Barbenheimer may be a relic of the recent past, but its spirit will live on when Avengers: Doomsday and Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Three go head-to-head in theaters on December 13—otherwise known as Dunesday. While the former currently has the leg up on the latter with an array of comics folks can comb over before deciding which film to potentially double-feature first, the latter will soon have a new entry in the space to level the playing field via a graphic novel of Frank Herbert’s epic sci-fi novel, Dune Messiah.
Dune Messiah: Book 1 enlists the team behind the prequel series, Dune: House of Harkonnen, to bring Frank Herbert’s sequel into the realm of graphic novels. That team is composed of the writing duo of Herbert’s son, Brian Herbert, and Kevin J. Anderson (Doctor Strange: Endless Nightmare), with art by Michael Shelfer and painted cover art by Bill Sienkiewicz. Dune Messiah: Book 1 is the first part of a two-book graphic novel adaptation. Here’s its official plot synopsis:
In Dune Messiah: Book 1, Paul Atreides is now Emperor of the known universe, but absolute power has made him both a ruler and a target. Revered as a messianic figure by the Fremen and feared by rival houses, Paul must confront a growing conspiracy that threatens to unravel his reign. As political enemies close in and his prophetic visions begin to shift, the future of his empire—and the people he loves—hangs in the balance.
io9 has an exclusive preview of Dune Messiah: Book 1, which you can check out below. (Click on the images to enlarge them.)
Who, pray tell, is Bronso of Ix? Why is he in prison? And what manner of fate do his ties to Paul Atreides mean for the galaxy? While everyone else in the galaxy is drinking the Kool-Aid that Paul is an infallible messianic figure, Bronso had the gall to speak his mind and tell the world Paul lost something vital in his rise to power: his humanity. Evidently, folks took exception to that and jailed Bronso.
Sure, a quick Wikipedia dive can answer what befalls Bronso if you’re willing to click away from all those auto-playing video ads throttling your internet browser. But what’s the fun in that when you can get those answers in real time by picking up a book and reading it yourself?
Tangentially, folks at New York Comic Con can check out Kevin J. Anderson at the Abrams Spotlight Panel on October 8, where he’ll talk about Dune Messiah: Book 1 and how the graphic novel came to be.
Dune Messiah: Book 1 is available for preorder and releases on November 3.
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