Strangeways: Murder Moon - Chapter One

Page 1

Murder Moon Matt Maxwell Luis Guarag単a with Steve Lieber and other outlaws


Murder Moon

WelCome, to the

Murder Moon is a thoughtful, intelligent story of brooding werewolves and tough-as-nails cowboys that never lets up the pace; full of action, pathos, and downright fun. -- David Wellington, author of MONSTER PLANET and 13 BULLETS Is Maxwell bringing back the Western AND Suspense-Horror at the same time? Then I’m on board, riding shotgun. Strangeways, here I come! -- Jeff Parker, writer of X-MEN: FIRST CLASS and MARVEL ADVENTURES: AVENGERS

1868. Expressman Seth Collins is trying to forget the horrors of the Civil War when he finds himself faced with another kind of horror altogether. Something, not someone, is hunting the people of Silver Branch, including Collins’ estranged sister. A strange and seemingly unkillable wolf prowls the wilderness, killing not simply for pleasure, but to utterly destroy Silver Branch.

However, Silver Branch is a town with its own secrets; ones that it won’t give up willingly. Collins shortly finds himself trapped between the obligations of family and friendship. These duties lead him straight into darkness, where he has to find a way to defeat a creature that is neither man nor beast, all the while threatened by the the very town he’s trying to save.

STRANGEWAYS: MURDER MOON -- DCD - JAN083670 144 pages b/w. Cover and chapter illustration by Steve Lieber (WHITEOUT, CIVIL WAR). Pinup art by: Guy Davis (BPRD, SANDMAN MYSTERY THEATRE) Fábio Moon (CASANOVA, SMOKE AND GUNS) Gabriel Bá (THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY, CASANOVA) Promotional bookplates with art by Guy Davis will be free to ordering retailers after solicitation. Chapter one available online from: http://www.highway-62.com/strangeways STRANGEWAYS: MURDER MOON solicits in December, 2007 for March shipping. ISBN - 978-0-9796957-0-4

HIGHWAY 62 PRESS http://www.highway-62.com http://www.highway-62.com/strangeways strangeways@highway-62.com

13.95 144 pages of western horror


BEWARE THE MOON...


Murder Moon matt maxwell

luis guaragna

GervasiO and Jok

writing ∂ Letters

Art ∂ Effects

Art for “Lone”

Steve Lieber Original Covers

Guy Davis Fábio Moon Gabriel Bá Gallery art

web www.highway-62.com/strangeways mail strangeways@highway-62.com


Part One: Crow bait


COloradO territories eighteen ∂ sixty-eight

I didn't think that yoU WOULd SHOW yourself.

) HONOR OUR BLOOD

Your actions mock us enough. Must you mock with your tongue as well?

NO MATTER WHAT YOU BELIEVE OF ME

(AVE YOU NO WORDS FOR ME 3HIAN

.OT EVEN FOR YOUR OWN BROTHER

(2!!(

∆ ¬


!T LEAST THAToS ONE PROMISE YOUoVE KEPT

) KNOW WHAT YOU WANT 4HOMA -Y ANSWER )3 NO

Nothing I can say will keep you from your path?

-Y PATH 4HIS WAS OUR PATH ONCE

BECAUSE THEREoS NOWHERE LEFT TO RUN THEY STEAL MORE WITH EVERY PASSING YEAR

Once.

but We can run together no more.

7HO WILL STOP ME 9OU

9OU CANoT DO THAT WITHOUT KILLING YOUR SELVES

'O NOW YOU TWO "UT KNOW THAT WE WILL SEE EACH OTHER AGAIN

∆ ¬

)N HAPPIER TIMES

And Who will take it back? You?


God damn! careful, web! So You CAN speak.

so Maybe you think you oughta take the reins, seth?

Thought You’d Forgot How to, back ‘round weaverville.

wasn’t suggesting any of that sort. What The blazes is eating you? You said we’d make Silver Branch soon enough.

That was before sundown. After that, there ain’t any ‘soon enough.’

A night drive Never scared you back when we ran the Achison route.

This ain’t the Achison route.

There’s--stories about happenings out here after dark. Enough to make me watch my tail out here.

Not out here.

So? Story’s just a story.

Not just a story. Stories don’t start at sheep and work their way to hunting men.

You’re gonna worry that thing to lint, you keep Fiddling with it.

only thing I’ve seen do that is other men.

∆ ¬


Jesus, Seth! Would it kill you to be civil?! what? In your pocket. Whatever it is that got you up and quit the express. Letter, I figure

Yeah, Maybe. What’s it to you?

You’re an odd stick and all, but you hardly said more’n “Looks Clear” and “Gotta check the passengers.”

Sorry. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t even be on this route. Only here because I said I would come. like a fool. Who’s it from? My sister. out of the blue, huh?

Well, the woman who had been my sister.

What she want out of you? When kin comes calling like that, it’s ‘cause they’re after something.

You may be right.

She’s scared of something.

Must be something damn awful for her to remember she had family.

∆ ¬


No shortage of things to worry you out here. Ev en without...

What?

Don’t know. Heard something.

Damned if I’m stopping to get a better listen.

You can’t hear anything over the coach.

YAH!!

Just don’t be down there too long.

I’m, ah... I’m going to check the passengers.

Need your eyes up here.

There ya go again.

∆ 10 ¬


Oh, it’s you!

How are you holding up, father?

My apologies, Mr. chilton. I wish you wouldn’t scare us so. I thought it was bandits outside.

I’m rather tired. How much longer until we stop for the night?

What the hell!?

Should be soon. Just...

heavens! What was..?

Web! there’s something out...!

jesus...

Son of a bitch!

∆ 11 ¬


Everyone get down and hold on!

∆ 12 ¬


Is anyone hurt?

Daddy! Don’t fear, sweetheart. Daddy’s here.

Speak up!

I’m all right. Just... a little frightened. I heard...

I don’t know what I heard.

Father?

Hurts...when I...breathe. Wake up, Father Abbot.

Ah!!

Yeah, bet you broke some ribs. You just lie here.

You heard it to0, didn’t you?

What happened? What makes a sound like that?

Calm down! That’s just the horses.

God damn!!

What was that!?

We must have hit something big. But what was..?

∆ 13 ¬


But I heard a growl! I know it! There’s something out there!

There’s something Awful out there!

Please calm down. We can’t just go off hair-trigger here.

We have to keep our wits about us!

We’re all scared. You just can’t let it run away with you.

The only thing I’m worried about out there is Web. We need to find him. I‘m sorry. I just...

Of course, Of course. I just...

I’ll be gone just long enough to find Webster.

Can... Can you leave your pistol with us?

Just in case?

Or me.

Just promise not to shoot yourself.

∆ 14 ¬


Web!

WEBSTER!

Just Damn it all.

I could use that fancy shotgun right about now.

And Where’s that shotgun?

JESUS, What happened to you?

WEBSTER! ANSWER ME!

∆ 15 ¬


It’s just the wind.

Just the wind, you yellow coward. Get moving.

If I’m lucky, it’ll still shoot straight.

Seth!?

Thanks for small miracles.

Webster?!

where are you?

Webster! Answer me!

∆ 16 ¬


Is that you? Quit playing around!

Dammit, Webster!

Web?

not webster, that’s certain.

Dammit! Seth! That you!?

The hell was that?


You’re a fair sight, Web! You okay?

Saw what? A Wolf or a big cat maybe.

Got a limp. I’ll live. So you saw it, too.

I Saw the shadow and figured it wasn’t you. That’s why I was keepin’ quiet.

What in hell happened? Thought you’d all bought it for sure.

You didn’t see what took the coach down?

I thought I saw something hit the horses. And Joss’ neck -- It was ripped out.

‘Ol Joss screamed and everything went to crow bait after that. Didn’t see nuthin’.

The Wolf...

Ain’t No animal can take a moving horse.

What?

Then what the hell just did?

Those ‘stories’ I was talking about. It’s the Wolf. Bastard has us dry-gulched.

Come on, shake a tail. Just don’t sneak up on them.

There isn’t any wolf that can take a coach. You said it yourself.

∆ 18 ¬

Mr. Chilton has my pistol, and he’s scared enough to do something stupid.


Think I can stand on my own now.

Mr. Chilton! Don’t shoot! It’s me and Web!

probably so scared he can’t let go of it.

Mr. Chilton? father abbot?

Maybe they done run off.

Oh this ain’t no good at all.

You hear that?

Hear what?

∆ 19 ¬

ssh!


Gnawing.

anyone! Can you hear me?

Sweet baby Jesus...


Get down, Web!

Let him go!

Sonofabitch!

AHHRR!!!

Sonofabitch bit me!


HYAAH!

You okay, Web?

Sonofabitch.

I don’t know. Hurts like screaming hell.

I have to check on... check on the rest of them.

don’t do that. Ain’t no good to do for them.

Please... help me...

∆ 22 ¬


Ain’t going to leave you unheeled. That pistol’s spent.

Not that it did Mr. Chilton a lick of good.

Better that you get to Silver Branch. Sheriff knows you.

Two barrels of shot up the spout you mean. Didn’t slow it down any.

we’ll be okay here.

You’ve got the best chance of coming back with help.

But...That thing is still out there.

We can’t move the father as is. I’ve got the best chance of making sure it’s worth a damn.

Besides, that thing has at least two barrels of shot in it now.

Union steel? how’d you come up with that? just like my bars and blues --

The hard way.


You never breathed word about the war. Most men won’t shut up about it.

Guess I ain’t most men, am I?

Nope. Odd stick, maybe. but you’re of the first water, that’s for sure.

And I’m only sayin’ that ‘cause I’m not sure I’ll see you again.

Sure you will, Web. Just take care of yourself.

You didn’t have to stay, son.

You, too, Seth. Padre.

I’m not about to turn down a miracle. You should have died in there.

I wish I had. I saw what happened, but I couldn’t...

Don’t go saying that. I don’t think there was anything to be done.

You couldn’t have...? If I’d stayed, they’d be saved. Is that it?

What I mean to say is...

∆ 24 ¬


If I’d stayed, things’d be not a bit different. Except I’d be dead and Web would be too. And you.

Maybe you’re right.

Don’t mention it, Father. Is there anything I can do? Something to ease your burden? I’m sorry, Mr. Collins.

maybe you can at that.

Tell me all about it, son.

What? What is it?

It isn’t... Is it right...to turn your back on your family once they turn theirs to you?

There’s not much to tell, Father.

∆ 25 ¬


I... I need a moment.

You take the time you need. I’ll rest. If you must.

Thanks, father. I should...

khaff!!

Show yourself!

∆ 26 ¬


Thought I saw...

Just a shadow and fatigue. Nothing to worry about, Father.

We can finish...

Father?

God damn.

Father Abbot?

∆ 27 ¬


Strangeways: Murder Moon Gallery Preview

Guy Davis

Gabriel Bรก

Fรกbio Moon


Murder Moon ORDER YOUR OWN COPY TODAY Yeah, reading comics on the internet is fun and all, but sometimes you want to put your hands on it, get your nose in the ink and really read a story. And the best way to finish the story you just read, as well as get the related short “Lone” is to print out this page and hand it over to your local comics retailer and tell them that you want a copy. DCD - JAN083670 - STRANGEWAYS: MURDER MOON That’s the code to know. Give them that and they can make sure that your very own copy will be in when the book ships on March 26th, 2008. Don’t know where your local comic shop is? Look up a local comic shop with http://www.the-master-list.com/ on the handy-dandy Internet.

And if anyone asks, tell them that you saw it at highway-62.com. That’s “Highway hyphen six two dot com.” ∆ ∆

SHOPKEEPER

¬ ¬

The bearer of this coupon wishes to make it clear that they are ordering a copy of Strangeways: Murder Moon, Diamond code: JAN083670 - STRANGEWAYS: MURDER MOON

This book is scheduled to ship on the 26th of March, 2008 and is an original graphic novel that retails for 13.95. You will find it listed on page 299 of the January, 2008 Previews.


Murder Moon STRANGEWAYS: MURDER MOON -- DCD - JAN083670 144 pages b/w. 7”x10” trim size Written by Matthew Maxwell Art by Luis Guaragña, additional art by Gervasio and Jok Cover and chapter illustrations by Steve Lieber (WHITEOUT, CIVIL WAR). Pinup art by: Guy Davis (BPRD, SANDMAN MYSTERY THEATRE) Fábio Moon (CASANOVA, SMOKE AND GUNS) Gabriel Bá (THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY, CASANOVA) Street date - March 26, 2008 Promotional bookplates with art by Guy Davis will be available to ordering retailers after solicitation. Chapter one available online from: http://www.highway-62.com/strangeways STRANGEWAYS: MURDER MOON solicits in December, 2007 for March shipping. ISBN - 978-0-9796957-0-4 Distributed by Diamond Comics Distribution Available at all comic shops, consult - http://www.the-master-list.com/ to find one close to you. Published by Highway 62 Press - contact Matthew Maxwell maxwellm@pobox.com

HIGHWAY 62 PRESS http://www.highway-62.com http://www.highway-62.com/strangeways strangeways@highway-62.com

13.95 144 pages of western horror


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