Tagged: Comic Con International

Tweeks Supernatural Interview Pt 1

Supernatural will begin it’s 13th Season on October 12 on The CW. That is only three weeks away! So to catch you up to speed, here is our interview with Jensen Ackles (Dean), Jared Padalecki (Sam), and Misha Collins (Castiel)!

The possible spin off that was announced at SDCC, Wayward Sisters, is mentioned briefly. We’ll bring you more info on that when we have it, but so far we know it will be an episode during this season of Supernatural that will serve as the pilot. It will star Kim Rhodes as Sheriff Jody Mills, Briana Buckmaster as Sheriff Donna Hanscum, Kathryn Newton as Claire Novak, Clark Back as Patience Turner, and Katherine Ramdeen as Alex Jones.

UCP Expanding Development Slate w/ Dan Harmon, The Raven Cycle & more

UNIVERSAL CABLE PRODUCTIONS ANNOUNCES KEY PROJECTS EXPANDING AWARD-WINNING STUDIO’S DISTINGUISHED GENRE DEVELOPMENT SLATE

 

Notable Projects Include:

Maggie Stiefvater’s New York Times Bestselling Series “The Raven Cycle” With Andrew Miller (“The Secret Circle”), Catherine Hardwicke (“Twilight”) And Michael London of Groundswell Productions (“The Magicians”)

Hugh Howey’s Renowned Post-Apocalyptic Series “Sand” With Gary Whitta (“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”), Marc Forster (“World War Z”) And Imperative Entertainment

“Sirens of Titan” With Dan Harmon (“Rick & Morty”) and Evan Katz (“Small Crimes”)

 

Announces Evan Spiliotopoulos (“Beauty and the Beast”)

To Write Highly Anticipated “Welcome to Hitchcock” Series


Options Iconic Hugo Award-Winning Science Fantasy Novel “Lord of Light”

 

UNIVERSAL CITY, CA- July 18, 2017– As the annual gathering of TV and comic’s most loyal fans at San Diego’s Comic-Con International 2017 kicks offtomorrow, Universal Cable Productions (UCP) unveiled today its annual genre development slate of notable projects for TV. The studio will also showcase talent and shows with fan-focused events, panels and screenings in conjunction with network partners at the celebrated convention. UCP series with a Comic-Con presence include: “12 Monkeys,” “Blood Drive,” “Channel Zero,” “Colony,” “Happy!,” “The Magicians,” “Mr. Robot” and “Psych: The Movie.”

 

“We’re passionate about genre at UCP and as our latest development slate shows, we continue to work with some of the industry’s most vibrant and imaginative talent to bring fans genre fare they can get behind,” said Jeff Wachtel, Chief Content Officer, NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment and President, Universal Cable Productions. “What began with Battlestar Galactica has grown into a mainstay for UCP as the genre itself has exploded into the mainstream.”

 

UCP today announced it is developing Maggie Stiefvater’s New York Times bestselling book series “The Raven Cycle” and Hugh Howey’s iconic post-apocalyptic novel series “Sand” for SYFY.

 

Based on Stiefvater’s four urban fantasy novels, “The Raven Cycle” tells the story of seventeen year old Blue Sargent who becomes involved with a group of four privileged private school boys on a quest to find a source of mythical and mysterious power hidden deep in rural Virginia. The closer they get to taking control of their destiny, the more threatening their journey becomes – both physically and emotionally, as Blue discovers she’s fated to kill one of the boys. Michael London (“The Magicians”) of Groundswell Productions will executive produce alongside showrunner/writer Andrew Miller (“The Secret Circle”) and Catherine Hardwicke (“Twilight”). Stiefvater will serve as co-EP. Hardwicke is also attached to direct the pilot.

 

“Sand,” a co-production with Imperative Entertainment, is an action drama set in a world ravaged by ecological devastation, savage winds, and shifting dunes. At its center is a family who makes their way in this world as sand divers: the elite few who can travel deep beneath the desert floor to retrieve mysterious and valuable relics lost to the dust. Adrift in the wake of their father’s disappearance years ago, they rely on skill and each other to endure this ruthless environment where otherwise good people lie, sabotage, and kill in order to survive. The series has an impressively large canvas of works, while telling a compelling and intimate story based on the best-selling dystopian novels by New York Times bestselling author Hugh Howey, who is also set to executive produce. The novels will be adapted for television by Executive Producer Gary Whitta (“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”). The pilot will be directed by Marc Forster (“World War Z”) who will also executive produce along with his partner Renee Wolf (“All I See Is You”); Imperative Entertainment’s Dan Friedkin (“All The Money in the World”), Tim Kring (“Heroes”) and Justin Levy (“Teen Wolf”) will also serve as executive producers.

 

Following up to last year’s development announcement of “Welcome to Hitchcock,” UCP announced today that Evan Spiliotopoulos (“Beauty and The Beast”) is attached to write the series, which is inspired by the work of Hollywood’s master of suspense and brings a modern day take on the very best of Alfred Hitchcock with contemporary retellings of his classic tales from innovative filmmakers and high-profile actors. UCP will collaborate on the project with Vermilion Entertainment, the newly formed television production company by the founders of Cross Creek Pictures, as well as Academy Award®-nominated producer Chris Columbus’ 1492 Pictures/Ocean Blue Entertainment. Columbus, Academy Award®-nominated producer Michael Barnathan, Timmy Thompson and Todd Thompson will serve as executive producers along with the Hitchcock Trust, as part of its development deal with UCP.

 

UCP is also working on “Sirens of Titan,” with Dan Harmon (“Rick & Morty”) and Evan Katz (“Small Crimes”). The story follows Malachi Constant, the richest man in 22nd-century America. He possesses extraordinary luck which he attributes to divine favor and has used to build upon his father’s fortune. He becomes the center point of a journey that takes him from Earth to Mars in preparation for an interplanetary war, to Mercury with another Martian survivor of that war, back to Earth to be pilloried as a sign of Man’s displeasure with his arrogance, and finally to Titan where he again meets the man ostensibly responsible for the turn of events that have befallen him.

 

The studio also announced it has optioned “Lord of Light,” based on the Hugo award-winning science fantasy novel by Roger Zelazny. After humans have moved to a new planet, technological disparities allow a privileged few to assume the names and likenesses of deities, and rule over the common people. Tired of the system, a former “god” wages war against the unjust regime. Set to produce are Gale Anne Hurd (the “Terminator” trilogy) and Valhalla Entertainment; Barry Ira Gellar, Rich Angell and Mark B. Newbauer of Mike and Pike Productions.  Ashley Miller (“X-Men”) will executive produce and is also set to write the adaptation.

“The Raven Cycle,” “Sand,” “Sirens of Titan,” and “Lord of Light” are the latest addition to UCP’s impressive genre development slate, including two projects from its recently announced overall deal with legendary horror master John Carpenter: “Tales for a Halloween Night” for SYFY and “Nightside.”On the heels of their “Umbrella Academy” Netflix series pick-up, UCP also announced yesterday a renewed first look deal with Dark Horse Entertainment to develop comic book IP and hit podcasts for TV. Currently, UCP is in various stages of production and script development on a range of series including: Season 3 of the award-winning “Mr. Robot,” “The Sinner,” “Damnation,” and“Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G” for USA Network; “Happy!” for SYFY; “The Purge” for USA Network and SYFY; “All That Glitters” for Bravo; and “Impulse” for YouTube Red.

 

UCP SERIES AND STUDIO PRESENCE AT SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON 2017:

USA NETWORK’S ‘MR. ROBOT’ EXPERIENCE

From Universal Cable Productions, USA’s critically acclaimed series “Mr. Robot” will offer fans a chance to visit the nefarious E Corp’s “Bank of E,” located at 327 4th Avenue, and receive their own E Corp card loaded with E Coin currency. The E Corp card, which can also be opened online at e-coin.com, can be used throughout San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter for food, drinks and other surprises at participating retailers (to be announced). ‘Con goers can also visit the show’s infamous Red Wheelbarrow BBQ, located next door to the Bank of E, and present their E Corp card for a BBQ meal. Superfans looking for a deeper “Mr. Robot” experience will have the chance to uncover clues, hints and surprises throughout Red Wheelbarrow and the Gaslamp, leading further into Elliot’s world. The Bank of E will be open for businessThursday, July 20 through Saturday, July 22 from 11am – 7pm and Sunday, July 23 from 11am – 4pm.

 

PANELS, SCREENINGS & EVENTS
Thursday, July 20th

Colony (USA Network): Cast and Creators Season 3 Panel Discussion

2:00pm – 2:45pm – Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel

Battlestar Galactica (SYFY) Cast and Creator Reunion Panel

2:30pm – 3:30pm – Ballroom 20

12 Monkeys (SYFY): Cast and Creator Panel Discussion

7:15pm – 8:15pm – 6BCF

 

Friday, July 21st

Psych (USA Network):  Cast Reunion and Movie Sneak Peek

10:00am – 11:00am – Ballroom 20

 

 

Saturday, July 22nd

Happy! (SYFY): Premiere Screening and Cast Q&A

2:45pm – 3:45pm – 6BCF

The Magicians (SYFY) Panel Discussion with Cast

4:00pm – 4:50pm – Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel

Channel Zero No End House (SYFY): Consumer Screening

8:00pm – 9:00pm – Horton Grand Theater

Blood Drive (SYFY): Consumer Screening

9:30pm – 10:30p – Horton Grand Theater

 

About Universal Cable Productions

Universal Cable Productions (UCP) creates innovative and critically acclaimed original scripted content for all media platforms. Its robust slate of programming includes:  the Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning drama “Mr. Robot,” “Colony,”  “Damnation”  (2017), “Falling Water,” “Playing House,” “Shooter,” ” The Sinner,” “Suits” and “Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G” (2018) for USA Network; “12 Monkeys,” “Blood Drive,” “Channel Zero,” “Happy!” (2018), “Killjoys” and “The Magicians”for SYFY; “The Purge” (2018) for USA and SYFY; “All That Glitters” (2018),“Girlfriends’ Guide To Divorce” and “Imposters” for Bravo; “The Arrangement” and “The Royals” for E!; “The Umbrella Academy” (2018) for Netflix; “Impulse” (2018) for YouTube Red; “Difficult People” for Hulu; and“HarmonQuest” for Seeso. UCP’s content library also features critic and fan favorites such as the Emmy-award winning “Monk” as well as “Battlestar Galactica” and “Psych.” Universal Cable Productions is a part of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies. Follow us @UCPisTV.

Tweeks: DC Super Hero Girls SDCC Cast Interview

Maddy has been pretty vocal this year about how she is with DC, though even more than Rebirth, Batgirl and Birds of Prey, we are both obsessed with DC Super Hero Girls. Yes, it is aimed for girls 6 -12, but we dare anyone to not love this. Start with the video shorts and eventually move onto the books and toy. And now there’s a new movie.

DC Super Hero Girls: Hero of the Year premiered at Comc-Con, but just this week it’s been released on DVD and we already know it will be running non-stop on every little kid’s minivan TV. Apparently there’s so much action boys like it too. Why oh why was this not a thing when we were kids?

At SDCC, we were able to chat with Tara Strong (Poison Ivy/Harley Quinn), Grey Griffin (Wonder Woman), Anais Fairweather (Supergirl), Teala Dunn (Bumblebee), Stephanie Sheh (Katana), Jennifer Coyle (producer), and Cecilia Aranovich (director) about what they bring to the movie and to the characters. We also find out why a movie about a group of teenage girl superheroes is so important to them and in what ways they identify with their characters.

 

Tweeks: SDCC 2015 Part 2: The Haul!

This week is our 2nd San Diego Comic Con Recap…and our HAUL!  See all our stuff (well, most of our stuff) we got at the con, watch us play KISS pinball,  & hear our exciting stories about the Scholastic Party, meeting Jem, the fashionably nerdy mixer,  Holland Roden, Snoopy & Belle in fashion, & a lot of other stuff.

 

Tweeks: SDCC Report Part 1

It’s hard to believe Comic Con was a week ago because we’re still tired from all that running around, squee-ing, shopping, interviewing, and nerding it up.  Here’s a our video report full of our favorites from Hall H (Mocking Jay, Supernatural, Doctor Who), Maddy asking John Barrowman to sing as Captain Jack, the Welcome To Night Vale Tumblr Meetup, and other assorted vloggy goodness. But never fear, there was so much going on last week that this is only Part 1.  We will be back later with our haul, interviews, and observations.

Ed Catto: The Spirit of 76… minus 1

The Spirit Overstreet

Back in 1976 I loved comics (big surprise) but I didn’t really know who Will Eisner was. I didn’t know who The Spirit was either. But I still kind of got the gag on the cover of The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide that year. As you may know, this annual publication has a long tradition of showcasing different artists and characters each year. The Bicentennial was a big deal and everybody was getting in on it. That year, the guest cover artist for The Price Guide was Will Eisner. In order to get into the Bicentennial theme, his Spirit cover portrayed The Spirit’s supporting cast in patriotic regalia and the subtitle became The Spirit of ’76.

I know. That’s a long run for a short slide.

Over the years I’ve learned what a brilliant visionary and hard-working guy Will Eisner was, and I’ve read and re-read so many of his fantastic stories. And here we are now, nearly 40 years later, celebrating the 75th anniversary of Will Eisner’s signature character, The Spirit. It makes me wonder – how can one manage a brand like this with 75 years of history? America’s favorite cookie, Oreo, was an even older brand I managed for a few years in the 90s and sometimes I found it daunting. When I spoke with Carl and Nancy Gropper, who run the Will Eisner Foundation, I learned about the challenges of managing the legacy of an iconic brand.

As I was doing my research, my pal J.C. Vaughn, Vice-President of Publishing at Gemstone Publishing, alerted me to an intriguing opportunity: to explore the “secret origin” of that Overstreet Spirit of ’76 cover. So next week we’ll focus on the insights from the Eisner Foundation, and this week I have a real treat to share: insights from Robert Overstreet. As you might know, over the years Bob has never really been one for interviews. He’s always preferred personal, one-on-one conversations. That hasn’t changed much, even for the Guide’s 45th anniversary. But Bob Overstreet loves The Spirit, and in particular, that Bicentennial cover.

Bob explains how it all started. “In the fall of 1975 DC Comics recommended that I contact Crown Publishers in New York about bookstore distribution for the Guide. I called them and they pre-ordered 10,000 copies of my next book, which was The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #6. I contacted Will Eisner to do a 1776 theme since it was our country’s 200th anniversary in 1976. He finished the art right away and upon receiving it, I sent Crown a copy of my new cover.”

“Crown called me on Christmas Eve 1975 and told me that Eisner could not have his name on the cover because his illustrated cook book series had sold awfully. I had to call Eisner on Christmas Eve to ask him if it would be okay to drop his name off the cover art,” he said.

Call Will Eisner on Christmas Eve and say his name couldn’t be on the cover? Piece of cake, right?

“This was very hard for me and something I did not want to do. I got him on the phone and surprisingly he agreed for me to delete his name from the cover art. However, I just couldn’t do it. I left his name on the cover, much to Crown’s chagrin,” Overstreet said.

“Incidentally, it ended up selling very well. This was so important because this was my very first book for bookstore distribution worldwide,” he said.

J.C. Vaughn’s experience with the cover started in the same place as my own. “The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #6 was the first copy of the Guide I ever saw, so Eisner’s “Spirit of ‘76” cover has been lodged in my mind ever since that day at Eide’s in Pittsburgh (in their old location, where PNC Park now stands). I didn’t know anything about The Spirit at that point, but I loved the cover,” said Vaughn. “Pretty soon I saw the previous edition, which featured Joe Kubert’s powerful Tarzan, which also remains one of my all-time favorites, but there’s always been something about Eisner’s work, hasn’t there?”

And he also explained a little bit about his office, and I immediately got a bad case of ‘office envy’. “The Eisner piece was one of the few original Guide covers that Bob didn’t own,” J.C. explained. Will Eisner gave him a one-of-one litho. When I joined the staff, that litho ended up hanging in my office for a decade, so no surprise that I have such strong, fond memories of it.”

And to bring it all full circle, The Spirit will adorn the cover of the souvenir book from Comic-Con International, (which everyone really calls the San Diego Comic-Con). I’m in awe of a brand, and the creator behind a brand, that can last 75 years.

Of course, I’m wondering if some kid, like me 39 years ago, won’t know who The Spirit is when they see him on the cover of the souvenir book. But we’ll get into that more next week.

Note: Special thanks this week to J.C. Vaughn and all his help with and insights for this week’s column. He’s a real connect-the-dots kind of guy!  

 

Eisner Awards Presented at Comic Con

  • News
  • July 21, 2013

All Pulp congratulates the winners of the 2013 EISNER Awards.

PRESS RELEASE:

The winners of the 2013 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards were announced at a gala ceremony held during Comic-Con International: San Diego, at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront, on Friday, July 19.

Best Short Story: “Moon 1969: The True Story of the 1969 Moon Launch,” by Michael Kupperman, in Tales Designed to Thrizzle #8 (Fantagraphics)

Best Single Issue (or One-Shot): The Mire, by Becky Cloonan (self-published)

Best Continuing Series: Saga, by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples (Image)

Best New Series: Saga, by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples (Image)

Best Publication for Early Readers (up to age 7): Babymouse for President, by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm (Random House)

Best Publication for Kids (ages 8–12): Adventure Time, by Ryan North, Shelli Paroline, and Braden Lamb (kaboom!)

Best Publication for Teens (ages 13–17): A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle, adapted by Hope Larson (FSG)

Best Humor Publication: Darth Vader and Son, by Jeffrey Brown (Chronicle)

Best Digital Comic: Bandette, by Paul Tobin and Colleen Coover (Monkeybrain)

Best Anthology: Dark Horse Presents, edited by Mike Richardson (Dark Horse)

Best Reality-Based Work (tie): Annie Sullivan and the Trials of Helen Keller, by Joseph Lambert (Center for Cartoon Studies/Disney Hyperion); The Carter Family: Don’t Forget This Song, by Frank M. Young and David Lasky (Abrams ComicArts)

Best Graphic Album—New: Building Stories, by Chris Ware (Pantheon)

Best Adaptation from Another Medium: Richard Stark’s Parker: The Score, adapted by Darwyn Cooke (IDW)

Best Graphic Album—Reprint: King City, by Brandon Graham (TokyoPop/Image)

Best Archival Collection/Project—Strips: Pogo, vol. 2: Bona Fide Balderdash, by Walt Kelly, edited by Carolyn Kelly and Kim Thompson (Fantagraphics)

Best Archival Collection/Project—Comic Books: David Mazzucchelli’s Daredevil Born Again: Artist’s Edition, edited by Scott Dunbier (IDW

Best U.S. Edition of International Material: Blacksad: Silent Hell, by Juan Diaz Canales and Juanjo Guarnido (Dark Horse)

Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia: Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys, by Naoki Urasawa (VIZ Media)

Best Writer: Brian K. Vaughan, Saga (Image)

Best Writer/Artist: Chris Ware, Building Stories (Pantheon)

Best Penciler/Inker (tie): David Aja, Hawkeye (Marvel), Chris Samnee, Daredevil (Marvel); Rocketeer: Cargo of Doom (IDW)

Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (interior art): Juanjo Guarnido, Blacksad (Dark Horse)

Best Cover Artist: David Aja, Hawkeye (Marvel)

Best Coloring: Dave Stewart, Batwoman (DC); Fatale (Image); BPRD, Conan the Barbarian, Hellboy in Hell, Lobster Johnson, The Massive (Dark Horse)

Best Lettering: Chris Ware, Building Stories (Pantheon)

Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism: The Comics Reporter, edited by Tom Spurgeon, www.comicsreporter.com

Best Comics-Related Book: Marvel Comics: The Untold Story, by Sean Howe (HarperCollins)

Best Educational/Academic Work: Lynda Barry: Girlhood Through the Looking Glass, by Susan E. Kirtley (University Press of Mississippi)

Best Publication Design: Building Stories, designed by Chris Ware (Pantheon)

Hall of Fame: Lee Falk, Al Jaffee, Mort Meskin, Trina Robbins, Spain Rodriguez, Joe Sinnott

Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award: Russel Roehling

Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award: Chris Sparks and Team Cul deSac

Bill Finger Excellence in Comic Book Writing Award: Steve Gerber, Don Rosa

Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award: Challengers Comics + Conversation, Chicago, IL

See more at http://www.comic-con.org/awards/eisners-current-info#sthash.7hRCavEx.dpuf

Comics sales for first half of 2012 18% ahead of last year

The Diamond Comic Distributors sales report for the middle of the comics year always hits right before Comic Con International: San Diego, which itself is about the future of the business; we see where we’ve been right before we see where we’re going. Last year, the industry arrived in San Diego with the first half of 2011 off 8% versus the year before; this year, orders by Direct Market comics shops in North America are up more than 18% year-to-date. It’s quite the turnaround. Retailers have already ordered more material through June — nearly $223 million in retail dollars— than they did in last year through July.

Marvel’s Avengers Vs. X-Men #6 led the charts, with four DC Before Watchmen debut issues landing in fifth through eight place. Click to see the preliminary top sellers for June. June 2011 was a five-week month versus four shipping weeks for June 2012, and the beats were a little smaller than we’ve seen — but periodical units and dollars were still up double-digits. All the comics in the Top 10 were priced at $3.99.

On the trade paperback side, the release of Walking Dead Vol. 16: A Larger World both topped the charts. There was a slight year-to-year drop in graphic novel units, but not dollars — suggesting that maybe with the DC hardcovers and a new Walking Dead release priced higher than some of the earlier backlist releases, the average price for each graphic novel ordered increased some.

Retailers appear to have ordered $40.5 million in comic books and trade paperbacks from Diamond in the month, a sum that brings the second quarter orders to more than $20 million higher than the same three-month period last year. For the year to date, all Direct Market sales are more than $34 million ahead of the first half of 2011.

But the comparison observers may be more interested in isn’t between the first six months of this year and the first six months of 2011 — but rather, with the last six months, which included the DC reboot. Direct Market orders were $224.92 million from July 2011 to December 2011 — so even with the reboot titles reaching double-digit issue numbers, the market is down less than 1% from that blockbuster six-month period. The reasons are several: Marvel has Avengers Vs. X-Men on the playing field, and graphic novels are rebounding with the DC hardcovers and Walking Dead. But the fact we can compare at all is significant, because the second half of the year has outperformed the previous first half every year for the last 10 years — and by an average of 10%.

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