“Willow” & “Spike” first issues announced by Dark Horse

willowWe mentioned in our coverage of the Dark Horse panel at C2E2 that there’d be Willow and Spike comics coming from Dark Horse later this year. They got their official release dates today. You’ll be able to pick up the first issue of Spike on Wednesday, August 22, and Willow on Wednesday, November 21. The mini-series details are as follows:

Written by Jeff Parker (Thunderbolts, Agents of Atlas) and drawn by Brian Ching (Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Witchblade), Willow tells the story of the witch’s obsessive journey to recover her magic.

Willow is on a quest to bring magic back to the world, and she’ll do anything to make it happen, including forming some unhealthy alliances after cracking the code to travel to other dimensions—something thought impossible since the destruction of the Seed.
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Written by Victor Gischler (X-Men, Deadpool: Merc with a Mouth) and drawn by Paul Lee (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Devil’s Footprints), Spike promises to be the series all Joss Whedon fans will be talking about.

Spike ventures off world in his bug ship in order to get away from some personal frustration on terra firma, and winds up sucked into a demonic plot to take advantage of the absence of magic on earth.

“What I love about working with Dark Horse on Buffy-related material is that they take great care to capture the feel of the characters and stories from the television show, of which I was a huge fan. Getting my hands on the characters I’ve loved so much over the years is a dream come true,” said Gischler.

What I assume is the cover to the first issue of Willow can be seen to your left.

Thick Records to release Holy Shakes’ debut LP

cover-holy-shakesUnsurprising news, really, when it all comes down to it. However, it is with great happiness that we report the forthcoming full-length from the Holy Shakes. Winners of the 2012 Arkansas Times Musicians Showcase and (more pertinently to you, my readers) the band for whom former Blue Meanies frontman Billy Spunke currently sings, the Holy Shakes are a band which Rock Star Journalist has wholeheartedly embraced.

Like the Cougars after they lost the horns, or the Blue Meanies without the ska and polka, this is a lean, mean rock and roll machine. If you’re a fan of Hot Snakes or Drive Like Jehu, their sinuous rock music will leave your girlfriends without undergarments and cause you to question whether or not you’re 100% certain of your heterosexuality.

The first release on Thick Records in five years, the Holy Shakes’ Feast or Famine LP will available for download May 25 and on 180-gram clear or black vinyl on July 10. We posted the title track back in January. Download “Pieces” below.

MP3: The Holy Shakes, “Pieces”