DYNAMITE ENTERS COLLECTIBLE GAMING SPACE WITH LAUNCH OF THE VAMIPRELLA TAROT CARD KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN

Define Your Destiny and Follow Your Fate with This Fully Functional, 

78-Card Tarot Deck Arriving Just in Time for Halloween!

May 31, 2017, Mt. Laurel, NJ:

Dynamite Entertainment is pleased to announce the launch of their exciting new Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign, which will celebrate the vibrant history of their signature character Vampirella with a stylish and functional Tarot Card Deck! Expected to ship in October, this first-ever collectible game from Dynamite captures the vivid artwork and spirit of the iconic Vampirella in a 78-card art deco inspired deck that embraces the vintage look encapsulated in the classic Vampirella Magazine covers.

 

The Vampirella Tarot Deck Kickstarter campaign will run between today, May 31st, and the morning of June 15th, can be found by visiting:

 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dynamiteent/vampirella-tarot-card-deck

 

Vampirella, one of the most recognizable comic book characters ever published, was created in 1969 and has thrived for close to five decades, consistently delivering classic tales of terror in comics, graphic novels, and magazines.  Vampirella found her new home in March of 2010 when Dynamite Entertainment acquired the rights to the character from Harris Comics, and she has since appeared in a number of successful on-going series with the publisher.

 

Nick Barrucci, CEO and Publisher of Dynamite, says, "As we continue to grow the categories that we create for our fans at Dynamite, I'm extremely excited to be introducing our new line of collectible games with a property that has as rich of a history in comics as Vampirella.  This first offering captures everything we love about the character including the vibrant art of the classic Vampirella Magazine presented in a novel and entertaining way."

 

Packaged in a unique Kickstarter exclusive illustrated box, these Vampirella Tarot Cards will feature the artwork of some of the all-time masters of the craft, including Frank Frazetta, Enrich, Esteban Maroto, and Paul Gulacy, all in one unique, collectible package! The complete box set of these genuine major and minor arcana tarot cards comes with detailed instructions, and will provide any collector or fan with a truly immersive experience in the world of Vampirella!

Production on the Vampirella Tarot Cards is well under way, with an expected shipping date of October, 2017. Backers who support the Vampirella Tarot Card Kickstarter have the opportunity to receive rewards, including digital editions, collectible prints and variant covers, full print collections, and artist signed exclusives! With tiers designed to fit any collector's budget, backers will have the potential to enjoy a number of great rewards, including:

 

• The printed Kickstarter Exclusive box set of the 78-card Vampirella Tarot Card Deck, 
• 3 Kickstarter exclusive mini-prints featuring the artwork of Jae Lee, Amanda Conner, and Joe Jusko,
• Digital Library of Vampirella Art Books: The Art of Vampirella, The Art of Vampirella - The Warren Years, The Art of Vampirella - The Dynamite Years,
• Print editions of Vampirella Art Books: The Art of Vampirella, The Art of Vampirella - The Warren Years, The Art of Vampirella - The Dynamite Years, 
• Volumes 1-8 of the Vampirella Masters Trade Paperbacks,
• Print Library of Vampirella Trade Paperbacks 1 - 7,
• A selection of rare Vampirella Variant Cover editions, 
• 15 Hardcover volumes of Vampirella Archives, and much more!

The Vampirella Tarot Card Kickstarter will only run for just over two weeks, beginning May 30th and ending June 15th. Backers can get on board and gain access to all of these amazing rewards by visiting https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dynamiteent/vampirella-tarot-card-deck today!

About Dynamite Entertainment:
Dynamite was founded in 2004 and is home to several best-selling comic book titles and properties, including The Boys, The Shadow, Red Sonja, Warlord of Mars, Bionic Man, A Game of Thrones, and more.  Dynamite owns and controls an extensive library with over 3,000 characters (which includes the Harris Comics and Chaos Comics properties), such as Vampirella, Pantha, Evil Ernie, Smiley the Psychotic Button, Chastity, and Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt.  In addition to their critically-acclaimed titles and bestselling comics, Dynamite works with some of the most high profile creators in comics and entertainment, including Kevin Smith, Alex Ross, Neil Gaiman, Andy Diggle, John Cassaday, Garth Ennis, Jae Lee, Marc Guggenheim, Mike Carey, Jim Krueger, Greg Pak, Brett Matthews, Matt Wagner, Gail Simone, Steve Niles, James Robinson, and a host of up-and-coming new talent.  Dynamite is consistently ranked in the upper tiers of comic book publishers and several of their titles - including Alex Ross and Jim Krueger's Project Superpowers - have debuted in the Top Ten lists produced by Diamond Comics Distributors.  In 2005, Diamond awarded the company a GEM award for Best New Publisher and another GEM in 2006 for Comics Publisher of the Year (under 5%) and again in 2011.  The company has also been nominated for and won several industry awards, including the prestigious Harvey and Eisner Awards.

IMAGE COMICS ANNOUNCES MORE BESTSELLING WRITERS AND ARTISTS TO ATTEND RCCC HOMECOMING DANCE 

 

PORTLAND, OR, 06/01/2017 — Bestselling Image Comics creators Donny Cates (GOD COUNTRY, REDNECK), Emi Lenox (PLUTONA, EMITOWN), Nick Dragotta (EAST OF WEST, HOWTOONS), Emma Ríos (PRETTY DEADLY), and Valentine De Landro (BITCH PLANET) have all RSVP’d to attend the Image Comics’ Fall Homecoming dance!

They will be joined by previously announced attending creators: Chip Zdarsky (SEX CRIMINALS, KAPTARA), Babs Tarr (MOTOR CRUSH), Matt Fraction (SEX CRIMINALS, ODY-C), and Kelly Sue DeConnick (BITCH PLANET, PRETTY DEADLY).

Don’t miss your chance to rub elbows with your favorite comics creators and celebrate Image Comics’ 25th anniversary with dancing, refreshments, and a photobooth.

Tickets to the Image Comics Fall Homecoming dance are on sale now.

Back by popular demand, Image Comics is pleased to host a very special formal Fall Homecoming dance for the comics community during the Rose City Comic Con festivities. The dance will be held on Saturday, September 9th from 8:30 p.m. - 12:30 a.m. at The Evergreen. This event will be 21+ only. IDs will be checked at the door.

Image Comics’ Fall Homecoming will be in the style and spirit of a traditional high school dance and all comics fans and industry members are encouraged to come mix, mingle, and dance the night away.

Image Comics Fall Homecoming ticket tiers: 

• $20: Entry ticket
• $45: Add-on pack, including an Image t-shirt, variant cover comic, commemorative pint glass, and enamel pin
• $79: VIP pack—ticket to the party, add-on pack items, and access to special VIP area at the venue (limited quantity, only 100 VIP tickets available)

Check back at imagecomics.com for more details to come about the Image Comics Fall Homecoming Dance, we hope to see you there!

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ABOUT IMAGE COMICS
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of bestselling 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 Comics, Skybound Entertainment, 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.

IMAGE COMICS AT BEA/BOOKCON 2017

PORTLAND, OR, 05/31/2017 — Image Comics is pleased to return to Book Expo America and BookCon this year, from Thursday, June 1st through Sunday, June 4th.

A selection of Image Firsts will be available free of charge at the Image Comics booth (#2607) during BEA. Stop by to pick up the first chapters of our bestselling series—and to meet some of our amazing creators! Full list of appearances below.

Additionally, a range of trade paperbacks will be available for sale during BookCon on Saturday, June 3rd and Sunday, June 4th at the Image Comics booth (#2607). Plus, more creator appearances!

SIGNINGS HOSTED AT IMAGE COMICS BOOTH (#2607)

THURSDAY, JUNE 1ST:

2:00 - 2:45 PM        Marjorie Liu
3:00 - 3:45 PM        Brian Azzarello

FRIDAY, JUNE 2ND:

10:00 - 10:45 AM     Charles Soule
11:00 - 11:45 AM     Alex de Campi
12:00 - 12:45 PM     Brenden Fletcher, Cameron Stewart, and Babs Tarr
1:00 - 1:45 PM         Marjorie Liu
2:00 - 2:45 PM         Gregg Schigiel
3:00 - 3:45 PM         Cliff Chiang and Brian Azzarello

SATURDAY, JUNE 3RD:

12:00 - 12:45 PM     Marjorie Liu
1:00 - 1:45 PM         Gregg Schigiel
2:00 - 2:45 PM         Alex de Campi
3:00 - 3:45 PM         Brenden Fletcher, Cameron Stewart, and Babs Tarr
4:00 - 4:45 PM         Charles Soule

SUNDAY, JUNE 4TH:

12:00 - 12:45 PM     Brian Azzarello
1:00 - 1:45 PM         Marjorie Liu
2:00 - 2:45 PM         Scott Snyder

PANEL APPEARANCES

SUNDAY, JUNE 3RD: 

10:15 - 11:00 AM    Downtown Stage
The New Mainstream: Diversity and Activism in Four Colors
Comics are for everyone, and everyone is making comics. Join graphic novelists and comics creators Marjorie Liu (MONSTRESS, X-Men), Thi Bui (The Best We Could Do), Joe Illidge (Catalyst Comics) and Magdalene Visaggio (Kim & Kim: Love is a Battlefield) as they discuss how their work reflects their lived experiences, and how they are getting their stories out in a time of tumultuous political discourse. Moderated by Heidi MacDonald, Editor-in-Chief of ComicsBeat.com.

###

ABOUT IMAGE COMICS
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of bestselling 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 Comics, Skybound Entertainment, 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.

BOOM! STUDIOS HEADS TO NEW YORK CITY FOR

BOOKEXPO AMERICA AND BOOKCON 2017

Creator signings, giveaways, and an interactive comics workshop for kids
highlight the publisher’s presence



Misfit City #1


Victor LaValle's Destroyer #1


Bolivar


The Not-So Secret Society

May 30, 2017 (Los Angeles, Calif.) - BOOM! Studios is pleased to announce it will exhibit at BookExpo America, a leading trade show for the book publishing industry attended by publishers, distributors, authors, bookstore owners, librarians, journalists, and more; and BookCon, a two-day fan event open to the book-loving public. The shows take place back-to-back at the Javits Center in New York City May 31st to June 4th, with BOOM! occupying booth #1530. The publisher shared its plans for the events, including:

—During BookExpo and BookCon, BOOM! will have limited quantities of free single issues available to give away to librarians, reviewers, buyers, and fans while supplies last, including recent releases Misfit City #1 (Vol. 1 collection out in December) and Victor LaValle’s Destroyer #1 (collection out in January). Kiwi Smith and Kurt Lustgarten (Misfit City) and Victor LaValle will be appearing throughout the week to autograph copies.

The latest release from BOOM!’s BOOM! Box imprint, Misfit City is about a group of girls living in a small coastal town that most people have only heard of because it was the filming location for a beloved kids’ adventure movie from the 1980s. They’re sick of their town and the tourists that come to gawk at them, but they end up discovering a real treasure map, which leads them on an adventure even crazier than the one in the movie. Misfit City is illustrated by Naomi Franquiz.

In Victor LaValle’s Destroyer, when the last descendant of the Frankenstein family loses her only son to a police shooting, she turns to science for her own justice...putting her on a crash course with her family’s original monster and his quest to eliminate humanity. The series is illustrated by Dietrich Smith.

—BOOM! will also have limited advance copies of its KaBOOM! imprint’s upcoming original graphic novel, The Not-So Secret Society (August 1), available for free to qualified individuals. The creators of the book—Matt Daley, Arlene Daley, Ellen Crafts, and Trevor Crafts—will be on hand all week to autograph copies and share brochures, activity sheets, and mini-comics, and will raffle off a giant Gummy candy! (See booth for details.) The Not-So Secret Society is illustrated by Wook Jin Clark.

In addition, the creators of The Not-So Secret Society will appear at the BookCon Family HQ area (booth #1416) on Saturday, June 3, 5:30-6:00 PM for an interactive comics workshop.

The Not-So Secret Society is about a group of 12-year-olds who learn the value of teamwork and friendship when their invention brings a piece of candy to life that threatens to destroy the entire city!

—Free partial advance review galleys of the Archaia imprint’s upcoming all-ages original graphic novel Bolivar (November 21) will also be available for qualified individuals, with writer and artist Sean Rubin on hand to autograph copies.

Bolivar is the story of a dinosaur living unnoticed in New York City (“Everyone in the city was too busy to notice Bolivar was a dinosaur”), except for his young neighbor, Sybil, who desperately tries to convince everyone of his existence.

—Appearing at the BOOM! Studios booth (#1530) throughout the weekend will be:

Wednesday, May 31
2:00-4:00 PM // Kiwi Smith and Kurt Lustgarten (Misfit City)
4:00-6:00 PM // Victor LaValle (Victor LaValle’s Destroyer)

Thursday, June 1
11:00 AM-1:00 PM // Victor LaValle (Victor LaValle’s Destroyer)
1:00-3:00 PM // Kiwi Smith and Kurt Lustgarten (Misfit City)
3:00-5:00 PM // Sean Rubin (Bolivar)
5:00-6:00 PM // Kiwi Smith and Kurt Lustgarten (Misfit City)

Friday, June 
10:00 AM -12:00 PM // Sean Rubin (Bolivar)
1:00-3:00 PM // Kiwi Smith and Kurt Lustgarten (Misfit City)

Saturday, June 3
12:00-2:00 PM // Jim Campbell (Over the Garden Wall)


For more information on Book Expo America, visit www.bookexpoamerica.com. For more information on BookCon, visit www.thebookcon.com.

 

---

About BOOM! Studios
BOOM! Studios was founded by Ross Richie in 2005 with the singular focus of creating world-class comic book and graphic novel storytelling for all audiences. Through the development of four distinct imprints—BOOM! Studios, BOOM! Box, KaBOOM!, and Archaia—BOOM! has produced award-winning original work, including Lumberjanes, The Woods, Giant Days, Klaus, and Mouse Guard, while also breaking new ground with established licenses such as WWE, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Cartoon Network, and Jim Henson Company properties. BOOM! will also bring their original series to life through unique first-look relationships with 20th Century Fox for film and with Fox Television for the small screen. Please visit www.boom-studios.com for more information.

VIZ MEDIA LAUNCHES NEW MANGA SERIES

AFTER HOURS

Love Between Two Young Women Blooms In Tokyo’s Lively Club Scene In New Yuri Release

San Francisco, CA, May 30, 2017 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), a premier company in the fields of publishing, animation distribution, and global entertainment licensing, presents a refreshing modern romance between two women that defy stereotypes and clichés of the “yuri,” or “girls’ love,” genre with the launch of AFTER HOURS on June 13^th.

The manga series, created by Yuhta Nishio, is rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens and will carry a print MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN. The series also launches digitally on June 13^th via VIZ.com and the VIZ Manga App, as well as from the Nook, Kobo, Kindle, iBooks, comiXology and Google Play stores.

In AFTER HOURS, Emi Ashiana is 24, unemployed and not really sure what she wants do with her life. When a friend invites her to a dance club, Emi doesn’t expect much. But when she meets vivacious DJ Kei, whole new avenues of passion and purpose open up to her.

“AFTER HOURS is a lively, heartfelt story set amidst Tokyo’s club scene about queer young women coming into their own,” says Pancha Diaz, Editor. “The series presents a wonderful entry point for Western readers as well as veteran manga fans to explore ‘yuri’ or ‘girls love’ manga with relatable characters and a very socially relevant storyline.”

Yuhta Nishio is a manga creator, illustrator and sometimes painter. His debut manga, Irikachi, started in IKKI magazine in 2014. His other manga series include Diorama Crew and Domuun. His artwork has appeared in the gallery shows KAI-YOU Presents Sekai to Asobu!, Hyakaten and A Nightmare Is a Dream Come True: Anime Expressionist Painting.

For additional information on AFTER HOURS and other manga titles available from VIZ Media, please visit VIZ.com.

About VIZ Media, LLC

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

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

WARFRAME CREATOR DIGITAL EXTREMES PARTNERS WITH TOP COW ON ORIGINAL COMIC SERIES

Get the First Exclusive Edition at TennoCon 2017 This July

LONDON, ON – May 30, 2017 – Leading up to its second annual Warframe^® fan convention, TennoCon 2017, independent game developer and publisher Digital Extremes announced today it has partnered with famed indie label Top Cow Comics to create an original Warframe comic series. Based on source material from the cooperative online action game and in collaboration with the Warframe development team, the series is written by Top Cow President/COO and Writer Matt Hawkins (Think Tank, The Tithe, Aphrodite IX) and Top Cow Editor Ryan Cady. An exclusive Con edition of Issue #1 will be distributed for the first time to all TennoCon attendees for free on Saturday, July 8.

This five-issue series expands the Warframe universe with intriguing new characters and original locations, and offers an imaginative character-driven tone to Warframe players and comic book fans alike. The narrative hinges on the lone Warframe, Excalibur, who is determined to protect a blinded young girl, the last survivor of a recently destroyed village on Earth. Seasoned Tenno may even find hints to future game updates in the series not yet revealed in the Warframe universe.
"I was immediately attracted to Warframe because of its storyline," said Top Cow President/COO and Writer Matt Hawkins. "For a writer, it's a very fertile place to create something fresh, from the mysterious Tenno origins to the faction battles to the Grineer Queens and more. It's a fantastic universe where I have lost many late night hours playing the game."
When Digital Extremes sought an experienced, gamer-savvy comic book publisher that could handle the complex, evolving Warframe universe and transpose it into the comic book medium, its first stop was with Top Cow. A leading independent comic book publisher with hits ranging from original titles such as Witchblade and The Darkness, Top Cow's keen understanding of the comic book scene and its ability to consistently recruit top level artist and writers has enabled the company to thrive and succeed for more than 25 years. Digital Extremes has worked with Top Cow on more than one occasion, creating an original comic book for the company's original game property, Dark Sector, along with collaboration in developing the video game based on the licensed comic book hit, The Darkness II.
"Matt and his team at Top Cow understand how to handle original story material with a sense of purpose, subtlety and urgency," said Sheldon Carter, studio head, Digital Extremes. "Their full embrace and understanding of the Warframe universe won us over and we couldn't be prouder of this first issue."
TennoCon attendees will have the opportunity to hear Hawkins speak in person at the TennoCon Panel, "Making of the first Warframe Comic." While TennoCon attendees will be the first to receive the exclusive Con issue, San Diego Comic-Con and New York Comic-Con attendees also have a chance to grab the Con exclusive free copy from the Top Cow booth. The Warframe comic will release to retail in October 2017.
For more information about Warframe and to download it for free on PC, Xbox One or PS4, visit the official website at warframe.com.
ABOUT TOP COW COMICS
Top Cow Productions, Inc. (http://www.topcow.com/), a Los Angeles-based entertainment company, was founded in December of 1992 by artist Marc Silvestri, who also co-founded Image Comics earlier that same year. Top Cow currently publishes its line of comic books in 21 languages in over 55 different countries. The 2008 film WANTED, starring Angelina Jolie, the TNT TV series Witchblade, the Japanese anime Witchblade and the two The Darkness video games for XBOX 360 and PS3 are all based on Top Cow properties.  The company has also successfully licensed and merchandised its franchises into toys, statues, clothing, lithographs, puppets, posters, magnets, shot glasses, lighters, lunch pails, wall scrolls, mouse pads, die-cast cars, calendars, Christmas ornaments, Halloween masks, trading cards, standees, video games, and roleplaying games.
ABOUT DIGITAL EXTREMES
Founded in 1993 by James Schmalz, Digital Extremes ranks as one of the world's top independent video game development studios. Originating with the co-creation of Epic Games' multi-million unit selling Unreal® franchise including Unreal, Unreal Tournament – and all its iterations – Digital Extremes went on to develop Dark Sector®, BioShock® for the PlayStation®3, the BioShock 2 multi-player campaign, and The Darkness® II. The studio reached its greatest critical and commercial success with the free-to-play action game, Warframe®, boasting a global community of more than 26 million registered players on PC, PS4™ and Xbox One. For more information about Digital Extremes, visit www.digitalextremes.com. To sign up for Warframe, visit www.warframe.com.

Baltimore Comic-Con's Yearbook Returns in 2017 with Tellos

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - May 29, 2017 - The Baltimore Comic-Con returns September 22-24, 2017 to the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore's Inner Harbor. Tickets are now available.

Continuing our tradition, the Baltimore Comic-Con Yearbook returns in 2017 for the sixth year, celebrating creators appearing at this year's show. This year's book of art features interpretations of characters from Tellos, sometimes in conjunction with the contributing guest's own creations, in a celebration of creator-owned properties.

Beautifully designed by returning guest and Love and Capes creator Thom Zahler, the book comes in a standard and, for VIP ticketholders, a limited VIP cover edition.

Artwork by Brandon Peterson Tellos is a high-adventure comic book series that, over the course of its 10 issue run, transports you to magikal lands from the farthest reaches of your imagination and introduces you to a cast of colorful characters you won't soon forget. Created in 1999 by writer Todd Dezago and artist Mike Wieringo, Tellos unspools the tale of a young boy, Jarek, who, along with his sword-wielding Tiger-companion, Koj, find themselves thrust into the roles of reluctant heroes. Soon teamed with a young pirate captain named Serra, the three embark on a fantastic and mysterious mission to discover where Jarek's strange new magikal abilities have come from. Oh, and part of that mystery...? Who is the dark and malevolent figure trying desperately to hunt them down and have those powers for his own.  Tellos is a magikal patchwork world made up of a myriad of different realms, populated by creatures of myth and legend. A fantastic land filled with adventure around every corner...and danger at every turn.

Once again, our popular scavenger hunt returns in 2017! When you buy the book, you'll get a list of Yearbook contributors and their table numbers. If you succeed in your hunt, you can get your choice of bonus prints!

Artwork by Marty Baumann "I have been more than honored to be a guest at the Baltimore Comic Con since meeting the show's illustrious and gregarious organizer, Marc Nathan, some...fifteen years ago," quipped Tellos writer Todd Dezago. "One of my favorite people, one of my favorite conventions. So, here's a cool idea. About six years ago, Marc and his first lieutenant, Brad Tree, create the Baltimore Comic-Con Yearbook, an annual treat that is both a showcase of comicdom's top talents as well as an instant collector's item. 'Yo, Todd--what's that all about?', you say? Well, I'm glad you asked. Each year, the Yearbook spotlights a classic or independent comic book series and encourages some of the industry's top artists to create for us their vision and version of these familiar characters; The Archies Gang, the colorful cast from Frank Cho's Liberty Meadows, Stan Sakai's wonderful Usagi Yojimbo, David Peterson's fantastic Mouse Guard, and Matt Wagner's Grendel. The book then becomes a map of the show as well, as convention-goers are then directed around the convention hall floor to meet and collect the autographs of the various artists. A fun time is had by all!"

Artwork by Stan Sakai "Tellos is such a unique property," said Marc Nathan, promoter of the Baltimore Comic-Con. "It's a fascinating story with gorgeous, unique, striking characters, and it was created by great friends of the show. I'm really excited to see what our guests will do with the Tellos characters, or how they'll draw them to interact with characters of their own. This should be another fantastic-looking Yearbook that our attendees will love."

Art created for the 2017 Baltimore Comic-Con Yearbook celebrating the characters of Tellos will be auctioned off at the Baltimore Comic-Con Art Auction on Saturday, September 23rd at 5pm. Fans and art collectors alike won't want to miss this opportunity to win these one-of-a-kind items, only available at the Baltimore Comic-Con!

The book will be sold, and the art auction will be held at 5pm on Saturday, September 23rd in our Main hall, in the Exclusives Booth in the lobby. The book will be available at the Baltimore Comic-Con for $29.99.

In addition to on-site CGC grading, this year's confirmed guests for the show include: Joel Adams (Bucky O'Hare Graphic Novel Coloring Book), Neal Adams (Harley's Little Black Book), Zeea Adams (Neal Adams Monsters), Jeremy Bastian (Cursed Pirate Girl), Marty Baumann (Toybox Time Machine: A Catalog of the Coolest Toys Never Made), Lee Bermejo (Batman: Noel), Reilly Brown (Slapstick), Mark Buckingham (Everafter: From the Pages of Fables), Dave Bullock (The Rocketeer at War), Buzz (Superman: The Coming of the Supermen), Jim Calafiore (Surviving Megalopolis), Richard Case (King: Jungle Jim), Elias Chatzoudis (Peepland), Frank Cho (Skybourne), Amy Chu (KISS), Steve Conley (The Middle Age), Gerry Conway (Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows, courtesy of Hero Initiative), Amanda Conner (Harley Quinn), Kristina Deak-Linsner (Dawn/Vampirella), Todd Dezago (The Perhapanauts), Joshua Dysart (Imperium, courtesy of Hero Initiative), David Finch (Batman), Meredith Finch (Catwoman: Election Night), Ramona Fradon (Convergence: Plastic Man and the Freedom Fighters), John Gallagher (Underdog), Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez (Sensation Comics Featuring Wonder Woman), Michael Golden (Doctor Strange), Scott Hanna (Wonder Woman), Dean Haspiel (Dark Horse Presents), Klaus Janson (Dark Knight III: The Master Race), Brian Joines (Bill & Ted Go to Hell), Arvell M. Jones (Marvel Premiere), JG Jones (Batwoman), Justin Jordan (Planet of the Apes/Green Lantern), Kazu Kibuishi (Harry Potter covers), Matt Kindt (Ninjak), Sharlene Kindt (Dept. H), Tom King (Batman), Barry Kitson (Avengers), Tony Kordos (Batman and Robin Eternal), Alisa Kwitney (Convergence Batgirl), Greg LaRocque (Stargate Atlantis: Hearts and Minds), Hope Larson (Batgirl), Joe Linsner (Harley Quinn), Andrew MacLean (Headlopper), Elliot S. Maggin (Superman, courtesy of Hero Initiative), David Marquez (Civil War II), Alitha Martinez (Black Panther: World of Wakanda), Ron Marz (Dread Gods), Ed McGuinness (Spider-Man/Deadpool), Mike McKone (Old Man Logan), Carla Speed McNeil (Finder), Steve McNiven (Secret Empire), Mike Mignola (Hellboy), Mark Morales (Deathstroke), Melody Often (Amazing Forest), Denny O'Neil (Green Lantern/Green Arrow, courtesy of Hero Initiative), Greg Pak (The Totally Awesome Hulk), Tom Palmer (The Avengers), Jimmy Palmiotti (Harley Quinn), Dan Parent (Your Pal Archie), Paul Pelletier (Cyborg), David Petersen (Mouse Guard), Brandon Peterson (Revolution), Khoi Pham (Teen Titans, courtesy of Hero Initiative), Keith Pollard (Fantastic Four), Tom Raney (Invincible Iron Man), Afua Richardson (Black Panther), Rafer Roberts (Rai: The History of the Valiant Universe), Don Rosa (Donald Duck), Craig Rousseau (The Perhapanauts), Andy Runton (Owly), Julie Fujii Sakai (Peanuts: A Tribute to Charles M. Schulz), Stan Sakai (Usagi Yojimbo), Stuart Sayger (Krampus: Shadow of Saint Nicholas), Bart Sears (Dread Gods), Louise Simonson (Faith), Walter Simonson (Ragnarok), Megan Sloane (Lark's Killer), Andy Smith (Earth 2), Brian Stelfreeze (Black Panther), Rob Stull (Executive Assistant: Orchid), Peter Tomasi (Superman), John Totleben (Convergence: Swamp Thing), Billy Tucci (Shi), James Tynion IV (Detective Comics), Ethan Van Sciver (Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps), Gus Vazquez (Big Hero 6), Mark Waid (Avengers), Freddie E. Williams II (Batman/TMNT), Bill Willingham (The Kamandi Challenge), Ron Wilson (The Thing), Renee Witterstaetter (Joe Jusko: Maelstrom), Marv Wolfman (Raven, courtesy of Hero Initiative), Rich Woodall (Kyrra: Alien Jungle Girl), David Yardin (Jean Grey), Kelly Yates (Torchwood), and Thom Zahler (Time & Vine).

Visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com/tickets/ for more information and to purchase your advanced tickets!

In the coming weeks, look for more announcements from the Baltimore Comic-Con. We are looking forward to highlighting our guests, industry exclusives, and programming. The latest developments can always be found on our website, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook pages.

 

Wizard World Hall of Legends To Honor Comic Arts Legacy

‘Cable,’ ‘Deadpool,’ ‘X-Force,’ ‘Youngblood’ Creator Rob Liefeld Named As First Recipient, To Be Honored At Wizard World Comic Con Philadelphia, June 2

LOS ANGELES, May 29, 2017 – For more than a quarter-century, the name Wizard World has represented the best in comics and pop culture. As one of the media pioneers in the space, Wizard World is proud to be honoring and respecting the legacy of the comic arts through the Wizard World Hall of Legends, a new initiative to celebrate the artists, writers and insiders who have built the industry and those continue the traditions.

The first recipient of the Wizard World Hall of Legends award is Rob Liefeld, creator of the popular Cable, Deadpool, X-Force and Youngblood franchises. Liefeld will be presented the inaugural award at Wizard World Comic Con Philadelphia in a ceremony on Friday, June 2, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

“I'm honored to be inducted into the Wizard World Hall of Legends and have my 30 years of contributions to the industry recognized,” said Liefeld. “I have tremendous love and affection for this art form, its community and the business of creating and selling comic books and graphic novels. It was a passion of mine long before it was my vocation.”

“Comics is where Wizard World began, and the community continues to be a vital part of all facets of our company,” said John D. Maatta, Wizard World President and CEO. “We have worked diligently to make Artist Alley at our shows even more engaging for attendees, and we encourage fans to let us know what else they’d like to see as we continue to improve the experience for the many fans who love comics as much as we do.

“Rob Liefeld is a perfect first Wizard World Hall of Legends recipient: a top creator whose work has gained worldwide acclaim in various media forms, all the way to the big screen,” added Maatta.

Following the success of X-Force (#1 went on to sell an unprecedented five million copies in the United States alone making it the #2 selling comic book of all time), Liefeld teamed with his peers to launch Image Comics, the most successful independent comic book label in comics history. Youngblood, created and illustrated by Liefeld, went on to sell 1 million copies, shattering the sales record for an independent comic book. Liefeld created a comic production label, Extreme Studios which went on to publish Liefeld creations, Brigade, Bloodstrike, Supreme, Glory, Prophet and Avengelyne, many continue their publication at Image today.

More than 25 years after introducing the world to his brilliant creations, Liefeld continues to enjoy the fruits of his imagination as Cable, Deadpool and others expand into multi-media platforms including cartoons, video games and motion pictures.

The Wizard World Hall of Legends initiative, which will honor one or more figures from the comics world at each convention, is one in a series of enhancements that Wizard World is making in the comics area. Artist Alley in Philadelphia features a standout lineup of creators from the worlds of: Marvel Joe Rubinstein ( Wolverine inker), Arthur Suydam (Marvel Zombies artist), Steve Geiger (Spider-Man, Hulk, Wolverine, Punisher artist) and more, DC (JG Jones (Y the Last Man cover artist), Keith Giffen ( Omega Men, Lobo), Tony Kordos (Cyborg inker), Indie (Stuart Sayger (Walking Dead, ROM, Shiver in the Dark), Simon Fraser (UK's 2000 AD), Amy Chu (Kiss writer), animation (Phil Ortiz ( Simpsons), Sam Ellis (Archer creator), Tom Cook (He-Man) and many more.

Comics creators at Wizard World Comic Cons are engaging with fans more than ever. The Creative Stage, active throughout every show, provides attendees additional opportunities to interact with artists and writers, with demonstrations, interactive Q&As, informative discussions, art raffles and auctions, learn-to-draw instruction and more.

Wizard World Comic Con events bring together thousands of fans of all ages to celebrate the best in pop culture: movies, television, gaming, live entertainment, comics, sci-fi, graphic novels, toys, original art, collectibles, contests and more. The seventh event scheduled on the 2017 Wizard World calendar, Philadelphia show hours are Thursday, June 1, 4-9 p.m.; Friday, June 2, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturday, June 3, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday, June 4, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Kids 10 and under are admitted free with paid adult.

Wizard World Comic Con Philadelphia is also the place for cosplay, with fans young and old showing off their best costumes throughout the event. Fans dressed as every imaginable character – and some never before dreamed – will roam the convention floor and participate in the famed Wizard World Costume Contest on Saturday evening.

For more on the 2017 Wizard World Philadelphia, visit http://wizd.me/PhiladelphiaPR.

About Wizard World (OTCBB: WIZD)

Wizard World, Inc. (www.wizardworld.com ) produces comic, gaming and pop culture conventions across North America that celebrate the best in pop culture: movies, television, gaming, live entertainment, comics, sci-fi, graphic novels, toys, original art, collectibles, contests and more. A first-class lineup of topical programming and entertainment takes place at each event, with celebrity Q&A's, comics-themed sessions, costume contests, movie screenings, evening parties and more. Wizard World has also launched ComicConBox™ (www.comicconbox.com ), a premium subscription-based monthly box service and Wizard World Touring. Fans can interact with Wizard World on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and other social media services.

The 2017 Wizard World convention schedule is available at: http://www.wizardworld.com/comiccon.