All Eyes will be on Anime Properties at COMIC-CON 2004: New DUEL MASTERS Comic Books, TV Series, Trading Card Game, Video Game and Action Figures will have Fans Lining Up! RENTON, Wash., July 15 /PRNewswire/ -- DUEL MASTERS(TM), the hot new anime property from Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE: HAS), will be everywhere at COMIC-CON 2004, with comic books, a TV series, video games, action figures and the newest expansion of the trading card game being previewed at the San Diego Convention Center July 22-25. As it has for the past several shows, anime will be in the spotlight at this year's COMIC- CON and DUEL MASTERS, one of the newest and most anticipated Japanese imports, is expected to have show-goers lining up. DUEL MASTERS has been the #1 game in Japan for much of the past year-and-a-half and already has thousands of kids turning out for tournaments across the U.S. and millions more tuning in to the "DUEL MASTERS" TV series on Cartoon Network. COMIC-CON attendees will be able to enter the DUEL MASTERS world at a variety of points at the show: * Wizards of the Coast (Booth # 3613) -- Look for 15-foot "Armorloid" and two roaming, six-foot DUEL MASTERS creatures! Learn how to play the DUEL MASTERS trading card game and pick up a free copy of the DUEL MASTERS starter game (while supplies last). Wizards of the Coast will also host a free, open DUEL MASTERS tournament on Saturday, July 24, in the game hall at COMIC-CON. The tournament begins at 12:00 p.m. Players at COMIC-CON will be the first in the country to experience the newest DUEL MASTERS trading card game expansion, called DUEL MASTERS: RAMPAGE OF THE SUPER WARRIORS(TM). * Hasbro Booth (Booth #3612) -- Check out the new DUEL MASTERS action figures based on fantastic creatures from the DUEL MASTERS trading card game and TV show including SUPER BOLSHACK DRAGON(TM) with his formidable 18" wingspan! * Beckett Publications (Booth #4221) -- Meet Joshua Seth, the actor who voices SHOBU(TM), star of the animated "DUEL MASTERS" TV series. Joshua will be in the booth on Saturday, July 24, from 1 p.m.- 4 p.m. signing copies of Beckett's premiere issue of its DUEL MASTERS Magazine. * Dreamwave (Booth #3913) -- The newest edition of the DUEL MASTERS comic will be available, along with signings by the DUEL MASTERS comic book artists. The DUEL MASTERS comic books quickly sold through their first run in the U.S. and the series continues to be popular with both kids and adults. * Atari (Booth #4215) -- Video-gamers can get their hands on the new DUEL MASTERS Game Boy Advanced game, DUEL MASTERS: SEMPAI LEGENDS(TM). More DUEL MASTERS video game titles, for Game Boy Advanced and PS2, are due this fall. DUEL MASTERS is a new, original, global entertainment property for boys jointly developed by Wizards of the Coast and Shogakukan and Mitsui/Kids Station in Japan. DUEL MASTERS started as a manga (a comic book) in Japan and marks the first time American and Japanese toy manufacturers have collaborated to create a trading card game property. "We were responsible for developing and applying DUEL MASTERS' game mechanics based on our success with MAGIC: THE GATHERING, while our Japanese counterparts focused on the creative process, granting us access to Japan's best anime artists and comic book writers," explains Wizards of the Coast's James Szubski, Brand Manager for DUEL MASTERS. "DUEL MASTERS is the result of a truly symbiotic, cross-cultural relationship and illustrates how the toy and game industry is evolving." For more information on DUEL MASTERS, visit http://www.duelmasters.com/ and for more on COMIC-CON visit http://www.comic-con.org/. Wizards of the Coast, Inc. is a worldwide leader in the trading card game and tabletop roleplaying game categories, and a leading developer and publisher of game-based entertainment products. The company holds an exclusive patent on trading card games and their method of play and produces the premier trading card game, Magic: The Gathering(R), among many other trading card games and family card and board games. Wizards is also a leading publisher of roleplaying games, such as Dungeons & Dragons(R), and publisher of fantasy series fiction with numerous New York Times best-sellers. For more information, visit the Wizards of the Coast website at http://www.wizards.com/. DUEL MASTERS is a trademark of Wizards/Shogakukan/Mitsui-Kids. Wizards of the Coast, Magic: The Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons, Rampage of the Super Warriors, Sempai Legends, Bolshack Dragon and Shobu are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the United States and other countries. CONTACT: Darlene Hollywood 617-367-6655 x3021 Carrie Williams 949-642-6112 DATASOURCE: Wizards of the Coast, Inc. CONTACT: Darlene Hollywood, +1-617-367-6655 ext. 3021, , or Carrie Williams, +1-949-642-6112, , both for Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Web site: http://www.wizards.com/

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