Let’s Get Digital: The Digital Comics Report for The Week of 11/16

Want to know what’s new on the app this week? Look no further, we’ve got you covered right here on the blog, with some highlights and recommendations taken directly from the latest releases on comiXology. with 53 Same Day as Print Releases this week there is definitely something for every Digital Comic fan. So why not try something new this week? Pick a comic you’ve never heard of before and check it out. If you like it, “gift”  a copy of it to a friend. Ready? Here we go…Let’s Get Digital: 

Same Day as Print

iZombie #19:  “Dead Reckoning” part 1! With her comfortable life-after-death thrown into complete disarray and her romantic relationships in shambles, the last thing Gwen wants to do is leave town. But when she eats the brain of an aging hippie, she finds herself compelled to go on the road, to follow the hippie’s favorite band on their farewell tour across America.

Kirby Genesis #1: Captain Victory: The enigmatic soldier known as Captain Victory leads an elite group of intergalactic rangers through the mysterious and deadly cosmos, fighting against forces set on the destruction of life, itself! But who is this man, and what does he want? This special introductory issue written by Sterling Gates and drawn by Wagner Reis starts with a bang, as the deadliest battle Captain Victory and his men have ever fought begins!

Mudman #1: A BRAND-NEW SUPERHERO COMIC BY PAUL GRIST! It’s the first day back at school for Owen Craig, and it’s not going too well. He’s been run over, got detention, and his police officer father has been taken prisoner by armed bank robbers. And now his body seems to be turning into mud…

Collections & Graphic Novels

Lost Dogs: Long out of print, Jeff Lemire’s Xeric-Award-winning LOST DOGS now returns in a newly remastered edition, soaked with blood and ink. This 104-page mythic yarn follows a family man who’s larger than life… but even he may not be powerful enough to prevent the loss of everything he’s ever known. Bold, brutal, and emotionally raw, LOST DOGS represents an acclaimed storyteller’s first professional work — an early exhibition of the gifts that have made his ESSEX COUNTY and SWEET TOOTH so phenomenally popular.

Skullkickers Vol.2: Five Funerals & A Bucket of Blood: Collects SKULLKICKERS #6-11 plus Bonus Material! The second SKULLKICKERS adventure is a wondrous tornado of action-adventure: a den of thieves, a city of danger, nobility, stupidity, plant monsters, dinner parties and bloodthirsty faerie folk. Jump on board to see why Ain’t It Cool News says ‘Everyone who loves comics should buy SKULLKICKERS.’

 New & Noteworthy

Avengers Vol. 4 1-6: Kang The Conqueror has come from the future! Now, The Avengers must assemble to prevent a catastrophic threat from tearing apart the timestream. But who will answer the call?

Mystery Society Vol. 1 1-5:  Created by Steve Niles and Ashley Wood! Nick Hammond and Anastasia Collins are the Mystery Society and bring new meaning to “underground cult” status! Stealthily avoiding the authorities, this skullduggery duo spend their time and money righting wrongs committed in the world’s underbellies.

JSA All-Stars 1-18: The Justice Society spin off group struggles to pull itself toward some semblance of order after the JSA’s devastating split! New home base, new training methods, new villains – all bringing the JSA All-Stars face-to-”face” with one of their greatest villains again – for the first time! Join writer Matthew Sturges (JUSTICE SOCIETY, JACK OF FABLES) and artist Freddie Williams II (ROBIN) for a new chapter in the JSA legacy.

 As always the above is simply a small sample of all the great comics that hit the apps this week! Be sure to check out all the latest releases on The Web, iOS, Android and The Brand New Amazon Kindle Fire! Then tell us what it is you picked up and what you’d like to see more of on Twitter, Facebook or even right here on the comiXology blog!

Lets Get Digital: The Digital Comics Report for The Week of 11/2

What’s New in Digital Comics!?  It’s been another huge week at comiXology HQ as we celebrated our 7th Straight week at 1 on the iTunes Top Grossing iPad app list. All we can really say is Thanks again everyone! Now Let’s Get Digital!

Same Day as Print

Heart #1- Mixed Martial Arts and comics collide when an office drone named Oren ‘Rooster’ Redmond follows his older brother into the fiercely competitive world of professional MMA. With nothing left to lose, Oren hopes to find his purpose in fighting – but does passion equal proficiency? Does Oren truly have the heart of a champion? Find out in the first chapter of this four-issue series.

Stormwatch #3- The moon has declared war on Earth, and now its emissaries have landed. All over the world these lunar antibodies have absorbed our buildings, our pets and our neighbors, crafting monstrous bodies to tear our world apart. Fighting on the front lines: new recruits Apollo and Midnighter.

Uncanny X-Men #1- What is to become of the mutants who side with Cyclops after the big split? And what does it have to do with the resurrected Mister Sinister?

Invincible #84- After all he’s done, everything he’s lived through… how does Invincible pick up the pieces and continue on as if nothing has changed? The answer is… he can’t.

New & Noteworthy 

Fables #83:  “Great Fables Crossover” part 1! After the events of the previous arc, the Fables formerly of Fabletown hope for a brief reprieve from the coming darkness–and instead collide with another threat that may wipe out their entire existence! Continued in JACK OF FABLES #33.

The 99 #1-6: When Dr. Ramzi is called to the UAE to psychoanalyze a recent kidnap-victim, he learns that this traumatized young woman is actually Noora the Light, the second of THE 99! But how did Noora escape her kidnappers on her own, and what is the dark secret she is holding in?

Collections & Graphic Novels

Clumsy:  Jeffrey Brown’s debut work; a book praised by Chris Ware and hailed by James Kochalka as his “favorite graphic novel ever.” Clumsy is the bittersweet story of a year-long, long-distance relationship, told through snippets of everyday life, drawn in a simple and elegantly awkward style that heightens the emotional impact and leaves you reminiscing about your own past love affairs.

Captain Pixel: A new virus has been introduced and it is now up to Captain Pixel, a polar bear and the mysterious wizard, Adobus, to stop this rapidly growing plague.

Divine Intervention: Marc Graham, a conflicted, contract killer, could hardly be considered a hero. Things change when he stumbles into an ancient conflict between the Templar agency, a clandestine organization that protects powerful artifacts from falling into the wrong hands, and strange, demonic forces seeking to control the world. After gaining mysterious, angelic powers from a freak accident Marc must dive headfirst into a dangerous new world where he is hunted by deadly monsters who will stop at nothing to unlock the secret of his new powers and possess them for themselves.

This week brought  a tone of new digital comics to comiXology and with more great surprises in store things are only getting better. Be sure to check back for the latest news in digital comics as it comes in from HQ. Now go get those comics!

ComiXology Launches Comics by comiXology 3.0

Accelerated app speed and load times with redesigned user interface provides new discoverability options for comics on demand

New York, NY - August 25^th, 2011 - Comic fans everywhere now have new special powers with comiXology’s launch of Comics by comiXology 3.0 – a major upgrade of its award-winning digital Comics App for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

Comics by comiXology 3.0 builds on its success by empowering readers with a new sleek user interface and store, bolstered comic discoverability paths, and increased speed – getting users from opening the app to discovering comics they’ll love in record time.

Expanding its library of partners and content weekly, comiXology 3.0 gives users the ability to explore, discover and read more than 12,000 digital comic and over 600 free comics from more than 30 publishers, including Marvel Comics and DC Comics. Using Comics by comiXology 3.0, fans will now be able to leverage dedicated, weekly updated featured screens for publishers, series, genres and creators to explore and discover great comics.

Comics by comiXology 3.0 launches nearly instantaneously with access to an on-demand comic store, dramatically reducing app load times and allowing users to get directly to reading or browsing comics.

Purchasing and downloading comics through comiXology has never been easier than in 3.0.

For the first time,readers can pause and restart individual downloads to prioritize downloading. In addition, comics now continue to download in the background, allowing users to queue up comics that will complete downloading whether or not the app is open. “Purchases” now has its own tab so users can always find their comics for quick and easy download without cluttering the “My Comics” area.

“With the help of tons of user feedback from our loyal fans, we thought long and hard on how we focus our development efforts, “ said David Steinberger, CEO of comiXology.  “We’ve always said we focus first on a quality reading experience, and second on discoverability of comics. Comics 3.0 is a fantastic step in how our customers can discover new comics while creating a great performance boost for earlier devices that have struggled under the weight of our 12,000 comics.”

New features and benefits of 3.0 include:

• Completely redesigned application
• Near instant launching
• Separate “Purchases” area that displays all owned comics
• New series groupings in store and “My Comics”
• Discover comics at much faster speeds
• Pause and prioritize downloads
• Background downloading
• Improved “Instant Search”

• Buy or continue reading the next issue at the end of a comic

Comics by comiXology 3.0 will also include many mainstay features that have made it an iPad Hall of Fame app, like comiXology‘s patent-pending Guided View™ Technology with a wide variety of viewing options and preferences, enabling them to set transition speeds, page orientations and much more.

Comics by comiXology 3.0 Demo from comiXology on Vimeo.

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, IDW Publishing, Archaia Entertainment, BOOM! Studios, Dynamite Entertainment and Image Comics as well as their own mobile and web apps which hosts over 12,000 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.

comiXology Goes Live With Over 100 Comics Stores Through Their Retailer Digital Storefronts Program

Comic Stores Can Now Prosper From the Sale of Digital Comics From Top Comic Publishers

New York, NY- August 23^th, 2011 – comiXology in partnership with ICv2, today launched over 100 online storefronts to sell digital comics as a result of its Digital Storefront program for retailers.  Participating comic retailers have gone live with their deployment of a comiXology-powered store and reader, enabling them to prosper from the sale of digital comics from top comic publishers, including DC Comics, Image, BOOM! Studios, Dynamite and many more. Also, in conjunction with DC and their Relaunch, all participating retailers will be able to sell all the same day as print comics.

Announced in January, the Digital Storefront program enables retailers the ability to sell digital comics with a simple integration into their existing site while tapping into comiXology’s vibrant digital marketplace. Any comic book fan will now be able to purchase digital comics online from their local comic store’s digital storefront with a portion of each purchase going directly to the retailer. All digital purchases will be compatible with the Comics by comiXology platform, providing fans the ability to enjoy their comics on their mobile devices (iOS and Android) and on the Web at their retailer’s websites by way of cross-platform synchronization.

“These retailers have put their trust in us from day one and we’re excited to make good on our commitment to bring them into the vibrant digital marketplace leveraging comiXology’s technology as a backbone for their success,” said David Steinberger, CEO of comiXology. “We have been working hard with our retail and publishing partners to make this program a reality for the benefit of the comic industry and take pride in starting to see it come to fruition.  We look forward to continuing on this important initiative and celebrating its success with all our partners.”

comiXology’s participating publishers DC Comics, Image, BOOM! Studios, Dynamite benefit from comiXology’s Digital Storefront Affiliate program through wider distribution on the Web and by strengthening the relationships between publishers, comic stores, and fans that have so successfully made comics a major force in world culture.

Marvel Digital Comics Expands Availability to comiXology Web Store

The top-selling comics publisher expands digital offerings

New York, NY / August 10^th 2011 –comiXology announced today that they will now be selling over 3,500 of Marvel digital comics through their Web Viewer at comics.comixology.com as they continue to expand their digital presence. Comic fans can now enjoy one of the largest Marvel digital comics’ libraries online whenever they want.

comiXology’s Web Viewer empowers comic readers with the same Guided View^TM reading experience as in their iOS apps but with the added ability of being able to add comics they want to purchase into their personal shopping cart. Advantages to the web store include a feature for those readers who want to purchase comics series all at once along with “Send as a Gift,” to share a passion for comics with friends and family.

“As a lifelong comic collector and reader, partnering with Marvel to distribute their amazing comics is a dream come true,” said David Steinberger, CEO of comiXology. “Bringing Marvel Comics digitally to our Web Viewer builds on the success of our relationship with Marvel.”

All purchases will sync automatically with the Comics by comiXology App for iOS so that any purchases are available on the go.

“We’re excited to expand our Marvel Digital Comics offerings through comiXology,” said Peter Phillips, SVP & General Manager, Marvel Digital Media Group. “The Web Viewer offers a great reading experience and some cool features that further enhance our existing digital media offerings.”

Enjoy comiXology’s library of Marvel Digital Comics online at comics.comixology.com/marvel

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, Archaia Entertainment, BOOM! Studios, Dynamite Entertainment and Image Comics as well as their own mobile and web apps which hosts over 10,000 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.

About Marvel:

Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of over 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing.

For more information visit www.marvel.com

The Great Free Comics for New Readers Experiment

It’s no secret that comiXology offers some great FREE reads for comics fans of all types. With new titles added to the list every week alongside our other weekly releases; our FREE comic collection has come to include some great reads both classic and contemporary. Recently modern master comic scribe Greg Pak (Vision Machine, Planet Hulk, Incredible Hercules) set to out to conduct a little experiment through Google+ challenging New Readers to explore some of the great offerings out there in the world of sequential art storytelling. We think it’s great! Check out the experiment below and why not take part, or better yet introduce a new comic reader to some of the modern day classics available for FREE from comiXology? Just follow the steps in Greg Pak’s experiment and let us know what you think:

So who out there is interested in comics but doesn’t know where to start? Have an iPad or other iDevice? Ready to try a painless, potentially mind-blowing, and entirely FREE experiment with me?

1. Go to the App Store and download the Comixology app. Install, register, and open that sucker up.

2. Click on the “Browse” button in the upper right. Click on “Series,” then download the following FREE comics:

“Action Philosophers: Ayn Rand!” (+Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavey)
“Atomic Robo” #1 (+Brian Clevinger and +Scott Wegener)
“Battlestar Galactica” #0 (yours truly and Nigel Raynor)
“Bayou” #1 (Jeremy Love)
“Bone” #1 (Jeff Smith)
“Ex-Machina” #1 (Brian K. Vaughan and Tony Harris)
“Fear Itself: The Worthy” #5 (yours truly and Lee Weeks)
“Mouse Guard” #1 (Scott Petersen)
“Planetary” #1 (+Warren Ellis and John Cassaday)
“Scott Pilgrim Vol 1″ (First chapter) (+Bryan Lee O’Malley)
“Vision Machine” #1-3 (me again and RB Silva)
“Walking Dead” #1 (Robert Kirkman and Tony Moore)
“Y The Last Man” #1 (Brian K Vaughan and Pia Guerra)

(The above is a list of modern classics (plus a few of my own comics which I’ve thrown in because I’m shameless like that). A pretty good variety of genres, all perfect starting points for their respective storylines.)

3. Click on the “Free” button on the navigation bar and download anything else that catches your fancy.

4. Read some stuff! Don’t worry about reading it all — just check out what looks like fun.

5. Then come back here (https://plus.google.com/118004481840782880691/posts/AZG6KpPjMB4) and tell us what you think!

A few questions for the conversation:

1. How was the reading experience? Did the storytelling make sense? How did reading the comic in digital form compare to reading a physical comic book?
2. Were you sucked in? Did you want to read the next issue in the series?
3. Are you now addicted? Will you read more comics? Did you pay money for anything on the Comixology app after trying out the free stuff?

Can’t wait to hear what you think!

As someone who’s always interested in roping new people into reading comics, I’ve loved +Joe Mulvey’s thought-provoking and hilarious “What do you REALLY know about comics?” interviews at http://joemulveyart.com/. The above experiment is directly inspired by Joe and his columns. Please reshare if you like the idea!

Don’t forget to follow Greg Pak’s experiment on Google+ and while you’re there feel free to add +ComiXology Comics to your circles as well. As the results pour in and more people read these awesome FREE comics be sure to check back for updates and more FREE goodies. Our library of free offerings is nearly up to 500 comic books and with comics from all your favorite publishers there is bound to be a book out there for everybody!

DC COMICS LAUNCHES ANDROID APP

Partners with comiXology to bring its DC-Branded App to Huge Android Audience

07.19.2011– NEW YORK / BURBANK, Calif., – Just in time for San Diego Comic-Con, DC Comics and comiXology have partnered to create a DC-branded app for the Android platform that is available starting today. Already one of the most popular digital comics publishers, the new app for Android users brings DC’s extensive line of the world’s greatest super heroes to an even broader mobile audience.  Additionally, DC Comics purchased via apps powered by comiXology are accessible across different platforms so customers can access a comic purchased once on the iOS and the Web as well.

“This launch is another great milestone in our digital strategy,” stated Hank Kanalz, senior vice president of digital for DC Entertainment. “Our goal is to make DC Comics available to the broadest audience possible and this Android launch extends our reach among mobile phones and tablets. We want our readers to enjoy comics whenever and wherever they want, be it at home, work or while walking around San Diego Comic-Con.”

The Android app will offer more than 3,000 issues from the DC Comics libraries, priced from $.99 to $2.99 per issue.  The hugely popular $.99 sales will also apply to comics sold via the DC Android app.

“DC has really embraced digital as a strategy to ensure that their readers will be able to enjoy their comics whenever they want,” said David Steinberger, CEO of comiXology. “The launch of the DC Comics App for Android shows their continued commitment to their amazing community as they continue to broaden their digital horizons.”

The DC Comics app for Android will leverage ‘Google In-App Billing system’ to streamline the purchasing process for any comic fan by providing users the ability to include their billing information directly into the app at the point of purchase through the Android Market billing service.

About DC Entertainment
DC Entertainment, home to iconic brands DC Comics (Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, The Flash, etc.), Vertigo (Sandman, Fables, etc.) and MAD, is the creative division charged with strategically integrating across Warner Bros. and Time Warner.  DC Entertainment works in concert with many key Warner Bros. divisions to unleash its stories and characters across all media, including but not limited to film, television, consumer products, home entertainment, and interactive games.  Publishing thousands of comic books, graphic novels and magazines each year, DC Entertainment is the largest English-language publisher of comics in the world.

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, Archaia Entertainment, BOOM! Studios, Dynamite Entertainment and Image Comics as well as their own mobile and web apps which hosts over 10,000 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.

# # #

Press Contacts:
Brandy Phillips

DC Entertainment

Brandy.Phillips@warnerbros.com

818-954-3325

–

Trace Cohen

(516) 225-7417

Tcohen@ifluencepr.com

The Smurfs are back in new digital comic form with their own dedicated iOS App

Download The Smurfs App here http://cmxl.gy/SmurfsComics

New York, NY / July 18^th, 2011 – In celebration of the all-new Smurfs movie, Papercutz, The Smurfs graphic novel publisher since September 2010, has partnered with comiXology, the leading distributor of digital comics, to launch a dedicated Smurfs App for the iOS. The Smurfs App will initially contain seven volumes and over 450 pages of Smurftastic adventures and fun for all ages!

Papercutz proudly brings these acclaimed comics to digital format for the very first time. “I grew up with these comics, they truly are classics. It’s a shame that these books, which have been in print forever everywhere else on Earth, have been out-of-print for so long in America, which is why we decided to publish them in print and digitally,” says Terry Nantier, Papercutz’s Publisher.

“Not many people realize that the Smurfs originally appeared in comics before they were adapted to animation,” continued Mr. Nantier. “Which is why we partnered with comiXology to bring the Smurfs original graphic novel adventures to our fan base in digital form with its own iOS app.”

The Smurfs, created by Pierre Culliford, known as Peyo, became so popular when they first appeared in the series Johan et Pirlouit that soon they were awarded their own graphic novel series. After an animated movie in 1976, the Smurfs starred in their own blockbuster Saturday morning TV series on NBC starting in 1981. The hit series was responsible for creating Smurf-mania, and the Smurfs were suddenly everywhere – toys, bed sheets, breakfast cereals, and more. The Smurfs aired nine seasons, and still runs on Cartoon Network’s Boomerang channel and is now available on DVD.

“The Smurfs are such an iconic brand that Papercutz has done a great job revitalizing and this app is a testament to that,” said David Steinberger, CEO of comiXology. “Having been out of print for so long, this app will ensure that anyone who wants to enjoy Smurf comics will be able to at their convenience.”

Each Smurfs volume is full-color and in comiXology’s Guided View^TM Technology that allows you to seamlessly transition from panel to panel for only $3.99. Any Smurf comics purchased will also sync with the Comics and Comics4kids iOS apps, the Comics Android app and comics.comixology.com.

A list of all the volumes and the single issue are listed below:

• The Smurfs Vol. 1: The Purple Smurf
• The Smurfs Vol. 2: The Magic Flute
• The Smurfs Vol. 3: The Smurf King
• The Smurfs Vol. 4: Smurfette
• The Smurfs Vol. 5: The Smurfs and the Egg
• The Smurfs Vol. 6: The Smurfs and the Howlibird
• The Smurfs Vol. 7: The Astro Smurf
• The Smurfs: The Smurfnapper #1

#  #  #

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, IDW Publishing, Archaia Entertainment, BOOM! Studios, Dynamite Entertainment and Image Comics as well as their own mobile and web apps which hosts over 10,000 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.

About Papercutz

Papercutz is dedicated to publishing the very best comics and graphic novels for audiences of all-ages, In the spring of 2005, Papercutz launched its line of graphic novels to great success, bringing Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys into comics for the first time in many years.  Papercutz has continued to grow over the years and is also publishes popular graphic novels Bioncles, Classics Illustrated, Disney Fairies, Geronimo Stilton, and Tales from the Crypt.

The two principals of Papercutz are Terry Nantier, founder of a leading literary graphic novel publishing company and pioneer in the field, and Jim Salicrup, the fan-fave editor who built up Spider-Man while at Marvel and who was Editor-in-Chief at Topps Comics, publishing X-Files and Xena comics, among others.

Contact:

Tracey Daniels

Media Masters Publicity/Papercutz

828-859-9456

tracey@mmpublicity.com

Trace Cohen

comiXology PR

516-225-7417

tcohen@ifluencepr.com

Archaia Entertainment Expands Relationship with comiXology for Digital Delivery of the Graphic Novel Publisher’s Acclaimed Library of Titles

comiXology Becomes Ultimate Online Resource for Archaia’s Celebrated Collection of Graphic Novels

LOS ANGELES / New York, 7/15/2011 – Archaia Entertainment will broaden its digital presence by extending its vast library of graphic novels for ongoing availability through leading online comic book distributor comiXology, as announced jointly by Archaia CEO PJ Bickett and David Steinberger, CEO of comiXology.

Starting today, comiXology will offer Archaia’s vast catalog of titles, including such Archaia staples as the Eisner Award-winning Mouse Guard, The Jim Henson Company’s Fraggle Rock, the fan-favorite Gunnerkrigg Court, and the Harvey Award-nominated The Killer, as well as digital versions of Archaia’s newest and upcoming graphic novel releases, including An Elegy for Amelia Johnson, Miranda Mercury, and Bleedout. This past May, Archaia debuted its critically acclaimed science fiction title, Days Missing (a partnership book with Roddenberry Productions), on comiXology to much success.

New titles will be made available every week as part of comiXology’s regular release schedule, with subsequent new releases that will include The New York Times 2010 Gift Guide selection Return of the Dapper Men, the Eisner Award-nominated Tumor, the first multi-language book (English / Spanish) Feeding Ground, and digital breakout hit The Grave Doug Freshley.

“We are excited and eager to see Archaia’s entire library and future offerings on comiXology,” said Bickett.

“Fast on the heels of entering into our association with Archaia Entertainment to offer select titles on our platform, we are thrilled to expand our relationship to serve as a one-stop online destination for the acclaimed graphic novel publisher’s respectable catalogue,” said Steinberger.

The new regular release partnership between Archaia and comiXology will begin with a three-day sale of the popular, aforementioned Roddenberry series Days Missing, offered at a special reduced rate beginning today and continuing through the weekend.

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, Archaia Entertainment, BOOM! Studios, Dynamite Entertainment and Image Comics as well as their own mobile and web apps which hosts over 10,000 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.

About Archaia Entertainment:

Archaia is a multi-award-winning graphic novel publisher with more than 50 renowned ongoing and stand-alone titles, including such domestic and international hits as Mouse Guard, Return of the Dapper Men, Gunnerkrigg Court, Awakening, The Killer, Okko, The Secret History, Tumor, Artesia, The Engineer, and a graphic novel line for The Jim Henson Company.  Archaia has built an unparalleled reputation for publishing innovative, imaginative, and indelible stories, building one of the industry’s most visually stunning and eclectic slates of graphic novels. Archaia was named Graphic Novel Publisher of the Year according to Ain’t it Cool News, Graphic Policy, and Comic Related, and was honored with nine 2011 Eisner Awards nominations. Archaia has also successfully emerged as a prolific storyteller in all facets of the entertainment industry, extending its popular titles into film, television, gaming, and digital media.

# # #

CONTACT:

(For Archaia Entertainment)

SSA Public Relations

David Syatt

dsyatt@ssapr.com

(818) 907-0500

(For comiXology)

Ifluence Public Relations

Trace Cohen

Tcohen@ifluencepr.com

(516) 225-7417

Critically Acclaimed Series BONE and RASL Debut on comiXology with Their Own Dedicated iOS Apps

Fans of All Ages Everywhere Can Now Enjoy One of the Greatest Comics of All Time in an Ultra-Intuitive Digital Format

New York NY, July 14^th 2011 –Named “one of the ten greatest graphics novels of all time” by TIME Magazine, BONE is now available for fans of all ages everywhere to read and enjoy in an ultra-intuitive digital format through comiXology, the leading digital comics platform provider for the iOS, Android and Web.  In collaboration with creator Jeff Smith, comiXology has created a dedicated digital comic app of the series for the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.

Created by Smith, a multiple award-winning cartoonist, the critically acclaimed BONE series centers around the humor-laced misadventures of the BONE cousins. Booklist writes: “As many comics fans know, the series chronicles the adventures of the Bone cousins–plucky Fone Bone, scheming Phony Bone, and easygoing Smiley Bone– who leave their home of Boneville and are swept up in a Tolkienesque epic of royalty, dragons, and unspeakable evil forces out to conquer humankind.”  The series will also soon to be made into a major motion picture.

“BONE is a modern day classic,” said David Steinberger, CEO of comiXology.  “We are proud to bring this multiple award-winning comic book into the digital environment for the enjoyment of fans of all ages.”

Published by the #1 children’s book publisher in the world, Scholastic, BONE is one of two books written by Smith that will be released on comiXology. The second, RASL, is a stark, black and white comic book focusing on the hard-boiled adventures of an art thief who hops through dimensional barriers, hiding out on various parallel worlds. In a starred review, Publisher’s Weekly decribed it as “ a stunning narrative that impresses with its originality, sophistication, and complexity.”  RASL will also get its own dedicated app.  And to celebrate their release, BONE #1 and RASL #1 will be free with the other books on sale for $.99 from July 14^th-19^th.

This year, Jeff Smith is celebrating twenty years in the comic book business. In 1991, he launched a company called Cartoon Books to publish his comics work, and against all odds, the small company flourished, building a reputation for quality stories and artwork.  In 2005, Scholastic Graphix began publishing Bone as a series of full-color graphic novels.  With well over 6 million books sold in the U.S. and Canada, BONE has become one of the top selling U.S. graphic novels of all time.

“comiXology is on the pulse of what readers want in the digital world,” said Jeff Smith, creator of BONE. “Based on popular demand, we couldn’t be more delighted to bring BONE to its community of loyal fans and now for the first time ever, on the iPad.”

Creator Jeff Smith will also be hosting an exclusive live Q&A on Reddit, Thursday July 14^th, from 4pm-6pm to answer any questions and thoughts that you have. Please go to www.comixology.com/reddit during that time to chat directly with him.

Any BONE and RASL comics purchased in the dedicated apps will sync and also be available to read in the Comics apps.

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, Archaia Entertainment, BOOM! Studios, Dynamite Entertainment and Image Comics as well as their own mobile and web apps which hosts over 10,000 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.