Warner Bros. Expands Jeff Nichols' "Midnight Special"

Jeff Nichols’ Sci-Fi Thriller “Midnight Special” Expands U.S. Theatrical Release April 1st Amidst Enthusiastic Early Reaction

Film garners rave reviews and strong numbers in early engagements

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Following impressive critical and audience response, the sci-fi thriller “Midnight Special,” from acclaimed writer/director Jeff Nichols, will launch the second wave of its North American release on Friday, April 1st, 2016. The film earned an outstanding $38,000 per-screen average across only five theaters in its March 18th, 2016 debut in New York, Los Angeles and Austin, for an approximate opening weekend total of $190,000 in only five theaters, making it one of the year’s most successful limited openings.

“Midnight Special” will next expand to approximately 55 screens in 17 total markets, with additional openings set for Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco, Washington DC, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Boston, Seattle, Minneapolis, Portland, Little Rock, Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver.

The film, starring Michael Shannon, Joel Edgerton, Kirsten Dunst, Adam Driver, Jaeden Lieberher and Sam Shepard, first played to overwhelming acclaim at its February 12th, 2016 world premiere in competition at the Berlin International Film Festival, and again at SXSW on March 12th. Stellar reviews have top critics calling it “brilliant,” “gripping,” “spell-binding” and “ambitious,” citing great performances and proclaiming Nichols “a master filmmaker.”

Beyond its April 1st expansion, “Midnight Special” will continue its theatrical rollout with additional screens and markets on April 8th, April 15th and April 22nd, 2016.

Writer/director Jeff Nichols proves again that he is one of the most compelling storytellers of our time with the sci-fi thriller “Midnight Special.” A provocative, genre-defying film as supernatural as it is intimately human, it follows a father, Roy (Michael Shannon), who goes on the run to protect his young son, Alton (Jaeden Lieberher), a boy with mysterious powers that even Roy himself cannot comprehend. What starts as a race from religious extremists and local law enforcement quickly escalates to a nationwide manhunt involving the highest levels of the Federal Government. Risking everything, Roy is committed to helping Alton reach his ultimate purpose, whatever that might be and whatever it costs, in a story that takes audiences on a perilous journey from Texas to the Florida coast, while exploring the bonds of love and trust, and the nature of faith.

Midnight Special” stars Oscar nominee Michael Shannon (“99 Homes,” “Revolutionary Road”), Joel Edgerton (“Black Mass”), Kirsten Dunst (TV’s “Fargo”), Adam Driver (“Star Wars: The Force Awakens”), Jaeden Lieberher (“St. Vincent”) and Oscar nominee Sam Shepard (“The Right Stuff,” “August Osage County”).

Jeff Nichols (“Mud,” “Take Shelter”) directed the film from his own screenplay. It is produced by Oscar nominee Sarah Green (“The Tree of Life,” “Mud”) and Brian Kavanaugh-Jones (the “Insidious” films, “Sinister”), who previously collaborated with Nichols on his critically acclaimed thriller “Take Shelter.” Glen Basner, Hans Graffunder and Christos V. Konstantakopoulos served as executive producers.

Also reuniting with Nichols behind the scenes were director of photography Adam Stone, production designer Chad Keith and editor Julie Monroe. David Wingo composed the score.

A Warner Bros. Pictures presentation, in association with Faliro House Productions, a Tri-State Production, “Midnight Special,” will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. midnightspecialmovie.com

“Midnight Special” has been rated PG-13 for some action and violence.

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Image Comics Announces "Alpha King" from Brian Azzarello and Simon Bisley

CHEERS TO ALPHA KING

A tall glass of intoxicating fantasy adventure

One thing that legendary cult microbrewery 3 Floyds is consistently is “not normal,” and in celebration of this originality, pub-crawling creators, Brian Azzarello (100 Bullets, Dark Knight III: The Master Race) and Simon Bisley (Hellblazer, Lobo) have teamed up with 3 Floyds founder and brewmaster Nick Floyd along with colorist Ryan Brown and letterer Jared K. Fletcher to delve into the twisted mythos behind the brand in ALPHA KING. Issue #1 will be on tap this May.

“This book is what happens when beer and comics conceive on a barstool,” said Azzarello. “I'm a proud poppa."

ALPHA KING is set a long time ago in a metropolis far, far away (Hammond, Indiana), where Brewer and CiCi are producing a home-brew so distinct that it attracts the attention of a monstrous king and his horrid minions from another dimension. Swords are unsheathed, lines are crossed and sieges are laid for the rise of the Alpha King.

Featuring the insanity created by 3 Floyds—from their bottle washers to head brewers—this all-new series is a heavy metal mad mash-up through a futuristic medieval apocalypse. Zombies? Check. Barbarian hordes? Check. An Arctic Panzer Wolf? Sure, why not?

“I love the smell of hops in the morning…” added Floyd. “It smells like victory.”

As any Beer Geek can tell you, 3 Floyds brews some of the best and instantaneously memorable beers going today. Azzarello and Bisley bring their vision to the strange and wild characters created by 3 Floyds... guaranteed to be a hardcore epic that is "not normal" from the first page to the blood-and-beer-soaked conclusion. Cheers!

ALPHA KING #1 (Diamond Code MAR160510) will hit comic book stores on Wednesday, May 4th, 2016. The final order cutoff deadline for comic book retailers is Monday, April 11th, 2016.


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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VIZ Media Announces New Pokemon Pocket Comics Titles

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES THE ACQUISITION OF NEW POKÉMON POCKET COMICS TITLES

First-Ever POKÉMON POCKET COMICS BOX SET And Brand New POKÉMON X · Y POCKET COMICS VolUME 3 Are Scheduled For Release In Fall 2016

San Francisco, CA – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, delivers compact POKÉMON fun and adventure to fans later this year as it announces plans for the Fall 2016 release of the POKÉMON POCKET COMICS VolS. 1 & 2 BOX SET and POKÉMON X · Y POCKET COMICS Vol. 3.

These wonderful additions to VIZ Media’s expansive POKÉMON catalog include the October release of the first-ever POCKET COMICS BOX SET, along with the debut in December of a brand new POCKET COMIC volume for the popular POKÉMON X · Y story arc.

POKÉMON POCKET COMICS VolS. 1 & 2 BOX SET · MSRP: $16.99 U.S. / $19.99 CAN · Rated ‘A’ For All Ages · Available October 2016

The POKÉMON POCKET COMICS BOX SET contains two pocket-sized books each jam-packed with four-panel comic strips. The first volume features POKÉMON BLACK AND WHITE characters and the second volume features Pokémon Legendary characters. Plus, both are full of vital statistics, trivia, puzzles, fun quizzes and more!

POKÉMON X · Y POCKET COMICS Vol. 3 · MSRP: $10.99 U.S. / $13.99 CAN · Rated ‘A’ For All Ages · Available December 2016

A pocket-sized book jam-packed with four-panel comic strips featuring all the new POKÉMON X • Y BLACK AND WHITE characters plus Pokémon vital statistics, trivia, and fun quizzes!

POKÉMON is one of the most successful international entertainment franchises of all time. More than 275 million POKÉMON video game titles and over 21.5 billion Pokémon Trading Cards have been sold in more than 74 countries in addition to substantial publishing and merchandise sales. VIZ Media is the official North American distributor for a wide variety of POKÉMON home media releases including animated series and films and also publishes a variety of POKÉMON manga graphic novel series including POKÉMON ADVENTURES X • Y, POKÉMON ADVENTURES, POKÉMON ADVENTURES: DIAMOND AND PEARL, POKÉMON ADVENTURES: HeartGold & SoulSilver, POKÉMON ADVENTURES: BLACK AND WHITE.

For more information on other Pokémon manga and anime 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 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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Image Comics Gives "We Stand on Guard" the Deluxe Treatment

WE STAND ON GUARD ATTACKS THIS MAY

“Intriguing, emotional and engaging.” —Paste Magazine

New York Times bestselling and multiple Eisner-award winning writer Brian K. Vaughan (SAGA, PAPER GIRLS, PRIVATE EYE) and legendary storyboard artist Steve Skroce’s WE STAND ON GUARD’s jaw-dropping military thriller will be collected for the first time into a deluxe hardcover edition—which will include original sketches and other never-before-seen extras—available this May.

Set in a future where a heroic band of Canadian civilians must defend their homeland from invasion by the United States, WE STAND ON GUARD launched to critical acclaim and blends the episodic up-tempo pacing of Y the Last Man with an invasion story full of suspense and action.

WE STAND ON GUARD Deluxe Hardcover (ISBN: 978-1-63215-702-7) collects the complete series, issues 1-6, and hits comic book stores on Wednesday, May 4th, 2016 and bookstores on Tuesday, May 10th, 2016, and will be available for $24.99.

It can be ordered by retailers from Diamond Book Distributors with Diamond code FEB160645. It can be preordered now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indiebound, and Indigo.


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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Image Announces "The Humans" Tour - West Coast, Y'all!

THE HUMANS RIDE OUT IN HONOR OF VOLUME 2 RELEASE

Keenan Marshall Keller and Tom Neely hit the road for a West Coast tour

Writer Keenan Marshall Keller and artist Tom Neely will appear at comic book stores, events, and conventions this March and April to celebrate the release of the second volume in their runaway hit series: THE HUMANS, VOLUME 2: HUMANS TIL DETH.

THE HUMANS, VOLUME 2: HUMANS TIL DETH follows the gang as they rampage through drug runs with road pirates, strip club freak-outs and beatdowns, passionate sex in cheap motel rooms, and multiple bloody barroom massacres—all of which snowballs towards a brutal ending of bloody vengeance and death! It’s the feel-good hit of the year!

THE HUMANS, VOLUME 2: HUMANS TIL DETH (ISBN 978-1-63215-765-2) hit comic book stores Wednesday, March 16th, 2016 and bookstores Tuesday, March 22nd, 2016 and will be available for $15.99. It can be ordered by retailers with Diamond code JAN160667. It can be preordered now from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indiebound, and Indigo.

Keenan Marshall Keller and Tom Neely will be signing at these locations:

March 11th – SHQ Vol.2 Launch Party & Art Show!!!

March 18th – Nuclear Comics, Laguna Hills CA

March 19th – Shop Called Quest Claremont, CA

March 25th thru 27th – WONDERCON, Los Angeles CA (Artist Alley B-25)

April 1st – Dr Comics Mr Games, Oakland CA

April 2nd – Mission Comics, S.F. CA

April 5th – Floating World, Portland OR

April 7th – Arcane Comics Party!!!, Seattle WA

April 7th thru 10th – Emerald City, Seattle WA

April 23rd - 8th Annual Hippy Killer Hoedown - Perris, CA

For more information, visit: http://www.humansforlife.com/blog/2016/2/20/the-humans-west-coast-tour


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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Image Comics Announces "Grizzly Shark"

GRIZZLY SHARK IS OUT FOR BLOOD

The cult hit returns, now in full color

Fan-favorite creators Ryan Ottley (INVINCIBLE) and Ivan Plascencia (RASPUTIN) return to the cult hit GRIZZLY SHARK, out for fresh blood this April.

“I am afraid of sharks so I figured the only way to overcome my fear is to make a miniseries about them,” said Ottley. “It didn't work at all. I'm never going camping again. I am really excited about this trilogy, so much fun to go in totally unfiltered and unleashed and do whatever I wanted. And all in color, so glad Ivan Plascencia could join me in this comic making adventure! The last time we saw Grizzly Shark was 2010 with a sold out one-shot, so glad fans got a kick out of that, and if you loved my issue back then, you'll love these new issues dripping with insanity.”

The sold out, black-and-white GRIZZLY SHARK issues will return, but this time in full color, and will kick off all-new issues to the series.

“My first time coloring Ryan Ottley's work and big fan of the first Grizzly Shark B/W one-shot 2010,” added Plascencia. “Two things that I admire a lot about Ryan's work are his dynamic storytelling and the way he manages to draw facial and corporal expressions. I laughed a lot on every page we worked together on this book! Definitely some of the best projects I've worked in all my career as colorist. So glad and lucky I got the chance to be part of this bloody series.”

The bloody adventures of GRIZZLY SHARK continue and invite new readers into the story of the world’s most feared animal, the Grizzly Shark.

GRIZZLY SHARK #1 (Diamond Code FEB160496) will hit comic book stores on Wednesday, April 6th, 2016. The final order cutoff deadline for comic book retailers was Monday, March 14th, 2016.

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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Mike Baron, Gerhard Added to List of Comics Creators at Wizard World Madison 2016

Gerhard, Salvador Larroca, Mike Baron, Tom Cook Among Top Comics Creators To Attend Wizard World Madison, April 8-10

Phil Ortiz, Clinton Hobart, Angel Unzueta, James O’Barr, Guy Gilchrist, Michael Golden Also Headline Artist Alley At Alliant Energy Center

MADISON, Wis. – Eisner Award winners Gerhard (“Cerebus”), Salvador Larroca (“Iron Man,” “Uncanny X-Men”), Mike Baron (“Nexus,” “The Punisher”), as well as Tom Cook ("He-Man," "She-Ra"), Michael Golden (“Batman,” “Spider-Man”), Clinton Hobart (Disney fine art), Angel Unzueta (“Titans,” “The Flash”), James O’Barr (“The Crow”),  Guy Gilchrist (writer/cartoonist, “Nancy,” “Muppet Babies”), and Phil Ortiz (“The Simpsons,” “Muppet Babies”) are among the leading comics artists and writers scheduled to attend Wizard World Madison, April 8-10, 2016 at the Alliant Energy Center. It is the sixth comic con event on the 2016 Wizard World calendar and second year for the show in Madison.

Other top Wizard World Madison Artist Alley guests include John Beatty (inker: “Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars,” “Captain America”), J.J. Sedelmaier (“SNL cartoons”), Douglas Paszkiewicz (“Disney”), Dan Biesel (“Gridcurrent”), Jeff Butler (“Badger,” “Green Hornet”), Victor Dandridge (“Vantage: Inhouse”), Brian Deffereding (“The Gathering,” “School: A Ghost Story”), Bruce Gerlach (“Star Wars,” “Indiana Jones”), Jordan Gunderson (“The Four Points,” “Fathom Annual”), Robert “Bob The Artist” Luedke (“Eye Witness,” “A Fictional Tale  of Absolute Truth”), Jeff Greenwalt
(producer/head writer/ cast member “Rabbit Ears”) and many others.

Wizard World comic and gaming con events bring together thousands of fans of all ages to celebrate the best in pop-fi, pop culture, movies, graphic novels, cosplay, comics, television, sci-fi, toys, video gaming, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more. Wizard World Madison show hours are Friday, April 8, 3-8 p.m.; Saturday, April 9, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Sunday, April 10, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Wizard World Madison is also the place for cosplay, with fans young and old showing off their best costumes throughout the event. Fans dressed as every imaginable character – and some never before dreamed – will roam the convention floor and participate in the famed Wizard World Costume Contest on Saturday night.

For more on the 2016 Wizard World Comic Con Madison, visit http://wizd.me/MadisonPR.


About Wizard World (OTCBB: WIZD)
Wizard World, Inc. (www.wizardworld.com) produces comic, gaming and pop culture conventions across North America that celebrate the best in pop-fi, pop culture, movies, television, cosplay, comics, graphic novels, toys, video gaming, sci-fi, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more. A first-class lineup of topical programming takes place at each event, with celebrity Q&A's, comics-themed sessions, costume contests, movie screenings, evening parties and more. Wizard World has also launched Wizard World Store (www.shopwizardworld.com ), CONtv, a digital media channel in partnership with leading independent content distributor Cinedigm™ (NASDAQ: CIDM), and ComicConBox™ (www.comicconbox.com), a premium subscription-based monthly box service. Fans can interact with Wizard World on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and other social media services.

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