Marvel Television Spotlights BlockBuster Lineup at New York Comic Con

Marvel Television and ReedPOP, producer of New York Comic Con (NYCC), are once again making NYCC the ultimate destination for exclusive Fan experiences with the announcement of an action-packed lineup at the show. As part of the Marvel Television roster, Fans will witness the first cast appearance of the upcoming Netflix Original Series, Marvel’s Jessica Jones and catch the world-premiere of an all-new episode ofMarvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Those in attendance will also get an inside glimpse at what's next for Marvel Animation with an exclusive look at Marvel’s Ultimate Spider-Man: Web-Warriors and new series,Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy.

On Friday, October 9, Marvel Fans will get a taste of the future of Marvel live action and animation with the world premiere of an all-new episode from the action-packed third season of Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,before it debuts on ABC, in a panel moderated by Jeph Loeb, Marvel's Head of Television and series Executive Producer. On the same day, Marvel Animation will present an exclusive first look at new episodes and sneak peeks of its hit animated seriesMarvel’s Ultimate Spider-Man: Web-Warriors, andMarvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy.

On Saturday, October 10, the highly anticipated Marvel Television and Netflix panel will kick off on the Main Stage featuring the cast of the upcoming Netflix original series, Marvel’s Jessica Jones. Also moderated by Marvel’s Head of Television and series Executive Producer, Jeph Loeb, this exclusive panel will give fans a first look at this exciting new Netflix Original Series, which will be available streaming on Friday, Nov. 20. The panel will also look back at some fan-favorite moments with the cast from the critically acclaimed first season of Marvel’s Daredevil.

"With so much of Marvel’s history rooted in New York City, it is only right for us to save our biggest reveals and announcements for New York Comic Con," said Loeb. "Our Fans are in for an awesome experience and will get a glimpse of things that no one on the planet will be able to see anywhere else.”

"New York Comic Con has become the go-to event for Marvel Fans and enthusiasts to get advance looks at some of the most highly anticipated programming," said Lance Fensterman, Global Senior Vice President of ReedPOP. "We are very excited that Marvel has once again chosen NYCC as the place to debut their new content and can’t wait to see the Fans’ excitement as we welcome the cast of Marvel’sJessica Jones for their first group appearance.”

Below are specific details on Marvel Television's New York Comic Con events:

Marvel Animation Presents

Friday, October 9 – 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM

Jeph Loeb (Marvel’s Head of Television) brings you the biggest animation panel in this universe – or any other. Get an exclusive first look at new episodes from Marvel’s Ultimate Spider-Man: Web-Warriors as well as glimpses of exciting new Marvel series and seasons on Disney XD!

Marvel Television Presents: Agents of Primetime

Friday, October 9 – 6:00 PM – 7:15 PM

Jeph Loeb (Marvel’s Head of Television) returns with exciting news about your favorite Marvel agents on ABC! Be the first to see an all-new episode of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. before it airs on ABC and find out what’s ahead for Peggy and Jarvis in the upcoming season of Marvel’s Agent Carter!

The Netflix Original Series Marvel’s Jessica Jones and Marvel’s Daredevil

Saturday, October 10 – 5:00 PM – 6:45 PM

Join the cast of the new Netflix original series, Marvel’s Jessica Jones, in their first-ever appearance, as they answer questions and reveal secrets from the hotly-anticipated show debuting on Netflix later this year and celebrate some of the greatest moments from season 1 of Marvel’s Daredevil.  Moderated by Jeph Loeb (Marvel’s Head of Television), this panel promises to be one you won’t want to miss!

The 28th Tokyo International Film Festival Unveil "THE WORLD OF GUNDAM" Lineup

We are pleased to announce that following on the heels of the acclaimed special program of the last year, “The World of Hideaki Anno”, this year’s Tokyo International Film Festival will continue to feature the revolutionary Japanese anime series, Mobile Suit Gundam as a special program “The World of Gundam”. With this special screening of Gundam, a monumental work of robot animation that ran for 36 years and has been shown in more than 25 countries and region, the secrets of one of Japan’s most successful anime franchises will be unveiled.

Mobile Suit Gundam was first released in 1979. The Japanese animation studio Nippon Sunrise (currently SUNRISE Inc.) and director Yoshiyuki Tomino created an epic tale of a universe in which an era of cosmic battles is expanding and a group of young people joins in the terrific mobile suit robot war.

At the time, there were no other robot animation works in which the artists and creators drew on hard science. This work has amazed TV viewers and industry professionals alike with its dynamic realism. After the first episode, Gundam, the story passed through the hands of a variety of creators to produce a many series that have spanned generations and truly resonated with fans. It is popular in both Japan and abroad, and has greatly influenced many Hollywood directors, including Guillermo del Toro.

What sets Mobile Suite Gundam apart from other robot animation works is that it has produced a number of hits and movements in the animation world through multi-genre collaboration. The total volume of sales of GUNPLA (Gundam Plastic Model) products released since the beginning of the franchise is approximately 445 million units.

The entire Gundam series, starting with the memorable first theatrical-released film, Mobile Suit Gundam, will be shown during this year’s festival all at once. This presents a unique opportunity for audience to take in the full glory of the Gundam universe. In addition, the full CG animation film created by director Yoshiyuki Tomino, Ring of Gundam—produced in 2009 to celebrate the Gundam thirtieth anniversary— will also be presented. Fans both old and new of the Gundam universe can expect a must-see lineup. Related talk events will be announced sequentially on the TIFF website.

The 28th Tokyo International Film Festival will be held from October 22 to 31, 2015 at Roppongi Hills, Shinjuku WALD9, Shinjuku Piccadilly, TOHO CINEMAS SHINJUKU and other venues in Tokyo.

FILMS: 26 films will be screened in the program of “THE WORLD OF GUNDAM”, including TV, theatrical animation and short films. Screening schedules will be announced sequentially on the TIFF website. 

・MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM (1981)

・MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM II SOLDIERS OF SORROW (1981) ・MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM III ENCOUNTERS IN SPACE (1982) ・MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM CHAR'S COUNTERATTACK (1988) ・MOBILE SUIT SD GUNDAM (1988) ・MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM F91 (1991) ・MUSHA KNIGHT COMMANDO: SD GUNDAM SCRAMBLE (1991) ・MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM: THE 08TH MS TEAM MILLER'S REPORT (1998) ・NEW MOBILE REPORT GUNDAM WING ENDLESS WALTZ SPECIAL EDITION (1998) ・TURN A GUNDAM I EARTH LIGHT (2002) ・TURN A GUNDAM II MOON BUTTERFLY (2002) ・GUNDAM EVOLVE../7 XXXG-00W0 WING GUNDAM ZERO (2004) ・MOBILE SUIT Z GUNDAM A NEW TRANSLATION – HEIRS TO THE STARS (2005) ・MOBILE SUIT Z GUNDAM A NEW TRANSLATION – LOVERS (2005)

・MOBILE SUIT Z GUNDAM A NEW TRANSLATION – LOVE IS THE PULSE OF THE STARS (2006) ・RING OF GUNDAM (2009)

・MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM 00 THE MOVIE -A WAKENING OF THE TRAILBLAZER- (2010) ・MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM UNICORN episode1 DAY OF THE UNICORN (2010) ・MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM UNICORN episode 2 THE SECOND COMING OF CHAR (2010) ・MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM UNICORN episode 3 THE GHOST OF LAPLACE (2011) ・MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM UNICORN episode 4 AT THE BOTTOM OF THE GRAVITY WELL (2011) ・MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM UNICORN episode 5 BLACK UNICORN (2012)

・MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM UNICORN episode 6 TWO WORLDS, TWO TOMORROWS (2013) ・MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM UNICORN episode 7 OVER THE RAINBOW (2014) ・GUNDAM RECONGUISTA IN G (2014)

・MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM: THE ORIGIN I BLUE-EYED CASVAL (2015)

28th Tokyo International Film Festival

DATE: October 22 (Thu) – 31 (Sat), 2015 http://tiff-jp.net/en/

Press Release: Marvel will release Official MCU Guide Book

image credit: Marvel
 

At long last, the Marvel Cinematic Universe receives its own guidebook! Beginning this October, go deeper than ever before in the very first GUIDEBOOK TO THE MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE! In the vein of the classic Official Handbook to the Marvel Universe, take a deep dive into the fan-favorite Marvel Studios films and Marvel Television series and see their genesis in the pages of Marvel Comics!

But this isn’t your daddy’s Official Handbook – the new MCU Guidebooks are completely overhauled. Sleeker, slicker and jam-packed with information about the people, places and things across the entirety of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Chock full of “fast facts,” movie-to-comic comparisons and production stills – these comprehensive compilations are essential reading for hardcore Marvel fans!

Kicking off this October with GUIDEBOOK TO THE MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE – MARVEL’S IRON MAN – witness the rise of Tony Stark into the Armored Avenger from a new perspective, with an indispensable volume of information on Marvel Studios’ first blockbuster hit! Then, November brings the GUIDEBOOK TO THE MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE – MARVEL’S INCREDIBLE HULK/MARVEL’S IRON MAN 2. This second issue, in a fantastic flipbook format, shines a spotlight on the Jade Giant’s gamma-fueled feature film along with Iron Man’s second silver-screen outing!

Relive all the big-screen thrills of the Marvel Cinematic Universe this October, and build your library of reference books as the first GUIDEBOOK TO THE MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE comes to comic shops and digital devices everywhere!

GUIDEBOOK TO THE MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE – MARVEL’S IRON MAN
Written by MIKE O’SULLIVAN & THE OHOTMU TEAM
Cover by MIKE DEL MUNDO
On-Sale in October!

GUIDEBOOK TO THE MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE – MARVEL’S INCREDIBLE HULK/MARVEL’S IRON MAN 2
Written by MIKE O’SULLIVAN & THE OHOTMU TEAM
Covers by MIKE DEL MUNDO & PASCAL CAMPION
On-Sale in November!
 

FINAL RANMA 1/2 HOME MEDIA INSTALLMENT

The final home media installment of the celebrated gender-bending martial arts action comedy based on the popular manga series created by Rumiko Takahashi as it announces the release of RANMA ½ Set 7.

VIZ Media has released the entire gender-bending martial arts action comedy in its original Japanese series order across seven Limited Edition Blu-ray and Standard Edition DVD Box Sets. RANMA ½ is rated TV-14 and is based on the popular manga series originally created by Rumiko Takahashi.

The RANMA ½ Limited Edition Blu-ray Box Set 7 carries an MSRP of $54.97 U.S. / $63.99 CAN. The final set of the series contains Episodes 139-161 on 3 discs, presented in full 1080p high-definition resolution with the series’ original, uncropped 4:3 aspect ratio. Subtitled and English dubbed dialogue options are available. The Blu-ray edition also contains a full color art card and a 32-page booklet with individual episode summaries.

Blu-ray bonus features include clean openings and endings as well as series trailers and the concluding installment of “We Love Ranma Part 8 - We Love Rumiko Takahasi.” The set comes in a gorgeously illustrated chipboard box with embossed foil stamping.

The RANMA ½ Standard Edition DVD Set 7 also features the final 23 episodes with the original, uncropped 4:3 aspect ratio, with bonus features that include clean openings and endings and trailers. Subtitled and English dubbed dialogue options are available. The Standard Edition DVD set is available with an MSRP of $44.82 U.S. / $51.99 CAN.

The madcap days of martial arts mayhem comes to a thrilling conclusion in the final set of RANMA ½! Ranma is challenged by Ryoga to fight yet again, but this time he is completely defeated by Ryoga's new technique, the "Lion's-Roar Blast." It is said that the more miserable the user, the stronger the technique becomes - does Ranma have a chance against the tragic Ryoga?! Then, Ranma must master martial arts cheerleading, but in order to win, he is going to have to cheer up Upperclassman Kuno! Finally, Ranma's mother at last comes to the Tendo Dojo, but why is Genma doing everything he can to stop Ranma from meeting her? Akane feels sorry for Ranma, who barely remembers his own mother, and forms a plan to bring them together. 

Aniplex of America Release Persona3 THE MOVIE 3 Falling Down (IMPORT)

Fans of the cult classic JRPG, Shin Megami Tensei: Persona3 can get ready to fire up their Evokers again! Aniplex of America made an announcement today at their industry panel at Nan Desu Kan (Denver, CO) regarding their plans to distribute the import Blu-rays of Shin Megami Tensei: Persona3 THE MOVIE #3 Falling Down starting January 20th of next year. Pre-orders will begin on their official site (AniplexUSA.com/p3m) on Tuesday September 8 In the third film of this movie franchise, the protagonist, Makoto Yuki, and his teammates of the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad (SEES) are nearing their final battle against the vicious Shadows and finally bringing an end to the Dark Hour. As they engage in countless battles, each SEES member must face what it is that they all are fighting for. The Shin Megami Tensei: Persona3 THE MOVIE #3 Falling Down (IMPORT) will be distributed in limited quantities and both the collector’s and standard editions will be sold only while supplies last.

Hatsune Miku Expo Song Contest

Crypton Future Media is excited to announce the “Hatsune Miku Expo Song Contest,” an opportunity for musicians around the world to have their music performed for an international audience! For the first time ever, Crypton is taking submissions for a song to be directly incorporated into Miku’s setlist; not only will the winners receive prizes for their songs, the entry that wins the Grand Prize of the Hatsune Miku Expo Song Contest will be part of a future Hatsune Miku Expo concert.

In conjunction with the song contest, Crypton is releasing the free trial version of Hatsune Miku V3 English. If you have never tried your hand at making a song with Miku’s vocals, now is your chance!

Hatsune Miku’s concerts have consistently sold out immediately upon their announcements in Japan, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore; she has performed in front of an estimated total of 85,000 people during her previous tour. Thanks to her success, she has realized many different collaborations: music festival performances, an Isao Tomita-composed symphony with a full orchestra, a futuristic opera that traveled to Paris, and opening for Lady Gaga’s North American ARTPOP tour. Miku’s Internet buzz peaked in 2014 when she made her American network TV debut with a performance on the Late Show with David Letterman.

For contest rules and details please see the official contest page: http://mikuexpo.com/contest

VIZ MEDIA & Eleven Arts Announce Canadian Theatrical Dates For BORUTO: NARUTO THE MOVIE

VIZ Media announces the expansion of its partnership with Los Angeles-based film distribution company ELEVEN ARTS to premiere BORUTO: NARUTO THE MOVIE in a series of exclusive theatrical engagements. In addition to a big-screen debut in over 80 U.S. cities, Canadian fans also will have a very special opportunity to catch the premiere in 9 major cities, including Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and more beginning on October 10th!

Featuring the son of the world’s most popular ninja, BORUTO: NARUTO THE MOVIE is executive produced by Masashi Kishimoto, the famed creator of the epic bestselling manga series (also published by VIZ Media) on which the film’s characters are based. BORUTO: NARUTO THE MOVIE also features screenplay and character design by Kishimoto, and was directed by Hiroyuki Yamashita, with screenplay cooperation by Ukyou Kodachi; Chief Character Designers and Chief Animation Directors are Tetsuya Nishio and Hirofumi Suzuki.

BORUTO: NARUTO THE MOVIE will be presented with original Japanese dialogue with English subtitles. For additional information and to purchase advance tickets, please visit: www.elevenarts.net.

In BORUTO: NARUTO THE MOVIE, famed ninja, Naruto Uzumaki protects the Hidden Leaf Village as the Seventh Hokage, while Boruto, his troublesome son, resents his father's responsibilities that take his time away from him. Seeing this, Sasuke takes Boruto under his wing, while Sasuke's only daughter, Sarada, dreams of being Hokage one day. 

With Naruto as the Seventh Hokage, the Hidden Leaf Village plans to host the Chunin Exams to train new shinobi from the village and from their allied villages. Among the entrants are Sasuke's daughter, Sarada, Mitsuki, an exceptionally talented yet mysterious shinobi… and Boruto, Naruto's talented but impetuous son. Meanwhile, Sasuke who’s been on a mission in another dimension appears before Naruto to warn of a strange impending danger. Shrouded with an evil aura, Momoshiki and Kinshiki appear and attempt to assassinate Naruto. Petrified, Boruto is shielded by Naruto, only to disappear in front of Boruto's own eyes!

Christopher Lloyd returns as Doc Brown in LEGO Dimensions trailer

Christopher Lloyd is back as Doc Brown from Back to the Future!  One of the most iconic characters in movie history has returned in a trailer for the upcoming LEGO Dimensions video game (available starting September 27).  For the first time ever, the worlds and favorite characters from DC Comics, The Simpsons, The Lord of the Rings, The LEGO Movie, Back to the Future, The Wizard of Oz, Scooby Doo, Jurassic World, Ghostbusters and Doctor Who are coming together to be part of an all new immersive adventure. 

In the trailer, Christopher Lloyd reprises his role as Doc Brown discovering a LEGO version of himself and the game’s portal, which will allow players to integrate special LEGO figures, vehicles and items into the game.

LEGO Dimensions allows players to expand their imaginations beyond traditional gaming to merge physical LEGO brick building with interactive console gameplay (Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3 and Wii U) in a manner only possible in the world of LEGO games.

LEGO Dimensions is an amazing mash-up of some of the most popular characters in movie, TV and comic book history.  For the first time in any LEGO videogame, fan-favorite universes are fused together just like players can do with LEGO sets in real life.   LEGO Dimensions further extends the LEGO play experience into the digital world with all of the characters, humor and action of LEGO videogames now combined with the fun of LEGO minifigure and model building.

KINGDOM HEARTS III to Include Big Hero 6

SQUARE ENIX® and Disney Interactive today announced that the beloved characters and world of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Academy Award®-winning film Big Hero 6 will make their debut in the ever-expanding narrative of KINGDOM HEARTS III.

The much-anticipated addition to the KINGDOM HEARTS franchise will take Sora and a cast of Disney companions to the urban setting of San Fransokyo, home of lovable robot Baymax, continuing the events of the animated film.

At D23 Expo 2015, Academy Award®-winning producer Roy Conli delighted fans with the announcement that Big Hero 6 characters will be an integral part of KINGDOM HEARTS III. In a video message for D23 attendees, Conli draws parallels between core elements of the animated film and the overarching KINGDOM HEARTS story, remarking: “Big Hero 6 is such a special film for me - and we always made sure that each action sequence had a very special meaning. The themes in KINGDOM HEARTS and Big Hero 6 match very well. For instance there’s friendship, really important to both stories, and then of course light over darkness.”

The Walt Disney Animation Studios collaboration announcement featuring Conli can be viewed below.

STAR WARS EPISODE IX DIRECTOR ANNOUNCED

Today at D23, Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn announced that writer-director Colin Trevorrow will direct Star Wars: Episode IX, which is set for release in 2019.

While production won’t begin for a few years, Trevorrow is heading to Lucasfilm this year to begin working with artists and his fellow Star Wars directors. “Colin is someone I’ve been interested in working with ever since I saw ‘Safety Not Guaranteed,’” says Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy. “The power of that film paired with the enormous success of ‘Jurassic World’ speaks volumes about his abilities both as a storyteller and skilled filmmaker. We are thrilled to have such an incredible talent as Colin join our family and step into the Star Wars universe.”

Trevorrow states, “This is not a job or an assignment. It is a seat at a campfire, surrounded by an extraordinary group of storytellers, filmmakers, artists and craftspeople. We’ve been charged with telling new stories for a younger generation because they deserve what we all had—a mythology to call their own. We will do this by channeling something George Lucas instilled in all of us: boundless creativity, pure invention and hope.”

Star Wars: Episode IX will conclude the third trilogy of Star Wars movies that begins with Star Wars: The Force Awakens on December 18, 2015.

Inside Out: Riley’s First Date

Pixar Animation Studios heads back inside the mind with an all-new short. “Riley’s First Date?” made its world premiere this afternoon at D23 EXPO 2015. Director Josh Cooley, along with “Inside Out” filmmakers Pete Docter (“Up,” “Monsters, Inc.”) and Jonas Rivera (“Up”), introduced the short, which revisits Riley, now 12, who is hanging out with her parents at home when potential trouble comes knocking. Mom’s and Dad’s Emotions find themselves forced to deal with “Riley’s First Date?” The short will be included as a bonus feature in the digital HD & Blu-ray releases of Disney·Pixar’s “Inside Out,” which will be available digitally Oct. 13 and on Blu-ray Nov. 3, 2015. 

FUNimation Announces Theatrical Dates for Attack on Titan Live Action Movies

Following the widely-covered and well-received world premiere of Part 1 of the Japanese live-action feature film “Attack on Titan” last month in Los Angeles, FUNimation® Entertainment announced today the theatrical dates for the epic two-part movie. “Attack on Titan” will be a limited theatrical event and will screen in both the U.S. and Canada.  Unlike most multi-part films that average up to a year between installments, moviegoers will wait just 3 weeks between Part 1 & 2. “Attack on Titan” Part 1 hits theaters beginning September 30 with Part 2 arriving in theaters beginning October 20.

“Fan reaction to Attack on Titan was extremely positive at the world premiere and we’re pleased to be able to announce dates for the theatrical releases in September and October,” said Gen Fukunaga, CEO and President of FUNimation Entertainment. “Attack on Titan is a worldwide phenomenon and we are excited to bring the live action movies to not only fans of the manga and anime but also horror fans as well from across the U.S. and Canada.”

The “Attack on Titan” (“Shingeki no Kyojin” in Japanese) movies, which take their name from the original manga series, were developed in close collaboration with series’ creator Hajime Isayama and tell the story of a world where the last of humanity fights to survive against almost unstoppable, man-eating giants. With more than 50 million copies in print today, the “Attack on Titan” manga series has inspired four spin-offs as well as a 25-episode anime series, which FUNimation both simulcast and released to home video in North America.

As part of the announcement, FUNimation’s theatrical trailer for the movies has been released on the official movie website.  Tickets for both movies will be limited and will be available for advance purchase on the website later this month.

For more information on “Attack on Titan” and to watch the new theatrical trailer, visit www.attackontitanthemovie.com.

The Walking Dead Season 6 to Premiere at New York Super Week 10/9

AMC announced today “The Walking Dead” Fan Premiere Sweepstakes, giving fans a chance to win tickets to “The Walking Dead” season six premiere event at Madison Square Garden on Friday, October 9 at 6:30 p.m. ET.  This ultimate fan experience will include an advance screening of the extended season six premiere episode, two days prior to air, followed by a panel with 18 cast members.  The network is partnering with New York Super Week Presented by New York Comic Con, local radio stations and affiliates on ticket giveaways and sweepstakes offering thousands of lucky fans an opportunity to attend the exclusive, red-carpet event in New York City.   

“An evening that is typically reserved for cast, crew and industry will now include the fans,” said Charlie Collier, president of AMC and SundanceTV.  “Loyal, passionate fans are responsible for making ‘The Walking Dead’ the #1 show on television and this is an exciting opportunity for us to thank them in person.  For AMC, the executive producers and actors to be able to share this moment with them at Madison Square Garden – it’s truly special.”

Fans can enter “The Walking Dead” Fan Premiere Sweepstakes now until Wednesday, September 16 at 3:00 a.m. ET by visiting: www.amc.com/FanPremiereSweepstakes.  Each day, AMC will select 10 lucky winners who will each receive two complimentary tickets to the premiere.*

In addition, AMC is partnering with New York Super Week – a week-long pop culture festival brought to you by the creators of New York Comic Con – to give away tickets from August 17 through September 21. For more information on ticket giveaways, please visit www.NewYorkSuperWeek.com on August 17.

Fans can also check with local television affiliates and radio stations for additional ticket giveaways and sweepstake opportunities.

The first eight episodes of “The Walking Dead” season six kick off on Sunday, October 11 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT followed by the season premiere of AMC’s “Talking Dead,” hosted by Chris Hardwick (Nerdist), at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT.

VIZ MEDIA Launches New ULTRAMAN Manga Series

VIZ Media announces the brand new ULTRAMAN sci-fi superhero action manga (graphic novel) series, which is set to debut in print and digitally on August 18th.

The series, written by Eiichi Shimizu with artwork by Tomohiro Shimoguchi, is inspired by the original classic Japanese superhero TV show that ran in the late 1960s and remains hugely popular in Japan as well as with international audiences. ULTRAMAN Vol. 1 is rated ‘T’ for Teens and will carry a print MSRP of $12.99 U.S. / $14.99 CAN. The series also launchesdigitally the same day via VIZManga.com and the VIZ Manga App, as well as from the Nook, Kobo, Kindle, iBooks, comiXology, and GooglePlay stores. Future editions of ULTRAMAN will be published quarterly under the VIZ Signature imprint. In Japan, the series currently appears inHero’s magazine.

Decades ago, a being known as the Giant of Light joined together with Shin Hayata of the Science Special Search Party to save Earth from an invasion of terrifying monsters called Kaiju. Now, many years later, those dark days are fading into memory, and the world is at peace. But in the shadows a new threat is growing, a danger that can only be faced by a new kind of hero – a new kind of ULTRAMAN… Shinjiro is an ordinary teenager, but his father is the legendary Shin Hayata. When he learns that his father passed on the “Ultraman Factor” to him and that he possesses incredible powers, nothing will ever be the same again.

VIZ Media recently welcomed Eiichi Shimizu and Tomohiro Shimoguchi for their first-ever professional appearance in the U.S. as official Guests of Honor at the 2015 San Diego Comic-Con.

“In Japan, Ultraman is something of a national symbol, an iconic superhero that is instantly recognizable and universally loved, and we’re excited to bring the brand new manga to a new generation of fans,” says Mike Montesa, Editor. “The series wonderfully updates the classic sci-fi property with cinematic action sequences and sleek character designs. Catch the exciting return of this legendary hero this summer!”

Eiichi Shimizu worked on the story, script and mechanical design for ULTRAMAN. Tomohiro Shimoguchi provided character design and art. Together, the two have formed a creative dream team to produce a number of works including ULTRAMAN (Hero’s) and Kurogane no Rainbareru(Linebarrels of Iron, Akita Shoten). In addition to comics, they have expanded their field of interest to include character designs for video games and action figures.