A Paid Advertisement. During the upcoming Comic-Con International: San Diego, retailers can catch a glimpse of what Diamond Select Toys has in store for them in the near future.

With the San Diego Comic-Con International kicking off Wednesday night with an anticipated 75,000+ attendees expected for the weekend, the Acura Tennis Classic tennis tournament in town, and opening weekend at the Del Mar Race track, hotel rooms in San Diego are at an extreme premium this week, with Superbowl-style pricing.

NBM Publishing is launching a new line of comics and graphic novels featuring the classic teen detectives, The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew .

The Topps Company is bringing an urban edge to the world of non-sports cards with the help of the multi-talented Wayans Brothers, who have provided the inspiration for The Dozens.

Steven Spielberg's intervention was a key element in the spirited competition to acquire the rights to make a live action Transformers movie.

Paramount Pictures will produce a film based on Alan Moore & Dave Gibbon's groundbreaking superhero comic Watchmen .

At the Del Rey panel at the San Diego Comic Con International, Betsy Mitchell, V.P. and Editor-in-Chief announced that Del Rey will launch six new manga series in 2005.

Jason Bardyla of Happy Harbor Comics & Toys in Edmonton, Alberta, Vancouver, BC, and two other cities saw the choices for the date for Free Comic Book Day 2005, and sent us his thoughts.

Gail Burt of Metropolis Comics in Bellflower, California saw the choices for the date for Free Comic Book Day 2005, and sent us her thoughts.

Timothy Davis of Alternate Reality in Chicago, Illinois saw the comments by Ilan Strasser of Fat Moose on Spider-Man 2 and feels that it was an over-reaction.

Joe Krolik of Comics America in Winnipeg, Manitoba saw the comments of Ilan Strasser from Fat Moose on Spider-Man 2 , and sees things differently.

Comic sales through Diamond Comic Distributors were up again in June for the fourth month in a row, rising 15% over June 2003.