Category: Announcements

Nintendo Celebrates “ValenSlime Day” with Launch of “Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation”

from Nintendo of Canada:

Starting today, video game fans in North America can embark on a classic hand-held adventure that has been unavailable outside of Japan for more than 15 years. The Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation game makes its North American debut for the Nintendo DS family of systems, combining classic role-playing thrills with fresh character options, unique challenges and play-it-anywhere convenience. With a robust class system and the ability to enlist monsters to help players on their quests, this memorable entry in the popular Dragon Quest series will enthrall experienced players and newcomers alike.

Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation invites players to explore multiple worlds and take a stand against the villainous Murdaw, who spreads terror and unrest throughout a strange alternate universe. Joined by a traveling martial artist and a mysterious girl, the game’s hero must face down an imaginative cast of enemy monsters — including the iconic Slime. In this new edition of the game for Nintendo DS systems, players can even have monsters join their traveling party to lend a hand in battles. Other special features include enhanced graphics and new touch-screen mini-games.

“With Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation, players not only get to discover a classic game that’s been unavailable outside Japan since 1995, but they’re also getting some fresh twists and surprises,” said Ron Bertram, Nintendo of Canada’s vice-president and general manager. “The ability to switch between character classes and recruit enemies into the player’s party adds a new level of fun to the classic Dragon Quest game play.”

Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation offers players more than 15 character classes, such as Priest, Warrior, Merchant and Thief. Throughout the adventure, these classes will become more powerful and grant the player new abilities that can be deployed as the game progresses.

For more information about Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation, visit dragonquest6.nintendo.com.

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from Mimoco:

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Stuff We Like! LEGO minifigures — Get Me!

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Roger Corman’s Sci-Fi Classics: Triple Feature

from Shout! Factory:

Roger Corman’s Sci-Fi Classics: Attack of the Crab Monsters, Not of This Earth (1957) and War of the Satellites
Triple-Feature Collector’s Edition 2-DVD Set
Three Films Directed and Produced by Legendary Roger Corman
Featuring All New Film Transfers from the Negatives and Widescreen Presentation of Attack of the Crab Monsters and Not of This Earth

In Attack of the Crab Monsters, a group of scientists become marooned on an island while investigating the disappearance of researchers who were looking into atomic activity in the Pacific. They quickly fall prey to giant, mutant crustaceans that have the ability to absorb the minds of their prey. Starring Russell Johnson (Gilligan’s Island), Richard Garland and Mel Welles (Little Shop of Horrors). Attack of the Crab Monsters is a Roger Corman Production. Produced and directed by Roger Corman; screenplay by Charles B. Griffith. (Allied Artists Picture)

An alien (Birch) comes to Earth, masquerading as a human, to scout our planet for a new blood source in Not of This Earth (1957). He needs the blood of humans to take back to his planet of Davana for his dying race. Starring Paul Birch, Beverly Garland (It Conquered the World), Morgan Jones (McMillan & Wife) and Jonathan Haze (Little Shop of Horrors). Not of This Earth (1957) is a Roger Corman Production. Produced and directed by Roger Corman; screenplay by Charles B. Griffith. (Allied Artists Picture)

In War of the Satellites, an “unknown force” declares war against planet Earth when the United Nations disobeys warnings to cease and desist in its attempts at assembling the first satellite in the atmosphere. Starring Dick Miller (Bucket of Blood), Richard Devon (Blood of Dracula), Susan Cabot (The Wasp Woman) and a cameo by Roger Corman. War of the Satellites is a Roger Corman Production. Produced and directed by Roger Corman; screenplay by Lawrence Louis Goldman; co-producers, Jack Rabin and Irving Block. (Allied Artists Release)

Attack of the Crab Monsters: 1957 / Black & White / 62 minutes / Widescreen
Not of This Earth: 1957 / 67 minutes / Widescreen
War of the Satellites: 1958 / 65 minutes / Full Frame

Roger Corman’s Sci-Fi Classics Special Features:
• A Salute to Roger Corman — featuring new interviews with Roger Corman, Peter Fonda, Peter Bogdanovich, Joe Dante and many more.
• Audio Commentaries on Attack of the Crab Monsters and Not of This Earth (1957) with Tom Weaver, John Brunas and Mike Brunas, authors of Universal Horrors.
• The Roger Corman Trailer Collection features over 25 trailers produced and directed by Roger Corman.
• All-new interview with Roger Corman looking back at all three films.

Order now at Amazon.com:
Roger Corman’s Sci-Fi Classics (Canada)
Roger Corman’s Sci-Fi Classics (US)

S&S Signs Up New YA Trilogy by Tonya Hurley

from Publishers Weekly:

Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing announced today that it has acquired U.S. and audio rights to The Blessed, a trilogy by Tonya Hurley, author of ghostgirl and its two sequels. Justin Chanda, v-p and publisher of Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, negotiated the deal with Andy McNichol of William Morris Endeavor. The trilogy — a contemporary, supernatural romance that is a reimagining of the martyrdom legends of three saints — will be edited by executive editor Zareen Jaffery; the inaugural novel will be published in July 2012.

Hurley says that her inspiration for the trilogy grew out of her fascination with martyr stories. To create The Blessed, she drew from the legends of St. Lucy, St. Cecelia, and St. Agnes, who were martyred at a relatively young age. “The legends of these martyrs are among the first real YA stories that we have, and I thought it would be interesting to reimagine them in a modern, romantic context,” she says. “These are infamous tales that are so gruesome and so profoundly beautiful at the same time — and so empowering.”

The author views The Blessed, which centers on three teenage girls in Brooklyn who must determine who is good and who is evil in the battle for love and for their own souls, as a “natural next step” for her as a writer. “The story deals with some of the themes in ghostgirl, but it is grittier, more grown up, and probably more Quentin Tarantino-esque — which I’m very excited about.”

With impressive credits in non-print media — she has created, written, and produced two TV series, wrote and directed several independent films, and developed video and board games — Hurley was pleased when ghostgirl was optioned this week by Chernin Entertainment/20th Century Fox. “It certainly is gratifying,” she says. “We’ll see what happens, but I’m hoping to be able to work on it and continue the story in a different medium. For me, it’s all about storytelling and any way you can tell a story interests me.” Ironically, Hurley initially wrote the first ghostgirl novel as a filmscript, which first appeared on the Internet before she decided to reshape it into a novel.

Chanda explains that S&S acquired The Blessed, which was headed to auction, with a preemptive bid — and a speedy one. “I think this might be the fastest we’ve ever moved on anything,” he says. “We received the proposal and bought the book on the evening of that same day. It was like lightning. We all loved it and decided to go for it.”

The publisher, who expects that the first printing of the debut installment of The Blessed will be in the 100,000 to 200,000-copy zone (“and that’s conservative”), was struck by the inventiveness of Hurley’s vision for The Blessed. “From the first sentence of Tonya’s proposal, this felt different and exciting,” Chanda says. “The story has a religious bent, and these are figures readers may have heard about, but it is told in a very different way. We publish a lot of high-end commercial fiction, but this trilogy doesn’t compete with anything else on our list. It’s very exciting to find something so entirely new.”

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from Mimoco:

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A.D. After Disclosure

A.D. After Disclosure: The People’s Guide to Life After Contact is a new book about what happens after the powers-that-be acknowledge ET/UFO reality. Written by Richard Dolan and Bryce Zabel, it is a work of speculative non-fiction, published by Keyhole Publishing. The trailer is set to the tune of “Need-to-Know: The UFO Disclosure Song” by Cherish Alexander.

Dark Skies: The Declassified Complete Series

from Shout! Factory:

An idealistic Congressional aide discovers evidence of aliens living among us. When he stumbles into the government’s longtime cover-up, his life changes forever. In the landmark television series Dark Skies, freedom fighter John Loengard declares that “history as we know it is a lie,” and sets out to find the truth before it’s too late. He and girlfriend Kim Sayers embark on a cross-country crusade, attempting to derail plans by the sinister alien “Hive.” Majestic-12, a covert government agency assigned to secretly fight the aliens, monitors Loengard; and Capt. Frank Bach is ready to silence him — or quietly aid his quest. Call it alternative history or call it the unthinkable truth. Either way, call it… Dark Skies.

Created by Bryce Zabel and Brent V. Friedman, Dark Skies, a brilliantly intense sci-fi drama, explored the thrilling intersection of history and mystery, politics and paranoia. Starring Eric Close (Without a Trace), Megan Ward (General Hospital, Boomtown) and the late J.T. Walsh (The Negotiator, Pleasantville), the series, set in the turbulent 1960s, won devoted fans throughout its 1996-97 run on NBC. Besides its fresh focus on the debate over UFOs, the show also incorporated historic figures’ participation into its plots: Bobby Kennedy, Jack Ruby, Timothy Leary, J. Edgar Hoover and other famous names helped to advance the story.

Fifteen years after Dark Skies first aired on network television, the entire series [was finally unleashed for the first time on DVD when Shout! Factory debuted] the Dark Skies: The Declassified Complete Series DVD box set on January 18, 2011, marking the 50th anniversary of President Kennedy’s inauguration. Newly remastered, this collectible 6-DVD box set includes all 19 episodes, an international TV pilot, a special commemorative booklet featuring a behind-the-scenes essay by Zabel, and extensive bonus content. The show’s creators Bryce Zabel and Brent V. Friedman, along with stars Eric Close and Megan Ward, discuss the series and their roles in an intimate look back Signal to Noise: Uncovering Dark Skies. Dark Skies: The Declassified Complete Series is a must-have for fans of science fiction, mystery and intrigues. This collectible DVD box set is priced to own at $44.99 SRP.

With fast-paced writing and innovative twists, Dark Skies offered alternative answers for that mysterious crash in Roswell, New Mexico, and the secrets surrounding JFK’s death in Dallas: was the president killed because he planned to tell the country the truth about UFOs? The period drama chronicled America’s path, in official Washington as well as small-town Main Street, from the roar of Cape Canaveral’s space-race excitement, through the haze of Viet Nam and the groovy “summer of love.” Everywhere, Hive aliens lurked, ready to “implant” ordinary citizens — including Kim, and John Loengard’s own brother — while moving toward the goal of world domination and “singularity.”

Dark Skies won an Emmy for its edgy opening sequence, and received four Emmy nominations during its run. The show’s richly detailed look, often embellished with real news footage, featured iconic, accurate touches of the times: chrome-grilled cars, TV dinners, and pastel telephones. Musically, Dark Skies offered an eclectic soundtrack of the 1960s, whether folk, rock, or in between. Recognizable names from real life enhanced the show’s premise: Howard Hughes’ famous fear of germs leads the reclusive billionaire to join John and Kim in their search for a Hive tunnel; Attorney General Bobby Kennedy orders a meeting with the pair on a country road; and music artist Jim Morrison has relevant, if volatile, information. Other familiar names cropping up in Dark Skies include Marilyn Monroe, Ronald Reagan, Hubert Humphrey, Colin Powell, Gerald Ford, Norman Schwarzkopf, Carl Sagan, Dan Rather, the Beatles and columnist Dorothy Kilgallen — all realistically portrayed in dramatic reminders of a different era.

For sci-fi enthusiasts and imaginative observers of history, Dark Skies: The Complete Series is a gem of a time capsule, revisiting a familiar period in history with new angles on what we know — or think we know.

Dark Skies: The Declassified Complete Series DVD Bonus Features:
• International pilot
• Cast & creator commentaries
• Signal to Noise: Uncovering Dark Skies — A 3-part intimate look back with creators Bryce Zabel & Brent V. Friedman and stars Eric Close & Megan Ward
• Network promos
• The Dark Skies Glossary
• Original sales presentation
• EPK
• Never-before-seen Season Two proposal
• …And more!

Order now at Amazon.com:
Dark Skies: The Declassified Complete Series (Canada)
Dark Skies: The Declassified Complete Series (US)

Anakin is Faced with the Ultimate Choice in the Final Chapter of an Epic Three-Part “Clone Wars” Arc – this Friday on Cartoon Network!

from StarWars.com:

The Jedi remain stranded on Mortis, with Anakin Skywalker caught in an epic struggle between the light side and the dark side of the Force. As the Jedi prepare for a decisive confrontation, Anakin must face some shocking visions of his own future in “Ghosts of Mortis” — the climactic chapter in an epic, three-part Clone Wars storyline, airing at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT Friday, February 11 on Cartoon Network.

With the fate of the galaxy on the line and Anakin himself tempted by absolute power over the Force, The Clone Wars continues to put a stake in the ground — firmly establishing the series as essential viewing for a full understanding of the still-unfolding Star Wars canon. The Mortis trilogy is utterly central to the maelstrom of what’s yet to come, bringing Anakin’s terrible destiny to the fore. In “Ghosts of Mortis,” we see his inevitable seduction to the dark side — in smoke-shrouded visions of the future, but also in the burning fires of the here and now. Plagued by a nightmarish glimpse of what he will become, Anakin will take up arms against his best friend amidst the fires of Mortis…

“The prophecy is finally playing out, front and center,” says Matt Lanter (90210, The Roommate), who voices Anakin in the series. “We are realizing that so many important events are being played out that will come to affect what happens in Revenge of the Sith. We see Anakin slowly becoming more independent, wanting more freedom and power. His relationships change. He has become even more of a leader, but may be questioning the Jedi leadership a little more. And it seems as if Anakin doesn’t trust [Obi-Wan] as much, and thinks he is actually holding him back.”

A transformative storyline in the trajectory of the series and the Saga as a whole, the Mortis trilogy explores wholly new ground — revealing the true nature of the Force as it’s never been seen before. At the very core of the story is Anakin — whose personal journey will ultimately define the galaxy.

“This is the Clones Wars at its best so far,” says Lanter. “These stories are such an important piece of not just the series, but Star Wars in general — and these are without a doubt the most trying and emotional episodes that we have seen Anakin deal with. He has to deal with visions of the past, saving his Padawan and risking the future all at the same time. It adds so much to the Saga and makes the events of the films that much more devastating.”

VIZ Pictures & NEW PEOPLE Rebrand and Launch New Corporate Divisions

from NEW PEOPLE:

VIZ Pictures, Inc., the film distributor and producer behind the Japanese pop culture venue in San Francisco known as NEW PEOPLE, has announced that it will now operate as a newly established company, NEW PEOPLE, Inc., to re-brand and create synergy between all corporate divisions. The company’s film distribution and licensing division will now operate as NEW PEOPLE Entertainment.

NEW PEOPLE Entertainment is complemented by the launch of another dedicated film and event production division — NEW PEOPLE Productions — that will organize and manage the annual J-Pop Summit Festival as well as future film premieres, live events, and the development of original programming. The J-Pop Summit Festival takes place in San Francisco every summer and has become one of the largest events in the U.S. devoted to Japanese pop culture, film, fashion, food, art, and music. The 2010 festival attracted over 40,000 people. The 2011 J-Pop Summit Festival is currently being planned for August. More information on NEW PEOPLE Entertainment is available at: NewPeopleEnt.com.

“The re-branding and launch of these new divisions within the NEW PEOPLE organization will allow us to better execute our core mission to bring Japanese and Asian pop culture in a variety of forms to U.S. audiences,” says Seiji Horibuchi, President and CEO of NEW PEOPLE Inc., and the founder of the NEW PEOPLE venue. “We’ve also expanded our corporate operations to include a recently opened office in Tokyo that will act as a channel to help facilitate future creative endeavors and partnerships with Japanese-based artists and film and media companies, as well as work to bring select U.S. brands to Japan.”

Horibuchi has spent his career working to popularize Japanese pop culture throughout North America. He founded VIZ Media in the 80s to distribute anime and manga comics for English audiences, and the company has become one of the largest and most successful publishers of Japanese entertainment media based in the U.S. In 2005, he founded VIZ Pictures, Inc., a company dedicated to bringing Japanese live-action films to the American audience. In 2009, he founded NEW PEOPLE as a first-of-its-kind destination devoted to film, fashion, art and unique retail brands and a company to foster creative collaboration among artists, filmmakers, fashion labels, and retail brands influenced by Japanese popular culture.

J!NX: Design a “World of Warcraft” T-Shirt and WIN LOOTZ

from J!NX:

World of Warcraft Design Arcade Challenge!
Attention Denizens of Azeroth! Have an amazing idea for a WoW-themed t-shirt? Well, now is your chance to share it with the rest of the world. We’re running a special Design Arcade challenge specifically for World of Warcraft. Not only could your idea be printed on a J!NX T-shirt, but you could also win a boatload of lootz, as well. Check out all the details here and start designing!

New Design Arcade Winner: Cowabunga T-Shirt
Ever wonder what would happen if the effects of the Ooze on the Ninja Turtles was only temporary? One day, their sweet ninja skillz would be gone, leaving only some poor, blindfolded tortoises. A sad day indeed, and one we hope never comes to pass. Minion Ike Motta has forseen this harsh turn of events, and immortalized it in ink and cotton for our Design Arcade challenge, lest we lose sight of what is really important: pizza and parties, dude.

Valentine’s Day Gift Guide
It’s February, which means that the air is full of perfumes and love potions, and even the most hard-hearted geeks perk up when they see the ubiquitous heart-shaped-box of candies. If you’re having trouble deciding what token of adoration to present your sweetie this year, then not to worry. The J!NX Crew has compiled a gift guide to point you in the right direction. Check out the guide here, but make sure the Missus (or Mister) isn’t looking!

$10 off your order of $40 or more
Use Promotion Code: 9x-7i>3(3x-7u)
This offer expires Monday, February 14, 2011 at 11:59PM PST, so don’t wait!
*can’t be combined with any other offers, sale prices, or discounts