Caturday!

Thundersnow

So, we've got 19 inches of snow here in NYC.  Last night, we also had rain, sleet, and thundersnow.  "Thundersnow?  What's that?"  I've been hearing that a lot from friends and partners on the West Coast today, as -- apparently -- they've never encountered this Sasquatch of the weather world, and to be honest, I had no clue it existed until two weeks ago, either.  But, what is thundersnow?  Wikipedia explains...

Thundersnow, also known as a winter thunderstorm or a thunder snowstorm, is a rare kind of thunderstorm with snow falling as the primary precipitation instead of rain. It typically falls in regions of strong upward motion within the cold sector of an extratropical cyclone, where the precipitation consists of ice pellets rather than snow.

Or, if you prefer Colbert's explanation, thundersnow just means "God is pissed".

Marvel Dinner! Sold Out!

Two hours.  That's all it took to fill up C2E2's Marvel Comics Dinner.  A huge huzzah and kudos to the eight fans who snapped up the tickets to have a dream dinner to Joe Quesada, Brian Michael Bendis, and CB Cebulski.  All you guys (and gals) will be seeing a message soon from Kristin asking about any food allergies.

Make Your Dinner Date With Marvel Now

CB Cebulski, Brian Michael Bendis, Joe Quesada.  And you.  The Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo is giving eight fans a chance to wine and dine with three of Marvel's most important names.  We’ve setup a five course meal with wine pairing at Topolobampo, owned by Top Chef Master Rick Bayless, on Friday, March 18th, and tickets -- $500 for the entire evening -- are available now at C2E2.com.

Want a legendary dinner rubbing elbows with comics icons?  You'll want to snag your ticket now.

C2E2 Masquerade Sign-Up! Final Days!

C2E2 is hosting two costuming events this year! Daily Costume Contests and our Saturday Night Masquerade. Our daily contests are for fans looking to have fun. The Masquerade, meanwhile, is an event for cosplayers looking to put on a show! C2E2's Masquerade is a costume showcase that is part fashion show and part talent show with prizes on the line... The Masquerade's winning team takes home prizes from our contest's sponsors and $1,000 in prize money!

To participate in the C2E2 Masquerade, you must fill out the electronic Masquerade Registration Form and submit it to C2E2 by 11:59 PM Central Time on January 30, 2011.  That's just days away.  Time to stop procrastinating.

Just click on over to C2E2.com for the info...

Daily Costume Contest Details

Saturday Night Masquerade

And, C2E2's costume events span the worlds of anime and manga as well as Western heroes.  Whether you're in a plug suit or a Jedi robe, we want you!

Avatar Press at C2E2!

Avatar Press, based just beyond Chicago, is a comic book publisher that pushes the boundaries between mainstream and independent. We’ve been proud to have them at the inaugural Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo last year, and we’re excited now to announce Avatar will be returning this March with Jacen Burrows, Rich Johnston, Michael DiPascale, Mike Wolfer, Matt Martin, William Christensen, and Dheeraj Verma. Avatar’s guests will all be signing at the show, and we’ve got some additional things planned, too. Keep your eyes on BleedingCool.com for details in the coming weeks. For full bios, visit C2E2.com now.

Matt Fraction at C2E2

The Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo is pleased to announce Eisner Award-winning American comic book writer Matt Fraction will be coming to this year's C2E2.  Known for his work on The Invincible Iron Man, Thor, The Immortal Iron Fist, and Uncanny X-Men for Marvel Comics and Casanova for Icon Comics, this summer he masterminds Marvel’s mega-event -- Fear Itself -- alongside Stuart Immonen.

He’s written the graphic novels Last of the Independents and The Five Fists of Science, and comics like 30 Days of Night: Bloodsucker Tales and The Order.  He’s recently contributed to the storylines and dialogue of both the Iron Man 2 and Thor video games for Sega, and was a consultant on the Iron Man 2 film.  He lives in Portland Oregon with his wife, the writer Kelly Sue Deconnick, and his two children, two dogs, two cats, and frog. There were two frogs but they died.

Matt's an amazing, talented, deep dude, who we spent a lot of time with out at the Singapore Toy, Games & Comic Convention, and we're thrilled he'll be joining all of us in Chicago.

Quidditch at C2E2

The game that started at one college in New York and is now played by official teams at over 300 universities worldwide is coming to the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo!

This past fall, 750 players from over 46 colleges and high schools from around the country participated in the International Quidditch Association's fourth annual World Cup in New York City. That event launched the game into the spotlight, with over 10,000 spectators in attendance and more than twenty million more watching media coverage of the event on forty channels. Now the IQA is bringing the game to C2E2, with two college teams leading an exhibition match, followed by open matches for attendees to sign-up, learn the game, and start playing!

Real-life Quidditch, or “Muggle Quidditch” as it is often called, is as absurdly fun as it sounds. The Snitch is a human super athlete (Seekers must tear a sockball from the back of their shorts to earn an extra 30 points for their team and end the game), Beaters peg each other with dodgeballs, Chasers dunk volleyballs through the opposing team's hoops, and every player darts across the field clutching a broom between their legs.

"When my friends and I first came up with the idea of Quidditch in 2005, we thought it was crazy and would never work," says Alex Benepe, Commissioner of the IQA. "But from day one, everyone was completely hooked, and I knew this was something great that we had to share with more people. The game has attracted a huge variety of people, ranging from double science majors and Harry Potter superfans to Division I varsity athletes."

The IQA will be leading a demo game with two local college teams on Saturday the 19th and Sunday the 20th in Room W183ab. Following each 15 minute demo game, the IQA will organize scrimmage matches for participants for a one hour period. Convention guests interested in signing up for a match should email Kristina Moy at k.moy@internationalquidditch.org.

Players and fans can also sign up at the IQA booth on the show floor where they can check out official game brooms, hoops, buy merchandise to support the league, and chat with the league's directors. Additionally, the IQA will be hosting a lecture on how to start a Quidditch team or program in your community or school on Friday. For more information on the sport, visit http://www.internationalquidditch.org/.

Dinner With Quesada, Bendis, And Cebulski? C2E2 Can Make It Happen

Want to go on a date with Marvel?  The Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo kicks off Friday, March 18th, but when the sun goes down and the show floor closes, we want to keep the party going and have reservations at one of the hottest restaurants in town with some of the most well-known people in the comic biz. And we want you to join us! We’ve setup a five course meal with wine pairing at Topolobampo, owned by Top Chef Master Rick Bayless. If this award-winning restaurant doesn’t entice you enough, wait until you hear who you'll be dining with...

CB Cebulski, writer and talent scout extraordinaire hosts this once-in-a-lifetime dinner with Brian Michael Bendis, award-winning comics creator and a writer who's reshaped the Marvel universe, and Chief Creative Officer of Marvel Entertainment, Joe Quesada. Yeah, that's right. This is your chance to be wined and dined with some of the most important people in comics. It all takes place at 8pm on Friday, March 18th and includes a five course meal and wine pairing. It is open to only eight fans. The cost is $500, but the opportunity is priceless.

Tickets will go on sale Thursday, January 27th at Noon, Central Time at www.C2E2.com. There are only 8 spots available so plan your reservation now. Please note, though, you must be 21 or older and present a valid ID to attend the dinner.

Joe Q Comes To C2E2

The Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo is pleased to announce Joe Quesada will be coming to the con!  Joe wears many creative hats, as both an acclaimed writer-artist and the Chief Creative Officer of Marvel Entertainment. In this role, Joe is steward of such legendary characters as Spider-Man, X-Men, Iron Man, Captain America, and the Fantastic Four. His tenure as Editor-in-Chief recently drew to a close after 10 successful years – the longest term since Stan Lee himself. Under Quesada’s guidance, Marvel underwent a creative boom and became home to the comic industry’s greatest talents, which continues to hold true today. He brings this same vision to his role in the whole of Marvel Entertainment across the worlds of publishing, film, and television.

C.B. Cebulski at C2E2

A little note that Marvel's C.B. Cebulski will be at C2E2. After a decade of editing in the Japanese, European and American comic book markets, Cebulski now serves as Marvel's international talent scout. Crisscrossing the globe month after month, C.B. is always on the hunt for the best and brightest new artists the world has to offer. He also use his time abroad to indulge in his love of food, writing about his international eating adventures on his blog, Eataku. When not traveling, sampling exotic cuisines or creating comics, C.B. spends his time trying to beat the world record on Dig Dug.

What'll C.B. be doing at C2E2? Portfolio reviews, sure. But, we've got a few tricks up our sleeve. A few delicious tricks.

Bento Box 101 at Kinokuniya Today

What are you up to today? NerdYorkCity.com's got a dozen suggestions, but we wanted to make a specific call out to Makiko Itoh. Itoh-san has been a leader in popularizing bento boxes -- Japanese lunch boxes -- in the USA through her blog, JustBento.com, and she's succeeding. Her Just Bento Cookbook's just been released by Kondansha, and to celebrate, she's at Kinokuniya today. Her cookbook shares 150 specially-created recipes just for lunch boxes. Itoh-san will be appearing at Kinokuniya Bookstore (1073 Ave of the Americas) in NYC at 3 PM today to talk about and cook some of her favorite bento dishes. Yum.

Caturday

From Kristin. Originally on the Dainty Squid.

Tahmoh Penikett and Ben Templesmith at C2E2!

We've added a few names to the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo's guest pages this week.  Ivan Brandon, Cliff Chiang, Stephane Roux, Clay Mann, Leo Leibelman, and -- today -- Ben Templesmith and Tahmoh Penikett.

Tahmoh stormed television screens as Karl "Helo" Agathon on Syfy's Battlestar Galactica, shooting down Cylons and ending up with a face full of blood in more than a few rough and tumble moments, but he managed to see the show through to the end and still found the time to sire the first human-Cylon hybrid.  And how did he top it?  Only by portraying Paul Ballard, the lead gent in Joss Whedon's twisty, curvy, and very creepy Dollhouse.  An FBI Agent on a quest to find this mythological organization, the rabbit hole he travels down is deep.  And dark.  And kinda ruins the world.  If you haven't caught up on Battlestar or Dollhouse, ya should.  Both are on Netflix. Streaming.

Templesmith, a man very much after Dollhouse's heart, is the gorgeous, gory artist behind 30 Days of Night, Fell, Choker, Doctor Who: The Forgotten, and Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse.  He hails from Australia, but's been on the West Coast of America for a while.  He likes tea, wears a lot of suits, and I saw him at the Tick Tock Dinner at 2 AM Sunday morning during last year's New York Comic Con.

C2E2 Masquerade Sign-Up Reminder

Dressing up as Green Lantern at C2E2?  Perhaps Anakin Skywalker?  Maybe a Kakashi costume?  You and your friends each going as a different Voltron lion?  No matter what you're dressed as, C2E2 wants you to shine, and we've got two costume events for cosplayers.

Our daily contests are for fans looking to have fun. The Masquerade, meanwhile, is an event for cosplayers looking to put on a show. C2E2's Masquerade is a costume showcase that is part fashion show and part talent show with prizes on the line... The Masquerade's winning team takes home prizes from our contest's sponsors and $1,000 in prize money! To participate in the C2E2 Masquerade, you must fill out the electronic Masquerade Registration Form and submit it to C2E2 by 11:59 PM Central Time on January 30, 2011.  Yeah, that's coming up soon.

Just click on over to C2E2.com for the info...

Daily Costume Contest Details

Saturday Night Masquerade

Whether you're in a plug suit or a Jedi robe, we want you!

Looking For a Few Good Women

Are you tired of looking for love in Alderaan places? Is your love life moving slower than one of George A. Romero's zombies? Or, frankly, are you tired of going on dates with normal people? If so, ladies, we welcome you to sign up for C2E2’s Speed Dating. We shut off registration for gents last week, but it remains open for women until the 20th. If you’d like to apply and terminate your single life, you can sign up right now here...
http://c2e2.com/en/Whats-Happening/Events-S-Z/Speed-Dating/

Steve Sucks

Go into any drug store.  Head to the toy section.  What do you see?  Star Wars figures.  GI Joes.  Transformers.  Only, wait, something's not quite right.  The plastic looks cheap.  The colors are a bit off.  And, hold on, that's not Star Wars at all... it's "Space Wars"?

Now, I'd like you to meet Steve.  He's a Star Chump.  But rather than being found at a CVS or in some stall in Chinatown, he's on display now at the Boo-Hooray Gallery (521 West 23rd Street) in NYC until January 23.  Part of the Suckadelic exhibit, Steve's one in a series of hand-made resin figures that's a heavy-handed menagerie of pop culture and commercialism built with love by underground artist the Sucklord.

With a glaring disregard for copyrights and featuring humor not appropriate for anyone under 18 and sure to offend anyone over that age, the Sucklord's works are kitschy, provocative, and -- at times -- profound.

Click over to boo-hooray.com and suckadelic.com for more.  Then, get down to Boo-Hooray Gallery by Sunday.

Abby Denson’s Dolltopia Wins Bronze At The International Manga Awards!

A little tip of the hat to NYC-based artist Abby Denson, whose Dolltopia won Bronze in this year's International Manga Awards. Created by former Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso, the International Manga Awards were established to encourage non-Japanese manga artists the world over. Its judging committee is comprised of Japan's Minister for Foreign Affairs, the President of Japan Foundation, and members of publishing houses including Akita, Kadokawa, Kodansha, Shueisha, and Shogakukan. Also, Monkey Punch.

Dolltopia is the story of a ballerina doll forced into a not-so-happily-ever-after living arrangement with an action figure. Filled with discontent, She takes it upon herself to escape and create a new life and a new image for herself away from the persecution of the human world.
 
This honor comes closely after Dolltopia’s win of the Moonbeam Children’s Book Award. Abby Denson is currently in Europe and will be making appearances at the Angoulême Comics Festival and Amsterdam’s American Book Center.  A preview of Dolltopia is online at abbycomix.com.

Buffy Birthday Bash!

What are you doing this Wednesday?  There's a lot of things to choose from, actually.  Evangelion 1.0 screens at Big Cinemas, Bradford Morrow's at the Mysterious Bookshop, Ben McCool is at Jim Hanley's, and the Met has a talk entitled "This Is Your Brain On Ping Pong".  But, there's another big event this Wednesday, too.  The Slayer's having a birthday shindig.  Midtown Comics and Dark Horse Comics are presenting a Buffy Birthday Bash.  Celebrating the release of issue 40 of Buffy: Season 8 as well as Buffy Summers's purported birthday, Midtown will host Buffy trivia and costume contests from 4 to 6 PM, and there'll be 25% off all Buffy items all day.

This is is going on exclusively at Midtown's Downtown store (64 Fulton St).

For more on these and more geeky events, hit up nerdyorkcity.com.

DC Universe Online: Just A Comic Book Geek Trying To Be A Hero

I've known Michelle Manning a long time.  Since the second year of New York Comic Con.  I remember meeting, I think, in the volunteer office at some obscure hour of Saturday night, talking about how neither of us had eaten since Thursday.  Since then, Michelle's been an extended part of the ReedPOP family, and I'm actually going out to do karaoke with her tonight.  Anywho, DC Universe Online came out this week, and Michelle had the super bonus deluxe edition pre-ordered since 2008, so I asked her to write up her thoughts about her first few hours inside the DC Universe.  Here she comes...

I am not a gamer. Sure, I have some consoles. But I wouldn't call Animal Crossing, Wii Bowling, or Lego Anything hardcore gaming.

So why would my saint of a mother get her 30-something daughter a PS3 for her birthday? Because said daughter has talked about how cool DC Universe Online was going to be for the last two years. Probably went something like this: "I'm going to be mentored by Batman. I'm going to be a hero. Jim Lee character designs. I'm going to be mentored by Batman."  I'm a bit of a DC Comics fan. Ok, I'm Batman obsessed.

On Tuesday, I came home to my Collectors Edition of DCUO. I played with its Batman statue. I opened the box and looked at the art book and DC Legends comic. I played with its Batman statue.  And, then, I noticed that the instruction manual was tiny. And less pages than most comics books.

Oh well, who needs instructions?

After loading and updating for what felt like forever, I entered into the story. Luthor bad, Braniac worse. Pretty pictures that drew me right in.

Then, I got to create my character. Male or Female? Female. Hero or Villain? Hero. Mentor? Batman, duh. I was asked to chose everything from abilities to skin tone to footwear. I spent two hours on this screen before I actually got into the game.  Finally, I chose my name and was ready. My first mission. Escape Braniac's ship. 

I would love to say I had any clue what I was doing, but in truth, I pushed circle, x, and square as many times as I could in random sequence. Knew I was hitting something wrong when random dialog boxes would pop up. And used rather creative language when my controller's battery died mid battle.  But at the end of the level, I fought along side Superman, escaped from Braniac's ship, and listened to Batman talking about training new heros. I was so hooked.

So, if you see a female Bat-disciple named Thr33 fumbling around on the No Mans Land server, take pity on me. I'm not a gamer. Just a comic book geek trying to be a hero.

Good Things Come In Small Packages

The Brooklyn Botanic Garden.  Not necessarily the kind of place you're thinking about in winter, right?  Well, thanks to the enclosed, climate controlled Palm House, flowers continue to bloom, and on Friday, February 11, our friends at the BBG are celebrating the opening of Graceful Perseverance, their spring bonsai exhibition. From 6:30 to 11 PM, they'll be offering vegetarian tapas by Phillip Gilmour and chef Makoto Suzuki of Bushwick’s Momo Sushi Shack, Julian Velasco, BBG’s bonsai curator, will speak on the art of bonsai, choreographer Momo Suzuki will present a mini program with the Japanese Folk Dance Institute of New York, and DJ Saiko Mikan will be spinning '60s Japanese pop and Shibuya-kei.  If you'd like to attend, grab your tickets now.  Only 250 are available...

http://www.bbg.org/visit/event/small_scale/

Hello Caturday

Joseph Senior's taken the iconic Hello Kitty and rebuilt her.  Here as a Dalek.  Cute.  Cuddily.  Utterly merciless.  This Hello Dalek is part of Joseph's series of reimagined Hello Kitties, with other entries including KISS, Daft Punk, R2-D2, Ghostbusters, Halo, and Batman.  We'll probably feature a couple of 'em later on.

To see all of Joseph's images, visit his Flickr Stream.  Bravo, Joe.  Bravo.

And thanks to Michelle for the catch.

Classiest Photo Ever

Wednesday, we revealed the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo will welcome voice actor Spike Spencer and present special screenings of both Evangelion 1.11 and 2.22.  We posted a nasty picture of the titular Evangelion to accompany the story.  I'm remissed I didn't include Spike's photo, too, as it's the classiest photo ever:

Prizes!

Just got the prizes in for the Evangelion giveaway going on now. Beyond the EVA-02 figure and Japanese booklets pictured, posters and tickets to the NYC screening of Evangelion 1.0 are up for grabs.

Simply follow @ny_anime_fest on Twitter and tweet #evainnyc for a chance to win.

Evangelion 1.0 and 2.0 are both screening at Big Cinemas in NYC starting next week.

Japanese Director Sabu at Japan Society!

It's cold out, and while you can build life-size Jabba the Hutts out of the white stuff, you can only do so for so long before you start to get frostbite. Once you do, how about coming into NYC's Japan Society -- as they're presenting a retropsective of auteur director Sabu's work, titled Run, Salaryman, Run!, from Jan 26-Feb 5. America's first major retrospective of the director's career features six films and one international premiere.

Unfamiliar with Sabu? Japan Society sums the man up...

Born Hiroyuki Tanaka (1964), Sabu is the cult auteur of "punk n' roll," alternative comedies, often imitated, never equaled, and far too rarely shown in the U.S. since his 1996 feature debut, Non-Stop a.k.a DANGAN Runner. Smart, fun and explosive, Sabu delivers the high speed, high style, hard luck, and quirky lusts and lunacies of post-Bubble Japan. In a world of hazards and happenstance, he zeroes in on blue and white collar everymen tossed into dangerously absurd situations from which they desperately try to run. Speeding along at breakneck pace, Sabu brings a fresh and frantic twist to traditional film genres (the yakuza film, the thriller, etc.), juicing their lean, clean-cropped premises with electroshock cinematic style and über edgy music scores.

Here's the agenda...

Monday - January 26, 7:30 - Introduction and Q&A with Sabu
Postman Blues - January 28, 7:30 - Introduction and Q&A with Sabu
Non-Stop (Dangan Runner) - January 29, 7:30 - Introduction and Q&A with Sabu
Drive - Wednesday, February 2, 7:30
The Blessing Bell (Kofuku no Kane) - Friday, February 4, 7:30
Troubleman - Saturday, February 5, 5 - International Premiere

For more information or tickets, visit JapanSociey.org.

Diamond Retailer Summit at C2E2 2011: Connecting with New Customers

When the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo launched in 2010, it was created to bring a kick-ass comic book show to the shores of Lake Michigan. But, it was also created to do something more. To bring comics and entertainment together. And to bring retailers, educators, librarians, and other professionals to the table. We’ve built some big things at New York Comic Con with our professional partners, and we were honored when Diamond Comics Distributors -- the world's largest distributor of English-language comic books and pop-culture related merchandise -- held a Retailer Summit last year beside the inaugural C2E2.

This year, we’re proud to announce Diamond will be returning to C2E2 with a new summit, providing first-class information and education to those who are in the business of the business. What can comic book shops do to expand their customer base? What can retailers and suppliers do to attract new customers? The Diamond Retailer Summit will explain. Set March 17th and 18th at McCormick Place, the Summit will cover various elements of running a comic shop, but return again and again to one theme... Connecting with New Customers.

Registration for this trade-only event is $45 and also includes complimentary admission for the entire run of the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo, including its Professional Only Hours from 10 AM to 1 PM on Friday, March 18. Summit attendees will also receive a valuable coupon book good for limited edition items, raffles, and sales -- all redeemable by visiting select suppliers on the C2E2 show floor during its Professional Hours.

Designed for professionals and retailers, the Diamond Retailer Summit will kick off with workshops, publisher focus groups, and an opening night reception on March 17, and wrap with a keynote breakfast with sponsor presentations slated for Friday, March 18.

Want more information? Want to attend? You can sign up now at summits.diamondcomics.com. Or, visit C2E2.com for additional details, schedules, and downloadable applications.

The Diamond Summit is a place to meet your peers, find new products, discover how to increase your ROI, and gain powerful information about how you can make new fans, new readers, and new collectors, and we’re excited Diamond will be presenting this event side-by-side with C2E2 at McCormick Place.

Mark Sheppard Menaces C2E2!

Romo Lampkin in Battlestar Galactica. Badger in Firefly. Jim Sterling in Leverage. Crowley in Supernatural. Mr. Valda in Warehouse 13. And, soon, Canton Everett Delaware III in the next season of Doctor Who. Mark Sheppard makes it his business to menace heroes, playing villains, antagonists, rogues, and -- generally -- morally ambiguous types in some of geekdom's cultiest cult hits. And, now, he's coming to C2E2. We're very happy to announce Mark will be appearing, speaking to fans about making mischief and signing autographs!

Sheppard is perhaps best known for his role as the not-quite-savory lawyer Romo Lampkin with the not-quiet-alive cat in Battlestar, and fingers crossed he's going to blow us away in the new Doctor Who, when he causes trouble for the Doctor, Amy, and River Song in their first adventure shot in America.

The Dead Walk in Chicago! Norman Reedus and Laurie Holden at C2E2!

Walking Dead.  Creepy, huh?  Spooky?  Gripping?  AMC's Walking Dead treated its source material with such reverence, but also managed to deliever it in new, surprising, shocking ways.  New York Comic Con was thrilled to be able to welcome the cast and present a sneak preview prior to Walking Dead's premiere, but while its first second is dead and buried, it's rising from the grave.  The Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo's previously announced Walking Dead artist Tony Moore will be attending, and today, we're proud to say that stars Norman Reedus and Laurie Holden will be at the convention, too!

Norman Reedus brought the Walking Dead's Daryl Dixon to life, and Laurie Holden turned Andrea to flesh and blood.  You may recognize Norman as Murphy MacManus from The Boondock Saints and Laurie from the role of Cybil Bennett in Silent Hill, too.

Norman Reedus and Laurie Holden will be appearing on Saturday and Sunday of C2E2, where they'll be appearing on panels and selling autographs to fans.

Keep your eyes on C2E2.com and right here for new C2E2 news, as we've got more names to reveal, but we've got to dig out of the snow first.

Evangelion at C2E2! With Special Guest Spike Spencer!

Neon Genesis Evangelion is a saga that, when released in 1995, redefined Japanese animation. This story of a boy and his robot defending the world from hell-bent Angels dives down a rabbit hole of conspiracies, symbols, prophecies, and fractured psychology, and anime’s never been the same since. Then, in 2007, Evangelion changed and challenged the anime world again with the releases of the first in a series of feature films presenting a new and sometimes shocking take on the saga. This year sees the release of the second Evangelion motion picture, and the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo is now proud to announce it will host screenings of the Evangelion 1.11 and -- prior to its DVD release date -- Evangelion 2.22 films, and we’re very excited to reveal Spike Spencer, the voice of series protagonist Shinji Ikari, will be in attendance to introduce the screenings and speak about his body of work.

Spike Spencer, a voice actor for over a decade, has given voice to hundreds of characters in anime and video games, and beyond Evangelion’s Shinji, can be heard in Bleach, Vampire Knight, Code Geass, Nadesico, PreTear, Buso Renkin, Tales of Vesperia, Star Ocean 2, BlazBlue and many others.

C2E2 will host a spotlight panel on Spike’s work on Friday, March 18, and Spike will both introduce C2E2’s screening of Evangelion 1.11 and present a Voice Acting Workshop on Saturday, March 19. On Sunday, March 20th, Spike will introduce Evangelion 2.22 and conduct a Q&A after the screening. Spike will conduct autograph signings, as well, throughout the weekend, signing Evangelion 2.22 posters made available to attendees exclusively at his autographing events.

Evangelion 2.22 comes out on DVD and Blu-ray on April 5. For more information on Spike, visit spikespencer.com. For more on Evangelion, visit funimation.com/evangelion.

Speed Dating Ending Soon

Are you a tin man looking for an oil can? Are you a zombie looking for some brains? Are you a Doctor looking for a companion? A heads up for those coming to the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo looking for love, our Speed Dating sessions are almost full.

If you're a guy looking for a girl, you need to apply by tomorrow night, as we're shutting off registration for guys looking for girls on Thursday morning.

Are you a guy looking for a guy or a girl looking for a guy or girl? Keep calm and carry on, as you'll continue to be able to register.

Sign up for C2E2's Speed Dating sessions now at C2E2.com.

Evangelion Invades NYC!

Eleven Arts and FUNimation are presenting screenings of the feature films Evangelion 1.0 and Evangelion 2.0 next week in theaters across the country. Evangelion 1.0, released in 2007, will screen in NYC on the 19th and 20th at Big Cinemas (239 East 59th St), and Evangelion 2.0 -- coming to Blu-ray and DVD on April 5 -- will screen at Big Cinemas from the 21st to the 27th. Both will screen in Japanese with English subtitles.

From the mind of Hideaki Anno, Evangelion tells the tale of Shinji Ikari and Tokyo-3. Tokyo-3 is a city that still stands after most of civilization was decimated. Now it endures the ceaseless onslaught of the deadly Angels, bizarre creatures bent on eradicating the human race, and to combat the strange and ruthless enemy, the last of mankind constructs a fleet of towering humanoid machines – the Evangelions – lead by pilot Shinji Ikari. In Evangelion 2.0, pilots Shinji and Rei find their burden shared by two new Eva pilots, the fiery Asuka and the mysterious Mari. Maneuvering their enormous machines into combat, the four young souls fight desperately to save mankind from the heavens. But who will save them?

For more information, to order tickets, and to see Eva, in action, visit www.funimation.com/evangelion. Want to win tickets? Keep reading...

Read more »

Gantz Is Coming!

The New York Anime Festival gave out a pair of free tickets to the world premiere of Gantz a little bit ago, and while the contest is over, we want to make sure Gantz stays in your mind.  A manga, anime, and now live-action movie, it's the dark story of what happens after death to a group of youths in Tokyo and the posthumous game they're forced to play -- hunting monsters armed with a menagerie of alien weapons to stay "alive".

VIZ Pictures is presenting the world premiere of Gantz in theaters across America (yeah, even before Japan) for a one-night-only live-event on Thursday, January 20th at 8:00 PM. Following the feature, its stars, Kazunari Ninomiya and Kenichi Matsuyama, will participate in an exclusive live interview that will be broadcast only in theaters.

Gantz will be playing in a number of NYC theaters, and to get the full list and get your tickets, click on over to FathomEvents.com.  To preview the original manga, visit DarkHorse.com.

C2E2 Masquerade Registration Is Open!

Cosplay is a unique and beautiful part of fandom, and the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo celebrates the world of costuming through two events — Daily Costume Contests and our Saturday Night Masquerade.

Our daily contests are for fans looking to have fun. The Masquerade, meanwhile, is an event for cosplayers looking to put on a show! C2E2's Masquerade is a costume showcase that is part fashion show and part talent show with prizes on the line... The Masquerade's winning team takes home prizes from our contest's sponsors and $1,000 in prize money! To participate in the C2E2 Masquerade, you must fill out the electronic Masquerade Registration Form and submit it to C2E2 by 11:59 PM Central Time on January 30, 2011.

Just click on over to C2E2.com for the info...

Daily Costume Contest Details

Saturday Night Masquerade

Both of C2E2's costume events span the worlds of anime and manga as well as superheroes clad in capes and tights.  Whether you're in a plug suit or a Jedi robe, we want you!

Caturday!

From Gawker. I may be guilty of putting stupid headgear on a cat or two in my past, but this video proves Willow, Duo, and Squid always secretly wanted it.

Score Tickets To The Gantz World Premiere!

Gantz. Funny word, huh? It's also an awesome manga, anime, and now movie. A dark -- really dark -- tale of what happens after death to a group of youths in Tokyo, they all become part of a posthumous game where players are forced to hunt down and kill monsters armed with a menagerie of alien weapons.

VIZ Pictures is presenting the world premiere of Gantz in theaters across America (yeah, even before Japan) for a one-night-only live-event on Thursday, January 20th at 8:00 PM. Following the feature, its stars, Kazunari Ninomiya and Kenichi Matsuyama, will participate in an exclusive live interview that will be broadcast only in theaters.

For a list of theaters in NYC screening Gantz -- and to buy tickets -- visit FathomEvents.com.

To view the movie's trailer, click here.

And, if you want to win a pair of tickets, keep on reading. ReedPOP and the New York Anime Festival are giving away a pair of tickets to Gantz in NYC courtesy of VIZ Pictures. How do you win? Just use the hashtag #Gantzhattan in your conversations on Twitter. We'll be selecting one winner at random from all those who tweet out this hashtag.

The Rules of The Game:

- Follow @ny_anime_fest on Twitter

- Send tweets – any tweets – with the hashtag #Gantzhattan between now and 11:59 PM Eastern on January 10th.

- @ny_anime_fest will be direct messaging the winner on January 11th. We'll need your mailing address to send out your tickets.

Cool? Let's play this game!

Scott Pilgrim vs. The Thing

Snowing today, huh?  Don't let that get you down.  While most sane people would bundle up inside, be bold and stay out way past midnight.  But why should you risk slush puddles, hypothermia, and killer snowmen?  Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and The Thing.  NYC's Sunshine Cinema and IFC Center are both presenting some classic films (one modern and one vintage) tonight and tomorrow at midnight.  And if you stay home, you'll be missing out.  Unless you own 'em on DVD.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is at Sunshine Cinema (143 East Houston Street), and The Thing is at IFC Center (323 Sixth Avenue).

Scott Pilgrim's based on Bryan Lee O'Malley's acclaimed graphic novel series about love and video games in chilly Canada, and The Thing is John Carpenter's 1982 horror thriller set in a US base in Antarctica.  Hey, both of these are about snow.  Guess the weather is kinda apropos.  So strap on your galoshes, check which subway lines are running, and trek on out to the Sunshine or IFC.

Both films screen tonight and Saturday.  Get details on more geeky screenings in NYC this month here.

Meet Your Masquerade Host

C2E2 is pleased to announce cosplayer, singer, and filmmaker Mario Bueno will be attending the 2011 Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo.  A fan of Japanese Animation since 2000, convention attendee since 2001, and cosplayer since 2002, Mario has come a long way since he was first formally introduced to the medium. With a background in stage and screen, Mario has appeared on Anime News Network in their 2007-2008 news webisodes, produced/appeared in his 2005 fan film "Final Fantasy vs Kaiju Big Battel" and web program "Doujinopolis," and appeared in numerous FUNimation blog segments as Son Goku. Recently, he also became the first male AX Idol at Anime Expo 2010.

Mario will be at C2E2 hosting our Saturday Night Masquerade and daily costume contests.

To enter the Masquerade -
http://c2e2.com/en/Whats-Happening/Events-S-Z/Saturday-Night-Masquerade/

For more on Mario -
http://www.mariobueno.com/

Adam Hughes at C2E2!

C2E2 is very happy to announce Adam Hughes will be joining us at C2E2.  Adam is a Harvey and Eisner winner and responsible for some of the most memorable images of superheroines in modern comics. Adam will be spending most of his time in Artist Alley at the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo, but you’ll also be able to see him on a panel or two.  For an updated listing of comics creators appearing at the show, visit C2E2.com.  Specifically...

http://www.c2e2.com/en/Whos-Coming/Guests/Comic-Guests/

Free Korean Movies!

The Korean Cultural Service launched a free Korean Movie Night last year in NYC, and with the start of 2011, Korean Movie Night's second year also begins!  The first film, A Barefoot Dream, will be presented January 11 at Tribeca Cinemas (54 Varick Street). Attending the screening will be the movie's director, Kim Tae-Kyun.  The screening starts at 7 PM, doors open at 6:30.

Here's the initial Korean Move Night line-up...

Tuesday, January 11 - A BAREFOOT DREAM (2010, 119 minutes, US Premiere)
Tuesday, January 25 - TAKE OFF (2009, 145 minutes, New York Premiere)
Tuesday, February 8 - LIFTING KING KONG (2009, 120 minutes, New York Premiere)
Tuesday, February 22 - FOREVER THE MOMENT (2008, 124 minutes)

Artist Alley! Round 1!

158.  That's the number of artists in Round 1 on C2E2's Artist Alley list.  And they're all live as of today at C2E2.com.  Round 2 is coming later this month, but we're very happy to release this first list of names today.  Browse through the initial list here...

http://www.c2e2.com/en/Whos-Coming/Artist-Alley/

And, just as Round 2 is coming, so are headshots and artwork for all our Artist Alley members.  For now, though, behold the glorious text.

Ed Catto and Steve Rotterdam start a fire!

A little nod from Medium at Large to two friends who've just started a fire. Steve Rotterdam, former Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing for DC Comics and Ed Catto, a former Senior Vice President from right here at Reed (as well as the brains behind Captain Action's relaunch), have announced the creation of the Bonfire Agency, a marketing outfit catering to the worlds of comics, games, toys, and other geeky pursuits.

Named for the burning passion of fans, the Bonfire Agency aims to engage brands with pop culture retailers and consumers, and has launched with clients ranging from the CBLDF to Bonomo Turkish Taffy.

The Bonfire Agency is located in NYC in the offices of Eastwest Marketing Group, and, through its alignment with Eastwest, will also have offices in Chicago and Los Angeles. For more information, visit bonfireagency.com.

Burn, baby, burn!

Division and Rush has a New Home

A little note about friend of show Todd Allen.  Todd's webcomic -- Division and Rush -- was previously located on the ChicagoNow website, but as of now has moved to a new home, conveniently http://www.divisionandrush.com/.  There'll be a new strip up each weekday, with today's already live.

The comic's a darkly humorous take on Chicago politics, crime, and culture.

The Most Beautiful Thing I've Ever Seen

From C.B. Cebulski's Eataku.

Speed Dating at C2E2! Sign Up Now!

Attention, all single C2E2 attendees! Are you tired of looking for love in Alderaan places? Is your love life moving slower than one of George A. Romero's zombies? Or, frankly, are you tired of going on dates with normal people? Well, now’s the time you meet someone who shares your passions! The crew that blew the roof off Star Wars Celebration V and rocked New York Comic Con like the party in Zion returns to the convention floor to help terminate your single life.

Pre-registration for speed dating is now open and limited slots will also be available on-site. Note that all slots are first come, first served. We've had lines out the door at Star Wars Celebration and New York Comic Con, and we've added additional times for C2E2, but while we aim to accommodate as many fans as we can, we cannot guarantee all attendees entrance into the speed dating sessions.

To sign-up, head over to C2E2's Speed Dating Page now!
http://c2e2.com/en/Whats-Happening/Events-S-Z/Speed-Dating/

Wanna Host a Panel at C2E2? Time's Running Out

It's 2011! It's a whole new year! It's shiny! It's exciting! And it's getting pretty darn close to C2E2.  There'll be a lot of news, announcements, and updates coming from the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo this month, with the first being a reminder that our panel and screening submissions are wrapping up in just a few more days.  Early Bird pricing and volunteer reg ended on December 31, and now panel submissions close on January 5.

Want to hold your own presentation at C2E2? Have something important to tell the world? Do you fancy yourself the Midwest's foremost expert on chromium covers? From Golden Age to Present Day, C2E2 will host panels covering the breadth and depth of popular culture, and if there's something you're passionate about, apply to host a panel now.  Seriously, right now.  January 5 ain't that far away.

Apply to host a panel or screening here...
http://c2e2.com/en/Whats-Happening/Panels-And-Screenings/

First Caturday of 2011!

2011! Yar!

2011 is here and brings with it a lot of exciting things. Personally, I'm jazzed about Matt Fraction fighting the God of Fear, finding out who/what the hell River Song is, and getting my ass back to Singapore. (Great, first day of 2011 and I already break out "hell" and "ass". Twice.) More than anything, though, what excites me about 2011 is this year's new Super Sentai series in Japan. Celebrating the 35th Anniversary of what's known in the USA as Power Rangers, this year's installment is Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger and pulls from One Piece and Jack Sparrow.

It's Pirate Power Rangers.

Found on Japanator.  What are you looking forward to?