SS210's 2013 C2E2 TechnoDrome Coverage!

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Another year in the books at the ever growing Chicago C2E2 Comic Con! I didn't see half of what I wanted to.I missed the sneak peek test screening of the animated "Grimms Fairy Tales", as well as the Ron Perlman and the DC Injustice creative team panel.My partner in crime Muffy,got to get the autpgraph and meet both Chad Coleman (Walking Dead/The Wire) as well as the voice of Asoka(Ashley Eckstein).She also got my Clone Wars DVD set signed Whoot! Unfortunetly Adam West was not able to make it due to back issues.High notes of the day for me was meeting Kevin McNally and Lee Arenberg from Pirates Of The Caribbean!

News Announcments:

Source:MTVGeek

C2E2 2013: Dark Horse Brings You New Halo Comics

Ever wonder what it must have been like for Sarah Palmer to start out as a rookie? Announced at C2E2, Dark Horse Comics is bringing readers an exciting new miniseries, "Halo: Initiation." Launching in August, this miniseries will be written by Brian Reed ("Halo: Fall of Reach") and with art by Marco Castiello ("Star Wars: Purge").
Dave Marshall, Dark Horse Editor, had this to say about exploring the "Halo" universe. "A rich science fiction universe driven by compelling characters, 'Halo' has all the makings for show-stopping comics. " About the creative team-up, Marshall added, "In 'Initiation,' Brian and Marco are delivering an action-packed thrill-ride with a beating heart of authentic human drama."

Synopsis:

Before she was a super soldier defending humanity as part of the Spartan-IV program, Sarah Palmer was an ODST—Orbital Drop Shock Trooper—carrying out the most dangerous missions behind enemy lines! See how she became the first Spartan-IV commander in this must-read series for fans of "Halo 4" and the "Halo" franchise!

Writer Brian Reed said, “It’s really exciting to work with Dark Horse in continuing the 'Halo' story in comics. After 'Halo 4' and 'Spartan Ops,' fans wanted to know more about the origins of the Spartan-IV program and Sarah Palmer in particular. So it’s great fun to be able to grant those wishes with a partner like Dark Horse.”

As a fan of the shooter game, I'm very interested in reading a prequel about Sarah Palmer, who was originally introduced in "Halo 4." How does someone like Palmer end up becoming a commander of the Spartan forces? What kind of tough choices did she have to make? With so many questions about Palmer's origin story, I'm definitely going to pick up and follow the "Halo: Initiation" miniseries when it hits stores

Source:PopCulturenetwork

Cates & Reznicek Debut BUZZKILL!

From the minds of Donny Cates (Hunter Quaid) and Mark Reznicek (percussive force of the Toadies) comes a brand-new superhero series that packs an eighty-proof punch. Dark Horse Comics is thrilled to announce Buzzkill!

Ruben is not your average alcoholic; he’s an unstoppable superhero who derives his powers from imbibing massive amounts of alcohol. After all the disasters it’s caused in his personal life, he’s ready to get clean . . . and the city’s supervillains couldn’t be happier!


“What I like so much about the book is that while it has these wild superhero trappings, at its core it’s a very sweet and very personal story about the relationship between power and addiction, and the very real consequences of both,” states Donny Cates. “It’s something that really interests me, and I think that sometimes we approach issues like these in comics as punch lines. What we’ve really tried to do here is take something really devastating and horrible, and examine it through a very familiar terrain. Also, there is a character named Panteradactyl. So there’s that.”


In this wildly gorgeous new four-part miniseries from artist Geoff Shaw (Batman 80-Page Giant) and colorist Lauren Affe, Buzzkill is drunk with power!


“Working on Buzzkill is kinda like hanging out in a bar, drinking beers and doing shots with your buddy, and discussing the weirdest, wildest, most effed-up stuff you can think of to put in a comic. In fact, that’s exactly what it’s like,” says Mark Reznicek. “Donny Cates is the evil genius of comics, so it’s a total blast to work with him. If you ever wanted to see what a drunken, superpowered barroom brawl looks like, or wondered what would happen to bears in the airless vacuum of space, or wanted to see a baboon in a business suit . . . Buzzkill is the book for you!”

Buzzkill #1 is on sale September 18 in comic shops everywhere!

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Gischler & Ferreyra Begin WITCH HUNT!

From the minds of Victor Gischler (Punisher MAX, X-Men) and Juan Ferreyra (Colder, Rex Mundi) comes a new horror series: Witch Hunt!


“Readers who crave a mix of horror and action will want to pick up Witch Hunt. Juan is going to murder your face with his art,” quipped writer Victor Gischler. “I’m just so thrilled with his work, and Dark Horse is the perfect publisher for this project. So much support and enthusiasm. I can’t thank Dark Horse enough, and I can’t wait for this project to hit shelves!”


Cassian Steele is boss of the werewolf mafia in the Big Easy, and he’s got a problem. The old witch Verona, who knows his secret, has gone into hiding. Cassian wants her dead. So he sends out the word: an open contract. The first monster to dust Verona gets a big payday.


Werewolf mobsters, vampire maids, voodoo wizards, zombie ninjas, and even a rogue priest show up to try to collect the bounty. What they don’t realize is that Barnabus Black, a demon desperately trying to regain his halo, is her protection.


“Victor came up with a very interesting story for me to draw. I was able to portray a varied array of weird stuff, which makes the book a really fun ride visually. So if you like werewolves, angels, demons, witches, zombies, ninjas, vampires, etc., you might find something to your liking,” added artist Juan Ferreyra.


For more information, check out the exclusive interview with Juan & Victore on Bloody Disgusting!


Witch Hunt #1 is on sale September 18 in comic shops everywhere!

HELLBOY Gets Itty Bitty!

Art Baltazar and Franco Aureliani have created quite a stir with their work on some of the most fun and ageless comics of all time. They won an Eisner for Tiny Titans, their treatment of DC Comics’ Teen Titans, and their recent Kickstarter campaign for their Aw Yeah Comics series surpassed its goal in record time.

Now, this dynamic duo takes on Dark Horse’s best-known character, Mike Mignola’s Hellboy, in an all-new comics series, Itty Bitty Hellboy!


A ghost named Rasputin has been spotted. And Hellboy and the B.P.R.D. are going to find out what’s he up to. Who is Hellboy, anyway? Why does he have such a big hand, and what is it used for? Who’s weirder, he or his friends? What is the B.P.R.D.? And what does chicken soup have to do with all of it? All this and more will be answered in the debut issue, where BIG things happen to Itty Bitty Hellboy!


“Itty Bitty HELLBOY! WOW! Such awesomeness! I haven’t screamed so much AW YEAH SHOUTOUTS in all my life! It is truly an honor to be the next creative team to add to the HELLBOY saga! I have been a fan of Mike Mignola since Hellboy’s early days at Dark Horse LEGENDS! It’s true. Can’t wait! Itty Bitty has never been so HUGE! AW YEAH HELLBOY!” said Art Baltazar, famous cartoonist.

“We get to work on HELLBOY? HELL YEAH!” exclaimed Franco Aureliani. “One of the most iconic characters in all of comics, and we get to bring our own style and story to it! Truly a dream come true! We’re big fans! Itty Bitty Hellboy is going to be a lot of fun . . . and we get to actually say HELL(BOY)!”

“Given the recent developments in Hellboy’s life—falling in love, discovering that he’s the rightful king of England, having his heart torn out and dropped into hell—this is clearly the next logical step in his evolution,” said Hellboy creator Mike Mignola.

For more information, check out the exclusive interview with Art & Franco on Nerdist News!

Itty Bitty Hellboy #1 arrives on shelves at your local comic shop on August 28!

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Dark Horse Announces HALO Comics!

Dark Horse continues in the tradition of bringing only the biggest and best characters and story lines to comics with the announcement of the Halo: Initiation miniseries, launching in August! This exciting new miniseries will be written by Halo 4 writer and comics veteran Brian Reed, with art by Marco Castiello (Secret Invasion: Front Line, Star Wars: Purge)!


Before she was a supersoldier defending humanity as part of the Spartan-IV program, Sarah Palmer was an ODST—Orbital Drop Shock Trooper—carrying out the most dangerous missions behind enemy lines! See how she became the first Spartan-IV commander in this must-read series for fans of Halo 4 and the Halo franchise!


"A rich science fiction universe driven by compelling characters, Halo has all the makings for show-stopping comics, " said Dave Marshall, Dark Horse Editor. "In Initiation, Brian and Marco are delivering an action-packed thrill-ride with a beating heart of authentic human drama."

“It’s really exciting to work with Dark Horse in continuing the Halo story in comics. After Halo 4 and Spartan Ops, fans wanted to know more about the origins of the Spartan-IV program and Sarah Palmer in particular. So it’s great fun to be able to grant those wishes with a partner like Dark Horse,” said writer Brian Reed.

Look for Halo: Initiation #1 on sale in comic shops everywhere on August 14!

Creators of LANTERN CITY Announce Release of Illustrated Novel

Executive producers and creators of the Steampunk-themed television series, Lantern City, announced the release of a new illustrated novel titled RISE, a collaboration between series writer Matthew James Daley and the artists at Section Studios, to be sold in retail and online stores beginning Friday, July 19, 2013.


Executive producers and creators of the Steampunk-themed television series, Lantern City, announced the release of a new illustrated novel titled RISE, a collaboration between series writer Matthew James Daley and the artists at Section Studios, to be sold in retail and online stores beginning Friday, July 19, 2013. Pre-sale is available now at http://www.lanterncitytv.com/rise.

As the prequel to the anticipated Lantern City, the full-color illustrated novel RISE will give current fans, as well as a new audience, a look into the powerful Grey Empire: the family, the reign, and the legacy. Beginning today, fans can pre-order the hardcover collector’s item for $29.95 at http://www.lanterncityt.com/rise.

Veteran actor and producer Bruce Boxleitner (TRON, Babylon 5) and Emmy award-winning producer Trevor Crafts have recently garnered attention for their new Steampunk and fan-inspired television series, Lantern City, currently in development. Although the series has not yet been produced, the fan participation continues to increase through Facebook (95K+ fans), Twitter (300K+ followers), Pinterest, and YouTube.

“Our fans are very excited and extremely loyal,” expressed Crafts. “To produce a TV series backwards – building a fan base first, then selling the series to a network – is not typical in Hollywood. However, the anticipation for the show is continually growing. RISE will give our current fans, and many new followers, a view into the past of Lantern City prior to broadcast. We are also thrilled to continue our collaboration with Section Studios and Bluecanvas, publishers of The Art of Journey.”

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INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US PANEL AT C2E2

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment invites fans to get the inside scoop on the development of its latest videogame triumph, Injustice: Gods Among Us, during a special panel on Saturday, April 27, 1:30-2:30 p.m., as part of the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2). Attendees will be treated to a first-look at gameplay footage of Lobo, the first downloadable character that will be available for the game.

Ed Boon, Creative Director of NetherRealm Studios, will be featured on the panel along with writer Jimmy Palmiotti, whose renowned work has expanded beyond comics to film, television and games. The panel also includes Injustice: Gods Among Us Director of Art Steve Beran and other members of the NetherRealm team. Newsarama’s Lucas Siegel will moderate the hour-long panel in Room W471.

Developed by award-winning NetherRealm Studios, Injustice: Gods Among Us introduces a new franchise in the fighting game genre and a brand new story created in collaboration between NetherRealm Studios, DC Entertainment and comic book writers Palmiotti and Justin Gray. As the story unfolds, players experience the power, gadgetry and unparalleled strength of some of the most popular DC Comics heroes and villains, such as Batman, Superman, The Flash, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, Aquaman, The Joker and others, as they engage in epic battles in a world where the line between good and evil is blurred.

Marvel Booth At C2E2: The Only Place To Meet Creators And Win Prizes!

This week, Marvel heads to C2E2 in Chicago! Marvel (Booth #1119), along with the hottest creators in the industry, bring fans all that they’ve been craving and more! Over the course of the three day event, Marvel is bringing the fan service with giveaways, signings, and the fan favorite costume contest to make C2E2 an event to remember! Be sure to stop by the Marvel Booth (#1119) for your chance to get in on the fun the entire weekend!

And that’s not all because, we have an all-star cast of your favorite Marvel creators who will be at the booth signing all weekend long! Swing by and visit top Marvel writers including Rick Remender, Mark Waid, Kieron Gillen, Olivier Coipel, Ryan Stegman, Chris Samnee, Brandon Peterson, David Marquez, Brian Wood, Jordie Bellaire, Declan Shalvey, Josh Fialkov, Greg Land along with a host of other Mighty Marvel Guests!

Each year, Marvel brings the biggest and best announcements to C2E2, and this year is no different! Love the Marvel Universe? Can’t get enough Marvel NOW! or Age of Ultron? Need to know more about Infinity? Well then be sure to check out the great panels we’ve got planned!

Can’t make it to the convention? Follow along on the Marvel Events App & events.marvel.com, the best way to get exclusive videos, real-time announcements from the convention floor and up-to-the-minute panel, in-booth, and signing schedules of all your favorite Marvel creators!

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Wikia Teams With Roddenberry Entertainment For Ultimate Star Trek Portal

Fans to Receive Unprecedented Access to Never Before Seen Materials

From Roddenberry Archives



San Francisco – April 25, 2013 –Wikia.com, the world’s leading collaborative media company and home to many of the Web’s largest social communities, in partnership with Roddenberry Entertainment, today announced the launch of the ultimate, online “Star Trek” community portal. Trek Initiative (http://www.trekinitiative.wikia.com) will offer a gateway for the millions of “Star Trek” fans to gather, collaborate and communicate around everything Trek, as well as secure exclusive content and share local community happenings with one another.



To celebrate the partnership, Wikia will host Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, the son of legendary “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry and president of Roddenberry Entertainment, as its guest of honor at today’s VIP Party at The Paris Club, to kick-off the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (C2E2).


“’Star Trek’ fans are among the most passionate fans out there, and we are thrilled to invite them into the premiere fan portal to engage deeply around a true pop culture treasure,” said Craig Palmer, CEO, Wikia. “We are excited to work with Roddenberry Entertainment to create rich experiences for these united communities by also giving them access to exclusive memorabilia that they have never before seen.”


At launch, the portal will feature many Roddenberry assets, including a stirring commencement speech Gene Roddenberry gave in 1976, when the “Star Trek” series was reaching new heights of popularity. In the 55-minute audio, Roddenberry discusses the future of the human species and the advent of the “super TV,” and eloquently describes his motivation behind the series. Additionally, the portal will feature never-before-seen images from the set, from Gene Roddenberry’s personal life, and more. Rod Roddenberry has also authored the site’s first blog, providing insights into his motivations behind Trek Initiative, and hopes to continue to provide a unique perspective on Star Trek from inside the Roddenberry Entertainment family.

“The Trek Initiative reflects the very essence of our work to nurture and maintain the passion and integrity of the ‘Star Trek legacy’ and the work of my father,” said Rod Roddenberry. “Our fans mean everything to us and we are thrilled to be able to work with Wikia to harness the power of ‘Star Trek’ and create the perfect place to help the Trek community thrive.”


For anyone who ever uttered the words "To boldly go" or "Make it so," Trek Initiative will become a destination to celebrate all that “Star Trek” and its legacy stand for and serve as a gateway to everything Trek on the Web. It will include a directory for all Trek sites and bring together the over 30 communities currently on Wikia.com, including two of the largest on the internet - Memory Alpha and Memory Beta (which together consist of over 35,000 pages of rich content).

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The Protectors - Israel Idonije, Ron Marz, Bart Sears - Years in the Making!

Longtime Chicago Bears defensive end Israel Idonije knows a lot about heroics on the football field. Now he's bringing that sense of heroism to his first comic project, titled The Protectors, and he has the acclaimed creative team of writer Ron Marz and artist Bart Sears with him.

C2E2, held at Chicago's McCormick Place April 26-28, will mark the official release of the limited edition The Protectors issue #0, which is sure to be a collector’s item. Sears has created two covers for the launch, one featuring the heroes of the Protectors, and the other an extremely limited sketch cover of Idonije in his #71 jersey. Copies of issue #0 will be available for $10. Known widely for his charitable efforts, Idonije’s comic project will be no exception. Athleta Comics is donating a percentage of net sales to public libraries and to HERO Initiative, a charity providing assistance to comics professionals in need.

Athleta Comics will be located at Booth #903, and The Protectors team, including Idonije, Marz, Sears and Troy Peteri, will host a panel on Friday, April 26 from 2-3 p.m. in room W474. John Siuntres, Chicago radio host and the mastermind behind the acclaimed Word Balloon podcast, will moderate the panel. Also, Idonije, Marz and Sears will be available at the booth at various times throughout the show to sign issue #0, Protectors T-shirts and other items.

A fan of comic books since childhood, Idonije began creating The Protectors at Bears training camp in 2007, and went on to start Athleta Comics, a publishing company to appeal to sports fans and comic book fans alike. First announced at the 2012 New York Comic Con, The Protectors is Athleta’s first project – a comic series combining the worlds of sports and superhero adventure.

The Protectors are a chosen handful of athletes who learn they are blessed with more than elite athletic ability. The narrative will grow into an epic story of cosmic proportions, with the world at stake. It’s no coincidence that Idonije is launching The Protectors in Chicago – it’s the city he loves and calls home and it is also the backdrop for The Protectors.

In March Athleta introduced The Protectors through a 20-day web rollout where the website featured a new comic panel each day. The webcomic and many of the character bios can still be viewed free of charge at athletacomics.com.

“This is a project of love and one of the most exciting things in which I’ve been involved,” Idonije said. “To hold the actual graphic novel in my hands has been my dream since 2007 when I literally sat down with the concept in my head and began writing it on my notepad. It’s been a long journey and I’m excited to be sharing it with the world.”

Sports and superheroes are a combination that has not always been successful in comics. But Marz believes this is the right creative team to make it work.

"Before I wrote comics, my first 'real' job was a sportswriter, so I'm familiar with both of these worlds," said Marz, whose long list of comics credits includes lengthy runs on Green Lantern, Silver Surfer and Witchblade. "I don't think The Protectors could have been written by someone who wasn't at the very least a sports fan. We intend to get all the details right, which is not something you see very often when sports appear in comics. Having spent a number of years as a sports reporter gives me insight into the sports themselves, as well as the reporter character in the series, Silas Simms. We want sports fans to feel like the sports action is genuine, and we want superhero fans to feel like they're getting a classic superhero story.

Artist Sears, who is known for his work on "Justice League Europe" and "X-O Manowar," among many others had turned much of his artistic attention toward video games and commercial art, but was lured back to comics for The Protectors. "When you think about the statement, ‘pro athletes as superheroes’ that makes a whole lot of sense. The athleticism of the superstars in every sport is unbelievable, human beings with powers far above and beyond normal man. Every single time a pro athlete takes to the playing field he or she is ‘in it to win it’, exactly like every hero who stands up to evil,” said Sears. “We call our athletes ‘gladiators’ and ‘warriors.’ It’s not a stretch to think of them as superheroes. It’s very exciting to be involved in a project like this."

Idonije said, “First and foremost, I believe we did the story right. People from a variety of backgrounds will connect and enjoy the core elements of the amazing story of The Protectors. Also, the artwork is fantastic. We have a great team! To me, comics and sports should be a perfect union. In both worlds, we find characters we can live through, characters we love and support and with whom we connect.”

Rounding out The Protectors creative team are inker Mark Pennington, colorist Neeraj Menon and letterer Troy Peteri.

“I know the messages contained in The Protectors will really connect with people, as well as entertain them,” said Idonije. “I also hope this project will serve as an inspiration to anyone who desires to achieve something. Regardless of who you are, if you have an idea, you can achieve it.”

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ZENESCOPE UNVEILING GRIMM ANIMATED/EXCLUSIVES AT C2E2

Zenescope Entertainment has announced its plans for C2E2 2013. The company will be exhibiting at booth #729 at the popular comic and pop culture convention running April 26th-28th at McCormick Place in Chicago. Zenescope will be offering several limited edition exclusive comics during the show that features cover art by industry favorites Mike DeBalfo, Jamie Tyndall and Paulo Siqueira.

Appearing at booth 729 will be Zenescope’s Editor-in-Chief, co-founder and writer, Ralph Tedesco (Grimm Fairy Tales, Salem's Daughter) who will be signing Friday and Saturday. Also appearing will be writer Mark L. Miller (Jungle Book) and artists Nei Ruffino (Grimm Fairy Tales, Wonderland), Franchesco (Grimm Fairy Tales, Wonderland), Larry Watts (Robyn Hood) and others TBA.

One of the main highlights of the show for Zenescope fans will be the premiere of the Grimm Fairy Tales Animated pilot episode directed by Jon Schnepp (Metalocalypse) and created by Zenescope Entertainment, Titmouse Animation, and Schneppzone, Inc. The pilot features the voices of Lena Headey (Game of Thrones, 300), Briana Evigan (Step Up 2, The Devil’s Carnival), Robert Forster (Olympus Has Fallen, Jackie Brown) and Chris Hardwick (Nerdist) and character designs by artists Alex Pardee, Eric Powell, Bill Sienkiewicz and other top industry talent.

PUNISHER #1 Creative Team Revealed At C2E2!

DAREDEVIL #1 Creative Team Revealed At C2E2!

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Next up is one of my highs of the day,meeting a few members of the cast of Pirates Of the Carrebean,very cool guys,shot the s--t with them for about 20 mintues.

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Jake the Snake was here! Also bumped into him at the Hyatt Hotel bar across the street at end of the day as he enjoyed a few cold ones.

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