Friday, February 18, 2011

DARKWING DUCK:
CRISIS ON INFINITE DARKWINGS TPB
COMING THIS APRIL!

February 18, 2011 - Los Angeles, CA - This April marks the return of your favorite masked mallard as the smash-hit DARKWING DUCK continues with a brand new trade paperback, CRISIS ON INFINITE DARKWINGS! Fan-favorite author Ian Brill (CHIP 'N' DALE RESCUE RANGERS) and phenomenal artist James Silvani (MUPPET KING ARTHUR) bring you the latest and greatest volume of the St. Canard crime fighter in this tale of too many Darkwings! Whether you're a loyal fan or just jumping aboard you won't want to miss DARKWING DUCK: CRISIS ON INFINITE DARKWINGS coming this April to a comic shop near you!

“It's more Darkwings than you'll know what to do with!” says BOOM! Studios Marketing Director Chip Mosher. “The Darkwing dynamic duo of Ian Brill and James Silvani truly outdid themselves in this arc, combining action, hilarity and not to mention a metric ton of Easter eggs all throughout. This is a volume Darkwing and comics fans alike need to get!”

In DARKWING DUCK: CRISIS ON INFINITE DARKWINGS you'll see that Darkwing Duck is back, and back, and back and back some more as the city of St. Canard is under siege by an army of twisted Darkwings under the control of the original deranged Darkwing double, Negaduck, and his new partner in crime, the wicked witch Magica De Spell! How will our hero dispense justice when he's public enemy number one?!

DARKWING DUCK: CRISIS ON INFINITE DARKWINGS collects issues #5-8 of the fan-favorite DARKWING DUCK ongoing series written by Ian Brill with art by James Silvani. This trade collection ships in April and carries a price point of $14.99 with a Diamond Code of FEB110863 and ISBN of 9781608866267.

About BOOM! Studios
Award-winning "Best Publisher" BOOM! Studios(www.boom-studios.com) generates a constellation of bestselling comic books and graphic novels with the industry’s top talent, including the bestselling Mark Waid series IRREDEEMABLE, Stan Lee's SOLDIER ZERO, THE TRAVELER, and STARBORN (the first new series in print from the industry icon in 20 years), new HELLRAISER comics written by Clive Barker as well as 20th Century Fox's PLANET OF THE APES, 28 DAYS LATER, and DIE HARD, Philip K. Dick's DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP?, and The Henson Company's FARSCAPE. 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, MICKEY MOUSE, DONALD DUCK, UNCLE SCROOGE, and WALT DISNEY'S COMICS AND STORIES.

Disney Publishing Worldwide
Disney Publishing Worldwide (DPW) is the world's largest publisher of children's books and magazines, with over 250 million children’s books sold and around 400 children’s magazines titles published each year. DPW's business units include Global Children's Magazines, Disney Family Fun Group, Disney English, and Disney Global Book Group. Disney Global Books and Global Magazines encompass a tremendous worldwide licensing structure; Disney Book Group consists of vertically integrated publishing imprints in the U.S. which include Disney Editions, Disney-Hyperion, Disney-Jump at the Sun and Disney Press. In addition, Disney Libri, DPW's Italian vertical operation, publishes books for children of all ages. DPW's Disney FamilyFun Group publishes Disney FamilyFun and Disney en Familia. Headquartered in White Plains, NY, Disney Publishing Worldwide publishes books and magazines in 85 languages in 75 countries.
Puzzle Agent and Soft-Bellied Detective Hector Expand Telltale Line-Up

Nelson Tethers coming to PlayStation®Network and returning to Scoggins

with Puzzle Agent 2; Hector: Badge of Carnage also joining Telltale line-up



SAN RAFAEL, CA. February 18, 2011 – Telltale Games, a leading digital publisher, today announces new investigative offerings for the coming months. First up, the U.S. Department of Puzzle Research’s Nelson Tethers will bring his sleuthing to the PlayStation®Network this Spring, and then return to Scoggins to complete what he started in Puzzle Agent 2 releasing in Summer. Additionally, Detective Inspector Hector from Clapper’s Wreake, the crime capital of England, will join Telltale’s line-up with Hector: Badge of Carnage.



Puzzle Agent 2, scheduled to release for PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad and PlayStation Network, builds on the award-winning puzzler developed in collaboration with indie comic artist and animator Graham Annable. Inspired by the popular Professor Layton games, Puzzle Agent centers on unusual happenings in the Nordic town of Scoggins, Minnesota, and garnered PC Gamer’s Puzzle Game of the Year in 2010, along with much critical acclaim. In the second Puzzle Agent game, ace puzzle investigators will return to the snowy mid-west to help Agent Tethers solve the mystery haunting the realm.



Hector: Badge of Carnage, is a lewd, crude and gritty law enforcement comedy, featuring tough-talking, soft-bellied Detective Inspector Hector – a flawed, misanthropic anti-hero with an unhealthy taste for all things criminal, corrupt or smothered with curry sauce. When a hostage crisis kicks off in the series pilot 'We Negotiate with Terrorists,’ only one man has the diplomatic finesse to defuse a simmering situation before it boils over into a stew of butchery and bloodshed: Detective Inspector Hector. He’s all they’ve got. Literally. All the other negotiators are dead. Telltale will partner with Northern Ireland based Straandlooper on the Hector games, starting with bringing ‘We Negotiate with Terrorists’ to iPad, PC and Mac this Spring. Straandlooper first released the game for iPhone only last Summer. Telltale will follow this platform expansion with two additional Hector episodes for PC, Mac, iPhone and iPad later this year.



“We’re pleased that we can extend Puzzle Agent, our very first pilot from last year, with a second game,” said Telltale CEO Dan Connors. “And the Hector: Badge of Carnage partnership showcases additional ways we’re bringing creative and original new games to different audiences.”



About Graham Annable

Classically trained animator Graham Annable has built impressive credentials in film, television, video games and indie comics. He has for years spent his free time creating some of the funniest, most poignant comics and cartoons anywhere. His fluid art pulses with life and character. Alternately poetic and hilarious, Graham’s work presents a strange twist on the everyday, and does so with heart and humor.



Graham has contributed to projects with George Lucas, Chuck Jones, Nickelodeon, Telltale Games, Jeff Smith and Henry Selick’s teams, most recently through his work as storyboard artist on the Coraline theatrical feature. His indie Grickle Channel on YouTube was recently a home page Featured Video, ultimately driving over 1M views. Graham’s Grickle was named one of Wizard's Top 25 indie books everyone must read and selected for Houghton-Mifflin's 2008 edition of Best American Comics.



About Straandlooper Animation

Straandlooper Animation is located in Northern Ireland. The company looks creatively and optimistically at the global animation market, originating content for as many audiences as it can shake a stick at. Straandlooper is interested in partnering with other like-minded companies on the development and production of IP for digital media. They can be found online at www.straandlooper.com



About Telltale, Inc.

Telltale is a leading digital publisher of cinematic adventures playable on every major gaming platform. Telltale has also pioneered episodic delivery of scheduled content, developing games as series to create longer consumer engagement. Founded in 2004 by LucasArts veterans with decades of experience, Telltale has quickly become an industry leader, establishing the model for successful episodic game creation and digital publishing with over 5 million episodes sold since 2005. Telltale’s reputation for quality has been established across more than 35 published releases that have cumulatively earned an average Metacritic score above 80%. Telltale's titles have won numerous awards including, "Adventure Game of the Year" from publications such as IGN, PC Gamer, GameSpy, and Adventure Gamers, and have been recognized by mainstream outlets ranging from USA Today, to The New York Times to Variety. Telltale currently develops and publishes games for PlayStation®3, Xbox 360TM, WiiTM, PC, Mac, iPad and iPhone. Learn more at www.telltalegames.com.
THIS MAY
BOOM! STUDIOS PRESENTS
TWO CLASSIC UNCLE SCROOGE STORIES
BY CARL BARKS & DON ROSA
TWO DISNEY COMICS LEGENDS
WITH
UNCLE SCROOGE:
THE MYSTERIOUS STONE RAY
& CASH FLOW

February 18, 2010 - Los Angeles, CA – This May BOOM! Studios brings you two legendary Duck artists for two classic Duck stories never before collected together: UNCLE SCROOGE: THE MYSTERIOUS STONE RAY & CASH FLOW! Join in the fun as BOOM! Studios presents two timeless UNCLE SCROOGE adventures by renowned Disney Comics creators Carl Barks and Don Rosa in this one-of-a-kind squarebound prestige edition! This amazing one-shot will not be collected in the future so, UNCLE SCROOGE fans, be sure to reserve your copy today of UNCLE SCROOGE: THE MYSTERIOUS STONE RAY & CASH FLOW!

“Duck fans demanded it and BOOM! delivers.” says BOOM! Studios Marketing Director Chip Mosher. “We're bringing Carl Barks and Don Rosa, two of the greatest and most sought after UNCLE SCROOGE artists together like never before. These two classic Duck tales have never been published together and will not be collected in the future. So be sure to grab your copy before it's gone!”

UNCLE SCROOGE: THE MYSTERIOUS STONE RAY & CASH FLOW is a Carl Barks/Don Rosa UNCLE SCROOGE double feature! First up is Barks’ "The Mysterious Stone Ray,” which takes Scrooge on an ocean voyage for his health, where he ends up discovering an island full of petrified Beagle Boys...and the spindly scientist who made them that way! Then, back in Duckburg, Rosa’s "Cash Flow!" details another Beagle plot as they plan to literally liquidate all of Scrooge's assets.

UNCLE SCROOGE: THE MYSTERIOUS STONE RAY & CASH FLOW ships as a 56 page squarebound prestige format one-shot featuring story and art by Disney Comics legends Carl Barks and Don Rosa. This title ships in May and carries a price point of $6.99.

About BOOM! Studios
Award-winning "Best Publisher" BOOM! Studios(www.boom-studios.com) generates a constellation of bestselling comic books and graphic novels with the industry’s top talent, including the bestselling Mark Waid series IRREDEEMABLE, Stan Lee's SOLDIER ZERO, THE TRAVELER, and STARBORN (the first new series in print from the industry icon in 20 years), new HELLRAISER comics written by Clive Barker as well as 20th Century Fox's PLANET OF THE APES, 28 DAYS LATER, and DIE HARD, Philip K. Dick's DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP?, and The Henson Company's FARSCAPE. 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, MICKEY MOUSE, DONALD DUCK, UNCLE SCROOGE, and WALT DISNEY'S COMICS AND STORIES.

Disney Publishing Worldwide
Disney Publishing Worldwide (DPW) is the world's largest publisher of children's books and magazines, with over 250 million children’s books sold and around 400 children’s magazines titles published each year. DPW's business units include Global Children's Magazines, Disney Family Fun Group, Disney English, and Disney Global Book Group. Disney Global Books and Global Magazines encompass a tremendous worldwide licensing structure; Disney Book Group consists of vertically integrated publishing imprints in the U.S. which include Disney Editions, Disney-Hyperion, Disney-Jump at the Sun and Disney Press. In addition, Disney Libri, DPW's Italian vertical operation, publishes books for children of all ages. DPW's Disney FamilyFun Group publishes Disney FamilyFun and Disney en Familia. Headquartered in White Plains, NY, Disney Publishing Worldwide publishes books and magazines in 85 languages in 75 countries.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


30 Days of Night Returns

All-new miniseries by Joe R. Lansdale and Sam Kieth coming in May



[30 DAYS OF NIGHT: NIGHT, AGAIN #1 cover]San Diego, CA (February 17, 2011) – IDW Publishing is pleased to announce the return of its preeminent horror series, 30 DAYS OF NIGHT. Originally created by Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith, 30 DAYS OF NIGHT has spawned two feature films and countless nightmares since it first launched in 2002. Now, award-winning horror writer Joe R. Lansdale and legendary artist Sam Kieth (Sandman) take the helm with an all-new series 30 DAYS OF NIGHT: NIGHT, AGAIN.

“Lansdale and Kieth on 30 Days of Night is really a nightmare come true,” said Chris Ryall, IDW’s Chief Creative Officer and Editor in Chief. “What they’re doing in NIGHT, AGAIN is a return to form for 30 DAYS, hearkening back to the terror of the first series while pushing it into an insane new direction, too.”

30 DAYS OF NIGHT: NIGHT, AGAIN follows a band of survivors from the vampire infestation, who take refuge at a science facility in the Alaskan wilds. The inhabitants of the research compound are trying to determine the nature of a strange object found in the ice when the survivors arrive, leading to a frightening and bloody confrontation between humans and vampires! In addition to regular covers by Kieth, this four-issue series will also feature incentive covers by acclaimed Scalped cover artist Davide Furno.

“30 DAYS OF NIGHT has always been a singularly fantastic horror property,” said series editor Tom Waltz. “And now Joe and Sam are stamping their unique—and, dare I say, twisted—vision onto the franchise with 30 DAYS OF NIGHT: NIGHT, AGAIN. I’m not exaggerating when I say 30 DAYS OF NIGHT fans are in for a wholly unexpected and unpredictable ride with this series, not to mention a fascinating addition to franchise canon.”

30 DAYS OF NIGHT: NIGHT AGAIN #1 ($3.99, 32 pages, full color) will be available in stores in May. Diamond order code MAR11 0447.


Visit IDWPublishing.com to learn more about the company and its top-selling books.


About IDW Publishing
IDW is an award-winning publisher of comic books, graphic novels and trade paperbacks, based in San Diego, California. Renowned for its diverse catalog of licensed and independent titles, IDW publishes some of the most successful and popular titles in the industry, including: Hasbro's The Transformers and G.I. JOE, Paramount's Star Trek; HBO's True Blood; the BBC's Doctor Who; Toho’s Godzilla; and comics and trade collections based on novels by worldwide bestselling author, James Patterson. IDW is also home to the Library of American Comics imprint, which publishes classic comic reprints; Yoe! Books, a partnership with Yoe! Studios; and is the print publisher for EA Comics and ComicMix.

IDW's original horror series, 30 Days of Night, was launched as a major motion picture in October 2007 by Sony Pictures and was the #1 film in its first week of release. More information about the company can be found at IDWPublishing.com.
All-New Jurassic Park Game Roars to April 2011 Release

Catch the world premiere trailer now at http://www.jurassicparkthegame.com

and save $5 with pre-orders



SAN RAFAEL, CA. February 18, 2011 – This April, fans of Jurassic Park can experience what really happened to the Barbasol can of stolen dinosaur embryos lost during the first film. Developed through a publishing agreement with Universal Partnerships & Licensing, Telltale's new game based on Jurassic Park will shed light on this mystery and much more.



The world premiere trailer and a special pre-order offer are now online at the game’s official site: http://www.jurassicparkthegame.com. Customers who pre-order for PC and Mac can save $5 and get the game for just $29.99. The full purchase price will be $34.99 when the game series launches in April.



An episodic adventure in five parts, the game is set during the events of the first film. The story unfolds through a film-inspired cinematic adventure crafted to stir mystery and tension while building to exciting climactic peaks.



The game storyline picks up on the stormy night as Jurassic Park began to fall apart –when Dennis Nedry stole a Barbasol can full of invaluable dinosaur embryos. He died trying to deliver it. He never knew it contained a tracking device. That same night, a desperate smuggler infiltrates Isla Nublar, hunting the canister and its precious cargo. She collides – literally – with park staff trying to evacuate. They are trapped together as the park collapses, left behind with the newly-freed dinosaurs. When InGen launches a perilous rescue operation, mercenaries, saboteurs, and survivors are thrown together in the struggle to escape the island. They confront T. Rex, Velociraptors and other dinosaurs in spectacular showdowns. As human agendas clash, secrets of the park are exposed, and a new threat emerges: an eerie, nocturnal predator stalking the group, hunting them relentlessly across the island.



Visitors to the Jurassic Park game site will want to be sure to sign up for timely news and updates on the game at http://www.jurassicparkthegame.com as Telltale releases new information leading up to the game’s release.



About Jurassic Park

Since Universal Pictures and Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment first joined forces to unleash an adventure over 65 million years in the making, Jurassic Park has become the “premier” and “authentic” dinosaur brand the world over. When Jurassic Park was released in 1993, it became an instant phenomenon. In the years that followed, two additional films were released – The Lost World: Jurassic Park and Jurassic Park III – bringing the trilogy’s worldwide box office total to more than $2 billion. The franchise continues to resonate with consumers worldwide via consumer products, popular attractions at Universal Studios Theme Parks and annual airings of the three films on a multitude of television networks.


About Universal Partnerships & Licensing
UP&L oversees Universal’s consumer product licensing, film and home entertainment promotions, and all corporate alliances for Universal’s theatrical, home entertainment, theme parks and stage productions. This dedicated division is also responsible for monetizing the Studio’s vast library of films and characters through licensing, branding and marketing opportunities. UP&L is part of NBCUniversal. NBCUniversal is one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group and world-renowned theme parks. Comcast Corporation owns a controlling 51% interest in NBCUniversal, with GE holding a 49% stake.


About Telltale, Inc.

Telltale is a leading digital publisher of cinematic adventures playable on every major gaming platform. Telltale has also pioneered episodic delivery of scheduled content, developing games as series to create longer consumer engagement. Founded in 2004 by LucasArts veterans with decades of experience, Telltale has quickly become an industry leader, establishing the model for successful episodic game creation and digital publishing with over 5 million episodes sold since 2005. Telltale’s reputation for quality has been established across more than 35 published releases that have cumulatively earned an average Metacritic score above 80%. Telltale's titles have won numerous awards including, "Adventure Game of the Year" from publications such as IGN, PC Gamer, GameSpy, and Adventure Gamers, and have been recognized by mainstream outlets ranging from USA Today, to The New York Times to Variety. Telltale currently develops and publishes games for PlayStation® 3, Xbox 360TM, WiiTM, PC, Mac, iPad and iPhone. Learn more at www.telltalegames.com.
A MICKEY MOUSE CLASSIC
COMES TO BOOM! STUDIOS THIS APRIL
IN
MICKEY MOUSE: THE ATOMBRELLA
AND THE RHYMING MAN!

DON'T MISS THIS LOST DISNEY CLASSIC
BY CELEBRATED DISNEY COMICS LEGENDS
BILL WALSH & FLOYD GOTTFREDSON


February 18, 2010 - Los Angeles, CA - Back in print for the first time in the U.S. since 1948, this April BOOM! Studios brings you a lost Mickey classic no Disney fan can miss, MICKEY MOUSE: THE ATOMBRELLA AND THE RHYMING MAN! Beautifully presented in a squarebound prestige edition, this one-shot features the incomparable talents of premier Mickey writer Bill Walsh and uncontested artistic legend Floyd Gottfredson! This fantastic one-shot will not be collected in the future, so Mickey Mouse fans, be sure reserve your copy today of MICKEY MOUSE: THE ATOMBRELLA AND THE RHYMING MAN!

“Disney fans, this is truly a not-to-be-missed event!” says BOOM! Studios Marketing Director Chip Mosher. “Not only has this classic not been seen in print in over 6 decades, and showcases the talents of legendary Disney comics creators, but this story will not be collected later! Let me reiterate, this one-shot is it. So be sure to get your copy before it's gone!”

Danger is afoot in MICKEY MOUSE: THE ATOMBRELLA AND THE RHYMING MAN as our diminutive mouse hero confronts one of his most memorable foes in this treasured tale! It's an exciting and fun-filled adventure featuring the debut of one of Mickey's craftiest archenemies, The Rhyming Man!

MICKEY MOUSE: THE ATOMBRELLA AND THE RHYMING MAN ships as a 48 page squarebound prestige format one-shot written by the legendary Bill Walsh with art by the incomparable Floyd Gottfredson, featuring a cover by Daan Jippes. This title ships in April and carries a price point of $6.99 and a Diamond Code of FEB110870.

About BOOM! Studios
Award-winning "Best Publisher" BOOM! Studios(www.boom-studios.com) generates a constellation of bestselling comic books and graphic novels with the industry’s top talent, including the bestselling Mark Waid series IRREDEEMABLE, Stan Lee's SOLDIER ZERO, THE TRAVELER, and STARBORN (the first new series in print from the industry icon in 20 years), new HELLRAISER comics written by Clive Barker as well as 20th Century Fox's PLANET OF THE APES, 28 DAYS LATER, and DIE HARD, Philip K. Dick's DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP?, and The Henson Company's FARSCAPE. 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, MICKEY MOUSE, DONALD DUCK, UNCLE SCROOGE, and WALT DISNEY'S COMICS AND STORIES.

Disney Publishing WorldwideDisney Publishing Worldwide (DPW) is the world's largest publisher of children's books and magazines, with over 250 million children’s books sold and around 400 children’s magazines titles published each year. DPW's business units include Global Children's Magazines, Disney Family Fun Group, Disney English, and Disney Global Book Group. Disney Global Books and Global Magazines encompass a tremendous worldwide licensing structure; Disney Book Group consists of vertically integrated publishing imprints in the U.S. which include Disney Editions, Disney-Hyperion, Disney-Jump at the Sun and Disney Press. In addition, Disney Libri, DPW's Italian vertical operation, publishes books for children of all ages. DPW's Disney FamilyFun Group publishes Disney FamilyFun and Disney en Familia. Headquartered in White Plains, NY, Disney Publishing Worldwide publishes books and magazines in 85 languages in 75 countries.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

THIS MAY
BOOM! STUDIOS CONTINUES
THE DISNEY AFTERNOON REVOLUTION
WITH
DUCKTALES!

“LIFE IS LIKE A HURRICANE”
IN THE ALL-NEW ORIGINAL ONGOING SERIES
WRITTEN BY
EPIC MICKEY VIDEO GAME CREATOR
WARREN SPECTOR


February 17, 2011 - Los Angeles, CA - Strap in for adventure as BOOM! Studios flies you back to Duckburg to join Uncle Scrooge, Huey, Dewey, Louie, and all your favorite feathered friends in the all-new, original ongoing DUCKTALES comic series! A beloved classic of The Disney Afternoon, DUCKTALES returns with writing by Epic Mickey video game creator Warren Spector and spectacular art by fan-favorite Disney Duck artist Miquel Pujol! Don't miss out as The Disney Afternoon Revolution continues in a big way this May with DUCKTALES!

“You want ducks? Oh, do we have ducks!” says BOOM! Studios Marketing Director Chip Mosher. “We're taking you back to one of the most celebrated Disney Afternoon series ever aired! And with a creative powerhouse like Warren Spector and fantastic art from Miquel Pujol, this series is sure to be jam-packed with duck adventures no DUCKTALES fans will want to miss!”

DUCKTALES is BOOM!'s latest and greatest of The Disney Afternoon Revolution that “might solve a mystery,” and will definitely “rewrite history!” Existing within the same continuity as BOOM!’s hit series DARKWING DUCK, find out why “life is like a hurricane!”

DUCKTALES #1 is written by Warren Spector and drawn by Miquel Pujol and ships with A & B covers by Leonel Castellani and James Silvani respectively, as well as a 1-in-10 incentive cover. This title ships this May.

About BOOM! Studios
Award-winning "Best Publisher" BOOM! Studios(www.boom-studios.com) generates a constellation of bestselling comic books and graphic novels with the industry’s top talent, including the bestselling Mark Waid series IRREDEEMABLE, Stan Lee's SOLDIER ZERO, THE TRAVELER, and STARBORN (the first new series in print from the industry icon in 20 years), new HELLRAISER comics written by Clive Barker as well as 20th Century Fox's PLANET OF THE APES, 28 DAYS LATER, and DIE HARD, Philip K. Dick's DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP?, and The Henson Company's FARSCAPE. 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, MICKEY MOUSE, DONALD DUCK, UNCLE SCROOGE, and WALT DISNEY'S COMICS AND STORIES.
Disney Publishing Worldwide
Disney Publishing Worldwide (DPW) is the world's largest publisher of children's books and magazines, with over 250 million children’s books sold and around 400 children’s magazines titles published each year. DPW's business units include Global Children's Magazines, Disney Family Fun Group, Disney English, and Disney Global Book Group. Disney Global Books and Global Magazines encompass a tremendous worldwide licensing structure; Disney Book Group consists of vertically integrated publishing imprints in the U.S. which include Disney Editions, Disney-Hyperion, Disney-Jump at the Sun and Disney Press. In addition, Disney Libri, DPW's Italian vertical operation, publishes books for children of all ages. DPW's Disney FamilyFun Group publishes Disney FamilyFun and Disney en Familia. Headquartered in White Plains, NY, Disney Publishing Worldwide publishes books and magazines in 85 languages in 75 countries.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

LIFE AFTER DEATH OF SAVAGE DRAGON?
Malcolm Dragon Has Some Big Shoes to Fill in Savage Dragon #169

Berkeley, CA - February 16, 2011 - A changing of the guard is taking place next week in Chicago. Having lost its great protector, citizens of the Windy City and the family of Officer Dragon must face a new reality. Issue 169 provides a great starting point for new readers or those that wish to be reintroduced to this no-holds-barred superhero comic that includes plenty of heavy-hitting fist-a-cuffs, good-natured humor and universal themes at a time of great change for the characters.

As Malcolm Dragon, son of the famous (sometimes infamous) Savage Dragon, copes with the final loss of a superhero father who had not always been a reliable presence in his life, he must fend off nefarious villains and ne'er-do-wells. Malcolm may feel unprepared to assume such weighty responsibilities, as he must also deal with a life filled with the normal awkardness of being a teenager and feeling out of place, as well as the damaged legacy left behind by his father.

"In the last couple years, Dragon went from being a cop to being the greatest menace to ever appear in this book," said Image Comics founder and creator of SAVAGE DRAGON Erik Larsen. "Characters in SAVAGE DRAGON change just like people do in the real world. Malcolm didn't even exist when the series started, but readers have been there to see him grow from a baby to a guy old enough to star in his own book. This is a big step for him and a big turning point for the series. It's an exciting time for everybody."

SAVAGE DRAGON began in 1992, but the character was originally conceived of during Larsen's childhood. Since the beginning, the story has moved forward in real time, including the gradual growth and aging of characters. Now the young Savage Dragon that sought to fight crime in the early '90s is gone, but Chicago still needs a hero. Enter: Malcolm Dragon!

SAVAGE DRAGON #169 (DEC100491), a 32 page full-color comic book, is in stores on February 23, 2011 for $3.50.
SMSI POSER DEBUT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SMITH MICRO LAUNCHES POSER DEBUT –
THE FIRST BEGINNER’S 3D PROGRAM BASED ON POSER CHARACTER ART AND ANIMATION

Poser Debut Makes it Fun and Easy for Aspiring Students, Artists and Designers to Create Stunning 3D Artwork and Animation

ALISO VIEJO, CA – February 17, 2011 – Smith Micro Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: SMSI) Productivity and Graphics Group today announced the availability of Poser Debut, the easiest way to dive into the exciting world of 3D art and animation. The global animation software market is expected to reach $1.8 billion by 2015* and much of the new content will increasingly be created by today’s up-and-coming animators. With blockbusters like “Avatar” and “Toy Story 3” inspiring interest in 3D storytelling, the public is poised to move beyond being mere consumers of 3D content – they are now ready to be content creators.

Poser Debut lets any user bring their own 3D fantasies to life with easy to master 3D scene creation tools. Whether posing photorealistic human figures, animals, monsters or aliens, Poser Debut makes first time 3D animation fun and easy with its helpful step-by-step Project Guide tutorial videos. To serve as a starting point, Poser Debut includes over 70 ready-to-pose characters with a wide variety of clothing, props, cameras and lights that help users quickly create entire scenes on the virtual stage.

“When we talk to users that have never played with 3D before, we often hear that most 3D software programs on the market are expensive, extremely challenging to learn, and too complicated to be fun for beginners,” said Steve Yatson, Senior Director, Graphics Solutions for Smith Micro Software, Inc. “Based on that input, combined with a general public that is expressing significant interest in 3D content, we developed Poser Debut. We leveraged our 15 years of 3D design innovation to build a streamlined and beginner-focused version of our popular Poser product. Poser Debut delivers the power of the professional-grade Poser application, with a more basic feature set and affordable price point that will appeal to first-time users.”


Poser Debut Features and Benefits:
• Graphical Interface – The easy-to-use interface is designed to make getting started in 3D a snap, with tools and controls that are simple to understand.
• Pose 3D characters – All the figures included with Poser Debut have very realistic, natural bending in each joint.
• Over 70 Fully Rigged, Poseable 3D Characters – Includes professional quality, ready-to-pose 3D characters that can be dropped into any scene.
• 2GB of Included Content – Poser Debut comes with a rich collection of ready to use items so users can create scenes quickly and easily without having to worry about building assets from scratch.
• Click and Drag Posing – Click and drag on any item in the scene to pose figures joint by joint, or move lights and cameras in real time.
• Drag and Drop Content Library – Select any item in the library’s display, then drag and drop that content directly into the scene. The Library supports full search to find just the right clothing, materials, or props that users might need to create any scene imaginable.
• FireFly Render Engine – Includes the FireFly rendering engine that transforms the users 3D scene into a full color photorealistic or cartoon style image or animation.
• Optimized for Performance – Debut takes full advantage of the computer’s multiple CPUs and cores to render scenes fast, bend figures easier, and display scenes more accurately.

Pricing and Availability:
The MSRP for Poser Debut is $49.99. Poser Debut is available direct from the Smith Micro online store at http://www.smithmicro.com/poser/debut and from popular resellers, catalogs and distribution partners worldwide.

For site licensing and educational pricing, email: sitelicenses@smithmicro.com or contact Smith Micro at (831) 768-3612.

* "Animation Software: A Global Strategic Business Report" published by Global Industry Analysts, Inc.

About Smith Micro Software, Inc.
Smith Micro Software, Inc., headquartered in Aliso Viejo, California, with offices in Europe and Asia, develops mobility solutions that enable seamless broadband connectivity and next generation media and mobile convergence products over wireless networks.

The company’s Productivity and Graphics Group provides software solutions for people who want their computing experience to be more secure, organized and creative. Smith Micro Software’s common stock trades on the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol SMSI. For more information, please visit: http://www.smithmicro.com.

Smith Micro, the Smith Micro logo and Poser are trademarks or registered trademarks of Smith Micro Software, Inc. All other trademarks and product names are the property of their respective companies.
SEGA Signs Actor Chris Evans to Star in the Upcoming Video Game Captain America: Super Soldier



Evans to Portray the Heroic Captain America in Original Action Adventure Video Game



SAN FRANCISCO & LONDON – February 2, 2011 – SEGA® Europe Ltd. and SEGA® of America, Inc. today announced they have signed film star Chris Evans to voice the title role in the upcoming action adventure Captain America: Super Soldier. The actor’s likenesses will also be used in the game, which is based on the seminal and iconic franchise from Marvel Entertainment.



“Signing Chris to star in Captain America: Super Soldier delivers the cinematic quality and emotional drive that fans expect,” said Gary Knight, Senior Vice President of Marketing at SEGA of Europe and SEGA of America. “Chris will help fuel the character’s mission as he battles through the enormous Hydra castle full of legendary villains in a completely original story.”



In Captain America: Super Soldier, players become Captain America as he faces the Red Skull and his Hydra army in an epic third-person action adventure set in the darkest days of World War II. Wielding Captain America’s legendary shield, gamers will engage in free-flowing combat and acrobatic platforming to infiltrate a mysterious castle overtaken by Hydra forces, where they’ll battle a host of nefarious enemies serving the Red Skull, including the infamous Iron Cross, Baron Strucker and Madame Hydra. Players must defeat the evil scientist Arnim Zola and his wartime experiments, combining powerful melee combos and shield attacks to devastating effect.



Captain America: Super Soldier is scheduled for release in 2011 on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Wii™ and Nintendo DS™.



American actor Chris Evans has acted in over 31 stage, television, game and film roles, before portraying the title role in the 2011 movie Captain America: The First Avenger and in SEGA’s upcoming game, Captain America: Super Soldier.



For further information on this title, please visit www.sega-press.com.





About SEGA® of America, Inc.

SEGA® of America, Inc. is the American arm of Tokyo, Japan-based SEGA Corporation, a worldwide leader in interactive entertainment both inside and outside the home. The company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive entertainment software products for a variety of hardware platforms including PC, wireless devices, and those manufactured by Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. SEGA of America’s web site is located at www.sega.com.



About SEGA® Europe Ltd.

SEGA® Europe Ltd. is the European Distribution arm of Tokyo, Japan-based SEGA Corporation, and a worldwide leader in interactive entertainment both inside and outside the home. The company develops and distributes interactive entertainment software products for a variety of hardware platforms including PC, wireless devices, and those manufactured by Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. SEGA Europe’s web site is located at www.sega-europe.com.



About Marvel Entertainment

Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of over 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing. For more information visit www.marvel.com.





All trademarks are property of their respective owners. © 2011 MVLFFLLC. TM & © 2010 Marvel Entertainment, LLC & subs.



Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.

Monday, February 14, 2011

For Immediate Release:

MONTE SCHULZ TOURS WEST COAST IN MARCH TO PROMOTE THE RELEASE OF THE NEW NOVEL, THE LAST ROSE OF SUMMER

SEATTLE, WA, FEB. 2, 2011 --- This March, Fantagraphics Books will publish The Last Rose of Summer, a novel by Monte Schulz. To support the release, the author will tour several cities on the West Coast in late-February and March:

Sat., Feb. 26, 4PM • Tecolote Book Shop, Santa Barbara, CA
Tues., March 1, 7:30PM • Warwick’s Books, La Jolla, CA
Thurs., March 3, 6:30PM • Bay Books, Coronado, CA
Fri., March 4, 6PM • Latitude 33 Bookshop, Laguna Beach, CA
Sun., March 6, 5PM • Skylight Books, Los Angeles, CA
Sat., March 19, 4PM • Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery, Seattle, WA
Wed., March 23, 7PM • Tsunami Books, Eugene, OR
Sat., March 26, 1PM • The Book Seller, Grass Valley, CA


"Beautifully written and thoroughly researched, a veritable time-machine that whirled me through time to the dirty back roads of the American midwest in the year before the Depression. … Did I mention how good the writing is? The writing is excellent… a masterpiece of setting and storytelling…" – Cory Doctorow, BOINGBOING

With the Great Depression looming and about to define America’s next decade, three strong-minded women related by marriage form an uneasy household in the summer of 1929. Forced by her husband Harry to uproot their two small children from Illinois and take up residence in East Texas, Marie Hennesey struggles to find a place not only within her mother-in-law’s home but in a Southern town whose troubling unfamiliarities compound her marital woes and homesickness.

Maude Hennesey has little patience for Marie and her children, and even less for her own pretty but petulant daughter, Rachel, who fights and flirts with a dashing pilot from New Orleans. Colliding issues of faith and sexual mores, racial proprieties and class distinctions, fuel a constant bickering through the narrow corridors of the house, all three women heedless of the love that has brought them together. Maude seems cold and distant except toward the ladies of her club; Rachel’s affection for her doting aviator rises and falls capriciously; and Marie seeks to understand an absent husband, while deciding how to receive her employer’s slow seduction.

As summer wears on, the conflicts among these women are exacerbated by a child murder that sends shockwaves of fear and mistrust throughout the community, particularly between the town’s white residents and a black shantytown across the river. An ever-increasing sense of dread culminates in the arrival of a terrible storm whose aftermath reveals poignant and unexpected truths about these three women living at a time when America was poised on the brink of economic catastrophe.

In The Last Rose of Summer, Monte Schulz has created a story about three women and their interior and exterior lives, each of whom symbolize quintessential American notions of family, love and community. In so doing, he reminds us all where we come from and how we got here. With an elegiac voice that evokes an era in its final bloom, and a thoughtful rendering of the public and private contentions that ruled the day, The Last Rose of Summer becomes an instant American classic.

Monte Schulz published his first novel, Down By The River, in 1990, and spent the next twelve years writing a tapestry of the Jazz Age, of which The Last Rose of Summer and 2009’s This Side of Jordan are two of three parts. He received his M.A. in American Studies from the University of California at Santa Barbara, where he continues to reside. He is the eldest son of Charles M. Schulz (Peanuts).

For more information or to arrange an interview with Monte Schulz, contact Eric Reynolds, Associate Publisher, Fantagraphics Books: 206.524.1967 x218 or reynolds@fantagraphics.com.
WE ARE ALL LOST
Netherworld Contest Offers Rare Opportunity for Artists to Be Found

Berkeley, CA - 14 February 2011 - Those who have dreamt of having their work featured on the cover of a Top Cow comic will get their chance with the NETHERWORLD "We Are All Lost" Variant Cover contest. Artists, amateur and professional alike, are encouraged to enter their images of an urban landscape with the phrase “We Are All Lost” embedded into the setting. The best entry will be selected to appear in April as the retailer incentive variant cover for NETHERWORLD #1.

Top Cow Productions, Inc. and Heroes and Villains Entertainment present NETHERWORLD, a gritty supernatural story about the message on the walls of a city with no sun and no hope. Ray, a former cop turned private eye and junkie has been entreated to find a girl named Madeline. As he searches through the city's twisted underbelly, Ray must unveil the darkest secrets of NETHERWORLD, including his own.

"The guys over at Heroes and Villains along with Bryan Edward Hill and Rob Levin has created a tremendously rich and vivid reality in NETHERWORLD. The phrase "We Are All Lost" plays an important part in establishing the tone of the series and was featured prominently in our teaser campaign," explained Top Cow Publisher Filip Sablik. "We wanted to take that a step further and really involve the fans in 'tagging' pieces of art to create a unique variant cover for the first issue."

Images can represent any city’s urban landscape and may feature original art of any medium, including photography and digitally-manipulated public domain images. Entries must be submitted at http://www.topcow.com/barn from February 14, 2011 to 6pm PST on March 1st, 2011.
Besides being awarded the opportunity to have their art featured on the cover of NETHERWORLD #1, the winner will also receive other prizes, such as: an original sketch from artist Tony Shasteen, one copy of Netherworld #1 signed by co-writers Bryan Edward Hill and Rob Levin and artist Tony Shasteen, ten copies of their variant cover, and a selection of Top Cow comics and trade paperbacks!

NETHERWORLD #1, a 32-page full color comic book for $3.99 will be in stores on April 13, 2011. For more information about the rules of the contest and prizes, visit http://www.topcow.com/barn/index.php?app=gallery&module=cats&do=sc&rules=5 and for more information about NETHERWORLD, visit http://www.topcow.com/comics-menu/netherworld.
Viper and 1821 uncover the Missing Linx





Viper Comics and 1821 Comics are proud to announce the APRIL 2011 release of MISSING LINX, an original graphic novel, created and written by Dale Mettam (Odd Rods & Attack of the Killer Tomatoes) and illustrated by Courtney Huddleston (A Bit Haywire and upcoming title The Last Dinosaur).



Dr. Erasmus Q. Bedfellow is bent on releasing the creatures of the Fantasy Realm into our dimension, using the creatures of nightmares to rule the world. Only one thing stands in his way. An unlikely group of heroes - the result of Bedfellow’s last attempt to breach the border between realities – Big Foot, Sasquatch, Skunk Ape and The Yeti.



MISSING LINX (Diamond Order Code: FEB111188) appears in the February 2011 edition of Diamond Previews and will ship in April 2011 as a 72 page, full color paperback for $7.95.

View the Trailer




About Viper Comics

Viper Comics, has been publishing comic books and graphic novels since July 2003. Our debut title, Dead@17 was an instant hit and was noted as a top 10 Hot Comic in Wizard Magazine. Viper has since released a number of successful books, including Daisy Kutter, a critically acclaimed series that was nominated for a Harvey Award in 2006 and was also noted as a top pick for young adults by the American Library Association. Viper has published over 100 comic books and 40 graphic novels. Viper has had four graphic novels recommended by the American Library Association, The Middleman (TV show on ABC Family), Daisy Kutter, Emily Edison, and Oddly Normal.


About 1821 Comics

1821 Comics is a new comic book/graphic novel company based in Los Angeles, California and founded by entrepreneurs Paris Kasidokostas Latsis and Terry Dougas. The company is devoted to bringing exciting, eye-popping new titles to the world of comics. Along with its own titles, 1821 is teaming up with some of the top publishers on new cutting-edge books. 1821 Comics will remain a diverse publisher with projects for both men and women, spanning all age groups. The company is highly devoted to story, content and artwork that will move readers from beginning to end.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

BLACK SALT COMIC BOOK SERIES IN PRE-PRODUCTION FOR FILM SHORT

The short film is the next phase in the cross promotion of the brand and the precursor to the Black Salt feature film.
LOS ANGELES, CA, February 14, 2011- Ratti Entertainment LLC has announced today that the Black Salt comic book series is in pre-production for a 6 minute film short. Philip Daay has penned the script and Jamie Ruddy will direct. Ratti Entertainment, LLC will produce, distribute and market the short film as part of the next phase of the strategic multi-media marketing campaign to cross promote all products under the Black Salt brand. The short film is also a precursor to the Black Salt feature film.

Black Salt is a multifaceted transmedia franchise with strong international appeal. The story will be told across multiple media platforms, with each element making a distinct contribution to the audience’s awareness of the Black Salt brand and other brands cross-promoted in the film. Black Salt is an epic thriller merging the world of modern-day espionage and political intrigue with the ancient world of martial arts. Ratti Entertainment LLC has just finished the 5-year development phase of the feature film and is preparing to enter pre-production. The film has positive role models and is expected to obtain a rating no more restrictive than PG-13, to capture a wider target market. The franchise includes, but is not limited to, the following: Black Salt collectible items, all with integrated branding opportunities: Apparel Line, Comic Books, Trading Cards, Toys, Animated Series, Video Games and Feature Film Trilogy.

Ratti Entertainment LLC first launched a strategic grass roots marketing and promotional campaign to create awareness of, interest in and demand for the franchise. Then some of the merchandising product lines were developed (comic books, graphic novel, apparel, video game, etc.) to create multiple revenue streams and a target market. The marketing campaign has generated more than 1.5 million hits on the website, hundreds of consumer email inquiries, write-ups in blogs and magazines, as well as invitations to speak about and showcase the Black Salt projects at major comic, anime and video game conventions and film industry events. The goal is to have a database of at least 5 million customers, before the completion of principal photography.

“We’re very excited about the film short. We feel that this will be instrumental in enhancing our branding and marketing endeavors for Black Salt and our other projects” said Owen Ratliff, CEO of Ratti Entertainment LLC.

More information on the Black Salt project can be found on the official Black Salt website: http://www.blacksaltfilm.com

About Ratti Entertainment LLC
Ratti Entertainment LLC is the production company for the Black Salt feature film franchise. The Company also specializes in taking independent film projects and turning them into transmedia intellectual properties. Ratti has offices in Ohio, Los Angeles and New York.