SDCC 2013 Adds 13 More Including Wendy and Richard Pini, J.H. Williams, Etc.

Via Toucan: 

13 More Guests Added to the Comic-Con Line-up!

Comic-Con 2013 is less than three short months away, and 13 more great special guests have been added to the already-stellar line-up! Part of this group highlights some of our anniversary celebrations, including the 35th anniversary of Elfquest, the 25th anniversary of Sandman, and the 20th anniversary of Milestone Media.

You can’t celebrate any anniversary of Elfquest without, or course,Wendy and Richard Pini. One of the first self-publishers, the Pinis began their epic tale in 1978, it and quickly grew in popularity, spawning numerous collections, prose novels, and an ongoing and vibrant fan community. Wendy is also known for her work on a series of Beauty and the Beast graphic novels (based on the original TV series starring Ron Perlman and Linda Hamilton). More recently, Wendy completed a reimagining of Edgar Allan Poe’s Masque of the Red Death.

Neil Gaiman’s Sandman celebrates its 25th anniversary this year with a new series and an appearance by Gaiman at Comic-Con. Award-winning artist J.H. Williams III is the artist on that new series. Famous for his recent run onBatwoman (and nominated once again, as Best Cover Artist in this year’s Eisner Awards), Williams is also known forPromethea and Chase. And speaking of covers, artist/filmmaker Dave McKean comes to Comic-Con to help celebrate Dream’s 25th. McKean’s evocative covers were an important part of Sandman’s success and his art graced each issue of the original series. Artist Sam Kieth, who illustrated the first five issues of Sandman when it debuted in 1988, is also known for his work on his own creations, The Maxx and Zero Girl, plus a run of memorable Batman tales at DC. (Sam Kieth’s appearance is co-sponsored by IDW Publishing.)

The 20th anniversary of Milestone Media is another of our celebrations this year, and co-founders Denys Cowan (The Question, Batman, Hardware), Derek T. Dingle, and Michael Davis join previously announced guest Charlotte Fullerton (the widow of Milestone co-founder Dwayne McDuffie) as special guests. Milestone focused on minorities in comics—as both creators and characters—forging a fan-favorite universe. One of their titles, Static Shock, went on to become an animated hit on television.

Other added special guests include:

Ellen Forney, the Eisner Award-nominated (for Best Reality-Based Work) writer/artist of Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo & Me. Forney’s other work includes I Love Led Zeppelin and Monkey Food.

Russ Heath, the legendary artist best known for his work on war titles for DC Comics, such as The Haunted Tank. Heath also did the memorable 1960s series Sea Devils. He is a member of the Will Eisner Hall of Fame.

Georges Jeanty, the artist behind the popular Dark Horse series Joss Whedon’s Buffy, the Vampire Slayer. Jeanty has drawn both Season 8 and Season 9 of the award-winning, New York Times bestselling series.

Rep. John Lewis from Georgia’s 5th District, who comes to Comic-Con with his new graphic novel, MARCH, co-written by Andrew Advin and drawn by Nate Powell. The book chronicles his years in the Civil Rights movement. (Rep. Lewis’s appearance is courtesy Top Shelf Productions.)

Fred Perry, the writer/artist behind the popular Gold Digger series published by Antarctic Press. Perry has produced over 5,000 pages in 22 years since the series began, with a consecutive run of over 200 issues of his American manga series.

For a complete list of special guests appearing at Comic-Con International 2013, please click here.

SF – Samplings and Dabblings Exhibit

Artist Sam Kieth makes a rare public appearance at the Cartoon Art Museum on Saturday, April 27, 2013 from 11:00 AM till 2:00PM! RSVP on Facebook!

Press Release:

The Cartoon Art Museum presents Samplings and Dabblings: a retrospective, a celebration of the art of Sam Kieth. This exhibition traces Kieth’s career from 1988, when he collaborated with writer Neil Gaiman to produced the first issues of the acclaimed Sandman comic book series through his fan favorite run drawing Wolverine for Marvel Comics Presents and other early works. In 1993, Kieth published perhaps his best known character, The Maxx, through Image Comics, in a series that spawned an animated spin-off on MTV’s Oddities. The ever-experimental artist produced additional creator-owned works for publishers including WildStorm and Oni, and his most recent comics work including The Hollows and Mars Attacks! is available from IDW Publishing.

In addition to his well known (and occasionally not well known) comics work, Samplings and Dabblings also examines the paintings, comics and sculpture that comprise Kieth’s ongoing “Trout-a-verse” project.

“In the same way, in all my stories, I’m trying to have compassion for these characters who’ve been through hell, or who’ve put themselves through hell, and are, in some way, all alter egos for me. So whether work-for-hire or creator owned, the themes are all continuous in my work. Some of the characters are owned by evil conglomerates, others are just waiting to be picked off by evil conglomerates, and some of them are so weird that no evil conglomerate wants to touch them with a stick…but they’re all part of one, giant ‘Sam-story.’”

The exhibition opens on March 1, 2013, the 20th anniversary of The Maxx, although museum patrons will get a sneak peek at Samplings and Dabblings on February 23 and 24. A reception is planned to accompany the release of a full-color exhibition catalog in April, to be printed and distributed by IDW Publishing. The catalog features a 10,000-word career-spanning interview with Sam Kieth, conducted by Cartoon Art Museum curator Andrew Farago. Details about the reception and catalog will be announced soon.

Cartoon Art Museum
655 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94105

CA – The Hollows Signing

Sam Kieth signs at World’s Best Comics on Saturday, January 12, 2013 from 2:00 until 4:00 pm.

RSVP on Facebook!

Press Release:

Comic book artist Sam Kieth is doing a store signing for the first time since… well probably since he did a store signing for the first issue release of his comic The Maxx sometime back in 1993 at World’s Best Comics!

This rare appearance is in support of Sam Kieth’s newest comic book The Hollows, written by Chris Ryall with art by Sam Kieth.

Kieth is best known for creating The Maxx which got adapted into a popular animated show which aired on MTV’s Oddities programming. Kieth is also known for his work on other such titles as Wolverine, Sandman, Four Women, Zero Girl, Batman, Spider-Man, The Hulk, Lobo, My Inner Bimbo, Ojo, Legs, Aliens Earth War, 30 Days of Night, and Friends of Maxx to name a few.

The signing will be on Saturday January 12th from 2-4pm.

World’s Best Comics
2608 Watt Ave. Sacramento,CA 95821
916-973-8973

TMNT Returns with Co-Creator Kevin Eastman

Press Release:

The Original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Make a Triumphant Return to Comics

New “Heroes on a Half-Shell” Series Debuts in August with TMNT Co-Creator, Kevin Eastman

 IDW Publishing and Nickelodeon today announced that the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic series, featuring the beloved “Heroes in a Half-shell,” will premiere in August 2011. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will be back in action and ready to fight off evil once again, with an impressive creative team led by TMNT co-creator Kevin Eastman!

Starting in August, IDW’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will kick off with a brand new installment of the original series, led by Eastman and co-writer Tom Waltz (Silent Hill: Past Life, Infestation: Outbreak). Phenomenal new-comer Dan Duncan will bring the Turtles to life with dynamic interior art, while Sam Kieth and Walter Simonson provide eye-catching covers for issues one and two, respectively. Eastman will also provide layouts for Duncan’s art, as well as variant covers.

This first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series will feature new and exciting storylines that maintain the “turtle power” core beloved by millions of fans. Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael reunite to bring their ninja aptitude and teenage attitude in these all-new, action-packed adventures based on the original series. The first story arc will tell the origin story of the Turtles and introduce a new villain, the fearsome mutant alley cat, Old Hob. Featuring a cast of familiar characters, including Master Splinter, April O’Neill, Casey Jones, and true to the spirit of the original comics created by Eastman and Peter Laird, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are bigger and badder than ever, and ready to rock old and new fans alike.

IDW and Nickelodeon have a long-term partnership to offer an all-new installment of the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics and graphic novels. IDW’s new comics are part of a larger initiative to bring Turtles to a new generation of fans, starting with these new storylines from the original series that recapture the magic of the original Turtles comics. Additionally, in fourth quarter 2012, Nickelodeon will premiere a new CG-animated version of the wildly popular Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise.

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #1 ($3.99, 32 pages, full color) will be available in comic stores throughout North America in August 2011. Diamond order code JUN11 0370.