Monday, October 7, 2013

VAMPIRE ACADEMY at NYCC


VAMPIRE ACADEMY is coming to New York Comic Con this weekend with a cast & filmmaker panel and exclusive new footage from the film.  The following cast are expected to attend:

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Zoey Deutch (Rose)
Lucy Fry (Lissa)
Sami Gayle (Mia)
Dominic Sherwood (Christian)

VAMPIRE ACADEMY Panel
Date: Friday, October 11 
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Location: 1A06

Description:
Staying up all night is easy, when you sleep all day....welcome to VAMPIRE ACADEMY! Come hang out with Rose, Lissa and the rest of the gang as they take a bite out of New York Comic Con. Based on author Richelle Mead's worldwide bestselling series, VAMPIRE ACADEMY, tells the story of two 17-year-old girls who attend a hidden boarding school for Moroi (mortal, peaceful Vampires) and Dhampirs (half-vampire/half-human guardians). See the cast together for the first time and check out exclusive, never before seen footage! VAMPIRE ACADEMY hits theaters Valentine's Day.

Synopsis
Based on author Richelle Mead's worldwide bestselling series, VAMPIRE ACADEMY tells the legend of Rose Hathaway (Zoey Deutch) and Lissa Dragomir (Lucy Fry), two 17-year-old girls who attend a hidden boarding school for Moroi (mortal, peaceful Vampires) and Dhampirs (half-vampire/half-human guardians). Rose, a rebellious Guardian-in-training and her best friend, Lissa - a royal vampire Princess - have been on the run when they are captured and returned to St.Vladamirs Academy, the very place where they believe their lives may be in most jeopardy. Thrust back into the perils of Moroi Society and high school, Lissa struggles to reclaim her status while Rose trains with her mentor and love-interest, Dimitri (Danila Kozlovsky), to guarantee her place as Lissa's guardian. Rose will sacrifice everything to protect Lissa from those who intend to exploit her from within the Academy walls and the Strigoi (immortal, evil vampires) who hunt her kind from outside its sanctuary.

Official Site: va-movie.com


NY Comic Con: Incredible Bionic Man






THE WORLD’S FIRST COMPLETE BIONIC MAN COMES TO USA FOR
TV DOCUMENTARY PREMIERE AND SPECIAL SNEAK-PREVIEW IN NYC

THE INCREDIBLE BIONIC MAN

APPEARS AT NEW YORK COMIC CON OCTOBER 10-13
PREMIERES ON SMITHSONIAN CHANNEL OCTOBER 20


WHO:
THE INCREDIBLE BIONIC MAN
Dr. Bertolt Meyer - Social psychologist at the University of Zurich
Rich Walker – Managing Director, Shadow Robot
Robert Warburton – Shadow Robot

WHAT:
“The Incredible Bionic Man” Appears at New York Comic Con – including panel discussion with scientists, special sneak-preview of film, and public display and demonstration of robot.

Smithsonian Channel is the exclusive U.S. television home to chronicle the behind-the-scenes story of the world’s first real Bionic Man – a 6-foot-tall robot built entirely from bionic body parts and implantable synthetic organs – complete with a functioning circulatory system. The result of billions of dollars of research and featuring components borrowed from some of the world's leading laboratories, THE INCREDIBLE BIONIC MAN shows how far we’ve come in efforts to simulate the human body. A new one-hour documentary about the ambitious project premieres on Smithsonian Channel on Sunday, October 20, 2013 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

TRAILER: http://www.sho-pr.com/Smithsonian_Channel/Bionic_Trailer_Final.mp4


WHEN & WHERE:
Booth 537 at Jacob Javits Convention Center
655 W 34th St, @ 11th Ave., NYC 10001
Thursday, October 10 from 3-9pm
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11 (10a-7p **(PANEL & DEMO @ 4pm!)**
Saturday, October 12 from 10am-7pm
Sunday, October 13 from 10am-5pm

**Panel Discussion and Demonstration RM. 1A14
Friday, October 11 from 4-5pm








Comic Con 2013


Wikia Panel Schedule @ NYCC - FT. Anime legends and Cosplay events

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 5:15 PM – 6:15 PM

WIKIA [LIVE] PRESENTS: LEARN FROM THE MASTERS

Afro Samurai. Hells Angels. Lone Wolf and Cub. Ninja Scroll. What do these titles have in common? They represent some of the greatest works in anime/manga, from an equally diverse group of creators. “New school” artists like Shin-ichi Hiromoto and Takashi Okazaki; legends like Kazuo Koike and Masao Maruyama. Join Wikia as we celebrate these “industry leaders” by putting the spotlight on their careers, their works, and what the future has in store for them. Now’s your chance to get up close and personal with some of the genre’s greatest. Who knows? They may just offer some advice that sets you on your own path to stardom.

PANELISTS:

Kazuo Koike (Crying Freeman, Lone Wolf and Cub), Takashi Okazaki (Afro Samurai), Shin-ichi Hiromoto (Hells Angels) and Masao Maruyama (Trigun, Ninja Scroll, Studio Madhouse).

 

MODERATOR:

Eric Moro (Wikia’s Director of Programming, Entertainment).

 

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1:45 PM – 2:45 PM

WIKIA [LIVE] PRESENTS: THE MASTERS OF ANIMANGA

Throughout the month of September, manga/anime legends Kazuo Koike, Yoshitaka Amano, Takashi Okazaki, Shin-ichi Hiromoto and Masao Maruyama partnered with Wikia for “The Masters of Animanga: A Wikia Collaborative Writing Project.” This once-in-a-lifetime initiative offered Wikia community members the opportunity to write stories based on fully rendered illustrations and brief character descriptions created by these “Masters” in a one-paragraph-at-a-time format (one user contributed a paragraph to the story, then another built upon that, etc. until the project was closed). In fact, three different stories across three different genres were developed: Vampires, Girls and Samurai. Join Wikia and the “Masters” as they celebrate/unveil the three final stories and discuss this never-before-attempted fan collaboration. The future of this style of storytelling – one that takes the legitimizing of “fan fiction” to a whole new level – will also be discussed!

PANELISTS:

Kazuo Koike (Crying Freeman, Lone Wolf and Cub), Takashi Okazaki (Afro Samurai), Shin-ichi Hiromoto (Hells Angels), Hiro Ikegami (Space Battleship Yamato 2199) and Masao Maruyama (Trigun, Ninja Scroll, Studio Madhouse)

 

MODERATOR:

Eric Moro (Wikia’s Director of Programming, Entertainment)

 

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 7:45 PM – 8:45 PM
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12, 8:30 PM – 9:30 PM

WIKIA [LIVE] COSPLAY CONTEST

Wikia is THE social universe for fans by fans, and it’s no secret that pop culture enthusiasts love the costumes and look of their favorite characters. To celebrate that amazing fandom, Wikia will be hosting the Wikia Heroes & Villains Cosplay Contest at New York Comic Con. Wikia is posting a cash/gift-card prize, along with several runner-up prizes. Wikia Stars (leading admins/experts in our comics, video game, and entertainment communities) will serve as judges for the contest.

MODERATOR:

Jennifer Betka (Wikia’s SVP of Marketing)


************************************************************

 

ANIME WORLDS TO COLLIDE AT NEW YORK COMIC CON
Voltron® and Robotech to team up for the first time
at New York Comic Con this October.

Fresh off the blockbuster comic series team up announcement this summer from Dynamite Entertainment, New York Comic Con will host a joint panel of two of anime's greatest legends—Voltron® and Robotech—for the first time on Friday October 11th at 11:00 a.m. in Room 1A14 ! This historic event will be the first time representatives of both properties will be together discussing the much buzzed about Robotech / Voltron crossover from Dynamite Comics.  
To give fans the latest news, sneak peeks, and insights into the creation of this historic crossover, World Events Productions (WEP,LLC) and Harmony Gold U.S.A. can confirm the following members of the creative team will be attending the New York Comic Con: 

Jeremy Corray Voltron Creative Director
Tommy Yune Robotech Creative Director
Bob Koplar Vice President, World Events Productions 
Kevin McKeever Vice President of Marketing for Robotech
Joseph Rybandt – Senior Editor, Dynamite Comics

Tommy Yune is co-writing the story with Dynamite Comics who will produce and distribute the comics. The first issue of the Robotech / Voltron Crossover is expected to be released in December 2013.
Voltron fans at New York Comic Con have always shown us tremendous amount of love and enthusiasm,” commented WEP’s Jeremy Corray. “This opportunity to form up with our friends at Harmony Gold for the first ever Robotech / Voltron crossover panel has been a pop-culture event years in the making that fans of classic ‘80s cartoons, anime, and giant robots won’t want to miss. Fans planning their panel hits should mark it down now.” 
"Robotech and Voltron share many common roots as two of the best known series in anime history,” said Tommy Yune, Creative Director, Harmony Gold. “We're thrilled to be a part of this exciting project with our colleagues from World Events Productions."
“The New York Comic-Con is the perfect venue for the inaugural Robotech / Voltron teamup panel! I think fans are really going to enjoy it!,” said Kevin McKeever, Vice President of Marketing for Robotech.
In addition to the Robotech / Voltron Crossover panel on Friday, fans can also catch the annual Robotech Industry Panel that Friday at 12:30 p.m. in Room 1A15 and the Voltron 30th Anniversary Sneak Peek panel Sunday, October 13th at 2:30 PM Room 1A06 for prizes, previews and more.

Saturday, October 5, 2013

James V. Downey Way


  Mosholu Avenue between West 254th & West 255th Street today officially became James V. Downey Way. This stretch of Mosholu Avenue in front of Sid Augarten Field where children play baseball was a significant part of the North Riverdale Baseball League and was very important to the man who helped make it happen, Mr. James V. Downey. Downey was also involved in his church St. Margret's of Cortona, and the Knights of Columbus Pro-Patria Council. Those three organizations and a slew of others requested the street renaming in 2012, three years after Mr. Downey passed away due to loosing his battle with cancer. 
   Community Board 8 voted for the street renaming in September of 2012, and it was off to the city council where Councilman Oliver Koppell guided the street renaming through. Below are some photos.

 













Left - Mr. Jerry Woods gives the introduction.
Right - Councilman Oliver Koppell says a few words. On the pole under the Mosholu Avenue sign you can see another sign awaiting to be uncovered.

 













Left - James V. Downey Way is unwrapped as cheers are heard from the almost 200 people in attendance.
Right - In a traditional Irish ceremony a lone bagpiper plays.


Friday, October 4, 2013

Animal Planet's Finding Bigfoot experts will be at NYCC on Saturday, Oct. 12


Ever had a Bigfoot sighting? Curious about the best place to hunt for a Sasquatch? Want to be the first to know about the latest evidence?
 Now is your chance to sit down with experts!







FINDING BIGFOOT PANEL
Animal Planet’s hit series FINDING BIGFOOT returns with all-new episodes this fall, and the intrepid cast of investigators – Bigfoot Field Research Organization (BFRO) president Matt Moneymaker, researchers James “Bobo” Fay and Cliff Barackman, and skeptical scientist Ranae Holland – are traveling across America and around the globe in their search for the elusive creature. But before they hit the woods, they’ll take to the NYCC stage on Saturday, October 12 at 7:45pm. Moderated by executive producer and FINDING BIGFOOT: UNTOLD STORIES host Keith Hoffman, the cast will discuss investigations in greater detail, answer fan-submitted questions and preview footage from the upcoming season. Find out how the  team films at night without scaring a sasquatch, or what the cast believes is its most compelling evidence to date?
 
 

Bill deBlasio now leads by 50 points over Joe Lhota


   Normally the early polls will show candidates who wind up winning not the front runner. Such was the case for Democratic candidate Bill deBlasio who was running second or third in the early polls. As the campaign wore on second place poll choice Anthony Weiner dropped down and Bill deBlasio became the number two choice for Democrats. As primary day came closer there seemed to be a backlash against current Mayor Michael Bloomberg that at the time front runner Christine Quinn could not separate herself from, and Quinn wound up coming in third to deBlasio when the votes were counted. Bill Thompson ran a good race, but while at times he was almost even in the polls with deBlasio he could not pass deBlasio winding up second in a decisive election that did not need a run off to determine a winner.

  Coming back to the November Mayors race, with the results of the first poll showing Joe Lhota trailing by 40%, the second poll now shows that Lhota is trailing by 50%. In breaking down the areas of voters the closest Lhota comes to deBlasio is with white voters where deBlasio leads by only 15%. The only area where Lhota leads is with Republican voters who are outnumbered now almost 8 to 1 by Democrats. Better than 75% of those polled said that they would not switch candidates either. One interesting breakdown is that under both deBlasio and Lhota those polled thought that taxes would rise the same under either candidate. 

  So why is Lhota so far behind? Lhota's comments are what gets him in trouble. Such as the kittens that were stranded on train tracks tying up service for hours in Queens, Lhota's comment was that he would have had the trains running "Cats or no Cats". Lhota is not liked on Republican strong hold Staten Island since he raised the fare on the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. Lhota also raised the subway fare and some say due to his mismanagement as head of the MTA. Lhota is also seen as a bully in this election with his rants of deBlasio's past, and lack of past leadership. DeBlasio on the other hand is coming off as the darling of the people trying to help improve what Mayor Bloomberg would or did not do. 

  Can Joe Lhota make up 50% in the upcoming four weeks, I don't think so. Look for this to be a Democratic landslide for mayor. Forget about Adolpho Carrion stealing votes from deBlasio as the margin will be twenty times or more than any votes Carrion will get.



 

Bronx Borough President invites you to the Italian-American Heritage Celebration


FUNimation/Hero Complex NYCC Exclusive Screenings


To celebrate Comic Con weekend in New York, FUNIMATION & Hero Complex invite convention attendees to explore the very best from world of Japanese animation with 2 exclusive screenings. Seating is extremely limited to these events and is based on first come first served.

“Wolf Children” won the Japan Academy Prize for Best Animation Film of the Year, the equivalent of the American Academy Award. It joins a list of other prestigious films like Hayao Miyazaki’s “Ponyo” and “The Secret World of Arrietty,” as well as director Mamoru Hosoda’s other films: “The Girl Who Leapt
Through Time”
FREE SCREENING
WOLF CHILDREN
Saturday, 10/12
6:30pm
AMC Empire 25

“Akira” is regarded as one of the greatest animated movies of all time. “Akira” obliterated the boundaries of Japanese animation and created space for movies like the “The Matrix” to be dreamed into brutal reality. FUNIMATION is pleased to offer Hero Complex readers and new fans a chance to see this landmark cyberpunk classic back on the big screen.
FREE  SCREENING
AKIRA
25th Anniversary Screening
Saturday, 10/12
9:00pm
AMC Empire 25