Dark Horse collections of Richard Corben’s “Den” fantasy series round off in early 2025

By John Freeman on September 4, 2024

Den Volume 5 - The Price of Memories by Richard Corben (Dark Horse Books, 2025)

With Den Volume 3: Children of Fire by Richard Corben, “one of the most gifted artists to emerge from the wonderfully fertile 1960s underground scene” on sale next week from Dark Horse Books, the publisher has just announced it will release the final collection of his much-praised fantasy series next February.

Den Volume 5: The Price of Memories, the final book in a series of graphic novels collecting Richard Corben’s fantasy masterpiece features illustrations restored by José Villarrubia and re-lettered by Nate Piekos.

This special hardcover edition collects the fifth volume of the long out-of-print Den and includes bonus material, a dust jacket, and an introduction by screenwriter Christos Gage.

José Villarrubia has put a huge amount of work into restoring Corben's pages. Here's an example of his reconstruction of the extraordinary colours that Corben used in Den, Neverwhere. On the left is Corben's original art, on the right Jose's restoration incorporating his colours."As I have said many times," says Jose, "he was the greatest influence on my own colour work." — José Villarrubia has put a huge amount of work into restoring Corben’s pages. Here’s an example of his reconstruction of the extraordinary colours that Corben used in Den, Neverwhere. On the left is Corben’s original art, on the right Jose’s restoration incorporating his colours.”As I have said many times,” says Jose, “he was the greatest influence on my own colour work.”

Richard Corben, (1st November 1940 – 2 December 2020) well known for his graphic novels and comics filled with outlandish adventures, was born on a farm in Anderson, Missouri, and went on to get a bachelor of fine arts degree from the Kansas City Art Institute in 1965. After working as a professional animator, Corben started doing underground comics, including Grim Wit, Slow Death, Skull, Rowlf, Fever Dreams, and his own anthology Fantagor. In 1970 he began illustrating horror and science-fiction stories for Warren Publishing. His stories appeared in Creepy, Eerie, Vampirella, 1984, and Comix International. He also coloured several episodes of Will Eisner’s Spirit.

*Spirits of the Dead by Edgar Allan Poe, Illustrated by Richard Corben (2nd Edition, Dark Horse Books 2019)*

In 1975, when Mœbius, Druillet, and Jean-Pierre Dionnet started publishing the magazine Métal Hurlant in France, Corben submitted some of his stories to them. He continued his work for the franchise in America, where the magazine was called Heavy Metal. In 1976 he adapted a short Robert E. Howard story in Bloodstar. In 2012 he was elected to the Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame.

“Richard Corben… was one of the most gifted artists to emerge from the wonderfully fertile 1960s underground scene,” noted The New York Times, while film director Guillermo del Toro described Corben as “meta-cinematic, gloriously unbound by prudence, and seemingly without precedent or heirs. In an odd way, he is the one author that emerges from the American underground and seeds the imagination of authors everywhere – creating a movement that combines genre and rebellion and finds perch in filmmakers and artists in the entire world – traces can be found in France, Japan, Italy, etc., etc.”

In Den Volume 5: The Price of Memories, an amnesic Den encounters an unexpected woman from his past. Sienna is a medium that takes Den on a memory journey starting at birth, where he will meet old friends and future enemies and get closer to understanding his journey.

This last volume of Den connects all four previous parts of the story and takes Den on perhaps his wildest adventure on the floating Island of Heaven, where an idyllic existence hides a horrifying secret.

Den Volume 5: The Price of Memories (hardcover, 120 pages, 8”x11”) will be available in book shops from 11th February 2025 and in comic shops on 12th February 2025. It is now available to preorder at Amazon, AmazonUK (Affiliate Link), Barnes & Noble, TFAW.com, and your local comic shop and indie bookstores.

The title is suggested for Mature Readers.

Den Volume 1: Neverwhere by Richard Corben

• Den Volume 1: Neverwhere and Den Volume 2: Muvovum are now available wherever books are sold. Den Volume 3: Children of Fire (available 10th Seotember) and Den Volume 4: Dreams and Alarums (available 22nd October) are now available for pre-order (AmazonUK Affiliate Links)

• Richard Corben Official Site: corbenstudios.com

• Follow José Villarrubia on Facebook

• Nate Piekos is online at blambot.com

Den Volume 1: Neverwhere

Thrust into a bizarre fantasy world called Neverwhere, the muscular adventurer Den goes on an exotic adventure through ancient ruins meeting an evil queen, her sacrificial doppelganger, bizarre lizard men, giant insects, and more strange and dangerous madness in this legendary saga brimming with horror, magic, and violence. The inspiration for the Den segment of the cult classic film, Heavy Metal.

The first volume of Den features a big change that took place in Corben's art style during the making of the strips featured The first 16 pages of the story were produced for an Underground comic, "Grim Wit", in 1973. They are drawn in the cartoony style that he was using at the time for reproduction on newsprint. When three years later, it was continued in the legendary French anthology "Métal Hurlant' (#5); he took a completely different and innovative approach, fully rendering the artwork with a realism that had never been seen before in comics.
On the left, you can see the last page of the underground chapter. On the right is the continuation in Métal Hurlant. "The change was mind-blowing!" notes José Villarrubia — The first volume of Den features a big change that took place in Corben’s art style during the making of the strips featured The first 16 pages of the story were produced for an Underground comic, “Grim Wit”, in 1973. They are drawn in the cartoony style that he was using at the time for reproduction on newsprint. When three years later, it was continued in the legendary French anthology “Métal Hurlant’ (#5); he took a completely different and innovative approach, fully rendering the artwork with a realism that had never been seen before in comics. On the left, you can see the last page of the underground chapter. On the right is the continuation in Métal Hurlant. “The change was mind-blowing!” notes José Villarrubia

Den Volume 2: Muvovum

Den and Kath’s bizarre journey in Neverwhere continues as they leave their floating island home for magical stones that can transport them back to Earth. Along the way, trouble arrives as the evil Queen seeks the stones for her own evil purposes, and Den’s friend is kidnapped and imprisoned in the horrific monster country known as Muvovum.

Den Volume 3: Children of Fire (available 10th September)

Aliens flee their planet after a monster attack and crash-land near a sorcerer’s castle in Neverwhere. They must fight for survival and protect their egg and future kin at all costs from the many beasts, pirates, and other threats to their safety.

Den Volume 4: Dreams and Alarums (available 22nd October)

Several years after his last adventure, Den is battered and broken after Kath abandons him. Determined to get her back he transforms to muscular glory and fights his way back to Neverwhere on another bizarre journey.

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.

‹ Artist in the Spotlight: Vincent Mahé

Military art of Douglas Anderson offered at auction ›

Categories: Comic Previews, Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, US Comics