SOUTHERN BREWED HORROR CANNIBAL HITS PAPERBACK
The first four issues collected in trade paperback this March

New York Times bestselling writer Brian Buccellato (SONS OF THE DEVIL, The Flash, Injustice), cowriter Jennifer Young, and artist Matías Bergara (Sons of Anarchy) will release the first trade paperback collection of their ongoing Southern Gothic series CANNIBAL this March from Image Comics.

A Category 5 hurricane sweeps through the Southeast, uprooting ancient mosquitoes carrying a virus that causes the infected to crave human flesh. One year later, with no cure in sight, the region has become split over what to do with the victims. For the Hansen family, the answer is simple: kill them. However, all of that changes when the virus infects people they love. CANNIBAL is about a small Everglades town that is just trying to hold on to their everyday lives at the dawn of a cannibal pandemic. Told through the eyes of the Hansen family, it’s an anti-apocalypse story about a community that is too damn stubborn to give in.

CANNIBAL VOLUME 1 (ISBN: 978-1-5343-0054-5) hits comic book stores on Wednesday, March 8th and bookstores on Tuesday, March 14th. It can be ordered by retailers with Diamond code JAN170782, and it is available for preorder via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indiebound, and Indigo.

Select praise for CANNIBAL:

“This is southern brewed horror with a dose of heartbreak.” —Horror Talk

“Cannibal is entertaining through and through.” —Comicosity

“Matías Bergara’s art drips with flavor.” —AiPT!

“Every single component of this series fits with the next to ensure its success, and the end result is a comic you just can’t put down.” —Slackjaw Punks

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.

THE WALKING DEAD #163 HIGHEST ORDERED COMIC IN NEARLY TWO DECADES
25¢ promotion successfully expands readership, pre-orders exceed 730,000

Image Comics partner and pop culture phenomenon Robert Kirkman and artist Charlie Adlard’s THE WALKING DEAD #163 is the Direct Market’s highest ordered comic in nearly 20 years.

As final orders rolled in this week from Diamond Comic Distributors, THE WALKING DEAD #163 pre-orders exceeded 730,000 copies—without the aid of subscription box numbers to bolster the overall total—making the goal of expanding readership through a promotional 25¢ price point an overwhelming success.

THE WALKING DEAD #163’s orders overtake every other high-charting comic in print today and surpass the orders of the Batman: The 10-Cent Adventure one-shot that topped Diamond’s unit sales charts in January 2002.

Coming on the heels of the bestselling “THE WHISPERER WAR” storyline, this issue marks the beginning of the “CONQUERED” story arc in the long-running blockbuster series and provides the perfect opportunity for discovery for new readers or fans of the hit AMC TV show to get hooked on the comic series.

Image Comics enjoys a close relationship with the Direct Market comics retailers, often incorporating retailer feedback gained through always-open lines of communication, into the company’s overall sales approach. Rather than simply circulate marketing messaging to fans encouraging consumers visit their local comic shop, Image Comics’ 25¢ initiative—which begins with the special 40-page THE WALKING DEAD #163 and continues with INVINCIBLE #133 and OUTCAST BY KIRKMAN & AZACETA #25—is a definitive and quantifiable move to pay it forward to retailers who have long supported growing the creator-owned readership.

The mission behind this promotion was not based solely on helping isolated titles gain a boost, but by increasing overall exposure through some of Image’s best-known titles. “The Direct Market helped make THE WALKING DEAD, INVINCIBLE, and OUTCAST the successful series they are today, and acknowledging that support is a big part of our agenda as Image turns 25 this year,” explained Kirkman. “Comic book stores have made it easier for us to accomplish everything we’ve done since our last anniversary, so giving back just makes sense, even though it means we’re not making a dime off these books.

“Don’t get me wrong: Charlie Adlard, Stefano Gaudiano, Cliff Rathburn, and Rus Wooton are all being compensated as usual for their contributions to THE WALKING DEAD #163, but neither myself nor Image will profit off this issue. As with most of our decisions at Image, we’re looking instead at the long-term benefits of getting more readers into stores and more of the world’s best creator-owned comics into those readers’ hands.”

Eric Stephenson, Publisher at Image Comics, added: “When we first began discussing how to celebrate our 25th anniversary, one of the first ideas that came up was offering some of our best titles at 25¢ in an effort to reach as many readers as possible. We knew we’d be selling the books at a loss—no matter how high the orders—but our number one goal is always to get books in front of as many readers as possible, and the best way to do that is by giving comic book stores something they can quite literally put in people’s hands for pocket change.”

THE WALKING DEAD #163 will be available in stores on Wednesday, February 1st—just in time for fans to celebrate “Image Day”.

INVINCIBLE #133 (Diamond Code DEC160639) will be available in stores on Wednesday, February 15th. Final order cutoff is Monday, January 23rd.

OUTCAST BY KIRKMAN & AZACETA #25 (Diamond Code DEC160664) will be available in stores on Wednesday, February 22nd. The final order cutoff for comics retailers is Monday, January 30th.

THE WALKING DEAD #164 (Diamond Code DEC160746) will hit stores on Wednesday, February 15th. Final order cutoff for comics retailers is Monday, January 23rd.

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.

ABOUT SKYBOUND ENTERTAINMENT
Founded in 2010, Skybound Entertainment is a multiplatform entertainment company specializing in television, comics, film, digital content, interactive, gaming, and merchandise. The company is led by The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman and his longtime producing and business partner David Alpert.

IDW Entertainment Developing The Devil with Ellen Pompeo’s Calamity Jane Dave Dilley to pen the pilot   San Diego, CA (January 12, 2016) – IDW Entertainment announced today it has put The Devil into development as a big event limited series with Grey’s Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo’s Calamity Jane co-producing. Dave Dilley (Warrior) has been tapped to write the pilot and serve as an Executive Producer.  The series is based on the novel The Devil: Britain’s Most Feared Underworld Taxman by Graham Johnson. Set in Liverpool in the 1980’s, The Devil showcases the life of Stephen French, one of the most feared men in the criminal underworld in the UK. He earned both his nickname and a reputation amongst rival crime-lords who he would outwit and rob during the emerging drug trade of the 1980s. The infamous criminal mastermind’s notorious life will be explored in this dark and gripping series. In addition to Dilley, Calamity Jane’s Ellen Pompeo and Laura Holstein will serve as Executive Producers alongside IDW Publishing CEO and Publisher Ted Adams and IDW Entertainment President David Ozer.  The Grey’s Anatomy star Pompeo, initially found and optioned the material.  “We are thrilled to be working with Ellen and Laura on The Devil,” said David Ozer. “It is such a captivating and strong character that will resonate with a global audience.” The Devil will follow other IDW Entertainment properties whereby IDW Publishing will develop and publish graphic novels.

About IDW IDW Media Holdings, Inc. (IDWM) is a fully integrated media company, which includes publishing, games, entertainment, and the San Diego Comic Art Gallery. IDW Publishing’s comic book and graphic novel catalog includes some of the world’s most popular entertainment brands, including Transformers, My Little Pony, Star Trek, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Ghostbusters, and Disney’s classic characters. At IDW’s core is its commitment to creator-owned comics including 30 Days of Night, Locke & Key, Wormwood, Ragnarök, V-Wars, and Archangel by bestselling sci-fi author William Gibson. IDW Publishing is also home to the acclaimed and award-winning imprints; Top Shelf, The Library of American Comics, Yoe! Books, and Artist Editions, showcasing the greatest original art ever published in American comic books. IDW Games’ diverse line-up includes the international phenomenon Machi Koro, as well as hit licensed games such as X-Files, Back to the Future, The Godfather, and TMNT. IDW Entertainment currently serves as the worldwide distributor of Wynonna Earp airing on the Syfy Channel in the U.S. and is producing BBC America’s Dirk Gently, based the best seller by Douglas Adams starring Elijah Wood and Sam Barnett, and Brooklyn Animal Control.

BRUBAKER & EPTING’S VELVET COLLECTED IN HARDCOVER
THIS FEBRUARY
Ta-Nehisi Coates calls Brubaker & Epting his favorite pairing
in all of comics

The bestselling creative team of writer Ed Brubaker (KILL OR BE KILLED, Captain America: The Winter Soldier), artist Steve Epting (Batwoman, Captain America: The Winter Soldier), and colorist Elizabeth Breitweiser (OUTCAST BY KIRKMAN & AZACETA, KILL OR BE KILLED) will release a deluxe hardcover edition of the first 15 issues of their groundbreaking spy thriller series VELVET this February. 

From the creators of Captain America: The Winter Soldier comes VELVET, a slick and sexy new take on the Cold War spy genre. What if the secretary to the man running the world’s most top secret spy agency was actually, once upon a time, their most dangerous weapon? VELVET is a groundbreaking work from one of the bestselling teams in comics, and now Velvet Templeton’s first major storyline is collected in one oversized deluxe hardback with behind-the-scenes extras and articles. A must-have for any Brubaker & Epting fan. 

“It's amazing to see all our hard work on VELVET finally collected in one big volume,” said Brubaker. “On top of our historical spy thriller story, this is some of the best work that Steve Epting and Elizabeth Breitweiser have ever done. It's worth it for the art alone.”

“This book is the culmination of an something Ed and I first discussed almost ten years ago, and it's extremely gratifying to see it finally realized in one collected edition,” said Epting. “I enjoyed working on VELVET more than any other project in my career for many reasons, not the least of which was collaborating with the best writer and the best colorist in comics.”
 

VELVET DLX HC (ISBN: 978-1-63215-915-1) hits comic book stores Wednesday, February 22nd and bookstores Tuesday, February 28th, and will be available for $49.99. It can be ordered by retailers with Diamond code DEC160787, and it is available for preorder via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indiebound, and Indigo.

Select praise for VELVET:

"Ed Brubaker's and Steve Epting's cold war thriller VELVET is a spiritual successor to the duo's work on Captain America. Much like that legendary run, VELVET is a thriller that keeps you guessing, without making a bombastic show of keeping you guessing. If cliffhangers abound (and they do), they blend seamlessly into the immersive, inviting, and addictive world painted by its creators. Brubaker and Epting are my favorite pairing in all of comics. And this is them at the height of their powers." —Ta-Nehisi Coates (Black Panther, Between the World and Me)

“Reading VELVET is like eating the world's richest multi-layered dessert. It's a symphony of flavor, so rich and satisfying that you never want it to end.” —IGN

“VELVET is a story that’s interested in aftermath. It deals not just with what happens to the spies during their thrilling missions, but what happens to them afterwards: how they survive after they survive.” —Wired

“Brubaker and Epting are a creative partnership that will blow you away.” —Nerdspan

“Drawing upon the history of spy fiction, Brubaker and Epting mix up all their source materials in a bag and produce something equal parts Modesty Blaise, The Sandbaggers, John le Carré, and Queen & Country; a new concoction of sex, intrigue, and action that grabs you from the very beginning and refuses to let go.” —Comics Alliance

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.

FUNIMATION FILMS HOSTS ‘ONE PIECE FILM: GOLD’ NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE IN WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA

Jamie Lee Curtis and Other Fans Joined to Celebrate the Biggest ‘One Piece’ Movie Ever

  

Based on the wildly popular hit anime manga and television series, One Piece Film: Gold follows the Straw Hat pirates to the big screen in an all-new high-flying adventure. The popular anime series that has captivated fans around the globe unfolds a new saga in this highly anticipated theatrical event.

Originally a Japanese manga series, One Piece was adapted into a television series by Toei Animation (Dragon Ball Super, Sailor Moon) that has since aired over 760 episodes. As of August 2016, the original manga series has more than 380 million copies printed worldwide – the best-selling manga series in history.

One Piece Film: Gold is part one of a new film series based on this manga series and is a standalone film that does not require new audiences to be familiar with previous content to enjoy the thrill of this new adventure.

SYNOPSIS: The Straw Hat pirates are hitting the big screen once again in an all-new high-flying adventure! The popular series that has captivated fans all over the world unfolds a new saga in the highly anticipated movie, "One Piece Film: Gold."

The glittering Gran Tesoro, a city of entertainment beyond the laws of the government, is a sanctuary for the world's most infamous pirates, Marines, and filthy rich millionaires. Drawn by dreams of hitting the jackpot, Captain Luffy and his crew sail straight for the gold. But behind the gilded curtains lies a powerful king whose deep pockets and deeper ambitions spell disaster for the Straw Hats and the New World alike.

For future news and information on "One Piece Film: Gold," please register for email updates at funimationfilms.com.

Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/funimation and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/funimation and on Instagram at instagram.com/funimation.

About Funimation Films

Funimation Films, the theatrical division of Funimation Entertainment, acquires both anime and live action movies from prominent international filmmakers that appeal to the interests and passion of all types of fans and distributes them throughout North America. The division was launched in December 2014 following the box office success of "Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods" earlier that year. Its debut release, "Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection 'F'," was an instant blockbuster and became the #9 highest-grossing anime movie of all time in North America. Funimation Films has gone on to release numerous movies including most recently "Shin Godzilla." Funimation Entertainment is a subsidiary of Group 1200 Media, a fully integrated, next-generation, independent entertainment studio based in Dallas. For more information on Funimation Films, visit funimationfilms.com

Baltimore Comic-Con Presents Neal Adams Appearances

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - January 9, 2017 - The 2017 Baltimore Comic-Con takes place the weekend of September 22-24, 2017 at the Baltimore Convention Center in the Inner Harbor, and tickets are now on sale! The Baltimore Comic-Con is thrilled to announce multiple upcoming appearances for comics legend Neal Adams.

On Saturday, February 25th, Cards, Comics and Collectibles of Reisterstown, MD, the store that brings you the Baltimore Comic-Con, is sponsoring an in-store appearance by Neal Adams from 1pm to 4pm. The store is located at 100 Chartley Dr,, Reisterstown, MD 21136 On Sunday, February 26th, Cards, Comics and Collectibles will be hosting Neal at the Shoff Promotions Comic Book Show in Tyson's Corner, VA. The show takes place at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 1960 Chain Bridge Rd, McLean, VA 22102 (near the Tyson's Corner Metro stop on the Silver Line). And, last but not least, Neal returns to the Baltimore Comic-Con on September 22-24, 2017 at the Baltimore Convention Center! Purchase your tickets to the show here: www.baltimorecomiccon.com/tickets.

Neal Adams' work on such DC Comics characters as Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, and Green Arrow redefined an era of comics, bringing a photorealistic feel to the pages of their respective books. In the late-'60s, while freelancing for DC Comics, Adams also began working at Marvel Comics on X-Men with Roy Thomas. He continued to work for DC and Marvel throughout the late-'60s and '70s, working on The Avengers, Detective Comics, and Green Lantern/Green Arrow. More recently, Adams did the 7-issue second volume of Batman: Odyssey for DC Comics, and handled art duties on Marvel Comics' First X-Men and Harley's Little Black Book, parodying his famous Superman vs. Muhammad Ali comic from the 1970s.

"Neal Adams is unquestionably one of the greats ever to work in the comics field," said Marc Nathan, promoter of the Baltimore Comic-Con. "His influence is vast, from his industry-changing art style starting in the Silver Age to his efforts to protect creator's rights, and bringing attention to social issues. He has a shelf full of industry awards and accolades, and he deserves every one of them. He's one of our guests that attendees simply cannot get enough of, and we couldn't be happier to make him available at the store and these upcoming shows for our fans."

In addition to on-site CGC grading, this year's confirmed guests for the show include: Neal Adams (Harley's Little Black Book), Jeremy Bastian (Cursed Pirate Girl), Reilly Brown (Slapstick), Mark Buckingham (Everafter: From the Pages of Fables), Dave Bullock (The Rocketeer at War), Jim Calafiore (Surviving Megalopolis), Howard Chaykin (Midnight of the Soul); Frank Cho (Skybourne), Steve Conley (The Middle Age), Amanda Conner (Harley Quinn), Todd Dezago (The Perhapanauts), David Finch (Batman), Meredith Finch (Catwoman: Election Night), Ramona Fradon (Convergence: Plastic Man and the Freedom Fighters), Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez (Sensation Comics Featuring Wonder Woman), Michael Golden (Doctor Strange), Scott Hanna (Wonder Woman), Dean Haspiel (Dark Horse Presents), Klaus Janson (Dark Knight III: The Master Race), Kazu Kibuishi (Harry Potter covers), Matt Kindt (Ninjak), Sharlene Kindt (Dept. H), Tom King (Batman), Barry Kitson (Avengers), Hope Larson (Batgirl), David Marquez (Civil War II), Mike McKone (Old Man Logan), Mike Mignola (Hellboy), Mark Morales (Deathstroke), Greg Pak (The Totally Awesome Hulk), Jimmy Palmiotti (Harley Quinn), Paul Pelletier (Cyborg), David Petersen (Mouse Guard), Brandon Peterson (Revolution), Tom Raney (Invincible Iron Man), Don Rosa (Donald Duck), Craig Rousseau (The Perhapanauts), Andy Runton (Owly), Julie Fujii Sakai (Peanuts: A Tribute to Charles M. Schulz); Stan Sakai (Usagi Yojimbo); Stuart Sayger (Krampus: Shadow of Saint Nicholas), Louise Simonson (Faith); Walter Simonson (Ragnarok); Rob Stull (Executive Assistant: Orchid), Peter Tomasi (Superman), Billy Tucci (Shi), James Tynion IV (Detective Comics), Ethan Van Sciver (Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps), Mark Waid (Avengers), Renee Witterstaetter (Joe Jusko: Maelstrom), and Rich Woodall (Kyrra: Alien Jungle Girl).

Visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com/tickets/ for more information and to purchase your advanced tickets!

In the coming weeks, look for more announcements from the Baltimore Comic-Con. We are looking forward to highlighting our guests, industry exclusives, and programming. The latest developments can always be found on our website, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook pages.

EXCLUSIVE PAGES REVEALED FROM THINK TANK’S UPCOMING FIFTH ARC
ANIMAL’s first issue arrives March 1st

Image Comics and Top Cow Productions are pleased to present an exclusive sneak peek from the upcoming fifth story arc of THINK TANK, the ongoing tech-minded sci-fi series from Top Cow COO Matt Hawkins and artist Rahsan Ekedal.

THINK TANK VOL 5 #1 Cover A (Diamond code: JAN170669) and Cover B (Diamond code: JAN170670), both featuring cover art by series artist Rahsan Ekedal, will hit comic book stores on Wednesday, March 1st. Final order cutoff deadline for retailers is Monday, February 6th.

Select praise for THINK TANK:

"THINK TANK grabs you from the very beginning and has you begging for more by the end. A must-have for anyone who wants something cool...and who doesn't want that?" —Robert Kirkman (THE WALKING DEAD, OUTCAST BY KIRKMAN & AZACETA)

"A potent metaphor for our country's entanglement with the military-industrial complex." —NPR.org

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.