VIZ Media Goes to "School Judgment: Gakkyu Hotei"

VIZ MEDIA LAUNCHES THE COURTROOM MANGA DRAMA SCHOOL JUDGMENT: GAKKYU HOTEI

New Thriller By The Artist Of DEATH NOTE And BAKUMAN。 Straight From The Pages Of WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP

Launches In Print And Digitally Next Month

San Francisco, CA – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, delivers tense courtroom drama straight from the pages of WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP as it announces the launch of SCHOOL JUDGMENT: GAKKYU HOTEI on February 2nd, 2016.

The new series was created by writer Nobuaki Enoki and Takeshi Obata, the famed manga artist who achieved international acclaim for the hit series DEATH NOTE, BAKUMAN。and ALL YOU NEED IS KILL (all published by VIZ Media). SCHOOL JUDGMENT: GAKKYU HOTEI will debut in print under the Shonen Jump imprint and will carry an MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN. The series also launches digitally on February 2nd via VIZManga.com and the VIZ Manga App, as well as from the Nook, Kobo, Kindle, iBooks, comiXology, and GooglePlay stores. New volumes will be published three times a year.

SCHOOL JUDGMENT: GAKKYU HOTEI is set at Tenbin Elementary, where there is only one way to settle a dispute – in a court of law! All quarrels bypass the teachers and are settled by some of the best lawyers in the country…who also happen to be elementary school students. In the opening volume of the series, the accused this time is a boy named Tento. His crime? The murder of a beloved member of the classroom! Luckily for him, the state has sent him a defense attorney–Abaku Inugami. But is this wild young lawyer skilled enough to get his client off the hook?

“SCHOOL JUDGMENT was rated as one of the most successful manga series based on reader surveys from WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP’s Jump Start initiative,” says Marlene First, Editor. “Takeshi Obata’s detailed and riveting artwork is the perfect vehicle to bring Nobuaki Enoki’s courtroom drama to life. Don’t miss the launch next month of this new thriller!”

Manga writer Nobuaki Enoki received the Jump Treasure New Cartoonist Prize in April 2009 for his work, Rikuou. School Judgment: Gakkyu Hotei was his first work to be serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump in Japan and it also appears in the digital English edition published by VIZ Media.

Takeshi Obata first achieved international recognition as the artist of the wildly popular Weekly Shonen Jump title, HIKARU NO GO, which won the 2003 Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize: Shinsei "New Hope" Award and the 2000 Shogakukan Manga Award. He went on to illustrate the smash hit supernatural crime thriller, DEATH NOTE, as well as the hugely successful manga BAKUMAN。 and ALL YOU NEED IS KILL.

For additional information on SCHOOL JUDGMENT: GAKKYU HOTEI or other 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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Indiana Film Critics Pick "Spotlight" Best Film of 2015

The Indiana Film Journalist Association (IFJA) is a film critics’ organization only formed in December 2009.  It seeks to promote film criticism in the state of Indiana and also gives out its annual awards in December.

The full list of 2015 Indiana Film Journalist Association Awards:

Best Film
Winner: "Spotlight"
Runner-up: "Room"

Other Finalists (listed alphabetically):
"Anomalisa"
"The Big Short"
"Carol"
"The End of the Tour"
"Mad Max: Fury Road"
"The Martian"
"Steve Jobs"
"Straight Outta Compton"

Best Animated Feature
Winner: "Anomalisa"
Runner-Up: "Inside Out "

Best Foreign Language Film
Winner: "Son of Saul"
Runner-Up: "Goodnight Mommy"

Best Documentary
Winner: "Amy"
Runner-Up: "Meru"

Best Original Screenplay
Winner: Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer, "Spotlight"
Runner-up: Matt Charman, Joel & Ethan Coen, "Bridge of Spies"

Best Adapted Screenplay
Winner: Emma Donoghue, "Room"
Runner-up: Adam McKay and Charles Randolph, "The Big Short"

Best Director
Winner: George Miller, "Mad Max: Fury Road"
Runner-up: Tom McCarthy, "Spotlight"

Best Actress
Winner: Brie Larson, "Room"
Runner-up: Charlotte Rampling, "45 Years"

Best Supporting Actress
Winner: Greta Gerwig, "Mistress America"
Runner-up: Elizabeth Banks, "Love & Mercy"

Best Actor
Winner: Jacob Tremblay, "Room"
Runner-up: Jason Segel, "The End of the Tour"

Best Supporting Actor
Winner: Mark Ruffalo, "Spotlight"
Runner-up: Idris Elba, "Beasts of No Nation"

Best Vocal/Motion Capture Performance
Winner: Phyllis Smith, "Inside Out"
Runner-up: Tom Noonan, "Anomalisa"

Best Musical Score
Winner: Junkie XL, "Mad Max: Fury Road"
Runner-up: Disasterpeace, "It Follows"

Original Vision Award
Winner: "Anomalisa"
Runner-up: "Chi-Raq"

The Hoosier Award
Winner: Angelo Pizzo, writer/director/producer

(As a special award, no runner-up is declared in this category.)

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Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Name "Spotlight" Best Picture of the Year

The Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association is also known as the DFW Film Critics Association.  The group describes itself as a not-for-profit, unincorporated voluntary organization of print, broadcast and internet film critics based in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area and greater North Texas who meet its membership criteria.  The DFW Film Critics Association currently consists of 31 broadcast, print, and online journalists from throughout North Texas.

The Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association 2015 / 22nd Annual Critics’ Poll:

Best Picture:
Spotlight (director — Tom McCarthy)

Best Animated Feature:
Inside Out (director — Pete Docter)

Best Foreign Language Film:
Son of Saul (Hungary)

Best Documentary:
Amy

Best Director:
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (The Revenant)

Best Actor:
Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant)

Best Actress:
Brie Larson (Room)

Best Supporting Actor:
Paul Dano (Love and Mercy)

Best Supporting Actress:
Rooney Mara (Carol)

Best Screenplay:
Spotlight (Josh Singer, TomMcCarthy)

Best Cinematography:
Emmanuel Lubezki (The Revenant)

Best Musical Score:
The Revenant (Bryce Dessner, Carsten Nicolai and Ryûichi Sakamoto)

Russell Smith Award (named for the late Dallas Morning News film critic. The honor is given annually to the best low-budget or cutting-edge independent film.)
Tangerine (director — Sean Baker)

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Image Comics Announces "Black Road" from Brian Wood and Gary Brown

BLACK ROAD LEADS READERS DOWN A DARK PATH

An all-new series from Brian Wood and Garry Brown

Bestselling writer Brian Wood (STARVE, Northlanders) and artists Gary Brown (The Massive, Catwoman) and Dave McCaig (Batman, American Vampire) team up for the all-new, ongoing Viking tale in BLACK ROAD, which was first announced during last year’s Image Expo and will be launching from Image Comics this April.

In BLACK ROAD #1, readers meet Magnus the Black—neither clean nor sober, neither Christian nor Pagan—but a man true to his word. When a ranking official under his care is brutally murdered, he’s prepared to hunt the killers to the frozen tip of Norway, religious war be damned.

“With Northlanders I went strictly historical,” said Wood. “But here we’re creating this almost heightened take on the Viking times, where Christian conversion was more like a military occupation, with churches dotting the landscape like green zones and there’s this highway of death heading forever northwards…. this is the Black Road. Anything, and everything, can happen on the cold road north.”

Wood first described Magnus The Black at Image Expo, calling him “a creaky fellow who suffers the boot of daily life but shows his steel where and when it counts.” But Wood later added onto the character’s description: “[He’s] a skeptic of the highest sort but operating with a very strong personal moral code. He’s suffered tremendously in his life, but keeps moving forward, keeps pushing on like an inexorable force of nature.”

“It's been a thrill to work on the book,” said Brown. “Drawing the environments and characters has been really rewarding. Plus working with Brian on a grim Viking book has been excellent. I'm excited for it to hit the stands.”

BLACK ROAD #1 (Diamond Code FEB160460) will hit comic book stores on Wednesday, April 13th, 2016. The final order cutoff deadline for comic book retailers is Monday, March 21st, 2016.


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.

Norman Lear, Shonda Rhimes Bring "America Divided" to EPIX

EPIX Announces ‘America Divided’, a Provocative New Documentary Series That Examines the Greatest Social Crisis Facing America Today – Inequality

Executive Producers — Norman Lear, Common and Shonda Rhimes

Featuring Common, America Ferrera, Zach Galifianakis, Norman Lear, Amy Poehler, Peter Sarsgaard and Jesse Williams

NEW YORK & MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Premium TV network EPIX® announced at the NATPE Conference in Miami the launch of an ambitious new Original Documentary series on inequality, America Divided. Created by Solly Granatstein, Lucian Read, and Richard Rowley, with executive producers Norman Lear, Common and Shonda Rhimes, and produced by Divided Films in association with RadicalMedia, America Divided will uncover dramatic untold stories illustrating how record levels of inequality are undermining the American dream. America Divided will make its World Television Premiere on EPIX in Fall 2016 in the run-up to the presidential election.

    “The promise of the American dream was a united country where everyone is treated equal”

“EPIX is committed to presenting thought-provoking documentaries that deal head-on with hot-button topics that affect our society,” said Mark S. Greenberg, CEO & President of EPIX. “America Divided is a nonpartisan investigation of the key issues shaping the presidential campaign, and we are confident our viewers will find each episode compelling and accessible.”

“This series cuts to the heart of the inequality crisis, exploring life-and-death struggles around the economic, social and political divide,” said the show creators. “Our aim is to expose the damage extreme inequality inflicts on all Americans, reveal its systemic causes, and celebrate real-world heroes fighting for solutions.”

America Divided will feature high-profile correspondents exploring aspects of inequality related to their own biographies. Oscar®-winning hip-hop artist Common returns to his hometown of Chicago — ground zero for disparities in the criminal justice system. Emmy®- and Golden Globe®-winning actress America Ferrera travels to Texas to witness battles around access to the ballot and healthcare for poor women. Actor and comedian Zach Galifianakis investigates the political landscape in his home state of North Carolina and considers how it’s emblematic of the country's deepening political divide during the 2016 campaign. Legendary TV producer Norman Lear, an original member of the Television Academy Hall of Fame, reports on the housing crisis in New York — from people who have no homes to luxury apartments purposely kept vacant. Actress and producer Amy Poehler witnesses the complex challenges faced by domestic workers who maintain an intimate relationship with the families that employ them while also struggling for better conditions. Actor and activist Peter Sarsgaard explores the addiction crisis ravaging a heartland beset by unemployment and the shuttering of America’s factories. And, “Grey’s Anatomy” star and former teacher Jesse Williams goes back to the classroom and becomes immersed in the battle to fix inequality in education.

“Addressing the ramifications of inequality, is hugely important to me,” said executive producer and correspondent Common. “The more we explore the subject and build a dialog around the issues, the more we can do to create change.”

“Foremost among the Founding Fathers’ promises was equality under the law,” reflected Norman Lear, who is also serving as an executive producer and correspondent. “It's up to us to help them keep their promise."

“The promise of the American dream was a united country where everyone is treated equal,” said executive producer Shonda Rhimes. “That promise has clearly been broken; all you have to do is look around to see that our reality has been built on the back of inequality. It's my hope that this series will inspire audiences to be part of a change that leads us into a stronger, more equal future.”

America Divided, an EPIX Original Documentary series, is executive produced by Solly Granatstein (“Years Of Living Dangerously,” “60 Minutes”), Lucian Read (“Years of Living Dangerously,” 99%), Richard Rowley (Dirty Wars, “Years of Living Dangerously”), Norman Lear (“All in the Family,” “Maude”), Common (Selma, John Wick 2), Shonda Rhimes (“Grey’s Anatomy,” “Scandal”) Jon Kamen (The Fog of War, Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory), Justin Wilkes (What Happened, Miss Simone?, Under African Skies) and Dave O’Connor (Whitey: The United States v. James J. Bulger, You Don’t Know Bo). Nicole Dow and Derek Dudley (Freedom Road Productions), and Brent Miller (Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You) are co-executive producers. Solly Granatstein, Lucian Read and Richard Rowley also serve as directors. Rebecca Teitel and Jesse Williams (Senior Producer, Farword Films) are senior producers. Abby Ellis and Leah Thomas are producers. Mark S. Greenberg, Jocelyn Diaz, Ross Bernard and Jill Burkhart are executive producers for EPIX.


About EPIX
EPIX is a premium movie and original programming entertainment network delivering the latest movie releases, classic film franchises, original documentaries, comedy and music events on TV, on demand, online and on digital devices. Launched in October 2009, EPIX has pioneered the development and proliferation of “TV Everywhere.” It was the first premium network to provide multi-platform access to its content online at EPIX.com and to launch on Xbox, PlayStation®, Android phones and tablets, and Roku® players. EPIX is also available across Chromecast, Apple® iPhones® and iPads®, Android TV and more and is the only premium service providing all its programming on all platforms, delivering more movies than any other premium network, with thousands of titles available for streaming.

EPIX is a joint venture between Viacom Inc., its Paramount Pictures unit, Lionsgate and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM). Through relationships with cable, satellite and telco partners, EPIX is available to over 50 million homes nationwide. For more information about EPIX, go to www.EPIX.com. Follow EPIX on Twitter @EpixHD (http://www.twitter.com/EpixHD) and on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/EPIX), YouTube (http://youtube.com/EPIX), Instagram (http://instagram.com/EPIX), Google+ (http://plus.google.com/+EPIX), Pinterest (http://pinterest.com/EPIX) and Vine (https://vine.co/EPIX).

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Mark Waid, Kurt Busiek Headed to Wizard World Portland 2016

Kurt Busiek, Mark Waid, Jim Valentino, Dean Haspiel Headline Artist Alley At Wizard World Comic Con Portland, February 19-21

Miguel Sepulveda, Bob Camp, Steve Lieber, Tom Cook, Michael Golden, Arthur Suydam, Phil Ortiz Also Among Superstar Artists And Writers At Oregon Convention Center

Portland, Oregon – Eisner Award winners Kurt Busiek (“Astro City,” “Superman”), Mark Waid (“Irredeemable,” “Kingdom Come”), Dean Haspiel  (TV show - “Bored to Death” “Billy Dogma”), and Steve Lieber (“Detective Comics,” “Hawkman”), as well as standouts Bob Camp (“Ren and Stimpy”), Mark Kistler (PBS Television, “The Secret City”), Miguel Sepulveda (“Green Lantern,” “Red Lanterns”), Tom Cook (“He-Man,” “Superfriends”), Michael Golden (“Batman,” “Spider-Man”), Arthur Suydam (“Marvel Zombies” “Army of Darkness”) and Phil Ortiz (“The Simpsons,” “Muppet Babies”) are among the leading comics artists and writers scheduled to attend Wizard World Comic Con Portland, February 19-21, 2016. It is the fourth visit to the Oregon Convention Center for Wizard World, Inc. (OTCBB: WIZD) and the second event on the 2016 Wizard World Comic Con calendar.

Other superstars in Artist Alley in Portland include Rob Liefeld (“Deadpool”), Simon Fraser (“2000AD,” “Judge Dredd”), Marat Mychaels (“Grifter,” “Deadpool Corp”), Keith Tucker (Roger Rabbit,” “Rescue Rangers”), Rebekah Isaacs (“Angel & Faith,” “DV8: Gods and Monsters”), Dennis O’Neil (“Batman,” “Superman”), Genese Davis (“The Holder’s Dominion”), James O’Barr (“The Crow”), Colleen Houck (“Tiger’s Curse,” “Fell”), Danny Fingeroth (“Spider-Man,” “Iron Man”), Barry Deutsch (“Hereville”), Stuart Sayger (“Infestation 2,” “30 Days of Night”) and many others.

Top celebrities attending the event include Matt Smith, Karen Gillan , Arthur Darvill, and Alex Kingston from “Doctor Who,” Jennifer Morrison (“Once Upon a Time,” Star Trek), John Barrowman (“Arrow,” “Torchwood”), William Shatner (“Star Trek,” “Boston Legal”), Mike Colter (“Jessica Jones”), Cassandra Peterson ("Elvira, Mistress of the Dark"), Elizabeth Henstridge (“Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D”), Tobin Bell (Saw franchise), Jewel Staite (“Firefly,” Serenity), James Marsters (“Buffy, the Vampire Slayer,” “Caprica”), Scott Wilson (“The Walking Dead”) and Chris 51 (“Epic Ink”) and more.

Wizard World Comic Con events bring together thousands of fans of all ages to celebrate the best in pop-fi, pop culture, movies, graphic novels, cosplay, comics, television, sci-fi, toys, video gaming, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more. Portland show hours are Friday, February 19, 2016, 3-8 p.m.; Saturday, February 20, 2016, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday, February 21, 2016, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Wizard World Comic Con Portland is also the place for cosplay, with fans young and old showing off their best costumes throughout the event. Fans dressed as every imaginable character – and some never before dreamed – will roam the convention floor and participate in the famed Wizard World Costume Contest on Saturday night.

For more on the 2016 Wizard World Comic Con Portland, visit http://wizd.me/PortlandPR.


About Wizard World (OTCBB: WIZD)
Wizard World, Inc. (www.wizardworld.com) produces Comic Cons and pop culture conventions across North America that celebrate the best in pop-fi, pop culture, movies, television, cosplay, comics, graphic novels, toys, video gaming, sci-fi, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more. A first-class lineup of topical programming takes place at each event, with celebrity Q&A's, comics-themed sessions, costume contests, movie screenings, evening parties and more. Wizard World has also launched Wizard World Store ( www.shopwizardworld.com), CONtv, a digital media channel in partnership with leading independent content distributor Cinedigm™ (NASDAQ: CIDM), and ComicConBox™ (www.comicconbox.com ), a premium subscription-based monthly box service. Fans can interact with Wizard World on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and other social media services.

The 2016 Wizard World Comic Con schedule is available at: www.wizardworld.com/wizcon.html.

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Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd, Adele to Perform at 58th Grammy Telecast

GRAMMY® Nominees Kendrick Lamar, Little Big Town, and The Weeknd to Perform on the 58th Annual GRAMMY Awards®

10-Time GRAMMY Winner Adele Returns to the GRAMMY Stage

Special Tribute to Honor GRAMMY Winner and MusiCares® Person of the Year Lionel Richie

Music's Biggest Night® — Hosted By LL COOL J — Airs Live On CBS, Feb. 15, 2016

SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The first round of performers for the 58th Annual GRAMMY Awards® telecast has been announced and includes two-time GRAMMY® winner and current 11-time nominee Kendrick Lamar, GRAMMY winners and current two-time nominees Little Big Town, current seven-time nominee The Weeknd, and 10-time GRAMMY winner Adele. A special tribute to 2016 MusiCares® Person of the Year, Lionel Richie, will highlight the GRAMMY winner's wide-ranging career. Entertainment icon and two-time GRAMMY winner LL COOL J is set to host Music's Biggest Night® for the fifth consecutive year. Taking place at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, the 58th Annual GRAMMY Awards will be broadcast live in HDTV and 5.1 surround sound on the CBS Television Network, Monday, Feb. 15, 2016, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. Additional performers will be announced shortly.

This year's top GRAMMY nominee, Lamar is up for Album Of The Year (To Pimp A Butterfly), Song Of The Year ("Alright"), Best Rap Performance ("Alright"), Best Rap Song ("All Day" and "Alright"), Best Rap Album (To Pimp A Butterfly), Best Pop Duo/Group Performance (with Taylor Swift for "Bad Blood"), Best Music Video ("Alright" and "Bad Blood"), Best Dance Recording (with Flying Lotus for "Never Catch Me"), and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration ("These Walls").

Nominated for two awards, Little Big Town will take the GRAMMY stage for the first time. The band is nominated for Best Country Duo/Group Performance ("Girl Crush") and Best Country Album (Pain Killer).

This year's GRAMMY telecast will also mark The Weeknd's debut GRAMMY performance. One of this year's most nominated artists, The Weeknd received seven nominations: Record Of The Year ("Can't Feel My Face"), Album Of The Year (Beauty Behind The Madness), Best Pop Solo Performance ("Can't Feel My Face"), Best R&B Performance, Best R&B Song, Best Song Written For Visual Media ("Earned It [Fifty Shades of Grey]"), and Best Urban Contemporary Album (Beauty Behind The Madness).

Returning to the GRAMMY stage after four years, GRAMMY winner Adele will perform a track from her current blockbuster album, 25.

The 58th Annual GRAMMY Awards are produced by AEG Ehrlich Ventures for The Recording Academy. Ken Ehrlich is executive producer, Louis J. Horvitz is director, and David Wild and Ehrlich are the writers.

For the latest news and content, follow the GRAMMY conversation on social:

Facebook: Facebook.com/theGRAMMYs
Twitter: @theGRAMMYs
Instagram: @thegrammys
Snapchat: thegrammys
Tumblr: thegrammys.tumblr.com
Vine: vine.co.theGRAMMYs
Cheat Tweet: .@theGRAMMYs announce @kendricklamar @theweeknd @littlebigtown @adele to perform at #GRAMMYs


About The Recording Academy
Established in 1957, The Recording Academy is an organization of musicians, songwriters, producers, engineers, and recording professionals dedicated to improving the cultural condition and quality of life for music and its makers. Internationally known for the GRAMMY Awards® — the preeminent peer-recognized award for musical excellence and the most credible brand in music — The Recording Academy is responsible for groundbreaking professional development, cultural enrichment, advocacy, education, and human services programs. The Academy continues to focus on its mission of recognizing musical excellence, advocating for the well-being of music makers and ensuring music remains an indelible part of our culture. For more information about The Academy, please visit www.grammy.com.

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