The New Comics Universe Blog

CHOSEN CREATOR MARK MILLAR SIGNS IN TIMES SQUARE

2005-09-24T16:13:00.000-04:00

press release:

Mark Millar, creator of Chosen, published by Dark Horse Comics, will be the special guest at New York’s Midtown Comics, Times Square location. Dark Horse has created a free, limited Chosen print for the occasion. Chosen is the latest graphic novel in the Millarworld line of books from writer Mark Millar, (The Ultimates, Superman: Red Son).

Millar will sign at the store on Saturday, September 24 from 2:00-5:00 P.M. The Saturday signing is a first for the location. Midtown Comics store owner Gahl Buslov is excited about the event: “We may see a bigger turnout than expected because this group can now attend a signing that normally they weren’t able to attend. It’s something we’ve wanted to try for a while. Now that we have a big enough name, we are expecting fans and weekend tourists in the store”.

Chosen is being released as a trade paperback by Dark Horse in October. Midtown Comics, Times Square is located at 200 West 40th Street, New York.

BALTIMORE COMIC-CON SEES ATTENDANCE DOUBLE

2005-09-24T11:29:00.000-04:00

press release:

Baltimore Comic-Con Shines with Stars, Raises $$$ for Actor, CBLDF, Katrina

Fans and Pros Cheer 6th Annual Con in Charm City as Attendance Doubles

"I didn't know this was such a big show!"-- This was the statement of one attendee at the jam packed Baltimore Comic-Con last weekend, as DC , Image, IDW, and a slew of mainstream and independent creators, hit the scene in the Baltimore Convention Center. Golden-, Silver-, and modern age retailers were also well represented, and a coty of Superman #1 was sold during the weekend's festivities. To many in attendance, Baltimore was noted as one of the "...few great comic shows still about comics."

Marv Wolfman, Erik Larsen, Walter & Louise Simonson, Frank Cho, Howard Charkin, Mike Wieringo, Robert Kirkman, and local boy Frank Cho were all on hand, meeting fans, signing comics, and doing sketches. All-Star Wrestler-turned comics author Mick Foley was a big draw to the show, promoting his series of childdren's books with artist Jill Thompson. Rob Liefeld was also in attendance, making his first East Coast appearance in nine years, and thousands flocked his table for him to sign issues of "Teen Titans" #27, given out in the thousands by organizer Marc Nathan. Liefeld, like many of the exhibitors at the show, was impressed with the fun, comics-centric feel of the convention, proclaiming, "I'm digging this show!"

Other creators, including Howard Porter, Ron Garney, Mike Manley, Joseph Michael Linsner, Jim Starlin, and JG Jones, were equally pleased with the throes of fans visiting their booths, many to get autographs for "Drawing Strength," a Katrina benefit sketchbook they contributed art for (and for the auction during the show) produced by Sky-Dog Press specifically for the Baltimore Comic-Con, raising over $4000 for Habitat For Humanity. Across the aisle, special guest John Romita raised thousands for ACTOR, by auctioning custom sketches, helping to raise upwards of $9000., and CBLDF Executive Director Charles Brownstein also mentioned a healthy contribution total, including a $4000 check from one publisher.

Programming was packed, as Adam Hughes, Phil Noto, Matt Wagner and others discussed comics cover creation, show favorite Mike Wieringo, Cho and special guest Wolfman discussed the current and past Spider-Man series, and Dan DiDio gave a bit of Crisis Counseling, explaining the current Earth shattering events in the DC Universe. Other panels included inking greats Dick Ayers, Terry Austin and Jimmy Palmiotti discussing embellishing, and decidedly all-ages creators John Gallagher and Rich faber moderated panels regarding Kids Comics, including a How-To Create Comics forum, with many kids and teenagers on hand, drawing their own mini comics, and learning the secrets of fun comics form the likes of Todd Dezago, Louise Simonson, Jimmy Gownley, and Andy Runton.

Regarding attendance, convention organizer Marc Nathan estimated a doubling from last year, without getting too specific. "I don't want to get into the new math that conventions seem to be using in determining numbers lately," stated a very happy Nathan, "but I will say, based upon how packed the show was, and retailer response on both Saturday and Sunday, I am very grateful to have had such great guests to help double attendance at the Baltimore Comic-Con--we could not do it without them."

Nathan was happy to announce September 9-10, 2006, as the date for NEXT YEAR's Baltimore Comic-Con. What does he have planned to top 2005? "Whatever it is," Nathan said, "...it will be all about COMICS."

SUPERGIRL #1 3RD PRINTING/NEW RETRO COVER

2005-09-22T19:00:00.000-04:00

press release:

With the second printing of SUPERGIRL #1 sold out at DC Comics a week before arriving in stores on September 8, DC sends this debut issue back to press for a third printing!

SUPERGIRL #1 Third Printing (JUL058321) is written by Jeph Loeb, with art by Ian Churchill & Norm Rapmund. Due to arrive in stores on September 28, this new printing features a new cover by Churchill, inspired by the classic cover of ADVENTURE COMICS #252.

"What the heck is going on?!” asks Loeb. “Supergirl, Power Girl, Wonder Woman are all in hot books! You'd think that suddenly the world woke up to fact that the DCU has strong, clever and often funny women who can drive the marketplace — and how great is that?! I’m very lucky to be working with such an extraordinary team: Ian Churchill, Mike Turner, Norm Rapmund, Peter Steigerwald and the fantastic Aspen color team and of course, my good luck charm, Richard Starkings. Big kisses to [Group Editor] Eddie Berganza and [Associate Editor] Jeanine Schaefer, too!”

Loeb adds, “Ian did this particular cover out of love for the original Supergirl and we wanted something that said thank you to all those fans who from 1958 until 2005 have stayed loyal to the character of Kara Zor-El. Personally, I think she's the coolest thing out there!"

“We’re happy to make this issue available once again, as demand for it is still strong,” says Bob Wayne, DC’s VP — Sales. “Retailers should place their orders for the third printing soon to avoid missing out.”

The SUPERGIRL #1 Third Printing (JUL058321) is available for order now and is scheduled to arrive in stores on September 28 with a cover price of $2.99 U.S. To ensure delivery on that date retailers must place orders by Sunday, September 18; please note that quantities will be limited and may sell out before September 18.

Retailers may order the issue by contacting their Diamond Customer Service Representative or DC Sales Representative, or by email at reorders@diamondcomics.com.

Upcoming issues of SUPERGIRL are available as follows:

· SUPERGIRL #2 (JUL050209) is available for advance reorder and is scheduled to arrive in stores on September 21. This issue features covers by Ian Churchill & Norm Rapmund and Michael Turner.

· SUPERGIRL #3 (AUG050199) is solicited in the August Previews (Volume XV #8) and is scheduled to arrive in stores on October 12. This issue features covers by Ian Churchill & Norm Rapmund and Michael Turner.

· SUPERGIRL #4 (SEPO50223) is solicited in the September Previews (Volume XV #9) and is scheduled to arrive in stores on November 16.

· Also available for advance reorder is the SUPERMAN/BATMAN: SUPERGIRL TP (JUL058029). This title collects SUPERMAN/BATMAN #8-13, the story that introduced the new Girl of Steel!

BONE PC GAME AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD NOW

2005-09-22T18:16:00.000-04:00

Telltale, Inc. is pleased to announce the immediate availability of its first interactive tale based on “Out from Boneville,” from Jeff Smith’s acclaimed Bone series. Visitors to the Telltale website can also download a free demo version of the game.

Telltale, an emerging pioneer in interactive adventures and entertainment, is making this title available through its direct-to-consumer Telltale Now™ channel, for downloading titles over the Internet. This can be accessed at the bone.telltalegames.com URL.

The Bone adventures begin with three cousins – Fone Bone, Phoney Bone and Smiley Bone – who become separated in a vast, uncharted desert. One by one, they find their way into a deep, forested valley filled with wonderful and terrifying creatures and new mysteries that await them.

Hailed by reviewers and educators alike as engaging for all ages, the Bone books have become the anchor for a series of graphic novels from Scholastic’s new Graphix imprint.

“I’ve worked very closely with Telltale as they’ve been developing this title and have been very impressed,” says Jeff Smith, creator of Bone.

“They’ve done an amazing job capturing the essence of my story and adapting it for a new medium – with great animation, voices, and fun puzzles and games worked into the story in a very natural way.”

“We’re finding that Bone plays really well as an interactive tale,” says Dan Connors, CEO of Telltale. “It has terrific characters, an interesting setting and a story that hits on many different levels. It has something for everyone, with an approachable narrative for kids; fun mini-games and puzzles; and deeper elements for fans of classic adventures and epic sagas.”

Telltale has created innovative tools, designed specifically for rapid development of high quality, space-efficient titles for digital distribution. With this approach, Telltale has the ability to publish new Bone episodes regularly, with the next one scheduled for early 2006.

Those interested in Telltale’s “Out from Boneville” can download a free demo from bone.telltalegames.com and other popular download sites. They can un-lock the full story for $19.99 without any additional downloads.

Parts Unknown Comicon Oct 8th/9th In Greensboro, NC

2005-09-22T17:38:00.000-04:00

press release:

Parts Unknown: The Comic Book Store is pleased to announce the main guests at its 4th annual Comicon, October 8–9, 2005, at the Joseph Koury Convention Center at Four Seasons, I-40 Exit 217, Greensboro, NC.

Special guests attending the show will be award-wining artist Bernie Wrightson and award-winning science fiction/fantasy writer Orson Scott Card.

Bernie Wrightson, known as the Master of the Macabre, is the co-creator of Swamp Thing. The 30-year comics veteran is considered the top Frankenstein artist. Bernie’s other credits include work on such comics as The Punisher, Toe Tags and Batman: The Cult. He will be appearing both days at the convention.

Orson Scott Card is a science fiction/fantasy writer who has captured Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy awards. The Greensboro resident’s credits include his brand-new novel “Magic Street” as well as “Ender’s Game,” “Lost Boys” and “Speaker For the Dead.” Card has made the leap into comics as the writer on the miniseries Ultimate Iron Man for Marvel Comics. He will appear at the convention from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturday, October 8 only.

Other guests include:
Mike Wieringo: Fan-favorite artist on such books as the upcoming monthly comic Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man with writer Peter David, Fantastic Four, The Flash, Robin, and many more.

Tommy Lee Edwards: Tommy is an up-and-coming artist whose work includes The Question, Hellboy: Weird Tales, and licensing and style-guide artwork on Star Wars, Batman Begins, Men in Black 2, and Harry Potter.

George Pratt: 2003 Eisner Award Winning Artist for Best Painter. George is also known for his painting and writing. His works include the Enemy Ace: War Idyll graphic novel. He has also worked on Batman: Harvest Breed, The Haunted Tank, and Wolverine: Netsuke. And he finds the time to work into his schedule teaching at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va.

Scott Hampton: Scott is an accomplished painter whose has worked on Life Eaters, Star Trek: The Next Generation—Forgiveness, Books of Magic, and his new project with horror writer Steve Niles, Batman: Gotham County Line.

John Van Fleet: John’s resume includes Batman: The Ankh, Cast Shadows, and X-Files, as well as covers for DC Comics’ Smallville.

Randy Green: The Greensboro-area resident has been the artist on such books as New X-Men, White Queen, Witchblade, and The Dollz.

Casey Jones: Casey has penciled comic books such as Fantastic Four, Birds of Prey, and Excalibur. He also developed artwork for Disney theme parks, and has most recently illustrated covers for the Jubilee series for Marvel Comics.

For years Parts Unknown has hosted the top comic book professionals at the Piedmont Triad’s largest comic book convention. We look forward to having you run our announcement in your weekend section and on your Web page announcements.

If you need any information, would like to interview one of our guests, or perhaps cover our convention, please call John Hitchcock at 336-272-7060. Parts Unknown is located at 906 Spring Garden Street, Greensboro, NC 27403. Our Web site is www.partsunknown.net, e-mail punk906@bellsouth.net.

Infinite Crisis #3

2005-09-22T16:52:00.000-04:00

press release:

INFINITE CRISIS #3
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Phil Jimenez & Andy Lanning
Covers by Jim Lee & Sandra Hope and George Pérez

War is brought home as Wonder Woman leads the Amazons in a struggle to maintain their control of Paradise Island in the face of a full-on OMAC onslaught — just as the Spectre turns his vengeful eye toward Atlantis! And as the DCU is plunged into chaos, Batman is offered one last chance at the life he’s always wanted…but at what price? Retailers please note: This issue will ship with covers by Lee & Hope (approximately 50%) and Pérez (approximately 50%).

On sale December 14 • 3 of 7 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US

DC ANNOUNCES SUPERGIRL #2-4 MICHAEL TURNER VARIANTS

2005-08-30T12:06:00.000-04:00

press release:
DC Comics announces that superstar artist Michael Turner continues contributing to the return of the Girl of Steel with variant covers for SUPERGIRL #2-4! The covers will be shipped to retailers in a 50/50 split between Turner covers and covers by regular series artists Ian Churchill & Norm Rapmund.

"I’m just as surprised as everyone who is reading this that Michael is continuing to give our book a boost with his gorgeous covers," says writer Jeph Loeb. "DC has clearly gotten behind SUPERGIRL to create enormous excitement. Both Ian and Mike are doing dazzling things and as we all know, launching a new title is very daunting — particularly with a female lead. It’s not about sales; for me it’s never about sales. It’s about our team: myself, (Group Editor) Eddie Berganza, Ian, Mike, Norm Rapmund, Richard Starkings and the brilliance of the Aspen color crew, all working our tails off to create the best book we can. It is very, very rewarding knowing that the maximum number of new readers and longtime fans can enjoy these new adventures of the Girl of Steel!"

"The new SUPERGIRL got off to a very strong start, and having covers by Michael Turner will help maintain the series’ momentum," says Bob Wayne, DC’s VP — Sales. "Retailers should increase their orders on upcoming issues now to make sure they have enough copies for all their customers."

Upcoming issues of SUPERGIRL are available as follows:
· SUPERGIRL #2 (JUL050209) is available for advance reorder and is scheduled to arrive in stores on September 14.

· SUPERGIRL #3 (AUG050199) is solicited in the August Previews (Volume XV #8) and is scheduled to arrive in stores on October 12.

SUPERGIRL #4 will be solicited in the September Previews (Volume XV #9) for November in-store.

BRAVE NEW WORLD LOOKING FOR ULTIMATE BAT-FAN

2005-08-29T10:42:00.000-04:00

press release:
Hot on the heals of the critically acclaimed new Warner Brother’s smash hit BATMAN BEGINS, Santa Clarita’s two biggest pop culture centers BRAVE NEW WORLD COMICS and EDWARDS VALENCIA 12 CINEMA have joined forces to find the ULTIMATE BAT-FAN.

Starting this weekend at Edwards Valencia 12, fans who have been waiting in-line to see what some critics have called, "The greatest comic book movie, yet", will get the chance to register to win the Bat-Cave full of prizes provided by Warner Brothers, Brave New World, Regal Entertainment, and DC Comics. "All they’ve got to do to register," explained Atom! Freeman, proprietor of Brave New World Comics, "is to fill out our quiz of Bat-Trivia. The questions will test the Bat-Fans’ knowledge of all things Batman. Everyone who completes the Bat-Quiz is invited to ‘Win Batman Comic’s’"

WIN BATMAN’S COMICS is a gameshow style contest designed to find the Ultimate Bat-Fan. Elimination rounds will be held all day on Saturday, June 25th at Brave New World Comics (located at 23566 Lyons Ave #103 in Newhall, CA) and the winners will winners will go head-to-head with the Dark Knight himself to WIN BATMAN’S COMICS and be crowned the ULTIMATE BAT-FAN!

For more information, please contact:

Atom! Freeman
Brave New World Comics
661-259-4745
fx 661-259-0159
atom@bravenewworldcomics.com
www.bravenewworldcomics.com

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #1 SOLD OUT @ MARVEL

2005-08-28T15:31:00.000-04:00

press release:
A day after it went on sale, Ultimate Spider-Man Annual #1 has sold out at Diamond and the response to the return of Marvel Annuals has been incredible.

In a stand-alone story that ties into the monthly title, Ultimate Spider-Man Annual #1 finally reveals who will be Spider-Man’s new girlfriend. Written by monthly scribe Brian Michael Bendis with pencils by Mark Brooks, this double-sized issue is sure to have everyone talking about the new woman in Peter Parker’s life.

"Wow. Thanks so much to our loyal readers. Making a big change like this in Peter's life is a scary proposition and I can't thank everyone enough for being so open to it," says Brian Michael Bendis. "Look forward to all kinds of new story possibilities in the months ahead."

Bendis also thanked his co-creators for crafting such a memorable issue. "Mark Brooks has been on my "must-have" list for a while now. I think he's an amazing penciler and he destroyed on this comic book. Congratulations to him, award-winning colorist Dave Stewart, and the entire art team."

Every Ultimate Annual will have immediate ramifications on their monthly counterpart titles, which was the plan all along according to editor Ralph Macchio.

"We intended for the Ultimate Spider-Man—and all the Ultimate Annuals-- to continue the tradition set by their monthly counterparts: Top creators giving the readership solid stories, beautifully illustrated," says Macchio.

"It’s a tribute to writer Brian Bendis, penciler Mark Brooks and the rest of the team, that this annual has sold out," adds Macchio. "I’m so gratified Ultimate fans have rallied around this very special once-a-year event. And, of course, we’ll continue to deliver on the monthly Ultimate Spider-Man book everyone enjoys."

Annuals were once a yearly tradition for all Marvel titles and now it has made its successful return with two Ultimate Annual sellouts in as many weeks. And the Ultimate Annual action doesn’t end there as Ultimate X-Men Annual #1 and Ultimate Fantastic Four Annual #1 are all set for release over the next few weeks.
Let the Annual tradition begin!
Be sure to pick up these upcoming Ultimate Annuals:

ULTIMATE X-MEN ANNUAL #1 (JUN051988)
Written by BRIAN K. VAUGHAN
Penciled by TOM RANEY
Cover by STUART IMMONEN
48 PGS./T+ SUGGESTED FOR TEENS AND UP …$3.99
On Sale – 8/24/05

ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR ANNUAL #1 (JUN051987)
Written by MARK MILLAR
Penciled by JAE LEE
Cover by GREG LAND
48 PGS./T+ SUGGESTED FOR TEENS AND UP …$3.99
On Sale – 9/7/05

FIFTH MEMBER OF THE FANTASTIC FOUR GETS HIS OWN SPECIAL ONE-SHOT!

2005-08-20T20:25:00.000-04:00

Official Press Release

Springing from the pages of Fantastic Four and Power Pack comes Franklin Richards...in his very own one-shot special "The Fantastic Four Presents Franklin Richards: Son of a Genius."
From the creative team of Mark Sumerak and Chris Eliopoulos, The Fantastic Four Presents Franklin Richards: Son of a Genius collects the four critically acclaimed stories from the Power Pack mini-series and features guest appearances of the entire Fantastic Four.

Ain't It Cool News gushed over the original Franklin Richards stories saying, "This tiny tale is just that: a work of a genius."

This collection also contains a brand-new story that finds Franklin and his robot H.E.R.B.I.E causing wacky Halloween mischief. Its madcap trick-or-treating, fantastic-style as Franklin gears up for his greatest adventure yet: the search for more candy.

"The Fantastic Four Presents Franklin Richards: Son of a Genius" is the only place to find the entire collection of Franklin Richards stories so be sure not to miss out on this compilation of tiny, terrific tales.

It's 32 pages of all-ages fun with a little of the fantastic thrown in, courtesy of the littlest fantastic Franklin Richards.

The Fantastic Four Presents"Franklin Richards: Son Of A Genius" (JUL051878D)Written by MARC SUMERAK & CHRIS ELIOPOULOSArt by CHRIS ELIOPOULOS32 PGS./All AGES...$2.99FOC - 8/25 On Sale - 9/14/05

NEW PRINTING OF SUPERGIRL #1 FOLLOWS ONE-DAY SELLOUTS

2005-08-13T22:14:00.000-04:00

press release:

The Supergirl from Krypton is back! And after issues #1 and #0 of her hot new series both sold out within one day of reaching stores on August 10, DC Comics is rushing SUPERGIRL #1 back to press for a new printing!

SUPERGIRL #1 Second Printing (JUN058272) features a story written by Jeph Loeb and illustrated by Ian Churchill & Norm Rapmund. The new printing features a pencil version of the cover by Michael Turner!

"I couldn’t be happier for the team, but mostly for Supergirl herself," says Loeb. "I’ve said before that a good idea is a good idea - and SUPERGIRL is a great idea. Our hope is that readers and retailers will take the time to get to know her, just like the heroes and villains in the DCU are doing in the story. Thanks again to all the new readers and the Supergirl fans who are supporting her new adventures!"

"We’ve thrilled at the strong response SUPERGIRL has gotten from readers and retailers," says Bob Wayne, DC’s VP - Sales. "Now’s the time for retailers to order the second printing of issue #1, as well as increasing orders on the other issues."

SUPERGIRL #1 Second Printing (JUN058272) is available for order now and is scheduled to arrive in stores on September 7 with a cover price of $2.99 U.S. To ensure delivery on that date retailers must place orders by Sunday, August 28; please note that quantities will be limited and may sell out before August 28. DC urges retailers to place orders as soon as possible to avoid missing out.

Retailers may order the issue by contacting their Diamond Customer Service Representative or DC Sales Representative, or by email at reorders@diamondcomics.com.
Upcoming issues are available as follows:

* SUPERGIRL #2 (JUL050209) is available for advance reorder and is scheduled to arrive in stores on September 14.

* SUPERGIRL #3 (AUG050199) is solicited in the August Previews (Volume XV #8) and is scheduled to arrive in stores on October 12.

And watch for more exciting SUPERGIRL news coming soon from DC Comics!

DC COMICS PROVIDES UPDATE ON "SACRIFICE'S" NEW PRINTINGS

2005-08-13T21:56:00.000-04:00

press release:

With a new printing of WONDER WOMAN #219 - the stunning finale to the 4-part story " Sacrifice " - due to arrive in stores on August 17, DC Comics reveals the in-store dates and cover information on the new printings of SUPERMAN #219, ACTION COMICS #829 and ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #642. These issues feature the first three chapters of " Sacrifice. "
SUPERMAN #219 Second Printing, ACTION COMICS #829 Second Printing and ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #642 are scheduled to arrive in stores on August 31. Each features its original cover illustration, recolored in red tones.
All four new printings of the "Sacrifice" storyline may be ordered as follows:

* SUPERMAN #219 (JUN058177) is available for order now and is scheduled to arrive in stores on August 31.

* ACTION COMICS #829 (JUN058175) is available for order now and is scheduled to arrive in stores on August 31.

* ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #642 (JUN058176) is available for order now and is scheduled to arrive in stores on August 31.

* WONDER WOMAN #219 (JUN058155) features a new cover by Ladrönn. It is available for advance reorder and is scheduled to arrive in stores on August 17.

To ensure delivery of SUPERMAN #219, ACTION COMICS #829 and ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #642 on August 31, retailers must place orders by Sunday, August 21; please note that quantities will be limited and may sell out before August 31. DC urges retailers to place orders as soon as possible to avoid missing out.

Retailers may order these issues by contacting their Diamond Customer Service Representative or DC Sales Representative, or by email at reorders@diamondcomics.com

Superheroes Used To Save Energy

2005-07-19T23:02:00.000-04:00

press release:
As Super Heroes capture the attention of moviegoers (Batman and Fantastic Four), gamers, and comic book fans and their growing legions on the Web, a "secret" research laboratory is also captivated by such Super Hero heroics.

The Alliance to Save Energy reveals that it has learned of top-secret experiments on Super Heroes to test their energy-saving Super Powers as the nation battles high energy prices, galloping demand, tight supplies, increased pollution, and energy security threats.

The Alliance's discovery occurred as the nonprofit international energy- efficiency organization was producing its new Super Powers TV, radio, and web campaign, reports Alliance Director of Communications and Marketing Rozanne Weissman.

"We were just doing some web searches, typed in http://www.projectsuperpowers.com, and seemed to enter a research laboratory site for a place we never heard of -- USUM, the abbreviation for Unit of Superhero Utilization Management," reports John Bell, senior vice president of Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, the Alliance's agency for the Super Powers campaign.

The microsite features research experiments with four Super Heroes -- Louise, better known as "StarBright" for her capability to light up a room without electricity, Gene - "RayBeam," who cooks with his super heat vision, Edith - "StormGirl," and Daryll - "ForceField Boy," -- with video or audio of those experiments, an analysis of the results, and an interactive component.

Clearly frustrated, scientists are noting on all the energy-saving experiments which have gone awry: "There must be a better way."

They are asking for HELP on the interactive web site: What Super Heroes might be tested and for what energy-saving Super Powers?

The Alliance to Save Energy is a coalition of prominent business, government, environmental, and consumer leaders who promote the efficient and clean use of energy worldwide to benefit consumers, the environment, economy, and national security.

Marvel's Moon Knight Press Release

2005-07-19T18:01:00.000-04:00

press release:

Moon Knight, the dark and mysterious Super Hero first introduced by Marvel in Werewolf by Night #32 in 1975, will be reintroduced in February 2006 in a spectacular new series by acclaimed author, Charlie Huston, best known for Caught Stealing and Bad Things in his Hank Thompson trilogy, and the highly anticipated vampire novel, Already Dead.

Huston, an avid comic book reader growing up with a penchant for darker material, will create a six-issue limited series entitled Moon Knight: The Bottom. The initial storyline centers on Marc Spector facing the idea that his time as a hero may be up. His knees are hamburger, his personal relationships are self-inflicted wreckage, and his god has abandoned him. But Moon Knight soon realizes he has a lot of unfinished business. Someone is gonna get their teeth kicked in.

Top 10 Artist David Finch, who helped catapult the New Avengers into the top spot of the sales chart since its debut, will illustrate the series! A member of Marvel’s “Young Guns,” Finch is one of the most sought-after artists in the market today, and working on Moon Knight is a dream come true for him.

“Moon Knight is a true cult favorite among Marvel fans,” said Joe Quesada, Editor-in-Chief of Marvel Comics. “We are thrilled to reintroduce the series into the Marvel Universe. With Charlie’s powerful storytelling and love of the original story, the new run not only will entertain long time Moon Knight fans, but also create a whole new audience of comic book readers.”

Charlie Huston added, “I’ve always been a huge fan of Doug Moench’s original Moon Knight series. His dark themes tackled complicated issues and served up moral quandaries for the men and women in tights. I don’t think it can be done any better than it was by Moench, but I will certainly try to do Moon Knight justice. One thing I will promise fans – it will be dark!”

Moon Knight has been one of the Marvel Universe’s most unique heroes. Faced with certain death, the mercenary Marc Spector collapsed before a statue of the Egyptian moon god, Khonshu. In exchange for saving his life, Khonshu conscripted Spector as his instrument of vengeance on Earth. As Moon Knight, Spector employs multiple personalities and a violent, sometimes deadly, brand of vigilante justice in the darkest corners of New York City.

Marvel EIC Joe Quesada Signs New Multi-Year Contract Renewal

2005-07-19T15:55:00.000-04:00

press release:
Quesada To Also Assume The Role Of Chief Creative Officer, Publishing

New York, NY, July 19 – Marvel Enterprises, Inc. announced today that it has extended its contract agreement with Joe Quesada, Editor-In-Chief of the company’s Marvel Comics division. As part of the new deal, Mr. Quesada will also take on the added role as the Chief Creative Officer, Publishing.

Widely considered one of the comic book industry’s most recognizable and acclaimed talents, Mr. Quesada has helped spearhead a new golden age for Marvel Comics and solidified its leadership position in the comic book arena. "I’m thrilled to have Joe as a partner in this resurgence of interest in the comic book market," says Dan Buckley, COO and Publisher of Marvel. "Joe has been invaluable in taking Marvel Comics into new and inventive creative directions, and the fans are responding to that. Thanks in part to his efforts, Marvel Comics has seen four straight years of revenue growth."

During Mr. Quesada’s tenure, Marvel Comics has experienced a revitalization of the company’s most-renowned comic franchises, and has also attracted the best and brightest writers and illustrators from all fields including the literary, film, television and – of course- comic books.

"Over the next couple of years, my ultimate goals will remain further growing Marvel Comics’ leadership position and expanding our mainstream presence. I want comics to have the same consumer prominence as movies, TV and novels and in doing so continue to grow Marvel Comics as among America’s premiere storytellers," said Mr. Quesada. "The success we have had is truly a team effort. The company’s senior management, including Avi Arad and Alan Fine, has provided me and our publisher Dan Buckley with the opportunity to build Marvel Comics into more than just a comic book publisher. With their continued support, and the hard working editors, creators and staff, I am confident that Marvel Comics will continue to flourish as one of the most innovative and exciting literary outlets."

About Marvel Enterprises
With a library of over 5,000 characters, Marvel Enterprises, Inc. is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies. Marvel's operations are focused in three areas: licensing and entertainment (Marvel Studios), comic book publishing and toys. Marvel facilitates the creation of entertainment projects, including feature films, DVD/home video, video games and television programming based on its characters and also licenses its characters for use in a wide range of consumer products and services including apparel, collectibles, snack foods and promotions. Marvel's characters and plot lines are created by its publishing segment that continues to expand its leadership position in the U.S. and worldwide while also serving as an invaluable source of intellectual property.

2005 EISNER AWARD WINNERS

2005-07-19T14:58:00.000-04:00

press release:
Spirit of Will Eisner Lives on at Eisner Awards

The 17th Annual Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards were bestowed on Friday July 15 in a gala ceremony in the ballroom at the San Diego Convention Center. The awards event was dedicated to Eisner, who died in January. His presence was felt throughout the evening, as presenter after presenter shared thoughts about the late comics giant. The ceremony was preceded by a slide show of Eisner’s career and a video with taped tributes from many creators who couldn’t attend, including Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, and Dave Sim. Will’s widow, Ann, appeared briefly on stage to welcome everyone.

The Eisner award winners were spread out among a variety of creators and titles, with only a few projects winning two trophies. The multiple winners were Kyle Baker and Plastic Man (Best Writer/Artist Humor; Best Publication for a Younger Audience), Eric Powell and The Goon (Best Humor Publication, Best Continuing Series), Brian K. Vaughan and Ex Machina (Best Writer, Best New Series), Fables (Best Serialized Story, Best Cover Artist for James Jean), and The Complete Peanuts (Best Archival Project, Best Publication Design).

Dave Gibbons’s The Originals (Vertigo) took the Best Graphic Album–New category, while Jeff Smith’s massive Bone One Volume Edition was named Best Graphic Album–Reprint. The Best Single Issue award went to Dan Clowes’ Eightball #23, following in the footsteps of the 2002 win for Eightball #22. Similarly, Osamu Tezuka’s Buddha vols. 3-4 was awarded Best U.S. Edition of Foreign Material, the category won by vols. 1-2 last year.

Comic Book Artist won the Best Comics-Related Periodical for the fourth time, while the Best Comics-Related Book award went to Gerard Jones’s Men of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters, and the Birth of the Comic Book. The first winner of the award for Best Digital Comic was Brian Fies for the autobiographical "Mom’s Cancer," and many members of his family were on hand to see him accept. Writer Sean McKeever (A Waiting Place, Mary Jane) took home the trophy for Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition.

Among publishers, DC Comics and its imprints had seven (plus five shared) winners, led by Plastic Man, Ex Machina, and Fables. The Best Penciller/Inker category was a tie between two DC artists: John Cassaday (WildStorm’s Planetary, along with Astonishing X-Men for Marvel) and Frank Quitely (Vertigo’s WE3). DC creators also took home the honors for Best Painter (Teddy Kristiansen for the graphic novel It’s a Bird . . .) and portions of Best Coloring (Dave Stewart) and Best Lettering (Todd Klein—his 12th win in the category). The Best Limited Series award went to Darwyn Cooke’s popular DC: The New Frontier.

Dark Horse can claim five winners along with shares of two others. Besides Powell’s The Goon, Dark Horse winners included Best Anthology (Michael Chabon’sThe Amazing Adventures of the Escapist), Best Writer/Artist (Paul Chadwick for Concrete: The Human Dilemma), and Best Short Story (Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson’s "Unfamiliar").

The Peanuts and Eightball wins gave Fantagraphics three awards. Marvel shared in three awards (Penciller/Inker, Lettering, Coloring), but no other publisher had more than one winner.
Sergio Aragonés presented the Hall of Fame Awards. The judges’ choice awards went to the Golden Age artist Lou Fine and to the Asterix team of René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo. The four elected inductees were Johnny Craig, Hugo Pratt, Nick Cardy, and Gene Colan. Both Cardy and Colan were present to accept their trophies. Adele Kurtzman accepted for Craig.

Besides Aragonés, Eisner presenters included Denis Kitchen, Jill Thompson, Scott McCloud, Joss Whedon, Michael Uslan, Michael Chabon, Pia Guerra, Dave Gibbons, and Jeff Smith. All made introductory comments about Will Eisner, from amusing anecdotes to heartfelt gratitude.
Among the other awards given out over the evening were the Comic-Con’s Clampett and Manning awards. The Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award, presented by Bob’s daughter Ruth, went to George Pérez for his donation of artwork to raise money for several charities, especially A.C.T.O.R. The Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award went to Chris Bailey, writer/artist of the all-ages title Major Damage, published by Sky Dog Press.

New this year was the Bill Finger Award for Excellence in Comic Book Writing. The chair of the awards jury, Jerry Robinson, presented the first Bill Finger Awards to Jerry Siegel (accepted by his widow, Joanne) and to Arnold Drake, who roused the crowd with a hilarious a caeplla song about the San Diego Comic-Con.

The Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailing Award was presented by Joe Ferrara. This year’s winner was Night Flight Comics of Salt Lake City, owned by Mimi Cruz and Alan Carroll. CBLDF board member Greg Ketter presented the Fund’s Defender of Freedom Award to Denis Kitchen, founder of the Fund, who spoke about the fact that 20 years after its inception the Fund is needed more than ever.

The major sponsor for the 2005 Eisner Awards is mycomicsshop.com. The principal sponsors are Century Guild, Diamond Comic Distributors, Gentle Giant, Isotope, and Odd Lott. Supporting sponsors include Alternate Reality Comics (Las Vegas), Atlantis Fantasyworld (Santa Cruz, CA), Comic Relief—The Comic Bookstore (Berkeley, CA), comicsunlimited.com, Flying Colors Comics & Other Cool Stuff (Concord, CA), Quebecor Printing, and Star*Reach. Ballots were tabulated by Mel Thompson and Associates.

Following is a complete list of the 2005 award winners. More information on the awards can be found at www.comic-con.org.
Winners, 2005 Eisner Awards:

Best Short Story: ""Unfamiliar," by Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson, in The Dark Horse Book of Witchcraft (Dark Horse Books)

Best Single Issue (or One-Shot): Eightball #23: "The Death Ray," by Dan Clowes (Fantagraphics)

Best Serialized Story: Fables #19-27: "March of the Wooden Soldiers," by Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham, and Steve Leialoha (Vertigo/DC)

Best Continuing Series:The Goon, by Eric Powell (Dark Horse)

Best Limited Series: DC: The New Frontier, by Darwyn Cooke (DC)

Best New Series: Ex Machina, by Brian K. Vaughan, Tony Harris, and Tom Fesiter (WildStorm/DC)

Best Publication for a Younger Audience: Plastic Man, by Kyle Baker and Scott Morse (DC)

Best Humor Publication: The Goon, by Eric Powell (Dark Horse)

Best Anthology: Michael Chabon Presents The Amazing Adventures of the Escapist, edited by Diana Schutz and David Land (Dark Horse)

Best Digital Comic: Mom's Cancer, by Brian Fies

Best Graphic Album—New: The Originals, by Dave Gibbons (Vertigo/DC)

Best Graphic Album—Reprint: Bone One Volume Edition, by Jeff Smith (Cartoon Books)

Best Archival Collection/Project: The Complete Peanuts, edited by Gary Groth (Fantagraphics)

Best U.S. Edition of Foreign Material: Buddha, vols. 3-4 by Osamu Tezuka (Vertical)

Best Writer: Brian K. Vaughan, Y: The Last Man (Vertigo/DC); Ex Machina (WildStorm/DC); Runaways (Marvel)

Best Writer/Artist: Paul Chadwick, Concrete: The Human Dilemma (Dark Horse)

Best Writer/Artist—Humor: Kyle Baker, Plastic Man (DC); Kyle Baker, Cartoonist (Kyle Baker Publishing)

Best Penciller/Inker (tie): John Cassaday, Astonishing X-Men (Marvel); Planetary (WildStorm/DC); I Am Legion: The Dancing Faun (Humanoids/DC); Frank Quitely, WE3 (Vertigo/DC)

Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (interior art): Teddy Kristiansen, It’s a Bird . . . (Vertigo/DC)
Best Coloring: Dave Stewart, Daredevil, Ultimate X-Men, Ultimate Six, Captain America (Marvel); Conan, BPRD (Dark Horse); 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)

Best Cover Artist: James Jean, Fables (Vertigo/DC); Green Arrow, Batgirl (DC)
Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition: Sean McKeever (A Waiting Place; Mary Jane; Inhumans; Sentinels)

Best Comics-Related Periodical: Comic Book Artist, edited by Jon B. Cooke (Top Shelf)

Best Comics-Related Book: Men of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters, and the Birth of the Comic Book, by Gerard Jones (Basic Books)

Best Publication Design: The Complete Peanuts, designed by Seth (Fantagraphics)

Hall of Fame: Judges’ choices: Lou Fine; René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo; Voters’ choices: Nick Cardy, Gene Colan, Johnny Craig, Hugo Pratt

Other awards presented:

Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award: George Pérez

Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award: Chris Bailey (Major Damage)

Bill Finger Excellence in Comic Writing Award: Jerry Siegel, Arnold Drake

Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailing Award: Night Flight Comics, Salt Lake City; Mimi Cruz and Alan Carroil, owners

CBLDF Defender of Liberty Award: Denis Kitchen

Millar & Dodson Team Up With Electronic Arts

2005-07-18T16:58:00.000-04:00

press release:
EA’s Super Hero Fighting Videogame to Feature Character Back-story Written by Millar and Artwork by Dodson

At Comic-con 2005, Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) announced today that acclaimed comic writer, Mark Millar, and artist, Terry Dodson, will be joining the roster of top comic book talent, including Jae Lee, on the development of Marvel Nemesis™: Rise of the Imperfects™.

Set to release this fall, the game features multiple Super Heroes™ from the Marvel Universe as well as a new set of characters created by EA called, “The Imperfects™.” Millar’s past works include the hit Marvel Comics’ series, Ultimate X-Men, The Ultimates, and Ultimate Fantastic Four, the highest-selling comic launches in the year they were released. He is also currently working on two major screenplays. EA is working closely with Millar to create the back-stories for the new family of Super Heroes as well as the story-line for the single player mode in the game. “It’s been an incredible experience to see this new family of Super Heroes come to life from initial stages of character development to the videogame screen,” said Millar.

“Videogames are not all about mashing buttons anymore; they’re filled with intriguing stories and memorable characters. I’m thrilled to be a part of this project.” Dodson’s credits include Marvel’s X-Force, House of M and Marvel Knights Spider-Man. Exclusive to the PSP version of Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects, Dodson has helped with the character concept designs of the Marvel Super Heroes appearing in the game including Spider-Man, Wolverine and Captain America. Captain America will be an exclusive character only available for the PSP.

Dodson is also working on the front-end interface for the PSP version. Jae Lee is lending his artistic talents on Marvel character concept designs and the game interface for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Xbox® videogame system from Microsoft and Nintendo GameCube™ versions. Lee has illustrated high-profile comic titles including Spider-Man, Uncanny X-men, and X-Factor.

Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects is being produced at EA Canada and developed by Nihilistic Software. For more information on the game, please visit: www.marvelnemesis.ea.com. Screenshots can be found at http://info.ea.com.

DC COMICS SENDS THE OMAC PROJECT #2 BACK TO PRESS

2005-06-07T16:20:00.000-04:00

Joining the growing list of INFINITE CRISIS-related projects to go back to press, THE OMAC PROJECT #2 has sold out at DC Comics and will go back to press for a new printing. The issue sold out twelve days before arriving in stores on May 25.THE OMAC PROJECT #2 Second Printing reprints the story by Greg Rucka with art by Jesus Saiz. The new printing features a variant version of the original cover by Ladrönn, with Batman, Sasha Bordeaux and an Omac on the viewscreen.

"I didn't expect this project to be so big," says Saiz. "I only knew the script was very exciting, and I'm glad the readers agree! Thanks to (VP — Executive Editor, DCU) Dan DiDio, (Editor) Joan Hilty, (Assistant Editor) Rachel Gluckstern, Greg and the whole DC crew for giving me the chance to be part of such a project, and of course, to all the readers for supporting it so much. We are nothing without you."

"With reader enthusiasm for THE OMAC PROJECT continuing to grow, we're happy to offer new printing," says Bob Wayne, DC's VP — Sales. "We suggest retailers order this printing now, as well as increasing their orders on upcoming issues."

As always, check out THE OMAC PROJECT minisite here. Click here for the bigger image.

ALAN DAVIS ON FANTASTIC FOUR

2005-05-25T23:36:00.000-04:00

press release:
THE MARVEL UNIVERSE IS HIS PLAYGROUND! ARTIST ALAN DAVIS SWITCHES GEARS & BRINGS HIS UNCANNY TALENTS TO A FANTASTIC FOUR LIMITED SERIES!

There’s good news and there’s bad news: the bad news is that super-star artist Alan Davis is leaving UNCANNY X-MEN…the good news is that he’s sealing the fates of the Fantastic Four instead!

Heading into a new, shiny future means leaving the group of heroes Davis has enjoyed working with so thoroughly, fan-favorites The X-Men. Alas, the artist puts his patented bright face on the whys and wherefores of the move. “I was playing Scrabble with my Uncle Xander when his pet hamster leapt onto the board and kicked the tiles around. It was weird . . . the letters were rearranged and spelt out 'UNC X QUIT NOW'.

Well, Uncle Xander's pretty self-centered so thought the hamster intended the message for him but I knew it was for me... And you just can't ignore that kind of advice from a literate hamster.”

What is that shiny future, though? What could Alan Davis do to top Wolverine, Cyclops, & Co.? “FANTASTIC FOUR: THE END. Nuff said,” he reports, with appropriate finality. “I'm pretty damn excited about getting to draw the FF again.”Davis is no stranger to dynamic projects in the larger-than-life super-heroic world, having kept up an incredible artistic pace through his professional career, beginning in 1981 with the famous “Marvel UK” imprint of the House of Ideas. He has since gone on to explore every single corner of the Marvel stable of characters and he has gathered a résumé to make others in the comic field green with envy. Davis’ past projects include NEW MUTANTS, EXCALIBUR, UNCANNY X-MEN, CLANDESTINE, FANTASTIC FOUR, AVENGERS, and the adjective-less X-MEN.“Alan Davis has worked on the entire freakin’ Marvel U!” quips Marvel Editor-In-Chief Joe Quesada. “He’s probably drawn every single one of our characters, from Ant-Man to Zemo and all parts in-between! Figured he liked us so much we better keep him around, keep him off the streets, livin’ clean, working on our premier heroes, the FF, and give somebody else a chance to draw UNCANNY…now if we could only get Alan to stop talking so funny!”

He may talk “funny” but British Isles-born Davis is also characteristically humble about his past work in the four-color medium. “There are odd pages, covers, sequences of storytelling but I've never been totally happy with anything I have worked on. I always hope the next job will be better.”

His inspirations in terms of themes and creators are also incredibly varied. “My favourite character(s) is(are) usually the one(s) I'm working on, having said that, I do have a preference for certain visual incarnations or versions of characters. Jack Kirby's Fantastic Four, Wally Wood or Gene Colan's Daredevil, Gil Kane's Spider-Man, George Tuska's Iron Man, Barry Smith's Conan, John Buscema's Thor, Avengers and Silver Surfer, Neal Adams’ Inhumans and early X-Men and John Byrne on too much to mention.”When asked what being exclusive with industry-leader Marvel Comics means to him, prolific penciller Alan Davis doesn’t mince words: “Regular work in an uncertain world,” sayeth he. All the latest on Alan Davis’ new good works and other upcoming Marvel Comics projects can always be found at www.Marvel.Com .

With a library of over 5,000 proprietary characters, Marvel Enterprises, Inc. is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies. Marvel's operations are focused in four areas: entertainment (Marvel Studios), licensing, comic book publishing and toys (Toy Biz). Marvel facilitates the creation of entertainment projects, including feature films, DVD/home video, video games and television based on its characters and also licenses its characters for use in a wide range of consumer products and services including apparel, collectibles, snack foods and promotions. Marvel's characters and plot lines are created by its comic book division which continues to expand its l

VAN SCIVER & FFF RAISE $ for MAKE-A-WISH

2005-05-25T23:29:00.000-04:00

press release:
Ethan Van Sciver And Famous Faces & Funnies Raise $550 For Make-A-Wish Foundation

On Saturday, May 21, Ethan Van Sciver showed up at Famous Faces & Funnies in Melbourne, Florida to sign comic books and sketch for his fans. He was kind enough to donate an amazing piece of art featuring Hal Jordan that FFF sold raffle tickets for. All the money from the raffle as well as one dollar from each Green Lantern Rebirth # 6 and Green Lantern Secret Files we sold this month is going to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Together we were able to raise $550 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Please check out www.Wish.org for more info. Thanks to all our customers who stopped by and made the generous donations and thanks again to Ethan Van Sciver for going above and beyond our expectations.

Rick Shea
Famous Faces & Funnies
Melbourne, FL

ALAN MOORE MOVES LEAGUE TO TOP SHELF

2005-05-25T23:26:00.000-04:00

press release:
Lying In The Gutters Returns As Comic Book Journalism With Major Alan Moore News For years, Rich Johnston of Lying In The Gutters has claimed he was a rumour columnist, not a journalist.

But after the birth of his firstchild, he's changed his mind.

For six weeks he's running Lying In The Gutters (http://litg.comicbookresources.com) as a piece of comic book journalism before allowing readers to vote on its future.

And in his first column, he reports:

Alan Moore dissassociating himself from the V For Vendetta movie Moore pulling League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen from DC to Top Shelf/Knockabout Alan Moore's new novel, JerusalemAlan Moore and Melina Gebbie's engagement

Oh, and the creative team on IDW's Transformers series.

Rich Johnston intends to continue LITG in this style as long as his readers let him...

NAVARRE ACQUIRES FUNimation

2005-05-14T19:37:00.000-04:00

press release:

NAVARRE CORPORATION ACQUIRES FUNIMATION, AND PROVIDES FINANCIAL UPDATE AND GUIDANCE

MINNEAPOLIS, MN -May 11, 2005 - Navarre Corporation, a leading publisher and distributor of a broad range of home entertainment and multimedia software products, today announced that it has acquired all general and limited partnership interests in FUNimation Productions, Ltd. and The FUNimation Store, Ltd.

FUNimation, based in Fort Worth, Texas, is recognized as a leading licensor and home video distributor of Japanese animation and entertainment for children and young adults. FUNimation titles include Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, Yu Yu Hakusho, Case Closed and Fullmetal Alchemist. FUNimation has enjoyed broadcast success with 15 titles currently airing on networks including Cartoon Network, Disney Channel, Nickelodeon and PBS Kids. FUNimation leverages its proprietary licensed content into various revenue streams including television broadcast, DVD home video, toys, video games, and trading cards. In addition to the home video distribution and third-party licensing, FUNimation also engages in third-party marketing, sales and distribution agreements with content providers, including 4Kids Entertainment Inc., Nelvana, Alliance Atlantis, Chorion, WGBH, Cookie Jar Group, Porchlight Entertainment and Mainframe Entertainment. Since January 1, 2005, FUNimation has signed product license agreements including Noddy, Winx, Akira Kurosawa's Samurai 7, My Dad the Rock Star, and a co-production agreement with sports icon Tony Hawk.

For the years ended December 31, 2002, 2003 and 2004, FUNimation's audited results included net sales of $63.7 million, $81.6 million and $72.4 million, respectively, and pre-tax income of $24.9 million, $30.5 million and $29.8 million, respectively.

Eric Paulson, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "The acquisition of FUNimation is an exciting transaction for everyone involved - our customers, our two companies and Navarre's shareholders. The FUNimation transaction validates Navarre's corporate strategy, which focuses on continued growth and content ownership through licensing while continuing to leverage our distribution assets." Mr. Paulson continues, "FUNimation brings a wide assortment of high profile brands, combining home video distribution with exciting broadcast and third-party licensing opportunities. Their relationships with content owners, coupled with their brand development skills provide great opportunities across our entire enterprise. Gen Fukunaga and Daniel Cocanougher, the President and Executive Vice President of FUNimation respectively, add additional depth to Navarre's overall management team and we look forward to their ongoing contribution."

Gen Fukunaga, President of FUNimation Productions Ltd stated, "We are very excited to join the Navarre family. FUNimation will benefit from Navarre's state-of-the-art retail distribution capabilities and Navarre offers FUNimation a capital structure to pursue new product opportunities and business initiatives."

Under the terms of the acquisition, Navarre acquired all general and limited partnership interests of FUNimation for approximately $100,400,000 in cash, subject to post-closing adjustments not to exceed $5.0 million, plus 1,827,486 shares of unregistered Navarre common stock, subject to certain registration rights. Additionally, the sellers could receive up to $17,000,000 in cash to be paid over five-years if FUNimation achieves certain agreed-upon financial targets during that period.

To complete the FUNimation acquisition, Navarre entered into a $165 million credit facility with GE Commercial Finance. This credit facility amends the Company's previously existing lines of credit with GE Commercial Finance. Under this credit facility the Company entered into both a six-year $140 million Term Loan B sub-facility and a five-year revolving sub-facility for up to $25 million. The credit facility is secured by a first priority security interest in substantially all of Navarre's assets. This facility is prepayable at any time, at the Company's option.
The entire $140 million of the Term Loan B sub-facility was drawn by the Company at closing to finance the initial cash portion of the FUNimation acquisition and associated expenses, with the remaining balance placed into cash reserves for general corporate purposes. The revolving sub-facility will be available to the Company for its working capital and general corporate needs and at the time of closing was undrawn.

Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. acted as financial advisor to Navarre Corporation in connection with the transaction, and A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. acted as financial advisor to FUNimation.

Fiscal Year 2005 and Fourth Quarter Financial Update
With the previously-announced agreement to purchase the remaining twenty percent (20%) ownership interest of its subsidiary Encore Software from Mike Bell, Navarre will recognize approximately $5.8 million of compensation expense in the recently completed fourth quarter of its 2005 fiscal year. In addition, Navarre will realize approximately $600,000 of expenses related to the FUNimation acquisition and an approximate $700,000 of expenses spent on preparation for Sarbanes Oxley compliance in the fourth quarter that ended March 31, 2005. Due to the above-mentioned items the Company anticipates negative earnings for the fourth quarter ended March 31, 2005. Based on preliminary figures the Company also anticipates reporting fiscal year 2005 net sales of approximately $600 million. Additionally, the Company's balance sheet as of March 31, 2005 is anticipated to show approximately $15.0 million in cash, $39.0 million in inventory, $95.0 million in net accounts receivable, $96.0 in accounts payable and that the company was operating without bank debt.

Fiscal Year 2006 Guidance
The company expects the FUNimation transaction to be accretive to its fiscal year 2006 results. FUNimation will contribute approximately 10 months worth of operations to Navarre's fiscal year 2006 consolidated financial results. With the consolidation of FUNimation, the company anticipates fiscal 2006 net sales to be between $710 million to $720 million. After anticipated costs related to the FUNimation integration the Company anticipates fiscal 2006 earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA") to be between $40 million and $45 million or $1.26 to $1.42 of EBITDA per share fully diluted.

About Navarre Corporation
Navarre Corporation (NASDAQ: NAVR) is a leading publisher and distributor of a broad range of home entertainment and multimedia products, including PC software, CD audio, DVD and VHS video, video games and accessories. Since its founding in 1983, the company has established distribution relationships with customers across a wide spectrum of retail channels which includes mass merchants, discount, wholesale club, office and music superstores, military and e-tailers nationwide. The company currently provides its products to over 18,000 retail and distribution center locations throughout the United States and Canada. Navarre has recently expanded its business to include the licensing and publishing of home entertainment and multimedia content, primarily through the acquisitions of Encore Software, Inc. and BCI Eclipse Company, LLC. For more information, please visit the company's web site at www.navarre.com

Safe Harbor
The statements in this press release that are not strictly historical are "forward looking" statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created by these sections. The forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties and the actual results that the Company achieves may differ materially from these forward-looking statements due to such risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to: the Company's revenues being derived from a small group of customers; the Company's dependence on significant vendors; the Company's dependence upon software developers and manufacturers and popularity of their products; the Company's ability to maintain and grow its exclusive distribution business through agreements with music labels; the Company's dependence upon a key employee and its Founder, namely, Eric H. Paulson, Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer; the Company's ability to attract and retain qualified management personnel; uncertain growth in the publishing segment; the acquisition strategy of the Company, including the successful integration of FUNimation, could disrupt other business segments and/or management; the seasonality and variability in the Company's business and that decreased sales during peak season could adversely affect its results of operations; the Company's ability to meet its significant working capital requirements related to distributing products and financing accounts receivable; the Company's ability to avoid excessive inventory return and obsolescence losses; the potential for inventory values to decline; the Company's credit exposure due to reseller arrangements or negative trends which could cause credit loss; the Company's ability to adequately and timely adjust cost structure for decreased demand; the Company's ability to compete effectively in distribution and publishing, which are highly competitive industries; the Company's dependence on third-party shipping of its product; the Company's dependence on information systems; technological developments, particularly in the electronic downloading arena which could adversely impact sales, margins and results of operations; increased counterfeiting or piracy which could negatively affect demand for the Company's products; the Company may not be able to protect its intellectual property; interruption of the Company's business or catastrophic loss at a facility which could curtail or shutdown its business; the potential for future terrorist activities to disrupt operations or harm assets; significant Company stock volatility; the exercise of outstanding warrants and options adversely affecting stock price; the Company's anti-takeover provision, its ability to issue preferred stock and its staggered board may discourage take-over attempts beneficial to shareholders; because the Company does not intend to pay dividends, stock appreciation may yield the only return on an investment in Company stock; and the Company's directors may not be personally liable for certain actions which may discourage shareholder suits against them. A detailed statement of risks and uncertainties is contained in the Company's reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission, including in particular the Company's Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2004. Investors and shareholders are urged to read this document carefully. Investors and shareholders are urged to read this document carefully. The Company can offer no assurances that any projections, assumptions or forecasts made or discussed in this release, "NAVARRE CORPORATION ACQUIRES FUNIMATION, AND PROVIDES FINANCIAL UPDATE AND GUIDANCE", dated May 11, 2005, will be met, and investors should understand the risks of investing solely due to such projections. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this press release.

SUPERMAN #214 SELLS OUT AT DC COMICS

2005-05-14T15:35:00.000-04:00

Continuing its run of sold-out issues, SUPERMAN #214 has sold out at DC Comics. This issue featured the suspenseful penultimate chapter of the "For Tomorrow" storyline by Brian Azzarello, Jim Lee & Scott Williams.

"Both writer Brian Azzarello and I put in a lot of the proverbial blood, sweat and tears into this project, so it's been especially gratifying to see the excitement for SUPERMAN: FOR TOMORROW build with each consecutive issue," says Lee. "Our hope has always been to challenge readers' perceptions of the Man of Steel while giving them an entertaining story, so I thank the fans and the retailers for their continued support and enthusiasm."

Check out what's happening n the superman titles here.

NAVARRE CORPORATION ACQUIRES FUNIMATION, AND PROVIDES FINANCIAL UPDATE AND GUIDANCE

2005-05-14T14:58:00.000-04:00

press release:

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - Navarre Corporation, a leading publisher and distributor of a broad range of home entertainment and multimedia software products, today announced that it has acquired all general and limited partnership interests in FUNimation Productions, Ltd. and The FUNimation Store, Ltd. FUNimation, based in Fort Worth, Texas, is recognized as a leading licensor and home video distributor of Japanese animation and entertainment for children and young adults. FUNimation titles include Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, Yu Yu Hakusho, Case Closed and Fullmetal Alchemist. FUNimation has enjoyed broadcast success with 15 titles currently airing on networks including Cartoon Network, Disney Channel, Nickelodeon and PBS Kids.

FUNimation leverages its proprietary licensed content into various revenue streams including television broadcast, DVD home video, toys, video games, and trading cards. In addition to the home video distribution and third-party licensing, FUNimation also engages in third-party marketing, sales and distribution agreements with content providers, including 4Kids Entertainment Inc., Nelvana, Alliance Atlantis, Chorion, WGBH, Cookie Jar Group, Porchlight Entertainment and Mainframe Entertainment. Since January 1, 2005, FUNimation has signed product license agreements including Noddy, Winx, Akira Kurosawa's Samurai 7, My Dad the Rock Star, and a co-production agreement with sports icon Tony Hawk.

For the years ended December 31, 2002, 2003 and 2004, FUNimation's audited results included net sales of $63.7 million, $81.6 million and $72.4 million, respectively, and pre-tax income of $24.9 million, $30.5 million and $29.8 million, respectively.
Eric Paulson, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "The acquisition of FUNimation is an exciting transaction for everyone involved - our customers, our two companies and Navarre's shareholders. The FUNimation transaction validates Navarre's corporate strategy, which focuses on continued growth and content ownership through licensing while continuing to leverage our distribution assets." Mr. Paulson continues, "FUNimation brings a wide assortment of high profile brands, combining home video distribution with exciting broadcast and third-party licensing opportunities. Their relationships with content owners, coupled with their brand development skills provide great opportunities across our entire enterprise. Gen Fukunaga and Daniel Cocanougher, the President and Executive Vice President of FUNimation respectively, add additional depth to Navarre's overall management team and we look forward to their ongoing contribution."

Gen Fukunaga, President of FUNimation Productions Ltd stated, "We are very excited to join the Navarre family. FUNimation will benefit from Navarre's state-of-the-art retail distribution capabilities and Navarre offers FUNimation a capital structure to pursue new product opportunities and business initiatives."
Under the terms of the acquisition, Navarre acquired all general and limited partnership interests of FUNimation for approximately $100,400,000 in cash, subject to post-closing adjustments not to exceed $5.0 million, plus 1,827,486 shares of unregistered Navarre common stock, subject to certain registration rights. Additionally, the sellers could receive up to $17,000,000 in cash to be paid over five-years if FUNimation achieves certain agreed-upon financial targets during that period.

To complete the FUNimation acquisition, Navarre entered into a $165 million credit facility with GE Commercial Finance. This credit facility amends the Company's previously existing lines of credit with GE Commercial Finance. Under this credit facility the Company entered into both a six-year $140 million Term Loan B sub-facility and a five-year revolving sub-facility for up to $25 million. The credit facility is secured by a first priority security interest in substantially all of Navarre's assets. This facility is prepayable at any time, at the Company's option.
The entire $140 million of the Term Loan B sub-facility was drawn by the Company at closing to finance the initial cash portion of the FUNimation acquisition and associated expenses, with the remaining balance placed into cash reserves for general corporate purposes. The revolving sub-facility will be available to the Company for its working capital and general corporate needs and at the time of closing was undrawn.
Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. acted as financial advisor to Navarre Corporation in connection with the transaction, and A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. acted as financial advisor to FUNimation.

Fiscal Year 2005 and Fourth Quarter Financial Update
With the previously-announced agreement to purchase the remaining twenty percent (20%) ownership interest of its subsidiary Encore Software from Mike Bell, Navarre will recognize approximately $5.8 million of compensation expense in the recently completed fourth quarter of its 2005 fiscal year. In addition, Navarre will realize approximately $600,000 of expenses related to the FUNimation acquisition and an approximate $700,000 of expenses spent on preparation for Sarbanes Oxley compliance in the fourth quarter that ended March 31, 2005. Due to the above-mentioned items the Company anticipates negative earnings for the fourth quarter ended March 31, 2005. Based on preliminary figures the Company also anticipates reporting fiscal year 2005 net sales of approximately $600 million. Additionally, the Company's balance sheet as of March 31, 2005 is anticipated to show approximately $15.0 million in cash, $39.0 million in inventory, $95.0 million in net accounts receivable, $96.0 in accounts payable and that the company was operating without bank debt.

Fiscal Year 2006 Guidance
The company expects the FUNimation transaction to be accretive to its fiscal year 2006 results. FUNimation will contribute approximately 10 months worth of operations to Navarre's fiscal year 2006 consolidated financial results. With the consolidation of FUNimation, the company anticipates fiscal 2006 net sales to be between $710 million to $720 million. After anticipated costs related to the FUNimation integration the Company anticipates fiscal 2006 earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA") to be between $40 million and $45 million or $1.26 to $1.42 of EBITDA per share fully diluted.

About Navarre Corporation
Navarre Corporation (NASDAQ: NAVR) is a leading publisher and distributor of a broad range of home entertainment and multimedia products, including PC software, CD audio, DVD and VHS video, video games and accessories. Since its founding in 1983, the company has established distribution relationships with customers across a wide spectrum of retail channels which includes mass merchants, discount, wholesale club, office and music superstores, military and e-tailers nationwide. The company currently provides its products to over 18,000 retail and distribution center locations throughout the United States and Canada. Navarre has recently expanded its business to include the licensing and publishing of home entertainment and multimedia content, primarily through the acquisitions of Encore Software, Inc. and BCI Eclipse Company, LLC. For more information, please visit the company's web site at www.navarre.com

Safe Harbor
The statements in this press release that are not strictly historical are "forward looking" statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created by these sections. The forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties and the actual results that the Company achieves may differ materially from these forward-looking statements due to such risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to: the Company's revenues being derived from a small group of customers; the Company's dependence on significant vendors; the Company's dependence upon software developers and manufacturers and popularity of their products; the Company's ability to maintain and grow its exclusive distribution business through agreements with music labels; the Company's dependence upon a key employee and its Founder, namely, Eric H. Paulson, Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer; the Company's ability to attract and retain qualified management personnel; uncertain growth in the publishing segment; the acquisition strategy of the Company, including the successful integration of FUNimation, could disrupt other business segments and/or management; the seasonality and variability in the Company's business and that decreased sales during peak season could adversely affect its results of operations; the Company's ability to meet its significant working capital requirements related to distributing products and financing accounts receivable; the Company's ability to avoid excessive inventory return and obsolescence losses; the potential for inventory values to decline; the Company's credit exposure due to reseller arrangements or negative trends which could cause credit loss; the Company's ability to adequately and timely adjust cost structure for decreased demand; the Company's ability to compete effectively in distribution and publishing, which are highly competitive industries; the Company's dependence on third-party shipping of its product; the Company's dependence on information systems; technological developments, particularly in the electronic downloading arena which could adversely impact sales, margins and results of operations; increased counterfeiting or piracy which could negatively affect demand for the Company's products; the Company may not be able to protect its intellectual property; interruption of the Company's business or catastrophic loss at a facility which could curtail or shutdown its business; the potential for future terrorist activities to disrupt operations or harm assets; significant Company stock volatility; the exercise of outstanding warrants and options adversely affecting stock price; the Company's anti-takeover provision, its ability to issue preferred stock and its staggered board may discourage take-over attempts beneficial to shareholders; because the Company does not intend to pay dividends, stock appreciation may yield the only return on an investment in Company stock; and the Company's directors may not be personally liable for certain actions which may discourage shareholder suits against them. A detailed statement of risks and uncertainties is contained in the Company's reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission, including in particular the Company's Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2004. Investors and shareholders are urged to read this document carefully. Investors and shareholders are urged to read this document carefully. The Company can offer no assurances that any projections, assumptions or forecasts made or discussed in this release, "NAVARRE CORPORATION ACQUIRES FUNIMATION, AND PROVIDES FINANCIAL UPDATE AND GUIDANCE", dated May 11, 2005, will be met, and investors should understand the risks of investing solely due to such projections. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this press release.

LIONS, TIGERS, BEARS AVAILABLE ON PSP

2005-05-13T11:16:00.000-04:00

press release:
PSPcmx.com, the premier licensed comic book online portal, has announced their official release of the first issue of Lions, Tigers and Bears Volume 1. With the first three issues of the acclaimed Lions, Tigers and Bears mini-series from Image Comics sold out, this will provide millions of PSP users with their first opportunity to enter the world of the Stuffed Animal Kingdom.

"We’re extremely overjoyed that so early in PSPcmx.com’s launch we’re able to offer Lions, Tigers and Bears to the PSP audience! When I tell you this series is written with sensitivity and adventure and drawn in a captivating animated style, it isn’t just because I am part of the original comic book team – but as a comic fan, it is a style of book that I’ve waited all my life to read!" said Dave Lanphear, co-founder of PSPcmx.com. "Lions, Tigers and Bears is terrific all-ages reading!"

Lanphear’s twenty years of award-winning print production experience, accentuated with his decade long emphasis on pure digital production and his strong, personal ties to the comic industry through his studio Artmonkeys.com, has opened a large library of comic book properties for PSPcmx™.

"I’d heard Dave raving about Lions, Tigers and Bears earlier in the year, and he lavished a lot of time on the books," recalls PSPcmx.com’s other co-founder Gabo Mendoza. "When I saw the online version, it was my first time seeing the books, and it’s nothing short of a blockbuster animated film and fun video-game brought to life as a comic book! I was blown away!" Mendoza is best known by his first name, Gabo of Gabocorp.com. Since 1997, Gabo has been lavished with international acclaim for his revolutionary vision and online exhibitions of cutting edge web and media development.

"When we were approached by PSPcmx to put the first issue of Lions, Tigers and Bears out on the PSP, the only thing I could think of was just how utterly cool this is," exclaimed Mike Bullock, creator and writer of the critically acclaimed comic book series. "I’ve been a fan of the Playstation since the first time I ever laid eyes on a Twisted Metal commercial on television and to be able to look at the gorgeous artwork Jack Lawrence created for Lions, Tigers and Bears on a Playstation console is just unbelievable!"

PSPcmx.com will roll out the first issue of Lions, Tigers and Bears over two downloads, keeping file sizes optimally small and quick. The first download, Lions, Tigers & Bears 1A, is online now and can be downloaded directly from the site at www.pspcmx.com. The update for Lions, Tigers & Bears 1B will be available May 25th 2005.

For fans of either the PSP or Lions, Tigers and Bears this couldn’t come at a better time, with the recent announcement of the 112-page Lions, Tigers and Bears trade paperback, collecting the entire mini-series and made available through comic book retailers and book sellers worldwide in July from Alias Entertainment and Runemaster Studios, Inc.

JUGHEAD, BINGO RELATED

2005-05-12T11:27:00.000-04:00

Classic character Bingo Wilkin and Jughead Jones share an Uncle Herman, it will be revealed in Jughead & Friends #5 in August from Archie Comics.
In a change only hardcore Archie fans might have noticed, Riverdale regular Jughead Jones had a jovial Uncle Herman. A few years later, Bingo Wilkin had his own Uncle Herman -- who was identical to Jughead's.

"It was just one of those things that we switched around at the time," said Victor Gorelick, Managing Editor for Archie Comic Publications. "Bingo needed an uncle, and we had already created Herman."

But in a rare move to bring two usually separate Archie properties together with a dash of continuity, Archie will reveal the true, previously unheard of link between Bingo and Hughead.
"The idea was something we just tossed around casually," said Nelson Ribeiro, ACP's Digest Editor. "But the more we talked about it, the more it seemed like a fun idea to try. Mainly to create a good story, but also as a wink to longtime fans."

Bingo Wilkin, "That Wilkin Boy," first appeared in That Wilkin Boy #1 in January 1969.

2,000 Visits & Counting...

2005-05-12T10:06:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, the New Comics Universe Blog reached 2,000 visits & I want to say thank you to everyone who ever came to my blog. I'm kinda amazed that it would reach such a high number in less than 2 months, but I'll keep up the hard work of keeping everyone up to date on the comics world. Comics Universe Blog will be mainly devoted to movie & video game news relating to comics. This blog will mostly consist of press releases & TV previews. The newest blog on the block, Comics Impulse will have all of that & more, usually the most fresh news there is. Thanks again for visiting & hopefully if you haven't before, you'll take a look at the other 2 blogs.

RedSpyda

DC COMICS STAFF AND FREELANCERS GEAR UP FOR WIZARD WORLD PHILADELPHIA

2005-05-11T10:41:00.000-04:00

On June 3, members of the DC Comics staff and freelance community will greet the public at Wizard World Philadelphia! DC freelancers scheduled to be at Wizard World Philadelphia include:
• Scott Beatty (BATMAN BEGINS MOVIE ADAPTATION, SON OF VULCAN)
• Tommy Castillo (DETECTIVE COMICS)
• Amanda Conner (JSA: CLASSIFIED, BATGIRL covers)
• Justin Gray (HAWKMAN, JONAH HEX, TWILIGHT EXPERIMENT)
• Jamal Igle (FIRESTORM)
• John Lucas (DETECTIVE COMICS)
• Sean Murphy (YEAR ONE: BATMAN/SCARECROW)
• Bruce Jones (YEAR ONE: BATMAN/SCARECROW)
• J.G. Jones (WONDER WOMAN covers)
• Rags Morales (IDENTITY CRISIS, WONDER WOMAN)
• Jimmy Palmiotti (HAWKMAN, JONAH HEX, TWILIGHT EXPERIMENT)
• Michael Turner (IDENTITY CRISIS covers)
• Walter Simonson (DAY OF VENGEANCE covers, ELRIC: THE MAKING OF A SORCERER)
• Ethan van Sciver (GREEN LANTERN: REBIRTH)

From DC's Editorial staff, Shelly Bond, Group Editor — VERTIGO and Dan DiDio, VP — Executive Editor, DCU, are scheduled to attend.

Paula Lowitt, Senior VP — Business & Legal Affairs, is scheduled to be at the show, as are Terri Cunningham, VP — Managing Editor, Ronald Perazza, Director — Creative Services, and Kevin Kiniry, Manager — Licensing.

DC's Sales & Marketing staff will be at the show as well, including Bob Wayne, VP — Sales, Patricia Jeres, Director — Marketing Communications, Vince Letterio, Manager — Direct Sales, Stuart Schreck, Administrator, Direct Sales, and Vinnie Costa, Representative, Events & Retailer Services.

See more information here

MoCCA ANNOUNCES SUMMER 2005 COMIC COURSES

2005-05-11T09:38:00.000-04:00

press release:

MoCCA ANNOUNCES SUMMER EDUCATION COURSES FOR 2005

The Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art is proud to announce its inaugural Summer Education Course series for 2005.

“This is our way of introducing people to the art of comics and enabling them to gain the skills they need to become part of the comics world,” said Lawrence Klein, Founder and Chairman of MoCCA. “We are proud of our new summer program and are confident that it will benefit our community.”

The first ever program will offer courses by well-known comic writers and artists on a variety of topics:

* Breaking Into Comics (Tuesdays, 6:30-8:00 pm – 10 weeks) with Andy Schmidt
* Basic Writing for Comics (Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30 pm – 8 weeks) with Neil Kleid
* A Crash Course on Comic Story-telling (Thursdays, 6:30-7:30 pm – 6 weeks) with Klaus Janson
* Comic Strips for Beginners (Saturdays, 5:00-7;00 pm – 6 weeks) with Tom Hart
* D.I.Y. Comix and ‘Zine Workshop (Sundays, 5:00-7:00 pm – 5 weeks) with Fly

All classes will be held onsite at the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art, located on the fourth floor of 594 Broadway (between Houston and Prince Street). Nearest subways stations are Broadway-Lafayette (B,D,F,V ), Prince Street (W/R), and Bleecker Street (6).

Class size is limited. Enrollment is restricted to MoCCA members until May 11, 2005. General enrollment (for non-members) starts May 12, 2005. Tuition assistance is available for qualifying area youth.

To request a registration form, please call or visit the museum. Completed registration forms should be mailed, faxed or hand-delivered to:

Museum of Comic & Cartoon Art
Attn: MoCCA Summer Education Coordinator
594 Broadway, Suite 401 (4th floor)
New York, NY 10012
Fax: 212- 254- 3590
Phone: 212- 254- 3511

Applications for registration will be processed in the order in which they are received.

For more information about MoCCA Summer Education Courses, please visit the museum website (www.moccany.org).

About MoCCA

The Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art, located at 594 Broadway in SoHo, is the newest addition to New York City’s cultural landscape. A 501(c)(3) non-profit arts education organization dedicated to promoting greater understanding and appreciation of comic and cartoon art, the Museum celebrates the unique creative achievements of graphic storytelling.

# # #

MOCCA SUMMER EDUCATION COURSES FOR 2005

Breaking Into Comics (Tuesdays, 6:30-8:00 pm – 10 weeks)
Instructor: Andy Schmidt
Date of first class: June 21, 2005
Tuition: $200
Maximum number of students: 15
Age group: 16 and up
Course Description: Breaking Into Comics

We’re going to cover everything I can cram into this summer course. Essentially, it’s broken down into three categories:
1) The Work. If you look at the comic racks these days, you’re likely to find a wide spectrum of quality. There’s good work out there but also a lot of sub par work. That means there’s room for new talent! I’ll try and get us all the way from story to lettering in 10 weeks. 2) Breaking In. We’ll cover subjects from formatting pitches and scripts, picking the right pages for pencil samples and how to approach editors. 3) Staying Put. This is the hardest part. Once you’ve gotten your first gig, how do you get the second or third? I’ll give you tips and advice on how to roll your first assignment into a career. Shall we begin?

Andy has been editing various projects like Secret War, Defenders and Madrox for the last three years at Marvel Entertainment. He assists Tom Brevoort on the Marvel heroes’ line, which includes New Avengers, Fantastic Four and Young Avengers. Prior to beginning his comics editing career, Andy was a college professor in St. Louis, Missouri where he earned his masters degree in Media Communications and taught classes on Aesthetics, Film and Comics and Sequential Art.

Basic Writing for Comics (Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30 pm – 8 weeks)
Instructor: Neil Kleid
Date of first class: June 22, 2005
Tuition: $160
Maximum number of students: 15
Age group: 13 to 18
Course Description: Basic Writing for Comics

Know what a splash page is? Ever heard of a springboard? How about plot-style scripting? If none of these terms sit comfortably in your writer’s back pocket like a trusted wallet, then this course is for you.

Writer/cartoonist Neil Kleid leads novice writers on a crash course road trip through the ins and outs of writing for the comic-book industry. Topics covered include plotting, scripting and pitching. By the end of the course, each writer will leave with a short script in hand.

Neil Kleid is the Xeric-winning author of Ninety Candles, a graphic novella about life, fatherhood, comic books and death. His graphic novel about the Jewish Mafia with artist Jake Allen, Brownsville, debuts from NBM Publishing in 2006.

A Crash Course on Comic Story-telling (Thursdays, 6:30-7:30 pm – 6 weeks)
Instructor: Klaus Janson
Date of first class: June 30, 2005
Tuition: $150
Maximum number of students: 12
Age group: 18 to 25
Course Description: A Crash Course on Comic Story-telling

A discussion and presentation of the most preliminary and basic fundamentals required to understand and execute visual story-telling. The importance of clarity as a theory, the page layout, the importance of panel size and shape, composition, creating three dimensions in a two dimensional world and an introduction to working in ink complete this compact introduction to sequential story-telling. Everyone gets a one on one review of their
portfolio. This is a fast roller coaster ride emphasizing the highlights of sequential storytelling theory. Not for the faint of heart.

Klaus Janson has written, penciled, inked and colored a handful of comic books in the last few years. The most recent work is pencils and inks for a nine issue maxi-series, Death and the Maidens with Greg Rucka for DC Comics and inks over John Romita Jr. on Wolverine for Marvel Comics. He authored both DC Comics Guide to Penciling and the sequel, DC Comics Guide to Inking. Klaus teaches a class on story-telling at The School for Visual Arts.

Comic Strips for Beginners (Saturdays, 5:00-7;00 pm – 6 weeks)
Instructor: Tom Hart
Date of first class: June 25, 2005
Tuition: $90
Maximum number of students: 12
Age group: 16 to 25
Course Description: Comic Strips for Beginners

Students in this class will begin by creating comic strip characters and learn to mix and match them with other ideas and techniques to make professional-level comic strips. Penciling, inking and writing will be demonstrated, and classic comic strips will be examined and discussed.

Tom Hart is the creator of the comic book series Hutch Owen, described as “Peanuts for the Post –Enron Generation”. He has released numerous books to critical and audience acclaim, including nominations for the “Eisner”, “Harvey” and two industry “Ignatz” awards. Tom has created a series, Pitch Unger, for a publisher in Japan, been translated into French and Portuguese, and has had his work exhibited in shows from Seattle, Washington to Lubjiana, Slovenia.

D.I.Y. Comix and ‘Zine Workshop (Sundays, 5:00-7:00 pm – 5 weeks)
Instructor: Fly
Date of first class: June 26, 2005
Tuition: $50
Maximum number of students: 15
Age group: 15 and up
Course Description: D.I.Y. Comix and ‘Zine Workshop

Learn to make your own comix from story ideas, sketches and thumbnails to finished product. The workshop will take the student through four steps to creating your own personal photocopied comic book (zine).

Week 1: Introduction of story ideas, thumbnails progressing to finished sketches.
Week 2: Pencils and planning for inks.
Week 3: Inking and planning for paste-ups.
Week 4: Finishing the comic and having it ready to be photocopied.
Week 5: Zine trading party open to all those who attended the workshop and open to the public. Admission will be $5.00 or one zine. Each week will also host a guest speaker.

* * * * * * * * *

On May 21st, 2005, the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art will launch a traveling exhibition honoring the life and work of Will Eisner. The exhibit features original artwork spanning Eisner’s long career, including two complete Spirit stories from 1947.

* * * * * * * * *

How to get to MoCCA:
594 Broadway (between Houston and Prince)
Suite 401 (Fourth Floor)
New York City
Tel: 212 254 3511
Fax: 212 254 3590
www.moccany.org
Take B, D, F, V or 6 to B'way-Lafayette Street
Take N, R to Prince Street

MoCCA's hours are Friday through Monday - 12pm till 5pm and by appointment at other times.

TOKYOPOP INTRODUCES JR. CINE-MANGA

2005-05-09T11:23:00.000-04:00

press release:
July 2005 Debut Titles Include: My Little Pony: Friends Are Never Far Away; Sesame Street: Happy, Healthy Monsters and Sesame Street: Elmo and Zoe Fly a Kite

TOKYOPOP Inc., pioneers of the innovative and hugely successful Cine-Manga® book format, today announced the launch of a brand-new publishing line, Jr. Cine-Manga books.

Revolutionizing the children's book market, TOKYOPOP’s Jr. Cine-Manga books bring the beloved characters and storylines kids know and cherish straight from the screen to an original exciting visual format. Geared toward readers ages 3 to 6 and individually priced at $3.99, Jr. Cine-Manga books have a 6"X9" trim-size and feature an average of two art panels per page. Complemented by large manga-style text balloons, captions and sound effects, Jr. Cine-Manga books enable younger children to easily make the transition from television to the printed page. Bridging the gap between on-screen entertainment and more traditional children's books, Jr. Cine-Manga books are a natural fit for children who are growing up and learning in an increasingly multimedia world.

The first titles to be released under this exciting new publishing umbrella will be Hasbro’s My Little Pony: Friends Are Never Far Away, under license from the Hasbro Properties Group, the intellectual property development arm of Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE: HAS), Sesame Street: Happy, Healthy Monsters and Sesame Street: Elmo and Zoe Fly a Kite.

According to Elizabeth Hurchalla, Senior Editor, TOKYOPOP: "In contrast to most children's books, which typically rely on flat character illustrations, Jr Cine-Manga books are created with screen captures or on-set photography so the characters look exactly as they do on the television screen. This great feature will help kids immediately connect with them."

"TOKYOPOP has done a fantastic job of bringing Hasbro’s MY LITTLE PONY brand to life through its Jr. Cine-Manga books," said Tom Klusaritz, VP Licensing and New Business Development. "With these books, MY LITTLE PONY fans will have a new way to enjoy their favorite pony characters."

Sesame Workshop’s education experts agree. Anna Housley Juster, Director of Content for Sesame Street, explains that the unique storybook format can promote extended storytelling. "The vivid photographs and printed words evoke the magic of the spoken word and engaging dialogue," says Housley Juster, who conducts frequent testing with preschoolers while performing research for the show. "As children and caregivers read together, children who are already reading can take on various roles with diverse voices."

The My Little Pony: Friends Are Never Far Away; Sesame Street: Elmo and Zoe Fly a Kite and Sesame Street: Happy, Healthy Monsters Jr. Cine-Manga will be available in bookstores everywhere in July.

LETHAL INSTINCT LAUNCHES WEBSITE

2005-05-06T21:35:00.000-04:00

press release:
Lynx Studios and Alias Comics announced today that a new website for the upcoming comic book LETHAL INSTINCT has gone live. Fans and readers are encouraged to visit the site at http://www.lethalinstinct.com for more information about the upcoming first issue as well as future chapters in the story.

LETHAL INSTINCT is the story of Frank Aaron, a police officer who struggles with the curse of being a werewolf. As Officer Aaron investigates the brutal murder of the Mayor’s family, he notices claw marks, saliva, and animal hair at the crime scene, leading him to wonder if he might be responsible, particularly since he can faintly remember being there as a wolf the night before. But in the course of his investigation, he discovers that there is another werewolf in town, and he is forced to use the abilities of his feral side to track down his counterpart and solve the mystery of the murder.

The book was created and written by Rômulo Soares, the head of Lynx Studios, with additional help from Wagner Baehr (plot) and Bart A. Thompson and Ernst Dabel (dialogue). It features art from international illustrators Jack Jadson and Alex Borges, with Wellington Dias and Jackson Gebien on inks, Mario Gonzáles and Charlie Kirchoff on colors, and Ben Basso and Sébastien Hombel on letters. ALIAS Executive Director Mike S. Miller served as editor.

LETHAL INSTINCT is a 6-issue miniseries that will hit shelves in the latter half of May. Issue #1 will be released at a cover price of $.75 as part of ALIAS Comics’s "20-Year Rollback" pricing promotion.

COMICS FOR YOUR PSP!

2005-05-06T21:18:00.000-04:00

press release:
PSPcmx.com Debuts Licensed Comic Book Content Optimized for PSP Users

TAMPA, FL – May 6, 2005 -- PSPcmx™ announced today the debut of their site http://www.PSPcmx.com , focused on bringing professional comic book properties optimized to view on the Sony PSP™ for the near-3 million global PSP users.PSPcmx.com is targeting the enthusiastic new audience of Sony PSP™ users, whose media consumption parallels tastes in the direct comic marketplace’s own audiences, opening an exciting window of opportunity to introduce current comic book properties to a vast new audience.“It’s free comic books for your PSP! Comic book readers already know how cool comics are.

PSPcmx.com is tailored for the audience who hasn’t heard of comic books yet, or doesn’t know comic books have matured with compelling new styles. They’ll find exciting genres and stories similar to many popular movies and games,” said Dave Lanphear, co-founder of PSPcmx.com. Lanphear’s award-winning 20 years’ print production experience, his 10 year emphasis on pure digital production, plus his strong ties to the comics creative community through his studio Artmonkeys.com, has opened a large library of comic book properties for PSPcmx™.

“On PSPcmx.com, we’re offering free downloadable full-color comic books optimized for viewing on the Sony PSP™,” said co-founder, Alberto Mendoza. “Our optimization process takes full advantage of the PSP’s clarity and file structures. Each book is written and drawn by talented comics professionals, and their stories are epic, entertaining, engrossing reads. We’re incredibly grateful to each studio for making their books available to the new PSP audience.” Mendoza is best-known by his alias, Gabo of Gabocorp.com, and since 1997, Gabo has been internationally acclaimed and published for his revolutionary vision and online exhibitions of web and media development potential.

Currently, PSPcmx.com offers downloadable all-ages comic stories from: Kandora Publishing’s Barbarossa & The Lost Corsairs™, an epic and fantastic re-imagining of the historical red-bearded pirate; and DB Pro’s 2002 smash-hit Legacy™, a fantasy coming-of-age story of a young boy who could hold the key to ending his world’s war. Two more stories coming soon, Speakeasy Comic’s The Grimoire™, the story of a young teenager, Amandine, and her mysterious raccoon partner, who are given a magical book to protect from monsters and villains; and 2005’s smash-hit, Runemaster Studio’s Lions, Tigers & Bears™, the story of timid boy, Joey, who is propelled into the Stuffed Animal Kingdom to protect the fate of all young children.

More properties are to be announced soon, and content updates are scheduled weekly.

About PSPcmx.comPSPcmx.com is the premier gateway for comic book creators to promote original print content through optimized digital downloads to audiences of gaming, wireless, handheld and multimedia consoles. Based in Tampa, PSPcmx.com is building a library of licenses, searching the creative landscape for creator-owned content and graphics for digital presentation, print publication and creative asset management. Since 1997, PSPcmx.com’s core team has developed deep, rich multimedia material, notably print and/or digital comics properties output to subscription web sites, DVDs, and proprietary online content promotion including CrossGen Entertainment’s Comics On the Web, CrossGen’s Digital Comic Book DVDs and Marvel’s Cybercomics Online.

For further informationNews and current information can be found at http://www.PSPcmx.com on the home page as announcements or blog entries, or by e-mail to press@pspcmx.com

DC Provides Additional Copies Of Ex Machina Special Edition

2005-05-06T16:34:00.000-04:00

DC Comics has expanded the distribution of the EX MACHINA SPECIAL EDITION #1, giving even more readers the chance to enjoy a FREE look at this Eisner Award-nominated new series!

In addition to receiving the Special in quantities equal to 30% of retailers' initial orders on Y: THE LAST MAN #32 (FEB050363), retailers also will receive one copy for every copy of EX MACHINA: THE FIRST HUNDRED DAYS TP (NOV040321) ordered to date.

"Retailer interest in this Special has been very high, so we're pleased to make more copies available," says Bob Wayne, DC's VP-Sales. "This Special provides an ideal way for retailers to introduce fans of Brian K. Vaughan's writing on Y: THE LAST MAN to his work on EX MACHINA."

The free EX MACHINA SPECIAL EDITION #1 (PROM60067) is scheduled to arrive in stores on May 11. Other EX MACHINA issues and more are available as follows:
The EX MACHINA: THE FIRST HUNDRED DAYS TP (NOV040321) is available for reorder.
EX MACHINA #2 (MAY040350), #3 (JUN040808), #4 (JUL040674), #5 (AUG040437), #6 (SEP040374), #7 (OCT040333), #8 (DEC040308), #9 (JAN050350) and #10 (FEB050336) all are available for reorder.

EX MACHINA #11 (MAR050462) is available for advance reorder and is scheduled to arrive in stores on May 18.

EX MACHINA #12 (APR050393) is solicited in the April Previews (Volume XV #4) and is scheduled to arrive in stores on June 15.

EX MACHINA #13 (MAY050275) is solicited in the May Previews (Volume XV #5) and is scheduled to arrive in stores on July 20.

Check out Comics Impulse for info on DC's Infinite Crisis!

X-WORLD Announces Free Comic Book Month!!!

2005-05-02T12:11:00.000-04:00

Press Release

X-World Comics is excited to announce our Fourth Annual 'Free Comics & Stuff Month'. Like most comic book retailers, X-World takes part in the industry's annual Free Comic Book Day. FCBD is a great way for stores to promote comic books to potential new readers, which are needed in order to create a future for the comic book industry. Being primarily an online store, it can however be a difficult challenge to get non comic book readers onto a comic book website to obtain free comics.

X-World takes tackles the challenge by setting aside one entire month per year to promote comics, advertising the event all over the internet and offering some of the years best comics free of charge to both new visitors and regular customers. Comics such as Green Lantern Rebirth, Ultimates, New Avengers, Y The Last man, Supreme Power and Young Avengers. It is our intent that our regular customers will pass some of the best that the industry has to offer to their friends, family...and that this willl bring new readers into the comic book community.

No purchase is necessary for many of the free comics, and some of the more expensive comics will be added to a customer's purchase as a bonus for ceetain $ amount spent...ie X-World may match .50 in free comics for every $ spent, for example.

Free Comic & Stuff Month runs throughout the month of May, 2005 at www.x-worldcomics.com.

More Xbox 360 News

2005-04-26T20:48:00.000-04:00

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

2005-04-26T18:27:00.000-04:00

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

2005-04-26T18:04:00.000-04:00

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!

2005-04-25T18:32:00.000-04:00

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

2005-04-24T22:02:00.000-04:00

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

2005-04-24T15:25:00.000-04:00

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

2005-04-24T13:54:00.000-04:00

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

2005-04-22T21:59:00.000-04:00

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

2005-04-22T21:28:00.000-04:00

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!

2005-04-22T13:43:00.000-04:00

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

2005-04-21T21:20:00.000-04:00

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

2005-04-21T12:09:00.000-04:00

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

2005-04-20T21:38:00.000-04:00

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

2005-04-19T22:12:00.000-04:00

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

2005-04-14T19:59:00.000-04:00

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

2005-04-14T16:27:00.000-04:00

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

2005-04-14T11:24:00.000-04:00

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

2005-04-13T18:05:00.000-04:00

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!

2005-04-13T15:02:00.000-04:00

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

2005-04-12T20:55:00.000-04:00

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

2005-04-12T09:14:00.000-04:00

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

2005-04-08T13:48:00.000-04:00

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

2005-04-07T12:05:00.000-04:00

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

2005-04-06T18:37:00.000-04:00

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

2005-04-06T17:10:00.000-04:00

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

2005-04-05T19:38:00.000-04:00

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

2005-04-05T17:00:00.000-04:00

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

2005-04-05T14:37:00.000-04:00

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

Sin City #1 At The Box Office

2005-04-05T02:36:00.000-04:00

Tales of hustlers in the film noir comic-book adaptation 'Sin City' took top honors at the North American box office over the weekend, knocking 'Beauty Shop,' into second place. R-rated 'Sin City' pulled in enough viewers to make $28.1 million at North American theaters, according to box office tracker Exhibitor Relations on April 3, 2005. Rosario Dawson and Clive Owen star in the film. Perhaps the most literal translation of a comic book to film to date, Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller’s Sin City is based on the graphic novels Sin City: The Hard Goodbye, The Big Fat Kill and That Yellow Bastard.

The film’s budget was an estimated $40 million, and opened in 3,230 theaters, averaging $8,707 per screen. For Rodriguez, it was his second best opening ever, after 2003's Spy Kids 3D, which saw an opening weekend take of $33.4 million.

Sin City easily beat the weekend’s #2 film, Beauty Shop, which brought in $13.5 million. Currently, the film is the third best April-opening film ever, behind Anger Management and The Scorpion King. Last April, Hellboy, also based on a Dark Horse Comics published property opened with $23.2 million.

The movie has received largely positive reviews, both from critics who know of its roots, as well as those who encountered Miller’s city without pity for the first time on the screen. Unrelentingly violent, the film has also attracted critics for its portrayal of several murders and acts of revenge, with some of the more bizarre commentators wagging a finger at audiences for making it the #1 movie the weekend during which the Pope died.

In perhaps a pre-emptive move against possible complaints about the violence, many theater chains checked IDs of all patrons seeing the movie, making sure that no one under 17 was admitted, unaccompanied by a parent or guardian. Some individuals reported being carded when they purchased the tickets, and again at the door to the theater where the film was being shown.

Updates & More

2005-04-02T15:38:00.000-05:00

check out the latest on the new Lara Croft & 100 free Gmail invites over on the Comics Universe Blog.

New TMNT Movie

2005-04-01T19:20:00.000-05:00

Press release

Imagi Services President and CEO Tom Gray announces the signing of Kevin Munroe to write and direct a new CGI-animated feature-length Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will ramp-up their booming revival with an animated film that will take advantage of new technology developed since the last Turtles film was released in 1993. Now in pre-production, the film is targeted for U.S. release in spring 2007.

Kevin Munroe has done extensive animation work during the last decade including video games, television series, and original comic books. He has worked in developing both the writing and design of animated projects for companies such as Disney, Warner Bros., Cartoon Network, WWE, Fox Kids, The Henson Company, Kids WB, Dark Horse Entertainment, IDW Publishing and Nickelodeon. Besides working in all aspects of production design and storyboarding on shows such as Nickelodeon’s “Hey Arnold!,” Munroe also created, wrote, produced, designed, and directed the CGI Christmas special “Donner” for ABC. His projects have been optioned by Walt Disney Feature Animation, Stan Winston Studios, and Brett Ratner’s Rat Entertainment in addition to co-writing another Imagi feature, Cat Tale. Munroe’s writer/director deal was negotiated by Gray and Alan Grodin of Weissmann, Wolff, et al., and Brent Weinstein of UTA.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have enjoyed over 20 years of success in the U.S. and around the globe. Having shot to mainstream popularity with hit TV series, top grossing films, number one selling toys and enduring comic books, the property has generated over $6 billion in revenue. The first of the three live-action films grossed $135 million domestically, setting a seven-year box office record for independent releases. Today, the new hit TMNT TV series is in its third season with a fourth set to run through 2006 on 4Kids TV (formerly Fox Box) and the Cartoon Network in the U.S. In addition, the show is broadcast in major markets throughout Western and Eastern Europe, Asia, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Australia.

The new TMNT film will be produced by Tom Gray (who guided the first Turtles trilogy through production) and Galen Walker of Imagi. Executive Producers are Francis Kao, Gary Richardson, Frederick Fierst, and Peter Laird, who co-created the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with Kevin Eastman. The picture deal was conducted by Gray and Walker of Imagi, Grodin of Weissmann, Wolff, et al., Richardson of Mirage Licensing, and Fierst of Fierst, Pucci & Kinder.

2005-04-01T17:11:00.000-05:00

Haloscan commenting and trackback have been added to this blog.

The End of Dead@17?

2005-04-01T16:59:00.000-05:00

press release

In the short time since the release of Dead@17 #1 in November of 2003, Josh Howard and Viper Comics have rocked the comic community with the incendiary adventures of best friends Nara Kilday and Hazy Foss. Through the original series and into the follow up, Dead@17: Blood of Saints, their journey has finally reached its mighty, cataclysmic conclusion. On April 6, 2005, their ultimate fate will be revealed in the concluding Dead@17 installment - Dead@17: Revolution #4. The tension has been building, death is in the air as the final curtain falls. Who will prevail in the final struggle between good and evil and at what cost? Find out April 6th at a comic shop near you.

Red Sonja for All

2005-03-31T15:21:00.000-05:00

Press Release

Following the incredible success of Red Sonja #0, Dynamite Entertainment announces the launch of Red Sonja #1 for fans and retailers!

The opening issue of this new ongoing series finds Sonja on a quest to rid the world of an ancient evil. And a quest that places her in battle between the Zeddas and the Kingdom of Gathia.

Written by Michael Avon (Thor, Hammer of the Gods) Oeming and Mike (Hellblazer, Ultimate Elektra, Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere) Carey and featuring the art team of artist Mel (X-Men) Rubi and colorists Ceasar (Sojourn) Rodriguez and Richard (Origin, 1602) Isanove!

The legend of Red Sonja begins here as this story of Red Sonja, which not only re-introduces her to the world of comics but is truly a classic in the making!

This is THE ultimate Red Sonja!

This #1 issue also features an all-star array of talent with 5 star cover artists: Michael (Superman/Batman Supergirl/ Fathom) Turner, John (Astonishing X-Men) Cassaday, Paolo (The highly anticipated Marvel Mythos series) Rivera, Joseph Michael (Dawn, Conan) Linser and Alex (Justice) Ross! Covers ship in an equal ratio of 1-in-5 covers!

PLUS: Retailer Incentives will include: an original Art Adams Art Cover (1 for every 25 copies of Red Sonja #1) not available anywhere else, a Joseph Michael Linsner Sketch Cover With Spot Color (1 for every 65 copies of Red Sonja #1 - very similar to Marvel's Wolverine #20 hot! HOT! HOT! AND HARD TO GET INCENTIVE!) and the rarest of them all - THE Red Sonja #1 Alex Ross Negative Art RRP Edition (1 for every 300 copies of Red Sonja #1)!

Fans should check with their local retailer for availability of these extremely limited covers!

Retailers are already reacting to the news of Red Sonja #1!

"Since the revival of Conan, fans have been clamoring for more, and Red Sonja is the perfect addition for the Hyborian Rage! The 25c #0 issue will get HEAVY coverage with my customers and I'm sure many will be back for #1.

The covers on #1 are all stunning. One of my managers has already commented to me that he can see most of the fans picking up all of them. Makes it tough to order. Do we get too many or WAY too many! A good problem to have in a market where there's a lot of stuff we have to decide whether or not to carry at all.

I expect this will be our highest ordered "indy" book for the month. It will likely even beat out some top sellers from Marvel and DC!"
--Todd McDevitt
New Dimension Comics, Pennsylvania

"I feel that Red Sonja #1 is going to be the biggest launch in June. What makes me proud to back this book is the fact that Dynamite Entertainment understands the needs of the retailers. They're not only giving us 5 covers by the 5 greatest artists in comics with Issue #1 but every issue after that will have covers by such notary artists including Art Adams, Neal Adams, JG Jones, Adam Hughes, Michael William Kaluta, hot new talent Mel Rubi, Billy Tan and many more creators.

This is definitely a book that I can back.

Between the 5 covers for our fans and the incentives for us retailers, this is like counting the best of the best. I can back this easily, as I can promote this to my customers knowing that there is going to be a good story and great art, just as easily as I backed the New Avengers #1 and each issue after that and Astonishing X-men from 1 on up.

This is the book that I put at the top of my list and my customers will know. Great quality stories, great quality art, beautiful coloring and a promotional and marketing packaged that gets behind me while I get behind it. This is a win-win situation and I am glad to be part of it.

This will be one of the top books that I order in June, July and beyond."
-- Loop
Stormwatch Comics, New Jersey

"With issue #0 being the best unintended Free Comic Book Day comic that is coming out, #1 will sell faster than anyone will expect! I know that no matter how many we order, it won't be enough!"

"Dynamite is doing it right. They're producing quality comics and supporting retailers through their incentive programs. We've done very well with their releases."
-- Philip Boyle
Coliseum of Comics, Florida

"I'm really looking forward to the books" not only Red Sonja #0 and #1, but beyond!
-- John Robinson
Graham Cracker Comics, Illinois

For more information on Dynamite Entertainment, including more Army of Darkness and Red Sonja products, please visit the Dynamite Entertainment website at http://www.dynamiteentertainment.com/ & http://www.redsonja.net/

The Countdown Has Sold Out!

2005-03-30T17:44:00.000-05:00

DC COMICS RUSHES SOLD-OUT COUNTDOWN TO INFINITE CRISIS BACK TO PRESS!

March 30th, 2005 -

Two days before arriving in stores on March 30, the spectacular 80-page COUNTDOWN TO INFINITE CRISIS Special has sold out at DC Comics.

Now, DC rushes this pivotal, can't-miss comic back to press for a second printing with a new, variant cover by Jim Lee & Alex Ross that reveals the shadowy figure in Batman's arms as the ---------.

Scheduled to arrive in stores on April 13, COUNTDOWN TO INFINITE CRISIS Second Printing will have a cover price of $1.99 U.S., and will include the full story written by Geoff Johns, Greg Rucka and Judd Winick with art by Rags Morales & Michael Bair, Ed Benes, Ivan Reis & Marc Campos, Phil Jimenez & Andy Lanning, and Jesus Saiz & Jimmy Palmiotti.

"Even with the new price of $1.99, COUNTDOWN is the single best value in comics today," says Bob Wayne, DC's VP — Sales. "As the four miniseries that follow start to reach stores, retailers will want to have COUNTDOWN in stock, so we recommend that they place orders for this second printing now."

Mainstream press support for COUNTDOWN TO INFINITE CRISIS continues to build, with articles expected to run this week in USA Today, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and the Philadelphia Daily News.

Technically this means that every copy of the issue has been ordered... so GET YOUR COPY NOW (you can probably still find it on shelves if you hurry). The cover to the 2nd print can be seen here http://i3.photobucket.com/albums...cntdwn2nd_400x600.jpg
due to the sensitive cover....

The Countdown Has Begun

2005-03-29T22:10:00.000-05:00

DC'S COUNTDOWN TO INFINITE CRISIS GOES ON SALE THIS WEEK
DC Comics

Following months of anticipation and speculation, the wait will be over at last this Wednesday as DC Comics' COUNTDOWN TO INFINITE CRISIS reaches stores everywhere.

You can't afford to miss this 80-page special priced at just $1.00 U.S.! This sensational project combines the talents of three of the most acclaimed writers in comics — Geoff Johns, Greg Rucka and Judd Winick — and the art of Rags Morales & Michael Bair, Ed Benes, Ivan Reis & Marc Campos, Phil Jimenez & Andy Lanning, and Jesus Saiz & Jimmy Palmiotti.

"COUNTDOWN TO INFINITE CRISIS lays the groundwork for much of what's to come in the DCU for the rest of 2005 and beyond," says Bob Wayne, VP — Sales. "We urge retailers to reorder this issue now, while there are still copies available."

COUNTDOWN TO INFINITE CRISIS is available for reorder and arrives in stores on March 30 with a cover price of just $1.00 U.S. For more information, visit the COUNTDOWN TO INFINITE CRISIS minisite here

From CBR
On March 30th with the release of DC Comics' "Countdown To Infinite Crisis," previously known as "DC Countdown," hidden schemes that have been evolving in the DC Universe for months will be revealed. Villains will unite, the truth behind the Omac Project will be unveiled, a Day of Vengeance will occur, and in the farthest reaches of space a conflict between two planets will erupt into "The Rann/Thanagar War," a six issue miniseries by Dave Gibbons with art by Ivan Reis and Marc Campos which begins on May 11th. CBR News spoke to Gibbons for a front line perspective on the war and his feelings on the film version of "Watchmen" which is currently in pre-production.
Gibbons got the "The Rann/Thanagar War" assignment because his ideas didn't fit the project he had been working on. " I was working on another project with Peter Tomasi and I had come up with a few ideas that were in the science fiction area," Gibbons told CBR News by phone. "One in particular wasn't quite right for the project I was working on, but it was the perfect springboard for 'The Rann/Thanagar War.' So, Peter asked me if I would like to write that. I was very happy to do it."

The two planetary cultures in conflict in "The Rann/Thanagar War" seem very different at first glance. "Rann and Thanagar have always been painted as somewhat in conflict because they're two very contrasting societies," Gibbons explained. "You have Thanagar which is very war like with a lot of tradition and a kind of warrior culture; quite an aggressive people, whereas Rann is kind of a planet of science. They've almost wiped themselves out once with the fruits of their science in a nuclear war. Of course they have the Zeta Beam and they have all kinds of other things, which they use. In their own way, possibly, they're as aggressive as the Thanagarians, but it's a mental aggression rather than a physical aggression. If you like it's the brain versus the heart."

The cover of "The Rann/Thanagar War" #1 features the series' three chief protagonists: Hawkman, Adam Strange, and Green Lantern Kyle Rayner. Hawkman's man of action demeanor and his heritage with ties to Thanagar are what pull him into the war. "Hawkman basically is a warrior, somebody with a huge heritage," said Gibbons. "He's part of a serial reincarnation of great warriors throughout time and he's a very strong character. He's not a character who makes chitchat. He's a character who thinks a lot and goes with his gut; who's extremely brave; who uses whatever weapons are at hand; who is very well aware of doing the right thing as a warrior and as a man and as a Thanagarian. He can't escape that heritage."

Like Hawkman, Adam Strange is also a man with ties to two worlds. "He's a guy from Earth, an archeologist, a guy whose got an analytical brain, who has fallen in love with someone from another planet and has a child with her," Gibbons said. "So, he's a family man as well. He subscribes to a lot of what Rann stands for, but possibly finds their culture a little cold. So he's a man of two worlds really. He's not a native Rannian, but he's probably the best hope that Rann has. His Earth qualities are actually a very positive thing because it makes him a little more able to deal with reality than the abstract thinkers who populate Rann."
Kyle Rayner's feelings of displacement lead to his involvement in the war. "Kyle is an interesting character who of course, has been around for a long time and we're very much aware that he was kind of a substitute for the real Green Lantern. Although he started off hitting the ground running, he really didn't know what he was doing. Over the years that he's been Green Lantern, he's learned and he's probably one of the most experienced Green Lanterns. He is, shall we say, a more stable character than Guy Gardner. He's got a sense of humor. He's a creative thinker. He's a man with a sense of adventure; a man with a sense of romance in his soul, but he's a man who at the moment kind of hasn't got a place. Hal Jordan is back as the Green Lantern of Earth and Kyle has wandered around space a little bit. He's very much feeling the after effects of 'Rebirth' and he's assessing where he stands. He is assigned to a mission, which is not directly involved with the Rann/Thanagar War, but shall we say, he's unable to stay away. He gets involved despite the Guardians."

Hawkman, Adam Strange, and Kyle Rayner are just the three prominent characters in "The Rann/Thanagar War." The series will feature appearances by many of DC's science fiction characters. "The Legion make a fleeting appearance," Gibbons said. "We don't see all of the Omega Men, but Tigorr plays quite a large part in it. Hawkman and Hawkgirl as I said. Hawkwoman is also in there. We also have Adam Blake, otherwise known as Captain Comet. He plays an important part. He becomes somewhat of an ally of Kyle Rayner and teams up with him to attack this problem from another vantage point. Starman is in there, Prince Gavyn of Throneworld. He's not center stage, but he makes a significant appearance."
A former Teen Titans adversary also plays a role in the series. "There's also a character called Komand'r who is also known as Blackfire, who is a Tamaranean queen. She gets involved in a rather nefarious way. She's a very hard character. You can't really define her as a hero or a villain," Gibbons explained. "She's very much after her own end. Obviously there is a degree of politicking and a degree of power shifting going on and she tries to use it for her own advantage."

"The Rann/Thanagar War" won't just effect the people of two planets. Gibbons said there are other races from the DC cosmos that join the fray. "We have the Khunds, and we have the Dominators, the Psions, the Coluans and the Durlans. There is a sense of everybody getting involved."

There are mysterious and evil forces behind the Rann/Thanagar War. Gibbons wouldn't say who the main force of evil in the series was, but did tease that the villain would be familiar to readers with knowledge of the rogues' galleries of Hawkman, Green Lantern and Adam Strange. "There are forces behind the scenes that are actually driving this thing forward," Gibbons explained. "It's these forces which the good citizens of Rann and Thanagar who are personified by Adam Strange on Rann and personified by Hawkman and Hawkgirl with their Thanagarian heritage. They realize they have to get together to try and deal with the underlying evil."
Peace will not reign throughout the galaxy by the end of "The Rann/Thanagar War." Gibbons said that aftershocks of the Rann/Thanagar war will reverberate throughout the DC Universe for some time. Fans of 'Star Wars" or TV shows like "Farscape" should enjoy "The Rann/Thanagar War." "I did want to make it a space opera book," Gibbons explained. "I did want to make it science fiction rather than super heroics. I think the mix of characters we've got in it allows us to do that and certainly, I've been a fan of great space opera. I use to read all the Asimov, Robert Heinlein, Arthur C. Clarke and Ian M. Banks books."

Gibbons believes there are a number of core elements to a good Space Opera. "I think you have to have scale," he said. "You have to make it feel that this is a big, big place and that it's a big, big war. I think you have to be aware of the scale, but at the same time you have to be aware of telling a story that's dramatic and involving in human terms. You need to see it through the eyes of characters that you care about. Otherwise, it just becomes like a history lesson or a list of events. I also think you have to utilize, as best as you can, the different exciting locales and settings that there are out there. Also the complexity of civilizations; the culture clashes; the technology that the different races have; the creeds and beliefs of the different races. I think the more that you can give a rich tapestry of possibility, the more you're going to succeed."
"The Rann/Thanagar War" spins directly out of the "Adam Strange" series, but you don't need to have read that to enjoy "The Rann/Thanagar War." "We've tried to make 'Rann/Thanagar' self-contained," Gibbons explained. "These characters have got such long and convoluted histories. Most of them have died two or three times. They've been reinvented. They've been changed around. So, what I've done is to go for the essence of the characters. I've tried not to contradict any continuity, but basically they're characters that hopefully we've introduced in a way that you get what they're about straight away. You don't have to have read the last ten years of continuity. You don't even have to have read the 'Adam Strange' mini-series."
Coordinating and planning "The Rann/Thanagar War" was hard work, but Gibbons has greatly enjoyed the actual writing of the mini-series. "We have spent a lot of time in the planning of this because it involves characters across the DC Universe," Gibbons said. "We had to take some input to make sure that it is coherent with things that are happening elsewhere in the DC Universe. So, the coordination of it is a major point. Now, that we've done all that and we've got it all doped out and the thing works and makes sense, I'm having the time of my life actually writing these characters. DC's science fiction characters are amongst some of my favorites. Now that all the spade work is done, I'm really enjoying getting to grips and making it come to life."
One of comics' most acclaimed works, "Watchmen" which Gibbons illustrated for writer Alan Moore, will soon be making its way to the silver screen. "Watchmen" the movie has entered pre-production and Gibbons is optimistic about the film. "I've got absolutely no involvement with it at all and I never had," Gibbons said. "My Mum use to read in the entertainment section of the newspaper little tidbits and relay them to me. So, that's the closest that I've ever come to it. Although, I do understand it's in pre-production in England. I do have high hopes that it might be a half way decent movie. I have read the script, which I thought was excellent; a better script than I could have imagined being written. I know the director has a very good track record. I just hope for the best. I hope if nothing else it will perhaps serve as publicity for the book which is after all the pure expression of 'Watchmen' and maybe sell some more copies of that."

The Infinite Crisis starts in October. Check the mini-site here. Wizard will also have info on the 7 issue "Infinite Crisis" mini-series launching in October with creators Geoff Johns and Phil Jimenez in Wizard #163, on sale tomorrow.

Free Comics!

2005-03-29T17:17:00.000-05:00

In the 4 years since its inauguration, Free Comic Book Day kept the tradition of free comics, big celebrations & getting new readers interested in comics. This year is no exception. Almost 2000 dealers, schools & libraries around the world are participating in the largest FCBD yet. At a contrast nearly 2 million books have been ordered for the event. You can see which comics will be given out here, and sign up for the newsletter for updates. And check to see if your local comic shop participates. Free Comic Book Day is Saturday, May 7th, 2005.

Wonder Woman News

2005-03-27T22:06:00.000-05:00

press release:

BURBANK, CA - Silver Pictures, producer of the revolutionary, $3 billion-grossing Matrix franchise, has signed Joss Whedon, creator of the phenomenally popular Buffy the Vampire Slayer television series, to write and direct the feature film action adventure Wonder Woman based on the DC Comics character. The announcement was made today by Jeff Robinov, President of Production, Warner Bros. Pictures.

"We are excited about working with Joss," Robiov said. "He brings great energy and creativity to the process. His work on Buffy makes him uniquely qualified to handle the Wonder Woman character."

"There's no one better than Joss to adapt the legendary Wonder Woman comic book character created in the 1940s into a dynamic feature film for 21st century audiences," producer Joel Silver added. "Wonder Woman was the first great female superhero to emerge from comic books and later inspire millions of fans in her television incarnation, but unlike her counterparts Batman and Superman, this groundbreaking heroine has yet to be reinvented for the feature film arena."

"Wonder Woman is the most iconic female heroine of our time, but in a way, no one has met her yet," Whedon said. "What I love most about icons is finding out what's behind them, exploring the price of their power. When Joel and I began discussing the character, I realized there is a woman behind the legend who is very fascinating, very uncompromising, and in her own way, almost vulnerable. She's someone who doesn't belong in this world, and since everyone I know feels that way about themselves, the character clicked for me."

Whedon created and executive produced the hit television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which ran for seven seasons on The WB and UPN, based on his screenplay for the 1992 feature film of the same name. Whedon also created and executive produced the successful Buffy spin-off series Angel, and wrote the screenplays for the films Toy Story and Alien: Resurrection. He is currently completing post-production on the feature film Serenity, which he wrote and directed based on his television series Firefly.

Wonder Woman will be produced by Joel Silver and Leonard Goldberg, and is based on the DC Comics character created by William Moulton Marston.

Wonder Woman will be released worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company & is scheduled for a 2006 release, presumely after Superman Returns.

"Everybody is in agreement that casting is not an issue right now," Whedon says. "It's not a vehicle to be built around a particular star. We want to write the thing, find the right character and then figure out who should play her. There are various famous people whose names have come up, because that always happens, but you know, we're talking about Wonder Woman here. Those are tough booties to fill... I think we will go a little younger than the traditional idea of Wonder Woman"

Kim Basinger, Jessica Biel, Minnie Driver, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jordan Bayne (Poltergeist:The Legacy), & Satu Rautaharju (Dawson's Creek) have all been rumored to be the next Wonder Woman. But according to a report in today's Herald Sun, Mischa Barton is another on Warner's "Wonder Woman" wish-list. Also, Sandra Bullock, who's been long rumored to take on the role has been quoted by The New York Post saying "the idea of my doing Wonder Woman also bit the dust." Check here for more news as it develops.

Freakin Sweet!

2005-03-26T21:13:00.000-05:00

FOX announced in January at the TV Critics Association winter press tour that the show will air its first new episode in more than three years on Sunday, May 1st. The network has committed to a full season's worth of episodes, so it's likely that the show can run well into the summer without repeating. Also that night, FOX will launch the series run of "Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane's new show, "American Dad." It centers on Stan Smith, an excessively gung-ho CIA agent who tends to bring his work home with him.

"Family Guy" also received the coveted post-Super Bowl premiere spot in 1999, but the show never got much love from FOX after that. It bounced around the network's schedule for three-plus seasons before being pulled for good in February 2002. The show's loyal cult following, however, made it a huge seller on DVD -- its compilations have sold a combined 3.5 million units -- and repeats on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim performed well, prompting FOX to commission new episodes. Even a rumored movie plot follows the dysfunctional Griffin family, in which the young domination-bent baby, Stewie, searches for his real father.

Check out the Official Family Guy Website & the 20th Century Fox Family Guy site & here for news and more on Family Guy.

Sin City Soon

2005-03-26T15:44:00.000-05:00

With less than a week until the opening of Sin City, the anticipation is through the roof. "Sin City" is the title that Miller gave his cult comic-book series of the early 1990s, the tawdry, salacious depiction of which will spill onto the big screen next Friday in a film he co-directed with Robert Rodriguez. Based on the series of graphic novels created, written, and illustrated by Miller, Sin City is infested with criminals, crooked cops and sexy dames, some searching for vengeance, some for redemption and others, both. The movie incorporates storylines from three of Miller's graphic novels including 'Sin City,' which launched the long-running, critically acclaimed series, as well as 'That Yellow Bastard' and 'The Big Fat Kill.'

In Miller's Sin City, even the good guys are hard-drinking brutes with a barely restrained lust for the kill. The femmes fatales wield cigarettes like weapons, have legs up to there and breasts straight out of a teenage boy's fevered dream. The prostitutes are armed and dangerous, and they police the red-light district themselves - no cops allowed. Corrupt politicians are in cahoots with the church (jointly harboring pedophiles and serial killers); the town's sleazy bars are just brawls waiting to happen. In other words, "Sin City" takes the tropes of pulp fiction and film noir, crosses them with the outsized surrealism of the comics, and spikes it all with a toxic dose of horror-movie violence and sadomasochistic kink. It ain't pretty. But if you don't have the stomach for it, then stay the hell out.

Miramax, which produced the $40 million flick, is betting audiences will clamor to get in: "Sin City" is one of the most aggressively promoted movies of the spring, with an all-star cast that includes Bruce Willis, Jessica Alba, Clive Owen, Rosario Dawson, Mickey Rourke, Brittany Murphy, Benicio Del Toro and Nick Stahl. As helmed by Rodriguez ("El Mariachi," "Spy Kids") and Miller (on his first foray into film directing), it might well rank as the most faithful comic book adaptation ever: The actors were shot against green screen and the backdrops created digitally, often matching up panel for panel with the original comic - all in an effort to reproduce Miller's distinctive chiaroscuro lighting and skewed perspectives.

"Nobody's ever come this close to being this faithful," says the newly minted director by telephone two weeks before the "Sin City" opening. Miller, who also wrote the classics "Batman: The Dark Knight Returns" and "Ronin," should know: Both "Daredevil" and "Elektra," recent movies based on two other Miller tales, sorely lacked the visual style and zest of the originals. And his last tour of duty in Hollywood - writing the screenplay for "RoboCop 2" - found the fiercely independent Miller at odds with the studio. So when Rodriguez first approached him about the possibility of adapting "Sin City," Miller had a one-word answer: No.

"I took an instant liking to Robert," Miller says, "but I turned him down. I just couldn't see it being done. I was afraid the endings would be changed and the whole thing made much nicer. It'd be shown to focus groups who'd say it was too violent." It wasn't until Rodriguez invited Miller down to his Texas studio to film a test scene (at the director's own expense) that he clinched the deal. As Miller recalls it, he arrived in Austin to find actors Josh Hartnett and Marley Shelton already on the set. Quentin Tarantino showed up to "guest direct" one memorable scene: a surreal conversation between Dwight (Owen) and Jackie Boy (Del Toro) - the latter happens to be dead, incidentally - as they speed down a rain-slicked highway.

Here's a list of Miller must-haves:

Sin City (Dark Horse) The seven volumes of Frank Miller's noir-inspired tale of crime and redemption in the nightmarish title city: "The Hard Goodbye" ($17), "A Dame to Kill For" ($17), "The Big Fat Kill" ($17), "That Yellow Bastard" ($19), "Family Values" ($12), "Booze, Broads & Bullets" ($15) and "Hell and Back" ($28).

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (DC, $14.95) The story credited with inspiring the "Batman" movies of the late 1980s and the 1990s, "Dark Knight" brings Batman out of retirement, pairs him with a female Robin and pits him against an old ally - Superman. Illustrated with Klaus Janson.

Daredevil/Elektra: Love & War (Marvel, $29.99) Two beloved comic book characters forever associated with Miller: Daredevil, the blind superhero, and Elektra, the coed-turned-ninja assassin. Illustrated by Bill Sienkiewicz.

Ronin (DC, $19.95). A 13th century samurai warrior whose master has been killed finds himself reincarnated in 21st century New York and seeks revenge against the ancient demon that dishonored him.

Hard Boiled (Dark Horse, $16.95) A suburban tax collector and family man is actually a homicidal android in this ultraviolent "Blade Runner"-ish tale illustrated by Geoff Darrow.

300 (Dark Horse, $30) The true historical story of a small force of 300 Spartan warriors who withstood the invading Persian armies at Thermopylae in 480 BC. With Miller's wife, Lynn Varley, as colorist.

Sin City opens Friday, April 1st. For more info, check out CBR's interview with the actors & their review of the movie. Also, check out the official site & trailer. Enjoy!

Countdown to Infinite Crisis...

2005-03-25T19:16:00.000-05:00

DC Comics
Written by Geoff Johns, Greg Rucka and Judd Winick; Art by Rags Morales, Ed Benes, Phil Jimenez, Ivan Reis, Jesus Saiz, and various; Cover by Jim Lee and Alex Ross

Three of the most acclaimed and popular writers in comics — Geoff Johns (TEEN TITANS, JSA), Greg Rucka (ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN, WONDER WOMAN) and Judd Winick (BATMAN, OUTSIDERS) — join an all-star roster of artists for DC COUNTDOWN, an 80-page Spectacular with the incredibly low cover price of $1.00!

Artists Rags Morales (IDENTITY CRISIS), Ed Benes (BIRDS OF PREY), Ivan Reis (ACTION COMICS), Phil Jimenez (WONDER WOMAN, New X-Men), and Jesus Saiz (MANHUNTER) each pencil chapters of a story that follows a member of the JLA through a mystery that touches on nearly every character in the DCU!

Topped with a cover pencilled by Jim Lee (SUPERMAN, BATMAN) and painted by Alex Ross (KINGDOM COME, JLA: LIBERTY AND JUSTICE), DC COUNTDOWN is an essential project that features nearly every major character operating in the DC Universe. It's a project that will resonate for months to come and is a perfect jumping-on point for readers who've been wondering where the people who helped deliver IDENTITY CRISIS could possibly be going next. You won't want to miss it! And the clock is ticking...

DC Universe | 80pg. | Color | $1.00 US

On Sale March 30, 2005

If anybody wants to see interiors, check out the spoilers if you like at PopCultureShock & the huge preview at the ComicFanatic website. More on this in the coming days, so keep checking here periodically.

Breakout!

2005-03-25T16:18:00.000-05:00

As the Marvel Universe's New Avengers confront a huge jailbreak threatening the citizens of New York, the event poses new dangers for one of the team's most famous members, in Spider-Man: Breakout, a five-issue Marvel Comics mini-series.

Written by Tony Bedard and illustrated by Manuel Garcia & a cover by Mike Deodato, the mini-series will tie into both Spider-Man Month and the chart-topping New Avengers. Fans of that series who don't regularly buy books from the Spider-Man line, and Spider-fans who may not travel beyond Spidey's titles may be encouraged to do so by this exciting project.

Spider-Man: Breakout #1 will place the web-slinging wonder in the middle of the mass escape taking place in New Avengers, which sends some of Marvel's deadliest villains into the streets of Manhattan -- and when two warring cliques of these powerful cons face off, guess who swings between them? Find out April 20th, for $2.99. Click here for the Pulse's exclusive interview!

Latest Spider-Man 3 Devlopments

2005-03-25T16:09:00.000-05:00

source: The Sony Spider-Man Movie Website

Thomas Haden Church, who was nominated for an Academy Award for best supporting actor in Sideways, has been cast as Spidey's new archenemy in the next chapter of the Spider-Man franchise. Director Sam Raimi made the annoncement Monday along with producers Laura Ziskin and Marvel Studios' Avi Arad.

Spider-Man 3, which is scheduled for release May 4, 2007, will reunite the team that was responsible for the first two blockbuster films, which combined to gross more than $1.5 billion in worldwide ticket sales. The new film will again star Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, and Kirsten Dunst is expected to reprise her role as Mary Jane Watson. Production on Spider-Man 3 is scheduled to begin early next year.

PSP Unleashed

2005-03-25T15:33:00.000-05:00

The PSP (short for PlayStation Portable) is a sleek device resembling a polished wedge of black granite. With flush buttons on its gleaming surface, it's a designer device that's cool to see and be seen with.The PSP delivers when it comes to entertainment, playing everything from movies to PlayStation 2-quality games.

The PSP uses software that rivals the performance of TV console games, thanks to a fast 333MHz processor and an integrated proprietary UMD optical drive. It has a built-in 4.3-inch color flat-panel (measured diagonally) and built-in stereo speakers. At about 8 ounces, this true handheld is far more than a game. It's powered by a rechargeable battery or with an AC adapter. It has an Infrared (IrDA) wireless interface for simultaneous communication with other PSP units in the same room plus an integrated 802.11b wireless WiFi adapter to allow online playing over wireless networks. You can even use the PSP to listen to your favorite MP3 files, view movies, and store digital photos and videos, in addition to playing advanced games. What's really stunning is that all this technology has been incorporated into a super compact 6.7" wide x 2.91" deep x 0.91" high, jacket pocketsize unit.

The UMD is the Universal Media Disc. It holds up to 1.8GB (that's 1.8 billion bits of information) of data storage, which translates to powerful game action and visuals. It can also play movies, released on the UMD format. When connected to a computer (and Internet connection), through the USB 2.0 port, it can record ATRAC and MP3 music files, MP4 video files, and JPEG digital photo files. Each UMD disc can hold up to two hours of DVD-quality music videos or four hours of standard quality. At this point, Sony and other developers are creating game and video software for this format. It's also MemoryStick friendly. This popular digital-media memory format is used in Sony digital-cameras, PDAs, computers, camcorders, and other devices. Sized smaller than a stick of chewing gum, the MemoryStick Pro Duo memory card can be inserted into a slot of the PSP. This memory format is available in models with up to 1GB capacity. The unit comes with a 32MB card, fine for saving games but not nearly big enough to handle photos or music. A really unique PSP feature is integrated 802.11b WiFi connectivity.

The 4.3-inch screen uses the same technology found on flat-panel HDTV and computer monitors. With the capability of displaying up to 16.7 million colors, it offers widescreen viewing in a 16:9 perspective, just like a movie theater screen. The TFT LCD panel produces image resolutions up to 480x272 and offers selectable brightness modes of up to 200 nits (cd/m2) brightness, depending on the power source. This means that it's bright enough to comfortably view in virtually any lighting situation.

The first million PSPs sold will come with the movie Spider-Man 2, and it looks great on the device. Colors are bright, movement is crisp and, with the supplied earphones, sound is just right. Play this on the bus or plane and people will be looking over your shoulder. Sony, Buena Vista and Lion's Gate studios support UMD, and movies are expected to retail for $20. Gaming, however, is the heart of the PSP, and it shines almost as brightly as the reflective black surface. The sampler that accompanies the device features clips from games and movies, so plan on another $40 to $50 for a game (24 titles were available at launch March 24). Ridge Racer and Tiger Woods PGA Tour shine on the PSP. Controls are tight and responsive on Ridge Racer, a colorful and entertaining race-car game.

Sony has sold more than 1.1 million PSPs in Japan since December. But the company put off its launch in Europe in order to have enough units in the U.S. Supplies are good, he said, but after the initial allotment runs out soon, there's no telling exactly when more PSPs will arrive, he said. He remembered the launch of the PlayStation 2 at the same store in 2000, when Sony had only 500,000 units on hand across the country. For Sony, which just promoted Howard Stringer as CEO, the PSP is an important product. "The timing of this launch is good. We've got a new management team, and I believe they know the importance of the games division.''

Check out the official PSP site for more info. Get the latest walkthroughs & cheats at ign. Also, ign has an article about the PSP's wifi. Learn how towatch videos on the PSP (and download video) at PSP Connect & see which games are/will be available here.

HULK SMASH EVERYTHING!

2005-03-25T01:20:00.000-05:00

While there are a handful of good to even excellent comic book games -- Spider-Man 2 and The Punisher, for instance -- there are fewer and fewer really bad ones. Encore's Daredevil, which never made it to market, and TDK's Aquaman, which just plain sucked, are more remnants of bad publishing and cheap development that anything else. And remember, Titus made perhaps the worst comic book game ever, Superman 64, a long, long time ago.

Flash forward to 2005 and it looks like theres nowhere to go but up in quality. The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction, a single-player action game, will hit retail stands in August 2005 on Xbox, PS2, and Gamecube.

Ultimate Destruction is the full-monty Hulk experience. The first title approached smash everything, but Ultimate Destruction will blow gamers away with "I can't believe I just did that" moments. The scale and sense of freedom of this game is much greater than any other comic book videogame to date. If you felt that locomotion in other games was great as you swing from place to place like a monkey in tights, you are in for a big surprise -- nothing can stop the Hulk! You can barrel down the street sending buses and traffic into oblivion, run up buildings leaving a swath of destruction in your wake and leap over buildings as you bound across the city linking super jumps together. The game engine was re-written to make sure that the player has the freedom to lose control -- where the world is your weapon and you can choose how, when and where to play. But this is not a sequel in any way. Ultimate Destruction has an original story penned by none other than the award-winning Paul Jenkins. The story and the game are true to the Marvel universe and to the Hulk's history. It is firmly rooted in the Hulk comic heritage but we did not stop there -- in a videogame first, the story from Ultimate Destruction is actually forming part of the Hulk continuity.

The PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions of the game will boast progressive-scan and 720p support respectively, both of which offer greater visual definition than standard video out. Looks like Gamecube gets left out. The developer decided to forego a progressive-scan mode for the GameCube version after Nintendo last year removed the component video out port from newly manufactured GameCube consoles. Radical Entertainment still plans to support Dolby Pro logic II in-game with the GameCube version. It was said that the GCN version stacks up nicely with the others and that the development team has actually been able to pull off some effects easier on the console than on either PlayStation 2 or Xbox.

Look for much more on this game here & ign in the coming weeks.

Pushed Back

2005-03-24T20:54:00.000-05:00

Variety reports that a potential summer showdown between two presumed blockbusters has been averted. Fantastic Four had originally been scheduled to open July 1st. Its closest competition, Steven Spielberg's War of the Worlds, will bow June 29th.
Fantastic Four has now forsaken the Independence Day holiday window by shifting its release date to July 8th.

Instead of battling Martians at the box office, Fantastic Four will face supernatural opponents instead: the big-screen remake of the TV classic Bewitched (starring Nicole Kidman and Will Ferrell) and the Kate Hudson thriller Skeleton Key.

"We are not running from War of the Worlds," Fox president of distribution Bruce Snyder advised The Hollywood Reporter. "This (new) date just works better for us."

Worldwide release dates for Fantastic Four can be found here.

For more info on the countdown til the release check out http://www.fantasticfourmovie.com/ and for the trailer go to http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/fantastic_four/index.html

Hello Again...

2005-03-24T20:41:00.000-05:00

Here is my brand spankin new comic blog with a brand new design. I hope everyone who visits loves the look and content as I try to bring the latest in comic related news to the masses. Also, leave comments so I know what kind of opinions everyone has about what I'm doing. Well, until later, enjoy!