SUPREME: BLUE ROSE—A science fiction mystery take on the classic superhero

The ethereal and haunting new beginning from Warren Ellis

Bestselling writer Warren Ellis (TREES, Planetary) and Tula Lotay (ELEPHANTMEN, The Witching Hour) re-introduce the central Image Comics character Supreme with a science-fiction/mystery flavor in SUPREME: BLUE ROSE #1.

Paired with striking visuals from Lotay, Ellis resurrects the SUPREME universe beginning with an ethereal dream sequence that warns the unemployed investigative journalist, Diana Dane, to beware of Darius Dax and ending with a proposition for adventure and intrigue from Supreme himself, “Have you heard of a blue rose, Ms. Dane? Blue roses do not occur in nature. My practice tends to specialise in blue rose cases.”

“As an emerging artist the opportunity of collaborating with Warren on his latest story has been a dream come true,” said Lotay. “Supreme: Blue Rose came about through conversations with Warren regarding a different story that didn’t happen. Warren thought my style, which is quite free and loose, would fit the story he wanted to tell and that creative freedom really appealed to me. Indeed, throughout the creative process if Warren thought I was trying to create panels that had a more ‘finished’ feel he would say ‘you’re not drawing for yourself, you have to relax and enjoy it’—some of the best advice I’ve ever had which has also informed my approach to other work.”

Lotay went on to describe how different hers and Ellis’ version of Supreme is. “Supreme really appealed to me in that it passes the Bechdel test with flying colours. I’ve never spoken to Warren about this, but it’s a story with very strong female characters, the women shine through and that’s a pretty rare thing to see in sci-fi. I think it’s far from your typical superhero story, a million miles from the original Supreme. It’s definitely strange, it’s a sci-fi mystery with a Lynchian edge. I’ve fallen in love with these characters and I hope the people picking this series up can get into the strange world we’ve created.”

SUPREMEBR01cover SUPREME_BLUE_ROSE01_02_03_let supreme 03 supreme 04

SUPREME: BLUE ROSE #1 arrives in stores on 7/23, and will be available for $2.99. It can be pre-ordered with Diamond Code MAY140571. The final order cutoff deadline for retailers is 6/30.

POLITICAL CARTOON HISTORY COMES ALIVE WITH WHAT FOOLS THESE MORALS BE: THE STORY OF PUCK!

puckThe Most Important U.S. Political Satire and Cartoon Magazine Gets Collected

Published from 1877 to 1918, Puck was America’s first successful humor magazine. It was also the most influential American humor magazine ever. It was also the first American magazine to publish color lithographs on a weekly basis. And, for nearly forty years, it was a training ground and showcase for some of the country’s most talented cartoonists, led by its co-founder, Joseph Keppler.

This October, IDW and The Library of American Comics will release an important contribution to political and political cartooning anthologies. What Fools These Mortals Be: The Story of Puck is a lavish coffee table book retrospective that beautifully displays why Puck is considered the most important political satire and cartoon magazine in American history. It’s all about the art — lavish color full-page and two-page centerspread cartoons.

With nearly 300 full-color plates in a oversized 12” x 11” format, What Fools These Mortals Be: The Story of Puck is the first opportunity for most readers to see so many cartoons from Puck reproduced in color and at a large size.

Stephen Hess, in his seminal history of American political cartooning, The Ungentlemanly Art, said, “It is hard to overestimate the political influence of Puck…during the last two decades of the 19th Century. It was greater than all newspapers combined.” It is often said that the magazine was single-handedly responsible for thwarting the third-term ambitions of Ulysses Grant in 1880 and electing Grover Cleveland to the presidency in 1884.

Written by Michael Alexander Kahn and Richard Samuel West with reproductions made from their unique collections and supplemented by the Library of Congress, the book is organized by subject matter, reflecting the most important issues of the day. Each cartoon is accompanied by an explanatory caption, placing the work in historical perspective.

Bill Watterson (Calvin & Hobbes) provides the foreword to this important piece of American history. Take this special peek into the past and see how much, or in some cases, how little, things have changed.

12” x 11” hardcover with dustjacket, 328 pp., full color, $59.99, ISBN: 978-1-63140-046-9

Wizard World To Expand Its Comic Con Schedule To A Minimum Of 22 Shows In 2015

W_LOGOPlanned Circuit Includes At Least Nine New Cities Including San Jose, Fort Lauderdale, Cleveland, Raleigh, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Des Moines, Madison, Greenville

Wizard World, Inc. (OTCBB: WIZD) plans to expand its schedule of pop culture conventions to a minimum of 22 shows in 2015, including at least nine new venues, it was announced today by John Macaluso, Wizard World CEO. The series, which includes 16 cities in 2014, will add San Jose, Calif.; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Cleveland; Raleigh, N.C.; Indianapolis; Las Vegas; Des Moines, Iowa; Madison, Wis.; and Greenville, S.C. Additional cities (new and returning) may also be added in the coming weeks.

Next year’s schedule to date also includes a return of at least 12 of the 16 events from 2014, plus the “Bruce Campbell’s Horror Fest” at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Ill., site of Wizard World Chicago Comic Con. Among the longer-running Wizard World events returning are Comic Cons in Chicago (Rosemont, Ill.); Philadelphia; New Orleans; Columbus, Ohio; and Austin, Texas. Newer events in Portland, Ore.; Minneapolis; St. Louis; Sacramento, Calif.; Nashville, Tenn; Richmond, Va.; and Tulsa, Okla. are also slated to return.

“We are excited to bring the Wizard World experience to more fans in more places than ever before in 2015,” said Macaluso. “The new shows this year have been huge successes, and we believe that fans in these additional cities will enjoy our mix of top celebrities, superstar artists and all things pop culture.”

The 2015 Wizard World Comic Con schedule to date is as follows (*denotes new show) (all dates and venues subject to change):

Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con, January 9-11, Ernest N.Morial Convention Center

Wizard World Portland Comic Con, January 23-25, Oregon Convention Center

*Wizard World Wisconsin Comic Con, February 6-8, Alliant Energy Center, Madison, Wis.

*Wizard World Indianapolis Comic Con, February 13-15, Indianapolis Convention Center

*Wizard World Cleveland Comic Con, February 20-22, Cleveland Convention Center

*Wizard World Presents Bruce Campbell’s Horror Fest, March 6-8, Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, Ill.

*Wizard World Raleigh Comic Con, March 13-15, Raleigh Convention Center

*Wizard World Las Vegas Comic Con, April 24-26, Las Vegas Convention Center

Wizard World Minneapolis Comic Con, May 1-3, Minneapolis Convention Center

Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con, May 7-10, Pennsylvania Convention Center

Wizard World St. Louis Comic Con, May 22-24, America’s Center

*Wizard World Greenville Comic Con, May 28-30, TD Convention Center, Greenville, S.C.

*Wizard World Des Moines Comic Con, June 12-14, Iowa Events Center

Wizard World Sacramento Comic Con, June 19-21, Sacramento Convention Center

Wizard World Richmond Comic Con, July 31-August 2, Greater Richmond Convention Center

Wizard World Chicago Comic Con, August 20-23, Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, Ill.

*Wizard World San Jose Comic Con, September 4-6, San Jose Convention Center

Wizard World Columbus Comic Con, September 18-20, Greater Columbus Convention Center, Columbus, Ohio

Wizard World Nashville Comic Con, September 25-27, Music City Center

*Wizard World Fort Lauderdale Comic Con, October 2-4, Greater Fort Lauderdale Broward County Convention Center

Wizard World Tulsa Comic Con, October 23-25, Cox Business Center

Wizard World Austin Comic Con, October 29-31, Austin Convention Center

Wizard World Comic Con events bring together thousands of fans of all ages to celebrate the best in pop-fi, pop culture, movies, graphic novels, comics, toys, video gaming, television, sci-fi, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more. A first-class lineup of topical programming takes place at each event, with celebrity Q&A’s, the Wizard World Film Festival, comics-themed sessions, costume contest, movie screenings, evening parties and more. Sunday is also Kids Day, with an array of activities and programming specially designed for the younger Wizard World fans.

About Wizard World:

Wizard World (OTCBB: WIZD) produces Comic Cons and pop culture conventions across North America that celebrate graphic novels, comic books, movies, TV shows, gaming, technology, toys and social networking. The events often feature celebrities from movies and TV, artists and writers, and events such as premieres, gaming tournaments, panels, and costume contests.

The full event schedule can be found at www.wizardworld.com.

Wizard World 2014 Schedule
January 24-26 – Wizard World Portland Comic Con
February 7-9 – Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con
March 7-9 – Wizard World Sacramento Comic Con
March 28-30 – Wizard World Louisville Comic Con
April 4-6 – Wizard World St. Louis Comic Con
May 2-4 – Wizard World Minneapolis Comic Con
May 30-June 1 – Wizard World Atlanta Comic Con
June 19-22 – Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con
August 1-3 – Wizard World San Antonio Comic Con
August 21-24 – Wizard World Chicago Comic Con
September 12-14 – Wizard World Richmond Comic Con
September 26-28 – Wizard World Nashville Comic Con
October 2-4 – Wizard World Austin Comic Con
October 31-November 2 – Wizard World Ohio Comic Con
November 7-9 – Wizard World Tulsa Comic Con
November 21-23 – Wizard World Reno Comic Con

Wizard World Philadelphia 2014. The sights and smells. Pt 1.

It’s hard to believe that yet another Wizard World has come and gone.  But, here we are again, with Wizard World Philadelphia 2014 already in the history books. This year’s show ran from June 19th – 21st.  As in the years prior, Wizard World was once again held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.  This year, though, the space was much bigger than in past years housing the con’s over 250 exhibitors/vendors in what I unscientifically calculate to be almost 450,000 square feet of space (correction:  630,000 square feet of space!  thanks for the info, Jerry!).

DSC01929Your friendly neighborhood jman, along with my crüe, went on Friday and Saturday.  Friday seemed like it was filled with families, more little kids and such.  A lot of strollers, which in the past, may have been a bit frustrating.  But, not this year.  With all the extra space, it was easy to navigate around stroller disasters, cosplayers getting there pictures taken, and the assorted wide eyed noob.  Saturday, though?   Saturday was crowded.  But, again…the extra space made it so much easier to get around.

I find it amusing how the crowds have changed over the years.  Even over the last +decade Wizard World Philadelphia has been running, the demographics have certainly evolved.  The sheer number of girls/women/females in attendance has grown tremendously.  I don’t have access to any scientific numbers, but where a few years ago it seemed like the only females in attendance (besides the booth girls) were reluctant wives/girlfriends, this year the sheer number of fangirls of all ages was obvious.  And very cool to see.

As in years prior, there was a ton of things to see and do at Wizard World Philly.  The show had an interesting assortment of vendors selling everything and anything.  From corsets and swords (man!  you could not believe the number of vendors selling swords) to toys and expensive works of art.  It was all there waiting to be purchased.DSC01945

And guests, too.  Matt Smith, from Doctor Who fame.  The Winter Soldier himself Sebastian Stan.  Walking Dead’s Norman Reedus, Nathon Fillion and the list goes on.  Batman artist Greg Capullo walked by me not once, but twice.  That was my brush with greatness for 2014.

Artist alley was filled with creators/artist/independent publishers, definitely benefiting from the expanded size of the con.  It was so much easier to stop and browse through a particular artist work without being bumped and jostled.

Disappointingly absent, though?  Most of the big comic book publishers.  No DC booth.  No Marvel booth (even though they had made a small appearance in last year’s Wizard World after not being there for many years prior).  No Image, either.  In fact, the only comic book company I recall seeing was Zenescope.

DSC01951Perhaps Wizard World is shifting it’s focus away from comic books and more to…entertainment?  Becoming more of a pop culture phenomenon and less of a comic con?  Norton/Symantec had a big tent there for X-Men: Days of Future Past.  There was a huge set up for the new sequel to the movie the Purge, as well as displays/setups for zombie runs.

All in all, it was a fun two days.  My kids enjoyed themselves, I didn’t have to wait in any lines and we spent way more money than we should have.  And isn’t that the sign of a successful show?!?!

 

 

Best of Arrow Season 2 Awards (CW)

Hi there, and welcome to the 2014 Arrow Awards! Not really…this is more like a supplement to the Arrow season 2 review that I posted Monday morning. The review covered the season as a whole to figure out if it had succeeded at what it set out to do or not (it did), this is a more specific examination at the best features the season offered and why. And without further adieu, let’s start the show!

Best Season One Returning Character

And the Winner is Colin Donnel as Tommy Merlyn in Three Ghosts!

Tommy Merlyn Three Ghosts
“So fight, Oliver. Get up and fight back.”

After Oliver’s brutal defeat in the Scientist, he becomes haunted by the ghosts of his past, present, and future (a la Christmas Carol). Shado represents his past, and Slade his present, with both of them condemning Oliver for the pain that he had caused them. But it’s only when Oliver reaches his lowest point at the hands of Acolyte and Brother Blood that Tommy comes to him as a friend instead of an enemy. Oliver’s conversation with Tommy is the thing that inspires him to keep going, and that helps him defeat the superhuman Cyrus Gold and rescue Roy. It’s a powerful moment made all the more so by it’s brevity.  It stands out as one of the most memorable scenes from season two for it’s powerful yet quiet delivery and it’s positive tone.  It’s a truly remarkable moment.

2nd Place: Michael Rowe as Deadshot in Keep your Enemies Closer
3rd Place: Jessica DeGouw as the Huntress in Birds of Prey

Best Fight Scene

Of course it was the final fight between Oliver and Slade in Unthinkable.

UnthinkableIf your FINAL fight scene isn’t your best, you’re doing something wrong. But in all seriousness, this fight is epic! I mean that in a literal sense. The fight links two different combatants who used to be friends across two different time periods at two different times in their lives.  Answering the main questions of why Slade hates Oliver so much, and how we lost his eye.  It’s phenomenal! The fight itself is fantastic, but the build up to it makes it feel like that much more of a payoff.

 

 

2nd Place: Huntress VS Canary in Birds of Prey
3rd Place: The Arrow and The Canary VS Al Ow-Al in League of Assassins

Best Comic Reference

“Sorry I’m late.”
If you read comics than you were most likely expecting this; or you may be wondering why the comic fan laughed when Barry said it. Well, it’s an interesting quirk relating to his character in that despite his ability, Barry is never on time to anything. I don’t know if Grant Gustin is going to be the epitome of everything Flash fans are hoping for, but entering the series with one of Barry’s iconic lines certainly doesn’t hurt his chances.

2nd: The Canary Cry in Broken Dolls
3rd: Oliver gives Roy a mask of his own in Unthinkable

Best Female Performance

Susanna Thompson grabs this particular prize

State v. Queen , not only for her incredible performance as Moira, but the amount of depth that the character became infused with as the season progressed. Her incredible portrayal as the brilliant and calculating, but flawed matriarch of the Queen clan consisted of so many powerful scenes that revealed the depth and complexity of her mind. All of this leading to her meaningful yet tragic sacrifice to save her children. It’s the perfect end to her spectacular character.

 

 

2nd: Emily Bett Rickards as Felicity
3rd: Caity Lotz as Sara Lance

Best New Character

It’s gonna Bex Taylor-Klaus as Sin.

Broken DollsLook, the fact is that we didn’t have a “real” teen character. Sin is sort of an anti-Thea in virtually every way. Her entire character is based on being considered street tough and impoverished, which is the exact opposite of Thea. The irony of course being that she is so much more innocent than Thea. Sin is smart, funny, strong, and kind. She represents pure innocence and idealism despite her seemingly forced cynicism. Her scenes with Sara are some of the most quietly affecting of the entire series, and bring a sense of innocence and wonder to Arrow that wasn’t there before. The only downside to her character was her limited screen-time. Here’s hoping this is rectified for season three.

2nd: David Nykl as Anatoly Knyazev
3rd: Caity Lotz as Sara Lance aka The Canary

Best Male Performance

The winner is Mr. Arrow himself, Stephen Amell.

Seeing RedOne thing that makes the character of Oliver so great is how many different versions of him there are. From the spoiled rich kid, to the inexperienced student, the hardcore killer, to the penitent hero; all played by one very talented actor. Not to mention the rumors of Stephen Amell getting hurt (nothing serious of course) while performing stunts and scenes in the show, really speaks highly of his drive. Plus all the extensive workouts he goes through to not only stay in physical shape for the show, but the make his archery and ability at free-running as realistic as possible. His dedication to his role is truly amazing, and it shows in the work.

2nd: Manu Bennet as Slade Wilson
3rd: Colton Haynes as Roy Harper

Best Guest Villain

I hate to do this one. It’s so obvious, and I’ve been riding this particular train since I started writing these, but this award goes to Michael Ecklund as The Dollmaker.

The Dollmaker Broken Dolls
“Now pay attention, Detective. What comes next is really quite exquisite.”

Arrow’s iteration is much tamer than the comic book version, but in the context of the show, he feels truly evil. It’s hard to figure out what exactly is wrong with the Dollmaker, but everything from his obsession, to his demeanor, and even his speech hints at the true to life silent viciousness of an actual predator. Something about the Dollmaker just oozes real, and distracts from the superhero aspect of the show. But it’s this element of reality that makes the Dollmaker more than just a villain, it makes him a monster.

2nd: Robert Knepper as The Clock King in Time of Death
3rd: Graham Shiels as Cyrus Gold in The Scientist

Best Flashback Sequence

The siege of the Amazo from The Promise

The Promiseis a huge action packed set-piece that had been building up for a while. It was also the first time that Oliver took such a large role in a combat, and best of all it’s his plan. We get to see Oliver plan and run his own operation, and even hood up for the very first time. It’s also the moment that Slade turned on Oliver and changed both of their futures forever. It’s such an amazing multilayered arc that plays on all the best features that Arrow has to offer; impressive action, unique relationships, and dramatic situations. It’s bar none, the best flashback of the series so far.

 

2nd: Oliver and Sara return to the Amazo to fight Slade in Unthinkable
3rd: Shado is killed in Three Ghosts

Best Trick Shot

The winner for this one is Oliver lighting the beacon in The Promise.

Oliver Slade and Sara The Promise
“There’s a breeze!”

It’s an impressive shot, but that’s not what makes it the winner. It’s an obvious allusion to the first time we saw Oliver fire an arrow when he lit the beacon and was rescued in the Pilot episode, but has a funny twist on the callback when he misses. There aren’t a lot of comedic moments in the series, but this one is a personal favorite because of the personality that comes from Slade’s lighthearted ribbing and Oliver’s embarrassed retaliation. Oliver does make the shot the second time, and commences his plan to take over the Amazo, taking his first step to becoming the Arrow.

 

2nd: Oliver slides down the stairs in Time of Death
3rd: Oliver disarms the bomb in the store in Blast Radius

Most Heartbreaking Moment.

Moira’s death.

Moira Dies the PromiseWas there ever any doubt? The emotion of the moment is so urgently presented by all of the players, and the sacrifice is flawlessly sold by Susanna Thompson’s penitent Moira. However it’s Thea’s terrified wails combined with a helpless Oliver’s desperate pleading that make the scene truly unsettling, further insuring that no one watching the scene comes out unaffected.

 

 

2nd: Shado is killed by Ivo in Three Ghosts
3rd: Laurel’s downwards spiral in …pick one.

Best Monologue

SURPRISE! It’s another one for Moira Queen.

Deathstroke Moira and OliverThis time from the episode Deathstroke.
“From the moment your children are born you worry what the world might do to them. But you never stop to think what you might do to them. That we could be our own worst enemy.” Just a breathtaking scene.

 

 

 

2nd: Slade makes Oliver a promise in The Promise
3rd. Felicity gets mad in Streets of Fire

Finally! We are on to the Grand Prize! The winner of…essentially nothing! But still a cool little footnote in this review! The winner of the coveted Best Episode award goes to…

Three Ghosts!

Three Ghosts

This was not an easy choice by any means. But Three Ghosts had so many fantastic and powerful moments that it would be impossible to name all of them. Just a few include Oliver’s interactions with the ghosts of Shado and Slade, his interactions with the newly minted Barry, Shado’s shocking death, Oliver’s fight with Acolyte, The big Slade reveal, Roy getting injected with the Mirakuru, Lance’s partner’s death, the Solomon Grundy references, Tommy’s brief yet stirring cameo, and oh yeah…

Flash1

Three Ghosts had the most to love. Brilliant characterization, story arc gambits, and the Christmas Carol hook works surprisingly well. I don’t think there’s any doubt at this point, that of all the amazing season 2 episodes, Three Ghosts stood at least half a head above the rest.

2nd: The Promise
3rd: Deathstroke

But, these are just my opinions. Feel free to share some of your own in the comments below. Or if you think I might have missed something, that comment box will work for that just as well.

So concludes our 2014 Arrow Awards! As usual (considering this is the first time I’ve done this, and I might continue doing it if I get a decent response), I’d like to thank the cast and crew as well as the production and writing team of Arrow for making such incredible strides this year. Thanks to their dedication, Arrow is shaping up to be not only one of the best superhero shows around, but a real treat for fans of comics, action, and drama everywhere.

As for my fellow Arrow fans out there, thank you for reading, and I look forward to seeing you all in the Fall with not just Arrow making his way back to the CW, but The Flash as well. It’ll be interesting to see how these two heroes interact with each other and face the big challenges they couldn’t handle alone. Rest assured that Fanboy Factor will be providing information on the upcoming seasons of both shows as it’s revealed, so stay tuned and stay safe.

-PS

Arrow returns Wednesday 10/08/14 at 8 PM/7 PM C
and don’t miss The series Premiere of The Flash Tuesday 10/07/14 at 8 PM/7 PM C with a special encore right after Arrow on Wednesday, only on the CW©

All images courtesy of The CW©
Arrow — The CW — © 2014 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved
http://www.cwtv.com/shows/arrow

On Sale This Week from DST: Star Wars, Pulp Fiction, Marvel Select and The Walking Dead

It’s another big week for Diamond Select Toys, with four items shipping to comic shops across North America! But while one of them is definitely a toy, three are items you’re gonna want in your kitchen! Check out the details below, then find your nearest comic shop at comicshoplocator.com, or visit your favorite online retailer!

Star Wars Boba Fett Magnetic Metal Bottle Opener

BobaFettOpener1
Boba Fett? Where? On your brand-new bottle opener, that’s where! Make sure you always have a way to open tasty beverages with this solid metal bottle opener, depicting the portrait of Boba Fett, super-cool bounty hunter extraordinaire! It measures 4 inches long, has magnets on the back and removes bottle caps like Boba Fett captures a bounty — with style! Comes packaged in a collector’s slip case with a full-color wrap. (Item #JAN141922, Suggested Retail Price: $18.00)

Pulp Fiction Jack Rabbit Slim’s Pint Glass

JackRabbitSlimsPint1
The next movie to get the Reelware treatment from DST is Quentin Tarantino’s groundbreaking film Pulp Fiction! Celebrating the film’s 20th anniversary, DST is taking fans inside the world of the movie with a 16-oz. pint glass from the famous Jack Rabbit Slim’s restaurant. Whether you fill it with a five-dollar milkshake or another tasty beverage, the Jack Rabbit Slim’s logo will always remind you of the first time you watched Vince and Mia do the twist. Packaged in a window box. (Item #MAY142227, SRP: $10.99)

Walking Dead Zombie Heads Silicone Tray

WalkingDeadTray2a
Party like the Governor with this all-new Walking Dead silicone tray! Based on the comic book artwork of Charlie Adlard, this flexible tray can be used to cast up ice, gelatin and even chocolate in the shape of a half-dozen zombie heads, as well as the famous Walking Dead comic book logo! Fill up the fishtank and let the fun begin! (Item #JAN141924, SRP: $15.00)

Marvel Select What If? Captain America Figure

WhatIfCap1
During the epic superhuman Civil War, rivals Captain America and Iron Man fought each other tooth and nail. But what if they had worked together? This 7-inch-scale Marvel Select figure depicts Captain America as he appears on the cover of What If? Civil War #1, wearing a suit of armor designed for him by Tony Stark himself. Cap features 16 points of articulation and includes his trademark shield, a deluxe “blast-off” display base, and a removable display stand. Figure comes packaged in display-ready Select packaging, with spine reference artwork. (Item #FEB142062, SRP $24.99)

Find your nearest comic book shop at comicshoplocator.com!

Alternative Comics Joins Sequential iPad App

ALTCOMICSSEQ-1024x713

Alternative Comics, the graphic novel and comic book publisher established in 1993 by Jeff Mason, announced today that several of its books will now be available digitally on SEQUENTIAL, the graphic novel storefront and reader tablet application focused on literary graphic novels.

Alternative Comics graphic novels now available on SEQUENTIAL:

  • Whatever, The Lodger and Failure by Karl Stevens
  • Peanutbutter and Jeremy’s Best Book Ever! by James Kochalka
  • The Big Feminist BUT edited by Shannon O’Leary and Joan Reilly
  • Look Straight Ahead by Elaine M. Will
  • Red Eye, Black Eye by K. Thor Jensen

All titles are just $4.99.

Also available now is the anthology Alternative Comics #4. The comic is a great introduction to Alternative’s artists and includes work from Noah Van Sciver, Sam Alden, James Kochalka and Sam Henderson. Covers are by Mike Bertino and Theo Ellsworth with Craig Thompson. Alternative Comics #4 is priced at $0.99.

Marc Arsenault, Alternative Comics’ General Manager, said, “We are thrilled to be part of an intimate reading environment where our books feel at home with friends instead of being lost in a supermarket that is overcrowded with capes, zombies and guns.”

SEQUENTIAL founder Russell Willis said, “We’re really pleased to have Alternative Comics on board. They offer work from some of the most exciting and innovative comics creators working at the moment, and their original, imaginative range is a perfect fit on SEQUENTIAL.”

SEQUENTIAL is focused on literary comics and graphic novels and aims to help promote comics as an art form, offering titles from Fantagraphics, Top Shelf, NBM, Secret Acres, Jonathan Cape, Knockabout, Myriad Editions, SelfMadeHero and Blank Slate Books amongst others.

For more information on SEQUENTIAL and to download it for free from the App Store visit: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id629759394?ls=1&mt=8

The range of Alternative Comics titles is listed on the SEQUENTIAL website here: http://store.sequential.cc/catalogue/publisher/alternative_comics/41

Dan Abnett Returns for GUARDIANS 3000 – A New Ongoing Series!

Guardians_3000_1_CoverFan-Favorite Writer Returns for Series Starring the Original Team!

Because YOU demanded it! This October, blast off into the far unknown and the future of the Marvel Universe for GUARDIANS 3000 – an explosive new series starring the original Guardians of the Galaxy! From the mind of critically acclaimed writer and iconic Guardians of the Galaxy scribe Dan Abnett and fan-favorite artist Gerardo Sandoval comes a high-octane new series starring the team that started it all!

Perfect for new and old readers alike, GUARDIANS 3000 is set to reintroduce the original team to the Marvel Universe in a big way! With a new mission, Vance Astro, Yondu, Starhawk, Martinex and Charlie-27 are back and better than ever. Follow this cast of bombastic freedom fighters as they battle to gain control of the galaxy back from the hostile alien armies of the Badoon!

“Guardians 3000 is truly a case of you asked for it, we delivered!,” says Marvel Executive Editor Mike Marts. “Readers have been begging for the return of the original Guardians team for a long time…and we’re happy to debut this series right in the midst of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy movie excitement!”

But the Brotherhood of the Badoon are just the tip of the iceberg. The Marvel Universe of the 31st Century is a hostile and unforgiving place – with both new & classic foes from throughout Marvel history. A new threat has emerged disrupting the timestream in the past and the present, and it’s up to the original Guardians of the Galaxy to prevent the collapse of all reality! But to save the future, one must look to the past – and the discovery of a mysterious young girl named Geena Drake could hold the key to saving all reality…or destroying it!

What does the future hold? When the dust clears, will there still be a future worth fighting for? Find out as Dan Abnett and the original Guardians of the Galaxy make their triumphant return to the Marvel fold this October when the senses shattering first issue of GUARDIANS 3000 hits comic shops and digital devices!

GUARDIANS 3000 #1

Written by DAN ABNETT

Art & Cover by GERARDO SANDOVAL

Coming in October!

THE CW NETWORK ANNOUNCES FALL 2014 PREMIERE DATES

The Season Kicks Off with a Two-Night Concert,
THE IHEARTRADIO MUSIC FESTIVAL,
Monday, September 29 and Tuesday, September 30

Thursday Nights Bring Intrigue and Upheaval When
THE VAMPIRE DIARIES and REIGN Return
On Thursday, October 2

The World’s First Vampire Family Moves to a New Night When
THE ORIGINALS Returns on Monday, October 6,
Followed by a SUPERNATURAL Retrospective Special

Don’t Blink When THE FLASH Launches Tuesday, October 7,
Leading into the Tenth Season Premiere of SUPERNATURAL

The Season Premiere of ARROW Hits its Target Wednesday, October 8

The Heart and Humor of JANE THE VIRGIN Debuts Monday, October 13

Critically Acclaimed Adventure THE 100 Returns Wednesday, October 22

The CW Network will strategically roll-out its Fall 2014 launch this October with two highly anticipated new series, THE FLASH and JANE THE VIRGIN, joining returning favorites.

For the third year, The CW will kick off the new season with an exclusive telecast of the biggest concert of the year, the IHEARTRADIO MUSIC FESTIVAL, airing over two nights, Monday, September 29 (8:00-10:00pm ET) and Tuesday, September 30 (8:00-10:00pm ET).

Thursday, October 2, all-new seasons of bloody, sexy drama return with the season premiere of THE VAMPIRE DIARIES (8:00-9:00pm ET) followed by Mary, Queen of Scots continuing her REIGN (9:00-10:00pm ET).

THE ORIGINALS returns to wreak havoc on a new night, Monday, October 6 (8:00-9:00pm ET), followed by a special retrospective look back at the past nine seasons of SUPERNATURAL (9:00-10:00pm ET).

The most buzzed-about new series of the season, THE FLASH, starring Grant Gustin as the Fastest Man Alive, premieres Tuesday, October 7 (8:00-9:00pm ET), followed by the return of the Winchester brothers in the tenth season premiere of SUPERNATURAL (9:00-10:00pm ET).

Oliver Queen fights to protect Starling City in the third season premiere of ARROW, Wednesday, October 8 (8:00-9:00pm ET), followed by a special encore presentation of the series debut of THE FLASH (9:00-10:00pm ET).

The CW’s heartwarming new comedy JANE THE VIRGIN, starring Gina Rodriguez, premieres Monday, October 13 (9:00-10:00pm ET).

The critically-acclaimed adventure drama THE 100 returns Wednesday, October 22 (9:00-10:00pm ET).

Following is The CW’s fall premiere schedule:

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29
8:00-10:00pm IHEARTRADIO FESTIVAL NIGHT ONE

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30
8:00-10:00pm IHEARTRADIO FESTIVAL NIGHT TWO

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1
8:00-9:00pm ARROW (Encore, “The Scientist” with Barry Allen)
9:00-10:00pm ARROW (Encore, “Three Ghosts” with Barry Allen)

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2
8:00-9:00pm THE VAMPIRE DIARIES (Season Premiere)
9:00-10:00pm REIGN (Season Premiere)

MONDAY, OCTOBER 6
8:00-9:00pm THE ORIGINALS (Season Premiere)
9:00-10:00pm SUPERNATURAL (Retrospective Special)

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7
8:00-9:00pm THE FLASH (Series Premiere)
9:00-10:00pm SUPERNATURAL (Season Premiere)

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8
8:00-9:00pm ARROW (Season Premiere)
9:00-10:00pm THE FLASH (Premiere Encore)

MONDAY, OCTOBER 13
8:00-9:00pm THE ORIGINALS
9:00-10:00pm JANE THE VIRGIN (Series Premiere)

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15
8:00-9:00pm ARROW
9:00-10:00pm THE FLASH (Episode Two Encore)

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17
8:00-9:00pm JANE THE VIRGIN (Premiere Encore)
9:00-10:00pm AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL CYCLE 21*

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22
8:00-9:00pm ARROW
9:00-10:00pm THE 100 (Season Premiere)

*AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL CYCLE 21 premieres Friday August 22 (9:00-10:00pm ET) and WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY? episodes will continue from summer, sliding to Fridays (8:00-8:30 and 8:30-9:00pm ET) on October 3.

PLANTS VS. ZOMBIES COMICS ARE BACK FOR THE BRAINS!

plants vs zombieDark Horse Comics is thrilled to bring you the second official Plants vs. Zombies series, released in a partnership with PopCap Games, creators of the smash-hit video game Plants vs. Zombies. The first chapter is ready for you to read TODAY!

Eisner winner Paul Tobin (Bandette) and Ron Chan (The Guild, Husbands) team up again with a bevy of battling plants to serve up another hilarious, all-ages, action-filled zombie romp through time!

Crazy Dave—the babbling-yet-brilliant inventor and top-notch neighborhood defender— is back to help his niece, Patrice, and young adventurer Nate Timely fend off Zomboss’s latest attack in Plants vs. Zombies: Timepocalypse! This new standalone tale will tickle your funny bones and thrill . . . your brains!

Following the same model of the previous series, Timepocalypse will first be serialized digitally, with a beautiful hardcover collection available early next year. In conjunction with today’s release, the Dark Horse standalone iOS app for Plants vs. Zombies comics is available for FREE download and includes the first issue of Lawnmageddon!

Also available today is the first story of the new series for only 99 cents, with new issues released every three weeks!

Look for the print collection of Plants vs. Zombies: Timepocalypse on sale in finer comic shops and bookstores everywhere on January 13, 2015! Download Plants vs. Zombies: Timepocalypse #1 today from Digital.DarkHorse.com!