist Steve Niles is credited as being an instrumental force in bringing horror comics back to prominence in recent years.  Perhaps his best-known work is 30 Days of Night, a best-selling vampire series co-created with innovative illustrator Ben Templesmith and adapted into a feature film.  His impressive list of credits include such licensed and creator-owned tales of terror as I Am Legend, Hellspawn, Chin Music, Simon Dark, The X-Files, Remains, Criminal Macabre, and 28 Days Later.

“I’m very excited to be working with Dynamite and thrilled to be working on Ash and the Army of Darkness,” adds Niles. “The film is one of my favorites and I think we have a really fresh, exciting take for Ash’s continuing adventures fighting the dead.  Dynamite has been expanding their line and have an impressive array of comic creators working with them now.  I’m looking forward to joining the team.”

Placing Steve Niles on Ash and the Army of Darkness follows Dynamite’s recent trend of reinventing their established classics, thanks in no small part to partnering established industry writers with projects that naturally fit their narrative strengths.  To name just a few of their recent publishing moves:  the talented Gail Simone (Birds of Prey, Batgirl) launched a new incarnation of Red Sonja, the sci-fi team of Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning (Guardians of the Galaxy) have retooled the classic Battlestar Galactica, and superhero legend Mark Waid (Daredevil, Kingdom Come) brought The Green Hornet back to basics.  These projects have met with critical acclaim and high sales, and the new Ash and the Army of Darkness promises to continue the trend.

“I am really excited to welcome Steve Niles on-board for the Ash and the Army of Darkness relaunch,” says Nick Barrucci, CEO and Publisher of Dynamite.  “There’s no writer in recent years whose name has been attached to more bestselling horror comic concepts than Steve, and for good reason — he’s got an amazing talent for writing hard-hitting, white-knuckle, edge-of-your-seat fright fiction.  Army of Darkness has a legion of hardcore fans, and they deserve the best.  Well, they’re getting the best, courtesy of Steve Niles!”  Dynamite expects longtime fans and curious newcomers to welcome a new creative voice, story direction, title, and logo for a horror classic with Ash and the Army of Darkness.

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