Your First Look at America’s First Female Detective in BETTER ANGELS 

Posted on 05/04/2021 by Pop-Culture Spectrum

Discover the Untold Story of Kate Warne by ‘Watchmen’ Screenwriter Jeff Jensen &
Acclaimed Artist George Schall in October 2021

LOS ANGELES, CA (April 28, 2021) –  BOOM! Studios today revealed a first look at the brand new original graphic novel BETTER ANGELS: A KATE WARNE ADVENTURE, from Emmy and Eisner Award-winning writer Jeff Jensen (HBO’s Watchmen, Green River Killer: A True Detective Story) and acclaimed artist George Schall (Made In Korea), inspired by the true story of Kate Warne, America’s first female detective, and her singular achievement—thwarting a plot by Confederate radicals to kill Abraham Lincoln.

In 1861, America is at a crossroads. Abraham Lincoln, the man tasked with healing the nation, and his family are the targets of a conspiracy to assassinate them. Their safety – and the future of the American experiment – hinges on the success of a new kind of lawman, known by a word still novel in the culture: detective.

But there was only one detective whose extraordinary cleverness, versatility and mystery made them a singular individual who could save the Lincolns. Her name was Kate Warne. This is the true story of America’s first woman detective, who saved the life of her country’s greatest president and changed the course of history forever.

BETTER ANGELS: A KATE WARNE ADVENTURE is the latest release from BOOM! Studios’ award-winning Archaia imprint, home to inspiring graphic novels such as Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut, Ryan North, and Albert Monteys; The Sacrifice of Darkness by Roxane Gay, Tracy Lynne-Oliver, and Rebecca Kirby; Big Black: Stand at Attica by Frank “Big Black” Smith, Jared Reinmuth, and Améziane, We Served the People by Emei Burell, The Realist by Asaf Hanuka, Girl on Film by Cecil Castellucci and Vicky Leta, Melissa Duffy, V. Gagnon & Jon Berg, New World by David Jesus Vignolli, About Betty’s Boob by Vero Cazot and Julie Rocheleau, Waves by Ingrid Chabbert and Carole Maurel, and more. 

Print copies of BETTER ANGELS: A KATE WARNE ADVENTURE will be available for sale on October 27, 2021 at local comic book shops (use comicshoplocator.com to find the one nearest you), on November 2, 2021 in bookstores, or at the BOOM! Studios webstore. Digital copies can be purchased from content providers, including comiXology, iBooks, Google Play, and Madefire.  

For continuing news on BETTER ANGELS: A KATE WARNE ADVENTURE and more from BOOM! Studios, stay tuned to www.boom-studios.com and follow @boomstudios on Twitter. 

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Jeff Smith’s TUKI: Fight for Fire Makes Debut on Kickstarter!

Posted on 05/03/2021 by Pop-Culture Spectrum

Creator of BONE and RASL Launches Third Self-Published Comic Series During 30th Anniversary Celebrations

Key West, FL – May 3, 2021:  Jeff Smith’s third creator owned and self-published comics project, TUKI, is making its graphic novel debut on Kickstarter on May the 4th! TUKI, some may remember, was a short-lived online comic experiment in color, but now Smith has completely rebuilt the world of two million BCE into two full blown original black & white graphic novels set to ship this Summer and Fall. This Summer also marks the 30th anniversary of the first issue of BONE #1.

The story takes place at the dawn of the human race, and pits Tuki against a rival species of humans, the Habiline, who view the making of fire as a dangerous blasphemy and hunt those found using it.

 

“I’ve always been fascinated with human evolution, especially the point two million years ago when more than one species of human existed at the same time,” said cartoonist Smith, “this was also the moment we conquered fire. Definitely our best party trick!”

 

“I started to play around with TUKI before COVID hit,” he continued, “but once the lockdown happened, I decided to dive in and focus on straightening out the story. I ended up with enough material for two books! It was friends from the old self-publishing days, the Tucci’s and the Pulido’s, who turned my wife Vijaya on to Kickstarter and persuaded us to give it a go. If all goes well, this could be the beginning of a new series! Come check us out! We have rewards that are super high on the neat-o scale!”

 

The Kickstarter campaign covers both graphic novels. The first book, TUKI: Fight for Fire, if the campaign is successful, will ship to supporters in July, 30 years to the month the first issue of BONE was released. The second book, TUKI: Fight for Family, will ship in October.

 

Both volumes will be oversized and landscape formatted (11.375” x 8.875”) with approximately 144 pages each with a bonus material stretch goal. The return to black & white line art is in keeping with the initial runs of both BONE and RASL. The first book is 100% complete and ready to go to the printer.

About TUKI: At the dawn of humanity, during a period of tremendous change and drought, three lost children meet a mysterious traveler named Tuki. Together, their search for the Motherherd of all Buffalo leads them far north through the dangerous territory of a rival species called the Habiline. The Habiline hunt and kill anyone found using fire. Tuki’s reputation precedes them and soon they find themselves at the center of unwanted attention not only from Habiline warriors, but of gods and giants!

About Jeff Smith: Jeff Smith is the writer & artist of comics and graphic novels like BONE, RASL, SHAZAM: The Monster Society of Evil, ROSE and Tall Tales. Both BONE and RASL were self-published and are New York Times Bestsellers. BONE won 41 national and international awards including 10 Eisner Awards and 11 Harvey Awards, and has been translated into over 30 foreign languages. RASL won an Eisner for Best Graphic Novel. The short lived webcomic version of TUKI won the National Cartoonists Award for Best Online Comic in 2014.

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An Overview of some games in LudoNarraCon

Posted on 04/23/2021 by Pop-Culture Spectrum

LudoNarraCon is live and it a virtual event full of panels, demonstrations and focuses on games currently available or some still to come. It is a lot of games and in the last week I did not get to explore all of them as much as I would like, but there were some demos I played which I absolutely loved and wrote impressions of.

UNPACKING: This game is simple and very basic. It’s not Tetris and the “failure” seems easy to solve, but the balance is there between the graphics and story telling that this demo truly made me interested to see the young girl grow. Maybe even in between her child hood to teenage (not shown here) and then beyond her first apartment to a house to another house to a smaller apartment to a senior assisted living and then maybe even into an afterlife!

Minute of Islands: The animated style of this what feels quite EPIC game from its start with its mentions of gods, a post apocalyptic world and you a lone human set to save everything when they fall asleep makes the heaviness feel light and cheerful. There is a sadness here and a bit of gore. This is cute but also not for the young ones. Lots of dead animals. The mechanics are really nice and simple though, a minimalist platformer with puzzles that seem based more on following instructions that actual problem solving. I look forward to trying more.

Mind Scanners: Time and resource management games are hard enough, add in visual notice, sound recognition, and even a puzzle element and one might go as insane as some of the characters in this game. That isn’t to say not to give this demo a go, because you need to experience it for yourself. There is a challenge here, one not found in many of the other games that have caught my notice. There is also a strong story and clever pixel art, but if a game as complicated as the narrative is what you seek then this is the one.

Teacup: Minimal cartoon art, a hunt for tea in a cute world, propelled mostly by mini games. The demo had two, one which took time, the other that definitely needed to be played on a keyboard. The gameplay isn’t the pull here, but the charm is. There is a crazy amount of charm here and the fact they offer a free PDF of a cute tea book

Beacon Pines: Absolutely adorable. I honestly wish I had discovered this sooner when it was on Kickstarter. The art is wonderful and I’d love to own charms, stickers, books, etc. based off it. The story telling concept is fantastic as well with a choose your own adventure feel and ultimate replay-ability to try different branches to see where the book takes you. There seems to be a huge mystery here that could go many ways and places and despite the looks be very dark and adult.

Forgotten Fields: A visual interactive novel is the way I would describe this very down to earth story with a minimal but charming art style. There is something zen like of just sitting back and clicking and reading and once in awhile following a path to see where a writer is taking you. The lead is a writer trying to write while trying to also survive every day life and while it sounds mundane, other people’s lives that are not our own explored in new ways can be invigorating.

LAKE: Whoever heard of working through vacation? That’s exactly what Lake has you do, but at least the vacation is also to a begone time we can’t really ever return to. Small town America before many of the changes this country has seen is serene, quiet, and full of life. Diners, reunions, changes to your childhood home. I would love to see Lake be much more open world especially with its setting and less forced linear with an order that doesn’t truly matter but who knows what could come as the game is still in development.

TUNIC: This top down action adventure has been one of the games I’ve had my eyes on for a long time and I was happy to finally get my hands on the demo that has been shown at conventions I could not attend. This isn’t an easy game amongst all the visual novels and games based in point & click, but the graphics, mechanics and everything are just so right. Sometimes you want to run, cut and jab with a cute little fox.

There are so many more demos available. 44 in all and Pop-Culture Spectrum will make efforts to play the majority and report on them over the weekend. For now get yourself over to Steam for LudoNarraCon and explore the games, the broadcasts and the sales.

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The Prisoner Retro Style Action Figures Launch On Kickstarter 

Posted on 04/19/2021 by Pop-Culture Spectrum

This Kickstarter is fully funded but still notable because of what it is offering. I know many folks would be interested in this simply from how successful the project already is.

The Prisoner Retro Style Action Figures Launch On Kickstarter

The First-Ever Officially Licensed Action Figure Line Based on the Cult Classic TV Show

(April 19, 2021) Wandering Planet Toys is launching a Kickstarter campaign to fund the first-ever officially licensed action figure line based on The Prisoner, the cult classic television show starring and created by Patrick McGoohan. The campaign will run from Monday April 19th until Wednesday, May 26th at 6:06 PM PT.

In 1967 the cult classic TV series, The Prisoner burst onto the screen. The series, about an unnamed British intelligence agent who awakes to find himself trapped in an idyllic seaside village, was not only an instant hit with viewers at the time, it went on to be watched and re-watched obsessively by fans, quickly gaining cult status. And while there have been several collectables released over the decades, The Prisoner has never received a line of officially licensed action figures… until now. Wandering Planet Toys, appointed by ITV Studios, will bring to life 4-inch retro style action figures that celebrate Patrick McGoohan’s brilliant series.

“The Prisoner is quintessential cult TV,” said Wandering Planet Toys co-founder and Emmy nominated writer Chris “Doc” Wyatt (Marvel’s Rocket and Groot). “Depending on the viewer it can be seen as a stylish spy drama, an allegorical social commentary, a paranoid conspiracy thriller, or even a piece of avant-garde filmmaking. Our Wave 1 toys are dedicated to the idea of honoring the series and contributing to its fandom.”

Wandering Planet Toys’ campaign features multiple tiers:

NUMBER 6 FIRST EDITION features the iconic black jacket with white piping, and the classic 6 badge.

NUMBER 6 KICKSTARTER-EXCLUSIVE “ARRIVAL” EDITION features the Prisoner’s all-black outfit, as seen in the episode “Arrival” and in the opening credit sequence of each episode.

NUMBER 6 BEACH ESCAPE EDITION version of Number 6 is a variant of the First Edition figure, but WITHOUT the #6 badge. This edition features a special cardback featuring the icon moment of Number 6 attempts escape on the Village’s beachfront.

NUMBER 6 “CHECKMATE”  EDITION. This edition of NUMBER 6 figure sports the multi-colored cloak worn in during the living chess game in the episode “Checkmate” complete with the chess staff.

NUMBER 6 – LIMITED EDITION ROVER PACKAGE. No discussion of THE PRISONER is complete without mention of the Village’s spherical guardian and menace, ROVER. In order to evoke the iconic moment of NUMBER 6 pushed up against the gelatinous side of the guardian, Wandering Planet Toys has created a Limited Edition plastic packaging unit depicting our hero in the belly of the beast. This package is a resealable clamshell so the figure can be removed for display, then reinserted.

“FREE FOR ALL” TWO-PACK SET. This 2-figure set features NUMBER 6 and NUMBER 2 (as played by Eric Portman). The accessories include NUMBER 6’s hat, bullhorn and election poster from the episode, as well as phones from NUMBER 2’s office.

“SCHIZOID MAN” TWO-PACK SET. This 2-figure set features NUMBER 6 as well as his doppelganger NUMBER 12 (also played by Patrick McGoohan, but with a color-reverse white jacket with black piping). The accessories include two fencing foils, two fencing helmets, and two marksman pistols, and miniature versions of NUMBER 24’s psychic testing “Zener cards”, so that you can hold your own contest to determine which figure is the real NUMBER 6.

DEGREE ABSOLUTE – The “ALL IN” PLEDGE including an EXCLUSIVE Wandering Planet designed THE PRISONER T-Shirt. In addition to the full Wave One product line, backers will also receive an exclusive THE PRISONER T-SHIRT designed by Wandering Planet Toys.

“Wave 1 of The Prisoner action figures are far along in development,” said Wandering Planet Toys co-founder Gavin Hignight. “The figures have been sculpted, the packaging has been designed, and approvals have already been granted by our partners at ITV Studios. As longtime fans of The Prisoner, we are so excited for fans and collectors to see these toys and the detail we’re putting into them, but that can only happen if the campaign is funded.”

The Wandering Planet Toys campaign concludes May 26, 2021. For updates, follow Wandering Planet Toys on Twitter.

To support the campaign, visit Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/wanderingplanettoys/the-prisoner-retro-style-action-figures?ref=7e7gzf

 

“The Prisoner ™and © ITC Entertainment Group Limited. 1967, 2001 and 2021. Licensed by ITV Ventures Limited.  All rights reserved.”

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Boxed Collector’s Editions of Sam & Max Save the World coming April 30 from Limited Run Games

Posted on 04/15/2021 by Pop-Culture Spectrum
Sam & Max Save the World header

Great gouts of steaming magma on a beeline for the orphanage! Sam & Max Save the World is getting a physical release!

Skunkape Games, a studio founded by former Telltale developers to remaster the episodic Sam & Max games, have teamed up with Limited Run Games for three forthcoming physical products:

Limited Run will make these available in an open preorder from April 30 through May 30. Visit their store for more details: https://limitedrungames.com/collections/sam-and-max

Assets:

About Sam & Max
Individually Sam & Max are a six-foot dog in a suit (Sam) and a naked hyperkinetic rabbity-thing (Max) with sharp wit, big guns, and their own unique way of fighting crime. Collectively they are the Freelance Police, stars of award-winning comics by Steve Purcell, a 1990s LucasArts adventure game, a short-lived Canadian TV show, an upcoming VR game, and three episodic seasons released by Telltale Games between 2006 and 2010. Skunkape’s remastered version of the first of these, Sam & Max Save the World, released for PC and Nintendo Switch in December.

Sam & Max in their remastered office

In Sam & Max Save the World (a.k.a. Sam & Max Season One), the duo investigate a hypnosis plot that spins to global proportions in six linked cases that originally released as downloadable monthly episodes. The remaster features overhauled lighting, lip-sync, audio, cinematography, and more to bring a 15-year-old game up to modern standards.

Original-remaster comparison shot

About the Limited Run Collector’s Editions
The Collector’s Editions will feature big box packaging with cover art painted by Sam & Max creator Steve Purcell, a Highway Surfing mini print (also painted by Purcell), six postcards depicting the game’s six episodes as comic book covers, and the game on physical media.

Sam & Max Save the World Collector's Edition mockup

The Collector’s Editions will also include an updated recreation of the Sam & Max Season One Case File, which was available in very limited quantities when Sam & Max Season One originally released in 2007. You can learn more about the Case File and its history here: https://skunkapegames.com/samandmax/casefile

Sam & Max Season One case file
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IDW Previews Four Tantalizing Pages from 2021’s Most Hotly Anticipated Comic Book Crossover, Locke & Key / The Sandman Universe: Hell & Gone

Posted on 03/12/2021 by Pop-Culture Spectrum

Two Beloved Fantasy/Horror Comic Book Series Collide in an Exclusive First Look by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodríguez

SAN DIEGO, CA (March 9, 2021) – New York Times bestselling novelist Joe Hill and superstar artist Gabriel Rodríguez have crafted a tale of mystery and terror, bringing together two of comics’ greatest fantasy franchises — their award-winning series Locke & Key published by IDW and DC’s blockbuster The Sandman, created by Neil Gaiman, Sam Kieth, and Mike Dringenberg — in Locke & Key / The Sandman Universe: Hell & Gone #1, slated for release on April 14th.

With a hit Netflix Original Series Locke & Key adaptation produced by IDW Entertainment heading into its second season and anticipation building with recent casting developments for Netflix’s upcoming The Sandman, there’s never been a better time for these brilliant comic book universes to collide, and IDW is proud to debut the opening scene of this mature-themed miniseries for all the world to enjoy.

“Without Sandman, I don’t know if there ever would’ve been a Locke & Key,” says Hill. “Neil Gaiman’s stories taught Gabriel and me how to tell ours. The Sandman series is to comics what J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings was to fantasy and maybe what Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band was to rock & roll: it’s the Alpha & Omega of dark fantasy in this format. Neil dreamt up all the best toys, and what a thrill it’s been to play with them. Maybe the biggest surprise is how well, how naturally, these series lace together. It’s like they’ve always been waiting for each other.”

Rodríguez adds, “An idea we started discussing with Joe as a joke became a Dream once and now the stars aligned to lend us the Key to open the gate to a story that means so much to us! Both Joe and myself fell in love deeper than ever with comics thanks to a generation of genius creators guided by editor Karen Berger in DC’s Vertigo line. They brought to the medium a breath of insane, mind-bending fresh air rarely seen before. Morpheus’ saga is directly responsible for inspiring the foundation of Keyhouse, the crafting of the magic keys, and the family saga of Locke & Key. To have these universes weave together in a multi-dimensional, gut-wrenching, and heartbreaking adventure is indeed a Dream UnLocked.”

Hell & Gone #1 follows a desperate Mary Locke, whose brother Jack may be 10 years dead but still sends letters home from Hell. Her quest to rescue him from The Pit will require her to outsmart Roderick Burgess (the most wicked man in England), puzzle her way through the House of Mystery, and risk the walking nightmare known as The Corinthian in a disintegrating Kingdom of Dreams!

“Every time a new page comes in, it drives home the point that this series is a real thing and not just a dream,” says series editor Chris Ryall. “And in the hands of Joe and Gabriel, what an amazing dream-like treat this is going to be for both series’ legions of fans.”

Nachie Marsham, IDW Publisher, says, “Infinitely imaginative and flawlessly executed, the continuing tales of Locke & Key serve as an inspiration for all of us, teaching us lessons anew about the power of visual storytelling. In crossing over with The Sandman Universe, we find a seamless harmony of vision, themes, and aesthetic. Joe and Gabriel have created another masterpiece.”

Locke & Key / The Sandman Universe: Hell & Gone #1 will be available with multiple cover variants for retailers and fans to enjoy, including Cover A by Gabriel Rodríguez, Cover B by JH Williams III (Batwoman, The Sandman: Overture), Cover C by Kelley Jones (Batman, The Sandman), and two Retailer Incentive editions featuring art by Rodríguez and Williams, respectively.

For information on how to purchase Locke & Key / The Sandman Universe comic books, please contact your local comic shop or visit www.comicshoplocator.com to find a store near you.




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ABLAZE takes to the stars with SPACE PIRATE CAPTAIN HARLOCK

Posted on 03/12/2021 by Pop-Culture Spectrum

The crew of the Arcadia set sails in space once again starting this summer!

MARCH 11, PORTLAND, OR – ABLAZE proudly announced today that they will be presenting the next chapter in the Space Pirate Captain Harlock saga by legendary creator Leiji Matsumoto and artist Jérôme Alquié launching June 2021.

Set within the timeline of the original series, this brand-new Captain Harlock adventure marks the beginning of a new story arc. Planet Earth is threatened by an upcoming invasion by the Sylvidres and despite being banished as a pirate, Captain Harlock won’t give up trying to save the world. This time, the source of danger comes directly from Earth, not outer space. A team of scientists discovers a Sylvidres mausoleum where they find information about terrifying genetic manipulations and a destructive power capable of either providing the Sylvidres with immortality or putting an end to their civilization. The unprecedented cold spell hitting Earth might only be a taste of what this new enemy has in store…

Will Captain Harlock and his crew manage to solve this mystery and save the Earth from yet another menace?

Leiji Matsumoto said: “I’m very haCAP-HARLOCK-1-COV-Appy that Jerome Alquie is drawing this story about Captain Harlock. Seeing the manuscript, I could feel the passion that this work was carried out with, and the passion of young people who pursue their dreams. All the details are drawn with great care and the universe of the series is perfectly reproduced.  A day will come when young people will forge their own world. And if I can serve as a launching pad for the fulfillment of their dreams, then I am honored. Thank you very much.”

Jérôme Alquié said: “As a big fan of the universe of Leiji Matsumoto and Captain Harlock, it was a real pleasure and honor for me to work on this project. I hope you will feel all the passion that animated me throughout the project under the benevolent eye of Master Matsumoto. Today I am delighted to allow Harlock to shine even more and to share this story with the English-speaking public.”

Rich Young, ABLAZE VP Creative/Business Development said: “I grew up watching Star Blazers. And I’ve always thought Captain Harlock was such a cool character.  So I am of course thrilled to be publishing this title at ABLAZE now.  Leiji Matsumoto is a living legend, and Jérôme Alquié was born to draw this book…their collaboration here is something special.”

SPACE PIRATE CAPTAIN HARLOCK #1 will be solicited in the March 2021 issue of Diamond Previews for June 2021 shipping items, with an on-sale date of 6/9/21. Issue 1 will feature cover art by Jérôme Alquié , as well as all new covers by Derrick Chew, Kendrick Lim, Leirix Li, Yanick Paquette, Miguel Mercado, and Andie Tong. Retailers can reach out to Diamond or ABLAZE regarding special offers and promotions for the series, including retailer exclusive covers.

For updates, previews, and details on upcoming titles from ABLAZE, visit http://ablazepublishing.com/ and look for SPACE PIRATE CAPTAIN HARLOCK #1 at your local comics shop June 9th!

 

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AMC Games Presents The Magnificent Trufflepigs

Posted on 03/10/2021 by Pop-Culture Spectrum


The Story of Romance and Metal-Detecting is Coming to PC and Nintendo Switch in 2021

Doctor Who Alum Arthur Darvill On Board to Voice Lead Character

New York, U.S.A March 10, 2021 – AMC Games today announced the upcoming The Magnificent Trufflepigs, a wholly unique narrative game that challenges players to dig for the truth, both literally and figuratively – with British actor Arthur Darvill (Doctor Who, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow) on board to voice the lead character. The first game from the Leeds, U.K.-based studio Thunkd, The Magnificent Trufflepigs combines dramatic story choices with metal-detecting mechanics. SundanceTV has partnered with AMC Games to support the project with branding and promotion. 

The Magnificent Trufflepigs is coming to PC and Nintendo Switch in Early Summer 2021. Watch the game’s teaser trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tOvxkrVS8I
A first-person, romantic, metal-detecting game, The Magnificent Trufflepigs has players taking the role of Adam (voiced by Darvill), a sharp-witted but compassionate man returning to his childhood village of Stanning. There he joins a woman named Beth (voiced by Luci Fish of Safe House and Another Eden) on her mission to unearth a local treasure. But all is not as it seems, and players will have to choose how Adam responds as cracks begin to appear in Beth’s fairy tale plans.

“AMC Games is continuing its goal of giving voice to unique creators,” said Clayton Neuman, vice president of Games for AMC. “The Magnificent Trufflepigs is a dramatic narrative game with the maturity and nuance of critically-acclaimed shows seen across AMC Networks. I was blown away when I first read Andrew’s script, and I can’t wait for players to experience it, fully realized by our talented cast, later this year.”

“Thunkd is extremely proud of The Magnificent Trufflepigs, but gems like this can only be unearthed with the help of like-minded partners that are prepared to dig a bit deeper to find something special,” said Andrew Crawshaw, the lead designer of Everybody’s Gone To The Rapture and founder of Thunkd. “Everyone at AMC Games and SundanceTV has helped to ensure that making our first game has been an experience that we’ll treasure.”

About The Magnificent Trufflepigs

The game’s story focuses on Beth’s attempt to rekindle a childhood sense of adventure. Many years ago, she found an earring while metal-detecting on a local farm. It brought her brief fame and—most importantly—it made her feel special. But she never found the earring’s match, so she’s hatched a plan to invite Adam back into her life… leading them to dig up much more than she bargained for.

Features include:

  • Metal detecting!
    • Meditatively exploring a peaceful English farm
    • Finding “treasures” (mostly rubbish) with your detector
    • Digging them up with a large shovel and a small trowel
    • Sharing photos of your finds with Beth
  • Relationship building!
    • Chatting with Beth via walkie-talkie and instant message
    • Unravelling a mystery through narrative choices that help you:
      • Learn about Beth’s hopes and fears
      • Direct the conversation to root out the truth
The Magnificent Trufflepigs is the second title from AMC Games, the video game publishing division of AMC Networks. Their first game was 2020’s acclaimed flight passenger simulator Airplane Mode, which meticulously recreated the experience of real-time commercial flight, presenting players with randomized events to create an endlessly re-playable experience for flight enthusiasts and content creators alike.

Learn more about The Magnificent Trufflepigs on their Steam page here: http://amc.tv/TrufflepigsNews

 

About AMC Games
AMC is home to some of the most popular and acclaimed programs on television. AMC was the first basic cable network to ever win the Emmy® Award for Outstanding Drama Series with Mad Men in 2008, which then went on to win the coveted award four years in a row, before Breaking Bad won it in 2013 and 2014. The network’s series The Walking Dead is the highest-rated series in cable history. AMC’s current original drama series are Better Call Saul, Dispatches from Elsewhere, Fear the Walking Dead, NOS4A2, Quiz, Soulmates, The Walking Dead, The Walking Dead: World Beyond and the forthcoming series 61st Street, Kevin Can F Himself and Pantheon. AMC also explores authentic worlds and discussion with original shows like Talking Dead, AMC Visionaries and Ride with Norman Reedus. AMC is owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc. and its sister networks include IFC, SundanceTV, BBC America and WE tv. AMC is available across all platforms, including on-air, online, on demand and mobile.

About Thunkd

Thunkd is a new, independent, video game developer that wants to become synonymous with high-quality, short-form, ‘evening-sized’ games and experiences. Formed by Andrew Crawshaw, a games industry veteran with credits in multiple award-winning titles, Thunkd believes there is a sizeable audience that wants high-quality titles, that they know they can play from start-to-finish, without consuming what little leisure time they have.
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WarnerMedia’s Rooster Teeth Studios Developing Animated Series “Slam!” For HBO Max   

Posted on 03/09/2021 by Pop-Culture Spectrum

 ‘Slam!’ is based on the BOOM! Studios graphic novels written by Pamela Ribon (Moana, Ralph Breaks the Internet) who is set to write and executive produce the series

Rooster Teeth Studios, BOOM! Studios, and Minnow Mountain set to produce

AUSTIN, TX (March 9, 2021) – Today, WarnerMedia’s Rooster Teeth Studios announced development on a new animated series for HBO Max titled ‘Slam!’. ‘Slam!’ is based on the critically-acclaimed BOOM! Studios graphic novels created by Pam Ribon and Veronica Fish. Ribon will adapt and executive produce the series. ‘Slam!’ will be produced by Rooster Teeth Studios, BOOM! Studios, and Minnow Mountain.

‘Slam!” is an adult animated half-hour series set in the fast-paced, hard-hitting, super cheeky, all-female world of banked track roller derby, following two young women who will have to decide if their budding friendship is stronger than the pull of a team when a win is on the line. The series will be brought to life using a groundbreaking combination of rotoscoped and 3D animation to take viewers into the sport in a way never visualized on screen before.

“I’m so fortunate to have the coolest, talented-est, Austin-est animation studios in the world partnering to bring SLAM! to life as a television series,” said Pamela Ribon. “Billy Wee and the team at HBO Max geeked out just as hard as we did when talking about where this could go in storytelling and animation. That’s when we knew we’d found the perfect home. We’re so excited to make this rough and tumble, emotional, honest show about what it means to surrender your life (and your knees!) to roller derby.”

“We are beyond thrilled to be working with BOOM! Studios and Minnow Mountain to bring Slam! to life in animation,” said Ryan P. Hall, Head of Rooster Teeth Studios. “Pam Ribon is one of the best storytellers in the business and Slam! is a truly inspiring story, so we can’t wait to share this world with the HBO Max audience.”

Rooster Teeth Studios’ growing slate of content includes Brian Michael Bendis’ Cover in development at HBO Max, gen:LOCK Season 2 in production at HBO Max, and Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy currently airing on Netflix. As a development arm within Rooster Teeth, Rooster Teeth Studios leverages an in-house animation studio that produces original CG, 2D and mixed media content. Rooster Teeth produces the award-winning Halo satire Red vs. Blue, which is the longest-running web series in history. Rooster Teeth also produces the global phenomenon RWBY, which was the first western anime series to be distributed in Japan. Rooster Teeth Studios has partnered to make original content with HBO Max, Netflix, Cartoon Network, Discovery and Outlier Society, and collaborations with Hasbro, ELEAGUE, Scholastic, DC and Warner Bros. Consumer Products. Rooster Teeth Studios is represented by CAA.

BOOM! Studios, one of the largest comic book publishers in North America, has published some of the highest-selling original comics of the last decade, including Lumberjanes, Something is Killing the Children, Once & Future, and Keanu Reeves’ BRZRKR. The company is currently in production on a live action adaptation of their R.L. Stine graphic novel series Just Beyond for Disney+. They have adaptations of their material in development at Apple, HBO Max, Amazon, Paramount+, and at Netflix through their first-look TV deal with the streamer. BOOM! Studios is represented by UTA and attorney Matt Saver.

Minnow Mountain is a creative partnership between animator Craig Staggs and producer Steph Swope that began in 2012. The Austin, Texas based studio is the groundbreaking animation team behind Amazon’s critically acclaimed new series Undone, and the Emmy-winning animated documentary Tower for PBS.

Pamela Ribon is a screenwriter (MOANA, RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET, BEARS), TV writer, best-selling novelist, and Film Independent Directing Lab Fellow. She skated with the LA Derby Dolls for several years (We Are One! VB!), and has previously written about her roller derby experiences for Oprah.com, the Disney Channel, and in the novel GOING IN CIRCLES. She has adapted her critically-acclaimed graphic novel, MY BOYFRIEND IS A BEAR, (co-created with Cat Farris) as a feature film screenplay for Legendary and Atlas Entertainment and is attached to direct (with Paul Franklin). She was the writer of the upcoming Disney/Blue Sky Animation feature NIMONA until the recent studio closure. She is currently adapting her comedic memoir NOTES TO BOYS (AND OTHER THINGS I SHOULDN’T SHARE IN PUBLIC) as an animated series for FX’s CAKE.

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Your New Look at SEEN: RACHEL CARSON

Posted on 03/04/2021 by Pop-Culture Spectrum

  A Groundbreaking Graphic Novel Sheds Light on Pivotal Historical Figure
Rachel Carson in March 2021

LOS ANGELES, CA (March 3, 2021) – BOOM! Studios revealed today a new look at SEEN: RACHEL CARSON, a brand new original graphic novel from writer Birdie Willis (Over the Garden Wall) and artist Rii Abrego (Steven Universe) in the SEEN: TRUE STORIES OF MARGINALIZED TRAILBLAZERS series. The series illuminates the triumphs and struggles of important historical figures who aren’t found in traditional textbooks, but deserve to be remembered for their contributions to humanity and their inarguable strength and courage in the face of impossible odds. They’re the heroes— the inventors, the artists, the activists, and more—whose stories you won’t want to miss.

In SEEN: RACHEL CARSON, meet author and activist Rachel Carson, the woman who changed the way America fought against environmental crises through her bestselling books, ultimately spurring the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

SEEN: RACHEL CARSON 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, Brooklyn Allen, and Noelle Stevenson; Giant Days by John Allison, Lissa Treiman, and Max Sarin; The Last Witch by Conor McCreery and V.V. Glass; Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera and Celia Moscote; The Avant-Guards by Carly Usdin and Noah Hayes; Fence by C.S. Pacat and Johanna the Mad; and Goldie Vance by Hope Larson and Brittney Williams.

Print copies of SEEN: RACHEL CARSON will be available for sale on March 24, 2021 at local comic book shops (use comicshoplocator.com to find the nearest one) and March 30, 2021 at bookstores, or at the BOOM! Studios webstore. Digital copies can be purchased from content providers, including comiXology, iBooks, Google Play, and Madefire. The SEEN series launched with SEEN: EDMONIA LEWIS from writer Jasmine Walls and artist Bex Glendining, available now.

For more on SEEN: TRUE STORIES OF MARGINALIZED TRAILBLAZERS and other projects from BOOM! Studio, stay tuned to www.boom-studios.com and follow @boomstudios on Twitter. 

Posted in Comics | Comments Off on Your New Look at SEEN: RACHEL CARSON