Hard Bargain

Frank Harding is a hard-boiled P.I. in 1940s Los Angeles who finds himself fighting not only the usual cadre of criminals and neer-do-wells, but also the occasional demon and other malevolent supernatural beings. Battling the forces of darkness is another day at the office for Frank, but his current case, tied into his own past and L.A.s all-too-real history of prejudice and discrimination, may be the one that puts Frank out of businessfor good. Hard Bargain, the long-awaited debut graphic novel from film and tv powerhouse Steven S. DeKnight (Buffy, Angel, Daredevil), combines the appeal of classic Noir crime storytelling with a well-wrought fantasy world of demons, monsters, and magic, all against the backdrop of a gritty Los Angeles. DeKnight's crackerjack storytelling paired with Carvalho's dynamic visuals builds a story that is energetic, fun, and compelling, while simultaneously revealing a complex engagement with history, bigotry, revenge, and the sins of one generation being dealt with by the next.