Thursday, January 29, 2015

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DARK HORSE TO PUBLISH RUBÍN’S 'THE HERO'

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MILWAUKIE, OR—Groundbreaking storyteller David Rubín (The Rise of Aurora West) reexamines the life of the world’s greatest champion in The Hero.
Heracles, the son of Zeus, came into the world with strength, charm, and a fighting spirit. Featuring an introduction by John Arcudi (B.P.R.D., The Creep), The Hero brings the legend to life through Rubín’s masterful storytelling and dynamic art!
Throughout Heracles’s incredible adventures from his innocent boyhood to his meteoric rise to popularity as he tackles the Twelve Labors, his journey is tempered by a steady decay that never relieves him of his heroic burden. And this burden becomes his only grip on reality as Heracles edges toward his fateful end.
Preorder your copy of The Hero Book 1, coming in June 2015, from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or IndieBound, or contact a local comic shop through Comic Shop Locator.
The Hero Book 2 will be available in December 2015.
Praise for David Rubín’s The Hero:
“Welcome David Rubín to the table. He is a big talent and the real deal. The Hero is a strong statement of intent.”—Paul Pope (creator of Battling Boy)
“This book is awesome.”—Gabriel Bá (Daytripper, The Umbrella Academy)
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About David Rubín
David Rubín is an animator and cartoonist. After studying graphic design, David Rubín worked in an animation studio and went on to co-direct the film The Spirit of the Forest (2008). At the same time, he founded the collective Polaqia in 2001 and collaborated with Golfiño, La Voz de Galicia and other magazines. He lives in Orense, Spain.
About Dark Horse
Founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. The company is known for the progressive and creator-friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists. In addition to publishing comics from top talent, such as Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Neil Gaiman, Brian Wood, Gerard Way, Felicia Day, and Guillermo del Toro, and comics legends, such as Will Eisner, Neal Adams, and Jim Steranko, Dark Horse has developed its own successful properties, such as The Mask, Ghost, Timecop, and SpyBoy. Its successful line of comics and products based on popular properties includes Mass Effect, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, EVE Online, Halo, Serenity, Game of Thrones, and Domo. Today Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic book publisher in the US and is recognized as one of the world’s leading publishers of both creator-owned content and licensed comics material.
ComiXology celebrates the 42nd Angoulême International Comics Festival
with a Big Sale and “All Access Angouleme” social media coverage
January 29, 2015 – New York, NY – ComiXology, the revolutionary cloud-based digital comics platform, celebrates this year’s Angoulême International Comics Festival with a sale spotlighting comics, bandes dessinées (BD), graphic novels and manga from all over the world from January 29th through February 1st. ComiXology will also be covering the show through their social media channels under the “All Access Angoulême” moniker – giving fans around the world a way to experience the festival. The Angoulême International Comics Festival takes place in Angoulême, France and runs from January 29th to February 1st.
Beginning Thursday and running through Sunday, the Angoulême Sale features a whole host of French content available in multiple languages and rounded out with a selection of titles from creators around the world, giving fans a curated taste of the international comics scene.
As the sale starts, comiXology will be on the ground in Angoulême, France covering all aspects of the festival with their “All Access Angoulême” social media coverage, giving fans a firsthand look at this great celebration of the comics arts. Every day of the festival, tune in to comiXology’s Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, and Google+ channels for Angoulême panel updates, photos, interviews, videos and get a feel of what it’s like to attend this amazing comics festival.
“This year's Angoulême International Comics Festival will be held in commemoration of Charlie Hebdo’s newspaper and its cartoonists,” said co-founder and CEO David Steinberger. “We are honored to highlight France’s deep commitment to cartoonists everywhere by putting a spotlight on the Angoulême International Comics Festival as we continue to mourn the tragic loss of life.”
Now in its 42nd year, the festival is the premier comics show in Europe with over 200,000 attendees every year and playing host to creators, cartoonists, publishers, and fans from around the world. This year marks comiXology’s third year attending the Angoulême International Comics Festival in France.
“Being digital allows us to make the world a little smaller by offering everyone everywhere international content. Our Angoulême Sale and our extensive social media coverage of the show exemplify this,” said comiXology VP of Communications and Marketing Chip Mosher. “Come join us in France as we tour this fantastic international festival that honors comics from all parts of the globe.”
Find your favorite comics, BD, graphic novels and manga at comixology.com and try the comiXology app available on all major mobile platforms.
About comiXology
ComiXology, an Amazon.com, Inc. subsidiary (NASDAQ:AMZN), has revolutionized the comic book and graphic novel industry by delivering a cloud-based digital comics platform that makes discovering, buying, and reading comics more fun than ever before. ComiXology’s Guided View reading technology transforms the comic book medium into an immersive and cinematic experience, helping comiXology become a top ten grossing iPad app in 2011 and 2012 and the top grossing non-game iPad app in 2012 and 2013. Offering the broadest library of comic book content from over 75 publishers – and independent creators as well – comiXology will not stop until everyone on the face of the planet has become a comic book fan. ComiXology is based in New York City, with operations in Los Angeles and Paris.
Humanoïds debuts worldwide on comiXology & Kindle in English & French!
January 29, 2015 – New York, NY – ComiXology – the revolutionary cloud-based digital comics platform – and Humanoïds – the 40 year-old French comics publishers that brought you series from such sensational creators as Mœbius, Jodorowsky and more – are proud to announce the distribution of fan-favorite Humanoïds titles worldwide in both English and French on Kindle stores through Amazon websites, on Fire tablets and across comiXology’s entire platform, available on the Web at the comiXology site or on the comiXology app for Fire tablets, iPad, iPhone, Android and Windows 8.
To celebrate this announcement, Humanoïds will digitally debut more than 500 best-selling titles from their catalog of talented creators – Mœbius, Jodorowsky, Bec, Boucq, Dorison, Beltran and more  – across Fire tablets and for the first time ever in high-definition on comiXology.
Below is the full list of English-language Humanoïds titles debuting today on comiXology with more to come in the future:
The Incal Vol. 1 - 6
Final Incal Vol. 1 - 3
Before the Incal Vol. 1 - 6
After the Incal
The Metabarons Vol. 1 - 4
The Technopriests Vol. 1 - 8
Barbarella
Madwoman of the Sacred Heart Vol. 1 - 3
Megalex Vol. 1 - 3
Sanctum Vol. 1 - 3
Dive into an immersive reading experience with comiXology’s cinematic Guided View reading technology. Only comiXology gives comics fans a truly unique and immersive reading experience with its cinematic panel-to-panel Guided View reading technology. And with comiXology’s cloud-based platform, downloading and syncing comics, BD, manga and graphic novels across your favorite digital devices is easier than ever before. Whether you’re using a smartphone or tablet, you too can carry one of the largest comics, BD, Manga and graphic novel catalogs in the world which now includes Humanoïds’ best-selling series The Metabarons, The Incal, Sanctum, The Technopriests, Milan K, among so many other favorites.
With over 50,000 comics and graphic novels from more than 75 publishers, comiXology offers the widest selection of digital comics in the world. ComiXology’s immense catalog and cinematic Guided View reading experience makes it the best digital platform for comic, BD, Manga and graphic novel fans worldwide.

Find your favorite comics, BD, graphic novels and manga at comixology.com and try the comiXology app available on all major mobile platforms.
About comiXology
ComiXology, an Amazon.com, Inc. subsidiary (NASDAQ:AMZN), has revolutionized the comic book and graphic novel industry by delivering a cloud-based digital comics platform that makes discovering, buying, and reading comics more fun than ever before. ComiXology’s Guided View reading technology transforms the comic book medium into an immersive and cinematic experience, helping comiXology become a top ten grossing iPad app in 2011 and 2012 and the top grossing non-game iPad app in 2012 and 2013. Offering the broadest library of comic book content from over 75 publishers – and independent creators as well – comiXology will not stop until everyone on the face of the planet has become a comic book fan. ComiXology is based in New York City, with operations in Los Angeles and Paris.
THAT’S SO FETCH! SO MUCH DRAMA STUDIOS ANNOUNCE MEAN GIRLS THE GAME AVAILABLE NOW ON IOS
Join Cady, Regina, Gretchen and Karen, and Prepare to Dominate North Shore High
San Rafael, CA – January 29, 2015 – Get in loser, we’re going shopping! Indie developer So Much Drama is proud to announce that in celebration of the 10-year anniversary of Mean Girls the movie, Mean Girls the game is available now on the App store. Mean Girls the game is an easy-to-play and addictive iOS game that couples the humor, sass, and deliciously charming characters from the classic movie with instantly rewarding gameplay steeped in Mean Girls lore. 

Get the game HEREitunes.apple.com/us/app/id845450483?mt=8 


Watch the Mean Girls trailer HERE: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gXdHwTiWKc&feature=youtu.be

An easily accessible ‘tiara-defense’ game, Mean Girls finds the original crew from North Shore High School at peace when an upstart Plastics clique attempts to take control by piecing together the broken Spring Fling Tiara. Players can select from eight of their favorite Mean Girls characters—Cady, Regina, Gretchen, Karen, Janis, Damian, Aaron, and Kevin, each with their own distinct boost abilities—and all the cliques from the cafeteria, to help defeat opponents and complete each level.
“Mean Girls is such an iconic film that so many people love,” said Jeff Meador, founder and president, So Much Drama. “The game embodies everything that is hilarious and quirky about Mean Girls and the struggles of high school life.  It’s wild, fast fun that’s totally grool!”
Mean Girls’ rich selection of 19 cliques to choose from offers different attack styles to protect North Shore against the youthful onslaught of the new Plastics. From Band Geeks and Preps, to Regulation Hotties and Burnouts, Mean Girls has the gamut of high school cliques covered. It offers seven different ways to play with movie-based gameplay modes such as You Can’t Sit With Us, Social Suicide, She Doesn’t Even Go Here, and The Limit Does Not Exist. For players dedicated to knowing everything about the super awesome Mean Girls world, So Much Drama has peppered the game with more than 70 life-ruining trivia questions referring back to the original film.
Additional Mean Girls game features include:
  • Style and Substance: New cutscenes told through 20 levels and four zones bring story, substance, and additional entertainment to the already sassy world of Mean Girls.
  • Location, Location, Location: Play through movie-inspired locations such as the North Shore High School Cafeteria, Classroom, Football Field, and the Basketball Court.
  • We Don’t Have a Clique Problem: Pick from a huge variety of 19 cliques, each with their own defensive tactics, including Loners, Math Nerds, Military Brats, Preps, Punks, Science Nerds, Tomboys, Varsity Jocks, JV Jocks, Band Geeks, Regulation Hotties, Skaters, Burnouts, Art Freaks, Crunchies, Drama Geeks, Exchange Students, and Goths.
  • Do You Know if the Limit Exists?: Keep your Mean Girls facts straight and sharp by correctly answering in-game trivia questions throughout each level. And yes, it’s important to know if butter is a carb.
  • Power Ups: Collect hump-day treats, Kalteen bars, peppermint foot cream, and improve popularity to gain points and boost power ups.
  • Let It Out Honey: Burn your friends on Facebook with your high scores and let them have it in the Burn Book.
  • On Wednesdays We Wear Pink: Each Wednesday, the Cliques dress in all pink outfits, of course. Make sure to play the game on Wednesdays for special pink treats!
  • Motivational Booster: Earn cakes baked out of rainbows and smiles for your victories.
  • And Don’t Forget: “You go Glen Coco!”
Mean Girls the game is available now on the App Store for $3.99. For more information, please visit So Much Drama’s Website, www.somuchdramastudios.com/, follow it on Twitter @SMD_Studios, or like it on Facebook.
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ABOUT SO MUCH DRAMA STUDIOS
Established in 2012 by Jeff Meador and based in San Rafael, California, So Much Drama Studios creates social and mobile games filled with smart gameplay, vibrant art direction, and culturally irreverent humor, including the critically successful Fireflies! and wildly entertaining RuPaul’s Drag Race: Dragopolis, based on the popular show. So Much Drama is the developer behind the fierce! in-your-face RuPaul sequel, RuPaul’s Drag Race: Dragopolis 2.0 (available now on the App Store) and the just-released official Mean Girls mobile game, due in early 2015.
 

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

LADY KILLER SELLS OUT, GOES TO SECOND PRINT RUN

LADY KILLER SLAYS THE DIRECT MARKET
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MILWAUKIE, OR—Dark Horse is proud to announce that the first issue of Joëlle Jones, Jamie S. Rich, and Laura Allred’s Lady Killer has sold out at the distributor level and will receive a second printing!
Josie Schuller is a picture-perfect homemaker, wife, and mother—but she’s also a ruthless, efficient killer for hire! A brand-new original comedy series that combines the wholesome imagery of early 1960s domestic bliss with a tightening web of murder, paranoia, and cold-blooded survival, Lady Killer has received acclaim from creators and critics alike.
“The best comics feature great talent throwing together the stuff that gets them most excited, like Mike Mignola on Hellboy, or Eric Powell on The Goon, or Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips on The Fade Out,” said Dark Horse’s editor in chief, Scott Allie. “Joëlle’s drawn a lot of other people’s stories, but only she could’ve used midcentury fashion, espionage, and ultraviolence to create such a perfectly modern comic.”
To reflect the absolute killing the issue’s first print run made in the direct market, the second-printing cover will feature a special blood-red color scheme.
Find out why the critics are raving. Order Lady Killer #1 today through your local retailer!
Lady Killer #1 Second Printing (DEC148311)
Joëlle Jones (W/A/Cover) and Jamie S. Rich (W)
On sale February 18
FC, 32 pages; Miniseries
$3.50
Praise for Lady Killer #1:
“A gorgeous and darkly funny book, well worth buying.”—Gail Simone
“Dark Horse has spared no expense in making this miniseries loaded with talent.”—Comic Book Resources’ Robot 6
“Jones brings a new level of polish to her artwork on this title, using a clean, confident line that gives Lady Killer a slick retro look.”—The A.V. Club
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About Dark Horse
Founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. The company is known for the progressive and creator-friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists. In addition to publishing comics from top talent, such as Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Neil Gaiman, Brian Wood, Gerard Way, Felicia Day, and Guillermo del Toro, and comics legends, such as Will Eisner, Neal Adams, and Jim Steranko, Dark Horse has developed its own successful properties, such as The Mask, Ghost, Timecop, and SpyBoy. Its successful line of comics and products based on popular properties includes Mass Effect, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, EVE Online, Halo, Serenity, Game of Thrones, and Domo. Today Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic book publisher in the US and is recognized as one of the world’s leading publishers of both creator-owned content and licensed comics material.
Production Has Begun On the STARZ Original Series
 “BLUNT TALK”

STARZ RELEASES FIRST LOOK PHOTOS FROM SET

 

Patrick Stewart Stars in Half-Hour Scripted Comedy from MRC,
 Executive Producers Seth MacFarlane and Jonathan Ames

Beverly Hills, Calif., January 28, 2015 – The STARZ Original series “Blunt Talk” began production this week in Los Angeles on the 10-episode first season of the half-hour scripted comedy series from Media Rights Capital (MRC) and executive produced by Seth MacFarlane, Jonathan Ames, Tristram Shapeero and Stephanie Davis.   Set in Los Angeles, the story follows Walter Blunt, a British import intent on conquering the world of American cable news and the fallout from his well-intentioned, but mostly misguided decision-making, both on and off the air. The series will premiere on STARZ in the summer of 2015.

Through the platform of his nightly interview show, Blunt is on a mission to impart his wisdom and guidance on how Americans should live, think and behave.  Besieged by network bosses, a dysfunctional news staff, numerous ex-wives and children of all ages, Blunt’s only support is the alcoholic manservant he transplanted from the U.K. to join him in Los Angeles.  

The cast is led by Patrick Stewart (X-Men franchise, Ted) in the role of Walter Blunt, Jacki Weaver (Silver Linings Playbook) as Rosalie, Blunt’s tough and motherly producer-manager and Adrian Scarborough (The King’s Speech) as Harry, Blunt’s manservant. Dolly Wells (“Doll & Em,”) who was cast as Celia, Blunt’s head producer and writer, with Timm Sharp (“Enlightened”) who was cast as Jim, Blunt’s head writer round out the cast. Actor and comedian Richard Lewis (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”) will recur as Dr. Weiss, Blunt’s appointed therapist.

The series is greenlit for a two-season, 20-episode commitment.

“It was a great first day on the set of ‘Blunt Talk’- Patrick Stewart was noble, loony, and heroic,” said Creator and Executive Producer Jonathan Ames. “And that was before the first shot. Later, in character as Walter Blunt, he was all those things and more.”

MacFarlane and Fuzzy Door Productions, Inc. serve as executive producer.  Ames, who originated the idea for the series, will also serve as executive producer, writer and showrunner.  Tristram Shapeero (“Community”) and Stephanie Davis (“Bored to Death”) will also serve as executive producers with Shapeero also serving as director. Stewart will also serve as producer on the series.

MRC, the studio behind MacFarlane’s directorial debut Ted, which is the highest grossing original comedy of all time worldwide, the highly anticipated sequel, Ted 2, and the award-winning series “House of Cards,” is best known as one of the most artist friendly independent studios. 

About MRC
MRC is a leading film and television studio, specializing in the creation of content in partnership with the industry’s foremost creative talent.  The company develops, produces and finances film and TV for leading distributors including Sony, Warner Brothers, Universal and Fox, as well as premier networks including HBO, ABC, Netflix, AMC, Lifetime and Comedy Central. 

MRC is the studio behind the Emmy® and Golden Globe® winning series, House of Cards, distributed by Netflix and various international distributors.  The company also developed, produced and financed Ted, distributed by Universal Pictures, the highest grossing original comedy of all time.  For more information, please visit www.mrcstudios.com.

About Starz
Starz (NASDAQ: STRZA, STRZB) is a leading integrated global media and entertainment company with operating units that provide premium subscription video programming on domestic U.S. pay television channels (Starz Networks), global content distribution (Starz Distribution) and animated television and movie production (Starz Animation), www.starz.com.

Starz Networks is a leading provider of premium subscription video programming through the flagship STARZ® and ENCORE® pay TV networks which showcase premium original programming and movies to U.S. multichannel video distributors, including cable operators, satellite television providers, and telecommunications companies.  As of September 30, 2014, STARZ and ENCORE serve a combined 56.2 million subscribers, including 22.5 million at STARZ, and 33.7 million at ENCORE, making them the largest pair of premium flagship channels in the U.S.  STARZ® and ENCORE®, along with Starz Networks’ third network MOVIEPLEX®, air more than 1,000 movies monthly across 17 linear networks, complemented by On Demand and authenticated online offerings through STARZ PLAY, ENCORE PLAY, and MOVIEPLEX PLAY. Starz Distribution develops, produces and acquires entertainment content, distributing it to consumers globally on DVD, digital formats and traditional television.  Starz Distribution’s home video, digital media and worldwide distribution business units distribute original programming content produced by Starz, as well as entertainment content for itself and third parties.  Starz Animation produces animated TV and movie content for studios, networks, distributors and audiences worldwide.
VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES THE HOME MEDIA RELEASE OF SAILOR MOON SEASON 1, SET 2

Latest Editions Of Legendary Anime Series Feature
Episodes 24-46 Presented In High Definition Blu-ray/DVD
Combo Pack And DVD Set

San Francisco, CA, January 28, 2015 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, will release the next SAILOR MOON home media installment –Season 1, Set 2 – as a Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack and also as a Standard DVD Set on February 10th.

The latest home media release will contain Episodes 24-46 of the legendary anime series, along with a variety of bonus material and special premium packaging. Uncut English dubbed as well as Japanese subtitled dialogue options will be available on both formats. SAILOR MOON is rated "TV-PG.” The SAILOR MOON Season 1, Set 2 Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack will carry an MSRP of $69.99 U.S. / $81.99 CAN; the Standard Edition DVD will carry an MSRP of $44.82 U.S. / $51.99 CAN.

The Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack will contain a deluxe, 6-disc collection (3 DVDs & 3 Blu-rays), packaged with a beautiful reflective holofoil slipcover with specialty printing. The Combo Pack also offers bonus content including SAILOR MOON Day convention event highlights, Moonlight Memories Part 1, the complete 2014 Anime Expo SAILOR MOON Panel and Cast Announcement, official cosplay team interviews, clean opening and ending segments, digital art galleries, and official series trailers. Blu-ray episodes are presented in full 1080p High Definition video.

The SAILOR MOON Season 1, Set 2 DVD Set features 3 discs with beautifully illustrated variant O-card packaging and embossed holofoil printing. Episodes will be presented in 480p standard video format. Bonus features include SAILOR MOON Day convention event highlights, the official series trailers, and clean opening and ending segments. Uncut English dubbed as well as Japanese subtitled dialogue options are available.

In the latest collection of episodes, Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury, and Sailor Mars continue their quest for the Legendary Silver Crystal as two new powerful allies join the fight. Meet Sailor Jupiter, the tall and tough Guardian of Thunder, and Sailor Venus, Guardian of Love and most experienced member of the Sailor Guardians. Sailor Moon herself gets an impressive new power and learns more about the mysterious Tuxedo Mask. Could their distant past be intertwined, and does that have anything to do with the Moon Princess they seek? The final ordeal with Queen Beryl looms on the horizon, and it will take everything the Sailor Guardians have to be victorious!

The SAILOR MOON anime series depicts the adventures of Usagi Tsukino, a cheerful 14-year-old schoolgirl who often finds herself in unwanted trouble. One day, she saves a talking cat named Luna from some mean kids, and her life is changed forever. Luna gives Usagi a magic brooch that transforms her into Sailor Moon, guardian of love and justice! Now Usagi must work with Luna to find the other Sailor Guardians and the Moon Princess, whose Legendary Silver Crystal is Earth’s only hope against the dark forces of the evil Queen Beryl!

The SAILOR MOON anime series is inspired by the bestselling manga (graphic novel) series created by Naoko Takeuchi (published in North America by Kodansha). In the series, Usagi Tsukino is a clumsy but kindhearted teenage girl who transforms into the powerful guardian of love and justice, Sailor Moon. Meeting allies along the way who share similar fates, Usagi and her team of planetary Sailor Guardians fight to protect the universe from forces of evil and total annihilation!  

For more information on SAILOR MOON, or other award-winning anime 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 ONE PIECE, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages.  VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products.  Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.

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SailorMoon-Season01-Set02-BD-3D
SAILOR MOON ©Naoko Takeuchi/PNP, Toei Animation


“Time for war.”

WGN AMERICA ANNOUNCES PREMIERE DATE FOR SEASON TWO OF ITS SPELLBINDING ORIGINAL DRAMA ‘SALEM’ AND DEBUTS FIRST-LOOK PHOTO

“Salem” Returns for Season Two on Sunday, April 5 at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT

Recurring guest stars Lucy Lawless and Stuart Townsend Join Returning Cast

PHOTO CAPTION: (L-R) Stuart Townsend as Samuel Wainwright and Janet Montgomery as Mary Sibley in the first look from WGN America’s SALEM Season 2, returning Sunday, April 5 at 10pm ET / 9pm CT. PHOTO CREDIT: WGN America


LOS ANGELES, January 28, 2015 – WGN America has set the premiere date for the highly anticipated second season of its hit supernatural thriller “Salem,” which will make its return on Sunday, April 5 at 10:00 p.m. ET/ 9:00 p.m. CT.  The network also released the first-look photo from the new season of “Salem,” currently in production in Shreveport, LA for its 13-episode sophomore run, featuring recurring guest stars Lucy Lawless (“Xena: Warrior Princess,” “Spartacus”) and Stuart Townsend (“Betrayal,” “The League of Extraordinary Gentleman”).

From creators and writers Brannon Braga (“Cosmos,” “24”) and Adam Simon (“The Haunting in Connecticut”), “Salem” season two opens at the dawn of the witch war set into motion at the end of season one, with its catalyst and Salem’s deadliest witch, Mary Sibley (Janet Montgomery, “Made in Jersey,” “Human Target”) at the center of the mayhem as she faces off against new and old adversaries vying for her throne.  In the wake of the destruction caused by the Grand Rite, completed by Mary and inadvertently triggered by Isaac Walton (Iddo Goldberg, “Mob City”) in the season one finale, the fates of Captain John Alden (Shane West, “Nikita, “ER”), Cotton Mather (Seth Gabel, “Arrow,” “Fringe”), Tituba (Ashley Madekwe, “Revenge”), Anne Hale (Tamzin Merchant, “Jane Eyre”), Mercy Lewis (Elise Eberle, “The Astronaut Farmer”) and Isaac hang in the balance.

New to the embattled 17th-century village for the second season of “Salem” are Lucy Lawless as Countess Marburg, one of the last descendants of a legendary line of ancient German witches; Stuart Townsend as Samuel Wainwright, a mysterious doctor looking to uncover the secrets of Salem as he keeps a few of his own; Joe Doyle (“Raw”) as Baron Sebastian Marburg, the charming and cultured son of the Countess; and Oliver Bell (“The Saint”) as Mary’s long-lost son, who was revealed in the season one finale to have been secretly kept alive all along by her coven.

“Salem,” called “perversely entertaining” by The New York Times and “a sexy good time” by The Hollywood Reporter, is a bold re-imagination of the infamous 17th century witch trials in colonial Massachusetts. 

“Salem” is executive produced by Brannon Braga, Adam Simon, Kelly Souders, Brian Peterson and Prospect Park’s Josh Barry and Jeff Kwatinez.  Nick Copus directs and serves as co-executive producer.  The series is produced by Fox 21.

Follow “Salem” on Twitter and YouTube @SalemWGNA.  “Like” the series on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SalemWGN.


Follow the “SALEM” Cast on Twitter:

·         Janet Montgomery: @jayrmonty
·         Shane West: @ShaneWest
·         Seth Gabel:@sethgabel
·         Ashley Madekwe: @smashleybell
·         Tamzin Merchant: @tamzinmerchant
·         Elise Eberle: @eliseeberle
·         Iddo Goldberg: @IddoG
·         Lucy Lawless: @reallucylawless
·         Stuart Townsend: @stu_townsend
·         Joe Doyle: @royal_doyle

Co-Creator:
·         Brannon Braga: @BrannonBraga


# # #

About WGN America and Tribune Studios
WGN America, the flagship entertainment network of Tribune Media Company (NYSE: TRCO), is nationally distributed in 71 million homes via cable, satellite and telco, with entertainment programming including the original, scripted series "Salem," "Manhattan" and "Outsiders," along with first-run syndicated series, blockbuster movies and live sports.  Through Tribune Studios, the creative development arm of Tribune Media, original content is produced for WGN America and Tribune local stations nationwide. Follow the network on Twitter @wgnamerica.  For additional information, please visit www.wgnamerica.com.
 
cid:8c1af622-f4fa-406e-ad3b-333a599a0432@local

Marvel Comics in the 1980s revisits the era of Miller's Daredevil and Claremont & Byrne's X-Men

Shipping this week is Marvel Comics in the 1980s, the third volume in author Pierre Comtois' series of issue-by-issue "field guides" to the company that has become a pop culture phenomenon.

While the two previous volumes dealt with the 1960s and 1970s Marvel eras, this new book covers Marvel’s final historical phase, when the movement begun by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Steve Ditko transitioned into a darker era that has yet to run its course. The 1980s saw Stan Lee's retreat to the West Coast, Jim Shooter's rise and fall as editor-in-chief, the twin triumphs of Frank Miller and John Byrne, the challenge of independent publishers, and the weakening hold of the Comics Code Authority that led to the company's creative downfall—and ultimately the marginalization of the industry itself.

Comics such as the Chris Claremont/John Byrne X-Men, Frank Miller's Daredevil, the New Universe, Roger Stern's Avengers and Spider-Man, the new wave of dark heroes such as Wolverine and the Punisher, and more are all covered, in the analytic detail—and often irreverent manner—readers have come to expect from the previous 1960s and 1970s volumes. However, the 1980s represented years of upheaval in the comics industry—with Marvel at the center of the storm—so expect a bumpy ride in this book's coverage of the 1980s decade that marked the beginning of the end of Marvel Comics as readers knew them!

Marvel Comics in the 1980s is a 224-page trade paperback, and is now available at comic book stores using Diamond Comic Distributors Order Code: SEP141665

Readers can also view a free preview and order the Print or Digital Edition directly from TwoMorrows Publishing at:

The book is also available at Amazon.com, and through TwoMorrows' app on the Apple and Android platforms.

Marvel Comics in the 1980s
224-page trade paperback - by Pierre Comtois
$27.95 cover price
Digital Edition: $10.95

Diamond Comic Distributors Order Code: MAY141629
ISBN-13: 978-1-60549-059-5
ISBN-10: 1-60549-059-8

COVER REVEAL: HINGES, BOOK 1: CLOCKWORK CITY

Enchanting fantasy by Meredith McClaren
out in February

Image Comics has revealed the final cover of HINGES, BOOK 1: CLOCKWORK CITY, the enchanting graphic novel by Meredith McClaren. Depicting “new soul” Orio, a porcelain doll, and her familiar Bauble, the cover hints at the mystery and intrigue Orio will encounter in the city of Cobble.
HINGES is a modern fairy tale perfect for readers ages nine and up. It will be in comic book stores on February 25 and in bookstores on March 10. The full news release for HINGES, BOOK 1: CLOCKWORK CITY can be read here.

HINGES BOOK ONE: CLOCKWORK CITY by Meredith McClaren

  • ISBN 978-1-63215-253-4
  • Diamond Comic order code DEC140649
  • 112 pages, paperback, full color
  • $15.99
  • In comic book stores February 25, bookstores March 10

Preview

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.