VIZ MEDIA EXPANDS THE BLEACH ANIME SERIES ON BLU-RAY WITH RELEASE OF SET 2

Catch The Second Installment Of The Hit Paranormal Action Adventure Saga On Blu-ray For The Very First Time

San Francisco, CA, January 27, 2017 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), a premier company in the fields of publishing, animation distribution, and global entertainment licensing, announces the latest edition of the BLEACH anime series on Blu-ray with the home media release of Set 2 on January 31^st.

BLEACH Set 2 includes four-discs, covering Episodes 28-55, and will carry an MSRP of $54.97 U.S. / $63.99 CAN. Episodes will be available with dialogue selections for dubbed English as well as subtitled, Japanese 2.0 audio, with episodes presented uncut and in their original 4:3 format. Special bonus content includes a “Behind the Scenes of BLEACH” segment that features interviews with the English voice cast.

In the latest episodes, having been separated and now pursued by Soul Reapers, Ichigo and his friends, race towards the Shishinro Repentance Cell where Rukia awaits execution. With the help of Squad Four’s Hanataro, who risks imprisonment himself, Ichigo is led through an underground sewer system toward her cell. Will Ichigo have the strength to defeat the Soul Reaper Renji, who bars the way? In the midst of the chaos, the sudden murder of one of their own has the Soul Society in upheaval.

In the BLEACH anime series, for as long as he can remember, Ichigo Kurosaki has been able to see ghosts. But when he meets Rukia, a Soul Reaper who battles evil spirits known as Hollows, his life is changed forever. Now, with a newfound wealth of spiritual energy, Ichigo discovers his true calling – to protect the world of the living and the dead as a Substitute Soul Reaper. When Rukia is taken away to face the ruthless justice of the Soul Society, Ichigo and his friends must cross over and do battle in the spirit world...

The BLEACH animated films and TV series (distributed in North America by VIZ Media, rated ‘TV-14’) are based on a smash hit manga series created by Tite Kubo (also published in North America by VIZ Media, rated ‘T’ for Teens).

For more information on BLEACH manga and anime titles published by VIZ Media, please visit www.viz.com.

About VIZ Media, LLC

Established in 1986, VIZ Media is the premier company in the fields of publishing, animation distribution, and global entertainment licensing. Along with its popular digital magazine WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, DRAGON BALL, SAILOR MOON, and POKÉMON, VIZ Media offers an extensive library of titles and original content in a wide variety of book and video formats, as well as through official licensed merchandise. Owned by three of Japan's largest publishing and entertainment companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media is dedicated to bringing the best titles for English-speaking audiences worldwide.

Learn more about VIZ Media and its properties at www.VIZ.com.

CELEBRATE IMAGE DAY
ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1

On February 1, 1992, seven comics superstars Erik Larsen, Jim Lee, Rob Liefeld, Todd McFarlane, Whilce Portacio, Marc Silvestri, and Jim Valentino came together to form their own company that would change the landscape of comics forever. Current partners McFarlane, Valentino, Kirkman, Larsen, and Silvestri collectively have brought creator-owned comics to the forefront of industry change and, after 25 years of amazing storytelling freedom, Image is pleased to celebrate the milestone anniversary with Image Day—Feb. 1, 2017.

Image Comics wouldn’t have succeeded without the tremendous creativity and passion of its creators, the unwavering support of retailers, bookstores, and libraries, or the unbridled and unrelenting enthusiasm of the fans who show up each and every Wednesday to purchase Image titles. On Image Comics Day we celebrate together, nationwide, the exciting legacy that Image’s creator-owned publishing model has cultivated as we prepare for the next 25 years of amazing creator-owned comics to come.

There will be Image Comics promotions, giveaways, creator signings, social media events, and more—don’t miss out on all the festivities and check back to the events pages on imagecomics.com for more information and announcements about Image Comics Day celebrations near you.

Join us for the single most anticipated day of the year, as we come together and celebrate the 25th anniversary of Image Comics—but more importantly, the 25 years of true creative freedom and history-making storytelling from the best writers and artists in the world. Find an Image Day event near you in the complete list below!

IMAGE COMICS DAY EVENTS IN THE UNITED STATES ARIZONA Phoenix Samurai Comics | 3:00 PM-7:00 PM | 1051 E. Camelback Rd., Phoenix Az 85014 Jay Fotos, Meredith McClaren, Scott Godlewski CALIFORNIA Los Angeles Meltdown | 6:00 PM | 7522 Sunset Bl., Los Angeles, CA 90046 Brian K. Vaughan, Steven Seagle, Joe Casey, Matt Hawkins                   A Shop Called Quest | 4:00 PM-6:00 PM | 300 S Santa Fe Ave B, Los Angeles, CA 90013 Malachi Ward, Keenan Keller, Kyle Higgins, Tom Neely, Greg Hinkle, Megan Hutchinson, Chris Burnham                   The Last Bookstore | 7:30 PM-9:00 PM | 453 S Spring St, Ground Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90013    Rus Wooton, Gabriel Hardman  Golden Apple | 1:00 PM-3:00 PM | 7018 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038   Matt Hawkins, Darick Robertson, Marc Silvestri The Grove Barnes & Noble | 7:00 PM | 189 The Grove Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90036 Rick Remender, Ed Brubaker, Chris Burnham Long Beach   Pulp Fiction Comics   Dustin Nguyen Paradise Valley   Collector's Paradise | 5:00 PM-7:00 PM | 319 S. Arroyo Prkwy Unit 4, Pasadena, CA 91105    Sina Grace     Pasadena   Collector's Paradise | 5:00 PM-7:00 PM | 7131 Winnetka Ave, Canoga Park, CA 91306  Garry Brown     Petaluma   Brian's Comics | 3:00 PM-6:00 PM | 1 Fourth Street Suite B, Petaluma, CA 94952    Nick Dragotta, Justin Greenwood                   San Diego   Yesteryear Comics   Brandon Thomas                      San Francisco     Mission Comics                       Brian Schirmer, Ken Garing, Jeremy Saliba                          Comix Experience | | 12:00 PM-2:00 PM | 305 Divisadero St., San Francisco, California 94117 Ken Garing GEORGIA   Atlanta   My Parents' Basement | 6:00 PM-8:00 PM | 22 North Avondale Road, Avondale Estates, GA 30002 Rich Tommaso                                      ILLINOIS Chicago   Graham Cracker Comics | 11:00 AM-2:00 PM | 77 E. Madison, Chicago IL 60602 Tim Seeley MARYLAND Annapolis   Third Eye | 11:00 AM | 2027-A West St, Annapolis, MD 21401  Jonathan Luna, Justin Jordan MINNESOTA St. Paul   The Source Comics and Games   Otis Frampton MISSOURI Joplin   Hurley's Heroes   Jeremy Haun               Kansas City     Elite Comics | 11:00 AM | 11842 Quivira Rd, Overland Park, KS 66210  Megan Levens, Steven Sanders                   St. Louis     Star Clipper | 11:00 AM-5:00 PM | 1319 Washington Ave, St. Louis, MO 63103  Kyle Starks NEW YORK New York   Forbidden Planet | 8:00 AM | 832 Broadway, New York, NY 10003 Cliff Chiang, Joe Harris, Brenden Fletcher, W. Maxwell Prince, Alex de Campi, Brandon Montclare, Cameron Stewart, Jason Katzenstein, Amy Reeder, Ivan Brandon, Karen Berger OREGON Portland   Floating World | 6:00 PM-8:00 PM | 400 NW Couch St., Portland, OR    Joe Keatinge, Sloane Leong, Leila del Duca, Emi Lenox, Eric Stephenson, Brandon Graham, Farel Dalrymple                     Excalibur   Kurt Busiek                        Bridge City | 5:00 PM-7:00 PM | 3725 N Mississippi Ave, Portland, Oregon 97227   Joseph Bergin III       Books with Pictures | 6:00 PM-8:00 PM | 1100 SE Division Street, Portland, Oregon 97202  Kelly Sue DeConnick, Matt Fraction                     Cosmic Monkey | 11:00 AM | 5335 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland, Oregon 97213    Steve Lieber, Tony Parker PENNSYLVANIA Philadelphia   Fat Jack's Comicrypt   Bryan J.L. Glass TEXAS   Austin   Austin Books | 8:00 AM-9:00 PM | 5002 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, Texas 78751 Donny Cates, Nick Pitarra                                                  Dallas   Zeus Comics   Michael Lark, Jordan Boyd WASHINGTON   Lacey   Olympic Cards and Comics | 10:00 AM-11:59 PM | 4230 Pacific Ave SE, Lacey, WA 98503  Greg Rucka       Vancouver  I Like Comics | 1715 Broadway St., Vancouver, WA 98663 Michael Oeming INTERNATIONAL IMAGE COMICS DAY EVENTS: AUSTRALIA Melbourne   All Star Comics *will take place on February 4* | 11:00 AM-5:00 PM | 53 Queen St., Melbourne, Victoria, 3000  Fil Barlow, Helen Maier                     Sydney   Kings Comics | 5:00 PM-7:00 PM | 310 Pitt St., Sydney, Australia 2000  Nicola Scott CANADA British Columbia   Kelowna   Okanagan Sports Cards & Comics | 1795 Harvey Ave, Kelowna, British Columbia   Ed Brisson               Vancouver   Golden Age Comics | 852 Granville Street, Vancouver, British Columbia V6Z 1K3 Kaare Kyle Andrews, Steve Skroce, Nathan Fairbairn, Colin Lorimer Ontario   Toronto   The Beguiling | 6:00 PM-8:00 PM | 319 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5T1S2 Chip Zdarsky, J. Bone                   Silver Snail | 4:00 PM-6:00 PM | 329 YONGE ST., TORONTO ONT. M5B1R7   Raffaele Ienco REPUBLIC OF IRELAND Dublin   Big Bang | 6:30 PM | Unit 2.3, Sandyford Road, Dundrum Town Centre, Dublin 16, Ireland Declan Shalvey, Jordie Bellaire, Simon Spurrier UNITED KINGDOM   Leeds   Travelling Man   Antony Johnston                   London   Forbidden Planet | 6:00 PM-7:00 PM | 179 Shaftesbury Avenue, London WC2h 8JR   Sara Kenney, Tradd Moore                    Orbital | 5:00 PM-7:00 PM | 8 Great Newport Street, London, WC2H 7JA    Kieron Gillen, Alison Sampson                   Gosh!   Dan Watters, Caspar Wijngaard

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.

SEXCASTLE CREATOR RETURNS WITH ALL-NEW HOBO HOOTENANNY SERIES ROCK CANDY MOUNTAIN
Ride the rails with Kyle Starks this April

Eisner-nominated cartoonist Kyle Starks (SEXCASTLE, Rick and Morty) will launch an all-new hobo-tastic action-comedy series, ROCK CANDY MOUNTAIN, this April.

ROCK CANDY MOUNTAIN is full of high action, epic stakes, magic, friendships, trains, punching, kicking, joking, a ton of hobo nonsense, and the Literal Devil. Yeah. The Literal Devil.

“I really wanted to tell an epic journey with major stakes mixed with sort of a mystery and tons of fighting,” said Starks in an interview with Image+. “I also wanted to do some magical realism. And it's hobos. Hobos fighting. I mean, what's more magical than riding around the country, living off the grid?”

The world’s toughest hobo is searching through post-World War II America for the mythological Rock Candy Mountain, and he's going to have to fight his way to get there. Lots of hobo fights. So many hobo fights.

ROCK CANDY MOUNTAIN #1 (Diamond code: FEB170575) hits comic book stores Wednesday, April 5th. The final order cutoff deadline for retailers is Monday, March 13th.

Advance praise for ROCK CANDY MOUNTAIN:

“How many of us have thought ‘Man, I wish O'Brother Where Art Thou had more hobo death matches!’? Well, Kyle Starks didn't just think. He got off his ass and made that magic happen!  ROCK CANDY MOUNTAIN, y'all. You can thank him later.” —Jason Latour (SOUTHERN BASTARDS, Spider-Gwen, LOOSE ENDS)

“This book is so good that even the sound effects have literary merit.” —Matt Kindt (Dept. H, MIND MGMT)

“Ever since I was a boy, I've dreamed of riding the rails, hobo style. But I was just too damn scared. Kyle's ROCK CANDY MOUNTAIN brings me the excitement and danger of boxcar vagrancy with none of the unpleasant associated odors.” —John Allison (Giant Days, Bad Machinery, International Treasure)

 “Kyle Starks is a genius. Not in the like ‘he says smart things’ way or in the ‘he's gonna cure something’ way. He doesn't and he isn't. He's a sneaky genius. He makes a comic about hobos, and trains, and candy mountains, and you think you know what it is. You have no idea. ROCK CANDY MOUNTAIN is hilarious, weird as hell, and so much smarter than it has any right to be. It's a rare work of genius that sneaks up on you. And it can do that because you are not as smart as Kyle Starks.” —Matthew Rosenberg (We Can Never Go Home Again, Rocket Raccoon)

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.

Bethesda Softworks and Dark Horse to Publish ‘The Art of Prey’

Comprehensive Behind-the-Scenes Companion for This Year’s Most Anticipated

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MILWAUKIE, Ore., (Jan. 26, 2017)—Dark Horse and Bethesda Softworks® are proud to present The Art of Prey®, the newest video game art book in the collaborators’ line of award-winning titles. The Art of Prey is an exquisite and comprehensive collection featuring hundreds of pieces of gorgeous art showcasing the signature world building, attention to detail and unique take on futuristic design from the development of Prey. Set to release worldwide on Friday, May 5, 2017 for the Xbox One, PlayStation® 4 computer entertainment system and PC, Prey is the highly-anticipated first-person sci-fi action game from Arkane® Studios - creators of the award-winning Dishonored® series which includes the 2012 'Game of the Year' and the critically-acclaimed follow-up, Dishonored® 2. When you awaken aboard Talos I, an immense space station orbiting the moon in the year 2032, you find yourself as the key subject of an experiment meant to alter humanity forever – but things have gone terribly wrong. The space station has been overrun by hostile aliens and you are now being hunted. As you dig into the dark secrets of Talos I and your own past, you must survive using the tools found on the station, your wits, weapons, and mind-bending abilities to defeat the Typhon alien threat. For more information about the game please visit www.prey.com. The Art of Prey will be available June 27, 2017. Preorder your copy at your local comic shop or through retailers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and IndieBound. About Dark Horse For more than thirty years, 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. Founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson, 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. About Bethesda Softworks Bethesda Softworks, part of the ZeniMax Media Inc. family of companies, is a worldwide publisher of interactive entertainment software. Titles featured under the Bethesda label include such blockbuster franchises as The Elder Scrolls®, DOOM®, QUAKE®, Fallout®, Wolfenstein®, Dishonored®, The Evil WithinTM, Prey® and RAGE®.  For more information on Bethesda Softworks’ products, visit www.bethsoft.com. About Arkane Studios Arkane Studios – with offices in Lyon, France and Austin, Texas – was founded in 1999 and has earned an enviable reputation for creating distinctive games with detailed, immersive worlds. The award-winning development team is known for the innovative first-person action series, Dishonored, which includes the 2012 ‘Game of the Year’ and its sequel, Dishonored 2, which released in November 2016 to critical-acclaim and earned over 180 ‘Best of 2016 Awards’ including ‘Best Action-Adventure Game’ at The Game Awards 2016. Arkane Studios will release Prey, its next highly-anticipated game, on May 5, 2017. Dishonored, Arkane, The Elder Scrolls, Skyrim, Bethesda Game Studios, The Evil Within, PsychoBreak, Tango, Tango Gameworks,  Battlecry Studios, MachineGames, Prey, Bethesda Softworks, Bethesda, ZeniMax and their related logos are registered trademarks or trademarks of ZeniMax Media Inc. in the United States and/or in other countries. Fallout and its related logos are registered trademarks or trademarks of Bethesda Softworks LLC in the United States and/or in other countries. id, id Software, id Tech, DOOM, QUAKE, Wolfenstein, RAGE and their related logos are registered trademarks or trademarks of id Software LLC in the United States and/or in other countries. Other product and company names referenced herein may be trademarks of their respective owners. All Rights Reserved.

SNYDER AND LEMIRE’S POIGNANT
AD: AFTER DEATH HARDCOVER EDITION WILL HIT STORES THIS MAY

Image Comics is pleased to announce the hardcover edition of A.D.: AFTER DEATH by New York Times bestselling and award-winning creators Scott Snyder (WYTCHES, Batman) and Jeff Lemire (DESCENDER, PLUTONA, ROYAL CITY) will hit stores this May. It will collect the complete trilogy.

A.D.: AFTER DEATH asks, What if we found a cure for death? Snyder and Lemire unite to create an epic like no other, set in a future where a genetic cure for death has been found. Years after the discovery, one man starts to question everything, leading him on a mind-bending journey that will bring him face-to-face with his past and his own mortality.

A unique combination of comics, prose, and illustration, A.D.: AFTER DEATH is an oversized hardcover graphic novel with 8.375" x 10.1875" trim size.

The A.D.: AFTER DEATH hardcover edition (ISBN: 978-1-63215-868-0, Diamond Code FEB170689) hits comic book stores on Wednesday, May 3rd and bookstores on Tuesday, May 9th. The final order cutoff deadline for comics retailers is Monday, March 20th.

It can be pre-ordered on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, and Indigo. 

Select praise for AD: AFTER DEATH:

“It’s intensely emotional, beautifully rendered and very diverse in its presentation.” —IGN

“A haunting and beautiful experience. Lemire's art often has a dream-like quality, floating like smoke through the page. During the books' extended flashback, Snyder and Lemire create an ethereal structure, a world that always seems a moment away from collapse… There is simply nothing else like this on the shelf and that's a good thing.” —Nerdist

“Writer Scott Snyder and artist Jeff Lemire have crafted one of the most moving comic books.” —FreakSugar

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.

LOOSE ENDS #2 VARIANT COVER REVEALED
Special limited variant cover from series artists Chris Brunner and Rico Renzi

Image Comics is pleased to reveal a special limited variant cover of LOOSE ENDS #2 by series artists Chris Brunner and Rico Renzi.

LOOSE ENDS, written by Jason Latour, is a slow-cooked Southern crime romance. This second issue finds Sonny and Cheri on the run for their lives, though the biggest spectres lie not in front of them, but in the rearview mirror.

Limited quantities of LOOSE ENDS #2 Cover B (Diamond code: DEC168393) will be available on Wednesday, February 22nd. Final order cutoff deadline for comics retailers is Monday, January 30th.

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.

SPACE MULLET CREATOR LAUNCHES NEW SERIES EXTREMITY 
Daniel Warren Johnson brings epic tale to Image Comics and Skybound Entertainment 

Writer/artist Daniel Warren Johnson (Space Mullet) joins forces with colorist Mike Spicer and letterer Rus Wooton for EXTREMITY, an all-new post-apocalyptic tale of revenge, family, and true strength coming this March from Image Comics/Skybound Entertainment.

Thea dreams. Not of a better life, but of revenge on the clan that ruined her family. With ferocious battles between man, machines, and monsters ahead…who knows where her quest for vengeance will take her? Creator Daniel Warren Johnson and colorist Mike Spicer present a bold new vision, where the beauty and imagination of Studio Ghibli meet the intensity of Mad Max in this all-new Skybound Original.

“EXTREMITY is a comic that I've been working out for over three years,” said Johnson. “It's had many different variations as I've created it, but the final product is something I'm very proud of. There are scenes in this book that were a tremendous joy to draw, and I believe that joy is present in my story and in my lines.”

“Also,” added Johnson, “the color palette is incredible, thanks to my colorist Mike Spicer, who has done a WONDERFUL job elevating the visual aspect of the book beyond what I thought it could be. I hope you try it out and I hope you enjoy it!”

“People like Daniel Warren Johnson are rare,” said Sean Mackiewicz, Editorial Director at Skybound Entertainment. “It takes a split second to realize he’s an incredible artist, and he’s also an accomplished writer (see: Space Mullet). So Daniel’s the ideal type of creator we love to work with here at Skybound: bursting with ideas and talent, who just want us to give them the space to create and the platform for you all to read it.”

EXTREMITY #1 (Diamond code: JAN170650) hits comic book stores Wednesday, March 1st. Final order cutoff deadline for retailers is Monday, February 6th.

Advance praise for EXTREMITY:

“For years I’ve been saying the comic industry is Daniel Warren Johnson’s for the taking. EXTREMITY is him coming for us all. Get ready!” —Skottie Young (I HATE FAIRYLAND)

“DWJ’s comics are pensive, his characters are alive on the page, and they have soul. Be it the quiet moments, insane imaginative action sequences, or world building, EXTREMITY will transport you to a place you’ve never been before.” —Nick Dragotta (EAST OF WEST)

"Akira meets Lord of the Rings. I can't wait to read more." —Riley Rossmo (RASPUTIN)

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.

LUSH FANTASY TALE AFAR POISED TO BE YA CROSSOVER HIT
Original graphic novel coming this March

Writer Leila del Duca (series artist and co-creator of SHUTTER) teams up with artist Kit Seaton (The Black Bull of Norroway) for the coming-of-age fantasy tale AFAR, coming this March from Image Comics.

In a fantastical postindustrial desert, fifteen-year-old Boetema suddenly develops the ability to astrally project to other planets while she sleeps. When she accidentally gets a young man hurt on a planet light-years away, she must figure out a way to project back to save him. On her own world, Boetema’s parents have temporarily left her and her thirteen-year-old brother, Inotu, to make a living as salt shepherds. Left to their own devices, the two siblings must flee across a dangerous desert when Inotu gets into trouble with a threatening cyborg bodyguard. As Boetema visits amazing planets and encounters vibrant cultures, she must confront her mistakes and learn to trust in Inotu as she navigates her newfound abilities.

"Working with Kit on this science-fantasy family adventure has been an incredible experience,” said del Duca. “Kit has taken our characters and added so much depth and beauty to the world we created. Her posing, character designs, environments, and imagination compliment the script delightfully and I'm very happy with AFAR, our first collaboration in a genre we both adore."

"It has been my great to joy to work with Leila del Duca on this book,” said Seaton. “Leila has woven an epic fantasia about a vibrant young woman with a talent for traversing galaxies when she sleeps, and her clever yet naive younger brother, who has a knack for finding trouble. Leila is a skilled storyteller who will leave you craving the next adventure."

AFAR OGN (ISBN: 978-1-63215-941-0) hits comic book stores on Wednesday, March 29th and bookstores on Tuesday, April 4th. It may be ordered by retailers with Diamond code JAN170641, and it is available for preorder via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indiebound, and Indigo.

Advance praise for AFAR:

"I love how del Duca, Seaton, and [editor] Stotts create a comic that touches on mindfulness. Boetema is a new kind of hero who achieves a higher mental state through her dreams. Created by some very imaginative artists, AFAR is a world of infinite possibilities.” —Nick Dragotta (EAST OF WEST, HOWTOONS)

"Leila and Kit have managed to create a story with emotional depth, cosmic scale, lavish designs, and characters that are truly unique. In a cultural landscape of reboots, sequels and adaptations, AFAR stands out as a very promising collaboration between two gifted storytellers." —Benjamin Dewey (AUTUMNLANDS, Tragedy Series, Beasts of Burden)

"AFAR is an absolutely beautiful debut from writer Leila del Duca and artist Kit Seaton which solidifies the pair as a creative team to watch." —Joe Keatinge (SHUTTER, GLORY, and RINGSIDE)

"A strange, beautiful world and fascinating, tough characters makes AFAR a riveting read. Gorgeous artwork, too!" —Faith Erin Hicks (The Nameless City, The Adventures of Superhero Girl)

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.

I KILL GIANTS’ JOE KELLY RETURNS WITH NEW ALL-AGES ADVENTURE IN KID SAVAGE
 

Man of Action Entertainment’s beloved I KILL GIANTS co-creator and writer Joe Kelly teams up with lauded British cartoonist Ilya for an all-new all-ages series packed with thrills in KID SAVAGE, VOL. 1 set to hit stores from Image Comics this April. An excerpt from the forthcoming KID SAVAGE will be a featured Free Comic Book Day title from Image Comics this year.

When the pioneering “First Family in Space” takes a catastrophic wrong turn on their maiden voyage, they crash on a dangerous alien planet. Their 21st century know-how is useless against the harsh environment, and survival seems unlikely, until they meet a strange ally...a mysterious orphan boy who’s short on temper but big on survival skills.

“When I was a kid, I loved taking toys from different corners of the toybox and putting them in stories together. Astronauts with dinosaurs. Superheroes and talking cars. Didn't matter so long as the world in my head was vast and the characters were cool,” said Kelly. “Kid Savage continues that theme of play for me. I wanted to write an all-ages book featuring genre-mashing adventure and an honest, modern family dynamic. Thanks to the deft lines of ILYA and clever hues of Gary Caldwell, Kid Savage is a thrill ride of color and shape, and at the same time there's a humanity to the characters, even the non-human ones, that I hope new readers and seasoned fans can relate to. It ain't easy being the first family in space, but it's a ton of fun if you're willing to go along for the ride.”

KID SAVAGE, VOL. 1 (ISBN: 978-1-63215-938-0, Diamond Code FEB170694) will hit comics retailers on Wednesday, April 12th and bookstores on Tuesday, May 2nd. The final order cutoff deadline for comics retailers is Monday, March 13th.

It is available for pre-order now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, and Indigo. 

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 MAN OF ACTION ENTERTAINMENT
Man of Action Entertainment are Joe Casey, Joe Kelly, Duncan Rouleau and Steven T. Seagle, the writers' collective behind comic's largest franchise characters as well as original characters published by their imprint at Image Comics. Their creations include Ben 10, the $4.5 billion boys' action franchise for which they're executive producing a new iteration, and Generator Rex, both for Cartoon Network. Dentsu handpicked them to create, write and executive produce the all-new MegaMan series. They also launched Disney XD's Marvel's Ultimate Spider-Man and Marvel's Avengers Assemble as EXP/writers. Man of Action created the characters and team that were featured in Big Hero 6, Disney/Marvel's Academy Award®-winning feature. In addition to creating successful video games, toy lines and comic books, Man of Action are the creator/producer/writers of current and upcoming feature films and live-action TV series based on their original comic books and graphic novels including I Kill Giants, Officer Downe, Kafka, The Crusades and The Great Unknown. For more visit: Web, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram