In an outreach effort to lure new readers Top Cow Productions is offering The Darkness: Accursed Vol.1 trade paperback to the direct market for the discounted price of $4.99.  Last January Top Cow released a Witchblade Vol.1: Witch Hunt trade paperback for $4.99 (see “Interview With Top Cow’s Matt Hawkins, Part I”) in a very successful outreach program that the publisher is repeating by re-offering the volume in the November issue of Diamond Comic Distributors’ Previews.

Like the Witchblade Vol.1, which served to reboot the franchise, Top Cow is attempting to energize The Darkness comic book property with The Darkness: Accursed Vol.1, which picks up the series with the initial storyline by the current writer and artist of The Darkness Phil Hester and Michael Broussard.  The volume collects the six-issue “Empire” story arc and also contains a cover gallery featuring pieces by Dale Keown and Stjepan Sejic.  The Darkness: Accursed Vol.1 is the perfect jumping on point for new readers and provides a great re-entry spot for anyone who wants to catch up with the contemporary version of the saga of Jackie Estacado.

Unlike the $4.99 direct market version of The Darkness: Accursed Vol.1 that is available via Diamond Comic Distributors, the bookstore version will carry a $9.99 cover price.