Press Releases

Siegel, Drake to Receive First Bill Finger Award

Jerry Siegel and Arnold Drake have been chosen as the first recipients of the Bill Finger Award for Excellence in Comic Book Writing. They were chosen by a blue-ribbon committee chaired by Jerry Robinson. The committee decided to give two awards, to honor both a deceased and a living writer who exemplify the award's criteria. Jerry Siegel was, of course, the co-creator (with Joe Shuster) of Superman and Superboy and wrote the Superman comic books and comic strip from the character's first appearance in 1938 up through the late 1940s. He also co-created The Spectre (with Bernard Bailey) for DC. After leaving DC (in a well-publicized dispute) in 1948, he continued to write comic books for a variety of companies and served as the comics art director at Ziff-Davis in the 1950s. He returned to DC in 1958, where he wrote uncredited Superman and other scripts through 1964. He died in 1996. "There is a poetic sense of rightness that Jerry Siegel, co-creator of Superman, and Bill Finger, the unsung hero and writer of Batman, be symbolically united after three quarters of a century after their iconic characters' debuts," says Robinson. "Although both men led tragic lives, by launching the superhero genre and the Golden Age of comics, they left legacies that have enriched our culture." Arnold Drake's comics writing career spanned the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. His credits include Doom Patrol (creator), Deadman (creator), Batman, Superman, Plastic Man, X-Men, Captain Marvel, Star Trek, Twilight Zone, Mighty Mouse, Bugs Bunny, Bullwinkle and Rocky, Stanley and His Monster (creator), Little Lulu, Space Ranger, House of Mystery, and Dark Shadows. His It Rhymes with Lust, with art by Matt Baker and Ray Osrin, published by St. John Publishing in 1950, was one of the very first graphic novels. "Like Finger and Siegel, Drake is a consummate professional writer," says Robinson. "As the author of hundreds of stories from the Silver Age to the present, his credits demonstrate an amazing versatility, ranging from the superhero and adventure such as Doom Patrol to the wry humor of Little Lulu." The other members of the Finger Awards jury were comics writer and historian Mark Evanier, cartoonist/screenwriter/playwright Jules Feiffer, comics writer/editor Denny O'Neill, and comics writer/editor/historian Roy Thomas. The awards will be presented during the Eisner Awards ceremony at this summer's Comic-Con International: San Diego. Joanne Siegel will be present to accept the award for her late husband. Arnold Drake will be on hand to receive his award. The Finger Award falls under the auspices of Comic-Con International and is administered by Jackie Estrada. The 2005 awards are being underwritten by DC Comics; sponsorship will be open to other companies in future years.

Top Shelf News: The Surrogates and The King

Tue, 19 Apr 2005 13:07:41 -0700 Hey Comics Fans, Here's our first big wave of summer announcements: Top Shelf's Publishes Its First-Ever Mainstream Miniseries, The Surrogates! Rich Koslowski Explores the Elvis Mystique In His All-New Graphic Novel, The King! Gary Spencer Millidge Releases His 3rd Strangehaven Trade Paperback! Andy Runton's OWLY Wins The Howard Eugene Day Memorial Prize At SPACE! Runton, Kindt, Cooke, & Thompson All Receive 2005 Eisner Nominations! Details below. ******************************************************* IN PREVIEWS NOW! (For Pre-Ordering Books Shipping To Stores In JULY) ******************************************************* THE SURROGATES #1 (of 5) by Rob Venditti and Brett Weldele Listed as a FEATURED ITEM & CERTIFIED COOL in the current Previews catalog. "Let me tell you, folks -- this is a rockin' super-hero series. Writer, Robert Venditti, may be new to the scene, but he is one to watch. He combines great super-hero traditions with those of sci-fi, cop dramas, and murder mysteries. Artist, Brett Weldele, has been one to watch since his breath- taking work on Clockmaker from Image. You will only need to see the first double page cityscape of future Atlanta to know that this is his best work yet. -- Check out The Surrogates, you'll be glad you did." -- Filip Sablik, Diamond Staff Pick for the May Previews The year is 2054, and life has been reduced to a data feed. The fusing of virtual reality and cybernetics has ushered in the era of the surrogate, a new technology that lets users interact with the world without ever leaving their homes. It's a perfect world, and it's up to Detectives Harvey Greer and Pete Ford of the Metro Police Department to keep it that way. But to do so they'll need to stop a techno-terrorist bent on returning society to a time when people lived their lives instead of merely experiencing them. Welcome to The Surrogates, a daring, five-issue, full-color miniseries from Top Shelf. For more information on the series, click here: http://www.topshelfcomix.com/catalog.php?type=12&title=416 For a recent interview with Rob and Brett on The Surrogates, click here: http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=5068 $2.95 (US), 32 Pages, 6 5/8" X 10 3/16", Bi-Monthly Full-Color 5-Issue Comic-Book Miniseries Diamond Order Code: MAY053045 ****************************************** THE KING by Rich Koslowski http://www.topshelfcomix.com/catalog.php?type=12&title=433 SPOTLIGHTED in the current Previews catalog. From the award-winning creator of Three Fingers, comes an all-new, pop culture adventure/mystery. The King is an offbeat tale of one very enigmatic Elvis impersonator who's taking the Vegas strip, and the world, by storm. Shrouded in mystery with the shining gold helmet that covers his face, The King's performances are so mesmerizing that fans are starting to believe he really is Elvis Presley. Through investigative reporting and a series of thought-provoking interviews, a former tabloid journalist makes it his personal mission to find out The King's true identity. But in his race to debunk The King's latest comeback, he discovers much more than he bargained for. $19.95, 7 1/4" x 10.5", 208 pgs, 2-Color Graphic Novel, ISBN 1-891830-65-1 Diamond Order Code: MAY053049 ****************************************** Also in PREVIEWS this month: The New Printing of: UNLIKELY by Jeffrey Brown http://www.topshelfcomix.com/catalog.php?type=12&title=196 The New Printing of: CLUMSY by Jeffrey Brown http://www.topshelfcomix.com/catalog.php?type=12&title=180 ****************************************** And Solicited under ABIOGENESIS PRESS: STRANGEHAVEN (VOL 3): CONSPIRACIES by Gary Spencer Millidge (collecting issues #13 - #18 of Strangehaven) (with an introduction by Watchmen co-creator, Dave Gibbons) http://www.topshelfcomix.com/catalog.php?type=12&title=497 "A darkly glittering example of the soap opera noir." -- Alan Moore In the isolated, quirky village of Strangehaven, hidden in the depths of the English countryside, the village's police Sergeant investigates a mysterious hanging, an apparent suicide and a disappearance which all took place on the same fateful night. But the village's clandestine society, the Knights of the Golden Light create divided loyalties amongst the village folk. Newcomer Alex is drawn into a web of intrigue with both the Knights and the secret witches' coven vying for his allegiance. Meanwhile, another murder plot is being hatched and a love triangle develops in the latest installment of Millidge's supernatural, darkly humorous romantic murder mystery. $14.95 (US), 176 pages, Graphic Novel Diamond Order Code: MAY052356 ******************************************************* OWLY WINS THE HOWARD EUGENE DAY MEMORIAL PRIZE! ******************************************************* Andy Runton took top honors this weekend at the Small Press and Alternative Comics Expo (SPACE), winning the Howard Eugene Day Memorial Prize for his graphic novel series, OWLY. The award was presented to Andy by legendary Cerebus creator, Dave Sim. Congratulations, Andy, for receiving the top prize at SPACE! If you haven't read OWLY yet, Andy's FREE COMIC BOOK DAY Book will be hitting stores on May 7th. It's called OWLY: SPLASHIN' AROUND, and you're not going to want to miss it: OWLY: SPLASHIN' AROUND http://www.topshelfcomix.com/catalog.php?type=12&title=468 And Andy's two graphic novels are both still in print (though going fast): OWLY (VOL 1): THE WAY HOME & THE BITTERSWEET SUMMER http://www.topshelfcomix.com/catalog.php?type=12&title=425 OWLY (VOL 2): JUST A LITTLE BLUE http://www.topshelfcomix.com/catalog.php?type=12&title=456 ******************************************************* TOP SHELF EISNER NOMINATIONS! ******************************************************* Top Shelf would like to congratulate Andy Runton, Matt Kindt, Jon B. Cooke, & Craig Thompson for their 2005 Eisner Award Nominations: Best Publication for a Younger Audience: OWLY by Andy Runton Talent Deserving Wider Recognition: Matt Kindt (for TWO SISTERS & PISTOLWHIP) Best Comics-Related Periodical: COMIC BOOK ARTIST Edited by Jon B. Cooke Best Lettering: Craig Thompson (for CARNET DE VOYAGE) Congratulations to all the other nominees as well. ******************************************************* Your friend thru comics, Chris Staros Top Shelf Productions PO Box 1282 Marietta, GA 30061-1282 USA chris@topshelfcomix.com http://www.topshelfcomix.com Top Shelf Productions® and the top shelf logo are registered trademarks of Top Shelf Productions, Inc. All rights reserved. Top Shelf publications are available (or can be ordered from) wherever graphic novels and books are sold, and are distributed worldwide to the book trade by Diamond Book Distributors, and to the comics direct market by Diamond Comic Distributors, Last Gasp, FM International, Cold Cut, Red Route (UK), and Top Shelf Productions.

MOORE EXCITEMENT ON TENTH MUSE

Fri, 01 Apr 2005 08:12:52 -0600 Artist Harry Moore covers Cindy Margolis on the Tenth Muse! March 30, 2005 - Artist Harry Moore has recently joined Blue Water Productions to provide cover art featuring model Cindy Margolis as the Tenth Muse beginning with TENTH MUSE #5, and also as part of the TENTH MUSE 2006 CALENDAR - already available in the April issue of Previews catalog! "We really wanted the photos covers to pop off the shelves, so digitally altering the Tenth Muse's costume on Cindy Margolis was the way to go," said Managing Editor, Darren G. Davis. "We looked at hundreds of people's artwork and, to be honest, Harry's stuff really stood out . and Cindy agreed. He is a great addition to the Tenth Muse team." Moore already has more than ten-years of commercial experience working on product development, children's books, storyboards, art direction, and more, and past projects include work for Universal Studios, Nickelodeon, Hasbro, Mattel Toys, Marvel Entertainment, Disney Stores, Disney Publishing, the MGM Grand-Las Vegas, and NFL films. "I thank Darren for the opportunity to work on some of the TENTH MUSE covers," said Moore. "Having Cindy as the inspiration for the character makes my job a lot of fun!" For additional information visit Blue Water Productions online at , and publisher Alias Enterprises at http://www.aliasenterprises.com. Also visit http://www.harrymooredesign.com for all of Moore's latest projects, including a sneak peek at his upcoming Tenth Muse covers!

HELP NAME STAN LEE'S NEXT GRAPHIC NOVEL!

March 24th, 2005 Boston, MA -- Comic legend Stan Lee, Chief Creative Officer of Pow! Entertainment, Inc., a publicly traded Company under the ticker symbol: "POWN", has laid down the gauntlet in his latest Stan's Soapbox: and he challenges YOU to help him name his next graphic novel! Stan's forthcoming project is a suspense-filled adventure dealing with a hero and heroine who are the only two humans who can stop planet Earth from being totally destroyed! Visit the Komikwerks website to cast your vote and win a bona fide Stan Lee No-Prize - which is absolutely nothing - but you will be part of comics history! Vote here today: http://www.komikwerks.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=629 About Komikwerks Komikwerks LLC was founded in 2000 by Patrick Coyle and Shannon Denton, and is now partners with equity partner, New York based ibooks. Komikwerks is a comic publisher dedicated to publishing high-quality, professional level, creator-owned comics through digital and other distribution methods. Komikwerks.com launched in March of 2001, and has been named a Sci Fi Channel "Cool Site". Contributors to the Komikwerks site and series of print anthologies include comic industry veterans from major print publishers such as Marvel, DC, Image, and Dark Horse. About ibooks, inc. ibooks, founded in 1999, was named "America's fastest growing small publisher" by Publisher's Weekly in 2003 and 2004. Its graphic novel line began in March 2003 with Harvey Award nominee VIETNAM JOURNAL by Don Lomax, which as picked by Entertainment Weekly as "a graphic novel you should own". In 2004 it was nominated for over a dozen major awards, including the Eisner (for Joe Kubert's Yossel) the Harvey (for Blacksad) and the Ignatz. Promotions, sample pages and ebooks versions of the titles will be featured on komikwerks.com. About Pow! Entertainment, Inc POW! (Purveyors of Wonder) Entertainment, Inc., an advanced media and entertainment Company, publicly traded under the ticker symbol: "POWN" is founded by world famous comic book icon Stan Lee, together with Gill Champion and Arthur Lieberman. POW's principals, combined, have over a hundred years experience creating, producing and licensing original intellectual properties. POW! will specialize 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 aid in the establishment of global franchises. POW! partners with studios and networks in creating new and exciting characters that will perpetuate the brands of both POW! and Stan Lee. In some cases, POW! creates "custom-tailored" properties for a specific star or director. Stan Lee, the Chief Creative Officer of POW!, is the creator and inventor of the modern superhero. A prolific author, Lee revolutionized the comic book industry by creating compelling characters who, despite extraordinary powers and talents, are none the less plagued by the same doubts and difficulties experienced by ordinary people. Some of his most enduring characters, like Spider-Man®(a), The Hulk®(a), and X-Men®(a), have been spun off into television programs and feature films that have grossed hundreds of millions of dollars at the box office. (a) These are the registered trademarks and characters of Marvel Characters, Inc.

FLARE goes monthly, starting in July

Mon, 21 Mar 2005 Beginning with issue #26, on sale July 27, FLARE moves from eight times a year to a monthly schedule. Writers Wilson Hill, pencil artist Gordon Purcell, inker Terry Pallot, colorist Mike Estlick, and letterer Albert Deschesne continue as Flare's regular creative team, but with four extra issues there'll be added opportunity to spotlight work by other talented creators such as Frank Brunner, Tim Burgard, J. Adam Walters, Scott Shaw!, and Howard Bender. Flare #26, the seventh issue in her new series, features the conclusion to the Madame Destiny story arc that began in Flare v3 #5, by Wilson Hill, Gordon Purcell, J. Adam Walters, and Terry Pallot, plus a special bonus feature by Hill and Pallot revealing the story of Flare's first encounter with the winsome Whipperette's twin brother, the notorious Ultra-Lash! 32 pages, full color, $2.99 US $3.99 Canada, on sale July 27, 2005. There's a preview of Flare #26 on the Heroic Publishing website at www.heroicpub.com/previews/flare26.php For more information, please contact: Heroic Publishing Inc 6433 California Ave Long Beach CA 90805 562-428-4124 news@heroicpub.com

LIONS, TIGERS & BEARS SELLS OUT AGAIN!

Monday, March 21st, 2005 Second Issue of the All-Ages Sensation Sells Out in Under 24 Hours! On Wednesday March 16th, 2005 Lions, Tigers & Bears #2 hit stores and by the following day Diamond Comic Distributors had completely sold out. With the first issue selling out in 18 days and the second selling out in 18 hours, it seems Image Comics and Alias Enterprises have a bona fide hit on their hands. The story, chronicling the adventure of young Joey Price on his trip through the Stuffed Animal Kingdom has become one of the hottest all-ages titles in years. Retailers present at this past weekends' Wizard World Los Angeles comic convention were exclaiming the virtues of this series to everyone who would listen. "This book is wonderful," said Gail Burt, owner of Metropolis Comics. "We're always searching actively for titles that are all-ages friendly, not strictly geared for young kids, but good for EVERYONE, and Lions, Tigers and Bears certainly qualifies. It's one of the hottest selling books we've had in a long time." Retailers and fans alike lined up at the Image Comics and Alias Enterprises booths to get copies of the book as well as have copies signed by series creator, Mike Bullock. "I was overwhelmed and overjoyed at the response we received at WWLA," stated Bullock. "Not only was it one of the best conventions I've ever been to in terms of attractions from other publishers and creators, but it was hands down the best reception Lions, Tigers and Bears has received at any one time." Advance copies of Lions, Tigers & Bears #3 were on hand for convention goers and the limited amount of issues were sold out by the end of the convention, as well as the promotional posters Alias Enterprises brought with them. If retailer reactions at WWLA are any indication, expect Lions, Tigers & Bears #3 to sell out before it even ships. Lions, Tigers & Bears is a four issue, all-ages monthly mini series launched in 2005 from Image Comics. Created and written by Mike Bullock, with art by Jack Lawrence, Lions, Tigers & Bears has quickly become one of Image Comics most critically acclaimed debuts of 2005. Here's what others have to say about Lions, Tigers & Bears: "Well, let's take inventory here; amazing concept, great script, gorgeous art, and a pure love of storytelling that permeates every page. First class all the way, and I want more NOW." -Gail Simone, Birds of Prey "Mike and Jack have crafted a book that confirms to the youngest of us the possibilities of magic in our world-- and touches the hearts of the oldest of us to remind us of the power and importance of imagination." -Mike Wieringo, Fantastic Four "This has all the ingredients of a truly incredible story." -Mike Kunkel, HeroBear and the Kid "It's a great idea, perfectly executed and drawn by Jack Lawrence in an exquisite, Nickelodeon-like animated style that leaps off the pages." Joseph Szadkowski, The Washington Times "I don't like giving books a score higher than 9.0, but I really had no choice with this one. At this rate, this mini will easily be a 10." -Michael Maillaro, Comics Nexus "If you haven't picked up this book yet, go find it and give it a try. It is distinctive and charismatic, and you can share it with younger readers.." -Heidi Meeley, 4-Color Review "This is one of the most delightful and original stories I've ever read within the pages of a comic book." - Robin Parrish, Infuze Magazine More information regarding Lions, Tigers and Bears, Mike Bullock, Jack Lawrence and Runemaster Studios, Inc., its members, services, properties and other projects can be found at http://www.runemasterstudios.com. Image Comics is a comics and graphic novels publisher formed in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Since that time, Image has gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. There are currently four partners in Image Comics (Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino), and Image is currently divided into three major houses (Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions and Image Central). Image comics and graphic novels cover nearly every genre, sub-genre and style imaginable, offering science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. Visit www.imagecomics.com for more information. Alias Enterprises, LLC is a San Diego based entertainment company currently publishing comics under the Image Comics imprint. In April of 2005, Alias Enterprises, LLC will launch its own, independent line of comic books while moving forward with plans to present stories in other mediums including, but not limited to, television, movies, video games and children's books. Alias Enterprises, LLC was formed in late 2004 by Brett Burner and Mike S. Miller as a vehicle to deliver great stories to as wide an audience as possible. More information regarding Alias Enterprises, LLC its members, services, properties and other projects can be found at www.aliasenterprises.com

THE SECRET IS OUT Blue Water signs comic and film deals on "Victoria's Secret Service"

March 16, 2005 - Blue Water Productions announces the recent addition of an all-new series, titled VICTORIA'S SECRET SERVICE, debuting at this summer's San Diego Comic Con, and kicking off with publisher Alias Enterprises in Fall 2005! To further excite matters, Blue Water has already optioned film rights and a toy line based on the upcoming series! Created by Darren G. Davis and Brooklyn Weaver, VICTORIA'S SECRET SERVICE centers on a young American girl who finds out she's been selected to join an elite, clandestine organization - which was formed by Queen Victoria during her reign over the English Empire, and exists today as an international organization. Producer Jeannie Bendel has hit the ground running - optioning the latest Blue Water creation and signing a first-look producing deal with Brooklyn Weaver of Energy Entertainment. "Jeannie has a great eye for up and coming writers and properties, and the VSS property will be a great start to her producing career, I look forward to helping package this with a writer and set up with a buyer," commented Weaver. Bendel had already been tracking Davis' upcoming titles after querying him last year about his "LEGEND OF ISIS" property, which just last September was optioned to Paramount & Grammnet with Ali Russell penning. "I am extremely thrilled to work on 'Victoria's Secret Service' and develop it into a screenplay. It has a great premise for an adventurous and exciting movie," said Bendel. Adding to the excitement, toy company Shocker Toys - who just last month announced an upcoming line of Blue Water figures - have just announced an upcoming line of SHOCKINI toys based on Davis & Weaver's newest creation. "This has all been very exciting for me," said Davis. "Brooklyn has played a big part in helping us option ISIS and TENTH MUSE to film studios, and now it's really great that he and I can do something like this together. We're both looking forward to the comic, film, and toys, and we hope to see even more announcements like this one in the near future." For additional information visit the Blue Water Productions web site at http://www.bluewaterprod.com, and publisher Alias Enterprises at http://www.aliasenterprises.com.

THE OLD WEST AIN'T WHAT IT USED TO BE!

Paducah, KY March 2005 - The spring of 2005 will see the most innovative western comic book series of our time collected into graphic novel form. This 168-page trade paperback will brandish a new title - WESTERN GOTHIC: The Ballad of Utopia. The creators of the critically acclaimed series have watched graphic novels flourish in the current market. "There couldn't be a better time for this collection to come out, "said Barry Buchanan, who produces the book along with renowned Fantasy artist Mike Hoffman." Graphic novels are becoming a hugely popular form of entertainment in America today and this story had been approached as one complete tale from the start with a definite beginning, middle and end. Added benefits to this format are a more substantial read, longer shelf-life and the inclusion of an ISBN number, which will help make it into bookstores and libraries." THE BALLAD OF UTOPIA is essentially a murder mystery as seen through the eyes of Utopia deputy Sam David, who is accompanied by the mysterious and occultic bounty hunter Brigham Love. Along the way, they come across quite a few grisly shocks and encounter many of the odd personalities of the town of Utopia. "It's a very weird and bizarre Western, and challenges a lot of the stereotypes of the genre", stated Hoffman, "To help accentuate this moody atmosphere for the trade I've gone in and added gray wash to the original art boards. Plus, there will be six pages of portfolio pieces all of which will be enveloped in a new oil painting. " In closing, Barry had this to say, "Through all the trials and tribulations that this series has endured, Mike and mine's chief goal has always been to see the finished product in graphic novel form. Now, here in 2005 we're going to see that dream realized." WESTERN GOTHIC: The Ballad of Utopia, a 168 page B&W trade paperback will be in the Anti-Matter/Hoffman International section of the APRIL 2005 Previews catalog and in stores mid-June. Cover Sample PDF: www.mikehoffman.com/westerngothictpb.pdf

New Halloween Man forum!

Sun, 13 Mar 2005 There is a new Halloween Man forum at: http://futurius.net/plex/index.php?board=5.0 I'd love if you guys would drop by and join in! Drew Edwards

Landescape Productions

Rather than write you all e-mail list space cadets, a lengthy and tedious newsletter detailing every crook and cranny that goes on in my life - I will instead inform all of you when a news update on my self published comic book, The Deposit Man (along with any other Landescape Productions annoucements) pops up on my blog: The Purple Pinup Guru Platform. Believe me I need the cyber foot traffic . . . so make with the clicky www.purplepinupguru.blogspot.com and check out the cover image to the DEPOSIT MAN & THE LAST GREAT GATE of MORTALITY- ACT III of which I will be premiering at APE XI ( I hope I got the number right) on the weekend of April 9 & 10th taking place in San Francisco. Check out www.comic-con.org for details. I will be previewing the first six pages in the next week or two and when the book arrives from the printer, I will be having a contest to win five sets of my first completed Deposit Man mini-series as a sort of celebration. Until next time, boys & girls . . . Fair warning. Coat The Deposit Man is a copyrighted and trademarked feature appearing only in Landescape Productions magazines.

Santa's Little Elfin Granddaughter Returns for Christmas 2005

Sat, 05 Mar 2005 The Chrissie Claus Website can be found at www.chrissieclaus.com. Heroic Publishing, publisher of the popular comic book title, FLARE has announced that a new full-color issue of The Adventures of Chrissie Claus has been scheduled for release on November 23, 2005, in plenty of time for Christmas. The regular Flare creative team of Wilson Hill, Gordon Purcell, and Terry Pallot are already hard at work on the first new Chrissie Claus story in more than a decade, and fan favorite Daerick Gross is on tap to provide the cover. The issue will include a nine-page story designed to introduce Santa's perky little elfin granddaughter to a new generation of comic book fans, two pages of paper dolls, and a 17-page story continuing at long last the adventure that began so many years ago in ACC #2. And if all goes well, Heroic promises something even bigger for Chrissie in 2006! 32 pages, full color, $2.99 US $3.99 Canada, on sale November 23, 2005. For more information, please contact: Heroic Publishing Inc 6433 California Ave Long Beach CA 90805 562-428-4124 news@heroicpub.com

eigoMANGA Celebrates Manga Month With Diamond Comics

Thu, 3 Mar 2005 eigoMANGA is teaming with Diamond Distribution for Manga Month, an initiative within the month of March that encourages comic book retailers to celebrate and promote all things related to manga. Manga in the US has become mainstream and an apparent consumer trend has developed where comic book fans are choosing media chain stores over comic book stores to purchase manga and comic book graphic novels. As a result, this trend poses a threat that can significantly weakening the comic book retailer market. "I can see a dot com-like boom and eventual bust for manga distributed primarily to media chain stores", claims Austin Osueke, CEO and publisher for eigoMANGA. "Large media chain stores are treating manga as a trend and they are inadvertently over saturating the manga market in the US by overstocking their stores with too much manga; not all of these books are selling. The media stores will return unsold books and stop buying new manga. Comic book retailers will not order the manga because of they assume that fans will head to media stores to purchase the books instead of them. As a result new manga releases in the US will become scarce and manga publishers will be dealt a big blow". With the partnership with Diamond Distribution during Manga Month, eigoMANGA will supply an exclusive line of its manga publications, RUMBLE PAK and SAKURA PAKK only to comic book stores as well as encouraging manga fans to form relationships with their local comic book retailers as well as empowering them with the ability to request and order their favorite manga publications through comic book retailers. eigoMANGA is also producing a series of in store live events with participating comic book stores for the month of May in the form of musical performances and artist appearances. "It's important to support comic book retailers because comic books are their lives and they're in it for the long haul; mainstream retailers are not. The people who run and operate comic book stores are loyal fans. They cultivate fans and they are willing to support them for the long term; we shouldnt overlook the huge role comic book stores play for the comic book industry", claims Osueke. About eigoMANGA: www.eigoMANGA.com Founded in August 2000, eigoMANGA is an independent media and publishing company committed to developing, producing and marketing original American "manga," or Japanese-influenced comic books and graphic novels. eigoMANGA's integrated media offerings include anime-themed television programming and anime-themed live events.

KOMIKWERKS GOES TO THE ZOO

February 28th, 2005 Boston, MA - Komikwerks LLC, a leader in online comics publishing, announced today that Gabe Strine’s "The Zoo" comic will be added to their online library of weekly comics at www.komikwerks.com (AOL Keyword: Komikwerks). The Zoo is a hilarious comic strip starring Carl, a polar bear, his friend Sketch, and a host of other "wild" characters who comment on everything from politics, pop culture, and philosophy, to who left the lid off the peanut butter. The self-syndication efforts behind The Zoo have already spread the strip into newspapers across the country from Washington State to Massachusetts, and even Alaska. Creator Gabe Strine describes the premise of The Zoo: "After major budget cutbacks in a sluggish economy, many zoos around the country were forced to close their doors. With nowhere else to go, and considering most of these animals lack the skills to survive in the wild, many of them had to find work and new lives in the regular world. A few of them gathered in a moderately-priced apartment complex downtown that they’ve renamed, 'The Zoo'." "We’re thrilled to have Gabe and The Zoo as part of the Komikwerks family," exclaims Patrick Coyle, co-founder of Komikwerks. "This strip is top-notch. Frankly, it’s funnier than most strips you can find in the newspaper these days, but this is exactly why we started Komikwerks . . . to help great creators get their work out to a larger audience." The Zoo will begin its weekly updates on www.komikwerks.com (AOL Keyword: Komikwerks) on Monday, February 28th.

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Copyright © 2005 Sheryl Roberts, Editor