comiXology Announces Beta Release of Android App

The Largest Digital Comics Store and Guided View™ Reader Arrives For The Holidays

Official comiXology Android release

New York, NY / December 15th, 2010 – Due to overwhelming demand, the holidays have come early for millions of comic book fans everywhere with the release of the Comics by comiXology Android™ app (beta) powered by comiXology, the leading digital comics platform provider for all iOS devices, the Web and now Android.

Expanding beyond its industry-leading digital comic book apps on iOS and the Web, comiXology brings the largest digital comics library to the Android marketplace, enabling fans to read comics on Android devices running 2.1 (Eclair) or higher. The Comics by comiXology Android beta app gives users the ability to discover, purchase, and read more than 2,500 digital comics and over 300 free comics from 40 publishers. Launch partners include DC Comics, Image Comics, Dynamite Entertainment, and Archie, alongside many more. Users can search and browse through comics based on titles, creators, publishers, genre and ratings, and find local comic book retailers with the built-in retailer finder.

“Our enthusiastic community has been asking us for an Android app and it’s with great pleasure that we bring it to them in time for the holidays,” said David Steinberger, CEO of comiXology. “Comics by comiXology on Android delivers comic books to mainstream audiences on even more devices. Now, more people who want to read a comic will have the opportunity to do so, when and where they want, while giving our content partners another major distribution outlet.”

The comiXology app for Android features a full in-app store and the best digital comics reader on the market. comiXology’s patent pending Guided View™ Technology gives users a natural reading experience while making it readable on small devices.

Comics downloaded to the Android app will be available on the Comics by comiXology iOS and Web platforms through cross-platform synchronization so users can enjoy comics on all their devices, anywhere.

“comiXology is the leading distributor of digital comics, which is why we have partnered with them to power our iOS app and Web Store,” said Hank Kanalz, Senior Vice President of Digital, DC Entertainment. “The release of its Android app shows the company’s ongoing commitment to expand into new markets, create opportunities for increased visibility and revenue, while above all, answer the call of its fans for convergence across platforms with a centralized library to enjoy comics anywhere.”

In addition to DC Comics, publishers on the Comics by comiXology Android beta app include:

• A Wave Blue World
• Adhouse Books
• Alterna Comics
• Antarctic Press
• Arcana Studio
• Archie Comics
• Asylum Press
• Bluewater Comics
• BOOM! Studios
• Com.x
• Creative Impulse
• Creator Owned
• DC Comics
• Devils Due
• Digital Webbing
• Dynamite Entertainment
• EigoMANGA
• Evil Twin Comics
• First Salvo
• Image Comics
• Keenspot
• Markosia
• Moonstone Books
• Oni Press
• Radical
• Red 5 Comics
• Shadowline
• Skybound
• South Fellini
• Slave Labor Graphics
• Studio 407
• Th3rd World Studios
• TOKYOPOP
• Top Cow
• Vertigo
• Viper Comics
• Zenescope Entertainment

About comiXology
Since 2007 comiXology has been developing the technological infrastructure to bring comics into the digital mainstream and expose new audiences to the rich history and culture of the industry. Through partnerships with top comic book publishers including Marvel Comics, DC Comics, BOOM! Studios, and Image Comics as well as their own mobile and web apps which hosts nearly 4000 digital titles, comiXology has become a leader in digital comic book proliferation. Also focused on creating strong ties with retail stores through its technology solutions, comiXology continues to transform the previously fragmented comic ecosystem into a vibrant and cohesive marketplace. http://www.comixology.com/

Android is a trademark of Google, Inc.

Manga Madness Week 1: First Impressions

Alright before we begin we need to get one thing straight. I have never read a Manga before in my life, yes I have read a comic book in fact it could really be said that I have read an unhealthy amount of american comic books over the past few years of my life. However as far as the far Japanese cousin to the medium I love so dearly goes I don’t know my Shonen Jump from my TOKYOPOP. That being said in honor of the now seizable amount of Manga now available on comiXology I have decided it is high time to see what all this craziness is about, thus my decent into the world of manga readership begins, I’ve selected the books and will be keeping track of my progress. Here are my first impressions.

Book 1: Blood Sucker Legend of Zipangu: A Vampire story by Aki Shimizu and Saki Okuse it boasts a Parental Advisory warning on it’s front cover and must in fact be read from right to left luckily there proper instructions for just how this Manga should be enjoyed. Needless to say I’m excited.

Book 2: Princess Ai: A fantastical coming of age romance story about “A diva torn from Chaos” and “A savior doomed to Love”. this one seems interesting. Sporting a talent team consisting of Misaho Kujiradou, D.J. Milky  and…Courtney Love!? I can honestly say I’m a little scared of this one.

Book 3: Hetalia Axis Powers Vol. 1: So this is the first book of it’s kind currently available on comiXology  and naturally it makes the list. A comedy about the Axis powers of World War II personified by a dashing trio young soldiers. Again this is a right to left styled manga, which comiXology’s Guided View reader will make a little easier to read for stubborn western sensibilities.

Book 4: Buddha Vol 1: The Wild Card of the bunch, a book recommended to me in the past by more than one person and one I’m hoping will add a little diversity to the current list. Written by Manga Godfather Osamu Tezuka this 2004 Eisner Award winner looks promising, how will it compare with the others? only time will tell.

So there you have it. Four books in five days, will they be enough to sway this die-hard mainstream american comic book reader to the Manga side of life? Or is there perhaps a more worthwhile title missing from the list above. I am open to suggestions feel free to add them in the comments section. Next week I’ll be back full reviews and a new list of manga titles!

Now if you’ll excuse me I’ve got some reading to do.

Vive Hetalia!

I think I did enough head scratching when I worked on “Hetalia: Axis Powers” to bore a hole in my skull. No capsule review is going to do justice to the utter weirdness of this TOKYOPOP manga. The title, a blending of the words “coward” (hetare) and “Italy,” gives you a taste of what creator Hidekaz Himaruya is angling for. The series chronicles personified forms of nations as they live out sulky melodramas set in the period of, and between, the World Wars (with intermittent references that cover everything from ancient history to modernity). Rather than heady political allegory, “Hetalia” offers two-fisted historical comedy that’s more Bishonen slapstick than “Animal Farm.” I’ve seen some critics call out “Hetalia” for its lunacy and lack of historical rigor but its that free play of historical reference and the manic possibilities of manga that delight me. The series never bends to expectations of one mode or style. The first issue will give you a good sense of this versatility. We’ve got allusions to the Congress of Vienna and a story with Italy trying to disguise itself as a “tomato crate fairy.” While these examples speak to the scope and silliness of “Hetalia,” there is a disarming sincerity in its quieter moments; perhaps a reason why “Hetalia” has built up such a devoted fan base.

History buffs, maniacs, soap opera fans. Have I got a series for you.

TOKYOPOP & comiXology Debut Hetalia Axis Powers in Industry’s First Simultaneous Print and Digital Manga Release

comiXology Introduces First Japanese Manga Series in Partnership with TOKYOPOP

9.22.2010 – /Los Angeles, CA/New York, NYC – In a first-ever simultaneous print and digital release for a major manga title in North America, TOKYOPOP, the leading independent manga entertainment company in the U.S., has partnered with comiXology, the number one digital comics platform for the iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and the Web, to release the digital editions of Hidekaz Himaruya’s hit manga Hetalia Axis Powers at the same time as the graphic novel print version.

Hetalia’s mobile debut in the U.S. is a key part of TOKYOPOP’s simultaneous print and digital releases on all popular platforms.

The first volume of Hetalia has been divided into six issues and will be available through the Comics by comiXology app and on the Web for $0.99 each. The first issue will be free.

Also coming soon is a deluxe teaser app that fans can download from the iTunes App Store, which includes a preview of the first chapter, manga trailer, and photos of elaborately dressed fans in Hetalia cosplay (short for “costume play”).

“TOKYOPOP is thrilled to have comiXology join us as a partner in bringing this phenomenal new manga to every popular platform so fans can read it whenever and wherever they want,” said Stu Levy, CEO of TOKYOPOP. “comiXology is a crucial part of our campaign to engage our fans in innovative new ways.”

The release of Hetalia represents comiXology’s first-ever manga offering. The manga reads from right to left in the authentic Japanese format, using comiXology’s patent-pending Guided View™ Technology to create a fluid experience for dedicated manga fans and new readers alike.

“TOKYOPOP has developed a first-to-market track record in bringing manga to digital,” said David Steinberger, CEO of comiXology. “Hetalia presents an incredible opportunity for comiXology to introduce more readers to the style and richness of manga storytelling through mobile. Working with such a pioneering publisher as TOKYOPOP is truly an honor. We look forward to bringing all of their titles to our platform.”

Hetalia Axis Powers has swept the Internet worldwide as a Webcomic, and the graphic novel has already sold more than a million units in Japan. A humorous and often politically-incorrect retelling of actual historic moments, Hetalia focuses primarily on the relationships between the Axis and Allied Powers during the World Wars. The story follows Italy, Germany, and Japan from the fall of Rome up through World War II, with each country personified by bishonen characters (archetypal Japanese “pretty boys”).

Hetalia is available through the Comics by comiXology app on the iPad, iPhone and iPod now.

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About TOKYOPOP®
Founded in 1997 by international media entrepreneur Stu Levy, TOKYOPOP established the market for manga in North America, introducing the term to the English language in the process. Over its history, TOKYOPOP has published over 3000 books, distributed anime and Asian films on home video and television, licensed merchandise to consumer goods companies, created graphic novels of major brands such as Warcraft, Star Trek, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Hannah Montana, and led the way digitally in social media, e-commerce and user-generated content.

TOKYOPOP’s brand expanded internationally with offices in Europe and Japan and a network of over 160 partners in more than 50 countries and 30 languages. Taking its Manga Revolution beyond the page, TOKYOPOP has begun producing live-action and animated film and television content based on its extensive intellectual property library, including Priest, Van Von Hunter, and another 20 projects currently in development, along with America’s Greatest Otaku, an 8-episode reality show filmed during its 2010 summer-long, 28-city national tour.

For more information, visit www.TOKYOPOP.com as well as www.twitter.com/tokyopop and www.facebook.com/tokyopop.

About comiXology
Since 2007 comiXology has been developing the technological infrastructure to bring comics into the digital mainstream and expose new audiences to the rich history and culture of the industry. Through partnerships with top comic book publishers including Marvel, DC, BOOM! Studios and Image Comics as well as their own mobile and web apps which hosts nearly 3000 digital titles, comiXology has become a leader in comic book proliferation. Also focused on creating strong ties with retail stores through its technology solutions, comiXology continues to transform the previously fragmented comic ecosystem into a vibrant and cohesive marketplace.

http://www.comixology.com/