Tag Archives: spike

Review: Buffy Season 11 #1

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buffyseason11coverWith only twelve issues to work with, writer Christos Gage, artist Rebekah Isaacs, and colorist Dan Jackson start out Buffy Season 11 #1 in blockbuster fashion with a battle against a blue Chinese storm dragon. But Gage doesn’t neglect the character arcs that have been the backbone of both Buffy the TV show and comic checking in with all the major players, including Buffy, Xander, Spike, Willow, and Dawn to see how they’re holding up during this supposed time of peace and quiet. The main inner conflict for Buffy in Season 11 looks to be her feeling of being “left behind” as her friends and family move on to bigger and better things like becoming a Wicca guru or a high scoring college student while she is still just a monster fighter. But, hey, at least, she’s getting paid for it as a supernatural consultant for the San Francisco PD.

In Buffy Season 11, Rebekah Isaacs continues to remain “on model” with her characters while still remaining highly emotive in her art style. She also uses a bunch of different panel compositions to keep both the action and talking heads scenes fresh like framing Buffy and Spike together in shadow as they know that San Francisco is in ruins, but their relationship is in a good place unlike most of Season 10. Also, when the dragon pops up, the panel size increases adjusting to the scale of the monster with Buffy and her friends as tiny, ineffectual dots, who can merely piss it off. Dan Jackson makes the Chinese storm dragon a gorgeous shade of blue, and its lightning attack is Godzilla’s nuclear breath epic, but uses a bleak, grey palette for the backgrounds and scenes before and after the attack. The design for the dragon is super cool too and reminded me of the majesty of the classic Pokemon, Gyarados with the abilities of Yu Gi Oh’s Blue Eyes White Dragon.This battle is going to have a big effect on not just the Scoobies and San Francisco, but the world too.

spuffyapocalypse

Along with Isaacs’ stellar art, Christos Gage’s skill at writing Whedonesque dialogue continues in Buffy Season 11 #1. The banter is especially snappy during the Scoobies’ rooftop cookout where Xander jokes around about Spike and Buffy being cops while Spike good-naturedly quips about technically being an undocumented immigrant. However, this joke could connect to Buffy Season 11’s upcoming conflict as the president is pretty furious about the dragon attack on San Francisco and isn’t big into working with members of the supernatural community to help fix it. On a lighter note, the remarkable chemistry that Sarah Michelle Gellar  and James Marsters shared as Buffy and Spike in the Buffy TV show has transferred to the comic with their rapid fire pecking and poking at each other while they fight monsters that turns slightly sexy until their “backup” shows up. It will be interesting to see how their relationship holds up in the face of disaster movie level threats with a side of government interference.

As far as Willow is concerned, Gage and Isaacs seem interested in exploring her Wiccan faith as she opens a better version of the “wanna blessed be” Wiccan group that she joined in college back in Buffy Season 4. The meeting scene explores the spiritual, not just physical connection that she has to magic and also introduces a nonbinary character to the Buffyverse as Willow says that Wicca transcends the gender binary. Jackson gives the meeting a peaceful glow with his colors, and hopefully there will be more of these quiet, soul searching moments in the midst of frantic action.

In Buffy Season 11 #1, Christos Gage, Rebekah Isaacs, and Dan Jackson establish a more blockbuster action movie look and plotting while not giving the arcs of these beloved characters short shrift. The external and internal conflicts are deftly set up for the upcoming season with quips, brooding, and dragons a-plenty.

Story: Christos Gage Art: Rebekah Isaacs Colors: Dan Jackson
Story: 8 Art: 8 Overall: 8 Recommendation: Buy

Dark Horse provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Around the Tubes

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It’s a new week and Fan Expo brought some solid news. Anything folks are excited for?  Here’s some news you might have missed.

Around the Blogs:

Bleeding Cool – Morbius The Living Vampire #1 For January From Marvel… And More -I give it maybe 12 issues.

Bleeding Cool – DC Comics Announce Geoff Johns And David Finch’s Justice League Of America -Could be solid.

Los Angeles Times – Real-life masked crusaders fight crime their own way -I’m waiting for the first major mess up..

Bleeding Cool – Pete Woods Joins In The Liefeld Debate

Bleeding Cool – Now It’s Rob Liefeld Vs Scott Snyder – “Get Over Yourself You Pretentious Prick”

Bleeding Cool – Judd Winick Walks Off Batwing, Leaves DC Comics, For Now – Batwing was decent.

Bleeding Cool – Rob Liefeld Versus Tom Brevoort. Oh, It’s On.

Bleeding Cool – Walmart To Release Exclusive Avengers Season One Original Graphic Novel With DVD And Blu-Ray -Sigh….

 

Around the Tubes Reviews:

Read Comic Books – Adventure Time #7

CBR – America’s Got Powers #3

Read Comic Books – Deadhorse #4

CBR – Punisher #14

Bleeding Cool – Spike #1

Talking Comics – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #13

Read Comic Books – X-O Manowar #4

10 Questions: The Gathering Edition – Victor Gischler

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We continue our interview series with members of The Gathering and GrayHaven Comics. We’ve put out the same questions to numerous individuals and can compare their responses. A hopefully intriguing interview series.

Check out our previous interviews.

George Amaru Nick Francis Travis M. Holyfield James O’Callaghan
Elena Andrews Andrew Goletz Nathan Lee James Chris Page
Arcadio Bolaños Doug Hahner William Levert Amanda Rachels
John M. Coker Erica J. Heflin Marc Lombardi Jason Snyder
Marc Deschamps Gary Hogan Glenn Matchett Sam Tung

Up next is writer Victor Gischler.

Graphic Policy: How did you get started in the comic book industry?

Victor Gischler: I started as a novelist, and I was very fortunate that an editor at Marvel noticed my work and worked with me on ideas for Punisher Max.  The gritty tone of my crime novels suggested I might be a good fit with a Max title.  A Punisher one shot was the first thing I ever wrote for comics and it did well enough that I was able to write a 4-issue arc for Punisher Max.  That went over pretty well too, and more Marvel work followed.  I’ve now also done work for Dark Horse and Dynamite now, but I’ll always appreciate what I learned scripting those first Punisher issues.

GP: Were you a fan of comic books before?

VG: Yes.  From ages 7 to about 15 I read a ton of comics.  The Frank Miller run of Daredevil was a huge influence on me, but I enjoyed quite a variety of things.   Then when I went off to college there was a huge gap of many years when comics just didn’t fit into my life, and I was always broke anyway.  Then about six years ago, I really started picking up comics again, catching up on what I’d been missing.

GP: Do you read comics now? If so, what are some of your current picks?

VG: Well, I’m still playing catch-up.  I’ve been reading trades of Red Sonja and Buffyverse stuff from the Dark Horse Digital Store.

GP: How did you get involved with The Gathering?

VG: I bumped into Marc Lombardi on Twitter and found out about it.  It occurred to me I really didn’t have a lot of experience writing shorts, and I wanted to sort of test myself to see if I had the control and patience to write one.  It was a good experience.  It’s not an easy thing to fit a complete, satisfying story into 3-4 pages.

GP: Each issue of The Gathering has a theme, how did that factor into the comic creation?

VG: It really helped me focus to have a theme.  Most new writers hate the idea of “limitations” but more experienced writers know that often a limitation will help spark creativity.  So I think I got the ball rolling a lot faster having a theme to focus on.  Ironically, I *think* the story I wrote actually ended up in a different issue than the one I intended, but I might not be remembering that right.  You’ll have to check with Drew and Marc.

GP: What advice would you give to independent creators just breaking into the business?

VG: Write SOMETHING.  Just get it out there where people can see it.  I mean, yes, make sure you’ve written it well, revise it, all that.  The work has to be your best.  But after that it needs to be seen.  Nobody will blame you for submitting to the big places, but if that fails just get it out there anywhere you can.  When I first started, I published short stories in zines and on websites for no money.  You don’t want to do that forever if you’re looking to have a career, but it’s a perfectly acceptable training ground.

GP: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned through your experiences?

VG: Listen to your editors.  They know the readership and the characters. Their goal is the same as yours – to produce the best product possible.

GP: Do you think it’s easier today for creators to get published?

VG:  Not sure since I wasn’t doing this in the “old days.”  I’ve been writing for a long time, but only scripting comics for about 5 years.  But it seems like there are more publishers, digital publishers, just a lot more outlets available … so that’s encouraging.

GP: How do you think technology like social networking or crowdfunding sites like IndieGoGo or Kickstarter are impacting comic book publishing?

VG: It’s giving readers a chance to vote on what they really want with their dollars.  Publishers are putting out a ton of great stuff, but they can’t do everything.  It’s good that creators have a way to appeal directly to readers.

GP: What can we expect from you next?

VG: Well, my first issue of Spike hits in this week and my first issue of The Shadow hits in October.  A handful of creator-owned things at various stages.  Exciting times.

IDW Publishing Previews – 7/18/12

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Cobra #15

Mike Costa (w) • Antonio Fuso (a) • Antonio Fuso (c)

The lies and betrayals keep adding up, as Flint struggles to maintain his honor amidst his team of scoundrels and backstabbers. And is the information that Tomax has been supplying really on the level? Of course not… but what game is he playing?

FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Danger Girl/G.I. JOE #1 (of 4)

Andy Hartnell (w) • John Royle (a) • J. Scott Campbell X 2 (c)

The two most incredible covert action teams the world has ever known—so covert, in fact, that neither knows the other exists—are meeting for the first time ever! Repeat: Danger Girl and G.I. JOE, together. Spies! Girls! Ninjas! COBRA! If your head did not just explode, then you are one of the lucky few remaining that will live to enjoy a summer blockbuster you’ll have to see to believe!

FC • 32 pages • $3.99

KISS #2

Chris Ryall (w) • Jamal Igle (a) • Nick Runge, Igle (c)

“Dressed to Kill,” part 2! KISS is reborn in comics, and united against the threat of the Elder! If only they can survive the time-spanning threat of “Wicked” Lester and his demonic minions in 1920s Chicago!

FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Mars Attacks #2

John Layman (w) • John McCrea (a & c)

The invasion has begun! The first stories of an all-new MARS ATTACKS universe are here, bringing outrageous action and dark humor to the comics page. Eisner-winning writer John Layman (Chew) is joined by Eisner-winning artist John McCrea (Hitman) to sound the alarm. Beware! The Martians are here!

FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Nevsky: Hero of the People

Ben McCool (w) • Mario Guevara (a & c)

Written by Ben McCool (Memoir, Pigs) with art by rising star Mario Guevara (Solomon Kane, Victorian Undead), this full-length graphic novel is a stunning re-imagination of Sergei Eisenstein’s famed film, Alexander Nevsky (1938). Alexander Nevsky is a central figure in Russian history, having lived during one of Russia’s darkest periods–the invasion of the Teutonic Knights. Alexander Nevsky helped establish the Russian nation by defeating the Teutonic Knights, invaders from the last vestiges of the Holy Roman Empire, with an army comprised of ordinary citizens who were poorly-equipped soldiers but fought for their freedom. This ragtag band, against overwhelming odds,  defeated the invaders in an epic battle on the frozen lake Peipus–a spectacular achievement that is still celebrated in Russia to this day. In 1938 the great Russian filmmaker Sergei Eisenstein, much acclaimed for his masterful interpretation as seen in “Battleship Potemkin” (1925) and “Ivan the Terrible” (1944), brought the story of Alexander Nevsky to life on the silver screen in an innovative and brilliant way, by developing new film techniques that remain in use almost 100 years later by some of the greatest directors of our time. Now, following in the steps of Eisenstein, IDW is proud to present one of the most compelling historical graphic novels ever produced–one that is as relevant today as it was at any time in history!

HC · FC · $24.99 · 128 pages · ISBN 978-1-61377-181-5

Night of 1,000 Wolves #3 (of 3)

Bobby Curnow (w) • Dave Wachter (a & c)

Death has stalked Harrick and his family all night. Now, face-to-face with the source of the wolf onslaught, Harrick fights a desperate, losing battle. One grim choice may hold the only hope for salvation. Will the tragic sacrifice be worth it? There is no escape from terror when the Night of 1,000 Wolves ends!

FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Spike: The Complete Series

Brian Lynch (w) • Franco Urru, Nicola Zanni, & Stephen Mooney (a) Jenny Frison (c)

Collects the complete 8-issue series of Spike by Brian Lynch that connects the “After The Fall” storyline to the subsequent “Buffy: Season 8” series. Spike is out on his own, away from Angel’s watchful eye, and in charge of his own destiny. Old flames and new challenges arise as Spike faces a crazed killer, Wolfram & Hart, and the consequences of having a soul.

TPB • FC • $29.99 • 200 pages • ISBN 978-1-61377-285-0

Star Trek #11

Mike Johnson (w) • Claudia Balboni (a) • Tim Bradstreet (c)

“The Truth About Tribbles!” Part 1! The countdown to next year’s blockbuster STAR TREK sequel continues here, as the crew of the Enterprise encounters the classic alien species in an ALL-NEW story! Inspired by the fan-favorite episode “The Trouble With Tribbles,” this new two-part adventure is overseen by STAR TREK sequel writer/producer Roberto Orci!

FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Star Trek TNG/Doctor Who: Assimilation2 #3

Scott & David Tipton with Tony Lee (w) • J.K. Woodward (a) • Woodward, Elena Casagrande (c)

The two greatest science-fiction properties of all time cross over for the first time in history, in STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION/DOCTOR WHO: ASSIMILATION2! The true horror of the Borg-Cybermen alliance has been revealed, but what course of action will Captain Picard and the Doctor agree upon? And will the Doctor’s recently resurfaced memories shed new night on the dilemma?

FC • 32 pages • $3.99

C2E2 Late Edition: Dark Horse Announces Spike Series!

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DARK HORSE ANNOUNCES SPIKE SERIES!

JOSS WHEDON’S ANTIHERO VAMPIRE RETURNS!

APRIL 18, MILWAUKIE, OR – Dark Horse Comics announces a brand-new Spike miniseries slated for release this summer!

Written by Victor Gischler (X-Men, Deadpool: Merc with a Mouth) and drawn by Paul Lee (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Devil’s Footprints), Spike promises to be the series all Joss Whedon fans will be talking about.

Spike ventures off world in his bug ship in order to get away from some personal frustration on terra firma, and winds up sucked into a demonic plot to take advantage of the absence of magic on earth.

“What I love about working with Dark Horse on Buffy-related material is that they take great care to capture the feel of the characters and stories from the television show, of which I was a huge fan. Getting my hands on the characters I’ve loved so much over the years is a dream come true,” said Gischler.

Spike #1 will be on sale August 22, 2012!

 

About Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products

A recognized industry leader, Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products licenses and markets properties worldwide on behalf of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Twentieth Television and Fox Broadcasting Company, as well as third-party lines. The division is aligned with Twentieth Century Fox Television, one of the top suppliers of primetime entertainment programming to the broadcast networks.

About Dark Horse Comics

Since 1986, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. The company is known for the progressive and creator-friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists.  In addition to publishing comics from top talent like Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Neil Gaiman, Gerard Way, Will Eisner, and best-selling prose author Janet Evanovich, Dark Horse has developed such successful characters as the Mask, Timecop, and the Occultist. Additionally, its highly successful line of comics and products based on popular properties includes Star Wars, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan the Barbarian, Mass Effect, Serenity, and Domo. Today, Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic-book publisher in the United States and is recognized as both an innovator in the cause of creator rights and the comics industry’s leading publisher of licensed material.

IDW Publishing Brings Angel to Digital Readers

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IDW Publishing Brings Angel to Digital Readers
IDW’s acclaimed Angel series, featuring characters created by Joss Whedon and David Greenwalt, available now for iPad, iPhone, Android, Nook, Kindle Fire and more.

[Angel Digital]San Diego, CA (March 7, 2012) – IDW Publishing proudly announces the launch of their complete Angel and Spike series, including all one-shots and miniseries, on digital platforms. Over 150 comics and graphic novels will be available for digital readers worldwide. The first stories, including the 17-issue Angel: After the Fall co-plotted by Joss Whedon, and Spike: After the Fall, arrive today. New issues will roll out weekly over the next two months.

IDW’s first Angel series launched in 2005 with Angel: The Curse. From 2005 through 2011, there were numerous miniseries, one-shots, and 42 issues of an ongoing Angel series. The first 17 issues in that series comprised Angel: After the Fall, a storyline that spun out of the TV series’ final season. Co-plotted by Joss Whedon and masterfully handled by fan-favorite Brian Lynch and Franco Urru, this series is considered the high-water mark in IDW’s run. Along the way, Lynch and Urru also created several Spike miniseries and a final 8-issue Spike series that led directly into the Buffy Season 8 comic series.

“I’m incredibly proud of the work we did on the Angel and Spike comics,” said IDW’s Chief Creative Officer/Editor-in-Chief Chris Ryall. “Working with Whedon, Lynch, and Urru to extend the Angel TV series in After the Fall was a particular thrill, and I’m happy fans will be able to see everything we’ve done on their digital devices now, as well as print.”

Many esteemed creators worked on IDW’s Angel and Spike series, all of which will now be made available digitally as well. Fans will be able to revisit beloved stories by John Byrne, Jeff Mariotte, David Messina, Peter David, Scott Tipton, Elena Casagrande, David Tischman & Mariah Huehner, and many others.

“IDW is very excited to launch this series,” said IDW CEO and Publisher Ted Adams. “Fans have been demanding to read IDW’s Angel collection digitally for several years. This is an excellent way for people to catch up the entire series.”

Angel can be found in IDW’s Apple iPad™, iPhone® and iPod touch®, app – IDW Comics, and on the Web at read.idwpublishing.com. The series is also featured in the Comics by comiXology platform for iOS, Android, Web and Kindle Fire, Apple iBooks, Barnes & Noble Nook, and the Amazon Kindle, and Comics + by iVerse.

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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; HBO’s True Blood; the BBC’s DOCTOR WHO; Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; Toho’s Godzilla; Wizards of the Coasts Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons; and the Eisner-Award winning Locke & Key series, created by best-selling author Joe Hill and artist Gabriel Rodriguez. IDW is also home to the Library of American Comics imprint, which publishes classic comic reprints, and Yoe! Books, a partnership with Yoe! Studio.

IDW’s critically- and fan-acclaimed series are continually moving into new mediums. Currently, Jerry Bruckheimer Films and Disney are creating a feature film based on World War Robot, while Michael Bay‘sPlatinum Dunes and Sony are bringing Zombies vs. Robots to film.

As a recognized leader in digital comics, IDW’s digital partners include: comiXology, iVerse Media, Graphicly, Cryptozoic Comics, Panelfly, Digital Manga, Diamond Digital, NEC, Zero Sum and Smart Ebooks. The IDW digital line is available worldwide on top platforms including: Apple iOS apps and iBooks, Android apps, Barnes & Noble Nook, Amazon Kindle, Kobo Vox, Sony PSP, Nokia and RIM BlackBerry.

More information about the company can be found at IDWPublishing.com.

Calgary is getting Spiked as one of Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s most notorious vampires makes his way to the Calgary Expo!

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Official Press Release

Calgary is getting Spiked as one of Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s most notorious vampires makes his way to the Calgary Expo!

(Calgary,AB) One of Joss Whedon’s best loved characters will be attending the 2012 Calgary Expo, Western Canada’s largest pop culture event. James Marsters,who is best known for his role as the platinum-haired heart throb in Buffy the Vampire Slayer will be available for photo ops, autographs and panel discussions over the weekend. An accomplished musician, he will also be performing at a special event hosted by the Calgary Expo, An Evening with James Marsters on April 27th, 2012. Details about the evening event will be announced on the Calgary Expo website in mid-January.

Marsters has also had roles in smash hit television shows such as Smallville, Torchwood and Marvel’s Superhero Squad. His famous role as Spike was reprised in Angel, the successful Buffy the Vampire Slayer spin-off.

“James Marsters has been a cult-hero amongst pop culture fans for over 15 years,” said Kandrix Foong, Calgary Expo Event Director. “We’re not only thrilled to have him at the Calgary Expo, we’re also excited to be hosting this special event where fans can experience his music here in Calgary for the first time.”

The Calgary Expo is a non-profit organization that showcases the incredible talent of comic creators, artists,actors,voiceactors,musicians,writersandpopcultureiconsfromallovertheworld. Founded in 2006, the convention has grown rapidly having hosted guests from every genre including William Shatner, Twilight’s Peter Facinelli, The Guild’s Felicia Day, creator and writer of 30 Days of Night Steve Niles, and Jo Chen, cover artist for Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 8. The 2011 convention saw 30,000 attendees and is the 2nd largest convention of its kind in all of Canada.

Guests for the 2012 Calgary Expo currently include Robert Englund (Nightmare on Elm Street), Amanda Tapping (Stargate: SG-1, Sanctuary) and Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica, 24).

The Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo will be held April 27 – 29, 2012 at the BMO Centre, Stampede Park, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Advance tickets are now on sale at http://calgaryexpo.eventbrite.com/

For more information, visit our website at www.calgaryexpo.com

IDW Debuts at New York Comic Con

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Official Press Release

IDW Debuts at New York Comic Con

First appearance by premier publisher marked by award winning guests, major exclusives

Booth #2115

[The Outfit NYCC cover]San Diego, CA (September 30, 2010) – Celebrating its first appearance at New York Comic Con, IDW Publishing is proud to host several award-winning creators and offer exclusive editions of major releases. Creators such as Eisner Award-winner and convention guest Darwyn Cooke and critically acclaimed artist of the LOCKE & KEY series, Garbiel Rodriguez, will sign daily at the IDW booth. Plus, IDW will feature exclusive editions of its most sought after series, including its best-selling TRUE BLOOD #1, Cooke’s THE OUTFIT, STAR TREK and more.

“Since this is IDW’s first appearance at New York Comic Con, we wanted to do it right,” said Chris Ryall, chief creative officer at IDW. “Between launching THE OUTFIT, hosting some amazing creators, offering exciting exclusives and making a few announcements, we’re looking forward to a great show.”
Star Trek: Khan Ruling in Hell #1 NYCC cover
Headlining IDW’s impressive signing schedule is Cooke, who will launch the second installment of his Parker adaptation series, THE OUTFIT. Plus, LOCKE & KEY’s Rodriguez will make a rare U.S. appearance in honor of the growing success of the series. David Messina, artist of TRUE BLOOD, will also make the trip across the pond and be joined daily by writers David Tischman and Mariah Huehner for signing. Check IDWPublishing.com for a complete schedule and list of creators.

To mark the launch of THE OUTFIT, IDW will offer only 500 limited edition, signed and numbered copies only during New York Comic Con. TRUE BLOOD #1 will also be available with a new exclusive cover. Plus, both SPIKE #1 and STAR TREK: KHAN: RULING IN HELL #1 will be available as convention exclusive editions boasting all-new covers. Rounding out the list will be a free convention edition of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS #0 and a WITCH & WIZARD flip booklet, offering a preview of both the WITCH & WIZARD trade collection and the upcoming prose sequel to James Patterson’s number one best selling young adult novel, The Gift.
[True Blood #1 NYCC cover]THE OUTFIT, signed and numbered ($40, 160 pages, hard cover) will be available from IDW, booth #2115.

TRUE BLOOD #1, exclusive wrap-around cover ($10, 32 pages, full color) will be available from IDW, booth #2115.

SPIKE #1, exclusive wrap-around cover ($5, 32 pages, full color) will be available from IDW, booth #2115.

STAR TREK: KHAN: RULING IN HELL #1, exclusive plush photo cover ($5, 32 pages, full color) will be available from IDW, booth #2115.

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; HBO’s True Blood; 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.

IDW’s Final Angel Story Arc to Bring in New Creators, Old Nemesis

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Official Press Release

IDW’s Final ANGEL Story Arc to Bring in
New Creators, Old Nemesis

Wolfram & Hart Return

IDW and Dark Horse Series Converge

San Diego, CA (August 19, 2010) – IDW Publishing today confirmed that it will launch the company’s final ANGEL story arc in November. IDW has published ANGEL comics since 2005, and this closing six-issue arc will serve as a bridge to Dark Horse Publishing, which will pick up the series in late 2011. Under the direction of BUFFY and ANGEL creator Joss Whedon, all parties are working together for as seamless a transition as possible. The companies have been coordinating storylines in both Dark Horse’s BUFFY and IDW’s ANGEL, creating a greater sense of cohesion and cooperation to ensure that this transition is true to both ongoing storylines and to the faithful fans of both series.

News of the upcoming change was recently revealed by Dark Horse Publishing, without coordination with IDW. “Dark Horse really regrets that this news was released before a joint statement from both companies was issued,” said Dark Horse Senior Editor Scott Allie. “Behind the scenes, we’d been working closely with IDW to ensure that the hand-off went smoothly. It was never our intent to catch ANGEL or IDW readers unaware. We’ve been working directly with Chris, Mariah and Brian on the interaction and the overlap between the storylines, and we think it’s gonna be a lot of fun for everyone.”

IDW’s ANGEL #39 is the first step in this closer co-existence. The issue introduces new series writers David Tischman ( ANGEL: BARBARY COAST ) and his TRUE BLOOD co-writer, Mariah Huehner, who kick off IDW’s final six-part storyline entitled “The Wolf, The Ram & The Heart,” which should give fans a good indication of just who the final tale’s “big bad” will be. Longtime ANGEL readers know just how big and how bad Wolfram & Hart can be. Issue #39 is also an excellent jumping on point for new readers, as it begins a new storyline for Angel and his crew.

Chris Ryall, IDW’s Chief Creative Officer said, “We’ve loved the half-decade of publishing the exploits of both ANGEL, and the fan support has been truly inspiring and appreciated. The fact that steps are being taken by both companies to tie the books more closely together is something I’ve long wanted to do. This will not only ensure a smooth hand-off back to Dark Horse, it will also give the fans a cohesive storyline and explain some of the lingering questions they might have. While I hate to see Angel go, I know Joss has a vision for where things are headed and I’m excited to be a part of that.”

Starting in October, Brian Lynch and Franco Urru’s ongoing SPIKE series furthers the coordinated storylines. Not only does BUFFY “Scooby Team” member Willow appear in an upcoming issue of SPIKE, but the series will also explain how Spike appeared in BUFFY in a spaceship accompanied by giant alien bugs.

In addition to the storylines being told in ANGEL and SPIKE, November’s ILLYRIA miniseries by Scott Tipton and ongoing ANGEL artist Elena Casagrande will offer further ties with the two ongoing series, even as it vastly complicates the life of its title character.

Added Ryall, “I have nothing but good memories of our time managing Angel’s affairs. ANGEL was one of the first series I worked on upon joining IDW, and it introduced me to the great David Messina, who’s gone on to tackle the sexy vampires of TRUE BLOOD for us. David, Franco, [ANGEL artist] Elena Casagrande, along with Stephen Mooney, John Byrne and writers like Jeff Mariotte, Lynch, Tipton, Tischman, Juliet Landau and so many other talented folk… it’s truly been one of the most rewarding rides I’ve had at IDW. I trust that the license will be in good hands with Dark Horse.

“I know change is hard for fans – and us publishers, too,” Ryall continued, “but I want to remind everyone that we’re still going strong and have big plans for ANGEL well into 2011. Another point in our favor here is that the reversion nevertheless allows us to keep all of our Angel books in print long after we’ve stopped releasing new ANGEL comics. So the news might be surprising but the fact is, the stories you’ve loved aren’t going away any time soon. We’ve still got one last, big year to come, and we’ll fight the good fight until the end. Angel wouldn’t have it any other way.”

ANGEL #39 ($3.99, 32 pages, full color) will be available in stores in November. Diamond order code SEP10 0373.

SPIKE #1 ($3.99, 32 pages, full color) will be available in stores on October 13th. Diamond order code AUG10 0331.

ILLYRIA #1 (of 4, $3.99, 32 pages, full color) will be available in stores in November. Diamond order code SEP10 0368.

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.