Exclusive Simmons Comics Anthology Preview at LSCC 2013!

VANCOUVER (Jan 9, 2013) - Arcana Comics and Simmons Comics Group are proud to announce that Simmons Comics Anthology is crossing the pond!

In celebration of the launch of Simmons Comics Anthology Volume 1 (DIAMOND DEC12 0812 / ISBN 978-1-77135-066-2), Arcana Comics and Simmons Comics Group have created an extremely limited edition Preview Book ONLY available to attendants of London Super Comic Con Feb 23rd and 24th.

This limited edition preview will feature the first chapter of Gene Simmons' Zipper Vs Dominatrix: The Slave Trade, written by Erik Hendrix (The Evil Tree, Deadly Harvest, The Book), with art from Yannis Roumboulias (Deadly Harvest)

This preview will be strictly limited to 100 copies and available for £5. Be sure to find the Arcana Comics table at London Super Comic Con to get a copy of this book!

If you can't make it to the convention, don't worry, you can still read the amazing first chapter of Gene Simmons' Zipper Vs Dominatrix: The Slave Trade by picking up a copy of Simmons Comics Anthology Volume 1 when it is released in February! Pre-Order a copy now!

TITLE: Simmons Comics Anthology Vol. 1
CREATED BY: Gene Simmons
EDITED BY: Erik Hendrix
COVER BY: Yannis Roumboulias
ISBN: 978-1-77135-066-2
DIAMOND CODE: DEC12 0812
PRICE: $19.95
DESCRIPTION: Arcana Comics and Simmons Comics Group are proud to present this special anthology, featuring the first chapters of Zipper, Dominatrix, and Gene Simmons House of Horrors, as well as the first chapter of the first ever crossover between Zipper and Dominatrix, The Slave Trade.

ABOUT ARCANA STUDIOS

Arcana Studios, Inc. Arcana owns one of the world's largest libraries of graphic novels and comics, with over 200 original intellectual properties, 300 graphic novels, thousands of comic issues and an ever-growing character list. Arcana has begun to adapt this library into live action feature films, animated features and episodic television series. Taking a transmedia approach to brand building and the development of intellectual properties, Arcana publishes graphic novels for North America in print, and now digitally as well. Arcana has been published and distributed in dozens different countries and translated into just as many languages across the globe..

ABOUT GENE SIMMONS

Rock legend, TV star, multi-hyphenate entrepreneur, writer, lecturer, and guest of financial and news programs, Gene Simmons is one of the world’s most recognized personalities. With millions of fans on Twitter and Facebook and speaking five languages including, English, Hebrew, Hungarian, German, some Japanese and intending to learn Mandarin, Gene Simmons is the personification of today’s globally connected citizen and the ideal spokesperson for Ortsbo.

Simmons co-founded the legendary KISS over 38 years ago. The band has sold over 100 million CDs and DVDs worldwide, and continues to sell out stadiums and arenas around the world, breaking box-office records set by Elvis and the Beatles, and boasting over 3,000 licensed / merchandise items.

In addition to performing, Mr. Simmons has his own record company, Simmons / Universal Music, a joint venture between Universal Music and Belinda Stronach. He also discovered, signed, and produced the demo for Van Halen, and has managed the music career of Liza Minnelli, among others.

Outside of his music business endeavors, Mr. Simmons expanded his artistic explorations in the areas of TV and film. On A&E, Gene Simmons Family Jewels, which he and the family just wrapped up their eighth and final season, making it the longest running celebrity reality show of all time. He has also completed two seasons of his other show, Gene Simmons’ Rock School, for VH-1. In addition he created the show Mr. Romance for Oxygen, as well as his own cartoon, My Dad the Rock Star, for Nickelodeon’s NickToons.

As an actor, Simmons has co-starred in several motion pictures, among them Runaway (TriStar), Wanted: Dead or Alive (New World), and Extract (Miramax). He also served as co-producer of New Line Films’ Detroit Rock City.

Mr. Simmons is a Co-Founding Partner in CoolSpringsLife.com, a venture that provides estate planning for high net worth individuals exceeding $20 Million.

Other entrepreneurial accomplishments include his own book imprint, Simmons / Phoenix books, which published his NY Times Best Seller, S E X MONEY KISS, the LA Times Best Seller, LADIES OF THE NIGHT and the upcoming new book, GENE SIMMONS ART OF WAR and Mr. Simmons tours internationally on the lecture circuit.

TODD, THE UGLIEST KID ON EARTH PROVES POPULAR

Debut issue sells out, gets second printing

The first issue of the new Image Comics series TODD, THE UGLIEST KID ON EARTH, has sold out at the distributor level the same week as its release and will be reprinted. The second printing of TODD, THE UGLIEST KID ON EARTH #1 (DEC128159) will be in stores on February 20.

The four-issue miniseries by Ken Kristensen and MK Perker tells the story of a hapless, happy-go-lucky kid loathed by his deadbeat family and bullying classmates who finds himself in extraordinary circumstances. The second issue hits store shelves on February 13, and final orders from comic book retailers are due in on Monday, January 21.

TODD, THE UGLIEST KID ON EARTH #1 was released on January 16 and received much positive critical attention:

"Todd, the Ugliest Kid on Earth is a fantastic book like no other. This oddball story features slightly risqué humor with fantastic art. Perker and Kristensen have a lot to live up to with the remaining three issues. If it's anything like the first issue, we're in for a great ride."
    - Comic Book Therapy

"Kristensen and Perker are two endlessly talented individuals and Todd, The Ugliest Kid On Earth is the culmination of their shared vision. Give it a shot. You might be surprised."
    - Geeks of Doom

"Todd, the Ugliest Kid on Earth is a fantastic mini-series to sink your teeth in. Ken Kristensen definitely shows that his screenwriting chops translate well to the ink and color form, as in one issue we already have a good idea of what drives each and every character."
    - Watch Play Read

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.

For Immediate Release:

Ahoy there!

Bernard Krigstein did not spend his whole life slaving over a drafting table, but in the 11 years he drew comics he created stories and images that have never been forgotten. Dubbed the "cartoonist's cartoonist," Krigstein has influenced many of today's comics greats. Messages in a Bottle collects the best and brightest of Krigstein works. Edited by biographer Greg Sadowski, this book helps you relive the good ol' days when comics were packed full of colorful adventures, ghoulish ghosts, sleuthy gum-shoes, and woeful warriors.

---

Messages in a Bottle: Comic Book Stories by B. Krigstein
edited by Greg Sadowski

272-page full-color 8" x 10.5" softcover • $35.00
ISBN: 978-1-60699-580-8
In-store date: February 2013 (subject to change)

Working in comic books for just over a decade in the 1940s and '50s, Bernard Krigstein applied all the craft, intelligence, and ambition of a burgeoning "serious" artist, achieving results that remain stunning to this day. While his legend rests mostly on his landmark narratives created for EC Comics, dozens of stories for lesser publishers equally showcase his singular draftsmanship and radical reinterpretation of the comics page.

Harvey Award-winning Krigstein biographer Greg Sadowski has assembled the very best of the artist’s work, starting with his earliest creative rumblings, through his glory days at EC, to his final daring experiments for Stan Lee’s Atlas Comics — running through nearly every genre popular at the time, be it horror, science fiction, war, western, or romance.

This edition reprints the out-of-print 2004 hardcover B. Krigstein Comics, with a number of stories re-tooled and improved in terms of reproduction, and several new stories added. Legendary EC colorist Marie Severin, in her last major assignment before her retirement, recolored 20 stories for this edition. The remainder has been taken from printed comics, digitally restored with subtlety and restraint. Original art pages, photostats from Krigstein's personal archives, and an extensive set of historical and editorial notes by Sadowski round out this compelling volume.

"Bernard Krigstein drew comics for less than a decade 50 years ago but in that brief time created some of the most innovative stories the medium has ever seen... Krigstein's reputation is based mainly on his stories for the EC comics, but Sadowski shows that his other work is also extraordinary." – Booklist

"There is no artist in the history of comics that I hold in higher esteem than Bernard Krigstein. No other artist understood the inherent potential of the artform better and no other artist ever demonstrated such a grasp of what was needed in order to reach and exceed both his own limits and those of his chosen medium." – Alan David Doane, Trouble With Comics

ABOUT THE CARTOONIST: Bernard Krigstein (1919–1990) was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2005.

ABOUT THE EDITOR: Greg Sadowski is a writer, editor, and designer living in Washington State.

IMAGE COMICS ADDS RON RICHARDS AS DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

January 18, 2013 – Image Comics is excited to announce the hiring of Ron Richards as Director of Business Development. In this role, Richards will be focusing on sales and marketing strategies for the publishing line, ranging from print to digital products while also extending the Image Comics brand to wider audiences.

Richards is best known for co-founding iFanboy.com, one of the leading comic book websites, in 2001. For over 11 years, he has covered the comics industry with news, reviews, and podcasts. In addition to his time at iFanboy, Richards spent years in the technology industry, most recently at Graphicly, helping to pioneer and innovate eBook publishing and distribution. In 2012, he also co-organized MorrisonCon, the successful comic conference.

"The opportunity to work at Image Comics, the source of such talented people creating amazing comics, is truly an honor,” said Richards. "By melding together my knowledge of the comic book industry with years of business and technology experience, I hope to contribute and continue the tremendous success they've had and help propel Image to even greater heights.”

"I've worked with Ron for years in a variety of roles, and it's a real pleasure to finally be working with him here at Image,” said Eric Stephenson, publisher of Image Comics. "For everyone who was impressed by what Image accomplished over the last few years, I'm not exaggerating at all when I say you haven't seen anything yet. We're adding some much needed depth to our bullpen, and 2013 is going to be nothing short of amazing as a result.”

In the position of Director of Business Development, Richards will be working closely with publisher Eric Stephenson and PR and Marketing Director Jennifer de Guzman on strategies to broaden the awareness and availability of Image Comics releases via Diamond Distribution, retail stores, digital initiatives and other sales and marketing programs.

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

For Immediate Release:

Nijigahara Holograph
by Inio Asano; translated by Matt Thorn
February 2014

$26.99 Hardcover • 200 pages
Black-and-white • 7" x 9.25"
ISBN: 978-1-60699-583-9

Fantagraphics continues its line of acclaimed literary manga with new classic Nijigahara Holograph by Inio Asano. As society slowly spirals into darkness an unexplained explosion in the butterfly population is just the first of many curiosities in the town where rumors of a creature in a tunnel under the school spread like wildfire. A curse haunts the town as the story follows the scapegoat, Arié, who is plunged into the tunnel's horrors and offered up to the creature. Many other characters harbor secrets, grudges, suicidal thoughts, and the physical scars of battles lost. How are they all linked and can the citizens of the town live with what they've done as the years creep by? Asano's mysticism and slow terror take over the town in the span of a decade as told in two timelines.

NijigaharaHolograph is scheduled for release in February 2014 and Asano joins Shimura Takako (Wandering Son) and Moto Hagio (The Heart of Thomas, A Drunken Dream and Other Stories) in the Fantagraphics line of premium manga by the world's greatest cartoonists. Translated by Matt Thorn, this 200 page book of beautiful black and white comics will be printed in gorgeous hardcover edition and presented in original "right to left" manga style for an authentic reading experience. Inio Asano's previous translated works include Solanin and What a Wonderful World and he continues to create new work in Japan as one of the young voices of his generation.

STEVE MANNION ANNOUNCES FEARLESS DAWN KICKSTARTER PROJECT FOR NEW COMIC BOOK “JURASSIC JUNGLE BOOGIE NIGHTS”

Jan. 17, 2012 (Los Angeles) Steve Mannion's fighting mad bad girl FEARLESS DAWN is back and better than ever in this Dinosaurrific tale of Action and Adventure!

Steve Mannion's unique art and storytelling have been rocking the underground comic book industry for years. His talents have bled into the mainstream as well, on such titles as Batman: Black and White, The Bomb, Detective Comics, Fear Agent, Warlash and Captain America SOL just to name a few.

With the rise of the crowdfunding resource as a viable method of print and distribution, Steve figured... "What the heck. Let's give it a try."
Now the book is almost done. The Fearless Dawn "Jurassic Jungle Boogie Nights" Kickstarter sketch edition. 32 pages of FUN! Some of you may be familiar with Steve's Fearless Dawn character. You will be helping us draw, print, distribute, and explore this angle of crowd sourcing PLUS you get a really fun comic book out of it to boot.  Steve Mannion has been fortunate enough where he can regularly Ebay the pages and books, and afford to produce these underground treasures with some regularity. That will be our route if we fail to meet the funding goal. But we'd really like to see this go! So let's get on our retro-rockets and BLAST FORTH Comrades!

The Premise- It's World War Two and the Nazis are threatening  world domination. A new hero rises to fight the Axis...It's a New Dawn!... FEARLESS DAWN! With her trusty Retro-Rocket and Sidekick Betty, there's plenty of ACTION afoot. Enter the evil Helga Von Krause, Fearless Dawn's arch nemesis and the sparks really begin to fly! Helga's cooking up a plot to invade with an army of genetically-modified Dinosaur warriors that threaten to smash everything in the free world unless she is stopped! Can FEARLESS DAWN save the Day?!?
Drawn in an appealing retro style and loaded with fun, Fearless Dawn will surely entertain anyone who enjoys a great action adventure. Imagine Indiana Jones crossed with Mad Magazine and you'll get a pretty good idea of what we're delivering here.

Rewards include original art, Steve Mannion 2012 sketchbooks, Fearless dawn signed packs, original sketches and more.

KICKSTARTER LINK:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/stevenmannion/fearless-dawn-jurassic-jungle-boogie-nights-comic

Fearless Dawn Blog  http://fearlessdawn.blogspot.com/Steve Mannion Blog  http://stevemannioncomics.blogspot.com/


ABOUT ASYLUM PRESS:
Asylum Press is a publishing company that produces premium comic books and graphic novels within the horror, science fiction, and action genres. Asylum Press' books feature original, character-driven stories and cinematic artwork by top creators and newly discovered talent that will appeal to not only comic book fans, but also mainstream fiction readers who don't normally buy comics.  Asylum Press delivers high-concept books via a bold new business model that focuses on digital publishing and new distribution outlets in both the American and international markets.

Asylum Press is distributed by Diamond Comics Distributors, Liber Distributors and Tony Shenton and to the Booktrade by SCB Distributors, Ingram and Baker and Taylor.  Distributed in the U.K. by Turnaround Distribution.

 “A body count that rivals any of the Rambo films.”

- The Hollywood Reporter

 

IN THE VEIN OF ZERO DARK THIRTY AND BLACK HAWK DOWN DIANE KRUGER AND ACADEMY AWARD® NOMINEE

DJIMON HOUNSOU STAR IN A PULSE-POUNDING,

ACTION-PACKED THRILLER

SPECIAL FORCES

Street Date: February 19, 2013

SRP: $19.98 (DVD)/$24.98(BLU-RAY/DVD COMBO)

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

When war correspondent Elsa Casanova (Kruger) is taken hostage in Afghanistan by the Taliban warlord Ahmed, the French government dispatches an elite Special Forces unit  led by Kovax (Hounsou) with the mission to bring her home alive. But after liberating the captives, the commandos’ radio is destroyed in a firefight, and the group quickly finds themselves in a desperate fight for survival, as they try to outrun their pursuers through the treacherous mountains of the Hindu Kush.  Released theatrically in 2012, this lavish production is both a frenetic and explosive military thriller and an inspirational tale of ripped-from-the-headlines heroism.

CAST

·         Diane Kruger (Inglorious Basterds, Farewell, My Queen)

·         Academy Award® Nominee  Djimon Hounsou (Gladiator, Blood Diamond)      

BONUS FEATURES

·         “Making-of” Featurette (Blu-ray only)

·         Deleted Scenes

·         Real Life Special Forces

PROGRAM INFORMATION

Type: DVD/Bluray/DVD Combo

Catalog #:  (DVD) EOE-DV-7171/(Combo) EOE-DV-7395

Running Time: 100 mins.  

Rating: R

Genre:  Action/Adventure

Aspect Ratio: (BD) 1080p High Definition 1.78:1/(DVD )16 x 9 (2.35:1)

Audio: (BD) DTS-HD Master Audio/(DVD) 5.1 Dolby Digital

Language: English w/ SDH Subtitles, English/French with English Subtitles

STAR WARS SPANISH LANGUAGE EDITIONS LAND IN DARK HORSE DIGITAL!

HACE MUCHO TIEMPO, EN UNA GALAXIA MUY, MUY LEJANA…

January 16, MILWAUKIE, OR – ¿Te gusta la guerra de las galaxias? Beginning today, Dark Horse Digital is releasing three volumes of Spanish-language editions for some of the hottest comics in the Star Wars universe!

EL EMPERIO – Tracion:  In the weeks before the events in Star Wars: A New Hope, as the Death Star is readied for its fateful first mission, a power-hungry cabal of Grand Moffs and Imperial officers embarks on a dangerous plan to kill Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader and seize control of the Empire! Imperials, bounty hunters, and Jedi collide in Star Wars: Empire-Betrayal!

LE GUERRA DE LOS CLONES – Aventuras:  Inspired by the Cartoon Network's Clone Wars cartoons, the Clone Wars Adventures uses the television show as a jumping-off point to tell new stories of heroism and villainy in the same visual style.

LA GUERRA DE LOS CLONES – La Defensa de Kamino:  The Clone Wars have begun! Ever since they were mentioned in the very first Star Wars film, fans have been dying to know more. Attack of the Clones offered a glimpse, but "The Defense of Kamino" brings the galaxy-wide conflict into full view! New characters and new worlds are revealed as the Clone Wars spreads throughout the galaxy!

Dark Horse Digital is available through all modern web browsers and features cloud storage in both the Android (beta) and iOS apps. 

About Dark Horse Digital

Founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson, Dark Horse Comics has grown to become the third-largest comics publisher in the United States and is acclaimed internationally for the quality and diversity of its line. In 2011, the company that revolutionized the comic industry proudly presented its groundbreaking digital-publishing program, Dark Horse Digital.

Dark Horse Digital offers its most popular titles at an unprecedented value, while providing the highest-quality reading experience possible. Single-issue comics are priced as low as just $0.99, and there is also an extensive list of free introductory #1 issues. Additionally, DH Digital’s “bundles” group together story arcs spanning multiple issues into affordable packages, allowing readers to get all the issues that comprise a complete narrative, starting at just $3.99 and up. And through cloud-based technology, Digital Store purchases can be read and enjoyed on your laptop, desktop, mobile browser, and Dark Horse Bookshelf app, available now on iTunes.

To get started, simply log on to Digital.DarkHorse.com or download the app to create an account, and begin building your collection today.

 

MULTIVERSE STUDIO AND NATSUME PARTNER FOR ORIGINAL HARVEST MOON® DELUXE PLUSH SERIES

Following The Popularity Of The Adorable 15^th Anniversary Cow Plush, Toy Manufacturer and The Game Publisher Partner For Future Harvest Moon Plush

LOS ANGELES, Calif., (Jan 16, 2013) – Leading toy manufacturer Multiverse Studio Inc. today announced they have secured the exclusive North American rights to develop and produce official high-end, original Harvest Moon plush animals which uniquely capture the charm of the classic family oriented videogame series. The partnership started with the creation of the highly popular 15^th Anniversary Cow Plush which was released during the Holiday season in 2012 exclusively on Natsume’s online store. Future plush will be launched in 2013 featuring both original Harvest Moon characters, as well as characters from other Natsume original IP. 

Guang Yang, Chief Executive Officer at Multiverse Studio Inc., said, "The Harvest Moon series is a cornerstone franchise in the family oriented videogame market. The series' innovation and unique visual charm continues to be a successful formula for the long-standing videogame franchise. Multiverse Studio is proud to partner with Natsume to realize a future line of cute, high-end, original plush products for the Harvest Moon videogame series."

"We were so happy with the reaction to Multiverse Studios’ first project for us, the 15^th Anniversary Cow Plush," said Hiro Maekawa, President and CEO of Natsume. "We have complete faith in their ability to produce high-quality plush that truly captures the charm Harvest Moon."

Fans of the series can expect to see future Harvest Moon plush animals rolling out later this year.

###

About MULTIVERSE STUDIO Inc.

Founded as a design firm to provide product design services to the collectible toy industry, Multiverse Studio Inc. has since grown into an all-inclusive manufacturing and production service house providing a cross-industry platform bridging China to the world. Multiverse Studio is made up of a group of talented and enthusiastic professionals with expertise in prototyping and manufacturing everything from indistinguishable life-size prop and statue reproductions to limited number promotional specialty runs and full retail sized productions. For more information about Multiverse Studio Inc. and its products log-on to www.multiverse-studio.com.

About Harvest Moon

Harvest Moon is one of the first life-simulation games ever developed, helping to launch an entire genre of games where fighting and conflict was not the goal, but rather friendship and happiness. The series celebrated its 15th anniversary last year with the most recent entry, Harvest Moon: A New Beginning for 3DS. The series continues to grow, enjoying popularity among gamers both young and old.

About Natsume

Natsume Inc. is a worldwide developer and publisher that specializes in unique and family-oriented interactive entertainment software for a variety of platforms. Most known for publishing Reel Fishing and Harvest Moon, Natsume is dedicated to producing quality video games.  For more information about Natsume Inc., visit www.natsume.com

WWE® Superstar Randy Orton® To Attend Wizard World St. Louis Comic Con on Friday, March 22

Hometown St. Louis Hero Joins Top Celebrities Stan Lee, Dean Cain, Billy Dee Williams And James Marsters At Inaugural “Gateway To The West” Pop Culture Festival At America's Center

NEW YORK and ST. LOUIS, January 16, 2013 – It will be a homecoming for St. Louis native WWE® Superstar Randy Orton® when he attends 2013 Wizard World St. Louis Comic Con on Friday, March 22, at America's Center.  Orton will meet fans, sign autographs and pose for photo-ops in a two-hour appearance from 5:30-7:30p.m.

Orton, who earned the distinction of being the youngest World Heavyweight Champion in WWE history, saw his star rise when he won the World Heavyweight Championship at the unprecedented age of 24.  Today the WWE’s “Apex Predator” is known as one of the very best inside the ring and he is appreciated for his work by fans and peers alike.

The son of WWE Hall of Famer “Cowboy” Bob Orton, nephew of Barry “Barry O” Orton and grandson of “The Big O” Bob Orton, Randy comes from a distinctive bloodline.  He is one of the only third-generation Superstars in WWE history, and can be seen every week on Syfy’s most watched program, Friday Night SmackDown at 8/7c.

“I have great memories of growing up in St. Louis, so this will be a homecoming of sorts for me.  Fans there have supported me for as long as I can remember, and I can't wait to see them at my first Wizard show,”said Orton.

Wizard World CEO John Macaluso adds, “Randy is a decorated champion and one of the elite WWE Superstars of his generation. We are incredibly excited to bring Randy out to see his hometown fans.”

Orton joins popular Wizard World celebrity guests Stan Lee, Dean Cain, Billy Dee Williams, James Marsters and Ernie Hudson among the celebrity roster headliners at Wizard World St. Louis Comic Con.  They will be joined by a top-drawer collection of well-known artists and writers and a variety of activities, exhibitors and special attractions in the second event on Wizard World's expanded 2013 calendar.

Wizard World Comic Con events bring together thousands of fans of all ages to celebrate the best in pop-fi, pop culture, movies, graphic novels, comics, toys, video gaming, television, sci-fi, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more.  Wizard World St. Louis Comic Con show hours are Friday, March 22, 3-8 p.m.; Saturday, March 23, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.; and Sunday, March 24, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

For more on the 2013 Wizard World St. Louis Comic Con, visit http://www.wizardworld.com/home-stlouis.html.

About Wizard World:
Wizard World produces Comic Cons and pop culture conventions across North America that celebrate graphic novels, comic books, movies, TV shows, gaming, technology, toys and social networking. The events often feature celebrities from movies and TV, artists and writers, and events such as premieres, gaming tournaments, panels, and costume contests.

The full event schedule can be found at www.wizardworld.com.

THREE SELL-OUTS FOR GREAT PACIFIC

Third issue of Image Comics series gets 2nd printing

A continent of trash in the Pacific Ocean continues to capture the minds of comic book readers as the third issue of the Image Comics series GREAT PACIFIC has sold out and will be reprinted. The second printing of GREAT PACIFIC #3 (DEC128031) will be in stores on February 13.

The tale of a privileged young man who seeks to make a difference by forging a new nation on the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, written by Joe Harris and drawn by Martín Morazzo, GREAT PACIFIC has sold out of all three of its issues thus far. It also has had coveted Phantom Variant covers for all three of its issues and garnered praise from critics:

"This very unique and interesting premise is paired with spectacular pencils by artist Martin Morazzo who is meticulous when it comes to his attention to detail. This is a fantastic issue, but I do not recommend starting your GREAT PACIFIC adventure here, if you are interested. Definitely pick up issues one and two before you dive into this one, it will be worth it."

- Comic Vine

"I'm glad a series like this exists and it's definitely something that can only exist in the world of comics. The story and art is a perfect match for each other and if you're looking for something very different to read this week then this is it."

    - Comic Bastards

"I still can't enough of Martín Morazzo's illustrations, long and massive landscapes of plastic and garbage as far as the eye can see. You can almost hear the snap, crackle and pop under the protagonist's feet, as he steps on thousands of plastic water bottles joined together like a floor of modern art."

    - Comics the Gathering

GREAT PACIFIC wraps up its first story arc with issue #4 on February 6. The start of a new story arc for the now-ongoing series, GREAT PACIFIC #5, will be in stores on March 6.

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.

NEW PEOPLE TRAVEL WEB MAGAZINE KICKS OFF 2013 WITH INSIGHTFUL INTERVIEW WITH FAMED FILM AND ANIME DIRECTOR KATSUHITO ISHII

Online Travelogue Magazine Features New Interview With Director Of Redline, The Taste Of Tea, Funky Forest And Smuggler

San Francisco, CA, January 15, 2013 – NEW PEOPLE, Inc, the San Francisco-based entertainment company bringing the latest examples of Japanese popular culture to North American shores, opens 2013 with a brand new update to its NEW PEOPLE Travel web magazine, a free online travelogue that introduces colorful new sides of Japan depicted through the eyes of an eclectic collection of artists and creative visionaries that are recognized around the world.

The latest NEW PEOPLE Travel issue features an exclusive interview with Katsuhito Ishii, the famed creator of the anime racing film, Redline, the live-action movies, The Taste Of Tea and Funky Forest (both available from NEW PEOPLE Entertainment), and the anime portion of Kill Bill. His article is posted now for readers at www.newpeople.jp/travel/eng/ishii.html.

Katsuhito Ishii thrilled North American filmgoers with his first feature film, Shark Skin Man and Peach Hip Girl, which inspired Quentin Terantino to appoint Ishii to direct a vivid anime short depicting the brutal past of assassin O-Ren for his 2003 action film, Kill Bill. As a film director, Ishii delivered surrealistic off-beat tales in The Taste of Tea (2004) and Funky Forest (2005) and later went on to create a cruel yet beautiful hell-like world in the 2011 film, Smuggler.

For the 2010 anime feature, Redline, he teamed up with anime director Takeshi Koike at Mad House studios and broke the boundaries of speed with an imaginative galactic car racing adventure.

“Katsuhito Ishii talks about his life and career and offers rare insights into his creative process in his interview and we are honored to feature this acclaimed director as the latest J-Pop culture luminary on the NEW PEOPLE Travel web site,” says Seiji Horibuchi, the founder of NEW PEOPLE, Inc. “We invite readers to visit this unique free web magazine and take a closer look at the source of Ishii’s fury and creative passion.”

Katsuhito Ishii was born on December 31^st, 1966 in Niigata prefecture. After graduating from Musashino Art University in 1992, he began his career as a commercial director at Tohokushinsha Film Corporation. He debuted as a film director in 1995 with a short film called The Promise of August and continued to release renowned films such as Shark Skin Man and Peach Hip Girl (1999), Party 7 (2000), The Taste of Tea (2004), My Darling of the Mountains (2008), and Smuggler (2011). In 2003, he took on the animation production for Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill. His latest film, Hello! Junichi, was made in 2012 in collaboration with children and young directors who are past attendees from creative workshops he has held.

The NEW PEOPLE Travel article archive features past stories by an array of intriguing Japanese artists and notable filmmakers including Mamoru Oshii (Ghost in the Shell, Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, Sky Crawlers), Dice Tsutsumi (Art Director at Pixar, Toy Story 3), and Yoshitaka Amano (Artist, Final Fantasy, Gatchaman, Vampire Hunter D) among others.

NEW PEOPLE Travel is available at: www.newpeople.jp (select ENGLISH from the menu bar), or at: www.newpeople.jp/travel/eng/index.html. The site is updated every Monday. NEW PEOPLE Travel welcomes reader’s requests regarding future stories to be featured on the site. Send requests to info@newpeopleworld.com.

About NEW PEOPLE, Inc.
Based in San Francisco, California, NEW PEOPLE, Inc. (www.newpeopleworld.com) offers the latest films, art, fashion and retail brands from Japan through its unique entertainment destination as well as through licensing and distribution of selective Japanese films as well as various forms of entertainment. NEW PEOPLE Entertainment (www.newpeopleent.com), a film division of NEW PEOPLE, Inc. strives to offer the most entertaining motion pictures straight from the "Kingdom of Pop" for audiences of all ages, especially the manga and anime generation, in North America. Some titles include DEATH NOTE, GANTZ, KAMIKAZE GIRLS, and THE TASTE OF TEA.

Laurie Holden and Danai Gurira Joins Phoenix Comicon 2013

Phoenix Comicon is proud to announce Laurie Holden and Danai Gurira, from the cast of the hit TV show The Walking Dead will be attending Comicon 2013.

“The Walking Dead has become a cultural phenomenon.  Having Laurie Holden and Danai Gurira at Phoenix Comicon this year is very exciting.” Says Marketing Director Jullian Squires

Laurie Holden is an American-Canadian actress and portrays Andre on The Walking Dead. For her work on the show, Holden was nominated for a Saturn Award in 2011. Outside of The Walking Dead, she is known for numerous rolls in TV shows such as, The X-Files, The Shield, The Magnificent Seven, and movies Silent Hill and The Fantastic Four.

Danai Gurira  is an actress and an award winning playwright. She joined The Walking Dead as a regular for season three, playing the katana wielding Michonne.   She has also appeared in TV shows Law and Order, Life on Mars, Lie to Me, Law and Order CI and has a recurring role on HBO’s Treme.

We have many more guest announcements over the coming weeks. To get up to date information as it is released you can follow us at https://www.facebook.com/phoenixcomicon

Phoenix Comicon is the signature pop culture experience of the southwest. Comicon is presenting guests and programming for hobbyists by attracting the top segments of the comics, anime, sci-fi, film, tv, and gaming industries. Entering its eleventh year, Phoenix Comicon is expected to draw over 40,000 attendees to its May 23-26, 2013 convention held at the Phoenix Convention Center and Hyatt Regency in Downtown Phoenix.

For more information, please go to http://www.phoenixcomicon.com.