It Came Out On Wednesday! – Men and Elephantmen (and Women!)

Be you man or animal-man, this week’s podcast has something for everyone – Richard Starkings stops to talk about Elephantmen!  We take you on a comic book safari through the app to see the untamed Batman and Robin, the magestic Walking Dead grazing for brains, and Archie in his untouched habitat of Riverdale.  Then we bring it back around for some Wonder Woman, a bit of Avengers, and say our final goodbye to Jack of Fables.  Even John Merrick would be proud of this one.

Click Here for This Week’s Episode of it Came out on Wednesday!

Oh and also here’s a sneak peek at out upcoming interview with Ryan Sohmer of the often hilourious web comic The Gutters! Listen Here

MADD and Archie Comics Team Up to Prevent Underage Drinking

DALLAS, March 22, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and Archie Comics® have partnered to raise awareness about underage drinking in advance of MADD’s first annual PowerTalk 21™ day on April 21 — the national day for parents to start talking with their kids about alcohol. The Archie Comics Double Digest #217 issue hitting comic book stores tomorrow includes a storyline about underage drinking prevention, which features the likeness of Dallas Cowboys Tight End Jason Witten and, of course, the teens of Riverdale.

“MADD is excited to have the Riverdale gang and Jason Witten bring light to the importance of teens resisting the pressures to drink alcohol before they’re 21,” said MADD CEO Kimberly Earle. “A major disconnect exists between parents and kids when it comes to alcohol — research shows that one in five teens binge drink, while only one in 100 parents believes his or her child binge drinks — so MADD welcomed the opportunity to partner with Archie Comics and urge parents to start these vital conversations with their teens.”

“As two CEOs who are moms, Kimberly and I met and immediately connected on the idea of making a difference for parents and teens in regards to underage drinking,” added Archie Comics Co-CEO Nancy Silberkleit. “I am so pleased that the Archie Comics characters can help give parents the tools to keep their kids alcohol free. It’s our hope that families will continue these conversations year-round, opening up an important line of communication in households across the country.”

The iconic Archie characters — including Archie, Veronica and Jughead — have been teens for more than half a century now, and they’ve faced their share of challenges. So it made sense to provide these comic book teens and their classmates with some tools for handling the temptation and peer pressure surrounding underage drinking. In the latest issue, the Riverdale crew hears from the comic likeness of Jason Witten about the dangers of drinking alcohol before they’re 21. Witten calls on teens to resist alcohol on prom night and year-round, and calls on parents to talk with their teens about alcohol early and often, instead of waiting until there’s a problem.

The Archie characters will also be featured in MADD’s national promotion of PowerTalk 21 leading up to April 21, which encourages parents to download MADD’s Power of Parents, It’s Your Influence® handbook. Developed with Pennsylvania State University’s Dr. Robert Turrisi, this program is based on over two decades of underage drinking research.

For more information about MADD’s Power of Parents program and PowerTalk 21 day, go to www.madd.org/powertalk21.

About Mothers Against Drunk Driving

Founded by a mother who lost her daughter in a crash, Mothers Against Drunk Driving® (MADD) is the nation’s largest nonprofit working to protect families from drunk driving and underage drinking. With the help of those who want a safer future, MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving® will end this danger on America’s roads. PowerTalk 21™ is the national day for parents to talk with their kids about alcohol, using the proven strategies of Power of Parents, It’s Your Influence® to reduce the risk of underage drinking. And as one of the largest victim services organizations in the U.S., MADD also supports drunk driving victims and survivors at no charge, serving one person every 10 minutes at 1-877-MADD-HELP.  Learn more at www.madd.org or call 1-800-GET-MADD.

About Archie Comics

The Archie Comics line of comic books is one of the most successful, longest running brands in the history of the comic industry. Archie Comics have sold 1.5 billion comics and are published in a dozen different foreign languages and distributed all over the world. Archie Comics has spawned characters whose popularity has spilled over into other media and who have become part of popular culture. SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH and JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS are just some of the many legendary franchises that are part of the Archie Comics Library.

SOURCE Mothers Against Drunk Driving and Archie Comics

A Curtain Call For Comic Books

Despite technical woes, legal disputes, and more bad press than even the Daily Bugle would care to print, the Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark continues to swing onward towards becoming one of the biggest musicals in history! It’s officially scheduled to open next month after over a year of false starts and while many have claimed the production seems doomed to fail, it is still anyone’s guess as to whether or not the web-slinger will hit the jackpot with theater goers.

One of the projects biggest hurdles has been it’s production. With a budget busting $65 million expense spread out across it’s massive cast, crew and elaborate effects and set design critics have argued that comics and superhero’s have no place among chorus lines and cat walks. True the high flying antics of many a spandex clad super-hero may not be the most practical choice for a Broadway musical, however that doesn’t mean the medium is without dramatic merits. Check out the list below for some awesome comics worthy of the spotlight but won’t break the bank in the process.

1. Little Nemo in Slumberland: Forget Little Orphan Annie, this classic Winsor McCay strip has the making’s of a sleeper hit. Worth it almost for The Marquee art alone this comic from the early 1900′s serves as a charming reminder of the magic of childhood and the dreams that go along with it. With the right set design and a proper score McCay’s timeless tale could speak to a whole new audience of all ages eager to dream once again on the great white way.

2. Jenny Finn Doom Messiah: Imagine if Oliver twist had been adapted for the stage buy H.P. Lovecraft.  Forget happy go lucky Street Urchins and get ready for a macabre mystery of the highest order. Seeing Mignola’s art translated to a stage production would be spectacular, and just imagine the stage directions “Exit pursued by an enormous tentacle monster” that’s just theater magic waiting to happen.

3. Pinocchio Vampire Slayer: Traditional Puppet Theater pre-dates the modern musical by several hundred years, and while current Off-Broadway hits like Avenue Q have reinvigorated the genre for a new generation, the most famous marionette of all time could use a bit of a re-boot. The SLG graphic novel would provide the perfect source material for an action packed take, savvy among the disturbing trend of vampirism fanatics on the up-swing of late. check it out today!

4. Tom Strong: A role tailor made for a true leading man of Broadway and with the success of Moore’s other work across different mediums Tom Strong seems a likely choice for the next disowned adaption. Tom ,Tesla and The Modular Man!  A homage to the science hero’s of pulp and dime novel’s past would work well in an industry known for revivals.

5. Archie: Speaking of revivals, a lot has been going down in Riverdale lately, a wedding, a funeral and the arrival of a brand new character helped finally bring this classic title up to speed with the rest of the industry. Sure Archie and the gang have have had their share of Musical endeavors in the past, but why not go out on a limb and do something a little different? maybe exam the genre mainstay in a darker light? or perhaps give it the Mel Brooks treatment?

6. Batman/Superman: Without a doubt DC will likely cook up something cool to stake their claim in the theatrical world (although it should be noted there was in fact a short lived superman musical in the sixties, seriously!) but rather than rely on over-top stunts and an expense score, why not go in the direction least expected. Opera. Think Gotham City Soprano’s mixed with a fresh take on the Kryptonian Space Opera!

7.  Hawkeye & Mocking Bird: What’s not to love about the drama of star-crossed lovers unfolding before a live audience? The comic event that brought Marvel’s unlikely pair of Love birds back into lives of mainstream readership seems to operate on an almost shakepearean level. For comic relief just add Deadpool after all who needs aerial acrobatics when you can break the fourth wall and go “meta” with a little gunplay?

Of course these are just simple ideas offered up in the wake of the media frenzy that is Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark. As of this posting it’s scheduled to open on March 15th 2011 fans of live theater, comics and U2 should check it out. In the meantime however, check out the awesome comics hitting the app this week and while your at it why not tell us which one’s you’d love to see get the ol’ razzle dazzle treatment?

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.