December 13th, 2008 – The career of Radical Publishing’s President and Publisher Barry Levine remains unlike any other in the entertainment industry—so extraordinary that The Los Angeles Times recently sat down with him to discuss his storied past and future plans for Radical, which scored overwhelming success in its breakout year of publishing, including film deals with John Woo, Peter Berg and Bryan Singer.

Working his way up from the streets to become one of the rock industry’s premier photographers, Levine regularly shot marquee talents like KISS, The Beatles, Motley Crue, Aerosmith, Elton John and Queen. While Barry could have stayed at the top of the rock photography world, he continued to seek bigger challenges and sought them by going into film.  He became music supervisor for such movies as Judge Dredd, Street Fighter, Die Hard With A Vengeance and the Best Picture Oscar-winner Driving Miss Daisy.

Not content to simply work on films from other executives, he launched a career as a producer himself, with a first-look deal in the comics-to-film entertainment division of Dark Horse, the largest independent comics publisher in North America. During his three-year tenure, he set up nine Dark Horse properties as film or television projects with nearly every major studio, including Universal, Sony, Paramount/MTV Films, Warner Bros. and Disney/Miramax.

Levine continued to show that he moves to the beat of his own drum when he unveiled Radical Publishing, his own comics line, at the 2007 San Diego Comic-Con, showcasing the style of artwork that would become the signature look of the company. The first issues of its 2008 debut titles, Hercules: The Thracian Wars and Caliber: First Canon of Justice, rapidly sold out and went to second printings, eventually receiving hardcover collected editions. Yoshitaka Amano’s Mateki: The Magic Flute followed a month later, released as an oversized hardcover graphic novel to a worldwide audience for the first time.

Radical later added two more titles, Freedom Formula: Ghost of the Wasteland and City of Dust: A Philip Khrome Story, to rave reviews in both the industry and mainstream press. The company will enter 2009 with two more major releases, including Hotwire: Requiem for the Dead, from celebrated industry veterans Steve Pugh and Warren Ellis, and Shrapnel: Aristeia Rising, from Zombie Studios President Mark Long and Nick Sagan, the popular sci-fi novelist and son of famed astronomer Carl Sagan. Radical will also unveil the finale of City of Dust: A Philip Khrome Story from fan-favorite writer Steve Niles (co-creator of the blockbuster 30 Days of Night), as well as launch a Hercules sequel, with contributions from comics legend Jim Steranko.

“Barry has had an interesting career to say the least and starting Radical was an entirely natural progression for him considering his love for storytelling,” said Radical Vice President Jesse Berger. “He’s producing projects in the literary world that bend against the norm, but with tremendous success, so it’s no surprise that the L.A. Times would want to tell his story. I’m thrilled that it’s given him such a high-profile forum in which to do it.”

The Los Angeles Times article, which appears as a cover story for its Calendar entertainment section in the Saturday, Dec. 13th edition, can be found below.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/herocomplex/2008/12/radical-comics.html

MAXIMUM DINOBOTS #1 - SPOTLIGHT

(San Diego, December 8, 2008)  Transformers fans have been waiting for the Dinobots to get a series of their very own for a long time.  At last, IDW releases the long-awaited, full-fledged modern day debut of the Dinobot team in The Transformers: Maximum Dinobots. The book will be in stores December 10.

Bringing some of the most popular characters from the original cartoon back to life with a fresh take are Transformers uber-scribe Simon Furman, artist Nick Roche, and colorist Josh Burcham, with cover art by Marcelo Matere and Roche.

The Transformers: Maximum Dinobots brings together the team for the first time in thousands of years, but it’s far from a happy reunion. And out to spoil the party further is Scorponok and his Machination/Headmaster army. But he has two Autobots hot on his trail in Sunstreaker and Hot Rod.

And when all parties collide, expect mayhem, machinations, melee, and, of course, Maximum Dinobots!

The story enhances the rich tapestry of Transformers lore for long-time readers, but also is friendly for new readers - anyone can start at Page 1 and not miss a beat. And the first issue arrives just before Christmas on December 10th!

It’s an adventure not to be missed!

FC • 32 pages • $3.99, Diamond Order Code OCT08 4206

About IDW Publishing

IDW is an award-winning publisher of comic books, graphic novels and trade paperbacks, based in San Diego, California. As a leader in the horror, action, and sci-fi genres, IDW publishes some of the most successful and popular titles in the industry including: television’s #1 prime time series CBS’ CSI: Crime Scene Investigation; Paramount’s Star Trek; Fox’s Angel; Hasbro’s The Transformers, and the BBC’s Doctor Who. IDW’s original horror series, 30 Days of Night, was launched as a major motion picture in October 2007 by Sony Pictures and was the #1 film in its first week of release. In April 2008, IDW released Michael Recycle, the first title from its new children’s book imprint, Worthwhile Books. More information about the company can be found at http://www.idwpublishing.com.

New Graphic Novel from IDW Publishing Being Animated for Teletoon Canada

(San Diego, CA and Prince Edward Island, Canada, December 1, 2008)  IDW Publishing will release the new graphic novel by Troy Little entitled Angora Napkin in January 2009. An animated pilot of Angora Napkin is also in production and set to air on Teletoon, Canada in March 2009.

Angora Napkin is an adult comedy about a pop music trio of girls who constantly find themselves mired in the horrible and confronted with the macabre.   Unable to recognize the dark side of any situation, they always seem to come out on top (with the help of their impromptu peppy songs).

The book is written and drawn by Angora Napkin co-creator Troy Little as a break between volumes of his noir drama graphic novel Chiaroscuro, also published by IDW.  A Limited Edition Preview comic was sent to retailers in August through Diamond and was also handed out at the IDW booth at last years San Diego Comic Con and SPX show in Washington.

TELETOON, in a Canada wide search for new and original adult animation ideas, selected Angora Napkin to be developed as an animated pilot. “The idea of Angora Napkin was originally developed by Nick Cross and me as an animated series so it’s really interesting to see the project come full circle” says Little.  “We’ve teamed up with Mugisha Enterprises to produce the cartoon.  Both Nick and I are putting many hours into the cartoon and are involved in all aspects of production to ensure the unique look of the show remains fresh and creator driven”.

Troy believes the timing of the book and cartoon will do much to compliment one another and help draw attention to the product. “Angora Napkin is one of those quirky little concepts that could potentially draw a cult status. It’s very subversive humor coupled with a healthy dose of sex and violence”.

For more information on Angora Napkin visit www.angoranapkin.com

Angora Napkin graphic novel synopsis:

Halloween is upon us! Historically this ancient event has been identified as the day in which the boundary between the living and the dead becomes unstable. It is on this fateful night that we find Beatrice, Molly, and Mallory, the pop music group known as Angora Napkin, running behind schedule for their performance at the big Halloween bash. Taking a short cut on a dark, twisting mountain road, the girls cross paths with one of the wandering dead. Undaunted by such an unusual encounter, they offer him a lift to a secret underground party. It is here that they are introduced to a lonely, misunderstood zombie boy named Dennis who they unwittingly convince to eradicate life on Earth in order to keep the party of the undead going for all eternity! Will Angora Napkin be able to set right the horror they’ve unleashed upon humanity and still make the show on time, or will we all become worm food in the wake of the zombie apocalypse?

Hardcover: 152 pages, ISBN 978-1600103391, Retail: $19.99 US

About IDW:
IDW is an award-winning publisher of comic books, graphic novels and trade paperbacks, based in San Diego, Calif. As a leader in the horror, action, and sci-fi genres, IDW publishes some of the most successful and popular titles in the industry including: television’s #1 prime time series CBS’ CSI: Crime Scene Investigation; Paramount’s Star Trek; Fox’s Angel; Hasbro’s The Transformers, and the BBC’s Doctor Who. IDW’s original horror series, 30 Days of Night, was launched as a major motion picture in October 2007 by Sony Pictures and was the #1 film in its first week of release. In April 2008, IDW released Michael Recycle, the first title from its new children’s book imprint, Worthwhile Books. More information about the company can be found at http://www.idwpublishing.com

(San Diego, December 8, 2008) The Original Crew of the Starship Enterprise are roaring to the iPhone and iPod touch from IDW Publishing and iVerse Media.  Available immediately, Star Trek Archives: The Best of Peter David #1 is the first issue of the ongoing digital comics series that reprints some of the best comics from Star Trek’s illustrious history. Peter David is one of the most popular and respected Star Trek writers, known for his mingling of humor and popular culture.

“We’re very excited that some of IDW’s Star Trek titles will now available for readers to download from itunes through the App Store. It’s a great way for fans to experience some of the best work in comics,” IDW’s Ted Adams said.

This issue reprints Star Trek #13 (originally published by DC Comics) – “The Return of the Worthy: Part One” by Bill Mumy, Peter David, and Gordon Pucell.  The story stars the Original Series cast, and is set between the 5th and 6th Star Trek feature film.

“Star Trek Archives allows us to bring the universe of Star Trek to the iPhone and iPod touch for the first time”, said Michael Murphey, owner of iVerse Media. “Through this series we can publish stories throughout the history of Trek, from TOS to TNG and beyond.  Being Trekkies ourselves, we couldn’t be more excited about that.”

Star Trek Archives #1 is available now in the iTunes App Store for 99 cents. http://www.apple.com/iphone/appstore/

About IDW Publishing
IDW is an award-winning publisher of comic books, graphic novels and trade paperbacks, based in San Diego, California. As a leader in the horror, action, and sci-fi genres, IDW publishes some of the most successful and popular titles in the industry including: television’s #1 prime time series CBS’ CSI: Crime Scene Investigation; Paramount’s Star Trek; Fox’s Angel; Hasbro’s The Transformers, and the BBC’s Doctor Who. IDW’s original horror series, 30 Days of Night, was launched as a major motion picture in October 2007 by Sony Pictures and was the #1 film in its first week of release.  In April 2008, IDW released Michael Recycle, the first title from its new children’s book imprint, Worthwhile Books. More information about the company can be found at http://www.idwpublishing.com.

About IVERSE Media
iVERSE MEDIA is a leading provider of digital comics for mobile devices from top industry publishers and creators.  iVerse currently offers digital comic solutions for APPLE’S IPHONE and IPOD TOUCH, and will be releasing comics for GOOGLE’S ANDROID PLATFORM in early 2009.  More information about the company can be found at http://www.iversecomics.com

The GCA Committee has selected their panel of judges for the 2009 competition. They are:
· Valerie D’Orazio, president, Friends of Lulu
· Mathan Erhardt, writer, Comics Nexus
· Ed Mathews, columnist, Pop Image
· Tim O’Shea, writer/interviewer, TalkingWithTim.com
· Elayne Riggs, comics reviewer and commentator

Any comics publisher – small, large, corporate, independent, self-published – as well as online comic creators and cartoonists for newspapers and other periodicals, are invited to submit black-themed material released from January 1-December 31, 2008 for consideration for award recognition. The Committee defines black-themed work as any comic with any combination of the following: a black protagonist(s), or at least a black character(s) pivotal to the direction of the story; a setting(s) or a theme(s) that explores the black experience within the United States and/or abroad, past, present, and/or future; an d/or a comic of any kind written and/or illustrated by a black creator(s).

Anyone wishing to submit their comic book or comic strip for consideration in the 2009 competition should e-mail GCA Committee Chair Rich Watson at rich.watson@gmail.com for further information. Hard copies are preferred, though submissions of e-files will also be accepted. Online comics creators and newspaper/periodical cartoonists with websites should send a direct URL link to their site or page. Daily cartoonists must have a minimum of one month’s work archived and available for viewing; weekly cartoonists a minimum of two months. The deadline for submissions is January 31, 2009.

The 2009 Glyph Comics Awards ceremony will be held at the East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention (ECBACC) in May 2009.

About the Glyph Comics Awards:
The Glyph Comics Awards recognize the best in comics made by, for, and about people of color from the preceding calendar year. While it is not exclusive to black creators, it does strive to honor those who have made the greatest contributions to the comics medium in terms of both critical and commercial impact. By doing so, the goal is to encourage more diverse and high quality work across the board and to inspire new creators to add their voices to the field.

The awards are named for the blog Glyphs: The Language of the Black Comics Community (http://glyphs.popcultureshock.com), started in 2005 by comics journalist Rich Watson as a means to provide news and commentary of comics with black themes, as well as tangential topics in the fields of black science-fiction/fantasy and animation.

About ECBACC:
The East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention (www.ecbacc.com/wordpress) is an annual gathering of comic book creators and retailers who create and sell material that caters to black readers of all ages. In addition to selling their work, they also take part in panel discussions and self-publishing workshops for aspiring creators. The convention is held in Philadelphia each May. There is also a pre-show reception held at the African American Museum in Philadelphia. ECBACC is an outgrowth of the original Black Age of Comics Convention in Chicago, founded by Turtel Onli.

For more information about ECBACC, contact event coordinator Maurice Waters at maurice.waters@ecbacc.com.

AS THEY LAUNCH THEIR SEXY NEW PINUP BOOK

“SUICIDEGIRLS: BEAUTY REDEFINED”

Signing Event Will Feature Site Co-founder Missy Suicide And All LA Based SuicideGirls in Los Angeles December 11th

WHAT:

SuicideGirls will be hosting their first ever Boutique/Bazaar at Meltdown Comics one day only to premier their new book, “SuicideGirls: Beauty Redefined.” This groundbreaking photography book contains almost 400 pages of full color pin-up photos of beautiful pierced and tattooed women from around the world.

A variety of SG products will be available for sale, from t-shits and hoodies, to DVDs and playing cards.

WHO:

Scheduled to appear at the event are SuicideGirls co-founder Missy Suicide. Also scheduled to attend are all LA Based SuicideGirls, including Sash, Nixon and Zoli. As well as book designer Courtney Riot.

WHEN:

Thursday, Dec. 11, 7:00 – 10:00 p.m./PST

Line for purchase and signing will start at 5:00p.m./PST

WHERE:

Meltdown Comics & Collectibles

7522 Sunset Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90046 www.meltcomics.com

SuicideGirls

SuicideGirls is a contemporary lifestyle brand. Combining the DIY attitude of underground culture with a vibrant, sex positive community of women (and men), the company was founded on the belief that creativity, personality and intelligence are not incompatible with sexy, compelling entertainment, and millions of people agree. The site mixes the smarts, enthusiasm and DIY attitude of the best music and alternative culture sites with an unapologetic, grassroots approach to sexuality.

Meltdown Comics

Meltdown Comics is the largest comic book shop on the West Coast, located in the heart of Hollywood on Sunset Blvd. Meltdown opened in 1993 and has since become one the most respected comic book stores in the world. With a sophisticated approach to merchandise and operations – and a reputation for hosting successful events in their Melt Gallery – Meltdown is a must-see pop culture destination in Los Angeles.