Oni Press at Free Comic Book Day!
That’s right, Oni Press is giving away the first issue of the highly anticipated new series from Joe Harris andBrett Weldele for free!
Driven to discover the truth regarding his father’s mysterious death many years prior, Melvin Reyes seeks to prove the existence of Spontaneous Human Combustion after fresh outbreaks of the phenomenon reveal a pattern only he can see, a predictability model only he can read, and the terrifying realization that whatever phenomenon consumed his father is also boiling inside of him, just waiting for release.
Joe and Brett will be talking with fans and signing copies of the FREE SPONTANEOUS at Dragon’s Lair in Austin, TX this Saturday. Be sure to stop by and say hello.
Coming your way this Free Comic Book Day: the Oni Press Rated Free for Everyone! This all-ages anthology packs in two exclusive previews from upcoming books POWER LUNCH by J. Torres & Dean Trippe and SKETCH MONSTERS by Josh Williamson & Vinny Navarette.
J. Torres will be signing copies at Comic Book Addiction in Whitby, Ontario from 10 – noon and then at theToronto Comics Art Festival from 1 – 5.
Dean Trippe will be signing at A World of Heroes.
Josh Williamson will be signing at The Comic Bug in Manhattan Beach from 11-3 then Pulp Fiction in Long Beach from 3-5.
Vinny Navarette will be at Bridge City Comics in Portland OR from 11-1
You also have a chance to meet some of your other favorite Oni creators on Free Comic Book Day. Just take a look at this list of talent:
Matthew Southworth will be at Comic Stop U-District (formerly Zanadu) from 10 – 1
Greg Rucka will be at Olympic Cards and Comics from noon – 4.
Jen Van Meter will be at Olympic Cards and Comics from noon – 4.
Steve Lieber will be at Things From Another World, Hollywood from 2 – 5.
Ray Fawkes will be at the Toronto Comics Art Festival.
Kelly Sue DeConnick will be at Things From Another World, Beaverton from noon – 3.
Steve Rolston will be at Metropolis Comics & Toys from noon – 5.
Ross Campbell will be at the Toronto Comics Art Festival.
Remington Veteto will be at Criminal Records from 1 – 6.
Cara McGee will be at Criminal Records from 1 – 6.
Wook-Jin Clark will be at Criminal Records from 11 – 1 and at Oxford Comics from 1 – 4.
Jeremy Haun will be at Hurley’s Heroes from noon – 8.
Christopher Mitten will be at Challengers Comics + Conversation from noon – 3.
Matt Loux will be at the Toronto Comic Arts Festival.
Robbi Rodriguez will be at The Comic Bug from noon – 7
Tyler Crook will be at The Comic Bug from noon – 3.
Brian Wood will be at Brooklyn Comics & More from noon – 1:30 and at Manhattan Comics from 3 – 4:30.
Cullen Bunn will be at Elite Comics from 10 – 4.
Brian Hurtt will be at Elite Comics from 10 – 4.
Meredith MccLaren will be at Samurai Comics.
Monica Gallagher will be at Collector’s Corner from 9 – 3.
Chris Schweizer will be at Heroes Aren’t Hard to Find from noon – 6
Friday, May 06, 2011
TCAF – MAY 7TH & 8TH AT THE TORONTO REFERENCE LIBRARY, 789 YONGE STREET, TORONTO, CANADA
Convention season is nicely under way and we welcome those who joined our list at MoCCA, especially Lucinda who won our prize draw! This weekend it is the turn of those Northern Neighbors to host TCAF – Toronto Comic Arts Festival. Full details can be found here: http://torontocomics.com/ . Thanks and good luck to all involved and lots of fun to every visitor!
Fanfare / Ponent Mon will be in attendance on the first floor (is that what I call ground floor?) at table 152, right by the Beeton Auditorium (programming) entrance and the way up to the next floor of the show. We’ll be highlighting our new title FARM 54 which will ship to stores later this month. You can see an excerpt from the book over at the Graphic Novel Reporter site here: http://graphicnovelreporter.com/content/farm-54-0 Be sure to stop by and take a look at this and our other award winning titles.
Farm 54 cover (NB).jpg
Talking of awards…
2011 EISNER NOMINATIONS
eisners11_sm.bmp9788496427488 KOREA_COVERjpeg.jpg
We are very pleased to announce that our title ‘Korea As Viewed By 12 Creators’ released in 2010 has been nominated for an Eisner Award 2011 in the category Best Anthology following in the footsteps of its companion volume ‘Japan As Viewed By 17 Creators’. Voting is now open at: http://www.comic-con.org/cci/cci_eisners_main.php for the professionals among you. If you haven’t already checked these books out then you can do so this weekend at TCAF (see above) or at our newly designed web site…
…talking of a newly designed WEB SITE guess what we just did?
We hope you enjoy the new look site which we feel is much easier to navigate and find the information you seek. Now we have the basics up there we will work on the mistakes (Oooops!) and making additions and further improvements. We are always pleased to hear from you with your thoughts and you can now contact us more easily through the site. First ten interesting and fresh ideas that we receive and use will receive a free book from our award winning range. [Sorry, we already thought of the Facebook / Twitter bit which will come in time J]
OK, that’s enough of your time for this mailing. Thanks as always from a right royal weddinged UK!!
Convention season is nicely under way and we welcome those who joined our list at MoCCA, especially Lucinda who won our prize draw! This weekend it is the turn of those Northern Neighbors to host TCAF – Toronto Comic Arts Festival. Full details can be found here: http://torontocomics.com/ . Thanks and good luck to all involved and lots of fun to every visitor!
Fanfare / Ponent Mon will be in attendance on the first floor (is that what I call ground floor?) at table 152, right by the Beeton Auditorium (programming) entrance and the way up to the next floor of the show. We’ll be highlighting our new title FARM 54 which will ship to stores later this month. You can see an excerpt from the book over at the Graphic Novel Reporter site here: http://graphicnovelreporter.com/content/farm-54-0 Be sure to stop by and take a look at this and our other award winning titles.
Farm 54 cover (NB).jpg
Talking of awards…
2011 EISNER NOMINATIONS
eisners11_sm.bmp9788496427488 KOREA_COVERjpeg.jpg
We are very pleased to announce that our title ‘Korea As Viewed By 12 Creators’ released in 2010 has been nominated for an Eisner Award 2011 in the category Best Anthology following in the footsteps of its companion volume ‘Japan As Viewed By 17 Creators’. Voting is now open at: http://www.comic-con.org/cci/cci_eisners_main.php for the professionals among you. If you haven’t already checked these books out then you can do so this weekend at TCAF (see above) or at our newly designed web site…
…talking of a newly designed WEB SITE guess what we just did?
We hope you enjoy the new look site which we feel is much easier to navigate and find the information you seek. Now we have the basics up there we will work on the mistakes (Oooops!) and making additions and further improvements. We are always pleased to hear from you with your thoughts and you can now contact us more easily through the site. First ten interesting and fresh ideas that we receive and use will receive a free book from our award winning range. [Sorry, we already thought of the Facebook / Twitter bit which will come in time J]
OK, that’s enough of your time for this mailing. Thanks as always from a right royal weddinged UK!!
IMAGE COMICS IN A STORE NEAR YOU ON FCBD
The Best of Creator-Owned Comics Celebrates Free Comic Book Day This Saturday
BERKELEY, CA – 5 May 2011 – Every year on the first Saturday in May, publishers and local comic shops join forces in an event like no other: Free Comic Book Day! In an effort to introduce comic books to new readers and give established fans incentive to try something new or different, they are given free comics!
Image Comics is well known for introducing new titles in a variety of styles and genres to readers, so it's only natural that the publisher has been reaching out to new readers by participating in FCBD since it began in 2002. With two new Image Comics FCBD titles at comic book shops across the country and an impressively extensive list of our best creators participating at signings, this year is no exception!
Of all the free comics available on FCBD, kids young and old won't want to miss the SUPER DINOSAUR ORIGIN SPECIAL, the first new series published under Robert Kirkman's Skybound imprint. This colorful all ages story is about a young boy genius and his best friend, a genetically-modified Tyrannosaurus Rex. For more information about Kirkman and artist Jason Howard's SUPER DINOSAUR series and a link to download a preview of SUPER DINOSAUR #1 through comiXology's Image Comics app, visit www.superdinosaur.com.
Our other free comic this year is wholly different from the light-hearted all ages title. DARKNESS II: CONFESSION is a prequel to the upcoming 2K game, Darkness II, which is based on Top Cow Productions' long-running THE DARKNESS series. With art by both Michael Broussard and Romano Molenaar, this comic will give readers a glimpse into the tortured life of Jackie, the Darkness bearer. For more information about The Darkness II video game, visit www.embracethedarkness.com. For more information about THE DARKNESS, as well as many more Top Cow Productions comics, visit www.topcow.com.
Image Comics would also like to help spread the word about all the events that retailers have scheduled with our talented writers and artists on FCBD. We have compiled a list so that you might locate and visit all the comic shops in your area that are hosting your favorite comic creators.
Image Comics' Creators Store (hyperlinked to sites) City State Start time End time Additional Merchandise/Events/Sales
Jimmie Robinson (BOMB QUEEN) The Escapist Berkeley CA 1:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. Bomb Queen comics available and FREE sketches!
Matt Hawkins (DARKNESS, Top Cow Productions President) Golden Apple Comics Los Angeles CA 10:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. Signing copies of Top Cow's Free Comic Book Day offering - The Darkness II: Confession
Michael Broussard (DARKNESS) Earth-2 Comics Northridge CA 10:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Signing Top Cow FCBD offering The Darkness II: Confession, also Artifacts and The Darkness
Filip Sablik (LAST MORTAL, DARKNESS, Top Cow Productions Publisher) Brave New World Newhall CA 11:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Signing Top Cow FCBD offering The Darkness II: Confession. Last Mortal and Pilot Season: Asset, as well as sketches
Mark Sable (GRAVEYARD OF EMPIRES) Collector's Paradise Pasadena Pasadena CA 11:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. Free preview copies of GRAVEYARD OF EMPIRES
Rick Basaldua (RISING STARS, PILOT SEASON) Collector’s Paradise Comics & Gallery Pasadena CA 11:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. Signing The Dakness as well as sketches for attendees
Sheldon Mitchell (DARKNESS) Collector's Paradise Pasadena Pasadena CA 11:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. Signing The Dakness as well as sketches for attendees
Derek McCulloch (PUG) The Escapist Berkeley CA 12:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. Signed copies of Pug will be available.
Richard Starkings (ELEPHANTMEN) The Comic Bug Manhattan Beach CA 12:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. IMAGE FIRSTS ELEPHANTMEN #1 available
Tomm Coker (UNDYING LOVE) Collector’s Paradise Comics & Gallery Canoga Park CA 12:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. Signing and Sketching
Whilce Portacio (Image Comics founder, IMAGE UNITED, ARTIFACTS, SPAWN) Collector’s Paradise Comics & Gallery Canoga Park CA 12:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. Artists will be on hand to do sketches for attendees, with proceeds benefiting the Hero Initiative.
Chris Moreno (SIDEKICK, OUTLAW TERRITORY, 24 SEVEN) Collector’s Paradise Comics & Gallery Canoga Park CA 12:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. "Sketches for HERO Initiative" fundraiser
Daniel Freedman (UNDYING LOVE) Collector’s Paradise Comics & Gallery Canoga Park CA 12:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. Signing and Sketching
Joshua Hale Fialkov (CYBLADE, ALIBI, ECHOES) Collector’s Paradise Comics & Gallery Canoga Park CA 12:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. "Sketches for HERO Initiative" fundraiser
Kody Chamberlain (SWEETS) Collector’s Paradise Comics & Gallery Canoga Park CA 12:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. "Sketches for HERO Initiative" fundraiser
Tone Rodriguez (MAYHEM, SHADOWHAWK) Collector’s Paradise Comics & Gallery Canoga Park CA 12:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. "Sketches for HERO Initiative" fundraiser
Viktor Kalvachev (BLUE ESTATE) Fantastic Comics Berkeley CA 12:30 p.m.
Jason Howard (ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN, SUPER DINOSAUR) Golden Apple Comics Los Angeles CA 2:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. FCBD - SUPER DINOSAUR: ORIGIN SPECIAL
Owen Wiseman (SAMURAI'S BLOOD) Meltdown Comics Los Angeles CA 2:00 p.m. 3:30 p.m.
Robert Kirkman (THE WALKING DEAD, INVINCIBLE, SUPER DINOSAUR) Golden Apple Comics Los Angeles CA 2:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. FCBD - SUPER DINOSAUR: ORIGIN SPECIAL
Joshua Hale Fialkov (CYBLADE, ALIBI, ECHOES) Meltdown Comics Los Angeles CA 4:00 p.m.
Kody Chamberlain (SWEETS) Meltdown Comics Los Angeles CA 4:00 p.m.
Chris Houghton (REED GUNTHER) Meltdown Comics Los Angeles CA
Erik Larsen (SAVAGE DRAGON, SPIDERMAN) Fantastic Comics Berkeley CA
Jeff Cahn (RED SPIKE) Meltdown Comics Los Angeles CA
Scott Kowalchuk (INTREPIDS) Another Dimension Comics Calgary CANADA 10:00 a.m. 6:00 p.m. Selling prints and Original prints
Riley Rossmo (PROOF, GREEN WAKE, COWBOY NINJA VIKING) Another Dimension Comics Calgary CANADA 11:00 a.m. 6:00 p.m. Signing books and selling original art
Jim Zub (SKULLKICKERS) Toronto Comic Arts Festival Toronto CANADA 9:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. Selling Skullkickers trades and convention-only sketchbooks
Greg Horn (THE ART OF GREG HORN) Yancy Street Comics Port Richey FL
Nathan Edmondson (THE LIGHT, WHO IS JAKE ELLIS?) Criminal Records Atlanta GA
Phil Hester (DARKNESS, FIREBREATHER) Daydreams Comics Iowa City IA 12:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m.
Phil Hester (DARKNESS, FIREBREATHER) Cup O' Kryptonite (May 6th) Des Moines IA 9:00 p.m. 12:00 a.m. FCBD after dark Pre-Party!
Chris Burnham (OFFICER DOWNE) Dark Tower Comics Chicago IL
Jonathan Hickman (NIGHTLY NEWS, RED WING) Comic Vault Chicago IL
Alex Grecian (PROOF) Elite Comics Kansas City KS 11:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. Signing copies of Proof
Lee Leslie (SCREAMLAND) B Bop South Prairie Village KS
Frank Cho (50 GIRLS 50) Cards, Comics and Collectibles Reisterstown MD
Jeremy Haun (ARTIFACTS, DARKNESS) Hurley's Heroes Joplin MO 12:00 p.m. 8:00 p.m.
Chris Giarrusso (G-MAN) Acme Comics Greensboro NC 1:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. G-Man: Cape Crisis #2 Acme Comics variant edition | G-Man vs Acme Bat T-Shirt
Ron Marz (ARTIFACTS, SHINKU) Comic Depot Saratoga Springs NY 11:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Limited copies of FCBD Silver Scorpion (Liquid Comics)
Ron Marz (ARTIFACTS, SHINKU) Excellent Adventures Ballston Spa NY 2:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. Limited copies of FCBD Silver Scorpion (Liquid Comics)
Dirk Manning (NIGHTMARE WORLD) Packrat Comics Hilliard OH 10:00 a.m. 10:00 p.m. 2-for-1 Sale: NIGHTMARE WORLD Vol 1 GN and NIGHTMARE WORLD Vol 2 GN
Steve Lieber (UNDERGROUND) Things From Another World Portland OR 2:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. Anyone who buys a copy of Underground gets a free drawing in it!
David Hahn (ALL NIGHTER) Things From Another World Portland OR 4:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m.
Ryan Ottley (INVINCIBLE, SEA BEAR & GRIZZLY SHARK) Nightflight Comics Salt Lake City UT 2:30 p.m. 6:00 p.m. FREE sketches!
Mike Oeming (POWERS, MICE TEMPLAR) Comics Dungeon Seattle WA 1:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m.
Nate Simpson (NONPLAYER) Arcane Comics Seattle WA 12:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. Selling posters and signing comics/posters
Micah Farritor (FEAR AGENT, STRANGE GIRL) Westfield Comics (East Side) Madison WI 10:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Artists will be on hand to do sketches for attendees, with proceeds benefiting the Hero Initiative.
Rachelle Rosenberg (colorist Tim Seeley’s HACK/SLASH, Jane Wiedlin’s LADY ROBOTIKA) Westfield Comics (East Side) Madison WI 10:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Artists will be on hand to do sketches for attendees, with proceeds benefiting the Hero Initiative.
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.
The Best of Creator-Owned Comics Celebrates Free Comic Book Day This Saturday
BERKELEY, CA – 5 May 2011 – Every year on the first Saturday in May, publishers and local comic shops join forces in an event like no other: Free Comic Book Day! In an effort to introduce comic books to new readers and give established fans incentive to try something new or different, they are given free comics!
Image Comics is well known for introducing new titles in a variety of styles and genres to readers, so it's only natural that the publisher has been reaching out to new readers by participating in FCBD since it began in 2002. With two new Image Comics FCBD titles at comic book shops across the country and an impressively extensive list of our best creators participating at signings, this year is no exception!
Of all the free comics available on FCBD, kids young and old won't want to miss the SUPER DINOSAUR ORIGIN SPECIAL, the first new series published under Robert Kirkman's Skybound imprint. This colorful all ages story is about a young boy genius and his best friend, a genetically-modified Tyrannosaurus Rex. For more information about Kirkman and artist Jason Howard's SUPER DINOSAUR series and a link to download a preview of SUPER DINOSAUR #1 through comiXology's Image Comics app, visit www.superdinosaur.com.
Our other free comic this year is wholly different from the light-hearted all ages title. DARKNESS II: CONFESSION is a prequel to the upcoming 2K game, Darkness II, which is based on Top Cow Productions' long-running THE DARKNESS series. With art by both Michael Broussard and Romano Molenaar, this comic will give readers a glimpse into the tortured life of Jackie, the Darkness bearer. For more information about The Darkness II video game, visit www.embracethedarkness.com. For more information about THE DARKNESS, as well as many more Top Cow Productions comics, visit www.topcow.com.
Image Comics would also like to help spread the word about all the events that retailers have scheduled with our talented writers and artists on FCBD. We have compiled a list so that you might locate and visit all the comic shops in your area that are hosting your favorite comic creators.
Image Comics' Creators Store (hyperlinked to sites) City State Start time End time Additional Merchandise/Events/Sales
Jimmie Robinson (BOMB QUEEN) The Escapist Berkeley CA 1:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. Bomb Queen comics available and FREE sketches!
Matt Hawkins (DARKNESS, Top Cow Productions President) Golden Apple Comics Los Angeles CA 10:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. Signing copies of Top Cow's Free Comic Book Day offering - The Darkness II: Confession
Michael Broussard (DARKNESS) Earth-2 Comics Northridge CA 10:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Signing Top Cow FCBD offering The Darkness II: Confession, also Artifacts and The Darkness
Filip Sablik (LAST MORTAL, DARKNESS, Top Cow Productions Publisher) Brave New World Newhall CA 11:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Signing Top Cow FCBD offering The Darkness II: Confession. Last Mortal and Pilot Season: Asset, as well as sketches
Mark Sable (GRAVEYARD OF EMPIRES) Collector's Paradise Pasadena Pasadena CA 11:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. Free preview copies of GRAVEYARD OF EMPIRES
Rick Basaldua (RISING STARS, PILOT SEASON) Collector’s Paradise Comics & Gallery Pasadena CA 11:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. Signing The Dakness as well as sketches for attendees
Sheldon Mitchell (DARKNESS) Collector's Paradise Pasadena Pasadena CA 11:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. Signing The Dakness as well as sketches for attendees
Derek McCulloch (PUG) The Escapist Berkeley CA 12:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. Signed copies of Pug will be available.
Richard Starkings (ELEPHANTMEN) The Comic Bug Manhattan Beach CA 12:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. IMAGE FIRSTS ELEPHANTMEN #1 available
Tomm Coker (UNDYING LOVE) Collector’s Paradise Comics & Gallery Canoga Park CA 12:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. Signing and Sketching
Whilce Portacio (Image Comics founder, IMAGE UNITED, ARTIFACTS, SPAWN) Collector’s Paradise Comics & Gallery Canoga Park CA 12:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. Artists will be on hand to do sketches for attendees, with proceeds benefiting the Hero Initiative.
Chris Moreno (SIDEKICK, OUTLAW TERRITORY, 24 SEVEN) Collector’s Paradise Comics & Gallery Canoga Park CA 12:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. "Sketches for HERO Initiative" fundraiser
Daniel Freedman (UNDYING LOVE) Collector’s Paradise Comics & Gallery Canoga Park CA 12:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. Signing and Sketching
Joshua Hale Fialkov (CYBLADE, ALIBI, ECHOES) Collector’s Paradise Comics & Gallery Canoga Park CA 12:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. "Sketches for HERO Initiative" fundraiser
Kody Chamberlain (SWEETS) Collector’s Paradise Comics & Gallery Canoga Park CA 12:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. "Sketches for HERO Initiative" fundraiser
Tone Rodriguez (MAYHEM, SHADOWHAWK) Collector’s Paradise Comics & Gallery Canoga Park CA 12:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. "Sketches for HERO Initiative" fundraiser
Viktor Kalvachev (BLUE ESTATE) Fantastic Comics Berkeley CA 12:30 p.m.
Jason Howard (ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN, SUPER DINOSAUR) Golden Apple Comics Los Angeles CA 2:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. FCBD - SUPER DINOSAUR: ORIGIN SPECIAL
Owen Wiseman (SAMURAI'S BLOOD) Meltdown Comics Los Angeles CA 2:00 p.m. 3:30 p.m.
Robert Kirkman (THE WALKING DEAD, INVINCIBLE, SUPER DINOSAUR) Golden Apple Comics Los Angeles CA 2:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. FCBD - SUPER DINOSAUR: ORIGIN SPECIAL
Joshua Hale Fialkov (CYBLADE, ALIBI, ECHOES) Meltdown Comics Los Angeles CA 4:00 p.m.
Kody Chamberlain (SWEETS) Meltdown Comics Los Angeles CA 4:00 p.m.
Chris Houghton (REED GUNTHER) Meltdown Comics Los Angeles CA
Erik Larsen (SAVAGE DRAGON, SPIDERMAN) Fantastic Comics Berkeley CA
Jeff Cahn (RED SPIKE) Meltdown Comics Los Angeles CA
Scott Kowalchuk (INTREPIDS) Another Dimension Comics Calgary CANADA 10:00 a.m. 6:00 p.m. Selling prints and Original prints
Riley Rossmo (PROOF, GREEN WAKE, COWBOY NINJA VIKING) Another Dimension Comics Calgary CANADA 11:00 a.m. 6:00 p.m. Signing books and selling original art
Jim Zub (SKULLKICKERS) Toronto Comic Arts Festival Toronto CANADA 9:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. Selling Skullkickers trades and convention-only sketchbooks
Greg Horn (THE ART OF GREG HORN) Yancy Street Comics Port Richey FL
Nathan Edmondson (THE LIGHT, WHO IS JAKE ELLIS?) Criminal Records Atlanta GA
Phil Hester (DARKNESS, FIREBREATHER) Daydreams Comics Iowa City IA 12:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m.
Phil Hester (DARKNESS, FIREBREATHER) Cup O' Kryptonite (May 6th) Des Moines IA 9:00 p.m. 12:00 a.m. FCBD after dark Pre-Party!
Chris Burnham (OFFICER DOWNE) Dark Tower Comics Chicago IL
Jonathan Hickman (NIGHTLY NEWS, RED WING) Comic Vault Chicago IL
Alex Grecian (PROOF) Elite Comics Kansas City KS 11:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. Signing copies of Proof
Lee Leslie (SCREAMLAND) B Bop South Prairie Village KS
Frank Cho (50 GIRLS 50) Cards, Comics and Collectibles Reisterstown MD
Jeremy Haun (ARTIFACTS, DARKNESS) Hurley's Heroes Joplin MO 12:00 p.m. 8:00 p.m.
Chris Giarrusso (G-MAN) Acme Comics Greensboro NC 1:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. G-Man: Cape Crisis #2 Acme Comics variant edition | G-Man vs Acme Bat T-Shirt
Ron Marz (ARTIFACTS, SHINKU) Comic Depot Saratoga Springs NY 11:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Limited copies of FCBD Silver Scorpion (Liquid Comics)
Ron Marz (ARTIFACTS, SHINKU) Excellent Adventures Ballston Spa NY 2:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. Limited copies of FCBD Silver Scorpion (Liquid Comics)
Dirk Manning (NIGHTMARE WORLD) Packrat Comics Hilliard OH 10:00 a.m. 10:00 p.m. 2-for-1 Sale: NIGHTMARE WORLD Vol 1 GN and NIGHTMARE WORLD Vol 2 GN
Steve Lieber (UNDERGROUND) Things From Another World Portland OR 2:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. Anyone who buys a copy of Underground gets a free drawing in it!
David Hahn (ALL NIGHTER) Things From Another World Portland OR 4:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m.
Ryan Ottley (INVINCIBLE, SEA BEAR & GRIZZLY SHARK) Nightflight Comics Salt Lake City UT 2:30 p.m. 6:00 p.m. FREE sketches!
Mike Oeming (POWERS, MICE TEMPLAR) Comics Dungeon Seattle WA 1:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m.
Nate Simpson (NONPLAYER) Arcane Comics Seattle WA 12:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. Selling posters and signing comics/posters
Micah Farritor (FEAR AGENT, STRANGE GIRL) Westfield Comics (East Side) Madison WI 10:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Artists will be on hand to do sketches for attendees, with proceeds benefiting the Hero Initiative.
Rachelle Rosenberg (colorist Tim Seeley’s HACK/SLASH, Jane Wiedlin’s LADY ROBOTIKA) Westfield Comics (East Side) Madison WI 10:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Artists will be on hand to do sketches for attendees, with proceeds benefiting the Hero Initiative.
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.
THE NEXT GENERATION OF DC UNIVERSE
SUPER HEROES PUT THEIR TRAINING TO
THE TEST AS WARNER HOME VIDEO
RELEASES YOUNG JUSTICE SEASON
1
VOLUME 1 OUT ON DVD JULY 19TH
One Disc Featuring Four Fantastic Episodes of the Brand-New
Cartoon Network Show, from Warner Bros. Animation
BURBANK, CA (May 6, 2011) – The newest Warner Bros. Animation–produced hit series on Cartoon Network is finally out on DVD as Warner Home Video (WHV) unleashes its secret weapon with Young Justice Season 1 Volume 1. These DC Universe teenage super heroes have quickly proven to be a hit as the favorite show among boys 9-14. With non-stop action, Young Justice Season 1 Volume 1 comes to DVD for the first time on July 19, 2011 for $14.97 SRP.
In Young Justice, being a teenager means proving yourself over and over — to peers, parents, teachers, mentors and, ultimately, to yourself. But what if you’re not just a normal teenager? What if you’re a teenage super hero? How much harder will it be to prove yourself in a world of super powers, super villains and super secrets? Are you ready to come of age in such a world? Are you ready for life or death rites of passage? Are you ready to join the ranks of the great heroes and prove you’re worthy of the Justice League? That’s exactly what the members of Young Justice — Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, Superboy, Miss Martian and Artemis — will find out and whether they have what it takes to be a proven hero.
These teenage heroes collectively become the Justice League’s secret weapon against the forces of evil. The young protégés must put their super hero education to the test and band together to covertly fight the evildoers that exist on Earth-16. Utilizing The Cave as their home base, the teen heroes will take on under-the-radar missions that would be impossible for the league’s famous and identifiable elders to handle secretly.
While the team works to take on more super hero responsibilities, they are in constant training by the Justice League to eventually take their place alongside the great heroes. Red Tornado is their supervisor; Black Canary is in charge of their training; and Batman determines and directs their assignments. Of course, in true teenage fashion, the members of the team push the limits of their missions, often turning a simple assignment from Batman into something significantly larger.
“DC fans have been vocal about their love for Young Justice, so I am particularly pleased to announce our first DVD release,” said Sam Register, Executive Vice President Creative Affairs, Warner Bros. Animation.
“We are thrilled to bring the newest and youngest members of the DC Universe to homes with the release of Young Justice Season 1 Volume 1,” said Mary Ellen Thomas, WHV Executive Director of Family and Animation Marketing. “As a brand-new series, Young Justice is already a favorite and will continue to excite fans with its group of crime-fighting teenage super heroes.”
Young Justice Season 1 Volume 1 is executive produced by Sam Register and produced by Brandon Vietti and Greg Weisman. The voice cast includes Jesse McCartney as Robin, Khary Payton as Aqualad, Jason Spisak as Kid Flash, Nolan North as Superboy, Danica McKellar as Miss Martian, Stephanie Lemelin as Artemis and Bruce Greenwood as Batman.
Episodes:
Young Justice Season 1 Volume 1
1. Independence Day, Part 1
2. Independence Day, Part 2
3. Welcome to Happy Harbor
4. Drop Zone
About Warner Home Video:
With operations in 90 international territories, Warner Home Video, a division of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Inc., commands the largest home entertainment distribution infrastructure in the global video marketplace. Warner Home Video's film library is the largest of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Entertainment, Castle Rock Entertainment, HBO Video and New Line Cinema.
About DC Entertainment:
DC Entertainment, home to such iconic DC Comics properties as Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, The Flash, MAD Magazine, and Fables, is the creative division charged with strategically integrating across Warner Bros. and Time Warner. DC Entertainment works in concert with many key Warner Bros. divisions to unleash its superheroic characters across all media, including but not limited to film, television, consumer products, home entertainment, and interactive games. Publishing over 1,000 comic books, graphic novels and magazines each year, DC Comics is the largest English-language publisher of comics in the world.
BATMAN and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and © DC Comics.
About Warner Bros. Animation:
Warner Bros. Animation (WBA) is one of the leading producers of animation in the entertainment industry, with an innovative and talent-rich roster boasting some of the most accomplished writers, producers and artists working today. The studio is on the cutting edge of animation technology, and has both CG and traditionally animated projects in current production and development. In 2010, WBA unveiled three new theatrically released CG cartoon shorts that feature iconic Looney Tunes characters Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner, rendered in stereoscopic 3D. For television, WBA currently produces Batman: The Brave and the Bold, MAD, Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated and Young Justice for Cartoon Network, and will soon launch The Looney Tunes Show, ThunderCats, Green Lantern: The Animated Series and more. WBA also creates the highly successful series of DC Universe Original Animated Movies for DVD. Producing for multiple platforms including TV, digital and home entertainment both domestically and internationally, WBA is highly respected for its creative and technical excellence, as well as for maintaining the Studio’s rich cartoon heritage. It is also the home of the iconic animated characters from the DC Comics, Hanna-Barbera, MGM and Looney Tunes libraries. One of the most-honored animation studios in history, WBA has been honored with six Academy Awards®, 35 Emmy® Awards, the George Foster Peabody Award, an Environmental Media Award, a Parents’ Choice Award, the HUMANITAS Prize, two Prism Awards and 20 Annie Awards (honoring excellence in animation).
SUPER HEROES PUT THEIR TRAINING TO
THE TEST AS WARNER HOME VIDEO
RELEASES YOUNG JUSTICE SEASON
1VOLUME 1 OUT ON DVD JULY 19TH
One Disc Featuring Four Fantastic Episodes of the Brand-New
Cartoon Network Show, from Warner Bros. Animation
BURBANK, CA (May 6, 2011) – The newest Warner Bros. Animation–produced hit series on Cartoon Network is finally out on DVD as Warner Home Video (WHV) unleashes its secret weapon with Young Justice Season 1 Volume 1. These DC Universe teenage super heroes have quickly proven to be a hit as the favorite show among boys 9-14. With non-stop action, Young Justice Season 1 Volume 1 comes to DVD for the first time on July 19, 2011 for $14.97 SRP.
In Young Justice, being a teenager means proving yourself over and over — to peers, parents, teachers, mentors and, ultimately, to yourself. But what if you’re not just a normal teenager? What if you’re a teenage super hero? How much harder will it be to prove yourself in a world of super powers, super villains and super secrets? Are you ready to come of age in such a world? Are you ready for life or death rites of passage? Are you ready to join the ranks of the great heroes and prove you’re worthy of the Justice League? That’s exactly what the members of Young Justice — Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, Superboy, Miss Martian and Artemis — will find out and whether they have what it takes to be a proven hero.
These teenage heroes collectively become the Justice League’s secret weapon against the forces of evil. The young protégés must put their super hero education to the test and band together to covertly fight the evildoers that exist on Earth-16. Utilizing The Cave as their home base, the teen heroes will take on under-the-radar missions that would be impossible for the league’s famous and identifiable elders to handle secretly.
While the team works to take on more super hero responsibilities, they are in constant training by the Justice League to eventually take their place alongside the great heroes. Red Tornado is their supervisor; Black Canary is in charge of their training; and Batman determines and directs their assignments. Of course, in true teenage fashion, the members of the team push the limits of their missions, often turning a simple assignment from Batman into something significantly larger.
“DC fans have been vocal about their love for Young Justice, so I am particularly pleased to announce our first DVD release,” said Sam Register, Executive Vice President Creative Affairs, Warner Bros. Animation.
“We are thrilled to bring the newest and youngest members of the DC Universe to homes with the release of Young Justice Season 1 Volume 1,” said Mary Ellen Thomas, WHV Executive Director of Family and Animation Marketing. “As a brand-new series, Young Justice is already a favorite and will continue to excite fans with its group of crime-fighting teenage super heroes.”
Young Justice Season 1 Volume 1 is executive produced by Sam Register and produced by Brandon Vietti and Greg Weisman. The voice cast includes Jesse McCartney as Robin, Khary Payton as Aqualad, Jason Spisak as Kid Flash, Nolan North as Superboy, Danica McKellar as Miss Martian, Stephanie Lemelin as Artemis and Bruce Greenwood as Batman.
Episodes:
Young Justice Season 1 Volume 1
1. Independence Day, Part 1
2. Independence Day, Part 2
3. Welcome to Happy Harbor
4. Drop Zone
About Warner Home Video:
With operations in 90 international territories, Warner Home Video, a division of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Inc., commands the largest home entertainment distribution infrastructure in the global video marketplace. Warner Home Video's film library is the largest of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Entertainment, Castle Rock Entertainment, HBO Video and New Line Cinema.
About DC Entertainment:
DC Entertainment, home to such iconic DC Comics properties as Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, The Flash, MAD Magazine, and Fables, is the creative division charged with strategically integrating across Warner Bros. and Time Warner. DC Entertainment works in concert with many key Warner Bros. divisions to unleash its superheroic characters across all media, including but not limited to film, television, consumer products, home entertainment, and interactive games. Publishing over 1,000 comic books, graphic novels and magazines each year, DC Comics is the largest English-language publisher of comics in the world.
BATMAN and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and © DC Comics.
About Warner Bros. Animation:
Warner Bros. Animation (WBA) is one of the leading producers of animation in the entertainment industry, with an innovative and talent-rich roster boasting some of the most accomplished writers, producers and artists working today. The studio is on the cutting edge of animation technology, and has both CG and traditionally animated projects in current production and development. In 2010, WBA unveiled three new theatrically released CG cartoon shorts that feature iconic Looney Tunes characters Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner, rendered in stereoscopic 3D. For television, WBA currently produces Batman: The Brave and the Bold, MAD, Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated and Young Justice for Cartoon Network, and will soon launch The Looney Tunes Show, ThunderCats, Green Lantern: The Animated Series and more. WBA also creates the highly successful series of DC Universe Original Animated Movies for DVD. Producing for multiple platforms including TV, digital and home entertainment both domestically and internationally, WBA is highly respected for its creative and technical excellence, as well as for maintaining the Studio’s rich cartoon heritage. It is also the home of the iconic animated characters from the DC Comics, Hanna-Barbera, MGM and Looney Tunes libraries. One of the most-honored animation studios in history, WBA has been honored with six Academy Awards®, 35 Emmy® Awards, the George Foster Peabody Award, an Environmental Media Award, a Parents’ Choice Award, the HUMANITAS Prize, two Prism Awards and 20 Annie Awards (honoring excellence in animation).
CELEBRATE
FREE COMIC BOOK DAY
WITH BOOM! STUDIOS
AT A LOCAL COMIC SHOP NEAR YOU!
BOOM! STUDIOS
CELEBRATES
FREE COMIC BOOK DAY, MAY 7th, 2011 WITH
ELRIC: THE BALANCE LOST FREE COMIC BOOK DAY EDITION &
DARKWING DUCK #1 / CHIP 'N' DALE RESCUE RANGERS #1
FREE COMIC BOOK DAY FLIP BOOK
May 6, 2011 - Los Angeles, CA - Celebrate Free Comic Book Day at a local comic shop near you! This Free Comic Book Day, Saturday May 7th, 2011, request your Free Comic Book Day editions of ELRIC: THE BALANCE LOST and DARKWING DUCK #1 / CHIP 'N' DALE RESCUE RANGERS #1 FREE COMIC BOOK DAY FLIP BOOK!
ELRIC: THE BALANCE LOST FREE COMIC BOOK DAY EDITION features an original prequel story by New York Times bestseller and SUPERMAN writer Chris Roberson with art by Francesco Biagini and cover art by Erik Jones that leads directly into the first issue of the new ELRIC: THE BALANCE LOST this July.
And while you're there, be sure to check out our special $1 BOOM! BLASTS featuring the #1 issues of some of our best selling titles.
IRREDEEMABLE #1 / INCORRUPTIBLE #1 $1 BOOM BLAST
DRACULA: THE COMPANY OF MONSTERS #1 $1 BOOM BLAST
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SCROOGE MCDUCK $1 BOOM BLAST
BOOM! Studios will be out in full force as BOOM!/KABOOM! creators will all be out signing their books and meeting fans all across the country!
STARBORN, DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP?: DUST TO DUST and ELRIC: THE BALANCE LOST
writer Chris Roberson
@ Austin Books and Comics
5002 North Lamar Boulevard Austin, TX 78751
Event from 8AM to 7PM
http://www.austinbooks.com/pages/events.php
DARKWING DUCK writer Ian Brill
28 DAYS LATER writer Michael Alan Nelson
and CBGB’s writer Sam Humphries
@ 4 Color Fantasies
7172 Archibald Avenue Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91701
Event from 11AM to 4PM
http://www.4colorfantasies.com/
DARKWING DUCK artist James Silvani
@ Nuclear Comics & Skate
28985 Golden Lantern #B107
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
TOY STORY and CARS’ artist Travis Hill
@ Pop City Comics
2114 Edgewater Drive Orlando, FL 32804
http://www.popcitycomics.com/popcitycomics.htm
Find your local comic book retailer with http://www.comicshoplocator.com
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 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 recently rebranded all-ages imprint, KABOOM! will see publication of PEANUTS, SPACE WARPED, Roger Langridge's SNARKED!, Scholastic's WORDGIRL and DUCKTALES, as well as continuing to publish fan-favorite Disney Afternoon series DARKWING DUCK, CHIP 'N' DALE RESCUE RANGERS along with Disney standards MICKEY MOUSE, DONALD DUCK, UNCLE SCROOGE, and WALT DISNEY'S COMICS AND STORIES.
FREE COMIC BOOK DAY
WITH BOOM! STUDIOS
AT A LOCAL COMIC SHOP NEAR YOU!
BOOM! STUDIOS
CELEBRATES
FREE COMIC BOOK DAY, MAY 7th, 2011 WITH
ELRIC: THE BALANCE LOST FREE COMIC BOOK DAY EDITION &
DARKWING DUCK #1 / CHIP 'N' DALE RESCUE RANGERS #1
FREE COMIC BOOK DAY FLIP BOOK
May 6, 2011 - Los Angeles, CA - Celebrate Free Comic Book Day at a local comic shop near you! This Free Comic Book Day, Saturday May 7th, 2011, request your Free Comic Book Day editions of ELRIC: THE BALANCE LOST and DARKWING DUCK #1 / CHIP 'N' DALE RESCUE RANGERS #1 FREE COMIC BOOK DAY FLIP BOOK!
ELRIC: THE BALANCE LOST FREE COMIC BOOK DAY EDITION features an original prequel story by New York Times bestseller and SUPERMAN writer Chris Roberson with art by Francesco Biagini and cover art by Erik Jones that leads directly into the first issue of the new ELRIC: THE BALANCE LOST this July.
And while you're there, be sure to check out our special $1 BOOM! BLASTS featuring the #1 issues of some of our best selling titles.
IRREDEEMABLE #1 / INCORRUPTIBLE #1 $1 BOOM BLAST
DRACULA: THE COMPANY OF MONSTERS #1 $1 BOOM BLAST
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SCROOGE MCDUCK $1 BOOM BLAST
BOOM! Studios will be out in full force as BOOM!/KABOOM! creators will all be out signing their books and meeting fans all across the country!
STARBORN, DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP?: DUST TO DUST and ELRIC: THE BALANCE LOST
writer Chris Roberson
@ Austin Books and Comics
5002 North Lamar Boulevard Austin, TX 78751
Event from 8AM to 7PM
http://www.austinbooks.com/pages/events.php
DARKWING DUCK writer Ian Brill
28 DAYS LATER writer Michael Alan Nelson
and CBGB’s writer Sam Humphries
@ 4 Color Fantasies
7172 Archibald Avenue Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91701
Event from 11AM to 4PM
http://www.4colorfantasies.com/
DARKWING DUCK artist James Silvani
@ Nuclear Comics & Skate
28985 Golden Lantern #B107
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
TOY STORY and CARS’ artist Travis Hill
@ Pop City Comics
2114 Edgewater Drive Orlando, FL 32804
http://www.popcitycomics.com/popcitycomics.htm
Find your local comic book retailer with http://www.comicshoplocator.com
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 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 recently rebranded all-ages imprint, KABOOM! will see publication of PEANUTS, SPACE WARPED, Roger Langridge's SNARKED!, Scholastic's WORDGIRL and DUCKTALES, as well as continuing to publish fan-favorite Disney Afternoon series DARKWING DUCK, CHIP 'N' DALE RESCUE RANGERS along with Disney standards MICKEY MOUSE, DONALD DUCK, UNCLE SCROOGE, and WALT DISNEY'S COMICS AND STORIES.
AMERICAN & SYRIAN YOUTHS CREATE NEW
DISABLED SUPERHERO - THE SILVER SCORPION
~ At Crucial Historical Moment, Young Diplomats Unveil a Comic Book Hero That Transcends Political, Cultural and Religious Differences ~
NEW YORK, NY- May 6, 2011 - Liquid Comics and the Open Hands Initiative, a U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to public diplomacy efforts, announced today the launch of a new comic book that will introduce children around the world to the Silver Scorpion, an Arab teenager who loses his legs in a tragic accident, but whose powers- his creators hope- include the ability to help build bridges between the youth of America and the Arab world, starting with Syria.
The first issue of the Silver Scorpion will be given away free across comic book retailers in the United States this Saturday May 7th as part of "Free Comic Book Day". In addition, a digital edition of Silver Scorpion is also now available for free on the home page of Scribd.com where it can be read online and through iPad devices, as well as shared with friends through Facebook and Twitter. A larger, magazine-sized collector version of the first issue is also available for order via HP's Magcloud print on demand service.
Silver Scorpion is more than just a new superhero; it represents a unique breakthrough in U.S. public diplomacy efforts at a crucial juncture in the relationship between America and the Arab world. As President Bill Clinton highlighted at the 2010 Clinton Global Initiative, the Silver Scorpion "will help to establish trust and understanding between cultures, to empower young people with disabilities."
"As the Arab world is undergoing historic and transformative changes, the American people can, and should, play an important role in strengthening and deepening the relationships between the people of our two cultures," said Jay T Snyder, American businessman and Co-Founder and Chairman of the Open Hands Initiative. "This comic book is an act of public diplomacy, a gift from the young people of America and Syria to the world."
"Disability is an issue that connects all people, no matter their race or religion or country," said Dr. Valerie Karr, a Contributing Editor to the Comic and a specialist on disability. "A dedication to the rights of people with disabilities is the most fundamental expression of shared values one can find. The Silver Scorpion is the embodiment of those values."
In August 2010, Liquid Comics joined the Open Hands Initiative to take a group of American youths with disabilities to Damascus, where they met with a group of young Syrian counterparts at the first-ever international "Youth Ability Summit". In workshops led by Liquid Comics and disability experts from the Victor Pineda Foundation, the children were asked to work together to create an original superhero that reflected their cross-cultural values and ideals as well as the challenges of living with a disability. By the end of the summit, the wheelchair-bound character of the Silver Scorpion was born.
The Silver Scorpion tells the story of an Arabic teenager, Bashir Bari, who loses his legs in a tragic accident. Consumed with anger and grief, Bashir retreats into a world of isolation, resentful of the pitiful looks and whispers of strangers. When he accidentally witnesses the murder of Tarek, a mysterious local metalsmith, Bashir is unwittingly chosen as the new guardian of an ancient power that has remained hidden for centuries. With new abilities allowing him to manipulate the metal around him, Bashir must rise above his personal grief and use this newfound gift to protect the world, while learning firsthand to embrace the values of tolerance and cooperation to achieve great heights. Liquid Comics worked with leading comic book talents Ron Marz and Mukesh Singh to help take the ideas of the youth participants and turn them into an exciting comic book story.
Liquid Comics Co-Founder & CEO Sharad Devarajan says the Silver Scorpion's superpowers go even further. "Our hope is that the Silver Scorpion will also be a positive role model to increase a dialogue and tear down some of the divisive political and social rhetoric between the West and the Arab region. Great superheroes have always been allegories to larger societal issues in the world. The bigger story of our generation is the story of globalization and our ability to overcome our regional and cultural differences to find our common humanity. While I hope people enjoy the adventures of Bashir and his transformation into the Silver Scorpion, for me, the more exciting story is how this comic book was created- from the minds of two very different groups of extraordinary youths who speak to the very best of globalization in the years ahead."
Snyder added, "What is truly amazing about this comic book is not just that it features a disabled superhero as the main character, but that it was inspired by youths who came from the United States and Syria. They had never met before. They spoke different languages. They had different cultures and backgrounds. Yet still, they found common ground through their creativity, and have given the world a character that transcends their differences."
The ten American children who participated in the Youth Ability Summit that led to the creation of the "Silver Scorpion" say Bashir is the character they'd longed to see on the pages of a comic book. "The Silver Scorpion illustrates that no matter if you are in Damascus or Des Moines, at the end of the day, we all share the same hopes and dreams," said Sarah Funes, a teenager from South San Francisco, California."Creating this comic has united our small group from two different worlds forever as part of a unique community, and we cannot wait to share our experiences and creation with the world."
Syrian students who took part in the summit said that the collaboration with American children was life-changing. "It made me feel that I have to improve my life," said Abdulrahman Hussein, who wants to learn English so he can meet more people and better communicate with his new American friends.
"We hope the character also teaches children with disabilities to overcome the perception of their disability as a weakness, and instead find empowerment and pride in who they are, regardless of their differences,"added Devarajan.
In addition to the US release, 50,000 copies of the Silver Scorpion in Arabic will also be distributed for free to schools and youth centers within Syria, as well as in various countries throughout the region. The comic series will feature additional issues and superheroes in the coming months, including female and western heroes, who will interact and engage with the Silver Scorpion as he seeks to defeat a mysterious evil.
Please visit www.FreeComicBookDay.com for more information on how to locate a comic book retailer near you to get a free copy of Silver Scorpion. Digital editions of Silver Scorpion are available to read for free online at www.Scribd.com/LiquidComics and people can also order a "Print-on-Demand" collector's edition of Silver Scorpion to be mailed to them at http://www.magcloud.com/browse/Issue/178024
DISABLED SUPERHERO - THE SILVER SCORPION
~ At Crucial Historical Moment, Young Diplomats Unveil a Comic Book Hero That Transcends Political, Cultural and Religious Differences ~
NEW YORK, NY- May 6, 2011 - Liquid Comics and the Open Hands Initiative, a U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to public diplomacy efforts, announced today the launch of a new comic book that will introduce children around the world to the Silver Scorpion, an Arab teenager who loses his legs in a tragic accident, but whose powers- his creators hope- include the ability to help build bridges between the youth of America and the Arab world, starting with Syria.
The first issue of the Silver Scorpion will be given away free across comic book retailers in the United States this Saturday May 7th as part of "Free Comic Book Day". In addition, a digital edition of Silver Scorpion is also now available for free on the home page of Scribd.com where it can be read online and through iPad devices, as well as shared with friends through Facebook and Twitter. A larger, magazine-sized collector version of the first issue is also available for order via HP's Magcloud print on demand service.
Silver Scorpion is more than just a new superhero; it represents a unique breakthrough in U.S. public diplomacy efforts at a crucial juncture in the relationship between America and the Arab world. As President Bill Clinton highlighted at the 2010 Clinton Global Initiative, the Silver Scorpion "will help to establish trust and understanding between cultures, to empower young people with disabilities."
"As the Arab world is undergoing historic and transformative changes, the American people can, and should, play an important role in strengthening and deepening the relationships between the people of our two cultures," said Jay T Snyder, American businessman and Co-Founder and Chairman of the Open Hands Initiative. "This comic book is an act of public diplomacy, a gift from the young people of America and Syria to the world."
"Disability is an issue that connects all people, no matter their race or religion or country," said Dr. Valerie Karr, a Contributing Editor to the Comic and a specialist on disability. "A dedication to the rights of people with disabilities is the most fundamental expression of shared values one can find. The Silver Scorpion is the embodiment of those values."
In August 2010, Liquid Comics joined the Open Hands Initiative to take a group of American youths with disabilities to Damascus, where they met with a group of young Syrian counterparts at the first-ever international "Youth Ability Summit". In workshops led by Liquid Comics and disability experts from the Victor Pineda Foundation, the children were asked to work together to create an original superhero that reflected their cross-cultural values and ideals as well as the challenges of living with a disability. By the end of the summit, the wheelchair-bound character of the Silver Scorpion was born.
The Silver Scorpion tells the story of an Arabic teenager, Bashir Bari, who loses his legs in a tragic accident. Consumed with anger and grief, Bashir retreats into a world of isolation, resentful of the pitiful looks and whispers of strangers. When he accidentally witnesses the murder of Tarek, a mysterious local metalsmith, Bashir is unwittingly chosen as the new guardian of an ancient power that has remained hidden for centuries. With new abilities allowing him to manipulate the metal around him, Bashir must rise above his personal grief and use this newfound gift to protect the world, while learning firsthand to embrace the values of tolerance and cooperation to achieve great heights. Liquid Comics worked with leading comic book talents Ron Marz and Mukesh Singh to help take the ideas of the youth participants and turn them into an exciting comic book story.
Liquid Comics Co-Founder & CEO Sharad Devarajan says the Silver Scorpion's superpowers go even further. "Our hope is that the Silver Scorpion will also be a positive role model to increase a dialogue and tear down some of the divisive political and social rhetoric between the West and the Arab region. Great superheroes have always been allegories to larger societal issues in the world. The bigger story of our generation is the story of globalization and our ability to overcome our regional and cultural differences to find our common humanity. While I hope people enjoy the adventures of Bashir and his transformation into the Silver Scorpion, for me, the more exciting story is how this comic book was created- from the minds of two very different groups of extraordinary youths who speak to the very best of globalization in the years ahead."
Snyder added, "What is truly amazing about this comic book is not just that it features a disabled superhero as the main character, but that it was inspired by youths who came from the United States and Syria. They had never met before. They spoke different languages. They had different cultures and backgrounds. Yet still, they found common ground through their creativity, and have given the world a character that transcends their differences."
The ten American children who participated in the Youth Ability Summit that led to the creation of the "Silver Scorpion" say Bashir is the character they'd longed to see on the pages of a comic book. "The Silver Scorpion illustrates that no matter if you are in Damascus or Des Moines, at the end of the day, we all share the same hopes and dreams," said Sarah Funes, a teenager from South San Francisco, California."Creating this comic has united our small group from two different worlds forever as part of a unique community, and we cannot wait to share our experiences and creation with the world."
Syrian students who took part in the summit said that the collaboration with American children was life-changing. "It made me feel that I have to improve my life," said Abdulrahman Hussein, who wants to learn English so he can meet more people and better communicate with his new American friends.
"We hope the character also teaches children with disabilities to overcome the perception of their disability as a weakness, and instead find empowerment and pride in who they are, regardless of their differences,"added Devarajan.
In addition to the US release, 50,000 copies of the Silver Scorpion in Arabic will also be distributed for free to schools and youth centers within Syria, as well as in various countries throughout the region. The comic series will feature additional issues and superheroes in the coming months, including female and western heroes, who will interact and engage with the Silver Scorpion as he seeks to defeat a mysterious evil.
Please visit www.FreeComicBookDay.com for more information on how to locate a comic book retailer near you to get a free copy of Silver Scorpion. Digital editions of Silver Scorpion are available to read for free online at www.Scribd.com/LiquidComics and people can also order a "Print-on-Demand" collector's edition of Silver Scorpion to be mailed to them at http://www.magcloud.com/browse/Issue/178024
Thursday, May 05, 2011
50 GIRLS 50 IS SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE
Upcoming Sci-Fi Epic To Feature Covers and More by Comics Legend Frank Cho
BERKELEY, CA – 5 May 2011 – Image Comics' upcoming new 50 GIRLS 50, the sexy sci-fi epic co-created by Frank Cho and Doug Murray, will be fit to bursting with fantastic art! Along with the outstanding work of Axel Medellin, winner of the talent search for the perfect 50 GIRLS 50 artist, Cho himself will be contributing his own distinct art to the universe of 50 GIRLS 50.
Besides the gorgeous covers, Cho will also be providing a two page epilogue after each issue of the upcoming four issue miniseries. And as if that wasn't enough, Cho's character designs and breakdowns will be on display as backup material!
"I've always been a science fiction fan since I saw Blade Runner and Aliens," Cho commented. "I saw the beautiful pages Axel was producing, saw how much fun he was having and just couldn't resist. I had to jump in and have some fun myself! The two-page epilogue that I wrote and drew was completely unplanned and spur of the moment...
"Okay, it was an excuse for me to draw hot women."
Newcomer Medellin added: "I'm honored to be working with Frank Cho, a real legend in the comics biz! His work has inspired me and instructed me, like so many other young artists. To be working with him now is like a dream come true. It's safe to say that the 12-year-old me would not have believed me if I told him!"
50 GIRLS 50 #1 (APR110392), a 32-page full color comic book priced at $2.99 will be landing in stores June 1. A five-page preview of 50 GIRLS 50 #1 will be available in ELEPHANTMEN #31 (FEB110456) on May 11 for $2.99.
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.
Upcoming Sci-Fi Epic To Feature Covers and More by Comics Legend Frank Cho
BERKELEY, CA – 5 May 2011 – Image Comics' upcoming new 50 GIRLS 50, the sexy sci-fi epic co-created by Frank Cho and Doug Murray, will be fit to bursting with fantastic art! Along with the outstanding work of Axel Medellin, winner of the talent search for the perfect 50 GIRLS 50 artist, Cho himself will be contributing his own distinct art to the universe of 50 GIRLS 50.
Besides the gorgeous covers, Cho will also be providing a two page epilogue after each issue of the upcoming four issue miniseries. And as if that wasn't enough, Cho's character designs and breakdowns will be on display as backup material!
"I've always been a science fiction fan since I saw Blade Runner and Aliens," Cho commented. "I saw the beautiful pages Axel was producing, saw how much fun he was having and just couldn't resist. I had to jump in and have some fun myself! The two-page epilogue that I wrote and drew was completely unplanned and spur of the moment...
"Okay, it was an excuse for me to draw hot women."
Newcomer Medellin added: "I'm honored to be working with Frank Cho, a real legend in the comics biz! His work has inspired me and instructed me, like so many other young artists. To be working with him now is like a dream come true. It's safe to say that the 12-year-old me would not have believed me if I told him!"
50 GIRLS 50 #1 (APR110392), a 32-page full color comic book priced at $2.99 will be landing in stores June 1. A five-page preview of 50 GIRLS 50 #1 will be available in ELEPHANTMEN #31 (FEB110456) on May 11 for $2.99.
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.
IDW Launches Crawl To Me In July
A new original horror comic series by Life of Agony bassist Alan Robert
[Crawl to Me Cover Image]San Diego, CA (May 5, 2011) – IDW Publishing is pleased to announce the launch of CRAWL TO ME, a new original horror comic by Alan Robert. Created, written, and illustrated by Robert, best known for being the bassist and creative force behind the respected hard rock group, Life of Agony, as well as the creator of the Wire Hangers comic series, with a film now in development. Robert has paired up with IDW once again for an all-new mini-series set to debut in July 2011.
CRAWL TO ME takes place in an isolated country town during the frigid winter months. The story centers on a young family as they cope with a series of disturbing events that force them to question their relationship, their faith and their very existence.
"I couldn't have been happier to do Wire Hangers with Alan," said Chris Ryall, IDW's Chief Creative Officer, "and to see him stretch in different areas here is even more gratifying. This is a dark, psychologically affecting and surprisingly intimate story that I'm happy to foist on an unsuspecting comic-reading public. Put another way, if you survived Wire Hangers with any part of your psyche intact, Crawl to Me should help finish the job."
The story follows husband and wife, Ryan and Jessica. As they move into their first home together, strange things begin to occur. Half-eaten animals and other remains are found inside the basement’s crawl space. Their family dog disappears within the house. Distant voices are heard from beneath the floorboards. The couple begins to think that an evil entity is living inside their walls. Nothing can prepare them for what they’ll discover, but Ryan and Jessica soon realize that they must set aside all they believe to be true, in order to face their inevitable reality.
CRAWL TO ME boasts three unique covers per issue featuring cover art by Robert, Silent Hill: Past Life painter, Menton J. Matthews III and UK illustrator, David Lupton. Visit the official website, at crawltomecomic.com.
“All my life, I’ve been told that I have a warped and twisted imagination. So, with these horror stories, I’m finally putting my morbid thoughts to good use,” says Robert. “When Wire Hangers was received so well by comic and horror fans last year, it really inspired me to continue creating stories in the medium. With Crawl to Me, I wanted to go even darker, but, don’t be fooled. This is not your typical, run-of-the-mill, haunted house story. It’s more of a thriller, filled with a ton of demented mind-games that will keep you guessing. Think of it like a Twilight Zone episode on steroids.”
Click here to see an exclusive preview of the comic!
CRAWL TO ME #1 ($3.99, 32 pages, full color) will be available in stores in July.
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.
About Alan Robert
In 2010, Alan Robert’s debut comic series, Wire Hangers, received the Cover of the Year Award by ComicMonsters.com. The four-issue series was published monthly by IDW and later collected into a trade-paperback book. Robert's band, Life of Agony, recently celebrated their twenty-year anniversary with a successful tour, where the group performed in front of crowds as large as 500,000 people in Europe. A double-disc set entitled 20 Years Strong: River Runs Red - Live in Brussels (I Scream Records) is in stores worldwide.
Robert is also wrapping up the writing process for his new Spoiler NYC album, titled Banned in 38 States. Robert is the lead vocalist/bassist for the New York based, punk-trio. Banned in 38 States will be the sophomore release for Spoiler NYC, following their 2007 debut, Grease Fire in Hell's Kitchen (SOS Records/I Scream Records). Two new exclusive tracks, produced by Grammy-Award winning producer, Ken Lewis (Lenny Kravitz, Beastie Boys, Fall Out Boy) can be heard online.
Information about Robert’s bands can be found at LifeOfAgony.com and SpoilerNYC.com.
A new original horror comic series by Life of Agony bassist Alan Robert
[Crawl to Me Cover Image]San Diego, CA (May 5, 2011) – IDW Publishing is pleased to announce the launch of CRAWL TO ME, a new original horror comic by Alan Robert. Created, written, and illustrated by Robert, best known for being the bassist and creative force behind the respected hard rock group, Life of Agony, as well as the creator of the Wire Hangers comic series, with a film now in development. Robert has paired up with IDW once again for an all-new mini-series set to debut in July 2011.
CRAWL TO ME takes place in an isolated country town during the frigid winter months. The story centers on a young family as they cope with a series of disturbing events that force them to question their relationship, their faith and their very existence.
"I couldn't have been happier to do Wire Hangers with Alan," said Chris Ryall, IDW's Chief Creative Officer, "and to see him stretch in different areas here is even more gratifying. This is a dark, psychologically affecting and surprisingly intimate story that I'm happy to foist on an unsuspecting comic-reading public. Put another way, if you survived Wire Hangers with any part of your psyche intact, Crawl to Me should help finish the job."
The story follows husband and wife, Ryan and Jessica. As they move into their first home together, strange things begin to occur. Half-eaten animals and other remains are found inside the basement’s crawl space. Their family dog disappears within the house. Distant voices are heard from beneath the floorboards. The couple begins to think that an evil entity is living inside their walls. Nothing can prepare them for what they’ll discover, but Ryan and Jessica soon realize that they must set aside all they believe to be true, in order to face their inevitable reality.
CRAWL TO ME boasts three unique covers per issue featuring cover art by Robert, Silent Hill: Past Life painter, Menton J. Matthews III and UK illustrator, David Lupton. Visit the official website, at crawltomecomic.com.
“All my life, I’ve been told that I have a warped and twisted imagination. So, with these horror stories, I’m finally putting my morbid thoughts to good use,” says Robert. “When Wire Hangers was received so well by comic and horror fans last year, it really inspired me to continue creating stories in the medium. With Crawl to Me, I wanted to go even darker, but, don’t be fooled. This is not your typical, run-of-the-mill, haunted house story. It’s more of a thriller, filled with a ton of demented mind-games that will keep you guessing. Think of it like a Twilight Zone episode on steroids.”
Click here to see an exclusive preview of the comic!
CRAWL TO ME #1 ($3.99, 32 pages, full color) will be available in stores in July.
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.
About Alan Robert
In 2010, Alan Robert’s debut comic series, Wire Hangers, received the Cover of the Year Award by ComicMonsters.com. The four-issue series was published monthly by IDW and later collected into a trade-paperback book. Robert's band, Life of Agony, recently celebrated their twenty-year anniversary with a successful tour, where the group performed in front of crowds as large as 500,000 people in Europe. A double-disc set entitled 20 Years Strong: River Runs Red - Live in Brussels (I Scream Records) is in stores worldwide.
Robert is also wrapping up the writing process for his new Spoiler NYC album, titled Banned in 38 States. Robert is the lead vocalist/bassist for the New York based, punk-trio. Banned in 38 States will be the sophomore release for Spoiler NYC, following their 2007 debut, Grease Fire in Hell's Kitchen (SOS Records/I Scream Records). Two new exclusive tracks, produced by Grammy-Award winning producer, Ken Lewis (Lenny Kravitz, Beastie Boys, Fall Out Boy) can be heard online.
Information about Robert’s bands can be found at LifeOfAgony.com and SpoilerNYC.com.
Wednesday, May 04, 2011
IMMORTALITY IS A CURSE
The Story of a Man's Failure in Life and Death Debuts This Month With Last Mortal
BERKELEY, CA – 4 May 2011 – Fresh from the recent success of Joshua Hale Fialkov and and Rahsan Ekedal's critically acclaimed ECHOES, Minotaur Press has once again paired up with Top Cow Productions and Image Comics to bring readers a gritty new four issue miniseries. LAST MORTAL, a noir revenge story with a supernatural twist by writer and Top Cow Publisher Filip Sablik (THE DARKNESS II: CONFESSION, PILOT SEASON: ASSET) and writer John Mahoney with artist Thomas Nachlik (PILOT SEASON: FOREVER), will be in stores soon.
LAST MORTAL tells the tale of Alec King, a born loser who could never succeed at anything. When Alec's best friend and partner in crime's latest get rich quick scheme leaves their operation forever altered, he is left at rock bottom. Will he find a way to break his pattern of continued failure and reach a better day?
Top Cow Publisher and writer Filip Sablik said, "I'm incredibly excited and proud to see this series released as a creator. Alec's story is one that my co-creator John and I have been working on for roughly fifteen years. The combination of a grounded street level revenge story and the more supernatural, personal journey Alec undergoes has a unique, wide appeal held together brilliantly by Thomas Nachlik's striking, bold art."
“Last Mortal is a book that is near and dear to Filip and my hearts and is a story we have been writing in one form or another for most of our lives," added Mahoney. "The street level pulp setting for this four issue miniseries asks the question: What can a man accomplish with a second chance when that opportunity is forced upon him against his will?”
Nachlik spoke of his collaboration with the two co-creators on LAST MORTAL: "Filip Sablik and John Mahoney - a dream team of writers - after working on this script for so many years had a clear vision of their concepts but were open to new ideas at the same time. That's the perfect combination for every sequential artist working on such a complex and unique story concept."
Readers who want to meet the creators while picking up the first issue of LAST MORTAL should make sure to visit Collector's Paradise in Canoga Park, CA on Saturday, May 21st. The store will be hosting a LAST MORTAL book release party from 7 PM to 10 PM. There will be a signing with co-creators John Mahoney and Filip Sablik, an art show of Thomas Nachlik's original work from the first issue, a live DJ and free drinks. And to top it off, Sablik will be getting a tattoo live at the event of the ouroboros symbol that is seen on the covers! For more information about the event, visit http://comicsandcards.net.
A video trailer of the new series can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCNfDf1bgLk. Trailer sound design, score, and voiceover are by Joshua Boden.
LAST MORTAL #1 (MAR110522), a 32-page black and white supernatural noir comic book priced at $3.99 will be available on May 18. ECHOES HC, collecting the entire 5 issue series as well as a ton of extras including sketches, script pages, process pieces and more, will be available in stores on June 22nd for $19.99.
ABOUT TOP COW PRODUCTIONS INC.
Top Cow Productions, Inc. (www.topcow.com), a Los Angeles-based entertainment company, was founded in December of 1992 by artist Marc Silvestri, who also co-founded Image Comics earlier that same year. Top Cow currently publishes its line of comic books in 21 languages in over 55 different countries. The company has launched 20 franchises (18 original and two licensed) in the industry’s Top 10, seven at #1, a feat accomplished by no other publisher in the last two decades. Its flagship franchise, WITCHBLADE, was TNT’s #1 original film of 2000 and the subsequent TV series was released on DVD on July 29, 2008. WITCHBLADE is also the first American property to be fully adapted in Japan as an original anime and manga by Studio GONZO in 2006. Top Cow’s other flagship property, THE DARKNESS, was developed into a major next-generation video game release by Starbreeze and 2K Games and achieved platinum sales status. A second game is slated for release from 2K Games in the Fall of 2011. WANTED, an Eisner-nominated miniseries published by Top Cow from 2003-2005, is now a major motion picture from Universal Pictures starring Angelina Jolie, James McAvoy and Morgan Freeman. Virtually all of Top Cow’s other properties are in development as feature films, live-action television, animation or video games. Top Cow has also successfully licensed and merchandised its franchises into toys, statues, clothing, lithographs, puppets, posters, magnets, shot glasses, lighters, lunch pails, wall scrolls, mouse pads, die-cast cars, calendars, Christmas ornaments, Halloween masks, trading cards, standees, video games and roleplaying games.
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.
The Story of a Man's Failure in Life and Death Debuts This Month With Last Mortal
BERKELEY, CA – 4 May 2011 – Fresh from the recent success of Joshua Hale Fialkov and and Rahsan Ekedal's critically acclaimed ECHOES, Minotaur Press has once again paired up with Top Cow Productions and Image Comics to bring readers a gritty new four issue miniseries. LAST MORTAL, a noir revenge story with a supernatural twist by writer and Top Cow Publisher Filip Sablik (THE DARKNESS II: CONFESSION, PILOT SEASON: ASSET) and writer John Mahoney with artist Thomas Nachlik (PILOT SEASON: FOREVER), will be in stores soon.
LAST MORTAL tells the tale of Alec King, a born loser who could never succeed at anything. When Alec's best friend and partner in crime's latest get rich quick scheme leaves their operation forever altered, he is left at rock bottom. Will he find a way to break his pattern of continued failure and reach a better day?
Top Cow Publisher and writer Filip Sablik said, "I'm incredibly excited and proud to see this series released as a creator. Alec's story is one that my co-creator John and I have been working on for roughly fifteen years. The combination of a grounded street level revenge story and the more supernatural, personal journey Alec undergoes has a unique, wide appeal held together brilliantly by Thomas Nachlik's striking, bold art."
“Last Mortal is a book that is near and dear to Filip and my hearts and is a story we have been writing in one form or another for most of our lives," added Mahoney. "The street level pulp setting for this four issue miniseries asks the question: What can a man accomplish with a second chance when that opportunity is forced upon him against his will?”
Nachlik spoke of his collaboration with the two co-creators on LAST MORTAL: "Filip Sablik and John Mahoney - a dream team of writers - after working on this script for so many years had a clear vision of their concepts but were open to new ideas at the same time. That's the perfect combination for every sequential artist working on such a complex and unique story concept."
Readers who want to meet the creators while picking up the first issue of LAST MORTAL should make sure to visit Collector's Paradise in Canoga Park, CA on Saturday, May 21st. The store will be hosting a LAST MORTAL book release party from 7 PM to 10 PM. There will be a signing with co-creators John Mahoney and Filip Sablik, an art show of Thomas Nachlik's original work from the first issue, a live DJ and free drinks. And to top it off, Sablik will be getting a tattoo live at the event of the ouroboros symbol that is seen on the covers! For more information about the event, visit http://comicsandcards.net.
A video trailer of the new series can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCNfDf1bgLk. Trailer sound design, score, and voiceover are by Joshua Boden.
LAST MORTAL #1 (MAR110522), a 32-page black and white supernatural noir comic book priced at $3.99 will be available on May 18. ECHOES HC, collecting the entire 5 issue series as well as a ton of extras including sketches, script pages, process pieces and more, will be available in stores on June 22nd for $19.99.
ABOUT TOP COW PRODUCTIONS INC.
Top Cow Productions, Inc. (www.topcow.com), a Los Angeles-based entertainment company, was founded in December of 1992 by artist Marc Silvestri, who also co-founded Image Comics earlier that same year. Top Cow currently publishes its line of comic books in 21 languages in over 55 different countries. The company has launched 20 franchises (18 original and two licensed) in the industry’s Top 10, seven at #1, a feat accomplished by no other publisher in the last two decades. Its flagship franchise, WITCHBLADE, was TNT’s #1 original film of 2000 and the subsequent TV series was released on DVD on July 29, 2008. WITCHBLADE is also the first American property to be fully adapted in Japan as an original anime and manga by Studio GONZO in 2006. Top Cow’s other flagship property, THE DARKNESS, was developed into a major next-generation video game release by Starbreeze and 2K Games and achieved platinum sales status. A second game is slated for release from 2K Games in the Fall of 2011. WANTED, an Eisner-nominated miniseries published by Top Cow from 2003-2005, is now a major motion picture from Universal Pictures starring Angelina Jolie, James McAvoy and Morgan Freeman. Virtually all of Top Cow’s other properties are in development as feature films, live-action television, animation or video games. Top Cow has also successfully licensed and merchandised its franchises into toys, statues, clothing, lithographs, puppets, posters, magnets, shot glasses, lighters, lunch pails, wall scrolls, mouse pads, die-cast cars, calendars, Christmas ornaments, Halloween masks, trading cards, standees, video games and roleplaying games.
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.
CORALINE PARTNERS FOCUS FEATURES AND LAIKA RETEAM FOR TWO-PICTURE DISTRIBUTION DEAL;
3D STOP-MOTION ANIMATED COMEDY THRILLER
PARANORMAN OPENS AUGUST 17, 2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEW YORK and PORTLAND, OR, May 4, 2011 – Focus Features and LAIKA, the two companies behind the Academy Award-nominated animated feature Coraline are reteaming for LAIKA’s next two projects. The first of the duo, ParaNorman, will be released nationwide on August 17th, 2012. The second, yet-to-be-named, picture will be released nationwide in 2014. Following the groundbreaking Coraline, ParaNorman is only the second stop-motion animated feature to be made in 3D. Focus CEO James Schamus and LAIKA President and CEO Travis Knight made the announcement today.
As on Coraline, Focus will hold worldwide distribution rights to the movies, and Universal Pictures International will release them overseas. Coraline is Focus’ second-highest-grossing movie of all time, with over $75 million domestically. The picture earned Golden Globe, BAFTA, Critics’ Choice, and Academy Award nominations for Best Animated Feature Film; and was named one of the year’s 10 Best Films by the American Film Institute (AFI) with an AFI Award.
Currently in production, ParaNorman is being directed by Sam Fell and Chris Butler, from Mr. Butler’s original screenplay. Mr. Fell was director of The Tale of Despereaux and Flushed Away. Mr. Butler was storyboard supervisor on Coraline and storyboard artist on Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride. The voice cast includes Academy Award nominee Casey Affleck (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford), Tempestt Bledsoe (The Cosby Show), Jeff Garlin (Toy Story 3), John Goodman (Monsters, Inc.), Bernard Hill (Titanic), Academy Award nominee Anna Kendrick (Up in the Air), Leslie Mann (Rio), Christopher Mintz-Plasse (How to Train Your Dragon), Kodi Smit-McPhee (Let Me In), and Tony and Emmy Award winner Elaine Stritch (30 Rock).
In the comedy thriller, a small town comes under siege by zombies. Who can it call? Only misunderstood local boy Norman (voiced by Mr. McPhee), who is able to speak with the dead. In addition to the zombies, he’ll have to take on ghosts, witches and, worst of all, moronic grown-ups, to save his town from a centuries-old curse. But this young ghoul whisperer may find his paranormal activities pushed to their otherworldly limits.
Arianne Sutner, animation producer on The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, and Travis Knight are producing ParaNorman. Academy Award winner Brian Van’t Hul (King Kong, Coraline) is the movie’s visual effects supervisor; Emmy Award winner Nelson Lowry (Fantastic Mr. Fox, Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride) is its production designer; and Tristan Oliver (Fantastic Mr. Fox, the Academy Award-winning Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit) is the director of photography on ParaNorman.
Mr. Schamus commented, “Everyone at Focus is proud to be partnered with LAIKA again on their newest wondrous creations. Travis Knight is both an extraordinary businessman and a visionary artist who we know will shepherd these projects with imagination and originality. We’re thrilled to have ParaNorman as our next movie together, one which marries the stunning visuals of 3D stop-motion with a compelling, heartfelt, and funny story anchored by a terrifically relatable underdog hero.”
Mr. Knight added, “ParaNorman is a story of intense beauty and emotional truth. It’s audacious, has genuine heart, and is funny as hell. We’re incredibly excited to share this wonderful story with the world. And we’re privileged to work again with Focus Features, with whom we share a commitment to bold, distinctive, and enduring films. LAIKA and Focus are truly kindred spirits. James Schamus and his extraordinary team have built their reputation on original thinking, old-fashioned muscle, and an unerring fidelity to creatively rich and thematically challenging cinema. We’re thrilled to extend the relationship that began with Coraline and look forward to being a part of the Focus/Universal family for years to come.”
About LAIKA
Fueled by the vision of its owner, NIKE Co-Founder and Chairman Phil Knight and its President and CEO Travis Knight, LAIKA Inc. is an animation company specializing in feature films and commercials. LAIKA, located in Portland, Oregon, has a 30-year history of presenting the artistry of award-winning filmmakers, designers, and animators in the field of animated entertainment and commercials. LAIKA’s first feature, Coraline, was released by Focus Features in February 2009 and was the first stop-motion animated feature to be conceived and photographed in stereoscopic 3D. The film was nominated for an Academy Award and a BAFTA Award for Outstanding Animated Feature, and won the prestigious Cristal Award at the Annecy International Animation Festival. LAIKA/house is a world-renowned commercial animation studio acclaimed for its skill in storytelling and character performance in a variety of animation media, including 2D, CG, and stop-motion. Its work has garnered the attention of top advertising agencies and has attracted clients such as Starbucks, Apple, Coca-Cola, ESPN, M&Ms, and Planters. For more information about LAIKA, please visit www.laika.com
About Focus Features
Focus Features and Focus Features International (www.focusfeatures.com) comprise a singular global company. This worldwide studio makes original and daring films that challenge the mainstream to embrace and enjoy voices and visions from around the world that deliver global commercial success. The company operates as Focus Features in North America, and as Focus Features International (FFI) in the rest of the world.
In addition to the LAIKA movies, current and upcoming Focus releases include Moonrise Kingdom, the new feature from two-time Academy Award nominee Wes Anderson, starring Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, and Jason Schwartzman; Cary Joji Fukunaga’s acclaimed romantic drama Jane Eyre, starring Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender; Joe Wright’s sleeper hit thriller Hanna, starring Saoirse Ronan, Eric Bana, and Cate Blanchett; Mike Mills’ comedy/drama Beginners, starring Ewan McGregor and Academy Award nominee Christopher Plummer; John Madden’s espionage thriller The Debt, starring Helen Mirren, Sam Worthington, and Jessica Chastain; writer/director Dee Rees’ contemporary drama Pariah, which world-premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival; the untitled father/son drama from writer/director Paul Weitz starring two-time Academy Award winner Robert De Niro and Paul Dano; and Lone Scherfig’s romance One Day, based on the bestselling novel, starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess.
Focus Features and Universal Pictures International are part 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. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment television 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.
3D STOP-MOTION ANIMATED COMEDY THRILLER
PARANORMAN OPENS AUGUST 17, 2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEW YORK and PORTLAND, OR, May 4, 2011 – Focus Features and LAIKA, the two companies behind the Academy Award-nominated animated feature Coraline are reteaming for LAIKA’s next two projects. The first of the duo, ParaNorman, will be released nationwide on August 17th, 2012. The second, yet-to-be-named, picture will be released nationwide in 2014. Following the groundbreaking Coraline, ParaNorman is only the second stop-motion animated feature to be made in 3D. Focus CEO James Schamus and LAIKA President and CEO Travis Knight made the announcement today.
As on Coraline, Focus will hold worldwide distribution rights to the movies, and Universal Pictures International will release them overseas. Coraline is Focus’ second-highest-grossing movie of all time, with over $75 million domestically. The picture earned Golden Globe, BAFTA, Critics’ Choice, and Academy Award nominations for Best Animated Feature Film; and was named one of the year’s 10 Best Films by the American Film Institute (AFI) with an AFI Award.
Currently in production, ParaNorman is being directed by Sam Fell and Chris Butler, from Mr. Butler’s original screenplay. Mr. Fell was director of The Tale of Despereaux and Flushed Away. Mr. Butler was storyboard supervisor on Coraline and storyboard artist on Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride. The voice cast includes Academy Award nominee Casey Affleck (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford), Tempestt Bledsoe (The Cosby Show), Jeff Garlin (Toy Story 3), John Goodman (Monsters, Inc.), Bernard Hill (Titanic), Academy Award nominee Anna Kendrick (Up in the Air), Leslie Mann (Rio), Christopher Mintz-Plasse (How to Train Your Dragon), Kodi Smit-McPhee (Let Me In), and Tony and Emmy Award winner Elaine Stritch (30 Rock).
In the comedy thriller, a small town comes under siege by zombies. Who can it call? Only misunderstood local boy Norman (voiced by Mr. McPhee), who is able to speak with the dead. In addition to the zombies, he’ll have to take on ghosts, witches and, worst of all, moronic grown-ups, to save his town from a centuries-old curse. But this young ghoul whisperer may find his paranormal activities pushed to their otherworldly limits.
Arianne Sutner, animation producer on The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, and Travis Knight are producing ParaNorman. Academy Award winner Brian Van’t Hul (King Kong, Coraline) is the movie’s visual effects supervisor; Emmy Award winner Nelson Lowry (Fantastic Mr. Fox, Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride) is its production designer; and Tristan Oliver (Fantastic Mr. Fox, the Academy Award-winning Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit) is the director of photography on ParaNorman.
Mr. Schamus commented, “Everyone at Focus is proud to be partnered with LAIKA again on their newest wondrous creations. Travis Knight is both an extraordinary businessman and a visionary artist who we know will shepherd these projects with imagination and originality. We’re thrilled to have ParaNorman as our next movie together, one which marries the stunning visuals of 3D stop-motion with a compelling, heartfelt, and funny story anchored by a terrifically relatable underdog hero.”
Mr. Knight added, “ParaNorman is a story of intense beauty and emotional truth. It’s audacious, has genuine heart, and is funny as hell. We’re incredibly excited to share this wonderful story with the world. And we’re privileged to work again with Focus Features, with whom we share a commitment to bold, distinctive, and enduring films. LAIKA and Focus are truly kindred spirits. James Schamus and his extraordinary team have built their reputation on original thinking, old-fashioned muscle, and an unerring fidelity to creatively rich and thematically challenging cinema. We’re thrilled to extend the relationship that began with Coraline and look forward to being a part of the Focus/Universal family for years to come.”
About LAIKA
Fueled by the vision of its owner, NIKE Co-Founder and Chairman Phil Knight and its President and CEO Travis Knight, LAIKA Inc. is an animation company specializing in feature films and commercials. LAIKA, located in Portland, Oregon, has a 30-year history of presenting the artistry of award-winning filmmakers, designers, and animators in the field of animated entertainment and commercials. LAIKA’s first feature, Coraline, was released by Focus Features in February 2009 and was the first stop-motion animated feature to be conceived and photographed in stereoscopic 3D. The film was nominated for an Academy Award and a BAFTA Award for Outstanding Animated Feature, and won the prestigious Cristal Award at the Annecy International Animation Festival. LAIKA/house is a world-renowned commercial animation studio acclaimed for its skill in storytelling and character performance in a variety of animation media, including 2D, CG, and stop-motion. Its work has garnered the attention of top advertising agencies and has attracted clients such as Starbucks, Apple, Coca-Cola, ESPN, M&Ms, and Planters. For more information about LAIKA, please visit www.laika.com
About Focus Features
Focus Features and Focus Features International (www.focusfeatures.com) comprise a singular global company. This worldwide studio makes original and daring films that challenge the mainstream to embrace and enjoy voices and visions from around the world that deliver global commercial success. The company operates as Focus Features in North America, and as Focus Features International (FFI) in the rest of the world.
In addition to the LAIKA movies, current and upcoming Focus releases include Moonrise Kingdom, the new feature from two-time Academy Award nominee Wes Anderson, starring Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, and Jason Schwartzman; Cary Joji Fukunaga’s acclaimed romantic drama Jane Eyre, starring Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender; Joe Wright’s sleeper hit thriller Hanna, starring Saoirse Ronan, Eric Bana, and Cate Blanchett; Mike Mills’ comedy/drama Beginners, starring Ewan McGregor and Academy Award nominee Christopher Plummer; John Madden’s espionage thriller The Debt, starring Helen Mirren, Sam Worthington, and Jessica Chastain; writer/director Dee Rees’ contemporary drama Pariah, which world-premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival; the untitled father/son drama from writer/director Paul Weitz starring two-time Academy Award winner Robert De Niro and Paul Dano; and Lone Scherfig’s romance One Day, based on the bestselling novel, starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess.
Focus Features and Universal Pictures International are part 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. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment television 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.
ANCIENT EVIL IN YOUNG AMERICA
Image Comics Introduces Severed: A Tale of Horror in the Early 20th Century
BERKELEY, CA -- 4 May 2011 -- Eisner nominated writer Scott Snyder (American Vampire, Detective Comics), writer Scott Tuft and New York Times Best-Selling artist Attila Futaki (Percy Jackson) have announced a new project with Image Comics, set to debut this August. Image has built a deserved reputation as the industry leader for providing readers with quality science fiction and horror material such as the massively popular titles THE WALKING DEAD, CHEW and HACK/SLASH, and like those titles, SEVERED is unlike any other monthly series and sure to be a hit with comic book and horror fans alike.
"SEVERED is a unique story that is extremely close to my heart, and in order to maintain complete creative control with the comic, Scott Tuft and I knew that it needed to be creator owned," Synder commented. "We are extremely happy Image is giving us the platform to release SEVERED."
The accomplished writing team of Snyder and Tuft are collaborating on the character-driven horror script that uses the landscape of the past to tell a story that is fresh, new and entirely relevant today. Add the exquisitely subtle style of Futaki’s painted illustrations, and you have a comic that will sneak up on you, sink it's teeth in and never let go.
"I'm having such a great time bringing SEVERED to life," artist Attila Futaki said of his work on the series. "Snyder and Tuft have created dynamic characters and an engrossing world that is a thrill to realize. The old-fashioned and precious world is a pleasure to draw and I am very excited about getting blood all over it!"
"When Scott and I first saw Attila's art, we knew he was the one to bring our story to life," added Tuft. "His art goes above and beyond the call and it keeps getting better. Not only is it scary, but his ability to capture the emotions of the characters and the tension of a scene is truly unique. We are so lucky to have signed him up."
Snyder continued: "This story digs deep into the American psyche, exploring a time when a vast network of rail supported a society of vagabonds and when the automobile made even the darkest corners of the country accessible to everyone. Tattooed traveling salesmen, black-faced minstrel men, cross-dressing tramps: SEVERED is filled with unexpected characters and tells a story that is not only uniquely American but certainly one of the scariest things I have ever written."
SEVERED is mostly set in 1916 and follows Jack Garron, an idealistic 12-year-old who has taken to the road in search of his father, a wayward minstrel. Along the way, he meets up with a mysterious, charismatic salesman whose pearly whites cover the razor sharp teeth that he uses to feed on the innocent. Jack soon finds out that out on the roads and rails of early 20th century America, nothing goes wasted.
SEVERED #1, a 32-page full color horror comic book priced at $2.99, will be available for order in the June issue of Diamond Previews and goes on sale August 3, 2011.
Image Comics Introduces Severed: A Tale of Horror in the Early 20th Century
BERKELEY, CA -- 4 May 2011 -- Eisner nominated writer Scott Snyder (American Vampire, Detective Comics), writer Scott Tuft and New York Times Best-Selling artist Attila Futaki (Percy Jackson) have announced a new project with Image Comics, set to debut this August. Image has built a deserved reputation as the industry leader for providing readers with quality science fiction and horror material such as the massively popular titles THE WALKING DEAD, CHEW and HACK/SLASH, and like those titles, SEVERED is unlike any other monthly series and sure to be a hit with comic book and horror fans alike.
"SEVERED is a unique story that is extremely close to my heart, and in order to maintain complete creative control with the comic, Scott Tuft and I knew that it needed to be creator owned," Synder commented. "We are extremely happy Image is giving us the platform to release SEVERED."
The accomplished writing team of Snyder and Tuft are collaborating on the character-driven horror script that uses the landscape of the past to tell a story that is fresh, new and entirely relevant today. Add the exquisitely subtle style of Futaki’s painted illustrations, and you have a comic that will sneak up on you, sink it's teeth in and never let go.
"I'm having such a great time bringing SEVERED to life," artist Attila Futaki said of his work on the series. "Snyder and Tuft have created dynamic characters and an engrossing world that is a thrill to realize. The old-fashioned and precious world is a pleasure to draw and I am very excited about getting blood all over it!"
"When Scott and I first saw Attila's art, we knew he was the one to bring our story to life," added Tuft. "His art goes above and beyond the call and it keeps getting better. Not only is it scary, but his ability to capture the emotions of the characters and the tension of a scene is truly unique. We are so lucky to have signed him up."
Snyder continued: "This story digs deep into the American psyche, exploring a time when a vast network of rail supported a society of vagabonds and when the automobile made even the darkest corners of the country accessible to everyone. Tattooed traveling salesmen, black-faced minstrel men, cross-dressing tramps: SEVERED is filled with unexpected characters and tells a story that is not only uniquely American but certainly one of the scariest things I have ever written."
SEVERED is mostly set in 1916 and follows Jack Garron, an idealistic 12-year-old who has taken to the road in search of his father, a wayward minstrel. Along the way, he meets up with a mysterious, charismatic salesman whose pearly whites cover the razor sharp teeth that he uses to feed on the innocent. Jack soon finds out that out on the roads and rails of early 20th century America, nothing goes wasted.
SEVERED #1, a 32-page full color horror comic book priced at $2.99, will be available for order in the June issue of Diamond Previews and goes on sale August 3, 2011.
SJS Creators Celebrate 10th Birthday of Free Comic Book Day
May 2, 2011: Since 2002, comic book creators worldwide recognize the first Saturday in May as the holiest day in comic geekdom. For the second year in a row, creators represented by SJS Comic Promotions are joining in the celebration with a wide variety of plans, from the creative to the traditional to the unconventional.
Three creators in the SJS family are acknowledging FCBD in the traditional style it was created for. Dirk Tiede, Rick Silva and Carl Herring Jr. will all be appearing at comic book stores throughout New England. Dirk, the creator and artist of the popular web comic Paradigm Shift, will be signing copies of his three graphic novels at Harrison’s Comics 252 Essex Street in Salem MA from 10am to 2pm. For the first 10 fans who visit Dirk at Harrison’s, he will be giving away free copies of Paradigm Shift Book One: Equilibrium.
Rick Silva, the publisher and creator of fantasy title Perils of Picorna and Zephyr & Reginald: Minions for Hire among others, is participating for the 2nd year in the Free Comic Book Day festivities sponsored by Jetpack Comics in Rochester, NH. This city-wide event welcomes in mainstream and independent creators at various locations throughout the city for purely the love of comics. Rick will be on hand at the Knights of Columbus Hall 40 Columbus Avenue in Rochester signing copies of his books, including the recently released Kaeli & Rebecca #1 and Perils of Picorna #2. The Rochester Free Comic Book Day celebration runs from 10am to 4pm.
Carl Herring Jr., publisher and writer of The Enforcers by Three J Productions is scheduled to appear at the Free Comic Book Day headquarters of Southern Connecticut, Sarge’s Comics. The annual party hosted by Sarge’s Comics draws a crowd of almost 2000 comic fans and the store opens its doors to independent creators each year. Carl will be on hand from 10am to 4pm, continuing a series of appearances to showcase The Enforcers #2. Sarge’s Comics is located at 24 State Street in New London, CT.
Taking the unconventional approach to celebrating Free Comic Book Day, creator of Sky Pirates of Valendor Everett Soares is incorporating a modern tradition with a flair for the past. Soares will be exhibiting at the 1st Annual International Steampunk City, an event celebrating the creative and wondrous subculture that melds 19th century aesthetics with modern day technology. Soares will be signing books in steampunk pirate attire, showing off his recently released Sky Pirates of Valendor #2.2. Setting the stage for a unique Free Comic Book Day, web comic publisher Andrew Zar is planning an online version of the day-long celebration. For the entire day on May 7th, the edgy mature content website will be offering new and existing members of DarkBrain.com the opportunity to purchase a 3-month membership for $10, 50% off the regular membership rate.
Rounding out the Free Comic Book Day tour of SJS creators is the newest member of the family, Papercutz Graphic Novels. For the first time ever, the writing and artistic teams of the best-selling series Geronimo Stilton converge on the US straight from Italy. Geronimo Stilton graphic novel artist Ennio Bufi, as well as writers Foschini and Favia, will meet the readers, make sketches and sign the Papercutz Geronimo Stilton graphic novels at comics shops Lee’s Comics 1020 N. Rengstorff Avenue, Suite F in Mountain View, CA from 11:30 AM to 2:00 PM, and then from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at Atlantis Fantasyworld 1020 Cedar Street in Santa Cruz, CA. These appearances are timed to coincide with the release of Geronimo Stilton’s special Free Comic Book, which also features a full-color short story from the SMURFS graphic novel series, also published by Papercutz.
May 2, 2011: Since 2002, comic book creators worldwide recognize the first Saturday in May as the holiest day in comic geekdom. For the second year in a row, creators represented by SJS Comic Promotions are joining in the celebration with a wide variety of plans, from the creative to the traditional to the unconventional.
Three creators in the SJS family are acknowledging FCBD in the traditional style it was created for. Dirk Tiede, Rick Silva and Carl Herring Jr. will all be appearing at comic book stores throughout New England. Dirk, the creator and artist of the popular web comic Paradigm Shift, will be signing copies of his three graphic novels at Harrison’s Comics 252 Essex Street in Salem MA from 10am to 2pm. For the first 10 fans who visit Dirk at Harrison’s, he will be giving away free copies of Paradigm Shift Book One: Equilibrium.
Rick Silva, the publisher and creator of fantasy title Perils of Picorna and Zephyr & Reginald: Minions for Hire among others, is participating for the 2nd year in the Free Comic Book Day festivities sponsored by Jetpack Comics in Rochester, NH. This city-wide event welcomes in mainstream and independent creators at various locations throughout the city for purely the love of comics. Rick will be on hand at the Knights of Columbus Hall 40 Columbus Avenue in Rochester signing copies of his books, including the recently released Kaeli & Rebecca #1 and Perils of Picorna #2. The Rochester Free Comic Book Day celebration runs from 10am to 4pm.
Carl Herring Jr., publisher and writer of The Enforcers by Three J Productions is scheduled to appear at the Free Comic Book Day headquarters of Southern Connecticut, Sarge’s Comics. The annual party hosted by Sarge’s Comics draws a crowd of almost 2000 comic fans and the store opens its doors to independent creators each year. Carl will be on hand from 10am to 4pm, continuing a series of appearances to showcase The Enforcers #2. Sarge’s Comics is located at 24 State Street in New London, CT.
Taking the unconventional approach to celebrating Free Comic Book Day, creator of Sky Pirates of Valendor Everett Soares is incorporating a modern tradition with a flair for the past. Soares will be exhibiting at the 1st Annual International Steampunk City, an event celebrating the creative and wondrous subculture that melds 19th century aesthetics with modern day technology. Soares will be signing books in steampunk pirate attire, showing off his recently released Sky Pirates of Valendor #2.2. Setting the stage for a unique Free Comic Book Day, web comic publisher Andrew Zar is planning an online version of the day-long celebration. For the entire day on May 7th, the edgy mature content website will be offering new and existing members of DarkBrain.com the opportunity to purchase a 3-month membership for $10, 50% off the regular membership rate.
Rounding out the Free Comic Book Day tour of SJS creators is the newest member of the family, Papercutz Graphic Novels. For the first time ever, the writing and artistic teams of the best-selling series Geronimo Stilton converge on the US straight from Italy. Geronimo Stilton graphic novel artist Ennio Bufi, as well as writers Foschini and Favia, will meet the readers, make sketches and sign the Papercutz Geronimo Stilton graphic novels at comics shops Lee’s Comics 1020 N. Rengstorff Avenue, Suite F in Mountain View, CA from 11:30 AM to 2:00 PM, and then from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at Atlantis Fantasyworld 1020 Cedar Street in Santa Cruz, CA. These appearances are timed to coincide with the release of Geronimo Stilton’s special Free Comic Book, which also features a full-color short story from the SMURFS graphic novel series, also published by Papercutz.
Tuesday, May 03, 2011
SEGA and Marvel Entertainment Launch Epic Thor: God of Thunder Video Game on Five Platforms
Marvel Icon Stars in his First Standalone Game Adventure, Featuring Massive Action, 3D Graphics, and an Original Story
SAN FRANCISCO – May 3, 2011 –SEGA® of America, Inc. and Marvel Entertainment today announced Thor™: God of Thunder, the first standalone video game for Marvel’s hall-of-fame franchise, has shipped and is available in stores for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, the Wii™ system from Nintendo, and Nintendo DS™. The versions for the PlayStation®3 system and Xbox 360 feature stereoscopic 3D graphics, and a Nintendo 3DS™ version will also ship later in the year.
“For the first time, players can command Thor’s massive elemental powers in an epic original adventure,” said Gary Knight, Senior Vice President of Marketing at SEGA Europe and SEGA America. “Whether playing with a 3D TV or in traditional high definition, it’s thrilling to storm across several of the Nine Worlds in a battle to save Asgard, wielding mighty Thor’s legendary hammer Mjölnir to smash hordes of titanic foes from the Thor universe.”
“We are so excited to bring the unique story, adventure and gameplay of Thor: God of Thunder to gamers and fans of Thor everywhere," said TQ Jefferson, Vice President of Games Production, Marvel Entertainment. “With the voices and likenesses of Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Tom Hiddleston as Loki, gamers will finally be able to delve into the world of the God of Thunder himself and save Asgard.”
Thor: God of Thunder takes players through a massive adventure for which the Eisner Award-winning writer and lead Thor comic book author, Matt Fraction, served as story consultant and created an original story specifically for the video game that is set with the same universe as the upcoming movie Thor from Marvel Studios and Paramount Pictures. In the game, which features the voice and likeness of Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Tom Hiddleston as Loki, players battle to save Thor’s home world of Asgard from destruction. Thor must overcome some of his greatest foes lifted from the pages of the comics, as well as other monstrous denizens. His battle extends from Asgard to the land of Ymir and the Frost Giants in wintry Nifleheim, the fiery forces of Surtur in hellish Muspelheim, and Ulik’s band of brutish trolls in the forests and marshes of Vanaheim. Players wield Mjölnir, Thor’s legendary hammer, to fight enemies on an immense scale while controlling the elemental storm powers of lightning, thunder and wind to vanquish enemies.
Each version of the game is tailored for its platform, with the PlayStation 3 system and Xbox 360 versions featuring cinematic, third-person action gameplay with melee combos, ranged hammer throws, tide-turning elemental powers, and an upgrade system to bolster Thor’s powers as gamers progress. Using grappling points and multiple strategies, players will take on enemies up to four times Thor’s size, including monstrous 25-foot tall, 12-ton Frost Giants.
Thor: God of Thunder on the Wii system features the same overarching storyline as the versions for the PlayStation 3 system and Xbox 360 while offering a different gaming experience by utilizing the Wii Remote™ and Nunchuk™ controllers to command Thor’s hammer and elemental powers. The Wii version is presented with a uniquely styled comic book look, along with different cinematics, story elements, dialogue, locations, and dedicated flight levels.
Nintendo DS players will experience a 2D side-scrolling adventure with narrative and gameplay unique to the platform.
Thor: God of Thunder has been rated “T for Teen” on consoles and “E 10+ for Everyone 10 and older” on Nintendo DS by the ESRB.
For further information on this title, please visit www.sega-press.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 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 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.
Marvel Icon Stars in his First Standalone Game Adventure, Featuring Massive Action, 3D Graphics, and an Original Story
SAN FRANCISCO – May 3, 2011 –SEGA® of America, Inc. and Marvel Entertainment today announced Thor™: God of Thunder, the first standalone video game for Marvel’s hall-of-fame franchise, has shipped and is available in stores for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, the Wii™ system from Nintendo, and Nintendo DS™. The versions for the PlayStation®3 system and Xbox 360 feature stereoscopic 3D graphics, and a Nintendo 3DS™ version will also ship later in the year.
“For the first time, players can command Thor’s massive elemental powers in an epic original adventure,” said Gary Knight, Senior Vice President of Marketing at SEGA Europe and SEGA America. “Whether playing with a 3D TV or in traditional high definition, it’s thrilling to storm across several of the Nine Worlds in a battle to save Asgard, wielding mighty Thor’s legendary hammer Mjölnir to smash hordes of titanic foes from the Thor universe.”
“We are so excited to bring the unique story, adventure and gameplay of Thor: God of Thunder to gamers and fans of Thor everywhere," said TQ Jefferson, Vice President of Games Production, Marvel Entertainment. “With the voices and likenesses of Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Tom Hiddleston as Loki, gamers will finally be able to delve into the world of the God of Thunder himself and save Asgard.”
Thor: God of Thunder takes players through a massive adventure for which the Eisner Award-winning writer and lead Thor comic book author, Matt Fraction, served as story consultant and created an original story specifically for the video game that is set with the same universe as the upcoming movie Thor from Marvel Studios and Paramount Pictures. In the game, which features the voice and likeness of Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Tom Hiddleston as Loki, players battle to save Thor’s home world of Asgard from destruction. Thor must overcome some of his greatest foes lifted from the pages of the comics, as well as other monstrous denizens. His battle extends from Asgard to the land of Ymir and the Frost Giants in wintry Nifleheim, the fiery forces of Surtur in hellish Muspelheim, and Ulik’s band of brutish trolls in the forests and marshes of Vanaheim. Players wield Mjölnir, Thor’s legendary hammer, to fight enemies on an immense scale while controlling the elemental storm powers of lightning, thunder and wind to vanquish enemies.
Each version of the game is tailored for its platform, with the PlayStation 3 system and Xbox 360 versions featuring cinematic, third-person action gameplay with melee combos, ranged hammer throws, tide-turning elemental powers, and an upgrade system to bolster Thor’s powers as gamers progress. Using grappling points and multiple strategies, players will take on enemies up to four times Thor’s size, including monstrous 25-foot tall, 12-ton Frost Giants.
Thor: God of Thunder on the Wii system features the same overarching storyline as the versions for the PlayStation 3 system and Xbox 360 while offering a different gaming experience by utilizing the Wii Remote™ and Nunchuk™ controllers to command Thor’s hammer and elemental powers. The Wii version is presented with a uniquely styled comic book look, along with different cinematics, story elements, dialogue, locations, and dedicated flight levels.
Nintendo DS players will experience a 2D side-scrolling adventure with narrative and gameplay unique to the platform.
Thor: God of Thunder has been rated “T for Teen” on consoles and “E 10+ for Everyone 10 and older” on Nintendo DS by the ESRB.
For further information on this title, please visit www.sega-press.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 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 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.
Monday, May 02, 2011
Free Comic Book Day at Cards, Comics and Collectibles
From the Store that Brings You the Baltimore Comic-Con...
REISTERSTOWN, MD - May 2, 2011 - In honor of 2011's Free Comic Book Day promotion on Saturday, May 7th, Cards, Comics and Collectibles of Reisterstown, MD will be celebrating along with the rest of the nation. Come and meet artists Frank Cho (50 Girls 50, X-Men: Schism, New Ultimates) from 1pm-3pm and Steve Conley (Star Trek, bloopstree.com) from 11am-5pm!
FCBD Specials -- modern back-issues are only one dollar and half-off bronze and silver age comics! Oh yeah, and we're also giving away free comics while they last! Our hours for Free Comic Book Day are 11am-7pm.
Don't forget to ask us about our Guest of Honor for this year's Baltimore Comic-Con! We'll see you there!
Our address: 100 A Chartley Dr., Reisterstown, MD 21136
For more information, call Cards, Comics and Collectibles: 410-526-7410
From the Store that Brings You the Baltimore Comic-Con...
REISTERSTOWN, MD - May 2, 2011 - In honor of 2011's Free Comic Book Day promotion on Saturday, May 7th, Cards, Comics and Collectibles of Reisterstown, MD will be celebrating along with the rest of the nation. Come and meet artists Frank Cho (50 Girls 50, X-Men: Schism, New Ultimates) from 1pm-3pm and Steve Conley (Star Trek, bloopstree.com) from 11am-5pm!
FCBD Specials -- modern back-issues are only one dollar and half-off bronze and silver age comics! Oh yeah, and we're also giving away free comics while they last! Our hours for Free Comic Book Day are 11am-7pm.
Don't forget to ask us about our Guest of Honor for this year's Baltimore Comic-Con! We'll see you there!
Our address: 100 A Chartley Dr., Reisterstown, MD 21136
For more information, call Cards, Comics and Collectibles: 410-526-7410
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