Devil's Due To Acquire Dungeons & Dragons License

R.A. Salvatore’s The Dark Elf Trilogy begins in June

Chicago, IL -- Mar 30, 2005 -- Devil’s Due Publishing (DDP) is finalizing negotiations to acquire the license to the entire D&D® library from the Hasbro Properties Group, the intellectual property development arm of Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE:HAS). The proposed agreement will allow DDP to develop comic book and graphic novel properties based on D&D and its various universes, including Forgotten Realms®, Dragonlance®, Ravenloft™, Eberron™ and Spell Jammers™. When the agreement is entered into, beginning this summer, the rich world of Wizards of the Coast’s Dungeons & Dragons ® property will come to life through the efforts of DDP.

The proposed agreement contemplates that the rollout will begin in June (now confirmed via Diamond solicitations for Items Shipping in June) with a three-issue, 48-page mini-series based on New York Times best-selling author R.A. Salvatore’s Forgotten Realms: The Dark Elf Trilogy: Homeland. Forgotten Realms: The Dark Elf Trilogy, written by Andrew Dabb with art by Tim Seeley, will bring Drizzt Do’Urden™, one of the most popular and well-known fantasy characters in the Forgotten Realms, in a graphic format that would unveil the dark world of Menzobberranzan and the obsidian-skinned race of dark elves in a way that has never been seen before.

Under the proposed agreement, Forgotten Realms: The Dark Elf Trilogy would retell the tale of Drizzt Do’Urden as originally published in Salvatore’s three novels, Homeland, Exile and Sojourn. (The first issue of volume one of the series, Forgotten Realms: The Dark Elf Trilogy, adapting Homeland, has already been solicited via Diamond Distribution).

“This is a thrill,” said Josh Blaylock, President of DDP. “Dungeons and Dragons started a whole new wave of outstanding fantasy novels. With compelling characters and gripping new worlds, and the creators we have can’t wait to start playing in the D&D realms. I know Andrew and Tim have been having fun working on Drizzt. We’re honored to publish the Dark Elf series and we think fans, new and old alike, will be thrilled.”

DDP has also solicited the June release for the trade paperback of The Legend of Huma, a Dragonlance graphic novel based on Richard Knaak’s novel.

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ABOUT DEVIL'S DUE PUBLISHING (DDP)

Devil's Due Publishing was formed in 1999 as both a commercial art studio and a small press comic book publisher. DDP's first breakout success was 2001's revamp of G.I. JOE, returning the long-lost 1980s characters to comics. Fans bought over 100,000 copies per month, immediately propelling G.I. JOE to the top of the charts. Today, DDP's lineup includes Army of Darkness, Street Fighter, Hack/Slash and the Aftermath universe, a new imprint featuring super-powered heroes in titles like Defex, Breakdown, Blade of Kumori and Infantry.



ABOUT THE HASBRO PROPERTIES GROUP

The Hasbro Properties Group (HPG), the intellectual property development arm of Hasbro, Inc., (NYSE:HAS), translates one of the industry’s richest portfolios of brands into a world of fun and excitement for children and adults globally. Through a host of publishing, lifestyle and entertainment platforms, HPG is able to surround fans worldwide with consumer products that expand Hasbro’s core brands, such as TRANSFORMERS, DUEL MASTERS, MY LITTLE PONY, MONOPOLY and CANDY LAND, beyond the toy and game aisle, creating rich lifestyle experiences.

Drizzt Do’ Urden, Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance, Ravenloft, Eberron and Spell Jammers are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. in the USA and other countries. © 2005 Wizards.