Morning Glories #2 Gets a Second Printing

ONCE, TWICE, THREE TIMES A SELLOUT

MORNING GLORIES #2 sold out at distribution level before the book hits stores

The first issue of Image Comics' MORNING GLORIES has sold out twice, so it's only natural that MORNING GLORIES #2 is also a sell out at the distribution level! Image Comics is prepping a second printing of the second issue of the hit series written by Nick Spencer and drawn by Joe Eisma, with covers by Rodin Esquejo.

"This is amazing!" declares Spencer. "Never in our wildest dreams did Joe, Rodin, and I ever expect something like this. We're both thrilled and honored by the enthusiastic response to this story, and we can't wait to show our new audience what's in store for the Glories in the months ahead."

MORNING GLORIES: Morning Glory Academy is one of the most prestigious prep schools in the country. But behind its hallowed doors, something sinister and deadly lurks. When six brilliant but troubled new students arrive, they find themselves trapped and desperately seeking answers in a place where nothing is what it seems to be!

MORNING GLORIES #2 Second Printing (AUG108012), a 32-page cull-color comic book for $3.50, will be in stores October 13, 2010. MORNING GLORIES #3 (AUG100483) will be in stores October 20, which means retailers still have time to increase orders of the third issue of this phenomenal series. The third printing of MORNING GLORIES #1 (JUL108157) is available now.


Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit http://www.imagecomics.com/.

Bluewater Biographies Sell Out

"FEMALE FORCE: ANNE RICE” & POLITICAL POWER: ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER" BIOGRAHY COMIC BOOKS SELL OUT

Bluewater Productions' hit biography comic book series continues to sell out. Today two more titles are added to the list. “Female Force: Anne Rice” and “Political Power: Arnold Schwarzenegger”.

“A lot of our biography comic books have sold out, despite many shops still under-ordering. Readers have contacted us still trying to find our books,” said publisher Darren G. Davis. “It just goes to show that you don't have to be mainstream to reach the market. Readers just want great stories with great art, and if you can deliver that to them, they'll come back for more every month.”

We have heard from Ms. Rice who said that she “appreciates Bluewater's graphic novel of her life”.

As for a new printing, there is nothing planned for the “Political Power: Arnold Schwarzenegger” but as for the Anne Rice biography it will be available next month in the graphic novel “Female Force” Best Sellers”. The collected life stories of JK Rowling, Stephenie Meyer, Anne Rice, and Charlaine Harris in this broad examination of strong women that have made a difference in today's literature.

Readers can advance order “Female Force: Best Sellers” at Amazon.com http://amzn.to/cDFb3L or by calling their local comic book shop. To find a comic book store near you go to ComicShopLocator.com.

"Each of our biography comics takes a different approach in bringing stories to life," said Darren G. Davis, president and founder of Bluewater Productions. "If you compare the Lady Gaga comic with the one on “Twilight” star Robert Pattinson or even with the Oprah bio, you'll appreciate that these books are being crafted with a great deal of creativity, research and vision…they are not cookie cutter productions.”

In the last month, “Fame: Lady Gaga”, “Fame: Kirsten Stewart” and “Fame: Taylor Swift” have sold out in record time. Upcoming titles for the biography series are comic book biographies of Taylor Lautner, Justin Bieber, Bill O'Reilly, Meredith Vieira, David Beckham and Betty White. All of them are available for pre-order.

The comic book series 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, OK! Magazine, New York 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”), legendary filmmaker Ray Harryhausen (“Wrath of the Titans,” “Sinbad: Rogue of Mars,” “Jason and the Argonauts,” et al) 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.

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

Skullkickers #1 Gets Second Printing

HEAD-CRACKING BUZZ CREATES A SKULL-BUSTING SELLOUT

SKULLKICKERS #1 sold out at distribution level, rush second printing on its way

SKULLKICKERS is kicking down doors all over the place, with great early reviews and advance buzz. Image Comics is proud to announce that despite a significant overprint, SKULLKICKERS #1 has already sold out at the distribution level in advance of its September 22 street date! The second printing of this phenomenal issue will be in stores October 13.

SKULLKICKERS is fantasy action-comedy written by Jim Zubkavich (POPGUN, Street Fighter Legends: Ibuki) with art by the gifted team of Edwin Huang, Chris Stevens (POPGUN) and Misty Coats.

“Everyone on the team was ecstatic about the momentum building for the book,” says Zubkavich. “Even still, when our rep told me the generous print run had sold through before our release date, I was stunned. I can’t wait until people have a chance to give issue one a read and jump on board the wild ride we have planned for the series. Image is on a roll, and we’re proud to be a part of it.”

In SKULLKICKERS, two mercenaries are entangled in a high-class assassination plot, and nothing -- not werewolves, skeletons or black magic -- will stop them from getting paid. If you love fantasy, action-comedy, a touch of black-hearted violence and movies like ARMY OF DARKNESS, SKULLKICKERS is the book for you!

SKULLKICKERS #1 Second Printing (AUG108013), a 32-page full-color comic book for $2.99, will be in stores October 13, 2010. SKULLKICKERS #2 (AUG100490) will be in stores October 20. Follow the Skullkickers blog at www.skullkickers.com for sneak peeks and more. You can download a free preview of SKULLKICKERS using the Image Comics app from comiXology.


Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit http://www.imagecomics.com/.

Stray Dog Strut

I read Dogs, Vol. 4

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has those smart phone apps and they're FREE).

House of Five Leaves Coming from VIZ Signature

INTRIGUE AND DRAMA AWAIT READERS INSIDE THE HOUSE OF FIVE LEAVES

New Manga Tale Of A Masterless Samurai Debuts In September From Acclaimed Creator Natsume Ono

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 Natsume Ono’s samurai drama, HOUSE OF FIVE LEAVES, on September 21st. The new series, rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens, will be published under the VIZ Signature imprint and carry an MSRP of $12.99 U.S. / $16.99 CAN.

HOUSE OF FIVE LEAVES is a dramatic tale of intrigue and action. 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.

Natsume Ono is one of today's top creators of seinen manga – designed for adult readers of mature and more sophisticated stories. She made her professional debut in 2003 with the web comic La Quinta Camera, and her subsequent works not simple, Ristorante Paradiso, and Gente (a continuation of Ristorante Paradiso) have met with both critical and popular acclaim. In 2009, Ristorante Paradiso was adapted into an animated TV series. Her current series, House of Five Leaves (Saraiya Goyou), also adapted into a TV anime series in 2010, is currently published in Japan in IKKI magazine.

HOUSE OF FIVE LEAVES is one of the innovative series featured on SigIKKI.com, VIZ Media’s premiere website for presenting some of the most inventive, bold, and compelling titles in the world of contemporary manga. For more information on this title, please visit http://www.sigikki.com/.

For information on all other VIZ Media titles please visit http://www.viz.com/.


About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), is one of the most comprehensive and innovative companies in the field of manga (graphic novel) publishing, animation and entertainment licensing of Japanese content. Owned by three of Japan’s largest creators and licensors of manga and animation, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media is a leader in the publishing and distribution of Japanese manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and South Africa and is a global ex-Asia licensor of Japanese manga and animation. The company offers an integrated product line including the popular monthly manga anthology SHONEN JUMP magazine, graphic novels, and DVDs, and develops, markets, licenses, and distributes animated entertainment for audiences and consumers of all ages. Contact VIZ Media at 295 Bay Street, San Francisco, CA 94133;website at http://www.viz.com/.

I Reads You Review: SUZUKA, VOL. 13/14/15

Creator: Kouji Seo; Stephen Paul (translation and adaptation)
Publishing Information: Del Rey Manga, paperback, 592 pages, $21.99 (US), $24.99 CAN
Ordering Numbers: ISBN: 978-0-345-50836-2 (ISBN-13)

Rating “M” for “Ages 18+”

Suzuka is a manga series from creator Kouji Seo. The series is a high school romance that uses a high school track and field team as a prominent backdrop.

The sports-themed series focuses on Yamato Akitsuki, a teen boy who moves from rural Hiroshima to the big city of Tokyo to change himself. He moves into a dormitory run by his aunt while he attends high school. Yamato falls in love with his next door neighbor, Suzuka Asahine, a talented and much sought-after high jumper.

Suzuka Volume 13•14•15 is an omnibus edition that collects Vols. 13 to 15 of the series. In this collection Yamato’s girl troubles go into overdrive. First, Suzuka is leaving for America to further develop her high jumping skills, but before she leaves, Suzuka has something shocking to tell Yamato. Then, Hanoka Sakurai, Yamato’s former girlfriend and a model, decides to make a move on Yamato in Suzuka’s absence. Finally, Saki Asagi, a childhood pal from Hiroshima moves to Tokyo in order to attend college. Saki is the “firefly confession girl” who broke Yamato’s heart. Has she come to break his heart again?

Like Junpei Manaka, the lead character in Mizuki Kawashita’s Strawberry 100%, Yamato Akitsuki of Suzuka has girl trouble. Both start off liking one girl, but over the course of each series, both end up with multiple girlfriends, female friends, love interests, and girls pursuing them. While both series are character driven, Suzuka is a drama with comic moments (while Strawberry 100% is a comic romp). Suzuka is similar to those television teen dramas that often show up on American television, especially The CW television network and the ABC Family cable television network.

Like these TV series, Suzuka finds its teen characters not only dealing with issues of dating and romance, but also issues relating to family, plans after high school, and personal achievement. The art for this series is rather matter-of-fact. Kouji Seo can obviously draw and design the kind of pretty, curvy, young females that dominant romance-theme manga. However, the focus is really on character drama, so the art is free of stylistic flourishes that might take away from the story.

Although this manga is quite well done, it really is not something I would normally read. It is sad that a grown man must admit this, but I prefer light-hearted shojo manga like the titles published by VIZ Media under its “Shojo Beat” imprint and Del Rey’s shojo titles that are comedy and/or fantasy.

But Suzuka is good, especially in this larger-than-usual edition.

B+

Guarding the Globe #1 Gets Second Printing

GUARDING THE GLOBE BACK TO PRESS

Image Comics reprints sold out GUARDING THE GLOBE #1

GUARDING THE GLOBE #1 -- the book Major Spoilers gives 4 out of 5 stars and that Ain't It Cool News calls "aces" -- is sold out at the distribution level, so Image Comics is taking it back to press.

Cowritten by Robert Kirkman (THE WALKING DEAD) and Benito Cereno (INVINCIBLE PRESENTS: ATOM EVE & REX SPLODE) and drawn by newcomer Ransom Getty, the second printing of GUARDING THE GLOBE #1 will be in stores September 29.

"After all the fun we had with the teaser campaign, I couldn't imagine how much more exciting this book could be," says Kirkman, "but it keeps getting better and better! Thanks to all the fans who put us on top with this sellout!"

In GUARDING THE GLOBE, heroes both familiar and new struggle to protect Earth in Invincible's absence. As the Viltrumite War rages on within the pages of INVINCIBLE, the ranks of the Guardians of the Globe are suddenly depleted. The world is in danger, and the team is in search of new blood. It's the biggest recruitment drive since Omni-Man slaughtered the original members. But will it be in time to stop The Order? This series is a can't-miss action extravaganza, with one-page backups by Chris Giarrusso (G-MAN, Mini-Marvels) featuring the Guardians of the Globe that never were: Invincible, Spawn, Rick Grimes, Barack Obama, and Gary Popper!

GUARDING THE GLOBE #1 Second Printing (JUL108190), a 32-page full-color comic, will be on sale for $3.50 on September 29, 2010, the same day as GUARDING THE GLOBE #2 (JUL100443).


Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit http://www.imagecomics.com/.