Dave Dorman Art Premieres in L.A. Visions of Oz Art Show:

Dorman Celebrates Wizard of Oz with His Painting “Dorothy Daydreams”

LOS ANGELES, CA—March 1, 2013— Dave Dorman’s “Dorothy Daydreams” original painting will be included in the upcoming Creature Features Visions of Oz gallery art show being held at the Heritage Square Museum in Los Angeles, California from March 3 – 31. Dorman’s painting, rendered traditionally in oil and acrylic mediums, is a visual homage to the L. Frank Baum literary classic Oz books.
Said Dorman, “It was an honor to be invited to participate in this tribute. For Dorothy Daydreams, I returned to the spirit of L. Frank Baum’s young protagonist, capturing some of her desire to escape the harsh and desolate reality of her Kansas dustbowl farm for the fantasy of a much more colorful, imaginary world.” Dorman will be showing the art progressives from pencil illustration to final painting this weekend on his blog at http://davedorman.wordpress.com/. 

Dorothy Daydreams by Dave Dorman. Oil and acrylic on canvas. Size: 24” x 36”
Creature Features curated this multimedia exhibit, showcasing more than 100 works from a diverse group of artists. The collection includes illustrations, paintings, sculptures and full-sized recreations of favorite Oz characters. Also included in the exhibit will be historical memorabilia such as rare editions of the original L. Frank Baum books, props, concepts and artwork from various Oz-themed film & TV projects and many more surprises. 

Museum tours are $10; OZ exhibit-only admittance is $5. For more information, visit CreatureFeatures.com/VisionsofOz . Heritage Square Museum is located at 3800 Homer Street, Los Angeles. The museum’s website is http://heritagesquare.org.












About Dave Dorman 
 
Eisner, Inkpot and Bram Stoker Award-winning illustrator, writer and creator Dave Dorman was voted the #1 Star Wars Artist of All Time by fans of the property worldwide, and his art book Star Wars: The Art of Dave Dorman was an international best seller. His landmark, critically acclaimed graphic novel, Aliens: Tribes, won him an Eisner and Bram Stoker Award as well as changing the way the publishing ad entertainment industries viewed the medium. Dorman's own critically acclaimed Intellectual Property,  The Wasted Lands--the Sergio Leone-meets-motorcycle western epic tale of good vs. evil in a dystopian society recovering from "the Iron Wars"--continued to raise the bar in the graphic novel publishing arena and set a new standard. Another Dorman I.P., Dead Heat, is the Bram Stoker Award-winning horror anthology of his tales of the protagonist motorcycle zombie known as "Hitch." Dorman's autobiography, Rolling Thunder: The Art of Dave Dorman (IDW Publishing/Desperado Publishing) encompasses an estimated one-third of his illustrious art career, which includes licensed works of such classic properties as G.I. Joe, Indiana Jones, Predator, Robotech, Batman, Captain America, Spiderman, Judge Dredd, Transformers, Green Lantern, Green Hornet, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, Magic: The Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons, World of Warcraft and many more. Corporate clients include 20th Century Fox, Rhythm & Hues, Hasbro, Wizards of the Coast, Marvel, DC, Dark Horse, Image, IDW, Upper Deck, Topps, FASA Corp., and many more. 
Dorman is a sought-after instructor who has taught at American Academy of Art, Savannah College of Art & Design,Reverie (Massive Black/ConceptArt.org), Columbia College and The Gnomon School. His video art tutorials are available at The Gnomon Workshop.

New “Strip Search” reality game show for web cartoonists set to premiere this Friday, March 1 at www.stripsearch.tv

Twelve artists face off in competition for a reward that could change their lives!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Seattle, WA – February 26, 2013 – As Mike “Gabe” Krahulik and Jerry “Tycho’ Holkins head into the 15^th year of their Penny Arcade webcomic, they are now creating an opportunity for a new generation of artists with the “Strip Search” online reality game show. Through a variety of events and challenges, twelve artists will fight, claw, write, and draw until only one remains!

The “Strip Search” project was greenlit by a Penny Arcade Kickstarter stretch goal last year and will premiere this Friday, March 1 at www.stripsearch.tv, with new episodes airing on Tuesdays and Fridays. The winner earns $15,000 cash and space at Penny Arcade’s Seattle office for one year along with support from the company’s robust business and merchandising resources.

Mike Krahulik says “’Strip Search’ gives us the opportunity to throw a spotlight on some of the incredible and undiscovered talent out there.”

Participating artists culled from a rigorous selection process of nearly 1,000 entrants worldwide, run the gamut, from 20-year old Canadian Abby Hoffman, who is just now getting her start with the “Junior Scientist Power Hour” strip, to 31-year old Tavis Maiden, who creates the family-oriented journal comic “Stranger Danger” from his home in Mesa, Arizona. In the premiere episode airing Friday, March 1, the artists get to know each other as they settle into a Seattle lakefront mansion where they’ll live together through the duration of the show.

In speaking about the appeal of the show and the opportunity, “Strip Search” artist Nick Trujillo from Northern California says “I think within every creative person, there’s a desire to do your own thing or have your own intellectual properties.” Nick’s excited about the potential for pursuing this in connection with the show.

Amy Falcone, another participant who hails from a small fishing village in Connecticut, relays “I wanted to be part of ‘Strip Search’ because I’ll be getting critiques from people in the industry. Most importantly, I’m going to find out how far I still need to go before I’m at the level where I can be a pro.”

The “Strip Search” website, which is now live, features introductory videos for each artist along with bios and links to their work, and will also share news, highlights and more throughout the season.

About Penny Arcade

Equal parts online comic and commentary, Penny Arcade (www.penny-arcade.com) keeps its finger on the pulse of the gaming industry, prompting conversation and controversy alike from community members to industry experts. What started as a hobby for Jerry “Tycho” Holkins and Mike “Gabe” Krahulik has grown into an online phenomenon now entering its 15^th year, serving over 70 million page views a month to millions of readers worldwide. In addition to the comic strip and global PAX events (www.paxsite.com), Penny Arcade has expanded its reach to include the PA TV web broadcasting channel, The Penny Arcade Report, a growing line of merchandise, a video game series and management of Child's Play (www.childsplaycharity.org), a gamer-driven charity for children that spans the globe.

JAY AND SILENT BOB FIND THEIR POT O’ GOLD

 

Highlights from the Iconic Comedic Duo’s First-Ever, Sold-Out
U.K. Tour Are Collected in Jay and Silent Bob Get Irish

 

Two-Disc DVD Set Available March 12

 

 

LOS ANGELES — (March 1 ,2013) — To help celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee last year, Leonardo, New Jersey sent two if its highest ranking emissaries, Jay and Silent Bob, to England on a good will tour dubbed Tea Bagging in the U.K.

 

During their first-ever tour of England, Jay (actor Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (actor/director Kevin Smith) performed live on stage in front of sold-out crowds in London, Manchester, Edinburgh and Dublin. Industrial Entertainment and SModcast Pictures, a division of SModCo collects over two hours of highlights from the Ireland tour stop along with over an hour of bonus features for the two-disc set, JAY AND SILENT BOB GET IRISH. The collection will be available at retail outlets beginning March 12 for a suggested list price of $19.95. It will also be made available via digital platforms such as iTunes and Amazon.

 

While it mostly features Jay and Silent Bob performing live, the set also incorporates animation to illustrate the stories. Along with the concert film, JAY AND SILENT BOB GET IRISH also contains several extra features, including a Jay and Silent Bob: Get Old tour set in Las Vegas and a visit from Adult film stars Kathy Morgan and Cassie Young.

 

The freewheeling shows are part of a long-running tradition. For years, Mewes and Smith have hosted evenings where they take questions from the audience and regale guests with hilarious tales about sex, growing up together, sex, Hollywood, sex and drugs. The duo recently took its Jay and Silent Bob Get Old show around the US, recording each performance and then releasing the audio as free podcasts. The shows were an online hit, becoming the #1 podcast on the iTunes Comedy chart.

 

Jay and Silent Bob became pop culture icons in 1994 thanks to their appearance in Clerks, an award-winning independent comedy written and directed by Smith. Filmed in the convenience store where Smith worked in real life, the movie cost less than $30,000 to make and eventually grossed more than $3 million. Over the years, the popular characters have lived on in several of Smith’s film’s, including Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back and Clerks 2.

 

 

JAY AND SILENT BOB GET IRISH – SYNOPSIS

The hilarious duo Jay & Silent Bob are back. Film icons Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes made history and fans all over the world with the characters Jay & Silent Bob from the movies Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back and Clerks 2. Fast talking foul mouthed Jay and his “hetero life partner” Silent Bob hit DVD with their highly praised SOLD OUT live comedy show direct from Ireland as the final leg of the previously released JAY AND SILENT BOB GET OLD: TEABAGGING IN THE UK tour. No two shows are ever the same! So sit back, relax and in the words of the great Jason Mewes “Let Us F@ck!”

 

JAY AND SILENT BOB GET IRISH – EXTRA FEATURES

Jay and Silent Bob Get Old: Las Vegas Show

Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes get a visit from Adult Film Stars Kathy Morgan and Cassie Young

 

JAY AND SILENT BOB GET IRISH  

Price: $19.95

Street Date: March 12, 2013

Pre-Order Date: Now

Running time: 229 minutes

Year: 2012

Distributor: Industrial Entertainment Releasing   

DVD UPC: 858334001497   

Language: English

Genre: Comedy

Rating: NR – Mature

IDW Announces New Digital TRANSFORMERS Series! TRANSFORMERS: MONSTROSITY Hits TODAY! San Diego, CA (March 1, 2013) – Hot on the heels of TRANSFORMERS: AUTOCRACY, IDW Publishing is pleased to bring fans of the fierce Cybertronians a sequel with TRANSFORMERS: MONSTROSITY! The twelve-chapter, digital-first series, from the veteran creative team of writers Chris Metzen and Flint Dille and interior and cover artist Livio Ramondelli, is packed with the explosive robot action that made the first series a roaring critical, commercial, and fan success. Taking place in the early days of the legendary War for Cybertron, MONSTROSITY tells the story of two battle-hardened commanders: OPTIMUS PRIME of the virtuous AUTOBOTS, and MEGATRON of the villainous DECEPTICONS. Tensions are high as both sides carve out their next stands in the battle for Cybertronian supremacy. Which side will gain the edge? Whose resolve will crumble? And what terrible secrets lay in store for our embattled heroes? “MEGATRON’S been betrayed,” says editor John Barber, “and he finds himself starting a quest that takes him to some very familiar places—but thanks to Chris, Flint, and Livio, the familiar is made new again! And while MEGATRON is rebuilding his life, GRIMLOCK is butting heads with OPTIMUS PRIME, and leading his renegade DINOBOTS away from the darkest secret of their lives.” There’s only one way to answer all these questions and more, and that’s by picking up TRANSFORMERS: MONSTROSITY #1 via the Transformers Comics and IDW Comics apps, Comics by comiXology, the iBookstore, or online at read.idwpublishing.com.

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.

The Ultimate Beast Hunters Are Back! Grimlock and The Dinobots return this May! San Diego, CA (February 28, 2013) –TRANSFORMERS fans hungering for more thrilling adventures with GRIMLOCK and his fierce DINOBOTS cohorts are in luck this May, when IDW Publishing presents TRANSFORMERS PRIME: BEAST HUNTERS! In this tie-in series to the upcoming season  of “Transformers Prime” television show featuring the new BEAST HUNTERS saga, fans will get to experience a brand-new set of cyberfang-gnashing adventures based on the iconic brand from Hasbro! For the thousands of years since the fall of CYBERTRON, the DINOBOTS haven’t been twiddling their claws! GRIMLOCK, SLUG. SLUDGE, SNARL and SWOOP have been martialing their forces and fighting the good fight against a slew of mysterious new villains. The lauded creative team from TRANSFORMERS PRIME: RAGE OF THE DINOBOTS returns as writers Mairghread Scott and Mike Johnson team up with artist Agustin Padilla to chronicle the fierce AUTOBOT warriors’ resistance efforts. “There was a special kind of magic in that last TRANSFORMERS PRIME series,” said series Editor Carlos Guzman. “The fans really responded to the thrill-a-minute storytelling, and I can’t be more excited to work with Mairghread, Mike, and Agustin! And with our writers heavily involved in the Transformers Prime television series, we’re in a unique place to tell stories that matter!” That story picks up miles beneath the charred remains of the TRANSFORMERS race’s smoldering home, CYBERTRON. As the survivors of CYBERTRON’s fall cling to the last bit of Energon left in its core, the DINOBOTS begin forging an unlikely network of hope underground, standing as beacons of resistance under constant attack, while they wait for the AUTOBOTS’ leader, OPTIMUS PRIME, to save them. While their efforts are nothing short of Herculean, can they hold off their shadowy assailants long enough for CYBERTRON to be saved? There’s only one way to find out! TRANSFORMERS PRIME: BEAST HUNTERS is a veritable feast for Transformers fans of all stripes. Touting covers by Ken Christiansen and Michael Lark, this unique, action-packed adventure is one fans won’t want to miss! TRANSFORMERS PRIME: BEAST HUNTERS #1 (FC, 32 pages, $3.99) in stores 5/22/13

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.

VIZ MEDIA CELEBRATES THE 25^th ANNIVERSARY OF

MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO WITH TWO NEW RELEASES FROM THE STUDIO GHIBLI IMPRINT

Upcoming Releases For Fall Include MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO: A NOVEL And An Updated Edition Of The Official Film Picture Book Featuring Special New Cover Design For The Anniversary

San Francisco, CA, February 28, 2013 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, celebrates the 25^th Anniversary of Hayao Miyazaki’s landmark film with the October 1^st release of MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO: A NOVEL and a new edition of the MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO Picture Book.

Published under VIZ Media’s Studio Ghibli Library imprint, MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO: A NOVEL will carry an MSRP of $17.99 U.S. / $21.00 CAN, while the MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO Picture Book will carry an MSRP of $19.99 U.S. / $22.99 CAN.

In the charming animation classic MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO, eleven-year-old Satsuki and her sassy little sister Mei have moved to the country to be closer to their ailing mother. While their father is working, the girls explore their sprawling old house and the forest and fields that surround it. Soon, Satsuki and Mei discover Totoro, a magical forest spirit who takes them on fantastic adventures through the trees and the clouds – and teaches them a lesson about trusting one another.

MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO was created by famed director Hayao Miyazaki and released as a feature film in 1988 by his Studio Ghibli, which also produced Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Howl’s Moving Castle and Ponyo later on. TOTORO’s popularity soon became an international phenomenon and has spawned a vast array of adorable plush characters, toys, collectables and other memorabilia.

MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO: A NOVEL

MSRP: $17.99 U.S. / $21.00 CAN · Available October 1^st 2013

The superbly animated classic by legendary Studio Ghibli director Hayao Miyazaki is now retold in a novel written by Tsugiko Kubo. This prestigious hardcover edition also features original watercolor illustrations by Miyazaki himself, accompanying a story written by veteran children's book author Tsugiko Kubo. Sure to delight both existing fans and new readers! 

MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO picture Book New Edition · Rated “A” for All Ages · MSRP: $19.99 U.S. / $22.99 CAN · Available October 1^st 2013

This companion, full-color book to MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO features artwork taken directly from the movie. The updated edition also features new cover design and allows parents and children to relive Totoro's magical adventures with scene-by-scene illustrations and character dialogue.

“MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO was one of the most beloved animated movies ever created by Studio Ghibli, and new and veteran fans alike will now be able to enjoy the adventures of this whimsical gentle forest spirit in a variety of fun ways throughout 2013,” says Masumi Washington, Sr. Editorial Director, Editorial Production. “The gorgeously illustrated MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO: A NOVEL brings Hayao Miyazaki’s classic story to life for readers, and the new edition of the picture book will be a perfect complement to the release later this year of the MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO 25^th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray.”

Hayao Miyazaki is one of Japan's most celebrated animation directors. In 2005 he was awarded the Venice International Film Festival's Golden Lion Award for Lifetime Achievement, and his Studio Ghibli received the festival's Osella Award for overall achievement in 2004. Miyazaki's films include Spirited Away, winner of the 2002 Academy Award^® for Best Animated Feature Film, as well as Castle in the Sky, My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, Princess Mononoke, Howl's Moving Castle, and Ponyo, all of which have received great acclaim in the U.S. Miyazaki's other achievements include creating the highly regarded manga series Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and Starting Point: 1979-1996, a collection of essays, interviews, and memoirs that chronicle his early career and the development of his theories of animation. Both are published in English by VIZ Media.

More information on VIZ Media’s Studio Ghibli titles is available at 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.

Roy Thomas goes 3-D in the latest ALTER EGO magazine 

ALTER EGO magazine is taking a red and green look at all the sensational stereoscopic comics of the 1950s in a special 3-D ISSUE, which is in stores now. Issue #115 of ROY THOMAS' magazine on comics of the Golden and Silver Ages gives an in-depth feature assembled and annotated by the late RAY (3-D) ZONE just weeks before his recent passing, which features never-before-revealed secrets of the 3-D era. The issue reproduces actual 1950s 3-D art by such industry legends as JOE SIMON and JACK KIRBY, JOE KUBERT, MORT MESKIN, BOB POWELL, HOWARD NOSTRAND, CURT SWAN, WAYNE BORING, JIM MOONEY, SYD SHORES, GEORGE TUSKA and many others. Every copy of Alter Ego #115 comes polybagged with a FREE pair of 3-D glasses, so fans can enjoy the fun visuals (and eye-strain) just as readers did in the 1950s!

The new issue also features an FCA (Fawcett Collectors of America) section on the history of Fawcett Comics, by noted historian P.C. HAMERLINCK (keeper of Shazam! creator C.C. BECK's archives). Plus, there's MICHAEL T. GILBERT exploring what lies in Mr. Monster's Comic Crypt, and BILL SCHELLY documenting comics fandom history, all behind a Captain 3-D cover by JOE SIMON and JACK KIRBY.

84-page FULL-COLOR magazine

Print version: $8.95 cover price

Digital Edition: $3.95

Diamond Comic Distributors Order Code: NOV121432

In anticipation of this book's release, TwoMorrows Publishing is letting readers download a FREE PDF PREVIEW at this link:

http://www.twomorrows.com/media/AlterEgo115Preview.pdf

The PRINT EDITION (with 

FREE DIGITAL EDITION)

 

or DIGITAL EDITION ONLY may be ordered at this link:

http://twomorrows.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1029

ALTER EGO #115 is in stores this week.

Since 1994, TwoMorrows Publishing has been bringing a new day to comics fans, through its award-winning line of magazines and books.

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES EXCITING SHONEN JUMP MANGA BOX SET DEBUTS FOR FALL 2013

Catch Pirate Adventures In A New ONE PIECE Box Set And Manga Industry Drama In The Complete BAKUMAN。Box Set

San Francisco, CA, February 27, 2013 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, has just announced new manga (graphic novel) acquisitions scheduled for Fall release under its popular Shonen Jump imprint. The upcoming releases include the complete BAKUMAN。series box set, and a box set collection of the first  part of the ONE PIECE saga.

BAKUMAN。BOX SET · Rated ‘T’ for Teens ·

MSRP: $159.99 U.S. / $159.99 CAN · Available October 1^st 2013

Discover the mystery of manga-making in the bestselling series by Tsugumi Ohba, the creator of the hit series DEATH NOTE, available for the first time in a complete box set.  The Box Set includes Volumes 1 through 20, plus the bonus mini-comic “Otter No. 11,” along with a full-color, two-sided poster.

In BAKUMAN。, average student Moritaka Mashiro enjoys drawing for fun. When his classmate and aspiring writer Akito Takagi discovers his talent, he begs Moritaka to team up with him as a manga-creating duo. But what exactly does it take to make it in the manga-publishing world? Also catch BAKUMAN。in the pages of VIZ Media’s Weekly Shonen Jump manga magazine.

ONE PIECE BOX SET: EAST BLUE & BAROQUE WORKS · Rated ‘T’ for Teens ·

MSRP $185.99 U.S. / $185.99 CAN · Available November 1^st 2013

A premium box set that bundles the first two story arcs of ONE PIECE, one of the most beloved and bestselling manga series of all time! The Box Set includes volumes 1-23, which comprise the series’ first two story arcs, East Blue and Baroque Works. The set includes an exclusive poster and mini-comic, and delivers great savings over buying the volumes individually to make for a true pirate’s treasure for any manga fan!

As a child, Monkey D. Luffy dreamed of becoming King of the Pirates. But his life changed when he accidentally ate the Gum-Gum Fruit, an enchanted Devil Fruit that gave him the ability to stretch like rubber. The only drawback? He'll never be able to swim again – a serious handicap for an aspiring sea dog! Years later, Luffy sets off on his quest to find the "One Piece," said to be the greatest treasure in the world... Also catch ONE PIECE in the pages of VIZ Media’s digital Weekly Shonen Jump manga magazine.

For more information on these or other manga titles from VIZ Media’s Shonen Jump imprint, please visit ShonenJump.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.

THE SIXTH GUN: SONS OF THE GUN #1 GOES BACK FOR SECOND PRINTING WITH A TYLER CROOK COVER

Retailers and fans have spoken! 

The Sixth Gun: Sons of the Gun #1 has sold out at the distributor so we will be going back to the presses for a second printing. We wanted to celebrate so to sweeten the deal, The Sixth Gun: Sons of the Gun #1 will be reprinted with a new cover.

The second print run of Sons of the Gun #1 will be sporting a new cover by the one and only Tyler Crook of Petrograd & B.P.R.D. (Dark Horse). 

If you haven’t already read it, this issue is an untold tale of the Six! Since the very first issue of The Sixth Gun, readers have clamored for more information about General Hume’s horsemen. And now the story can be told. What happened to the horsemen after their master died? This issue, “Bloodthirsty” Bill Sumter finds himself alone, on the brink of death, and undergoing a frightening transformation.

Stayed tuned in the coming weeks for the unveiling of what will surely be a cover any collector would drool over!

~End Press Release

--

CELEBRATE THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF

“THE SANDLOT!”

One of the Best Sports Movies of All Time,

The Iconic Coming-Of-Age Film Comes to

Blu-ray And DVD Combo Pack on March 26

In Honor of the Release, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment will Partner with PF Flyers, Major and Minor League Baseball and FOX Sports Networks Promotions Throughout The Year

LOS ANGELES, (February 27, 2013) – “You’re Killing Me Smalls!” A film that still captures the hearts of baseball fans young and old, THE SANDLOT debuts on Blu-ray/DVD combo pack March 26 from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment in celebration of the beloved film’s 20th anniversary. “A charming and whimsical comedy about boys and baseball and a GREAT BIGDOG” (“Siskel & Ebert”), THE SANDLOT ranked in the Top 40 as one of the best sports movies ever.

With memorable performances from nine terrific young actors and supporting appearances from Honorary Academy Award® winner James Earl Jones (Field of Dreams, Star Wars Franchise), Denis Leary (“Rescue Me”, The Ref) and Karen Allen (Raiders of the Lost Ark, Starman), THE SANDLOT 20th Anniversary Blu-ray and DVD Combo Pack includes limited edition packaging and 10 collectible cast baseball cards.

It’s early 1960s and fifth-grader Scotty Smalls has just moved into town with his folks. Kids call him a dork - he can't even throw a baseball! But that changes when the leader of the neighborhood gang recruits him to play on the nearby sandlot field. It's the beginning of a magical summer of baseball, wild adventures, first kisses, and fun!

In connection with the release, FHE will embark on a partnership with Benny the Jet’s favorite shoe brand PF Flyers, for a special one-of-a-kind promotion. Beginning March 26, a limited run of “The Secret Weapon,” will be made available inside a vintage 1960’s shoe box, along with a $3 SANDLOT coupon inside. Additionally, all Blu-ray and DVD combo packs will feature a 10% PF Flyer discount coupon inside the packaging. Further information on this exclusive purchase can be found at www.pfflyers.com.

Additionally, The “Sandlot Baseball Field Program” will be comprised of partnerships with Major League Baseball teams nationwide in connection with the FOX Sports Networks. Notable teams such as the St. Louis Cardinals, Texas Rangers and Minnesota Twins will coordinate baseball field renovations across the Unites States so that loyal fans and baseball lovers everywhere will get the chance to enjoy their own “Sandlot” field in their backyards. Furthermore, screenings of THE SANDLOT will be hosted at several Major and Minor League ballparks across the country with Director, Writer and Narrator, David Mickey Evans. So lace up your mitt and get ready for a season full of baseball fun!

SCREENING LOCATIONS/DATES

(*Subject to Change)

ARM & HAMMER Park, home of the Trenton Thunder (Trenton, New Jersey) – 4/13/13

Fluor Field at the West End, home of the Greenville Drive (Greenville, South Carolina) – 4/19/13

Arvest Ballpark, home of the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (Springdale, Arkansas) – 4/21/13

Rangers Ballpark, home of the Texas Rangers (Arlington, Texas) – 5/11/13

Tucson Padres at Kino Stadium (Tucson, Arizona) – 5/18/13

Busch Stadium, home of the St. Louis Cardinals (St. Louis, Missouri) – Date to be announced

Target Field, home of the Minnesota Twins (Minneapolis, Minnesota) – Date to be announced

Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, home of the Oklahoma City RedHawks (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) – 6/1/13

AutoZone Park, home of the Memphis Redbirds (Memphis, Tennessee) – 6/15/13

Steinbrenner Field, home of the Tampa Yankees (Tampa, Florida) – 6/22/13

Dell Diamond, home of the Round Rock Express (Round Rock, Texas) – 6/25/13

Whataburger Field, home of the Corpus Christi Hooks (Corpus Christi, Texas) – 6/29/13

Fifth Third Field, home of the Toledo Mud Hens (Toledo, Ohio) – 7/5/13

Classic Park, home of the Lake County Captains (Eastlake, Ohio) – 7/12/13

CommunityAmerica Ballpark, home of the Kansas City T-Bones (Kansas City, Kansas) – 7/26/13

Security Service Field, home of the Colorado Springs Sky Sox (Colorado Springs, Colorado) – 8/2/13

Fifth Third Field, home of the Dayton Dragons (Dayton, Ohio) – 8/10/13

Werner Park, home of the Omaha Storm Chasers (Omaha, Nebraska) – 8/17/13

The Epicenter, home of the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (Rancho Cucamonga, California) – 8/30/13

Coolray Field, home of the Gwinnett Braves (Lawrenceville, Georgia) – 9/21/13

THE SANDLOT Blu-ray and DVD Combo Pack Special Features:
    ●    Featurette
    ●    Theatrical Trailer
    ●    TV Spots

About Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, LLC (TCFHE) is a recognized global industry leader and a subsidiary of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, a News Corporation company. Representing 75 years of innovative and award-winning filmmaking from Twentieth Century Fox, TCFHE is the worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox film and television programming, acquisitions and original productions on DVD, Blu-ray Disc Digital Copy, Video On Demand and Digital Download. The company also releases all products globally for MGM Home Entertainment. Each year TCFHE introduces hundreds of new and newly enhanced products, which it services to retail outlets from mass merchants and warehouse clubs to specialty stores and e-commerce throughout the world.

IMAGE COMICS GETS STRACZYNKSI'S TEN GRAND

Joe's Comics: Back With A Vengeance

The solicitations that went out the weekend of February 16th confirm the news: the relaunch of Joe's Comics, the imprint that created Midnight Nation and Rising Stars, is officially underway with the first of what will be an entire line of new, original titles.

TEN GRAND, the first title to come out from Joe's Comics, will be published by Image Comics and officially debut May 1st, with a convention variant to be unveiled at C2E2 in Chicago the week before.

The premise: Joe Fitzgerald was a mob enforcer until the day he met Laura, who convinced him to leave that world behind. Before quitting, Joe agrees to one last job, little realizing that the man he's been sent to kill was deeply involved in demonlogy. He survives Joe's attempt and comes after him, fatally wounding Joe and killing Laura. As he lies dying, an angelic force promises that if Joel agrees to work for them as a different kind of enforcer, they will bring him to life and keep on bringing him to life every time he is killed in a righteous cause. The reward: for those five minutes of death, he will be with Laura again. Would you endure an eternity of pain and death, dying over and over, to be with the woman you love for just five minutes each time you died? Most people might say no. But Joe Fitzgerald isn't most people.

The return of Joe's Comics has been in the works for several years, awaiting the right time to go forth.

"The temptation to bring back Joe's Comics has been very powerful over the last few years,” said creator J. Michael Straczynski, "but I really wanted to wait until I had a collection of stories that I absolutely had to tell, that, like Midnight Nation, wouldn't let me go until they were told. Stories that could be dark, funny, deeply personal but also played out on a large stage in terms of action. As those started to show up over the last few years – often in the middle of the night, which is why Joe's Comics bears the slugline 'where it's always five minute to midnight' – I began to pull them together until I felt I had what I needed, and made the deal with Image to move forward.”

The art on TEN GRAND (interiors and covers) is being provided by Ben Templesmith, the New York Times best-selling Australian comic artist and writer most widely known for co-creating 30 Days of Night with Steve Niles and Fell with Warren Ellis.

"How could I say no to working with the guy that created Babylon 5, that fairly well shaped how I think about science fiction and long form TV?” Templesmith said. "It was an honor to be asked and I can but hope to rise to the occasion.”

Straczynski spoke about TEN GRAND to MTVGeek , which also ran an exclusive preview of Templesmith's interior art.

Issues #1 and #2 will also feature variant covers by Bill Sienkiewicz as well as Phantom variants. Like the other Joe's Comics titles, TEN GRAND will run in twelve-issue installments, with two to three months in between each installment to make any corrections and get ahead on finished books.

"Watching this project come together with JMS and Ben has been thrilling,” said Patricia Tallman, CEO of Studio JMS, parent company of Joe's Comics. "The ideas and concepts flying between them are so edgy and awesome, I can't wait to share them with fans everywhere. Hang on, you're in for one hell of a ride!”

Phil Smith, production editor for Joe's Comics, had this to say: "Whenever someone suggests a small way to do something, Joe comes back with 'Why don't we do it bigger?' Bigger? In an age of figuring how to get something for nothing, Joe is pushing himself and his work to the cutting edge. Tapping not just the best creators but the right creators to express, not just his ideas, but their artistic ideas through his name branded line of books, will, again, set a new standard in the world of creator-owned works.”

"The most important thing we would do with this launch was, and is, to ensure that the issues hit retailers on schedule,” Straczynski said. "So we started early, stockpiling scripts and art. We had our first lettered, finished issue last November, for a book that wouldn't be coming out until May.”

In keeping with the innovation and experimentation that has been the hallmark of Joe's Comics, readers will find a QR code in the back of the first issue that will lead them directly to an audio performance of the book's dialogue by some of the top voice actors in the business, including Babylon 5 alumnus Robin Atkin Downes, Yuri Lowenthal and Tara Platt.

"We wanted to give readers an option of reading the book in the usual way, or sitting back to listen to the parts being performed while enjoying Ben's amazing artwork. We're very happy with how the first staged reading worked out,” Straczynski said, "and if there's enough demand, we may do more of these in the future.”

TEN GRAND #1 is available for pre-order in the March issue of Previews.

SIDEKICK, the second title to be launched from Joe's Comics, will debut at Comic-Con International in San Diego with a convention variant. This will be followed in the fall by ALONE and PROTECTORS, INC. (artist announcements pending).


Here's what some of the best lights in the comics business have to say about the first issue of TEN GRAND:

"Ten Grand is equal parts PI noir thriller and supernatural revenge tale. JMS is in cracking form as is Ben Templesmith's moody, disturbing art. Like its damned hero, Joe Fitzgerald, Ten Grand is worth every cent!”
– Andy Lanning (Guardians of the Galaxy, Nova, Legion Lost)

"Ten Grand is grim and ugly and disturbing ... which is exactly the way it's supposed to be. This is Straczynski and Templesmith doing what they do best.”
– Ron Marz (Witchblade, Artifacts, Shinku, Green Lantern)

"Straczynski's new book brings the supernatural back down to earth in a way we haven't seen since John Constantine – all the way down to the bar, the back-alley and the gutter. Joe Fitzgerald is a hitman with values. Straczynki's hard-edged narrative is perfectly matched with Ben Templesmith's raw, uncompromising and hopefully beer-stained art.”
– David Hine (Spawn, The Darkness, Bulletproof Coffin, Storm Dogs)

"With Ten Grand, Straczynski and Templesmith deliver a heartbreaking story about a former hitman named Joe who, unfortunately for him and those around him, knows all too well that the reality we all know and love isn't the only reality out there. No, sir. There's also a reality where demons run amok, angels communicate by possessing the bodies of strippers, and a special keyboard shows you the real Internet. This is great stuff. More, please!”
– William Harms, award-winning writer of InFamous and Impaler