The way of the gun in the wild west may be a reality long gone, but no one’s told Joe Dunn that. Garth Ennis’ newest creator-owned series Streets of Glory will hit the trails this October, as Avatar Press begins shipping the 6-part monthly series which will be available for $3.99 an issue. Featuring the full-color art of Mike Wolfer, issue #1 is the beginning of the full-size regular series, a tale which is flooded with the blood of lesser men.
In the past fifteen years, Joseph Dunn hasn’t seen much of the little civilization Montana had to offer in 1899, but his absence along with the death of a generation has rendered the atmosphere unrecognizable. Dunn is the last of the drifters that independently roamed the western frontier of the United States in the 19th century. These were men who fought with nobility, wits, and an easily un-holstered gun at their side. The body count will rise when Dunn’s trigger finger is forced to settle new problems with the only solution he knows.
“At first glance, Joe Dunn does appear to be an icon, or a gunslinger, or a lone vigilante,” notes series artist Mike Wolfer. “But as we move through the lingering gun smoke and step across blood, puddled on dry earth, Garth is going to show us the true worth of this man, set against the backdrop of the wildest and most dangerous era of American history. Joe Dunn is a hero for the ages, and by God, I’m sure glad that he and Garth are our guides.”
“I’ve loved westerns since I was old enough to breathe,” says Ennis. “‘Streets of Glory’ is my taken on the genre; romantic and epic, tragic and melancholy, bad and bloody. Considering the last two in particular, where else could I tell a story like this but Avatar?” Garth Ennis adds to his already impressive career as he sets out to re-define the western genre in comic books. Streets of Glory delivers the biting dialogue and powerful story-telling with the brutal violence you’d anticipate from a series by Ennis. Streets of Glory follows critically acclaimed series 303 and Chronicles of Wormood by Ennis from Avatar Press.
This is the first time the creator is working with popular Avatar artist Mike Wolfer, collaborator on the Strange Killings saga with Warren Ellis, and with John Russo on the Night of the Living Dead and Plague of the Living Dead series. Ennis says of Wolfer, “I’ve been wanting to work with Mike since I saw his art on Warren Ellis’ splendidly deranged ‘Strange Killings’ series. Great storytelling and attention to detail, brilliant sense of character, excellent faces. Just what I need.”
“From the standpoint of a creator, Avatar Press’ editorial policy of having no editorial policies helps to create an enthusiasm that I think is unrivaled by any other publisher,” says Wolfer. “It’s a win-win situation for all involved. With total creative freedom, Garth’s unrestrained vision naturally spills over into my territory as a visual storyteller; his enthusiasm is like an electric spark and has jump-started my own creative abilities as an artist, resulting in what I feel is probably the best work in my career.” Wolfer will be at the San Diego Comic Con as a guest of Avatar Press to support the fall release of Streets of Glory #1.
Garth Ennis’ Streets of Glory begins this Fall with the release of issue #1 in October. Each part of the 6-issue series is in full-color and priced at $3.99. Garth Ennis and artist Mike Wolfer team up for the first time to create one of 2007’s most exciting new series, and Avatar Press is pleased to be promoting this talent-packed new series at the biggest convention of the year along with other upcoming appearances and interviews from the creative team.
Avatar Press is a comic book publisher that continues to push the boundaries between mainstream and independent with current and upcoming work from creators such as Alan Moore, Frank Miller, Warren Ellis, Garth Ennis, Brian Pulido, George A. Romero, George R.R. Martin, Joe R. Lansdale, John Russo, Mike Wolfer, Juan Jose Ryp, Jacen Burrows, and numerous others. The company has published a wide range of comic books including creator-owned titles like Garth Ennis’ 303 and Brian Pulido’s Lady Death, company-owned comics such as Pandora and The Ravening, licensed hits like Frank Miller’s Robocop and George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead, and numerous other titles. A publisher that has established itself as one of the cornerstones of the American indy comic book scene over the past decade, Avatar has published some 500 comic books since 1997.