Preview: Neil Gaiman & John Bolton’s Bloody Romance Harlequin Valentine is Back in Print at Dark Horse
Art by John Bolton Comics Features Neil Gaiman
It’s a tale as old as time: man falls for girl, man nails his literal heart to girl’s door, girl carries heart around contemplating its uses. Neil Gaiman and John Bolton’s Harlequin Romance, first published as a graphic novel in 2001, adapts Gaiman’s short story of the same name in a modern update of the classic Commedia dell’arte love triangle between jester, fair lady and gentleman caller. Bolton’s trademark mix of enhanced photography and lush paints sharply contrasts the mundane world with the Harlequin’s puck-like qualities, leading to an ending that’s pure Gaiman in its mix of melancholy and whimsy. Dark Horse, the original publisher of Harlequin Valentine, will release a redesigned second-edition hardcover October 11th, bringing the title back into print and updating its look to better stand alongside its ongoing series of Gaiman adaptations. Check out a seven-page preview of the love-struck Harlequin’s antics below, but try to keep all of your internal organs inside your body.
Harlequin Valentine Cover Art by John Bolton
Harlequin Valentine Interior Art by John Bolton
Harlequin Valentine Interior Art by John Bolton
Harlequin Valentine Interior Art by John Bolton
Harlequin Valentine Interior Art by John Bolton
Harlequin Valentine Interior Art by John Bolton
Harlequin Valentine Interior Art by John Bolton
Harlequin Valentine Interior Art by John Bolton