Buffy's Pal, Angel, Returns in New Comic Book "Angel Season 11"

DARK HORSE FORESEES A NEW SEASON OF “ANGEL”

New creative team brings fans more Angelic adventures in Season 11

MILWAUKIE, Ore. — Buffy’s first love will receive a solo series and a “re-vamped” creative team in Angel Season 11. Corinna Bechko (Lara Croft, Star Wars: Legacy II) writes Season 11 while Geraldo Borges (Deadpool, Ghost) illustrates the series, and Michelle Madsen (Buffy Season 9, Angel & Faith Season 10) colors the issues. Scott Fischer (Angel & Faith Season 10, Buffy: The High School Years) and Jeff Dekal (Journey into Mystery, Dark Horse Presents) both created covers.

Angel Season 11 finds Angel being tormented by memories of his past. His visions link his dark past to a Big Bad coming in the future. The goddess Illyria intervenes and assists Angel as he discovers that it might be possible to change the future by traveling back in time to change the past.

Angel Season 11 writer Corinna Bechko shared her excitement for joining the Whedonverse: “I'm thrilled that I'll be helping to add to a little corner of the Whedonverse, a rich and exciting place that contains infinite possibilities for exploration. Of course, the fact that I'll be doing so with Angel, one of the most complex and interesting characters, means I have big shoes to fill. But I can't wait to spend some quality time with him during this journey, and to have a bit of fun along the way!”

The first issue of Angel Season 11 goes on sale January 18, 2017, the day before Buffy’s birthday! Angel Season 11 will have twelve issues total.


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.

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MTV and Viacom Sign Deal with A$AP Rocky

A$AP Rocky Named Creative Director for MTV LABS

Multitalented Artist Inks First-Look Deal with MTV and Viacom Velocity to Develop Original and Branded Content

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MTV and Viacom Velocity, the company’s in-house creative agency, today announced it has named A$AP Rocky, backed by his own creative company AWGE, as Creative Director for MTV LABS, a creative incubator developed in partnership with the Harlem-born rapper and cultural trendsetter. In this role, Rocky and AWGE will have access to the company’s cross-platform production capabilities to create original content; experiment with new formats and existing MTV IP; and develop branded content for advertisers in partnership with Viacom Velocity.

    “As a dominant platform for youth culture, MTV has always given voice to fans and tapped artists who can deeply connect to them”

“MTV is a name we grew up with - everyone knows them as innovators and champions of building artists’ careers. I’m honored to have this opportunity and can’t wait to show people what we have been working on,” said A$AP Rocky.

“As a dominant platform for youth culture, MTV has always given voice to fans and tapped artists who can deeply connect to them,” said Niels Schuurmans, EVP and Chief Creative Officer, Viacom Velocity. “A$AP Rocky is a unique Millennial artist whose influence as an innovator and disruptor spans music, film, art, and fashion. What was so compelling to us is his authentic love for fans and the MTV brand, along with his desire to collaborate with us and our marketing partners to develop ideas that drive real cultural impact.”

To celebrate the partnership, A$AP Rocky will give an exclusive performance of never-before-heard tracks from the forthcoming A$AP Mob album, Cozy Tapes Vol 1, in MTV’s Times Square studio on Friday, September 30. The performance of the lead track, “Crazy Brazy,” featuring A$AP Rocky and Key!, will be broadcast on MTV at 6:25 p.m. ET and streamed across MTV platforms. Additional A$AP Mob members are slated to make special appearances.


About Viacom Velocity:
Viacom Velocity is a full-service marketing and creative content team within Viacom Marketing & Partners Solutions group built to super-serve advertising partners.

About MTV:
MTV is a global media brand inspired by the creative spirit of music and the freedom and passion of youth. For more information, check out http://www.mtvpress.com. MTV is a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA).

About AWGE:
AWGE is a multi-faceted company that creates authentic connections, solutions and content for clients in the music, fashion, film/TV and lifestyle industries. Started by A$AP Rocky and his management team in 2014, AWGE oversees a highly curated list of artists, designers, musicians and style icons and has consulted for campaigns with Guess, Sony, Instagram, V-LONE, Midnight and more.

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VIZ Media New York Comic Con

VISIT VIZ MEDIA AT NEW YORK COMIC CON 2016, BOOTH #2036

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES UNIQUE ACTIVITIES AND SPECIAL CONVENTION EXCLUSIVES FOR NEW YORK COMIC CON 2016

Catch Appearances By The Creator Of ASSASSINATION CLASSROOM, ONE-PUNCH MAN Voice Cast, RWBY Anime Talent And DRAGON BALL SUPER Creator, And More

San Francisco, CA – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), a premier company in the fields of publishing, animation distribution, and global entertainment licensing, brings a jam-packed weekend of unique creator events, informative panel discussions, fun booth activities and a specially curated selection of exclusive retail items available for purchase during New York Comic Con 2016.

New York Comic Con (NYCC) takes place October 6th – 9th at the Javits Convention Center in Manhattan and is the East Coast's biggest pop culture convention. The annual event plays host to the latest and greatest in comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, toys, movies, and television. More information on New York Comic Con is available at: http://www.newyorkcomiccon.com.

VIZ Media will be located in Booth #2036.

This year, VIZ Media proudly welcomes Yusei Matsui, the creator of the bestselling ASSASSINATION CLASSROOM manga series, as a special NYCC Spotlight Guest. Fans will be able to catch his first-ever North American professional appearance as Matsui participates in a range of panel discussions and autograph sessions.

Additional creators and guests making appearances at the VIZ Media booth this year include Toyotarou, the Japanese artist and manga creator who is collaborating with famed manga creator Akira Toriyama on the new DRAGON BALL SUPER series.

VIZ Media also will celebrate the globally acclaimed animated series, RWBY, the first western anime series to be distributed in Japan, with appearances by Barbara Dunkelman, who provides the voice of Yang, as well as RWBY Head of Animation Gray Haddock. Please check the VIZ Media booth for appearance times.

2016 marks the 30th Anniversary of the founding of VIZ Media. Join in the celebration at the VIZ Media booth, which will be vividly adorned with a gallery of original artwork on shikishi by scores of manga’s greatest creators paying homage to VIZ Media! A special illustration by ASSASSINATION CLASSROOM creator Yusei Matsui also will join the exhibit.

Other fun activities taking place at the VIZ Media booth will include:

·         VIZ Media 30th Anniversary Prize Wheel
Celebrate VIZ Media’s 30th Anniversary and try your luck at our prize wheel for a chance to win exclusive goodies!

·         SAILOR MOON Tiara Giveaway
Collect your tiara and become a guardian of love and justice!

·         RWBY Poster Giveaway
Grab a poster for the hot RWBY animated series at the VIZ Media booth!

Please check the daily booth schedule for activity times.

VIZ Media New York Comic Con Panels:

Friday October 7th

11:15AM - 12:15PM    VIZ Media Official Panel
Room 1A10

Join the VIZ Media team as they talk about favorites like NARUTO, ONE-PUNCH MAN, TOKYO GHOUL, SAILOR MOON and much more. There will be announcements, exclusive first looks at new titles, and prizes!

5:15PM - 6:15PM         An Evening with Yusei Matsui, Creator Of ASSASSINATION CLASSROOM
Room 1A06

Yusei Matsui will discuss his career and creative process behind his global hit! This special presentation will explore the ins and outs to bringing the story of a pathetic class of misfits and their bizarre tentacled teacher to life.

Saturday October 8th

1:45PM - 2:45PM         WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP Panel
Room 1A10

Hang out with the English language editors of the world’s most popular manga! Yusei Matsui, creator of the global sensation ASSASSINATION CLASSROOM, will make a special appearance.

3:00PM – 4:00PM         ONE-PUNCH MAN Official Panel
Room 1A10

What's it like when a hero becomes too strong? Find out! Lucky attendees will get the inside scoop from the VIZ Media team on what's next, plus a surprise or two.

Sunday October 9th

2:45PM – 3:45PM         SAILOR MOON Official Panel
Room 1A06

Everyone's favorite Guardian of Love and Justice is back and better than ever! Join the VIZ Media SAILOR MOON team for all the can't-miss news and updates on the legendary anime series, as well as the all-new SAILOR MOON CRYSTAL.

Also don’t miss the following product exclusives and special advance releases available (while supplies last) at the VIZ Media booth:

·         Advance Pre-street Manga Releases:

o   ASSASSINATION CLASSROOM Vol. 13 with exclusive collectable button - $10

o   JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE - PART 3: STARDUST CRUSADERS Vol. 1 - $20

o   THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: LEGENDARY EDITION Vol. 1 - $18

o   MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM THUNDERBOLT Vol. 1 - $15

o   ITACHI’s STORY Vol. 1 – DAY BREAK (NARUTO Novel) - $11

o   SUPER MARIO ADVENTURES - $15

·         ONE PIECE Full Color Framed Replica Manga Artwork – $230 each
Exclusive from Japan!

·         NARUTO SHIPPUDEN “Kakashi Hatake” 1/6 Scale Statue by Grecco - $220
Exclusive – includes special accessories just for the show!

·         TOKYO GHOUL & ONE-PUNCH MAN Black & White Manga Replicas - $15 each
Exclusive from Japan!

·         SAILOR MOON CRYSTAL Season 1 Set 1 Combo Pack - $65
Includes a Limited Edition Sun Catcher as a special free gift with purchase

·         SAILOR MOON S (Season 3) Set 1 Combo Pack Pre-Order – $65

Pre-order the set now to have it mailed when it releases; also receive a special free collectible Sailor Moon Coin as a gift with purchase

·         HUNTER X HUNTER Set 1 Blu-ray Pre-order - $50
Pre-order the set now to have it mailed when it releases; also receive a special free Hunter’s License as a gift with purchase

·         WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP Premium Annual Membership – $30
Secure a digital subscription to the world’s most popular manga magazine that also includes exclusive YU‐GI-OH! Promo Card: Masked Hero Blast and an exclusive Shonen Jump t-shirt designed for NYCC

·         Exclusive ONE-PUNCH MAN “Oppai” T-shirts in a limited edition color - $20

·         Exclusive SAILOR MOON S T-shirts – $15 each
Exclusive design featuring all of the Guardians’ symbols; available only from VIZ Media!

·         THE ART OF POKÉMON ADVENTURES 2016 CON EXCLUSIVE - $15
And don’t miss the limited edition VIZ Media tote bag featuring iconic characters from celebrated series in 2 bold designs as a free gift with purchase of any item from VIZ Media. Select from SAILOR MOON or ONE-PUNCH MAN! (while supplies last)

For additional information on anime and manga titles distributed and published by VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.


About VIZ Media, LLC
Established in 1986, VIZ Media is the premier company in the field of publishing, animation distribution, and global entertainment licensing. Along with its popular digital magazine WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, DRAGON BALL, SAILOR MOON, and POKÉMON, VIZ Media offers an extensive library of titles and original content in a wide variety of book and video formats, as well as through official licensed merchandise. Owned by three of Japan's largest publishing and entertainment companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media is dedicated to bringing the best titles for English-speaking audiences worldwide.

Learn more about VIZ Media and its properties at www.VIZ.com.

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English Voice Cast of "One-Punch Man" Anime Head to New York Comic Con 2016

VIZ MEDIA PRESENTS THE VOICE CAST OF ONE-PUNCH MAN ANIME SERIES AT NEW YORK COMIC CON 2016

English Voice Actors Zach Aguilar, Eric Scott Kimerer and Chris Jai Alex To Make Exclusive Appearances At The East Coast’s Premier Pop Culture Convention

San Francisco, CA – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), a premier company in the fields of publishing, animation distribution, and global entertainment licensing, proudly welcomes key English cast members from the hit anime series ONE-PUNCH MAN for a special series of personal appearances at New York Comic Con 2016.

Voice actor Zach Aguilar, who voices Genos, Eric Scott Kimerer, who voices Speed-o’-Sound Sonic, and Chris Jai Alex, who plays the villain Boros, will join VIZ Media’s animation team for a special ONE-PUNCH MAN panel on Saturday, October 8th, 2016 at 3PM. The actors also will appear for a pair of exclusive signing sessions during the convention.

New York Comic Con takes place October 6th – 9th, 2016 at the Javits Convention Center in Manhattan and is the East Coast's biggest pop culture convention. The annual event plays host to the latest and greatest in comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, toys, movies, and television. More information on New York Comic Con is available at: http://www.newyorkcomiccon.com.

ONE-PUNCH MAN Official Panel
Saturday, October 8th, 3PM – 4PM  
Room 1A10

ONE-PUNCH MAN is the biggest property to debut out of Japan for both anime and manga! What's it like when a hero becomes too strong? Find out! Also catch special insights from voice actors Zach Aguilar (Genos), Eric Scott Kimerer (Speed O’Sound Sonic) and introducing Chris Jai Alex (Boros). Lucky attendees also will get the inside scoop from the VIZ Media team on what's next, plus a surprise or two!

ONE-PUNCH MAN Voice Cast On-Site Signing Sessions
Saturday, October 8th & Sunday, October 9th

Zach Aguilar, Eric Scott Kimerer and Chris Jai Alex will appear for TWO official signings – one on Saturday, October 8th and another on Sunday, October 9th. Ticketing details and the exact start times will be announced on the NYCC website at: http://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/Events/Events-I-Q/Private-Autographing-Lottery/.

Also stop by the VIZ Media Booth #2036 to browse a selection of ONE-PUNCH MAN products available for exclusive purchase during New York Comic Con. Items available for purchase will include:

·         ONE-PUNCH MAN Manga Vols. 1-2 special bundle price - $15

·         ONE-PUNCH MAN Manga Vol. 9 Pre-street - $10

·         ONE-PUNCH MAN Manga Black & White Replica (Exclusive from Japan) - $15

·         ONE-PUNCH MAN Oppai T-Shirt (Exclusive) - $20

ONE-PUNCH MAN is based on the bestselling manga series (the latest chapters serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump, and graphic novels published by VIZ Media; rated ‘T’ for Teens), created by writer ONE and artist Yusuke Murata. In the anime adaptation, Saitama only became a hero for fun, but after three years of “special” training, he finds that he can beat even the mightiest opponents with a single punch. Though he faces new enemies every day, it turns out being devastatingly powerful is actually kind of a bore. Can a hero be too strong? The series features a notable cast of English voice actors including Max Mittelman (as Saitama), Zach Aguilar (as Genos), Robbie Daymond (as Mumen Rider), Erik Scott Kimerer (as Speed-o’-Sound Sonic) and Chris Jai Alex (as Boros).

Voice actor Zach Aguilar won the Magi 2 Voice Acting Open Auditions at Anime Expo that were hosted by Bang Zoom! Entertainment and Aniplex in 2014. At 16 years old, he was one of the youngest people to ever win and was cast in Magi: The Kingdom of Magic. Zach also has played characters in series such as Aldnoah.Zero, Sword Art Online 2, The Seven Deadly Sins, and Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron Blooded Orphans. He can also be heard doing numerous commercials for Pandora internet radio!

Actor Erik Scott Kimerer has always heard voices in his head and decided to do the only sensible thing; let them out. He was born and raised in Seattle, where he was trained in the Japanese method of anime voice acting by a veteran seiyuu. After graduating in Theatre Arts he moved to L.A. to pursue his love of telling stories through video games, animation, and even in the wrestling ring. Recent anime works he has been featured in include Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans, Your Lie in April, Toradora Magi, Accel World, and Seven Deadly Sins. In the world of video games, Erik has lent his voice for characters in Tales of Xilia 2, Inazuma Eleven, Atelier Sophie, Heroes of Newerth, and Skullgirls.

Chris Jai Alex grew up in a creative house, born to a mother who was an aspiring pop star and a comic book store owner. Upon graduating, Chris moved to New York to pursue a music career where he would produce music for an up and coming indie label. Inspired by a film that reminded him of his childhood, he relocated to Los Angeles, CA to pursue entertainment on a large scale. To date he's worked in all aspects of the business with credits on camera from film and TV, including Turn, 6 Ways To Die opposite Tom Sizemore, and Vivica A. Fox, along with various video game and animation voice work including Steven Universe, The Boondocks and Killer Instinct. Chris has also worked in action and stunt roles in Batman Vs. Superman, Captain America Civil War, Grimm, and the main double in season one of Supergirl "J'onn J'onzz The Martian Manhunter."

VIZ Media is the official North American distributor of the ONE-PUNCH MAN anime and manga properties and holds the digital and print publishing rights as well as broadcast rights, digital streaming rights, home video rights and master merchandising rights to the series.

For additional information on ONE-PUNCH MAN and other anime and manga titles distributed and published by VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.


About VIZ Media, LLC
Established in 1986, VIZ Media is the premier company in the field of publishing, animation distribution, and global entertainment licensing. Along with its popular digital magazine WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, DRAGON BALL, SAILOR MOON, and POKÉMON, VIZ Media offers an extensive library of titles and original content in a wide variety of book and video formats, as well as through official licensed merchandise. Owned by three of Japan's largest publishing and entertainment companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media is dedicated to bringing the best titles for English-speaking audiences worldwide.

Learn more about VIZ Media and its properties at www.VIZ.com.

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Go October Negromancer 2016

It's Roctober 2016! Welcome to Negromancer 2.0.  This is the rebirth of Negromancer, the former movie review website as a new movie review and movie news site.

Support me on Patreon.

All images and text appearing on this blog are © copyright and/or trademark their respective owners.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from September 25th to 30th, 2016 - Update #30

Support Leroy on Patreon.

JAMES BOND - From Variety:  Daniel Craig is absolutely the first choice to play James Bond in the next film, according to executive producer of last four films.

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TELEVISION - From YahooTV:  Long-time (and near legendary) television critic Ken Tucker does not like Woody Allen's new TV series for Amazon, "Crisis in Six Scenes."

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MOVIES - From Variety:  More people are joining Kenneth Branagh's "Murder on the Orient Express," including Daisy Ridley and Judi Dench, among others.

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MOVIES - From Bustle:  Tim Burton tries and strangely explains why their or so few "people of color" in his films.

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BLACK LIVES MATTER - From LAWeekly:  Henry Rollins: White America Couldn't Handle What Black America Deals With Every Day.

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ECO - From Time:  Robert Redford says he is standing with Standing Rock Sioux.

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COMICS-FILM - From CinemaBlend:  Someone paid $400,000 for the "Batpod," the motorcycle-like vehicle actually used in the 2012 film, "The Dark Knight Rises," which is a terrible-ass movie.

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MOVIES - From ThePlaylist:  Kenneth Branagh is eyeing Johnny Depp and Michelle Pfeiffer for his remake of "Murder on the Orient Express."

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Jon Favreau is set to direct Disney's live-action remake of "The Lion King."  Favreau directed Disney's smash hit remake of "The Jungle Book."

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MOVIES - From YahooMovies:  Charlize Thereon gained 31 pounds for her new movie, "Tully."

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TELEVISION - From YahooTV:   As his lawsuit goes forward, former showrunner of "The Walking Dead," Frank Darabont wants $280 million dollars in denied profits from the show.

From THR:  Hot details from Darabont's deposition in his suit against AMC over profits for "The Walking Dead."

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COMICS-FILM - From CinemaBlend:  Filming those Stan Lee superhero movie cameos ahead of time.

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COMICS-FILM - From CinemaBlend:  Is this Tom Holland changing into his Spider-Man duds in this video.

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TELEVISION - From Variety:  FX's "The Strain" to end next year with season four.

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COMICS-FILM - From SlashFilm:  "Doctor Strange" to appear in "Avengers: Infinity War."

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Viola Davis will star in Steve McQueen's ("12 Years a Slave") upcoming heist thriller, "Widows."  "Gone Girl" screenwriter and novelist, Gillian Flynn, will write the script for "Widows" with McQueen.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Martin Scorsese's "Silence" enters the Oscar race.

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OBIT - From NYTimes:  Musician Stanley Dural, Jr., better known as "Buckwheat Zydeco" (also the name of his band), has died at the age of 68, Saturday, September 24, 2016. He was one of the few zydeco (a musical genre born in Louisiana) musicians to achieve mainstream success.  He won a Grammy Award in 2010.  In 2002, he shared an Emmy Award with Brian Keene.

CELEBRITY - From YahooCelebrity:  Goldie Hawn explains why she has not married her partner of 33 years, Kurt Russell.

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COMICS - From IGN:  DC Comics has announced that its Batman event comic book miniseries, Dark Knight III: The Master Race, will be 9 issues long instead of 8 as originally planned.  Frank Miller and Brian Azzarello are writing.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Daisy Ridley and Elizabeth Debicki have joined the animation/live-action hybrid "Peter Rabbit."

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SPORTS - From YahooSports:  How LSU football coach, Les Miles, went from champ to fired.

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BOX OFFICE - BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 9/23 to 9/25/2016 weekend box office is "The Magnificent Seven" with an estimated take of $35 million.

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BOOKS - From BleedingCool:  James Patterson was actually publishing a work of fiction that centered on the murder of Stephen King!  He has cancelled it.

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CELEBRITY - From SFGate:  Who is the A-lister who raped Corey Haim.

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MOVIES - From FlickeringMyth:  John Carpenter has some harsh words for Rob Zombie and his 2007 remake of Carpenter's classic film.  I like quite a few things about both of Zombie's Halloween films, although I think Carpenter's 1978 original is far better than the remake and remake/sequel/re-imagining of "Halloween 2."

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OBIT - From YahooSports:  Golf legend Arnold Palmer has died at the age of 87, Sunday, September 25, 2016.

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OBIT - From YahooSports:  Major League Baseball pitcher, Jose Fernandez (Miami Marlins), has died at the age of 24, Sunday, September 25, 2016.  He died in a boating accident.

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TELEVISION - From Variety:  Jim Parsons ("The Big Bang Theory") tops list of highest paid TV actors.

From Variety:  Sofia Vergara ("Modern Family") tops list of highest paid TV actresses.

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TECH-POLITICS - From Variety:  California OKs law requiring removal of actor ages by database sites.

TRAILERS:

From YahooMovies:  See Denzel Washington and Viola Davis square off in "Fences."

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"I Love Dick," "The Tick," Among New Greenlights from Amazon Studios

Amazon Studios Greenlights Three New Series for Prime Video

I Love Dick, Jean-Claude Van Johnson and The Tick will become Amazon Original Series and will debut next year exclusively for Amazon Prime members

Most recent pilot season was the most watched ever and Jean-Claude Van Johnson and The Tick were available on Twitch

New series come from visionary creators and producers including Peter Atencio, Ben Edlund, Barry Josephson, Ridley Scott, and Jill Soloway, and star notable actors that include Kevin Bacon, Peter Serafinowicz, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Kathryn Hahn, and Jackie Earle Haley

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(NASDAQ: AMZN)—Amazon Studios today announced I Love Dick, Jean-Claude Van Johnson and The Tick have been greenlit to become Amazon Original Series. The new series will premiere exclusively on Amazon Prime Video in 2017 in the US, UK, Germany, Austria, and Japan for Amazon Prime members to watch as part of their membership via the Amazon Video app for TVs, connected devices including Fire TV, and mobile devices, or online at Amazon.com/originals.

    “It’s rewarding to see customers embrace them in such a huge way. We can’t wait to premiere these series next year on Prime Video.”

“These pilots were vast in scope, disruptive in tone, challenging in story and sometimes even funny,” said Joe Lewis, Head of Half-Hour Series, Amazon Studios. “It’s rewarding to see customers embrace them in such a huge way. We can’t wait to premiere these series next year on Prime Video.”

The new half hour series include I Love Dick, based on the renowned feminist novel about a couple’s marital struggles in the artistic and academic community of Marfa, Texas; Jean-Claude Van Johnson, where martial arts film star Jean-Claude Van Damme operates under the alias of “Jean-Claude Van Johnson” to serve as the most dangerous undercover private contractor in the world; and The Tick, an offbeat and dark superhero tale based on the acclaimed comic. Customers can watch the pilot episodes at www.amazon.com/pilotseason.

I Love Dick

Adapted from the cult classic, I Love Dick—referred to as “the most important book about men and women written in the last century" (Emily Gould, The Guardian)—is set in a colorful intellectual community in Marfa, Texas. Chris (Kathryn Hahn, Transparent) and Sylvere (Griffin Dunne, Dallas Buyers Club) arrive in Marfa when Sylvere is offered a fellowship to finish a book he's been writing on the Holocaust. When they meet Dick (Kevin Bacon, The Following), he taunts their imaginations and upends their preconceptions about love and monogamy. An exploration of the female gaze and how we tell stories about love and desire, I Love Dick charts the evolution of a marriage, the awakening of an artist and the deification of a writer named Dick. I Love Dick is executive produced by Jill Soloway (Transparent), Andrea Sperling (Transparent), and Sarah Gubbins (Ten Aker Wood). The pilot was directed by Soloway and written by Gubbins.

Jean-Claude Van Johnson
If you need to eliminate a political rival, debilitate a multinational corporation, or overthrow an entire government—and you need it done with the utmost secrecy—there’s only one person to turn to: one of the most internationally recognizable movie stars in the history of film. Jean-Claude Van Johnson stars Jean-Claude Van Damme (JCVD) playing “Jean-Claude Van Johnson,” a global martial arts and film sensation…and, operating under the simple alias of “Johnson,” the most dangerous undercover private contractor in the world. Lucky for the world’s bad guys, he’s been retired for years…unlucky for them, a chance encounter with a lost love is about to bring him back to the game…and this time, he’ll be deadlier than ever. Probably.

The pilot for Jean-Claude Van Johnson starred Van Damme along with Kat Foster (Your Family or Mine), Moises Arias (The Middle), and Phylicia Rashad (Creed). The show is executive produced by Peter Atencio (Key and Peele), Ridley Scott (The Good Wife), David W. Zucker (The Man in the High Castle) and Van Damme. From Scott Free Productions, the pilot was directed by Atencio, and written and created by Dave Callaham (Mortal Kombat).

The Tick

In a world where superheroes have been real for decades, an underdog accountant with zero powers comes to realize his city is owned by a global super villain long-thought dead. As he struggles to uncover this conspiracy, he falls in league with a strange blue superhero. The pilot for The Tick starred Peter Serafinowicz (Guardians of the Galaxy), Griffin Newman (Vinyl), Jackie Earle Haley (Watchmen), Valorie Curry (House of Lies), Yara Martinez (Jane the Virgin) and Brendan Hines (Scorpion). The Tick is executive produced by Ben Edlund (Supernatural), Barry Josephson (Bones) and Barry Sonnenfeld (A Series of Unfortunate Events), directed by Wally Pfister (The Dark Knight), and written by Edlund. The Tick is a co-production with Sony Pictures Television.


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, Chi Raq, and kids series Tumble Leaf 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

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, one free pre-released book a month with Kindle First, 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.

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