Friday, April 16, 2010

Good morning!

We are SO excited to have a panel at C2E2 this year, and the very first of its kind, at that! The panel is titled: BLACK COMIX: AFRICAN AMERICAN INDEPENDENT COMICS, ART & CULTURE (http://www.blackcomixbook.com), and will take place in room E352 on Saturday, April 17 from 5:15PM – 6:15PM.

About the panel:

The art and culture of African American independent comics is a vibrant, growing, but drastically overlooked facet of sequential art. Comics creators, scholars and curators John Jennings and Damian Duffy have been on a mission to help spread the word about black comics creators on the grind and under the radar.

From curating national and international comics art exhibitions, to their new art book "Black Comix: African American Independent Comics, Art and Culture" (http://www.markbattypublisher.com/upcoming-books/black-comix) the pair have gathered together an unprecedented and underappreciated collection of work from working masters of American comics.

Join them for a discussion with comics scholar Stanford Carpenter and comics creators Ashley A. Woods (Millennia War), Jiba Anderson (The Horsemen), and Turtel Onli (Malcolm-10, Sustah Girl) about the art and culture of comics of color.

* * *
LUCASFILM CELEBRATES THE 30th ANNIVERSARY OF
STAR WARS: EPISODE V THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK

WITH A YEAR-LONG CHARITABLE CAMPAIGN



THE EMPIRE GIVES BACK


Events and Activities Benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®,
Education Outreach at Chicago’s Field Museum and Make-A-Wish Foundation®



SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Commemorating the 30th Anniversary of Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back, Lucasfilm Ltd. is launching a year-long campaign to raise much-needed funds for a brave alliance of worthy charities. Leveraging Empire’s enormous popularity with fans, the goal is to channel the Force in support of a series of charitable events and activities – and to give back to the community that has helped Star Wars remain so popular for more than three decades. Among the charities to benefit from the year-long Empire Gives Back campaign are St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Education Outreach at Chicago’s Field Museum and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

“Star Wars has received such an amazing show of love and support throughout the years, from fans all over the world,” said Mich Chau, President and Chief Operating Officer, Lucasfilm Ltd. “This anniversary gives us a wonderful opportunity to give back to our fans, and to work with some truly worthy organizations in a combined effort to support those in need.”



Activities include:

Los Angeles red carpet screening to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Featuring an exclusive Q&A with Harrison Ford, this one-night-only digital screening of The Empire Strikes Back is presented by Junk Food Clothing
To be held at Hollywood’s Arclight Cinema at 7:00pm on Wednesday, May 19
Chicago screenings to benefit Education Outreach Programs at The Field Museum
Four digital screenings to be held at The Field Museum’s Ernst & Young Theater
Friday, May 7 at 3:00pm
Saturday, May 8 at 3:00pm, 7:00pm and 10:30pm
Ticket Info: fieldmuseum.org or 312-665-7400
The 501st Legion’s TK Project to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation
More than 50 contributing artists – including Star Wars actors, underground artists, celebrities and fans – will design and customize classic Star Wars stormtrooper helmets
Entries to be auctioned through Star Wars Celebration V in Orlando, Fla., from Aug. 12-15
For more information, visit www.starwarscelebration.com
The Empire Skates Back to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation
Similar to the TK Project, more than 30 contributing artists will customize and design skateboard decks to reflect themes of The Empire Strikes Back
Entries to be auctioned through Star Wars Celebration V in Orlando, Fla., from Aug. 12-15
For more information, visit www.starwarscelebration.com
Additional programs will be announced throughout the year on StarWars.com


Originally released on May 21, 1980, The Empire Strikes Back has emerged as a fan favorite among the six chapters of the Star Wars Saga. Expanding the canvas of the “galaxy far, far away,” the film enchanted audiences with its sprawling story, its mix of returning and new characters (including Jedi Master Yoda, bounty hunter Boba Fett and charming scoundrel Lando Calrissian), its pioneering special effects and, of course, Darth Vader’s now-legendary climactic revelation.



Lucasfilm, STAR WARS™, and related properties are trademarks and/or copyrights, in the United States and other countries, of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. TM & © Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.
Hey folks,
I'm wrapping up my work and getting ready to head out to Chicago for C2E2 in the morning. For those who don't know, this is the show by the guys who do NYCC, which is an amazingly good time every year, so I have very high hopes. More info on the show here: http://www.c2e2.com/

I'm especially excited as, after much delay, there will be copies of the TUMOR Hardcover available for purchase all weekend! There's a limited supply of these advance copies, and I aim to sell all of them! My schedule's below, and I hope to see you all there.

FRIDAY APRIL 16th - 4:30pm Archaia Comics - Booth 545
5:30pm Top Cow Productions - Booth 551

SATURDAY APRIL 17th - 10:30am Top Cow Productions - Booth 551
11:30am Archaia Comics - Booth 545
1:45 Archaia Comics Panel - Room E351
Following the panel, I'll be hanging around the Archaia booth signing books in an unofficial capacity.

SUNDAY APRIL 18th - 10:30am Top Cow Productions -Booth 551
1:00pm Archaia Comics - Booth 545

Of course, if you're looking for me to sign anything or just to say hi, you can track my whereabouts via twitter (http://www.twitter.com/joshfialkov).

Here's to the start of another amazing con season!

j.
www.thefialkov.com

Thursday, April 15, 2010

New Sam & Max Game Series The Devil’s Playhouse Premieres Today on PlayStation® Network, PC and Mac!



First Episode of the Epic Five Game Comedy Saga Now Available



SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – April 15, 2010 – The curtain rises today in Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse with the premiere of the first episode, entitled The Penal Zone, on PC, Mac, and PlayStation® Network, exclusively for the PlayStation® 3 (PS3™) computer entertainment system. Telltale’s landmark series returns for the biggest, best looking, most bizarre installment yet as the dog and rabbit detective duo battle an onslaught of fearsome villains bent on acquiring the source of Max’s newfound psychic powers. With new episodes releasing monthly, season passes are available now for the full five game series for $34.95. The PC and Mac version can be downloaded at http://www.samandmaxgames.com/thedevilsplayhouse.



“With The Penal Zone launching on four separate game platforms, the new season of Sam & Max is the biggest episodic premiere in Telltale’s history,” said Telltale CEO Dan Connors. “This series has been about pushing boundaries, from humor and story to episodic gaming as a whole. The Devil’s Playhouse continues that tradition, and it’s easily the deepest, most visually stunning season to date. We can’t wait for players both new and returning to dive in.”



Also available on the iPad, The Penal Zone was a launch title for Apple’s new tablet device and is available now for the introductory price of $6.99 on the App Store.



As Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse begins, Max’s latent psychic abilities emerge after discovering ancient and arcane artifacts coveted by the universe’s most despicable villains. In The Penal Zone, Sam & Max investigate the root of Max’s new powers in the shadow of an invading gorilla warlord that is stomping around the city – searching for the artifacts, taking prisoners and spreading chaos.



Sam & Max is Telltale’s longest running series to date and a prime example of the company’s unique expertise in storytelling and cinematic production. The franchise’s latest installment has some of the best animated character performances in a game, presenting an experience on par with today’s feature theatrical releases.



For more information please visit http://www.samandmaxgames.com/thedevilsplayhouse



# # #



About Sam & Max

Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse is based on the indie comics by Steve Purcell. Sam is a six-foot dog in a baggy suit sporting a trombone-sized .44 hand-cannon. Max is three feet of pure unleashed id with a saw blade grin and the impulsive nature of the average piranha. Together they patrol the sticky streets of a fantastical New York City, righting wrongs, pummeling perps, and ridding the urban landscape of the shifty legions of "self-propelled gutter trash" that litter their streets. Sam & Max is Telltale's longest running episodic game series to date.



About Telltale, Inc.

Telltale is a leading independent digital publisher of interactive stories playable on every major gaming platform. Telltale is also the pioneer of episodic delivery of content developing games as series and successfully releasing on a schedule to create a longer consumer engagement for each release. Founded in 2004 by LucasArts veterans with decades of experience, Telltale has quickly become an industry leader, establishing the model for downloadable game seasons and releasing more than 30 games to date. Telltale’s reputation for quality extends has been established across more than 25 published releases that have an cumulatively earned an average Metacritic score above 80%. Telltale's titles have won numerous awards including, "Adventure Game of the Year" accolades from publications such as IGN, PC Gamer, GameSpy, and Adventure Gamers, and have been recognized by mainstream outlets ranging from USA Today, to The New York Times to Variety. Telltale currently develops and publishes episodic series on PlayStation(R) 3, iPad, Mac, PC, Wii (TM), and Xbox 360 (TM).
DARK HORSE CAPTURES THE WORLD’S

MOST NOTORIOUS SERIAL KILLER

ALL NEW DEXTER™ BUST TO BE UNVEILED

AT THIS WEEKEND’S C2E2 CONVENTION!



APRIL 14TH, MILWAUKIE, OR–Dexter Morgan, recently of Miami, is now securely detained and immobilized in a sculptural facsimile limited-edition bust. He is slated for release in July.

Dexter Morgan, Miami Metro Police Department blood spatter analyst, has a double life. When he's not helping the Homicide division solve murders, he spends his time hunting and killing bad guys who slip through the justice system.

These days, America's favorite serial killer has gone from freewheeling bachelor to doting dad. Maintaining an average-guy facade while satisfying his need to kill has never been easy. But now, after being drawn into a deadly game with The Trinity Killer, a killer every bit as dangerous and conflicted as he is, last season’s shocking finale has left him dealing with the devastating consequence of his own actions.

In bringing the SHOWTIME® character, brilliantly portrayed by recent Golden Globe® and Screen Actors Guild Award® winner, Michael C. Hall, into a sculpture, Dark Horse wanted to capture both “sides” of Dexter. Their solution: viewed from the front, he is examining a blood spatter slide, as he would do in his job for the police. But danger lurks hidden behind his back, as evidenced by a razor-sharp blade.

The detailed sculpture re-creates Dexter’s signature knit shirt, right down to the weave of the fabric. The likeness of Michael C. Hall is spot-on, sculpted expressly for the Dark Horse project by the artisans at Gentle Giant Studios, who are recognized as industry leaders in the collectibles and filmed entertainment fields.

The Dexter limited-edition bust is a hand-painted, numbered edition. It is produced under license with the cooperation and participation of Showtime Networks and Michael C. Hall. It will be packaged in full-color collector packaging, and contains a Certificate of Authenticity. Release is slated for August, 2010. Fans will have the chance to see the piece in person at this weekend’s C2E2 convention in Chicago.



About Dark Horse Comics

Since 1986, 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 like Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Neil Gaiman, Gerard Way and comics legend Will Eisner, Dark Horse has developed such successful characters as The Mask, Timecop, and SpyBoy. Additionally, their highly successful line of comics and products based on popular properties includes Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, Emily the Strange, Tim Burton, Trigun, Serenity and Domo. Today, Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic-book publisher in the U.S. and is recognized as one of the world's leading publisher of licensed comics material.



About Showtime Networks Inc.

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.
PRESS RELEASE:



Are you a fan of the 1960s Batman TV show? Going to the C2E2 in Chicago on Sunday, April 18th?



There’s more to Adam West's BATMAN show than “Biff! Bam! Pow!” and “Holy-This-or-That!” Join writer / editor Jim Beard and comics star MARK WAID as they discuss the significance and meaning of the most maligned television show of all-time.



Beard will also speak about his upcoming Sequart book, GOTHAM CITY 14 MILES, a fresh, new examination of the infamous 1960s Batman TV series. (The book’s cover will also be unveiled at the panel.) Whether you love or hate the show, you need to attend this panel!



Check the panel programming guide for the CSC: VISUAL ANALYSIS panel, which will run on Sunday from 12:15pm to 1:45pm in room E266.



Best,



Mike Phillips

Sequart Research & Literacy Organization
DC Comic-Con Inaugural Event Announcement


Washington, DC - April 15, 2010 - Marc Nathan, promoter of the Baltimore Comic-Con, and Brett Carreras, promoter of the VA Comicon, are proud to jointly announce the inaugural DC Comic-Con. The show will be held on Sunday, May 2nd, 2010 (the day after Free Comic Book Day) from 10am-5pm in the Student Union Building II (SUB II) at George Mason University (GMU) in Fairfax, VA.

Admission to the show is only $5! GMU students, faculty, and staff get in free! All active military personnel with current military IDs get in free!

The show will feature an amazing guest list for an inaugural show, a show exclusive comic, a full room of brick-and-mortar retailers bringing Golden Age, Silver Age, and modern comics inventories, manga and anime products, and toys! There will also be a sanctioned Magic the Gathering tournament!

Guests
Our guests for this premiere event include: Frank Cho (Mighty Avengers), Herb Trimpe (Incredible Hulk), JG Jones (52), the Fillbach Brothers (Clone Wars Adventures) sponsored by Laughing Ogre Comics, the Luna Brothers (The Sword) sponsored by Laughing Ogre Comics, Steve Conley (Star Trek Omnibus: The Original Series), John K. Snyder III (Doctor Mid-Nite) sponsored by the Hero Initiative, and Jo Chen (Runaways) sponsored by the Hero Initiative.

Show Exclusive Comic and Giveaways
Thanks to our friends at Top Cow Productions, the DC Comic-Con will be offering a show-exclusive Witchblade #136 DC Comic-Con Variant by co-headlining guest JG Jones. This exclusive comic will be available in very limited quantities at the Hero Initiative booth, and is selling for only $5, of which $1 goes to the Hero Initiative.

Additionally, the first 500 attendees will receive a copy of the Overstreet Guide to Collecting Comics, Gemstone's 2010 Free Comic Book Day publication.

Sanctioned Magic the Gathering Tournament
A special Magic the Gathering -- Rise of the Eldrazi tournament with a massive prize pool will be held at the show. Each player will receive six unopened boosters from the new Rise of the Eldrazi set, and players will then construct a deck from those boosters (free extra lands provided). The tournament will be played in Swiss Rounds, and will begin promptly at 10am when the doors open.

To participate in this sanctioned event, entry is $19 through May 1st or $22 at the door (participants must also purchase a separate convention admission ticket). The show will be open 2 hours past the scheduled conclusion of the tournament so that players will have plenty of time to check out the main showroom.

Participants may pre-register for the Magic Tournament over the phone with a major credit card (call 703-241-9393) or in person at Victory Comics, 586 S. Washington St., Falls Church, VA 22046-4415.

Directions
The show will be held at the George Mason University campus at 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030 in the Student Union Building II (SUB II). Free Parking is available in Lot A (beside the Patriot Center), which is a short walk from SUB II. A map of the campus can be found at http://parking.gmu.edu/pdf%20files/parkingmap09.pdf, and directions to the show can be found on the show website at http://dccomicon.com/?page_id=63.

About The DC Comic-Con
The DC Comic-Con, launching in 2010 on Sunday, May 2nd from 10am-5pm, is a result of the cooperative work of Marc Nathan, sponsor of the Baltimore Comic-Con (http://www.baltimorecomiccon.com/) and Brett Carreras, sponsor of the VA Comicon (http://www.vacomicon.com/). For more information, please visit http://dccomicon.com/.
NEW MULTIPLE-BOOK DEAL FOR KAREN MARIE MONING

Delacorte Press has signed Karen Marie Moning for three new novels that will spin off from her New York Times bestselling Fever series, it was announced today by Gina Centrello, President and Publisher of the Random House Publishing Group, who acquired US/Canadian rights from Amy Berkower at Writer’s House. Moning’s longtime editor, Shauna Summers, will edit the books.

“We are delighted to continue our long publishing relationship with Karen,” comments Centrello. “The excitement and devotion Karen has created with the Fever series has been tremendous and we can’t wait to see what she does next.” The four previous novels in Moning’s Fever series were New York Times bestsellers with the last two books debuting at #3. The series also has been sold in 14 languages. Delacorte will publish SHADOWFEVER, the fifth and final novel in the series, in December. Based on the sales growth and monumental enthusiasm of Moning’s fans (commonly known as “Moning Maniacs”) for the series so far, Centrello expects SHADOWFEVER to be Moning’s biggest bestseller yet. To that end, RHPG has a year-long marketing campaign in anticipation of the December publication.

Additionally, Random House, under the Del Rey imprint, has acquired world rights to an original graphic novel by Moning, a story that will link the events of the Fever series with those of her new trilogy. The project will be edited by Betsy Mitchell, Editor-in-Chief of Del Rey. Moning joins Del Rey’s list of other original graphic novels set in the world of such bestselling authors as Dean Koontz, Diana Gabaldon, Jim Butcher and Kim Harrison.

Moning began her writing career at Dell in 1999 and has won many awards including the prestigious RITA award from the Romance Writers of America.

###
IN THE WINDY CITY WITH IMAGE COMICS
Image Comics announces its C2E2 2010 lineup

Berkeley, CA - 15 April 2010 - It's hot in the Windy City of Chicago as Image Comics gets ready for the inaugural edition of C2E2 (Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo). It'll only get hotter at the Image Comics booth, #651, when the show gets started Friday, April 16th!

Don't miss RYAN OTTLEY (INVINCIBLE) and JASON HOWARD (THE ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN), who will be with us at the Image Comics booth, #651. You’ll also be able to find RICHARD STARKINGS (ELEPHANTMEN), and a slew of other Image creators will be stopping by for signings!

PANELS

SATURDAY, 12:30 - 1:30 p.m., E353 - The Image Comics Show
The world's greatest creator-owned comics publisher makes their C2E2 debut with a flurry of announcements and guest stars galore! Be there to find out the next word on what Image has in store for 2010 including never-before-revealed news and art! Panelists include JIM VALENTINO (SHADOWHAWK), NICK SPENCER (EXISTENCE, SHUDDERTOWN), TIM SEELEY (HACK/SLASH), RICHARD STARKINGS (ELEPHANTMEN), and BEN McCOOL (CHOKER).

SUNDAY, 12:30 - 1:30 p.m., E353 - Creating Creator Owned Comics the Image Comics Way
Want to bring your own vision to comics? Learn how from the people who do it best! Join a selection of some of Image's finest for a roundtable discussion on the creative process and tips on perfecting your pitch. This will also include a question and answer session, giving you the chance to talk to the pros who have made their dreams their reality! Panelists include FRANK CHO (LIBERTY MEADOWS), BEN TEMPLESMITH (CHOKER), TIM SEELEY (HACK/SLASH), and JIMMY PALMIOTTI (BACK TO BROOKLYN).

AUTOGRAPHS

FRIDAY
1:00 – 2:00 p.m. BEN TEMPLESMITH and BEN McCOOL

SATURDAY
12:30 – 1:30 p.m. JIMMY PALMIOTTI

2:00 – 3:00 p.m. TIM SEELEY

3:00 – 4:00 p.m. NICK SPENCER and JIM VALENTINO

Come by the Image Comics booth for the best in creator owned comics, updates on signing schedules, and a chance to meet some of your favorite creators! Don't miss Image Comics at C2E2 2010, booth #651!

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 four major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

TURF #1 SOLD OUT
Second printing of TURF #1 to be available with TURF #2

Berkeley, CA - 13 April 2010 - The first issue of writer Jonathan Ross and artist Tommy Lee Edwards' critically acclaimed miniseries is sold out at the distributor level, and publisher Image Comics is rushing a second printing to press.

"This is so cool!" Ross exclaims. "Hope everyone who bought this debut issue is going to stick with us to the end because we have some insane stuff planned for this book!"

"I am so proud of the work that Jonathan and I have put into TURF and am really glad that the first issue has been received so well," adds Edwards. "Doing a second printing will hopefully ensure that our series gets into enough readers' hands and get them hooked, because the whole thing just gets better and better with each following issue."

Image Publisher Eric Stephenson says, "I'm ecstatic that the first issue of TURF has sold out. Jonathan and Tommy have worked so hard on this book, and they deserve all of the praise they've received for TURF."

TURF: New York, 1929. The height of prohibition. The cops turn a blind eye while the mobs run the city, dealing in guns, girls and illegal liquor. But the arrival of the mysterious Dragonmir Family from Eastern Europe with more of a taste for blood then booze coincides with a series of brutal attacks on the gangsters themselves. As the gangs fall before the fangs, only a handful of mobsters survive. But an unlikely alliance formed between tough guy Eddie Falco and a character from a LONG way from New York City -- a long way from Earth in fact -- offers the humans a glimmer of hope. As the strong willed young reporter Susie Dale from the Gotham Herald tries to survive in the middle of the maelstrom and an ancient prophecy unfolds, no one can guess who's going to win the battle for this particular slice of Turf.

TURF #1 Second Printing, a 32-page full color comic book for $2.99, will be in stores May 19, 2010, the same day as TURF #2 (MAR100405).

Some praise for TURF #1:

"This is a striking debut by Ross into comic book writing! ...Ross and Edwards have created such vibrant characters that they extend past any sort of cliché that they might have otherwise been stuck in. "
--Comic Book Resources

"TURF spins a great tale that mixes genres perfectly."
--Major Spoilers

"Ross creates a living, breathing world in which fantasy and reality blend together with a true sense depth, and it acts as an anchor for all of the characters and the actions that take place on the page... Don't miss a truly original piece."
--Multiversity Comics

"The story suggests it's ready to spring to weird life, which is a good thing for a first issue to do. And perhaps most importantly, the issue took me a lot longer to read than the typical five minutes it takes me to read a comic these days..."
--IGN

"Edwards' lines make the NYC of TURF seem very real, it's down and dirty, it's corrupt, but yet he also makes the more fantastical elements feel like they fit. Vampires and Aliens, Edwards makes it all seem like one, very real world."
--The Outhouse

"TURF is a hugely impressive debut that, as unlikely as it sounds, may possibly mark the entrance of a major new talent on the scene."
--Paradox Comics Group

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 four major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, 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.
BOOM KIDS!
& DISNEY PUBLISHING WORLDWIDE
PROUDLY ANNOUNCE THE NEW EPIC
“MICKEY MOUSE ON
QUANDOMAI ISLAND”
BY MODERN MASTER CASTY
IN WALT DISNEY’S COMICS #707




April 14th, 2010 – Los Angeles, CA - BOOM Kids! is proud to announce the upcoming release of the brand-new epic adventure “Mickey Mouse on Quandomai Island” in the pages of WALT DISNEY’S COMICS this summer! Written and drawn by Italian modern Mickey master Casty, the creative mastermind behind this Spring’s instant classic “Mickey Mouse and the World to Come,” this story finds Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto and Pete shipwrecked on the mysterious Quandomai Island, where ancient beasts run wild and nothing is as it seems!

BOOM Kids! is pleased that the release of part 1 of “Mickey Mouse on Quandomai Island,” happening this June, comes hot on the heels of the story’s initial Italian release this past Spring! Mickey fans the world over will revel in this brand-sparkling-new, cutting-edge story by a world-famous creator at the top of his game!

“Casty is a modern master that soon will be spoken about in the same breath as Floyd Gottfredson, Romano Scarpa and William Van Horn,” says BOOM Kids! Editor Aaron Sparrow. “It’s exciting to bring this brand-new Mickey epic adventure to North American audiences so soon after its Italian premiere.”

The four part serial “Mickey Mouse on Quandomai Island” premieres in WALT DISNEY’S COMICS #707 this June, featuring a cover by Jonathan Gray, and a wrap-around cover by Casty and is translated by Disney comics fan-favorites David Gerstein and Jonathan Gray! The full-color comic is 24 pages at $2.99 - so there’s no reason not to take a vacation to Quandomai Island this summer! WALT DISNEY’S COMICS #707 carries a Diamond Code of MAR100826.

About BOOM! Studios
BOOM! Studios (www.boom-studios.com) is a unique publishing house specializing in high-profile projects across a wide variety of different genres from some of the industry's biggest talents, including Philip K. Dick's DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP?, The Henson Company's FARSCAPE, and the original Mark Waid series IRREDEEMABLE. BOOM! recently launched its youth imprint, BOOM Kids!, with Pixar's THE INCREDIBLES, CARS, and TOY STORY, as well as Disney's THE MUPPETS, DONALD DUCK, UNCLE SCROOGE and WALT DISNEY'S COMICS AND STORIES. This year, BOOM! Studios celebrates its fifth anniversary.

About Disney Publishing Worldwide
Disney Publishing Worldwide (DPW) is the world's largest publisher of children's books and magazines, with over 250 million children's books and over 400 million children's magazines sold each year. DPW's business units include: Disney Global Magazines, Disney English, and Disney Global Book Group. Disney Global Books and Global Magazines encompass a extensive worldwide licensing structure; Disney Book Group consists of vertically integrated publishing imprints in the U.S. which include Disney Editions, Disney-Hyperion, Disney-Jump at the Sun and Disney Press. In addition, Disney Libri, DPW's Italian vertical operation, publishes books for children of all ages. DPW's Global Magazines publishes a range of children's magazines globally and also family titles in the U.S., which include: Disney FamilyFun and Disney en Familia. Disney English is DPW's English language learning business, including Disney English schools in China and a worldwide retail licensing program. Headquartered in White Plains, NY, Disney Publishing Worldwide publishes books and magazines in 85 languages in 75 countries.
BLACK PHOENIX ALCHEMY LAB
RELEASES FRAGRANCE LINE
BASED ON BOOM! STUDIOS'
EISNER AWARD-NOMINATED SERIES
IRREDEEMABLE

TWO ADDITIONAL SCENTS "SKY CITY (BEFORE)" &
"SKY CITY (AFTER)" ARE C2E2 SHOW EXCLUSIVES
AND ONE SCENT "TONY" CAN ONLY BE FOUND AT
THE IRREDEEMABLE 1ST BIRTHDAY PARTY
AT CHALLENGERS COMICS, APRIL 16th, 2010 8pm




April 14, 2010, Los Angeles, CA - Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab (BPAL) will launch a line of perfume oils based on the characters and settings of Mark Waid and Peter Krause’s Eisner Award Nominated series, Irredeemable, at C2E2 on April 16, 2010.



PLUTONIAN

Soapy cleanliness sullied by blood and ashes.



KAIDAN

Rosehip, plum blossom, white sandalwood, jonquil, and amber-laden incense.



YUREI

White tea, hibiscus, Arabian sandalwood, white amber, white tea, ho leaf, pale Japanese flowers, and vetiver.



ALANA PATEL

Faded perfume, cigarette smoke, and gin.



BETTE NOIR

Benzoin, wild plum, smoky amber, bergamot, orange blossom, myrrh, and dark berries.



VOLT

Leather with a shock of eucalyptus, green mint, elemi, ravintsara and lime.



MR. QUIBT

Gleaming metal, electrical discharge, and a whiff of tinny cologne.




Additionally, two scents will be available only at C2E2:



SKY CITY (BEFORE)


Urban paradise: fresh air, lush green parks dotted with dandelions, blooming gardens, glossy marble, shining metal, and a hint of asphalt.



SKY CITY (AFTER)


The smoldering ashes of a dead city: smoke and cinders, scorched wood, creosote, tar-smeared concrete, singed bone, and dried blood.



Also, don’t miss out on one very exclusive scent, Tony, available only at the IRREDEEMABLE 1st Birthday Party At Challengers Comics:




TONY

Soap and water, hair gel, and a hint of aftershave.



What: THE IRREDEEMABLE 1ST BIRTHDAY PARTY WITH MARK WAID
Where: Challengers Comics + Conversation located at 1845 N. Western Ave. 2R Chicago, IL 60647 (PH: 773.278.0155 / www.challengerscomics.com)
When: April 16th, 2010 8pm



The scents will retail for $26 each, and will be available from the Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab booth at C2E2 (booth #951) and at www.blackphoenixalchemylab.com afterwards.

About Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab
Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab (www.blackphoenixalchemylab.com) is a cult perfume house that crafts hand-blended body and household scents. They have over two decades of experience in the field, and specialize in eliciting emotional responses through perfume while creating unique scent environments that capture legends and folklore, poetry, and the stuff of dreams and nightmares


Black Phoenix has several literature-based fragrance lines, including Alice in Wonderland, and the works of Neil Gaiman, and H.P. Lovecraft. With the success of scent lines created to benefit the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and the Hero Initiative, they have found themselves in demand as a creator of fragrances based on comic properties.




About BOOM! Studios
BOOM! Studios (www.boom-studios.com) is a unique publishing house specializing in high-profile projects across a wide variety of different genres from some of the industry's biggest talents, including Philip K. Dick's DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP?, The Henson Company's FARSCAPE, and the original Mark Waid series IRREDEEMABLE. BOOM! recently launched its youth imprint, BOOM Kids!, with Pixar's THE INCREDIBLES, CARS, and TOY STORY, as well as Disney's THE MUPPETS, DONALD DUCK, UNCLE SCROOGE and WALT DISNEY'S COMICS AND STORIES. This year, BOOM! Studios celebrates its fifth anniversary.
LEGENDARY CREATOR OF SPAWN TO HAUNT THE CON

Todd McFarlane to attend Phoenix ComiCon



Phoenix, AZ March 28, 2010: Todd McFarlane is a comic book superstar due to his work on Marvel Comic's Spider-Man franchise in the late 1980's and early 90's. His reputation soared when, in 1992, McFarlane helped form Image Comics and published Issue #1 of Spawn, which sold 1.7 million copies, a record for an independent comic book.



McFarlane's first published work was a 1984 backup story in Epic Comics' Coyote. He soon began drawing for both DC Comics and Marvel, adding his flair to Batman: Year Two and Incredible Hulk. In 1990, McFarlane wrote, penciled, and inked Spider-Man. Spider-Man #1 became the best-selling comic book of all time, topping over 2.5 million copies.



"There aren't enough words to express the level of excitement making its way through the volunteer grapevine about the addition of Todd McFarlane to the lineup," Matt Solberg, Convention Director stated, "He has a lot of admirers here."



In recent years, McFarlane has illustrated comic books less often, focusing on entrepreneurial efforts, such as McFarlane Toys, which has licensed the right to produce action figures of athletes in all four major North American sports, and successful film franchises, including The Terminator, The Matrix and Shrek. He has also created Todd McFarlane Entertainment, a film and animation studio which produced the animated series Todd McFarlane’s Spawn, and received two Primetime Emmy awards for his efforts. Several other film projects are in the works, including a collaboration with horror/fantasy icon Clive Barker, based on the Clive Barker's Tortured Souls series of action figures released by McFarlane Toys.



In October 2009 Image Comics debuted the comic book series Haunt, created by Robert Kirkman and Todd McFarlane. The series focuses on a pair of brothers, one living and one not, who unite in one corporeal form for a series of supernatural James Bond-inspired adventures.



"Todd McFarlane never stops coming up with great things for us, his fans," said Joe Boudrie, Phoenix Comicon Programming Director, "I mean, look at his action figures. They're the best!"



Phoenix ComiCon is the signature pop culture event of the southwest, presenting guests and programming for hobbyists and fans by attracting the top segments of the comics, anime, sci-fi, film, TV, and gaming industries. Entering its ninth year, Phoenix ComiCon is expected to draw over 10,000+ attendees to its May 27-30, 2010 convention held at the Phoenix Convention Center and Hyatt Regency located in downtown Phoenix.



For more information, please go to http://www.phoenixcomicon.com.
PRESS RELEASE:



Are you a fan of the 1960s Batman TV show? Going to the C2E2 in Chicago on Sunday, April 18th?



There’s more to Adam West's BATMAN show than “Biff! Bam! Pow!” and “Holy-This-or-That!” Join writer / editor Jim Beard and comics star MARK WAID as they discuss the significance and meaning of the most maligned television show of all-time.



Beard will also speak about his upcoming Sequart book, GOTHAM CITY 14 MILES, a fresh, new examination of the infamous 1960s Batman TV series. (The book’s cover will also be unveiled at the panel.) Whether you love or hate the show, you need to attend this panel!



Check the panel programming guide for the CSC: VISUAL ANALYSIS panel, which will run on Sunday from 12:15pm to 1:45pm in room E266.



Best,



Mike Phillips

Sequart Research & Literacy Organization

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

BOOM! STUDIOS @ C2E2 '10
BOOTH #359

SIX EXCLUSIVE C2E2 VARIANTS




SPECIAL C2E2 ONLY
IRREDEEMABLE ART CARD
SIGNED BY MARK WAID



AVAILABLE ONLY AT
WAID'S IRREDEEMABLE PANEL


BOOM! STUDIOS, BLACK PHOENIX ALCHEMY LABS
AND CHALLENGER COMICS + CONVERSATION HOST
THE IRREDEEMABLE 1ST BIRTHDAY PARTY
FRIDAY APRIL 16TH 2010, 8pm!



BOOM! STUDIOS GUESTS INCLUDE:

EISNER AWARD NOMINATED IRREDEEMABLE/INCORRUPTIBLES's
Mark Waid
28 DAYS LATER's Michael Alan Nelson & Declan Shalvey
FARSCAPE's Keith R.A. DeCandido
FARSCAPE: SCORPIUS' David Alan Mack & Will Sliney
THE MUPPET SHOW COMIC BOOK/MUPPET PETER PAN's
Amy Mebberson
TOY STORY 's Jesse Blaze Snider
MR. STUFFINS' Johanna Stokes

GET YOUR OWN "GET-A-SKETCH" VARIANT COVER FOR
THE MUPPET SHOW COMIC BOOK
& RECEIVE A UNIQUE SKETCH FROM ARTIST
AMY MEBBERSON



SCHEDULED SIGNINGS & PANELS



Friday, April 16, 2010 - Booth #359
All Day – Signing with Keith R.A. DeCandido, David Alan Mack, Amy Mebberson (signing & sketching), Michael Alan Nelson, Declan Shalvey, Will Sliney, Jesse Blaze Snider, Johanna Stokes at BOOM! Booth.
12:00 – 1:00pm – Mark Waid signing at BOOM! Booth.
3:00 – 4:00pm – Mark Waid signing at BOOM! Booth.
4:30 – 5:30pm – Mark Waid Takes On The Trivia Fans (Variant Stage)
6:30 – 7:30pm – BOOM!'s IRREDEEMABLE One Year Anniversary Panel (E350)
8:00pm – 12:00am – The IRREDEEMABLE 1st Birthday Party w/ Mark Waid
Where: Challengers Comics + Conversation located at 1845 N. Western Ave. 2R Chicago, IL 60647 (PH: 773.278.0155 / www.challengerscomics.com)



Saturday, April 17, 2010 - Booth #359
All Day – Signing with Keith R.A. DeCandido, David Alan Mack, Amy Mebberson (signing & sketching), Michael Alan Nelson, Declan Shalvey, Will Sliney, Jesse Blaze Snider, Johanna Stokes at BOOM! Booth.
10:00 – 10:50am – Mark Waid signing at BOOM! Booth.
11:00 – 12:00pm – BOOM! Studios & BOOM Kids! Panel. (E350)
1:45 – 2:45pm – Jeff Smith Spotlight with Moderator Mark Waid. (E353)
3:00 – 4:00pm – Lance Briggs: Comic Fanboy Dream Come True w/ Mark Waid and more (E353)
5:00 – 6:00pm – Mark Waid signing at BOOM! Booth.

Sunday, April 3, 2010 - Booth #359
All Day – Signing with Keith R.A. DeCandido, David Alan Mack, Amy Mebberson (signing & sketching), Michael Alan Nelson, Declan Shalvey, Will Sliney, Jesse Blaze Snider, Johanna Stokes at BOOM! Booth.
10:00 – 11:00am – Mark Waid signing at BOOM! Booth.
1:15 – 2:15pm – Indie Is In with Moderator, Mark Waid. (E450)
3:00 – 4:00pm – Mark Waid signing at BOOM! Booth.

The 2010 BOOM! Studios' LIGHT THE FUSE convention tour continues at C2E2 2010. Here are the full tour dates:



BOOM! STUDIOS

LIGHT THE FUSE TOUR 2010

Keep an eye out for us, we might be coming to a town near you!



April 24-25 - Calgary Entertainment Expo - Calgary Canada
April 24-25 - L.A. Times Festival of Books - L.A, California
May 22 - Summit City Comic Con - Fort Wayne, IN
May 27-30 - Phoenix Comicon - Phoenix, Arizona
May 25-27 - Book Expo America - New York, New York
June 4-6 - HeroesCon - Charlotte, North Carolina
June 25-28 - ALA Annual Conference and Exhibition - Washington DC
July 21-25 - Comic-Con International - San Diego, California
August 27-29 - Fan Expo Canada - Toronto,Canada
August 28-29 - Baltimore Comic-Con - Baltimore, MD
October 8-10 - New York Comic Con - New York, New York
October 29-31 - Long Beach Comic Con - L.A., California


About BOOM! Studios
BOOM! Studios (http://www.boom-studios.com) is a unique publishing house specializing in high-profile projects across a wide variety of different genres from some of the industry’s biggest talents, including Philip K. Dick’s DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP?, The Henson Company’s FARSCAPE, and the original Mark Waid series IRREDEEMABLE. BOOM!’s children publishing imprint BOOM Kids! publishes titles such as Pixar’s THE INCREDIBLES, CARS, and TOY STORY, as well as Disney’s THE MUPPETS, DONALD DUCK, UNCLE SCROOGE and WALT DISNEY’S COMICS AND STORIES.
THE FINAL CUT
THE SWORD wraps up with issue #24 and parties on both coasts

Berkeley, CA - 13 April 2010 - The Luna Brothers' critically acclaimed series THE SWORD, published by Image Comics, ends with issue #24, and it will go out with panache at two back-to-back wrap parties in New York City and Los Angeles.

On Thursday, May 13th, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., the Luna Brothers will appear at MIDTOWN COMICS - Grand Central (459 Lexington Avenue, corner of 45th Street, New York City, NY; www.midtowncomics.com). Then, the Luna Brothers fly to the Left Coast on Friday, May 14, where they will be at GOLDEN APPLE COMICS (7018 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA; www.goldenapplecomics.com) from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. An exclusive SWORD print will be available at both events (limited to 100 copies per event), and the Luna Brothers will be signing at both events. The Golden Apple Comics event will also feature a reading of the script for the final issue.

"We're really excited to celebrate THE SWORD with all of the fans," say the Luna Brothers. "We've spent a little over two years on this series, and the fans have been there every step of the way. We hope that everyone has a great time at these events!"

THE SWORD tells the story of Dara Brighton, a young woman who witnesses the murder of her family at the hands of three very powerful elemental beings who are after a sword in her father's possession. In the aftermath, Dara attains the sword, which gives her incredible abilities beyond her wildest imagination. In THE SWORD #24, Dara Brighton's epic quest for revenge against the three elementals who murdered her family comes to its conclusion.

THE SWORD #24 (MAR100401), a 40-page full color comic book for $4.99, will be in stores May 12, 2010. Also available are THE SWORD: FIRE, collecting issues #1-6; THE SWORD: WATER, collecting issues #7-12; and THE SWORD: EARTH, collecting issues #13-18.

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 four major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, 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.

Monday, April 12, 2010

DARK HORSE TO KICK OFF

NEW GOLD KEY COMICS PROGRAM AT C2E2!



LEGENDARY CREATORS JIM SHOOTER AND MIKE RICHARDSON TO RE-INTRODUCE FANS

TO THESE ICONIC SUPERHEROES



MILWAUKIE, OR (APRIL 12, 2010)–Dark Horse and Classic Media announced today that this weekend’s C2E2 convention will be the launch for the much-anticipated new Gold Key Comics program. Fans will have the chance to meet Dark Horse President Mike Richardson and creator Jim Shooter, and gain insider information on what to expect from this summer’s upcoming releases. News of the line was first announced at San Diego Comic Con International 2009, and fans have been anxiously awaiting details ever since.

“Jim and I share a great affection for these terrific characters. We have some very exciting ideas on how to introduce them to a whole new generation of fans.” said Mike Richardson, president of Dark Horse Comics. “C2E2 is just the beginning.”

“I've done this long enough to know when it feels right -- and it does -- so there's a chance, at least, that it is. I stand on the shoulders of giants like Manning, Newman and Du Bois,” said Jim Shooter. “On top of that I've had terrific support from Mike Richardson and Senior Editor Chris Warner, plus great art from Bill Reinhold and Dennis Calero. Overture, curtain, lights...!”

In addition, throughout the C2E2 weekend, Dark Horse will announce the creative teams and more titles in the works for Gold Key. Then, the new line will kick off in print only a few weeks later, on Saturday, May 1st, as part of Free Comic Book Day, and fans can look for exciting promotional Apps on iTunes in early May.

Doctor Solar, the first title in the line, will arrive in stores this summer!



About Dark Horse Comics



Since 1986, 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 like Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Neil Gaiman, Gerard Way, Will Eisner, and bestselling prose author, Janet Evanovich, Dark Horse has developed such successful characters as The Mask, Timecop, and SpyBoy. Additionally, their highly successful line of comics and products based on popular properties includes Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, Mass Effect, Tim Burton, Serenity and Domo. Today, Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic-book publisher in the United States and is recognized as both an innovator in the cause of creator rights and the comics industry's leading publisher of licensed material.



About Classic Media™


Classic Media, one of the world’s largest independent entertainment companies, is a leader in reinventing the classics of yesterday and creating the entertainment classics of tomorrow. The Company owns and manages a globally-recognized portfolio of well-known family and pop-culture entertainment brands, including Casper the Friendly Ghost®, Where’s Waldo?®, The Lone Ranger®, Gold Key Comics, Lassie®, Postman Pat®, and new global brands Tinga Tinga Tales® and Guess with Jess®. Big Idea, a member of the Classic Media family, is the leading faith-based studio and producer of children’s programming, including the best-selling animated series, VeggieTales®. More than 3,600 hours of Classic Media programming is distributed in more than 170 territories worldwide and showcased in multiple formats, including TV, film, home video, consumer products, publishing, digital, and music.
ELEPHANTMEN HEADING TO THE BIG SCREEN
Zucker Productions adapting ELEPHANTMEN for major motion picture

Berkeley, CA - 12 April 2010 - Comicraft/Active Images is proud to announce the option of their Image Comics series ELEPHANTMEN by Zucker Productions for major motion picture development.

The treatment for the movie is being drafted by Richard Starkings, creator and writer of ELEPHANTMEN. Starkings shares, "I'm very pleased to be working with producer Janet Zucker and everyone at Zucker Productions. Janet has a wonderful instinct for story and totally understands the more subtle tones of the ELEPHANTMEN series."

"Richard has created a world of implausible ideas and impossible characters, a world where transgenic animals and human beings come together in a dark, yet hopeful universe," says Janet Zucker. "Jerry (Zucker, Director of GHOST) and I can't wait to bring the stories of Hip, Horn and Sahara to life on screen in a way that will simply take your breath away

Starkings was approached by a number of companies and directors interested in optioning the project, but until recently he brushed them away, preferring to concentrate on putting out a good book. "On the road to the creation of ELEPHANTMEN, I talked to everyone else in the business and listened to their advice. It's taken a very long time to build the series -- I created these characters fifteen years ago -- and I'm very grateful for our loyal readers and the incredible professional support that the book has received." says Starkings. "I didn't set out with a movie in mind, but I am grateful that this opportunity has come along and allows me to continue to write something that is very dear to me."

ELEPHANTMEN is an Eisner Award winning series first published in 2002 under Starkings' Active Images imprint. In 2006 Image Comics approached Starkings to bring the book under their umbrella. The story of the Elephantmen takes place in Los Angeles in the not too distant future -- in a world where human/animal hybrids were created to fight a war between Africa and China. Scarred by their experiences in war and seeking to somehow find their own humanity, the Elephantmen are now scattered throughout the world amongst the humans they were created to kill. ELEPHANTMEN is a brilliant commentary on racism, miscegenation, global warming, stem cell research and warfare. Created and written by Starkings, the series features artwork by Ladrönn, Moritat and Boo Cook.

ELEPHANTMEN #25 (DEC090405), a 32-page full color comic book for $3.50, will be in stores on April 21, 2010. Collections of the ongoing series include ELEPHANTMEN 01: NO SURRENDER, ELEPHANTMEN 02: WOUNDED ANIMALS and ELEPHANTMEN 03: DANGEROUS LIASONS. Also available: ELEPHANTMEN: HIP FLASK: UNNATURAL SELECTION, ELEPHANTMEN: HIP FLASK: CONCRETE JUNGEL, ELEPHANTMEN: CAPTAIN STONEHEART AND THE TRUTH FAIRY and ELEPHANTMEN: ART OF LADRÖNN.

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 four major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, 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.
Cartoonist Teams With Lake County Captains For Unique Promotion.


In a creative addition to the national Free Comic Book Day event, cartoonist Thom Zahler Has teamed with the Lake County Captains baseball team to create the team’s first ever comic book, “Captains Comics: Baseball Beyond The Stars”. This special eight page comic book will be given away to the first 1,000 fans, ages 12 and under, attending the Captains’ Saturday May 1st home game.


Started in 2002, Free Comic Book Day is held each year on the first Saturday in May. During this special day, people all across the United States and Canada are invited to go to their local comic book speciality store and receive a free comic book courtesy of a number of major comic book publishers. Thom Zahler and his Timberlake, Ohio based Maerkle Press are “silver” sponsors of Free Comic Book Day, spotlighting Zahler’s popular “Love and Capes” comic book.


While the Lake County Captains have teamed with Zahler in both 2007 and 2008 to distribute Love and Capes to their fans on Free Comic Book Day, this is the first time any organization has created their own comic book to distribute as an exclusive tie-in. Co-sponsored by Comic Haven of Willoughby and Laronge Wagner Realty of Mayfield, Ohio, “Captains Comics” will feature team characters including: Captain Clipper, Skipper, Skippy, Grover and the three fish: Willy Walleye, Buster Bluegill and Pauley Perch. The story is written and illustrated by Thom Zahler.


The Lake County Captains are a Class A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians and play their home games at Classic Park in Eastlake, Ohio, at the corner of State Route 91 and Vine Street. For more information on the Captains, please visit the team's official website at www.CaptainsBaseball.com.

Thom Zahler is the writer and artist on the superhero situation comedy comic book, Love and Capes. The first collection, Love and Capes: Do You Want to Know a Secret, has been released by IDW Publishing (ISBN-13: 9781600102752) and is now available from major booksellers like Borders, Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com. The second collection, Love and Capes: Going To The Chapel, (ISBN: 9781600106804), also published by IDW Publishing, will be released later this year. Love and Capes issue #13 will make it's national debut on Free Comic Book Day. In addition, fans of the series can now also enjoy it on their iPhones. For more information on Love and Capes, visit, www.loveandcapes.com.
YOU'VE NEVER SEEN THE OLD WEST
LIKE THIS BEFORE!

BOOM STUDIOS DEBUTS
PALE HORSE
THIS JUNE




"Behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death"
— Rev. 6:8

Covers by HELLBLAZER artist Leonardo Manco
Interior Art by ROBIN and DEADPOOL artist Christian Dibari




April 12, 2010 - Los Angeles, CA - BOOM! Studios redefines the western genre with the debut of their new mini-series PALE HORSE, written by 28 DAYS LATER scribe Michael Alan Nelson, hitting stores this June. Covers are by HELLBLAZER artist Leonardo Manco and Robert Adler, with interior art by ROBIN and DEADPOOL artist Christian Dibari.

To commemorate this announcement, BOOM! Studios has released a full seven page preview of PALE HORSE #1 here:

PALE HORSE tells the tale of ex-slave and former Union soldier Cole, who has spent the years following the Civil War building a reputation as the most fearsome bounty hunter in the land. But when the tables turn and a bounty is placed on Cole’s head, all hell breaks loose. Finding himself unable to protect the thing most precious to him — his family — Cole goes on a rampage of revenge, leaving only a trail of blood in his wake. With nothing but his horse, his one surviving son and his gun, Cole’s rampage leaves no stone unturned and no culprit alive.

"This is not you grandaddy's western!" says BOOM! Studios Managing Editor Matt Gagnon. "The team of Nelson, DiBari, Manco and Adler bring comic fans a whole new look for the western and take the readers on an intense ride. The action is non-stop and the grit of world is palpable. Saddle up for a new vision of the old west!"

PALE HORSE #1 is written by Michael Alan Nelson with interior art by Christian Dibari and covers by Leonardo Manco and Robert Adler. The four issue mini-series carried a Diamond Code of APR100829 and debuts this June.

About BOOM! Studios
BOOM! Studios (www.boom-studios.com) is a unique publishing house specializing in high-profile projects across a wide variety of different genres from some of the industry's biggest talents, including Philip K. Dick's DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP?, The Henson Company's FARSCAPE, and the original Mark Waid series IRREDEEMABLE. BOOM! recently launched its youth imprint, BOOM Kids!, with Pixar's THE INCREDIBLES, CARS, and TOY STORY, as well as Disney's THE MUPPETS, DONALD DUCK, UNCLE SCROOGE and WALT DISNEY'S COMICS AND STORIES. This year, BOOM! Studios celebrates its fifth anniversary.
THE WAIT IS OVER!
EISNER AWARD-WINNING
LIFE & TIMES OF SCROOGE MCDUCK
FINALLY BACK IN PRINT!

VOL. 1 IN STORES NOW
VOL. 2 HITS STORE SHELVES THIS WEEK




Greed is Good!





April 12, 2010 - Los Angeles, CA - BOOM Kids! proudly brings back to print Don Rosa’s Eisner award-winning masterpiece THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SCROOGE MCDUCK this year in a two-volume deluxe hardcover set. These gorgeous hardcovers feature an all new cover design, smyth sewn binding, a gold-on-gold foil-stamped case wrap and a gold bookmark ribbon — features befitting our favorite miser, Scrooge McDuck! Both volumes also feature commentary from legendary cartoonist Don Rosa!

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SCROOGE MCDUCK Volume 1, collecting the first six chapters, is available in stores now, with THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SCROOGE MCDUCK Volume 2, collecting the subsequent six chapters, available this week.

Written and drawn by renowned artist Don Rosa, THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SCROOGE MCDUCK chronicles the fascinating history of the richest duck in the world. See how Scrooge earned his 'Number One Dime' and began to build his fortune!

“What Rosa did in retelling the earliest events of one of Disney’s most memorable characters was a triumph of storytelling and a tribute to our medium,” said BOOM Kids! editor Aaron Sparrow. “We’re proud to be able to get this book back into print, and in an edition that would make Scrooge McDuck himself envious!”

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SCROOGE MCDUCK Hardcover Volume 1, out now, is 128 pages, has a suggested retail price of $24.99 and carries a Diamond Code of AUG090745. THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SCROOGE MCDUCK Hardcover Volume 2, out this week, will be 144 pages, has a suggested retail price of $24.99, and carries a Diamond Code of JAN100831.

About BOOM! Studios
BOOM! Studios (www.boom-studios.com) is a unique publishing house specializing in high-profile projects across a wide variety of different genres from some of the industry's biggest talents, including Philip K. Dick's DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP?, The Henson Company's FARSCAPE, and the original Mark Waid series IRREDEEMABLE. BOOM! recently launched its youth imprint, BOOM Kids!, with Disney/Pixar's THE INCREDIBLES, CARS, and TOY STORY, as well as Disney's THE MUPPETS, DONALD DUCK, UNCLE SCROOGE and WALT DISNEY'S COMICS AND STORIES. This year, BOOM! Studios celebrates its fifth anniversary.

About Disney Publishing Worldwide
Disney Publishing Worldwide (DPW) is the world's largest publisher of children's books and magazines, with over 250 million children's books and over 400 million children's magazines sold each year. DPW's business units include: Disney Global Magazines, Disney English, and Disney Global Book Group. Disney Global Books and Global Magazines encompass a extensive worldwide licensing structure; Disney Book Group consists of vertically integrated publishing imprints in the U.S. which include Disney Editions, Disney-Hyperion, Disney-Jump at the Sun and Disney Press. In addition, Disney Libri, DPW's Italian vertical operation, publishes books for children of all ages. DPW's Global Magazines publishes a range of children's magazines globally and also family titles in the U.S., which include: Disney FamilyFun and Disney en Familia. Disney English is DPW's English language learning business, including Disney English schools in China and a worldwide retail licensing program. Headquartered in White Plains, NY, Disney Publishing Worldwide publishes books and magazines in 85 languages in 75 countries.
PRESS RELEASE:

If you're a Grant Morrison fan and are going to be at the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2) on Saturday, April 17th, you won't want to miss the GRANT MORRISON DOCUMENTARY: TALKING WITH GODS panel. (Sequart and Respect! Films have produced an authorized feature-length documentary on comics legend Grant Morrison that features interviews with Morrison and many of his collaborators.)

Hosted by the director, Patrick Meaney (author of OUR SENTENCE IS UP: SEEING GRANT MORRISON'S THE INVISIBLES), the hour-long panel will feature 20 minutes of exclusive footage from the Morrison documentary, fun stories about the film crew hanging out with Grant, and the world-premier trailer for our next documentary (focusing on another BIG name in the industry)!

The panel will take place in room E271A from 1:45 to 2:45pm on Saturday, April 17th. And yes, there are some other interesting panels happening at the same time, BUT while the comic-book sites will report on those other panels, you won't be able to get another glimpse of this documentary until the SDCC or NYCC.

If you're a big Morrison fan, consider swinging by!

Best,

Mike Phillips
Sequart Research & Literacy Organization
BOSTON COMICS ROUNDTABLE AND RIVER BIRD STUDIOS PRESENT OUTBOUND #2, A SCIENCE-FICTION COMICS ANTHOLOGY



BOSTON, MA (April 9, 2010) – The Boston Comics Roundtable, in partnership with River Bird Studios, is pleased to announce the release of the second issue of Outbound, a Science Fiction anthology. Outbound is a spin-off of sister publication Inbound, the anthology of comics from Boston. Outbound contains comics and short stories from a mix of Boston-based creators and artists all over the world, from Australia to South America, including a new cover from talented Uruguayan artist Marcello Buchelli.

Outbound #2 retails for US$ 9.99 and will be available in every comic book retail location in the greater Boston area and is currently available for pre-order online at http://OutboundMagazine.blogspot.com/ (payment at website via Paypal). This issue introduces the new, perfect-bound, bookshelf-friendly format for Outbound. After such a great reception to the first issue, the Outbound team decided to up the ante, increasing the page count to 120 pages!



A complete galley preview of Outbound #2 will be available at MoCCA and Boston Comic-Con this coming weekend (April 10-11, 2010). The book will officially be released at the end of April. Interested press and retailers may contact Outbound staff to receive a PDF edition for pre-publication review. < See Link Below >

The Boston Comics Roundtable was created in 2006 and has produced four issues of the Inbound comics anthology, including their latest breakout hit, Inbound 4: A Comic Book History of Boston. Outbound is the Roundtable’s second ongoing series and its first foray into science fiction territory. The release of Outbound marks an exciting new chapter for the Boston Comics Roundtable and for the Science Fiction genre. Fans can expect new issues of Outbound every six to nine months.

Outbound is the brainchild of Roundtable member and Inbound contributor, Roho, the principal of River Bird Studios. More information and publications from the Boston Comics Roundtable can be found at
http://www.bostoncomicsroundtable.com/. River Bird Studios is located on the web at http://riverbirdstudios.blogspot.com/.

The comic stories in Outbound #2 are serializations, with new ongoing stories premiering alongside continuing chapters of fan favorite stories from the first issue.



Returning stories include:



“Space and Time” by Josh Mills, Michael Paoloni, David Marshall, and Roho, with issue cover by Marcello Buchelli;
“The Caerulean Dream” by Roho and Kevin Zimmerman, with chapter cover by Randy Valiente;
“The Null Device” by David Marshall;
“Flek” by Erik Heumiller;
“Scientists Gone Wild” by Eric Boeker;
and “Black Fuska” by Roho, Dave Myers, and Steve Willhite, with chapter cover by Paul Marquis.


Featuring new stories:

· “The New Kid” by Dan Mazur, with chapter cover by Roho;

· “The Fallout Parade” by Jesse Lonergan;

· “Frequency: Breaking the Law of Gravity” by David Alluisi and Brian Boyles, with chapter cover by Jason Baroody;

· “Robot 11-Three” by Kevin Kilgore, with chapter cover by Jason Baroody;

· “Alkehine’s Gun” by Joel Gill;

· and “Driftwood” by Morgan Pielli.



Outbound #2 also includes prose fiction:

· “Tin Cans and a String” by Patrick J. Flaherty, with art by Furman.



The Boston Comics Roundtable is an independent organization of comics creators in the Greater Boston area. The group meets weekly to workshop, educate, and network. Meetings are open to the public. Information regarding publications, artist galleries, and meetings can be found at http://www.bostoncomicsroundtable.com/.
SJS Comic Promotions signs on comic book creators for promotional and marketing services

Warwick, RI, April 8, 2010: SJS Comic Promotions officially announced this week the representation of four comic book studios for the purpose of marketing and promotion. Started in 2009, SJS Comic Promotions, which is owned and operated by Susan Soares, is designed for independent self publishing comic creators. Some of the services SJS provides to its clients include social networking maintenance, coordination of reviews and interviews, press release generation and distribution and convention coordination.

The following comic book studios are now represented by SJS Comic Promotions:

Dandelion Studios, based in Cape Cod, MA: Rick Silva has been involved in small press publishing since his college days. He published and edited Kinships magazine. Along with his wife Gynn, Rick is a partner in Dandelion Studios (www.dandelionstudios.com), a small press comic book company. Rick co-writes the Dandelion Studios comics Zephyr & Reginald: Minions for Hire, Stone, Kaeli & Rebecca, and Perils of Picorna, all titles that SJS Comic Promotions will be coordinating marketing efforts.

Fallenmage Productions (www.fallenmage.com), based in Warwick, RI: Owned by writer and artist, Joe McGlone, Fallenmage has been dabbling in comics for quite some time, specializing in webcomics. Fallenmage and SJS Comic Promotions are currently planning the release of Leaves of Yggdrasil, an ongoing fantasy series written and drawn by McGlone. Future projects are currently being developed and will be announced once finalized.

Jolly Rogue Studios, based in Warwick, RI: Known for their work on Sky Pirates of Valendor (www.skypiratesofvalendor.com), Jolly Rogue Studios is owned and operated by SJS Comic Promotions owner, Susan Soares in partnership with her husband, Everett. Soares’ work with Jolly Rogue Studios was the inspiration to start SJS Comic Promotions and she continues to work with the studio, promoting their current and upcoming projects.

Three J Productions, LLC, based in West Haven, CT: Established in 1996 by Carl Herring Jr., Three J Productions LLC (www.threejproductions.com) is known for creating characters and stories with an old-school feel. Originally released in 2005, Three J Productions LLC is re-releasing The Enforcers: Zero Issue. Donning a new logo and added content, this Director’s Cut issue serves as an introduction to a 5-issue mini series to begin in July 2010. Later this year, SJS Comic Promotions will be working to help Three J Productions LLC to release the second volume of its very popular Crime Wave Anthology.