King Features has released a new embed-able comic application called Comics Kingdom that allows any newspaper to deploy a comic page easily. The application allows users to view a 30 day archive of King’s comics, ability to rate and comment on a comic, zoom in for a larger view, and to add the page to a social bookmarking site such as delicious, email the comic to a friend (who actually gets the comic – not just a link to a page that might disappear into the archives).
“Comics Kingdom™ marries premium content, unique interface design and revenue-generating tools that allow online publishers to respond to the business requirements demanded today,” said Marc Osofsky, vice president of marketing at Optaros, the technology company that built the service for King Features. “Furthermore, it shifts the power to consumers, allowing them to drive the comic content that rises to the top. This type of Web 2.0 functionality satisfies the comic appetite of online users, driving repeated interactions on a daily basis.”
An example of the app can be found at The Albany Times Union web site.
That’s great news. Now maybe I’ll visit a newspaper website rather then just google news.
Very cool–I wish King Features would launch their own version of Comics Sherpa with this software!
So if Comics Kingdom takes off, is this going to bite into potential sales of DailyInk? And speaking of DailyINK, isn’t it time KFS beefed it up some to give readers more of what they’d promised? Bigger archives… more classic comics…
Isn’t it just another example of the major syndicates rearranging deckchairs?
Adding whistles and bells to a service NO-one is asking for and NO-one wants seems to be occupying the minds of execs who should be actively improving their menus, not finding more particular methods of delivering the hash they already have out back.
It’s tough to get people on the boat when it’s sinking. Those that do hop in the boat do it for the sheer thrill of being on a boat. I think the incentives for doing a comic strip are less today then they ever were. Thats not to say that kids don’t read cartoons anymore. I saw a little kid run up to a book rack containing the Adventures of Captain Underpants with great enthusiasum. It’s a fun and playful comic that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
http://www.scholastic.com/captainunderpants/
I felt the same way about Garfield when I was younger. I don’t know if it’s just me but there just seems to be less comic strips out there that kids could identify with. I identified with Charlie Brown and the little red haired girl. At the time it was like he was writting about me. that was the great appeal. I don’t buy that jazz that you write for yourself and forget the audience