VIZ Media offering manga samplers in support of Free Comic Book Day

ONE-PUNCH MAN © 2012 by ONE, Yusuke Murata/SHUEISHA Inc.

VIZ MEDIA SUPPORTS 2016 FREE COMIC BOOK DAY WITH

MANGA SAMPLERS SHOWCASING EXCITING NEW TITLES

Visit And Support Local Comics Retailers On May 7th To Receive

Two FREE Samplers Featuring POKÉMON POCKET COMICS,

ONE-PUNCH MAN And MY HERO ACADEMIA!

VIZ Media has announced its continued support and sponsorship for FREE COMIC BOOK DAY with a pair of special FREE manga (graphic novel) samplers that will include excerpts from VIZ Media’s newest POKÉMON POCKET COMICS: LEGENDARY POKÉMON release as well as a Shonen Jump sampler containing action-packed excerpts from ONE-PUNCH MAN and MY HERO ACADEMIA.

Scheduled for Saturday, May 7th at thousands of locations nationwide, Free Comic Book Day is an annual promotional campaign developed by the North American comic book industry to help bring new readers of all ages and interests into independent comic book stores. Free Comic Book Day began in 2002 and is coordinated by the industry's single largest distributor, Diamond Comic Distributors. Readers should visit freecomicbookday.com to find local participating retailers in their area.

VIZ Media participates this year as a Gold Level Sponsor and offers the following two FREE exclusive releases (available while supplies last).

©2015 Pokémon.

©1995-2015 Nintendo/Creatures Inc./GAME FREAK inc. TM, ®, and character names are trademarks of Nintendo.

BAKUSHO 4KOMA DENSETSU NO POKEMON O SAGASE!! © 2013 Santa HARUKAZE /SHOGAKUKAN

POKÉMON POCKET COMICS FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2016 SAMPLER
A sample of the newest addition to VIZ Media’s expansive POKÉMON library, presenting fun quizzes and Pokémon statistics accompanied by four-panel gag comic strips. To the forest! To the sea! To Legendary Island! Join our Pokémon pals on a quest through the Unova region for the Legendary Joke—while testing your Pokémon knowledge and laughing all the way! MSRP: $9.99 US / $12.99 CAN

SHONEN JUMP FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2016 SAMPLER
Check out the superhero action of two smash hit titles from VIZ Media’s Shonen Jump imprint—ONE-PUNCH MAN and MY HERO ACADEMIA.

Action fans can sample an excerpt from the smash hit series about an unlikely superhero in ONE-PUNCH MAN. Nothing about Saitama passes the eyeball test when it comes to superheroes, from his lifeless expression to his bald head to his unimpressive physique. However, this average-looking guy has a not-so-average problem—he just can’t seem to find an opponent strong enough to take on! Volume 6 of the series will be released on May 3rd! MSRP: $9.99 US / $12.99 CAN

In MY HERO ACADEMIA, imagine what the world would be like if 80 percent of the population manifested superpowers called “Quirks”? Heroes and villains would be battling it out everywhere! Being a hero would mean learning to use your power, but where would you go to study? The Hero Academy, of course! But what would you do if you were one of the 20 percent who were born Quirkless? Catch the debut of Volume 4 on May 3rd! MSRP: $9.99 US / $12.99 CAN

For more information on these and other manga titles published by VIZ Media, visit www.viz.com.

1st Annual Atlantic City Boardwalk Con set for May 14-17, 2015

FIRST ANNUAL ATLANTIC CITY BOARDWALK CON (ACBC)

MERGES COMICS, COSPLAY & “ALL THINGS GEEK”

IN ONE DESTINATION EXPERIENCE

ACBC takes place May 14-17, 2015, in Atlantic City, New Jersey

The first annual Atlantic City Boardwalk Con (ACBC) will bring together the worlds of comics, cosplay and “all things geek” with the quintessential experience for the first time in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The inaugural event will offer unique and never-before-seen workshops and activities for fans of all ages.

ACBC will be held May 14-17, 2015, at the Atlantic City Convention Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The first full-sized convention of its genre in the city, ACBC will “officially” kick-off the 2015 East Coast Spring comic convention season.

Attendees will be able to meet and interact with guests and experts taking part in ATLANTIC CITY BOARDWALK CON, including publishers such as Marvel Entertainment, BOOM! Studios, Aspen Comics, and Top Cow. Celebrity Guests such as Michael Rooker (Guardians of the Galaxy and The Walking Dead) and Manu Bennett (Arrow, Spartacus and The Hobbit), Comic Artists and Writers including Phil Jimenez (Wonder Woman, Fables, X-Men, Wolverine), Humberto Ramos (Amazing Spider-Man) and Frank Tieri (Iron Man and Wolverine). In addition, ACBC has the comic book legend Stan Lee as a Special Guest of Honor, with a special one-on-one on stage interview by New Jersey native, Kevin Smith.

“We’re taking a different approach to the traditional comic conventions that fans are familiar with. From our floor layout to our panels and beyond, we’re creating a different look and feel to the ACBC show,” said Mike D’Alessio, founder of ACBC and CEO of NJ-based marketing agency, Promoguys Marketing Group. “We want to provide attendees and fans with a stand-out convention experience, and we believe that what we’re creating will do that. We want to break down the 4th wall and let the fans really get to know the industry and the players in it. In addition to the line-up, the Atlantic City Convention Center is an amazing space that can accommodate all of the activities and features we want to include in order to make this a truly unique experience.”

ACBC also seeks to add to the revitalization of Atlantic City that has been occurring since Super Storm Sandy hit the region two years ago. With a rebuilt boardwalk, great new attractions, renovated hotels and casinos, Atlantic City is a premier destination for a comic convention.

ACBC will feature a variety of activities and classrooms for attendees, including:

· Workshops and classes taught by industry leaders, including the “Emerging Creator Program” which will provide artists, writers and programmers with one-on-one time with industry professionals
· A “Midnight Masquerade” Parade down the famous Atlantic City Boardwalk
· 50,000 square feet of Cosplay space and seven gigantic screens and backgrounds for FREE Cosplay photo ops.
· Cosplay “War-room” that features costume changing areas, costume repair stations, costume creation stations, body paint stations and more
· The first-annual coronation of “Miss Cosplay USA” with Manu Bennett

“My vision for the ACBC was to provide a truly fan-focused experience that offers attendees a variety of activities that they will want to attend,” continued D’Alessio. “I’ve been working and attending comic conventions for 20+years and I wanted to make ACBC different. Our goal is to not blend in with the other cons, but rather, to stand out and pave our own way.”

Tickets to the convention are available by visiting www.doacbc.com.

ACF 1893: VIZ Media participating in Free Comic Book Day tomorrow

DRAGON BALL © 1984 by BIRD STUDIO/SHUEISHA Inc.

VIZ MEDIA TO PARTICIPATE IN

2013 FREE COMIC BOOK DAY

WITH 2 FREE COMICS SHOWCASING

TOP KIDS AND TEEN SERIES

Readers Encouraged To Support & Visit Local Retailers To Receive

Special Giveaway Comics Featuring UGLYDOLL, HELLO KITTY,

DRAGON BALL And RUROUNI KENSHIN: RESTORATION

VIZ Media delights comic book and manga (graphic novel) fans as it announces its participation in this year’s Free Comic Book Day. Scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday, May 4th, 2013, Free Comic Book Day is an annual promotional campaign in the North American comic book industry to help bring new readers into independent comic book stores nationwide. Free Comic Book Day began in 2002 and is coordinated by the industry's single largest distributor, Diamond Comic Distributors. Readers should visit freecomicbookday.com to find a local participating retailer. VIZ Media will participate this year as a Gold Level Sponsor and will offer two FREE releases (available while supplies last) – a VIZ Kids comic sampler and a VIZ Media manga sampler.

™® and © 2012, Pretty Ugly, LLC. All Rights Reserved

The VIZ Kids Free Comic Book Day sampler (rated ‘A’ for All Ages) includes an excerpt from GOIN’ PLACES!, the first volume of the forthcoming UGLYDOLLS graphic novel series,. Featuring the work of Uglydoll creators Sun-Min Kim and David Horvath, artists Ian McGinty and Phillip Jacobson, and writer Travis Nichols, among others. UGLYDOLL Vol. 1 will debut on July 2nd under the VIZ Kids imprint, with an MSRP of $7.99 U.S. / $9.99 CAN.

VIZ Media’s all-ages Free Comic Book Day sampler will also include a HELLO KITTY short written and illustrated by Jacob Chabot from HELLO KITTY: HERE WE GO!, an excerpt from MAMESHIBA: ENCHANTED, written by James Turner and illustrated by Jorge Monlongo, and an excerpt from the forthcoming POKÉMON POCKET COMICS. HELLO KITTY: HERE WE GO! is scheduled for release in October 2013, MAMESHIBA: ENCHANTED will be available SEPTEMBER 2013 and POKÉMON POCKET COMICS will be released in October 2013.

To promote the all-ages Free Comic, VIZ Media created a fun video featuring Horvath, McGinty, Jacobson, Nichols, Chabot and Monlongo, discussing their love for comics. The video can be viewed at http://youtu.be/Td2fDoxOzqY.

The VIZ Media Free Comic Book Day manga sampler is aimed at teen and older readers and will offer excerpts from RUROUNI KENSHIN: RESTORATION and DRAGON BALL. The sampler also includes an exclusive RUROUNI KENSHIN: RESTORATION poster.

RUROUNI KENSHIN © 1994 by Nobuhiro Watsuki/SHUEISHA Inc.

RUROUNI KENSHIN: RESTORATION (rated ‘T’ for Teens) is the new samurai action adventure from creator Nobuhiro Watsuki that debuts on June 4th. During the violent upheaval of Japan’s Bakumatsu era, Hitokiri Battosai was a feared and ruthless assassin. But now that the Meiji Restoration has begun to heal the wounds of civil war, Battosai has taken up a new name... and a new calling! He is now Himura Kenshin, a wandering samurai who has vowed to only draw his sword to protect those in need. But not everyone is pleased with Kenshin's new direction, and enemies from his dark past have vowed to bring him down!

DRAGON BALL is the classic fantasy adventure series created by Akira Toriyama. To celebrate the launch of a new DRAGON BALL 3-in-1 omnibus (rated ‘T’ for Teens) on June 4th, an excerpt in the VIZ Media FREE Comic Book Day manga sampler will showcase the seminal series. DRAGON BALL is a wry update on the Chinese "Monkey King" myth, and introduces readers to Son Goku, a young monkey-tailed boy whose quiet life is turned upside-down when he meets Bulma, a girl determined to collect the seven "Dragon Balls." If she gathers them all, an incredibly powerful dragon will appear and grant her one wish. But the precious orbs are scattered all over the world, and to get them she needs the help of a certain super-strong boy.

More information on other titles available from the VIZ Kids imprint can be found at www.vizkids.com.

More information on other manga titles available from VIZ Media is available at www.viz.com.

ACF 879: Natsume Ono coming to The Toronto Comic Arts Festival in May!!!

not simple © 2006 Natsume ONO/Shogakukan

Toronto Public Library and The Beguiling Present

NATSUME ONO AT TCAF 2011
The Toronto Comic Arts Festival welcomes
the world renowned manga creator to Canada!

The Toronto Comic Arts Festival
At the Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge St.
Saturday May 7th 2011, 9am-5pm
Sunday May 8th 2011, 11am-5pm
FREE ADMISSION!!!

WWW.TORONTOCOMICS.COM

I know its a bit early, but I wanted to put out this exciting news as soon as I could. I'm a big fan of Ms Ono's work, having read the first volumes of Ristorante Paradiso (for my review of it, click here) and House of Five Leaves. I plan to put up a "reminder" post in late April or early May.

The Toronto Comic Arts Festival (TCAF) is excited to announce that internationally renowned manga creator Natsume Ono will make her first-ever North American public appearance as a Featured Guest at TCAF 2011. Hailing from Japan, Ono is one of the most exciting and unique women working in the medium today, and she will appear on panels and sign books in support of her English language works at Toronto Reference Library, May 7 and 8 2011. Ono appears with the support of her English-language publisher VIZ Media.

“Ono’s fantastic work fits squarely into the ‘art comix’ idiom that’s at the core of the Festival,” enthuses Festival Director Christopher Butcher. “It’s the type of work we try to encourage. She’s a true auteur, working in a variety of styles and on different subjects, and her work is sure to find favour with fans of our other Featured Guests including Chris Ware, Jillian Tamaki, Mawil, and Adrian Tomine.”

With a loose, gestural and even melancholic style that is at odds with most fans’ view of contemporary manga, since VIZ Media began publishing Ono’s work in English two years ago she has quickly become a favourite of North American readers. Touching on themes of family bonds, abuse and neglect, and responsibility, her works have a surprising weight, and the types of characters and settings she employs are rarely seen in comics on either side of the Pacific.

“This is an exceptionally rare event,” said Butcher. “It’s the first time Ms. Ono has made a North American appearance, and for someone of her stature and popularity in Japan to choose to visit TCAF? It’s a real coup for us, we’re absolutely thrilled.

Natsume Ono will appear at TCAF on Saturday May 7 and Sunday May 8, for a panel discussion and signing period each day at Toronto Reference Library. Because of Ms. Ono’s popularity and the expected swell of interest in her public appearance, admission to both the panels and signings will require pre-registration. Pre-registration details will be announced in April, 2011.

ABOUT NATSUME ONO:

Short Biography:

Natsume Ono made her professional debut in 2003 with the webcomic La Quinta Camera. Her subsequent works not simple, Ristorante Paradiso, Gente, and House of Five Leaves have continued to draw critical and popular acclaim, and their publication in English and French have opened up a new world of fans for her.

Natsume Ono has published over 20 volumes of manga to date. Her series Ristorante Paradiso and House of Five Leaves have both been adapted into TV anime series that have aired on Hulu.com, Funimation.com, and Crunchroll.com, in North America.

Key Works:

not simple: Ian, a young man with a fractured and abusive family history, travels from Australia to England to America in the hope of realizing his dreams and reuniting with his lost sister. His story unfolds backwards through the framing narrative of Jim, a reporter driven to capture Ian's experiences in what will be his final novel. A heartbreaking tale of the injustices we inflict upon one another. (Graphic novel)
Preview: http://www.sigikki.com/series/notsimple/index.shtml

Ristorante Paradiso: At the age of 21, Nicoletta travels to Rome to find her mother, Olga, who abandoned her long ago. She finds Olga the wife of a restaurateur, and the restaurant Casetta dell'Orso is filled to the brim with attractive, bespectacled waiters (in keeping with Olga’s tastes!). Her mother allows Nicoletta to stay, on the condition that she keeps their familial bond a secret from her new husband, and offers her apprenticeship at the restaurant, a place to live, a shot at love, and a chance to understand why her mother left. (Graphic novel.)

Gente: Welcome to Casetta dell'Orso, a quaint little restaurant in the heart of Rome. The food's delicious, but the handsome staff is the real draw. Follow these dashing men home and witness their romances, heartaches, hopes and dreams in this delightfully whimsical continuation of Natsume Ono's beloved Ristorante Paradiso. (3 volumes.)

House of Five Leaves: Naïve, diffident samurai Akitsu Masanosuke has been cast out of his master’s employ. Hungry and desperate, he agrees to become a bodyguard for Yaichi, the charismatic leader of a group calling itself "Five Leaves." Although disturbed by the gang's sinister activities, Masa begins to suspect that Yaichi's motives are not what they seem… (Ongoing series with 3 volumes published in English.)
Preview: http://sigikki.com/series/houseoffiveleaves/index.shtml

All books published by VIZ Media, http://www.VIZ.com.

ACF 741: GODZILLA comic coming from IDW Publishing early in 2011!!!

Godzilla® Finds New Stomping Grounds at IDW

The King of the Monsters™ returns to comics…
and this time, he’s not alone

The biggest star in motion pictures prepares to wreak havoc once again! IDW Publishing is thrilled to announce a partnership with Toho Co., Ltd. to create all-new GODZILLA comics. Starting in 2011, Godzilla will smash his way back onto the scene with a cast of characters from his films never before seen in comics.

“This new series will be monsters and mayhem, but most importantly, it’s going to be a lot of fun,” said Yukio Kotaki of Toho. “Godzilla has been gone from comics for too long and we feel that IDW is the perfect company to welcome him back in 2011.”

In addition to the King of the Monsters himself, the new comics from IDW Publishing and Toho Co., Ltd. will feature many of Godzilla’s friends and foes, including MOTHRA™, KING GHIDORAH™, RODAN™ and more that have never before been featured in an American comic book series alongside Godzilla. With an impressive cast of monsters both old and new, IDW’s series will treat fans to both familiar themes and original takes on the pop culture legends that have stomped, smashed, and fought their way across movie screens for over five decades.

“Not only is Godzilla known worldwide, he’s loved worldwide, too. Having a film career with more than 25 movies and going on a 56-year span pretty much solidifies you as a legend, and IDW is really looking forward to contributing to that legacy,” said Chris Ryall, Chief Creative Officer and Editor-in Chief for IDW Publishing. “We wanted Godzilla to return to comics, but this time we wanted him to have some company. I think fans will be pleased with the monster guest appearances, which will really offer something for every fan of these films. There are the classic characters, but there are also a few surprises, too.”

Debuting in February 2011, fans can expect to see a number of unique storylines from some of the industry’s top creators.

Visit IDWPublishing.com to learn more about the company and its top-selling books.

ACF 288: Free Manga Sampler From Viz Available For Free Comic Book Day

VIZ MEDIA TO DAZZLE MANGA AND SUPERHERO FANS WITH A SPECIAL SHONEN JUMP MANGA SAMPLER FEATURING ULTIMO FOR
2009 FREE COMIC BOOK DAY

32-Page Sampler Of Best Selling Monthly Manga Anthology Features Groundbreaking Adventure
Created By Stan Lee And Hiroyuki Takei

VIZ Media will participate in the annual 2009 Free Comic Book Day – tomorrow, Saturday, May 2nd – with a special 32-page SHONEN JUMP sampler (rated ‘T’ for Teens) featuring a chapter of Ultimo, one of the newest serialized manga adventures in the best-selling monthly manga anthology. Free Comic Book Day is held annually on the first Saturday in May when thousands of comic book stores, publishers and retailers give away select comic titles for free. The event is designed to reach out to those not yet familiar with comics and manga and also to preview exciting new titles to existing fans.

Ultimo is the historic collaboration between comic book legend Stan Lee, creator of many iconic superheroes, including Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men, and Hiroyuki Takei, the creator of the popular Shaman King manga series. The new series, which is serialized in SHONEN JUMP, represents a unique East-meets-West partnership between a creative titan of the manga genre with the man who is synonymous with superhero comics. Also included in the Sampler is a special look at every single SHONEN JUMP manga series, an Ultimo pinup (of a character that may look familiar to Stan Lee fans), and an insightful interview with both Stan Lee and Hiroyuki Takei.

“We’re very pleased to announce SHONEN JUMP's participation in Free Comic Book Day,” says Grant Lowery, Editor-In-Chief, SHONEN JUMP Magazine. “SHONEN JUMP is the nation’s top selling manga anthology combining chapters from some of the most popular action manga in the world with informative game, entertainment and cultural editorial, creating a unique destination for readers looking to broaden their shonen experience. Our special Sampler for the 2009 Free Comic Book Day will interest both superhero fans and readers of Western comics as well as manga fans and also those brand new to the comic book genre. We invite everyone to visit their local participating comic book shop or retailer on Saturday to pick up this special copy!”

For more information on SHONEN JUMP please visit www.shonenjump.com.

ACF 256: VIZ Media Titles Rule NY Times Manga Best Seller List

VIZ MEDIA SWEEPS ALL TOP 10 SPOTS
ON THE NEWEST NEW YORK TIMES
MANGA BEST SELLER LIST

Here's some impressive news about VIZ Media's manga releases:

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced that its titles dominated the entire Manga category in the most recent listing of the New York Times Graphic Books Best Seller List for the week ending March 7, 2009. The massively popular NARUTO occupied 7 of the Top 10 spots, with other widely read VIZ Media manga titles BLEACH, BLACK CAT and shojo manga THE GENTLEMEN’S ALLIANCE † impressively rounding out the list.

The complete Graphic Books Best Seller List (Manga) follows below:

1. NARUTO, Vol. 40, by Masashi Kishimoto
2. NARUTO, Vol. 41, by Masashi Kishimoto
3. NARUTO, Vol. 38, by Masashi Kishimoto
4. NARUTO, Vol. 39, by Masashi Kishimoto
5. BLEACH, Vol. 26, by Tite Kubo
6. NARUTO, Vol. 37, by Masashi Kishimoto
7. NARUTO, Vol. 35, by Masashi Kishimoto
8. THE GENTLEMEN’S ALLIANCE †, Vol. 9, by Arina Tanemura
9. BLACK CAT, Vol. 19, by Kentaro Yabuki
10. NARUTO, Vol. 36, by Masashi Kishimoto

The list is also viewable on the New York Times web site at:
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/13/graphic-books-best-seller-lists/

“It’s extremely gratifying to see the continued strong performance of BLEACH and NARUTO alongside other unique properties like BLACK CAT and GENTLEMEN’S ALLIANCE † which all have been recognized by the New York Times on its Manga Best Seller List,” says Gonzalo Ferreyra, Vice President, Sales & Product Marketing VIZ Media. “BLACK CAT, BLEACH and NARUTO feature the captivating art, multi-layered character-driven storylines and plenty of edge-of-your-seat action that epitomizes the best attributes of the manga genre. The popularity of THE GENTLEMEN’S ALLIANCE † continues to show the momentum behind the shojo category (comics for girls), which offers romantically tinged titles aimed at a sizeable segment of female readers.”

BLACK CAT (Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens) Train Heartnet, also known as "Black Cat," was an infamous assassin for a secret organization called Chronos...until he abandoned that cold-blooded existence to live on his own terms as an easygoing bounty hunter. But is Train's past as far behind him as he thinks? Find out in this action-packed series created by Kentaro Yabuki.

BLEACH (Rated ‘T’ for Teens)
Creator Tite Kubo’s massively popular supernatural action-adventure manga series centers on Ichigo Kurosaki, a fifteen-year old student with the ability to see ghosts. His fate takes an extraordinary turn when he meets Rukia Kuchiki, a Soul Reaper who shows up at Ichigo's house on the trail of a Hollow, a malevolent lost soul. Drawn to Ichigo's high level of spiritual energy, the Hollow attacks Ichigo and his family, and Rukia steps in to help but is injured and unable to fight. As a last resort, Rukia transfers part of her Soul Reaper powers to Ichigo. Now a full-fledged Soul Reaper, he joins Ruika to face the challenges that lie ahead. More information on BLEACH is available at: http://bleach.viz.com.

THE GENTLEMEN'S ALLIANCE † (Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens)
Renowned manga artist Arina Tanemura created this acclaimed series that exemplifies the shojo manga style with highly stylized artwork and romantic plot twists presented with a swirl of billowing ribbons, romance and heartbreak. In return for a business loan of 50 million yen, the prestigious Kamiya family gave their daughter Haine away to the wealthy Otomiya family. Haine, now an Otomiya, is appointed to the student council of the exclusive Imperial Academy, a private school for the aristocracy. Even though Haine is of proper lineage to be on the council, she finds herself struggling to find her place among the many secrets of its elite members, especially those of the president who holds her heart – Shizumasa Togu, aka "the Emperor." More information on THE GENTLEMEN’S ALLIANCE † is available at: http://www.shojobeat.com/manga/sb_vols.php


NARUTO (Rated ‘T’ for Teens)
NARUTO depicts the adventures of a young boy named Naruto Uzumaki who trains to become a ninja, and through his exciting adventures, the young ninja learn the importance of friendship, teamwork, loyalty, hard work, creativity, ingenuity, and right versus wrong. Created by Masashi Kishimoto, NARUTO was first introduced in Japan in 1999 and quickly became that country’s most popular ninja manga targeting tweens and tees and more than 85 million copies to-date have been printed. The manga series (rated ‘T’ for Teens) has captivated millions of fans across North America, Europe and South America. More information on NARUTO is available at www.naruto.com.

The latest volumes of NARUTO (Shippuden) pick up two years after Naruto left to train with Jiraiya. Now a teenager, he reunites with his old friends to find out everyone is stronger than before – and maybe even stronger than he is!

In response to the strong fan interest in NARUTO Shippuden, VIZ Media has launched an accelerated publishing campaign for upcoming editions of the series, making them available to North American audiences sooner than ever before. Between February and April, eleven new volumes of NARUTO manga will be released, moving the series from Volume 34 to Volume 44 before returning to a quarterly release schedule beginning with Volume 45 (July 2009). First print-run editions of the volumes released in March and April also will include a special promotional bookmark or sticker.

VIZ Media manga titles continue to captivate millions of readers across North America and are regularly featured on a variety of nationally syndicated Graphic Novel and Manga Best Seller lists, some of which include: 9 VIZ Media titles on the Bookscan Top 20 Graphic Novels for 2008 list, assorted VIZ Media titles featured on the USA Today Top 150 Bestseller List on multiple occasions, and more. Retail industry watchdog ICV2 recently included BLACK CAT, BLEACH, NARUTO and GENTLEMEN’S ALLIANCE † among its Top 25 Manga Properties for 2008. NARUTO was also noted as the Number 7 most-searched term in 2008, as reported by the Yahoo! 2008 Year In Review Top 10 Search list.

ACF 225: More NY ComicCon 2009 Images

Here's another batch of three pictures from Saturday at NY ComicCon 2009.

Again, thanks to all for letting me take these pictures and putting them on AsianCineFest.

"The Royal Predator"

Three seriously costumed young ladies

If I could have a nurse like this, I'd be ill every day!

ACF 223: NY ComicCon 2009

Well, I wasn't able to make it to last night's world premiere of Takashi Miike's Yatterman. Bummer! But I heard that it was a fantastic evening for those who were there, so I'm happy for them.

This afternoon I did make it to the convention, and it was quite a scene. Last year I only went for a brief time on Friday afternoon, and though I expected a large crowd on a Saturday afternoon (especially given the first mild, sunny day we've had here in New York for quite awhile), I wasn't prepared for the mass of humanity that crowded almost every aisle. As the pictures below show, there was no shortage of great costumes on view.

Thanks to all of you who agreed to let me take your picture and run it here at AsianCineFest.

MiMi is "Catblue Dynamite"

One of several groups of costumed friends

"Batgirl" @ ComicCon; schoolteacher and playwright at other times