Beginning in 2006, Black Coat Press is launching The Hexagon Comics Library, a 40-plus volume archive collection of the universe of super-hero, science fiction, fantasy and adventure comics published in France by Editions Lug between 1963 and 2003. The new collection intends to reprint both the "classic" and modern stories in a series of 200+-page black-and-white trade paperbacks à la Marvel's Essentials or DC's Archives.

This ambitious project gained the support of comic book legends Will Eisner, Stan Lee, Gerry Conway and Roy Thomas who have written forewords to the first volumes of the series. New covers by Steve Rude, Ladronn, Stephen R. Bissette and others will grace the series. "I applaud this discovery of unsung European talent," writes Will Eisner, who goes on to describe artists such as Luciano Bernasconi, Giorgio Trevisan, Lina Buffolente and others as "comic book loyalists who labored for decades creating popular series in the mold of their American counterparts at DC and Marvel." "Verily, I say unto thee that those are but the tip of an iceberg of wonder that awaits thee," rhapsodizes Stan Lee.

AVAILABLE NOW

ZEMBLA (Volume 1) by Franco Oneta, cover by Gil Formosa. Contents: - Foreword by Joe Kubert - Introduction by Jean-Marc Lofficier - The Birth of Zembla by Franco Oneta - A Bride for the Sky-God by Franco Oneta - The Wrath of Boor by Franco Oneta - The Super-Apes of Anthar by Franco Oneta - The Demon Kaifar by Franco Oneta Story: An orphan is raised by lions and become king of the Jungle. ISBN # 1-932983-93-7 / 978-1-932983-93-7 5 x 8", 280 pages, May 2007 US$ 22.95 + $3.00 p&h
KABUR (Volume 1) by Claude J. Legrand, J.-M. Lofficier and Luciano Bernasconi, David Delafuente, cover by Ladrönn. Contents: - Foreword by Roy Thomas - Introduction by Jean-Marc Lofficier - Kabur #1-#6 by Claude Legrand & Luciano Bernasconi - Kabur #7-#10 by Jean-Marc Lofficier & Luciano Bernasconi - Young Kabur by Jean-Marc Lofficier & David Delafuente Story: The adventures of the young prince of Thule in long-lost Hyperborea. ISBN # 1-932983-83-X / 978-1-932983-83-8 5 x 8", 252 pages, January 2007 US$ 20.95 + $3.00 p&h
PHENIX (Volume 1) by J.-M. Lofficier, Luciano Bernasconi, Juan Roncagliolo, Fernando Pasarin, Stephane Louis, cover by Gil Formosa. Contents: - Foreword by Gerry Conway - Introduction by Lofficier - The Origins of Phenix by Jean-Marc Lofficier & Luciano Bernasconi - Classic Phenix #1 by Luciano Bernasconi - The Red Box by Jean-Marc Lofficier & Fernando Pasarim - Phenix in Paris: Prologue by Jean-Marc Lofficier & Stéphane Louis - Phenix in Paris #1-#8 by Jean-Marc Lofficier & Juan Roncagliolo Berger - Bonus pages by Stephane Louis, Frederic Grivaud & Willy Hudic Story: A sexy black-clad vigilante who patrols the streets of Chicago. ISBN # 1-932983-63-5 / 978-1-932983-63-0 5 x 8, 248 pages, September 2006 US$ 20.95 + $3.00 p&h
C.L.A.S.H. by Franco Frescura and Giorgio Trevisan, cover by Ladrönn. Contents: - Foreword by Stan Lee - Introduction by Jean-Marc Lofficier - Mister Song #1-#3 by Franco Frescura & Giorgio Trevisan - Silver Shadow by Franco Frescura & Giorgio Trevisan Story: An international organization fights crime. ISBN # 1-932983-62-7 / 978-1-932983-62-3 5 x 8, 248 pages, April 2006 US$ 20.95 + $3.00 p&h TO ORDER:
WAMPUS (Volume 1) by Franco Frescura and Luciano Bernasconi, cover by Stephen R. Bissette. Contents: - Foreword by Will Eisner - Introduction by Lofficier - Wampus #1-#4 by Franco Frescura & Luciano Bernasconi - Epilog in Manhattan by Jean-Marc Lofficier & Luciano Bernasconi - Bonus pages by Chris Malgrain Story: An alien shapeshifter comes to create chaos on Earth. ISBN # 1-932983-61-9 / 978-1-932983-61-6 5 x 8", 232 pages, January 2006 US$ 20.95 + $3.00 p&h TO ORDER: "I ate it up when my copy arrived and have already reread it, it's such grand fun; a heady stew of bogus sf/alien/espionage/terrorism circa the '60s, working up to staggering global political/social collapse (orchestrated by the translucent noodle-bodied badboy Wampus) that builds upon the anarchistic spirit of none other than Diabolik -- hence, a missing link of sorts in European comics history, between the archetype of Fantomas and the coming wave of underground comix radicalism. Love, love, love it, highly recommended!" S.R. Bissette.

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