Category Archives: Press Release

Shout! Factory and Saban Brands Enter Strategic Home Entertainment Alliance

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 SHOUT! FACTORY and SABAN BRANDS ENTER STRATEGIC HOME ENTERTAINMENT ALLIANCE
Multi-Year Agreement Grants Shout! Factory Exclusive Distribution Rights to
Renowned Live-Action Pop Culture Television Property Power Rangers 

Los Angeles, California (March 12, 2012) – Shout! Factory and Saban Brands announced a multi-year, multi-property alliance to bring Saban’s iconic live-action pop culture series, including Power Rangers, to the home entertainment marketplace in the U.S and Canada. The announcement was made today by Shout! Factory’s founding partners Richard Foos, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos; and Elie Dekel, President of Saban Brands.

The multi-year alliance provides Shout! Factory with exclusive home entertainment packaged media (DVD/Blu-ray) and select digital rights to Saban Brands’ extensive catalog of properties including more than 700 episodes of Power Rangers (1993- 2009), 92 episodes of VR Troopers, 26 episodes of Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation, and 88 episodes of Beetleborgs for home entertainment releases and digital distribution across select entertainment platforms in North America.

“We are incredibly excited about this new relationship with Saban Brands. Power Rangers continues to stand as a global pop culture phenomenon to this day. We look forward to bringing these highly entertaining series with great packaging and extras to fans and on family home entertainment shelves,” state Shout! Factory’s founding partners in a joint statement.

“Our partnership with Shout! Factory is important and exciting news for our fans. Shout! Factory will provide unequaled access to archived content from Saban Brands,” said Elie Dekel, President of Saban Brands. “Fans can enjoy past episodes they haven’t seen, relive some of the exciting entertainment in these episodes, or even share them with a new generation of fans.”

Shout! Factory plans an aggressive rollout of Saban Brands television properties beginning this summer 2012, including from individual programs as well as complete series. As excitement builds for these upcoming home entertainment product-lines, Shout! Factory and Saban Brands will announce additional news and activities in forthcoming months.

Following its introduction in 1993, Saban’s Power Rangersquickly became the most watched children’s television program in the United States. Emphasizing the importance of teamwork, responsibility and helping others by following the adventures of a group of ordinary young people who “morphed” into superheroes, the series was seen in more than 60 countries, translated into numerous languages, and was a mainstay in the most prominent international children’s programming blocks.

When VR Troopers premiered in 1994, it was the first children’s series to take viewers into a world of virtual reality. In this exciting action-packed live-action series, three seemingly ordinary teens face the challenge of saving the world from total domination by a powerful ruthless industrialist and his evil alter-ego. With the gift of “inter-reality travel” the teens utilize the power to transform into crime-fighting superheroes and enter the high-tech sphere of Virtual Reality. They employ their strengths, explosive martial arts skills and newfound superpowers to prevent the evil Grimlord and his mutant armies from escaping the virtual plane and entering the real world.

Memorable live-action adventure series Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation debuted in 1997 on popular kids network. The series continued the fun-filled saga of Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo, four genetically mutated turtles who have transformed into human sized, ninja-powered crime fighters living in the sewers of New York City. Soon the Ninja Turtles’ world that they have come to know and love will change. If you thought Shredder was bad, wait until you meet the newest NT foe–Dragon Skull! It will take all the power of our four reptile heroes to combat this new villain, including the help from a new ninja turtle named Venus De Milo!

Premiered in 1996, popular weekly kids series Beetleborgs follows the exciting adventures of three ordinary kids Drew, Jo and Roland as they enter the supposedly haunted mansion after accepting a dare. Their lives changed forever when a magical spirit grants them their biggest wish – they get to find out what life is like as their favorite super heroes the Beetleborgs!

About Saban Brands

Formed in 2010 as a subsidiary of Saban Capital Group, Saban Brands (SB) was established to acquire and develop a world-class portfolio of properties and capitalize on the company’s experience, track record and capabilities in growing and monetizing consumer brands.  SB applies a strategic transmedia management approach to enhancing and extending its brands in markets worldwide and to consumers of all ages.  The company provides full-service management, marketing, promotion and strategic business development for its intellectual properties including comprehensive strategies unique to each brand, trademark and copyright management and enforcement, creative design, retail development, direct-to-consumer initiatives and specialized property extensions.  SB is led by a superior management team with decades of experience in licensing, marketing and finance. For more information, visit www.sabanbrands.com

About Shout! Factory

Shout! Factory is a diversified entertainment company devoted to producing, uncovering and revitalizing the very best of pop culture. Founders Richard Foos, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos have spent their careers sharing their music, television and film faves with discerning consumers the world over. Shout! Factory’s DVD offerings serve up classic, contemporary and cult TV series, riveting sports programs, live music, animation and documentaries in lavish packages crammed with extras. The company’s audio catalogue boasts GRAMMY®-nominated box sets, new releases from storied artists, lovingly assembled album reissues and indispensable “best of” compilations. These riches are the result of a creative acquisitions mandate that has established the company as a hotbed of cultural preservation and commercial reinvention. Shout! Factory is based in Santa Monica, California. For more on Shout! Factory, visit shoutfactory.com

Mezco Reveals Mars Attacks Plush

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Mezco Reveals Mars Attacks Plush

New York- Based on the iconic trading cards, Mars Attacks, that forever changed the face of science fiction. Mezco brings these Martians to life with this 8inch scale plush figure. The other-worldly creation features the Martian’s signature exposed oversized brain and bulbous eyes, along with the iconic green spacesuit.

Revealed at the 2012 New York International Toy Fair in February, they have already received praise:

… totally nailed the detail in their brain-like head…” wrote Kastors Korner, “The cuddliest alien I’ve ever seen! He’s invaded my heart!!” says Eric Resnik of YouBentMyWookie.

Mars Attacks trading cards have made an indelible impression on pop culture since their initial release in 1962, inspiring a hit film, comics, graphic novels, and more. Coinciding this summer with the landmark half-century milestone of the original release, Topps is pulling out all the stops for collectors to re-connect with the cult classic while ushering in a whole new generation of fans.

The Martians invade your local retailers in October 2012.

For more information on Mars Attacks, follow on facebook. www.facebook.com/MarsAttacks

About Mezco Toyz;

Mezco Toyz LLC, specializes in the design, manufacture, and marketing of toys and collectables for all ages. A design-driven company that continuously thinks outside the box, Mezco is a leader in collectable action figures, doll manufacturing and marketing. Creators of brands such as Living Dead Dolls, Hoods, Creepy Cuddlers, Mez-Itz and more, Mezco also produces many of today’s most popular collector-friendly licensed products including: South Park, Hellboy, Popeye, Family Guy, Scarface, DC Universe, Little Big Planet and Thundercats to name a few. With a consumer outreach that is comprised of wholesale, distribution and direct to consumer networks; Mezco’s product placement abilities span worldwide. The award-winning company has offices in the United States as well as in Hong Kong, overseeing all aspects of design, marketing and manufacturing.

About The Topps Company, Inc.

Founded in 1938, Topps is a leading creator and marketer of sports and  related cards, entertainment products, and distinctive confectionery products. Topps entertainment products include Major League Baseball, NFL,  NBA and other trading cards, sticker album collections, and collectible games. The Company’s confectionery brands include “Bazooka” bubble gum,  “Ring Pop,” “Push Pop,” “Baby Bottle Pop” and “Juicy Drop Pop” lollipops.

AMC casts iconic character in “The Walking Dead”

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AMC CASTS ICONIC CHARACTER MICHONNE IN
“THE WALKING DEAD”

New York, NY – March 18, 2011 – AMC has cast actress Danai Gurira (Treme/The Visitor) in the coveted role of Michonne in its original series, “The Walking Dead.” Tonight’s season two finale first featured the iconic character who will reappear in season three of the AMC series.  Michonne, a fan favorite from Robert Kirkman’s comic book series, is a mysterious woman armed with a sword.

“The Walking Dead” tells the story of the months and years after a zombie apocalypse, following a group of survivors who travel in search of a safe and secure home.  The series goes on to explore the challenges of life in a world overrun by walkers, where the interpersonal conflicts often present a greater danger than anything else and  over time, the characters grow willing to do almost anything to survive.

“The Walking Dead” received rave reviews from countless critics, both domestically and internationally. “Above all else, “The Walking Dead” hasn’t lost the most important ingredient in its strangely successful recipe: it’s thrilling” (The Hollywood Reporter). “…with Dead’s riveting cast of characters, the personal dynamics are almost as potent as the gory thrills” (US Weekly). “The Walking Dead is a feast.  Dig in.”(The Guardian- UK).   “It doesn’t even take three minutes to realize that this series is setting standards” (Der Tagesspiegel-Germany).

“The Walking Dead” secured a 2010 Golden Globe nomination for best television series and won the 2011 Emmy award for outstanding prosthetic make-up. It is executive produced by Glen Mazzara, Gale Anne Hurd, Robert Kirkman and Dave Alpert.

About AMC
AMC reigns as the only cable network in history to ever win the Emmy® Award for Outstanding Drama Series four years in a row, as well as the Golden Globe® Award for Best Television Series – Drama for three consecutive years.  Whether commemorating favorite films from every genre and decade or creating acclaimed original programming, the AMC experience is an uncompromising celebration of great stories.  AMC’s original stories include “Mad Men,” “Breaking Bad,” “The Walking Dead,” “The Killing” and “Hell on Wheels.”  AMC further demonstrates its commitment to the art of storytelling with its slate of unscripted original series, as well as curated movie franchises like AMC’s Can’t Get Enough and AMC’s Crazy About.  Available in more than 97 million homes (Source: Nielsen Media Research), AMC is owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc. and its sister networks include IFC, Sundance Channel and WE tv.  AMC is available across all platforms, including on-air, online, on demand and mobile. AMC: Story Matters Here SM.

VIZ Media Launches Shonen Jump Photo Contest

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Contest Encourages Fans To Submit Photos Showing Their Passion For SHONEN JUMP; iPad 2 With WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP ALPHA Membership And Other Prizes To Be Awarded

San Francisco, CA, March 16, 2012 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, invites fans to show their love for SHONEN JUMP with a brand new contest that will award a variety of valuable prizes to several lucky winners. Contestants are encouraged to upload a photo showing their love for SHONEN JUMP to the contest page at sjalpha.com/ipad2.

Encourage friends, family and other fans to vote for your entry during the two, week-long voting periods! Prizes will be given to the fan with the most votes for that given week. A Grand Prize will also be awarded to fan with the most overall votes.

The first contest submission period is from March 16th to March 23rd, with voting from March 24th to March 31st. The second contest submission period will be from April 1st to April 8th with contest voting from April 9th to April 16th. Winners will be notified via email.

The Grand Prize for the Show Your SHONEN JUMP Love Contest will include a brand new Apple iPad 2, plus an annual membership to the WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP ALPHA (SJ ALPHA) digital manga magazine, along with a $100.00 credit for VIZManga.com. The runner up prize will be a SHONEN JUMP gift bag, valued at $250.00 and awarded to the fan with the most votes during each of the two submission periods.

“Has your manga collection overtaken your house? Do you have a running countdown until your next local anime convention? Want to show off your latest SJ Cosplay? Then the Show Your SHONEN JUMP Love contest is definitely for you,” says Tu Ly, Senior Digital Marketing Manager. “It’s all about our fans and their connection to the stories and characters they love.  Manga and anime fans are by far the most creative people I’ve had the chance to meet and we’re really excited to see what comes out of this contest!

Each new digital issue of WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP ALPHA treats manga (comics) fans in North America to the latest chapters of some of the world’s most popular manga series only two weeks after they debut in Japan’s massively popular WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP magazine. Series include popular titles such as BAKUMAN｡, BLEACH, NARUTO, NURA: RISE OF THE YOKAI CLAN, ONE PIECE, and TORIKO.

SJ ALPHA is available on VIZManga.com through an annual membership that provides 52 weeks of access to 48 weekly issues for just $25.99; single issues can be read for four weeks for only $0.99. Annual members will also receive an annual collector’s yearbook, collectable YU-GI-OH! game cards four times a year, and access to exclusive content, including creator interviews and videos. From now until April 30th, all members will also receive exclusive access to a special ONE PIECE x TORIKO crossover manga as a digital gift.

For more information on WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP ALPHA and exclusive subscriber offers, please visit SJAlpha.com or VIZManga.com.

About VIZ Media, LLC

Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan.  Owned by three of Japan’s largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. With its popular monthly manga anthology SHONEN JUMP magazine and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and INUYASHA, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages.  VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products.  Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.

Preview – Steed and Mrs. Peel #3

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STEED AND MRS. PEEL #3

Written by Grant Morrison
Drawn by Ian Gibson
SC, 32pgs, FC, SRP: $3.99
COVER: Ian Gibson
Diamond Code: JAN120958

From the one and only Grant Morrison — the conclusion of “The Golden Game!” Psychedelic secret agents John Steed and Emma Peel search for Tara King as she leads them to a secret society obsessed with deadly games. Will our heroes survive The Leopard People? Featuring artwork by Ian Gibson, best known for his work with Alan Moore on “The Ballad of Halo Jones.” The original British TV series The Avengers helped define the “Spy-Fi” genre and now Grant Morrison is serving up a science fiction/spy fiction mash-up with two of TV’s most iconic heroes! The original British TV series The Avengers helped define the “Spy-Fi” genre: from January 1961 to May 1969, for 161 episodes, The Avengers was a staple of fandom, one of the longest-running hit espionage series alongside Mission Impossible and a small screen counterpart to that other famous United Kingdom spy, James Bond! A science fiction/spy fiction mash-up from Grant Morrison and two of TV’s most iconic heroes!

Marc Silvestri Exclusives at ECCC

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IMAGE AND TOP COW INVADE THE EMERALD CITY
Marc Silvestri provides exclusive art for Emerald City Comic Con

Top Cow Productions, Inc. and Image Comics invite you to join them from March 30th through April 1st at the 10th annual Emerald City Comicon (ECCC) held at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle, Washington.

Special Guest and Top Cow founder Marc Silvestri provides this year’s ECCC program guide cover, which features iconic characters from each of the current Image partners. Witchblade, Spawn, Savage Dragon, Shadowhawk and Invincible crouch atop the iconic Space Needle in an homage to the classic King Kong scene. Silvestri penciled and inked the incredibly detailed image and Sunny Gho of IFS provided the colors.

To commemorate the decade-long Seattle institution, the artwork will also be available as an Exclusive Print at the Top Cow Booth (#414), and an Exclusive T-Shirt will be available at the ECCC Booth (#514).

“ECCC is known as one of the best comic shows around and I can’t wait to hang out with the fans and share the love of comics!” said Silvestri. “I was honored when asked to do the cover for the con program to help celebrate ECCC and the 20th anniversary of Image Comics, and I couldn’t think of anything more appropriate than a West Coast version of King Kong! But, unlike the original chest-thumping ape, these Image monkeys aren’t falling off the building!”

“Marc Silvestri is a creator that our fans have been asking about for a long time,” commented ECCC Convention Director Jim Demonakos. “To not only have him appear at the show, but for him to have created this amazing piece that celebrates both Emerald City Comicon and Image Comics, is really something special.”

ABOUT IMAGE COMICS
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.

Preview – Peanuts #3

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PEANUTS #3

Written by Charles Schulz, Shane Houghton, Vicki Scott
Drawn by Paige Braddock, Vicki Scott, Bob Scott, Matt Whitlock, Charles Schulz
SC, 32pgs, FC, SRP: $3.99
Diamond Code: JAN120978

From the newspaper strips to the animated specials, Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the Peanuts gang have held a special place in America’s heart since first appearing in 1950. Let that young reader in your household discover these beloved characters like they were brand new! Snoopy takes Linus for a spin in “Fast n’ Furrious” and Charlie Brown dons his Manager’s cap for another year of Spring Training. Includes classic Sunday strips from Charles Schulz and a special Linus 1st appearance variant cover!

Preview – Fathom (Vol. 4) #5

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FATHOM (vol 4) #5

Scott Lobdell, David Wohl – Writer / Alex Konat, Cory Smith – Pencils / Beth Sotelo – Colors

Michael Turner’s FATHOM continues on its sensational fourth volume!

Aspen Matthews stands alone against the mysterious Church of the Eternal Depths — while her new alley Galit works to destroy the undersea order at its source: an ancient factions within the Japanese government! Since the opening pages of the epic story of Aspen Matthews, those factions have been waiting to unleash the myriad of weapons they have adapted from the Blue’s technology. But, if they were counting on facing the underwater wallflower from her earliest adventures, her enemies couldn’t possibly understand the true power that is Aspen!

For the legions of FATHOM fans who have been waiting to see Aspen in her element and taking control of her life, now is the time to jump on in—the water’s just fine!

In stores March 21st!

Zenescope Entertainment Announces Wonderland Ongoing Series, Mini-Series Tie-In

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Zenescope Entertainment has announced plans to publish an ongoing Wonderland comic book series. The new ongoing series is scheduled for a July 2012 release with issue #1 set to debut at Comic Con International in San Diego.  The series is being developed by Raven Gregory, Joe Brusha and Ralph Tedesco, the same creative team behind Zenescope’s hit mini-series such as Return To Wonderland and Alice in Wonderland.

The Wonderland on-going series will tell the story of Alice’s now adult daughter, Calie Liddle and Calie’s teenage daughter, Violet, as they attempt to lead a normal life after the horrific events of their past.  However, Calie knows all too well that there is no such thing as a normal life once Wonderland has you.  And the realm of insanity will be coming for her and her daughter soon enough.

Zenescope will also be releasing a four issue mini-series starting in May entitled Call of Wonderland which will lead into the Wonderland on-going series and will serve as both a re-introduction to the Wonderland realm and as a jumping-on point for new readers.

“We realized that fans want more and more of this universe so creating an ongoing series following the life of a fan-favorite character like Calie made perfect sense.” said Zenescope Editor-in-chief Ralph Tedesco “The important thing was to also come up with a story that invites new readers who are looking to dive into our version of Wonderland and that’s what Call of Wonderland will provide.  This allows us to appease both hardcore fans and newcomers alike.”

Call of Wonderland will be written by Dan Wickline with the first issue now available for pre-order in the March edition of Previews.  The Wonderland ongoing will be written by Raven Gregory with issue 1 featuring cover art by superstar artist J. Scott Campbell, Greg Horn and Eric Basaldua. You can pre-order Wonderland #1 in Diamond’s May Previews.

About Zenescope Entertainment:

Zenescope Entertainment was founded by Joe Brusha and Ralph Tedesco in 2005 and has quickly grown into one of the top comic book and graphic novel publishing companies in the world.  Zenescope’s Grimm Fairy Tales and subsequent spinoff series such as Escape From Wonderland, Neverland and The Piper, which put a dark twist on classic fables, are some of the best-selling and longest running original independent comic books on shelves today.   Zenescope’s licensed titles include the on-going, critically acclaimed Charmed series, based off of the long-running popular television series, as well as Se7en and Final Destination, based off of New Line Cinema’s successful film franchises.

Preview – Planet of the Apes #12

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PLANET OF THE APES #12

Written by Daryl Gregory
Drawn by Carlos Magno
SC, 32pgs, FC, SRP: $3.99
COVER A: Carlos Magno
COVER B: Damian Couceiro
COVER C: Carlos Magno
Diamond Code: JAN120952

When the Lawgiver was assassinated by a human freedom fighter, the world plunged into chaos. Sullivan, now free from Alaya’s clutches, takes humanity’s fight for freedom to the next level, in a devastating gambit for ape and human alike! Writer Daryl Gregory and artist Carlos Magno continue their critically acclaimed run and end this arc on a cliffhanger that you have to read to believe!

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