Pain Revealed in Naruto 48

NARUTO MEETS THE TRUE FACE OF PAIN

The Gripping Next Installment of the Hit SHONEN JUMP Manga, NARUTO Volume 48, Now Available!

VIZ Media invites fans to continue the adventure with their favorite ninja in NARUTO Volume 48, now available in stores! NARUTO is rated ‘T’ for Teens and carries an estimated retail price of $9.99 US and $12.99 CAN.

Naruto, a young shinobi with an incorrigible knack for mischief and a wild sense of humor, is completely serious about his mission to be the world's greatest ninja! In this volume, Naruto is finally face-to-face with his ultimate nemesis, and finds out there's way more to the true Pain than he could have ever imagined. As the consequences of the tumultuous politics of the past come to light, an unexpected turn of events puts a new ninja in power in Konoha - the first act by the new leader will change Naruto's world forever.

Also included in this exciting volume as a special bonus is an exclusive collectible NARUTO SHIPPUDEN Collectible Card from Bandai America, featuring Sakura Haruno. Part of an exclusive three-card promotion, fans can collect the first card featuring Naruto Uzumaki, included in Bandai’s Series 17 Hobby Booster Boxes, and the third card featuring Kakashi Hatake, included in the August issue of SHONEN JUMP magazine (the best selling monthly manga anthology in North America), hitting retailers on July 6th.

NARUTO depicts the adventures of a young boy named Naruto Uzumaki who trains to become a ninja, and through his exciting adventures, the young ninja learns the importance of friendship, teamwork, loyalty, hard work, creativity, ingenuity, and right versus wrong. Created by Masashi Kishimoto, NARUTO was first introduced in Japan in 1999 and quickly became that country’s most popular ninja manga, and more than 100 million copies to date have been printed. The manga series has captivated millions of fans across North America, Europe and South America.

For more information on NARUTO please visit www.NARUTO.com.

The Old Adventures of New Hitler?

I read Afterschool Charisma, Vol. 1

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has updated its popular iPhone app).

Dark Horse Presents DH:HD

THE FUTURE OF COMICS HAS ARRIVED!

DARK HORSE, TOSHIBA, AND USA TODAY PROUDLY PRESENT DH:HD

Three leaders in pop culture have come together for a groundbreaking new program to bring comics to your desktop, doorstep, and digital TV! Following up on the success of USA Today’s Wednesday Comics program, it was announced today that the nation’s top-selling print newspaper will bring comics to the forefront of culture yet again. The program will showcase exclusive and all-new original content from Dark Horse Comics’ top properties and creators across a variety of media platforms.

“As an entertainment company, Dark Horse prides itself on pushing the boundaries with groundbreaking creators and content,” said Mike Richardson, president and publisher of Dark Horse Comics. “We're excited to continue this tradition by showcasing some of our most exciting stories in this all-new program with these great partners."

“As a leader in home entertainment built on Toshiba’s rich 130-year history of groundbreaking technologies, we are proud to associate our products, including our new LED HDTVs and Blu-ray Disc players, with the compelling and legendary Dark Horse brand,” said Maria Repole, vice president of communications for Toshiba. “This truly exciting campaign will help Toshiba build a connection with a passionate group of consumers eager to experience fresh content in innovative ways.”

“USA Today is excited to be partnering with Toshiba and Dark Horse on this innovative program. It’s a terrific example of how USA Today can take exclusive content and turn it into a compelling cross-platform reader experience,” said Susan Lavington, senior vice president of marketing for USA Today.

The DH:HD (Dark Horse: High-Def) program kicks off today with an exclusive look at best-selling author Janet Evanovich’s first graphic novel, Troublemaker, in USA Today. The newspaper and Toshiba will maintain momentum by continuing to showcase Dark Horse’s content online, in print, and at the Comic-Con International in San Diego and New York Comic Con. In October, Dark Horse will roll out a series of all-new stories created exclusively for the program.


About Dark Horse Comics
Since 1986, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. The company is known for the progressive and creator friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists. In addition to publishing comics from top talent like Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Neil Gaiman, Gerard Way, Will Eisner, and bestselling prose author, Janet Evanovich, Dark Horse has developed such successful characters as The Mask, Timecop, and SpyBoy. Additionally, their highly successful line of comics and products based on popular properties includes Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, Mass Effect, Tim Burton, Serenity and Domo. Today, Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic-book publisher in the United States and is recognized as both an innovator in the cause of creator rights and the comics industry's leading publisher of licensed material.

About Toshiba America Consumer Products, L.L.C.
Toshiba America Consumer Products, L.L.C. (“TACP”) is owned by Toshiba America, Inc., a subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation, a world leader in high technology products with subsidiaries worldwide. TACP markets and sells a full line of home entertainment products, including flat panel TVs, Hi-Definition Blu-ray Disc players, TV/DVD Combination products and portable devices. TACP is headquartered in Wayne, New Jersey. For additional information, please visit www.tacp.toshiba.com or www.toshibatv.com.

About USA TODAY
USA TODAY was founded in 1982 with a mission to serve as a forum for better understanding and unity to help make the USA truly one nation. Through its flagship newspaper and popular Web site, USA TODAY engages the national conversation and connects readers online through social media applications. USA TODAY, the nation's number one newspaper in print circulation with a total average daily print circulation of more than 1.8 million, and USATODAY.com, an award-winning newspaper Web site which launched in 1995, reach a combined 5.9 million readers daily. The USA TODAY news and information brand also includes: USA TODAY Education, USA TODAY Mobile, and USA TODAY Sports Weekly. USA TODAY is owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI).

“Blu-ray Disc” and “Blu-ray” are trademarks of Blu-ray Disc Association.

New "Hack/Slash" Gets Second Printing

HACKING AND SLASHING TO A SELL OUT

HACK/SLASH: MY FIRST MANIAC #1 sells out at the distribution level

Tim Seeley's first release since bringing cult classic Hack/Slash to Image Comics -- HACK/SLASH: MY FIRST MANIAC #1 (of 4) -- is officially sold out at the distribution level. Image Comics is taking it to press for a second printing.

"I'm so pleased that Image gave me a chance to reach a whole new audience," exclaims Seeley. "Thank you readers, new and old!"

"We're thrilled that Hack/Slash is getting the attention it deserves," adds Image Comics Publisher Eric Stephenson. "Tim & co. are doing stellar work on this book, and with a new ongoing slated for the end of this year, we hope to create an ever-growing audience for Hack/Slash."

HACK/SLASH: MY FIRST MANIAC is an all-new miniseries that explores Cassie's first case! 16-year-old Cassie Hack has just been forced to kill her mother, the undead murderer known as the Lunch Lady! Now faced with overwhelming guilt, she must decide if she can make a life with her foster parents or use her new-found slasher killing skills to save other screaming teenagers! But does the apple fall far from the tree?

HACK/SLASH: MY FIRST MANIAC #1 Second Printing (MAY108016), a 32-page full-color comic book for $3.50, will be available July 14, 2010, the same day as HACK/SLASH: MY FIRST MANIAC #2 (MAY100478).


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 four major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline 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 www.imagecomics.com.

"Magic Tree House Series" Become e-Books

The Complete Magic Tree House Series Launches Today as Random House e-Books in North America

NEW YORK, June 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Random House Children's Books (www.randomhouse.com/kids) is launching the complete Magic Tree House series in e-book today, making the entire series available digitally for the first time, it was announced by Chip Gibson, the company's President and Publisher. All 43 titles currently available in the beloved and bestselling Magic Tree House fiction series will now be available in the U.S. and Canada wherever Random House e-books are sold.

With the addition of the e-books, Mary Pope Osborne's Magic Tree House series is published by Random House, Inc. divisions (Random House Children's Books and Listening Library) in the now-customary three platforms -- print, audio, and digital.

"Magic Tree House is one of the bestselling series of children's books in publishing history," said Gibson, "It's very exciting that these beloved and extraordinary books can reach an even wider audience in the expanded world of digital publishing."

Mary Pope Osborne's celebrated Magic Tree House series has sold 70 million copies in North America and has been translated into 28 different languages in 31 countries. First published in 1992, the series continues to be widely regarded among children, teachers, and parents alike for its power to instill a passion for reading. For more information about Mary Pope Osborne and the series visit http://www.magictreehouse.com/.


Random House Children's Books is the world's largest English-language children's trade book publisher. Creating books for toddlers through young adult readers, in all formats from board books to activity books to picture books, novels, and e-books, the imprints of Random House Children's Books bring together award-winning authors and illustrators, world-famous franchise characters, and multimillion-copy series. The company's website, kids@random (www.randomhouse.com/kids) offers an array of activities, games and resources for children, teens, parents, and educators. Random House Children's Books is a division of Random House, Inc., whose parent company is Bertelsmann AG, a leading international media company.

Alice Hotwire - the Hot Girl

I read HOTWIRE: Requiem for the Dead Volume 1

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin.

Be Aware of The Creeper Book

I read The Creeper by Steve Ditko

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin.  This is a hardcover collection of all The Creeper comic book stories that Steve Ditko drew (and often wrote).  There are 16 all together including one presented to the general public for the first time.