Saturday, December 03, 2011

PRESS RELEASE-TWO PULP PUBLISHERS ANNOUNCE WRITERS AND SCHEDULE FOR REVOLUTIONARY UNIQUE IMPRINT!

Pro Se Productions, a leading Publisher in the New Pulp Movement, and Altus Press, the foremost Publisher of quality Pulp reprints and new works such as THE WILD ADVENTURES OF DOC SAVAGE, announced a partnership in November and revealed today specifics to what has become known as the PULP OBSCURA Imprint. 

The concept behind Pulp Obscura is that Altus Press and Pro Se Press will work in conjunction to produce related products.   When Altus Press publishes specially selected titles featuring rare and largely forgotten Pulp characters’ original stories, Pro Se will bring together the best writers of New Pulp today and simultaneously release a collection of newly written tales starring the same character. This stunning partnership will showcase both the classic adventures of some of pulp's lost treasures while simultaneously allowing New Pulp's finest to bring those characters back to life.

“This,” Tommy Hancock, Partner in and Editor-in-Chief of Pro Se Productions, “is no easy task.  First to provide New Pulp stories, brand new exciting adventures of rare classic Pulp Characters in the Public Domainfore and to coordinate that with Altus Press.  But then finding the right creators, the authors who can breathe new life into these concepts and on top of that, deciding and planning which books will come out in the coming year.  It’s a heck of a task and one that has been rewarding on so many levels.”

Thirteen books in the Pulp Obscura line from Pro Se have been planned.   At least eight of these will be timed to release simultaneously with the reprinted adventures of the same characters as produced by Altus Press.  Five more will be published by Pro Se that will feature characters Altus Press has already published the available adventures of in the past. 

“We are extremely proud,” Hancock stated, “to be able to announce a fantastic line up of writers for Pulp Obscura.  Some of the creators involved are well known figures in the Pulp Community, others are prestigious in other genres and literary fields, and there’s even a blossoming new author or two thrown in the mix.  It shows a project has great promise when you as a Publisher simply put a call out for authors who might be interested in participating and you get not only a flood of interest, but also writers who stay on through the selection process of what will be written and who will write it.   Pulp Obscura could not have a better line up of creators for both their skill and their commitment.”

 "It's going to be great to see this new material. Interest in the series has been huge and the enthusiasm by the writers will certainly result in plenty of enjoyable reads," added Matt Moring, publisher of Altus Press. "I cannot recall such a publishing plan ever in the history of the pulp community."

The writers involved in the Pulp Obscura Line in 2012 are-

Howard Hopkins                        Allan Gilbreath             Barry Reese
Derrick Ferguson                        Joshua Reynolds          Andrew Salmon
Nick Ahlhelm                               Jon Edward Klement   Bobby Nash
I.A. Watson                                 Teel James Glenn         Nancy Hansen
Lee Houston, Jr.                        Chuck Miller                 R. P. Steeves
Don Thomas                              Adam Lance Garcia     Van Allen Plexico
Frank Schildiner                        Mike Bullock                Sean Taylor
Andrea Judy                              C. William Russette      Phil Bledsoe
Ashley Mangin                          Russ Anderson             Brad Mengel
     Terry Alexander                        BC Bell                        James Palmer
     Andrew Hind                            Stefan Dogaru              Kevin Noel Olson



Just as exciting and important as the lineup of writers involved in PULP OBSCURA is the list of characters and volumes that the Imprint will have in 2012.  There are 13 planned volumes from Pro Se for the first year of PULP OBSCURA and the books, along with the writers contributing to them for the first quarter of the year include-

THE NEW ADVENTURES OF RICHARD KNIGHT VOLUME ONE-Adventures of a daring pilot/detective who encounters lost worlds and oddities galore!
Writers- Josh Reynolds
  Barry Reese
  Adam Lance Garcia
  I.A. Watson
  Frank Schildiner
  Terry Alexander

THE NEW ADVENTURES OF THE EAGLE VOLUME ONE-Classic Two Fisted Spy Stories! Pulpy Espionage and Intrigue!
Writers- Rich Steeves
  Bobby Nash
  Teel James Glenn
  Lee Houston, Jr.
  Ashley Mangin
  Nick Ahlhelm

PRICE OF THE MISSIONARY’S GOLD: THE NEW ADVENTURES OF ARMLESS ONEIL VOLUME ONE- Classic Pulp Adventure in Exotic Lands seeking Treasure and Action! And with a Tough as Nails Hook Handed Hero!
Writers- Sean Taylor
  Rich Steeves
  I.A. Watson
  Chuck Miller
  Andrew Hind
  Nick Ahlhelm

THE NEW ADVENTURES OF THE GRIFFON VOLUME ONE-Thrill to the adventures of Kerry Keen, the masked hero known as The Griffon! High Flying Escapades in the Pursuit of Justice!
Writers-Don Thomas
 Rich Steeves
 Chuck Miller
 Van Plexico
 Phil Bledsoe
 Stefan Dogaru

THE NEW ADVENTURES OF THUNDER JIM WADE VOLUME ONE-Globe Spanning Adventures into the Darkest, Strangest Corners of the World with A Hero Like No Other!
Writers- Barry Reese
  Andrew Salmon
  Ashley Mangin
  Nick Ahlhelm
  Andrew Hind
  Frank Schildiner

THE CASES OF MAJOR LACY VOLUME ONE –Follow The Major and his intrepid team of men as they take on crimes and criminals No One Else Can Stop!
Writers-C. William Russette
             Andrew Salmon
             Bobby Nash
             Andrew Hind
             Don Thomas
             Rich Steeves


“At least seven more titles will follow later in 2012 in the Pulp Obscura line,” Hancock stated.  “We are immensely excited not only to be a part of something so great, but also because of the fantastic response this concept has received. We hope everyone joins Altus and Pro Se for the wild roller coaster ride into Pulp Obscura!”

For more information on Altus Press, go to www.altuspress.com

To learn more about Pro Se Productions, check out www.prosepulp.com

Friday, December 02, 2011

BUFFY SEASON 9 GETS COLLECTED!
VOLUME 1 TO BE RELEASED IN AUGUST 2012! 
December 2, MILWAUKIE, OR—Series creator Joss Whedon has teamed up with Andrew Chambliss (Dollhouse, ABC’s Once Upon a Time) and Season 8 artist Georges Jeanty for the life-affirming, world-changing Season 9 of the smash hit Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Dark Horse Comics is proud to announce the first collection of the season with Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9 Volume 1: Freefall! 
Season 8 ended with a bang that cut the world off from magic—culminating in another set of world-ending problems. Buffy has left her best friend, Willow, powerless, and brought an end to a millennia-long tradition of superpowered girls. By day, Buffy is a twenty-something waitress with no real direction, and even though magic is gone, she’s still a vampire Slayer by night. Bigger problem? Vampires are becoming an epidemic . . . of zompires!
Written by series creator Joss Whedon and Andrew Chambliss of the CW’s The Vampire Diaries, Freefall collects Buffy Season 9 #1–#5! On sale August 1, 2012.
About Dark Horse Comics
Since 1986, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. The company is known for the progressive and creator-friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists.  In addition to publishing comics from top talent like Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Neil Gaiman, Gerard Way, Will Eisner, and best-selling prose author Janet Evanovich, Dark Horse has developed such successful characters as the Mask, Timecop, and the Occultist. Additionally, its highly successful line of comics and products based on popular properties includes Star Wars, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan the BarbarianMass Effect, Serenity, and Domo. Today, Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic-book publisher in the United States and is recognized as both an innovator in the cause of creator rights and the comics industry’s leading publisher of licensed material.
About Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products
A recognized industry leader, Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products licenses and markets properties worldwide on behalf of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Twentieth Television and Fox Broadcasting Company, as well as third-party lines. The division is aligned with Twentieth Century Fox Television, one of the top suppliers of primetime entertainment programming to the broadcast networks.
BUFFY SEASON 8 GETS HARDCOVER RELEASE!
DARK HORSE TO PUBLISH FOUR VOLUMES! 
December 2, MILWAUKIE, OR—Series creator Joss Whedon brought Buffy the Vampire Slayer back to life with this comics-only follow-up to Season 7 of the television show. Now the wait is finally over for Buffy fanatics everywhere as Dark Horse announces the deluxe, oversized, dust-jacketed hardcover collection of Buffy Season 8!
This hardcover edition contains the first two arcs of the series (Buffy Season 8 #1–#10), written by Joss Whedon and Brian K. Vaughan (Y: The Last Man, Runaways), with art by the acclaimed Georges Jeanty. It includes two one-shots, a cover gallery, and exclusive, never-before-seen sketch material!
After the destruction of the Hellmouth, the Slayers—newly legion—have gotten organized, but it’s not long before new and old enemies begin popping up. Buffy, Xander, Willow, and a very different Dawn are introduced to the season’s big bad, Twilight, and are only beginning to understand the incredible reach of this mysterious threat. Meanwhile, rebel Slayer Faith teams up with Giles to handle a menace on the other side of the Atlantic. It’s a dirty job, and Faith is just the girl to do it!
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 Volume 1 is on sale May 30, 2012!
About Dark Horse Comics
Since 1986, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. The company is known for the progressive and creator-friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists. In addition to publishing comics from top talent like Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Neil Gaiman, Gerard Way, Will Eisner, and best-selling prose author Janet Evanovich, Dark Horse has developed such successful characters as the Mask, Timecop, and the Occultist. Additionally, its highly successful line of comics and products based on popular properties includes Star Wars, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan the BarbarianMass Effect, Serenity, and Domo. Today, Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic-book publisher in the United States and is recognized as both an innovator in the cause of creator rights and the comics industry’s leading publisher of licensed material.
About Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products
A recognized industry leader, Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products licenses and markets properties worldwide on behalf of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Twentieth Television and Fox Broadcasting Company, as well as third-party lines. The division is aligned with Twentieth Century Fox Television, one of the top suppliers of primetime entertainment programming to the broadcast networks.
 
New hit series "OUTCAST"
retitled "VALEN THE OUTCAST"
  First issue on sale
December 7, 2011

"Undead Conan? I'm in!"
-iZombie writer Chris Roberson


      


December 1, 2010 - Los Angeles, CA - BOOM! Studios is proud to announce a title change for its successful new launch of OUTCAST #1, shipping December 7, 2011 to comic book stores worldwide for only $1 -- the new title will be VALEN THE OUTCAST.

"We were contacted by another entity who holds the trademark for the name 'Outcast' which we were unaware of," said BOOM!'s Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Ross Richie. "We have the utmost respect for the other company and were happy to make the change. Our central character is Valen Brand, the character itself is not named Outcast, so altering the title is an easy change we can make."

"Orders were strong on this new series from Michael Alan Nelson and Matteo Scalera," said Matt Gagnon, Editor-in-Chief, "and this book sees them both doing the best work of their careers. Everyone over here's been blown away. Fans of Game of Thrones and Conan shouldn’t miss this action-packed #1 issue."

VALEN THE OUTCAST tells the story of King Valen Brand. He was a just king and a great warrior until he was killed by a Necromancer in battle and resurrected as one of the walking dead. Now he’s considered an abomination in his own realm, an outcast with only one purpose: to restore his lost soul…

VALEN THE OUTCAST #1 is written by Michael Alan Nelson (28 DAYS LATER, ROBERT E. HOWARD’S HAWKS OF OUTREMER) with art by Matteo Scalera (DEADPOOL). This title ships in December with the main covers in a 30/30/30/10 split by Liam Sharp, Cary Nord, Alé Garza and Trevor Hairsine, a 1-in-25 incentive by Chad Hardin, a 1-in-50 sketch incentive by Trevor Hairsine, a 1-in-75 sketch incentive by Alé Garza, and a special 1-in-200 Joe Jusko variant cover which will be offered slabbed by CGG with a 9.8 Near Mint Grade.

VALEN THE OUTCAST features 22 pages of story and carries a price point of $1.00 with a Diamond Code of OCT110899.


About BOOM! Studios

Founded by Ross Richie, BOOM! Studios (www.boom-studios.com) is 2009 and 2010’s “Best Publisher” and an Eisner and Harvey Award-winner, generating a constellation of bestselling comic books and graphic novels with the industry’s top talent, including Mark Waid’s IRREDEEMABLE, new HELLRAISER comics written by Clive Barker, PLANET OF THE APES, 28 DAYS LATER, and Philip K. Dick’s DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP?. BOOM!’s all ages imprint KABOOM! publishes Charles Schulz’ PEANUTS, Roger Langridge’s SNARKED, and Scholastic’s WORDGIRL. BOOM!’s lit comix-focused imprint, BOOM! Town, recently won the Eisner Award for its first book, Shannon Wheeler’s I THOUGHT YOU WOULD BE FUNNIER.
NYXQUEST: KINDRED SPIRITS RETAIL RELEASE ANNOUNCED

The classic story of Icarus is flying to retail shelves on PC and MAC

Karlsruhe, Germany, December 1st, 2011 TopWare Interactive announced today the retail launch of NyxQuest: Kindred Spirits for both PC and MAC systems throughout Europe, and a tentative launch window of Q1 2012 in the US.

Set in the days of ancient Greece, NyxQuest: Kindred Spirits is a highly atmospheric 2.5D platforming experience that follows the heartwarming story of Nyx, an enigmatic winged girl, that must descend from the heavens in search of her missing friend Icarus.  Using a combination of flight, physics, and the powers of the gods themselves players will navigate through 12 challenging levels filled with both quizzical puzzles and fantastical enemies alike.

The critically acclaimed and charmingly unique art design of NyxQuest: Kindred Spirits has been optimized for the new PC/MAC version, updating  visual effects such as particle bloom and heat distortion that result in the most beautiful installment of the NyxQuest franchise to date.

Lastly, the new offering includes an additional hidden bonus level players must work to unlock.  The relics of the gods have been scattered across the landscapes of Greece, and only by finding and collecting them can Nyx discover the path to Arcadia where only the greatest of heroes venture to test their skills in the ancient arena.

For more information please visit www.nyxquest-game.com.

About TopWare Interactive 
TopWare Interactive, headquartered in Karlsruhe, Germany, is an international interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1991, the company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software on most current gen gaming platforms including PC, Xbox 360®, PlayStation® 3, and Wii. A privately held company, TopWare is the first German based company appointed as a licensed worldwide publisher for both Microsoft and Sony for their respective platforms, and has additional offices in Las Vegas, Nevada and Petaluma, California.
VIZ MEDIA TO RELEASE ART FOR HOPE DIGITAL ART ANTHOLOGY IN DECEMBER

Innovative Art Book Created In Partnership With Autodesk To Benefit Japanese Disaster Recovery; Exhibit Of Artwork Also Takes Place In Las Vegas At Autodesk University

VIZ Media has announced the upcoming debut of ART FOR HOPE, a limited edition digital art book anthology created in partnership with Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK) to benefit Architecture for Humanity. The anthology will be available for a limited time, from December 1, 2011 to May 31, 2012, for $4.99 through VIZManga.com and the VIZ Manga App for iPad®, iPhone® and iPod® touch. 100% of VIZ Media’s net proceeds will support Architecture for Humanity’s ongoing disaster reconstruction efforts in Japan. To learn more about these rebuilding projects, please visit: www.ArchitectureForHumanity.org.

Each of the 40 artists participating in the ART FOR HOPE anthology used Autodesk® SketchBook® digital paint and drawing software applications in some way to create original pieces for the anthology. The artists, both professional and amateur, hail from around the world and from diverse fields, and range in style from the realistic to the fantastic, each illustrating the theme of “Hope.” Notable contributors include Eisner Award and Harvey Award winner Rob Guillory, Harvey Award winner Lark Pien, muralist Sirron Norris, and MAMESHIBA artists Jorge Monlongo and Gemma Correll.

Selections from ART FOR HOPE will also be exhibited at the Autodesk annual user conference, Autodesk University, taking place at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, NV from November 29th to December 1st. Access to the exhibit is free to the public within the Creative Studio a unique hands-on space to celebrate the creative spirit and showcasing a variety of Autodesk software and products. More information on the exhibit and conference is available at:

VIZ Media and Autodesk are very proud of and grateful to the following artists for their contributions to the ART FOR HOPE digital art anthology:

Janet Alvarado                                   Don’t Lose Hope
Asuka 111 (Patipat Asavasena)          Hope
Azure                                                 Untitled
Greg Baldwin of CreatureBox              Sheltered
Alan Bay                                            A Little Piece of Hope
Drew Blom                                         Calvin Hedge and the Iron Golem
Steve Boura                                       Bright Future
Carsten Bradley                                 A Wish for You
Matthew Britton                                 Regrowth
Veronica Casson                                 The Guest Room
Geikou Chen                                      Rainbow Bridge to Tomorrow
Gemma Correll                                   Pierre, le Chat Français
Kalii Delarosa                                     The Rainbow in the Rain
Conrado Hernan Villa Gil                     Untitled
Dave Guertin                                     First Flight
Rob Guillory                                       Hope
Rodolpho Langhi                                A New Sunrise
C. Lijewski                                          Light Side of Dark
Chris Lui                                            Birds of a Feather
Holly Mongi                                        Good Morning, Friend
Jorge Monlongo                                  The Sprout and the Bean
Brian Muelhaupt                                 Ojizo-sama
Shaun Mullen                                     Kodama (Tree Spirits)
Susan Murtaugh                                Enduring Beauty
Ray N.                                                Deliverance
Joe Ng                                               Rise Above the Storm
Sirron Norris                             Kibou
Jacques Pena                                     Love
Luis Peso                                            Gathering Hope
Lark Pien                                            Wishes, Dreams
Kyle Runciman                                   Ready to Roll
Francesco Salvati                               DEAR HOPE
Janet Shaw                                        The Hope of Japan
Brad Silverman                                   Dancing Dragon
Joseph Strachan                                 Flight of the Phoenix
James Turner                                     Never Give Up
Colie Wertz                                        Sea Turtle
Pinar Yalcin                                        Beam of Light
John Yandall                                                One Little Sign
Jim Zub                                              Seed Starter

For more information on the ART FOR HOPE project, please visit www.VIZ.com/artforhope.

For more information on VIZ Media digital initiatives, please visit VIZManga.com or www.VIZ.com/apps/.
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ArtForHope-Untitled-ByJorgeMonlongo-Comp
Untitled © 2011 Jorge Monlongo


ArtForHope-Kibou-BySirronNorris-Comp
Kibou © 2011 Sirron Norris


VIZManga-iPhone-ArtForHopeComp