Thursday, November 19, 2015

BLUEFIN ANNOUNCES 2015 NORTH AMERICAN GUNPLA BUILDERS WORLD CUP CHAMPION

Annual Worldwide Contest Held In 13 Countries To Determine The World’s Best Gundam Model Builder; North American Finalist Selected For The Contest’s Championship Round To Be Held In Japan In December

Irvine, CA, November 19, 2015 – Bluefin, the leading North American distributor of toys, collectibles, and hobby merchandise from Japan, Hong Kong and more, has announced the finalists of the North American qualifier for the 2015 GunPla Builders World Cup (GBWC)

The Bandai GunPla Builders World Cup is an annual contest sponsored by Bandai Hobby to determine the world’s best Gundam model builder who is awarded the title of GunPla World Cup Champion. Qualifying rounds for the 2015 tournament have been held across 13 countries that include North America, Japan, China, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Australia, and Italy.

Bluefin is the leading North American distributor of GunPla (Gundam Plastic Models) and hosted a series of live qualifier events across the country this past year. 

North American GunPla Builders World Cup finalists include:

·         Kevin Zhang for his original creation “Dash’s Legendary Mobile Suit Mixcoalt”
·         Nate He for his customized “MG Jesta HAVOC”
·         Michael Wine for his diorama titled, “Officer Down”

Kevin Zhang who won the New York qualifying round was selected to represent North America in the GunPla Builders World Cup Finale being held in December in Japan.  Zhang wins a free round trip to Japan and the opportunity compete against the world’s finest Gundam model builders.

Gunpla fans everywhere are invited to check out the complete list of competitors and winners of each regional event for the 2015 GunPla World Cup North American qualifiers on the Bluefin website that also features links to interviews with each of the winners at: www.bluefincorp.com/catalog/gbwc2015.

The Gundam anime series was created by Sunrise studios and features giant robots (or "mecha") called "Gundam.” The original series debuted in Japan in 1979 and spawned a substantial and massively successful franchise that continues to this day and has produced multiple TV series, feature films, and OVAs as well as a wide array of manga, models, toys, apparel, video games and other consumer products. The worldwide popularity of Gundam has made it a multi-billion dollar franchise. The Gundam Plastic Model, called “GunPla,” from Bandai Hobby are available in multiple sizes and levels of build complexity and are renowned for the wide variety of kits, their innovative construction, and high level of detail.

For more information on a wide array of Gundam model kits available from Bluefin, please visit: http://www.bluefincorp.com/catalog/gundam-models.html.


About Bluefin
Based in Irvine, CA, Bluefin built its reputation as a leading distributor of Japanese toys, collectibles, novelty and hobby products. In recent years, Bluefin has grown to include a range of high quality collectible lines from the United States, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore and established itself as the official North American consumer products and retail development partner for Studio Ghibli. Selling to thousands of specialty, chain and independent stores, Bluefin is an official North American distributor for Bandai Hobby, Kotobukiya and Capcom, is the sole provider of Bandai Tamashii Nations products, and is also the exclusive and official distributor for Hero Cross, Beast Kingdom, Comicave, Mr. Hobby, SEN-TI-NEL and X-Plus. Bluefin also represents TruForce Collectibles products worldwide. Additional information is available at: www.bluefincorp.com.
VIZ MEDIA LAUNCHES NEW SHOJO MANGA SERIES BLOODY MARY

Supernatural Drama Debuts In Print And Digitally, And Offers A Blood Pounding Tale Of An Unorthodox Alliance Between A Vampire And An Exorcist

San Francisco, CA, November 18, 2015 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor, publisher and licensor of manga and anime in North America, expands its shojo manga (graphic novel) roster next month with the launch of BLOODY MARY on December 1st.

The new series by creator Akaza Samamiya is rated ‘T’ for Teen and will be published under the Shojo Beat imprint with an MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN. BLOODY MARY also launches digitally on December 1st via VIZManga.com and the VIZ Manga App, as well as from the Nook, Kobo, Kindle, iBooks, comiXology, and GooglePlay stores. Future editions of the series will be released quarterly.

“Bloody” Mary is not your typical vampire. He can withstand sunlight, holds a reflection in mirrors, refuses to drink blood–and wants 17-year-old student and priest Maria to kill him. But to Mary’s dismay, Maria doesn’t know how to kill vampires. Desperate to die, Mary agrees to become Maria’s bodyguard until Maria can find a way to kill him at last.

BLOODY MARY is a supernatural drama infused with suspense, cheeky humor and unique characters. We invite shojo readers to catch the debut of VIZ Media’s new release next month,” says Erica Yee, Editor.

BLOODY MARY creator Akaza Samamiya’s other manga works include Hatsukoi Canvas (First Love Canvas), Torikago Syndrome (Birdcage Syndrome) and Ouji wa Tadaima Dekasegichuu (The Prince Is Gone on Business), all of which have been published in the popular Japanese shojo magazine, Asuka

For more information on BLOODY MARY or other manga titles published by VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.

About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan.  Owned by three of Japan's largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. With its popular digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and ONE PIECE, 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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BloodyMary-GN01Comp
BLOODY MARY Volume 1 ©Akaza SAMAMIYA 2014
Sequart Releases First of Three STAR WARS Books
Sequart Organization is proud to announce the publication of A Long Time Ago: Exploring the Star Wars Cinematic Universe, an essay anthology edited by Star Wars Expanded Universe author Rich Handley and Joseph F. Berenato.
In 1977, the cinematic world was changed forever, thanks to a science-fantasy film about a farm boy, a princess, a wizard, a cyborg, two smugglers, and a pair of robots. Written and directed by George Lucas, Star Wars — in essence, The Wizard of Oz meets The Odyssey meets Lord of the Rings, but in space — was a visual and audio extravaganza like nothing anyone had seen before. And going to the movies would never be the same again. The movie ushered in two (soon to be three) film trilogies and numerous television shows, making the franchise one of the most successful of all time. Star Wars mesmerized audience-goers young and old with its state-of-the-art special effects and resonant soundtrack, and it made “May the Force be with you” a household phrase.
A Long Time Ago: Exploring the Star Wars Cinematic Universe examines the entire Star Wars saga on the large and small screens. From theatrical films to TV movies, from cartoons and commercials to variety shows and video-based amusement-park rides, the mythos continues to keep audiences glued to their seats. This anthology features insightful essays about the franchise’s long history, written by film historians, novelists, bloggers, and subject-matter experts, exploring why the films proved so immediately popular, where the movies and TV shows have succeeded and faltered, and why we all keep going back a long time ago to that galaxy far, far away.
The book features a foreword by former Star Wars Insider editor Scott Chernoff, and notable essayists include authors Keith DeCandido, Kevin Dilmore, Dayton Ward; Star Wars fan-site creators Joe Bongiorno and Nathan Butler; and Sequart alums Julian Darius and Ian Dawe.
A Long Time Ago runs 354 pages and is available in print and on Kindle. (Just a reminder: you don’t need a Kindle device to read Kindle-formatted books; you can download a free Kindle reader for most computers, phones, and tablets.) Find out more on the book’s official page or its Facebook page.

About Sequart’s Star Wars book trilogy: In the next twelve months, Sequart will release two more Star Wars-related essay anthologies. Summer 2016 will see the release A Galaxy Far, Far Away: Exploring Star Wars Comics, with an introduction by John Ostrander. And just in time for Christmas 2016, we’ll release the final book, A More Civilized Age: Exploring the Star Wars Expanded Universe, with an introduction by Timothy Zahn. (All three covers are attached to this email.)
About the publisher: Sequart Organization is devoted to the study of popular culture and the promotion of comic books as a legitimate art form. Sequart has released twenty-four books, six documentaries, and thousands of online articles. Its documentaries include She Makes Comics, and its books include Our Sentence is Up: Seeing Grant Morrison’s The Invisibles. Sequart is currently producing a documentary on writing powerhouse Neil Gaiman.

BRUCE ZICK’S “ZONE CONTINUUM” GETS GRAPHIC NOVEL

COMICS VETERAN BRUCE ZICK REVISITS HIS DYSTOPIAN OPUS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MILWAUKIE, OR—Dark Horse announces that Bruce Zick’s wild science-fiction web comic, The Zone Continuum, will arrive in print as an original graphic novel.
The Zone Continuum was first printed in 1992 by Caliber Comics and then rebooted in 2006 as a web series of over one hundred episodes for Komikwerks. Now, Bruce Zick and Dark Horse Comics will deliver all-new stories and expand on the mythos in The Zone Continuum Volume 1.
“It took me over twenty years, but I’m back in the Zone, thanks to Dark Horse Comics. Everyone from Mike Richardson to my editor Ian Tucker and the art department has been wonderful in helping to create a graphic novel that not only has a four-chapter, epic story, but a Zone glossary and a Zone sketchbook as well,” said Bruce Zick.
High atop the New York City skyline, an invisible war has raged for generations. As two nigh-immortal champions brawl for dominance of the ever-shrinking extradimensional Zone 27, the populace below remain oblivious of the cataclysm that could cause their annihilation from the rooftops above!
“The urgency of the concepts is still valid today—even more so, as you will see—and the old readers as well as new ones will be excited to see where the stories are going,” added Zick. “I’ve added a much richer, deeper mythology of ideas and characters, with clearer and more immediate plots and crises, more humor, and more pathos. At least I think I have. You tell me. I’ll be in the Zone, waiting for you to join me.”
The Zone Continuum is in stores February 24, 2016. Preorder your copy today at your local comic shop or through these fine retailers:
Praise for Bruce Zick:
“Zick’s art is a big draw for the series. The artist provides some psychedelic art with a small dash of Kirby and Mike Mignola’s Hellboy.”—Comic Book Therapy
Also available:

The Atomic Legion HC
978-1-61655-312-8 | $29.99 | DEC130068

Mandala TPB
978-1-61655-389-0 | $24.99 | JAN140171
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About Bruce Zick
For thirty years, Bruce Zick has been a visual development artist in the animation industry for Disney, Dreamworks, Blue Sky, Pixar, Spielberg, Francis Ford Coppola, George Lucas, and others. More recently, he has written a published novel, The Anubis Tapestry, produced stories for Marvel and Dark Horse Comics, as well as written screenplays for Fox Feature Animation. The Zone Continuum is his latest work.
About Dark Horse Comics
Founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. The company is known for the progressive and creator-friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists. In addition to publishing comics from top talent, such as Eric Powell, Mike Mignola, Geof Darrow, Brian Wood, Gail Simone, Stan Sakai, and Guillermo del Toro, and comics legends, such as Will Eisner, Milo Manara, Kazuo Koike, Neil Gaiman, and Frank Miller, Dark Horse has developed its own successful properties, such as The Mask, Ghost, X, and Barb Wire. Its successful line of comics, manga, and products based on popular properties includes Dragon Age, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, Tomb Raider, Halo, The Witcher, Serenity, Game of Thrones, and Avatar: The Last Airbender. Today Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic book publisher in the US and is recognized as one of the world’s leading entertainment publishers.

 
Adapt or Die on 'Venus'

Venus #1 Main Cover
Venus #1 Main Cover by W. Scott Forbes

Venus #1 Incentive Cover
Venus #1 Incentive Cover by Steven Thomas
 
November 18, 2015 (Los Angeles, Calif.) - Adventuring into an unknown frontier, discovering something new, and facing impossible odds are the framework of some of our favorite stories. This December, creator Filip Sablik (Last Mortal), co-creator and writer Rick Loverd (Berserker), and artist Huang Danlan bring us Venus, a new original mini-series from award-winning publisher BOOM! Studios that evokes the history of great adventurers from the pilgrims to the Western pioneers, from deep-sea explorers to polar trailblazers, all of whom searched for a new beginning.
 
While Venus is a work of science fiction, Loverd is writing this with some scientific plausibility in mind. After all, he is currently the Program Director for the Science & Entertainment Exchange, a program of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), whose mission is to inspire better science in Hollywood by introducing entertainment professionals to great science communicators. Since its launch in 2008, The Exchange has completed more than 1,300 consults, including Iron Man 2, Tron: Legacy, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Star Trek Into Darkness.
 
In Venus, it’s the year 2150. Earth’s resources are depleted, and countries race to outer space to mine what they need from other planets. China has laid claim to Mars, so the U.S. and its allies have to make do with getting what it needs from the inhospitable world of Venus. But for a group of Americans making its way there, survival has become all too real. After their ship crash-lands on the planet, the scrappy crew is forced to do whatever it takes to navigate the harsh landscape in their journey to find the science base they were flying toward. In the vein of great adventure survival stories like Lost and The Martian, there’s only one reality on Venus—adapt or die.
 
“Survival stories have become a hallmark of pop culture, and Venus is a survival story in one of the harshest environments you can imagine,” said BOOM! Studios Editor-in-Chief Matt Gagnon. “Rick and Huang have constructed a harrowing thriller that’s about a group of people pushed well past their limits, on a planet where the average daily temperature is 864° Fahrenheit. It’s a powerful, intelligent miniseries about the enduring spirit of humanity—and how far a person will go to ensure their own survival.”
 
Venus #1 (of 4) arrives in comic shops on December 23rd with a main cover by W. Scott Forbes (Arcadia, Effigy) for the price of $3.99 under Diamond order code OCT151194. Also available in a limited quality is a 10 Years incentive cover by Felipe Smith (All-New Ghost Rider), and a retailer incentive cover by acclaimed illustrator Steven Thomas. In addition, each issue of the mini-series will contain a backmatter essay written by a different scientific authority, including Randii R. Wessen of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Phil Plait of Slate's Bad Astronomy Blog.

The Final Order Cutoff deadline for retailers is November 30th. Not sure where to find your nearest comic retailer? Use comicshoplocator.com or findacomicshop.com to find one! It can also be ordered directly from BOOM! Studios on its website.
 
 
ABOUT BOOM! STUDIOS
Founded by Ross Richie in 2005, Diamond Gem Award-winning “Best Publisher” BOOM! Studios (boom-studios.com) generates New York Times best-selling Eisner and Harvey Award-winning comic books and graphic novels. BOOM! Studios is comprised of four distinct imprints: the "Studios" imprint is home to The Woods, Grant Morrison's Klaus, and Big Trouble in Little China; imprint "BOOM! Box" publishes Lumberjanes, Steve Jackson Games' Munchkin, and Giant Days; All-Ages imprint "KaBOOM!" publishes Charles Schulz’ Peanuts; Jim Davis’ Garfield; and Cartoon Network’s Adventure Time. And the "Archaia" imprint is home to Mouse Guard, Cow Boy, and numerous Jim Henson Company properties. Since 2013, BOOM! Studios has had a unique first-look feature film relationship with 20th Century Fox and since August 2014 BOOM! has had a similar first-look relationship with Fox' television studio to develop properties for the small screen.
KAPTARA, VOL. 1 IS A HILARIOUS SCIENCE FICTION ADVENTURE
The first story arc of the humorous adventure is collected into trade paperback
“Epic, exciting.” —Entertainment Weekly
“I wish I could look and act like a villain written and drawn by Chip Zdarsky and Kagan McLeod.” —John Waters

Bestselling writer Chip Zdarsky (SEX CRIMINALS, Howard the Duck) teams up with artist Kagan McLeod (Infinite Kung-Fu) for the laugh-out-loud romp, KAPTARA, VOL. 1: FEAR NOT, TINY ALIEN. This collects issues #1-5 into trade paperback and will be available in December.
A space expedition goes horribly wrong because if it didn’t there would be no story! Reluctant explorer Keith Kanga and his crew crash-land on KAPTARA, a world filled with danger and weird danger and dangerous weirdos! And if he can’t survive, then Earth, the place where YOU live, is doomed! Join Zdarsky and McLeod as they put the “fi” back into “sci-fi” and pretty much disregard the “sci” part completely in this epic story of punching and love!
KAPTARA, VOL. 1 (ISBN: 978-1-63215-557-3) hits comic book stores on Wednesday, December 23rd and bookstores on Tuesday, January 5th, and will be available for $9.99. It can be ordered by retailers from Diamond Book Distributors with Diamond Code AUG150535. It can be pre-ordered now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and IndieBound.

Praise for KAPTARA:
“Quite funny.” —Comic Book Resources
"Kaptara is an exciting and smart comic, one that hits all the right notes and utilizes a diverse cast of characters you can't help but latch on to.” —IGN
"This is a topsy turvy acid trip where a Queen slightly resembles Miyazaki and a Prince similar to Conan on steroids are characters.” —Bloody Disgusting
“In just one page, motivational orb already seems poised to be the next Lying Cat.” —Multiversity Comics
“Strap on your space boots and get ready for Chip Zdarsky and Kagan McLeod to take you on a space trip… Expect the unexpected.” —ComicVine
“Funny and smart .... Zdarsky and McLeod work well to create a mix of striking action and wry humor.” —Paste Magazine
“Kagan McLeod’s work… has something for everyone. His characters are spindly and Steve Ditko-esque but also very detailed… From the very first page, he thrusts us into a world that we are sure is not our own and that we want to learn more about.” —Newsarama
“There are no rules with Zdarsky’s science-fiction fantasy Kaptara… a captivating, genre-bending narrative with lush, wildly imaginative visuals. It’s a very different book than Howard the Duck, but the two titles share a cheeky wit that reads as distinctly Zdarsky, establishing a writing voice that is as strong and confident as his work as an artist.” —Los Angeles Times’ HeroComplex
“Insane.” —Houston Press


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.

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

ww_Gaming_Logo_City_Atlanta-210.jpg 
Wizard World Gaming To Debut In Atlanta, January 22-24

Celebration of Video and Table Top Gaming, Including Pro-Gamer Invitationals, Casual Tournaments, Free Play, eSports, Celebrity Guest Panels, Voice Actor Q&A's, Meet & Greets, Retro Gaming, Brands and more, at Georgia World Congress Center; Kicks Off Season-Long Gaming Convention Schedule Coinciding With Select Wizard World Comic Cons

ATLANTA, November 18, 2015 – Wizard World, Inc. (OTCBB: WIZD) today announced the first Wizard World Gaming Atlanta , a celebration of all things gaming, January 22-24 at the Georgia World Congress Center. Attendees will participate in video and table gaming tournaments and eSports competitions, meet top celebrities, executives, developers and brands, participate in live demonstrations and interact with fans across the Southeast, demonstrating their love of gaming with Wizard World.

“We wanted to create an exciting, new type of convention for fans who love all kinds of gaming,” said John Macaluso , Wizard World CEO. “Gaming is a growing part of all Wizard World shows, and we feel Atlanta is the perfect place to roll out this kind of celebration.”

Guests to attend Wizard World Gaming Atlanta will include from Billy Mitchell (The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters), Walter Day (founder, Twin Galaxies), voice actors Yuri Lowenthal (Ben 10, Fallout 4, Skylanders ) and Tara Platt ( Pillars of Eternity, Skylanders , Sailor Moon Crystal) and more to be announced shortly.

Now through December 31, fans can take advantage of an Early Bird Special discount, offering 25% off three-day and single-day admissions, by using code EARLYATL at checkout at http://wizd.me/AtlantaPR.

Wizard World Gaming Atlanta will also feature a Retro gaming area via Guys Games and Beer, which will include the mech combat Steel Battalion, VR Oculus experience, History of Gaming and Retro Game Lounge with a variety of classics from years past -- from Atari to Xbox and everything in between.

Wizard World Gaming Atlanta kicks off a season-long series of gaming-focused events which will coincide with Wizard World Comic Con shows throughout 2016 in the following cities: Portland , Ore. (Feb. 19-21); St. Louis (April 1-3); Minneapolis (May 6-8); Philadelphia (June 2-5); Sacramento, Calif. (June 17-19); Orlando, Fla. (August 5-7); Chicago (August 18-21); and Austin, Texas (September 23-25).

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, cosplay, comics, television, sci-fi, toys, video gaming, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more. The second event scheduled on the 2016 calendar, Wizard World Gaming Atlanta show hours are Friday, January 22, 3-8 p.m.; Saturday, January 23, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday, January 24, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

For more on 2016 Wizard World Gaming Atlanta, visit http://wizd.me/AtlantaPR .
About Wizard World (OTCBB: WIZD)
Wizard World, Inc. (http://www.wizardworld.com ) produces Comic Cons and pop culture conventions across North America that celebrate the best in pop-fi, pop culture, movies, television, cosplay, comics, graphic novels, toys, video gaming, 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, comics-themed sessions, costume contests, movie screenings, evening parties and more. Wizard World has also launched CONtv, a digital media channel in partnership with leading independent content distributor Cinedigm™ (NASDAQ: CIDM), and ComicConBox™, a premium subscription-based monthly box service. Fans can interact with Wizard World on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and other social media services.

The 2016 Wizard World schedule is available at: www.wizardworld.com/wizcon.html .

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

SUPER STAR ARTIST JOHN CASSADAY ANNOUNCES RARE
NEW JERSEY COMIC EXPO APPEARANCE!
APPEARING AT DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT BOOTH
EDISON, NJ, NOVEMBER 17th - The first-ever New Jersey Comic Expo (NJCE) makes its debut THIS WEEKEND, and big news continues to roll out with today's announcement that John Cassaday will attend the show on both Saturday and Sunday!
Best-selling and fan favorite comic book artist John Cassaday will be making a rare appearance at NJCE on Saturday and Sunday! John's appearance at NJCE is a rare appearance outside of Comic-Con International and New York Comic Con!
John Cassaday's star continues to shine brighter than ever as the artist on Marvel's blockbuster Star Wars series launching at a record breaking One Million copies of the 1st print alone placing it as the #1 comic of the year - and in addition with multiple printings having followed! John's career took off with his work on the critically acclaimed Planetary with writer Warren Ellis, Astonishing X-Men with Joss Whedon and Captain America with John Ney Rieber. John has done work for virtually every top comics publisher in his 20-year career, including covers for both Dynamite Entertainment's Shadow, Lone Ranger and other great series as well as Dark Horse's Serenity series, created by Joss Whedon.
"This is my first show ever in New Jersey, so I'm excited for this weekend. I'm looking forward to meeting fans, thanking them for their support and signing some books!" states Artist John Cassaday.

"John is a great talent and we're fortunate to have him attending the show - his work on Star Wars is one of those special opportunities that both the serious collector and the casual fan can enjoy equally," said Martha Donato, Executive Director and Founder the New Jersey Comic Expo." States Mad Event's Martha Donato.
With less than 30 days before Star Wars Episode VII, fans can bring copies of Star Wars to be signed by Cassaday. Attendees will have the chance to line up for a special TWO HOUR signing on BOTH DAYS of the show with a 10 item limit! The signings will begin at TBA each day at the Dynamite Entertainment booth and will be first come, first served. Please check the MAD Event website for signing times.
In addition, we are offering a small number of special VIP access packages for an exclusive meet and greet opportunity! Fans will meet John in a more personal setting, with photo opportunities, and the ability to have additional comics signed - up to 50 copies, and a surprise selection of pre-signed rare limited edition books from Marvel by Dynamic Forces, Inc., valued at $449.95! These special VIP Meet and Greet access passes will be available for purchase at an additional $100.00 per person.

John Cassaday joins an extensive and stellar list of some of the top creators in the industry, including superstar artist Jim Lee, Adam Kubert, Chris Claremont, Mark Bagley, Ivan Reis, Greg Land, Garth Ennis, Peter Tomasi, Ethan Van Sciver, Cary Nord, Erica Schultz, Fabian Nicieza, Jeff King and over 130 guests scheduled to appear at NJCE. They will be joining dozens of celebrity guests, including Drea de Matteo (Sopranos, Sons of Anarchy, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Amy Acker (Angel, Person of Interest), Chase Masterson (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) Tommy Walker (Marvel's Daredevil on Netflix), along with over 150 exhibitors.
Fans of all ages attending the New Jersey Comic Expo can prepare for two full days of exclusive programming with Q&A's from the industry's top creators, real-world insight on finding success in today's challenging comics marketplace, cosplay instruction from top artists, interactive exhibits, custom cars from movies and television, and plenty of fun just for kids, too! Visit www.NewJerseyComicExpo.com for full info on programming, confirmed guests, special events and more.
Purchase your tickets now for the New Jersey Comic Expo at the New Jersey Expo Center in Edison, NJ on November 21st and 22nd! Advance ticket holders get early admission and kids 10 and under are FREE ALL WEEKEND!
Follow the New Jersey Comic Expo for updates as they drop:
Facebook: facebook.com/NJComicExpo
Twitter: @JerseyComicExpo
Instagram: @njcomicexpo

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About MAD Event Management:
MAD Event Management is an all-purpose event planning facilitator whose principal owner has over 15 years of experience producing annual large-scale consumer conventions around the country, including Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Chicago and Dallas. MAD's capabilities include: Site Selection, Exhibit Staffing, Marketing Plans, Vendor Selection, Floor Plan Development, On-Site Execution, Sponsor Exhibitor Sales, Travel Management, Contract Development, Setup & Disassembly and Contract Coordination. Visit www.madeventmanagement.com for additional information.
SNOWFALL BRINGS DEADLY CHILL TO DYSTOPIAN GENRE
An all-new series set in a post-snow world where weather is a weapon

Bestselling writer Joe Harris (The X-Files) and artist Martín Morazzo (Vertigo Quarterly), creators of GREAT PACIFIC, reunite for an all-new ongoing science-fiction series set in the year 2045—where it no longer snows.
“With Snowfall, we’re presenting a 21st century America in which the climate has gone completely to shit and where fully recognized corporate personhood and control isn’t just accepted, but necessary. The time for industry forces lying about the effects of climate change have long passed,” said Harris. “They’ve moved on to profiting mightily from managing the fallout now. The haves enjoy the resources to mitigate the damage while the have-nots suffer the effects more acutely, living in these resettlement zones that are jointly administered by those same corporate forces with their fingerprints all over the crash. And it’s against this backdrop that resistance takes place. It isn’t clean, pretty or neat. Sometimes, we’re going to see, it’s not even that noble a fight. But desperation makes men do desperate things. This is a series with plenty of sci-fi action, 'mad scientist’ manipulations and schemes, and a protagonist who may—or may not—be the greatest super-villain in history, depending on who writes it. It’s a story about humanity seeking dominion over forces beyond its control, the inevitable backlash, and the desperate attempt to reclaim, rebuild and redeem."
In SNOWFALL #1, readers are introduced to a world where a catastrophic crash has left the climate ravaged, society splintered, and the newly-christened “Cooperative States of America” propped up and administered by the powerful Hazeltyne Corporation.
In the bleak world of SNOWFALL, only one man can wage an all-out weather war against the system, wielding the forces of nature themselves as weapons. He is the White Wizard. The ghost in the night. Genius. Terrorist. Outlaw. Hero?
Morazzo added: "As we strove to do with Great Pacific, this new series presents a visually unique world where environmental catastrophe meets science fiction adventure. The look and feel for 2045 is both bleak and beautiful and filled with both dread and promise all at once. I am incredibly proud of this work!"
SNOWFALL #1 (Diamond Code DEC150539) will hit comic book stores on Wednesday, February 17th. The final order cutoff deadline for comic book retailers is Monday, January 25th. 






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.