Category Archives: Technology

GlobalComix Announces App Beta Testing Open Enrollment

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There has been a lot of worry and questions as to the future of digital comics due to recent instability in the current juggernaut comiXology. Other platforms have been stepping up in recent years, one of which is GlobalComix. The digital comic platform has announced that they have opened beta testing for their GlobalComiX App.

The team has announced a limited open-enrollment for the GlobalComix App Closed Beta Test, including phases for feedback, fixing issues, and optimizing performance for a wide variety of mobile devices for the comics community and its readers.

This is the first of many rounds for testing participation; spaces are limited, so not all entries are guaranteed for enrollment. You can help make the comicsphere a better place by signing up, using this form.

GlobalComix App

Role announces its support for ORC

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Open RPG

It’s been an interesting few weeks for the tabletop roleplaying community. Debates over open licensing have been at a high with a group of publishers coming together to announce a new license, ORC.

Role has announced that it will fully support all works published under the ORC initiative.

You can read Role’s full announcement below:

It’s been an incredible few weeks in the TTRPG community. We’ve seen & participated in the rise of a great tide of creators, publishers, and platforms charting a new destiny & embracing the open license-mentality that makes this medium so special and unique.

We’re pleased to announce that Role will fully support all published works under the upcoming ORC license initiative! 

Role has always been a community & platform that puts creators first. This has not changed. Our convictions around an open publishing ecosystem have never wavered. We believe in a TTRPG industry that embraces the community storytelling, game design, and innovation that is uniquely born from all of us working together.

Graffity Partners with Qualcomm and Nreal to Launch Two AR Games with AR Glasses at CES

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Graffity has launched two AR games using AR glasses, GrooveWave and SushiCraft in collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies and AR glasses startup Nreal at CES 2023. AR rhythm game Groove Wave utilizes AR glasses Nreal Light developed by Nreal. SushiCraft, an AR sushi making game, utilizes Snapdragon Spaces Developer Platform, and Lenovo’s ThinkReality A3 glasses. Additionally, Graffity has joined the Snapdragon Spaces Pathfinder program to leverage Snapdragon Spaces technology and bring new ideas to life in AR. Graffity is exhibiting at CES to meet with partners who want to develop AR entertainment content using its patented multiplayer AR technology and knowledge of game planning and development.

Graffity’s Strengths

  • Deep experience in creating AR games for smartphones and AR glasses, having already  developed several AR games, Graffity has key knowledge in game planning and development utilizing AR
  • Strong in multiplayer game development, having obtained patents for its multiplayer AR technology
  • One-stop support for planning, development, maintenance and operation of AR games

AR rhythm game, GrooveWave with Nreal Light:

Groove Wave is a rhythm game fighting against enemies on the battlefield which expands the entire room.

Key Features

  • Analyze the enemy’s sound signs to DODGE.
    • By analyzing sound signs that every enemy will show before they attack, you can predict their attack. Every attack type has its own unique sound sign, memorizing them all is the only way to dodge the enemy attack.
  • Move the entire room to battle.
    • To dodge all attacks and get an attack chance, you need to move around the entire room. Use the battlefield dynamically.
  • Ride on the groove, get a rhythm and feel.
    • Playing with rhythm and riding on the groove to dodge enemy attacks is the best way to beat this game.

AR sushi making game, SushiCraft, designed on Snapdragon Spaces:

SushiCraft is an AR sushi making game where you make sushi and compete for a score using hand tracking

Key Features

  • Hand tracking is used to make sushi by taking sushi ingredients and rice.
  • Various themes, such as salmon and sea urchin, are presented, and players are given time to make the corresponding sushi.
  • Make sushi in time and earn points based on the number of completed sushi. 

Interpop announces the Emergents TCG global release in February 2023

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InterPop is celebrating the first year of the ever-expanding fan-driven Emergents Universe with a trading card game, moving from Public Beta to global release on February 6, 2023! Among the team behind this new initiative are pro-players, and game designers Corey Burkhart, Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosa, Brian David-Marshall, Zvi Mowshowitz, and Drew Nolosco. This team counts two in the Magic: the Gathering Hall of Fame, the 2020-2021 Magic the Gathering World Champion, with multiple pro-tournament wins, and a resume of over 50 games and expansions released. Cards in the game feature art from legendary talent like Scott Kolins, Colleen Doran, Adrián Gutiérrez, and more.

The Emergents Trading Card Game taps into this already expansive universe and its rich storylines to create an unmatched player experience, while leveraging the power of the Tezos blockchain to turn cards into digital collectibles, with the ability to own your cards, cosmetics, and other game assets, via the almost any wallet in the Tezos ecosystem. The game combines the deep strategy of traditional TCGs, the convenience and fast pace of digital TCGs, and the digital ownership of Web3. 

Players can learn more about this rich universe and its characters Interpop Comics series The Nine, Emergents Presents, #ZoeMG, The Abyss, and The Rejects, which established this brand new superhero universe, with all comics available digitally via their InterPop Comics readership platform.

The Emergents Trading Card has been in Public Beta since August of this year, where players can download the game and start building their decks with regularly-updated batches of Free Set cards. As in the comics, the powers behind characters in The Emergents TCG are divided into 5 factions: Tinkerers, Acolytes, Sculptors, Strongarms, and Non-Stops. Each faction has its own advantages and disadvantages, and players are already finding exciting ways to creatively configure their decks.

To get players started with their own cards at launch, InterPop ran the Super Booster Flash Sale, which offered three tiers of “Super Booster Promo Packs” containing cards with exclusive artwork from artists like Scott Kollins, Colleen Doran, and Bill Sienkiewicz, player avatars, and Emergents Universe comics.

Anime NYC 2022: Tatesc Comics launches on Book Walker Global in English

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Tatesc Comics

Announced during Anime NYC 2022, Kadokawa Corporation and Book Walker Co., Ltd. revealed the formal launch of the Tatesc Comics brand on Book Walker Global!

Tatesc (pronounced ta-te-sk) Comics is the response to countless requests from fans in English-speaking countries for access to this exciting content! Kadokawa will release diverse genres such as “isekai,” fantasy, romance, comedy, and action, including original titles as well as adaptations of existing light novels and traditional manga. Its name derived from the Japanese “tate,” meaning vertical, and “sc” for “scrolling,” Tatesc Comics aspires to engage readers both with its initial offering and much more to come!    

Fueling this initiative, Book Walker Global will offer the full lineup of Tatesc Comics, with many available first exclusively on the Book Walker Global platform! 24 titles are available as of November 16th, including other publisher’s titles.

This is the first step for Kadokawa to “accelerate” its business in the English world. The publisher will begin to “an aggressive, multifaceted strategy to activate more of its content through publishing and digital distribution.” in January 2023.

Mad Cave and Papercutz Launches First Smurfs Augmented Reality Comic for Free Comic Book Day 2023

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65 years ago, legendary Smurfs creator Peyo drew the first Smurf. On Free Comic Book Day 2023 (May 6, 2023), the Smurfs jump off the pages with a brand new Augmented Reality comic from Papercutz. This new comic book includes three original Smurfs stories by Peyo himself that are being published in English for the first time. Among these classic pages, readers will be welcomed to enjoy a new dynamic reading experience with pages that activate through a virtual environment where people are increasingly spending more time.

Papercutz, which was acquired by Mad Cave Studios in 2022, presents this augmented reality FCBD issue for fans to pick up at their local comic shops for free on May 6, 2023– where they’ll immediately be able to activate a digital Smurfette to pop up off the cover of the issue!

This Smurfs 65th anniversary special for Free Comic Book Day will showcase 65 years of evolution for the Smurfs franchise, and represent a major step for the brand. Combining the timelessness of the classic comic book experience with the exciting new frontier, this issue is an ode to the past and a vision for a smurftastic future.

The three stories included in the book were created by Peyo himself. They include:

  • “A Kiss for Smurfette” – Gargamel has hatched another dastardly plot to put an end to the Smurfs.  This time, he practices a dangerous potion on Smurfette, turning her into a frog.  Will Gargamel’s plan work?  Or will the Smurfs find a way to stop him and return Smurfette to her natural form? 
  • “The Smurf from Outer Space” – When Lazy Smurf gets lost at night, he meets a Venutian named Brtt.  After a brief conflict with Gargamel, Brtt’s ship is destroyed! Can the Smurfs fix the ship of their new friend, or will Gargamel have the upper hand and finally get his revenge on his sworn enemies?
  • “Smurfs and the Robot X-XIII” – Brtt returns with his fiancee, chased by a robot sent from Venus because their parents don’t approve of the union.  The Smurfs try to help their friend, but Gargamel catches them!  Will Papa Smurf and the Smurfs be able to save their friend, or will Gargamel finally destroy the Smurfs once and for all?!

With the recent return of The Smurfs TV show on Nickelodeon for Season 2, and November 2022 release of The Smurfs Kart, a new video game for Nintendo Switch, the Smurf’s 65th year is gearing up to be a landmark year for the Smurfs, and Papercutz is pleased to join in with this landmark augmented reality FCBD release.

NYCC 2022: DC announces DC Universe Infinite Ultra

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DC Universe Infinite Ultra

During New York Comic Con, DC has announced a new spin on their digital comics platform, DC Universe Infinite. Expanding to 32,000+ books in November 2022, and new issues available one month after their release in stores, DC has revealed a new Ultra tier launching Monday, October 10.

Ultra subscribers will be eligible to receive one free physical comic book (based on availability) when they subscribe, upgrade or renew their membership. For the first time ever, DC graphic novels and select MAD Magazine issues will also be available to read across all membership tiers on DC Universe Infinite.

DC Universe Infinite Ultra subscribers will be able to read the latest releases from DC one month after they are available in comic shops. Recent titles that will be available to Ultra subscribers today include Black Adam #1-4, Batman: Beyond the White Knight #1-4, Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths #1-4, Flashpoint Beyond #1-5, Poison Ivy #1-4, The Nice House on the Lake #1-9 and more.

Starting in mid-November, Ultra subscribers also gain access to more than 5,000 exclusive titles from Vertigo, DC Black Label and Collected Editions from DC including Sandman Presents: Dead Boy Detectives, 100 Bullets, and American Vampire, and more. 

As part of their paid subscription, all Ultra subscribers will be eligible to receive one free physical comic book when they subscribe, upgrade or renew their membership. The first comic offered will be a softcover copy of The Death of Superman 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition (while supplies last) featuring an Ultra exclusive cover by Ivan Reis. The Death of Superman 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition collects Superman #73-75, Adventures of Superman #496-497, Justice League America #69, Action Comics #683-684, Superman: The Man of Steel #17-19, and Newstime: The Life and Death of Superman #1—plus Superman: Day of Doom #1-4as a bonus tale! The exclusive comic offered for Ultra subscribers will vary and is not available during the free trial period. Ultra subscribers can expect their comic 10-12 weeks after providing their mailing address.

DC Graphic Novels, including Teen Titans: Beast Boy Loves Raven, Nubia: Real One and Mister Miracle: The Great Escape, are available to DC Universe Infinite subscribers across all tiers. In addition, more than 100 issues from MAD Magazine’s 70-year history will be available to read with more being added on an on-going basis.

The brand-new Ultra tier launches Monday, October 10, and is available for a special limited-time introductory price of $99.99 USD a year in the US, $119.99 CAN in Canada, $134.99 AUD in Australia, $134.99 NZD in New Zealand and £72.99 BPS in the U.K., plus applicable taxes. The introductory pricing rate is available until November 28, 2022, and remains valid as long as your Ultra Annual subscription is in good standing and you do not cancel. Current DC Universe Infinite subscribers can upgrade their monthly and annual subscriptions to Ultra. Members who remain on their current monthly or annual subscription will continue to receive new comics six months after they are available at comic shops.

The Death of Superman 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition Ivan Reis variant

Marvel World of Heroes Revealed

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Niantic labs and Marvel Games have announced — MARVEL World of Heroes launching in 2023. Create your own Super Hero and team-up with your favorite Marvel Heroes in the real world! Pre-register now at marvelworldofheroes.com

MARVEL World of Heroes is Niantic’s latest AR mobile game that brings the iconic Marvel Universe into the real world.

In MARVEL World of Heroes, players can create their own unique Super Hero identity and origin story. Players will need to patrol their neighborhoods to foil crimes, complete Super Hero missions, and thwart interdimensional threats. As players level up, they will unlock equipment and abilities, and will team up with Marvel Super Heroes such as Spider-Man, Wolverine, Captain America and others to battle iconic Super Villains and save the Multiverse from cosmic and earthbound threats.

MARVEL World of Heroes is scheduled to launch globally in 2023.

FanConXR takes conventions into Virtual Reality

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FanConXR

FanConXR promises to be the safest and most unique con experience of the year! FanConXR unites award-winning Big Rock Creative, producers of an official Virtual Burning Man Experience, content experience thought leader Partikle Digital, and Los Angeles based Golden Apple Comics, known for first class comic book and movie signings, screenings and more. 

FanConXR will feature publishers Aftershock Comics, legendary science fiction publisher Heavy Metal, and Stranger Comics, with creators and additional exhibitors to be announced in the coming weeks! Heidi MacDonald, the award-winning Founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Beat, will moderate panel programming with top comics talent, with names and times to be announced weekly leading up to the event.

FanConXR promises to be a unique experience for a global audience harnessing the incredible possibilities of virtual reality and the best in pop culture fandom. With over 11 million VR headsets sold in 2021 and fans around the world regularly participating in livestream and virtual events since 2020, the mission of FanConXR is to celebrate comics fandom by introducing the first comic convention designed exclusively for virtual.  Fans can interact with their favorite comic artists and writers, as well as fellow members of the comic community for a safe, fun and accessible social experience unlike any other.

The inaugural FanConXR will take place on September 24, with exhibitors, Hollywood talent, and comic creators to be announced weekly leading up to the event. Attendees will be able to participate from either headset or laptop, easily set up through AltspaceVR and streaming through FanConXR’s YouTube page with programming running at various times throughout the event to be accessible to fans around the globe in most time zones.

Dog Man: Twenty Thousand Fleas Under the Sea is coming March 2023

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Dog Man: Twenty Thousand Fleas Under the Sea

Readers and retailers rejoice! Scholastic has announced that 2023 will be a big and exciting year for kids and families everywhere with the publication of a new Dog Man graphic novel. Dog Man: Twenty Thousand Fleas Under the Sea, the newest book in the #1 global bestselling and critically-acclaimed series will release on March 28, 2023, simultaneously in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia, New Zealand, and throughout Asia. This eleventh installment in the series follows Dog Man: Mothering Heights which dominated both children’s and adult bestseller lists, and was the #1 bestselling book overall in 2021, selling more than 2 million copies to date in the U.S. alone. In just over five years since Dog Man launched to multiple starred reviews, there are more than 50 million copies of the Dog Man books in print with translations in 42 languages. DreamWorks Animation is currently developing a movie adaptation of Dog Man.

The phenomenal success of Dog Man has also helped to drive the comic book industry, and Dav Pilkey’s global domination continues on November 29, 2022 with the release of Cat Kid Comic Club: Collaborations, the newest book in his #1 worldwide bestselling Cat Kid Comic Club graphic novel series, a spin-off of Dog Man. With more than 90 million copies in print to date, the Captain Underpants series will soon mark its 25th anniversary. To celebrate the milestone of Pilkey’s popular series widely-credited for helping to create the illustrated children’s chapter book category, Scholastic will publish on March 7, 2023 a special anniversary edition of the first Captain Underpants book, The Adventures of Captain Underpants, featuring a bonus 32-page all-new comic mash-up starring Dog Man and Captain Underpants, bringing together two iconic characters in a never-before-told story.

Dav Pilkey’s Epic Comic Club

To engage and bring together its millions of fans worldwide, Scholastic also announced the official launch of Dav Pilkey’s Epic Comic Club, a new global online platform where kids can create their own comics. The COPPA-compliant site, www.EpicComicClub.com, opens up with a special message from Dav Pilkey encouraging kids to have fun making comics, and features a place where kids can upload their stories in a safe and moderated environment, along with an “Epic Comic Club Wall” to showcase their comic creations. The online hub includes free monthly downloadable activities including comic starters, customizable official membership cards, collectible character badges, special sneak peeks, exclusive book news, and more. The Epic Comic Club site also will serve as a destination for educators, booksellers, parents, and caregivers around the globe to access free resources including tips on how to start their own Epic Comic Clubs at home, in bookstores, classrooms, or libraries. Additionally, Scholastic has created a special section on its existing HomeBase platform as another portal where kids can submit their comics and access more games inspired by Dav Pilkey’s beloved characters.

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