COMIC NEWS: LANCE BRIGGS BECOMES THE DARKNESS AT C2E2

Top Cow Productions, Inc. is proud to announce Lance Briggs, the 5-time Pro Bowl player and Co-Defensive Captain of the Chicago Bears, will play a special role in Top Cow’s plans for next week’s Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (C2E2).


"I've been in love with comics since I was 7 years old. I remember reading my first ever comic, the Original X-Men, and thinking that it was the coolest thing ever," said Briggs. "Top Cow and C2E2 are making my childhood dreams come true."

”It’s very in vogue for celebrities to espouse a love of comics these days, but rarer to find someone of Lance’s stature that has a true, deep seeded love of comics,” commented Publisher Filip Sablik. “Lance’s love of comics is clear to anyone who spends five minutes with him and his passion for Top Cow and The Darkness is second to none. We’re incredibly proud to showcase his love of Marc Silvestri’s favorite son on the special commemorative cover for Chicago fans.”

Shot at Collector’s Paradise in Winnetka, CA (http://comicsandcards.net), Briggs makes a special appearance on the exclusive Top Cow C2E2 cover variant of The Darkness #84 sporting a Darkness t-shirt by Iron Fist (www.ironfistclothing.com) [Photo credit: David Dearmore, www.dearmorephoto.com]. The exclusive variant is extremely limited and will be made available for the first time anywhere at C2E2. Fans are encouraged to stop by the Top Cow booth early to secure an issue. Briggs will be autographing at C2E2’s Autographing Table 2 on Sunday, April 18th from 12:45 PM to 1:45 PM. There will be a charge for the autograph, with all proceeds going to his charity Briggs 4Kidz.

Lance Briggs will be hosting a panel titled “Lance Briggs: Dreams Come True” on Saturday, April 17, at E353 from 3:00-4:00pm. At the panel, geek out with Briggs as he talks about his favorite comics and shares the stage for a dream come true conversation with some special guests from Top Cow including Matt Banning, Ron Marz, Phil Hester, Nelson Blake II, and Mark Waid. Briggs will also make a special appearance at the Top Cow “Herd It Through the Bo-Vine” panel on Saturday, April 17 at 7:15-8:15pm in E450.

The C2E2 (Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo) convention will be held at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois for the weekend of April 16-18, 2010. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.C2E2.com.



About Top Cow Productions Inc.
Top Cow Productions, Inc. (www.topcow.com), a Los Angeles-based entertainment company, was founded in December of 1992 by artist Marc Silvestri, who also co-founded Image Comics earlier that same year. Top Cow currently publishes its line of comic books in 21 languages in over 55 different countries. The company has launched 20 franchises (18 original and two licensed) in the industry’s Top 10, seven at #1, a feat accomplished by no other publisher in the last two decades. Its flagship franchise, WITCHBLADE, was TNT’s #1 original film of 2000 and the subsequent TV series was released on DVD on July 29, 2008. A feature film, co-produced by Platinum Studios, Inc. and Arclight Films, is slated to begin production in Australia with director Michael Rymer. WITCHBLADE is also the first American property to be fully adapted in Japan as an original anime and manga by Studio GONZO in 2006. Top Cow’s other flagship property, THE DARKNESS, was developed into a major next-generation video game release by Starbreeze and 2K Games and achieved platinum sales status. WANTED, an Eisner-nominated miniseries published by Top Cow from 2003-2005, is now a major motion picture from Universal Pictures starring Angelina Jolie, James McAvoy and Morgan Freeman. Virtually all of Top Cow’s other properties are in development as feature films, live-action television, animation or video games. Top Cow has also successfully licensed and merchandised its franchises into toys, statues, clothing, lithographs, puppets, posters, magnets, shot glasses, lighters, lunch pails, wall scrolls, mouse pads, die-cast cars, calendars, Christmas ornaments, Halloween masks, trading cards, standees, video games and roleplaying games.

About Briggs4Kids
Briggz4Kids is a foundation developed to provide emotional and financial support, by raising funds and awareness for at risk youth in the Chicago area. The organization has executed numerous charity efforts since it's launch. One project Briggs4Kiz is most proud of is it's annual Holiday Shopping Spree. Since 2006, the Briggs4Kidz foundation has taken a total of 100 local children from the Chicago land area who need it most on a holiday shopping spree, each child received $250. Eligibility was decided based on their performance in school. Today, Briggs4Kidz has plans to expand these philanthropic endeavors to Sacramento, CA and Phoenix, AZ.