by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"
Support Leroy on Patreon:
ENTERTAINMENT NEWS:
TELEVISION - From TheWrap: Black Neff, the writer most responsible for the shit that Fox News personality, Tucker Carlson, spews from his mouth, has resigned from Fox after CNN Business discovered a Neff's racist and sexist post on an online forum.
BLM - From YahooEntertainment: Actress and activist, Rashida Jones, is the daughter of an African-American man (music legend Quincy Jones) and a white actress (Peggy Lipton). Regarding Black Lives Matter protests mean that this is the time for the country to show what it can be.
MOVIES - From Deadline: Actors Zendaya and John David Washington made a secret movie during the COVID-19 pandemic with Euphoria creator, Sam Levinson. The film, entitled "Malcolm & Marie," has already completed production.
POLITICS - From RSN: Former U.S. Secretary of Labor Robert Reich warns of a looming even worse "Great Recession."
DISNEY - From Variety: Jude Law is in talks to portray Captain Hook in Disney's live-action Peter Pan film, "Peter Pan & Wendy."
CELEBRITY - From YahooEntertainment: Oscar, Emmy, and Tony Award winning actress Viola Davis' "Black Meryl Streep" speech goes viral again.
COVID-19 - From LATimes: Tom Hanks is baffled by people who don't take COVID-19 seriously. Hanks and his wife, film producer/singer Rita Wilson, both contracted COVID-19.
CELEBRITY - From Vulture: The Emmy Award-winning actress, Thandie Newton, gives up juicy details in this career-spanning interview with "Vulture."
DISNEY - From Variety: Blacklisted NFL quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, has signed a first look deal with the Walt Disney Company. Part of the deal includes a documentary series produced by ESPN Films.
DISNEY - From YahooEnterainment: Why "Song of the South" is still a cultural flashpoint...
BLM - From YahooNews: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley said that some soldiers deployed to Washington, D.C. to possibly assist in thwarting Black Lives Matter protests were issued bayonets, USA TODAY has confirmed.
CULTURE - From Slate: How Being Bullied Affects Your Adulthood
STAR TREK-ANIMATION - From Deadline: The new Star Trek animated comedy series, "Star Trek: Lower Decks," debuts August 6th, 2020 on the streaming service, CBS All Access.
CELEBRITY - From THR: The lovely Sarah Jessica Parker is developing a dating show for the Lifetime cable network.
COVID-19/CELEBRITY - From YahooEntertainment: Acclaimed actress Jennifer Aniston pleads with her fans to wear masks to prevent the spread of #COVID19.
ANIMATION - From Deadline: Mike Judge has signed a 2-season deal with Comedy Central to revive his animated creation, "Beavis and Butt-Head," which includes spin-offs and specials.
MOVIES - From Deadline: Apple will pay a record amount for the Antoine Fuqua-Will Smith project, "Emancipation." The deal may exceed $120 million.
MOVIES - From Vulture: The site asks if it is safe to go to the movies right now.
OBITS:
From Variety: The Italian film composer, Ennio Morricone, has died at the age of 91, Monday, July 6, 2020. Morricone is best known to American audiences for scoring director Sergio Leone's "Dollars" trilogy, and Morricone's score for the the third film in that trilogy, "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly," is considered one of the most influential film scores in history. Morricone received an "Honorary Academy Award" in 2007. He received six competitive Academy Award nominations, finally winning the "Best Original Score" Oscar for his work on Quentin Tarantino's "The Hateful Eight" (2015).
From Deadline: Screen and television writer, Bettina Gilois, has died at the age of 58, Sunday, July 5, 2020. She was best known for co-writing the 2015 HBO TV miniseries, "Bessie," (for which she earned an Emmy nomination) and for co-writing two sports films, 2006's "Glory Road" and 2015's "McFarland USA."
From Deadline: Broadway and television actor, Nick Cordero, has died at the age of 41, Sunday, July 5, 2020, of complications of COVID-19. He had been battling the disease since early April. Cordero received a Tony Award nomination for his role in "Bullets Over Broadway," and appeared in such productions as "A Bronx Tale," "Rock of Ages," and "Waitress."
From THR: Trailblazing Black British actor, Earl Cameron, died at the age of 102, Friday, July 3, 2020. Born in Bermuda, Cameron became the first Black actor to play a role in a mainstream British film with his appearance in the 1951 film, "Pool of London." Cameron's character in the film, "Johnny Lambert," also has an interracial romance, which also broke ground in British cinema.
From THR: The broadcaster, television host, and news anchor, Hugh Downs, has died at the age of 99, Wednesday, July 1, 2020. Downs game to fame a co-host of NBC's "Today" from 1962 to 1971. He was probably best known as the anchor of ABC News television magazine, "20/20," from 1978 to 1999.
From Deadline: Pioneering television comedy writer and director, Carl Reiner has died at the age of 98, Monday, June 29, 2020. Reiner is best known as the creator and writer-director and actor on "The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961-66). Five of the 9 Primetime Emmy Awards Reiner won were for his work on the show. He first came to big TV fame and acclaim working on Sid Ceasar's TV series, "Your Show of Shows" (NBC, 1950-54) and "Ceasar's Hour" (NBC, 1954-57). Reiner was also famous for being the son of television and film writer, director, and actor, Rob Reiner.
From Deadline: Mel Brooks pays homage to his friend, the late, great Carl Reiner.
BLACK LIVES MATTER NEWS:
From RSN: The four corners of police violence
From TheIntercept: Black Lives Matter Wants to End Police Brutality. History Suggests It Will Go Much Further.
From YahooNews: "The Confederacy of California": life in the valley where Robert Fuller was found hanged
From CNN: Colorado police officers involved in the death of Elijah McClain reassigned for safety reasons.
From Truthout: " Three North Carolina Police Fired for Racist Rants, Threats to Kill Black People" - and what they said is crazy and scary
From Truthout: Bryant Gumbel Gives Powerful Commentary on the 'Black Tax,' the 'Added Burden' of Being Black
From YahooEntertainment: Oscar-nominated songwriter and Grammy Award-winning recording artist, Ray Parker, Jr., may be best known for writing the theme to the film, "Ghostbusters," but when he was a teenager, Parker was beaten by Detroit police officers.
From RSNewYorker: Jelani Cobb: An American Spring of Reckoning.
From NBCNews: Baton Rouge, LA activist, Gary Chambers, makes an impassioned speech about changing the name of Robert E. Lee High School in Baton Rouge.
From YahooNews: Racial violence and a pandemic: How the Red Summer of 1919 relates to 2020
From DemocracyNow: Fear Grows of Modern-Day Lynchings as Five People of Color Are Found Hanged
From NYPost: Caramel, Indiana Catholic priest suspended for comparing Black Lives Matters activists to maggots.
From NBCNews: NYPD is disbanding a unit that is the 'last chapter' of stop-and-frisk
From YahooLifestyle: A history of the "Karen."
CORONAVIRUS/COVID-19 NEWS:
From CDC: The Centers for Disease Control has a "COVID Data Tracker."
From YahooNews: Why does COVID-19 kill some people and hardly affects others?
From YahooNews: Yahoo has a dedicated page of links updating news about COVID-19.
From Deadline: The news site "Deadline" has a dedicated page for news about coronavirus and the film, TV, and entertainment industries.
From TheNewYorker: The venerable magazine has a dedicate COVID-19 page free to all readers.
From YahooNews: Re: the federal government's response to COVID-19: What if the most important election of our lifetime was the last one - 2016?
From YahooLife: What is "happy hypoxia?" And do you have this COVID-19 symptom?
From JuanCole: Remeber when President Donald went crazy and suggested that we ingest household cleaning supplies and UV light to fight COVID-19. Here is the video and commentary from Juan Cole.
From TheIntercept: The federal government has ramped up security and police-related spending in response to the COVID-19/coronavirus pandemic, including issuing contracts for riot gear, disclosures show. The purchase orders include requests for disposable cuffs, gas masks, ballistic helmets, and riot gloves...
From NPR: A sad milestone: over 100,000 American have died due to COVID-19.
From TheAtlantic: The Coronavirus Was an Emergency Until Trump Found Out Who Was Dying. The pandemic has exposed the bitter terms of our racial contract, which deems certain lives of greater value than others.
From ProPublica: Hospital's Secret COVID-19 Policy Separated Native American Mothers From Their Newborns
From Truthout: Trump Moves to End Federal Support for Testing Sites Amid Record COVID Spikes
From TheGuardian: More than 20 million Americans could have contracted COVID-19, experts say.
From RSN/WashPost: The COVID-19 mutation that has taken over the world.
From NYPost: Students in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, are reportedly throwing “COVID parties” with their friends and gambling on who will get sick first, according to local officials.
From KABB: Alice Guzman, the stepmother of Congressman Joaquin Castro and former Democratic presidential candidate Julian Castro, has died of COVID-19. Their father is also ill with the virus.
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Saturday, July 11, 2020
Friday, July 10, 2020
Fantagraphics Books Announces Lee Lai's "Stone Fruit"
Fantagraphics To Publish Exciting Debut Stone Fruit by Lee Lai
SEATTLE, WA—Fantagraphics announced the 2021 publication of Stone Fruit by debut cartoonist Lee Lai.
Lee Lai is one of the most exciting new voices to break into the comics medium. At the age of
27, Lai has created one of the most sophisticated graphic novel debuts in recent memory.
Stone Fruit is an ode to the love and connection shared between sisters.
Bron and Ray are a queer couple who enjoy their role as the fun weirdo aunties for Ray’s niece Nessie. Their bi-weekly playdates are little oases of wildness, joy, and ease in daily lives that ping-pong between familial tensions and isolation. As their emotional intimacy erodes, Ray and Bron turn to repair their broken family ties. Taking a leap of faith, each opens up to their respective sister and learns that they have more in common with their siblings than they ever knew. In time, the emptiness they feel after their break-up is supplanted with a deep sisterly love and understanding.
“I’ve been influenced by books and artists published by Fantagraphics since I was a teen, so it’s pretty unreal and amazing to be releasing this debut work with them,” explains Lee Lai. “There’s a handful of Australian cartoonists now who are part of the Fantagraphics family— some of us have been close since we were baby artists in Melbourne— and it’s been so cool watching their work grow with support from Fantagraphics. Working on this book has been such an exciting learning curve. I'm stoked to finally be putting it out into the world, and specifically with Fantagraphics."
At turns joyful, tender, and heartbreaking, Lee Lai’s water colored graphic novel debut reveals
how painful it can be to be vulnerable with your loved ones—and yet how fulfilling it is to be
finally understood for who you are. “I was immediately impressed not only by what a penetrating, deeply felt, and intimate story Lee told, but by how stylistically sophisticated the drawing and the storytelling is,” says Fantagraphics Publisher, Gary Groth. “Lee’s story could only be told through comics, and the way she depicts these characters’ lives, in all their complexity, is a beautiful use of the medium. That’s one reason I admire her work as much as I do.”
Lee Lai was born in 1993 in Naarm (Melbourne), Australia. Currently, Lai makes comics and
illustrations in Tio’tia:ke (Montreal, Quebec) where she lives with her roommates and two sweet cats. Her short story comics have been featured in The New Yorker, The Lifted Brow, Room Magazine, and Everyday Feminism. Stone Fruit is her graphic novel debut and has been sold in auction to 5 publishing houses in 4 different languages worldwide by agent Alessandra Sternfeld at AM-Book.
About Fantagraphics:
For over 40 years, Fantagraphics has published the very best comics and graphic novels that the medium has to offer. Our mission is to celebrate great cartooning in all of its incarnations, from the form’s early luminaries to contemporary artists currently forging the future of visual storytelling. Not content to rest on our laurels and extensive roster of talented artists, we constantly seek out fresh voices from across the globe. Thus, we honor the rich history of comics while providing a platform for bold new stories, styles, and perspectives that push the boundaries of the medium. Fantagraphics remains peerless in our commitment to be the publisher of the world's greatest cartoonists.
Find out more about Fantagraphics books, cartoonists, and upcoming events on website
Fantagraphics.com, our blog Fantagraphics.com/flog, and on social media @fantagraphics.
----------------------
SEATTLE, WA—Fantagraphics announced the 2021 publication of Stone Fruit by debut cartoonist Lee Lai.
Lee Lai is one of the most exciting new voices to break into the comics medium. At the age of
27, Lai has created one of the most sophisticated graphic novel debuts in recent memory.
Stone Fruit is an ode to the love and connection shared between sisters.
Bron and Ray are a queer couple who enjoy their role as the fun weirdo aunties for Ray’s niece Nessie. Their bi-weekly playdates are little oases of wildness, joy, and ease in daily lives that ping-pong between familial tensions and isolation. As their emotional intimacy erodes, Ray and Bron turn to repair their broken family ties. Taking a leap of faith, each opens up to their respective sister and learns that they have more in common with their siblings than they ever knew. In time, the emptiness they feel after their break-up is supplanted with a deep sisterly love and understanding.
“I’ve been influenced by books and artists published by Fantagraphics since I was a teen, so it’s pretty unreal and amazing to be releasing this debut work with them,” explains Lee Lai. “There’s a handful of Australian cartoonists now who are part of the Fantagraphics family— some of us have been close since we were baby artists in Melbourne— and it’s been so cool watching their work grow with support from Fantagraphics. Working on this book has been such an exciting learning curve. I'm stoked to finally be putting it out into the world, and specifically with Fantagraphics."
At turns joyful, tender, and heartbreaking, Lee Lai’s water colored graphic novel debut reveals
how painful it can be to be vulnerable with your loved ones—and yet how fulfilling it is to be
finally understood for who you are. “I was immediately impressed not only by what a penetrating, deeply felt, and intimate story Lee told, but by how stylistically sophisticated the drawing and the storytelling is,” says Fantagraphics Publisher, Gary Groth. “Lee’s story could only be told through comics, and the way she depicts these characters’ lives, in all their complexity, is a beautiful use of the medium. That’s one reason I admire her work as much as I do.”
Lee Lai was born in 1993 in Naarm (Melbourne), Australia. Currently, Lai makes comics and
illustrations in Tio’tia:ke (Montreal, Quebec) where she lives with her roommates and two sweet cats. Her short story comics have been featured in The New Yorker, The Lifted Brow, Room Magazine, and Everyday Feminism. Stone Fruit is her graphic novel debut and has been sold in auction to 5 publishing houses in 4 different languages worldwide by agent Alessandra Sternfeld at AM-Book.
About Fantagraphics:
For over 40 years, Fantagraphics has published the very best comics and graphic novels that the medium has to offer. Our mission is to celebrate great cartooning in all of its incarnations, from the form’s early luminaries to contemporary artists currently forging the future of visual storytelling. Not content to rest on our laurels and extensive roster of talented artists, we constantly seek out fresh voices from across the globe. Thus, we honor the rich history of comics while providing a platform for bold new stories, styles, and perspectives that push the boundaries of the medium. Fantagraphics remains peerless in our commitment to be the publisher of the world's greatest cartoonists.
Find out more about Fantagraphics books, cartoonists, and upcoming events on website
Fantagraphics.com, our blog Fantagraphics.com/flog, and on social media @fantagraphics.
----------------------
Wednesday, July 8, 2020
Yen Press Announces Thirteen New Titles for Future Publication
Yen Press Anime Expo Lite 2020 Announcements
Yen Press Announces Thirteen New Titles for Future Publication
NEW YORK, NY – Yen Press, LLC announced a slate of upcoming titles during the Yen Press Industry Panel that was a part of the Anime Expo Lite virtual event. Acquisitions included manga titles, A Witch’s Love at the End of the World, Strawberry Fields Once Again, The Vampire & His Pleasant Companions, Slasher Maidens, Eniale & Dewiela and Mieruko-chan), new light novels for The World’s Finest Assassin, Reincarnated in a Different World as an Aristocrat, The Place Promised in Our Early Days, The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten, Unnamed Memory, King of the Labyrinth and Reign of the Seven Spellblades) and an art book, Overlord: The Complete Anime Artbook.
These titles are all set for release in December 2020:
Overlord: The Complete Anime Artbook
By Hobby Book Editorial Department
A deep dive into the planning and making of the hit anime adaption of Overlord reveals delicately crafted settings and the incredible detailed outfits and accessories that breathed life into everyone's favorite cast of not-so-good guys!
This series of artbooks features hundreds of illustrations—character designs and concept art that went into the production of all three seasons of the Overlord anime series. Also included are interviews and commentary from the production staff.
A Witch’s Love at the End of the World
Story and Art by Kujira
In a world where magic rules from the shadows, there exists a school for witches. This mysterious academy trains young witches on a path of revenge against those who have used them only as tools. Alice, a magical prodigy, has lived her life by this goal only to have her world turned upside down when Mari, a magic-less human, enters the school and her heart!
A Witch’s Love at the End of the World is a school-life yuri series that takes place in a world of magic. As a series that falls under the josei category, A Witch’s Love at the End of the World appeals greatly to fans of mature and sophisticated yuri manga.
Strawberry Fields Once Again
Story and Art by Kazura Kinosaki
“I’ll never have a 3D romance!” High schooler Akira loves otome games and refuses to have a 3D romance, so she’s caught off-guard when the new transfer student suddenly declares that she is Akira’s future lover! It’s the start of the bittersweet story of two girls who are more than friends but less than lovers!
Strawberry Fields Once Again is a sweet and beautiful yuri manga that is sure to please fans of realistic school-life romances, such as the best-selling Éclair series, as well as manga that portray otaku culture.
The Vampire & His Pleasant Companions
Story by Narise Konohara
Art by Marimo Ragawa
From veteran shoujo manga artist Marimo Ragawa and BL light novelist Narise Konohara comes a strange and sexy tale! When a vampire from Nebraska named Al gets frozen in bat form, he winds up in Japan under the care of a dark and mysterious man covered in a bloody scent!
The Vampire & His Pleasant Companions, a manga adaptation of a popular light novel series, is drawn by Marimo Ragawa, the creator of the shojo series Baby & Me. This sexy and comedic supernatural romance is a must-read for the passionate boys’ love and yaoi audiences.
Slasher Maidens
Story and Art by Tetsuya Tashiro
Around the world, a phenomenon is observed where those whose mental stress reaches a peak transform into monsters called “Kaijin” and succumb to murderous impulses. Such supernatural events were completely unrelated to proud pervert Asuma Sudo, but after he transfers to an all-girls school while chasing the girl of his dreams, he discovers that the school was actually a front for an anti-Kaijin special agency!
Slasher Maidens is a provocative manga series featuring fantasy and harem elements. As the latest series by Akame ga KILL! artist Tetsuya Tashiro, this series will appeal greatly to fans of his previous work as well as fans of gritty school stories such as High School of the Dead and Prison School.
Eniale & Dewiela
Story and Art by Kamome Shirahama
When Eniale the coy angel and Dewiela the serious devil get into frivolous spats, the whole world gets caught up in their antics! Whether it’s wrecking New York in a bid to nab some famous cosmetics, getting into a car chase in Paris over a clothing quarrel, or sinking Tokyo thanks to a zombie outbreak, it’s the advent of an otherworldly duo who are both beautiful and obnoxious!
An earlier work by Witch Hat Atelier creator Kamome Shirahama, Eniale & Dewiela is a quirky manga about an angel, a devil and a ton of trouble the two get into together. Praised for her amazing artistic ability, Eniale & Dewiela features amazing illustrations from Shirahama that showcase a sexier side to her artwork.
Mieruko-chan
Story and Art by Tomoki Izumi
When a girl sees horrific creatures that can't be seen by ordinary people, she doesn't run away or confront the creatures...she simply tries to live a normal life!
Originally a webcomic published in the Pixiv online art community, Mieruko-chan is a unique manga series that does an excellent job mixing horror, comedy and cuteness together. With horror standing out as one of the most popular genres of manga today, Mieruko-chan is sure to be a hit with the many of today’s fans.
The World’s Finest Assassin, Reincarnated in a Different World as an Aristocrat
Story by Rui Tsukiyo
Illustrations by Reia
When a great assassin is reborn in another world, he finds himself the heir to a long line of killers from the shadows. With both his modern-day knowledge and experience and the special magic and techniques of this new world, he could very well become the most unstoppable assassin in history…!
This quirky isekai light novel series follows a reincarnated assassin who is tasked with killing the hero of another world. As an unconventional story told from the point of view of an anti-hero, this series appeals to fans of recent light novel hits such as The Genius Prince’s Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt.
The Place Promised in Our Early Days
Story by Makoto Shinkai
In the Soviet-occupied Japan of an alternate history, two childhood friends who have grown apart find each other again and begin a search for a missing third friend-and possibly save the world in the process. Acclaimed director Makoto Shinkai pens his own novelization of his first feature-length animated film!
The Place Promised in Our Early Days is a novel adaptation of an early film by Makoto Shinkai, the celebrated creator of animated films such as your name. and Weathering With You. This hardcover novel is a must-have for fans who have collected the best-selling novel adaptations of Makoto Shinkai’s works previously published by Yen Press.
The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten
Story by Saekisan
Illustrations by Hanekoto
Amane lives alone in an apartment, and the most beautiful girl in school, Mahiru, lives just next door. They’ve almost never spoken—until the day he sees her in distress on a rainy day and lends her his umbrella. To return the favor, she offers him help around the house, and a relationship slowly begins to blossom as the distance between them closes…
The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten is a school-life romance story, a category that has had a resurgence in popularity in the world of light novels. A series that tells the tale of a boy who finds himself in a budding relationship with the most popular girl in school, this series appeals greatly to fans of Bottom-Tier Character Tomozaki.
Unnamed Memory
Story by Kuji Furumiya
Illustrations by chibi
Love can bloom in the strangest places...and people! A cursed king and the world's strongest witch are about to cross paths, forever changing their future and the fate of the world!
Unnamed Memory is a fantasy adventure light novel, one filled with drama, mystery and romance. This light novel series is quickly gaining a passionate fanbase worldwide due to its captivating storyline as well as its beautiful illustrations.
King of the Labyrinth
Story by Shien Bis
On the tenth floor of the labyrinth awaits the minotaur. Many brave adventurers have challenged this great beast, all have thoroughly failed. “More!" Demands the powerful monster. “Send me more powerful opponents!” This creature blindly pursues strength at any cost. Perhaps it will even grow strong enough to surpass the rules of the labyrinth itself! Can any adventurer hope to stand against such a mighty creature?
An unconventional story that is told from the point of view of a powerful dungeon monster, King of the Labyrinth is an intriguing light novel series that puts a twist on the popular genre of dungeon-crawling fantasies such as Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?
Reign of the Seven Spellblades
Story by Bokuto Uno
Illustrations by Miyuki Ruria
Springtime at Kimberly Magic Academy, when new students begin their first year. One boy, clad in black robes with a white cane and sword strapped to his hip, approaches the prestigious school. This young man—Oliver—must form a bond with a katana wielding girl named Nanao if he’s to survive the dangers he’s to face at this school that is anything but what it seems!
Reign of the Seven Spellblades is a light novel series full of fantasy action. A rising star in Japan that has already been adapted into a manga, Reign of the Seven Spellblades appeals to fans of light novels that involve combat in school settings.
About Yen Press, LLC:
Yen Press, LLC is a joint venture between Kadokawa Corporation and Hachette Book Group. Founded in 2006, Yen Press has quickly risen to become one of the largest and most prolific publishers of manga and original graphic novels in the North American marketplace and a driving force in the introduction of light novels and Japanese literature to new readers through its Yen On imprint. For more information, visit www.yenpress.com.
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Yen Press Announces Thirteen New Titles for Future Publication
NEW YORK, NY – Yen Press, LLC announced a slate of upcoming titles during the Yen Press Industry Panel that was a part of the Anime Expo Lite virtual event. Acquisitions included manga titles, A Witch’s Love at the End of the World, Strawberry Fields Once Again, The Vampire & His Pleasant Companions, Slasher Maidens, Eniale & Dewiela and Mieruko-chan), new light novels for The World’s Finest Assassin, Reincarnated in a Different World as an Aristocrat, The Place Promised in Our Early Days, The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten, Unnamed Memory, King of the Labyrinth and Reign of the Seven Spellblades) and an art book, Overlord: The Complete Anime Artbook.
These titles are all set for release in December 2020:
Overlord: The Complete Anime Artbook
By Hobby Book Editorial Department
A deep dive into the planning and making of the hit anime adaption of Overlord reveals delicately crafted settings and the incredible detailed outfits and accessories that breathed life into everyone's favorite cast of not-so-good guys!
This series of artbooks features hundreds of illustrations—character designs and concept art that went into the production of all three seasons of the Overlord anime series. Also included are interviews and commentary from the production staff.
A Witch’s Love at the End of the World
Story and Art by Kujira
In a world where magic rules from the shadows, there exists a school for witches. This mysterious academy trains young witches on a path of revenge against those who have used them only as tools. Alice, a magical prodigy, has lived her life by this goal only to have her world turned upside down when Mari, a magic-less human, enters the school and her heart!
A Witch’s Love at the End of the World is a school-life yuri series that takes place in a world of magic. As a series that falls under the josei category, A Witch’s Love at the End of the World appeals greatly to fans of mature and sophisticated yuri manga.
Strawberry Fields Once Again
Story and Art by Kazura Kinosaki
“I’ll never have a 3D romance!” High schooler Akira loves otome games and refuses to have a 3D romance, so she’s caught off-guard when the new transfer student suddenly declares that she is Akira’s future lover! It’s the start of the bittersweet story of two girls who are more than friends but less than lovers!
Strawberry Fields Once Again is a sweet and beautiful yuri manga that is sure to please fans of realistic school-life romances, such as the best-selling Éclair series, as well as manga that portray otaku culture.
The Vampire & His Pleasant Companions
Story by Narise Konohara
Art by Marimo Ragawa
From veteran shoujo manga artist Marimo Ragawa and BL light novelist Narise Konohara comes a strange and sexy tale! When a vampire from Nebraska named Al gets frozen in bat form, he winds up in Japan under the care of a dark and mysterious man covered in a bloody scent!
The Vampire & His Pleasant Companions, a manga adaptation of a popular light novel series, is drawn by Marimo Ragawa, the creator of the shojo series Baby & Me. This sexy and comedic supernatural romance is a must-read for the passionate boys’ love and yaoi audiences.
Slasher Maidens
Story and Art by Tetsuya Tashiro
Around the world, a phenomenon is observed where those whose mental stress reaches a peak transform into monsters called “Kaijin” and succumb to murderous impulses. Such supernatural events were completely unrelated to proud pervert Asuma Sudo, but after he transfers to an all-girls school while chasing the girl of his dreams, he discovers that the school was actually a front for an anti-Kaijin special agency!
Slasher Maidens is a provocative manga series featuring fantasy and harem elements. As the latest series by Akame ga KILL! artist Tetsuya Tashiro, this series will appeal greatly to fans of his previous work as well as fans of gritty school stories such as High School of the Dead and Prison School.
Eniale & Dewiela
Story and Art by Kamome Shirahama
When Eniale the coy angel and Dewiela the serious devil get into frivolous spats, the whole world gets caught up in their antics! Whether it’s wrecking New York in a bid to nab some famous cosmetics, getting into a car chase in Paris over a clothing quarrel, or sinking Tokyo thanks to a zombie outbreak, it’s the advent of an otherworldly duo who are both beautiful and obnoxious!
An earlier work by Witch Hat Atelier creator Kamome Shirahama, Eniale & Dewiela is a quirky manga about an angel, a devil and a ton of trouble the two get into together. Praised for her amazing artistic ability, Eniale & Dewiela features amazing illustrations from Shirahama that showcase a sexier side to her artwork.
Mieruko-chan
Story and Art by Tomoki Izumi
When a girl sees horrific creatures that can't be seen by ordinary people, she doesn't run away or confront the creatures...she simply tries to live a normal life!
Originally a webcomic published in the Pixiv online art community, Mieruko-chan is a unique manga series that does an excellent job mixing horror, comedy and cuteness together. With horror standing out as one of the most popular genres of manga today, Mieruko-chan is sure to be a hit with the many of today’s fans.
The World’s Finest Assassin, Reincarnated in a Different World as an Aristocrat
Story by Rui Tsukiyo
Illustrations by Reia
When a great assassin is reborn in another world, he finds himself the heir to a long line of killers from the shadows. With both his modern-day knowledge and experience and the special magic and techniques of this new world, he could very well become the most unstoppable assassin in history…!
This quirky isekai light novel series follows a reincarnated assassin who is tasked with killing the hero of another world. As an unconventional story told from the point of view of an anti-hero, this series appeals to fans of recent light novel hits such as The Genius Prince’s Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt.
The Place Promised in Our Early Days
Story by Makoto Shinkai
In the Soviet-occupied Japan of an alternate history, two childhood friends who have grown apart find each other again and begin a search for a missing third friend-and possibly save the world in the process. Acclaimed director Makoto Shinkai pens his own novelization of his first feature-length animated film!
The Place Promised in Our Early Days is a novel adaptation of an early film by Makoto Shinkai, the celebrated creator of animated films such as your name. and Weathering With You. This hardcover novel is a must-have for fans who have collected the best-selling novel adaptations of Makoto Shinkai’s works previously published by Yen Press.
The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten
Story by Saekisan
Illustrations by Hanekoto
Amane lives alone in an apartment, and the most beautiful girl in school, Mahiru, lives just next door. They’ve almost never spoken—until the day he sees her in distress on a rainy day and lends her his umbrella. To return the favor, she offers him help around the house, and a relationship slowly begins to blossom as the distance between them closes…
The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten is a school-life romance story, a category that has had a resurgence in popularity in the world of light novels. A series that tells the tale of a boy who finds himself in a budding relationship with the most popular girl in school, this series appeals greatly to fans of Bottom-Tier Character Tomozaki.
Unnamed Memory
Story by Kuji Furumiya
Illustrations by chibi
Love can bloom in the strangest places...and people! A cursed king and the world's strongest witch are about to cross paths, forever changing their future and the fate of the world!
Unnamed Memory is a fantasy adventure light novel, one filled with drama, mystery and romance. This light novel series is quickly gaining a passionate fanbase worldwide due to its captivating storyline as well as its beautiful illustrations.
King of the Labyrinth
Story by Shien Bis
On the tenth floor of the labyrinth awaits the minotaur. Many brave adventurers have challenged this great beast, all have thoroughly failed. “More!" Demands the powerful monster. “Send me more powerful opponents!” This creature blindly pursues strength at any cost. Perhaps it will even grow strong enough to surpass the rules of the labyrinth itself! Can any adventurer hope to stand against such a mighty creature?
An unconventional story that is told from the point of view of a powerful dungeon monster, King of the Labyrinth is an intriguing light novel series that puts a twist on the popular genre of dungeon-crawling fantasies such as Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?
Reign of the Seven Spellblades
Story by Bokuto Uno
Illustrations by Miyuki Ruria
Springtime at Kimberly Magic Academy, when new students begin their first year. One boy, clad in black robes with a white cane and sword strapped to his hip, approaches the prestigious school. This young man—Oliver—must form a bond with a katana wielding girl named Nanao if he’s to survive the dangers he’s to face at this school that is anything but what it seems!
Reign of the Seven Spellblades is a light novel series full of fantasy action. A rising star in Japan that has already been adapted into a manga, Reign of the Seven Spellblades appeals to fans of light novels that involve combat in school settings.
About Yen Press, LLC:
Yen Press, LLC is a joint venture between Kadokawa Corporation and Hachette Book Group. Founded in 2006, Yen Press has quickly risen to become one of the largest and most prolific publishers of manga and original graphic novels in the North American marketplace and a driving force in the introduction of light novels and Japanese literature to new readers through its Yen On imprint. For more information, visit www.yenpress.com.
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Tuesday, July 7, 2020
BET Releases "Twenties" Season 1; Announces Season 2
BET Renews Lena Waithe’s Breakout Hit “Twenties” for Season 2 and Announces Season 1 Streaming on Showtime This July
"Redefines The Queer Black Narrative" - Deadline
"It's A Perspective We've Never Really Seen Before" - Decider
“Groundbreaking" - The Grio
“Light Yet Smart, Easy-To-Binge Comedy” - TIME Magazine
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BET announced the second season pickup of Lena Waithe’s breakout hit “Twenties”, as well as an FYC partnership with Showtime, which will air season one starting July 6th, 2020. After premiering to critical acclaim and ranking as the #1 new comedy series on cable for African-Americans 18-49*, “Twenties” is receiving buzz for Lena Waithe’s creative direction and Jonica T. Gibbs’ star-making performance.
“It took a long time to get this show on the air, but it was absolutely worth the wait. I needed THIS phenomenal cast and crew to make it happen. I’m looking forward to continuing this journey with this amazing group of people and our incredible viewers.”
The scripted series created and written by Waithe, stars Gibbs as Hattie, a queer black girl who is chasing her dreams of being a screenwriter in Los Angeles alongside her two best friends, Marie and Nia, played by Christina Elmore (“Insecure”) and Gabrielle Graham (“Possessor”) respectively. While they live separate lives, the girls lean on each other for guidance as they navigate their twenties and test the limits of diversity, love and inclusion.
Season one guest stars included Jenifer Lewis (Black-ish), Sean “Big Sean” Anderson (debut role), Rick Fox, Vanessa Williams, Seth Green, Iman Shumpert, Kym Whitley, Chuey Martinez, Marsha Thomason, and Nazanin Mandi.
“The first season of TWENTIES, led by the incredible Jonica T. Gibbs, Christina Elmore and Gabrielle Graham, was a joy to watch in every sense. BET has always been about empowering and elevating black stories and we’re so excited to see where Lena Waithe and Susan Fales-Hill’s remarkable vision takes us in the second season.” – Scott Mills, President of BET
“It took a long time to get this show on the air, but it was absolutely worth the wait. I needed THIS phenomenal cast and crew to make it happen. I’m looking forward to continuing this journey with this amazing group of people and our incredible viewers.” – Lena Waithe, Creator, Writer and Executive Producer of “Twenties”
“Twenties” is Executive Produced by Lena Waithe, Susan Fales-Hill who serves as showrunner, Rishi Rajani, Andrew Coles, and Justin Tipping, who directed the pilot episode.
For behind the scenes look at the making of the series, plus exclusive clips and photos from “Twenties”, please visit BET.com/Twenties and join the conversation on social media using the hashtag #TwentiesOnBET.
*Source: Nielsen Live + SD | Ranked on Imps (000) | Premieres airing M-Sun 7p-12a, 9/30/19-4/26/20
About Lena Waithe
Emmy Award winning writer, creator and actor Lena Waithe has proven herself a talent to be reckoned with, who only continues to grow her body of work with diversity and charisma. She made her film screenwriting debut last year with Universal’s QUEEN & SLIM, starring Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Turner Smith and directed by Melina Mantzoukas. Waithe first made headlines in Netflix’s MASTER OF NONE which she received the Emmy® Award in “Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series” and NAACP Image Award nomination for the “Thanksgiving” episode she co-wrote. Currently, Waithe serves as the creator and executive producer for the critically acclaimed Showtime series THE CHI, which will return for its third season on June 21, Quibi’s docuseries YOU AIN’T GOT THESE, Amazon’s highly anticipated horror anthology series THEM: COVENANT, BET’s BOOMERANG, which recently concluded its second season with 1.3M viewers tuning in for the finale, and her semi-autobiographical series TWENTIES also on BET. Her other producing projects under the Hillman Grad banner include Rhadha Blank’s Sundance Directing Award winner THE 40-YEAR-OLD VERSION which was purchased by Netflix, Amazon’s series based on Neil Paik’s Six by Eight Press short story REAWAKENING, SISTERS and DEAR WHITE PEOPLE. She most recently appeared on the small screen in third season of HBO’s critically acclaimed WESTWORLD.
About Hillman Grad
Hillman Grad is a development and production company committed to creating art that goes against the status quo and gives a platform to marginalized peoples by providing a platform for diverse voices across all mediums. Founded by Emmy-Award winning writer Lena Waithe and Rishi Rajani, the company currently has projects at Netflix, Disney, BET, Showtime, HBO and Amazon. Their comprehensive slate includes Queen & Slim, which Waithe wrote and was directed by Melina Mantzoukas; Universal Pictures released the film on November 27th. Current projects include the Quibi docuseries You Ain’t Got These, BET’s Boomerang and new hit comedy series Twenties, which is loosely based on Waithe’s own life of when she first moved to Los Angeles and follows the adventures of a queer black girl and her two straight best friends who spend most of their days talking shit and chasing their dreams. Other projects currently in various stages of production: Them: Covenant for Amazon; Untitled Kid Fury Project for HBO; Reawakening, Neil Paik’s Six by Eight Press short story for Amazon Studios, and the Sundance Film Festival 2020 award-winner The 40-Year-Old Version, Radha Blank’s groundbreaking film, which blends real life and fiction to follow its protagonist, a down-on-her luck New York playwright, who decides to reinvent herself and salvage her artistic voice by becoming a rapper at age 40.
About BET
BET, a subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIACA, VIAC), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel is in 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, sub-Saharan Africa and France. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions including BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.
-------------------------
"Redefines The Queer Black Narrative" - Deadline
"It's A Perspective We've Never Really Seen Before" - Decider
“Groundbreaking" - The Grio
“Light Yet Smart, Easy-To-Binge Comedy” - TIME Magazine
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BET announced the second season pickup of Lena Waithe’s breakout hit “Twenties”, as well as an FYC partnership with Showtime, which will air season one starting July 6th, 2020. After premiering to critical acclaim and ranking as the #1 new comedy series on cable for African-Americans 18-49*, “Twenties” is receiving buzz for Lena Waithe’s creative direction and Jonica T. Gibbs’ star-making performance.
“It took a long time to get this show on the air, but it was absolutely worth the wait. I needed THIS phenomenal cast and crew to make it happen. I’m looking forward to continuing this journey with this amazing group of people and our incredible viewers.”
The scripted series created and written by Waithe, stars Gibbs as Hattie, a queer black girl who is chasing her dreams of being a screenwriter in Los Angeles alongside her two best friends, Marie and Nia, played by Christina Elmore (“Insecure”) and Gabrielle Graham (“Possessor”) respectively. While they live separate lives, the girls lean on each other for guidance as they navigate their twenties and test the limits of diversity, love and inclusion.
Season one guest stars included Jenifer Lewis (Black-ish), Sean “Big Sean” Anderson (debut role), Rick Fox, Vanessa Williams, Seth Green, Iman Shumpert, Kym Whitley, Chuey Martinez, Marsha Thomason, and Nazanin Mandi.
“The first season of TWENTIES, led by the incredible Jonica T. Gibbs, Christina Elmore and Gabrielle Graham, was a joy to watch in every sense. BET has always been about empowering and elevating black stories and we’re so excited to see where Lena Waithe and Susan Fales-Hill’s remarkable vision takes us in the second season.” – Scott Mills, President of BET
“It took a long time to get this show on the air, but it was absolutely worth the wait. I needed THIS phenomenal cast and crew to make it happen. I’m looking forward to continuing this journey with this amazing group of people and our incredible viewers.” – Lena Waithe, Creator, Writer and Executive Producer of “Twenties”
“Twenties” is Executive Produced by Lena Waithe, Susan Fales-Hill who serves as showrunner, Rishi Rajani, Andrew Coles, and Justin Tipping, who directed the pilot episode.
For behind the scenes look at the making of the series, plus exclusive clips and photos from “Twenties”, please visit BET.com/Twenties and join the conversation on social media using the hashtag #TwentiesOnBET.
*Source: Nielsen Live + SD | Ranked on Imps (000) | Premieres airing M-Sun 7p-12a, 9/30/19-4/26/20
About Lena Waithe
Emmy Award winning writer, creator and actor Lena Waithe has proven herself a talent to be reckoned with, who only continues to grow her body of work with diversity and charisma. She made her film screenwriting debut last year with Universal’s QUEEN & SLIM, starring Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Turner Smith and directed by Melina Mantzoukas. Waithe first made headlines in Netflix’s MASTER OF NONE which she received the Emmy® Award in “Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series” and NAACP Image Award nomination for the “Thanksgiving” episode she co-wrote. Currently, Waithe serves as the creator and executive producer for the critically acclaimed Showtime series THE CHI, which will return for its third season on June 21, Quibi’s docuseries YOU AIN’T GOT THESE, Amazon’s highly anticipated horror anthology series THEM: COVENANT, BET’s BOOMERANG, which recently concluded its second season with 1.3M viewers tuning in for the finale, and her semi-autobiographical series TWENTIES also on BET. Her other producing projects under the Hillman Grad banner include Rhadha Blank’s Sundance Directing Award winner THE 40-YEAR-OLD VERSION which was purchased by Netflix, Amazon’s series based on Neil Paik’s Six by Eight Press short story REAWAKENING, SISTERS and DEAR WHITE PEOPLE. She most recently appeared on the small screen in third season of HBO’s critically acclaimed WESTWORLD.
About Hillman Grad
Hillman Grad is a development and production company committed to creating art that goes against the status quo and gives a platform to marginalized peoples by providing a platform for diverse voices across all mediums. Founded by Emmy-Award winning writer Lena Waithe and Rishi Rajani, the company currently has projects at Netflix, Disney, BET, Showtime, HBO and Amazon. Their comprehensive slate includes Queen & Slim, which Waithe wrote and was directed by Melina Mantzoukas; Universal Pictures released the film on November 27th. Current projects include the Quibi docuseries You Ain’t Got These, BET’s Boomerang and new hit comedy series Twenties, which is loosely based on Waithe’s own life of when she first moved to Los Angeles and follows the adventures of a queer black girl and her two straight best friends who spend most of their days talking shit and chasing their dreams. Other projects currently in various stages of production: Them: Covenant for Amazon; Untitled Kid Fury Project for HBO; Reawakening, Neil Paik’s Six by Eight Press short story for Amazon Studios, and the Sundance Film Festival 2020 award-winner The 40-Year-Old Version, Radha Blank’s groundbreaking film, which blends real life and fiction to follow its protagonist, a down-on-her luck New York playwright, who decides to reinvent herself and salvage her artistic voice by becoming a rapper at age 40.
About BET
BET, a subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIACA, VIAC), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel is in 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, sub-Saharan Africa and France. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions including BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.
-------------------------
BOOM! Studios from Diamond Distributors for July 8, 2020
BOOM! STUDIOS
MAR201400 ALIENATED #4 (OF 6) $3.99
APR208180 ALIENATED #4 (OF 6) CVR B WARD VAR $3.99
APR201333 BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER WILLOW #1 CVR A BARTEL $3.99
APR201334 BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER WILLOW #1 CVR B ANDOLFO $3.99
DEC191233 EAT AND LOVE YOURSELF ORIGINAL GN $14.99
MAR201390 FIREFLY #17 CVR A MAIN ASPINALL $3.99
MAR201391 FIREFLY #17 CVR B KAMBADAIS VAR $3.99
APR208179 RED MOTHER #6 10 COPY INFANTE VAR $3.99
MAR201362 SOMETHING IS KILLING CHILDREN #8 $3.99
MAR201400 ALIENATED #4 (OF 6) $3.99
APR208180 ALIENATED #4 (OF 6) CVR B WARD VAR $3.99
APR201333 BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER WILLOW #1 CVR A BARTEL $3.99
APR201334 BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER WILLOW #1 CVR B ANDOLFO $3.99
DEC191233 EAT AND LOVE YOURSELF ORIGINAL GN $14.99
MAR201390 FIREFLY #17 CVR A MAIN ASPINALL $3.99
MAR201391 FIREFLY #17 CVR B KAMBADAIS VAR $3.99
APR208179 RED MOTHER #6 10 COPY INFANTE VAR $3.99
MAR201362 SOMETHING IS KILLING CHILDREN #8 $3.99
DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for July 8, 2020
DC COMICS
APR200653 BATMAN HC BOOK 13 CITY OF BANE PART TWO $24.99
MAR200508 DC SUPER HERO GIRLS WEIRD SCIENCE TP $9.99
APR200667 DREAMING TP VOL 03 ONE MAGICAL MOVEMENT (MR) $19.99
MAR200642 FLASH FORWARD TP $17.99
MAR200652 JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA BY BRAD MELTZER DLX ED HC $39.99
MAR200671 SUPERGIRL BEING SUPER TP NEW ED $16.99
JAN200676 WONDER WOMAN HER GREATEST VICTORIES TP $12.99
APR200653 BATMAN HC BOOK 13 CITY OF BANE PART TWO $24.99
MAR200508 DC SUPER HERO GIRLS WEIRD SCIENCE TP $9.99
APR200667 DREAMING TP VOL 03 ONE MAGICAL MOVEMENT (MR) $19.99
MAR200642 FLASH FORWARD TP $17.99
MAR200652 JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA BY BRAD MELTZER DLX ED HC $39.99
MAR200671 SUPERGIRL BEING SUPER TP NEW ED $16.99
JAN200676 WONDER WOMAN HER GREATEST VICTORIES TP $12.99
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