AT&T and Platinum Studios Open Up Comic Book Talent Search to Public Vote As Field Narrows to 10

Fans Begin Online Voting Process to Select Top Three Finalists for the Comic Book Challenge on the AT&T blue room hollywood Site

San Antonio, Texas, Los Angeles, California.-Ten aspiring comic book creators have moved one step closer in their bid to win a rare multi-media development and publishing deal as part of the second annual Platinum Studios’ Comic Book Challenge, presented by AT&T. The top 10 entrants were named on the AT&T blue room (www.attblueroom.com) after judges deliberated over the top 50 entrants who convened in San Diego during the 2007 International Comic-Con convention to present their comic property concepts during the pitch phase of the competition.

Today through Aug. 25, fans can check out the comic creators and their entries, and cast their ballot for their favorite new comic book idea on the blue room site. Visitors can also view a video of each entrant’s pitch. Votes through Aug. 13 will whittle the field from ten to three entrants, and subsequent votes through Aug. 25 for the three finalists will determine the winner who will ultimately receive a development and publishing contract with Platinum Studios. Fans can vote more than once for their top comic book picks.

AT&T will make supplemental contest content available regularly on the blue room through the end of September, including video back-stories, judges’ feedback, and additional commentary and interviews.

AT&T will also distribute video-on-demand clips featuring the contest entrants across its wireless and TV screens through AT&T U-verseSM TV, AT&T HomezoneSM and MobiTV on Mobility services, brought to subscribers by AT&T Universal Card. The content is being directed, written and produced by AT&T’s expanding in-house creative group.

The panel of comic book experts and Hollywood insiders that moderated the pitches and selected the top 10 included John H. Williams, producer for the “Shrek” film series; actor Donald Faison of hit TV program “Scrubs”; and Scott Mitchell Rosenberg, chairman of Platinum Studios.

“The pitch phase of the competition was nothing short of absolutely amazing,” said Scott Mitchell Rosenberg, chairman of Platinum Studios. “We knew the Comic Book Challenge would bring together some of the industry’s best and brightest creators, but given the difficulty we had narrowing the field from the top 50 entrants to the top 10, I’m glad to now be putting the judging into the hands of the fans.”

“This event highlights the unique capability AT&T is developing to link entertainment and technology at every step of the process,” said Michael Goldfine, head of development and production of AT&T Entertainment Services. “We started with the concept of someone achieving his or her lifelong dream, brought it to life through content we developed in-house, and now are delivering it to consumers across the three screens that they use most — the PC, the TV, and the wireless screen.”

The top 10 entries were submitted by Jorge Vega (Brockton, Mass.); Shawn Granger (La Verne, Calif.); Josiah Grahn (Richmond, Ky.); Mike Whittenberger (College Point, N.Y.); Kevin Buckley (San Francisco, Calif.); Melissa Diaz (Norristown, Pa.); Chris Rhodes (Westover, W.V.); David Davis (Hemet, Calif.); John Smallwood-Garcia (Brookfield, Conn.); and George Brawn (Alhambra, Calif.).

The winner of the 2007 Comic Book Challenge will be formally announced in late August, and the winner’s comic book or graphic novel will be published and premiered at a major Wizard World convention in 2008.

Last year’s Comic Book Challenge winner, D.J. Coffman, has earned fan accolades and winning reviews for the sold-out debut of his graphic novel “Hero By Night.” The story centers on Jack King, a young man who discovers the secret lair of a 1950’s superhero in his new apartment building and must decide whether to use the hero’s source of power to become a superhero himself.

Endeavor Agency helped broker the relationship between AT&T and Platinum Studios.