NYC – Greg Hildebrandt Retrospective Exhibition

Press Release:

Manhattan’s Metropolis Gallery will be opening its new show, “Greg Hildebrandt: A Retrospective,” on Friday, October 7, adding another item to every New York Comic Con attendees can’t-miss list.

This is the first retrospective for Hildebrandt, who with his late brother, Tim, is among the most revered fantasy and science fiction artists of the last fifty years. Not only will the show include some of their coveted Tolkien paintings that have never been shown before, the artist will attend the opening reception, to be held Friday from 6:00 – 10:00 PM.

“I did not choose art. Art chose me,” says Hildebrandt. “This retrospective is about my never-ending passion for creating art. Creating, for me, is the exploration of other worlds both in and out of my imagination.”

This exhibit will showcase upwards of 50 paintings for viewing and sale, including some never before available. Hildebrandt’s work continues to rise in value, with key pieces selling for as much as $150,000 each.

“We’re honored to represent the very talented Greg Hildebrandt,” says Metropolis COO and curator Vincent Zurzolo. “From Lord of the Rings to Star Wars to Marvel and DC, Greg has painted it all.”

“The Brothers Hildebrandt” shot to international fame in the mid-1970s, when they illustrated a series of Lord of the Rings calendars. In 1977, LucasFilm hired them to create the movie poster for first Star Wars film. They went on to illustrate Marvel Comics and DC Comics, among other high-profile projects. Sadly, Tim passed away in 2006.

“One thing that makes Greg such an icon is that he continues to create remarkable art,” says Zurzolo. “In addition to classic Brothers Hildebrandt pieces, we’ll be showcasing works from his “American Beauties” pin-up series and “The Dark Side” series, which explores the darker nature of comic book heroes and villains.”

The exhibit will also feature a very popular new work, “Captain America v. Hitler,” which Hildebrandt created this year in honor of Captain America’s 75th anniversary.

New York Comic Con attendees are invited to the Friday night opening. Metropolis is a 10-minute walk from the Javits Center.

Gallery Opening will be Friday, October 7th from 6pm-10pm ET, wine and hors d’oeuvres will be provided.

After the opening, the gallery is open to the public Tuesday -Friday from 11am-5pm and the exhibit will run through December 30th.

RSVP on Facebook!

Metropolis Gallery
36 W 37th St, New York, New York 10018
(212) 260-4147

TMNT and Lord of the Rings’ Sean Astin Comes to Baltimore Comic-Con

TMNT and Lord of the Rings’ Sean Astin Comes to Baltimore Comic-Con

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – July 13, 2016 – The Baltimore Comic-Con returns this September 2-4, 2016 to the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. We are very pleased to announce our first media guest for 2016, Sean Astin, currently voicing Raphael on Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and co-star of Lord of the Rings. Sean will be in attendance Saturday and Sunday. Tickets for the Baltimore Comic-Con and Harvey Awards are now available — click here to purchase yours now! Sean Astin is best known for his film roles as Samwise Gamgee in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Mikey Walsh in The Goonies, and the title character of Rudy. In television, he appeared as Lynn McGill in the fifth season of 24 and currently voices Raphael in the Nickelodeon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles TV series.   The child actor made his feature film debut at age 13. He portrayed Mikey in Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster hit The Goonies (1985). After The Goonies, the young performer appeared in several more films, including the Disney made-for-TV movie, The B.R.A.T. Patrol opposite Nia Long, Tim Thomerson, and Brian Keith; Like Father Like Son with Dudley Moore and Kirk Cameron (1987); White Water Summer with Kevin Bacon (1987), The War of the Roses (1989); and the lauded World War II epic film Memphis Belle (1990). He successfully navigated the transition from child actor to young adult in the films Toy Soldiers (1991) and Encino Man (1992).   Astin scored a career-defining, triumphant success in the inspirational and universally applauded college football biopic Rudy (1993), about the life-changing struggles and rewards of the title character, Daniel Ruettiger. He followed his success in Rudy by starring in films throughout the 1990s, including the Showtime science fiction film Harrison Bergeron (1995), the Gulf War film Courage Under Fire (1996), the Warren Beatty political satire Bulworth (1996). and the romantic comedy Boy Meets Girl (1997).   In the early 2000s, Astin experienced another career breakthrough with his role as Samwise Gamgee in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, released in 2001, 2002 and 2003. Along with the many awards bestowed upon the trilogy, particularly its final installment, The Return of the King (winner of eleven Academy Awards, including Best Picture), Astin received many award nominations for his own performance in Return of the King, taking home the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor and awards from the Las Vegas Film Critics Society, the Seattle Film Critics, the Utah Film Critics Association, and the Phoenix Film Critics Society. As an ensemble, the Return of the King cast received awards from the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures and the Screen Actors Guild.   Since Lord of the Rings, Astin has consistently worked in film and television. His film roles have included the Adam Sandler comedies 50 First Dates and Click.   In television, Astin guest-starred as Lynn McGill throughout the fifth season of the Fox drama 24. He also appeared in the made-for-TV films Hercules and The Colour of Magic, and in episodes of Monk, Las Vegas, My Name is Earl, and Law & Order, among other shows. He went on to directed a 2003 episode of the TV series Angel, titled “Soulless”, as well as an episode of the Showtime Series Jeremiah, where he played the enigmatic Mr. Smith during the 2nd season.   Astin’s career has also expanded to include voice-over roles. He narrated the American version of the Animal Planet series Meerkat Manor, and voiced the title character in the animated Disney Channel series Special Agent Oso. His other voice work includes Balto III: Wings of Change and many video games, including Kingdom Hearts. Astin is currently the voice of Raphael in the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series on Nickelodeon.   Recent films starring Sean include The Surface (2014), Woodlawn (2015), and Range 15 (2016), a crowd-sourced dark comedy made by and for vets. Coming soon are the political satires For All Eyes Always (2016) and Swing State (2016). Sean narrated and executive produced the documentary Remember the Sultana (2015), and portrayed an exaggerated version of himself in the popular Kickstarter-funded web series Con Man (2015). “Sean is a huge addition to the show as our first media guest of 2016,” said Marc Nathan, promoter of the Baltimore Comic-Con. “It’s great to have an actor of such profile that all of our fans will know from something — Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Lord of the Rings, The Goonies, and Rudy are the obvious choices, but his resume is long and diverse. We’re looking forward to having him to Baltimore, and we know our attendees are too!” TICKETS General Admission and VIP Package tickets for Weekend, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, as well as the Harvey Awards, are now on sale! Visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com/tickets/ for more information and to purchase your advanced tickets now, and as always, kids 10 and under get into the show free with a paid adult General Admission! HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS While they are available, be sure to take advantage of discount rate arrangements we have made with hotels near the Baltimore Convention Center. For all the details, see: http://baltimorecomiccon.com/about/hotels/ GUARANTEED PARKING To make parking easy and stress-free, we have partnered with Parking Panda, the nationwide leader in online parking reservations, to allow attendees driving to the show to purchase guaranteed parking near the Baltimore Comic-Con. Click here to book your guaranteed parking spot, or if you need help or have questions, call 800-232-6415. In addition to on-site CGC grading, this year’s confirmed guests for the show include: Neal Adams (Superman: The Coming of the Supermen); Scott Ethan Ambruson (Azteca: Ciudad Paradiso); John Anderson (The Infinites); Sean Astin (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles); Jeff Balke (Zombies vs Cheerleaders: St. Patty’s Day Special); Jeremy Bastian (Cursed Pirate Girl); Marty Baumann (Pixar artist); Carolyn Belefski (Curls); Christy Blanch (The Damnation of Charlie Wormwood); Bret Blevins (Harley Quinn Road Trip Special); Danica Bradshaw (Wayward); Nick Bradshaw (Spidey); Reilly Brown (Deadpool); Harold Buchholz (Archie Comics); Dave Bullock (The Rocketeer at War!); Jim Calafiore (Leaving Megalopolis: Surviving Megalopolis); Ben Caldwell (Scooby Apocalypse); Chris Campana (The Accelerators); Richard Case (Doom Patrol); Christa Cassano (Ghetto Klown); Mike Cavallaro (The Fox); Elias Chatzoudis (Grimm Fairy Tales presents Oz: Reign of the Witch Queen); Howard Chaykin (Imperium); Sean Chen (Aliens vs. Zombies); Lee Cherolis (Little Guardians); Frank Cho (The Totally Awesome Hulk); Amy Chu (Poison Ivy: Cycle of Life and Death); Steve Conley (Bloop); Richard Clark (Archie vs. Predator); Katie Cook (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic); Stephen Coughlin (Sanctuary); J. Robert Deans (Crass Fed); Jeff Dekal (New Avengers); J.M. DeMatteis (Scooby Apocalypse); Todd Dezago (Perhapanauts); Charles C. Dowd (Lilith Dark); Paris Cullins (Blue Beetle); Kevin Eastman (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles); Joe Eisma (Morning Glories); Tod Emko (A Piggy’s Tale); Joe Endres (Colossians); Steve Englehart, courtesy of Hero Initiative (Captain America); David Finch (Batman); Meredith Finch (Wonder Woman); Veronica Fish (Archie Comics); Chris Flick (Capes & Babes); Ramona Fradon (Spongebob Freestyle Funnies); Francesco Francavilla (Afterlife with Archie); Franco (Aw Yeah Comics: Action Cat!); Alexis Frederick-Frost (Adventures in Cartooning); John Gallagher (Buzzboy); SL Gallant (G.I. Joe); Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez (Batman ’66: The Lost Episode); Joe Giella courtesy of Hero Initiative (Green Lantern); Keith Giffen (Legends of Tomorrow); Jason Gounger (Legio Ex Mortis); Anna Gownley and Jimmy Gownley (The Dumbest Idea Ever!); Stephen Green (The Legacy of Luther Strode); Dawn Griffin (Zorphbert & Fred); Rob Guillory (Chew: Demon Chicken Poyo); Laura Lee Gulledge (Will & Whit); Brian Haberlin (Witchblade), Bo Hampton (3 Devils); Dean Haspiel (The Fox); Meghan Hetrick (Red Thorn); Jason Horn (Ninjasaur); Adam Hughes (Betty & Veronica); Ken Hunt (Talon); Al Jaffee (MAD Magazine, Saturday panel and Harvey Awards only); Paul Jenkins (Replica); JG Jones (Strange Fruit); Justin Jordan (The Legacy of Luther Strode); Dan Jurgens (Action Comics, Saturday & Sunday only); Chris Kemple (Red Vengeance); Tom King (Batman); Barry Kitson (Empire: Uprising); Samantha Kyle (Paul & Olly); Hope Larson (Batgirl); John Layman (Chew: Demon Chicken Poyo); Paul Levitz (Doctor Fate); Mike Lilly (Red Agent); Nate Lovett (Actionverse Featuring Midnight Tiger); Joe Linsner (Harley Quinn); Mike Maihack (Cleopatra in Space); Mike Manley (The Phantom); Mark Mariano (The Other Side of Hugless Hill); Laura Martin (Wonder Woman); Ron Marz (Convergence: Batman and Robin); John McCrea, courtesy of Hero Initiative (Judge Dredd); Ed McGuinness (Spider-Man/Deadpool); Tradd Moore (The Legacy of Luther Strode); Mark Morales (Convergence); Joe Mulvey (SCAM); Jamar Nicholas (Fist Stick Knife Gun: A Personal History of Violence in America); Fabian Nicieza (Deadpool & Cable: Split Second); Chris Otto (A Dog’s Life); Greg Pak (Teen Titans); Tom Palmer (Doctor Strange); Yanick Paquette (Batman/Superman); Dan Parsons (Convergence: Nightwing/Oracle); Brent Peeples (Gold Key: Alliance); Paul Pelletier (Justice League); Andrew Pepoy (Futurama Comics); David Petersen (Mouse Guard); Brandon Peterson (Uncanny Inhumans); Lyle Pollard (Scarlet Huntress); Mark Poulton (A Cat Named Haiku); Eric Powell (The Goon); Andy Price (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic); Brian Pulido (Lady Death: Chaos Rules); Kyle Puttkammer (Hero Cats: Midnight Over Stellar City); Ron Randall (Convergence: Catwoman); Khary Randolph (Robin War); Tom Raney (Ninjak); Paul Renaud (Superman/Wonder Woman); Rafer Roberts (A&A: The Adventures of Archer and Armstrong); Emily Romano (Comic Art House); Craig Rousseau (Kyrra: Alien Jungle Girl); Stephane Roux (Harley Quinn and Power Girl); Joe Rubinstein (Convergence: Batman and Robin); Nei Ruffino (Silk); Alex Saviuk (Spider-Man newspaper strip); Stuart Sayger (Hellboy 100); Mark Schultz (Conan the Slayer); Bart Sears (Bloodshot); Jeff Shultz (Betty and Veronica); Louise Simonson (Convergence: Superman – The Man of Steel); Walter Simonson (Ragnarok); Matt Slay (TMNT Micro-Series); Andy Smith (Earth 2, Thanos GN); Brian Smith (SpongeBob Comics); John K. Snyder III (Doctor Midnight); Allison Sohn (Red Sonja); Charles Soule (Star Wars: Poe Dameron); Jim Starlin (Thanos: The Infinity Finale); Brian Stelfreeze (Black Panther); Ben Templesmith (Blackholers); Mark Texeira (Doctor Strange); Chad Thomas (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Amazing Adventures); Frank Tieri (Harley Quinn and her Gang of Harleys); Vivek J. Tiwary (The Fifth Beatle); David Trustman (The Rise); Billy Tucci (Harley’s Little Black Book); James Tynion IV (Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles); Rick Veitch (Miracleman); Emilio Velez Jr. (The Dodgeball Teens); Mark Waid (All-New, All-Different Avengers); Michael Watkins (Pantha); Todd Webb (Mr. Toast Comics); Mark Wheatley (Doctor Who); Matt Wieringo (‘Ringo Scholarship Fund); Marcus Williams (Hero Cats); Ron Wilson (Marvel Two-In-One); Rich Woodall (Kyrra: Alien Jungle Girl); Sasha Yosselani (Comic Art House); and Thom Zahler (My Little Pony: Friends Forever). In the coming weeks, look for more announcements from the Baltimore Comic-Con. We are looking forward to highlighting our guests, the Harvey Awards, industry exclusives, and programming. The latest developments can always be found on our website, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook pages. Contact Information Please use the following e-mail addresses to contact the Baltimore Comic-Con: press@baltimorecomiccon.com – for any general press inquiries or to be added to our PR distribution promoter@baltimorecomiccon.com – for requesting exhibitor, publisher, and Artist Alley applications registrar@baltimorecomiccon.com – for inquiries about submitted registrations harveys@baltimorecomiccon.com– for the Harvey Awards ceremony and banquet general@baltimorecomiccon.com– for general Baltimore Comic-Con inquiries    About The Baltimore Comic-Con The Baltimore Comic-Con is celebrating its 17th year of bringing the comic book industry to the Baltimore and Washington D.C. area. For more information, please visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com. About The Harvey Awards The Harvey Awards are one of the comic book industry’s oldest and most respected awards. With a history of over 20 years, the last 11 in conjunction with the Baltimore Comic-Con, the Harveys recognize outstanding achievements in over 20 categories. They are the only industry awards nominated and selected by the full body of comicbook professionals. For more information, please visit www.harveyawards.org.

Photo Ops Tickets Now On-Sale for Boston Comic Con 2016

Press Release:

Photo Ops tickets are now available for Boston Comic Con 2016 with media guests William Shatner (Star Trek’s original Captain Kirk), Karl Urban (Star Trek Beyond, Pete’s Dragon), Jenna Coleman (Doctor Who, Me Before You), Karen Gillan (Guardians of the Galaxy, Doctor Who), John Barrowman (Torchwood, Arrow), Ben McKenzie (Gotham, Southland), Elizabeth Henstridge (Agents of SHIELD), Caity Lotz (Legends of Tomorrow, Arrow), Robbie Amell (The Flash, X-Files), Ciara Renée (Legends of Tomorrow, The Flash), Seth Gilliam (The Walking Dead, Teen Wolf), and Vic Mignogna (Fullmetal Alchemist, Star Trek Continues).

Get tickets from Epic Photo Ops at the link…!

Boston Comic Con 2016 tickets are on-sale now at the link!

RSVP on Facebook!

About Boston Comic Con:
The Boston Comic Con is a 100% independently run comic book show committed to bringing the biggest and best comic creators to New England. Run by fans for fans, Boston Comic Con is not affiliated with any other convention tour or corporate interests. Hosting over 120,000 square feet of vendors selling comic books, toys, posters, trading cards, and other pop culture memorabilia, this is a destination event for geeks of any stripe. This year’s convention will be held Friday August 12th, Saturday August 13th, and Sunday August 14th at the Seaport World Trade Center, 200 Seaport Blvd, Boston, MA 02210. For more information please go to our website at www.bostoncomiccon.com and follow us on Twitter (@BostonComicCon) and Facebook!

Sean Astin & New Artists Journey to ECCC 2016

Sean Astin is coming to Emerald City Comicon on Friday, Saturday and Sunday! You probably recognize him from Lord of the Rings, The Goonies, Rudy, The Strain and as the voice of Raphael on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Additionally several new comic creator guests have been added including: Nick Dragotta (EAST OF WEST), Tim Sale (CAPTAIN AMERICA: WHITE), Kei Acedera (ALICE IN WONDERLAND), Ed Luce (WUVABLE OAF), Cary Nord (X-O MANOWAR), Marcus To (RED ROBIN), Jody Houser (FAITH), Hope Larson (A WRINKLE IN TIME), and Lee Weeks (DAREDEVIL).

Previously announced celebrity guests include:
Christy Carlson Romano (KIM POSSIBLE, EVEN STEVENS), Chyler Leigh (SUPERGIRL), Dameon Clarke (DRAGON BALL Z, BORDERLANDS 2), Danielle Panabaker (THE FLASH, JUSTIFIED), Dante Basco (HOOK, AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER), David Anders (IZOMBIE, ONCE UPON A TIME), Jenna Coleman (DOCTOR WHO, LEGO DIMENSIONS), Keiynan Lonsdale (THE FLASH), Ksenia Solo (LOST GIRL), Lana Parrilla (ONCE UPON A TIME, 24), Melissa Benoist (SUPERGIRL), Nathan Fillion (FIREFLY, CASTLE), Robbie Amell (THE FLASH, X-FILES), Rose McIver (IZOMBIE, ONCE UPON A TIME), Sean Maguire (ONCE UPON A TIME, SCOTT & BAILEY), Will Friedle (BATMAN BEYOND, GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, BOY MEETS WORLD)

Comic guests include:
Aaron Conley (SABERTOOTH SWORDSMAN), Aaron Kuder (ACTION COMICS), Adam Gorham (DEAD DROP), Alé Garza (GET JIRO: BLOOD & SUSHI), Alex de Campi (NO MERCY), Amy Chu (POISON IVY), Babs Tarr (BATGIRL), Brittney Williams (PATSY WALKER aka HELLCAT), Chad Hardin (HARLEY QUINN), Chris Burnham (BATMAN INC.), Chris Mooneyham (FIVE GHOSTS), Chris Moreno (ZOMBIE DICKHEADS ), Chris Roberson (iZOMBIE), Clay Mann (POISON IVY), Dan Parent (KEVIN KELLER), Daniel Warren Johnson (THE GHOST FLEET), Dice Tsutsumi (ICE AGE), Dustin Nguyen (DESCENDER), Ed Brisson (SHELTERED), Emi Lenox (PLUTONA), Emanuela Lupacchino (SUPERGIRL), Evan ‘Doc’ Shaner (GREEN LANTERN), Faith Erin Hicks (THE NAMELESS CITY), Fiona Staples (SAGA), Jake Wyatt (MS. MARVEL), James Harren (RUMBLE), Jason Howard (TREES), Jim Mahfood (EVERYBODY LOVES TANK GIRL), Joe Keatinge (SHUTTER), Kevin Wada (CATWOMAN), Kris Anka (CAPTAIN MARVEL), Leila del Duca (SHUTTER), Liz Prince (WILL YOU STILL LOVE ME IF I WET THE BED?), Marguerite Bennett (A-FORCE), Matthew Southworth (STUMPTOWN), Mitch Gerads (THE SHERIFF OF BABYLON), Nick Pitarra (THE MANHATTAN PROJECTS), Noelle Stevenson (NIMONA), Philip Tan (GREEN LANTERN), Raina Telgemeier (SISTERS), Sean Gordon Murphy (TOKYO GHOST), Shawn Crystal (ARKHAM MANOR), Terry Moore (RACHEL RISING) and many more!

RSVP on Facebook!

Emerald City Comicon (ECCC) is the premier comic book & pop culture convention in the Pacific Northwest. Join us April 7-10, 2016. For tickets and more information please go to the website: www.emeraldcitycomicon.com

 

Steel City Con Returns on Dec. 4-6

Steel City Con returns to the Monroeville Convention Center on December 4-6, 2015 with guests including Sean Astin, Tommy Flanagan, Jason Mewes, Ric Flair, John Ratzenberger, George Wendt, Adrian Paul, Corbin Bernsen, William Katt, Walter Koenig, Amy Allen, Nalini Krishan, Naomi Grossman, Larry Thomas, Ken Kelly, Ani-Mia, and many more!

The Steel City Con is the exclusive comic con of the Monroeville Convention Center.  It is one of the largest comic cons in the United States with over 100,000 square feet of convention space and filled with 750 vendor tables,  artist alley, and celebrity guests.  At the Steel City Con you can meet TV and film celebrities along with experience celebrity Q&As, panels, celebrity photo ops, and the Artist Charity Quick Sketch. You can also take part in the Steel City Con’s cosplay, trivia contest and costume contests!

RSVP on Facebook!

Buy Tickets: www.steelcitycon.com/buy-tickets
Show Info: www.steelcitycon.com

MegaCon Announces New Fall Show November 21st – 22nd!

Announcing MegaCon‬ Fan Days!! Join us November 21-22 for a FANtastic fall show!

‪‎ Mega Fan Days brings you more of the MegaCon fandom, fun, & geekery you love – just in time before we ramp up for our MEGA show in May!

1st Guest announced Samwise Gamgee brings the shire to Orlando! Meet fan fave Sean Astin!

For more information visit http://megaconfandays.com

CA – An Evening with Ralph Bakshi

Press Release:

USC Visions and Voices: The Arts and Humanities Initiative and the USC School of Cinematic Arts, in conjunction with the American Cinematheque, invite you and a guest to attend An Evening with Ralph Bakshi and Fritz the Cat (1972) at 7:00 P.M. on Thursday, March 26th, 2015

A screening of the groundbreaking X-rated animated feature Fritz the Cat will be followed by a discussion with Ralph Bakshi about his exceptional career.

Hosted by SCA Director of Programming Alessandro Ago.

FREE ADMISSION. OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. RSVPs REQUIRED.
Bakshi Productions will sell artwork before and after the event in the George Lucas Building Lobby.

About Fritz the Cat (1972)

Sex-obsessed tomcat Fritz drops out of NYU and embraces every new experience that crosses his path, including easy sex and drugs. But Fritz ends up holding the dynamite that will detonate the ultimate 1960s statement when he joins a group of radical hippies. Based on underground comic-book artist Robert Crumb’s revolutionary character, Fritz the Cat became the first X-rated cartoon.

Written & Directed by Ralph Bakshi. Produced by Steve Krantz.
Provided courtesy of Park Circus. Rated X. Running time: 78 minutes.

About Ralph Bakshi

Blasted into public consciousness – and controversy – by the first X-rated cartoon, FRITZ THE CAT (1972), legendary writer-director-producer Ralph Bakshi’s career in animation spans an astounding 50 years. He channeled the freewheeling spirit of underground comics in such films as HEAVY TRAFFIC (1973) and COONSKIN (1975), battling protests and censors to open the doors to cartoons with adult situations. He tapped further into the zeitgeist with WIZARDS (1977) and THE LORD OF THE RINGS (1978), catching the mid-70s wave of interest in sci-fi and fantasy that broke with STAR WARS. Bakshi’s work was adventurous visually as well as thematically; RINGS and AMERICAN POP (1981) are landmarks of rotoscoping, a type of animation where live-action footage is traced onto cels.

While these features solidified Bakshi’s stake in animation history, he has never been content to rest on his laurels. He re-invented Saturday morning cartoons with “The New Adventures of Mighty Mouse,” a show that proved to be a precursor for irreverent fare such as “The Ren & Stimpy Show.” And in the latest turn to a brilliant career, Bakshi has taken up the paintbrush; his work can be viewed at www.ralphbakshi.com.

About the Moderator

Alessandro Ago is the Director of Programming and Special Projects at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, where he programs film screenings, festivals, guest speakers and special events. Ago curates Outside the Box [Office], a screening series dedicated to bringing new international, documentary and independent cinema to USC, often followed by conversations with filmmakers, which Ago moderates. Ago has produced festivals celebrating the work of Dino De Laurentiis, John Wayne, Roger Corman, Costa Gavras, Maurice Jarre, Dennis Hopper, Albert Broccoli and the James Bond franchise, as well as world cinema showcases focusing on Japan, Italy, Bollywood, South America and the Middle East. In 2013, he produced a major retrospective of the seminal ABC television series Twin Peaks, featuring panel discussions with 50 members of the cast and crew.

With a special interest in Italian cinema, Ago has hosted events with Roberto Saviano, Mario Monicelli, Lina Wertmueller, Gabriele Salvatores, Claudia Cardinale, Pupi Avati, Enzo G. Castellari, Marco Bellocchio, Dario Argento and Franco Nero. Ago lectures about Italian cinema at the Italian Cultural Institute in Westwood, California and has taught undergraduate film courses at USC, including Transnational Nightmares and Filmmaking, Italian Style and, most recently, Italian Genre Cinema and Society. He co-produced the 2006 & 2007 editions of Los Angeles – Italia: The Film, Fashion and Art Fest at Mann’s Chinese 6-plex, as well as the 2006 Capri-Hollywood Film Festival in Capri, Italy.

Ago is one of the curators responsible for selecting the films that comprise the U.S. State Department’s American Film Showcase, a documentary film diplomacy initiative, and has traveled with AFS film envoys to Cyprus, Mexico, Egypt, China, Tajikistan, Bolivia, India, South Korea, Vietnam, Panama, Bangladesh, and Turkmenistan. Ago is also the Executive Producer of USC’s annual First Look Festival.
Check-In & Reservations

This screening is free of charge and open to the public. Please bring a valid ID or print out of your reservation confirmation, which will automatically be sent to your e-mail account upon successfully making an RSVP through this website. Doors will open at 6:30 P.M.

All SCA screenings are OVERBOOKED to ensure seating capacity in the theater, therefore seating is not guaranteed based on RSVPs. The RSVP list will be checked in on a first-come, first-served basis until the theater is full. Once the theater has reached capacity, we will no longer be able to admit guests, regardless of RSVP status.
Parking

The USC School of Cinematic Arts is located at 900 W. 34th St., Los Angeles, CA 90007. Parking passes may be purchased for $10.00 at USC Entrance Gate #4, located at the intersection of W. Jefferson Blvd. & Royal Street. We recommend Parking Structure D, at the far end of 34th Street. Please note that Parking Structure D cannot accommodate tall vehicles such as SUVs. Metered street parking is also available along Jefferson Blvd.

About USC Visions & Voices: The Arts and Humanities Initiative

Visions and Voices is a university-wide arts and humanities initiative that is unparalleled in higher education. The initiative was established by USC President C. L. Max Nikias during his tenure as provost in order to fulfill the goals set forth in USC’s strategic plan; to communicate USC’s core values to students; and to affirm the human spirit. Emphasizing the university’s commitment to interdisciplinary approaches, the initiative features a spectacular array of events conceived and organized by faculty and schools throughout the university. The series includes theatrical productions, music and dance performances, conferences, lectures, film screenings and many other special events both on and off campus. Each program invites students to dialogue and interact with artists, writers, professors and special guests. These interactions provide a dynamic experience of the arts and humanities and encourage active exploration of USC’s core values, including freedom of inquiry and expression, team spirit, appreciation of diversity, commitment to serving one’s community, entrepreneurial spirit, informed risk-taking, ethical conduct and the search for truth.

For more information, visit www.usc.edu/visionsandvoices

The Ray Stark Family Theatre: SCA 108
George Lucas Building
USC School of Cinematic Arts Complex
900 W. 34th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90007

CA – Pippin Signs

Billy Boyd, who played the hobbit Pippin in The Lord of The Rings, has a song on the soundtrack for The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. Meet Billy Boyd on Wednesday, December 10, 2014 at 6:00 PM when he performs when he performs live and signs copies of the soundtrack from THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES. Please check with the store for further guidelines.

(PLEASE NOTE: This is a wristbanded signing.)

RSVP on Facebook!

Barnes & Noble – The Grove at Farmers Market
189 The Grove Drive Suite K 30, Los Angeles, CA 90036
323-525-0270

Boston Comic Con 2014 is Next Week

Press Release:

Celebrity appearances, artist meet-and-greets, a film festival, a Cosplay costume contest, the first official after party and Cosplay Harbor Cruise are among many activities lined up for this year’s Boston Comic Con. Boston Comic Con will bring its first three-day convention to the Seaport World Trade Center Friday August 8 through Sunday August 10, 2014. In the seven years since its founding, Boston Comic Con has grown from a one-day show that attracted an estimated 900 comic book enthusiasts to last year’s record turnout of more than 23,000, which organizers expect to top this year.

“The community in Greater Boston that loves comic books and related television and film is tremendous and growing,” said Nick Kanieff, a founder of Boston Comic Con. “We are home to some of the industry’s most talented artists and devoted fans, all of which will join us in great numbers this August. Boston Comic Con has just enough of a celebrity touch to bring in ardent fans while still honoring the artists and writers who are the backbone of the industry.”

The 2014 Boston Comic Con will feature celebrity appearances by Jason Momoa of “Game of Thrones”; John Barrowman of “Doctor Who,” “Torchwood” and “Arrow”; Sean Astin of “The Goonies” and “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy; James Marsters of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Angel”; Katie Cassidy of “Arrow”; Eve Myles of “Torchwood”; Jewel Staite of “Firefly”; Sam Witwer of “Being Human”; and Darryl McDaniels, aka DMC, of Run-DMC, one of the founding fathers of the hip hop and rap movement, who is producing his own comic about a rap superhero. Celebrities will also participate in panel discussions, Q&As, photo ops, and signing autographs throughout the three-day convention.

Among the 200+ comic book creators taking part in the convention are well known artists such as artist Greg Capullo and writer Scott Snyder, who together produced legendary Batman story arcs as The Court of Owls, Death of the Family and Zero Year for DC Comics. Indie sensation Jeff Smith, creator of the fantasy epic Bone, makes rare appearance at this year’s convention. Also featured is artist Adam Kubert, best known for his work with Marvel Comics on Wolverine, Incredible Hulk, Ultimate Fantastic Four, and X-Men. He is both a graduate of and an instructor at the famed Kubert School, founded by his father, legendary artist Joe Kubert. Other creators include Skottie Young, whose current project, Rocket Raccoon ties in with Marvel’s summer blockbuster Guardians of the Galaxy, fan-favorite Gail Simone, writer of Batgirl, Birds of Prey, and Wonder Woman, and Mark Waid who is the most prolific writer of popular characters such as Superman, Spider-Man, and Daredevil.

Participating Boston-area artists include husband and wife team Shelli Paroline and Braden Lamb, Joe Quinones, Maris Wicks, Ming Doyle, Norman Lee, Sara Richard, and several others.

Boston Comic Con is especially proud of its showcase of 14 top women creators including: Christy Blanch, Danica Brine, Katie Cook, Danielle Corsetto, Ming Doyle, Dawn Griffin, Rebekah Isaacs, Shelli Paroline, Sara Richard, Gail Simone, Cat Staggs, Babs Tarr, Maris Wicks, and Chrissie Zullo.

“Boston Comic Con is at the forefront of supporting local artists, especially women creators. It is truly an organic, home-grown event that has gained popularity over the past few years,” said Kanieff, a Framingham resident who is also an avid collector. “We welcome everyone, from families with young children, to college students, to older comic book fans. There is something for everyone at Boston Comic Con.”

New This Year
The first Boston Comic Con Cosplay Harbor Cruise will take place on Saturday, August 9 from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. The cruise will be hosted by Ivy Doomkitty, international costume designer and cosplayer, and features noted cosplayers including Nicole Marie Jean, Destiny Nickelsen, and Bethany Maddock. After the harbor cruise, Boston Comic Con will host the official “after party” at Laugh Boston, at the Westin Waterfront Hotel. Also new this year, a limited number of tickets will be sold to allow early entry on the first day of Boston Comic Con, Friday, August 8 at 1 p.m., one hour before the general admission at 2 p.m.

Additionally, Marvel editor C.B. Cebulski will be on hand to provide portfolio reviews for aspiring comic artists. And this year’s exclusive t-shirt features Rocket Raccoon drawn by Guardians of the Galaxy artist Nick Bradshaw with colors by Rich Woodall.

“Not only is Boston Comic Con drawing interest from the area’s extensive comic book community, but it’s becoming a destination event that brings tourists to Boston,” said Kanieff. “The growing excitement around this convention demonstrates the strength and vibrancy of the creative community we have here in Boston and in the surrounding region.”

More information about events, artists and celebrity guests can be found on www.bostoncomiccon.com. General admission and VIP tickets are on sale now, as are tickets for celebrity photo ops. Boston Comic Con is also accepting entries for this year’s film festival.

For information on ticket sales please visit: www.bostoncomiccon.com.

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Sean Astin Appears at Boston Comic Con 2014

Press Release:

Boston Comic Con’s new guest is a Goonie, a Hobbit, and a Ninja Turtle: SEAN ASTIN makes his first appearance at Boston Comic Con this year! An accomplished actor,  Sean made his film debut at 13 playing Mikey Walsh in the classic adventure movie The Goonies. Sean scored another career defining, triumphant success playing the title character in the inspirational and universally applauded college football biopic Rudy. But Sean probably best known in his role as Samwise Gamgee the stalwart Hobbit from Peter Jackson’s epic Lord of the Rings film trilogy for which he received several awards.

Sean has appeared on television as Lynn McGill in the fifth season of 24, and currently voices Raphael in Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated TV series. Sean is also slated to co-star in the much anticipated series The Strain for FX, based on Guillermo del Toro’s trilogy of vampire novels.

Previously announced guests include Jason Momoa, Jewel Staite, Sam Witwer, Simon Bisley, Greg Capullo, Amanda Conner, Danielle Corsetto, Ivy Doomkitty, Adam Kubert, Carlos Pacheco, Jimmy Palmiotti, Eric Powell, Gail Simone, Stan Sakai, Jeff Smith, Scott Snyder, Skottie Young, and many more! For the full guest list plus artist alley, exhibitor, and film fest registration please check out the Boston Comic Con website!

Online ticket purchases are available at the link!

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About Boston Comic Con:
The Boston Comic Con is a 100% independently run comic book show committed to bringing the biggest and best comic creators to New England. Run by fans for fans, Boston Comic Con is not affiliated with any other convention tour or corporate interests. Hosting over 120,000 square feet of vendors selling comic books, toys, posters, trading cards, and other pop culture memorabilia, this is a destination event for geeks of any stripe. This year’s convention will be held Friday August 8th, Saturday August 9th and Sunday August 10th at the Seaport World Trade Center, 200 Seaport Blvd, Boston, MA 02210. For more information please go to our website at www.bostoncomiccon.com and follow us on Twitter (@BostonComicCon) and Facebook!

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