Advertisers Eying Digital Comics

Are digital comics the next big thing in online advertising? According to the marketing website Clickz, major comics publishers and digital comics providers are currently exploring that possibility. But by "advertising" we don't just mean a pop-up ad for a dating site on your digital issue of Iron Man. The article "Digital Comics Show Potential As An Ad Platform" explores all the marketing possibilities, which include advertiser sponsorships for free first issues and custom comics like the recent Inception: The Cobol Job -- which was essentially a free advertisement for the movie.

Why would ads on digital comics potentially perform better than print? Well, if the same demographic & keyword targeting technology was used on the digital comics reader as is currently used on Google, Facebook, etc., ads specifically aimed at the user could flash at the bottom of their comic book. So instead of blindly advertising Yum Yum Bars to the average Superman comic reader, you could target that ad to the contingent most likely to enjoy Yum Yum Bars. Further, you could track user engagement by how many people clicked through to the Yum Yum Bars site.

Advertising on digital, from a marketing research standpoint, is a far more exact science than advertising in print.

Then there is the whole concept of integrated marketing, which is touched upon by the sponsorships & custom comics mentioned earlier.

SAMPLE INTEGRATED MARKETING CAMPAIGN FOR YUM YUM BARS
1. Three-way partnership between digital comics provider, comics publisher, and Yum Yum Bars. The digital comics provider furnishes the advertising platform, and the publisher furnishes the content.

2. Free digital download of "Strongman" #1 sponsored by Yum Yum Bars.

3. Ads promoting the free issue featured on "homepage" of digital comics store. Link to free comic.

4. Ads promoting Yum Yum Bars featured during the "Strongman #1" comic. This could be a physical ad worked into the "pages" of the digital comic -- but most likely a banner ad of some kind that is present via the digital comics reader. This ad could be clicked off, or collapsed into a one-line ad that is less intrusive. The ad would, of course, lead to the Yum Yum Bars site.

5. There could also be an interstitial ad for Yum Yum Bars flashing halfway through the comic -- similar to what Hulu does with their ads. You can't scroll past this ad.

6. Now, the comics publisher could also work with Yum Yum Bars to create a custom comic featuring Yum Yum Bars.

7. A digital comics provider could also offer free "comic bucks" for anyone who clicks on certain ads or downloads custom comics.

Really, the possibilities are endless here; it opens up a whole new realm of advertising & marketing via comic books.

Digital Comics News Round-Up, 8/16/10

"The problem with tying Iron Man so closely with what is happening today in the tech world, is that in three years, the story will feel dated. Showing every second character in the story carrying an iPhone-like device is the best way to limit the appeal of the story to just a few months. When someone reads the collected edition of this book in five years, in ten years, the geeky world of apps and smartphone look du jour will not translate well and will limit this story to an exploration of the year 2010."
--Hervé St. Louis, review of The Invincible Iron Man #29

"The Manga and iPad Romance" The Wall Street Journal reports on the success of digital manga sales in Japan since the iPad debuted in that country at the end of May:

"E-book downloads of anime titles onto the tablet reader sprinted past the number of reads downloaded onto its sister gadget the iPhone in July, according to eBook Initiative Japan Co., a Tokyo-based e-book distribution website. Consumers downloaded 600 digital mangas onto the iPad via the online distributor last month, according to the site. That may not be a huge number, but the iPad has only been in Japan since the end of May, and the 600 is still twice the number of titles downloaded in iPhone version."

"Hey Archie! Want To Build An Empire?" A fascinating article from The New York Times regarding Archie Comics' success over the last year. Among the reasons given for Archie's overall resurgence: embracing the digital realm. The publisher claims that for them, digital sales have not cannibalized print. Also: they have plans for digital-exclusive content starring Josie and the Pussycats, Katy Keene, and Li'l Jinx.


"Pocket God Comics almost heavenly" Appolicious reviews Ape Entertainment's Pocket God digital comic and gives it 4 out of 5 bars, writing "This new installation of Pocket God Comics brings a new dimension to the already loved app."


"Comixology Scores Another Digital Hit With Scott Pilgrim" Venture Beat profiles the digitak comics incarnation of Scott Pilgrim by comiXology/Oni, and reports that it is the top grossing app in Apple's App Store.


iPad, Friend Or Foe? YourKloset explores whether the iPad is a friend or foe to the traditional comic book. The post makes some really good points as to why the hardcore comics fan might not switch to digital...

"If comic book buyers love one thing, it’s tradition and continuity, hence the reason old characters have survived for decades, despite the attempt to kill or replace them. For some, going to the comic book store is also a social event. Readers meet other fans, and discuss stories with shopkeepers and with each other. And since comic book stores are steeped in as much tradition as the books fans read, comics are not likely to die anytime soon."

...but fails to explore how digital comics might also bring in new readers.


"Apple to turn your gaming exploits into comic books" And finally, an intriguing bit of news from PC World regarding Apple's latest patent application: a system that will not only keep track of your progress/roles in certain video games, but allow you to create a printable comic book from it.

CNN.com Article On Digital Comics

CNN's Henry Hanks takes a closer look on the burgeoning market for digital comics -- and the role the iPad is playing in their popularity:

"Industry observers say the iPad's size, portability and color screen make it a good fit for reading comics. Before the tablet computer launched in April, fans could read digital comics in several ways, neither of which were ideal: on a desktop or laptop computer, or via a smartphone's tiny screen, panel by panel. As for e-readers, which are primarily made for black-and-white text -- forget it."

A range of industry figures and bloggers were interviewed for the article -- including yours truly.

The CNN piece continues a recent trend of an increased mainstream media spotlight on digital comics, no doubt started by last month's San Diego Comic Con.

Top 10 Free And Paid Digital Comics Apps

Top 10 Free Digital Comics Apps
Source: The App Store, 8/12/2010
*app's rank within the App Store overall Books category in parentheses













1. Marvel Comics (3)
2. Scott Pilgrim (6)
3. Comixology (15)
4. DC Comics (19)
5. iVerse (Comics +) (26)
6. Archie Comics (30)
7. Disney Digicomics (38)
8. Real Maid 7 Free Manga (53)
9. WWE Heroes #0 (56)
10. Pure Love Comics Free Manga (59)


Top 10 Paid Digital Comics Apps
Source: The App Store, 8/12/2010
*app's rank within the App Store overall Books category in parentheses











1. Pocket God $0.99 (1)
2. i Manga X (Manga web browser) $1.99 (32)
3. Sonic Universe #1 $0.99 (36)
4. Star Wars: Empire - Betrayal #1 $0.99 (51)
5. Star Wars: Resurrection $2.99 (76)
6. Manga Viewer for Bleach $1.99 (77)
7. McSweeney's $5.99 (80)
8. Manga Viewer for Naruto $3.99 (96)
no more comics apps in listed 100 top book apps

Spotlight: Scott Pilgrim Digital Comics App

With the highly-anticipated movie hitting theaters soon, it will be interesting to see if the new Scott Pilgrim app from comiXology & Oni Press will get the same sort of large boost from the mass-market audience that Watchmen received in lieu of its own film. With the app, an iPhone or iPad user has access to all the books in the series, and more. Let's see what we get.

First, the free app grants the reader two free Scott Pilgrim comics:

• The first 34 pages of Vol. 1
• The Free Comic Book Day story "Free Scott Pilgrim"

Then readers can purchase, in-app, Vols. 1 through 6 of Scott Pilgrim. Each volume of the acclaimed graphic novel series is $6.99, with the final 200-page book priced at $11.99. Included are all the bonus materials that appeared in the original print versions.

Once readers purchase their comics through the Scott Pilgrim app, they will also have access to their comics on the comiXology app.

The Scott Pilgrim app launched on Apple's App Store on Tuesday. "Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World" will hit theaters Friday.

Scott Pilgrim iTunes Store Page

iVerse/Comics+ New Releases 8/11/10

Here are the new releases from iVerse's Comics + app for 8/11/10

iVerse website
iTunes App page


Archangel Studios:

• The Red Star #5, 6, 7

Archie Comics:

• Archie & Friends #144


• Betty #186


• Sabrina Manga #25, 26, 27, 28


• The Matchmakers - graphic novel


• Will You Marry Me? - graphic novel

BOOM! Studios:

• Irredeemable #15


• Kill Audio #2


• Swordsmith Assassin #1


• The Anchor #8


• Unthinkable #5

Dynamite:

• The Complete Dracula #1


• The Complete Dracula #2

Icon:

• Criminal #7, 8

IDW:

• G.I. Joe: Origins #17


• Mystery Society #2


• Pantheon #4


• Transformers #9

Marvel Comics:

• Daredevil #90


• Eternals Vol.3 #7


• Immortal Iron Fist #8


• Incredible Hulk #93, 94


• New X-Men #16


• X-Men #176


• Uncanny X-Men #176

Seven Seas:

• Aoi House #3, 4, 5, 6, 7


• Avalon: The Warlock Diaries #1

New Digital Comics Releases - PSP 8/11/10

New PSP Digital Comics releases for the week of 8/11/2010
link to PSP Digital Comics blog
link to get started with PSP Digital Comics

Highlights this week include:

• The start of Y The Last Man
• The free Zuda comic Safe Inside #1
• A whole bunch of Disney comics
• The entire run of the 2008 Marvel miniseries Venom: Dark Origin

2000AD Prog #1692 - 2000AD
Archie #606 - Archie Comics
The Authority #5 - DC Comics
Bayou #7 - DC Comics
Breathe #2 - Markosia
Deadly #2 - DC Comics
DMZ #17 - DC Comics
Eternal Descent #3 - IDW
Ex Machina #4 - DC Comics
Fables #19 - DC Comics
Gen13 #25 - DC Comics
Green Lantern: No Fear #1 - DC Comics
Growing Up Enchanted #1 - Markosia
Hit-Monkey (2010) #1 - Marvel
Jonah Hex #17 - DC Comics
Mickey Kid and Goofy Six Shots #1 & #2 - Disney Digicomics
The Murder of King Tut #2 - IDW
Mystery Society #2 - IDW
Planetary #6 DC Comics
Powers (2000) #19 & #20 - Icon
Powers (2000) Annual - Icon
Rockerduck and the Summer of Revenge - Disney Digicomics
Safe Inside - DC Comics
Scrooge McDuck and the Awesome Crawling Sand - Disney Digicomics
Stormwatch PHD #17 - DC Comics
Venom: Dark Origin (2008) #1-#5 - Marvel
Wildcats #5 - DC Comics
Wizards of Mickey II - Disney Digicomics
X-Mickey - Disney Digicomics
Y: The Last Man #1 & #2 - DC Comics
G.I. Joe #19 - IDW

Digital Comics News Round-Up, 8/11/10

"Finally, lose the splash-screen of the girl in the cat-suit. I already look weird enough reading comic-books in public. I don’t need the app to make me look like a hentai-loving pervert every time I fire it up."
-- Charlie Sorrel, Wired review of the comic reading app ComicBookPad

Sorry I'm late with the news round-up this week -- I've been busy setting up the Lulu Awards. We've got a huge amount of items to cover...so let's just dive right in!

"Comics Don't Cry: The iPadization Of The Medium" Timothy Callahan at Comic Book Resources described a recent trip he took with only a volume of Scott Pilgrim -- and a bunch of comics on his iPad:

"The iPad lets you linger a bit more, and Comixology encourages close, panel-by-panel reading, in a way that I found transformative to the experience. It's not like I usually skip panels or ignore word balloons, but by having the frame so purely focused on a single image and a single set of words, I found myself less distracted by what else was going on in the page. I know that sounds a bit ridiculous, and page composition is a major part of storytelling – a part of storytelling that I teach when I run my comic book workshops – but, as I've said, the old rules? They no longer apply."

Marvel Comics Declared "Winner" In The Battle Of The iPad Comic Apps: Mac News World has declared Marvel Comics the "winner" of the iPad comic app race, and gives their extensive review of both Marvel and DC's apps. The story was also covered by HuffPo.

"Comixology, Oni Talk Digital Scott Pilgrim" - Newsarama profiles the just-released Scott Pilgrim app from Oni & comiXology.

"Pocket God Digital Volcano Erupts" - Ape Entertainment announces that their digital comic Pocket God is one of the fastest-rising paid comic-book apps, surpassing 25,000 downloads in its first week of release.

"The Incongruity Of DC comics On The iPad" Bleeding Cool takes a closer look at the Apple rating system for apps, and brings up some comics from DC that might be more suited for 17+ than 12+.

"Who Are All These Lapsed Comics iPad Readers Anyway?" Todd Allen at Publishers Weekly interviews Arc Technology Group owner Robert Jacobi -- a man who reads his comics exclusively on the iPad. Jacobi was a lapsed comic book fan who was reintroduced to the medium via a digital reading device:

"Love the iPad for comics! There are some small changes I might make to the reading apps but overall the convenience of being able to grab a comic is just great. The viewing experience is very pleasurable as well. I'd definitely recommend the stores getting much more of their content online for sure and higher resolution panels since I like to view panel to panel in "zoomed" mode. I've certainly spent more money on digital versions than print in the last year. I don't need to worry about storage or maintenance (I never throw out the paper, but am not a serious collector). And back to convenience, I love just being able to sit at home on a rainy day, pick a comic and if I like it go through the next half dozen or dozen instead of hitting the movies (which these days costs the same after popcorn and drink)."

Heroic Age: One Month To Live To Be Released Digitally One Week After Print: Marvel's weekly mini-series Heroic Age: One Month To Live will be released through their app one week after seeing print. The five-issue series will be released throughout September. link

"Hands-On With ComicBookPad" Wired reviews the comic book reading app ComicBookPad, and compares it to Comic Zeal.

One Of The Strangest Digital Comics You'll Ever Read: Matthew Brady profiles Warren Craghead's unique webcomic "A Sort Of Autobiography" -- a comic you print out, put together in a series of cubes, and read. So basically it starts of digital, takes a drive through print, and ends up a three-dimensional, tactile experience.

"This is not going to be a slow growth process; I predict it will be extremely fast." Christopher Daley at the Rocket Llama blog gives his take on the SDCC digital comics panel and suggests that publishers have better things to do than focus on DRM and comics pirating:

"People who are downloading your products illegally are not going to be customers. If you want to go down the music industry road and start lavishing huge amounts of money and attention on shutting them down be my guest. I can tell you what it will get you, nothing. You won’t be able to stop it. You will likely look bad in the process and you will have wasted valuable time and money you could have spent growing your business."

He also thinks the digital age of comics is fast upon us, and that there is not much time to experiment and "see what happens."

"Physical Media will be here to stay" And finally, Games-On-Smash's Charles King discusses why he thinks there will always be physical media, and the downside to digital only.

Review: Disney Digicomics

Disney Digicomics is a bright, colorful and straightforward digital comics app for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch that kids and kids-at-heart will love.

The first thing you'll notice when you download Disney Digicomics is an option to read the comics in either Italian or English. This is because the bulk of the stories on the app were (at least, as of this writing), originally created by Italian writers and artists; Disney comics of the Mickey and Donald variety are still quite popular in Italy.

Another thing to keep in mind about the content is that a good portion of them are action-adventure oriented. You'll read the adventures of the Ultraheroes --a realm where Superduck and Superdaisy fight crime; the super-spy Doubleduck; and the fantasy-style Wizards of Mickey. Plus: tons and tons of Uncle Scrooge adventures.

Having read a bunch of these stories in print form, I think they're great for kids and have just enough sophistication to hold the interest of adults. But enough about the content...let's take a look at the app!

Disney Digicomics read great on the iPhone: the individual panels are cropped well and flow beautifully as the story unfolds. Whoever puts these books together for the app obviously understands what makes an effective smartphone comic. I haven't yet seen Disney Digicomics on the iPad, but I have to imagine it looks fabulous. Part of the appeal is really just the nature of the content -- big bold colors on a glowing screen.

Prices for the Digicomics range from $0.99 to $1.99, with "specials" priced at $2.99+. I wonder if $1.99 might be too pricey for a single issue, unless it's a brand-new release. While they didn't offer free comics, I received a free download of the complete first issue of a Disney Christmas Carol the second time I checked into the app on my phone.

All in all, a nice app to share with your kids! I'm really interested to see if in the future Disney expands the offerings on this app, or ends up trying something completely new. Remember: Disney owns Marvel now. Will their digital comics goals sync up at some point?

Disney Digicomics at the iTunes Store

Has DC Pulled Vertigo Comics From Its App?

A casual look this morning at the DC Comics app's offerings for the iPhone & iPad will reveal a very interesting fact -- there's no more Vertigo Comics titles.

Nope, no Fables or The Unwritten or DMZ anywhere.

However, the most recent digital releases of these titles are still available on the comiXology app, as well as the PSP.

Did DC pull the Vertigo material because it was considered "adult?" Did they feel they would sell better to the more diverse crowds who frequent comiXology and PSP? Has there been an exclusive deal struck with a digital comics provider outside of DC proper to distribute these titles?

All I know is: there's no Vertigo anymore on the DC app. Does this make Zuda the default "Vertigo" for DC in-app purchases of indy-flavored material?

Digital Comics News Round-Up, 8/06/10

"It seems that I could be doing more webcomics if only I knew lots of published professional comics artists who don’t like money, food or shelter. Which is a shame, really, because I’d like to do more digital comics. But the process is a bit like doing a comic at Image, except with a far less tested and predictable distribution and revenue stream."

--Warren Ellis

Digital comics -- and its possible threat to traditional comics culture -- is still a hot topic in the mainstream news. Let's dive in.

"Digital Age Changing The World Of Comics"

This short news feature from NBC News is currently making the rounds on the websites of local television news stations. Shot in SDCC, it interviews a couple of fans as well as Ira Rubenstein from Marvel Comics.

"The Future of Comics In The Digital Age"

KPBS' "Culture Lust" column examines the possible impact of "The iPad Effect" on the comics industry. A couple of useful stats I pulled from it:

• Comics is a $680 million dollar a year industry.
• Digital comics presently makes up $1 million of that industry, and is growing.

The article also brings up the fear that digital comics will kill the collectables market, because people can now read their back-issues online. I don't think people who are into buying vintage comics are not the same crowd who might download Slingers #3 because they never got to read that issue. Vintage comics seems a like a separate animal, purchased as much for being artifacts as for their stories.

Japan's NTT Solmare Brings Comics To Vietnam

Japan's leading mobile comics service provider, NTT Solmare, inked a deal with the Tinh Van group to provide digital comics and cartoons to Vietnamese mobile devices:

"NTT Somare President Hiroki Oohashi said Southeast Asia is a dynamic and potential market. The deal on strategic cooperation with the Tinh Van group would make Japanese digital comics and cartoons available in Vietnam as soon as possible and they would be warmly welcomed by Vietnamese mobile device users."

It is believed that this move will build a significant bridge between the two Asian cultures. All comics will be translated into Vietnamese. link

"Why The Mobile App Store Bubble Will Burst"

The Register quotes one leading analyst's negative view of the mobile app store development scene -- taking smartphone producers like Nokia sternly to task, but leaving Apple relatively unscathed. Marek Pawlowski, organizer of the industry's MEX conference, wrote:

"How long can so many individual companies support so many individual app stores and so many individual platforms? The economics simply do not add up. Every company, with the possible exception of Apple, is operating their app store and developer programme at a substantial loss. This cannot continue indefinitely."

Bleeding Cool's "The Digital Dump"

And finally, venerable comics website Bleeding Cool has just started a column just on digital comics: "The Digital Dump." Readers of Bleeding Cool seemed to welcome the addition, and a couple of interesting tidbits came out of the comments section of the first post:

• A hint by Avatar Comics, who sponsors Bleeding Cool, that they might be throwing their hat in the digital arena soon.
• An observation by a reader that DC Comics has apparently pulled their Vertigo imprint from their digital comics app (more on that later).

Digital Comics News Round-Up, 8/5/10

Welcome to an overview of the latest news stories and opinion pieces on the digital comics revolution! Let's dig into it --

"The Next Marvel Is Out There"
Financial website Motley Fool profiles comics as THE business to invest in. Of particular interest to this blog is a quote from comics retailer & historian Robert Beerbohm: "we'll be reading nothing but digital comics in a few years, Beerbohm predicts..."


"Living Dead Booksellers"
Another recent article from Motley Fool about the financial troubles of major booksellers Borders and Barnes and Noble. Not comics, but I think it's good to read just to get a wider perspective:

"The arrival of e-books is swiftly disrupting the bookselling industry, and companies like Amazon.com (Nasdaq: AMZN) and Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) are formidable rivals in the digital realm. On the old-school side of things (not to be confused with the Old Ones side of things), discounters like Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT), Target, and Costco (Nasdaq: COST) all sell best-sellers at bargain-basement prices -- another serious blow to booksellers' traditional strengths."

"Pocket God Rockets To #1"

The New York Post does a story on Pocket God Comics #1's rise to the top of the paid book app list -- as well as a preview of the comic! Talk about layering a mass appeal (the highly popular app game Pocket God) with a mass market news source. Is this how the comics of the future will reach a brand new audience?

"Going Digital"
Comics creator/publisher/blogger Randy Reynaldo gives his SDCC wrap-up, which includes an unique insider look at how comics creators are "courted" at the convention by digital comics providers:

"Like many publishers, I was approached by several people seeking content for their digital comics startup. I was even invited to a presentation/pitch meeting for a company recently acquired by digital publisher Wowio. (They clearly spent a lot of money to be noticed—the presentation included free lunch, and took place on a yacht that was moored at a slip right behind the convention center!)

Across the board, all the proposed agreements from the startups were non-exclusive, with the creators retaining ownership, including print, and licensing rights. This may seem like a no-brainer in this day and age, but it’s significant for an industry that was built on the backs of work-for-hire creators who signed over the ownership of characters like Superman and Captain America that went on to become licensing bonanzas and pop culture icons, and who subsequently profited very little, if at all, from their creations. Back then, early comics publishers were desperate for content as well."

"Upheaval in the Manga Industry: Piracy, Scanlations, and the Future of Digital Manga"
Comics Alliance has an in-depth look at the future of Manga in the digital universe:

"There is a generation of fans who not only are okay with reading manga online, but prefer it to print. Who's going to fill that niche now that the publishers are working to eliminate scanlators? Online digital comics are the elephant in the room in the American comics industry, and it's no different in the manga industry, where officially licensed digital distribution is still in its infancy."

The PSP Digital Comics Blog
Finally, I want to turn your attention to the excellent Playstation Digital Comics blog. Unlike some digital comics providers, they make a post about their new releases punctually every week, along with commentary on highlights. Pay particular attention to the rapport the readers of the blog have with its writer (and, in turn, Playstation). This is the model every digital comics provider should follow. New Release Day should be a special day in the digital realm as well as print. You need to really treat it as such, if you are a digital comics provider. Note: there are two blogs: Playstation proper (where the majority of comments are), and then a secondary Digital Comics blog.

Pocket God Comics Debuts As #1 Paid Book App

Ape Entertainment's Pocket God Comics #1 made a stunning debut today at #1 on the App Store's list of paid book apps.

The 99-cent issue, based on Bolt Creative's popular Pocket God game app (which has surpassed 3 million downloads), has the unique distinction of being released as a digital comic one month before it sees print. The four-issue limited series is being offered on the iVerse Comic + app; you buy the initial app once, and then purchase the remaining issues as in-app purchases.

With fans of the immensely popular game anxiously awaiting its next episode, did the videogame connection push Pocket God Comics sales over the top? Or was Bolt Creative & Ape Entertainment's extensive PR campaign for the book, which included a blog and a contest to help get the upcoming print edition in comic stores, a crucial factor as well?

There's tons of media coverage for the comic, including The NY Post and a number of videogame sites (like this review from Gamezebo).

It will be interesting to see if Pocket God remains on top of Apple's paid book app list -- and if other comic book publishers start putting out their own versions of other popular game apps (Angry Birds: The Comic, anyone?).

Link: iTunes Pocket God Comics page

New Digital Comics Releases - Comics + (iVerse)

Here are the new releases from iVerse's Comics + for 8/4/10

iVerse website
iTunes App page

Ape Entertaiment:

• Pocket God #1

Archie Comics:

• Sabrina: Manga #23
• Sabrina: Manga #24
• Sonic the Hedgehog #212
• Sonic the Hedgehog #213

Bluewater Productions:

• Black Scorpion #4

BOOM! Studios:

• Cold Space #2
• Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?: Dust To Dust #1
• Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?: Dust To Dust #2
• Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?: Dust To Dust #12
• Kill Audio #1
• The Anchor #7
• Unthinkable #4

IDW:

• G.I. Joe #20
• Kill Shakespeare #3
• Transformers: Ironhide #3

Image Comics:

• Dodge's Bullets #1

Marvel Comics:

• Daredevil #89
• Eternals Vol. 3 #5
• Eternals Vol.3 #6
• Immortal Iron Fist #7
• Incredible Hulk #92
• New X-Men #14
• New X-Men #15
• World War Hulk #5
• X-Men #174
• X-Men #175

Seven Seas:

• Arkham Woods #1
• Arkham Woods #2
• Arkham Woods #3-4
• Arkham Woods #5
• Destiny's Hand #1
• Destiny's Hand #2
• Destiny's Hand #3
• Destiny's Hand #4
• Destiny's Hand #5
  

New Digital Comics Releases - PSP

New PSP Digital Comics releases for the week of 8/04/2010
link to PSP Digital Comics blog
link to get started with PSP Digital Comics

Highlights this week include:

• Aladdin from Disney Digicomics
  
• A whole lot of Zuda offerings, including new issues for Bayou, Bottle of Awesome, and High Moon
• Free comics (FREE!) including Deadly #1, Superman: War of the Supermen #0, and a preview of True Blood #1
• A bunch of Vampire Hunter D to satisfy your Manga kick

2000AD Prog #1691: 2000AD
Aladdin: Disney Digicomics
The Authority #4: DC Comics
Bayou #4, #5 & #6: DC Comics
Bottle of Awesome #2: DC Comics
Captain America (2004) #31-#36: Marvel
Deadly #1 (FREE!): DC Comics
DMZ #16: DC Comics
Donald-Ali and Mustafa's Jug: Disney Digicomics
Donald Duck and the Backyard Beaches; Disney Digicomics
Ex Machina #3: DC Comics
Fables #18: DC Comics
Gen13 #24: DC Comics
Green Lantern: Secret Origin #7: DC Comics
Green Lantern: The Sinestro Corps War - Epilogue: DC Comics
High Moon #6: DC Comics
Jonah Hex #16: DC Comics
Kingdom Come #4: DC Comics
The Lexian Chronicles #10: Markosia
Marvel Zombies 2 (2007) #5: Marvel
Mickey Mouse and the Jolly Camper Brigade: Disney Digicomics
Peg Leg Pete's Memorable Night: Disney Digicomics
Powers (2000) #17 & #18: Icon
Project Eon #4 Markosia
Stormwatch PHD #15 & #17: DC Comics
Superman: War of the Supermen #0 (FREE!): DC Comics
True Blood: Preview (FREE!): DC Comics
Ultraheroes #7: Disney Digicomics
The Unwritten #5: DC Comics
Vampire Hunter D Volume 2 #3-#6: IDW
Wildcats: DC Comics

Digital Comics News Round-Up, 8/3/10

"Yes, the unavoidable onslaught of the digitization of comics has begun. I'm sure all of us saw this coming. I know most true fans/collectors won't be dissuaded from buying "hard copies" of comic books, but this will definitely put a crimp in casual sales. But like I said, it really is unavoidable (dang progress). The only part of this that bothers me is releasing the digital copy and print copy on the same day. We all know THAT is also inevitable."
--David Loftus of AK Comics in Beloit, Wisconsin, ICv2 Talk Back

A hearty hello to Val's Digital Comics Page readers! This is the semi-regular scoop of what people are talking about on teh Internets about comics for the iPhone and iPad, online comics, and the digital comics revolution.

"David Steinberger Talks Captain Action And Comixology"
First up, an interview with comiXology's David Steinberger on First Comics News, who is referred to in the article as "the Diamond Distribution of Digital Comics." While Steinberger was flattered by such a illustrious title, he was quick to point out that he feels comiXology doesn't have a monopoly on the digital comics market. In addition to some interesting insights about producing and distributing digital comics, he also discusses "Captain Action" month at comiXology.


"Robot 13: Indie Comic Breaks 100,000 Mark On Mobiles"
The comic Robot 13 by Thomas Hall and Daniel Bradford claims to be one of the first independently-produced comics to break the 100,000+ mark. In the announcement on the Robot Comics site they make some interesting comparisons with how such numbers would fare on the Diamond Top 300:

"A true-blue indie label comic garnering 100,000+ readers is an unparalleled triumph for both independents and digital comics alike. There are few such comics that make it onto Diamonds’ Top 300 for any given month, and none that rise above the 10,000 order mark. Robot 13, on the Android market alone, Robot 13, with Android Market downloads alone, would be at the #2 position of Diamond Top 300 of June 2010!"

"Beau Smith Loves His iPad"
Comics Creator & columnist Beau Smith announces his love for his new iPad over at Comics Bulletin:

"I hope this helps in your own personal quest to see if the iPad is for you or not. As a reader, I love it. It won't take the place of comics, but it's a great steering wheel that will take non-traditional readers to the world of comics. Don't believe those people that tell you it's going to kill print comics and close down direct market comic stores, it's not. Look back in history, when television came out there were those that thought it would kill the movies. They were wrong too. Let me know how your quest goes."

However, Smith's rather balanced view of the iPad didn't prevent him from immediately being attacked in the Comics Bulletin forums as advocating the "killing" of the direct market. I guess this is becoming an "you're either completely for us or against us" argument for some people.


"Rising Trend Of Digital Sales Agitates Comic-Book Culture"
Along those lines, the seminal LA Times article about digital comics and the future of print continues to be syndicated throughout the United States on regional online newspapers. My favorite of the new headlines generated for this repackaged story? Arkansas Online's, reproduced at the top of this item.


"Major Spoilers Podcast #222: Magic and Digital Comics"
I'll admit that I haven't yet listened to this podcast interview with BOOM! Studios' Chip Mosher about digital comics, but I want to bring it to your attention. Might be some interesting tidbits here.

Well, that's it for now, hope to check in within the next couple of days with a new round-up. And if you have any tips, press releases, or other digital comics news of interest, please feel free to drop me a line at valerie dot dorazio at gmail dot com.