Big Updates Coming for the Red Sonja Movie at Comic-Con

 From Dynamite Entertainment

Red Sonja revelers rejoice, this year's San Diego Comic-Con features a panel packed with major updates on the upcoming blockbuster film and more!

This panel will take place on Thursday July 24, at 5:30 PT in Ballroom 20 of the San Diego Convention Center.

The cast and key figures behind the film will be on panel to share with fans behind the scenes details, tease major moments, and discuss bringing this legendary comic book icon to the silver screen.

The Best Comic Book Stores In The U.S.

Above, Mile High Comics at the 2014 Comikaze Expo in Los Angeles. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

by Armand Vaquer

It is Comic-Con time in San Diego, California. But you don't have to go there to get your fix on comic books and other fan-related goodies.

Travel + Leisure has an article on "The Best Comic Book Stores In The U.S.".

They begin with:

It's that time of year again, when comic fans, costumed characters, and film buffs descend on San Diego, California. 

That's right. It's Comic-Con.And in honor of the biggest comics convention of the year, we're highlighting the best comic book stores all across the U.S. From Florida's Emerald City to Washington's Arcane Comics, these are the best places to find all the DC and Marvel your heart desires.

To read more, go here. 

See Also: View Obscura Comics

Celebrate Jack Kirby’s 100th Birthday With More Than 1,300 Pages of Original Comic Art

From IDW Comics

Join IDW Publishing for a unique celebration at SDCC!

San Diego, CA (June 29, 2017) — Next month at San Diego Comic-Con, IDW will honor both the breadth of Jack Kirby’s imagination, and his unrivaled artistic skill, in a special 100th birthday celebration panel and art show, featuring an incredible 1,300 images of original Kirby art.

Kirby, the visionary artist and creator or co-creator of such characters as the X-Men, Captain America, Silver Surfer, The New Gods, The Avengers, Kamandi, and hundreds more, remains one of the most influential comic artists of all time. Not only do his wildly imagined creations continue to inspire new media properties across the world, but his incredibly drawn pages still stand as a pinnacle of sequential art.

This birthday tribute, hosted by IDW President Greg Goldstein, will feature a multi-media display of more than 1,300 pages of Kirby’s original artwork—the largest showing ever—selected from the eight Jack Kirby Artist’s Edition books IDW has published, as well as additional not-yet-published pages that will be new to fans of the books. “There’s never been a larger or more impressive collection of Kirby visuals in public,” said Goldstein.

Comic legends Walter Simonson (Thor, Alien, Ragnarok) and Kevin Eastman (co-creator of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) will be on hand to discuss Kirby’s continued influence. Also present will be IDW PDX Creative Director Dirk Wood and IDW Director of Special Projects Scott Dunbier, the editor of IDW’s award-winning Artist’s Editions series.

“Jack Kirby was the most important comic artist of all time, and we could not be more pleased to help celebrate his enduring legacy,” said Dunbier.

In addition to his importance, Kirby was also incredibly prolific, penciling 15 pages or more each week during marathon days at his drawing board, lasting upward of 12 hours. Yet, despite the breathtaking rate at which he worked, nearly all the pages he left behind are a master class in design, layout, and imagination, made even more impressive by the fact that Kirby was almost completely self-taught.

Panel attendees will see hundreds of eye-catching pieces from Kirby’s tenure at both DC and Marvel, including selections from Fantastic Four, Mister Miracle, Thor, The Forever People, and more, printed so clearly that the whiteout, eraser marks, and blue-line notes are all visible, giving a behind-the-scenes look at some of Kirby’s biggest hits.

“One of the things that IDW is most committed to as a company is the preservation and proper display of classic comics, and we could not be more excited and proud to show off these original pages in celebration of all that Kirby accomplished,” Goldstein said. “We’re grateful to our partners at Marvel and DC, and of course to the Kirby family, for the opportunity to publish these beautiful and important books.”

The panel will on Saturday, July 22nd, from 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM in Room 25ABC. Seating is limited, and in addition to a special gift for everyone who attends, two lucky fans will be leaving with their own Kirby Artist’s Edition.

To purchase any of the IDW Jack Kirby Artist’s Edition books, which feature high-quality reproductions of Kirby’s art printed the same size it was originally drawn at, on paper similar to the actual art boards, visit your local comic shop or get them direct from IDW at:

http://www.idwpublishing.com/product-category/art-books/jack-kirby-art-books/.

You can learn more about Jack Kirby and his amazing legacy by visiting the Kirby Museum at kirbymuseum.org.

GRANT MORRISON REVEALS "MULTIVERSITY TOO" AND BATMAN: BLACK & WHITE SERIES OF ORIGINAL GRAPHIC NOVELS

Comics Icon to Continue Pen New Stories Based on Critically-Acclaimed Multiversity Comics and Multiversity Guidebook, plus New Adventures with the Dark Knight

From DC Comics

During his “Multiversity and Beyond” panel at COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO 2015, critically-acclaimed writer Grant Morrison introduced fans to two of his upcoming projects for DC Entertainment.

Morrison revealed “MULTIVERSITY TOO,” a line of original graphic novels based on his groundbreaking and bestselling titles from “The Multiversity” series of monthly comics and his “MULTIVERSITY GUIDEBOOK.” Fans will experience stories from throughout the 52 (or more?) worlds that make up Morrison’s Map of the Multiverse and whether it’s the further adventures of Earth-4’s PAX AMERICANA, the New Reichsmen of Earth-10, the female-led Justice Guild of Earth-11 or even one of the seven “unknown worlds,” everything is fair game!

The series begins in 2016 with MULTIVERSITY TOO: THE FLASH. But from which earth is anyone’s guess!

Morrison also provided early details on another series of graphic novels featuring everyone’s favorite Dark Knight in BATMAN: BLACK & WHITE. This continuing anthology series pairs Morrison’s original Batman stories with a rotating cast of some of the biggest art talents in comics, that will only serve to highlight Grant’s one of a kind perspective when it comes to comics in general and Batman in particular.

DC ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES THREE NEW SPIN-OFF SERIES FROM CONVERGENCE

Fan-Favorite Miniseries from CONVERGENCE Event to Become Ongoing Titles

From DC Comics

During a press breakfast at COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO 2015, DC Entertainment today announced that October 2015 will debut three new series spinning out of April’s CONVERGENCE event.

“After CONVERGENCE, we had the opportunity to look at some of the more fan favorite stories from the two-month miniseries titles, seeing what was really popular and telling more of that particular story,” said DC Entertainment Co-Publisher Dan DiDio.

DiDio revealed the following titles to the press:

SUPERMAN: LOIS & CLARK #1

Written by Dan Jurgens

Art by Lee Weeks

On-sale October 14

Following the epic events of CONVERGENCE, here are the adventures of the last son and daughter of Krypton and Earth as they try to survive in a world not their own. But can they keep this world from suffering the same fate as their own? Can this Superman stop the villains he once fought before they are created on this world? What is Intergang, and why does Lois’s discovery of it place everyone she loves in jeopardy? And what will happen when their nine-year-old son learns the true identity of his parents?

TELOS #1

Written by Jeff King

Art by Carlo Pagulayan and Jason Paz

On-sale October 7

The villain of the world-shattering CONVERGENCE event stars in his own new series! Set loose from his planetary tether at the end of the best-selling CONVERGENCE, Telos finds himself free and able to traverse space and time via a sliver of Brainiac’s powers. As this epic begins, he embarks on an odyssey, journeying across time and space in search of his past.

TITANS HUNT #1

Written by Dan Abnett

Art by Paulo Siqueira

On-sale October 21

CONVERGENCE is over, but the ripples are still being felt, especially by a young precog named Lilith. What are these visions she’s having of a Teen Titans team the world never knew? And why does she feel compelled to seek out Dick Grayson, Roy Harper, Donna Troy and an Atlantean named Garth and warn them that something dark and sinister is coming after them? Who are Mal, Gnarrk, Hank Hall and Dawn Granger, and what is their connection to the others—and to the fate of every soul on Earth? This is the Secret History of the TEEN TITANS!

STAR WARS: VADER DOWN

Jason Aaron and Kieron Gillen join forces for a Star Wars crossover event!

From Marvel Comics

This November, Darth Vader faces his biggest challenge yet: going solo against the entire Rebel fleet in Vader Down, a six-issue crossover event between the ongoing STAR WARS and DARTH VADER series.

Writers Jason Aaron and Kieron Gillen will combine their might to crush an epic tale that rolls out over two issues each of their respective Star Wars titles, plus a special VADER DOWN one-shot to kick it off.

Marvel.com: Jason, what kind of opportunities does a big Star Wars crossover like this offer both the reader and you as a writer?

Jason Aaron: I think this is the chance for me and Kieron to do the biggest story either one of us has done. When we started these new books, STAR WARS and DARTH VADER, we wanted them to feel like they were part of the same universe, that everything was happening at the same time. So it was pretty clear from our first arcs how things were pretty closely inter-connected. Then with our second arcs we both kind of veered off in our own directions. Kieron has been setting up a lot of new characters in his book. We’ve had a big new character pop up in my book. It made [sense] after we both veered off for a bit that the third arc would be when things would come crashing back together in a huge way. I was especially excited about the idea of taking the cast of characters that we’d both built in our books and having them interact for the first time.

Marvel.com: How’s the interaction been with Kieron on this? How do you see your respective roles in crafting this story?

Jason Aaron: It’s been easy. I’ve known Kieron for a long time, and we’ve been working closely together for a long time, whether in the X-Men universe when we were writing the two main X-Men books, or the Thor stuff where he was writing Loki and Angela. So, really what we’re doing with this is kind of like an X-Men crossover. There’s sort of a big inciting incident and then it just bounces back and forth between our respective books.

The process of building had been really smooth. This has sort of been built over the course of a lot of different meetings and conversations in different parts of the country. I think it started with a Star Wars dinner in New York and then we talked about it in meetings with Lucasfilm in San Francisco. We passed outlines back and forth and all of that. It’s been a really fun process building this thing together.

Marvel.com: In the story, what are the Rebels thinking going into it?

Jason Aaron: Just that they’ve got Vader in quite the predicament. He’s alone. He’s grossly outnumbered and his ship has crashed on this alien landscape. Whether everybody believes they can do it or not, they know this is their best shot to capture him or kill him or whatever. When you get that shot, you’ve got to take it and send everyone you’ve got down after him.

Marvel.com: What can we expect when our heroes meet Aphra from DARTH VADER? Do her evil droids encounter R2-D2 and C3P0?

Jason Aaron: I think with this story you can expect that every pairing or meeting we can possibly do is going to happen. When Kieron first introduced a lot of those characters like Aphra and the murderous droids, my first thought was, “Wow, I can’t wait until Aphra meets Han Solo or until Kieron’s droids meet C-3PO and R2.” I think you can expect a lot of those different meetings. I think that has, for me, been one of the things that’s the most fun. What I’d been looking forward to most about this story was mixing up this cast in every way we possibly can.

Marvel.com: Kieron, what about you? What sorts of things make a crossover like this special for a writer like yourself?

Kieron Gillen: I’m writing a Star Wars comic. The day that’s not special is the day I don’t write this anymore, y’know? [Also,] a lot of getting to play with parts of the universe I’ve yet to touch. I get to write Han Solo. I’m going to repeat that in capitals: I GET TO WRITE HAN SOLO!

Also Leia and Luke and Threepio and Artoo, but you’d probably not surprised to know I’m a Han guy.

Marvel.com: What’s the collaboration been like between you and Jason while planning it?

Kieron Gillen: We’ve had experience with working together, but this is the tightest thing so far. You may be hoping for some drama and butting of heads, but it’s been worryingly egalitarian and generous. There’s stuff in Vader Down comes from both of the books, and adds to both of the books coming out the other side.

Marvel.com: What can we expect from Vader’s reaction to the situation he’s in here? Is it possible for him to believe the Rebels stand a chance of defeating him?

Kieron Gillen: I think he’ll take it calmly and try diplomacy for a while, perhaps inviting everyone in and baking them a tasty pie. Seriously—the situation is agreeably complicated. It’s a small environment with all the characters in, each with their powerful desires. Vader wants Luke. Vader wants to survive. Vader wants Luke to survive. Vader doesn’t want anyone to know why he wants Luke. Balancing all those puts him in a really interesting situation.

He also has a whole base of Rebel soldiers to stab.

Marvel.com: And what are some of the joys of mixing characters like Aphra and her droids from DARTH VADER with the Rebel heroes from STAR WARS?

Kieron Gillen: This is one of the most fun parts of it. We get to take all the characters we’ve developed in our first year on the [books], and get them interact. This has just been joyous stuff, real laugh-out-loud in delight writing.

THE DARK KNIGHT MEETS THE HEROES IN A HALF SHELL

Batman and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Team-Up This November!

From DC Comics

DC Entertainment and IDW Publishing announced their latest crossover miniseries during IDW’s panel on Friday at Comic-Con International: San Diego with BATMAN/TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES. Scheduled for November, this six-part monthly miniseries is set in the streets of Gotham City where fans will see the Dark Knight fight like never before with wall-to-wall ninja action.

The story will be brought to life by James Tynion IV (BATMAN: ETERNAL, CONSTANTINE) and star artist Freddie E. Williams II (ROBIN, CAPTAIN ATOM) handling interior and cover art. In addition, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles co-creator Kevin Eastman and other to-be-announced artists will illustrate variant covers.

"Batman is the world’s most popular Super Hero. He continues to be reimagined and this new crossover showcases his ongoing appeal as a global pop icon for the ages,” said Editor-in-Chief of DC Comics, Bob Harras.

“We here at IDW have very much enjoyed working with DC Entertainment on fan favorite crossover comics,” said IDW President, Greg Goldstein. “TMNT is a global phenomenon, beloved by millions. Pairing the Turtles with Batman will prove to be a publishing event that transcends comic book culture.”

“I’ve been extremely luck to spend so much time working in Gotham City, but it’s always a thrill to see the world of Batman through new eyes,” explained writer James Tynion IV. “Taking the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on a Gotham adventure is a fanboy dream come true.”

In the ongoing power struggle between the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, General Krang, and the Foot Clan, allegiances have shifted and the battle lines have been drawn. Krang concocts a plan to rid himself of both the Turtles and Shredder by transporting them to another dimension, where they land in the dark and dangerous streets of Gotham City. It isn't long before they encounter Gotham's most famous resident, Batman. The Caped Crusader may be their only hope of overcoming their enemies and getting back home. But not before they encounter a whole cast of Gotham's most infamous rogues.

DC ENTERTAINMENT PROVIDES NEW DETAILS FOR DARK KNIGHT III: THE MASTER RACE

Icons Andy Kubert, Klaus Janson to Provide Art for Final Chapter of Dark Knight Trilogy, Book to Include Bonus Comic With A Host of Special Guest Artists

From DC Comics

DC Entertainment began Comic-Con International: San Diego 2015 with a blockbuster announcement, revealing today that artists Andy Kubert and Klaus Janson will be joining living-legend Batman writer and artist Frank Miller and acclaimed writer Brian Azzarello in bringing the final chapter of the celebrated THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS saga to life.

“THE DARK KNIGHT III: THE MASTER RACE” is the epic conclusion to Miller’s 1986 classic THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS trilogy – heralded by TIME Magazine as one of the 10 greatest graphic novels of all time – and its 2001-2002 follow-up series BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT STRIKES AGAIN.

THE DARK KNIGHT III: THE MASTER RACE will be an eight-issue, comic book periodical, to be published monthly under the DC Comics imprint. Within each 32 page periodical there will be a special 16 page “Dark Knight Universe” comic affixed in the center. Each "Dark Knight Universe" comic will feature a rotating cast of special guest artists and characters.

“We went into this knowing that we had to give fans more,” said Dan DiDio and Jim Lee, Co-Publishers for DC Entertainment. “We’re pulling out all the stops to deliver an amazing conclusion to this exciting body of work. We hope it inspires the next generation of writers and artists, the way it has already inspired us.”

According to Kubert, "Frank Miller and Brian Azzarello have crafted such an incredible story for DKIII, as I am truly honored to be associated with them, this project, and Klaus Janson. We, along with the fans, are in for a great ride!”

"Any opportunity to work with Frank Miller is a happy occasion for me,” said Janson. “When we add the talents of Brian Azzarello and Andy Kubert to the mix, we have the ingredients to achieve something truly memorable. This will be amazing!"

Marking the 30th anniversary of THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS original series, this periodical is slated for publication beginning in late Fall 2015.

DC ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR EIGHT NEW MINISERIES IN 2016

Reuniting fan favorite characters with the talent that made them famous, while continuing to provide fresh takes on other DC legacy characters as part of New DC Universe

From DC Comics

Heading into COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO, DC Entertainment today announced plans to publish eight new six-issue miniseries in 2016.

These new books will reunite several characters from DC Comics’ rich history with the writers that made them fan favorites: Marv Wolfman returns to RAVEN, Gerry Conway to FIRESTORM, KATANA: CULT OF THE KOBRA will be written by Mike W. Barr and Len Wein will handle the writing chores on METAL MEN and SWAMP THING.

Three more titles round out the lineup, expanding on the combination of new creative voices with characters from DC’s library recently established in the New DC Universe debuting this past June: Amy Chu (SENSATION COMICS WONDER WOMAN) provides her own unique take with POISON IVY: CYCLE OF LIFE AND DEATH, Aaron Lopresti (THE NEW 52: FUTURE’S END) will pen METAMORPHO, while the always interesting Keith Giffen puts his own unique spin on one of DC’s more offbeat titles, SUGAR & SPIKE.

“Part of the New DC Universe involves keeping our comics lineup constantly evolving,” said DC Entertainment SVP Editorial Bob Harras. “That means more characters, different tonalities and new talent. Creating these miniseries enables us to maintain a diversified menu of titles, while testing the waters with fans to see how these new directions will be received. Readers won’t have to wait for their favorite character to have a guest appearance in another title; they get their own book, even if it’s for a limited run.”

Artists are still being confirmed for these titles and publication dates have yet to be announced.

New Documentary, Dr MegaVolt: From Geek to Superhero, to Premiere at Comic-Con

From PR Newswire

Filmmaker Victoria Charters announces the world premiere of her documentary, Dr MegaVolt: From Geek to Superhero, on Saturday, July 11, 2015 at Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival (http://www.comic-con.org/cci/film-festival). The 1-hour, 12-minute screening will take place in the Grand Ballroom D of the Manchester Grand Hyatt, 1 Market Place, San Diego, California, from 2:35 pm - 4:05 pm. The independent film features Austin Richards, PhD, aka Dr MegaVolt, a physicist who has been enchanting friends, colleagues, and the media since 1997 with his high-voltage performances employing Tesla coils while he is enclosed in a metal Faraday suit. The result is a spectacular "lightning" show.

The film chronicles Austin Richards' journey from a precocious and curious young boy who loved to play with electricity, to a graduate student at U.C. Berkeley where he built a giant Tesla coil. The movie highlights Dr MegaVolt's escapades as a legendary and popular performing artist at the Burning Man Festival in Nevada, as the guest star on many science-minded TV specials, and when he added a female performer, Victoria Charters, to his performance, delighting the audience with "his and her" high voltage adventures.

According to writer/director/producer Victoria Charters, "This is a story about the spirit of science and the intersection of art and science in Industrial Art. Themes explored include love of extreme experiences, a driving passion to understand the physical world through science, creativity and collaboration, invention, and ultimately the responsibility of "passing the baton" in a world where tactile learning is out and digital is in."

Dr MegaVolt: From Geek to Superhero digital video is now available for pre-order purchase on VHX: https://drmegavoltfromgeektosuperhero.vhx.tv/buy/dr-megavolt-from-geek-to-superhero; the scheduled release date is July 17, 2015.

For more information about Dr MegaVolt, please visit http://drmegavolt.com/ or his Internet Movie Database (IMDb) page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3905450. For additional information about the filmmaker, please go to Victoria Charter's IMDb page: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0153559.

Diamond Select Toys Announces Panels, Party and Promos For Comic-Con International 2015

From Diamond Select

It’s that time of year again, the time when San Diego explodes into a ball of white-hot fire, and Diamond Select Toys is planning to be at the center of that fire! Once again, DST will set up shop at Comic-Con International, at the San Diego Convention Center, from July 8th through the 12th. They’ll be showing off new products and selling exclusive toys at booth #2607, as well as hosting panels, throwing parties and giving away cool swag!

On Preview Night, July 8, be sure to stop by Booth #2607 first, to check out Diamond Select’s new setup, with larger display cases and a more navigable floor space. Exclusive toy products will be on sale (see a complete list here: http://www.diamondselecttoys.com/diamond-select-toys-offers-an-array-of-exclusives-at-comic-con-2015), as well as plenty of regular releases, and many, many upcoming items will be on display! And if you’re looking for an in-stock, non-exclusive item that we don’t have at the booth, you’ll be able to order it from the DST website, right there on the show floor, and get free shipping!

On Thursday, July 9, Diamond Select Toys will kick off Comic-Con with a late-night fan party at the DST Lounge, hosted by Taste and Thirst on Fourth, at 715 4th Avenue. Starting at 10:00 PM, the venue will be open to the public following a private event, and visitors can enjoy food and drinks while surrounded by images from the world of Kevin Smith’s View Askewniverse, including a life-size backdrop of the Quick Stop from Clerks! If you can’t make it that night, come back for food, drinks and photo ops all weekend!

Continuing the View Askew theme, each morning at 9:30, from Thursday July 9 through Sunday July 12, DST will give away a limited number of Mallrats promotional Minimates at booth #2607 – their first Mallrats product! Simply ask a DST team member, and they’ll let you know where in the booth they are being given out, but stop by early – they go fast!

Additionally, free full-size posters will be available at the DST booth throughout the weekend, featuring artwork of Jay and Silent Bob, Back to the Future and Aliens by the actual Minimates designers! A different design will be put out each day, so keep checking back to get them all. The front table at the DST booth will also be where you can pick up information cards about DST’s two panel presentations.

Speaking of panels, here’s where you can get more info about what’s on the horizon for DST, and ask your most burning questions:

Minimates Mini-Figures: From Ant-Man to Zombies, Saturday, July 11, 1:30p.m. - 2:30p.m., Room 8
Chuck Terceira (President, Diamond Select Toys), Jason Wires (Prototype Painter) and Brian Felgar (Prototype Painter and Customizer) discuss what's coming up for the toy line, including new series based on Marvel Comics, movies and animation, plus The Walking Dead, Gotham, Jay and Silent Bob, Back to the Future, Muppets and more! Zach Oat (Marketing Supervisor, DST) will moderate a Q&A, reveal new artwork, and award prizes!

Diamond Select Toys Round-Up, Sunday, July 12, 3:00p.m. - 4:00p.m., Room 24ABC
Chuck Terceira (President, Diamond Select Toys), Adam Van Wickler (Gentle Giant Studios) and Jason Wires (Prototype Painter) discuss DST’s diverse product lines, from 7-inch Select action figures to electronic vehicles to role-play items to vinyl banks. Topics include Marvel Comics, The Walking Dead, PVZ, Jay and Silent Bob, Muppets, Ghostbusters, Gotham, DC Animated and more! Zach Oat (Marketing Supervisor, DST) will moderate a Q&A, reveal new products and award prizes!

Have a question but can’t make it to the panels? Ask a DST staffer at the booth!

See you on the show floor!

Visit The San Diego Comic Art Gallery During Comic-Con International 2015

From IDW Publishing

The Art of Kevin Eastman Exhibition Gets Extended Hours This Week Only!

In one week’s time, San Diego, CA will once again shine as the capital of the pop culture world with plenty to do both in and around the San Diego Convention Center. And whether you have a Comic-Con 4-day pass or didn’t get a ticket at all this year, IDW Publishing would like to invite you to visit the San Diego Comics Art Gallery, San Diego’s only permanent gallery completely dedicated to sequential comic book art, for a truly unique comics experience during SDCC!

The SDCAG inaugural exhibition features the prolific work of San Diego resident Kevin Eastman, the co-creator of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Featuring numerous highlights from the very first Turtle sketch to the most recent comic book cover, fans get a first-hand look into the creation of a pop culture sensation. And as an added bonus, fans that pre-order select IDW SDCC exclusives on IDW’s webstore through this Friday, July 3 will be able to pick up them at the SDCAG starting Wednesday, July 8 through Monday, July 13.

In celebration of the biggest week in pop culture, the SDCAG will hold an Open House with extended hours on Wednesday, July 8 (Preview Night) and will be open Monday, July 13 for those that want one more day of comics fun.

Wednesday, July 8: 10am-11pm
Thursday, July 9: 10am-6pm
Friday, July 10: 10am-6pm
Saturday, July 11: 10am-6pm
Sunday, July 12: 10am-6pm
Monday, July 13: 10am-6pm

The San Diego Comic Art Gallery is an entirely new kind of venture with a rotating gallery of original art, a retail space, the Eastman Studio (permanent display), an artist in residence studio and the IDW Library. For more details visit sdcomicartgallery.com.

Matt Wagner Pens The Spirit Ongoing Series, Launching July 2015 at San Diego Comic-Con for 75th Anniversary Celebration

From Dynamite Entertainment

Dynamite Entertainment, a leading publisher in the comics and graphic novel industry, is proud to announce that the all-new adventures featuring Will Eisner's legendary crimefighter Denny Colt, The Spirit, will be written by the award-winning comic creator Matt Wagner. Marking the beginning of a partnership between Dynamite and the Eisner Estate, the new series will celebrate seventy-five years of The Spirit, and its #1 launch issue will feature cover artwork from all-star illustrators Alex Ross, Eric Powell, and series writer Matt Wagner himself.

The Spirit stands among the most iconic and influential characters in the industry with a publishing history in newspapers and comic books lasting generations. Many of the most accomplished creators in the field have carried the torch that Will Eisner set ablaze, including Darwyn Cooke, Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman, Dave Gibbons, and Joe R. Lansdale, just to name a few. Matt Wagner, whose long career in comics has yielded a vast library of critically acclaimed titles, takes the reins on The Spirit for the very first time, ensuring that Eisner's creation endures as we enter its fourth quarter-century.

"I discovered The Spirit via the black-and-white, magazine-sized reprints of the mid-70s. It was the first time that I truly perceived sequential narrative as a legitimate art form, of the immense creative power of a comic-artist in his prime," says Wagner. "I can honestly say that seeing and experiencing The Spirit in my formative years ultimately led to my career as a comics author. It's such an immense thrill and a professional honor to have the chance to contribute to Will Eisner's legacy on the milestone 75th anniversary of his most influential and iconic character."

Matt Wagner is the accomplished creator of Grendel and Mage, a guiding creative force behind such mainstream blockbusters as Batman/Superman/Wonder Woman: Trinity and Batman: The Monster Men, and no stranger to pulp noir, courtesy of his groundbreaking work on such Dynamite titles as The Shadow: Year One, Green Hornet: Year One, and Zorro. He recently set Hollywood abuzz with the launch of Django/Zorro, a comic book series co-written with influential filmmaker Quentin Tarantino that teams two Western icons in an official sequel to the hit film Django Unchained.

"We are very excited that Dynamite has taken on the challenge of bringing back Will Eisner's iconic character The Spirit, along with the emblematic cast of characters featured in new stories and adventures," say Nancy and Carl Grooper in a joint statement on behalf of the Eisner Estate. "It's a huge challenge, given the 75 years of great storytelling and artwork by the grandmaster and a pantheon of award-winning creators. We believe that Dynamite is up to this challenge and are looking forward to seeing this year's issues written by Matt Wagner."

Nick Barrucci, CEO and Publisher of Dynamite Entertainment, says, "I discovered The Spirit with the Harvey Comics reprint series from the 1970s, and from there, continued to follow the hero's two-fisted adventures in newspaper strips. From the very beginning, Will Eisner's incredible storytelling made an incredible impression on me, and his creation remained one of my all-time favorites ever since. I never would have imagined that Dynamite would have the honor of publishing The Spirit, and to do the series justice, we aimed to bring the best creative team possible together for the series. Matt's mastery of the Pulps made him our top choice for The Spirit, right from the start. What he has in mind for Denny Colt and the rest of Eisner's colorful cast is guaranteed to thrill long-time fans and new readers alike."

Nick Barrucci, CEO and Publisher of Dynamite Entertainment, says, "When I was thirteen years old, I met Matt Wagner at my local comic store, and asked him if he would help me publish my comic. Fortunately, he had the foresight to say no, in the politest way possible, as I can imagine he could tell that I would be terrible at it. When I was fifteen, I discovered The Spirit with the Harvey Comics reprint series from the 1970s, and from there, continued to follow the hero's two-fisted adventures in newspaper inserts. I could never have imagined that one of my creative heroes would be working with a legendary creator's signature character, and one of my all time favorite heroes. It's surreal. From the very beginning, Will Eisner's incredible storytelling made a lasting impression on me. I would never have predicted that Dynamite would have the honor of publishing The Spirit, and to do the series justice, we aimed to bring the best creative team possible together for the series. Matt's mastery of the Pulps made him our top choice for The Spirit, right from the start. What he has in mind for Denny Colt and the rest of Eisner's colorful cast is guaranteed to thrill long-time fans and new readers alike."

Originally published in 1939 by Quality Comics, The Spirit has long been admired for the ingenuity of its creator, Will Eisner. Eisner's amazing artistic skill and groundbreaking storytelling techniques in the weekly Sunday 16-page sections helped pave the way for modern comic books. His career spanned over seventy years, and he is largely considered as the inventor of the "graphic novel." In addition to The Spirit, his most celebrated works include A Contract with God and Last Day in Vietnam. The industry's highest accolade, the prestigious Eisner Award, is named in his honor, and awarded annually at San Diego Comic-Con International.

Dynamite's new Will Eisner's The Spirit is set to hit store shelves later beginning in July. Fans are encouraged to reserve copies with their local comic book retailers. The Spirit will also be available for individual customer purchase through digital platforms courtesy of Comixology, iVerse, and Dark Horse Digital.

Comic-Con: Godzilla Experience offers early look at new monster design

If the Godzilla Experience offers any indication of the scope and, well, sheer size of the upcoming Legendary Pictures’ movie directed by Gareth Edwards, then the film’s feature creature may be just as impressive as Guillermo del Toro’s kaiju in “Pacific Rim.” Add in a mix of nostalgia and who knows what kind of destruction Godzilla could wreak on the box office.

We lined up outside of a nondescript (except for the picture of a huge creature painted on it and symbols in Japanese) building in the Gaslamp Quarter to await our guide. During what starts out to be a tour of Godzilla memorabilia inside the building on a small set, complete with a malt shop/diner, our group was suddenly whisked from the showroom to the behind-the-scenes headquarters where it seems scientists are tracking Godzilla’s movements and all heck has broken loose. It was also at this point that we were conveniently told to turn off our cameras and recording equipment. People are in a severe panic mode because, wouldn’t you know it, it seems the monster has come ashore in San Diego. That’s a long swim from Tokyo.

It gets even scarier when we are hurried inside of an elevator to escape the rampage that has reached our doorstep (why is it that we seem to be going up?). The rumbling lift stops and we are told to go through an office to go out of the emergency exit. And that’s when we see it. Through the office windows of our high-rise, Godzilla walks past the building. Massive, muscular and menacing, it doesn’t have the feel of the man-in-a-suit Godzilla many of us know.

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MORE NEWS ON GODZILLA

Legendary Pictures Pushing "Godzilla" At Comic Con

by Armand Vaquer

Legendary Pictures' Godzilla push at this year's Comic Con has generated a lot of media buzz.

The buzz continues at Forbes.com:

With the Godzilla experience and a panel at Comic-Con’s giant Hall H, the studio is giving Godzilla the full court press. Legendary is now moving from Warner Bros. to Universal where it won’t have access to the DC Comics characters that have helped make Legendary so successful. Instead, Legendary head Thomas Tull will have to work on finding new material that he can translate into huge franchises. If Godzilla is a hit it will certainly turn into a franchise and one with lucrative merchandising and spin-off potential. It could even result in a real theme park ride akin to the Godzilla experience at Comic-Con. If the film is a flop, Tull will have to keep looking for the next big thing.

The article laments the good word-of-mouth for Pacific Rim hasn't translated into more people flocking to theaters to see it. So far, it has earned $110 million at the box office. They wonder if the 2014 Godzilla will suffer in the same way.

However, there is a big difference between the two. Pacific Rim is a new concept in the U.S. (although it is more "old hat" in Japan) with flashy special effects. Godzilla, on the other hand, is an established character with a built-in fan base. If the Godzilla word-of-mouth is favorable next year, it could make the difference between failure and success.

The 1998 TriStar Godzilla did make money, but the poor reviews (deservedly so) ended up causing the movie be less successful than it could have been.

From what I've seen so far, Legendary Pictures appears to be treating the character as it should be: as a nuclear terror. TriStar treated it as a joke. From what little we've seen of the Godzilla design, it appears to be undoubtedly Godzilla (I like how the fans are saying it looks "majestic" and "massive"). TriStar's was nothing more than a mutated iguana who eats fish and lays eggs. It didn't look like Godzilla and didn't act like Godzilla. Legendary seems to be "doing it right" this time.

We have a year to go before we see how it all pans out.

To read the Forbes article, go here.

Godzilla: "Massive" and "Majestic"

by Armand Vaquer

Above, a Gira-Goji prop at the Bandai Museum in 2005.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Things are happening down in San Diego at the Comic Con International.

Those who were able to attend the session caught a glimpse of Godzilla. The reactions, thus far, has been "majestic," "massive," "chills," "goosebumps" and "no mutant iguanas this time."

Attendees say that the tone of the movie (from the footage they've been able to see) is much different than the 1998 Tri-Star version.

According to the Denver Post:

SAN DIEGO—Exploding airplanes, flattened trains, massive missiles and even more massive monsters greeted Comic-Con fans Saturday morning. 

The footage showed Godzilla battling another giant monster, nearly decimating an airport and sending cities into chaos.

From what I am gathering, Godzilla battles with a "giant insectioid" monster.

The indicators (for days) are that Godzilla looks like Godzilla. That alone is a major step in the right direction!

I haven't seen any photos of the Big G from the session as yet.  But the day isn't over.

To read more, go here.

Legendary's Godzilla To Be Unveiled Today

by Armand Vaquer

According to this website, principal photography for Legendary Pictures/Warner Bros. Godzilla wrapped on Thursday.

Also, according to the site, the design for their Godzilla will be unveiled today (it is now Saturday) at the San Diego Comic Con. I can't vouch for the accuracy of this, but I am putting this out for you anyway. I would have attended this year's convention, but I started a new job with a new company and couldn't get the time off on short notice.

Legendary's presentation will be in Hall H between 10:45am and 1:15pm today.

Godzilla At Comic Con 2013 - Live Experience - Beyond The Trailer

Star Wars Episode 7 news update: Plot spoilers and rumors swirl

Star Wars Episode 7 news continues to swirl as Jedi fans eagerly await updates on the film developments. In recent rumors a photo has been posted on Twitter allegedly showing the movie's screenplay, and that has sparked further rumors that some solid plot spoilers and leaks could soon be coming.

The production company owned by J.J. Abrams, Bad Robot, recently posted a photo on Twitter without much explanation, but which show a number of apparent scripts on top of one another.

The scripts are on black covers with red sides, and many fans have immediately begun speculating that the photo is showing the Star Wars completed screenplay.

However, Bad Robot has continued to tease fans and has not confirmed what the picture they posted is of exactly.

The company posted their teaser on Twitter: "Hot off the presses. Can you guess what's behind the cover? #FoundAtBR #MysteryScript."

The image shows the pile of scripts with a Bad Robot logo on the front, and nothing else is there to give away what the image is of. However, that's all that's been needed to spark a wave of rumors on the Internet from Star Wars fans.

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"Godzilla" Comic Con Poster

"Something very big is coming to Comic Con!" is the word from Godzilla director Gareth Edwards.

Edwards is directing Legendary Pictures/Warner Bros.' version of our favorite radioactive kaiju. They have also released the poster (below) they will be unveiling at the convention.