Top Cow at C2E2 2010

C2E2 2010 sounds like the name of the droid that Luke Skywalker passes over in Star Wars: A New Hope in favor of C3-PO (I know that the droid's name wasn't actually that). Instead, it's actually the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo that takes place April 16-18 at the McCormick Place. Top Cow will be there, and they'll be bringing the variant cover thunder.

Booth #551 will feature two variant covers: one for Magdalena #1 (of the wraparound variety) and one of Darkness #84, which will feature Lance Briggs. Yes, that Briggs (of Chicago Bears fame). If you're an artist, Filip Sablik will also be on hand to do portfolio reviews, and there will be a slew of Top Cow talent present as well. This includes writers Ron Marz (Witchblade, Green Lantern), Phil Hester (The Darkness, Green Arrow), Joshua Hale Fialkov (Pilot Season: Alibi, Tumor) and Bryan Edward Hill (Broken Trinity: Pandora’s Box); pencillers Nelson Blake II (Pilot Season: Murderer, Magdalena), Eric Basaldua (Hunter-Killer, Witchblade Annual) and Alessandro Vitti (Broken Trinity: Pandora’s Box, Secret Warriors); and inker Ryan Winn (The Darkness).

Full press release after the jump. The Darkness cover isn't final yet (although I'm sure it's close).

JOIN THE HERD AT THE INAUGURAL COMIC EXPO IN CHICAGO
TOP COW AT C2E2 2010

LOS ANGELES, Calif., April 8, 2010 – Top Cow Productions, Inc. is proud to announce its plans for this year’s inaugural Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (C2E2), the new pop culture convention brought together at McCormick Place in Chicago from April 16th-18th.

Top Cow is a proud sponsor of C2E2 and can be found at booth #551. Fans who stop by the Top Cow booth will be among the first to be able to get a glimpse and purchase Magdalena #1 by Ron Marz (Witchblade, Green Lantern) and Nelson Blake II (Pilot Season: Murderer, The Darkness). The story centers on Patience, the current Magdalena and bearer of the Spear of Destiny in the Top Cow Universe. Patience finds herself unable to trust those in charge of the Catholic Church and faced with the decision if she can work with them to fulfill her role as the Church’s protector or not. Magdalena #1 will arrive in stores on Wednesday, April 21st.

The publisher will be offering two exclusive C2E2 variant covers for the event: a wrap-around Magdalena #1 variant by Blake II and a Darkness #84 photo cover featuring Chicago Bears linebacker Lance Briggs. The exclusives are both extremely limited and will be initially made available at C2E2. Fans will also be able to pick up numerous free promotional items, posters and free comics at the Top Cow booth. Fans interested in sketches from some of the artists should stop by at the beginning of each day to acquire a sketch ticket. Sketch tickets are limited to one per attendee per day. Publisher Filip Sablik will be available throughout the show for portfolio reviews for aspiring artists.

Top Cow will be joined at C2E2 by the following guests: writers Ron Marz (Witchblade, Green Lantern), Phil Hester (The Darkness, Green Arrow), Joshua Hale Fialkov (Pilot Season: Alibi, Tumor) and Bryan Edward Hill (Broken Trinity: Pandora’s Box); pencillers Nelson Blake II (Pilot Season: Murderer, Magdalena), Eric Basaldua (Hunter-Killer, Witchblade Annual) and Alessandro Vitti (Broken Trinity: Pandora’s Box, Secret Warriors); and inker Ryan Winn (The Darkness).

On Saturday, April 17 at 7:15-8:15pm in E450, join Sablik as the publisher launches Magdalena #1 with Marz and Blake II. Special guest, Chicago Bears linebacker Lance Briggs will also stop by to discuss his love of Top Cow’s comics including his favorite character, The Darkness. Additional guests of the panel include Hester, Basaldua, Hill and more as they share with fans what’s coming from Top Cow in 2010, including exclusive early looks, exciting announcements, and special gifts for every panel attendee.

The C2E2 (Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo) convention will be held at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois for the weekend of April 16-18, 2010. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.C2E2.com.


About Top Cow Productions Inc.

Top Cow Productions, Inc. (www.topcow.com), a Los Angeles-based entertainment company, was founded in December of 1992 by artist Marc Silvestri, who also co-founded Image Comics earlier that same year. Top Cow currently publishes its line of comic books in 21 languages in over 55 different countries. The company has launched 20 franchises (18 original and two licensed) in the industry’s Top 10, seven at #1, a feat accomplished by no other publisher in the last two decades. Its flagship franchise, WITCHBLADE, was TNT’s #1 original film of 2000 and the subsequent TV series was released on DVD on July 29, 2008. A feature film, co-produced by Platinum Studios, Inc. and Arclight Films, is slated to begin production in Australia with director Michael Rymer. WITCHBLADE is also the first American property to be fully adapted in Japan as an original anime and manga by Studio GONZO in 2006. Top Cow’s other flagship property, THE DARKNESS, was developed into a major next-generation video game release by Starbreeze and 2K Games and achieved platinum sales status. WANTED, an Eisner-nominated miniseries published by Top Cow from 2003-2005, is now a major motion picture from Universal Pictures starring Angelina Jolie, James McAvoy and Morgan Freeman. Virtually all of Top Cow’s other properties are in development as feature films, live-action television, animation or video games. Top Cow has also successfully licensed and merchandised its franchises into toys, statues, clothing, lithographs, puppets, posters, magnets, shot glasses, lighters, lunch pails, wall scrolls, mouse pads, die-cast cars, calendars, Christmas ornaments, Halloween masks, trading cards, standees, video games and roleplaying games.