Books I learned of from U.S. Book Show 2022

Posted on 05/25/2022 by Pop-Culture Spectrum

Kate Beaton’s DUCKS (Drawn & Quarterly) – Memoir about her life in Canada. First ever full graphic novel by Beaton. https://drawnandquarterly.com/books/ducks/

Adventuregame Comics by Jason Shiga, a decade year later follow up to Meanwhile, a series with book Two called The Beyond, published next year.https://www.abramsbooks.com/product/adventuregame-comics-leviathan_9781419757792/

TOR Nightfire, a new imprint has their first graphic novel, Where the black Stars rise https://tornightfire.com/catalog/where-black-stars-rise-nadia-shammas-marie-enger/

Two-Headed Chicken by Tom Angleberger from Walker Books US
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/714777/two-headed-chicken-by-tom-angleberger-illustrated-by-tom-angleberger/

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Rescue Rangers Obscure Easter Eggs

Posted on 05/25/2022 by Pop-Culture Spectrum

Most sites have caught the many references and easter eggs and cameos within Rescue Rangers and before posting these I looked around the journalism square.  Here are ones I saw mentioned no where else (in terms of pop culture news) before bringing them up. A version of this article originally appeared on the reidhcooper twitter.

At Fan Con some indie books can be seen with a quick eye. One of them are @Sheri_Fink  aka Whimsical World. whimsicalworldbooks.com

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Another book series you’ll see with a booth is Road House Sons @RoadhouseSons  roadhousesons.com

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One more book if you blink you’ll miss is just as the munks leap onto Voltron. The cover to Laura Levine’s Death of Neighborhood Witch.

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A Star Wars easter egg I haven’t seen mentioned anywhere for Rescue Rangers is a parody of tennis versus poster with Greedo vs Salacious. In the same shot you also see what looks like a Fleischer studios character & a dog I can’t place.

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Finally, The beer that Chip, Dale and Ellie share is Akupara, the fictional beer created for the film Palm Springs starring Andy Samberg.

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US Book Show 2022 Day One

Posted on 05/24/2022 by Pop-Culture Spectrum

Virtual cons are really not the same as a the real thing. Getting to really breath in an elaborate booth, truly meet fellow fans and professionals, waiting in lines for that one ARC, or better yet in my opinion THE SWAG. Bookmarks, exclusive enamel pins, weird collectibles, tote bags promoting a publisher or book to use all over your city like a walking advertisement. That was different world though. Maybe it’ll return for those in the industry who aren’t librarians (but wishes they could be), maybe it won’t.  None of that takes away from some of the pros of a Virtual con. One of those top ones I’d say is experiencing a panel while still exploring other things be it at the con, or websites related to books and entertainment.

Photo credit: Nancy Crampton

One such experience came during David Sedaris’ Monday afternoon sitdown where one could enjoyably chat with others watching from home or work, be engrossed but continuing to look through the exhibit halls.  Sedaris was also a complete joy, I loved his statement of hating his work being lumped in categories such as humorist currently or in the past slotted as gay, when it should be considered writing. He even suggested his category be “King of Writing” and he said it so nonchalantly that it was charming as heck.

In those exhibit halls which I am still walking now on day 2 I discovered books I was unaware of either coming out soon or that escaped my radar. Aconyte’s line of UBISOFT fiction, original novels based in Assassins’ Creed, Watchdogs, and the Tom Clancy games with quote a few already out but ones such as The Magus Conspiracy by Kate Heartfield , Available August 2, 2022

Also was Welcome to St. Hell by Lewis Hancox. The graphic novel/memoir/coming of age transexual tale forthcoming from Scholastic is fascinating and I look forward to reading the ARC. Before this I had not known of Lewis Hancox either but now I am a huge fan.  They are funny, their comic art style is also super fun. Check it out.

I look forward to learning of more books through the panel discussions and already have a few I really look forward to in the graphic novel reign from a Day 2 session.

 

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David Sedaris to Livestream Welcome to the U.S. Book Show

Posted on 05/19/2022 by Pop-Culture Spectrum

David Sedaris, author

– Happy Go Lucky Author to Riff on Life and Welcome Attendees to Book Show

NEW YORK—May 19, 2022—Humorist David Sedaris will livestream a conversational welcome to attendees of the U.S. Book Show from the Manhattan office of Publishers Weekly, “the bible of the book industry.” The half-hour livestream begins at 2 p.m. ET on Monday, May 23, 2022. Sedaris will be accompanied by Katharine Myers, his publicist, to discuss his latest book, Happy Go Lucky, a collection of essays due out this month.

“David Sedaris is the perfect person to warm up the book trade, which is often in need of some humor,” said Jim Milliot, editorial director of Publishers Weekly, which conceived, curates and manages the show. The industry trade show is virtual, runs May 23 – 26, 2022 and includes 15 panels and appearances 90 authors and editors.

“Sedaris has a knack for finding where the blithe and innocent intersect with the tawdry and lurid,” Publishers Weekly wrote in its review of Happy Go Lucky, noting that “Sedaris’s tragicomedy is gloomier than usual, but it’s as rich and rewarding as ever.”

David Sedaris is perhaps best known as America’s favorite Macy’s Santaland elf. Thanks to Ira Glass, who discovered Sedaris in Chicago in the early 1990s, Sedaris burst on the scene of NPR’s Morning Edition and This American Life, with droll essays and observations about his life and experiences read in his inimitable voice.

The author of 13 books, Sedaris won the Thurber Prize for American Humor in 2001 for Me Talk Pretty One Day. Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim was a New York Times #1 bestseller. He also writes plays, some with his sister Amy Sedaris, creates audio recordings and had a popular show on the BBC called Meet David Sedaris. In 2019 he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Since 1995 he has been an essayist for The New Yorker. He travels extensively in the U.S. reading essays and testing new material to live audiences. He lives in New York City and England with his longtime partner, Hugh Hamrick.

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New 1DP Videos

Posted on 05/10/2022 by Pop-Culture Spectrum

One Division Pro is heating up again and I am in the heat of it as a producer and director of talent relations.

Here are three recent videos promoting our next event and current happenings. In each I had a part from facilitating, writing, and/or being on camera.

 

 

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Prank Unleashes Ancient Evil in Your First Look at ORCS!: THE CURSE #1

Posted on 05/10/2022 by Pop-Culture Spectrum

Discover Brand New Adventures with New Faces and Familiar Figures From
Christine Larsen in June 2022 

LOS ANGELES, CA (May 10, 2022) – BOOM! Studios today revealed a first look at ORCS!: THE CURSE #1, the premier issue of an all-new original four-issue comic book series by cartoonist Christine Larsen (Adventure Time, By Night), spinning a new adventure in the world of the beloved misfit ORCS!, with some familiar faces and a brand new set of characters who could turn out to be the greatest friends—or foes—you’ll ever encounter, available in June 2022.

The fun and fantastical ORCS! return with a brand new adventure that’s darker and more rambunctious than ever! After returning from their travels and celebrating with a dance party, a prank gone wrong inadvertently unleashes something ancient and evil. Even worse, in a tower in the middle of a dark forest, a wizard with grand, sinister plans needs a real army, and his sight turns toward the Orcish tribe…

ORCS!: THE CURSE #1 features main cover art by Larsen and variant cover by artist Eric Powell (The Goon).

ORCS! is the latest release from BOOM! Studios’ award-winning KaBOOM! imprint, home to comics for middle grade and younger readers including original series Just Beyond by R.L. Stine, The Princess Who Saved Herself by Greg Pak, Jonathan Coulton, and Takeshi Miyazawa, Forever Home by Jenna Ayoub, Jo & Rus by Audra Winslow, Hex Vet by Sam Davies, Drew and Jot by Art Baltazar, Hotel Dare by Terry Blas and Claudia Aguirre, RuinWorld by Derek Laufman, and Pandora’s Legacy by Bones Leopard and Kelly & Nichole Matthews.

Print copies of ORCS!: THE CURSE #1 will be available for sale on June 8, 2022 at local comic book shops (use comicshoplocator.com to find the nearest one) or at the BOOM! Studios webstore. Digital copies can be purchased from content providers, including comiXology, iBooks, Google Play, and Kindle.  

For more on ORCS! and other projects from BOOM! Studios, stay tuned to boom-studios.com and follow @boomstudios on Twitter.

Christine Larsen

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FRANCINE PASCAL’S ICONIC SWEET VALLEY TWINS TO BE ADAPTED AS GRAPHIC NOVELS BY RANDOM HOUSE CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Posted on 04/28/2022 by Pop-Culture Spectrum

First in the series, SWEET VALLEY TWINS: BEST FRIENDS, to publish on November 1, 2022

A picture containing engineering drawing Description automatically generated

New York NY (April 27, 2022)—Francine Pascal’s bestselling series SWEET VALLEY TWINS will be published in graphic novel format by Random House Graphic, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books (RHCB), it was announced today by Barbara Marcus, RHCB President and Publisher. Senior Editor Whitney Leopard will edit the series and acquired world rights from Amy Berkower, President, Writers House, and Kate McKean, VP, Howard Morhaim Literary Agency. SWEET VALLEY TWINS #1: BEST FRIENDS is scheduled to release on November 1, 2022.

Writer Nicole Andelfinger and acclaimed artist Claudia Aguirre (Lost on Planet Earth) will launch the graphic novel line with an adaptation of SWEET VALLEY TWINS #1: BEST FRIENDS, the first novel in the series, which was originally published in 1986. Fans of ’80s and ’90s pop culture will fondly remember twins Elizabeth and Jessica from Sweet Valley, California, and their navigation of friendship, school, crushes, and more.

The graphic novels will be available simultaneously in hardcover and trade paperback formats. The second book in the series, Teacher’s Pet, will be published in 2023.

Francine Pascal said: “I have such great love for Sweet Valley and all the amazing adventures I’ve been able to take Jessica and Elizabeth on. And now graphic novels are our newest adventure,” said Sweet Valley Twins creator Francine Pascal. “It is so much fun seeing my characters practically alive! Nicole and Claudia have done an amazing job, and I’m very excited to work with them.”

In SWEET VALLEY TWINS #1: BEST FRIENDS, Jessica and Elizabeth are ready to take on middle school . . . but are they ready to take on each other? Jessica and Elizabeth have always been inseparable, but starting middle school means a chance for new beginnings. Elizabeth is excited to organize a school newspaper, but Jessica is more interested in joining the exclusive Unicorn Club. Middle school is hard enough, but with these twins each dealing with becoming their own person, will they be able to stay friends?

“The Sweet Valley series from Francine Pascal has resonated with readers across generations, and we are thrilled to bring the Wakefield twins to life in an all-new format with the SWEET VALLEY TWINS graphic novels,” said Whitney Leopard. “Francine and our adaptors, Nicole Andelfinger and Claudia Aguirre, are a dream team, visualizing these laugh-out-loud and heartfelt stories for the modern audience. These graphic novels are going to resonate with new and returning readers alike, and we can’t wait to see them out in the world.”

“I remember absolutely devouring Sweet Valley Twins as a preteen and felt like I couldn’t get enough of the drama, the shenanigans, and of course the sisters ultimately having each other’s backs,” said writer Nicole Andelfinger. “Being able to take the twins into the modern age has been an absolute joy. I can’t wait for a new generation of preteens to fall in love with Jessica, Elizabeth, and their friends!”

With new takes on She-Ra, Carmen Sandiego, Goosebumps, and The Babysitters Club, the ’80s and ’90s are on our screens and bookshelves. The Sweet Valley Twins adaptations promise to introduce these classic characters to a new generation of readers in the ever-growing middle-grade graphic novel category.

“Sweet Valley Twins is a series that has meant a lot to so many people,” said GLAAD Media Award nominee and Eisner Award nominee Claudia Aguirre. “I loved bringing Jessica and Elizabeth to life in these graphic novels for new and old fans alike, and I hope everyone loves them as much as I do!”

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Empyre: Dukes of the Far Frontier to Rise onto Steam on June 3

Posted on 04/28/2022 by Pop-Culture Spectrum

Auburn, New Hampshire – April 27, 2022 – Coin Operated Games announces today that its upcoming Neo-Victorian RPG Empyre: Dukes of the Far Frontier, will be coming to PC via Steam on June 3, 2022.  
Developed by a team of veterans from companies like Crytek, Creative Assembly, Codemasters, and Digital Reality, Empyre: Dukes of the Far Frontier is a top-down isometric RPG that takes place in an alternate history Wild West circa 1925.
Neo-Victorian RPG from Coin Operated Games Reveals Architects of Invention as Citywide Creative Consultants
…gaze upon a vision of mankind’s future in an advanced city built by machines…
Empyre: Dukes of the Far Frontier is set in a Neo-Victorian version of the wild west where you’ve got a first-class ticket to explore a seemingly utopian city run by steam-powered robots that society has become increasingly reliant on. In this mecca of machines and social revolution, a carefree life awaits, or so you’ve been led to believe. Discover the secrets of the robotic working class, and claw your way to the truth in this isometric alternate history RPG adventure!

Empyre: Dukes of the Far Frontier features a city designed in consultation with firm Architects of Invention.  Architects of Invention (AI) is an international partnership practicing contemporary architecture, urbanism, and design. Since its establishment in 2010 AI has completed 10 buildings in 10 years and produced more than 100 projects and collaborations. It has contributed to projects in Chile, Switzerland, Germany, Canary Islands, Seychelles, India, Russia, China, Czech Republic, France, UK, and Georgia. AI has received numerous international awards, has contributed to publications online and in print, organized workshops and exhibitions. AI thrives to establish itself as a design-led, contemporary experimental practice to test many new technologies and engage with new cultures and geographies.

“After working on many real-life projects, it was a joy to delve into the realm of pure imagination to help Coin Operated Games realize their vision of a perfect futuristic city,” said Niko Japaridze of AI.

“Videogames are a fascinating space to work in. The space is unbridled and unlimited allowing us to explore and experiment with architectural themes in completely new dimensions.”

“We are very honored that Architects of Inventions is working with us on our city design for Empyre: Dukes of the Far Frontier,” said John Randall, Creative Director of Empyre. “They are a world-class outfit, and have been invaluable to us with helping to shape the nature of our city.” 

Currently in development by Coin Operated Games, Empyre: Dukes of the Far Frontier will be available via Steam on June 3, 2022.

About Coin Operated Games
Headquartered in New Hampshire with development partners located internationally, Coin Operated Games is an independent developer whose mission is to create an original and unique series of games set in a Neo-Victorian era that spans multiple, unique locations. The core team is made up of industry veterans with a combined 60 years of experience from iconic organizations like Crytek, Codemasters, Creative Assembly, Stormregion, and Digital Reality. Empyre: Dukes of the Far Frontier will be the second project for Coin Operated Games, and is scheduled for release on June 3, 2022.
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Your First Look at the Queer YA Graphic Novel HOLLOW from LUMBERJANES Co-Creator

Posted on 04/28/2022 by Pop-Culture Spectrum

Discover a Brand New Original Graphic Novel from an All-Star Creative Team in September 2022

LOS ANGELES, CA (April 28, 2022) –  BOOM! Studios revealed today a first look at the brand new original graphic novel, HOLLOW. From Shannon Watters, the co-creator of the bestselling worldwide phenomenon Lumberjanes, and co-writer debut author Branden Boyer-White, rising star artist Berenice Nelle (Wanderlicht), and colorists Kaitlyn Musto, Kieran Quigley, and Gonçalo Lopes, comes a supernatural queer romance and adventure set in the infamous town of Sleepy Hollow, available in September 2022.

Isabel “Izzy” Crane and her family have just relocated to Sleepy Hollow, the town made famous by—and obsessed with—Washington Irving’s legend of the Headless Horseman. But city slicker-skeptic Izzy has no time for superstition as she navigates life at a new address, a new school, and, with any luck, new friends. Ghost stories aren’t real, after all….

Then Izzy is pulled into the orbit of the town’s teen royalty, Vicky Van Tassel (yes, that Van Tassel) and loveable varsity-level prankster Croc Byun. Vicky’s weariness with her family connection to the legend turns to terror when the trio begins to be haunted by the Horseman himself, uncovering a curse set on destroying the Van Tassel line. Now, they have only until Halloween night to break it—meaning it’s a totally inconvenient time for Izzy to develop a massive crush on the enigmatic Vicky.

Can Izzy’s practical nature help her face the unknown—or only trip her up? As the calendar runs down to the 31st, Izzy will have to use all of her wits and work with her friends to save Vicky and uncover the mystery of the legendary Horseman of Sleepy Hollow—before it’s too late.

HOLLOW features cover art by acclaimed artist Naomi Franquiz (Proctor Valley Road).

HOLLOW is the latest release from BOOM! Studios’ award-winning BOOM! Box imprint, home to groundbreaking original series such as Lumberjanes by Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis, Gus Allen, and ND Stevenson; Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera and Celia Moscote; Giant Days by John Allison, Lissa Treiman, and Max Sarin; Buckhead by Shobo and George Kambadais; Mamo by Sas Milledge; Save Yourself! by Bones Leopard and Kelly and Nichole Matthews; Specter Inspectors by Bowen McCurdy and Kaitlyn Musto; The Last Witch by Conor McCreery and V.V. Glass; Ghosted in LA by Sina Grace and Siobhan Keenan; The Avant-Guards by Carly Usdin and Noah Hayes; Fence by C.S. Pacat and Johanna the Mad; Goldie Vance by Hope Larson and Brittney Williams; Misfit City by Kirsten Smith, Kurt Lustgarten, and Naomi Franquiz; and educational series Seen: True Stories of Marginalized Trailblazers.

Print copies of HOLLOW will be available for sale on September 28, 2022 at local comic book shops (use comicshoplocator.com to find the nearest one), October 4, 2022 at bookstores everywhere or at the BOOM! Studios webstore. Digital copies can be purchased from content providers, including comiXology, iBooks, Google Play, and Kindle. Print copies of HOLLOW 2022 FREE COMIC BOOK DAY SPECIAL will be available for FREE on May 7, 2022 exclusively at participating local comic book shops.

For continuing news on HOLLOW and more from BOOM! Studios, stay tuned to boom-studios.com and follow @boomstudios on Twitter.

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A Bunch of Sam & Max: Beyond Time and Space News

Posted on 04/26/2022 by Pop-Culture Spectrum

Sam & Max: Beyond Time and Space Demo on Nintendo Switch (aka the free option)

Released April 25, 2022, the Sam & Max: Beyond Time and Space demo pits the Freelance Police against the greatest enemy they’ve ever faced, a bloated, hairy, pagan god: Santa Claus!

Sam & Max: Beyond Time and Space - horror at the North Pole!

Set right at the beginning of the five-episode story arc, this demo addresses all the burning questions you didn’t know you needed to ask, including:

  • What’s so special about elf tears?
  • Why is a giant robot with a penchant for eighties pop music tearing up the street?
  • When did the War of 1812 begin?
  • Why is Bosco’s package ticking?
  • And the big one: why has Santa barricaded himself in his workshop with a BB gun?

The answers will surprise you!

Grab the Sam & Max: Beyond Time and Space demo from your Nintendo eShop of choice:

Sam & Max discounts on Nintendo Switch and Steam (aka the cheap option)

After sampling that delicious free demo, why not check out the full game on sale, hmm? This week, Sam & Max: Beyond Time and Space is 20% off on Nintendo Switch and Steam.

Sam, Max, and a big bag o' cash

What’s that? You want even MORE Sam & Max for cheap? We’ve got you covered, because the first game in the series, Sam & Max Save the World, is 30% off on Nintendo Switch and Steam.

(Note: These sales start today on Steam and the North American eShop. The discount will kick in on the European eShop on Thursday.)

Xbox players, we didn’t forget about you. Watch for a similar discount in May.

Sam & Max: Beyond Time and Space Collector’s Edition coming May 6 (aka the pricey option, but oh so worth it)

For those who prefer a game you can display on your shelf and cradle in your arms (no judgment), we’ve partnered with Limited Run Games to release a Sam & Max: Beyond Time and Space Collector’s Edition on PC ($69.99) and Nintendo Switch ($79.99). Preorders will start on May 6 and stay open for 30 days.

Limited Run Games store page: https://limitedrungames.com/collections/sam-max-beyond-time-and-space

Sam & Max: Beyond Time and Space Collector's Edition contents

Limited Run’s Sam & Max: Beyond Time and Space Collector’s Edition includes:

  • Sam & Max: Beyond Time and Space on physical media
  • Bonus features DVD containing trailers, developer’s commentary, and other video goodies from the game’s original 2007-2008 production
  • Five episode postcards
  • Mini print of Steve Purcell’s “Autopsy” art (originally created for the March 2007 cover of Game Developer magazine)
  • Waterproof Banang sticker
  • Reproduction of Telltale’s Sam & Max Season Two Case File containing a souvenir from each of the game’s five cases: “The Friendly Demon Song” on mini CD, a Tiny Tiki drink coaster, Jurgen’s rave flier, one of eight random time cards, and a Soul Train subway token

And there you have it: three ways to get your hands on Sam & Max: Beyond Time and Space, amenable to any budget. If you’re curious about what’s been updated in this new version of Telltale’s 2007-2008 episodic series, check out this recent Steam post.

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