NEW SAGA ARC KICKS OFF WITH 25¢ ISSUE TO CELEBRATE 25 YEARS OF IMAGE COMICS
Limited edition Image 25th anniversary prints by
Fiona Staples also available


PORTLAND, OR, 04/18/2017 — Image Comics is pleased to announce that the full-length 43rd issue of Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples’ multiple Eisner Award-winning series SAGA will be priced at $0.25 in celebration of Image’s 25th anniversary. In addition to this collectible $0.25 issue, limited quantities of a commemorative Image 25th anniversary print featuring exclusive and all-new SAGA artwork by co-creator Fiona Staples may also be available. Contact your local comic shop for more details.

A perfect jumping-on point for new readers, SAGA #43 sees Hazel and her star-crossed parents embarking on a thrilling new adventure at the westernmost edge of the universe. 

“I am so proud of this issue, and excited for our craziest storyline yet!” said Vaughan. “Fiona and I wanted to thank our incredible readers for five years of loyalty with this special $0.25 issue, but we also hoped to encourage anyone who hasn’t yet read SAGA to finally dip their toes in our water (eww). 

“So if you have 'mature' friends or loved ones you think might be weird enough to enjoy our series, why not pick up a few extra copies to share with them?” asked Vaughan. “Either way, we know our beloved retailing partners won’t profit as much as they would from our regular $2.99 cover price, so if we save you a few bucks in May, we hope you’ll please consider shifting a little of that money back to your local store by trying PAPER GIRLS or THE OLD GUARD or STRAY BULLETS or any of the other spectacular collection of creator-owned comics that our friends at Image have been publishing for an unbelievable 25 years.”

SAGA #43 (Diamond code: MAR170720) hits comic book stores on Wednesday, May 31st. The final order cutoff deadline for comics retailers is Monday, May 1st.

LIMITED EDITION IMAGE 25TH ANNIVERSARY PRINTS: color version, B&W version, and signed color version, will also be available in limited quantities on Wednesday, May 31st.

Complete Daily Newspaper Strips Collected
 In celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the first Star Wars film this May, IDW Publishing and the multi award-winning imprint, Library of American Comics present Volume One of Star Wars: The Classic Newspaper Comic which contains 575 sequential strips from its premiere run March 11, 1979 to October 5, 1980. Included are every Sunday’s title header and “bonus” panels in meticulously restored original color, making this the first-ever complete collection of this comics classic as they originally appeared. During the five years Star Wars Comics first appeared, early fans were treated to a total of twenty-seven storylines that remain some of the best “Classic Star Wars” era tales ever told.

In this first of three volumes, a stunning image of Darth Vader graces the cover and the most beloved original Star Wars characters journey through space along with new characters in new worlds never seen in the feature films. These daily adventure comic strips brought all the action of the movie directly into people’s homes for the first time.
 
Greg Goldstein, IDW Publishing’s President and COO, says, “Some of these strips have been reprinted in other formats, but, like many of our other LOAC collections, this is the first fully complete, chronological collection of the strips as they originally appeared when they graced the morning papers nearly 40 years ago.”
 
Initially the color Sundays and B&W dailies told separate stories, but within six months the incomparable Russ Manning merged the adventures to tell brand new epic seven-days-a-week sagas that rivaled the best science fiction comics of all time. When the strip launched, Russ Manning accurately predicted that “People today can’t get enough science fiction, especially if it is original and full of creative adventure. The Star Wars characters are like Mickey Mouse. They will be loved forever.” These strips reflect a simpler time in the franchise’s history and are a “must-have” for both the hardcore and casual Star Wars fan.

The books are produced under license, and in cooperation with Marvel Comics and Lucasfilm.
 
Star Wars: The Classic Newspaper Comics, Volume 1
11” x 8.5” landscape hardcover, 260 pp, $49.99
Available May 2017

PORTLAND, OR, 04/20/2017 — Image Comics is pleased to announce that writer Matt Nixon (Wolverine) and Toby Cypress (RODD RACER, BLUE ESTATE) will team up for an all new time-hopping paranormal series—RETCON.

In RETCON, a group of paranormal adventurers faced with an impossible threat keep shutting down alternative timelines in order to prevent the ultimate destruction of the solar system. This is only to find themselves reinvented in a similar—albeit retconned situation—back in issue #1 on a parallel Earth, facing the same enemy.
 
“Artist Toby Cypress and I set out to make Retcon a 'craft' comic book,” said Nixon. “We took our time and made sure from layout to panel design to colors and letters—every piece fits, nothing was rushed. We made the best book that we could, and we believe it will find its audience.”

Cypress added, “Matt’s story is like David Lynch doing a few episodes of X-Files, it’s weird, over the top, and subtle all at once.”

RETCON #1 will hit stores this September 2017. 

Marvel Comics’ Chatbot Allows Fans to Converse with some of their Favorite Marvel Super Heroes and Become Part of the Story
 
Marvel’s chatbot offers quizzes, puzzles, first-looks, exclusive content,
and helps you find your local comic shop through Facebook Messenger and Twitter DM
                                                                                                              
New York, NY—April 20, 2017— Today, Marvel is excited to announce, an all-new way to interact directly with the Marvel Universe, with Marvel’s first chatbot. Timed with the release of Marvel Comics’ SECRET EMPIRE fans will have the ability to directly chat with some of their favorite Marvel Super Heroes and be a part of the Marvel Universe through Facebook Messenger and Twitter DM. Powered by Conversable, this new chatbot experience presents a bold and exciting new way for fans to interact with some of Marvel’s most popular heroes who are directly in the throes of Marvel Comics’ SECRET EMPIRE!


At launch, in support of Marvel Comics’ SECRET EMPIRE event, the Marvel chatbot will allow fans the ability to converse with everyone’s favorite neighborhood wall-crawler, Spider-Man!  Fans will also be able to engage in fun quizzes & puzzles, receive exclusive first-looks, and find their local comic shops.


“Marvel will always be on the forefront of exciting new ways for fans to experience the Marvel Universe,” said Julie Gerola, VP/GM Marketing & Digital Operations. “We are so excited to debut a brand new way for our fans to engage directly with some of the Marvel characters during the events of SECRET EMPIRE and have the added ability to have their local comic shop’s location sent directly to fans so that they can further explore the entire Marvel Universe.”


The chatbot, produced in partnership with Conversable Inc., leverages natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning to engage users with an entirely unique adventure written by Eisner Award-winning author, Jim McCann.


“When it comes to loyalty and engagement, Marvel stands out as a leader. As consumers move to new platforms, it’s more important than ever for brands to meet their audience where they are,” said Ben Lamm, CEO of Conversable. “What Marvel is doing is a truly original way for such a creative organization to engage customers and tell stories through new mediums. Through the power of conversational intelligence, fans can go from bystander to fully immersed in the Marvel Universe and become part of the story.”


All of this, plus much more, will be delivered directly to fans’ mobile devices and desktops through Facebook Messenger and Twitter DM. What will you say to Spider-Man? What kind of Easter eggs will you be able to find? Find out this spring from Marvel Comics during the launch of SECRET EMPIRE in comic shops May 3rd.
 
 
To find a comic shop near you, visit www.comicshoplocator.com.


About Marvel Entertainment
Marvel, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy-five years.  Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing. 
For more information visit marvel.com. 
© 2017 MARVEL
 
About Conversable
Conversable is a conversational intelligence platform. We power the intersection of AI with messaging and voice. Our AI-driven platform helps brands reach their customers with automated experiences on all major messaging and voice applications. Global brands trust our technology to enable conversational commerce, resolve common customer requests, and deliver content on-demand to reach their customers where they are.
 
Conversable was founded by Andrew Busey and Ben Lamm. The company is headquartered in Austin, Texas, with additional offices in Dallas. To learn more, please visit www.conversable.com .
 

Disney’s DuckTales and Tangled: The SeriesComic Books Coming This Summer
IDW Publishing Will Launch Comic Stories Based on the Animated Series
 San Diego, CA (April 18, 2017) – Disney fans rejoice! DuckTales and Tangled: The Series are Disney's latest animated TV series to make the leap from the small screen to the printed page with brand-new comics from IDW Publishing, in collaboration with Disney Licensed Publishing, an imprint of Disney Book Group, LLC.
First, DuckTales (woo-oo) returns! Featuring familiar favorite characters like Uncle Scrooge and Donald Duck, plus Huey, Dewey and Louie, this comic series will be modeled after the highly anticipated new animated series coming this summer, which has already been picked up for a second season in advance of its premiere. Their comic book tales will kick-off in a #0 issue this July for $3.99, providing the perfect jumping on point for both longtime fans and newcomers. Chances are, you’re already humming along to the catchy theme song as you read this! 
This August, Tangled: The Series debuts as an original graphic novel collection titled ‘Adventure is Calling.’ In the novel, Rapunzel will embark on exciting new adventures with Eugene (FKA Flynn Rider), Pascal, Maximus, and her new friend Cassandra in a special adaptation of the series. The collection will feature 72 pages for $9.99, available everywhere comics are sold.

IDW Group Editor Sarah Gaydos said “We’re extremely excited to expand IDW's relationship with Disney. There’s a lot of buzz surrounding both of these new animated series and we aim to live up to, and exceed, fan expectations.”
IDW’s history of publishing quality Disney Comics has been well established with such core titles as Walt Disney’s Comics & Stories, Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Uncle Scrooge, and more, paving the way for DuckTales and Tangled: The Series to become your next favorite Disney Comic. This summer, Disney begins a new chapter in comics with IDW Publishing!

MATT FRACTION AND ALBERT MONTEYS RELEASE SOLID STATE, GRAPHIC NOVEL ACCOMPANIMENT TO JONATHAN COULTON’S NEW CONCEPT ALBUM
In a full-color, square-bound, 10” x 10” trade paperback
PORTLAND, OR, 04/18/2017 — Writer Matt Fraction (SEX CRIMINALS, CASANOVA, ODY-C) and artist Albert Monteys (Universe!) will team up with singer-songwriter/internet phenomenon Jonathan Coulton for the high-concept graphic novel SOLID STATE to accompany his concept album of the same name this July.
 
Two guys, connected by a name and hundreds of years, somehow stand at the end of man's beginning, and the beginning of man's end. But...it's funny? Also kind of a nightmare. But mostly funny? A funny science-FACTion nightmare about the end of everything, but how that's all kind of okay.

“Jonathan and Albert are the best guests one could hope to have at an End of the World party,” said Fraction. “Jonathan's swooning album becomes bright, bleak, and brilliant all at once, a wonderful extension of his body of work to date and an exploration of entirely new places and spaces; Albert, a genius unparalleled, must have not understood what we were asking him to do because he did it and did it wonderfully and all so much better than we could have ever imagined, seemingly unaware or simply uncaring that we were going to take credit for all of his cartooning sagacity and innovations, which are both legion and legendary; while I, a stowaway, remain the luckiest boy on the whole dummy bus.”

“We always find connections between comics, film, and literature, but I’ve always felt that graphic storytelling has a lot in common with music in its structure, pacing, and rhythm,” said Monteys. “This common ground is an almost unexplored territory where I happily ventured with the best company I could imagine. Jonathan Coulton and Matt Fraction are both creators of humane, provoking, and funny tales, and I’ve had a ton of fun fleshing out this colorful dystopia, trying to have words, sound, and art play together and have a great time.”

“As SOLID STATE evolved from album, to ‘concept album,’ and then, ridiculously, to ‘concept album plus graphic novel,’ I was pretty sure I had bitten off more than I could chew,” said Coulton. “I handed a fuzzy outline of a wonky story to Matt and Albert, and they somehow teased out all these perfect, human details that I didn't even know were there. There's a real thrill that comes from being the least capable guy on the team, watching a couple of magicians pull things out of the air like it's easy. I knew it was going to be good, but not this good.”

SOLID STATE TP (ISBN: 978-1-5343-0365-2, Diamond code: MAY170645) hits comic book stores Wednesday, July 26th and bookstores Tuesday, August 1st. The final order cutoff deadline for comics retailers is Monday, June 5th.

Advance praise for SOLID STATE:

“A Neal Stephenson/Ray Kurzweil/Kevin Kelly-inflected fable.” —Boing Boing

“SOLID STATE is a mind-bending futuristic tale about two men named Bob whose fates are intertwined over time, over the backdrop of an encroaching ‘nicey-nice fascism’ perpetuated by artificial intelligence and growing dependence on technology.” —Gizmodo

“An ambitious, multi-layered science fiction story about how technology reveals us, changes us, and maybe ultimately will save us, if we can just remember to be nice to each other.” —Vents Magazine

Bernie Wrightson: Art and Designs for the Gang of Seven Animation Studio; $60; ISBN 978-1-61345-136-6; hardcover with printed laminated cover; full color; 240 pages; 8.5 x 11 landscape; matte coated stock paper; essays and documentary material.  

Bernie Wrightson, comic book artist and illustrator extraordinaire has worked creating comic books, illustration, and conceptual design for film.  His impressive list of work includes the co-creation of Swamp Thing, illustrating Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein, and, of course, working on dozens of comic book titles. 

     Wrightson’s extensive design work for the Gang of Seven Animation Studio, while known, has never been documented until now with the creation of this new in-depth monograph that utilizes the archives of the studio.  Marvel at concept drawings, model sheets, and hundreds of designs for projects including Biker Mice From Mars, The Juice, and Freak Show.  All of the artwork in this book has been scanned directly from the original artwork so fans can savior Wrightson’s genius up close and personal.     
      
       Also included in this monograph is an introductory essay, an in-depth interview, and photographs taken during his tenure as an associate partner of the studio.

Pre-order it today!

SPACE RIDERS:
GALAXY OF BRUTALITY
Hold on to your butts! Space Riders: Galaxy Of Brutality #1 has sold out and is coming back for more!

In shops on May 17, this reprint arrives with a brain-sizzling cover by Vlad Legostaev! Shove your face into this book and breathe in the beautiful madness.

 
SPACE RIDERS: GALAXY OF BRUTALITY #1 Second Printing
Created by: Alexis Ziritt & Fabian Rangel Jr.

Written by: Fabian Rangel Jr.

Art by: Alexis Ziritt

Cover by: Vlad Legostaev

Lettered/Designed by: Ryan Ferrier


In Stores: May 17, 2017

DCD#: MAR178004
 
The Synopsis
An ancient evil is gathering power throughout the cosmos, and it falls upon the legendary SPACE RIDERS to kick its ass!

Having disbanded, the crew of CAPITAN PELIGRO, MONO, and YARA must reunite for what may be their final ride!

The cult comic that electrified comic readers in the brain RETURNS to blast your fragile human psyche into oblivion!!

Slave Girl from Planet X
​Follow the SLAVE GIRL from Planet X on her sexy adventures! 

Warning: NSFW scifi/fantasy comic! Contains nudity and adult themes. No porn. ADULTS ONLY! 

The SLAVE GIRL from Planet X is going to be a fun and sexy sci fi romp through space! We follow the Slave Girl, Adara, thru her trials and tribulations with the evil alien overlords on the Slaver World and find out about Planet X, the mysterious and dangerous planet the Slave Girl came from.

Adara is the only known survivor of the mysterious planet! But with a secret hidden on the planet, she might be the only one who can save the universe! The known galaxy is on the edge of oblivion from the galactic menace known only as the Void.

But she’ll have to escape her captors first. She’ll use her cunning and guile and if that doesn’t work she’ll strip out of every shred of clothing she has! All to save the galaxy!

In the beginning of our story for SLAVE GIRL from Planet X , our heroine Adara finds herself captured by slavers and thrown into the slave pits of Orthos, an alien world on the outer edges of the known universe. Home for thieves and criminals, vile slavers and alien bounty hunters, the scum of the universe.

The Slave Girl quickly finds out that the slave pits of Orthos are no place for a lady. They are as deadly as they are disgusting! All manner of alien and beast occupy the dungeons of Orthos and Adara will be lucky to escape with her life!

The Slave Girl will find allies among the alien harem girls of slave planet’s overlords! Together they must band together to overthrow their evil masters. The harem girls will use everything they know to distract their captures in order to escape!

But will it be enough to help the Slave Girl escape with the fate of the galaxy at stake!?!

Or will she be dragged back to the slave pits! Never to escape! And the galaxy doomed???

All this and more awaits you with the SLAVE GIRL from Planet X !

Now available directly from creator/artist Clint Hilinski, via his Kickstarter.