‘DARK’ LIGHT ON THE POCKETBOOK
Marvel Comics will be giving away – fo’ free! – copies of THE DARK TOWER: THE GUNSLINGER BORN SKETCHBOOK in December, whetting fans’ appetites for its 2007 adaptation of the popular Stephen King fantasy series. The 16-page freebie will include artist Jae Lee’s character designs, penciled pages, commentary and a primer on the DARK TOWER world.

R.I.P. CHARLES GRANT
Shocklines reports the passing of horror writer Charles L. Grant on Sept. 15. He died of a heart attack in his home. Among his books were the BLACK OAK series, the GALLERY OF HORROR anthology and THE X-FILES: WHIRLWIND.

ENOUGH WITH THE MASK!
This Christmas season, readers can celebrate the yuletide with the heartwarming tale of a cannibal in training, as Thomas Harris’ SILENCE OF THE LAMBS prequel HANNIBAL RISING finally hits stores, a year later than it was supposed to. Bantam Dell will be publishing this early adventure of Dr. Hannibal Lecter, just prior to an Anthony Hopkins-less YOUNG HANNIBAL: BEHIND THE MASK hitting theaters Feb. 9, 2007. Harris also wrote the film’s screenplay. Sniff, sniff – do I smell turkey?

TOLKIEN LIVES … IN PRINT
Despite being long deceased, J.R.R. Tolkien is about to have a new book out. The deified LORD OF THE RINGS author left behind an unfinished epic entitled THE CHILDREN OF HÚRIN, which his son Christopher has been shaping into a finished piece for three decades. The book contains characters from the RINGS trilogy. Houghton Mifflin plans to publish it next spring, to the delight of fanboys everywhere.

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