"Batman Day" Returns September 26, 2015

DC Entertainment Announces That on September 26: “Batman Day” Returns

Back By Popular Demand, BATMAN DAY 2015 Makes the Celebration of The World’s Most Popular Super Hero and Global Pop Culture Icon an Annual Event

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--DC Entertainment is bringing back the fan-favorite event celebrating The Dark Knight. “Batman Day” is back by popular demand and will take place on Saturday, September 26, 2015, kicking off what has become an annual event honoring one of the most popular and iconic Super Heroes and celebrating all things Batman from comics to video games and more. Fans everywhere are invited to partake in festivities with thousands of comic book shops, bookstores, schools, libraries and other retail partners participating in the bat-centric event.

Those who visit select comic stores, libraries and bookstores on “Batman Day” will also have the opportunity for meet-and-greets with premier DC Entertainment talent including legendary artist and DCE Co-Publisher Jim Lee, Grant Morrison, Scott Snyder, David Finch, Brian Azzarello, Cameron Stewart, Pat Gleason, Dustin Nguyen, Tim Seeley, Tom King, Dan Jurgens, Jeff Parker, Matthew Manning, and Daniel Wallace with many more to be announced.

In addition to DC Entertainment, “Batman Day” partners include Warner Bros. Consumer Products with licensees Capstone, Penguin Random House, Scholastic, and DK Publishing, as well as Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Warner Bros. Television, with additional partners to be announced. Partners will provide unique retail and digital promotional tie-ins across multiple media to celebrate the Caped Crusader.

The official “Batman Day” event kit will include activity sheets, trivia, and games and will be available for download on http://www.dccomics.com/batmandaykit.


About DC Entertainment
DC Entertainment, home to iconic brands DC Comics (Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, The Flash, etc.), Vertigo (Sandman, Fables, etc.) and MAD, is the creative division charged with strategically integrating its content across Warner Bros. and Time Warner. DC Entertainment works in concert with many key Warner Bros. divisions to unleash its stories and characters across all media, including but not limited to film, television, consumer products, home entertainment and interactive games. Publishing thousands of comic books, graphic novels and magazines each year, DC Entertainment is one of the largest English-language publishers of comics in the world.

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Digital Manga Announces Osamu Tezuka's "Storm Fairy"

Digital Manga, Inc. to publish Osamu Tezuka's shojo manga, Storm Fairy

GARDENA, CA - With successful Kickstarter campaigns like Captain Ken, Lugwig B, Alabaster, and the recent Clockwork Apple, Digital Manga isn't slowing down their Kickstarter train to publish “God of Manga” Osamu Tezuka titles, and their next project is a shojo (girl's) title called Storm Fairy. This manga is a collection of three short stories with the first being the longest at the length of half the book, and the other two make up the rest. Their new standard will have the book printed in high-quality off-set white paper, and is scheduled to be released in October, 2015. The Kickstarter campaign is planned to start June 16th, and will run for 30 days.

In Storm Fairy, Kuwagata Castle is in the midst of being invaded by enemy forces and the Empress flees to a nearby forest to implore a forest fairy to save her husband and her kingdom. A deal was struck and in exchange for the fairy's favor, the empress must give up the face of her next born child. Thus, two girls life become entwined, one who has to wear a mask to hide her disfigured face, another born with the face of the other. One day, while the Emperor and Empress are away, a usurper finds out about Princess Ruri's curse and steals her mask so he can place his own daughter on the throne. They oust Princess Ruri from her kingdom, and while on the run she meets a samurai, Tonosuke, who takes pity on her and takes her under his wing. Hakobe, the forest fairy blessed with another woman's face, is tasked with tricking unwary travelers but her sweet heart always leads her to help others. While on a trip into the town, she finds out the real Princess Ruri is on the run and decides to help her win back her kingdom. But, little does she know, she wears the face of the woman she's trying to save...

The second short story, “Kokeshi Detective Agency,” has a similar tone and feel to young adult book series, Encyclopedia Brown. Little fearless Paco goes around solving mysteries for she is not afraid of things that go bump in the night while her dog friend Waco does his best to protect her. In the third story, fairy Pink from the realm of beautiful sunsets morphs into whatever she wants so she may help those who are unhappy and in need, but King Brown and Sepia from the realm of thunderstorms do their best to make people miserable.

Even though this manga is classified as a shojo manga, Tezuka still questions what is perceived as beautiful or ugly, and I love it. – Hikaru Sasahara, President of DMI

Shojo is a type of genre born in Japanese magazines that were segregated according to gender. Shonen and shojo was printed similarly like the funnies in your Sunday newspaper. Magazines aimed at boys to sympathize with WWII created the genre shonen whereas magazines aimed at girls focused on their feelings and home life created the genre shojo. Post-WWII showed a surge of girls interested in manga, and when Tezuka published Princess Knight, he raised the bar on what was acceptable for Japanese girls to read. There are not a lot of shojo titles created by men (including Tezuka), so Digital Manga, Inc. is proud to add this teen shojo title to their library.

There will also be a stretch goal to reprint Unico in sharper color, and another stretch goal to print Crime and Punishment which was previously released as digital-only. More information regarding swag for stretch goals when it becomes unlocked.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/digitalmanga/publish-tezukas-storm-fairy-and-reprint-unico


About DMI and Tezuka Productions
Digital Manga Inc. has over 20 years of experience publishing manga, and president and founder, Hikaru Sasahara, personally knew Tezuka and his dreams of world unity. Hikaru had created Digital Manga, Inc. in order to bring about his concept of "East meets West," and has published many manga including other Tezuka titles like Barbara, Unico, Triton of the Sea, and Captain Ken.
Tezuka Productions has brought to the anime and manga industry controversial books that always pushed the boundaries of what it means to be human. Tezuka does not shy away from showing all the facets of humanity, whether it be sorrow, joy, humor, tragedy, these things encompass what it means to live no matter what type of skin, color, shape, or gender others have. Some famous books Tezuka and his production company have published are Astro Boy, Blackjack, Unico, and Buddha.

Questions? Contact us at: contact@emanga.com

Digital Manga Inc.
Located in Gardena, CA, Digital Manga Inc. is one of the industry's most unconventional and innovative companies, specializing in building corporate and cultural bridges from Japan to the West - specifically through the licensing, importation, and preparation of anime (Japanese animation), manga (Japanese comic books) and related merchandise for North America's mainstream and niche markets. In this capacity, DMI serves as a catalyst for the spread of Japanese pop culture institutions into the global arena. The company's imprint lines include DMP (its mainstream imprint), DMP Platinum (its classic manga imprint), JUNÉ (its boys love imprint), 801 MEDIA (its adult boys love imprint), DokiDoki (its exclusive co-publishing imprint with Shinshokan Publishing), DH/DMP (a co-publishing venture with Dark Horse Comics, Project H (its Seinen Hentai manga imprint) and DMG (a new forefront for its digital distribution initiative).
For more information about Digital Manga Publishing, visit http://www.digitalmanga.com as well as:

http://www.dmpplatinum.com/
www.dmpbooks.com
www.junemanga.com
www.digitalmangaguild.com
https://www.emanga.com/tezuka
https://www.akadot.com/

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Webcomics Update: Grumble #2, Page 9

Grumble Chapter Two, Page 9 is here: http://www.comicbookbin.com/grumbletwopage009.html

NOTE:  Last year, I printed some promotional copies of Grumble: Chapter One through a POD printer.  I will sign and number a copy of this "rare" comic book for $5 post paid, which you can purchase here or http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/p/i-reads-shopping.html

I am also on Patreon.

Neil Gaiman's "American Gods" Headed to Starz

Starz Gives Green Light to “American Gods” from FremantleMedia North America

#CastingShadow BEGINS!

Bryan Fuller and Michael Green to Serve as Showrunners on the New Scripted Drama Series Based on Neil Gaiman’s Blockbuster Novel

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Starz has given a greenlight to FremantleMedia North America’s (FMNA) adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s acclaimed contemporary fantasy novel American Gods. Bryan Fuller (“Hannibal,” “Pushing Daisies,” “Heroes”) and Michael Green (“The River,” “Kings,” “Heroes”), will pen and showrun the series. Gaiman will also executive produce the series. FremantleMedia North America will produce. Start of production is dependent on casting the lead role of “Shadow Moon.”

    “Almost 15 years ago, Neil Gaiman filled a toy box with gods and magic and we are thrilled to finally crack it open and play. We're grateful to have STARZ above us and FremantleMedia at our backs as we appease the gods, American or otherwise.”

Starz CEO Chris Albrecht said, “STARZ is committed to bring American Gods to its legions of fans. With our partners at FremantleMedia and with Bryan, Michael and Neil guiding the project, we hope to create a series that honors the book and does right by the fans, who have been casting it in their minds for years. The search for Shadow begins today!”

Commented Neil Gaiman, "I am thrilled, scared, delighted, nervous and a ball of glorious anticipation. The team that is going to bring the world of American Gods to the screen has been assembled like the master criminals in a caper movie: I'm relieved and confident that my baby is in good hands. Now we finally move to the exciting business that fans have been doing for the last dozen years: casting our Shadow, our Wednesday, our Laura..."

Commented Bryan Fuller and Michael Green, “Almost 15 years ago, Neil Gaiman filled a toy box with gods and magic and we are thrilled to finally crack it open and play. We're grateful to have STARZ above us and FremantleMedia at our backs as we appease the gods, American or otherwise."

Craig Cegielski, Co-CEO, FremantleMedia North America said “’American Gods’ has been the passion project for us at FMNA since Stefanie Berk brought this exceptional piece of literature to the company when she joined two years ago. Chris, Carmi and the entire team at Starz are committed partners, sharing the same creative vision and ambition for this series. Neil’s novel is a brilliant work of art, and together with the talented Bryan Fuller and Michael Green, we are committed to delivering a series that is nothing short of extraordinary.”

The 2001 novel has been translated into over 30 languages and earned numerous accolades including Hugo, Nebula and Bram Stoker Awards for Best Novel. The plot posits a war brewing between old and new gods: the traditional gods of biblical and mythological roots from around the world steadily losing believers to an upstart pantheon of gods reflecting society’s modern love of money, technology, media, celebrity and drugs. Its protagonist, Shadow Moon, is an ex-con who becomes bodyguard and traveling partner to Mr. Wednesday, a conman but in reality one of the older gods, on a cross-country mission to gather his forces in preparation to battle the new deities.

FremantleMedia North America’s Craig Cegielski and Stefanie Berk will executive produce the series along with Bryan Fuller, Michael Green and Neil Gaiman. Senior Vice President of Original Programming Ken Segna will be the Starz executive in charge of “American Gods.” Starz will retain all network pay TV and SVOD rights to the project. FremantleMedia will distribute the series worldwide.

Fans can tweet @AmericanGodsSTZ and @STARZ_Channel using the hashtag #CastingShadow to share who they think should play the role of “Shadow Moon.”


About Starz
Starz (NASDAQ: STRZA, STRZB) is a leading integrated global media and entertainment company with operating units that provide premium subscription video programming on domestic U.S. pay television channels (Starz Networks), global content distribution (Starz Distribution) and animated television and movie production (Starz Animation), www.starz.com.

Starz Networks is a leading provider of premium subscription video programming through the flagship STARZ® and ENCORE® pay TV networks which showcase premium original programming and movies to U.S. multichannel video distributors, including cable operators, satellite television providers, and telecommunications companies. As of March 31, 2015, STARZ and ENCORE serve a combined 57.5 million subscribers, including 23.7 million at STARZ, and 33.8 million at ENCORE, making them the largest pair of premium flagship channels in the U.S. STARZ® and ENCORE®, along with Starz Networks’ third network MOVIEPLEX®, air more than 1,000 movies monthly across

17 linear networks, complemented by On Demand and authenticated online offerings through STARZ PLAY, ENCORE PLAY, and MOVIEPLEX PLAY. Starz Distribution develops, produces and acquires entertainment content, distributing it to consumers globally on DVD, digital formats and traditional television. Starz Distribution’s home video, digital media and worldwide distribution business units distribute original programming content produced by Starz, as well as entertainment content for itself and third parties. Starz Animation produces animated TV and movie content for studios, networks, distributors and audiences worldwide.

About FremantleMedia North America
FremantleMedia North America (FMNA) is the U.S. arm of global media giant FremantleMedia, which includes a distribution arm, FremantleMedia International, a digital and branded entertainment division and a kids & family entertainment business. As one of the world’s largest and most successful creators, producers and distributors of TV brands in the world, FremantleMedia’s comprehensive global network has operations in 28 countries, creating over 10,000 hours of programming a year, rolling out more than 45 formats and managing over 350 individual titles. The company also distributes more than 20,000 hours of content in over 200 territories. FMNA and its portfolio of companies, including Original Productions and 495 Productions, produce entertaining and innovative scripted and alternative programs for network, cable, syndicated and online platforms. Their slate includes a diverse range of both critically-acclaimed and award-winning successes including “American Idol” (FOX), “America’s Got Talent” (NBC), “Family Feud” (SYN), “Let’s Make A Deal” (CBS), “The Price Is Right” (CBS), “The Great Christmas Light Fight” (ABC), “Deadliest Catch” (Discovery), “Married to Medicine” (Bravo), “Party Down South” (CMT), “Ice Road Truckers” (HISTORY), “Storage Wars” (A&E), “Celebrity Family Feud” (ABC), “Celebrity Name Game” (SYN) and “American Gods” (STARZ) , among others.

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Thor's "Hogun," Actor Tadanobu Asano, to Appear at 2015 J-Pop Summit

SPECIAL OPENING NIGHT EVENT AT S.F’s HISTORIC CASTRO THEATRE LAUNCHES THE 2015 J-POP SUMMIT & 2015 JAPAN FILM FESTIVAL OF SAN FRANCISCO

Opening Night Event On August 7th Will Screen Electric Dragon 80000V Starring Actor Tadanobu Asano And Feature A Live Performance By Techno DJ Legend Ken Ishii

San Francisco, CA – The 2015 J-POP SUMMIT, the Japanese pop culture event held annually in San Francisco, and the 2015 Japan Film Festival of San Francisco (JFFSF), the Bay Area’s first and only fully-dedicated Japanese film celebration, announce a special Opening Night Event on Friday August 7th, 2015 at The Castro Theatre.

Advance tickets to the 2015 J-POP SUMMIT/JFFSF Opening Night Event at the Castro Theatre are available now for $25.00 each from http://jpop2015.brownpapertickets.com. 

The event begins at 8:00pm kicking off both annual festivals and will feature a special 35mm presentation of director Sogo Ishii’s Electric Dragon 80000V, a rollicking comic-book style action film that stars acclaimed Japanese actor Tadanobu Asano, who is widely known for roles in movies such as Ichi the Killer, Zatoichi, Thor, 46 Ronin, and Battleship.

The evening will be highlighted by a personal appearance by actor Tadanobu Asano, who will introduce the film and participate in an audience Q&A, as well as a live DJ set collaboration by one of Japan’s legendary techno DJ and EDM producers, Ken Ishii, along with Japan’s top anime director Koji Morimoto, widely known as a founder of renowned Studio 4℃ and his works such as Animatrix and Genius Party Beyond.

Tadanobu Asano, Ken Ishii, and Koji Morimoto will also attend the special events at 2015 J-POP SUMMIT as official Guests of Honor on Sunday, August 9th at Fort Mason Center. Appearance times and event details will be announced shortly.

The 2015 J-POP SUMMIT takes place Saturday and Sunday August 8th & 9th at the historic Fort Mason Center in San Francisco’s Marina district. Tickets and V.I.P Passes to the 2015 J-POP SUMMIT are available now at: www.J-POP.com. Throughout the weekend, attendees can enjoy a colorful assortment of Japanese pop-influenced culture, fashion, pop art, live music, technology and travel that will be complemented by celebrity Guests of Honor, anime programming, cosplay and pop idol contests, and a wide assortment of vendors and other programming.

The 2015 Japan Film Festival of San Francisco takes place August 7th to 16th, 2015 at the city’s historic Castro Theatre and also at NEW PEOPLE Cinema, located in Japantown at 1746 Post St. San Francisco, CA 94115 (www.newpeoplecinema.com). This year’s JFFSF will showcase a dazzling array of new and recent Japanese live-action as well as anime film release, many as first-run U.S. premieres. Tickets and film schedules are available at: www.JFFSF.org.

“This Opening Night event will be an unforgettable way to kick off the 2015 J-POP SUMMIT and the Japan Film Festival of San Francisco and we are planning an exciting evening filled with film, music and personal appearances by notable Japanese entertainers,” says Seiji Horibuchi, chairman of the J-POP SUMMIT Festival Committee. “Join us for what promises to be a truly electrifying evening.”

In the film, Electric Dragon 80000V, Dragon Eye Morrison (played by Tadanobu Asano) is a reptile investigator who suffers from an intermittent explosive disorder caused by brain damage he sustained in a childhood accident. He manages to find a way to survive and control his urges to destroy with his love of reptiles and an electric guitar. Meanwhile, Thunderbolt Buddha (played by Masatoshi Nagase), an electric repairman turned vigilante who has acquired powerful electro-conductive powers after sustaining a childhood accident, goes after crime bosses and gangsters that take advantage of electric signals. Holding an obsessive hatred towards Morrison, Thunderbolt Buddha challenges him to a final showdown on the rooftops of Tokyo.

Actor Tadanobu Asano (www.anore.co.jp/artist/actor/asano) is an award winning Japanese actor, who has acted in notable roles in both Japan and the U.S. Most recently, he appeared in the Marvel Studios film, Thor, as well as its sequel Thor: Dark World. His film roles have earned him many awards from international film festivals including his leading role in the Oscar-nominated film, Mongol. He also owns and manages a talent agency called Anore Inc. with his family, and works with many of Japan’s most talented and up-and-coming actors and actresses.

Ken Ishii (http://kenishii.com/) is a legendary techno DJ and producer who has composed music for many different media outlets. Rising from the club scene in the 90’s, Ishii’s work first became internationally recognized when his single, “Extra,” won a music video award at the MTV Music Awards in 1996. He is also known for composing the music for the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony as well as various video game soundtracks, He has performed live internationally and enjoys a worldwide fan base in the electronic music scene.

Koji Morimoto (http://kojimorimoto.com/) is widely known as the co-founder of the renowned anime studio, Studio 4°C, and also for his animated works, MAGNETIC ROSE, from the trilogy, MEMORIES, as well as Ken Ishii’s EXTRA (music video), Animatrix, and Genius Party Beyond. In 2011, he received the Cannes Cyber Lions Silver for a French interactive anti-smoking campaign, Attraction. His collaborative work for LEXUS Short Films called, A Better Tomorrow, world-premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2013. The same year, he also directed the opening segment for the acclaimed animated omnibus, SHORT PEACE by Katsuhiro Otomo (the creator of Akira).       


About JAPAN FILM FESTIVAL OF SAN FRANCISCO
Launched in 2013, Japan Film Festival of San Francisco is the first and only fully dedicated Japanese film event for the SF Bay Are. This year’s edition will feature a colorful mix of narratives, anime and documentary film premieres and exclusive screenings with special guest appearance at the NEW PEOPLE Cinema in SF’s Japantown from August 8th (Sat) through August 16th (Sun), 2015. More details and ticket information is available at www.jffsf.org.

About J-POP SUMMIT
The J-POP SUMMIT is an annual Japanese Pop Culture celebration held in San Francisco, CA that features live bands and artists from Japan, pop culture panel discussions, film premieres, fashion shows and events, food and spirits, art, and celebrity appearances. In 2014, the two-day event attracted 125,000 attendees. Details on J-POP SUMMIT are available at www.J-POP.com.

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Shojo Manga Queen, Julietta Suzuki, at 2015 Anime Expo

VIZ MEDIA WELCOMES FAMED SHOJO MANGA ARTIST JULIETTA SUZUKI AS A SPECIAL GUEST OF HONOR AT 2015 ANIME EXPO
Creator Of KAMISAMA KISS Makes First-Ever International Appearance At North America’s Biggest Anime Convention And Helps Celebrate The Shojo Beat Imprint’s 10th Anniversary

San Francisco, CA – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, proudly partners with the 2015 Anime Expo to present manga creator Julietta Suzuki for her first-ever professional appearance outside Japan.

The 2015 Anime Expo is the largest dedicated anime convention held in North America and will take place July 2nd–5th, 2015 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles. Tickets and full details are available at: www.anime-expo.org. VIZ Media will be located on the main convention floor in Booth #811.

Julietta Suzuki is the creator of the acclaimed shojo manga (graphic novel) series, KAMISAMA KISS. During Anime Expo, she will participate in an informative panel discussion and appear for a pair of autograph sessions. She also will be among the artists to have original manga artwork prominently displayed in the VIZ Media booth to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the company’s Shojo Beat imprint. Copies of KAMISAMA KISS (Vols. 1 & 18) will be available for purchase in the VIZ Media booth as well.

VIZ Media booth visitors also are invited to spin the Shojo Beat Prize Wheel for a chance to win KAMISAMA KISS collectables from Japan!

Julietta Suzuki VIZ Media/Anime Expo Panels & Special Events Include:

Friday, July 3rd
4:30PM - Autograph Session (Anime Expo Autograph Area)

Meet manga artist Julietta Suzuki and get a special FREE signed art card (shikishi). Tickets will be distributed at 8AM in the morning from the Anime Expo Autograph Ticket Booth in West Hall.

Saturday, July 4th
11:10AM - Autograph Session (Anime Expo Autograph Area)

Meet manga artist Julietta Suzuki and get a special FREE personally signed art card (shikishi). Tickets will be distributed at 8AM in the morning from the Anime Expo Autograph Ticket Booth in West Hall.

2:00pm – 3:00pm - Julietta Suzuki Panel Discussion (Petree Hall / LP2)

Anime Expo attendees are invited to join VIZ Media for a special conversation with Julietta Suzuki and learn more about her beginnings as an manga artist and creator, her creative process and her experience publishing with VIZ Media’s Shojo Beat imprint.  Five lucky attendees will also get a chance to attend a tea party with Suzuki immediately after the panel!

Fans also can check Shojo Beat’s social media channels for additional information in coming weeks:

§  twitter.com/shojobeat
§  facebook.com/OfficialShojoBeat
§  officialshojobeat.tumblr.com
§  facebook.com/OfficialVIZMedia

“KAMISAMA KISS is the divine comedy that has captivated legions of shojo manga fans in North America, and we are honored to welcome Julietta Suzuki for a very special series of appearances at Anime Expo,” says Pancha Diaz, Editor. “This will be an extraordinary opportunity to learn more about her career, interests and influences and also meet the artist in a special signing session. Her appearance also provides a wonderful complement to mark an important milestone for our Shojo Beat imprint, and manga fans are invited to join us for what promises to be a truly memorable Anime Expo!”

Julietta Suzuki's debut manga Hoshi ni Naru Hi (The Day One Becomes a Star) appeared in 2004 in the shojo manga magazine, Hana to Yume Plus. Her other notable releases include Akuma to Dolce (The Devil and Sweets), Karakuri Odette, and KAMISAMA KISS (Kamisama Hajimemashita), which is published by VIZ Media.

In KAMISAMA KISS (rated ‘T’ for Teens), Nanami Momozono is alone and homeless after her dad skips town to evade his gambling debts and the debt collectors kick her out of her apartment. So when a man she's just saved from a dog offers her his home, she jumps at the opportunity. But it turns out that his place is a shrine, and Nanami has unwittingly taken over his job as a local deity! Nanami has all kinds of new responsibilities she doesn't understand, dangers she's unaware of, and a cranky ex-familiar who's...actually pretty hot. What's a new-fledged godling to do? The bestselling series is continuing in Japan, and Volume 18 debuts in print and digitally this month through VIZ Media’s Shojo Beat imprint.

For more information on Julietta Suzuki and other shojo manga titles published by VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.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 digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and ONE PIECE, 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.

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Jim Starlin, Mike Zeck Among Marvel Creators at Baltimore Comic-Con 2015

Marvel Creators at Baltimore Comic-Con 2015

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - VIP and General Admission Tickets are now available for the 2015 Baltimore Comic-Con, taking place the weekend of September 25-27, 2015 at the Baltimore Convention Center. Baltimore Comic-Con is proud to welcome Marvel talent to our 2015 show: John Beatty, Greg Pak, Tom Raney, Jim Starlin, and Mike Zeck.

Starting his art career at the early age of 15, John Beatty first began inking at AC Comics. After hunting down Marvel Editor-in-Chief (at the time), Jim Shooter, at a convention, he was offered the opportunity to come to New York and get a paid try-out. Fortunately for Beatty, this worked out well, as he went on to spend 20 years working at DC and Marvel Comics on titles like Batman, JLA, The Adventures of Superman, Captain America, The Punisher, and Secret Wars. His recent work includes The Remaining original graphic novel by Kingstone Comics, and contributions to Hero Initiative projects including The Uncanny X-Men 100 Project and The Hellboy 100 Project.

Comics writer (and Rhodes Scholar) Greg Pak has been responsible for much-lauded runs on titles like Marvel's Incredible Hulk ("Planet Hulk" and "World War Hulk"), Incredible Hercules, X-Men: Magneto Testament, and Red Skull, Dynamite Entertainment's Battlestar Galactica, Valiant's Eternal Warrior, and Aspen's Dead Man's Run. He has been named Wizard Magazine's Breakout Talent of the Year, and his stories and characters have won numerous publication accolades as well. You can read Pak's latest work on Marvel's Storm, DC Comics' Action Comics and Superman/Batman, and Dynamite Entertainment's Turok, Dinosaur Hunter.

Tom Raney has spent much of his career working for the mid- to large-size publishers in the comics industry. A graduate of the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art, he has contributed to Marvel's Ultimate Universe, Valiant's relaunched titles, and Dark Horse Comics' Star Wars among many other titles and publishers. In recent history, his artwork can be seen within the pages of DC Comics' Threshold, Marvel's Incredible Hulk, and Titan Comics' Monster Massacre hardcover collection, and you can find his current work on Marvel's Avengers Vs., and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and Inferno, and DC's Injustice: Gods Among Us Year Four.

The multi-talented Jim Starlin has worked on both writing and creating art for some of the most noteworthy creations since his entry into the field of comics in the 1970s. The mind behind the Marvel character Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu, he is also responsible for a number of noteworthy cosmic characters in the Marvel Universe, including Gamora, Drax the Destroyer, and the villainous Thanos, all of whom were featured Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy feature motion picture. He developed noteworthy runs on Marvel's Captain Marvel, Warlock, and Silver Surfer, Marvel mini-series Infinity Gauntlet, Infinity War, and Infinity Crusade, and DC Comics' Batman, The Weird, and Cosmic Odyssey. His Death of Captain Marvel was the first Marvel graphic novel to be published. More recently, he has provided writing and art for DC's Stormwatch and writing on Green Lantern: Mongul #23.2, and he returned to his classic villain with Marvel's Thanos: The Infinity Revelation and Thanos: The Infinity Relativity.

Mike Zeck began his storied career in comics with Charlton Comics with their animation-related line of titles before moving to Marvel Comics to leave an indelible mark. Zeck provided art to unforgettable characters and titles such as 1987's "Kraven's Last Hunt" in the Spider-Man titles, "Circle of Blood" in The Punisher, and the classic Secret Wars featuring Zeck's design on the classic black costume for Spider-Man (and later adopted by Venom). Zeck's work has graced the pages and covers of Aquaman, Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight, Green Lantern, G.I. Joe, G.I. Joe: Special Missions, Lobo, Deathstroke The Terminator, The Eliminator, and too many titles to mention here. His creator-owned project Damned recently appeared from BOOM! Studios, and his work is featured in IDW's Mike Zeck's Classic Marvel Stories Artist's Edition.

"We are so privileged to have all five of these creators joining us this year," said Marc Nathan, promoter of the Baltimore Comic-Con. "Beatty and Zeck are touring together in honor of the 30th anniversary of Secret Wars, Starlin's characters have come to life in a big way on the big screen with Guardians of the Galaxy, and Pak and Raney continue to contribute in a huge way to Marvel and other publishers as well. It's Pak and Beatty's first year with us, we're thrilled to have Zeck back a second year in a row, and we know our fans won't want to miss this entire group of talent!"

TICKETS

General Admission and VIP Package tickets for Weekend, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, as well as the Harvey Awards, are now on sale! Visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com/tickets/ for more information and to purchase your advanced tickets now, and as always, kids 10 and under get into the show free with a paid adult General Admission!

In the coming weeks, look for more announcements from the Baltimore Comic-Con. We are looking forward to highlighting our guests, the Harvey Awards, industry exclusives, and programming. The latest developments can always be found on our website, Twitter, and Facebook pages.

Contact Information:

Please use the following e-mail addresses to contact the Baltimore Comic-Con:
press@baltimorecomiccon.com - for any general press inquiries or to be added to our PR distribution
promoter@baltimorecomiccon.com - for requesting exhibitor, publisher, and Artist Alley applications
registrar@baltimorecomiccon.com - for inquiries about submitted registrations
harveys@baltimorecomiccon.com- for the Harvey Awards ceremony and banquet
general@baltimorecomiccon.com- for general Baltimore Comic-Con inquiries

About The Baltimore Comic-Con
The Baltimore Comic-Con is celebrating its 15th year of bringing the comic book industry to the Baltimore and Washington D.C. area. For more information, please visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com.

About The Harvey Awards
The Harvey Awards are one of the comic book industry's oldest and most respected awards. With a history of over 20 years, the last 10 in conjunction with the Baltimore Comic-Con, the Harveys recognize outstanding achievements in over 20 categories. They are the only industry awards nominated and selected by the full body of comic book professionals. For more information, please visit www.harveyawards.org.

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