We’ve been doing some updates around these parts. We’ve added numerous covers to images section of the Web site. Covers to “Secret Skull” #1, “Remains” #4 and “Return To Barrow” #6 have all been added, the covers to two anthologies Steve contributed to, “Periphery” and “Western Tales of Terror,” and the “Inner Sanctum” anthlogy put together by member’s of Steve’s own message board.

Also, we posted some updates to the store. You can now purchase “Secret Skull” #1, “Remains” #4 and “Return To Barrow” #6 signed by Steve himself. Take a look.

San Diego, CA - The latest saga in Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith’s vampire universe, 30 Days Of Night: Return To Barrow is being collected in two bookshelf-ready editions: a trade paperback and a hardcover version.

30 Days Of Night was one of the undisputed success stories of modern comics, spawning a best-selling trade paperback, a major motion picture deal and the attention of fans longing for an innovative tale of modern terror.

Wizard Magazine named 30 Days Of Night its Breakout Event of the Year in 2003. Now the creators of that book, Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith, revisit Barrow, Alaska, the town where it all began. As the long night creeps once more over the tundra, some things may have changed, but the horror remains.

“After Dark Days moved the action to Los Angeles, fans of 30 Days of Night wondered what shape Barrow was in after the initial vampire attacks,” said Chris Ryall, IDW’s editor-in-chief. “Well, in Return to Barrow, they get their answer, and I don’t think it was what anyone expected.”

Both the trade paperback and hardcover editions collect all six issues of the spine-tingling series under a suitably moody Ben Templesmith cover.

TPB $19.99 Full Color 144 page, ISBN #1-932382-36-4
HC $39.99 Full Color 144 Pages ISBN #1-932382-42-9

IDW PUBLISHING is a division of Idea + Design Works, LLC, a revolutionary creative service company with a wide range of clients including The Upper Deck Company, Electronic Arts, Ultima Online, WizKids, Cartoon Network, Sony Online Entertainment, Nickelodeon, and many more. IDW Publishing focuses on a small number of high-quality titles. Among them are CBS’s CSI: Crime Scene Investigation; Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith’s 30 Days of Night and its sequels, Dark Days and Return to Barrow; Ashley Wood’s Lore; CVO: Covert Vampiric Operations; Beau Smith’s Wynonna Earp; and Steve Niles’ Wake The Dead. Columbia Pictures has optioned the movie rights to 30 Days of Night, with Sam Raimi attached to produce. Konami is producing a video game based on CVO: Covert Vampiric Operations. Dimension Films has optioned the movie rights to Wake The Dead and Hyde.

Back in June we told you about a new one-shot, “Horrorcide,” featuring a number of short stories written by Steve coming from IDW. Now we’re giving you a chance to check out some of that work. Make your way over to the Images section of the Web site and take a gander at preview pages from “Horrorcide.”

We’ve been busy around these parts.

First up, in the SteveNiles.com store we now have available the Skull Club SteveNiles.Com sticker. Stick it to your ride. Stick it on a window. Just stick it! Show the world you’re part of the SteveNiles.com community.

In other site news, check out the Images section of the website. In the Previews section we have a new four-page preview of “Hyde” for your viewing pleasure. We’ll be bringing you additional previews in the coming days.

We all know how busy Steve is. The sheer volume of books coming out by him in the next couple of months is proof of that. Steve talked with Comic Book Resources about some of those projects and answers his critics. Check out the article for the latest on “Bloodsucker Tales,” the “Wake The Dead” feature film, “Sherman Danger,” a new project with Ashley Wood called “Earth Versus Monsters” and much more.

Official Press Release

HAVERHILL, MA, AUGUST 5, 2004 - DIGITAL WEBBING PRESENTS, the long-running indy anthology makes the leap to full color, just in time to debut a new concept from acclaimed horror-master Steve Niles!

Niles, best known for 30 Days of Night, teams with artist Kody Chamberlain to tackle sci-fi horror with “Sherman Danger: Robot Hunter.”

“Sherman Danger is about an out-of-work robot hunter who’s finally settled down and started a family,” explains Chamberlain. “The robot problem that’s plagued man is finally under control, until things heat up very quickly and Sherman gets pulled into action again. It’s a fun story with some great characters that readers are going to love.”

Chamberlain, set to work on a new IDW book with Niles, has nothing but praise for his collaborator. “Steve Niles is a fantastic writer. His stories are always fun and fast paced with plenty of twists. But there’s something else about Steve that often goes unsaid - he loves giving new artists a shot in the business.” Chamberlain also inks and colors the story.

DWP #19 also marks the debut of a crossover featuring characters from previously published tales. “A Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight” is a collaboration of DWP alumni - written by Ian Ascher and Kevin Melrose, and illustrated and colored by Scott LeMien.

“I think the coolest part of the crossover is the idea of what could happen… if?” says LeMien. “Ian’s Guild is comprised of stage magicians who have become assassins. Very hardcore and savvy characters - but what if they met real, primal magic? Magic that kills in ugly and heinous ways. Imagine how that would mess with their world!”

Ian Ascher agrees. “Both concepts deal with crime and magic, but of different kinds. We wanted to see if the worlds could be merged - and I think the results are pretty good.”

LeMien was thrilled at the opportunity to be part of DWP’s first color outing. “I went hog-wild and colored the story based on the changing time-frame of the story. It starts during sunset, then, when inside, I use subjective lighting in an EC or “Creepshow” feel to show escalating tension as fortunes change. It ends in evening, and I threw in every kind of texture and color I could think of, to see what would ’stick.’ Color is a new experiment, so if I’m showboating a bit, I can attribute it to DWP’s new bold leap!”

Rounding out the issue is “How I Spent My 21st Birthday” by artist/plotter Nick Postic, writer/plotter Troy Wall, and colorist Nick Marinkovich. “It’s the story of a young man who agrees to be exposed to new drug treatments in order to make some quick cash. The treatments lead to some serious side-effects, leading to some “David Lynchian” events!” says Postic.

“Being in DWP #19 is like an IDW Publishing reunion!” adds Postic. “Nick [Marinkovich] and I are the artists for IDW’s UNDERWORLD series, and Steve Niles has contributed a story, too!”

DIGITAL WEBBING PRESENTS #19 (32 pages, full color cover and interiors, $3.50, is solicited in August’s PREVIEWS (ITEM: AUG04 2670) for a October release.

About Digital Webbing

Digital Webbing (www.digitalwebbing.com), created by Ed Dukeshire, is the acclaimed source of comprehensive information on comic book-related websites. In addition to providing daily comic news and daily columns, DW is well known for its “talent engine” - matching writers with artists, both amateur and professional.

The flagship title of Digital Webbing Press is DIGITAL WEBBING PRESENTS, an anthology of stories by both aspiring and established creators. Acclaimed titles such as SHADES OF BLUE, FREAKSHOW and GUTWALLOW have also been published under the Digital Webbing Press banner.