Dive Into The Crime-Ridden World Of Darwyn Cooke’s The Complete Spirit Connoisseur Edition From Skybound & Act 4 Publishing

The Master Of Modern Noir

Skybound and Image Comics, in partnership with Scott Dunbier’s Act 4 Publishing, has just revealed an extended preview of art from Darwyn Cooke’s The Complete Spirit Connoisseur Edition. Now collected in one place for the first time ever in an oversized collectible format, this edition will be available everywhere books are sold in October 2025…

This release marks the first Connoisseur Edition, a new deluxe hardcover format, being printed in Skybound and Act 4’s publishing partnership. The brand-new format developed by Act 4 features a slipcase and premium finishing, collecting a complete comics series in an oversized, readable format.

Darwyn Cooke’s The Complete Spirit Connoisseur Edition collects Cooke’s complete critically acclaimed run on The Spirit, originally published by DC, including the thrilling crossover with Batman, and a gallery selection of covers, in one place for the first time ever into a unique, stunning oversized hardcover standing at a massive 9” x 13.5.”

“This volume showcases one of Darwyn Cooke’s seminal works, and presented in the format it so richly deserves,” said Scott Dunbier. “Like DC: The New Frontier Absolute Edition and the two Parker: Martini Editions, The Complete Spirit Connoisseur Edition is one of those books we savor and revisit for years to come. I know I will.”

With his masterful storytelling and flair for noir style, Darwyn Cooke was uniquely suited to reintroduce Will Eisner’s beloved comics creation, The Spirit, to modern audiences.

Now, readers can leap into the crime-ridden, two-fisted tales of Darwyn Cooke’s The Spirit. This edition is designed by Sean Phillips, who also oversaw the Eisner-winning Richard Stark’s Parker: The Martini Edition – Last Call, to which this book is a companion in size and scope. J. Bone, Cooke’s long-time collaborator, provides an introduction.

Also included in this definitive version of Cooke’s The Spirit is a gallery featuring all the DC covers, two variant covers from a Rocketeer/The Spirit crossover, and several never-before-seen drawings. Collects DC’s The Spirit #1-6, #8-12, with J. Bone inking and Dave Stewart coloring, and DC’s Batman/The Spirit one-shot, written by Jeph Loeb, collaborating again with J. Bone and Stewart.

“It’s always a delight to partner with Scott Dunbier, and I can’t wait for people to get their hands on the Connoisseur Edition of Darwyn’s work on The Spirit,” said Nachie Marsham, Senior Editor at Skybound. “Darwyn’s work is the gold standard for what comics storytelling can be, and his take on Will Eisner’s characters is truly a joy to see in this format.”

Darwyn Cooke’s The Complete Spirit Connoisseur Edition quickly follows the release of Jim Aparo’s DC Classics Artist’s Edition, the first book in the publishing partnership between Skybound and Act 4 Publishing, coming in September 2025.

Future releases within the publishing partnership include J. Scott Campbell’s Danger Girl Artist Edition, Dave Stevens’ Covers and Stories’ Connoisseur Edition, Jason Pearson’s Body Bags Artist’s Edition, Paul Smith’s Leave It to Chance Artist’s Edition, and EC Comics Artist’s Editions. Publishing details for these books will be announced in the coming months.

Darwyn Cooke’s The Complete Spirit Connoisseur Edition (978-1-5343-3409-0 | SRP $100.00) will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday October 8, 2025, and at booksellers, along with digital platforms including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play on Tuesday 21 October 2025.

ABOUT ACT 4 PUBLISHING 

Act 4 celebrates the art of storytelling and the seminal creators who have shaped the comics industry. Dedicated to producing exceptional collections and comics that honor the history, craft, and innovation of the sequential art form, Act 4 will bring together timeless classics and bold new projects that foster a connection between artists, stories, and readers.

Scott Dunbier, the visionary behind the industry-changing Artist’s Edition format, has spent decades redefining what comics publishing can be. From his early days as an art dealer, to his role in shaping iconic publishers like WildStorm and DC Comics, to producing award-winning archival collections, Dunbier’s career is synonymous with innovation and excellence. With Act 4, he embarks on a new chapter, continuing to champion the creators and works that define and elevate the medium.

ABOUT SKYBOUND ENTERTAINMENT 

We do things differently here. Skybound is the creator-driven, fan-focused company behind landmark global franchises like The Walking Dead, Invincible, Impact Winter and hundreds more IPs that are redefining entertainment through our Wheel of Awesome business model. Skybound unlocks the unique opportunity to cultivate all aspects of a franchise from development through distribution; our IP connects with audiences through groundbreaking stories told on a grand scale. We empower our creators to directly expand their IP and turn their ideas into movies, TV shows, tabletop games, comics, podcasts, collectibles, video games, or all of the above and then some.

Skybound publishes award-winning and bestselling comics series such as Invincible, The Walking Dead, Stillwater and Ultramega, among others. Skybound’s commitment to partnering with top industry talent and giving an elevated platform to diverse and unique voices has resulted in a record-breaking run on Kickstarter, where we launched mega-successful campaigns for Ava’s Demon, Extra Fabulous, and G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero — the most funded comic book campaign in Kickstarter’s history. Skybound Comet, our young readers graphic novel imprint, released the Clementine (set in The Walking Dead universe) series to great critical and commercial success. Skybound is also a savvy and sought-after licensing partner, working with companies including LEGO, Universal Products & Experiences and Hasbro to publish comics for their most coveted properties. Skybound’s Energon Universe series is Hasbro’s biggest comics launch of all time, with TRANSFORMERS #1 becoming the bestselling comic of 2023.

Skybound doesn’t just make global franchises, we change the way that global franchises can be made.