Comic book software touted as marketer's dream

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"People will be able to see comics and comment on them," he said. "We're trying to create a whole community around the comic software. It's a different way to present things than the traditional way. In our industry, people are into comics and superheroes. It's about Sony Online providing community tools above and beyond what other companies are providing people."

For the National Geographic Society, the comic book software (click here for free download) will mean extending its unique mix of content--be it photographs of rain forests or penguins, or images of dinosaurs--to users of any age.

Politi said the National Geographic project, which is planned for release this fall, will have several components. One will be based on National Geographic's children's magazine, and another will focus on content for adults.

For Paramount, meanwhile, the comic creation software is described by a "phenomenal product" for helping to promote "Nacho Libre."

"The software is intuitive and inspires the creators themselves to share their works," said Sandi Isaacs, Paramount Pictures' vice president of interactive. "I chose the Comic Book Creator as a product for this movie because the filmmakers and talent had produced the most hilarious assets I had ever witnessed in a movie and I wanted to engage our fans in the experience. A benefit of the Comic Book Creator software is we can enable people of all ages to actively participate versus having a passive experience with the content."

Meanwhile, according to Politi, Paramount is bucking one customization trend by not be allowing its users to include their own text or images in their "Nacho Libre" comics.

Marketers at Paramount "weren't interested in doing customized word bubbles," he said.

Isaacs said that's because allowing users to add in their own content would dilute the "Nacho Libre" brand. "If the product is themed 'Nacho Libre,'" she said, "it should maintain the core of the brand. Otherwise it would be a generic brand not associated with the movie."

But SOE, the National Geographic Society and, presumably, many of Planetwide's future corporate customers, are likely to give users the ability to do just about anything they want with the comic creation software, which allows users to output their work in PDF and JPEG formats, and as Flash flip books.

"The value-add for a marketing company," said Politi, "is that they can take their brand, be it a video game or a film project, and allow the fan base of a company's product to be the online advocates for that brand."

In any case, the companies that are licensing the software are clearly hoping that their own customers will enjoy using it enough to pass it on to friends and family, and, especially, get their kids involved.

"It's one of those rare products," said Dumbacher, "that is incredibly fun and engaging to do, and at the same time kids can learn while they're having fun."

[skeptik]

start counting now

Let's count down the day until the content companies sue these guys as a piracy tool. Because right after I remake Boondocks as a pro-Bush, conservative, white leaning comic strip and post the PDF online, you know there will be screaming!
Get your copy now.

(Wow would this have been cool when I was a kid!)