Brett, Author at Graphic Policy

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Preview – Your First Look At Wolverine #1

Posted on June 10, 2010 by Brett

Official Press Release

Your First Look At Wolverine #1!

Marvel is proud to present your first look at Wolverine #1 from red-hot writer Jason Aaron and rising star artist Renato Guedes! Just in time for his all-new ongoing, Wolverine’s soul gets sent straight to hell…literally! However, while Wolverine’s soul is in Hell, his body is terrorizing all that are close to him. This September, Wolverine #1 delivers Logan doing what he does best, in true Wolverine fashion. And what he does best is not very nice.

WOLVERINE #1

Written by JASON AARON

Penciled by RENATO GUEDES

Cover by JAE LEE

Variant Cover by STEVE MCNIVEN

Variant Cover by PAUL SMITH

Variant Cover by MARKO DJURDJEVIC

Sketch Variant Cover by JAE LEE

Blank Variant Cover also available!

Parental Advisory …$3.99

ON SALE THIS SEPTEMBER!

Multi-National Manga Anti-Piracy Coalition Formed

Posted on June 10, 2010 by Brett

Official Press Release

Media Release — Today a coalition of Japanese and U.S. publishers announced a coordinated effort to combat a rampant and growing problem of internet piracy plaguing the manga industry. “Scanlation,” as this form of piracy has come to be known, refers to the unauthorized digital scanning and translation of manga material that is subsequently posted to the internet without the consent of copyright holders or their licensees. According to the coalition, the problem has reached a point where “scanlation aggregator” sites now host thousands of pirated titles, earning ad revenue and/or membership dues at creators’ expense while simultaneously undermining foreign licensing opportunities and unlawfully cannibalizing legitimate sales. Worse still, this pirated material is already making its way to smartphones and other wireless devices, like the iPhone and iPad, through apps that exist solely to link to and republish the content of scanlation sites.

Participants in the coalition include the 36 members of Japan’s Digital Comic Association, Square Enix, VIZ Media, TOKYOPOP, Vertical, Inc., the Tuttle-Mori Agency and Yen Press. Working together, the membership of the coalition will actively seek legal remedies to this intellectual property theft against those sites that fail to voluntarily cease their illegal appropriation of this material.

“It is unfortunate that this action has become necessary,” said a spokesperson for the group. “However, to protect the intellectual property rights of our creators and the overall health of our industry, we are left with no other alternative but to take aggressive action. It is our sincere hope that offending sites will take it upon themselves to immediately cease their activities. Where this is not the case, however, we will seek injunctive relief and statutory damages. We will also report offending sites to federal authorities, including the anti-piracy units of the Justice Department, local law enforcement agencies and FBI.”

The coalition stated that it has currently identified thirty sites targeted for action.

Participant members of the Digital Comic Association include: Akane Shinsha, Akita Shoten, ASCII Media Works, East Press, Ichijinsha, Enterbrain, Okura Shuppan, Ohzora Shuppan, Gakken, Kadokawa Shoten, Gentosha Comics, Kodansha, Jitsugyo No Nihonsha, Shueisha, Junet, Shogakukan, Shogakukan Shueisha Production, Shodensha, Shonen Gahosha, Shinshokan, Shinchosa, Take Shobo, Tatsumi Shuppan, Tokuma Shoten, Nihon Bungeisha, Hakusensha, Fujimi Shobo, Fusosha, Futabasha, France Shoin, Bunkasha, Houbunsha, Magazine House, Media Factory, Leed sha, Libre Shuppan.

TFAW Announces Second Annual CBLDF Fundraising Event!

Posted on June 10, 2010 by Brett

Things for Another World has announced the Second Annual SDCC Autograph Card/CBLDF Auction event. In 2009 TFAW teamed up with the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and raised over $30,000 for the CBLDF’s annual auction at San Diego Comic-Con.

TFAW is asking artists to create original works of art to donate to the CBLDF auction at San Diego Comic-Con. In exchange, each artist will receive 500 free limited-edition autograph cards of his or her sketch to distribute in San Diego, and TFAW will also give out additional copies at their booth during the Con.

Comics professionals who are interested in taking part are asked to please email Andrew McIntire with the subject line “CBLDF 2010 Auction” at their earliest convenience.

Deadlines:

In order to participate, publishers and creators must provide the following by the dates below:

• June 16: Confirmation that they will participate, including the proper spellings of their first and last names and publishers, if applicable.

TFAW will still gladly accept new participants through July 9! However, creators and publishers must respond by June 16 if they want to be included in TFAW’s SDCC Event Guide ad.

• July 9: A print-quality (300 dpi) B&W version of the creator’s art (.EPS or .TIFF) for the limited-edition autograph cards, as well as a small JPG file for inclusion in the CBLDF’s online auction preview.

• July 14: Deadline to send art to the CBLDF’s NYC office (original art may also be delivered to the CBLDF’s booth at SDCC by July 23).

Each card will include the artist’s name, SDCC booth number, the publisher’s logo (where applicable), and TFAW’s logo. The back will feature information urging recipients to support the CBLDF and attend the auction at SDCC ‘10, as well as a brief sponsor message.

All of the proceeds from the auction of every piece will go to the CBLDF. Additionally, participants will receive the following:

• Frequent mention in the weeks leading up to, and after, SDCC ‘10 in the TFAW blog, newsletters, and social media profiles, and a permanent link on our CBLDF support page, which will reside on TFAW.com throughout 2010. This page will be referenced in all external online advertising and press releases.

• Inclusion in TFAW’s ad in the SDCC ‘10 Event Guide (if confirmation of participation is received by June 16), which outlines the fundraising initiative and makes mention of all participating industry professionals.

• Public mention at the CBLDF’s auction when the donated piece is offered.

• Recognition and mention on the CBLDF’s website.

Visit TFAW’s SDCC 2010 Auction page at http://www.tfaw.com/sdcc10-auction to see all of the participating publishers and creators!

If you’re a comics professional who wants to participate in this event, or if you have any further questions, please email Andrew McIntire at andrewm@tfaw.com with the subject line “CBLDF 2010 Auction.”

Stuart Ross jailed in $11M Extortion Plot

Posted on June 10, 2010 by Brett

Stuart Ross, the man who made a fortune introducing the Smurfs to the US public, has been accused of attempting to extort $11 million from his son-in-law David Blitzer. The man who made millions can’t even afford bail. Ross’s lawyer said he made some “bad investments.”

Ross, 73, concocted a plan Gargamel would approve of. Ross threatened to smear Blitzer’s reputation unless he paid up.

Ross, and his co-defendant Stuart Jackson, his former lawyer, were indicted in 2008 for grand larceny and attempted grand larceny. For $5.5 million Ross told his daughter he would no longer contact her, her husband, or their unborn child.

Ross held the rights to the North American distribution to the French creation the Smurfs who are bound for a new movie.

Craig Yoe’s Golden Collection of Klassic Krazy Kool Kids Komics Now In Stores

Posted on June 10, 2010 by Brett

Official Press Release

IDW and YOE Books Offer
The Golden Collection of
Klassic Krazy Kool Kids Komics

Luxurious hardcover collects brilliant 1940s and ’50s strips

[The Golden Collection of Klassic Krazy Kool Kids Komics cover] San Diego, CA (June 9, 2010) – Award-winning comics creator and historian Craig Yoe has done it again, this time offering a huge collection of the most brilliant children’s comics from the 1940’s and ‘50s Golden Age of comic books. The Golden Collection of Klassic Krazy Kool Kids Komics features over 300 comics pages of slapstick superheroes, fantastic fairy tales, awesome anthropomorphic animals, even nutty nonsense from some of the best creators of comics and children’s books of all time.

Said Yoe, “People who have seen this massive book have called it “a brick” and I do think it hits you like Ignatz Mouse’s brick on Krazy Kat’s bean because I have spent decades identifying the greatest kids comics by the greatest kids komics creators.”

The beautifully presented hardback book kicks off with a forward by Mo Willems, Emmy and Caldecott Award winning children’s book author and artist, and is followed by a fascinating introduction by Yoe, illustrated by rare, unpublished art by many of the cartoonists. The Golden Collection of Klassic Krazy Kool Kids Komics features a who’s who of comics brilliance, including Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, Frank Frazetta, Walt Kelly, Dr. Seuss, Syd Hoff, Jules Feiffer, George Carlson, John Stanley, Dan DeCarlo, Sheldon Mayer and Carl Barks, all conveniently organized by topic.

Comics critic Paul Gravett proclaims, “What a line-up of cartooning greats in a nutty, zany out-there volume! Yoe digs deep and can be trusted to unearth rare treasures out of the medium’s moldering, four-color newsprint mulch. Perfect for the krazy kid in all of us.”

The Golden Collection of Klassic Krazy Kool Kids Komics is the latest book from the IDW imprint, YOE Books, edited, designed and written by Yoe, winner of both an Eisner Award and the Society of Illustrator’s Gold Medal. Coming next from YOE Books is The Great Felix the Cat Comic Book Tails, reprinting some of the very best adventures of this famed character and available in stores in July. Vice Magazine has deemed Yoe “The Indiana Jones of Comics Historians.”

Yoe is available for interviews regarding this and other books.

The Golden Collection of Klassic Krazy Kool Kids Komics ($34.99, 304 pages, color, hardcover) is now available in stores. Diamond order code FEB10 1007. ISBN 978-160010-5203.

Visit IDWPublishing.com to learn more about the company and its top-selling books.

About IDW Publishing
IDW is an award-winning publisher of comic books, graphic novels and trade paperbacks, based in San Diego, California. Renowned for its diverse catalog of licensed and independent titles, IDW publishes some of the most successful and popular titles in the industry, including: Hasbro’s The Transformers and G.I. JOE, Paramount’s Star Trek; Fox’s Angel; the BBC’s Doctor Who; and comics and trade collections based on novels by worldwide bestselling author, James Patterson. IDW is also home to the Library of American Comics imprint, which publishes classic comic reprints; Yoe! Books, a partnership with Yoe! Studios; and is the print publisher for EA Comics and ComicMix.

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

X-Men #1 Teaser – Evil Seduces

Posted on June 10, 2010 by Brett

Marvel has released another teaser for the upcoming X-Men #1. The issue hits stands July 8 coming from the team of Victor Gischler and art by Paco Medina.

X-MEN #1 (MAY100628)
X-MEN #1 ROMITA JR VARIANT (MAY100630)
X-MEN #1 MEDINA VARIANT (MAY100632)
X-MEN #1 DJURDJEVIC VARIANT (MAY100633)
X-MEN #1 BLANK VARIANT (MAY100629)
Written by VICTOR GISCHLER
Penciled by PACO MEDINA
Cover by ADI GRANOV
Variant Cover by JOHN ROMITA JR.
Variant Cover by PACO MEDINA
Variant Cover by MARKO DJURDJEVIC

Rated T+ …$3.99
FOC—6/17/10, On-sale—7/8/10

BOOM! New Releases

Posted on June 10, 2010 by Brett

Official Press Release

ROBERT E. HOWARD’S HAWKS OF OUTREMER (A)
ROBERT E. HOWARD’S HAWKS OF OUTREMER (B)BOOM! Studios brings you an epic story by Conan creator Robert E. Howard published in comic book form for the first time ever! As a wandering warrior born and bred on the battlefield, Cormac FitzGeoffrey is a renowned fighter, a ruthless adversary, and a man who is no stranger to the ways of bloodshed and violence. Cormac counts his friends on one hand, so when he learns that his most recent liege has been murdered, nothing will stop his quest for revenge. By oath, a path of vengence will be marked by the blood of his enemies. Covers by Joe Jusko and Karl Richardson.

CARS #6 (ONGOING) (A)
CARS #6 (ONGOING) (B)Ramone and Fillmore take a wrong turn with Boost, DJ, Wingo, and Snot Rod close behind, and find themselves lost on the back roads! Meanwhile, McQueen and Mater have their own problems, and the alliance of Chick Hicks and The Drift King begins to disintegrate! Note: Available in United States and Canada only.

FARSCAPE: SCORPIUS #2 (A)
FARSCAPE: SCORPIUS #2 (B)Once, Scorpius had the whole of the Peacekeeper army at his command. But that is far in the past. Now, Scorpius rises again with a new army – one that has an ancient origin and a dark secret. An excellent new entry point for Farscape fans that might have missed the previous BOOM! series. Written by Farscape creator Rockne S. O’Bannon and fan-favorite Star Trek novelist David Alan Mack! Covers by Nick Runge and Chad Hardin.

UNCLE SCROOGE #392 (A)
UNCLE SCROOGE #392 (B)Life is, once again, like a hurricane here in Duckburg! So you know what that means… DuckTales are back! Gear up for adventure as one of the most cherished, fan-favorite Disney franchises explodes back onto the comics page this June! Join Uncle Scrooge, Donald Duck, Huey, Dewey, Louie, and of course Launchpad McQuack as they solve some mysteries and rewrite some history in an action-packed adventure never before seen in the US!

IRREDEEMABLE VOL. 3 TPB

The hunt for Modeus may be over but ultimate chaos is still at hand. With the Plutonian still on the loose, The Paradigm find themselves with little time and less options. Have the Paradigm unleashed something they cannot control? Collects issues #9-12 of Mark Waid’s superhero epic.

THE GRASSHOPPER AND THE ANT HC

Forty years ago, the late comics genius Harvey Kurtzman created a marvelous beatnik take on the ancient Esop fable that appeared in Esquire magazine, where the panels were reproduced small and blurry. The story remained forgotten and unknown, even to most Kurtzman fans, until Denis Kitchen Publishing released this rediscovered gem in a Smythe-sewn hardcover in 2000. Now BOOM! Town, in association with DKP, offers readers a second chance to own this Kurtzman classic. Selected as ‘One of the Best 100 Graphic Novels’ in Steve Weiner’s book of the same name, this 10′ square hardcover is shrink-wrapped to assure mint condition. Introduction by Denis Kitchen.

Avengers Academy #1 On Sale Today!

Posted on June 9, 2010 by Brett

Official Press Release

Avengers Academy #1 On Sale Today!

Today, the doors open to a place where the next generation of Earth’s Mightiest are trained by the great heroes of today. In Avengers Academy #1, by the red-hot creative team of Christos Gage and Mike McKone, fans will be introduced to six young superhumans chosen to make up the inaugural class and they’ll quickly learn just what they’re made of! “From the return of Robbie Baldwin in his Speedball identity to the next chapters for cult favorites like Quicksilver, Justice and Tigra to the intro of six new future stars to a rug-pulling swerve, this one is chock full of classic Marvel goodness!” says Bill Rosemann, the book’s editor.

And if that wasn’t enough, writer Christos Gage adds, “We wanted to do something to make the stakes huge…something that, while rooted in Avengers history and tradition, threatens to potentially bring down the Avengers from within. Something that gives readers a similar feeling to Thunderbolts #1 or Runaways #1. Read it and see for yourself…is this the Avengers’ finest hour, or have they sown the seeds of their own destruction?”

With a secret revealed at the end of the first issue, will it bind the new recruits together or will they be washed out before finals? Find out in Avengers Academy #1, featuring the great Avengers of today…and tomorrow!

AVENGERS ACADEMY #1 (APR100550)

AVENGERS ACADEMY #1 MCKONE VARIANT (APR100551)

AVENEGRS ACADEMY #1 DJURDJEVIC VARIANT (APR100552)

Written by CHRISTOS GAGE

Pencils & Cover by MIKE MCKONE

Variant Cover by MIKE MCKONE

Variant Cover by MARKO DJURDJEVIC

Rated A …$3.99

On-Sale Today!

The Heroic Age Is Here – Avengers #1 And Secret Avengers #1 Sell Out

Posted on June 9, 2010 by Brett

Official Press Release

THE HEROIC AGE IS HERE – AVENGERS #1 AND SECRET AVENGERS #1 SELL OUT

It’s the grandest Avengers assemblage of the century! Marvel is pleased to announce that Avengers #1 and Secret Avengers #1 have sold out at Diamond (though copies may still be available at retail level) and will return with the Avengers #1 Second Printing Variant and Secret Avengers #1 Second Printing Variant! For fans who missed out on the first Avengers #1 Blank Variant, Marvel will also be releasing an all-new Avengers #1 Second Printing Blank Variant.

They’re the biggest names in comics on the biggest titles in the industry! Superstars Brian Michael Bendis and John Romita Jr. bring you bombastic Avengers action like never before in Avengers #1 Second Printing Variant! With Kang paying Earth’s Mightiest a visit warning them their children may destroy the future, the newly reformed Avengers team is thrown right into the mix! Then in the explosive Secret Avengers #1 Second Printing Variant, Eisner-winning writer Ed Brubaker and red-hot artist Mike Deodato bring fans their personal brand of high-octane super-heroic espionage! Steve Rogers is back and he’s assembled his own, albeit unexpected, squad to tackle the jobs nobody can know about.

The dawn of the Heroic Age has everyone raving!

“Having John Romita Jr. pencil this issue certainly helps establish this book in the Avengers pantheon. As always, his sequential panels are a delight to behold. The issue truly comes to life in moments where Romita is allowed to cut loose, particularly in the scene where Thor dispatches Kang through several city blocks. Whereas the heroes marveled at the Mighty Thor, I found myself marveling at the Mighty Romita.” –Tim Lenaghan, IGN.com

“Secret Avengers #1 hits the ground running and never slows down. A great mix of action and intrigue, fans of Brubaker’s ‘Captain America will no doubt find this comic a great companion book, especially with the plot twist he introduces at the end of the issue.” – Chad Nevett, ComicBookResources.com

“Bendis has succeeded in crafting a comic markedly different in tone from his previous fare. This issue is old-fashioned superheroics, suitable for both new readers and strays seeking their way back into the fold.” – Chris Kiser, ComicsBulletin.com

“Secret Avengers #1 has everything; great cast of heroes, conflict, interesting team dynamic, a great set-up for a long arc, one hell of a cliffhanger, and a giant goal many have attempted but none have accomplished.” – Ben Johnson, Mania.com

With the advent of the Heroic Age, everyone’s favorite Avengers are back doing what they do best, protecting YOUR UNIVERSE! Be sure to get in on the ground floor by picking up Avengers #1 Second Printing Variant, Avengers #1 Second Printing Blank Variant and Secret Avengers #1 Second Printing Variant and see just what everyone is talking about!

AVENGERS #1 SECOND PRINTING VARIANT (APR108176)

AVENGERS #1 SECOND PRINTING BLANK VARIANT (APR108177)

Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS

Pencils & Cover by JOHN ROMITA JR.

Rated A …$3.99

FOC – 6/17/10, On Sale – 7/8/10

SECRET AVENGERS #1 SECOND PRINTING VARIANT (APR108169)

Written by ED BRUBAKER

Pencils & Cover by MIKE DEODATO

Rated T+ …$3.99

FOC – 6/17/10, On Sale – 7/8/10

She Has Returned – X-Men: Second Coming Sells Out Again!

Posted on June 9, 2010 by Brett

Official Press Release

She Has Returned – X-Men: Second Coming Sells Out Again!

Marvel is pleased to announce that the second printings of Second Coming #1, Uncanny X-Men #523, New Mutants #12, X-Men Legacy #235, and X-Force #26 have all sold out at Diamond (though copies may still be available at retail level) and will return with Second Coming #1 Third Printing Variant, Uncanny X-Men #523 Third Printing Variant, New Mutants #12 Third Printing Variant, X-Men Legacy #235 Third Printing Variant, and X-Force #26 Third Printing Variant!

It’s the X-Men event you’ve been waiting for! Packed with fan-favorite creators, Second Coming has been delivering fans heart-wrenching events that have kept readers on the edges of their seats! Never has an X-Event had more on the line than Second Coming. With these five action-packed issues and “She Has Returned” spelled out on the covers, you will not want to miss this!

Fans and critics alike are raving about Second Coming:

“Second Coming #1 is a widescreen action movie with a ton of moving parts that fit together superbly.” –Bryan Joel, IGN.com

“This is a great new issue, as we get into the Second Coming storyline full-tilt. There’s great characterization across the board, and it really fills me with excitement for this book and for all X-books…”–Adam Chapman, ComiXtreme.com

“I actually got the sense that we were in the midst of a war, with both sides taking casualties and tensions mounting between teammates.” –Chad Derdowski, Mania.com

Marvel urges retailers to check their orders on future Second Coming tie-ins and chapters as these titles continue to prove this is the BIGGEST X-Event in recent years! With nearly no faith left and the reliance of one mutant, Hope, to be their savior – is she worth it? Find out in Second Coming #1 Third Printing Variant, Uncanny X-Men #523 Third Printing Variant, New Mutants #12 Third Printing Variant, X-Men Legacy #235 Third Printing Variant, and X-Force #26 Third Printing Variant!

SECOND COMING #1 THIRD PRINTING VARIANT (APR108135)

Written by CRAIG KYLE and CHRIS YOST

Pencils & Cover by DAVID FINCH

Rated T+… $3.99