As my buddy (and fellow Funnybooks host) Wayne mentioned earlier today, one of the highlights of this year’s Free Comic Book Day is a “First Look” at Top Cow Comics’ upcoming Artifacts crossover. The crossover, which ties together years of Top Cow continuity, will be written by Ron Marz, with art by some of Top Cow’s finest artists.
Having read the book now, I can say I’m SUPER excited for the upcoming crossover, especially because it brings back, as one of the 13 artifacts, the Rapture, which was the main object of the Universe and Tom Judge: End of Days titles from way back when. I’d love to see those collected. The Artifacts first look is an original story, with original art, and is a PERFECT primer to the Top Cow Universe. I highly recommend picking it up this Saturday – after all, what have you got to lose? It’s FREE! Plus, you get a preview of Magdalena, which we told you was pretty fantastic in this week’s episode of Funnybooks.
Want a peek at the Artifacts FCBD book, written by Ron Marz with art by Stjepan Sejic? Look below! Click any image to see the full page!
Read after the jump for more on Top Cow’s Artifacts and their FCBD plans!
TOP COW UNVEILS FREE COMIC BOOK DAY PLANS
INCLUDES MARC SILVESTRI AT LOCAL SIGNING AND EVENT
LOS ANGELES, Calif., April 29, 2010 – Top Cow Productions, Inc. is proud to announce today its plans for this weekend’s Free Comic Book Day, Saturday, May 1st, which takes place in comic shops across North America. Free Comic Book Day is an annual event where participating direct market stores give out free comics to anyone that walks into their store.
This year’s Top Cow Free Comic Book Day offering is Artifacts #0, by Ron Marz (Witchblade, Magdalena) and Stjepan Sejic (Witchblade, Angelus). The issue serves as an introduction to the publisher’s maxi-event that’s been over five years in the making. Building on the success of First Born and Broken Trinity, Top Cow will finally reveal the identity of all 13 Artifacts, which include The Darkness, Witchblade, Angelus, Magdalena’s Spear of Destiny and 9 others. Launching a massive 13-issue event beginning in July 2010, the series will define and redefine the nature of the Top Cow Universe. The final identity of the remaining Artifacts will be revealed, characters will perish and the very existence of the Top Cow Universe will be at stake.
As a special treat for LA locals, Top Cow founder Marc Silvestri will be participating in the festivities and serving as the Guest of Honor at Collector’s Paradise in Winnetka, CA. Joining Silvestri at Collector’s Paradise is the first art team on the Artifacts series, Michael Broussard (The Darkness), who will also be signing at Meltdown Comics in Hollywood, CA. On the east coast, Marz will be signing Artifacts #0 at two New England Comics locations: Brockton and Harvard Square.
Other Top Cow creators making appearances in the Los Angeles area include Top Cow publisher Filip Sablik, Rick Loverd (Berserker), Rob Levin (Broken Trinity: Pandora’s Box, The Darkness: Shadows & Flame), Rahsan Ekedal (The Crazies, Echoes), Nelson Blake II (Pilot Season: Murderer, Magdalena), Sal Regla (Pilot Season: Murderer, Magdalena), Sheldon Mitchell (Pilot Season: Stealth, The Darkness), Joshua Hale Fialkov (Pilot Season: Alibi, Echoes), Rick Basaldua (Pilot Season: Stealth, The Darkness) and Ryan Winn (The Darkness). Additionally, Tyler Kirkham (Strykeforce, Witchblade Takeru Manga) and Phil Hester (The Darkness) will be appearing in various parts of the United States to celebrate the annual event.
Below are Top Cow’s full event plans for FCBD:
4 Color Fantasies
7172 Archibald AvenueRancho Cucamonga, CA 91701
(909) 563-8751
Creator: Rick Basaldua
Beach Ball Comics
3024 West Ball Road
Anaheim, CA 92804
(714) 826-6127
Creators: Nelson Blake II, Sal Regla
Brave New World Comics
22722 Lyons Avenue #6
Santa Clarita, CA 91321
(661) 259-4745
Creators: Sheldon Mitchell
Collector’s Paradise
7131 Winnetka Avenue
Canoga Park, CA 91306
(818) 999-9455
Creators: Marc Silvestri (1-3pm), Michael Broussard (12-3pm), Rick Loverd (12-3pm)
The Comic Bug
1807 ½ Manhattan Beach Blvd
Manhattan Beach, CA
(310) 372-6704
Creators: Rob Levin, Rahsan Ekedal, Joshua Hale Fialkov, Ryan Winn
Daydream Comics
21 S. Dubuque Street
Iowa City, IA 52240
(319) 354-6632
Creator: Phil Hester
Earth-2 Comics
8967 Reseda Blvd.
Northridge, CA 91324
Creator: Filip Sablik (12-2pm)
Hee Bee Gee Beez
1968 N. Hill Field Road, Suite #2
Layton, UT 84041
(801) 392-5094
Creator: Tyler Kirkham
Meltdown Comics
7522 Sunset Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90046
(323) 851-7223
Creators: Michael Broussard, Rick Loverd (4-6pm)
New England Comics – Brockton Store
East Crossing Plaza
744 Crescent Street
Brockton, MA 02302
(508) 559-5068
Creator: Ron Marz (10:30am-1:30pm)
New England Comics – Cambridge Store
Harvard Square
14A Eliot Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 354-5352
Creator: Ron Marz (4-7pm)
For more information on FCBD, please visit www.freecomicbookday.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.