BRAND NEW DIGITAL PROPERTY, LEMON LUMBERJACK™ KICKS OFF WITH EDUCATIONAL KIDS APP

Rob Leave a Comment

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BRAND NEW DIGITAL PROPERTY, LEMON LUMBERJACK™
KICKS OFF WITH EDUCATIONAL KIDS APP

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American Greetings Entertainment Partners with Preschool App Leader, Night & Day Studios
Los Angeles — June 2, 2016 – From the company behind the beloved global brand Care Bears, in
partnership with the creators of bestselling preschool app Peekaboo Barn, comes a brand new
learning game and alphabet storybook app for young learners: Lemon Lumberjack’s Letter Mill.
Developed in-house by American Greetings Entertainment and Night & Day Studios, Lemon
Lumberjack’s Letter Mill is the market debut and the first release of this brand new intellectual
property, Lemon Lumberjack™, created for the mobile marketplace by American Greetings
Entertainment.
Inside the letter mill, fun friends wait to surprise and delight young learners with their love of
language.

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Players match letters and objects as they move down the conveyor belt to complete
levels and earn daily rewards. Lemon Lumberjack’s Letter Mill is designed to guide children
through multiple stages of language acquisition. Pre-readers learn letter recognition, along with
the sounds letters make, through age-appropriate matching games. In higher levels, older
children learn to connect letters with the sounds they make and build fundamental spelling and
reading skills. Lemon Lumberjack’s Letter Mill is an exciting way to develop reading proficiency.

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“It’s great to see the talent in our creative and editorial studios at AGE come together to ideate
this new IP and produce amazing content,” explained Megan Buettner, Head of Creative and
New Media, American Greetings Entertainment. “Night & Day Studios is truly one of the best
preschool digital app creators in the business, and we all are excited to partner with them to
introduce the world to Lloyd (the Lemon Lumberjack) and his friends.”
In the app, players can collect 26 character storybook pages to hear silly stories about the
Letter Mill friends, as well as explore 54 levels with a broad range of play modes. Children will
meet charming letter-loving characters, discover hidden surprises, dance along to original music
and be rewarded by wild animations that encourage and cheer their progress.

AG Entertainment and Night & Day Studios App Release
Lemon Lumberjack Letter Mill

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“This app is a true creative collaboration between AGE and Night & Day Studios,” said Brianne
Baker, Creative Director of Night & Day Studios. “Our team loved Lemon Lumberjack from first
glance, and we knew right away that this new IP deserved our handcrafted approach. The
challenge of animating the unique, photo-realistic, highly textured visual style was greatly
rewarding, and we think the stunning results will have huge appeal for kids and parents.”
Lemon Lumberjack Letter Mill is available on iOS now, and Google Play in Summer 2016. The
freemium app is recommended for children of all ages, especially ages 6-8.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/LemonLumberjacksLetterMill
Twitter: www.twitter.com/LemonLumberjack
Instagram: www.instagram.com/LemonLumberjack

About American Greetings Entertainment
American Greetings Entertainment is the intellectual property, entertainment and outbound
licensing division of American Greetings Corporation, which was built upon the successful re-
launch of Care Bears™ and other iconic kids’ entertainment brands, including Holly Hobbie™
and Madballs™, as well as Boofle™, Packages from Planet X™, Twisted Whiskers™, and its
newest IP, Buddy Thunderstruck™. American Greetings Entertainment develops multi-platform
entertainment franchises across all media channels, and extensive consumer merchandising
programs that immerse children and adults in brands they love.
About Night & Day Studios
Night & Day Studios, the creators of Peekaboo Barn, loves bringing adorable characters to life.
We have backgrounds in cognitive science, child development, and educational media. Our aim
is to delight the imaginations of children and adults. Some of our bestselling apps include
Peekaboo Barn, Farm Day, Yummiloo Rainbow Power, and BabyLit Jungle Book Hide & Seek.

Civil War Breaks Out at Your Local Comic Shop!

Rob Leave a Comment

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Civil War Breaks Out at Your Local Comic Shop!
 

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The #1 movie in the world is Captain America: Civil War, and the first assortment of Marvel Minimates based on the film is hitting comic shops and specialty stores this week! Marvel Minimates Series 66 is dedicated entirely to the latest Marvel Studios release, and features four different two-packs, showcasing both sides of the sprawling superhero conflict.

 

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The available two-packs include Captain America with Winter Soldier, Iron Man with Black Panther, the comic shop-exclusive War Machine with a Raft Guard, and a rare, one-per-case variant two-pack with a Battle-Damaged War Machine and a Raft Guard. Each Minimates mini-figure stands 2″ tall with 14 points of articulation, and features fully interchangeable parts. The suggested retail price for a two-pack is $9.99, and your local retailer can order a case of 12 using item #JAN162251. 

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Look for more Civil War Minimates at your comic shop this summer, as part of Marvel Minimates Series 67! In this all-different assortment of two-packs, Battle-Damaged Captain America takes on Battle-Damaged Iron Man, Black Widow meets Crossbones, Agent 13 faces an evil Mercenary and a rare, one-per-case variant set pairs Secretary Ross with another Mercenary! Tell your retailer to pre-order a case using item #MAR162238.

 

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Also in stores this week: the Batman: The Animated Series Batmobile Metal Bottle Opener! One of the most iconic redesigns to come out of the landmark animated series was Batman’s sleek, elongated Batmobile, and now you can hold it in the palm of your hand! This approximately 4″ long metal bottle opener has magnets in the tires to keep it on your refrigerator or Bat-armory when not in use. With a suggested retail rice of $18.00, this product uses item #JAN162243.

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DC UNIVERSE: REBIRTH

Rob Leave a Comment

DC Entertainment’s line wide titles relaunch, REBIRTH, starts this month with the DC UNIVERSE: REBIRTH SPECIAL, written by Geoff Johns with an all-star roster of some of the greatest artists in the game – Gary Frank, Ivan Reis, Ethan Van Sciver and Phil Jimenez! This 80 page blockbuster, priced at $2.99, sets the stage for an all-new universe of epic superhero storytelling beginning in June, featuring the characters and titles that have made DC Comics a favorite of fans for 80 years!

 

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In June, fans will see the first of 17 titles that will ship twice monthly, also at a new lower price of $2.99, beginning with a series of “REBIRTH” themed one-shots. Today, DCE is revealing for the first time the variant cover images that will be available for fans when these books go on sale:

 

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Batman: Rebirth #1

On-Sale June 1

Written by Scott Snyder and Tom King

Art by Mikel Janin

Standard Cover by Mikel Janin

Variant Cover by Howard Porter

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Superman: Rebirth #1

On-Sale June 1

Written by Peter J. Tomasi and Pat Gleason

Art by Doug Mahnke

Standard Cover by Doug Mahnke

Variant Cover by Andy Park

 

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Green Arrow: Rebirth #1

On-Sale June 1

Written by Ben Percy

Art by Otto Schmidt and Juan Ferreyra

Standard Cover by Juan Ferreyra

Variant Cover by Steve Skroce

 

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Green Lanterns: Rebirth #1

On-Sale June 1

Written by Sam Humphries

Art by Ethan Van Sciver

Standard Cover by Ethan Van Sciver

Variant Cover by Alex Garner

 

LION FORGE COMICS AND STONE VILLAGE PARTNER ON ANDRE THE GIANT BIOPIC

Rob Leave a Comment

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Los Angeles, CA – Lion Forge Comics and producers Scott Steindorff and Dylan Russellhave partnered to develop a feature film about the life of legendary pro wrestler Andre “the Giant” Roussimoff, based on the authorized graphic novel biography published last year,Andre the Giant: Closer to Heaven. Roussimoff’s daughter Robin Christensen-Roussimoff will consult on the film and assigned the exclusive rights for the biography to the producers.
 

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“Andre the Giant rode the wave of the rse of wrestling in America, while suffering from the painful health condition of gigantism; there’s an Elephant Man story here,” Steindorff said.   

Lion Forge CEO David Steward II agreed, saying, “As a lifelong wrestling fan, I can say with conviction that no one was bigger than Andre. His presence and charisma were so powerful, and you could tell there was much more to him under the surface of his ring persona. It’s been an amazing experience telling that story in the book with Robin’s help. With all the spectacle, action, and emotion there on the page, a feature film just made perfect sense.”

Written by Eisner Award-nominated writer Brandon Easton and illustrated byDenis Medri, Andre the Giant: Closer to Heavenwas nominated for the Dwayne McDuffie Award for Diversity and three Glyph Awards. It recounts the famed wrestler’s life from his earliest days working on the family farm in France along with the rise of professional wrestling itself, from a global circuit of underground matches to the global phenomenon it is today, due in large part to Andre the Giant’s celebrity. It is being republished in a new edition this month.    

Steward and Lion Forge CCO Carl Reed will produce with Steindorff and Russell of Stone Village Productions, with Joel Falderon as a co-producer and Barry Alexander as an associate producer. Jimmy Thomas will executive produce.

“I’m really excited to watch this story come to life on the big screen,” Robin Christensen-Roussimoff said. “It’s been a labor of love for everyone involved, and we’re really looking forward to making it available to a larger audience.”

ABOUT LION FORGE

Lion Forge is a St. Louis-based new media company that revitalizes licensed franchises and develops exciting on-trend original properties through comic book publishing. Drawing on a diverse roster of talent from book publishing, print comics, animation, mobile apps, marketing, retail development, and brand management, Lion Forge titles are carefully curated and brought to market with focused attention and support. Committed to diversity in the entertainment field, and the comics industry in particular, Lion Forge aims to employ a wide array of staff and creators that reflect the makeup of our world and bring fresh voices to our titles. For more information, please visit lionforge.com or the Lion Forge Facebook (facebook.com/LionForge) and Twitter (twitter.com/lionforge) pages.

ABOUT STONE VILLAGE PRODUCTIONS

Stone Village Productions (“SVP”) is an independent, privately owned media finance and production company led by Producer and 18 year industry veteran Scott Steindorff and co-founder Dylan Russell.  The company specializes in the production of commercial, studio quality television and film content.  SVP has a premiere slate of commercial intellectual property and projects in development with A-level talent involved.  Drawing on its past experience to attract A-level stars to its content, SVP populates its television and films with renowned actors.  Past television success includes the syndicated NBC series “Las Vegas” which starred James Caan and Josh Duhamel and the Golden Globe and Emmy Award winning HBO mini-series “Empire Falls” which starred Paul Newman, Ed Harris, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Helen Hunt, Joanne Woodward and Robin Wright.  Recent films include The Weinstein Company film “Jane Got a Gun” starring Natalie Portman, Joel Edgerton, and Ewan McGregor; the Open Road film “Chef” starring Jon Favreau, Scarlett Johansson, Sofia Vergara, and Robert Downey Jr., the Lionsgate film “Lincoln Lawyer” starring Matthew McConaughey;  and the Lionsgate film “Gimme Shelter” starring Vanessa Hudgens, Rosario Dawson and Brendan Fraser.

My thoughts: today’s product of WWE since after Wrestlemania 32

Julian Cannon Leave a Comment

While Wrestlemania 32 gave us some fantastic moments, I think most would agree the ending left us feeling underwhelmed and disappointed, a sour note in an otherwise very solid show. I for one had went to sleep that night feeling very deflated, and quite frankly pissed off that they would so blatantly ignore the fans wishes, just to get the title on the good looking, muscular, Samoan dude. Everything was going to remain the same, Raw was going to kick off with a 20 minute Authority promo, and conclude with Reigns beating every member of the League Of Nations while Cole screams, “Roman Reigns has overcome all the odds tonight!” It felt like WWE had no plans on changing the product, being content with their current stagnant state, despite the outcry of smarks and casuals alike, for change.

Until… Well, the next night.. 

The Raw after Wrestlemania felt fresh, the focus on young stars was a welcome change of pace, and something just felt different, it didn’t feel like an average Raw, it started with Shane being put in charge and ended with AJ Styles becoming the Number 1 Contender in an incredible Fatal Four Way, with 4 of the best workers in the business. However, I still wasn’t convinced, Shane’s tenure in charge seemed like a one-week thing, and this focus on the younger and more ‘IWC friendly’ guys may just have been to please the crowd the night after Mania, who they knew, if they gave them the same old stuff, would crap all over it, their fear of which was apparent through the commentators’ “boo the people they normally cheer” shtick. My skepticism seemed warranted given what we’d seen in the past. 

Boy was I wrong! 

The weeks that followed have kept with this theme of intriguing storyline development, new stars being built in the likes of Apollo Crews, Baron Corbin, Enzo and Cass etc, and overall simply a better product. The card for Payback looks amazing, I’m looking forward to pretty much every match, the build has been fantastic, every match has been given meaning, purpose, and most importantly air time to build organically, little to none of it seems shoe-horned in, and there are two major plots which could give us a massive indication on the companies direction for the foreseeable future . The introduction of Anderson and Gallows has made for some compelling television, and an aura of mystic surrounds their inevitable eligance. Though it seems set up for Balor to join forces with Gallows and Anderson to turn on AJ, they could just as easily throw us a curve-ball, which hasn’t been felt in a very long time. Vince’s decision on Sunday, will shape the company for the next while at least, I can’t see it being as cut and dry as him picking one or the other, the possibilities are endless, which is very exciting.

Ratings…DO NOT PANIC! 

Yes, the ratings have been fairly poor, but that should be expected, the new talent needs to be given time to settle in and get over with the casual audience. These guys are mostly unknown to casual fans, so when the guys they’ve known to be the stars aren’t on the show, they won’t tune in for a while, which is exactly why this opportunity needs to be taken, while a lot of your money and ratings draws are out, to enhance the new guys, and give them time to establish themselves with a new audience. Don’t go rushing back to the old guys in a panic because the ratings have dropped, it would completely derail all the good things that have been done since Wrestlemania. 

Potential For Change: 

I refer back to the title, the sense of change is looming, the opportunity to usher in a new era in WWE is very much in the companies hands, this Sunday, is a huge night for the WWE and professional wrestling in general, you can give back to us fans, and make us once again proud to call ourselves wrestling fans, the feeling of unpredictability once so synonymous with professional wrestling, feels like it’s slowly creeping it’s way back. The potential for two, company altering swerves, is here, my skepticism though not fully gone, is fading, don’t disappoint WWE. 

My Thoughts for today on The Walking Dead: Cliffhangers

Julian Cannon Leave a Comment

The problem isn’t cliffhangers as cliffhangers. It’s that this particular cliffhanger worked against the scene, rather than for it.

   
Look at the previous major cliffhangers:Rick being told something in secret adds mystery. If I hadn’t gotten into the show after playing the Telltale game, it would have been a really intriguing one.

After the farm falls, Rick has a different view of leadership, we see the prison that may become their new home, and Andrea met some lady with a cape and a freakin’ katana. I couldn’t wait to start season 3!

After the prison falls, they have survived their first major enemy, but their home is lost again and the group has scattered. I really looked forward to seeing how they met back up and how the group would change on this new arc

The group is reunited in the Termites’ prison. It’s their darkest moment, but seeing familiar faces, Rick is thinking “it’s US, of course we’ll make it out of this”. Awesome, pumped for the escape.

Alexandria may be falling, Rick’s group is using good-old zombie guts to escape. Then, the boy gets scared and says “Mommy?” I couldn’t wait to see the panic as the walker herd turned on them while they were surrounded and had nowhere to go. …the payoff was a total cop-out (what, did the walkers just not hear him?), but the cliffhanger itself did its job.

Negan attacking…someone. What I’m excited about in the next arc is seeing Rick dealing with his biggest defeat. They essentially just got conquered. This is the main attraction of the next arc, but the cliffhanger detracts from it in two ways: first, it lessens the impact of Rick’s despair because we don’t see who he lost; second, it puts the main focus of the premier on “who died?” rather than “how will they deal with their new warlord?”

  
If they were worried about the gore, there would have been better ways. They could have shown the first hit, then cut to the reaction of each of the others as we only hear the impact of the bat.

If they were worried about ratings……..they need new marketers.

follow me on twitter @julianexcalibur