Marvel is pleased to present your first look at the explosive first issue of Age Of Ultron #1! This March, enter the darkest days of the Marvel Universe as it’s heroes fight for from the blockbuster creative team of Brian Michael Bendis (All New X-Men, Avengers VS. X-Men) and Bryan Hitch (Ultimates, Fantastic Four). Evil has triumphed over good and leading this new age is none other than Ultron, the deadly sentient robot created by founding Avenger Hank Pym who turned on his creator to achieve his twisted objective…the utter destruction of humanity. Now, it’s up to the few remaining heroes to band together and find any way to topple their new monarch. Can Wolverine, Emma Frost, Invisible Woman, Taskmaster, Beast, She-Hulk, Luke Cage, Spider-Man, and Moon Knight turn the tide?

With the robotic revolution in full force, no fan can miss how Age of Ultron will ultimately change the Marvel Universe leaving no hero or villain unscathed! So what are you waiting for? Head on over to your local comic shop and reserve a copy of Age of Ultron #1, featuring a unique cover with foil treatment and design at no extra cost. Fans have been demanding to know more about Age of Ultron since Free Comic Book Day last year, and come March- some of those questions and more (including an ending nobody will see coming) will be answered in Age of Ultron!

Cody "The Thorverine" Ferrell, Blast From The Past: Marvel Bringing Back The Gold Foil Cover For Age Of Ultron

• It’s off to Jotunheim, the land of the Frost Giants as Bruce Banner and his lab team embark on an all-new secret mission for S.H.I.E.L.D! Caught trespassing by the local natives, they’re going to need the help of the mighty Avenger, Thor!

Waid is excited to get Simonson on the book and having the legendary artist draw Thor again. While Thor will be showing up, the question should be which Thor is showing up? Waid makes an interesting  statement about the Thor we’ll be seeing:

Why on Earth would you have the amazing Walt Simonson aboard and NOT ask him to draw Thor? The teasing question is–which Thor will we be seeing? Banner and his team of assistants build a portal to Jotunheim, land of the Frost Giants, in order to obtain a rare metal there–but in doing so, they may have accomplished something totally unforeseen!

While we’ll have to wait and see exactly what Waid means, Simonson touched on revisiting the world of Thor and how he goes about tackling the Hulk:

It’s been interesting drawing Thor and not writing him. (laughs) I like what Mark’s been asking me to draw a lot, and he has kindly allowed me to kibitz a little. My earliest work on Thor was done pretty much the same way when I did layouts for Len Wein to write on the Thor title in the 70s. I also got to draw Thor in some of the Brian Bendis Avengers recently. I’ve found it’s been a lot of fun for me to go back and revisit the old boy again.

Regarding the drawing the Hulk and Thor, there’s an essential difference in their natures I try to reflect in the figure work.
I’ve approached drawing the Hulk with a certain ‘wildness’, since he is essentially a ‘monster’ who is the unfettered version of a mortal. The shapes that make up his figure as well as the actual lines used to define those shapes can be far less restrained that they might otherwise be for a more ordinary character. In other words, the drawing technique itself is meant to suggest the limitless quality of the Hulk’s fury and power. And because of his ‘monstrous’ nature, the Hulk’s figure and face don’t require the kind of symmetry that a character like Thor needs in order to be handsome within the context of the comic. I’m also inspired by the earliest versions of the Hulk by Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko where there seems to me to have been a nod to the Karloff Frankenstein monster of the early Universal horror films. All of which means I can pack a lot into my drawings to try to capture some reflection of the Hulk’s wild nature.

If you want to check out the full interview with Waid and Simonson click here. It will be exciting to see Simonson taking on Thor again. The artist did some incredibly work with the thunder god back in the day, so having him return to draw again mixed in with it being a Hulk book makes this a must get. What do you think about Simonson’s return? From what Mark Waid said do you think we’ll get a big twist with the Thor story?

Cody "The Thorverine" Ferrell, Waid And Simonson Talk Indestructible Hulk

Hey everyone, this is a brief announcement about the new structure of History Of One Piece. The depth and content will remain the same but there will be a few changes.

ZenithWillRule, History Of One Piece: Announcement

Parkinson, who celebrated his sixth year with the company in 2011, will be moving into new responsibilities in overseeing the Dark Horse Marketing Department.

In his time at Dark Horse, Parkinson has been an instrumental part of the brand’s growth online, through the development and execution of advertising, cross promotions, and social-media strategies.

Along with Dark Horse’s senior managing editor, Scott Allie, and director of public relations, Jeremy Atkins, Parkinson helped to develop the company’s first foray into original online content with MySpace Dark Horse Presents. Following that, he managed and developed the DH:HD program, showcasing original eight-page stories from top Dark Horse properties on the USA Today comics web page. Additionally, he had a big hand in the development of the Dark Horse Digital comics strategy and website, and has acted as the company’s spokesperson for the initiative thus far.

“My time at Dark Horse has been one of the most satisfying experiences both personally and professionally,” said Matt Parkinson. “I have enjoyed working with Mike Richardson and the entire Dark Horse team, and look forward to new challenges and opportunities. I am truly proud to have played a part in the company’s rich history, and look forward to having a larger role in carrying Dark Horse’s message to the world.”

“We’re very excited by the vision Matt brings to his new position,” said Dark Horse president Mike Richardson. “With his experience, leadership ability, and knowledge of the comics market, he’s uniquely qualified to make an immediate impact on our marketing efforts.”

Richardson also praised the efforts of former VP of Marketing Micha Hershman, who leaves after a two-year stint to pursue opportunities in the field of animation. Richardson was quick to wish Hershman well in his new endeavor.

Please join us in congratulating Matt Parkinson on his past accomplishments, and wishing him luck in his new role in the company.

Agent Burgos, Dark Horse Announces New Senior Director Of Marketing

Enter the lavish fictional 19th century world of D.GRAY-MAN in this new collection featuring nearly 100 pages of full-color character art, magazine covers, and other original compositions by series creator Katsura Hoshino. Also featured are insightful Q&A’s between Hoshino and two manga creators that inspire her: Takeshi Obata, the artist behind HIKARU NO GO, BAKUMAN｡, and the smash hit DEATH NOTE (all published in North America by VIZ Media); and Osamu Akimoto, whose manga series, Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen Mae Hashutsujo, has been serialized in the best-selling boy’s manga magazine in the world, Weekly Shonen Jump, for 35 years and remains the magazine’s longest-running manga series. D.GRAY-MAN ILLUSTRATIONS: NOCHE also includes an exclusive, double-sided full-color poster.

Set in a fictional version of 19th century England, D.GRAY-MAN (published by VIZ Media’s SHONEN JUMP ADVANCED imprint; rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens) is the story of Allen Walker, a 15-year-old boy who roams the earth in search of Innocence. Washed away to unknown parts of the world after The Great Flood, Innocence is the mysterious substance used to create weapons that obliterate demons known as akuma.

“D.GRAY-MAN ILLUSTRATIONS: NOCHE is an ideal collection of the work of Katsura Hoshino, and shows off many of her most memorable characters from the hit series,”

says Andy Nakatani, Editorial Director.

“Fans can savor lush renderings of Allen Walker, Lenalee Lee, and the evil Millennium Earl and learn more about Hoshino’s background, influences and the evolution of D.GRAY-MAN in an enlightening interview conducted by two of the biggest names in the manga world! This new release also makes a thoughtful gift for that special fan this holiday season.”

Born in 1980 in Japan’s Shiga Prefecture, Katsura Hoshino’s hit manga series D.GRAY-MAN has been serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump since 2004. Her first series, Continue, debuted in Weekly Shonen Jump in 2003.

For more information on D. GRAY-MAN, or others SHONEN JUMP titles from VIZ Media, please visit ShonenJump.viz.com.

Agent Burgos, VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES THE RELEASE OF D.GRAY-MAN ILLUSTRATIONS: NOCHE

Besides the Campbell cover, a 48 page deluxe edition of THE INFINITE #3 will also be available, featuring mountains of behind the scenes sketches and illustrations by Liefeld and piles of notes and script pages by Kirkman, offering fans a glimpse behind the curtain to see all the usually unseen work that goes into the creation of a comic book.

“Like so many other fans, I absolutely love J. Scott Campbell!”

said Liefeld.

“He’s one of the most popular and influential artists of the modern age. His cover for THE INFINITE #3 exceeded all expectations. He perfectly captured the dynamic between Emily and Duel, both of whom are integral characters in the saga of THE INFINITE! Don’t miss out on Campbell’s fantastic contribution to THE INFINITE!”

THE INFINITE tells the story of an aging freedom fighter who must travel back in time to team up with his 20-year-old self in order to save the world. In the third issue, Bowen has traveled to the present to attack The Infinite at a time when no one is even aware of their steps toward world domination. But something is not right — they’re too organized, too prepared, and he begins to think he’s underestimated them.

Comic Book Therapy, Image Comics Announces Kirkman & Liefeld’s The Infinite #3 Variant Cover!