Gordon's Alive!

I've been enjoying the latest incarnation of the Flash Gordon comic strip in digital format on the Comics Kingdom website. Cartoonist Dan Schkade relaunched the series on October 22, 2023, and has been doing daily and Sunday installments ever since.

Schkade's series starts right after the defeat of Ming (in Raymond's 1941 strip) and tells the story of what happens as the uneasy alliances of the revolution fall apart and the different kingdoms jockey for power. I think it's a novel approach: something fresher than either a complete reboot we've seen so many times or bland "further adventures" in a world without a strong central conflict. 

His design sensibility is strong too. It is broadly "classic," but draws a lot on the 80s film that many readers will be familiar with and adds modern, often light science fictional/space opera touches.

Schkade gave an interview to The Comics Journal regarding his approach here. You can check out the strip on Comics Kingdom here.

Comixology to remove in App purchasing on iOS devices

Yesterday Bleeding Cool reported that Comixology, now owned by Amazon, would be removing the ability to buy comics via in app purchasing on iOS devices.  From now on, if you own an iPad or iPhone and wish to read new comics on such devices, you will have to buy them through the Comixology Web Store, then download the comics to your device.

As digital inconveniences go, this is a minor one, but I can still see some people getting miffed about it. (I don't own any Apple devices, so I'd be interested in hearing from someone who anyone who does as to what they think about this news.)

While I didn't foresee this, I guess it does make some monetary sense for Amazon as this will allow them to sell to people with those devices without having to give Apple their 30% cut. This shows Amazon is definitely plays the game by their own rules which makes me wonder what else they might consider changing.

Here are some predictions:

• Amazon Exclusive comics from some publishers (or at least pre-release exclusives like they have with On Demand movies now.)
• Possible lending of comics, as they have with kindle books
• More print/digital combos as an up sell on the Amazon side (similar to the kindle/print combos offered for many books now.)

One also has to ask if they will be any response from Apple on this? On one hand, Apple is so big and profitable at this point, I doubt the 30% revenue they will lose from Comixology will be notice (though it did regularly rank in the top 10 apps every year...) On the flipside, some people at Apple might see this as opening the door for more companies to do this. What is to keep other companies from offering a free version of their app in the iTunes store and then direct people to a website for a key/serial number to unlock a premium version?

Another question I have is how has Comixology become the only player in this sphere so quickly? Maybe they won't be for long. From what I've heard Marvel/Disney may have  something coming up.

Remember, there is a synergy between Disney/Apple that would allow them to build their own comic reading app quite easily. And the 30% profit Apple gets from each purchase doesn't really hurt Disney like it would people who aren't partnered with Apple. (At some point, you hit a sort of funny money area when you are talking about money going to a partner company.)

With that in mind, the big question is: Could we see a time when Marvel comics become exclusive to Apple devices?

- Jim

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly review 1

With so many comic books coming out so fast right now Caine will be looking at different ways to review them - such as reviewing more than one per post.  Just so you know, we are less concerned about spoilers blogging at this speed (we are all ready a week behind), but if you still haven't read the first round of the new DC 52, there be some spoilers below.

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I have to say that when reading the comics that came out on the 7th, three of them truly did fit into the following categories:

THE GOOD:
Batgirl
Unless you've been living under a rock you've no doubt heard that Barbara Gordon (formerly ORACLE in the old DCU) is back to being Batgirl.  There have been no shortage of blogging, social media, and message board posts on the fact that Barbara (and many other characters) will be de-aged and given the use of her legs back.  Legs she'll need as she's once again BATGIRL!

Gail Simone (who was an advocate for Barbara being the only Batgirl in the DCnU from the beginning) and crew have done an excellent job!  This was a great read and a book that I'll be picking up.  There isn't a single fear that anything in her history was removed or severely altered, if that's what you were worried about you can throw a batarang at it because it's all there.  Yes, yes, that includes the Killing Joke and the loss of her legs.  Barbara simply had far less time without the use of them is all.  Was she ever actually Oracle?  They haven't said yet one way or another, and I doubt they will hope they don't for a while.  Dish it out slowly is what I say.  Her relationship with her father, a new room mate and friend and (more than likely) the Batman is out there too.

This is an action adventure comic book staring a relatively new person in a cape and cowl to make it even more interesting.   This was a fast paced read filled with kicks to the face, characters freezing up and making mistakes, leaving black rubber all over the street, and a new villain (or two) that one could sink their teeth into.

THE BAD:
StormWatch
You see a long time ago in a galaxy far away there were these six comic book creators who went to Marvel and said....then Jim Lee sold his imprint WildStorm back to DC and those books were never the same.  I kinda thought, what with Jim being a DC big wig these days, that those WildStorm titles returning to print would be good again.  I was wrong.

Dead wrong I'm afraid.  "There can be only one" kind of wrong in fact.  This book wasn't any good at all.  First of all it's not StormWatch as one might be led to believe - what with that name printed on the cover and all.  Confusing I know.  The book is actually a hybrid of StormWatch and The Authority but here's the thing: The Authority was created specifically to be the opposite of StormWatch.  How does it make sense to combine them into one book?  Won't half of the fans of each book be misled and ticked off to one degree?

This book is messy.  The plot jumps all over the place right out of the gate.  They begin introducing characters we've never seen before and have no vested interest in and leave us right where they leave us on Justice League.  The page posted is the last page of the comic, as if you couldn't see that coming.  I sure as hell Grifter is better than this.

THE UGLY:
Hawk & Dove
You see a long time ago in a galaxy far away there were these six comic book creators who went to Marvel and said....then Robert Liefeld got into some trouble, more than once.  Still, he works professional in comic books and I don't so you can't bee to hard on the guy right?  He's stated all over the place that he has been focused on turning in work on time for the last couple of years. He's tweeted art work and his thoughts on the industry.  His work seemed to be, to this blogger, looking more realistic and of better quality but like Nicholas Cage he seems to be phoning it in these days.

I could pick this apart but I don't think I need to.  It just doesn't look that good.  Not at all.  I know people call Liefeld "Polarizing" meaning everyone either loves or hates the guys work but it's ridiculous.  Early on, before they become zombies, the bad guys are dressed in suits that look just like SHIELD field agents.  When Hank "Hawk" Hall is out of uniform and talking to his father (like Barbara Gordon and Dick Grayson Hank has been de-aged), both characters look the same.  Who do they look like?  Robert Liefeld.  Funny enough it would seem that Hank Hall and Dawn Granger have suffered the fate that Barbara Gordon didn't: The Teen Titans have been seemingly erased from existence like a leak in the flux capacitor.

Final Thoughts
While I was writing this I was on twitter and a famous comic book writer gave me a thought regarding the DC Relaunch: "Execution is different on different books."  I'd say that hits the nail on the head right there.  H&D and StormWatch were not good examples of "new", "fresh", or "open" in order to attract new fans to what was undoubtedly an unsustainable business model of decreasing fan bases.  Both of them are steeped in character lore and relationships that have not yet been shown to us yet and may not for some time.  Or character relationships that weren't popular the first time around and are probably not well known to the masses.  Both of them are messy and all over the map story wise.  H&D is down right ugly and doesn't feel like anything close to what it was before, or even like it should be one of the "Young Justice" books it's being released under.


This bloggers hopes lie with Batwoman and Nightwing (as usual). 

~Caine

High Rez Reviews 1 | Darkhorse Unleashed

Editor's Note: While I'm housesitting for my in-laws in their modem connected house, CAINE has returned to help me out by starting a new series of posts here on the FBU. Welcome back Caine!

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LAST ISSUE.....
It all started three years ago.  Jim, the editor and chief bottle washer around here, got it in head that comic books published on paper were simply going the way of the Dodo and he wasn't exactly alone in that revelation.  He started posting under a new column heading: PAPER COMIC DEATHWATCH and many many of those posts were filled with all sorts of possibilities regarding devices to create, publish, and read digital comics on (they didn't even have an official name back then).  Some of it we saw coming, some of it we called out right, and some of it missed the boat but digital comics are here to stay!

HIGH RES PREVIEW...
Today I'll be reviewing a comic purchased on my iPad from the DARKHORSE digital comic store: STARWARS: The Force Unleashed!  As a rule these High Res Reviews will be spoiler free unless we give you lots of warning of the contrary.  So to that end I'm going to steal the story overview from it's amazon page, no reason to reinvent the wheel here:

"Since childhood, Vader’s nameless agent has known only the cold, mercenary creed of the Sith. His past is a void; his present, the carrying out of his deadly orders. But his future beckons like a glistening black jewel with the ultimate promise: to stand beside the only father he has ever known, with the galaxy at their feet. It is a destiny he can realize only by rising to the greatest challenge of his discipleship: destroying Emperor Palpatine.

The apprentice’s journeys will take him across the far reaches of the galaxy, from the Wookiee home world of Kashyyyk to the junkyard planet of Raxus Prime. On these missions, the young Sith acolyte will forge an unlikely alliance with a ruined Jedi Master seeking redemption and wrestle with forbidden feelings for his beautiful comrade, Juno Eclipse. And he will be tested as never before–by shattering revelations that strike at the very heart of all he believes and stir within him long-forgotten hopes of reclaiming his name . . . and changing his destiny." ~Amazon

HIGH RES COMIC REVIEW...
I've not played the game that is the basis for the comic, but I have read the novelization of this story as well as the comic and I have to say the comic is by far my favorite way to experience it.  The story is formulated very similar to the way the first three movie plots were formulated (particularly A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back) and we open up with a shot of deep space as a rag tag band with a rebellious nature are in search of something they very much need to begin an important quest.

The art team (Brian Ching, Bong Dazo, and Wayne Nichols) gives us a beautiful portrait of the STAR WARS universe panel by panel and done so in a "gritty" fashion the way A New Hope was grittier and dirtier than most scifi films before it.

Soon a droid is found, and as you might suspect, it plays a pivotal role in the story as well as the narration of the story focusing on Starkiller, Vader's secret Sith apprentice.  The reader is immediately whisked away on mission after clandestine mission as a tag along member of Starkiller's crew with no time to spare as Vader pushes his apprentice farther and farther, all the while expecting him to fail at each turn of the story.  The speed and pace of the action in the story is very similar to that of a video game and you can tell the author (Haden Blackman) very much intended it to be so.

As it takes place two years before the battle of Yavin (The Deathstar run from A New Hope) The Force Unleashed does an excellent job of tying the two trilogies together and utilizing popular characters we've all come to know and love.  It's a fast paced action adventure comic set in one of the most recognizable scifi environments ever to be published in.  The Force Unleashed delivers everything that Digital Comic fans and Star Wars fans alike have come to expect when they fire up their tablet or smart phone for graphic entertainment.  The Force Unleashed is done beautifully in full color and at 128 pages it's well worth the $5.99 price tag (11.00 cheaper than the novel and 10.00 cheaper than the game). 

HIGH RES APP REVIEW...
The DARKHORSE digital comics store (and app) have been live for some time now.  This is my first comic actually purchased from the app which has some very nice features.

Before we go briefly into the features I should note that the DARKHORSE app is significant due to the fact that it's not been built/developed on top of ComiXology's own app as both MARVEL and DC's comic app have been.  DARKHORSE has in house developers and their app, while sharing some of the same options, is different from those others.

The DARKHORSE app is free to download and it includes a store, a book shelf, and archive (collection) sections.  The archive is set up for you to send your comics too in order to free up memory/space on your tablet or smart phone.  With one touch collected (archived) books can be moved back to the bookshelf section to be read again.  The store has a moderate selection of widely popular comics for free and then plenty more to buy.

One thing I really enjoyed about using the DARKHORSE app was how easy it was to navigate the comic pages.  By moving your finger across the screen pretty much any way other than to the left (or back) the comic moves forward for you.  It seems to "know" when you require a wider shot consisting of having more of the page showing on your screen and when you'll want it to focus on a panel or even a part of a panel.

From time to time this zooms in just a bit to far and begins to pixelate the image but the clarity returns immediately once it's stopped zooming in so far in on any one particular page.  The only real complaint I have about the app is the speed in which it loads, begins to expose books to you, and how fast it downloads a book that you've chosen to either buy or receive for free from the store.  The entire app seems just a tad too slow in nearly all areas until you get the comic downloaded to your machine.

Hardly an issue that would keep me from future purchases by any means.  Maybe I'll take a look at Firefly next.

Well that about does it for this round of HIGH RES REVIEWS.  What do you think?  Are you a tablet owner?  Are you reading comics on it?  If so are you buying comics on it?  Thoughts on the 5.99 price point?  We'd love to hear from you about this review, and about digital comics in general.  Feel free to leave any comments you may have.

~Caine

Two Monsterous Halloween Treats

Today we are preparing for Halloween at the La Maison de Shelley, so I'm going treat readers to two appropriately themed free comics today.

The first is one I presented during this year's Free Comics Day, but I think definitely deserves another appearance in light of the season:

hell-bent: Infamous Monsters
Written by Trey Causey and illustrated by Diego Candia, this is a western story which fans of the old Universal monsters will definitely enjoy. This illustrated comic was originally meant to be a promotional tool for a hell-bent zuda entry (which Reno was working with us on.) However, since zuda is now defunct, and digital comics venues seem more difficult to crack than one would like, we decided to release this story on its own. Click the image below to read the story.



Next up is The League of Monsters: By Butterfly Betrayed!
Written by me and illustrated by Pierre Villeneuve, this was our second FBU comic and it's gone on to be our most downloaded comic ever!



If you are new reader to this blog, then I think you'll be enjoy this early story as it's a good example of the type of lighthearted fun and fast action that I long for in modern comics.

And with that, I will will wish that everyone has a happy and safe Halloween!

- Jim

DC Comic's latest announcement actually makes me sad.

"Beginning January 2011, DC Comics will implement a line-wide pricing adjustment, lowering the prices of all standard length 32-page ongoing comic book titles currently priced at $3.99 to $2.99, it was announced today by DC Comics Co-Publishers Jim Lee and Dan DiDio."
“Today’s announcement re-affirms DC Comics’ commitment to both our core fans and to comic book store retailers,” said Jim Lee, DC Comics Co-Publisher. “For the long term health of the industry, we are willing to take a financial risk so that readers who love our medium do not abandon the art form.” ~DC Comics

I shouldn't be sad about this, I know I shouldn't, but I am.  Here are some positive (probable) effects that are pretty easy to come to after learning of the price drop:

• More people will be able to afford comic books.
• People buying comic books will (presumably) be able to buy more comic books.
• More purchases of a book will allow it to be published longer.
• More purchases of a book will allow for it to be collected that many more times.
• More purchases of a book will increase the chances of that book (or it's primary characters) making the leap into animation, movies, television, games etc.

In addition to the after effects mentioned above it seems likely to this blogger that the price drop could benefit digital comics as well.  Lets examine this:

If at $3.99 BATMAN sells 50K copies that equals 19,9500.00
Multiple teams of employees: creators, advertisement, publishing are being paid to work on the book.

If at $2.99 BATMAN sells 50K copies that equals 14,9500.00
The same teams of employees are still being paid to work on the book.  That would mean DC is taking a cut in profits from the price drop (you could argue that the recently announced re-org may cancel this profit loss out all together but that still remains to be seen - the cost of making a comic is still fairly fixed for DC I'm sure).

DC is hoping this price drop will actually increase it's profit through an increase in sales.

If at $2.99 BATMAN sells 75K copies that equals 22,4250.00
The same teams of employees are still being paid to work on the book.

How does DC intend to obtain a larger fan base to buy their cheaper comics? 

Their movies?  That hasn't been working so far.  That business model will need an overhaul.  I think it's working the wrong way right now, comic fans are seeing/buying the movie.  DC needs to flip that and get the movies to draw in new fans.

Their new MMO?  We'll see, it just might at that.

Digital comics? Maybe, the Zuda comics look amazing on the iPad because they were formulated for the computer screen instead of the printed page.  There are those out there who are really into digital comics and even if the Zuda operation has shut down DC knows there is an on line fan base who will try out new books.

Speaking of "formulated for the computer screen" what about all of the design/conceptual work we've seen from the DC MMO?  If you were DC Comics why would you not utilize all of the digital media used to create the MMO in a digital comics project?

You know we'll see MMO art work on t-shirts, lunch boxes, and pee-chee folders so why not comics?

Why not do something unique and allow a player to "sell" a digital comic based on screen captures of their character's game play.  The "money" made could only be spent back inside the MMO.  You could fill each comic with MMO advertisements.

So why am I still so sad?

Dick Grayson isn't going to go back to being Nightwing any time soon.  :(

Have a great weekend,

Caine

Digital Comic Floodgates

What will happen when they open up wide?

This question was proposed to me by TYLER JAMES via twitter the other day as I began to speculate about Graphic.ly's iPad app and what would happen when they add the social feature to it like their desktop app has now. His comments, and the conversation have been on my mind ever since.

What will happen when it's possible for anyone (programmer or not) to create a comic app on the cheap? What will happen if, say possibly with HTML5, a webcomic is created in such a way that it's on par with a comic app or digital files sold on an SD Card?

Oh yeah, it's closer than you think:

"I understand that Marvel is offering certain comic stores the opportunity to promote its Digital Comics Unlimited service, which allows readers to pay a subscription for access to a library of Marvel comics, past and six-months-before-the-present-(mostly)."~BleedingCool

They're not specifically talking about SD cards but you get the idea.

What will happen when the data and formatting that goes into the creation of an app becomes easily interchangeable for multiple marketplaces (iTunes, Android, etc) by the push of a couple of buttons or key strokes?

Before we get into that, let me ask you another question from the flip side of the same coin.

Do the built in barriers of the "standard" printed comics distribution model: comics sold only through retail locations, and all retail locations pretty much only buying their comics from a single national distributor (which are responsible for keeping just anyone from selling a comic book at the national level) actually help or hinder the comic book industry?

Think about it. You can't just stroll into any comic book shop or book store across America and buy any comic book you want from any creator or publisher you want too. Some will be there to be purchased, more to be ordered, but there will be stuff you just can't get. Stuff you'd have to buy off of a facebook page or at a con.

I've heard/read professionally published creators state that they like it that way. They want a few barriers between them selves and the twelve year old in his basement making comics. The published professional often times wants their product to be sold in a professional manner and I can't say as I blame them.

Being biased I'd say the comics made here at the FBU are professional and would put them head to head on a comic book rack side by side a dozen or more publishers without so much as a second thought.

Of course, if the comic book shop was as big as a mall with racks stretching a city block then even professional level books would get lost in the shuffle wouldn't they? Hence the barriers.



Now just as I've heard/read professionals on the subject I've heard/read amateurs on the subject as well. Those same barriers can create quite an uphill battle for just anyone (with a good comic or not) getting a comic book sold at a national level.

An amateur creator can get their comic sold at the comic shops in their town, maybe towns where they have family and friends or fans who demand it. They can sell their comic at cons, off their web site, at Indyplanet and other web sites but getting their book carried on a comic rack at all the big comic book shops across the country? There are barriers holding them back (namely Diamond's thresholds).

When the digital comics floodgates are opened will consumers be able to separate the wheat from the chaff? Will they be able to locate comics they feel are worth purchasing within the river of digital comics now flowing in and out of every digital marketplace and through every hand held device?

I say yes! Yes they will.

What do you say?

Have a great weekend,

Caine

Zuda News

If you haven't heard, Zuda's competitive arm (if you can call it that, since it was really a popularity contest) has been shut down for good. The imprit seems to still exist for now, with established Zuda creators and books leaping over to DC's new iPad store (High Moon, Night Owls, & Bayou) through Comixology.

I'm still waiting for Azure, I'll pick that one up at any price!

So what now? Well it's been stated that some Zuda books/creators would stick with the imprint but others won't. What about all of those creators who won a competition but hadn't had a chance to really get going with their comic? What about all of those creators who had a pitch submitted previous to the shut down?

Believe it or not there are people out there listening.

Bleeding Cool is reporting:

"But what happens to the abandoned creators, the abandoned properties? I understand that wevolt, a digital online comics hub bought up by Wowio has made a number of aggressive moves towards these creators, offering them complete ownership of their work, an established audience and a chance to keep their dreams going." ~BleedingCool

WeVolt seems like a good home for the Zuda comics creators, not only is it flash based, there are all ready more than a few cool comics there now:

Multiversity Comics is reporting:

"This morning, we received the press release for a company that up until today we had never heard of: Killing The Grizzy. What is this, you might ask? Well, according to their press release, they're a brand new agency that hopes to breathe something new into the comic community. This includes both funding and marketing for unknown works with the basic idea being to forge a better community. What is really eye catching about the press release, though, is the big bold "Alternative To Zuda" comment. To quote the press release, "We’re in the process of putting together the pieces for an alternative to the now quashed ZUDA, and it won’t be a competition structure, but something far more organic, open, and fair and it will go far beyond what ZUDA ever did." Supposedly this will be up in a matter of weeks."~MultiversityComics

Neither posting really gives any concrete details regarding how they'd structure any sort of competition hosted on their site. Now multiple members of the extended FBU team have submitted comics to Zuda, or were just about too, so we've definitely got opinions to spare on how we'd run a new replacement to Zuda but we'd like to know what you think.

How could a replacement be a true competition? How would you set up the rules, guidelines, and standards? What would you like to see as at least one a key factor of a successful replacement?

Converse! :)

Have a great weekend,

Caine

iDetective | DC Comics on the iPad

DC Comics has finally slipped their toe into the sea of digital comics with an iPad app through Comixology.

We should say here and now that the DC app functions pretty much the same way the Marvel and Boom! apps function. If you have an iPad or are getting one soon then you may all ready know that the Comixology app works by allowing you to read the comic in a couple of ways: full page, dragging your finger across the screen, or "guided" where the app it self takes you from panel to panel as it's been programed to do.

The app also features a slick, easy to navigate, branded store front.

If you don't have an iPad or don't really want one you can access the Comixology comics

on line here: DC Comics on Comixology

"While still not as nice as some of the more vetted comic book reader applications, it has the advantage of storing your comics *in the cloud* as they kids say so you can read them from anywhere." - JIM

Both Jim and I have taken the DC Comics app for a spin and present our thoughts to you now:

JIM - My first impression? The DC Comixology App has a nice assortment of comics overall. The only place I find it lacking is with older stuff - Sandman seems to be the oldest, it would have been nice to see some Bronze Age or Silver Age stuff. By way of contrast, the Marvel app currently has quite a number of Silver Age Marvels and just this week launched the first four Bronze Age Invaders comics (one of my favorite series!).

CAINE - My first impression? DC missed the boat if you ask me. While the app is filled with Batman, Superman, and current popular titles there is little there in the way of an introduction to the DCU to the over 2M new iPad owners/ positional new readers.

JIM - I think the app may have gotten rushed out the door because it seems that DC felt the need to make the fourth and fifth issue of Brightest Day, Generation Lost (which I’m reading and loving via ComiXology) returnable for retailers. I think that was a good plan to keep the peace with retailers but when you compare it to the amount of advance warning Marvel gave retailers with their Iron Man Day and Date release, it seems awkward. I suspect this is in part to some of the ongoing negotiations concerning creator's royalties that Jim Lee has mentioned. It would seem that that stuff wasn't hammered out ahead of time suggesting the timetable on this app may have gotten advanced.

CAINE - I would have liked to have seen the app launch with more Secret Files & Origins (so far there are only origins for Batman & Green Lantern). Some Who's Who (which could double as iPad desktop imagery as they are largely pin ups with text boxes), & a few dozen number 1 issues (maybe bundled together 3 at a time for .99).

JIM - While some of the "Browse by:_______" cross referencing had me a little confused I was happy to see Tiny Titans - Haigen will like that. It was also cool to see so many Vertigo titles present. This is really where DC can shine over Marvel, who don’t have anything to really compare to the type of outré fare that Vertigo gives DC. Currently, they have Sandman, Fables and The Unwritten.

CAINE - I was glad to see Wildstorm titles; such as Wildcats, Gen 13, Planetary, & more. I would have been glad for the opportunity to purchase canceled books (particularly those with issues that didn't see print), or imprint books like Milestone or Impact (Red Circle recently)  what about all the co-features? Why not give them their own package on the iPad?


JIM - Yeah, some of those co-features would be great to see here! It was disheartening to see that there is only one title staring a female character, Mirror’s Edge. What I would like to see: some classic Brave and the Bold, World's Finest, or Metal Men in the app!


CAINE - I would have liked to have seen some more Zuda comics in the app, they seem like they would be made for it. Only Bayou is currently in the app, High Moon would have been a major seller.

JIM - Perhaps that's coming later? I wonder if other completed Zuda comics will show up in this format. For that matter, is this why Zuda was put on hiatus? So that DC could refine the contracts for those web comics? Or has a de facto judgment been passed on Zuda via the iPad?

CAINE - Now that both Marvel and DC have apps through the same company I want to see them re-release the Amalgam titles and see if there is an audience for more. If Dick Grayson is destined to stay in the Bat suit for the foreseeable future then please give me MoonWing...


Has anyone (but me) read the Flashback Universe web comics on their iPad? If so we'd love to know what you think about them or any other digital comic in the comments field below.

Have a great weekend,

Caine

Digital Comics on the iPad | The Facts

Guess what?

I got an iPad for Fathers Day. No, no, no, not for my own dad (are you kidding?) I mean my wife/daughter went out and got me an iPad for my Fathers Day (early) gift! The first apps I put on it? I'll give you one guess....

All of the images today are iPad screen shots pulled down via email or my DropBox account. There are actually a lot of apps that will read comics, those you see above are only the highlights or "names" in the app store. The big 6 if you will.

So, the question now is: what kind of over all experience is there for comics on the iPad? Well that ultimately is everyone's personal decision (and will very based on app, comics, etc etc) but I can give you some facts & dispense with some myth's rumors....

GLARE: Myth
Now I'm sure that there are situations out there where you'll be able to produced some glare (maybe even some exceptional glare) but in general I've never had a problem with it and I've read comics in doors, out doors, morning, noon, and night. I've read comics created digitally as well as comics created for print and scanned. Glare has NEVER been a problem.

SIZE MATTERS: True
Not only is it true that size matters but the iPad is sized perfectly for comics. You can turn it "portrait" and read the entire page or "landscape" and read a third of it. With just a simply drag of your finger on the touch screen you can pull the comic book page up (or down) to read the next third.

COMIC ZEAL NOTE: "Soft Controls"
These are controls seemingly "embedded" in the image of the comic page that do not interfere with enjoying the comic....


BATTERY: All Day - True
The commercial is true, the battery does last all day (so far). I've spent hours reading comics and watching Youtube videos and only depleted the battery down to 34% at the lowest.

SYNC: Dead Simple
To get the comics you all ready own on to your iPad (with ComicZeal) all you need to do is drag them to the "sync" window in iTunes.

THE JOHN: Yes
Yes I've taken my iPad into the John were I've read comics (I have a 5 year old who bathes regularly). Still, it would work regardless of situation....

COMIC ZEAL NOTE: "Hard Controls"
If you tap (instead of slide) your finger on the iPad (inside ComicZeal) you'll pull up the tool bars...

DEFORMED TEXT: False
The text of a comic reads just like it would on the printed page. There is no distortion (other than what might be brought into ComicZeal gigo style - "Garbage In/Garbage Out").

COMIC ZEAL NOTE: "Intuitive Menu"
When you've reached the end of a comic book "file" inside ComicZeal the menu pops up ready to load the next file in that folder...

Maybe we'll get to see the 3 origin's of the RuneWraith on the iPad soon...

Have a great weekend,

Caine

FBU Reviews: Parallaxium

When Mark Bernal contacted us recently and asked us to review his recently published graphic story: Parallaxium. A digital download available now, we at the FBU were delighted help him out.


In Mark's own words:
"Parallaxium is a "first person" graphic story wherein the reader experiences the story through the eyes and mind of the main character. The main character is a research volunteer who's strange visions during testing, entangle the character between this universe and a bizarre medieval-like universe."

Parallaxium Research, the study of the space between parallel universes. With that statement the reader is off and running thrust mind first into a roller coaster ride of an adventure unlike anything you've ever experienced in a 32 page graphic format.

The preview we were sent consisted of 19 amazing page following an unwilling research assistance protagonist who's taken deeper and deeper into the Parallaxium that seem to flow through the assistant in such a way that he/she really can only classify them as dreams even though they are so much more.


A bit like Alice down the rabbit hole, the researcher is pummeled with "vision" after "vision" as he/she races deeper inter his/her own psyche in order to come up with the understanding to put what he/she's experiencing together and process it.

Parallaxium is filled with rich light over dark graphics that are filled with amazing locals and characters that are seemingly based, at least in part, on gods, myths, and monsters of all types. Each spun into a unique story element.

We wish Mark Bernal great success with Parallaxium and hope to see more of it very soon. If you liked what you've seen/read so far you should check 'em out - they're priced to move!

Have a great weekend,

Caine

Comic Con

Around here were big proponents of Digital Comic Books. Whether there read on a desktop through such software as Longbox or Graphic.ly, on the iPhone with apps like Comiczeal or Comixology, or on a tablet such as the iPad and others - we likes 'em!

The debate about which is better, print or digital, will never really end each media format having it's champions who will carry it's torch forever. One thing that digital comics has yet to be able to do however, no matter how hard some have tried, is capture the feel of a real life Comic Book Convention in a "Digital Comic Book" fashion.

Several attempts have been made, such as Comicon.com.

It just isn't the same though. At a live comic book convention you get to meet your favorite creators in person (not chat with them over the internet), have your favorite books signed by those who made it (not order the current book they have to offer with a signature), have your portfolio reviewed by a master who you respect (the advice you'll get by being there will be invaluable) and more such as standing in lines, and while there are those would not put standing in a line at the top of their list of fun things to do at a con, it's part of the over all experience. A part of the experience that could actually be fun and beneficial too, depending on who you meet.

Living in the Pacific Northwest I've not had the pleasure of traveling to San Diego, Chicago, New York, or even Seattle (albeit time is the culprit there, I really have no excuse other than time) to attend a local con there.

However, I have been to the Portland Comic Book Convention. With the Rose Garden you can stand in line for quite a while before you actually get to see into the hall that the con is being held in. Once you pay, buy your raffle ticket, sign up for a few door prizes, and pick up goody bags provided by local merchants you finally get to enter the hall and I remember that it was quite a shock at how big the space actually was. The space was full too, not an unused square foot in the room shucking everything from boxes and boxes of old comics to bootleg movies.

I remember that HUGE names in comic books had come to town to do a signing (which was why I'd finally made the time to go to a comic book convention). When I got there the convention hall had roped of the table where the big names were sitting with red velvet, so fan boys couldn't get close to them.

Well such as life, my books signed and back in my bag I wandered the walk areas looking to spend my hard earned money on. There was too much of course - I couldn't afford to get it all. I settled on a sketch instead, from a local comic book artist, and was able to get the exact character I'd requested.

Even though I was quickly running out of money it was still cool to see what everyone else was buying. I went home with comics I'd never heard of, signed books, a sketch for my wall, and a couple new fiends.

There's nothing like a live Comic Con like what's going on this weekend. It's called HeroesCon and it's happening in Charlotte NC.

Jim Shelley the owner and editor of the FBU will be there so look him up.
He may even find his twitter account useful this weekend...

Have fun at the con Jim,

Caine

Two NEW Free Comics from Flashback Universe!

As Caine mentioned yesterday, in honor Free Comics Day, we are proud to present two complete Free Comic stories for you read/download

The first one is a new Flashback Universe story courtesy of Chad Bowers, Caine Dorr, Chris Nye, Donald Jackson and Liezl Buenaventura. This comic is in the vein of the old Marvel comics wherein two heroes would share a comic. Mysterious Journeys featuring Prometheus and Amanita! Click on the image to download the entire comic in rar format (which is the same format I use ever Monday for my Free Comics Monday.)



If you are a newcomer to the whole downloadable comics scene, click here to get an idea how how it works...

For those of you afraid to download a digital comic, you'll be happy to read our second offering hell-bent: Infamous Monsters - a web comic story written by FBU friend Trey Causey featuring art by Diego Candia.



- Enjoy!

Digital Comics Funding 2

There are several challenges to getting a comic book made. I don't think anyone would argue that money is the largest of those challenges. It may not necessarily be cold hard cash were talking about here, money could easily be replaced with time if you were doing a comic completely on your own, but the value of time = money as we all know so the point stands as far as this blogger is concerned.

What if you found a way to easily provide the money needed (which in turn would afford you the time needed depending on the structure of your project) to get a comic book made?

Two weeks ago we began this topic of discussion by examining the web site KICKSTARTER and today we'll look at an alternative called INDIEGOGO.

Indiegogo is a funding platform for artists, designers, musicians, journalists, inventors, & film makers, a group that they've catered to in many ways.

Indiegogo allows all comic book creators, established or new to the business, the ability to offer something a bit like TopCow's "Pilot Season" where the creators pitch the fans potential books they want to release and allow the fans to pledge money toward the creation of one or more of those comics.

Directly from Indiegogo's site...

Earn Rewards:
IndieGoGo pays you a bonus of 5% for every dollar you raise if you meet your goal.

It's Your Money:

Whether you reach your goal or not, keep the money you raise.

Ideas from Across the World:

Projects and members hail from 114 countries. No matter where you live, you can post or fund a project today.

Funder Friendly:

Make it easy for your fans to fund you; accept payments via credit card, Amazon Payments or check.

IndieGoGo adds Analytics to Every Project:
Start Tracking Your Success!
Want to know how many project views your twitter campaign drove? Or how many referrals your friend's Facebook post brought? Or the contributions that resulted from a blog write-up? Here's your data! Now You Can Track Your Fundraising Success...

Views: total number of visits to your page.
Funders: number of contributors Funds contributions: money raised
Referrals: number of visits that result from someone sharing your project using widgets, twitter, google buzz, facebook and emails (from the SHARE WITH FRIENDS section)
Favorites: number of IndieGoGo members who have added your project to their Favorites
Requests to visit: number of times someone has requested your project come to their town

Like we did with Kickstarter two weeks a go, here's a look at a project currently on Indiegogo...

Death Walks the Streets - The Comic Book Series

ABOUT THE COMICS

With two issues already in-print from THE SCREAM FACTORY and set for a late April 2010 release through Panelfly for the iPod Touch, iPhone, and iPad – DEATH WALKS THE STREETS (DWTS) is a BIG new world of horrific adventure, filled with colorful characters and fantastic creatures. Follow the adventures of three friends as they navigate a world populated by Vampires, Demons, Zombies, Werewolves, and The Mob.

$1 or more = Fringe Member-The OrganizationA $1-14

Contribution will get you a special "thank you" on the list of NEW MARSHALL'S MOST DISTINGUISHED CITIZENS - to appear online as well as in print (next issue). Online listings can also feature a link to your own website or project (subject to approval).

$25 or more = IBVM Dues - Level I

So you think you're a tough guy/gal? Ok, then it's time to pay your first installment of your monthly dues. The IBVM thanks you. We'll consider this protection against... something. For a $25 contribution, we'll give you a special place on the list of NEW MARSHALL'S MOST DISTINGUISHED CITIZENS - A "thank you" page for those who have supported the comic book project. You will also receive a SIGNED copy of the issue in which this appears.

$501 or more = IBVM Dues - Level IIIWell, well - a big spender...

For a $500 contribution, you'll guarantee yourself PREMIUM PLACEMENT on the list of NEW MARSHALL'S MOST DISTINGUISHED CITIZENS - A "thank you" page for those who have supported the project. *You will receive 2 SIGNED "Trade Paperback" Editions of the prequel mini series - issues #0, #1, #2, and #3 - four issues in all - collected into a handsome, library collection. *A copy of the Wizard World Exclusive #0

There are other projects on Indiegogo, some more comic book themed projects in fact, all with various levels of funding proposed and achieved. I'm wondering the same thing today that I did two weeks ago, would you be willing to (essentially) pay for your favorite comic book to be made ahead of time?

Have a great weekend,

Caine

Digital Comics: Funding

There are several challenges to getting a comic book made. I don't think anyone would argue that money is the largest of those challenges. It may not necessarily be cold hard cash were talking about here, money could easily be replaced with time if you were doing a comic completely on your own, but the value of time = money as we all know so the point stands as far as this blogger is concerned.

What if you found a way to easily provide the money needed (which in turn would afford you the time needed depending on the structure of your project) to get a comic book made? How many of you would begin making one tomorrow?

Lets say you much prefer reading comics to making them, and don't have any real desire to produce one your self. Is your favorite comic book; series, mini, or character, being published often enough for your taste? I wonder what a fan of All Star Batman & Robin would do to get DC to speed up the process and finish the series? Has Kevin Smith completed all of his comic book work? If so, there were some large gaps in the production runs on some of the books he wrote.

I'm sure there are lots of fans out there who'd have loved to have been able to influence Marvel's production schedule so that they could have seen the completion of those series quicker. In fact, I'm betting that there are lots of books, being published from lots of different companies, that fans would love to be able to have a bit more influence than they have now (Stump Town, Queen & Country, Dynamo 5 to name but a few).

I wonder how many fans would still be purchasing comics, or begin purchasing them again, from defunct comic book production lines such as: Epic, Chaos, Valiant, or the Ultraverse if they were able? Is there a high enough price, if offered, that could accomplish the goal of getting those books and characters published again?

If money equals influence then let me show you a way:

Kickstarter is a funding platform for artists, designers, filmmakers, musicians, journalists, inventors, explorers...

"We're focused on creative projects. We've got a pretty broad definition of creativity: art, music, design (fashion, product, game, app, etc), film/video, food, journalism, and other projects that spring from the imagination. Creators keep 100% ownership. Kickstarter is a new form of commerce and patronage, not a place for investment or lending. Project creators inspire people to open their wallets by offering products, benefits and fun experiences. Funding is always all-or-nothing. A project must reach or exceed its funding goal or no money changes hands. Why? It's fun, dynamic, and really efficient. Our fee is 5%. Kickstarter collects 5% from the project creator if a project is successfully funded."~KickStarter

KickStarter allows all comic book creators, established or new to the business, the ability to offer something a bit like TopCow's "Pilot Season" where the creators pitch the fans potential books they want to release and allow the fans to pledge money toward the creation of one or more of those comics. You're pledge is only collected if the total funding goal is completely met & then you are now entitled to extra content that the general public doesn't have access to because you were a part of the fan base that got the comic book made in the first place.

It's happening now:

Pledge $10 or more:

You will receive a signed and numbered Kickstarter.com-EXCLUSIVE cover copy of JOHNNY RECON No.02 ONLY available to people who pledge for this project (FREE SHIPPING). Thank you so much!

Pledge $100 or more:

You will receive all of the above as well as a page of original inked artwork from the book itself (artist's choice)

You may have heard of Johny Recon, or even purchased a copy of it's first issue on the shelf of your local comic book shop. As you can see, they've reached their funding goal so JR2 will be made and all of the contributors will have access to the JR kickstarter production blog, updates on the project, and of course extra special JR content along with a copy of the actual comic book being made. I wonder how many of the contributors would have gone out and purchased original page art or a hard bound deluxe edition of the book anyhow? Now they actually have the chance to do that as the comic will definitely be made, and in a timely fashion as there is money to produce it.

Pledge $125 or more

EXPLORER REWARD • An ORIGINAL ART PAGE from The Collected Webcomics or The Flight of the Falcon. Artist’s choice, but if you have a particular page you want, we’ll do our best to accommodate your choice on a first-come, first-served basis. • EXCLUSIVE LIMITED SIGNED HARDCOVER containing The Collected Webcomics and Flight of the Falcon —available ONLY to Kickstarter.com supporters— INCLUDES AN ORIGINAL SKETCH OF ATHENA VOLTAIRE on the inside! • Limited edition Athena Voltaire sketchbook, available only to backers of the project. • Your name will be printed in the Acknowledgments section of the book. • PDF edition of Athena Voltaire and the Volcano Goddess • Access to the exclusive AV Kickstarter backer-only blog, Athena Voltaire Production Diary.

Pledge $300 or more

SHARPSHOOTER REWARD • The ORIGINAL TITLE PAGE ART to Athena Voltaire: Terror in Tibet #1, the lead story in The Collected Webcomics. • EXCLUSIVE LIMITED SIGNED HARDCOVER containing The Collected Webcomics and Flight of the Falcon —available ONLY to Kickstarter.com supporters— INCLUDES AN ORIGINAL SKETCH OF ATHENA VOLTAIRE on the inside! • Limited edition Athena Voltaire sketchbook, available only to backers of the project. • Your name will be printed in the Acknowledgments section of the book. • PDF edition of Athena Voltaire and the Volcano Goddess • Access to the exclusive AV Kickstarter backer-only blog, Athena Voltaire Production Diary **VIEW THIS COVER ART HERE: http://bit.ly/dzouix

Like Johny Recon you may have also heard of, and purchased a copy of, Athena Voltaire at your local comic book shop or elsewhere. Unlike Johny Recon AV has yet to achieve it's funding goal so it's future is up in the air.

There are other projects on Kickstarter, some more comic book themed projects in fact, all with various levels of funding proposed and achieved. I wonder, would you be willing to (essentially) pay for your favorite comic book to be made ahead of time?

Have a great weekend,

Caine