The Coming of KULL!
Posted by Rusty Burke on August 19th, 2008
For those who want to support publishers who show respect for Robert E. Howard, good news.
Bill Schafer of Subterranean Press reports that the slipcases for their edition of Kull: Exile of Atlantis are reported to be on their way to him, and the books are finished and ready to go, so as soon as he gets the slipcases the books will start going out, possibly by the end of this week.
The books are the same size as the Wandering Star editions (6.25″ x 9.25″), smythe sewn (not glued), printed on 80# Finch Opaque paper, with the dust jackets printed on 100# enamel. The slipcases, as with the WS editions, will have artwork pasted onto them. Unlike the WS editions, the Subterraneans will have a portfolio section for the color art in the back of the book, rather than having it interspersed throughout. Bill says that would have been too expensive, and he wanted to keep the price of the books down. For the same reason, the top edges are not gilded. Anyone who has seen Subterranean’s books knows they do beautiful editions.
Justin Sweet used the opportunity of this edition to touch up a few of the color and b&w pieces. You can see samples of some of the color plates at the Subterranean Press Kull page.
Owners of the Wandering Star editions have an opportunity to get the same numbers with the Subterranean editions, but you’d better act quickly, since unclaimed numbers may be shipped, and of course at that point they’ll be irretrievable. The limited edition is selling for $150, the 50-copy leatherbound deluxe edition for $400.
The next volume will be The Best of Robert E. Howard, Volume One: Crimson Shadows, which they’ve begun work on. The specs will be the same, though Bill adds that he’s commissioned the Keegans to produce color artwork which will be exclusive to the Subterranean edition. With luck, it will be published around the end of this year, or early next.
While you’re visiting the Subterranean website, check out some of their other offerings, too. There is much that will be of interest to at least some Howard fans. Former REHupan Charles de Lint has turned in the third volume of his Collected Early Stories, Woods & Waters Wild, and I’ve got my beady little eyes on The Best of Lucius Shepard. Their online magazine, Subterranean, offers fiction by Mike Resnick, Jay Lake, Joe Lansdale and others. All in all, an impressive line-up.
