Conan the Barbarian

Digital Comics Update: Dark Horse launches Digital, NBM goes interactive, Nook gets Graphicly app, Archie translates digital to Spanish

Comic books continue their evolution into digital comics, where the sequential art form is available on mobile devices like the iPad and Android, game systems like the PSP, and web browsers. Expanding in distribution, getting more competitive with prices, and experimenting with interactivity – these are all good signs that digital comics might be growing from infant to toddler.

After some delays, Dark Horse Comics will launch their anticipated Dark Horse Digital program later today. The system was built in-house and uses a web-based system supplemented by apps for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. The comics will be priced starting at $1.49 $0.99 (versus competing apps that have comics starting at $1.99), and will be available in bundles as though you’re buying a full graphic novel collection. The app will be free and come loaded with the first issue of Hellboy: Seeds of Destruction by Mike Mignola and John Byrne. There will also be five free comics available: the first issues of Criminal Macabre by Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith, Joss Whedon‘s Fray, Mike Mignola’s Abe Sapien: The Drowning, Gerard Way‘s Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite, and Mass Effect: Redemption. The app will have hundreds of other comics for download, including issues of Conan, Joss Whedon’s Serenity, Eric Powell‘s The Goon and more. An Android app will follow.

Meanwhile on the Nook Color, Barnes & Noble has launched a new app store which includes three graphic novel apps from Graphic.ly: Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 by David Petersen, Mark Millar and JG Jones‘ Wanted, and Mark Waid‘s Irredeemable. All of the apps have been specially optimized for the Nook Color e-reader, which uses Google’s Android platform. Graphicly also has digital comics from major comics publishers available on the iPad, iPhone/iPad Touch and Android, on the web, Adobe Air, and Google’s Chrome browser app.

Dinosaurs Across America (iPad screenshot)

NBM Publishing and their all-ages Papercutz imprint has teamed up with TWP Interactive to produce what they are billing as the first interactive graphic novel, Dinosaurs Across America by Phil Yeh. (It’s not the first, but it’s still cool.) Dinosaurs Across America was first published as a traditional graphic novel in print in 2007. It was named one of the best 25 graphic novels of the year by School Library Journal and has won acclaim for its ability to teach geography to children. The new interactive edition allows the reader to zoom in on individual states, learn fun facts and play with puzzles. The interactive version is now available for $9.99 as an app for iOS devices (iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch), and for $4.99 as an e-book on Koobits.

And finally, Archie Comics continues its aggressive pursuit of digital, launching Spanish language versions of some of their digital comics Monday. The comics are available on Archie Digital, as well as their iOS app for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch provided by iVerse, and the Sony PSP. An Android app is coming soon. Further translations into French and Hindi are planned as well.

The Birth of Me in Comics

The Comic Book Database, a great resource site, has a cool new feature where you can search comic books by cover date. So, naturally I had to search for comics dated for my birth month and year: February, 1976. Play along at home!

Look out! That Assassin guy is right behind you doing exactly what you thought was impossible!

I can’t imagine it gets much awesomer than this British comic. I wish I was as tough as your boots. (Wait, did you say “Actual size”?!)

I’m not sure what’s more shocking. The Jaws double’s terribly chapped lips? Or Ghost Rider’s flaming skull and the ocean ignoring each other.

OK, I’m detecting a certain aquatic theme, possibly inspired by a certain pop culture-defining film (see: coat tail riders).

Well certainly Batman is too cool to be that lame.

Oh Batman. Really? The Olympics? Sigh…

Surely Marvel is above this kind of cheap pandering.

What in the — ?!

OK, why is Spider-Man dragging a poor innocent girl into this implausibly ridiculous yet dangerous game? Unless the little girl is subbing for the football in this demented version of Not-Soccer. You’d think something this EXTREME would bring in at least a few spectators but it looks like they couldn’t give tickets away to this game.

Later: “Eh, let’s go back to playing regular football.”

So, was it possibly football season when this issue came out?

Oh-ho! It’s funny because it’s sexist!

Oh ho! It’s funny because they have eating disorders.

Come on Captain America, help me out.

Watch out for the phallic-helmeted Trojan Horde! Let’s face it, no one can resist cataclysmic Kirby action.

To be fair, this was from a time when superheroes had to announce their ethnicity in their name. But only if they weren’t white.

Oh. My. God. I have no idea what’s happening or why, but I must have this.

If this issue doesn’t include lyrics and sheet music, I’m writing an angry letter.

Watch the hands, pal.

I understand this was the inspiration for Bill Murray’s Scrooged.

Don’t… look… behind… you. You might need more American flags printed on large sheets of cardboard paper.

Wow, this is crazy!

I think we all see what’s coming.

Dodging is so WILD!

What jerks. Worst friends ever.

Every twin I know has this exact same problem.

Stay back! It looks like someone might actually read this. We don’t stand a chance!

I love it!

This would never get published today. For several reasons.

So… Spider-Man and Storm (from the X-Men) are now thieves who steal from helpless old men? Uh… great.

And finally…

But.. but… I thought they were the same person! OK I admit it. I’m actually intrigued.

And that’s my birth month in comics! Here’s the full list, if you haven’t had enough.

(One thing to note that you may have noticed: Comics have traditionally been dated about 2-3 months in advance of their actual release date in an attempt to lengthen their shelf life, so most of these had probably been released in November or December, 1975. Still, it’s much easier go by cover date than try to determine when each individual comic actually hit stands.)