BARNES & NOBLE AND VIZ MEDIA BRING THE DIGITAL MANGA EXPERIENCE TO NOOK TABLET™ AND NOOK COLOR™
Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the leading retailer of digital media and educational products, today announced that it has teamed up with VIZ Media, LLC, the largest distributor and publisher of anime and manga in North America, to bring the digital manga (graphic novel) experience to NOOK Tablet and NOOK Color customers. Debuting in the NOOK Store™ today, VIZ Media’s collection includes 18 series, featuring 107 volumes, from its popular Shojo Beat, Shonen Sunday and VIZ Signature imprints. Volumes are available for purchase and fast download in the U.S. and Canada for $4.99 – $9.99 (U.S. / CAN) each. New digital manga volumes, including previews, will be available weekly.
Viewing manga on NOOK Tablet and NOOK Color is authentic thanks to Barnes & Noble’s newly implemented technology that formats manga in its original right-to-left reading order. Read your favorite graphic novels on the award-winning NOOK 7-inch devices, which feature a full-color VividView™ touchscreen. NOOK Tablet and NOOK Color also give you access to the world’s largest digital bookstore, popular movies, TV shows, music and more through the top entertainment services, as well as a collection of high-quality apps, fast Web browsing and email.
Over its 25 year history, VIZ Media has led the transformation of manga and anime from a niche category into a mass media phenomenon, telling stories that resonate with audiences and fans all over North America. The VIZ Media library includes global hits like BLACK BIRD, BLEACH, CROSS GAME, KEKKAISHI, NARUTO and VAMPIRE KNIGHT.
“NOOK Tablet and NOOK Color are ideal devices for our customers to enjoy manga in stunning high resolution color that virtually makes the action leap off the page,” said Theresa Horner, Vice President of Digital Content for Barnes & Noble. “We’re excited to work with VIZ Media to offer NOOK customers access to some of the most popular manga titles available in North America.”
“The Barnes & Noble team and VIZ Media have put together a fantastic manga reading experience by giving NOOK customers full control of their reading experience with the ability to pinch and zoom to dive into the tiniest details” says Alvin Lu, Senior Vice President and General Manager of VIZ Media. “Barnes & Noble has been a major partner with VIZ Media for many years in growing the North American print manga market, and we’re very excited to expand our relationship to make our vast digital library of manga titles available to NOOK Tablet and NOOK Color customers. Over 100 volumes will be available at launch and we look forward to quickly expanding these selections to more than 500 in the coming months.”
The following manga titles are available today with many more coming:
Absolute Boyfriend Vols. 1-6 · Rated “T+” for Older Teens
Arata: The Legend Vols. 1-8 · Rated “T” for Teens
Backstage Prince Vols. 1 & 2 · Rated “T” for Teens
Beast Master Vols. 1-2 · Rated “T+” for Older Teens
Black Bird Vols. 1-11 · Rated “T+” for Older Teens
Children of the Sea Vols. 1-4 · Rated “T+” for Older Teens
Cross Game Vols. 1-4 · Rated “T” for Teens
Dengeki Daisy Vols. 1-7 · Rated “T+” for Older Teens
Fushigi Yugi: Genbu KaidEn Vols. 1-9 · Rated “T+” for Older Teens
House of Five Leaves Vols. 1-5 · Rated “T+” for Older Teens
Hyde & Closer Vols. 1-6 · Rated “T+” for Older Teens
I’ll Give It My All…Tomorrow Vols. 1-4 · Rated “T+” for Older Teens
Kekkaishi Vols. 1-19 · Rated “T” for Teens
Maoh: Juvenile remix Vols. 1-7 · Rated “T+” for Older Teens
not simple · Rated “T+” for Older Teens
Oishinbo Vols. 1-5 · Rated “T” for Teens
Saturn Apartments Vols. 1-4 · Rated “T” for Teens
Solanin · Rated “T+” for Older Teens
What A Wonderful World! Vols. 1 & 2 · Rated “T+” for Older Teens
For more information on VIZ Media manga titles, please visit www.VIZ.com.
For more information on NOOK, please visit www.nook.com.
To purchase VIZ Media manga titles for the NOOK Tablet and NOOK Color, please visit the NOOK Book Store at www.barnesandnoble.com/u/NOOK-Comics-Graphic-Novels-Manga/379003302/
At Long Last: The Hobbit Trailer
VIZ MEDIA BRINGS BLUE DRAGON: TRIALS OF THE SEVEN SHADOWS TO NORTH AMERICAN FANS ON VIZANIME.COM AND HULU
VIZ Media has announced the launch of BLUE DRAGON: TRIALS OF THE SEVEN SHADOWS, the second season of the hit fantasy adventure series BLUE DRAGON (both rated TV-14), available now on VIZAnime.com, the company’s own website for free anime, as well as on the streaming content provider HULU (www.Hulu.com). Episodes 1-5 are available now, and 2 new episodes will debut each Friday.
The BLUE DRAGON series is based on the exclusive Xbox 360 videogame “BLUE DRAGON,” developed by Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator of “Final Fantasy,” and features character designs by Akira Toriyama, the creator of the best-selling DRAGON BALL series of manga (published in North America by VIZ Media).
BLUE DRAGON is a classic adventure story of magical Shadow powers, flying air fortresses, and unbounded heroism! Brought together by fate, Seven Soldiers of Light must awaken the Shadow within themselves in time to overcome a despotic power and bring peace to their land. Their ensuing journey through a rich fantasy world is also an internal journey to awaken the great power within each of them.
In the exciting Second Season, Shu and his friends fought to defeat the evil lord Nene, the ruler of the Grankingdom. Nene was defeated, but it was revealed that the true evil was none other than Zola, who was the avatar of the legendary Darkness. Shu and the other Seven Soldiers of Light managed to once again seal off the force of Darkness, but lost their Shadow Powers in the process. Two years has passed since the battle with Darkness. As Shu and Bouquet continue their battle against General Logi and his Rosekstan army, a new threat arrives. Powerful dragons calling themselves the “Legion of Elite Species” set out to test the worthiness of mankind, selecting Shu as the candidate.
For more information on this and other animated titles from VIZ Media please visit www.VIZAnime.com.
JOIN THE STRAW HAT PIRATES AND DIVE INTO THE ARTWORK OF EIICHIRO ODA IN THE NEW ONE PIECE COLOR WALK VOL. 2 FROM VIZ MEDIA
VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, has announced the release of a new collection of manga (graphic novel) creator Eiichiro Oda’s artwork from the bestselling pirate adventure, ONE PIECE, with the publication of the ONE PIECE COLOR WALK Vol. 2 on January 3, 2011.The new art book is rated ‘T’ for Teens and will carry an MSRP of $19.99 U.S. / $22.99 CAN.
Color images and special illustrations from one of the world’s most popular manga are offered in this vivid new art collection. The book features behind-the-scenes info on how certain characters were designed and also includes an interview with Eiichiro Oda where he discusses his history and evolution as a manga artist. The book also includes a bonus postcard and in-bound full-color poster!
In the ONE PIECE manga series (rated ‘T’ for Teens), Monkey D. Luffy is
inspired as a child to become a pirate by listening to the tales of the
buccaneer “Red-Haired” Shanks. But Luffy’s life changes forever when he
accidentally eats the cursed Gum-Gum fruit, and gains the power to stretch like rubber – but at the cost of never being able to swim again! Years later, still vowing to become the king of the pirates, Luffy sets out on an epic adventure… One guy alone in a rowboat, in search of the legendary “One Piece,” said to be the greatest treasure in the world.
“ONE PIECE is the most popular manga series in Japan and continues to be the bestselling manga series of all time with more than 240 million volumes sold to-date,” says Alexis Kirsch, Editor. “This new edition of ONE PIECE COLOR WALK Art Book features a big selection of Eiichiro Oda’s artwork rendered in vivid full color. Oda’s illustrations are imaginative, playful, and often dramatic, and most have never been seen before outside Japan. We invite fans to savor all the character and cover art contained in this wonderful new edition!”
Eiichiro Oda began his manga career at the age of 17, when his one-shot
cowboy manga Wanted! won second place in the coveted Tezuka manga awards.
Oda went on to work as an assistant to some of the biggest manga artists in the industry, including Nobuhiro Watsuki (RUROUNI KENSHIN), before winning the Hop Step Award for new artists. His pirate adventure ONE PIECE, which debuted in Weekly Shonen Jump magazine in 1997, quickly became one of the most popular manga series in Japan and also enjoys a major worldwide following.
More information on the ONE PIECE manga series is available at
http://OnePiece.viz.com. The ONE PIECE manga series may also be read digitally through the VIZ Manga App for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch, or through VIZManga.com for desktop/laptop computers or any internet-enabled device.
About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets
and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan. Owned by
three of Japan’s largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc.,
Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media
has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking
audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa.
With its popular monthly manga anthology SHONEN JUMP magazine and
blockbuster properties like Naruto, Bleach and InuYasha, VIZ Media offers
cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime,
manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages. VIZ Media properties
are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature
films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products.
Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.
Dell’s Alienware Aurora Delivers Extreme Gaming Performance and Experience as Game Developers Intended in Most Advanced Desktop Ever
From Dell:
Competitive gamers asked for the ultimate gaming pc and Dell’s new Alienware Aurora gaming desktop
graphics.
*The Aurora desktop delivers the pure, raw power that gamers crave. The systems come loaded with the new 2nd generation Intel(r) Core(tm) i7-3000 series six-core CPUs, factory overclocked1 and liquid cooled, with the Intel X79 Express Chipset (Dell’s first consumer system to offer this chipset), Quad Channel DDR32 memory and the latest SATA technology.
*Gamers can literally “see” all that power firsthand. Dual graphics cards and beyond 1080p gaming with immersive multi-display and 3D HD3 capabilities allow gamers to experience any game at its best – as intended by the game developers.
*And the gaming desktops are intelligently designed for unparalleled customization. In addition to raw power, an innovative chassis design and intuitive internal component layout allows for user-friendly upgrades and optimized thermal
management.
Purposeful Cool Design
Designed from the inside out with performance, function and style in mind, Alienware Aurora’s chassis delivers a purposeful internal layout in a sleek, beautiful and compact form factor.
The desktop’s maintenance-free, high performance CPU Liquid Cooling replaces the standard heat sink and fan that comes with most PCs, and its Active Venting system provides additional heat dissipation during heavy gaming. This unique design increases component longevity and allows Aurora to stay nearly twice as quiet as competitors with traditional heat sink and fan layouts. Additionally, all core components inside the Aurora are purposefully compartmentalized in chambers that provide clean, clear and easy tool-less access for upgrades, maintenance or showing off.
Supporting AMD
CrossFireX
“The PC gaming industry continues to grow rapidly, and our customers are demanding systems that can keep up with the most graphic-intensive games on the market,” said Arthur Lewis, vice president, Alienware and Product Management for Consumer, Small and Medium Business. “Alienware Aurora, our most advanced gaming desktop ever, delivers an experience that will exceed the expectations of any serious gamer.”
Complete Control
All Alienware laptops and desktops come complete with the Alienware Command Center
Gaming Supremacy
Alienware is recognized throughout the industry and with customers alike for performance, functionality and design. The Alienware M17x gaming laptop
Detailed Information:
*2nd Generation 3000 series Intel Core i7 Six Core Processor Options
*New Intel X79 Express Chipset with Unlocked BIOS for Overclocking1
*Single and Dual Graphics Options:
o 1GB GDDR5 AMD Radeon HD 68702
o 2GB GDDR5 AMD Radeon HD 69502
o 1.25GB GDDR5 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti2
o 1.5GB GDDR5 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 5802
o 3GB GDDR5 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 5902
o Dual 1GB GDDR5 AMD Radeon HD 6870 – AMD CrossFireX2
o Dual 2GB GDDR5 AMD Radeon HD 6950 – AMD CrossFireX2
* 8GB or 16GB Quad Channel 1600MHz DDR3 Memory Options2
* Fast 7,200RPM Hard Drive Options up to 2TB; 256GB and 512GB SSD Options4
* Single and Dual Optical Drive Options; Including Blu-ray Disc Reader and Burner
* High Quality Audio Options:
o Internal High-Definition 7.1 Performance Audio with Waves MAXX Audio Software (Standard)
o Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio (Optional)
o Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium (Optional)
* System Dimensions: height: 16.77” (426mm), depth: 25.39” (645mm), width: 9.85” (250mm); weight: starting at 45lbs (20.41kg)
Availability and Pricing:
Alienware Aurora is available now on dell.com and dell.ca
New RiffTrax Presents with Matthew J. Elliott: “Sherlock Holmes” Now Available
From RiffTrax:
Matthew J. Elliott riffs Sherlock Holmes!
For a hundred years, filmmakers have taken a reverential approach to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s beloved creation. Welcome to the 21st Century.
Join Sherlockian Film Expert Matthew J. Elliott as he guides you through Guy Ritchie’s epic without the aid of a magnifying glass. This commentary is also available in 2-D for those who get a headache wearing the special glasses.
VIZ MEDIA EXTENDS 20% OFF HOLIDAY PROMOTION TO COVER ALL DIGITAL MANGA TITLES ON VIZMANGA.COM AND THE VIZ MANGA APP THRU JANUARY 8th
Fans Invited To Explore New Series Or Catch Up On Popular Ongoing Titles With A Special Discount That Applies To More han 500 Digital Manga Volumes
VIZ Media has extended its recently announced holiday digital manga promotion. Now through Midnight (PST), January 8th, 2012, all VIZ Media manga titles on VIZManga.com
The promotion gives readers an opportunity to explore the new SHONEN JUMP DIGITAL WARP ‘speed-ups’ of selected titles such as ONE PIECE and BLEACH, that will quickly bring U.S. readers up-to-date with Japanese releases, catch up with other ongoing VIZ Media manga series, or discover brand new ones!
VIZ Media’s multiple digital manga platforms enable universal access to enjoy manga from an iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, and now, on VIZManga.com for desktop/laptop computers as well as Android-powered devices with built-in web browsers. With one account, registered users may access their purchases across even more devices than ever.
The free VIZ Manga App continues to be the top application for reading manga and features a rapidly growing library of the most popular manga series in the world. Over 45 series and 500+ volumes are currently available, with new additions and free Chapter 1 previews added weekly.
For more information, please visit VIZManga.com
or www.VIZ.com/apps.
Remembering Darrel K. Sweet
The Sci-fi and fantasy literature family suffered another great loss this week, my favorite cover artist: Darrel K. Sweet. I can’t tell you how many times I bought a book just because he painted the cover. As a budding child artist, I would draw his covers on my bedroom wall with colored pencils, some of which my mother actually painted “Frames” around to keep when she painted the rest of the wall. He was a huge influence on me artistically and imaginatively.
He had a very unique style that identified his artwork at a glance. With over 3,000 paintings completed, his art adorned the covers of many a well-loved book including such series as The Wheel of Time, Xanth and The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever. I can’t imagine that the next Xanth and final Wheel of Time and Thomas Covenant books will not be graced by his artwork wrapped around it.
They always say, “You can’t judge a book by it’s cover” but you could if it featured art by Darrel K. Sweet.
From Locus Online:
Artist Darrell K. Sweet, 77, died December 5, 2011. Sweet’s first illustrations were for Ballantine Books in 1975, and when the Del Rey imprint was formed in 1977, he produced many of their covers. Since then he has created illustrations for most of the major SF publishers, including Berkeley, Ace, and Tor. He is perhaps now best known for his illustrations of Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series, but he also produced memorable covers for Stephen R. Donaldson’s Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Xanth series by Piers Anthony, and novels by Jack L. Chalker, Terry Brooks, L.E. Modesitt, Jr., and many others.
Sweet was born in 1934 in New Brunswick NJ, and graduated from Syracuse University in 1956 with a degree in fine arts. He already had a reputation as a painter of animals, still lifes, and pastoral scenes when he started illustrating SF. He was nominated for a professional artist Hugo in 1983, and was a Chesley Award finalist many times.
RECORD 3D VIDEOS AND MORE WITH THE LATEST SYSTEM UPDATE FOR NINTENDO 3DS
from Nintendo:
A new system update now available for the portable Nintendo 3DS(tm)<http://www.nintendo.com/3ds> system adds a wide range of enhancements, including the ability for users to record 3D videos in continuous or stop-motion style, updated Nintendo eShop features, new StreetPass Mii Plaza(tm) features and enhanced online gaming. All of the upgrades are available at no additional charge to Nintendo 3DS owners.
“The addition of these new features demonstrates how Nintendo 3DS continues to grow and evolve,” said Ron Bertram, Nintendo of Canada’s vice-president and general
manager. “Nintendo 3DS is our most connected system to date, and the added functionality strengthens the system’s position as a must-have holiday gift.”
Some of the features available with the system update include the ability to record up to 10 minutes of glasses-free 3D video in continuous or stop-motion style. Now
users can capture moments from sporting events or family gatherings, or make their own imaginative 3D movies to share with friends. In the Nintendo eShop, it’s now
easier to buy and download your purchases. Use your credit card to purchase content by adding only the needed funds. You can choose to Download Now or Download Later.
Cue up the games and videos you want and let the system do the rest in Sleep Mode. Fans of StreetPass Mii Plaza(tm) will enjoy updates to Find Mii and Puzzle Swap.
Nintendo 3DS owners can transfer photos, audio recordings and games, including save data, to other Nintendo 3DS systems. For more information about the features
included in this update, go to http://www.nintendo.com/3ds/system-update.
With the new system update, Nintendo Zone(tm) is now available for the first time at more than 29,000 Nintendo 3DS Hotspot locations. Nintendo Zone offers users free and
automatic access to game previews, 3D videos, trivia challenges, retailer promotions, coupons and much more.
Additionally, Nintendo is adding more than 2,800 Nintendo 3DS Hotspot locations in the United States and Canada, including hotels, airports and malls. In Canada, these
new Nintendo 3DS Hotspot locations include more than 2,000 Bell Canada Hotspots. This brings the total number of free Nintendo 3DS Hotspots in North America to more
than 29,000, including 25,000 AT&T Wi-Fi Hotspots, approximately 1,000 Best Buy stores and nearly 200 Simon Malls located in the United States. Nintendo 3DS owners
can find a Nintendo 3DS Hotspot by visiting http://www.nintendo.com/3ds/hotspots.
Nintendo 3DS owners who have downloaded previous system updates do not need to do anything, as the new update will happen automatically. Users who have never
performed an update before can update by going to the main menu, tapping System Settings, then Other Settings, then System Update.
Remember that Nintendo 3DS features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other
features, visit http://www.nintendo.com/3ds. For more information about Nintendo, visit http://www.nintendo.ca.
About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software
for its Wii(tm) home console, Nintendo 3DS(tm) and Nintendo DS(tm) family of portable systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment
System(tm), Nintendo has sold more than 3.8 billion video games and more than 610 million hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii, Nintendo 3DS,
Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi(tm) and Nintendo DSi XL(tm), as well as the Game Boy(tm), Game Boy Advance, Super NES(tm), Nintendo 64(tm) and Nintendo GameCube(tm) systems.
It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as Mario(tm), Donkey Kong(tm), Metroid(tm), Zelda(tm) and Pokémon(tm). A wholly
owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, please visit the company’s website at http://www.nintendo.ca.
Horror Feature Death Do Us Part Completes Principal Photography
[fgallery id=1 w=500 h=287 t=0 title=”Death Do Us Part”]
From Nine Worlds Entertainment:
Nine Worlds Entertainment is pleased to announce the completion of principal photography on the horror feature Death Do Us Part and have released official character stills. The film is directed by Nicholas Humphries of the acclaimed Syfy webseries Riese: Kingdom Falling and Screamfest LA 2011 Winner for Best Short (The Little Mermaid).
Kennedy Jamieson, a wealthy socialite, has waited her whole life to have the perfect wedding. Engaged to the charming Ryan Harris, the young couple is just a week away from the big day but hasn’t had a chance to celebrate their respective bachelor/bachelorette parties. Ryan’s best man Chet books a remote cabin in the woods to throw them a ‘Jack and Jill’ stag that they’ll never forget.
Out in the middle of nowhere, things take a horrifying turn as members of the group are brutally picked off one by one. What started out as a celebration quickly descends into a bloody nightmare. Friendships are ripped apart and accusations fly in this blood filled psychological horror with a whodunit twist.
Starring Ben Ayres (Vampire Diaries), Julia Benson (Stargate Universe), Peter Benson (The Killing), Emile Ullerup (Sanctuary), Kyle Cassie (Lost Boys: The Tribe), Christine Chatelaine (Riese: Kingdom Falling), Dave Collette (Fringe) with Aaron Douglas (Battlestar Galactica), Death Do Us Part is Directed by Nicholas Humphries (Riese: Kingdom Falling), Produced by Julia Benson (Kits), Peter Benson (Kits) and Ryan Copple (Riese: Kingdom Falling).
“Some of the greatest horror films, movies like Halloween and Black Christmas, are screened annually because they are thematically linked to the holidays. We want to make the movie that horror fans watch when they’re about to get married.” – Nicholas Humphries, Director Death Do Us Part
For further details, visit the Death Do Us Part website at http://www.deathdouspartmovie.com/, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DeathDoUsPartTheMovie or on Twitter: @DDUPMovie.
About Nine Worlds Entertainment
Founded in January 2011 by Peter Benson, Ryan Copple and Julia Benson, Nine Worlds Entertainment is a Vancouver based Production Company with many projects in various stages of development. They have been working with BBC Worldwide Productions on two half hour comedy series, and are slated to shoot a pilot episode for one of them at the end of this year. The team at Nine Worlds has also been working with Aircraft Pictures and Dolphin Entertainment on a children’s comedy series as well as a sci-fi action series. The company is focusing on creating and producing content that is relevant and commercially viable both domestically and internationally. Nine Worlds Entertainment is going into production on their first feature film “Death Do Us Part”.
Announcing the new RiffPlayer from RiffTrax!
From RiffTrax:
There’s a new RiffTrax Player in town! We’ve been working hard on a new player, and we’re happy to announce that the RiffPlayer is finally here! It’s based on open source technology, and allows both Microsoft Windows users and, for the first time, Apple OSX users to watch their favorite Riffs in sync with the DVD!
And to help get you started, for a limited time, we’re giving away a free RiffTrax when you download the player! What are you waiting for? Improve your RiffTrax viewing experience today!
Get it here: RiffPlayer
Easy to use!
- Getting started with the RiffPlayer is easy! _Simply run the player, pop in your DVD, then open the mp3 of the Riff from within the player. Your DVD (and the Riff) will start playing automatically.
Separate volume controls!
- Use the volume sliders to adjust the Movie and Riff volumes to your liking!_ And, if your Riff should ever lose sync with the movie, simply hit the “Resync” button and _voila_! You’re back in action.