Monday, August 7, 2017

"Dunkirk" Battles Past $300 Million Mark in Worldwide Box Office

“Dunkirk” Soars Past $300 Million at the Worldwide Box Office

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Continuing its hugely successful worldwide run, Christopher Nolan’s widely acclaimed epic action thriller “Dunkirk” has crossed the $300 million mark. The announcement was made today by Sue Kroll, President of Worldwide Marketing and Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

One of the best-reviewed films of the year, “Dunkirk” stormed to the top of the domestic box office in its first two weekends in theatres, exceeding all early industry predictions. As of today, the film has earned an estimated $127 million and counting.

On the international front, “Dunkirk” opened day-and-date in 46 markets, opening at #1 in such major markets as the United Kingdom, France, Russia, Spain, South Korea and Australia, with the United Kingdom scoring the biggest Warner Bros. opening in 2017. The film has since opened in an additional 17 markets for a total of 63 territories currently in release. “Dunkirk” has taken in more than $173 million thus far, with Italy, China and Japan yet to open.

“Dunkirk”—which Nolan shot utilizing a mixture of IMAX® and 65mm film—also proved to be a big draw at IMAX theatres, where the large-format footage fills the enormous screens. The movie has earned an estimated $28.5 million domestically and $23 million internationally in IMAX theatres.

In the announcement, Kroll stated, “Christopher Nolan created an immersive and visceral movie-going experience that has captivated critics and audiences. Propelled by tremendous reviews and enthusiastic word-of-mouth, ‘Dunkirk’ has become a true event film in this very competitive summer, and we anticipate that it will continue to play well into the fall. It is a stunning achievement for one of today’s greatest filmmakers and we are thrilled by, and proud of, its ongoing success. We congratulate Chris and producer Emma Thomas, the entire ensemble cast, and everyone involved in the film on reaching this benchmark.”

From filmmaker Christopher Nolan (“Interstellar,” “Inception,” “The Dark Knight” Trilogy) comes the epic action thriller “Dunkirk.”

The film opens as 400,000 Allied troops are trapped on the coast of Dunkirk, France, surrounded by the German army. Mostly young men, they had their whole lives ahead of them…but now their lives might only stretch as far as that strip of beach. With their backs to the sea, they face an impossible situation as the enemy closes in. The story unfolds on land, sea and air. RAF Spitfires engage the enemy in the skies above the Channel, trying to protect the defenseless men below. Meanwhile, hundreds of small boats manned by both military and civilians are mounting a desperate rescue effort, risking their lives in a race against time to save even a fraction of their army.

“Dunkirk” features a multigenerational ensemble cast, including Fionn Whitehead, Tom Glynn-Carney, Jack Lowden, Harry Styles, Aneurin Barnard, James D’Arcy and Barry Keoghan, with Kenneth Branagh, Cillian Murphy, Mark Rylance and Tom Hardy.

Nolan directed “Dunkirk” from his own screenplay, utilizing a mixture of IMAX® and 65mm film to bring the story to the screen. The film was produced by Emma Thomas and Nolan, with Jake Myers serving as executive producer.

The behind-the-scenes creative team included director of photography Hoyte van Hoytema, production designer Nathan Crowley, editor Lee Smith, costume designer Jeffrey Kurland, visual effects supervisor Andrew Jackson and special effects supervisor Scott Fisher. The music was composed by Hans Zimmer.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents a Syncopy Production, a film by Christopher Nolan, “Dunkirk.” The film opened in conventional theatres and IMAX on July 21, 2017, and is being distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

This film has been rated PG-13 for intense war experience and some language.

Dunkirkmovie.com

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Image Comic Announces Top Cow's "God Complex"

TOP COW LAUNCHES ALL-NEW MYTHOLOGICAL THRILLER IN GOD COMPLEX

PORTLAND, OR — Writers Paul Jenkins (Inhumans, Wolverine: Origin) and Bryan Lie team up with artist Hendry Prasetya (Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers) for an all-new mystery thriller in GOD COMPLEX, an ongoing series launching from Image/Top Cow this October.

GOD COMPLEX is set in the futuristic city of Delphi where a young digital-forensics investigator named Seneca finds himself embroiled in the bizarre murders of three church acolytes. Guided by his cryptic mentor, the Ruler named Hermes, Seneca uncovers a stunning conspiracy and a mystery that will turn his entire world upside down.

Join the GOD COMPLEX team on a unique vision of a digital future powered by mythological gods. GOD COMPLEX is the first original toy line-up from Jakarta-based GLITCH. It features sci-fi and high-fashion reimaginings of mythological gods from various beliefs/regions like Greek, Egypt, China, and Japan. The toys first released in 2012 and are available for purchase at www.glitch-store.com. GOD COMPLEX is created by Bryan Lie, who is GLITCH co-Founder and CEO.

The company has released more than ten characters within five years, and they have been a mainstay hit in the high-end collectibles community, mainly in Japan, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. GLITCH is bringing the IP to worldwide attention, collaborating with Top Cow Productions to publish the comics to tell the rich stories behind characters and the GOD COMPLEX universe. The first comic is GOD COMPLEX: DOGMA and questions the nature of gods, religion, truth, and human faith, set in age of misinformation and post-truth.  

GOD COMPLEX #1 (Diamond Code AUG170549) will hit stores on Wednesday, October 11th, 2017. The final order cutoff for comics retailers is Monday, September 18th, 2017.


ABOUT IMAGE COMICS
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of bestselling 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 Comics, Skybound Entertainment, 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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Saturday, August 5, 2017

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from August 1st to 5th, 2017 - Update #29

Support Leroy on Patreon.

TELEVISION - From YahooTV:  FOX News "personality" Eric Bolling is the latest FOX white male in trouble for sexual harassment of female co-workers.

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TELEVISION - From ShadowandAct:  Scripps Network  has bought Black-oriented television network, "Bounce TV."

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TELEVISION - From Variety:  Whoopi Goldberg is returning this fall for Season 21 of "The View."

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COMICS-FILM - From TheTrackingBoard:  Jeff Robinov's Studio 8 has optioned the independent comic book series, "Black," for film.  The series is set in a world where only African-Ameicans have super powers.

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TELEVISION - TheTrackingBoard:  Teagan Croft is the first cast member of "Titans," based on the comic book from DC Comics.

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TELEVISION - From TheWrap:  NBC's "Will & Grace" revival has been renewed for a second season before the first season makes it debut (set for September 28th).

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MOVIES - From THR:  Jaden Smith to star in director Crystal Moselle's film about female skateboarders in New York City.

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TELEVISION - From TheWrap:  Sylvester Stallone will appear in the upcoming season of NBC's much talked about series, "This is Us."

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TELEVISION - From Vulture:  The "Divergent" novel series is comprised of three books.  The third book, "Allegiant," was supposed adapted into two films.  The first film, also entitled "Allegiant," was a box office disappointment, and it seems that Lionsgate is not making the second part, to be called "Ascendant."  Starz is developing "Ascendant" as a TV series, instead.

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TELEVISION - From Variety: Vin Diesel's One Race Television is working on a reboot of NBC's classic TV series, "Miami Vice."

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COMICS-FILM - From CinemaBlend:  Dave Bautista, who plays "Drax" in the "Guardians of the Galaxy" films, says he will appear in a film adaptation of Valiant Comics' "Eternal Warrior" comic books.

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DISNEY - From THR:  Chiwetel Ejiofor is in talks to voice "Scar" in Disney's live-action remake of its animated classic, "The Lion King" (1994), which will be directed by Jon Favreau.

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CELEBRITY - From YahooStyle:  President and Mrs. Obama send newlywed couple a moving note of congratulations.

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JAMES BOND - From YahooCelebrity:  Halle Berry does not think that James Bond should be played by a woman.  Berry was a co-star in the 2002 Bond film, "Die Another Day."

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MOVIES - From ThePlaylist:  Scott Cooper to write and direct "Hellhound on His Trail," about the hunt for the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

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SPORTS - From YahooSports:  NBA Legend/G.O.A.T. Michael Jordan says that Kobe is higher on the all-time list than LeBron James.

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TELEVISION - From YahooTV:  ABC's long-running sitcom, "The Middle," will end after this coming season, its ninth.

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COMICS-FILM - From YahooMovies:  Marvel's "Ant-Man and the Wasp" begins production and releases a teaser video.

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MOVIES - From BleedingCool:  Ian McShane joins the "Hellboy" film franchise reboot, "Hellboy: Rise of the Blood Queen."

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TELEVISION - From Variety:  Amazon is developing a TV series from Aaron McGruder (creator of "The Boondocks") and super-producer Will Packer ("Girls Trip") that will deal with a post-slavery reparations America.

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TELEVISION - From Variety:  Leah Remini is reuniting with her "King of Queens" cast mate, Kevin James, on his recent CBS comedy, "Kevin Can Wait."  In order to do that, the character played by Erinn Hayes in "Kevin Can Wait" will be killed off.

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TELEVISION - From Variety:  50 Cent is threatening to take his hit show, "Power," from Starz.

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TELEVISION - From Vulture:  Jason Bateman says Season 5 of "Arrested Development" begins next week for Netflix.

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ANIMATION - From YahooMovies:  Sony's "The Emoji Movie" may be the worst reviewed movie of the year.

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LGBTQ - From YahooNews:  A federal judge orders the FBT to probe records of a 1950 program to purge LGBT federal workers from their jobs, as per Executive Order 10450 by then President Dwight Eisenhower.

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SPORTS - From YahooSports:  Legendary Major League Baseball player Pete Rose had sex with an underage girl, according to court documents.

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HEALTH - From Propublica:  Could "Agent Orange" exposure in Vietnam be behind Senator John McCain's (a Vietnam War prisoner of war) battle with brain cancer?

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CELEBRITY - From Mashable:  Mark Hamill sends a sweet DM to a fan trying to verify an old Hamill autograph.

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CELEBRITY - From YahooMovies:  Idris Elba would like to be in a third "Magic Mike" film, is one happens.  "Magic Mike" star, Matthew McConaughey, thinks so, too.

OBIT:

From People:  The British actor Robert Hardy has died at the age of 91, Thursday, August 3, 2017.  Harry Potter fans know Hardy for playing Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge in four "Harry Potter" films.

From Variety:  The film and television music composer, Daniel Licht,  died at the age of 60, Wednesday, August 2, 2017.  He was best known for composing the music for all eight seasons of Showtime's serial killer drama, "Dexter."  He composed music for two of the films in the "Children of the Corn" series.


Review: "X-Men: Apocalypse" is Garbage

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 13 (of 2017) by Leroy Douresseaux

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)
Running time:  144 minutes (2 hours, 24 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sequences of violence, action and destruction, brief strong language and some suggestive images
DIRECTOR:  Bryan Singer
WRITERS:  Simon Kinberg; from a story by Simon Kinberg, Bryan Singer, Michael Dougherty, and Dan Harris
PRODUCERS:  Hutch Parker, Simon Kinberg, Lauren Shuler Donner, and Bryan Singer
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Newton Thomas Sigel
EDITORS:  Michael Louis Hill and John Ottman
COMPOSER:  John Ottman

SUPERHERO/SCI-FI/ACTION/DRAMA

Starring:  James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Oscar Isaac, Rose Byrne, Evan Peters, Sophie Turner, Tye Sheridan, Lucas Till, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Ben Hardy, Alexandra Shipp, Lana Condor, Olivia Munn, Josh Helman, and Stan Lee with Hugh Jackman

X-Men: Apocalypse is a 2016 superhero movie from director Bryan Singer.  It is 20th Century Fox’s eighth film based on Marvel Comics’ X-Men comic book franchise.  This new movie is a sequel to X-Men: Days of Future Past.  In X-Men Apocalypse, the world's first mutant, a world-destroyer, reemerges and begins a plan for human extinction that the X-Men must stop.

X-Men: Apocalypse opens in Ancient Egypt, 3600BC and introduces En Sabah Nur/Apocalypse (Oscar Isaac), the ruler of that land and a supremely powerful mutant believed to be the very first of his kind.  He is betrayed by some of his worshipers and is buried alive for centuries.  Apocalypse arises in 1983 and is upset to discover what he considers “false gods” to have arisen in his absence.  He gathers “four horsemen” and Erik Lensherr/Magneto (Michael Fassbender) is one of the quartet.  Apocalypse begins to unleash an extinction level plan to clean the Earth of everything and everyone, so that only the strong survive.

Meanwhile, Charles Xavier/Professor X (James McAvoy) continues to build his educational institute in Westchester County, New York.  He is also adding new students, when a former friend, Raven/Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence), returns to warn him of Magneto's new activities.  When they learn the extent of Apocalypse's threat, the X-Men are forced to come together to save the world.

Some believe that Superman: The Movie, originally released in 1978, is the beginning of the modern superhero film.  Other believe that the current age of superhero movies was spearheaded by Tim Burton's 1989 film, Batman.  [Those are good choices, but I believe the current superhero movie rage was born of the surprise (even shocking) success of the 1998 film, Blade.  Its success spurred Fox into producing X-Men (2000), which was a hit and which really pushed superhero movie production into overdrive.]

I am starting to believe that the most influential film in the current onslaught of superhero movies is 2012's Marvel's The Avengers.  Why?  The Avengers' immediate and massive success at the box office was practically unprecedented.  It's opening weekend dollar gross set what was at the time a record for North American box office.  It's worldwide box office exceeded a billion dollars, and while that was not the first time a superhero movie crossed the billion-dollar mark (which 2008's The Dark Knight did first), I don't think anyone, not Disney, Marvel, box office watchers, or movie fans, expected The Avengers to be so successful in terms of box office – not before its release.

Such surprising success breeds copycats.  Superhero movies that are big, even massive, and filled with destruction followed The Avengers.  See Warner Bros. The Man of Steel (2013) and Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2015).  In fact, the latter is Warner Bros. desperate attempt to make an Avengers-like movie featuring characters from DC Comics, which is, like Warner Bros., part of Time Warner.

To me, X-Men: Days of Future Past was trapped between being 2011's X-Men: First Class and Marvel's The Avengers.  X-Men: Apocalypse reeks of the desperation to be like The Avengers.  20th Century Fox owns the film rights to Marvel Comics X-Men franchise, and as Fox makes one mediocre and/or financial failure X-Men movie after another, they cannot help but look at Marvel Studios' unprecedented success with the Marvel Comics characters to which it still has film rights.  Hell, Fox isn't the only Hollywood studio that wants to be like Marvel.

But the X-Men are not the Avengers.  The Avengers are a gathering of loosely connected superheroes who come together to defend Earth – or avenge it.  The X-Men can be superheroes, but their story has largely been about a racial minority, known as “Mutants,” that bands together for protection.  Their acts of heroism are essentially a defense of the race or species.  It is as if the X-Men's heroic actions declare that they can peacefully coexist on this planet with humans, which gives them reason to want to defend it.

X-Men: Apocalypse is just a big action movie.  Familiar X-Men themes:  fear, racism, bigotry, tribalism, unity, extended families, familial and friendship bonds, etc. are just window dressing for big special effects driven and created set pieces.  X-Men: Apocalypse does not take from the wheelhouse of the best X-Men films (such as the first two films in the franchise); instead, it steals from Marvel's The Avengers and even Michael Bay's Transformers movies.

You know what, dear reader?  I've taken enough of your time.  I hate this movie.

3 of 10
D+

Friday, December 16, 2016


The text is copyright © 2016 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for reprint or syndication rights and fees.

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Thursday, August 3, 2017

Starz to Develop TV Series From Novel, "Sweetbitter"

Starz Developing Best-Selling Novel “Sweetbitter” into Series

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Starz announced it is developing the half-hour drama series “Sweetbitter,” based on the national best-selling book of the same name written by Stephanie Danler, who has also written the script for the first episode. Plan B Entertainment tapped Stu Zicherman (“The Americans,” “The Affair,” “Six Degrees”) to develop the script with Danler, and both will serve as executive producers along with Plan B.

“Sweetbitter” follows 22-year-old Tess who, shortly after arriving in New York City, lands a job at a celebrated downtown restaurant. Swiftly introduced to the world of drugs, alcohol, love, lust, dive bars, and fine dining, she learns to navigate the chaotically alluring, yet punishing life she has stumbled upon. This is the story of a young woman’s coming-of-age, set against the rich and grimy backdrop of exclusive restaurants, conjuring a nonstop and high-adrenaline world evoking the possibility, beauty, and fragility of being young and adrift.

A writer based in Los Angeles, Danler’s debut novel “Sweetbitter” was selected as an NPR Best Book of 2016 and ranked on the New York Times’ Hardcover Fiction Best-Seller List, reaching #10; the Los Angeles Times’ Best Seller List at #2 and the Paperback Fiction List at #6; Amazon Top 100 at #28 and USA Today’s Best-Selling Books List. It also reached #10 on the Publishers Weekly Hardcover Fiction list and #13 on the IndieBound Hardcover Fiction list.

Senior Vice President of Original Programming Ken Segna and Vice President of Original Programming Patrick McDonald are the Starz executives in charge of “Sweetbitter.” Starz retains all global distribution and home entertainment rights to the series.


About Starz
Starz (www.starz.com), a Lionsgate company (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B), is a leading global media and entertainment company that provides premium subscription video programming on domestic U.S. pay television networks and produces and distributes content for worldwide audiences, including its investment in the STARZ PLAY Arabia OTT service. Starz is home to the flagship STARZ® brand and STARZ ENCORE channels and provides high-quality, entertaining premium subscription video programming with 17 premium pay TV channels and associated on-demand and online services, including the STARZ app. Sold through U.S. multichannel video distributors, including cable operators, satellite television providers, telecommunications companies, and other online and digital platforms, Starz offers subscribers more than 5,000 distinct premium television episodes and feature films every year and up to 1,500 every month, including STARZ Original series, first-run movies and other popular movie and television programming.

About Plan B
Founded in 2002 and headed by Brad Pitt and co-presidents Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner, Plan B Entertainment has produced a variety of quality, award-winning film and television projects. Having established themselves with critically acclaimed titles including The Departed and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, the company went on to produce Eat Pray Love, the Palme d’Or winning The Tree of Life, geo-political thriller World War Z, Academy and Golden Globe Award winning 12 Years a Slave and Moonlight, Emmy Award winning The Normal Heart, and the Best Picture Oscar nominated Selma and The Big Short.

Along with their numerous upcoming feature endeavors, they will continue to explore the realm of original content and television with second season orders for the Netflix original series The OA and FX’s Emmy-nominated Feud. They also have collaborations in development with outlets such as HBO, Amazon, and Starz.

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Paramont Reveals "mother" Poster with New James Jean Art


"mother"

They came to see him.

Official trailer coming August 8, 2017. mother! is in theaters September 15, 2017.

Directed by: Darren Aronofsky
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Ed Harris and Michelle Pfeiffer

A couple's relationship is tested when uninvited guests arrive at their home, disrupting their tranquil existence. From filmmaker Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan, Requiem for a Dream), mother! stars Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Ed Harris and Michelle Pfeiffer in this riveting psychological thriller about love, devotion and sacrifice.

mother! Official Channels
Hashtag: #mothermovie
Facebook: /OfficialMotherMovie
Twitter: @MotherMovie
Instagram: @MotherMovie
Website: MotherMovie.com

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Image Comics Reveals Movie Tie-in Cover for "The Secret Service" Trade Paperback

THE SECRET SERVICE: KINGSMAN FOX MOVIE COVER TIE-IN REVEALED

PORTLAND, OR — Image Comics is pleased to reveal the highly-anticipated THE SECRET SERVICE: KINGSMAN limited edition Fox movie tie-in cover for the critically-acclaimed comic book series by Kick-Ass writer Mark Millar and Watchmen’s Dave Gibbons. THE SECRET SERVICE: KINGSMAN trade paperback collects issues #1-6.

Now a Hollywood blockbuster starring Colin Firth and Taron Egerton, and directed by Matthew Vaughn, KINGSMAN reinvents the spy genre for the 21st century. The story follows a British secret agent who takes his wayward nephew under his wing and trains him to become a gentleman spy. Together, they uncover a plot that links kidnapped celebrities with a plan to eradicate 90 percent of the human race.

THE SECRET SERVICE: KINGSMAN trade paperback Cover A by Gibbons (Diamond Code JUL170693) and THE SECRET SERVICE: KINGSMAN trade paperback Cover B Fox movie tie-in cover (Diamond Code JUL170694) will be available in comic book stores on Wednesday, September 6th. The final order cutoff for retailers is Monday, August 7th, 2017.

THE SECRET SERVICE: KINGSMAN (Cover A ISBN: 978-1-5343-0587-8, Cover B ISBN: 978-1-5343-0522-9) trade paperback will be available in book stores on Tuesday, September 12th, 2017 and is available for pre-order at 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 bestselling 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 Comics, Skybound Entertainment, 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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