Comics – Page 12 – ÜberSciFiGeek

VIZ Media Celebrates 25th Anniversary

VIZ Media, the largest distributor of anime and manga in the North America, will celebrate its 25th Anniversary on July 7th, 2011. Over its 25 year history, VIZ Media has led the transformation of manga and anime from a niche category sold only at specialty retailers into a mass media phenomenon popularized on Cartoon Network, Hulu and iTunes, and available at Barnes & Noble and Walmart. Today, VIZ Media is North America’s largest distributor of anime and manga, and is leading the global anime and manga industries to their digital futures. To celebrate 25 years of pioneering new paths in global entertainment and publishing, later this year VIZ Media will be unveiling new properties, marketing programs, and distribution partnerships.

Since 1986, VIZ Media has primarily distributed titles exclusively owned by its parent companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions Co., Ltd.. In 2011, VIZ Media will diversify its award-winning library further by licensing properties from other global content creators as well as creating its own content. On the digital front, VIZ Media has created partnerships with Apple, Hulu, Netflix, Google and more, leading the way to new paths for distribution of manga and anime.

“For 25 years, VIZ Media has been telling stories that resonate with audiences and fans all over North America,” said Hidemi Fukuhara, President and CEO of VIZ Media. “Even after two-and-a-half decades of explosive growth, we still see tremendous potential to adapt, grow and leverage our library of world-renowned and beloved characters. With a full slate of new anime and manga releases planned this year, VIZ Media has something for everyone.”

The VIZ Media library includes global blockbuster franchises like Naruto, InuYasha, Pokémon, Dragon Ball Z, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Bleach, Vampire Knight, and Death Note. VIZ Media’s manga titles are available at mass retailers everywhere, and through VIZ Media’s free VIZ Manga App for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch, the first manga-dedicated app in North America. VIZ Media anime titles can be seen on Disney XD, Cartoon Network and Adult Swim, is available for Download-to-Own/Download-to-Rent via iTunes, PlayStation Network, Amazon Instant Video and Zune on Xbox LIVE, and for streaming on the company’s own VIZAnime.com, Hulu and Netflix, and is available for purchase on DVD at mass DVD retailers.

VIZ Manga App Presents Four New Manga Titles for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media has announced four new manga (graphic novel) series that will be offered for digital download within the VIZ Manga App for the Apple iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. The latest update offers two acclaimed works from celebrated manga creator Natsume Ono — House of Five Leaves and not simple — that are available now. Two additional new series — Maou: Juvenile Remix and Hyde & Closer — will debut for digital download on May 9th and May 16th respectively. Updates for the first half of May to 17 other popular manga series have also been announced.

The VIZ Manga App is now available for free for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch through the iTunes Store, and all manga volumes are generally available for purchase and download in the U.S. and Canada from within the application for only $4.99 (U.S. / CAN) per volume.

In Natsume Ono’s House of Five Leaves (rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens), a wandering samurai, Akitsu Masanosuke, is a skilled and loyal swordsman, but his naïve and diffident nature has time and again caused him to be let go by the lords who have employed him. Hungry and desperate, he becomes a bodyguard for Yaichi, the charismatic leader of a gang called “Five Leaves.” Although disturbed by the gang’s sinister activities, Masa begins to suspect that Yaichi’s motivations are not what they seem. And despite his misgivings, the deeper he’s drawn into the world of the Five Leaves, the more he finds himself fascinated by these devious, mysterious outlaws.

Natusume Ono’s not simple (rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens) tells the story of Ian, a young man with a fractured family history, who travels from Australia to England to America in the hope of realizing his dreams and reuniting with his beloved sister. His story unfolds backwards through the framing narrative of Jim, a reporter driven to capture Ian’s experiences in a novel titled not simple.

Don’t miss Natsume Ono’s rare U.S. personal appearance at Kinokuniya Books in New York City on Tuesday, May 10th starting at 7:00pm.

Manga creator Megumi Osuga’s Maou: Juvenile Remix (rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens) features a boy with special powers who may be the key to stopping the spread of crime, big money and urban sprawl in a story of confrontation and determination. Ando is a high school student who has the power to make others say out loud what he’s thinking. Inukai is the mysterious leader of a vigilante group called Grasshopper, which is at odds with the city’s redevelopment plan. In this chaotic city, these two will come together to weave a story of courage.

The fantasy driven action of creator Haro Aso’s Hyde & Closer introduces readers to Shunpei Closer, your average… well, slightly below average kid in junior high who finds himself in the middle of a great battle of dark sorcery. With cursed dolls coming after him one after another, Shunpei Closer’s life is in danger! If that weren’t enough, Hyde, the teddy bear given to him by his grandfather, suddenly comes alive to rescue him. With Hyde’s help, can Shunpei save himself and live to see another day?

Additional new VIZ Media manga volumes available the weeks of May 2nd, May 9th and May 16th include:

May 2nd:
Absolute Boyfriend Vol. 3
Captive Hearts Vol. 5
Death Note Vol. 12
Dragon Ball Z Vol. 7
Kekkaishi Vol. 3
Naruto Vol. 24
One Piece Vol. 24
Rosario + Vampire Vol. 5
Rurouni Kenshin Vol. 12

May 9th:
Black Bird Vol. 3
Bleach Vol. 14
Claymore Vol. 9
D.Gray-man Vol. 10
Dragon Ball Z Vol. 8
Fushigi Yûgi Genbu Kaiden Vol. 2
Naruto Vol. 25
One Piece Vol. 25
Ouran High School Host Club Vol. 6

May 16th:
Absolute Boyfriend Vol. 4
Dragon Ball Z Vol. 9
Kekkaishi Vol. 4
Naruto Vol. 26
Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan Vol. 2
One Piece Vol. 26
Otomen Vol. 6
Rosario + Vampire Vol. 6
Rurouni Kenshin Vol. 13

The VIZ Manga App is the leading application to read Japanese manga on the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch, with an extensive downloadable library of the most popular manga series in the world. The app now offers almost 200 volumes available for download. Readers are encouraged to check the app regularly, as new additions to the store and free Chapter 1 previews of other forthcoming manga series are featured.

For more information on the VIZ Manga App, please visit VIZ.com/apps/.

VIZ Media Launches VIZ Manga App for the iPhone and iPod Touch

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, continues the digital integration of its vast library of manga (graphic novel) properties with the latest announcement of the availability of the VIZ Manga App for the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch mobile devices. The expansion will be compatible with the VIZ Manga App on the iPad, and adds cross-platform features.

To support the launch, the publisher has also kicked off a special 7-day digital promotion that offers select Volume 1 titles for only $2.99 — 40% off the regular price! This is for a limited time only and runs until midnight PST May 9th.

Manga titles for the iPhone and iPod Touch are available via the VIZ Manga App, which is free through the iTunes Store. Volumes are generally available for purchase and download in the U.S. and Canada for only $4.99 (U.S. / CAN) each. Twenty-eight series and almost 200 volumes are available now, including popular series such as Bleach, Blue Exorcist, Death Note, Naruto and One Piece and dozens more from VIZ Media’s Shonen Jump, Shojo Beat, and VIZ Signature imprints. Readers should check the app regularly, as new additions (including House of Five Leaves and not simple released today) and free Chapter 1 previews of forthcoming manga series are also featured.

“The VIZ Manga App is a unique proprietary platform that will become one of the leading digital applications to read manga on the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch,” says Alvin Lu, SVP and General Manager of VIZ Media. “The technology allows readers to download, store and enjoy their favorite manga with easy access to a substantial and ongoing downloadable library. Now you can take hundreds of manga in your pocket anytime, anywhere on a mobile device with the VIZ Manga App!”

The VIZ Manga App also includes a new software upgrade for the iPad (Version 4.0), which delivers better functionality including bookmarks, improved storage, navigation, and the ability to browse-by-series in the “My Manga” library. Manga purchases can now be shared seamlessly between iPhone, iPod Touch and the iPad and bookmarked for easy updates. Push notifications will also automatically notify users when new volumes of favorite bookmarked titles are added.

For more information on the VIZ Manga App and a list of all available titles, please visit VIZ.com/apps/.

VIZ Media Brings the Edgy Psychological Suspense of “Death Note” to Netflix

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media has announced the premiere of the entire uncut and subtitled Death Note anime series on Netflix, Inc., the world’s leading Internet subscription service for enjoying movies and TV shows. The supernatural suspense thriller will be available to watch instantly for subscribers in the U.S. beginning today.

A unique storyline and complex characters, combined with visually stunning animation by Madhouse, made Death Note one of the most popular anime series to ever be released in Japan and North America. The complete 37 episode series joins several other VIZ Media anime titles such as Bleach, Naruto, and InuYasha, which can now be instantly streamed from Netflix.

Death Note (rated TV-14, subtitled) was inspired by a 12-volume manga counterpart (published in North America by VIZ Media) written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata. The anime series follows the adventures of Light Yagami, an ace student with great prospects but who is bored out of his mind. All of that changes when he finds the Death Note, a strange notebook dropped by a rogue Shinigami death god named Ryuk. Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies, and now Light has vowed to use the power of the Death Note to rid the world of evil. But when criminals mysteriously begin dropping dead, the authorities send the legendary detective L to track down the killer. With L hot on his heels, will Light lose sight of his noble goal — or his life?

More information on Death Note is available at: DeathNote.viz.com.

Factory Entertainment: The Green Hornet Sale

from Factory Entertainment:

The Green Hornet Blu-Ray / DVD Release Sale!
The Green Hornet Movie Blu-Ray / DVD is officially being released on May 3rd. What better way to celebrate than by adding a set of Green Hornet and Kato Movie Action Figures to your collection? Until May 31, you can do that for the special Factory-direct price of $25 for both. In addition, until May 31, if you buy 2 any two of our Green Hornet Fashion Accessories, you can choose another one absolutely free!*

*Free item must be of equal or lesser value from the Green Hornet Fashion Accessory range. When you add these items to your cart, you will see the total price for all 3 items in the summary of your order. However, you will not be charged for the 3rd item (of equal or lesser value) and you will receive an updated receipt via e-mail once the transaction has been processed.

The Green Hornet Movie Blu-Ray & DVD Contest
Want to win a copy of the Green Hornet Movie on Blu-Ray or DVD?! Our good friends at Sony Pictures were kind enough to provide us with some copies of the Green Hornet Movie on Blu-Ray and DVD (available to purchase May 3rd in the US) and now they can be yours! All you need to do is send an e-mail to salesus@factoryent.com with an answer to the following question:

Question: “In the Green Hornet Movie, what color does the Black Beauty turn into to disguise itself?”

All correct answers will be entered into a poll and winners will be selected at random. One entry per e-mail address, deadline to submit an entry is May 9th, 2011. Winners will receive one (1x) copy of the Green Hornet movie on either DVD or Blu-Ray. Prizes will be shipped the week of May 10th, 2011 we will contact you for your shipping address and preferred disc format. This competition is only open to residents of the mainland USA only. Prize discs are Region: 1 for DVD and Region: A for Blu-Ray only.

P.S. If you know the answer, keep an eye out for a special and very limited product coming soon!

VIZ Media Delivers Summer Reading Fun with New 3-in-1 Manga Editions

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, kicks off the summer reading season with the release of new 3-in-1 omnibus editions for several best-loved manga (graphic novels) series. Naruto and Kekkaishi both launch on May 3rd, and Bleach and Fullmetal Alchemist go on sale June 7th. Each of the new omnibus releases bundles 3 complete manga volumes into a handy summertime reading companion.

Naruto 3-in-1 Edition Vol. 1
Rated ‘T’ for Teens
MSRP: $14.99 U.S. / $16.99 CAN
Available May 3rd
Naruto is a young shinobi with an incorrigible knack for mischief. He’s got a wild sense of humor, but Naruto is completely serious about his mission to be the world’s greatest ninja! It’s training day and no one takes Naruto seriously at Ninja Academy. Especially not the other students, who all are competing to be the best ninja ever and some day lead Konoha, the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Naruto and his classmates are about to embark on an adventure that takes them far beyond Ninja Academy, beyond Konoha, beyond anything they ever imagined. What is Naruto’s true destiny? The epic story that has sold millions worldwide begins now! For more information, please visit the official Naruto website at Naruto.com.

Kekkaishi 3-in-1 Edition Vol. 1
Rated ‘T’ for Teens
MSRP: $14.99 U.S. / $16.99 CAN
Available May 3rd
By night, teenager Yoshimori Sumimura is a “kekkaishi” — a demon-hunter who specializes in creating magical barriers around his prey. By day, Yoshimori’s got other demons to battle: an addiction to sweets and a seriously crotchety grandfather! Yoshimori’s pretty neighbor and childhood friend, Tokine Yukimura, is also a kekkaishi, but their families are feuding over who is the true practitioner of the art. Now the two rival kekkaishi must do battle with amphibious demons, the ghost of a pastry chef, charming demon-charmer Yomi and her pet demon Yoki, embittered demon-dog Koya — and more! More information on Kekkaishi is available at: viz.com/kekkaishi.

Bleach 3-in-1 Edition Vol. 1
Rated ‘T’ for Teens
MSRP: $14.99 U.S. / $16.99 CAN
Available June 7th
Ichigo Kurosaki has always been able to see ghosts, but this ability doesn’t change his life nearly as much as his close encounter with Rukia Kuchiki, a Soul Reaper and member of the mysterious Soul Society. While fighting a Hollow, an evil spirit that preys on humans who display psychic energy, Rukia attempts to lend Ichigo some of her powers so that he can save his family; but much to her surprise, Ichigo absorbs every last drop of her energy. Now a full-fledged Soul Reaper himself, Ichigo quickly learns that the world he inhabits is one full of dangerous spirits, and along with Rukia — who is slowly regaining her powers — it’s Ichigo’s job to protect the innocent from Hollows and help the spirits themselves find peace. The paranormal action-adventure begins now! More information on Bleach is available at Bleach.viz.com.

Fullmetal Alchemist 3-in-1 Edition Vol. 1
Rated ‘T’ for Teens
MSRP: $14.99 U.S. / $16.99 CAN
Available June 7th
Alchemy: the mystical power to alter the natural world, somewhere between magic, art and science. When two brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, dabbled in these powers to grant their dearest wish, one of them lost an arm and a leg… and the other became nothing but a soul locked into a body of living iron. Now they are agents of the government, slaves of the military-alchemical complex, using their unique powers to obey their orders… even to kill. But their powers aren’t unique. The world crawls with evil alchemists. And in pursuit of the ultimate alchemical treasure, the Philosopher’s Stone, their enemies are even more ruthless than they are! More information on Fullmetal Alchemist is available at: viz.com/fullmetal-alchemist.

VIZ Media Announces the Release of the Latest “Naruto: Shippuden” Anime DVD Box Set

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media continues to expand its bestselling Naruto anime franchise with the release of the latest Naruto: Shippuden Uncut DVD Set Volume 6 on April 26th. The 3-disc set contains episodes 66-77 of the original anime series in both subtitled and English dubbed options. Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens, this box set will be available for the suggested retail price of $49.95 U.S./$71.99 Canada.

In the latest Naruto adventures, the rogue ninja Furido attempts to use the Lightning Style jutsu of the Guardian Shinobi to rain destruction on the Leaf village. The ninja are running out of chakra. Does Naruto have enough power to save the village? Then, the Akatsuki are working their way from one tailed beast host to another, and it’s only a matter of time until they get to Naruto!

Created by Masashi Kishimoto, Naruto was first introduced in Weekly Shonen Jump magazine in Japan in 1999 and quickly became that country’s most popular ninja manga targeting tweens and teens with more than 100 million copies in circulation to-date. The manga series (rated ‘T’ for Teens) and animated counterpart (Naruto rated ‘T’ for Teens, and Naruto: Shippuden rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens) are among VIZ Media’s most successful properties and have captivated millions of fans across North America, Europe and South America.

For more information on Naruto please visit the official website at Naruto.com.

VIZ Media Delivers a Second Round of April Digital Manga Updates for iPad

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media will round out April with a second block of monthly manga (graphic novel) updates available exclusively for the VIZ Manga App for the Apple iPad mobile device. These latest updates will include the digital premiere of 5 new manga titles and updates to 15 other series that are also currently available. Fushigi Yûgi Genbu Kaiden is set to debut on April 18th, and Arata: The Legend will launch for the iPad on April 25th.

The VIZ Manga App is available for free through the iTunes Store and all manga volumes are generally available for purchase and download in the U.S. and Canada within the application for $4.99 (U.S. / CAN) per volume. More than 125 manga volumes are now available for download.

Fushigi Yûgi Genbu Kaiden (Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens) is the acclaimed sequel to Fushigi Yûgi created by Yuu Watase and debuts digitally on April 18th. When schoolgirl Takiko Okuda attempts to destroy her father’s translation of The Universe of the Four Gods, she is instead sucked into the story, becoming the Priestess of Genbu in an epic journey to find the seven Celestial Warriors!

Arata: The Legend (Rated ‘T’ for Teens) is a shojo manga series created by Yuu Watase and will debut for the iPad on April 25th. In a mythical world where humans and gods coexist, a ceremony marking the new governing princess is about to occur for the first time in 60 years. Only a girl from the Hime Clan may take this position, but the lack of females born to this family means that a boy called Arata must pose for the role. Meanwhile in modern-day Japan, a boy named Arata Hinohara is starting his new life in high school. He wants to put memories of his difficult past behind him, but things aren’t going to be simple when he discovers a mysterious connection to the first Arata…

The second round of April updates also includes new additions to 17 other popular VIZ Media series currently available. Readers should check the app regularly, as new additions and free Chapter 1 previews of forthcoming manga series for the iPad are also featured.

Twenty-seven series are now available on the VIZ Manga App; additional new manga volumes available the weeks of April 18th and April 25th include:

April 18th:
Absolute Boyfriend Vol. 2
Death Note Vol. 11
Dragon Ball Z Vol. 5
Kekkaishi Vol. 2
MeruPuri Vol. 4
Natsume’s Book of Friends Vol. 3
Naruto Vol. 22
One Piece Vol. 22
Rosario + Vampire Vol. 4
Rurouni Kenshin Vol. 11
Toriko Vol. 4

April 25th:
Black Bird Vol. 2
Bleach Vol. 13
Claymore Vol. 8
D.Gray-man Vol. 9
Dragon Ball Z Vol. 6
Fairy Cube Vol. 2
Naruto Vol. 23
One Piece Vol. 23
Vampire Knight Vol. 6

For more information on the VIZ Manga App, please visit VIZ.com/apps/.

Factory Entertainment: Green Hornet Giveaway

from Factory Entertainment:

Question: “In the Green Hornet Movie, what color does the Black Beauty turn into to disguise itself?”

All correct answers will be entered into a poll and winners will be selected at random. One entry per e-mail address, deadline to submit an entry is May 9th, 2011. Winners will receive one (1x) copy of the Green Hornet movie on either DVD or Blu-Ray. Prizes will be shipped the week of May 10th, 2011. We will contact you for your shipping address and preferred disc format. This competition is open to residents of the mainland USA only. Prize discs are Region: 1 for DVD and Region: A for Blu-Ray only.

P.S. If you know the answer, keep an eye out for a special and very limited product coming soon!

Spring Steals Sale: Thousands of Products Now 40% Off

from Things from Another World:

Our Spring Steals Sale is all about saving you money this April. We started out this week by marking down thousands of toys, comics, graphic novels, statues, and other collectibles by 40%. The savings get better from there!

Savings will increase to 50% off the remaining product on April 18th, and again to 60% off the remaining product on April 25th.

We’ve already sold out of a bunch of Steals products, so if you see something you like, don’t delay! Stock is limited and someone may steal the last copy out from under you if you wait too long!

Start Shopping Our Steals Sale

VIZ Media Expands VIZ Kids Imprint with a Full Slate of New Acquisitions

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media, the largest distributor of anime and manga in the United States, announced a full slate of acquisitions for its kids imprint, VIZ Kids. The acquisitions include DVD, Download-To-Own, and graphic novel licenses for a wide range of well-established global franchises.

“VIZ Media is excited to expand our kids imprint to include a variety of fun new properties,” said Elizabeth Kawasaki, Senior Editorial Director of VIZ Media. “These new titles use strong storytelling, eye-popping graphics and empowering themes to engage a younger generation of fans.”

Hero: 108 — VIZ Kids will be distributing DVDs of this popular series which airs on Cartoon Network. Hero: 108 chronicles the battle for peace in the Hidden Kingdom. In addition, VIZ Kids will make the episodes available for download through iTunes. DVDs will be available in May 2011 while downloadable episodes will launch in June 2011.
Mameshiba — The irresistibly cute and irrepressibly curious Mameshiba are not quite beans, not quite dogs — they’re a hybrid of both! VIZ Kids will release a graphic novel, Mameshiba: On the Loose!, and a character guide, Meet Mameshiba, in July 2011.
Pokémon Black and White — VIZ Kids will release manga, a travel activity kit, and other select merchandise based on the most recent incarnation of the juggernaut Pokémon video game franchise, Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version. Meet all-new Pokémon from the fastest-selling Pokémon video games in history. The travel activity kit will be available in May 2011; Volumes 1 and 2 of the manga will be available in July 2011.
Mr. Men and Little Miss — Mr. Happy, Little Miss Sunshine and all their Dillydale friends are about to take the graphic novel world by storm! Under the VIZ Kids imprint, VIZ Media will create and distribute original graphic novels starring the lovable Mr. Men and Little Misses. Little Miss Sunshine, Mr. Bump, Mr. Strong and Little Miss Daredevil books will be available in Spring 2012.
Voltron Force — Voltron, the ultimate space adventure from the 1980s, is ready to take the world by storm again! VIZ Kids will produce and distribute original graphic novels based on the all-new animated series Voltron Force, set to debut on Nicktoons this summer. Voltron Force reignites the story of five brave space explorers who pilot mighty robot lions that combine to form Voltron, Defender of the Universe. Joining the team are three new cadets, who have the opportunity of a lifetime to fight alongside their heroes and unlock incredible new powers. Let’s Voltron! The books will be available in Spring 2012.

Hero: 108, Mameshiba, Mr. Men, and Voltron Force are unique acquisitions because they are properties not owned by any of VIZ Media’s parent companies, Shueisha, Shogakukan and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions. These acquisitions join an already robust manga and anime VIZ Kids library, which includes The Legend of Zelda, Panda Man, Taro, Beyblade and Dinosaur King.

For more information on VIZ Kids, visit VIZKids.com.

Literary, Artistic Works Released in Support of Upcoming Independent, Almost-No-Budget Feature Film, “Project London”

from Project London:

Spiral Productions LLC, producers of Project London — the virtually no-budget, live action, science fiction film featuring 774 vivid, intense visual effects with animations created using open-source 3D software — announced today the availability of two novels from the movie’s website, projectlondonmovie.com. The prequel novella, Project Manhattan, is the first installment of the story that culminates in Project London. A graphic novel of Project London, based on the movie’s screenplay, presents a much darker exploration of the epic story and realigns it into a completely new, visual experience for the printed page.

The two new books debuted at the 2011 Emerald City Comicon in March, where the supplies of each book sold out at full price, with minimal promotion, to both existing and new fans of Project London from around the world. Showing its support for the movie’s growing fan base, Spiral Productions has made digital previews of the two books available for free on the Project London website, including the first 15 pages of Project Manhattan and 61 pages (nearly half) of the graphic novel.

Both Project Manhattan and the Project London graphic novel are now available for media reviews and will also be available at Norwescon 34, the Pacific Northwest’s premier science fiction and fantasy exhibition hosted in SeaTac, Washington, April 22-24. The next steps for the books include feature trailers soon available on YouTube, the release of digital (both) and audio (Project Manhattan) versions, and global distribution via Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.