Fri Sep 5th 5:17 pm
'The Umbrella Academy' Returns in NovemberWith a Second 6-Issue SeriesThe 2008 Eisner Award Winner for “Best Limited Series,” Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba’s The Umbrella Academy returns with the debut of a new six-issue mini-series The Umbrella Academy: Dallas, which is shipping from Dark Horse Comics on November 26th. Dark Horse is spicing up the debut of the popular and critically acclaimed series with a variant cover by Jim Lee to complement Gabriel Ba’s original design. Author Way is the lead singer of the band My Chemical Romance, and his heavy involvement in this project has brought a number of new readers into the comic market, while his extensive knowledge of comics (and admiration for top comic scribes like Grant Morrison) has insured that The Umbrella Academy has found success with fans of cutting edge superhero books. In its first series The Umbrella Academy managed to save the world, but the cost was high. The house in which the members of the unlikely supergroup were raised was destroyed, while Allison (The Rumor) has lost her voice (the source of her power) and Vanya (The White Violin) is bedridden with the side of her head held together with tape, the result of being shot by Number Five (a.k.a. The Future). What does the future hold for The Umbrella Academy and why does it unfold in Dallas?
Fri Sep 5th 5:15 pm
'The Ted McKeever Library'Volume #1 Due in OctoberIn October Image Comics’ Shadowline imprint will publish Transit, the first volume in The Ted McKeever Library, a three-volume effort that will collect McKeever’s interconnected magnum opus about ordinary people caught up in extraordinary events in deluxe hardcover volumes. Transit was nominated for an Eisner Award some 20 years ago and fully displayed the then youthful artist’s unique linear style and mastery of dark comedy. The Ted McKeever Library Volume 1: Transit is a 156-page black-and-white hardcover for $24.99, and it will be in stores on October 1st. The subsequent additions to The Ted McKeever Library will be Eddy Current and Metropol. Each edition will be the definitive collection including all the original covers and unused art. The Transit volume will contain the saga’s never-before-seen ending. Together the three volumes present McKeever’s complex view of the future—industrial wastelands torn by war, cities on the verge of self-destruction, and one of the most twisted takes on superheroics in the history of the comics medium.
Fri Jul 25th 4:24 pm
Darwyn Cooke Adapting Richard Stark NovelsCinematic Crime Fiction at Its BestIf there is a theme arising from the first days of this year's Comic-Con, it could be a renewed interest in crime comics, the dominant comics genre of the 1940s, and in attempts to snag a portion of the bookstore audience that has made crime and detective fiction perennially popular over the decades. Latest case in point is IDW Publishing’s announcement that Darwyn Cooke (New Frontier, The Spirit) will be adapting the legendary “Parker” crime novels of Richard Stark (pseudonym of Donald E. Westlake). These taut thrillers featuring an amoral hero have been adapted into some of the best movies in the crime genre including John Boorman’s critically-acclaimed Point Blank (1967) and the equally good, but highly-underrated The Outfit (1973) starring Robert Duvall in one of his best performances. Westlake has given his full approval to the graphic novel adaptations of his work, which may stir additional interest in the Parker novels that have never received their due as pure examples of American crime fiction at its very best.
Fri Jul 25th 4:22 pm
Afro Samurai Sequel--A MovieLucy Liu, Mark Hamill Join CastThe Spike TV network has announced that in January of 2009 it will air Afro Samurai: Resurrection, an animated feature length movie sequel to the Afro Samurai anime miniseries that was one of the bestselling anime DVDs of 2007. Afro Samurai: Resurrection, like its predecessor was produced by Gonzo, one of Japan’s leading anime studios. Once again Samuel L. Jackson, who also functioned as an executive producer on the project, reprises his role as the title character and hip hop artist RZA (Wu-Tang Clan) provides the soundtrack. Lucy Liu joins the vocal cast as Sio, a seductive and sadistic mastermind plotting to destroy Afro Samurai, while Mark Hamill will voice the role of Bin, Sio’s servant and protector.
Tue Jul 22nd 3:03 pm
'The Cream of Tank Girl'Due in October
Titan Books has provided Jamie Hewlett’s striking design for the cover of the 176-page hardcover art book, The Cream of Tank Girl, which is due out in the U.S. on October 14th. The Cream of Tank Girl celebrates the iconoclastic comic book hero created by Hewlett (Gorillaz) and Alan Martin in 1988 for the British music and comic magazine Deadline. A deluxe 9”x12” coffeetable artbook, The Cream of Tank Girl is the definitive examination of the Tank Girl phenomenon filled with Hewlett’s distinctive artwork (including every Tank Girl cover ever). It also includes the previously unreleased comic strip “The 16s”.
Tue Jul 22nd 3:00 pm
'The Goon' Gets AnimatedDavid Fincher ProducingEric Powell has announced on his Website that his comic book series The Goon will be adapted into a computer-animated feature film courtesy of Blur Studios, Dark Horse Entertainment, and David Fincher. Dark Horse Comics has been publishing Powell’s highly original, fantasy-tinged, depression-era, genre-bending saga of a mesomorphic dock walloper since 2003. David Fincher, director of Se7en, Fight Club, and Zodiac, has optioned the property and will produce The Goon animated feature. Fincher has also been involved with other comic book-based movie projects including Charles Burns’ Black Hole.
Tue Jul 22nd 2:53 pm
McFarlane Toys 'Take' on 'Guitar Hero'Action Figures Due in Fall
McFarlane Toys has released the first photos of its Guitar Hero Action Figures. Based on the hugely popular (over 14 million units sold) Guitar Hero video game, the first four figures that McFarlane Toys is releasing should retail for around $10-15. The figures include Axel Steel, Johnny Napalm, Lars Umlaut, and God of Rock. They feature 15 moveable parts and McFarlane Toy’s typical attention to design details.
Tue Jul 22nd 2:23 pm
Junko Mizuno on Spider-ManProject Still Under Wraps 
Marvel Editor C.B. Cebulski has posted two Spider-Man images created by manga-ka Junko Mizuno on his website, saying that he was “dying to post these pages…but as the project hasn’t been officially announced yet, I can only give you a sneak peak of this upcoming Marvel/Mizuno madness.” Mizuno is one of the most eccentric and innovative manga-kas working in Japan and by giving her images a pop art/psychedelic edge she successfully walks the tightrope between fine art and commercial creation and gets gallery shows as well as prime gigs such as illustrating the monthly horoscopes in Shojo Beat. She was one of the first to juxtapose cuteness and Gothic elements to create a “kawaii noir” style.
Fri May 9th 3:29 pm
'Batman Dark Knight Bat-Suit Artfx StatueAvailable in October From Kotobukiya
Kotobukiya has announced an agreement to produce a series of collectibles based on The Dark Knight. The first Dark Knight product that will be available will be the Batman Dark Knight Bat-Suit Artfx Statue. Sculpted by BusujimaX, the 14-inch figure of Batman is posed dramatically throwing back his cape and standing on the destroyed Bat Signal. Like the other Artfx Statues, the Dark Knight figure is a 1/6th scale, pre-painted, snap-together model kit that can be easily assembled in minutes without any glue or model-making skill. Kotobukiya is creating a second Batman Dark Knight Artfx statue that is connected to this first release by a hidden theme that will quickly be apparent to collectors once they see the film (and the second Dark Knight Artfx Statue). Kotobukiya’s complete line of collectibles based on the Dark Knight movie will be available outside Japan exclusively through DC Direct.
Fri Apr 18th 2:52 pm
BET Plans Black Panther Animated Series 
BET announced that it is preparing a new Black Panther primetime animated series for next season, based on the Marvel character. The show will premiere in early 2009. The announcement was made at BET’s upfront presentation in New York.
Fri Apr 18th 11:36 am
'Watchmen Action Figures' Revealed in 'EW'Rorschach & Nite Owl 
DC Direct is going to unveil prototypes of its Watchmen Action Figures at the New York Comic Con, but sent photos of Rorschach and Nite Owl to give those who can’t make it to the Big Apple a chance to check out what could be some of the most highly prized merchandise items associated with Zack Snyder’s movie adaptation of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ classic graphic novel.
Fri Apr 18th 11:26 am
Yamato's New 'Variable Motion Figure' First Up, 'Major Motoko Kusanagi' 
Yamato USA has developed a new kind of action figure—the variable motion figure--that uses soft, flexible ATBC-PVC for partial articulated points and allows for incredible flexibility in posing. Fittingly the first vmf figure is Major Motoko Kusanagi from the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex anime series. The 1/7th scale figure of Major Kusanagi stands 9 inches tall and features 16 points of articulation, interchangeable wrists, removable jacket, and interchangeable weapons (the Seburo M-5, and a Seburo C-26 with silencer).
Wed Apr 9th 12:42 pm
Ben Templesmith Exclusive to IDW
New Werewolf Series in August 
Ben Templesmith, who made his professional comic debut illustrating Steve Niles' original 30 Days of Night mini-series, has signed an exclusive contract with IDW Publishing. Templesmith will continue to produce mini-series based on his Wormwood Gentleman Corpse property, and will release The Art of Wormwood in August. In August Templesmith will introduce another new series for IDW, his personal take on the werewolf genre entitled Welcome to Hoxford. As was the case with his Wormwood and Singularity 7 series, Templesmith will both write and illustrate Welcome to Hoxford.
Fri Mar 21st 7:50 pm
'Scott Pilgrim' Casting
Michael Cera to Star  
Michael Cera is in final negotiations to star in the feature film adaptation of the Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life graphic novel. The film has been in development for several years, but now looks like it will start shooting this fall.
Fri Mar 21st 7:32 pm
'Catan: Traders and Barbarians'
Due From Mayfair on June 26th 
Mayfair's new Settlers of Catan expansion, Catan: Traders and Barbarians, provides lots of new ways to explore Klaus Teuber's award-winning board game including a two-person contest, a wealth of new wooden pieces and characters, plus four variants and five scenarios that allow players to reinvent their Catan experience. The five new scenarios include: "The Fishermen of Catan," "The Rivers of Catan," "The Caravans," "Barbarian Attack," and "Traders and Barbarians," and players can combine these scenarios to create a full-fledged campaign. Catan: Traders and Barbarians, which is designed for 2-4 player and can be played in 90-120 minutes, contains 24 wooden knights, 12 wooden bridges, 36 wooden barbarians, 22 wooden camels, 4 wooden wagons, 40 coin counters, 14 new region and water tile pieces, 120 new cards, special victory point cards and tokens, as well as a "Variants and Scenarios" booklet.
Fri Mar 21st 6:27 pm
Night of the Living Dead 'MEGO' Figures
Available in June  
Emce Toys, the New York-based company that resurrected the classic 1970s MEGO style figures, has announced that it is creating four 8" poseable action figures based on George Romero's seminal 1968 zombie film classic, Night of the Living Dead. Fan favorite James Brady has sculpted the heads of the four figures in the classic MEGO rotocast plastic style and the figures will be packaged in MEGO-style blister packaging with illustrations by the orginal MEGO artist Harold Shull. The first two Night of the Living Dead Action Figures to be released are the Graveyard Zombie from the film's opening scene and Ben, the rifle-toting hero. The two figures will be released in June. Later in the year Emce will release Barbra and the Karen Cooper Zombie.
Fri Mar 21st 5:13 pm
Gary Gygax, 1938-2008
Father of the Roleplaying Game 
Ernest Gary Gygax, the widely acknowledged "father of the roleplaying game," passed away on March 4th, 2008 at his home in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. It was in Lake Geneva in 1967 in Gygax's basement that a 20-person game tournament took place--the first GenCon, and the beginning of an annual tradition that has grown into the largest hobby gaming convention in North America. Gygax was born on July 27th, 1938 and by 1950 he was immersed in the fiction of Robert E. Howard and Ray Bradbury. He began playing wargames in 1953 and was influenced by the Avalon Hill line of sophisticated historical war-themed board games. In 1966 Gygax founded International Federation of Wargamers, and in 1971 Gygax, who was always enthralled by all things medieval, created Chainmail (with Jeff Perren), a medieval-themed miniatures wargame from which Dungeons and Dragons evolved. In 1974 Gygax and Don Kaye founded Tactical Studies Rules (TSR) and published the first edition of Dungeons & Dragons, which combined elements of Chainmail with what some called "acting gaming" (and quickly became known as "role-playing" to create the roleplaying game. The RPG has arguably had a huge impact on all forms of gaming, including online and video gaming, thanks to its core elements of "character building," "levels," "spells," "class," and "race," etc. Dungeons & Dragons has also played a major role in the popularization of fantasy, not just in American pop culture but across the entire world, and its influence can be seen in movies, anime, comics and manga as well as in all forms of gaming. Gygax certainly didn't create every element in the complex world of D&D by himself. He had help from Dave Arneson (who sued TSR five times before settling out of court in 1981) in the initial creation of the game, and the host of talented game designers who worked at TSR fleshed out the game, adding levels of complexity and new campaign settings and "worlds" to make it quite possibly the most multi-faceted gaming experience ever created. When Don Kaye died in 1976, Gygax gained a controlling interest in TSR and created TSR Hobbies, Inc. But faced with financial difficulties, Gygax quickly ceded control to the Blume brothers, though he continued to work at TSR until 1985. In the mid-1980s Gygax was spending much of his time on the West Coast where he succeeded in getting the Dungeons & Dragons cartoon series on CBS. When he found out that TSR was in financial difficulties, he returned to Lake Geneva and became involved in a management dispute that eventually caused him to sell his remaining shares of the company and leave the company that he had founded. Gygax returned to the world of D&D in 2005 through his work with Troll Lord Games. Although a heart attack forced him into semi-retirement, he continued to be an active member of the gaming community through his online comments at key gaming Websites such as EN World and Dragonsfoot.
Tue Feb 12th 10:41 am
'World of Warcraft Miniatures Game'
From Upper Deck  
Entering a new game category, Upper Deck announced today at the Spielwarenmesse International Toy Fair Nurnberg in Germany that it will launch the World of Warcraft Miniatures Game, a collectible miniatures game, later this year. Four items have been announced: a fixed two-player Starter Set, a randomized Deluxe Starter Set, Booster Packs, and a giant-size Onyxia Raid Set that allows the player to either play against an automated Onyxia or play the black dragon. Each mini will come on a removable base, so it can be used both as a game piece and a collectible. Game play will include standalone raid and dungeon scenarios. Players will be able to either battle individually or cooperatively against teams of players or the game itself.
The lead game designer is Justin Gary, who's worked on other games for Upper Deck. Sculptors include Jacques-Alexandre Gillois from France, Juan Navarro Perez from Spain, Stefan Niehues from Germany and Steve Saunders from the U.S. Paint detailing is by Studio McVey. Upper Deck is planning major organized play support, including in-store tournaments, Darkmoon Faire events, and National and World Championship tournaments.
Tue Feb 12th 10:34 am
Ad-House Collects 'Skyscrapers of the Midwest'
By Cotter 
Ad-House Books has announced that it will release a hardcover collection of Skyscrapers of the Midwest, the award-winning comic by Joshua W. Cotter, this summer. The 288-page 6" x 9" hardcover will retail for $19.95.
The comics were Eisner- and Ignatz-nominated, and in an earlier format, Skyscrapers was the winner of the 2004 Isotope Award for Excellence in Mini-Comics. The story is "the winding tale of a young cat, his little brother, and the creeping shadow of imminent adolescence in the American heartland."
Tue Jan 29th 5:50 pm
Marvel to Publish Soleil Titles in English
Beginning in May 
Marvel has announced that it will begin publishing titles from French publisher Soleil in English for the first time in May. Four titles have been announced. The first, Sky Doll, by Barbucci and Canepa, will be released in three volumes beginning in May. Other Soleil titles that will be published in the U.S. by Marvel include Universal War One, Samurai, and Le Fleau Des Dieux. Soleil, founded in 1988, has a library of thousands of volumes in its catalogue, and produces over 250 new books per year. Its fantasy flagship, Lanfeust, has sold over 5 million books since 1994.
|
