Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for December 22 2010

IMAGE COMICS

OCT108160 ARTIFACTS #3 (OF 13) CVR E 2ND PTG VAR CVR (PP #949) $3.99

AUG100510 ARTIFACTS #4 (OF 13) CVR A BROUSSARD $3.99

AUG100511 ARTIFACTS #4 (OF 13) CVR B CHRISTOPHER $3.99

JAN100489 BROKEN TRINITY PANDORAS BOX #1 (OF 6) SGN ED $14.99

OCT100456 DYNAMO 5 HOLIDAY SPECIAL 2010 #1 $3.99

JUL100446 HAUNT #12 $2.99

OCT100446 MICE TEMPLAR VOL 3 #1 MICHAEL AVON OEMING CVR $3.99

OCT100447 MICE TEMPLAR VOL 3 #1 SANTOS & GANDINI CVR $3.99

SEP108187 MORNING GLORIES #4 VAR CVR 2ND PTG (PP #947) $3.50

OCT100513 MORNING GLORIES #5 $3.50

OCT100515 SAVAGE DRAGON #167 $3.50

SEP108188 SKULLKICKERS #3 VAR CVR 2ND PTG (PP #948) $2.99

OCT100516 SKULLKICKERS #4 $2.99

OCT100538 TOP COW HOLIDAY 2010 SPECIAL GN $12.99

OCT100534 TOP COW LOGO BASEBALL CAP $19.99

SEP100537 VELOCITY #1 (OF 4) SUPERCON BLANK SKETCH VAR CVR $10.00

Comics and Magazines from Diamond Distributors for December 22 2010

COMICS

OCT100857 28 DAYS LATER #18 $3.99

OCT100858 AMORY WARS KEEPING SECRETS OF SILENT EARTH 3 #7 (OF 12) $3.99

OCT100776 ARCHIE #616 $2.99

AUG108177 ARCHIE #616 VAR SUPER CVR $2.99

OCT100928 ART OF VAMPIRELLA HC $29.99

OCT100781 B & V FRIENDS DOUBLE DIGEST #210 $3.99

OCT100853 BART SIMPSON COMICS #57 $2.99

JUL101123 CHARLEYS WAR GREAT MUTINY HC $19.95

OCT101163 CHI SWEET HOME GN VOL 04 $13.95

SEP101185 CHILDREN OF THE SEA TP VOL 04 $14.99

OCT100734 CHIMICHANGA #1 (OF 3) (O/A) $3.00

SEP100776 CYCLOPS #1 $3.95

JUL100998 DF DEADPOOL PULP #1 JAE LEE SGN ED $29.99

JUL100995 DF WOLVERINE #1 JAE LEE SGN ED $29.99

AUG101324 DILBERT IM TEMPTED TO STOP ACTING RANDOMLY TP $12.99

OCT101159 DRACULA THE DEAD TRAVEL FAST GN VOL 01 $9.99

AUG100841 FATHER YOD & THE SOURCE #1 $3.99

AUG100731 FEMFORCE #154 $9.95

SEP101142 FRUITS BASKET ULTIMATE ED GN VOL 06 (OF 7) $14.99

SEP101162 GENTE TP VOL 02 $12.99

SEP101214 GIANT-SIZE GFT 2010 HOLIDAY ED A CVR RIO $5.99

SEP101215 GIANT-SIZE GFT 2010 HOLIDAY ED B CVR CUMMINGS $5.99

OCT100746 GOLD DIGGER CHRISTMAS SP #4 $3.50

SEP100952 GREEN HORNET GOLDEN AGE REMASTERED #5 $3.99

AUG100928 GREEN HORNET YEAR ONE #7 $3.99

AUG101240 GRIMM FAIRY TALES #54 $2.99

SEP101165 HOUSE OF FIVE LEAVES TP VOL 02 $12.99

SEP101163 ILL GIVE IT MY ALL TOMORROW TP VOL 02 $12.99

SEP101048 INCAL CLASSIC COLLECTION DLX HC $99.95

OCT100863 INCORRUPTIBLE #13 $3.99

OCT100972 JOHN MOORE PRESENTS DEAD SOLDIER #4 (OF 4) $3.99

JUL100924 KEVIN SMITH KATO #6 $3.99

SEP101054 KNIGHTS OF THE DINNER TABLE #169 $4.99

JUN100733 LAST ZOMBIE #3 (OF 5) $3.99

MAR100767 LOGANS RUN #5 $3.99

SEP100966 LONE RANGER & TONTO #4 $4.99

OCT100899 MICKEY MOUSE & FRIENDS #303 $2.99

JUL100850 NANNY & HANK #2 $3.99

SEP101166 NAOKI URASAWA 20TH CENTURY BOYS GN VOL 12 $12.99

OCT101060 ON THE CASE WITH HOLMES & WATSON GN VOL 05 ADV SPECKLED BAND $6.95

APR101015 PHANTOM GENERATIONS TP $19.99

APR101017 PHANTOM GUARDIAN O/T EASTERN DARK TP $24.95

APR101018 PHANTOM KGB NOIR HAMMER TP $8.95

AUG100755 POCKET GOD #2 $3.95

SEP100963 ROBERT JORDAN WHEEL OF TIME EYE O/T WORLD #7 $3.99

SEP100860 ROGER CORMAN PRESENTS DEATHSPORT #1 $3.99

MAY101067 ROTTEN TP VOL 01 REACTIVATED $15.95

OCT100736 ROYAL HISTORIAN OF OZ #3 $2.95

AUG100753 SCRATCH 9 #3 (OF 4) $3.95

MAY101068 SHERLOCK HOLMES & KOLCHAK TP CRY OF THUNDER $11.95

OCT101086 SIXTH GUN #7 $3.99

OCT100784 SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #220 $2.99

OCT100881 STAN LEE TRAVELER #2 $3.99

SEP100971 STARGATE VALA MAL DORAN TP $14.99

SEP101119 STUFF OF LEGEND THE JUNGLE #3 (OF 4) $4.25

JUL101202 TALES FROM WONDERLAND TP VOL 03 $12.99

SEP101122 TANK GIRL BAD WIND RISING #1 (OF 4) $3.99

SEP101049 TIKITIS HC $29.95

AUG100899 TOY STORY TALES FROM TOY CHEST #4 $2.99

SEP100967 UNTOUCHABLE ONE-SHOT $5.99

JUL100912 VAMPIRELLA ARCHIVES HC VOL 01 $49.99

AUG101235 WAKING TP $12.99

OCT100907 WALT DISNEYS COMICS & STORIES #714 $2.99

OCT100938 WARLORD OF MARS #3 $3.99

MAGAZINES
SEP101240 CLASSIC MARVEL FIG COLL MAG #136 SNOWBIRD $12.00

SEP101241 CLASSIC MARVEL FIG COLL MAG #137 WASP $12.00

OCT101228 COMICS REVUE PRESENTS DEC 2010 $19.95

SEP101249 DC SUPERHERO FIG COLL MAG #70 POWER GIRL $14.00

SEP101250 DC SUPERHERO FIG COLL MAG #71 LIGHTNING LAD $14.00

NOV101144 FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND #253 $9.99

AUG101327 HOBBY JAPAN NOV 2010 $12.99

JUL101306 MEGAMI OCT 2010 $17.99

JUL101307 NEWTYPE OCT 2010 $13.99

OCT101274 STAR WARS INSIDER #122 SPECIAL NEWSSTAND ED $7.99

OCT101275 STAR WARS INSIDER #122 SPECIAL PX ED $7.99

AUG101359 STAR WARS VEHICLES COLL MAG #57 AIRSPEEDER $18.00

SEP101688 WHITE DWARF #371 PI

20th Century Boys the Friend's Face

I read Naoki Urasawa's 20th Century Boys, Vol. 12

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (where you can joins the thousands that have already downloaded the Bin's FREE smart phone apps).

TOKYOPOP Launches New Online Shop to Sell Print-on-Demand Books

Press release:

TOKYOPOP Launches New Online Shop Powered by MashON, Offers TextStream Print-On-Demand Books

- New TOKYOPOP Shop launch features out-of-print titles through Baker & Taylor TextStream print-on-demand and new merchandise capabilities through MashON -

LOS ANGELES, CA. - December 20, 2010 - TOKYOPOP, the country's leading independent manga media company, Baker & Taylor Inc., the world's largest distributor of physical and digital books and entertainment products, and e-commerce solution leader MashON, today announced the launch of the new TOKYOPOP Shop at www.TOKYOPOP.com. The new shop features manga-branded merchandise through MashON's e-commerce solutions and thousands of manga titles, including titles that were previously out-of-print, such as Arm of Kannon, Gorgeous Carat, and Liling-Po.

This launch with TOKYOPOP is Baker & Taylor's latest step in expanding TextStream's presence in the publishing community. TextStream provides publishers with a full range of print-on-demand / print-to-order services and a wide variety of binding formats and trim sizes.

"TOKYOPOP has an amazingly loyal, passionate fan base, and offering print-on-demand will allow fans to complete their collections of their favorite series with volumes that had been out-of-print," said Larry Bennett, Vice President of Digital Print Media for Baker & Taylor.

This partnership with MashON will allow TOKYOPOP to offer a wide array of merchandise with manga brand designs - already including iphone skins and mini-posters - with many new brands and products to be rolled out in the near future.

"As a technology provider, MashON has created a model for TOKYOPOP to integrate our eCommerce and Creative Platform with Baker & Taylor in such a way that it is the new benchmark for the publishing industry. It's exciting to see the offering resonate with TOKYOPOP's fans, especially when we consider that this initial launch is only a small fraction of the features to come. The combination of processes and technology which has been created and refined for TOKYOPOP, presents an incredibly attractive opportunity for publishers wishing to expand their product offering without increasing their inventory risk." said Andre Costa de Sousa, MashON's Head of Special Projects.

The new TOKYOPOP Shop is in an early beta stage and will be growing with new special discounts, bundle packages, and exclusive merchandise over the coming months. The Shop enters the marketplace at competitive pricing with a 30 percent storewide discount and free shipping on orders $25 or more.

Added Stu Levy, CEO and founder of TOKYOPOP, "We initially set out to build the TOKYOPOP Shop in order to provide our fans with a high-quality, price-competitive way to purchase our books online. It's an incredible bonus that we have partners who also have made it possible for us to offer print-to-order books and exclusive merchandise. We've always wanted to offer these features to our fanbase and now the technology is here for it."

The new TOKYOPOP Shop is now live in a beta version at http://www.tokyopop.com/


About Baker & Taylor
Baker & Taylor, Inc. (http://www.baker-taylor.com/) is the world's largest distributor of books, digital content and entertainment products. The company leverages its unsurpassed worldwide distribution network to deliver rich content in multiple formats, anytime and anywhere. Baker & Taylor offers cutting-edge digital media services and innovative technology platforms to thousands of publishers, libraries and retailers worldwide. Baker & Taylor also offers industry-leading customized library services and retail merchandising solutions. Baker & Taylor is proud to power Blio (blioreader.com), the world's most flexible, engaging and revolutionary e-reading application. Charlotte, N.C.-based Baker & Taylor is majority owned by Castle Harlan Partners IV, L.P., an institutional private equity fund managed by Castle Harlan, Inc., a leading private equity investment firm.

Baker & Taylor and the Baker & Taylor logo are trademarks of Baker & Taylor, Inc.

About TOKYOPOP (http://www.tokyopop.com/)
Founded by multi-cultural media visionary Stuart Levy, TOKYOPOPis hailed as a leading youth-oriented entertainment brand and an innovator of manga creation, with a revolutionary artistic vision that transcends countless platforms. From the introduction of the first-ever extensive manga publishing program in North America, to the development of its manga-originated intellectual properties into film, television and digital entertainment, TOKYOPOP has changed the way teens experience pop culture. The company's global reach has expanded to Europe and Asia, with offices in the UK and Germany, in addition to its Los Angeles and Tokyo operations. With millions of fans logging onto the new social networking site http://www.tokyopop.com/, reading its books, which are licensed in more than 50 countries in more than 30 languages, and watching its DVDs and television programs, TOKYOPOP's award-winning catalogue of licensed and original properties has made the company a visionary in an ever-growing teen entertainment marketplace. Visit http://www.tokyopop.com/ for additional information.

About MashON
MashON (http://www.mashon.com/), a dba of Planetwide Games Inc, is a leading provider of web based creative, promotional applications and turnkey eCommerce solutions for more premium entertainment properties such as MGM, Henson Studio, EA, NFL, 4Kids TV, Moonscoop and TNA Wrestling. Leveraging its patented web based creative platform, MashON redefined online shopping for branded merchandise by combining traditional licensed products with user created merchandise under a single cohesive, branded and entertaining web store, providing a deeply immersive and consolidated shopping experience.

MashON has deployed its comprehensive technology platform, including eCommerce applications, promotional and social widgets, SEO and advertising campaign management and interactive advertising solutions to maximize the exposure and profitability of entertainment brands and content.

New VIZ Media Manga for the iPad

VIZ MEDIA DEBUTS NEW MANGA ON THE FREE-TO-DOWNLOAD VIZ MANGA APP FOR THE iPad

VAMPIRE KNIGHT, OTOMEN, OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB And RUROUNI KENSHIN Join Lineup of Legendary Manga Series Available

VIZ Media announces the launch of VAMPIRE KNIGHT (rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens), OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB (rated ‘T’ for Teens), OTOMEN (rated ‘T’ for Teens), and RUROUNI KENSHIN (rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens), available now from the VIZ MANGA APP on the Apple® iPad™ mobile device. The VIZ MANGA APP is available for free download through the iTunes Store, and all manga volumes are available for purchase and download in the U.S. and Canada directly within the application for $4.99 per volume.

The recently launched VIZ MANGA APP is the leading application to read Japanese manga on the iPad, with a downloadable library of the most popular manga series in the world. Readers are encouraged to check the app regularly, as new additions to the store and free Chapter 1 previews of other forthcoming manga series for the iPad are featured.

Other series now available for download on the VIZ Manga App include volumes from BLEACH (rated ‘T’ for Teens), BAKUMAN｡ (rated ‘T’ for Teens), DEATH NOTE (rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens), DRAGON BALL (rated ‘T’ for Teens), NARUTO (rated ‘T’ for Teens), and ONE PIECE (rated ‘T’ for Teens).

In OTOMEN, a romantic comedy by creator Aya Kanno, Asuka Masamune is a guy who loves girly things--sewing, knitting, making cute stuffed animals and reading shojo comics. But in a world where boys are expected to act manly, Asuka must hide his beloved hobbies and play the part of a masculine jock instead. Can Asuka ever show his true self to anyone, much less to Ryo Miyakozuka, the girl that he's falling for?

In the screwball romantic comedy OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB by Bisco Hatori, Haruhi, a poor girl at a rich kids' school, is forced to repay an $80,000 debt by working for the school's swankiest, all-male club--as a boy! There, she discovers just how wealthy the six members are and how different the rich are from everybody else...

Action, romance, and historical intrigue help make Nobuhiro Watsuki's RUROUNI KENSHIN, the tale of a wandering swordsman set against the backdrop of the Meiji Restoration, one of the most popular Shonen Jump titles among fans to date! Himura Kenshin, once an assassin of ferocious power, is now a humble rurouni, a wandering swordsman fighting to protect the honor of those in need.

In fan favorite hit VAMPIRE KNIGHT, by Matsuri Hino, Cross Academy is attended by two groups of students: the Day Class and the Night Class. At twilight, when the students of the Day Class return to their dorm, they cross paths with the Night Class on their way to school. Yuki Cross and Zero Kiryu are the Guardians of the school, protecting the Day Class from the Academy's dark secret: the Night Class is full of vampires!

For more information on the VIZ MANGA APP, please visit www.VIZ.com/apps/.

"Van Von Hunter" Film Wins at MockFest 2010

First-time directors Stu Levy and Steven Calcote win Best Director for Van Von Hunter at Hollywood-based comedy film festival MockFest 2010

Los Angeles, CA (December 20, 2010) - TOKYOPOP, the leading manga-lifestyle entertainment company, is proud to announce that its mockumentary feature film Van Von Hunter won two awards at MockFest 2010, a festival celebrating the best comedies and mockumentaries from around the world.

Van Von Hunter, starring voice actor extraordinaire Yuri Lowenthal (Naruto, Ben 10), marks the feature film directorial debut of producer and entrepreneur Stu Levy, along with visual effects supervisor and filmmaker Steven Calcote. The pair wrote, produced, and appeared in the film.

Van Von Hunter was nominated in four categories at MockFest 2010; BEST DIRECTOR (Stu Levy and Steven Calcote), BEST MOCK FEATURE FILM, THEMED AWARD #1: What a Character Award! (Van Von Hunter, Yuri Lowenthal) and BEST EDITOR (Daisuke Kinouchi). The film took home awards for best director and a special "audience award" for best film.

"By recognizing Steven and my efforts on this film, MockFest has unleashed a monster," says Levy. "I hope they realize this means we'll keep making movies, documentaries, and combustible mixes of carbonated drink, egg nog, and aqua-colored slurpees. The world will know no end to the madness."

Inspired by and based upon the manga series created by Mike Schwark and Ron Kaulfersch, Van Von Hunter is a live-action comedy that follows its title character on a journey deep into the heart of manga and anime fandom. From the mythical world of Dikay, to the cold, hard streets of Hollywood, then across the ocean to Tokyo, this Van-tastic voyage is also filled with cameos of top manga and anime personalities as it embraces otaku culture around the globe.

Please watch the Van Von Hunter film for free on Hulu: http://www.hulu.com/van-von-hunter.

For Van Von Hunter updates and news, be sure to go to the Van Von Hunter Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/vanvonhunter.


Van Von Hunter
TOKYOPOP

Credits:
Director: Stu Levy, Steven Calcote
Screenwriters:Stu Levy, Steven Calcote
Based on the graphic novel by: Mike Schwark, Ron Kaulfersch
Producers: Stu Levy, Steven Calcote
Editor: Daisuke Kinouchi
Director of Photography: Jake Avignone
Visual Effects: Jason Milligan
Music: Benjamin Chan

Cast:
Van Von Hunter: Yuri Lowenthal
Holly O'Hara: Heather Marie Marsden
Patrick Shaunessey: Travis Stevens
Sho Matsuhashi: Himself
Hiromoto Sensei: Shin-ichi Hiromoto
Shoji Kawamori: Himself

Running Time - 102 minutes

About TOKYOPOP
Founded in 1997 by international media entrepreneur Stu Levy, TOKYOPOP established the market for manga in North America, introducing the term to the English language in the process. Over its history, TOKYOPOP has published over 3000 books, distributed anime and Asian films on home video and television, licensed merchandise to consumer goods companies, created graphic novels of major brands such as Warcraft, Star Trek, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Hannah Montana, and led the way digitally in social media, e-commerce and user-generated content. TOKYOPOP's brand expanded internationally with offices in Europe and Japan and a network of over 160 partners in more than 50 countries and 30 languages. Taking its Manga Revolution beyond the page, TOKYOPOP has begun producing live-action and animated film and television content based on its extensive intellectual property library, including Priest, Van Von Hunter, and another 20 projects currently in development, along with America's Greatest Otaku, an 8-episode reality show filmed during its 2010 summer-long, 28-city national tour. For more information, visit http://www.tokyopop.com/ as well as www.twitter.com/tokyopop and www.facebook.com/tokyopop.

The Inner Chambers Versus 47 Ronin

I read Ôoku: The Inner Chambers, Vol. 5 (Ooku: the Inner Chambers)

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has FREE smart phone apps).