MAGIC: THE GATHERING Returns To Comics

IDW Publishing and Wizards of the Coast Celebrate 25 Years of
Magic: The Gathering with All-New Comic Written by Vita Ayala
with Interior Art by Harvey Talibao

RENTON, WA (August 8, 2018) – Wizards of the Coast and IDW Publishing revealed today details for an all-new Magic: The Gathering comic to be published beginning this November. Magic: The Gathering: Chandra is written by Vita Ayala (Supergirl, The Wilds) with interior art by Harvey Tolibao(X-Men, Green Arrow) and features all-new adventures of fan-favorite pyromancer Planeswalker Chandra Nalaar. This is the first Magic: The Gathering comic in four years and will introduce an all-new approach to storytelling as the franchise marks its 25th year.

"Think of a character that you love. From any story, from any property. There is an excellent chance that you were introduced to that character by some kind of page, or some sort of screen," said Jeremy Jarvis, Magic: The Gathering Franchise Director. "We are thrilled to have Vita and Harvey introduce you to Chandra, to her story, her quirks, and her incredible powers. Set in the near future of the Multiverse, these never-before-told stories will breathe life into Chandra, her cohorts, and her enemies in new and visually striking ways. Knowledge of cards is optional, love of characters required."

"I can't hold back my excitement about this new Magic: The Gathering comic book!" said IDW Editor-in-Chief John Barber. "With meteorically rising star Vita Ayala penning these tales, with the incredible art of Harvey Tolibao delineating the adventures, and with the introduction of the dynamic and powerful Chandra Nalaar, it's clear we've entered a bold new era of storytelling. Everybody involved in this comic is dedicated to bringing you emotional and thrilling experiences that will satisfy fans of Magic: The Gathering—as well as fans of stories packed with action and drama told from a unique point of view."

An adventurous Planeswalker and powerful pyromancer, Chandra Nalaar has seen much in her time—but she had never experienced such tragedy before. In the wake of a devastating loss, Chandra is striking out on her own, determined to prove—to her family and to herself—that next time she'll be prepared. But when faced with threats both old and new, will she be able to overcome her grief in time to survive? And who is that familiar face lurking in the shadows?

Magic: The Gathering: Chandra #1 will be available in November.

 

About Magic: The Gathering
Magic: The Gathering is the world's best strategy game, with more than 20 million players and fans worldwide. Through a unique blend of digital gameplay and face-to-face play opportunities in more than 6,800 hobby game stores around the world, Magic offers a robust gaming experience for its global community of passionate fans. For more information, visit https://magic.wizards.com/en
 
About Wizards of the Coast 
Wizards of the Coast LLC, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ:HAS), is the leader in entertaining the lifestyle gamer. Wizards' players and fans are members of a global community bound together by their love of both digital gaming and in-person play. The company brings to market a range of gaming experiences under powerful brand names such as Magic: The Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons, and Avalon Hill. Wizards is also a publisher of fantasy series fiction with numerous New York Timesbestsellers. For more information about our world-renowned brands, visit the Wizards of the Coast web site at http://company.wizards.com

About IDW
IDW Publishing stands proudly at the forefront of printed visual entertainment, cultivating a formidable library of world-renowned licensed brands and creator-owned original IP. Its diverse array of comic books, graphic novels, and art books deliver reading enjoyment to fans of all ages. Its award-winning imprints The Library of American Comics, Yoe! Books, and Artist Editions preserve the valuable cultural history of the sequential art medium, while titles under the critically acclaimed Top Shelf and Black Crown banners celebrate fiercely independent voices. IDW Publishing is a division of IDW Media Holdings, Inc. (OTCQX: IDWM), a fully integrated media company with robust offerings in publishing, tabletop gaming, multimedia entertainment, and art exhibition via the San Diego Comic Art Gallery.

Contribute To Charity And Get Valiant Digital Books

Valiant and Humble Bundle Present the VALIANT UNIVERSE Bundle – Available Today!

Get over 150 issues of Valiant comics while helping to support The Keep A Breast Foundation!

August 8, 2018 (Los Angeles, CA) – Valiant Entertainment and Humble Bundle are proud to announce the launch of a new pay-what-you-want digital collection featuring over 20 titles from the publisher’s critically acclaimed line of comics, available starting today on https://www.humblebundle.com/books/valiant-universe-books

Perfect for new fans and existing fans alike, HUMBLE COMICS BUNDLE: VALIANT UNIVERSE contains over 150 issues worth of content from some of the comic industry’s most notable talents, including writer Jeff Lemire (The Terrifics), Matt Kindt (Mind MGMT), Joshua Dysart (Unknown Soldier), Jody Houser (Mother Panic) and Eric Heisserer (Arrival), as well as superstar artists Trevor Hairsine (Judge Dredd), Raúl Allén (Hawkeye), Tomás Giorello (Conan), and others – a combined retail value of $476, available now for a flexible price!

Customers can pay $1 or more to gain access to DRM-free digital files of a set of first issues for hit new Valiant series NINJA-K, SHADOWMAN (2018), and QUANTUM AND WOODY (2017), as well as introductory volume 1 trades like X-O MANOWAR, BLOODSHOT SALVATION, BRITANNIA, and more – plus a discount code for 15% off all purchases at the Valiant Store!

At the $8 or more tier, unlock a new tier of books that includes volume one trades of FAITH AND THE FUTURE FORCE, HARBINGER RENEGADE, GENERATION ZERO, and the HARBINGER WARS DELUXE EDITION and SECRET WEAPONS DELUXE EDITION, as well as a discount code for 20% off all purchases at the Valiant Store!!

And for $15 or more, fans can unlock a massive premium tier of Valiant titles, including deluxe editions of BLOODSHOT, X-O MANOWAR, NINJAK, DIVINITY, and other content-stuffed special offerings – and a bonus discount code for 25% off all purchases at the Valiant Store!! Curious fans should check out https://www.humblebundle.com/books/valiant-universe-books for the full lineup of available titles.
 

A portion of the proceeds will go to support The Keep A Breast Foundation, whose mission is to create awareness for breast health and education with young people all over the world.http://keep-a-breast.org

"We are proud to partner with Humble Bundle once again to benefit a great charity, this time The Keep A Breast Foundation,” said Publisher Fred Pierce. “Backers who support the campaign can gain access to over 20 highly-in-demand Valiant titles, including deluxe editions that contain a wealth of extra material. With the Bloodshot movie currently filming, now is a good time to catch up on all the Valiant titles you may have missed – and for a price you name!"

The fundraising campaign will run for two weeks, ending at 11:00 a.m. Pacific on August 22nd, so head to humblebundle.com now for some great comics!

About Valiant Entertainment:

Valiant Entertainment, a subsidiary of DMG Entertainment, is a leading character-based entertainment company that owns and controls the third largest library of superheroes behind Marvel and DC. With more than 80 million issues sold and a library of over 2,000 characters, including X-O Manowar, Bloodshot, Harbinger, Shadowman, Archer & Armstrong, and many more, Valiant is one of the most successful publishers in the history of the comic book medium. Valiant consistently produces some of the most critically acclaimed comics in the industry and has received numerous industry awards and accolades, including a Diamond Gem Award for Comic Book Publisher of the Year. For more information, visit Valiant on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, and ValiantEntertainment.com. For Valiant merchandise and more, visit ValiantStore.com.

About Humble Bundle:

Humble Bundle sells games, ebooks, software, and other digital content through pay-what-you-want bundle promotions, the Humble Store, and the Humble Monthly curated subscription service. When buying a bundle, customers not only choose how much to pay, but also how their payment is divided between the content creators, charity, and Humble Bundle. Purchases from the Humble Store and subscriptions to Humble Monthly also help support charity. In 2017, Humble Bundle announced the launch of a multi-platform funding and creative initiative to publish games "Presented by Humble Bundle." Since the company's launch in 2010, Humble Bundle and its community have raised more than $129 million for a wide range of charities across the world. To see more, visit https://www.humblebundle.com/books/valiant-universe-books

About The Keep A Breast Foundation:  http://keep-a-breast.org

The Keep A Breast Foundation™ is a nonprofit organization with a mission to empower young people around the world with breast health education and support. Since its inception in 2000, KAB has worked with young people to remove the shame associated with breasts and breast health. Through various initiatives and programs such as breast cast art exhibitions, “Non Toxic Revolution”, “Check Yourself! App” and "i love boobies!" campaign, KAB has opened up the dialog about breast cancer, and has proven to be a doorway to breast self-awareness and education.

Keep A Breast has grown into the leading global youth-based breast cancer prevention organization, with global affiliates in Japan, Europe, and Mexico. Constantly pushing the boundaries of the pink ribbon status quo, Keep A Breast has always encouraged young people to love their boobies, get to know their bodies, and be aware of changes.

SINK Ready To Begin A New Round Of Terror In November

EDITOR’S NOTE:  The best horror series of 2017 returns soon with more gruesome goodness.  If you somehow missed it before, here’s your opportunity to get on board  We’ve been riding in the van since the beginning, and aside from a few bumps and scrapes we’re managing to retain our sanity.  Here’s an update on all things SINK from the series writer, John Lees . . . . .

To all those who backed our SINK Volume 1: Welcome to Glasgow Kickstarter, your books should be arriving any time now, if you haven't received them already. Thanks again for all your support in helping bring this series to life. 

But the story of Sinkhill doesn't end there. No, as we've mentioned before, the overwhelming response to our first volume meant that we were able to greenlight more SINK. Since then, there have been vague teases and allusions to what is coming. Well, enough with the teasers. It's time for announcement. 

SINK Volume 2 will be launching later this year, with the release of SINK #6 in November marking the start of another run of 5 issues to hit comic shops worldwide in the following months! 

As well as Alex Cormack continuing his run of regular covers, as seen above, this issue will also have a 50/50 variant from Iain Laurie (And Then Emily Was Gone, The Edge Off). 

Here's the official synopsis for SINK #6: Death and the Midden...

The critically-acclaimed cult sensation returns for its most audacious, violent chapter yet! Charlotte wakes up in the back of a blue van, surrounded by murderous clowns. Her night gets worse from here. But in her fight to survive, Charlotte will discover just how resourceful - and dangerous - she can be. 

...

We'll be in touch soon with more news about the upcoming volume, so watch this space, and if you haven't already, follow us on Facebook! 

Are you ready to get back in the van? 

Your pal,

John Lees

SITCOMICS Arrives In Local Shops Tomorrow 8/08

 

     The creative spark plug known as Darin Henry makes a special appearance at local comic shops tomorrow.  All the way from the West Coast to Delaware and Pennsylvania, Henry will appear to sign books and talk comics with fans while visiting Captain Blue Hen (Newark, Delaware approximately 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.) and The Maroon Hornet (Oxford, PA approximately 3-6 p.m.)

 

     After gaining first experience and then recognition in American television, Darin Henry turns his talents to comic book publishing with SitComics, serving as publisher, editor and primary writer for the initial introduction of five distinctive titles. SitComics differ from the regular fare found on comic shop shelves in that they are 64 pages for the same price of a standard monthly comic title ($3.99), and contain a complete story every issue.  They are also distributed directly from the publisher to select comic shop participants. 

 

        Henry has served as writer for several episodes of Seinfeld during Season 8 and 9, a Futurama episode, and co-executive producer and writer on K.C. Underground for The Disney Channel. Henry noted the shift in television viewing preference to “binge entertainment” and came up with the idea of incorporating this trend into comic book publishing. As he notes in his 2018 Binge Book Catalog, “Consumers are shouting that they want it good, they want it cheap and they want it all now . . . yet comic book publishers keep clinging to stretched-out, serialized storytelling even as their cover prices get higher and their page count gets smaller.”

 

       The format of a Binge Book from SitComics attempts to satisfy that craving. We’ve sampled several of them and found them to be very entertaining, and as promised - - very reminiscent of watching television.  The titles also contain chapter breaks with make-believe funny and satiric commercials.  Henry’s television writing experience translates very well to comics storytelling. So far, he’s the main writer on all of the SitComics titles. Henry has wisely added some recognizable creative teams and artists whose style suits the format and tone of SitComics perfectly.

     My favorite of the bunch is Z-PEOPLE, where a small band of uninfected people try to survive against millions of zombies.  It mixes humor with suspense and the art by Tom Richmond of Mad Magazine fame suits the contents perfectly.  Rated for Teen and Up.

 

     Fans of Archie Comics will love SUPER SUCKERS, the story of two college sorority sisters who get infected from the same vampiric boyfriend and try to hide their condition while keeping their new liquid diet under control. Art by Betty & Veronica veteran artist Jeff Shultz. Also rated for Teens and Up.

 

     START-UP features a speedy super-hero who was formerly a 300-pound single mother and struggles to adjust to the changes in her metabolism, with art by Craig Rousseau of Harley Quinn fame.  Rated as suitable for anyone allowed to watch broadcast TV after 8 p.m.

 

     My second-favorite title is BLUE BARON, a 250-year old patriotic superhero who accidentally switches bodies with a 13-year old teen. Dsyfunction at the junction. It’s comedic, action-filled and also touching as both old and new hero have lessons to learn. Art by former Marvel stalwarts Ron Frenz and Sal Buscema.   Also for 8 p.m. television viewers.

 

     TELEPATHETIC details the  exploits of two nerdy ninth grade aspiring super-heroes who have to compete with another classmate when the most popular girl in school becomes more powerful than them.  Art by Blair Shedd (Doctor Who).  Rated for all readers.

 

Visit the website at https://sitcomics.net

New Book Studies Super-Hero Justice

 

Sequart Organization is proud to announce the publication of Humans and Paragons: Essays on Super-Hero Justice, edited by Ian Boucher.  Go to:

http://sequart.org/books/52/humans-and-paragons-essays-on-super-hero-justice/

Super-heroes, said to represent justice, have saturated popular culture at a time when the American criminal justice system is under intense public scrutiny and re-evaluation. Do the super-heroes we celebrate really represent the best we can be? How do the stories we tell ourselves about justice help society understand the endeavor of protecting citizens and making itself better?

In this book of essays, contributors from around the world explore these questions and more from many perspectives, encouraging a more conscious discussion about the most fundamental element of super-heroes.

The book runs 272 pages and features interviews with Mark Waid and Gerard Jones. The cover is by Mara MacMahon and Roni Setiawan. The book is now is available in print and on Kindle. (Just a reminder: you don’t need a Kindle device to read Kindle-formatted books; you can download a free Kindle reader for most computers, phones, and tablets.) Find out more on the book’s official page or its Facebook page.

AMIGO Debuts New Kids Imprint In October

....from the B.A.D. Comics PR press release . . . . . . . .....

Amigo Comics October 2018 Solicitations: It is Humankind versus Machines + Victorian Horror, Sword & Sorcery... and Coco! July 25, 2018 ~ For Immediate Release This October the Spanish we call Amigo, will lead the battle of the remainder of humanity: pleasure versus regeneration in a brand new series, called The Blackening!  And we say YES Victorian Age Horror with the Spanish Master Of Horror in Phantasmagoria! And YES YES YES we will serve it up with a side-dish of Sword & Sorcery done right with Rogues! Bram and Weasel meet up with Mythos. We also have the TPB of Apocalypse Girl, which collects the hard-to-find mini-series!   And we have a new Sallybooks-imprint title called COCO WHERE ARE YOU?.

THE BLACKENING   #1 (of 6)   Author(s): Massimo Rosi Artist(s): Eduardo Mello Cover Artist(s): Eduardo Mello   After The Plague, Humankind was forced to regenerate itself, replacing the bodies with sophisticated machines. The new technology that saved humans from extinction seems to have nothing against their innate cruelty. Tony is one of the humans left that still enjoy feeling the simple pleasures of life… but everything goes to hell when his companion dies and his daughter is abducted.   Intended Audience: Mature readers Genre: Science Fiction Format Comic book, FC, 28 pages Retail Price: $3,99 UPC Code: 689247545699-00111

ROGUES! THE SHADOW OVER GERADA  Vol 6: #4 (of 5)   Author(s): El Torres Artist(s): Jordi Armengol Cover Artist(s): Stefano Martino     Intended Audience: Teen + Genre Comedy, Sword and Sorcery Format Comic book, FC, 28 pages Retail Price: $3,99 UPC: 713482801897-00411   It’s the Rogues vs The Mythos! The island of Rlyeh has emerged from the depths of the ocean. The expedition commanded by Weasel and Bram has the mission of preventing the imminent tentacular apocalypse... But they did not count on the betrayal of the possessed scholar Echpiel!     Notes: RETAILER INCENTIVE cover by Diego Olmos. Free served ratio 10:1 UPC: 713482801897—00421

PHANTASMAGORIA #2 (of 5)   Author(s): El Torres Artist(s): Juanma C. Aguilera Cover Artist(s): Angel Hernandez   Intended Audience: Mature readers Genre Horror, Victorian Format Comic Book, FC, 28 pages Retail Price: $3,99 ISBN: 689247545682-00211   From the Eisner-nominated creator El Torres comes the horror in the Victorian Age!   Horror runs through the sewers of the Victorian London! The escaped Drood is looking for allies in his war against Professor Hawke. Inspector Forrester continues his inquiries into the mass murder. Meanwhile, the old magician and his assistant try to find some trace of the missing Miss Grantley.... If the Intruders from the Other Side don’t kill them first!

THE APOCALYPSE GIRL TP   Author(s): El Torres Artist(s): Ramiro Borrallo Cover Artist(s): Ramiro Borrallo   Intended Audience: Teen Genre : Adventure, Horror Format : Comic book sized, 116 pages Retail Price: $19,99   Most common teenage issues are self-esteem, stress and pressure, dating, appearance and those worries and teen angst that won’t go away. Metis is 16, has all these problems and more. Because, on top of that, the End of the World happened and she has to cope with bloodthirsty demons and a 4,000-years old, critical, undead mom! This volume compiles the entire hard-to-find miniseries with many extras!

Sallybooks and Amigo bring the best for kids and young readers! Coco, Where Are You?   Author(s): Cinta Arribas   Issue/Volume Number:  one shot Intended Audience: Kid Books, Ages 3+ Format : Kids 7,87402 x 7,87402 inches. 54 pages,  FC. Retail Price: $9,99 ISBN: 9788417255176 -50995   I’m looking for my dog Coco. I lost him in the park, while we were going for a walk. Coco is neither long nor boring, neither pink nor naughty, neither small nor cowardly... Can you help me to look for him?

Can't find your Amigo books? Try our store!  http://amigocomics.com/?email_id=36&user_id=108&urlpassed=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5hbWlnb2NvbWljcy5jb20v&controller=stats&action=analyse&wysija-page=1&wysijap=subscriptions For more information, please go to www.amigocomics.com and facebook.com/AmigoComics

Baltimore Comic Con Adds Five First-Time Guests

Arantza, Johnson, Martinbrough, Piskor, and Stroman to Appear at BCC 2018

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - August 1, 2018 - September 28-30, 2018 sees the return of the Baltimore Comic-Con at the Inner Harbor's Baltimore Convention Center. Tickets to the show now can be purchased online with debit/credit card at http://baltimorecomiccon.com. The Baltimore Comic-Con is pleased to announce first-time guests Arantza, Todd Johnson, Shawn Martinbrough, Ed Piskor, and Larry Stroman to the show in 2018.

Arantza Sestayo was born in San Sebastian, Basque Country Spain. Her artistic process is self-taught and she developed professionally through portraiture, in ceramic design, and in the production of cartoons in Camelot Studios of Castellon. Her journey in illustration began with publications such as Red Ears of erotic and humorous comics, the Swedish children's magazine Psago Prinsessan, and the American publishing house S.Q.P. In Spain, she has contributed to Wicked Kisseswith Norma Comics and participated in the book Vampires from Heavy Metal. Her art has been featured on merchandise from Schmidt, Bioworld, and Heavy Metal. The municipality of Castellon commissioned an illustration for a facade of the Ateneo Assembly Hall, and published Duende as a compilation of her work. She exhibits at events related to comics and movies, such as Expomanga, Salon del Comic de Irun, Cavacon in Italy, and the Terror Film Festival of San Sebastian. Currently, some of her work has can be seen on products at Penguin Random House, and in the special edition Game of Thrones 20th Anniversary by HarperCollins Publisher. This year, her piece Ophelia has been awarded third place at the Imaginative Realism of Art Renewal Center.

Todd Johnson is a writer based in Detroit, Michigan. Johnson previously operated a successful chain of comic book retail stores, the Comics Cafe. In 1993, along with artist Larry Stroman, he published a creator-owned series called Tribe with Image Comics. With over one million copies sold, Tribe still holds the title of the largest selling African American comic of all time. In 2018, the creative partnership is relaunching Tribe to celebrate its 25th anniversary.

Shawn Martinbrough is the author of How to Draw Noir Comics: The Art and Technique of Visual Storytelling, published by Random House and reprinted in several languages. He is a critically acclaimed creator/artist whose DC Comics, Marvel, and Dark Horse Comics projects include Batman: Detective Comics, Luke Cage Noir, Captain America, The Black Panther, and Hellboy. Shawn has co-created characters featured in the feature film Deadpool, the animated Batman: Gotham Knights, the FOX television series Gotham, The Gifted, and the Justice League feature film. Shawn is the artist of Thief of Thieves, published by Skybound/Image Comics, written by Robert Kirkman. Shawn's work has been covered by Vanity Fair, USA Today, BBC World America, ABC News, NBC News, The New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR, The Hollywood Reporter, Entertainment Weekly, BET, Essence, Ebony, The New York Daily News, AOL, Publisher's Weekly, SIRIUS/XM Radio, and others. Shawn is a Native New Yorker and an alum of both the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art/Performing Arts and The School of Visual Arts.

Ed Piskor has been cartooning professionally in print form since 2005, starting off drawing American Splendor comics written by Harvey Pekar. The duo continued working together on two graphic novels, Macedonia and The Beats. Ed began self-publishing Wizzywig after developing a huge interest in the history of hacking and phone phreaking. His New York Times Best-Selling series Hip Hop Family Tree, which was originally serialized on Boing Boing, has gone back to print numerous times, and won the 2015 Eisner Award for "Best Reality-Based Work." His series for Marvel, X-Men Grand Design, was released in 2017 to wide acclaim. He is currently working with Marvel on the follow-up series, X-Men Grand Design: Second Genesis.

Larry Stroman is a Boston-born artist who has honed his craft in New York City, Berkeley, Chicago, and Detroit. After gaining attention illustrating Epic's Alien Legion, he went on to illustrate various Marvel comics such as the Uncanny X-Men, Ghost Rider, Punisher, Wolverine, Bishop, Black Panther, and the most popular run of X-Factor. He worked on Dark Horse's The Markand co-created DC's Darkstars. In 1993, along with writer Todd Johnson, he published a creator-owned series called Tribe with Image Comics. With over one million sold, Tribe still holds the title of the largest selling African American comic of all time. In 2018, the creative partnership is relaunching Tribe to celebrate its 25th anniversary. Stroman's career has spanned three decades and he still remains a sought after artist.

"These first-time guests are fantastic," said Marc Nathan, show promoter for the Baltimore Comic-Con. "From indie superstars and mainstream staples to international fantasy artists, these guests just add to our amazing line-up this year. We cannot wait for the last weekend in September!"