Dark Horse has announced its comic and graphic novel releases for March, leading into the release of the STAR WARS: EPISODE III: REVENGE OF THE SITH on May 19, 2005. The trade paperback adaptation ($12.95) of EPISODE III will hit stores April 2, with art by Doug Wheatley.
Daws Butler was greater than your average voice actor, tiny like Elroy Jetson and loeable as Huckleberry Hound, stars he created the voice for and hundreds more before he passed away in 1988. On Nov. 16, 2004, to celebrate what would have been Butlers 89th birthday, Bear Manor Media releases his authorized biography DAWS BUTLER: CHARACTERS ACTOR, which takes a revealing look at the surprising and charmed life of the man who many consider to be the greatest voice magician of the 20th Century.
eigoMANGA is sending care packages containing anime and manga gifts for U.S. Army troops stationed at Colorado Springs, Colorado, expected to be departing to soon to Iraq. The media and publishing company is answering the call of the Army troops that formed an anime club on the base called, A.N.I.M.E. Club.
Beginning this November, Dark Horse will publish STAR WARS: OBSESSION, a five-issue limited series comic, which recounts Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi 's brush with the dark side as he embarks on a mission fraught with peril.
Stone Bridge Press has published the first book-length collection by one of the most respected writers on anime and manga Fred Patten. WATCHING ANIME, READING MANGA gathers a quarter century of Pattens writings on the business of anime, fandom, artists, Japanese society and the most influential titles. Providing the forward is Carl Macek, the producer responsible for bringing some of the most important anime titles to the U.S.
The George Lucas Educational Foundation (GLEF) launches EDUTOPIA, a new magazine for a new world of learning. Serving as a catalyst for change in education, the publication's editorial will showcase the best and most innovative thinking in education, profile the sharpest minds, reveal ways around roadblocks and question the status quo. EDUTOPIA is the first magazine launch for Lucas and for the foundation, which was founded in 1991 to chronicle innovative practices in education.
HarperDesign Intl is set to release a comprehensive world history of animation titled, ANIMATION ART. The 382-page book will hit shelves on Oct. 26, 2004 and sell for $45. Originally commissioned by Flame Tree Publishing in the U.K., the book was edited by animation historian Jerry Beck, serving as the general editor with animation veteran Will Ryan serving as consulting editor.
ADV Manga has announced its Aug.24, 2004 street dates, with four new titles including 50 RULES FOR TEENAGERS, ALL PURPOSE CULTURAL CAT GIRL NUKU NUKU, NAJICA BLITZ TACTICS and QUANTUM MISTAKE. Continuing editions are being announced for DESERT CORAL, VOLUME 2 OF 3; PRÉTEAR, VOLUME 2 OF 4; STEEL ANGEL KURUMI, VOLUME 7 OF 9; THE BOSS, VOLUME 2 OF 30; and THOSE WHO HUNT ELVES, VOLUME 6 OF 21.
Chronicle Books will produce three products based on THE INCREDIBLES, which will hit theaters Nov. 5, 2004. THE ART OF THE INCREDIBLES by Mark Cotta Vaz will be a 160-page, 11x9" hardcover with an 8-page gatefold and color illustrations throughout. It will feature concept and character sketches, storyboards and lighting studies, as well as interviews with the key personnel at Pixar, including director Brad Bird and John Lasseter. It will sell for $40.
TOKYOPOP Inc. and Blizzard Ent. will develop a three-book manga series titled WARCRAFT: THE SUNWELL TRILOGY. The manga will be penned by NEW YORK TIMES best-selling fantasy author Richard Knaak -- who is also writing a trilogy of WARCRAFT novels -- and illustrated by Jae Hwan Kim, artist of TOKYOPOP's KING OF HELL series. WARCRAFT: THE SUNWELL TRILOGY VOLUME 1: DRAGON HUNT debuts in early spring 2005.
Penguin Group USA has signed a three-year deal to publish manga with Digital Manga Inc. in a deal brokered by Eloise Flood, publisher of Razorbill, the newly launched teen imprint from Penguin Young Readers Group and Hikaru Sasahara, ceo of Digital Manga Inc.
At Comic-Con, Dark Horse Comics announced that it will publish a four-issue comic book adaptation of the Pixar film THE INCREDIBLES. Dark Horse's adaptation will feature art by Ricardo Curtis, one of the storyboard artists on the film.
In addition, Dark Horse announced a new manga series, Katsuya Terada's THE MONKEY KING, a manga adaptation of the popular Chinese legend. It will feature the toughest monkey in the East, who is on a mission to retrieve the legendary scrolls of Buddha. The first volume will hit stores in March 2005.
ADV Manga has announced its July 2004 street dates. Included in the lineup are new titles: APOCALYPSE MEOW, JINKI: EXTEND, GADIROK and THE BOSS.
APOCALYPSE MEOW, VOLUME 1 OF 3 is a pseudo-historical account of the Vietnam War are rabbits, cats and other beasts representing various nationalities involved in the conflict. Written and illustrated by Motofumi Kobayashi, he was the first manga artist to draw an American comic book series-Marvel Comic's PSYCHONAUT. The 136-page, black-and-white titles will sell for $9.99.
TOKYOPOP Inc. has teamed with the multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning band Linkin Park to develop a new LINKIN PARK CINE-MANGA. A collaborative effort that joins TOKYOPOP's Cine-Manga format with Linkin Park's new anime-style music video, BREAKING THE HABIT, this 48-page comicbook incorporates full-color images taken directly from the video, freeze-framed into spreads along with manga-style images and sound effects. The release will include song lyrics, a special foreword, band notes and commentary.
At BookExpo America, Andrews McMeel said he was planning to release a three-hardcover slipcased complete collection of the popular CALVIN & HOBBES comic strips in 2005, reports ICv2. Similar to this year's two-hardcover slipcased FAR SIDE collection, the CALVIN & HOBBES anthology would sell for around $150.
Ballistic Publishing has announced the publication of EXPOSÉ 2, the second edition of the industry's acclaimed art book celebrating the creative talents of digital artists worldwide. EXPOSÉ 1 was sold in 68 countries worldwide and won numerous awards. Pre-order information, page galleries, award winning images and more are available at www.ballisticpublishing.com/expose2.
VIZ LLC has announced the release of second editions of several of its manga series, including NEON GENESIS EVANGELION, Rumiko Takahashi's MAISON IKKOKU and Hayao Miyazaki's NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND. Other second edition titles from VIZ's Action catalog include INUYASHA, RANMA 1/2, BASTARD!!, BATTLE ANGEL ALITA and VIDEO GIRL AI.
Artwork to be considered for EXPOSÉ 2 needs to be submitted before Jan. 29, 2004, four weeks prior to the previous deadline, in order for the book to be shipped in time for SIGGRAPH 2004. EXPOSÉ 2 will go into full production in March 2004, with a release date of July 2004. EXPOSÉ 2 Pre-orders for EXPOSÉ 2 will start in June 2004.
VIZ LLC has announced the acquisition of ULTIMATE MUSCLE: THE KINNIKUMAN LEGACY from Shueisha Inc., one of Japan's largest publishers. The manga will be offered through the SHONEN JUMP line of graphic novels and will begin shipping in March 2004 and hit stores in the U.S. in mid-April.
Syd Mead, the renowned designer behind such films as BLADE RUNNER, TRON, 2010, and ALIENS, has joined the EXPOSÉ 2 Advisory Committee. EXPOSÉ 2 is the second in Ballistic Publishing's series of award-winning digital art books celebrating the talents of digital artists worldwide. Advisory Committee members will collaboratively assist in the selection of artwork to be presented in EXPOSÉ 2, as well as take on an advisory role ensuring the highest quality standards.
TOKYOPOP Inc. and Nickelodeon have teamed up to bring Nicks series THE FAIRLY ODDPARENTS into Cine-Manga. Composed of digital images directly from the animation, the full-color books will debut in March 2004.
Fantagraphics Books has announced the complete reprinting of Charles Schulzs classic PEANUTS comic strips. The collection will be a total of 25 books published two per year for the next 12 1/2 years. The first collection will hits shelves April 1, 2004. THE COMPLETE PEANUTS series will be designed by the cartoonist SETH (PALOOKAVILLE, ITS A GOOD LIFE IF YOU DONT WEAKEN) and produced in full cooperation with United Media, Charles M. Schulz Creative Associates and Schulzs widow, Jean Schulz.
Fred Patten takes a look at Allan Neuwirth's new book about the American animation industry.
Fred Patten takes a look at this new book cataloging Spike & Mike's festival compilations and well as other notable edgy indie shorts.
Central Park Media has announced that its fall 2003 line of manga titles will have a smaller size and a reduced price of $9.99. Commencing the launch of the new manga line will be the highly anticipated October 8, 2003 release of POPCORN ROMANCE by acclaimed graphic novelist Tomoko Taniguchi. The story follows two metal-head brothers who worry about their lost love when they take a forced vacation to their grandfathers farm.
