GRIME AND WONDER ON THE STREETS OF MALINKY ROBOT

Image Comics Collects Sonny Liew's Inspired Short Stories

Berkeley, CA – 1 July 2011 – The captivating world and quirky characters detailed by award-winning artist Sonny Liew's (LIQUID CITY VOL. 1 and 2, My Faith in Frankie, Wonderland, Sense and Sensibility) loose and emotive watercolor-drenched pencil work are set to charm readers in August, with the release of MALINKY ROBOT: COLLECTED STORIES AND OTHER BITS from Image Comics.

A recipient of the Xeric Award and Best Science Fiction Comic Album award at the Utopiales International SF Festival, MALINKY ROBOT blends dystopic sci-fi and indie sensibilities into a uniquely oddball world, where street urchins Atari and Oliver scrounge, steal bicycles and watch Giant Robot movies.

Liew says, “The stories of MALINKY ROBOT have always been the ones that I feel most personally connected with, from their rhythms and structure, to the character and architectural designs. It’s very exciting to see them collected together in this book.”

MALINKY ROBOT not only includes short stories like "Stinky Fish Blues" and "Karakuri" from the LIQUID CITY and Flight anthologies, but also a gallery of Liew's concept and sketch art, along with pinups by incredible artists such as Mike Allred, Roger Langridge and Skottie Young. Writer Gail Simone (Birds of Prey, Secret Six, Deadpool, Wonder Woman) described the collection as “[a] book so full of wonders and treasures it feels like you should need a pirate's map to find it. A stunningly gorgeous mix of urban fantasy and charming adventure that I plan to read until the spine falls off.”

MALINKY ROBOT: COLLECTED STORIES AND OTHER BITS TP (JUN110503), a 128-page full color collection of short sequential art stories retailing for $16.99, will be available at a comic store near you on August 3, 2011. It is available for pre-orders from Diamond Comics, and from retailers such as Amazon. For more information, please visit www.malinkyrobot.com.

ABOUT SONNY LIEW

Sonny Liew is an Eisner-nominated comic artist, illustrator and painter. His work includes titles for DC Vertigo, Marvel, SLG and Disney. He has also served as editor and contributor for Image Comics' Eisner-nominated LIQUID CITY anthology. For more information, please visit www.sonnyliew.com.

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.

Garfield & Papercutz Prepare for the Holidays 2011!



New York, NY: In May of 2011, New York publisher Papercutz released GARFIELD & Co. #1 and 2 to an overwhelming response. Despite the heat of summer approaching, the publisher announced this week the anticipated release of the next two adaptations of the popular Cartoon Network series – both with a festive theme just in time for the holidays. In these upcoming volumes, readers between the ages of 6 and 11 will continue to experience capers of our legendary lasagna-eating feline along with colorful 3-D artwork. THE GARFIELD SHOW is one of Cartoon Network’s biggest hits – it airs every day of the week reaching approximately 600,000 kids!



In GARFIELD & Co. #3 “Catzilla,” debuting August 30, it’s Halloween and Garfield has dressed up as Catzilla, a fierce wild cat, to go out trick or treating. But what he doesn't know is that the real Catzilla has escaped from the zoo, and police are looking for him, leading to a wild case of mistaken identity! Will Garfield end up in a zoo, and will Jon and Odie be trapped with the real Catzilla?



On October 25, Papercutz opens up the Christmas season with GARFIELD & Co. #4 “Caroling Capers.” Garfield, always on the look-out for an opportunity to stuff his face, goes caroling in the hopes that his neighbors will give him holiday treats. But Garfield is completely off-key, and nobody gives him a thing. When he notices that Nermal and Odie are having much greater success, Garfield knows he has to find a way to get in on the goodies received by the harmonious duet of his foils!



Both “Catzilla” and “Caroling Capers” are based on characters created by Jim Davis and are adapted for graphic novel by Cedric Michiels who has adapted several Garfield television episodes into comics for Dargaud Media. He is a staff member at Dargaud media where he writes and edits. Illustrator for the GARFIELD & Co. series, Ellipsanime is one of the foremost animation production studios in the world, developing children’s programs, TV series and animated films. Recent work by the studio includes Garfield, Contraptus, Babar, Tintin and Miss BG. Each of these two volumes includes two supporting stories in addition to the feature title story.



The Garfield franchise is one of the most expansive in the world. Created and first published by Jim Davis in 1978 as a newspaper strip, Garfield has grown into a billion-dollar merchandise line, animated television specials, two animated television series, two feature-length live-action films and three animated direct-to-video movies – and now a graphic novel series. Guinness Book of World Records has listed Garfield as the most widely syndicated newspaper strip as of 2007. The current Cartoon Network series is distributed to 125 countries and in the US specifically, THE GARFIELD SHOW ranks as the third most watched program among boys ages 6 to 8.



Founded in 2005, Papercutz, the premiere publisher of such popular graphic novel series as BIONICLE, DISNEY FAIRIES, GERONIMO STILTON, HARDY BOYS, NANCY DREW, THE SMURFS, PAPERCUTZ SLICES and TALES FROM THE CRYPT, is dedicated to publishing the best comics and graphic novels for kids 6-14 and all young at heart. GARFIELD & Co. graphic novels are 6½ x 9, 32 pages, full-color $7.99 in hardcover. #3 “Catzilla” ISBN: 978-1597072786, #4 “Caroling Capers” ISBN: 978-1597072878.

World Renowned Artist Ashley Wood
Special Guest at San Diego Comic-Con

Appearance includes signings at IDW booth #2643,
exclusive robots and books, spotlight panel, and more


[Popbot Book Cover]San Diego, CA (June 30, 2011)—At this year’s San Diego Comic Con, art and comic fans have one more must on their lists, as IDW Publishing announced today that world-renowned artist and creator Ashley Wood will be a special guest at the convention. Headquartered at the IDW Booth #2643, Ashley will hold regular signings, and be featured in a spotlight panel, hosted by IDW’s co-founder and chief executive officer, Ted Adams. Ashley fans can also look forward to an impressive array of exclusive or hard to find items, including toys and books.

“Ash and I have worked together for more than 15 years. We met when I was running Todd McFarlane’s comic books and the first book IDW published was Ash’s first art collection, Uno Fanta. I’m looking forward to chatting with him about his career during his spotlight panel and the two books we’re launching at SDCC are flat-out amazing,” said Adams.

Before Comic-Con kicks off, fans can pre-order several limited edition Ashley Wood items through IDW, including POPBOT BIG BEAUTIFUL BOOK, which collects the long sold-out POPBOT Volumes 1 through 8. This huge 11" x 14" hardcover collection showcases over 400 pages of Ashley Wood art and comes with a slipcase. Strictly limited to 500 copies.[Fat Tarino Cover]

Also available for pre-order is FAT TARINO, offering the impossible to find art books UNO TARINO, DOS TARINO and TRES TARINO, all in one gorgeous hardcover. This slipcased edition features over 350 pages of Ashley Wood art and is strictly limited to 500 copies.

Zombies vs Robots fans are also in for a treat, with the exclusive new hardcover edition of the COMPLETE ZOMBIES VS ROBOTS. The acclaimed, 160-page volume, written by co-creator Chris Ryall and fully illustrated by Ash, is now available in an exclusive hardcover for only $29.99, and is limited to approximately 400 copies.

During San Diego Comic-Con, fans can meet Ashley at any of his scheduled signings at the IDW booth, as well as attend his Spotlight Panel, on Friday, July 22 at 4.30 p.m. in room 24ABC. Stay tuned to IDWPublishing.com for Ashley’s signing schedule.



POPBOT BIG BEAUTIFUL BOOK ($125, hardcover with slipcase, 424 pages, 11” X 14”) is available for pre-order through IDW Publishing, for pick up at San Diego Comic Con or delivery after August 1.

FAT TARINO ($100, hardcover with slipcase, 360 pages, 12” X 12”) is available for pre-order through IDW Publishing, for pick up at San Diego Comic Con or delivery after August 1.

COMPLETE ZOMBIES VS ROBOTS ($29.99, hardcover, 160 pages) will be available at San Diego Comic-Con through IDW Publishing.


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 Ashley Wood
Australian artist, designer, and creative director Wood has worked in the fields of art, design, advertising, and comic books since 1990. The creator of Popbot, World War Robot, and Lore, Ashley has a long running partnership with IDW Publishing, and has worked for nearly other every major comic book company. Wood and now runs his own toy and publishing company ThreeA, with legendary HK toy maker Kim Fung. Wood also heads up Australian production house 7174 with his writing partner and wife T. P Louise. Together they have made the jump into Hollywood, with WWR, Popbot, Lore, and Zombies vs. Robots all currently in production to be major motion pictures.

Baltimore Comic-Con Welcomes Giffen, DeMatteis, and Maguire!

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - June 30, 2011 - The Baltimore Comic-Con is pleased to announce the addition of Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis, and Kevin Maguire to the line-up of creators attending this year's show, taking place the weekend of August 20-21, 2011.


Keith Giffen, who will be making his only convention appearance this year at the Baltimore Comic-Con, is a writer/artist who has worked on such title as Legion of Super-Heroes, Nick Fury's Howling Commandos, T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, and his creator-owned series, Hero Squared. Most recently, Giffen was named artist on the DC title O.M.A.C., launching in September.

Writer J.M. DeMatteis began his career in the late-'70s working on DC Comics' horror line of books. In 1980, he moved over to Marvel, where he worked on The Defenders and Captain America. Over the next 30 years, DeMatteis would write nearly every major character in both the DC and Marvel Universes, including Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Spider-Man, Silver Surfer, Daredevil and Doctor Strange. In 2010, he teamed up with long-time collaborator, Keith Giffen on DC's Booster Gold series.



Artist Kevin Maguire, who has worked with both Giffen and DeMatteis on several books, began his a career in 1987. He has worked on such high-profile titles as Batman Confidential, Captain America and X-Men. Most recently, he worked on the latest relaunch of Doom Patrol at DC Comics.

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Giffen, DeMatteis and Maguire are well-known for their run on DC Comics' Justice League in the late '80s, which added a humorous brand of storytelling to the superhero team dynamic. Their appearance at the Baltimore Comic-Con marks only the second time they have all been together at a show. In addition, all three creators will be appearing on a panel together at the show.



"The three of us have only been together at a convention once before - and that ended in screaming, physical violence, and millions of dollars in property damage," said DeMatteis. "I look forward to doing it again!"



"With the recent release of the latest Justice League International trade from DC, we couldn't be happier to have the creative team behind that book at this year's show," said Marc Nathan, show promoter of the Baltimore Comic-Con. "That series' lighthearted tone and fantastic humor added something different to a comic landscape that was filled with 'grim and gritty' books and should be on everyone's essential reading lists."



Also, don't forget that Stan Lee VIP Packages and show admission tickets are now available and can be purchased online by visiting baltimorecomiccon.com/tickets/!



Confirmed guests for this year's Baltimore Comic-Con include: Guest of Honor, Stan "The Man" Lee; Jason Aaron (Scalped, PunisherMAX); Charlie Adlard (The Walking Dead); Nick Cardy (Aquaman, Teen Titans); Greg Capullo (Spawn, Batman); Cliff Chiang (Greendale); Frank Cho (50 Girl 50, X-Men: Schism, New Ultimates); Todd Dezago (Super Hero Squad, The Perhapanauts); David Finch (Brightest Day, Batman: The Dark Knight); Ron Frenz (Spider-Girl); Jose-Luis Garcia-Lopez (Wednesday Comics, Batman Confidential); Michael Golden (creator of Bucky O'Hare); Mike Grell (Action Comics, The Pilgrim); Brad Guigar (Evil, Inc., Courting Disaster); Steve Hamaker (Bone); Cully Hamner (Red, Red: Eyes Only); Dean Haspiel (The Alcoholic, Act-i-Vate); Jamal Igle (Supergirl, Zatanna); J.G. Jones (Doc Savage, DC Universe Legacies); Barry Kitson (Secret Invasion, Amazing Spider-Man); Laura Martin (New Avengers, Thor); Mark Morales (Fear Itself cover artist); Kevin Nowlan (Wednesday Comics); David Petersen (Mouse Guard); Brandon Peterson (Ultimate Vision, Strange); Craig Rousseau (Marvel Her-Oes); Stan Sakai (Usagi Yojimbo); Walter Simonson (Thor); Jeff Smith (Bone, RASL); Nick Spencer (Morning Glories, Iron Man 2.0); Brian Stelfreeze (Wednesday Comics); Karl Story (DC Universe Legacies); Tim Truman (Conan the Cimmerian); Neil Vokes (Flesh & Blood, Eagle: The Original Adventures); and Thom Zahler (Love and Capes).

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Attending the Baltimore Comic-Con? Show your support online!
Simply change your social network (Facebook, Twitter, blog, etc.) avatar pictures to the "See You in Baltimore!" image and let the world know you're attending the show!



In coming weeks, look for more announcements from the Baltimore Comic-Con. We are looking forward to highlighting our guests, the Harvey Awards, industry exclusives, and programming. The latest developments can always be found at our website, Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace pages.



This year's Baltimore Comic-Con will be held August 20-21, 2011. Convention hours are Saturday 10 AM to 6 PM and Sunday 10 AM to 5 PM. The ceremony and banquet for the Harvey Awards will be held Saturday night, August 20th.



Contact Information

Please use the following e-mail addresses to contact the Baltimore Comic-Con:

press@baltimorecomiccon.com - for any general press inquiries or to be added to our PR distribution

promoter@baltimorecomiccon.com - for requesting exhibitor, publisher, and Artist Alley applications

registrar@baltimorecomiccon.com - for inquiries about submitted registrations

harveys@baltimorecomiccon.com - for communications regarding the Harvey Awards ceremony and banquet

general@baltimorecomiccon.com - for general Baltimore Comic-Con inquiries



About The Baltimore Comic-Con

The Baltimore Comic-Con is celebrating its 12th year of bringing the comic book industry to the Baltimore and Washington D.C. area. With a guest list unequaled in the industry, the Baltimore Comic-Con will be held August 20-21, 2011. For more information, please visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com.

About The Harvey Awards
The Harvey Awards are one of the comic book industry's oldest and most respected awards. With a history of over 20 years, the last 6 in conjunction with the Baltimore Comic-Con, the Harveys recognize outstanding achievements in over 20 categories. They are the only industry awards nominated and selected by the full body of comic book professionals. For more information, please visit www.harveyawards.org.

12-GAUGE COMICS

SEPTEMBER 2011 SOLICITATIONS



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Birmingham, AL (June 29, 2011)



ICE #3 (of 4)

Writer: Doug Wagner

Artist: Jose Holder

Cover Artist: Brian Stelfreeze

Colors: Michael Wiggam

$3.99


Following issue #2’s stunning conclusion, the worm has turned and the ICE team is under attack! Luis Morales and his cartel are now on the offensive—taking the battle directly to Cole Matai and his elite tactical team while they are off-duty and alone. Unfortunately, this bold move by Morales will cost an ICE agent his life, causing Cole to take justice into his own hands—or die trying.

This summer’s hottest action-series continues to sizzle! Don’t miss the next exciting installment of ICE!




LOOSE ENDS #3 (of 4)

Writer: Jason Latour

Art and Cover: Chris Brunner

Colors: Rico Renzi

$3.99 (please note size: 7 - ¼” x 11”)


"Welcome to Miami, Sonny and Cheri. Here you'll find it all. Gorgeous people, beautiful weather and the decadent life you so richly deserve. Let the rhythm of the night drive the worry from your mind. Wash the blood from your hands in our crystal blue waters and party like there is no tomorrow. Because if the vicious drug cartels and crooked cops waiting in the alley have their way... there just might not be one."



LOOSE ENDS is a gritty, slow cooked, "southern crime romance", that follows a winding trail down Tobacco Road, through the war torn streets of Baghdad, and into the bright lights and bloody gutters of South Florida...12-Gauge style.


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About the Publisher

12-Gauge Comics was founded by Keven Gardner in 2004 and currently publishes some of the most successful and critically acclaimed independent comic books in the marketplace today. 12-Gauge members Jason Pearson, Brian Stelfreeze, Cully Hamner, and Doug Wagner are creating new and innovative multi-media concepts for the company, including Pearson’s run-away hit BODY BAGS and THE RIDE, which debuted as the top-selling black and white comic of the year in 2004. After solidifying its position as a force to be reckoned with by packaging THE O.C.T. (Occult Crimes Taskforce), an original comic book concept co-created and starring actress ROSARIO DAWSON. THE O.C.T. has been featured on “The Today Show,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” “Access Hollywood,” and many other media outlets.

In 2009 12-Gauge began to firmly solidify its unique identity by publishing under its own banner (prior titles were through Image Comics), starting with the company's first licensed property, THE BOONDOCK SAINTS: The Comic Series -- which made a major splash. With all new stories by series creator/director TROY DUFFY, the comics have been selling-out and exposing the 12-Gauge brand to an all-new audience. 12-Gauge then moved into the untapped market of country music with superstar recording artist TRACE ADKINS. In LUKE MC BAIN, Adkins lends his likeness to a hard-as-nails character in an adventure story of revenge and redemption. Trace went on a wide publicity tour for the comics; highlights being a guest appearance on “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson” and a feature story in “USA Today”. 2010 closed strong with the release of 25 TO LIFE, a limited series that pushed the boundaries of the traditional law enforcement procedural.

2011 looks equally promising; the recently launched high-concept series MAGUS is rewriting the world of magic as we know it. R.P.M., from NYT #1 Bestselling author MICK FOLEY, is a crossover hit, and the just announced action-franchise I.C.E. is generating strong buzz in the industry. Other 2011 titles include the zombie-noir themed DEADTOWN and the gritty crime drama LOOSE ENDS. For more information, please visit www.12gaugecomics.com or email info@12gaugecomics.com.

iStoryTime Unleashes Transformers Dark of the Moon Mix & Match Storybook App

Written by David Roe and Illustrated by Alex Milne and Rob Ruffalo of Udon

iStoryTime, the largest library of mobile children’s book applications, in partnership with Reader’s Digest Children’s Books® and Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS), today launched the Transformers Dark of the Moon Mix & Match storybook available immediately on Apple’s iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. Fans can use their imaginations to create over 200 different reading adventures between the Heroic Autobots and Evil Decepticons before the premiere of the theatrical film directed by Michael Bay, which will release on June 29, 2011.

An interactive mix-a-story app, Transfomers Dark of the Moon Mix & Match allows fans to swipe through the original story, create their own adventures as well as shake the device to randomly unlock unimaginable Autobot and Decepticon story and character combinations. Fans can combine heads, bodies, legs, weapons, and other features to make Transformers unlike any other.

“Until now you could only magine a Transformer that combines the sleek sports car look of Bumblebee and the power-packed features of Optimus Prime with the mechanical legs of the Autobot warrior Ratchet,” said Woody Sears, co-founder of iStoryTime. “Now you can build any Transformer you can imagine right on your iPhone, iTouch or iPad.”

The storybook also includes a colorful guide to the Autobots and Decepticons that appear in the hit movie. Fans can touch the Autobot or Decepticon insignia for full bios of Ratchet, Mirage, Bumblebee, Optimus Prime, Sentinel Prime, Shockwave, Crowbar, Megatron, Starscream and Soundwave. Each bio gives a description of the character’s function, vehicle mode and weapon for an even more in-depth look into the Transformers story.

Transformers Dark of the Moon Mix & Match was written by author David Roe and illustrated by Alex Milne and Rob Ruffalo of Udon. Milne and Ruffalo have previously worked on “G.I.Joe Vs. The Transformers: The Art of War.” Ruffalo created Dreamwave’s Micromasters series as well as “Sixshot” and was involved with many more Transformers and Warhammer titles. Milne has worked on “Transformers Prime Time” and countless other projects.
Features:

• Read to Me: Select the option from the menu and the story will be read aloud.

• Create-a-Transformer: Mix the heads, bodies, legs, weapons, and other features from six movie Transformers to create your own unique character combinations by sliding panels or shake your device to randomly mix and match.

• Mix-a-Story: Mix and match the words in the story to create your own unique Transformers tale and battle scenes.

• Transformers Facts: A colorful guide to the Autobots and Decepticons that appear in the movie.
iStoryTime brings the joy of a kids' book to the convenience of the iPhone, iPad and iPod® touch. iStoryTime books are illustrated and narrated, so children can enjoy the book even when parents are busy. Best of all, the apps are simple to use because they are designed for kids two-years and up.

To stay up-to-date within ongoing news about iStoryTime, please visit us on our Facebook fan page atwww.facebook.com/iStoryTime.

About iStoryTime
iStoryTime - an interactive storytelling experience delivered to the convenience of your mobile device - features a series of illustrated and narrated books created by parents for kids. iStoryTime books have been highlighted in the New York Times, LA Times, CBS Early Show, theiPhoneMom.com, CNET and is decorated with PTPA Media’s Parent Tested Parent Approved Seal of Approval and the Children's Technology Review's Editor's Choice Award. With over 100 titles to choose from including favorites such as Kung Fu Panda, Shrek, How to Train Your Dragon, Peter Pan and Binky the Pink Elephant, iStoryTime books are an excellent tool for both educating and entertaining children ages two years and up. These storybooks can be enjoyed in several different modes ranging from automatic to manual, depending upon the development and preferences of the user. For additional information, visit www.istorytime.com.

ELEPHANTMEN TAKE A TURN

The Walking Dead Readers Will Flip Over Elephantmen: Man and Elephantman

Berkeley, CA – 28 June 2011 – The latest issue of Robert Kirkman's immensely popular original series THE WALKING DEAD will be presented as a flip book, offering readers a preview of the Eagle Award winning ELEPHANTMEN, industry legend Richard Starkings' acclaimed science fiction series.

On the flip side of THE WALKING DEAD #86, the 23-page introduction into the world of ELEPHANTMEN has been taken from ELEPHANTMEN: MAN AND ELEPHANTMAN #1, an issue that proved a great jumping on point for readers who had yet to pick up the series. Axel Medellin provides the ongoing title with sexy and colorful painted art, and while his style sharply contrasts Charlie Adlard's stark, realistic black and white pages for THE WALKING DEAD, Kirkman and Starkings know that the two series share many of the same readers.

"Even though THE WALKING DEAD and ELEPHANTMEN seem to be very different, I know from talking to fans at shows that we have a big crossover readership," explained Starkings. "Both books are character-driven science fantasy stories featuring leads who keep their feet firmly on the ground. It makes perfect sense to offer THE WALKING DEAD readers a sample issue of ELEPHANTMEN on the house. As for me (no kidding), THE WALKING DEAD is the one book I never miss reading month after month!"

"I'm a big fan of Richard's storytelling," Robert Kirkman added. "This is quality science fiction, and it's one of those titles that everyone should be reading because it just keeps getting better and better."

Three volumes of ELEPHANTMEN have already been published in handsome hardcover and trade paperback editions. The fourth and most recent volume, ELEPHANTMEN: QUESTIONABLE THINGS is available in hardcover now, with a trade paperback edition going on sale in July.

THE WALKING DEAD #86 (APR110529), a 48-page black and white horror comic for $2.99, will be available at a comic store near you on June 29, 2011, while ELEPHANTMEN: QUESTIONABLE THINGS TP (JUL110463) will be available for sale on July 20th for $24.99. ELEPHANTMEN: MAN AND ELEPHANTMAN #1 VAR CVR 2ND PTG (FEB118098) is still available for reorder.

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.

CBLDF Cheers Free Speech Victory in Brown v. EMA!

The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund applauds today's Supreme Court decision to affirm the First Amendment rights of creators, readers and retailers by denying states the ability to create new restrictions on violent content in Brown v. EMA. In a 7-2 decision, the high court struck down a California law that would have banned the sale and rental of violent video games to minors, and would have made violence a new category of unprotected speech.

The CBLDF was active in opposing the law, and filed its own amicus brief arguing that the California law was unconstitutional by citing a history of moral panics, most notably the anti-comics fervor that nearly dismantled the comics industry in the 1950s. The arguments presented in CBLDF’s brief were part of the discussion in oral arguments, and cited in the Court's majority decision.

CBLDF Executive Director Charles Brownstein says, “We’re extremely pleased that the Court’s decision preserves the First Amendment rights of the users and creators of video games, and that they resisted California’s desire to establish new categories of unprotected speech. We’re also gratified that our discussion of the comics industry’s painful experience with moral panic and legislative meddling helped inform the positive outcome we see this morning.”

CBLDF legal counsel Robert Corn-Revere of Davis Wright Tremaine wrote the brief. He says, "The Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. EMA applied well-established First Amendment principles to find the California law is unconstitutional. In reaching his conclusion, Justice Scalia's majority opinion noted the crusade against comics led by Dr. Frederic Wertham and observed that it was inconsistent with our constitutional traditions. It traced the long history of censorship involving media the government claimed 'corrupted youth -- from movies to comic books -- and held that such crusades cannot be reconciled with the First Amendment."

Please visit www.cbldf.org for more news and analysis on this important decision, including analysis by Mr. Corn-Revere to be published later this afternoon. Please support the CBLDF’s defense of free speech issues like this by making a donation today!

About CBLDF
The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund was founded in 1986 as a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of First Amendment rights for members of the comics community. They have defended dozens of Free Expression cases in courts across the United States, and led important education initiatives promoting comics literacy and free expression. For additional information, donations, and other inquiries call 800-99-CBLDF or visit them online at www.cbldf.org.


More News From The CBLDF

CBLDF Forms Coalition to Defend American Comics Reader Facing Criminal Charges In Canada
The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund today announces that it is forming a coalition to support the legal defense of an American citizen who is facing criminal charges in Canada that could result in a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in prison for comics brought into the country on his laptop. This incident is the most serious in a trend the CBLDF has been tracking involving the search and seizure of the print and electronic comic books carried by travelers crossing borders.
New Tennessee Law Threatens Freedom of Expression
There’s a new law in Tennessee that threatens freedom of expression and the right to privacy. Last week, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam signed into law HB 300, which makes criminals out of those who post images online that cause “emotional distress,” even when the emotionally distressed individual is not the intended recipient.

UNIVERSAL MEDIA STUDIOS TO PREMIERE NBC’S NEW SUPERNATURAL
SERIES ‘GRIMM’ AT COMIC CON INTERNATIONAL ON JULY 23



Imaginative Series Hails from the Creative Minds Behind
Acclaimed Series’ ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ and ‘Angel’ and
Marks New Producing Project for Emmy Award Winner Sean Hayes



Universal City, Ca (June 27, 2011)¾ Universal Media Studios will premiere the innovative supernatural television series GRIMM at this year’s Comic Con International, offering attendees an opportunity to exclusively screen the pilot episode and participate in a Q&A with the cast and creators of the upcoming fantasy series on Saturday, July 23.



GRIMM, debuting on NBC this fall, is a provocative police procedural with supernatural mythology, inspired by the classic Grimm Brother’s Fairy Tales. With an original “crime-fighting meets story-telling” premise, the series promises a new world of police work where the cases have a storybook connection, but not always happily ever after.



The inventive drama hails from writers/executive producers Jim Kouf (“Angel) and David Greenwalt (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) and the producing team of Emmy Award winner Sean Hayes and Todd Milliner (‘Hot in Cleveland’) as executive producers.



Kouf and Greenwalt will join the full cast at the Comic Con premiere screening and panel including: David Giuntoli ("Turn The Beat Around"), Russell Hornsby ("Lincoln Heights"), Bitsie Tulloch ("Quarterlife"), Silas Weir Mitchell ("Prison Break"), Reggie Lee ("Persons Unknown") and Sasha Roiz ("Caprica”). More details to be announced at a later date.



Grimm” is a production of Universal Media Studios and Hazy Mills Productions.



For embeddable clips and full episodes from NBC shows, please visit NBC.com's official show site: http://www.nbc.com/shows/.


Please follow us on http://www.facebook.com/NBCGrimm and at http://twitter.com/NBCGrimm