PCDW: Zealous about comics once again

Note: Today's PCDW post was written by FBU writer Caine:

MySpace incorporated into major comicbook event: "Spawnspace"

Image Comics and MySpace have teamed up to release Todd McFarlane and Whilce Portacio's SPAWN relaunch as the second issue sells out at a distribution-level!


“Todd McFarlane Productions is excited to be partnering with Myspace Comics to bring the fans Spawn #185," McFarlane said. "Myspace Comics is the wave of the new generation. Many fans have turned to this form of modern communication. I hope you enjoy looking at a medium that is challenging how things have been traditionally done.”

At first glance this may seem like not such a big deal. I mean most everyone reading this will know about Myspace, and the comic book Spawn. Myspace comics was launched some time ago and seems to have established a following. Spawn is a popular comic book character launched under the Image comics banner in 1992 with the companies first wave of titles that has crossed into nearly all mediums: comics, cartoons, a movie, anime, and has established an abundance of spin offs such as Angela, Curse of the Spawn, Sam & Twitch to achieve a level of success that few independent comic books ever see.

Spawn #185 however is a complete relaunch aimed at invigorating the franchise for a new era. A relaunch produced by two very prominent names in the industry; Todd McFarlane and Wilce Portacio, both of whom are creators who don't necessarily need myspace to get the word out concerning their new comic. A mere mention of a new Spawn between the two creators at the end of a panel discussion at a comic-con was enough for plenty of buzz on the blogosphere.

Todd McFarlane and Wilce Portacio have chosen to use Myspace. Coming from these two, that's a powerful statement. One that reminds me of my glory days of paper comics...

-Image News

PCDW Points: 50,000

Wired [gadgets] proclaims comics are finally being done right on the iPhone: "COMIC ZEAL"

ComicZeal is another application for reading comic books on the iPhone and, despite being a little rough around the edges gets things pretty much right. Back in August we took a look at two other comic readers for the iPhone but they both failed on one essential point: They split the pages into individual frames, leaving the reader unable to enjoy more complex, dramatic page designs.

Comic Zeal lets you read whole pages in the same way as Mobile Safari lets you read whole web pages: You just pinch to zoom in. And although the iPhone's screen is a little small for the medium, reading comics with Comic Zeal works surprisingly well.

Comic Zeal comes with an application that allows the user to upload their own comics! Granted, right now it seems a bit complicated for the average user and may not be something you want to bother with at this time but the app bears mentioning anyway.

-Wired

PCDW Points: 15,000

...if the iPhone is to your liking but for the screen size than this is for you:

Small Screen Woes:The Samsung P4 and the Foldable Screen

We knew that foldable screens were in the future of tech, but I didn’t expect it this soon. My jaw dropped when I saw this demo of Samsung’s latest OLED screen fold up on itself. The video demo is of poor quality, but it looks like it’s a very vibrant screen and video continues to play as it folds.

Targeted to mobile phones, it’s a natural assumption that this will be seen sometime in an upcoming Samsung MP3 player. We know the P3 is right around the corner but perhaps this technology will be ready for the P4. But additionally, Samsung’s tech could find itself to other brands, since many of them rely on Samsung for displays. The iriver clix 2 was the first to use their cutting edge AMOLED screen before anyone else. This opens up exciting new possibilities of portable form factors- I hope to check this out first hand at CES this January. Stay tuned.

-anythingbutipod.com

PCDW Points: 10,000

and there is also:

Gigabyte’s little M528 internet notelet joins n810, S6

"I liked the Nokia n810 when I saw it at last year’s CES, and now there’s a little more competition in the mid-size internet device area as Gigabyte enters the stage with the M528. Bigger than a full-touchscreen mobile phone but smaller than a netbook, these devices comprise a questionable subgenus of the compact computing market. The question is, does this device do anything my G1, or say a Touch Pro or Tilt doesn’t?

Is there a value to the extra diagonal inch of screen, or are they attempting to fill a demand that doesn’t exist? Well, with 800MHz Atom processors in them, they’re certainly more powerful than other pocketable items, but until I have one in my hands I can’t decide."

-crunchgear.com

PCDW Points: 25,000

SALE @marvel.com

If you're a Marvel fan, as I know Jim and a lot of you are, this may interest you:

• Read 5,000 issues, including the first 100 issues of Spider-Man!
• Access exclusive comics not available in stores.
• Enjoy thousands of comics featuring Iron Man, Hulk, the X-Men and many other Marvel characters!

Me? I'm a diehard DC fan so this only manages to rub it in that DC has yet to put together a digital delivery system for its legion of fans. :(

PCDW Points: 5,000

Do you Twitter?Anything and everything associated with digital comic books have been mentioned and even tried on twitter.com. Twitter Comics Twitter Fiction Twitter RPG and more have all been pumped through twitter.com's api. Marvel comics are no exception:

Flash forward a year and a half and we now have a dedicated Marvel Twitter feed (run by myself and a few minions), to spread news and info, as well as converse with the fans. Our "follower" count (those who subscribe to our feed) grows by leaps and bounds every day and the number of Marvel creators, staffers and associates is nearing 100.

And that last part is what really made me want to write this story, spread the word and get to know your pals at Marvel a little better. Who's on Twitter? Check it:

Marvel writers on Twitter include (but are not limited to) Brian Michael Bendis, Ed Brubaker, Duane Swierczynski, Andy Diggle, Jason Aaron, Ivan Brandon, Rick Remender, Matt Fraction, Warren Ellis, Brian Reed, Jim McCann, C.B. Cebulski, Brian Keene, Simon Spurrier, Jonathan Hickman and Paul Cornell.

-marvel.com

Now you wn't find any actual comic books on the marvel twitter stream but following some of the most active and outspoken marvel creators to date can be almost as fun, and with amazing apps like those above who know what could happen...

PCDW Points: 5,000 [ because this is bound to lead to the death of more paper]

Have a great holiday weekend!

- Caine