Top Cow & MySpace Announce Pilote Season Winners

[ENGLISH] Top Cow Productions Inc. and MySpace, the world’s most popular social network, today announced the winners of Pilot Season, an exclusive contest that encouraged established comic book writers to create a pilot for a potential series using characters that are already well known by comic book fans. Five pilots were submitted and the MySpace Comic Book community was asked to “Take Control” and vote online at http://myspace.com/pilotseason to determine which two characters would receive their own series in 2008.

The two winning titles for 2007 were announced as Velocity and Cyblade, two of the dynamic female characters from Marc Silvestri’s original creator-owned property Cyberforce. Both series are slated to debut in the fall of 2008 in time for the Cyberforce 17th anniversary.

Velocity will be written by original Pilot Season writer Joe Casey (The Last Defenders,Youngblood) and an artist to be named later. “I couldn’t believe the voting topped four million votes,” marveled Casey. “Better than a New Hampshire primary! If only that many folks would buy the comics…! In any case, the Pilot issue was only the beginning of what we’re going to make sure is a wild ride when the new series hits in the fall.”

Cyblade will see the return of the Pilot Season team of Joshua Hale Fialkov (Marvel Comics Presents, Punks The Comic Book) and Rick Mays (Kabuki, Gen 13). “I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who voted for the book, and I’m positive they won’t be disappointed with where the series goes,” said Fialkov. “It’s going to be balls-to-the-wall explodo, and I’m psyched to be along for the ride.”

“Congratulations to Joe, Joshua, and Rick, as well as Kevin Maguire, who all helped shoot Cyblade and Velocity to the top,” said Top Cow Publisher Filip Sablik. “The fans got out there and made damn sure their voices were heard loud and clear. The guys have a ton of great ideas they’re waiting to unleash on the comics community and if you sign up as a friend on the Pilot Season page you’ll be privy to exclusive sneak peeks.”

The Pilot Season profile received more than 4 million total votes in one month and fans who purchased all five pilot issues were rewarded with a secret voting code printed in each booklet, which doubled the value of their votes. The voting portion of the event was held in conjunction between Top Cow Productions, Inc. and MySpace Comic Books, http://myspace.com/comicbooks. For more information visit the official Pilot Season MySpace profile at http://myspace.com/pilotseason.

(Please note these covers are NOT the covers to the new series that will be launching in the fall.)

About MySpace Comic Books

MySpace Comic Books (http://myspace.com/comicbooks) is an online community dedicated to the best in comics, manga, and graphic novels. Launched in March 2007, MySpace Comic Books provides the online community with the latest comic book news and interviews and spotlights the most exciting projects, creators and events in the industry. With more than 155,000 friends and growing, MySpace continues to see significant interest from its members in the comic book arena.

About Top Cow Productions Inc.

Top Cow (http://topcow.com) 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 2 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 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 sell-out and Platinum sales status. Wanted is currently in production as a major motion picture from Universal Pictures starring Angelina Jolie, James McAvoy, and Morgan Freeman and slated for release June 27, 2008. 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 role playing games.