THE FANTASTIC FOUR, a contemporary re-imagining of Marvel’s original and longest-running superhero team, centers on four young outsiders who teleport to an alternate and dangerous universe, which alters their physical form in shocking ways. Their lives irrevocably upended, the team must learn to harness their daunting new abilities and work together to save Earth from a former friend turned enemy.
DOWNINGTOWN, PA, January 20, 2015 – In response to growing consumer demand and appreciation for a crisp-tasting lager style beer, Victory Brewing Company (Victory) is excited to share their best kept secret with full distribution of Victory Helles Lager to 35 states. Long held as an extremely popular favorite in the Philadelphia region because of the area’s longtime love affair with lagers, Victory Helles Lager is made in traditional German style creating a full-bodied golden brew with unsurpassed balanced flavors.
Originally known as Brandywine Valley Lager when it made its debut in 1996, this lager paid homage to Victory’s pristine water source, one of the four crucial ingredients in beer. The brand transformed into Victory Lager and is now rebranded as Victory Helles Lager marrying the preservation of the traditional German style and the critical water source. Historically, helles lagers have relied on high-quality, pure ingredients to excite the senses. This flavorful brew does just that with its straw-blond coloring and lingering notes of Victory’s trademark whole flower hops that results in a delicious beer that is something of a refreshing throwback to when American brewing was largely inspired by Germany. Victory Helles Lager has an ABV of 4.8% and is available year-round in bottles and on draft.
Victory Helles Lager is available at craft beer bars, bottle shops, beer distributors and major gourmet grocery stores throughout Victory’s 35 state distribution footprint. Its suggested retail price for a six-pack is $9.99, however varies slightly upon location. Use Victory’s Beerfinder to discover a nearby location, or download the free Victory Mobile app for Android or iPhone.
“Having trained in Germany, Ron and I are devoted to the balanced flavors of Helles Lager as it emphasizes our quality, imported ingredients.” Traditionally, the Philadelphia region has been home to some of the best lagers in the country and as this brand rose in popularity locally, we decided it was time to share our passion for Victory Helles Lager with all our fans and expand into full distribution,” said Victory’s President and Brewmaster, Bill Covaleski.
Source: Victory Brewing Company Media
January 26, 2015 (Los Angeles, Calif.) – In 2015, BOOM! Studios celebrates 10 years of publishing great comics, and to commemorate this milestone, the publisher has assembled what it considers to be its top 10 moments of the past decade—all highlights that contributed significantly to the company’s founding, rise, and continued growth.
“While our 10 Year celebration will be firmly focused on the future, we couldn’t get where we are today without some pretty key moments,” said BOOM! Studios President of Publishing and Marketing Filip Sablik. “We are ecstatic to be celebrating 10 years as a publisher and couldn’t resist taking this one moment to celebrate what we’ve accomplished with all of our partners in our first decade!”
In chronological order, here are BOOM! Studios’ top 10 moments in its history:
December 2004: Comics writer Keith Giffen, in Los Angeles for a comic book convention, has a beer on a Saturday night with Ross Richie and pushes Richie to start his own comic book publishing company.
June 2005: The first BOOM! Studios book, Zombie Tales #1, ships (6/29/2005), showcasing work from Mark Waid (Daredevil), Keith Giffen (Future’s End), and Dave Johnson (100 Bullets). BOOM!’s focus on original content over the next decade spawns bestsellers like Irredeemable, The Woods, and Lumberjanes as it launches the careers of next-generation talent like Rafael Albuquerque (The Savage Brothers, American Vampire), Emma Rios (Hexed, Pretty Deadly), Aaron Kuder (Key of Z, Green Lantern: New Guardians), Jordie Bellaire (Malignant Man, Captain Marvel), and Russell Dauterman (Supurbia, Thor), among many others.
December 2006: BOOM! Studios publishes its first licensed comic book, Warhammer: Damnation Crusade #1. BOOM! goes on to work with some of the biggest brands in the world, including 20th Century Fox, Disney, Cartoon Network, MGM, Peanuts Worldwide, Paws, and The Jim Henson Company.
July 2007: Mark Waid is named Editor-in-Chief and goes on to become the company’s Chief Creative Officer, contributing numerous original titles to the company’s lineup before returning to freelance writing in December 2010.
March 2009: The first KaBOOM! (previously BOOM! Kids) comics, Incredibles: Family Matters #1 and The Muppet Show Comic Book #1, ship (3/25/2009). BOOM! Studios is the first Disney licensee to be granted the ability to generate new canon material for any Pixar property.
January 2010: Voted on by comic shop retailers, BOOM! Studios wins its first “Best Publisher Under 4%” Diamond Gem Award for 2009. It is awarded this honor four more times since, earning the award five out of the last six years. The publisher wins its first Harvey Award for Roger Langridge’s work on The Muppet Show Comic Book (8/28/10) that same year and its first Eisner Award for Shannon Wheeler’s I Thought You Would Be Funnier a year later (7/22/11).
June 2013: BOOM! Studios announces its acquisition of Archaia (6/24/13) (publisher of titles like Mouse Guard, Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand, and The Killer), adding the company as a wholly-owned imprint alongside its other imprints, KaBOOM! and BOOM! Box, and expands the range of diverse content Archaia publishes.
August 2013: “2 Guns” opens in theaters (8/2/13) starring Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg. The film is based on the BOOM! Studios five-issue series created by Steven Grant and illustrated by Mateus Santoluoco.
October 2013: BOOM! enters into a first-look deal with 20th Century Fox for feature films (10/2/2013) and then signs a first-look deal with Fox for television the following year (8/20/2014).
February 2014: Former DC Comics President & Publisher Paul Levitz joins BOOM! as a consultant and a member of the Board of Directors. Levitz categorized his role as the voice of experience that says, “Well, we tried to attack that problem this way [at DC Comics]; it didn’t work that way. Maybe times have changed, but let’s think about what the issues were and try to find a way around what the dilemmas were.”
Source: Boom! Studios Media
The Marvel Universe is No More! The Ultimate Universe is No More!
Relive the Entire SECRET WARS LIVE KICKOFF!
New York, NY – January 22, 2014 – Time has run out for the Marvel Universe and Ultimate Universe as the destruction of two universes brings forth the forging of a new Battleworld. Now, relive the monumental announcement by rewatching the entire SECRET WARS LIVE KICKOFF in its entirety.
Streamed live from New York’s own Midtown Comics, witness Marvel Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso and SVP, Executive Editor Tom Brevoort discuss the first details of Battleworld and the destruction and end of both the Marvel Universe and the Ultimate Universe.
Source: Marvel Comics Media
BATTLEWORLD
Marvel Presents the Second of Three New Series Banners For SECRET WARS!New York, NY—January 22, 2015— The Marvel Universe has been destroyed! One by one, each and every universe across the cosmos has been eliminated. All that exists is a new, patchwork planet made up of the remains of decimated universes. Today, Marvel is proud to announce BATTLEWORLD, which joins LAST DAYS as two of the three unique umbrella brands of titles launching during Secret Wars!
“If you want the full story of what’s happening across the surface of this new planet, BATTLEWORLD branded titles are for you,” says Marvel Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso. “Who polices Battleworld? How do the various domains interact? What happens when those domains go to war? What strange, never-before-seen creatures inhabit this world? What familiar faces will make appearances? Fans who want to fully understand how each sector interacts with the others can’t miss out on these books!”
Titles carrying the BATTLEWORLD banner will focus on the interworking and interaction of all the domains now fused together throughout the one and only remaining planet! The Secret Wars are waged as the last remaining fragments of dead universes fight for survival. Who rules these domains? Who comes out on top? Who lives? Who dies?
“The inner machinations of Secret Wars happen here,” says Marvel SVP Sales & Marketing David Gabriel. “BATTLEWORLD branded titles will be clearly marked through the Marvel Previews solicits as well as with well distinguished cover trade dress, this way both retailers and fans will know what they’re getting. Think of these as the new core monthly titles. “
What secrets are about to be revealed? Find out this may as Secret Wars enters BATTLEWORLD!
Source: Marvel Comics Media
Hey @DanSlott thank you for reminding me why I love Spider-Man! ASM #13 #SpiderVerse has me so jazzed for the finale! pic.twitter.com/7Kr4X40EJr
— Matthew Sardo (@MatthewSardo) January 22, 2015
LAST DAYS
Marvel presents the First of Three New Series Banners For SECRET WARS!
New York, NY—January 21, 2015— The skies go dark and the world begins to fracture. Secret Wars is coming, and with it the destruction of the Marvel Universe as we know it. Today, Marvel is proud to announce LAST DAYS, the first of three different types of series taking place during the upcoming, highly anticipated Secret Wars!
“What would you do if you learned today was your last day on Earth?” says Marvel Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso. “That’s the question your favorite Marvel heroes are going to ask themselves in their LAST DAYS story lines as they brace for Secret Wars and the end of the Marvel Universe.”
Battleworld is set to transform the Marvel Universe as you know it. But before Secret Wars can begin, this chapter must come to a close. What will our heroes do with their final hours? What secrets will be unearthed? Who will they want to spend their LAST DAYS with?
“LAST DAYS is the first of three new brandings for series unique to Secret Wars,” says Marvel SVP Sales & Marketing David Gabriel. “Each branding will bear its own unique trade dress and logo treatment, clearly defining its relationship to the main Secret Wars story. This will make it easier for fans to experience the full scope of Secret Wars. Don’t dare miss these epic tales as our heroes face their impending obliteration!”
Before Secret Wars can begin, the Marvel Universe must end. And it all starts this May as the entire planet faces their LAST DAYS!
Source: Marvel Comics Media
The nominees for the 87th Academy Awards were announced on January 15th, Birdman and The Grand Budapest Hotel tied for the most nominations with nine each.
– Clint Eastwood, Robert Lorenz, Andrew Lazar, Bradley Cooper and Peter Morgan
– Alejandro González Iñárritu, John Lesher and James W. Skotchdopole
– Richard Linklater and Cathleen Sutherland
– Wes Anderson, Scott Rudin, Steven M. Rales and Jeremy Dawson
– Nora Grossman, Ido Ostrowsky and Teddy Schwarzman
– Christian Colson, Oprah Winfrey, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner
– Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Lisa Bruce and Anthony McCarten
– Jason Blum, Helen Estabrook and David Lancaster
Y los nominados a los #Oscars2015 son… pic.twitter.com/uB4EDnNXEG
— Cinemex (@Cinemex) January 15, 2015
Marvel Comics announced the variant covers for Guardians of the Galaxy #24 Friday afternoon. Writer Brian Michael Bendis pits Star Lord versus the X-Men in chapter 2 of The Black Vortex crossover.
The Hunt For the Black Vortex Continues in GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #24!
This February, the hunt is on as the Guardians of the Galaxy and the X-Men square off against hordes of cosmic foes in GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #24 – chapter 2 of the highly anticipated Guardians of the Galaxy & X-Men: The Black Vortex crossover! Superstar writer Brian Michael Bendis and All-New Young Gun artist Valerio Schiti bring you the next out-of-this-world chapter in the highly anticipated crossover event! The Guardians have successfully recovered the Black Vortex – the ancient and powerful artifact able to imbue its users with untold cosmic power. But with Mr. Knife, Thane and Knife’s Slaughter Squad hot on their tail, their only option for gaining the upper hand may be to use the Black Vortex itself! But no power comes without a price – and the cost of the using the Black Vortex is steep. Will the temptation of its power be too much for the Guardians and the X-Men to handle? Find out as the Black Vortex crossover continues in GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #24!
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #24 (DEC140823)
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Art & Cover by VALERIO SCHITI
Cosmically Enhanced Variant by ANDREA SORRENTINO (DEC140824)
Variant Cover by PHIL NOTO (DEC140825)
FOC – 01/19/15, On-Sale – 02/11/15
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5.0 = A near-perfect comic; one of the year’s best. You’ll remember this issue for a long time.
4.0-4.9 = An excellent book that’s well worth your money. Has memorable moments, stunning art, and shows a real understanding of how comics work.
3.0-3.9 = A pretty good, middle-of-the-road comic. Maybe not worth your money unless you’re a big fan of the series/character.
2.0-2.9 = Meh, it’s fine. Below average. Not terrible, but ultimately forgettable.
1.0-1.9 = It’s bad. Maybe it has one or two redeeming qualities, but the bad very much outweighs the good. It’s not worth your time, let alone your money.
0.0-0.9 = A terrible, horrible, no good, very bad comic. Not worth your time, let alone your money. You probably shouldn’t bother reviewing the book if this is your score.