It has been an eventful year for the Dark Specter team.  After racking up multiple awards including eight Best Short Film wins, six wins for Best Actor, one win for Best Director, and more than a dozen other awards, Dark Specter 2 was given the honor of being screened on one of the world’s most coveted gatherings—Comic Con. 

Dark Specter 2 is the story of an unlikely supervillain, the Dark Specter.  With his mind and heart set on global domination, he finds himself caught between two worlds caring for his ailing mother while still trying to pursue his dreams. 

Celebrating its 50^th year, this year’s Comic Con saw more than 135,000 comic and screenplay enthusiasts  walk through the San Diego Convention Center.   Dark Specter 2 was shown on Saturday, July 20^th.  In addition to the screening, the Dark Specter team also held a discussion panel following the viewing.

The viewing was well attended and included a number of journalists, actors, entertainers, and film lovers. The attendees seemed to resonate with the unique storyline as they asked multiple questions during the panel about the characters, where they’ve been, where they’re going, and what a full series of the show would look like. 

In an interview with IdeateTV just outside the screening room, actor and creator of Dark Specter 2, Bruce Nachsin, said, “I love superheroes, but I wanted to know what it’s like from the other side.  Most comic villains are just a 2D cutout without any depth.  But how does a villain really feel about things?  I wondered what it would be like to have a ton of power, to be really strong, and potentially be able to take over the world, but be held back—like most people in their lives—by family obligations or work.  What if you were this powerful being who couldn’t fulfill his potential because he has to take care of his family?  He can’t put his family at risk, so he has to hold back what he really wants to do.” 

Bruce goes on to say that the hope for Dark Specter 2 is that it becomes the cornerstone for a series pitch.  The Dark Specter 2 team has a bible written, a pilot episode, and in fact an entire season completely mapped out.  They just need to find the right partner and they’re ready to go. 

In May earlier this year, Dark Specter 2 was released publicly on Facebook.  Since then it has steadily amassed over 52K views and positive feedback from fans and media alike.  Indie Shorts Magazine called it “a brilliant take on the superhero genre, subverting the paradigm, well supported by a stellar cast and incredible writing.”  Further plans for Dark Specter 2 will be announced later this year.  In the meantime, the Dark Specter team is relishing in their recent success and hoping for the right circumstances to turn this short into a series. 

You can view Dark Specter 2 on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/thedarkspecter/videos/418735552026551/

For more information on Dark Specter, visit http://www.darkspecter.com/. 

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“The Character of Music” panelists gather for a photo during Comic-Con 2019. Pictured (L to R) are: Co-moderator Chandler Poling (White Bear PR), BMI composer Tyler Bates (John Wick franchise), director Michael Schwandt, video game director Matt Nava (Abzu), Co-moderator Anne Cecere (BMI), two-time BAFTA-winning composer Austin Wintory (Journey), showrunner Aaron Ehasz (The Dragon Prince), and Emmy-winning BMI composer Frederik Wiedmann, on July 19, 2019 in San Diego. Photo Credit: William Kim

BMI and White Bear PR brought together a talented group of composers and directors for the “Character of Music” panel at Comic-Con’s 50th anniversary on Friday, July 19, at the San Diego Convention Center. The all-star line-up included renowned BMI composer Tyler Bates (R.U.N) and the director of Cirque du Soleil’s new live-action thriller, R.U.N., Michael Schwandt; Emmy-winning BMI composer Frederik Wiedmann along with showrunner Aaron Ehasz (The Dragon Prince); and two-time BAFTA-winning composer Austin Wintory (Abzu) with video game director Matt Nava (Abzu). This year’s panel was a full house and amongst the most popular seats at Comic-Con. Attendees who secured a spot to see the panel included a mixture of emerging composers, directors and music fans.   BMI’s Anne Cecere and White Bear PR’s Chandler Poling co-moderated the ninth edition of “The Character of Music.” The panelists touched on several key elements that go into producing a successful score for movies, live shows and video games, along with the key ingredients of a productive and creative relationship between composers and directors. Wiedmann elaborated on the early stages of harmonic development for the characters on The Dragon Prince, and Ehasz emphasized on the importance of finding a composer who can be brilliant and fast when scoring for television. Bates and Schwandt expanded on music’s vital role in the live-action thriller R.U.N. written by Robert Rodriguez. Wintory and Nava discussed the benefits of developing a short cut piece in the initial stages of game scoring to align visions. The panelists also answered questions from the audience, and participants received limited-edition swag from the composers.

Left: (L to R) BMI composer Tyler Bates, showrunner Aaron Ehasz, Emmy-winning BMI composer Frederik Wiedmann, and video game director Matt Nava, answer questions during their panel “The Character of Music” at Comic-Con on July 19, 2019 in San Diego. Photo Credit: William Kim  Right: (L-R) Matt Nava, BMI’s Anne Cecere, and Austin Wintory pause for a photo during Comic-Con, on July 19, 2019 in San Diego. Photo Credit: William Kim

Left: “The Character of Music” panelists Michael Schwandt and BMI composer Tyler Bates pose for a photo during Comic-Con on July 19, 2019 in San Diego. Photo Credit: William Kim Middle: (L-R) Director Michael Schwandt, BMI composer Tyler Bates, showrunner Aaron Ehasz, Emmy-winning BMI composer Frederik Wiedmann, video game director Matt Nava, and composer Austin Wintory, during “The Character of Music” panel at Comic-Con on July 19, 2019 in San Diego. Photo Credit: William Kim Right: (L-R) Showrunner Aaron Ehasz, White Bear PR’s Chandler Poling, and Emmy-winning BMI composer Frederik Wiedmann pose for a photo before their panel “The Character of Music” at Comic-Con on July 19, 2019 in San Diego. Photo Credit: William Kim

Left: (L-R) Moderating are White Bear PR’s Chandler Poling and BMI’s Anne Cecere, and panelists Michael Schwandt and Tyler Bates. Our panelists discussed their creative process during the “The Character of Music” panel at Comic-Con, on July 19 in San Diego. Photo Credit: William Kim Right: (L-R) Photographed during Comic-Con 2019 are director Michael Schwandt, BMI’s Anne Cecere, and BMI composer Tyler Bates on July 19, 2019 in San Diego. Photo Credit: William Kim

About BMI Celebrating over 78 years of service to songwriters, composers, music publishers and businesses, Broadcast Music, Inc.® (BMI®) is a global leader in music rights management, serving as an advocate for the value of music. BMI represents the public performance rights in 14 million musical works created and owned by more than 900,000 songwriters, composers, and music publishers. The Company negotiates music license agreements and distributes the fees it generates as royalties to its affiliated writers and publishers when their songs are performed in public. In 1939, BMI created a groundbreaking open-door policy becoming the only performing rights organization to welcome and represent the creators of blues, jazz, country, and American roots music. Today, the musical compositions in BMI’s repertoire, from chart toppers to perennial favorites, span all genres of music and are consistently among the most-performed hits of the year. For additional information and the latest BMI news, visit bmi.com, follow us on Twitter @BMI or stay connected through Broadcast Music, Inc.‘s Facebook page. Sign up for BMI’s The Weekly™ and receive our e-newsletter every week to stay up to date on all things music.

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The Russo brothers (producers) just unveiled the new trailer for STXfilms’ 21 BRIDGES during their Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con. See below!

Studio: STXfilms Genre: Suspense Thriller Cast: Chadwick Boseman, Sienna Miller, Stephan James, Keith David with Taylor Kitsch and J.K. Simmons Director: Brian Kirk Producers: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo, Mike Larocca, Gigi Pritzker, Chadwick Boseman, Logan Coles Release: September 27, 2019  21 BRIDGES follows an embattled NYPD detective (Chadwick Boseman), who is thrust into a citywide manhunt for a pair of cop killers after uncovering a massive and unexpected conspiracy. As the night unfolds, lines become blurred on who he is pursuing, and who is in pursuit of him. When the search intensifies, extreme measures are taken to prevent the killers from escaping Manhattan as the authorities close all 21 BRIDGES to prevent any entry or exit from the iconic island.

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Announced today at Harmony Golds Robotech panel at SDCC 2019, Titan Comics is thrilled to reveal Robotech Remix #1 - a radical reimagining of the Sci Fi mecha anime classic. A new Robotech saga starts now! Robotech is reborn from the ashes of Event Horizon! New writer Brenden Fletcher (Motorcrush, Isola) and artist Elmer Damaso(Robotech/Voltron, Marvel Mangaverse) boot up Robotech: Remix, an all-new series that will take beloved characters and iconic mecha to places fans have never seen before First airing in the USA in 1985, Robotech was the gateway to anime for many fans – capturing their imagination with its epic generational storyline involving war, romance, and, of course, the transforming Veritech fighters that defend the Earth against extra-terrestrial attacks. Produced by Harmony Gold USA, the original 85-episode series delved into humanity’s struggle against a series of alien invasions, from the gigantic Zentraedi to the mysterious Invid, battling for control of advanced alien technology that crash-landed on Earth. Robotech Remix #1 hits stores on October 9, 2019 and will be available to pre-order from August Previews. See below for a sneak peek at interior art and covers from issue #1. These assets are available to run on your outlet immediately.

Check out preview art from issue 1 by new interior artist, anime ace ELMER DAMASO

ROBOTECH REMIX #1 (ONGOING) Writer: Brenden Fletcher Artist: Elmer Damaso FC, 32pp, $3.99 On Sale October 9, 2019 Robotech is reborn from the ashes of Event Horizon! New writer Brenden Fletcher (Motorcrush, Isola) and artist Elmer Damaso (Robotech/Voltron, Marvel Mangaverse) boot up Robotech: Remix, an all-new series that will take beloved characters and iconic mecha to places fans have never seen before. Cover Artists: Cover A: Karl Kerschl Cover B: Elmer Damaso Cover C: Rico Renzi Cover D: Action Figure Cover E: Jon Lam

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Amazon's "The Boys" has been picking up tremendous steam in the lead-up to its premiere. With a giant promotional visit to San Diego Comic Con, news also broke that the show had already been renewed for a second season. In a market some would describe as over-saturated with superhero content, what's most refreshingly subversive about "The Boys" is that it takes a deconstructed approach to telling stories about superheroes.

Show-runner Eric Kripke is positive in his sentiments towards Amazon's support of the show. "They were the perfect choice because they bought the pitch. They have [given] an incredible amount of creative freedom, the streaming format allows you to really open up the world and explore the characters and get as outrageous as the show wants and needs to be. They have the budgets, it has to have the quality of the superhero stuff that's happening in the movies. It cannot eel like a parody. They have the resources to give us that and they've been amazing in giving us the chance to make this show."

The cast is full of familiar faces from fans of film and television media. Karl Urban is no stranger to major franchises, and other stars include Antony Starr ("Banshee"), Simon Pegg is guest-starring as Hughie's father (a fact made all the more amusing due to the fact that Hughie in the comics was a character based on Pegg himself), Chace Crawford ("Gossip Girl"), and Karen Fukuhara ("Suicide Squad"). It's especially important for Fukuhara to be taking on this role, as Japanese talents are very rarely included on big projects like these, and Fukuhara has previously shared on the show's press tour that her character "the Female" was gifted a name. This was a much needed update to the source material.

Fukuhara's previous forray into action was in the Academy-Award winning, hit blockbuster "Suicide Squad". The Female will be something entirely new for Fukuhara to play. "The main thing is that I'm not wielding a sword, but I had a conversation with Eric at the beginning of shooting last year. He wanted something more animalistic, something that's not refined. Katana was more martial arts and very deliberate action. I love playing the Female because you just never know what's going to come because the way she fights is out of the ordinary."

Jack Quaid was elated upon learning that Simon Pegg would be playing his father. "Simon's my hero. I absolutely love all of his work and when I first read the script, I didn't realise immediately that it was based on a comic book. I just thought somebody took the world that we live in today and put superheroes in it. After I got the role, I devoured all the comics and I realised, 'Okay, that guy looks familiar.' It's not necessarily like he's played the role but I did feel like I was stepping into some pretty big shoes. But just the fact that I got to work with him as my dad, that was a dream come true. He's the greatest."

Despite his many appearances in big franchises, Karl Urban is moved by the experience of working on this show. "I've just had such a fantastic time working on the show with this incredibly talented cast. I love working in the world of The Boys. What appealed to me about this show was these blue-collar young men and women who decide to take on The Man, the most super powerful. I was very intrigued as to how you sustain that conflict when you have people of supreme power. How do you take them down? For me personally, it seems like every time I turn on the television these days, I get to see it in current events. I think our show is quite timely and I can't wait for it to get out there."

"The Boys" will premiere on Amazon Prime on July 26.

Watch the press conference for "The Boys" from SDCC here:

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Bear McCreary has been amassing a decent fan-following over the years from his work as a composer for major films and television series in Hollywood. With his recent job of scoring the blockbuster "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" being a popular topic of discussion in his audience, McCreary is bombarded with questions about creating it in his press session at San Diego Comic Con. From one reporter after another on his press line, he repeatedly speaks about the Buddhist choir used when creating the uniquely powerful vocals heard on certain tracks. By the time it's my turn I opt to take a different approach.

Though many film fans have a general understanding of the importance of a great score in filmmaking, not as many are aware of the role that technology has played in the evolution of composing and recording music. The most old-fashioned idea of a score is to have a giant orchestra full of live musicians all coming together to record a composer's work. However, the process of composing music has shifted significantly due to the development of music-composing software and advances made in the other equipment used in the recording process. McCreary acknowledges the impact of these technological changes in the film/TV-scoring industry and how significant they are to the timing for his success.

"The technology has been changing rapidly over the course of my entire career. The sort of extinction level event happened shortly before my career, where the technology changed so rapidly that many composers that couldn't keep up were just forced into retirement and an entire new generation sprung up. It really was like, the dinosaurs went extinct. A few of them survived and I was like one of the little mammals like, 'Oh my gosh!' Digital technology really moved to the forefront in the late nineties and I started writing music even as a child on a computer. I really did have an advantage. If you think about it, it's an advantage compared to people older than me but compared to people younger than me it's a given. If I met a composer younger than me and I was like, 'I write by pencil and paper and candlelight,' they'd be like, 'Dude, who are you?' It's interesting because it did put me generationally at a really interesting place and I credit my success because I was born exactly when I was. I grew up worshipping the guys that wrote by pencil and paper, Elmer Bernstein, Jerry Goldsmith, John Williams. I really wasn't into rock bands. I wasn't into electronic music at all when I was a kid. I had a steady diet of orchestral music, but I played in rock bands."

When McCreary moves to sit down with the remaining reporters still present for his press session, I follow-up by asking about the 'nuts and bolts' of his work. Considering how massive an undertaking making a film or even an episode of television is, a number of edits and revisions can take place that change the length of a scene and I have yet to hear a composer explain about arranging the alignment of their music with the key moments of a scene.

"I'm gonna try not to get too 'nuts and bolts' but what you are describing is the fundamental technical challenge of scoring any film, even a small indie, it's the same problem. The best form of the film to score is the last, when it's done. Usually you have like a day, so it's not even a question that you can wait. The mix is basically over. The more time you have, the more you can experiment, but the version of the film isn't even sometimes closely related to the one that's final. Somewhere in-between, the oatmeal is just the right temperature for Goldilocks that the film is close enough that I should start and I will make what are called 'conforms.' You conform a scene that you've done to the new version of picture. You end up creating this sort of routine where, I usually work sixteen, seventeen, eighteen hours a day. I divide my day in half. We eventually get to the point where I'm writing some new scenes and then we get new picture and I have to conform the cues that I've done. In some cases this is where you have a team that can help you with this. It's like, 'Guys, I need you to conform this, make those edits while I'm doing the new picture.' It can be maddening. At the end of the day, you've pieced this stuff together. You have to be very fast, you have to work swiftly."

In having the opportunity to interview a successful Hollywood film composer like McCreary, I'm curious to learn about how the sounds used in film scoring differ from what people hear on the radio. My previous experience with interviewing composers is entirely comprised of successful people who write for more contemporary artists signed to major record labels. The process can differ greatly since those songs are much shorter in length than what one might find in a composition for an extended sequence in a film, and composing songs aiming for radio play can often be a process that relies heavily on the use of samples.

"Overall, I do have a more organic approach. I definitely use samples. They're a useful tool. But the short answer is, if you hear something that sounds like a real instrument in my music, it is a real instrument. In an electronic style of scores, if there [is an] electronic style of elements, I use every tool that's at my disposal. But I sort of loathe the notion of using shortcuts to trick people into thinking that they're hearing something that they're not cause it never works for me. I will always know that those are fake strings or something like that. I think audiences, just like they are with cheap CGI, they don't know why but they're like, 'Eh, that looks like a movie from twelve years ago,' and they just lose a little realism if they think that. I feel the same way about music, for sure."

For even more from Bear McCreary, watch the full interview from SDCC here:

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When the Travel Channel announced a reboot of the popular "Ripley's Believe It or Not!" series many were surprised to learn that Bruce Campbell would be the host of the show. Though undoubtedly charismatic and familiar with working in front of a camera, Campbell is better now for acting in scripted stories as opposed to reality television. The opportunity to be a host speaking directly to a camera poses an opportunity, however, to return to his roots.

"My approach was Detroit, 1982. Seems like a weird answer, doesn't it? That's where I learned to work with tele-prompters and do infomercials. I got my Screen Actor's Guild card doing an infomercial for Chrysler to teach car sale's men how to sell the interiors of cars to people. No one will ever see it. You'll never see it. It got me trained for doing informational stuff in front of a camera. Normally acting is you ignore the camera. With this, you have to focus in on it because it's the audience. I'm coming back to where I started."

Campbell is naturally comedic in many of the roles he's best known for, and perhaps even more so when doing things like promotional media for his projects. He is more than prepared to tone this part of himself down when handling the sometimes sensitive nature of the show's more unusual subjects.

"My feeling is any actor needs to adapt to the material. It's the same with directors. A director shouldn't adapt the material to his or her style. It's the same with an actor. There's jokey material that I like doing but if you're talking about a guy who has a disability or whatever, you have to tame the snarkiness factor. You have to be respectful. We're celebrating these people. We're not looking at it like we're holding our nose. We're fascinated and amazed and impressed. That's our approach."

Regardless of whether or not the guests on the show have already shown their extraordinary features online before, Campbell elaborates that the show will do more to get to know the people in question.

"We found people who have already been found but we get to know them. These other stories, you've seen the footage but you haven't met them. That's the difference. We're getting into their lives, getting to know them, and therefore you can celebrate their success more because you know their story, what they struggled with, how they overcame it, especially if they have a disability. A lot of these people, something horrible happened or they were born a certain way and the fact that they overcome it is impressive as hell."

Watch the full press conference with Bruce Campbell here:

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Amazon's "Carnival Row" is fully embracing the 'Fear of the Other' theme that has become increasingly prevalent in works of fiction over the last few years. With the world's sociopolitical climate growing more tumultuous it's no surprise that content creators are drawing inspiration from these issues when developing stories and character for audience to empathise with. The world of "Carnival Row" uses a fantastical premise of fairy-like creatures which symbolize the Other that this society's most privileged are prone to discriminating against. When the show visited San Diego Comic Con, Amazon included it in its roster of experiences and won many over with its effective immersion and efficiency in introducing these themes to those who went through this experience.

Series lead Orlando Bloom portrays a human, Rycroft Philostrate, and found the show's material to be rich and easy to connect to. "First of all, the great gift and opportunity of stepping into this show was because it was so timely and it did feel like it spoke to a lot of the issues and with relevance to what's happening in the world today. Alongside that, because we're in this fantastical world in this remarkable brain child of Travis Beacham, we're able to examine with real humanity some of the really tragic and desperate situations that are happening in the world but with an objective and an empathetic view because we're looking at the fae folk, as we call them. It enables us to step outside of ourselves and look at this situation and think around it. It was so beautifully handled by both Travis and Mark in the writing that it was a gift for all of us. Of course, I think as actors, we feel a certain sense of responsibility to deliver on that. That's really down to the show-runners and in the writing and that was the very good fortune that we had with them."

With established names like Orlando Bloom and Cara Delevingne leading the show, it begs the question of whether more diverse faces will be included in the conversation. Actor David Gyasi, who portrays Agreus, chimes in on this discussion of the show's relevance to the world we all live in.

"I have two kids and I'm of African origin. They're showing signs of wanting to get into this business. There's the African side of me that's like, 'Well you have the option of being a lawyer, doctor, or an engineer.' Then there's the other side of me that I think... when you want to get into this business the best advice that I give people is, go out and talk to people and listen. That helps you to get a perspective on life and how humans work and so, as an actor, when you get an opportunity and a script that feels like it's speaking about our world that we recognise, it's a real gift and like Orlando says, an honour. That's how we approached it."

Producer Travis Beacham adds his perspective as a writer on the show. "It's important. I think the thing that art has a chance to do is get people to look at issues and discuss those issues. I don't know if it necessarily needs to be more than that. That alone is a very substantial lift. I think a lot of our problems that we have as a society stem from the fact that we don't talk about things anymore. It's considered rude to discuss politics. As a result, we all have placed ourselves in these bubbles. The nice thing about art is it can maybe, hopefully, jump-start some of those conversations. If you have those conversations, it's ultimately healthy for our society."

"Carnival Row" will premiere on August 30 on Amazon Prime.

Listen to the full press conference or "Carnival Row" from SDCC here:

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The highly anticipated new series will launch in November 2019

Image Comics is pleased to announce that New York Times bestselling writers Scott Snyder (Wytches, AD: After Death) and Charles Soule (Curse Words, The Oracle Year, the forthcoming novel Anyone) will team up with artist Giuseppe Camuncoli (The Amazing Spider-Man, Darth Vader, Hellblazer) for a new comic book series titled Undiscovered Country. The full color, ongoing science fiction/adventure will explore the eerie ripple effects of isolation and is set to launch from Image Comics this November 2019. The co-writers, Snyder and Soule, took to the stage this afternoon at the Diamond Comic Distributors Retailer Luncheon to tell top tier comic shop retailers about the highly anticipated new project and shared an exclusive San Diego Comic-Con black and white ashcan edition of the Undiscovered Country #1 issue. “As soon as Charles and I came up with this idea I knew it was special—one of those ideas that turns into big, wild, world-building story. And this series is just that: a twist-filled trek across a landscape that's alien, mysterious, and full of adventure,” said Snyder. “It's like Land of the Lost meets Lewis and Clark, with a team of characters we've already come to love as family. Speaking of teams, I'm honored and thrilled to be working with this group of creative folks. Cammo not only brings the world of Undiscovered Country to life but elevates every element—whether we're talking the giant terrestrial fish monsters of the coast or lurking techno-zombies of the northwest... Bottom line, Undiscovered Country is a blast to work on and we're convinced it'll be a blast to read. Can't wait for you guys to see it in full!" Soule added: “I can’t believe this is my job. Working with Scott, Cammo and the rest of the team—all stars every one—is a dream on a creative level. We’ve got ourselves a hell of a high concept here, and fleshing it out together—filling our sealed-off US with beautiful, insane adventures—has been one of the great thrills of my career. It’s been wonderful to make Undiscovered Country with my friends, and I think it’ll be just as fun to read.” In Undiscovered Country, readers will journey into an unknown region that was once the United States of America—a land that’s become shrouded in mystery and literally walled-off from the rest of the world for decades. A small expedition enters the former US in search of a cure to a humanity-ending pandemic. They travel inward and learn the secrets of what America has become; each member seeking their own form of truth in the undiscovered country. Camuncoli said: "When two of your favorite writers, whom you've previously and brilliantly already worked with, ask you to team up for a new book, you get what I call a 'no brainer'. It took me a second to say yes, I didn't even really need to know what the story was about because I already knew it couldn't have been less than stellar. And of course it is stellar, and then some. “From the concept to the cast, to the world-building—everything in this book is terrific, and so is the team we have assembled to make it happen. So, enter my Darth Vader partner in crime Daniele Orlandini, the maestro of nuances Matt Wilson and the super letterer Crank! and then you end up feeling like playing in a superband, like Temple Of The Dog, or Them Crooked Vultures. These guys really make me feel like it's easy to tell a story that is larger than life, and if it's like that it's also because, guiding us all from above, editor supreme Will Dennis never misses! Will hired me for my first Hellblazer story, back in 2001, and it feels fantastic to have him on my side again after all these years. “So, long story short, we're all giving Undiscovered Country our all, and we hope it'll show. Please check it out and let us know how you like it, because we sure as hell do, and there's nothing better than doing the comics that you like!”

ABOUT IMAGE COMICS Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of bestselling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has six individuals on the Board of Directors: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri, Jim Valentino, and Eric Stephenson. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline Comics, Skybound Entertainment, and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.

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Christian Comic Arts Society to Deliver the Best In Talent, Themes & Topical Discussions of Faith at the Largest Comic Book & Pop-Culture Convention in the World

San Diego, CA – The largest pop-culture entertainment event in the world, COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO 2019 kicks off this week with an attendance of more than 125,000 per day with hundreds of thousands more attending related events in downtown San Diego.    The CHRISTIAN COMIC ARTS SOCIETY along with ROOTED CHRONICLES is honored to partner with Comic-Con International to deliver top talent, projects, and compelling events open to all Comic-Con attendees.     The Christian Comic Arts Society and Rooted Chronicles will be hosting three events as part of the official Comic-Con programming and will exhibit throughout the convention in the Small Press area #P-08.    Comic-Con events include:   Christian Comic Arts Society Mixer Friday July 19, 2019 8:30pm - 10:00pm, Room 26AB   This is the 12th annual mixer of the CCAS where Christian professionals in the comic book entertainment and education fields discuss their faith and interact with the attendees. There will be time for people to network and the always-popular geek quiz where prizes will be given. Panelists will include Joe Queen (Geeky Guys and Gals 4 God), Hector Miray (Faith & Fandom), Scott A. Shuford (FrontGate Media), Eric Jansen (Foursquare Missions Press), Mario DeMatteo (Bear Truth Collective), and Luis Serrano (Rooted Chronicles/Samson The Nazirite).   Spiritual Themes in Comics Saturday July 20, 2019 7:00pm - 8:00pm, Room 4   Spiritual Themes in Comics continues the always-lively discussion of spiritual themes in comics, television, and movies. This panel delves into how spirituality influences the entertainment industry and in turn impacts the culture's perception of spiritual influences. This is the 23rd year of the Spiritual Themes in Comics panel and panelists include Scott Mercano (Diablo Publishing), Travis Hanson (Beanleaf Press), B. Dave Walters (Vampire the Masquerade), Buzz Dixon (G.I. Joe), Hector Miray (Faith and Fandom), Goldie Chan (Forbes), and Kyle Keene (Moderator).   Christian Comic Arts Society Sunday July 21, 2019 10:00am - 11:00am, Room 28DE   In its 22nd year, the Open Meeting of the CCAS is where Christian professionals in the entertainment and education fields discuss their faith and how it influences them in their professions, their decisions, and the creative process. Panelists will include Sergio Cariello (Action Bible), Carmi Greene (actress/talent agent), Hector Miray (Faith and Fandom), Luis Serrano (Rooted Chronicles/Samson The Nazirite), Joe Queen (Geeky Guys and Gals 4 God), Mario DeMatteo (Bear Truth Collective), and Kyle Keene (Moderator).   Also, as in years past, CCAS will be featuring book signings and giveaways throughout the weekend at their booth, #P-08.     For more information on the Comic-Con International: San Diego, go to http://www.comic-con.org.   ABOUT ROOTED CHRONICLESFounded by award-winning writer Luis Serrano, Rooted Chronicles, creates, publishes and promotes stories sown and seeded in Scripture. We have passion, love, and reverence for the Scriptures, so we strive to stay true, grounded, and rooted to the Biblical accounts we are retelling through Bible-based comics and graphic novels. Serrano was awarded the top honor in writing in the Gideon Media Arts Conference - Comics Writer and Artist Contest.  Sixty-five percent of the population learns visually, and ultimately, we hope that our stories inspire readers to read and reread Scripture. See more about their premiere title “Samson the Nazirite” and also get your free download of “Gideon: The Hand of Midian” at www.RootedChronicles.com.   ABOUT CHRISTIAN COMIC ARTS SOCIETY  Christian Comic Arts Society (CCAS) was formed in 1984 to locate and link Christians interested or active in the comic book/graphic novel medium. CCAS sponsors comic industry activities at various comic conventions across the country, and Alpha Omega, the APA of Christian comics.  The goal and purpose of CCAS is to support Christian professionals, hopefuls and enthusiasts within the Comic Book and related industries by providing opportunities for: 1. The sharing of the Christian message and our Christian faith, primarily within and through the comic book industry and art form. 2. Mentoring, training, friendship and networking. 3. The collaboration on and creation of visual storytelling. The CCAS is governed by a volunteer board which includes Ralph Miley (New Creation,) Luis Serrano(Rooted Chronicles/Samson The Nazirite,) Scott A. Shuford (FrontGate Media,) Clint D. Johnson (FaithWalker,) Christina Todd (Illustrator of Cute & Fuzzy,) Geoff Strout (Designer for Disney's The Beast "Couture de Force" line for Enesco / Contributing Artist to Silver Wolf,) Colleen Bennett (Producer & Director,) and Bryan Mero (Spirit Knight) along with numerous volunteers from the comic industry and the Church. For more information on the Christian Comic Arts Society, go to www.ChristianComicArts.com, Facebook.com/ChristianComicArts, or Twitter.com/ChristianComics.

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Famous Monsters' "Making a World of Monsters" panel went down on Friday afternoon. Here are the highlights for those of you that couldn't make it!

FACE OFF's Walter Welsh was on hand to discuss the makeup demos he'll be doing all weekend at the famous monters booth: Thanos from AVENGERS: ENDGAME and a brand new HELLBOY sculpt!

Famous Monsters October Annual Cover Art FM #291 is coming, and we revealed this year's covers! Cover A: CURSE OF THE DEMON by Sanjulian   Cover B: PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1945) by Sanjulian

Famous Monsters. X-Plus. Godzilla. It's true, monster kids: Famous Monsters is set to become the official American distributor of X-Plus figures!   X-Plus's Gigantic Series Godzilla 2019 was showcased at the panel. Set to be released in November of 2019, the Gigantic Series Godzilla is a full 38 (!) inches long, finely detailed, and made of soft vinyl. Preorders will be available shortly. Go here to get more details on FM's exclusive X-Plus display at the con!

Ack-Ives to Continue   Published twice annually on your favorite classic horror themes, the Famous Monsters Ack-Ives contain curated FM coverage from our 60 year magazine history! Volume 2: The House of Hammer debuted at Comic-Con with two brand new covers by Sanjulian. Volume 1: Godzilla is almost completely sold out. Go here to get copies of the Ack-Ives! Cullen Bunn gets on board with AGP American Gothic Press, FM's comic book publishing division, made the exciting announcement that renowned writer Cullen Bunn has signed on to write an AGP series! Writer of countless Marvel and DC series as well as creator of titles like HARROW COUNTY and THE SIXTH GUN, Bunn is a longtime fan of Famous Monsters and shared his memories of the magazine at the panel. News on his AGP series will be coming soon...

Issue 1 available at comic shops and online on July 24!

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