Via PR, electronic publisher WOWIO has purchased the webcomic site DrunkDuck from Platinum Studios. Just to make it all neat and tidy, Platinum once owned Wowio, but Wowio is now owned by a separate company, which is owned by Platinum exec Brian Altounian. Got all that straight? Wowio is on a spending spree, having recently raised $1.7 million, and purchased social networking site WEvolt.
Above, a page from DrunkDuck strip Fate Running Wildby Ashveira and Ryse, Selene and Mara.
WOWIO, Inc., an established market leader with an online destination (www.wowio.com) that provides access to rich digital media content and eBooks, today announced the acquisition of leading webcomics community DrunkDuck from Platinum Studios. Following last week’s acquisition of social networking site WEvolt, the acquisition of DrunkDuck will expand WOWIO’s existing library of content available for viewing, as well as broaden the site’s user base through its 95,000 community members.
“We have been exploring ways to enhance our consumer experience with additional and relevant content,” said Brian Altounian, CEO and President of WOWIO. “This acquisition provides advertisers with additional avenues to brand an even broader range of content and publishers with a new and growing digital distribution platform.”
DrunkDuck maintains one of the leading webcomics communities, where creators are able to post comics and interact with their fans daily on forums to discuss the latest news, releases, content and even collaborate on ideas. WOWIO purchased DrunkDuck from Platinum Studios /quotes/comstock/11k!pdos (PDOS 0.10, +0.01, +5.26%) , an entertainment company that controls a large international library of comic book characters. Platinum continues to focus on film and television projects such as the just-completed, self-financed DYLAN DOG: DEAD OF NIGHT film and the upcoming COWBOYS & ALIENS feature film project with DreamWorks, Imagine Entertainment and Universal, set to begin production this month. The graphic novel of COWBOYS & ALIENS is currently available for free download on WOWIO.
“DrunkDuck’s primary goal has always been to provide the community with the content and tools they need to create the stories they want to tell,” said Scott Rosenberg, Platinum Studios’ Chairman and CEO. “WOWIO shared our original vision and will now provide a platform to continue to grow the community and strengthen the DrunkDuck brand. We couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity and are thrilled that DrunkDuck is now going to be an official part of the WOWIO family.”
“The DrunkDuck site, community and existing library of content will remain unchanged,” added Altounian. “Fans, publishers and advertisers will be pleased to know that it will be business as usual for DrunkDuck as well as WOWIO, and with our recent integration plans with WEvolt, we are unifying known entities and melding them into one superior comic and eBook destination.”
In totally unrelated news, here is Platinum’s most recent quarterly report: http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1410132/000114090510000072/pdos10-q3312010.htm
Money quote: “The Company has incurred significant losses which have resulted in an accumulated deficit of $25,102,629 as of March 31, 2010. The Company plans to seek additional financing in order to execute its business plan, but there is no assurance the Company will be able to obtain such financing on terms favorable to the Company or at all.”
Any word on how this might change Drunk Duck’s policies regarding comics published on its site? I recall some controversy a while ago based on Platinum and their stance on comics published via Drunk Duck…
Are they going to change the name of the Drunk Duck site? (Please say “yes”)
While there may be some cute, insidery meaning to the name “Drunk Duck” – it communicates nothing about comics and turns some of us off.
If that sample page is indicative of the typical quality of the work they release, the name ‘DrunkDuck’ seems fittingly appropriate.
To clear up a couple things, the acquisition should have no effect on the policies regarding comics published on the site. All content published on the site will remain the sole property of the content creator, and Wowio will not use any of it without the owner’s express permission.
There are no current plans to change the name of the site.
“There are no current plans to change the name of the site.”
If you’re not selling intoxicated fowl then perhaps there should be…
how long can the platinum shell game go on? parts of the company (that aren’t) buying and selling each other… if they were public, the SEC could look into them… oh well.
Random Observer — Not sure if that was a joke, but Platinum is public. See my comment above.
They were sort of the gift that kept on giving as far as comics journalism goes, at least until they threatened to sue me so I’d stop writing about them.
After being a finalist in the inaugural COMIC BOOK CHALLENGE created/sponsored by Platinum, I was left with a very sour taste in my mouth for Platinum Studios. And if you’ve even remotely kept up with them in the news, you’ll know why I choose to completely avoid having any dealings with them or their “products”.