LOS ANGELES, Calif., September 29th, 2009 - Top Cow Productions, Inc. proudly announced today that they will be exhibiting at the first annual Long Beach Comic Con.

The event will open to the public on Friday afternoon, October 2nd, 2009, and run through Sunday, October 4th, at the Long Beach Convention Center located at 300 Ocean Boulevard, Long Beach, California 90802.Fans are encouraged to stop by the Top Cow booth (#365) to meet their favorite creators and shop for limited edition convention exclusives as well as their favorite Top Cow comics.

Among the artists appearing at the Top Cow booth (#365) will be pencillers Michael Broussard (The Darkness, Unholy Union), Eric Basaldua (Witchblade Annual, Hunter-Killer), Sheldon Mitchell (Trinity: Blood on the Sands, Witchblade Annual), and Nelson Blake II (Pilot Season: Murderer, The Darkness) from the world renowned Top Cow ‘Pit.’ Top Cow inkers Ryan Winn (The Darkness) and Rick Basaldua (Witchblade Annual) will also appear for signings. The publisher also teased at a few surprise appearances by Top Cow creators and alumni. The artists will be available to draw sketches for fans and autograph copies of their comics. Sketch tickets will be given out at the beginning of each day at the Top Cow booth (#365) on a first-come, first-served basis and limited to one per fan, per day. Fans are encouraged to check the Top Cow booth (#365) for signing times.

Special guests Randy and Sarah Queen will be in attendance at the Long Beach Comic Con to promote the upcoming Darkness/Darkchylde/Witchblade: Kingdom of Pain one-shot, which will mark the return of Queen’s character, Darkchylde, to comics. Additionally, the Queens will give fans a behind-the-scenes look at their creative process during a special panel on Sunday, October 4th in Room B from 12:00pm-12:45pm hosted by Top Cow Publisher, Filip Sablik.

The publisher will be offering an exclusive Long Beach Comic Con wraparound variant cover to Cyberforce/Hunter-Killer #2 for the event by Eric Basaldua, Rick Basaldua, and Blond. An additional, super-rare V.I.P. Exclusive to Cyberforce/Hunter-Killer #2 featuring the pencils merging into the inked lineart will also be available. The V.I.P. Exclusive is limited to 250 copies and can only be purchased at the Long Beach Comic Con. Fans will also be able to pick up numerous free promotional items, posters, and free comics at the Top Cow booth (#365). Publisher Filip Sablik and Managing Editor Phil Smith will be available throughout the show for portfolio reviews for aspiring artists.

The inaugural Long Beach Comic Con kicks off at 3 P.M. on Friday, October 2nd and runs to 7 P.M. The convention will be open Saturday, October 3rd from 10 A.M. to 6 P.M. and Sunday, October 4th from 10 A.M. to 5 P.M.
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.