The Couch

Recently we released our Windows app, which is available to download at http://graphic.ly.  If you haven’t heard, you can check out the press we recieved at CNBC, Venture Beat, and Comic Book Resources .  We’re excited with all of the new features in the app and to hear our community’s thoughts on it.

The new Windows app is a complete overhaul of our beta that came out earlier this year.  My favorite part about it is all of the touch functionality.  We have an HP Touchsmart here in the office and it’s fun to be able to navigate through the store, My Collection, and comics without a mouse.  I don’t know why, but being able to use touch functionality to move through comics on a desktop makes me feel like the future is here.  I then wonder where our Flying Cars, Auto Lacing Shoes, and Hoverboards are or when Skynet is going to finally take over.  

If a new Windows app wasn’t enough, we also we have new books for both the Desktop and iPhone.  Check out the haul below!

Archie Comics

Betty and Veronica #212, #214 - #220

Follow the adventures of “best friends and worst enemies” Betty and Veronica as they fight over who gets to date Archie, discuss spirit week at school and find the perfect shoes.   Each issue of Betty and Veronica has 3 or more stories for you to follow!

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BOOM! Studios

Hunter’s Moon #1 - #2

Stockbroker Lincoln “Linc” Greer, divorced dad, is looking forward to a hot date in a remote cabin for the weekend. When his date cancels and he gets stuck with visitation rights with his son, he takes the boy hunting in the wilds of Oregon. Before he knows it, his son is kidnapped and a voice at the other end of his cell phone tells him to do what he asks - if he ever wants to see his son again! Linc soon finds that he’s the only African-American man in this small mostly white logging community. Isolated and alone, he’s got to face a contentious community and save his son!

Marvel

Civil War #1 - #7

The landscape of the Marvel Universe is changing, and it’s time to choose: Whose side are you on? A conflict has been brewing from more than a year, threatening to pit friend against friend, brother against brother - and all it will take is a single misstep to cost thousands their lives and ignite the fuse! As the war claims its first victims, no one is safe as teams, friendships and families begin to fall apart.

House of M #1 - #8

The Avengers and the X-Men are faced with a common foe that becomes their greatest threat: Wanda Maximoff! The Scarlet Witch is out of control and the fate of the entire world is in her hands. Will Magneto help his daughter or use her powers to his own benefit? Starring the Astonishing X-Men and the New Avengers!! 

World War Hulk #1 - #5

An epic story of anger unbound! Exiled by a group of Marvel “heroes” to the savage alien planet of Sakaar, the Hulk raged, bled and conquered through the pages of last year’s “Planet Hulk” epic, rising from slave to gladiator to king. Now the Hulk returns to Earth to wreak his terrible vengeance on Iron Man, Reed Richards, Dr. Strange, Black Bolt, and anyone else who gets in the way. Stronger than ever, accompanied by his monstrous Warbound gladiator allies, and possessed by the fiercest and purest rage imaginable, the Hulk may just tear this stupid planet in half.

Audrey wouldn’t let me update you on the recent comics until she’s informed the community of what X-Book to read.  This week it was House of M and here’s what she had to say:

With the super mega crossover that is Second Coming in the X-men books right now, it’s good to go back 5 years and see where it all began.  What would you wish your life to be like?  Would you be horrified by the results when you got your memories back?  Also the Scarlet Witch steps up and shows why her reality altering powers would help her defeat Zatanna in a one on one fight. (Hear that Marvel and DC?  That’s the crossover I want to see!  Of course then the two would team-up and erase everyone’s memories, THEN change the world.)  Pick up House of M and see how and why the mutant race was decimated, in preparation for a new Hope…

Also X-Factor fans: make sure not to miss out on Layla “I know stuff” Miller’s first appearance in House of M.  She’s kind of a McGuffin here, but it’s interesting to see from these beginnings where Peter David would take the character.

Now, while everyone is enjoying the newly released Windows 7 App and comics this week, I need to find a hiding place.  If you remember, Micah once threatened to make me watch Chatroulette for an extended period of time if one of these updates was late.  Now I just need to hope he doesn’t find me.

Check out this week’s comics along with the new Windows 7 App and let us know what you think by either dropping me an email, jons [at] graphicly.com, or through our community forum.

Today we semi-officially launch the iPhone app.  It has more than 300 comics in it, plus a bunch of Marvel books. The great thing is that any book you have purchased through the desktop application is available for free on the iPhone app.  You will have to re-download it, but its there for your reading pleasure.  Note that Marvel books are currently only available on the iPhone (but soon iPad too), and IDW books are currently only on the desktop.   Check our list of Marvel comics included in our iPhone app below.

Marvel

Amazing Spider-Man #1

Peter Parker tries to continue a show biz career as Spider-Man as J. Jonah Jameson’s editorials slams him as a penance makes it hard for him to find work.  Peter later finds himself observing a rocket launch piloted by Jameson’s son, John. When the rocket malfunctions, Spider-Man convinces the military to allow him to help. He is able to replace the defective guidance control and John is able to land safely.  Also featuring an awesome appearance by the Fantastic Four when Spidey tries to join up with the FF in hopes of making some extra money.

Astonishing X-Men #1-#10 

Dream-team creators Joss Whedon (creator of TV’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and John Cassady bring readers an explosive all-new flagship X-Men series. Astonishing X-Men marks a return to classic greatness and the beginning of a brand-new era for the X-Men. 

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Captain America #11 - #18

The Winter Soldier storyline continues its relentless assault on the very soul of Steve Rogers! Who is the Winter Soldier, and how did he come to be one of the most effective weapons of the Cold War? In this haunting issue, Cap learns the answers to those questions and more. But the answers he receives may make what he has to do next even harder.

Criminal #1 - #7

Leo is a professional pickpocket who is also a legendary heist-planner and thief. But there’s a catch with Leo, he won’t work any job that he doesn’t call all the shots on, he won’t allow guns, and the minute things turn south, he’s looking for any exit that won’t land him in prison. But when he’s lured into a risky heist, all his rules go out the window, and he ends up on the run from the cops and the bad men who double-crossed him.

Incognito #1 - #6 Avg Rating on iFanboy: 4.2

From the creators of Criminal and Sleeper comes the most insane and evil super-villain comic you’ve ever read!  What if you were an ex-super villain hiding out in Witness Protection… but all you could think about were the days when the rules didn’t apply to you? Could you stand the toil of an average life after years of leaving destruction in your wake? And what if you couldn’t stand it? What would you do then?

Tork from iFanboy gave a 5 out of 5 for both Story and Art for Incognito #1 – “As always, Brubaker and Philips knock it out of the park.  If the Bru knows how to do anything, it’s how to write interestingly flawed characters with conflicting moral fibers.”

Iron Man #1

It’s the beginning of a new era for Iron Man as renowned scribe Warren Ellis joins forces with digital painter Adi Granov to redefine the armored avenger’s world for the 21st century—a landscape of terrifying new technologies that threaten to overwhelm fragile mankind! What is Extremis, who has unleashed it, and what does its emergence portend for the world? 

Kick-Ass #1 - #8 Avg Rating on iFanboy: 4.2

The book about the greatest super hero comic of all-time that inspired the movie is finally here. Have you ever wanted to be a super hero? Dreamed of donning a mask and just heading outside to kick some ass? Well, this is the book for you—the comic that starts where other super hero books draw the line. KICK-ASS is realistic super heroes taken to the next level. Miss out and you’re an idiot!

DenverDave had this to say about issue one on iFanboy, “Honestly loved this book. Great writing, good narrative technique, and the art was brilliant too. 5 stars.“

Origin (Wolverine) #1 - #6

Marvel’s best-kept mutant mystery revealed! Before the X-Men, before Weapon X, Wolverine’s struggle with his subconscious savagery first flourished in family tragedy. Some of Marvel’s most acclaimed creators unite to tell the tale that shaped mutantdom’s mightiest misfit.

Runaways #1 - #9

At some point in their lives, all young people believe that they have something to runaway from home for. But what if it they REALLY do?  When six young friends discover that their parents all share a deep, dark secret, the shocked teens find strength in one another and together run away from their homes and straight into the adventure of their lives. 

The Marvel book that we released for the iPhone that I’m most excited for is The Amazing Spider-Man #1 by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.  Spider-Man was one of the first heroes I ever felt like I could connect to as a kid, he was nerdy, liked science, and incredibly unlucky.  If you knew me when I was 8 you’d understand why I was able to relate.

I actually have not read much of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko’s original run on Spider-Man and the first issue is a bunch of fun with the introduction of the J. Jonah Jameson feud along with Spidey’s first run in with the Fantastic Four.  This issue is full of great comic history.

Fellow employee Audrey Zarr demanded I put this in: Pick up Astonishing X-Men!  It’s the X-men book you have been waiting for since you put down that Jim Lee issue back in the 90s (or maybe that Chris Claremont issue in the 80s).  This is the squabbling, tear-stained, horrible-pain, wonderful adventure team that you remember…but now Emma Frost is along for the ride too!  And if you haven’t checked out John Cassady’s art yet, then shame on you: SHAME!

Check out this week’s comics along with our iPhone app and let us know what you think by either dropping me an email jons [at] graphicly.com or through our community forum.

Later tonight at 6PM PDT / 9 PM EDT we’re having a Winter Guard 101 for the upcoming Dark Star and Winter Guard mini that debuts this Thursday.

Who better than David Gallaher himself to help out people understand what the new team is all about and what makes them different than any other Super-Hero team.

Bring out your friends and questions to learn more about the premier Russian superhero team.

You can tune in at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/graphic-ly-chat