Friday, April 08, 2011

GLADSTONE'S SCHOOL IS NOW IN SESSION
Writer Mark Andrew Smith and Artist Armand Villavert Give Readers an Education in Villainy This May

Berkeley, CA - April 8, 2011 - Veteran Image scribe Mark Andrew Smith (AMAZING JOY BUZZARDS, the Eisner-winning POPGUN anthology, and the two-time Harvey nominated THE NEW BRIGHTON ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY) has teamed up with the clean, crisp lines of Armand Villavert to present a brand new title, GLADSTONE'S SCHOOL FOR WORLD CONQUERORS. This series offers a new perspective on the villain training process and a fun new story for kids of all ages to enjoy.

"We couldn’t be more thrilled about GLADSTONE'S SCHOOL FOR WORLD CONQUERORS! Creating the story and the characters has been a truly exciting experience," Smith exclaimed. "We’re building an entire universe here with GLADSTONE'S and hope the characters will become recognizable icons in the future. GLADSTONE'S has taken on a life of its own. There are so many facets of the GLADSTONE'S universe that we look forward to exploring. Readers are going to fall in love with the universe we’re creating!"

Artist Armand Villavert said, "GLADSTONE'S has been a labor of love for more than 4 years now. I've enjoyed drawing GLADSTONE'S every step of the way, mostly because the characters have a great amount of emotion and fun to them. I love drawing and expressing facial expressions and really conveying to the readers what the character is thinking. I hope those readers will have as much fun reading it as I've had drawing it. GLADSTONE'S is funny, action packed, and dramatic and I hope I continue to work on it for years to come."

GLADSTONE'S SCHOOL FOR WORLD CONQUERORS #1 takes place at a top secret academy where many children of the world's greatest super villains go to learn the family trade. Kid Nefarious, Mummy Girl, Martian Jones, Ghost Girl, and the infamous Skull brothers must navigate the trials of Gladstone's as they unearth the school's and their parents' hidden past. In this action-packed but lighthearted romp, the students find themselves at a time when they must deal with both the problems of growing up as a child of infamous lineage as well as just plain growing up in general.

GLADSTONES SCHOOL FOR WORLD CONQUERORS #1, a 40 page full-color all-ages super villain/adventure comic book, is in stores soon on May 4, 2011 for $2.99.
Scratch9 snags Eisner Nomination!

Ape Entertainment is thrilled to congratulate Rob M. Worley, Jason T. Kruse and the entire creative team of Scratch9 on the just announced nomination in the category of “Best Publication for Kids”, in the 2011 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards.

“When we created our all-ages imprint, KiZoic, we knew that Scratch9 was going to be an important part of the launch,” said David Hedgecock, CEO of Ape “but to see the book and its creators honored in this way is something that, while I truly felt was deserved, I dared not to dream.”

Scratch9 is a four-issue comic series featuring a rascally house cat who gains the ability to summon any of his nine lives to help him out in his adventures. It was published between September 2010 and January 2011, and greeted with acclaim from such varied sources as Publisher’s Weekly, School Library Journal, Comic Book Resources and I Love Cats magazine.

“I thought I couldn’t be more proud of our little cat comic,” said Worley, the comic’s creator and writer. “But this is such an amazing and unexpected honor. I’m extremely grateful to the Eisner folks for the recognition.”

The Eisner nomination is the first for Ape Entertainment, Worley and Kruse.

“It is such an honor to receive an Eisner nomination for such a well deserving comic created for kids,” said Brent Erwin, COO Ape Entertainment. “This nomination just strengthens our commitment and belief in all that our KiZoic imprint and young reader comics can achieve.”

The trade paperback collecting all four issues of Scratch9 arrives in comic shops this month. Visit http://www.scratch9.com for more information about the book. Visit http://www.kizoic.com for more quality comics for young readers.

For more information on Ape Comics, visit www.apecomics.com.
Follow us online on twitter: twitter.com/apecomics.
Friend us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ApeEntertainment.

About Ape Entertainment

Founded in 2003, Ape Entertainment is the brainchild of lifelong comic book devotees David Hedgecock, and Brent E Erwin. Home to such popular titles as GO-GO GORILLA AND THE JUNGLE CREW, WHITE PICKET FENCES, and RICHIE RICH, it is also the North American publisher for DreamWorks Animation licensed properties including KUNG FU PANDA and THE PENGUINS OF MADAGASCAR.
IDW Publishing Delivers Over
One Million iPad and iPhone Comic Apps

Total Digital Comics Distribution On All Platforms Crosses Three Million Mark


IDW Publishing Delivers 1M Apps.San Diego, CA (April 8, 2011)—IDW Publishing today confirmed its leadership position in the digital comics world with the announcement of another major milestone – distribution of over one million apps on the Apple App StoreSM. Demonstrating the breadth of IDW’s overall digital strategy, more than three million IDW digital comics have been distributed across all platforms worldwide.

IDW Publishing was one of the first major comics publishers to step into digital distribution. IDW digital comics are presently available for more mobile devices and platforms than any other major publishers, including the Apple App StoreSM, Sony Digital Comics for the PSP, the Nokia Ovi Store, Amazon’s Kindle Store, the AT&T AppCenter® and BlackBerry’s App WorldTM, with more to be announced throughout 2011. The IDW digital comics catalog includes single issues and graphic novels, all formatted for tablets, phones and game devices, with titles ranging from top licensed brands to fan-favorite creators. IDW also offers comics through several partners, including iVerse, Graphic.ly, and For-Side.

“We have over 800 comics in our digital line,” said Jeff Webber, Director of ePublishing for IDW. “That amounts to more than 3,500 individual apps and comics offered through various distribution partners. We’re especially excited that digital distribution is increasing awareness of IDW’s offering overall, bringing in new readers with over 40% of our downloads occurring outside of the US. And while Apple products generate the most downloads, we’re very pleased to see our other distribution channels growing rapidly.”

As the first comics publisher to launch its own "in app purchase" storefronts for the Apple iPadTM, iPhone® and iPod touch®, IDW has introduced several unique apps catering to fans of particular titles. The IDW Comics app offers the complete digital catalog, while the TRANSFORMERS Comics, G.I. JOE Comics, Star Trek Comics and True Blood Comics app feature titles from each respective brand. The latest edition of IDW’s storefront apps is Doctor Who Comics, which shot to the top of the App StoreSM book lists worldwide and offers IDW’s complete Doctor Who catalog to fans around the world.

IDW Publishing has also created apps for special series and events, such as INFESTATION, which includes issues from the popular cross-over series featuring TRANSFORMERS, G.I. JOE, Star Trek and Ghostbusters. In yet another innovation, IDW released the first creator-based app, Templesmith Comics, featuring the art and stories of Ben Templesmith.



IDW comics are available on the following platforms and through many eReaders:
Apple App StoreSM
Sony PSP
Nokia Ovi Store
Amazon Kindle Store
AT&T AppCenter
BlackBerry App World


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.

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.


Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPod touch, and iTunes are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. iPad is a trademark of Apple Inc. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. Content purchased from the iTunes Store is for personal lawful use only. Don’t steal music.

All products and brands are property of their respective owners.
IDW Honored with 12 Eisner Nominations

Nominations include Best Continuing Series and Best Archival Collection



LOCKE & KEY: KEYS TO THE KINGDOM coverSan Diego, CA (April 7, 2011)—With today’s announcement of the 2011 nominations for the Will Eisner Comic Industry awards, IDW Publishing and its team of stellar creators and editors have been honored with twelve separate nominations, the most in company history. Showcasing the company’s wide range of projects, six separate books and series received nominations.

“These many nominations covering the breadth of IDW’s diverse product line are so gratifying to see,” said Ted Adams, IDW co-founder and chief executive officer. “We strive hard every month to produce books that run the gamut of comic book fans’ interest, and it’s nice to see a spotlight shined on so many of these books.”

Recently the basis for a FOX Television pilot, IDW’s acclaimed series LOCKE & KEY tops the company’s nominations with four separate nods. Created by best-selling prose author Joe Hill, with art by Gabriel Rodriguez, LOCKE & KEY is up for Best Continuing Series, Best Single Issue (Locke & Key: Keys to the Kingdom #1), Best Writer (Joe Hill) and Best Penciller/Inker (Gabriel Rodriguez). Hill is also a member of the creative team for THE CAPE, nominated for Best Single Issue, along with Jason Ciaramella and Zack Howard.THE CAPE cover

“I'm really gratified by all the nominations and especially the nods for LOCKE & KEY and THE CAPE,” said Chris Ryall, IDW’s chief creative officer and the editor of both nominated comics. “Anything that brings more focus to these two great series makes me happy. We really believe in LOCKE & KEY, which is why it’s the focus of our Free Comic Day issue this year, and we're very high on its chances to get picked up as a TV series. And THE CAPE has gone from a little sold-out one-shot to an all-new series this June, so I love the idea of these nominations bringing more attention to the great work the creators are doing on both of these comics.”



THE OUTFIT coverTHE OUTFIT, the second installment of Darywn Cooke’s graphic novel adaptation series, Richard Stark’s Parker, is nominated for Best Writer/Artist (Darywn Cooke) and Best Lettering (Darywn Cooke). The first book in the series, THE HUNTER, won the Eisner for Best Adaptation from Another Work in 2010.

“I'm very happy that Darwyn has once again been recognized by the Eisner voting committee,” said editor Scott Dunbier. “He's a terrific writer and artist and never gives less than his all—congrats, my friend!”

After launching to huge praise at San Diego Comic Con in 2010, IDW’s inaugural Artist’s Edition book, DAVE STEVENS’ THE ROCKETEER, is recognized with two Eisner nominations, for Best Archival Collection/Project – Strips and Best Publication Design. This amazing edition is edited by Scott Dunbier and designed by Randall Dalhk.DAVE STEVENS' THE ROCKETEER: ARTIST'S EDITION cover

IDW’s archival imprint, the Library of American Comics, again dominates its category with three nominations. The inaugural volume of POLLY AND HER PALS COMPLETE SUNDAY COMICS received nods for both Best Archival Collection/Project-Strips and Best Publication Design. POLLY AND HER PALS COMPLETE SUNDAY COMICS, Volume 1 is edited by multiple award-winner Dean Mullaney and designed by Mullaney and Lorraine Turner.

Rounding out IDW’s twelve nominations is ARCHIE: THE COMPLETE DAILY NEWSPAPER STRIPS, 1946-1948. Recognized in the category of Best Archival Collection/Project – Strips, ARCHIE features the classic work of Bob Montana and the first editor credit for the company’s chief operating officer, Greg Goldstein.

POLLY AND HER PALS, VOL 1“I'm glad our efforts at the Library of American Comics continue to be recognized,” said creative director Mullaney. “These are our ninth nominations in our first four years. I'm particularly proud that tribute this year is being paid to the incredible cartooning of Cliff Sterrett and Bob Montana.”


LOCKE & KEY comics and graphic novels are available in comic and book stores.

LOCKE & KEY: KEYS TO THE KINGDOM #1 ($3.99, 32 pages, full color) is available in comic stores.

THE CAPE ($3.99, 32 pages, full color) is available in comic stores.

THE OUTFIT ($24.99, hardcover, 160 pages) is available in comic and book stores.

DAVE STEVENS’ THE ROCKETEER: ARTIST’S EDITION ($100, hardcover, 136 pages, 12” x 17”, black and white) is available in comic stores.ARCHIE: THE COMPLETE DAILY NEWSPAPER STRIPS, 1946-1948 cover

POLLY AND HER PALS COMPLETE SUNDAY COMICS, Volume 1 ($75, hardcover, 176 pages, 16” x 12”, color) is available in comic and book stores.

ARCHIE: THE COMPLETE DAILY NEWSPAPER STRIPS, 1946-1948 ($39.99, hardcover, 328 pages) is available in comic and book stores.



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! Studio; and is the print publisher for EA Comics.

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.
IMAGE RECEIVES TWELVE EISNER NOMINATIONS
Morning Glories, Chew, Marineman, and Image Anthologies Sweep Up This Year's Eisner Comic Industry Awards Nominations

BERKELEY, CA -- 8 April, 2011 -- Yesterday afternoon, the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards committee announced the nominations for books published in 2010, and Image Comics is pleased to be the publisher behind twelve of the Eisner nominations. Hot on the heels of an explosion of break-out new Image Comics titles, this announcement verifies that the publisher is leading the way with the most successful and the most critically-acclaimed of new creator-owned comics. In fact, Image has tied for the publisher who has the 2nd most nominations this year.

Two of Image's recent big success stories, CHEW and Shadowline's MORNING GLORIES, will go head to head for Best Continuing Series and Best Writer! Industry veteran John Layman and stylistically-singular artist Rob Guillory have brought readers CHEW, the comic about a cibopathic detective that has been both turning stomachs and quenching readers' hunger for fun, well-told supernatural comedic crime stories. Guillory was also nominated for the Best Penciller/Inker award for his work on CHEW.

Meanwhile, in MORNING GLORIES, prolific young writer Nick Spencer and newcomer artist Joe Eisma, are telling a compelling science fiction story about a group of high school students who attend a prestigious but mysterious prep school, The Morning Glory Academy, with readers finding each page posing more questions than the last. Not only that, but MORNING GLORIES has also received a nomination for Best New Series!

Also nominated for Best New Series, Ian Churchill's effervescent hero MARINEMAN makes us hope for a return to a more innocent time, when good guys do win! Churchill's underwater superhero adventure is written and drawn with such genuine heart and soul that it's obvious why he chose to publish this project as a creator-owned title.

Image Comics anthologies such as COMIC BOOK TATTOO and POPGUN, VOL. 3 have won Eisner awards in years past. This year the publisher has continued that trend with multiple nominations from three different anthologies, including a Best Anthology nomination going to LIQUID CITY, VOL. 2, edited by Sonny Liew and Lim Cheng Tju. POPGUN, VOL. 4 brought us Best Short Story nominee “Hamburgers for One,” by Frank Stockton. Silverline Books children's anthology FRACTURED FABLES provided two nominations for Best Short Story: Little Red Riding Hood,” by Bryan Talbot and Camilla d’Errico, and "Cinderella" by Nick Spencer and Rodin Esquejo. And to top it off, Esquejo also got a Best Cover Artist nomination for his memorable painted work for the MORNING GLORIES series' covers!

"As always, we're incredibly proud of all the writers and artists nominated," said Image Publisher Eric Stephenson. "It's particularly cool to see John and Rob get nods for a second year running, and more proof that CHEW is one of the best creator-owned books on the market."


Here's the complete list of Image Comics' Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards Nominations:

Best Short Story: “Cinderella,” by Nick Spencer and Rodin Esquejo, in FRACTURED FABLES (Silverline Books/Image)
Best Short Story: “Hamburgers for One,” by Frank Stockton, in POPGUN, VOL. 4 (Image)
Best Short Story: “Little Red Riding Hood,” by Bryan Talbot and Camilla d’Errico, in FRACTURED FABLES (Silverline Books/Image)
Best Continuing Series: CHEW, by John Layman and Rob Guillory (Image)
Best Continuing Series: MORNING GLORIES, by Nick Spencer and Joe Eisma (Shadowline/Image)
Best New Series: MARINEMAN, by Ian Churchill (Image)
Best New Series: MORNING GLORIES, by Nick Spencer and Joe Eisma (Shadowline/Image)
Best Anthology: LIQUID CITY, VOL. 2, edited by Sonny Liew and Lim Cheng Tju (Image)
Best Writer: John Layman, CHEW (Image)
Best Writer: Nick Spencer, MORNING GLORIES, SHUDDERTOWN, FORGETLESS, EXISTENCE 3.0 (Image)
Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team: Rob Guillory, CHEW (Image)
Best Cover Artist: Rodin Esquejo, MORNING GLORIES (Shadowline/Image)


MORNING GLORIES, VOL. 1 TP (DEC100470), a full color 200-page trade paperback, is available for order now for a low $9.99. MORNING GLORIES #9 (FEB110469), a full color 32-page comic book, will be in stores on 4/27 for $2.99.
FRACTURED FABLES HC (MAY100407), a full color 160-page hardcover for kids of all ages, is in stores now for $29.99.
LIQUID CITY, VOL. 2 (JUL100414), a 328-page full color trade paperback anthology, is available in stores now for $29.99.
CHEW #18 (DEC100477), a 32-page full color comic book, is available in stores now for $2.99 and CHEW #27 (JAN110597), the time-travelling issue that follows #18, will be available in stores on 5/4 for $2.99.
MARINEMAN #5 (FEB110464), a 32-page full color all ages comic book, will be in stores on 4/27 for $3.99.


ABOUT IMAGE COMICS

Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com
“FIRST LAW OF MAD SCIENCE” LAUNCHES FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN ON KICKSTARTER.COM

Kickstarter Backers Given the Option to Rename Science-Fiction Comic’s Main Characters!



NEW YORK, NY – April 8, 2011 – First Law Of Mad Science creators Mike Isenberg and Oliver Mertz are pleased to announce the launch of their new Kickstarter campaign, which will fund production of the comic’s second issue. The campaign, which can be found at http://kck.st/h47Gr6, hopes to raise $3,500 in pledges by offering backers a variety of rewards for their support. Among these rewards is the option for backers to insert themselves and their friends into both the first and second issues of First Law Of Mad Science; for anyone pledging above a certain level, the creators will produce a one-of-a-kind, personalized edition of the comic, in which the names of First Law’s main characters have been replaced with any names the backer chooses.



Other rewards include exclusive early-release copies of issue #2, behind-the-scenes content, signed & numbered limited editions of the comic, First Law-branded lab coats, and dinner with the writers.



The new campaign is the second Kickstarter project for Mr. Isenberg and Mr. Mertz. First Law Of Mad Science #1 was also funded with support from Kickstarter, and has been praised by reviewers on comics-related sites such as Comic Book Resources, Broken Frontier, and Comics Bulletin. One recurring theme in many of the comments on issue #1 has been the desire to read what happens next; with the help of their new Kickstarter campaign, First Law’s creators hope to give readers the opportunity to do just that.





ABOUT FIRST LAW OF MAD SCIENCE: Called “a well-crafted science fiction epic powered by both enthusiasm and imagination” by comics website Broken Frontier, First Law Of Mad Science is a sci-fi/horror adventure comic being self-published with the help of generous supporters from Kickstarter.com. The comic is being written by Mike Isenberg & Oliver Mertz, and drawn by Daniel Lapham. Issue #1 debuted as a convention-exclusive work-in-progress edition at the 2010 New York Comic Con; it has recently been submitted to Diamond Comics for distribution, and should be available in stores this summer. In the meantime, it is available for sale online via the website FirstLawOfMadScience.com, where visitors will also find an 8-page preview from issue #1, a creator blog, upcoming convention appearances, and more.



FIRST LAW OF MAD SCIENCE STORY SYNOPSIS:

Super-scientist George Baker’s newest invention, electronic retinal implants known as “Cyber-Eyes,” are nothing short of amazing. So amazing, in fact, and so cheap and easy to get, that some 40% of the population has gotten them within their first year on the market. But they aren’t perfect. Far from it.



When things start going inexplicably and bizarrely wrong with the original test-subjects, George and his family will have to find out why before the problem spreads and causes world-wide panic.



Along the way they’ll uncover ancient civilizations, corporate conspiracies, insane cults, other-dimensional creatures, awesome robots, subterranean cities, and Things Man Was Not Meant To Know.



It’s going to be a wild ride.

Thursday, April 07, 2011

WIN THE ORIGINAL COVER OF RED SPIKE #1 BY MARK TEXEIRA
You ever wanted to own an original piece of artwork by a legendary comic book artist but found it too expensive? Well, what if I told you that for just $1 you could be entered into a contest to win the original cover art for RED SPIKE #1 by the legendary Mark Texeira?


Well you can! NO JOKE!

All you have to do is pick up a copy of RED SPIKE #1 on May 4 for JUST $1, take a photo of yourself outside your local comic shop with the book and post it to the RED SPIKE Facebook fan page (http://www.facebook.com/ProjectRedSpike) and you’re entered!

But as if that wasn’t enough, the shop where our lucky winner purchased RED SPIKE #1 also wins an interior page by himself!

So head out on May 4 and pick up your copy of RED SPIKE #1! Who knows, that lucky winner could be you!

Diamond Order No.: MAR110530.

Check out the rules below.


--------------------------------------------------------------

THE PRIZE

Winner will receive the original cover artwork to RED SPIKE #1 by legendary comic book artist Mark Texeira. The comic shop where the comic was purchased will also win an original interior page from RED SPIKE drawn by Mark Texeira.



HOW TO ENTER

When RED SPIKE #1 hits stores on May 4 head over and purchase a copy of the book for just $1.00 USD. Take a photo of yourself and RED SPIKE #1 in front of the comic shop where you purchased it. Then, head over to RED SPIKE on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/ProjectRedSpike), ‘Like’ the RED SPIKE Fan Page and upload your photo to the site to enter. This will enter not only you but also the comic shop. Winner will be chosen at random.



WHEN IT BEGINS

May 4th, 2011



SUBMISSIONS END

May 27th, 2011 @ 11:59 P.M. PST


WHO’S ELIGIBLE

The Sweepstakes is open to all residents of the and the who are 13 years of age or older at time of entry to be eligible for the Grand Prize. Void where prohibited by law. Employees of B & P Company, LLC, Benaroya Publishing, Benaroya Pictures, Image Comics, Inc. (collectively, “The Sponsor”) or any of their affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising or promotion agencies are not eligible, nor are members of these employees' families (defined as parents, children, siblings, spouse, and life partners).



THE ODDS

The odds of winning are dependent on the number or submissions. One (1) submission per person. Multiple submissions will invalidate all entries by participant. Winner will be chosen at random.


THE LEGALITIES

The Sweepstakes is governed by the laws of the and the State of , and participants in the Sweepstakes hereby consent to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of courts (state and federal) for any causes or controversies arising out of the Sweepstakes. Each participant waives any and all objectives to jurisdiction and venue in these courts. All applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations apply. Void where prohibited. Sweepstakes may only be entered in or from the and entries originating from any other jurisdiction are not eligible for entry.



Except where prohibited by law, the Winner grants to Sponsor and its advertising agencies the right to use and publish their photos, proper names, likeness, opinions, and city and state in any media to promote Sponsor and the Sweepstakes without additional compensation.

By entering, participants release and hold harmless Sponsor, its subsidiaries, affiliates, directors, officers, employees and agents from any and all liability for any injuries, loss or damage of any kind arising from or in connection with the Sweepstakes or receipt or use and/or misuse of any prize.



Sponsor reserves the right to cancel or modify the Sweepstakes if fraud or any other factor impairs the integrity of the Sweepstakes as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion.

Sponsor assumes no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction of unauthorized access to, or alternation of, entries. Sponsor is not responsible for any problems or technical malfunction of any telephone network or lines, computer online systems, servers, or providers, computer equipment, software, failure of any e-mail or entry received by Sponsor on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any web site, any combination thereof, or otherwise, including any injury or damage to entrant's or any other person's computer related to or resulting from participation or downloading any materials in the Sweepstakes.



ABOUT BENAROYA PUBLISHING

Founded in 2009 by Michael Benaroya, Benaroya Publishing is a company dedicated to the creation and cultivation of intellectual property by focusing on thrilling and compelling storytelling. Based in , Benaroya Publishing launches their debut titles this Spring under the Image Comics label. With David Elliott (FALL OUT TOY WORKS and co-founder of RADICAL PUBLISHING) at the helm as in-house Editor-in-Chief, Benaroya Publishing promises to bring fresh new ideas, and uniquely told stories to the comics literary world.

ABOUT IMAGE COMICS

Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the . Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of four major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.
DUNGEON LIGHTENS UP!
Monstres 4 presents 2 humorous stories

In what might be a welcome turn, the Dungeon series, which has become increasingly dark, goes various shades of goofy in its latest volume from NBM, the 14th in the series.

In the first title story, drawn by Jean-Emmanuel Vermot-Desroches, his first graphic novel, Horus the Sorcerer is seen in earlier years in school wheeling and dealing his way to power already but set up by someone out to embarrass him publicly. A hex has been cast that makes women all declare their baby is his. The agile maneuvering in this story is something to behold.

In the second, “Ruckus at the Brewers”, the goofiest since the Parade sub-series, dimwitted Gro-Gro is entrusted with a mission to bring back a special beer brewed by a village of curmudgeonly rabbits. This is the first time Gro-Gro must make decisions on his own, at times instinctively, at times randomly, just never after much thought. He runs into a swashbuckling poet who variously saves his large butt or gets it fried. The only saving grace for both of them is how stupid the rest of the world is as well. The artist on this, Yoann, is noted for having been given the large assignment of being the newest artist to continue one of Europe’s biggest series for children: the adventures of Spirou & Fantasio. The most notable artist for this series was the genius André Franquin.

DUNGEON combines suspenseful adventure with a spoof of heroic fantasy in telling the tales of a castle filled with monsters. It is the creation of Joann Sfar and Lewis Trondheim, two of France’s best-known and most popular artists.

Trondheim’s peers have honored him with the Grand Prize at the annual Angouleme comics festival. Meanwhile, Sfar is a star with the success of The Rabbi’s Cat, published by Pantheon. Both also have titles coming out from Roaring Brook’s First Second imprint. NBM has been active in bringing out work by Trondheim, including his hit MISTER O and MISTER I, and most recently the very successful release of his acutely observant and quite amusing comics blog, Little Nothings. This fall, NBM’s sister company Papercutz will start publishing his breezy and very amusing Monster series for kids with Monster Christmas.

Monstres vol.4 is a 96-page, full-color, trade paperback, 6 1/2” x 9”, ISBN 978-1-56163-591-7, with a publication date of June 2011, priced at $14.99.

Wednesday, April 06, 2011

Archie Celebration Book Debuts
at MoCCA Fest

First look at deluxe hardcover commemorating
70 years of America’s favorite teenagers


[Archie: A Celebration of America's Favorite Teenagers cover]San Diego, CA (April 6, 2011)—IDW Publishing and its imprint, YOE Books, are proud to announce the debut of the deluxe full-color hardcover coffee table history book, ARCHIE: A CELEBRATION OF AMERICA’S FAVORITE TEENAGERS, edited and designed by Eisner award-winner Craig Yoe, at New York City’s Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art annual festival this weekend. MoCCA Fest attendees will get a first look at this impressive and lovingly crafted tome, which will be available nation wide by April 30th. ARCHIE: A CELEBRATION OF AMERIC’A FAVORITE TEENAGERS features more than 200 pages of fascinating history, exciting biographies and rare or unpublished art, all offering a behind-the-scenes look at one of the most iconic comics of all time.

“We’re excited and honored to have our history presented so expertly by Craig and our friends at IDW,” said Archie Comics Co-CEO Jon Goldwater. “This is the kind of book that fans everywhere will cherish for some time. It’s an essential volume for longtime and new fans of Archie and the Riverdale gang.”

Archie and his pals are some of the most beloved and enduring characters in the comics medium, and have a long history stretching back to their origins in 1941. Yoe's exhaustive research turned up a plethora of rare and unpublished art by Bob Montana, Dan DeCarlo, and Harry Lucey, vintage photographs, unknown ephemera, and a previously unpublished autobiography of John Goldwater, co-founder of MLJ/Archie Comics. All this rich material serves as the basis for the book, which celebrates both the characters and the immensely talented artists behind them. ARCHIE: A CELEBRATION OF AMERICA’S FAVORITE TEENAGERS also shines a spotlight on writers Frank Doyle, George Gladir, and Craig Boldman, and contemporary Archie artists Fernando Ruiz and Dan Parent, creator of the new kid in Riverdale, Kevin Keller. The beautiful 224-page, large-format volume sports a lengthy and revealing interview with Editor-in-Chief Victor Gorelick, who has worked at Archie over a half a century!

Yoe exclaims, “Working on this book was a real thrill, to find so much unpublished art by masters like DeCarlo, and Lucey, a photo of Elvis on his first tour reading a Betty and Veronica comic, John Goldwater's unpublished autobiography, Bob Montana's profusely illustrated high school diary, and be able to share all this with the world had my head spinning at every turn. I felt like a teenager again!”

IDW Publishing and Yoe are excited to debut ARCHIE: A CELEBRATION OF AMERICA’S FAVORITE TEENAGERS at the MoCCA Fest, held only a few short blocks from where the Archie comics were conceived. Continuing the connection between the book and the museum, ARCHIE features a full reprint of a story where the Archie Gang visits the MoCCA museum and meets Chairman Ellen Abramowitz.

Expected to be an immediate sellout after the official launch later this month, only a small number of the sought-after ARCHIE: A CELEBRATION OF AMERICA’S FAVORITE TEENAGERS will be available to MoCCA attendees. Also debuting at MoCCA Fest from IDW and YOE Books will be the sea-and-see worthy POPEYE: THE GREAT COMIC BOOK TALES BY BUD SAGENDORF.

MoCCA Fest will take place this weekend, April 9th and 10th at the Lexington Avenue Armory, at 68 Lexington Avenue in New York City. For more details, visit www.moccany.org.


ARCHIE: A CELEBRATION OF AMERICA’S FAVORITE TEENAGERS ($49.99, 224 pages, hard cover, full color) will be available in comic and books stores on April 20, 2011. ISBN 978-160010-7542.

For more information about Yoe! Books, visit www.yoebooks.com.

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! Studio; and is the print publisher for EA Comics.

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.
SELLING OUT
Five More Image Titles Sell Out Simultaneously

BERKELEY, CA -- 6 April 2011 -- Continuing the recent trend of releasing new series to rave reviews and instant sellouts, Image Comics has announced that BLUE ESTATE #1, GREEN WAKE #1, NONPLAYER #1, UNDYING LOVE #1 and the second printing of THE INFINITE VACATION #1 have all sold out at the distributor level and are going back to press.

Taken together, the five titles are an almost perfect example of the diversity of creator-owned comics showcased by Image on a weekly basis: BLUE ESTATE is a crime comic that leads readers through the tangled web of mistaken identities, backstabbing conspirators and dubious alliances; GREEN WAKE is a riveting horror tale set in a town plagued by a string of grisly murders; NONPLAYER is a sci-fi/fantasy epic that takes inspiration from mutli-player online roleplaying games; UNDYING LOVE is a horror/action series set in modern day Hong Kong that mixes Chinese folklore with vampire mythology; THE INFINITE VACATION is a high concept sci-fi love story set in a parallel reality, where an app that allows users to answer the age-old question of "what if" has changed everyone's lives forever.

"For years, Image has specialized in producing a wide variety of titles, but we've just been blown away by the work these creators are bringing us," said Image Comics Publisher Eric Stephenson. "These are writers and artists with singular visions, telling unique stories that you just can't find anywhere else, and I think that's something audiences are responding to more and more. We're more than happy to keep 'em coming."

Stephenson also urged direct market retailers to take a closer look at the orders: "We set our print runs based off the orders we receive at final order cut-off, but more and more frequently, we're finding our overprint estimates aren't matching demand. Selling out is nice, but honestly, it's not helping anyone when the books aren't on the stands. Going back to press takes time, and I'd just as soon have the books available."

With that in mind, new printings of Image's most recent sell-out titles are available for order now, with the following ship dates:

FEB118120 BLUE ESTATE #1 (2nd Printing) $2.99 on sale 5/4
FEB118259 GREEN WAKE #1 (2nd Printing) $3.50 on sale 5/4
FEB118267 NONPLAYER #1 (2nd Printing) $2.99 on sale 5/11
FEB118097 UNDYING LOVE #1 (2nd Printing) $2.99 on sale 5/11
FEB118268 THE INFINITE VACATION #1 (3rd Printing) $3.50 on sale 5/11

Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.
comiXology Brings Digital Comics to the Youth Market with Launch of Comics4Kids App

Archie Comics’ Archie, Sonic the Hedgehog, Secret of Kells, Atomic Robo and dozens more in kid-friendly, parent-approved digital format for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch

New York, NY / April 6th, 2011 – comiXology, the leading distributor of digital comics, announced today the availability of their Comics4Kids app for the iOS. Specifically designed for young readers, Comics4Kids features titles from acclaimed publishers including Archie Comics, Image Comics and GKids (publishers of Secret of Kells) in addition to dozens of other classic comic titles.

The comiXology Comics4Kids app offers a creative outlet for kids to develop critical reading skills while challenging their imaginations. Established to provide parents with a trusted and kid-friendly application for digital comics, Comics4Kids will offer a distinctive set of classic and modern titles including Archie, Sonic the Hedgehog, Secret of Kells and Atomic Robo.

“Comics were a staple of my life growing up. I lived and breathed Archie as a kid, so I know how big of a role these books can play in children’s development. Now, as an adult, I’m doing everything I can to ensure that today’s generation of tech-oriented kids has the same opportunity through comiXology,” said Jon Goldwater, CEO of Archie Comics.

Comics4Kids is one of the largest digital libraries of kid’s comics available on mobile devices, marking comiXology’s newest pursuit in engaging resources for child development.

“Comics4Kids is specifically designed for a new generation of tech-savvy kids and teens,” said David Steinberger, CEO of comiXology. “We have parents writing us all the time that they love our apps, and want to share comics with their kids, but they’re afraid they’ll pick up one of our mature titles. I couldn’t even hand my iPad off to my own young niece so I knew we needed to make an app for the kids who want to explore comics in an environment that makes their parents comfortable.”

Available for free download in the iTunes store, the app will enable kids to explore a new realm of possibilities in reading with the availability of nearly 175 comics from 15 publishers.

Publishers on board:

* Alterna Comics
* Antarctic Press
* Arcana Comics
* Archie
* Bluewater Comics
* GKids (Secret of Kells)
* Devils Due
* Dynamite
* Eigo Manga
* Image
* Keenspot
* Markosia
* NBM
* Red 5
* Shadowline

About comiXology

Since 2007 comiXology has been developing the technological infrastructure to bring comics into the digital mainstream and expose new audiences to the rich history and culture of the industry. Through partnerships with top comic book publishers including Marvel Comics, DC Comics, BOOM! Studios, Image Comics and TOKYOPOP as well as their own mobile and web apps which hosts over 7,600 digital titles, comiXology has become a leader in digital comic book proliferation. Also focused on creating strong ties with retail stores through its technology solutions, comiXology continues to transform the previously fragmented comic ecosystem into a vibrant and cohesive marketplace.

Tuesday, April 05, 2011

MoCCA's May Comics and Cartoon Classes Starts May 2nd!

NEW YORK (April 5, 2011) - The Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art - MoCCA - is proud to announce the May offerings from its Adult Education Department, organized and headed by Senior Vice-President of Education, Danny Fingeroth:

The classes:

HOW TO WRITE COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS
Instructor: DANNY FINGEROTH

ADVANCED VISUAL STORYTELLING: EXPANDING YOUR COMICS VISION
Instructor: PETER KUPER

MASTER CLASS SERIES:
LARRY HAMA (May 11)
J.M. DeMATTEIS (May 17)

About the classes:

HOW TO WRITE COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS
Instructor: DANNY FINGEROTH
4 sessions, MONDAYS May 2, 9, 16, 23
6:30-9:00 pm
$245 tuition | $225 for MoCCA members

DANNY FINGEROTH will lead a hands-on workshop in writing comics and graphic novels, suitable for novices as well as experienced writers. Combining lectures, assignments in class and at home, and roundtable critiquing, the class will cover writing for all kinds of comics, including autobiographical, historical, “indy” and superheroes.

Note: Please come to the first session with three “springboards” (short ideas for stories). We will choose one to be your project for the course.

DANNY FINGEROTH was the longtime group editor of Marvel's Spider-Man line and the writer of comics including Darkhawk and Deadly Foes of Spider-Man. He has taught comics writing at NYU, The New School, and Media Bistro. Danny created and edited Write Now magazine, the only how-to publication dedicated to comics writing and writers. He is the author of The Rough Guide to Graphic Novels and co-author (with artist Mike Manley) of How to Create Comics from Script to Print. He's also written the books Superman on the Couch and Disguised as Clark Kent. His book, The Stan Lee Universe, co-edited with Roy Thomas, will be on sale in the summer of 2011. Danny serves on MoCCA's board of advisors and on the board of directors of the Institute for Comics Studies.


ADVANCED VISUAL STORYTELLING: EXPANDING YOUR COMICS VISION
Instructor: PETER KUPER
3 sessions: TUESDAYS May 3, 10, 24 [no class May 17]
6:30-9:00 pm
$185 tuition / $165 for MoCCA members

Join visionary comics artist PETER KUPER and explore the medium of sequential art and learn how to find outlets for publishing your own self-generated comics and illustration projects. There will be weekly assignments with in-class crit sessions along with visual presentations and demonstrations by the instructor that will expand your familiarity with the history and vast potential of sequential art. Students should have some experience creating comics and should bring one example of their comics work to the first class. [No art supplies will be necessary in class.]

PETER KUPER is the co-founder of World War 3 Illustrated and has remained on its editorial board for over 30 years. His illustrations and comics have appeared in Time, The New York Times and MAD, where he has written and illustrated SPY vs. SPY every month since 1997. He has produced over twenty books and graphic novels including The System, Sticks and Stones, Speechless and Stop Forgetting To Remember. Peter has also adapted Upton Sinclair's The Jungle and many of Franz Kafka's works into comics. His adaptation of The Metamorphosis has been translated around the world and is in high school and college curriculums nation-wide. He won the 2010 Society of Illustrators gold medal for sequential art and appears in 2010's Best American Comics anthology. Peter lived in Oaxaca, Mexico from 2006-2008 during a major teachers' strike and his work about that time can be seen in his latest book, Diario de Oaxaca. More of his work can be found at: www.peterkuper.com



MoCCA MASTER CLASS SERIES:
These extraordinarily accomplished creators each brings a distinct and strong point of view to the work they do. This is a rare opportunity to hear these top names in their respective fields speak about what makes for great work.

Individual sessions: $40 | $35 for MoCCA members

MASTER CLASS: PRINCIPLES OF GRAPHIC STORYTELLNG FOR COMICS
Instructor: LARRY HAMA
Wednesday May 11 (rescheduled from March)
7:00-9:00 PM
Admission $40 | $35 for MoCCA Members

Explores the process of getting the narrative onto the page clearly in a self-evident sequence of pictures. Main visual points of reference will be “Wally Wood's 22 Panels” and GI Joe: A Real American Hero #21, “Silent Interlude.” There will be a frame-by-frame deconstruction and analysis of “Silent Interlude,” an exploration of techniques, and a Q & A.

"Graphic Narrative/Comic Book Storytelling is much more than a series of pictures. With a career as writer, artist, and editor in every storytelling medium, there is none better qualified to provide both the novice and the professional with the successful basics and applications of both the art and the craft than Larry Hama.”-Michael Golden.

LARRY HAMA is a writer/cartoonist/illustrator/actor/musician who has worked in comics, TV, and film. He is best known as the writer of Marvel's GI Joe comics in the '80s, and as the writer of Marvel's Wolverine in the '90s. He is currently writing Barack the Barbarian for Devil's Due Comics and GI Joe: Origins for IDW as well as various animation and video game projects.
He has written, edited or drawn for such comics titles as Avengers, Blaze, Nth Man, The Nam, Conan, Batman, Wonder Woman, Bizarre Adventures, X-Men, Spider-Man, Daredevil, and dozens more. His illustrations and cartoons have appeared in National Lampoon, Esquire, New York, Rolling Stone and various Children's Television Workshop publications.
He has worked in TV development on mini-series for David L. Wolper (Project X), and in animation and Internet gaming for Curious Pictures (Out of Your Mind, Jacabee Code). He has written episodes of Robot Boy (TV animation) for Alphanim, interstitials for PBS Kids, and direct-to-DVD material for Flickerlab (Aaron & Emily). He created the Marvel Comic Mort the Dead Teenager that was optioned and developed by DreamWorks. (He co-wrote the screenplay with director John Payson.) He co-wrote All Ages Night, a feature film about teens in a rock band, which will be seen on STARZ.


MASTER CLASS: OH, THE HUMANITY: WRITING SUCCESSFULLY ACROSS GENRES AND MEDIA
Instructor: J.M. DeMATTEIS
Tuesday May 17
7:00-9:00 PM
Admission $40 | $35 for MoCCA Members

While it's not unusual to see comics writers also work on animation or prose in similar genres to their comics work, relatively few work in different genres and media at the same time. J.M. DeMATTEIS is one of the handful of authors who have worked simultaneously and successfully on popular corporate franchise characters, surreal tales of fantasy, hilariously funny satire, and intensely personal dramatic material, in comics, and also in animation, novels (the non-graphic kind), and screenplays. In this rare teaching appearance, DeMatteis (with kibitzing and inappropriate comments by his longtime editor, DANNY FINGEROTH), explains what stories in all genres and media have in common: universal human characters and situations (also known as “heart”), and how you can use that fact to be more than a “one-trick-pony” writer.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, J. M. DeMATTEIS was a professional musician and rock music journalist before entering the comic book field. Although he's written almost all of the major DC and Marvel icons-including memorable runs on Spider-Man and Justice League-DeMatteis's greatest acclaim has come for his more personal work. The autobiographical Brooklyn Dreams was picked by the American Library Association as one of the Ten Best Graphic Novels, and Booklist, in a starred review, called it “as graphically distinguished and creatively novelistic a graphic novel as has ever been...a classic of the form.” It was also selected as one of the Top Ten Graphic Novels in Danny Fingeroth's Rough Guide to Graphic Novels. The groundbreaking Moonshadow was chosen (along with Brooklyn Dreams, the children's fantasy, Abadazad, and other DeMatteis works) for inclusion in Gene Kannenberg, Jr's 2008 book 500 Essential Graphic Novels, where it was hailed as one of the finest examples of the fantasy genre in comics. DeMatteis's latest projects include the fantasy novel Imaginalis, published in July 2010 by HarperCollins, and a variety of television and comic book projects. DeMatteis and his family live in upstate New York.

Unless otherwise indicated, all classes will be held at:
MoCCA
594 Broadway (between Houston and Prince Streets)
Suite 401
New York, NY 10012

For more information and to register, call 212-254-3511 or go to www.moccany.org.

The Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art - MoCCA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts education organization dedicated to the preservation, study and display of all forms of comic and cartoon art. The museum promotes greater understanding and appreciation of the artistic, cultural and historical significance of comic and cartoon art through a variety of events, exhibitions, and educational programs. The museum is located at 594 Broadway (between Houston and Prince Streets) in New York City. MoCCA is open to the public Tuesdays through Sundays from 12:00-5:00 pm. Suggested donation to the museum is $5 but free for MoCCA Members as well as for children 12 and under (when accompanied by a paying adult). For more information about the museum and MoCCA events, exhibitions and programs, visit the museum's Website (www.moccany.org).
THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM
Elephantmen: Man and Elephantman #1 Sells Out, Goes Back to Press

BERKELEY, CA -- 5 April 2011 -- Hot on the heels of recent sellouts like BUTCHER BAKER THE RIGHTEOUS MAKER, THE INTREPIDS and CARBON GREY, Image Comics has announced that ELEPHANTMEN: MAN AND ELEPHANTMAN has sold out and is being rushed back to press.

Written by Richard Starkings with art by the series' new regular artist Axel Medellin, ELEPHANTMEN: MAN AND ELEPHANTMAN was produced as an INVINCIBLE RETURNS style introductory one-shot, perfect for both long-time and new readers alike. The special one-shot, which featured the first of a series of retail incentive covers by superstar artist J. Scott Campbell, has received rave reviews, making it the single most well-received issue of ELEPHANTMEN since its debut.

"We expected a little more attention than usual with this issue, but the near-immediate sellout actually surprised us," Starkings said. "Obviously, it's quite flattering when a book sells so quickly, but since MAN AND ELEPHANTMAN is such a great jumping on point for where Axel and I are taking the series, we want to make sure there are more copies available so that everyone can come on board."

Image Publisher Eric Stephenson added, "I think I'm running out of different ways to say how amazing ELEPHANTMEN is, but after watching fans eat up Richard's stock at WonderCon this past weekend, I think it's safe to say that this series is one of comicdom's best kept secrets. If you haven't discovered it yet, ELEPHANTMEN: MAN AND ELEPHANTMAN is a great place to start!"

ELEPHANTMEN: MAN AND ELEPHANTMAN (FEB118098), a 40-page color comic book priced at $3.99 is available for re-order now with an in-store date of May 4. ELEPHANTMEN #31 (FEB110456) picks up where that issue leaves off and will be in stores the following week, on May 11.

Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.
PRESS RELEASE - PRETTY GIRLS EVERYWHERE

Frank Cho and Doug Murray Launch Sci-Fi Epic 50 Girls 50 in June


BERKELEY, CA -- 5 April 2011 -- Two years ago, LIBERTY MEADOWS creator Frank Cho and The 'Nam and Jungle Girl writer Doug Murray went in search of an artist to illustrate their all-new 50 GIRLS 50. Today, they're putting the final touches on a four-issue miniseries drawn by 50 GIRLS 50 contest winner and new ELEPHANTMEN artist Axel Medellin.


Working from a script written by Murray, based off a story conceived by Cho and Murray, Medellin has completed the entire four-issue miniseries, now in the process of being colored by SAVAGE DRAGON and INVINCIBLE colorist Nikos Koutsis. In addition to providing character and world designs, Cho is also illustrating covers for each issue.


"It's been a long time coming, but we're finally in the homestretch with this project," said Cho. "We all know how disappointing it is when something planned as a 1-2-3-4 miniseries doesn't ship monthly, so we wanted to make sure the entire miniseries was complete before offering it for sale. This baby's 100% done, though, and you'll be getting an issue a month from June to September, whether you like it or not."


"We're really pleased that Frank and Doug banked these issues so they could ship uninterrupted over this summer," added Image Comics Publisher Eric Stephenson. "And everyone who's seen Axel's work on ELEPHANTMEN: MAN AND ELEPHANTMAN #1 knows what a great find he is, so it's going to be like getting a double-dose of artwork over the course of this year."


A sexy sci-fi romp set in a far-flung future, 50 GIRLS 50 chronicles the fantastic voyage of the Space Vessel ESS Savannah and her beautiful crew as they fight to escape hostile aliens and exotic worlds, searching for the wormhole that will take them to their ultimate destination: Home.


50 GIRLS 50 (APR110392), a 32-page full color comic book priced at $2.99 is available for order in the April issue of Diamond Previews and goes on sale June 1.


ABOUT IMAGE COMICS


Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.

Monday, April 04, 2011

Marvel Television Announces Adrian Pasdar and Milo Ventimiglia for
Iron Man and Wolverine Anime Series To Air On G4 July 2011

San Francisco, April 2, 2011 - Marvel's Head of Television Jeph Loeb announced casting for two of the company's much anticipated anime series, IRON MAN and WOLVERINE, at its WonderCon panel today in San Francisco to the delight of fans in attendance. Both series will premiere on G4 in July 2011.

Adrian Pasdar (Heroes, Castle, Profit) will lend his voice to the character of Tony Stark in IRON MAN, an all-new series which sees Stark travel to Japan and battle the evil Zodiac Organization.

Milo Ventimiglia (Gilmore Girls, Rocky Balboa, Heroes), takes on the title role in WOLVERINE, as Logan claws his way through Japan's criminal underworld.

"Adrian and Milo are perfect as Iron Man and Wolverine," said Loeb. "It's extremely exciting to see these talented guys take on two of the most iconic Super Hero roles of all time.”

As the exclusive US TV home for the series, G4 will air IRON MAN and WOLVERINE along with the BLADE and X-MEN anime series later this year. The network will premiere an exclusive clip from WOLVERINE on Wednesday's Attack of the Show at 7 pm ET/PT. For more information, check out g4tv.com/marvel;.

About Marvel Entertainment, LLC

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 http://www.marvel.com/.

About G4
G4 offers the last word on gaming, technology, animation, interactivity and “geek culture” for the male 18-34 demo. The network has given young guys of today’s digital generation a television home. G4 is the #1 podcasted cable network in America and is available in 59 million cable and satellite homes nationwide. G4tv.com is a top web destination for video game news and information. The network’s popular original programming includes “Attack of the Show!,” “X-Play,” “American Ninja Warrior” and “Campus PD.” G4 also continues to expand its live event coverage at CES, Comic-Con, E3, Tokyo Game Show and more. The network’s key acquisitions include “Heroes” and “Lost.” G4’s Multiplex features content on all possible digital platforms, including G4tv.com, G4 Mobile, G4 Podcasts, G4 on Demand, G4 Video Player, G4 Wii Portal and G4 PS3 Portal. G4 is a network of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBCUniversal, 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