Category: Announcements

Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess — “Instructions” Book Trailer

from HarperKids:

Check out an animated book trailer for Instructions, the new book from Newbery Medal winner Neil Gaiman and illustrator Charles Vess!

Find more Neil Gaiman videos, games and books at mousecircus.com.

Trust Dreams.
Trust your heart,
and trust your story.

A renowned storyteller whose words have transported readers to magical realms and an acclaimed illustrator of lushly imagined fairy-tale landscapes guide a traveler safely through lands unknown and yet strangely familiar…

…and home again.

New “Star Wars” Animated Series in the Works

from StarWars.com:

Lucasfilm Animation is currently developing an all-new animated Star Wars series, focusing its efforts on the comedic aspects of the “galaxy far, far away.” Featuring creative involvement from Seth Green and Matthew Senreich, creators and executive producers of the Emmy and Annie Award-winning Robot Chicken, as well as writing from The Daily Show‘s Brendan Hay, the series will look at the Saga’s characters with a playful and irreverent tone. The series will be produced by Daytime Emmy and Gemini Award-winner Jennifer Hill (The Backyardigans), and directed by Emmy-nominated Todd Grimes (Back at the Barnyard).

“There are so many stories taking place in the Star Wars universe, and they don’t all have to focus on the fate of the galaxy,” said Grimes. “We’re looking at Star Wars from a new perspective; this will be a glimpse at how the rest of the galaxy is affected by the events of the Saga. There’s a lot of humor to be mined from that.”

“The Star Wars universe is so dense and rich; it’s crazy to think that there aren’t normal, mundane everyday problems in a world so well-defined,” said Green. “And it’s even crazier to think of what those problems might be, since it’s all set in a galaxy far, far away. What do these characters do when they’re not overthrowing Empires?”

Said Senreich, “We’re going to pull back the curtain of some of those behind-the-scenes shenanigans. It’s going to appeal to all ages, the way Star Wars should — but there’ll be plenty buried under the surface, as well. As Obi-Wan might say, ‘it all depends on your point of view’.”

VIZ Media Nominated in Multiple Categories for the 2010 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, announced today that three of its manga titles and one creator have been nominated in several categories for the 2010 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards for a total of 6 nominations, as announced by Comic-Con International on April 8, 2010.

Named for pioneering writer and comic artist Will Eisner, the awards recognize exemplary comics, graphic novels and other pop writings, and are given each year as part of the annual Comic-Con International convention. Winners will be announced at a gala ceremony on the evening of Friday, July 23rd during Comic-Con, at which VIZ Media will be a major exhibitor and participant in the programs offered. VIZ Media titles are consistently nominated for the Eisner Awards, and in 2008, took home the Eisner Award for Best U.S. Edition of International Material — Japan for Tekkonkinkreet: Black & White, by acclaimed creator Taiyo Matsumoto.

The nominated titles from VIZ Media are:

Oishinbo by Tetsu Kariya and Akira Hanasaki

  • Best U.S. Edition of International Material — Asia

Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka, by Naoki Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki

  • Best Limited Series or Story Arc
  • Best U.S. Edition of International Material — Asia

Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys, by Naoki Urasawa

  • Best Continuing Series
  • Best U.S. Edition of International Material — Asia

In addition, Naoki Urasawa is nominated for Best Writer/Artist, for his work on Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys and Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka. According to the nomination list, Urasawa-sensei is also the creator with the most nominations.

“We are so excited that VIZ Media again has several nominees in the coveted Eisner Awards,” states Alvin Lu, Vice President, Publishing VIZ Media. “These awards recognize excellence in the comics industry, and we are honored to be considered among such a diverse group of nominees.”

Oishinbo by Tetsu Kariya and Akira Hanasaki
VIZ Signature
Rated “T” for Teens
Oishinbo (or “The Gourmet”) depicts the adventures of journalist Shiro Yamaoka, who writes for the fictional newspaper Tozai News. When the paper’s top executives decide to create “The Ultimate Menu” to celebrate the paper’s 100th anniversary, Yamaoka, known for his reputation as a foodie with culinary skills to match, is given the daunting assignment. With the help of his coworker Kurita, Yamaoka begins an epic saga to find unique and tasty dishes that will compose this ultimate bill of fare. The subject of the debut volume is classical Japanese cuisine, and features delicious stories on subjects like how to prepare a proper dashi (the broth that is one of the building blocks of Japanese cooking), green tea, and red snapper sashimi. Each subsequent volume of Oishinbo focuses on specific foods and culinary trends such as sake, sushi, vegetables, rice dishes, ramen, and izakaya (pub) food.

Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka by Naoki Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki
VIZ Signature
Rated “T+” for Older Teens
(Nominated in Three Categories)
Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka is a modern reinterpretation of the work by the master of manga, Osamu Tezuka. In an ideal world where man and robots coexist, someone or something is after the seven great robots of the world. Interpol assigns robot detective Gesicht to this most strange and complex case — and he eventually discovers that he is one of the targets!

Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys by Naoki Urasawa
VIZ Signature
Rated “T+” for Older Teens
(Nominated in Three Categories)
Humanity, having faced extinction at the end of the 20th century, would not have entered the new millennium if it weren’t for them. In 1969, during their youth, they created a symbol. In 1997, as the coming disaster slowly starts to unfold, that symbol returns. This is the story of a group of boys who try to save the world.

Riese is moving to SyFy!

Riese

from Riese:

We’re thrilled to announce that SyFy has licensed Riese! Full Press Release below:

Syfy remains on the forefront of cutting edge fantasy based digital entertainment with the acquisition of the highly acclaimed web series, Riese, it was announced today by Craig Engler, SVP and GM of Syfy Digital. Syfy Digital has acquired the rights to the entire 10-part series — which is distributed by Fireworks International, the television and digital distribution arm of ContentFilm plc — with an eye towards development for a broadcast air. Riese consists of two five-part episode seasons, with season two premiering fully for the first time exclusively on Syfy.com. Season one and two are both slated for a digital launch in the fall 2010.

“Riese is a fantastic web series with a lot of room to grow, and we’re excited to work with the very talented cast and crew to help them take the show to the next level, backed by the full promotional efforts that Syfy can bring to the table,” said Engler. “At the same time we’ll be working hand-in-hand with our TV development team to see if Riese has the potential to make the jump to TV, just like our hit show Sanctuary did.”

Riese recently scooped the Streamy Award for ‘Best Cinematography in a Web Series’ with a further three nominations for Best Sound Design, Best Foreign Series and Art Direction. The digital series starring Christine Chatelain (Sanctuary, Fringe), Sharon Taylor (Smallville, Eureka), Ben Cotton (Stargate Atlantis, Harper’s Island), and Patrick Gilmore (Fringe, Stargate Universe), was shot in Vancouver, BC, and is created by Ryan Copple and Kaleena Kiff and produced by Galen Fletcher and Nicholas Humphries.

Jonathan Ford, Executive Vice-President, Digital Acquisitions and Distribution at Fireworks International added, “Syfy is highly regarded in the digital community with a fantastic background in identifying and securing the best in new multiplatform content. We are delighted to announce this significant deal for the important US market and look forward to working with the Syfy team on the web series as well as developing Riese for television.”

Riese is a fantasy-adventure based web series that chronicles a mysterious wanderer named Riese, (portrayed by Chatelain). A life-on-the-run from a world with a dim future, Riese and her trusted wolf companion, Fenrir flee their dying land of Eleysia in search of freedom as they are hunted by assassins of ‘The Sect,’ a terrifying religious entity. As she tries to piece together her mysterious past, Riese will take on a life and death journey with the balance and the fate of the world lying in the palm of her hands.

About Fireworks International:

Fireworks International is Content Film’s international television and digital distribution division with over 3,000 hours of high-quality and commercially appealing programming including an extensive slate of major drama series, non-fiction entertainment, kids live action comedy and drama series, TV movies, mini-series and special event programming. Recent additions include comedic drama series, Republic of Doyle, primetime drama series, The Border and heart-warming family drama series, Heartland; non-fiction primetime documentary specials Hunting the Lost Symbol and I Know What I Saw; U.S. tween comedy The Assistants; high definition multi-platform thriller series Valemont, Girl Number 9 and Sci-Fi thriller, Riese; new children’s programmes Half Moon Investigations, Family Biz as well as the classic anime series, Robotech; plus over 200 U.S. network mini-series and TV movies; and specials including the Annual U.S. Primetime Emmy Awards show. This new product is combined with the large and valuable Fireworks library catalogue, which is complemented by a raft of formidable television shows including Gene Roddenberry’s Andromeda, Mutant X and Relic Hunter.

Syfy is a media destination for imagination-based entertainment. With year round acclaimed original series, events, blockbuster movies, classic science fiction and fantasy programming, a dynamic Web site (Syfy.com), and a portfolio of adjacent business (Syfy Ventures), Syfy is a passport to limitless possibilities. Originally launched in 1992 as SCI FI Channel, and currently in 95 million homes, Syfy is a network of NBC Universal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies. Syfy. Imagine greater.

This all wouldn’t be possible without your support. Thank you so much for everything, as this is all thanks to you. We’ll keep you updated when we hear more news! And, let us know what you think on our forum!

-Ryan

Spring Cleaning! Save up to 75% on Official Merchandise at WBshop.com!

from WBShop.com:

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J!NX Super-Colossal Sale — Hurry, only 2 days Left! $7 off tees and more

from J!NX:

2 DAYS LEFT!
Many of you have been taking advantage of our biggest discounts ever. For the few who haven’t, you still have 2 days to take advantage of this amazing deal. Never before have we offered $7 off shirts and $15 off hoodies. Also, if you’ve been waiting to adopt a Talking Plush Murloc, now’s the best time, with adoption fees reduced to $25! This sale ends Friday @ 11:59pm EDT, so hurry up and get your order in! (Some restrictions apply, see our FAQs for details.)

VIZ Pictures Brings the High Flying Action of “K-20: The Fiend with Twenty Faces” to DVD

from VIZ Pictures:

VIZ Pictures, an affiliate of VIZ Media, LLC that focuses on Japanese live-action film distribution, will release the action film, K-20: The Fiend with Twenty Faces, on DVD on April 20th. The film will carry an MSRP of $24.92 U.S. / $35.99 CAN, and will be distributed exclusively across North America by VIZ Media.

Director Shimako Sato assembled a strong cast and used cutting edge special effects to bring K-20 to life. The movie is set in the fictional city of Teito in the late 1940s, in a world where World War II never happened and the nobility system established during the Meiji Era still exists. An extreme divide exists between the upper and lower classes, with 90 percent of the country’s wealth being held by the upper class. The capital of Teito is in crisis with the emergence of a menacing phantom thief known as “The Fiend (Kaijin) with Twenty Faces” or simply “K-20.” The film is based on The Story of Nijyumenso, a novel written by Soh Kitamura, and also features the mesmerizing theme song, Shock of the Lightning, by the British band Oasis.

Heikichi Endo (played by Takeshi Kaneshiro) is a circus acrobat who is deceived by K-20 and framed to take the fall for the phantom thief. Using his incredible physical dexterity, Heikichi wages war against K-20 in order to clear his name and fights alongside K-20’s next wealthy target, Duchess Yoko Hashiba (Takako Matsu) and her fiancée, the brilliant detective Kogoro Akechi (Toru Nakamura). But what is the ultimate decision Heikichi has to make?

Actor Takeshi Kaneshiro is internationally renowned and made his screen debut in the film Executioners (1993) followed by the critically acclaimed Wong Kar-Wai film Chungking Express (1994). More recently he has starred in films including House of Flying Daggers (2004) and The Battle of Red Cliff (2008).

To celebrate this new release, VIZ Pictures has also announced a special theatrical screening of K-20 at VIZ Cinema in San Francisco on April 20th at 7:00pm. Tickets are $25.00 and also will include a copy of the DVD, a K-20 poster and more! VIZ Cinema is located at: 1746 Post St., San Francisco, CA 94115. Tickets are available at the box office and online at vizcinema.com.

“The character of K-20 was originally born in the best-selling 26-volume Boy Detectives series, written by Japanese literary master Rampo Edogawa, and over the years the stories have been enjoyed by more than 100 million people,” says Seiji Horibuchi, President and CEO of VIZ Pictures. “The inspired film uses a potent mix of eye-catching visual effects and gravity-defying high wire stunts to bring the unique story to the screen with incredible results. We look forward to fans discovering this thrilling new action feature from VIZ Pictures.”

For more information on K-20: The Fiend with Twenty Faces or other VIZ Pictures titles, please visit viz-pictures.com.

New Star Wars MIMOBOT release!

from Mimoco:

NEW! Star Wars MIMOBOT Series 5

MIMOBOT Brings “A New Hope” to USB Ports Everywhere!

Devoted to the film that started it all — Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope — the latest series of classic characters immortalized as USB flash drives includes astromech droid extraordinaire R2-D2 and the shooting-impaired Stormtrooper — both back by popular demand from the original Star Wars MIMOBOT series. Two newcomers also join the 2010 series, including that scavenger of the desert, the Jawa, and the fan selection from the first-ever Star Wars MIMOBOT Audience Choice poll — Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Shop Now!

R2-D2 MIMOBOT designer USB flash drive
Everyone’s favorite astromech droid extraordinaire R2-D2!
starts at $29.95

Stormtrooper Unmasked MIMOBOT designer USB flash drive
The completely redesigned Stormtrooper Unmasked MIMOBOT features a removable helmet with a 50/50 chance of revealing either Han or Luke beneath.
starts at $29.95

Obi-Wan Kenobi MIMOBOT designer USB flash drive
Obi-Wan joins the collection via the first Star Wars MIMOBOT community vote.
starts at $29.95

Jawa MIMOBOT designer USB flash drive
The techno-scavengers who nearly fried dear Artoo know good electronics when they see them.
starts at $29.95

Video Premiere
Star Wars MIMOBOT Series 5 Video!
These are the droids you’re looking for! Starring the characters from the Star Wars MIMOBOT Series 5 collection.

Shop all Star Wars MIMOBOT Series

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Immedium: April 2010 Book Spotlight

from Immedium:

The Octonauts chart new horizons

In America, this is National Week of the Ocean! If you don’t live near a beach, do the next best thing — join The Octonauts on one of their adventures!

“The Octonauts are a team of eight underwater explorers who resemble Hello Kitty and friends, but have the gumption of Jacques Cousteau. Capt. Barnacles Bear and his crew, which includes a bunny, octopus, and otter, find their vacation to the Great Reef City interrupted when they discover that the reef is silent and white, like a ghost town. Investigating reveals that the buildings were blocking the sun and preventing healthy algae growth. Kids should be drawn in by the zippy graphics and comprehend the message about conservation.” — Publishers Weekly

Then on the web, you can join their growing Facebook fan page: www.facebook.com/octonauts

Plus we are proud to announce that the Octonauts will debut as an animated TV series this fall in the United Kingdom, France, Australia, Scandinavia, and more countries! We’ve partnered with Chorion UK, who has produced shows such as Mr. Men and Olivia the Pig. Stay tuned for more news to come!

Meet the creators Meomi who will sign books at the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo on April 24-25th.

Immedium stories available on iPad

It seems everyone is buzzing about Apple’s new tablet and its potential impact on publishing. So we’re glad we put our books online earlier with astorybeforebed.com, because now their applet is available on the iPad, as reported by Media Bistro’s Galley Cat.

You can record yourself reading our stories on your Mac or PC (with a webcam and microphone), and watch your story times (play them back) on the iPad.

“I’m totally gaga, though, over their new site, A Story Before Bed. This might be one of those things that parents and grandparents will flip out with happiness about while everyone else scratches their heads, but as a new parent, finding it made me feel like a special delivery had arrived expressly for my daughter… My daughter’s happy reaction at seeing relatives — or me, when I’m traveling — on iChat makes the webcam in my laptop worth the whole cost of the machine. We read her three books every night before bed, and the idea of one of those being by a ‘guest reader’ from afar is wonderful. This is one of those ways of connecting people that I can’t help but be excited to see.” — Marc Hedlund, O’Reilly Radar

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The Legend of Neil: Streamys

from The Legend of Neil:

Happy day! Atom.com and Effinfunny produced series The Legend of Neil raked in 4 nominations for the 2nd annual Streamy awards! We couldn’t be more happy with our take (well I guess 5 would’ve been nice, but who’s counting?). We pulled in nominations for Best Comedy Show, Best Directing in a Comedy Series (Sandeep Parikh), Best Writing in a Comedy Series (Sandeep Parikh & Tony Janning), and the Audience Choice awards which you can vote for here! Voting begins right now and lasts through April 11th. It’s super easy, no registration required, just click to vote! We know that we’re up against some stiff competition but winning that would mean the world to us. We couldn’t have gotten this far without our fan support so thank you all for spreading the word about the initial voting rounds and the tremendous push we got from our Facebook and Twitter pages. You guys rock. Kill Link!