Fringe: September's Notebook - A Publishing First

Warner Bros. Consumer Products and Warner Bros. Television Group, along with the FOX Broadcasting Company, have joined forces with publisher Insight Editions to create an unprecedented published work — setting a new standard for officially licensed publishing merchandise and product integration in the world of publishing.

"...authors Tara Bennett and Paul Terry worked with the television show’s production team on a daily basis to develop and evolve Fringe: September’s Notebook into the world’s first fully integrated licensed publication that has emerged from within the television series’ storyline itself.”

In the penultimate Fringe episode “The Boy Must Live” (airing Friday, January 11, at 9/8c on FOX), the worlds of network television and licensed publishing collide and will never be the same again. In the episode, the enigmatic recurring character of the Observer September (guest star Michael Cerveris) reveals to Walter Bishop (John Noble) that he had been keeping a notebook of all his observations. “September’s Notebook” is the exact book that fans of the show have been able to pre-order — and consequently be a part of — since earlier this year.

Fringe executive producer/showrunner J.H. Wyman said: “We couldn’t have picked a better framework for this book with the Observers. Where we went this season is ultimately so Observer-heavy and it reveals some things that are really mind-blowing. We wanted to include the notebook in this upcoming episode, as it encompasses September’s journey from beginning to end. The fact that we are able to share it with the fans, after the episode airs, is truly exciting. September’s writing exhibits what he admires most about the human spirit’s most beautiful quality — hope.”

Currently in its fifth and final season with a special two-hour series finale event airing Friday, January 18, at 8/7c on FOX, Fringe follows main characters FBI special agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv), eccentric “fringe” scientist Walter Bishop (Noble) and his jack-of-all-trades son Peter Bishop (Joshua Jackson), as they investigate paranormal incidents that defy human logic and mystifying events that threaten our very existence on a universal scale. With the help of fellow agents and allies Phillip Broyles (Lance Reddick), Nina Sharp (Blair Brown), Astrid Farnsworth (Jasika Nicole), Charlie Francis (Kirk Acevedo), Lincoln Lee (Seth Gabel) and John Scott (Mark Valley), the FBI’s Fringe Division delves into a world where hybrid monsters tear through sewers, thieves walk through walls and portals open to parallel universes. The Observer September chronicles not only the main characters’ personal stories but also elements of the show’s mythology, including the FBI’s Fringe Division, Massive Dynamic, the Machine, the alternate universe “Over There” and the Amber timeline.

With a rabid and devoted fan base, the critically acclaimed Fringe phenomenon has spawned two six-part comic book series and an alternate reality game. Fringe: September’s Notebook is the first comprehensive guide to the show’s compelling mythology and a must-have companion following the show’s epic conclusion.

A revelation for fans and super fans alike, Fringe: September’s Notebook includes exclusive photos and concept art, and reveals quirks and little-known facts about each character, insight into fringe science and much more. Design features throughout the book build upon the many symbols and codes woven into the show’s fabric, uncovering truths never before revealed.

Fringe: September’s Notebook is an extension of the show and its mythology like no other. Within the book, every single word, sketch, photo, and official document has been painstakingly put together (under the guidance of series executive producer/showrunner J.H. Wyman and former executive producer Jeff Pinkner) with contributions from the Fringe production department. More than a year in the making from its inception, with material that spans all five seasons.

Download the official press release or learn more at http://fringeseptembersnotebook.com

New York Comic-con Recap

What a whirlwind week in New York City. We had so many great author signings and events taking place at our New York Comic-con booth. With lines forming down the aisles for each one, it was definitely a successful event for us.

Here's a quick recap of our events with some photographs of our authors, many whom traveled to be there to promote their books.

Friday, October 12

Fringe fans lined up to meet Tara Bennett and Paul Terry as they signed NYCC exclusive posters for the 2013 release, Fringe: September's Notebook.

Official Facebook Page for "Fringe: September's Notebook"

Michael Bush signed copies of his book, The King of Style: Dressing Michael Jackson at the Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square. Sitting in front of the display case featuring four of Michael Jackson's costumes along with the famous glove, there was an amazing turn out of fans who were dressed up in their favorite Michael Jackson inspired costumes.

Official Facebook Page for "The King of Style: Dressing Michael Jackson"

Saturday, October 13

Scott Campbell stopped by our booth to sign copies of Amazing Everything and sold prints of some of his illustrations. It was great to see people recognizing him as he has become quite the name (and face) among the video game / art world thanks to his work with Double Fine Productions.

Official Facebook Page for "Amazing Everything: The Art of Scott C."

Michael Jackson fans were shocked to see the famous glove on display in our booth when Michael Bush arrived to sign copies of The King of Style for those attending NYCC. Known for attendees in costumes, this was a fun mix of pop culture and fashion for all to enjoy.

Sunday, October 14

Brandon T. Snider hopped off the airplane in time to join us on our last day at New York Comic-con, signing copies of The Dark Knight Manual and entertaining the crowd.
Official Facebook Page for "The Dark Knight Manual: Tools, Weapons, Vehicles & Documents from the Batcave"

Post Comic-con wrap-up

It's only been three days since Comic-con came to an end in San Diego, but we're all still recovering from the long days and even longer nights surrounding the annual event.

Here's a quick re-cap of what we at Insight Editions experienced during the 5-day event. If you're looking for pictures, check our our Twitter feed, Facebook page, Instagram and Pinterest accounts where we uploaded images during SDCC.

Thursday, July 12, 2012
Illustrator Scott Campbell came by to sign copies of his book, "Amazing Everything," delighting his fans with one-of-a-kind drawings and posing for photos with his legions of fans. 

At the same time, the Blizzard Entertainment panel was taking place upstairs, so we were able to sit in on that to hear the licensing products being launched for next year, including our book, "The Art of Blizzard," which is still on sale over at our website. 

Inside the Batmobile - the exclusive 22-minute sneak peek at the upcoming documentary, "The Batmobile" was shown at Comic-Con and fans were hyped by the fact that all 5 vehicles were outside of the San Diego Convention Center for a close-up look at the history of the Batmobile. Our book, "Batmobile: The Complete History" was put together as a written documentary to accompany the upcoming film.

Friday, July 13, 2012

Even though "The Art of Blizzard" will not be available until later this fall, two of the authors stopped by to sign some posters for fans. Chris Metzen and Sam Didier are recognized names and faces at Comic-Con and we were thrilled that they were able to swing by our booth.

 

Our invite-only art exhibit for "The Art of Blizzard" took place Friday night at the LoungeSD and the community winners who won an invite from Blizzplanet were stoked to hang out at such an intimate venue with their favorite guys from Blizzard along with seeing the framed art from pieces that will be included in the book. Check out the #ArtofBlizzard hashtag on Twitter to see more photos from the fans themselves or tag your photos in case we haven't seen or shared them on our social sites yet.

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Continuing with the excitement surrounding the Blizzard team, the creative minds behind Diablo III: Book of Cain were at our Booth signing Limited Edition copies of the book. Matt Flint Dille, Matt Burns and Mickey Neilson joined us while the first 10 people in line got to take home a swag bag from our #ArtofBlizzard event the night before.

Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures announced their next big film by acclaimed filmmaker Guillerom del Toro, Pacific Rim, and we were finally able to share with our fans that we're working on the book in conjunction with the film for next summer!

Jerry Beck came by our Booth to sign copies of his book, 100 Greatest Looney Tunes Cartoons and we spoke about some fun, upcoming projects he's working on for us as well.

 

Our last author signing for this year's San Diego Comic-Con was my personal favorite, since I was able to meet Iain McCaig for the first time and watch as he posed fans and created a custom drawing with them alongside his signature in the latest version of his book, "Shadowline." For nearly two hours, Iain told stories and sketched unique illustrations for those who were lucky enough to get in line for his book signing. He ran out of time, but hopefully we'll catch up with him at another event where more fans can get to know him and his work.

Sunday, July 15, 2012

While we did not have any author signings on the last day of Comic-con, it was probably the most exciting, as we were finally able to announce the news of our forthcoming books on Fringe and Supernatural.

 

All Comic-con titles are on sale through the end of August, including our pre-orders for the Fall and Winter releases. If you plan on attending the NY Comic-con in October, make sure to stop by and say hi. We'll be announcing our author signings soon for this event!