Last Updated on January 22, 2025 by Angel Melanson
Mike Mignola is known best as the creator of Hellboy, a figure who has endured in the pop culture landscape for more than 30 years. Now, Mignola is back with not just a new book – but the start of an entire, new universe. The legendary artist is introducing readers to a brand new shared universe he created alongside Ben Stenbeck (Our Bones Dust). Arriving from Dark Horse Comics this week, Bowling With Corpses and Other Strange Tales From Lands Unknown is a 112-page anthology of folklore-inspired fantasy stories – and we’ve got an exclusive preview for you to check out below.
The book is 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 that will be home to the Lands Unknown universe. This first book will set the stage for more weird, wicked and whimsical stories in the universe from Mignola and Stenbeck. Here’s a little taste of what’s to come.
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“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.”
The book will first hit bookstores tomorrow, with comic shops getting it on Wednesday. Either way, those who wish to get their hands on all of this folk horror goodness can do so with ease. As for the story at hand? The synopsis for the book reads as follows:
“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. “
Bowling With Corpses and Other Strange Tales From Lands Unknown will be released in bookstores on January 21 and in comic shops on January 22. For more, read all about Mike Mignola’s auction to help the LA wildfire relief efforts.
