uClick has signed up BONE for its GoComics reader:
Fone Bone, Smiley Bone and Phoney Bone are coming to mobile phones! uclick has announced an agreement that brings Jeff Smith’s wildly popular Bone series to mobile phones through the GoComics Mobile Comic Book Reader.
The first mobile installment of the critically acclaimed series launched on July 26. New chapters are released weekly.
“I’m always excited about trying new things,” said Bone creator Jeff Smith, “and GoComics lets you have the Bone adventures at your fingertips. Besides, it just makes sense to have Fone on your phone!”
One of the greatest success stories of independent publishing, Bone began in 1991 as a self-published, black-and-white comic book found only on the shelves of specialty stores. The story quickly caught on with fans, becoming an instant cult hit and soon exploding into a national phenomenon.
Today, the multiple Eisner-, Harvey- and National Cartoonist Society-award-winning epic is collected in a black-and-white, 1300-page single volume edition as well as newly colorized graphic novels from Scholastic, available everywhere from comic book shops to bookstores and even public libraries.
While Smith has a long and storied history as a publishing maverick, uclick Manager of Product Development Harold Sipe asserts that the debut of Bone on GoComics will be groundbreaking, representing an unprecedented endorsement for comic books on mobile phones.
“Bone is a stunning work that belongs within the pantheon of great comic book literature,” said Sipe. “Its whimsical characters, perfect blend of humor, adventure and fantasy, and of course, dazzling full-color artwork absolutely shine on mobile phones. Fans are going to love the way this story unfolds on their screens.”
GoComics offers a wide variety of exciting comic books optimized for mobile phone screens. Their star- studded lineup includes Virgin Comics, the sci-fi fantasy hits GØDLAND and Elephantmen, the webcomic-turned-comic-book PvP, the manga and anime horror import Guilstein, high-flying martial arts fun starring the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and many more. The Mobile Comic Book Reader is available on all major carriers, including Cingular, Verizon and Sprint.
For more information on uclick’s GoComics mobile line, visit www.gocomics.com/comicbooks.
Mobile phone comics are becoming huge in Japan and are credited/blamed for the decline in printed manga sales there. Will it become a similar phenomenon here? Hard to say, but I hope to see some competition in this market real soon.