Fantagraphics Books Holds 2010 Preview Exhibition

Press release from Fantagraphics Books:

FANTAGRAPHICS 2010 PREVIEW Exhibition this Saturday!


Don’t miss an opportunity to get a sneak peak at some of the great books you’ll be reading later this year at the FANTAGRAPHICS 2010 PREVIEW event this Saturday, January 9 at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery in Seattle.

On display will be work from Fantagraphics favorites like Peter Bagge (HATE ANNUAL #8), Tony Millionaire (BILLY HAZELNUTS AND THE CRAZY BIRD), Jim Woodring (WEATHERCRAFT), Jason (WEREWOLVES OF MONTPELLIER), Michael Kupperman (TALES DESIGNED TO THRIZZLE #6), Richard Sala (THE HIDDEN), and Gilbert Hernandez (LOVE & ROCKETS NEW STORIES #3), as well as new offerings from masters like Jacques Tardi and Carol Tyler and relative newcomers like Joe Daly, Tim Hensley and Nate Neal, among many others. 2010 promises more of the amazingly diverse yet cohesive line of compelling comics you’ve come to expect from Fantagraphics Books. See for yourself this Saturday.

The opening from 6:00 to 9:00 PM coincides with the colorful Georgetown Art Attack featuring visual and performing arts presentations at several locations throughout the historic neighborhood. For details and a map, visit http://www.georgetownartattack.com/.

Fantagraphics Bookstore is located at 1201 S. Vale Street (at Airport Way S.) only minutes south of downtown Seattle. Open daily 11:30 to 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00 PM. Phone 206.658.0110. [END]

Bluewater Comics Launches "Fame" Line with Lady Gaga

Press release from Bluewater Productions:

BLUEWATER ADDS “FAME” TO ITS BIOGRAPHY COMIC LINE UP STARTING WITH LADY GAGA


With its biography comic titles selling well despite a slumping comic industry, Bluewater Productions announced the expansion of its biography title assets with Fame, a new series that focuses on culturally relevant celebrities and other pop culture icons.

The preview issue will be available in time for "Free Comic Book Day" on May 5th. featuring performer Lady GaGa. Future issues will feature such personalities as Robert Pattinson, 50 Cent, David Beckham and Taylor Swift.

“Over the past year we saw an opportunity to broaden the scope of who reads comics,” said Bluewater president Darren G. Davis, “There were many who had never picked up a graphic novel or comic book buy our biography titles like Female Force and Political Power. Fame is the natural extension of that trend.”

Davis, who was once a marketing executive E! Entertainment Television and Lionsgate, noted that the multiple printings of the tribute book, Michael Jackson: King of Pop, convinced him that the current crop of biography titles were too limiting.

“Fame gives us the ability to tell more interesting stories about a wider variety of notable personalities. Conversely, it allows us to focus the scope of our other biography titles to more socially and political important figures.” Davis added.

Additionally, Bluewater announced its biography title release schedule for the first half of 2010.

As previously announced, the Female Force series will feature Nancy Pelosi, Michelle Obama: Year One and Ellen DeGeneres. Other biographies filling out the first half of the year's schedule include Supreme Court justice Sonia Sotomayor, news anchor Meredith Vieira, and novelist Anne Rice.

The Political Power series will feature Al Gore, Nelson Mandela and Bill Clinton followed by Arnold Schwarzenegger, Al Franken, and Rush Limbaugh.

“People seem to enjoy debating whether this person or that are worthy of our biographies. Whereas some subjects have more influence on our social, cultural or political landscape than others, the bottom line is we try to choose subjects that have compelling or important stories to tell,” Davis said.

The biography comic book series, launched earlier this year, has drawn considerable media attention, including features on CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, “The View” and “Live with Regis and Kelly.” It has also been featured in such periodicals as People Magazine, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, USA Today and thousands of blogs and other media outlets.

About Bluewater Productions
Bluewater Productions Inc. is one of the top independent production studios of comic books, young adult books and graphic novels. Its extensive catalog of titles includes the bestsellers “10th Muse” and “The Legend of Isis” ”Bluewater publishes comic books in partnership with entertainment icon William Shatner (“TekWar Chronicles”), Logan's Run and celebrated actor Vincent Price (“Vincent Price Presents”), Additionally, Bluewater publishes a highly successful line of biographical comics under the titles “Female Force” and “Political Power.”

Bluewater aims to unite cutting-edge art and engaging stories produced by its stable of the publishing industry's top artists and writers.

Following its commitment to green publishing, Bluewater comic books are printed on Forest Stewardship Council certified paper. FSC certification guarantees that the paper used in Bluewater books contains fiber from well-managed and responsibility harvested forests that meet strict environmental and socioeconomic standards.

For more information, visit http://www.bluewaterprod.com/. [END]

Vagabond Strives for Enlightenment

I finished reading Vagabond, Vol. 30 (Vagabond (Graphic Novels))

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin.

From Pancakes to Pizza

I read Yakitate!! Japan, Vol. 21

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin.

Natsume's Book of Friends Debuts Tuesday, Jan 5th

Press release from VIZ Media:

NATSUME’S BOOK OF FRIENDS A LIST THAT NO DEMON OR SPIRIT WANTS TO BE ON AND THE BOY WHO IS ITS UNLIKELY KEEPER IN NEW MANGA 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 January 5th release of NATSUME’S BOOK OF FRIENDS, a standalone manga story by Yuki Midorikawa. NATSUME’S BOOK OF FRIENDS debuts under the Shojo Beat imprint, is rated ‘T’ for Teens, and will carry an MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN.

Takashi Natsume can see spirits and demons that hide from the rest of humanity. He has always been set apart from other people because of his gift, drifting from relative to relative, never fitting in. Now he’s a troubled high school student who has come to live in a small town where his grandmother, Reiko, grew up. And there he discovers that he has inherited more than just the power of Sight from the mysterious Reiko. When Reiko was Takashi's age, she bound the names of demons and spirits in her Book of Friends, enslaving them to her every capricious whim. Now Takashi is the owner of the book, and the creatures will do anything to get their names back.

“NATSUME’S BOOK OF FRIENDS is a great series for readers who are looking for something different than the typical shojo manga. Yuki Midorikawa skillfully deploys her delicate and almost serene artwork to tell a story that balances dark adventure with light comedy, the supernatural with real life. This remarkably beautiful work is truly unlike any other shojo series out there,” says Leyla Aker, Editorial Manager, VIZ Media.

Yuki Midorikawa’s other published titles in Japan include Into the Forest of Fireflies, The Scarlet Chair and The Voice That Blooms Red. NATSUME’S BOOK OF FRIENDS (Natsume Yujincho) was originally published in the manga magazine LaLa DX and was a finalist for the first Manga Taisho awards in 2008. For more information on this title, or others from VIZ Media, please visit http://www.viz.com/. [END]

Robert Parry on the New Year

Robert Parry of Consortium News (via Truthout) offers this excellent essay, "What the New Year Demands."  I agree with his assessment - that the progressive movement needs to build media that matches both the right wing and mainstream media, in size, scope, and influence.

Moonstone Books Advance Solicits "The Green Hornet Chronicles"

Press release from Moonstone Books:

The Green Hornet Chronicles

Edited by Joe Gentile and Win Scott Eckert

Advance solicited for June release

Written by: Harlan Ellison, Greg Cox, Robert Greenberger, Ron Fortier, James Van Hise, Will Murray, plus many more!
Interior Art: Rubén Procopio
Cover Art: Glenn Orbik, Ruben Procopio
Introduction by Van Williams
Afterword by Dean Jeffries

336pgs, b/w, Squarebound, SC 6”x9”, $18.95 (2 covers available separately)
354pgs, Ltd Ed HC $47.95
354pgs, signed, Ltd Ed Slipcase HC $99.99

Green Hornet Direct Market PB (cover by Ruben Procopio)
10 digit: 1-933076-72-00--13 digit: 978-1933076-72-0

Green Hornet Book Market PB (Cover by Glen Orbik)
10 digit: 1-933076-73-9--13 digit: 978-1-933076-73-7

Green Hornet LTD ED HC (cover by Glen Orbik)
10 digit: 1-933076-74-7--13 digit: 978-1933076-74-4

Green Hornet Limited Ed. Slipcase HC (cover by Ruben Procopio)
10 digit: 1-933076-75-5--13 digit: 978-1933076-75-1

The long-awaited return of the Green Hornet & Kato and their rolling arsenal the Black Beauty!

Just in time for the new Seth Rogan Green Hornet movie!

Moonstone is proud to present The Green Hornet Chronicles, the first anthology featuring all-new, original crime fiction tales of the man who hunts the biggest of all game, public enemies that even the FBI can’t reach!

It’s the mid 1960’s, the political climate is shakey, there’s civil unrest, freedom and equality issues erupt everywhere from film to music to out in the streets.

On police records, the Green Hornet is actually a wanted criminal, a master manipulator, a crime boss who has his fingers in every pie. In reality, The Green Hornet is actually Britt Reid, owner-publisher of the Daily Sentinel. His goal is to destroy crime from within by posing as a criminal himself.

And who can forget Bruce Lee’s introduction to American audiences with his turn as Kato in the 1967 Green Hornet TV show? Kato is not only is a martial artist of unsurpassed prowess, but a skilled driver, and educated engineer as well.

*A story fragment by Harlan Ellison, as he teams the Green Hornet up with The Phantom!
*Two noted writers who are known for their work on the Green Hornet- Ron Fortier and James Van Hise, have new stories in this volume!
*An introduction by TV’s Green Hornet, Van Williams!
*An afterword by the man who designed and built the Black Beauty, Dean Jeffries!

*The Ltd Ed HC edition includes bonus material: Harlan Ellison’s “liner notes” on his Green Hornet-Phantom team up story, and also the only-played-once origin of the Green Hornet radio episode is turned into a thrilling prose story by Anthony Tollin!

*The LTD ED slipcase HC is signed and numbered by artist Ruben Procopio. [END]