Monday, November 30, 2015

Japanese Fantasy Novel, "The Gates of Sorrow," Due Summer 2016

VIZ MEDIA’S HAIKASORU LITERARY IMPRINT ANNOUNCES ACQUISITION OF MIYUKI MIYABE’S DARK FANTASY NOVEL THE GATE OF SORROWS

Award Winning Celebrated Author Of BRAVE STORY And ICO: CASTLE IN THE MIST Returns With A Captivating Supernatural Crime Thriller Set To Debut In Print And Digitally Next Summer

San Francisco, CA – VIZ Media’s Haikasoru literary imprint has announced the acquisition of the North American publishing rights to Japanese author Miyuki Miyabe’s fantastic dark fantasy, THE GATE OF SORROWS. The novel is Miyabe’s eighth and will be released by Haikasoru in both print and digital editions in the Summer of 2016.

Miyuki Miyabe is a popular and widely acclaimed author who has published works across a variety of genres ranging from sci-fi, historical fiction and mystery to young adult thrillers and social commentary. The Haikasoru imprint has released several of Miyabe’s works including BRAVE STORY, THE BOOK OF HEROES, ICO: CASTLE IN THE MIST, and APPARITIONS: GHOSTS OF OLD EDO. THE GATE OF SORROWS is a sequel to THE BOOK OF HEROES but can be read as a standalone work that features the same setting but an entirely new cast of characters.

In THE GATE OF SORROWS, a series of murders shocks Tokyo’s Shinjuku ward, but Shigenori, a retired police detective, is instead obsessed with a gargoyle that seems to move. College freshman Kotaro launches a web-based investigation of the killer, and comes to find that answers may lie within an abandoned building in the center of Japan’s busiest neighborhood, and beyond the gate of sorrows. In this New Adult sequel to Miyabe’s The Book of Heroes, you will meet monsters from other worlds and ordinary horrors that surpass even supernatural threats.

“Miyuki Miyabe's newest work is a captivating novel that bridges the gap between the author’s young adult works such as BRAVE STORY and THE BOOK OF HEROES and her popular mainstream thrillers,” says Masumi Washington, Haikasoru’s Editor-in-Chief. “We look forward to announcing additional information about this 2016 release and to new and veteran Haikasoru readers discovering this exciting new work by one of Japan’s most celebrated contemporary authors.”

Author Miyuki Miyabe's first novel was published in 1987, and since then she has become one of Japan's most popular and best-selling authors. In 2007, Miyabe's novel, BRAVE STORY (also published North America by Haikasoru), notably won the Batchelder Award for Best Children's Book in Translation from the American Library Association. Her fantasy novels ICO: CASTLE IN THE MIST and BRAVE STORY are also available from VIZ Media’s Haikasoru imprint. APPARITIONS: THE GHOSTS OF OLD EDO is her newest book to be translated into English.

For more information on THE GATE OF SORROWS, other Miyuki Miyabe releases and the Haikasoru imprint, please visit www.haikasoru.com.

For more information on other titles available from VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.


About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan.  Owned by three of Japan's largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. With its popular digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and ONE PIECE, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages.  VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products.  Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.

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Sunday, November 29, 2015

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from November 22th to 30th, 2015 - Update #35

Support Leroy on Patreon.

NEWS:

From BoxOfficeMojo:  The 2015 Thanksgiving weekend box office champ is "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2" with an estimated take of $51.6 million.

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From YahooMovies:  Inside Pixar's tech evolution.

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From YahooTV:  35 years of "Bosom Buddies"

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From Deadline:   This time "Peter Hammond's Notes" concern the award season.

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From Deadline:  Lionsgate and Alex Proyas release statements concerning the all-white casting of "Gods of Egypt."

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From Adele:  12 mind-blowing facts about Adele's smash hit album 25.

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From Variety:  Roman Polanski will not be extradited to the United States from Poland to face sex crime charges.

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From LATimes:  Stars talk about the appeal of made-for-TV Christmas movies.

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From YahooMusic:  Sole copy of Wu-Tang album, "Once Upon a Time in Shaolin," sells for at least one million dollars.  The owner cannot, an unnamed American collector, cannot be released for 88 years.

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From GuardianUK:  Garrison Keillor is retiring.

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From Fox:  "War of the Planet of the Apes" contest announces.

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From Time:  Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the special effect of Hollywood diversity.

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From Slate:  See Adele prank some fans/impersonators.

From Variety:  Chiwetel Ejiofor will be honored at the British Independent Film Awards on Dec. 6, 2015, where he will receive the "Richard Harris Award," which recognizes an outstanding contribution to British film by an actor.

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From IndieWire:  Universal apparently financed Angelina Jolie's vanity film, "By the Sea," so that she would agree to "Wanted 2" (why, Lord, why?) and a "Bride of Frankenstein" remake/re-imagining.

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From TheReelWord:  Netflix is reportedly behind a new "Lost in Space" television series.

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From TheReelWord:  Vin Diesel announces a new "Riddick" film and television series set in the "Riddick" universe.

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From YahooMusic:  Adele talks about the song "Hello" and its importance to her new album, "25."

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From HitFix:  "Toy Story" is 20 years old, and it is as wonderful as ever.

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From BoxOfficeMojo:  The #1 movie at the 11/20 to 11/22/2015 weekend box office is The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 with an estimated haul of $101 million.

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From CinemaBlend:  Brad Pitt is involved in a new sci-fi film.


HARD NEWS:

From RSN:  Native Hawaiians rise.

From InformedConsent:  White terrorism and abortion clinics.

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From RollingStone:  Matt Taibbi: America is too dumb for TV News.

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From TalkingPointsMemo:  President's state on Planned Parenthood shooting.

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From WashPost:  Anne Frank and her family were immigrants who were turned away.

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From TheVox:  Perfect response to the black-on-black crime meme.

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From Outlook:  John Cusack talks to Arundhati Roy.

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From Slate:  The shooting of Laquan McDonald in Chicago... the video.

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From Slate:  Go John Bel!

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From RollingStone:  Yeah, what the hell is going on with Ben Carson?

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From ThinkProgress:  Donald Trump retweets racist lies; media cowers before calling him a liar and a racists.

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From YahooFinance:  McDonald's is lowering prices, including bringing back more $1 menu items.


COMICS - Films and Books:

From YahooNews:  "The Green Lantern Corps." movie might be a Lethal Weapon-styled buddy movie.

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From CNET:  More details on Doctor Strange film.

From YahooMovies:  You can get Joker's "Suicide Squad" car.

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From Negromancer:  The first issue of "The Dark Knight III" is in comic book stores today.

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From Slate:  On Netflix's "Jessica Jones" and its relation to "Gamergate."

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From CinemaBlend:  Remember George Miller (Mad Max) had planned to direct a Justice League movie (Justice League: Mortal)?  It was cancelled, but here is a look at that film's Wonder Woman (Megan Gale).


STAR WARS:

From YahooMovies:  Katherine Timpf had to play with Roger Ailes' "little space nerd stick" to get a job at Fox.


TRAILER:

From YouTube:  First trailer for a creepy upcoming movie, "The Other Side of the Door."


MISC:

From GoodHousekeeping:  An amazing story about an adopted young woman who discovered that her biological father was a deceased 9/11 hero.


Review: As a Character Study, "Birdman" Has Wings

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 45 (of 2015) by Leroy Douresseaux

[A version of this review originally appeared on Patreon.]

Birdman: Or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)
Running time:  119 minutes (1 hour, 59 minutes)
MPAA – R for language throughout, some sexual content and brief violence
DIRECTOR:  Alejandro G. Iñárritu
WRITERS:  Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris Jr., and Armando Bo
PRODUCERS:  Alejandro G. Iñárritu, John Lesher, Arnon Milchan, and James W. Skotchdopole
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Emmanuel Lubezki (D.o.P.)
EDITORS:  Douglas Crise and Stephen Mirrione
COMPOSER:  Antonio Sanchez (drum score)
Academy Award winner, including “Best Picture”

DRAMA/COMEDY

Starring: Michael Keaton, Emma Stone, Edward Norton, Zach Galifanakis, Naomi Watts, Andrea Riseborough, and Amy Ryan with Lindsay Duncan

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) is a 2014 drama and black comedy film from director Alejandro G. Iñárritu.  The film focuses on a Hollywood actor, who once starred in a series of popular superhero movies, as he tries to forge a comeback with a Broadway play.  Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), commonly known as Birdman, won four Oscars, including “Best Picture,” at the 87th Academy Awards (February 22, 2015).

Birdman introduces Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton).  He is a washed-up Hollywood actor and former movie star best known for playing the iconic superhero, Birdman, two decades ago in a series of blockbuster films.  Riggan hopes to reinvent his career by writing, directing, and starring in a Broadway production.  Riggan's play is a loosely based adaptation of “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love,” a short story written by the late Raymond Carver (and first published in the former literary journal, Antaeus, in 1981).

Unfortunately, Riggan's play is beset by complications.  The play is produced by Riggan's best friend and lawyer, Jake (Zach Galifanakis), who is very demanding and high-strung.  The film's two actresses are Riggan's girlfriend, Laura (Andrea Riseborough), who claims to be pregnant, and a first-time Broadway actress, Lesley (Naomi Watts), who has a worried mind.  Riggan's daughter, Samantha (Emma Stone), a recovering addict, serves as her father's assistant.  The other male actor in the play is Mike Shiner (Edward Norton), a brilliant actor who is also volatile, disruptive, and attention-seeking.  The biggest complication, however, is the spirit of Birdman, which haunts Riggan with a mocking, critical voice, and that voice wants another Birdman movie.

Taking what the movie gives us, which is a little over one hour and fifty minutes of film narrative, Birdman is an extraordinary character study about the life of a struggling actor in a particular moment in time.  This moment in time is a two-week period, of which we only observe in select pieces.  People who watch this movie have to take Riggan at face value because the film is vague about whatever happened to Riggan's life prior to the two-week period that it depicts.

This situation helps to make Birdman ambiguous, and I think the director and his co-writers wanted their film to have many ambiguities.  Is this film a true black comedy?  Is it a drama about domestic and professional failures?  Is it real, or surreal, or both (when considering Riggan's powers)?  Is the last act and the ending a resolution via rebirth or by closure?  Birdman is a complex, different and fascinating work of cinema.

Considering its subject matter, that of a failed movie star in the tailspin of a midlife crisis, it is fairly obvious why the film was so attractive to so many Oscar voters.  How many members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), which votes on the Oscars, have experienced something similar to Riggan's experiences or how many know they will... eventually.  I think that this is a tremendous movie, and I can see why it won the Oscars that it did.

On the other hand, Edward Norton and Emma Stone are good in Birdman, but there is little in their work here, in terms of substance or character portrayal, that says that either one of them gave a top five performance in the respective categories for which they were nominated for Oscars.  I also find Michael Keaton a little uneven.  He is at his best when he is emoting without dialogue and when he is giving voice to Birdman.  When he tries to give voice to anger and frustration, he is over-the-top, in his now trademark manner, familiar to us who remember him as Batman and as Beetlejuice.

Many people seem to think that Keaton was perfect for the role of Riggan Thomson who played a superhero at the height of his career and fame in Hollywood because Keaton played the title role in Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992) at the height of his film career.  Keaton's career seemed to diminish after Batman, gradually though, until he had seemingly disappeared from Hollywood films.  The truth is Keaton is a good actor whose full talent has rarely been utilized.

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) gives him a chance, and there are moments in which Keaton shines.  This film is unique and has many moments of brilliance, in which Alejandro G. Iñárritu shows us that cinematic magic is indeed real.  Birdman has it, revealing that drama need not be tied to the ground nor to be framed in notions of stiff realism.  Birdman has a sense of wonder and of curiosity, believing that it is as exciting to explore a man's life as it is to explore a faraway magical kingdom or an island full of dinosaurs.

9 of 10
A+

Tuesday, September 15, 2015


NOTES:
2015 Academy Awards, USA:  4 wins: “Best Motion Picture of the Year” (Alejandro González Iñárritu, John Lesher, and James W. Skotchdopole), “Best Achievement in Directing” (Alejandro González Iñárritu), “Best Writing, Original Screenplay” (Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, and Armando Bo), and “Best Achievement in Cinematography” (Emmanuel Lubezki); 5 nominations: “Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role” (Michael Keaton), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role” (Edward Norton), “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role” (Emma Stone), “Best Achievement in Sound Mixing” (Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño, and Thomas Varga) and “Best Achievement in Sound Editing” (Aaron Glascock and Martín Hernández)

2015 Golden Globes, USA:  2 wins: “Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical” (Michael Keaton) and “Best Screenplay - Motion Picture” (Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, and Armando Bo); 5 nominations: “Best Director - Motion Picture” (Alejandro González Iñárritu), “Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical,” “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Emma Stone), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Edward Norton) and “Best Original Score - Motion Picture” (Antonio Sanchez)

2015 BAFTA Awards:  1 win “Best Cinematography” (Emmanuel Lubezki); 9 nominations: “Best Film” (Alejandro González Iñárritu, John Lesher, and James W. Skotchdopole), “Best Leading Actor” (Michael Keaton), “Best Supporting Actor” (Edward Norton), “Best Supporting Actress” (Emma Stone), “Best Editing” (Douglas Crise and Stephen Mirrione), “Best Original Music” (Antonio Sanchez), “Best Sound” (Thomas Varga, Martín Hernández, Aaron Glascock, Jon Taylor, and Frank A. Montaño), “Best Original Screenplay” (Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, and Alexander Dinelaris, and Armando Bo), and “David Lean Award for Direction” (Alejandro González Iñárritu)


The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.


Saturday, November 28, 2015

"Black Science" Hardcover Due February 2016

EARLY BONUS CONTENT FROM BLACK SCIENCE DELUXE HARDCOVER EDITION, VOL. 1 REVEALED

The glorious oversized hardcover will hit shelves this February 2016 and feature tantalizing extra material

New York Times bestselling writer Rick Remender (DEADLY CLASS, LOW, TOKYO GHOST) and Matteo Scalera tease a few pages from the forthcoming BLACK SCIENCE DELUXE HARDCOVER EDITION, VOL. 1, set to hit stores February 2016.

This premiere hardcover edition will collect the first three story arcs of the beloved, pulp science fiction world-hopping adventure and feature an array of tantalizing extra material for fans to enjoy.

BLACK SCIENCE follows Grant McKay, former member of the Anarchist League of Scientists, who has finally done the impossible; he has deciphered “Black Science” and punched through the barriers of reality. However, what lies beyond the veil is not epiphany, but chaos.

Now Grant and his team are lost, living ghosts shipwrecked on an infinite ocean of alien worlds, barreling through the long-forgotten, ancient, and unimaginable dark realms. The only way is forward. The only question is how far are they willing to go—and how much can they endure—to get home again?

“This hardcover commemorates the three-year anniversary of when we started production on the book,” said Remender. “Everyone involved has worked tremendously hard to make this prestige hardcover edition a must-have for fans of the book and new readers. It's wall-to-wall with extras and all that lush art by Matteo Scalera, one of the most talented guys in comics. When you see Matteo's work at this size you'll be blown away.”

BLACK SCIENCE DELUXE HARDCOVER EDITION, VOL. 1 (ISBN: 978-1-63215-493-4) hits comic book stores on Wednesday, February 3rd, 2016 and bookstores on Tuesday, February 9th, 2016 and will be available for $49.99. It can be ordered by retailers from Diamond Book Distributors with Diamond Code SEP150588. It can be pre-ordered now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and IndieBound.


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

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Friday, November 27, 2015

New "Zoolander 2" Trailer Set Record

“ZOOLANDER 2” IS THE MOST SUCCESSFUL COMEDY TRAILER LAUNCH OF ALL TIME

THE TRAILER RECEIVED 52.2 MILLION VIEWS IN ITS FIRST WEEK

HOLLYWOOD, CA – The new trailer for Paramount Pictures’ “ZOOLANDER 2” has broken the record to become the most successful comedy trailer launch of all time. The trailer, which debuted online on November 18, 2015 and offers fans a sneak peek at the highly anticipated sequel to 2001’s “ZOOLANDER,” reached 52.2 million views in its first week of release.

“ZOOLANDER 2” is directed by Ben Stiller and features an all star cast of Stiller, Owen Wilson, Will Ferrell, Penélope Cruz, Kristen Wiig, Fred Armisen, Milla Jovovich, Christine Taylor, Justin Theroux and Kyle Mooney. The film is written by Justin Theroux & Ben Stiller and Nick Stoller and John Hamburg. Ben Stiller, Stuart Cornfeld, Scott Rudin and Clayton Townsend are producing. Jeff Mann is executive producing.

“ZOOLANDER 2”opens nationwide on February 12, 2016.


About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Television, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.

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Thursday, November 26, 2015

Image Comics Announces First "Kaptara" Trade Collection

KAPTARA, VOL. 1 IS A HILARIOUS SCIENCE FICTION ADVENTURE

The first story arc of the humorous adventure is collected into trade paperback

“Epic, exciting.” —Entertainment Weekly

“I wish I could look and act like a villain written and drawn by Chip Zdarsky and Kagan McLeod.” —John Waters

Bestselling writer Chip Zdarsky (SEX CRIMINALS, Howard the Duck) teams up with artist Kagan McLeod (Infinite Kung-Fu) for the laugh-out-loud romp, KAPTARA, VOL. 1: FEAR NOT, TINY ALIEN. This collects issues #1-5 into trade paperback and will be available in December.

A space expedition goes horribly wrong because if it didn’t there would be no story! Reluctant explorer Keith Kanga and his crew crash-land on KAPTARA, a world filled with danger and weird danger and dangerous weirdos! And if he can’t survive, then Earth, the place where YOU live, is doomed! Join Zdarsky and McLeod as they put the “fi” back into “sci-fi” and pretty much disregard the “sci” part completely in this epic story of punching and love!

KAPTARA, VOL. 1 (ISBN: 978-1-63215-557-3) hits comic book stores on Wednesday, December 23rd, 2015 and bookstores on Tuesday, January 5th, and will be available for $9.99. It can be ordered by retailers from Diamond Book Distributors with Diamond Code AUG150535. It can be pre-ordered now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and IndieBound.

Praise for KAPTARA:

“Quite funny.” —Comic Book Resources

"Kaptara is an exciting and smart comic, one that hits all the right notes and utilizes a diverse cast of characters you can't help but latch on to.” —IGN

"This is a topsy turvy acid trip where a Queen slightly resembles Miyazaki and a Prince similar to Conan on steroids are characters.” —Bloody Disgusting

“In just one page, motivational orb already seems poised to be the next Lying Cat.” —Multiversity Comics

“Strap on your space boots and get ready for Chip Zdarsky and Kagan McLeod to take you on a space trip… Expect the unexpected.” —ComicVine

“Funny and smart .... Zdarsky and McLeod work well to create a mix of striking action and wry humor.” —Paste Magazine

“Kagan McLeod’s work… has something for everyone. His characters are spindly and Steve Ditko-esque but also very detailed… From the very first page, he thrusts us into a world that we are sure is not our own and that we want to learn more about.” —Newsarama

“There are no rules with Zdarsky’s science-fiction fantasy Kaptara… a captivating, genre-bending narrative with lush, wildly imaginative visuals. It’s a very different book than Howard the Duck, but the two titles share a cheeky wit that reads as distinctly Zdarsky, establishing a writing voice that is as strong and confident as his work as an artist.” —Los Angeles Times’ HeroComplex

“Insane.” —Houston Press


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

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And a Very Negromancer Thanksgiving to All

I gonna jump ahead a holiday - Peace on Earth, y'all!

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Debut Trailer for "Anomalisa" Arrives


ANOMALISA

Watch and share the trailer: http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/embed/anomalisa/trailer/index.html

ANOMALISA will open in limited release December 30, 2015

http://www.anomalisa.com/Anomalisa.html
https://twitter.com/anomalisamovie
https://www.facebook.com/Anomalisa/

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The Dark Knight Returns in "The Master Race"


THE DARK KNIGHT III: THE MASTER RACE Available Today

Frank Miller Returns with the Next Chapter in his Iconic Batman Saga

A Unique Retailer Variant Cover Program Awaits Fans and Collectors Just in Time for Thanksgiving and Small Business Saturday

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--DC Entertainment today announced that the next chapter in Frank Miller’s heralded DARK KNIGHT storyline, THE DARK KNIGHT III: THE MASTER RACE (DKIII) is available today, November 25, 2015, in comic shops and online retailers everywhere. This eight-issue limited series is the sequel to the 1986 classic THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS and the follow up to THE DARK KNIGHT STRIKES AGAIN, published in 2001.

    “This next chapter has been 30 years in the making”

Reviewed by IGN.com as “A masterful return” and NY Daily News as “vital reading,” this newest installment comes to life courtesy of an all-star lineup of creative talent: Brian Azzarello (100 BULLETS, JOKER, BATMAN, WONDER WOMAN) joins Miller as co-writer, Andy Kubert (ACTION COMICS, BATMAN, DETECTIVE COMICS) provides art, along with Frank Miller’s longtime inking partner Klaus Janson (SUPERMAN, THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS), reuniting with Frank for the first time in 30 years.

DARK KNIGHT III: THE MASTER RACE explores Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman in unusual roles – as parents – to two very different girls, Lara (Kent) and Carrie Kelley against larger themes of vigilantism and what it means to be a superhero – powers or not – in the real world of 24-hour media and current events.

In addition to the main story, each issue will also include a 12-page mini comic, “DARK KNIGHT UNIVERSE PRESENTS,” spotlighting complementary characters that are crucial elements to telling the full DARK KNIGHT story. In addition, approximately two weeks following each issue of the monthly comic, the issue will be reproduced in a full size “prestige” format hardcover Collector’s Edition. The final issue of the Collector’s Edition hardcover will sell with a slipcase designed to hold all eight issues and feature brand-new wraparound art from DC Entertainment Co-Publisher and veteran artist Jim Lee.

“This next chapter has been 30 years in the making,” said DKIII co-writer Frank Miller. “This is a perfect time for me to return to Batman. My relationship with DC Entertainment has always been strong and this is a happy continuation bringing this new story to comic fans. DC’s toys are always fun to play with and working with Brian, Andy and Klaus is a real blast. We can’t wait to start giving you all nightmares.”

The release of DKIII in comic shops also features something special for the true collector, and just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend and Small Business Saturday. In addition to the standard cover, 47 participating retailers around North America and the UK will feature a limited edition Dark Knight-themed cover for issue #1 that is unique to their comic shop. Drawn by some of the most talented artists in the business, including Neal Adams (BATMAN ODYSSEY, SUPERMAN: COMING OF THE SUPERMEN), Tim Sale (BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN), John Romita Jr. (SUPERMAN) and Darwyn Cooke (TWILIGHT CHILDREN, DC: THE NEW FRONTIER) among others, a gallery of the limited edition covers and full list of participating retailers is available at DCComics.com.

“Frank’s work on Dark Knight has been instrumental in changing the way that fans around the world see Batman,” said Dan DiDio and Jim Lee, Co-Publishers for DC Entertainment. “We’re looking forward to Frank, Brian, Andy and Klaus presenting the same groundbreaking art and storytelling that has made the DARK KNIGHT saga a watershed title in not only comics, but popular literature as well.”

For fans that need a Dark Knight/Frank Miller “refresh,” an incredible selection of Frank Miller/Batman-themed digital comics and collected editions are available now through Sunday November 29 at DCComics.com, Comixology, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other participating online retailers. Consumers can save up to 67%, with digital comics on sale at 99 cents, and digital collected editions on sale at $6.99:

DIGITAL COMICS

    Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, issues 1-4
    Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again, Issues 1-3
    All-Star Batman & Robin, issues 1-10
    Batman (1940-2011) issues 404-407

DIGITAL COLLECTED EDITIONS

    Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
    Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again
    All-Star Batman & Robin, The Boy Wonder Vol. 1
    Batman: Year One

To learn more about Batman, The Dark Knight and DC Comics, visit dccomics.com.


About DC Entertainment:
DC Entertainment, home to iconic brands DC Comics (Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, The Flash), Vertigo (Sandman, Fables) and MAD, is the creative division charged with strategically integrating its content across Warner Bros. Entertainment and Time Warner. DC Entertainment works in concert with many key Warner Bros. divisions to unleash its stories and characters across all media, including but not limited to film, television, consumer products, home entertainment and interactive games. Publishing thousands of comic books, graphic novels and magazines each year, DC Entertainment is one of the largest English-language publishers of comics in the world.


Tuesday, November 24, 2015

"Star Trek Beyond" Will be Released in IMAX Theatres July 2016

"STAR TREK BEYOND" FROM PARAMOUNT PICTURES, SKYDANCE AND BAD ROBOT WILL BE RELEASED IN IMAX® THEATRES GLOBALLY BEGINNING JULY 22, 2016

HOLLYWOOD, CA – Paramount Pictures, Skydance, Bad Robot, and IMAX Corporation today announced that "STAR TREK BEYOND," the third film in the blockbuster franchise, will be digitally re-mastered into the immersive IMAX® format and released in IMAX® theaters worldwide beginning July 22, 2016.

"STAR TREK BEYOND" is directed by Justin Lin and reunites Jon Cho, Simon Pegg, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoë Saldana, Karl Urban and Anton Yelchin. Idris Elba, Sofia Boutella, Lydia Wilson and Joe Taslim are joining the cast. Based upon "Star Trek" created by Gene Roddenberry, the film’s writers are Roberto Orci & John D. Payne & Patrick Mckay; and Douglas Jung & Simon Pegg. The film is produced by J.J. Abrams and Roberto Orci, and Justin Lin through his Perfect Storm Entertainment. The executive producers are Jeffrey Chernov, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Lindsey Weber.

"IMAX provides a one-of-a-kind movie going experience to audiences all over the world," said Lin. "I am excited to bring the newest journey into the 'STAR TREK' universe to its screens."

"'STAR TREK' is an iconic franchise and IMAX is delighted to once again be a part of its world and to partner for the third time with Paramount Pictures, Skydance and Bad Robot on 'STAR TREK BEYOND,’" said Greg Foster, Senior Executive Vice President, IMAX Corp. and CEO of IMAX Entertainment. "This space epic is exactly the type of event film that our exhibitor partners and fans around the world eagerly anticipate, particularly as it is so ideally suited to the IMAX format."

The "STAR TREK" franchise has earned more than $850 million since the release of J.J. Abram’s "STAR TREK" in 2009.

The IMAX® release of "STAR TREK BEYOND" will be digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience® with proprietary IMAX DMR® (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images, coupled with IMAX's customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio, create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.


About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Television, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.

About Skydance Media
Skydance is a diversified media company founded by David Ellison in 2010 to create elevated, event-level entertainment for global audiences. The Company brings to life stories of immersive worlds across platforms, including feature film, television, gaming and digital. Among Skydance Media’s commercially and critically successful feature films are Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, Terminator Genisys, World War Z, Jack Reacher, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, Star Trek Into Darkness and True Grit. Its 2015 feature films, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation and Terminator Genisys, together grossed over $1 billion at the worldwide box office. Skydance’s future feature film slate includes Star Trek Beyond, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back and Geostorm. The Company’s current television series are the Emmy-nominated Grace and Frankie on Netflix and the Emmy-winning Manhattan on WGN America.

About Bad Robot
Bad Robot was formed by filmmaker J.J. Abrams in 2001. The company has produced television series such as ALIAS, LOST, FRINGE, PERSON OF INTEREST, feature films such as CLOVERFIELD, STAR TREK, SUPER 8, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – GHOST PROTOCOL, STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS,  MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – ROGUE NATION, the upcoming STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS, STAR TREK: BEYOND, and interactive content including the mobile app ACTION MOVIE FX. Bad Robot’s first foray into publishing, S., a novel conceived by Abrams and written by Doug Dorst, was a New York Times Best Seller. Bad Robot is based in Los Angeles and can be followed at twitter.com/bad_robot.

About IMAX Corporation
IMAX Corporation (NYSE:IMAX), an innovator in entertainment technology, combines proprietary software, architecture and equipment to create experiences that take you beyond the edge of your seat to a world you've never imagined. Top filmmakers and studios are utilizing IMAX theatres to connect with audiences in extraordinary ways, and, as such, IMAX's network is among the most important and successful theatrical distribution platforms for major event films around the globe.

IMAX is headquartered in New York, Toronto and Los Angeles, with offices in London, Tokyo, Shanghai and Beijing. As of September 30, 2015, there were 1,008 IMAX theatres (887 commercial multiplexes, 19 commercial destinations and 102 institutions) in 66 countries. On Oct. 8, 2015, shares of IMAX China, a subsidiary of IMAX Corp., began trading on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under the stock code "HK.1970."

IMAX®, IMAX® 3D, IMAX DMR®, Experience It In IMAX®, An IMAX 3D Experience®, The IMAX Experience® and IMAX Is Believing® are trademarks of IMAX Corporation. More information about the Company can be found at www.imax.com. You may also connect with IMAX on Facebook (www.facebook.com/imax), Twitter (www.twitter.com/imax) and YouTube (www.youtube.com/imaxmovies).

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10 Entries Vie for 5 "Best Short Film" Nominations at 88th Oscars

10 LIVE ACTION SHORTS ADVANCE IN 2015 OSCAR RACE

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that 10 live action short films will advance in the voting process for the 88th Academy Awards®.  One hundred forty-four pictures had originally qualified in the category.

The 10 films are listed below in alphabetical order by title, with their production companies:

Ave Maria,” Basil Khalil, director, and Eric Dupont, producer (Incognito Films)

Bad Hunter,” Sahim Omar Kalifa, director, and Dries Phlypo, producer (A Private View)

Bis Gleich (Till Then),” Philippe Brenninkmeyer, producer, and Tara Lynn Orr, writer (avenueROAD Films)

Contrapelo (Against the Grain),” Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer, director, and Pin-Chun Liu, producer (Ochenta y Cinco Films)

Day One,” Henry Hughes, director (American Film Institute)

Everything Will Be Okay (Alles Wird Gut),” Patrick Vollrath, director (Filmakademie Wien)

The Free Man (Zi You Ren),” Quah Boon-Lip, director (Taipei National University of the Arts)

Shok,” Jamie Donoughue, director (Eagle Eye Films)

Stutterer,” Benjamin Cleary, director (Bare Golly Films)

Winter Light,” Julian Higgins, director, and Josh Pence, producer (Innerlight Films and Prelude Pictures)

Members of the Short Films and Feature Animation Branch viewed all the eligible entries for the preliminary round of voting.

Short Films and Feature Animation Branch members will now select five nominees from among the 10 titles on the shortlist.  Branch screenings will be held in Los Angeles, London, New York and San Francisco in December.

The 88th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Thursday, January 14, 2016, at 5:30 a.m. PT at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.

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Monday, November 23, 2015

"Creed Original Motion Picture Score" Now Available

Creed Score Available November 20 Through WaterTower Music

Score By Ludwig Goransson

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--WaterTower Music has announced the release of the Original Motion Picture Score to award-winning filmmaker Ryan Coogler’s Creed - the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema film which explores a new chapter in the Rocky story, opening in theatres Wednesday, November 25, 2015.

    “You Can See The Whole Town From Here”

The film reunites Coogler with his Fruitvale Station composer and songwriter Ludwig Goransson (Community, Happy Endings), with whom he has a long-standing working relationship. They met as students attending the graduate film program at the University of Southern California. The Swedish-born composer scored Coogler’s first short film, Locks (2009), before creating the music for Coogler’s 2013 Sundance Film Festival-winning feature, Fruitvale Station.

In Coogler’s second feature film, Creed, Ludwig Goransson’s dynamic 21-track score combines symphonic film scoring elements with modern production and beats, many brilliantly crafted from actual sounds in the boxing ring. To craft three of the tracks, “First Date,” “You’re A Creed,” and “You Can See The Whole Town From Here,” Goransson utilized interpolations of “Going The Distance” and “Gonna Fly Now” (Theme From Rocky) from the original Rocky movie. The original Rocky (1976) film won the 1977 Academy Award for Best Motion Picture and Rocky composer Bill Conti, along with Carol Connors, were Oscar-nominated for Best Music: Original Song for “Gonna Fly Now.”

Goransson was inspired by Conti’s iconic score to Rocky, calling it “The theme song of an underdog. What I wanted to do for Creed was create something that had as big of an impact on the movie as the Rocky theme did 40 years ago. I always feel encouraged by Ryan to think outside of the box and create something that I really believe in. Having it come to life and recording it with Ryan is a great reward.”

Coogler was “blown away” by Goransson’s blend of old and new ideas. “I think we landed on something really special,” the director stated.

The Creed Original Motion Picture Score is now available on Amazon and iTunes.

From Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema comes award-winning filmmaker Ryan Coogler’s Creed. The film reunites Coogler with his Fruitvale Station star Michael B. Jordan as the son of Apollo Creed, and explores a new chapter in the Rocky story, starring Academy Award nominee Sylvester Stallone in his iconic role.

Creed also stars Tessa Thompson (“Selma,” “Dear White People”), Phylicia Rashad (Lifetime’s “Steel Magnolias”) and English pro boxer and former three-time ABA Heavyweight Champion Anthony Bellew.

Coogler directed from a screenplay he wrote with Aaron Covington, based on characters from the Rocky series written by Sylvester Stallone. The film is produced by Irwin Winkler, Robert Chartoff, Charles Winkler, William Chartoff, David Winkler, Kevin King-Templeton and Sylvester Stallone, with Nicolas Stern executive producing. The music is by composer Ludwig Goransson.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures present, in association with New Line Cinema, a Chartoff Winkler Production, Creed. Opening on Wednesday, November 25, 2015, the film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, with select international territories being handled by MGM.

This film has been rated PG-13 for violence, language and some sensuality.
http://creedthemovie.com

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2015 Gotham Award Nominations Announced; Winners Announced Nov. 30th

Honoring independent films, the Gotham Awards are the first major awards of the film awards season.  The Gotham Awards are presented by the Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP), an organization which helps independent filmmakers by connected artists with resources at all stages of film development and distribution.

This year, the 2015 Gotham Awards kicks off the 2015-16 season.  The Gotham Awards ceremony will be held on Monday, November 30, 2015 at Cipriani Wall Street.  For information on attending: http://gotham.ifp.org

The 2015 IFP Gotham Independent Film Award nominations:

Best Feature

Carol
Todd Haynes, director; Elizabeth Karlsen, Christine Vachon, Stephen Woolley, producers (The Weinstein Company)

The Diary of a Teenage Girl
Marielle Heller, director; Anne Carey, Bert Hamelinck, Madeline Samit, Miranda Bailey, producers (Sony Pictures Classics)

Heaven Knows What
Josh and Benny Safdie, directors; Oscar Boyson, Sebastian Bear-McClard, producers (RADiUS)

Spotlight
Tom McCarthy, director; Michael Sugar, Steve Golin, Nicole Rocklin, Blye Pagan Faust, producers (Open Road Films)

Tangerine
Sean Baker, director; Darren Dean, Shih-Ching Tsou, Marcus Cox & Karrie Cox, producers (Magnolia Pictures)

Best Documentary

Approaching the Elephant
Amanda Rose Wilder, director; Jay Craven, Robert Greene, Amanda Rose Wilder, producers (Kingdom County Productions)

Cartel Land
Matthew Heineman, director; Matthew Heineman, Tom Yellin, producers (The Orchard and A&E IndieFilms)

Heart of a Dog
Laurie Anderson, director; Dan Janvey, Laurie Anderson, producers (Abramorama and HBO Documentary Films)

Listen to Me Marlon
Stevan Riley, director; John Battsek, RJ Cutler, George Chignell, producers (Showtime Documentary Films)

The Look of Silence
Joshua Oppenheimer, director; Signe Byrge Sørensen, producer (Drafthouse Films)

Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award
Desiree Akhavan for Appropriate Behavior (Gravitas Ventures)
Jonas Carpignano for Mediterranea (Sundance Selects)
Marielle Heller for The Diary of a Teenage Girl (Sony Pictures Classics)
John Magary for The Mend (Cinelicious Pics)
Josh Mond for James White (The Film Arcade)

Best Screenplay
Carol, Phyllis Nagy (The Weinstein Company)
The Diary of a Teenage Girl, Marielle Heller (Sony Pictures Classics)
Love & Mercy, Oren Moverman and Michael Alan Lerner (Roadside Attractions, Lionsgate, and River Road Entertainment)
Spotlight, Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer (Open Road Films)
While We’re Young, Noah Baumbach (A24)

Best Actor*
Christopher Abbott in James White (The Film Arcade)
Kevin Corrigan in Results (Magnolia Pictures)
Paul Dano in Love & Mercy (Roadside Attractions, Lionsgate, and River Road Entertainment)
Peter Sarsgaard in Experimenter (Magnolia Pictures)
Michael Shannon in 99 Homes (Broad Green Pictures)

Best Actress*
Cate Blanchett in Carol (The Weinstein Company)
Blythe Danner in I’ll See You in My Dreams (Bleecker Street)
Brie Larson in Room (A24 Films)
Bel Powley in The Diary of a Teenage Girl (Sony Pictures Classics)
Lily Tomlin in Grandma (Sony Pictures Classics)
Kristen Wiig in Welcome to Me (Alchemy)

Breakthrough Actor
Rory Culkin in Gabriel (Oscilloscope Laboratories)
Arielle Holmes in Heaven Knows What (RADiUS)
Lola Kirke in Mistress America (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Kitana Kiki Rodriguez in Tangerine (Magnolia Pictures)
Mya Taylor in Tangerine (Magnolia Pictures)


* The 2015 Best Actor/Best Actress nominating panel also voted to award a special “Gotham Jury Award” jointly to Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, John Slattery, Stanley Tucci, and Brian d’Arcy James for their ensemble work in Spotlight. (Open Road Films).

Spotlight on Women Directors ‘Live the Dream’ Grant

For the sixth consecutive year, IFP is proud present the euphoria Calvin Klein Spotlight on Women Directors ‘Live the Dream’ grant, a $25,000 cash award for an alumna of IFP’s Independent Filmmaker Labs or IFP’s Screen Forward Lab. In 2015, Screen Forward Lab directors have been included in this opportunity for the first time. This grant aims to further the careers of emerging women directors by supporting the completion, distribution and audience engagement strategies of their first feature film or episodic series. The nominees are:

Claire Carré, director, Embers
Deb Shoval, director, AWOL
Chanelle Aponte Pearson, director, 195 Lewis
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Gotham Independent Film Audience Award

IFP members will determine the 7th Annual Gotham Independent Film Audience Award with nominees comprised of the 14 nominated films in the Best Feature, Best Documentary, and Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award categories. All IFP current, active members at the Individual Level and above will be eligible to vote.  Voting will take place online from November 18th at 12:01 AM EST and conclude on November 25th at 5:00 PM EST. In addition, IFP will be scheduling screenings of the nominated films for IFP members in the theater at the Made in NY Media Center by IFP in Brooklyn. These screenings will take place from November 4-11. The winner of the Audience Award will be announced at the Gotham Awards Ceremony on November 30, 2015.

Gotham Appreciation Award

A Gothams Appreciation Award will be given to Ellen Cotter for her contribution to theatrical distribution, including leadership of the Angelika Film Centers.

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Saturday, November 21, 2015

10 Entries Vie for 5 "Best Animated Short" Nominations at 88th Oscars

10 ANIMATED SHORTS ADVANCE IN 2015 OSCAR RACE

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that 10 animated short films will advance in the voting process for the 88th Academy Awards®.  Sixty pictures had originally qualified in the category.

The 10 films are listed below in alphabetical order by title, with their production companies:

Bear Story (Historia De Un Oso),” Gabriel Osorio, director, and Pato Escala, producer (Punkrobot Animation Studio)

Carface (Autos Portraits),” Claude Cloutier, director (National Film Board of Canada)

If I Was God…,” Cordell Barker, director (National Film Board of Canada)

Love in the Time of March Madness,” Melissa Johnson and Robertino Zambrano, directors (High Hip Productions and KAPWA Studioworks)

My Home,” Phuong Mai Nguyen, director (Papy3D Productions)

An Object at Rest,” Seth Boyden, director (California Institute of the Arts)

Prologue,” Richard Williams, director, and Imogen Sutton, producer (Animation Masterclass)

Sanjay’s Super Team,” Sanjay Patel, director, and Nicole Grindle, producer (Pixar Animation Studios)

We Can’t Live without Cosmos,” Konstantin Bronzit, director (Melnitsa Animation Studio)

“World of Tomorrow,” Don Hertzfeldt, director (Bitter Films)


Members of the Short Films and Feature Animation Branch viewed all the eligible entries for the preliminary round of voting.

Short Films and Feature Animation Branch members will now select five nominees from among the 10 titles on the shortlist. Branch screenings will be held in Los Angeles, London, New York and San Francisco in December.

The 88th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Thursday, January 14, 2016, at 5:30 a.m. PT at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from November 15th to 21th, 2015 - Update #33

Support Leroy on Patreon.

NEWS:

From TheDailyBeast:  Did you know that Ingrid Bergman was once slut-shamed?

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From THR:  Kenneth Branagh will star in and direct a film adaptation of Agatha Christie's "Murder on the Orient Express" for Fox.  Branagh will play the novel's detective, Hercule Poirot.

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From Variety:  Paramount and Hasbro prepare to make more "Transformers" and "G.I. Joe" movies; plus a "Micronauts" movie.

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From BleedingCool:  Peter Jackson admits to winging it on "The Hobbit."

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From BET:  World Series and New York Yankees legend found 50 Cent too "urban."

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From YahooCelebrity:  Corinne Foxx, the daughter of Jamie Foxx, is Miss Golden Globe 2016.

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From TheWrap:  Emma Stone has returned to playing Billie Jean King in the film, "Battle of the Sexes," with Steve Carell as Bobby Riggs.

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From THR:  The "Tomb Raider" reboot has a director, Roar Uthaug.  I haven't heard of him either.

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From YahooCelebrity:  Charlie Sheen announces that he is HIV positive.

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From Ecowatch:  Mark Ruffalo on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," talks eco-issues and politics.

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From THR:  Someone is remaking Chris Nolan's "Memento."  Notice that today is NOT April Fool's Day.

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From TheReelWord:  First look at Martin Scorsese's much-anticipated "Silence."

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From TheReelWord:  The "Fast & Furious" franchise will include spinoffs and prequels.

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From BleedingCool:  The Prometheus sequel keeps shifting names, and it may feature to "Alien" creatures.

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From THR:  The Academy (AMPAS) has disqualified the Afghan film, "Utopia" from being considered in the "Best Foreign Language" film race for containing too much English.

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From Variety:  Spike Lee finally gets his Oscar - at the 2015 Governors Awards.

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From BoxOfficeMojo:  The number one movie at the 11/13 to 11/15/2015 weekend box office is the James Bond film, "Spectre," with an estimated take of $35.4 million.

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From Deadline:  The French terrorism-themed film, "Made in France," which was to be released Wednesday, has had that release date cancelled.  It will be released at an unknown later date.


HARD NEWS:

From WashingtonPost:  My White neighbor...

From ContraCostaTimes:  A white-man gets a Rodney King-like beat-down.

From Salon:  This is why they hate us...

From Truthout:  You can kill your employees, but DO NOT lie to wealthy investors and federal regulators.

From RSN:  No "global domination" is not going well.

From WashPost:  Missouri State Senator seeks to stop a grad student's dissertation on abortion regulations.

From BBC:  A day before the attacks in Paris, ISIS was behind an attack in Beirut, Lebanon that left more than 40 dead.

From teleSUR:  Have we forgotten?  Do some of us even know?

From BBCBlog:  April 2014 attack in Kenya was practically ignored - cause Black lives really don't matter.
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From TheIntercept:  Blame CITIZENFOUR for Paris.


COMICS - Films and Books:

From IndieWire:  There may be a new "X-Men" in 2018, perhaps with shooting beginning in 2017.

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From BleedingCool:  Alan Moore is on Twitter.

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From CinemaBlend:  Marvel is working on bringing back Michael Douglas to reprise his role of Hank Pym in "Ant-Man and the Wasp."

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From CinemaBlend:  "Doctor Strange" adds martial artist Scott Adkins to its cast.


SPORTS:

From YahooSports:  The American League "Cy Young Award" winner is Houston Astros pitcher, Dallas Keuchel.

From YahooSports:  The National League "Cy Young Award" winner is Chicago Cubs pitcher, Jake Arrieta.

From ESPN:  Your American League "Rookie of the Year" for 2015 is Carlos Correa, shortstop for the Houston Astros.

From ESPN:  Your National League "Rookie of the Year" for 2015 is Kris Bryant, third baseman for the Chicago Cubs.
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From ESPN:  The Lakers win at Detroit, and Kobe and the team honor the U.S. heroes who stopped a French train attack in August.

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From ESPN:  The Jacksonville Jaguars win a road game for the first time in almost 2 years!



Warner Bros. Begins Production on "Wonder Woman" Film


GAL GADOT as Wonder Woman, photo by Clay Enos (Photo: Business Wire)

Production Begins on Warner Bros. Pictures’ Wonder Woman Feature Film

Gal Gadot stars under the direction of Patty Jenkins in the famed DC Amazon Princess’s first time headlining on the big screen

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Principal photography is underway on Warner Bros. PicturesWonder Woman feature film, the highly anticipated action adventure from director Patty Jenkins (“Monster,” AMC’s “The Killing”), starring Gal Gadot (the “Fast & Furious” movies) in the role of Diana Prince/Wonder Woman. The character will make her big screen debut this spring in “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” but the new film will mark her first time headlining a feature.

The film also stars Chris Pine (the “Star Trek” films) as Captain Steve Trevor, Robin Wright (“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” Netflix’s “House of Cards”), Danny Huston (“Clash of the Titans,” “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”), David Thewlis (the “Harry Potter” films, “The Theory of Everything”), Ewen Bremner (“Exodus: Gods and Kings,” “Snowpiercer”), Saïd Taghmaoui (“American Hustle”), Elena Anaya (“The Skin I Live In”) and Lucy Davis (“Shaun of the Dead”).

The film is being produced by Charles Roven, Zack Snyder and Deborah Snyder, with Richard Suckle, Stephen Jones, Wesley Coller, Geoff Johns and Rebecca Roven serving as executive producers.

Joining Jenkins behind the camera are director of photography Matthew Jensen (“Chronicle,” “Fantastic Four,” HBO’s “Game of Thrones”), Oscar-nominated production designer Aline Bonetto (“Amélie,” “A Very Long Engagement,” “Pan”), and Oscar-winning editor Martin Walsh (“Chicago,” “Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit,” “V for Vendetta”), and Oscar-winning costume designer Lindy Hemming (“The Dark Knight” trilogy, “Topsy-Turvy”).

Principal photography will take place on location in the UK, France and Italy.

Set to open in 2017, the Wonder Woman feature film is based on characters created by William Moulton Marston, appearing in comic books published by DC Entertainment. It will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

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Friday, November 20, 2015

VIZ Media Calls Forth "Bloody Mary" Manga

VIZ MEDIA LAUNCHES NEW SHOJO MANGA SERIES BLOODY MARY

Supernatural Drama Debuts In Print And Digitally, And Offers A Blood Pounding Tale Of An Unorthodox Alliance Between A Vampire And An Exorcist

San Francisco, CA – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor, publisher and licensor of manga and anime in North America, expands its shojo manga (graphic novel) roster next month with the launch of BLOODY MARY on December 1st, 2015.

The new series by creator Akaza Samamiya is rated ‘T’ for Teen and will be published under the Shojo Beat imprint with an MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN. BLOODY MARY also launches digitally on December 1st via VIZManga.com and the VIZ Manga App, as well as from the Nook, Kobo, Kindle, iBooks, comiXology, and GooglePlay stores. Future editions of the series will be released quarterly.

“Bloody” Mary is not your typical vampire. He can withstand sunlight, holds a reflection in mirrors, refuses to drink blood–and wants 17-year-old student and priest Maria to kill him. But to Mary’s dismay, Maria doesn’t know how to kill vampires. Desperate to die, Mary agrees to become Maria’s bodyguard until Maria can find a way to kill him at last.

“BLOODY MARY is a supernatural drama infused with suspense, cheeky humor and unique characters. We invite shojo readers to catch the debut of VIZ Media’s new release next month,” says Erica Yee, Editor.

BLOODY MARY creator Akaza Samamiya’s other manga works include Hatsukoi Canvas (First Love Canvas), Torikago Syndrome (Birdcage Syndrome) and Ouji wa Tadaima Dekasegichuu (The Prince Is Gone on Business), all of which have been published in the popular Japanese shojo magazine, Asuka.

For more information on BLOODY MARY or other manga titles published by VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.


About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan.  Owned by three of Japan's largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. With its popular digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and ONE PIECE, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages.  VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products.  Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.

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Thursday, November 19, 2015

VIZ Media Announces Top Manga for Those Holiday Wish Lists


VIZ MEDIA OFFERS READERS EXCITING TITLES FOR HOLIDAY WISH LISTS

2015 Holiday Highlights Include Manga Box Sets, Shojo And Action/Horror Manga Series Launches, A Fantastical Crime And Mystery Anthology, New NARUTO Titles And Other Unique Gift Ideas For That Special Fan

San Francisco, CA – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor, publisher and licensor of anime and manga in North America, presents readers with a diverse collection of new and recently-released manga (graphic novels), special box set editions, illustrated novels and other titles that will make ideal gifts to suit a wide range of budgets and interests this holiday season.

Action fans will not want to miss the riveting final volume (Vol. 72) of the NARUTO manga series as well as the release of UZUMAKI NARUTO: ILLUSTRATIONS, a new full-color art book featuring works from the NARUTO series, and the release of NARUTO: KAKASHI’S STORY, the first in a new series of prose novels focusing on key characters from the series and complemented by original cover art by Masashi Kishimoto. VIZ Media also highlights the knockout action of the wildly popular action-comedy series, ONE-PUNCH MAN, and the flesh-eating horror of the hit series, TOKYO GHOUL.

Shojo manga fans can complement their holidays with the launch of famed creator Arina Tanemura’s story of an ordinary office worker that gets a shot at pop stardom in IDOL DREAMS, and as well as the debut of a blood-pounding new series about an unorthodox alliance between a vampire and an exorcist in BLOODY MARY.

The Haikasoru literary imprint’s latest anthology, HANZAI JAPAN, offers crime aficionados with a unique array of weird crime and mystery stories. The 16 inventive stories are from a vanguard of top authors, including includes New York Times best-seller Carrie Vaughn, All You Need Is Kill/Edge of Tomorrow’s Hiroshi Sakurazaka, Catwoman’s Genevieve Valentine, mystery genre stalwarts S. J. Rozan and Naomi Hirahara, cross-genre author Jeff Somers, and many more.

Readers of all ages are also invited to catch the launch of the supernatural comedy adventure series YO-KAI WATCH by Noriyuki Konishi, inspired by the smash hit YO-KAI WATCH video game developed by LEVEL-5 for the Nintendo 3DS.

Finally, VIZ Media also highlights a pair of lavish manga box set editions for the hit series CLAYMORE and ROSARIO+VAMPIRE. Each of the new box sets feature over twenty manga volumes at a substantial savings over buying them individually. Exclusive premiums such as special mini-comics and bonus art collections are also included with each set.

NARUTO RELEASES AVAILABLE NOW:

NARUTO Vol. 72 · Rated “T” for Teens · MSRP: $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN

With Naruto and Sasuke working together, Kaguya is finally sealed away for good. But just when it seems that the ninja world can find true peace, one more obstacle appears. Fueled by opposing ideals, Naruto and Sasuke will determine the future of the world in one final fight!

NARUTO: KAKASHI’s story · Rated “T” for Teens · MSRP: $10.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN

In the first in a new series of prose novels straight from the worldwide smash hit franchise, Naruto’s allies and enemies take center stage in these fast-paced adventures, with each volume focusing on a particular series character.

In the novel, a year has passed since the Fourth Great Ninja War, and Kakashi’s appointment to Hokage looms. But first he heads to the Land of Waves for a dangerous mission rescuing hostages from a top-secret airship. There he confronts a ninja whose heart is frozen by tragedy. Having lost both his friend’s eye and his greatest abilities, can Kakashi really protect anyone? What is the true meaning of the will of fire gained in the distant heavens? Kakashi finds these answers and more as he opens the door to a new ninja era.

UZUMAKI NARUTO: ILLUSTRATIONS · MSRP: $19.99 U.S. / $22.99 CAN

The third full-color art book from the hit manga series, NARUTO! Experience Masashi Kishimoto's artwork in all of its colorful glory in this collection of images from the conclusion of the best-selling Naruto manga! Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Kakashi and all your favorite characters appear in nearly a hundred pages of gorgeous full-color images. The book also features commentary from Masashi Kishimoto, a beautiful double-sided poster and a sticker sheet!

ADDITIONAL TITLES AVAILABLE:

BLOODY MARY, Vol. 1 · Rated “T” for Teens · MSRP: $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN · Available December 1st!

“Bloody” Mary is not your typical vampire. He can withstand sunlight, holds a reflection in mirrors, refuses to drink blood—and he wants 17-year-old high school student-slash-priest Maria to kill him. But to Mary’s dismay, Maria doesn’t know how to kill vampires. Desperate to die, Mary agrees to become Maria’s bodyguard until Maria can find a way to kill him at last.

HANZAI JAPAN · MSRP: $15.99 U.S. / $18.99 CAN

A murderer doing time in hell. A girl who just wants to win her high school band contest…no matter what it takes. Sumo wrestlers with a supernatural secret. A future Tokyo where vampires are menial laborers nursing long-held grudges against humanity. And even a very conscientious, if unstable, Universal Transverse Mercator projection. These crime and mystery stories from and about Japan explore myth, technology, the sharpness of a sleuth’s mind, and the darkness in the hearts of criminals. Read these stories and learn that hanzai means crime!

IDOL DREAMS, Vol. 1 · Rated ‘T’ for Teens · MSRP: $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN

At age 31, office worker Chikage Deguchi feels she missed her chances at love and success. When word gets out that she’s a virgin, Chikage is humiliated and wishes she could turn back time to when she was still young and popular. She takes an experimental drug that changes her appearance back to when she was 15. Now Chikage is determined to pursue everything she missed out on all those years ago – including becoming a star! IDOL DREAMS is the new series by creator Arina Tanemura, widely acclaimed for her other shojo works including I•O•N, TIME STRANGER KYOKO, FULL MOON and THE GENTLEMEN’S ALLIANCE †, which are also published in English by VIZ Media.

ONE-PUNCH MAN Vols. 1-3 · Rated “T” for Teens · MSRP: $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN Each

Nothing about Saitama passes the eyeball test when it comes to superheroes, from his lifeless expression to his bald head to his unimpressive physique. However, this average-looking guy has a not-so-average problem – he just can’t seem to find an opponent strong enough to take on! Every time a promising villain appears, he beats the snot out of ’em with one punch! Can Saitama finally find an opponent who can go toe-to-toe with him and give his life some meaning? Or is he doomed to a life of super-powered boredom?

Tokyo Ghoul, Vols. 1-3 · Rated “T+” for Older Teens · MSRP: $12.99 U.S. / $14.99 CAN Each

Ghouls live among us, the same as normal people in every way – except for their craving for human flesh. Shy Ken Kaneki is thrilled to go on a date with the beautiful Rize. But it turns out that she’s only interested in his body – eating it, that is. When a morally questionable rescue transforms him into the first half-human half-Ghoul hybrid, Ken is drawn into the dark and violent world of Ghouls, which exists alongside our own. Trapped between two worlds, he must survive Ghoul turf wars, learn more about Ghoul society and master his new powers.

YO-KAI WATCH, Vols. 1-2 · Rated ‘A’ for All Ages · MSRP: $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN Each

This is the supernatural comedy adventure series by Noriyuki Konishi inspired by the smash hit YO-KAI WATCH video game, developed by LEVEL-5 for the Nintendo 3DS. Nate Adams is just an average kid until the mysterious Whisper gives him a device that allows him to see what others cannot, Yo-kai of all shapes and forms! Now, armed with the Yo-kai Watch, Nate, Whisper and their new invisible friends embark on an all-new supernatural adventure! Yo-kai, inspired by the yokai of Japanese folklore, are not ghosts or monsters or creatures. They can’t be seen by the human eye, but they’re everywhere, and whether they're phantoms or everyday objects discovering their higher purpose, Yo-kai personalities are distinctly humanlike!

MANGA BOX SETS AVAILABLE NOW:

CLAYMORE Complete box set · Rated “T+” for Older Teens · MSRP: $214.99 U.S. / $249.99 CAN

The complete best-selling dark fantasy series is now available in a value-priced box set that includes volumes 1–27, plus an exclusive booklet of black-and-white cover art previously unreleased in the English editions. In a world where monsters called Yoma prey on humans and live among them in disguise, humanity's only hope is a new breed of warrior known as Claymores. Half-human, half-monster, these silver-eyed slayers possess supernatural strength but are condemned to fight their savage impulses or lose their humanity completely.

ROSARIO+VAMPIRE Complete box set · Rated “T+” for Older Teens · MSRP: $185.99 U.S. / $214.99 CAN

The complete bestselling ROSARIO+VAMPIRE and ROSARIO+VAMPIRE SEASON II series are now available in a value-priced box set that includes 24 volumes of monstrous action, horror, fun and romance, plus an exclusive full-color mini-comic previously unreleased in the English editions. Average human teenage boy Tsukune accidentally enrolls at a boarding school for monsters – no, not jocks and popular kids, but bona fide werewolves, witches, and unnamable creatures out of his wildest nightmares! On the plus side, all of the girls have a monster crush on him, especially far-from-average cute vampire Moka. On the O-negative side, she also has a burning, unquenchable thirst for his blood... Now, can Tsukune and his unlikely group of friends and rivals save humanity from evil monsters?

For more information on other manga titles from VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.


About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan.  Owned by three of Japan's largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. With its popular manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP ALPHA magazine and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and INUYASHA, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages.  VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products.  Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.

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Wednesday, November 18, 2015

December 2015 Diamond "Previews" Revealed


Diamond Announces Contents of the December 2015 PREVIEWS

December's PREVIEWS features DC Entertainment’s original graphic novel, Wonder Woman Earth One

(BALTIMORE, MD) — The December edition of Diamond Comic Distributors’ monthly PREVIEWS catalog arrives in comic shops, hobby stores, and other specialty outlets on November 25th and features comic books, graphic novels, toys, and other pop culture merchandise scheduled to go on sale beginning February 2016.

ON OUR FRONT COVER: Grant Morrison and Yanick Paquette revisit the origins of Wonder Woman in DC Entertainment's long-awaited graphic novel, Wonder Woman Earth One.

ON OUR BACK COVER: Civilization has collapsed in the face of an ice age in Joe Harris and Martin Morazzo's new series Snowfall from Image Comics.

The December PREVIEWS Features

Unsung Heroes —It's not easy being a superhero these days. There's plenty of competition, and you've got to stand out in the crowd if you're going to make your mark. To that end, PREVIEWS celebrates indie superheroes with our "Unsung Heroes" event this month, bringing these deserving characters and series into the spotlight.

On the Flipside —:01 First Second celebrates its tenth anniversary this year, and PREVIEWS talks with First Second's Editorial Director Mark Siegel and Associate Marketing and Publicity Manager Gina Gagliano about the company, where they've been, and where they're going.

Gems of the Month — December's PREVIEWS Gems of the Month include: Lara Croft is back in action in Dark Horse Comics' new Tomb Raider series, set after the new video game; Superman faces a multiversal threat in Neal Adams' new DC Entertainment mini-series, Superman: The Coming of the Supermen; a secret fighting tournament leads to an unexpected crossover in IDW Publishing's Street Fighter x G.I. Joe; Emma Rios and Hwei Lim enter the world of 8House in Image Comics's new series Mirror; and two of Marvel Comics's best-known street level heroes are back in Power Man and Iron Fist.

Splash — PREVIEWS shines a special spotlight at some of the blockbuster books and products coming out in February, including the debut of Miles Morales in the All-New All-Different Marvel universe in Marvel Comics' Spider-Man from Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli; a new era dawns on Barsoom in Dynamite Entertainment's Dejah Thoris; a Time Lord will offer you a jelly baby in Titan Comics' Doctor Who: The Fourth Doctor; Looney Labs unleashes Firefly Fluxx; and many more products you have to look forward to in the new year.

PREVIEWS Exclusive Apparel — Each month PREVIEWS offers comic book fans and pop culture aficionados a selection of t-shirts and other apparel that can only be found in your local comic shop! Underboss brings fans the DC Bombshells Panty & Camisole Sets featuring Ant Lucia's pin-up style artwork of Harley Quinn or Wonder Woman. The Red Hood's symbol is featured on the DC Comics: Red Hood "Flip" Black T-Shirt, and Howard the Duck stars on the Howard the Duck: "Space Duck" Black T-Shirt. These and many other shirts can only be found through PREVIEWS.

Indie Edge — PREVIEWS talks to Captain Canuck writer Kalman Andrasofszky about his comics work, the books he's reading, and his career in this month's Indie Edge feature.

Plus: Staff Picks, the month's Certified Cool books, the monthly Bestseller Charts, and so much more!

All this awaits you in the December edition of PREVIEWS, which goes on sale at your local comic shop or specialty store on Wednesday, November 25th with the new, lower cover price of just $3.99.


ABOUT DIAMOND COMIC DISTRIBUTORS (DCD) — Diamond is at the nexus of comics and pop culture merchandise. Based in Baltimore, MD, DCD is the world's largest distributor of English-language comic books and pop-culture related merchandise, servicing more than 4,000 specialty retailers worldwide. For more information, visit Diamond on the web at www.diamondcomics.com.

© 2015 Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. All rights reserved. Diamond, the Diamond logo, Diamond Books logo, and PREVIEWS are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Diamond Comic Distributors in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective copyright owners.