DARK HORSE SUPERHERO BLACKOUT TO DEBUT IN DARK HORSE PRESENTS #24!

MAY 10, MILWAUKIE, OR–Dark Horse Comics is set to release a brand new superhero inside the pages of the Eisner-winning anthology, Dark Horse Presents. Blackout is ready for action!

In Blackout, the commonplace life of Scott Travers changes forever when he comes to possess an extraordinary piece of technology that allows him to access a mysterious dimension within our own. Blackout is wire-to-wire excitement in a world where nothing is as it seems.

Blackout writer Frank Barbiere says, “Blackout has a very fun sci-fi/mystery mythology that comes straight from DH Publisher Mike Richardson, and I think readers will be surprised and intrigued by what we have in store for them! Working with artist Micah Kaneshiro is a delight, and I look forward to bringing our story to DHP.”  

Says Kaneshiro: “Working on Blackout has allowed me to do things on a technical level that I've never been able to do before professionally. With such a long history of brilliant contributors and significant creations, one can only feel honored to be a part of Dark Horse Presents in any capacity.”  

For additional details on Blackout, check out Dark Horse president Mike Richardson’s interview on Comic Book Resources and their preview of Dark Horse Presents #24!

Catch Blackout appearing in Dark Horse Presents #24, on sale May 22, 2013!

About Dark Horse

Founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. The company is known for the progressive and creator-friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists. In addition to publishing comics from top talent such as Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Neil Gaiman, Brian Wood, Gerard Way, Felicia Day, and Guillermo del Toro, and comics legends such as Will Eisner, Neal Adams, and Jim Steranko, Dark Horse has developed its own successful properties, including The Mask, Ghost, Timecop, and SpyBoy. Its successful line of comics and products based on popular properties includes Star Wars, Mass Effect, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, Emily the Strange, Tim Burton’s Tragic Toys for Girls and Boys, Serenity, and Domo. Today Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic book publisher in the US and is recognized as one of the world’s leading publishers of both creator-owned content and licensed comics material.

 

DARK HORSE WINS FOUR STUMPTOWN AWARDS!

MAY 10, MILWAUKIE, OR—The Stumptown Comic Arts Awards were presented on April 27 at the tenth annual Stumptown Comics Fest, in Dark Horse Comics’ backyard of Portland, Oregon.

As reported via Twitter by comics’ own Jen Vaughn, Dark Horse walked away with four wins, a very impressive showing.

The nominees, chosen by a blue-ribbon panel of judges, journalists, and retailers, reflect the wide range of independent material being published in comic and graphic novel form today.

DARK HORSE STUMPTOWN 2013 AWARD WINNERS

Best Artist

Juanjo Guarnido (Blacksad: A Silent Hell)

Best Publication Design

Blacksad: A Silent Hell, designed by Cary Grazzini

Best Cartoonist

Carla Speed McNeil (Finder: Talisman)

Best Letterer

Carla Speed McNeil (Finder: Talisman)

About Stumptown Comics Fest

The Stumptown Comics Fest was started almost on a whim in 2004 by a small group of Portland-area cartoonists lamenting the lack of local convention-style outlets. While there were certainly other comic book shows in town, there weren't any that gave much attention to the artists themselves. The dream was to design a festival with the creators as its focus, rather than dealers and work-for-hire publishers.

About Dark Horse Comics

Since 1986, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. The company is known for the progressive and creator-friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists.  In addition to publishing comics from top talent like Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Neil Gaiman, Gerard Way, Will Eisner, and best-selling prose author Janet Evanovich, Dark Horse has developed such successful characters as the Mask, Timecop, and the Occultist. Additionally, its highly successful line of comics and products based on popular properties includes Star Wars, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan the Barbarian, Mass Effect, Serenity, and Domo. Today, Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic-book publisher in the United States and is recognized as both an innovator in the cause of creator rights and the comics industry’s leading publisher of licensed material.

***

JTF-3 Counter Ops goes digital

May 2013, with the explosion of the mobile Tablet market, the digital comic book revolution has been steadily increasing its exodus away from the hardcopy paper format at a rapid rate and for obvious reasons. Comic fans love being able to read all their collection from one device, and the prices are so much more affordable because of no overhead printing costs for content-creators. Indie-creators are especially grateful for the ability to sell directly to fans, bypassing the obstacles of going through the bureaucratic channels of major publishers.
Real Interface Studios, a comic book indie-studio based in NY/NJ, is re-releasing the first comic book series their company created a decade ago as a digital graphic novel for Apple's iPad and other tablets, JTF-3 Counter Ops.
Originally published in 2003, the complete collection of the 5 issue comic book mini-series is sold as a one single download containing 135 full-size digitally colored pages of non-stop action at a very affordable price!  
Joint Task Force 3 is a story about a U.N.-sanctioned group composed of the most elite Counter-Terrorist operatives and Law-Enforcement officers from around the world. 
Attempting to thwart a Terrorist organization from acquiring weapons of mass destruction, JTF-3 soon find themselves caught in a crossfire. Can they outthink or outgun a threat to U.S. allies that may have domestic ties? A cautionary tale that may prove too close to reality to pass as fiction... 
Sheena McNeil from Sequential Tart reviews:
"The cover is just a taste of the good art in Counter Ops. The battle is especially well drawn with hand-to-hand as well as gun fighting. And things are explained in the midst of it all which makes it seem relatively real in time instead of having to read four pages of straight dialogue then have nothing but battle.
The plot as well as the order of presentation within the story are well thought-out. It is energetic with action, brains, and (of course) sexiness.
The story pulls you in from page one. A huge bank robbery has gone horribly wrong and the Joint Task Force 3 has stepped in to help handle the situation.
However, they don't all agree on how it should be handled so when Sergeant Konoe acts, all Hell breaks lose.



Meanwhile, two new recruits have arrived, and they're getting thrown into the fray already.
This energetic story is well written and moves along at a perfect pace. The layout is excellent, and the story contains a nice blend of action, humor, and mystery to keep any reader interested through the whole issue."
- SequentialTart.com
JTF-3 Counter Ops the complete collection is available to read as a single graphic novel on the Apple iPad using the iBooks app's gorgeous comic book page-scrolling-features for only $3.99.
Buy it here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/jtf-3-counter-ops/id564984224
Also available on AMAZON's Kindle Device:
http://www.amazon.com/JTF-3-Counter-full-color-FIRE-Edition-ebook/dp/B006V4J0VE
And Barnes & Noble's NOOK tablet:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/jtf-3-counter-ops-peter-j-ang/1101328368
Android Tablet owners can read it using the NOOK app or Kindle app.
Watch the JTF-3 Counter Ops video preview from the link here:
http://youtu.be/enS84BatqOE


ABOUT REAL INTERFACE STUDIOS:
Real Interface Studios is a digital comic book and graphic design studio in north New Jersey, USA.  The studio is always on the lookout for potential collaborators and other talents who would like to join us to ensure a much greater potential for success in every project. Check out our available graphic novel titles at: RealinterfaceStudios.com ​

DARK HORSE DIGITAL GIVES AWAY

ONE MILLION FREE COMICS FOR

SECOND ANNIVERSARY!

MILWAUKIE, OR, MAY 9—Now that the dust has settled on Dark Horse Digital’s incredibly successful two-year-anniversary promotion, the company is pleased to announce that it gave away a million free digital comics!

As part of the celebration of the second year of the company’s digital initiative and proprietary storefront, fifty free single-issue comics were made available for only forty-eight hours. In that time, thousands of fans took advantage of the offer and downloaded their favorite Dark Horse titles, to the tune of a million copies!

“The success of our digital promotion illustrates the growing reach of digital comics, which we believe are an important element in the recent resurgence of physical comic book and graphic novel sales,” said Dark Horse’s president and founder, Mike Richardson.

Dark Horse Comics launched its standalone comic-reader app and digital store on April 27, 2011, and has received incredible support from the continuously growing digital-comics fan base.

Since then, Dark Horse Digital has grown significantly in numbers and readership by featuring its most popular and best-selling titles, including Star Wars, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Serenity, Hellboy, Avatar, and Mass Effect, as well as exclusive digital-first series, such as Falling Skies, Prototype 2, and Dragon Age. Dark Horse Digital also provides sales and discounts for its reader base on a weekly basis. It currently offers thousands of comics and continues to increase the digital availability of the Dark Horse back catalog.

Dark Horse Digital is available through all modern web browsers and features cloud storage through both the Google Play 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 online on your computer or, mobile browser, and through the Dark Horse Bookshelf apps, available on iTunes App Store and Google Play.

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

 ***

MORGAN FREEMAN RETURNS TO SCIENCE CHANNEL FOR AN ALL NEW SEASON OF TELEVISION’S MOST MIND-BLOWING SERIES - THROUGH THE WORMHOLE

--Academy-Award® Winner, Morgan Freeman, Takes Viewers from the Depths of the Mind to the Expanses of the Universe in All-New Awe-Inspiring Episodes Premiering June 5 at 10PM/EST—

(Silver Spring, Md.)— Iconic movie star, Morgan Freeman, returns to Science Channel to host the fourth installment of television’s most-astonishing franchise, the Emmy® nominated THROUGH THE WORMHOLE WITH MORGAN FREEMAN on Wednesday, June 5, at 10:00 PM (ET/PT).  Featuring nine riveting episodes, this all-new season poses thought-provoking and awe-inspiring questions spanning science, space, and humankind sure to satisfy viewers’ insatiable curiosities.  THROUGH THE WORMHOLE WITH MORGAN FREEMAN analyzes perplexing issues that have puzzled mankind for generations.  Season four’s premiere episode dives right into mystery and controversy with exploration of the charged topic, “When Does Life Begin?”

“One of the inherent characteristics of mankind is our need to understand truth and meaning.  Our drive to ask ‘how,’ ‘why’ and ‘what if’ makes us who we are – and provides the basis for THROUGH THE WORMHOLE,” said Freeman.  “Working on THROUGH THE WORMHOLE gives me the opportunity to bring together renowned physicists, cosmologists and neuroscientists to explore some of science’s greatest questions.”

In season four of THROUGH THE WORMHOLE WITH MORGAN FREEMAN, Science Channel dares to take on some of today’s most controversial topics. Each episode boasts innovative scientific research and groundbreaking theories brought to viewers by scientists who break down the walls of today’s most compelling subjects. Every week viewers will be challenged to consider new perspectives and confronted with ideas that push the envelope of conventional television. Other questions tackled in this new season include, “Did God Create Evolution?”, “How Do Aliens Think?”, “Can Our Minds Be Hacked?”, and “Will Sex Become Extinct?”

“THROUGH THE WORMHOLE WITH MORGAN FREEMAN is a defining franchise for Science Channel and offers our viewers exactly what they crave – insight into science’s most captivating and mind-blowing questions,” said Debbie Adler Myers, general manager and executive vice president for Science Channel.  “Morgan Freeman is the perfect tour guide to take viewers along as we explore the world’s biggest and boldest topics in search for the truth.  We are thrilled to be back for a fourth season guiding our loyal audience once again ‘Through the Wormhole.’”

For the first time ever, Wormhole fans will be granted exclusive access behind the scenes with Morgan Freeman and the producers of THROUGH THE WORMOLE WITH MORGAN FREEMAN to get a glimpse of how each question is explored and explained. Find out about Freeman’s deep interest in science and the methods used to visualize and simplify complicated, often philosophical, subjects incorporating the latest discoveries from scientists in the field.  The never before seen footage will be available only at sciencechannel.com/wormhole.

THROUGH THE WORMHOLE is produced by Revelations Entertainment.  James Younger, Morgan Freeman, Tracy Mercer and Lori McCreary are executive producers.  Bernadette McDaid, Rocky Collins and Deborah Adler Myers are executive producers for Science Channel.  McDaid is vice president of production for SCIENCE, and Myers is general manager and executive vice president for Science Channel.

Episode 1: WHEN DOES LIFE BEGIN?

Premieres Wednesday, June 5 at 10:00 PM (ET/PT)

The premiere episode explores what defines the beginning of a life.  It is a debate that has raged for centuries’.  Groundbreaking evidence reveals that inside all of us are traces of cells from our relatives, blurring the lines between one life and another. Technology is now giving birth to new life forms made of surprising components—from droplets of oil in a Petri dish, to conscious robots and to a new global internet-connected life form comprised of all humanity.

Episode 2: CAN WE SURVIVE THE DEATH OF THE SUN?

Premieres Wednesday, June 12 at 10:00 PM (ET/PT)

The Sun holds a dark secret. Someday it will bathe us in a fiery, planetary holocaust..  Will the Sun someday, bathe us in a fiery, planetary holocaust? How will we survive the death of our star? The technology to move our entire civilization to Mars sounds like sci-fi, but it is almost within our grasp.  Reaching a second Earth across the galaxy could be possible thanks to a radical new propulsion technology from manmade black holes.

Episode 3: HOW DO ALIENS THINK?

Premieres Wednesday, June 19 at 10:00 PM (ET/PT)

By studying the non-humans in our midst, scientists are learning how alien minds might function. Biologists and computer scientists watch “dumb” ants form an intelligent super-organism; neuroscientists probe the mysterious brains of octopuses; and a team of researchers show that even plants behave in ways we normally only associate with animals. Meanwhile, a linguist tries to imagine advanced alien language by recreating centuries of human language evolution, a researcher teaches humans to feel an alien sense and a groundbreaking psychologist finds that super-intelligent aliens may still be ruled by emotions.

Episode 4: CAN OUR MINDS BE HACKED?

Premieres Wednesday, June 26 at 10:00 PM (ET/PT)

Our minds store our entire lives, our memories and our deepest desires and our brains are biological computers. Could brain hackers someday be able to rewrite our thoughts similar to how computer hackers hack email? For the first time, neuroscientists are translating patterns on a brain scan into specific pictures and words. They have learned how to insert ideas into people’s minds as they sleep and one pioneering MIT scientist has shown he can inject emotions, on demand, into a living brain.

Episode 5: WILL SEX BECOME EXTINCT?

Premieres Wednesday, July 3 at 10:00 PM (ET/PT)

Every single person who has ever lived was created from the genes of one man and one woman but human sexual reproduction, unchanged for millions of years, is about to undergo a radical revolution.  Technology is on the brink of making children from two fathers, or two mothers.  Marine biologists are using mechanical wombs to birth live sharks and humans could be next. We may soon cure diseases by making children with more than two genetic parents, or even give our offspring genes from the animal kingdom.  If this is the case, will sex become extinct?

Episode 6: ARE ROBOTS THE FUTURE OF HUMAN EVOLUTION?

Premieres Wednesday, July 10 at 10:00 PM (ET/PT)

From our smartphones to our vacuum cleaners to our cars, we have robots that live and work beside us. We are designing these everyday objects to think for themselves giving them the power to learn to move on their own.  Is it possible that these new life forms evolve to be smarter and more capable than humans or will we choose to merge with the machines, combining the best of our world with the best of theirs?

Episode 7: IS REALITY REAL?

Premieres Wednesday, July 17 at 10:00 PM (ET/PT)

Do we live in the “real world,” or is it all in our mind? Our perception of reality is controlled by society. We make unrealistic assessments about our own reality, thanks to “the optimism bias,” a twist of the brain that rejects negative information about ourselves. Human senses capture only a small part of nature, and new physics suggests we may be blind to entire dimensions of space or there could be less to reality than we think.

Episode 8: DO WE HAVE FREE WILL?

Premieres Wednesday, July 24 at 10:00 PM (ET/PT)

What if everything that has or will happen in the universe has already been determined and we are unable to change our inevitable destinies? Until the discovery of quantum uncertainty, physicists were convinced free will does not exist. Now neuroscientists and geneticists have stepped into the fray, arguing that free will is an illusion thanks to the genes we are born with, the automatic processes working in our brains, and the conforming pressures of society.

Episode 9: DID GOD CREATE EVOLUTION?

Premieres Wednesday, July 31 at 10:00 PM (ET/PT)

Is life the product of evolution or is it thanks to the guiding hand of God?    Believers in Intelligent Design argue complex life could not have evolved randomly.  One evolutionary scientist is filling in the gaps in the fossil record by bringing extinct creatures back to life as robots.  An engineer has discovered a single pattern that appears throughout the entire universe. Is the existence of a “moral molecule” in our brains a sign that God created humanity?  Was life created by evolution, by God or both?

About Revelations Entertainment:
Revelations Entertainment develops and produces commercially successful entertainment in all existing and emerging media that endeavors to enlighten express heart and glorify the human experience. THROUGH THE WORMHOLE exemplifies Revelations’ Freeman and McCreary's vision of leading a group of inspired professionals to develop and produce compelling human stories. Revelations Entertainment's commitment to produce films that provoke imagination have enticed artists and fans alike. The team's relationships with entertainment industry leaders combined with an expertise in digital technologies have attracted prominent investors to support the company's slate of projects.  Revelations Entertainment’s theatrical feature, “Invictus,” was nominated for two 2010 Academy Awards®, including Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for Morgan Freeman and Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role for Matt Damon.  The Revelations documentary, “The 16th Man,” was recently recognized at the Fourth Annual Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Academy Honors as one of eight television programs symbolizing television with a conscience.

About SCIENCE:

SCIENCE, a division of Discovery Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), is home for the thought provocateur, the individual who is unafraid to ask the killer questions of “how” and “why not.”  The network is a playground for those with audacious intellects and features programming willing to go beyond imagination to explore the unknown.  Guided by curiosity, SCIENCE looks for innovation in mysterious new worlds as well as in its own backyard.  SCIENCE and the SCIENCE HD simulcast reach more than 68 million U.S. households.  The network also features high-traffic online and social media destinations, including ScienceChannel.com, facebook.com/Science Channel and twitter.com/Science Channel.

About Discovery Communications

Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is the world's #1 nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.8 billion cumulative subscribers in 218 countries and territories. Discovery is dedicated to satisfying curiosity through 155 worldwide television networks, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Science and Investigation Discovery, as well as U.S. joint venture networks OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, The Hub and 3net, the first 24-hour 3D network. Across the Nordic region, Discovery owns and operates SBS Discovery Media, a top-three portfolio of 20 television brands that feature leading nonfiction content, as well as locally produced entertainment programs, sports and the best scripted series and movies from major studios. Discovery also is a leading provider of educational products and services to schools and owns and operates a diversified portfolio of digital media services, including Revision3. For more information, please visit  www.discoverycommunications.com.

ALEC GILLIS AND TOM WOODRUFF, JR.

OF STUDIO ADI (AMALGAMATED DYNAMICS INC.)

LAUNCH KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN

TO FINANCE “HARBINGER DOWN”

The Upcoming Sci-Fi/Horror Film Will Celebrate Animatronics and Makeup FX.

Through Kickstarter, Fans Can Help Keep FX Real!

LOS ANGELES, CA – May 8, 2013 –Award-winning Visual Effects artists Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff, Jr., co-founders of Studio ADI (Amalgamated Dynamics, Inc.) launched a Kickstarter campaign today to finance Harbinger Down. “In the spirit of sci-fi/horror classics, Alien and The Thing, Harbinger Down is a tense, claustrophobic full-length creature film that will feature only practical Animatronic and Makeup Effects,” announced Gillis, who will write and direct. 

“Our company, Amalgamated Dynamics, will create the kind of Oscar caliber Creature Effects for which we are known,” commented Woodruff, who will produce along with Studio ADI’s Jennifer Tung.  Lance Henriksen is set to star.  Kickstarter link for Harbinger Down:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1117671683/harbinger-down-a-practical-creature-fx-film

Gillis and Woodruff have over 60 years of experience between them, and have worked with many top filmmakers, including James Cameron, David Fincher, Paul Verhoeven, Ridley Scott, Neil Blomkamp, Robert Zemekis, Joe Johnston, Nora Ephron, and Mike Nichols to name-drop a few. But what will really make Harbinger Down special is passion.

Gillis added, “Fans of the art of Animatronics and Makeup FX, know this technique is currently overlooked by the big studios; I'm hoping the fans will help us remedy that by supporting this labor of love.”  Contributors to the Kickstarter Campaign will also receive unique, amazing, thrilling, one-of-a-kind incentives for supporting the project.  Details are available online.

In Harbinger Down, a group of grad students have booked passage on the fishing trawler Harbinger to study the effects of global warming on a pod of Orcas in the Bering Sea. When the ship's crew dredges up a recently thawed piece of old Soviet space wreckage, things get downright deadly. It seems that the Russians experimented with tardigrades, tiny resilient animals able to withstand the extremes of space radiation. The creatures survived, but not without mutation.  Now the crew is exposed to aggressively mutating organisms. And after being locked in ice for 3 decades, the creatures aren't about to give up the warmth of human companionship.

Gillis and Woodruff hope fans are excited to help not only make a cool movie, but also to uplift an art form. Animatronics and Makeup FX have been utilized less frequently in films, and not because of audience disinterest.  Traditional techniques still have a place in modern genre films.  The filmmakers ask supporters of “old-school” visual effects to give them the opportunity to show it. That's what HARBINGER DOWN is all about! 

###

About Studio ADI (Amalgamated Dynamics, Inc.)

            Tom Woodruff, Jr.                                          Alec Gillis

Studio ADI website:  http://www.studioadi.com/

Studio ADI YouTube Channel:  http://www.youtube.com/user/studioADI

Harbinger Down Kickstarter Campaign: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1117671683/harbinger-down-a-practical-creature-fx-film

VIZ MEDIA DEBUTS SUNNY, A NEW MASTERWORK FROM ACCLAIMED MANGA CREATOR TAIYO MATSUMOTO

Eisner Award-Winning Creator Offers A Poignant Story Of Beating The Odds In Ways That Count

San Francisco, CA, May 8, 2013 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, debuts a touching new work by award winning manga creator, Taiyo Matsumoto, with the release of SUNNY Volume 1 on May 21^st. The new hardcover release will be published under the VIZ Signature imprint, is rated ‘T’ for Teens, and will carry an MSRP of $22.99 U.S. / $26.99 CAN. SUNNY will also be available on the same day digitally for $9.99 U.S. / CAN from the VIZ Manga App and at VIZManga.com.

Translated by noted visual effects artist and Tekkonkinkreet film producer Michael Arias (The Abyss, Princess Mononoke, The Animatrix), SUNNY is the story of beating the odds, in the ways that count. It’s the brand-new masterwork from Eisner Award-winner Taiyo Matsumoto, one of Japan’s most innovative and acclaimed manga artists.

“Taiyo Matsumoto delivers an emotional, and at times bittersweet, story about a diverse group of kids that live at a Japanese orphanage,” says Leyla Aker, Vice President, Publishing. “They find solace in Sunny, a dilapidated old Nissan car that sits abandoned in the garden of the orphanage. It’s off-limits to adults but becomes something of a clubhouse for the kids and a way for them to escape their everyday lives. It’s been said that Matsumoto’s genius is his ability to portray both the essential truths and fleeting moments of transcendence in life.  His latest work, SUNNY, reaffirms his status as one of the world’s greatest manga creators.”

Taiyo Matsumoto has won extensive international critical acclaim for his rough and often-unflinching depictions of disaffected youth drawn in an unconventional and surrealist art style he developed after a visit to France and exposure to artists like Moebius. His manga works, including GOGO MONSTER, BLUE SPRING and NO. 5 (all published by VIZ Media), offer a unique art style that reflects both Japanese and European influences. His TEKKONKINKREET: BLACK & WHITE (also available from VIZ Media) won the 2008 Eisner Comic Industry Award for the Best U.S. Edition of International Material – Japan, and was also adapted into an anime feature film. Another of Matsumoto’s manga works, PING PONG, was made into an award-winning live action film. 

For more information on SUNNY or 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.

###

SUNNY © 2011 Taiyou MATSUMOTO/SHOGAKUKAN

Nathan Fillion Unable To Attend Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con

PHILADELPHIA, May 9, 2013 – Wizard World has been advised that Nathan Fillion will be unable to attend Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con because of an unexpected scheduling conflict. We regret any inconvenience this may cause.

All VIP Tickets, Serenity VIP Tickets, Photo Ops, Dual Photo Ops, Group Photo Ops and Autographs will be refunded, please allow a few days for processing. If you still wish to attend Philadelphia Comic Con, you can repurchase tickets at wizardworld.com, email support@ticketleap.com, or call them directly at 877-849-5327 to exchange your tickets and receive a partial refund or pay the difference for a new ticket. Thank you for your support and understanding.

Wizard World Philadelphia will still be hosting other beloved crewmembers from “Firefly,” and Serenity including Summer Glau, Adam Baldwin, and Jewel Staite. They will be joined by other standout celebrities attending include William Shatner (“Star Trek,” “Boston Legal”), Eisner Award Hall of Famer Stan Lee, “The Walking Dead” trio of Michael Rooker, Norman Reedus and Jon Bernthal, Manu Bennett (“Arrow,” The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey) and many others.

“Torchwood” and Zero Dark Thirty star John Barrowman along with WWE® Superstars John Cena® and Daniel Bryan® top the list of celebrity guests scheduled to appear at the event, May 30 – June 2 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.  It is the third in the 2013 series produced by Wizard World, Inc. (OTCBB: WIZD) and will also feature a top-drawer collection of well-known artists and writers and a variety of activities, exhibitors and special attractions.

Superstar comics creators scheduled to attend include Bryan Hitch (“America's Got Powers,” “Wolverine”), Salvador Larroca (“Avengers vs. X-Men,” “Captain America”), Leinil Yu (“Hulk,” “Fantastic Four”) and Barry Kitson (“Thor,” “Spider-Man”).

Additionally, all full price attendees will receive a free copy of the Exclusive Variant Cover of The Walking Dead #1 comic, available only at Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con.

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 Philadelphia Comic Con show hours are Thursday, May 30, 3-8 p.m.; Friday, May 31, noon – 7 p.m.; Saturday, June 1, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m., Sunday, June 2, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

For more on the 2013 Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con, visit http://www.wizardworld.com/home-pa.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.

***** SAVE THE 2013-14 DATES *****
May 30 - June 2 – Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con
June 28-30 – Wizard World New York City Experience
August 8-11 – Wizard World Chicago Comic Con
September 20-22 – Wizard World Ohio Comic Con
October 18-20 – Wizard World Nashville Comic Con
November 22-24 – Wizard World Austin Comic Con
January 24-26, 2014 – Wizard World Portland Comic Con
February 7-9, 2014 – Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con
April 4-6, 2014 – Wizard World St. Louis Comic Con

VIVA PICTURES SCRATCHES UP

ALL U.S. RIGHTS

TO TOP CAT: THE MOVIE

BASED ON THE HIGHLY-POPULAR 1960’s CARTOON SERIES

LOS ANGELES, CA – VIVA Pictures announced today the acquisition for all U.S. rights to Top Cat: The Movie, based on the popular 1960s prime time cartoon character of the same name.  Top Cat: The Movie features the voices of Jason Harris (Ice Age: Continental Drift), Chris Edgerly (Happy Feet), and Bill Lobley (Ice Age: Continental Drift). The company is planning a theatrical roll-out this summer followed by VOD, home entertainment and digital offerings.

"We are honored to be a part of this piece of cartoon history,” commented Victor Elizalde, president of VIVA Pictures.  “I have extremely fond memories of watching with my brothers the original television show, ‘Top Cat’ and am looking forward to sharing the big screen version with a new generation of U.S. audiences.” 

Top Cat: The Movie welcomes the return of the lovable characters from the original Hanna-Barbera cartoon.  Top Cat, along with his gang of city-slickin’ fast-talking friends and their alley shenanigans -- Benny the Ball, Fancy Fancy, Choo Choo, Spook and Brains -- have to face a new sheriff.  Police Chief Strickland has the latest technology and plans to keep peace with it -- his robot police force.  He and his robots are raining on the alley cats’ parade and as a result, the gang is forced to ban together to make sure Strickland doesn’t cash in on one of their nine lives.  Can the gang scratch their way back to freedom against the new robotic police force?  

“Top Cat” was a Hanna-Barbera prime time animated television series that aired on ABC in the early 1960s.  Sponsored by brands Kellogg’s and Bristol-Myers, the network aired 30 episodes about the gang of Manhattan alley cats led by Top Cat, aka T.C.  It was known to be a parody of the popular “The Phil Silvers Show.”  Many of the Hanna-Barbera stable of characters made appearances on the television version of “Top Cat.”  The adventures of Top Cat were also memorialized in comic books until the early 1970s.  Additionally, a hardcover children’s book was created as were several musical CDs with jazzy arrangements of the Top Cat theme song. 

Top Cat is a 2D and 3D Ánima Estudios production, directed by Alberto Mar and produced by Fernando de Fuentes S. and José C. García de Letona. The film, whose Spanish title is "Don Gato y su Pandilla", was released in Mexico as well as many other countries and has gone on to become one of the most successful Mexican produced films ever.

About VIVA Pictures

VIVA Pictures, LLC. is an independent film distribution company offering a wide variety of channels for its partners. Led by entertainment industry veteran, Victor Elizalde, VIVA Pictures is a leading distributor that understands and focuses on the needs of the independent producer.  The company is ideally positioned for creating a new, modern distribution model leveraging innovative technology and existing relationships with key retailer and rental channels on par with major studios.  For more information, visit http://www.vivafilmco.com or view the new trailer and exclusive clip on iTunes at http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/independent/topcat/.

About Ánima Estudios

Founded in 2002, Ánima Estudios is the studio with most animated films produced and released in Latin America. "Imaginum", "El Agente 00P2", "AAA: La Película" and "Kung Fu Magoo" are amongst Anima’s film projects. In 2011 "Don Gato y su Pandilla" and "La Leyenda de la Llorona", were released in movie theaters breaking Mexican box office and attendance records.

Wake Up, Percy Gloom!
by Cathy Malkasian

192-page two-color 8.25" x 10.25" hardcover • $28.99
ISBN: 978-1-60699-638-6

In-Store Date: July 5, 2013 (subject to change)

Cathy Malkasian's second Percy Gloom graphic novel is another fable that the author brings to vivid life through her lush and detailed pencil renderings, surreal humor, absurdist characters, breathtaking landscapes, and luminous storytelling.

Kindhearted, Candide-esque Percy wakes up from a 200 year nap and finds himself in a strange new land. Searching for his mother, lamenting his long-lost love and soul-mate Miss Margaret, Percy meets bizarre, wise, naive, and sometimes dangerous characters, encounters inspired inventions, and forges friendships, discovering a few unexpected verities along the way.

Not to mention the singing goats and furniture parades.

Praise for Percy Gloom (2007):

"Cathy Malkasian's Percy Gloom shines a light on a hidden world, using language and ideas that are daringly naked and vulnerable, evoking something real, rare, and relevant. Such exquisite drawing, in the service of such rich ideas, sustained for such a long, lovely dance! The world looked differently to me after I'd finished reading it." – Jim Woodring

"I love this book! Cathy Malkasian's Percy Gloom swirls with echoes of cartoon landscapes from the past and present. You can almost hear Percy Gloom's meek, docile little voice. Her writing is so full of wit and charm that we, like the title character, walk dutifully to the edge and fall in. And like Percy, we are rewarded equally with night terrors and secret treasures." – Jeff Smith

"A stunning debut, filled with striking, smart ruminations on the brevity of life and happiness and the sweetness of both." – Harrisburg Patriot-News

"This all has the charm of something like Howl's Moving Castle or Yellow Submarine, and Percy and his friends are drawn in a lovely, old-timey way that made me smile on every page. This is a big, solid, handsome hardcover." – Cory Doctorow

Praise for Temperance (2010):

"Expressive and generously detailed pencil sketches serve as an excellent complement to the spare but exacting text to form a narrative that should cut through any reader’s disbelief. ... Malkasian continues to demonstrate bravura storytelling skills, and here gives prominence to several social and cultural issues without letting any of them sink the whole. ... Excellent work for both fans and serious literary readers ready to try sequential art." – Francisca Goldsmith, Booklist (Starred Review)

"You won't know where the story's going, but Malkasian's pages are gorgeous, sweetly melancholic things, and you'll enjoy the trip." – Glen Weldon, NPR

"From the start, Cathy Malkasian's turbulent fantasy Temperance reels you in... No Shrek or Toy Story, Temperance confounds fairy-tale expectations with a disturbing, resonant parable about propaganda, memories and other lies." – Paul Gravett, The Times Literary Supplement

ABOUT THE CARTOONIST: Cathy Malkasian is an animation director and cartoonist living in Clovis, CA. Her credits include Rugrats, The Wild Thornberrys film (for which she received a British Academy Award nomination), and most recently, over 20 episodes of Curious George for PBS since 2008. She was named the Russ Manning Most Promising Newcomer at the 2008 Eisner Awards for her debut graphic novel Percy Gloom.

TEN GRAND #1 GETS SECOND PRINTING

New Joe's Comics title from Image sells out

The flagship issue of the new Joe's Comics line, TEN GRAND #1 by J. Michael Straczynski and Ben Templesmith, sold out the same week as its release, Image Comics has announced that it will go back to press for a second printing that will be in stores on June 5.

A supernatural romance crossed with hardboiled crime, TEN GRAND tells the story of Joe Fitzgerald, a mob enforcer who has sworn to go straight — only to be left for dead during his final hit, an incident that leaves his fiancée dead. Joe gets a second chance when an angelic being revives him to be a hitman for mysterious, spiritual forces, with the reward being that he gets to spend five minutes with his beloved Laura every time he's killed in his new "job.”

TEN GRAND ushered in the return of Joe's Comics and was greeted with critical acclaim:

"Straczynski and Templesmith have proven to be a perfect match for a series like this one, and readers should expect great things from the upcoming installments.”- Bloody Disgusting

"Two masters team up for a blaze through hell and back, giving a fresh new spin to a familiar concept.”- Behind the Panels

"Ten Grand is a fantastic fusion of supernatural, crime noir/PI, and love stories that make for an excellent read. JMS has crafted a story that feels familiar yet goes off in a new direction. Templesmith's art pulls off the story's feeling of despair splendidly.  If you were left wanting more stories like Hellblazer, this is definitely one for you.”- Comic Book Therapy

The June 5 second printing of TEN GRAND #1 can be pre-ordered now with the Diamond Comics code MAR138353.

Alternative Comics & ComiXology
Announce Digital Distribution Agreement

Key titles from creators Sam Henderson, Steve Cerio and Karl Stevens released today!

May 8, 2013 – Cupertino, CA / New York, NY – ComiXology and Alternative Comics announced today that the long-time independent publisher Alternative Comics has entered into an all-new digital distribution agreement with comiXology, the revolutionary cloud-based digital comics platform available across the iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire, Windows 8 and the Web.
Independent comic fans will be reading Alternative Comics in an all new dynamic way with comiXology’s cinematic Guided View™ technology. iPad with Retina display users will experience every fine detail of indie comics with comiXology’s high definition format dubbed CMX-HD!

To celebrate the announcement, Alternative Comics is releasing five titles on the comiXology platform from independent comic luminaries, including Karl Stevens’s Failure, Steve Cerio’s Pie, Sam Henderson’s Magic Whistle series including the Humor Can Be Funny collection and 2012’s twelfth issue of the long running humor comic.
“Alternative Comics has an extensive, hilarious and thought-provoking catalog of work by tremendous independent creators and we’re excited to be able to share these stories worldwide on comiXology,” said comiXology’s co-founder and CEO David Steinberger. “Now fans and newcomers alike will be able to get access to these great titles and experience them in a whole new way with our Guided View reading technology.”

“Making Alternative Comics available digitally on comiXology is a big step for us that we are truly excited to take,” said Alternative Comics General Manager Marc Arsenault. “Bringing high-quality independently created comics to a larger readership has always been our mission and having our extensive back list and all of our new books available through comiXology will give a whole new generation of comic fans access to our catalog.”
Here’s a full list of the Alternative Comics titles debuting today across the comiXology platform:

Failure GN by Karl Stevens
Humor Can Be Funny (Magic Whistle) GN by Sam Henderson
Magic Whistle #7 by Sam Henderson
Magic Whistle #12 by Sam Henderson
Pie #1 by Steven Cerio

Future digital releases from Alternative Comics include their first day-and-date release Alternative Comics #4, coming June 26, 2013. The all-ages graphic novel Peanut Butter & Jeremy’s Best Book Ever, by 2012 Eisner Award winning creator James Kochalka (Dragon Puncher, Johnny Boo), is also scheduled to debut digitally this year.
Alternative Comics is an independent comic book publisher with an extensive back catalog of humor, satirical and original creator-owned titles. Jeff Mason ran the company from 1993 until 2008, and it was re-launched in June 2012 by industry veteran Marc Arsenault.
About comiXology
Founded in 2007, comiXology revolutionized the comic book and graphic novel industry by delivering a cloud-based digital comics platform that makes discovering, buying, and reading comics more fun than ever before. ComiXology's Guided View™ reading technology transforms the comic book medium into an immersive and cinematic experience, helping comiXology become one of iTunes' top 10-grossing iPad apps in 2011 and 2012.  Its new comiXology Submit platform enables independent comics creators to efficiently self-publish and immediately profit from their work.  Offering the broadest library of comic book content from the top 75 publishers, plus leading and emerging independent creators, comiXology will not stop until everyone on the face of the planet has become a comic book fan. The privately held company is based in Gotham City. For more information visit www.comixology.com.
About Alternative Comics
Alternative Comics is an independent publisher of creator-owned graphic novels and comic books based in Cupertino, California. The company was founded by Jeff Mason in Gainesville, Florida in 1993. Alternative Comics’ creators and books have been nominated for and won multiple comics and publishing industry awards. Alternative Comics’ publications are distributed by Diamond Comics Distributors, Inc. and Last Gasp.