Tag Archives: comic industry news

Embracer Group Acquires Dark Horse and Forms The Tenth Operative Group

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The Press Release:
Embracer Group AB (“Embracer”) has today entered into an agreement to acquire Dark Horse Media, LLC (“Dark Horse”), a leading entertainment company. Post-closing, Dark Horse will become the tenth operative group of the Embracer group. Through the acquisition, Embracer strengthens its transmedia capabilities by adding expertise in content development, comics publishing, and film & TV production. Dark Horse owns or controls more than 300 intellectual properties, many of which are attractive for future transmedia exploitation, including the creation of new video games. Dark Horse founder and CEO Mike Richardson will continue to lead the company together with existing management.

“I can’t express the excitement I feel as Dark Horse moves into this new chapter in our history. The synergies that exist with the Embracer network of companies promise exciting new opportunities not only for Dark Horse, but also for the creators and companies we work with. I’ve had a number of compelling conversations with Embracer CEO Lars Wingefors and I’m very impressed with him and what he and his team have built. I have to say, the future for our company has never looked brighter,” says Mike Richardson, founder and CEO of Dark Horse.

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Presenting The 2020 Mike Wieringo Comic Book Industry Awards Nominees

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Based on the number of years we’ve been supporting the comic book industry with either collecting the issues that hit the racks each and every week or attending the conventions like the New York Comic Con, Big Apple Comic Con and the rest, its pretty safe to say that this industry is of great importance to us. Last year, I began to showcase the nominees and winners circle for the Mike Wieringo Comic Book Industry Award and before we get to this years nominees let me remind the readership about what they are in the first place.

About The Awards: The Mike Wieringo Comic Book Industry Awards is an annual celebration of the creativity, skill and fun of comics. The nomination ballot is determined by fans and pros alike.

And now without any further adieu, the 2020 Ringo Awards Nominees are…

Best Cartoonist (Writer/Artist)
Sarah Andersen
Eleanor Davis
Jaime Hernandez
Kevin Huizenga
Junepurr
Stan Sakai
Raina Telgemeier
David Jesus Vignolli

Best Writer
Drew Edwards
Jeff Lemire
Mark Russell
Erica Schultz
Mariko Tamaki
Continue reading Presenting The 2020 Mike Wieringo Comic Book Industry Awards Nominees

Presenting The 2019 Mike Wieringo Comic Book Industry Awards

Though I talk a lot about Awards Shows over on “The Chronicles Of Piercing Ken”, when the particular celebration is focused on the comic book industry, I will speak about it here. Just the other day the annual Mike Wierengo Comic Book Industry Awards were doled out and here is the winning list and some information about the awards themselves. enjoy.

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The Press Release:
Comic creative professionals, publishers, retailers, and fans came together Saturday night, October 19, 2019 to socialize, dine, and experience the comic book industry celebrating recognition of their peers, co-workers, and competitors at the 2019 Mike Wieringo Comic Book Industry Awards.

This year’s Ringo Awards was sponsored by Presenting Sponsors Cards, Comics & Collectibles and the Baltimore Comic-Con; Gold Sponsors BOOM! Studios, WEBTOON; and Silver Sponsors Fantastic Forum, Graphite, Source Point Press, and Valiant Entertainment. The banquet and awards ceremony honoring nominees and winners in professional and fan categories was hosted by the Baltimore Comic-Con and Cards, Comics & Collectibles.

The Mike Wieringo Comic Book Industry Awards is an annual celebration of the creativity, skill and fun of comics. The nomination ballot is determined by fans and pros alike.

Bob Wayne, comics industry luminary whose resume includes stints as a retailer, comics writer for DC and Charlton Comics, DC Comics executive, and CBLDF advisory board member, honored the Ringo Awards as the 2019 keynote presenter at the event.

A very special thanks go to the sponsors who donated items to the 2019 Ringo Awards Gift Bags, including Abrams ComicArts, Action Lab Entertainment, Archie Comic Publications, BOOM! Studios, Dark Horse Comics, Diamond Comic Distributors, Dynamite Entertainment, IDW Publishing, Lerner Publishing Group, New York Review Books, Source Point Press, TokyoPop, Valiant Entertainment, and WEBTOON.

To see a catalog of all the Diamond Book Publisher winners, click here.

Winners of the 2019 Mike Wieringo Comic Book Industry Awards are:

Fan Favorites:
Favorite Hero: Toaster Dude
Favorite Villain: Lance Cordrey from Aberrant (Action Lab Entertainment)
Favorite New Series: Luff
Favorite New Talent: Enjelicious
Favorite Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment

Jury and Fan Winners:
Best Cover Artist: Fiona Staples
Best Series (tie): Black Hammer: Age of Doom, Dark Horse Comics and The Immortal Hulk, Marvel Comics
Best Letterer: Todd Klein
Best Colorist: Tamra Bonvillain
Best Humor Comic: MAD, DC Comics
Best Original Graphic Novel: My Heroes Have Always Been Junkies, Image Comics
Best Comic Strip or Panel: Nancy, Olivia Jaimes, Andrews McMeel Universal
Best Single Issue or Story: Swamp Thing Winter Special, DC Comics
Mike Wieringo Spirit Award: Isola, Image Comics
Best Anthology: Where We Live, A Benefit for the Survivors in Las Vegas, Image Comics
Best Non-fiction Comic Work: Where We Live, A Benefit for the Survivors in Las Vegas, Image Comics
Best Presentation in Design: Absolute Sandman: Overture, DC Comics
Best Webcomic: The Nib (thenib.com)
Best Kids Comic or Graphic Novel: Punk Taco, Adam Wallenta Entertainment
Best Inker: Fiona Staples
Best Writer: Brian K. Vaughan
Best Artist or Penciller: Sean Phillips
Best Cartoonist (Writer/Artist): Terry Moore

Hero Initiative Awards:
Dick Giordano Humanitarian of the Year Award: Louise Simonson
Hero Initiative Lifetime Achievement Award: Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez

In addition, the Baltimore Comic-Con would like to thank those individuals who presented at this year’s award ceremony, including: Keynote speaker Bob Wayne; Paul McSpadden, Arely ‘Arechan’ Mancini and Dean Haspiel; Ross Richie and Filip Sablik; Fred Chamberlain; Shea Fontana and Brian K. Vaughan; Katie Cook and Afua Richardson; Walter Simonson; Mitch Gerads and Tom King; and Cully Hamner , Craig Rousseau, Mark Waid, and Matt Wieringo. We would also like to thank John Gallagher for his contributions to our program guide for the evening and awards ceremony presentation.

About Mike Wieringo:
Michael Lance “Mike” Wieringo was known to fans and friends as “Ringo”, which is how he signed his artwork. His comics artist graced the pages of DC Comics’ The Flash, Adventures of Superman, Batman, and Robin, Marvel Comics’ Fantastic Four, Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, Sensational Spider-Man, and Rogue, and his co-creation Tellos. He passed away on August 12, 2007 at the young age of 44 from an apparent heart attack.

About the Ringo Awards:
The Mike Wieringo Comic Book Industry Awards is an annual celebration of the creativity, skill and fun of comics. The Ringo Awards recognize outstanding achievements in over 20 categories, and are the only industry awards nominated by fans and pros alike, with final voting by the comic professional community. Launched in 2017, the awards ceremony is held annually at the Baltimore Comic-Con. Further details are available at the link below.

*** end of transmission ***

PiercingMetal Thoughts: Despite my knowing about the talents of the late great Mike Wieringo as an avid collector of a number of the titles that he worked on over the years, I was completely unaware about these awards. That said I was glad to add them to our content base for all of the comic book fans that are reading this website. For those who are wondering about picking up the hobby in some fashion, its never a bad idea to choose from a list of award winning titles and creators. See you next time.

Official Website: http://www.ringoawards.com

Marvel Announces Exclusive Agreement w “Morbius” Artist Marcelo Ferreira

We’ve hardly had a moment to catch our breath now that the 2019 New York Comic Con has come and gone and while I’m still culling together all of the photographs, you can see a wealth of discoveries by clicking over to our Official Instagram. During the convention, numerous reveals happened and deals disclosed. Case in point this news from Marvel regarding “Morbius” artist Marcelo Ferreira. Read on.

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The Press Release:
Announced this past weekend at New York Comic-Con’s Retailer Panel, artist Marcelo Ferreira has signed an exclusive agreement with Marvel Comics. Known for his work on books like WAR OF THE REALMS: PUNISHER, FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN, and ABSOLUTE CARNAGE VS. DEADPOOL, Ferreira has already garnered praise from fans and critics alike for his takes on some of Marvel’s most iconic characters. Now he’ll be bringing Morbius the Living Vampire to life with writer Vita Ayala in an all-new ongoing series debuting in November. Proven to be a powerhouse in delivering fearsome action sequences, Ferreira’s skills will no doubt make MORBIUS’ struggles and adventures more frightening than they’ve ever been before!

morbius by marcelo ferreira
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Announcing The Full 2019 Eisner Award Winners

I hope you’ve been enjoying all of the items from this years Comic Con International: San Diego because its been a blast calling all of these things to your attention. This event is one that really finds me pushing the content envelope of our Pop Culture focuses with the occasional other category as its suitable. So a few months ago I lined out the nominees for the vaunted Will Eisner Comic Book Industry Awards and if you missed that just click HERE to review. The winners were announced the other day and I’ve only listed those names and not the ones that they beat out for the honor. Take a look and we can catch up again at the close.

eisner awards logo

Best Short Story:
“The Talk of the Saints,” by Tom King and Jason Fabok, in Swamp Thing Winter Special (DC)

Best Single Issue/One-Shot:
Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man No. 310, by Chip Zdarsky (Marvel)

Best Continuing Series:
Giant Days, by John Allison, Max Sarin and Julia Madrigal (BOOM! Box)
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