VIZ MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS A SCORE OF MANGA RELEASES THAT MAKE IDEAL GIFTS FOR FANS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

2013 Holiday Wish List Includes New Manga Box Sets, Shojo And Shonen Manga Series, Deluxe Omnibus Editions,

And Other Exciting Gifts

San Francisco, CA, November 6, 2013 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, highlights a wide selection of novels, manga, and special box sets perfect as gifts for a range of budgets and guaranteed to delight readers of all ages and interests this holiday season.

Holiday selections for 2013 include a hefty new ONE PIECE Box Set: East Blue and Baroque Works and a BAKUMAN Complete Series Box Set, as well as a delightful novel and picture book commemorating the 25^th Anniversary of the classic anime film MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO.

New shojo manga series that also make perfect gifts include the Christmas-themed SWEET REIN and the voice-acting romantic drama VOICE OVER!: SEIYU ACADEMY. Action fans also won’t want to miss the TIGER & BUNNY COMIC ANTHOLOGY and the 2-volume TIGER & BUNNY: THE BEGINNING manga adaptation of the hit anime superhero feature film. Horror fans should add the hardcover UZUMAKI 3-IN-1 DELUXE EDITION to their wish lists, while science fiction readers can savor the award-winning anthology THE FUTURE IS JAPANESE and the acclaimed novel SELF-REFERENCE ENGINE from the Haikasoru imprint.

NEW MANGA BOX SETS:

ONE PIECE Box Set: EAST BLUE & BAROQUE WORKS · Rated “T” for Teens · MSRP: $185.99 U.S. / $185.99 CAN · Available Now! 

This box set includes volumes 1-23, which comprise the series’ first two story arcs, East Blue and Baroque Works. With exclusive premiums and great savings over buying the individual volumes, this set is a pirate’s treasure for any manga fan! As a child, Monkey D. Luffy dreamed of becoming King of the Pirates. But his life changed when he accidentally ate the Gum-Gum Fruit, an enchanted Devil Fruit that gave him the ability to stretch like rubber. The only drawback? He'll never be able to swim again – a serious handicap for an aspiring sea dog! Years later, Luffy sets off on his quest to find the "One Piece," said to be the greatest treasure in the world... Box set also includes a full-color, two-sided poster and booklet featuring an interview with ONE PIECE creator Eiichiro Oda, and Romance Dawn, the original ONE PIECE pilot chapter.

BAKUMAN COmplete series Box Set · Rated “T” for Teens ·

MSRP: $159.99 U.S. / $159.99 CAN · Available Now! 

By the creators of DEATH NOTE! The mystery behind manga-making is revealed! Average student Moritaka Mashiro enjoys drawing for fun. When his classmate and aspiring writer Akito Takagi discovers his talent, he begs Moritaka to team up with him as a manga-creating duo. But what exactly does it take to make it in the manga-publishing world? Set also includes the bonus mini-comic "OTTER NO. 11" along with a full-color, two sided poster. A 20% savings over buying the individual volumes!

FOR THE YOUNG & YOUNG-AT-HEART:

MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO: THE NOVEL · MSRP: $17.99 U.S. / $21.00 CAN · Available Now! 

The beloved animation classic by legendary Studio Ghibli director Hayao Miyazaki, My Neighbor Totoro, is now a novel. This edition features original illustrations by Miyazaki himself, accompanying a story by veteran children’s author Tsugiko Kubo. Eleven-year-old Satsuki and her sassy little sister Mei have moved to the country to be closer to their ailing mother. Soon, in the woods behind their spooky old house, Satsuki and Mei discover a forest spirit named Totoro. When Mei goes missing, it’s up to Satsuki to find her sister, and she’ll need help from some new, magical, friends.

MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO PICTURE BOOK · MSRP: $19.99 U.S. / $22.99 CAN · Available Now! 

The full color companion book to the beloved classic anime film My Neighbor Totoro by legendary Studio Ghibli director Hayao Miyazaki. Featuring artwork taken directly from the movie, this updated edition will allow parents and children to relive Totoro's magical adventures with scene-by-scene illustrations and character dialogue.

New holiday shojo manga:

SWEET REIN, Vol. 1 · Rated “T” for Teens · MSRP: $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN · Available November 5^th  

Sad at the thought of spending Christmas alone, Kurumi Sagara goes out for a walk. While she’s crossing the street, a boy bumps into her, and a rein suddenly appears that binds them together. The overjoyed boy tells her she’s his master and that she’s a Santa Claus. Kurumi dismisses him as a crazy person, but then he transforms into a reindeer?!

VOICE OVER!: SEIYU ACADEMY, Vol. 1 · Rated “T” for Teens ·

MSRP: $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN · Available Now!  

Hime Kino’s dream is to one day become a voice actor like her hero Sakura Aoyama from the Lovely ♥ Blazers anime and being accepted to the prestigious Holly Academy’s voice actor department is the first step in the right direction! But Hime’s gruff voice has earned her the scorn of teachers and students alike. Hime will not let that stand unchallenged, however. She’ll show everyone that she is too a voice acting princess, whether they like it or not!!

POPULAR SHONEN ACTION MANGA:

TIGER & BUNNY: THE BEGINNING SIDE A & SIDE B · Rated “T” for Teens ·

MSRP: $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN each · Available Now!

In the city of Stern Bild, superpowered heroes known as NEXT fight crime while promoting their corporate sponsors for the hit show HERO TV. Veteran hero Wild Tiger has years of experience fighting crime, but when his ratings slip he’s forced to team up with Barnaby Brooks Jr., a rookie hero with an attitude. This 2-volume manga adaptation of the Tiger & Bunny: The Beginning animated film (also available from VIZ Media) introduces you to the exciting world and characters of Tiger & Bunny!

TIGER & BUNNY COMIC ANTHOLOGY 2-In-1, Vols. 1 & 2 · Rated “T” for Teens · MSRP: $12.99 U.S. / $14.99 CAN each · Volume 1 Available Now,  Volume 2 Available December 10^th!  

The Heroes of Stern Bild City are larger than life when they appear on Hero TV, but when they take off their costumes, their lives are just like anyone else! Or are they?! Why would someone impersonate Barnaby to work at a host club? Dragon Kid is a Hero but still has to struggle with homework. What will happen when Barnaby meets Kotetsu’s family? And is it possible for Origami Cyclone to ride into battle on a kite, or is he just going to break his neck? Dozens of stories take you deep into the world of TUGER & BUNNY!

HAIKASORU SCIENCE-FICTION NOVELS:

THE FUTURE IS JAPANESE · MSRP: $14.99 U.S. / $17.99 CAN ·

Available Now!

A web browser that threatens to conquer the world; the longest, loneliest railroad on Earth; a North Korean nuke hitting Tokyo; a hollow asteroid full of automated rice paddies, and a specialist in breaking up virtual marriages; and yes, giant robots. These thirteen stories from and about the Land of the Rising Sun run the gamut from fantasy to cyberpunk and will leave you knowing that the future is Japanese! Also features the Hugo Award-winning short story, "Mono No Aware," by Ken Liu.

SELF-REFERENCE ENGINE · MSRP: $14.99 U.S. / $16.99 CAN ·

Available Now!

This is not a novel. This is not a short story collection. This is Self-Reference ENGINE. Instructions for Use: Read chapters in order. Contemplate the dreams of twenty-two dead Freuds. Note your position in space/time at all times (and spaces). Keep an eye out for a talking bobby sock named Bobby Socks. Beware the star-man Alpha Centauri. Remember that the chapter entitled “Japanese” is translated from the Japanese, but should be read in Japanese. Warning: if reading this book on the back of a catfish statue, the text may vanish at any moment, and you may forget that it ever existed. From the mind of Toh EnJoe comes Self-Reference ENGINE, a textual machine that combines the rigor of Stanislaw Lem with the imagination of Jorge Luis Borges. Do not operate heavy machinery for one hour after reading.

OTHER VIZ MEDIA RELEASES:

UZUMAKI 3-in-1 DELUXE EDITION · Rated “T+” for Older Teens ·

MSRP: $27.99 U.S. / $32.00 CAN · Available Now! 

Savor a special new hardcover edition of Junji Ito’s acclaimed manga classic that now features 12 additional pages of full-color artwork. Kurouzu-cho, a small fogbound town on the coast of Japan, is cursed. According to Shuichi Saito, the withdrawn boyfriend of teenager Kirie Goshima, their town is haunted not by a person or being but by a pattern: uzumaki, the spiral, the hypnotic secret shape of the world. It manifests itself in everything from seashells and whirlpools in water to the spiral marks on people's bodies, the insane obsessions of Shuichi's father and the voice from the cochlea in our inner ear. As the madness spreads, the inhabitants of Kurouzu-cho are pulled ever deeper into a whirlpool from which there is no return!

For more information about these and other titles from VIZ Media, please visit: www.VIZ.com.

About VIZ Media, LLC

Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan.  Owned by three of Japan's largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. With its popular digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and 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.

###

BAKUMAN. © 2008 by Tsugumi Ohba, Takeshi Obata/SHUEISHA Inc.

ONE PIECE © 1997 by Eiichiro Oda/SHUEISHA Inc.

YOROSHIKU・MASTER © Sakura Tsukuba 2005/HAKUSENSHA, Inc.

Comics Return to Grocery StoresCapt'n Eli Comic Books come to Hannaford Supermarket

(Portland, ME-November 6, 2013) Nemo Publishing announced today a partnership with the Hannaford grocery chain to sell a special bundle pack of The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli graphic novels in the front end racks at 75 Hannaford stores all across New England.

Capt'n Eli is the son of the infamous Captain Nemo from Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea.  The Undersea Adventures of Capt’n Eli takes readers into a mesmerizing world of time travel, high-tech ships, flying mini-subs, robots, lost civilizations, and undersea empires in conflict; accompanied by Jolly Roger, a 200-year-old parrot, and the faithful seadog Barney.

The bundle pack includes Books 1 and 2 in the series for $9.99.  Each book normally retails for $9.99 so this limited time special is buy- one-get-one-free and is offered only at Hannaford supermarkets.  Book 3 in the series is expected out in 2014.  Nowhere near New England? You can order the same buy-one-get-one-free deal at www.captneli.com.

“A good grocery store is much more then just a place to buy food,” explains Ed Crockett, president of Capt’n Eli’s Soda.  “They have become our drugstores and, based off the necessity and frequency we visit them, they are often our newsstands. Hannaford is a forward thinking family grocer and realized that bringing in the Capt’n Eli graphic novel series was a great way to do more for their customers.”

Creator Jay Piscopo notes “The 10 year old in me is thrilled. I get to give a whole new generation of kids the same experience I enjoyed as a kid!  Open a comic and escape into a world you can only imagine. It's magical.”  Jay is the founder of Nemo Publishing and writes and illustrates The Undersea Adventures of Capt’n Eli series.

Nemo Publishing was an organic creation through the Forsley family, founders of Capt’n Eli’s Soda.  One man's sense of adventure was so strong that a root beer was created in his memory, and that spark just wouldn't stop. Capt'n Eli's Root Beer became the Capt'n Eli's line of sodas and then an entire graphic novel and toy line was developed through Nemo Publishing.  The story keeps growing right along with the company and continues the wide range of products and quality that Capt’n Eli’s Soda is known for.

About The Books:

The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli -- Volume 1

Fans of classic adventure, meet Capt'n Eli! Created in the tradition of Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers, this is the story of a boy with extraordinary scientific abilities and unusual ties to the sea. Join Eli as he dives into the Sargasso Sea and meets the mysterious Golden Age hero Commander X. Featuring pin-ups by comics greats Steve Rude, Herb Trimpe and Howard Chaykin. Cover by Steve Rude.
6x9, 104 Pages, Full Color

The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli -- Volume 2
Stand by for adventure! Volume 2 of The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli explodes with action as the mysterious Commander X introduces Capt'n Eli to a world of vast undersea empires. For all ages, this issue is a tribute to the Silver Age of comics and is an imaginative blend of solid comics storytelling and 3-D CGI. Featuring pin-ups by legendary comics artist Herb Trimpe, Joe Zierman of Big Bang Comics, and artist and animator Lauren Monardo. Cover by Joe Zierman.
6x9, 112 Pages, Full Color

Want to learn more about the line?

Visit www.captneli.comLike us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CaptnEliFollow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CaptnEli

EL REY NETWORK BEGINS PRODUCTION IN AUSTIN ON ADAPTATION OF ROBERT RODRIGUEZ CULT-CLASSIC FILM 'FROM DUSK TILL DAWN'

Maverick Filmmaker, Whose New Network Launches December 2013, to Direct First Two Installments of Scripted Series

Don Johnson to Recreate Memorable Role of Earl McGraw; Miramax Signs on as International Distributor of Highly-Anticipated Original

New York and Austin, TX – November 6, 2013 – El Rey Network in association with FactoryMade Ventures, today announced the production start of  "From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series," the first scripted original to air on Robert Rodriguez's new genre-busting cable network set to debut this December. Based on his cult classic film of the same name, the supernatural crime saga, hour-long series (which will premiere on El Rey Network in Q1 2014) began filming in Austin this week with Rodriguez set to direct the first two installments.

The 10-episode serialized drama, created, directed and executive produced by Rodriguez (Sin City, Machete, Desperado) and based on the 1996 cult classic he created with Quentin Tarantino, will feature a principal cast including: D.J. Cotrona (Dear John, G.I. Joe: Retaliation) as Seth Gecko, the role that famously launched the film career of George Clooney. Zane Holtz (Holes, The Perks of Being a Wallflower) stars as Richie Gecko, and Jesse Garcia (Quinceañera, Sons of Anarchy) plays Texas Ranger Freddie Gonzalez, a new character created for the series. Don Johnson (Django Unchained, Nash Bridges) joins in a recurring role as Sheriff Earl McGraw. Other cast will be announced in the coming weeks.  Miramax, producing studio and distributor of the original film, is distributing the series internationally in all territories with the exception of Canada, China, India and UK.

Rodriguez said: "If the movie’s the short story, the series is the novel." He added: "We have assembled an amazing cast and crew, and viewers can expect to be part of a wild ride when the series premieres on El Rey Network next spring."

Rodriguez is joined in the Executive Producer ranks by Carlos Coto (who is also showrunner); and FactoryMade Ventures and El Rey Network co-founders John Fogelman and Cristina Patwa.  Diego Gutierrez is writer and co-executive producer.  The gritty look and feel of the series will be brought to life by production designers Steve Joyner and Caylah Eddleblute, set designer Jeff Adams, director of photography Eduardo Mayén and costume designer Nina Proctor.  Special effects team will be spearheaded by Bob Trevino.

Based on the thrill-ride film, “From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series” is a supernatural crime saga centered around bank robber, Seth Gecko (Cotrona) and his violent, unpredictable brother, Richard “Richie” Gecko (Holtz), who are wanted by the FBI and Texas Rangers Earl McGraw (Johnson) and Freddie Gonzalez (Garcia) after a bank heist left several people dead. While on an escape route to Mexico, Seth and Richie encounter former minister Jacob Fuller and his family who they take hostage.  Using the family RV to make a run for the Mexican border, chaos ensues when the group detours to a strip club that is unknowingly populated by vampires, and forces them to fight until dawn in order to get out alive. The series deepens the tone of the film, adds new characters and backstories and expands the Mesoamerican mythology behind the vampires. 

“From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series” is an El Rey Network production in association with FactoryMade Ventures.

# # #

About El Rey Network:

El Rey Network, launching December 2013, is a new 24-hour English-language network founded by maverick filmmaker Robert Rodriguez. The network's action-packed content is anchored by original signature dramas, feature films, grindhouse genre, cult classic action, horror/sci-fi and next-generation sports. Curated by Rodriguez and his artistic collective, it will serve as a platform for diverse and riveting storytelling. El Rey Network awakens the renegade in everyone and has been created for viewers who won't check a box. El Rey Network LLC (www.elreynetwork.com) is jointly owned by Robert Rodriguez and FactoryMade Ventures with a minority stake held by Univision Communications Inc. 

About FactoryMade Ventures:
FactoryMade is an entertainment business incubator founded by John Fogelman and Cristina Patwa.  The company builds and produces IP-based media franchises, content experiences and production/distribution platforms by leveraging its strong ties to the Hollywood creative community and partnering with global brands and investors. FactoryMade's ventures include El Rey Network and Tres Pistoleros studios with Robert Rodriguez as well as a joint venture with the leading Mexican wrestling league, Lucha Libre AAA. In addition to working with corporate partners such as Telefonica and JCP, they previously spearheaded the creation of Hasbro’s film business (Transformers, G.I. Joe, Battleship) and television business (Hasbro TV Studios, the Hub Network with Discovery Communications), and developed retail’s first integrated digital gaming and commerce platform with HSN called HSN Arcade.

About Miramax:

Miramax is a leading worldwide film and television studio with a library of more than 700 motion pictures. The Miramax library holds some of the world’s most original and acclaimed independent films including Pulp Fiction, Shakespeare in Love, Chicago, Good Will Hunting, The English Patient, No Country for Old Men, Kill Bill Vols. I and II, Life is Beautiful, Reservoir Dogs, Sex, Lies and Videotape, Cinema Paradiso and My Left Foot – as well as scores of commercially successful films such as Bridget Jones’s Diary, Bad Santa, and the Scream, Hellraiser, Scary Movie and Spy Kids franchises. Collectively, the Miramax library has received 284 Academy Award® nominations and 68 Oscars®, including four Best Picture awards.

Miramax is headquartered in Santa Monica, California with a sales office in London. For more information, please visit www.miramax.com, “like” the company on Facebook and follow Miramax on Twitter @Miramax.

11.11.13 I is for Invitation

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.

JIM MORRISON'S 100-PAGE HANDWRITTEN
UNPUBLISHED NOTEBOOK
BEFORE HIS UNTIMELY DEATH IN 1971
......
FROM THE GREATEST GUITAR PLAYER TO HAVE
EVER LIVED, VAN HALEN'S 1982
KRAMER FRANKENSTRAT GUITAR
......
HANDWRITTEN LYRICS
TO LED ZEPPELIN'S "STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN"
PINK FLOYD'S "THE WALL"
THE DOORS' "RIDERS ON THE STORM"
BOB DYLAN'S "I WANT YOU"

AT PROFILE IN HISTORY'S
ROCK 'N' ROLL AUCTION
DECEMBER 18



  LOS ANGELES- NOV 5, 2013- Profiles in History, run by Joe Maddalena, is proud to announce the iconic highlights from their upcoming blockbuster Rock 'n' Roll auction on December 18.

Among the highlights is an unpublished, never before seen Jim Morrison handwritten notebook from his final months in Paris, "The impressions are seeing me. Are there images that I need to complete my own reality?" Penned in a hardcover marble notebook, it contains over 100 pages of poems, philosophy and musings that were written over a few months in 1971 prior to his untimely death on July 3rd, at the age of 27. The notebook is from the collection of rock legend Graham Nash, who writes on the inside of the custom full-leather clamshell case, “Handwritten book by Jim Morrison – given to me by Bill Siddons in the 80’s  Graham Nash.  P.S. Bill Siddons was the man who picked up Jim’s body in Paris.  He was also my manager.” It is pictured above and is estimated to sell for $200,000 - $300,000.

Hidden away in its guitar case for 30 years, from the greatest guitar player to ever live, this 1982 Kramer Frankenstrat belonged to none other than Eddie Van Halen. It was one of eight hand made and painted guitars. This specific guitar was used as one of Van Halen's main touring guitars on the Diver Down Tour, 1982-1983. This guitar was also played in the studio for Van Halen’s most successful album “1984” which included song titles “Jump”, “Panama”, “I’ll Wait” and “Hot for Teacher”. It is pictured below and is estimated to sell for $100,000 - $150,000.  A portion of the proceeds from this lot will benefit guitarist Jason Becker and the Jason Becker Special Needs Trust to assist him and his family in his battle against ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease).

There is also an unbelievable collection of handwritten song lyrics including, Robert Plant's (Led Zeppelin) handwritten lyrics for "Stairway to Heaven" estimated to sell for $2,000 - $3,000, Roger Waters' (Pink Floyd) handwritten lyrics from “The Wall” estimated to sell for $1,000 - $1,500, Jim Morrison's (The Doors) handwritten lyrics to "Riders on the Storm" estimated to sell for $20,000 - $30,000 and Bob Dylan's handwritten lyrics for "I Want You", used as he was recording his “Blonde on Blonde” album, estimated to sell for $30,000 - $50,000.


ABOUT PROFILES IN HISTORY
Founded in 1985 by Joseph Maddalena, Profiles in History is the world's largest auctioneer & dealer of original Hollywood Memorabilia, historical autographs, letters, documents, vintage signed photographs and manuscripts. Born into a family of antiques dealers in Rhode Island, Joseph "Joe" Maddalena learned early on how to turn his passion of collecting historical autographs into a career. Upon graduation from Pepperdine, Joe pursued his passion to become a full-time dealer of historical documents, and opened his first office in 1985. Profiles in History has held some of the most prestigious and successful auctions of Hollywood memorabilia and own virtually every Guinness Book record for prices of original screen-used memorabilia.  Highlights from their previous auctions include the "Cowardly Lion" costume from The Wizard of Oz ($805,000); Steve McQueen's "Michael Delaney" racing suit from Le Mans  ($960,000); From the history-making Debbie Reynolds Auction in June 2011, Profiles in History sold the Marilyn Monroe "Subway" Dress from The Seven Year Itch for $5.52M and the Audrey Hepburn Ascot Dress from My Fair Lady for $4.44M. In February 2012, Profiles in History arranged the sale of a pair of Judy Garland screen-used Ruby Slippers from The Wizard of Oz  to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. In addition, Joe Maddalena is the star of Hollywood Treasure, which just ended its second season on Syfy.  Hollywood Treasure takes viewers into the fascinating world of showbiz and pop culture memorabilia. For more information visit www.profilesinhistory.com

GHOSTED STEALS SPOTLIGHT

(AND FANS' HEARTS)

Readers can get in on the heist with this specially priced collection

Freshly freed from prison, Jackson Winters is given an offer he won't refuse: steal a ghost and keep his freedom. Winters, one of the greatest thieves in the world, accepts, gathers his team, and sets out for the Trask Mansion, home to horrors and haunts. This is the story of writer Joshua Williamson and artist Goran Sudzuka's GHOSTED, VOL. 1 TP, the inaugural collection of the hit ongoing series, now available for $9.99.   The first four issues of GHOSTED sold out at the distributor level within days of the initial release and garnered early accolades from the media:   "Ghosted is a horror book you need to read because it is horror done right. It’s part caper, part ghost story, and completely hilarious." -Joshua Yehl, IGN   "Never letting the audience feel completely comfortable trusting any one character, Williamson constructs layers of deception that add to the mystery of the series." -Sam LeBas, Multiversity Comics   "Artist Goran Sudzuka has an uncanny knack of rendering detail only where needed, without overpowering every panel with minutiae." -Jim Johnson, Comic Book Resources   "[T]he reason why Ghosted is such a great read each issue is due in large part to some great art and Williamson’s ability to tell a great haunted house story mixed with a heist story–and, well, throwing in all kinds of other twists in there too." -Matt LeMaire, The MacGuffin   "Ghosted is quickly becoming one of my favorite series. It's a fantastic concept that has really been delivering the past few months." -Mat Elfring, ComicVine   GHOSTED, VOL. 1 TP, collecting GHOSTED issues #1-5, arrives in stores on 12/4 at a special introductory price of $9.99.   Final orders are due from retailers on 11/11 and can be pre-ordered using Diamond Code OCT130488.

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

Skybound is the home of Robert Kirkman's creator-owned work including his Eisner Award-winning comic book series, The Walking Dead, long-running Invincible, all-ages Super Dinosaur, Thief of Thieves, and Clone as well as Ghosted, Witch Doctor and Invincible Universe. Since its inception, Skybound has created television shows, merchandise and a wide spectrum of platforms, games (The Walking Dead: Assault iOS app), and entertainment events (The Walking Dead Escape). Skybound's successes include the comic behind the hit Emmy®-winning television show, AMC's The Walking Dead, the highest-rated basic cable drama of all time in the U.S, also an international success in 122 countries and 37 languages. Skybound/Kirkman frequently top the hardcover and paperback bestseller lists. Your destinations for all news and merchandise from Robert Kirkman, The Walking Dead and all Skybound titles are www.Skybound.com and www.TheWalkingDead.com.

Fantagraphics Books Launches a Kickstarter Campaign to Help Fund Spring-Summer 2014 Comics Publishing Season

FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS IS ASKING FOR READERS' SUPPORT THROUGH KICKSTARTER. HELP FINANCE OUR SPRING-SUMMER SEASON, AND BE A PART OF THE COMPANY THAT HAS PUBLISHED MORE OF THE BEST CARTOONISTS IN THE HISTORY OF COMICS THAN ANY OTHER PUBLISHER.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/fantagraphicsbooks/fantagraphics-2014-spring-season-39-graphic-novels

November 5 - Seattle, WA - Fantagraphics Books is launching a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign to help finance our Spring-Summer 2014 season of books. Earlier this Fantagraphics Co-Publisher Kim Thompson was diagnosed with cancer and died four months later, on June 19, 2013. Because Kim was such an active part of our company, his death has had repercussions — both emotionally and financially. Kim edited our European graphic novel line and, as a result of his illness, 13 of the books scheduled for the Spring and Summer of 2013 had to be cancelled or postponed. This represents the loss of one-third of the entire season. We have suffered a severe shortfall that will impede our ability to produce next season's books. That's why we're asking our faithful readers and new converts alike to help us recoup — and help finance our 2014 Spring-Summer books through Kickstarter. We are offering a varied list of premium options, from signed copies of the books from that season to a target-shooting trip with Fantagraphics' Publisher Gary Groth.

OUR NEXT SEASON: APRIL-AUGUST 2014

Fantagraphics' Spring-Summer season is comprised of 39 books by a stellar line-up of cartoonists. There are a number of books from names familiar to longtime comics readers — Peter Bagge, Daniel Clowes, Joe Sacco, Drew Friedman, Michael Kupperman, Jim Woodring, Don Rosa, Tony Millionaire, and The Hernandez Brothers. Not to mention any number of other names that could anchor a comics Hall of Fame: Charles Schulz, Steve Ditko, Simon & Kirby, Hal Foster, Carl Barks, Floyd Gottfredson, L.B. Cole, Jacques Tardi, John Severin, S. Clay Wilson, Wally Wood, and more. We also have one of our strongest seasons of original graphic novels ever, including new books from Olivier Schrauwen, Simon Hanselmann, Esther Pearl Watson, Conor Stechschulte, Carol Swain, Lane Milburn, Eleanor Davis, and Ed Piskor.

From The Complete witzend to The Complete Eightball, Buddy Bradley to Megg & Mogg, and Don Rosa's Ducks to S. Clay Wilson's pirates, plus new Peanuts, Donald Duck, EC Comics and Love and Rockets books, our 2014 lineup truly features The World's Greatest Cartoonists.

And that's merely one publishing season of five months; we publish a virtual pantheon of cartoonists every season. 

OUR MISSION

Fantagraphics Books has been waving the banner of cartooning for almost 40 years, and we have always believed in the artistic potential of comics — in the medium's power and subtlety; its vast capaciousness and intimate smallness; its ability to transport us to different worlds or express the human heart in conflict with itself; its ability to vivify political and historical events or reveal intimate autobiographical truths; its hilariously vulgar humor, or its moving urban dramas. We strive to find the best and brightest comics from new cartoonists and from the classic archives.

THE PERENNIAL STRUGGLE

Ours is and always has been an intrinsically difficult commercial enterprise, and we have survived due to a combination of great taste, sheer will, good luck, and reasonable business acumen. Still, it has never been easy. Fantagraphics has always been a guerilla publisher — lean and mean. In order to do what we do, we have always kept our overhead low and our lifestyle modest. We publish about 100 books a year with a staff of less then 20 — a level of efficiency unheard of in corporate publishing. We pride ourselves on taking risks, publishing work based on merit, and a commitment to serious artistic standards.

Fantagraphics has never existed comfortably within the traditional capitalist model — ruthlessly competitive, obsessed with growth, and the endless accumulation of surplus money. Our artistic values have always tempered our profitability. Fantagraphics has managed to scrape by, but we realized that with the advent of crowd funding, we are in a position to make an end-run around the most brutish strictures of the marketplace and appeal directly to our readers through Kickstarter. We are asking the public to help us continue this quixotic enterprise. At the end of the day, we cannot rely on anyone but our readers.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/fantagraphicsbooks/fantagraphics-2014-spring-season-39-graphic-novels

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ARCHAIA DOUBLE DIPS, SHIPPING 'HOPELESS: MAINE VOL. 2' AND
'OLD CITY BLUES' VOL. 2 OGNs
ON NOV. 13

 
  

 

November 5,  2013 (Los Angeles, CA) Award-winning publisher Archaia Entertainment, an imprint of BOOM! Studios, is excited to announce the launch of two original graphic novels on Nov. 13 that are both sequels to popular titles. Hopeless, Maine Vol. 2: Inheritance by Tom and Nimue Brown and Old City Blues Vol. 2 by Giannis Milonogiannis are follow-ups that readers have long been anticipating, and are releasing just in time for the holidays!

HOPELESS, MAINE VOL. 2: INHERITANCE
Original Graphic Novel Hardcover
Retail Price: $19.95 U.S.
Page Count: 96 pages
Format: Hardcover, 6” x 9”, full color
Genre: Fantasy
On-sale Date: Nov. 13 in comic shops, Nov. 26 in bookstores
Written by Tom Brown
Illustrated by Nimue Brown
Cover by Nimue Brown
Rating: T – TEEN (12 and up, may contain mild violence or mild profanity)
WHY WE LOVE IT: In HOPELESS, MAINE VOL. 1: PERSONAL DEMONS, the husband-and-wife team of Tom and Nimue Brown hooked us with their spooky tale of the mysterious, young Salamandra and their Gothic-inspired artwork, so we're ready for more!
WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT: Fans of stories like Tom Siddell's GUNNERKRIGG COURT, Ted Naifeh's Courtney Crumrin, and Roman Dirge's Lenore, the Cute Little Dead Girl will see parallels, but the Browns have created an engaging universe in which a young woman becomes empowered—so to speak!
WHAT IT'S ABOUT: Continue with the adventures of young Salamandra, the orphaned, mysterious, witch-in-training on the haunted island of Hopeless, Maine. When Sal discovers she might have a grandfather living on the island, she seeks him out, only to find him full of even more mystery than the rest of her past. Before she can unravel the secrets of her family’s past, however, her best friend, Owen, is thrust into a family trauma of his own. Salamandra must choose between helping Owen and finding the home and family she has always longed for.

OLD CITY BLUES VOL. 2
Original Graphic Novel Softcover
Retail Price: $12.95 U.S.
Page Count: 200 pages
Format: Softcover, 5” x 7.5”, black and white
Genre: Sci-Fi
On-sale Date: Nov. 13 in comic shops, Nov. 26 in bookstores
Written by Giannis Milonogiannis
Illustrated by Giannis Milonogiannis
Cover by Giannis Milonogiannis
Rating: T – TEEN (12 and up, may contain mild violence or mild profanity)
WHY WE LOVE IT: Milonogiannis’ style is "Ghost in the Shell" meets "Blade Runner," with an energetic grittiness all of its own. Straight off an acclaimed run on Image Comics’ Prophet, we're excited for Milonogiannis to dive back into the world of New Athens to bring us a brand-new story from the OLD CITY BLUES universe.
WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT: If you liked OLD CITY BLUES VOL. 1 for its hard-boiled, sci-fi cop action, you'll love this new volume with more of Milonogiannis' fast-paced, supercharged storytelling of a post-apocalyptic society, reminiscent of stories like "Akira" and "I, Robot."
WHAT IT'S ABOUT: The next chapter in the critically acclaimed OLD CITY BLUES series! The year is 2049. Southeastern Europe. Built on the ruins of the country once known as Greece, New Athens is a city crawling with life—low-life, that is. From mech smugglers and drug dealers, to corrupt politicians and all-too-powerful corporations, the city is at the mercy of high-tech criminals. And it’s up to Detective Solano, Thermidor, and the rest of the New Athens Special Police to keep the city in order. This edition collects “Private Enemy” and the brand-new “Prosthetic Corpus” story arcs.
 

About Archaia Entertainment
Archaia (archaia.com) is a multi-award-winning graphic novel publisher with more than 75 renowned publishing brands, including such domestic and international hits as MOUSE GUARD, RUST, COW BOY, CURSED PIRATE GIRL, GUNNERKRIGG COURT, and ARTESIA. Archaia has also published an entire line of graphic novels in partnership with The Jim Henson Company, including the multiple award-winning JIM HENSON'S TALE OF SAND and such beloved tales as THE DARK CRYSTAL, THE STORYTELLER, and FRAGGLE ROCK. In addition to its partnership with Henson, Archaia has forged creative partnerships with storytellers in all facets of the entertainment industry, resulting in print and digital expansions of such noted properties as BLEEDOUT and HAWKEN (video games), IMMORTALS and PLANET OF THE APES (film), and SPACE: 1999 (television). Alongside these celebrated titles, Archaia has released English translations of numerous renowned foreign titles to much fanfare, including THE KILLER, Sergio Toppi’s SHARAZ-DE: TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS, and THE SECRET HISTORY. In June 2013, Archaia was acquired by BOOM! Studios (boom-studios.com). Founded by Ross Richie in 2005, Diamond Gem Award-winning “Best Publisher” BOOM! Studios generates a constellation of best-selling Eisner and Harvey Award-winning original and licensed comic books and graphic novels with the industry’s top talent.

Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell To Declare November 22 "William Shatner Day" In Austin

TV's Captain Kirk, T.J. Hooker, “Priceline Negotiator” will accept "Honorary Austin Citizenship" from Mayor Leffingwell at Wizard World Austin Comic Con

AUSTIN, Texas, November 5, 2013 – Fans may know him as Captain Kirk, T.J. Hooker, Denny Crane or even the Priceline Negotiator. But for sure, William Shatner has been a part of the lives of countless millions for more than a half century.

And Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell will officially declare Friday, Nov. 22, “William Shatner Day” at a special ceremony at 5:30 p.m at the Austin Convention Center, celebrating the Kick-off of the 2013 Wizard World Austin Comic Con. Mayor Leffingwell will also confer “Honorary Austin Citizenship” on Shatner.

“Who hasn't wanted to be 'beamed up,' or slide across the hood of a car, or negotiate tough deals?” said Mayor Leffingwell. “My fellow citizens of Austin are proud to honor this pop culture icon as one of our own.”

Shatner will be in attendance at Wizard World Austin Comic Con on Friday evening, Nov. 22, and all day Saturday, Nov. 23, meeting fans, signing autographs, posing for photo ops and conducting an interactive Q&A session highlighting his legendary career.

For more information about Wizard World Austin Comic Con, please visit: http://wizd.me/WilliamShatnerDay .

About Wizard World:
Wizard World (OTCBB: WIZD) produces Comic Cons and pop culture conventions across North America that celebrate graphic novels, comic books, movies, TV shows, gaming, technology, toys and social networking. The events often feature celebrities from movies and TV, artists and writers, and events such as premieres, gaming tournaments, panels, and costume contests.

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

Wizard World 2013 Schedule
November 22-24 – Wizard World Austin Comic Con

Wizard World 2014 Schedule
January 24-26 – Wizard World Portland Comic Con
February 7-9 – Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con
March 7-9 – Wizard World Sacramento Comic Con
March 28-30 – Wizard World Louisville Comic Con
April 4-6 – Wizard World St. Louis Comic Con
May 2-4 – Wizard World Minneapolis Comic Con
May 30-June 1 – Wizard World Atlanta Comic Con
June 19-22 – Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con
August 1-3 – Wizard World San Antonio Comic Con
August 21-24 – Wizard World Chicago Comic Con
September 12-14 – Wizard World Richmond Comic Con
September 26-28 – Wizard World Nashville Comic Con
October 11-12 – Wizard World Austin Comic Con
October 31-November 2 – Wizard World Ohio Comic Con
November 7-9 – Wizard World Tulsa Comic Con

    

WWE® STUDIOS AND FILM ROMAN ANNOUNCE "CAMP WWE"

IRREVERENT ANIMATED WEB SERIES

STAMFORD, Conn. and BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. - November 4, 2013 – WWE Studios (NYSE:WWE) and Film Roman announced today that they have entered into a co-financing and co-production agreement to produce up to thirteen, three-minute webisodes of a new animated series entitled CAMP WWE. Mike Benson of ENTOURAGE and THE BERNIE MAC SHOW will script the series.

From WWE STUDIOS and FILM ROMAN, the animation studio behind

THE SIMPSONS and KING OF THE HILL, comes an irreverent new, adult comedy series about what the biggest, most outrageous WWE Superstars® were like as kids. CAMP WWE follows these unruly tykes as they body slam their way through their formative years. Proving to be a nightmare for teachers and other kids, their exhausted parents pack-up their future WWE Superstars with their masks, chains, kneepads and security blankets and send them off to Camp WWE, to be transformed into model citizens by the most terrifying counselor who ever lived, Mr. McMahon.

"Film Roman has been involved with some of the most well-known and humorous animated series,” said Michael Luisi, President WWE Studios.  “They are the perfect partners for WWE Studios to capture our Superstars in a truly unique and fun way."

"CAMP WWE is a new and exciting project with a great creative team for Film Roman to be working on with WWE Studios and we are very bullish on its prospects for success.  With a combination of their unique personalities, distinctive characteristics and huge built-in loyal fan base, WWE Superstars make for ideal animation subjects in CAMP WWE," said Dana Booton, General Manager for Film Roman.  "We are very pleased to be working with WWE Studios and hope that it will begin a mutually beneficial, long-term business relationship."

Bradley Buchanan negotiated the deal on behalf of WWE Studios.  Marc Barson and Yvette Thomassian negotiated the deal on behalf of Film Roman.

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About WWE Studios

WWE Studios produces a diverse slate of feature films for theatrical and direct to home release through distribution partnerships with global entertainment companies. The WWE’s film division led by President, Michael Luisi, is headquartered in Santa Monica, CA and continues to create content for audiences of all ages. Most recent films produced by the studio include The Call with Halle Berry and WWE Superstar David Otunga®, Dead Man Down with Colin Farrell and WWE Superstar Wade Barrett®, The Marine 3: Homefront with WWE Superstar The Miz® in the third follow-up in the explosive Marine adventures,12 Rounds 2: Reloaded, the second installment in the action franchise, starring WWE Superstar Randy Orton®, and No One Lives, which was co-produced with Pathé Films and released theatrically by Anchor Bay Films after debuting at Midnight Madness at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival, starring Luke Evans and WWE Superstar Brodus Clay™. Upcoming films for WWE Studios include Christmas Bounty, an action comedy starring WWE Superstar The Miz and Francia Raisa, premiering on ABC Family November 26, 2013 and releasing on Blu-Ray/DVD on December 3, 2013 by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment; Scooby Doo WrestleMania Mystery which pairs WWE Superstars with Scooby and the gang releasing direct to home March 25, 2014 by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment; Leprechaun: Origins directed by Zach Lipovsky starring WWE Superstar Hornswoggle® will be distributed by Lionsgate in August 2014; See No Evil 2 starring WWE Superstar Kane® directed by the Soska Sisters will also be distributed by Lionsgate in October 2014; The Fall Guy starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson releasing in 2015, and The Flintstones another Warner Brothers Animation feature releasing in early 2015 by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment which joins Fred, Barney and the whole Bedrock gang with stone age versions of WWE Superstars and Divas.

  

About WWE

WWE, a publicly traded company (NYSE: WWE), is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family-friendly entertainment on its television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing platforms. WWE programming is broadcast in more than 150 countries and 30 languages and reaches more than 650 million homes worldwide. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, London, Mumbai, Shanghai, Singapore, Istanbul and Tokyo.

Additional information on WWE (NYSE: WWE) can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For information on our global activities, go to http://www.wwe.com/worldwide/.  

About Film Roman
Film Roman (www.filmroman.com), an operating unit and wholly-owned subsidiary of Starz (NASDAQ: STRZA, STRZB), is a leading animation studio in the United States producing animated TV/movie content for studios, networks, distributors and audiences worldwide.  Based in Burbank, CA, Film Roman has a state-of-the art animation facility and some of the industry’s leading animation talent. Film Roman’s major clients include Fox Television, Gracie Films, Marvel Entertainment, DXD, Nick Jr., and The Hub. Film Roman’s reputation and expertise as an innovative animation studio enables the company to work on a variety of projects and genres; with all budgets, across all media, and with uncompromising quality.