Dark Horse Comics will release a high-end hardcover edition of the classic space exploration manga Planetes, the company announced.  The company previously released the work in softcover omnibi; it was first released in the U.S. in the 00s by Tokyopop as standard manga volumes.  Now Dark Horse will release it in an upscale format, building on its success with other hardcover manga collections (e.g., Berserk, see "Top Graphic Novels – December 2024").

The story by Makoto Yukumura, who went on to create Vinland Saga, is set in 2075, as an expedition to Jupiter to harvest helium-3 is planned.  Mars and the Moon are both populated, with inhabitants living in challenging conditions, and astronaut is an unglamorous and dangerous job.

The first of two 7" x 10" hardcover volumes will feature debossed patterns on the front and back covers, metallic gilding on the page edges, and 44 full-color art pages on special gloss stock.  The 528-page Planetes Deluxe Edition Book One will be released at $49.99 in bookstores on July 29, and in comic stores on July 30.