Support Leroy on Patreon.
BLACK LIVES MATTER - From PopSugar: New York City cop arrest Black mailman because he didn't want them to hit him with their car.
---------------
COMICS - From Forbes: "Batman Vs. Superman" could have a $185 million weekend at the box office.
---------------
POLITICS - From Politico: #CruzSexScandal
POLITICS - From RSN: The coming Republican Party crack-up also needs to occur to the Democratic Party.
---------------
OBITS - From Variety: The writer Earl Hamner, Jr. has died at the age of 92, Thursday, March 24, 2016. He is best known for creating CBS' beloved drama, "The Waltons."
---------------
POLITICS - From Harpers: Richard Nixon started the "war on drugs" in order to wage war on the anti-war left and Black people.
---------------
POLITICS - From RollingStone: The magazine endorses Hillary Clinton for President of the United States, and publisher, Jann S. Wenner explains why.
---------------
OBITS - From Variety: Comedian, actor, writer, and producer, Garry Shandling, has died at the age of 66, Thursday, March 24, 2016.
From YahooCelebrity: Hollywood reacts to the death of Garry Shandling.
From YahooTV: Garry Shandling's most memorable roles.
---------------
OBITS - From YahooSports: Legendary baseball broadcaster, Joe Garagiola, has died at the age of 90, Wednesday, March 23, 2016.
From YouTube: An interview with the late Garagiola, conducted by David Spada.
---------------
COMICS - From iDigitalTimes: Some early reviews are in for "Batman Vs. Superman."
---------------
MOVIES - From Collider: Shane Black talks about his "Predator" reboot.
---------------
CRIME - From HoustonChronicle: Keeping Black people of juries in Wharton County, Texas.
---------------
OBITS - From DeadlineTV: The Emmy-winning actor, Ken Howard, has died at the age of 71, Wednesday, March 23, 2016. He was best known for his role on the CBS television drama series, "The White Shadow" (1978-1981). He was the current president of the actors' union, SAG-AFTRA.
---------------
COMICS - From CinemaBlend: Marvel's "Captain Britain" may get his own television series.
---------------
OBITS - From THR: The actress, Rita Gam, has died at the age of 88, Tuesday, March 22, 2016. She was considered a "glamorous actress" in the 1950s. Gam was also the wife of director Sidney Lumet, and she was a bridesmaid at Grace Kelly's 1956 wedding to Prince Rainier.
---------------
OBITS - From TheWrap: The rapper, Malik Taylor, has died at the age of 45. He was better known as "Phife Dawg," the founder of the seminal rap group, A Tribe Called Quest."
---------------
POLITICS - From BuzzFlash: Sarah Palin hits far-right hot buttons.
--------------
CULTURE - From TheDailyBeast: Banksy strikes back.
---------------
SPORTS - From YahooSports: Sports broadcaster/sideline reporter, Craig Sager, known for his colorful and odd suits, has said that his doctor has given him 3 to 6 months to live.
---------------
COMICS - BleedingCool: A look at a nice copy of Action Comics #1, the first appearance of Superman, worth over $3 million.
---------------
COMICS - BleedingCool: A look at some of Marvel Comics' hot comics for June 2016.
---------------
STAR WARS - From Twitter: See a Star Wars bonus clip featuring Maz Kanata.
---------------
MOVIES - From Variety: Emma Stone to star in film about Rose Marie "Rosemary" Kennedy, "Letters from Rosemary."
----------------
COMICS - From BleedingCool: There will be an all-new and all-different Batman comic book debuting later this year from writer Scott Snyder.
---------------
TELEVISION - From Variety: Ryan Murphy reveals who will be back for the next season of "American Horror Story."
---------------
BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo: The winner of the 3/18 to 3/20/2016 weekend box office is "Zootopia" with an estimated haul of $38 million.
---------------
From MintPressNews: Daniel Ellsberg - top military brass knew in advance that the Vietnam War would fail.
---------------
BLACK LIVES MATTER - From SeattleTimes: Tim McGinty could not do his job and prosecute Cleveland Patrolman Timothy Loehmann and his partner, Frank Garmback, for killing Tamir Rice. So the voters decided that he could not keep his job as Cuyahoga County Prosecutor.
----------------
COMICS - From CBR: Jeremy Renner says he would be "open" to a Hawkeye Netflix series.
---------------
COMICS - From CBR: The writers, artists, and editors behind Marvel Comics's "Civil War II" talk.
---------------
COMICS - From BleedingCool: An overview of news from C2E2 about Marvel's "Civil War II" comic book event.
---------------
COMICS - From BleedingCool: Mike Mignola says he does not know how the film, "Hellboy 3" would end, although that movie seems unlikely to happen.
---------------
STAR WARS - From CheatSheet: The site's weekly Star Wars round-up.
---------------
POLITICS - From TheWrap: Scott Baio ("Happy Days") endorses Donald Trump.
---------------
TRAILERS:
From YouTube: A clip from Richard Linklater's "Everybody Wants Some," entitled "Cologne."
From YouTube: A sneak peak at "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" deleted scenes.
From YouTube: I think this is the first trailer for the "Ben-Hur" remake, which is due August 2016.
Saturday, March 26, 2016
Amazon Announces "Thunderbirds Are Go" for April 22, 2016
Amazon Debuts Original Animated Kids Series Thunderbirds Are Go on April 22 on Prime Video
Special one-hour sneak preview will premiere on April 15 with Ring of Fire Parts 1 and 2
The five Tracy brothers catapult back onto television screens following the 50-year-old classic Thunderbirds series; Rosamund Pike stars as Lady Penelope
SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(NASDAQ: AMZN)—Amazon today announced its brand-new Amazon Original Kids Series, Thunderbirds Are Go, is scheduled to premiere on Friday, April 22, 2016 on Prime Video in the US. Ahead of the series launch, Prime members will get a sneak preview on April 15 with the one-hour special Ring of Fire Parts 1 and 2. Thunderbirds Are Go is a reinvention of classic Thunderbirds, and features the world’s most famous family of heroes, International Rescue. Rosamund Pike (The World’s End, Gone Girl) also stars as Lady Penelope. All 13 episodes of the first season will debut on Prime Video in the US on April 22 for streaming and download for Prime members, and will subsequently air on Prime Video in the UK, Germany and Austria, following a deal with ITV Studios Global Entertainment.
“We’re delighted that Thunderbirds Are Go will be blasting off in the US on Amazon next month”
Thunderbirds Are Go catapults the five brave Tracy brothers back onto television screens, where they’ll pilot their remarkable, cutting-edge Thunderbird vehicles from the depths of the oceans to the highest reaches of space, performing impossible rescues across the globe. Produced by ITV Studios and Pukeko Pictures in collaboration with world-famous Weta Workshop, the series is made using a unique mixture of CGI animation and live-action model sets. Thunderbirds Are Go will deliver a new level of action-adventure animation for today’s audience while paying tribute to the characters and locations from the original series.
“We’re excited that our customers and their families will partake in a new rendition of a classic property with the Tracy brothers at the helm,” said Tara Sorensen, Head of Kids Programming at Amazon Studios. “The new series will pay tribute to the legacy of the original series while adopting a new level of action-adventure and groundbreaking mix of animation and live-action.”
“We’re delighted that Thunderbirds Are Go will be blasting off in the US on Amazon next month,” said Dan Gopal, EVP EMEA Distribution and Global Digital Partners for ITV Studios Global Entertainment. “This will give children and families across the country the opportunity to enjoy the full, action-packed series whenever and wherever they want.”
Thunderbirds Are Go is executive produced by Estelle Hughes (Driver Dan’s Story Train), Giles Ridge (Pocoyo), Richard Taylor (The Lord of the Rings), and Andrew Smith (District 9), written by Rob Hoegee (Generator Rex, Teen Titans), and directed by David Scott (LEGO Star Wars) and Theo Baynton (The Wotwots). It is distributed internationally by ITV Studios Global Entertainment.
The first season of Thunderbirds Are Go will be available for Prime members to stream and enjoy using the Amazon Video app for TVs, connected devices including Amazon Fire TV, and mobile devices, or online at Amazon.com/originals, at no additional cost to their membership. Customers who are not already a Prime member can sign up for a free trial at www.amazon.com/prime. For a list of all Amazon Video compatible devices, visit www.amazon.com/howtostream. Thunderbirds Are Go will also be available as part of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited, the all-you-can-eat subscription service designed from the ground up for kids. FreeTime Unlimited is available exclusively on Amazon devices including Amazon Fire TV and Fire tablets, and a year-long subscription is included with every Fire Kids Edition.
About Amazon Video
Amazon Video offers customers unlimited access to tens of thousands of movies and TV episodes, including award-winning Amazon Original Series, through Amazon Prime; monthly subscriptions to SHOWTIME, STARZ, and more; and hundreds of thousands of titles including new-release movies and current TV shows for rent or purchase.
The entire range of selection can be instantly accessed through the Amazon Video app on TVs, streaming media players, mobile devices, Amazon Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, and Fire tablets, or online at Amazon.com/amazonvideo. For a list of all Amazon Video compatible devices visit www.amazon.com/howtostream.
Prime Video, included in Amazon Prime, enables Prime members to enjoy binge-worthy TV shows including Amazon Original Series airing now such as the multi-Golden Globe award-winning series from Roman Coppola and Jason Schwartzman, Mozart in the Jungle, the multi-Golden Globe award-winning and Emmy award-winning series Transparent, the breakout hit The Man in the High Castle, based on Philip K. Dick’s novel, the hour-long drama Bosch, based on Michael Connelly’s best-selling books, and the comedy created by and starring Rob Delaney and Sharon Horgan, Catastrophe, in addition to favorites like The Sopranos, True Blood and Girls, and popular primetime series including 24, Downton Abbey, Extant, Falling Skies, Grimm, Hannibal, Justified, Orphan Black, Teen Wolf, The Americans, and Under the Dome. Prime members also have access to a collection of kids shows now airing including Amazon Original Series Just Add Magic, Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street and the Annecy, Annie and multi-Emmy award-winning Tumble Leaf, as well as popular shows from Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. including SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer, Team Umizoomi, and Blue’s Clues. Customers who are not already Prime members can sign up for a free trial at www.amazon.com/primevideo.
About Amazon
Amazon.com opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995. The company is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit www.amazon.com/about.
About ITV Studios Global Entertainment
ITV Studios Global Entertainment (ITVS GE) is one of the world’s leading international TV distribution, home entertainment, publishing, merchandising and licensing businesses. ITVS GE distributes celebrated content across all genres from both its in-house production business, ITV Studios, and in collaboration with leading producers from around the world.
Part of ITV PLC, which includes the UK’s largest commercial broadcaster, ITV Studios Global Entertainment has offices in London, Hong Kong, Los Angeles and Sydney.
------------------
Special one-hour sneak preview will premiere on April 15 with Ring of Fire Parts 1 and 2
The five Tracy brothers catapult back onto television screens following the 50-year-old classic Thunderbirds series; Rosamund Pike stars as Lady Penelope
SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(NASDAQ: AMZN)—Amazon today announced its brand-new Amazon Original Kids Series, Thunderbirds Are Go, is scheduled to premiere on Friday, April 22, 2016 on Prime Video in the US. Ahead of the series launch, Prime members will get a sneak preview on April 15 with the one-hour special Ring of Fire Parts 1 and 2. Thunderbirds Are Go is a reinvention of classic Thunderbirds, and features the world’s most famous family of heroes, International Rescue. Rosamund Pike (The World’s End, Gone Girl) also stars as Lady Penelope. All 13 episodes of the first season will debut on Prime Video in the US on April 22 for streaming and download for Prime members, and will subsequently air on Prime Video in the UK, Germany and Austria, following a deal with ITV Studios Global Entertainment.
“We’re delighted that Thunderbirds Are Go will be blasting off in the US on Amazon next month”
Thunderbirds Are Go catapults the five brave Tracy brothers back onto television screens, where they’ll pilot their remarkable, cutting-edge Thunderbird vehicles from the depths of the oceans to the highest reaches of space, performing impossible rescues across the globe. Produced by ITV Studios and Pukeko Pictures in collaboration with world-famous Weta Workshop, the series is made using a unique mixture of CGI animation and live-action model sets. Thunderbirds Are Go will deliver a new level of action-adventure animation for today’s audience while paying tribute to the characters and locations from the original series.
“We’re excited that our customers and their families will partake in a new rendition of a classic property with the Tracy brothers at the helm,” said Tara Sorensen, Head of Kids Programming at Amazon Studios. “The new series will pay tribute to the legacy of the original series while adopting a new level of action-adventure and groundbreaking mix of animation and live-action.”
“We’re delighted that Thunderbirds Are Go will be blasting off in the US on Amazon next month,” said Dan Gopal, EVP EMEA Distribution and Global Digital Partners for ITV Studios Global Entertainment. “This will give children and families across the country the opportunity to enjoy the full, action-packed series whenever and wherever they want.”
Thunderbirds Are Go is executive produced by Estelle Hughes (Driver Dan’s Story Train), Giles Ridge (Pocoyo), Richard Taylor (The Lord of the Rings), and Andrew Smith (District 9), written by Rob Hoegee (Generator Rex, Teen Titans), and directed by David Scott (LEGO Star Wars) and Theo Baynton (The Wotwots). It is distributed internationally by ITV Studios Global Entertainment.
The first season of Thunderbirds Are Go will be available for Prime members to stream and enjoy using the Amazon Video app for TVs, connected devices including Amazon Fire TV, and mobile devices, or online at Amazon.com/originals, at no additional cost to their membership. Customers who are not already a Prime member can sign up for a free trial at www.amazon.com/prime. For a list of all Amazon Video compatible devices, visit www.amazon.com/howtostream. Thunderbirds Are Go will also be available as part of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited, the all-you-can-eat subscription service designed from the ground up for kids. FreeTime Unlimited is available exclusively on Amazon devices including Amazon Fire TV and Fire tablets, and a year-long subscription is included with every Fire Kids Edition.
About Amazon Video
Amazon Video offers customers unlimited access to tens of thousands of movies and TV episodes, including award-winning Amazon Original Series, through Amazon Prime; monthly subscriptions to SHOWTIME, STARZ, and more; and hundreds of thousands of titles including new-release movies and current TV shows for rent or purchase.
The entire range of selection can be instantly accessed through the Amazon Video app on TVs, streaming media players, mobile devices, Amazon Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, and Fire tablets, or online at Amazon.com/amazonvideo. For a list of all Amazon Video compatible devices visit www.amazon.com/howtostream.
Prime Video, included in Amazon Prime, enables Prime members to enjoy binge-worthy TV shows including Amazon Original Series airing now such as the multi-Golden Globe award-winning series from Roman Coppola and Jason Schwartzman, Mozart in the Jungle, the multi-Golden Globe award-winning and Emmy award-winning series Transparent, the breakout hit The Man in the High Castle, based on Philip K. Dick’s novel, the hour-long drama Bosch, based on Michael Connelly’s best-selling books, and the comedy created by and starring Rob Delaney and Sharon Horgan, Catastrophe, in addition to favorites like The Sopranos, True Blood and Girls, and popular primetime series including 24, Downton Abbey, Extant, Falling Skies, Grimm, Hannibal, Justified, Orphan Black, Teen Wolf, The Americans, and Under the Dome. Prime members also have access to a collection of kids shows now airing including Amazon Original Series Just Add Magic, Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street and the Annecy, Annie and multi-Emmy award-winning Tumble Leaf, as well as popular shows from Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. including SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer, Team Umizoomi, and Blue’s Clues. Customers who are not already Prime members can sign up for a free trial at www.amazon.com/primevideo.
About Amazon
Amazon.com opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995. The company is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit www.amazon.com/about.
About ITV Studios Global Entertainment
ITV Studios Global Entertainment (ITVS GE) is one of the world’s leading international TV distribution, home entertainment, publishing, merchandising and licensing businesses. ITVS GE distributes celebrated content across all genres from both its in-house production business, ITV Studios, and in collaboration with leading producers from around the world.
Part of ITV PLC, which includes the UK’s largest commercial broadcaster, ITV Studios Global Entertainment has offices in London, Hong Kong, Los Angeles and Sydney.
------------------
Friday, March 25, 2016
Review: "American Ultra" is Impossibly Good
[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]
American Ultra (2015)
Running time: 96 minutes (1 hour, 36 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong bloody violence, language throughout, drug use and some sexual content
DIRECTOR: Nima Nourizadeh
WRITER: Max Landis
PRODUCERS: David Alpert, Anthony Bregman, Kevin Scott Frakes, Britton Rizzio, and Raj Brinder Singh
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Michael Bonvillain
EDITOR: Andrew Marcus and Bill Pankow
COMPOSER: Marcelo Zarvos
ACTION/COMEDY
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Topher Grace, Connie Britton, Walter Goggins, John Leguizamo, Bill Pullman, Tony Hale, Stuart Greer, Michael Papajohn, Monique Ganderton, Lavell Crawford, and Sam Malone
American Ultra is a 2015 action-comedy written by Max Landis and directed by Nima Nourizadeh. The film focuses on a stoner who finds himself targeted for extermination because he is a government sleeper agent, facts of which is he unaware.
American Ultra opens in small town Liman, West Virginia where we meet Mike “Mikey” Howell (Jesse Eisenberg), a stoner and slacker. He lives with his girlfriend, Phoebe Larson (Kristen Stewart), in a small wooden house, and he works at a convenience story. Meanwhile, in Langley, Virginia, CIA section boss, Adrian Yates (Topher Grace), has decided Mike's fate. Mike is the sole remaining asset of “Wiseman” which was part of the “Ultra” program, and Yates considers Mike a liability, thus targeting him for extermination.
Yates deploys a team of “Toughguy” operatives to kill Mike, but Victoria Lasseter (Connie Britton), who once supervised the Wiseman program, is determined to save Mike's life. She arrives in Liman ahead of Yates' men, but reactivating Mike is a bit more difficult than she realized. Mike slowly begins to remember his training, but it is a messy and chaotic process... for everyone.
American Ultra's CIA conceits are preposterous, of course. What sells this is that the screenplay by Max Landis constructs a love that feels real and a relationship that seems genuine between Mike and Phoebe's characters. Director Nima Nourizadeh takes the time to properly transform Landis' romantic conceit into a true-blue movie romance. Once you buy the Mikey-Phoebe dynamic, the rest of the movie – the believable, the ridiculous, and the sublime – encourages the audience to suspend disbelief so they can enjoy one of the most inventive action-comedies of the 21st century.
Landis's script offers some interesting ideas, and Jesse Eisenberg's turn as the stoner Mikey distracts the viewer from taking a good, hard look at those ideas. After all, the fun is in running through the world of secret and sleeper agents, not in examining what is and isn't plausible in that world. [Of course, how many people actually take that hard look in the real world.] Landis' concept is perfect for Eisenberg's performance, and Eisenberg's performance makes Landis' concept work perfectly.
I admire how director Nima Nourizadeh maintains the off-beat, slacker charm of this story even as the movie turns increasingly violent, but here, the gore actually has a splattery charm all its own. In truth, Sylvester Stallone's The Expendables movie franchise could use the Nourizadeh-Landis touch. I cannot emphasize enough that this movie is just a blast to watch, and it is fresh and imaginative in a genre, CIA-themed films, that is rapidly growing stale.
Any action-movie franchise could use some Kristen Stewart. There is something about her that goes beyond merely being the spine of a billion-dollar movie franchise (Twilight). Stewart is authentic in this movie, and her performance is one of the many things that come together like serendipity to make American Ultra one of the best films of 2015.
9 of 10
A+
Saturday, December 5, 2015
The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.
Thursday, March 24, 2016
First Annual "Pure Mich-Con" Announced
Yourcomiccon.com is proud and excited to present the 1st annual Pure Mich-Con show at the Taylor Town Center, 22525 Ecorse Rd, Taylor, MI. 48180. On April 2nd with events running from 1030am to 730pm
The Pure Mich-Con show is playing host to over 60 creators, artists, writers, vendors and inkers, all of the Michigan scene. With comic book veterans Arvell Jones, co-creator of Misty Knight; Caliber Comics writer and publisher Gary Reed; writer/artist William Messner-Loebs; writer T Casey Brennon; artist Jason Moore, and new publishers like Mess Bucket Comics, No Gravity Studios and Cromwell Green, all comic genres are represented here.
Other guests: Jay Adams, TNT explosion wrestler and stuntman on the Outsiders TV show; The Great Lakes Ghostbusters Coalition with their Ecto1 Car; Deadworld Zombie Soda and Chips; Great Lakes Association of Horror Writers; A n T Nerdware; plus panels, a comic workshop and Cosplay events ensure there is something for all.
Over 75 tables of comic books, action figures, toys and collectables for 5.00 per person or only 15.00 per family.
Contact John Eggenberger at 734-258-5026, yourcomiccon.com or shazamkalel1fan@gmail.com for more information
------------------------
The Pure Mich-Con show is playing host to over 60 creators, artists, writers, vendors and inkers, all of the Michigan scene. With comic book veterans Arvell Jones, co-creator of Misty Knight; Caliber Comics writer and publisher Gary Reed; writer/artist William Messner-Loebs; writer T Casey Brennon; artist Jason Moore, and new publishers like Mess Bucket Comics, No Gravity Studios and Cromwell Green, all comic genres are represented here.
Other guests: Jay Adams, TNT explosion wrestler and stuntman on the Outsiders TV show; The Great Lakes Ghostbusters Coalition with their Ecto1 Car; Deadworld Zombie Soda and Chips; Great Lakes Association of Horror Writers; A n T Nerdware; plus panels, a comic workshop and Cosplay events ensure there is something for all.
Over 75 tables of comic books, action figures, toys and collectables for 5.00 per person or only 15.00 per family.
Contact John Eggenberger at 734-258-5026, yourcomiccon.com or shazamkalel1fan@gmail.com for more information
------------------------
VIZ Media Moves to Develop Live-Action Programming Based on Its Titles
VIZ MEDIA AND UNITED TALENT AGENCY ANNOUNCE NEW CONTENT DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP
Nation’s Leading Manga & Anime Company Will Work Closely With Premier International Talent Agency To Develop Live-Action Content Based On Popular Japanese Entertainment Properties
San Francisco, CA – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, has partnered with the premier global talent and literary agency, United Talent Agency (UTA), to develop a diverse range of live-action programming based on titles from VIZ Media’s extensive catalog of manga and anime properties.
The partnership will create significant new opportunities to further capitalize on the strong interest in Japanese pop culture and entertainment brands expressed by the Hollywood and international film studio communities, the broadcast industry, and a burgeoning range of emerging multimedia and online content producers.
“We are excited to start this partnership to push the boundaries of storytelling, innovation and character through VIZ Media’s prolific portfolio,” said UTA’s Howie Sanders, Co-Head, Book Department.
“The UTA partnership represents an important new direction for VIZ Media and our colleagues in Japan,” says Brad Woods, Chief Marketing Officer of VIZ Media. “Bringing the rich stories of manga and anime to life in new ways is an exciting opportunity with tremendous potential. UTA is an innovator that shares our vision, and their proven track record and strong relationships throughout the domestic and international entertainment sectors will be important factors as we move forward.”
VIZ Media is the industry leader in international manga and anime publishing, distribution and licensing. The company’s substantial roster includes massively popular titles such as BLEACH, DEATH NOTE, NARUTO, ONE-PUNCH MAN, ONE PIECE and TOKYO GHOUL, which are routinely featured on the BookScan Top 50 and New York Times bestseller lists. VIZ Media is the top manga publisher in the U.S. and one of the top three graphic novel publishers overall. Founded in San Francisco in 1986, VIZ Media marks its 30th Anniversary this summer.
For more information on anime and manga titles from VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.
About United Talent Agency
United Talent Agency is a premier global talent and literary agency representing many of the world's most acclaimed figures in every new and emerging area of entertainment and media, including motion pictures, television, music, digital, broadcast news, books, theatre, video games, fine art and live entertainment. The agency is also globally recognized in the areas of film finance, film packaging, branding, licensing, endorsements and representation of production talent. UTA additionally provides corporate consulting, venture funding and strategic advisory services to companies ranging from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies. In 2015, UTA acquired The Agency Group, the world’s largest independent music agency, to form UTA Music, a leading music touring and representation practice. UTA has offices in Los Angeles, New York, London, Nashville, Toronto, Miami and Malmo, Sweden.
About VIZ Media, LLC
Established in 1986, VIZ Media is the premiere company in the field of publishing, animation distribution, and global entertainment licensing. Along with its popular digital magazine WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, DRAGON BALL, SAILOR MOON, and POKÉMON, VIZ Media offers an extensive library of titles and original content in a wide variety of book and video formats, as well as through official licensed merchandise. Owned by three of Japan's largest publishing and entertainment companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media is dedicated to bringing the best titles for English-speaking audiences worldwide.
Learn more about VIZ Media and its properties at www.VIZ.com.
-------------------
Nation’s Leading Manga & Anime Company Will Work Closely With Premier International Talent Agency To Develop Live-Action Content Based On Popular Japanese Entertainment Properties
San Francisco, CA – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, has partnered with the premier global talent and literary agency, United Talent Agency (UTA), to develop a diverse range of live-action programming based on titles from VIZ Media’s extensive catalog of manga and anime properties.
The partnership will create significant new opportunities to further capitalize on the strong interest in Japanese pop culture and entertainment brands expressed by the Hollywood and international film studio communities, the broadcast industry, and a burgeoning range of emerging multimedia and online content producers.
“We are excited to start this partnership to push the boundaries of storytelling, innovation and character through VIZ Media’s prolific portfolio,” said UTA’s Howie Sanders, Co-Head, Book Department.
“The UTA partnership represents an important new direction for VIZ Media and our colleagues in Japan,” says Brad Woods, Chief Marketing Officer of VIZ Media. “Bringing the rich stories of manga and anime to life in new ways is an exciting opportunity with tremendous potential. UTA is an innovator that shares our vision, and their proven track record and strong relationships throughout the domestic and international entertainment sectors will be important factors as we move forward.”
VIZ Media is the industry leader in international manga and anime publishing, distribution and licensing. The company’s substantial roster includes massively popular titles such as BLEACH, DEATH NOTE, NARUTO, ONE-PUNCH MAN, ONE PIECE and TOKYO GHOUL, which are routinely featured on the BookScan Top 50 and New York Times bestseller lists. VIZ Media is the top manga publisher in the U.S. and one of the top three graphic novel publishers overall. Founded in San Francisco in 1986, VIZ Media marks its 30th Anniversary this summer.
For more information on anime and manga titles from VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.
About United Talent Agency
United Talent Agency is a premier global talent and literary agency representing many of the world's most acclaimed figures in every new and emerging area of entertainment and media, including motion pictures, television, music, digital, broadcast news, books, theatre, video games, fine art and live entertainment. The agency is also globally recognized in the areas of film finance, film packaging, branding, licensing, endorsements and representation of production talent. UTA additionally provides corporate consulting, venture funding and strategic advisory services to companies ranging from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies. In 2015, UTA acquired The Agency Group, the world’s largest independent music agency, to form UTA Music, a leading music touring and representation practice. UTA has offices in Los Angeles, New York, London, Nashville, Toronto, Miami and Malmo, Sweden.
About VIZ Media, LLC
Established in 1986, VIZ Media is the premiere company in the field of publishing, animation distribution, and global entertainment licensing. Along with its popular digital magazine WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, DRAGON BALL, SAILOR MOON, and POKÉMON, VIZ Media offers an extensive library of titles and original content in a wide variety of book and video formats, as well as through official licensed merchandise. Owned by three of Japan's largest publishing and entertainment companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media is dedicated to bringing the best titles for English-speaking audiences worldwide.
Learn more about VIZ Media and its properties at www.VIZ.com.
-------------------
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Dark Horse Announces "Hellboy in Hell Volume 2"
Legendary comic book writer/artist Mike Mignola will conclude his critically acclaimed series HELLBOY IN HELL in 2016, when Dark Horse Comics publishes the final and tenth issue on June 1 and the trade paperback, HELLBOY IN HELL Volume 2 which collects issues 6 through 10, in October. In advance of the release of the series’ conclusion, Dark Horse Comics has released the cover to HELLBOY IN HELL Volume 2 by Mignola and award-winning colorist Dave Stewart. Following the conclusion of HELLBOY IN HELL, Mignola will take a year off from illustrating interior comic book pages in order to focus on fine art painting.
“Doing the cover to this collection was tough and of course I overthought the hell out of it,” said Mignola. “It's the end of the series and so much happens. How do I get that onto a cover? In the end, after doing two self-rejected covers, I decided to just illustrate the title of the book. THE DEATH CARD. There is also a fairly subtle nod to the climax of the book in there, but mostly it’s illustrating the title while trying to do a composition very similar to the cover of the first collection. Since the two books do make one story, I really wanted to design the book covers so they would work well side by side.”
After facing off for a second time against the Vampire of Prague, Hellboy, dead and in Hell, comes down with a fatal illness, and seeks the help of an incompetent team of doctors. As he explores the geography of Hell, learning little from a confused pair of map makers, Hellboy gets a glimpse of the new World Tree that he helped to create, stands accused of murder by his own sister and, in a way, brings about the destruction of Pandemonium itself.
While 2016 will see the conclusion of HELLBOY IN HELL, ABE SAPIEN (which concludes in August) and B.P.R.D.: HELL ON EARTH (which concludes in November), Dark Horse Comics will publish new issues of HELLBOY & THE BPRD co-written by Mignola and iZOMBIE co-creator Chris Roberson and illustrated by fan favorite artists, as well as unannounced titles which Mignola will co-write, but not illustrate.
HELLBOY IN HELL Volume 2 is available in comic shops October 5 and bookstores October 18.
HELLBOY IN HELL Volume 1 is now available from all major retailers.
HELLBOY IN HELL #9 and HELLBOY IN HELL #10 will be available in comic stores May 4 and June 1.
“Since introducing Hellboy in March of 1994, Mike Mignola has built a huge comic-book universe around the character on par with what Stan Lee and Jack Kirby accomplished in the Silver Age of Marvel Comics.. . . Each new visual is like a master class in establishing mood, and Mignola’s skill increases as he refines his line, proving that less is more when it comes to his pulp-inspired fantasy horror universe.”
—THE AV CLUB
“Iconic.”
—ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
“One of the most beloved characters in the comic book community.”
—IGN
“An inspiration to creators hoping to achieve similar success with their own characters and ideas.”
—MENTAL FLOSS
“Seminal.”
—THE NERDIST
About Mike Mignola
MIKE MIGNOLA’s fascination with ghosts and monsters began at an early age; reading Dracula at age twelve introduced him to Victorian literature and folklore, from which he has never recovered. Starting in 1982 as a bad inker for Marvel Comics, he swiftly evolved into a not-so-bad artist. By the late 1980s, he had begun to develop his own unique graphic style, with mainstream projects like Cosmic Odyssey and Batman: Gotham by Gaslight. In 1994, he published the first Hellboy series through Dark Horse. As of this writing there are twelve Hellboy graphic novels (with more on the way), several spinoff titles (B.P.R.D., Lobster Johnson, Abe Sapien, and Sir Edward Grey: Witchfinder), prose books, animated films, and two live-action films starring Ron Perlman. Along the way he worked on Francis Ford Coppola’s film Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992), was a production designer for Disney’s Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001), and was the visual consultant to director Guillermo del Toro on Blade II (2002), Hellboy (2004), and Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008). Mike’s books have earned numerous awards and are published in a great many countries. Mike lives somewhere in Southern California with his wife, daughter, and cat.
About Dark Horse
For 30 years, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. Founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson, the company is known for the progressive and creator-friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists. In addition to publishing comics from top talent, such as Eric Powell, Mike Mignola, Geof Darrow, Brian Wood, Gail Simone, Stan Sakai, and Guillermo del Toro, and comics legends, such as Will Eisner, Milo Manara, Kazuo Koike, Neil Gaiman and Frank Miller, Dark Horse has developed its own successful properties, such as The Mask, Ghost, X and Barb Wire. Its successful line of comics, manga and products based on popular properties includes Dragon Age, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, Tomb Raider, Halo, The Witcher, Serenity, Game of Thrones, and Avatar: The Last Airbender. Today Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic book publisher in the US and is recognized as one of the world’s leading entertainment publishers.
----------------------
Essence Empowerment Experience Welcomes Stellar Line-Up of African-American Women
The Nation’s Largest Gathering of African-American Women Welcomes Tyra Banks, Misty Copeland, Patina Miller, Iyanla Vanzant & More to the Empowerment Experience Stage at the 2016 ESSENCE Festival
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Time Inc.’s (NYSE:TIME) ESSENCE Festival New Orleans announces its star-studded daytime lineup for the signature event’s ESSENCE Empowerment Experience Stage, taking place Fourth of July Weekend, July 1–3, 2016, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, LA.
Free and open to the public, the ESSENCE Empowerment Experience Stage will feature conversations and keynote addresses with influencers such as Tyra Banks, Misty Copeland, Cookie Johnson, Iyanla Vanzant, Terry McMillan, Phaedra Parks and Rev. Al Sharpton, plus performances from Tony© Award winner Patina Miller, Travis Greene, Tasha Paige Lockhart, Kierra Sheard and Yolanda Adams, who will lead an All-Star Gospel Tribute to the Clark Sisters sponsored by Walmart. Additional speakers and talent to be announced soon.
“The ESSENCE Empowerment Experience Stage remains the heartbeat of Festival weekend with its diverse and impactful programming aimed at enlightening and inspiring our community,” said ESSENCE Editor-in-Chief Vanessa K. De Luca. “The current social climate has brought to light highly important issues, and we plan to continue these conversations at this year’s ESSENCE Festival in New Orleans. Not only will our programming emphasize topics such as love and relationships, personal finance and entrepreneurship, but we will also take a deeper look into our community’s most pressing political concerns to prepare ourselves for the upcoming presidential election.”
In addition to conversations on the 2016 election, the Empowerment Experience Stage provides a national strategy session for the day-to-day lives of ESSENCE’s community of 14 million women. Talent will address a wide range of topics, including: Creating Your Dream Business, Leading with Purpose, Protecting Our Daughters & Sons, and Building Your Own Brand.
Last year’s successful “Hour of Power” will return to the ESSENCE Empowerment Stage on Friday, July 1 and Saturday, July 2, when emerging and established talent will perform roof-raising inspirational music.
The ESSENCE Empowerment Experience Stage offers curated content from ESSENCE's editorial team, extending conversations that have moved from the page and screen to the stage. The daytime experience culminates on Sunday with an all-star, soul-stirring gospel tribute to the chart-topping group the Clark Sisters. For a full lineup of this year’s daytime speakers and artists, visit www.essencefestival.com.
For more information, visit ESSENCE Festival www.essencefestival.com. Join the festival community on Twitter @essencefest #EssenceFest and become a fan of 2016 ESSENCE Festival on Facebook. Media applications for the 2016 ESSENCE Festival New Orleans are now live. Please visit here for more information and to submit your application to cover both Daytime and Nighttime events.
The 2016 ESSENCE FESTIVAL is executive produced by ESSENCE Festivals LLC, a division of ESSENCE Communications Inc., and is produced by Solomon Group. GeChar is the executive producer of the 2016 ESSENCE Empowerment Experience.
Sponsors of the 2016 ESSENCE Festival in New Orleans include presenting sponsor Coca-Cola, major sponsors Ford, McDonald’s, State Farm, Walmart and official Beauty & Style Sponsor ESSENCE Beauty Box.
About Essence Communications Inc.
Essence Communications Inc. (ECI) is the number one media company dedicated to African-American women, with a multi-platform presence in publishing, live events and online. The company’s flagship publication, Essence magazine, is the preeminent lifestyle magazine for African-American women, generating brand extensions, such as the Essence Festival, Essence Black Women in Hollywood and Black Women in Music, Window on Our Women and Smart Beauty consumer insights series, Essence.com and ventures in digital media (mobile, television and VOD). For 45 years, Essence, which has a brand reach of 14.2 million, has been the leading source of cutting-edge information and specific solutions relating to every area of African-American women’s lives. Additional information about ECI and Essence is available at www.essence.com.
About Time Inc.
Time Inc. (NYSE:TIME) is one of the world's leading media companies, with a monthly global print audience of over 120 million and worldwide digital properties that attract more than 150 million visitors each month, including over 60 websites. Our influential brands include People, Sports Illustrated, InStyle, Time, Real Simple and Southern Living, as well as more than 50 diverse titles in the United Kingdom.
--------------------
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Time Inc.’s (NYSE:TIME) ESSENCE Festival New Orleans announces its star-studded daytime lineup for the signature event’s ESSENCE Empowerment Experience Stage, taking place Fourth of July Weekend, July 1–3, 2016, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, LA.
Free and open to the public, the ESSENCE Empowerment Experience Stage will feature conversations and keynote addresses with influencers such as Tyra Banks, Misty Copeland, Cookie Johnson, Iyanla Vanzant, Terry McMillan, Phaedra Parks and Rev. Al Sharpton, plus performances from Tony© Award winner Patina Miller, Travis Greene, Tasha Paige Lockhart, Kierra Sheard and Yolanda Adams, who will lead an All-Star Gospel Tribute to the Clark Sisters sponsored by Walmart. Additional speakers and talent to be announced soon.
“The ESSENCE Empowerment Experience Stage remains the heartbeat of Festival weekend with its diverse and impactful programming aimed at enlightening and inspiring our community,” said ESSENCE Editor-in-Chief Vanessa K. De Luca. “The current social climate has brought to light highly important issues, and we plan to continue these conversations at this year’s ESSENCE Festival in New Orleans. Not only will our programming emphasize topics such as love and relationships, personal finance and entrepreneurship, but we will also take a deeper look into our community’s most pressing political concerns to prepare ourselves for the upcoming presidential election.”
In addition to conversations on the 2016 election, the Empowerment Experience Stage provides a national strategy session for the day-to-day lives of ESSENCE’s community of 14 million women. Talent will address a wide range of topics, including: Creating Your Dream Business, Leading with Purpose, Protecting Our Daughters & Sons, and Building Your Own Brand.
Last year’s successful “Hour of Power” will return to the ESSENCE Empowerment Stage on Friday, July 1 and Saturday, July 2, when emerging and established talent will perform roof-raising inspirational music.
The ESSENCE Empowerment Experience Stage offers curated content from ESSENCE's editorial team, extending conversations that have moved from the page and screen to the stage. The daytime experience culminates on Sunday with an all-star, soul-stirring gospel tribute to the chart-topping group the Clark Sisters. For a full lineup of this year’s daytime speakers and artists, visit www.essencefestival.com.
For more information, visit ESSENCE Festival www.essencefestival.com. Join the festival community on Twitter @essencefest #EssenceFest and become a fan of 2016 ESSENCE Festival on Facebook. Media applications for the 2016 ESSENCE Festival New Orleans are now live. Please visit here for more information and to submit your application to cover both Daytime and Nighttime events.
The 2016 ESSENCE FESTIVAL is executive produced by ESSENCE Festivals LLC, a division of ESSENCE Communications Inc., and is produced by Solomon Group. GeChar is the executive producer of the 2016 ESSENCE Empowerment Experience.
Sponsors of the 2016 ESSENCE Festival in New Orleans include presenting sponsor Coca-Cola, major sponsors Ford, McDonald’s, State Farm, Walmart and official Beauty & Style Sponsor ESSENCE Beauty Box.
About Essence Communications Inc.
Essence Communications Inc. (ECI) is the number one media company dedicated to African-American women, with a multi-platform presence in publishing, live events and online. The company’s flagship publication, Essence magazine, is the preeminent lifestyle magazine for African-American women, generating brand extensions, such as the Essence Festival, Essence Black Women in Hollywood and Black Women in Music, Window on Our Women and Smart Beauty consumer insights series, Essence.com and ventures in digital media (mobile, television and VOD). For 45 years, Essence, which has a brand reach of 14.2 million, has been the leading source of cutting-edge information and specific solutions relating to every area of African-American women’s lives. Additional information about ECI and Essence is available at www.essence.com.
About Time Inc.
Time Inc. (NYSE:TIME) is one of the world's leading media companies, with a monthly global print audience of over 120 million and worldwide digital properties that attract more than 150 million visitors each month, including over 60 websites. Our influential brands include People, Sports Illustrated, InStyle, Time, Real Simple and Southern Living, as well as more than 50 diverse titles in the United Kingdom.
--------------------
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)