Sunday, June 26, 2016

Image Comics Announces the Rise of "Eden's Fall"


EDEN’S FALL ON THE RISE

New Top Cow series to launch this August

Image Comics/Top Cow is pleased to announce the all-new series EDEN’S FALL by Atilio Rojo, set to launch this August.

Top Cow combines three of its most provocative titles—THINK TANK, THE TITHE and POSTAL—in an unflinching fable of revenge and consequence. THE TITHE's FBI Agent James Miller follows a sociopath into the off-the-grid town of Eden, Wyoming on a personal mission of vengeance. The price of this vigilante justice will be paid in blood, and both Eden and James Miller will never be the same.

EDEN’S FALL #1 Cover A by Rahsan Ekedal (Diamond Code JUN160591) and Cover B by Linda Sejic (Diamond Code JUN160592) will hit comic book stores on Wednesday, August 31st, 2016. The final order cutoff deadline for comic book retailers is Monday, August 8th, 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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Creators Behind "My Little Pony" Comic Books Heading to Baltimore Comic-Con 2016

My Little Pony Creators Come to Baltimore Comic-Con 2016

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - The Baltimore Comic-Con returns to Baltimore's Inner Harbor on September 2-4, 2016 at the Baltimore Convention Center. This year, the show welcomes numerous guests who have worked on My Little Pony, including Katie Cook, Andy Price, Nei Ruffino, Chad Thomas, and Thom Zahler. Tickets to the show are now on sale.

Katie Cook is a comic artist and writer that hails from the mitten state (as in Michigan, not that she is in the state of being a mitten). She currently puts an inordinate amount of time in on her creator-owned book, Gronk: A Monster's Story (www.gronkcomic.com, printed through Action Lab Entertainment), as well as writing and drawing for IDW's smash-hit My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. She has also worked as a writer and/or illustrator on Adventure Time Comics from BOOM! Studios, Haunted Mansion for Marvel, Munchkin for BOOM! Studios, Fraggle Rock for Archaia and Star Wars for Scholastic Books. Her mother thinks she is funny.

Andy Price, a graduate of the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art, is the main artist on IDW's incredibly popular My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic series. When he's not drawing ponies, Andy also contributes to Littlest Pet Shop (IDW), Wordgirl (BOOM! Studios), Adventure Time: Candy Capers (BOOM! Studios), Samurai Jack (IDW), Quantum Leap (Innovation), Haunted Mansion (Marvel), and Betty and Veronica (Archie).

Nei Ruffino, who has done a variant cover for IDW's My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, is the creator of her self-published fantasy comic The Secret Life of Crows. In addition to writing, drawing, and inking a number of titles in her career, she is renowned as a colorist, working on projects such as Amazing Spider-Man (Marvel), Green Lantern (DC), Batman (DC), Superman (DC), Tales of Wonderland (Zenescope Entertainment), Grimm Fairy Tales (Zenescope Entertainment), and too many more to mention! She is also partner to the Rothic brands, working on titles like REM 8 and Southern Nightgown.

Joining us in the Kids Love Comics Pavilion in 2016, Chad Thomas is a freelance cartoonist working out of the greater Dallas area. Chad began drawing at the early age of 3 by obsessively watching old Disney cartoons. He attended the Savannah College of Art and Design from 1999-2003, earning his degree in Sequential Art, and began his career shortly after. Chad has provided art for My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (IDW), My Little Pony: Friends Forever (IDW), Adventure Time with Fiona and Cake (BOOM! Studios), The Middleman (Viper Comics), Mega Man (Archie), Sabrina the Teenage Witch (Archie), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Amazing Adventures (IDW), and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles New Animated Adventures (IDW),

Thom Zahler is a graduate of the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art. His early professional credits included lettering gigs for Marvel's Crimson Dynamo, Claypool's Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, and DC Comics' Looney Tunes. His self-published comic, Love and Capes, was later released through IDW, Also for IDW, you can find his more recent work writing and penciling IDW's Long Distance, My Little Pony, My Little Pony: Friends Forever, and My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic series.

"We're hyping these guests as My Little Pony creators, but in fact they are so much more than that," said Marc Nathan, promoter of the Baltimore Comic-Con. "These folks are a multi-talented bunch of individuals, with a wide range of noteworthy title credits and publishers on their resumes. Whether you're coming for the sake of Ponies or for their many other works, we know you're going to love these guests!"

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!

HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS
While they are available, be sure to take advantage of discount rate arrangements we have made with hotels near the Baltimore Convention Center. For all the details, see:

http://baltimorecomiccon.com/about/hotels/

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, Instagram, 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 17th 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 11 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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Saturday, June 25, 2016

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from June 19th to 25th, 2016 - Update #46

Support Leroy on Patreon.

TELEVISION - From Variety:  "Gilmore Girls'" Rory Gilmore meets First Lady Michelle Obama in this video clip.

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OBIT - From Deadline:  The author and screenwriter, Michael Herr, has died at the age of 76, Thursday, June 23rd, 2016.  Herr was the author of the heralded Vietnam War memoir, "Dispatches."  Herr also contributed to two seminal Vietnam War movies, "Apocalypse Now," and "Full Metal Jacket," for which he shared an adapted screenplay Oscar nomination with Stanley Kubrick and Gustav Hasford.

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COMICS - From CinemaBlend:  Director David Ayers warns fans - Suicide Squad is like nothing they've seen.

From YahooNews:  Viola Davis says she almost pepper-sprayed fellow "Suicide Squad" actor, Jared Leto (Joker).

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LGBT - From YahooCelebrity:  Celebs remember their first experience at a gay bar.

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POLITICS - From YahooFinance:  Because the United Kingdom is leaving the the European Union, as a result of the "Brexit" vote, J.K. Rowling says "Goodbye, U.K."

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TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Starz releases a first-look image from "American Gods."

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MOVIES - From YahooMovies:  Hear "Ghostbusters (I'm not Afraid)," the theme for the new "Ghostbusters" film.  The track is by Fall Out Boy featuring Missy Elliot.  The song uses some of Ray Parker Jr.'s theme for the 1984 film.

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COMICS - From BleedingCool:  Bokeem Woodbine joins "Spider-Man: Homecoming," apparently to play a villain.

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OBITS - From Variety:  Conductor and composer, Harry Rabinowitz, has died at the age of 100.  He is known for conducting the music for "Best Picture" Oscar-winner, "Chariots of Fire," among his many credits.

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MUSIC - From YahooMusic:  Led Zeppelin wins the "Stairway to Heaven" copyright infringement lawsuit.

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SPORTS/MOVIE - From YahooNews:  Ben Affleck goes on anti-NFL deflate-gate rant.

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LAW - From YahooNews:  Affirmative Action had a major victory in college admissions in regards to a case brought against the University of Texas.  It must be a bitter loss for neo-segregationist Edward Blum and his skank surrogate, Abigail Fisher.

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STAR WARS - From TheWrap:  Who Forest Whitaker plays in "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story"  Plus, a photo gallery.

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MOVIES - From TheVox:  Jesse Eisenberg talks about being a successful Jewish American.

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COMICS - From YahooMusic:  Hannibal Buress joins "Spider-Man: Homecoming."

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MOVIES - From ThePlaylist:  John Boyega to star in Kathryn Bigelow's movie about the 1967 Detroit riots.  The movie also re-teams Bigelow with screenwriter Mark Boal and financier Megan Ellison.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Kate Winslet in final negotiations to appear in Woody Allen's next film, which begins shooting in the fall.

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COMICS - From CBR:  Abraham Attah, who played the child soldier, "Abu" in "Beasts of No Nation," will appear in "Spider-Man: Homecoming."

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MOVIES - From YahooMovies:  Will Smith most regrets 1999's "Wild Wild West" (which I kinda like), but what hurt the most was the box office failure of 2013's "After Earth" (which I really like), because his son Jaden was involved.

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COMICS - From TheWrap:  Lots of information is leaking out about the "Justice League" movie.

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MUSIC/LEGAL - From YahooMusic:  Led Zeppelin wants a halt to the "Stairway to Heaven" copyright infringement trial.

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COMICS - From IGN:  In the Doctor Strange" film, Mads Mikkelsen will play...

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MOVIES - From BleedingCool:  Noomi Rapace to appear in "Alien: Covenant," a follow-up to the film, "Prometheus."

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TELEVISION - From Indiewire:  J.J. Abrams and Tavis Smiley come together for an event TV series about Michael Jackson.  Bad Robot is developing the project on a Smiley book.

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ANIMATION - From TheWrap:  Sony Pictures Animation announces animated TV series based on "Ghostbusters" and "Hotel Transylvania."

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MOVIES - From ThePlaylist:  Eli Roth to make his big studio debut by directing a remake of "Death Wish" with Bruce Willis.

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PIXAR - From WashPost:  Sigourney Weaver and Ed O'Neill steal the show in "Finding Dory."

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COMICS - From Gamespot:  The new poster for the "Suicide Squad" is eye-popping.

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SPORTS - From YahooSports:  Cleveland Cavaliers are the 2015-16 NBA Champions.  LeBron James wins the NBA Playoffs MVP.

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BOX OFFICE - BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 6/17 to 6/19/2016 weekend box office is Pixar's "Finding Dory" with an estimated take of $136.1 million.  This is the largest opening weekend ever for an animated feature film.

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STAR TREK - The Death of Anton Yelchin:

OBIT - From YahooMovies:  The actor Anton Yelchin died early Sunday, June 19, 2016.  He was 27-years-old and was best known for his role as Pavel Chekhov in the "Star Trek" reboot film series that began in 2009.  Yelchin's death was apparently an accident and involved his car.

From IMDb:  Remembering Anton Yelchin.

From Variety:  Yelchin's life and career in photos.

From Variety:  Anton Yelchin leaves behind several unreleased films (including "Star Trek Beyond") and a high-profile animated series.

From Variety:  J.J. Abrams, who directed the 2009 "Star Trek" reboot and its 2013 sequel "Star Trek Into Darkness" mourns Yelchin.

From YahooMovies:  Hollywood mourns Yelchin.

From YahooMovies:  Anton Yelchin's most memorable roles.

From YahooMovies:  The original Pavel Chekhov of "Star Trek," Walter Koenig, mourns the death of Anton Yelchin, who played Chekhov in the "Star Trek" reboot film franchise.

From IndieWire:  Anton Yelchin's death made be tied to recently vehicle recall.

From YahooCelebrity:  Anton Yelchin apparently died about a minute after his accident.

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SPORTS - From YahooSports:  Dustin Johnson wins golf's U.S. Open, his first victory in one of professional golf's four "Major" tournaments.

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MOVIES - From ThePlaylist:  Warner Bros. moves the release date of Ben Affleck's upcoming directorial effort, "Live By Night," presumably for Oscar consideration.

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TELEVISION - From TheWrap:  Everything that has led up to "Game of Throne's" "Battle of the Bastards."

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POLITICS - From TIME:  Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - Trump and ISIS depend on irrationality.

TRAILERS:

From YouTube:  New trailer for "Jack Reacher: Never Go Back," starring Tom Cruise and releasing October 21, 2016.

From YouTube:  This is the second official trailer for Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children - from Tim Burton.

From YahooMovies:  Here is a new clip that gives the first straight-on look at the title character from Steven Spielberg's "The BFG."


Image Comics Announces "The Black Monday Murders"


THE BLACK MONDAY MURDERS— A DARK MIX OF THE OCCULT AND INTRIGUE

Hickman and Coker launch new crypto-noir

Image Comics is pleased to announce the all-new, ongoing crypto-noir series THE BLACK MONDAY MURDERS by New York Times and Eisner Award winning writer Jonathan Hickman (EAST OF WEST) and Tomm Coker (Undying Love) will launch in in August.

THE BLACK MONDAY MURDERS is classic occultism where the various schools of magic are actually clandestine banking cartels who control all of society: a secret world where vampire Russian oligarchs, Black popes, enchanted American aristocrats, and hitmen from the International Monetary Fund work together to keep ALL OF US in our proper place.

“I’ve gotten to work on some pretty interesting books over the past few years,” said Hickman. “This is, by far, the most proud I’ve been. I can’t wait for people to read it.”

THE BLACK MONDAY MURDERS is a story about the power of dirty, filthy money… and exactly what kind of people you can buy with it.

THE BLACK MONDAY MURDERS #1 (Diamond Code JUN160575) will hit comic book stores on Wednesday, August 10th, 2016. The final order cutoff deadline for comic book retailers is Monday, July 18th, 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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Image Comics Announces ""Liberty" Collected


YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO READ FREELY WITH CBLDF PRESENTS: LIBERTY TP

Collecting LIBERTY ANNUAL 2008-2012 into trade paperback

Celebrate creative freedom with the industry's top talents in this paperback edition collecting LIBERTY ANNUAL 2008-2012 this August 2016.

LIBERTY TP’s 216 pages include rare work, such as a THE WALKING DEAD tale by Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard, 100 Words by Neil Gaiman and Jim Lee, and CRIMINAL by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips, plus stories and never-before-seen content from dozens more! All proceeds benefit the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund's work protecting the freedom to read!

LIBERTY TP (ISBN 978-1-60706-996-6) hits comic book stores Wednesday, August 3rd, 2016 and bookstores Tuesday, August 9th, 2016, and will be available for $19.99. It can be preordered now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indiebound, and Indigo. It can be ordered by retailers with the Diamond Code MAY160672, and the final order cutoff deadline is Monday, June 20th, 2016.

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Friday, June 24, 2016

Michael Sheen Gets Financing for His Directorial Debut, "Green River Killer"


QC ENTERTAINMENT TO FINANCE MICHAEL SHEEN’S FEATURE FILM DIRECTORIAL DEBUT “GREEN RIVER KILLER”

Sheen To Star As Infamous Serial Killer Gary Ridgway

QC Entertainment, Dark Horse Entertainment and Sheen To Produce


LOS ANGELES, CA — QC Entertainment announced today the company will produce and finance the true crime thriller “Green River Killer,” which marks the feature film directorial debut of acclaimed actor Michael Sheen who will also star in the film.  The screenplay written by Sheen made the coveted The Black List in 2015, and is adapted from the Dark Horse Entertainment’s award-winning graphic novel Green River Killer: A True Detective Story.  The novel was written by Jeff Jensen, based on his father Tom Jensen, and artist Jonathan Case.

The film will be produced by Dark Horse Entertainment’s Mike Richardson and Keith Goldberg, Sheen and QC Entertainment’s Sean McKittrick and Ray Mansfield.  QC’s Edward H. Hamm Jr. and Shaun Redick will serve as Executive Producers.  The film will be co-represented for domestic film sales by ICM Partners and QC Entertainment, which is the recently formed partnership between McKittrick, Hamm, Mansfield and Redick.



The film is the story of Tom Jensen, the man who spent twenty years looking for the ‘Green River Killer,’ and Gary Ridgway (to be played by Sheen), the man he caught.  After a two-decade hunt and forty-nine official murders, the two men are forced to live and work together in a dark alliance to uncover the truth.

“Michael has written an elegant script which brings his sophisticated vision to subverting the typical serial killer movie,” said QC Principals McKittrick and Mansfield.  “Jensen and Ridgway are terrific roles for both an actor of Michael’s caliber and the actor cast opposite him.  As producers who have long championed actors making the move to directing, we couldn’t be more excited to be a part of it.”

“This is a dark story but one that ultimately finds hope and meaning in that darkness,” said Sheen.  “The story of Tom and Gary, and how they are bound together in time, pulled me in from the beginning and wouldn’t let go.  I hope that by now bringing it to life on screen it can make audiences feel the same way.”

“’Green River Killer’ presents the ultimate insider’s account of America’s most prolific serial killer,” said Dark Horse Entertainment President Mike Richardson.  “Michael Sheen’s passion for the material was clear when he insisted on adapting the book on spec.  His screenplay proves that Jeff Jensen’s Eisner Award-winning graphic novel is perfectly suited for the screen.”

Sheen is repped by ICM Partners, Tammy Rosen of Sanders Armstrong Caserta Management and attorneys James Adams and Ira Schreck of Schreck Rose Dapello & Adams LLP.  The deal for Sheen was negotiated by ICM Partners and Schreck Rose Dapello & Adams LLP.  The deal for Dark Horse Entertainment was negotiated by attorney Keith G. Fleer.  Ray Mansfield negotiated the deals on behalf of QC Entertainment.


ABOUT MICHAEL SHEEN
Michael Sheen has proved himself equally accomplished on both stage and screen.

Sheen’s diverse range of film credits include starring in three Best Picture Academy Award®-nominated films: “The Queen,” directed by Stephen Frears; “Frost/Nixon,” directed by Ron Howard, and “Midnight in Paris,” directed by Woody Allen.  He also starred in the blockbuster “Twilight” saga films as a vampire, and as a werewolf in “The Underworld” franchise.  His other feature credits include the role of William Boldwood opposite Carey Mulligan in Thomas Vinterberg’s “Far From The Maddening Crowd”; as Brian Clough in “The Damned United,” directed by Tom Hooper; the white rabbit in Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland”; and Zuse in “Tron: Legacy,” directed by Joseph Kosinski.

Among his upcoming films: “Oppenheimer Strategies,” opposite Richard Gere; and the sci-fi film “Passengers,” opposite Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt and directed by Morten Tyldum opening later this year from Sony.

On stage, among Sheen’s many award-winning performances are: the starring role in “Caligula,” directed by Michael Grandage at the Donmar Warehouse; as David Frost in “Frost/Nixon,” directed by Grandage at the Donmar Warehouse; and the starring role of “Hamlet” at the Young Vic.  In addition, Sheen created, co-directed, and performed in the groundbreaking three-day live event “The Passion” in his hometown of Port Talbot for National Theatre Wales.

On television, Sheen earned awards for his starring roles in “Kenneth Williams: “Fantabulosa!” directed by Andy De Emmony, and “Dirty Filthy Love,” directed by Adrian Shergold.  Additional credits include as “Wesley Snipes” opposite Tina Fey on “30 Rock”; starring in Funny or Die’s three-part miniseries spoof, “The Spoils Before Dying”; and HBO’s sports mockumentary, “7 Days in Hell.”   In 2010, he received an Emmy® nomination for his starring role as Tony Blair in HBO’s “The Special Relationship,” directed by Richard Loncraine.

Currently, Sheen can be seen in his critically acclaimed starring role as William Master on Showtime’s “Masters of Sex,” which he also serves as a producer.  Among the accolades Sheen has received include a 2014 Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama, as well as a Critics’ Choice TV Award nomination.  The Golden Globe-nominated series was named the “Most Exciting New Series “from the Broadcast Television Critics’ Association in its first season as well as being named on AFI’s Top 10 Outstanding Television Programs. “Masters of Sex” will have its Season 4 premiere on Sunday, September 11.

In 2009, Sheen was honored by the Queen of England with an O.B.E. for his services to Drama.

ABOUT QC ENTERTAINMENT
QC Entertainment is the recently formed partnership between veteran filmmakers Sean McKittrick and Ted Hamm’s Darko Entertainment and Movie Package Company’s Ray Mansfield and Shaun Redick to finance and produce director driven films. 

With principals who have a consistent track record for championing and supporting filmmakers with a unique voice and raising the profile of independent films to a wider audience, QC – standing for Quality Control – is focused on expanding that same quality in producing feature films and television within a controlled, fiscally responsible budget range.  A one-stop solution for filmmakers looking to have all business and creative matters handled in-house by one company, QC can develop, produce on-set, finance productions, handle sales and distribution, and everything in between.

Among QC projects: “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” released earlier this year; the recently wrapped “Get Out,” which the company teamed with horror master Blumhouse Productions on to produce the feature directorial debut of Jordan Peele who wrote the script for this fresh take on the horror-thriller genre; and Executive Producing the Netflix feature, “A Futile & Stupid Gesture,” directed by David Wain and starring Will Forte and Domhnall Gleeson that is currently in production.

ABOUT DARK HORSE
Dark Horse Comics founder and publisher Mike Richardson determined early on that great stories are great stories, no matter the medium in which they’re told.  This belief led the publisher to explore the world of filmmaking and started him on the path to Hollywood, where he established his own filmmaking company, Dark Horse Entertainment, in 1992.

The company’s first two major films – “The Mask,” starring Jim Carrey and Cameron Diaz, and “Timecop,” starring Jean-Claude Van Damme -- were based on Richardson’s creations and premiered to enthusiastic audiences.  Under his leadership Dark Horse has produced over two dozen film and television projects since 1994 including “Mystery Men,” “R.I.P.D.,” Fox Kids’ Saturday-morning cartoon series “Big Guy and Rusty The Boy Robot,” the “Hellboy” film series, and the Emmy Award–winning documentary, “Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project.”  Current projects include “Tarzan” for Warner Bros., starring Alexander Skarsgard, opening July 1, 2016; and “Dark Matter” for SyFy, which has its second season upcoming this summer.

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Second Annula Dwayne McDuffie Awards Goes to "Awkward" by Svetlana Chmakova

Svetlana Chmakova’s AWKWARD Wins Dwayne McDuffie Award

The second annual Dwayne McDuffie Award for Kids’ Comics was presented to Svetlana Chmakova’s Awkward at the recent Ann Arbor Comic Arts Festival (A2CAF).

Awkward tells a story that is very much of this moment but at the same time ageless—a story about the missteps of middle school, about rivalries and hurt feelings, and about the many twists and turns of friendship. Of the scores of comics from 2015 read by the judges, Chmakova’s book best met the four main criteria for selection: Quality, Timelessness, Originality and Diversity.

Those four values represent core concerns of Kids Read Comics, the nonprofit that sponsors A2CAF and the McDuffie Award. They also fit the man the award was named for. Dwayne McDuffie was a comics and animation writer, a winner of the Humanitas Prize, and the creator of Static, the teenaged superhero who first appeared in 1993, and Static Shock, the animated series based on the comic. McDuffie was an enthusiastic supporter of Kids Read Comics who believed in comics and believed in kids. He shared KRC’s belief that comics can expand young minds and change young lives for the better.

There is no more appropriate name to attach to an award that showcases the incredible variety of outstanding comics currently being created for kids and teens.

In accepting the award on video, Svetlana Chmakova said, “When I heard about the award, I was so happy to see that one of the four judging criteria was diversity. When I create my work, inclusion is something that’s always at the forefront of my mind. And not just because I think it’s actually overdue…but also because I was an immigrant, and I experienced it. I experienced inclusion.” Recapturing what that experience meant to her, she added, “I was a kid and it was so important.”

“While I’m truly, truly thankful to be the recipient of this year’s award,” Chmakova went on to say, “I’m even more thankful that this award exists.”

Judges for this year’s Dwayne McDuffie Award for Kids’ Comics were Edith Donnell, a Kids Read Comics cofounder and youth and teen librarian; Andrew Woodrow-Butcher, manager of Little Island Comics, a comic shop exclusively for kids; Eva Volin, a children’s librarian and comics-in-libraries advocate; and Marv Wolfman, a comics and animation writer and editor whose storied career goes back nearly half a century.

The Ann Arbor Comic Arts Festival is held annually at the Ann Arbor (Michigan) District Library, and features over fifty artists alley guests ranging from national bestselling authors and award winners—this year including Cece Bell, Kazu Kibuishi, Nathan Hale, Tom Angleberger and Ben Hatke—to teenaged cartoonists and even younger students from local cartooning classes. A2CAF programming focuses largely on hands-on workshops and interactive drawing games, allowing event attendees of all ages and skill levels to participate. The event attracts approximately 3,000 visitors each year.

See Svetlana Chmakova's acceptance speech: https://youtu.be/smeYqRCQqJ4

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