Ginee Seo to Publish Amelia Rules
Ginee Seo Books at Atheneum, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, announced plans to take over the publication of the graphic novel collections of Amelia Rules, the popular self-published kids' comics series by cartoonist Jimmy Gownley. The deal was negotiated by agent Judy Hansen of the Hansen Literary Agency. Beginning in the summer of 2009, the imprint will release Amelia Rules!: The Whole World’s Crazy, the first of five collections that reprint Gownley’s original self-published collections. GSB will follow with Amelia Rules: What Makes You Happy in August 2009; Amelia Rules: Christmas in October; Amelia Rules: Superheroes in January 2009; and Amelia Rules: When the Past is Present in April 2009. The books will be priced at $9.99.

Starting in the fall of 2010 GSB will begin creating new titles in the Gownley series. Seo said S&S plans to create new covers for the reprint editions and tweak the Amelia Rules logo. She is also working with Gownley to add two new stories, “a stocking stuffer,” said Seo, to the Christmas release. Seo called Amelia Rules “a wonderful series, with lots of word of mouth that’s set to break out in the retail world. It’s similar to where Bone was.” Seo also said there was interest from Hollywood. “We brought Jimmy in to meet all the marketing staff at S&S and everyone loves him,” says Seo.

Scholastic Acquires Smile
Scholastic has acquired Smile by Raina Telgemeier. Smile, a coming-of-age memoir, was originally released as a weekly webcomic on Telgemeir’s website. The book is scheduled to be released in 2010. David Saylor, v-p and associate publisher of Scholastic Trade, and agent Judy Hanson of Hanson Literary Agency negotiated the deal.

Spiegelman Book Tour
Art Spiegelman will be on a national book tour this fall to promote his two new books: Breakdowns: Portrait of the Artist as a Yong %@*! published by Pantheon and Jack and the Box from RAW Junior/ TOON Books. Breakdowns is a collection of Spiegelman’s 1970’s work and some new autobiographical work; Jack and the Box is a comic for children four through eight. The book tour began on October 4th in New York as part of the New Yorker Festival. Spiegelman will be holding events in Austin, Seattle, Portland, Pasadena, Los Angeles, Santa Cruz, San Francisco, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., and Miami. A full list of the events can be found at the TOON Books blog.

Ghost World Screening with Clowes and Zwigoff
UCB’s Pacific Film Archive is holding a Ghost World film screening and book release party for Ghost World: The Special Edition on October 26th at 6:30 p.m. Dan Clowes and Terry Zwigoff will be hosting the event, and will have a Q&A and book signing after the movie. More information can be found at the Fantagraphics’ website

Palin on Tales of the Crypt Cover
Half of the print run of Tales from the Crypt #8 will feature Governor Sarah Palin on the cover. On the cover Palin is wielding a hockey stick at the Tales of the Crypt hosts. The issue also includes an editorial by Cathy Gaines Mifsud, the daughter of the publisher of MAD Magazine and the original Tales of the Crypt. The issue will be on sale in October and costs $3.95.

Comic Writing Course on MediaBistro
MediaBistro is offering an online course on writing comics and graphic novels. Taught by comics veteran David Seidman, the course is four weeks long, from November 3rd to December 1st, with online chats on Mondays from 9 to 10 pm. The course costs $350, and covers genres and styles, contracts, and self-publishing.

Death Note Promotion with Hot Topic
Viz Pictures is offering a promotion with Hot Topic (http://www.hottopic.com/hottopic/index.jsp). Any customers who purchase a Death Note T-Shirt or DVD in select Hot Topic Stores beginning October 1st will receive a ticket to the screening of Death Note II: The Last Name. The movie will be showing in theaters on October 15th and 16th in partnership with NCM Fathom. Ticket information and participating theaters can be found at the Viz Pictures website.

Comic Foundry Release Party
There will be a release party for the Fall 2008 issue of Comic Foundry on Thursday October 9th at the Irish Rogue in New York City. The party starts at 7 p.m. and will go late. The first 50 people will receive a free copy of the new issue, and $4 Margaritas and Cosmos will be available all night. The Irish Rogue is located at 356 West 44th Street near 9th Avenue.

MyCup o’ Joe: Secret Invasion Preview
In the recent MyCup o’ Joe, Marvel Editor in Chief Joe Quesada previews Secret Invasion #7 and the next issue of Deadpool, along with She-Hulk and Andy Diggle’s Thunderbolts.