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Exclusive: 'Dune' expands Gurney Halleck's story with 'The Waters of Kanly' comics miniseries
Get a first look at Dune: The Waters of Kanly before Issue #1 hits stores this spring.
He defended House Atreides in the Battle of Arrakeen, and now the Dune universe’s most faithful warmaster is venturing to unexplored places in a new four-part comics series set to debut this spring. Gurney Halleck is taking over the desert spotlight in Dune: The Waters of Kanly, and SYFY WIRE has an exclusive first look at the newly-announced series from BOOM! Studios in partnership with the estate of legendary Dune author Frank Herbert.
Dune: The Waters of Kanly follows Gurney Halleck (played by Josh Brolin in Denis Villeneuve’s movie adaptation) in the aftermath of the Battle of Arrakeen, where he finds refuge with spice smugglers while vowing to exact vengeance at all costs on House Harkonnen. The miniseries comes from New York Times bestsellers Brian Herbert (the son of Frank Herbert) and prolific sci-fi author Kevin J. Anderson, and marks a fresh lore expansion that builds on events from the elder Herbert’s groundbreaking 1965 novel.
“In the novel Dune, Gurney Halleck works secretly among the smugglers for two years, building his hatred toward the Harkonnens,” said Brian Herbert and Anderson in teasing the exclusive reveal to SYFY WIRE. “We loved the opportunity to explore those lost years and tell this story of his plan to avenge what they did to noble House Atreides.”
Dune: The Waters of Kanly features illustrations from artist Francesco Mortarino (Power Rangers), coloring from Raúl Angulo, and lettering from Ed Dukeshire, and marks a comics-based expansion on the rich mythology of the original Dune. The project comes via an official partnership between Herbert Properties LLC in coordination with Abrams ComicArts — which last fall debuted the first in an ambitious trilogy of graphic novel adaptations of Herbert’s sci-fi classic.
Issue #1 of Dune: The Waters of Kanly features main cover art by famed illustrator Christian Ward (Something is Killing the Children) and variant covers from artists Massimo Carnevale (The Marvels, Y: The Last Man), Junggeun Yoon (Magic), and InHyuk Lee (Amazing Spider-man). The first issue hits comic book shops, as well as online shops and digital storefronts, in May.
As the heir to Frank Herbert’s huge Dune legacy, Brian Herbert has immersed fans in continuing adaptations and expansions of his father’s iconic universe while writing original sci-fi novels of his own. His 2004 Frank Herbert biography, Dreamer of Dune, was a finalist for the Hugo Award, and he has collaborated with Anderson on many novels in the Dune series — all of which have become international bestsellers.
The duo recently completed the novel Dune: The Heir of Caladan for Tor, and are also collaborating on the definitive graphic novel adaption of the novel Dune, as well as a new adaptation of their collaborative novel, Dune: House Atreides, for BOOM! Studios. Brian also co-manages the legacy of Frank Herbert, and is an executive producer on Villenueve’s Dune movie as well as the forthcoming TV series Dune: The Sisterhood, which is currently in development at HBO Max.
In addition to his work in the Dune universe, Anderson has written numerous sci-fi novels set in the worlds of Star Wars and The X-Files, and has published more than 175 books — 58 of which have been national or international bestsellers. Prog rock fans have seen his work in Clockwork Angels, the unique steampunk fantasy trilogy he authored in partnership with the late legendary Rush drummer and lyricist Neil Peart (the third and final installment, Clockwork Destiny, is due out in April).
As these first-look images tease, Gurney will keep right on strumming his beloved baliset in the comics — when, that is, he isn’t plotting his next move against the Harkonnens. Print copies of Dune: The Waters of Kanly #1 will be available this May at local comic book shops and at the BOOM! Studios webstore, with digital copies available via content providers including comiXology, iBooks, Google Play, and Kindle.
