More Xbox 360 News

Just thought this might compliment yesterday's post on the new Xbox:

From Xbox2-news:
"We've spent today doing a little more digging. It seems the Xbox 360 will use AES Encryption (XeCryptAesCbc), executable files are XEX and not XBE (xshell.xex) and after studying the kernel there is everything in place for backwards compatibility.

It can all change of course but interesting all the same."

also, from gamesradar:

As well as the standard console, an additional $100 will bag you a hard drive (which is said to fit into a port near the top of the machine), WebTV and, intriguingly, backwards compatibility - meaning that the basic Xbox 360 won't be able to play current-gen Xbox games.

The $100 add-on is, in part, supposedly designed to offset the additional costs of allowing Xbox 360s to play Xbox titles.

As for the WebTV element, this will provide internet and email access via your TV, as well as streamed music and video channels.

The price will vary from $299 (min price, no HD), $399 (with HD).

Peter David's Set To Write New Ongoing Spider Title

I happened to check out Peter David's blog earlier when I saw this intresting tidbit:

When "Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man," the new Spidey series coming from Marvel late this summer, hits the stands, it will be launching with a different creative team than previously announced: Mike Wieringo as artist, and yours truly as writer.

I'm really excited about this, since it's been years since I've written on ongoing Spidey title and fans have been asking when, or if, I'll ever have the opportunity again. I'm pleased to be working with Ringo, whose art I've very much enjoyed, and am grateful to editor Tom Brevoort for offering me the assignment (and Joe Q, naturally, for giving the final OK). Spidey was my very first comic work for Marvel, and it's great to be back.

PAD

First the Hulk, now Spidey? I can't wait to see his return to the web-slinger, only 4 months to go...

UPDATE:
Here's what Mike Wieringo had to say on his blog:

The last few days have been a real thrill-- watching the comments pile up and realizing how many folks were pouring in to weigh in with their opinions. And checking my daily stats software, the individual visits have just SKYROCKETED over this whole thing. I hope people will continue to stop by and check out the blog offerings, even after all the 'radioactivity' over this subject has died down. This blog has become a lot of fun for me, and very special to me as well-- and I enjoy the idea of sharing it with as many folks as possible. From a PERSONAL standpoint-- as far as my depiction of Spider-Man goes-- I'm just going to let it happen organically. I'm going to let flow from my pencil what will, and I think that'll be the best way to handle it. I'm not going to force anything one way or another. I'll be the most satisfied by NOT forcing it. Watching everything unfold the last few days has really shown me the power that SPIDER-MAN still holds in the hearts of his fans. I think that all the recent discussion ends up underlining that it's not the artist, or the style that artist uses-- it's the power of the CHARACTER. SPIDER-MAN is just as much an icon now as he ever was-- and maybe more so.

As you've no doubt heard by now, Peter David will be the writer of the new SPIDER-MAN comic-- and the book also has a name: FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN. I think the name is a great one, implying lots of fun, and I'm sure Peter's stories will embody that spirit. The guys at WIZARD magazine were interested in using the sketch art for Peter I did several posts back for a piece about the book in an upcoming issue, but I really didn't like that initial take-- so I did something else that would (at least in MY eyes) look better. It's got a similar element in it with Peter jumping and changing into his SM suit-- but I also added a little color to the sketch to jazz it up.

New Printing Of Day of Vengeance Makes DC 3 For 4 So Far

The Spectre returns to the DCU in DAY OF VENGEANCE #1, which sold out at
DC Comics over a week before arriving in stores on April 27.

Now, DC sends this issue back to press for a new printing featuring a
powerful new color cover by comics legend Walter Simonson!

DAY OF VENGEANCE #1 Second Printing (FEB058476) reprints the story by Bill Willingham with art by Justiniano & Walden Wong. This new printing is
scheduled to arrive in stores on May 25.

"This is wonderful news, but also a bit worrisome," says Willingham.
"I've just started writing the sixth and final issue of DAY OF VENGEANCE,
and now the pressure's doubly on to make this end with a bang. I don't
like to brag, but DAY OF VENGEANCE is a series that should come with
safety belts - it's going to be a wild ride. The entire magic corner of
the DC Universe is going to be turned over, crunched, munched and whacked
upside the head a few times."

"Like the other three miniseries spinning out of COUNTDOWN TO INFINITE
CRISIS, sales momentum for DAY OF VENGEANCE is very strong," says Bob
Wayne, DC's VP - Sales. "Retailers should place their orders for this new
printing as soon as possible, as well as increasing orders on the coming
issues."

DAY OF VENGEANCE #1 Second Printing (FEB058476) is available for order now and is scheduled to arrive in stores on May 25 with a cover price of $2.50
U.S. As always, check out the Day of Vengeance mini-site here.

MTV Set to Debut the Xbox 360 To The World!

TeamXbox and Engadget are confirming that these are official pictures of the Xbox 360. Although the system could (and probably will) look different by the time it launches later on this year, this is probably what gamers are likely to see on the MTV unveiling on May 12 and what we'll spend time with at E3 next month. Looking at the DVD tray, it occupies almost half of the length of the console - suggesting that the Xbox 360 will be far smaller and sleeker than the current Xbox console. That, and a huge power button confirms it'll be a tiny machine. Check out the mid-sized & monster-sized closeup pics to get a clearer look.



Microsoft's regular response? "Microsoft don't comment on rumors and speculation." Also note the dev-kits resemble Apple's G5.




Elijah Wood will host a half-hour global premiere, with a performance from The Killers, airing exclusively on MTV channels around the world on May 12 and 13.


April 11, 2005, New York City, N.Y.—MTV: Music Television and Microsoft® Corp. today announced a global marketing alliance to unveil the next-generation Xbox® video game system on MTV channels in the United States, Asia Pacific, and Europe, all within a 24-hour window, a first for the videogame industry.

The highly anticipated console will be revealed to videogame fanatics, music lovers, and MTV viewers via a high-energy half-hour program titled “MTV Presents: The Next-Generation Xbox Revealed.” The special will be hosted by entertainment icon, seasoned gamer, and Xbox fanatic Elijah Wood, known globally for the Academy Award-winning Lord of the Rings film trilogy. Island Records’ renowned Las Vegas rockers The Killers will deliver electrifying performances throughout the special.

The global broadcast will premiere Thursday, May 12, 2005, at 9:30 P.M. Eastern in North America and on Friday, May 13, 2005, in other regions around the globe (local air times below).

Viewers will get an exclusive look at the Xbox vision for the next generation—one that ensures that the user experience is always connected, always personalized, and always in high definition. The special will feature never-before-seen, action-packed gameplay of future Xbox games; a peek into the future of the Xbox Live™ online gaming service; backstage celebrity interviews; and exclusive insider footage on the making of the next-generation console.

The inside look at the next-generation Xbox will continue at MTV.com, where after the special, viewers will find extended event coverage, including behind-the-scenes video, photos, and other special extras. MTV.com will also provide ongoing in-depth coverage of the next-generation Xbox, highlighting the latest news, product details, and previews of hot next-generation games.

“We recognize and celebrate our viewers’ passion for gaming and are excited to be working with Microsoft to launch such a significant entertainment product,” said John Shea, executive vice president, Integrated Marketing and Sponsorship Development, MTV Networks Music Group. “We’re proud that Microsoft considers MTV the premier global network to launch its new Xbox gaming console and reveal the first look to MTV viewers around the world.”

“Just as MTV revolutionized the way the world experiences music, the next-generation video game console from Xbox will spark a revolution in how consumers experience games and other forms of digital entertainment,” said Peter Moore, corporate vice president, Xbox Worldwide Marketing and Publishing, Microsoft. “We are ecstatic about our alliance with MTV and unveiling a video game platform in a way that has never been done.”

“MTV Presents: The Next Generation Xbox Revealed” will be broadcast around the world. Local market times are as follows:

North America
Thursday, May 12, at 9:30 P.M. Eastern (21:30)

Japan/Asia
Friday, May 13, at 11:30

Europe
France: Friday, May 13, at 19:00
Germany: Friday, May 13, at 19:00
Italy: Friday, May 13, at 23:30
Netherlands: Friday, May 13, at 19:30
Poland: Friday, May 13, at 21:00
Portugal: Friday, May 13, at 20:00
Romania: Friday, May 13, at 20:00
Scandinavia: Friday, May 13, at 22:00
Spain: Friday, May 13, at 21:30
U.K.: Friday, May 13, at 20:00

Australia
Friday, May 13, at 19:00

Download Free Manga For Sony PSP Courtesy Of Seven Seas

Press Release

(Los Angeles, April 20, 2005) – In a revolutionary move for the manga industry, Seven Seas Entertainment announced today the release of 155 pages of downloadable manga content specifically converted for optimal viewing on the new Sony PSP.

The entire first chapters of the four flagship Seven Seas titles -- Amazing Agent Luna, Blade for Barter, Last Hope and No Man’s Land -- have been been made available on Gomanga.com for manga fans to download and read via the Sony PSP’s built-in photo viewer. Each special preview consists of thirty to forty pages of story and gives readers on-the-go the perfect opportunity to sample the Seven Seas titles.

All visitors need do to access this free content is to visit Gomanga.com, download their choice of four zip files and simply follow the included instructions for transfering the manga to their PSP’s memory stick.

About Seven Seas Entertainment, LLC:

Seven Seas Entertainment is the first publisher in the United States to be devoted solely to the creation of original manga in the Japanese style. Established in 2004, the company has debuted its first three titles -- Amazing Agent Luna, Blade for Barter, and No Man’s Land -- in early 2005, and has an impressive array of new manga lined up. Seven Seas launched its web site, www.gomanga.com, in October 2004, and it has become a daily stop for visitors eager to read manga online and contribute to an ever-growing forum community.

House of M Cover

Marvel Comics has released the cover to the first issue of the eight-issue House of M series by Brian Michael Bendis and Olivier Coipel. The cover is by Esad Ribic. House of M starts in June.



click here for a bigger image.

Villains United #1 Continues Trend Of DC Sell-Outs

Official Press Release

The excitement of COUNTDOWN TO INFINITE CRISIS continues with the early sell-out of VILLAINS UNITED #1 more than two weeks before reaching stores on May 4!

Now, DC Comics rushes this issue back to press for a new printing featuring a striking new sketch cover spotlighting The Secret Six by interior artist Dale Eaglesham.

VILLAINS UNITED #1 Second Printing (FEB058477) reprints the story by Gail Simone with art by Eaglesham & Wade von Grawbadger. This new printing is scheduled to arrive in stores on May 18.

"A new printing means infect... I mean, entertaining a whole new group of readers," says Simone. "Now if people say I sold out, I can say it's a good thing! This has been one of the most fun projects I've ever worked on, and I think people's eyes are going to explode when they see the art by Dale Eaglesham and Wade von Grawbadger. Being bad has never looked so good!"

"Retailers and readers have responded very strongly to VILLAINS UNITED and the other COUNTDOWN-related miniseries," says Bob Wayne, DC's VP - Sales. "We urge retailers to order both this new printing and more of upcoming issues to meet reader demand."

VILLAINS UNITED #1 Second Printing (MAR050424) is available for order now and is scheduled to arrive in stores on May 18 with a cover price of $2.50 U.S. To ensure delivery on that date retailers must place orders by Sunday, May 8; please note that quantities will be limited and may sell out before May 8. DC recommends that retailers place orders as soon as possible to avoid missing out. As always, check the Villains United mini-site here.

1st Look @ Brandon Routh As Superman

Official Press Release

BURBANK, Calif.-April 22, 2005-Today, Warner Bros. Pictures unveiled the first image from the highly anticipated action adventure "Superman Returns," starring newcomer Brandon Routh as the Man of Steel.

Following a mysterious absence of several years, the Man of Steel comes back to Earth in the epic action-adventure "Superman Returns," a soaring new chapter in the saga of one of the world's most beloved superheroes. While an old enemy plots to render him powerless once and for all, Superman faces the heartbreaking realization that the woman he loves, Lois Lane, has moved on with her life. Or has she? Superman's bittersweet return challenges him to bridge the distance between them while finding a place in a society that has learned to survive without him. In an attempt to protect the world he loves from cataclysmic destruction, Superman embarks on an epic journey of redemption that takes him from the depths of the ocean to the far reaches of outer space.

Directed by Bryan Singer ("X2: X-Men United," "X-Men," "The Usual Suspects"), "Superman Returns" stars Brandon Routh, Kate Bosworth ("Beyond the Sea," "Blue Crush"), James Marsden ("X2: X-Men United," "The Notebook"), Frank Langella (HBO's "Unscripted"), Academy Award-winner Eva Marie Saint ("North By Northwest"), Parker Posey ("Best in Show"), Kal Penn ("Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle"), Sam Huntington ("Detroit Rock City") and Oscar-winner Kevin Spacey ("Beyond the Sea," "American Beauty," "The Usual Suspects").

Singer said that he wanted to return to “something classic” for the costume, hence the absence of a sculpted costume as seen in other superhero films which showing abs, pecs and occasionally, nipples. Singer noted the Max Fliesher cartoons as well as the George Reeves television series and the original Superman movies as inspirations for the look of the costume.

"With X-Men, although they had extraordinary powers, they also had physical weaknesses, the suits were for protection as well as costume. Superman is the Man of Steel. Bullets bounce off him, not his suit."

Other changes in the costume:

• The character's S insignia is slightly smaller and higher on his chest, and instead of being painted on, it's more of a three-dimensional plate.

• The insignia is added to Superman's belt buckle.

• Costume designer Louise Mingenbach preserved the blue, red and yellow motif, but the shades are slightly darker than the bright primary colors of the comics. Superman's yellow belt is more golden, and his cape is a deep scarlet.

Singer said that Routh made the costume, explaining that the actor brought it to life, and that clearly, the costume reveals that Superman, in Singer’s vision is not afraid.

A Warner Bros. Pictures presentation of a Peters Entertainment production, in association with Bad Hat Harry Productions, a Bryan Singer film, "Superman Returns" stars BRANDON ROUTH, KATE BOSWORTH, JAMES MARSDEN, FRANK LANGELLA, EVA MARIE SAINT, PARKER POSEY, KAL PENN, SAM HUNTINGTON and KEVIN SPACEY. Directed by BRYAN SINGER, the film is produced by JON PETERS, BRYAN SINGER and GILBERT ADLER. The screenplay is by MICHAEL DOUGHERTY & DAN HARRIS, and the story is by BRYAN SINGER and MICHAEL DOUGHERTY & DAN HARRIS. The executive producer is CHRIS LEE. The director of photography is NEWTON THOMAS SIGEL A.S.C.; the production designer is GUY DYAS; the film is edited by JOHN OTTMAN and ELLIOT GRAHAM; the costume designer is LOUISE MINGENBACH; and the music is by JOHN OTTMAN. The film is based upon Superman characters created by JERRY SIEGEL & JOE SHUSTER and published by DC Comics.

Superman Returns will be released on June 30, 2006 by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. Click here for a bigger image.

Comics Documentaries

Comic Book Superheroes Unmasked

"Comic Book Superheroes Unmasked" will debut on The History Channel on Monday, June 23 at 9 p.m. (ET/PT).

The special is hosted by Shane West, star of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen movie.

Comic Book Superheroes Unmasked was granted unprecedented access to comic books published by DC and Marvel Comics from the late 1930's to the present. Featured are interviews with many of the most influential comic book writers and artists of the past 50 years, including Stan Lee, Will Eisner, Denny O'Neil, Michael Chabon, Jim Steranko, Kevin Smith, Frank Miller, Neil Gaiman and Joe Quesada.

According to The History Channel, the program was designed to bring visual depth, energy and movement to classic comic book images while still preserving the integrity of the artwork." If you can't wait, buy the DVD here.


Ultimate Super Heroes, Ultimate Super Villains, Ultimate Super Vixens

Bravo will air a three-part special, Ultimate Super Heroes, Ultimate Super Villains, Ultimate Super Vixens, on three consecutive nights starting May 26 at 10 p.m. ET. Narrated by Adam West, who played Batman in the hit TV series, Ultimate Super Heroes celebrates the heroes, villains and vixens who have created powerful impressions on fans throughout the years.

The special features more than 50 experts, including comic-book creators, filmmakers and producers and actors who brought these characters to life, as well as a top-20 countdown in each category. Lou Ferrigno will discuss The Hulk's relatable human side, and Mark Hamill will talk about his total commitment to creating the fantasy that surrounded Star Wars.

Ultimate Super Heroes will look at characters from comic books, movies, television and video games, based on their longevity, iconic pop-culture status and their overall "cool factor," Bravo said.

Visit The New DC Direct Website!

Official Press Release

Be among the first to visit the all-new dcdirectonline.com, the official DC Direct website, which has an exciting new look and is now completely searchable. It's loaded with images of your favorite action figures, statues, replicas, posters, prints and more.

Don't miss the special spotlight on collectibles based on the upcoming blockbuster, BATMAN BEGINS.

Fans will easily be able to find the products they are looking for by just typing in a keyword.

Do you have a burning question about your favorite DC Direct product? Ever wanted to ask the DC Direct staff about your favorite character? Now is you chance to "Ask DC Direct"! This new column will allow visitors to send questions directly to the creative staff and talent behind their favorite DC Direct items. We'll post new replies to your letters on the site on a regular basis.

And, for the first time ever, fans can view select DC Direct items from multiple angles and even in closeups!

"The DC Web Team went all out in creating the new searchable DC DIRECT site, knowing how passionate our fans are for up-to-date and accurate information on these cool products", says Richard Bruning, DC's Senior VP - Creative Director. "We have additional features planned for the future that will continue to excite DCD collectors for a long time to come."

The site also includes pages for new releases, newly announced products, and backlist favorites. DC Direct items are listed by category as well, including Action Figures, Statues, Props and Replicas, Posters and Prints, and the DC Direct Gallery.

Visit http://www.dcdirectonline.com today!

UDON UNVEILS STREET FIGHTER LITHOS

Press Release

UDON to unleash Ultra High Quality art prints at Toronto Convention this weekend!

UDON is proud to announce that they will be offering a series of high quality, limited edition Capcom art prints. To kick things off, UDON will be debuting the first 4 prints in the series at the Toronto Comic Con (www.hobbystar.com) this weekend (April 24)!

Each print is limited to 500 numbered copies and the first 4 prints will feature the fabulous painted art of Chun-Li, Vega and Rose by Jo Chen, and Akuma by Arnold Tsang (as seen on the covers of the popular power foil covers).

“One can immediately see the distinctive difference in the quality of our prints compared to the other standard lithographs or prints on the market,” says UDON Chief of Operations Erik Ko. “We are using a 95 lb thick felt art paper, and each print will be in the large size of 19 X 25 inches. We worked very closely with the printer to ensure that the art is reproduced at an extremely high standard and the resulting prints are absolutely gorgeous! This is simply the best quality you can get!”

And to make things even better, it is only retailing for USD24.95 each. Each copy will be hand numbered and strictly limited to 500 copies each--a highly collectible item that no Street Fighter® fans or art collectors should miss!

For those collectors who might not be able to make it to the show this weekend, UDON has made an exclusive deal with www.herofix.com to offer these 4 prints online.

Street Fighter ®&© 2005 CAPCOM U.S.A., INC. All Rights Reserved.

Teen Titans Video Game Rights Go To Majesco

Press Release

Warner Bros. Animation's Popular Teen Super Heroes Appear in Crime-Fighting Action Games on Multiple Platforms

EDISON, N.J., April 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment has awarded Majesco Entertainment a licensing agreement for video game rights to the highly popular Warner Bros. Animation Teen Titans television series, based on DC Comics characters, airing on Cartoon Network and Kids' WB. Developed by Artificial Mind & Movement (A2M), the exciting superhero action adventure published by Majesco and licensed by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, is scheduled for release later this year on Game Boy® Advance and in 2006 for play on the Xbox® video game system from Microsoft, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, and Nintendo GameCube(TM).

"Teen Titans characters are widely popular in both comic books and on television, and we are excited to introduce these young superheroes to the video game audience," said Ken Gold, vice president of Marketing at Majesco. "We are confident that Teen Titans will appeal to video game players of all ages as it promotes the important themes of friendship, teamwork and perseverance throughout this action-packed game."

"The Teen Titans super heroes lend themselves to being strong videogame characters with their action and humor filled adventures," said Jason Hall, senior vice president of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. "We look forward to working with Majesco on quality games that will appeal to action adventure players, as well as the fan base of the television series and the comic books."

In Majesco's Teen Titans, players switch control in real time between heroes Robin, Starfire, Beast Boy, Cyborg and Raven, so that they can capitalize on the Teen Titans' unique moves and abilities. The action takes place in a crime-ridden city featuring the notorious villains Slade, Overload, Jinx, Gizmo, and Mammoth. While advancing through hostile environments in this multi-player and multi-level game, players will uncover an in-depth storyline containing many exciting twists and turns.

More information about Teen Titans and Majesco's entire line-up of products can be found online at http://www.majescoentertainment.com.

About Majesco Entertainment Company

Headquartered in Edison, NJ, Majesco Entertainment Company (Nasdaq: COOL - News) is an innovative provider of digital entertainment products and content. The Company's three main product lines include Games, which includes highly anticipated titles such as Advent Rising and Psychonauts; Videos, which highlights the Company's platform-independent video compression technology; and Gadgets, which includes innovative digital entertainment products like Frogger TV Arcade. More information about the Company can be found online at http://www.majescoentertainment.com.

About Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Inc., a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, is a premier licensor and a developer of entertainment content for the interactive space across all current and future platforms, including consoles, PC-based gaming and wireless applications.

About DC Comics

DC Comics, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, is the largest English-language publisher of comics in the world and home to such iconic characters as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the Sandman. These DC super heroes and others have starred in comic books, movies, television series (both animated and live-action) and cyberspace, thrilling audiences of all ages for generations.

DC Comics Offer Free Special Edition Ex Machina #1

Press Release
Readers can sample one of WildStorm's most exciting new titles for FREE with the EX MACHINA SPECIAL EDITION #1, scheduled to arrive in stores on May 4!

This special edition reprints the Eisner Award-nominated debut issue of EX MACHINA, written by Brian K. Vaughan and illustrated by Tony Harris & Tom Feister. It features a sensational brand-new sketch cover by Harris.

"Tony, Tom, JD and I spent almost a year developing every aspect of this first issue, and we're still tremendously proud of it," says Vaughan. "I'm very grateful to all the readers and retailers who've been so supportive of our series, and to everyone at DC and WildStorm for going to such amazing lengths to get the book into even more new hands."

Check out what the critics are saying about EX MACHINA:

"Brian K. Vaughan's masterful mix of super-heroics with politics blends seamlessly into an engrossing tale of power versus super-powers, with a city of 10 million caught in the middle." — Wizard Magazine

"Terrifically intriguing." — Entertainment Weekly

"Intertwines super-powers with nasty backroom dealings and quirky N.Y. political history" — Washington Post

"Set somewhere between The West Wing and an alternative future, this tale asks the question: What if the mayor of New York was a super-hero? Vaughan (Y: THE LAST MAN) and Harris (STARMAN) answer with intelligence and dash... This vastly entertaining first collection should have readers eager to read future volumes." — Publishers Weekly

"[EX MACHINA] has become a surprise hit." — New York Daily News

"Engaging... a fun ride." — New York Resident

"The book is sprinkled with fascinating tidbits about the history of New York amidst a sea of everyday issues that Hundred and his staff have to deal with, from trash-transfer stations to a difficult governor... one of the best comics to come out in a good while..." — Nashville City Paper

"Inventive." — The Newark Star Ledger

Watch for EX MACHINA SPECIAL EDITION #1 coming to comics shops May 4!

G.I. Joe #40, 41 Sold Out

DEVIL’S DUE’S G.I. JOE CONTINUES TO SELL OUT

Issues 40 & 41 are gone, baby, gone!


Chicago, IL – Apr 18, 2005 – As the buildup to G.I. JOE: AMERICA’S ELITE, the new G.I. JOE series, grows, the current series is selling out faster and faster.G.I. Joe #40 and #41, parts 5 and 6 of the “Union of the Snake” storyline, have sold out as of last week.


“We know the excitement builds as we head toward the conclusion of the current G.I. JOE series with issue #42 and #43 and the beginning of a new era with G.I. JOE: AMERICA’S ELITE,” said Josh Blaylock, President of DDP. “We’re ending it with a bang as some characters will not live to see the birth of America’s Elite, so fans will not want to miss the final two issues’ “Rise of the Red Shadows” storyline. Retailers should make sure they have plenty on hand.”



Issue #42 ships in May followed by #43 in June. Each double-sized 42-page issue will cost $4.50. June also will see the release of the Joe Casey-written and Stefano Caselli-penciled G.I.JOE: AMERICA'S ELITE #0, priced at an amazingly low 25¢. Issue #1 follows in July. Exclusive preview images can be seen in the near future at www.devilsdue.net.



Devil's Due. Reminding everyone that pop culture IS our culture.

Green Lantern #1 To Feature Alex Ross Variant

April 14th, 2005 -

With the new GREEN LANTERN #1 just over a month away, DC Comics announces that this hotly anticipated debut issue will sport a spectacular variant cover painted by superstar artist Alex Ross!

"I'm not sure whether I was asked to do this cover or I volunteered, because I'm so devoted to Hal Jordan, but I'm thrilled to be a part of this project," says Ross. "GREEN LANTERN has what I look for in comics: a respect for the past and an embracing of an archetypal character."

Ross's cover serves as a companion piece to the cover by series artists Carlos Pacheco & Jesus Merino. Retailers will receive the two covers in a 50% split.

GREEN LANTERN #1 is written by Geoff Johns, with interior art by Carlos Pacheco & Jesus Merino. It is scheduled to arrive in stores on May 25.

For more information, visit the GREEN LANTERN minisite. Click here for a bigger image.

2005 Eisner Nominations Announced

Press Release

Writer Brian K. Vaughan tops the list of nominees for the 2005 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards with seven nominations for his work. Five of the nominations are for his new series from WildStorm, Ex Machina, in which an ex-superhero becomes mayor of New York City (Best New Series, Continuing Series, Single Issue, Serialized Story), while two are for the longer-running Vertigo series Y: The Last Man (Continuing Series, Serialized Story). Vaughan is nominated for Best Writer, while Ex Machina also received a nod for Best Coloring (by J. D. Mettler). The art team on Ex Machina, Tony Harris and Tom Feister, share four nominations.

Close behind Vaughan with five nominations is Kyle Baker-although three are competing against each other: Best Humor Publication for Plastic Man, Kyle Baker Cartoonist, and the graphic novel Birth of a Nation. Baker is also up for Best Title for a Younger Audience for Plastic Man, as well for Best Writer-Artist-Humor.

Also tapped for five nominations is John Cassady, cited for Best Penciller/Inker on both Astonishing X-Men and Planetary. Astonishing X-Men is nominated for Best Serialized Story, New Series, and Continuing Series, while Planetary is up for Best Serialized Story. Astonishing's writer, Joss Whedon, is also nominated for Best Writer, giving him four total nods.

Two other creators have four nominations: Eric Powell for The Goon (Best Single Issue, Continuing Series, Humor Publication, and Writer/Artist-Humor) and Stan Sakai (Best Writer/Artist and Lettering for Usagi Yojimbo; Best Comics-Related Book and Publication Design for The Art of Usagi Yojimbo).

Chris Ware is up for three awards for McSweeney's Quarterly #13: Best Short Story, Anthology, and Publication Design. He is also the topic of the Best Comics-Related Publication nominee: Chris Ware, by Dan Raeburn. Other creators with three nominations are Frank Quitely for WE3 (Best Limited Series, Penciller/Inker, Cover Artist); Seth (Best Graphic Album-Reprint and Best Publication Design for Clyde's Fans vol. 1 and Publication Design for The Complete Peanuts); and Juanjo Guarnido for Blacksad Book 2 (Best Graphic Album-New, Best U.S. Edition of Foreign Material, and Best Painter).

Creators with two nominations each include Geof Darrow, Dan Clowes, Warren Ellis, Pia Guerra/José Marzan Jr., Troy Hickman, Teddy Kristiansen, David Lapham, Steve Niles, Johnny Ryan, art spiegelman, Ben Templesmith, Doug TenNapel, Craig Thompson, Brian Wood/Becky Cloonan, and Michael Zulli.

DC and its various imprints racked up the most company nominations, with 22 full nominations and shares of several others. The nominations for Ex Machina and Planetary give DC's WildStorm imprint 7 full nominations, while DC's Vertigo line has 11 full nominations, including multiples for Y the Last Man, Fables, WE3, and the graphic novel It's a Bird. Dark Horse, boosted by the four mentions each for Powell and Sakai, has 16 full nods plus several partial ones. Image did well with 10 nominations, including two each for Doug TenNapel's graphic novel Tommysaurus Rex and the Troy Hickman anthology Common Grounds.

Next among the publishers is Fantagraphics with eight nominations, including two each for Dan Clowes (Eightball), Johnny Ryan (Angry Youth Comix), and The Complete Peanuts. The nominations for Astonishing X-Men give Marvel five-plus nods, while the Wachowski Brothers' new company, Burlyman, snagged five nominations (three for Geof Darrow's Shaolin Cowboy). Mainstream publisher Pantheon has four nominations (two for art spiegelman's In the Shadow of No Towers), followed close behind with three-plus mentions each for IDW (led by Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith's 30 Days of Nights: Return to Barrow), Top Shelf, and iBooks (three of them for Blacksad Book 2). McSweeney's and Drawn & Quarterly each have three nominations. The remaining nominations are scattered among 22 other publishers.

This year's judges added a new category, Best Digital Comic, for which they nominated six webcomics: Steve Bryant's Athena Voltaire, Peter Branting's Bento & Starchky, Kazu's Copper, Les McClaine's Jonny Crossbones, Brian Fies's Mom's Cancer, and Matt Forsythe's ojingogo. In the Hall of Fame category, the judges' choices for 2005 are Golden Age artist Lou Fine and the creators of Asterix: René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo. A complete list of the 2005 nominations is provided below.

The panel of judges consisted of writers Tom McLean (Variety, "Bags 'n' Boards" blog) and Tom Russo (Entertainment Weekly, Premiere); retailer Gib Bickel (The Laughing Ogre, Columbus, Ohio); graphic novel librarian and reviewer Kat Kan; and cartoonist/webmaster Steve Conley (Astounding Space Thrills, comicon.com).

Ballots will be going out in late April to comics creators, editors, publishers, and retailers. The results will be announced in a gala awards ceremony on the evening of Friday, July 18 in Ballroom 20 at the San Diego Convention Center. The ceremony will be dedicated to the late Will Eisner and will feature several tributes to the man in whose name the awards are given.

Sponsors for the 2005 Eisners include mycomicshop.com (major sponsor), Diamond Comics Distributors and Quebecor Printing (principal sponsors), and Alternate Reality, Atlantis Fantasyworld, Comic Relief-The Comic Bookstore, Comics Unlimited, Flying Colors, and Star*Reach (supporting sponsors).

The Eisner Awards are presented under the auspices of Comic-Con International, San Diego, a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to creating awareness of and appreciation for comics and related popular art forms. primarily through the presentation of conventions and events that celebrate the historic and ongoing contributions of comics to art and culture. Jackie Estrada has been administrator of the Awards since 1990. She can be reached at jackiee@mindspring.com. More information about the Eisner Awards can be found at www.comic-con.org.

MASTER NOMINEE LIST, 2005 Eisner Awards

Best Short Story
"Eve O' Twins," by Craig Thompson, in Rosetta 2 (Alternative)
"Glenn Ganges: Jeepers Jacobs," by Kevin Huizenga, in Kramer's Ergot 5 (Gingko Press)
"God" (story on wrap-around dust jacket) by Chris Ware, in McSweeney's Quarterly #13 (McSweeney's)
"The Price," by Neil Gaiman and Michael Zulli, in Creatures of the Night (Dark Horse Books)
"Unfamiliar," by Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson, in The Dark Horse Book of Witchcraft (Dark Horse Books)
"Where Monsters Dine," by Troy Hickman, Angel Medina, and Jon Holdredge, in Common Grounds #5 (Top Cow/Image)

Best Single Issue (or One-Shot)
Demo #7: "One Shot, Don't Miss," by Brian Wood and Becky Cloonan (AiT/Planet Lar)
Eightball #23: "The Death Ray," by Dan Clowes (Fantagraphics)
Ex Machina #1: "The Pilot," by Brian K. Vaughan, Tony Harris, and Tom Feister (WildStorm/DC)
Global Frequency #12: "Harpoon," by Warren Ellis and Gene Ha (WildStorm/DC)
The Goon #6: "Ilagarto Hombre!," by Eric Powell (Dark Horse)

Best Serialized Story
Astonishing X-Men #1-6: "Gifted," by Joss Whedon and John Cassaday (Marvel)
Ex Machina #2-5: "State of Emergency," by Brian K. Vaughan, Tony Harris, and Tom Feister (WildStorm/DC)
Fables #19-27: "March of the Wooden Soldiers," by Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham, and Steve Leialoha (Vertigo/DC)
Planetary #19-20: "Mystery in Space/Rendezvous," by Warren Ellis and John Cassaday (WildStorm/DC)
Y: The Last Man #18-20: "Safeword," by Brian K. Vaughan, Pia Guerra, and José Marzan Jr. (Vertigo/DC)

Best Continuing Series
Astonishing X-Men, by Joss Whedon and John Cassaday (Marvel)
Ex Machina, by Brian K. Vaughan, Tony Harris, and Tom Fesiter (WildStorm/DC)
The Goon, by Eric Powell (Dark Horse)
Stray Bullets, by David Lapham (El Capitan)
Y: The Last Man, by Brian K. Vaughan, Pia Guerra, and José Marzan Jr. (Vertigo/DC)

Best Limited Series
DC: The New Frontier, by Darwyn Cooke (DC)
Demo, by Brian Wood and Becky Cloonan (AiT/Planet Lar)
30 Days of Night: Return to Barrow, by Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith (IDW)
WE3, by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely (Vertigo/DC)
Wanted, by Mark Millar and J. G. Jones (Top Cow/Image)

Best New Series
Astonishing X-Men, by Joss Whedon and John Cassaday (Marvel)
Doc Frankenstein, by the Wachowski Brothers and Steve Scroce (Burlyman)
Ex Machina, by Brian K. Vaughan, Tony Harris, and Tom Fesiter (WildStorm/DC)
The Shaolin Cowboy, by Geof Darrow (Burlyman)

Best Publication for a Younger Audience
Amelia Rules!, (Renaissance Press) and Amelia Rules! What Makes You Happy (iBooks) by Jimmy Gownley
Courtney Crumrin in the Twilight Kingdom, by Ted Naifeh (Oni)
Owly, by Andy Runton (Top Shelf)
Plastic Man, by Kyle Baker and Scott Morse (DC)
Tommysaurus Rex, by Doug TenNapel (Image)

Best Humor Publication
Angry Youth Comix, by Johnny Ryan (Fantagraphics)
Birth of a Nation, by Aaron McGruder, Reginald Hudlin, and Kyle Baker (Crown)
The Goon, by Eric Powell (Dark Horse)
Kyle Baker, Cartoonist, by Kyle Baker (Kyle Baker Publishing)
Plastic Man, by Kyle Baker and Scott Morse (DC)

Best Anthology
Common Grounds, by Troy Hickman and others, edited by Jim McLauchlin (Top Cow/Image)
The Dark Horse Book of Witchcraft, edited by Scott Allie (Dark Horse Books)
The Matrix Comics, vol. 2, edited by Spencer Lamm (Burlyman)
McSweeney's Quarterly #13, edited by Chris Ware (McSweeney's)
Michael Chabon Presents The Amazing Adventures of the Escapist, edited by Diana Schutz and David Land (Dark Horse)

Best Digital Comic
Athena Voltaire, by Steve Bryant www.athenavoltaire.com
Bento & Starchky, by zer0 (Peter Branting) http://www.noapologiespress.com/zer0comics/bento.htm
Copper, by Kazu www.boltcity.com/copper_home.htm
Jonny Crossbones, by Les McClaine www.evilspacerobot.com/co...nes/index.htm
Mom's Cancer, by Brian Fies www.momscancer.com/eisner.htm
ojingogo, by matt forsythe www.comingupforair.net/comics/ojingogo.html

Best Graphic Album-New
Blacksad Book 2: Arctic Nation, by Juan Diaz Canales and Juanjo Guarnido (iBooks)
It's a Bird . . ., by Steven T. Seagle and Teddy Kristiansen (Vertigo/DC)
The Originals, by Dave Gibbons (Vertigo/DC)
Suspended in Language, by Jim Ottaviani and Leland Purvis (GT Labs)
Tommysaurus Rex, by Doug TenNapel (Image)

Best Graphic Album-Reprint
Age of Bronze: Sacrifice, by Eric Shanower (Image)
Bone One Volume Edition, by Jeff Smith (Cartoon Books)
The Book of Ballads, by Charles Vess and others (Tor)
Clyde Fans, by Seth (Drawn & Quarterly)
In the Shadow of No Towers, by art spiegelman (Pantheon)
Locas, by Jaime Hernandez (Fantagraphics)

Best Archival Collection/Project
The Complete Cartoons of the New Yorker, edited by Robert Mankoff (Black Dog & Leventhal)
The Complete Peanuts, edited by Gary Groth (Fantagraphics)
DC Comics Rarities Archives, vol. 1, edited by Dale Crain (DC)
Krazy and Ignatz, edited by Bill Blackbeard and Derya Ataker (Fantagraphics)
Russ Manning's Magnus, Robot Fighter, vol. 1, edited by Katie Moody, Mike Carriglitto, and David Land (Dark Horse Books)

Best U.S. Edition of Foreign Material
Barefoot Gen: A Cartoon Story of Hiroshima, vols. 1-2, by Keiji Nahazawa (Last Gasp)
Blacksad Book 2: Arctic Nation, by Juan Diaz Canales and Juanjo Guarnido (iBooks)
Buddha, vols. 3-4 by Osamu Tezuka (Vertical)
Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return, by Marjane Satrapi (Pantheon)
Tokyo Tribes, by Santa Inoue (TOKYOPOP)

Best Writer
Steve Niles, 30 Days of Night: Return to Barrow; 30Days of Night: Bloodsucker Tales; Aleister Arcane (IDW); Freaks of the Heartland; Last Train to Deadsville (Dark Horse)
Greg Rucka, Queen & Country (Oni); Gotham Central (DC)
Brian K. Vaughan, Y: The Last Man (Vertigo/DC); Ex Machina (WildStorm/DC); Runaways (Marvel)
Joss Whedon, Astonishing X-Men (Marvel)
Bill Willingham, Fables (Vertigo/DC)

Best Writer/Artist
Paul Chadwick, Concrete: The Human Dilemma (Dark Horse)
Dan Clowes, Eightball #23 (Fantagraphics)
David Lapham, Stray Bullets (El Capitan)
Stan Sakai, Usagi Yojimbo (Dark Horse)
Adrian Tomine, Optic Nerve #9 (Drawn & Quarterly)

Best Writer/Artist-Humor
Kyle Baker, Plastic Man (DC); Kyle Baker, Cartoonist (Kyle Baker Publishing)
Phil Foglio, Girl Genius (Airship Entertainment)
Scott Kurtz, PvP (Image)
Eric Powell, The Goon (Dark Horse)
Johnny Ryan, Angry Youth Comix (Fantagraphics)

Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team
Charles Adlard, The Walking Dead (Image)
John Cassaday, Astonishing X-Men (Marvel); Planetary (WildStorm/DC); I Am Legion: The Dancing Faun (Humanoids/DC)
Geof Darrow, Shaolin Cowboy (Burlyman)
Cary Nord/Thomas Yeates, Conan (Dark Horse)
Frank Quitely, WE3 (Vertigo/DC)

Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (interior art)
Juanjo Guarnido, Blacksad, Book 2: Arctic Nation (iBooks)
Teddy Kristiansen, It's a Bird . . . (Vertigo/DC)
David Mack, Kabuki (Marvel)
Ben Templesmith, 30 Days of Night: Return to Barrow (IDW)
Michael Zulli, Creatures of the Night (Dark Horse Books)

Best Coloring
Peter Doherty, Shaolin Cowboy (Burlyman)
Steven Griffen, Hawaiian Dick: The Last Resort (Image)
Laura Martin, Astonishing X-Men (Marvel); Ministry of Space (Image); Planetary (WildStorm/DC); I Am Legion: The Dancing Faun (Humanoids/DC)
J. D. Mettler, Ex Machina (WildStorm/DC)
Dave Stewart, Daredevil, Ultimate X-Men, Ultimate Six, Captain America (Marvel); Conan, BPRD (Dark Horse)l DC: The New Frontier (DC)

Best Lettering
Todd Klein, Promethea; Tom Strong; Tom Strong's Terrific Tales (ABC); Wonder Woman (DC); Books of Magick: Life During Wartime; Fables; WE3 (Vertigo/DC); Creatures of the Night (Dark Horse)
Stan Sakai, Usagi Yojimbo (Dark Horse)
Dave Sim, Cerebus (Aardvark Vanaheim)
Craig Thompson, Carnet de Voyage (Top Shelf); "Eve O' Twins" in Rosetta 2 (Alternative)

Best Cover Artist
Kieron Dwyer, Remains (IDW)
James Jean, Fables (Vertigo/DC); Green Arrow, Batgirl (DC)
Tony Moore, The Walking Dead (Image)
Frank Quitely, Bite Club; WE3 (Vertigo/DC)
Michael Turner, Identity Crisis (DC)

Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition
Frank Cammuso (Max Hamm, Fairy Tale Detective)
Bosch Fawstin (Table for One)
Matt Kindt (Two Sisters; Pistolwhip)
Sean McKeever (A Waiting Place; Mary Jane; Inhumans; Sentinels)
Raina Telgemeier ("Smile," Takeout)

Best Comics-Related Periodical
Comic Art, edited by M. Todd Hignite (Comic Art)
Comic Book Artist, edited by Jon B. Cooke (Top Shelf)
Draw!, edited by Mike Manley (TwoMorrows)
Indy Magazine online (www.indyworld.com), edited by Bill Kartalopoulos (Alternative)

Best Comics-Related Book
The Art of Usagi Yojimbo, by Stan Sakai (Dark Horse Books)
Chris Ware, by Daniel Raeburn (Monographics/Yale University Press)
Give Our Regards to the Atom Smashers, edited by Sean Howe (Pantheon)
Men of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters, and the Birth of the Comic Book, by Gerard Jones (Basic Books)
Strangers in Paradise Treasury Edition, by Terry Moore (HarperCollins Perennial)

Best Publication Design
The Art of Usagi Yojimbo, designed by Cary Grazzini (Dark Horse Books)
Clyde's Fans, designed by Seth (Drawn & Quarterly)
The Complete Peanuts, designed by Seth (Fantagraphics)
In the Shadow of No Towers, designed by art spiegelman (Pantheon)
McSweeney's Quarterly #13, designed by Chris Ware (McSweeney's)

Hall of Fame
Judges' Choices: Lou Fine; René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo

Four will be selected from:

Matt Baker
Wayne Boring
Nick Cardy
Yves Chaland
Gene Colan
Johnny Craig
Reed Crandall
Floyd Gottfredson
Frank Hampson
Graham Ingels
Robert Kanigher
William Moulton Marston
Hugo Pratt
Frank Robbins

Marvel To Bring Out Digest Editions Of Classic Issues

Marvel Comics released news today of a new series of six Dollar Digests. The digests will be 64 pages of black and white digests. The books will retail for $1.00 and may contain "abridged to fit format" stories of three classic Marvel Comics.

The first six digests will include Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, the Avengers, the Hulk, and the X-Men. The digests are:

SPIDER-MAN: AMAZING FANTASY DOLLAR DIGEST
Collects AMAZING FANTASY #15, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1, #2

FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST FAMILY DOLLAR DIGEST
Collects FANTASTIC FOUR #1-#3

AVENGERS: ASSEMBLE DOLLAR DIGEST
Collects AVENGERS #1-#3

SPIDER-MAN: DOCTOR OCTOPUS DOLLAR DIGEST
Collects AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #3,#4,#5

HULK: HULK SMASH DOLLAR DIGEST
Collects HULK #1-#3

X-MEN: CHILDREN OF THE ATOM
Collects X-MEN #1-#3

These books will be on sale June 8th. The format will be digest size measuring 4 7/8 x 6 9/16.

DC Cancels Humanoids & 2000 A.D. Titles

Press Release

DC Comics regrets to announce the discontinuation of its Humanoids and 2000 A.D. titles.

The company's respect for the Humanoids and 2000 A.D. stories, characters and talent, however, continues unabated, and we hope both lines are welcomed by a U.S. publisher better able to find deserving audiences for these titles.

The final Humanoids titles to be published by DC Comics will be THE INCAL VOL. 2: THE EPIC JOURNEY TP (APR050385) and TRANSGENESIS 2025 VOL. 1: ANCESTOR PROGRAM TP (APR050387), scheduled to arrive in-stores in June.

The final 2000 A.D. titles to be published by DC Comics will be THE BALLAD OF HALO JONES TP (APR050382), THE COMPLETE INDIGO PRIME TP (APR050383), and ROGUE TROOPER VOL. 2: FORT NEURO TP (APR050384), scheduled to arrive in-stores in June.

Titles from both lines published by DC Comics prior to these dates will continue to be available as backlist items.

Back To The Press!

THE FLASH #220 SELLS OUT AT DC COMICS

April 12th, 2005 -

THE FLASH #220, featuring the first chapter of the "Rogue War" storyline, sold out at DC Comics one day before arriving in stores on March 30. This issue kicks off the dramatic 6-part "Rogue War" story, written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Howard Porter & Livesay.

"Rogue War is what we have been building up to, and issue #220 is just the beginning," says Porter. "It's been a long time since I've worked on such an epic storyline, and I am so inspired by the scripts that I'm having a hard time putting the pencil down. We are definitely going for the knockout — the bell has rung and we've come out swinging!"




MATT WAGNER PROVIDES STARTLING NEW COVER FOR NEW PRINTING OF BATMAN #638

April 12th, 2005 -

BATMAN #638, the stunning conclusion to the "Under the Hood" storyline, sold out at DC Comics on March 30, the day it arrived in stores.

Now, DC rushes this issue back to press. Written by Judd Winick with art by Doug Mahnke & Tom Nguyen, BATMAN #638 Second Printing features a startling new cover painted by Matt Wagner that reverses the point of view of the original cover art, showing it from the perspective of Batman.

"We're all thrilled that folks seem to be more than a little bit interested in this turn of events in the Batcave," says Winick. "I would be lying if I didn't admit that this just is the first dip on this roller coaster. We're just getting started!"

BATMAN #638 Second Printing is available for order now and is scheduled to arrive in stores on April 27 with a cover price of $2.25 U.S. To ensure delivery on that date retailers must place orders by Sunday, April 17; please note that quantities will be limited and may sell out before April 17. DC recommends that retailers place orders as soon as possible to avoid missing out.

And watch for more repercussions from "Under the Hood" in these upcoming BATMAN issues:

BATMAN #639, scheduled to arrive in stores on April 27.

BATMAN #640, scheduled to arrive in stores on May 25.

BATMAN #641, scheduled to arrive in stores on June 22.

News On The Future of Cross-Gen

From Newsarama-

While its assets were sold to a Disney subsidiary in October, CrossGen’s bankruptcy proceedings continue to lumber along, with the Tampa-based former comic publisher finally filling and seeking approval for its plan of reorganization. CrossGen filed the disclosure (the meat of the reorganization plan) on February 15th, supplemented it on April 1st, and saw it approved by the Florida Bankruptcy Court, Middle District, on April 4th.

Overall, the plan lists assets currently at $972,233, resulting fro the sale of its properties to Cal Publishing/Disney in October, and total liabilities of $10,798,888. As with other bankruptcies, there will not be enough capital to cover all claims, however, the plan filed, as stated by the debtors, allows for a greater recovery of claims than is likely to be achieved through other plans or liquidation – namely, Chapter 7.

The Joint Disclosure Statement, filed to give holders of claims adequate information to make an informed judgment about the plan, lays out a financial history of CrossGen in greater detail than has been seen to date.

Running through the history, then – CrossGen was formed in May of 1999, with an initial investment by Mark Alessi of $4,000,000. This start-up was supplemented in January of 2001 when Safe Harbor Managed Account 101A invested $4.5 million in exchange for 20% of CrossGen’s stock. Alessi continued to loan CrossGen money prior to the filing of bankruptcy in June of 2004, topping his investment off at $11 million, in total.

In January of 2003, Blue Ridge Investors II, LLP (CG’s primary pre-filing secured lender) loaned the company $1,025,000. While the loan was against collateral including accounts receiveable, inventory, and other assets of CrossGen, by the time the companyu filed for bankruptcy protection, it owed Blue Ridge $1,086,261. A portion of that has been paid off, and Blue Ridge is currently owed $700,000. CrossGen has since sued Blue Ridge, alleging that the investors “failed to perfect its security interest in CrossGen’s registered copyrights and any proceeds from the sale of CrossGen’s intellectual property and seeks to avoid Blue Ridge’s security interest accordingly.”

In January of 2004, Dee Gee Entertainment lent CrossGen $300,000 against collateral including the properties Ruse, Route 666, and Sojourn. When CrossGen filed in June of 2004, it owed Dee Gee $318,000. As with Blue Ridge, CrossGen has sued Dee Gee, alleging that the investors failed to perfect its security interest in CrossGen’s registered copyrights, and seeks to avoid Dee Gee’s security interest accordingly.

Blue Ridge and Dee Gee make up CrossGen’s largest secured creditors, while Alessi, trade creditors, American Express, ADP, and the IRS (for payroll taxes) make up the former publisher’s largest unsecured creditors. According to the disclosure, prior to filing in June of 2004, the total outstanding unsecured debt totaled $13,250,000.

The disclosure goes on to explain what happened, with the economy circa 2003 taking the brunt of the blame. The statement says that by the end of 2002, CrossGen held an approximate market share of 6%, and was the third largest publisher in the United States [the factual reality behind this statement appears, at the surface, suspect, as Diamond’s market share numbers for 2002 showed CrossGen to hold 3.21% share of the market in both dollars and units, and ranked at the 5th largest publisher, behind Marvel, DC, Image, and Dark Horse]. The disclosure also states that aggressive expansion by Marvel and DC exerted pressure on CrossGen and other smaller publishers, reducing their market shares. As CrossGen began to suffer (though cost-cutting moves were enacted), it found fewer and fewer larger entertainment companies wanted to partner with it.

The damage began to show, according to the disclosure, in the second quarter of 2003, when the company did not have adequate liquidity to pay trade vendors. At the same time, Blue Ridge, as a condition of its loan to the company, “swept” CrossGen’s bank accounts, resulting in returned checks, bank fees, and other financial problems. CrossGen’s weakening financial conditions resulted in vendors limiting the amount of credit extended, or time period for credit repayment, and to only continue business dealings with the Tampa company on a cash-only basis.

Through 2003, CrossGen sought investors, and, according to the disclosure, nearly had financing secured on several occasions, but in each instance, the deal fell through.

The financial history of the company ends with the sale of CrossGen’s assets to Cal Publishing (a Disney subsidiary) for $1,000,000. Blue Ridge and Dee Gee have agreed to have their calims attached to the proceeds of the sale.

In summary, CrossGen’s plan for payment of its creditors is the “pot” plan, that is, all monies from the sale of assets ($972,233 from Cal Publishing) and any other monies will be placed into a single account from which amounts owed to secured creditors and administrative expenses will be drawn first, and then unsecured creditors will be paid.

Holders of secured claims (totaling $1,492, 064.33) are:

Tom Alessi: $1,172,000
Oldsmar Self-Storage: $1,307
CitiCaptial Commercial Corporation: $17,981.44
Pinellas County Tax Collector: $775.89

The debtor will recommend that the Liquidating Trustee file objections to all of the claims, as, CrossGen contends, the claims have never been secure, or are no longer secure due to the surrender of collateral. In regards to the secured claim of Dee Gee, CrossGen and Dee Gee have agreed to divide the claim into a secured claim of $161,425.55 and an unsecured claim of the same amount. If CrossGen is successful in court against Blue Ridge, the investors’ claim will be reclassified as unsecured.

Currently, the Administrative Expense Claims stand at $263,000, and is expected to increase until the final payout date arrives.

The amount owed in Priority Claims stands at $641,378.96 – this is the amount owed to the IRS and former employees and consultants who filed as such. The disclosure states that CrossGen will object to claims which are not entitled to Priority status, including those filed by the IRS and Florida Department of Revenue.

After the above are paid, unsecured creditors (including the bulk of former employees) will be paid. CrossGen roughly estimates that over $9 million is owed in this category, and lays out the plan for repayment, though it is, generally speaking, just mechanics, as the total amount that will be actually paid out will more than likely be completely exhausted far before reaching the unsecured creditors category, as was seen in the Chaos! Comics bankruptcy.

Final proofs of claim by creditors must be filed by May 6th, 2005. By the same date, those who accept or object to the plan, as filed must notify the court. A hearing on the confirmation of the plan is scheduled for May 16th.

Quick News

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Elektra movie sold about 1 million combined DVD and VHS units Tuesday, its first day in release on home video.

Fox has announced its will rebroadcast the first Spider-Man and X-Men films as part of its spring Friday night movie schedule. Spider-Man, which debuted on the network last Thanksgiving, will air on Friday, April 29 at 8PM EST & X-Men will air on Friday, May 13 at 8PM EST.

In other news:

Iron Man, the third direct-to-DVD animated Marvel film will be coming out down the horizon. HBO/Cinemax will be airing Spider-Man 2 this summer. Can't wait for that! For more movie previews and new check out the Comics Universe Blog.

Mad! Fan has the new Darkstalkers #4 cover, as does the Joe Madureira! Fansite.

DC/Vertigo's WE3 Now a TPB

DC Comics/Vertigo will collect the widely acclaimed tale of how a dog, a cat, and a rabbit became the deadliest war machines the military ever created -- and fought against -- in the WE3 TPB, a collection of the three-issue mini-series by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely. WE3 earned numerous accolades with its terrifying and heartbreaking 104-page story of three cybernetically enhanced lab animals that use their weapons-laden exoskeletons to escape their masters, and to traverse an equally frightening world in search of a place called "home."

Here's DC Comic's write-up on it:
Collecting on of the most talked-about series of the year by superstar creators Grant Morrison (SEVEN SOLDIERS) and Frank Quitely (THE SANDMAN: ENDLESS NIGHTS), who provides a new cover, WE3 tells the unforgettable story of three innocent pets — a dog, a cat and a rabbit — who have been converted into deadly cyborgs by a sinister military weapons program.

With nervous systems amplified to match their terrifying mechanical exoskeletons, the members of Animal Weapon 3 have the firepower of a battalion between them. But they are just the program's prototypes, and now that their testing is complete they're slated to be permanently "de-commissioned" — until they seize their one chance to make a desperate run for freedom. Relentlessly pursued by their makers, the WE3 team must navigate a frightening and confusing world where their instincts and heightened abilities make them as much a threat as those hunting them — but a world, nonetheless, in which somewhere there is something called "home."

"Morrison has crafted an eerie tale of sci-fi and horror... with cute furry animals." — Syracuse Post-Standard

"[A] startling, disturbing and perhaps enlightening series... a provocative tale." — Atlanta Journal Constitution

Sporting a cover by Quitely, the TPB is scheduled to ship on June 1 for $12.99, and is suggested for mature readers.

Walking Dead Issues & TPB Go Back To The Press

Press Release

The latest two issues and first trade of Kirkman's zombie hit completely sold out.

Not much in comics is predictable, but one thing is certain: readers can't get enough of Robert Kirkman, Charlie Adlard and THE WALKING DEAD.

Despite skyrocketing preorders and aggressive overprinting by publisher Image Comics, the two most recent issues of THE WALKING DEAD have followed the trend set by earlier issues and completely sold out.

THE WALKING DEAD #15 and THE WALKING DEAD #16 have sold through, continuing the remarkable sales momentum of Kirkman and Adlard's hit zombie book.

Additionally, the second printing of the first WALKING DEAD trade, DAYS GONE BYE, has...gone bye, also selling out completely. The book collects the first six issues of the series, by Kirkman and original artist Tony Moore. A third printing is currently being readied for release.

Inventory on the second WALKING DEAD trade, MILES BEHIND US, is also dwindling rapidly, and a second printing has been ordered for that volume, as well.

While the sales success of THE WALKING DEAD is hardly news, writer Robert Kirkman is still amazed that numbers continue to climb higher each month.

"This book just keeps on going up in sales," says Kirkman. "Every month I think, wow, we can't go any higher than this, and yet, the issues still keep selling out, and we keep printing more. This book is like magic or something. Charlie Adlard, Cliff Rathburn (who handles tones) and I couldn't be happier."

So how to explain the astonishing success of THE WALKING DEAD? How can a black and white horror book continue its assault on the sales charts while so many full color books full of capes and super powers fail? According to Image Comics Executive Director Eric Stephenson, the "horror" label onlybegins to describe the book.

"I think the appeal of THE WALKING DEAD is that it's actually much more than a horror comic," explains Stephenson. "Readers may be attracted to the book because they like zombies, but at its heart, THE WALKING DEAD is a character drama as compelling as any you're likely to find in comics or on TV. People are jumping into this book because they think zombies are cool, they're staying because they care about these characters and they want to find out what happens next."

Readers seeking the books are advised to check with their local comic shops, who may still have copies on the shelves.

THE WALKING DEAD centers around the experiences of human survivors in a zombie filled, post-apocalyptic United States. Since its release in 2003, the book has been nominated for an Eisner Award for Best New Series, and has received nearly universal acclaim for its masterful blend of horror and human drama.

The third WALKING DEAD collection, SAFETY BEHIND BARS, hits stores this month.

THE WALKING DEAD # 17 is out now & THE WALKING DEAD #18 ships towards the end of the month or the 1st week of May.

GIANT SIZE X-MEN #3 - Neal Adams Replaces Dave Cockrum

GIANT SIZE X-MEN #3 Due to medical reasons, Dave Cockrum will no longer be penciling the all-new, 8-page Joss Whedon story. Instead, Neal Adams will pencil and ink this story. However, Dave Cockrum and John Cassaday did pencil the cover, which will be shown shortly. Clifford Meth from Silver Bullet Comics posted his conversation with Cockrum on the project and you can read about it here.

Spectacular Spider-Man To End

CBR has a 6-page preview on Spectacular Spider-Man #27, the last issue of the series and also the end of Paul Jenkins' 5-year run on Spidey.

Eisner Lives On Through Loeb

press release

Jeph Loeb to adapt Will Eisner's The Spirit for Odd Lot and Batfilm.

Jeph Loeb will adapt the comic series for Odd Lot Entertainment and Batfilm Productions’ THE SPIRIT, a live-action feature film based on the late Will Eisner’s seminal super-hero comic of the same name. Odd Lot’s Gigi Pritzker and Deborah Del Prete will produce along with Batfilm’s Michael Uslan. Benjamin Melniker and Steve Maier will serve as executive producers, with F.J. DeSanto and Linda McDonough co-producing.

Odd Lot’s Deborah Del Prete said: “Will Eisner created a tremendous character and story, and Jeph Loeb is the perfect writer to enhance and honor his legacy. Michael and I met with Will just before he passed away in January, and we all agreed that our film will encompass the same integrity, artistry and handsomely crafted look that THE SPIRIT is so well-known for.”

Will Eisner’s THE SPIRIT was created in 1940 and is the story of a masked detective – believed to be dead and operating out of his grave site in Wildwood Cemetery – who fights crime in Central City with his fists, cunning (a tongue-in-cheek sense of the absurd), and unbelievable threshold for pain. According to Uslan, "The property is considered by many fans and comic book historians to be the best creative work ever to come from the comic book industry. Will Eisner is the comic-genre master storyteller, whose name graces the comic industry’s most prestigious awards each year at Comicon – The Eisner Awards."

Jeph Loeb, who received Eisner Awards in 1998 and 2003 for Batman: The Long Halloween and Batman: Dark Victory (respectively), is responsible for some of the greatest comic book stories in recent years. Best known for his ability to tell contemporary stories based on classic characters such as DC’ Comics' Batman and Superman, and Marvel’s The Hulk and Daredevil, comic book fans of all generations flock to his character-driven and action -packed tales each month. Along with artist Tim Sale, Loeb’s timeless stories, SUPERMAN FOR ALL SEASONS and BATMAN THE LONG HALLOWEEN, have spawned a large and loyal following that have kept him ranked high in Wizard Magazine’s monthly top ten list of comic book writers. He teamed with superstar artist Jim Lee on HUSH, the critically acclaimed and wildly successful BATMAN series that many consider do be the definitive modern interpretation of the Dark Knight. HUSH has spawned everything from action figures to posters to comic book sequels and has reignited interested in the comic book world of Batman.


In addition to completing the fourth season as a Supervising Producer on “Smallville,” Loeb has been collaborating with various top artists on the SUPERMAN/BATMAN team-up book that is a constant presence in Diamond Distribution’s top 5-list of monthly best-sellers. He has recently reunited with Tim Sale for the mini-series CATWOMAN: WHEN IN ROME and is writing DC Comics’ highly anticipated SUPERGIRL re-launch for release later this year.

Odd Lot Entertainment recently produced HOOLIGANS starring Elijah Wood and Charlie Hunnam, which won both the jury and audience awards at the recent South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin. Odd Lot’s other credits include MEAN CREEK starring Rory Culkin and THE WEDDING PLANNER. Michael Uslan and Benjamin Melniker recently produced CONSTANTINE and are executive producers of the highly anticipated BATMAN BEGINS.

Hopefully this movie will be akin to Sin City? I hope so. And if you don't know who Will Eisner is, check out his bio from his website. Rest In Peace Mr. Eisner.


Will Eisner was born March 6, 1917 in Brooklyn, NY. The son of Jewish immigrants, his early life and experiences growing up in New York tenements would become the inspiration for much of his graphic novel work. At De Witt Clinton High School in the Bronx, Eisner's budding interest in art was fostered, and it was in the school newspaper that his first work was published.


Eisner's first comic work appeared 1936 in WOW What a Magazine! He created two features for WOW—Harry Karry and The Flame. When the magazine folded after only four issues, Eisner formed a partnership with friend Jerry Iger, and the Eisner-Iger studio was born.


The studio was a veritable comics factory, churning out strips in a variety of genres in the hopes of placing them with American newspapers. Towards this end, Eisner-Iger recruited a number of young artists who would go on to become comics' legends in their own right: Bob Kane, Lou Fine, and Jack Kirby. The most enduring of Eisner's work to come out of this period is Hawks of the Seas, the high-seas adventure strip that had begun as The Flame.


The partnership ended in 1939 when Eisner joined the Quality Comics Group to produce a syndicated 16-page newspaper supplement. It was for this supplement that he created his most famous character, The Spirit.


Creating the Comic Book Section for Quality gave Eisner the opportunity to reach a wide audience in papers across the country. The supplement contained three four-color features developed by Eisner. The lead feature, The Spirit , was a detective adventure script entirely scripted and drawn by Eisner. This story of a masked detective who protects Central City from the criminal element with no more than fists, cunning, and an unbelievable tolerance for punishment quickly became the most popular feature of the section. The supplement was renamed The Spirit Section, and became Eisner's proving ground for some of the most innovative work in the genre. Even in these early stories, the presence of cinematic camera angles, atmospheric lighting effects and creative storytelling techniques distinguished The Spirit.


Eisner's work on the Spirit was interrupted in 1942 when he was drafted into the Army for service in World War II. The Army took advantage of his skills as a cartoonist, and during the war he was engaged in producing posters, illustrations and strips for the education and entertainment of the troops.


After the War, Eisner returned to a much diminished Spirit, who had faltered in less able hands during his absence. In December of 1945 he reintroduced the strip with a retelling of the Spirit's origin, and the Spirit was quickly back on track. Now with the support of other artists such as a young Jules Feiffer and later Wally Wood, Eisner continued the weekly installments of the Spirit until 1952. Never content to stay within the narrow confines of the detective genre, Eisner used the Spirit to explore a wide variety of stories, from simple tales of ordinary people to wild flights of fancy verging on science fiction.


During this period, Eisner attempted to foster several other projects for publication as newspaper strips or newsstand comics, including Kewpies, Baseball, Nubbin the Shoeshine Boy and John Law. None of these were successful, but some of the material created for them ended up in The Spirit.


While still producing the Spirit, Eisner founded the American Visuals Corporation, which was a commercial art company dedicated to creating comics, cartoons, and illustrations for educational and commercial purposes. Eisner resurrected Joe Dope, a bumbling soldier he had created during the War, for feature in P*S Magazine, a publication he produced for the Army. His other clients included RCA Records, an Oil Filter company, the Baltimore Colts, and New York Telephone. This work soon occupied most of Eisner's time, and The Spirit was abandoned in favor of this more profitable work, which continued until the late 70s.


In the mid-60s several articles renewed popular interest in the Spirit, and the strips were reprinted in a variety of forms that continues to this day. Eisner was persuaded to create a small amount of new Spirit material at this time, but despite a growing fan insistence for more, Eisner did not have much taste for revisiting what he saw as the heroic fantasies of his youth. Seeking for a more mature expression of the comics' form, Eisner spent two years creating four short stories of "sequential art" that became A Contract With God, first published by Baronet Books in 1978. In this book, with its 1930s Bronx tenements and slice of life moral tales, Eisner returned to his roots and discovered new potential for the comics form—the graphic novel.


Eisner followed A Contract With God with a series of graphic novels published by the alternative comics publisher Kitchen Sink Press. With subject matter ranging from semi-autobiographical (The Dreamer and To the Heart of the Storm), keen observations of modern life (The Building and Invisible People) and science fiction parable (Life on Another Planet ) Eisner helped to break comics from the juvenile ghetto of superheroes and "funny books."


In addition to producing a continuing legacy of great work, Eisner taught cartooning at the School of Visual Arts in New York, and is the author of two definitive works examining the creative process, Comics and Sequential Art and Graphic Storytelling. Each year he presides over the Eisner Awards, established in 1988, one of prestigious two comics industry awards, presented each year at Comic-Con International in San Diego. Recently, his work was gained wider recognition when it was showcased in the Whitney Museum's 1996 "NYNY: City of Ambition" show.


Eisner has been cited as an inspiration by comics' creators from all corners of the genre, and his influence is seen as widely. He remains one of the most active, vital, and prolific forces in the comics' field today.


Bob Andleman, author of the upcoming Eisner biography, Will Eisner: A Spirited Life has written the following obituary via the Will Eisner: A SPirited Life eNewsletter:


Legendary comics and graphic novel artist and writer Will Eisner died last night, Monday, January 3, 2005, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at the age of 87, following complications from quadruple heart bypass surgery.


Will Eisner didn't create Superman, Batman, Spider-Man or even Archie and Jughead. Some comic book fans may scratch their heads when asked to describe his work. But every artist and writer in comic books, as well as graphic artists across the entire spectrum of modern illustration, television and film, owes a debt to him.


In 1941, Eisner created a goofball detective named Denny Colt who died (not really) and was reborn as "The Spirit," the cemetery-dwelling protector of the public - and pretty girls in particular. The Spirit possessed no superpowers. He couldn ' t see through his girlfriend ' s clothing the way a curious alien like the Man of Steel might scientifically investigate Lois Lane. And he wasn't a brilliant technologist like Batman, imagineering hokey gadgets and psychedelic compounds for all-night parties with the Joker.


The Spirit broke so many molds:


- Eisner was the strip's artist and writer, a feat that is still rare today.


- The Spirit was published and distributed as an insert in Sunday newspapers, ala Parade magazine. It was seen weekly by as many as 5-million people from 1941 to 1952.


- No two Spirit sections looked alike. Although most commercial operations - from Superman to Pepsi-Cola - spend millions of dollars testing, proving and marketing their logos, Eisner thought it was more challenging to change The Spirit's masthead every week - for 12 years.


- The Spirit was a fun, mature read, aimed at adults but accessible to kids.


For all of these reasons, The Spirit was published and reissued in various forms almost uninterrupted for 60 years. Its look, feel and smartass humor is timeless, which accounts for the countless revivals.


Eisner, who went to high school with "Batman" creator Bob Kane, provided first jobs in the comics business to everyone from Jack Kirby (co-creator of " Captain America " and the " Fantastic Four " ) to Pulitzer-winning writer and artist Jules Feiffer.


If not for Eisner ' s influence, Pulitzer Prize winner Art Spiegelman might never have published his graphic novel Maus: A Survivor ' s Tale (Eisner is credited with popularizing - if not inventing - the medium of the graphic novel with the 1978 publication of his graphic story collection, A Contract With God) and fellow Pulitzer Prize-winner Michael Chabon ' s The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay would have been missing quite a few Eisner-inspired tales.


For comic book professionals, the highest honor in the industry is either an Eisner Award, named for Eisner and given out every summer at Comic-Con International in San Diego, or a Harvey Award, named for Eisner ' s late friend Harvey Kurtzman, the creator of Mad magazine and Playboy ' s " Little Annie Fanny, " given every April in Pittsburgh. Kurtzman, who discovered talents as diverse as R. Crumb and Gloria Steinem, passed away in 1993, making Eisner the last man standing.


Literally.


At every Eisner Awards ceremony, each recipient was handed his or her award by the man himself.


Several years ago, a big red velvet chair was put on stage for Eisner. The Eisner Awards promoters said, " Come on, Will, you shouldn ' t have to stand up all this time; here, have a seat. " Eisner sat on it briefly, got a laugh out of it, but then he stood up again, and stayed on his feet the rest of the night. Eisner demonstrated his strength of character and enduring physical wherewithal by standing on stage throughout the entire presentation, shaking hands and personally congratulating the winners. Because there is a different presenter for each award, no one else stood for as long as Eisner.


That's why, when Eisner handed the 2002 Eisner Award for Best Serialized Story (Amazing Spider-Man #30-35: " Coming Home " ) to writer J. Michael Straczynski and artists John Romita Jr. and Scott Hanna, Straczynski thrust the award in the air and remarked, " You know, you get the Emmy, you don ' t get it from ' Emmy. ' You win the Oscar, you don ' t get it from ' Oscar. ' How freakin ' cool is this? "


Published in November 2004, DC Comics ' The Will Eisner Companion is the first comprehensive, critical overview of the work of this legendary writer/artist. Divided into two sections - his Spirit work and his graphic novels - this authorized companion features all-new critical and historical essays by noted comics historians N.C. Christopher Couch and Stephen Weiner, as well as alphabetical indexes relating to all aspects and characters in his oeuvre. Also includes a chronology, a bibliography and suggested reading lists, as well as an introduction by Dennis O'Neil.


A new generation of comics fans learned about the man in the 1970s when underground comix publisher Denis Kitchen began reprinting " The Spirit " stories and eventually produced new stories of the character by top comic book talent including Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons and Neil Gaiman. Kitchen became one of Eisner ' s closest friends and confidants, as well as his personal representative and literary agent (with Judith Hansen).


More recently, " John Law, " a 56-year- old Will Eisner character, was given fresh life and adventures in 2002 by Australian artist and writer Gary Chaloner as an online comic book hero at ModernTales.com. In December 2004, Law returned to print in IDW Publishing ' s " Will Eisner's John Law " hardcover trade paperback. These stories were the first original John Law adventures published since Eisner worked on the character in 1948. This edition includes both new material and classic John Law tales by Eisner himself.


And Eisner ' s final - and likely most controversial - graphic novel, The Plot, finished last summer, will be published this spring by W.W. Norton.


Will Eisner was the wizard behind the curtain, except in his case, the magic was real.


There will be no funeral service, per Will ' s wishes. " Will and I hated funerals, " his wife, Ann, said the morning after his death. " We made plans long ago to avoid having them ourselves. " He will be buried next to his late daughter, Alice, who died in 1969. Surviving Will are his wife, Ann, and his son, John.


Cards may be sent to:
Will Eisner Studios
8333 W. McNab Road
Tamarac, FL 33321

Wonder Woman Update

Wonder Woman News:
Msnbc has a poll going on who should be the next Wonder Woman. Animated News recently talked to director Joss Whedon about his plan to bring WW back to her roots. "I think she sort of sprang out fully formed, much like Athena herself. And, you know, it's a question of really getting behind that... In the '40s, when it was first done, she came to the world from Paradise Island and then went about her business, and so that experience, which is really a rite of passage, which is the same as any hero has to go through, has never really been investigated the way I want to. So, to take it back to the beginning and really say, 'Well, really, what was it like for an Amazon princess to come amongst us?'" Though not previously a fan of Wonder Woman specifically, Whedon's comic book and "superhero familiarity, however, should instill some hope in loyalists". He also promised he was "not going to do anything silly". Cinematical reports rumors are still swarming around the idea Mischa Barton (O.C.) being on top of the list of potentials who might star.

Here's VH1's interview with Whedon:
"Originally, I was hesitant," said the 40-year-old Whedon, who refers to himself as a "comic-book geek." "But then it's also sort of why I became really interested, because she doesn't have so much baggage for me, the way, say, Spider-Man would."
Whedon, however, admits he's been handed a bicycle with training wheels attached.
"It's been in development for a lot of years. Producer Joel Silver called me, and I came in. When he pitched it, he had a very clear idea of what he wanted to do, which I thought was really smart," Whedon said. "But it was very unformed, and it sort of formed in my brain.
"What I began to realize is I had no choice but to write it," he said.
Whedon, who is in the process of completing the upcoming "Serenity" film based on the cancelled Fox series "Firefly" said he's anxious to flesh out the back story of the Amazon princess.
"I think she sort of sprang out fully formed, much like Athena herself," he said. "In the '40s, when it was first done, she came to the world from Paradise Island and then went about her business, and so that experience, which is really a rite of passage, the same as any hero has to go through, has never really been investigated the way I want."
How much will he borrow from more than 60 years of continuously produced comic books? While Whedon says he's never been a huge fan of Wonder Woman's ongoing titles, his familiarity with them will likely encourage long-time comics fans.
"I mean, I've seen some really good books, some really great work by people — late-'80s artist/writer George Perez and late-'90s artist/writer John Byrne, a lot of guys," Whedon said. "Obviously, I've seen the covers by female superhero artist Adam Hughes, but who hasn't? However, I've seen her more with the Justice League of America and stuff like that."
When asked if he plans to incorporate important parts of the Wonder Woman legend in the film, Whedon did mention that he's going to be very picky when choosing what to use and what to ignore.
"I have a take on all of them," he said. "It has to do with who she is, and they have a certain integrity. I'm not going to do anything silly.
"There's a reason why she has those bracelets. There's a reason why she's got the lasso. I think it's going to work out really well."
He made no mention of the invisible plane that has been phased out of the most recent comics incarnations, though.
Of course, developing the Wonder Woman film isn't all hard work. There are benefits from this project that Whedon has already begun to enjoy.
During the recent Wizard World Los Angeles comic book convention, actress Jewel Staite approached Whedon with a proposal. "Can I be in your Wonder Woman movie? I'll love you forever," she said.
Whedon's response to Staite and everyone else interested in the part is that he isn't leaning toward any actress — at least, not yet.
"No leaning," he said. "I'm standing straight."

Viper Comics Announces Summer Projects

This summer Viper Comics will present two new series, “Karma Incorporated”, and “The Middleman”, plus an art book showcasing the art of Josh Howard. These projects are unlike anything comic fandom has ever experienced before.

Josh Howard Art Book Volume 1 will showcase tons of all new, never-before-seen art by Josh Howard, creator of Dead @ 17. Best known for his unique rendition of cute & sexy females, Josh has assembled a brand new collection of school girls, pin up beauties, and punk rock hotties. If you're a fan of Josh or just an admirer of "cute girl" art, you won't want to miss this limited edition volume.

Karma Incorporated, a 3 issue mini-series, is written by David Hopkins (Western Tales of Terror, Dead@17: Rough Cut). The groundbreaking art is marvelously crafted by Tom Kurzanski with wonderous colors by Marlena Hall. Karma Incorporated features a improbable group of con artists, hackers and a retired hitman that decide they can make money by making people miserable. When a previous customer's adulterous wife hires Karma Inc., the lines become crossed and new lessons are learned....payback is hell.

The Middleman, a 4 issue mini-series, is written by Javier Grillo-Marxuach, and wonderously illustrated by Les McClaine (Amaze Ink/SLG’s Highway 13 and Russ Manning Award Nominee 2002). Reality is a sham! Our way of life is constantly under attack by monsters, aliens and talking primates. The reason we - the normal world - are no congniant of the struggle? The Middleman. Working in absurd secrecy, the Middleman stares down threats from the extra- infra- and juxta-terrestial with a big gun and a have-a-nice-day grin. The Middleman: he fights evil so you don't have to.

Middleman creator and author brings an impressive resume to comics. Javier Grillo-Marxuach is currently a writer and Supervising Producer on the hit ABC Network series "Lost." He has written and produced episodes of "Boomtown," "The Pretender," "Jake 2.0," "The Chronicle," "Charmed," "Three" and "seaQuest." Grillo-Marxuach has also sold and produced several network pilots, written and directed an award-winning short film, created a number of works for the stage and contributed freelance scripts and stories to "The Dead Zone," "Dark Skies," "Strange Frequency" and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit."


For more information on, “Josh Howard Art Book” visit: http://www.vipercomics.com/features/josh_howard_artbook_v01.asp

For more information on, “Karma Incorporated” visit: http://www.vipercomics.com/features/karma_inc.asp

For more information on, “The Middleman” visit: http://www.vipercomics.com/features/the_middle_man.asp