Thursday, June 26, 2014

A FRESH SPIN
ON THE ALIEN INVASION STORY IN TREES
Warren Ellis’ new series’ fan base grows,
early artwork from issue #3 revealed
Bestselling writer Warren Ellis (SUPREME: BLUE ROSE, Planetary) and Jason Howard (SUPER DINOSAUR, ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN) continue the unnerving alien-invasion hit series in the third issue of TREES. Fraught with suspense and foreboding, TREES explores a future after tree-like aliens have planted themselves without regard for humanity leaving the government scrambling to navigate the implications of an impending takeover.

In TREES #3, Eligia, girlfriend and decoration to the local fascist gang leader, hunts the streets of Cefalu for the old man who pulled the knife on her. What she finds will either kill her dead or cure her heart… or both.

TREES #3 arrives in stores on 7/23, and will be available for $2.99. It can be pre-ordered with Diamond Code MAY140739. The final order cutoff deadline for retailers is 6/30.
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.
PAUL JENKINS EXPANDS THE
WORLD OF FABLEWOOD WITH
NEW 'FICTION SQUAD' KICKSTARTER


Fiction Squad
Cover to FICTION SQUAD #1 by Ramon Bachs
 
June 26,  2014 - Los Angeles, CA - Writer Paul Jenkins (Wolverine: Origin, Revelations) has launched a new Kickstarter campaign to expand his world of Fablewood with an all-new detective story, FICTION SQUAD. Jenkins teams up with artist Ramon Bachs (Civil War: Front Line) to tell the darker side of fairy tales, because virtually all children’s stories are, in fact, crime scenes.
Jenkins and artist Humberto Ramos (Spider-Man) first established the world of Fablewood in their two Kickstarter raises, FAIRY QUEST VOL. 1: OUTLAWS and FAIRY QUEST VOL. 2: OUTCASTS, both of which exceeded their campaign goals, allowing their passion project to become a reality. BOOM! Studios proudly serialized the first volume across two single issues and a softcover edition for wider distribution, with plans to serialize the second volume as well.
“As I’ve said in the previous Kickstarter for FAIRY QUEST: OUTCASTS, the world that Red and Woof are in is so much bigger, and I’m so excited to show off the rest of Fablewood to everyone,” said Jenkins. “In FICTION SQUAD, we’re switching gears a bit and getting into a hard-boiled detective story that involves everyone’s favorite childhood nursery rhymes. Ramon Bachs is an incredibly talented artist who I worked with on Civil War: Front Line and I’m so grateful to be working with him again. Most of all, though, I’m thankful for the support of all the fans who back us, because it simply couldn’t happen without them. Many thanks to all of you, and here’s to a new campaign!”
FICTION SQUAD takes place in the world of FAIRY QUEST, the Fablewood-set story about Red and Woof as they fight against the system in order to remain best friends. But Fablewood is a giant place—there are thousands of people, and, much like everyday life, each one has their own story. FICTION SQUAD posits that every nursery rhyme you know is actually the result of a crime. The City of Rimes is controlled by two mafia families, the Queens of the Card Crime Syndicate and the Wicked Witches of the East and West Side. It’s up to failed detective Frankie Mack and his partner, Simple Simon, to prevent a full-scale war from breaking out after Humpty Dumpty and the Wicked Witch of the East both meet untimely demises under suspicious circumstances.

If successfully funded, FICTION SQUAD will be released as a six-issue limited series featuring covers exclusive to Kickstarter backers, followed by a collected hardcover available only through the campaign. 
For further details and a list of rewards, visit the FICTION SQUAD Kickstarter page here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1803036765/fiction-squad.

Paul Jenkins on Twitter: @mypauljenkins
SUPREME: BLUE ROSE
A SCIENCE FICTION MYSTERY TAKE
ON THE CLASSIC SUPERHERO
The ethereal and haunting new beginning from Warren Ellis
Bestselling writer Warren Ellis (TREES, Planetary) and Tula Lotay (ELEPHANTMEN, The Witching Hour) re-introduce the central Image Comics character Supreme with a science-fiction/mystery flavor in SUPREME: BLUE ROSE #1.

Paired with striking visuals from Lotay, Ellis resurrects the SUPREME universe beginning with an ethereal dream sequence that warns the unemployed investigative journalist, Diana Dane, to beware of Darius Dax and ending with a proposition for adventure and intrigue from Supreme himself, “Have you heard of a blue rose, Ms. Dane? Blue roses do not occur in nature. My practice tends to specialise in blue rose cases.”

“As an emerging artist the opportunity of collaborating with Warren on his latest story has been a dream come true,” said Lotay. “Supreme: Blue Rose came about through conversations with Warren regarding a different story that didn't happen. Warren thought my style, which is quite free and loose, would fit the story he wanted to tell and that creative freedom really appealed to me. Indeed, throughout the creative process if Warren thought I was trying to create panels that had a more 'finished' feel he would say 'you're not drawing for yourself, you have to relax and enjoy it'—some of the best advice I've ever had which has also informed my approach to other work.”

Lotay went on to describe how different hers and Ellis’ version of Supreme is. “Supreme really appealed to me in that it passes the Bechdel test with flying colours. I've never spoken to Warren about this, but it's a story with very strong female characters, the women shine through and that's a pretty rare thing to see in sci-fi. I think it's far from your typical superhero story, a million miles from the original Supreme. It's definitely strange, it's a sci-fi mystery with a Lynchian edge. I've fallen in love with these characters and I hope the people picking this series up can get into the strange world we've created.”

SUPREME: BLUE ROSE #1 arrives in stores on 7/23, and will be available for $2.99. It can be pre-ordered with Diamond Code MAY140571. The final order cutoff deadline for retailers is 6/30.
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.
Political Cartoon History Comes Alive With 
What Fools These Mortals Be: The Story of PUCK!
The Most Important U.S. Political Satire and Cartoon Magazine Gets Collected

San Diego, CA (June 26, 2014) – Published from 1877 to 1918, Puck was America’s first successful humor magazine. It was also the most influential American humor magazine ever. It was also the first American magazine to publish color lithographs on a weekly basis. And, for nearly forty years, it was a training ground and showcase for some of the country’s most talented cartoonists, led by its co-founder, Joseph Keppler.

This October, IDW and The Library of American Comics will release an important contribution to political and political cartooning anthologies. What Fools These Mortals Be: The Story of Puck is a lavish coffee table book retrospective that beautifully displays why Puck is considered the most important political satire and cartoon magazine in American history. It’s all about the art — lavish color full-page and two-page centerspread cartoons.

With nearly 300 full-color plates in a oversized 12” x 11” format, What Fools These Mortals Be: The Story of Puck is the first opportunity for most readers to see so many cartoons from Puck reproduced in color and at a large size.

Stephen Hess, in his seminal history of American political cartooning, The Ungentlemanly Art, said, “It is hard to overestimate the political influence of Puck…during the last two decades of the 19th Century.  It was greater than all newspapers combined.”  It is often said that the magazine was single-handedly responsible for thwarting the third-term ambitions of Ulysses Grant in 1880 and electing Grover Cleveland to the presidency in 1884.
 
Written by Michael Alexander Kahn and Richard Samuel West with reproductions made from their unique collections and supplemented by the Library of Congress, the book is organized by subject matter, reflecting the most important issues of the day. Each cartoon is accompanied by an explanatory caption, placing the work in historical perspective.

Bill Watterson (Calvin & Hobbes) provides the foreword to this important piece of American history. Take this special peek into the past and see how much, or in some cases, how little, things have changed.

12” x 11” hardcover with dustjacket, 328 pp., full color, $59.99, ISBN: 978-1-63140-046-9
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About IDW Publishing
IDW is an award-winning publisher of comic books, graphic novels and trade paperbacks, based in San Diego, California. Renowned for its diverse catalog of licensed and independent titles, IDW publishes some of the most successful and popular titles in the industry, including: Hasbro’s The TRANSFORMERS, G.I. JOE and MY LITTLE PONY; Paramount’s Star Trek; Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; 2000AD’s Judge Dredd; The Rocketeer; Toho’s Godzilla; Wizards of the Coast’s Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons; V-Wars from New York Times best-selling author Jonathan Maberry; Ragnarök from Eisner Award-winner Walter Simonson; Winterworld, created by Chuck Dixon and Jorge Zaffino; and Little Nemo from the award-winning duo of Eric Shanower and Gabriel Rodriguez. IDW is also home to the Library of American Comics imprint, which publishes classic comic reprints, Yoe! Books, a partnership with Yoe! Studio, and the multiple award-winning Artist's Edition imprint.

IDW’s critically- and fan-acclaimed series are continually moving into new mediums. Currently, Jerry Bruckheimer Films and Disney are creating a feature film based on World War Robot; Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Warner Brothers are producing a film based on Ashley Wood's Lore; Michael Bay‘s Platinum Dunes and Sony are bringing Zombies vs. Robots to film, Kurtzman/Orci are producing a movie based on Locke & Key at Universal. 

Wizard World To Expand Its Comic Con Schedule To A Minimum Of 22 Shows In 2015
Planned Circuit Includes At Least Nine New Cities Including San Jose, Fort Lauderdale, Cleveland, Raleigh, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Des Moines, Madison, Greenville
NEW YORK, June 26, 2014 – Wizard World, Inc. (OTCBB: WIZD) plans to expand its schedule of pop culture conventions to a minimum of 22 shows in 2015, including at least nine new venues, it was announced today by John Macaluso, Wizard World CEO. The series, which includes 16 cities in 2014, will add San Jose, Calif.; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Cleveland; Raleigh, N.C.; Indianapolis; Las Vegas; Des Moines, Iowa; Madison, Wis.; and Greenville, S.C. Additional cities (new and returning) may also be added in the coming weeks.
Next year's schedule to date also includes a return of at least 12 of the 16 events from 2014, plus the “Bruce Campbell's Horror Fest” at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Ill., site of Wizard World Chicago Comic Con. Among the longer-running Wizard World events returning are Comic Cons in Chicago (Rosemont, Ill.); Philadelphia; New Orleans; Columbus, Ohio; and Austin, Texas. Newer events in Portland, Ore.; Minneapolis; St. Louis; Sacramento, Calif.; Nashville, Tenn; Richmond, Va.; and Tulsa, Okla. are also slated to return.
We are excited to bring the Wizard World experience to more fans in more places than ever before in 2015,” said Macaluso. “The new shows this year have been huge successes, and we believe that fans in these additional cities will enjoy our mix of top celebrities, superstar artists and all things pop culture.”
The 2015 Wizard World Comic Con schedule to date is as follows (*denotes new show) (all dates and venues subject to change):
  • Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con, January 9-11, Ernest N.Morial Convention Center
  • Wizard World Portland Comic Con, January 23-25, Oregon Convention Center
  • *Wizard World Wisconsin Comic Con, February 6-8, Alliant Energy Center, Madison, Wis.
  • *Wizard World Indianapolis Comic Con, February 13-15, Indianapolis Convention Center
  • *Wizard World Cleveland Comic Con, February 20-22, Cleveland Convention Center
  • *Wizard World Presents Bruce Campbell's Horror Fest, March 6-8, Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, Ill.
  • *Wizard World Raleigh Comic Con, March 13-15, Raleigh Convention Center
  • *Wizard World Las Vegas Comic Con, April 24-26, Las Vegas Convention Center
  • Wizard World Minneapolis Comic Con, May 1-3, Minneapolis Convention Center
  • Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con, May 7-10, Pennsylvania Convention Center
  • Wizard World St. Louis Comic Con, May 22-24, America's Center
  • *Wizard World Greenville Comic Con, May 28-30, TD Convention Center, Greenville, S.C.
  • *Wizard World Des Moines Comic Con, June 12-14, Iowa Events Center
  • Wizard World Sacramento Comic Con, June 19-21, Sacramento Convention Center
  • Wizard World Richmond Comic Con, July 31-August 2, Greater Richmond Convention Center
  • Wizard World Chicago Comic Con, August 20-23, Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, Ill.
  • *Wizard World San Jose Comic Con, September 4-6, San Jose Convention Center
  • Wizard World Columbus Comic Con, September 18-20, Greater Columbus Convention Center, Columbus, Ohio
  • Wizard World Nashville Comic Con, September 25-27, Music City Center
  • *Wizard World Fort Lauderdale Comic Con, October 2-4, Greater Fort Lauderdale Broward County Convention Center
  • Wizard World Tulsa Comic Con, October 23-25, Cox Business Center
  • Wizard World Austin Comic Con, October 29-31, Austin Convention Center
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. A first-class lineup of topical programming takes place at each event, with celebrity Q&A's, the Wizard World Film Festival, comics-themed sessions, costume contest, movie screenings, evening parties and more. Sunday is also Kids Day, with an array of activities and programming specially designed for the younger Wizard World fans.
About Wizard World:
Wizard World (OTCBB: WIZD) 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.
Wizard World 2014 Schedule
January 24-26 – Wizard World Portland Comic Con
February 7-9 – Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con
March 7-9 – Wizard World Sacramento Comic Con
March 28-30 – Wizard World Louisville Comic Con
April 4-6 – Wizard World St. Louis Comic Con
May 2-4 – Wizard World Minneapolis Comic Con
May 30-June 1 – Wizard World Atlanta Comic Con
June 19-22 – Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con
August 1-3 – Wizard World San Antonio Comic Con
August 21-24 – Wizard World Chicago Comic Con
September 12-14 – Wizard World Richmond Comic Con
September 26-28 – Wizard World Nashville Comic Con
October 2-4 – Wizard World Austin Comic Con
October 31-November 2 – Wizard World Ohio Comic Con
November 7-9 – Wizard World Tulsa Comic Con
November 21-23 – Wizard World Reno Comic Con

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

MAN’S COLONIZATION OF MARS GOES SHOCKINGLY AWRY IN THE INTENSE NEW SCI-FI HORROR MANGA SERIES TERRA FORMARS

Off-World Terror Takes A Deadly New Form In A Gripping Sci-Fi Action Series From VIZ Media’s Signature Imprint

San Francisco, CA, June 25, 2014 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, administers a spine-tingling dose of sci-fi horror with the launch of the new manga (graphic novel) series – TERRA FORMARS – on July 15th.

The series, illustrated by Kenichi Tachibana with story by Yu Sasuga, will be published under the VIZ Signature imprint, is rated ‘M’ for Mature Readers, and will carry an MSRP of $12.99 U.S. / $14.99 CAN. Future volumes of TERRA FORMARS, which is continuing in Japan, will be released domestically on a bi-monthly basis.

In the late 26th century, overpopulation on Earth has reached the breaking point and humanity must find new frontiers. The terraforming of Mars has taken centuries but is now complete. The colonization of Mars by humanity is an epoch-making event, but an unintended side effect of the terraforming process unleashes a horror no one could ever have imagined…

In the opening volume, after humanity’s first manned mission to the Red Planet was lost, a second expedition arrives. The explorers prepare to exterminate the cockroaches that were used to transform the Martian environment, but are shocked to discover that the insects have mutated into giant, aggressive humanoids with one overriding goal – to exterminate all humans! However, this crew of explorers has each undergone the “Bugs Procedure,” a terrifying experimental surgery designed to make them more than human…

“Kenichi Tachibana’s crisp and kinetic artwork is the perfect vehicle for Yu Sasuga’s sci-fi action drama that will grab TERRA FORMARS readers from the very first chapter,” says Mike Montesa, Editor. “Step off-world into a stark vision of humanity’s future gone shockingly awry in this intense new horror story that presents the dark side to man’s quest to create new worlds among the stars.”

Yu Sasuga made his debut as a manga writer in Miracle Jump with TERRA FORMARS, a project in collaboration with artist Kenichi Tachibana. TERRA FORMARS was nominated in 2013 for a Manga Taisho award. Tachibana’s previous works include Potchari Maniacs and his 2007 series, Lucky Seven Stars.

For more information on TERRA FORMARS, or other manga titles from VIZ Media’s VIZ Signature imprint, 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.

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TerraFormars_GN01Comp

TERRA FORMARS © 2011 by Ken-ichi Tachibana, Yu Sasuga/SHUEISHA Inc.

Epic World Bending Crossover comes to VisionbooksThe Intrinsic Graphic Novel Live on Ipads and Android Tables via Google Play
(June 25th, 2014) Visionbooks announced today the release of Arcana Comic's title The Intrinsic. A tale of imminent apocalyptic devastation where heroes from numerous Arcana titles must crossover to come together to save the world. Visionbooks uses revolutionary technology to generate cinema-grade 3D animation at a fraction of the common costs. Never seen books from Visionbooks? Sneak peaks of the new title are available on Vimeo at http://vimeo.com/visionbooksapp/intrinsic or on You Tube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odt5oUSnm2w. Want to get your hands on the new releases? Download the free app at https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/visionbooks/id786290884?mt=8.
Arcana CEO Sean Patrick O'Reilly explains his choice to create 3D comics with Visionborne, "The way Visionborne has brought Arcana's titles come to life with Visionbooks is amazing. We are incredibly impressed with the final product and we are already working on more series beyond The Intrinsic. It's amazing how this technology allows one to be immersed into the world and it's very similar to being inside the comic book world."
What's coming out this week:
The Intrinsic- The Graphic Novel
Horrors from different worlds have assembled to bring about a global threat known only as The End. A Philosopher has recognized the signs in time to gather his own forces for Good - including an ordinary, powerless young woman. Only together can they avert disaster on a biblical scale. Every last one of them... is Intrinsic. 'The Intrinsic' is a company crossover event bringing together characters from hundres of titles beneath Arcana's library. It is an event of unprecedented ambition, unlike anything that has been before.he has ever had before.
ABOUT VISIONBOOKS:
Visionbooks is a division of Visionborne Inc. Founded in 2012, Visionborne created a ground breaking technology, Armid that turns static editorial content into enriched, vibrant and skillfully animated format. Visionbooks believes in the universal language of comics and strive to provide artists and writers the best, most innovative means of getting their message across to others. Prior to launching Visionbooks, Francesco Scrufari and Simone Offredo, founded Ulixe, a well-recognized European provider of web-based services and international solutions for the banking and industrial sectors.
Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/VisionbooksApp.
Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/VisionbooksApp

PINKY DOODLE POODLE BRINGS A HOT DOSE OF

J-ROCK AND ROLL POWER TO 2014 J-POP SUMMIT


Female Fronted Power Trio From Tokyo Performs At Bay Area’s Premiere Japanese Pop Culture Festival In Support Of New Record;
Catch Special Band Introduction From Good Charamel Records Founder And Goo Goo Dolls Member Robby Takac

San Francisco, CA – The 2014 J-POP Summit Festival, San Francisco’s annual celebration of Japanese pop culture, music, fashion and film, welcomes the high energy, female-fronted J-rock of Tokyo’s Pinky Doodle Poodle. The power trio, led by lead vocalist/bassist/guitarist Yuria, will perform in the heart of the Festival action on Sunday, July 20th on the Pagoda Main Stage in Japantown.

The 2014 J-POP SUMMIT Festival is set take place across San Francisco’s historic Japantown district on Saturday and Sunday, July 19th and 20th. FREE live concert sets by some of Japan’s hottest pop and rock acts will take place throughout both days on the Pagoda Main Stage in Japantown’s Peace Plaza as well as at a special open-air live concert in city’s downtown Union Square the evening of Saturday, July 19th. Complete J-POP SUMMIT Festival details, artist info and timely updates are available at www.J-POP.com

Pinky Doodle Poodle appears in support of their full-length debut record which was produced by Goo Goo Dolls member Robby Takac. The band will also do a meet-and-greet with fans and attendees in the NEW PEOPLE Tent located on Post St. immediately following their afternoon concert set. CD’s and additional merchandise will be available for purchase. Learn more about their J-POP SUMMIT appearance at www.j-pop.com/2014/pinky-doodle-poodle.

Robby Takac, whose band The Goo Goo Dolls is widely adored in Japan as well as the U.S., is set to appear in person to introduce Pinky Doodle Poodle on the Japantown stage on Sunday. Learn more about his Good Charamel Records at www.goodcharamel.com.

Pinky Doodle Poodle’s 10-song self-titled album was released worldwide in April on Takac’s Good Charamel Records, which specializes in releasing J-rock music artists. Pinky Doodle Poodle is also available on iTunes. The record features a memorable cover of the rock classic, “Twist and Shout.”
Pinky Doodle Poodle formed in 2008 and is led by Yuria, a successful Japanese anime singer often heard in popular video games in Japan (such as “Gravion”), as well as on solo records and with her other band Honey Bee. On guitar is George, a long haired shredder/composer who injects the band’s sound with a dose of musical power reminiscent of a marriage of the MC5 and Bad Brains that swirls under Yuria’s playful Japanese/English lyrics and melodies. Official Band Website: PinkyDoodlePoodle.com; Official Band YouTube Channel: PINKY DOODLE POODLE.


About J-POP SUMMIT Festival
Launched in 2009, J-POP SUMMIT Festival is an annual street fair held in San Francisco, CA that celebrates Japanese popular culture. By introducing the latest in Japanese music, film, art, fashion, gaming, anime, food, as well as niche subcultures, the festival has become a prominent platform to showcase the latest pop trends and creative innovations from Japan.

The 5th annual J-POP SUMMIT held in July 2013 welcomed more than 80,000 attendees, making it one of the largest Japanese festivals in the United States. In addition to the original Festival held in Japantown, new attractions include the
J-POP LIVE AT UNION SQUARE concert in downtown San Francisco, the Bay Area’s premier dedicated Japan Film Festival of San Francisco, and sake-tasting and fine foods events at the POP GOURMET Food Festival, which have each further enriched the experience. Additional information about J-POP SUMMIT Festival is available at: J-POP.com.

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PinkyDoodlePoodle_AlbumComp

PLANTS VS. ZOMBIES COMICS
ARE BACK FOR THE BRAINS!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MILWAUKIE, OR —Dark Horse Comics is thrilled to bring you the second official Plants vs. Zombies series, released in a partnership with PopCap Games, creators of the smash-hit video game Plants vs. Zombies. The first chapter is ready for you to read TODAY!

Eisner winner Paul Tobin (Bandette) and Ron Chan (The Guild, Husbands) team up again with a bevy of battling plants to serve up another hilarious, all-ages, action-filled zombie romp through time!

Crazy Dave—the babbling-yet-brilliant inventor and top-notch neighborhood defender— is back to help his niece, Patrice, and young adventurer Nate Timely fend off Zomboss’s latest attack in Plants vs. Zombies: Timepocalypse! This new standalone tale will tickle your funny bones and thrill . . . your brains!

Following the same model of the previous series, Timepocalypse will first be serialized digitally, with a beautiful hardcover collection available early next year. In conjunction with today’s release, the Dark Horse standalone iOS app for Plants vs. Zombies comics is available for FREE download and includes the first issue of Lawnmageddon!

Also available today is the first story of the new series for only 99 cents, with new issues released every three weeks!

Look for the print collection of Plants vs. Zombies: Timepocalypse on sale in finer comic shops and bookstores everywhere on January 13, 2015! Download Plants vs. Zombies: Timepocalypse #1 today from Digital.DarkHorse.com!



T Pub LIVE on the Comics Plus App for Libraries

(United Kingdom - June 25, 2014) Just in time for the American Library Association's summer convention, T Pub Ltd. announced that their books will be live in the Comics Plus app for librarians June 25th.  This will include their young adults’ title, Twisted Dark Volume 1, and their brand new all ages book, The World of Chub Chub.
Librarians attending ALA should email will@neilgibsoncomics.com to receive a free digital copy of T Pub’s back-catalogue before the show, or stop by booth #1950 to get access. In addition, T Pub spokesperson Nieros Oyegun will be delivering a presentation at the graphic novel stage on Sunday June 29th at 9 am on ‘How Comics Can Increase Library Readership’.
Can't make it to the show? Peek into The World of Chub Chub by reading one of the short stories from the book entitled Hidden Scribbles at http://joom.ag/jFCb or download the app at https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/comics-plus/id323397665?mt=8.
Comics Plus has both a unique understanding of comics as a medium as well as a special insight into how the library market works. The fact that they give librarians a chance to see books before they purchase titles made Comics Plus a fantastic way to enter the library market” explains T Pub Ltd. CEO Neil Gibson.
About The World of Chub Chub:
This book is an autobiographical giggle as the reader turns back time to enter the youthful mind of T Pub creator Neil Gibson. ‘Chub Chub’, as he is affectionately referred to by his family, is a mischievous young boy everyone can relate to. Short stories like ‘Cat’ or ‘Hidden Scribbles’ let us enjoy the easy and simply logic of children. In ‘Tickle’ and ‘Giving Flowers To Girls’, readers are reminded of simple love is to children and how easy it can be confused! 12 stories fill the book with heart-warming anecdotes that all ages can read again and again.
http://joom.ag/jFCb
About Twisted Dark Volume 1:
The first volume in Gibson's series of twisted tales. This book is formed of 12 individual and unique stories which run to nearly 200 pages. The stories vary from ten year old girls to Colombian drug lords and everything in between. It is left to the reader to find the connections between the stories, with some connections only becoming clear in later volumes. The books contain horror, dark, at times demented, stories incorporating every human emotion, illegal activity, and brutal reality. Using various illustrators allows each story and character to develop their own form. Twisted Dark has been embraced by the comic book world receiving critical acclaim and a cult underground following.
T Pub is a publisher from London and makes it’s US debut this August. The first volume of Twisted Dark was the #1 book on Amazon Kindle in the UK and they released volume 5 in May. They are listed in the June issue of Diamond Previews and digital copies of their books are available via Amazon and Comixology.

Tortured Life and Tabatha are suggested for mature readers only, Twisted Dark and Twisted Light are rated 13+ and The World of Chub Chub is suggested for all ages.
Madefire Expands To Windows 8 With Exclusive Transformers Motion Book Release
Five New Episodes Of Hasbro And IDW Publishing’s Transformers Are Now Available Exclusively Through The Madefire App On Windows 8
 
San Francisco, CA – June 25 2014In collaboration with Hasbro and IDW Publishing, Madefire, today announced that the five-issue Transformers: Punishment will be the newest additions to expand the Madefire Motion Book library with an exclusive Microsoft Windows 8 platform release. These exclusive stories based on Hasbro’s iconic Transformers brand, will be available on all of the latest Windows 8 devices for no cost, and will provide a unique reading experience designed and built specifically for the digital screen.

Transformers: Punishment is all-new original content developed within the current IDW Transformers universe with its debut as a Madefire Motion Book. The creative team behind the five-part series are Transformers comic fan-favorites, writer John Barber and artist Livio Ramondelli. Autobots and Decepticons come alive and battle it out as Motion Books -- the newest innovation in reading to come to Windows 8.

“It’s a thrill to see Optimus Prime spring into action,” said John Barber. “This is a hard-hitting action story, and Madefire’s Motion Books — including music and sound effects — deliver a powerful reading experience that makes you feel like you’re in the center of it all!”

"Windows devices are supported by a rich app ecosystem that offers a variety of quality apps that take advantage of the platform's unique features such as Live Tiles, snap and Bing Smart Search integration," said Todd Brix, general manager, Windows Apps and Store, Microsoft Corp. "The Madefire Motion Books app’s unique use of these features, paired with exclusive Transformers content for Windows users, really bring the app to life on the platform.”

Designed for reading on a screen, Madefire has built an end-to-end publishing platform called Motion Books -- a benchmark reading experience for mobile, tablet and web that immerses the reader in a sequential narrative with sound, motion, and depth.  Today, Madefire Motion Books expands beyond the iOS and web-reading partner, social network and creative giant deviantART, and is available on any Windows 8 device operating system. Currently, Madefire Motion Books is a free Windows 8 and iOS app that delivers the most innovative reading experience for digital devices as it pioneers the next chapter in storytelling.  It has been an iOS 5-star rated app since launch, and was awarded an App Store’s “Best of 2012”.

“A global entertainment, like Transformers comics coming alive through Motion Books exclusively written for the Windows 8 platform is one thing, but teaming up with the biggest OS in the world makes it a huge milestone,” stated Madefire CEO and Co-Founder Ben Wolstenholme, “Its about bringing stories to life on the devices we use everyday – period.”

About Hasbro
Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) is a branded play company dedicated to fulfilling the fundamental need for play for children and families through the creative expression of the Company’s world class brand portfolio, including TRANSFORMERS, MONOPOLY, PLAY-DOH, MY LITTLE PONY, MAGIC: THE GATHERING, NERF and LITTLEST PET SHOP.  From toys and games, to television programming, motion pictures, digital gaming and a comprehensive licensing program, Hasbro strives to delight its global customers with innovative play and entertainment experiences, in a variety of forms and formats, anytime and anywhere. The Company's Hasbro Studios develops and produces television programming for more than 180 territories around the world, and for the U.S. on Hub Network, part of a multi-platform joint venture between Hasbro and Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK). Through the company's deep commitment to corporate social responsibility, including philanthropy, Hasbro is helping to build a safe and sustainable world for future generations and to positively impact the lives of millions of children and families every year. It has been recognized for its efforts by being named one of the "World's Most Ethical Companies" and is ranked as one of Corporate Responsibility Magazine's "100 Best Corporate Citizens." Learn more at www.hasbro.com.

About Madefire
Founded in 2011 by Ben Wolstenholme, Liam Sharp and Eugene Walden, Madefire is a media and technology company. Madefire has built the Motion Books publishing platform that provides artists, writers and publishers tools for creating a new reading format called Motion Books. Madefire is backed by Toni Schneider at True Ventures, The former CEO of Automattic, makers of WordPress, as well as Bill Woodward (Anthem Ventures, former Chairman of Macromedia). The Advisory Board also includes industry leaders Mike McCue, CEO and Founder of Flipboard, angel investor Sina Tamaddon, former Senior Vice President of Applications for Apple Inc, Dave Gibbons, co-creator of Watchmen, the bestselling graphic novel of all time, and Bill Sienkiewicz, widely recognized as one of the greatest innovators of sequential art. For more information go to madefire.com.
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About IDW Publishing
IDW is an award-winning publisher of comic books, graphic novels and trade paperbacks, based in San Diego, California. Renowned for its diverse catalog of licensed and independent titles, IDW publishes some of the most successful and popular titles in the industry, including: Hasbro’s The TRANSFORMERS, G.I. JOE and MY LITTLE PONY; Paramount’s Star Trek; Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; 2000AD’s Judge Dredd; The Rocketeer; Toho’s Godzilla; Wizards of the Coast’s Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons; V-Wars from New York Times best-selling author Jonathan Maberry; Ragnarök from Eisner Award-winner Walter Simonson; Winterworld, created by Chuck Dixon and Jorge Zaffino; and Little Nemo from the award-winning duo of Eric Shanower and Gabriel Rodriguez. IDW is also home to the Library of American Comics imprint, which publishes classic comic reprints, Yoe! Books, a partnership with Yoe! Studio, and the multiple award-winning Artist's Edition imprint.

IDW’s critically- and fan-acclaimed series are continually moving into new mediums. Currently, Jerry Bruckheimer Films and Disney are creating a feature film based on World War Robot; Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Warner Brothers are producing a film based on Ashley Wood's Lore; Michael Bay‘s Platinum Dunes and Sony are bringing Zombies vs. Robots to film, Kurtzman/Orci are producing a movie based on Locke & Key at Universal.