COMIC NEWS: Max Brooks Pens Next Generation of G.I. JOE Comics

New York Times bestselling author and IDW release new comic series in May


The critically-acclaimed and bestselling author of World War Z, the Zombie Survival Guide and The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks brings his unique and acclaimed style to G.I. JOE comics with a five-issue miniseries: G.I. JOE: Hearts & Minds, coming in May under license from Hasbro. The award-winning Max Brooks crafts a G.I. JOE series for an America at war, starkly contrasting intensely brutal portrayals of the dark side of the human condition with the light of hope in the most unlikely places.

“I tried to write a series as harsh and complicated as the times we’re living in,” said Brooks.

Exploring the effects of real-world war on the individual, every issue of G.I. JOE: Hearts & Minds features two chapters, each spotlighting a different G.I. JOE or COBRA character. Brooks pulls no punches from the very beginning, starting the series with chapters on MAJOR BLUDD and SPIRIT.

“This is the G.I. JOE book that isn't about action figures. It's about people like you and me,” said IDW G.I. JOE editor Andy Schmidt. “And that makes it even more chilling than any zombie novel could be, because this one isn't about a plague--this one is about us.”

Brooks’s dark stories are masterfully brought to life by artists Howard Chaykin and Antonio Fuso, who will each also provide covers. In addition to the regular edition, IDW will be offering a limited number of signed editions.

An award-winning writer, Brooks has brought his own unique style to both TV and print, including as part of the writing team for “Saturday Night Live” for forty episodes from 2001 to 2003, which won an Emmy in 2002. Brooks’s The Zombie Survival Guide was released in 2003 and has sold well over one million copies worldwide. World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War followed in 2006, became an instant bestseller and is currently in development to be a major motion picture. Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks, Brooks’s most recent book, debuted at number one on the New York Times graphic novel bestseller list.


G.I. JOE: Hearts & Minds #1 (of 5, $3.99, 32 pages, full color) will be available in stores in May. Diamond order code: MAR10 0998.

G.I. JOE: Hearts & Minds #1 Signed Edition ($9.99, 32 pages, full color) will be available in stores in May. Diamond order code: MAR10 0999.



About IDW Publishing

IDW is an award-winning publisher of comic books, graphic novels and trade paperbacks, based in San Diego, California. Renowned for its diverse catalog of licensed and independent titles, IDW publishes some of the most successful and popular titles in the industry, including: Hasbro's The Transformers and G.I. JOE, Paramount's Star Trek; Fox's Angel; the BBC's Doctor Who; and television's #1 prime time series CBS' CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. IDW is also home to the Library of American Comics imprint, which publishes classic comic reprints; Yoe! Books, a partnership with Yoe! Studios; and is the print publisher for ComicMix.

IDW's original horror series, 30 Days of Night, was launched as a major motion picture in October 2007 by Sony Pictures and was the #1 film in its first week of release. More information about the company can be found at IDWPublishing.com.


About Hasbro
Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE:HAS) is a worldwide leader in children’s and family leisure time products and services with a rich portfolio of brands and entertainment properties that provides some of the highest quality and most recognizable play and recreational experiences in the world. As a brand-driven, consumer-focused global company, Hasbro brings to market a range of toys, games and licensed products, from traditional to high-tech and digital, under such powerful brand names as TRANSFORMERS, PLAYSKOOL, TONKA, MILTON BRADLEY, PARKER BROTHERS, CRANIUM and WIZARDS OF THE COAST. Come see how we inspire play through our brands at http://www.hasbro.com. © 2010 Hasbro, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Read more...

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COMIC REVIEW: Nola #4 (BOOM! Studios)

Chris Gorak's NOLA wraps up with issue #4 and gets a second chance from me. I read the first issue and didn't really get into it, but decided that I may have missed something. Through the 4-issue series the title character has been on a roaring rampage of revenge, Beatrix Kiddo-style. (And if you don't get the reference, finish reading this review and go Netflix Kill Bill, Volumes 1 and 2. Seriously, do it. If you don't enjoy those few hours, let me know, and we'll discuss. But I digress.) Now, I'm the first to say that every revenge story shouldn't be compared to Kill Bill or its source material, Lady Snowblood, but it actually fits here.




I got the sense throughout this issue that even though Nola was shooting first and asking questions later, she was totally justified. Which is good, because most of the issue is about her waving a pistol around. In between, however, we really get to see that revenge is the only thing that moves her forward. That's the thing I found most interesting about this book, and its greatest strength.

I'm glad I gave this book a second chance. Gorak's story was simple but kept me engaged throughout. If you've been reading this all along, of course you're going to pick this one up. If not, grab the other three issues, or wait for the trade. Either way, this title is a great addition to the BOOM! library.

Stacy Rader
Senior Reviewer Read more...

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COMIC CONVENTIONS: Comic Book Artists "Dream Team" Debut COMIX ACADEMY

Artists Get One-on-One Mentoring and Portfolio Reviews with Top Comic Book Editors


Five comic book illustrators with super hero-like artistic abilities have teamed up to use their powers for good–helping others realize their dream projects. Dave Dorman, Scott Hampton, Christopher Moeller, Durwin Talon, and John Van Fleet will be teaching Comix Academy, six days of intense instruction dedicated to helping illustrators break into the comics market. Joining them as Comix Academy’s very first special guest presenter will be Mike Mignola.

The workshops will be held in San Diego July 15 through July 20th, dovetailing with the start date of San Diego Comic-Con. The mission of the Comix Academy is to "provide guidance to students in a way that wasn't available to me when I was trying to find my way in the comics industry," explained co-founder and #1 Star Wars Artist Dave Dorman.

"We’ve assembled some of the best storytellers in the business to share their talents from visual storytelling and concept work to painting and 3D art. It’s going to be an exciting week!" said co-founder Durwin Talon, educator and author of “Panel Discussions” a book exploring the design of sequential art storytelling by Two Morrows Publishing. Added co-founder Scott Hampton, "The Comix Academy is about focusing on specifics. We have six days and we want them to count, so we're concentrating on where the attendees are right now with their art. We'll show students what we're doing, but just as importantly, we'll see what they're doing, what their goals are. I look forward to helping our students polish and improve the art they bring with them.”

To that end, the Comix Academy team will help students prepare their work for the comics and illustration industry, and culminate the course with a final day receiving one-on-one portfolio reviews with world-class comic book editors.

The early registration fee for the course is $950 before April 30th, 2010 and $1,150 after May 1, 2010. Discounts on lodging are also available to students. For more information or media inquiries, please contact 630.845.4694, email denise@writebrainmedia.com or visit http://www.comixacademy.com . Read more...

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COMIC NEWS: U.S. TROOPS OVERSEAS SET TO RECEIVE MASS EFFECT: REDEMPTION!

DARK HORSE COMICS TO DONATE 5,000 COPIES OF ISSUE #1 TO U.S. ARMED FORCES TROOPS ABROAD


In conjunction with the release of the third explosive issue of Mass Effect: Redemption, Dark Horse Comics announced today that they will be donating 5,000 copies of the first issue of this popular series, which has sold out across the country, to U.S. Armed Forces troops around the world.

Dark Horse will work with Paper Money Guaranty (PMG) to ensure that these issues of Mass Effect: Redemption make it into the hands of the men and women serving in the U.S. military throughout the world. Every year publishers’ donations of Free Comic Book Day issues are sent to troops via PMG, this time the annual payload will be stocked with thousands of issues of Mass Effect: Redemption #1 for America’s fighting men and women. Copies will make their way to military personnel stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as at bases in Europe and the Far East.

Mass Effect: Redemption tells the exciting back-story that led up to the events of Mass Effect 2, the recently released video game developed by the award-winning creative team at BioWare. The game’s lead writer Mac Walters takes up the pen to give fans exclusive insight into the events that unfolded between the conclusion of the original Mass Effect, and the beginning of Mass Effect 2. Scripted by John Jackson Miller (Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic, The Invincible Iron Man) and drawn by Omar Francia (Star Wars Legacy), this four-part series explores the exotic and dangerous future Milky Way of Mass Effect, revealing previously unseen locations, aliens, and enemies of this rich science fiction landscape.

The Mass Effect trilogy is an epic science fiction adventure set in a vast universe filled with dangerous alien life and mysterious, uncharted planets. In Mass Effect 2, players will step into the role of the heroic Commander Shepard, commanding a crew of the most dangerous operatives from across the galaxy on a mission so challenging that it’s potentially suicidal. Featuring intense shooter action, a rich futuristic storyline, stunning space exploration and emotionally engaging characters, the game delivers an unparalleled cinematic experience. Mass Effect 2 was released on the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system and PC on January 26, 2010 in North America and January 29, 2010 in Europe and has been rated ‘M’ for Mature by the ESRB and ‘18+’ by PEGI (please visit www.esrb.org and www.pegi.eu for more information on ratings). For more news from the development team, please follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/masseffect2 or visit the game’s official website at http://masseffect.bioware.com/.

For those who have yet to read the explosive comic series, both the first and second issues are currently available for download on iTunes for just 99 cents each.

Mass Effect: Redemption is the fifth title to arrive in Dark Horse’s ever-growing stable of comics available on the iPhone platform. Other titles available now include Gerard Way’s smash hit Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite, Hellboy: Seed of Destruction, Terminator: Death Valley, and multiple titles the critically acclaimed line of Star Wars comics.

For more information, please visit http://www.darkhorse.com/Features/Mobile.

About Dark Horse Comics
Since 1986, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. The company is known for the progressive and creator friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists. In addition to publishing comics from top talent like Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Neil Gaiman, Gerard Way and comics legend Will Eisner, Dark Horse has developed such successful characters as The Mask, Timecop, and SpyBoy. Additionally, their highly successful line of comics and products based on popular properties includes Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, Emily the Strange, Tim Burton, Trigun, Serenity and Domo. Today Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic-book publisher in the U.S. and is recognized as one of the world's leading publisher of licensed comics material.

About BioWare
BioWare develops computer, console, handheld, mobile and online video games focused on rich stories and memorable characters. Since 1995, BioWare has created some of the world's best-selling titles, including the award-winning Baldur's Gate™ and Neverwinter Nights™ series, Star Wars®: Knights of the Old Republic™ and Sonic™ Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood (for the Nintendo DS™). Original BioWare-created intellectual properties include Jade Empire™ and the 2007 Game of the Year, Mass Effect™. With studios in Edmonton (Alberta, Canada), Montréal (Québec), and Austin (Texas), BioWare is hard at work on the epic fantasy roleplaying game, Dragon Age™: Origins, Mass Effect 2™, the epic sequel to Mass Effect, and the story-driven massively multiplayer game, Star Wars®: The Old Republic™, as well as several unannounced projects. In 2008, BioWare was acquired by the world's leading electronic entertainment publisher, Electronic Arts. For more information on BioWare, visit www.bioware.com
*BioWare, Mass Effect, Dragon Age and Jade Empire are trademarks or registered trademarks owned by EA International (Studio and Publishing) Ltd. in the U.S. and/or other countries. EA, EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS BIG and POGO are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Xbox and Xbox 360 are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. Nintendo DS is a trademark of Nintendo. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world's leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, cellular handsets and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTS™, EA™, EA SPORTS Freestyle™ and POGO™. In fiscal 2008, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.67 billion and had 27 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.
*BioWare, Mass Effect, Dragon Age and Jade Empire are trademarks or registered trademarks owned by EA International (Studio and Publishing) Ltd. in the U.S. and/or other countries. EA, EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS BIG and POGO are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Xbox and Xbox 360 are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. . All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Read more...

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COMIC CONVENTIONS: Mayor Daley Commends C2E2 Organizers; Debut is Enormous!!

ARTIST ALLEY AT C2E2 TO INCLUDE OVER 250 ARTISTS!

Debut of New Chicago Pop Culture Event is “Enormous”, Notes Show Manager

Mayor Richard M. Daley Commends Organizers


Officials at C2E2 (Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo), which is set to debut April 16 – 18, 2010 at McCormick Place in Chicago, have announced that over 250 artists have now been confirmed to appear in its Artist Alley. Convention organizers also note that there will be a total of 175 panels and screenings at C2E2 featuring top guests from every field of creative endeavor in the pop culture world. Additionally, there will be 200 exhibitors at the convention, creating an unparalleled business opportunity for all participants. In a recent announcement (December 4, 2009), Diamond Comic Distributors announced that they will hold their Diamond Retailer Summit in Chicago in conjunction with C2E2.

“We are working furiously on all fronts and our debut in Chicago will be enormous,” notes Lance Fensterman, Vice President for the Reed Pop Culture Group and Show Manager for C2E2. “Our Artist Alley now looks like it will be almost as big as New York Comic Con and the guests who we have already announced are among the top names in the pop culture universe. In addition, we are creating a first class business environment where our most important customers will be meeting with their most important customers. From the moment we first started thinking about building a massive pop culture event in Chicago, we knew we had to combine business with entertainment, and this is exactly what we have done.”

Mayor Richard M. Daley of Chicago states: "Comic books, with their innovative art work and creative storytelling, are reaching larger and larger audiences every year. Some of the most compelling new art in America is being made by the people represented here at C2E2. I commend the organizers for bringing this exciting Expo to our city and wish you all a memorable event.”

Show officials note that top exhibitors will be participating in C2E2 including: Aspen, Dark Horse, Image, Nintendo, Oni Press, Quirk Books, Random House, and Tonner. Both DC and Marvel will have 2500 square foot booths. “We are generating enthusiasm and attention for pop culture in the Midwest,” Fensterman concludes. “We are hearing about ancillary events that will be taking place in Chicago during C2E2 which are building on our own major show and presence. This is exactly what we had hoped for … a huge celebration that satisfies the fans and brings attention to our customers as well as their artists and creators.”

As noted, the C2E2 Artist Alley will boast more than 250 artists. Among some of the top artists who will be appearing in the C2E2 Artist Alley are Mark Bagley, Art Baltazar, Terry and Rachel Dodson, Jimmy Palmiotti, and Jim Valentino. These artists join many other creators participating in C2E2 including Keystone Guest of Honor Alex Ross as well as 75 other Guests of Honor and Featured Guests.

Organizers for C2E2 note that tickets for the show are selling fast and so all fans are encouraged to buy tickets in advance! For more information on guests, tickets, or C2E2 in general, visit www.C2E2.com or check out the show’s official blog, MediumAtLarge at www.mediumatlarge.net, or follow C2E2 on Twitter at www.twitter.com/c2e2.

ABOUT REED EXHIBITIONS POP CULTURE GROUP:
The Pop Culture Group at Reed Exhibitions owns and operates the New York Comic Con (NYCC), the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (C2E2), and the New York Anime Festival (NYAF). New York Comic Con was launched in 2006 and quickly became a dominant presence in the pop culture world of public events. In 2009, 452 companies exhibited at NYCC for a total of 84,000 square feet of paid exhibit space, and it has been ranked by Crain's New York Business as the second-largest annual event in NYC. C2E2, which will debut April 16 – 18 at Chicago's McCormick Place Convention Center, is modeled after NYCC and will provide fans the opportunity to meet and greet their favorite writers, creators, and artists, as well as to see, hear and learn about the latest and greatest in comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, toys, movies, and television. The Pop Culture Group also operates the recently-launched Star Wars Celebration in partnership with the Lucasfilm Ltd. and UFC Fan Expo. Additionally, it holds a strategic partnership with Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) in 2008 and will work closely with PAX on the launch of PAX East in Boston in 2010. Read more...

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COMIC NEWS: Party to Benefit Ed Hannigan, Wondercon Weekend

Cartoon Art Museum and The Hero Initiative Present
A Benefit for Ed Hannigan:
WonderCon Weekend Party

Cartoon Art Museum Event: Friday, April 2, 2010 from 8pm to 11pm
Tickets: Sliding scale from $10 to $35


The Cartoon Art Museum and The Hero Initiative proudly present the museum’s Annual WonderCon Weekend Party, which will be held on Friday, April 2, from 8pm to 11pm. A portion of the proceeds from this special event will go to comic book artist Ed Hannigan, whose work is featured in the Cartoon Art Museum’s current exhibition Ed Hannigan: Covered.

Tickets for this event will be sold on a sliding scale. Ed Hannigan, who is suffering from multiple sclerosis, will receive a portion of the proceeds of all ticket sales above $20. Those who donate $35 or more will receive a special gift bag courtesy of the Cartoon Art Museum. A silent auction will be held at the party, and all proceeds from the auction will go directly Hannigan.

Many of the top talents from DC Comics and Marvel Comics will be in attendance as special guests of the Cartoon Art Museum and the Hero Initiative. Confirmed guests at press time include Arthur Adams, Amanda Conner, Sergio Aragones, Joyce Chin, Jimmy Palmiotti, Greg Rucka, Gail Simone, Jen Van Meter, and more to be announced.

Food and beverages will be provided by San Francisco-area vendors. Please visit www.cartoonart.org for a list of additional sponsors as they are announced.

About Ed Hannigan: Covered:

Hannigan worked extensively for Marvel Comics and DC Comics throughout the 1970s and 1980s, on such fondly remembered titles as Green Arrow, The Defenders and Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man. Today, Hannigan is 58 years old and has multiple sclerosis. The Hero Initiative, a charitable organization that provides financial assistance to comic book professionals in need, and Marvel Comics have collaborated on a tribute book, Ed Hannigan: Covered, that features highlights from Hannigan’s artistic career. The Cartoon Art Museum will display some of Hannigan’s most notable covers alongside the cover and complete interior artwork for one of his most famous single-issue stories, The Spectacular Spider-Man #64, which introduced the crime-fighting duo Cloak and Dagger.

Sponsorship for this exhibition has been provided by The Comic Outpost. The Comic Outpost, located on 2381 Ocean Ave. San Francisco, CA has been fulfilling the needs of comic book lovers for well over 15 years. Current owners Gary Buechler and Roger Yan firmly believe their customer service and subscriber program is second to none. For more questions, visit their website at www.comicoutpost.net or call (415) 239-2669.

Also on display at the Cartoon Art Museum:

Batman: Yesterday and Tomorrow examines the works of six influential artists and their interpretations of Gotham City’s Dark Knight, including “Bat-Manga” by Jiro Kuwata, The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller, Batman: Digital Justice by Pepe Moreno, a short story by Neal Adams, Batman: Year 100 by Paul Pope, and a re-creation of the first Batman story, illustrated by Bob Kane.

Drawing the Sword: Samurai in Anime and Manga explores the complex evolution of Japanese artistic traditions by demonstrating the ever-changing image of the iconic samurai, from classic Japanese woodblock prints through contemporary animation and comic book art.

Please visit http://www.cartoonart.org or call (415) CAR-TOON for an updated list of special guests and events, as well as additional information about the museum.

About WonderCon:

WonderCon, the first major comics and pop culture convention of 2008, takes place April 2-4, 2010 at San Francisco's Moscone Center South. For more information on WonderCon, please visit Comic-Con International's official website, http://www.comic-con.org

About The Hero Initative

The Hero Initiative is the first-ever federally chartered not-for-profit corporation dedicated strict to helping comic book creators in need. Hero creates a financial safety net for yesterday’s creators who may need emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work. It’s a chance for all of us to give back something to the people who have given us so much enjoyment.

Since its inception, The Hero Initiative has had the good fortune to grant over $400,000 to the comic book veterans who have paved the way for those in the industry today. For more information, visit www.heroinitiative.org or call 626-676-6354. Read more...

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TOY NEWS: Playmates Toys Names Diamond as Exclusive Distributor to U.S. Specialty Retail Channels

Playmates Toys has named Diamond Comic Distributors – the leading U.S. distributor of pop-culture merchandise -- as its exclusive distributor to service the specialty market nationwide.


“We are gratified by the trust Playmates has placed in us,” said Diamond Vice President of Purchasing Bill Schanes. “We look forward to helping grow and distribute Playmates' diverse and successful lines to our U.S. account base."

"With powerful entertainment brands iCarly and Shrek, "gotta have" pop icon Michael Jackson, the irresistible Rainbow Brite and urban vinyl-influenced gaming media brand Hero:108, we think the Diamond alliance is a perfect match to achieve our objective of strong placement at influential trend and entertainment venues," said Lou Novak, President Playmates Toys.

"Playmates furthers our goal of providing superior service through broad product offerings” added Roger Fletcher, Diamond’s Vice President of Sales & Marketing. “This agreement will help us deliver diversified retailer merchandising options that drives consumer traffic and sales."

ABOUT DIAMOND COMIC DISTRIBUTORS—the world's largest distributor of English-language comic books and pop-culture related merchandise—Diamond is based in Baltimore, MD, and services more than 3,500 specialty retailers worldwide. For more information, visit Diamond on the web at www.diamondcomics.com.

ABOUT PLAYMATES TOYS— For over 40 years, Playmates Toys is among the most well respected and innovative marketing and distribution companies in the global toy industry with a proven history in the creation of innovative and imaginative products as well as the development and management of profitable, long-term brand franchises. Key brands include TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES, STAR TREK, SIMPSONS, KING KONG, TOMB RAIDERS, DICK TRACY, EXOSQUAD, NANO PALS, iCARLY, DISNEY PRINCESS, DISNEY FAIRIES, BABY SO BEAUTIFUL, WATERBABIES and the AMAZING family of intelligent dolls. From its offices in Hong Kong and California, Playmates designs, develops, markets and distributes its products in over 60 countries worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.playmatestoys.com Playmates Toys Inc. (HKSE: 0869)
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TOY NEWS: H.P. Lovecraft's Dagon Pre-Order

SOTA Toys is proud to announce Dagon! A true Horror from the Deep.


SOTA Toys introduces the latest addition to the "SOTA Nightmares" product line, H. P. Lovecraft's Dagon. This 12-inch tall statue features incredible detail in its horrific presentation of nameless things that crawl on the ocean's slimy bed; Dagon. Made of high quality resin and special "flex-resin" in key parts, this limited edition collectible will be a prized addition to any collection highlighting H. P. Lovecraft, monsters, and, as Lovecraft stated, "gigantic, tenebrous, ultimate gods."

Bullet Points!
• Dagon is the latest addition to the SOTA Nightmares line of Horror statues.
• The Dagon Statue is the third statue in the SOTA Nightmares H.P. Lovecraft line of Cthulhu Collectibles
• Dagon stands in the same 12” scale as the Cthulhu and the Nyarlathotep statues.
• Dagon Pre-Orders are available here.
• Many more images of Dagon are available here and here.
• Dagon will ship to retail customers in late May, 2010 (Though pre-orders are available now.)

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COMIC NEWS: ANGELUS #1 and ANGELUS #2 SELL OUT

RON MARZ & STJEPAN SEJIC’S

ANGELUS #1 and ANGELUS #2 SELL OUT


Top Cow Productions, Inc. proudly announced today that the first and second issues of the six-issue miniseries Angelus has sold out at the distributor level.

Written by Ron Marz (Witchblade, Magdalena) and featuring art by Stjepan Sejic (Witchblade), the Angelus miniseries finds Danielle Baptiste returning home to New Orleans and coming to grips with her new role as the Angelus – the human bearer of the primal force of light.

"I'm just incredibly pleased at the news of Angelus #1 and #2 selling out,” said Marz. “This series is really the culmination of something we started planning more than three years ago when we introduced Dani Baptiste in Witchblade #100. We wanted to grow her into a character that readers could connect to, so that when she finally assumed the mantle of the Angelus, we'd have someone the audience cares about. Hopefully the success of the first two Angelus issues is an indication we did that."

“There's little to be unsaid about what Marz and Sejic have done for Top Cow's top character, and this title is in the same field of character development, intrigue, with magical elements that wouldn't let me stop turning pages.” – Newsarama’s Best Shots

“Sejic is still as spectacular as ever with each page, and if you have only seen the scans from the preview and were amazed, then it’s time you grabbed the book.” – Comic Attack

“The story was solid, and entertaining, and the artwork was awesome, as usual for Stjepan Sejic. The use of storytelling through panel progression and balance between calm subtle moments, and double page action spreads, really give this book a nice feel.” – Comic Collector Live

Angelus #1 and #2’s successes join five other recent sold-out Top Cow titles – The Darkness/Pitt #1, The Darkness/Pitt #2, Tracker #1, Pilot Season: Murderer #1 and Pilot Season: Demonic #1.

Angelus #3 will arrive in stores April 7th, 2010.



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. Read more...

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TOY NEWS: Halo Minimates Revealed!

In November 2001, Bungie and Microsoft brought the world “Halo: Combat Evolved”. The game became a worldwide sensation and helped rocket the “Xbox” to stardom. Since then, the franchise has continued to gain momentum with “Halo 2”, “Halo 3”, “Halo Wars”, and “Halo 3: ODST” (not to mention the DVD release of “Halo: Legends”). Now, as everyone waits in anticipation for Fall release of the prequel “Halo: Reach”, Diamond Select is proud to announce the inclusion of “Halo” into the Minimates universe!


To help launch the line this Fall, comic book and specialty stores will be offering a 4-pack which will include:

Master Chief
UNSC Marine
Spartan in Scout Armor
Elite in Assault Armor

Future announcements will bring great news concerning other Spartan armor classes from the various games (in your favorite multi-player color schemes), aliens & allies, and vehicles. We’ll also be bringing you news about our plans for a sneak peek/debut at this year’s San Diego Comic Con.



Copyright ©2010 Diamond Select Toys and Collectibles, LLC and respective copyright holders. Read more...

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COMIC NEWS: I Am A New Avenger

Don't miss the brand new New Avengers #1, from the superstar creative team of Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen, this June!

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TOY NEWS: Universal Monsters - In Progress!

Sculptor Jean St. Jean talks about the in progress work for the new DST Universal Monsters figures!

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COMIC NEWS: What Is HERALDS?

What is Heralds, Marvel’s new secret project arriving in stores this June? Find out tonight exclusively on G4 (www.g4tv.com) at 7pm Eastern on Attack of The Show!



Marvel Entertainment, LLC. is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of over 5,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in licensing, entertainment (via Marvel Studios and Marvel Animation) and publishing (via Marvel Comics). Marvel's strategy is to leverage its franchises in a growing array of opportunities around the world, including feature films, consumer products, toys, video games, animated television, direct-to-DVD and online. For more information visit www.marvel.com. Read more...

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COMIC NEWS: STAN'S BACK REVEALED!

A COMIC BOOK INDUSTRY EVENT!

POW! ENTERTAINMENT
& BOOM! STUDIOS
ANNOUNCE A NEW SUPERHERO LINE
FROM STAN LEE!


POW! Entertainment and BOOM! Studios announced a deal has been struck that will see the production of a series of three superhero titles presented by Stan Lee. These series will premiere from BOOM! Studios later this year.

BOOM!'s Editor-in-Chief Mark Waid, creator of BOOM!'s runaway hit series IRREDEEMABLE and its smash sister book INCORRUPTIBLE, will be writing one of the series. Two other series will follow, featuring A-list writers as a part of the creative team. Further announcements will clarify the teams and the timing for the roll-out.

This past December, POW! announced that Walt Disney Studios had entered into a first-look deal with POW! and currently has a number of projects in development where it is working closely with the world-renowned Lee.

The revelation of Stan Lee’s presenting a series of three superhero titles at BOOM! follows on the heels of a viral marketing campaign announcing "Stan's Back" that hit the internet early last week. Across major comic book news sites and blogs last week, ads appeared teasing "Stan's Back." The L.A. Times' Hero Complex & L.A. Times' Brand-X also got in on the action, running the "Stan's Back" campaign in print and on their respective website. All the banner ads linked back to www.stansback.com, a site which had only the "Stan's Back" logo and nothing else disclosing additional information.

For one week, the internet was in a frenzy with comic fans everywhere trying to figure out what could the "Stan's Back" teaser campaign mean. Today it has finally been revealed - Stan Lee is back, presenting a comic book series for the Direct Market comic specialty market that Lee was instrumental in fostering.

POW! Entertainment and BOOM! Studios had no further details at this time. More forthcoming.



About POW!
(Purveyors of Wonder) Entertainment, Inc. (Pinksheets: POWN) An advanced media and entertainment company, POW! was founded by Stan Lee together with award winning producer Gill Champion and intellectual property attorney Arthur Lieberman, Esq. to create, produce and license original intellectual properties. POW! specializes in franchises for the entertainment industry, including animation and live-action feature films, plus television, DVDs, video games, merchandising and related ancillary markets, all of which contribute to global expansion.

About BOOM! Studios
BOOM! Studios (www.boom-studios.com) is a unique publishing house specializing in high-profile projects across a wide variety of different genres from some of the industry’s biggest talents, including Philip K. Dick’s DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP?, The Henson Company’s FARSCAPE, and the original Mark Waid series IRREDEEMABLE. BOOM!'s children publishing imprint BOOM Kids! publishes titles such as Pixar’s THE INCREDIBLES, CARS, and TOY STORY, as well as Disney’s THE MUPPETS, DONALD DUCK, UNCLE SCROOGE and WALT DISNEY’S COMICS AND STORIES. The "lit comix"-oriented BOOM! Town imprint was launched this year with upcoming trading cards from underground comix artist R. Crumb. In 2010, BOOM! Studios celebrates its fifth anniversary.
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COMIC NEWS: I Am A New Avenger

Don't miss the brand new New Avengers #1, from the superstar creative team of Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen, this June!



Marvel Entertainment, LLC. is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of over 5,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in licensing, entertainment (via Marvel Studios and Marvel Animation) and publishing (via Marvel Comics). Marvel's strategy is to leverage its franchises in a growing array of opportunities around the world, including feature films, consumer products, toys, video games, animated television, direct-to-DVD and online. For more information visit www.marvel.com. Read more...

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COMIC NEWS: Peter Parker, You're Fired!

MARVEL COMICS PUTS SPIDER-MAN’S ALTER EGO PETER PARKER INTO UNEMPLOYMENT IN LATEST AMAZING SPIDER-MAN STORYLINE

New Storyline Spins Its Web Beginning March 3rd in Amazing Spider-Man #623




Marvel Comics has two words to say to Spider-Man’s alter ego Peter Parker -- You’re Fired! Beginning in Amazing Spider-Man #623, on-sale March 3rd, everyone’s favorite friendly neighborhood hero has to not only survive key arch nemesis Vulture’s reign of terror…but also losing his job at the Mayor’s office! Peter Parker lays it all on the line to protect J. Jonah Jameson and keep the city from ripping itself apart, but Peter’s sacrifice winds up costing his career as a photographer.

But when you can’t pay the bills, how’s a Super Hero supposed to buy web-fluid and fix his costume? Spider-Man’s about to learn that with great power and great responsibility comes the great need to be employed -- which isn’t so easy when you’re blacklisted in New York City!

“Peter Parker’s been through some rough times lately, with all of his deadliest foes returning, and he couldn’t lose his job at a worse time” said Senior Editor Steve Wacker. “He’s going to struggle with unemployment and trying to save the city while he can barely afford to keep a roof over his head.”

The intrigue starts in Amazing Spider-Man #623 with the shocking next installment, Amazing Spider-Man #624, spinning into stores just one week later – March 10!



Marvel Entertainment, LLC. is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of over 5,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in licensing, entertainment (via Marvel Studios and Marvel Animation) and publishing (via Marvel Comics). Marvel's strategy is to leverage its franchises in a growing array of opportunities around the world, including feature films, consumer products, toys, video games, animated television, direct-to-DVD and online. For more information visit www.marvel.com. Read more...

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ASK MATTY: MATTY ANSWERS 3/1/10

Matty took time out of his busy schedule to answer some questions.


1. Battle Cat & Trap Jaw both sold out in a record amount of time and due to multiple technical issues many MOTUC fans are feeling left out in the cold because they couldn’t get their figures. After 14 months of operation, something needs to be done. One popular idea is to limit the number of figures people can buy at a time, for example making the limit two instead of ten. Is this at all possible or are fans out of luck until the re-release?

Actually, very few customers are buying more than two figures. We want to keep the ten options for those international customers who requested this to help with shipping.

2. What went into choosing a character like Mo-Larr, who debuted on Robot Chicken, as one of two SDCC MOTUC items?

Mo-Larr came about from a meeting Toy Guru had with Matt and Seth at SDCC a few years back. Doing Mo-Larr is a great way to bring some attention to the line and offer a figure just for pure fun!

3. Since you cannot comment officially on licenses you do not have, in a scenario where you already own the rights to, manufacture, and distribute figures for an intellectual property that you obtained the rights to from a company, can you provide a general list of barriers and obstacles that make it difficult or perhaps impossible to acquire the rights to other unique intellectual properties owned by the same company?

Sorry, this is not something we can share with the public.

4. Will the coupons issued out to subscribers for Battle Cat carry over to other items in the future as many couldn't use them to order?

If you did not redeem your coupon this time you may do so when he goes back on sale in the fall.

5. Is She-Ra's cape removable?

Yes. If you pop her head off, the cape slips off. Read more...

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Eternian Observer: Of Beasts and Men, or, Keep Your Damn Dirty Apes Out of My MOTUC Subscription

I have tried to stay away from the drama in the always-controversial world of Masters of the Universe Classics. It seems that every week or two there is some huge point of contention in the MOTUC collectors community: Hordak's half armor, Teela's waist, Battle Armor He-Man's plates, Moss Man's ears, Mo-Larr, inclusion of POP characters, etc. For the amount of passion and intensity generated, you would think we were talking about something actually important like civil rights or health care reform. That being said, there are some very legitimate issues with the line, although none of them are artistic. There have been serious problems with delivery, customer service, and the website from the beginning. All of these have to do with Matty's fulfillment service, Digital River, but now there is a very important decision being mulled over regarding the 2011 subscriptions: whether or not to include "beasts" in the subscription plan. Based on what I have seen so far, I really hope that they don't.

Note to Mattel: If you are looking to sell a new subset of a popular toyline, don't show off your most ridiculous looking character as an example of what that line is going to be.

I bought a 2010 subscription despite the fact that the bonus figures were not included and the shipping was not combined. This is where the problems begin, as Digital River is not able to walk and chew gum at the same time and do a simple thing such as combine shipping for items ordered by the same person and mailed to the same address. Rightfully, people complained about this and Matty and Toy Guru said that they would re-evaluate including the now-scaled back bonus figure program in the 2011 subscription. They then introduced a line of beasts, of which Battle Cat was the first and was incredibly popular and well-received. Additional beasts were revealed at Toy Fair, Tytus and Gygor, and now it looks as though Matty will not only be including quarterly bonus figures in the 2011 subscription but quarterly beast figures at anywhere from $30-$60 each all in one subscription.


Now, the reasonable way to do this would be to offer two or three subscription plans but Toy Guru has been clear that there will be only one subscription option. They are not entertaining the idea of tiers or bolts or anything like that. Are you just interested in only monthly figures? Tough. Are you just interested in only monthly figures and quarterly figures? Tough. You either get everything, or you take the chance of getting nothing. If you want the only way to guarantee your figures, you have to get the beasts.

Despite the greatness that is Battle Cat, I'm not feeling the other beasts we've seen, two obscure z-list characters. At their expensive price point ($30-$60), these are figures I am going to want to cherry pick. While Tytus is a cool addition to the line, I will be saving my money (and shelf space) for something else. Gygor is...a yellow gorilla in a cape. Somehow he manages to look silly even in the context of MOTU.

I find it odd that Mattel was extremely cautious about the bonus figure line and their possible inclusion in the subscription. For a long time, it was, "Let's see how Zodak does," and then, "Let's see how Goddess does," and then, "Let's see how Battle Armor He-Man does." Now they've adjusted the bonus figure program and are seemingly ready to include it in the2011 subscription after several months of trial and error. Regarding the beasts, they seem to have all but made up their minds to include them in the plan, having sold only one beast character so far. And one can hardly use Battle Cat as a gauge of the beasts as a whole, as he is a beloved core character. Even the next most popular beast, Panthor, will not do as well.

If Mattel wasn't happy with the sales of the Goddess, imagine if she had been $30 or $40 and had never appeared in any media at all. Perhaps before sticking these expensive, large-scale figures in the subscription, it would be wise to give it a year and see how they sell. By February next year, there will have been four or five beast figures released and there will be a better gauge of their popularity. Unless, of course, it Matty thinks the only way that they will be able to have the sales they want on these kinds of figures is to compel people to buy them in a subscription...

Again, the only reasonable solution is to offer multiple subscription options. Perhaps because of a lack of trust in Digital River, they will not do this. It is unfortunate that they have a dysfunctional relationship with their fulfillment company but, as a costumer, it is not something that I should have to worry about. If Matty is opposed to a reasonable option, then the only truly fair way to go is to include only monthly figures and the quarterly figures that have proven their popularity. It seems that Mattel is orienting itself to the unfortunate position of "The subscriptions are for those people who want everything," which denies the basic fact that these figures are produced in very small numbers and have become even more difficult to get off-subscription than they were last year. It has become that the subscription is almost the only way to get the figures from Mattycollector.com, and, sadly, even then the subscription is not always a reliable way to purchase these figures. Mattel should not be putting people in the position of having to buy expensive extra products several times a year just to get the monthly subscription.

Please check out this poll on the matty forums and make your opinions known:



Patrick Garone
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TOY NEWS: More Ghostbusters Exclusives Coming to Toys 'R' Us!

In just a few short weeks, fans of Diamond Select Toys and Art Asylum will be able to take their Ghostbusters Minimates collections to an entirely new level thanks to the latest batch of exclusive Ghostbusters Minimates only available from Toys 'R' Us! This new assortment will deliver eight new Minimates and complete two sets started in previous waves as well as four new villains - including Vigo himself!


The first two-pack will feature the brilliant Egon Spengler in his Ghostbusters 2 uniform (the last missing Ghostbuster in that style) paired with the Titanic Ghost seen captaining the ill-fated luxury liner in the second Ghostbusters film. Two exclusive sets will complete the Courtroom set started with last year's Peter Venkman by pairing Ray Stantz and Egon Spengler with the dreaded Scolari Brothers - Nunzio and Tony. The final set combines two of our favorite Ghostbusters 2 characters: the near-unstoppable Vigo the Carpathian and Peter Venkman in his "World of the Psychic" ensemble - which of course includes his signature hairless cat!

All four of these exclusive sets will be available in Toys 'R' Us stores nationwide and serve as perfect compliments to the previously-released Ghostbusters Minimates sets currently available in comic and specialty stores. Look for these two-packs in the weeks to come and be sure to check out the latest updates from DiamondSelectToys.com and ArtAsylum.com as the Ghostbusters Minimate universe expands to new heights!

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TOY NEWS: Update: New art to MM wave 36 cleared

At the time of the listing in Previews the Crimson Dynamo was not ready to show, so for those of you interested, here he is.


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