"Rocko's Modern Life" Returns in an Original One-Hour TV Special

Nickelodeon Brings Back Rocko’s Modern Life for Brand-New, Original One-Hour TV Special Based on the Classic ‘90s Hit Animated Series

Series’ Creator Joe Murray Serves as Executive Producer

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Marking its 25th anniversary of original creator-driven animation to the day and date, Nickelodeon today announces another reinvention of its library content: the greenlight of an original one-hour TV special based on its classic ‘90s hit, Rocko’s Modern Life. With Rocko’s original creator Joe Murray on board as executive producer, the animated Rocko's Modern Life TV special will bring back all the show’s classic characters and offer some surprising new takes on life in O-Town. Additional news of Rocko’s airdate and casting will be announced in the coming months.

    “Following our news about Hey Arnold! and Legends of the Hidden Temple, greenlighting a Rocko’s Modern Life TV special is another strong example of how we are bringing our library content back for both new audiences and the generation that grew up on them in the ‘90s”

"I'm very happy to be rejoining Rocko and my friends from O-Town again,” said creator and executive producer Joe Murray. “What I have found by bringing these characters back is that it's not so much about nostalgia, but a sense that they still feel relevant and fresh to me, and after twenty years, they can't wait to comment on modern life in the 21st century. They still have a lot to say."

Originally airing from 1993-1996, the animated Rocko’s Modern Life follows the adventures of an Australian wallaby named Rocko and his two companions, Heffer Wolfe and Filburt, through their adventures in their home of O-Town.

“Following our news about Hey Arnold! and Legends of the Hidden Temple, greenlighting a Rocko’s Modern Life TV special is another strong example of how we are bringing our library content back for both new audiences and the generation that grew up on them in the ‘90s,” said Chris Viscardi, SVP, Content Development, Nickelodeon Franchise Properties. “It’s a testament to the strength and appeal of these characters that so many people have loved Nick animation for these last 25 years, and we are excited to bring them back for new stories and adventures.”

Today’s Rocko’s greenlight news--25 years to the day of the original launch of the iconic Rugrats, The Ren & Stimpy Show and Doug—follows recent announcements of Nickelodeon bringing back its library content for today’s audiences. Coming in 2017 is Hey Arnold!: The Jungle Movie, a new, original TV movie that will feature a storyline picking up from where the original series ended in 2004, resolving unanswered questions and plotlines, including Arnold finally getting answers about the whereabouts of his missing parents.

This fall, Nickelodeon will premiere its Legends of the Hidden Temple original TV movie, an action-adventure movie based on its ‘90s game show of the same name. Drawing from the original show’s premise of kids competing to retrieve artifacts from a mysterious Mayan temple, the new action-adventure TV movie version will follow three siblings who embark on a high-stakes, life-or-death mission.

August 11 celebrates 25 years of original creator-driven animation for Nickelodeon, marking a significant milestone exemplifying decades of rich history and commitment to bringing fresh innovative content to kids and families around the world. Later this year, Nickelodeon will open up a 190,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art complex in Burbank, Calif., to serve as the West Coast hub for the network, housing the ever-growing number of animated and live-action series, TV movies, and award shows and events seen globally.

Nickelodeon, now in its 37th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon’s U.S. television network is seen in more than 90 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 20 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB).

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I Reads You Review: Chew Volume 1: Taster's Choice

CHEW, VOL. 1: TASTER'S CHOICE
IMAGE COMICS – @ImageComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: John Layman
ART: Rob Guillory
COLORS: Rob Guillory with Lisa Gonzales
LETTERS: John Layman
ISBN: 978-1-60706-159-5; paperback (April 2011 – second printing)
128pp, Colors, $9.99 U.S.

Chew created by John Layman and Rob Guillory

Chew is an ongoing comic book series from writer John Layman and artist Rob Guillory.  Published by Image Comics, Chew became an immediate hit, selling out, and earning critical acclaim.  By the end of its first two years of publication, the series had won two Will Eisner Comics Industry Awards (Eisners), including “Best New Series” (2010).

The first five issues of Chew are collected in the trade paperback, Chew, Vol. 1: Taster's Choice.  This first collection of the hit series includes, of course, Chew #1 (cover dated: June 2009), which introduces Philadelphia Police Department Detective Tony Chu, a cop with a weird secret.  Tony is “cibopathic,” which means that he can get psychic impressions from whatever he eats or tastes.

If he eats an apple, Tony sees images that can tell him about the tree from which the apple came, what pesticides were used on that tree, or even when that apple was harvested.  Or Tony can eat a hamburger, and the pictures that appear in his mind could be a replay of when the cow was… harvested.

In the world of Chew, poultry is illegal because chickens were blamed for a bird flu epidemic that killed 23 million people in the United States and 116 million worldwide.  Tony and his partner, John Colby, stumble upon a black market poultry operation.  By the end of it, Colby is grievously wounded and Tony commits a shocking act of cannibalism.  Tony is recruited by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (F.D.A.) to join its Special Crimes Division.  He is matched with a new partner, the loquacious Mason Savoy.  Suddenly, cannibalism is the least of Tony's problems.

Of the many things that work successful with Chew, I think the fact that Tony Chu's life becomes more complicated is probably what keeps the series fresh and hopping.  Writer John Layman shows off his imaginative and inventive sides, producing plots which reveal that things are both what they seem and not what they seem.  The expected and unexpected are fickle lovers with a bad sense of timing where Tony Chu is concerned.

Layman also gives Chew a wicked sense of humor that plays on cop fiction stereotypes – the by-the-book newcomer (Tony to the F.D.A.), the wise old bull of a partner (Mason Savoy), and the legion of criminal enterprises, street hoods, and assorted lowlifes.  Yet Layman's depiction of a world of government corruption, bureaucratic putrefaction, and institutional decay make Chew not only timely, but also timeless.  Chew is imaginative science fiction as a satire of our society for all seasons.

In artist Rob Guillory, Layman has found the proverbial perfect man.  I can imagine another artist drawing Chew, but I do not believe that anyone but Guillory could be the series' conceptual designer or its graphical storytelling guide.  Chew would not be Chew without Guillory anymore than Pixar would be what it is without John Lassetter.

I have revisited the beginning of Chew, so that I could start over and move onto what I have not read.  Unless it has experienced a tremendous fall-off, it is one of the best comic books of the past decade.

A

www.ChewComic.com
www.RobGuillory.com

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2016 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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SuBLime Manga Releases a New Yaoi Series, "Ten Count"

GLOBAL YAOI PUBLISHER SUBLIME LAUNCHES THE STEAMY THERAPIST-PATIENT ROMANCE TEN COUNT

The Hotly Awaited Psychological Tale Of Forbidden Love Between A Therapist And His Patient From Rihito Takarai

San Francisco, CA – SuBLime, the leading global English-language yaoi manga publisher, delivers summertime sizzle to readers with this story of forbidden love between a therapist and his patient in the new series TEN COUNT, now available.

This new title by creator Rihito Takarai is rated ‘M’ for Mature Readers and is available in print and digital formats. The print edition carries an MSRP of $12.99 U.S. / $14.99 CAN. The digital version carries an MSRP of $5.99 U.S. and offers readers two methods of digital access to the volume on SuBLimeManga.com – via a DRM-free downloadable PDF, viewable on any enabled eReader device and computer, as well as via the online manga viewer found on the SuBLime website.

In TEN COUNT, corporate secretary Shirotani suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder. One day he meets Kurose, a therapist who offers to take him through a ten-step program to cure him of his compulsion. But as the two go through each of the ten steps, Shirotani’s attraction to his counselor grows.

“This hotly awaited new series is going to heat up summer reading as its troubled protagonist falls for a therapist with a most unorthodox treatment,” says SuBLime Editor, Jennifer LeBlanc. “Creator Rihito Takarai is adored among yaoi fans. We are very excited to add her to the SuBLime catalog and look forward to her work reaching even more readers through this latest release.”

TEN COUNT is Rihito Takarai’s second English-language release, with her first being the now out-of-print Seven Days. She has also been published in French, Spanish, and German.

For up-to-date news and release information, please visit the SuBLime website at www.SuBLimeManga.com, or follow SuBLime on Twitter at @SuBLimeManga, on Facebook at facebook.com/SuBLimeManga, and on Tumblr at http://sublimemanga.tumblr.com.


About SuBLime
SuBLime is a global yaoi/boys’ love manga publisher presenting English-speaking fans everywhere with a broad selection of high quality titles. SuBLime offers titles digitally worldwide at www.SuBLimeManga.com, with many available in a Download-to-Own format, and selections in print also available in English-language editions worldwide.

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Amazon Announces a Documentary Series About Hugh Hefner, Founder of "Playboy"

Amazon Greenlights American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story for Prime Video

The Amazon Original Series draws from unprecedented access to more than 17,000 hours of footage and over 2,600 scrapbooks from Hefner’s personal archives, chronicling the life of an American icon and the history of the brand he created

In addition to streaming or downloading thousands of titles on Prime Video, Amazon Prime members enjoy fast, free shipping, unlimited access to more than a million songs with Prime Music, unlimited secure photo storage with Prime Photos, and more—customers can enjoy a free 30-day trial of Amazon Prime today

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(NASDAQ:AMZN)—Amazon today announced it has greenlit the Amazon Original Series, American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story. The docuseries combines archival footage, interviews and cinematic reenactments to tell the story of Playboy magazine’s charismatic founder Hugh Hefner and his impact on global culture and history. The 13-episode season will premiere exclusively on Amazon Prime Video in the US, UK, Germany, Austria and Japan in 2017, and be available via the Amazon Video app for TVs, connected devices including Fire TV, mobile devices and online at Amazon.com/originals. For a list of all Amazon Video compatible devices, visit www.amazon.com/howtostream.

    “I’m pleased that this docuseries will shed light on what has been an incredible journey and the voice Playboy has had in the discussion of our ever-changing culture. Just as importantly, my hope is that it will inspire others to pursue their dreams.”

Produced by Stephen David Entertainment and Alta Loma Entertainment, American Playboy begins in post-war America and takes us through the launch of Playboy magazine in 1953 and the next six decades of Hefner’s life and career. As he built his empire, Hefner became both a social justice advocate and a target of the conservative movement, battling with the FBI and J. Edgar Hoover while becoming an outspoken defender of civil rights. With unprecedented access to more than 17,000 hours of never-before-seen footage from the Playboy archives and Hefner’s personal scrapbooks (which number more than 2,600 and constitute a Guinness World Record), American Playboy will be the Hugh Hefner story in his own words. The 90-year-old Hefner has been deeply involved in the development and production of American Playboy, imbuing the series with rich first-person accounts and never-before-told stories.

“Although Hugh Hefner is an iconic figure known worldwide, most people may not be aware of the impact he has had on some of this country’s most important social revolutions,” said Conrad Riggs, Head of Unscripted, Amazon Studios. “We are excited to bring Prime members the untold story of Mr. Hefner’s remarkable life and his contributions to modern American history.”

“It has been a long road in finding the right partners to tell the full story of Playboy as it has unfolded over these past 63 years, and I believe we have found them in the collaborative team of Stephen David Entertainment and Amazon,” said Hugh Hefner. “I’m pleased that this docuseries will shed light on what has been an incredible journey and the voice Playboy has had in the discussion of our ever-changing culture. Just as importantly, my hope is that it will inspire others to pursue their dreams.”

“To say that Hugh Hefner has lived a ‘full life’ is an incredible understatement,” said Stephen David, Executive Producer and president of Stephen David Entertainment. “Hefner created more than a magazine—Playboy became a thrilling lifestyle, one that Hef has embodied for the better half of a century. Bringing Hef’s world to life has been an adventure for SDE, and we cannot wait to share it with Prime members.”

American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story is produced by the Emmy Award-winning Stephen David Entertainment and Alta Loma Entertainment and executive produced by Stephen David (The Men Who Built America, The World Wars, The Making of the Mob, The American West), Peter Jaysen (You Me Her) and Dick Rosenzweig (The House Bunny, The Playboy Club) with co-executive producers Shirley Escott (Shadow of Doubt, The Making of the Mob: New York) and Tim Kelly (NASCAR: The Rise of American Speed, American Genius).


About Amazon Video
Amazon Video is a premium on-demand entertainment service that offers customers the greatest choice in what to watch, and how to watch it. Amazon Video is the only service that provides all of the following:

•     Prime Video: Thousands of movies and TV episodes, including popular licensed content plus critically-acclaimed and award-winning Amazon Original Series and Movies from Amazon Studios like Transparent, The Man in the High Castle, kids series Tumble Leaf, and Love & Friendship, available for unlimited streaming as part of an Amazon Prime membership
•     Add-on Subscriptions: Dozens of subscriptions to networks like SHOWTIME, STARZ and more, available to Amazon Prime members as add-ons to their membership
•     Rent or Own: Hundreds of thousands of titles, including new-release movies and current TV shows available for on-demand rental or purchase for all Amazon customers
•     Instant Access: Instantly watch anytime, anywhere through the Amazon Video app on TVs, mobile devices, Amazon Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, and Fire tablets, or online. For a list of all compatible devices visit www.amazon.com/howtostream.
•     Premium Features: Top features like 4K Ultra HD, High Dynamic Range (HDR) and mobile downloads for offline viewing of select content

In addition to Prime Video, the Prime membership includes unlimited Free Two-Day Shipping on millions of items across all categories, more than one million songs and thousands of playlists and stations with Prime Music, early access to select Lightning Deals all year long, free secure, unlimited photo storage in Amazon Cloud Drive with Prime Photos, access to borrow books with the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library, and more. To sign-up for Prime or to find out more visit: www.amazon.com/prime.

About Amazon
Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit www.amazon.com/about.

About Alta Loma Entertainment
Alta Loma Entertainment is a wholly owned subsidiary of Playboy Enterprises, Inc., a media and lifestyle company that markets the brand through a wide range of media properties and licensing initiatives. The company developed the successful series You Me Her, which has been picked up for three seasons by DirecTV’s Audience channel. Playboy is one of the most recognized and popular consumer brands in the world. The company publishes Playboy magazine in the United States and licenses foreign editions of Playboy around the world; operates Playboy.com, a leading men’s lifestyle and entertainment site; and creates content for distribution via feature films, television networks, websites, mobile platforms and radio. Through licensing agreements, the Playboy brand appears on a wide range of consumer products in more than 180 countries, as well as retail stores and entertainment venues. For more information about Playboy Enterprises, please visit www.PlayboyEnterprises.com.

About Stephen David Entertainment
Stephen David Entertainment (SDE) – a Banijay Group Company – is an Emmy Award-winning, New York-based production company. SDE counts The Men Who Built America, The World Wars, The American West and The Making of the Mob franchise among its popular, hybrid documentary series. In the six years since its inception, SDE has developed numerous docudrama mini-series and select scripted projects, utilizing high-end production techniques and cutting-edge VFX.

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Warner Bros. Announces Voice Cast for "The LEGO Ninjago Movie"

The Stars Have Been Assembled for “The LEGO® Ninjago Movie”

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The main cast has been put together for “The LEGO® Ninjago Movie,” a new animated adventure in Warner Bros. Pictures’ LEGO franchise. The film will star Dave Franco, Justin Theroux, Fred Armisen, Abbi Jacobson, Olivia Munn, Kumail Nanjiani, Michael Peña, Zach Woods, and the legendary Jackie Chan. “The LEGO Ninjago Movie” is slated to open nationwide on September 22, 2017.

    “We are thrilled with the star-studded voice cast slated for ‘The LEGO Ninjago Movie.’ Our fans know and love Ninjago characters for their personalities and skills, so it’s only fitting that we assemble a diverse and talented cast to bring the world of Ninjago to life on the big screen.”

In this big-screen Ninjago adventure, the battle for Ninjago City calls to action young Lloyd, aka the Green Ninja, along with his friends, who are all secret warriors and LEGO Master Builders. Led by kung fu master Wu, as wise-cracking as he is wise, they must defeat evil warlord Garmadon, the Worst Guy Ever, who also happens to be Lloyd’s dad. Pitting mech against mech and father against son, the epic showdown will test this fierce but undisciplined team of modern-day ninjas who must learn to check their egos and pull together to unleash their true power.

Jackie Chan (“Kung Fu Panda,” “The Karate Kid”) stars as Master Wu; Justin Theroux (“Magamind 2,” “The Leftovers”) is Garmadon; Dave Franco (“Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising”) plays Lloyd; and Olivia Munn (“X-Men: Apocalypse”) is Lloyd’s mom, Koko. Making up the secret ninja crew, Fred Armisen (“The Jim Gaffigan Show,” “SNL”) voices Cole; Abbi Jacobson (“Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising”) plays Nya; Kumail Nanjiani (“Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates”) is Jay; Michael Peña (“Ant-Man,” “The Martian”) is Kai; and Zach Woods (“Silicon Valley”) voices Zane.

Jill Wilfert, an executive producer on the film and Vice President of Licensing and Entertainment for LEGO Group, stated, “We are thrilled with the star-studded voice cast slated for ‘The LEGO Ninjago Movie.’ Our fans know and love Ninjago characters for their personalities and skills, so it’s only fitting that we assemble a diverse and talented cast to bring the world of Ninjago to life on the big screen.”

“The LEGO Ninjago Movie” marks the feature film directorial debut of Charlie Bean (“Tron: Uprising”). It is being produced by Dan Lin, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Roy Lee, who previously collaborated on the worldwide box-office phenomenon “The LEGO® Movie,” along with Maryann Garger (“Flushed Away”). Chris McKay, Seth Grahame-Smith, Jill Wilfert, and Keith Malone are serving as executive producers. The screenplay is by Hilary Winston & Bob Logan & Paul Fisher, story by Kevin Hageman & Dan Hageman and Hilary Winston & Bob Logan & Paul Fisher, based on LEGO Construction Toys.

From Warner Bros. Pictures and Warner Animation Group, in association with LEGO System A/S, a Lin Pictures/Lord Miller/Vertigo Entertainment Production, “The LEGO Ninjago Movie” will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LEGONinjagoMovie
Instagram: @LEGONinjagoMovie / Twitter: @NinjagoMovie

LEGO, the LEGO logo, NINJAGO, the minifigure and the brick and knob configuration are trademarks of The LEGO Group. ©2016 The LEGO Group. Used with permission. All rights reserved.

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Dark Horse Comics Announces "Hellboy: Into the Silent Sea" Graphic Novel

ORIGINAL “HELLBOY” GRAPHIC NOVEL TO BE PUBLISHED IN 2017

Dark Horse to release Hellboy: Into the Silent Sea by Eisner Award-Winning Artist Gary Gianni, Hellboy creator Mike Mignola and Award-Winning Colorist Dave Stewart

MILWAUKIE, Ore. Next spring, Dark Horse Comics will publish an original graphic novel, Hellboy: Into the Silent Sea, co-written by legendary Hellboy creator Mike Mignola, co-written and illustrated by Eisner Award-winning artist Gary Gianni and colored by award-winning colorist Dave Stewart.

Following the events of the classic story “The Island,” Hellboy sets sail from the wreckage of a deserted island only to cross paths with a ghost ship. Taken captive by the phantom crew that plans to sell him to the circus, Hellboy is dragged along by a captain who will stop at nothing in pursuit of a powerful sea creature.

Gary Gianni has previously collaborated with iconic writers including George R. R. Martin, Harlan Ellison, Ray Bradbury and Michael Chabon and teamed up with Michael Kaluta to work on the classic pulp hero, The Shadow. Gianni is best known the creator of the Monstermen series, which appeared as a back-up feature in Hellboy. He also illustrated Prince Valiant, the syndicated newspaper comic strip, for 8 years. Gianni will illustrate Hellboy: Into the Silent Sea, with colors by Dave Stewart; Mignola will provide a cover, with colors by Stewart.

"I imagine if Hellboy: Into the Silent Sea were a movie, the Hollywood hyperbole would describe it as Hellboy's greatest adventure,” said Gary Gianni. “Yes... it's Hellboy as you've never seen him before, laughing , loving and battling his way across the stormy seas! You'll be thrilled as he faces cosmic forces terrorizing a haunted ship manned by a desperate crew! Be sure not to miss Hellboy: Into the Silent Sea, the biggest comic book event of the year!"

Hellboy: Into the Silent Sea is the third Hellboy original graphic novel, following the classics, Hellboy: House of the Living Dead by Mignola, Richard Corben and Stewart (2011) and Hellboy: The Midnight Circus by Mignola, Duncan Fegredo and Stewart.

Pre-order Hellboy: Into the Silent Sea on Amazon and Penguin Random House.


About Dark Horse

For thirty years, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. Founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson, the company is known for the progressive and creator-friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists. In addition to publishing comics from top talent, such as Eric Powell, Mike Mignola, Geof Darrow, Brian Wood, Gail Simone, Stan Sakai, and Guillermo del Toro, and comics legends, such as Will Eisner, Milo Manara, Kazuo Koike, Neil Gaiman, and Frank Miller, Dark Horse has developed its own successful properties, such as The Mask, Ghost, X, and Barb Wire. Its successful line of comics, manga, and products based on popular properties includes Dragon Age, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, Tomb Raider, Halo, The Witcher, Serenity, Game of Thrones, and Avatar: The Last Airbender. Today Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic book publisher in the US and is recognized as one of the world’s leading entertainment publishers.

About Gary Gianni
Gary Gianni graduated from The Chicago Academy Of Fine Art in 1976. From there, he worked for the Chicago Tribune as an illustrator and Network Television News as a courtroom sketch artist. His artwork has appeared in numerous magazines, children's books and paperbacks. 1990 marked his debut in the illustrated graphic novel field with adaptations of The Tales of O. Henry and 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea for the Classics Illustrated series. In 1997 collaborating with Archie Goodwin, his illustrations won him The Eisner Award for Best Short Story, Heroes, in Batman: Black And White, for DC Comics. At Dark Horse Comics, he wrote and drew Indiana Jones and The Shrine Of The Sea Devil, collaborated with such major writers as Harlan Ellison and Andrew Vachss and teamed up with Michael Kaluta to work on the enduring pulp hero, The Shadow. He is the creator of The Monstermen Mysteries which ran as a backup feature in Mike Mignola's Hellboy. In 2015 Gianni illustrated the New York Times bestselling A Game of Thrones, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, written by George R.R. Martin. The  prequel is part of Martin's ongoing Game of Thrones masterwork, A Song of Ice and Fire.  3 volumes by Robert E. Howard featuring Conan, Solomon Kane and Bran Mak Morn are novels also illustrated by Gianni.

About Mike Mignola
Mike Mignola’s fascination with ghosts and monsters began at an early age; reading Dracula at age twelve introduced him to Victorian literature and folklore, from which he has never recovered. Starting in 1982 as a bad inker for Marvel Comics, he swiftly evolved into a not-so-bad artist. By the late 1980s, he had begun to develop his own unique graphic style, with mainstream projects like Cosmic Odyssey and Batman: Gotham by Gaslight. In 1994, he published the first Hellboy series through Dark Horse. As of this writing there are twelve Hellboy graphic novels (with more on the way), several spinoff titles (B.P.R.D., Lobster Johnson, Abe Sapien, and Sir Edward Grey: Witchfinder), prose books, animated films, and two live-action films starring Ron Perlman. Along the way he worked on Francis Ford Coppola’s film Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992), was a production designer for Disney’s Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001), and was the visual consultant to director Guillermo del Toro on Blade II (2002), Hellboy (2004), and Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008). Mignola’s books have earned numerous awards and are published in a great many countries. He lives somewhere in Southern California with his wife, daughter, and cat.

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KISS Frontman Gene Simmons to Appear at Wizard World Richmond 2016

Legendary Rock Icon and KISS Frontman Gene Simmons Announces Special Appearance at Wizard World Comic Con Richmond, VA, September 10th, 2016

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Wizard World, Inc., (WIZD) the preeminent producer of Wizard World Comic Cons across North America, is proud to announce that legendary KISS frontman, bassist and rock icon, Gene Simmons will appear at Wizard World Richmond on September 10, 2016. Simmons will meet fans, sign autographs, take photographs and participate in a Q&A discussion from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Greater Richmond Convention Center, held September 9 – 11, 2016.

    Legendary @KISSonline frontman, bassist and rock icon, @GeneSimmons will appear at #WizardWorld Richmond on Sept 10.

During the Q&A discussion, Simmons will show the never before seen, short film titled GENE SIMMONS: ROCK ICON & MEDIA MOGUL.

“I’m excited to bring Rock & Roll to Wizard World Comic Con in Richmond,” says Simmons. “It’s gonna be a killer time, so I hope to see you there!”

Gene Simmons is a multi-hyphenate entrepreneur and one of the world’s most recognized personalities. He co-founded KISS 42 years ago. KISS has sold over 100 million CDs and DVDs worldwide, is celebrating its 42nd year, and continues to sell out stadiums and arenas around the world, breaking box-office records set by Elvis and the Beatles. KISS was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame at the 2014 induction ceremony, and the band is recognized with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for its pioneering work.

“We’re incredibly excited to have Gene Simmons join us at Wizard World Richmond,” says John Maatta, Wizard World President and CEO. “This is the kind of exclusive and exciting programming that Wizard World is all about.”

Located at the Greater Richmond Convention Center, Gene Simmons will join previously announced guests including Jewel Staite (Firefly; Serenity), Nichelle Nichols (Star Trek), Lindsey Morgan (The 100; General Hospital), Kevin Sorbo (Hercules, The Legendary Journeys), Tommy Flanagan (Sons of Anarchy), Joey Fatone (*NSYNC), and more.

For more information on Gene Simmons’ appearance, and to purchase general and VIP admissions for the event, view the schedule, location, show hours, hotel and travel information, please visit: http://wizardworld.com/comiccon/richmond.


About Gene Simmons
Gene Simmons is a multi-hyphenate entrepreneur and one of the world’s most recognized personalities. He has starred in his own reality show, GENE SIMMONS FAMILY JEWELS (A&E) for 9 seasons and 167 episodes. Simmons also starred in GENE SIMMONS ROCK SCHOOL (VH1) for two seasons. He created MR. ROMANCE (Oxygen) and the cartoon MY DAD THE ROCK STAR (Nickelodeon). He co-produced the film DETROIT ROCK CITY (New Line).

Gene Simmons has recently launched two new ventures – MOTION ™ Pictures, a fully-funded motion picture company that will produce and finance its own films; and SIREN ™, which likewise is fully-funded. SIREN ™ will engage in a variety of ventures, including real estate and other acquisitions.

Simmons is co-founding partner of ROCK AND BREWS restaurants. Locations include the Delta terminal in LAX; Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; El Segundo, California; Redondo Beach, California; Overland Park, Kansas; Paia, Maui; Orlando, Florida; Albuquerque, New Mexico; and many more sites coming up.

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 Wizard World 2016 schedule is available at: http://wizardworld.com/searchby/city/.

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