CHIC TO BE GEEK IN LAS VEGAS

(Las Vegas) - - The 2nd annual Las Vegas Comic Expo (www.lasvegascomicexpo.com), a family-friendly event, will return to the Riviera Casino & Hotel on the World Famous Las Vegas Strip located at 2901 Las Vegas Boulevard South in Las Vegas on September 28-29, 2013.

Las Vegas Comic Expo will again unite the comic book and pop-culture community’s huge and diverse audience of fans, creators and retailers together in one of the most renowned and unforgettable cities in the U.S.

Charles Lee, organizer of Las Vegas Comic Expo, has proclaimed that "Las Vegas has widely been known as an ideal destination for conventions, and since last year, Vegas has proven to be a city capable of holding comic book and pop culture themed convention events."

Las Vegas Comic Expo will again feature artist demonstrations, panel discussions and the always entertaining cosplay costume contest. Likewise, there will be vendors, artists, and writers in the exhibitor halls for fans to obtain autographs, art, toys, comic books, statues, and other rare collectibles. Not limited to comic books, this is a pop culture event similar to the ones held in other major cities such as New York, Seattle, Chicago, Boston, Orlando, Los Angeles, and San Diego, where the hip to be square celebrate its chic to be geek.

Fan boys and girls of entertainment like Star Wars, Star Trek, Hunger Games, True Blood, Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, Twilight, Walking Dead, and Dr. Who will converge in Las Vegas for an entertaining event.

Exclusive collector items will be available at Las Vegas Comic Expo. This is just the icing on the cake for a comic-book and pop culture convention that will welcome thousands of attendees to the Riviera Hotel located right on the strip at 2901 Las Vegas Boulevard South in Las Vegas, just minutes away from the Las Vegas airport.

This affordable and fun convention will feature a wide variety of family-friendly and pop-culture must-see happenings including:

 Comic Artist Alley featuring a multitude of beloved comic book creators from around the World.

 Media guests: Kristin Bauer (True Blood), Sylvester McCoy (Dr. Who, The Hobbit), and more to come….

 

 

· Gaming, including HeroClix, Magic, and other popular trading card games.

 Cosplay. Tons of people dressing up as their favorite comic book/sci-fi/fantasy/anime characters, with the climax being a Saturday night costume contest and a Sunday afternoon children’s costume contest.

 Panel discussions, autograph signings and meet & greet opportunities with your favorite guests.

 Sunday Fun Day (Kid’s Day) events.

The show welcomes all audiences including those seeking a family-friendly environment. And for people looking to experience the legendary Las Vegas nightlife, it’s just a short walk away to restaurants, live entertainment and gambling.

“We hope to continue to provide a fun, vibrant atmosphere that brings together the people who love and drive the thriving community of comics - the fans, the retailers and the professional creators - for a unique entertainment experience that will bring them back year after year,” said Charles Lee, organizer for the Las Vegas Comic Expo.

EVENT INFO:

WHAT: Las Vegas Comic Expo (A Comic Book, Entertainment & Pop Culture

Convention)

WHERE: Riviera Casino & Hotel

2901 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, NV 89109

(800) 634-3420

WHEN: Saturday – September 28, 2013 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Sunday - September 29, 2013 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

WHO: Open to all ages. A family friendly event

COST: $25 Daily Admission

$45 Weekend Pass

Discounts for advance ticket purchase, prepaid ticket holders allowed early entry

Children 7 years and under free with paid adult ticket (limit 2 children per paid adult).

Confirmed Celebrity guests include…

Kristin Bauer (True Blood)

Sylvester McCoy (Dr. Who, The Hobbit)

To purchase tickets or access a complete guest list, program guide, and exhibitor information, please go to www.lasvegascomicexpo.com. Check the website often for updates and new guests.

VIZ MEDIA AND COMICSPRO TEAM UP FOR EXCLUSIVE HELLO KITTY^® GRAPHIC NOVEL EDITION

Pop Culture Icon Hello Kitty^® And Her Friends Debut In A New VIZ Media Offering Featuring A Special Variant Cover By Artist

Victoria Maderna

San Francisco, CA, August 28, 2013 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga, graphic novels and anime in North America, and Sanrio^®, Inc. announce a special single-volume edition of HELLO KITTY^®: FASHION MUSIC WONDERLAND, available exclusively through ComicsPRO member stores and featuring an exclusive full color variant cover by artist/illustrator Victoria Maderna.

The special edition of HELLO KITTY^®: FASHION MUSIC WONDERLAND will be available to retailers that are ComicsPRO members exclusively through Diamond Comic Distributors. The volume will be released November 5^th and will carry an MSRP of $6.99 U.S. / $7.99 CAN.

ComicsPRO is the trade organization serving the needs of comic book specialty retailers in North America. ComicsPRO provides a strong voice on important industry issues, educational and mentoring opportunities to current and future retailers, and works to improve business for all of its members and the comics industry as a whole.

The HELLO KITTY^®: FASHION MUSIC WONDERLAND comic will feature art by Victoria Maderna, Ian McGinty and Eisner-nominee Jacob Chabot. A separate Hello Kitty^® original graphic novel series is also scheduled to launch October 1^st. HELLO KITTY: HERE WE GO!, a collection of comic stories about Hello Kitty’s travels, will feature art by Chabot, Jorge Monlongo and Susie Ghahremani. Both offerings will be rated ‘A’ for All Ages.

HELLO KITTY^®: FASHION MUSIC WONDERLAND cover artist Victoria Maderna is a full-time illustrator. She was born and raised in Argentina where she studied Graphic Design, and now lives in Madrid, Spain. She also worked on LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE™: HERE COMES THE SUN! (published by VIZ Media) and Adventure Time #10 (published by BOOM! Studios). Jacob Chabot is a New York City-based cartoonist, illustrator and writer. His comic The Mighty Skullboy Army is published through Dark Horse, and in 2008 was nominated for an Eisner Award for Best Book for Teens. He is also the artist on VOLTRON FORCE Vols. 1 and 6 (published by VIZ Media). The work of Ian McGinty (MFA, Savannah College of Art and Design) can be seen in the UGLYDOLL original graphic novels (published by VIZ Media) and Adventure Time: Candy Capers and Bravest Warriors comics (both published by BOOM! Studios).

HELLO KITTY^® FASHION MUSIC WONDERLAND COMICSPRO EDITION EXCLUSIVE ·

MSRP: $6.99 US / $7.99 CAN · 48 pages · Available November 2013 

It’s Hello Kitty as you've never seen her, in stories filled with fashion, music and adventure! Special edition features a variant cover by artist/illustrator Victoria Maderna.

HELLO KITTY^®: Here We GO!

MSRP: $7.99 US / $9.99 CAN · 64 pages · Available October 2013 

Hello Kitty has places to be and friends to meet! Join her as she explores an underground realm, chases an unsavory cake thief around the world, climbs the Himalayas, travels back in time, and discovers that sometimes, the best place to get away from it all is between the pages of a good book.

Sanrio^® is the global company behind classic iconic characters Hello Kitty^®, Little Twin Stars^®, My Melody^®, and many more. Sanrio^® was founded in the 1960's in Japan by Shintaro Tsuji, whose simple dream of bringing smiles to people's faces grew into the brand's "small gift, big smile" philosophy. This philosophy has served as the inspiration for the broad spectrum of products bearing the likeness of endearing characters that have helped to skyrocket the brand into a $5 billion-a-year business. Sanrio^® recently acquired the classic Mr. Men Little Miss™ brand which also has graphic novels published by VIZ Media.

“The HELLO KITTY: FASHION MUSIC WONDERLAND ComicsPRO Edition is the first exclusive product ever offered by VIZ Media to ComicsPRO members, and we are very excited to partner with Sanrio to develop this new line of original comics for the iconic Hello Kitty brand,” says Beth Kawasaki, VIZ Media Senior Editorial Director. “We invite retailers that are ComicsPRO members to stock this fun new title that is sure to delight legions of Hello Kitty fans of all ages across North America.”

“ComicsPRO’s Board of Directors is pleased to be working with VIZ Media on this member-exclusive release of HELLO KITTY: FASHION MUSIC WONDERLAND. A strong and marketable product like HELLO KITTY belongs in the industry’s most progressive retail outlets,” said ComicsPRO President Thomas Gaul, owner of CornerStoreComics LLC in Anaheim CA. “Our goal is that this will encourage consumers to seek out ComicsPRO member stores for HELLO KITTY graphic novels while also inspiring more direct market retailers to join ComicsPRO.” 

For more information on VIZ Kids graphic novels and manga, please visit VIZKids.com.

About ComicsPRO

ComicsPRO is the only trade organization for comic book specialty retailers. ComicsPRO's goals are to promote advocacy, education, and opportunity for its members.  Membership in ComicsPRO gives retailers benefits often only available to much larger groups, including preferential credit card rates and deals on health insurance. ComicsPRO is the Comics Professional Retailer Organization for professional career-oriented comic specialty store owners. More information is available at: http://www.comicspro.org.

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 digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP 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.

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America’s Army: Proving Grounds Launched on Steam

America’s Army Comics Tell the Game’s Story

 

Huntsville, AL (August 29, 2013) --  The U.S. Army today announced that America’s Army: Proving Grounds (AA:PG), the next version of its official Army game, is now available in open beta for download on Steam (http://store.steampowered.com/app/203290).  The America’s Army Comics series (http://comics.americasarmy.com/) available on the web and for mobile devices, has unveiled the storyline that influences the plot for the game’s missions and maps and gives the player a better understanding of their assignment and the challenges they will face.   Players can register their Soldier name for the game at the America’s Army: Proving Ground website (www.americasarmy.com/register) and then jump into the Army action.

 

By reading the eight America’s Army Comics issues, players learn the saga of American forces deployed to Czervenia, a tiny foreign nation, in the middle of a chaotic conflict. From a seemingly insignificant nation of Czervenia, President-General Adzic and his army set upon a campaign of annihilation against the neighboring Republic of the Ostregals, setting in motion a mysterious plan that could change the course of world power forever.  America's Army must create new experimental combat teams, forged together in secret Proving Grounds, and uncover the General's insidious plot before time runs out. The comics are available through the America’s Army website and America’s Army Comics App (iTunes and Google Play) as well as through IDW on websites and for mobile devices through the IDW and comiXology apps, Apple iBooks, and on the Nook and Kindle among others.

 

“We took a back to basics approach that highlights a move, shoot, communicate system within a fun gaming experience that echoes teamwork-based Army training,” said Marsha Berry, Project Manager for America’s Army.  “Just like in the Army, America’s Army: Proving Grounds focuses on creating elite, well trained Soldiers that will complete the missions as a fine-tuned team beginning with smaller, focused exercises and advancing up to larger, more complex exercises.”

 

Bringing the best features of the previous versions to a new America’s Army environment, AA: PG stresses small unit tactical maneuvers and training that reflects the current day Army.  America’s Army: Proving Grounds (AA: PG) showcases the Army by emphasizing Army Values, teamwork, training and completing the objectives through gameplay that reflects the Soldier’s Creed.

 

The America’s Army game features

• Fast-paced Battledrill Exercises (BDX) for small engagements of 6 players vs. 6 players.  These maps focus on the basic movements and maneuvers, allowing players to learn how the enemy might react and adjust their strategies for future engagements  

• Forward Line Operation (FLO) training for 12 vs. 12 players. These larger mission-based exercises require players to use several skills learned in their Battledrills to achieve success

• New weapons such as M9 and Remington 870 MCS shotgun and M14EBR-RI sniper rifle, which join AA favorites such as the M4/M4A1 and the M249 light machine gun 

• Situational awareness for spotting the enemies

• Weapon suppression which adds a new level of strategy to play

• A Supported Fire system for steadying or resting weapons to help with aim.

• Self aid where players can stabilize themselves and get back into the battle quicker

• A more advanced hardcore mode

• New versions of AA fan favorite maps including Hospital and Bridge

 

Set in a fictional country, The Republic of the Ostregals, players are in the role of an 11B Infantryman practicing combat maneuvers at JTC Griffin, a fabricated training MOUT (military operations on urban terrain) environment created by Conex modular containers and found materials.  This training is crucial to the player’s success as part of a Long Range Combined Arms – Recon (LRCA-R) unit, a full spectrum capable team that embarks on special operations missions behind enemy lines.

 

About America’s Army

America's Army (www.americasarmy.com) products use innovative technology to provide authentic and entertaining Army experiences that reflect the lives, training, technology, skills, careers and values of a United States Army Soldier. The flagship is the America's Army PC Game, the official game of the U.S. Army. It's rated T for Teen and can be downloaded free from Steam.  The Army launched America's Army in July of 2002, America’s Army: Special Forces in 2003, and America’s Army 3 in June 2009.  America’s Army: Proving Grounds, launched in August of 2013, brings the best features of the previous games to a new AA environment that stresses small unit tactical maneuvers.  The America’s Army Comic series (http://comics.americasarmy.com) lets readers further explore the America’s Army storyline and delve deep into character plots of Soldiers’ lives when deployed and at home.

 ARCHAIA ANNOUNCES
'MOON LAKE VOLUME 2,' THE NEXT INSTALLMENT IN DAN FOGLER'S TWISTED UNIVERSE

Darick Robertson, Kevin J Anderson, Jeff Stokely, and more come together for the next volume of the
off-the-wall horror/sci-fi anthology
 

  
Cover illustrated by Nadir Balan   

 

August 28, 2013 (Los Angeles) - Award-winning comic publisher Archaia Entertainment, an imprint of BOOM! Studios, and Tony Award-winning actor Dan Fogler are proud to announce Moon Lake Volume 2, a hardcover graphic novel sequel to the 2010 original that meshes genres and stories into one insane anthology inspired by Tales from the Crypt and Heavy Metal. Once again narrated by the hilariously deranged Man in the Moon, Moon Lake Volume 2 features the talents of a who’s who of some of the top writers and artists in the business. 

“Moon Lake is a crossroads of so many different brands of evil that it's hilarious—unlimited haunted tales as told by the twisted and gregarious Man in the Moon,” described creator Dan Fogler. “I really wanted to craft an eclectic Lovecraftian tale that linked the separate short stories together like the pieces of an elaborate puzzle.”

“There’s no other anthology out there like Moon Lake!” said BOOM! Studios VP of Development Stephen Christy, who edited Moon Lake Volume 1 and worked closely with Fogler in developing Volume 2. “Dan has taken everything we loved growing up about Heavy Metal and Tales from the Crypt and filtered it through his hilarious and off-the-wall vision. Moon Lake was a book I loved the first time around, and Dan’s assembled a top-notch group of people for Volume 2.”

“Volume 2 is a meal that can’t be devoured in one simple reading and stays with you long after you’re done, like a delicious steak rotting in Alfred Hitchcock's lower intestine,” Fogler added. “It’s a freakin’ labor of love to put a book like this together and manage all those different personalities, but the combined artistry in Moon Lake Volume 2 proved to be the perfect ingredients for our sick smorgasbord. Packaged spectacularly by Archaia for your delightful digestion. Bon appetit!”

“Moon Lake Volume 2 is one of the first books we’ve worked on together after the merger of BOOM! Studios and Archaia, and I couldn’t be more thrilled,” said BOOM! Studios Editor-in-Chief Matt Gagnon. “Dan has put together such an eclectic mix of artists. It’s exciting to see what each of them brings to the universe he’s created.”

Moon Lake Volume 2 is created, edited, and written by Dan Fogler and features art by Nadir Balan (who also illustrated the cover), Kevin Colden (The Crow: Death and Rebirth), Dan Dougherty (Beardo, Touching Evil), Fernando Pinto (Tales of the TMNT), Darick Robertson (Transmetropolitan, The Boys), Alex Sheikman (Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal: Creation Myths, Robotika), Jeff Stokely (The Reason for Dragons, Six-Gun Gorilla), and Anna Wieszczyk (Lucid). In addition, the book features a story co-written by Andrew Harrison (Golgotha) and a story written by New York Times bestselling author Kevin J. Anderson (the Dune prequel novels, Jedi Academy Trilogy, The Last Days of Krypton).

Moon Lake Volume 2 ($24.95, hardcover, 160 pages, full color, 7.25” x 11.25”) is available for pre-order now at your local comic book shop. To pre-order, provide your retailer with Diamond Order Code SEP13 0873. To find your closest comic book shop, visit www.comicshoplocator.com. It is also available for pre-order through the Archaia webstore at store.archaia.com.

 

About Archaia Entertainment

Archaia (archaia.com) is a multi-award-winning graphic novel publisher with more than 75 renowned publishing brands, including such domestic and international hits as Mouse Guard, Rust, Cow Boy, Cursed Pirate Girl, Gunnerkrigg Court, and Artesia. Archaia has also published an entire line of graphic novels in partnership with The Jim Henson Company, including the multiple award-winning Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand and such beloved tales as The Dark Crystal, The Storyteller, and Fraggle Rock. In addition to its partnership with Henson, Archaia has forged creative partnerships with storytellers in all facets of the entertainment industry, resulting in print and digital expansions of such noted properties as Bleedout and HAWKEN (video games), Immortals and Planet of the Apes (film), and Space: 1999 (television). Alongside these celebrated titles, Archaia has released English translations of numerous renowned foreign titles to much fanfare, including The Killer, Sergio Toppi’s Sharaz-De: Tales from Arabian Nights, and The Secret History. In June 2013, Archaia was acquired by BOOM! Studios (boom-studios.com). Founded by Ross Richie in 2005, Diamond Gem Award-winning “Best Publisher” BOOM! Studios 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.

IDW Welcomes New Blood! Growing Company Expands Marketing and Sales Efforts San Diego, CA (August 28, 2013) – IDW Publishing has been growing in numerous ways in 2013, from market share in the direct market to sales in the book market to ever-increasing digital sales. To keep up with the exponential growth, two key roles are being filled, effective immediately. Rosalind Morehead is stepping into the Marketing department as Marketing & PR Manager, spearheading the Company’s PR efforts, while Kate Henning joins as Manager of Sales Operations.  “I have been a fan of IDW Publishing for years and I am very impressed with where IDW has been, and most importantly, where it is going. I am excited and honored to be joining the team,” said Morehead, whose most recent experience includes eight years in sales and marketing at Mad Catz, Inc. “We’re thrilled to add Rosalind to the team,” said IDW’s Vice-President of Marketing Dirk Wood. “It’s been no secret that we’re doing exciting things at IDW. But one look at some of the projects on the horizon made it clear we need to take the next step, and expand our Marketing Department. Rest assured, the world is going to be hearing a lot more about IDW soon.” As a former Brand Manager at Diamond Comics Distributors, Kate Henning joins the company with a unique understanding of the relationship between publishers, distributors and retailers. “IDW has one of the best teams in the business and I couldn't be happier about the opportunity to join them,” said Henning. “My time with Diamond nurtured a comprehensive view of how our industry works and I'm so pleased to implement that knowledge from the publishing side.” “We’re fortunate to be able to bring on board someone as talented and passionate about the comics business as Kate,” said Greg Goldstein, IDW President and COO “As IDW continues to grow, Kate’s role will be critical in helping to traffic the more than 60 to 70 titles we produce monthly.” In addition, IDW welcomes the arrival of Kahlil Schweitzer, as Sales & Marketing Coordinator. Schweitzer, a recent graduate of the University of Colorado and former IDW intern, will be aiding and abetting Wood and Morehead in the Marketing department. Rosalind Morehead (left) Kate Henning (middle) Kahlil Schweitzer (right)

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.

Festival Edition of The Gamers: Hands of Fate comes to Pax Prime

(August 28, 2013, Seattle, WA)  Hot on the heels of a wildly successful appearance at hobbygaming mecca Gen Con Indy, many Zombie Orpheus Entertainment cast and creators of are coming to Pax Prime in Seattle. Video game fans everywhere will be able to view the new release The Gamers: Hands of Fate and enjoy a Q&A with many of the actors from the series.  The screening will occur Sunday September 1st in the Serpent Theater at 4pm.  Pax Prime is Disneyland for video gamers and the show gathers 70 thousand plus attendees yearly.  Can't attend the show? There are a few days left for fans to enjoy the film for free at  www.watchthegamers.com . Free access to the movie ends August 31st.  DRM-free digital downloads are also be available for sale.

In The Gamers: Hands of Fate, the cast of internationally acclaimed The Gamers: Dorkness Rising returns for another romp through worlds of sword, sorcery, and surrealism. The gamers must expand their horizons past pen-and-paper RPGs to explore two whole new realms of geekdom – Collectible Card Games (CCGs) and game convention life – facing off against their arch-nemesis: The Shadow! Q&A after.  The panelists include: Tony Becerra [Co-producer], Brian Lewis [Cass], Trin Miller [Natalie], Nathan Rice [Lodge], Samara Lerman [Myriad], Jesse Lee Keeter [Dundareel], Scott C. Brown [Leo], Christian Doyle [Gary], and Matt Vancil [Writer/Director]
A serialized extended edition of the movie begins September 3rd on YouTube.com with thirty plus minutes of additional scenes, detours into a Matt Forbeck’s Dangerous Games novel and Alderac Entertainment Group’s Romance of the Nine Empires card game. Viewers will experience the film via an annotated multi-linear experience. DVD and Blu-Ray editions containing both the festival and extended cut of the movie will be available this fall.

Fans can check out the lastest developments on all  Zombie Orpheus webseries at www.zombieorpheus.com. 
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ZombieOrpheus?fref=ts
Twitter: https://twitter.com/zombieorpheus
YouTube.com at http://www.youtube.com/zombieorpheusent

About Zombie Orpheus:
Zombie Orpheus is a multimedia production company dedicated to developing and producing original, scripted content for web distribution. Their mission is to to thrill fans of fantasy, science fiction, and horror with tales of high adventure, smart comedy, and surprising twists and turns. Their productions are Fan Supported and Creator Distributed.

ComiXology Debuts HTML5 Retailer Digital Storefronts

Now comic fans everywhere can support their local comic book store from any device

August 28^th, 2013 – New York, NY. – ComiXology today debuted the HTML5 upgrade to their Retailer Digital Storefront program. Launched in 2011, comiXology’s Retailer Digital Storefronts bridge the print/digital divide, allowing brick & mortar comic book retailers the ability to profit from comiXology, the leading cloud-based digital comics platform.
Today’s rollout of HTML5 compliant Retailer Digital Storefronts allows fans to purchase digital comics from their favorite local comic stores using any mobile device and also the web. With this rollout, fans can now subscribe to their favorite titles and take advantage of comiXology’s frequent digital comic sales all through their local comic store, keeping that close connection between fan and store with each new release.
“This major upgrade to the Retailer Digital Storefront program is a long time coming,” said comiXology co-founder and CEO David Steinberger. “We’re happy to extend and expand the accessibility that retailers now have in offering digital comics to their customer base, as well as offering even more great features through their storefronts. Between our Digital Storefront and our Pull List tools, we continue to lead the industry in digital tools for retailers.”
“For comic fans everywhere who wish to support their local comic shops with digital comic purchases this HTML5 upgrade to our current Retailer Digital Storefront program is a huge step forward,” said comiXology co-founder John D. Roberts.  “For retailers, HTML5 means being able to serve more customers through any device and to greater participate in the digital comics side of the comiXology revolution.”
"Having a digital storefront has increased my bottom line and let me profit from digital comics in a way I didn't think possible," said comic shop retailer Ryan Higgins of Comics Conspiracy in Sunnyvale, California. "Now with HTML5, my digital customers will be able to purchase their comics where and when they want – and I fully expect my digital sales to go through the roof."
The Retailer Digital Storefront program enables retailers to sell digital comics with a simple integration into their existing site while tapping into comiXology’s cloud-based digital comics platform. Shops can then market to comic book fans – both current and new customers – to purchase digital comics from their Retailer Digital Storefront with a portion of each purchase going directly to that retailer.

To request more information about the Retailer Digital Storefront program, retailers can visit http://retailers.comixology.com
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.

MULTIVERSE STUDIO ANNOUNCES ANGRY LITTLE GIRLS! PLUSH

LOS ANGELES, Calif., (AUG  28th, 2013) – Leading toy manufacturer Multiverse Studio Inc. today announced partnership with Angry Little Girls! to offer a 7-inch plush of the sassy titular protagonist Kim from the syndicated comic strip and popular book series.

Angry Little Girls! by Lela Lee -- currently a syndicated comic strip by Universal Syndicate on Go Comics, www.gocomics.com/angry-little-girls 3 days a week and also a successful series of books published by Harry N. Abrams, Inc. and Running Press Publishers. Angry Little Girls! is a cross between South Park and The Simpsons for girls, with an Asian flair. For over a decade Angry Little Girls! has been a very popular license with a strong following and fan base among females 13 to 30 years old.

“Angry Little Asian Girl” was first created in 1994, while Lee was an “angry” college student at UC Berkley. It became so popular in 2011, that she started selling homemade T-shirts from the trunk of her car! That’s when she decided to expand the brand into the comic strip world with Angry Little Girls! with a syndicated comic strip on Go Comics. Angry Little Girls! centers around “Kim”, the “Angry Little Asian Girl” (most popular character in the book series), she is Lee’s answer to her own anger to a world which she saw as unfair, especially to girls who were in different – in anyway. Lee hopes that with Angry Little Girls! -- females everywhere today will feel represented in image, psyche and humor. Lee believes “Angry Little Asian Girl” is the “Pop Culture” heroine in all females, who relates to anyone who is misunderstood and between cultures. “The Angry Little Asian Girl” is Lee’s inner hero and she gets to say everything she always wanted to – but never could!

Limited to a production of 1000 units globally, Angry Little Girls! Kim Plush retails for $20 each and is available for purchase at select online retail outlets.

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About MULTIVERSE STUDIO Inc.

Founded as a design firm to provide product design services to the collectible toy industry, Multiverse Studio Inc. has since grown into an all-inclusive manufacturing and production service house providing a cross-industry platform bridging China to the world. Multiverse Studio is made up of a group of talented and enthusiastic professionals with expertise in prototyping and manufacturing everything from indistinguishable life-size prop and statue reproductions to limited number promotional specialty runs and full retail sized productions. For more information about Multiverse Studio Inc. and its products log-on to www.multiverse-studio.com.

My Little Pony, Transformers, And Star Trek Make Their Motion Book Debut! IDW Debuts Popular Titles On Madefire Platform   San Diego, California – August 28, 2013 – One of the most-buzzed about announcements the week of the San Diego Comic-Con was Madefire’s partnerships with 3rd party publishers and bringing the Motion Book treatment to their top properties. That day has come for the award winning and top 4 comics publisher IDW as they bring a trio of their most-popular titles—My Little Pony, Star Trek, and Transformers—to Madefire’s groundbreaking experience on August 28th. “It has been fantastic to see our properties come to life as Motion Books — with just the right amount of animation and audio, it has truly created a new experience,” stated Jeff Webber, IDW’s VP of Digital Publishing. "Additionally, the partnership with deviantART exposes our comics to an incredibly broad network of illustration fans." Madefire spent the last year perfecting the Motion Book with their own acclaimed content on iOS mobile devices and the web. Their web-reading partner is social network and creative powerhouse deviantART.com, and the Madefire app has been 5-star rated since launch, even landing on the App Store’s “Best of 2012” list. “The move to digital reading is about more than just scanning in print — we are at the start of a new grammar for books,” said Ben Wolstenholme, CEO of Madefire. “We are pleased to welcome IDW’s comic book properties to help continue to evolve the medium of Motion Books.” With more content debuting as Motion Books in the coming months there’s no better time to familiarize yourself with the new grammar of the future of storytelling!   About Madefire   Founded in 2011 by Ben Wolstenholme, Liam Sharp and Eugene Walden, Madefire provides artists and writers a publishing solution for iOS and web reading allowing them to build their stories in an exciting new format called Motion Books. Madefire is backed by Toni Schneider at True Ventures, The CEO of Automattic makers of WordPress, with angel investors including Sina Tamaddon, former Senior Vice President of Applications for Apple Inc--both of whom are on Madefire’s Board of Advisors. The Advisory Board also includes industry leaders Mike McCue, CEO and Founder of Flipboard, Dave Gibbons, co-creator of Watchmen, the bestselling graphic novel of all time, and Bill Sienkiewicz, widely recognized as one of the greatest innovators of sequential art. For more information go to madefire.com.

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.

Hero Initiative hits Baltimore Comic-Con with EXCLUSIVE Appearances by Comic Legends!

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - August 26, 2013 - Hero Initiative will hit the Baltimore Comic-Con on September 7-8 in a MASSIVE way with exclusive appearances by several comic book legends.

Hero Board member George Pérez of Avengers and Teen Titans fame will be at the Hero Initiative booth, #1501-#1502 all weekend. This will be the ONLY place you'll be able to get autographs and sketches from George! He'll be joined all weekend by artist Ron Frenz (Amazing Spider-Man, Spider-Girl) exclusively at the Hero booth!

Saturday only, writer Tom DeFalco (Fantastic Four, Spider-Girl) and artist Brett Breeding (Superman) will also be on hand at the Hero booth to help raise money for comic creators in medical and financial need.

 

And perhaps most importantly, Incredible Hulk and Avengers artistic legend Sal Buscema will be at the Hero Initiative booth on Saturday only from 1-4 p.m. Sal is 77 years old, and does very few public appearances. Sal will be signing autographs for $5 each or 3 for $10. This may be your last chance to get Sal to sign your books, so bring 'em on!

In addition, creators across the con floor will be taking donations for signatures at their own booths! We thank these artists and hope you stop and contribute to our cause! These creators include:

Mark Buckingham, Jim Calafiore, Cliff Chiang, Amanda Conner, Chris Giarrusso, Joe Hill, Roger Landridge, Joe Linsner, Laura Martin, Ron Marz, Jimmy Palmiotti. Andrew Pepoy, Brian Pulido, Tom Raney, Craig Rousseau, Chris Samnee, Alex Saviuk, Joe Staton, Bill Willingham, and Chrissie Zullo.

And of course, the highlight of Saturday evening is the Harvey Awards, featuring the Hero Initiative Lifetime Achievement Award and the Dick Giordano Humanitarian of the Year Award. Stop by to see who wins the hardware this year!

You can still buy your tickets at www.baltimorecomiccon.com/tickets/ for the weekend! See you there! 

Baltimore Comic-Con will take place at the Baltimore Convention Center, located at 1 W. Pratt St., Baltimore, MD 21201. On Saturday, the show hours are from 10am - 7pm and on Sunday the show runs from 10am - 5pm. If you would like more information about the show, visit the official website at baltimorecomiccon.com.

 

Our previously announced guests include: Josh Adams (Doctor Who); Neal Adams (First X-Men); Mark Bagley (Fantastic Four); Art Baltazar (Aw Yeah Comics!, Tiny Titans); Brian Bolland (Dial H); Harold Buchholz (Archie Comics); Mark Buckingham (Fables); Sal Buscema (Amazing Spider-Man); Frank Cammuso (Knights of the Lunch Table, Otto's Orange Day); Mike Carey (Suicide Risk, The Unwritten); Jimmy Cheung (Avengers vs. X-Men); Frank Cho (Savage Wolverine); Steve Conley (Bloop); Amanda Conner (Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre); Jamie and Tyler Cosley (Cody the Cavalier, Ninja Squirrel); J.M. DeMatteis (Phantom Stranger); David Finch (Justice League of America); Franco (Aw Yeah Comics!, Tiny Titans); John Gallagher (Buzzboy, Roboy Red); Zack Giallongo (Broxo); Chris Giarrusso (G-Man); Keith Giffen (Masters of the Universe); Jimmy Gownley (Amelia Rules!, The Dumbest Idea Ever!); Joe Hill (Locke and Key); Jason Horn (Ninjasaur); Adam Hughes (Before Watchmen: Dr. Manhattan); Denis Kitchen (The Oddly Compelling Art of Denis Kitchen); Barry Kitson (Empire); Roger Langridge (Popeye); Paul Levitz (World's Finest); Kevin Maguire (World's Finest); Mike Maihack (Cleopatra in Space); Mark Mariano (Happyloo); Billy Martin (Vitriol, the Hunter); Dave McDonald (Hamster Sam); Mark McKenna (Star Wars, Banana Tail); Jason Mewes (Jay and Silent Bob's Super Groovy Cartoon Movie); Mike Mignola (Hellboy In Hell); Jamar Nicholas (Leon: Protector of the Playground); Chris O>Matic (The Chris O>Matic Show!); Jimmy Palmiotti (Batwing); Dan Parent (Archie, Veronica, Kevin Keller); George Perez (World's Finest); David Petersen (Mouse Guard); Joe Prado (Earth 2); Ivan Reis (Aquaman); Dave Roman - Saturday only (Astronaut Academy, Teen Boat); Chris Samnee (Daredevil); Jeff Schultz (Archie, Jughead); Louise Simonson (X-Factor); Walt Simonson (The Mighty Thor); Kevin Smith (Batman: The Widening Gyre); Allison Sohn (sketch card artist); Frank Stack (My Cancer Year); Bobby Timony (Night Owls, Detectobot); Mark Waid (Indestructible Hulk), Bill Willingham (Fables); and Thom Zahler (My Little Pony). 

  

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.

MIDNIGHT RELEASE PARTIES CELEBRATE 10 YEARS OF THE WALKING DEAD & KICK OFF ALL OUT WAR

The release of THE WALKING DEAD #115 becomes a landmark event for fans and retailers

All Out War breaks out on October 9, 2013 with the release of THE WALKING DEAD #115, part of the celebration of 10 years of Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard's epic comic book series. Image Comics will be kicking off the celebration the night before, alongside retailers across the United States & Canada, with THE WALKING DEAD MIDNIGHT RELEASE PARTIES!   For this special event, THE WALKING DEAD will be available for purchase in advance, at midnight on the night before release, October 9, 2013. THE WALKING DEAD #115 is the first issue of the monster event ALL OUT WAR, which will pit Rick Grimes and his group of Survivors in a fight for their lives against the other factions in THE WALKING DEAD universe: The Saviors, The Hilltop, and The Kingdom.   Comic book retailers will be able to sign up to host a midnight release party for THE WALKING DEAD #115 and in the process get exclusive giveaways and promotional items for the party, as well as the opportunity to order a special variant cover of THE WALKING DEAD #115, with brand new art from Charlie Adlard, available only to participating retailers.   Fans who would like to attend a WALKING DEAD MIDNIGHT RELEASE PARTY should inquire with their local comic book retailers and ask them to participate. Comic book retailers in the US and Canada interested in hosting a midnight release party should opt-in with Diamond Code JUL138242 by September 6th, 2013. For more information, retailers should contact their Diamond customer service representative, or contact Image Comics directly.   THE WALKING DEAD #115 is available for pre-order now, in advance of its release on October 9th, 2013, and features 10 individual connecting covers.

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.