Thursday, June 25, 2015

Negromancer's Fave Poli-Reads - June 2015 Edition - Update #6


Posted by Leroy Douresseaux - support on Patreon.

From TheNewYorker:  Dennis Hastert's plea and silence.

From YahooPolitics:  Another Supreme Court for the ACA aka "Obamacare."

From RSN:  Yes, he can, and so can Obamacare.

From YahooNews:  The sister of a man who was abused, as a high school student, by Dennis Hastert gives an exclusive interview to ABC.

From TheIntercept:  For fearmongers, it's always the scariest time.  I 'm looking at you Lindsey Graham.

From ThinkProgress:  What is known about the men who impeached President Clinton.


Wednesday, June 24, 2015

2015 J-Pop Summit Offers Live Music in "Day 1" Programming


2015 J-POP SUMMIT ANNOUNCES DAY 1 PROGRAMMING OFFERING A CAPTIVATING MIX OF LIVE MUSIC AND COMEDY AND OTHER ACTS

First Day Of S.F’.s Annual Japanese Pop Culture Fest Presents Live Performances By JAM Project, Eir Aoi, Gacharic Spin, JinnyOops!, Akabane Vulgars on Strong Bypass, Faint★Star, FES★TIVE, Comedy Duo Jaru Jaru, A Cappella Group Little Glee Monster And More

San Francisco, CA – The 2015 J-POP SUMMIT, the Japanese pop culture event held annually in San Francisco, has announced DAY 1 programming. This year’s festival is highlighted by live music from a wide range of pop, ani-pop, electronica, punk/alternative, and a cappella artists, as well as live comedy and other acts to complement an extensive roster of attractions, participants and exhibits, and other live programming.

The 2015 J-POP SUMMIT takes place Saturday and Sunday August 8th & 9th, 2015 at the historic Fort Mason Center in San Francisco’s Marina district. Tickets and V.I.P Passes are available now at: www.J-POP.com. Both types of passes include access to daytime programming as well as the J-POP LIVE NIGHT concert. V.I.P Pass holders will have priority access to a premium viewing area and also will be invited to an exclusive Meet & Greet Event with JAM Project on Saturday, August 8th and Eir Aoi on Sunday, August 9th respectively. Details to be announced soon!

This year’s live performers reflect the diversity and unique creative expression that is burgeoning in Japan and capturing a global following. The first-ever 2-night event J-POP LIVE NIGHT tops off DAY 1 Saturday, August 8th, with an evening concert by anime music super-group – JAM Project – as well as live sets from pop singer, Eir Aoi, frenetic rock band, Gacharic Spin, and returning all-girl punk rock acts, JinnyOops! and the Akabane Vulgars on Strong Bypass.

During the afternoon of Saturday, attendees also will be treated to the U.S. debut of Little Glee Monster, an extraordinary 6-member female a cappella group that has received wide acclaim in Japan for their unique vocal treatments to a range of popular Japanese and English songs. Also making their debut at J-POP SUMMIT will be FES★TIVE, a unique act built around the concept of Japanese “festivals” that has garnered a global following with their up-tempo, catchy sound. The hilarious antics of the comedy duo, Jaru Jaru, also come to U.S. shores for the first time as does the stylish female pop duo, Faint★Star.

J-POP SUMMIT also introduces attendees to a brand new way to show their love of favorite Japanese idols with the Cheerz App, on which users can upload photos to show support for a wide array of top artists, including ones performing at J-POP SUMMIT. Cheerz users also can receive additional opportunities for visibility and promotion based on their photo’s popularity among other users of the app. Over 300 top Japanese artists are currently active on Cheerz and since its launch in December 2014, fans have cheered on their favorite idols over 40 million times.  More information at: https://cheerz.cz/

Stay tuned for J-POP SUMMIT DAY 2 programming to be announced very soon!

J-POP LIVE NIGHT Artists

J-POP LIVE NIGHT on Saturday begins at 4:30pm on the J-POP SUMMIT Main Stage inside the Fort Mason Pavilion. Specific set times will be posted shortly on www.J-POP.com.

JAM Project (Japan Animation-Song Makers Project)
JAM Project is an anime music super-group founded in 2000. The group is composed of the top vocal artists that are each renowned for their work in the anime industry. The members came together to create and perform powerful theme songs for anime, tokusatsu (SFX movies and TV), and video games. Since their debut, the JAM Project has produced and released hundreds of anime and video game theme songs, including the themes to Super Robot Wars, GARO and Tomica Hero. The group toured internationally in 2008, 2012 and 2015. Current regular members are Hironobu Kageyama (singer of "Dragon Ball Z" opening theme), Masaaki Endoh (singer of “Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s” opening theme), Hiroshi Kitadani (singer of "ONE PIECE" opening theme), Masami Okui (singer of “Revolutionary Girl Utena” opening theme) and Yoshiki Fukuyama (singer of "Macross 7" opening theme), who will all perform in San Francisco! Official website: http://jamjamsite.com/

Eir Aoi
Eir Aoi is a Japanese singer from Sapporo, Hokkaido that is signed to SEM Records (Sony Music Entertainment). She gained wide popularity after several of her songs were used as the opening and ending themes for many popular anime series including Kill la Kill, Sword Art Online II and Season 2 of Aldnoah Zero:. She has built a worldwide fan base and embarks on her first international tour this summer. Official website: www.aoieir.com

Gacharic Spin
Celebrating their 5th anniversary this year, Gacharic Spin is a true force of musical power from Japan! One of their songs is now used as the ending theme for Dragon Ball Kai. Taking their name from the word, “Gacha,” derived from a Japanese word gacha-gacha, meaning clattering, each members’ character and sound clatters and mixes perfectly with singers Hana and Oreoreona’s powerful and melancholic voices, to result in a spectacularly unique sound. The band is signed to the JVCKENWOOD Victor Entertainment Corp. Taking hints from everything from pop to rock and industrial music, their energy-filled live performances and excellent musicianship have made them a very fun band to watch! Official Website: http://gacharicspin.com/; Official YouTube Channel: Gacharic Spin Channel

JinnyOops!
Returning to J-POP SUMMIT for their first time since 2010 is JinnyOops!, the 3 -piece indie punk band from Osaka, Japan. The group, which is composed of Mitsuyo Ishibashi (guitar/vocals), Chihiro Ishida (Bass), and Hitomi Futemma (Drums) are known for their wild and explosive punk sound and have made several appearances in the US. Official Website: http://jinny-oops.com/

Akabane Vulgars on Strong Bypass
The Akabane Vulgars on Strong Bypass are a Japanese female punk rock trio from Tokyo. Formed in 2005, the band has Kei Sofue on drums and sisters Yumi and Miki Uchizono on vocals/guitar and bass, respectively. After playing at SXSW 2012 in Austin, Texas, the band embarked on a US tour and headlined the J-Pop Summit Festival in San Francisco. Known for their energetic live performances, the band has played countless shows internationally and have established a loyal fan base in Japan, as well as overseas. Official Website: http://akabane-vulgars.jimdo.com/

DAY 1 Daytime Live Performances

Little Glee Monster
This 6-member group composed of teenage girls has gained wide acclaim for their exceptional vocal skills and harmonies. Little Glee Monster was formed in Tokyo in 2013 by winners of a “Best Young Female Singer Audition” contest. The music video for the group’s first single, Houkago High Five, featured on their major label debut for Sony Music has been viewed more than 500 million times!  Little Glee Monster’s “Gao Gao All-Star” was selected as the ending theme song for the Pokemon XY anime series and their music also will be featured in the upcoming anime feature, Pokemon XY The Movie: The Archdjinni of Rings. Official Website: www.littlegleemonster.com; Official YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/LittleGleeMonsterYT.

Faint★Star
Faint★Star is a Japanese pop-duo consisting of Hina (formerly of Tomato’n Pine) and Yuria that debuted in 2014. The duo gained international popularity after a Tokyo Girls Update article on their 1st music video became the most viewed article on the site. Faint★Star is produced by one of the most famous music agencies, “Agehasprings,” and are known for their live performances that integrate advanced visual technology. Official website: www.faintstar-tokyo.jp/

FES★TIVE
The 8-piece Japanese idol group, “FES★TIVE, is a unique act that builds on the concept of “festivals” and focuses on performing at Japanese festivals all over the world. FES★TIVE made its major label debut on Tokuma Japan in May, and throughout 2015, they will continue to showcase their “FESTIVAL FROM JAPAN” theme to intentional audiences. With their up-tempo and catchy sound, FES★TIVE is a rapidly growing force in the international music scene. Official website: http://festive.rizepro.net/

Jaru Jaru
Jaru Jaru is a Japanese comedy duo made up of Shusuke Fukutoku and Junpei Goto, and managed by the Yoshimoto Creative Agency. The pair is one of the most successful and popular comedy acts in Japan with their brand of Manzai – a traditional style of Japanese comedy consisting a fool and a long-suffering companion. In the twelve years that they have been active, the duo has received countless awards, made many TV appearances, and even starred in several movies. Official Web site: http://jarujaruconte.com/


About J-POP SUMMIT
The J-POP SUMMIT is an annual Japanese Pop Culture celebration held in San Francisco, CA that features live bands and artists from Japan, pop culture panel discussions, film premieres, fashion shows and events, food and spirits, art, and celebrity appearances. In 2014, the two-day event attracted 125,000 attendees. Details on J-POP SUMMIT are available at www.J-POP.com.

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Sony and Marvel Announce New Spider-Man and New Spider-Man Movie Director

Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios Find Their 'Spider-Man' Star and Director

Tom Holland Cast as the Web-Slinger, Jon Watts to Direct the Next Spider-Man Adventure

Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios are proud to announce that after a full worldwide casting search, Tom Holland will play Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the next Spider-Man film, in theaters in IMAX and 3D on July 28, 2017.  The film will be directed by Jon Watts, director of "Cop Car," the upcoming thriller that made its debut earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival.

Marvel and Sony Pictures, and producers Kevin Feige and Amy Pascal conducted an extensive search for both the actor and the director.  The studios and producers were impressed by Holland’s performances in "The Impossible," “Wolf Hall,” and the upcoming "In the Heart of the Sea," and by a series of complex screen tests.  Following Marvel’s tradition of working with the brightest next wave of directors, Watts also went through multiple meetings with Feige, Pascal, and the studio, before winning the job.

Commenting on the announcement, Tom Rothman, Sony Pictures Motion Pictures Group Chairman, said, “It’s a big day here at Sony. Kevin, Amy and their teams have done an incredible job.  The Marvel process is very thorough, and that’s why their results are so outstanding.  I’m confident Spider-Man will be no exception.  I’ve worked with a number of up-and-coming directors who have gone on to be superstars and believe that Jon is just such an outstanding talent.  For Spidey himself, we saw many terrific young actors, but Tom’s screen tests were special.   All in all, we are off to a roaring start.”

Feige commented, “As with James Gunn, Joss Whedon, and the Russo brothers, we love finding new and exciting voices to bring these characters to life.  We spent a lot of time with Jon and find his take and work inspiring.”

Pascal added, “Sony, Marvel, Kevin and I all knew that for Peter Parker, we had to find a vibrant, talented young actor capable of embodying one of the most well-known characters in the world.  With Tom, we’ve found the perfect actor to bring Spider-Man’s story into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.”

Sony Pictures will finance and release worldwide the next installment of the $4 billion Spider-Man franchise on July 28, 2017, in a film co-produced by Kevin Feige and his expert team at Marvel and Amy Pascal, who oversaw the franchise launch for the studio 13 years ago. Together, they will collaborate on a new creative direction for the Web-Slinger.

Spider-Man, embraced all over the world, is the most successful franchise in the history of Sony Pictures, with the five films having taken in more than $4 billion worldwide.


ABOUT SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition and distribution; television production, acquisition and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. For additional information, go to http://www.sonypictures.com/.

About Marvel Entertainment
Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy-five years.  Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing, including licensing the Spider-Man universe to Sony Pictures.  For more information visit marvel.com. © 2015 MARVEL

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Creators of New "Ultraman" Manga to Appear at 2015 Comic-Con International

VIZ MEDIA WELCOMES THE CREATORS OF NEW ULTRAMAN MANGA SERIES TO 2015 COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO

Manga Artists/Creators Eiichi Shimizu And Tomohiro Shimoguchi Make First-Ever International Appearance To Celebrate New Action Series Inspired By The Classic Japanese Sci-Fi Property

San Francisco, CA – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, proudly presents the first-ever U.S. appearance by the creators of the new ULTRAMAN manga series at the 2015 Comic-Con International: San Diego.

Comic-Con International is one of the nation’s largest comic book, science fiction and pop culture events, and takes place July 8th-12th at the San Diego Convention Center, in San Diego, CA. VIZ Media will be located in Booth 2813. Complete details on Comic-Con are available at: www.comic-con.org.

Eiichi Shimizu and Tomohiro Shimoguchi created the new ULTRAMAN manga series, which is inspired by the original classic Japanese superhero TV show that ran in the late 1960s and remains hugely popular with audiences around the world. The series launches in print and digitally on August 18th under the VIZ Signature imprint. In Japan, the series currently appears in Hero’s magazine.

During Comic-Con, Eiichi Shimizu and Tomohiro Shimoguchi will participate in an informative panel discussion about the impact of Ultraman on pop culture. The pair will also host four different signing sessions at the VIZ Media booth. A special ULTRAMAN bundle will be available for purchase for $30.00 in the VIZ Media booth that includes an advance copy of ULTRAMAN Vol. 1 along with a collectable Ultraman figure from Japan.

“It is an honor to present the creators of this amazing new manga series at one of the largest pop culture events in the U.S. and we look forward to fans getting an up close and personal experience by attending our panel discussion and signing sessions,” says Michael Montesa, Editor. “Join us in San Diego as this updated classic Japanese sci-fi property prepares to thrill a whole new generation of manga readers.”

ULTRAMAN Comic-Con International Special Events:

Friday July 10th

3:00PM - 4:00PM - VIZ Media Presents ULTRAMAN Panel
Room 23AB
For their first international appearance, Eiichi Shimizu and Tomohiro Shimoguchi, creators of the new VIZ Media manga series ULTRAMAN - inspired by the original Japanese TV show – will be joined onstage by special guests from Legendary Comics to discuss Japan's quintessential superhero and the influence of kaiju in today's pop culture. Challenge them with questions, answer trivia and get a unique first look at this action-packed new series straight from Japan!

ULTRAMAN Creator Autograph Sessions

Meet the creators of the ULTRAMAN manga series in several personal appearances at the VIZ Media booth. Fans will be able to have them sign special advance copies of the series’ opening volume as well as the exclusive figure.

Thursday July 9th
11:00AM - VIZ Media Booth

Friday July 10th
4:30PM - VIZ Media Booth

Saturday July 11th
10:00AM - VIZ Media Booth
1:30PM - VIZ Media Booth

Decades ago, a being known as the Giant of Light joined Shin Hayata of the Scientific Special Search Party to save Earth from an invasion of terrifying monsters known as Kaiju. Now, many years later, those dark days are fading into memory, and the world is at peace. But in the shadows a new threat is growing, a danger that can only be faced by a new kind of hero – a new kind of ULTRAMAN… Shinjiro is an ordinary teenager, but his father is the legendary Shin Hayata. When he learns that his father passed on the “Ultraman Factor” to him, and that he possesses incredible powers, nothing will ever be the same again.

Eiichi Shimizu worked on the story, script and mechanical design for ULTRAMAN. Tomohiro Shimoguchi provided character design and art. Together, the two have formed a creative dream team to produce a number of works including ULTRAMAN (Hero’s) and Kurogane no Rainbareru (Linebarrels of Iron, Akita Shoten). In addition to comics, they have expanded their field of interest to include character designs for video games and action figures.

For more information on ULTRAMAN or 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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Tuesday, June 23, 2015

"Comic Art House" Artists at 2015 Baltimore Comic-Con

Comic Art House Hosts Talent at the 2015 Baltimore Comic-Con

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - Buy your VIP and General Admission Tickets now the 2015 Baltimore Comic-Con (http://baltimorecomiccon.com/tickets/), taking place the weekend of September 25-27, 2015 at the Baltimore Convention Center. Baltimore Comic-Con is proud to welcome a slew of creators from our friends at Comic Art House.

Comic Art House, owned and operated by Bob Shaw, Kim Shaw and Jarrett Melendez, was founded in 2007 in Manchester, NH. In those early days, the company started small, representing ten professional comic artists. Now, just 8 years later, Comic Art House boasts more than 65 of the industry's most talented artists. Their crew's artwork has graced the pages of countless publications produced by Marvel, DC, Image, IDW, Dark Horse, Dynamite, BOOM! Studios, Archie Comics, and more. Join us in Baltimore's beautiful Inner Harbor for a weekend of comic excitement as we welcome the following members of the Comic Art House family.

Scott Ambruson artist, The Collectors, Trailer Park of Terror, Crime Wave Anthology, AZTECA and Destiny, Queen of Thieves.

Talent Caldwell artist, Action Comics, Batgirl, Gen13, Spectacular Spider-Man, and X-Men: Age of Apocalypse.

Chris Campana artist, Kantara, First World, Vigilante Project, and Realm of the Underworld.

Katie Cook writer/artist, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Fraggle Rock, and Gronk.

Joe Eisma artist, Morning Glories, Archer and Armstrong, Archie, Bill and Ted's Most Triumphant Return, and Hoax Hunters.

Keron Grant artist, New X-Men, Iron Man, and Spider-Man.

Laura Guzzo artist, Roadkill du Jour, Shakespeare Shaken, and PrinceLess: Short Stories for Warrior Women.

h-eri artist, Dominion and Shadowfist.

Ken Hunt artist, Bloodlines and Talon.

Mike Lilly artist, Nightwing, Vampirella, X-Men Unlimited, Quasar, Catwoman, Punisher, and Grimm Fairy Tales.

Pop Mhan artist, Amazing Spider-Man, Batgirl, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, and All-New X-Factor.

NEN artist, Legend of the Five Rings and Shinobi Clans, The Memory Collectors, Aspen's Damsels in Excess, and Justice League.

Brent Peeples artist, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,TMNT/Ghostbusters, X-O Manowar, Godzilla Cataclysm, and Legenderry: Green Hornet.

Andy Price artist, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Adventure Time, Littlest Pet Shop, and Wordgirl.

Sara Richard artist, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Deadpool, and Jem and the Holograms.

Craig Rousseau creator, The Perhapanauts, and Kyrra: Alien Jungle Girl; artist, Impulse, Batman Beyond, Gotham Adventures, Harley Quinn, and Captain America.

Matt Slay artist, TMNT/Ghostbusters crossover and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Micro Series: Leonardo.

Ben Templesmith artist Fell, Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse, Gotham by Midnight, 30 Days of Night, The Squidder, and Dagon.

Mark 'Tex' Texeira artist, Wolverine, Punisher, Ghost Rider, Sabretooth, Moon Knight, and Space Punisher.

Jeremy Treece artist, Flash Gordon, Hero@Large, Marvel Zombies: Christmas Carol, and Mandrake the Magician.

Rich Woodall creator, Johnny Raygun, Kyrra: Alien Jungle Girl, Zombie Bomb! Comic Anthology; artist, Powerpuff Girls and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
"Wow!" said Marc Nathan, promoter of the Baltimore Comic-Con. "That's a whole lot of talent! We're grateful to the Comic Art House folks for bringing such a broad range of excellent artists, some who have been with us in the past and some who are making their first appearances. Art fans will surely rejoice upon reading this news!"

TICKETS
General Admission and VIP Package tickets for Weekend, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, as well as the Harvey Awards, are now on sale! Visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com/tickets/ for more information and to purchase your advanced tickets now, and as always, kids 10 and under get into the show free with a paid adult General Admission!

In the coming weeks, look for more announcements from the Baltimore Comic-Con. We are looking forward to highlighting our guests, the Harvey Awards, industry exclusives, and programming. The latest developments can always be found on our website, Twitter, and Facebook pages.

Contact Information

Please use the following e-mail addresses to contact the Baltimore Comic-Con:

press@baltimorecomiccon.com - for any general press inquiries or to be added to our PR distribution
promoter@baltimorecomiccon.com - for requesting exhibitor, publisher, and Artist Alley applications
registrar@baltimorecomiccon.com - for inquiries about submitted registrations
harveys@baltimorecomiccon.com- for the Harvey Awards ceremony and banquet
general@baltimorecomiccon.com- for general Baltimore Comic-Con inquiries


About The Baltimore Comic-Con
The Baltimore Comic-Con is celebrating its 15th year of bringing the comic book industry to the Baltimore and Washington D.C. area. For more information, please visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com.

About The Harvey Awards
The Harvey Awards are one of the comic book industry's oldest and most respected awards. With a history of over 20 years, the last 10 in conjunction with the Baltimore Comic-Con, the Harveys recognize outstanding achievements in over 20 categories. They are the only industry awards nominated and selected by the full body of comic book professionals. For more information, please visit www.harveyawards.org.

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First Trade Paperback of "Postal" Comic Book Due Tomorrow (June 24th)


POSTAL, VOL. 1 delivers chills to readers this July

The first four issues of hit Top Cow horror series will be collected into trade paperback

Writer Matt Hawkins (THINK TANK, TALES OF HONOR) and Bryan Hill (Broken Trinity: Pandora’s Box) and Top Cow’s Talent Hunt-winning artist Isaac Goodhart create a suspenseful horror thriller in POSTAL, VOL. 1. The first four issues of the new hit Top Cow series will be collected into a trade paperback and available this July.

The townsfolk of Eden, Wyoming wake up to the first official murder the town has seen in 25 years. Their reaction to this isn’t normal, and there’s a reason for that. Eden operates as a haven for fugitive criminals who remain here while new identities, often including facial reconstruction, are created for them. There is zero tolerance for any illegal activity that might draw attention to the town and an “official murder” is the last thing they want. A single, tight-knit family runs Eden with the youngest oddball son Mark Shiffron overseeing the postal branch, the only means of shipping in or out of the city. The FBI has repeatedly been foiled trying to insert an undercover agent here; they see Mark as the weak link to exploit. This murder gives them a new opportunity.

POSTAL, VOL. 1 (ISBN: 978-1-63215-342-5) hits comic book stores on June 24, 2015 and bookstores on July 7, 2015 and will be available for $9.99. It can be ordered by retailers from Diamond Book Distributors with Diamond Code APR150614.

More praise for POSTAL:

“Postal is a book that took me by surprise and really wowed me. The writing is incredibly interesting and well done. The art and colors are very fitting for the book and make it much more enjoyable. This is a book that needs to be read by anyone who likes good stories!” —All-Comic

“One of the strongest lead-ins to a new story that the medium has seen in a while.” —Graphic Policy

“A very strong protagonist drives a premise that holds a lot of potential in what is turning out to be an addictive mystery.” —Adventures in Poor Taste

“A solid ‘win’ for me in my search each month for comics that feel and read different from every other comic I'm reading.” —Comic Spectrum

“An intriguing first issue that bears further watching.” —Newsarama

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Monday, June 22, 2015

Dark Horse's Digital Comics Moves to comiXology

Dark Horse Comics Comes To ComiXology

Dark Horse Comics & ComiXology Announce Digital Distribution Agreement for Collections, Graphic Novels, and Manga

More than 800 Dark Horse Comics titles are now available on comiXology including Hellboy, Sin City, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Goon, & more

New York, NY / Portland, OR – Today comiXology, the revolutionary cloud-based digital comics platform, proudly announced a digital distribution agreement with Dark Horse Comics, the largest independent comic book publisher, to bring their full digital catalog of collections, graphic novels, and manga to comiXology’s platform. Now, all Dark Horse Comics collections, graphic novels, and manga will be available on comiXology the same day the print versions arrive in bookstores.

“We are very excited to announce that we have reached an agreement which brings the Dark Horse catalogue found in the Kindle Store to the comiXology platform,” remarked President and Publisher of Dark Horse Comics Mike Richardson.  “For the first time, hundreds of Dark Horse graphic novels will be available to comiXology’s devoted readers. The technology is stellar and we are pleased that our books will be showcased flawlessly.”

“I’ve been a fan of Dark Horse since I was a kid – and have continued to be so throughout their rich history – so this is an important addition to comiXology not only for me personally, but for our customers,” said comiXology co-founder and CEO David Steinberger. “ComiXology fans have requested Dark Horse from day one and now they’ll get their wish by being able to read titles like Hellboy, Sin City, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Goon right now on comiXology, in terrific HD and in Guided View!”

More than 800 titles launch today on comiXology from Dark Horse, including the following fan-favorites:

300
Astro Boy
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Blacksad
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Fear Agent
Frank Miller’s Sin City
Hellboy
MIND MGMT
Serenity
Usagi Yojimbo
The Strain
Grendel
Umbrella Academy
Halo
Lone Wolf and Cub

With over 75,000 comics, graphic novels and manga from more than 75 publishers, comiXology offers the widest selection of digital comics in the world. ComiXology’s immense catalog and cinematic Guided View reading experience make it the best digital platform for comic and graphic novel fans worldwide.

Find your favorite comics and graphic novels at comixology.com and try the comiXology app available on all major mobile platforms.


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

About comiXology
ComiXology, an Amazon.com, Inc. subsidiary (NASDAQ:AMZN), has revolutionized the comic book and graphic novel industry by delivering a cloud-based digital comics platform that makes discovering, buying, and reading comics more fun than ever before. ComiXology's Guided View reading technology transforms the comic book medium into an immersive and cinematic experience, helping comiXology become a top ten grossing iPad app in 2011 and 2012 and the top grossing non-game iPad app in 2012 and 2013. Offering the broadest library of comic book content from over 75 publishers - and independent creators as well - comiXology will not stop until everyone on the face of the planet has become a comic book fan. ComiXology is based in New York City, with operations in Los Angeles and Paris.

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