Here's our info for this year ahead of sending out to the media later this week...

The CHRISTIAN COMIC ARTS SOCIETY is honored to partner with Brentwood Studios & the Aetherlight MMO to deliver top talent, projects, and compelling events open to all Comic-Con attendees.  

The Christian Comic Arts Society will be hosting three events as part of the official Comic-Con programming and will exhibit throughout the convention in the Small Press area #P-08. Courtesy of Brentwood Studios and Tyndale House Publishers, Con attendees will receive a copy of book one in “The Delusion” Young Adult novel series by Laura Gallier available at the CCAS events while supplies last.

Comic-Con events include:

Friday 07/20/2018, 8:30-10:00 pm, Christian Comic Arts Society Mixer in Room 26AB

Featured: Bryan Mero (Spirit Knight), Tim Cleary (Aetherlight MMO), Dan Lynch (“BibleForce”), Eric Jansen (Foursquare Mission Press), Geoff Strout (Faithful Creative), moderators Scott A. Shuford (FrontGate Media) and Joe Queen (Geeky Guys for God) and more.  Join the Christian Comic Arts Society as they partner again with Geeky Guys for God for the 10th annual mixer. This is an opportunity for Christian professionals, fans, artists, and writers to intermingle, socialize and network.  There will be a trivia game and prizes will be awarded to those attendees who know their geek trivia. 

Saturday 07/21/2018, 7:00-8:00 pm, Spiritual Themes in Comics in Room 4

Featured: David Walker (Luke Cage), B. David Walters (Electropunk), Tim Cleary (Aetherlight MMO), Travis Hanson (Beanleaf Press), Buzz Dixon (Serenity), Jessica Tseang (Comic Book Historian) and Kyle Keene (Moderator). With spiritual themes central to comic book related movies such as “Black Panther” and “Wonder Woman” and animated movies like Pixar’s “Coco”, panelists will explore how the spiritual themes central to these stories reflect the reality of the spiritual beliefs of the cultures featured.  They will also explore how spiritual depictions in movies, comic books, fantasy, and science fiction impact the society. Always a lively discussion, this will mark the 21st year that the Christian Comic Arts Society has hosted the Spiritual Themes in Comics panel at San Diego. 

Sunday 07/22/2017, 10:00-11:00 am, Christian Comic Arts Society in Room 28DE

Featured: Sergio Cariello (Action Bible), Scott Zambelli (Topps - Transformers), Jackson Fong (Baptist Church), Carmi Greene (actress), and Ralph Miley (CCAS President). Join the Christian Comic Arts Society along with Geeks4God, and Geeky Guys for God as we celebrate the Open Meeting of the CCAS on Sunday morning.  Christian professionals in the entertainment industry will discuss their faith and how it influences them in their professions, their decisions, and the creative process.

Also, as in years past, CCAS will be featuring book signings and giveaways throughout the weekend at their booth, #P-08.  

For more information on the Comic-Con International: San Diego, go to http://www.comic-con.org.

ABOUT CHRISTIAN COMIC ARTS SOCIETY

Christian Comic Arts Society (CCAS) was formed in 1984 to locate and link Christians interested or active in the comic book/graphic novel medium. CCAS sponsors comic industry activities at various comic conventions across the country, and Alpha Omega, the APA of Christian comics.  The goal and purpose of CCAS is to support Christian professionals, hopefuls and enthusiasts within the Comic Book and related industries by providing opportunities for: 1. The sharing of the Christian message and our Christian faith, primarily within and through the comic book industry and art form. 2. Mentoring, training, friendship and networking. 3. The collaboration on and creation of visual storytelling. The CCAS is governed by a volunteer board which includes Ralph Miley (New Creation,) Holly Knevelbaard (Illustrator,) Clint D. Johnson (“FaithWalker”,) Luis Serrano (“Samson The Nazirite”,) and Scott A. Shuford (FrontGate Media) along with numerous volunteers from the comic industry and the Church. For more information on the Christian Comic Arts Society, go to www.ChristianComicArts.com, Facebook.com/ChristianComicArts, or Twitter.com/ChristianComics.

ABOUT BRENTWOOD STUDIOS

Started in 2008 by former VeggieTales executives, Brentwood Studios partners with producers and content owners to develop new ideas, and manage brands that kids love and parents appreciate. Leveraging experience, creative, and strategic thinking, Brentwood Studios works with our partners to create new products and advance licensing, strategic alliances, distribution, sales, and marketing. Brentwood is led by Bob Starnes, Brock Starnes and Dan Lynch who joined the team in 2016. Dan most recently served as Publisher and Founder at B&H Kids, a division of Lifeway and prior as VP/Publisher for TommyNelson. Brentwood Studios is based in Franklin, Tennessee. http://www.brentwoodstudios.net

Attn: CCAS Members -

Do you blog? Do you like to review comics?

If so, please contact Katie@FrontGateMedia.com.  She's looking for comics bloggers to receive a free copy of the new BibleForce comic and be able to offer their readers a contest to win free copies.

Product Description:

BibleForce is a brand-new Bible storybook that is illustrated with exciting, comic-style artwork that kids and adults will love.

Everyone will love the detail and action of BibleForce, and parents will love having a book that gets their children engaged in reading Bible stories. Vivid art, incredible detail, and easy-to-follow text will get readers of all ages enthusiastic about reading this chronological and fast-paced retelling of the Scriptures. It includes nearly 200 fully illustrated stories that take you through the adventure and action of the Bible and help us understand the full story of the Bible. The focus on Bible heroes makes the stories even more thrilling.

BibleForce is a great book to be read together and is simple enough for young readers to read on their own. Kids won't be able to put down this book! 

Posts Due  5/20/2018

Requirements
Your Blog Post review linking to a giveaway link we will supply.  Social posts on all of your social channels.

INTERESTED?  If you are interested please reach out directly to Katie at the email above if you can commit to the requirements and due date and to confirm your address.  

She will send you another email with full details about the campaign and all the information you will need to do your posts.

Christian Comic Arts Society to Deliver the Best In Talent,
Themes & Topical Discussions of Faith at the Largest Comic
Book & Pop-Culture Convention in the World

CCAS Partners With Upcoming 2018 Faith-Driven Film,
CANAL STREET and Leading Hip-Hop Community Rapzilla.com
to Showcase Major Talent at Comic-Con International

San Diego, CA – The largest pop-culture entertainment event in the world, COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO 2017 kicks off this week with sellout attendance of more than 125,000 per day with hundreds of thousands more attending related events in downtown San Diego.  The CHRISTIAN COMIC ARTS SOCIETY (CCAS) is honored to partner with CANAL STREET and RAPZILLA.COM to deliver top talent, projects, and compelling events open to all Comic-Con attendees.   

Christian Comic Arts Society in partnership with CANAL STREET will be hosting three events as part of the official Comic-Con programming, and will exhibit throughout the convention in the Small Press area #P-08. 

Red Guerrilla Productions’ Faith-Driven film CANAL STREET is directed by Rhyan LaMarr and features Bryshere Y. Gray (Fox’s “Empire”), Mykelti Williamson (FENCES), Mekhi Phifer (DIVERGENT), Kevin Quinn (The Disney Channel’s “Bunk’d”) and Woody McClain (BET’s “The New Edition Story”) leading an all-star ensemble cast. The film releases at the top of 2018. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt6183104/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Rapzilla is the Hip-Hop community for Christians, attracting people with a passion for faith and Hip-Hop culture. Their film crew will be shooting exclusive content at Comic-Con in support of CCAS and CANAL STREET.  Rapzilla has a dedicated, largely millennial audience, generating 2.3 Million page views per month from 300,000 unique visitors, 75,000 email subscribers, 132,000+ Facebook Likes and 127,000+ YouTube subscribers who devour their Hip Hop lifestyle coverage of music, movies, books, events and causes.   

Comic-Con events include: 

Friday, 07/21/2017, 8:30-10:00pm Christian Comic Arts Society Mixer in Room 26AB

Join the Christian Comic Arts Society as they partner again with Geeky Guys for God for this annual mixer. This is an opportunity for Christian professionals, fans, artists, and writers to intermingle, socialize and network.  There will be a trivia game and prizes will be awarded to those attendees who know their geek trivia. Panelists will include Scott A. Shuford – moderator (FrontGate Media), Joe Queen (Geeky Guys for God), Dan Lynch (“Bibleman”) and special guest Adam Key, Producer/Writer from the forthcoming movie CANAL STREET, and other special guests.

Saturday, 07/22/2017, 7:00-8:00pm Spiritual Themes in Comics in Room 4

This will mark the 20th year that the Christian Comic Arts Society has hosted the Spiritual Themes in Comics panel at Comic-Con.  As spiritual themes continue to be explored in movies like WONDER WOMAN, comics, science fiction, and fantasy, panelists will delve into and examine how spiritual themes influence the entertainment industry and how the reality of spiritual beliefs impact the culture’s perception of spiritual influences.  Panelists include B. Dave Walters (Electropunk), Travis Hanson (Beanleaf Press), Buzz Dixon (Serenity), Scott Mercano (Diablo Publishing), Adam Key & Kevin Quinn (CANAL STREET) and Geoff Strout - moderator (Faithful Creative). 

Sunday, 9:30-11:00am, Open Meeting of the Christian Comic Arts Society in Room 28DF

Join the Christian Comic Arts Society, Geeks4God, and Geeky Guys for God as they host this Sunday morning meeting.  It begins at 9:30am with worship by Brendan Prout, Sam and Leia Hornedo, and Josh Sims. Christian professionals in the entertainment industry will discuss their faith and how it influences their professional lives, their decisions, and the creative process. Panelists include Sergio Cariello (Action Bible), Rhyan LaMarr & Woody McClain (CANAL STREET), Kelly Fellows (Next Gen Foursquare Leader), Carmi Greene (Actress), Scott Zambelli (Topps- Transformers, Lucasfilm - Star Wars) and moderator Ralph Miley (CCAS President). Room 28DE

Also, as in years past, CCAS will be featuring book signings and giveaways throughout the weekend at their booth, #P-08.   

For more information on the Comic-Con International: San Diego, go to: http://www.comic-con.org. 

ABOUT CHRISTIAN COMIC ARTS SOCIETY 

Christian Comic Arts Society (CCAS) was formed in 1984 to locate and link Christians interested or active in the comic book/graphic novel medium. CCAS sponsors comic industry activities at various comic conventions across the country, and Alpha Omega, the APA of Christian comics.  The goal and purpose of CCAS is to support Christian professionals, hopefuls and enthusiasts within the Comic Book and related industries by providing opportunities for: 1. The sharing of the Christian message and our Christian faith, primarily within and through the comic book industry and art form. 2. Mentoring, training, friendship and networking. 3. The collaboration on and creation of visual storytelling. The CCAS is governed by a volunteer board which includes Ralph Miley (New Creation,) Holly Knevelbaard (Illustrator,) Clint D. Johnson (“FaithWalker”,) Luis Serrano (“Samson The Nazirite/Rooted Chronicles”) and Scott A. Shuford (FrontGate Media) along with numerous volunteers from the comic industry and the Church. For more information on the Christian Comic Arts Society, go to: www.ChristianComicArts.com, Facebook.com/ChristianComicArts, or Twitter.com/ChristianComics. 

ABOUT CANAL STREET

In 2017, America needs a hard detour. Canal Street is a story about our America and the reasons for deep-seated fissions within it. The film sets the table for a much-needed national discussion by appealing to themes of family, friendship, and forgiveness through its multi-cultural ensemble and genre-spanning music. The music, under the leadership of Amir Windom (DESPICABLE ME 2, COLLATERAL BEAUTY) serves as the perfect soundtrack moving us in emotion and music toward unison.  The film speaks to what the majority truly want, and what is needed to turn fear into a minority.  Follow CANAL STREET at @canalstreetmovie on Twitter, www.Facebook.com/canalstreetmovie, canalstreetmovie on Instagram and on the web at http://www.CanalStreetMovie.com.

# # #

For more information or interviews, please contact

Lori Heiselman – FrontGate Media
714-553-5181
Lori@FrontGateMedia.com

The latest issue of the Christian Booksellers Association magazine Retailers+Resources featured a solid review of 'The Lion Comic Book Hero Bible' featuring artwork by Jeff Anderson.  See the review here: 

The Action Bible is setting a record for its long run on the Best Sellers List from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA).  

As of the most recent report, it is currently at the #3 spot.  

illustrated by Sergio Cariello, The Action Bible is the top selling product in the area of Christian comics/graphic novels.

You'll be able to see Sergio at the upcoming Alpha Omega Con.  For more info, see www.AlphaOmegaCon.com. 

Come to the Pitch Session: Where Vision Becomes Reality with David Wood & me at Alpha Omega Con
2PM Sanctuary

Come present the 10 minute elevator pitch for your comics series, film, book or other project for review by David Wood and Scott A. Shuford. Financial, marketing and distribution are available, as we are seeking projects for development including global marketing and distribution.

David Wood is the Executive Producer of The Resurrection Project, a global movement that will culminate in the release of the film The Resurrection of Jesus Christ to unite believers and non-believers alike around the world.

For those who don't know me, I'm the Chief Engagement Officer of FrontGate Media, the #1 pop-culture media group and marketing service reaching the faith and family audience. I was excited to recently be featured by The Daily Beast. My firm received two top honors as the “Best Marketing Website” and the “Best Faith-based Website” in the 2014 Internet Advertising Competition. FrontGate serves as “Your Gateway To The Christian Audience,” for Strategy Development, Faith-based Media Buying, Public Relations, and Social Media.

http://www.alphaomegacon.com

Hope to see you there! :)

Los Angeles, CA – The Christian Comic Arts Society announced today the Alpha Omega Con; a family friendly, Christian Comics and Pop Culture Convention taking place in the Los Angeles area. With more than 50 special guests and industry professionals conducting panels and workshops, and an extensive exhibitor hall, Alpha Omega Con is a unique experience where the faith audience can explore positive forms of new entertainment.

Talking place on Saturday, September 20th, 2014, fans of comic books, movies, video games, and other media will gather from across Southern California to unite their passions for entertainment and Faith. Attendees have the opportunity to connect with industry pros, ministry leaders, vendors, and other likeminded fans during general sessions, workshops, and exhibits.

Featured industry professionals in the genres of comics, video games, film and faith include: Mike S. Miller (Justice League of America, Batman: Arkham), Flint Dille (Transformers, Teen Titans, Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu), Chris Yambar (The Simpsons, Mister Magoo’s Christmas Carol), Kevin Grevioux (Underworld, Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.), Pastor Fred Price Jr. (Crenshaw Christian Center), Mike Kunkel (Herobear and the Kid), Dr. Thomas Parham (Asuza Pacific University), Eric Jansen (Christ of Prophecy, Paraman), Buzz Dixon (Serenity, G.I. Joe), Dr. Fred Sanders (Biola University), Clyde Taber (Visual Story Network), Bill Morrison (Bongo Comics, The Simpsons), and many more.

Pitch sessions for entertainment creators of all types will be conducted throughout the day for aspiring talent to present their work to industry professionals. Panels cover topics such as Pitfalls for Independent Artists, You Can’t Do That in Christian Media, Video Games: Controlled Conflict, Women In Media, 168 Film and DIY Film Making, Cosplay & Christians, Ministry + Artistry = Profitability?, Modern Media & Message, Breaking In Without Selling Out, Geeky Guys 4 God, and more. 

Exhibitors include leading comics distributors such as Kingstone Comics and LAMP PoST, along with Geekdom Wear, The Resurrection Project, Kids in the Spotlight, guest artists available for commissions, and many more.

Presented by The Christian Comic Arts Society, the event is sponsored by The Resurrection Project, Lightside Games, FrontGate Media, SocialZing, ChristianCinema.com, NewReleaseTuesday.com, Hollywood Jesus, Sonoma Christian Home, Faded Pictures, Kids In The Spotlight, Christian Film Database, Internet Podcast Database (IPDb), and Visual Story Network.  iTickets.com is the official ticketing partner for the event. 

The Christian Comics Art Society is hosting the Alpha Omega Con at Redeemer Church, 15151 Cordova Blvd. La Mirada, CA 90638 on September 20, 2014 from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM.   Advance tickets are available at the event web site and on iTickets.com for only $5.  Admission is $10 at the door.  Children 12 and under are free with an adult ticket.  For more information about programming, exhibitors, cosplay guidelines, and to register for the event, please visit http://www.AlphaOmegaCon.com or http://www.iTickets.com or call 800-965-9324.   

ABOUT CHRISTIAN COMIC ARTS SOCIETY

The Christian Comic Arts Society (CCAS) is a non-profit international organization that includes professionals, amateurs, and fans who enjoy comic books, science fiction, fantasy, gaming, cosplay, and other pop culture elements.  Founded in 1985 by Don Ensign, the CCAS has had a Christian presence for almost 20 years at comic conventions such as San Diego Comic Con, WonderCon, and Phoenix Comic Con.  CCAS has distributed tens of thousands of gospel tracts, Bibles, and free materials at conventions around the country, and serves as a vendor of quality Christian comics.  CCAS is governed by a volunteer board which includes Ralph Miley (New Creation), Holly Knevelbaard (Artist), Scott A. Shuford (FrontGate Media), Clint D. Johnson (Faith Walker/ M:2520 Media), and Luis Serrano (Samson the Nazirite, Rooted Chronicles) along with numerous volunteers from the comic industry and the Church. Free membership is available on our social community at www.ChristianComicArts.com, or you can follow us at www.Facebook.com/ChristianComicArts, or www.Twitter.com/ChristianComics.

# # # # #

Apologist Dr. Ravi Zacharias will soon debut his first graphic novel, The Lamb and the Fuhrer, at the International Christian Retail Show held at the Georgia World Congress Center.

Based on his popular Great Conversations series, this graphic novel is the first in an expected series that covers imaginative conversations between Jesus Christ and historical world thought leaders.

Zacharias has often underscored the importance of the arts in seeking to reach "a generation that listens with its eyes and thinks with its feelings."

"We are living in times when apologetics is indispensable," says Dr. Zacharias, "but at the same time, we will need a Christian apologetic that is not merely heard, but is also seen." 

The project is coming through Kingstone Comics Publisher Art Ayris who stated, "This series, by an effective and renowned apologist, is perfectly suited for a global market. Interestingly, we have already had the highest pre-sell to date with this title."

 Central Florida based Kingstone Comics is the largest publisher of Christian comic books and Biblical worldview graphic novels worldwide, and is currently in 95 countries.

Kingstone will soon also be hitting the streets with The Remaining, based on the Affirm Films / SONY Pictures Entertainment motion picture of the same name, releasing in theaters September 5. Kingstone Comics is currently releasing the 12-volume Kingstone Bible, the most complete graphic adaptation of the Bible ever published.  

For more about Kingstone, see http://www.kingstonemedia.com. 

VITAL SHIFT Launches at New York Comic-Con

Publishing Initiative to Meet the Growing Demand for Graphic Novels in the Faith Market

MESSIAH: ORIGIN – the Debut Graphic Novel –

In Stores This Week, Visually Explores the History and Legacy of Jesus’s First 30 Years.

New York, NY – In a bold step that meets the demands of the growing market for transmedia intellectual properties in the Christian marketplace, Thomas Nelson publishers is proud to announce the launch of VITAL SHIFT, a publishing initiative which focuses on titles for consumers 18-34 years old.  Announced today at New York Comic Con, VITAL SHIFT debuts with an impressive commitment to the market, with forthcoming announcements of seven graphic novel series releasing between now and 2019.

The creative team lead by Chip Brown, Senior Vice President and Publisher at HarperCollins Christian Publishing, has been following the interest and demand for several years, testing the waters with the 2012 release of The Book of Revelation, which sold 20,000 units in its first six weeks of release, immediately outselling every other graphic novel on Amazon except Image Comic's The Walking Dead, which had the benefit of its corresponding season three premiere on AMC television network just two weeks earlier.

"Four out of five Americans and one of every three people on earth are self-described Christians, all of whom have an inherent thirst for the Bible and Biblical stories. The market's recent and forthcoming print products, Bible feature films, television mini-series and even game shows are all aiming to quench that thirst," states Brown, adding, “We want writers, artists and filmmakers to know they have a place to come collaborate with like-minded people at the industry's leading publishing house, to develop innovative ways that help more people engage the Bible."

VITAL SHIFT launches with the official release of Messiah: Origin, the foundational account of the man who changed the world forever. The book sets the tone for VITAL SHIFT at an impressive scale.  Translated by Mark Arey exclusively from ancient Greek manuscripts, Messiah: Origin weaves the four gospels into one story.  Arey’s lifetime of deep study and biblical training, paired with the 288 illustrations of Lucasfilm Prize Winning artist Kai Carpenter, create a gloriously detailed telling of the Savior’s birth and early life up to the start of his ministry.  Adapted and edited into graphic novel form by Matt Dorff (Book of Revelation), with letters and title design by Carlton Riffel, Origin creates a journey into the history told in scripture, unique in both story and accuracy.

“Our early market success in pairing the scriptures with illustrations in a graphic novel format is encouraging and we are grateful to be working with such gifted creative talent,” explains Brown.  “Messiah: Origin is high-quality, hand painted fine art, worthy of gallery presentation, and there are over 288 rich illustrations throughout the book. This is just the first series we’ve announced today, but there are many more already in our development pipeline, all slated to release under the VITAL SHIFT publishing initiative.”

VITAL SHIFT is showcasing Messiah: Origin and The Book of Revelation at New York Comic Con, the East Coast’s biggest and most exciting popular culture convention.  Continuing today through October 13 at the Javits Center in Midtown Manhattan, NYCC has been ranked by Crain’s New York Business as the second largest event in New York City.  The Javits Center is located at 655 West 24^th Street, New York, New York.  VITAL SHIFT will be showcased at booth 2125.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vital-Shift/518160331603043

Thomas Nelson publishers is a world leading provider of Christian content and has been providing readers with quality inspirational product for more than 200 years. As part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing Inc., the publishing group provides multiple formats of award-winning Bibles, books, gift books, cookbooks, curriculum and digital content, with distribution of its products in more than 100 countries. Thomas Nelson is headquartered in Nashville, TN.  For additional information, visit www.thomasnelson.com.

# # #

ORIGIN – the Debut Graphic Novel in the MESSIAH Series

Showcasing at New York Comic Con, Origin Visually Explores the History and Legacy of Jesus’s First 30 Years

The foundational account of the man who changed the world forever, ORIGIN is the debut graphic novel in the much-anticipated MESSIAH series. Translated by Mark Arey with script adaptation by Matt Dorff and published by Zondervan, a division of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Origin adds a visual perspective to scripture, meeting the growing demand for graphic novels in the faith arena.  Messiah: Origin will be available in retail stores and online on October 9, 2013.

Messiah: Origin is a starting point in the biography of Jesus.  Scene by scene, Origin describes how the very pillars of Christianity were constructed.  Through prophetic visions, miracles, angelic visitations, wondrous births and unbreakable family bonds, Jesus’s epic story begins.

Translated by Mark Arey exclusively from ancient Greek manuscripts, Origin weaves the four gospels into one story.  Arey’s lifetime of deep study and biblical training, when paired with the illustrations of Lucasfilm Prize Winning artist Kai Carpenter, create a gloriously detailed telling of the Savior’s birth and early life up to the start of his ministry.  Adapted and edited into graphic novel form by Matt Dorff (Book of Revelation), with letters and title design by Carlton Riffel, Origin creates a journey into the history told in scripture, unique in both story and accuracy.

“Our early market success in paring the scriptures with illustrations in a graphic novel format is encouraging and we are grateful to be working with such gifted creative talent,” explains Chip Brown, Sr. Vice President and Group Publisher for Zondervan.  “Messiah: Origin is high-quality, hand painted fine art, worthy of gallery presentation, and there are over 288 rich illustrations throughout the book.

“Readers, retailers and pastors are telling us that the Messiah series will be an incredible tool for Christians to engage the Bible and share their faith, and we are honored to be able to be a part of that kind of impact.”

Zondervan will be showcasing Messiah: Origin at the upcoming New York Comic Con, the East Coast’s biggest and most exciting popular culture convention.  Held October 10-13 at the Javits Center in Midtown Manhattan, NYCC has been ranked by Crain’s New York Business as the second largest event in New York City.  The Javits Center is located at 655 West 24^th Street, New York, New York.  Messiah: Origin will be showcased at booth 2125.

Messiah: Origin will be available in stores and online October 9, 2013 and will retail for $19.99.  Origin is published by Zondervan.

The official Messiah: Origin product page and graphic novel sample can be found at http://zondervan.com/9780310431619.

A little scoop I just found out today!

Zondervan's Last Adam graphic novel has been re-titled. It is now Messiah: Origin.  

It comes out in October and will be prominently involved with the New York Comic Con activities. 

See more at: http://zondervan.com/9780310431619

Enter their contest to win a trip to New York: http://t.co/e7nXW0jDjc. 

I'll be at NYCC so let me know if you will be there too!

The largest pop-culture entertainment event in the world, COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO 2013 kicks off next week with sellout attendance of more than 125,000.

Your CHRISTIAN COMIC ARTS SOCIETY (CCAS), in partnership with ZONDERVAN, a division of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, will deliver top talent and projects to create impact at the event, and will exhibit throughout the convention in the Small Press area #P08.

Events include:

The Christian Comic Arts Society Mixer
Friday, 7/19/13, 8:30p.m. - 9:30p.m., Room: 26AB
Come join the Christian Comic Arts Society for their annual fellowship mixer, open to all comics, media, and pop-culture fans!   With special industry guests giving personal updates on their upcoming projects, the mixer continues to be the singular Christian event at Comic-Con where fans and creators join together in an informal after-hours time of socializing and networking as we “talk shop” about Christians in the world of comics.

SIGNING at the HarperCollins booth #1029
Saturday at 2:00PM
Join The Book of Revelation artist CHRIS KOELLE and Last Adam: Firstborn artist KAI CARPENTER for a signing.

Spiritual Themes in Comics
Saturday, 7/20/13, 6:00p.m. - 7:00p.m., Room: 4
The center cannot hold!  Major changes are sweeping through the world’s faith communities and popular media reflects these concerns.  What rough beast slouches towards San Diego to be born?  Join the always lively CCAS panel on spiritual themes.

Panelists include:

CHRIS KOELLE                  The Book of Revelation                       http://bit.ly/ZBookOfRevelation
KAI CARPENTER               The Last Adam: Firstborn                   http://bit.ly/ZLastAdam
CHIP BROWN                     HarperCollins Christian Publishers      http://twitter.com/ChipBrown
MIKE SHIELDS                   Team 33 Productions/168 Film Project   http://my168project.com
moderator: BUZZ DIXON     Savage Angels                                   http://www.BuzzDixon.com

The Christian Comics Arts Society General Meeting
Sunday, 7/21/13, 10:00a.m. - 11:00a.m., Room: 28DE
Join fellow Christian fans and creators for a brief devotional period, followed by an in-depth analysis on interpreting the Bible in visual formats.  Open to all who wish to attend.

Panelists:

DOUG TENNAPEL             Tommysaurus Rex, Scholastic             http://www.TenNapel.com
MIKE S. MILLER                 Injustice: Gods Among Us, A Game of Thrones http://MikeSMillerArt.com
KEVIN SORBO                    Hercules, Andromeda, Soul Surfer     http://www.KevinSorbo.net
CHIP BROWN                     HarperCollins Christian Publishers   http://Twitter.com/ChipBrown
Moderator:  BRETT BURNER  Lamp Post                                      http://www.LampPostPubs.com 

CCAS will also distribute a “Passport to Christians In Comics” map of the Comic-Con floor designed to help attendees navigate to, explore, and support industry professionals who pursue excellence of the comics craft in the context of their Christian faith through various adult, family, faith-friendly or faith-based projects.

CCAS and Zondervan, a division of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, will be selling signed copies of The Book of Revelation, a graphic novel currently ranked #1 on Amazon Best Sellers list for Religious Arts and Photography.

CCAS and Zondervan will also be distributing samplers and signed posters for the first installment of the exciting new graphic novel series Last Adam:  Firstborn.  Set to release this fall, Firstborn is a beginning, an origin story, the remarkable starting point for a remarkable life.  This first adventure in The Last Adam graphic novel series illustrates the story of Jesus' birth and early life in terms of a grand and sweeping family saga, powered by acts of sacrifice, villainy and heroism.

HOLLYWOOD JESUS Comics Editor Arnaldo Reyes will provide live coverage for HollywoodJesus.com and the Christian Comic Arts Society throughout Comic-Con via @ChristianComics on Twitter and at Facebook.com/ChristianComicArts.

"Comic-Con is the Super Bowl of Pop-Culture! From comics to movies to TV and even gaming, you can find it all, and since we love Pop-Culture, the goal is to bring everyone a little of everything at HollywoodJesus.com," says Reyes.  If you've got a special angle for HJ's "Pop-Culture from a Spiritual Point of View," connect with Reyes at Comic-Con. From Wonder Woman to Ghost Rider to Gladstone's School for World Conquerors, HollywoodJesus.com covers it all. Hollywood Jesus is part of the FrontGate Christian Web Network.  HJ's latest comic reviews can be found at http://tinyurl.com/HJcomics.

For more information on the Comic-Con International: San Diego, go to: http://www.comic-con.org. 

We want to thank all those who contributed to the CCAS Coloring Book!

The Old Testament illustrations were outstanding and it was very difficult to decide which works to include in the book.  However, we did choose seven illustrations.   

The works that were selected:

Abraham by Bryce Morgan

David and Goliath by Matt Ebisch

Elijah by Matt Ebisch

Esther by Matt Tirre

Jacob Wrestling by Joe Spicer

Jael by D.L. Maffett

Jonah by Steve English

If all participants could send their mailing address to Ralph Miley at ralphellismiley@verizon.net, you will receive 3 copies of the 2013 CCAS Coloring Book when they are printed.

THANK YOU, thank you very much for your participation and the Lord bless you.

The Christian Comic Arts Society is going to produce an 8 page coloring book to be given out at the 2013 comic book conventions where CCAS has a booth.

We are putting out a general call for submissions to all CCAS members!

We are looking for the following:

• A one page coloring book illustration.
• The theme is Old Testament events.
• Target audience is children ages 6-10.
• Please submit black line artwork.

The CCAS Board will select illustrations submitted to be in this 8 page giveaway. 

The artists retain the copyright of their illustration. CCAS will own the copyright to the coloring book.   By submitting your art for consideration, you acknowledge that you are granting CCAS free usage of the art for use in the CCAS Coloring Book and promotion for or around the book itself. 

The deadline for submissions is May 1, 2013. Please send your submissions to CCAS Board Member Ralph Miley at ralphellismiley@verizon.net.

Tobey Maguire’s Material Pictures is teaming with Fox Animation and Wedgeworks to adapt Doug TenNapel’s latest project Cardboard. TenNapel himself will executive produce alongside Material Pictures, with Fox Animation Chris Wedge also producing.

Wedge directed the first Ice Age, and has been the voice of Scrat the squirrel throughout the hit series. He also executive produced Ice Age: The Meltdown.

According to Variety, Wedge may also direct the film, and if the project moves forward there’s a possibility that Maguire will voice one of the main characters (most likely Mike, the out-of-work dad who buys his son some magic cardboard for his birthday).

Two other TenNapel graphic novels are currently in development at other studios: Monster Zoo at Paramount Pictures, and Ghostopolis at Disney.

Read more including a review of the Cardboard graphic novel at ComicBookResources.com.

CCAS went hispanic this week with coverage from Integridad.com and EnlaceMusicial.com Zondervan y Sociedad Cristiana de Artes en Comic-Con 2012.  

See http://www.integridad.com/noticias/sociedad/zondervan-y-sociedad-cristiana-de-artes-en-comic-con-2012/

HarperCollins’ Zondervan & the Christian Comic Arts Society Experience Multiple Levels of Success at Comic-Con 2012.

 CCAS Talent and Professionals Shine at the Largest Comic Book & Pop-Culture Convention in the World

San Diego, CA – Last week, the CHRISTIAN COMIC ARTS SOCIETY completed their biggest fan and industry outreach of the year at COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO 2012.  At this, the largest pop-culture entertainment event in the world, the CHRISTIAN COMIC ARTS SOCIETY (CCAS) in partnership with ZONDERVAN, a HarperCollins company, reached thousands of people and exposed over 135,000 attendees to the growing genre of Christian graphic novels and comics, as well as connecting and supporting Christians who are professionals working in all areas of the comics business, championing and creating product for various audiences.

CCAS hosted three official Comic-Con events, including a mixer and two professional panels.  Their booth was active and staffed on the exhibit hall for five full days, which offered thousands of opportunities for conversations about Christ, as well as the distribution of approximately 4,000 graphic novel samplers of Zondervan’s The Book of Revelation.

Zondervan is thrilled at the reaction that The Book of Revelation received at this year’s Comic-Con. The last book of the Bible is the most visually arresting, image-rich book of the Bible, and the 4000 attendees who received samplers were very intrigued to see this difficult text so intricately illustrated. Artist Chris Koelle was excited to be part of panel discussions with like-minded artists, and his comments on his creative process were well received by panel attendees. ”We couldn’t be happier with the final product,” says Chip Brown, Senior Vice President and Bible Publisher at Zondervan, “or the reaction of graphic novel lovers of every stripe who gave us such positive feedback.”  Zondervan is looking forward to the release of The Book of Revelation in January 2013.

New for 2012, over 4,000 copies of the Passport to Christians in Comics were handed out to interested event-attendees.  This info-graphic charted the location of Christians who are active in the Comics Industry, and literally offered a map where they could be discovered at events and booths throughout the Comic-Con event.

Doug TenNapel, creator of Earthworm Jim, The Neverhood, Creature Tech and Ghostopolis saw the positive effects of CCAS’s presence at Comic-Con firsthand. “In my profession,” he explains, “it’s almost always considered a ding against your career if you’re a Christian. It was nice to get some extra traffic at my booth because my name showed up on the Passport to Christians in Comics. I saw readers follow the map to my booth then start looking through my books. I hope this idea develops and continues!”

While the event is filled with chances to showcase faith-based and faith-friendly comics and projects, one of the key reasons CCAS participates in these events is simply to network with key Comics Industry professionals to connect them together and to encourage them.

“I love the mission of the Christian Comic Arts Society!” explains Scott A. Shuford, Founder and President of FrontGate Media and CCAS Board Member. “Rather than protesting and picketing, CCAS is participating in and changing pop-culture from the inside out, living out Biblical truths in both word and deed for all the pop-culture world to see.”

Throughout the year, the CCAS seeks to:

• Provide Christian products for loving evangelism and Christian values reinforcement
• Encourage comics professionals who are Christians working in the industry
• Draw attention to and celebrate Christian values and themes in comics & entertainment
• Maintain our online social community for comic pros and fans.

“As an industry professional, I believe in the Christian Comic Arts Society mission,” continues Sergio Cariello, artist/illustrator for Marvel, DC Comics and David C Cook. “To be able to combine my profession and my faith is a great gift and blessing. I’m honored to serve as a guest on the CCAS panels as they bring the topics of faith and spiritual issues into the Comics Industry’s largest events.”

Look for the Christian Comic Arts Society at upcoming 2012 industry events including Stan Lee’s Comikaze on September 15-16, and Tucson Comic-Con on November 3-4. Additional events will be announced for 2013.

ABOUT CHRISTIAN COMIC ARTS SOCIETY
Christian Comic Arts Society (CCAS) was formed in 1984 to locate and link Christians interested or active in the comic book/graphic novel medium. CCAS sponsors comic industry activities at various comic conventions across the country, and Alpha Omega, the APA of Christian comics.  The CCAS is governed by a volunteer board which includes Buzz Dixon (Snokie Stories), Ralph Miley (New Creation), Holly Knevelbaard (Illustrator), Leslie Ezeh (Stop n Go Productions), and Scott A. Shuford (FrontGate Media) along with numerous volunteers from the comic industry and the Church. For more information on the Christian Comic Arts Society: http://ChristianComicArts.com, http://Facebook.com/ChristianComicArts, or http://Twitter.com/ChristianComics.

ABOUT ZONDERVAN
Zondervan, a HarperCollins company, is a world leader in Christian communications and a leading Christian publishing brand. For more than 75 years, Zondervan has delivered transformational Christian experiences through general and academic resources by influential leaders and emerging voices, and been honored with more Christian Book Awards than any other publisher. Headquartered in Grand Rapids, Mich., with additional offices in Miami, Zondervan conducts events and publishes its bestselling Bibles, books, audio, video, curriculum, software, and digital products through its Zondervan, Zonderkidz and Editorial Vida brands. Zondervan resources are sold worldwide through retail stores, online, and by Zondervan ChurchSource, and are translated into nearly 200 languages in more than 60 countries. Visit Zondervan on the Internet at http://www.zondervan.com.

CCAS Comic-Con Panelists from Sunday:

From left to right: Scott Zambelli, Chris Koelle, Sergio Cariello, Buzz Dixon, Billy Tucci, Eric Jansen. 

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For more information or interviews, please contact

Lori Lenz-Heiselman – FrontGate Media
714-553-5181