Aluna Trilogy in the Works!
NEW YORK, June 19, 2013 - Aluna, the Latin American superhero created by actress Paula Garces and her creative partner, Antonio Hernandez will be released as a trilogy starting with book one this Fall.
Aluna is the story of a young woman, taken from the New World by the Spaniards and raised as royalty in Spain during the 1500s. As if by fate, she is forced to travel back to the New World, only to discover that she has great powers that she must harness to defend her new homeland.
The creators tapped Seattle based Allegory to develop and publish the series.
“I’ve always been a fan of comic books but felt that strong female Latina leads were lacking, so along with my creative partner, Antonio Hernandez, we created Aluna. We’re so happy with how well the character has been received by fans playing the Aluna character in Heroes of Newerth that we can’t wait to release the first of three books this Fall” comments Paula Garces.
Allegory’s publishing imprint will develop the books and will eventually produce a portfolio of digital products and merchandise based on the title.
“We’ve wanted to create a compelling female heroine for two years now. A character who is strong and has a complex back story. When Paula and Tony shared the story of Aluna with us, we knew we needed to be apart of this franchise. This is a groundbreaking book and we feel honored to be apart of it” said Chad Smith, CEO of Allegory.
Dooma Wendschuh and Corey May, founders of sekretagent Productions, have been attached to write all three books. This writing duo is the creative force behind such popular game titles as Assassin's Creed and Army of Two.
“This story is full of action, but it also has pretty epic romance elements. Aluna is a badass. She's tough as nails given everything she's been through. We're going to help her find her softer side”, remarks Dooma Wendschuh.
Ibraim Roberson, whose recent credits include X-Men, Hellraiser and mostly recently, Max Brooks’s, The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks, has been attached to create the art.
"Ibraim Roberson is just the right artist for Aluna.  His work on The X-Men and Clive Barker's Hellraiser has consistently demonstrated a pacing and organic style that is a perfect mesh to Dooma's writing.  Giving the adventures of Aluna a whole new level of realism, action, and drama. Plus, the artwork produced by Ibraim is going to be lush and beautiful and will perfectly capture the majesty of the old world” remarked Lee Koshe, Allegory’s Creative Director.
Additionally, S2 Games, the creators of the popular online game series, Heroes of Newerth have partnered with Paula Garces’ Further Lane Productions and Allegory to develop an ongoing portfolio of avatars for the Heroes of Newerth game based on the Aluna character. The first avatar, Stardust Aluna, was recently released by S2 games.  The second avatar will be released at Comic Con International this July and will be followed by future avatars.
About Paula Garces
Paula Garces is well known as “Maria” from the hit 2011 film, "A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas", starring in all three installments of the Harold & Kumar franchise. Ms. Garces can been seen as Flora Hernandez in Marc Cherry's new series "Devious Maids" on Lifetime network.  Paula will also appear as Lea Marquez on the legendary soap, "All My Children," premiering on Sunday June 23rd at 10pm on Hulu.com. On the small screen, Paula began her career on the daytime drama, "Guiding Light", and later earned Alma Award nominations for her portrayal of Officer Tina Hallon on FX’s "The Shield".
About Allegory
Allegory is a transmedia company engaged in several aspects of entertainment including publishing, children's education, games, applications, television and digital platforms. Allegory employs some of the most talented artists, writers and developers in the entertainment and interactive industry. Allegory is headquartered in Seattle and maintains offices in New York and San Diego.
Allegory is committed to design driven experiences and exceptional storytelling with a purpose. For more information about Allegory, please visit www.allegorymedia.co.
About sekretagent Productions
sekretagent Productions creates and/or produces the characters, worlds and stories behind some of the best selling and most critically acclaimed filmed and interactive entertainment on Earth. In the business of imagining and producing new, original IP, sekretagent works with the world's leading publishers, studios and corporations, providing content creation, screenwriting, interactive development and film /video production services in the motion picture, video game and advertising industries. For more information about sekretagents Productions, please visit www.sekretagents.com.
About S2 Games
S2 Games is a game publisher and developer with a mission to identify, develop, evolve and unleash the future of online multiplayer games. Since its inception in 2003, S2 has been focused on driving innovation into the global online game space, through identifying and solving industry issues, listening closely to its passionate gamer base and incorporating features that gamers truly want.
Active in sponsoring and helping drive many global tournaments for their flagship title Heroes of Newerth, S2 is focused on providing the best online multiplayer gaming experience and opportunities for its fans to shine. For more information about S2, please visit www.s2games.com.

HIGHLY ANTICIPATED DEMETER BY BECKY CLOONAN
TO DEBUT ON COMIXOLOGY

Newest work by best-selling comiXology Submit author available Wednesday, June 19th

June 19, 2013 – New York, NY – Today, comiXology announced that Becky Cloonan’s highly- anticipated comic Demeter will debut Wednesday, June 19th on comiXology, the revolutionary cloud-based digital comics platform available across iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire, Windows 8 and the Web. Cloonan’s new, self-published comic book will be available through comiXology Submit, comiXology’s portal for comic creators that makes their independent works available on comiXology’s buy once, read anywhere digital comics platform, and instantly accessible to a worldwide audience of fans.
An award-winning cartoonist and illustrator, Cloonan made history in 2012 for becoming the first female artist to draw the Batman main title in the caped superhero’s 70-plus year history. In addition to illustrating works for publishers including DC Comics, Tokyopop and Vertigo, Cloonan has successfully self-published print versions of her own original comics. Cloonan’s comics The Mire and Wolves have consistently been the two top-selling books on comiXology Submit, and have been available since the portal launched earlier this year.
“With comiXology Submit, we further comiXology’s mission to bring the best, most diverse content to comic fans everywhere,” said John D. Roberts, comiXology co-founder. “Demeter is the work of an undeniably original artist with a singular vision. It’s fantastic to be able to make Becky’s great work easily accessible to her legions of fans across the globe, through the power of self-publishing made possible by comiXology Submit.”
“It’s been a joy to work with the team at comiXology to release my newest comic,” said Cloonan. “They have made it incredibly simple to bring Demeter to my readers in a way they never could have seen it before. There are a lot of steps involved with self-publishing, and comiXology Submit streamlines the process making my work instantly available for anyone to enjoy.”
In the span of just four years, comiXology has quickly created the world’s first viable digital marketplace for leading comic book and graphic novel publishers. With the advent of comiXology Submit, the company is now enabling independent comics creators, from promising new talent to established veterans, to reach that global audience.
With comiXology Submit, independent creators simply need to upload their comic book and graphic novels for approval at no cost. Then comiXology does the rest, from transforming the work with comiXology’s immersive Guided View™ reading technology, to making it available on comiXology’s cloud-based digital comics platform.
Creators interested in submitting works for approval can visit http://submit.comixology.com. Comic book fans interested in finding works by Cloonan and other independent creators are invited to visit http://www.comixology.com/submit.
About comiXology
Founded in 2007, comiXology revolutionized the comic book and graphic novel industry by delivering a cloud-based digital comics platform that makes discovering, buying, and reading comics more fun than ever before. ComiXology's Guided View™ reading technology transforms the comic book medium into an immersive and cinematic experience, helping comiXology become one of iTunes' top 10-grossing iPad apps in 2011 and 2012.  Its new comiXology Submit platform enables independent comics creators to efficiently self-publish and immediately profit from their work.  Offering the broadest library of comic book content from the top 75 publishers, plus leading and emerging independent creators, comiXology will not stop until everyone on the face of the planet has become a comic book fan. The privately held company is based in New York City. For more information visit www.comixology.com.

MULTIVERSE STUDIO ANNOUNCE STREET FIGHTER ROUND 2 BOBBLE BUDDS

Here Comes a New Challenger!

LOS ANGELES, Calif., (June 19, 2013) – Leading toy manufacturer Multiverse Studio Inc. today announced the latest wave of Bobble Budds® figures featuring the classic videogame fighting franchise Street Fighter®. Following up on the inaugural Round 1 release, Street Fighter Bobble Budds Round 2 expands the roster with more fan favorite characters of everyone’s beloved pugilists.

Based on the highly successful Street Fighter game franchise, Street Fighter Bobble Budds enable collectible enthusiast and fighting game fans can display their affection for this beloved videogame series by collecting their favorite world warriors in super deformed bobble head form. Street Fighter Bobble Budds Round 2 will feature 4 additional world warriors to collect, including Ken, Zangief, Guile, and Cammy.

Bobble Budds takes the distinctly unique character designs of Street Fighter’s most iconic combatants and presents them as colorful super deformed bobble heads. Each Bobble Budd figure measures 3.5-inches tall and features exclusive bobble head locking mechanism for optimal functionality and display.

Street Fighter Bobble Budds Round 2 will be available for purchase July 2013 at select online retail outlets for $10.99 per figure

For more information about upcoming Bobble Budd products, please visit: http://bobblebudds.com or https://www.facebook.com/BobbleBudds

ComiXology en Français!

ComiXology Takes Next Step In Global Expansion

With Todays’ Debut of Over 400 French Language Titles from 14 French Publishers

June 19th, 2013 – Paris, France / New York, NY – ComiXology has taken its next step in global expansion today with the debut of over 400 French language titles from 14 of the top French publishers of bandes dessinées, comics, graphic novels and manga. The publisher’s included in this launch – Aelement Comics, Akileos, Ankama, Éditions Ça et Là, Éditions Delcourt, Glénat Éditions, I Can Fly, Indeez Urban Éditions, Los Brignolès Éditions, Panini Comics, Sandawe, Soleil Productions, Wanga Comics et WEBellipses – together make up almost 40% of the entire French bandes dessinée, comic book, graphic novel, and manga market.
This French content debut coincides with comiXology’s launch of version 3.3 of its iOS app, enabling fans across the globe to navigate comiXology in French on their iPhone & iPad devices. French navigation on comiXology’s Android app will follow shortly. These updates mark a first step towards full French localization across all supported platforms planned for later this year.
The expansion into France recently started this past January, when comiXology announced the formation of comiXology Europe, a division headquartered in Paris, France, that continues to spearhead international language content acquisition across the European continent.
“The Franco-Belgian comic market is one of the biggest in the world, and we’ve been honored to have so many fantastic French publishers sign up with us since our debut in January,” said co-founder and CEO of comiXology David Steinberger. “ComiXology is proud to make French comics more accessible in France and around the globe. Launching this content will showcase how the comiXology digital reading experience truly is the best way to read French comics today.”
All French language content released today is available in native French speaking European countries and a subset of the titles will also be available worldwide, including the United States.
ComiXology already has a strong international customer base across almost every continent around the globe. Providing new and existing comiXology fans the opportunity to purchase and experience content in the language of their choice is part of a global expansion strategy.
At the end of 2012, Apple revealed that comiXology’s iPad app ranked #3 in Apple’s Top Ten Grossing list for 2012, and was the only app to make the Top Ten list for 2 years consecutively. Previous to this in October of 2012, comiXology crested 100 million comic and graphic novel downloads with more than 50 million of those happening in 2012 alone – continuing a trajectory of record-shattering growth.
With over 35,000 comics and graphic novels from more than 75 publishers, comiXology offers the widest selection of digital comics in the world. ComiXology’s availability across the iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire, Windows 8 and the Web makes it the best digital platform for newly interested, current and lapsed comic and graphic novel fans worldwide.
About comiXology
Founded in 2007, comiXology revolutionized the comic book and graphic novel industry by delivering a cloud-based digital comics platform that makes discovering, buying, and reading comics more fun than ever before. ComiXology's Guided View™ reading technology transforms the comic book medium into an immersive and cinematic experience, helping comiXology become one of iTunes' top 10-grossing iPad apps in 2011 and 2012.  Its new comiXology Submit platform enables independent comics creators to efficiently self-publish and immediately profit from their work.  Offering the broadest library of comic book content from the top 75 publishers, plus leading and emerging independent creators, comiXology will not stop until everyone on the face of the planet has become a comic book fan. The privately held company is based in New York City. For more information visit www.comixology.com.

LIVE VIEWING JAPAN ANNOUNCES A SPECIAL L.A.

J-POP CONCERT BROADCAST EVENT PREMIERE OF PERFUME WORLD TOUR 2nd IN UK 

Popular All-Girl Japanese Pop Group Performs From the U.K. In A Special Big Screen Event; Catch The Exclusive One Night Only Screening!!!

Los Angeles, CA, June 18, 2013 – Live Viewing Japan, a distribution company focused on bringing Japanese entertainment media to an international audience, will thrill J-Pop music fans with its latest announcement of the exclusive Los Angeles theatrical premiere of Perfume WORLD TOUR 2nd in UK LIVE VIEWING in L.A. – for one-night-only – at the Regal Cinema L.A. LIVE, in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, July 7^th at 1:00pm. The upbeat 2½ hour delayed broadcast event will capture the popular all-girl Japanese pop group in action from an upcoming concert that will take place in London on July 5^th.

Tickets are $25.00 and are available at: perfumeliveviewinginla.com.

Regal Cinema L.A. LIVE is located at 1000 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90015.

Live Viewing Japan also extends a special invitation to 2013 Anime Expo attendees at the nearby Los Angeles Convention Center to catch this exclusive J-Pop concert broadcast event premiere! Regal Cinema L.A. LIVE is a short walk from the L.A. Convention Center grounds, located adjacent to the Nokia Theatre and Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles.

Perfume is a very popular all-girl Japanese pop group that formed in Hiroshima in 2001 and features Ayaka Nishiwaki (Aa-CHAN), Yuka Kashino (KASHIYUKA), and Ayano Omoto (NOCCHi). As of January 2012, the group has released fourteen major label singles. Perfume began with a post-Shibuya-kei pop sound but began to transition to electronic dance-pop music beginning in 2003, influenced heavily by 1980s synthpop and chiptunes and electro house. In 2005, the single “Linear Motor Girl” signaled their major debut. The following singles resulted in Perfume receiving the label “technopop of the future,” partly because of their science fiction-like themes. Their first album, Perfume: Complete Best, released in 2007, was a compilation of six popular singles and reached Number 33 in the Oricon Music Charts.

With Perfume’s success, many Japanese brands enlisted the help of the group to add a pop-driven soundtrack to various promotional campaigns. Natural ni Koishite is a tie-in with the Japanese brand, Natural Beauty Basic and Pepsi NEX also featured Perfume’s cover The Cardigans’ “Lovefool.”  In 2010, Perfume received major international attention when their song “Monochrome Effect” was featured in an episode of "American Dad!" Another Perfume song, "Polyrhythm," was featured in Disney Pixar's Cars 2.

In 2012, Perfume embarked on their very first tour in Asia, visiting Taiwan, Hong Kong, Korea and Singapore.  With all shows completely sold out and their new record, “Perfume Global Compilation LOVE THE WORLD”” being released worldwide, the group is proving their popularity goes far beyond Japan. Perfume plans a European Summer Tour for 2013.

About Live Viewing Japan:

Live Viewing Japan is a Japanese-based media distribution company focused on bringing a variety of entertainment properties to a global theatre-going audience. More information on the company and its projects is available at: www.liveviewing.jp.

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Q&A Sessions With Top Stars, Comics And Art Panels Highlight Wizard World Comic Con NYC Experience Programming, June 28-29-30

Stan Lee, Patrick Stewart, WWE® Superstar CM Punk®, Norman Reedus Among Celebrities Hosting Q&A's; Neal Adams Heads Creator Panels At New Riverside Location At Basketball City (Pier 36)

NEW YORK, June 18, 2013 – Celebrity question-and-answer sessions with top celebrities like legend Stan Lee, “Star Trek: The Next Generation” icon Patrick Stewart, Norman Reedus and Michael Rooker of “The Walking Dead,” “The Fonz” Henry Winkler and WWE® Superstar CM Punk® and a series of comics and sci-fi themed panels highlight the programming schedule at the 2013 Wizard World Comic Con NYC Experience, June 28-30 at Basketball city (Pier 36) in Manhattan.

Among the most popular sessions are:

• Interactive Q&A's with Lee, Stewart, Reedus and Rooker, Winkler, Punk, James Marsters, Pam Grier, Ray Park, Denis O'Hare, Anthony Michael Hall, Jason David Frank and more
• Comics, art- and sci-fi themed panels featuring Neal Adams (composing covers), Mike Zeck (portfolios) Dr. Rebecca Housel (vampire lore/urban myths), National Cartoonist Society Hall of Famer Stan Goldberg and Tom Cook (animation)
• The story behind LEGO over nearly 80 years
• Meet-and-greet sessions with Lee and Frank (additional fee required)

Unless noted, programming events take place in the designated programing rooms at Basketball City, in the “Room Mezzanine” or “Outdoor Stage.”  Most are included as part of standard Wizard World Comic Con NYC Experience admission; VIP tickets or additional costs may apply to ensure access to select activities, as noted.

A full list of Wizard World Comic Con NYC Experience programming is below; further details on each at http://www.wizardworld.com/programming-nyc.html (subjects, guests, times and rooms subject to change):

Friday, June 28
5:00 – 5:45pm The Art Of Collaboration With Annie Nocenti & Alex Sanchez (Room Mezzanine)
5:00 – 5:45pm Ray Park Q&A (Outdoor Stage)
6:00 – 6:45pm A Retrospective With Stan Goldberg (Room Mezzanine)
6:00 – 6:45pm Pam Grier Q&A (Outdoor Stage)
7:00 – 7:45pm Drawing Faces With Amy Reeder (Room Mezzanine
7:00 – 7:45pm James Marsters Q&A (Outdoor Stage)
8:00 – 8:45pm Stan Lee Meet And Greet – Paid Event (Room Mezzanine)
8:30 – 9:15pm WWE® Superstar Cm Punk® Q&A (Outdoor Stage)

Saturday, June 29
11:00 – 11:45am Henry Winkler Q&A (Outdoor Stage)
12:00 – 12:45pm TBA (Room Mezzanine)
1:00 – 1:45pm Vampire Lore And Other Urban Myths And Legends With Dr. Rebecca Housel (Room Mezzanine)
1:00 – 1:45pm Stan “the Man” Lee Q&A (Outdoor Stage)
2:00 – 2:45pm Singularity&Co: Independent Publishing Vs Big House Publishing (Room Mezzanine)
2:00 – 2:45pm Jason David Frank: Power Ranger Q&A (Outdoor Stage)
3:00 – 3:45pm TBA (Room Mezzanine)
3:00 – 3:45pm Hip-Hop & Comics: Cultures Combining (Outdoor Stage)
4:00 – 4:45pm Drawing And Composing Covers For Dramatic Effect With Neil Adams (Room Mezzanine)
4:00 – 4:45pm Patrick Stewart Q&A (Outdoor Stage)
5:00 – 5:45pm Will Eisner: Behind The Legend (Room Mezzanine)
5:00 – 5:45pm Denis O’hare Q&A (Outdoor Stage)

Sunday, June 30
11:00 – 11:45am Jason David Frank Meet And Greet – Paid Event (Room Mezzanine)
12:00 – 12:45pm Lego: Behind The Brick (Room Mezzanine)
12:00 – 12:45pm Norman Reedus & Michael Rooker Q&A (Outdoor Stage)
1:00 – 1:45pm Mastering The Universe With Tom Cook (Room Mezzanine)
1:00 – 1:45pm Wil Wheaton Q&A (Outdoor Stage)
2:00 – 2:45pm Singularity&Co: Storytelling Across Genres (Room Mezzanine)
2:00 – 2:45pm Anthony Michael Hall Q&A (Outdoor Stage)
3:00 – 3:45pm Inside The Portfolio With Mike Zeck (Room Mezzanine)

*Seating for panels is strictly limited and available on a first served basis. We do not clear all panel rooms unless you are seated in a section that is marked with a sign at the end of the row reading: ROW WILL BE CLEARED AT THE END OF EACH PANEL.

Wizard World Comic Con NYC Experience will be the fourth of eight events on the 2013 calendar, which also includes shows in Chicago (Aug. 8-11), Columbus, Ohio (Sept. 20-22), Nashville, Tenn. (Oct. 18-20) and Austin, Texas (Nov. 22-24).  Wizard World has also scheduled four 2014 dates: Portland, Ore. (Jan. 24-26), New Orleans (Feb. 7-9), St. Louis (April 4-6) and Philadelphia (June 19-22).

Wizard World 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, music, television, sci-fi, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more.

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, creators, artists and writers, and events such as premieres, gaming tournaments, panels, workshops, and costume contests.

The full event schedule can be found at www.wizardworld.com.

***** SAVE THE 2013-14 DATES *****
June 28-30 – Wizard World Comic Con NYC Experience
August 8-11 – Wizard World Chicago Comic Con
September 20-22 – Wizard World Ohio Comic Con
October 18-20 – Wizard World Nashville Comic Con
November 22-24 – Wizard World Austin Comic Con
January 24-26, 2014 – Wizard World Portland Comic Con
February 7-9, 2014 – Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con
April 4-6, 2014 – Wizard World St. Louis Comic Con
June 19-22, 2014 – Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con

Image Comics Hosts Image Expo in San Francisco on July 2 Media event will feature special guests, announcements

Five Image Expo exclusives available at first-ever comic book industry media event   On July 2, 2013, Image Comics will host Image Expo in the Lam Theater at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, a first-of-its-kind event for comic book industry media, retailers, and fans. The one-day event will feature a keynote speech by Image Comics Publisher Eric Stephenson, top comics creators, and surprise guests. Image Comics, the Berkeley-based leading American publisher of independent, creator-owned comics, including New York Times best-selling titles THE WALKING DEAD and SAGA, will reveal its new titles to be published in the coming months and provide unique insight with interview sessions with creators. This week, Image announced that Mark Millar will be making a special transcontinental appearance at the convention to talk about his top-selling Image Comic JUPITER’S LEGACY, which is co-created by artist Frank Quitely. Other guests include Robert Kirkman, creator of THE WALKING DEAD; Ed Brubaker, co-creator and writer of FATALE, which has been nominated this year for six Eisner Awards, the comics industry’s most prominent awards; J. Michael Straczynski, proprietor of the imprint Joe’s Comics and creator of the Image series TEN GRAND and SIDEKICK; Nick Dragotta, co-creator and artist on EAST OF WEST, an apocalyptic western written by Jonathan Hickman; and Kurtis J. Wiebe, the up-and-coming creator of PETER PANZERFAUST, which is being adapted by the BBC as a motion comic as well as a live-action drama, and the upcoming high-fantasy comedy RAT QUEENS. All of these creators will join Stephenson on stage for conversations about their work and announcements of never-before-revealed projects. Stephenson, known for his inspiring and insightful speeches at comic book industry events, regards Image Expo as an opportunity to spread Image’s message. “Image Comics isn’t just a unique comic book company, it’s a unique entertainment company,” he said. “Nobody else does what we do, and I welcome every opportunity I get to highlight the benefits of our unprecedented support for new creativity.” In addition to media and retailers, to whom Image is extending complimentary admission, the public may attend Image Expo by purchasing premium and general passes, which are available in limited quantities. Retailers and premium ticket holders will receive exclusive Image Expo editions of new Image Comics titles and a T-shirt. The exclusives, T-shirt, as well as other Image comic books and merchandise will also be available to purchase. The Image Expo exclusives are special editions of FATALE #15 by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips, GHOSTED #1 by Joshua Williamson, Goran Sudzuka, and Miroslav Mrva; SATELLITE SAM #1 by Matt Fraction and Howard Chaykin; SHELTERED #1 by Ed Brisson, Johnnie Christmas, and Shari Chankhamma; and a black-and-white ashcan of SIDEKICK #1 by J. Michael Straczynski, Tom Mandrake, and Brian Miller. Image Expo will give comics readers the opportunity to interact with creators in a more intimate setting than the bustling environment of huge comic book conventions like Comic-Con International in San Diego. Signing sessions with Image’s special guests will take place during the afternoon. Ron Richards, Image’s Director of Business Development, brings his experience of organizing 2012’s successful comics conference, MorrisonCon to the event. “Image Comics has a long history of innovation in comics,” he said, “and now we’re excited to continue that tradition with Image Expo and give fans, retailers and the press a new and different way to interact with Image Comics and our top creators.” More information about Image Expo may be found and tickets purchased at www.imagecomics.com/expo. Members of the press and comic book retailers who wish to register to attend or learn more about the event should email Image’s PR and Marketing Director Jennifer de Guzman.

SDCC: DARK HORSE ANNOUNCES

SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON EXCLUSIVES STORE!

June 18, MILWAUKIE, OR—The largest and most highly anticipated pop culture event of the year is right around the corner, and Dark Horse is bringing you the latest and greatest in exclusive comics and products from Dark Horse Deluxe!

This year at the Dark Horse booth, a dedicated store will be open throughout the convention where fans can purchase these limited and highly collectible products.

Game of Thrones 7-Inch Stark Shield Wall Plaque (Limited Edition of 1,200)

Sculptural replica of Stark shield. Packaged in full-color box. Includes hook for wall mounting.

Price: $30.00

Availability: Two per person, available all days

Last Man Standing Signed Hardcover Book (Limited Edition of 1,000)

15 x 12.25–inch, signed, 272-page, full-color hardcover art book with dust jacket.

Price: $75.00

Availability: All days

Mass Effect Bronze Alliance Normandy SR-1 Ship Replica (Limited Edition of 300)

Bronze-plated, 6.75-inch ship replica on base. Packaged in full-color box.

Price: $50.00

Availability: Two per person

Hellboy Qee—SDCC Exclusive (Limited Edition of 350)

5.5-inch Qee vinyl figure of Hellboy wearing officially licensed Comic-Con logo T-shirt. Packaged in color window box.

Price: $20.00

Availability: Two per person, available all days

Domo Qee—SDCC Exclusive (Limited Edition of 1,200)

2.5-inch Qee version of Domo. Design unavailable elsewhere. Packaged in color box.

Price: $9.00

Availability: Four per person, available all days

Good Luck Trolls—SDCC Exclusive (Limited Edition of 1,000)

2.5-inch black-light green Good Luck Troll figure with white hair. Packaged in color box.

Price: $8.00

Availability: Four per person, available all days

Plants vs. Zombies Comic—SDCC Exclusive (Limited Edition of 1,000)

PopCap’s immensely popular Plants vs. Zombies game finally gets the plant-filled, zombie-zapping comics treatment it deserves! Crazy Dave helps fend off a “fun-dead” neighborhood invasion in Plants vs. Zombies: Lawnmageddon. Paul Tobin (Marvel Adventures) and Ron Chan (The Guild) join the botanical battle to deliver a hilarious, all-ages zombie romp to your neighborhood! Stop by the Dark Horse booth or the PopCap booth to snag an exclusive print edition.

Price: $2.00

Availability: 500 copies will be for sale at the Dark Horse booth and 500 at the Electronic Arts Booth (#129)

The Strain: The Fall #1 Comic— SDCC Exclusive Variant Cover by Rafael Albuquerque (Limited Edition of 500)

The vampire plague has infested New York City in this continuation of the critically acclaimed comic by writer David Lapham and artist Mike Huddleston, adapted from The Strain Trilogy by visionary filmmaker Guillermo del Toro and novelist Chuck Hogan. The Strain is also currently in development for an FX series!

Price: $5.00

Availability: Ten per person

Star Wars #7— SDCC Exclusive Variant Cover by Rodolfo Migliari (Limited Edition of 1,000)

This is Star Wars as you remember it . . . and as you have never seen it before! We’re taking you back to those heady, adventure-filled days following the destruction of the Death Star—when the Empire ruled, the Rebels were on the run, and the galaxy was a dangerous place where anything might happen!

Price: $5.00

Availability: Ten per person

Catalyst Comix #1— SDCC Exclusive Variant Jam Cover by Dan McDaid, Paul Maybury, and Ulises Farinas (Limited Edition of 500)

Straight from the glory of Comics’ Greatest World, Frank “Titan” Wells, Amazing Grace, and the Agents of Change are back, baby! But you’ve never seen them like this! Superhero comics get a back-alley facelift as these very different champions confront cosmic threats and personal demons—and it all starts at the end of the world as we know it! Written by Joe Casey (Sex, Gødland, Baker the Righteous Maker) with art by artists Dan McDaid (Doctor Who), Ulises Farinas (Glory), and Paul Maybury (Aqua Leung)!

Price: $5.00

Availability: Ten per person

Make sure to stop by booth #2615 to check out all this awesome stuff, only available at San Diego Comic-Con 2013!

About Dark Horse

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 Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Neil Gaiman, Brian Wood, Gerard Way, Felicia Day, and Guillermo del Toro, and comics legends, such as Will Eisner, Neal Adams, and Jim Steranko, Dark Horse has developed its own successful properties, such as The Mask, Ghost, Timecop, and SpyBoy. Its successful line of comics and products based on popular properties includes Star Wars, Mass Effect, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, EVE Online, Halo, Serenity, Game of Thrones, and Domo. Today Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic book publisher in the US and is recognized as one of the world’s leading publishers of both creator-owned content and licensed comics material.

 

VISIT VIZ MEDIA AT LICENSING EXPO BOOTH #A137

VIZ MEDIA SHOWCASES WORLD’S HOTTEST ANIME TITLES AT 2013 LICENSING EXPO

ACCEL WORLD, BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE ARC TRILOGY, ‘K’ And NARUTO SHIPPUDEN, Among The New Titles To Be Showcased

San Francisco, CA, June 17, 2013 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, returns to Las Vegas for the 2013 Licensing Expo with a robust catalog of some of the world’s top anime properties. The 2013 Licensing Expo is the world’s largest and most influential licensing industry event and takes place June 18^th-20^th at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV. VIZ Media will be located in Booth # A137.

The annual Licensing Expo (www.licensingexpo.com) is the licensing industry's premier trade event for leveraging properties and brand equity to develop merchandise, Licensing Expo attracts more than 400 exhibitors representing more than 5,000 brands and properties in entertainment; sports; fashion and apparel; publishing; art and design; automotive; animation/anime; home and housewares; and lifestyle. Attendees from more than 80 countries represent the world's leading retailers, licensees, manufacturers, distributors and licensing agents.

Anime properties VIZ Media will highlight at 2013 Licensing Expo include:

NARUTO SHIPPUDEN (Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens)

NARUTO has become the hottest animated series across North America and is one of VIZ Media’s most successful manga and animated properties in terms of sales. NARUTO has aired on TV since 2005, and is currently the most watched anime program on Cartoon Network’s Toonami block. On HULU, the 500+ subtitled episodes have reached over 200 million views. In addition, digital downloads are available on all major platforms including iTunes, Xbox, Amazon, Google and Xbox. NARUTO’s continuous popularity has brought more than 1000 consumer products to the U.S. market, including video games  from Namco Bandai (7 million copies sold), graphic novels from VIZ Media (127 million copies sold), and trading card games from Bandai America (10 million packs sold). 

In May 2013, the first official fan-designed t-shirt contest took place. The contest’s success resulted the immediate interest from numerous retail buyers. VIZ Media continues to secure new licensees and expand to new product lines, ranging from digital products to food and beverage items.

More information is available on the official website at VIZ.com/naruto.

BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE TRILOGY (Rated ‘M’ for Mature Audiences)

Based on the bestselling medieval dark fantasy manga (graphic novel) series created by Kentaro Miura, the BERSERK animation is beloved by not only anime and manga fans, but also holds a large following in the action-fantasy world. To date, 31 million BERSERK graphic novels have been sold worldwide. The trilogy has been nominated for multiple international movie awards for its extreme precision, and dynamic graphics.

The first two movies screened at a special premiere event in San Francisco in Spring 2013, and the third film will debut Summer 2014. Figures and accessories made in Japan are currently available in the U.S. High-end collectors figures are scheduled for released in early 2014.

For more information on the BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE ARC film trilogy, please visit the official Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/BerserkFilm.

ACCEL WORLD (Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens)

Based on award winning novel (3.5 million copies sold in Japan), ACCEL WORLD takes place in the year 2046 when the virtual world becomes reality. All 24 subtitled episodes are available on Hulu and the series is top rated in the Science Fiction Anime category. In addition, 100,000 copies of Namco Bandai’s Accel World PSP and PS3 games have sold in Japan.  Currently apparel, accessories, and figures are available in the US market.  ACCEL WORLD continues to venture into new item categories in 2013.

For more information on ACCEL WORLD, please visit: VIZAnime.com/accel-world.

K (Rated ‘T’ for Teens)

From GoHands, the studio that brought you the cyberpunk anime film series Mardock Scramble, and the enigmatic writers’ collective GoRA Project comes K. The highly anticipated series revealed little information on the plot until the its simultaneous debut in 54 countries in 2012. Upon its release, K instantly attracted the attention of a wide fan base. The first K publicity event in Japan resulted in attendance exceeding 250% of capacity, and sold out of 5000 event tickets in 15 minutes. All 13 episodes are currently streamed on Hulu and are top ranking in the Action Adventure Anime category.

For more information about K, please visit VIZAnime.com/k.

Additional VIZ Media anime properties available for license include:

• BLEACH
• DEATH NOTE
• INUYASHA: THE FINAL ACT
• LAGRANGE: THE FLOWER OF RIN-NE
• NARUTO
• NARUTO SPINOFF: ROCK LEE AND HIS NINJA PALS
• TIGER & BUNNY
• VAMPIRE KNIGHT
• ZETMAN

For more information on other VIZ Media anime properties, please visit: www.viz.com/anime.

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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DARK HORSE OFFICIALLY UNVEILS THE

GAME OF THRONES^® WHITE WALKER STATUE!

This highly anticipated collectible featured in

Diamond Comics Distributors’ September-dated PREVIEWS catalog!

MILWAUKIE, OR, JUNE 17–Following its “sneak” debut to the industry at this year’s Toy Fair International, Game of Thrones fans have been clamoring for an official release date, and images of HBO^® and Dark Horse’s White Walker statue.

Arriving at finer comic shops, bookstores, and specialty retailers on December 18, 2013, the White Walker is a hand-painted, numbered limited edition collectible. Each bust is packaged in full-color collector box, will include a numbered certificate of authenticity. Retail price is $124.99.

White Walkers, or the Others, are a fierce mythological race who are seldom seen as they lurk and prey in their land in the frozen north of Westeros. The Wall was constructed ages ago to keep them isolated.  This evil creature speaks in cracked tones and brandishes a deadly icy weapon, as immortalized in this beautiful collectible piece.

 “The first appearance of the White Walker was the climax of the show’s second season,” Dark Horse’s David Scroggy recalled. “We thought that would be a perfect image to seize. We used exotic resins to simulate his ice spear, and will also re-create the striking blue luminosity of his piercing eyes. Game of Thrones is one of the best television sagas ever, and we owe it to the audience to capture every detail. Hopefully, we’ve succeeded.”

About Dark Horse

Founded in1986 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 Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Neil Gaiman, Brian Wood, Gerard Way, Felicia Day, Guillermo Del Toro and comics legends such as Will Eisner, Neal Adams, and Jim Steranko, Dark Horse has developed its own successful properties such as The Mask, Ghost, Timecop, and SpyBoy. Its successful line of comics and products based on popular properties includes Star Wars, Mass Effect, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, EVE: Online, Halo, Serenity, Game of Thrones and Domo. Today Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic book publisher in the US and is recognized as one of the world’s leading publishers of both creator-owned content and licensed comics material.

About HBO Global Licensing
HBO Global Licensing officially licenses the HBO^® brand for the development and merchandising of innovative product lines inspired by the network’s award-winning programming.  With products created around classic series like the The Sopranos^® and Sex and the City^® to current hits like True Blood^® and Entourage^®, items include fashion apparel, jewelry, digital and CD soundtracks, games, books as well as exclusive, premium collections in partnership with upscale, designer brands.  Merchandise can be purchased in retail stores nationwide, at http://store.hbo.com, and at the groundbreaking HBO retail hub, the HBO Shop®, located at 42nd and 6th Avenue in New York City.  HBO Licensing & Retail products are also sold internationally across Europe, Asia and Australia.