Comics in the Digital Age

As a long time comic book reader and regular at my several local comic book shops I have been hit head on with what digital comics will mean for the comic book industry.  It started as a blip, people scanning copies of their comics and putting them up for download, a handful of people reading them on their computers, and the local shops and global publishers didn’t change anything.  People were still buying books the way they always did and the few that were reading on their computers probably were not going to buy the books anyway.

Then… the iPad… the Kindle Fire… the Nook… the hand held, high def, pleasure to read on tablet.

Comic book reading apps popped up on all the devices right away, but at first the shops were not worried because the publishers were not putting new releases on their apps.  Sure, you could download comics but only ones that had already been at home in your collections for years.  If you wanted the newest books you still had to go down to your local shop and participate in the archaic act of giving cash to an overweight, sweaty, elitist comic shop owner before going home and putting your new treasures in plastic bags and storing them in boxes in your attic. 

But, people were still taking their scans of the new releases and putting them online, and now that you could read on your tablet a lot more people were interested in subverting the system.  The big publishers took note and now every new release is available on their app the same day as on the shelves in your local comic book shop.

For many, including myself, collecting comics as an investment went out long ago.  I love the books, but really just for the stories and the art.  I’m not trying to sell these things, I just want the entertainment.  And as much as I still prefer to read novels in good ol’ fashion paperback, reading comics on an iPad is a dream.  The art looks fantastic, the text crisp, I don’t have to worry about bending the pages and ruining the book, and best of all, every one of my digital comics fits in the palm of my hand so I don’t have to worry about taking up so much space with boxes on boxes on boxes.

I don’t know what will happen to local shops now that many will be purchasing digital comics directly from the distributors.  Perhaps they will stay open with the few die hard collectors who still want the books ( if the publishers even make them any more ), or maybe they will stay open as hobby and game shops.  All I do know is that I’m going digital and not looking back.

-Andrew Pate

The Farmville 2 Craze

We have all heard about it. Its practically all over our facebook news feeds and walls. Not to mention all the requests to help out fellow friends who need items to keep playing. It has been around since its first appearance in 2009. What is it? If you guessed Farmville 2, you my friend are correct. This interactive social networking game has gained mass amounts of popularity since Zynga released the first farmville back in 2009. Farmville 2 was released back in September, and has been going strong since. But what is it that makes this game so popular and addictive to play? Well I am about to answer this question from personal experience with this game. For starters, the developers incorporated a variety key elements that pertained to Facebook users as well as non Facebook users gaming interests. The key elements include the following:

Collecting- this feature appealed to all those who love playing games that give you accomplishments for the tasks you complete. These tasks can include, helping a friend with a building project at their farm, watering a neighbors crops, feeding someones animals, and even for creating something you haven't made before. This element was clever for all those who like to keep track of their completed tasks, those who like fake awards, and those who are fellow collectors of other material things.

Time Usage- this element was super smart especially sense it was sort of a guilt trip tactic. For instance the way the game works, if you were to plant something that takes 12 hours to grow. Well lets say something comes up and you forget about your farm for say two days. What do you think is going to have happened when you go back to your farm two days later? If you answered that all your twelve hour plants will be dead, then you have answered correctly. By implementing this feature, hardcore farmers, don't want to see their crops go to waste so they check back often. This is what keeps you hooked and the developers know that.

Experience- this ones very important when talking about Farmville.  The reason is because without experience, you won't get the full Farmville experience. In other words, if you want to be able to get the buildings and extras, then you have to have the experience. The only way to get experience is through gameplay.

Social Interaction- pretty good feature here. By implementing this feature, people could now share their accomplishments with their fellow Facebook friends. They could also send friends requests for items they needed at their farms. This social aspect is what made features in farmville possible.

Cash- This is one of the things i despised in farmville 2. The whole buying dollars for specific products. Its cool they did that though because that generates revenue for the future creation of other media features.

Competition- This is probably a number one element for the younger generation. Or for anyone who is a competitive gamer. The goal behind this is to keep updates and add-ins, which in turn will keep people coming back for more.

I would say farmville will be around for many years to come. It is a strategically built social game, that offers people with amusement and fun.


http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20120910/BIZ07/309109939/-1/biz09
http://blog.pekpongpaet.com/2010/01/02/what-makes-farmville-so-sticky-and-viral/
http://www.insidesocialgames.com/2012/10/29/farmville-2-continues-to-dominate-fastest-growing-facebook-games-by-mau/


David Lima

Wreck-It Ralph In the Blogosphere

While the new animated Disney film Wreck-It Ralph generated record breaking activity in the box office, it also generated buzz in the blogosphere.  Gaming enthusiasts and moviegoers alike were strongly driven to express their thoughts about this ground breaking film via their own online journal of sorts we know as the blog.  Blogs have become a great tool allowing anyone to be able to get an idea of the general reaction and thoughts about virtually anything, from movies to events in the news.  Despite the countless individual impressions of the movie posted in various places all over the internet, a general pattern emerges in the responses.  Most bloggers agree with the movie critics that gave the work high marks which tells of its achievement in providing an entertaining adventure fitting for all ages.  

Bloggers seem to agree that the film was so powerful because it explores a world in which video game characters, beloved in both the past and present, work and experience struggles that audiences can relate to.  Disney has recognized the timelessness of games that have entertained, whether 8-bit or high definition, for decades.  Perhaps the timing could not have been better, as games have become so accessible and are a permanent fixture in most homes across the country and beyond.  This accessibility has allowed for the generation of not only infatuation but obsession centered around gaming.  Although the movie obviously appeals to gamers, young and old, Disney has created characters and a plot so relatable that all can be moved by the story.  As one blogger explains: "What Wreck-It Ralph does better than most movies that seem to target a specific audience (in the case of Wreck-It Ralph; gamers) is Wreck-It Ralph's story can easily appeal to all." 

Other gaming bloggers commend the creators' great understanding of the gaming world and its many endearing aspects as "the video game references permeate throughout and take a good movie and make it extra special" (blogger fantaffx) .  Another eloquently exclaims that the producers and directors'  "intimate knowledge with their subject makes Wreck-It Ralph a cut above your typical family oriented cartoon by allowing the video gaming details to elevate the lessons contained within".       

  

This brings us to the point most agreed upon in the blogosphere: that the movie is very touching and conveys many powerful lessons.  Another blogger hits on the important themes in the film by comparing Wreck-It Ralph with the real business world.  He derives lessons for entrepreneurs from a film dismissed by some as a kid's movie: "The real-world lesson is actually quite obvious here: Teams can't excel unless all the pieces are working together."  A more bubbly blogger writes "It is touching and heartwarming (i'm not gonna lie, i had tears streaming down my face at the end) and conveys a really good message".  Ultimately, all agreed that it was a movie with great heart.  

From all these responses, it is safe to say that Wreck-It Ralph was a hit and we didn't have to leave our home to determine the response of its global audience.   

Do you think that these numerous impressed bloggers would convince you or others to see the film?

Related Blog Pages/Resources:

http://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/1132/entry/50246/

http://www.ign.com/blogs/fantaffx/2012/11/10/movie-reviews-skyfall-and-wreck-it-ralph

http://www.ign.com/blogs/peteyoneto/2012/11/02/wreck-it-ralph-review

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/box-office-wreck-it-ralph-sets-disney-record-with-49m-debut/2012/11/04/85ba8bcc-26a3-11e2-9972-71bf64ea091c_blog.html

http://sportsblogs.star-telegram.com/mac-engel/2012/11/movie-review-a-3-year-olds-take-of-wreck-it-ralph.html

http://gamersyndrome.com/2012/video-games/why-every-gamer-should-watch-wreck-it-ralph/

http://www.workforce.com/article/20121115/WORKFORCE90/121119974/you-can-fix-it#

-Ashlen McWhorter

Internet Fame

Over the seven years that I’ve actively used the internet, I’m always surprised by what kind of creative things people come up with. From online news networks, video streamers, and bloggers to 2D and 3D animators, recent software development has made it easy for regular people to create extraordinary projects. The glorious thing about the internet is that it brings all these great projects and ideas together for everyone to see and even participate sometimes. Throughout the years, these are a few of the projects that I’ve seen gain a lot of popularity.

A large number of YouTube users are subscribed to channels showing with Let’s Play’s, or LP’s. A “Let’s Play” is a recorded video game walkthrough with commentary and is normally seen as a source of help for people stuck in a game. Let’s Play’s were a bit different for me however since I enjoy watching people play games as much as I do playing them myself. I can’t be the only person who feels that way because many popular Let’s Players (the people who make the videos) have thousands of followers. Successful LPers have so many fans that video game companies sometimes send them new games to advertise for products and make a living off of their videos. Let’s Playing has exploded in popularity since there are hundreds of LPers on the web and people never fail to subscribe to them.

With the advent of hundreds of music making software, underground musicians are pumping out hits in full force. I’m impressed with a lot of the original beats, samples, and remixes that are being made at a fever’s pace. One of my favorite artists uploads at least 2 new beats a week to YouTube and all of it is free for download.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcSwYhUutfY

Lastly, I’ve seen hundreds of web shows and vlogs posted online and lots of them have very interesting and fun content. For instance, The Angry Joe Show specifically deals with in-depth video game and movie reviews and adds a lot of personality into each episode. K-News with Knightwing01 is a short show that talks about the latest news in video games, movies, TV, and technology. Other news shows such as The Philip DeFranco Show and Tobuscus garner massive support throughout the internet. Another great way I’ve seen people show off their creativity is by creating their own games and animating little videos or full-blown series. Sprite fights, made by sequencing computer graphics frame by frame, exhibit some of my favorite 2D creations. I’ve also known several people have made original, albeit low budget, video games online or have made hacks for an existing one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS-oaFlkslA

In this day and age, people’s ability to create something is only limited by their imagination; the tools to express yourself are out there. Whether you aspire to a degree of fame or simply want to make something to be proud of, you really can if you look. Take my word for it; thousands of people are doing so at this very moment.

-Christopher Oxley

Brand Characters

Like it or hate it, creative ads like Progressive's long running campaign featuring fictional character Flo have definitely stood out against countless boring ads that simply do not spark interest among viewers.  This marketing strategy has been successfully used by several other companies including Kellogg's with the Snap, Crackle, and Pop gnomes; the Geico gecko, and recently Iceland.  Yes, the tiny country has become more than an island.  Clever marketers working with the Icelandic Tourist Bureau helped give the island a personality and voice on the internet or the "inter-nets" as the quirky country calls it.  Iceland "speaks" in first person via several social media sites as part of the campaign called "Iceland wants to be your friend".  According to members of the Bureau "The big idea behind Iceland Wants to Be Your Friend is that Iceland — a remote island in the middle of the Atlantic, millions of years old, home to many humans, mountains, waterfalls and sheep — has somehow discovered 'The Inter-nets' and how to use 'them' to talk to people".   Marketers have carefully crafted the voice and personality of the island post by post and page by page online.  As one would expect from a very old island out in the middle of the ocean, Iceland talks in a funny way and does not always understand its human friends. Somehow, it manages to have a presence on multiple sites including Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, Vimeo, Flickr, Fourquare, and its blog.  

Iceland does not just post interesting updates on Facebook and Twitter.  Much more work has gone into paying attention to every detail and adding a subtle but gratifying touch in countless places among their numerous sites that serve to create a friendly online environment and engage viewers.  Users are rewarded for exploring content on the sites in clever ways that make the campaign even more interesting and endearing while allowing users to have more personal interactions within the campaign.  Marketers have figured out a way to make this campaign not only unlike the annoying, obtrusive ads we are so used to, they have turned it into something that is fun to interact with.  Users, drawn by the friendliness of the campaign, will monitor updates from the island on their own just for fun.  

Several pieces of this campaign work together harmoniously to bring to life the remote island and create a successful campaign.  When users first access the website, the island introduces itself in such a friendly and cordial message that they feel obliged to read on.  This message is present on all of its sites as any good friendship should begin with a friendly introduction.  

While Iceland's own status updates are a very important part of its activity, it actually puts much more effort into monitoring and replying to the roughly 40 to 70 items that its fans post on its wall weekly.  This participation not only further engages users but also builds loyalty by demonstrating that the "island" is cares about its fans, their thoughts, and activities related to Iceland. 

Just as much care is put into more subtle elements of the project that are designed to reward interested viewers.  Campaign managers say that Iceland Wants to Be Your Friend is unique in that it "relies on the element of surprise and hopefully even a little joy for users whose curiosity is piqued enough for them to start digging around in what seems to be a very simple concept, only to find that it's full of nice surprises".  For the brave souls interested in the source code for the project's website, for example, a cute message from Iceland is embedded in the long list of dull code.  Unlike other promotions and ads, this campaign is meant to be experienced through as "a series of individually tailored personal interactions".  It's elements of humor, surprise, personality, and joy make this a trend setting campaign that many other brands can learn from and regular users like us can enjoy.  

Resources:

http://www.takktakk.com/presents/icelandwantstobeyourfriend/

http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/brand-characters-can-bring-home-the-bacon/3020330.article 

-Ashlen McWhorter

Technology and Digital Media How Far It Has Come

Digital marketing has come a long way in the past decade, as we’ve moved beyond putting existing materials online and learned how to really harness the native advantages of digital technologies. The pace of change continues on a day to day basis if not minute to minute. For instance Facebook and Twitter is the most useful social media today.   The CEO of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg gave a mission statement - "to give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected”.                            

                     

           

                                   

How true this is.  It’s amazing that you are able to communicate on Facebook or Twitter thousands of miles away from each other.  During hurricane Sandy, this is how many families and friends kept up to date on what was going on.  In the past this would have taken several days to weeks to get in touch with a loved one.  With new technology you are able to watch your children and or grandchildren grow in front of your very eyes the moment they reach a milestone.  You are able to capture the moment immediately.  How awesome is this!!

You are able to see what is happening all over the world with the new phones that are now available in many different styles.  You are actually able to connect to a person via different media’s in just a matter of seconds.  Who would have believed this could be a reality 15 years ago.

Zuckerberg wrote his goal to "rewire" the way people spread and consume information via the social graph. The social graph isn't just an engineering schematic with a billion nodes and petabytes of data to mine for revenue, a billion people with real identities making trillions of connections on Facebook. They are the most used social media outlets to keep in touch with everything from breaking news to what is happening across the world.  Years ago this would have cost a fortune to talk to a loved one.                                   

                                             

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57549950-93/zuckerberg-mobilizes-facebook-for-5-billion-users-and-the-internet-of-things/

Posted by Debra Hoving