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Alan Moore's Electricomics promises to reinvent the medium, but not too much
If you've seen V for Vendetta, Watchmen or even The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, you've encountered the work of Alan Moore. He's one of the comic industry's most prolific and influential authors, and now he's trying to take the medium into the modern era. Moore is building a digital comics app designed to serve as both comic itself and a collection of open-source tools for creating the next generation of digital comics. The project, due for launch in early next year, is called Electricomics -- but don't expect books published on the platform to be animated or overly interactive: Moore insists that adding digital effects to comics won't make them better.
Comixology is giving away free comics for 20 days
If you're an iOS user, you're no doubt unhappy that Amazon made Comixology pull in-app purchases on your platform of choice. However, the service is offering a nice consolation prize: it's giving away 20 free comics over 20 days, regardless of what technology you're using. You only need to "buy" a freebie within 24 hours to add it to your collection. You'll have already missed out on the first offer as we write this (sorry!), but there's 19 more to be had through June 14th -- that should be enough reading to keep you busy on your big vacation.
Google wants to make your mundane conversations into quirky online comics
Deep down, we'd all like to believe our text-based interactions are worthy of Calvin & Hobbes-style witticisms. They're not and you know it, but does Google? No matter, because the tech giant was just awarded a patent to format your virtual conversations into something more suited for comic strip syndication online. The concept, though gimmicky, isn't as freshly innovative as it might first sound. In fact, both Apple and Microsoft have already had designs on the same. Anyone remember Microsoft Comic Chat? Okay, so Google's comic-making process is nothing new, but it does have a key differentiator: It's shareable via email, IM or, more likely, a social network "stream" or profile page. The system, as outlined by the patent, merely repurposes conversations, either manually or automagically, between at least two people into a comic strip layout. It's then given a title by the user, an appropriate theme as selected from the user interface and formatted for its intended destination. Beyond that, it's all a matter of where the strip gets posted. Editing permissions can also be extended to second- and third-party users so that the strip lives on. No doubt, it's a fun way to jazz up otherwise mundane online interactions, but that doesn't mean we'll ever actually see this comic generator come to light. You know how these things go. It's a patent; it's good for litigation.
Amazon Publishing launches Jet City Comics with Symposium #1
As of today, Amazon Publishing is entering the wonderful world of sequential art publishing with its new imprint, Jet City Comics. Its inaugural issue, Symposium #1 by Christian Cameron, is sure to please fans of Neal Stephenson's The Foreworld Saga. Also joining Jet City Comics are sci-fi/fantasy luminaries like George R.R. Martin and Hugh Howey. Martin will be teaming up with artist Raya Golden on an adaptation of Meathouse Man, a story so twisted, it makes Game of Thrones look like a Disney fairytale. Writers Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray (currently tearing it up on Batwing) will translate Howey's series of dystopian novellas, Wool, into a six-issue mini-series this October with a collected print edition to follow in 2014. For more information, check out the full press release after the break.
Comixology adds options for subscriptions and bundles (update: Web app only)
Comixology is, as we've discussed here before, basically the premiere app for comic books on Apple's iPad. And now, the app (well, the web app at least) is adding one more feature to its already long list. Starting today, you can subscribe to your favorite comics right inside the app's web store, which means that instead of going in every week to buy the comics you want, you can tap one button, and you'll automatically pick up a comic when it arrives. That's pretty handy if you buy a lot of comics -- it's like having your own personal comic book store pulling issues as you need them. The company has also added support for buying comics in bundles, which means those deals we occasionally see come out of Comixology's offices will probably be a lot better (it's much easier to buy a bunch of comics at a time for cheap, rather than a ton of issues individually on sale). This also means that the company can bundle up storylines and back issues, so finding what you want to read and purchasing it all in one go should be a piece of cake. Update: Bundles and subscriptions are only available on the web app, we're told. But you can definitely buy comics on the web, and then browse them on your iPad.
By Odin's beard! Marvel Unlimited comics subscription app now available for Android
First gracing the digital pages of iOS devices in March, Marvel Unlimited is now available for Android. Part of the comic book publisher's digital subscription program, the app grants access to over 70 years of Marvel's greatest hits for $10 per month or $60 annually. Patrons looking to keep their data plans on a leash, or traveling beyond the reach of internet coverage, can stash books on their smartphone or tablet for offline reading. If your device is running Android 2.3.3 or higher (most are these days) and you're ready dive into the Marvel Universe, web sling on over to the source link below to get started.
Apple patent outs system for turning video game choices into comic books, is all about Mass Effect
Commander Shepard is not someone we expected to pop up in an Apple patent from 2009 (granted today), but here we are, staring into his icy visage. He and the rest of the Normandy's crew are used as just one example of a system that Apple patented, which turns game story choices into a unique comic book (nevermind the fact that Mass Effect comics exist on their own). Of course, like with so many of these patents, it's possible this system'll never see the light of day, but we'd like to detail it all the same for the sheer strangeness of its ambition. Essentially, the results of a player's in-game choices are used to populate a post-game comic book-style story -- progress, character info, settings, dialogue, achievements and screenshots are all pumped into an algorithm alongside the results of said variables, metrics from your playthrough, and your performance therein. The comic could be pushed to the cloud directly from your game console or PC, according to images included with the patent, which could then be pulled back down to a variety of devices (a tablet it shown, as well as standard televisions and PC monitors). Apparently Apple couldn't identify a good storytelling example from its own iTunes App Store, as Commander Shepard and co. are the only example given of a game use case. Again, it's rather unlikely we'll see this stuff pop up in Apple products anytime soon (if ever), but it's quite a concept nonetheless. That watch patent, however ... that's another story.
Cartoonist Paul Pope backstage at Expand (video)
Cartoonist Paul Pope of Batman: Year 100 fame swung by Expand's backstage to explore sci-fi and the state of comics. Interviewed by our own Brian Heater and Jeff Newelt (who gave us a hand on Expand's social media), the interview covers comics as a paper medium versus webcomics, making science fiction reality, how sci-fi has inspired actual gadgets and more. Hit the jump to catch the full video interview. Follow all of Engadget's Expand coverage live from San Francisco right here!
Sony shuts down PSP Comic Store after October 30th, leaves most of us in the lurch for now
PSP Comic Store, we hardly knew ye. No really, we hardly knew ye -- which is probably why Sony is warning PSP owners that its comic book portal is shutting down after October 30th. Come Hallowe'en, we'll lose the option to download the necessary app or buy additional titles. Any currently owned comics will be available to download again until mid-January, but readers will be on their own to preserve existing libraries after that. Outside of Japan, that creates significant problems for literary PlayStation fans: while PS Vita owners in Sony's home country will get a Manga store and reader in October, there's no equivalent crutch for other countries (or any PSP owners) at this stage. The console maker is non-committal and says there's nothing it can discuss "at the moment," which to us is a hint that we shouldn't plan our reading hours around a PSP or PS Vita in the near future. [Thanks, Sooraj]
iPhone AR "talking" comic book cover surprisingly cheesy
In case you haven't had your daily allotment of cheese yet today, feast your eyes on the video below. It showcases a talking comic book cover for issue #1 of Valiant Entertainment's X-O Manowar comic, using an iPhone and augmented reality to bring the character's mouth to life. BoingBoing brought the cover to our attention. You basically scan a QR code on the cover of the comic (finally, a use for QR codes), tap a few buttons, and a mouth appears on the iPhone's screen. Place the iPhone onto the marked outline on the comic's cover, and the mouth becomes animated in a bad Clutch Cargo way. The character has a vaguely Terminator-like voice, although he's allegedly the "last of the Visigoths" and we all know from the Capital One ads that they don't sound like that. Amiright? Anyway, enjoy the short video, and let us know if you think that this is a unique marketing gimmick or if we're going to see a lot more comic book animation in the future. [via Gizmodo]
Comixology hits 65 million downloads, lands exclusive Marvel digital deal
We've posted about Comixology's domination of comic book content on iOS before -- it's certainly not the only app that lets you read and even buy comic books, but it's by far the most popular, and keeps getting even more so. The company has just announced that it's reached 65 million downloads across the platform as a whole, which is just a huge amount of content delivered. And Comixology keeps locking down plans to deliver even more -- their latest deal is with Marvel, and allows Comixology to exclusively release Marvel's single issues digitally through the app. That means every single issue English comic that Marvel puts out is available digitally only through Comixology. This is just one of a few such deals Comixology has worked out to deliver both exclusive and non-exclusive content right through their system. The company has made deals with most of the main comics producers already, so that almost any comic you want is now available in their database, directly via in-app purchase. There's clearly a market here -- you'd think that maybe Apple would have gone after comic books with iBooks by now, or maybe incorporating them as periodicals in Newsstand. But no. At this point, Comixology is cornering the market on digital comics, and it seems to be paying off handsomely for them.
Comics iPad app gets Retina-friendly update, 'POW!' bubbles now much POWier
ComiXology is usually keeping up with the latest-and-greatest, and it's doing so yet again by rapidly updating its Comics app to meet the new iPad's Retina-sized needs. In addition to the CMX-HD comic books coming to the 2048 x 1536 screen, the updated application also includes novel social sharing features via Twitter, Zuck's network and email. Among other bits worth noting are a handful of nondescript bug fixes as well as stability improvements. Best of all, the refresh won't cost you a dime and it's available now in the App Store, linked just below for your convenience.
Marvel announces augmented reality app, exclusive digital comics at SXSW
Not content with simply doling out free digital comics to fans who favor the tangible page, Marvel is now giving readers a new reason to reach for their tablets: augmented reality. Android and iOS devices will be able to look beyond the page using Marvel AR, an Aurasma-powered app slated to launch alongside Avengers vs. X-Men #1 this April. When pointed at a compatible comic, the app will server up creator commentary videos, extra art and interactive 3D models of Earth's greatest heroes.Don't worry, your standard Marvel Comics app isn't being replaced -- in fact, it's getting a new line of sequential funnybooks called Marvel Infinite Comics. "Writers and artists now have a whole host of new tools at their disposal to redefine the comic book medium," Marvel Comics Editor in Chief Axel Alonso said at SXSW this week, "Current tablets and smartphones, along with comiXology's Guided View technology, allow us to develop new, full length stories for a different medium that are very much truly comics -- but experienced by readers in a way no other major company has ever executed." The digital-exclusive series kicks off with Avengers vs. X-Men #1 Infinite, which incidentally, will be free to folks who pick up the similarly named physical book. Ready for the revolution ReEvolution? Check out the links below for Marvel's official announcement and CNET's hands-on video.
Marvel Comics greets true believers with free digital copy for select print titles
With great purchasing power apparently comes great affordability for Marvel Comics fans. Starting this June, folks who purchase any Marvel super hero comic priced at $3.99 will also get a free digital copy for Android or iOS. Examples of Marvel titles that will come with free codes include the Amazing Spider-Man, Avengers, Captain America, Mighty Thor and Invincible Iron Man. The new program continues the trend of comic book publishers invading the digital space like famished planet-eaters -- Dark Horse, for instance, recently made a deal with Barnes & Noble. Similarly, DC Comics inked an agreement with Amazon, a move that got some DC titles sent to the Phantom Zone by B&N. Judging from the positive response to digital codes included in the Ultimate Comics line and Avenging Spider-Man, Marvel expects the expanded code program to act like a radioactive spider bite for comic book stores, boosting repeat visits. Feel that tingling? That's your own Spidey sense telling you to swing past the break for Marvel's official PR.
Free iPad comic tells the story of Operation Ajax
I've been reading a lot of comics on the iPad lately, and while I love my iPad for a lot of reasons, I think reading comics is one of the best reasons to own an iPad. The big, beautiful screen brings comic art to life exquisitely, most apps allow you to zoom in and out of bigger pages at will, and the touch interface makes flipping a page as easy as, well, flipping a page. So I have no problem at all with free comics to download on the iPad, and that's exactly what Operation Ajax is. It's a historical comic (so no superheroes, for those of you into that, unfortunately), about the CIA's operation to cause a coup d'état in Iran in 1953. The app features full sound and motion as you're reading through the pages, along with lots of background information about the real-life story and even some newsreel videos to check out. And right now at launch, the app is completely free. Excellent deal, and a great way to get started in comics on the iPad if you haven't yet. After that, I highly recommend the Comixology app for buying digital comics directly, and I've been using the free ComicBookLover for reading my own .CBR digital files. I've been reading plenty of things in iBooks, too, but the iPad really seems made for reading some great comics.
Comics on the Kindle Fire and Nook Tablet hands-on (video)
Way back in 2000, cartoonist turned comics theorist Scott McCloud discussed infinite canvas in his book Reinventing Comics. The concept, simply put, is that electronic mediums afford artists an infinite space on which to create their work. Cartoonists should, therefore, take advantage of this new found freedom. Of course, old media companies don't operate that way, and for the past decade or so, the quest has revolved around finding the most ideal way to repurpose existing comics formats for new devices. The clunky interaction and relative lack of portability made PCs less than ideal methods for this consumption. On the flip side, smartphones are just too small for anything but a panel-by-panel reading. Devoted e-readers, meanwhile, didn't do much better, thanks to slow rendering grayscale e-ink screens. The iPad hit the sweet spot, with its portable form factor and large, vivid display. The charge was led by Comixology, through its devoted app and market and apps designed for the industry's largest publishers, Marvel and DC. Reading comics on a device was finally easy enough to convince many physical media devotees make the leap to the digital realm. There are still some roadblocks, however: for one thing, there's that whole $500 starting price. If your primary objective in picking up a tablet is reading comics, that's certainly enough to dissuade all but the richiest of riches.
Amazon's new e-book format brings HTML5 support to your Kindle library
"Great looking books." That's what Amazon is promising to deliver with Kindle Format 8 (KF8) -- a new, HTML5-based file format for Kindle books. According to the company, KF8 will allow publishers to produce picture books, comics and graphic novels with greater ease, thanks to the platform's rich formatting capabilities and design elements. In fact, this format brings more than 150 new formatting tools to the table, including fixed layouts, nested tables, sidebars and Scalable Vector Graphics, among others. It should be noted, however, that audio and video are not included on the list of supported HTML tags and CSS elements. At first, content creators will only be able to use KF8 for the Kindle Fire tablet, though Amazon says it'll gradually expand to its entire lineup of devices and apps "in the coming months." No word yet on when KF8 will become available as an update to Amazon's Kindle Publisher Tools suite, but you can find more details at the source link, below.
Introducing Engadget: The Comic!
If you haven't picked up a copy of Distro yet, you're missing out on all sort of great content, including a little gem hidden away on the back page of each issue. We asked some of our favorite indie cartoonists to create strips based on tech news, and thus Engadget: The Comic was born. It's a weekly feature by a cast of revolving artists, including Box Brown, Dustin Harbin, Ed Piskor and more, that will appear first in the pages of Distro and eventually make its way onto our site. To give you some idea of what you're in store for, we've included a gallery below. We hope you enjoy reading these as much as we have.%Gallery-137018%
Barnes & Noble pulls DC Comics from shelves over Kindle kerfuffle, risks Martian Manhunter's wrath
Frankly, we'd advise against crossing anyone given to costumed superheroics, but a policy is a policy. Book selling giant Barnes & Noble has begun pulling select DC Comics from store shelves this week, in response to a deal struck between the publisher and Amazon, which will make digital copies of a number of comics exclusively available through the online retailer for use with the forthcoming Kindle Fire. The move is part of Barnes & Noble's policy to remove physical books from its shelves if the available digital version of the text is not offered up to the company. According to an exec, "To sell and promote the physical book in our store showrooms and not have the e-book available for sale would undermine our promise to Barnes & Noble customers to make available any book, anywhere, anytime." J'onn J'onzz has yet to weigh in on the matter.
Image Comics joins the ComiXology banner
ComiXology has grabbed yet another major comic book publisher for its iOS app, this time recruiting Image Comics to publish to the digital platform day and date with the paper releases. The app has already landed both DC and Marvel in publishing agreements, so adding the Image stable of comics to the mix really rounds out the selections. ComiXology will publish Image's comics same day on the iOS and Android apps, as well as in digital form on the company's website. And Image will use ComiXology's tech to power its own digital website, as well as run its own branded iOS app. That's good new for fans of Chew, The Infinite, The Walking Dead, or any of the other comic books currently being published under the Image Comics heading. And it's also good news for ComiXology, which is slowly building up a comic book digital publishing empire, all built on Apple's iOS platform. The company is slowly expanding its operations beyond the App Store's borders, but there's no doubt at all that much of its success is predicated on the original App Store app (one of the first comic book readers on iPhone and later on the iPad). There's been a lot of talk about the battle between ink and paper publishers and the new digital publishing industry, but ComiXology is right out there on the front lines, and appears to be doing quite well. Update: Just to clarify, Image already had a few comics in the ComiXology system. But the fact that the entire line is now day and date is the news here.
