New Releases by Duane Swierczynski

Black Canary, Starling, Poison Ivy and Batgirl. Together, as Gotham City''s covert ops team, they''re taking down the villains otheru0087heroes can''t touch. They are the Birds of Prey. The Birds face a multitude of threats from outside and in! A dangerous newu0087villains threatens to expose Black Canary''s dark secret, and the Court of Owls sets its sight on everyone in Gotham for a ''Night of the Owls'' tie-in. Plus, the girls bring a gravely injured Poison Ivy to the Amazon hoping to help rejuvenate her, butu0087they''re going to need her help more to stay alive!

?Do you know where the children are?? HARBINGER WARS, Valiant?s first family crossover event, begins here! A decades-old secret is about to put BLOODSHOT and HARBINGER on an inescapable collision course ? and, soon, the most powerful forces in the Valiant Universe will be drawn into a battle without sides, without rules, and without mercy. ?Two dozen undisciplined, untested and untrained superhuman children have just escaped from a top-secret research facility and into the world. ?When Bloodshot, Toyo Harada and Peter Stanchek join the chase, will the Valiant Universe be ready for its first all-out superhuman showdown? ?Start reading here for a high-stakes tale that will put Valiant?s greatest heroes to the ultimate test!

Every mission is a suicide mission. Your name is Angelo Mortalli. Your brother is trapped behind enemy lines and on the verge of ? no. That?s not right. Your name is Raymond Garrison. You?ve retired from the dangers of the field, but a desperate plea from your oldest friend plunges you into a vicious firefight that ? no. That?s not right, either. You are Bloodshot. You are the shade of gray that freedom requires. The perfect confluence of military necessity and cutting-edge technology. A walking WikiLeaks. A reservoir of dirty secrets that could set the world on fire. And you?ve just been captured. Collecting BLOODSHOT #1-4 (2012) by best-selling writer Duane Swierczynski and acclaimed artists Manuel Garcia & Arturo Lozzi, find out why this is the series that has IGN proclaiming ?Valiant is quickly becoming the publisher to beat.?

CHAINSAW EAT BLOODSHOT! Bloodshot may be the best, but he wasn?t the first. Bloodshot is taking his revenge on Project Rising Spirit?the secret quasi-government experimental division that created him ? one body at a time. But nothing could have prepared him for what?s waiting for him inside the Nursery. Deep underground, get ready to go to war with the band of misfit killers that Bloodshot used to call brothers-in-arms. Cleaner. Recon. Point. Gunner. Team: CHAINSAW is reporting for duty, sir!

Collects Immortal Iron Fist #17-20 & Death Queen Special. Think you know everything there is to know about the traditions of the Immortal Iron Fist? If you do, then why''s Danny sweating bullets over an inescapable legacy that''s haunted the Iron Fists for centuries? What was the deeper meaning of Xao''s ominous threat? And what incredible new adventure are Danny''s fellow Immortal Weapons embarking upon?

What dark secret connects Project Rising Spirit and Toyo Harada?s Harbinger Foundation? Bloodshot is the creation of Project Rising Spirit, and for years they?ve loaned him out to the U.S. government for the kinds of insane, blood-splattered missions that only a nanite-enhanced commando could possibly survive. But those will be nothing compared to the horrors that await him inside the heavily fortified walls of PRS itself, whose subterranean levels are populated by failed ?projects? that kill and maim for fun. And God help anyone who dares pry open the doors to the ?nursery??

ALL-NEW ARC! Bloodshot is finally free of the memories that have haunted him since his awakening ? but now even greater mysteries remain. Who was he before he was transformed into a walking weapon of mass destruction? And does he have a real family out there somewhere? Unfortunately, the only man with the answers is the former mastermind of Project Rising Spirit, Dr. Emmanuel Kuretich ? and he?s just struck a devil?s bargain with Bloodshot. ?Destroy your creators and I?ll reveal everything.? Well, almost everything?

In a world made cynical by the experience of World War II, brooding private dicks and fiery femme fatals no longer cut it. A new style of crime fiction emerged, with more realistic themes and characters, and more world-wise attitudes. That new style can only be called Atomic Noir. In this volume, featuring stories handpicked by NoirCon founder Lou Boxer and acclaimed author Duane Swierczynski, four of today''s most promising crime fiction talents pay tribute to the often underrated writers who addressed the secret fears and desires of Americans in the postwar period.

Get a taste of Matt Kindt''s critically acclaimed series _MIND MGMT_, and see San Francisco under assault by giant monsters in Gabriel Hardman and Corrina Bechko''s _Station to Station_! * Return of _X_ by Duane Swierezynski (_Birds of Prey_, _Bloodshot_) and Eric Nguyen. * Eisner Award-winning anthology! "The new series of _Dark Horse Presents_ has demonstrated that quality with every issue, hosting an eclectic mix of veteran creators and new talent alike, with content ranging from brand new short stories and idiosyncratic serials to the return of cult favorite characters and properties."-ComicsAlliance

Heroes aren?t born. They?re built. You have no name, just a project designation. They call you Bloodshot, but the voices inside your head call you ?daddy, ?sir,? ?commander,? ?comrade? ? whatever it takes to motivate you to get the job done. But after so many missions and so many lives, you?re finally ready to confront your handlers at Project Rising Spirit and find out who you really are. You?d better move quickly though, because your former masters don?t like it when a billion-dollar weapons project decides to go rogue. Can you discover the truth before their next deadly mind wipe takes you off the board for good? Let?s hope so?because everyone inside you is counting on it.

The second of three high-energy thrillers arriving back-to-back from cult crime fiction sensation Duane Swierczynski. Left for dead after an epic shootout that blew the lid off a billion-dollar conspiracy, ex-cop Charlie Hardie quickly realizes that when you''re dealing with The Accident People, things can get worse. Drugged, bound and transported by strange operatives of unknown origin, Hardie awakens to find himself captive in a secret prison that houses the most dangerous criminals on earth. And then things get really bad. Because this isn''t just any prison. It''s a Kafkaesque nightmare that comes springloaded with a brutal catch-22: Hardie''s the warden. And any attempt to escape triggers a "death mechanism" that will kill everyone down here -- including a group of innocent guards. Faced with an unworkable paradox, and knowing that his wife and son could be next on the Accident People''s hit list, Hardie has only one choice: fight his way to the heart of this hell hole and make a deal with the Devil himself.

Neil Gaiman (_Sandman_, _American Gods_) teams with Paul Chadwick (_Concrete_) for The Day the Saucers Came�! Plus, three new series debut this month, including work by Simon Roy (_Prophet_) Shannon Wheeler (_Too Much Coffee Man_), and _Arcade Boy_ by Denis Medri! * Caitl�_n R. Kiernan''s _Alabaster_ and Michael Avon Oeming''s _The_ _Victories_ continue! Comics'' best kept secret trove of great comics."Comic Book Resources **2012 Eisner and Harvey Award winner!**

The first of three explosive pulp thrillers arriving back-to-back from cult crime fiction sensation and Marvel Comics scribe Duane Swierczynski. Charlie Hardie, an ex-cop still reeling from the revenge killing of his former partner''s entire family, fears one thing above all else: that he''ll suffer the same fate. Languishing in self-imposed exile, Hardie has become a glorified house sitter. His latest gig comes replete with an illegally squatting B-movie actress who rants about hit men who specialize in making deaths look like accidents. Unfortunately, it''s the real deal. Hardie finds himself squared off against a small army of the most lethal men in the world: The Accident People. It''s nothing personal-the girl just happens to be the next name on their list. For Hardie, though, it''s intensely personal. He''s not about to let more innocent people die. Not on his watch.

First published in 2003, The Perfect Drink for Every Occasion offers mixed drinks for virtually every situation imaginable. Getting married? Got a new job? Been a long day? Need to lose weight? Whatever the occasion, we’ve got the libation—complete with recipes, secrets, and tips. This new edition is updated with a fresh design and a host of all-new occasions (at last, you’ll know what to drink if you’re watching Mad Men with your coworkers). Loaded with recipes for Margaritas, White Russians, Gin Rickeys, Harvey Wallbangers, Cosmopolitans, and 145 other favorites, The Perfect Drink for Every Occasion is comprehensive enough to be the only bar book you’ll ever need.

Selene''s Inner Circle stands revealed and her master plan has been set into motion. Watch as the the resurrected dead lay siege to the X-Men''s headquarters, and the fight to survive the Black Queen''s vengeance begins. But while Warpath and Wolverine realize what''s happening, they may be too late to stop it. Because Selene is already well on her way to achieving ultimate power half a world away. Plus, the rest of the X-Men fight mutants back from the dead! Collects X-Force (2008) #21-25, X-Men: Legacy (2008) #231-234, X-Necrosha One-Shot, X-Necrosha: The Gathering One-Shot, New Mutants (2009) #6-8.

“An enigmatic getaway driver chases, and is chased by, cops and mobsters” in this action-packed hard-boiled thriller debut (Kirkus Reviews). Meet Lennon, a mute Irish getaway driver who has fallen in with the wrong heist team on the wrong day at the wrong bank. Betrayed, his money stolen and his battered carcass left for dead, Lennon is on a one-way mission to find out who is responsible—and to get back his loot. But the robbery has sent a violent ripple effect through the streets of Philadelphia. And now a dirty cop, the Russian and Italian mobs, the mayor’s hired gun, and a keyboard player in a college rock band maneuver for position as this adrenaline-fueled novel twists and turns its way toward its explosive conclusion. One thing’s for sure: this cast of characters wakes up in a much different world by novel’s end—if they wake up at all. Praise for The Wheelman “If you are partial to fast-paced thrillers that present this world as an unforgiving, blood-soaked wasteland, you should love Duane Swierczynski’s first novel. Swierczynski’s novel, like those of [Elmore] Leonard, offers an undertow of humor beneath the churning sea of man’s inhumanity.” —The Washington Post “[A] promising debut. . . . The gripping tale of a heist gone wrong.” —Robert Wade, San Diego Union-Tribune “A great heist story in the rich tradition of Richard Stark’s Parker novels and Stanley Kubrick’s The Killing . . . keeps readers holding their breath to see what’s going to happen next. It is clearly the work of a maturing writer who is possessed of a keen style and abundant talent.” —Philadelphia Inquirer

Some days, you could just kill your boss. Guess what? The feeling is mutual in the next thriller by the acclaimed author of The Wheelman and The Blonde. Jamie DeBroux''s boss has called a special meeting for all "key personnel" at 9:00 a.m. on a hot Saturday in August. When Jamie arrives, the conference room is stocked with cookies and champagne. His boss smiles and tells his employees, "We''re a cover for a branch of the intelligence community. And we''re being shut down." Jamie''s boss then tells everyone to drink some champagne, and in a few seconds they''ll fall asleep---for good. If they refuse, they''ll be shot in the head. Escape is not an option. Jamie''s boss has shut down the elevators and rigged the fire towers with chemical bombs. Panic sets in, chaos erupts, and no one is sure whom to trust. Jamie quickly realizes that there''s only one way he''s ever going to see his family again: the hard way. Severance Package shows author Duane Swierczynski at his thrilling best.

It''s the exciting sequel to Messiah CompleX! Cyclops has complete faith that his son, Cable, will do everything he can to protect the so-called mutant messiah - who he believes will save mutantkind. But he also knows what havoc former X-Man Lucas Bishop has wreaked in the nightmarish future. So now he''s sent his black ops team, the X-Force, on a risky, time-traveling mission to save Cable and the child, completely unaware that there''s something else waiting for them in the future. Something not even Bishop was counting on... Collects X-Force/Cable: Messiah War, X-Force (2008) #14-16, Cable (2008) #13-15.

Steve Dark is in retirement. Two years ago, as a member of elite crime squad Special Circs, he came close to putting an end to a psychopath''s killing spree. But not close enough. In revenge, the killer destroyed Dark''s family. Dark quit, vowing that he''d never go back. He''d seen enough carnage and death. But now the killer''s back. The same psychopath who has shot, raped, maimed, poisoned, burned, strangled and tortured 50 people - the man who took away Dark''s family. And Special Circs are convinced that only Dark can stop him. Is Dark prepared to risk everything - his new life - to once more hunt a monster?

Law enforcement personnel categorize murderers on a scale of twenty-five levels of evil-from the naïve opportunists starting out at Level 1 to the organized, premeditated torture murderers who inhabit Level 25. But to an elite unnamed investigations group assigned to hunt down the world''s most dangerous killers, headed by Steve Dark, a new category of killer is being defined....

Cable is given the task of protecting the last offspring of the dying mutant race. Will ensuring her survival guarantee its extinction?

Boy meets girl. Girl kidnaps boy. Boy loses girl, and is pursued by a professional killer carrying a decapitated head in a gym bag. The Blonde is a modern (crime) love story from The Wheelman author Duane Swierczynski. The night before a big meeting, Jack Eisley is sitting in an airport bar in Philadelphia, chatting up a pretty young blonde. Sure, Jack has a wife and daughter at home, but this is just a little harmless flirting. Harmless, that is, until the blonde leans forward and says, "I poisoned your drink." She tells Jack that unless she can keep someone within ten feet of her at all times, she''ll die. And if he wants the antidote, he''ll have to take her back to his hotel room and promise to stay by her side. Jack thinks: psycho. But as the violent night wears on, and he encounters a relentless government assassin, a threatening voice on a cell phone, a deadly waitress, dirty cops, and shady cab drivers . . . He begins to believe her...

The Big Book o'' Beer is a lavish colour celebration of The Greatest Beverage on Earth, with numerous photographs and little-known facts. Duane Swierczynski takes readers around the world and through 10,000 years of history to answer all beer-related questions. Subjects include History (what is mead anyway?), Crafts and Gear (transform empties into dazzling arts and crafts), Science (why don''t they teach this stuff in chem class?) and Arts and Entertainment (with beloved beer spokesmodels like Spuds McKenzie). Along with a recipe for beer ice cream, there are sections on classic cheap beers, rules of drinking games, guidelines for brewing your own and all the froth on Canadian beer.

Godzilla is back... in an all-new ongoing series! Duane Swierczynski and Simon Gane launch this ultimate action-movie blockbuster, ushering in a new era of monster battles. Ex-special forces tough-guy Boxer is a man with a grudge and vows to end the terror of Godzilla, no matter what. He assembles a top notch team to take down monster-sized threats... at $7 billion a bounty. What starts as a vendetta could become a lucrative business for Boxer... if he can live past day one!

The devastating conclusion to Swierczynski & Gane''s monster epic is here! Godzilla is battered and beaten but not down for the count... yet his most fearsome foe ever still stands before him! With the end of the world near, Boxer has one final decision to make: to kill or not kill Godzilla!

It''s the day Boxer has been waiting for... the opportunity to avenge his daughter in a showdown with Godzilla. At the exact worst moment though, the government and their secret weapon step in to take matters into their own hands. You know what they say about ''''best laid plans...''''

Boxer is ready to settle the score with Godzilla, and assembles his "Monster Kill Crew," a group of highly-trained weirdos, each with their own private grudge against the kaiju. As we get to know these mercenaries the team stocks up on all the equipment they''ll need to take down their first bounty-- ANGUIRUS!

The end is NIGH! Space Godzilla and other interstellar enemies arrive on Earth and they''re here to stay... and destroy humanity! Boxer, with his team decimated, realizes just how over his head he is. There''s only one possible ally he can turn to... his greatest enemy, Godzilla!

Boxer and his team decide it''s time to turn their sights to the big game-- Godzilla! But, a perfect plan goes awry when a billionaire adventurer gets his hands on Mechagodzilla and the world''s governments have branded them outlaws. Nothing will stop Boxer from avenging his daughter and getting revenge on Godzilla though! Collects Godzilla #5-8.

Earth is ravaged by the Space Monsters! With Earth''s kaiju trapped on Monster Island, the planet is seemingly doomed. Until Boxer decides to undo all of his hard work and stage the biggest prison break of all time!