Category: Announcements

Big News for “Riese the Series”

from Riese:

As the new year rolls around, we’ve had a lot of developments with the show that we’ve been itching to tell you about. First of all, as you’ve already seen, Chapter 2’s episodes are new and improved, with higher production values, exciting story and some really amazing cast additions. Also, we’re nearly finished with the development of our iPhone game tie-in. Without giving too many details away, I think you’ll all be really excited.

We also recently partnered with Fireworks, a digital distribution branch of ContentFilm, based out of the UK. They’re largely responsible for the transition of the webseries Valemont from internet to television, and they handle a number of many other well-known webseries as well.

What does this mean for Riese? It opens up a number of opportunities. For one, it increases the chances that we can keep making this show and letting you become further involved in the world of Riese. Additionally, it boosts the possibility of us being able to distribute the series on other platforms (episode downloads, DVDs, and television).

Now, for the bad news. While Fireworks is negotiating deals on our behalf, we’ve had to remove our episodes from online streaming. We’re not happy about it by any means — we want all of our fans to enjoy Riese whenever they want — but we also understand that it’s a necessary move in order to keep a project like Riese afloat. The few of us that are responsible for producing Riese on a day-to-day basis are realistic that we cannot sustain it without the support of Fireworks and our viewers.

We hope to have everything back up as soon as possible, and we’ll keep everyone posted as we move forward. I know a lot of people will be bummed out, but just know that this slight delay could mean a whole new future for Riese. We don’t want to disappoint you all, but I know you’d be even more disappointed if we left the rest of this epic tale untold.

Thanks for being a part of something that’s been incredibly dear to us, and for helping to turn it into something greater than we could have ever imagined. We hope to have your continued support during this brief hiatus. In the meantime, look for bonus behind-the-scenes videos from our newest episodes.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at ryan (at) riesetheseries (dot) com.

Sincerely,

Ryan Copple & Kaleena Kiff
Creators of Riese

Weta’s District 9 range has launched!

from Weta:

Weta’s range of District 9 products has launched. First out are two FULL SIZE GUNS — the Arc Generator and the Gas Projector.

The collectibles are of course created by the same artists and craftspeople who created the original designs, props and creatures in the movie.

These are the first products in a series of District 9 items from Weta.

You can view the original news article here.

Follow Weta Online! Twitter | Facebook

“Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” Official Graphic Novel Adaptation

from Things from Another World:

“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains.”

So begins Pride and Prejudice and Zombies — Jane Austen’s immortal classic of Regency romance, brought to glorious, gory new life with zombie mayhem from Seth Grahame-Smith.

The book quickly became a New York Times bestseller, and now there’s an official graphic novel adaptation — the perfect format to bring this remixed masterpiece to zombie-loving pop-culture fans.

Elizabeth Bennet is one of England’s most fearsome warriors, whose speed with a sword is only matched by her quick wit. But she faces her most formidable foe yet in the haughty, conceited, and yet strangely attractive person of Mr. Darcy.

As the two lovers meet in the ballroom and on the battlefield, they’ll soon learn that nothing — not even bands of ninjas, disapproving aunts, and an army of ravenous zombies — can stop true love.

Make Your Own Digital Mix Tape

from Rhino Entertainment:

Remember when love was as simple as a tape full of slow jams and a six-pack? The long lost days of making a mix for your baby are back again and they’ve been upgraded. Pick up our groovy cassette* USB in black, blue, purple or pink, and we’ll help you fill it up with 20% off your choice of our digital collection**.

*Free Ground Shipping offer valid through 11:59pm, February 10, 2010 for U.S. Addresses only. **20% off Digital Tracks valid only in the same cart and purchase as the USB Cassette. You must add your digital tracks to the same cart and purchase as the USB Cassette to receive the discount, which is automatic at checkout. Rhino reserves the right to extend, modify, or discontinue these offers any time without notice.

Saving the World is Hard… Saving Yourself is Even Harder in Exciting New Manga Series “Bokurano: Ours”

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, will delight fans with the release of Mohiro Kitoh’s manga series, Bokurano: Ours on February 16th. The manga is rated “T+” for Older Teens and will be published under the VIZ Signature imprint and carry an MSRP of $12.99 U.S. / $16.99 CAN.

One summer, fifteen kids innocently wander into a nearby seaside cave. There they meet a strange man who invites them to play an exciting new video game. This game, he explains, pits one lone giant robot against a horde of alien invaders. To play the game, all they have to do is sign a simple contract. The game stops being fun when the kids find out the true purpose of their pact.

“This release continues to demonstrate the success of our innovative partnership with Japan’s Ikki magazine, and sci-fi fans and manga connoisseurs won’t want to miss the debut of this addictive series,” says Leyla Aker, Senior Editorial Manager, VIZ Media. “Fans of Mohiro Kitoh already know that he’s a master at blending psychological suspense with amazing action, and we’re excited to introduce his work to a whole new readership.”

Bokurano: Ours is one of the flagship series of Ikki magazine, published in Japan since 2003 and home to some of the most innovative and compelling titles in the world of contemporary manga. The series is currently available to read online at SigIKKI.com, the groundbreaking web destination for a broad range of unique manga designed for mature audiences.

Mohiro Kitoh made his manga debut in 1995 with the series, Vandemiere’s Wings. In addition to Shadow Star, his other notable manga works include, Hallucination from the Womb and Zansho — A Collection of Short Stories. Bokurano: Ours was adapted into a novel, Bokurano: Alternative, by Ohki Renji as well as a 24-episode animated series produced by studio Gonzo.

For more information on other VIZ Signature titles and to check out a sneak peek of chapter one through six of Bokurano: Ours please visit SigIKKI.com.

“Mass Effect: Redemption” #1 Sells Out!

from Dark Horse Comics:

Just in time for the arrival of the hit series’ second issue, in stores today, Mass Effect: Redemption #1 will be reprinted to fill demand after selling out across the country.

Mass Effect: Redemption tells the exciting backstory that leads up to the events of Mass Effect 2, the recently released video game developed by the award-winning creative team at BioWare. The game’s lead writer, Mac Walters, takes up the pen to give fans exclusive insight into the events that unfolded between the conclusion of the original Mass Effect and the beginning of Mass Effect 2. Scripted by John Jackson Miller (Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, The Invincible Iron Man) and drawn by Omar Francia (Star Wars: Legacy), this four-part series explores the exotic and dangerous future Milky Way of Mass Effect, revealing previously unseen locations, aliens, and enemies in this rich science-fiction landscape.

The Mass Effect trilogy is an epic science-fiction adventure set in a vast universe filled with dangerous alien life and mysterious, uncharted planets. In Mass Effect 2, players will step into the role of the heroic Commander Shepard, commanding a crew of the most dangerous operatives from across the galaxy on a mission so challenging that it’s potentially suicidal. Featuring intense shooter action, a rich, futuristic story line, stunning space exploration, and emotionally engaging characters, the game delivers an unparalleled cinematic experience.

“Dark Horse has enjoyed a close and productive working relationship with everyone at BioWare and EA,” said Dark Horse’s senior director of marketing, Micha Hershman. “Thanks to that relationship, our team created an awesome comic that we feel authentically supplements the gaming experience,” he continued. “We’re geeked that comics, gaming, and science-fiction fans appreciate the quality of our work and continue to drive unprecedented demand for both the comic and the iPhone app.”

For those who have yet to read this explosive first issue, it is also currently available for free download on iTunes until Thursday. After that, Mass Effect: Redemption #1 will be available for just ninety-nine cents.

Mass Effect: Redemption is the fifth title to arrive in Dark Horse’s ever-growing stable of comics available on the iPhone platform. Other titles available now include Gerard Way’s smash hit The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite, Hellboy: Seed of Destruction, Terminator: Death Valley, and multiple titles from the critically acclaimed line of Star Wars comics. The first issue will hit iTunes February third, just in time for the release in comic shops of the second issue of the series. For more information, please visit www.darkhorse.com/features/mobile.

Mass Effect 2 was released on the Xbox 360 video-game and entertainment system and on PC on January 26, 2010, in North America and January 29, 2010, in Europe. It has been rated M for Mature by the ESRB and 18+ by PEGI (please visit esrb.org and pegi.eu for more information on ratings). For more news from the development team, please follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/masseffect2 or visit the game’s official website at masseffect.bioware.com.

Dr. Romanelli X Hello Kitty “Anatomy” Figures

from Mimoco:

We’re happy to announce the latest and greatest addition to Stuff We Like!

Dr. Romanelli has gotten together with Sanrio for a special collaboration produced by MEDICOM TOY. The inspiration for the collection stems from the good doctor’s fascination with medical science.

Also… don’t forget about our very own Hello Kitty X MIMOBOT series — available in 5 styles!

Online Thriller, “Compulsions”, Wins Four Awards at the 1st Annual Indie Soap Awards

from Compulsions:

Compulsions, the episodic online thriller, won four awards at the 1st Annual Indie Soap Awards. The four awards tied acclaimed drama Anyone But Me with most total wins. The awards were announced in a ceremony on Monday night from Shelter Studios in New York City.

Full List of Winners can be found here.

Compulsions won the following awards:

Best Performance by a Lead Actor — Craig Frank as Mark Sandler
Best Performance by a Supporting Actress — Taryn O’Neill as Sara Flannery
Best Sound Design — Tom Boykin
Best Editing — Michael Darrow

Episode 4: “Solutions” showcases the talents of all four individual winners.

Craig Frank can be seen in the upcoming series A Good Night’s Quest for The Escapist magazine and in The Crew on Babelgum.com.

Taryn O’Neill was previously nominated for a Streamy Award in 2009 for her role in After Judgment and also appears in Hurtling Through Space at an Alarming Rate! on Babelgum.com.

Compulsions has already won the Clicker Award for Best Original Web Drama of 2009 for its eight episode Season 1. The series was written and created by Bernie Su, directed by Nathan Atkinson, and produced by Robert Grand and Michael Tohl.

Compulsions was initially distributed by Dailymotion.com, but can now be seen on Youtube.com.

ThinkGeek less than threes you

from ThinkGeek:

Oh frabjous day!

In a missive that made designerds and code monkeys everywhere swoon with Valentiney love, our sweetheart Google announced they would stop supporting IE6. Or as our codeslingers call it, IE666. Google pulled out their vorpal blades and with a snicker-snack, they left IE6 dead. Hearing the news was just like being in high school and getting a pass out of P.E. We are chortling with joy. Callooh! Callay! We love you, Google. Muah! Now, if you could only do something about Comic Sans and Papyrus fonts…

i <3 u!
Prove you love them for more than their <body> with these awesome Valentine’s Day gifts.

Get $10 off your > $40 order!
To celebrate the sweetness of geek love and the pure, delicious awesome of IE6 dying a rightful death, we open our hearts so you don’t have to empty your wallets. Use the code SWEETGEEKS to get $10 off your $40 order until 11:59 pm EST on 2/6/2010. We won’t tell your sweetie that you got a sweet discount. You just pile on the presents and look like the romantic hero and it’ll be our little secret.

Find more What’s New items at ThinkGeek!

VIZ Pictures to Release “20th Century Boys 2: The Last Hope” on DVD

from VIZ Pictures:

VIZ Pictures, an affiliate of VIZ Media, LLC that focuses on Japanese live-action film distribution, will release the science fiction feature 20th Century Boys 2: The Last Hope on DVD on February 16th in North America through its distributor, VIZ Media. 20th Century Boys will carry a MSRP of $24.92 US / $35.99 CAN.

The 20th Century Boys saga is based on Naoki Urasawa’s manga series, 20th Century Boys (published in the US by VIZ Media), which has become a national phenomenon in Japan, selling over 20 million copies of the 24 volumes. Urasawa is the creator of many famous works such as the hit manga series Monster and Pluto, also published in the US by VIZ Media.

The film is directed by Yukihiko Tsutsumi, who began directing commercials and music videos at Nihon Television. One of his most recent films includes Happily Ever After (2007), also released by VIZ Pictures and distributed by VIZ Media. Both Naoki Urasawa and music director Ryomei Shirai are fans of the 1970’s rock music scene and chose “20th Century Boys” by T.REX (Imperial Records) as the main theme song.

The story began in 1969 when a young boy named Kenji and his friends write “The Book of Prophecy” in which they write about a future where they fight against an evil organization trying to take over the world and bring about doomsday. Years later in 1997, a mysterious cult being led by a man only known as “Friend” emerges and begins to gain strong influence over society. A series of catastrophic events begin to occur mirroring the prophecies made up by the young Kenji and the greatest fear is the climax of “The Book” becoming a reality; December 31st, 2000, a terrifying giant virus-spreading robot will attack the entire city of Tokyo leading to the end of mankind. The only people who know about “The Book” are Kenji and his childhood friends. Who is “Friend”? Will Kenji and his friends be able to save mankind and live to see the 21st Century?

In 20th Century Boys 2: The Last Hope it is 2015, and “Friend” rules a disturbing new world. Kenji has been missing since the Bloody New Year’s Eve of 2000, and his niece Kanna is now in high school. Her history textbook contains a fabricated story about Kenji and his friends being the terrorists behind the horrific events of 2000. Kanna, knowing the truth, openly resents this, and as a result she is marked as a problem child by her teacher and sent to the Friend Land program because of her anti-Friend behavior. Friend Land is a facility where people with rebellious behavior are re-educated. As the program begins, Kanna and her classmate Kyoko Koizumi achieve high marks and are sent to the advanced program called the Bonus Stage, where they find themselves in a virtual reconstruction of 1971, when Kenji and his friends were kids. There, each of the girls learns crucial secrets about “Friend.”

The surviving secret base members have been separated since Bloody New Year’s Eve but each has spent the last 15 years in various activities opposing Friend and his regime. As Kenji’s friends all try to find out the truth about Friend, they discover the shocking existence of The New Book of Prophecy, the sequel to The Book of Prophecy. The New Book describes an event: In 2015, at a church in Shinjuku, a savior will rise to uphold justice but will be assassinated. Who is the savior? Once again, Doomsday looms near…

To celebrate this DVD release, VIZ Pictures will be holding a special screening event at VIZ Cinema in San Francisco on February 9th at 7:30 PM. Ticket for admission is $25.00, which will include a ticket for the screening, a copy of the 20th Century Boys 2: The Last Hope DVD, poster, and pin! Additionally, VIZ Pictures is raffling off 20th Century Boys T-shirts before the show so come watch the film for a chance to win! Tickets are available at the box office or online at vizcinema.com. For more information about this event, please visit vizcinema.com or viz-pictures.com.

“20th Century Boys has been a mega hit since it mesmerized audiences with its U.S. theatrical premiere of 20th Century Boys 1: Beginning of the End in the summer of 2009, and we are excited to announce the U.S. debut of 20th Century Boys 2: The Last Hope,” says Seiji Horibuchi, President and CEO of VIZ Pictures. “We also hope fans in the San Francisco Bay Area can join us for the one night only special screening at VIZ Cinema to experience 20th Century Boys on the Big Screen.”

For more information on 20th Century Boys or other VIZ Pictures titles, please visit viz-pictures.com.

Star Wars: New York City adidas Event

from StarWars.com:

If you’re in New York on February 4th, join adidas Originals and Foot Locker for an Imperial March to celebrate the launch of the adidas Originals Star Wars collection. Led by Darth Vader, the march will begin at Foot Locker (43-45 W. 34th St.) at 9:30 AM with a celebrity guest joining at the Times Square Foot Locker (1530 Broadway) at 10:00 AM.

The first 50 customers to purchase a shoe at each location will receive a special Star Wars gift. Everyone will have the opportunity to get their photo taken with Star Wars characters. The march will continue south and culminate at the SoHo adidas Originals store (136 Wooster) at 11:00 AM where the special celebrity guest will unveil the adidas Skywalker shoe which will be available for purchase for the first time in the US. DJ Neil Armstrong will be on hand spinning for the crowd.