Details Of Richard Stark/Darwyn Cooke’s The Hunter Revealed

 

IDW have revealed new details about their upcoming reprint of Richard Stark’s classic 1962 crime novel The Hunter, which will feature new illustrations by Darwyn Cooke. The book is due out this June in hardcover, paperback, and Kindle.

In The Hunter, a master criminal named Parker is double crossed and left for dead. After he recovers, he tries to get his money back from those who did him wrong.

The Hunter was the first of two dozen Parker novels written by Richard Stark, who’s best known as mystery writer Donald E. Westlake. Stark also wrote four novels starring Parker’s pal Alan Grofield.

And yes, The Hunter was the inspiration for the 1999 Mel Gibson movie Payback. And the 1967 Lee Marvin film, Point Blank.

In this new hardcover edition of The Hunter, comic writer and artist Darwyn Cooke — who previously adapted and drew graphic novels based on The Hunter as well three other Parker novels: The Outfit, The Score, and Slayground — will contribute ten new paintings, as well as oversee the book’s typography.

In the announcement from IDW, Cooke is quoted as saying, “Adapting Donald Westlake’s novels into graphic novel form has been incredible, a dream come true. And providing paintings that illustrate this seminal crime classic…well, it scratches a completely different kind of itch, but one just as creatively fulfilling.”

While The Hunter will be available this June, early versions will be sold at the Toronto Comic Arts Festival on May 10th and 11th, where Cooke will sign special versions that will feature a unique dust jacket…

 

…and will come with a signature plate.

IDW have also said that The Hunter is just the first in a series that, “will be released in chronological order,” and that each book “will contain 10 paintings.”

For more info on The Hunter or the other Parker graphic novels, visit IDW’s website.