Staff Pick (July12): Dark Country

Publisher: Raw Studio
Item Code: JUL121194
SRP: $24.99
PREVIEWS Page #326
In Shops: 9/12/2012

Dark Country isn’t just a graphic novel, it’s a cross-media experience, a story told in several ways, each with its own voice. Flip through the book and it quickly becomes clear that this story is a passion for Thomas Jane and this book is the “bible” that maps every detail of this dark world Tom and his collaborators have created.

Dark Country started as a short story, written by Tab Murphy. Thomas Jane (the man who became what most people think of The Punisher on screen) would go on to produce the story as a feature film of the same name in 2007. This film would be Thomas’ first time as a director, and his love and eye for comic books would become apparent on screen as the story unfolds like a classic horror comic. This would be a true horror tale, not about the gore, but about the mystery of the unknown in our real world. Like the urban legends kids like to tell around a campfire, Dark Country reminds us to be cautious again of the dark, not only outside but in our own minds. Now we experience this tale in a new format, a dark and gritty sequence of panels revealing the nightmare of a man trapped on a stretch of asphalt, a road he may never escape from.

One part comic book, one part movie companion, this is not just a graphic novel but a look into Thomas Jane’s creative mind. The book offers 40 additional pages of material, including poster designs, concept sketches, production art, storyboard comparisons, and even the original short story that started it all. The graphic novel is a rich and haunting story but, as a complete package, Dark Country is the culmination of one man’s creative franchise and a journey of his passion project evolving time and time again.

~ Jay Spence