IDW Unleashes Zombies vs. Robots Prose ePub Program

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“8×8 Plan” offers one new story each week for eight weeks starting Jan. 20, 2012 . Writer/actress Brea Grant spearheads ZVR e-single pulp-lit push for New Year.


IDW Publishing continues expanding its prose publishing activities with a two-month-long “e-singles” promotion featuring all-new stories set in the gleefully gory ZOMBIES VS. ROBOTS universe. The property was first published in 2006 as a two-issue mini-series from the creative team of artist Ashley Wood and writer/editor Chris Ryall. Helpless to resist ZVR’s rowdy mix of clunky, wise-cracking robots trying to stem the zombie apocalypse (the fault of clumsy scientists), with the remnants of mankind caught in the middle. There have been multiple ZVR miniseries, and in 2010, Sony Pictures optioned the film rights for Michael Bay’s Platinum Dunes production company.

Beginning on January 20, IDW will digitally release one new ZVR prose story each week for eight weeks.

“We’re calling this our ‘8×8’ plan,” explains Jeff Conner, the IDW contributing editor responsible for the ZVR prose line. “Each week, from January 20 to March 9, we’ll debut a new short story torn from the festering jaws of the shambling, clanking world that is ZOMBIES VS. ROBOTS. And these all-new tales will be a tasty $0.99 each—it’s our New Year’s gift to the brain-eating reading public.”

“Pammi Shaw: Creator of Gods and Also Blogger” is the first 8×8 offering, and comes from the multi-talented actress/writer Brea Grant (Heroes, Dexter, Halloween II). Told via blog entries, her story extends the recent Zombies vs. Robots: Undercity comic book miniseries, which introduced readers to the young blogger from India, and ended with the members of an elite subterranean enclave underneath the Washington Monument being wiped out by ravenous zombies—or so we are led to believe.

“I wanted to put someone in one of the most difficult places possible by ripping away her community, family, and everything she knows, leaving her with her own thoughts,” states Grant, whose writing credits include the IDW comics We Will Bury You and Suicide Girls. “I wanted this person to deal with religion, love, gods and sanity all alone, separated from the raging violence outside. And who better to put in that position than a jaded, flippant teenage blogger named Pammi?”

“We’re quite committed to e-singles,” Conner noted. “They’re such an effective way to present our scintillating shambling dead vs. gun-crazed warbot content. Going exclusively digital with 8×8 was, as we say around IDW, a no-brainer. For sure we’ll be doing more digital-only promotions as the year unfolds.”

Debuting weekly starting on January 20, 2012, the ZVR e-singles will be available on the Kindle, Nook and in iBooks. The full 8×8 schedule is:

Brea Grant — “Pammi Shaw: Creator of Gods and Also Blogger” (1/20/12)
UnderCity’s lone survivor continues her blog and meets (creates?) a digital deity with its own ideas about fighting the zombie apocalypse.
Brea Grant is sometimes a writer (We Will Bury You; Suicide Girls), sometimes an actress (Heroes; Dexter; Halloween 2) and all-the-time a nice person. She is currently directing her first film.

Steve Rasnic Tem — “To Denver (with Hiram Battling Zombies)” (1/27/12)
What happens when high-test chronic is tainted with potent zombie blood? Will it be a high to die for?
Multiple award-winning author Steve Rasnic Tem has published over 300 short stories in the areas of fantasy, science fiction, crime, and horror. His latest novel is Deadfall Hotel.

Nancy A. Collins — “Angus: Zombie-Versus-Robot Fighter” (2/03/12)
A young man is trained by his scientist father to fight zombies, robot-style. What could go wrong?
Nancy A. Collins is the author of numerous novels and short stories, including the best-selling Sunglasses After Dark, and was a writer for DC Comics’ Swamp Thing. She is a recipient of the Bram Stoker and British Fantasy Awards, and has been nominated for the World Fantasy, Eisner & International Horror Guild awards. Left Hand Magic, the newest installment in the acclaimed Golgotham series, is now available.

Nick Mamatas — “Throckmorton’s Bad Day” (2/10/12)
Years before the zombie apocalypse, an enterprising and amoral young college student (later to become “Dr. Throckmorton in the ZVR comics) tests experimental street drugs on the local users. The results will have unforeseen consequences for his future self.
Nick Mamatas is the author of several unusual novels, including The Damned Highway with Brian Keene, and The Last Weekend. His short fiction has appeared in Asimov’s SF, Long Island Noir and many other magazines and anthologies.

Amber Benson — “Mademoiselle Consuela and Her Army of One” (2/17/12)
Like a princess locked in a tower, Consuela lives on a secluded island with only her loyal warbot for company. Then the pirates come…
Amber Benson is an actor, filmmaker, novelist and amateur occultist who sings in the shower. Best known for her work as Tara Maclay on Buffy The Vampire Slayer, she is also the author of the Calliope Reaper-Jones series and the co-director (with Adam Busch) of the feature film, Drones.

Don Webb — “The Wizards vs. the Bots” (2/24/12)
Can black magic control zombies? What about warbots?
Don Webb has 20 published books ranging from the nonfiction occult classic Uncle Setnakt’s Nightbook to the best weird west book, Webb’s Weird Wild West.

Kaaron Warren — “The River of Memory” (3/02/12)
An Amazon goddess thinks she can restore humanity to zombies; a warbot has doubts.
Kaaron Warren is an award-winning horror and science-fiction writer based in Australia. She has two short story collections and three novels in print.

Lincoln Crisler — “Kettletop’s Revisionary Plot” (3/09/12)
A distraught scientist travels back in time in a desperate attempt to save his wife and prevent the discovery of the deadly Z Virus.
Lincoln Crisler is author, editor and reviewer as well as an active-duty soldier in the United States Army. His books include Magick & Misery and Wild. He is the editor of the dark-superhero anthology Corrupts Absolutely? He has served as a contributing writer for The Horror Library and Shroud Magazine.

Analog media fans needn’t worry that IDW’s new ZVR stories will only be available in e-pub formats. “We aren’t abandoning print in any way,” confirms Conner. “From the beginning we designed the ZVR prose program to have distinct identities for print and digital. So while it’s true that there will never be print incarnations of any of the 8×8 series themselves, we do have a full slate of ZVR collections and novellas in production on the print side; the ‘8×8’ stories will appear there, just in different contexts.”

The first print collection will be THIS MEANS WAR!, set to appear in March, 2012.

“PAMMI SHAW: Creator of Gods and Also Blogger” ($0.99, digital only) will be available on the Kindle, the Nook, in iBooks, and Kobo on January 20, 2012.

ZVR: THIS MEANS WAR! ($17.99, 342 pages, 6″ X 9″ hard cover, full color) will be available in stores in March 2012. ISBN 978-1-61377-143-3.

Visit IDWPublishing.com to learn more about the company and its top-selling books.

RADICAL ENTERTAINMENT® AND DARK HORSE JOIN FORCES

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TO UNLEASH THE ULTIMATE SHAPE-SHIFTING COMIC SERIES

 

All-New Comic Series Bridges the Enigmatic Conclusion of the Original PROTOTYPE® and the Action-Packed Beginning of PROTOTYPE®2

 

Santa Monica, CA – January 17, 2012 – Radical Entertainment, the creators behind one of 2012’s  most anticipated open-world/action games – PROTOTYPE 2 – and Dark Horse Comics, the leading publisher of gaming comics and graphic novels, have joined forces to create an all-new comic series set in the PROTOTYPE universe.  With the game due out April 24, 2012 from Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI), fans looking for a jumpstart at getting a deeper look into the world of PROTOTYPE 2 should keep an eye out for this exciting collaboration launching February 15, 2012.

 

The all-new digital comic series will be broken into three original stories that bridge the gap between the original blockbuster game and the highly anticipated sequel, PROTOTYPE 2.  The first entry, “The Anchor,” illustrated by Paco Díaz, continues the story of Alex Mercer, the protagonist from the first game, while the second story, “The Survivors,” illustrated by Chris Staggs, follows a small group of residents of New York trying to escape the city after it has been transformed into NYZ with the outbreak of the Blacklight virus.  The third and final story, illustrated by Victor Drujiniu, is “The Labyrinth” and provides fans a deeper look into the backstory of PROTOTYPE 2’s new protagonist, Sgt. James Heller.  Each comic in the series will be available at Digital.Darkhorse.com every other week beginning February 15, 2012.

 

“We’re always looking for meaningful ways to expand the PROTOTYPE universe, and Dark Horse Comics is an industry-leading creative powerhouse delivering best-in-class graphic storytelling that integrates deeply to the core of our IP,” said Ken Rosman, Studio Head, Radical Entertainment.  “With this partnership, our fans will finally be given answers to some dramatic loose ends from the first PROTOTYPE game, as well as the truth behind Alex Mercer’s descent and evolution into a twisted shadow of his former self for PROTOTYPE 2.”

 

“Sgt. James Heller’s heart wrenching backstory meshed with the sheer amount of over-the-top shape-shifting action in PROTOTYPE 2 lend themselves perfectly to a comic book series,” said Dave Marshall, Editor, Dark Horse Comics.  “We worked extremely close with Radical Entertainment’s story team for PROTOTYPE 2, and can’t wait to visually walk fans through the many dark secrets strewn throughout the tattered world of New York Zero!”

 

The sequel to Radical Entertainment’s best-selling open-world action game of 2009, PROTOTYPE 2 takes the unsurpassed carnage of the original PROTOTYPE and continues the experience of becoming the ultimate shape-shifting weapon.  As the game’s all-new infected protagonist, Sgt. James Heller, players will cut a bloody swathe through the wastelands of post-viral New York Zero with unparalleled locomotion, building up a vast genetic arsenal of deadly, biological weapons and abilities as they hunt, kill and consume their way toward the ultimate goal – to kill…Alex…Mercer!

 

To find out more about PROTOTYPE 2, follow us on twitter at www.twitter.com/radical_ent or check out www.prototypegame.com for the latest trailers, screenshots, special promotions and more!  And for the truly dedicated, go to www.facebook.com/prototype and join the PROTOTYPE Army – a community of over 360,000 (and growing) fans that receive constant updates from the team at Radical, and early sneak peeks at new information and assets.

 

PROTOTYPE 2 is currently in development for Xbox® 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Windows PC.  The game is currently rated “RP” (Rating Pending) by the ESRB, with an expected “M” (Mature – Content that may be suitable for persons 17 and older) rating.

 

Witch Doctor – The Resuscitation (One Shot) (MR) SKYBOUND – Image Comics

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By Chuck Suffel

The Writing Brandon Seifert, The Art Lukas Ketner, The Colors Andy Troy, The Editor Sina Grace (Skybound / Image Comics)

From the comic:
“It’s a sick world – LITERALLY. The universe is a living thing, and the monsters of legend are its parasites… but Dr. Vincent Morrow is on the case! Dr. Morrow’s on a quest to understand the supernatural using every tool at his disposal, magical and medical. It’s a sick world – He’s here to treat it.”

Hot on the heels of last years four issue mini Dr. Morrow is back with an organ swapping, dead raising mystery.

This is a horror comic, or is it? It’s definitely occult and it does get gory but that’s where the similarities end. This book is more of an occult action adventure a la Dr. House. Morrow is acerbic, obnoxious, always right and pretty damn brilliant. With his assistants / partners Eric Gast a Paramedic and Penny, Dr. Morrow’s Patient and Anesthesiologist, he investigates all manner of mystical medical maladies. This book is definitely different, I’ve read a lot of horror comics but the direction Seifert takes with this character is unique. The art is mesmerizing it’s one of the books I reread just because the imagery is so intense.

This book is a great starting point for new readers, Dr. Morrow is gross, interesting, good fun.

Check it out at your local comic shop this week!

 

Follow Chuck on Twitter @Chuck_Suffel

Preview / Review Princeless Issue #4

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By Chuck Suffel

Jeremy Whitley – Story (@jrome58 on twitter) M. Goodwin – Art, Colors  Dave Dwonch – Letters (@DaveDwonch on twitter)
Action Labs Entertainment  (@ActionLab on twitter) with Firetower Studios (@firetower_news on twitter)

So yea I’ve reviewed every issue of this comic to date. Why you ask? Because this book deserves to be talked about. There are a bunch of writers out there constantly going on about the big two (Marvel and DC) not doing enough to draw in the female demographic. They should be pushing this book on everyone they meet. You want to change how the comic book industry views women? As fans and as characters? Make a book like this a best selling title. Complaining only gets us so far, we need to point to titles like this one and say see this is what we’re talking about! Okay rant over, let’s get to the good stuff!

Adrienne makes a friend! At the end of number three Princess Adrienne and Bedella the smith were trapped and under attack, what follows if some good old fashioned fighting and some well written bonding between the girls. Will they stick together? Is Bedella the heroic type? What about Adrienne’s sisters? Read this book. This was an action packed issue with some of the best artwork of the series. I really hope we can keep the good buzz going on this series, I’m looking forward to the further adventures of Adrienne!

Speaking of further adventures issue number four may be the end of book one but I have it on good authority (twitter that is LOL) that book two is already in the works!

Issue #4 drops on January 28th

In other Priceless news there’s this press release from Actionlab Comics:

“This April, Action Lab Entertainment presents the critically acclaimed Princeless: Save Yourself (Diamond Order Code FEB120706), collecting the first volume of the sprawling fantasy adventure series by Jeremy Whitley and M. Goodwin. Join Princess Adrienne, her guardian dragon Sparky and a rough and tough sidekick named Bedelia, as they begin their own quest for adventure designed specifically for those who are tired of waiting to be rescued, and who are ready to save themselves.

Plus, as an added bonus, Princeless: Save Yourself contains a special, never-before-seen team-up short story between “Princeless” and “Skullkickers” written by Skullkickers creator Jim Zub and featuring the art of M. Goodwin. Skullkickers (www.skullkickers.com) is Image Comics’ irreverent sword & sorcery action-comedy series, and we are proud to be able to present this team-up that will give fans of both series something fun and memorable.”

read the full post here: http://www.actionlabcomics.com/2012/01/17/the-prodigal-princess-returns-to-kick-some-skulls/

 

Follow Chuck on Twitter @Chuck_Suffel

All-New Popeye Comics Debut in April

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Acclaimed creator Roger Langridge to write series
IDW Publishing today announced that comic industry star Roger Langridge will write the company’s all-new POPEYE comic series, which will debut in April 2012. Expanding their partnership with King Features to include new material, IDW’s POPEYE comics will offer all-new adventures with the famous “Sailor Man” and his friends, including Olive Oyl, Bluto, Wimpy and Swee’ Pea. Joining Langridge to bring Popeye back to comics is rising-star artist Bruce Ozella. The monthly POPEYE series will be co-edited by IDW’s co-founder and chief executive officer, Ted Adams and renowned comics expert Craig Yoe.

“I grew up reading Segar’s Popeye and we’ll be bringing his sensibility to our new series,” said Adams. “Especially now with our all-star creative team, I’m really looking forward to launching this series in April.”

Throughout his more than twenty years in the comics industry, Langridge has garnered critical and fan acclaim for his work on an impressive list of projects, including the Harvey Award-winning Muppet Show Comic Book (Boom! Studios) and Thor: The Mighty Avenger (Marvel Comics).

“Ever since I was a kid, the two cartoonists who have had the biggest influence on me have been Carl Barks and E.C. Segar, so getting a chance to write Popeye is quite a thrill,” said Langridge. “I’m especially pleased that IDW have decided to go with a Segar-flavored interpretation. As much as I like some of the later versions of the character, for me, it’s those early strips where the magic really happened. Just as well Segar drew everybody with big feet, because Bruce and I have some enormous shoes to fill!”

Created by Elzie Crisler Segar in January 1929, Popeye the Sailor Man quickly became one of the most popular and enduring comics characters of all time. In addition to headlining his own comic strip for over eighty years, Popeye has also been featured in television cartoons, video games, live action movies and countless merchandise.

POPEYE #1 debuts in April, featuring a cover from Bruce Ozella, and a rare incentive cover from Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Jules Feiffer.

Review of Usagi Yojimbo #143

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By Alex Vazquez

This is my first time reading a Usagi Yojimbo comic; my only exposure to the character being the ’87 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon, and owning the vintage toy. I’m aware of the high praise this long running series has received though and I can see why. There is an unabashed love for traditional Japanese culture, a charming simplicity to the artwork, and a protagonist with gravitas.
The plot in this issue revolves around the brewing of shoyu, or soy sauce. Not the most stimulating of subjects, but our writer extraordinaire, Stan Sakai, filters it through an endearing shoyu brewer, who walks Usagi (if not us readers) through the brewery process. The love of traditional crafts, as portrayed by the hapless brewer, is infectious.
He is, I surmise, the latest of victims that Usagi protects from whatever villainous lot. In this case, our antagonists being a rival brewer and his hired thugs.  While the story may not be groundbreaking it’s still a rewarding and educational read nonetheless (I now have a new found love for soy sauce).

If this issue is any indication of what this series represents then consider me on board. The story ends off on a cliffhanger, so some sword swinging action is bound to ensue in the next issue. As such, I’ll be there faster than our wandering samurai can swing his sword.

Follow Alex on Twitter @Nettomono

IDW Publishing Launches First-Ever Digital-Only TRANSFORMERS Comic Series, AUTOCRACY

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12-Issue digital-exclusive series comes to iPad, iPhone, Android and the Web courtesy of writers Chris Metzen & Flint Dille
IDW Publishing proudly announces a new digital comics event five million years in the making: TRANSFORMERS: Autocracy. Released exclusively on digital platforms, this 12-part series will be released on multiple digital platforms as 8-page chapters every two weeks starting January 18th and running through June. Each episode will be priced at 99¢.

TRANSFORMERS: Autocracy has ties to the two new TRANSFORMERS comics series based on the iconic TRANSFORMERS brand from Hasbro and launching this month, Robots in Disguise and More Than Meets the Eye. “Those series look to the future,” said IDW Senior Editor John Barber, “but they have strong ties to the past. And Autocracy fills in some of the gaps in that past by telling one of the most important stories to ever appear in TRANSFORMERS comics.”

Before OPTIMUS became a PRIME… he fought for order. Before MEGATRON became a conqueror… he fought for freedom. Before they were enemies… they stood against — AUTOCRACY.

Autocracy features the stunning TRANSFORMERS writing debut of Chris Metzen – SVP, Story and Franchise Development at Blizzard Entertainment and one of the main creative minds behind the company’s Warcraft®, StarCraft®, and Diablo® universes. Metzen is joined by co-writer Flint Dille, a fan-favorite for his work on the original TRANSFORMERS animated series.

“This project is a dream come true for me,” said Metzen. “I’ve loved the TRANSFORMERS brand all my life – and the chance to take these characters for a drive with my good friend Flint has been an incredible privilege. But I think it’s Livio Ramondelli’s gritty, cinematic vision that really brings this story to life.”

Artist Livio Ramondelli came to fans’ attention last year with the world-shattering TRANSFORMERS: Chaos series. “I feel beyond thankful to be a part of this project,” said Ramondelli. “These two have written a truly epic TRANSFORMERS story for the ages. I can’t say enough good things about Chris Metzen, and we should all feel lucky that Flint Dille is returning to TRANSFORMERS.”

“IDW is very excited to launch this digital-exclusive series,” said IDW CEO and Publisher Ted Adams. “The TRANSFORMERS brand has a broad international fan-base, this series will continue to increase the comics audience.” The Autocracy series will help bring these new readers to comic shops, by including a page featuring the Comic Shop Locator service and best-selling TRANSFORMERS collections and comics.

Autocracy can be found in IDW’s Apple iPad™, iPhone® and iPod touch®, apps – Transformers Comics and IDW Comics, and on the Web at read.idwpublishing.com. The series is also featured in the Comics by comiXology platform for iOS, Android, Web and Kindle Fire, and Comics + by iVerse.

IDW to Appear at First UK Convention in February

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Publisher will have booth, panels, exclusives at the inaugural London Super Comic Convention
IDW Publishing will be attending our first-ever UK comic convention when the inaugural London Super Comic Convention, kicks off the weekend of February 25th. In addition to having a booth on the show floor, IDW’s Chief Creative Offier/Editor-in-Chief Chris Ryall will be in attendance participating in an IDW panel, doing portfolio reviews, and promising an exclusive announcement or two as well. The show is billing itself as “the U.K.’s Biggest American Creator-Driven Comic Convention.”

“I’m very happy to be present at the debut London Super Comic show and meeting the fans,” said Chris Ryall. “In fact, I feel like I owe it to our loyal UK fans to make a good first impression at one of their cons, so I’ll be announcing at least one gigantic new series, if not more.”

In addition to portfolio reviews, fans will have chance to pick up a con-exclusive cover for Infestation 2: Transformers, and get books signed by Ryall and creators such as Tony Lee, J.K. Woodward, Phil Jimenez, and others. A full signing and panel schedule will be announced as soon as it is finalized.

Visit IDWPublishing.com to learn more about the company and its top-selling books.

Visit http://www.londonsupercomicconvention.com for more information on the show. Or check out www.facebook.com/LondonSuperComicConvention and http://twitter.com/#!/LSComicCon