JIM HANLEY’S UNIVERSE TO HOLD

JHU CREATOR MEGA EVENT

 

Jim Hanley’s Universe is offering comic fans a warm up for the New York Comic Con festivities with a huge signing event featuring a variety of creators from a selection of innovative titles. On October 12th, the day before NYCC, Mark Texeira (Red Spike, Wolverine), Ben McCool (Pigs, Choker), Nathan Edmondson (Who is Jake Ellis?), Chris Houghton (Reed Gunther), Shane Houghton (Reed Gunther), Edwin Huang (Skullkickers), Richard Starkings (Elephantmen), Charles Soule (Twenty Seven), Jeff Cahn (Red Spike), Owen Wiseman (Samurai's Blood), David Baxter (Marksmen), Chris Giarrusso (G-Man) and more will be on hand to sign copies of their latest comics books. The first 50 people to buy a comic from any of the attending creators will receive a FREE copy of the September 2011 edition of HEAVY METAL magazine. We’ll have drinks and snacks available on hand and plan to party down with our diverse lineup of personalities.

 

The Jim Hanley's Universe Creator MEGA Event will take place in New York City at Jim Hanley’s Universe on October 12th, 2011 starting at 6:30 P.M. at 4 West 33rd St., across from the Empire State Building. For more information, please call (212) 268-7088.

 

About Jim Hanley's Universe

Since 1985, Jim Hanley's Universe has been America's best and most progressive comic book store. At Jim Hanley's Universe, we work extra hard to stock the full range of comic titles and related merchandise that is available today.

 

We carry comics from Marvel, DC, Image, Dark Horse, IDW, Dynamite, Avatar, BOOM, Oni, Fantagraphics, Drawn & Quarterly, Pantheon, 2000AD, Picturebox, Viz, Del Rey, Tokyopop, and more! We carry kids comics, international comics, literary comics, mature-readers titles, Manga, graphic novels, small press indies, zines and mini-comics, and more! We have an extensive back issue collection, and we also carry statues, collectibles, action figures, apparel, DVDs, trading cards, books, comics and gaming supplies and more!

 

For more information, check out

http://jhuniverse.blogspot.com

BUNNY IN THE MOON:

NEW ART FROM TARA MCPHERSON!

 October 3, Milwaukie, OR—Continuing the hugely popular line of Tara McPherson products from Dark Horse Deluxe, Kidrobot, Jamungo, ClickforArt, and more, Dark Horse Comics is proud to announce the next installment of Tara McPherson’s art-book series: Bunny in the Moon: The Art of Tara McPherson Volume 3. In addition to collecting another volume of pop surrealism at it’s finest, this latest volume features a foreword by filmmaker Morgan Spurlock!

McPherson, dubbed “the crown princess of poster art” by Elle, has created prints for music stars Kings of Leon, Beck, High on Fire, Depeche Mode, Green Day, and many more. Tara’s work has been featured in Vanity Fair, the New York Times, and Juxtapoz.

“Tara McPherson is blazing a trail between illustration and fine art that is both personal and universal, and changing the face of the art world in her wake.”—Hi-Fructose

Gods and devils. Flesh and spirit. Sacred and profane. One of the leading lights of pop surrealism, Tara McPherson has traveled the world with her work, gaining new inspirations. With a foreword by acclaimed artist Gary Baseman, Bunny in the Moon features compelling new works and sculpture informed by mythology and folklore. The resulting imagery combines the primal power at the core of ancient culture with McPherson’s contemporary explorations of love, loss, strength, vulnerability, and female empowerment.  

Bunny in the Moon: The Art of Tara McPherson Volume 3 is on sale March 14, 2012.

Tara McPherson will be signing at the Dark Horse Comics booth during 

New York Comic Con: Friday, October 14th @ 11AM.

  

AUTOMOBILES, MONSTERS, AND MAYHEM

British Artist Shaky Kane's Monster Truck Embraces Pop Culture at Image Comics

Berkeley, CA – 5 October 2011 –  MONSTER TRUCK is British comic book legend Shaky Kane's (BULLETPROOF COFFIN) psychedelic road trip in landscape format. Image Comics is set to unleash this hallucinogenic, panoramic journey in November, across 50 continuous panels in a deluxe, recolored, and remastered second printing of the Wishbone Studio cult classic graphic novel. 

Taking its stylistic cues from the silver age of comics, SHAKY KANE'S MONSTER TRUCK will offer readers warped visions of American pop culture, mixed into a medley of automobiles, monsters, and mayhem! 

"I'm so happy to bring more readers along for the ride," the acclaimed writer/artist said. "Comics are great!"

Critics have been singing the praises of Kane's work for years, and SHAKY KANE'S MONSTER TRUCK is no exception. Some of the recommendations already given have included these:

"...a transformative experience for both the truck, it’s driver and the reader." Rich Johnston, Bleeding Cool

"...'widescreen' psychedelic depictions of clowns, toy dolls and monster trucks over two pages seem that much more epic." Brian Truitt, USAToday

"The world in a blender, all the tastiest parts shaken, rattled, and rolled into a Technicolor mind-warp!" Matt Seneca, Death To The Universe.

"I've been a fan of Shaky's work since I was first exposed to his work in the pages of New Musical Express when I was a teenager, so it's a thrill to have him here with projects like MONSTER TRUCK," said Image Comics Publisher Eric Stephenson. "Everything Shaky does is pure, unadulterated comics -- he loves this art form and loves testing out different ways to mold to it to his own uniquely twisted vision."

SHAKY KANE'S MONSTER TRUCK (SEP110381, ISBN: 978-1-60706-470151499), a 108-page full-color graphic novel comic book for $14.99, will be on sale in stores November 23.

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.

VISIT VIZ MEDIA AT NEW YORK COMIC CON, BOOTH #932 FOR FREE TICKETS TO THE PREMIERE

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES THEATRICAL PREMIERE OF NARUTO SHIPPUDEN THE MOVIE: BONDS

Japanese NARUTO Voice Actress Junko Takeuchi To Attend Special Premiere Event Held During 2011 New York Comic Con

San Francisco, CA, October 4, 2011 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, complements its presence at the 2011 New York Comic Con with the exclusive U.S. theatrical premiere of the latest NARUTO SHIPPUDEN feature film, NARUTO SHIPPUDEN THE MOVIE: BONDS (English subtitled), on Saturday, October 15^th at 7:00pm at the New York School of Visual Arts Theatre. A special pre-show red carpet event featuring Japanese voice actress Junko Takeuchi, who provides the original voice for Naruto, will take place at the theatre beginning at 6:00pm.

The School of Visual Arts Theatre is located at 333 West 23^rd Street, within walking distance of the Jacob Javits Convention Center where the 2011 New York Comic Con will take place October 13^th–16^th. Seating is on a first-come/first-served basis. Comic Con attendees can secure free tickets to the premiere at VIZ Media’s Booth #932. Check a schedule posted at the VIZ Media booth for the designated times for free ticket giveaways!

The first 200 attendees in line for the premiere will receive a NARUTO plush toy. Premiere attendees will also receive a special VIZ Media Heroes Of Anime gift bag with an amazing assortment of goodies, including the NARUTO SHIPPUDEN™: Ultimate Ninja Impact™ video game for the PSP (courtesy Namco Bandai), NARUTO SHIPPUDEN Collectable Card Game packs (courtesy Bandai America), NARUTO keychains (courtesy Great Eastern), and other assorted collectibles.

“Junko Takeuchi is one of the most respected voice actors in the Japanese anime industry and we’re honored to welcome her as a very special guest of honor for this theatrical premiere event,” says Candice Uyloan, Director, Marketing. “NARUTO SHIPPUDEN THE MOVIE: BONDS is the second feature film in the NARUTO SHIPPUDEN story arc and Naruto and his friends must face down a dangerous new airborne menace in this latest action-packed adventure. Don’t miss this fun event which is sure to be a must-attend for every anime and action film fan during New York Comic Con!”

In NARUTO SHIPPUDEN THE MOVIE: BONDS (rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens), a group of mysterious flying ninja have arrived from overseas to launch a sudden attack against the Hidden Leaf Village, leaving behind a wake of destruction. The group is revealed to be the “Sky Ninja” from the Land of Sky, a nation thought to have been destroyed by the Hidden Leaf Village long ago. To save their village, Naruto and his friends set out to stop this new threat. During the course of the mission, Naruto crosses paths with Sasuke, his friend who has parted ways from the Leaf Village.

More information on NARUTO SHIPPUDEN THE MOVIE: BONDS is available at www.Naruto.com and www.VIZ.com/naruto-shippuden-movie-video.

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 monthly manga anthology SHONEN JUMP 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.

BIOWARE AND DARK HORSE UNVEIL

SPECIAL EDITION COMIC BOOK AT

NEW YORK COMIC CON

BioWare™, a division of Electronic Arts, and Dark Horse Comics announced today a special edition of Mass Effect: Invasion #1, the first installment in a series of comic books detailing the events following Commander Shepard’s epic journey in the critically acclaimed Action Role Playing Game, Mass Effect™ 2. The special edition of Mass Effect: Invasion #1 features brand new cover art designed by the Mass Effect team and signed exclusively by Mass Effect Lead Writer, Mac Walters. The special edition will be available in a limited run only at New York Comic Con, New York City’s premiere comic book convention, from October 13^th – 16^th.

The Mass Effect: Invasion series features a unique story by Mass Effect lead writer Mac Walters, an original script by John Jackson Miller, best known for his work on Star Wars: Knight Errant, and artist Omar Francia known for Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2. Mass Effect: Invasion focuses on a story arc featuring a key figure in the Mass Effect universe, Aria T’Loak. The self-appointed queen of Omega, a seedy space station catering to the galaxy’s underworld, T’Loak must defend her territory from a terrifying new threat unleashed by a pro-human organization called Cerberus. Mass Effect: Invasion will launch its first issue this October.

Mass Effect: Invasion #1 will be available at comic book retailers starting October 19, 2011.

To learn more about Mass Effect, please visit http://masseffect.com, follow the development team on Twitter at http://twitter.com/masseffect or “Like” the game’s Facebook page at http://facebook.com/masseffect.

REED GUNTHER ROUND UP!

The Adventures of Everyone's Favorite Bear-Riding Cowboy Collected in Trade Paperback

Berkeley, CA – 4 October 2011 – The wild west adventures of Reed Gunther, Sterling, Starla, and all of Shane and Chris Houghton's colorful characters will be gathered together into their first trade paperback from Image Comics this November with the arrival of Shane and Chris Houghton's REED GUNTHER, VOL. 1 TP. This colorful collection of excitement, friendship, and adventure is guaranteed to be fun for folks of all ages!

"This is a big collection of excitement, adventure, and goofy bear-riding cowboy fun." said writer Shane Houghton. "Not only is it jam-packed with some wild and crazy monsters, but is also balanced with heart-felt stories of friendship, loss, and responsibility."

 "This is one fine-lookin' collection," added artist Chris Houghton. "If you haven't read REED GUNTHER yet and are looking to find a fun and fresh new series, this book is a great place to start. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to my unbelievably cool job: drawing a dim-witted cowboy who rides a grizzly bear."

Scores of comics industry professionals have been won over by REED GUNTHER's many charms, leading to the inclusion of some incredible extra material, such as pin-ups by the likes of Stan Sakai (Usagi Yojimbo), Robb Mommaerts (Shrek), and Guy Davis (Nevermen, B.P.R.D., Judge Dredd). The collection also features a foreward written by Davis, in which he explained the appeal of REED GUNTHER: "Aside from having monsters in it (and I do love monster tales), the book, at the heart of it, is just plain fun!"

Some of REED GUNTHER's other rave reviews and recommendations from websites have included these words of praise:

"About the only thing more 'made for comics' than cowboys on bare-bearback is gorillas riding dinosaurs." Doug Zawisza, CBR

"As all ages comics go, they don’t get much better than this. REED GUNTHER is always entertaining and relentlessly fun... There is nothing not to love about a cowboy that rides a bear, Nuff Said!" Niall Doonan, Comic Buzz

"With the bulk of popular comics being stories about costumed heroes punching each other, it’s nice to have a well-written story about a silly cowboy and his trusty bear named Sterling." Joshua Yehl, Broken Frontier

"...one of the most fun and imaginative new books out from Image Comics these days." Josh Flanagan, iFanboy

In REED GUNTHER, VOL. 1 TP, our hero Reed Gunther and his trusty grizzly bear steed will bumble their way through the wild west, fighting giant snakes, hoards of mole creatures, a resurrected John Henry zombie, freak show freaks, special government agents, and all sorts of wild monsters created by an ancient mysterious idol!

REED GUNTHER, VOL. 1 TP (SEP110428, ISBN: 978-1-60706-462-6),  184-page full-color all-ages western comedy adventure for $14.99, will come galloping full speed into a store near you on November 9. For more information on Reed Gunther, Sterling, and all their unruly friends and foes, visit www.reedgunther.com.

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.

HAVE YOU HEARD WHISPERS?

Joshua Luna Announces New Solo Series at Image Comics

Berkeley, CA – 4 October 2011 – 2012 will begin a new era for Joshua Luna of the Luna Brothers (ULTRA, GIRLS, THE SWORD). Come January, he will be making his solo debut with a new 6-issue series at Image Comics entitled WHISPERS, a comic book which will follow in the same tradition of the previous series Luna and his brother have created in the past: original stories with supernatural elements, grounded with compelling human drama.

The dark, supernatural thriller will not only showcase the creator's talents as both writer and artist for the first time, but will also raise questions of free will and explore the obsessions, addictions and urges we all have... and may not fully have control of!

"A lot of people who are familiar with my writing may not know this, but I started drawing long before I attempted to write," said Luna. "I’ve been dying to tackle the art on a comic book series for a long time, but I’ve been waiting for the right time and the right story."

WHISPERS is the suspenseful story of a mentally troubled man who is suddenly empowered with the ability to leave behind his physical body and exist in a ghost-like form, manipulating people in strange and disturbing ways. With this incredible power, will he control his demons... or discover even more?

WHISPERS #1, a 32-page full-color sci-fi comic $2.99, will be on sale in stores January 26, and is available for order in the upcoming January issue of Previews.

ABOUT JOSHUA LUNA

Joshua Luna entered the comic book industry with a blind submission to Image Comics, writing and co-creating the series ULTRA with brother, artist, and co-creator, Jonathan Luna.  ULTRA, a unique superhero title that blurred the lines between law-enforcement and celebrity, became a success and was soon adapted into a TV pilot for CBS. The Luna Brothers then went on to create two more critically acclaimed, hit Image titles: Sci-fi horror series, GIRLS, and revenge epic, THE SWORD.  Joshua also provided layouts for Jonathan on SPIDER-WOMAN: ORIGIN (Marvel Comics), written by Brian Michael Bendis and Brian Reed.  Writing and drawing from an early age, Joshua graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design with a BFA in Sequential art and is making his solo debut with WHISPERS.  He currently lives in Northern VA. For more information about Joshua and his work, visit www.lunabrothers.com.

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.

IF YOUR SPIDEY SENSES ARE TINGLING,

THEN IT’S “TIME” FOR YOU TO SAVE EVERYBODY’S FAVORITE WEBHEAD IN SPIDER-MAN™: EDGE OF TIME

Players Race Across Time to Prevent the Untimely End of Peter Parker in Activision and Marvel’s Latest Spider-Man Video Game

Santa Monica, CA – October 4, 2011 – Today, Spider-Man™ faces his greatest challenge ever – saving Spider-Man – in Spider-Man™: Edge of Time, available now in North American retail stores from Activision Publishing, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI). Created by Beenox – the studio that developed last year’s popular Spider-Man™: Shattered Dimensions – players take the roles of both Peter Parker’s Amazing Spider-Man, and Miguel O’Hara’s Spider-Man 2099 in a harrowing, action-packed adventure, spanning two timelines 100-years apart in order to thwart a cataclysmic future from happening – and the death of Peter Parker.

“Just like with Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions, Beenox is bringing a fresh perspective to the series with Spider-Man: Edge of Time,” said David Oxford, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Activision Publishing, Inc.  “Dee Brown and the team at Beenox worked closely with Marvel’s own veteran writer and co-creator of Spider-Man 2099, Peter David, on a high-stakes narrative experience where the ultimate challenge is not only to save the world, but also save Spider-Man himself.”

“We’re very excited to bring Spider-Man: Edge of Time to Marvel fans everywhere,” said TQ Jefferson, Vice President of Games Production, Marvel Entertainment. “Activision and Beenox have managed to pack more fun, excitement and challenge into this game than their previous hit Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions; and we’re eager for fans - both new and old - to dive into Spidey’s latest pulse-pounding adventure.”

Playing as the two extremely different personas of Peter Parker and Miguel O’Hara, both heroic web-slingers must urgently work together to correct a timestream gone awry, save each other, and prevent the death of the Amazing Spider-Man.  With the story’s two timelines evolving in parallel, each Super Hero must navigate through "cause-and-effect" gameplay moments, utilizing Spider-Man: Edge of Time’s picture-in-picture display where the actions of one Spider-Man can result in immediate, and sometimes unexpected, effects on the other Spider-Man and his surroundings.  Players will battle a variety of fan-favorite and all-new villains, including Anti-Venom and Black Cat 2099, using expanded combat abilities specific to each timeline – from Spider-Man 2099’s close-quarters brute force, futuristic enhancements and gravity-defying acrobatics, to the Amazing Spider-Man’s evasive techniques, upgraded web abilities and ranged tactics, as they race against time to preserve the balance of both worlds.

The game includes an all-star voice cast, beginning with legendary film star Val Kilmer as Walker Sloan; Smallville and V mainstay  Laura Vandervoort as Mary Jane; Battlestar Galactica’s Katee Sackhoff as Black Cat; “The Spectacular Spider-Man’s” Josh Keaton as the Amazing Spider-Man; and Christopher Daniel Barnes, who voiced the iconic Marvel web-slinger in the 1994 “Spider-Man” series, as the voice of Spider-Man 2099.

Spider-Man: Edge of Time is rated “T” for Teen by the ESRB and is available on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Wii™ and Nintendo 3DS™, all developed by Beenox.  The Nintendo 3DS edition marks the debut of Spider-Man on Nintendo’s newest platform.  A Nintendo DS™ version, created by developer Other Ocean, is also available and features a platforming adventure full of unique villains, such as the first-ever appearances of Overdrive, Arcade and Big Wheel 2099, created exclusively for this version.

For more information about Spider-Man: Edge of Time, or to join the Hero HQ VIP community on Facebook, visit www.Facebook.com/HeroHQ.

VIZ MEDIA WELCOMES FALL WITH NEW DIGITAL RELEASES FOR VIZMANGA.COM AND THE VIZ MANGA APP FOR iPAD, iPHONE AND iPOD TOUCH

Latest October Update Features Additions To 16 Popular Series, Including BLEACH And ONE PIECE Digital “Speed Ups” And New Digital Debuts Ahead Of Print Counterparts

VIZ Media opens the Fall season with a bevy of new manga (graphic novels) titles that will be available on VIZManga.com and for digital download on the VIZ MANGA App for the Apple iPad™, iPhone™ and iPod™ touch.

October first half of the month updates are highlighted by new additions to 16 top VIZ Media manga series. The update includes the continuation of a manga “speed up” for BLEACH and ONE PIECE that will bring both series up to date with their North American print counterparts by December. Two other notable releases – NURA: RISE OF THE YOKAI CLAN Vol. 5 and HYDE & CLOSER Vol. 6 – are also scheduled to launch digitally a day ahead of their print counterparts.

Additional new VIZ Media manga volumes launching include:

October 3^rd:

BLEACH Vol. 26

DENGEKI DAISY Vol. 5

KEKKAISHI Vol. 14

NEON GENESIS EVANGELION Ch. 9

NURA: RISE OF THE YOKAI CLAN Vol. 5 – Debuts A Day Ahead Of Print!

OISHINBO Vol. 3

ONE PIECE Vol. 46

OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB Vol. 11

RUROUNI KENSHIN Vol. 23

October 10^th:

BAKUMAN Vol. 7

BLEACH Vol. 27

BLUE EXORCIST Vol. 4

FUSHIGI YUGI: GENBU KAIDEN Vol. 7

GRAND GUIGNOL ORCHESTRA Vol. 4

HYDE & CLOSER Vol. 6 – Debuts A Day Ahead Of Print!

NEON GENESIS EVANGELION Ch. 10

ONE PIECE Vol. 47

ROSARIO + VAMPIRE II Vol. 6

SATURN APARTMENTS Vol. 3

VIZ Media’s digital manga platforms allow for universal access to read manga from an 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 may access their purchases across even more devices than ever.

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

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

LONELY HEART BLUES

The Li'l Depressed Boy's Beginnings In Print For the First Time Ever

Berkeley, CA – 3 October 2011 – Before THE LI'L DEPRESSED BOY found a home at Image Comics, S. Steven Struble built the character's story online as a popular web comic. Now Image Comics is collecting his early strips and short stories that have never seen print in THE LI'L DEPRESSED BOY, VOL. 0 TP this December.

Before current series artist Sina Grace illustrated LDB's world in his carefree and deceptively simple brushwork style, many well-known artists gave the character his first experiences with life and love.  THE LI'L DEPRESSED BOY, VOL. 0 TP collects the work of Sam Keith, Jim Valentino, Jim Mahfood, and more in early THE LI'L DEPRESSED BOY short stories, all awash in appropriate shades of blue. Grace has also contributed an all-new short story, never before seen online or in print. And it's all wrapped up in a gorgeous new cover by Lindsay Jane!

"I'll always have a soft spot for these early strips. I cut my teeth on them," said Struble. "They were a fun experiment that helped form both me as a writer and LDB as a character. On top of that, I got to work with some of my favorite artists."

Grace added: "It's an incredible honor that Image Comics continues to support the series by publishing the fantastic strips of previous LDB contributors, and showcasing some of my public displays of learning to draw. I'm hoping the new story makes up for my previous blunders."

THE LI'L DEPRESSED BOY's origin story will soon be unveiled! Before disastrous road trips. Before style-points. Before Jazmin. Join LDB as he takes his first steps on his search for love!

THE LI'L DEPRESSED BOY, VOL. 0 TP (OCT110459, ISBN: 978-1-60706-476-3), a 96-page full-color indie romance trade paperback for $9.99, will be on sale in stores December 7. THE LI'L DEPRESSED BOY, VOL. 1 TP (APR110424, ISBN: 978-1-60706-390-2) is on sale in stores now. For more information about the source of THE LI'L DEPRESSED BOY, visit www.depressedboy.com.

ABOUT S. STEVEN STRUBLE

S. Steven Struble moved to Amarillo, TX to write comic books. Surprisingly, this plan actually worked out! In his spare time he also colors other people's comics and competes on the poetry slam circuit.

ABOUT SINA GRACE

When not handling the duties as Editorial Director for Skybound Entertainment, Sina Grace draws comic books (THE LI'L DEPRESSED BOY), kids' books (Among the Ghosts with Amber Benson), and big-people books (Cedric Hollows in Dial M for Magic) in coffee shops all around Los Angeles.

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.

GRAPHICLY TO PROVIDE DIGITAL COMICS ON ALL PLATFORMS INCLUDING FACEBOOK

Graphicly and Image Comics Announce Digital Publishing Partnership for Walking Dead, Invincible, Savage Dragon and more!

Berkeley, CA – October 3, 2011 – Graphicly, a social networking and digital distribution platform for the visual entertainment industry, announced today a partnership with Image Comics, the third largest comic book publisher in the US and the number one creator owned content publisher, to digitally supply and share their entire publishing catalog, including such hits as Walking Dead, Invincible, Savage Dragon, Chew and many more, to be released same day as print on Graphicly.

Working with Graphicly, Image Comics will be expanding their reach on all iOS and Android platforms including Barnes & Noble’s NOOKcolor and Amazon’s Kindle Fire. As the only comic book application on Facebook, Graphicly will be making the world of Image Comics available to this growing social audience. Image’s Facebook page will become a browseable comic store where potential readers can preview and purchase the wares while never having to leave the page. Fans can now like a new comic and share it on a friend’s wall! 

"20 years ago, Image Comics changed the comic book industry and we’re excited that they’ve chosen Graphicly to help them innovate comics in the digital age." said Micah Baldwin, CEO of Graphicly. "Image's focus on creator owned content , making them THE cutting edge publisher for creator owned titles, is perfectly aligned with Graphicly's philosophy of putting the creator first. We are excited to join them in becoming the leading cutting edge digital solution for creators."

“For years, print comics have been dependent on a single distribution network, so it's interesting to be a position to utilize a variety of different digital platforms,” said Image Comics Publisher Eric Stephenson. “As digital comics continue to become a greater concern, it's important to embrace as many different options as possible.”

Graphicly is bringing the content to the communities rather forcing the people to come to them and is dedicated to providing visual entertainment for the communities that love stories. Image Comics is a venue where creators can publish their material while maintaining creative control and the rights to the stories and characters they create, as creator-owned properties. Together Graphicly and Image are spreading the idea of the importance of good stories by world class creators.

ABOUT GRAPHICLY

Graphicly is a cutting-edge entertainment digital content delivery system and community platform, providing an immersive solution to tell, share and collaborate around story. With more than 300 publishers and over 4,000 creators from major publishers such as Marvel Comics, Image Comics, BOOM! Studios, Top Cow and IDW Publishing to indie creators from around the globe, Graphicly is the leading story-telling and sharing platform online.  The Graphicly Network includes dozens of leading websites and blogs, mobile applications including the iPhone, iPad and Android; A desktop AIR application, and an industry leading HTML5 web app. For more information, please visit www.graphicly.com 

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.

DARK HORSE UNVEILS SIGNING SCHEDULE FOR NEW YORK COMIC CON 2011!

SEPTEMBER 30, MILWAUKIE, OR—What do a rock star, the lead writer of Mass Effect, and the ever-charming and talented Ms. Becky Cloonan all have in common? They’re all signing at the Dark Horse booth!

Following up on Wednesday’s announcement of Dark Horse’s 2011 New York Comic Con programming, it’s the moment you’ve been waiting for: the 2011 Dark Horse New York Comic Con schedule!

The full schedule of Dark Horse’s in-booth signings and activities can be found below: 

ALL DAY, EVERY DAY:

Spin the Dark Horse prize wheel for a chance to win free digital comics, including Mass Effect and Star Wars: Crimson Empire bundles!

Thursday, October 13 

6:00 p.m. FREE T-SHIRTS, COMICS! Come to the Dark Horse booth for a chance to win a Hellboy T-shirt and free digital comics!

Friday, October 14

10:30 a.m. The Occultist—Tim Seeley (Hack/Slash) and Jenny Frison (Criminal Macabre)

11:00 a.m. Bunny in the Moon—Tara McPherson

11:00 a.m. FREE T-SHIRTS, COMICS! Come to the Dark Horse booth for a chance to win a Hellboy T-shirt and free digital comics!

11:30 a.m. Orchid—Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, The Nightwatchman) and Scott Hepburn (Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic)

FREE Orchid poster featuring art by Massimo Carnevale. Ticketed event. Please talk to a Dark Horse staff member at the show.

12:30 p.m. Dethklok—Jon Schnepp, Jeremy Barlow, and Nate Piekos

1:30 p.m. The Immortal—Ian Edginton

FREE poster revealing never-before-seen art from the upcoming comic The Immortal, adapted from an acclaimed Japanese novel and written by Ian Edginton (Scarlet Traces, Star Trek: Early Voyages, Warhammer 40,000)

2:00 p.m. FREE T-SHIRTS, COMICS! Come to the Dark Horse booth for a chance to win a The Thing movie T-shirt and free digital comics! Read the FREE digital prequel comic of The Thing now!

2:30 p.m. Star Wars—Andrea Mutti

Find out what Star Wars series Andrea Mutti (Rage) will be working on at Friday’s Dark Horse panel (1:30–2:30 p.m., Room 1A15).

3:30 p.m. The Massive—Brian Wood and Kristian Donaldson (DMZ)

4:30 p.m. Star Wars: Jedi—The Dark Side—Scott Allie and Mahmud Asrar

6:30 p.m. Dr. McNinja—Christopher Hastings

Saturday, October 15

10:30 a.m. Mass Effect—Mac Walters

11:00 a.m. FREE T-SHIRTS, COMICS! Come to the Dark Horse booth for a chance to win a Hellboy T-shirt and free digital comics!

11:30 a.m. The Last Dragon—Jane Yolen and Rebecca Guay

FREE face painting inspired by The Last Dragon! FREE miniprint to the first one hundred people in line for the signing.

12:30 p.m. House of Night—Jenny Frison

Get Marked! FREE House of Night face painting during the signing with cover artist Jenny Frison! FREE House of Night poster. And the first twenty-five people in line for the signing will receive a copy of The Fledgling Handbook 101 by P. C. Cast with Kim Doner from St. Martin’s Press!

1:30 p.m. Beasts of Burden—Evan Dorkin

1:30 p.m. Avatar: The Last Airbender—FREE face-painting event           

2:30 p.m. Dragon Age—David Gaider and Mike Laidlaw

FREE print to the first one hundred people in line to meet the lead writer and lead designer of Dragon Age!

3:30 p.m. Angel & Faith—Christos Gage and Rebekah Isaacs 

4:00 p.m. FREE T-SHIRTS, COMICS! Come to the Dark Horse booth for a chance to win a Hellboy T-shirt and free digital comics!

4:30 p.m. Comic TBA—Brian Wood (DMZ, Demo, Northlanders) and Becky Cloonan (Demo, Pixu)

Find out what Dark Horse comic Brian Wood and Becky Cloonan are going to be working on together at Friday’s Dark Horse panel (1:30–2:30 p.m., Room 1A15)!

5:30 p.m. Evelyn, Evelyn—Cynthia von Buhler 

Sunday, October 16

10:00 a.m. Beanworld—Larry Marder

10:30 a.m. FREE T-SHIRTS, COMICS! Come to the Dark Horse booth for a chance to win a Hellboy T-shirt and free digital comics!

11:00 a.m. Mignolaverse—Mike Mignola and John Arcudi

Ticketed event. Please talk to a Dark Horse staff member at the show.

12:00 p.m. Creepy—Dan Braun

It’s trick-or-treat time, but not for the kiddos! FREE Creepy comics to the first one hundred people in line, plus an array of crazy Creepy prizes just in time for All Hallow’s Eve!

1:00 p.m. Behind the Scenes of Mass Effect—Mac Walters

Mac Walters discusses the process of writing Mass Effect comics and walks through a digital preview of Mass Effect: Invasion #1.

2:00 p.m. FREE T-SHIRTS, COMICS! Come to the Dark Horse booth for a chance to win a Hellboy T-shirt and free digital comics!

2:30 p.m. Kult—Jeremy Barlow

3:00 p.m. Robert E. Howard’s Savage Sword—Jeremy Barlow, Paul Tobin, and Joshua Williamson

4:00 p.m. Falling Skies—Paul Tobin and Juan Ferreyra

Are you missing Falling Skies? Talk to the creators of the preview comic and get a Falling Skies pin from TNT, while supplies last!

Keep your eyes on the Dark Horse blog for further announcements on signings, in-booth events, green-screen photo ops, and so much more!