Superman Writer, Gene Luen Yang, Named National Ambassador for Young People's Lit

Gene Luen Yang Named 5th National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, 2016–2017

Yang Champions Diversity in All Forms and Reading for Non-Readers with his Platform, “Reading Without Walls”

New York, NY — The Children’s Book Council (CBC), Every Child a Reader (ECAR), and the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress (CFB) have announced the appointment of Gene Luen Yang, Printz Award winner and two-time National Book Award finalist, as National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. The program was established by the three organizations in 2008 to highlight the importance of young people’s literature as it relates to lifelong literacy, education, and the development and betterment of the lives of young people. Yang will travel nationwide over the course of his two-year term promoting his platform, “Reading Without Walls,” showing kids and teens that reading is a vital part of their lives, and speaking to parents, teachers, librarians—everyone invested in young people’s literacy—about how better to connect with kids and teens and help them love reading. Yang succeeds beloved and esteemed authors Jon Scieszka (2008–2009), Katherine Paterson (2010–2011), Walter Dean Myers (2012–2013), and Kate DiCamillo (2014–2015) in the position. Gene Luen Yang is the first-ever graphic novelist to be named National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature.

The inauguration ceremony, presided by acting Librarian of Congress David S. Mao and featuring both Yang and DiCamillo, will take place on Thursday, January 7, 2016, at 11 a.m. in room LJ-119 of the Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington D.C. The event is open to the public; no tickets are required.

“I’m thrilled and humbled to be appointed National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. Reading breaks down the walls that divide us. By reading, we get to know people outside of our own communities. We gain knowledge others don’t expect us to have. We discover new and surprising passions. Reading is critical to our growth, both as individuals and as a society. The Children's Book Council, Every Child a Reader, and Library of Congress all empower people by getting them to read. I'm honored to take up that mission myself and to carry on the amazing work of the ambassadors before me,” said Gene Luen Yang.

“Gene Yang is a talented writer. He is a brilliant artist. His stories are thought-provoking, genre-bending, utterly original examinations of the human heart. In short, Gene Yang is a Renaissance man. I am so honored to pass the torch of this sacred task to Gene. No one is better suited for bringing us all together,” said Kate DiCamillo, two-time Newbery Award winner and National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Emeritus.

“What an inspired choice the selection committee has made in Gene. He is a brilliant storyteller who makes meaningful and profound connections with readers of all ages. And he has been a de facto ambassador for reading, inclusion, and graphic novels for years. I can’t think of anyone better than Gene to break down the walls stopping people from becoming lifelong lovers of reading,” said Jon Yaged, President & Publisher of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group.

Jon Colman, Executive Director of the CBC added, “We couldn’t be more pleased with the selection of Gene Luen Yang as the next ambassador. He embodies everything that we look for in this position and we can’t think of a more fitting person to be representing young people’s literature over the next two years.”

“We are thrilled that Gene Luen Yang has agreed to be the new National Ambassador for Young People's Literature,” said John Y. Cole, director of the Center for the Book, which administers the ambassador program with the Children’s Book Council. “Gene’s message of inclusion and acceptance of all people is especially relevant today. The Library of Congress looks forward to the next two years of Gene’s promotion of reading and literacy among young people.”

The National Ambassador is selected for: his or her contributions to young people’s literature, the ability to relate to kids and teens, and a dedication to fostering children’s literacy as a whole. The selection is based on recommendations from a CBC-ECAR-CFB-appointed committee comprising educators, librarians, booksellers, and children’s literature experts.

The members of the selection committee for the 2016–2017 ambassadorship were:

●     Betsy Bird, Collection Development Manager of Evanston Public Library

●     Shelley M. Diaz, Senior Editor, Reviews at School Library Journal

●     Kate DiCamillo, Newbery Medal–winning author, National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, 2014-15

●     Jonathan Hunt, Coordinator of Library Media Services at the San Diego County Office of Education

●     Kimberly L. Jones, Store Manager at Little Shop of Stories, Decatur, GA

●     Deborah Taylor, Coordinator of School and Student Services at Enoch Pratt Free Library

●     Lisa Von Drasek, Curator of the Children’s Literature Research Collections at University of Minnesota Libraries

The National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature program is administered by Every Child a Reader. Financial support for the National Ambassador Program in 2016 is provided by HarperCollins Children’s Books, Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, Penguin Young Readers Group, Random House Children’s Books, Scholastic, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, and the Lois Lenski Covey Foundation.

For more information about the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, visit read.gov/cfb/ambassador/.


About Gene Luen Yang
Gene Luen Yang began drawing comic books in the fifth grade; he began making comics professionally over fifteen years ago. In 2006, his graphic novel American Born Chinese (Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group/First Second Books) became the first graphic novel to be a finalist for a National Book Award and the first to win the American Library Association’s Printz Award. It also won an Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album. In 2013, Boxers & Saints (Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group/First Second Books), his two-volume graphic novel about the Boxer Rebellion, was a National Book Award finalist and won the L.A. Times Book Prize. Gene has also won an Eisner for The Eternal Smile, a collaboration with Derek Kirk Kim. He is the author of the Secret Coders series (with artist Mike Holmes) and has written for the hit comics Avatar: The Last Airbender and Superman. Yang lives in the San Francisco Bay area. Learn more at geneyang.com.

About the Children’s Book Council (CBC)
The Children’s Book Council, established in 1945, is the nonprofit trade association of children’s book publishers in North America, dedicated to supporting the industry and promoting children’s books and reading. The CBC offers children’s publishers the opportunity to work together on issues of importance to the industry at large, including educational programming, literacy advocacy, and collaborations with other national organizations. Please visit cbcbooks.org for more information.

About Every Child a Reader (ECAR)
Every Child a Reader is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to instilling a lifelong love of reading in children. ECAR administers programs including Children’s Book Week, the annual celebration of books and reading, and the longest-running national literacy initiative in the country; the Children’s Choice Book Awards, the only national book awards program where the winning titles are selected by kids and teens of all ages; and the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Program. Please visit cbcbooks.org/about/every-child-a-reader/ for more information.

About the Library of Congress and the Center for the Book (CFB)
Since its creation by Congress in 1977 to “stimulate public interest in books and reading,” the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress has become a major national force for reading and literacy promotion. A public-private partnership, it sponsors educational programs that reach readers of all ages, nationally and internationally. The Center provides leadership for affiliated state centers for the book (including the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands) and nonprofit reading promotion partners and plays a key role in the Library’s annual National Book Festival. It also oversees the Library’s Read.gov website and administers the Library’s Young Readers Center and its Poetry and Literature Center. Visit Read.gov/cfb to learn more.

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2015 Central Ohio Film Critics Association Award Nominations - Complete List

The Central Ohio Film Critics Association (COFCA) was founded in 2002 and is made up of film critics based in Columbus, Ohio, and the surrounding areas.  Its membership currently consists of more than 21 print, radio, television, and new media critics.  Each January, COFCA votes on a number of awards, recognizing excellence in the film industry.

The nominees for the 2015 Central Ohio Film Critics Awards were announced Sunday, January 3, 2016.

2015 / 14th Central Ohio Film Critics Association Award nominations:

Best Film
-The Big Short
-Ex Machina
-Inside Out
-Mad Max: Fury Road
-The Martian
-The Revenant
-Room
-Sicario
-Spotlight
-Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens

Best Director
-Alejandro González Iñárritu, The Revenant
-Todd Haynes, Carol
-Tom McCarthy, Spotlight
-George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road
-Ridley Scott, The Martian
-Denis Villeneuve, Sicario

Best Actor
-Matt Damon, The Martian
-Johnny Depp, Black Mass
-Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
-Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
-Jacob Tremblay, Room

Best Actress
-Cate Blanchett, Carol
-Brie Larson, Room
-Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn
-Charlize Theron, Mad Max: Fury Road
-Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl

Best Supporting Actor
-Benicio Del Toro, Sicario
-Tom Hardy, The Revenant
-Oscar Isaac, Ex Machina
-Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight
-Sylvester Stallone, Creed

Best Supporting Actress
-Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight
-Rooney Mara, Carol
-Rachel McAdams, Spotlight
-Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina
-Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs

Best Ensemble
-The Big Short
-Ex Machina
-The Hateful Eight
-Spotlight
-Steve Jobs

Actor of the Year (for an exemplary body of work)
-Cate Blanchett (Carol, Cinderella, and Truth)
-Michael Fassbender (Macbeth, Slow West, and Steve Jobs)
-Domhnall Gleeson (Brooklyn, Ex Machina, The Revenant, and Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens)
-Tom Hardy (Child 44, Legend, Mad Max: Fury Road, and The Revenant)
-Alicia Vikander (Burnt, The Danish Girl, Ex Machina, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Seventh Son, and Testament of Youth)

Breakthrough Film Artist
-Sean Baker, Tangerine – (for producing, directing, screenwriting, film editing, cinematography, camera operation, and casting)
-Joel Edgerton, The Gift – (for producing, directing, and screenwriting)
-David Robert Mitchell, It Follows – (for producing, directing, and screenwriting)
-Daisy Ridley, Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens – (for acting)
-Jacob Tremblay, Room – (for acting)
-Alicia Vikander, Burnt, The Danish Girl, Ex Machina, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Seventh Son, and Testament of Youth – (for acting)

Best Cinematography
-Roger Deakins, Sicario
-Emmanuel Lubezki, The Revenant
-Robert Richardson, The Hateful Eight
-John Seale, Mad Max: Fury Road
-Dariusz Wolski, The Martian

Best Film Editing
-Maryann Brandon and Mary Jo Markey, Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens
-Tom McArdle, Spotlight
-Stephen Mirrione, The Revenant
-Margaret Sixel, Mad Max: Fury Road
-Joe Walker, Sicario

Best Adapted Screenplay
-Emma Donoghue, Room
-Drew Goddard, The Martian
-Nick Hornby, Brooklyn
-Charles Randolph and Adam McKay, The Big Short
-Aaron Sorkin, Steve Jobs

Best Original Screenplay
-Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve, and Josh Cooley, Inside Out
-Alex Garland, Ex Machina
-Taylor Sheridan, Sicario
-Josh Singer and Tom McCarthy, Spotlight
-Quentin Tarantino, The Hateful Eight

Best Score
-Carter Burwell, Carol
-Michael Giacchino, Inside Out
-Jóhann Jóhannsson, Sicario
-Junkie XL, Mad Max: Fury Road
-Ennio Morricone, The Hateful Eight

Best Documentary
-Amy
-Best of Enemies
-Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief
-The Look of Silence
-The Wolfpack

Best Foreign Language Film
-The Assassin (Nie yin niang) – from Taiwan, China, Hong Kong
-Goodnight Mommy (Ich seh, ich sech) – from Austria
-Phoenix – from Germany
-The Tribe (Plemya) – from Ukraine and Netherlands
-Timbuktu – from France and Mauritania
-Wild Tales (Relatos salvajes) – from Argentina and Spain

Best Animated Film
-Anomalisa
-The Good Dinosaur
-Inside Out
-The Peanuts Movie
-Shaun the Sheep Movie

Best Overlooked Film
-The End of the Tour
-The Gift
-Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
-Mistress America
-Slow West
-The Tribe (Plemya)

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Austin Film Critics Name "Mad Max: Fury Road" Best Film of 2015

The Austin Film Critics Association describes itself as a group dedicated to supporting the best in film, whether at the international, national, or local level.  Members of the AFCA contribute to such publications and outlets as Ain’t It Cool News, the Austin American-Statesman, the Austin Chronicle, The Daily Texan, DVDActive, Fandango, Film School Rejects, FirstShowing.net, KOOP Radio, Movies.com, among others.

The AFCA announced its 2015 awards winners, Top 10 films of the 2015, and special awards on Tuesday, December 29, 2015.

2015 Austin Film Critics Association Awards winners:

Best Film: Mad Max: Fury Road (dir: George Miller)

Best Director: George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Actor: Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs

Best Actress: Brie Larson, Room

Best Supporting Actor: Sylvester Stallone, Creed
Best Supporting Actress: Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina
Best Original Screenplay: Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve, Josh Cooley, Inside Out
Best Adapted Screenplay: Emma Donoghue, Room
Best Cinematography: Edward Lachman, Carol
Best Score: Ennio Morricone, The Hateful Eight
Best Foreign-Language Film: Son of Saul (dir: László Nemes)
Best Documentary: The Look of Silence (dir: Joshua Oppenheimer)
Best Animated Film: Inside Out (dir: Pete Docter)
Best First Film: Ex Machina (dir: Alex Garland)

The Robert R. “Bobby” McCurdy Memorial Breakthrough Artist Award: Jacob Tremblay, Room
Austin Film Award: Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter (dir: David Zellner)

Special Honorary Award: Austin-based writer/animator Don Hertzfeldt in celebration of a career of remarkable short filmmaking and contributions to animation spanning two decades, with 2015’s award-winning “World of Tomorrow” being recognized as his best work to date

AFCA 2015 Top Ten Films:

1. Mad Max: Fury Road
2. Spotlight
3. Carol
4. Anomalisa
5. Room
6. TIE: Ex Machina and Inside Out
8. Creed
9. The Big Short
10. Sicario

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43rd Annie Award Nominations - Complete List

ASIFA-Hollywood, the Los Angeles, California branch of the International Animated Film Society, presents the Annie Awards.  The Annie honors achievements in animation as a whole, including current animated productions, as well as career and lifetime achievements.  These awards were created in 1972 by veteran voice talent, June Foray.

On Tuesday, December 1, 2015, ASIFA-Hollywood announced nominations for the 43rd Annual Annie Awards, recognizing the year 2015's best in the field of animation.  The Annie Awards cover 36 categories and include Best Animated Feature, Best Animated Special Production, Commercials, Short Subjects, and Outstanding Individual Achievements.  The winners will be announced at a black tie ceremony on Saturday, February 6, 2016 at UCLA’s Royce Hall.  A pre-reception and press line begins at 5:00 pm with the awards ceremony following at 7:00 pm.  A post-show celebration begins immediately following the ceremony, and all events will be held at Royce Hall.

The “Juried Awards” honoring career achievement and exceptional contributions to animation, will also be presented.  Three “Winsor McCay” recipients have been selected by the ASIFA-Hollywood Board of Directors, and they are Joe Ranft, Phil Roman, and Isao Takahata for their career contributions to the art of animation.  The “June Foray Award” goes to Don Hahn for his significant and benevolent or charitable impact on the art and industry of animation.

2016/43rd Annie Awards nominations:

PRODUCTION CATEGORIES

Best Animated Feature

•     Anomalisa - Paramount Pictures
•     Inside Out - Pixar Animation Studios
•     Shaun the Sheep The Movie - Aardman Animations
•     The Good Dinosaur - Pixar Animation Studios
•     The Peanuts Movie - Blue Sky Studios, Twentieth Century Fox Animation

Best Animated Special Production

•     Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas - Warner Bros. Animation
•     He Named Me Malala - Parkes-MacDonald / Little Door
•     I Am A Witness - Moonbot Studios
•     Kite - Epic Games
•     Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck - End of Movie, LLC
•     Niko and the Sword of Light - Titmouse, Inc. / Amazon Studios

Best Animated Short Subject

•     Carface - National Film Board of Canada
•     DISSONANCE - frameboX
•     If I was God - National Film Board of Canada
•     On Ice - Google/Evil Eye Pictures
•     Sanjay's Super Team - Pixar Animation Studios
•     World of Tomorrow - Don Hertzfeldt

Best Animated Television/Broadcast Commercial

•     Chex Party Mix: "Holiday Magic" - Stoopid Buddy Stoodios
•     Man and Dog - Psyop
•     Michelin Total Performance: "All the Performances In Every Tire" - Moonbot Studios
•     We Are All Farmers - Acme Filmworks

Best Animated Television/Broadcast Production For Preschool Children

•     Bubble Guppies - Episode: 326 - "Super Guppies!" - Nickelodeon Nelvana
•     PAW Patrol - Episode: 213, Pups Save A MerPup -Spin Master Nickelodeon
•     Peter Rabbit - Episode: 216 - The Kitten and Pig Adventure - Nickelodeon Productions Silvergate Media
•     Sheriff Callie's Wild West - Episode: #201A "The Good, the Bad & the Yo-Yo" - Wild Canary Animation / Disney Junior
•     Transformers Rescue Bots - Episode: "I Have Heard The Robots Singing" - Hasbro Studios
•     Tumble Leaf - Episode: Mirror - Amazon Studios and Bix Pix Entertainment

Best Animated Television/Broadcast Production For Children

•     Clarence - Episode: Turtle Hats - Cartoon Network
•     Gravity Falls - Episode: Not What He Seems - Disney Television Animation
•     Harvey Beaks - Episode: A Day of No To-Do - Nickelodeon
•     Sanjay & Craig - Episode: Street Dogg - Nickelodeon
•     Star vs. the Forces of Evil - Episode: Blood Moon Ball - Disney Television Animation
•     Steven Universe - Episode: Jail Break - Cartoon Network Studios
•     Wander Over Yonder - Episode: The Breakfast - Disney Television Animation

Best General Audience Animated Television/Broadcast Production

•     Bob's Burgers - Episode: Can't Buy Me Math - Twentieth Century Fox Television Bento Box Entertainment
•     BoJack Horseman - Episode: Brand New Couch - The Tornante Company
•     Moonbeam City - Episode: Quest for Aquatica - Titmouse, Inc. / Comedy Central
•     The Simpsons - Episode: Halloween of Horror - Gracie Films in Association with 20th Century Fox Television

Best Animated Feature-Independent

•     Boy and the World - Filme de Papel
•     Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet - Ventanarosa
•     The Boy and the Beast - Studio Chizu
•     When Marnie Was There - Studio Ghibli

Best Student Film

•     Can I Stay? - Ringling College
•     Dodoba - Yon Hui Lee
•     ed - Taha Neyestani
•     Life Smartphone - Xie Chenglin
•     Mother - Stephanie Chiew
•     Nice To Meeteor You - Yizhou Li
•     Shift - Maria Cecilia Puglesi
•     The Casebook of Nips & Porkington - Melody Wang

INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT CATEGORIES___________________

Outstanding Achievement, Animated Effects in an Animated Production

•     Home - DreamWorks Animation - Effects Lead: Greg Gladstone, Effects Lead: Tim Hoff, Effects Lead: Mark Newport, Effects Lead: Jason Rickwald, Effects Lead: Stephen Wood
•     Hotel Transylvania 2 - Sony Pictures Animation - Character Effects Supervisor: Chris Logan, Character Effects Supervisor: Brian Casper, Character Effects Lead: Gavin Baxter, Character Effects Lead: William Eckroat
•     Inside Out - Pixar Animation Studios - Effects Artist: Amit Baadkar, Effects Artist: Dave Hale, Effects Artist: Vincent Serritella, Second Unit & Crowds Animation, Supervisor: Paul Mendoza
•     Minions - Illumination Entertainment - Computer Graphic Supervisor: Frank Baradat, Computer Graphic Supervisor: Antonin Seydoux, Effects Supervisor: Milo Riccarand, Lighting & Composite Supervisor: Nicolas Brack
•     The Good Dinosaur - Pixar Animation Studios - Effects Supervisor: Jon Reisch, Effects Lead: Stephen Marshall
•     Volumetric Clouds Architect: Magnus Wrenninge, Development & Effects Artist: Michael Hall, Effects Technical Lead: Michael K. O'Brien
•     The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water - Paramount Animation - Effects Animation Supervisor: Brice Mallier, FX Animation Supervisor: Paul Buckley, FX Animator: Brent Droog, FX Animator: Alex Whyte, Lead FX Animator: Jonothan Freisler

Outstanding Achievement, Animated Effects in a Live Action Production

•     Jurassic World - Animated Effects - Universal Studios / Legendary Pictures - Effects TD Supervisor: Raul Essig,
•     Digital Artist: Roman Schmidt, Digital Artist: Mark Chataway, Digital Artist: Ryan Hopkins
•     Marvel's Avengers : Age of Ultron – Sokovia Destruction - Marvel Studios - Creature Sim Supervisor: Michael Balog, Creature Simulation Lead: Jim Van Allen, Effects Simulation Supervisor: Florent Andorra, Effects Lead: Georg Kaltenbrunner
•     Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials - Gotham Group 20th Century Fox - FX Supervisor: Ronnie Menahem, CG Supervisor: Pavani Rao Boddapati, Lighting TD: Francois Sugny, Models: Leslie Chan, FX TD: Nicolas Petit
•     The Hobbit : The Battle of the Five Armies - New Line Cinema Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) - WingNut Films 3Foot7, FX Supervisor: Ronnie Menahem, Lead FX TD: Brian Goodwin, FX Supervisor: Jason Lazaroff, Senior Environment Artist: Paul Harris, Lead Modeller: James Ogle

Outstanding Achievement, Character Animation in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production

•     Dragons: Race to the Edge - Episode: "Have Dragon Will Travel, Part 2" - DreamWorks Animation Television, Lead Animator: Yong-Zhi Sun, Character: Heather, Windshear, Astrid, Hiccup
•     Dragons: Race to the Edge - Episode: "Have Dragon Will Travel, Part 1" - DreamWorks Animation Television, Character Animator: Chi-Ho Chan, Character: Heather, Windshear, Dagur, Savage, Hiccup, Toothless, Berserkers
•     Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas - Episode: Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas - Screen Novelties Warner Bros Animation, Character Animator: Alfonso Estrada, Character: Buddy, Jovie
•     Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas - Episode: Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas - Screen Novelties Warner Bros Animation, Character Animator: Scott Daros, Character: Buddy, Jovie, Fake Santa #1, fake santas
•     Peter Rabbit - Episode: 216 - The Kitten and Pig Adventure - Nickelodeon Productions Silvergate Media, Character Animator: Maurizio Parimbelli, Character: Peter, Benjamin, Lily, Mittens, Pig Robinson, Ducklings
•     Turbo FAST - Episode: "Turboldly Go" - DreamWorks Animation Television, Character Animator: Ryan MacNeil
•     Character: Smoove Move, Chet, Incidental, Characters, EFX
•     Wander Over Yonder - Episode: The Good Bad Guy - Disney Television Animation, Character Animator: Justin Nichols, Character: Lord Hater

Outstanding Achievement, Character Animation in a Feature Production

•     Home - DreamWorks Animation - Animation Supervisor: Mark Donald, Character: Various
•     Inside Out - Pixar Animation Studios - Animator: Allison Rutland, Character: All Characters
•     Inside Out - Pixar Animation Studios - Animator: Travis Hathaway, Character: All Characters
•     Minions - Illumination Entertainment - Animator: Hichem Arfaoui, Character: Herb & Scarlet Overkill, Kevin, Stuart & Bob
•     The Good Dinosaur - Pixar Animation Studios - Animator: Mark C. Harris, Character: All Characters
•     The Good Dinosaur - Pixar Animation Studios - Animator: K.C. Roeyer, Character: All Characters
•     The Peanut s Movie - Blue Sky Studios, Twentieth Century Fox Animation - Lead Animator: BJ Crawford, Character: Multiple Characters

Outstanding Achievement, Character Animation in a Live Action Production

•     Jurassic World – Indominus Rex - Universal Studios / Legendary Pictures - VFX Animation Supervisor: Glen McIntosh, Associate Animation Supervisor: Kevin Martel, Lead Animator: Kyle Winkelman, Digital Artist: Rodrick Fransham, Creature Supervisor: Kaori Ogino
•     Marvel's Avengers : Age of Ultron – The Hulk - Marvel Studios - Assoc. Animation Supervisor: Jakub Pistecky, Animator: Gang Trinh, Animator: Craig Penn, Lead Animator: Mickael Coedel, Lead Animator : Yair Gutierrez
•     Marvel's Avengers : Age of Ultron – Ultron - Marvel Studios - Lead Animator: Peter Tan, Animator: Boon Yik Lim,
•     Animator: Sachio Nishiyama, Animator: Byounghee Cho, Animator: Roy Tan
•     The Hobbit : The Battle of the Five Armies - AZOG - New Line Cinema Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) - WingNut Films 3Foot7, Animation Supervisor: Aaron Gilman, Senior Facial Modeller: Howard Sly, Lead Animator: Matthew Riordan, Creature TD: Kevin Kelm, Lead Shader TD: Guillaume Francois
•     The Hobbit : The Battle of the Five Armies - SMAUG - New Line Cinema Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) - WingNut Films 3Foot7, Animation Supervisor: David Clayton, Creature Supervisor: Gios Johnston, Senior Modeller: Andreja Vuckovic, Lead Shader TD: Guillaume Francois, Senior Animator: Daniel Zettl
•     The Revenant – The Bear - Regency Enterprises, New Regency Pictures, Anonymous Content, M Productions, Appian Way, RatPac-Dune Entertainment - Animation Supervisor: Matthew Shumway, Lead Digital Artist: Adrian Millington, Digital Artist: Blaine Toderian, Digital Artist: Alexander Poei, Digital Artist: Kevin Lan

Outstanding Achievement, Character Animation in a Video Game

•     Armikrog - Pencil Test Studios, Inc. - Lead Animator: Mike Dietz Character: All Characters
•     Evolve - 2K Games - Character Animator: David Gibson, Character: Daisy, Goliath, Kraken
•     Invisible, Inc. - Klei Entertainment Inc. - Character Animator: Bruce Chang, Character: Decker, Central, Nika, Guards

Outstanding Achievement, Character Design in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production

•     Breadwinners - Episode: Wrath of the Pizza Lord - Nickelodeon in association with Titmouse Canada
•     Animation, Inc. - Character Designer: Junpei Takayama, Character: DuckBuhdeuce Pizza Winner A, DuckSwaySway Pizza Winner A, Mushroom, Worker A, Onion Worker A, Pepperoni Worker A, Pizza Lord A, Pizza Lord, Mechanical Arms A, Pizza Lord Muscle A, Pizza Lord Fat A, Pizza Lord Small A, Spider A
•     Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas - Episode: Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas - Screen Novelties Warner Bros Animation, Character Designer: Craig Kellman, Character: Buddy, Jovie, Walter Hobbs, Michael Hobbs, Mr. Greenway, Chadwick & Matthews, Santa Claus, Background Characters
•     Harvey Beaks - Episode: Night Club Night - Nickelodeon - Character Designer: David Tilton Character:
•     Harvey in Club Suit Harvey in Leotard Club, Dance Circle Bouncer Club Incidentals, Bunny Protest DJ Dade on Sugar Techno, Bear in Club Outfit Jeremy as Bartender, Irving in Apron Miriam in Apron
•     Pickle and Peanut - Episode: Swim Lessons - Disney Television Animation - Lead Character Design: Tapan Gandhi, Character: Multiple
•     Pig Goat Banana Cricket - Episode: Pig Goat Banana Cricket High Five! - Nickelodeon
•     Co-Creator: Dave Cooper Character: Pig, Goat, Banana, Cricket, Captain Sassafras, Mr. Manelli, Dog Cart, Picklemart Mascot, Shragger, Rasta Rat, Love Comet, Burgerstein, Junior Ranger, Sneezy, Butt Monster Angel,  Dog Cart, Babies, Design Supervisor: Mike Dougherty, Character: Incidental Store Clerk 0001, Incidental Animal 0049, Sludge Monster, Character Designer: Jennifer Wood, Character: Clerk McGirk I, Adult 0011, Kid
•     0012, Kid 0008, Adult 0037, Adult 0010, Animal 0052, Prince Mermeow, Animal 0031, Animal 0025, Animal 0016, Animal 0050, Animal 0008, Animal 000,2 Animal 0001, Animal 0007, Animal 0004, Animal 0003, Animal 0059, Animal 0048, Animal 0006, & more, Character Designer: Steve Hirt Character: Junior Ranger Elephant
•     Pig Goat Banana Cricket - Episode: Miss Cutesy Meow Meows - Nickelodeon - Character Designer: Gordon Hammond, Character: Incidental Scientist Crowd, Treehouse Bot Incidental Cab Driver, Character Designer: Steve Hirt Character: Pig in Picklemart Uniform Psychopath, Giraffe Pigeon Workers Movie Director Clam, Blaster Player 2 President of Planet as Muscle Man Exquisite Frog Incidental Clown, Incidental Production Assistant
•     Character Designer: Jennifer Wood, Character: Mr. Manelli Goat in Swimwear, Art Director: Mike Dougherty Character: Monster Weasel Banana Bot Dr. Eggplant Face
•     The Mr. Peabody and Sherman Show - Episode: "New Sponsor/ Cleopatra" - DreamWorks Animation Television
•     Character Design Supervisor: Chris Mitchell, Character: Various, Character Designer: Keiko Murayama, Character: Various

Outstanding Achievement, Character Design in an Animated Feature Production

•     Hotel Transylvania 2 - Sony Pictures Animation - Character Designer: Craig Kellman, Character: Dennis, Dennis Bat, Vlad, Wuzzlelumplebum, Brandon, Linda, Mike, Johnny's sister, Character Design: Stephen DeStefano, Character: Kelsey, Cronies
•     Inside Out - Pixar Animation Studios - Character Art Director: Albert Lozano, Character: All Characters, Character Artist: Chris Sasaki Character: All Characters
•     Minions - Illumination Entertainment - Character Designer: Eric Guillon Character: Herb Overkill, Scarlet Overkill, Minions, Yeti
•     The Good Dinosaur - Pixar Animation Studios - Character Art Director: Matt Nolte Character: All Characters

Outstanding Achievement, Directing in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production

•     Archer - Episode: Edie's Wedding - FX Productions - Director: Bryan Fordney
•     Disney Mickey Mouse - Episode: Coned - Disney Television Animation - Director: Dave Wasson
•     Dragons : Race to the Edge - Episode: "Reign of Fireworms" - DreamWorks Animation Television, Director: TJ Sullivan
•     Elf: Buddy's Musical Chris tmas - Episode: Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas - Screen Novelties Warner Bros Animation - Director: Mark Caballero, Director: Seamus Walsh
•     Gravity Falls - Episode: Northwest Mansion Mystery - Disney Television Animation - Director: Matt Braly
•     Mickey Mouse - Episode: Bottle Shocked - Disney TVA - Director: Heiko Drengenberg
•     Pickle and Peanut - Episode: Pickle the Falcon Master - Disney Television Animation - Director: Ken Wong
•     Steven Universe - Episode: The Test - Cartoon Network Studios - Director: Ian Jones-Quartey

Outstanding Achievement, Directing in an Animated Feature Production

•     Anomalisa - Paramount Pictures - Director: Charlie Kaufman, Director: Duke Johnson
•     Extaordinary Tales - Melusine Productions and R&R Communications - Director: Raul Garcia
•     Inside Out - Pixar Animation Studios - Director: Pete Docter
•     Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet - Ventanarosa - Director: Roger Allers
•     Shaun the Sheep The Movie - Aardman Animations - Director: Mark Burton, Director: Richard Starzak
•     The Peanut s Movie - Blue Sky Studios, Twentieth Century Fox Animation - Director: Steve Martino
•     When Marnie Was There - Studio Ghibli - Director: Hiromasa Yonebayashi

Outstanding Achievement, Music in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production

•     Disney Mickey Mouse - Episode: ¡Feliz Cumpleaños! - Disney Television Animation - Composer: Christopher Willis
•     Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas - Episode: Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas - Screen Novelties Warner Bros Animation - Composer/Lyricist: Matthew Sklar, Composer/Lyricist: Christopher Guardino
•     Puffin Rock - Episode: Night Lights - Cartoon Saloon, Dog Ears, Penguin Books - Composer/Lyricist: Einar Tonsberg
•     Sanjay & Craig - Episode: Street Dogg - Nickelodeon - Lyricist: Nick Bachman, Lyricist: Neil Graf, Composer: Matt Mahaffey, Composer/Lyricist: Jonathan Hylander (Music Editor)
•     Sheriff Callie's Wild West - Episode: #201A "The Good, the Bad & the Yo-Yo" - Wild Canary Animation / Disney Junior - Composer/Lyricist: Mike Himelstein, Lyricist: Joe Ansolabehere, Composer: Mike Barnett, Mike Turner
•     The Venture Bros: All This And Gargantua-2 - Titmouse, Inc. / Adult Swim
•     Composer/Lyricist: J.G. Thirlwell
•     Wander Over Yonder - Episode: The Black Cube - Disney Television Animation - Composer: Andy Bean

Outstanding Achievement, Music in an Animated Feature Production

•     Anomalisa - Paramount Pictures - Composer: Carter Burwell
•     Batman Unlimited: Monster Mayhem - Warner Bros. Animation - Composer: Kevin Riepl
•     Boy and the World - Filme de Papel - Composer: Ruben Feffer, Composer: Gustavo Kurlat
•     Inside Out - Pixar Animation Studios - Composer: Michael Giacchino
•     The Good Dinosaur - Pixar Animation Studios - Composer: Mychael Danna, Composer: Jeff Danna

Outstanding Achievement, Production Design in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production

•     Dawn of t he Croods - Episode: "Garden of Eaten" - DreamWorks Animation Television - Production Design: Jonathan Pyun, Production Design: Aaron Spurgeon, Production Design: Baptiste Lucas, Production Design: Margaret Wuller, Production Design: Ethan Becker
•     Fresh Beat Band of Spies - Episode: 107, Singing Pirate - Nickelodeon Productions 6 Point 2 Nelvana - Production Design: Ernie Gilbert, Production Design: Kristin Donner, Production Design: Steve Meyers, Production Design: Fred Gardner, Production Design: David Cole
•     Gravity Falls - Episode: Xpcveaoqfoxso (Weirdmageddon) - Disney Television Animation - Production Design: Ian Worrel, Production Design: Jeffrey Thompson
•     Pig Goat Banana Cricket - Episode: Happy Chalawunga! - Nickelodeon - Production Design: Dave Cooper, Production Design: Mike Dougherty, Production Design: Francis Giglio
•     Pig Goat Banana Cricket - Episode: Prank Thy Neighbor - Nickelodeon - Production Design: Dave Cooper, Production Design: Mike Dougherty, Production Design: Francis Giglio
•     Puffin Rock - Episode: Night Lights - Cartoon Saloon, Dog Ears, Penguin Books - Production Design: Lily Bernard, Production Design: Marie Thorhauge, Production Design: Stefano Scapolan
•     The Mr. Peabody and Sherman Show - Episode: "Peabody's Parents/Galileo" - DreamWorks Animation Televsion - Production Design: Kevin Dart
•     Production Design: Sylvia Liu, Production Design: Chris Turnham, Production Design: Eastwood Wong

Outstanding Achievement, Production Design in an Animated Feature Production

•     Boy and the World - Filme de Papel - Production Design: Alê Abreu
•     He Named Me Malala - Parkes-MacDonald / Little Room - Production Design: Jason Carpenter
•     Home - DreamWorks Animation - Production Design: Emil Mitev
•     Inside Out - Pixar Animation Studios - Production Design: Ralph Eggleston
•     Minions - Illumination Entertainment - Production Design: Eric Guillon
•     Shaun the Sheep The Movie - Aardman Animations - Production Design: Matt Perry, Production Design: Gavin Lines
•     The Good Dinosaur - Pixar Animation Studios - Production Design: Harley Jessup, Production Design: Sharon Calahan, Production Design: Bryn Imagire, Production Design: Noah Klocek, Production Design: Huy Nguyen

Outstanding Achievement, Storyboarding in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production

•     Adventure Time - Episode: Walnuts & Rain - Cartoon Network Studios - Storyboard Artist: Tom Herpich
•     Disney Mickey Mouse - Episode: ¡Feliz Cumpleaños! - Disney Television Animation - Storyboard Artist: Alonso Ramirez Ramos
•     Dragons: Race to the Edge - Episode: Eye of the Beholder (Part 1 and 2) - Dreamworks Animation - Storyboard Artist: Heidi Jo Gilbert
•     Niko and the Sword of Light - Episode: (pilot) - Titmouse, Inc. / Amazon Studios - Storyboard Artist: Sung Jin Ahn, Storyboard Artist: Ben Juwono, Storyboard Artist: David Woo, Storyboard Artist: Donna Lee
•     Steven Universe - Episode: Jail Break - Cartoon Network Studios - Storyboard Artist: Joe Johnston, Storyboard Artist: Jeff Liu, Storyboard Artist: Rebecca Sugar
•     The Adventures of Puss in Boots - Episode: "Hidden" - DreamWorks Animation Television - Storyboard Artist: Ben Juwono
•     Wander Over Yonder - Episode: The Breakfast - Disney Television Animation - Storyboard Artist: Justin Nichols
•     We Bare Bears - Episode: Burrito - Cartoon Network Studios - Storyboard Artist: Madeline Sharafian, Storyboard Artist: Manny Hernandez, Storyboard Artist: Bert Youn

Outstanding Achievement, Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production

•     Extraordinary Tales - Melusine Productions and R&R Communications - Storyboard Artist: Antonio Santamaria
•     Hotel Transylvania 2 - Sony Pictures Animation - Storyboard Artist: Mike Smukavic
•     Inside Out - Pixar Animation Studios - Storyboard Artist: Tony Rosenast
•     Inside Out - Pixar Animation Studios - Storyboard Artist: Domee Shi
•     Minions - Illumination Entertainment - Storyboard Artist: Habib Louati
•     The Good Dinosaur - Pixar Animation Studios - Storyboard Artist: Bill Presing
•     The Good Dinosaur - Pixar Animation Studios - Storyboard Artist: Rosana Sullivan
•     The Good Dinosaur - Pixar Animation Studios - Storyboard Artist: J.P. Vine, Storyboard Artist: Tony Rosenast, Storyboard Artist: Enrico Casarosa

Outstanding Achievement, Voice Acting in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production

•     Bob's Burgers - Episode: Hawk & Chick - Twentieth Century Fox Television Bento Box Entertainment - Starring: Kristen Schaal Character: Louise, Belcher
•     Breadwinners - Episode: Movie Ducks - Nickelodeon in association with Titmouse Canada - Animation Inc.
•     Voiced By: Eric Bauza Character: Buhdeuce
•     Dawn of the Croods - Episode: "The First Picture Show", "School of Hard - Rocks" - DreamWorks Animation Television - "Lerk": Grey Griffin Character: Lerk
•     Dawn of t he Croods - Episode: "The First Picture Show," "Mom Genes" - DreamWorks Animation Television - "Amber": Laraine Newman Character: Amber
•     Pig Goat Banana Cricket - Episode: Underpants-Palooza - Nickelodeon - Voice Actor: Matt Jones Character: Pig
•     Star vs the Forces of Evil - Episode: Compilation from Series - Disney Television Animation - Alan Tudyk: Alan Tudyk Character: Ludo
•     The Adventures of Puss in Boots - Episode: Various - DreamWorks Animation Television - "Puss in Boots": Eric Bauza Character: Puss in Boots
•     Uncle Grandpa - Episode: Uncle Grandpa At The Movies - Cartoon Network Studios - Featured Voice: Kevin Michael Richardson, Character: Mr. Gus

Outstanding Achievement, Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production

•     Anomalisa - Paramount Pictures - Cast: Jennifer Jason Leigh Character: Lisa Hesselman
•     Inside Out - Pixar Animation Studios - Cast: Amy Poehler Character: Joy
•     Inside Out - Pixar Animation Studios - Cast: Phyllis Smith Character: Sadness
•     Minions - Illumination Entertainment - Cast: Pierre Coffin Character: The Minions
•     Minions - Illumination Entertainment - Cast: Jon Hamm Character: Herb Overkill
•     The Peanuts Movie - Blue Sky Studios, Twentieth Century Fox Animation - Linus: Alex Garfin Character: Linus
•     The Peanuts Movie - Blue Sky Studios, Twentieth Century Fox Animation - Lucy: Hadley Belle Miller Character: Lucy
•     The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water - Paramount Animation - Cast: Tom Kenny Character: SpongeBob

Outstanding Achievement, Writing in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production

•     Adventure Time - Episode: The Diary - Cartoon Network Studios - Writer: Kent Osborne, Writer: Pendleton Ward, Writer: Jack Pendarvis, Writer: Jillian Tamaki, Writer: Adam Muto
•     Bob's Burgers - Episode: The Hauntening - Twentieth Century Fox Television Bento Box Entertainment - Writer: Steven Davis, Writer: Kelvin Yu
•     Gravity Falls - Episode: Not What He Seems - Disney Television Animation - Writer: Alex Hirsch, Writer: Shion Takeuchi, Writer: Josh Weinstein, Writer: Jeff Rowe, Writer: Matt Chapman
•     The Simpsons - Episode: I Won't Be Home For Christmas - Gracie Films in Association with 20th Century Fox Television - Writer: Al Jean

Outstanding Achievement, Writing in an Animated Feature Production

•     Inside Out - Pixar Animation Studios - Writer: Pete Docter, Writer: Meg LeFauve, Writer: Josh Cooley
•     Shaun the Sheep The Movie - Aardman Animations - Writer: Mark Burton, Writer: Richard Starzak
•     When Marnie Was There - Studio Ghibli - Writers: Keiko Niwa, Masashi Ando & Hiromasa Yonebayashi

Outstanding Achievement, Editorial in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production

•     All Hail King Julien - Episode: "Body Double" - DreamWorks Animation Television - Nominee: David Craig, Nominee: Jeff Adams
•     Disney Mickey Mouse - Episode: Coned - Disney Television Animation - Nominee: Illya Owens
•     Dragons: Race to the Edge - Episode: "Dragon Eye of the Beholder, Part 1" - DreamWorks Animation Television - Nominee: John Laus
•     Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas - Episode: Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas - Screen Novelties Warner Bros Animation - Nominee: Mike Wright
•     Lost Treasure Hunt - Episode: Columbus Voyage Revisited - Argosy Film Group - Nominee: Nolan Southerland, Nominee: William Kessler, Nominee: Benjamin Rush
•     Phineas and Ferb - Episode: Last Day of Summer - Disney Television Animation - Nominee: Anne Harting, Nominee: Shawn LeMonnier, Nominee: Lauren Crist, Nominee: Carmen Woods
•     Star vs the Forces of Evil - Episode: Storm the Castle - Disney Television Animation - Nominee: Ted Supa

Outstanding Achievement, Editorial in an Animated Feature Production

•     Anomalisa - Paramount Pictures - Nominee: Garret Elkins
•     Inside Out - Pixar Animation Studios - Nominee: Kevin Nolting
•     Kahlil Gibran's T he Prophet - Ventanarosa - Nominees: Jennifer Dolce & Ernesto Matamoros
•     Shaun the Sheep The Movie - Aardman Animations - Nominee: Sim Evan-Jones

JURIED AWARDS__________________________________

Winsor McCay Award –  for their career contributions to the art of animation

    Joe Ranft
    Phil Roman
    Isao Takahata

June Foray Award –  for their significant and benevolent or charitable impact on the art and industry of animation

    Don Hahn

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San Diego Film Critics Name "Mad Max: Fury Road" Best Picture of 2015

The members of the San Diego Film Critics Society write and/or broadcast for a San Diego County based outlet. The society’s mission statement is “to provide diverse critical opinion about movies, advance film education and awareness, and recognize excellence in cinema.”

2015 San Diego Film Critics Award winners were announced December 14, 2015.

San Diego Film Critics Society Top Films of 2015 awards:

Best Picture: MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

Runner Up: EX MACHINA

Best Director: George Miller, MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

Runner Up: Lenny Abrahamson, ROOM

Best Actor, Male: Leonardo DiCaprio, THE REVENANT

Runner Up: Jason Segel, THE END OF THE TOUR

Best Actor, Female: Brie Larson, ROOM

Runner Up: Charlize Theron, MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

Best Supporting Actor, Male: Tom Noonan, ANOMALISA

Runner Up: Oscar Isaac, EX MACHINA

Best Supporting Actor, Female: Jennifer Jason Leigh, THE HATEFUL EIGHT

Runner Up: Kristen Stewart, CLOUDS OF SILS MARIA

Best Original Screenplay: Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi, WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS

Runner Up: Noah Baumbach, Greta Gerwig, MISTRESS AMERICA

Best Adapted Screenplay: Emma Donoghue, ROOM

Runner Up: Donald Margulies, THE END OF THE TOUR

Best Documentary: CARTEL LAND

Runner Up: AMY

Best Animated Film: ANOMALISA

Runner Up: INSIDE OUT

Best Foreign Language Film: TAXI (Iran)

Runner Up: WHITE GOD (Hungary)

Best Editing: Margaret Sixel, Jason Ballantine MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

Runner Up: Joe Walker, SICARIO

Best Cinematography: Roger Deakins, SICARIO

Runner Up: Emmanuel Lubezki, THE REVENANT

Best Production Design: Francois Seguin, BROOKLYN

Runner Up: Colin Gibson, MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

Best Sound Design: MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

Runner Up: LOVE & MERCY

Best Visual Effects: THE WALK

Runner Up: MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

Best Use Of Music In A Film: THE HATEFUL EIGHT

Runner Up: LOVE & MERCY

Breakthrough Artist: Jacob Tremblay, ROOM

Runner Up: Alicia Vikander, THE DANISH GIRL, EX MACHINA

Best Ensemble: WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS

Runner Up: THE HATEFUL EIGHT

Body of Work: Alicia Vikander, THE DANISH GIRL, EX MACHINA, THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E., BURNT

Kyle Counts: Ralph DeLauro

[Kyle Counts was a San Diego film critic, and the award named for him is given to a person for contributions made to film in San Diego.]

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Image Comics' "Monstress" Still on a Rampage

MONSTRESS CONTINUES TO DOMINATE

First and second issues of new dark fantasy series from Liu and Takeda fast-tracked for third and second printings

New York Times bestselling author Marjorie Liu (Astonishing X-Men, Black Widow) and artist Sana Takeda (X-23, Ms. Marvel) launched their new fantasy adventure to early critical acclaim and have taken the comics industry by storm. Image Comics is pleased to announce that issues #1 and #2 are being fast-tracked for third and second printings, respectively, to keep up with the high customer demand.

Vox.com calls MONSTRESS “a world that is as heinous as it is dazzling” while The Hollywood Reporter says it is “full of hidden depths.” The Onion’s A.V. Club calls attention to a “sense of in-between-ness—the book neither traditionally Western nor manga, paced like a novel but drawn like a comic—[that] makes for an incredibly intriguing read.”

Steampunk meets Kaiju in MONSTRESS, an original fantasy epic for mature readers. Young Maika risks everything to control her psychic link with a monster of tremendous power, placing her in the center of a devastating war between human and otherworldly forces. “Watching a series like Monstress come to life is one of the best parts of publishing comics,” said Eric Stephenson, Publisher at Image Comics. “Marjorie and Sana are both amazing talents and everyone here is so excited that all their hard work is resulting such a warm response from fans around the world.”

MONSTRESS #1 and #2 remain available for purchase across all digital platforms, including the Image Comics website (imagecomics.com), the official Image Comics iOS app, Comixology’s website (comixology.com), iOS, Android, and Google Play.

MONSTRESS #1, third printing (Diamond Code NOV158340) and MONSTRESS #2, second printing (Diamond Code NOV158341) will arrive in stores on Wednesday, January 27th. Final order cutoff deadline for comics retailers is Monday, January 4th, 2016.

MONSTRESS #3 (Diamond Code NOV150620) hits stores on Wednesday, January 20th, 2016.


ABOUT MARJORIE LIU
New York Times bestselling and award-winning writer Marjorie Liu is best known for her fiction and comic books. She teaches comic book writing at MIT, and she leads a class on Popular Fiction at the Voices of Our Nation (VONA) workshop.

Ms. Liu is a highly celebrated comic book writer. Her extensive work with Marvel includes the bestselling Dark Wolverine series, NYX: No Way Home, X-23, and Black Widow: The Name of the Rose. She received national media attention for Astonishing X-Men, which featured the gay wedding of X-Man Northstar and was subsequently nominated for a GLAAD Media Award for outstanding media images of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Ms. Liu also wrote the story for the animated film, Avengers Confidential: Black Widow and Punisher, which was produced by Marvel, Sony Pictures Entertainment (Japan) Inc., and Madhouse Inc.

Her newest work is MONSTRESS, an original, creator-owned comic book series with Japanese artist (and X-23 collaborator) Sana Takeda. Published by Image in Fall 2015, MONSTRESS is set in an alternate, matriarchal 1920’s Asia and follows a girl’s struggle to survive the trauma of war. With a cast of girls and monsters and set against a richly imagined aesthetic of art deco-inflected steampunk, MONSTRESS #1 debuted to critical praise. The Hollywood Reporter remarked that the longer than typical first issue was “world-building on a scale rare in mainstream comics.”

Ms. Liu is also the author of more than 19 novels, most notably the urban fantasy series, Hunter Kiss, and the paranormal romance series, Dirk & Steele. Her novels have also been bestsellers on USA Today, which described Liu “as imaginative as she is prolific.” Her critically praised fiction has twice received the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, for THE MORTAL BONE (Hunter Kiss #6), and TIGER EYE (Dirk & Steele #1). TIGER EYE was the basis for a bestselling paranormal romance video game called Tiger Eye: Curse of the Riddle Box.

Liu has appeared on MSNBC, CNN, MTV, and been profiled in the Wall Street Journal.com, Hollywood Reporter, and USA Today. She is a frequent lecturer and guest speaker, appearing on panels at San Diego Comic Con, the Tokyo Literary Festival, the New York Times Public Lecture series, Geeks Out; and the Asian American Writers Workshop. Her work has been published internationally, including Germany, France, Japan, Poland, and the United Kingdom.

Ms. Liu was born in Philadelphia, and has lived in numerous cities in the Midwest and Beijing. Prior to writing full-time, she was a lawyer. She currently resides in Boston.

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

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2015 San Diego Film Critics Society Award Nominations - Complete List

The members of the San Diego Film Critics Society write and/or broadcast for a San Diego County based outlet. The society’s mission statement is “to provide diverse critical opinion about movies, advance film education and awareness, and recognize excellence in cinema.”

2015 San Diego Film Critics Award nominations were announced December 11, 2015.

San Diego Film Critics Society Top Films of 2015 nominees:

Best Picture

EX MACHINA

BROOKLYN

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

ROOM

SPOTLIGHT

Best Director

George Miller, MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

John Crowley, BROOKLYN

Lenny Abrahamson, ROOM

Tom McCarthy, SPOTLIGHT

Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, THE REVENANT

Best Actor, Male

Leonardo DiCaprio, THE REVENANT

Jason Segel, THE END OF THE TOUR

Matt Damon, THE MARTIAN

Bryan Cranston, TRUMBO

Jacob Tremblay, ROOM

Best Actor, Female

Saoirse Ronan, BROOKLYN

Brie Larson, ROOM

Charlotte Rampling, 45 YEARS

Charlize Theron, MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

Alicia Vikander, EX MACHINA

Best Supporting Actor, Male

Mark Rylance, BRIDGE OF SPIES

Tom Noonan, ANOMALISA

Oscar Isaac, EX MACHINA

Paul Dano, LOVE & MERCY

RJ Cyler, ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL

Best Supporting Actor, Female

Alicia Vikander, THE DANISH GIRL

Jennifer Jason Leigh, THE HATEFUL EIGHT

Helen Mirren, TRUMBO

Kristen Stewart, CLOUDS OF SILS MARIA

Olivia Cooke, ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL

Best Original Screenplay

Noah Baumbach, Greta Gerwig, MISTRESS AMERICA

Alex Garland, EX MACHINA

Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi, WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS

Quentin Tarantino, THE HATEFUL EIGHT

Tom McCarthy, Josh Singer, SPOTLIGHT

Best Adapted Screenplay

Nick Hornby, BROOKLYN

Emma Donoghue, ROOM

Charlie Kaufman, ANOMALISA

Donald Margulies, THE END OF THE TOUR

Drew Goddard, Andy Weir THE MARTIAN

Best Documentary

AMY

HE NAMED ME MALALA

CARTEL LAND

MERU

THE WRECKING CREW

Best Animated Film

INSIDE OUT

ANOMALISA

SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE

THE GOOD DINOSAUR

THE PEANUTS MOVIE

Best Foreign Language Film
PHOENIX (Germany)
TAXI (Iran)
WHITE GOD (Hungary)
A PIGEON SAT ON A BRANCH REFLECTING ON EXISTENCE (Sweden, Norway, France, Germany)
GOODNIGHT MOMMY (Austria)

Best Editing

Margaret Sixel, Jason Ballantine MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

Joe Walker, SICARIO

Pietro Scalia, THE MARTIAN

Michael Kahn, BRIDGE OF SPIES

Nathan Nugent, ROOM

Stephen Mirrione, THE REVENANT

Best Cinematography

Roger Deakins, SICARIO

Yves Belanger, BROOKLYN

Dariuz Wolski, THE MARTIAN

John Seale, MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

Emmanuel Lubezki, THE REVENANT

Best Production Design

Colin Gibson, MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

Mark Digby, EX MACHINA

Arthur Max, THE MARTIAN

Francois Seguin, BROOKLYN

Adam Stockhausen, BRIDGE OF SPIES

Best Sound Design

THE MARTIAN

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

EX MACHINA

SICARIO

LOVE & MERCY

Best Visual Effects

THE MARTIAN

EX MACHINA

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

THE WALK

JURASSIC WORLD

Best Use Of Music In A Film

THE HATEFUL EIGHT

LOVE & MERCY

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

SICARIO

STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON

Breakthrough Artist

Alicia Vikander, THE DANISH GIRL, EX MACHINA

Jacob Tremblay, ROOM

Emory Cohen, BROOKLYN

Abraham Attah, BEASTS OF NO NATION

Sean S. Baker, TANGERINE

Best Ensemble

SPOTLIGHT

THE HATEFUL EIGHT

STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON

INSIDE OUT

THE BIG SHORT

WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS

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