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It's A Deal!

NEW YORK-- Oct. 6, 1998--Leading comic book publisher DC Comics agreed to acquire Publisher/Artist/Entrepreneur Jim Lee's comic book publishing company WildStorm Productions. DC will operate WildStorm as a creative unit of DC, Paul Levitz, DC Comics publisher and executive vice president, said.

While WildStorm will continue to produce titles under the Homage, Cliffhanger, and eponymous WildStorm imprints, they will also work on projects based on the world-famous DC characters as well as create new characters.

All the creative areas of WildStorm will continue to operate under Lee's direction from their current offices in La Jolla, California, with responsibility for non-editorial functions shifting to DC.

"Jim Lee brings to DC his incredible talent, a devoted audience, an exciting line of titles, and an entrepreneurial track record of creating, developing, and producing creative material in varied media. We all look forward to working closely with him, and watching him and his talented team work their magic," Levitz said.

Lee has been one of the major creative forces in comics for the past decade, from important contribution as the artist of Marvel's X-Men at the height of its popularity, to his role as one of the founding partners of Image Comics, a talent-owned company which swiftly became the third largest publisher of comics. Lee has created many characters, including the heroes of Gen-13 and his most recent creation, Divine Right. When Image was founded in 1992, Lee established WildStorm Productions as his publishing operation within the Image collective. WildStorm publishes Lee's work and that of a wide range of other talented creators.

"As a fan of such universal icons as Superman, Batman and the rest of the DC pantheon of heroes, I am deeply delighted to be joining the DC family," said Lee. "And, as a businessman, this is an exciting step for my company." DC's extensive publishing and licensing relationships, coupled with their marketing skills, will not only enhance WildStorm, but will also take us to greater heights. This is an incredible opportunity for both me and my company."

WildStorm's current list of titles includes:

-- GEN13 - Five hip teenagers without a care in the world have been recruited for a secret government project that leaves them with super powers. But now that same secret agency is out to kill them, which means they have to learn to work as a team to save their own lives!

-- Wildcats - Aliens who have been on Earth for thousands of years, and the offspring of aliens who have bred with Earthlings, have come together to battle a common threat from beyond the stars. The Wildcats have adopted this planet as their home, and will go to any lengths to protect it.

-- Kurt Busiek's Astro City - From the dreams of heroes to the fears of ordinary citizens to the schemes of villains, Kurt Busiek and company let readers experience a world of heroes from the inside.

-- Leave It To Chance - Chance Falconer is the daughter of Lucas, occult protector of Devil's Echo. There's nothing she would rather do than someday follow in her father's footsteps, but he thinks the job is too dangerous for a girl. With her pet dragon, St. George, Chance will explore any mystery to try to prove him wrong.

- Danger Girl - A young, beautiful and daring adventuress is recruited by a top secret agency to combat the forces of evil threatening the world. She is joined in her adventures unique team of female companions, each one an expert in various forms of espionage and combat, as the mysterious group known as Danger Girl!