Legendary Graphic Novel Publisher Humanoids Announces New Literary Imprint LIFE DRAWN

Legendary Graphic Novel Publisher Humanoids Announces New Literary Imprint LIFE DRAWN

March 28, 2018: Humanoids, the publisher of some of the world’s most iconic and groundbreaking science fiction and fantasy graphic novels, is launching a new literary imprint in 2018, timed to the company’s 20th anniversary of publishing its acclaimed books in the United States. Best known for seminal genre works including The Incal (Alejandro Jodorowsky, Mœbius) and The Metabarons (Jodorowsky, Gimenez) and internationally renowned creators, including Milo Manara and Jose Ladronn, Humanoids will make a bold break from tradition with its new endeavor. Launching on April 4th, the LIFE DRAWN imprint will publish graphic novels featuring deeply personal and powerful political narratives; these are stories grounded in life on earth, not among the stars.

“Since its inception in the ’70s, Humanoids has published some of the greatest science fiction and fantasy tales ever told—including international best sellers such as The Incal and The Metabarons,” said Humanoids CEO and Publisher, Fabrice Giger. “After so many years of exploring imaginary universes, I felt the urgency for us to also explore . . . real life. Our new imprint LIFE DRAWN will bring our readers down to earth, where humanity is just as captivating as any alien world. With LIFE DRAWN, Humanoids is committed to publishing diverse voices and stories from different points of view, whether it’s powerful political and personal stories from Afghanistan or Vietnam or a biography of Hedy Lamarr.

LIFE DRAWN’s debut season features titles representing a wide spectrum of art styles, tone, and social and cultural perspectives:

Kabul Disco: How I Managed Not to Be Abducted in Afghanistan by Nicolas Wild

Publication date: April 4, 2018; ISBN: 978-1594658686; 160 Pages; $19.95

LIFE DRAWN debuts with the first volume of a satire-laced travel memoir by cartoonist Nicolas Wild about his experiences in Afghanistan, drawing an adaptation of of the Afghan constitution. Wild provides insights into international politics, a war-ravaged country and the lives of his fellow expatriates. In a dazzling passage, Wild explores the fragile state of American democracy through the story of a woman who was working for the Bush campaign in 2000 and was responsible for vote counting in one of Florida’s three counties, ultimately making the fateful phone call that helped swing the election. Acclaimed cartoonist Guy Delisle (Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea) declares that Wild’s “satirical and at times absurdist perspective plunges us into the daily life of a group of expatriates in the heart of Kabul, a city still reeling from the last war. His witty sense of humor makes him an excellent travel companion.” Book Two will be published in September.

Vietnamese Memories: Leaving Saigon by award-winning writer and artist Clément Baloup

Publication date: May 29, 2018; ISBN: 978-1594656583; 164 Pages; $19.95

The first of a three-volume testimonial to the courage and endurance of five different families displaced from their native country by war and colonialism and forced to assimilate in unfamiliar lands, watching their heritage slowly disappear. As Doan Hoang, the award-winning director of Oh, Saigon, says in her introduction of Book One, “History is mostly told by the privileged and powerful, and rarely by those who are most affected. . . . In this sumptuously beautiful and important graphic novel, you will intimately bear witness to what so few in the world have been privy to.”

Luisa: Now and Then by Carole Maurel, Adapted by‎ Mariko Tamaki (This One Summer)

Publication date: June 20, 2018; ISBN: 978-1594656439; 272 Pages; $29.95

A queer transformative tale about self-acceptance and sexuality, written and illustrated by Carole Maurel and adapted by national bestseller Mariko Tamaki, Caldecott Awardwinning creator of This One Summer. A disillusioned photographer has a chance encounter with her lost teenage self who has miraculously traveled into the future. Together, both women ultimately discover who they really are, finding the courage to live life by being true to themselves. The book will be published in June, timed to Pride Month.

Madame Cat by Nancy Peña

Publication date: July 4, 2018; ISBN: 978-1594658136; 128 pages; $12.95

Hilarious vignettes presenting the love, laughter and frustrations of a pet who thinks she’s an owner! With narrative mastery, creator Nancy Peña brings us bite-sized sketches that appeal to cat lovers of all ages.

With upcoming releases dedicated to subjects as diverse as the life of Hedy Lamarr and the New York Marathon, Humanoids’ LIFE DRAWN imprint will capture deeply personal stories that run the gamut from political travelogues to coming-of-age and coming-out stories. For more updates on LIFE DRAWN, follow Humanoids on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

SAM HUMPHRIES TO PEN HARLEY QUINN’S ONGOING ADVENTURES

SAM HUMPHRIES TO PEN HARLEY QUINN’S ONGOING ADVENTURES

Harley Goes to Apokolips and Gets “New God” Powers This July
Paired with Fan-Favorite Harley Artist John Timms, Humphries’ First Story Arc Introduces
Gotham’s Clown Princess to Granny Goodness & the Female Furies

It’s Fury vs. Furies in a Furious Showdown!

(BURBANK, CA) – (March 29, 2018) – This summer, DC Entertainment launches a bold new direction for the Clown Princess of Crime, Harley Quinn, with the creative team of writer Sam Humphries (GREEN LANTERNS, NIGHTWING) and fan-favorite Harley Quinn artist John Timms taking DC’s Maid of Mischief to Jack Kirby’s Fourth World and back.

“The biggest question, and the biggest challenge for Harley, is defining if she’s a hero or a villain,” says Humphries on his new assignment. “But why can’t she be both? Or is there a third choice to explore? My vision for the book is ‘What if Bugs Bunny were a chainsaw, hosting Anthony Bourdain’s show, but in the DC Universe?’ In our first three-issue story arc, John Timms and I are going to bring the crazy Kirby Krackle to HARLEY QUINN—focusing on the manic energy that made us cheer for her and the tragic emotions that made us fall in love with her.”

Beginning July 4 with HARLEY QUINN #45, Humphries and Timms have Harley kidnapped by two Female Furies from Apokolips, who deliver her to one of Darkseid’s Elite, Granny Goodness, with an offer she can’t refuse: join the Furies, get superpowers and do anything she wants! It’s a sweet deal, and all Harley needs to do in return is hunt down a rogue Fury!

“Harley Quinn does and says the things we all wish we could get away with,” continues Humphries. “She’s the embodiment of wish fulfillment. Harley is a wild card, and she’s a survivor; two things we all want to be at different times of the day. And Apokolips is just the beginning of our plans for Harley. No one in the DCU will be safe from Harley Quinn.”

HARLEY QUINN #45, written by Sam Humphries, arrives in stores July 4 with art by John Timms and a cover (below) by Guillem March and Romulo Fajardo Jr. Fans can also expect a variant cover by Frank Cho.

Japanese Metal Dance Unit BABYMETAL Becomes a Graphic Novel!

Japanese Metal Dance Unit BABYMETAL Becomes a Graphic Novel!

Z2 Comics Announces APOCRYPHA: THE LEGEND OF BABYMETAL, An Original Graphic Novel

Based on the Themes of BABYMETAL

April 3, 2018) There’s no band in the world like BABYMETAL, the metal dance unit, whose hit songs like “KARATE,” “Gimme Chocolate,” and “Megitsune” have captured the imaginations of fans around the globe. This fall, Z2 Comics, Hollywood film/TV production company Amuse Group USA, and BABYMETAL’s producer KOBAMETAL are collaborating on a brand new, original story for the graphic novel APOCRYPHA: THE LEGEND OF BABYMETAL, featuring art by award-winning illustrator GMB Chomichuk.

Formed in 2010, BABYMETAL is a metal dance unit made up of three performers, SU-METAL, YUIMETAL, and MOAMETAL. With their combination of powerful metal sound and dance performances, they are by far the most unique band out there. Since its inception, the Japanese metal dance unit has developed a devoted fan base that describes their concerts as both energetic and unforgettable. The band has received glowing praise from the industry’s top acts, including Slipknot’s Corey Taylor, Guns N’ Roses’ Slash and Rob Zombie, who told Billboard that BABYMETAL “are like nothing I’ve ever seen before.” BABYMETAL is making waves in the music industry with their chart-topping albums that have solidified their cross-continent success.

The book will be published by innovative independent graphic novel publisher Z2 Comics, who has previously collaborated on acclaimed music-inspired graphic novels with the likes of rockstar Dan Auerbach, bluesman Robert Finley and the Music Maker Foundation, platinum selling DJ Paul Oakenfold and jazz musician Dave Chisholm. “With the book still months from publication, it’s too early to reveal much,” said Z2 Comics Co-Publisher Sridhar Reddy. “In the months to come, BABYMETAL fans can expect more announcements, but today I would say the question we should be asking is not who is BABYMETAL, but what is BABYMETAL?’”

The graphic novel based on the band, APOCRYPHA: THE LEGEND OF BABYMETAL will be available online for preorder on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, and Kinokuniya USA, and on sale in comic book stores and bookstores in October 2018 and will retail for $24.99. Also, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Kinokuniya USA, and Japanese online market Asmart will each release a limited special cover edition of the graphic novel (pre-order dates for Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Kinokuniya USA are TBD). For more updates on the book, follow Z2 Comics on Twitter and Facebook and follow BABYMETAL on their official website, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

*Besides the cover design, the special cover edition will be identical to the standard version

In May, BABYMETAL will be on a world tour across the United States and Europe with performances scheduled at Rock on the Range and Download UK.

■「APOCRYPHA: THE LEGEND OF BABYMETAL」

Scheduled release 2018/10

■BABYMETAL WORLD TOUR 2018

【US TOUR】

2018/05/08 Kansas City, MO / Uptown Theater

2018/05/10 Austin, TX / ACL Live at the Moody Theater

2018/05/11 Dallas, TX / House of Blues Dallas

2018/05/13 Houston, TX / Revention Music Center

2018/05/15 Atlanta, GA / Tabernacle Atlanta

2018/05/17 Charlotte, NC / The Fillmore

2018/05/18 Nashville, TN / Marathon Music Works

2018/05/20 Columbus, OH / 「Rock on the Range」appearance

【EUROPE TOUR】

2018/06/01 Nürburg, Germany /「Rock am Ring」at Nürburgring appearance

2018/06/02 Nuremberg, Germany /「Rock im Park」at Zeppelinfeld appearance

2018/06/04 Innsbruck, Austria/ Music Hall Innsbruck

2018/06/05 Utrecht, Netherlands / TivoliVredenburg

2018/06/06 Utrecht, Netherlands / TivoliVredenburg

2018/06/09 Derby, UK / 「Download UK」at Donington Park appearance

■BABYMETAL Official Web Site

Japanese http://www.babymetal.jp/

English http://www.babymetal.com

New York International Auto Show 2018 recap.

This week was the media days of the New York International Auto Show and there was a lot of news that came out of the show. I covered it for two days and there were many new automobiles that were shown for the first time this week which will be available later this year to early 2019. First, i will discuss the World Car of the Year awards.

This is the first major award show of the NYIAS and here are the results.

World Urban Car of the Year: Volkswagen Polo

World Luxury Car of the Year: Audi A8

World Car Design of the Year: Range Rover Velar

World Green Car: Nissian LEAF

World Performance Car: BMW M5

World Car of the Year: Volvo XC60

Many car companies were also there showcasing what will come later this year to next year and i have taken photos of these cars that were also previewed at press conferences

Follow me on Twitter @julianexcalibur

Follow me on Instagram @jaxocalibur

CozyPhones from Wicked Cool Toys

At Toy Fair 2018, we attended Wicked Cool Toys event and we got to see some amazing products. One that really caught our attention was something that seems so simple but very awesome when you dissect it.

We give you CozyPhones the idea is simple enough, a headband with headphones on the inside.

We were given two samples, a cute Unicorn and from the super popular Nickelodeon’s Paw Patrol show, Skye!

The earphones are set to a low settings so no worries about your young one potentially damaging their ears and as a headband, it adds a level of pseudo-cosplay elements.

What makes it even cooler is it can be used as a sleep mask at night. The headphones are removable and the mask is washable.

My daughter can’t get enough of CozyPhones, especially when she wears them at night for a sleepmask. We highly recommend CozyPhones to anyone with a young child and assure you they will absolutely love it.

Press Release:

AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL TOY FAIR 2018
Wicked Cool Toys Partners with CozyPhones – Top Selling Kids’ Headphones!
Super Comfortable 3-in-1 Headphones, Sleep Mask and Headband with Kid Safe Volume Control

Bristol, PA – February 17, 2018 – Wicked Cool Toys is excited to partner with Halo Acoustic Wear on the #1 selling kids’ headphone brand on Amazon: CozyPhones™. Wicked Cool will bring to market the innovative, 3-in-1 CozyPhones headphones, sleep mask and stylish headband for children with new licenses and retail expansion in summer 2018.

Selling over 220,000 units last year, CozyPhones groundbreaking design provides hours of listening enjoyment for children at home or on the go. No more struggling with ill-fitting (or lost) earbuds and bulky over-the-ear headphones! The comfort-fit headband is wide and lightweight for a secure fit, and is also a wonderful solution for children with sensory issues and special needs. CozyPhones are great for travel, as the ultra-thin 1/8″ speakers lay flat in the headband providing total comfort in the car and on airplanes. Another plus? The speakers are easy to remove making the headband completely washable!

“Young children are consuming content on all screens, and these CozyPhones headphones from Halo Acoustic Wear are a great solution for them. The soft, adjustable headband stays comfortably on small heads, while protecting their ears from listening too loudly,” said Jeremy Padawer, Co-President of Wicked Cool Toys. “Plus,” added Michael Rinzler, Co-President of Wicked Cool Toys, “they’ll love wearing their favorite characters when they rock out to music, or watch their favorite shows. We can’t wait to bring them to a wider audience this year and beyond.”

Original Styles

The original styles feature popular favorites, including a Fox, Frog, Panda, and the beloved Unicorn. All CozyPhones have adjustable and removable ultra-thin 1/8″ speakers that are nestled within a soft and stretchy lightweight fleece headband for a snug, secure and comfortable fit for most head sizes. A built-in volume control feature limits the volume to 90 dB, giving parents peace of mind that their child’s hearing is protected. Also included is a durable 52” braided cable and standard 3.5 mm stereo plug that will not kink, tangle or twist. Ages 4+, SRP: $19.99

Exciting New Licenses from Top Shows and Brands CozyPhones has aligned itself with some of the top shows and brands in children’s entertainment which appeal to millions of fans including Paw Patrol (Chase, Marshall & Skye), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo), JoJo Siwa with more favorites to come!

Just like the original styles, all licensed CozyPhones are lightweight, comfortable and washable with adjustable and removable ultra-thin speakers that provide the perfect fit. CozyPhones can also be pulled down over the eyes as a sleep mask and pack easily in a backpack or suitcase! Built-in volume limiting provides hearing protection. Also included is a durable 52” braided cable that will not kink, tangle or twist. Ages 4+, SRP $19.99

All CozyPhones are compatible with Apple iPhone, iPad, iPod, Android, Samsung Galaxy, Blackberry, Nokia, LG, HTC, Google Nexus, Lenovo, Asus, Sony, Dell, Toshiba, HP, MP3, MP4 and other audio devices.

About Halo Acoustic Wear and CozyPhones:
Halo Acoustic Wear, based in Ashburn, VA is a leading manufacturer of its patent pending character headband headphones for kids and adults under the CozyPhones™ brand. Founded in 2015, CozyPhones™ were initially created as a sleeping aid, and have expanded to include a line for kids, travel, relaxation, and exercise. For more information visit www.cozyphones.com.

About Wicked Cool Toys:
Founded in 2012, Wicked Cool Toys (Wicked Cool Toys LLC/WCT) a leader in innovative play, creates, designs, manufactures and markets a dynamic, fun portfolio of licensed and owned-IP toys for all ages. WCT’s portfolio includes global master toy partnerships with Pokémon (ex-Asia), Cabbage Patch Kids®, Teddy Ruxpin as well as key licensing deals with Crayola, Nickelodeon, CozyPhones, MasterChef Junior, WWE®, Wild Kratts, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles®, and owned-IP Egg Babies, Xtreme Cycle, Cat Paw and My Girl’s Dollhouse. Visit www.wickedcooltoys.com and follow the Company on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. www.facebook.com/wickedcooltoys – @wickedcooltoys

CozyPhones are available for purchase at Amazon here.

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