VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES MANGA “SPEED UP” FOR BLEACH AND ONE PIECE DIGTAL RELEASES ON VIZMANGA.COM AND VIZ MANGA APP

New Digital Volumes To Be Released Weekly And Complement Latest Additions To 19 Other Popular Manga Series

VIZ Media continues to offer manga (graphic novel) fans a vast library of newly added digital titles for September through VIZManga.com and the VIZ Manga App for the Apple iPad™, iPhone™ and iPod™ touch. The latest update includes a just-announced manga “speed up” for BLEACH and ONE PIECE that will bring both series up to date with their North American print counterparts by December.

Beginning today and continuing each Monday thereafter, new digital volumes of manga creator Tite Kubo’s supernatural action saga, BLEACH, as well as the high seas pirate adventures of Eiichiro Oda’s ONE PIECE, will for be available online on VIZManga.com and also for download on the VIZ Manga App.

The latest manga speed up complements a similar accelerated release schedule announced earlier this month for NARUTO, which just saw the release of 7 manga volumes in 7 days on VIZManga.com and the VIZ Manga App, and established digital parity with the bestselling series’ print counterpart.

Other notable September digital manga releases for both platforms will include the concluding volume to Inio Asano’s WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD!, which will launch on September 12^th, as well as final volume to Akira Toriyama’s DRAGON BALL Z, available the same day. The newest edition of Natsume Ono’s acclaimed samurai drama, HOUSE OF FIVE LEAVES Volume 4, is scheduled for September 19^th, a day before the print counterpart’s national release.

Additional new VIZ Media manga volumes launching include:

September 12^th:

BAKUMAN。 Vol. 6

BLEACH Vol. 23

CLAYMORE Vol. 18

D GRAY-MAN Vol. 19

DRAGON BALL Z Vol. 26 – Final Volume!

FUSHIGI YUGI: GENBU KAIDEN Vol. 6

HYDE & CLOSER Vol. 5

NEON GENESIS EVANGELION Chapter 6

ONE PIECE Vol. 43

OTOMEN Vol. 10

SATURN APARTMENTS Vol. 2

WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD! Vol. 2 – Series Conclusion!

September 19^th:

BLEACH Vol. 24

HOUSE OF FIVE LEAVES Vol. 4 – Debuts a day before the print counterpart!

KEKKAISHI Vol. 13

NATSUME’S BOOK OF FRIENDS Vol. 8

NEON GENESIS EVANGELION Chapter 7

ONE PIECE Vol. 44

ROSARIO + VAMPIRE II Vol. 5

RUROUNI KENSHIN Vol. 22

September 26^th:

ARATA: THE LEGEND Vol. 6

BLEACH Vol. 25

CHILDREN OF THE SEA Vol. 4

D. GRAY-MAN Vol. 20

INUYASHA (VIZBIG) Vol. 4 – Exclusive to the VIZ Manga App for iPad

MAOH: JUVENILE REMIX Vol. 6

NEON GENESIS EVANGELION Chapter 8

ONE PIECE Vol. 45

VAMPIRE KNIGHT Vol. 11

VIZ Media’s digital manga application allows for universal access for fans for reading manga from their iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, and now, VIZManga.com for desktop/laptop computers and Android-powered devices with built-in web browsers. With one account, registered users are able to view their purchases across even more devices than ever.

The free VIZ Manga App is the top application for reading manga on iOS devices and features a rapidly growing library of the most popular manga series in the world, currently offering 40 series and over 400 volumes, with new additions and free Chapter 1 previews added weekly.

For more information, please visit VIZManga.com or www.VIZ.com/apps. 

RESS RELEASE: SEPTEMBER 12th, 2011

This November ACTION LAB ENTERTAINMENT is proud to present the second chapter of PRINCELESS. Princeless tells the story of Adrienne, one princess who’s tired of waiting to be rescued. Join Adrienne and her guardian dragon, Sparky, in an action adventure designed specifically for those who are tired of waiting to be rescued… and who are ready to save themselves.

Now that Princess Adrienne has escaped, it’s up to her to save her sisters.  The first on her list is the youngest sister, Appalonia. But saving Appalonia means going back to her family’s castle and…even worse…facing her father.  Will Adrienne be able to break into her old home and if she does, will she be able to get out again?
The story of the Princess who saved herself continues in Princeless #2, “All For the Want of a Proper Belt”.

Written by Jeremy “The Order of Dagonet” Whitley with stunning art by M. Goodwin, and featuring a back up story by Jeremy and D.E. Belton, Princeless is a swashbuckling mini-series that will appeal to children of all ages!

Princeless: Who needs Prince Charming? Save yourself!

Princeless is a comic book mini-series that’s available for pre-order right now at local retailers and online vendors (Order Code SEP110698) with an November release.

Additional information and release schedule can be found at www.actionlabcomics.com

MORIARTY INVADES MELTDOWN COMICS

 

 

On September 14th, starting at 7:00 P.M., Meltdown Comics will present an autograph signing with Daniel Corey(PROPHET) and Anthony Diecidue (Stan Lee's TIME JUMPER), for the release of MORIARTY VOL1 TP from Image Comics.

 

MORIARTY VOL1 TP, which collects issues #1-4 of the ongoing series, takes place 20 years after the death of Sherlock Holmes, and Professor James Moriarty is a lost man. MI5 blackmails Moriarty into finding Holmes' long-lost brother, Mycroft, but what at first appears to be a routine case leads to a web of intrigue that involves a psychic box and its creator, a woman from Moriarty's past, as well as a new villain that threatens to be greater than Moriarty ever was! See how Moriarty deals with love, loss, war and death rays in the critically acclaimed Image Comics series MORIARTY.

 

The MORIARTY autograph event will take place in Los Angeles at Meltdown Comics on September 14th, 2011 from 7:00 to 9:30 P.M. at 7522 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90046. For more information, please call (323) 851-7223

.

About Meltdown Comics

At 9000 square feet, Meltdown is the largest pop culture emporium west of the Rockies.It’s ever-shifting stock holds new discoveries for even the most discerning reader and if you are new to the game the dimmest ember of obsession shall be fanned into a great bonfire here.Meltdown’s proprietors have seized every opportunity to upgrade service within the store resulting in unparalleled relationships with vendor and consumer alike.This means that as a customer of Meltdown, you have access to a worldwide network of purveyors of pop and if you don’t see what you want in front of you Meltdown can procure it almost instantaneously.

www.meltcomics.com

 

About Daniel Corey

Daniel Corey is a director, screenwriter, playwright, and novelist. He has authored screenplays, teleplays, stage plays, two comic series, and a novel.

 

Daniel spent four years as writer in residence with the New York Acting Ensemble, where 10 of his plays were produced, several of which he directed. Titles included JOGGERS, PSYCHE IN A BOX, STAR OF INDIA, and THE WHITE ROOM. Several of his screenplays have ranked in distinguished competitions, including Francis Ford Coppola's American Zoetrope Screenwriting Competition and the Austin Film Festival Screenplay Contest.

 

In 2007, Daniel created DANGERKATT CREATIVE STUDIO, a company that serves as an umbrella for all of his creative endeavors. In 2009, DANGERKATT published PROPHET, a graphic novel written by Daniel, with art by Anthony Diecidue. Since then, Daniel and Anthony have worked together to create a new comic series titled MORIARTY, which follows the misadventures of Professor Moriarty, arch-nemesis of Sherlock Holmes. The first issue of MORIARTY was released May 11th, 2011. The first volume collected graphic novel of MORIARTY will be released September 14th, 2011, under the full title MORIARTY: THE DARK CHAMBER.

www.professorjamesmoriarty.com

 

About Anthony Diecidue

Anthony Diecidue (dee-ETCh-eh-DOO-eh) was born in Morristown, NJ, and is an alum of the prestigious Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art.

 

His digital technique has a traditional flare inspired by everything from comic books and animation to concept art.

Berkeley Breathed’s Bloom County Series Continues in October

Volume five of IDW’s award-winning Complete Library now available for pre-order

Best-selling chronological collection will expand to include Outland, Opus
 

San Diego, CA (September 12, 2011)—The wildly successful return of Opus, Binkley, Bill the Cat and the entire cast of Bloom County continues in October with BLOOM COUNTY: THE COMPLETE LIBRARY, VOLUME FIVE, now available for pre-order. After weeks on The New York Times Best Seller list, multiple awards and nominations, and a museum retrospective, VOLUME FIVE brings readers the final chapter of Berkeley Breathed’s incredibly popular and Pulitzer Prize-winning series. And just as Breathed was drawn back to Bloom County, so will IDW finish the Complete Breathed Strip Library with the first full color, chronological reprints of both Outland and Opus, starting in 2012.

“The really funny thing about many of these past strips... is how utterly inappropriate they would be for today's newspapers,” said Breathed. “I'm thankful there'll be a complete record of inappropriateness now.”

BLOOM COUNTY: THE COMPLETE LIBRARY, VOLUME FIVE offers every daily and Sunday strip from November 30, 1987 through August 6, 1989, the day that Breathed, at the top of his game both critically and commercially, walked away from Bloom County. This ultimate volume features an introduction by Breathed and is also full of the annotations and behind-the-scenes antidotes from him, a hallmark for which the series has become known.

As with the first five volumes, OUTLAND and OPUS will also offer engaging comments and insights from Breathed about the strips. Each volume will contain the full run of Sunday-only strips, offering fans the first and only complete, full color, chronological collections, and featuring many of the characters from Bloom County.

“This is sort of a ‘the king is dead, long live the king’ moment for me,” said series editor Scott Dunbier, “While I’m happy the Bloom County Series is now collected, I’ll be sad to not be working on it anymore… but elated to have both Outland and Opus on the horizon!”

Breathed's Bloom County is one of the most popular and critically acclaimed newspaper strips of modern times. Premiering on December 8th, 1980 – a month after the election of Ronald Reagan as President – the strip brought a unique amalgam of contemporary politics and fantasy, all told with hilarious wit and humor. At its height, Bloom County was published in an astonishing 1200 newspapers, and the first collection, Loose Tails, sold more than one million copies.

Celebrating the cultural impact of this remarkable comic strip, IDW Publishing has teamed up with Breathed for the first complete and chronological collection of Bloom County. Each volume features the many quirky citizens of Bloom County—such as Opus, Bill the Cat, and Milo Bloom—while projecting Breathed’s uncanny ability to be both cynical and naïve, often at the same time. The first four volumes of BLOOM COUNTY: THE COMPLTE LIBRARY are currently available at fine bookstores everywhere, with Volume Five launching in October. The single volume of Outland will be released in April of 2012.

In addition to the print books, IDW has also released a BLOOM COUNTY application for Apple’s iPad, starting with the inaugural year, 1980-81, with more years soon to follow. BLOOM COUNTY will also launch in iBooks, shortly. Each digital edition is specially formatted, with one day's strip per page for optimal viewing on the iPad or iPhone.

Bloom County: The Complete Library Volume Two is published by IDW under its imprint Eisner award-winning imprint, the Library of American Comics. Bloom County: The Complete Library series is edited by Dunbier and designed by Dean Mullaney.


BLOOM COUNTY: THE COMPLETE LIBRARY VOLUME FIVE ($39.99, 272 pages, hard cover, partial color) will be available in stores in October 2011. ISBN 978-1-61377-061-0. Diamond order code AUG11 0382.

BLOOM COUNTY: THE COMPLTE LIBRARY VOLUME ONE (iPad only, $7.99, December 8 1980 – December 31, 1981, partial color) is now available through iTunes [http://bit.ly/bloom-county-ipad].



Visit IDWPublishing.com to learn more about the company and its top-selling books.


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; Toho’s Godzilla; Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; and comics and trade collections based on novels by worldwide bestselling author, James Patterson. IDW is also home to the Library of American Comics imprint, which publishes classic comic reprints; Yoe! Books, a partnership with Yoe! Studio.

IDW's original horror series, 30 Days of Night, was launched as a major motion picture in October 2007 by Sony Pictures and was the #1 film in its first week of release. More information about the company can be found at IDWPublishing.com.


Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPod touch, and iTunes are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. iPad is a trademark of Apple Inc. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. Content purchased from the iTunes Store is for personal lawful use only. Don’t steal music.

TRAVEL CHANNEL FEATURES WEEKENDS TO DIE FOR THROUGHOUT OCTOBER AND KICKS OFF WITH NEW ORIGINAL MINI-SERIES

“MAKING MONSTERS,” PREMIERING SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2 AT 9:00 PM ET/PT

All New Episodes of “Ghost Adventures” (Fridays at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT) and

“The Dead Files” (Fridays at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT) Continue Their Own Visitations To  Eerie Locations Across the Nation

Chevy Chase, Md. (September 12, 2011) – Travel Channel celebrates “Weekends to Die For” throughout October beginning with the new original mini-series, “Making Monsters” premiering on Sunday, October 2 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.  This four-part one-hour series introduces viewers to the innovators and masterminds of the monster and creature animatronics industry. The October weekends of chills is augmented with all new episodes on Fridays of “Ghost Adventures” at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT and new original detective vs. psychic series “The Dead Files” at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.  The month culminates with a special Halloween-themed “Weekends to Die For” block of programming featuring “Bizarre Foods Halloween Special” and “Halloween Crazy.”

In “Making Monsters,” viewers meet Ed and Marsha Edmunds, co-owners of Distortions Unlimited, the Mom and Pop monster making shop located in downtown Greeley, Colo., and Jordu Schell, a monster-making veteran from Hollywood. Ed and Marsha have led the charge of the animatronics business for the last 30 years. Their unusual animatronics, monster creations, and haunted house designs are mainstays of the dark amusement industry. Jordu is Ed’s right-hand man, bringing Ed’s twisted creations to life.  Based in Los Angeles, he is a renowned sculptor, best known for his work on James Cameron’s Avatar. 

From 8-foot Godzilla-like moving monsters and green-gook spitting aliens to guffawing Santa Clauses, their creative and lifelike animatronics populate the country’s most popular haunted houses, amusement rides, parties, and private events. “Making Monsters” is produced by Warm Springs Productions for the Travel Channel.  For Warm Springs, the executive producers are Marc Pierce, Chris Richardson and Nathan Charlan and the series producer is Lisa Tanzer.  The executive producer for Travel Channel is Brian Leonard.

Travel Channel’s regular Friday “fright night” staples welcomes all new episodes of “Ghost Adventures”  featuring paranormal investigators Zak Bagans and Nick Groff, along with equipment technician, Aaron Goodwin, who continue to reveal the dark and haunted places across the nation. This October the trio take their ghost tracking abilities to the next level by investigating the haunts at Casa De Estudillo in San Diego, Calif., one of the oldest and most historic buildings in Old Town, built in 1827; Lizzie Borden House in Fall River, Mass., where the guys investigate a spinster who allegedly killed her father and stepmother with a hatchet; and Letchworth Village in Haverstraw, N.Y., an abandoned mental institution reportedly still housing former patients.  “Ghost Adventures” is produced by MY Tupelo Entertainment for Travel Channel.  For MY Tupelo Entertainment the executive producers are Michael Yudin and Joe Townley.  The executive producer for Travel Channel is Daniel A. Schwartz.

To double the Friday fun, viewers continue their night of fright with all new episodes of “The Dead Files.” During each episode, Amy Allan, a gifted psychic communicator, and Steve DiSchiavi, hard-nosed detective, conduct investigations at a crime scene on their own and only join together at the end to compare notes and discover some shocking results. Throughout October, Amy and Steve travel throughout the country visiting locations with unexplained sightings.  They examine a home with terrifying claims of phantoms in Acampo, Calif.; a house filled with dolls that may be vessels for the dead in Camerton, N.C.; a historic home in New Orleans, where a family is tortured by unexplained visions and bizarre occurrences; and a hotel where owners and guests have been tormented by terrifying visions in Ybor City, Fla.  “The Dead Files” is produced by Painless Productions for Travel Channel. For Painless
the executive producer is Jim Casey, and the co-executive producers are John C. Fitzergald and Ross Kaiman.  The executive producer for Travel Channel is David E. Gerber.

SAMUEL HADIDA’S DAVIS FILMS ACQUIRES ACCLAIMED JAPANESE MANGA GOLGO 13

Major Film Franchise Potential for Longest Running & Most Popular Manga in Japan

Toronto – September 10, 2011: Samuel Hadida announced today that his company, Davis Films, has acquired film rights from Leed Publishing Co. Ltd. to the iconic Japanese cult classic Golgo 13, the longest-running manga (now in publication over forty years), written and illustrated by manga master Takao Saito.

Golgo 13 was introduced in 1968, and the manga series, including compilation books, has sold over 200 million copies worldwide.  It has been made into two live action films (the first starring Ken Takakura and the second starring Sonny Chiba), two animated films, a television series, and various video games. Leed Publishing serves as Saito’s representative and has overseen worldwide licensing of all rights to his work.  

Golgo 13, otherwise known as ‘Duke Togo,’ is a hired gun sniper with unbelievable combat skills, a cross between Dirty Harry and James Bond.  He is a professional assassin with a strict personal code that makes him a modern day samurai. His world of contract killing is not unlike the complex world of espionage.

“We are unbelievably excited about this great property, and the opportunity to bring it to the big screen, “Hadida stated.  “I have long admired Takao Saito’s great work as one of the top gekiga style artists.  We are looking forward to bringing his style sensibilities and this great character to worldwide film audiences.”

The deal was brokered for Davis by Tetsu Fujimura at Filosophia, Inc.

Davis Films is known for its successful adaptations of Japanese media, including Crying Freeman, Silent Hill, and the Resident Evil films. “We see with Golgo 13 the same franchise potential,” Hadida added.  

About Davis Films

Based in Paris and Los Angeles, Davis Films is one of the world’s leading independent production companies and has been directly involved in the production of over forty feature films including the Resident Evil and Silent Hill franchises.  Along with leading French distributor Metropolitan FilmExport, Davis Films is owned and managed by Samuel and Victor Hadida.   Hadida’s first production was Tony Scott’s True Romance, based on Quentin Tarantino’s script. Davis Films’ production credits additionally include Tony Scott’s Domino, 88 Minutes, George Clooney’s Good Night, and Good Luck, Roger Avary’s The Rules of Attraction Killing Zoe, David Cronenberg’s Spider, and the Robert E. Howard properties Solomon Kane and Conan.

About LEED Publishing

Leed Publishing Co. Ltd has long been known as one of the leading publishers of "gekiga" graphic novels, a preeminent style of contemporary Japanese manga involving adult stories with realistic drawings.  Leed was originally founded in 1960 as the publishing division of Saito Production Co., Ltd., and was spun off to become an independent publishing firm in 1974.  Leed has published a wide variety of manga books and magazines for over fifty years.

HUMANKIND'S LAST HOPE

Fialkov & Peeples Present The Last of the Greats

Berkeley, CA – 9 September 2011 – In less than a month, Joshua Hale Fialov, the Eisner and Harvey Award-nominated writer of such critically acclaimed titles as DC's New 52 hit I, Vampire, ECHOES, and Tumor, along with artist Brent Peeples (Grimm Fairy Tales), will begin to tell the story of the last of a race of super human beings that protected the Earth... until humankind turned against them, that is. The first issue of THE LAST OF THE GREATS will have no ads, no former story continuity to sort out, and no filler -- just 32 pages of quality storytelling.

Fans of Fialkov's other hit titles and new readers alike will surely be glad to discover this new series. In the tradition of alternate history epics like Irredeemable and Squadron Supreme, THE LAST OF THE GREATS combines adventure and action with dark humor. It's the type of daring storytelling that Image Comics is known for.

The first issue has already been received well by reviewers, with AintItCoolNews saying, "I want to see more of this and, quite frankly, I think comics could use more of it," while A Comic Book Blog stated,  "THE LAST OF THE GREATS will not only ask thought-provoking questions, but provide thought-provoking answers as well... [Fialkov and Peeples] have something unique here; something uncommonly creative and incredibly entertaining in what is another in a long line of soon to be Image Comics Classics."

"Brent and I have a grand story to tell, and we're thrilled at the response so far, and I want to make sure that every reader out there gets a chance to see what we're up to," said Fialkov. "The last week of September, my first issue of DC's I, Vampire premieres, and we made sure that when readers come back to their shops the next week asking for more of my work, the first issue of THE LAST OF THE GREATS will be there waiting for them."  

With the art for the first arc completed, Fialkov explained that he can also guarantee a new issue every month like clockwork: "I've done this long enough to know that retailers, readers, and creators are in this together, and we're going to make damn sure to hold up our end of the bargain."

THE LAST OF THE GREATS #3 (AUG110409), a 32-page full-color sci-fi superhero comic for $3.99, along with a Phil Hester variant cover (AUG110409), will be on sale in stores October 5. For more information, a full PDF of the series, and a very special retailer incentive, Fialkov invites retailers to contact him through Twitter @JoshFialkov or via email at Josh@thefialkov.com.

ABOUT JOSHUA HALE FIALKOV

Joshua is the Emmy, Eisner, and Harvey award nominated writer of the acclaimed graphic novels ELK'S RUN, ECHOES, PUNKS, and TUMOR. He's also the writer of DC's SUPERMAN/BATMAN and I, VAMPIRE.  He lives in Los Angeles, CA, and is available for interviews, podcasts, and in store events. 

ABOUT BRENT PEEPLES

Brent Peeples started his career with penciling a creator owned book for Arcana comics in 2007. Shortly after wrapping up work there, he began his journey with Zenescope entertainment penciling several works for their Grimm Fairy Tales title and a brief run on 1001 Arabian Night: The Adventures of Sinbad, written by Dan Wickline. He lives in Dallas, TX and is available for interviews, podcasts, and in store events.

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.

THE INFINITE J. SCOTT CAMPBELL

Kirkman & Liefeld's The Infinite #3 to Feature New Variant Cover

Berkeley, CA – 8 September 2011 – THE INFINITE team has once again gotten one of the industry's most celebrated talents to contribute a gorgeous variant cover to their action-packed science fiction hit. Now Image Comics has announced that next month the third issue of Robert Kirkman and Robert Liefeld's THE INFINITE will be available with a new J. Scott Campbell cover that stars the characters Em and Dual!

Besides the Campbell cover, a 48 page deluxe edition of THE INFINITE #3 will also be available, featuring mountains of behind the scenes sketches and illustrations by Liefeld and piles of notes and script pages by Kirkman, offering fans a glimpse behind the curtain to see all the usually unseen work that goes into the creation of a comic book.

"Like so many other fans, I absolutely love J. Scott Campbell!" said Liefeld. "He's one of the most popular and influential artists of the modern age. His cover for THE INFINITE #3 exceeded all expectations. He perfectly captured the dynamic between Emily and Duel, both of whom are integral characters in the saga of THE INFINITE! Don't miss out on Campbell's fantastic contribution to THE INFINITE!"

THE INFINITE tells the story of an aging freedom fighter who must travel back in time to team up with his 20-year-old self in order to save the world. In the third issue, Bowen has traveled to the present to attack The Infinite at a time when no one is even aware of their steps toward world domination. But something is not right -- they’re too organized, too prepared, and he begins to think he's underestimated them.

THE INFINITE #3 (AUG110524), a 32-page full-color sci-fi action comic for $2.99, and several limited variant covers including the Campbell variant (JUL118191), two retailer incentive covers, and the $5.99 Deluxe Edition variant (AUG110525), will be on sale in stores October 5.

ABOUT ROBERT KIRKMAN

Robert Kirkman is a New York Times bestselling author known for being the cultural zeitgeist of the comic book industry. Following the grassroots success of the self-published BATTLE POPE (2000), Kirkman caught the eye of Image Comics founding partner Erik Larsen. After several short-term projects (SUERPATRIOT and TECHJACKET), he achieved superstar status in 2003 with INVINCIBLE and THE WALKING DEAD. During a subsequent stint at Marvel Comics, he gained many new fans with the haunting and hilarious Marvel Zombies. MTV translated Kirkman's INVINCIBLE into a motion comic -- one of the first in a growing industry trend. Kirkman's SKYBOUND imprint, under the Image Comics umbrella, is committed to fostering up-and-coming talent in the industry, and all acquisitions are hand-picked by Kirkman himself. Kirkman won the 2010 Eisner Award for Best Continuing Series for THE WALKING DEAD. AMC's interpretation of the comic has received glowing reviews from critics and fans alike, and continues to garner the highest ratings for the network, making it a game changer for groundbreaking television on cable. For more information about Skybound, visit www.skybound.com.

ABOUT ROB LIEFELD

Rob Liefeld had childhood dream to draw comic books. As a teenager, he fulfilled that dream and began working for Marvel Comics X-men titles where he created popular franchise characters Deadpool, Cable, and X-Force! In 1992, Rob launched Image Comics with the debut of the popular YOUNGBLOOD franchise which has gone on to sell 70 million copies worldwide. Rob was asked by Marvel to re-imagine the classic Marvel heroes, Captain America and The Avengers for a new generation, which lead to the creation of the best selling Heroes Reborn universe. He has worked with comics most celebrated authors, Alan Moore (Watchmen) Mark Millar (Kick-Ass, Wanted) and is thrilled to be collaborating with superstar author Robert Kirkman (WALKING DEAD) on their sci-fi epic THE INFINITE. 

 

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.

Just a quick note to let you know that Galit Seliktar, author of our Spring release 'Farm 54' has confirmed that she will be attending the superlative SPX in Bethesda this Saturday, 10^th September. Come along and meet her at our table E7 during the day. Signing times will be posted in the morning but she will be around for a chat and to introduce her daughter Tamuz who is five and a quarter.

 

The  inimitable Stephen Vrattos will also be there and will happily guide you through all our titles and ensure you participate in our free entry prize draw.

 

If you are not attending this year then you are missing a great event that you can learn more about here: http://www.spxpo.com/about

 

Enjoy your weekend whatever you’re doing.

 

Stephen Robson

www.ponentmon.com

IDW Graphic Novels Debut on Apple iBooks

First major comics publisher to offer iBook graphic novels and comics
for the iPad™, iPhone®, and iPod touch®
 

San Diego, CA (September 7, 2011)—Continuing to lead the charge of digital comics, IDW Publishing, a leader in digital comics, proudly debuted today the first large collection of comic and graphic novel titles ever available within Apple’s iBooks store. As the first major comics publisher to offer significant content, IDW’s initial iBooks entrée features nearly twenty complete graphic novels, including award-winning books and works by best selling prose authors.

This one-of-a-kind launch kicks off with CODE WORD: GERONIMO, which is launched simultaneously in iBooks and in print. An original graphic novel detailing the raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound by SEAL Team 6, CODE WORD: GERONIMO is expertly written by military insider Captain Dale Dye (USMC, Ret.) and Dr. Julia Dye, Ph.D., and offers the amazing, moment-by-moment inside story of the clandestine raid that rid the world of this terrorist mastermind.

“IDW’s graphic novel line is a perfect fit for iBooks,” stated Jeff Webber, IDW's director of ePublishing. “While our various comic storefront apps, such as IDW Comics, TRANSFORMERS Comics or Doctor Who Comics, are extremely popular with experienced comics readers and fans of those brands, having this significant presence in iBooks will help readers discover creators and titles, much the same as browsing in major book retail chains.”

IDW’s rich catalog of top prose authors and comics creators is especially suited for iBooks. Fans of IDW writers such as Joe Hill, Anne Rice, Max Brooks, Peter S. Beagle, or James Patterson can now find IDW graphic novels right next to their respective prose releases. Award-winning creators like Darwyn Cooke and his acclaimed  adaptations of Richard Stark’s Parker books and the first installment of the BLOOM COUNTY: THE COMPLETE LIBRARY are also included in IDW’s diverse iBooks line.

The IDW launch has something for all ages, from classics like Eric Shanower’s OZ series for younger audiences, and Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez’s best-selling LOCKE & KEY series for mature readers.

“Our internal technology team, led by Lorelei Bunjes, has put a huge effort into developing a great reading experience for iBooks,” Webber continued. “We’re very proud of the team’s efforts to create a quality experience.”

The initial lineup includes the following titles:
•    Code Word: Geronimo
•    Bloom County: The Complete Digital Library 1980-1981
•    Locke & Key Vol. 1: Welcome to Lovecraft
•    Locke & Key Vol. 2: Head Games
•    Locke & Key Vol. 3: Crown of Shadows
•    Locke & Key Vol. 4: Keys to the Kingdom
•    Parker: The Hunter
•    Parker: The Outfit
•    Star Trek: Movie Adaptation
•    Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation
•    The Last Unicorn
•    Little Adventures in Oz Vol. 1
•    Dead Space
•    Dragon Age
•    G.I. Joe: Hearts & Minds
•    Witch & Wizard: Battle for Shadowland
•    The Murder of King Tut
•    True Blood Vol.1: All Together Now
•    The Rocketeer: The Complete Adventures

Visit IDWPublishing.com to learn more about the company and its top-selling books.

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; Toho’s Godzilla and comics and trade collections based on novels by worldwide bestselling author, James Patterson. IDW is also home to the Library of American Comics imprint, which publishes classic comic reprints; Yoe! Books, a partnership with Yoe! Studio.

IDW's original horror series, 30 Days of Night, was launched as a major motion picture in October 2007 by Sony Pictures and was the #1 film in its first week of release. More information about the company can be found at IDWPublishing.com.


Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPod touch, and iTunes are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. iPad is a trademark of Apple Inc. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.

PREPARE FOR STARBURST WITH THE EAGERLY-AWAITED

HI-DEF SET OF A TELEVISION SCI-FI CLASSIC

FARSCAPE: THE COMPLETE SERIES

BLU-RAY EDITION

Remastered from the Highest Quality Source Material, All 88 Episodes of the

Fan Favorite Series Are Presented in Crystal Clear High Definition, “Better

Than They’ve Ever Looked Before”, Says Exec Producer Brian Henson

The 20-Disc Set ($199.95srp) from A+E Networks Home Entertainment and

The Jim Henson Company Includes Over 15 Hours of Bonus Programming, Highlighted by a Brand-New Documentary Featuring Ben Browder, Claudia Black, Creators Rockne O’Bannon, Henson and Writer Richard Manning

IN STORES NOVEMBER 15

NEW YORK, NY – Although the status of the U.S. space program is in flux, those wishing to explore the furthest reaches of the cosmos need to look no further than FARSCAPE: THE COMPLETE SERIES BLU-RAY EDITION.  This November, home viewers will be transported through a wormhole across a thousand galaxies to the stunningly original universe of this groundbreaking cult classic from The Jim Henson Company, finally available in spectacular hi-def!  Bringing together all four complete seasons (88 episodes) and over 15 hours of bonus programming across 20 blu-ray discs, this definitive collection, optimized for HD from the European PAL masters – the highest quality available source elements -- delivers the most optimal viewing experience for the series which TV Guide named “one of television’s best cult shows ever”.  And, on November 15, it will be available for fans both new and old for $199.95srp.

A+E Networks Home Entertainment, one of the pioneers of TV DVD collectibles, and The Jim Henson Company have worked closely together to guarantee that this BLU-RAY EDITION will satisfy the series loyal fan base.  “With FARSCAPE, we work hard to meet our fans’ high expectations and this new Blu Ray release utilizes the highest quality source materials available so I know our audience will not be disappointed,” said Brian Henson, Chairman of The Jim Henson Company and executive producer of FARSCAPE. “A+E Networks Home Entertainment has met all the challenges that, given the nature and age of the series, are inherent with a show like FARSCAPE and the result is that all four seasons of FARSCAPE look better than ever  before.”

The superb High-Def picture and sound isn’t the only cause for celebration as this set also includes a BRAND-NEW documentary: Memories of Moya: An Epic Journey Explored featuring revealing new interviews with creators Brian Henson and Rockne O’Bannon, writer Richard Manning, and stars Ben Browder and Claudia Black as they look back at the legacy of the sci-fi classic.

In addition to this new documentary, the FARSCAPE Blu-ray set also includes ALL of the bonus material from the bestselling DVD release: over 15 hours episode commentaries, featurettes, deleted scenes, trailers, promos and more.

An imaginative fusion of live action, state-of-the-art puppetry, prosthetics and CGI, “Farscape,” produced by The Jim Henson Company in association with RHI Entertainment, featured mind-boggling alien life forms, dazzling special effects, edge-of-your-seat thrills, irreverent humor and unforgettable characters -- all brought to rich life by the creative minds at Jim Henson’s Creature Shop™.  Strap in and hold on tight for the extraordinary adventures of astronaut John Crichton, (Ben Browder) who, after a freak accident, finds himself surrounded by hostile aliens and soaring through the cosmos aboard Moya, a glorious living space ship.  Hunted by the relentless Peacekeepers, he allies himself with Moya’s crew -- Aeryn Sun (Claudia Black), Luxan warrior Ka D'Argo (Anthony Simcoe), azure priestess Zhaan (Virginia Hey), spritely Nebari thief Chiana (Gigi Edgley), Dominar Rygel, the deposed royal ruler of the Hynerian Empire and Pilot – to search for a way out of this inconceivably alien world and return home. 

In addition to the complete BLU-RAY EDITION, day-and-date, A+E Networks Home Entertainment will also release single season blu-ray sets.  Each BD release in FARSCAPE: THE COMPLETE SEASONS 1-4 BLU-RAY EDITIONS will contain over 18 hours of cosmically cool entertainment -- 22 episodes on five discs packed with incisive and stimulating bonus features for $69.95srp. 

A+E Networks Home Entertainment, part of the Consumer Products Division of A+E Networks, is a distributor of non-theatrical programming, featuring collectible DVD and Blu-ray editions of the high quality programming from A&E Network, HISTORY, and Lifetime, as well as acquired classic programming and sports. A+E Networks Home Entertainment brings the best of critically acclaimed entertainment presented in award-winning packaging to the special interest category.

FARSCAPE: THE COMPLETE SERIES BLU-RAY EDITION

Pre-order date:         October 18, 2011                   Genre:                     Sci-Fi/TV

Street date:               November 15, 2011               Sug. Retail Price:     $199.95

Rating:                     N/A                                        Catalog #:                AAAE256380

Running Time:        68  hrs.,  56 mins. + bonus     Screeners:                Avail. upon request

Format:                    Blu-ray/ 20 discs                   Color Artwork:       Avail. upon request

FARSCAPE: THE COMPLETE seasons 1-4 BLU-RAY EDITIONS

Pre-order date:         October 18, 2011                    Genre:                     Sci-Fi/Television

Street date:               November 15, 2011                Sug. Retail Price:     $69.95 ea.

Rating:                     N/A                                         Catalog #:    AAAE256340 (S1), 256350 (S2), 256360 (S3), 256370(S4)

Running Time:        Approx. 17 h., 40m. + extras  Screeners:                Avail. upon request

Format:                    Blu-ray/5 Discs ea.                 Color Artwork:       Avail. upon request

BLU-RAY EDITION Includes:

• 20 Blu-ray discs featuring 88 complete and unedited episodes from the four-season run (1999-2003), remastered from the highest quality source material available 
• Collectible packaging featuring all-new series artwork
• 29 Episode Commentaries, including “Premiere” with Rockne S. O’Bannon, Brian Henson and Ben Browder; “Jeremiah Crichton” with Claudia Black, Producer/Writer David Kemper, Browder and O’Bannon; “Bone to Be Wild” with Anthony Simcoe;“Relativity” with Lani Tupu (Crais/Voice of Pilot) and Director Peter Andrikidis; and, “Bad Timing” which features Browder, Black and Kemper discussing the series’ final episode.
• A BRAND-NEW documentary – Memories of Moya: An Epic Journey Explored featuring revealing new interviews with the cast and creators.
• Multiple featurettes and documentaries including “In the Beginning: A Look Back with Brian Henson”; “Making of a Space Opera” and “Inside Farscape: Save Farscape,” on which fans, cast and crew discuss the fate of their beloved series.
• Multiple video profiles featuring archival clips and cast/crew discussing their characters and roles on Farscape.
• Over 90 minutes of deleted scenes.
• Slideshows and archival photo galleries, including character concepts and promo photos.
• Production design galleries featuring screenshots, rough drafts and concept slide shows.
• Behind-the-Scenes interviews with Ben Browder, Claudia Black, Anthony Simcoe, Virginia Hey, Gigi Edgley, Paul Goddard (Stark), Wayne Pygram (Scorpius) and more.
• Original TV promos and trailers 

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