Tag Archives: ceo

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NECA acquires WizKids

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It’s been some time since the first information circulated that NECA (The National Entertainment Collectibles Association, Inc.) was sniffing around to pick up the assets from WizKids.  The speculation became fact as the company announced it as purchased the majority of WizKids’ assets, including the Clix line, which includes HeroClix, ActionClix, HorrorClix, and SportsClix.

“WizKids has created the best games within the collectible miniature and constructible genres and NECA is proud to help continue this great legacy,” said Joel Weinshanker, President and CEO of NECA. “The HeroClix engine is the envy of the industry and many companies have attempted to emulate it without success. We’re thrilled to deliver HeroClix to the gamers.”

To help the Clix line move forward, NECA has also hired Lax Chandra, who ran WizKids for Topps, to serve as the President of NECA’s WizKids subsidiary.

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Archaia and Roddenberry Productions team for launch party

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Press Release

LOS ANGELES, CA

What: Launch event to celebrate the debut of issue #1 of Days Missing, a new comic book mini-series published by Archaia and Roddenberry Productions.

Days Missing is a new science-fiction mini-series about an individual known as The Steward, who can erase days from human existence as if they never happened.

Copies of issue #1 will be available for purchase for just 99 cents and can be signed.

Cocktails will be served.

Who:   The creator of Days Missing, Trevor Roth, and Rod Roddenberry, CEO of Roddenberry Productions and son of founder Gene Roddenberry, will be on hand to sign copies of the comic.

Where: Golden Apple Comics
7018 Melrose Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90038
(323) 658-6047, http://www.goldenapplecomics.com

When: Wednesday, August 19, 2009
7 – 9 p.m.

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SDCC’09: You can be in an Archie Comic

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Those attending the San Diego Comic-Con next week can enter for a chance to be drawn in an upcoming issue of Archie Comics.

Archie Comics will be giving away a Grand Prize at the San Diego Comic Con with one lucky winner appearing in a future Archie Comic, drawn by a famous Archie comic book artist! Names will be collected during the “Archie Comics: Archie Marries Veronica Panel” on Thursday July 23rd, 11:30-12:30 in Room 4. New Archie Comics co-CEO Jon Goldwater will pick the winner at the end of the panel. That person will be photographed to have their likeness included in a story where they get to meet Archie and his pals ‘n’ gals!

Considering this panel takes place at the same time as the Disney 3D, Middleman, and World of Warcraft panels, there’s probably a pretty good chance of winning.  I wonder if Julian will try to win, wearing a Major Spoilers T-shirt?

via Archie Comics

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Top Cow reveals Cyberforce/Hunter-Killer #1 details

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Top Cow Entertainment has announced the Mark Waid penned Cyberforce/Hunter-Killer #1 is scheduled to arrive in stores on July 22, 2009.

Cyberforce/Hunter-Killer #1 is written by Mark Waid, who co-created Hunter-Killer with Top Cow CEO and founder Marc Silvestri in 2005.  Artistic duties will be performed by Kenneth Rocafort, (Madame Mirage, Pilot Season: The Core) who drew the final four issues of the initial Hunter-Killer season.

This issue will be the first time the Hunter-Killer team is made part of the proper Top Cow universe.

“Working with creators like Mark and Kenneth is a pure pleasure and makes my life easy because there’s very little to improve upon as an editor,” stated Filip Sablik, Top Cow Publisher, in a prepared statement, “On the surface this may appear to be just a meeting of two teams, but astute readers will soon realize that Mark and Kenneth have added an incredible level of nuance and depth to the story.”

Take the jump for a full look at the covers for the $2.99 issue.

More After the Jump >>

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Sci Fi SyFy Channel Brings Phantom to Small Screen

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The Sci Fi Channel has announced it will bring its own take on the classic comic book character The Phantom to the small screen in 2010.  Moonstone Books currently publishes the print adventures of the ghost that walks, but Sci Fi thinks a four hour movie will be pretty kick-ass.

“That there hasn’t been a successful ‘Phantom’ leaves the door wide open for us, since nobody has made it their own yet,” said Robert Halmi Jr., president and CEO of RHI entertainment. “The four-hour format allows us to command large dollars around the world for our shows that puts about ($4 million-$6 million) of production on the screen per hour.  It gives the network a chance to try a concept with the same production values, if not better, than you’d get for a series.”

The team up with RHI entertainment has three features, Alice in Wonderland, The Phantom, and Philip Jose Farmer’s Riverworld coming to the network.

via THR

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Aphrodite IX Goes 3D

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Aphrodite IX, the sexy cyborg assassin, is getting the 3D treatment for the upcoming feature film.   Platinum Studios, Threshold Entertainment, and Top Cow Productions are teaming up to bring the comic to the silver screen.

Threshold’s Larry Kasanoff and Platinum chairman and CEO Scott Mitchell Rosenberg are producing. Top Cow CEO Marc Silvestri and former Universal Pictures exec Randy Greenberg of the Greenberg Group are execu¬tive producers. Top Cow president Matt Hawkins and Platinum’s Rich Marincic are co-producing.

If this is going to be 3D, I wonder who the target audience is going to be. This could certainly be the Heavy Metal of its time if done in a way to traget the adult male demographic.

via THR

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Wizkids Shuts Down, Topps to Continue HeroClix

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Man, now I wish I hadn’t given away all those HeroClix.  Suddenly I think they’ll be that much more valuable, especially if Topps decides HeroClix aren’t viable in the long run.

Press Release

The Topps Company announced today that WizKids will immediately cease operations and discontinue its product lines.

Scott Silverstein, CEO of Topps, said “This was an extremely difficult decision. While the company will still actively pursue gaming initiatives, we feel it is necessary to align our efforts more closely with Topps current sports and entertainment offerings which are being developed within our New York office.”

Upon notifying our partners, Topps will immediately pursue strategic alternatives so that viable brands and properties, including HeroClix, can continue without noticeable disruption. To that end, WizKids will continue supporting Buy it By the Brick redemptions for Arkham Asylum, and the December Organized Play events for HeroClix.

For consumer announcements, please refer to www.wizkidsgames.com over the coming days for further information.

It’s a shame the company shut down, but from what I’ve seen at a few local conventions, HeroClix gaming, as well as MechWarrior table top games were not as popular as they once were.

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Diesel Sweeties Ends Print Run

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clangohead.gifThe very popular Diesel Sweeties webcomic has announced it is ending its newspaper run in mid-August.

This is my decision, I wasn’t fired, I don’t regret it and I’m not gonna blame anyone. No dissing Garfield. I am “crazy amounts of” looking forward to being my own CEO again. There will be nary a bump in schedule for the main webcomic.

Health and time issues aside, I’m surprised the series lasted as long in the papers as it did.  Diesel Sweeties does so much better on the web than it could ever do in the local newspaper read by the 65 and older crowd.  That’s not to say I don’t want to see Diesel Sweeties in print, a collected edition would be the roxors.

via Diesel Sweeties

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Shirley Manson Set for Sarah Connor Chronicles

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Shirley Manson, the lead singer for Garbage, has been cast as recurring character Catherine Weaver in Fox’s second season of Sarah Connor Chronicles.

The Weaver character is described as the CEO of a “cutting edge technology company”, which I hope means high-tech hardware and not Web 2.0 startup vying for attention from Michael Arrington.

I have yet to watch a single episode of the series starring Lena Headey as Sarah Connor, Thomas Dekker as John Connor, and Summer Glau as terminator Cameron Phillips. Is it good, bad, or just something to sit back and fill the hour between other network shows?

via THR

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Top Cow and Spacedog Look for New Creators

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chooseyourowncreator.gifTop Cow Productions has announced it is teaming up with Spacedog Entertainment for a brand new contest looking for new creators.

The Choose Your Own Creator contest kicked off May 1 and will run through April 15, 2009 with a grand total of 22 winners. The best part about this contest, is all winners will be paid for their work and will be included in a five-part series published by Top Cow Productions.

“Since its inception, Top Cow has been a beacon to comic writers and artists, launching many of the industry’s best. We believe that with Spacedog’s ability to create compelling stories, married with Top Cow’s artistic expertise and credibility, we have the ability to create something special while helping to launch the careers of upcoming artists,” says Roger Mincheff, founder and CEO of Spacedog Entertainment.

More information about the contest can be found at www.chooseyourowncreator.com

via Top Cow Productions

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Jackman and Guggenheim Team with Virgin Comics

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hughjackman.jpgVirgin Comics has announced Hugh Jackman and Marc Guggenheim are teaming to create the original comic series Nowhere Man to comics.

Story details are being kept under wraps but Virgin officials describe the story as a Sci Fi odyssey set in a groundbreaking vision of the future in which mankind has traded privacy for safety.

Jackman cites his work as Wolverine for inspiring him to get into comics.

“I am so excited to work with Virgin and Marc and create a compelling character and story that hopefully will also make it to the big screen,” said Jackman in a prepared statement.

While Jackman and his Seed Productions production company will create the series, Amazing Spider-Man scribe Marc Guggenheim will write the series.

“Virgin Comics is focused on pairing the best comic book talents with icons in the entertainment industry to develop original stories,” said Sharad Devarajan, Virgin Comics CEO. “Hugh Jackman and Marc Guggenheim working together on Nowhere Man is a perfect combination that promises a great story for everyone.”

via Virgin Comics