PENDRAGON'S POST: Mar 31, 2009

Dabel Brothers Presents 5 page Previews for Take A Chance #4 and Wild Cards #5

Dabel Brothers Publishing is excited to share not one, but two 5 pg previews this week. The first is for the fourth issue of C.E. Murphy's "Take a Chance," written by C.E. Murphy with art by Ardian Syaf. The second preview is for the fifth issue of George R.R. Martin's "Wild Cards," written by Daniel Abraham with art by Eric Battle.

Take A Chance #4 (of 5) Issue Summary:

After saving an officer's life by killing a woman, Frankie Kemp struggles to keep her identity as the vigilante "Chance" a secret, but when super-powered Crisscross comes after Frankie, she must don the mask again.

Wild Cards #5 (of 6) Issue Summary:

Croyd Crenson, better known in Jokertown as "The Sleeper," has tracked down the Dog Masked serial killer who framed him for murder. Unfortunately, this mysterious man is an Ace with the ability to dematerialize at will, which means he's impossible to pin down! Will Crenson and Alex be able to stop him from striking again? Or will one of them be his next victim? Meanwhile, Simon has tracked down Kira but will he be able to save her in time? More importantly, does she want to be saved?

Look for both of these books at your local comics shop in April!
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Game Brings Comic Book Back Matter Into The 21st Century

BOOM! Studios is proud to announce Justin Lundgren as the winner of the UNTHINKABLE Altered Reality Game earning him a unique hardcover of UNTHINKABLE #1 signed by series creator Mark Sable and BOOM! E-i-C Mark Waid.

"It was a lot of fun. The puzzles were challenging and pretty creative," said winner Justin Lundgren. "I'm glad I won the game and I am looking forward to getting my prize!"

Premiering this May from BOOM! Studios, Mark (TWO-FACE: YEAR ONE) Sable's new five issue mini-series UNTHINKABLE features covers by Paul (PUNISHER NOIR) Azaceta and Kristian (DMZ) Donaldson, with interior art by THE REMNANT's rising-star artist Julian Totino Tedesco.

UNTHINKABLE follows Alan Ripley, a best-selling author who joins a think tank commissioned after 9-11 to think the unthinkable and protect America from possible nightmare terrorist scenarios. But years later, when the think tank's imaginary terror plots become frighteningly real, can he stop the UNTHINKABLE from coming to pass?

To promote the comic book's release, BOOM! Studios and Mark Sable devised an Altered Reality Game, taking extended story elements that would otherwise be comic book back matter and creating an interactive game that players across the country could actually participate in.

"We worked almost as hard on the ARG as the comic itself," said UNTHINKABLE creator Mark Sable. "I was astounded by not just the extent of participation, but how smart the players were in hunting down my fictional characters. Their engagement made all our work worth it, and I hope we can return the favor with a comic series that builds on what they experienced in the game."

The first mission was to find all the members of the Think Tank that were communicating with the term "Krammada Elbas" and at what time they would be communicating. Searching for the term "Krammada Elbas" in Google sent players to the following sites:

http://peakoilishere.blogspot.com/
http://isomergrenade.livejournal.com/
http://bringontheendtimes.wordpress.com
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/11/8a7/747

Written completely by UNTHINKABLE creator Mark Sable, all of the above sites feature what traditionally would be"back matter" content that extends and enhances the story of the impending UNTHINKABLE mini-series. The answer to mission one's question as to whom in the Think Tank were communicating using this codeword was: Heinrich Greisman, Thurston Veigh, and Nathaniel Houston with the time being 5:30.

The second mission asked for a list of countries Nathaniel Houston visited, his current reading list, and how exactly he and other members were communicating. The answers to these questions were found on Houston's LinkedIn site, his Amazon Wish List, and twitter conversations that the three Think Tank members were engaged in.

Mission three was the hardest of all the missions to complete, with a "photograph" of Nathaniel Houston being sent to all participating players. Just from the photo, they had to figure out where the character Houston was located. Unbeknownst to the players, the .jpg had geolocation information embedded within the file. That geolocation information took players to Al Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia. With a little more digging, this would lead the player to discover that Al Abaiq, Saudi Arabia houses an Aramaco oil refinery. It is this refinery that plays a significant role in the first issue of UNTHINKABLE.

"It was a pleasure to be involved in such a ground-breaking new way to tell the back story of a comic book," said Chip Mosher, Marketing and Sales Director of BOOM! Studios. " With WATCHMEN, Alan Moore really took back matter to the next level, and with the UNTHINKABLE ARG, people down the road will see this as a completely new way to enhance the storytelling of sequential art."

UNTHINKABLE #1 is written by Mark Sable and drawn by Julian Totino Tedesco with first issue covers by Paul Azaceta and Kristian Donaldson. The first issue of UNTHINKABLE ships in May and has a Diamond Code of MAR094127.

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Exploding from the pages of Mark Millar & Bryan Hitch’s Fantastic Four comes an electrifyingly, thrilling new super-team in the Marvel U—the Fantastic Force! Fantastic Force #1 (of 5), from acclaimed sci-fi writer/director Joe Ahearne and fan-favorite artist Steve Kurth come meet the Hooded Man, Lightwave, Banner, Natalie X, Psionic and Alex Ultron! The last six super humans from a dystopian future, they’ve saved what was left of a devastated humanity and relocated them to an artificial planet in present day! Now comes their most challenging test yet…create a better utopian society! However, we all know in the Marvel U nothing can ever go peacefully or easy! There are vast forces who look to move against them… and the Fantastic Force shouldn’t forget a particular threat from their own era! Plus, 8 pages of Director's Cut Extras!

Make sure you hop on board this hot new limited series beginning with Fantastic Force #1!

FANTASTIC FORCE #1 (of 5) (FEB092535)
Written by JOE AHEARNE
Pencils by STEVE KURTH
Cover by BRYAN HITCH
Rated T+…$3.99
FOC – 4/2/09, On-Sale – 4/22/09

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1) Has anything more been developed on a street date for the Ghostbusters line?

We are doing everything we can to get a figure out by SDCC. After that figures will come out every other month only on Mattycollector.com.

2) We've talked about distribution before, but what is your distribution deal with Diamond? In Diamond's publication Previews, it seems like they are months behind what comes out in the larger stores.

We don’t have any particular “deal” with Diamond. They are one of several B to B and online customers and have access to all the same product that larger big box stores do. We do not control how they promote product. But we have offered them open stock figures for the 6” line.

3) How do you determine which version of a character's costume to use? I see on DC Universe Classics that you used Robin's current costume, but are you're using Green Arrow's classic look. What goes in the determination of which look?

This is a combined effort between Mattel design, suggestions from DC comics, and ultimately the design concept of the Four Horsemen.

4) With the Masters of the Universe line selling well, any plans for more figures in that line and larger distribution?

We are going to increase production going forward as well as offer additional figures certain months. But the line will remain, at least for now, exclusive to Mattycollector.com. We actually consider MOTU having the widest distribution of all of our toys since they are available to anyone with a mail box and an internet connection. You don’t even need to leave your house. Once we get production up to meet demand (it seems we underestimated demand for Stratos and Faker) the figures should be on sale for a few weeks).

5) Finally, I gotta ask, any hint about the DCUC Joker slide that "slipped" through in your presentation at NYCC?

Not yet. Stay tuned.
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With Carol Danvers no longer Ms. Marvel, who will take up the mantle? Answer: The Dark Avenger formerly known as Moonstone! Writer Brian Reed and artist Rebekah Isaacs team up for an all-new, all-different Ms. Marvel #38! Norman Osborn has appointed the villainous Moonstone to become the world’s new favorite super-heroine--what kind of chaos and mayhem will ensue? This issue also features a Wolverine Art Appreciation variant cover by Paolo Rivera!

Fans and critics are raving about Brian Reed and Ms. Marvel:

“What's so fascinating about this current run of Ms. Marvel by Brian Reed is just how versatile he has proven both himself to be as a writer, as well as the character he writes, Carol Danvers, Ms. Marvel. […] This is a truly great book.” -- Adam Chapman, Comixtreme.com

“This issue has a few plotlines running through it, but I think Brian Reed handles it efficiently and effectively. I really think the best events and storylines of "Dark Reign" are going to happen where you least expect them, and this is one of those places.”-- Kevin Powers, ComicsBulletin.com

“I should be hit in the face with a 12 inch frying pan for even imagining a bad issue of Ms. Marvel.” -- Mike Rapin, destroythecyb.org

Marvel urges retailers to check their orders on Ms. Marvel and all Marvel Dark Reign tie-ins! What do Osborn and Moonstone have planned!? Find out this and more starting in Ms. Marvel #38!

MS. MARVEL #38 (FEB092509)
MS. MARVEL #38 WOLVERINE ART APPRECIATION VARIANT (FEB092510)
Written by Brian Reed
Penciled by Rebekah Isaacs
Cover by Phil Jimenez
Wolverine Art Appreciation Variant by PAOLO RIVERA
Rated T+ …$2.99
FOC—4/9/09, On-Sale—4/29/09

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Hot Toys - MMS DX 01 - The Dark Knight - 1/6th scale The Joker collectible figure
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Hot Toys is proud to announce our brand new product line – MMS DX (Movie Masterpiece Deluxe), featuring a newly developed technique on the eyes of our collectible - Parallel Eyeball Rolling System (PERS) with Colored Translucent Iris. The debut of the line is THE JOKER from the Dark Knight movie:

Hot Toys True Type figure with over 35 points of articulation
Stands approximately 12 inches / 31 cm tall
Dressed in Gotham City police suit, hat, Gotham City cop badge and shoes, the characters wears for assassination scene in the movie.
Weapons -M1 Garand Rifle
Additional costume: Improved & movie-accurate Joker costume of an overcoat, sport coat, vest, shirt, tie, pants, belt, socks and shoes, with grenades rig and suspenders
Weapons and accessories : Five pieces of grenades, knife, pistol and Joker cards
Seven Interchangeable posing hands
An interchangeable and new make-up Joker head featured with Parallel Eyeball Rolling System (PERS) and Translucent Iris.

Deluxe figure stand with LED lights

About Parallel Eyeball Rolling System (PERS)

PERS is a brand new technique applies to Hot Toys MMSDX figurines, special features include: