VIZ MEDIA LAUNCHES END OF SUMMER

DIGITAL MANGA SALE

Sale Offers 20% Off All Manga Available On Barnes & Noble NOOK^© Tablets and VIZ Manga Platform

VIZ Media has announced a special “End of Summer” digital manga sale on ALL titles currently featured on VIZManga.com and available for digital download through the VIZ MANGA App for the Apple iPad^®, iPhone^® and iPod^® touch, Android-powered smart phones, and also for NOOK tablets and devices.

Beginning today and running until Thursday, September 5^th, the VIZ Media “End of Summer” sale will offer fans a prime opportunity to catch up on favorite series and dive into new ones with up to 20% off the MSRP on over 1,500 digital manga volumes across more than 100 different series (Reg. MSRP starts at $4.99).

Also don’t miss the North American digital debut of 8 additional new manga series this month including AISHITERUZE BABY, BEET THE VANDAL BUSTER, BOYS OVER FLOWERS, HANA KIMI (Single and 3-in-1 Editions), LA CORDA D’ORO, SKIP BEAT, VIDEO GIRL AI and YUYU HAKUSHO.

New Titles Debuting Today Include:

A DEVIL AND HER LOVE SONG Vol. 10 · Rated ‘T’ for Teens

BAKUMAN。 Vol. 20 (Final volume!) · Rated ‘T’ for Teens

HAPPY MARRIAGE Vol. 1 · Rated ‘M’ for Mature Readers

NARUTO Vol. 62 · Rated ‘T’ for Teens

RED RIVER Vol. 19 · Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens

YU-GI-OH! DUELIST Vol. 1 · Rated ‘T’ for Teens

YU-GI-OH! Vol. 7 (Final volume!) · Rated ‘T’ for Teens

New Titles Debuting August 13^th Include:

CACTUS’S SECRET Vol. 1 · Rated ‘T’ for Teens

KARE FIRST LOVE Vol. 10 (Final volume!) · Rated ‘T’ for Teens

MAGI Vol. 1 · Rated ‘T’ for Teens

RAL Ω GRAD Vol. 1 · Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens

NEON GENESIS EVANGELION 3-in-1 Vol. 4 · Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens

WAQWAQ Vols. 3-4 (Final Volumes!) · Rated ‘T’ for Teens

Additional August Series Debuts:

AISHITERUZE BABY Vol. 1

BEET THE VANDEL BUSTER Vol. 1

YUYU HAKUSHO Vol. 1

HANA KIMI Vol. 1 in regular and 3-in-1 editions

BOYS OVER FLOWERS Vol. 1

SKIP BEAT Vol. 1

LA CORDA D'ORO Vol. 1

VIDEO GIRL AI Vol. 1

The free VIZ Manga App continues to be the top application for reading digital manga and features a massive library of the most popular series in the world. Through the innovative VIZ Manga digital platform, registered users are able to use one account to view their purchased manga across more devices than ever.

The platform features a massive library of the most popular manga series in the world, with over 1,500 volumes across more than 130 different series, and new series and volumes added every Tuesday. All manga volumes are generally available for purchase and download in the U.S. and Canada within the application starting from $4.99 (U.S. / CAN) each, and readers can also explore all titles with free Chapter 1 previews of every series. For more information, please visit VIZManga.com or www.VIZ.com/apps.

Download the free VIZ Manga App for your Android and iOS devices at www.VIZ.com/apps.

To learn more about VIZ Manga, please visit www.vizmanga.com.

###

SABOTEN NO HIMITSU © 2003 by Nana Haruta/SHUEISHA Inc.

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

THE TOP 12 THINGS TO EXPERIENCE AT FAN EXPO CANADA™ 2013
August 22-25, 2013

The all-new Fan Expo Sports™, Hulk Hogan Uncensored, the original K.I.T.T. car, Doctor
Who's 50th anniversary, Sailor Moon cast reunion and more!

Tickets On Sale Now For This Ultimate Four-Day Fan Experience

TORONTO, ON (August 6, 2013) - Canada's largest fan convention, Fan Expo Canada™, puts the "pop" in pop culture. Taking over the entire North and South buildings of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre for the first time ever, these four days of fan-archy will host over 100,000 fans and 900 retailers, artists and exhibitors across 750,000 square feet of space. From Spock and Princess Leia to rock 'n' roll icon Slash, here are the Top 12 things fans can experience this year.

1. Fan Expo Sports™ - The Ultimate Sports Celebrity Experience: For the first time ever, Fan Expo Canada™ introduces Fan Expo Sports™, making it the only convention of its kind to marry the worlds of pop culture and sports. Fans can attend photo and signing sessions, and Q&As with sporting heroes like Bobby Orr, Roberto Alomar and Joe Montana, and browse over 70,000 square feet of sports retailers.
    
2. Knight Industries Two Thousand (K.I.T.T.) car from the original Knight Rider TV series arrives on Thursday, August 22. The Knight Rider himself, David Hasselhoff, is also appearing!
    
3. "Hulk Hogan: Uncensored": An intimate and unique fan experience hosted by 14-time world champion and WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan, alongside wrestling personality and TV producer Eric Bischoff and special guest wrestling announcer David Penzer. Scheduled on Friday, August 23 at 8 p.m. in the John Bassett Theatre, the event is not included in general admission. Tickets are available online at www.fanexpocanada.com/tickets/#hogan and range from $29 to $249.
    
4. Doctor Who's 50^th anniversary: Fan Expo Canada™ celebrates the anniversary of Doctor Who with the arrival of celebrity guest and Sixth Doctor on the series, Colin Baker. Plus, the March of the Daleks Guinness World Record attempt aims to make history with the largest gathering of Daleks in North America on Saturday, August 24 at 11:00am in the North Building in Room 104.
    
5. The Stars Collide: See some of the biggest names from Star Wars and Star Trek up close and personal in Q&As, photo sessions and signings. From Zachary Quinto (Spock), Karl Urban (Bones) and George Takei (Star Trek) to Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) and The Emperor (Ian McDiarmid) from Star Wars, it's up to fans whether to embrace The Force or to "boldly go where no man has gone before."
    
6. Sailor Moon's 20^th anniversary and cast reunion featuring a special presentation by Linda Ballantyne (Sailor Moon), Susan Roman (Lita/Sailor Jupiter), Katie Griffin (Raye/Sailor Mars), Toby Proctor (Darien/Tuxedo Mask) and director John Stocker.
    
7. Lolita mania: Lolita, one of the biggest fashion subcultures in Japan, is invading Fan Expo Canada™. Attend the Lolita Ambassador Appointment Ceremony, where an Official Lolita Emissary will be crowned for Toronto. Plus, have tea with Japanese guest of honour and Ambassador of Cute (Kawaii) Misako Aoki or attend the inaugural Lolita Style World Event fashion show, fashion panels and premium photo shoot.
    
8. Star Wars fans unite: 501^st Legion of Stormtroopers kicks-off its 13^th anniversary of the Canadian Garrison with the Grand March to the Grand Assembly photo opportunity, an anniversary Star Wars photo session, Star Wars Collectors Hour Q&A session, Star Wars masks, costumes and props workshops and the 501^st Legion official party of Fan Expo Canada™.
    
9. If They Came From Within: An Alternative History of Canadian Horror: A multifaceted art project held offsite at Steam Whistle Brewery, the show imagines a different world of uniquely Canadian genre films via fictional 20+ movie posters. Created by some of Canada's top poster artists and accompanied by synopses from some of the country's top horror filmmakers, the exhibit opens on Aug. 7 (7 p.m.-11 p.m.) with appearances by contributors Brandon Cronenberg, Astron-6, George Mihalka and Rodrigo Gudiño. Panels featuring several of the participating artists and filmmakers will also be held as part of Rue Morgue's Festival of Fear at Fan Expo Canada™. The exhibit is free and open to the public until Aug. 31; Steam Whistle Brewery is located at 255 Bremner Blvd. (directly south of the Metro Convention Centre). Other Fan Expo horror attractions include legendary guitarist Slash, who will unleash Slasher Films, his company devoted to resurrecting 70s and 80s style horror movies. Slash will also talk about the long-standing relationship between horror and rock music.
    
10. Toronto Steampunk Society: Join the cosplay full of Explorers and Adventurers, Airship Pirates and Evil Scientists, Inventors and Thieves and sit in on a costuming panel. Plus, attend workshops on building gadgets and props, listen to esteemed authors share their thoughts on Steampunk literature at Steampunk Author Panel: Words Driven by Steam or partake in a Tiffin and even witness a "tea duel".
     
11. Hot Game Previews in EB Gamer Zone: Get your game on and head to the Warner Bros. booth to protect the streets of Gotham City as a young Batman in the exclusive preview of Batman Arkham Origins (in stores Oct. 25), or attempt to defeat an unstoppable Nazi war machine as Captain BJ Blazkowicz in Bethesda's Wolfenstein: The New Order, launching later this year. Meet Assassin's Creed's Aveline and Charles Lee and attend the exclusive Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag and Assassin's Creed III cast signing with actors Amber Goldfarb and Neil Napier. In addition, Todd McFarlane, McFarlane Toys founder and Spawn comic creator, will appear courtesy of Ubisoft, in order to launch his company's newest figures and toys.
     
12. Food fit for a fanboy (or fangirl!): For the first time ever Fan Expo Canada™ will feature specialty themed food items, based on iconic movies and television shows, from Metro Toronto Convention Centre vendors.

For ticket information visit: http://www.fanexpocanada.com/tickets/

Visit www.fanexpocanada.com and www.fanexposports.com for exciting announcements and join the official Facebook fan site at facebook.com/fanexpocanada

About Fan Expo Canada™ and Fan Expo Sports™:
Founded by Hobby Star Marketing Inc. as the Canadian National Comic Book Expo in 1995, Fan Expo Canada™ is an annual four-day multi-genre fan convention featuring comic, anime, science, fiction, horror, and gaming plus, new this year (2013), the introduction of Fan Expo Sports™. The convention is the largest of its kind in Canada and among the largest in the world, filling the North and South buildings of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre with over 100,000 attendees expected. Other shows produced by Hobby Star Marketing Inc. include Toronto ComiCon™ and Fan Expo Vancouver™.

Baltimore Comic-Con Welcomes Joe Hill and IDW Publishing

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - August 6, 2013 - The Baltimore Comic-Con is excited to announce the addition of comic writer and novelist, Joe Hill, courtesy of IDW Publishing, to the growing list of creators for this year's show. In addition, IDW will also be exhibiting at the show and hosting a panel as well!

  

Joe Hill published his first book, a collection of short stories entitled 20^th Century Ghosts, in 2005 and followed that up in 2007 with Heart-Shaped Box, his first full-length novel. But Hill is best known among comic fans for his work on IDW's groundbreaking horror series, Locke & Key, which launched in 2008. The book, which is a series of mini-series, is coming to an end with October's Alpha #2, and has been optioned for film by Universal Studios.

  

In addition to Locke & Key, Hill is also the author of the Kodiak, The Cape, The Cape: 1969, Wraith: Welcome to Christmasland, and Thumbprint from IDW. He received an Eisner Award in 2011 for Best Writer (Locke & Key) and is nominated for a Harvey Award this year for Best Writer (also Locke & Key).

  

IDW Publishing was founded in 1999 and has since grown to become one of the top comic book publishers in the United States. Their catalog of books include such licensed properties as G.I. Joe, Transformers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Doctor Who, Judge Dredd, The Crow, My Little Pony, Star Trek, and The X-Files, as well as original comic series such as 30 Days of Night, Locke & Key, Kill Shakespeare, Fever Ridge: The Tale of McArthur's Jungle War, and Jinrise.

  

"We couldn't be happier to have Joe and IDW attending the show and the Harvey Awards this year," said Marc Nathan, show promoter of the Baltimore Comic-Con. "Joe's contribution to the horror genre in comics and in literature has left a lasting effect on both mediums, and IDW has continued to publish some of the best work in comics month-in and month-out for nearly 15 years! This is going to be such a treat for all the fans attending this year's show!"

 

Joe Hill and IDW Publishing join our previously announced guests, including: Josh Adams (Doctor Who); Neal Adams (First X-Men); Brian Bolland (Dial H); Mark Buckingham (Fables); Jimmy Cheung (Avengers vs. X-Men); Frank Cho (Savage Wolverine); Amanda Conner (Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre); J.M. DeMatteis (Phantom Stranger); David Finch (Justice League of America); Keith Giffen (Masters of the Universe); Adam Hughes (Before Watchmen: Dr. Manhattan); Barry Kitson (Empire); Roger Langridge (Popeye); Paul Levitz (World's Finest); Kevin Maguire (World's Finest); Jason Mewes (Jay and Silent Bob's Super Groovy Cartoon Movie); Mike Mignola (Hellboy In Hell); Jimmy Palmiotti (Batwing); George Perez (World's Finest); David Petersen (Mouse Guard); Joe Prado (Earth 2); Ivan Reis (Aquaman); Chris Samnee (Daredevil); Louise Simonson (X-Factor); Walt Simonson (The Mighty Thor); Kevin Smith (Batman: The Widening Gyre); Allison Sohn (sketch card artist); Mark Waid (Indestructible Hulk), and Bill Willingham (Fables). 

  

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

ComiXology en Français!

ComiXology Expands Android and Kindle Fire apps with French Language Localization and Euro Currency Purchasing

Now over 500 French Bandes Dessinée available for the first time in Guided View

August 5^th, 2013 – Paris, France / New York, NY. –  ComiXology has taken another step in its global expansion today with the debut of their latest Android and Kindle Fire app upgrades, enabling fans across the globe to navigate the comiXology mobile platform in French. French language navigation is now present on comiXology’s Android, Kindle Fire and iOS apps, with all these mobile apps now supporting Euro currency purchasing.
ComiXology has over 500 French language titles available in comiXology’s cinematic panel-by-panel Guided View digital reading technology. The debut of these titles marks the first time French bandes dessinée (BD) content has been available in comiXology’s immersive Guided View reading technology, offering fans a unique reading experience that redefines how comics are read on digital devices. Guided View reading technology is only available on comiXology’s cloud-based platform.
“We’re excited to offer French consumers the ability to experience our growing library of French BD content in our Guided View reading technology,” said co-founder and CEO of comiXology, David Steinberger. “Our vision is to bring comics to everyone, everywhere and this rollout makes that vision one step closer to reality.  We’re pleased to have our Android, Kindle Fire and iOS apps all with French language navigation and with Euro prices too.”
According to Kantar Worldpanel Comtech, the global market research company that tracks sales of handsets in key markets in rolling 12 week cycles, on average Android accounted for 64% of handset sales in France for the first quarter of 2013. And Android currently has 51% of the current smartphone base in France.
With over 40,000 comics and graphic novels from more than 75 publishers, comiXology offers the widest selection of digital comics in the world. ComiXology’s availability across the iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire, Windows 8 and the Web makes it the best digital platform for newly interested, current and lapsed comic and graphic novel fans worldwide. Offering local European language content and localized storefronts builds upon comiXology’s existing international business.
To download comiXology’s apps for Android, Kindle Fire and iOS:
For Android, visit: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.iconology.comics&hl=fr
For Kindle Fire, visit http://www.amazon.fr/comiXology-Comics/dp/B005VVSQU4
For iOS, visit https://itunes.apple.com/fr/app/comics/id303491945

About comiXology
ComiXology 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 one of iTunes top 10 grossing iPad apps in both 2011 and 2012. Offering the broadest library of comic book content from the top 75 publishers, and including independent creators as well, comiXology will not stop until everyone on the face of the planet has become a comic book fan.  A privately held company, comiXology is based in New York City.  For more information visit www.comixology.com.

GRANT MORRISON LAUNCHES FIRST ORIGINAL ANIMATED WEB SERIES ON YOUTUBE WITH GRAPHIC INDIA

~ Web-Series, '18 Days' is Based on the Epic Indian Myth, The Mahabharata ~

Mumbai, India — August 5, 2013 – Graphic India announced today the launch of an original animated web-series called, “18 Days,” with superstar comic book creator and Batman comics writer, Grant Morrison (All-Star Superman, Batman & Robin, The Invisibles) in association with YouTube.  

The series launched today as part of YouTube’s global “Geek Week” event, with the first episode available now http://youtu.be/WM27xmTN-uw and subsequent episodes to be launched exclusively on YouTube in weekly installments throughout the year.

“Mahabharata is an epic story and we are very excited to bring the animated version of this great Indian epic to YouTube users worldwide. Partnering with Grant Morrison and Graphic India for this YouTube exclusive will set the bar for more such high quality web original series” said Gautam Anand, Director Content Partnerships APAC for YouTube.

18 Days is a reinvention of the great Indian epic the Mahabharata.  The series will be ongoing and feature weekly episodes throughout the year for exclusive distribution on the Graphic India YT Channel. The series will be released in English, Hindi and Tamil.

An exclusive trailer for the series was posted last week to coincide with a over-packed panel at the San Diego Comic Con, global pop-culture event: and exceeded over 150,000 views within a few days of release.

18 Days follows the course of the climactic war that concludes the age of a race of supergods and begins the age of man. It is the prototype for every war ever fought, wherein the biggest armies ever conceived of face one another across the ultimate battlefield to decide the fate of the future.

“A genre mash of superhero action and mythology grounded in the all too human passions of its warriors, villains and monsters, 18 Days will rewrite the rules of epic fantasy,” commented Grant Morrison, the show’s creator.  “I'm very excited to be working with Graphic India and YouTube for the launch of my first ever web series. 18 Days updates and retells the timeless stories of the Mahabharata for a new audience on a whole new platform.”

Graphic India, is a recently launched character entertainment company founded by Sharad Devarajan and Gotham Chopra's Liquid Comics and CA Media, the Asian investment arm of Peter Chernin’s, The Chernin Group (TCG).

“18 Days takes one of the most enduring stories of the east, the Mahabharata, which is known by over a billion people, and places it in the capable hands of Grant Morrison, one of the greatest storytellers of the West,” commented Graphic India, Co-Founder & CEO, Sharad Devarajan. “There is no greater platform than YouTube to enable this story to engage with audiences around the world and we are delighted to be working with them.”

The first two episodes of the series are available today in English, Hindi and Tamil at the following links:

18 Days – Ep 1 “The Tale of the Four Ages” (English)

18 Days – Ep 1 “The Tale of the Four Ages” (Hindi)

18 Days – Ep 1 “The Tale of the Four Ages” (Tamil)

18 Days – Ep 2 “Krishna Speaks” (English)

18 Days – Ep 2 “Krishna Speaks” (Hindi)

18 Days – Ep 2 “Krishna Speaks” (Tamil)

ABOUT GRAPHIC INDIA

GRAPHIC INDIA is a character entertainment company focused on creating leading characters, comics and stories through mobile and digital platforms.  Founded by media entrepreneurs Sharad Devarajan, Gotham Chopra and Suresh Seetharaman, Graphic India is owned by U.S. comic book Company, Liquid Comics and CA Media LP, the Asian investment arm of The Chernin Group, LLC (TCG). The company’s partners and investors bring together decades of experience in building businesses in character entertainment, media and India.

Graphic believes that India is home to some of the most creative talent in the world, with more than 500 million people under the age of 25 and more than 850 million mobile phone users in the country. The Company’s mission is to create enduring stories and heroes that foster the imaginations and fuel the inspirations of a new globalized generation of youth in both India and around the world.

Graphic’s stories include, Ramayan 3392A.D., The Leaves and The Sadhu, all currently in development as Hollywood feature films; 18 Days, a reimagining of the great eastern epic, the Mahabharata, by acclaimed graphic novel creator, Grant Morrison; Devi, a female superhero from acclaimed filmmaker, Shekhar Kapur; Chakra The Invincible, the first superhero for India from legendary creator Stan Lee; and numerous other heroes and stories.  www.GraphicIndia.com

Sunday Is Kids Day At Wizard World Chicago Comic Con

Arts & Crafts, Face Painting, 'Creepy Crawlies,' Green Ranger Power Hour, 'Kid-Friendly' Booths, Exclusive Lithographs, Passport Program, Costume Contest Lead Special Children's Programming; Kids Under 10 Free With Paid Adult

ROSEMONT Ill., August 5, 2013 – Move over, mom and dad!  Sunday is Kids Day at Wizard World Chicago Comic Con, with an array of programming, kid-friendly celebrities, creators and exhibitors designed especially for children, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center.  From the impossibly cute Kids Costume Contest to the positively “icky” Creepy Crawlies in Pop Culture panel, children of all ages will enjoy a variety of activities all day long.  Kids 10 and under are free all weekend (two children admitted per paid adult).

As kids arrive on Sunday, they will receive an official “Wizard World Kids Day Passport” and sheet detailing all of the places they can visit to have the passport stamped at Wizard World Kids Day Booth, #2429.  Those include creators like artists Art Balthasar and Franco Aureliani and writer Thomas Finley, fan groups like the 501st Midwest Garrison and Northern Illinois Lego Train Club, exhibitors like J&J Collectibles, and celebrities like “The Green Power Ranger” Jason David Frank.  Awesome!

Kids will also receive an exclusive Chicago Comic Con Kids Day Lithograph by visiting Terry Huddleston's Artist Alley table (#I7).

Some of the highlights of the day include:

· Arts & Crafts and Face Painting all day at Wizard World Kids Day Booth #2429
· AlphaPet City story Time with Finley at the Kids Day booth (11 a.m., 2 p.m.)
· Kids Draw! With Eisner Award Winners Balthasar and Aureliani teach the basics of drawing... with an emphasis on fun (11 a.m., Room 50)
· From The Microscope To The Big Screen: Creepy Crawlies In Pop Culture, a lesson how monsters and giant insects in the movies compare to real life (noon, Room 50)
· Kick it at the Green Ranger Power Hour with Frank – a special hour-long karate class (2 p.m.. Room 23)
· UcreateComics Presents: Character Crafters, where kids design their own characters from start to finish (2 p.m., Room 50)
· Kids Costume Contest (3 p.m., Room 42), hosted by Wizard World's own superhero, “The Defuser” Jarrett Crippen

Man of Steel star Michael Shannon, Zachary Quinto (Star Trek and “American Horror Story”), Eisner Award Hall of Famer Stan Lee, “Torchwood” and Zero Dark Thirty headliner John Barrowman, WWE® Superstar CM Punk® and Norman Reedus of “The Walking Dead” are among the top celebrity guests scheduled to appear at Wizard World Chicago Comic Con, Thursday through Sunday.  It is the fifth in the 2013 series produced by Wizard World, Inc. (OTCBB: WIZD) and will also feature a top-drawer collection of well-known artists and writers and a variety of activities, exhibitors and special attractions.

Wizard World Comic Con events 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.  Wizard World Chicago Comic Con show hours are Thursday, Aug. 8, 3-8 p.m.; Friday, Aug. 9, noon – 7 p.m.; Saturday, Aug. 10, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 11, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

For more on the 2013 Wizard World Chicago Comic Con, visit http://www.wizardworld.com/home-ch.html.

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

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

***** SAVE THE 2013-14 DATES *****
August 8-11 – Wizard World Chicago Comic Con
September 20-22 – Wizard World Ohio Comic Con
October 18-20 – Wizard World Nashville Comic Con
November 22-24 – Wizard World Austin Comic Con
January 24-26, 2014 – Wizard World Portland Comic Con
February 7-9, 2014 – Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con
April 4-6, 2014 – Wizard World St. Louis Comic Con
June 19-22, 2014 – Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con

 BOOM! STUDIOS AND ITS IMPRINTS, KABOOM! STUDIOS AND ARCHAIA,
EARN NINE HARVEY AWARD NOMINATIONS

‘Adventure Time,’ ‘Cow Boy: A Boy and His Horse,’ and
‘Cursed Pirate Girl’ earn multiple nominations 

 

August 5th, 2013 (Los Angeles, CA) - Award-winning publisher BOOM! Studios and its imprints, KaBOOM! Studios and Archaia Entertainment, are proud to announce they have earned a combined nine nominations in the 2013 Harvey Awards!

Established in 1988 and named after famed cartoonist and comics genius Harvey Kurtzman, the Harvey Awards (harveyawards.org) are presented annually and are the only awards both nominated by and selected by the full body of comic book professionals.

The titles and creators nominated are:

BEST LETTERER
Chris Eliopoulos, Cow Boy: A Boy and His Horse (Archaia)

MOST PROMISING NEW TALENT
Jerry Gaylord, Fanboys Vs. Zombies (BOOM! Studios)

BEST NEW SERIES
Adventure Time (KaBOOM! Studios)

BEST GRAPHIC ALBUM – PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED
Cursed Pirate Girl (Archaia)

BEST AMERICAN EDITION OF FOREIGN MATERIAL
Sharaz-De: Tales from the Arabian Nights (Archaia)

SPECIAL AWARD FOR HUMOR IN COMICS
Ryan North, Adventure Time (KaBOOM! Studios)

SPECIAL AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN PRESENTATION
Cursed Pirate Girl – Jeremy Bastian (Archaia)

BEST ORIGINAL GRAPHIC NOVEL PUBLICATION FOR YOUNGER READERS
Adventure Time (KaBOOM! Studios)
Cow Boy: A Boy and His Horse (Archaia)

In previous years, BOOM! Studios has earned 13 nominations, winning twice (in 2010 for The Muppet Show Comic Book in the Best Original Graphic Novel Publication for Younger Readers category, and in 2011 for Roger Langridge’s work in The Muppet Show Comic Book in the Special Award for Humor category); while its new imprint, Archaia Entertainment, has earned 11 nominations, also winning twice (in 2012 for Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand in the Best Graphic Album of Original Work and Best Single Issue or Story categories).

Voting is now open to professionals who write, draw, ink, color, letter, design, edit, or are involved in the creative aspect of comics. The deadline to submit ballots is Monday, August 19. The online ballot can be accessed here: www.harveyawards.org/2013-final-ballot. Winners will be announced at the Harvey Awards banquet, which will be held Saturday, Sept. 7 at Baltimore Comic-Con (baltimorecomiccon.com) in Baltimore, Maryland. A full list of the 2013 nominees can be found on the Harvey Awards website, harveyawards.org.

 

About BOOM! Studios
Founded by Ross Richie in 2005, Diamond Gem Award-winning “Best Publisher” BOOM! Studios (boom-studios.com) generates a constellation of best-selling Eisner and Harvey Award-winning original and licensed comic books and graphic novels with the industry’s top talent. BOOM! Studios is the home of Mike Carey’s SUICIDE RISK, Clive Barker’s NEXT TESTAMENT and HELLRAISER, Paul Jenkins and Humberto Ramos’ FAIRY QUEST, PLANET OF THE APES, Max Bemis’ POLARITY and Mark Waid’s IRREDEEMABLE. Steven Grant’s graphic novel 2 GUNS will be released as a feature film from Universal Pictures on August 2nd, starring Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg. BOOM!’s all-ages imprint KaBOOM! publishes Charles Schulz’ PEANUTS, Jim Davis’ GARFIELD, Cartoon Network’s ADVENTURE TIME and REGULAR SHOW, Mike Kunkel’s HEROBEAR AND THE KID, and Roger Langridge’s Eisner Award-winning SNARKED. In June 2013, BOOM! acquired niche publisher Archaia Entertainment (archaia.com), which was founded in 2002 by Mark Smylie. Archaia is the Eisner and Harvey Award-winning graphic novel publisher of MOUSE GUARD, COW BOY, GUNNERKRIGG COURT, RUST, SPERA, JIM HENSON’S TALE OF SAND, RETURN OF THE DAPPER MEN, and other great titles.

IDW LIMITED ANNOUNCES MY LITTLE PONY DELUXE HARDCOVER MY LITTLE PONY COMIC SERIES TO GET LIMITED TREATMENT FROM STABLE OF FIRST-CLASS ARTISTS   San Diego, CA (August 5th, 2013) – With joy in their hearts, IDW Limited announced plans today for a deluxe hardcover version of MY LITTLE PONY: Friendship Is Magic, Vol. 1. In order to celebrate what is their biggest book project to date, they’re doing something extra special. The book will be custom designed in six ultra-exclusive variant offerings, one for each member of the hit animated TV series core cast. Starting Monday, the site will begin taking pre-orders on one variation of the book beginning with RAINBOW DASH, and continuing with TWILIGHT SPARKLE on Tuesday, and rounding out the week with FLUTTERSHY, PINKY PIE, APPLEJACK and RARITY.  (www.idwlimited.com/series/mylittlepony) “Working on the MY LITTLE PONY comics have been an absolute blast!” said series writer Katie Cook. “Each of the ponies has such a distinct voice, they bring their own unique flair and excitement into any storyline. It’s great to see them each get their due with these beautiful IDW Limited books. Andy (Price) and I were happy to sign each one for the fans, because from day one these fans have been amazing, and it felt good to personally touch each of these treasured books so that we’ll always have that connection to each other.” IDW Limited has examined every detail in the design of this book line. From hand-built color printed tray cases to exclusive covers and vellum overlays, every book will be a magical experience. Presented in three tiers of collectibility, fans will have their choice of the Red Label (limited to 100 books per character) which comes with a hand-drawn sketch card, Black Label (50 per character) which includes a sketch card and a 9” x 12” sketch plate with a hand-drawn illustration from an amazing stable of top talent including current MLP artists Agnes Grabowska and Amy Mebberson, or the Blue Label Edition (just 5 per character) which will come with an 11” x 14” original painting by premier MY LITTLE PONY cover artist Sara Richard! “This is the biggest book we’ve ever done,” said IDW Limited director Jerry Bennington. “The most art, the most variants and the most custom components. If you’re a fan of Applejack your book is going to reflect that cover to cover. People connect on a deep level with their favorite pony character, and we want to make sure we’re offering something that fosters that connection.” The MY LITTLE PONY: Friendship Is Magic deluxe hardcover is available for pre-order now. Dash on over to IDWLimited.com to secure your copy now! www.idwlimited.com/series/mylittlepony

About IDW 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, G.I. JOE and MY LITTLE PONY; Paramount’s Star Trek; Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; 2000AD’s Judge Dredd; The Rocketeer; Toho’s Godzilla; Wizards of the Coast’s Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons; HBO’s True Blood; 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, Warner Brothers and Barry Sonnenfeld are attached to adapt LORE into a feature film starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Jerry Bruckheimer Films and Disney are creating a feature film based on World War Robot, with Michael Bay‘s Platinum Dunes and Sony bringing Zombies vs. Robots to film. About Hasbro, Inc. Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) is a branded play company dedicated to fulfilling the fundamental need for play for children and families through the creative expression of the Company’s world class brand portfolio, including TRANSFORMERS, MONOPOLY, PLAY-DOH, MY LITTLE PONY, MAGIC: THE GATHERING, NERF and LITTLEST PET SHOP.  From toys and games, to television programming, motion pictures, digital gaming and a comprehensive licensing program, Hasbro strives to delight its global customers with innovative play and entertainment experiences, in a variety of forms and formats, anytime and anywhere. The Company's Hasbro Studios develops and produces television programming for more than 170 markets around the world, and for the U.S. on Hub Network, part of a multi-platform joint venture between Hasbro and Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK). Through the company's deep commitment to corporate social responsibility, including philanthropy, Hasbro is helping to build a safe and sustainable world for future generations and to positively impact the lives of millions of children and families every year. It has been recognized for its efforts by being named one of the "World's Most Ethical Companies" and is ranked as one of Corporate Responsibility Magazine's "100 Best Corporate Citizens." Learn more at www.hasbro.com.

LOVE STORIES (TO DIE FOR) AIMS STRAIGHT FOR YOUR HEART

Flip book-format comic includes two stories about love and death

One comic. Two stories. One shared theme: love in the face of death. A group of savage Vikings in 946 A.D. are pitted against a band of equally-savage vampires to protect a monastery from invasion in "Bloodlust: Deceiver of the Gods." Thousands of years later in the far-flung future, a man fights his way through an alien-infested space ship in an attempt to return to his wife and escape to safety in "Symptom of the Universe." Written by Dirk Manning and drawn by Rich Bonk and Owen Gieni, respectively, LOVE STORIES (TO DIE FOR) #1 is a full-color one-shot 48-page flip book published by Image Comics/Shadowline that hits stores on September 4 for $4.99. LOVE STORIES (TO DIE FOR) #1 features two full-length stories in one attractively-priced flip book with two covers, one on each side. Both tales explore the intersection of love and life, death and hope, and what happens when a person is forced to choose between one or the other. One man must fight his way through vicious monsters in order to return to the love of his life. Another must fight vampires alongside his men while pursuing justice. Writer Manning says, "The best horror stories usually revolve around the premise of morals versus survival, and these two stand-alone tales explore this theme in different settings and genres." LOVE STORIES (TO DIE FOR) #1 arrives in stores on September 4 and can be pre-ordered now from the July issue of Previews (JUL130432).

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.

   

MAKER STUDIOS INTRODUCES POLARIS,

TO FOCUS ON GAMING AND GEEK CULTURE

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New Network Features YouTube’s Top Gamers, Including PewDiePie, Yogscast and

Dodger Plus Robust Line-Up of Original Programming

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Polaris to Co-Host ‘Gaming Thursday’ on August 8

During YouTube’s First-Ever Geek Week

LOS ANGELES – Maker Studios, a next-generation media company and the world’s largest multi-channel network of online video content, today announced a new collaborative gaming and geek culture network—Polaris (www.youtube.com/polaris), powered by the best and biggest gamers on YouTube. Formerly known as The Game Station (TGS), Polaris represents every flavor of fandom, from 8-bit nostalgia to e-sports enthusiasts, and from superhero fanatics to anime lovers. Polaris also features top gaming talent such as PewDiePie, creator and star of the most viewed YouTube channel in the world; Dodger, the #1 female gamer on YouTube; The Yogscast, the largest gaming channel in the UK, as well as Toby Turner, Jesse Cox, HuskyStarCraft, TotalBiscuit, Day[9], GameGrumps, Markiplier, and more. 

“By re-launching our gaming channel as Polaris, we’ll be able to focus not only on videogames, but offer original content that embodies our deep love of pop culture, movies, comics and all-things-geek, said Dar Nothaft, Vice President and general manager of Polaris, Maker Studios. “We are excited to bring all of our talent together in one collaborative hub—the new center of geek culture.”

In addition to offering game reviews and showcasing the latest trailers, Polaris’ line-up of innovative original programming celebrating gaming and geek culture includes:

·         PewDiePie & Friends – The biggest gamer in the world PewDiePie tackles his favorite games in a playhouse atmosphere, joined by other Polaris stars such as Toby Turner, Dodger and Jesse Cox.

·         The Daily Byte – Hosted by Dodger of PressHeartToContinue, the #1 female gamer on YouTube dishes daily on the top nerdy headlines. “The Daily Byte” also features some of Dodger’s own personal picks and recommendations for tech, pop culture, comic books and geek chic.

·         Rumble Zone – In this duel-to-the-death gameplay tournament, “Rumble Zone” features personalities from Polaris as they compete in multiplayer gaming and post training videos of their preparation. They’ll either compete in bracketed tournaments or battle royale style. Featuring Simon and Lewis of the Yogscast, these tournaments will showcase gamers competing for glory, vengeance and honor.

·         FriendZone – Join Dodger, members of the Polaris community and special guests for a casual, live hangout every other Friday. Like a pizza party sleepover, this wacky, fun, authentic roundtable will feature guests playing new or interesting games, watching new or favorite shows, or just discussing recent nerdy news. 

·         Co-Optional Podcast – The spiritual successor to The Game Station (TGS) Podcast, TotalBiscuit, Jesse Cox, Dodger and a feature guest discuss (at length) gaming news each Wednesday, and spotlight cool and interesting content from the Polaris network.

·         Broken Quest – Airing every Thursday, “Broken Quest” features the animated adventures of a group of hapless warriors in a dangerous fantasy setting. Starring Polaris veterans HuskyStarcraft, Dodger and beloved geeky chef Rosanna Pansino, the show features Polaris network talent including Day9, TotalBiscuit and Jesse Cox.

·         Mobile Countdown – Mobile Countdown provides suggestions for the best mobile games on the market. Our favorite female gamer Dodger plays a variety of personalities in need of mobile-based entertainment – from young women stranded by broken cars to company executives at boring presentations – and these personalities present the top three games suggested for viewers each week.

Recently selected to participate in YouTube’s first-ever Geek Week August 4-10, Polaris will co-host Gaming Thursday, which will feature live play-throughs, videogames in real life, game-inspired original series and much more. Geek Week will showcase more than 100 channels fans love, unveiling new videos, series premieres and creative collaborations - as well as highlighting some of the best geek videos and shows already on YouTube.

The Polaris channel serves as a hub for a broad network, which attracts more than 1 billion+ views a month across 500+ top channels. Chris M. Williams, Chief Development Officer, oversees Polaris along with Maker’s other major vertical channels. The Polaris leadership team includes Dar Nothaft, VP/General Manager of Polaris, Luis Medina, Director of Partnerships, Isaac Zucca, Director of Programming, Nathan Kitada, Director of Branded Integration, Sarah Wick, Talent Strategy Manager, and David Rostal, Head of Network Development.

About Polaris:

Polaris is a geek culture network powered by the best and biggest gamers on YouTube. Polaris represents every flavor of fandom, from 8-bit nostalgia to first-person shooters, and from superhero fanatics to anime lovers. The network’s innovative programming is a celebration of gaming and geek culture, featuring editorial coverage on the stories that matter to its audience. The Polaris channel serves as a hub for a broad network (formerly The Game Station, TGS), which attracts 1 billion+ views a month across 500+ top channels. To learn more, visit http://www.youtube.com/Polaris

About Maker Studios:

Maker is a next-generation, talent-first media company and the only network to offer its partners a full range of vertically integrated services including development, production, promotion, distribution, sales and marketing. Maker has built a proprietary technology suite of products to assist talent in measuring, developing and engaging audience. Maker is home to many of online video’s top digital stars and content including KassemG, Nice Peter and EpicLLOYD’s “Epic Rap Battles of History,” the Shaytards, Snoop Dogg’s WestFestTV, The Yogscast, The Gregory Brothers, Bad Lip Reading and Mike Tompkins, among many others. Maker has 4 billion+ views online per month with over 260 million subscribers and is headquartered in Culver City, Calif. To learn more, visit www.makerstudios.com.