Friday, February 15, 2013

SCIENCE CHANNEL AIRING WORLD PREMIERE SPECIAL

RUSSIAN METEOR EXPLOSION

TOMORROW - SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16 at 8PM ET/PT

Science Channel is offering an exclusive and unprecedented look at the amazing celestial event which took place TODAY.

The world premiere of the special RUSSIAN METEOR EXPLOSION debuts tomorrow, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16 at 8PM ET/PT on Science Channel.

Earlier today, a meteor weighing nearly 11 tons streaked across the sky and broke up Friday morning over the Russian mountain city of Chelyabinsk, 900 miles from the center of Moscow with the power equal to that of an atomic bomb.  Sonic blasts and tremendous shock waves smashed windows, collapsed roofs and injured nearly 1000 people.  The intense flash of light and intensity was recorded by bystanders in nations hundreds of miles away.   Meanwhile, a 13-story-size asteroid will pass within 17,100 miles of Earth this weekend before heading off into space. 

Are the two related?  Is there more to come?  How do we prepare?   Join Science Channel as we dare to ask these tough questions and more with our group of scientists, physicists, astronomers and expert minds from around the globe as we take a deeper dive into this other worldly phenomenon and what is next on the horizon for our planet’s future.

RUSSIAN METEOR EXPLOSION
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16 at 8PM ET/PT
ONLY ON SCIENCE CHANNEL

DON’T MISS THE CROWNING EPISODE OF
“MY LITTLE PONY FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC”
 
SPECIAL ON-AIR INTERSTITIAL PROGRAMMING HOSTED
BY MISS AMERICA MALLORY HAGAN
THIS SATURDAY AT 10:30AM ET,
 ONLY ON THE HUB!
 
     
 
Preview the promo of the “My Little Pony Friendship is Magic” season finale: http://youtu.be/UaiowYoqwvc
 

ALSO TUNE-IN FOR AN ALL-NEW EPISODE OF
“LITTLEST PET SHOP,” SATURDAY AT 11:30AM ET

Saturday, February 16th, 10:30 am ET“My Little Pony Friendship is Magic”
“Magical Mystery Cure” – Special on-air host Miss America 2013 Mallory Hagan presents the coronation musical episode where Twilight Sparkle accidentally casts a spell that switches the Cutie Marks and destinies of all her friends. The only way she can reverse the spell is by writing her own magic. Little does she know that she will fulfill her destiny and emerge a princess.
 
Saturday, February 16th, 6:00 am – 10:30 am ET“My Little Pony Friendship is Magic” Princess Coronation Marathon
Marathon – Catch a marathon of “My Little Pony Friendship is Magic” before the much anticipated coronation episode showcasing Twilight Sparkle’s journey to her crowning moment!
 
Saturday, February 16th, 11:30 am ET“Littlest Pet Shop”
“Sweet (Truck) Ride”: The pets accidentally send Aunt Christie's new catering truck careening down the street. Blythe jumps in to stop the truck and rescue everyone, but she is later blamed for the incident. To get her off the hook, the pets decide to film a reenactment. 

For more information about The Hub and to find the channel in your area, visit www.hubworld.com and check the channel locator at the top of the page.
 
The Hub, a television destination for kids and their families, is a joint venture of Discovery Communications and Hasbro, Inc.  You can visit The Hub on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/hubtvnetwork.
February 13, 2013


FRANK BEDDOR AND NATHAN FILLION TEAM FOR CHARITY BOOK GIVEAWAY
Representatives for author Frank Beddor announced today that he will be partnering with actor Nathan Fillion's charity Kids Need to Read for a new inititiave. For every book sold by author Beddor at the upcoming Emerald City Comicon (March 1 - 3),
or ordered through his new Kickstarter campaign (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/149372651/hatter-m-zen-of-wonder), he will be donating one to the charity's book drive.
"We're happy to participate in this great charity," said Jim Demonakos, Convention Director of Emerald City Comicon. "We do numerous charitable events aimed at children at ECCC and this fits squarely in to our goals in their further education."

"We are so pleased to have Frank contribute in this way," said Denise Gary, Executive Director for Kids Need to Read. "His books are extremely imaginative and so well-received by the children we serve. This book drive is a terrific gift to Kids Need to Read!"
"This was a no-brainer," said Beddor author of the New York Times Best Selling young adult series the Looking Glass Wars. "Getting books into the hands of kids is something every author needs to take part in. And Kids Need to Read is one of the best ways to do that." Nathan Fillion, the charity's founder, and star of ABC hit series "Castle", expressed excitement about Beddor's involvement, but no surprise.

"Yes, I am excited. But, you're right, I wasn't surprised," said the actor. "I've known Frank for several years now. And he's a great guy. And a great supporter of our organization."
 
Beddor first learned of the charity through its co-founder the young adult novelist P.J. Haarsma. The two were partnering on the web game The Rings of Orbis (www.ringsoforbis.com), based on Haarsma's young adult series The Softwire, when Haarsma explained the organization to Beddor.
 
"It seemed so simple, so logical. I was surprised no one had done it before," said Beddor. "And I immediately told P.J. I'd do anything I could to help."
"Frank has been a vocal advocate of Kids Need to Read since he first learned of it," said Haarsma, echoing Beddor's claims. "But I'm hugely excited that he's made us a part of his upcoming Con appearance, book release, and Kickstarter campaign. We considered this both a big help and a great honor."
Kids Need to Read has a simple mission. They provide books to underfunded schools, libraries and literacy programs with a special emphasis on those organizations serving disadvantaged children. They achieve these aims through auctions, events, and donations from publishers, authors, private individuals and other organizations.

According to the organization's website, to date they "have provided over 42,000 books to 153 schools, libraries, and literacy programs in 41 states, as well as Washington, DC and Puerto Rico". And they've "also facilitated the donation of three thousand books to the Friends of the New Orleans Public Library".

Kids Need to Read was founded in 2008. It is a nonprofit organization. It achieved 501 (3) (c) status on May 22, 2008. Donations to the organization are tax deductible under section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code. They are also classified as a 509(a)(2) public charity. The foundation's Employer Identification Number is 26-2755631.

Frank Beddor's route to best sellerdom has been circuitous. But circuitous routes are nothing new to this former World Champion freestyle skier. A sport from which he retired in 1983 to pursue a career in show business. First as a stunt man, then an actor and finally a producer. He is probably best known for producing the hit Cameron Diaz and Ben Stiller vehicle There's Something About Mary.
This success gave Beddor the chance to indulge his passion for writing. He spent several years writing the Looking Glass Wars trilogy, a unique take on Alice in Wonderland. It became a hit in both the UK and US, spending 21 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller List. It has also inspired the Eisner nominated graphic novel series Hatter M based on the series' bladewielding analog for the Mad Hatter.
 
There have been three Hatter M original graphic novels published to date: Far from Wonder, Mad with Wonder, and Nature of Wonder.
A fourth volume Zen of Wonder will be released this May with a fifth and final volume Love of Wonder due out next year. These volumes end the current Hatter storyline.
The publication of the fourth volume will be aided in part by a Kickstarter. The popular online site which facilitates crowd sourced funding for a variety of products and projects.
But Beddor hasn't given up on his career as a film producer. He's currently in preproduction on THE JULIET for Sony Pictures and New Regency. A near future science fiction tale based on the classic story "Fondly Fahrenheit" by Alfred Bester. Rupert Sanders (SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN) has signed on to direct. And Brian Koppelman and David Levien (OCEAN'S THIRTEEN) have been hired to rewrite the previous script penned by Henry Bean. Beddor will be partnering on the project with producers Chuck Roven and Alex Gartner of Atlas Entertainment.
Ashley Wood Infiltrates the Fine Art World with MACHINE WITCHES!
 
San Diego, CA (Februrary 15, 2013) – Having taken the comic book and toy industries by storm, it was only a matter of time until acclaimed artist, designer, and enfant terrible Ashley Wood* snuck his talents into the hallowed walls of one of the world’s foremost fine art galleries.

This past fall, the lauded Jonathan LeVine Gallery in New York City hosted Ash’s first fine art show: Machine Sabbath. This May, IDW Publishing is proud to present MACHINE WITCHES, a brand-new retrospective of that very same sold-out show.



The oversized hardcover MACHINE WITCHES book documents the slew of gorgeously expressive paintings, drawings, photographs, and sculptures exhibited during the show, but also comes loaded with unseen paintings, sketches, and a brand-new interview with Ash.

“Ashley Wood has gone legit! I never thought I’d see the day…” said Chris Ryall, IDW’s Chief Creative Officer and Editor-in-Chief. “…but I’m glad I did. It’s about time the fine art world recognized what we’ve all known for years, and now it’s nice to be able to show everyone what Ash has wrought outside of that stuffy gallery setting.”

This May, you might believe your eyes, but you’ll probably still be a little suspicious.

*Ashley Wood had nothing to do with this description.

MACHINE WITCHES (HC, FC, $14.99, 48 pages, 12” x 12”). In stores 5/29/13
ISBN: 978-1-61377-696-4
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About IDW

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.
IDW’s critically- and fan-acclaimed series are continually moving into new mediums. Currently, Warner Brothers and Barry Sonnenfeld are attached to adapt LORE into a feature film starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Jerry Bruckheimer Films and Disney are creating a feature film based on World War Robot, with Michael Bay‘s Platinum Dunes and Sony bringing Zombies vs. Robots to film.
A New Journey to KILL SHAKESPEARE Begins!
The acclaimed Shakespearean mash-up returns as 5-issue mini-series this month and the stage version makes its first multi-week run with Chicago’s Strawdog Theatre in March!

San Diego, CA (February 15, 2013) – Spurred by the demand of fans from the worlds of comics, theatre and academia, IDW Publishing is proud to announce the return of the acclaimed comic series Kill Shakespeare with the release of KILL SHAKESPEARE: THE TIDE OF BLOOD #1. The new five-issue run, with the original creative team of co-writers Conor McCreery and Anthony Del Col and artist Andy Belanger returning, debuts on February 20th, 2013 in comic book stores across the United States, Canada, and overseas.

Called “gripping, violent and dark fun,” by The New York Times, the original 12-issue series was nominated for a Harvey Award for Best New Series and Joe Shuster Awards for Best Comic Writing. In the new adventure Shakespeare’s greatest heroes (Hamlet, Juliet, Romeo, Othello, Miranda) embark on a journey to a forbidden island to save the world from the deranged “master of books”, Prospero. The island is filled with cannibals, magic and madness – as well as ghosts from the pasts of many characters.

“It’s a dream come true to continue to tell stories in the Kill Shakespeare universe,” said McCreery. “We have such a vast and deep sandbox of characters to play with from Shakespeare and our fans constantly let us know which ones they want to see next. The entire fan response has been overwhelming.”

The series has built a strong following not only in the comic book community but also academia (where numerous scholars have analyzed the creators’ take on Shakespeare) and the theatre world. Shortly after the release of THE TIDE OF BLOOD #1, Chicago’s Strawdog Theatre will be mounting the first multi-week run of Kill Shakespeare: The Live Graphic Novel from March 4-24th, 2013. The show, which combines images from the comic series with live acting, music and sound effects, was produced by a number of theatre companies in 2012 and named the top theatrical experience of the year in Halifax by The Coast.

"I had an awesome time working on the first two volumes of Kill Shakespeare," said series editor Tom Waltz. "Tickling both my literary and action-adventure fancies, Conor, Anthony, and Andy have most definitely given me one of the most satisfying and unique experiences I've had as an editor at IDW Publishing. And, just as the first go-round proved it's hard to kill Shakespeare, well, it's hard to kill a fantastic story concept, too, and I truly believe the best is yet to come from the Kill Shakespeare crew!"
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About IDW

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.
IDW’s critically- and fan-acclaimed series are continually moving into new mediums. Currently, Warner Brothers and Barry Sonnenfeld are attached to adapt LORE into a feature film starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Jerry Bruckheimer Films and Disney are creating a feature film based on World War Robot, with Michael Bay‘s Platinum Dunes and Sony bringing Zombies vs. Robots to film.
BEST OF EC COMICS ARTIST'S EDITION Coming in June From IDW!
Oversized collection features classic stories and stunning works
San Diego, CA (February 15, 2013) – IDW Publishing is proud to announce an Artist's Edition like no other—The Best of EC COMICS Artist's Edition, Volume One. This massive book will measure 15" x 22", the same size as both the Wally Wood and MAD Artist's Editions, and will contain stellar works by Al Williamson, Harvey Kurtzman, Bernie Krigstein, Johnny Craig, and others. Additionally, there will be an art gallery of classic covers—including the peerless Weird Science-Fantasy #29 by Frank Frazetta.

"It's no secret that I am a serious EC lover," says Artist's Editions editor Scott Dunbier. "I can honestly say that this volume will feature some of the most beloved and remembered EC stories of all time!”



EC Comics was arguably the greatest publishing entity in the history of comic books. For a five-year stretch in the early 1950s they set the bar higher than ever before, and with a level of consistency unmatched. In the early 1980s the original art for all EC stories was auctioned off and most of these have been buried in collections since that time, rarely being seen by anyone except the original art’s owners.

“Tracking down these treasures is a major undertaking since the stories are widely scattered among multiple collectors, but fortunately we have been able to unearth some of the truly best stories to come out of EC,” says Dunbier.  “The book will present readers with a veritable cornucopia of outstanding examples of true classics.”

What is an Artist’s Edition? Artist’s Editions are printed the same size as the original art. While appearing to be in black & white, each page has been scanned in COLOR to mimic as closely as possible the experience of viewing the actual original art—for example, you are able to clearly see paste-overs, blue pencils in the art, editorial notes, art corrections. Each page is printed the same size as drawn, and the paper selected is as close as possible to the original art board.

Previous Artist’s Editions include DAVE STEVENS’ THE ROCKETEER: ARTIST’S EDITION and WALTER SIMONSON’S THE MIGHTY THOR: ARTIST’S EDITION, JOHN ROMITA’S THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN: ARTIST’S EDITION, WALLY WOOD’S EC STORIES: THE ARTIST’S EDITION, SERGIO ARAGONES’ GROO THE WANDERER: ARTIST’S EDITION, AND DAVID MAZZUCCHELLI’S DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN ARTIST’S EDITION.

The ROCKETEER ARTIST’S EDITION won two Eisner Awards in 2011, for Best Archival Project and Best Design and THE MIGHTY THOR: ARTIST’S EDITION won the 2012 Eisner Award for Best Archival Project.

THE BEST OF EC COMICS ARTIST’S EDITION, VOLUME 1 (HC, B&W, 160 pgs., $95). In stores 6/19/13.
ISBN: 978-1-61377-650-6
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About IDW

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.
IDW’s critically- and fan-acclaimed series are continually moving into new mediums. Currently, Warner Brothers and Barry Sonnenfeld are attached to adapt LORE into a feature film starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Jerry Bruckheimer Films and Disney are creating a feature film based on World War Robot, with Michael Bay‘s Platinum Dunes and Sony bringing Zombies vs. Robots to film.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

VIZ MEDIA PREPARES NORTH AMERICAN FANS FOR HOT NEW MANGA RELEASES FROM SHOJO BEAT AND SHONEN SUNDAY IMPRINTS

New Acquisitions Set To Debut Beginning This Summer Include MIDNIGHT SECRETARY and MAGI

San Francisco, CA, February 14, 2013 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, has just announced details on several new forthcoming manga series acquisitions scheduled to launch beginning this summer and continuing into the fall.

Four of the brand new manga titles that will be published under VIZ Media’s Shojo Beat imprint are HAPPY MARRIAGE?! by creator Maki Enjoji, MIDNIGHT SECRETARY by creator/artist Tomu Ohmi, SWEET REIN from creator Sakura Tsukuba, and VOICE OVER!: SEIYUU ACADEMY by creator/artist Maki Minami. Under the Shonen Sunday imprint, VIZ will publish the popular new series MAGI, by creator Shinobu Ohtaka.

“Summer and fall are shaping up to be exciting seasons for manga fans as we preview several notable acquisitions for our Shojo Beat and Shonen Sunday imprints,” says Leyla Aker, VIZ Media Vice President of Editorial. “From the odd-couple romances of HAPPY MARRIAGE?! and MIDNIGHT SECRETARY, to the anime industry-inspired comedy of VOICE OVER!: SEIYUU ACADEMY, and the supernatural drama of SWEET REIN, there will be a variety of intriguing new stories in store for our readers. And if exotic adventure is more your speed, you definitely won’t want to miss the North American debut of MAGI, the manga series that’s the basis for the popular anime.”


New Shojo Beat Manga Acquisitions:

HAPPY MARRIAGE?! · Rated “M” for Mature ·
MSRP: $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN · Available August 6, 2013 
In order to help her father, Chiwa Takanashi agrees to an arranged marriage with the company president Hokuto Mamiya – a man she doesn’t know – at the request of Hokuto’s grandfather. Chiwa believes the arrangement isn’t binding, but her new partner seems to think otherwise. Can two strangers living together find their way to a happy marriage?!

MIDNIGHT SECRETARY · Rated “M” for Mature ·
MSRP: $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN · Available September 3, 2013 
Kaya Satozuka is a brilliant secretary who excels at her job, which is why she doesn’t bat an eye when she’s assigned to be personal secretary to Kyohei Touma, the very difficult managing director of Touma Foods. It doesn’t faze her when her new boss seems determined to make her fail, and she even manages to take it in stride when she discovers the secret behind his prickly behavior…he’s a vampire! But while Kaya easily adapts to late nights and keeping a schedule of his “dinner dates,” will her ultra-competence help when Kyohei’s smoldering gaze starts turning her way?!

VOICE OVER!: SeiYUU ACADEMY · Rated “T” for Teens ·
MSRP: $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN · Available October 1, 2013 
Hime Kino’s dream is to one day perform voice acting like her hero, Sakura Aoyama, from the Lovely Blazer anime. So getting accepted to the prestigious Hiragi Academy’s voice actor department is the first step in the right direction! But on her first day of class she meets Sakura’s grouchy son, Senri, who tells Hime that her voice is awful and Lovely Blazers is stupid. Hime will not let that stand unchallenged. She’ll show everyone that she IS a voice-acting princess, whether they like it or not!!

SWEET REIN · Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens ·
MSRP: $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN · Available November 5, 2013 
Sad at the thought of spending Christmas alone, Kurumi goes out for a walk. While she’s crossing the street, a boy bumps into her and a rein suddenly appears that binds them together. The overjoyed boy tells her she’s his master, and that she’s a Santa Claus. Kurumi dismisses him as a crazy person, but then he transforms into a reindeer?!


New Shonen Sunday Manga Acquisition:

MAGI · Rated ‘T’ for Teens · MSRP: $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN ·
Available August 13, 2013 
Deep within the deserts lie the mysterious Dungeons, vast stores of riches open for the taking by anyone lucky enough to find them and brave enough to venture into the depths from where few have ever returned. Plucky young adventurer Aladdin means to find the Dungeons and their riches, but Aladdin may be just as mysterious as the treasures he seeks. Together with the genie Hugo and his friend, Ali Baba, Aladdin sets out to find his fortune in the depths of the endless dunes…


More information on Shojo Beat manga titles is available at: ShojoBeat.com.

Additional information on Shonen Sunday manga titles is available at: ShonenSunday.com.

For information on other manga titles from VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.


About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan.  Owned by three of Japan's largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. With its popular digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and INUYASHA, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages.  VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products.  Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.

THIS MAY, DREAMS HAVE MEANING

THE DREAM MERCHANT from Image Comics and Nathan Edmondson


From Nathan Edmondson (DANCER, THE ACTIVITY) and newcomer Konstantin Novosadov comes THE DREAM MERCHANT, a sci-fi series from Image Comics, about Winslow, a troubled mental patient in his late teens. Winslow suffers from a recurring dream that grows more intense every night — and when he discovers its true meaning, the world will literally change.

A friend's comment led Edmondson to contemplate the idea behind THE DREAM MERCHANT. "I started thinking about dreams as something one could exchange, and trade," he said, in a mini-interview at the Image Comics blog, "which eventually yielded the idea behind Winslow's dream."

The task of depicting Winslow's dreamscapes, as well as the dreariness of his ordinary life, is in the hands of talented Russian artist Novsadov. His impressionistic, color-washed style is a perfect complement to Edmondson's story of the mysteries of dream life and fantasy.

Volume I of THE DREAM MERCHANT is a six-issue, full-color miniseries. The first issue (MAR130450) will be in stores May 15 and will be available for pre-order in the March issue of Previews. Readers who want a sneak peek in advance are invited to submit their dreams to a special Tumblr site, dreamshavemeaning.tumblr.com.
VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES NORTH AMERICAN DVD AND BLU-RAY RELEASE OF TIGER & BUNNY SET 1

Catch Japan’s First Corporate Superheroes In An Action-Packed Anime Series That Explores A Most Unlikely Friendship Between
A Washed-Up Veteran And A Rookie With An Attitude

San Francisco, CA, February 13, 2013 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, gives fans a rollicking dose of anime action with the DVD and Blu-ray release on February 19th of TIGER & BUNNY Set 1. The 2-disc set, which contains Episodes 1-13 of the 26-episode action/sci-fi series, is rated TV-14, and will carry a DVD MSRP of $44.82 U.S. / $43.24 CAN, and a Blu-ray MSRP of $54.97 U.S. / $66.15 CAN.

To celebrate the new release, for a limited time only starting February 12th, VIZ Media also invites North American fans to catch free virtual screening of TIGER & BUNNY Episode 1 (English dubbed) hosted by VIZ Media DVD/Blu-ray producer Reginald Rhodes. At the end of the screening, viewers will have the opportunity to enter to win TIGER & BUNNY Set 1 (Blu-ray edition) or a 16GB iPad Mini. The contest runs until March 5th; please visit the TIGER & BUNNY official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/TigerAndBunny or YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/vizmedia, for the special screening and contest instructions.

“TIGER & BUNNY enjoys a substantial and fast-growing U.S. and international fan following, and we’re extremely excited to bring the series to the attention of even more viewers with these new DVD and Blu-ray releases,” says Brian Ige, Vice President, Animation. “TIGER & BUNNY puts a new spin on the classic superhero narrative while incorporating lots of action, comedy, and drama into a unique story about a most unlikely friendship. Don’t miss this thrilling story of two polar opposites working to fight evil!”

TIGER & BUNNY DVD Set 1 offers English (dubbed) and Japanese (English subtitled) 2.0 stereo audio options as well as bonus features including production art and the original Japanese trailer. The Blu-ray edition features 1080p High Definition video, English and Japanese DTS-HD Audio as well as English subtitles, a special Making of TIGER & BUNNY segment, logo and production art, and the original Japanese trailer for the series.

TIGER & BUNNY was produced by the famed Japanese anime company, Sunrise, and was directed by Keiichi Sato (director of KARAS), with original character designs by Masakazu Katsura, the creator of the manga series, I”S and VIDEO GIRL AI, and ZETMAN. Stern Bild City is a thriving metropolis where superheroes called “NEXTs” protect the streets, sponsors pull the strings, and a hugely popular show called Hero TV captures all of it. Veteran hero Kotetsu T. Kaburagi (AKA Wild Tiger) and hotheaded new rookie Barnaby Brooks, Jr. (nicknamed Bunny by Kotetsu) are forced to team up not only to protect Stern Bild City, but to earn as many points on Hero TV as possible. Joined by a diverse cast of heroes, each with different powers and answering to their own corporate sponsors, Tiger and Bunny must find a way to work together, uncover the secret of the “Ouroboros,” and earn enough points to become this year’s “King of Heroes.”

To view the official trailer and to follow TIGER & BUNNY on the official Facebook page, please visit http://www.facebook.com/TigerAndBunny.

About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan.  Owned by three of Japan's largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. With its popular digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and INUYASHA, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages.  VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products.  Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.
British Invasion 2 Comes to Baltimore!
Bolland! Buckingham! Cheung! Gibbons! Kitson! Langridge!

Judge-Dredd-The-Complete-Brian-BollandBALTIMORE, MARYLAND - February 14, 2013 - The Baltimore Comic-Con is proud to announce that the British Invasion will be returning to Charm City for the second year in a row! Thus far, we can confirm that Brian Bolland, Jimmy Cheung, and Roger Langridge will all be joining previous announced British Invasion guests Mark Buckingham, Dave Gibbons, and Barry Kitson for this year's show. The show will be held on September 7-8, 2013 at the Baltimore Convention Center.

Brian Bolland, who is best-known for his meticulously detailed line work, is one of the artists who helped define the look and feel of Judge Dredd for the British anthology series 2000 AD, and spearheaded what has become known as the "British Invasion" of the American comic industry in the early-'80s. Bolland won three Harvey Awards in 1989 for Best Artist, Best Graphic Album, and Best Single Issue for The Killing Joke. His most recent work includes covers for DC Comics' Dial H.
  
Jimmy Cheung began his career in the mid-1990s at Marvel Comics, working on titles such as X- Force, Force Works, and Spider-Man Unlimited. Cheung AvX0In 2000, he left Marvel to join the team at CrossGen Comics, heading up the art duties on one of their flagship titles, Scion. In 2005, Cheung returned to Marvel where he worked on Secret Warriors, Young Avengers, and Wolverine. Most recently, he illustrated the covers to Marvel's big Avenger/X-Men event, Avengers vs. X-Men and Spider-Men.

Roger Langridge is a New Zealand-born cartoonist who makes his home across the pond in Britain. He got his start in comic working in the early-'90s with his Fantagraphics titles, Art d'Ecco and Zoot!,  but has become known for his work on the British anthology series The Langridge PopeyeStraightjacket Fits for Judge Dredd Megazine. Throughout the last ten years, Langridge has worked on several titles for both DC and Marvel, including Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight; Bizzaro World; Marvel Monsters: Fin Fang Four; and Thor: The Mighty Avenger. Most recently, he has written a drawn several Muppets books for Boom! Studios and is currently writing the Popeye mini-series for IDW.

"We are delighted to have these talented creators joining us again from across the pond," said Marc Nathan, show promoter of the Baltimore Comic-Con. "Their contribution to the world of comics extends farther than that of American comics, and with Brian, Jimmy, and Roger joining Mark, Dave, and Barry, this year's British Invasion is already shaping up to be one of the best - and it's only February!"

In addition to Bolland, Cheung, and Langridge,
other confirmed guests for the show include: Mark Buckingham (Fables); Frank Cho (Savage Wolverine); J.M. DeMatteis (Phantom Stranger); Dave Gibbons (The Secret Service); Keith Giffen (Masters of the Universe); Adam Hughes (Before Watchmen: Dr. Manhattan); Barry Kitson (Empire); Paul Levitz (World's Finest); Kevin Maguire (World's Finest); Mike Mignola (Hellboy In Hell); George Perez (World's Finest); David Petersen (Mouse Guard); Joe Prado (Earth 2); Ivan Reis (Aquaman); Chris Samnee (Daredevil); Louise Simonson (X-Factor); Walt Simonson (The Mighty Thor); Allison Sohn (sketch card artist); and Mark Waid (Indestructible Hulk).

In the 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 on our website, Twitter, and Facebook pages.

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 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 14th year of bringing the comic book industry to the Baltimore and Washington D.C. area. 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 9 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.