New Media Maven STEPHANIE THORPE Assembles Web Series Experts & Elves at San Diego Comic Con 2013

______________________

New Media Maven 

STEPHANIE THORPE

Assembles Web Series 

Experts & Elves

    at San Diego Comic Con 2013

 

Also Celebrates 35 Years of Legendary 

Comic Series ElfQuest

 

Los Angeles, CA – With more than 100 episodes of original web content under her creative belt, New Media Maven STEPHANIE THORPE will moderate a panel of web series experts at SDCC 2013 on Thursday, July 18th at 7:30PM in room 24ABC.

 

Thorpe will lead the “Web Creators Assemble!” panel featuring a lively discussion amongst web experts on breaking new ground, creating innovative content, building a following and more. Joining the panel will be Jane Espenson (tv writer/producer Once Upon a Time, Buffy), Brad Bell (Husbands), Tara Platt (Shelf Life), Katrina Hill (Gamers Anon), Alex Langely (Super Knocked-Up), Sandeep Parikh (The Guild, The Legend of Neil) and Jourdan Gibson (The Cell).

 

And, to celebrate the 35^th Anniversary of legendary comic series “ElfQuest,” Thorpe will join creators Wendy and Richard Pini, producing partner Paula Rhodes (with whom she holds the film/TV rights to the ElfQuest franchise) and Managing Editor of Boing Boing Rob Beschizza as they celebrate three and a half decades of the longest-running fantasy graphic novel series and surprise fans by what’s planned as the story builds to its most ambitious chapter yet, “Final Quest”; which will be published by Dark Horse in the fall.

 

Currently, Thorpe’s artistic spirit is being showcased in the latest edition of Cupcake Quarterly Magazine. The feature includes photos of Thorpe as her favorite superhero The Scarlet Witch and as a gender bending Sherlock Holmes. Also, Thorpe has just signed on to write the new monthly column “Red Carpet Rundown” for Ms. In The Biz Magazine, offering up ways to rock the red with style and fun while on a budget. (msinthebiz.com)

 

Thorpe’s latest creation “The Ladies & The Gents,” premiered to rave reviews and was showcased at the Big Screen Little Screen event held at SAG in May. Now halfway into its 20 week run, this comedy series involves over 50 web-celebs and explores the shenanigans during ‘one night, one LA club, two restrooms.’ (theladiesandthegents.com)

 

This August, Thorpe has been invited to judge a category for the 1^st annual Geekie Awards. She is proud to have two of her series nominated at the gala event being held August 18^th in Hollywood: “Shelf Life,” which just wrapped it’s 4^th season (shelflifeseries.com), and “Night of the Zombie King” (goldtheseries.com), in which she’s a series regular.

 

And to wet your appetite for all things nerdy, Thorpe’s latest venture the series “Slumber Con,” just aired its first promo. Touted as ‘The View...for nerds’, Thorpe and fellow geek girl Jennifer Landa host slumber party-style chats about the latest in geek entertainment, crafts, food & style (www.slumbercon.com).

 

A popular presence in the New Media scene, Thorpe is in demand as an expert panelist & speaker, a host and presenter, a writer & producer, content creator, actress and director. She speaks at events around the country and has appeared on numerous panels at Comic-Con, Wonder Con, Emerald City Con, Geek Girl Con and Stan Lee's Comikaze. Thorpe has been nominated twice to the Board of Directors for IAWTV and hosted 4 events for the non-profit organization Celebrate the Web.

 

Where:     COMIC-CON 2013 – San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, CA

 

Panel 1:    Web Creators Assemble! – Thursday, July 18^th @7:30pm / Room 24ABC

 

Panel 2:    ElfQuest 35^th Anniversary – Friday, July 19^th @6:30pm / Room 8

                                             

For Information About STEPHANIE THORPE visit: www.TheStephanieThorpe.com

 

Follow Her on Twitter @thestephthorpe

MACHINIMA PICKS UP FIRST EPISODE OF CHRISTIAN SESMA WEB SERIES: VIGILANTE DIARIES

Mega-Gaming Site YouTube Channel Features Premiere Episode of

Chill’s Groundbreaking Series

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o63Tv1RbJEw

http://www.chill.com/vd

 LOS ANGELES, CA July 3, 2013 – Machinima, the premier network for gamers across the globe, has begun to showcase the first installment of Vigilante Diaries—feature film director Christian Sesma’s explosive new web series starring Jason Mewes—on its YouTube Channel. Machinima’s showcase of the episode will significantly expand the program’s reach, aiding the director’s crowd-funding campaign on social video website Chill (http://www.chill.com/vd) to earn $50,000 by July 25th. Whether or not Sesma creates new episodes of the series depends on fan support.

Featuring an in-your face performance by Jason Mewes (CLERKS, DOGMA, JAY AND SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK), Vigilante Diaries combines high-octane action-comedy, violence, gore and gratuitous sex with a snappy, graphic novel sensibility. Mewes plays documentary filmmaker Michael Hanover, who turns his camera to the dark underworld of vigilante justice. As he records the exploits of “The Vigilante” and his right-hand man “The Kid,” he is thrust headfirst into the middle of the story he is documenting. Taking down drug lords, mafia kingpins and getting some action from "the twins," Hanover must learn to adapt to this depraved world. With no shortage of blood, gore, sex, and first-person shooter action sequences, Vigilante Diaries promises to be the series that hardcore gamers, graphic novel and thriller fans have been hungering for.

“Paul Sloan (the creator), Mewes and I are totally pleased with our partners, who not only have given us a broadcast platform on Chill but allowed us to tap into Machinima’s huge viewership,” says Sesma, who also produced the series under his production company Seskri Produktionz. “I’m a big fan of the site and I couldn’t think of a better way to build on our core audience at Chill than to be able to showcase our kick-ass series on YouTube…and show episode One for free no less.”

Machinima, “the world’s most powerful gaming network,” provides comprehensive gaming-focused programming to the coveted 18-34-year-old male demographic. With the number-one entertainment channel on YouTube, their global reach extends to over 191 million unique gamers. Machinima videos garnered an incredible combined 2.2 billion views in March 2013.

Sesma has shot two episodes of the show and has four more written and ready to go.  Fans of Vigilante Diaries can help ensure the show’s livelihood by purchasing the first two episodes for $4.99 on Chill (http://www.chill.com/vd). The website allows indie filmmakers to showcase and crowd- fund their projects. Chill is also offering fans the opportunity to purchase Vigilante Diaries “extras” including the opportunity to direct a scene from an upcoming episode, have a walk-on role in the show, or play Call of Duty with Jason Mewes.

“We teamed up with Chill because we didn’t want any third parties messing with our vision for Vigilante Diaries,” Sesma explains. “We wanted to give our audience what they want…a digital graphic novel love letter with everything we (Sesma, Sloan and Mewes) think is cool. No rating, no rules, just over-the-top genre content that you wouldn’t normally be able to see on the web.”

Palm Springs native Christian Sesma is at the vanguard of a new generation of Latino filmmakers.  Sesma debuted his first short film CYCLES at the Palm Springs Short Film Festival in 2004.  Since then he’s directed five other features: teen thriller 6:30 (SIX-THIRTY), sophomore horror effort ON BLOODY SUNDAY (Warner Bros.) His third breakout feature SHOOT THE HERO (with Mewes, Samantha Lockwood, Danny Trejo and Nic Nac) world premiered at Palm Springs Film Fest.  I’M NOT LIKE THAT NO MORE (with Paul Rodriguez) premiered at HBO’S New York Latino Film.  He recently wrapped production on the Sci-fi/horror mash-up LOST TIME, which stars Luke Goss, Robert Davi, Lin Shaye and Rochelle Vallese. He has two more features slated for production in 2013: THE NIGHTCREW with Premiere Entertainment and AWOL starring Goss, Bokeem Woodbine and The Rza.

Vigilante Dairies is directed/produced by Christian Sesma, written/created by Paul Sloan and executive produced by Brian Norgard, Marc Hustvedt, and Jason Mewes. The series stars Mewes, Sloan, Kevin L. Walker and Jacqueline Lord; Anthony J. Ricket Epstein is editor; original music is composed by Michael John Mollo.

IGN & FOCUS FEATURES ANNOUNCE KICK-OFF TO COMIC-CON PARTY

IGN & FOCUS FEATURES ANNOUNCE KICK-OFF TO COMIC-CON PARTY

IN CELEBRATION OF

TAKE PART IN THE IGN FAN CRAWL IN SAN DIEGO ON THURSDAY, JULY 18^TH

FOR YOUR CHANCE TO ATTEND!

SAN DIEGO, July 3^rd, 2013 – IGN is teaming up with Focus Features to host their annual invitation-only Comic-Con launch party at the Hard Rock Hotel on Thursday, July 18^th in celebration of the epic finale to Edgar Wright’s “Blood & Ice Cream” trilogy, THE WORLD’S END.  The eagerly anticipated comedy stars Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Paddy Considine, Martin Freeman, Eddie Marsan, and Rosamund Pike.

Twelve lucky fans will win access to the party after competing in THE WORLD’S END: IGN Fan Crawl, a trivia event featuring all things Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz!

The three-hour Crawl will commence at 1:00 PM on Thursday afternoon at The Commons SD (www.thecommonssd.com) and proceed to the Hotel Solamar and Hard Rock Hotel until twelve winners emerge victorious.  “Good food, fine ales and total annihilation” await all participants in the Crawl.  There will also be special prize giveaways, including passes to a sneak screening on Friday night!

THE WORLD’S END Comic-Con party will be held on Thursday, July 18^th from 7:00-11:00 PM at the Hard Rock Hotel’s Float Bar with director Edgar Wright and stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost in attendance.  The trio will also be participating in THE WORLD’S END panel in Hall H on Friday, July 19^th.

For more information on how you can participate, visit www.ign.com/TheWorldsEnd.

About IGN Entertainment

IGN Entertainment is the leading Internet media and services provider focused on the video game and entertainment enthusiast markets. Collectively, IGN's properties reach more than 57 million unique users worldwide, according to Internet audience measurement firm comScore.  IGN is the Web's #1 video game information destination and also owns the world's largest men's lifestyle website, AskMen.com.  IGN is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, with offices across North America, Europe and Australia.

About THE WORLD’S END

A signature brew of camaraderie, knockabout humor, excessive quaffing, questionable life choices, hand-to-hand combat, and explosive surprises, THE WORLD’S END (www.TheWorldsEndMovie.com) reteams director Edgar Wright with actors Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, following their hits Shaun of the Dead (2004) and Hot Fuzz (2007). Focus Features releases the comedy nationwide on Friday, August 23^rd.

About Focus Features

Focus Features and Focus Features International (www.focusfeatures.com) comprise a singular global company. This worldwide studio makes original and daring films that challenge the mainstream to embrace and enjoy voices and visions from around the world that deliver global commercial success. The company operates as Focus Features in North America, and as Focus Features International (FFI) in the rest of the world.

In addition to THE WORLD’S END, upcoming Focus Features releases include Closed Circuit, the suspense thriller directed by John Crowley and starring Eric Bana and Rebecca Hall; the true-life dramatic thriller Kill the Messenger, to be directed by Michael Cuesta and star Jeremy Renner; the comedic fable The Boxtrolls, the new animated feature from LAIKA, directed by Anthony Stacchi and Graham Annable with a voice cast that includes Ben Kingsley, Toni Collette, Elle Fanning, Isaac Hempstead-Wright, and Tracy Morgan; Black Sea, the adventure thriller to star Jude Law for Academy Award-wining director Kevin Macdonald; and Dallas Buyers Club, the fact-based drama directed by Jean-Marc Vallée and starring Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, and Jared Leto.

Focus Features is part of NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment television networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, world-renowned theme parks, and a suite of leading Internet-based businesses. NBCUniversal is owned by Comcast Corporation.

TwoMorrows' new book spotlights Gold Key artist DAN SPIEGLE's life in comic art

(RALEIGH, NC) TwoMorrows Publishing (the leading publisher of books and magazines for comics fandom) is proudly debuting its latest tome, DAN SPIEGLE: A LIFE IN COMIC ART. Co-written by Spiegle and historian JOHN COATES (author of The Art of Nick Cardy), this 104-page book is currently in comic book shops, retail bookstores, and available from TwoMorrows' website (www.twomorrows.com).

DAN SPIEGLE: A LIFE IN COMIC ART documents the career and life of one of the most respected—and hardest working—comic artists of the last sixty years, with a career spanning the Golden Age of comics through the Modern era. From his beginnings on the Hopalong Cassidy newspaper strip, to his thirty-year tenure on Dell and Gold Key’s licensed TV and Movie adaptions (Lost in Space, Korak, Magnus Robot Fighter, Mighty Sampson, Buck Rogers), Dan’s work is admired by fans and professionals alike. During the 1980s, he worked at DC Comics on Batman, Unknown Soldier, Tomahawk, Jonah Hex, Teen Titans, and the fan-favorite reboot of Blackhawk (taking the character back to its World War II roots), as well as his popular Crossfire series for Eclipse Comics, Dark Horse’s Indiana Jones series, and more. 

In this book, author John Coates documents Dan's entire life in comics, through interviews filled with insight into the comic industry, colorful anecdotes of meeting celebrities, plus an examination of Dan’s artistic process from script to finished drawing, as well as personal reflections by Dan’s family on growing up with a father in comics. It includes dozens of images of Dan’s work, along with personal photos of family and industry peers, and numerous private commission drawings. Anyone who read comics between the mid-1950s through the 2000s probably enjoyed a comic with Dan’s art. Now they can learn about his life in comic art. 

This book includes a color section, a Foreword by longtime collaborator Mark Evanier, and an Afterword by Sergio Aragones. 

TwoMorrows is also offering free digital preview at this link:

http://twomorrows.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1091

104-page trade paperback with color section

ISBN-13: 978-1-60549-049-6
ISBN-10: 1-60549-049-0

Print version: $17.95 cover price

Digital Edition: $7.95

Diamond Comic Distributors Order Code: MAR131309

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

SOTA TOYS TEAMS UP WITH MULTIVERSE STUDIO ANNOUNCE ANIME EXPO 2013 LINEUP

SOTA TOYS TEAMS UP WITH MULTIVERSE STUDIO ANNOUNCE ANIME EXPO 2013 LINEUP

Spectacular Collectibles and Toys Await!

LOS ANGELES, Calif., (July 3, 2013) – Leading toy manufacturer SOTA Toys, Inc. in tandem with Multiverse Studio Inc. today announced their Anime Expo 2013 lineup showcasing the latest wave of high-end collectible plush and Bobble Budds® figures. SOTA Toys in conjunction with Multiverse Studio will be offering a wide selection of products ranging from cute adorable plush animals based on the classic family oriented videogame series, Harvest Moon to iconic plush based on the popular comic strip Angry Little Girls! Additionally, Multiverse Studio will have available for purchase the recently released Round 2 of the fan favorite Street Fighter™ Bobble Budds® series. Located at booth #1429, SOTA Toys has something for everyone.

Hot on the heels of the wildly successful and delightfully huggable Harvest Moon Deluxe Plush Series Cow Plush, Multiverse Studio releases the second animal in the diabolically cute lineup, Panda Plush. Fans of the Harvest Moon videogame series and the uninitiated will squeal in delightful at this cuddly monotone color plush. Measuring 6-inches tall, this Panda is the perfect companion for all occasions. Harvest Moon Deluxe Plush Series Panda Plush will be available for $25 per plush.

Based on the syndicated comic strip and popular book series authored by Lela Lee, Multiverse Studio is proud to debut 7-inch Angry Little Girls! Kim Plush. Fans of the Kim – The Angry Little Asian Girl!, can now take her refreshing form of sass and wittiness wherever they go. Limited to a production of 1000 units globally, Angry Little Girls! Kim Plush retails for $20 each.

Following up on the last years Round 1 release, Street Fighter Bobble Budds Round 2 expands the roster by adding 4 additional world warriors to collect, including Ken, Zangief, Guile, and Cammy. Bobble Budds takes the distinctly unique character designs of Street Fighter’s most iconic combatants and presents them as colorful super deformed bobble heads. Measuring 3.5-inches tall, Street Fighter Bobble Budds Round 2 will be available for $11 per figure at Anime Expo.

Furthermore, Multiverse Studio is releasing a very special Anime Expo Exclusive Mecha Zangief Bobble Budd. Limited to 160 units worldwide, Mecha Zangief is sure to sell fast. Street Fighter Bobble Budds Round 2 Anime Expo Exclusive Mecha Zangief will be available for $11 per figure.

For more information about upcoming Bobble Budd products, please visit: http://bobblebudds.com or https://www.facebook.com/BobbleBudds

S.H.O.O.T. FIRST, READ OTHER COMICS LATER!

ACLIN & SELMA DELIVER ATHEISTS AND ACTION IN ORIGINAL NEW ADVENTURE!

Milwaukie, OR, JULY 3 – Justin Aclin (Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Twisted ToyFare Theatre) and Nicolas Daniel Selma (Tomb Raider: The Beginning) take aim at the supernatural in S.H.O.O.T. First, an all-new big-action, big-ideas creator-owned mini-series from Dark Horse Comics!

The Secular Humanist Occult Obliteration Taskforce uses the power of their own disbelief (as filtered through sci-fi weaponry) to protect humanity from supernatural creatures that seek to do us harm…but for S.H.O.O.T., that means demons, angels and everything in between. Original, irreverent and sure-to-be controversial - S.H.O.O.T. First promises sci-fi action in the Dark Horse tradition, with a bold new twist!

"S.H.O.O.T. First is the most personal story and the most epic story I've ever written. It's about how we deal with the loss of faith, plus it's got crazy sci-fi action and a robot arm-wrestling a demon,” says writer Justin Aclin.

“If you are into angels and demons, weird looking creatures or just big guns, S.H.O.O.T First will totally blow your heads off," adds artist Nicolas Selma.

“I'm so excited by the tremendous work that Nicolas Selma is doing on these issues, and I couldn't be more proud to be publishing my first creator-owned miniseries through Dark Horse Comics, which has been where comics' finest creators bring their greatest creations for decades," adds Aclin.  

"It was incredible for me to cooperate with Justin on this great project,” says Selma. “My childhood dreams are coming true!”

Be sure to check out the exclusive first look of S.H.O.O.T. First and interview with Justin Aclin on The New York Post’s Parallel Worlds.

S.H.O.O.T. First #1 (of 4) is in comic shops everywhere October 16^th!

About Dark Horse

Founded in1986 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, Guillermo Del Toro and comics legends such as Will Eisner, Neal Adams, and Jim Steranko, Dark Horse has developed its own successful properties such as 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, EVE: Online, Halo, Serenity, Game of Thrones 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.

CARRIE FISHER, ALICE COOPER, ZACHARY QUINTO, KATEY SAGAL AND MORE ADDED TO GROWING FAN EXPO CANADA™ CELEBRITY LINE-UP

Tickets On Sale Now to Ultimate Four-Day Fan Experience Hitting Metro Toronto Convention Centre August 22-25 TORONTO, ON (July 3, 2013) – From Princess Leia to Spock, the star-studded roster of special guests at this year's Fan Expo Canada™ keeps getting bigger and better.  Joining this year's previously announced celebrity guests, comprising some of the world's most legendary names in pop culture, film and television, are: CARRIE FISHER (Star Wars) ALICE COOPER ("The Godfather of Shock Rock") ZACHARY QUINTO (American Horror Story, J.J. Abrams' Star Trek, Heroes) KATEY SAGAL (Sons of Anarchy, Futurama) RON PERLMAN (Sons of Anarchy, Teen Titans, Hellboy, Beauty and the Beast TV series) MAX BROOKS (World War Z, The Zombie Survival Guide author) LINDA HAMILTON (The Terminator, Beauty and the Beast TV series) GINA TORRES (Alias, Serenity, Firefly, Angel, The Matrix film series, Suits) IAN MCDIARMID (Star Wars) STEPHEN AMELL (Arrow) LUKE PERRY & JASON PRIESTLY (Beverly Hills, 90210) These celebrity guests join previously announced Fan Expo Canada™ and Fan Expo Sports™ guests David Hasselhoff, Hulk Hogan, Karl Urban, George Takei, Stan Lee, Bobby Orr, Roberto Alomar, Dean Cain, and Lena Headey among others. This year's Fan Expo Canada™ is the biggest to-date, taking over the entire North and South buildings of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre for the first time ever with the addition of Fan Expo Sports™ - The Ultimate Sports Celebrity Experience.  The convention promises over 100,000 entertainment and sports fans over 750,000 square feet packed with 1000 retailers, artists and exhibitors.   For more information on Fan Expo Canada™ and Fan Expo Sports™, visit www.fanexpocanada.com and www.fanexposports.com. TICKET DETAILS: To purchase passes or single day tickets to Fan Expo Canada™, visit http://www.fanexpocanada.com/tickets/ About Fan Expo Canada™ and Fan Expo Sports™: Founded by Hobby Star Marketing Inc. as the Canadian National Comic Book Expo in 1995, Fan Expo Canada™ is an annual four-day multi-genre fan convention featuring comic, anime, science, fiction, horror, and gaming plus, new this year (2013), the introduction of Fan Expo Sports™.  The convention is the largest of its kind in Canada and among the largest in the world, filling the North and South buildings of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre with over 100,000 attendees expected.  Other shows produced by Hobby Star Marketing Inc. include Toronto ComiCon™ and FanExpo Vancouver™.

Kapow! BATMAN ’66 #1 Blasts Off Today

DC Entertainment’s New Digital-First Comic Featuring DC² Interactivity Now Available for Download

Holy high tech, Batman!  Today marks the release of highly anticipated new Digital-First comic BATMAN ’66 #1. The first chapter takes the digital reading experience to the next level by incorporating DC²,the latest digital reading innovation from DC Entertainment. DC²’s dynamic artwork brings the classic TV show’s action and retro attitude to life for comic readers through an expanded storytelling canvas as each comic panel tells a multi-dimensional story through layered artwork and sequences. DC² interactivity is built exclusively on the comiXology platform and will be offered to readers using the DC Comics or comiXology apps or online through www.readdcentertainment.com or comixology.com
BATMAN ’66 is inspired by the classic TV series and features many fan-favorite characters like Catwoman, The Riddler, The Joker and, of course, the dynamic duo of Batman and Robin. Written by Jeff Parker, the series features artwork by Jonathan Case and a cover art by Michael Allred. Readers will put on their go-go boots and get ready to “Batusi” back to the Swingin’ 60s. The all-new stories portray The Caped Crusader, The Boy Wonder and their fiendish rogues gallery just the way viewers remember them. In the first adventure, The Riddler’s out to steal valuable artwork from under the nose of Gotham’s police force and Batman gets help from an unlikely source: a certain femme fatale dressed in feline finery.
“BATMAN ’66 is a great title to launch DC² in that the fun, interactive features fit perfectly with the comic’s dynamic action storylines,” stated Hank Kanalz, senior vice president of integrated publishing and Vertigo, DC Entertainment. “In addition to producing a top-notch line-up of Digital First comics, we’re focused on incorporating new and innovative digital experiences like DC² that enhance storytelling.”
“It’s been great collaborating with DC on BATMAN ’66 for the first DC² release,” said co-founder John D. Roberts. “Leveraging the unique abilities of our Guided View reading technology to push the boundaries of digital storytelling is going to be a huge benefit to the comic book reader and Batman fans around the world”.
The first chapter of BATMAN ’66 is available for download today, and monthly print issues that collect three digital chapters will also be for sale in comic book shops across the U.S., with the first print issue hitting stands on Wednesday, July 17. Non-DC² versions of BATMAN ’66 will also be available for download on other digital platforms including iBookstore, Kindle Store and Nook Store.

FORENSIC PSYCHIATRISTS AND LAWYERS PUT ZOMBIES ON TRIAL

Comic-Con International 2013 Panel Applies Real-Life Law and Forensic Psychiatry to Post-Zombie-Apocalyptic-World
Los Angeles, CA, July 2013 – After unprecedented audience response to presentations at Comic-Con and WonderCon, the doctors of Broadcast Thought, H. Eric Bender, M.D., Praveen R. Kambam, M.D., and Vasilis K. Pozios, M.D., return to San Diego Comic-Con for another must-see panel.  On Thursday, July 18, 2013, from 8:00 pm to 9:30 pm, in Room 7AB, they will team up with one of the lawyers from Law and the Multiverse, co-author of “The Law of Superheroes,” James Daily, and attorney and professor Jeff Trexler, to present “Not Guilty Due to Zombification? Law & Forensic Psychiatry in a Zombie Apocalypse.”  Together this collaborative panel will offer fascinating insights into the legal ramifications of a zombie apocalypse.  Would zombies have the same legal rights as their human counterparts?  What criminal charges might the surviving humans face?  Could a “cured” zombie be found guilty of murders committed as a zombie?  Explore these and other scenarios facing humans, zombies, and former zombies alike during a zombie apocalypse.  Broadcast Thought and the attorneys will present a never-before-seen mock trial at Comic-Con.  The lawyers will be the prosecution and defense, the doctors will be the expert witnesses, and you will be the jury.  Join them, and discover whether the walking dead will be found guilty or will walk free!

The presenters will be available for interviews before and after the panel.

About Broadcast Thought:
Broadcast Thought is H. Eric Bender, M.D., Praveen R. Kambam, M.D., and Vasilis K. Pozios, M.D., three physicians specializing in forensic, child and adolescent, and adult psychiatry.  The doctors serve as creative consultants and subject matter experts to the media and entertainment industries and co-create mental health related content.
Broadcast Thought’s Comic-Con and WonderCon appearances have drawn capacity crowds, and their approach has been featured in The New York Times, The Huffington Post, Wired, ABC News, AOL News, British Medical Journal, Newsarama, Entertainment Weekly, and Discover.

About Law and the Multiverse:

James Daily and Ryan Davidson are the legal minds behind the popular blog Law and the Multiverse.  In it, they explore the hypothetical legal ramifications of comic book tropes, characters, and powers.

Law and the Multiverse has been featured in The New York Times, Mother Jones, NPR’s All Things Considered, Marketplace, the ABA Journal, and many other publications, radio shows, blogs, podcasts, and websites, both in the U.S. and around the world.

About Jeff Trexler:

Jeff Trexler is an attorney and professor at the Fashion Law Institute at Fordham Law School.  He has written on legal issues for The Beat, TCJ.com, and Blog@Newsarama.

“Not Guilty Due to Zombification? Law & Forensic Psychiatry in a Zombie Apocalypse” takes place on Thursday, July 18, 2013, from 8:00 pm to 9:30 pm in Room 7AB, at the San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, CA.

BOOM! STUDIOS GETS SWEET WITH ADVENTURE TIME: CANDY CAPERS #1

 

  
   

 

July 3rd, 2013 - Los Angeles, CA - BOOM! Studios is proud to announce the newest addition to the Adventure Time comic book family! Based on the hit Cartoon Network series, ADVENTURE TIME: CANDY CAPERS #1, an all new standalone mystery series set in the Land of Ooo, will arrive in stores this month.

A SUGARY WHO-DONE-IT IN THE LAND OF ADVENTURE TIME! Something rotten is afoot in the Land of Ooo, and someone's gotta sniff out what it is! When Finn and Jake are suddenly kidnapped, Princess Bubblegum deputizes two of her most trusted citizens...Peppermint Butler and Cinnamon Bun?! The crime movie homages come hard and fast in the Candy Kingdom that never sleeps!

ADVENTURE TIME: CANDY CAPERS is written by Yuko Ota and Ananth Panagariya (JOHNNY WANDER) and drawn by Ian McGinty. It ships with main covers by Josceline Fenton and Magnolia Porter as well as incentive covers by Rebecca Mock and Tessa Stone.

ADVENTURE TIME: CANDY CAPERS #1 ships with a retail price of $3.99 and is available for order under the Diamond Code MAY130954. The debut issue is scheduled to arrive in comic book stores on July 17th, 2013. Not sure where to find your nearest comic retailer? Use comicshoplocator.com or findacomicshop.com to find one! Subscriptions for the entire series are also available at boom-studios.com.

 

About BOOM! Studios

Founded by Ross Richie in 2005, Diamond Gem Award-winning "Best Publisher" BOOM! Studios (boom-studios.com) generates a constellation of best-selling Eisner and Harvey Award-winning original and licensed comic books and graphic novels with the industry's top talent. BOOM! Studios is the home of Mike Carey's SUICIDE RISK, Clive Barker’s NEXT TESTAMENT and HELLRAISER, Paul Jenkins and Humberto Ramos' FAIRY QUEST, PLANET OF THE APES, Max Bemis' POLARITY and Mark Waid’s IRREDEEMABLE. Steven Grant's graphic novel 2 GUNS will be released as a feature film from Universal Pictures August 2nd, starring Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg. BOOM!'s all-ages imprint KaBOOM! publishes Charles Schulz' PEANUTS, Jim Davis’ GARFIELD, Cartoon Network's ADVENTURE TIME and REGULAR SHOW, Mike Kunkel's HEROBEAR AND THE KID and Roger Langridge’s Eisner Award-winning SNARKED.

STEPHENSON OPENS IMAGE EXPO WITH KEYNOTE

This morning at Image Expo at the Lam Research Theater in San Francisco, Image Comics Publisher Eric Stephenson began a rousing and revealing keynote address to an audience of more than 500 comics industry journalists, retailers, and fans about the independent  publisher’s upward trajectory in the comic book and graphic novel markets.   Opening with an introduction to the company, Stephenson re-affirmed Image’s commitment to independence, creator ownership, and creative freedom. “Image Comics was founded by and for creators,” he said. “Whereas the dominant conversations at other companies are about licenses and franchises and the executives steering their ‘properties’ toward success, the conversation at Image – the only conversation at Image – is about the creators.” What’s more, Stephenson asserted, is that this model has been increasingly successful for Image. “We saw our dollars increase 40% over 2011’s numbers, with our units going up almost as much – 38%,” Stephenson said, noting that Image’s sales have been steadily increasing since 2009. “Better still,” he continued, “six months into 2013 we’re already up 33% in dollars and 38% in units over the same period in 2012.” “We are making significant gains on Disney and Warner Brothers,” said Stephenson, speaking of Marvel and DC, which are respectively owned by those two large entertainment conglomerates. Credit for these gains, Stephenson stressed, lies in one place: with the comic book creators whom Image publishes. Citing titles like SAGA by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples, FATALE by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips, and THE MANHATTAN PROJECTS by Jonathan Hickman and Nick Pitarra, Stephenson said, “The creators we work with reward our ongoing faith in new creativity with one amazing new series after another, proving along the way that there’s more to entertainment than simply sucking every last drop of life out of ideas rooted in the twentieth century.” “We’re making gains on our competitors in the marketplace,” he continued, “but units and dollars aside, we’re doing even better than that when it comes to talent, because when it comes to talent, we’re not just gaining on them, we’re passing them by.” Among the talent being published in 2013, Stephenson noted Mark Millar and Frank Quitely (JUPITER’S LEGACY) and J. Michael Straczynski and Ben Templesmith (TEN GRAND), and Matt Fraction and Howard Chaykin (SATELLITE SAM), as well as upcoming titles like SIDEKICK by Straczynski and Tom Mandrake, SEX CRIMINALS by Fraction and Chip Zdarsky, and RAT QUEENS by Kurtis Wiebe and John Upchurch and ZERO by Ales Kot and Michael Walsh. The speech continued with the introduction of Image Comics partner Robert Kirkman, who spoke about his plans for the tenth anniversary of his zombie apocalypse phenomena THE WALKING DEAD.

ABOUT IMAGE COMICS

Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.

KIRMAN ANNOUNCES THE WALKING DEAD TENTH ANNIVERSARY PLANS

Today at Image Expo in San Francisco, Image Comics partner and THE WALKING DEAD creator Robert Kirkman announced his plans for the tenth anniversary of his iconic, game-changing comic book series, taking place in October 2013. That month, “All-Out War,” a new 12-issue story arc will launch with THE WALKING DEAD #115, with, in addition to the regular covers, ten connecting variant covers by series artist Charlie Adlard. Issues #12-23 will be released bi-weekly, starting on October 9. Also to be released that month is THE WALKING DEAD #1 in color for the first time ever. Award-winning colorist extraordinaire Dave Stewart will giving a new vividness to Tony Moore’s art in the classic first issue with art. Fans of Tyreese will be happy to see the favorite character get his moment in October as well, with the release of THE WALKING DEAD TYREESE SPECIAL, which reprints his first appearance in THE WALKING DEAD #7 and his origin story that originally appeared in THE WALKING DEAD: FREE COMIC BOOK DAY SPECIAL. And THE WALKING DEAD readers will be able to choose their side in “All-Out War” with T-shirts that announces their allegiance to Rick Grimes’ “Survivors,” Jesus’s “Hilltop,” Negan’s “Saviors,” or Ezekiel’s “Kingdom” factions.

ABOUT IMAGE COMICS

Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.

DARK HORSE ANNOUNCES ALL-NEW KITCHEN SINK BOOKS IMPRINT

Publishing maverick and alternative-publishing pioneer join forces on a line of books, launching in late 2013

NEW YORK, NY, JULY 2^nd - Dark Horse Comics announced today that they have entered into a joint venture to add the newly formed Kitchen Sink Books as an exclusive and independent publishing imprint.

Kitchen Sink Books will begin a publishing program in late 2013, focusing on large-format, heavily illustrated art books, archival reprint collections, and original graphic novels.

The new imprint will be headed by alternative publishing pioneer Denis Kitchen and book designer/editor John Lind, who will share duties including acquiring and editing new projects, developing talent, and strategically guiding the imprint.

Their previous partnership, Kitchen, Lind & Associates, served as a packager on numerous award-winning and award-nominated books for companies including Abrams, Chronicle Books, Disney/Hyperion, and Bloomsbury. KLA also represented creator-owned projects at major publishing houses from an eclectic client list, including Todd Hignite, Jerry Robinson, Eleanor Davis and Drew Weing, Joey Chou, Rebecca Guay, Liniers, Howard Cruse, William Stout, and the literary estates of both Harvey Kurtzman and Al Capp.

Publisher Mike Richardson, editor Philip Simon, and assistant editor Everett Patterson will oversee responsibilities on behalf of Dark Horse Comics.

“I grew up an ardent fan of Kitchen Sink Press and Dark Horse Comics, so continuing to work with my business partner Denis Kitchen and Mike Richardson is always a thrill,” said Lind. “Their careers greatly influenced and inspired my interest in comics and graphic novels at a crucial stage—in many ways, it’s what drew me to work in this field.” Lind continued, “Kitchen Sink Books will be the nexus of our shared aesthetic values, united vision, and dedication to quality work.”

“John and I have packaged books for a number of first-rank publishers, but we have long discussed the ideal house to enjoy maximum freedom and creativity. In longtime friend and publisher Mike Richardson and Dark Horse Comics, we found just that,” said Kitchen. “It’s a kinship born of creator-friendly environments, a commitment to upholding comics history, and beautiful books produced by talented creators that we can be proud of. Our hope is that Kitchen Sink Books will connect with fans and aficionados by showcasing some of the best this medium has to offer.”

“I’m extremely pleased to be working with Denis and John on this new venture,” said Mike Richardson. “My relationship with Denis goes back to the earliest days of Dark Horse and we’ve had a shared aesthetic with regard to comics from day one. With John, we have one of the best designer/editors in the business. I’m very much looking forward to the exciting projects that will result from this new imprint.”

Kitchen Sink Books will initially release four to six books per year. The first book, scheduled for release in November 2013, will be The Best of Comix Book: When Marvel Went Underground!, a collection of the long-out-of-print underground Comix Book series (1974–1976) that was originally edited by Denis Kitchen and Stan Lee for Marvel Comics. The collection will include work from underground creators such as Joel Beck, Kim Deitch, Justin Green, Harvey Pekar, Trina Robbins, Art Spiegelman, Skip Williamson, and S. Clay Wilson. The book will feature an introduction by Lee, a foreword by Kitchen, and an essay written by James Vance (Kings in Disguise), accompanied by unpublished artwork, photographs, and correspondence from Kitchen’s archives.

Catch an exclusive preview of The Best of Comix Book: When Marvel Went Underground! on Bleeding Cool.

Look for more announcements in this exciting new line of books in the months to come!

Denis Kitchen is a legendary pioneer in underground and alternative publishing via his original company Kitchen Sink Press (1969–1998). For nearly 30 years, Kitchen served as publisher for an impressive list of creators including R. Crumb, Will Eisner, Harvey Kurtzman, Neil Gaiman & Dave McKean, Alan Moore & Eddie Campbell, Art Spiegelman, Al Capp, Charles Burns, Milton Caniff, James O’Barr, Scott McCloud, Mark Schultz, Jack Jackson, Michael Allred, Simon Bisley, Aline Kominsky-Crumb, Monte Beauchamp, Joe Matt, Kim Deitch, Trina Robbins, Will Elder, Jim Woodring, Alex Toth, and Ernie Bushmiller. In 1986 Kitchen founded the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, a non-profit organization that defends the comics industry’s First Amendment rights, serving as its president for the first 18 years. A monograph of his cartooning career, The Oddly Compelling Art of Denis Kitchen, was published in 2010.

John Lind is Co-founder and Creative Director of Kitchen, Lind & Associates. Since 1999, Lind has art directed and designed books for a high-profile client list including Abrams, Bloomsbury, Chronicle Books, Disney/Hyperion, Egmont, Simon & Schuster, and W. W. Norton. Specifically focusing on graphic novels, art books, and children’s books, he has worked on numerous award-winning projects and New York Times best sellers and has had the pleasure of working with creators such as Tony DiTerlizzi, Will Eisner, Mo Willems, and R. Crumb. Before becoming a full-time designer, Lind was the Project Development Coordinator for Kevin Eastman’s Words & Pictures Museum in the mid-1990s.

Mike Richardson is the President and Publisher of Dark Horse Comics, the award winning company he founded in 1986. The comics company was an offshoot of the Oregon based comic-book retail chain he launched in 1980, Things From Another World. Richardson pursued the idea of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals, and twenty-five years later the company has grown to become the third-largest comics company in the United States. Richardson also founded Dark Horse Entertainment, for which he has produced over two-dozen films and television series, including the Emmy winning HBO documentary, Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project.

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, Guillermo Del Toro and comics legends such as Will Eisner, Neal Adams, and Jim Steranko, Dark Horse has developed its own successful properties such as 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, EVE: Online, Halo, Serenity, Game of Thrones 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.

***

MARVEL KNIGHTS ANIMATION PRESENTS WOLVERINE: ORIGIN

 

For Immediate Release

 

The Eisner-Award Winning Series

By Joe Quesada, Paul Jenkins, Bill Jemas, Andy Kubert and Richard Isanove

Leaps from the Marvel Comic Book Pages to the Screen!

 

FEATURING COVER ART ILLUSTRATION BY JOE QUESADA AND RICHARD ISANOVE

 

UNLEASHED ON HOME ENTERTAINMENT SHELVES FOR THE FIRST TIME

OWN IT ON DVD JULY 9, 2013 FROM SHOUT! FACTORY

 

This summer, Marvel fans will learn the secret history of WOLVERINE that changed the Marvel Universe forever! Written by Eisner Award winner Paul Jenkins from a story by Joe Quesada, Paul Jenkins and Bill Jemas with captivating artwork by Andy Kubert and Richard Isanove. The adventures of Wolverine’s early days and the startling revelation of his true origins are brought to life when MARVEL KNIGHTS ANIMATION’S WOLVERINE: ORIGIN debuts for the first time on home entertainment shelves nationwide on July 9, 2013 from Shout! Factory. This highly anticipated Marvel Knights Animation presentation boasts engaging storytelling combined with visual rich animation and insightful bonus content. Featuring cover art illustration by Joe Quesada and Richard Isanove, this deluxe DVD is collected in a unique comic book style packaging that bridges the comic book to DVD concept. As one of the most important stories of all time in the Marvel Universe, this DVD is a must have for loyal fans, comic book enthusiasts and collectors. MARVEL KNIGHTS ANIMATION’S WOLVERINE: ORIGIN is priced to own at $14.97.

 

 

 

 

Exclusive behind-the-scenes bonus content features interviews with the creators and illustrators to provide an intimate and retrospective look at the development and production process of this amazing story. Marvel Knights Animation remains true to the heritage of panel-by-panel graphic storytelling, boasting groundbreaking illustrations, sensational soundscapes, and of course, the explosiveness of the Mighty Marvel Universe. Behind every image and every word lies the genius of Marvel’s celebrated creators.

 

SYNOPSIS

Wolverine is the best there is at what he does - although of course, what he does isn’t very nice. But long before he was a member of the X-Men, a tormented experiment of the Weapon-X project, or even a savage bar brawler known as Logan – he was simply a young boy.

 

What incredible forces created this man, the world’s greatest killing machine? For years, Wolverine has searched desperately for answers from his past, from the wilds of the Canadian Wilderness to the teeming cities of Japan and beyond. And despite his perseverance and longing for the truth, he remains an enigma to himself and those around him. But, in this landmark event, Marvel reveals all: the birth and childhood of young James Howlett…the intriguing secrets of his family history…and the tragedy that changed everything.

 

Welcome to the greatest story never told.

 

Bonus Features Include:

An exclusive retrospective with the Eisner Award-Winning creative team behind Origin.

 

Total Feature Running Time: +/- 66 minutes

 

About Marvel Entertainment

Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of over 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years.  Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing.  For more information visit marvel.com. 

 

About Shout! Factory

Shout! Factory, LLC is a diversified multi-platform entertainment company devoted to producing, uncovering, preserving and revitalizing the very best of pop culture. Founders Richard Foos, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos have spent their entire careers sharing their music, television and film favorites with discerning consumers the world over. Shout! Factory’s DVD and Blu-Ray™ offerings serve up feature films, classic and contemporary TV series, animation, live music and comedy specials in lavish packages crammed with extras.  Shout’s audio division boasts GRAMMY^®-nominated box sets, new releases from storied artists, lovingly assembled album reissues and indispensable “best of” compilations.  In addition, Shout! Factory maintains a vast digital distribution network which delivers video and audio content to all the leading digital service providers in North America.  Shout! Factory also owns and operates Timeless Media Group, Biograph Records, Majordomo Records and HighTone Records. These riches are the result of a creative acquisition mandate that has established the company as a hotbed of cultural preservation and commercial reinvention.  Shout! Factory is based in Santa Monica, California. For more on Shout! Factory, visit shoutfactory.com