Comics Universe Blog

Free Comic Book Day 2007

2007-03-30T08:07:00.000-04:00

FCBD 2007 is almost here! Click here to see which comics you'll be able to choose from and click here to find the nearest comic shop near you!

Lego Batman Game In The Works

2007-03-29T23:35:00.000-04:00

Videogame players will have another title to place beside their copies of Lego Star Wars games. According to Variety, Warner Bros. has signed to produce a Lego Batman videogame, to be developed by TT Games, which also developed Lego Star Wars.

According to the trade, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment will fully finance and publish the game itself, as well as handle all distribution in North America.

The game will follow the Lego Star Wars model, that is, all the characters and sets will be constructed of Lego pieces. More than likely, the games will follow in the successful footsteps of the two Lego Star Wars installments, which have sold several millions of copies, not only to the younger set, but also to adult gamers, due to the games’ charm, gameplay, and sense of humor.

A 2008 release is planned, more than likely in time with the release of The Dark Knight, the sequel to Batman Begins, which is due out on July 18, 2008.

Lego currently has a license to produce Batman toys and playsets made from Legos, and is on its second wave of figures and sets.

Cool Stuff: Xbox 360 Elite, Spider-Man 3 & More

2007-03-29T19:37:00.000-04:00

1) The Xbox 360 Elite will come with a 120GB HDD hard disk, an all black wireless controller (In appearance similar to the original Xbox's controller), an HDMI port, and HDMI and component and composite cables. The system's exterior will be black, but will retain the chrome finish that appeared on the original Xbox 360 Premium system. The Xbox website also states that the Xbox 360 Elite will upscale DVD video out of the box

Other accessories confirmed include black wireless controllers, black play and charge kit and black extra battery pack. A bundle pack will be avalible containing one black wireless controller and one black play and charge kit.

The black-cased console, complete with black joypad and accessories, will feature as a third SKU alongside the Core and Premium bundles and will always be available for purchase, rather than being a limited edition model.The Xbox 360 Elite will have a retail price of $479.99 and is expected to begin arriving in U.S. stores on April 29, 2007.

2) Rumor: 80GB PS3 On The Way?

Sony told Eurogamer that it currently has no plans to produce an 80GB PS3, despite emerging reports that it filed with the FCC for the model.

The one main point here: With the PlayStation 3, you can replace the 60GB hard drive and add almost any drive of your choice.

3) Stardust, based on Neil Gaiman's novel of the same name stars Charlie Cox, Claire Danes, Michelle Pfeiffer & more Check out the trailer here. Stardust will be released August 10, 2007 in the U.S.

4) Check out the Spider-Man 3 trailer below!

Updated List Of Spider-Man: Back in Black Tie-Ins

2007-03-25T13:08:00.000-04:00

Marvel Comics on Thursday issued a checklist of upcoming titles involved in the Spider-Man: Back in Black event.

Not all books will be labeled under the "Back in Black" umbrella.

MARCH

* Amazing Spider-Man #539

* Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #18

* New Avengers #28

* Sensational Spider-Man #36

APRIL

* Amazing Spider-Man #540

* Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #17 Granov 2nd Printing Variant

* Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #19

* Marvel Spotlight: Spider-Man

* New Avengers #29

* Sensational Spider-Man #35 Crain 2nd Printing Variant

* Sensational Spider-Man #37

* Spider-Man Family #1 Kirk 2nd Printing Variant

* Spider-Man Family #2

* Spider-Man: Back In Black Handbook

MAY

* Amazing Spider-Man #541

* Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America: Spider-Man

* Friendly Neighborhood

* Spider-Man #20

* Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Annual #1

* New Avengers #30

* Sensational Spider-Man Annual #1

JUNE

* Amazing Spider-Man #542

* Avengers: The Initiative #3 *

* Blade #10

* Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #21

* New Avengers #31

* Sensational Spider-Man #38

JULY

* Amazing Spider-Man #543

* Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #22

* New Avengers #32

* Sensational Spider-Man #39

MARVEL: ULTIMATE ALLIANCE HEROES AND VILLAINS AVAILABLE ON XBOX LIVE MARKETPLACE SOON

2007-03-24T10:48:00.000-04:00

press release:
Expanding on the experience of controlling the world’s largest army of Super Heroes on the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) announced today plans to release Marvel: Ultimate Alliance Heroes and Villains. The expansion packs feature eight new playable characters: The Incredible Hulk, Magneto, Hawkeye, Sabretooth, Doctor Doom, Cyclops, Nightcrawler and Venom, each complete with new signature powers, skins, dialog, conversations and achievement points. The download will be available in April via the Xbox Live Marketplace online gaming service.

“The signature gameplay of Marvel: Ultimate Alliance has made it a favorite among fans, as well as the best-selling Super Hero game on the Xbox 360 to-date,” said Rob Kostich, vice president of global brand management, Activision, Inc. “By adding some of the biggest names in the Marvel Universe to the roster we’re enabling Xbox 360 gamers to build a variety of all-new teams and enjoy the epic action in brand new ways.”

Marvel: Ultimate Alliance is the award-winning action/RPG that allows players to create their Marvel dream team from the largest roster of Super Heroes ever in an epic quest that will determine the fate of Earth and the Marvel universe. With a total of over 140 popular Marvel characters and a playable cast of more than 20 Super Heroes, including Spider-Man, Wolverine, Blade and Captain America, gamers embark on a dangerous journey across exotic terrain and well-known comic book locations like Atlantis, the Shield Heli-Carrier and the Skrull home world in an attempt to defy Dr. Doom and the world’s most notorious Super Villains.

The downloadable content will be released in three packs. The Hero Pack and Villain Pack will each be 500 Microsoft points ($6.25) and the Combined Hero and Villain Pack will be 800 Microsoft points ($10). Heroes and Villains gamer pic packs will also be available for 80 Microsoft points each ($1).

Marvel: Ultimate Alliance is currently available for the Xbox 360 for the suggested retail price of $59.99 and rated “T” (Teen – Mild Language, Violence) by the ESRB.

A Sign Of Things To Come? WW3 Is Coming...

2007-03-08T05:54:00.000-05:00

Hmm... looks like things might get interesting in the DCU later this year...

End Of An Era

2007-03-01T15:26:00.000-05:00

The New Comics Universe Blog will become a permanent archive of the past press releases. To find more current press releases keep an eye out here at Comics Universe.

Quick Bits

2005-09-24T17:56:00.000-04:00

The new season of Justice League Unlimited is now underway, with 2 new episodes tonight. Here's how the network describes "Chaos at the Earth's Core" (Originally titled "Heart of Stone")

Supergirl, Stargirl and Green Lantern go to Skartaris, the fantastic, hidden world at the Earth's core, to help free it from the rule of a brutal dictator.

Here's how the network describes the second episode of the night, "To Another Shore" (Originally titled "Elegy")

Wonder Woman stumbles onto a plot to steal the powers hidden inside the 3000-year-old, frozen remains of the legendary hero, the Viking Prince.

Teen Titans season 5 also begins tonight, here's how the network describes "Homecoming Part 1"

When Beast Boy's former team The Doom Patrol is in trouble, the Titans must embark on a daring mission to save them. Beast Boy explains that this can only mean one thing: the Doom Patrol's greatest foes are back. The Brotherhood of Evil has returned.

In Other News:

-Kids' WB!'s new series, Loonatics Unleashed, was the No. 1 show last Saturday to help the network win the Kids 2-11 ratings. Note the difference in character design after a heavy net protest last spring that deemed the characters "too edgy" & "scary" for younger viewers.

-Superman Returns could turn out to be the most expensive movie ever made. According to News.com: "The revisioned Superman tale, filming at Sydney's Fox Studios, could well be the most expensive film of all time ... director Bryan Singer acknowledged its budget is approaching $326 million -- that would top 'Titanic's $250 million and 'Waterworld's $225 million." (please note was calculated in Australian dollars - the exchange rate from au to us is .77 to 1.00)

-Also, check out the first & only Superman historical documentary out there, "In A Single Bound" created by filmmaker Ross Marroso. Head over to supermandoc.com to download or pre-order the DVD.

-The Fantastic Four DVD is expected to hit shelves Dec. 6, a week earlier than projected. The movie will be available in VHS, DVD and UMD & special features include:

- Cast commentary
- 3 deleted scenes
- Exclusive behind-the-scenes look with the cast
- Making of the movie
- Fox Movie Channel programs on F4 casting and filming
- Two music videos and film soundtrack ad
- First look at X-Men 3

In other Fantastic Four news, Marvel Enterprises has signed a deal with France's Antefilms Productions to produce an animated TV series based the Fantastic Four comic book characters. The deal is expected to be announced at the MIPCOM international TV sales convention in Cannes. The trade says the companies would produce 26 half-hour episodes targeted for premiere in the United States and other countries in late 2006.

-SIN CITY: RECUT & EXTENDED
Sin City: Recut & Extended is due to hit stores on December 13th. Retailing for a reported $39.99, the new cut of the film will include the original theatrical release as well as the 147 minute extended cut.

Extras include:

- commentary track with director Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller
- commentary track with Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino
- commentary track featuring Austin, TX crowd reaction
- 15 Minute Film School featurette
- Movie in High-Speed Green Screen feature
- 17 un-interupted minutes of Tarantino's segment
- footage from the Sin City cast/crew party.
- 10 minute Cooking School with Robert Rodriquez.

The package will also include a copy of the first Sin City graphic novel, “The Hard Goodbye.”

Too Many Games? No Such Thing!

2005-08-03T15:37:00.000-04:00

It might be just me, but I think this guy has a lot of games... click this link to see what I'm talking about.

Massive TV & DVD News

2005-07-16T15:46:00.000-04:00

Back from vacation... now on with the news.

Family Guy:
2005 has been a big year for Fox's once cancelled show, as it came back to primetime May 1st. That episode, the first of the series' 4th season (North by North Quahog) was nominated for an Emmy for "Outstanding Animated Program (for Programs Less Than an Hour") . It's competition? Samurai Jack, The Simpsons, South Park, & SpongeBob SquarePants. Also, Fox has officially announced the direct-to-DVD title "Family Guy Presents Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story Unrated". The DVD will be released on September 27, will retail for $29.98 US, or $41.98 CAN.

Justice League Unlimited:
The Joining Forces DVD will be on sale September 20th and comes with 3 episodes, with a runtime of 66 minutes. Price is just $14.97 SRP.

Tonight's episode, "Divided We Fall" airs at 9pm tonight and the episode is described as follows:
When most of the Justice League is incapacitated, the League's deadliest enemies emerge to take advantage of the chaos.

July 23rd is the US airdate for "Epilogue"
Fifty years in the future, the history of the Justice League is the key to Batman's darkest secret...and his final destiny.

As for the next season, Rob at Comics Continuum has news from the San Diego Comic-Con on the newest plot details, including the Legion of Doom!

And even more Justice League news... 2006 will see a new Justice League of America video game (the first in over 10 years on a console) for Sony's Playstation 2 & Xbox 360.

In other news... the new Transformers Movie website has been up for a couple days & the movie is set to debut sometime in 2007. The new movie will be live action with a lot of CG... Marvel recently announced at the Comic-Con that they would give Microsoft exclusive rights to create a MMORPG for the Xbox 360 based on the Marvel characters.

Sony Online buys Matrix Online, DC Comics rights

2005-06-18T13:21:00.000-04:00

press release:
MMO giant signs deal with Warner Bros to acquire franchises
Following earlier rumours of a deal between Sony Online Entertainment and Warner Bros. Interactive, it's been confirmed that SOE has acquired massively multiplayer online game The Matrix Online.

SOE has also secured licensing rights to develop a DC Comics MMOG for PC and next-generation consoles, featuring classic DC characters such as Batman, Superman Wonder Woman and the Sandman.

"SOE will work closely with Warner Bros. and DC Comics to maintain the authenticity consumers demand from the franchises," said SOE president John Smedley.

"We will also take steps to continue the same high level of service that subscribers have come to expect from The Matrix Online game."

Warner Bros.'s Jason Hall commented: "Our goal is to deliver quality content and consistently advance our key properties within the online games space. We've done just that with The Matrix Online.

"Because of our compelling work in developing and launching that game we can now move it over to the leaders in the MMO space, SOE," he added.

Matrix Online developer Monolith is now rumoured to be stepping away from the MMO genre altogether, preferring to concentrate on single player and small-scale multiplayer titles instead. According to reports, only 26 members of the current Matrix Online team will be retained, with the rest facing redundancy.

The planned DC comics MMO has yet to be titled, but SOE said the game is scheduled for a winter 2007 release.

The move to launch a comic book style MMORPG is not het first obviously, as both Freedom Force and City of Heroes currently offer online multiplayer gameplay as superheroes. Marvel announce that it was developing a game with Vivendi Universal (as part of a 10-year deal with Universal's Vu Games) in September of 2002 that would see release in 2005.

While there's been no official announcement or news of a Marvel/Universal MMORPG, the publisher has been in the news in relation to MMORPG when it sued City of Heroes publisher and producers (Cryptic Studios and NCsoft), claiming that the game maker was allowing and encouraging players to create characters based on copyrighted and trademarked Marvel characters in the game.

While the bulk of that case is still pending, one of Marvel's stated reasons for the action was that by allowing Marvel-based characters to appear in City of Heroes, NCsoft was damaging Marvel's ability to create its own MMORPG, based on its own universe. While NCsoft and Cryptic have vigorously defended their character generation software and pointed to their rules that forbid characters based on third party copyright holders from being used in the game, DC has stayed silent (at least publicly) about the game, and the possiblity of characters based on DC properties being used.

As Marvel has moved, DC may now possibly find itself in a similar position of desiring to "clear the decks" so to speak, and making sure that if any gamers want to experience online "life" as a DCU character, they will have to do it in the official SOE/WB DCU MMORPG.

Stan Lee to voice Masterminds animated feature

2005-05-15T13:16:00.000-04:00

press release:

MasterMinds Unlimited Options Animated Feature ‘MasterMinds’ toMorph/DG Spot; Comics Legend Stan Lee to Voice

Up-and-coming animation house MasterMinds Unlimited(www.masterminds.us) has optioned their first property, MasterMinds,as a feature to the Korean 3D animation giant DG Spot and itsproduction arm, Morph Studio LLC. The deal marks DG Spot’s move intooriginal content production with Morph Studio’s representation afteryears as a production house for TV and video games. Capping the deal,comics legend Stan Lee has agreed to contribute a voice to the project.

MasterMinds is the story of five freakish felons who have only onething standing between them and global domination – each other! Led byThe Maniacal Monocle, their ranks include: mad scientist DoktorPimento, giant robot CPU-571, mobster Vinnie DiThug and the mutantmonkey Gorilla Kang. Doomed by over-complicated plans and ridiculousinfighting, they’re driven by the dream of being able to call the shotsfor just one day.
“Who doesn’t want to rule the world?” asks MasterMinds co-creatorAaron Sowd. “MasterMinds is a story for everyone who ever wishedthat Wylie E. Coyote would catch the Road Runner. It’s about five guyswho stick to their dreams no matter how utterly misguided those dreamsreally are.”

Stan Lee, co-creator of Spiderman, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, andcountless other titles during his legendary tenure as writer and editorat Marvel Comics, will voice a character on the upcoming project. "Faceit! We all love to hate a great supervillian,” Lee said. “ That's whyartist/writer Aaron Sowd fiendishly created a wild team of trulytwisted bad guys, telling his wacky, way-out tales from the villains'point of view. Why didn't I think of that?"
Sowd was an award-winning art director at Stan Lee Media beforestarting MasterMinds Unlimited with comics writers James Denning andLance Karutz. Together, they’ve published three stories in anthologiesby Komikwerks (www.komikwerks.com) and created more than twentyoriginal properties.

Soo-Mi Kim, C.E.O and Creative Director with Morph Studio LLC willserve as an executive producer on the upcoming MasterMinds feature.“The animation teams at DG Spot and Morph Studio produce fantasticwork,” says Sowd. “But when we talked to Kim, we knew they really gotour mix of slapstick action and character-driven comedy.”

MasterMinds Unlimited manager Dave Alpert, with Circle of Confusion(www.circleofconfusion.com), brought the deal together in conjunctionwith Komikwerks. MasterMinds debuted inKomikwerk’s first volume of anthology material. Circle of Confusion iswell known for bringing smart genre material to feature andtelevision production, while Komikwerks has been a home for onlinecomics since 2000, and features some of the finest artists in the fieldtoday.

The most recent Komikwerks volume, Rockets and Robots, featuresanother MasterMinds Unlimited property, Sally Samson, Super Sitter.Two more MasterMinds Unlimited original properties will debut in thesubsequent volume, which will be released in July, at Comic-ConInternational.

Initial production on MasterMinds will begin this summer. Terms ofthe deal were not released.

Marvel Characters Soon On Your Cell Phone

2005-05-15T11:25:00.000-04:00

MFORMA Group, Inc. and leading global entertainment licensing company Marvel Enterprises, Inc. signed a licensing agreement that will bring Marvel's catalog of world famous entertainment brands to mobile phone users throughout the world. This landmark agreement was announced today by Daniel Kranzler, MFORMA CEO, and Tim Rothwell and Bruno Maglione, presidents, respectively, of Marvel Worldwide Consumer Products and Marvel International.

The agreement calls for MFORMA to publish an extensive portfolio of mobile entertainment products based on many of Marvel's iconic characters as they appear in movies, television, video games and comic books which will be available in all domestic and international territories, except for Japan. As part of the agreement, MFORMA will co-publish selected Marvel-based mobile games with Activision, one of the world's leading video game publishers. Activision brings a rich heritage of developing, publishing, and marketing blockbuster video games based on popular brands, including Marvel's major properties. The MFORMA/Marvel multi-year global product plan identifies mobile entertainment applications of every kind and represents one of the most far-reaching publishing programs seen in the mobile industry.

"Nothing like this has ever before been done in mobile," said Daniel Kranzler, MFORMA CEO. "Today, the market and mobile technology has matured to the point that a deal of this magnitude is possible. We have spent the last year expanding and building our global distribution and production capabilities so that we can serve the needs of an entertainment powerhouse like Marvel. Marvel brands routinely turn gold at the box office and in console gaming and they will do the same in mobile around the world-in Europe, North and South America, and most of Asia. We are pleased beyond words to be working with Marvel and Activision on this fantastic and perfectly-timed opportunity to catapult mobile entertainment to mainstream status all over the world."

Marvel's instantly recognizable characters represent one of the world's most powerful brand franchises. The Marvel/MFORMA relationship will bring the entire universe of classic Marvel characters (with the exception of The Punisher family of characters) to hundreds of millions of mobile phone users worldwide. This includes such world renowned heroes as Spider-Man , X-Men , Fantastic Four , Incredible Hulk , Captain America , Daredevil , Iron Man , Blade , Ghost Rider , Elektra and many more of Marvel's more than 5,000 characters. The MFORMA/Marvel product lineup runs the full gamut of mobile entertainment products, including action, adventure, RPG and trading card games, images, screensavers, graphics, ring tones, voice tones, mobile greeting cards, mobile comic books, phone functions, virtual character simulations, and community and lifestyle applications.

In addition to distributing the new Marvel content through MFORMA's global network of more than 100 wireless operators in 39 countries, MFORMA will create and host Marvel Mobile, a branded wireless and online website featuring informational, promotional and transactional links to all Marvel Mobile content. Marvel Mobile will have its home on the Internet within www.marvel.com. Subscribers to the Marvel Mobile channel will have access to all Marvel Mobile products, plus unique community applications and features, special collectible items, Marvel news alerts and chat rooms, fan clubs and mobile commerce options that will open up access to all of the activity taking place in the Marvel Universe.

"Mobile is a major new entertainment medium and our objective all along has been to enter this new space on a grand scale with an ambitious partner capable of putting together a holistic program across the various developing technologies and applications in the wireless space. We believe MFORMA is capable of delivering on that objective and we are thrilled to be working with them," commented Tim Rothwell, president of Marvel Worldwide Consumer Products.
Bruno Maglione, president of Marvel International added: "Wireless entertainment has been talked about for several years now, but we have really seen the industry starting to break into the mainstream in this past year and we expect that trend to continue into 2005 and beyond. Accordingly, the timing is right for Marvel to develop its presence in this medium especially as our brands synch perfectly with the most popular emerging applications and the user profile we see developing. With MFORMA as our partner, we expect success for Marvel brands in wireless just as we have achieved in the video game arena."

"Marvel will be a force in mobile, just as they have been a force in every other medium they have entered," said Matt Edelman, MFORMA's SVP of publishing and architect of the deal. "Our existing Marvel-branded mobile offering based on X-Men, which was co-published with Activision, has been very successful and I see that the possibilities of what we can create and deliver based on Marvel's rich, diverse, and fascinating set of characters are endless. The built-in audience is huge and global, and we will provide something for everyone. Our plan is expansive and includes every form of mobile entertainment so we can establish each Marvel property as a mobile franchise in its own right."

Activision and MFORMA will co-publish key titles based on rights Activision had previously acquired from Marvel. The two will jointly publish mobile games based on Spider-Man , X-Men , Fantastic Four and Iron Man . The agreement between MFORMA and Activision extends a pre-existing agreement and collaboration that successfully brought Marvel's X-Men to wireless last year in the form of a mobile video game based on the highly successful X-Men movie sequel, "X2" by Twentieth Century Fox. Activision's Marvel-branded video games have proven to be enormously successful, selling more than 15 million copies since 2001.

"Our strategic alliance with Marvel has resulted in some of the most successful Super Hero video games ever," said Dave Anderson, senior director of business development, Activision, Inc. "The co-publishing relationship with MFORMA strengthens Activision's commitment to the super hero genre and allows us to continue developing exceptional Marvel-based games for mobile phone users worldwide."

Marvel franchises will have a significant presence in the film and video game worlds well into the future, and MFORMA, Marvel and Activision will collaborate to leverage each and every important media event. The first products to be delivered under the agreement will be a suite of mobile products based on the Blade Trinity film from New Line Cinema, which is to be released in theaters on December 8, 2004. In January 2005, a second suite of products based on the movie Elektra by New Regency/Twentieth Century Fox will be introduced. In the summer, another suite of products based on the upcoming blockbuster "Fantastic Four" from Twentieth Century Fox and a corresponding video game from Activision will join the lineup. Additional titles coming in the near future include products based on Incredible Hulk, to be released in conjunction with a video game from Vivendi Universal Games, and Ultimate Spider-Man, tied into a next-generation video game from Activision. MFORMA and Marvel will collaborate on marketing programs to help promote the availability of Marvel mobile products to consumers worldwide.
"Mobile entertainment has been successful thus far because it has evolved to take advantage of not only the advancing technology of mobile phones, but also the advancing interests of mobile users who are always looking for the next big thing," said Edelman. "Marvel Mobile represents the next big thing and we believe mobile users will love what they find there."

Added Kranzler, "We are pleased to be Marvel's exclusive mobile publishing partner for a majority of its characters, enabling them to have their brands published around the world in all forms of mobile content. We have reached a level of global distribution capability today where it is possible to handle publishing and distribution for Marvel and other global brand holders such as Activision and leading movie studios on a truly global basis." For additional information visit the Marvel Web site at www.marvel.com and Mforma at www.mforma.com.

MONKEYS, MAYHEM, AND MYSTERY COME TO ONI THIS JULY!

2005-05-14T19:53:00.000-04:00

press release:
Oni Press is pleased to announce the July debut of BANANA SUNDAY, a fun filled four-issue comic from Root Nibot and Colleen Coover (SMALL FAVORS).

Kirby Steinberg is having a bit of trouble fitting into her new school. It’s hard enough being the new kid, but she’s also the guardian of three monkeys who have all gained the power of speech, and will be attending school with her. When her new friend Nickels, a crack reporter for the school paper, decides there’s something suspicious about the monkeys, the fun is just beginning. How do you keep track of three monkeys, make new friends and get good grades? Kirby shows us how in BANANA SUNDAY!

"Many of the ideas for Banana Sunday came about one day while I was at a zoo, watching an orangutan," Nibot commented. "I started thinking about how monkeys and humans would interact, if only monkeys could voice their ideas in ways we could understand. Boom, I wanted talking monkeys. And I wanted THREE monkeys because I needed an orangutan, as one was the catalyst for a lot of my thoughts. But I love gorillas, so I needed a gorilla. Also, I've had a bit of a fascination for spider-monkeys ever since one stole a pair of my sunglasses when I was a child. So, Chuck the Orangutan, Go-Go the gorilla, and Knobby, the spider-monkey. All of whom are monkeys, but represent different types of humanity."

Coover discovered the monkey’s personalities as she set out to draw them. "Root has created distinct individuals so they all have their own body language," she commented. "Chuck conducts himself with an air of superiority, Knobby's constantly on the lookout for someone to flirt with, and Go-Go has the determined focus of a simpleton attempting to understand the world around him. Monkeys are great fun to draw because they look like us, but behave with animal disregard for consequence. In other words, they're naughty!"

But the monkeys aren’t the only ones in the book; Kirby and her human friends get their fair share of attention too. Joining Kirby and Nickels is Martin, a maybe love interest for Kirby.
"All of them are in their mid teens, which I think is a GREAT age to write about," Nibot continued. "Even the easy things are chaotic at that age, and everything is so full of drama. The world is open and waiting, but damn scary at the same time. I pulled from my own high school days; how they were a mixture of freedom and slavery, grandeur and suck."

Coover adds, "What I really love about Root's story is the friendship that develops between Kirby and Nickels, in spite of the fact that Kirby keeps a secret that Nickels is determined to uncover. This is the kind of friendship that only happens in school."

BANANA SUNDAY is jam packed with fun and humor appropriate for all ages.

BANANA SUNDAY #1 will feature 24 pages of black and white story and art. With a cover price of $2.99, it will ship to comic book stores in July 2005. Future issues will ship on a monthly basis.

DF ON QVCUK 05.16.05

2005-05-12T09:32:00.000-04:00

press release:
Dynamic Forces returns to QVCUK for a special, fun-filled hour featuring the best Comics and Collectibles available!

Join DF President Nick Barrucci on Monday, the 16th of May at 7:00 PM GMT as he and the DF crew have prepared tons of fun, excitement and best of all - Signed Comics, Collectibles and More! (And fingers crossed, comics fans, Nick will be joined by Rich Johnston -- This "dynamic" duo had a blast on the air back in December, and hopefully will be able to team up for the first DF show of the year!) Check out the cool collectibles being brought over for this special hour!

Staring with:

LUCKY 21 - COOL COLLECTOR CARD SET!
Not just a Lucky 21, it's much more than that, a "Lucky 21 Plus 1" for a total of 22 Collectible Cards, featuring 1 DF Random Hand Drawn Sketch Card, 1 Set of 4 Marvel QFX Laser Cut Cards featuring the Hulk, Spider-Man, Punisher, and Wolverine from Marvel Comics 1997 Laser Card Set, 1 Set of Six Random signed Chase cards, 1 Set of 5 box toppers, and 1 Set of The Complete 6 card chase set of chase Acetate Cards!

Also, be sure to check out the following featured items:

THE SUPERFRIENDS - SUPER PACKAGE!
This package of Super Books features - SEVEN comics and TWO hardcover collections in all -- DC Comics greatest super heroes, including Batman, Superman, The Justice League the Teen Titans and their most famous creators, writers and artists!

Featuring: JLA Another Nail #1 - Signed by Artists Extraordinaire Alan Davis & Mark Farmer; Teen Titans Hardcover - Signed by the legendary Titans Team of Marv Wolfman & George Perez; Superman/Batman #10 - Signed by superstar artist Jim Lee; Superman/Batman #9 - Signed by writer Jeph Loeb; Batman #619 - Signed by artist Jim Lee; JLA Adventures #1 - Signed by cover painter Alex Ross; Superman 204 signed by the entire team of writer Brian Azzarello, artist Jim Lee, and inker Scott Williams; Green Lantern #176 - Signed by writer Ron Marz and the MASSIVE JLA Avengers Hardcover collection (unsigned).

DF is also bringing our word-famous starter sets to the show, perfect for the new or old fan:

THE "EIGHT LEGS OF THE SPIDER" SET
This set features TWO signed limited edition comics and a set of great unsigned comics for your collection! The signed and authenticated comics include: Marvel Knights: Spider-Man #1 - Signed by Terri & Rachel Dodson and Powerless #1 - Signed by writers Matt Cherniss & Peter Johnson, of "Nip/Tuck", the Shield and "The OC" fame and more!

3 TIMES THE 5 STAR STARTER SET!
Dynamic Forces is known for our world-famous 5 Star Starter Sets -- 5 times the adventures, 5 times the characters, 5 books from one comic book company, 5 sets of signatures in an amazing pack, 5 chances to start collecting the most popular comics that everyone has been hunting
For! Now, the 5 star starter set is back and bigger and better than ever!

DF PLATINUM SERIES
Our Platinum - the rarest of all metals -- series has something for everyone and is sure to delight and amaze, featuring: X-Men: The End #1 - Signed by Sean Chen; Ultimate Fantastic Four #13 - Variant sketch cover signed by Adam Kubert; and Daredevil: Father #1 - Signed by writer/artist and Marvel Editor-In-Chief Joe Quesada. PLUS 37 random signed and unsigned books making this Set Forty Books BIg!

DF "CUBED" COLLECTION
For this set, we've opened the throttle wide and are screaming down the road of comics collecting fun! Check it out: Ultimate Spider-Man #62 9.8; X-23 Variant Cover CGC 9.6; and 1 Random CGC book with a grade of 9.6 or greater. THREE CGC Graded Books in one set at one great price!

DF is also bringing along a limited number of marquee items and sets, featuring the legendary creators whose signatures can often be the hardest to obtain for your collection:

THE MIGHTY MARVEL MARQUEE SET
These comics span the entire Marvel Universe - filled with adventures that are beyond comparison -- together in one incredible package. Featuring the signatures of such luminaries as Paul Jenkins, David Finch, Brian Michael Bendis, Greg Land, Joe Quesada and more on such great titles as Ultimate X-Men, X-Force, New X-Men #130, Wolverine: Origin, Ultimate Fantastic Four and more!

THE BEST OF BENDIS SET!
Brian Michael Bendis is an award winning comics creator and one of the hardest and most successful writers working in mainstream comics. For the last five years, Brian's books (including Ultimate Spider-Man, Avengers, Daredevil, Ultimate X-Men, Ultimate Fantastic Four, Alias, The Pulse, Powers) consistently sit in the top five best sellers on the nationwide comic sales chart. This limited set features the best of his work, and best of all, signed by the writer himself, featuring the Ultimate Fantastic Four, Ultimate Spider-Man and more surprises put together by DF!

THE INCREDIBLE HULK VOLUME 1 HARDCOVER - Signed by Stan "the Man" Lee.
The man who co-created the entire Marvel Universe is represented here with a special, signed and limited item, featuring one of his most brutish creations - The Incredible Hulk! Stan Lee, whose credits include co-creating the Amazing Spider-Man, the Uncanny X-MEN, the Avengers, Iron Man, Thor, and so many more, including the Heroes and the Villains, also created everyone's favorite jolly green monster - the Incredible Hulk and signs this special Hardcover Collection is the massive and mighty Marvel Hero! Not to be missed.

It all begins on Monday, the 16th of May at 7:00 PM GMT as DF President Nick Barrucci brings a TON of great Signed Comics and Collectibles to your own home thanks to QVCUK!

For more information on Dynamic Forces specialty merchandise, product art, exclusive creator interviews and upcoming releases, please visit the Dynamic Forces website at www.dynamicforces.com

CHAOS! & DEVIL'S DUE???

2005-05-11T12:56:00.000-04:00

press release:
EVIL COMES HOME TO DEVIL’S DUE
Chaos’s Evil Ernie takes on Cassie and Vlad in HACK/SLASH vs. EVIL ERNIE

Chicago, IL -- May 9, 2005 -- The most deadly, powerful, metal-loving killer of all---Evil Ernie---comes to Hack/Slash this June from Devil’s Due Publishing. It was only a matter of time before the legendary Evil Ernie found out about Cassie Hack, the not-to-be-intimidated slasher killer who’s taken on deranged lunch ladies, crazed catholic schoolgirls and even homicidal comic book fans. But how can Cassie and Vlad defeat a killer who can raise the dead and unleash arcane energies? HACK/SLASH vs. EVIL ERNIE tells the tale of horror, death, mayhem and…love.

The $4.95, 48-page one-shot is written by Tim Seeley, with art by Aadi Salman (whose previous credits include Silent Hill: Dying Inside); Seeley provides the cover.

“When we had the chance to team up with characters from Chaos!, how could we refuse?” said Josh Blaylock, president of DDP. “Tim came up with a great story and we not only think fans of Hack/Slash and Evil Ernie will enjoy the read, but readers who’ve never experienced either book will find something new to love.”

The acclaimed Hack/Slash series has showcased the exploits of Cassie Hack and Vlad in the one-shots “Euthanized”, “Girls Gone Dead”, and “Comic Book Carnage”. Those titles and HACK/SLASH vs. EVIL ERNIE are each available from comic book shops everywhere.

Devil's Due. Reminding everyone that pop culture IS our culture.

ABOUT DEVIL'S DUE PUBLISHING (DDP)

Devil's Due Publishing was formed in 1999 as both a commercial art studio and a small press comic book publisher. DDP's first breakout success was 2001's revamp of G.I. JOE, returning the long-lost 1980s characters to comics. Fans bought over 100,000 copies per month, immediately propelling G.I. JOE to the top of the charts. Today, DDP's lineup includes Army of Darkness, Street Fighter, Hack/Slash and the Aftermath universe, a new imprint featuring super-powered heroes in titles like Defex, Breakdown, Blade of Kumori and Infantry.

ABOUT CHAOS! COMICS
Chaos! Comics was the leading horror comic book publisher of the 1990s. In 2005, Chaos! Comics is resurrected under new ownership. Chaos! Comics is dedicated to bringing the best in horror and supernatural stories to the comic book industry.

MARVEL EXTENDS STOCK REPURCHASE PROGRAM

2005-05-11T11:23:00.000-04:00

press release:
Marvel Enterprises, Inc., a global entertainment and licensing company, announced today that its Board of Directors has authorized an additional $150 million to be utilized in Marvel's common stock repurchase program and extended that program to June 30, 2006.

As of May 10, 2005, Marvel had approximately $13 million remaining under its initial $100 million stock repurchase authorization. Giving effect to today's authorization, Marvel now has a total of approximately $163 million authorized for share repurchases. Marvel currently has cash and short-term investments in excess of $200 million.

Morton E. Handel, Chairman of Marvel's Board of Directors, commented, "Marvel's strong cash position and our expectations for continued strength in our business and our annual cash flows are the attractive byproducts of our unique, risk-averse, business model. Given these factors, Marvel's Board of Directors continues to believe that share repurchases represent an excellent use of capital that should enhance shareholder value over the long term. Accordingly, the Board felt it should act ahead of the completion of our initial $100 million repurchase authorization so that Marvel would be able to continue to pursue repurchase transactions as market conditions permit."

Pursuant to the authorization, Marvel may purchase shares from time to time in the open market or through privately negotiated transactions. Marvel has no obligation to repurchase shares under the authorization, and the timing, actual number and value of shares to be purchased will depend on the performance of Marvel's stock price and market conditions.

Marvel's Chief Executive Officer, Vice Chairman and largest stockholder, Isaac Perlmutter, has agreed to continue not to sell any of his shares of Marvel stock while the expanded repurchase program is in effect. Mr. Perlmutter had previously agreed, when the initial $100 million stock repurchase program was authorized in July, 2004, not to sell any of his shares of Marvel stock until that initial authorization was completed.

DIAMOND CALLS FCBD '05 A SUCCESS!

2005-05-10T11:07:00.000-04:00

press release:

Free Comic Book Day 2005: "This was amazing."

May 9, 2005

"It was outstanding. We did a week's worth of business in a day."

"Our best ever sales in the 2 years we've been in business"

"We entered into it cautiously. That was a mistake."

"Business was about 4 times a normal Saturday"

"Though we're not closed yet...we've already exceeded any Saturday we've done at our new location."

On FCBD 2004, the folks at Kingdom Comics in Veslavia Hills, Alabama stopped counting customers after 600, co-owner Stan Daniel told Diamond Daily. But in 2005? "Our guy counting this year stopped at 850 before 1:00 pm."

Why did he stop? Because the store was so packed and had so many visitors that at one o'clock it ran out of FCBD 2005 comics!

"We had to restock the shelves with leftovers from last year," Daniel recounts, "which almost lasted another hour. We then began using excess store stock. Others who were volunteering at our event insist we easily saw a thousand or more people through the store by 5 pm. It was outstanding. We did a week's worth of business in a day (compared to the successes last year!). This was amazing. Our local 501st Imperial Stormtrooper Legion was on hand and it was like a mini-con. The effort and planning (about 6 to 7 months worth) was well worth it. Our biggest complaint was that we weren't able to move around the store with everyone there to restock as quickly as we wanted -- as you can imagine, I am willing to live with that problem!"

Sydney Walton from Collector's Dream in Tavares, FL reports: "What a GREAT day!! We had our best ever sales in the 2 years we've been in business!! We had a couple of comic book professionals here signing autographs (thank you Jerry and Jay!!), a storewide reduction sale, door prizes, free soda, HeroClix tournaments, and, of course, TONS of free comics and other swag!!! We also had, straight from the Death Star.....Darth Vader himself. He was a hit with the kids!! All in all, not a bad day.....can't wait until next year!!"

In Alberta, Canada, Jay Bardyla of Happy Harbor Comics & Toys admits that he may have underestimated the potential of the event: "...we were very unsure about how big the day would end up being. Our file customer base didn't seem too excited either so we entered into it cautiously. That was a mistake.

"Our special guest Andrew Foley, writer by trade but a very capable artist, had a very steady day of making sketches for a handful of the 350-375 people that came through our doors. Quite a step up from the normal 20-30 people we see on a typical Saturday....by 2 pm we were pulling out last years stock just to be able to give people something. Still, everyone was happy.

"Moms who had no idea comics were still for kids and that comic stores could be fun for them as well left with smiles and many thanks. In the end, we could have not asked for a more rewarding day. We have found dozens of new comics fans."

From Comic Relief's new location in Berkeley, CA, Rory Root reports a successful day: "At times, the line wrapped from our back counter around our Fiction/Lit/Alternative comics bins all the way to our information station (in the middle of our huge new location) four deep, and at others it was a concentrated frenzy around our back counter. Couples, kids, and fans of all ages came in to see about these so-called 'free comics,' and everyone left satisfied. We at Comic Relief are satisfied with the scattered remnants of our once-proud Free Comic Book Day table setup, but happier still at the hundreds of new readers who have discovered the joy of comics."

It wasn't just store traffic that was up, either. Root report that sales were up, as well, "an aspect of FCBD we've come to expect. Though we're not closed yet, and won't be closed until 10pm, we've already exceeded any Saturday we've done at our new location."

At Flying Colors Comics & Other Cool Stuff in Concord, CA, FCBD Originator Joe Field sent in a midnight missive on the event: More than 1,000 people came through Flying Colors Comics & Other Cool Stuff on FCBD '05. A full third of those visitors had never been here before! Business was about 4 times a normal Saturday, but the story of the day was all the dedicated Moms coming to FCBD on their special weekend. Moms accounted for 20% of our FCBD attendance!"

Joe Ferrara of Santa Cruz, CA's Atlantis Fantasyworld was quick to point out that his FCBD was a hit, too: "Free Comic Book Day was loads of fun. Bill Morrison signed over 300 copies of the Simpsons free comic and did a sketch on each one! Attendance was slightly down from last year but sales were up. Most importantly everyone who came in had a positive experience in a comic book store!"

And from across the Pond, Jared Myland of OK Comics in Leeds let us know that regardless of country, FCBD is a hit: "As always Free Comic Book Day was a great success. I was interviewed on local radio in the morning and that exposure seemed to bring in tons of new people. It was one of our busiest sales days ever, many of the people who came for the freebies ended up spending more money on comics than they were expecting to. We seemed to leave people with a positive impression of comics and the diverse range available."

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY is a joint effort of dozens of publishers, thousands of retailers, and Diamond Comic Distributors, the world's largest distributor of English language comics.

Update On DC's Price Change

2005-05-08T13:11:00.000-04:00

Here are all the titles affected by the price change & exactly the issue when the change goes into effect:

These titles will arrive in stores with a cover price of $2.50 U.S.:
BATMAN #641, BATMAN #642
THE FLASH #223, THE FLASH #224
JLA #115, JLA #116
NIGHTWING #109, NIGHTWING #110
ROBIN #139, ROBIN #140
WONDER WOMAN #218, WONDER WOMAN #219

These titles will arrive in stores with a cover price of $2.75 U.S.:
100 BULLETS #62
THE BOOKS OF MAGICK: LIFE DURING WARTIME #12
FABLES #38, FABLES #39
LUCIFER #63, LUCIFER #64

Short Takes

2005-05-06T22:08:00.000-04:00

What If...?
I saw this all over the web today & had to show it. Here's "the 1000 Faces of Brandon Routh!"
Thats the new Superman by the way.

DC Raises prices on six DCU Titles:

A couple days ago, many noticed that they have raised the prices on their last remaining DC Universe $2.25 titles. Beginning with their June issues, Batman, Nightwing, Robin, The Flash, JLA and Wonder Woman will arrive in stores with a new retail price of $2.50. Because they were solicited in both June and July with the previous cover price of $2.25, DC reported the affected issues will be announced as returnable at a later date.

The cover price change comes on the heels of Marvel’s elimination of their $2.25 price point on nine titles also beginning with issues on sale in June.
DC has not eliminated their $2.25 price point entirely, however. Their "Johnny DC" titles, including Justice League Unlimited, Batman Strikes and Teen Titans Go (among others) currently remain at $2.25.

Additionally, DC announced that 100 Bullets (with issue #62) and The Books of Magick: Life During Wartime, Fables, and Lucifer will have their price raised from $2.50 to $2.75, the latter three with their June on-sale issues.
Mad Magazine will arrive in stores with a cover price of $3.99 beginning with issue #454.

Gambit, Rouge Cancelled???

Gambit solo series writer John Layman confirmed that in the absence of a July solicit for Gambit, the series will end with issue #12.

Layman wrote:
"Well, I've told a few people already, and some others have figured it out since there is no Gambit #13 solicitations in the current batch of solicits, so I should probably break the news here. Gambit #12 will be the last issue of the series. It's been a fun run, and when I took it, I was only ‘guaranteed’ six issues, so I've got absolutely no reason to complain. The creative team was great to work with, in particularly the editorial staff, and X-editor Mike Marts is threatening to give me more work, so it looks like a happy ending for your humble narrator. The sales simply were not there, and if you follow the month-to-month tracking of sales on Pulse, Gambit's cancellation should come as no surprise. That being said, the last three issues are written, and I'm hoping those of you who support the book don't disappear in droves. Next issue, with Gambit breaking into the X-Mansion to steal his sex tape before Rogue finds it, is, I think, my favorite issue so far. And if you have been supporting the book, you have my thanks."

Maybe we can assume the same thing about Rogue's solo comic as well, as there is no July solicit for that title either.

Spider-Man 3, 4, 5, 6

2005-05-06T16:18:00.000-04:00

Director Sam Raimi talked to Sci Fi Wire, and said there's plenty more webs to spin. "I've heard Amy Pascal [chairman of Sony's motion picture group] say she wants to make six 'Spider-Man' pictures," Raimi said. "So I think she's a woman of her word. And if she says there'll be six, there'll be six. ... If they were to ask me, and if I felt as passionate as I feel now about the character and had this great hunger and desire to tell the story, which I really do now, you couldn't keep me away from it."

In addition to that news, Spider-Man 2 was nominated for four MTV Movie Awards, including Best Movie, Best Villain (Alfred Molina), Best Action Sequence and Best video Game Based on a Movie. Elektra was nominated for Best Kiss with Jennifer Garner and Natassia Malthe.

Check out Comics Impulse for info on Marvel's House of M & DC's Infinite Crisis!

3 DAYS TILL FREE COMIC BOOK DAY

2005-05-04T13:25:00.000-04:00

Click here for stores around you. Free Comic Book Day is Saturday, May 7th.

1ST Annual Shuster Awards Announced

2005-05-02T12:04:00.000-04:00

Press Release

The 1st annual Shusters Awards were presented at the Paradise Comics Toronto Comicon on Saturday April 30th. Hosted by Rick Green and Rob Salem, the event was attended by many of Canada's best and brightest talents.

Outstanding Canadian Comic Book Publisher
Was awarded to Arcana Studio publisher of Ant, Kade, Ezra, and 100 Girls.

Outstanding Canadian Achievement Related to Comic Books
Was awarded to Dave Sim and Gerhard for completing the landmark run of Cerebus, the longest running creator owned & published comic book series.

Outstanding Canadian Retailer Award
Was awarded to Harry Kremer, the late owner of Kitchner's Now and Then Books. This award will be renamed the Harry Kremer Canadian Retailer Recognition Award in future years.

Outstanding Canadain Comic Book Writer
A tie was declared and awards were given to Ty Templeton for his work on Batman Adventures, and Samm Barnes for her work on Doctor Spectrum.

Outstanding Canadian Comic Book Artist
Awarded to Kaare Andrews for his work on Spider-Man/Doctor Octopus: Year One.

Outstanding Canadian Comic Book Cartoonist
Awarded to Darwyn Cooke for his work on DC: The New Frontier.

In addition to the six category winners the inagural six Hall of Fame inductees were also presented with their awards.

The six hall of fame awards went to:

Joe Shuster the creator of Superman, and in many ways the inspiration for all who followed him.

Leo Bachle a.k.a. Les Barker, creator of Johnny Canuck.

Adrian Dingle, creator of Nelvana.

Hal Foster, creator of Prince Vallaint.

Ed Furness, creator of Freelance.

Rand Holmes, underground cartoonist.

DC COMICS: Ed Benes Stays Exclusive For 3 More Years

2005-04-26T18:45:00.000-04:00

April 26th, 2005 - Acclaimed artist Ed Benes, whose run on SUPERMAN begins with next month's issue #217, has extended his exclusive agreement with DC Comics for an additional three years."I'm really honored to know that DC wants to continue to work with me," says Benes. "I'm even more honored to have the chance to have the chance to draw Superman. It's a dream come true for me! And with Supes came the chance to work with some of the greatest professionals that I've ever met: Mark Verheiden, who writes truly amazing stories, Eddie Berganza and Tom Palmer, Jr., my editors who take very good care of me, and Rod Reis, a Brazilian fellow who's the colorist of the book! I hope to continue working with DC for many years to come. So far, it has been a blast!" "Following Jim Lee is not easy, but Ed is doing a phenomenal job," says Group Editor Eddie Berganza. "I've loved his stuff since he was doing GEN13 and SUPERGIRL, and that's nothing compared to what he's bringing to the table on SUPERMAN! Ed's known for his hot women, and he's got some great storytelling and powerful action going on too... and yeah, the ladies are still fine!"

Watch for SUPERMAN #217, coming to comics shops on May 11!

3 Flavors For Fantastic Four #527

2005-04-26T10:01:00.000-04:00

Marvel Comics has announced a 50/50 variant cover for Fantastic Four #527, the first issue by the new creative team of J. Michael Straczynski and Mike McKone.

The issue stars the "Distant Music" arc in which a conflicted Reed is presented an intriguing offer.

Fantastic Four #527 is scheduled to be in stores on May 25. In addition, Marvel is preparing a Director's Cut version of the issue, scheduled for release on June 22, the same day as Fantastic Four #528. The issue will include the contents of the regular edition of #527, as well as a script, interviews and sketch art. It will cost $3.99.