Book Two preview

The second Mirabilis book was due to go on sale in May, but we've just learned that the entire print run is currently in Germany. The shipment started off in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the publishers are based, on February 20th, so the books are approaching Britain at a rate of about four miles a day. We're hoping they'll speed up now. If not, expect them in time for Christmas.

In the meantime, here's an online preview of Book 2 courtesy of Myebook, or click on the BookBuzzr widget above. You can still order the gorgeous hardcover edition of Book 1 here and you can pre-order Book 2 here. But, if you can't wait, the paperback edition is available here.

Get Estelle in your stocking this Christmas

Amazon, I don't know. They're ever so convenient and all, but they do do some loopy things - and I can't imagine it'll get any better when they're the only bookstore in the world. The latest oddity is that they have removed the price and pre-ordering details from Mirabilis Volume 2. However, the Book Depository (which Amazon of course bought this summer) are listing the book, which they correctly state will be released in just 12 days. So ample time to order it for Christmas - but only if you live in the UK and go to the Book Depository website.

In an extra-strange wrinkle, Amazon US are listing the correct publication date (December 1st) but still haven't enabled pre-ordering - though perhaps that's just as well, as technically the hardbacks are only supposed to be available in the UK and Eire.

We're not the only title this has happened to. Amazon UK just de-listed Ed Brubaker's Criminal Vol 6: The Last of the Innocent and cancelled my long-standing order, saying, "Our supplier has informed us that this item is no longer available. This item has now been cancelled from your order." Yet there it is on Amazon US with a release date of December 21. Most peculiar, momma.

"A strange dreamlike intrigue"

"Mirabilis the magnificent" - that's what no less an authority than Lew Stringer said on his blog last week. Well, of course you wouldn't expect me and Leo to argue with that. Quite aside from Lew's overall assessment of the strip, he says some very perceptive things in a beautifully written critique that -- but why am I gassing on? You ought to pop over there right now and read it for yourself. Go on, shoo.

Still here? Oh, you want to know about that picture... All I'm saying is that Gus is away with the fairies in Mirabilis #10, on Leo's Wacom tablet for inking right now.

Spidey - on the Mirabilis blog?

Well, it's not so strange as you might think. The wall-crawler was my second favourite comic book character as a kid. (The first was Iron Man.) And here he is on the cover of the latest SFX Magazine showing off his classic-design web shooters in such an archetypal Romita Sr/Jim Mooney pose that I'm pretty much ready to start queuing already. And the magazine's feature on the new movie backs up the feeling that this is going to be a glorious return to the angsty alienated-teen origins of the character.

But that's not why I put the cover image of SFX #212 here. Well, you may ask, in that case is it SFX's news of Fringe season four? I'm a big fan, but no, that's not it. Nor the tantalizing peeks at Joss Whedon's Avengers movie - even though that on its own would be worth the cover price. And it's not even the Conan poster, awesome though that is too.

Nope, the reason we're talking about SFX is that this month's issue of the UK's premiere SF/fantasy movie magazine has a review of Mirabilis Winter volume one. A great review it is too, praising the "intriguing story" and rounding off with mention of the "audacious cliffhanger that will leave you desperate to find out what happens next, so let's hope that we aren't kept waiting too long for the second book." I hope so too, and if you still can't find the deluxe hardback edition of Mirabilis volume one in your local bookshop or on Amazon, I urge you to ask for it loud and clear.

In the meantime you can get hold of SFX very easily, either in print or digital form, via the link above. And if you're looking for the best in fantasy and science fiction coverage, not only of movies but games, books and comics too, it's the one to sling your webs at.

Hardback sighted on Ebay

Leo here! Dave's away in France for a well earned break after writing the new issues #9 and #10 of Mirabilis for the Spring book. Here's a photo of the new splendid Mirabilis hardback (with a bit of a frame from issue #9 on my computer behind). I know there are those of you desperate to get your hands on it, and now you can.

Our publisher has been having dreadful trouble getting the copies from their print works in Bosnia to their base in Lancaster, England. Now a few advance copies have arrived and John Freeman, (our editor and proprietor of the Down the Tubes comic news blog) has made them available on Ebay as "buy it now", fixed price, while the usual distribution channels to Amazon and bookshops are put in place.

So, for you early birds, be the first to own Mirabilis in your town! Buy on Ebay Now!