Image Comics Partners with comiXology to Relaunch Their Website

Berkeley, CA – 29 July 2011 — Image Comics is pleased to introduce a completely redesigned Website, which includes many additional features and improvements. ComiXology, who created and continues to maintain the Image App for digital comics, has once again partnered with the publisher for the redesign of their Website.

Some of those exciting features and improvements include:

• A new online database which will help fans search for their favorite comics and discover new favorites by allowing them to search by creator, series title, or even genre.

• A live RSS feed, inviting fans to keep abreast of the latest Image Comics news and participate in the Image Comics community via Twitter and Facebook.

• A section devoted to digital comics for sale, including some downloads that are even available for free! Read all of Images Comics digital comics at comics.imagecomics.com.

• The Image Comics Forums, which will continue to give creators, retailers, and fans alike an online home for questions and discussion.

“A company’s Website represents your business when you can’t, so Image took proactive measures with us to ensure that their online presence represents them well,” said David Steinberger, CEO of comiXology. “Their new site functionality will ensure that all of their comics are easily discoverable by their community, and allow them to directly interact with them as well.”

“Imagecomics.com has been due for an overhaul for some time, but we’re all extremely happy with the latest iteration of our site,” added Image Comics Publisher Eric Stephenson. “How comics are marketed, sold and read continues to change at a rapid pace, so there’s always more work to be done, but the comiXology crew have given us a fantastic framework to move forward with.”

Some of the features that Image Comics fans can look forward to in coming months will include:

• An exclusive retailers-only section that will offer assets and information for retailers to assist them in sales, and will require a log-in code to enter.

• A section for libraries and educators that will offer assets, plans and information to aid them in their quest to get people reading and enjoying comics.

The new Website at www.imagecomics.com is live now, so please have a look, and you may just discover your new favorite comics there!

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 IMAGE COMICS

Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.

Who are The Warriors of Jarvath? Part Two

Now that Nate Simpson’s groundbreaking comic Nonplayer is officially available on comixology, we’re bringing you part two of our exclusive interview with the man behind the magic. This time we talk, comics, video games, the future, and even video games of the future! Check it out below along with part one a little further down this page:

comiXology: So as a game designer could you explain a little more about how the game “Warriors of Jarvath” works? How different is it from the MMO’s of our time?

Nate Simpson: I get into this much more in the second issue, but the key difference is that the non-player characters are unique and mortal. No two players ever have the same experience, and if an NPC dies, he’s dead forever. It isn’t an on-rails quest structure, like you find in WoW. Instead, there’s a much more generative experience — player actions have lasting effects on the way the world of Jarvath develops.

comiXology: Just for fun could you give us your top three favorite fantasy video games?

NS: If you’ll allow me to stretch the traditional definition of “fantasy,” I’ll say Katamari Damacy, Ico, and Shadow of the Colossus. That’s in no particular order.

comiXology: What about Sci-fi adventure games?

NS: Half-Life 2 and Portal are easily my favorites. As for the third… can I just say Katamari Damacy again? It’s got space shuttles in it. That makes it sci-fi, right?

comiXology: Now that the first issue is available to readers everywhere, what are you hoping fans will take away from the story?

NS: The key goal for issue one was to show Dana’s dual existence, and how her personality changed in different contexts. I also needed to push over the first plot domino by taking Queen Fendra away from Heremoth — that’s the event that propels the rest of the story. And behind all that, I wanted to reveal as much as I could about the setting and backstory without resorting to expository dialogue. Hopefully the takeaway is that Dana’s interests, problems, and flaws are not all that different from ours, and that there are some things going on around her that will challenge her world-view and her sense of herself.

comiXology: What are your plans for the series overall? got anything you can tease us with?

NS: Hm. All I can say is that the central premise of the story has yet to be shown, though there are hints in the first issue that I have not yet heard discussed online. It’s been tough to talk about Nonplayer’s plot in public, because the core of my original elevator pitch hasn’t been revealed yet. It’ll be interesting to see how people react to the second and third issues.

comiXology: What’s it like seeing your work on comiXology? and for that matter what are your thoughts on digital distributions so far?

NS: This is huge for me. Frankly, I feel like I came to comics at the last possible moment to see my work in print. It’s great to have something physical to flip through, but I’m also very excited about the democratization, decentralization, and format flexibility that’s coming with the movement of comics into iTunes territory. And with the advent of tablets, we’ve now got the comics equivalent of the iPod, as well. As soon as digital displays cross the 300dpi threshold, I’m going all-in. I fully expect the primary thrust of my next series to be digital, with physical copies becoming the comics equivalent of LPs. For readers who are comfortable with owning ones and zeroes, the digital version should be perfect, and that will allow us to focus on a nicer presentation for the physical version — perhaps in a European format, with larger pages and hardback covers. It’s a very exciting time to be making comics, and you guys are a big part of that!

Nate Simpson’s Nonplayer #1 is available for download on the Image app, Comics app, our web store and on Android. Be sure not to miss this incredible debut from one of the best new creator’s of 2011 and don’t forget to bookmark the blog at comiXology for all the latest in exclusive creator interviews and digital comics news!

Who are The Warriors of Jarvath? An Interview with Nate Simpson (Part 1)

With issue #1 selling out across the country comiXology is proud to present the latest hit from Image Comics; Nate Simpson’s Nonplayer. With gorgeous art and masterful storytelling, Nonplayer is quickly becoming one of the most talked about independent comics of 2011. In addition to offering the first issue through the image app, comics app and web store this week, we were also given the chance to ask Nate a few questions about the book and it’s creation. Check out the interview below (the second part of which will be posted soon) than go download the first issue.

comiXology: Thanks for your time Nate, So Nonplayer has been making waves across the internet as issue #1 continues to sell out in local comic book shops across the country. In your own words can you tell us what this series is about?

Nate Simpson: Sure. Nonplayer follows the not-so-spectacular life of Dana Stevens, a tamale delivery girl in the future who spends most of her time inside a full-immersion MMO called “Warriors of Jarvath.” In the real world, she’s a college dropout who still lives with her mom, but inside Jarvath she’s an elite assassin. Unbeknownst to her, the non-player characters within the game have recently achieved sentience, and they’ve realized they don’t like being hunted for sport. When she kills the wife of celebrity game character King Heremoth, she ends up on the receiving end of a major blood vendetta that may or may not be confined to the game.

comiXology: What do you make of all the buzz around this first issue? any chance you could tell us what the past few weeks have been like?

NS: It’s been a wonderful surprise — as you may have guessed from the size of the first print run, we were far from certain it would be well received! I’m especially glad that it seems to have struck a chord with some folks who don’t normally read comics. The medium has limitless potential, but I think there’s been a tendency for publishers to push what’s done well in the past, which in the West usually means men in tights or mopey autobiographical comics. So it’s nice that something that doesn’t fit neatly into either category has found a little audience. I’m very excited to see how comiXology readers respond to the book.

Of course, it’s a whole new challenge to focus on the second issue with so much hype flying around. It’s so tempting to start buying into it, but you still have to go to your studio every morning and face that blank page and ask your muse to come out, which can be tricky with all this commotion going on. I’m having to exercise some pretty extreme internet discipline.

comiXology: Much of the progress and development of Nonplayer #1 was charted online long before the issue hit store. What made you want to share your experience with the internet?

NS: Mostly, I needed to feel like I wasn’t making the whole thing in a vacuum. When you’ve spent your whole life working for other people, it can be a little strange to find yourself boss-less. I sort of turned my blog into a manager — I often found myself apologizing online when I took too long to finish a page, for example. I don’t think anybody who read the blog really cared, but I had to make believe that somebody out there was waiting for each post.

Of course, the blog later proved to have some educational value, as I learned new tricks from commenters who had more experience with digital art-making. And then at some point, after I’d posted the first few finished pages, the blog began to serve a promotional purpose, as well. It ultimately connected me with the people at Image.

comiXology: Now you worked in the gaming prior to dipping your toes into the comic world. What made you want to try your hand at comics in the first place?

NS: I’ve been attempting comics since I was a kid — I’ve tried several times to climb that mountain, but I’ve never had either the preparation or the stamina to make it over the top. This time around, it was a collection of storyboards for Hayao Miyazaki’s Nausicaa that got me fantasizing about storytelling again. And there were lots of other factors that made it easier to finally get through a project. Having a wife who was willing to support me both emotionally and financially was crucial — this just wouldn’t have happened without her. And I’d also saved up some money from my video game days, which kept us afloat when things got especially tight.

Working in games is great, but I think a lot of game artists wonder what they might accomplish if they didn’t have all of those technical, budgetary, and managerial constraints on their work. The medium of comics allows you to explore the outermost boundaries of your imagination. That’s pretty hard to beat.

comiXology: What was your biggest influence in creating the world of Nonplayer?

NS: Besides Miyazaki, my four biggest art heroes are Moebius, Geof Darrow, William Stout, and Arthur Rackham. Moebius, Rackham, and Stout all do incredible things with visual flow — the way foreground and background elements relate to each other, and the way the eye circulates naturally around a page. There are no dead ends in their drawings. And then there’s the Where’s Waldo-ness of Darrow’s work, which I’ve always loved. I’m nowhere close to any of these guys, but I’m sure they’ve had an effect on the way I think about illustrating a story.

We’ll be back with more from Nate a little later this week as we talk video games and the future of this incredible series. In the meantime go read Nonplayer! available for download today!

The Walking Dead Collection Sale

It’s been hailed as a modern comics masterpiece, a milestone of the horror genre and was the 2010 Eisner award winning for best on-going series. It’s issues have gone Day and Date, been adapted into episodes for a hit T.V. show and have continued to deliver thrills and chills since issue #1 hit store shelfs way back in 2003. Now nearly eight years and 81 issues later the series has become a near unstoppable force in the world of creator owned comics, however the fact remains that if you haven’t experienced The Walking Dead in a trade, you haven’t really experienced at all.

With each volume collecting six issues at a time. The trade editions present the story of The Walking Dead in the way series creator Robert Kirkman intended it to be read. Volume #1 Days Gone Bye tells of the desperate struggle of Rick Grimes as he awakes in a hospital to find the world he once knew and the civilization he was once sworn to protect; destroyed.  From there things go from bad to worse as the series escalates to a tale of distopian survival among the backdrop of a bitter winter, a maximum security prison sell and all out war that is not only extremely violent but also extremely human.

The collected volumes are a perfect way to get into the series from the beginning, and right now the first eleven trades are on sale for $5.99 a piece. That’s roughly 40% off the cover price and a huge savings on the series overall! So whether you have been curious about the series, are looking for a great read, or simply a new way to experience a classic favorite take advantage of this amazing offer today. It won’t be around long and with issue #82 toping tomorrow’s pull list, why not take the time to get caught up what you’ve missed?

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.

Press Release: comiXology, Image Comics and Robert Kirkman Team Up to Debut Digital Comics App for Award Winning THE WALKING DEAD Series

Click here for the official press release

Zombie Lovers Everywhere Can Now Enjoy THE WALKING DEAD Series on All iOS Devices

New York, NY – To commemorate the highly anticipated AMC series premiere of The Walking Dead this Halloween, comiXology has created a dedicated digital comic app of the award-winning series for the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch in collaboration with Image Comics and the comic’s creator Robert Kirkman.

The Walking Dead, which won the 2010 Eisner Award for Best Continuing Series at San Diego Comic Con, recently went day-and-date with its digital version on comiXology-enabled devices and Web reader and is now giving its loyal fan base the ability to enjoy the comic in all of its gory in its own dedicated app. The Walking Dead in digital format is exclusive to the Comics by comiXology platform.

“Robert Kirkman and Image Comics have been great partners of ours and we love to see them continually pushing the envelope with The Walking Dead series,” said David Steinberger, CEO of comiXology. “Through this new app, zombie lovers everywhere will be getting a full dose of their favorite comic on their mobile devices all in one location. We’ve even added all the collected editions.”

The story centers around Rick Grimes, a former police officer who was shot in the line of duty and woke up from a coma after the world had succumbed to the zombie plague. Dazed from months in the hospital, and confused as to why he can’t find anyone alive, he begins his journey to find his wife and son.

“Today’s app release will provide fans of The Walking Dead, new and old alike, another way to enjoy this series,” said Robert Kirkman. “The Walking Dead app will make the series that much more accessible to the new generation that, more often than not, experiences their entertainment completely digitally. I couldn’t be more thrilled to be working with comiXology, on the eve of the debut of the AMC television series, to bring this series in front of a whole new generation of readers.”

The Walking Dead app can be found in the iTunes App Store here and on comics.comixology.com.

The purchases made in The Walking Dead app will also be available in the Comics by comiXology app and online at comics.comixology.com.

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/

About Robert Kirkman
Robert Kirkman is a New York Times bestselling author known for being the cultural zeitgeist of the comic book industry. Following the grassroots success of the self-published Battle Pope (2000), Kirkman caught the eye of Image Comics founding partner Erik Larsen. After several short-term projects (SuperPatriot and TechJacket), he achieved superstar status in 2003 with Invincible and The Walking Dead. During a subsequent stint at Marvel Comics, he gained many new fans with the haunting and hilarious Marvel Zombies. MTV translated Kirkman’s Invincible into a motion comic — one of the first in a growing industry trend. Kirkman’s SKYBOUND imprint, under the Image Comics umbrella, is committed to fostering up-and-coming talent in the industry, and all acquisitions are hand-picked by Kirkman himself. Kirkman won the 2010 Eisner Award for Best Continuing Series for The Walking Dead.

Second helpings: The Bulletproof Coffin #3

Hey folks, Taylor here. As I hope y’all know, I co-host comixology’s weekly podcast “It Came out on Wednesday” with Jake.  While we usually cover a nice chunk of new releases for review, there are plenty of books that slip through the cracks or merit a second, in-depth look.

Here, I take up issue three of “The Bulletproof Coffin,” giving special attention to the opening and some of the broader ideas of the series.

Enjoy!

First thing’s first.  If you haven’t gotten around to “The Bulletproof Coffin” please do. The Image mini-series by acclaimed UK indie team David Hine and Shaky Kane is about Steven Neuman, a junk diving repo-man of sorts, who stumbles across an apocryphal stash of Golden Nuggets comics. Golden Nuggets is an old comics publisher that was bought out by Big 2 Publishing (Big Two? geddit?).  This fictional comics franchise was cancelled in the ‘60’s but the issues Neuman finds are new.  Soon Neuman, a fanatical collector of pop cultural ephemera, finds that he is beginning to confuse his identity with that of his favorite cult superhero, Coffin Fly.

The first two issues of this six-shot left me satisfied but I was worried by the concept as a whole. I had faith in Hine’s writing, but by nature of the premise, the series seemed bound to resort to dated postmodern trickery and gimmicky storytelling conceits. I was especially worried with the conflation of Neuman and Coffin Fly; an awfully familiar meta-textual move.

I’m happy to say this third issue has set my doubts aside. It opens with Neuman as Coffin Fly, prowling the ruins of a wasteland future in a death tank.  Neuman feels at one with the machine and tries to get into the role of Coffin Fly. As the narration reads:

“There was a blurb that ran on the contents page of the Coffin Fly’s comics. How did it go?”

‘Doomed to a life of unimaginable solitude! A creature who is less than human, yet also so much more—’ COFFIN FLY!

‘In the far-flung future, the Earth has been reduced to an arid wasteland! Here Coffin Fly wages a lonely war against those who would plunder and desecrate mankind’s heritage!’

“Yeah. That was it.”

Here we’ve got quotes doing double duty. The double quotation is strictly Neuman’s. The single quotes throw a monkey wrench into the narration. They could be Neuman’s memory of the original Coffin Fly blurb but they come with a suddenness and clarity that complicates this conclusion. They appear to stand alone, a self-sustaining heroes’ incantation that has a life all it’s own.  Also, the words seem like they could be in dialogue with Neuman’s words. Maybe the voice is a possessing spirit (a trope not at all unfamiliar with superhero comics)?

I’ve zeroed-in on this opener because it makes a proper guidepost for the themes of this issue and the series as a whole. The first pages have Neuman/Coffin Fly scouring the wastes for cultural artifacts. He’s collected water guns, glow in the dark watches, and toys shaped like fast-food icons. He understands his mission but continuously asks ‘why?’ Through Neuman’s identity crisis and scavenging, Hine and Kane are confronting us with our own need (even, duty?) to sort out the culture that surrounds and shapes us. We are the unwitting subjects—consciously or not—of collective cultural debris that encompasses Bach and B-Movies at once. Other writers have approached these ideas but Hine and Kane keep a loving focus on comics with tactics such as the superhero blurb.

Later in the issue, Coffin Fly teams up with Ramona, Queen of the Stone Age. Ramona is another character from the Golden Nuggets universe made flesh but she also harkens back to real world comic heroine Sheena, Queen of the Jungle. The imaginative world of the fictional Neuman is willed by the impression Sheena has made on the minds on our own comic culture. Coffin Fly and Ramona team-up to fight the Hateful Dead, a legion of undead zombies from the Vietnam War.   The Hateful Dead is an inspired bit of lunacy that runs the risk of distaste. The zombie mob is equal parts generic recycling and genuine historical trauma. What saves the odd creation from offense is that Hine and Kane use it to once again highlight Neuman’s role as a social and pop culture curator. As he guns down the horde, he lives out the memories of the soldiers in his mind—memories relived in joyously purple prose.  That fateful zombie showdown captures the best of the series so far. It both confronts and indulges in familiar pop culture tropes and a collective cultural history.