Comicbookland

Marvel Comics is taking its print comics to the next level with its new imprint “ReEvolution.” The imprint takes print and makes it digital, literally. The first issue, Avengers Vs. X-Men Infinite #1, which hit stores this week has an augmented reality (AR) component that readers can ignite to unlock content beyond the printed page.

Aurasma, a company that designs augmented reality and virtual worlds, has designed the AR component. eBookNewser has more about how it works: “Using the Marvel app, readers can scan the print cover to see it pop out, among other things. Readers can scan the pages to unlock extra content such as character bios and videos.”

Readers can also experience the AR content in the digital edition of the issue, which is for sale within the Marvel app for $.99. (Print owners get the digital issue for free).

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers has unveiled the cover for Who Could That Be at This Hour?, the new book by Lemony Snicket. What do you think?

The artist Seth created the cover and will provide more illustrations for the book. Seth has published a number of comic books, including Palookaville and It’s a Good Life, If You Don’t Weaken. As we previously reported, this is first book in Snicket’s forthcoming new series All the Wrong Questions. The title will be released in hardcover, eBook and audiobook in October.

The release included a publicity message from Snicket (the pen name of author Daniel Handler): “I suggest extreme caution … The distribution of this cover image should be on a need-to-know basis, limited to librarians, booksellers, readers, e-readers, educators, journalists, muck-rakers, bloggers, tweeters, men, women, and children.”

Writer Nate Cooper hopes to raise $2,500 for a 120-page book entitled Website Bootcamp Adventure Comics.

This instructional comic book aims to teach web programming concepts such as HTML, CSS and WordPress Basics in a fun way. The funds will be used to pay artist Kim Gee for the book’s artwork. Above, we’ve embedded a video about the project–what do you think?

Here’s more about the project: “The comic is based upon a manuscript Nate spent writing over several months and has been added to over the course of several weeks teaching real people just like you how to build a website. The ideas contained herein are mostly conceptual with a lot of references to external sources in order to learn more. It’s a kind of tips and tricks version of website building that covers a broad range of topics from HTML to SEO to CMS. By putting it in comic form we hope to make it easier to digest for the causal reader/beginner.”

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Writer Kelly Roman and illustrator Michael DeWeese adapted Sun Tzu‘s The Art of War into a graphic novel. To promote the comic book version of the famous military treatise, Roman and DeWeese had a doctor draw their blood in front of a live audience in New York City.

The blood was then used to stamp sample chapter-giveaways. Comics Alliance reports that clear tape was put on top of the blood for sanitary purposes. The curious can view this video about the event on YouTube.

According to an email sent by Roman, “the book integrates Sun Tzu’s iconic text into a story set 20 years in the future when China is the dominant economy and the financial industry is militarized.” HarperCollins’ Harper Perennial imprint will release the book on July 31st in trade paperback format. Follow this link to read the first three chapters.

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Transformers director Michael Bay is producing an upcoming live-action adaptation of the classic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics, but he angered fans when he noted changes in the Turtles’ mythology: “These turtles are from an alien race, and they are going to be tough, edgy, funny and completely loveable.”

Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird created the Turtles in a black and white comic in 1984 (original concept sketch pictured, via), telling the story of turtles mutated into action heroes by radioactive sewer sludge. Removing these mutant origins, Bay’s new take generated a wave of online criticism.

Bay responded in a forum post on his personal site: “Fans need to take a breath, and chill. They have not read the script. Our team is working closely with one of the original creators of Ninja Turtles to help expand and give a more complex back story. Relax, we are including everything that made you become fans in the first place. We are just building a richer world.”

Starting in June 2012, Marvel Comics will bundle print copies of “all Marvel super hero comics priced at $3.99” with special codes so the comic book buyer can download a free digital copy of the same comic.

Do you think the book publishing industry could follow this bold experiment that will include major comics like Wolverine, Avengers, Spider-Man and X-Men?

Marvel Entertainment SVP of sales David Gabriel explained: “We’ve seen a tremendous response to the digital codes in Avenging Spider-Man, our Season One graphic novels and the Ultimate Comics line. The positive reactions from both retailers and fans make it clear that including these codes with our books drives customers into comic stores on a repeated basis.” (Via The Verge)

Unknown thieves stole Nicholas Cage‘s Action Comics No. 1 (reportedly worth $2.1 million) twelve years ago, but the lost comic resurfaced recently. The story of the stolen comic will be immortalized as a movie.

The Hollywood Reporter has more about the new film: “The story revolves around a group of nerds who attempt to steal Cage’s copy of Action Comics No. 1, the landmark 1938 comic that introduced the world to the Man of Steel … To comic-book fans, the story of the book’s theft and its ultimate recovery is as thrilling as any tale of a stolen Monet or Degat.”

Cage will reportedly not play himself in the movie, though the script writers had hoped he could join the cast. According to ABC.com, when the comic was recovered, Cage released a statement claiming: “It is divine providence that the comic was found and I am hopeful that the heirloom will be returned to my family.”

The conservative group One Million Moms is urging Toys ‘R’ Us to stop stocking an Archie Comics issue that features a gay wedding.

In issue 16 of the Life with Archie series, Kevin Keller, Archie Comics’ first openly gay character, gets married to his boyfriend. One Million Moms has created a form letter for parents to email to the toy store. You can read the complete letter below…

The letter concludes with this threat: “Please remove all the same-sex ‘Just Married – Archie’ comic books immediately from your shelves. My decision to shop in your stores depends on it.”

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After months of preparation, Marvel Comics has launched its first Facebook game, Avengers Alliance.

Follow this link to play the game, fighting crime alongside the famous superhero team. Earlier this year, we interviewed comic book writer Alex Irvine about his work writing for the game.

Irvine also shared tips for aspiring video game writers–you can explore the growing field in our Best Video Game Writing of the Year feature.

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A team of literary bakers have created cupcakes inspired by Neil Gaiman and his beloved graphic novel series, The Sandman.

We’ve embedded a photo above, created by the Cupcake et Macaron in Canada. The Cupcakes Take the Cake blog uncovered these delicious and literary baked goods.

Check it out: ” You don’t often read stories that are so well written, and with such lovely characters. I just adored it, and if you haven’t read it yet, you really, really should! With that in mind, it really was just a matter of time before my love for Sandman met my love of everything sweet and delicious! I will eventually do all seven siblings as fondant figures, but for now, I made my favourites: Death, Dream and of course, Delirium!”