Mike Mignola Invites You To Go "BOWLING WITH CORPSES" In Latest Folk-Inspired Graphic Novel

Mike Mignola is a name that shouldn’t need much of an introduction. The creator of the household name, “Hellboy” and someone whose work has been seen across other such properties like “Bram Stoker’s Dracula,” Mignola has long been one of the most exciting creators working in comics today. Mignola could easily rest on the laurels of his previous hits, but that’s no fun now is it? Instead, Mignola is teaming up with acclaimed artist Ben Stenbeck to craft an all-new fictional universe for readers.

“Bowling For Corprse And Other Strange Tales From The Land Unknown” is the title of the upcoming collaboration, and we have all the details as well as some exclusive preview images for you to feast on below. This title will release on Tuesday, January 22, 2025, from Dark Horse Comics, and look out for a review later this week!

From The Press Release

Thirty years after Mike Mignola created Hellboy, the legendary cartoonist is introducing readers to a brand new shared universe, created with frequent collaborator Ben Stenbeck, the writer/artist of the acclaimed series Our Bones Dust. On January 22, Dark Horse Comics will publish Bowling With Corpses and Other Strange Tales From Lands Unknown, an anthology of folklore-inspired fantasy stories written and illustrated by Mignola, colored by Dave Stewart, and lettered by Clem Robins. The book will be the first publication from Curious Objects, Mignola’s new imprint at Dark Horse, and will set the stage for more weird, wicked, and whimsical stories in the “Lands Unknown” universe from Mignola and Stenbeck.

In Bowling With Corpses and Other Strange Tales From Lands Unknown, the stories are fantastical, odd, and charming — from a search for the beating heart of a long-dead sorcerer to a pirate girl who makes a deal with the devil, to the titular boy who wins a grim prize in a game with undead interlopers. 

“It all started with an Italian Folktale about a boy who goes bowling with corpses,” said Mignola. “I fell in love with the story as soon as I discovered it but I wanted to play fast and loose when adapting it, so I created a whole new world. Not TOO different than our world a few centuries ago, but with a lot more gods and monsters. Once I created that world new characters and stories just started pouring out of it. There is a whole lot to play with here and I expect to be at it for a very long time.”

"This is a world I’m terrified to live in, mostly because I know I’d never want to leave.” 

— Patton Oswalt (Minor Threats)

“Gorgeous and mysterious art. Fantastic and funny storytelling. Delightfully dark and whimsical. Mignola has done it again. Behold the glorious glory in this magical book of tales!!!” 

— Jorge R. Gutierrez (The Book of Life)

“Mignola makes the magical craft of creating worlds and strange creatures look effortless and visually stunning. These short stories offer a glimpse into the boundless creativity of an artist who passionately understands and harnesses the storytelling power of the medium. It's impossible to read these tales without feeling a deep longing for more.”

— Gabriel Bá (Umbrella Academy)

“I’m a huge fan of all things Mignola, so when a new project by him surfaces, it’s a must-have. His latest graphic novel is delightfully quirky magic. I read it from cover to cover and the smile never left my face.  As a matter of fact, it’s still there.”

— Bill Sienkiewicz (Elektra: Assassin)

“This is Mignola at his very best! From start to finish it had me by the throat!”

— Rodney Barnes (Killadelphia)

“This world, these stories, this art — I want to live in these pages.”

— Stephen Graham Jones (The Only Good Indians)

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