Viz Speeds Up Naruto
Viz Media is undertaking a multi-media initiative to speed up Naruto releases. On January 15, Viz will begin releasing the latest episode of the Naruto Shippuden anime within a few days of its airing in Japan. The episodes will be available for free with english subtitles on Naruto.com, and a new episode will be posted every Thursday. Also, Viz plans on releasing eight Naruto Shippuden episodes every Friday on Naruto.com until they are caught up to the current third season; these episodes will also have english subtitles and will be free. For the Naruto manga, Viz has announced an accelerated release schedule. Starting in February of 2009, Viz will release eleven new volumes within three months and will return to quarterly releases in July 2009. The series will progress form Volume 34 in February to Volume 44 in April, and then Volume 45 in July. Featured in all the first editions of the March and April releases, a promotional bookmark or sticker will be included in the book.
Cunchyroll Inks Anime Deal
Crunchyroll, an online anime distributor, announced new deals with Japanese anime producers TV Tokyo Corporation, Shueisha, Inc., and Pierrot Co. These partnerships mark a transition for Crunchyroll from user uploaded content to professionally produced content. Viz Media’s Naruto Shippuden will be the first series to launch. Beginning January 8, 2009 Crunchyroll will offer episodes of Naruto Sippuden and other titles, as a simulcast, immediately following the broadcast in Japan. This new partnership is also an effort to combat piracy, by providing fans with authorized content in a timely manner.
NYCC Guest Artists
New York Comic Con announced that George Perez will be a guest of honor at the upcoming show. Perez will be attending the show on behalf of the Hero Initiative, a non-profit organization that helps cartoonists in need, and he will hold a special workshop to benefit the Hero Initiative on February 7. NYCC announced that Geoff Johns and Jim Lee will be Guests of Honor at the show as well. They will be promoting the upcoming DC Multiplayer Online Role-playing game, DC Universe Online; on Saturday February 7 they will hold a large DC Universe Online event, as well as signing autographs. Also, the Venture Bros. creators Jackson Publick and Doc Hammer will be special guests at the show. NYCC will be held February 6th through 8, 2009 at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City.
IDW One Day Sale
IDW Publishing is holding a customer appreciation sale at their San Diego headquarters on Saturday December 6 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. In an effort to clear out their warehouse, IDW will sell new pamphlet comics for $1 each; trade paperbacks for $5; and all other books, magazines and comics for 80% off the cover price. Some limited editions and signed editions will also be available, and Ben Templesmith, Chris Ryall, and Chris Mowry will be giving free autographs. The sale will be held in IDW’s parking lot at 5080 Santa Fe Street.
Kramers Ergot 7 Book Tour
The Kramers Ergort 7 international book tour began this weekend on November 16 at Family in Los Angeles, Ca. The next book signing will be held Wednesday December 3at Atomic Books in Baltimore, featuring contributors Sammy Harkham, Kevin Huizenga, John Pham, and Ron Rege Jr; the event begins at 7 pm. Other contributors participating in the book tour include Martin Holcombe, Geoff McFetridge, Johnny Ryan, Souther Salazar, and Josh Simmons. A full list of the events in the book tour is available on the Buenaventura Press website.
Bendis on MyCup o’Joe
Brian Michael Bendis took over for Marvel editor in chief on the latest MyCup o’Joe. Bendis spoke about the recent creative retreat and an upcoming New Avengers storyline. Bendis also announced that he will be working with Howard Chaykin. Next week Marvel executive editor Axel Alonso will be taking Quesada’s place and answering fan questions.
3D Comics at FIT
Cartoonists Jason Little, Kim Deitch, Michael Kupperman, and R. Sikoryak will present comics slideshows at 3D Comics Night at the New York Stereoscopic Society. The event is on Wednesday November 19at 7pm at the Haft Auditorium at F.I.T, located on 27 Street between 7th and 8th Avenues.
Michelle Obama Comic Book
Bluewater Productions will feature the new first lady (first lady-elect?) Michelle Obama in the latest installment of their “Female Force” comics series, which showcases the biographies of influential woman. The book is scheduled to be released in April of 2009. Other “Female Force” comics feature Senator Hillary Clinton and Governor Sarah Palin. The Hillary Clinton book can currently be ordered through Diamond.
2009 Pop Japan Tour
Pop Japan Travel, a Japanese travel service owned by Digital Manga Publishing, is offering their 2nd annual Cold Steel Tour. The tour features a meeting with Mori Chack, the creator of the Gloomy Bear; a tour of Studio Pierrot, makers of Bleach and Naruto; a trip to the Sapporo Snow Festival; and shopping in Akihabara, Shibuya, and Harajuku. Also, participants will attend a film screening of 20th Century Boys. The tour will be held from January 30 to February 7, 2009, and it costs $2,619. There is an early bird special of $100 for signing up before November 19.
Emotional Content and Bio-Manga
Eiji Han Shimizu is head of Emotional Content, a collective of Japanese manga artists who adapt and publish the biographies of 21st-century visionaries like the Dalai Lama, in the graphic novel format. Shimizu calls these manga-styled works “BioGraphic Novels. EC released its first biographic novel, The 14th Dalai Lama by Tetsu Saiwai, over the summer and has 12 additional projects lined up, including a manga-styled biographic novel on Mother Teresa, which was published just last month, and another on the revolutionary Che Guevara, coming this month. Read the full PW story here.
This Week @ The Beat
This week in The Beat, rumors of delays at DC,Hero by Night option brings creator complaints, a creator sounds off on a local convention, and canceled TV shows may now be heading direct to the comics rack.
