Greg Capullo, Neal Adams, Ethan Van Sciver, Ron Garney Among Top Comics Creators To Attend Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con, Nov. 30 - Dec. 2

Greg Horn, Phil Jimenez, Michael Golden, Jesus Saiz, David Mack, Arthur Suydam Also Featured At New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center

NEW YORK and NEW ORLEANS, November 6, 2012 – Superstar artists Greg Capullo (“Batman,” “Spawn”), Neal Adams (“Green Lantern,” “X-Men”), Ethan Van Sciver (“Action Comics,” “Flash”) and Ron Garney (“Ultimate Captain America,” “Wolverine”) are a few of the nearly 150 top comics creators scheduled to attend Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con, Nov. 30 – Dec. 2 at New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.  The top-flight Artist Alley complements a strong celebrity roster which includes comics legend Stan Lee and seven members of the “Star Trek: The Next Generation”) cast, headed by Sir Patrick Stewart.

Other well-known artists at New Orleans Comic Con include Greg Horn (“Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark,” “Wonder Woman”), Phil Jimenez (“Captain America Corps,” “Fairest”), Michael Golden (“Batman,” “Star Wars”), Jesus Saiz (“Resurrection Man,” “Birds of Prey”), David Mack (“Kabuki,” “Daredevil”) and Marvel “Zombie King” Arthur Suydam (“Marvel Zombies,” “Army of Darkness”).  Some of the top local Louisiana talent will also be on display, with New Orleans' Kody Chamberlain (“Sweets: A New Orleans Crime Story,” “30 Days of Night”) and Lafayette's Rob Guillory (“Chew") atop the list.

Eisner Award winners attending New Orleans Comic Con are Garney, Guillory, Lee (Hall of Fame), Adams (Hall of Fame) and Janet Lee ("Return of the Dapper Men").  Eisner nominees include Mack, Van Sciver, Billy Tucci ("Birds of Prey," "Sgt. Rock"), Jeremy Whitley ("Order of Dagonet," "Princeless") and Eliza Frye ("The Lady's Murder," "Lucky House").

In addition to Lee, Stewart and the “TNG” cast, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” star Eliza Dushku, Reservoir Dogs headliner Michael Madsen and WWE® Superstar CM Punk® top the celebrity lineup.  A variety of activities, exhibitors and special attractions will also take place at the final event on Wizard World's 2012 calendar.

Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con, produced by Wizard World, Inc. (WIZD.PK), will bring together thousands of fans of all ages to celebrate the best in pop-fi, pop culture, movies, graphic novels, comics, toys, video gaming, television, sci-fi, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more.  Admission is free for kids 10 and under, and Sunday, December 2, is “Kids Day,” an array of programming specially designed for children.

For more on the 2012 Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con, visit http://www.wizardworld.com/home-neworleans.html.

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

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

***** SAVE THE 2012-13 DATES *****
November 30 - December 2, 2012 – Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con
February 22-24, 2013 – Wizard World Portland Comic Con
May 30 - June 2, 2013 – Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con
August 8-11, 2013 – Wizard World Chicago Comic Con
September 20-22, 2013 – Wizard World Ohio Comic Con
November 22-24, 2013 – Wizard World Austin Comic Con

STARZ FANS FLAMES OF ANTICIPATION

WITH FIRST LOOK AT THE DAVID S. GOYER

HISTORICAL DRAMA “DA VINCI’S DEMONS”

Beverly Hills, CA – November 5, 2012 – Today STARZ released a peek at the highly anticipated historical drama, “Da Vinci’s Demons” with a first look trailer. “Da Vinci’s Demons” is an original series penned by David S. Goyer (Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, Man of Steel) and will air on STARZ Spring 2013.

Starring Tom Riley (“Monroe,” I Want Candy), as the title character, “Da Vinci's Demons” is a historical fantasy, following the ‘untold’ story of the world's greatest genius during his turbulent youth in Renaissance Florence. Brilliant and passionate, the twenty-five year old Leonardo Da Vinci is an artist, inventor, swordsman, lover, dreamer and idealist. As a free thinker, with intellect and talents that are almost superhuman, he struggles to live within the confines of his own reality and time. He begins to not only see the future, but invent it. 

http://www.starz.com/originals/davincisdemons/videos#/da-vincis-demons-teaser-trailer

The series also stars Laura Haddock (The Inbetweeners Movie, “Honest,” Captain America: The First Avenger) who plays the celebrated beauty with obscure motives, Lucrezia Donati, Elliot Cowan (“Marchlands,” “The Fixer,” “Lost in Austen”) who plays the shrewd de factor ruler of Florence, Lorenzo Medici, Lara Pulver (“True Blood,” “Sherlock,” “Robin Hood”), who plays his wife Clarice Orsini and Blake Ritson (RocknRolla, Titus, “World Without End”) as Pope Sixtus’ ruthless bastard son, Count Riario.

“Da Vinci’s Demons” is the first project to enter production under the multi-year agreement between Starz Entertainment and BBC Worldwide Productions. Goyer, co-writer of blockbuster and critically-acclaimed films Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, and writer of the upcoming Man of Steel, is showrunner. Julie Gardner is Executive Producer, along with Jane Tranter, head of BBC Worldwide Productions. Production began this summer and STARZ will premiere an eight-episode first season in the U.S. in 2013. 

About Starz Entertainment

Starz Entertainment, LLC, is a premium movie and original programming entertainment service provider operating in the United States. The company offers 17 premium channels including the flagship STARZ^® and ENCORE^® brands with approximately 20.7 million and 34.2 million subscribers respectively.  Starz Entertainment airs in total more than 1,000 movies and original series every month across its pay TV channels. Starz Entertainment is recognized as a pay TV leader in providing HD, On Demand, HD On Demand and online advanced services for its STARZ, ENCORE and MOVIEPLEX brands.  Starz Entertainment (www.starz.com) is an operating unit of Starz, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation (NASDAQ: LMCA).

THE FUTURE OF DYSTOPIA IN BLACKACRE

New series explores society post-collapse

Born out of the extremes of economic inequality and the collapse of a civilization, the dystopian world of the Image Comics series BLACKACRE, starting in December, is one where the elite live in gleaming high-rises, while outside the walls of their city, others struggle for survival and freedom.

BlackAcre is a community built on privilege and power, topics of conversation in our political climate, but writer Duffy Boudreau explained that our concerns are only a starting point. "The story is definitely inspired by current events, but those are just foundation," he said. "In the world of BlackAcre, our politics are a thing of the past. Most characters in this new world wouldn't have the slightest idea about any of that."

Auxiliary Captain Hull doesn't know about the machinations of power in the walled community of BlackAcre, either. When he's recruited for a rescue mission, he doesn't hesitate to accept, having been raised in military service with utmost loyalty to his brothers-at-arms. But as Hull ventures into the Hinterlands outside of the walls, he will discover the treachery behind the trust placed in him.

The stripping away of society as we know it allowed Boudreau to examine how people act from a new perspective, he said. "I've always been fascinated with dystopian stories because they give us a look at human nature through a completely different lens — whether it's a society taken to its extreme or a landscape where the trappings of the civilized world have fallen away. These two types of worlds coexist in BlackAcre, and Hull's journey from one to the other is the spark that sets everything in motion."

Artist on BLACKACRE, Wendell Cavalcanti, said the series gives him the opportunity to apply his skill to genres that have always attracted him. "I love sci-fi, dystopian future, war, and spy films, with all those diabolical characters and their sordid plans. And BlackAcre is a mix of all that," he said.

The first issue has already earned rave reviews from some of comics' top creators:

"The key to creating a great story about the future isn't making it seem possible, but probable. Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce you to a little tale called BlackAcre."
    - Jonathan Hickman (THE MANHATTAN PROJECTS, Fantastic Four)

"An amazing new book from an amazing new writer. This book rules."
    - Matt Fraction (Hawkeye, Invincible Iron Man, Casanova)

"BlackAcre is the perfect new comic for our times. Like some bizarre cross between Mad Max and Judge Dredd that I can't wait to read more of."
    - Ed Brubaker (FATALE, Criminal, Winter Soldier)

BLACKACRE is an ongoing series, with the first issue, which features a cover by Michael Avon Oeming, in stores on December 5.

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Blackacre #1

Story by: Duffy Boudreau
Art By: Wendell Cavalcanti
Cover By: Michael Avon Oeming
Price: $2.99
Diamond ID: OCT120457

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, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.

ABOUT ROBERT KIRKMAN
Robert Kirkman's success and passionate advocacy for creator-owned comics led him to become the first person invited to become a partner at Image Comics since the company's inception twenty years ago and he formed his own imprint there, Skybound, in 2010.  Kirkman is the creator/writer of the Eisner Award-winning The Walking Dead, long-running Invincible, all-ages Super Dinosaur, The Astounding Wolf-Man, and new title Thief of Thieves, among many others. Kirkman has earned the respect of the comic, writing and television communities and topped the New York Times bestseller list for graphic novels in 2011 and in April 2012, he took the top five spots on both the hardcover and paperback lists. He's the creator/executive producer and writer of the hit television show, AMC's The Walking Dead, the highest-rated basic cable drama of all time in the U.S, also an international success in 120 countries and 250 million households. AMC is developing Thief of Thieves as a  potential series with Kirkman serving as creator/executive producer and writer.  www.Skybound.com is your destination for all news and merchandise for Robert Kirkman, The Walking Dead and all Skybound titles.

New Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn Limited-Edition Statue Revealed

THE MASTER CHIEF VS THE HUNTER Statue Pre-order Now!

 

Tempe, Ariz.— November 2, 2012 –McFarlane, Microsoft Studios and 343 Industries reveal the first ever HALO 4: FORWARD UNTO DAWN’ resin statue THE MASTER CHIEF VS THE HUNTER. 

HALO 4: FORWARD UNTO DAWN is an exciting story of heroism and sacrifice taking fans back to the beginning of the Human-Covenant War. The live-action digital series created in partnership with top Hollywood talent from film, television and new media, FOWARD UNTO DAWN delivers an exciting story, leading into the events of Halo 4, the biggest entertainment event of 2012.

 

This highly detailed, hand-painted, cold-cast resin statue depicts the series’ climactic scene, when the Master Chief - out of ammo and out of options - single-handedly faces the unstoppable rampage of an invading Covenant Hunter to save the lives of UNSC Cadets.

 

This selfless act of heroism inspires the Cadets, especially young Thomas Lasky, to become soldiers capable of defending humanity against its powerful new enemy. Decades later, Commander Lasky and the Master Chief reunite to face a threat even greater than the Covenant in the most anticipated video game of 2012, HALO 4.

 

Commemorating this inspirational moment, our "The Master Chief vs. The Hunter" statue is limited to only 500 pieces, stands at over 14-inches tall on a base spanning 13” wide by 7” deep, and includes a Certificate of Authenticity signed by McFarlane Toys' creator Todd McFarlane.

 

Each statue and its box is sequentially numbered (individually numbered 1 through 500). The Statue retails at $225 with FREE Shipping (Only available in US and Canada) and is available now at store.spawn.com

The Halo: Forward Unto Dawn statue is planned to ship December 2012. Customers will not be charged until the order is ready to ship.

 

Watch McFarlane Toys’ creator, Todd McFarlane’s THE MASTER CHIEF VS THE HUNTER statue reveal on “After Dawn” on Machinima Prime (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2l0qw7FBokk&list=SPDFC6FCE90257904C&index=13&feature=plpp_video) and Halo Waypoint (http://www.halowaypoint.com/en-US/?/).

 

Stay tuned to http://www.McFarlane.com  for more info on this statue, along with news on all the awesome McFarlane Toys products.

 

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ABOUT MCFARLANE TOYS: Grammy-and Emmy-winning producer/director Todd McFarlane, creator of Spawn is the force behind McFarlane Toys, one of America’s top action figure manufacturers. 2012 marquee lines include “The Walking Dead” TV and comic lines HALO, HALO 4 as well as the officially licensed teams of the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL.  McFarlane Toys has expanded its product offerings to include highly collectible resin statues, available on store.spawn.com.  McFarlane Toys has become a leader and redefined the standards within the action figure industry.

 

For complete information on this pop-culture powerhouse, visit us at  www.McFarlane.com; 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/liketoddmcfarlane;

Twitter: http://twitter.com/Todd_McFarlane (@Todd_McFarlane)

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/McFarlaneCompanies

 

VIZ MEDIA DEBUTS

NARUTO SHIPPUDEN THE MOVIE: THE WILL OF FIRE ON NEON ALLEY

Third Feature Film Featuring The World’s Most Popular Teen Ninja Also Available On DVD and Blu-ray

The world’s most popular ninja returns to face a menacing new threat in the Neon Alley debut of NARUTO SHIPPUDEN THE MOVIE: THE WILL OF FIRE (rated TV-14) on Sunday, November 4^th at 8:00pm EST / 5:00pm PST. The film will repeat at 12:00am EST November 5^th / 9:00pm PST November 4^th, and will air again throughout the week.

Neon Alley is VIZ Media’s new 24-hour anime channel featuring the world’s best titles (dubbed in English and uncut). For a limited time only, the subscription-based service is offering a one-week free trial, available for fans who sign up at NeonAlley.com.

NARUTO SHIPPUDEN THE MOVIE: THE WILL OF FIRE is also now available on DVD and Blu-ray with both English-subtitled and dubbed dialogue options. The film is carries a DVD MSRP of $19.98 U.S. / $24.98 CAN and a Blu-ray MSRP of $24.98 U.S. / $27.50 CAN. Bonus features include the original Japanese theatrical trailer. 

In the film, four ninjas with Kekkei Genkai justsu abilities that have been guarding the Hidden Villages of Cloud, Stone, Mist and Sand mysteriously disappear from their respective villages. The Land of Fire comes under suspicion as it is the only country to have suffered no loss. Mounting suspicion among the four countries could potentially set off the 4^th Great Ninja War. In the Hidden Leaf Village, Tsunade orders her men to keep strict guard and to try to find out what really happened. At the same time, it turns out that Kakashi has left the village. The bad news deeply disturbs Naruto and his friends.     

Created by Masashi Kishimoto, NARUTO was first introduced in Weekly Shonen Jump magazine in Japan in 1999 and quickly became that country’s most popular ninja manga targeting tweens and teens. The manga series (rated ‘T’ for Teens, in print and digital editions) and animated counterpart (NARUTO rated ‘T’ for teens, and NARUTO Shippuden rated ‘T+’ for older teens) are some of VIZ Media’s most successful properties and have captivated millions of fans across North America, Europe and South America. NARUTO is a co-production of TV TOKYO, VIZ Media parent company Shueisha Inc., and Pierrot Co., Ltd.

In the NARUTO manga and animated series, Naruto Uzumaki wants to be the best ninja in the land. He's done well so far, but Naruto knows he must train harder than ever and leaves his village for intense exercises that will push him to his limits. NARUTO SHIPPUDEN begins two and a half years later, when Naruto returns to find that everyone has been promoted up the ninja ranks – except him. Sakura’s a medic ninja, Gaara’s advanced to Kazekage, and Kakashi…well he remains the same. But pride isn’t necessarily becoming of a ninja, especially when Naruto realizes that Sasuke never returned from his search for Orochimaru. Plus, the mysterious Akatsuki organization is still an ever-present danger. As Naruto finds out more about the Akatsuki’s goals, he realizes that nothing in his universe is as it seems. Naruto is finding that he’s older, but will he also prove wiser and stronger?

More information on NARUTO and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN is available at www.Naruto.com.

Subtitled episodes of NARUTO and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN may be streamed on the company’s own VIZAnime.com and Hulu. In addition, Download-To-Own dubbed episodes are available for purchase through iTunes^®, PlayStation^®Network, Xbox Live^®, Amazon Instant Video, and the Google Play store.

To read a free chapter 1 preview of the NARUTO manga series, please visit http://www.vizmanga.com/naruto.

THREE IMAGE COMICS SELL OUT WEEK OF RELEASE

HAPPY! #1 and #2, REVIVAL #4 get new printings

Three Image Comics issues — HAPPY! #1 (second printing, HAPPY! #2, and REVIVAL #4 — have sold out this week and will receive new printings

Both the second issue and second printing of the first issue of HAPPY!, a four-issue miniseries by Grant Morrison and Darick Robertson, were released this Wednesday and quickly sold out at the distributor level. A third printing of HAPPY! #1 (SEP128237) and a second printing of HAPPY! #2 (SEP128238) will be in stores on December 5, the same day as  HAPPY! #3. HAPPY! tells the story of disgraced cop Nick Sax and his tiny blue companion, the winged horse Happy, who may or may not be a hallucination.

REVIVAL #4 also sold out at the distributor level this week Every issue of the ongoing series by Tim Seeley and Mike Norton about a small town where the dead came back to life for one fateful day has had multiple printings. The second printing of REVIVAL #4 (SEP128239) will be in stores on December 5.

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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, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.

ABOUT ROBERT KIRKMAN
Robert Kirkman's success and passionate advocacy for creator-owned comics led him to become the first person invited to become a partner at Image Comics since the company's inception twenty years ago and he formed his own imprint there, Skybound, in 2010.  Kirkman is the creator/writer of the Eisner Award-winning The Walking Dead, long-running Invincible, all-ages Super Dinosaur, The Astounding Wolf-Man, and new title Thief of Thieves, among many others. Kirkman has earned the respect of the comic, writing and television communities and topped the New York Times bestseller list for graphic novels in 2011 and in April 2012, he took the top five spots on both the hardcover and paperback lists. He's the creator/executive producer and writer of the hit television show, AMC's The Walking Dead, the highest-rated basic cable drama of all time in the U.S, also an international success in 120 countries and 250 million households. AMC is developing Thief of Thieves as a  potential series with Kirkman serving as creator/executive producer and writer.  www.Skybound.com is your destination for all news and merchandise for Robert Kirkman, The Walking Dead and all Skybound titles.

Explore THE HIGH WAYS with John Byrne! IDW Announces New Creator-Owned Series from the Comics Legend! San Diego, CA (November 2, 2012) – Continuing their ongoing partnership with legendary comics creator John Byrne, IDW Publishing is beyond pleased to announce THE HIGH WAYS, a brand-new, starbound adventure series written and drawn by Byrne! THE HIGH WAYS follows the exploits of a spirited young man named Eddie Wallace. Hungry for the brand of wild adventure only available off-planet, Eddie joins up with a crew of a rock-hopping freighter, eager to see what lies beyond the clouds. As these things tend to go, however, everything in these early days of interstellar travel isn’t quite what it seems as intrigue and mystery abound. “This evolved into something a bit more like Dan Dare, the British sci-fi strip so beloved from my childhood and early teens. I liked the idea of playing in that “old time sci-fi” kind of milieu, where all the adventures took place within the Solar System, and where life — even intelligent, humanoid life — was to be found everywhere,” said Byrne before adding an extra tidbit for his fans. “I decided this takes place in the Next Men “universe” -- though in the altered timeline our heroes created when they wiped out Project Next Men. The time is eighty or ninety years in the Future, roughly, and a central character of the first arc is Eddie Wallace, who appeared briefly in the previous series.” Another in a long line of fruitful partnerships with the iconoclastic Byrne, IDW is immensely proud of THE HIGH WAYS’ high adventure and exciting future series yet to come! “I’ve found John Byrne’s boundless creativity, wealth of ideas and his ability to consistently deliver high-quality comics on time to be pretty much unmatched over the course of our six-plus years of working together,” said Chris Ryall, IDW’s Chief Creative Officer/Editor-in-Chief, “and I’m happy to continue that with The High Ways. 2013 is going to be a big year for John Byrne and IDW, with John prepping two new series to roll out later in ’13 as well.” THE HIGH WAYS #1 (of 4) (FC, 32 pages, $3.99) in stores 1/16/13. Visit IDWPublishing.com to learn more about the company and its top-selling books. IDW can also be found at http://www.facebook.com/#!/idwpublishing and http://tumblr.idwpublishing.com/ and on Twitter at @idwpublishing.

About IDW Publishing IDW is an award-winning publisher of comic books, graphic novels and trade paperbacks, based in San Diego, California. Renowned for its diverse catalog of licensed and independent titles, IDW publishes some of the most successful and popular titles in the industry, including: Hasbro’s The TRANSFORMERS and G.I. JOE, Paramount’s Star Trek; HBO’s True Blood; the BBC’s DOCTOR WHO; Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; Toho’s Godzilla; Wizards of the Coasts Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons; and the Eisner-Award winning Locke & Key series, created by best-selling author Joe Hill and artist Gabriel Rodriguez. IDW is also home to the Library of American Comics imprint, which publishes classic comic reprints, and Yoe! Books, a partnership with Yoe! Studio. IDW’s critically- and fan-acclaimed series are continually moving into new mediums. Currently, Jerry Bruckheimer Films and Disney are creating a feature film based on World War Robot, while Michael Bay‘s Platinum Dunes and Sony are bringing Zombies vs. Robots to film.

Watch The World Premiere of Libby Larsen's
"The Peculiar Case of Dr. H.H. Holmes"
Based on Rick Geary's The Beast of Chicago

Today, the Florestan Recital Project released the world premiere recording of Libby Larsen's The Peculiar Case of Dr. H. H. Holmes.  Adapted from the graphic novel The Beast of Chicago by Rick Geary, this groundbreaking recording is now available as a free download on the Florestan website at www.florestanproject.org and on the NBM blog at http://nbmpub.com/blog/2012/10/31/florestanproject/.

This macabre subject matter provides the basis for an exploration into the darkest corners of the human psyche. The adventurous Florestan Recital Project announces the release of its world premiere recording of renowned composer Libby Larsen's The Peculiar Case of Dr. H.H. Holmes. The work explores the unfathomable impulses that drove Holmes to commit his crimes. Scored for baritone and piano, Larsen's song cycle interweaves passages of period parlour music with texts from Holmes' own confessions. The result is a work that is both haunting and engaging--a perfect platform for Florestan's "deeply felt, and impeccably prepared" performances (The Boston Globe).
The story is set at the height of the Gilded Age, during Chicago's finest moment of international glory, a man known as H.H. Holmes quietly and secretively carried out one of the most horrifically perverse and murderous crime sprees in American history. Against the ornate backdrop of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, Holmes built an elaborate chamber of horrors in which he staged the methodical and grisly murders of up to 200 people, becoming America's first known serial killer.
In addition, Aaron Engebreth, the Artistic Co-Director of the Florestan Recital Project discussed the project on the NBM blog where he discussed the genesis of the project, it's inspirations and the future of the format.
For more details, visit www.florestanproject.org 

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES THE RELEASE OF

NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND
DELUXE MANGA BOX SET

Hayao Miyazaki’s Acclaimed Manga Fantasy Adventure Offered In A New 2-Volume Hardcover Box Set That Arrives In Time For The Start Of The 2012 Holiday Season

San Francisco, CA, November 1, 2012 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, is proud to announce the release of the NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND Deluxe Box Set, which collects all 7 volumes of the original celebrated manga (graphic novel) series by Hayao Miyazaki into 2 new hardcover editions packaged in a special illustrated slipcase. A full-color double-sided poster is also included and each volume features 8 full-color page inserts.

The NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND Deluxe Box Set is scheduled for release on November 6^th, is rated ‘T’ for Teens, and carries an MSRP of $60.00 U.S. / $67.99 CAN. A movie adaptation is also available on DVD and Blu-ray from Walt Disney Home Entertainment.

In a long-ago war, humankind set off a devastating ecological disaster. Thriving industrial societies disappeared. The earth is slowly submerging beneath the expanding Sea of Corruption, an enormous toxic forest that creates mutant insects and releases a miasma of poisonous spores into the air. At the periphery of the sea, tiny kingdoms are scattered on tiny parcels of land. Here lies the Valley of the Wind, a kingdom of barely 500 citizens; a nation given fragile protection from the decaying sea's poisons by the ocean breezes; and home to Nausicaä.

“NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND is a true manga masterpiece, an epic fantasy story written and illustrated by legendary Studio Ghibli founder/director, Hayao Miyazaki, the creator of My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, and Howl’s Moving Castle,” says Masumi Washington, Senior Director, Editorial. “NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND remains one of Hayao Miyazaki’s most widely acclaimed works and delivers a powerful message of ecological conservation and preserving our fragile environment for future generations. This new Deluxe Box Set arrives just in time for the start of the 2012 Holiday shopping season and we know it will be high on many fans’ wish lists this year. We invite them to look for this newest addition to VIZ Media’s Studio Ghibli Library.”

Hayao Miyazaki is one of Japan's most beloved animation directors. In 2005 he was awarded the Venice International Film Festival's Golden Lion Award for Lifetime Achievement. His Studio Ghibli received the festival's prestigious Osella Award for overall achievement in 2004. Miyazaki's films include Spirited Away, winner of the 2002 Academy Award^® for Best Animated Feature Film, as well as Castle in the Sky, My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, Princess Mononoke, Howl's Moving Castle, and Ponyo, all of which have received tremendous acclaim in the U.S. Miyazaki's other achievements include the highly regarded manga series NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND and STARTING POINT: 1979-1996, a collection of essays, interviews, and memoirs that chronicle his early career and the development of his theories of animation. Both titles are available in English from VIZ Media.

For more information on NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND, or other manga 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 manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP ALPHA magazine and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and INUYASHA, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages.  VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products.  Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.