Comic Book Icon Stan Lee to Make a Los Angeles Personal Appearance to Celebrate His Newest Co-Creation “Ultimo”

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media has announced a very special personal appearance by comic book legend Stan Lee on Friday, June 16th at 7:00pm at the Barnes & Noble bookstore at The Grove at Farmers Market in Los Angeles, located at 189 Grove Drive Suite K 30, Los Angeles, CA 90036. Lee is the co-creator of comics’ most iconic superheroes including Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men. His Barnes & Noble appearance celebrates the release of Volume 2 of his latest co-creation — Ultimo, and he will be autographing copies of Ultimo Volumes 1 and 2.

Ultimo (rated “T” for Teens) is a historic East-meets-West collaboration between Lee and famed Japanese manga creator, Hiroyuki Takei, the creator of the popular Shaman King series. Ultimo, Volume 2 is available in stores now and is also serialized in VIZ Media’s Shonen Jump Magazine.

VIZ Media will also welcome Stan Lee for a special appearance in the company’s booth #2813 on Saturday, July 24th at Comic-Con International 2010, the nation’s largest comic book convention taking place in San Diego, California.

The Ultimo back-story: High above Farmless City, citizens are stunned by the sudden appearance of two floating figures. Are they human boys, monolithic robots, or something much more strange? As the battle ensues between them, destruction and devastation falls on the hapless city. One figure is Vice, who seems to be as evil as his name implies. The other is Ultimo, intent on trying to stop Vice from wreaking more havoc. But who are Vice and Ultimo really? Where did they come from? In Volume 2, with girl and money troubles, life is hard enough for high school student Yamato, but then he stumbles upon Ultimo, a peculiar-looking puppet. Things only get stranger when Ultimo awakens and his archenemy, Vice, shows up. Ultimo and Vice are Karakuri Dôji, the mechanical embodiment of pure good and pure evil, devoid of human emotions that can cloud one’s judgment. Their purpose: to battle to the death to prove once and for all whether good or evil is the most powerful force in the universe.

For more information on Ultimo please visit Ultimo.viz.com or shonenjump.com.

Check Out What’s New for Celebration V This Week

from StarWars.com:

Only 5 Weeks Left Until Star Wars Celebration V!

Sith Virus Attacks G4!
This August, the Star Wars universe merges with our own when Star Wars Celebration V comes to Orlando, Florida. The ultimate Star Wars party, from August 12-15, it’s a festival for fans of the Star Wars movies, television series, toys, games, and more. Of course, while the Star Wars universe spilling into our own means an influx of Jedi, it also means an invasion of Sith Lords, Smugglers, and Bounty Hunters. In fact, this invasion’s already started to take hold of the internet and a Sith Virus is starting to spread, causing glitches across G4TV.com, StarWars.com, and StarWarsCelebration.com. We need your help to track it down! There are twelve pages spread across G4TV.com, StarWars.com, and StarWarsCelebration.com that have been infected with this Sith Virus, and if you can decipher the clues, find the pages, and locate the glitches, you’ll have helped us save the internet. And you’ll have a chance to win a few prizes, too! One First Prize Winner takes home two pairs of 4-Day tickets to CV, two pairs of tickets to Last Tour to Endor at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, a Gentle Giant Statue, and a new Xbox 360 Slim from G4! Additional winners take home 4-Day tickets to CV, along with other cool prizing. Want to enlist? Visit G4TV.com/glitch to get started and help us track this virus down!

Last Chance to Order Tickets with Delivery to your Door!
Don’t miss the convenience of having your Star Wars Celebration V tickets mailed to your door. Be ready at the opening bell, and enjoy all the excitement this huge event has to offer, by ordering your tickets online by this Sunday! Sunday, July 11 at 11:59 PM EST is the absolute last moment you can order your tickets and have them mailed to your door. There’s no additional cost for standard postage when you order online. Once you have your ticket you’ll be able to walk right into Celebration without stopping at the registration desks. If you wait until July 12, you’ll still be able to buy your ticket — you’ll just have to wait in line! Avoid those long lines on the first day of the show, and order your tickets now! *Please note: International tickets will not mail and must be picked up onsite.

New “I Love You/I Know” Couples T-Shirts Added for Pre-Order Today!
Check out our newest Celebration V t-shirt, complete with the famous taglines, “I Love You/I Know”, available now for you and your significant other to wear together at Celebration V! BUY TODAY! Note: The deadline to order these shirts is July 25th. They will not be mailed to you, but can be purchased on-site at Celebration V. Therefore, you must have a valid Celebration V event badge to purchase these shirts.

Warwick Davis at Celebration V!
Film and television actor, and seasoned Celebration host, Warwick Davis will attend Celebration V, signing autographs and meeting fans in the Celebration Autograph Hall! Davis, who has frequently hosted at the Celebrations, will be able to spend more time with fans at the show in Orlando. Always a favorite with audiences, Davis will also appear on stage to share stories about his fascinating career, and entertain questions from the audience. Davis has been well known to Star Wars fans since his career-starting performance as Wicket the Ewok in Return of the Jedi, and in the television films Ewoks: Battle for Endor and Caravan of Courage. Warwick returned to the galaxy far, far away in 1997 with several roles in The Phantom Menace.

The Guild at Comic-Con 2010

from The Guild:

The Guild will be at Comic-Con! We’re pleased to announce that we’ll have a booth, a panel, new merchandise and some surprises. For the second year in a row, we’ll be sharing a booth, so you can find us listed in the exhibitor guide under “Signal Fire Studios/The Guild” and we’re at booth 4201. We can confirm that, at this time, the entire cast of The Guild will be in attendance, and we will have at least one signing opportunity per day at the booth.

The Guild’s panel is scheduled for Saturday, July 24th from 2pm to 3pm in the Indigo Ballroom at the Hilton Bayfront hotel, recently announced as one of the new official venues for Comic-Con. After last year’s standing-room only panel, where we had to turn away several hundred fans, we asked for a larger room and the fine folks at Comic-Con were kind enough to honor that request — so big thanks to Comic-Con. The panel will feature a Q&A with the cast along with the premiere of some new content from The Guild. There will be more info and a complete schedule of Guild-related events posted as we get closer to the Con. Join us on Twitter and Facebook for the most up to date info.

A few other events we’d like to mention:

  • Felicia Day will be on a panel called “Movies, TV, Comics, Web: Girls Gone Genre” on Friday, July 23rd from 5pm to 6pm in room 24ABC, with a powerhouse lineup of producers/creators, including Kathryn Immonen, Laeta Kalogridis, Marti Noxon, Melissa Rosenberg and Gail Simone.
  • The Legend of Neil will have a panel on Saturday, July 24th from 7:30pm to 8:30pm in room 24ABC with cast Tony Janning, Felicia Day, Mike Rose, Angie Hill, Eric Acosta, Scott Chernoff, and show creator Sandeep Parikh.
  • Our friends Paul and Storm, with Guild cast member Wil Wheaton and Adam Savage of Mythbusters are bringing their popular w00tstock to San Diego during Comic-Con on Thursday, July 22nd at 7:30pm at live music venue 4th and B. All the info is on w00tstock.net and tickets are available here (this will sell out!).
  • The next Celebrate the Web event will take place in San Diego in conjunction with Comic-Con on Saturday, July 24th at the Bristol Hotel with sessions at 4:15pm and 5:15pm (and mingle time before and after). Several web series will be screened, including a sketch from the Sean Becker & Jeff Lewis created Jeff Lewis 5 Minute Comedy Hour (5minutehour.com).

Weta: Sir Ian McKellen and new District 9 gun

from Weta:

Listen to Ian McKellen on the Weta Cast
Gandalf himself, Sir Ian McKellen, made a stop at Weta Workshop during his stay in Wellington last week. Sir Ian was in town with Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, which is currently touring after a successful run in London. We met in the Weta Cave and had a few words with the always gracious Sir Ian. Daniel has also interviewed French sculptor Pierre Matter. He was at Weta last year — this interview has been “in the can” for a while, but that has not made it any less interesting. Regardless whether you are or aren’t familiar with Pierre’s work, you should tune in and visit his website so you get the visual stimulants along with the interview. Pierre’s work is awe inspiring. Get Episode XVI of the Weta Cast here!

NEW! Arc Generator Miniature
Joining the Assault Rifle in Weta’s range of miniature alien weapons from District 9 is the familiar Arc Generator. Familiar because its full-size counterpart is just about to be delivered to the lucky ones who pre-ordered. Order Your Arc Generator Miniature Here! This is an incredible miniature model of the full size gun, cast in metal it carries significant weight. Dave Tremont has done a fantastic job with Greg Broadmore’s iconic design.

Download and print our Comic-Con Specials!

Doctor Who Helmet Extravaganza!
Does your alien 1/4 scale helmet collection need a boost? For a week, we’re offering these helmets at US$20 OFF! That’s US$39 | GBP25 for the Cyberman Leader Helmet and for Lord President Borusa’s Headdress and US$29 | GBP19.20 for each of the other four. Gorgeous, incredibly detailed pieces of metal, each on its own stand and weighing in around 2 lbs, these helmets represent some of the creepiest aliens ever seen on the small screen, lovingly modelled by David Tremont, Weta’s resident Wholigan. And thanks to some international currency fluctuations we’re able to offer these at a fantastic price.

Dinner and Tall Tales with Dr. Grordbort’s Venusian Hunting Party!
Join Dr. Grordbort and his team for tales of Venusian rustics and ray guns in an ‘out of this world’ dining experience. The hunting party will meet at the Weta Cave and be escorted to Cafe Polo for a sumptuous four course dinner in an exclusively themed setting. More information and how to book!

Weta Cave museum change-out — tell us what you think should be in the cabinets!
Once a year, the Weta Cave gets a make-over. The mini museum has some of its displays replaced with new and exciting props, costumes, weapons, dummies and all sorts of objects from Weta’s recent as well as distant past. Go to the forum on the Shadow and Flame and tell us which are your favourite Weta props and make a case for why they should be on display.

We’re also having a book launch at the Weta Cave 14 August. Read more about this event on Facebook.

Follow Weta Online! Twitter | Facebook

VIZ Media and POW! Entertainment Welcome “Ultimo” Co-Creator Stan Lee for a Personal Appearance at 2010 Comic-Con International

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), and POW! Entertainment (POW!) are proud to welcome comic book legend Stan Lee for a special signing at the VIZ Media booth #2813 on Saturday, July 24th, at Comic-Con International 2010 at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, CA.

Stan Lee will appear at the VIZ Media booth at the nation’s largest comic book convention to help celebrate the release of Ultimo Volume 2. Ultimo (rated “T” for Teens) is the historic collaboration between Stan Lee and famed Japanese manga creator Hiroyuki Takei, and has been serialized in Shonen Jump Magazine since its debut in 2009. Volume 2 is available in stores now. Starting at 4PM on Thursday, July 22nd, and Friday, July 23rd, the first 60 fans to purchase Ultimo Volume 2 at the VIZ Media booth each day will receive a ticket to have their copy personally autographed by Mr. Lee on Saturday, July 24th, at 1:15PM.

VIZ Media will also welcome Stan Lee as a special guest at the Shonen Jump panel, scheduled for Saturday, July 24th, from 10:30-11:30AM in Room 9.

Ultimo represents a rare East-meets-West production between comics legend Stan Lee, co-creator of many iconic superheroes including Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men, and Hiroyuki Takei, the creator of the popular Shaman King manga series, published in Japan by Shueisha and in North America by VIZ Media.

The Ultimo back-story: High above Farmless City, citizens are stunned by the sudden appearance of two floating figures. Are they human boys, monolithic robots, or something much more strange? As the battle ensues between them, destruction and devastation falls on the hapless city. One figure is Vice, who seems to be as evil as his name implies. The other is Ultimo, intent on trying to stop Vice from wreaking more havoc. But who are Vice and Ultimo really? Where did they come from? In Volume 2, with girl and money troubles, life is hard enough for high school student Yamato, but then he stumbles upon Ultimo, a peculiar-looking puppet. Things only get stranger when Ultimo awakens and his archenemy, Vice, shows up. Ultimo and Vice are Karakuri Dôji, the mechanical embodiment of pure good and pure evil, devoid of human emotions that can cloud one’s judgment. Their purpose: to battle to the death to prove once and for all whether good or evil is the most powerful force in the universe.

For over half a century, Stan Lee has been synonymous with superhero comics. In addition to co-creating countless memorable series and characters, including Spider-Man, the Incredible Hulk, and Daredevil, he served as the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics. Lee remains a hugely respected and dynamic figure in the entertainment industry and continues to develop a variety of film, television and video game properties.

“We are extremely honored to have a legend of Stan Lee’s stature as a guest at the VIZ Media booth for a special signing at Comic-Con this year,” says Christopher Boily, Shonen Jump Editor-In-Chief. “The groundbreaking collaboration of the Ultimo manga has been a great success, and we are also extremely excited to welcome Mr. Lee as a guest at this year’s Shonen Jump panel in celebration of the release of Volume 2 of Ultimo!”

Stan Lee and his producing partner Gill Champion’s company, POW! Entertainment, worked with VIZ Media parent company Shueisha, and with JEA and Dream Ranch to facilitate the development of Ultimo. Champion, POW!’s COO and President, says, “Fans won’t want to miss Ultimo Volume 2 as more of the mysteries surrounding the Karakuri Dôji are finally explained. The characters that Stan and Hiroyuki Takei have created together are both classic and unique at the same time, with many different aspects that both manga and American comic fans will enjoy!”

For more information on Ultimo, Shonen Jump and VIZ Media please visit Ultimo.viz.com or shonenjump.com. You can also stay up-to-date on all Shonen Jump happenings by following ShonenJump on Twitter.

Milky Way and the Galaxy Girls: Your Chance to Win a Limited Edition Doll!!

from Milky Way and the Galaxy Girls:

Incoming transmission relay from MWGG Central Control…

Don’t forget that the Tshirt Sale/ Chibi Contest is still in full affect. 25% off on all Adult and Kid MWGG Tshirts will remain in Earth’s orbit for only two more weeks.

And remember, $15 worth of merchandise purchased at the MWGG Webstore (or purchase of MWGG Plush Doll at FAO.com*) enters you into the Polar Fleece Chibi Contest. These chibis are hand-sewn by creator Lauren Faust and, with its own certificate of authenticity, will be sure to become a girlactically rare collector’s item.

So don’t wait much longer. These summer savings won’t last much longer and these 3 Chibis need an intergirlactic planetary home.

* Those who purchase a doll at FAO.com must send proof of purchase to Mother Earth to be entered into the contest.

For more info on the contest click here.

End Communication–
Orion

New Exclusive MIMOBOTs for SDCC and more!

from Mimoco:

Mimoco hits the road this summer for stops at the Taipei Toy Festival, San Diego Comic-Con, and Star Wars Celebration V in Orlando! We’re happy to unveil the first of our exclusive MIMOBOT designs…

Star Wars MIMOBOT: Mimoco celebrates the 30th anniversary of Empire Strikes Back. We’re celebrating the 30th anniversary of Empire Strikes Back with a limited run Lobot MIMOBOT (edition of 1,000). The exclusive will only be available at San Diego Comic-Con (July 21-25) and Star Wars Celebration V in Orlando (Aug 12-15). Now you can connect Lobot’s brain to your computer via USB in 2GB to 16GB capacity. Learn More!

2010 Taipei Toy Festival EXCLUSIVE! We’re happy to be back in Taiwan for this week’s 7th annual Taipei Toy Festival where Monster Molly MIMOBOT makes her grand entrance. Created by Hong Kong illustrator and designer toy pioneer, Kenny Wong, and produced in collaboration with Monster Taipei, this exclusive Artist Series MIMOBOT is a limited edition of 500 units. Learn More!

Infectious X MIMOBOT Design Challenge: Unmasked! The Design Challenge submission period ends on July 15. Have you Unmasked your MIMOBOT yet?! DEADLINE: July 15, 2010.

More 30th anniversary of Empire Strikes Back! The Vader Project Book & Auction. By now you must have heard of The Vader Project, curated and produced by DKE Toys, having premiered in May ‘07 at Star Wars Celebration IV. Now on July 10, Freeman’s Auction House will be offering 100 Darth Vader Helmets re-imagined by today’s most notable underground artists like MIMOBOT Artist Series collaborators tokidoki, Gary Baseman, David Horvath, Suckadelic, and more. Check out the auction, and maybe you’ll fall in love with one of the $1,500 and up pieces. Or pick up one of these coffee table books showcasing the entire collection for a paltry $40. Happy bidding!

Video Premiere: MIMOBOT Goes to Rothbury! Here’s some fresh memory from last year’s fest, including exclusive concert footage and interviews with the likes of Matisyahu, King Sunny Adé, & Jamie Janover. Enjoy! WATCH NOW!

“Star Wars” Celebration V: Last Chance to Get Your Tickets by Mail

from StarWars.com:

IMPORTANT ALERT FROM STAR WARS CELEBRATION V
Celebration V Ticket Mailing Deadline — THIS Sunday, July 11!*

Don’t miss the convenience of having your Star Wars Celebration V tickets mailed to your door. Be ready at the opening bell, and enjoy all the excitement this huge event has to offer, by ordering your tickets online by this Sunday!

Sunday, July 11 at 11:59 PM EST is the absolute last moment you can order your tickets and have them mailed to your door. There’s no additional cost for standard postage when you order online. Once you have your ticket you’ll be able to walk right into Celebration without stopping at the registration desks. If you wait until July 12, you’ll still be able to buy your ticket onsite, but you will need to stop and purchase to get your physical badge.

We will move the onsite purchase lines at Celebration V just as quickly as we possibly can, but demand will be high. Would you rather spend that first part of your first morning purchasing your ticket, or would you rather spend it on the show floor; in a laser tag battle with Stormtroopers; checking out acclaimed Star Wars artists in the Celebration Art Show; or meeting Ben Burtt, Ray Park, and Carrie Fisher? You don’t need a Jedi Mind Trick to help you figure out the right answer!

Step it up! Order your Star Wars Celebration tickets before 11:59 PM EST on July 11 to get them mailed to your door!

*Please note: International tickets will not mail and must be picked up onsite.

New Fiction and Other Fun Offerings from Tor.Com

from Tor.com:

It’s No Small Offering
But it is “Small Offerings,” a short story by Nebula and LOCUS Award-winning writer Paolo Bacigalupi. Originally published in Pump Six and Other Stories, and like many of the stories in that collection, “Small Offerings” takes us to a near future where… well… I really don’t want to spoil Paolo’s beautifully-timed reveals. Suffice it to say I’m glad it’s not the future yet.

Baby, Don’t Hurt Me
Whether you’re a terminally clumsy teenager with a thing for a terminally moody vampire or just an average couple living on Mockingbird Lane, Scott Brundage says that love is love.

WANTED!
Ross McDonald, for the crime of being totally awesome. An artist and letterpress enthusiast, Ross makes paper props for movies, most recently the wanted poster for Jonah Hex, featuring Josh Brolin’s scarred-up mug. He takes us through his process and his discussions with the studio as well as some history on wanted posters.

As Long As Mark Wahlberg Doesn’t Cover It…
Jason Heller has been finding us a lot of lesser-known science fictional musical gems, and this week, it’s Jermaine Jackson’s “Escape from the Planet of the Ant Men.” Overshadowed by “Thriller” and sadly lacking a cool music video — perhaps one could be mixed from Star Trek and Them! — the song is an unabashed tribute to classic science fiction, and only one example of this Jackson’s attempts to fuse SF and pop music.

AHH!
The frogs have taken over Dan Goldman’s Red Light Properties!

Rewatch Central
This week on Torie Atkinson and Eugne Myers’ Star Trek rewatch, the Enterprise crew faces  “The Ultimate Computer.” (And then Majel Barrett-Roddenberry was like, “Nuh uh.”)

Reread Corner
Leigh Butler has reached the heights! She wraps up The Path of Daggers with chapter 28 and chapters 29-31; the reread index is here.

In The Lord of the Rings reread, Kate Nepveu takes us to “The Houses of Healing.”

Fun factoid:
The epic Isner-Mahut tennis match at Wimbledon lasted longer than all three Lord of the Rings theatrical releases; by the time Isner won, after eleven hours and five minutes of play, they were just twenty minutes short of lasting as long as the special editions. That’s some serious warrior spirit.

VIZ Media Simulcasts Exclusive New Anime Series “Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan” on VIZAnime.com

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced the launch of a brand new anime series — Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan — on VIZAnime.com, the company’s premier website for anime. The first subtitled episode of the new fantasy action-adventure series about a junior high school student that is part human and part yokai (supernatural demon), premiered for free after the series debut in Japan; free new episodes will be simulcast mere hours after it airs in Japan each Monday.

Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, based on the best selling Nurarihyon no Mago manga series in Japan, is being offered under the Shonen Jump imprint, home to other exciting properties including Bleach and Naruto. While the day belongs to humans, the night belongs to yokai, supernatural creatures that thrive on human fear. Caught between these worlds is Rikuo Nura. He’s three-quarters human, but his grandfather is none other than Nurarihyon, the supreme commander of the Nura clan, a powerful yokai consortium. So, Rikuo is an ordinary teenager three quarters of the time, until his yokai blood awakens. Then he transforms into the future leader of the Nura clan, leading a hundred demons.

“We are pleased to expand the line-up on VIZAnime.com with the exclusive simulcast of Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, reaffirming our commitment to bringing the latest series from Japan,” says Ken Sasaki, Senior Vice President & General Manager of VIZ Media. “We are excited for fans to explore the fantastic world of Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, and share their thoughts and start discussions through the social network features of VIZAnime.com!”

VIZAnime.com is a free-to-use web destination that is now the permanent home to some of the company’s best-loved animated series. Over 1,100 episodes are currently available, and new content is added on a weekly basis. Series currently featured on VIZAnime.com include Bleach, Buso Renkin, Death Note, Honey and Clover, Hikaru no Go, InuYasha, InuYasha: The Final Act, Kekkaishi, Nana, Naruto, Naruto: Shippuden, One Piece and The Prince of Tennis.

To view subtitled Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan animated episodes (rated “T” for Teens) and other VIZ Media animated titles, please visit VIZAnime.com.

J!NX: Divide by BRAAAAAAAIIIIIINNNSS!

from J!NX:

New J!NX Classic T-shirt: We Really Like Brains
It is a scientific fact that a zombie’s hunger for brains is directly proportional to their intelligence prior to their metamorphosis. First, multiply the number of kills by the Gore Factor (constant), then take the cube root of the product and divide by subject’s high school GPA. Solve for X.

Independence Day Promo!
There are many ways you can celebrate your independence. You could party with TJ and the Revo, you could watch fireworks, or you could stimulate the economy and pick up a few J!NX Tees! Enter the code 07041776 (those are zeros, not O’s) during checkout to receive 25% off all products. Offer valid until 11:59pm on 7/8/10. Not valid in combination with any other sale or discount.

Want More Ways to Save?
The J!NX Newsletter is a great way to keep up with our new products, events, and upcoming sales, but did you know that there are even more opportunities for discounts and contests via Facebook and Twitter? Simply “like” us on Facebook (BTW: We still don’t like the term “like”), and follow us on Twitter, and from time to time you’ll receive news on special promotions!

25% off all products

Use Promotion Code: 07041776
This offer expires Thursday, July 08, 2010 at Midnight EST, so don’t wait!