STARKINGS DOES "DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP" + 5 PAGES

RICHARD STARKINGS'COMICRAFT TO LETTER PHILIP K. DICK'S "DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP?"

FIRST FIVE PAGES REVEALED!

Award-winning letterer and designer takes on "the full novel fully illustrated" bold experiment

Issue #1 Features Covers by Denis Calero, Bill Sienkiewicz, Scott Keating & Moritat

Issue #1 also Includes Backmatter by Warren Ellis
Issue #2 to Include Backmatter by Matt Fraction
Issue #3 to Include Backmatter by Ed Brubaker

"Philip Dick, to my mind, was the great visionary writer of the 20th Century."
- Warren Ellis

"After I finished reading the screenplay for BLADE RUNNER, I got the novel out and looked through it. The two reinforce each other, so that someone who started with the novel would enjoy the movie and someone who started with the movie would enjoy the novel."
- Philip K. Dick

Earlier this month, BOOM! Studios, in partnership with Electric Shepherd Productions, proudly announced that worldwide best-selling sci-fi writer Philip K. Dick's award-winning DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP? is coming to comics this June. Today BOOM! Studios reveals that Richard Starkings' Comicraft has committed to letter the entire series, tackling BOOM! Studios bold experiment of taking the entire novel and fully illustrating it.

Richard Starkings brings his unique eye and talent to BOOM! Studios new maxi-series DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP? The Eisner Award-winning designer has won "Best Letterer" six times in a row from The Comic Buyers' Guide and "Best Letterer" nine times in a row from Wizard Magazine and revolutionized comic book lettering digitally with his company Comicraft.

"Anyone who's been paying attention to ELEPHANTMEN knows I have a special place in my heart for BLADE RUNNER and Philip K. Dick," said Richard Starkings. "I read DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP? when I was a teenager and have been working my way through Dick's novels ever since. It's really nice to be involved with the comic book. 'Nice' is English for 'Awesome,' by the way."

Also known as the creator of ELEPHANTMEN, published by Image Comics, Starkings has authored the definitive guide to digital lettering entitled COMIC BOOK LETTERING: THE COMICRAFT WAY with John Roshell. Starkings and Roshell also sell fonts they create through the company Comicbookfonts.com, including fonts based on lettering from top creators such as WATCHMEN's Dave Gibbons, HEROES' Tim Sale, X-MEN's Jim Lee, and TO MUCH COFFEE MAN's Shannon Wheeler.

"Starkings has changed the way we read comics today," BOOM! Studios Marketing and Sales Director Chip Mosher stated. "And pairing the writing of Philip K. Dick with the lettering of Richard Starkings was a no brainer. It doesn't get any better than this!"

"They say that the letterer is the writer's inker," BOOM! Studios Editor-in-Chief Mark Waid said. "And when you are dealing with the best writer in science fiction, you have to pair him with the best lettering in the business. Starkings is that guy."

The first issue of BOOM! Studios' DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP? will include backmatter by Warren Ellis and ships with three covers in a 50/25/25 split by Denis Calero, Bill Sienkiewicz and Scott Keating. A fourth cover by ELEPHANTMEN artist Moritat will be offered as a 1-in-25 incentive.

Additionally, UNCANNY X-MEN's Matt Fraction will be providing backmatter for issue #2 and CAPTAIN AMERICA and CRIMNAL's Ed Brubaker will be providing backmatter for issue #3.

Along with Starkings for the full 24 issue run will be Tony Parker (WARHAMMER 40,000: FIRE AND HONOUR) on line art and Blond (ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR) on colors.

DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP? ships this June (Diamond Code APR090725) and will present the full text of the novel fully illustrated, mixing all new panel-to-panel continuity in an innovative, ground-breaking 24-issue maxi-series experiment.





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Top Cow and Milo Ventimiglia & DiVide Pictures Unleash the Feel Good Kill of the Summer!

Top Cow Productions, Inc. proudly announced today the release of Berserker #1 which will be available in stores June 24th, 2009.

Berserker #1 is the first full-length Top Cow comic book to be published in conjunction with DiVide Pictures, the production company co-founded by Heroes star, Milo Ventimiglia.

“Berserker is a feel good kill, this is the book I wish I read as a kid,” explained Ventimiglia.

“Rick Loverd, Jeremy Haun, and Dave McCaig are definitely going to raise a bunch of eyebrows with the art and story in Berserker,” warned Filip Sablik, Top Cow Publisher, “When Milo and Russ from DiVide brought this series to us, they did it knowing we weren’t afraid to push the envelope to the limit. And it’s been bloody good fun since!”

Fans received a glimpse of the new series in a zero issue that debuted at the 2009 New York Comic-Con. Berserker #0 has been extensively reviewed by various review websites, creating a media buzz after Ventimiglia discussed the comic in an interview aired on a February episode of the TODAY Show on NBC.

The brutal new series offers a blend of Norse mythology with contemporary characters. The story focuses on an American war veteran and a high school athlete coming to grip with the animalistic and uncontrollable rage living inside them. Berserker #1 is written by screenwriter Rick Loverd and drawn by artist Jeremy Haun (Chuck, Battle for the Cowl: Arkham). Series artist Haun and artist Dale Keown (The Darkness/Pitt) will provide illustrations to the two cover variants featured on Berserker #1.

"Berkserker's a story I've wanted to tell for a long time and I'm insanely thrilled to have Top Cow and DiVide give it life,” commented writer Loverd, “Jeremy, Dale, and Dave blow me away every time new art comes in. It's like having your demented baby gouge your eyes with every new page. I've finally found people who are more unassumingly twisted than I am - ahem, Jeremy."

An additional limited cover variant of Berserker #1, signed by the creative team of Ventimiglia, Loverd and Haun, will be produced by the publisher to be included in a Retailer Support Pack for retailers who join the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. Top Cow, DiVide Pictures, and the creators are proud to help support the CBLDF, which has protected the First Amendment rights of creators, publishers, and retailers in the comic book industry.


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The Pet Avengers Assemble On the Mighty Marvel Podcast!

The Mighty Marvel Podcast (http://marvel.com/news/comicstories.1622) gets pet friendly for its 76th episode

Senior Art Director and MMP host, Jeff Suter sits down with Eisner nominated Chris Eliopoulos (Franklin Richards) to discuss the all new Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers! Eliopoulos discusses the role this extraordinary new team of Avengers will play in the Marvel Universe, how these powerful pets stack up against Earth’s Mightiest Heroes when danger arises and more in this latest episode! Download it right here: http://www.marvel.com/rss/podcasts/Pet_Avengers_Podcast.mp3

Plus, in honor of the upcoming Lockjaw & The Pet Avengers #1, click on http://marvel.com/news/comicstories.7153 right now and submit photos of your pets dressed as Marvel heroes to the Powers That Be at Marvel.Com. Your pet may be featured to fight alongside Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers online (or be really adventurous and dress your pet as a Marvel Villain)!

The Mighty Marvel Podcast, your one stop shop for news about comics with the people who’re making them, features some of the hottest writers to hit the scene like – Brian Michael Bendis, Jeff Loeb, Matt Fraction and more! Make sure you keep checking back to Marvel.com at Marvel Podcast Central (http://marvel.com/news/comicstories.1622) or subscribe to the Mighty Marvel Podcast on iTunes (that way you never miss any of the action packed installments)!

LOCKJAW AND THE PET AVENGERS #1 (MAR092505)
LOCKJAW AND THE PET AVENGERS #1 HENRICHON VARIANT
Written by CHRIS ELIOPOULOS
Penciled by IG GUARA
Cover by KARL KERSCHL
Variant Cover by NIKO HENRICHON
All Ages …$2.99
On-Sale – 5/6/09


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IVAN BRANDON AND NIC KLEIN'S VIKING STARTS OFF WITH A BANG!

Early yesterday Ivan Brandon and Nic Klein's all-new, full-color ongoing crime series for the 9th century, VIKING, debuted in a big way with a distribution-level pre-release sell out weeks in advance and nation-wide reports of store sell through!

"I can barely believe any of it. The response to this book has been crazier than anything I've ever worked on," Ivan Brandon said. "Nic and I are completely and totally blown away by the kind of retailer support and subsequent reader reaction we've been seeing. We were knocked out by the initial distribution-level sell out, but the reports we've received of subsequent sell-through are completely unbelievable. I'm getting notes from Los Angeles, Chicago...people are selling out all over. Nic and I are trying to keep our heads down and work to make the rest of the series even better. Thanks so much to everyone involved for their support!"

VIKING has received praise not only for its thrilling storyline as well as its lush, full color artwork, but also the high-end production values and oversized Golden Age dimensions unlike any other title on the stands. Even with the prestige production values on the series, it will maintain a $2.99 price point and the level of painted, full color artwork Nic produces on a bi-monthly basis. For those missing out in the initial print run, a second printing will be made available this May with a second issue coming in June.

VIKING 2nd Ptg (FEB098570), a 24-page full color comic book for $2.99, will be in stores May 6th, 2009. VIKING #2 (APR090396), also a 24-page full color comic book for $2.99, will be in-stores June 13, 2009.


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HALO UPRISING Arrives In New Hardcover Collection!

One of the most acclaimed video game series of all time, Halo ®, returns in an all-new hardcover collection-- Halo Uprising Premiere HC!

From the Eisner-winning team of writer Brian Bendis and artist Alex Maleev, witness the stunning limited series exploring the important events bridging the blockbuster Halo 2 and Halo 3 video games! As the Master Chief battles to defend Earth from the Covenant, forces of good and evil will be drawn to the mysterious Key. Who—or what—holds the secret to the one thing that could change the balance of interstellar power? Bendis & Maleev bring you the Halo you know and love in the graphic fiction collection following the tradition of Marvel’s top selling Halo HC!

“Halo Uprising has turned out to be a pretty great damn comic… [it] will stand as a really stellar work of fiction in the Halo Universe,” exclaims Benjamin Birdie of ComicBookResources.Com. “Just as gripping as any great summer blockbuster.”

Kevin Powers of ComicsBulletin.Com raves, “Bendis and Maleev has done an excellent job capturing the spirit of the franchise. Maleev’s art is outstanding; this is definitely some of his finest work to date… Bendis has developed a good plot and scripted some outstanding action which should keep Halo fans and Halo “noobs” coming back.”

Marvel urges retailers to check their orders on Halo Uprising Premiere HC, as the previous Halo hardcover sold out quickly and generated significant mainstream buzz.

HALO: UPRISING HC (MAR092489)
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Penciled by ALEX MALEEV
Cover by ALEX MALEEV
17 & Up …$24.99
FOC—5/7/09, On-Sale—6/3/09


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5 Quick Questions with Phil Hester

Phil Hester is a writer and artist that has worked for several comic companies. He has created Mia Dearden, was the artist on the Irredeemable Ant-man, & is currently writing the new Darkness series.

This Eisner Award-nominated artist was born in eastern Iowa, where he went on to study at the University of Iowa. His pencilling credits include Swamp Thing, Brave New World, Flinch, Ultimate Marvel Team-Up, Clerks: The Lost Scene, The Crow: Waking Nightmares, The Wretch (nominated for the 1997 Eisner Award for Best New Series), Aliens: Purge, and Green Arrow.



He agreed to answer 5 Quick Questions

1) What would you say is your greatest achievement in comics?

Making a living at it for over twenty years- since I was a college kid, basically. I guess artistically I'm always striving for the next project to be my best effort. My creator owned series The Wretch was nominated for an Eisner Award and that seems about as close as I'll get to funnybook immortality.

2) Who was your favorite writer or artist that you worked with & why?

Tough question. You want us to alienate all of our past collaborators, eh? My favorite artists are probably Mike Huddleston (The Coffin) and Andy Kuhn (Firebreather) because we created books that we're all still proud of today. As for work for hire, definitely Michael Broussard. It's awesome to walk on to a property like The Darkness and be presented with a partner who is well on his way to superstardom.

As for writers I think I was most excited to work with Grant Morrison and Mark Millar when they tag teamed the first arc of Swamp Thing we did together. That said, the stuff I did on Green Arrow with Kevin Smith, Brad Meltzer, and Judd Winick has a special place in my memory.

3) What character you have never worked .., would you like to do & why?

I love Ragman. I have a Dark Knight level Ragman story in me I'd love to write and draw. I'd love to write Fantastic Four. I'd love to draw The Question.

4) Who are your influences?

Kirby, Miller, Eisner, Toth, Krigstein, Wrightson, Staton, Steranko, Kurtzman, Moore, Stan Lee, Ditko, Byrne, Mignola, Wood, Rude, Ostrander, Truman, Wolverton, Timm, Claremont, Burns, Kojima, Shirow, Breccia, Munoz, Mattotti, Mazzucchelli... Oh, look- this list never ends.

5) What hero or villain would you like to change if you could and why?

I hate the Punisher. I only thinks he works as a villain, so I'd like to write him as the nut he is. How many undercover DEA agents has he killed?

I'd love to write the Silver Surfer as the noble, but tormented alien he was once. Make him truly strange.

You can check out Phil currently writing The Darkness for Top Cow


Brian Isaacs
Story Editor

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