Digital Comics

Tolja there was more coming from comiXology, as an app for the new-style Windows 8 is also launching.

We can tell you already that comiXology is going to have a BIG show, and here's the first announcement: a new Simpsons-themed app for iOS devices which will roll out tomorrow with a specially chosen selection of Bongo-published Simpsons comics. Interestingly, the comics will NOT be day and date but rather go on sale a month after newsstands.

After a long testing period, and a lot of controversy along the way, Diamond and iVerse are finally going live with Diamond Digital on July 23rd. The program will allow Diamond accounts to set up their own digital storefront, sell download codes and otherwise engage in the digital sales that everyone thought would kill comics but which has, instead, led to growing sales. The program has been in beta for some time now, with some lively feedback from participating retailers. Publishers represented in the program include IDW, Image, Archie, APE, Arcana, Bluewater, BOOM!, Broadsword, Hermes, Sea Lion, Top Shelf, Viper Comics, and Within Temptation—Marvel and DC have yet to opt in.

Jason Latour and Robbi Rodriguez put Wolverine in the corner

Didn't see that one coming. Whether it was the smartly rolled out launch, the srong opening line-up or just a lack of interest in Anderson Cooper's sex life, the announcement of the new MonkeyBrain Comics digital line caught the imagination of Twitter to the point where it was trending for much of the day; and also smartly, to take advantage of the excitement, comiXology and MonkeyBrain decided to launch early—all five of their comics are available now in comiXology.

Didn't see that one coming. Whether it was the smartly rolled out launch, the srong opening line-up or just a lack of interest in Anderson Cooper's sex life, the announcement of the new MonkeyBrain Comics digital line caught the imagination of Twitter to the point where it was trending for much of the day; and also smartly, to take advantage of the excitement, comiXology and MonkeyBrain decided to launch early—all five of their comics are available now in comiXology.

Well, well, well. This is gold rush time for new digital comics imprints/initiatives. Not only did MonkeyBrain roll out its lineup today, but we also have The Whole Story, a new portal for original graphic novels for some of the top indie creators including:

After teases over the last few weeks, details on the new Monkeybrain Comics imprint from Chris Roberson and Allison Baker have been announced. The line launches on July 4th with five titles: Aesop’s Ark by J. Torres and Jennifer L. Meyer Amelia Cole and the Unknown World by Adam P. Knave, DJ Kirkbride and Nick Brokenshire Bandette by Paul Tobin and Colleen Coover Edison Rex by Chris Roberson and Dennis Culver October Girl by Matthew Dow Smith The line will be distributed digitally, exclusively with ComiXology. As Roberson explained in a press conference this afternoon, it's essentially an Image Comics like deal: Monkeybrain will take a small cut for packing and marketing, but all copyright will remain with the creators. According to Roberson, the line is very focused on completely creator owned projects. "Neither writer or artist can be working in a work for hire capacity. We do ask the projects that come to us if it's a collaborative team, that everyone share share some level of ownership in the property."

by Bruce Lidl

With the Google I/O developer conference taking place, it was a big week for Google, with a series of announcements touching on a number of their business initiatives. Maybe the biggest is the release of their Nexus 7 tablet device. Built by Taiwanese hardware manufacturer ASUS but sporting the latest version of the Android operating system (“Jelly Bean” or 4.1), the Nexus 7 is Google’s first serious foray into the tablet space, and in hardware generally. Apple’s dominance in the tablet space with the iPad remains essentially unchallenged right now, and the Nexus 7 is not likely to change that significantly, but it does demonstrate that Google, like Microsoft and Amazon, with their Surface and Kindle Fire tablets respectively, is not going to surrender the space just yet.

So now we know that Kindle exclusive is really OVER, as DC has officially announced that DC graphic novels will be available for B&N's Nook. The comics, which include the 100 favorite such as WATCHMEN as well as the new launch of New 52 collections, will be readable in a new "Zoom View" format—which is B&N's version of comiXology's guided view.

We told you about the now Legendary webcomic The Oatmeal having an amazingly sarcastic response to a threatening legal letter and starting a charitable fundraiser. Then we told you that the lawyer who sent the initial letter decided to sue Matthew Inman (of The Oatmeal), the charities he was planning on donating to, and Indiegogo (which he was using as a fundraising tool.) If you thought the strangest was over, this affair has done nothing but snowball since then. Yes, while following the links spinning out of this story, I came across Batman's point ears in a place I really wasn't expecting to see them. We'll get to that in due course.

Disney comics is a complicated topic. Disney bought Marvel, but the BOOM! had some of their licenses. BOOM! lost the licenses, but Marvel didn't exactly come charging out of the gate with a lot of Disney titles. If you were paying attention to job listings, you'd also see Disney was hiring comics editors and digital comics people for their publishing office in White Plains (which is about to move to Burbank). It looks like we're seeing their first product: the "Brave Interactive Comic."