Gene Colan Has Passed Away

We’re very sorry to report that veteran artist Gene Colan has passed away.

More information can be found on The Blog of Clifford Meth.

Bleeding Cool has a nice roundup of remembrances of Gene.

Dragon*Con Art Show Asking for Pieces to Display

In honor of Stan Lee’s appearance at this year’s convention, Dragon*Con is hosting an art show dedicated to the Art of Marvel Comics. Noted comic art collector Benno Rothschild is organizing the event and looking for pieces to be put on display. “We LOVE to show off the great art that people are willing to bring to the show and are especially looking for ANY Golden age and good Silver and Bronze Age Marvel stuff by the usual suspects,”  said Rothschild, “but have room for plenty of newer stuff too.” Anyone going to the convention and interested in loaning art to the exhibition should contact him via email: benno.rothschild@hartmansimons.com.

 This is the blurb from the Dragon*Con website.

Marvel Comics Original Art Gallery! True believers can come by all day on Saturday in Artists’ Alley as your hosts will be displaying original Marvel comic book art both new and old for your favorite characters and artists. Face front and come see classic art by “Nefarious” Neal Adams, “Big” John Buscema, Gene “The Dean” Colan, “Shy” Steve Ditko, “Dazzling” Don Heck, Jack “King” Kirby, “Jazzy” Johnny Romita, “Wondrous” Werner Roth, “Darlin” Dick Ayers, and “Gorgeous” George Tuska to name a few. Do you like “The New Breed?” we’ll have them covered too! Frank Cho, Mark Brooks, Todd McFarlane, Ed McGuinnness, Dexter Vines, Charles Vess and many more. There will be Silver, Bronze, and Modern Age Marvel covers, classic origin pages, Spider-Man swinging and Thor throwing Mjolnir. If you look closely, maybe you will see a shrinking Ant-Man, too. Excelsior and Nuff Said! Hosted for the 11th year by Richard Garrison, Dave Newton, Troy Pierce & Benno Rothschild.

Florida Supercon Adds Over a Dozen More for 2010

FLORIDA SUPERCON 2010
OVER A DOZEN MAJOR NEW GUESTS ADDED FOR JUNE 18-20, 2010 SHOW

www.supercon.tv

Miami, FL – Florida’s most exciting and fun genre convention continues to add more guests and events for the 5th annual Florida Supercon, set to occur June 18-20, 2010 in Miami, FL. Nineteen new guests have been added to the already massive guest list with more still to be announced as we get closer to the show!

Florida Supercon (FSC) is South Florida’s Comic Book, Anime, Animation, Video Game and Sci-Fi / Fantasy Festival, a three day festival that includes celebrity guests, comic book publishers, artists, writers, vendors, Q&A’s, parties, costume contests, anime programming, cosplay, panels, photo shoots, live music, video games and more. The event kicks off at 12:00PM, Friday, June 18 and the fun continues almost around the clock until 6:00PM, Sunday, June 20. FSC returns to Miami for its 5th year as it takes over almost 150,0000 square feet at the Doubletree Miami Mart Airport Hotel and Convention Center to become the largest genre convention in the history of South Florida!

New guest artists include:

·         Gene Colan: Legendary Comic Book Artist whose career has spanned 1946 to the present. Gene is well known for his work on Iron Man (including the classic Iron Man #1), Batman, Daredevil, Tomb of Dracula, Captain America, Doctor Strange and much more!

·         Greg Horn: Superstar Comic Book Artist Greg Horn is well known for his painted work at both Marvel and DC including: Secret Invasion, Blackest Night, Ms. Marvel, Green Lantern, Anita Blake, Iron Man, She-Hulk and more!

·         Jay Leisten: Current inker of Uncanny X-Men and Moon Knight for Marvel Comics. Jay’s other credits include Dark X-Men, Witchblade, Wolverine, New Avengers and much more!

·         Echo Chernik: Echo has over fifteen years of experience as a professional commercial artist who has done work for Celestial Seasonings, Arlo Guthrie, Miller Brewing Co., Camel Cigarettes and more.

·         Luis Diaz: Luis has worked as an illustrator, designer and fine artist for IDW Publishing (Wynonna Earp), Devil’s Due, Topps, WWE and more. He has created over 40 paintings for the new Garbage Pail Kids and Wacky Packages card sets.

New guest celebrities include:

·         Robb Demarest: The lead investigator for Ghost Hunters International, Robb can be seen weekly on the Syfy channel investigating the paranormal.

·         Brandy Green: A case manager for Ghost Hunters International, Brandy can be seen weekly on the Syfy channel investigating the paranormal.

·         Luciana Carro: Star of Battlestar Galactica as “Kat” and Caprica as “Pyrah”.

·         The Iron Sheik: Wrestling Legend, former WWF World Heavyweight Champion, WWF Tag Team Champion and WWE Hall of Fame member.

·         Greg “The Hammer” Valentine: Wrestling Legend, former WWF Tag Team Champion, WWF Intercontinental Champion, NWA Champion and WWE Hall of Fame member.

·         Terri Runnels: Former WWF, WWE and WCW manager, host and wrestler. Terri was one of the first WWE divas.

·         Traci Brooks: TNA Wrestling star, Traci is the original TNA Knockout!

·         SoCal Val: TNA Wrestling star.

New Musical Guests include:

·         Addax: Indie Power Pop band

·         Feeding Fingers: Post Punk / New Wave trio

·         The Joyness: Pop / Folk Rock band

·         S.S. Hanami: Anime Rock band

New Cosplay Guests include:

·         Yaya Han: Cosplay Guest Yaya Han is a costume designer and cosplay entertainer with over 9 years of experience and over 100 costumes under her belt. Her intricate and lavish creations have won awards and acclaim nationwide.

·         Miracole Burns: Model, Professional Makeup Artist, Costume Designer and Uber Nerd!

More information for each of these guests may be found at the FSC website www.supercon.tv. These new guests join a line up of over 100 guests already announced for the show, and that number continues to grow every week. Some of the guests already lined up for FSC 2010 include:

Comic Book artists and writers such as Ariel Olivetti, Gene Colan, Bill Sienkiewicz, Khoi Pham, Rafa Sandoval, Dennis Calero, Brad Walker, Paul Gulacy, Fred Van Lente, Filip Sablik, Georges Jeanty, Dick Giordano, Dustin Weaver, Steve Kurth, Shawn Crystal, Joe Jusko, Greg Horn, Allen Bellman, Clayton Henry, Alex Saviuk, Pat Broderick, Rob Hunter, Greg “Dark One” Williams, Vinnie Tartamella, Dick Kulpa, Jay Leisten, Luis Diaz and more!

Anime and Animation voice actors like Troy Baker (Naruto, Code Geass), Richard Horvitz (Invader Zim), Larry Kenney (Thundercats), Brittney Karbowski (Xenosaga, Pani Poni Dash), Dana Snyder (Aqua Teen), Charles Fleischer (Roger Rabbit), Brad Kesten (Charlie Brown), Angela Lee-Sloan (Lucy in Peanuts), Stacy H. Tolkin (Sally in Peanuts) and more!

Legendary Filmmakers Lloyd Kaufman and Hershell Gordon Lewis.

Movie and TV Celebrities such as Tia Carrere (Wayne’s World, Relic Hunter), Robb Demarest (Ghost Hunters International), Brandy Green (Ghost Hunters International), Luciana Carro (Battlestar Galactica), John Wesley Shipp (The Flash), Charles Fleischer (Back to the Future II), Julie McCullough (Growing Pains, The Blob), Louise Robey (Friday the 13th the series), Rebecca Staab (Fantastic Four), Michelle Lintel (The Black Scorpion) and more!

Wrestling Guests such as The Iron Sheik (WWF), Greg “The Hammer” Valentine (WWF), Sinn “Kizarny” Bodhi (WWE), Terri Runnels (WWE), Traci Brooks (TNA) and SoCal Val (TNA).

Musical Guests like MC Frontalot, Addax, Feeding Fingers, The Joyness, S.S. Hanami, Robbed By A Flute, Sci-Fried, The Pursuit, Murderous Rampage and more!

Cosplay and Entertainment Guests such as Yaya Han, Miracole Burns, The 3000 Brigade (Smash Bros. Show), Supercon Championship Wrestling, Wasabi Anime and more!

Stand Up Comedy Guests like Lisa Corrao, The Revenge of the Nerds Comedy Show, Julie McCullough and more!

Additional guests can be found at on the Florida Supercon website at www.supercon.tv

This years FSC will have dedicated programming tracks for each of the genre’s being celebrated. Some of the amazing events include:

• Q&A’s with most of our attending guests

• Comic art portfolio reviews for aspiring artists

• Fan panels for all aspects of the show (Comics, Anime, Animation, Sci-Fi etc.)

• Industry panels for breaking into Comics, Anime, Animation etc…

• The FSC Costume Competition (with over $3,000 in cash and prizes)

• The FSC Cosplay Skit Contest

• Rumble Roses Cosplay Wrestling

• The Otaku Insomnia Rave

• Cosplay Deviant’s Hentai Cafe

• Cosplay RockBand

• Supercon Championship Wrestling’s “Supercon Mania!”

• The Smash Brothers 3000 Super Show

• Filmmaking workshops with Hershell Gordon Lewis

• The FSC Film Festival

• Live Musical Performances

• Live stand up comedy

• Over 100 video game stations

• Video game tournaments

• A 50,000 square feet exhibition room with over 400 booths and tables featuring vendors, celebrity guests, artists, filmmakers and exhibits.

Complete information on these and dozens of more events taking place all weekend can be found at www.supercon.tv

The convention hours of operation are:

FRIDAY, JUNE 18: 12:00PM – 2:00AM

SATURDAY, JUNE 19: 11:00AM – 2:00AM

SUNDAY, JUNE 20: 11:00AM – 6:00PM

FSC is located at The Double Tree Miami Airport Hotel and Convention Center,
711 NW 72nd Ave, Miami, FL 33126. Discounted room rates for convention

NYC – A Conversation with Gene Colan

This special fundraiser will benefit Gene Colan directly and all proceeds will go towards his retirement fund. This is an exclusive event with admission only given to those that purchase a ticket.

$150 Ticket price includes:

Admission for two to Somos Arte presents A Conversation with Gene Colan moderated by curator Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez (Marvelous Color, Santerians | The Art of Joe Quesada) .

One (1) Gene Colan sketch.

One (1) Autographed copy of The Invincible Gene Colan released by Marvel Entertainment (Hardcover, 128 pages). It is a stunning visual tribute and biography of one of the most brilliant, sublime and influential comic artists in the genre’s history. Including observations from Stan Lee, Neil Gaiman, Walter Simonson, Marv Wolfman, Tom Palmer and John Romita Sr., it also contains tons of Gene’s beautiful, eye-popping art.

Visit www.marvelouscolor.com/events.html to purchase your ticket

This special event is being produced with the support of Gene and Adrienne Colan.
Venue provided by POWERHOUSE ARENA. (www.powerhousearena.com)
——————————————————————————–
Gene Colan’s official career in comics began in 1944 at Fiction House drawing Wings Comics. Once Gene began to solicit work with the major comic companies, Stan Lee at Timely Comics was impressed enough to hire Gene for around sixty odd dollars a week. Since that time, Gene has been associated with both National (DC) and Timely (Marvel) Comics  from 1946 to the present day as well as numerous independent publishers over the years. Not only is he closely associated with popular characters like Daredevil, Batman, Captain America, Dracula, Iron Man, Captain Marvel, Howard the Duck, Wonder Woman, Blade, Sub-Mariner and many others, he’s also worked just about every genre comics have ever touched on: Romance, War, Crime/Detective, Western, Sci-Fi, Horror, Humor, and of course Superheroes. His style is immediately recognizable for its dramatic & sweeping cinematic form, mastery of light and shadow, expression and characterization, and unusual eye-catching layouts. Gene is also responsible for the innovative use of “finished pencils” as artwork. He is the only artist today whose work is often published directly from his pencils.

Gene has taught at both the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan and the Fashion Institute of Technology. Gene has enjoyed showings at the prestigious Bess Cutler Gallery in Soho, New York City and Manchester’s Elm Street Arts Gallery where he lectured on Comics, Cinema, and Continuity Art.

Learn more about Gene Colan by visiting www.GeneColan.com

Mike Carbo’s New York Comic Book Marketplace (February 2010)

Convention	Mike Carbo’s New York Comic Book Marketplace
Convention Website	http://www.nycbm.com/
Start Date	02/27/2010
About This Convention:	NYC’s Longest-Running and Greatest One-Day Show Returns Saturday, February 27, 2010, from 11am to 7pm, at Penn Plaza Pavilion, 401 7th Ave at 33rd St, New York City Please call 1-800-723-5572 for more details and visit www.nycbm.com Sponsored in Part By Forbidden Planet New York Comments from our June 2009 Show: “Fantastic new room! Beautiful set-up. Wonder Woman #1 Sale! San Diego-like buys! New York needs more shows like this! - Vincent Zurzolo, Metropolis Comics “Was mobbed all day! Great space! Thumbs UP!!” - Ted Van Liew, Superworld Comics “I always enjoy the Big Apple shows – the fans are great and the guests are fantastic!” - Cliff Chiang, DC Comics Artist “It was a great show! Barely had time to sit it was so busy!” - New Dimension Comics “It was extremely well organized, crowd was enthusiastic! Can’t wait for the next one!” - Chuck Rozanski, Mile High Comics “All capital letters… PHENOMENAL!” - Joe Rodgers, Comic Dealer “Great fun seeing the fans! What a turnout! We’re coming back!” - Gene Colan, Legendary Comics Artist “Rivals April 5th 1987, Fred Greenberg’s 1-day! This brought back that fantastic memory!” - Rich Muchin, Tomorrow’s Treasures “This is the best Big Apple Con ever! The location, the people, the celebrity guests, the bargains… it couldn’t be any better!!!” Jim Salicrup, Editor-in-Chief, Papercutz, MOCCA Trustee
Convention Guests	Gene Colan, Billy Tucci, Mike Golden, Irwin Hasen, Jim Starlin, J H Williams III, Mark Texiera, Herb Trimpe, Bill Sienkiewicz, Chris Claremont, Sean Chen, Larry Hama, Rudy Nebres, Dick Ayers, Rodney Ramos, Steve Manion, Dan Slott, Guy Dorian, Ian Dorian, Scott Roberts, Renee Witterstaetter, Janet Jackson, Stu Suchet, John Cebollaro, Jorge Gonzalez, Cliff Chiang, and many more. Also on hand will be actor David Roya, famous for his role as Bernard Posner in the cult classic film “Billy Jack.”
Venue Name	Penn Plaza Pavilion
Venue Address	401 7th Ave at 33rd St, New York City United States
Number of Dealer/Exhibitor Tables	100
Projected Attendance	3000
What category best describes your convention?	Comic Books
What other categories might be appropriate for your convention?	- Collectibles - Comic Books - Horror - Science Fiction and Fantasy

Hero Initiative at SDCC with Stan Lee, Jim Lee, & More

Press Release:

Hero Initiative heads to San Diego to Celebrate Comic-Con’s 40th year!

Highlights include parties with Stan Lee, Jim Lee, Darwyn Cooke, and the premiere release of Hero Comics
Los Angeles, CA (July 14, 2009) – Hero Initiative travels to the 40th annual San Diego Comic-Con July 22-26 at the San Diego Convention center! Come celebrate with us and help us raise money for our cause. Hero will be at booth #907 all weekend with a great variety of guests, and the weekend is highlighted by three great parties featuring the top names in comics, and the premiere release of Hero Comics!

World-famous storyteller Jim Lee (All-Star Batman and Robin) has graciously agreed to host a cocktail party for five lucky fans benefiting Hero Initiative on Thursday July 23 at 4:15 pm at a four-star hotel located near the convention center.

In addition, the wildly talented Darwyn Cooke (DC: The New Frontier) has also agreed to

have a few cocktails with five adoring fans on Thursday at 5:45 pm. And each winner gets a brand-new copy of Cooke’s latest work, Parker: The Hunter from IDW Publishing!

And last but most certainly not least, the godfather of comics and co-creator of Spider-Man, the X-Man, The Fantastic Four and so many more returns! That’s right-Stan Lee will board the ComicBookResources.com yacht on Friday July 24 at 5pm. Five lucky fans will be personally escorted to the yacht to enjoy drinks and chat with the legend himself. In addition, each guest will have the opportunity to participate in a video interview on the yacht broadcast on ComicBookResources.com

To check out and bid on ALL the auctions for admittance to these parties, please visit Hero’s eBay store at: http://qurls.com?i=47916

And in collaboration with IDW Publishing, Hero Initiative also proudly premieres the highly anticipated Hero Comics at San Diego! This 32-page, no ads extravaganza features a bevy of great comic talent, and will be supported by a mega-signing with seven of its creators on Thursday, July 23rd from 3:30-5:30. Hero Comics will be on sale all weekend at the Hero booth, while supplies last.

As always, our amazing line up of guests will be on hand at Hero’s booth, #907:

WED., 22 JUL (CON HOURS 600-900 PM)
630-900 PM: Scott “Kaiser” Koblish

THUR., 23 JUL (CON HOURS 930 AM-700 PM)
1000-1130: Tim Seeley
1130-130: Dan Jurgens
130-330: Daniel Way
330-530: Hero Comics mega-signing w/Gene Colan, JG Roshell/Richard Starkings, David Lloyd, Bill Willingham, Art Adams, Laura Martin
530-700: Phil Hester

FRI., 24 JUL (CON HOURS 930 AM-700 PM)
1000-1130: Tony Parker
1100-1200: Chris Bachalo
130-330: Ron Marz + Stjepan Sejic
230-330: Mark Waid

SAT., 25 JUL (CON HOURS 930 AM-700 PM)
1130-130: Josh Middleton
130-330: Kaare Andrews (of Hero Comics)
330-530: Jim Valentino
530-700: Ken Lashley

SUN., 26 JUL (CON HOURS 930 AM-500 PM)
1000-1130: Kaare Andrews (of Hero Comics)
1130-130: Josh Middleton
130-230: Jimmy Palmiotti

About The Hero Initiative

The Hero Initiative is the first-ever federally chartered not-for-profit corporation dedicated strictly to helping comic book creators in need. Hero creates a financial safety net for yesterday’s creators who may need emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work. It’s a chance for all of us to give back something to the people who have given us so much enjoyment.

Since its inception, The Hero Initiative has had the good fortune to grant over $400,000 to the comic book veterans who have paved the way for those in the industry today. For more information, visit www.heroinitiative.org or call 626-676-6354.

Where to Find the “Special Guests” at Comic-Con International

Comic-Con International has updated their Special Guest List page with appearance information:

We’ve poured through our various schedules and listings to pull together the listed appearances of our guests throughout the convention. This information now follows the guest’s bio. These listings may not reflect all of their potential appearances. Some guests may also appear at company booths in the Exhibit Hall and other locations as well.

The Special Guest List for this year’s 40th Anniversary of the convention includes:

» Michael “Doc” Allred
» Kevin J. Anderson
» Sergio Aragonés
» Ray Bradbury
» Brom
» Gene Colan
» Nicola Cuti
» Kevin Eastman
» Steve Epting
» Mark Evanier
» June Foray
» Ramona Fradon
» Hunter Freberg
» Stan Freberg
» Gary Gianni
» Jimmy Gownley
» Russ Heath
» Brian Herbert
» James Jean
» Geoff Johns
» Eric Jones
» Kazu Kibuishi
» Dennis Kitchen
» John Kricfalusi
» Hope Larson
» Jim Lee
» Francis Manapul
» Dwayne McDuffie
» Doug Moench
» Sheldon “Shelly” Moldoff
» Fabio Moon
» Patrick Oliphant
» Bryan Lee O’Malley
» Stephan Pastis
» David Petersen
» Darick Robertson
» Jerry Robinson
» Mike Royer
» Stan Sakai
» Lew Sayre Schwartz
» Seth
» Bill Sienkiewicz
» Gail Simone
» Leonard Starr
» J. Michael Straczynski
» Richard Thompson
» Lewis Trondheim
» Ramón Valdiosera Berman
» Jerry Vanderstelt
» Charles Vess
» Landry Walker
» Bill Willingham
» Gene Yang
» Leinil Yu

Comic-Con International Programming: Wed/Thurs

The wait is over! Comic-Con International has announced the programming for Preview Night, Wednesday, July 22nd, and Thursday, July 23rd.

Where else can you see Dave Gibbons, Robert Zemeckis, Tim Burton, Stan Lee, James Cameron, Sigourney Weaver, Terry Gilliam, and Nicholas Cage in the same day?

Everyone will be picking it apart and naming their favorites in the days to come, but here are a few things that caught my eye already:

10:15-11:15 Summit Entertainment: Astro Boy— A superhero origin story set in a futuristic world, Astro Boy is an all-new CG-animated feature film based on the classic manga about a young robot with incredible powers and his adventure-filled journey in search of his identity and destiny. Director David Bowers, producer Maryanne Grager, and stars Freddie Highmore (Astro) and Kristen Bell (Cora) debut footage exclusive to Comic-Con 2009 and answer your questions about bringing this beloved hero to the big screen. Room 6BCF

10:30-11:30 Motion Comics: Graphic Novels in The Digital Age— Warner Premiere is one of the pioneers in the production of Motion Comics, which include Watchmen, Peanuts, Batman: Black and White, and many others. Motion Comics are short-form videos that use subtle movements, voice-overs, sweeping music scores, and stunning comic book artwork to bring an engaging visual experience to life. Moderated by Gregory Noveck (DC Comics), with panelists Paul Levitz, (DC Comics, Batman: Black and White), Dave Gibbons (Watchmen, Batman: Black and White), Paul Dini (Batman: Black and White, Mad Love), Lydia Antonini (Warner Premiere), Dylan Coburn (Karactaz, Superman: Red Son), and Stephen Fedasz (Perpetual Notions), who discuss graphic novel storytelling and production in the digital age. Attendees will also see the debut of two DC Motion Comic series during this panel. Room 6DE

11:00-12:30 Disney: 3D Panel— Walt Disney Pictures presents key filmmakers, select cast members and previously unseen footage from its upcoming slate, including Disney’s A Christmas Carol, Alice In Wonderland and Tron. Special guests include Robert Zemeckis, Tim Burton, Sean Bailey, Steve Lisberger, and moderator Patton Oswalt. Hall H

11:15-12:15 The Middleman Cast Reunion and Lost Episode Table Read— Creator Javier Grillo-Marxuach (Lost) and the complete cast—including Matt Keeslar, Natalie Morales, Brit Morgan, Mary Pat Gleason, Jake Smollett, Mark Sheppard, Brendan Hines, Sarah Watson, Jordan Rosenberg, Margaret Dunlap, and Andy Reaser—reunite to celebrate the DVD release of The Middleman: The Complete Series from Shout! Factory, with an exclusive table read of the lost 13th episode, The Doomsday Armageddon Apocalypse, which was never produced for television but is now available as a graphic novel from Viper Comics. Room 6A

11:45-12:45 DC: Superman: Two Worlds— Torn between New Krypton and Earth, the Man of Steel has only just begun his latest adventure. You’ve seen the stories: a new planet of Kryptonians; scores of super-powered beings. The people behind Superman’s future are here to face the most trying times in his life. Meet the talented folks behind Superman as they give you a glimpse of what is in store for our favorite Super-family. Featuring Superman group editor Matt Idelson, writers Geoff Johns (Adventure Comics, Superman: Secret Origins), Greg Rucka (Action Comics), James Robinson (Superman), Sterling Gates (Supergirl), Renato Guedes (Superman), and more! Room 6DE

12:45-1:45 Disney: Stan Lee’s Time Jumper— Don’t miss Stan Lee and Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment as they present a special sneak peek of their new digital motion comic series Time Jumper. Comic book legend Stan Lee is joined by Natasha Henstridge (one of the character voices in Time Jumper), Omar Ponce (writer), and Anthony Diecidue (artist) for a Q&A session. Room 6BCF

12:45-2:00 20th Century Fox and James Cameron present Avatar— In this first public screening of footage in 3D from his much-anticipated action/adventure/fantasy, James Cameron, producer Jon Landau, and cast members take you to a spectacular new world beyond imagination. Conceived 14 years ago and over four years in the making, Avatar breaks new ground in delivering a fully immersive, emotional story and reinvents the movie-going experience. Hall H

2:00-3:00 Sony Pictures Animation: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs— In 2009, Columbia Pictures’ and Sony Pictures Animation’s Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs will be the most delicious event since macaroni met cheese. Inspired by the classic children’s book, the film focuses on a town where food begins to fall from the sky like rain. Bill Hader (Saturday Night Live, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian) is the voice of Flint Lockwood, a young inventor who dreams of creating something that will improve everyone’s life. Anna Faris (The House Bunny) takes on the role of Sam Sparks, a weathergirl covering the phenomenon who hides her intelligence behind a perky exterior. James Caan plays Tim Lockwood, Flint’s technophobic father. SNL‘s Andy Samberg plays Brent, the town bully who has plagued Flint since childhood. Bruce Campbell plays Mayor Shelbourne, who figures out that Flint’s invention can put the town, and more importantly himself, on the map, and Mr. T plays the by-the-rules town cop, Earl Devereaux. Bobb’e J. Thompson (Role Models) is Carl Devereaux, Earl’s son. Appearing in person: Anna Faris, Bill Hader, Andy Samberg, Bobb’e J. Thompson, and directors Chris Miller and Phil Lord. Room 6BCF

2:15-3:15 Summit Entertainment— Summit Entertainment presents a sneak peek of exclusive footage of some of its upcoming major film releases!

Astro boy—A classic superhero origin story set in a futuristic world, Astro Boy is an all-new CG-animated feature film about a young robot with incredible powers and his adventure-filled journey in search of his identity and destiny. Join Freddie Highmore and Kristen Bell as they premiere the final trailer for Astro Boy before it’s in theaters.

Sorority Row—When five sorority girls inadvertently cause the murder of one of their sisters in a prank gone wrong, they agree to keep the matter to themselves and never speak of it again, so they can get on with their lives. This proves easier said than done, when after graduation a mysterious killer goes after the five of them and anyone who knows their secret. Join the cast of Sorority Row as they debut footage from the film exclusive to Comic-Con 2009.

The Twilight Saga: New Moon—Summit Entertainment is proud to present the panel for The Twilight Saga: New Moon, the highly anticipated sequel to last year’s box office smash Twilight. Surprise members of the cast will answer your questions about the second film in the series and debut never-before-seen footage from the new film.

Hall H

3:00-4:00 Robot Chicken with Titan Maximum— Seth Green (co-creator, Robot Chicken and Titan Maximum), Matthew Senreich (co-creator, Robot Chicken and Titan Maximum), Tom Root (head writer, Robot Chicken/co-creator, Titan Maximum) and Doug Goldstein (head writer, Robot Chicken) with Chris McKay, Breckin Meyer, Kevin Shinick, Mike Fasolo, and Dan Milano discuss the popular Adult Swim series Robot Chicken. They will also discuss the upcoming new stop-motion animated series Titan Maximum, slated to premiere on Adult Swim this fall. Join this meet-up of show creators, writers and voice actors for a Q&A, moderated by Keith Crofford, vice president of Adult Swim production. Room 6A

3:00-4:00 Masters of the Web— For the third year in a row the most popular genre and movie websites are coming together to discuss how new media have affected moviemaking, what it takes to run a popular site, and much more in a panel discussion and Q&A session. Participants include Robert Sanchez (IESB.net), Ryan Rotten (Shocktilyoudrop.com), Mike Sampson (Joblo.com), Jeremy Smith (Aintitcoolnews.com), Brad Miska (Bloody-Disgusting.com), Drew McWeeny (Hitfix.com), Devin Faraci (CHUD.com), Paul Christensen (Movieweb.com), Wilson Morales (Blackfilm.com/AOL Black Voices), Vic Holtreman (Screenrant.com), and George Roush (Latinoreview.com). Director Kevin Munroe (TMNT, Dead of Night) moderates, with Brandon Routh and Sam Huntington on hand to preview an exclusive sneak peek of their new film Dead of Night, based on the Dylan Dog comic books. Room 32AB

3:30-5:00 Golden and Silver Age of Comics— A Comic-Con tradition: the yearly gathering and discussion of the clan of some of the finest comic book creators ever to put pen or typewriter to paper! This year’s panel—moderated by Mark Evanier—includes Comic-Con special guests Murphy Anderson (Hawkman), Gene Colan (Tomb of Dracula), Ramona Fradon (Aquaman), Russ Heath (The Haunted Tank), Jack Katz (The First Kingdom), Jerry Robinson (Batman), and Leonard Starr (Mary Perkins On Stage). Both Katz and Starr, known best for their underground comix and comic strip work, respectively, also worked in comics in the Golden and Silver Ages. The stories these people can tell are the stuff of legend…be a part of the yearly magic of this panel. Room 8

3:45-4:45 Entertainment Weekly: Wonder Women: Female Power Icons in Pop Culture— EW will moderate a conversation with Sigourney Weaver (Avatar), Elizabeth Mitchell (Lost), Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars), and other stars about the actresses who have redefined the rules and the female characters that have shattered the glass ceiling for all women. Basically: a discussion with women who kick ass. Ballroom 20

4:45-5:15 Terry Gilliam’s The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus— Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of both Comic-Con and Monty Python, we welcome the sole American Python, the great animator and director Terry Gilliam (Time Bandits, Brazil, 12 Monkeys) to introduce you to his new film starring Christopher Plummer, Johnny Depp, Heath Ledger, Colin Farrell, Jude Law, Verne Troyer, Tom Waits, and Lily Cole. Dr. Parnassus is a fabulous anachronism, touring the streets of modern-day London in a horse-drawn carnival wagon accompanied by his beautiful daughter, devoted dwarf, and neophyte barker. On stage Parnassus plays a holy man whose Imaginarium can realize the innermost fantasies of all who dare to enter. Backstage, he is a drunkard, a gambler who centuries ago lost a wager with the Devil and must now pony up with his daughter once she turns sixteen. Tomorrow. Yet, there may still be hope for the Doctor and Valentina in the person of Tony, a well-dressed amnesic they rescue from a perilous fate and invite into their world of unrelenting magic and possibility. Hall H

5:00-6:00 Showtime: Dexter— Calling all Dexter fans! If you’re a Dexter fanatic and can’t wait for the new season, you don’t want to miss this killer panel! Moderator Ralph Garman (KROQ Entertainment Reporter) presides over a revealing interview and Q&A session with the stars and executive producers of Dexter. Plus, get an exclusive first look at clips from the new season! Featured panelists include series star/executive producer Michael C. Hall (Dexter), Julie Benz (Rita), Jennifer Carpenter (Deb), and executive producers John Goldwyn, Sara Colleton, Clyde Phillips, and Melissa Rosenberg. The new season premieres September 27 at 9:00 PM EST/PST only on Showtime! Ballroom 20

5:45-6:45 Kick-Ass— World premiere footage from Kick-Ass, based on Mark Millar’s bestselling comic, is presented by director Matthew Vaughn (Stardust, Layercake). Joining him on the panel are Nicolas Cage, Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Superbad), and comic co-creator John Romita Jr., among others, including a surprise guest. You don’t want to miss the chance to be the first to experience this gritty, brash, and funny actioner. Hall H

9:30-12:00 Halloween Comes Early: Trick ‘r Treat Screening— Be among the first to see writer/director Michael Dougherty’s (Superman Returns, X2) creepy, darkly comic celebration of the scariest night of the year. Trick ‘r Treat takes the Creepshow/Tales from the Crypt approach to nefarious new depths with four interwoven tales set on Halloween night: a high school principal who moonlights as a vicious serial killer; a young virgin whose quest for that special someone takes a gruesome turn; a group of teens who carry out a cruel prank with disastrous consequences; and a cantankerous old man who battles a mischievous trick-or-treating demon. Prior to the screening, Ain’t It Cool News mogul Harry Knowles will moderate a panel featuring Michael Dougherty and members of the cast, including Anna Paquin (True Blood, X-Men), Tahmoh Penikett (Battlestar Galactica, Dollhouse), and Brian Cox (The Bourne Identity, X2). A collection of creepy stories that mixes fun with fear, candy with poison, and laughter with screams, the critically acclaimed Trick ‘r Treat will be released on Blu-ray Hi-Def and DVD and On Demand by Warner Home Video in October. Ballroom 20

Big Apple Con Offers Free Admission

Press Release:

Mike Carbo’s Big Apple Conventions Presents
New York City’s Premiere Summer Comic Book Event:
FREE ADMISSION FOR ALL!!!
Offered by New York’s Longest-Running Comics Convention!
Plus! – Bring Your Comics for a FREE APPRAISAL
By the U.S.A.’s foremost expert- Mike Carbo!

WHERE:  18th Floor, Hotel Pennsylvania, New York City

WHEN:  Saturday, June 13th 2009 ~ 10:30am-7pm

SPECIAL EVENT! Between 1:00 & 2:00pm ONLY – Bring your comic book collection for an instant FREE verbal APPRAISAL of current market value by Big Apple Con founder and internationally renowned comic book impresario – MIKE CARBO!

The BIG APPLE COMIC BOOK, ART, SCI-FI & TOY EXPO kicks off its newest Comic Collectibles event when it presents:

•       Over 100 top dealers & exhibitors showcasing –
•       Comics, Toys, Action Figures, Original Art, DVDs, Autographs, Trading Cards, TV, Movie, Comic Memorabilia & more!
•       Buy, Sell or Trade your Valuable Collectibles!
•       Collect Autographs and Have Your Pictures Taken With Your Favorite Television, Movie, and Comic Artist Celebrities!
•       Expand Your Personal Comic Collection and Invest in the very latest collectibles!

The Big Apple Con is the place to meet comic book legends and hot new artists!  Special guests appearing include:

•       British superstar KEVIN O’NEILL (League of Extraordinary Gentlemen)
•       Golden and Silver Age masters GENE COLAN (Daredevil), DICK AYERS (Fantastic Four), IRWIN HASEN (Dondi), and  JOE GIELLA (Batman)
•       Underground Comix artists JAY LYNCH (Bijou Funnies), KIM DEITCH (The Stuff of Dreams), DAN FOGEL (Cherry Poptart), MICHAEL DIANA (Boiled Angel) , and LESLIE STERNBERGH (Mad magazine),
•        Trading Card Illustrators DAVID GROSS and JAY LYNCH (Wacky Packages) and BRIAN KONG (Star Wars and Lord of the Rings)
•       DAN SLOTT (Amazing Spider-Man), BILLY TUCCI (Sgt. Rock), LARRY HAMA (GI Joe), and many more!

Headlining the Special Media Guests at this year’s Summer Special Event are:

•       YANCY BUTLER (“Witchblade”, “Law and Order”)
•       Legendary WWE wrestler THE IRON SHEIK
•       Playboy models CATHY ST. GEORGE and CHERYL BACHMAN
•       JOSE HERNANDEZ JR. (Bad Guy for Hire from HBO’s “Oz” and A & E’s “Watching the Detectives”
•       LEYLA MILANI (“Deal or No Deal”, “Curb Your Enthusiasm”), and more!

Register by filling out on the form on our website, www.bigapplecon.com, print out the receipt, bring it with you to the convention, and come on in for free! Children under 12 years need not register to qualify for free entry, so long as a registered adult accompanies them.

There will be FREE GIVEAWAYS at the door and SPECIAL EVENTS including panels about comic books, Q&A sessions with celebrities, and MORE! Sponsored in part by FORBIDDEN PLANET New York.

DATE: Saturday June 13th, 10:30 am-7pm
PLACE: Hotel Pennsylvania, 18th Floor, 401 7th Ave. @ 33rd St. (Across from Madison Square Garden)
TICKETS: FREE ADMISSION! Register Online at: www.bigapplecon.com
INFORMATION: Press Contact: DAN FOGEL (510) 220-6314, bigapplecon@comcast.net
To set up an interview with MIKE CARBO, or consult him about sale/appraisal of your comics collection,
call CHRIS DENIS at (646) 996-1851, cpd1@hotmail.com

Hero Initiative Offers Hero Comics at SDCC

Top Writers and Artists Create Hero Comics, a Hero Initiative Benefit Book

Industry superstars Howard Chaykin, Bill Willingham, J. Scott Campbell, Matt Wagner and more contribute with all proceeds benefiting Hero

Los Angeles, CA (May 18, 2009)—Hero Initiative is very proud to announce the release of Hero Comics.

The 32-page, no-ads comic, edited and produced by Scott Dunbier, special projects editor at IDW Publishing, will be released in late July with two covers, Eve by J. Scott Campbell, and Grendel by Matt Wagner. The fundraising book will contain great, all-new content including an original American Flagg! story by Howard Chaykin, and original stories by Gene Ha, Bill Willingham, David Lloyd, and Kaare Andrews.

In addition, Arthur Adams will recreate three classic Marvel Comics covers, and Hero Initiative beneficiaries such as Gene Colan, Bill Messner-Loebs and Josh Medors will tell their own personal stories, detailing their severe struggles, and Hero’s involvement.

An excerpt from Josh Medors’ story reads:
“When I am feeling almost ready to give in to my cancer, ready to throw my hands in the air and say ‘I quit!,’ I get a call from the Initiative. ‘Just wanted to see how you are doing.’ It may not seem like much, but let me assure you—When the monster bites and the pain pills aren’t working, a call like that is more effective than a Super-Soaker filled with holy water against the ol’ Count.”

This special edition comic retails for $3.99, and will be on sale at comic stores worldwide on July 29, 2009. It’s available in the Diamond Previews catalog for August-shipping items in the IDW section, order code JUN090950 .

“I’ve been an active supporter of the Hero Initiative since I was first asked to help out,” stated Howard Chaykin. “It’s particularly important in this volatile era that we remember the men and women who made our industry, and make certain that they have the happy endings they richly deserve.”

Fans will be able to get their hands on this epic treasure early at the San Diego Comic-Con, July 23-26, 2009 as well. Copies will be on-sale at the Hero Initiative booth, #907.

“It’s been a pleasure and a privilege to work on a book like Hero Comics. The job that the Hero Initiative does, helping comics creators in need, is a noble endeavor, one all of us should get behind,” said Dunbier.

All proceeds from the book benefit Hero Initiative, as all creators involved have donated their services. IDW is donating its publishing services, Comicraft is donating lettering and book design, and Try Vision Company, Inc. of Los Angeles is donating printing.

About IDW
IDW is an award-winning publisher of comic books, graphic novels and trade paperbacks, based in San Diego, California. As a leader in the horror, action, and sci-fi genres, IDW publishes some of the most successful and popular titles in the industry including: television’s #1 prime time series CBS’ CSI: Crime Scene Investigation; Paramount’s Star Trek; Fox’s Angel; Hasbro’s The Transformers, and the BBC’s Doctor Who. IDW’s original horror series, 30 Days of Night, was launched as a major motion picture in October 2007 by Sony Pictures and was the #1 film in its first week of release. In April 2008, IDW released Michael Recycle, the first title from its new children’s book imprint, Worthwhile Books. More information about the company can be found at http://www.idwpublishing.com.

About The Hero Initiative
The Hero Initiative is the first-ever federally chartered not-for-profit corporation dedicated strictly to helping comic book creators in need. Hero creates a financial safety net for yesterday’s creators who may need emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work. It’s a chance for all of us to give back something to the people who have given us so much enjoyment.

Since its inception, The Hero Initiative has had the good fortune to grant over $400,000 to the comic book veterans who have paved the way for those in the industry today. For more information, visit www.heroinitiative.org or call 626-676-6354.

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