The Couch

This was the first year we went to Comic Con International in San Diego and it was certainly a crazy one.  We wanted to share with everyone some of the fun, and not so fun, experiences we had a Comic Con International.

My adventure for the weekend was going to two different Urgent Cares, having a cabbie hang up on me when I asked to go to one, walking a couple miles on the only sunny and hot day in San Diego, and having an old lady cut the line in front of me when waiting to get a prescription.  In the end I did get everything I needed and made it to the last day of the convention (I got sick on Saturday).  I can also say no matter how much you prepare with hand sanitizer, vitamin c tablets or anything else you apparently can’t avoid something like Strep Throat.

The other thing I really enjoyed was working the booth and meeting everyone.  I got to spend an entire day working with Cameron from our community meeting more community members and that was awesome.  I got to hear from people who stopped by because they had heard of us from all sorts of different places.  I’ve worked a few different conventions this year and they keep getting better and better.  Even if I did catch Con Plague at this one.

The last thing I wanted to mention was how surreal it was seeing a goat tied up outside of the resturant we went to the last night.  According to the owners they got it from a Dog pound where there were a few other odd animals as well.  It’s not every day you see farm animals in downtown San Diego.  At least I assume as much with the crowd of people it was getting.

-Jon

My biggest memory from the weekend happened when Jon wasn’t at the booth. He was faking “strep throat”… (kidding, you looked super sick). It all began when Kevin and I showed up with 6 boxes of t-shirts. We had been on the sidewalk in front of the convention center, and had bribed 4 guys to help us carry the boxes into the convention center. 

Upon arriving at the booth, where Audrey was working so hard at pimping our app, we gave our volunteers the promised t-shirts. The crowd around the booth began to ask, “are those free?” We responded with a simple “yes,” and that’s when the madness began. 

Almost immediately a line formed, stretching down at least past Sideshow Collectibles, full of frenzied Graphic.ly fans (or was it full of fans who love free stuff)… Next we know, we were digging through boxes of shirts, searching for sizes. Kevin was managing the line, then Audrey was helping with crowd control, making sure the line didn’t block any one’s booth, as we had already been yelled at by convention staff members. 

The madness lasted for about an hour, until we had run out of t-shirts, except for one small box of ladies shirts.. Hidden under the table. 

Other favorite memory… Watching people play with our app on the iPad. Exclaiming how cool it was, how crisp the images were, and how they needed an iPad to read comics. Because it made them look so much cooler. 

-Adrienne

What were some of your favorite memories from the Convention Floor?  Feel free to share them via the comments or submit them to The Couch.

If you’d like to see more pictures from SDCC that we took check out our Album on Flickr.

This was the first year we went to Comic Con International in San Diego and it was certainly a crazy one.  We wanted to share with everyone some of the fun, and not so fun, experiences we had a Comic Con International.

One of the things that stood out for me the most was the interacting with creators and publishers who stopped by our booth to talk to us.  The feedback we got was useful and positive, being able to discuss our plans and the needs of these creators was exciting and reaffirmed just how much we can help.  It was great to hear the excitement for our bonus material in Irredeemable #1 and how it generated talk about the additional things the creators want to do that can help us push comics into a digital age.  New things which that don’t just replicate the print books but compliments it while adding a lot of extra value, that we are sure fans will love and just as importantly the creators are excited to produce.

I did learn a lesson from Comic Con, that lesson cost us $100 and means that I will always check prices with a pedicab driver before taking the journey!

- Kevin

I enjoyed walking by the Oni Press booth, and recognizing Greg Rucka there; doing a double check on his name plate and walking on over.  We got to have a discussion on Wonder Woman, Queen and Country and all books that he has written.  Got some recommendations from him on other books (either at Oni or otherwise).  Then excitedly got to show off Graphic.ly on the ipad with Kevin to him.  Really hoping he might get involved with some of our extra content in the future.  Overall, with all the creators and publishers I talked to, it was really great having something to talk to them about instead of just gushing about how much I like their work in abstract ways.  Almost everyone I talked to creator and publisher-wise was excited about getting into the digital space: I got to try and convince them that Graphic.ly was the place to be (and it is)!  

Really a theme throughout the entire convention for me was how patient and calm most people were: there was absolute chaos happening all around, but for the majority people were very chill and polite: they were just there to have a good time!

People love them some iPad.  They want to play with them, check them out.  And truly I could see comic fan’s eyes light up when they saw our reader; it was just an “I get it” moment on how great reading comics on the ipad can be.  I can’t lie in that I’m not sure if I sold Graphic.ly to every single one of them, but I think I sold a few ipads this weekend….

Seeing kids play with the special features in Irredeemable #1: seeing the different styles of “coloring in” or “erasing”.  Some went super-fast-race-car and others were very careful to keep in the lines, even though there was nothing they could really do incorrectly.

Meeting the Glee kids…  

Coming to the con this was the one group/panel I wanted to meet.  Due to con-sibilities, I wasn’t able to get in line for either the signing or the panel.  I was disappointed, but I was there to get the good word out on Graphic.ly, not to meet triple-ly talented actors and actress…  However…  as I am sure many a con story goes, I was there at the right time to get in line after the ticketed people for a signing.  I got to gush to each of the actors and actresses about specific things in the show as the security people gave me wary looks, afraid I would kidnap Heather Morris and Naya Rivera to make them sign and dance just for me!  I made the n00b mistake of not recognizing the creator of the show Ryan Murphy.  *forehead slap*  The one person who could have made an all Sondheim episode happen and I walked right by the guy, wondering who the heck this guy between Chris Colfer and Naya Rivera was…  Glad I got my moment of fangirl silliness for Glee!

Running after Felicia Day so fast, my ipod touch flew out of my back pocket! (I personally liked when Audrey didn’t realize Joss Whedon was standing 4 feet in front of her - Jon)

Seeing the con, with cranes and all, getting set-up.  It’s a major undertaking…

-Audrey

What were some of your favorite memories from the Convention Floor?  Feel free to share them via the comments or submit them to The Couch.

Also come back tomorrow to hear from Adrienne and myself.

We have a light week this week for the Thursday Update as we ramp up for San Diego Comic Con.  Both Windows and AIR are getting some minor updates before Comic Con fix things behind the scenes.  You should see some speed improvements in both applications. 

Our Windows community members asked that we include people’s names and pictures in comments, so, as we do, we listened and made the change.  Now when a community member hasn’t updated their picture you can still see who made that comment you really liked about Veronica’s hair. 

This week’s comics are both from Archie Comics and BOOM! Studios.  Check out the haul below:  

Archie Comics 

Betty #138 - #139 

Follow Betty in her very own series with such fun adventures as Archie and Adam fighting with each other over Betty and what happens when Archie and Betty go on a picnic? 

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Betty and Veronica #221 

“The Big Prize”: A Halloween costume contest judged by renowned luminaries from the fashion and entertainment worlds leads Veronica to more costume changes than a diva in concert! “Career Daze”: Veronica gets a lesson in judging books by their covers when she realizes that the professional scientists and law enforcement agents at career day are as attractive as the super model! “Code in the Head”: Betty has dropped what appears to be a mysterious code, and it’s got Veronica’s brain doing crazy, cryptic back flips! 

BOOM! Studios 

Challenger Deep #1 - Avg Rating on iFanboy: 3 

When an experimental nuclear submarine is marooned in a deposit of methane ice deep in the Marianas Trench, an elite salvage team mounts a daring rescue to prevent an explosive chain reaction that could lead to global disaster! 

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Cover Girl #1-5

When the world’s biggest action movie star discovers someone’s trying to kill him, he has to keep his adoring public in the dark about the fact that he’s the world’s biggest wimp. So he hires a bodyguard - a Cover Girl who kicks ass and cleans up well for movie premieres! In the vein of Lethal Weapon comes an action-comedy that flips all the gender stereotypes on its head… 

Fall of Cthulhu #1-2 

Forces are moving in the cosmos.  Mankind is on the verge of facing alien beings far beyond its kin.  Is another call for Cthulhu just starting to begin?  Human innocents are caught in the middle and not prepared for the real truth – which will drive them to the brink of insanity.  What happens in a world of Lovecraftian darkness when a god is fated to die?  What things are more vast than the Elder Gods? 

Galveston #1-#4

True fact- fabled pirate Jean Lafitte spent his last years not on the high seas, but in Texas. Guess who his best friend was? Jim Bowie. What adventures must a swashbuckling corsair and an American frontiersman have had together in the Old West? It’s Deadwood with pirates, man. Pirates! 

Dusman7 made a call to arms for the first issue of Galveston, “Oh, come on people, a cool new western mini!  Let’s support new and different comics.  I’m sure at least a few of you out there would love this comic.  I know I’m looking forward to it.” 

Hawks of Outremer #1 - Avg Rating on iFanboy: 4

BOOM! Studios brings you an epic story by Conan creator Robert E. Howard published in comic book form for the first time ever! As a wandering warrior born and bred on the battlefield, Cormac FitzGeoffrey is a renowned fighter, a ruthless adversary, and a man who is no stranger to the ways of bloodshed and violence. Cormac counts his friends on one hand, so when he learns that his most recent liege has been murdered, nothing will stop his quest for revenge. By oath, a path of vengence will be marked by the blood of his enemies. 

Hunter’s Moon #3-#4  

It starts when stockbroker Lincoln “Linc” Greer, divorced dad, is acquitted of the murder of his son by the local authorities. Meanwhile, who have they picked up in the woods? Is it the kidnapper? It’s becoming clear the entire town’s in on it - if Linc talks to the wrong person, it could jeopardize his son’s life! 

Irredeemable #14 - Avg Rating on iFanboy: 4

The Paradigm is held captive. Survivor has been abducted. Bette Noir is on the run. And Modeus continues to manipulate Plutonian into committing unspeakable acts of evil. With the team fractured and Gilgamos wounded, how will the Paradigm escape their captors and take the fight back to their former leader? The epic second year of Irredeemable continues to pick up even more momentum with this can’t-miss issue! 

jmsnyder had this comment to say about Irredeemable #14, “What a consistent must read this has been. It has this undertow of dread that you can almost taste as u read it.”

Poe #1 - Avg Rating on iFanboy: 4.7

Everyone knows that Poe created the detective genre, but did you know he was a detective himself? Finally the secret can be revealed for the first time! Enter the world of POE and follow the famous author of darkness as he tracks the killer of his brother’s friend. Supernatural adventure for fans of books like HELLBOY!

Jmstump (that’s me!) had this to say in his review on iFanboy, “This books is some weird amalgamation of CSI, Sixth Sense, and Sleepy Hollow.”

Unthinkable #5 - Avg Rating on iFanboy: 5

Novelist Alan Ripley was an unlikely hero, trying (and failing) to stop UNTHINKABLE terror scenarios he imagined from coming true. Now that he’s finally succeeding, will he learn who’s using his mind as a blueprint for terror, and why? 

Alright, who else is excited for Galveston from BOOM! Studios?  I mean Cowboys and Pirates, that’s 5 year old Jon’s dream come true.  All it’s missing is Flame Throwers and Zombies or something equally ridiculous.  Dusman7 also made a call to arms to fellow comic and western fans.  My love for both cannot allow this to go unheard! 

If you haven’t heard through our Newsletter we are going to be at San Diego Comic Con at booth 2229.  We’ll be making some announcements during the convention along with having stuff going on at our booth, for instance we will have some signings from different creators.  Stop by to find out who. 

Micah will also be on a few different panels about Digital Comic Books.  You can find him at the following times and locations: 

Thursday, July 22 

4:30-5:30 Digital Comics Now!— Digital comics are happening right now. A panel of the best and brightest in the new wave of digital comics engage in a wide-ranging discussion of everything from comics on the iPad and iPhone to digital comics on the web and day-and-date-releases. This is your one-stop panel for all the latest digital comics news! Panelists include David Steinberger (CEO of comiXology), Micah Baldwin (CEO of Graphic.ly),Michael Murphey (CEO of iVerse), and Wade Slitkin (CEO of Panelfly). Moderated by Chip Mosher (marketing director, BOOM! Studios). Room 4 

Friday, July 23 

3:00-4:00 Digital Comics and You— A panel of industry professionals ranging from creators to publishers to retailers to entertainment agents discuss the benefits and drawbacks of digital comics and ultimately how digital comics can and will affect you, now that the digital comics revolution has begun. Ben Templesmith (co-creator, Choker, Fell, 30 Days of Night), James Sime (retailer, Isotope: The Comic Book Lounge in San Francisco), Micah Baldwin (Graphic.ly), Scott Agostoni (entertainment agent, William Morris Endeavor), and more surprise guests will discuss, argue and hopefully hear what you think in this honest, no-holds-barred conversation moderated by Ron Richards (iFanboy). Room 32AB  

FYI - The guy who will be heckling Micah at his panels in a Graphic.ly shirt with either a Red Hat or Cape on is most likely me. 

Double FYI - The guy with the black eye after heckling Micah in his first panel is probably me too. (He told me to say that.) 

If you have any questions or comments on this week’s updates please send them my way vie email, jons [at] graphicly.com, or our community forum.