Humanoids Drives A ‘Hard Bargain’ In 2024

Welcome to the table,

One of my favorite comics of all time is The Damned by Cullen Bunn. It may very well top that list if I think about it too long. Something about the hard-nosed noir vibe in a big city, coupled with demons in suits and flapper dresses just kind of plays into that sweet spot. It shows the hidden world and the real world meshing in the seedy underbelly of the crime scene, in an age where outlaws were outlawed but still somehow in power. It’s a really cool melting pot where anything can happen and you are just holding on for the ride.

Humanoids’ new comic Hard Bargain feels very much like it will fit into that vein.

Hard Bargain is an original graphic novel created by acclaimed filmmaker Steven S. DeKnight who is known for his TV work on Daredevil and Spartacus. Leno Carvalho will be helming the art duties, along with colorist Bruno Hang and letterer Troy Peteri.

The dark supernatural thriller unfolds in the heart of Los Angeles, as a detective races against time to unravel a deadly mystery before a dire fate befalls everyone involved.

The whole thing feels very infernal noir and that vibe just brings me joy as the promo art they have released leans hard into that “rain-slick streets/demon punching” thing that I adore.

The novel introduces Frank Harding, a tough private investigator in 1940s Los Angeles, battling not just criminals but also demons and other supernatural entities in a way that evokes Steve Niles‘ Cal McDonald stories. While there is so much here that feels like other things I enjoy the art and tone are fresh and new and give me something to really look forward to when this hits shelves.

The action in these preview pages alone makes me wish I had the book right now, as December is my favorite month to sink into a long story about things that go bump in the night and this seriously looks like it is about to be one hell of a ride.

The graphic novel will hit bookstores and comic shops in August 2024, with digital copies available on Kindle and other major digital comics platforms around the same time.

Until next time, if you dig this kind of thing go read The Damned or the Criminal Macabre to hold yourself over until this releases. I for one am going to be counting the days.