WHAT CAN YOU GET FOR A DOLLAR?

NEW IMAGE FIRSTS

Enjoy $1 editions of all the first issues you’ve been dying to try

Image Comics is pleased to announce the release of ten new Image Firsts editions, printings the first issues of popular series that only cost $1. Perfect for readers interested in trying out a variety of new series without feeling the effects on their wallet, these new releases will be available in stores on May 1, just in time to coincide with Free Comic Book Day. These new releases will be available in stores on May 1, just in time to coincide with Free Comic Book Day.    The ten new titles are Jonathan Luna and Sarah Vaughn’s ALEX + ADA #1, Rick Remender and Matteo Scalera’s BLACK SCIENCE #1, Rick Remender and Wesley Craig’s DEADLY CLASS #1, Jonathan Hickman and Nick Dragotta’s EAST OF WEST #1, Greg Rucka and Michael Lark’s LAZARUS #1, Chris Dingess and Matthew Roberts’ MANIFEST DESTINY #1, Kelly Sue DeConnick and Emma Ríos’s PRETTY DEADLY #1, Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky’s SEX CRIMINALS #1, Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting’s VELVET #1, and Ales Kot and Michael Walsh’s ZERO #1.    And, back by popular demand, Image Firsts editions of two classic Image Comics series will be made available once again. SAGA #1 will be available with Diamond code OCT128195 and THE WALKING DEAD #1 will be available with Diamond code OCT128199.    ALEX + ADA #1 A sci-fi drama set in the near future and perfect for fans of the TV show Fringe and the Spike Jonze film Her. The last thing in the world Alex wanted was an X5, the latest in realistic androids. But when Ada is dropped into his life, will Alex keep her? Image Firsts edition is available with Diamond code FEB148356.   BLACK SCIENCE #1 Grant McKay, former member of The Anarchistic Order of Scientists, has finally done the impossible: he has deciphered Black Science and punched through the barriers of reality. But what lies beyond the veil is not epiphany, but chaos. Now Grant and his team are lost, living ghosts shipwrecked on an infinite ocean of alien worlds, barreling through the long-forgotten, ancient, and unimaginable dark realms. The only way is forward. The only question is how far are they willing to go, and how much can they endure, to get home again? Image Firsts edition is available with Diamond code FEB148357.    DEADLY CLASS #1 Welcome to the most brutal high school on Earth, where the world’s top crime families send the next generation of assassins to be trained. Murder is an art. Killing is a craft. At King’s Dominion High School for the Deadly Arts, the dagger in your back isn’t always metaphorical, nor is your fellow classmates' poison. Image Firsts edition is available with Diamond code FEB148358.   EAST OF WEST #1 He has been called Abaddon. The Reaper. Fool's Bane. The Grey Walker. You speak his name in hushed tones, if at all. You fear him and all he represents. He is the ultimate state of all things. He is Death. But, in the past, Death found peace. For his betrayal, the rest of the Four Horsemen snatched happiness away from him forever. Now, Death rides with Crow and Wolf in search of those who wronged him. We would tell you to pray, but it wouldn't do any good. You have earned what is coming to you. Image Firsts edition is available with Diamond code FEB148359.   LAZARUS #1 In a dystopian near-future, government is a quaint concept, resources are coveted, and possession is 100% of the law. A handful of Families rule, jealously guarding what they have and exploiting the Waste who struggle to survive in their domains. Forever Carlyle defends her family's holdings through deception and force as their protector, their Lazarus. Shot dead defending the family home, Forever's day goes downhill from there… Image Firsts edition is available with Diamond code FEB148360.   MANIFEST DESTINY #1 In 1804, Captain Meriwether Lewis and Second Lieutenant William Clark set out on an expedition to explore the uncharted American frontier. This is the story of what they discovered lurking in the wilds… Image Firsts edition is available with Diamond code FEB148361.    PRETTY DEADLY #1 Sandman meets Preacher in PRETTY DEADLY, where Death's daughter rides the wind on a horse made of smoke and her face bears the skull marks of her father. Her tale of retribution is as beautifully lush as it is unflinchingly savage. Image Firsts edition is available with Diamond code FEB148362.   SEX CRIMINALS #1 Suzie's a normal girl with an extraordinary ability: when she has sex, she stops time. One night she meets Jon... who has the same gift. And so they do what any other sex-having, time-stopping, couple would do: they rob banks. Image Firsts edition is available with Diamond code FEB148363.    VELVET #1 When the world's best secret agent is killed, Velvet Templeton, the Personal Assistant to the Director of the Agency, is drawn off her desk and back into the field for the first time in nearly 20 years... and is immediately caught in a web of mystery, murder and high-octane action. Sexy and provocative, VELVET is a dark twist on the spy genre. Image Firsts edition is available with Diamond code FEB148364.    ZERO #1 Edward Zero is the perfect execution machine—a spy who breaks the rules to get things done. When a stolen device appears in the center of a long-running conflict, Zero comes to retrieve it. The problem is, the device is inside a living, breathing, bio-modified terrorist and there's an entire army after it. Image Firsts edition available with Diamond code FEB148365.

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, fantasy, 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.

SOUTHERN BASTARDS—EARLY PRAISE & EXCITEMENT FOR NEW CRIME SERIES ABOUNDS 

Welcome to Craw County, Alabama: breeding ground for bastards and the setting of Jason Aaron (Scalped, Wolverine, The X-Men, Thor: God of Thunder) and Jason Latour’s (​Loose Ends, Wolverine & The X-Men, Django Unchained) new ongoing crime series SOUTHERN BASTARDS. Comic creators and critics everywhere have already dubbed this forthcoming crime series a must-read. SOUTHERN BASTARDS #1 arrives in stores on 4/30 and is available for $3.50. It can be pre-ordered using Diamond Code FEB140475.   Advance praise for SOUTHERN BASTARDS:   "Jason Aaron and Jason Latour's Southern Bastards #1 was exactly the kind of pulp goodness I live for." —Ed Brubaker (FATALE, Captain America)   "Can I just take a second to recommend Southern Bastards by the mighty Jason Aaron? Literally the best book I've read this month. Order!" —Mark Millar (STARLIGHT, JUPITER'S LEGACY, Kick-Ass)   "Southern Bastards by Jason Aaron and Jason Latour made me both terrified and homesick. Fantastic start, boys." —Matt Fraction (SEX CRIMINALS, Hawkeye)    "Southern Bastards is perfection. There's this great, slow menace to it. Southern Bastards #1 is a perfect comic for you if you like to read... anything." —Scott Snyder (WYTCHES, Batman)   "You need Southern Bastards. Jason Aaron is back to southern-fried grit and Jason Latour is showing he’s one of the best cartoonists of our generation."  —Rick Remender (BLACK SCIENCE, Punisher)   “The gushing about Southern Bastards is completely on point. Jason Aaron nails it (as usual), but Jason Latour is the rocketship here.”  —Jonathan Hickman (EAST OF WEST, Avengers)   “This series both pokes fun at and honors their shared roots. Aaron's gritty noir storytelling blends perfectly with Latour's sharp artwork, creating the ideal setting for a mesmerizing, down home crime story.” —Comic Book Resources   “Southern Bastards #1 is an engrossing first issue, an unnerving introduction to what looks to be dark, violent, and sad. In other words, exactly what you want Aaron and Latour to be doing. A proper Southern Gothic hiding in the skin of a trash genre, Southern Bastards is a must-read.”  —ComicsAlliance   “Southern Bastards is totally worthy of insane hype. This is a book crafted with care on every level. It’s poignant and brutal. It’s over the top in all the right ways and completely subdued at the same time. It’s a beautiful dance in pacing that effortlessly shows how comics should be and need to be done.”  —Bloody Disgusting

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, fantasy, 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.

THIS SIDEKICK IS ON HIS OWN IN NEW GRAPHIC NOVEL

Straczynski-penned series focuses on much-reviled superhero assistant

For three years, flying, nigh-invulnerable teenager Barry Chase was Flyboy, sidekick to the imagination-impaired but crime-fighting master The Red Cowl, and all was well, though Flyboy was the butt of a lot of jokes. Together, The Red Cowl and Flyboy brought peace to Sol City, fighting for truth, justice and some third goal that the Red Cowl could never quite put his finger on but was sure he’d figure out in time. But then the Red Cowl was defeated and killed — some say by the villain Terraform, others by one of the Moonglow sisters — and Flyboy was left on his own. It is at this point that the first volume of SIDEKICK, a new graphic novel written by J. Michael Straczynski, begins.   The second Joe’s Comics title to be published by Image Comics (the first was TEN GRAND), drawn by Tom Mandrake and Brian Mille, SIDEKICK tells the story of nineteen-year-old Barry, a.k.a, Flyboy, in the aftermath of his mentor’s death. Flyboy decides to continue his crime-fighting career, even though no one takes him seriously — not the good guys, not the bad guys, nobody. Any attempt Flyboy makes to improve his image backfires, and soon, unloved and unsupported, he descends into darkness.   Flyboy’s gradual disintegration into madness and crime is fueled by his desperate need for approval. His downward spiral slowly drives him to the dark side of the law, where he begins an affair with the villainous Moonglow Twins, who one night whisper something to him about the fate of his mentor that he could never have imagined possible. That secret may be the key to Flyboy’s redemption, or his damnation, giving him something to live for... and maybe, just maybe, something to kill for.   “Sidekick is designed to turn the usual superhero tropes upside down,” said writer Straczynski. “Having worked extensively in the world of mainstream superhero comics for the last decade-plus, you are subtly informed that there are all these things that you can't do to your main character, all these accepted rules for guys in spandex. The fun in Sidekick is in doing every one of those things that you're never supposed to do. We're going to spend a lot of time just beating the crap out of Flyboy until he finally snaps...and then the fun really begins."   SIDEKICK will be in comic book stores on April 30 and in bookstores on May 13.   SIDEKICK VOLUME ONE by J. Michael Straczynski and Tom Mandrake ISBN 978-1-60706-861-7 160 pages, full color, paperback $12.99 In comic book stores April 30, bookstores May 13   Praise for SIDEKICK:   “We see the humanity of this messed up situation, as a boy wonder with abilities attempts to deal with his own mistakes in the wake of five years of failure. It’s a hard balancing act for anyone, but when the author shines the spotlight on him he wastes no time letting the story go exactly where it needs to…. The art by Tom Mandrake is a consistent visual flare that’s sure to please anyone who dives into this fascinating piece of literature.” – Harrison Rawdon, Unleash the Fanboy   “...anyone who is a frequent reader of JMS knows that he is a master storyteller, and that is certainly evident in Sidekick. From the opening pages of this narrative Straczynski begins to build not only the characters but the world in which this story unfolds; every detail is strategically revealed along the way, we meet supporting cast, we discover more about the inter-personal relationships through meticulous character development and interactions. This is just plain good storytelling and top-notch writing.” – Shawn Warner, Bag and Bored   “J. Michael Straczynski has scripted an amazing tale of a hero’s fall from grace…. The illustrations are fantastic throughout, with pencils/inks by Tom Mandrake and colors by HiFi.” – Ed Garrett, TMStash

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, fantasy, 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.

David Morrissey to Join PHXCC 2014

Phoenix Comicon is proud to announce that actor David Morrissey will be attending Phoenix Comicon 2014.

“We are so happy to announce that David Morrissey will attending Phoenix Comicon 2014 with us,”says Convention Director of Marketing Jillian Squires.

Morrissey's career began when he was 18 on the television series One Summer, which would earn him national recognition through his native England. In 2003, Morrissey appeared in the films State of Play as the role of Stephen Collins and another film The Deal as Gordon Brown. The former earned him a Best Actor nomination at the British Academy Television Awards and the latter won him a Best Actor award from the Royal Television Society.

Morrissey also has had an illustrious career as a stage actor including playing the eponymous king in the timeless classic Macbeth. He would go on to win Best Actor for his portrayal of the king at the 2011 Liverpool Daily Post Arts Awards.

Most recently, Morrissey began a notorious stint on the hit AMC television series The Walking Dead as a devilish character, The Governor. This role would earn him a nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the 2013 Saturn Awards.

Phoenix Comicon is the signature pop culture experience of the southwest. Comicon is presenting guests and programming for hobbyists by attracting the top segments of the comics, anime, sci-fi, film, tv, and gaming industries. Entering its twelfth year, Phoenix Comicon is expected to draw over 65,000 attendees to its June 5-8, 2014 convention held at the Phoenix Convention Center and Hyatt Regency in Downtown Phoenix.

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

JULIEN DUBUQUE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES ABIGAIL BRESLIN AS THE HONORARY CHAIR OF THE 2014 FILM FESTIVAL

The acclaimed actress will open the festival in April and raise awareness for her charities Project Sunshine and The Cristian Rivera Foundation

 

Dubuque, IA (March 25, 2014)  — The Julien Dubuque International Film Festival in Dubuque, Iowa, has announced Abigail Breslin as its honorary chair.

Breslin, one of the youngest Oscar-nominated actresses in history, is known for roles in Little Miss Sunshine (2006) and My Sister’s Keeper (2009), as well as more recent roles in films like Ender’s Game (2013) and August: Osage County (2013).  She made a mark very early in her career in films like Signs (2002) and Raising Helen (2004).

Taking place April 23-27, 2014, the festival will make a substantial donation to Breslin’s choice of nonprofits, including Project Sunshine and The Cristian Rivera Foundation.

“We are thrilled to host Abigail Breslin and to support the causes that are important to her,” said Michael Coty, executive director of the Julien Dubuque International Film Festival.  “She is a well respected actress and her expertise and long list of film credits makes her a perfect match for our festival.”

Project Sunshine is a nonprofit organization that provides free educational, recreational, and social programs to children facing medical challenges and their families.

The Cristian Rivera Foundation is a New York City-based nonprofit that raises awareness and funding for Pontine Glioma, which includes a tumor on the brain stem.

The Julien Dubuque International Film Festival is committed to building partnerships with filmmakers and film distributors through ongoing activities that include hosting special screenings, filmmaker panels, community events and culminates in the festival each year.  In its third year, MovieMaker Magazine named the Julien Dubuque International Film Festival as one of the “25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World.”  This year, about 50 independent films will be screened during the five-day event.

The Julien Dubuque International Film Festival attracts filmmakers, distributors, attendees and special guests to attend screenings, special events and network, with the majority of events located on Main Street in downtown Dubuque.  The presenting sponsor of the 2014 Festival is MOmentum Productions and additional sponsors include Runde Auto Group, Hotel Julien, Telegraph Herald and Radio Dubuque.

KABOOM! CELEBRATES TWO YEARS OF THE FAT CAT WITH OVERSIZED 'GARFIELD' #25

GARFIELD #25 Cover A by Gary Barker

 

GARFIELD #25 Cover B by George Pérez

April 3,  2014 - Los Angeles, CA - KaBOOM!, an award-winning imprint of publisher BOOM! Studios, is excited to announce the May debut of a special oversized issue of GARFIELD #25 that celebrates its two-year anniversary of producing Garfield comics. Created by Jim Davis, veteran GARFIELD contributing writers and artists Mark Evanier, Andy Hirsch, Scott Nickel, and David DeGrand bring you two fun-filled stories of the Fat Cat and all of his friends. This issue also features a variant cover from legendary creator George Pérez (The Avengers, Wonder Woman), as well as pin-ups by artists Courtney Bernard and Genevieve FT.

“When we first started publishing GARFIELD comics two years ago we were honored to carry on the tradition of telling stories with such an iconic character,” said BOOM! Studios Editor-in-Chief Matt Gagnon. “Today, with this special anniversary issue, that energy and excitement has only grown stronger. We look forward to many more years of great comics with our favorite Monday-hating feline.”

We’ve spent an amazing two years with Garfield and the gang, so of course we’re going to celebrate by bringing you an extra-large-sized anniversary issue containing two, all-new jumbo stories! First, Mark Evanier and Andy Hirsch team up to tell a tale of a very special day in Garfield’s life. Then, Scott Nickel and David DeGrand bring us the return of Garfield’s food foes—this time, they’ve joined forces to take down the Fat Cat once and for all!

GARFIELD #25 arrives in comic shops on May 7th with a cover by Gary Barker for the price of $4.99 under Diamond order code MAR141003. A retailer incentive cover by George Pérez is available in limited quantities. Not sure where to find your nearest comic retailer? Use comicshoplocator.com or findacomicshop.com to find one! It’s also available for order directly from 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 was recently released as a feature film from Universal Pictures, 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. In June 2013, BOOM! acquired Archaia Entertainment (archaia.com). Archaia is the Eisner and Harvey Award-winning graphic novel publisher of MOUSE GUARD, COW BOY, GUNNERKRIGG COURT, RUST, SPERA, JIM HENSON’S TALE OF SAND, and many other great titles. In October 2013, BOOM! Studios entered into a unique first-look relationship with 20th Century Fox, giving the studio access to its library of titles and giving the publisher access to Fox's vast catalog of films.

DEADLINE FOR DESIGN SUBMISSIONS IS THIS FRIDAY, APRIL 4TH!

Your "Geek Couture" fashion design could be walking the runway at The Her Universe Fashion Show during San Diego Comic-Con!

We want to see YOUR creations! Enter your design(s) by Friday before the submission process ends.

CLICK HERE!

 

BLACK SCIENCE IS OUT OF THIS WORLD

The fourth issue of the hit science fiction series

continues to build momentum

 

The fourth issue of the hit Image Comics science fiction adventure series BLACK SCIENCE, written by Rick Remender (DEADLY CLASS, Uncanny Avengers, Captain America) and drawn by Matteo Scalera (DEAD BODY ROAD), has sold out at the distributor level. 

 

In BLACK SCIENCE #4, Grant discovers the truth about the Pillar's sabotage just as he and his team are launched into a dimension of otherworldly beings and familiar threats.

 

Praise for BLACK SCIENCE:

 

“Matteo Scalera and Dean White are a visual dream team. For three issues now, we have been singing their praise and for good reason... I just want to taste each page of this comic; I want to cook it in a quesadilla and absorb its essence. It's that good.”

—Benjamin Bailey, IGN

 

“I can’t recommend it enough.” —Zac Thompson, Bloody Disgusting

 

“If readers have been on the fence with this series, this issue will cement what Black Science is going to be all about and hop on board now before you get left in another dimension.” —Roderick Ruth, Comicosity

 

“Black Science is a winner. Any sci-fi fan will be hooked.” —Iann Robinson, Crave Online

 

“The visually stunning first issue plunges the reader headfirst into a Rod Serling fever dream. From creatures to spacesuits, the art team of Matteo Scalera and Dean White aesthetically tempers tension of the unknown within the familiar groundwork of vintage sci-fi.” —Robert Tutton, Paste Magazine

 

“Whatever dark wizards Remender made a deal with to create this story are certainly getting their money's worth. Black Science #1 is the start of a terrifying new thrill ride that I will be reading between my fingers, hands over my eyes.” —Matt Little, Comic Book Resources

 

“Matteo Scalera's art and Dean White's colors are enough to make you wonder what you did to deserve such a treat.” —Tony Guerrero, Comic Vine

 

“The book is completely unlike anything on shelves right now.” —Justin Partridge, III, Newsarama

 

“As a collaborative effort, Black Science immediately impresses with its relentless sense of wonder mixed with grounded, complex characterization.” —Vince Ostrowski, Multiversity Comics

 

BLACK SCIENCE #4 has completely sold out at the distributor level, but may still be available in comic stores. It is currently available digitally on the Image Comics website (imagecomics.com) and the official Image Comics iOS app, as well as on Comixology on the web (comixology.com), iOS, Android, and Google Play.

 

Image Comics is pleased to announce that this third issue will be going back to print to meet customer demand. The second printing of BLACK SCIENCE #4 (Diamond Code FEB148316) will release on 4/30. 

 

BLACK SCIENCE #5 is available in stores now, issue #6 will release on 4/30 and can be pre-ordered with Diamond Code FEB140593.