Houston, TX
Consortium 2002 is a gaming convention running from June 14-16,
2002 at the Radisson at Hobby Airport. Guests include Larry Elmore, Timothy
Zahn, and Elizabeth Moon. Gaming highlights are a Regional Cam LARP, over
a dozen RPGA events including an interactive, Call of Cthulhu LARP,
boardgames, demos, and more. Dealer space is available, and the early
registration deadline has not expired. For more details, Check out
.
Dealers contact:
Juan Garcia
Consortium Dealer Relations
Fuchi@aol.com
CrossGen made its first appearance on the Squiddy winners list this year with RUSE #1, which tied EIGHTBALL #22 (Fantagraphics) and NEW X-MEN ANNUAL 2001 (Marvel) for the "Best Comics Novella" award. CrossGen's RUSE also tied DC's GREEN ARROW for "Best New Series" and CrossGen colorist Laura Depuy again won "Best Colorist" honors.
James Sturm's THE GOLEM'S MIGHTY SWING (Drawn and Quarterly) was honored with the "Best Comics Graphic Novel" award. The "Best Comic Reprint Collection" race ended in a three-way tie between Alex Robinson's BOX OFFICE POISON (Top Shelf), Kazuo Koike & Goseki Kojima's LONE WOLF AND CUB, vol. 10 (Dark Horse), and Joe Sacco's PALESTINE (Fantagraphics). Brian Michael Bendis and Mike Avon Oeming's POWERS arc, "Role Play" won the "Best Multi-Part Story" prize, while Paul Jenkins and Mark Buckingham's "Heroes Don't Cry" in PETER PARKER: SPIDER-MAN #35 claimed the Squiddy for "Best Short Story."
Brian Bolland won the "Best Cover Artist" race, while WONDER WOMAN artist, Phil Jimenez was named "Best Penciller." Rounding out the creator categories, perennial Squiddies favorite Alex Ross was selected "Best Painter" for the eighth year running, while Dave Sim was picked as "Best Comics Letterer" for his expressive lettering work on CEREBUS.
DC Comics was chosen "Best Company or Imprint" for the second straight year. DC also pulled in the "Best Anthology" award for indy comics-inspired BIZZARO COMICS hardcover. DC/Wildstorm/ABC's TOP 10 was picked as "Best Limited Series," and DC/Vertigo's LITTLE ENDLESS STORYBOOK won for "Best Comics-Related Story--Print." DC Direct's Krypto Soft Toy scored the "Best Comics-Related Merchandise" prize, and DC's JSA was picked as "Best Comic Character Team."
In the online world, Squiddy voters chose Comicon.com's Newsarama () as "Best General Comics Web Site" and the Warren Ellis Forum (at ) as "Best Focused Comics Web Site." Rich Johnston repeated his 2000 Squiddy victory as "Best Comics Journalist" for his ALL THE RAGE column at . Finally, the popular web-toon Sluggy Freelance (), won the "Best Web Comic" prize.
Detailed results are available on Usenet in all the rec.arts.comics.* newsgroups and on the web at
NEW YORK -- In the wake of one of this summer's biggest blockbuster movies -- Spider-Man -- the comic book industry's leading publishers have united with over 2,000 comic book shops to present an unprecedented event -- Free Comic Book Day. This historic occasion will both celebrate and raise awareness of this American-born art-form, which has been thrust into the public spotlight thanks to the recent influx of movies and other media inspired by comic books. A free copy of the industrys most popular titles -- from publishers such as Dark Horse Comics, DC Comics, Image Comics, Marvel Comics and others -- will be available to all people who enter comic book specialty shops on May 4. A way to salute the medium, unite the highly-competitive industry, and invite new readers to visit their local comics shops, the world-wide give-away will occur just one day after Sony's North American release of Spider-Man starring Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst, and less the two weeks before the premiere of Star Wars: Episode II . . . Attack of the Clones, which also has comic book connections. Get Caught Reading, the nationwide literacy campaign supported by the Association of American Publishers and the Magazine Publishers of America, has announced its support for Free Comic Book Day.
"It's not often that companies in any industry get together to promote their products, and for that reason, Free Comic Book Day represents a proud 'first' for comics in more ways than one," said Dark Horse Publisher, Mike Richardson. "We're working alongside our friends from other companies, giving away an amazing product, and promoting Star Wars: Episode II - our biggest book of the year. It's win-win in all directions." "Comics present a unique way to involve a diverse audience of readers," said Bob Wayne, Vice President - Sales & Marketing for DC Comics. "Through this groundbreaking promotional effort, more people will be introduced to the joys of reading . . . and shopping for . . . comics."
"Comics have come of age as a medium of creative expression. Regardless of your age, background or tastes we have a book for you. Please join us on May 4 and see what you're missing," added Jim Valentino, VP-Publisher, Image Comics, Inc.
"It has been said that there have been three unique art-forms to come out of America -- 'jazz, musicals and comic books' -- it's about time we all celebrate the latter," said Joe Quesada Marvel Comics Editor-in-Chief. "The success of comic-based movies has proven the popularity of these characters and has given the industry the perfect forum to re-introduce America to this amazing medium."
As part of the promotion Marvel Comics will publish a free issue of its top-selling Ultimate Spider-Man, DC will offer the first issue of Justice League Adventures (based on the top-rated Cartoon Network series), Dark Horse will contribute a brand new story that ties into the upcoming Star Wars: Episode II . . . Attack of the Clones, and Image will publish the origin of Lara Croft, Tomb Raider, star of videogames and movies.
In addition, dozens of other comic book publishers will be contributing free titles, covering the entire spectrum of genres and styles, from classic children's humor like Archie to sophisticated sci-fi action like The Matrix.
Nearly 2 million comics will be available for give-away during this single day event. Free Comic Book Day will be supported by an extensive online initiative, point-of-sale posters, and a massive PR and advertising campaign. The official website for the event is www.FreeComicBookDay.com, which contains features on the history of comic books in America, a complete list of available free titles, and a search function to help readers find a participating store near them.
"Unlike the large chain stores that dominate most types of retailing, comic book shops are independently owned and operated by individuals in their communities," said Roger Fletcher, Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Diamond Comic Distributors, the national distributor that is helping to coordinate the effort. "As a result, each store is as individual as its owner, adding to the incredible diversity in the comic book field. Readers of all ages will be delighted by the broad range of entertaining and artful reading material available at their local comic book store."
"The secret is out," concluded Joe Field, owner of Flying Colors Comics in Concord, California and the originator of the Free Comic Book Day promotion. "Since other media rely on comics for many of their brightest ideas, we know the time is right to invite the world to check out the amazing source material."
"There once was a time when some people would frown upon reading comic books," said Association of American Publishers President & CEO Pat Schroeder. "But as we've come to understand the importance of literacy in social advancement and intellectual development, it has become obvious that reading of any kind is productive and should be encouraged." "Comic books are as intelligent, compelling, and demanding as any other form of storytelling," Schroeder added, "and they are a worthy addition to any parent, teacher, or other adult's arsenal of reading tools. We're happy to join with Free Comic Book Day to promote our common goal of getting more people to read."
For more information, go to the website at
or e-mail: info@freecomicbookday.com
The Troma Team believes in equal rights for all artists and art lovers, and therefore has created the Tro-media Center. This center will serve as a forum for the PTF so that its political activities will not interfere with the serious business of the Troma Team sales office located at the Riviera booth (#F-13). The PTF will focus on political discussions which will be highlighted by screenings of independent movies from the worlds oldest independent film studio. The screening schedule includes a Best of the world famous TromaDance Film Festival, which has absolutely NO entrance fee and NO admission fees. TromaDance exists only to give truly independent art made by the people, back to the people. Also, there will be screenings of the new Troma documentary, All The Love You Cannes: An Indies Guide To The Cannes Film Festival. If you are a lover of cinema you will enjoy this feature length documentary that captures the brilliance of the worlds greatest film festival, and displays how Troma, on a miniscule budget, has stayed in fierce competition with the giant media conglomerates. There will also be screenings of new Troma films, whose purpose is to inspire a notion of democracy in art.
Furthering the celebration of independent art, the PTF is currently negotiating with Cannes officials to have a beach party tentatively set for May 22, in addition to several other egalitarian cocktail parties in the name of restoring art to the hands of the people. The Troma firmament will graciously appear on behalf of the PTF to greet journalists and fans in the name of liberating the arts. You can meet famous Troma stars and characters including The Toxic Avenger, Sgt. Kabukiman NYPD, and the World Famous Tromettes. The creator of Tromaville, Lloyd Kaufman, President of Troma and creator of the Toxic Avenger, will also be on hand to meet with press, TV crews, and of course the fans.
This year Troma will showcase some of its newest independent and democratic features, including:
Troma Entertainment, the oldest and most democratic independent movie studio in the world, comes to Cannes this year with a library of nearly 1000 titles of democratically inspired films. These titles include not only Troma Classics such as The Toxic Avenger series, Class of Nuke Em High, Tromeo and Juliet and Terror Firmer, but also a platinum edition of films with early works of such stars as Vincent Donofrio, Samuel L. Jackson, Kevin Costner, Robert DeNiro, Billy Bob Thornton and Trey Parker. The Troma catalog also contains the world famous Roan Archive. The Roan Collection includes over 200 beautifully digitally re-mastered classic Hollywood films featuring stars from Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi to John Wayne and Steve McQueen.
If you would like to join the PTF or learn more of its activities, log onto our website , or contact:
Doug Sakmann- PTF Vice Chairman of Media Relations
Troma Entertainment USA
733 Ninth Avenue, New York NY 10019
PHONE: 212 757 4555 ext 25
FAX: 212 399 9885
EMAIL:Doug@troma.com
In Cannes: PTF HOTLINE: 06 0725 8157
Troma @ Cannes International Film Market- Cannes, France, May 15th-25th 2002 Riviera Booth # F13 - Troma has moved from the Carlton to the Riviera this year!
Also visit the Cannes Tro-media Office - Le Palais Rouaze- 16 Rue Rouaze- # 4007
(Located one block off the Croisette, between the Carlton and the Martinez)
It¹s just been announced that Chaos! Comics, one of the top ten comic book publishers, has teamed up with Revolver Magazine to launch a co-promotion in anticipation of the Static-X comic book, due out July 24, 2002 only from Chaos! Comics. Revolver Magazine jumped at the chance to support the comic book, and being a rock¹n roll magazine as they are, industrial metal band Static-X is right up their alley. The co-promotion will involve editorial and will feature a music lover's giveaway in the September Issue of Revolver, which hits newstands July 9.
Revolver will run a promotional spot for readers to enter and win the following: signed Static-X comics from Chaos! Comics from the band, signed David Brewer original artwork from the comic book, Gibson Gothic flying V signed by the band, copies of their newest CD, and Wayne Static¹s microphone courtesy of ElectroVoice.
Revolver sells over 150,000 copies in Barnes and Noble, Borders, Virgin, Tower, Musicland Sam Goody, Target, WalMart, Best Buy, independent record/comic stores, newsstands internationally. There is over a half million total readership - ALL dedicated to the music like Static-X!
The Static-X comic book will be polybagged with an exclusive CD featuring the remix "This is Not" and interview footage of the band, unavailable anywhere else. Fans can get the comic at specialty shops on July 24, 2002, pre-order at local comic shops NOW, or online June 1st at www.chaosstore.com. To find a comic shop near you please call the Comic Shop Locator Service toll free at 1-888-266-4226 or by going online to .
For more information on Chaos! Comics or Static-X, please visit .
MARC HEMPEL'S NAKED BRAIN is a many-faceted collection of comic strips. Wheatley was enthusiastic in his description: "I believe that comics is a language as distinct as English, French, Chinese or ancient Babylonian. And I also believe that there have been only a select handful of creative individuals who have used the language of comics as a native tongue. Just a few from that group are Will Eisner, Harvey Kurtzman, Bernard Krigstein, George Herriman, Alex Toth and Marc Hempel." Including Hempel in that group is high acclaim indeed, but Wheatley asserts that MARC HEMPEL'S NAKED BRAIN will offer the proof of his statement. "Marc is a master of the concise comic strip. Each issue of NAKED BRAIN is full of one page strips and gag cartoons - many that will make you laugh until you hurt. And if you know the language of comics you'll also be amazed at just how much this language is capable of communicating. Marc understands comics better than anyone I know - and here he pushes it way beyond any notion of 'limits'."
Hempel's own thoughts were less bombastic. "Everything I create is an honest expression of who I am - hence the title of this series! Fortunately, my own personal take on popular culture, eccentric personalities and other quirky aspects of modern life seems to resonate with my readers," he stated. Evidently, this statement has substance, since an Internet comic strip version of NAKED BRAIN has been appearing on the www.SunnyFundays.com web page for about a year, attracting well over a million hits a month. But Hempel is quick to point out that, "Even though the comic book series has the same title as the on-line strip, there is much more to the comic book." The comic book will also present a series of gag cartoons by Hempel. "I've been developing these cartoons for several years with the plan that I'll start submitting them to mass market magazines. I've been showing them to the guys around the studios, and Mark Wheatley insisted on including them." Wheatley confirmed this and added, "Marc's gag cartoons are as funny and sophisticated as anything you'll ever see in The New Yorker. They offer instant access to anyone flipping through MARC HEMPEL'S NAKED BRAIN, and make it one of those rare comic books that can be sold to the general public with no explanation." MARC HEMPEL'S NAKED BRAIN will also include the much anticipated return of one of Hempel's most popular creations, TUG & BUSTER. Each issue of MARC HEMPEL'S NAKED BRAIN will include a short story or two about these endearingly maladjusted misfits. TUG & BUSTER originally appeared in a series of seven comic books self-published by Hempel in the late 1990's. One issue and a collected edition of the early TUG & BUSTER material eventually appeared through Image Comics. Currently the series is being translated for publication overseas.
In addition to TUG & BUSTER, Hempel's credits in the comic book industry include work for Heavy Metal, Clive Barker's Hellraiser, Gregory, Mars, Jonny Quest, Breathtaker, Blood of the Innocent, Swamp Thing, The Dreaming and The Sandman: The Kindly Ones. Marc Hempel's Naked Brain will serve as a welcome addition to this highly regarded list.
Another book, IS ART: the Art of Insight Studios collects Hempel's far ranging illustration work. It is also available from Insight Studios Group.
Insight Studios Group, 7844 St. Thomas Drive, Baltimore, MD 21236, publishes books, comic books, and on-line daily and weekly comic strips. Insight Studios print titles are available through Diamond Comic Distributors, FM International, and Cold Cut Comics Distribution. Recent publications include the books, Jimgrim and the Devil at Ludd, and Titanic Tales. Insight also publishes the coffee table art book; Gray Morrow Visionary and comic book series Hammer of the Gods and Liberty Meadows, as well as the on-line strips Doctor Cyborg, Naked Brain and The Body. Insight Studios can be found on the Internet at and .
Insight Studios Group supports the efforts of the toll-free Comic Shop Locator Service. Can't find a comic shop? Call (888)COMIC BOOK for the store nearest you!
DL 1040 Lone Stars: The Texas Rangers ($20)
"Shoot it or recruit it," that's the Texas Rangers' motto. The Rangers are
the toughest SOBs in the Weird West. They roam the Haunted High Plains
alone, righting wrongs and fighting evil with little more than their trusty
Colts and a bad attitude. Whether you're a Marshal looking for source
material or a player looking to be one of the elite Rangers, this character
and sourcebook for use with either the Deadlands System or the D20 System is
a must-have. In this gritty tome written by Christopher "Dead Presidents"
McGlothlin, your Ranger heroes will be told exactly what is in the Rangers'
Bible and the Rangers relationship with the rest of the Weird West, be they
friend, foe, or abomination! (128 page Character Book for use with either
the Deadlands System or the D20 System)
The Deadlands Bone-nanza We've got some great mini-movies showing off Headfirst's upcoming Deadlands computer game, but they're so big we couldn't quite figure out how to get them to you, our regular readers. Then Marshal Mitch (Michelle Hensley) had a great idea. Why not put them on a CDROM with all our E-books and stick 'em in the box with all of you folks who have been ordering lithographs like mad.
So that's just what we did! The Deadlands Bone-nanza contains these E-Books: Law Dogs, Back East: the North, Back East: the South, Perdition's Daughter Dime Novel, Independence Day Dime Novel, and Fist Full o' Ghost Rock. It also includes The 5th Anniversary Signed Lithograph AND four mini-movies from Headfirst's upcoming Deadlands computer game!
The price for the WHOLE kit and kaboodle is just $50! And for those of you who are Pinnacle's Number One fans and already bought a lithograph for $40, we're sending you the Bone-nanza CD absolutely free! Consider it our way of saying thanks for supporting our 5 Year Anniversary!
Dave Ross
Pinnacle Entertainment Group, Inc
We've been out of Fields of Honor: the American War for Independence for a bit, but we finally have the interior contents back in stock and have repackaged it in shrink-wrap rather than the less-than-sturdy box it debuted in.
The upshot is that the new price is half of the old, and the only difference is that it has no box and no dice. If you've been thinking about getting into Fields of Honor, there hasn't been a better time.
Best of all, we have a brand new scenario--the Battle of Cowpens--and an entire mini-campaign--Lexington and Concord--for you to download by Pinnacle's good friend Matthew DeForrest!
Dave Ross
Pinnacle Entertainment Group, Inc
What a difference a day makes. On Tuesday morning at 8:00AM, April 3rd, Top Shelf was effectively put out of business, and on Tuesday evening by 8:00PM, April 3rd, Top Shelf was remarkably back in business. There are not words suitable to express how honored and thankful we are that within 12 hours this amazing comics community took it upon itself to bring us back to life. And in this case, it might also be said that the power of the internet was fully realized.
On Tuesday, after we made the announcement of our book trade distributor filing for Chapter 11 (and the subsequent fatal impact that this had on our own operation), we received over 200 phone orders and 850 on-line and email orders to boot. This staggering 1000 orders has not only made us operational again (and put several thousand copies of our graphic novels into circulation), but has also reaffirmed to us that the comics industry is back, revitalized, and ready to take on the world. We're even estimating that over 100,000 people received the news or were personally involved in the discussion of this on-line event on that day.
With this overwhelming support, combined with the (now contradictory) fact that Top Shelf has always prided itself that every order would ship out the very next day, we ask for your patience in letting us get all of these graphic novels, comics, and CDs to you. We hope to have everything shipped out within the next few weeks. In the meantime, if all this activity has made you curious about our books, we would encourage you to ask for them at your local retailer, so that everyone along the chain, retailers and distributors alike, can also benefit from this spur of interest. And while this interest in diversity is at the forefront of everyone's mind, we encourage you to continue in the exploration and discussion of comics from all the publishers doing quality work these days: DC Comics, Marvel, Dark Horse, Image, CrossGen, Viz, Fantagraphics, Slave Labor, Oni Press, NBM, Drawn & Quarterly, Cartoon Books, Alternative Comics, Highwater Books, the publishers we represent (like Eddie Campbell Comics, etc.), and all the rest (that we apologize for not having the space to mention by name today).
If we've learned anything over these last seven years . . . and witnessed it absolutely this week . . . we're all in this together. And the growth and development of this amazing medium is in the most capable hands possible: the fans of this industry.
We'd also like to take a moment to give a special thank you to a few extraordinary people and organizations:
-- Warren Ellis and the Warren Ellis Forum. We've always known that the Warren Ellis Forum was a formidable entity, dedicated to the discussion and support of quality comics all over the industry, but their mobilization in this instance was unprecedented. We can't absolutely determine what percentage of all the orders were from this distinguished group, but our estimation is that it was significant. We cannot thank Warren or the supporters of his forum enough (http://www.warrenellis.com & http://forums.delphiforums.com/ellis & http://www.artbomb.net).
-- CrossGen Comics. Mark Alessi and the CrossGen staff collectively bought $5,000.00 worth of graphic novels and will donate them to the public library system. This completely novel and generous gesture not only helped to keep us going (in a big way), but also promises to expose hundreds of people and libraries to what comics can bring to the world of art and literature. This stunned us, and is a testament to CrossGen's contribution to our industry (http://www.crossgen.com).
-- Rick Veitch and Matt Brady of comiccon.com's Spash and Newsarama pages. Their amazing coverage, on-line discussions, and links for this event spurred on an uncountable array of support from the industry (http://www.comiccon.com).
-- Neil Gaiman. Neil took it upon himself to discuss our situation within his daily on-line journal, which just happens to be the most visited daily journal on the web. And since he's been known to have a fan or two (including us), we've been getting a nice bit of support from there as well (http://www.neilgaiman.com/journal/journal.asp).
-- And no less amazing than that of the above, the collective efforts of the crews at http://www.artbomb.net, http://www.sequentialtart.com, http://www.comicbookresources.com,http://www.comicbookgalaxy.com, http://www.icv2.com, http://www.grayhavenmagazine.com, http://www.popimage.com, http://www.shotgunreviews.com, the members of the Brian Michael Bendis message board (http://www.comicscommunity.com/boards/bendis/), etc., who all rallied their subscribers, who in turn proudly stated that they had come from one of these very active sites.
-- And lastly, but never least, the comics retailing and distributing community. They are the front line of our industry, and behind the scenes they have always been the ones that have kept the independent publisher alive. The show of support from this community has not only been amazing on this particular day, but has ALWAYS been there from the first moment we entered the business. They have been the group that has supported us the most.
Again, we want to thank everyone from the bottom of our hearts -- we could not have done it without you. Top Shelp will continue to try and put out the best books possible, and we look forward to not only thanking each an every one of you personally at the Cons this summer, but also being able to now make some rather cool announcements in the coming weeks that should be fun and beneficial for the entire industry as well.
On behalf of Brett Warnock and myself . . .
Truly, your friend thru comics,
Chris Staros
Top Shelf Productions
PO Box 1282
Marietta, GA 30061-1282
USA
(770) 425-0551
staros@bellsouth.net
Send press releases to:
P. O. Box 882 Bellaire, TX 77402-0882
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