Comics Thing, a new tool for creating, reading and distributing digital comics, will launch their first IndieGoGo campaign Monday 18 March.
Comics Thing is a combination of a comic book reader for tablets and smartphones, a digital comics and graphic novel creator for artists, writers and independent publishers, and a robust delivery platform. Unlike current systems, Comics Thing’s technologies will be open source, with scalable systems for mass events.
According to creator Charles Kriel, digital producer, writer and ex-BBC Radio 1 artist-in-residence, the Comics Thing creation tool will be as easy to use as PowerPoint, as feature-rich as Flash, and will create comics distributable across iOS and Android tablets, phones and readers.
Comics Thing’s unique mobile platformgives readers the chance to mix their current collections of PDF and CBZcomicswith new purchased comics acquired through Comics Thing or indie store apps using the engine.
Comics makers will be able to include audio, video, animations, interactions, dynamic feeds and more in their new comic books and graphic novels. Makers and indies will have complete control over pricing, content, discounts, series, etc. Most notable, indies and makers won’t have to give up both 50% of profits –or editorial control –as is the case with many current digital comics services.
According to Kriel, if someone makes a digital comic with most current services, retailers like Apple or Google Play typically take 30% off the sales price. The remaining 70% is split with the digital comics service, leaving only 35% to be again split between the publisher, writer and artist.
Because the intention with Comics Thing is to return control back to artists, writers, indies and readers, and the technology will be open source, Kriel says he believes the best source of finance is crowdfunding. He says this leaves Comics Thing beholden only to writers, artists, publishers and readers.
Comics Thing is a new and open source product for creating, reading and distributing digital comics, being developed by Charles Kriel at his company, Comics Thing, in Brighton, United Kingdom.
Media Contact: Dr Charles Kriel +44(0)7843 501 075 London, UK charlie@comicsthing.com
