ORIGINAL SCI FI EPIC LAUNCHING SOON FROM MOONSTONE!


Moonstone Entertainment, Inc., a leading publisher of comics and books, has just signed a contract to publish an epic science fiction project called NEUTRAL WORLD, as created by well known comic and pulp writer Ron Fortier and comic superstar artist, Joe Bennett.

Bennett, a self-taught Brazilian artist, entered the field in the early 1990s and soon became one of the most sought after talents in comics. His fantastic pencils and inks have graced dozens of titles both at Marvel and DC and there are very few iconic superheroes he has not worked on in his amazing career. Today, along with his current assignments for the DC, he operates a studio in his hometown of Belem, which is where NEUTRAL WORLD was first conceived.

A lifelong fan of the great Jack Kirby, Bennett dreamed of creating an epic science fiction saga that would span both space and time. Grandiose in its imagination, it would be his ultimate homage to the man who inspired him to become a comic book illustrator. From creation to the far flung future, NEUTRAL WORLD weaves an action heavy tale of high adventure populated by some of the greatest new heroes and villains ever conceived on a comic page.

Once Bennett felt the concept was complete, his objective became taking it to the next level; shaping his multiple plots and ideas into a single, linear narrative. To help him achieve that end and turn his dreams into actual comic scripts, he reached out to the writer who had penned his first ever professional comics work twenty years earlier; Ron Fortier.


Ron Fortier started writing comics professionally in 1976 with two stories, both accepted and published in the try-out series, “Bullseye” from Charlton Comics. From that beginning, Fortier’s work began to appear in various independent companies from Ocean Comics. Eclipse, Malibu and ultimately Now Comics where he was brought on to write “The Terminator” series starting with issue # 9.

Fortier’s crowning achievement was successfully assisting Now Comics in obtaining the license to produce a brand new Green Hornet comic series. Fortier’s presentation offered a generational family saga that cleverly incorporated all the various incarnations of the hero. Now Comics’ Green Hornet proved to be the company’s most successful title and Fortier’s name would became irrevocably connected to the character to this day. He recently wrote his first new Green Hornet tale in over twenty years when he contributed to the recently produced anthology from Moonstone Books, “The Green Hornet Chronicles.”

And now these two popular comic creators, Bennett & Fortier, have reunited to bring the world NEUTRAL WORLD, a mega saga nearly 200 pages long. Moonstone Comics will present the entire series in three, stunning, full color graphic novels. Ace cover painter Mark Maddox will provide the covers for NEUTRAL WORLD and is thrilled to be involved with the project. All art will be produced in Bennett’s studio with the lettering being handled by American artist, Rob Davis.

To better set the concept of NEUTRAL WORLD, Moonstone will release a 16 pgs, full color preview comic to be sold for .99 cents. It will showcase a nine page action sequence from the first volume plus seven gorgeous character sketches complete with biographies. This mini Issue O will serve to introduce comic fans to the excitement and thrills of NEUTRAL WORLD and whet their appetites for the first graphic novel, now in production.


NEUTRAL WORLD, a gifted artist’s twenty year dream is about to become a stellar, ground breaking comic event! And it’s coming to you soon from MOONSTONE!
　
　

Moonstone Entertainment Inc. publishes comics and illustrated fiction designed to “awaken your sense of adventure”, featuring classic and new heroes in thrilling tales of adventure, mystery, and horror. For more than a decade, Moonstone Entertainment Inc. has created fine and distinct comic books, Graphic Novels and prose…books that are meant to be read. Awaken your sense of adventure at http://www.moonstonebooks.com/

PRESS RELEASE

Web Comic Creator Dirk Tiede Announces Guest Appearances

For Immediate Release: Comic writer and artist Dirk Tiede, creator of the long-running serialized graphic novel Paradigm Shift announced today his upcoming convention schedule and Guest of Honor appearances. Dirk is a founding contributor to premiere comics portal Modern Tales. His work is also showcased in the books “Toon Art: The Art of Digital Comics and Webcomics”, and appears in the documentary “Adventures in Digital Comics”.

Dirk has been appearing at conventions nationwide for over 10 years, not only building a professional reputation as an artist but also a repertoire of panel topics that he presents to convention attendees. Because of this history, Dirk has been invited to be the web comic guest of honor at two conventions and a featured artist at another. These special designations are part of a tour of 13 conventions that span the country from coast to coast and include NonCon, Anime St. Louis and Anime Boston.

No Such Convention (NonCon) is a gaming, comics and anime convention held by Vassar College's No Such Organization in Poughkeepsie, NY. This year marks the eleventh year of NonCon, which will be held on February 18-20. As with the other two guest appearances, Dirk is scheduled to deliver selections from his impressive repertoire of panels and workshops.

Anime St. Louis, Dirk’s second guest appearance, will be at Gateway Center and Doubletree Hotel in Collinsville IL. Hailing from the St. Louis Metro East area, Dirk returns home in 2011 as Anime St. Louis bestows upon him the Guest of Honor title a second time. The convention is scheduled for April 15 to 17.

Heading east to his new home in Boston, Dirk appears the very next weekend at Anime Boston as part of their annual art track. Held each year at the Hynes Convention Center, Anime Boston is the largest anime convention in New England. The three-day convention is scheduled from April 22 through 24 and Dirk will once again be facilitating a sampling of his panel presentations as part of the weekend programming.

Paradigm Shift, currently in its fourth chapter, focuses on smart-ass detectives Kate McAllister and Mike Stuart are propelled into the paranormal while investigating a strange back alley mauling. Kate was one of the best detectives in Chicago, until she developed a bad case of lycanthropy. Now she and her partner Mike are on the run to find the truth. This serialized graphic novel is a police procedural punctuated by explosive gunfights, sardonic humor, and supernatural horror set in a gritty and authentic Chicago backdrop.

For more information on Paradigm Shift, Dirk Tiede or to view his full convention schedule, visit his website at http://www.paradigmshiftmanga.com.

BOOM! STUDIOS &
CLAUDIO SANCHEZ
MAKE IT EASIER THAN EVER
TO BREAK INTO
EPIC SCI-FI UNIVERSE OF THE
COHEED & CAMBRIA MYTHOS
WITH
THE AMORY WARS: IN KEEPING
SECRETS OF SILENT EARTH: 3 #1
$1 EDITION
COMING THIS MARCH!

JUST IN TIME FOR
THE AMORY WARS: IN KEEPING
SECRETS OF SILENT EARTH VOL. 2


January 20, 2011 - Los Angeles, CA - If you have a dollar in your pocket then you can't miss the chance to dive into the sensational sci-fi epic from BOOM! Studios and Coheed & Cambria frontman Claudio Sanchez with THE AMORY WARS: IN KEEPING SECRETS OF SILENT EARTH: 3 #1 $1 EDITION. That's right, for only $1 you can experience all the thrilling action and excitement that makes THE AMORY WARS: IN KEEPING SECRETS OF SILENT EARTH: 3 a stunning space saga like none other in comics today!

“There's no reason you should not pick up THE AMORY WARS: IN KEEPING SECRETS OF SILENT EARTH: 3 #1 $1 EDITION!,” said BOOM! Studios Marketing Director Chip Mosher. “Shake those piggy banks and scour the couch for loose change, do not pass up the chance to explore the rich and expansive story that only creative masterminds Claudio Sanchez and Peter David can bring. This could very well be the best $1 you'll ever spend!”

If you've heard about the ground-breaking The Amory Wars but never had a chance to get into it, the $1 first issue is a great entry point for new readers. Claudio Kilgannon’s adventure of war and rebirth starts here, from Sanchez, Eisner Award-winner Peter David and BATMAN & ROBIN’s Chris Burnham! Hitting the shelves the same month as the second trade paperback!

THE AMORY WARS is the story of Claudio Kilgannon, son of Coheed and Cambria, the subjects of a privately developed anti-terrorist unit. The insidious Supreme Tri-mage Wilhelm Ryan, self-proclaimed ruler of Heaven’s Fence, a network of 78 planets, sets forth to decimate those that could stand in his way, including Coheed, Cambria and their children. Claudio must discover his role in this galactic turmoil and come to terms with his own growth in worlds that are always changing. THE AMORY WARS is the story behind the band Coheed and Cambria’s music, allowing fans to finally unlock the true course of events encrypted in the lyrics since the band first debuted.

THE AMORY WARS: IN KEEPING SECRETS OF SILENT EARTH: 3 #1 $1 EDITION is written by Claudio Sanchez and Peter David with art by Chris Burnham. This title ships in March for the price of only $1 and carries a Diamond Code of JAN111024.

About BOOM! Studios
BOOM! Studios (www.boom-studios.com) 2009 “Best Publisher” of the year, generates a wide-ranging catalog of multiple Eisner and Harvey Award-nominated comic books and graphic novels featuring some of the industry’s top talent, including Philip K. Dick’s DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP?, 20th Century Fox’s 28 DAYS LATER and DIE HARD, The Henson Company’s FARSCAPE, and the original Mark Waid series IRREDEEMABLE. This fall sees BOOM! teaming up with the legendary Stan Lee, creator of Marvel Comics’ characters Spider-Man, The Hulk, and The X-Men for a line of original superhero series, the legend’s first new superhero creations in nearly 20 years. BOOM!’s youth imprint, BOOM Kids!, is an undisputed industry leader publishing Disney/Pixar’s THE INCREDIBLES, CARS, and TOY STORY, as well as Disney’s THE MUPPETS, DONALD DUCK, UNCLE SCROOGE and WALT DISNEY’S COMICS AND STORIES. This year, BOOM! Studios celebrates its fifth anniversary.

About Evil Ink Comics
Evil Ink Comics is the independent publishing company of Claudio Sanchez, the lead singer of progressive rock band Coheed and Cambria, and also the creator and author of Evil Ink’s current projects, Kill Audio & The Amory Wars.

EVERYONE WANTS A VACATION
Infinite Vacation #1 Sells Out, Second Printing Scheduled

Berkeley, CA - January 20, 2011 -


Image Comics is pleased to announce yet another sell-out first issue today. A second printing of Nick Spencer and Christian Ward's Shadowline title, THE INFINITE VACATION #1, has been scheduled to satisfy the demand of readers who missed out on Spencer's latest hit.


"It's so great to get all this support from the fans right from the start!" exclaimed Nick Spencer, writer, "I also feel very lucky to have Christian Ward working with me as a co-creator on this project. THE INFINITE VACATION is simultaneously the story of an everyman but also vibrant and surreal -- like a visual representation of the subconscious in a technologically-driven world. Christian's art just hits the mark exactly, and it's clear that the fans feel the same way!"

Spencer’s other titles with Image/Shadowline include EXISTENCE 2.0, EXISTENCE 3.0, SHUDDERTOWN, FORGETLESS, and he is also currently writing the runaway hit MORNING GLORIES. Christian Ward's colorful and psychedelic art style filled the pages of another Image comic, OLYMPUS.


"MORNING GLORIES, 27, and now THE INFINITE VACATION. I'm overwhelmed and extremely grateful for the support both fans and retailers have shown to Shadowline and Image," said Jim Valentino, Publisher of Image's Shadowline studio.

THE INFINITE VACATION is a high concept science fiction love story taking place in a parallel reality, where an app that allows the user to answer the age-old question of "what if" has changed everyone's lives forever. The first issue has not only received outstanding fan reaction, but also glowing reviews. Comic Book Resources called it "as smart and engaging a comic as you could hope for."


THE INFINITE VACATION #1 Second Printing (DEC108124), a 32-page full-color comic book for only $3.50, will be in stores February 16, 2011.

Miss Something During the Holidaze?

Catch up on MBP's Recent Releases
NEW YORK - January 19, 2011 - The first month of 2011 is already winding down, but we here at MBP feel like the last part of 2010 blew by so fast we're just catching up with it. Between end of year madness and some internal changes, we wanted to remind you, our fine, fair media friends, about four great titles we've recently released that might very well be of interest to you but got lost in the Holidaze shuffle.

For any of you that had responded to these initial press releases and never heard back from us, our bad. Emails were funneled into black holes, but we've fixed all of that using space-age technology and the backspace key. Should any of these books pique your interest, let us know and we'll send you a review copy.

Becoming: Yishay Garbasz dares to explore one of society's most taboo subjects-the exercise of individual agency in the unmaking and remaking of a body's gender. In this groundbreaking work and objet d'art, Garbasz courageously documents the changes she underwent from one year before her gender reassignment surgery until one year afterward. Becoming's flipbook format renders visible and immediate the element of time in this process, a topic touched upon in the foreword written by film critic Vivian Sobchack.

The Obscene Image: Photographer Gilles Tondini has documented the frenzied frescos created by medical interns in Paris who use hospital break rooms to let off steam and maintain sanity as they work to save lives. Graphic, sexually charged, saturated with color and lewd references, these little known images manifest all the frustrations, stresses, highs, and lows that medical professionals anywhere must deal with in their quests to keep people healthy. The book is bilingual English and French.

Everything That Can Happen in a Day: What does it take to snap someone out of their daily routine? Over the course of 2009, artist David Horvitz explored this question by sending out directives on a daily basis, encouraging people to take action and infuse their day with whimsy and creativity. From giving a flower to every cashier you purchase something from to capturing a photograph of yourself sticking your head in a refrigerator, Horvitz's project reminds readers that "nothing will happen unless you first initiate a process of cause and effect."

Fuzz and Fur: The adoration of mythical creatures and popular anime characters is nothing new in Japan, but kigurumi, roughly translated as "fur suit mascots," is a growing pastime that is also a marketing tool. Profiling over 100 kigurumi with photographs and text that explaining their origins, Fuzz & Fur is the definitive compendium of this fascinating subculture.

About Mark Batty Publisher
Mark Batty Publisher (http://www.markbattypublisher.com) is an independent publisher dedicated to making distinctive books on the visual art of communicating, showcasing the visual power and innovation of contemporary culture in all of its varied poses. Today, the visual comes at us from more places than ever, and its dissemination is faster and more advanced every year. Books from Mark Batty Publisher capture this acceleration on the pages of every book. Affordable, well designed, thoughtfully created, and produced to last, MBP books are artful products that readers want to hold onto forever.

Star Trek Voyager's Robert Picardo and producer/director/writer Dr. Harry Kloor will host the U.S. premiere of Quantum Quest, the 3-D computer animated Large Format adventure film, at the gala preview party of "Science With A Twist: An Evening Aboard The Enterprise" on Saturday night, January 22nd at the Louisville Science Center museum.



Quantum Quest interweaves animated sequences with stunning, actual space imagery captured from seven ongoing NASA and NASA/ESA space missions. In addition to Picardo, the film boasts an A-list voice cast including two Captain Kirks (veteran William Shatner and Chris Pine), two Jedi Knights (Mark Hamill and Samuel L. Jackson) and two Darth Vaders (James Earl Jones and Hayden Christensen) - a first for Hollywood and the galaxy. Quantum Quest will be released in Large Format and conventional theaters in spring, 2011.



Quantum Quest is the first time that NASA’s iconic Jet Propulsion Laboratory has ever initiated a film project and the first time that Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first person to walk on the surface of the Moon, has participated in a feature film, lending his voice to one of the characters.



Combining solid, “real” science with Hollywood-style narrative story-telling, Quantum Quest is designed to communicate the excitement of space exploration and science discovery to students K through 12. Quantum Quest will provide more free educational materials, prepared by leading educators, scientists, space and science organizations (including the Fleet Museum and the Planetary Society), than any previous Large Screen film.



“This is a stealth science education film disguised as fun Hollywood entertainment,” says Dr. Kloor. “Whenever we talk about science, it’s exact, but QQ’s message is to tell kids – and grownups of all ages - that

science is cool.”



Dr. Harry Kloor, Ph.D. Physics, Ph.D. Chemistry, is a writer, director, producer, scientist, inventor, and national technology policy advisor. Dr. Kloor has 15 years experience writing/developing films and TV series. In 1994, he earned the unique status of being the first and, to date, the only person to simultaneously earn two doctorates, one in Physics and the other in Chemistry, both from Purdue University. This achievement was so singular that it gained national recognition in such publications as The New York Times and People. His writing credits include Star Trek: Voyager and the animated series Godzilla, and Earth: Final Conflict, and he was a producer and played a key role in developing the hit TV series Earth: Final Conflict. Dr. Kloor is a recognized leader in bringing science to the public. He founded a National Physics Outreach Program at Purdue University in 1991, forming partnerships with Marvel Entertainment and Paramount Pictures to use their iconic properties such as Spider-Man and Star Trek to advance science. Dr. Kloor has produced and directed a variety of commercials and industrial documentaries, published articles stories in various newspapers and scientific publications and sits on a range of advisory boards including Rocket Racing League (for which he was the Founding Advisor) and Signacert. Dr. Kloor served as Science Advisor to the famed X Prize organization, and has worked in advancing science literacy to the public for over 20 years.

THIS MARCH
BOOM! STUDIOS BRINGS YOU
INSURRECTION V3.6!
AN EPIC FUTURISTIC WAR SAGA
THAT ASKS THE QUESTION
WHAT MAKES US HUMAN?

JOIN THE REVOLUTION!


January 19, 2011 - Los Angeles, CA - This March BOOM! Studios brings you the future of war and a vision of revolution on a galactic scale with INSURRECTION V3.6! Join Blake Masters (BROTHERHOOD) and acclaimed writer Michael Alan Nelson (28 DAYS LATER, DINGO) with white hot artist Michael Penick as they bring you a devastating new series about conflict, humanity, and the cost of freedom. Join the fight and prepare for INSURRECTION V3.6!

In INSURRECTION V3.6 enter a future where pollution, poverty, and armed conflict have been obliterated. Only off-world on the terraformed moons of distant planets does war still exist. Corporations command more power than governments and when they go to war, they use their own military force — armies composed of bio-engineered clones. For generations, these clones have not questioned why they live and die while their makers risk nothing. But now, one of their own will stand up against injustice, sparking a revolution that will change the entire galaxy, igniting INSURRECTION!

INSURRECTION V3.6 is written by Blake Masters (BROTHERHOOD) and Michael Alan Nelson (28 DAYS LATER, DINGO), with art by sensational artist Michael Penick. This title ships in March with A & B covers in a 50/50 split by Karl Richardson and Rael Lyra respectively, and carries a Diamond Code of JAN111041.

About BOOM! Studios
BOOM! Studios (www.boom-studios.com) 2009 “Best Publisher” of the year, generates a wide-ranging catalog of multiple Eisner and Harvey Award-nominated comic books and graphic novels featuring some of the industry’s top talent, including Philip K. Dick’s DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP?, 20th Century Fox’s 28 DAYS LATER and DIE HARD, The Henson Company’s FARSCAPE, and the original Mark Waid series IRREDEEMABLE. This fall sees BOOM! teaming up with the legendary Stan Lee, creator of Marvel Comics’ characters Spider-Man, The Hulk, and The X-Men for a line of original superhero series, the legend’s first new superhero creations in nearly 20 years. BOOM!’s youth imprint, BOOM Kids!, is an undisputed industry leader publishing Disney/Pixar’s THE INCREDIBLES, CARS, and TOY STORY, as well as Disney’s THE MUPPETS, DONALD DUCK, UNCLE SCROOGE and WALT DISNEY’S COMICS AND STORIES. This year, BOOM! Studios celebrates its fifth anniversary.

WIZKIDS TAKES OVER MIDDLE EARTH

WITH NEW “THE LORD OF THE RINGS” GAME RELEASES

(January 18, 2011-Hillside NJ) – Wizkids announced today the addition of “The Lord of the Rings” property to their 2011 HeroClix release schedule through a licensing agreement logowith Warner Bros. Consumer Products. The first products of the new “The Lord of the Rings” line will be a HeroClix miniatures game followed by a HeroClix strategic board game, both of which will release in the back half of 2011.

“The Lord of the Rings” HeroClix miniatures game will be sold in two different packages: a campaign style box set and the traditional booster format. The all-in-one campaign style box set will include everything a player needs, including NEW epic level rules and maps. The booster format includes the figures, similar to other previous HeroClix releases. With whichever format chosen, all of the twenty or more figures will be compatible with other HeroClix miniatures games.

The second release is a unique semi cooperative HeroClix board game, following in the similar format of our other HeroClix board game products. HeroClix figures, a gameboard and several decks of cards provide all the components needed to play this unique take on “The Lord of the Rings” story. The fun twist in the game is that players’ get to play as the Nazgul working with and against other Nazgul trying to capture the One Ring before it reaches Mount Doom.

Find us on the web at www.WizKidsGames.com or friend us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/wizkids to see the latest developments from WizKids as they happen!

CREATE YOUR OWN COMIC-BE THE HERO, SAVE THE WORLD!

Copious Amounts Press Launches Customizable Comics



Everyone whose ever dreamed of starring in their own comic book will be thrilled to hear Copious Amounts Press has just launched Copious Productions, a custom comics division.

To take part in this exciting new adventure, all you have to do is contact Copious Productions at comics@copiousproductions.com, send in a few photos, and they will create a professionally customized comic book page. The only limit is your imagination. The page can be about you, a close friend or even your pet!

Andrea Grant, founder of Copious, was inspired by Comic Con. “There are always a lot of people running around commissioning art, but it’s a rushed experience because the artists are overloaded. What about those who don’t make it to the yearly comic con, but still want a custom piece for a special occasion? We are the first ones to provide this unique service.”

Grant and her team have created three styles to choose from: Film Noir Detective, Classic Superhero, and Slice of Life. “The most popular has been the Opposites Attract story,” Grant says. “We all know danger can be hot. And when hero meets villainess, or heroine meets villain, the sparks really fly - a perfect gift for Valentine’s Day!”

In that vein, until Valentine’s Day (Feb 14, 2011) Copious Productions is offering an introductory $150 special (discounted from $200). They’ll mail you a full-color, enlarged 11x17 photo print, a high-resolution TIFF, and a low-resolution JPG for easy emailing and posts on Facebook.

Visit us at www.copiousproductions.com to see examples of our Custom Comics!

Fan us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#MINXcomic

Follow us on Twitter @copiousamounts

About Copious: Copious Amounts Press is publishing house that has produced a variety of limited edition art books and multimedia projects since 2001, including Copious Magazine, Andrea Grant’s Minx, and Ready to Where? More information is available at www.copiousamounts.com.