Celebrate Your Geekdom
from Quirk Books:
Dawn of the Dreadfuls Hits New York Times Best-Seller List
Check out this prequel to the original monster mash-up phenomenon, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.
Read an excerpt and check out the book trailer.
Quirk @C2E2 on Flickr
See photos of all the wacky antics and comic-inspired debauchery at C2E2.
Quirk’s Series of Tubes:
Find Quirk Books on Facebook
Find Quirk Classics on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Watch our videos on YouTube
Admire our photos on Flickr
from Jonathan Coulton:
Hello! If it seems like I’ve disappeared from the internet it’s because I’ve been in prison. Kidding! They have the internet in prison!
First, please note that the following shows are happening:
May 7th-9th
MaxFunCon!
Lake Arrowhead, CA
Pretty sure it’s too late to get tickets to this, but even so: maxfuncon.com.
Thursday May 13 at 8PM
The Hat Factory in Richmond, VA
With Paul and Storm
Tickets
Friday May 14 at 9PM
The Lincoln Theater in Raleigh, NC
With Paul and Storm
Tickets
Saturday May 22 at 8 PM
Sympho’s “Tweetheart”
Church for All Nations in NYC
Sympho is an orchestral concert series run by my friend (and fellow Whiffenpoof!) Paul Haas. Tweetheart is an evening of classical, electronica, and pop songs about love. I’ll be doing one of my songs that he’s arranged for the symphony — it’s going to be really cool I think.
Tickets
Thursday May 27 at 7:30PM
Just for Laughs in Montreal, QC
With Paul and Storm
Tickets
If you think I am not going to do “Re: Your Brains” in French while I am in Quebec, then you are crazy. There are still PLENTY of tickets available, if you know what I mean.
Friday May 28 at 8PM
Gladstone Theater in Ottowa, ON
With Paul and Storm
Tickets
Sunday May 30 at 8PM
Enwave Theater in Toronto, ON
With Paul and Storm
Tickets
And now for the long wordy part in which I talk about me.
Yes, I have been hiding out of late. You may have noticed my last blog update was OVER A MONTH AGO, and I’ve been awfully quiet on the Twitter. And of course I continue to completely ignore Facebook and MySpace, though that’s mostly because I am an old person. This year had a busy start with a lot of touring, all really great shows with some lovely audiences, including the exciting opportunity to open for They Might Be Giants for a few shows. But all that travel time and road food and T-shirt counting tires me out. I have been resting.
As I keep saying in interviews, “Whine whine, success is a terrible burden, etc.” I was as surprised as anyone when Thing a Week started generating audiences and income, and the last few years have been about sorting that out: figuring out how to play live and tour, tweaking the business side of things, counting huge stacks of cash, finding a decent helipad maintenance team, the usual. There hasn’t been a lot of song writing, which is supposedly a large part of my job. I understand now why bands tour for a while and then stop so they can write the next record — it’s very hard to write anywhere near a tour, especially when you’re running everything yourself. Sometimes I feel more like a traveling salesman than a musician.
So I’m going to keep a much lighter tour schedule for a while, and I’m going to really buckle down and make some music. For serious this time. Not even jocoserious, I’m talking SERIOUS serious. In fact, I am currently working on a thrilling super-secret project, and if it comes together I’ll be able to talk about it very soon. I’m slightly terrified about it, which means it’s probably the right thing to do. And it will involve lots of new music and creative stretching and growing, which is something I desperately need if I’m going to stay engaged and satisfied and relevant. Thing a Week was excruciating, but I miss it. I’m ready for The Next Project, and I think I finally know what it is.
So that’s why it’s been quiet around here, and I promise it’s going to get less quiet soon. In the meantime, thanks for your patience and continued support.
P.S. Does anybody know how to write songs?
from Vulcan Tourism & Trek Station:
On Friday April 23, 1010, actor Leonard Nimoy, best known for his portrayal of Mr. Spock in the original Star Trek series will be visiting Vulcan, courtesy of the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo. To mark this historic occasion, town officials have commissioned sculptor Nathan Scott to create a bronze bust of Mr. Spock that will be unveiled by Nimoy during his visit.
While in Vulcan, Nimoy will leave behind his iconic “live long and prosper” handprint that will be immortalized in bronze, and will present the Town of Vulcan two unique items on loan from his personal Star Trek collection. These items include: the Spock ears that he wore during the filming of the Original Star Trek TV series and a lithograph of the Original Star Trek cast, autographed by all of the original cast members. These unique memorabilia items will be on display at the Vulcan Tourism & Trek Station for the next year.
Schedule of Events:
2:00PM — Dignitaries begin to arrive and parade begins to line up at the Vulcan Tourism & Trek Station.
2:30PM — Mr. Nimoy arrives at the Vulcan Tourism & Trek Station (Good opportunity for photo and video footage).
3:00PM — Parade-style procession from Vulcan Tourism & Trek Station to downtown Vulcan.
See:
3:30PM to 4:15PM — Mr. Nimoy’s official “Welcome to Vulcan” Ceremony on stage in downtown Vulcan (Good opportunity for photo, video and sound bites)
For a complete list of other celebrity guests who will be attending the 2010 Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo on April 24 & 25, visit calgaryexpo.com.
from Dark Horse Comics:
Dark Horse and Classic Media announced today that this weekend’s C2E2 convention will be the launch for the much-anticipated new Gold Key Comics program. Fans will have the chance to meet Dark Horse President Mike Richardson and creator Jim Shooter, and gain insider information on what to expect from this summer’s upcoming releases. News of the line was first announced at San Diego Comic Con International 2009, and fans have been anxiously awaiting details ever since.
“Jim and I share a great affection for these terrific characters. We have some very exciting ideas on how to introduce them to a whole new generation of fans.” said Mike Richardson, president of Dark Horse Comics. “C2E2 is just the beginning.”
“I’ve done this long enough to know when it feels right — and it does — so there’s a chance, at least, that it is. I stand on the shoulders of giants like Manning, Newman and Du Bois,” said Jim Shooter. “On top of that I’ve had terrific support from Mike Richardson and Senior Editor Chris Warner, plus great art from Bill Reinhold and Dennis Calero. Overture, curtain, lights…!”
In addition, throughout the C2E2 weekend, Dark Horse will announce the creative teams and more titles in the works for Gold Key. Then, the new line will kick off in print only a few weeks later, on Saturday, May 1st, as part of Free Comic Book Day, and fans can look for exciting promotional Apps on iTunes in early May.
Doctor Solar, the first title in the line, will arrive in stores this summer!
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
Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka, by Naoki Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki
Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys, by Naoki Urasawa
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.
from The Legend of Neil:
Only 2 days left to cast your vote for The Legend of Neil in the Streamy Awards Audience choice awards! It only literally takes a second assuming you’re not still on dial up. No registration required. Just select the show and click to vote!
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
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!
from RiffTrax:
Greetings riff-fans!
We’ll be hosting a streaming webcast of our panel from last year’s Comic-Con for FREE!
All you have to do is point your browser to rifftrax.com/live/sdcc09 at 6pm Pacific Time (9pm Eastern)! You’ll need to login to the site (or register if you don’t already have an account) in order to watch the show and chat with other fans!
The show itself runs just over an hour, and includes the “live” riffing of Shake Hands with Danger that the guys did to a standing room-only crowd of 1000 people. After the riffing, there was a question-and-answer session where the audience got to suggest one of the next movies for the guys to riff. (Spoiler alert: the winner was Dragon Wars, available at rifftrax.com/rifftrax/dragon-wars-d-war.)
All of this was MC’d by the lovely and talented Veronica Belmont.
Set your calendars for 6pm Pacific / 9pm Eastern and join us for the RiffTrax: Comic-Con 2009 webcast!
from Weta:
Codswallop! Doctor Tremont is at it again. Not content with the direction Earth’s Venusian campaign is taking, he’s been seen through the sooty window panes of his laboratory hugging his knees, rocking back and forth chanting barely coherent phrases in something that resembles Nedderdüütsch. Or possibly plain German. We have no doubt something will be revealed next week, as he has hung a sign on his door bearing the inscription “Fischen gegangen — zurück Dienstag”. We shall keep you posted by carrier pigeon. So don’t bloody cook or eat it this time!
Public Service Announcement
Lord Cockswain’s Top 5 tips for the endurance of hardship while on Safari.
1. Drink plenty of fluids morning (Gin), noon (Pimms or Claret) and night (Any well salted Islay Single Malt).
2. Do not bring women or children. Dogs, however, make great company and servants, while expendable, are indispensible.
3. Arm for all eventualities. There is no such thing as “over-kill”. It’s “under-kill” you want to avoid!
4. Wear sports attire. While a silk smoking jacket may be appropriate on board your ship, it’s too slippery for Toop wrestling.
5. Keep a log. All real explorers do. Scientists will one day find the answer why.
Not a Grordbort’s Collector yet? Buffoon!
Luckily, you have just run out of excuses, as we have decided to completely forego all sense and sensibility and extend our Dr. Grordbort’s Starter Pack until 7 April. 1x VICTORY, 1x Dingus Directory, 1x Victorious Mongoose — Miniature version and 4x postcards, one of which has been befouled by Greg Broadmore, the rapscallion. Get the whole kit and kaboodle for a measly US$49! That’s what the gun itself normally costs! (Bits of it will also make satisfying gifts, once you have ripped out anything of real value.) Also: Good news from the sweat print shop: The Contrapulatronic Dingus Directory is now in its 4th Print Run! Hazzaah!
Grand Theft FMOM!
At a recent stocktake, it became apparent that somebody has run off with 470 out of the 500 F.M.O.M. Wave Disrupter Guns manufactured by F.M.O.M. Industries and less than 30 remain in the entire Universe! We are currently investigating this atrocity and will keep you posted. Meanwhile, if you need an F.M.O.M. — don’t delay — the remaining 30 will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. Unconfirmed reports from the bean counting department suggest the guns have been acquired entirely legally through sale and purchase agreements by customers across the planet, but we refuse to believe this can be the case for so many guns. We always assume foul play!
Dr. Grordbort’s has set up camp in Hongkers!
Hosted and presented by the wizardly Hong Kong based technological upstart CYBERPORT. Richard Taylor Esq. and Greg Broadmore attended the official opening Pomp and Circumstance this week. See more autophosphorescent etchings here!
Have you been insulted by the buffoons on the Forum yet? Go on — it’s a blast!!!
from StarWars.com:
The original princess with an attitude, Carrie Fisher is slated to appear at Star Wars Celebration V during the show weekend of August 12-15 at the Orange County Convention Center. Fisher, who portrayed Princess Leia Organa in the original Star Wars trilogy, will be greeting fans and signing autographs in the Celebration Autograph Hall, and is scheduled to appear on stage for an interview and a question and answer session. Fisher is the first of a number of upcoming, exciting guest announcements for the huge fan festival.
Prior to Celebration, Fisher’s fans can meet her in the Celebration V pavilion at C2E2, the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (C2E2) taking place April 16-18th. C2E2 is managed by Reed Exhibitions, the company producing Celebration V in cooperation with Lucasfilm. Fisher will be signing autographs in the pavilion with Official Pix, Lucasfilm’s licensee for authentic Star Wars photos and autographs.
An audience favorite for both her film and stage roles, Fisher was 19 years old when she became a cultural icon as Princess Leia in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope. Her film career started when she was even younger, playing opposite Warren Beatty in Shampoo in 1975. She is the daughter of actress Debbie Reynolds and singer Eddie Fisher. In addition to A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi, Fisher has performed in numerous movies and television series, including The Blues Brothers, The Man with One Red Shoe, Hannah and Her Sisters, The Burbs, When Harry Met Sally, Austin Powers, Heartbreakers, Smallville, Family Guy and Fanboys, as well as in her own series of television specials, Conversations from the Edge with Carrie Fisher, and her live stage show, Wishful Drinking.
Though she is famous for her film, television and stage roles, Fisher devotes much of her time to writing. She has penned several novels, including the semi-autobiographical Postcards from the Edge, which was made into a successful movie starring Meryl Streep. Three additional best selling novels — Surrender the Pink, Delusions of Grandma, and The Best Awful — followed. Her new memoir, Wishful Drinking, is published by Simon & Schuster.
Don’t miss Carrie Fisher at Star Wars Celebration V, and coming up next at C2E2 in Chicago!
Organizers for C2E2 note that tickets for the show continue to sell quickly, and so all fans are encouraged to buy tickets in advance! For more information on guests, tickets, or C2E2 in general, visit C2E2.com or check out the show’s official blog, MediumAtLarge.net, or follow C2E2 on Twitter. For further information about Star Wars Celebration V and to buy tickets, go to starwarscelebration.com.
For more information about the Celebration Autograph Hall, prices, tickets, and process, please go to OfficialPix.com.
from Weta:
The End is near… Bag End!
Check out the third installment in Daniel Falconer’s article series about the creation of a miniature collectible of Bag End from The Lord of the Rings. It’s getting near launch… keep an eye out before Easter!
Only one left: Strider’s Sword Edition #10 — Will it be yours?
Your last chance to own this incredible piece of art as well as fully functional weapon from The Lord of the Rings. Made at the hands of Weta Master Swordsmith Peter Lyon. The other nine swords have already been reserved by collectors. Will number 10 be yours?
New Lord of the Rings merchandise
A New Zealand Map of Middle-earth and a The Dark Lord Sauron T-shirt are available at the Weta Cave and to NZ customers on our website. (Unfortunately our licensing agreement only permits us to sell these to New Zealand customers.) Daniel Falconer designed both! Check them out! AND… The Miniature shields have started arriving in our warehouses. We are experiencing a few customs delays in our US and UK warehouses, but rest assured — we’re processing the orders as soon as we have the all clear!
The Art of District 9 — new book from Weta this year
We’re very pleased to reveal that we are working on an Art Book cataloguing the awesome work Weta’s artists and craftspeople did for Neill Blomkamp’s District 9. We promise to bring you ongoing updates on the progress. In the meantime — please join the friendly crowds in our online forum and tell us what you would like to see in the book! As a member of the forum (did we mention it’s FREE?), you can also Win District 9 Goodies in our forums in a fun competition by our friend and king of the forums, Charles Song.
The Exceptional Exhibition opens in Hong Kong
Richard Taylor and Greg Broadmore are currently in China for the opening of Dr. Grordbort’s Exceptional Exhibition at Cyberport. See the photos we just received!
Easter at the Weta Cave? Or at WonderCon in San Francisco?
Weta’s friend Phil Davis will be at WonderCon at the Moscone Center in SF 2-4 April. Go see him! For those of you who find Miramar, Wellington an easier place to get to, we have a fantastic line-up of guests at the Weta Cave:
See the WotWots in person!
Here’s a free activity for parents who are wondering what to do during the school holidays. Take your no doubt grateful kids to see the WotWots in person at a selection of shopping malls in New Zealand and Australia. Check out where and when.