Category: Books & Writing

“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.

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.

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.

VIZ Media Blends Man & Machine in New “Biomega” Manga Debut

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, will debut the cyberpunk action manga series Biomega on February 2nd. The new series, rated “M” for Mature Audiences, will be published under the VIZ Signature imprint and will carry a MSRP of $12.99 U.S. / $16.99 CAN.

Zoichi Kanoe plunges into the depths of 9JO, a sprawling island city in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, in search of Eon Green, a girl with the power to transmute the N5S virus. The deadly contagion is spreading across the world, turning humans into disfigured, zombie-like “drones.” But he’s not the only one looking for her. Agents of the Public Health Service’s Compulsory Execution Unit are also in hot pursuit, with sinister designs of their own. Zoichi and his trans-human allies have no time to waste; the countdown to the apocalypse has begun!

“Tsutomu Nihei created Biomega with a jaw-dropping, intensely powerful art style that reflects his background in modern architecture,” says Leyla Aker, Editorial Manager, VIZ Media. “The main characters — the “enhanced” human Zoichi and Fuyu, the AI in his rocket of a motorcycle — navigate this apocalyptic landscape in a story that offers pure speed, action, and suspense. Both manga and American comics fans won’t want to miss this exciting debut!”

Tsutomu Nihei debuted with the acclaimed manga short story Blame!, which was nominated for North America’s Harvey Award and won the Shiki Award in Japan. The artist also created NOiSE, a manga prequel to Blame!. His visually striking Wolverine tie-in Snikt! was published by Marvel Comics along with a commission by Bungie Studios for the Halo graphic novel.

For more information on this title, or others from VIZ Media, please visit viz.com.

VIZ Media Announces the Release of “Dinosaur King”

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced the release of Volume 1 and 2 of the new VIZ Kids series Dinosaur King. This manga is rated “A” for All Ages and will carry a MSRP of $7.99 U.S. / $9.99 CAN.

Dinosaur King by creator Yohei Sakai tells the story of Max who is obsessed with dinosaurs. He knows his Tapejara from his Pteranodon and can find fossils better than a trained paleontologist. When he discovers a stone tablet that transports him to the age of dinosaurs, it’s a dream come true — until it becomes a nightmare. From King, his new dinosaur friend, Max learns that an evil genius named Dr. Z has enslaved the dinosaurs so he can use their hidden powers to take over the world! Now Max has to defeat Dr. Z and his Alpha Gang to save the ancient beasts and life as we know it. Volume 1 will release February 2, 2010.

In Volume 2, which will release in April of this year, King’s mother is trapped somewhere in Alpha Mountain, and it’s up to Max to rescue her. But Dr. Z has set perilous traps for him at every turn! He and King are more in sync than ever with their attacks, but will it be enough to defeat the Alpha Gang and conquer Alpha Mountain? Both volume one and volume two contain bonus trading cards inside, limited quantities available. Volume 2 will be releasing in April 6, 2010.

The titles under the VIZ Kids imprint offer engaging manga and manga-related content intended specifically for a younger audience. All VIZ Kids products share the same core values of strong storytelling, eye-popping graphics, empowering themes, and lots of good humor in an effort to delight a whole new generation of readers.

For more information on this title or other VIZ Kids titles, please visit vizkids.com.

Weta News: January 2010

from Weta:

Happy New Year!

We hinted before we went on summer holidays that this year was going to be very exciting. We stand by that.

Avatar has truly set new benchmarks for creativity and box office takings as well as taking home two of the most coveted Golden Globes. And Richard Taylor and Weta have been recognised at the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards for Best Makeup!

And we have a couple of new product ranges up our sleeve and we’re continuing our journey through Middle-earth.

Our two Weta Cast hosts, Daniel and Magnus, are feverishly working on a round table discussion between Richard Taylor and some of the artists and craftspeople behind the beautiful designs, maquettes and props from Avatar. This will be an AWESOME podcast.

Announcement — District 9 Collectibles!
We are ENORMOUSLY pleased to be able to announce a range of collectibles and merchandise from District 9, last year’s perhaps most unexpected blockbuster. More details will follow shortly. Keep an eye on our News page.

Master Chief & Arbiter — Master Chief & Flood! Now Shipping!
The most dynamic Halo piece in the galaxy, The Master Chief & Flood, is now shipping, making its way to our warehouses along with The Master Chief and Arbiter — a terrific study in determination and menace. The two pieces join Cortana in our range of Halo sculptures. More about our Halo range here!

Seen Daybreakers yet?
Weta’s been heavily involved in making special makeup effects and prosthetics on a very exciting new movie called Daybreakers. Starring Ethan Hawke, Sam Neill and Willem Dafoe and directed by Australian directors the Spierig Brothers, Daybreakers promises to be a big hit not only among vampire genre fans. Currently showing in the US and other parts of the world, other territories (like New Zealand) will have to wait until March. More here!

Now is the time to get a complete Doctor Who helmet collection!
We’re taking £10 off the price of each helmet until Monday 1 February. That means the Sycorax, Sontaran Officer Linx, The Ice Warrior and the Industrial Welding Mask are only £22 (US$41 | NZ$58+GST) and that The Cyberman Leader Helmet and Lord President Borusa’s Headdress are £28 (US$44 | NZ$62+GST). Save £60 (US$93 | NZ$133+GST) on a whole set! Top reasons why you should get Weta’s Doctor Who helmet collection? They’re absolutely exact replicas of the full size props. Modelmaker David Tremont (who is a complete and utter Who-ligan) has had access through his extensive contacts to some of the originals to ensure accuracy. They’re 1/4 scale, which means “fist sized”, cast in white metal, weigh about 2 lbs (1kg) each and perfectly capture the menace of a Doctor Who baddie. They are AWESOME. Especially when all six are lined up. Get your set now!

Bag End update from Daniel Falconer
Says Daniel: One of the first things to do when the notion of producing Bag End as a miniature collectible environment was mooted was to get some artwork for us all to look at and discuss. We can talk about a piece all we want but it’s impossible to really begin meaningful discussion until a visual exists that defines the bounds of the piece. With a common visual to reference the team can discuss specifics, like, “Will it include the tree? If it does, how big does that necessitate the collectible being…” Check out the article for more. And Pictures!

Have you noted the sweet, sweet smell of VICTORY?
We’ve had some really flattering reviews come in for Greg Broadmore’s latest book, VICTORY — Scientific Adventure Violence for Young Men and Literate Women. Read the reviews on our VICTORY page!

The Lord of the Rings on Blu-Ray from Warner Bros.
What Entertainment Weekly describes as “The best film of the decade!” will shortly be available as a Blu-Ray box set direct from Warner Bros. It will even include a Weta discount coupon! Read more about this release.

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VIZ Media Announces the Highly Anticipated Release of Stan Lee and Hiroyuki Takei’s “Ultimo”

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, in conjunction with Stan Lee’s POW! Entertainment (PK:POWN) has announced the highly anticipated release of the new manga Ultimo on February 2nd. Ultimo is the result of a historic collaboration between comics legend Stan Lee, co-creator of many iconic superheroes including Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men, and Hiroyuki Takei, the creator of the popular Shaman King manga series. Ultimo, rated “T” for teens will carry a MSRP of $9.99 US/$12.99 CAN.

With girl and money troubles, life is hard enough for high school student Yamato, but then he stumbles upon Ultimo, a peculiar-looking puppet. Things only get stranger when Ultimo awakens and his archenemy, Vice shows up. Ultimo and Vice are Karakuri Dôji, the mechanical embodiment of pure good and pure evil, devoid of human emotions that can cloud one’s judgment. Their purpose: to battle to the death to prove once and for all whether good or evil is the most powerful force in the universe.

For over half a century, Stan Lee has been synonymous with superhero comics. In addition to creating countless memorable series and characters, including Spider-Man, the Incredible Hulk, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men and Daredevil, he served as the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics. Lee remains a hugely respected and dynamic figure in the entertainment industry and continues to develop a variety of film, television and video game properties.

“I am indescribably thrilled to have the honor of working with the famous and extremely talented Hiroyuki Takei on our exciting creation Ultimo. I feel that Ultimo combines the very best of Western mythology with the very best of Japanese manga,” says Stan Lee. “It gives me the greatest pleasure to be associated with VIZ Media on such an exciting and ground-breaking project.”

Unconventional author/artist, Hiroyuki Takei began his career by winning the 1994 Tezuka Award. After working as an assistant to famed artist Nobuhiro Watsuki (Rurouni Kenshin), Takei debuted in Weekly Shonen Jump in 1997 with Butsu Zone, an action series based on Buddhist mythology. His multicultural adventure manga Shaman King debuted in Japan in 1998 and has been adapted into a popular animated television series. The Shaman King manga series is also published in North America by VIZ Media; for many years it was serialized in English in Shonen Jump magazine.

“While it’s epic in scope and rich in mythology, the Ultimo storyline is grounded in modern teen angst which is what fans will gravitate to. It’s manga, but it’s got that ‘Stan Lee’ feel of the teenager who suddenly has all this power and can’t believe how crazy that is,” says Joel Enos, Senior Editor for Shonen Jump Manga, VIZ Media. “This story has found a common ground between Western comics and Eastern manga. Here you have two amazing creators, all this action, robots, and the universal theme of pure good vs. pure evil, all the while staying in high school youth culture and the drama and depth of everyday kids.”

For more information on Ultimo, please visit shonenjump.com/ultimo.

Eric Powell’s Eisner-Winning “The Goon” Returns in 2010!

from Dark Horse Comics:

Fans and critics alike rejoiced in 2008, when creator Eric Powell took his redneck zombie noir, The Goon, monthly for an entire calendar year. Following the release of the landmark graphic novel Chinatown and the Mystery of Mr. Wicker, Powell laid out his most complex story line to date, spanning twelve issues. In 2009, the creator celebrated the tenth anniversary of the title, releasing a special anniversary issue to coincide with a burlesque anniversary party in his honor in Nashville, followed by a special all-silent issue in November. While both were strong standalone issues, the significantly lighter release schedule left fans wondering what’s next for the madcap mercenary.

Now, The Goon goes digital, as both Chinatown and the Mystery of Mr. Wicker and The Goon #7, which features Hellboy, are made available on the iPhone platform. Chinatown marks Powell’s first self-contained graphic novel, which chronicles the earliest adventures of Goon and his wisecracking sidekick, Franky. After a new figure in the crime scene begins taking out the Goon’s business operations one by one, the Goon’s darkest moment comes back to haunt him, when his mind and body were left scarred… and his heart was left black. This new platform promises to expose an all-new readership to comics’ most beloved brute.

Not to worry, however: longtime fans will be rewarded with an all-new spinoff title based around Goon Year’s most notable character, Buzzard. Eric Powell gives one of his most beloved and mysterious characters his own highly anticipated, three-issue miniseries.

Following his brutal showdown with the loathsome Zombie Priest, Buzzard leaves his home, wandering aimlessly until he steps into the shadowy spirit realm of the forest. A dark path leads him to a small village living in fear of a bestial race of savages. More animal than man, these creatures hunt the villagers and drag them from their slumber in the depth of night.

“Buzzard has always been a personal favorite of mine from the Goon cast, and from the amount of requests I’ve gotten to give him his own series, I imagine he’s a favorite of the readers as well,” said Goon creator Eric Powell. “I’m really excited to finally be giving him his own story, along with the revival of Billy the Kid’s Old Timey Oddities!”

For those who missed Goon Year, Dark Horse will be giving this twelve-issue story line the deluxe treatment with the release of Fancy Pants Edition Volume 3: Goon Year on July seventh. Powell’s all-new Buzzard series will arrive on shelves later this fall.

Look for news forthcoming on the return of the Billy the Kid’s Old Timey Oddities short stories — a revival of the series from 2005 that paired Eric Powell with artist Kyle Hotz. The three-issue series will launch later this year.

Chinatown and the Mystery of Mr. Wicker is available for download today in the iTunes store. For a limited time, this heart-wrenching story is available for the sale price of 1.99. In addition, the celebrated one-shot The Goon #7 is available for free download for the next three days.

For more information, visit www.darkhorse.com/features/mobile.

There has never been a better time to find out what you’ve been missing!

VIZ Media Announces Exciting New Manga Releases Scheduled for the First Half of 2010

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, announces some of the exciting new manga set for release throughout the first half of 2010.

The new releases will be published by VIZ Media under its best-known imprints including VIZ Kids, VIZ Signature, Shojo Beat, Shonen Sunday, Shonen Jump and Shonen Jump Advanced.

February:

Biomega
by Tsutomu Nihei
Available February 2nd
Rated “M” for Mature Audiences
VIZ Signature Imprint
Zoichi Kanoe plunges into the depths of 9JO, a sprawling island city in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, in search of Eon Green, a girl with the power to transmute the N5S virus. The deadly contagion is spreading across the world and turns humans into disfigured zombie-like “drones.” But he’s not the only one looking for her. Agents of the Public Health Service’s Compulsory Execution Unit are also in hot pursuit with sinister designs of their own. Zoichi and his trans-human allies have no time to waste; the countdown to the apocalypse has begun!

Bokurano: Ours
by Mohiro Kitoh
Available February 16th
Rated “T+” for Older Teens
VIZ Signature Imprint
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 a 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.

Dinosaur King
by Yohei Sakai
Available February 2nd
Rated “A” for All Ages
VIZ KIDS Imprint
Max is obsessed with dinosaurs. He knows his Tapejara from his Pteranodon and can find fossils better than a trained paleontologist. When he discovers a stone tablet that transports him to the age of dinosaurs, it’s a dream come true — until it becomes a nightmare. An evil genius named Dr. Z has enslaved the dinosaurs so he can use their hidden powers to take over the world! Now Max has to defeat Dr. Z and his Alpha Gang to save the ancient beasts and life as we know it.

Ultimo
by Hiroyuki Takei and Stan Lee
Available February 2nd
Rated “T” for Teens
SHONEN JUMP Imprint
Ultimo represents a historic collaboration between comics legend Stan Lee, creator of many iconic series including Spider-Man, The Fantastic Four, and X-Men, and Hiroyuki Takei, the creator of the popular Shaman King manga series. High above Farmless City, citizens are stunned by the sudden appearance of two floating figures. Are they human boys, monolithic robots, or something even more bizarre? As a battle ensues, destruction and devastation falls on the hapless city. One figure is Vice, and seems to be as evil as his name implies. The other is Ultimo, intent on trying to stop Vice from wreaking more havoc. But who are Vice and Ultimo really? Where did they come from? A new mystery begins with the fate of the world hanging in the balance!

March:

Cactus’s Secret
by Nana Haruta
Available March 2nd
Rated “T” for Teens
SHOJO BEAT Imprint
Miku Yamada has a longtime crush on classmate Kyohei Fujioka. But no matter how many times she tries to show him how she feels, clueless Kyohei just doesn’t get it. Frustrated, Miku gives up on him, only to have him start calling her “Cactus” for being so prickly when he’s around. In the opening volume, Miku decides to try telling Kyohei her feelings by giving him chocolates for Valentine’s Day. But Kyohei, unaware that he’s the object of her affection, offers himself up as a practice partner for her love confession. Will Kyohei ever figure out Cactus’s secret?

Arata: The Legend
by Yuu Watase
Available March 9th
Rated “T” for Teens
SHONEN SUNDAY Imprint
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…

Dorohedoro
by Q Hayashida
Available March 16th
Rated “M” for Mature Audiences
VIZ SIGNATURE Imprint
In a city so dismal it’s known only as “the Hole,” a clan of sorcerers have been plucking people off the streets to use as guinea pigs for atrocious “experiments” in the black arts. In a dark alley, Nikaido found Caiman, a man with a reptile head and a bad case of amnesia. To undo the spell, they’re hunting and killing the sorcerers in the Hole, hoping that eventually they’ll kill the right one. But when En, the head sorcerer, gets word of a lizard-man slaughtering his people, he sends a crew of “cleaners” into the Hole, igniting a war between two worlds.

Ristorante Paradiso
by Natsume Ono
Available March 16th
Rated “T+” for Older Teens
VIZ Signature Imprint
In exchange for Nicoletta’s playing “the daughter of an old friend,” Olga offers Nicoletta a place to live and an apprenticeship at the restaurant. Nicoletta fits in well among the unique personalities at Casetta dell’Orso. She gets along particularly well with the kindly headwaiter, Claudio, a divorced man who, after years, has still never taken off his wedding ring. As Nicoletta’s feelings for Claudio become complicated, she finds a sympathetic ear in Olga, leading the estranged pair to form a friendship neither expected. But as they grow closer, the pressure exerted by the secret they share becomes too much to bear.

April:

Stepping on Roses
by Rinko Ueda
Available April 6th
Rated “T+” for Older Teens
SHOJO BEAT Imprint
Poor Sumi Kitamura… Her irresponsible older brother Eisuke keeps bringing home orphans for her to take care of even though they can barely afford their own basic needs! Just when Sumi’s financial problems become dire, wealthy Soichiro Ashida enters her life with a bizarre proposition: he’ll provide her with the money she so desperately needs if she agrees to marry him. But can Sumi fool high society into thinking she’s a proper lady? Moreover, is it worth giving up everything for this sham of a marriage?

Rosario + Vampire Season II
by Akihisa Ikeda
Available April 6th
Rated “T+” for Older Teens
SHONEN JUMP ADVANCED Imprint
Average human teenager Tsukune accidentally enrolls at a boarding school for monsters — no, not jocks and popular kids, but bona fide werewolves, witches and unnameables out of his wildest nightmares! On the plus side, all the girls have a monster crush on him. On the negative side, all the boys are so jealous they want to kill him! And so do the girls he spurns, because he only has eyes for one of them — the far-from-average vampire Moka.

House of Five Leaves
by Natsume Ono
Available April 20th
Rated “T+” for Older Teens
VIZ Signature Imprint
Masterless samurai Akitsu Masanosuke is a skilled and loyal swordsman, but his naïve, 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.

May:

Flower in a Storm
by Shigeyoshi Takagi
Available May 4th
Rated “T+” for Older Teens
SHOJO BEAT Imprint
Riko Kunimi is trying to lead a normal high school life when Ran Tachibana bursts into her classroom carrying a gun and tells her that her life is now his. Ran, the richest, most powerful 17-year-old in Japan, wants her as his wife and he’s not taking no for an answer!

Maoh: Juvenile Remix
Original Story by Kotaro Isaka / Story & Art by Megumi Osuga
Available May 11th
Rated “T+” for Older Teens
SHONEN SUNDAY Imprint
“As crazy as your ideas might be, as long as you believe in yourself and tackle the issue head-on, you can even change the world.”
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, determination and confrontation.

Saturn Apartments
by Hisae Iwaoka
Available May 18th
Rated “T” for Teens
VIZ SIGNATURE Imprint
Far in the future, humankind has evacuated the earth in order to preserve it. Humans now reside in a gigantic structure that forms a ring around the Earth, thirty-five kilometers up in the sky. The society of the Ring is highly stratified: the higher the floor, the greater the status. Mitsu, the lowly son of a window washer, has just graduated junior high. When his father disappears and is assumed dead, Mitsu must take on his father’s occupation. As he struggles with the transition to working life, Mitsu’s job treats him to an outsider’s view into the living-room dioramas of the Saturn Apartments.

June:

Afterschool Charisma
by Kumiko Suekane
Available June 15th
Rated “T+” for Older Teens
VIZ Signature Imprint
St. Kleio Academy is a very exclusive school: all of the students are clones of famous historical figures such as Beethoven, Queen Elizabeth I, Napoleon, Mozart, and Freud. All of them, that is, except for Shiro Kamiya. As Shiro struggles to adapt to this unusual campus, St. Kleio’s first graduate, the clone of John F. Kennedy, is killed. Are the clones doomed to repeat the fate of their genetic progenitors, or can they create their own destinies? And how does a normal boy like Shiro fit in?

Library Wars: Love & War
by Kiiro Yumi
Original Concept by Hiro Arikawa
Available June 1st
Rated “T+” for Older Teens
SHOJO BEAT Imprint
Iku Kasahara has dreamed of joining the Library Defense Force ever since one of its soldiers stepped in to protect her favorite book from being confiscated in a bookstore when she was younger. But now that she’s finally a recruit, she’s finding her dream job to be a bit of a nightmare. Especially since her hard-hearted drill instructor seems to have it in for her!

For more information on these and other VIZ Media titles please visit our websites at:
VIZ.com
VizKids.com
ShojoBeat.com
ShonenSunday.com
ShonenJump.com
SigIKKI.com
VizSignature.com

Cast your vote for “ghostgirl: Homecoming”

from ghostgirl:

ghostgirl: Homecoming has been nominated as a potential finalist for the 2010 Teen Choice Book of the Year, so please vote!

In association with the Children’s Book Council (CBC), Teenreads.com is giving you a very special opportunity to let your voices be heard by telling us your five favorite books of 2009. The five titles that receive the most votes will serve as the finalists for the CBC’s 2010 Teen Choice Book of the Year. Once the five finalists have been determined, we will tell you where you can go vote for them. The winner will be announced in May 2010.

The first round of voting in the Children’s Choice Book Awards is open until February 1, 2010.