This June Hyperion Books for Children is publishing the first two volumes of Abadazad, the superb fantasy series by J.M. DeMatteis and Mike Ploog that was one of the best things CrossGen ever released.  CrossGen only managed to publish three issues of the Abadazad comic book before folding, but Disney acquired the property (see 'Disney Steps Into Graphic Novel Fray') and is now publishing it in an entirely new format. 

Disney editor Rich Thomas explained the new version of Abadazad to ICv2.  'Not a graphic novel per se, Abadazad will incorporate sequential art segments alternating with prose segments,' he said.  'The reader will be weaving in and out of blocks of straight prose and then into sequential art.' 

DeMatteis and Ploog essentially started over and incorporated the work they had already done for CrossGen into the new prose/comic hybrid format.

The first Abadazad volume, Abadazad: The Road to Inconceivable, which features the cover art from the second issue of the CrossGen comic, will contain 144 pages and retail for $9.99.  The second volume, Abadazad: The Dream Thief, will also be available in June and will contain 160 pages and carry the same $9.99 cover price.  The third book in the series, Abadazad: The Puppet, The Professor and The Prophet is scheduled to debut in February of 2007.  

Originally conceived as a tetralogy, the Abadazad saga has now been expanded to eight volumes.