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News Archives: August 2008
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JOIN SPAWN'S ADVENTURE THIS NOVEMBER!
ADVENTURES OF SPAWN continues this November!
THE ADVENTURES OF SPAWN, the high adventure re-imagining of Todd McFarlane's seminal creation, returns this November in a full color one-shot concluding the highly praised "Awakening War" storyline written by Jonathan David Goff and illustrated by fan favorite artist Khary Randolph!
“Working on this project has been like a dream come true for me," said Randolph. "When I was younger, it was books like Spawn that made me want to draw comic books for a living. So to actually have the ability to fulfill that dream on Spawn really can’t be beat.”
In ADVENTURES OF SPAWN, Al Simmons, now known as Spawn X, teams up with fellow heroes Omega and Redeemer in the never-ending battle against the forces of Darkness and its vicious leader, Mammon! While ADVENTURES OF SPAWN made its debut online as SPAWN.COM’s very first web comic to coincide with McFarlane Toys’ own toy line (Spawn: Series 30 & 32), this one-shot is the only place to read the story's conclusion in its entirety.
Spawn creator Todd McFarlane added, "It’s fun is to see if your characters can fit into different settings, genres, mediums and/or formats – as a means to get your idea in front of more new eyes. ADVENTURES OF SPAWN is such an attempt. Unlike the regular title, this one is truly built around the word, 'adventure.' Join us as we dive head-first into a world of Spawn unlike the others I've populated."
THE ADVENTURES OF SPAWN #2 (SEP082222), a 48-page full color comic book for $5.99, will be in stores November 19th, 2008. For more information and to read the original web comic, please see http://www.spawn.com/features/series30/comic/ .
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TOP COW ANNOUNCES BROKEN TRINITY LITHOGRAPH BY JEFFREY SPOKES!
Limited-edition litho features Spokes' stunning interpretations of Witchblade, The Darkness and The Angelus!
Top Cow Productions, Inc. announced today it will make available a limited number of lithographs of Jeffrey Spokes' triptych image created for the company's Broken Trinity summer event. The image features the Trinity of the Top Cow Universe – Witchblade, The Darkness and The Angelus.
The image was broken into three parts and initially appeared as alternate covers for the Broken Trinity tie-in issues published by Top Cow. Broken Trinity is a three-part mini-series with three tie-in books in which at least one established character dies and new characters with permanent ramifications for the Top Cow Universe are introduced. The three main books are by the Witchblade team of Ron Marz and Stjepan Sejic with Phil Hester providing layouts, while the three tie-in books include work by writers Marz and Phil Hester (The Darkness), and artists Jorge Lucas (The Darkness), Brian Stelfreeze (Batman: Black and White) and Nelson Blake II (Black Vault).
Jeffrey Spokes' comics work outside of Broken Trinity includes covers for Virgin Comics' Sahdu: The Silent Ones and Devi. He has also done commissions for Star Wars, X-Men and Hellboy, and his original works have appeared in The New York Times, all showcasing his highly sought-after work. More examples of Spokes' fantastic artwork can be found at his website (www.jeffreyspokes.com).
"We were introduced to Jeffrey Spokes' work by Broken Trinity writer Ron Marz and I was immediately taken by his incredible sense of design and artistry," says Top Cow Publisher Filip Sablik. "We're incredibly proud to offer Jeffrey's three covers for Broken Trinity as the unbroken, beautifully iconic piece he originally envisioned."
The 11" x 17" lithograph is available in October and comes in a protective sleeve with a certificate of authenticity. The lithograph retails for $29.99. Fans who wish to pre-order the item should provide their comic shop retailers with Diamond Item number AUG082283.
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YOU ARE NOW ENTERING LIQUID CITY!
All-new anthology hits in November!
This November, Image Comics, the publisher who brought you hit anthologies like Tori Amos' COMIC BOOK TATTOO, 24SEVEN, PUT THE BOOK BACK ON THE SHELF and POPGUN, comes a unique collection of comics from Southeast Asia and beyond, LIQUID CITY.
"LIQUID CITY presents the unique visions of artists and writers based mainly in Southeast Asia," said editor Sonny Liew. "The creators involved range from established figures in the region's comics communities like Lat and Gerry Alanguilan, to exciting new talents like Nguyen Thanh Pong, kenfoo and Shari Chankhamma."
Bringing together creators from Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and elsewhere, LIQUID CITY presents an edgy vision of lives in cities past, present and future: from Leong Wan Kok's distinct post apocalyptic landscapes to Lat's charming take on Malaysian life in the '60s, from Mike Carey's meditation on colonialism to kenfoo's dark tales of regurgitation and bodily transformations.
Also contributing to the anthology are artists from outside the region, including award-winning illustrator Jon Foster and cover artist Shelly Wan.
LIQUID CITY (SEP082215), a 312-page full color anthology for $24.99, will be in stores November 5th. For more information and sneak previews, please visit http://www.liquidcitizen.net.
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TOP COW ANNOUNCES IMPALER'S CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED RE-IMAGINING OF THE VAMPIRE MYTHOS TO RELAUNCH WITH GRAPHIC NOVEL IN OCTOBER!
New ongoing series to follow in December!
Top Cow Productions, Inc. announced it will publish the first, complete story arc of William Harms’ Impaler in a new trade paperback that will debut this October, and then will launch a new series for the property in December.
The first three issues of the series were initially published by Top Cow parent company Image Comics in 2006-2007, but was never completed. The Impaler Vol. 1 trade paperback collects those three issues plus the final, three never-before-seen issues of the initial story arc. Top Cow was so excited by this series that it also greenlighted a new ongoing to follow the collection.
In Impaler, a derelict cargo ship is found adrift offshore during a terrible blizzard in New York City. When New York’s Finest is sent to investigate the missing crew, an unspeakable horror is unleashed that quickly spreads all over the snow-covered borough, as a vampire plague quickly moves through the city’s population. The people’s only hope lies in Vlad Tepes, the real-life historical inspiration for the vampire legend, Dracula. Vlad the Impaler arrives to defend the city from the ever-growing vampire horde, but how much can one man do against an army of thousands?
Impaler Vol. 1 boasts a stunning cover by John Paul Leon (Earth X) and features artwork by Nick Marinkovich (Nightwolf), Nick Postic (Underworld) and Francis Tsai (Marvel Comics Presents). The introduction is written by noted science fiction and horror writer F. Paul Wilson, who is responsible for the popular Repairman Jack series of novels and such horror books as The Keep, Midnight Mass and The Touch. Extras in the collection include script pages from unused scenes and bonus artwork.
In December, Top Cow will launch Impaler as an ongoing series, featuring art by British newcomer Matt Timson (Popgun).
“One of the nice things about having the break between the Image series and the new series is that it really gave me time to nail down where the story is headed,” revealed Harms. “I have the next couple arcs already plotted, and I think fans of the book will really dig where things are going.”
“William Harms has managed to put a truly unique spin on ‘the vampire story’ by taking Vlad the Impaler and making him a vampire hunter,” said Top Cow Publisher Filip Sablik. “This trade collection gives birth to this original idea but the upcoming ongoing series from Harms and Matt Timson will really keep you up at night!”
Impaler was nominated for an International Horror Guild award and received accolades from Ain’t It Cool News, Rue Morgue magazine, Cinescape and Metro (Toronto).
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SHADOWLINE HATES GALAXY GIRL THIS NOVEMBER!
Image Comics Shadowline launches I HATE GALAXY GIRL this November!
Every underdog gets their day this November as newcomer Kat Cahill and BRAT-HALLA's Seth Damoose take a stand in Shadowline's newest three issue superhero mini-series, I HATE GALAXY GIRL!
"While I HATE GALAXY GIRL was originally Kat Cahill's runner-up for our 'Who Wants To Create a Super Heroine Contest', Shadowline Editor Kris Simon and I loved the concept so much we had to put it on the fast track to becoming its own series," Shadowline Publisher Jim Valentino said. "When Kat saw Seth's upcoming work on BRAT-HALLA, she knew he was the perfect artist to capture the mood she was going for. We really can't help but agree!"
Based on skill alone, Renee Tempete should be the new Galaxy Girl. Instead, a buxom blonde with no actual powers holds the title. As events unfold, Renee struggles not only against monsters, criminals and giant robots, but also a society that desperately wants to keep her in her place.
Cahill added, "The core of I HATE GALAXY GIRL is Renee finding the self-confidence to achieve her dreams despite constantly being told to give up. The experience is something I think just about anybody can relate to while the overall story is still a heck of a lot of fun!"
I HATE GALAXY GIRL #1 (SEP082263), a 32-page full color mini-series for $3.50, will be available in-stores November 12th.
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FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE ENDORSES BARACK OBAMA!
Former Presidential candidate Savage Dragon puts in his endorsement for the Democratic nominee!
As reported in the New York Times, a former presidential candidate will give his endorsement for this years' race in SAVAGE DRAGON #137, as the titular character supports Democratic nominee, Barack Obama!
"Four years ago the Dragon was a reluctant presidential candidate," SAVAGE DRAGON creator Erik Larsen said. "Fans have asked if he'll be running again, but given the importance of the upcoming election it seemed appropriate that he would back Barack Obama, the candidate whose politics most reflect his own. Savage Dragon will be giving Barack Obama his full support."
Savage Dragon made his initial play for the presidential election in the 2004 campaign, but rescinded once the man claiming to be his running mate turned out to be Dreadknight, a supervillain bent on world domination. SAVAGE DRAGON #137 will sport a special 1:5 variant cover featuring Dragon formally endorsing the one candidate he is confident is not a potential nemesis, Barack Obama.
SAVAGE DRAGON #137 (DEC072099), a 32-page full color comic book for $2.99, will be available September 3rd, 2008. The full New York Times story may be read at http://themoment.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/08/14/geek-beat-savage-love/.
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TOP COW UNVEILS NEW COVER FOR UPCOMING LAUNCH OF CYBLADE SOLO SERIES!
Madame Mirage artist Kenneth Rocafort tackles the Cyberforce beauty!
Top Cow Productions Inc. unveiled today a second cover for the upcoming launch of the Cyblade solo series, drawn by renowned Madame Mirage artist Kenneth Rocafort. The series, written by Joshua Hale Fialkov (Elk’s Run, Pilot Season: Alibi) and drawn by Rick Mays (New Avengers), is scheduled to debut in October after becoming one of last year’s winners of Top Cow’s inaugural Pilot Season initiative.
Rocafort, a self-professed fan of Cyberforce, the superpowered team created by Marc Silvestri of which Cyblade is a member, was thrilled when he was offered this assignment.
“It is my dream someday to draw a Cyberforce series and hopefully I will get to do it,” he said from his home in Puerto Rico. “But something like this cover will do for now!”
The other cover to Cyblade #1 is drawn by interior artist Mays. Both will be available when the issue debuts in October.
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DARWYN COOKE, MIKE ALLRED AND J. BONE MIX IT UP WITH MADMAN!
The award-winning creator of DC: THE NEW FRONTIER illustrates and all-new MADMAN ATOMIC COMICS story!
DC: THE NEW FRONTIER author Darwyn Cooke will collaborate with writer J. Bone this November for an all-new story featuring Mike Allred's seminal creation, Madman, in MADMAN ATOMIC COMICS #14!
"Darwyn and I are like twins separated at birth," Allred said. "We dig all the same things and get ridiculously excited about whatever we're working on. We also throw fits whenever we're told 'no' by 'the Man', and, sometimes to our detriment, have a 'burned earth policy' when it comes to doing a project the way we want. Fortunately, we usually get the support needed to build our visions, and MADMAN ATOMIC COMICS is a prime example of that. Image Comics could not be more supportive in their backing me up with all my crazed paper dreams in MADMAN ATOMIC COMICS. They're just as jazzed as I am to invite Darwyn and mutual pal, and cool genius, J.Bone, on MADMAN ATOMIC COMICS #14!"
While Cooke and Allred have worked together on various projects such as CATWOMAN and THE X-STATIX, this will mark the very first time Darwyn and collaberator J. Bone have delved into a full story featuring Snap City's number one superhero. Their short, "Madman: The Movie," takes Frank Einstein and company down the treacherous road to Hollywood as a film studio intends to loosely adapt Frank's life story with some very strange results.
MADMAN ATOMIC COMICS #14, a 32-page full color comic book for $3.50, will be in-stores November 19th, 2008. In addition, Allred fans can meet the creator himself mere weeks before the issue's release on October 4th at San Francisco's Neon Monster.
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VALENTINO, SIMON AND SILVERLINE SPROUT BRUCE: THE LITTLE BLUE SPRUCE!
Image Comics' Silverline, Kristen Koerner Simon and Jim Valentino tell the tale of a blue spruce searching for a home!
This holiday season Silverline Books, the all-ages book division of Image Comics' Shadowline, presents Kristen Koerner Simon and Jim Valentino's all-ages story of a little blue tree without a home, but not without hope; BRUCE: THE LITTLE BLUE SPRUCE.
"One of my unattained career goals was to do a children's book and when Kris brought BRUCE: THE LITTLE BLUE SPRUCE to me, I instantly knew this would be it," said Valentino. "Not only did I love the gentle message of accepting the differences in ourselves and others but the challenge of drawing a story where the principal character was a tree was too much to pass up!"
Just in time for the Holidays comes BRUCE: THE LITTLE BLUE SPRUCE, a heartwarming tale of Bruce, a blue spruce who wants nothing more than to be chosen by a special family as their Christmas tree. Engagingly written by Kristen Koerner Simon, illustrated by Image Comics co-founder and award-winning artist Jim Valentino and featuring painted color by THE SURREAL ADVENTURES OF EDGAR ALLAN POO's Avery Butterworth, BRUCE: THE LITTLE BLUE SPRUCE will charm even the most cynical of Scrooge's all year long.
BRUCE: THE LITTLE BLUE SPRUCE (ISBN: 978-1-60706-008-6), a 32-page square-sized hardcover for $9.99, will be in stores November 5, 2008.
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SHADOWLINE LAUNCHES THE DEFINITIVE TED MCKEEVER LIBRARY!
Acclaimed graphic novelist Ted McKeever begins THE TED MCKEEVER LIBRARY with the completion of TRANSIT!
Beginning this October, Image Comics' Shadowline will team with critically-acclaimed artist Ted McKeever for a project over twenty years in the making, THE TED MCKEEVER LIBRARY, beginning with the completed TRANSIT.
"To think after 20 years that I would be returning to TRANSIT is almost abstractly absurd," said McKeever. "TRANSIT had become my personal holy grail, but now, with this collected hardcover edition, I can roam free of it's gaping wailing and allow it to scab over while I move on to new roads."
Those new roads include the subsequent volumes of The Ted McKeever Library, EDDY CURRENT and METROPOL. Each edition will feature the definitive versions of McKeever's vision, including all the original covers, unused art and TRANSIT's never-before-seen ending. These graphic novels consist of McKeever's inter-connected magnum opus in his world of tomorrow - from industrial wastelands torn by war, cities on the verge of self-destruction and one of the most twisted takes on superheroics to ever grace the comics medium.
Shadowline Publisher Jim Valentino said, "While Shadowline loves to introduce the world to some of the most exciting new talent, bringing in someone of Ted's caliber at such a major capacity is something we're equally passionate about. We cannot wait to help bring his most personal works to their completion and look forward to more in the future!"
TED MCKEEVER LIBRARY HC VOL. 1: TRANSIT (AUG082275), is a 156-page black & white hardcover for $24.99, and will be in stores October 1st.
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MARK MILLAR AND TONY HARRIS WANT YOU FOR THE WAR HEROES TOUR OF DUTY!
Mark Millar and Tony Harris launch WAR HEROES TOUR OF DUTY!
This upcoming week WANTED's Mark Millar and EX MACHINA's Tony Harris storm the United States to support their sold-out, superhero hit WAR HEROES!
"The reaction Tony and I have received for WAR HEROES from fans and retailers alike has been phenomenal so we arranged this tour to say 'thank you' to as many of them as possible," Millar said. "In fact, these trips may be the only way to get the book since the initial printing sold out instantly!"
The tour spans the globe, with a farewell launch party at London's Forbidden Planet on August 9th, followed up by spots to New York's Midtown Comics, North Carolina's Heroes Aren't Hard to Find, Texas' Lone Star Comics, Arizona's Atomic Comics, Las Vegas' Comics Oasis, Los Angeles' Golden Apple and finally, San Francisco's Isotope. All stores will feature the extremely limited WAR HEROES #1 TOUR OF DUTY EDITION, which will never be made available again!
COMPLETE WAR HEROES TOUR OF DUTY SCHEDULE
Saturday, August 9th: Forbidden Planet - London, England - 1-4pm
179 Shaftesbury Avenue London, WC2H 8JR, United Kingdom +44 20 7420 3666
Saturday, August 16th: Midtown Comics - New York, NY - 4-6pm
200 West 40th Street New York, NY 10018 (212) 302-8192
Sunday, August 17th: Heroes Aren't Hard to Find - Charlotte, North Carolina - 2:00-5:00 PM
1957 e.7th st. Charlotte NC 28204 (704) 375-7462
Tuesday, August 19th: Lone Star Comics - Dallas, TX - 3-5:30pm
6465 E. Mockingbird Ln., Dallas, TX 75214 (214) 823-0934
Wednesday, August 20th: Atomic Comics - Chandler, AZ - 1-5pm
Atomic Chandler Fashion Center 3155 West Chandler Blvd Chandler, AZ 85226 (480) 940-6061
Thursday, August 21st: Comic Oasis - Las Vegas, NV - 4-7pm
3121 N Rainbow Blvd Las Vegas, NV 89108 (702) 212-8885
Friday, August 22nd: Golden Apple - Los Angeles, CA - 6-8pm
7018 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038 (323) 658-6047
Saturday, August 23rd: Isotope, San Francisco - SIGNING: 5-7 - PARTY: 8-12
326 Fell St San Francisco, CA 94102 (415) 621-6543
In addition, WAR HEROES #1 2nd Printing, a 32-page full color book for $2.99, is available for reorder now and will be released later this August.
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DNAGENTS COME FULL STRENGTH THIS OCTOBER!
DNAGENTS: INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH EDITION comes this October!
This October, the prototypical supersoldiers of tomorrow return in DNAGENTS: INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH EDITION TP, a comprehensive omnibus of the hit superhero series by writer Mark Evanier and artist Will Meugniot.
"DNAGENTS signaled the creator-owned superhero craze years before it started," Shadowline Publisher Jim Valentino said. "The work Mark and Will did foreshadowed a lot of what was to come in superheroes. It's very much the precursor to some of the biggest team books out today. Bringing DNAGENTS under the Image I and Shadowline is a true pleasure and something I've hoped to do for years."
DNAGENTS: INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH EDITION collects the entire initial run on the series by Evanier and Meugniot, which introduced the world to the Matrix Corporation and the superpowered teens who rebelled against it. As one of the first independently published superhero books, DNAGENTS members Tank, Surge, Rainbow, Amber and Sham broke away from the typical genre norms of the day and paved the way for the independent superhero movement that was to come years later. Their unique combination of lush art and compelling characterization made DNAGENTS one of the most influential books of its era!
DNAGENTS: INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH EDITION TP (AUG082271), a 452-page black & white tradepaperback for $24.99, will be in stores October 14th.
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MONSTERS GET THEIR DUE AS SCREAMLAND GETS COLLECTED!
The highly acclaimed SCREAMLAND gets collected this October!
This October, the original movie monsters get their day thanks to Image Comics, writer Harold Sipe and artist Hector Casanova in the pages of SCREAMLAND!
"In an era of films shot against green screens and fixed in post, where have the iconic creatures gone," Sipe asked. "SCREAMLAND is a love letter to old Hollywood using monstrous metaphors, while not whitewashing over any of the ugly bits. The characters' fall into unattended convention signings, failed romances and dot-com busts is only the beginning of the story."
The SCREAMLAND deluxe tradepaperback features an introduction from SCALPED's Jason Aaron, eight never-before-seen pages, a behind the scenes look at Casanova's artistic process and a pinup gallery featuring artists such as Nathan Fox, Steve Sanders, Kerry Callen and many more. In addition, SCREAMLAND fans can get another fix of their favorite movie monsters in October's PROOF #13, also featuring THE SAVAGE DRAGON.
CASANOVA and UNCANNY X-MEN writer Matt Fraction praised the book as, "Beautiful, brilliant, brutally hilarious and hilariously brutal. I wish MY first comic was this good."
SCREAMLAND (AUG082243), a 152-page full color tradepaperback for $16.99, will be in stores October 29th.
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