Darkness #77 For May’s « Let Us Win You Over » Promotion

[ENGLISH] Top Cow tells us: LOS ANGELES, Calif., May 11th, 2009 – Top Cow Productions, Inc. revealed today the names of the participating retailers in their “Let Us Win YOU Over” initiative for May and the next free issue in the program – The Darkness #77. The “Let Us Win YOU Over” initiative is a yearlong campaign by Top Cow Productions to give out free copies of its regular comics to potential fans in the U.S. and Canada through participating comic book stores. Each month, a different set of stores, each month a different free comic. The stores vary by geography and demographics. Top Cow has partnered with ComicsPRO to bring this promotion to fans and the majority of May’s retailers are members of ComicsPRO. The Darkness #77 finds the titular character, Jackie Estacado fighting for his life against an ancient djinn protecting a mysterious and enchanting woman. The issue also finds Jackie confronting a mysterious new character who claims to have been a previous Darkness bearer and reveals something to Estacado that will send him on a new dangerous path. Regular writer Phil Hester writes the story with art by ongoing artist Michael Broussard. The issue will be in comic shops on Wednesday, May 27th, 2009 and normally retails for $2.99.

“Hester and Broussard re-launched The Darkness to a ton of critical and fan acclaim so we wanted to spotlight their talents in one of their newest issues. Both guys have come a long way since their first arc ‘Empire’ and with new colorist, Arif Prianto on board this issue really shines,” said Filip Sablik, Publisher of Top Cow. “This issue has it all – action, an ancient mystery, compelling characters and choices, and of course beautiful art.”

“Top Cow rocks!  It’s great to see them reaching out to new readers with this awesome promotion,” exclaimed Neal Rhone of Boomerang Comics Lewisville, TX, “Readers make weekly decisions on what titles they will pick up, this is the perfect way for everyone to try some something new.“

“The single most effective marketing tool we have as retailers is getting a comic book directly into the reader’s hands,” commented Mike Banks of Samurai Comics in Phoenix, AZ, “Top Cow is allowing us to take this one step further by allowing us to get their comics into the reader’s hands, AND letting them take the book home with them… for free!”

“Top Cow is doing an excellent job of reinvigorating its’ core titles!  Darkness has an intriguing storyline portrayed with exceptional art.  I look forward to sharing this book with new readers,” added Ernie Pelletier of Friendly Neighborhood Comics in Bellinghma, MA.

A list of the participating retailers during the month of May (listed alphabetically by state) is included below. Additional information can be found at the official online home of the “Let Us Win YOU Over” initiative – www.topcow.com/freecomics. Customers who currently purchase The Darkness at the stores below will be able to purchase an extremely limited “All Beef” Edition (limited to just the stores listed below) at the regular cover price. Fans are encouraged to contact the retailer they wish to visit for specific details:

Samurai Comics
10720 W Indian School Rd Ste #61
Phoenix, AZ 85037
623-872-8886
www.samuraicomics.com

A-1 Comics
818 Sunrise Ave
Roseville, CA 95661
916-783-8005
www.a-1comics.com

Beach Ball Comics
3024 W BaLinkll Rd Ste G
Anaheim, CA 92804
714-826-6127
www.beachballcomics.com

Castle Comics & Games
4100 Cameron Park Dr Ste #111
Cameron Park, CA 95682
530-676-2468
www.castlecomics.net

Metropolis Toys and Games
4039-106 St
Edmonton, AB Canada T6J 2S3
780-490-5236
www.metropolistoys.com

Dragon’s Tale
1525 Atlantic Blvd
Neptune Beach, FL 32266
904-246-0163

Galactic Quest
4264 Sudderth Rd
Buford, GA 30518
770-614-4804
www.galacticquest.com

Hometown Comics
110 E Vandalia St
Edwardsville, IL 62025
618-655-0707
www.myspace.com/hometowncomics

Reader Copies
2135 N Scatterfield Rd
Anderson, IN 46012
765-649-5767
www.readercopies.com

Comic Book World, Inc.
6905 Shepherdsville Rd
Louisville, KY 40219
502-964-5500
www.comicbookworld.com

Friendly Neighborhood Comics
191 Mechanic St
Bellingham, MA 02019
508-966-2275
www.friendlyneighborhoodcomics.com

Comics MD
15901 Indian Head Hwy
Accokeek, MD 20607
301-203-8500
www.comicsmd.com

Comic City
42727 Ford Rd
Canton, MI 48187
734-981-3561
www.comiccity.com

Mind’s Eye Comics
1565 Cliff Rd Ste #2
Eagan, MN 55122
651-683-0085
www.mindseyecomics.com

Newcastle Comics & Games
2294 McKelvey Rd
Maryland Heights, MO 63043
314-392-9322
www.myspace.com/newcastlecomics

Heroes and Dreams
5352 Hwy 25 Ste #1650
Flowood, MS 39232
601-992-3100
www.heroesanddreams.com

Comic Envy
1 Kenilworth Knolls Unit #4
Asheville, NC 28805
828-252-7600
www.comicenvy.com

Little Shop of Comics
393 Park Ave
Scotch Plains, NJ 07076
908-322-9402
www.littleshopofcomics.com

The Comic Depot, LLC
2538 Route 9N
Greenfield Center, NY 12833
518-893-2900
www.comicdepotllc.com

New Dimension Comics
101 Clear View Circle
Butler, PA 16001
724-282-5283
www.ndcomics.com

Planet Comics
2704 N Main St
Anderson, SC 29621
864-261-3578
www.planetcomics.net

Boomerang Comics
729 Hebron Pkwy Ste #190
Lewisville, TX 75057
972-315-5291
www.boomerangcomics.com

Lone Star Comics-Fort Worth
5429 S Hulen St
Fort Worth, TX 76132
817-346-7773
www.lonestarcomics.com

HeeBeeGeeBeez
1986 N Hillfield Rd Ste #2
Layton, UT 84041
801-779-4965
www.heebeegeebeez.com

Gary’s Comics & More
314 High St
Morgantown, WV 26505
304-296-3100

ART ATTACHED: The Darkness #77 cover by Frazer Irving.

Media contact:

Filip Sablik
Top Cow Productions, Inc.
(310) 282-8062
fsablik@topcowent.com

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About Top Cow Productions Inc.
Top Cow Productions, Inc. (www.topcow.com), a Los Angeles-based entertainment company, was founded in December of 1992 by artist Marc Silvestri, who also co-founded Image Comics earlier that same year. Top Cow currently publishes its line of comic books in 21 languages in over 55 different countries. The company has launched 20 franchises (18 original and two licensed) in the industry’s Top 10, seven at #1, a feat accomplished by no other publisher in the last two decades. Its flagship franchise, WITCHBLADE, was TNT’s #1 original film of 2000 and the subsequent TV series was released on DVD on July 29, 2008. A feature film, co-produced by Platinum Studios, Inc. and Arclight Films, is slated to begin production in Australia with director Michael Rymer. WITCHBLADE is also the first American property to be fully adapted in Japan as an original anime and manga by Studio GONZO in 2006. Top Cow’s other flagship property, THE DARKNESS, was developed into a major next-generation video game release by Starbreeze and 2K Games and achieved platinum sales status. WANTED, an Eisner-nominated miniseries published by Top Cow from 2003-2005, is now a major motion picture from Universal Pictures starring Angelina Jolie, James McAvoy and Morgan Freeman. Virtually all of Top Cow’s other properties are in development as feature films, live-action television, animation or video games. Top Cow has also successfully licensed and merchandised its franchises into toys, statues, clothing, lithographs, puppets, posters, magnets, shot glasses, lighters, lunch pails, wall scrolls, mouse pads, die-cast cars, calendars, Christmas ornaments, Halloween masks, trading cards, standees, video games and roleplaying games.

About ComicsPRO
ComicsPRO (www.comicspro.org) is the only trade organization for direct-market comic book retailers. ComicsPRO’s goals are not that different from trade organizations in other industries: to promote advocacy, education, and opportunity for their members. As a small business, you face many challenges without a lot of support. Joining ComicsPRO makes you part of a group facing – and overcoming – many of the same challenges. ComicsPRO allows you, as a small business, to receive benefits that are often only available to much larger groups, including discounted credit card rates and deals on health insurance. But the most important goal of ComicsPRO is to provide a voice for the often-overlooked concerns of direct-market retailers.