When the iPad was born, the world of digital comic fans rejoiced. It was the perfect tool with which to read the comics conveniently (because how inconvenient is it to haul a laptop into the bathroom). The hardware was there, but all that was needed was proper software. It seemed like a no-brainer. It shouldn’t have been difficult. But it was. Reader after reader got it wrong. From lack of an organizational function to not getting the aspect ratios correct, it was a major disappointment.

But finally, with Comic Zeal’s latest release, we have a comic reader that functions in most of the ways a comic reader should. It still has one of the cleanest presentations and most intuitive ways of reading, with its full-screen and assisted panning modes. Aside from the aesthetic changes, the biggest new feature is the ability to add an additional level of organization. Now, instead of just having to put SUPERMAN all in one collection or be forced to have your main screen littered with many SUPERMAN folders, you can create a master collection, and then put multiple “dividers” between the comics inside of that collection. Now you’ll have the ability to sub-divide by story arcs or writers or whatever else you can possibly imagine. And should you have forgotten to name your files sequentially, meaning that ‘The_Boys_38″ is now ahead of “The Boys_1″, the new update allows you to go in and arrange your comics in any order you prefer.

There’s no doubt that the interface takes a little getting used to. But the learning curve is short and not terribly painful. And, as or right now, there’s not a better app for reading comics than Comic Zeal (and I was saying that BEFORE the new update). The new ability to organize is a must for anything that is geared towards reading or digital libraries (Amazon’s Kindle e-reader is serious offender in this respect despite being a top-notch reader). It still has its quirks, but Comic Zeal is absolutely the best game in town.

Available in the iTunes App Store

IDW January Newsletter

Happy New Year and welcome to the IDW newsletter, offering your monthly dose of news and not-to-be-missed books!

Arriving at inboxes the beginning of each month, the IDW newsletter brings highlights of the coming month, including books to look for at your local store, plus top stories from “Ryall Time” and the IDW website. Enjoy!

IDW Digital

IDW is ringing in the New Year with awesome new digital comics on more platforms!  In addition to expanded offerings for the iPhone and iPod touch, you can now enjoy IDW comics on your PSP. 

Take a break from gaming to read TRANSFORMERS or

Wormwood on your PSP. Plus, Wormwood is the very first digital comic to offer audio commentary, meaning you can enjoy both the art and insights (plus the cool Australian accent) of Ben Templesmith!

Click here to download comics to your PSP.

For your iPhone or iPod touch, check out our four-issue prequel to the upcoming movie, “Legion,” featuring an all out war between Heaven and Earth!  Legion: Prophets introduces the “prophets,” ordinary people who have yet to understand the powers they possess and their very special role in the apocalyptic events that are about to sweep across the globe.

Click here to get Legion: Prophets on your iPhone or iPod touch.

January Firsts!
The first month of 2010 features some amazing #1 issues, starting January 13th!  Check out the very first issue from EA Comics, Army of Two #1!

Then take a ride on the bizarre side with Weekly World News #1, written by lifeong Bat Boy fan and IDW Publisher/Editor in Chief, Chris Ryall.

Also on January 13th, IDW launches a new Star Trek series, Captain’s Log, starting with Captain Hikaru Sulu.  Each installment of the series will feature a different captain from The Original Series.

On January 27th, the acclaimed G.I. JOE: COBRA series continues with COBRA II #1. Get ready for another action-packed series, plus characters never before seen in IDW comics!  And if you haven’t done so yet, pick up the COBRA I series, which io9.com called “the latest smart, inventive reboot.”

And don’t miss the final leg of IDW’s TRANSFORMERS trifecta with Last Stand of the Wreckers #1, as this special AUTOBOT crew goes on a mission to investigate the prison planet under the rule of the DECEPTICONS.

New This Month

First issues aren’t the only thing happening in January!  We’ve got some great books to offer throughout the month, like Wizard’s Tale hardcover, Bill Willingham’s Angel #29 and the conclusion of the G.I. JOE: Snakes Eyes series! Here’s a quick look at some of our January highlights, and the complete list of January releases is below.

Angel #29

Bill Willingham, Bill Williams (w) • Brian Denham, David Messina (a) • Jenny Frison, David Messina (c)
Where has the “hero of L.A.” gone? While Team Angel Investigations try to figure out how to handle the everyday demons, danger, and evil-doing on their own, Angel’s whereabouts turn out to be part of a seriously sinister conspiracy. Plus: chapter two of the Eddie Hope back-up by Williams and Messina.
*2 regular covers will be shipped in a 1-to-1 ratio.
FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Complete Chester Gould’s Dick Tracy, Vol. 9

Chester Gould (w & a & c)
Chester Gould’s fertile imagination continues at a breakneck pace, as he introduces The Brow, Flattop, Shaky, Breathless Mahoney, Measles, Gravel Gertie, B.O. Plenty, and the Summer Sisters! With an introduction by Max Allan Collins, and a special feature by Jeff Kersten of the Dick Tracy Museum about the famous radio program, “Dick Tracy in B-Flat,” starring Bing Crosby, Dinah Shore, Frank Sinatra, Jimmy Durante, and Bob Hope! Edited and designed by Eisner Award-winner Dean Mullaney, and containing all daily and Sunday comic strips from March 23, 1944 through September 19, 1945.
HC • PC • $39.99 • 264 Pages • 11” x 8.5” • ISBN: 978-1-60010-532-6

G.I. JOE: Snake Eyes #4

Ray Park, Kevin VanHook (w) • Lee Ferguson (a & c)
Having returned to the village where he trained with the Arashikage Clan, SNAKE EYES uncovers the true identity of the murderer who had stolen his identity! Now Snake Eyes must take the battle to holy ground as he confronts a demon from his past—and watches the world around him go up in flames!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99

The Ghoul #2

Steve Niles (w) • Bernie Wrightson (a & c)
The Ghoul arrives in Los Angeles and quickly learns that there’s more to Hollywood than glitz and glamour—there are also demons invading Griffith Park and a cop named Klimpt, who is convinced an aging starlet is a blood-sucking freak of her own creation. It’s the Ghoul versus Demons in this knockdown, drag-out melee of monstrous behemoths!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Little Adventures in Oz Book 1

Eric Shanower (w & a & c)
In the marvelous Land of Oz, magic is always around the next corner. Dorothy, the Scarecrow and their many friends can’t stop plunging into one adventure after another. Wonder and magic abound in this collection of “The Enchanted Apple of Oz” and “The Ice King of Oz” by award-winning cartoonist Eric Shanower.
TPB • FC • $9.99 • 136 Pages • 6” x 9” • ISBN: 978-1-60010-589-0

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Fool’s Gold #2

Scott & David Tipton (w) • Fabio Mantovani (a) • Sharp Brothers, David Messina (c)
Deep Space Nine teeters on the brink of anarchy as swarms of treasure-hunters and mercenaries continue to flood the station. Major Kira and Constable Odo are on the case, and the investigation leads to a not-unexpected destination: Quark’s Bar!
*2 regular covers will be shipped in a 1-to-1 ratio.
FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Wizard’s Tale

Kurt Busiek (w) • David Wenzel (a & c)
A magical story of redemption! The Wizard’s Tale is the story of the aged Bafflerog Rumplewhisker and his young companion, Muddle, the woodcutter’s son, as they embark on a quest to retrieve the magical Book of Worse—a tome that will ensure the land of Ever-Night remains as it is, a dark and gloomy realm of evil. But old Rumplewhisker’s heart slowly warms on their journey, and a chance to restore a semblance of goodness to Ever-Night is possible—if he and his young charge can dare face the challenges ahead.
HC • FC • $24.99 • 144 Pages • ISBN: 978-1-60010-595-1
© 2010 Kurt Busiek and David Wenzel

Monthly Giveaway

Each month, one lucky newsletter subscriber will be our raffle winner and will receive free IDW releases from that month. Our January winner will receive a copy of The Veil TPB.

Congratulations to our December winner: [Name], who won a copy of each of the three new Angel comics: #28, which begins a new story arc by acclaimed writer Bill Willingham, Annual and A Hole in the World #1!

Inner Monologue

Each month the newsletter features thoughts from different members of the IDW team. Our January “inner monologue” brings thoughts from IDW’s Shipping Manager, Alonzo Simon:

I hope everybody’s holiday season went well.  As the new year begins, our weekly publication schedule ramps up again.  In the three and a half years that I have worked at IDW, our weekly output has at least doubled, which means we are publishing a lot of comics and trades these days.  As I personally inventory all of our office copies, believe me when I say it’s a lot of books.  For example, in the first week of January, ten separate titles are coming out.  By the time a finished product gets into my hands to ship to a reviewer or a customer, a lot of people have helped get it there.  From the creator’s writing and drawing, to the editor’s red pen, to our production staff’s lettering and design, and finally to our printer, many people contribute to the process of making these books.  As a fan of comics, and books in general, it certainly opened my eyes as to the amount of work it takes to get just one book published.  But it is definitely worth it to see something that everyone worked so hard to produce become final and to get it into the hands of the fans.  Anyway, I think I hear a delivery truck pulling up so it’s back to the heavy lifting.  Happy New Year’s everybody.

Complete List of January Releases
January 6th

Angel: A Hole in the World #2

GrimJack: The Manx Cat #6
Jennifer Love Hewitt’s Music Box #2

Jon Sable Freelance #4

Little Adventures in Oz 1

Star Trek: Spock Reflections TPB 
Starstruck #5

TRANSFORMERS: Tales of the Fallen #6

January 13th

Angel #29

Army of Two #1

Complete Chester Gould’s Dick Tracy, Vol. 9

Doctor Who #7

Fallen Angel: Reborn TPB

G.I. JOE: Snake Eyes #4

The Ghoul #2

Star Trek: Captain’s Log: Sulu

TRANSFORMERS #3

TRANSFORMERS: All Hail Megatron, Vol. 4

TPB
Torpedo, Vol. 1 HC

Weekly World News #1

January 20th

Beyond the Wall #3

G.I. JOE #14

G.I. JOE: Best of Baroness TPB

G.I. JOE: Origins #11

Robot Galaxy Vol. 3

Robot Galaxy Vol. 4

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine #2

TRANSFORMERS: Best of the UK: Bumblebee #2

The Veil TPB

January 27th

Complete World War Robot HC

G.I. JOE: COBRA II #1

Star Trek: Ghosts #3

TRANSFORMERS: Last Stand of the Wreckers #1

Wizard’s Tale Vol. 1 HC

Reportedly, Alvin Sargent (of Spidey 1 and 2, not to mention the classic Ordinary People) is the screenwriter currently charged with retooling the project. Previously, writers Gary Ross (Pleasantville, Seabiscuit), James Vanderbilt (Zodiac, X-Men Origins: Wolverine), and David Lindsay-Abaire (Robots, Inkheart) had submitted drafts of the superhero sequel.

Raimi has so far been set to return as director, but this is now understandably in question. It’s widely known that Sony and Marvel insisted Raimi inject Venom into Spider-Man 3, a character Raimi had little desire to feature. The resulting film was undoubtably weak compared to the previous two, and Raimi himself has stated he wants to go out on a higher note. Wanting to feature another classic villain, in this case the Vulture (a role rumored to be desired for John Malkovich), Raimi is reportedly being pressured by Sony to choose another villain. Raimi had wanted to feature the Vulture as Spider-Man 3‘s 2nd villain, but the studio apparently found the character noncommercial.

Here’s the thing: Sony still has Spider-Man 4 scheduled for a May 6, 2011 release. It’s clear that this date is nigh impossible without quick thinking by all concerned.

Personally, the thought of Raimi returning to Spider-Man is a frustrating thought. Raimi is a passionate filmmaker who displays genius when working with material that really speaks to him. The Evil Dead films are fan favorites, and A Simple Plan is a classic, not to mention gems like The Gift and last years Drag Me To Hell (which, in 10 years, will be a classic). He did wonders for Spidey, but the frustrating development of Spider-Man 3 was evident in the final product, a toneless mishmash of too-many elements, burdened by studio interference and a palpable sense of malaise by most all concerned.

Unless Raimi feels like he wants to go back to the Spidey well, I sure don’t want him to.

The website will utilize all manners of storytelling and filmmaking from audio effects to the rapidly growing 3D animation techniques to serve fans with more Dead Space content. Over the next nine weeks, fans can immerse themselves into the world and follow every step of the process as the creators tell two tragic stories, Misplaced Affection, followed by 13.

Misplaced Affection follows “an organ replacement technician who falls hard for a capable female security officer. 13 is the “tale of a sleeper agent who makes the wrong decisions for the right reasons.” Each story is four chapters long, with new chapters going live every Monday.

“There’s a touch of macabre ridiculousness to it. I think we’ve seen a lot of attempts to make serious movies about serious things, and it strikes me that we might be a little more artful about how we make a point [these days].”

He said Mark Wahlberg, who stars in his next release, the video game come to life Max Payne, as an ideal candidate to star in the film. “I think he’s an actor of unlimited potential and I’d just love to go around with him again.”

The Virulents is your typical soldiers vs. vampire zombies tale. Virgin describes it this way: “A small platoon of American soldiers in search of their missing comrades comes across Indian commandoes looking for a group of terrorists suspected of hiding a most heinous weapon in the craggy breast of the Hindukush. It’s a night of revelation as the Americans discover the fate of their lost brothers, and the Indians discover the fate of their terrorists. But the terror is not in the form of flesh and blood, or bullets or gunpowder”

According to the publisher, the series is about: “Yeti sightings are a dime a dozen. Outsmarting your spouse – now that’s priceless! Join Cryptozoologist Tork Darwyn and his wife Tara as they discover unknown creatures, visit lost civilizations, and fight for the TV remote. Join the CRYPTOZOO CREW and their basement full of Cave Monkeys!”

Two volumes of material are already in print.

“Dark Castle generated the idea,” Andreyko told ShockTillYouDrop.com. “I’ve known Erik Olsen and Joel’s company for years. Joel [Silver] had been interested in the concept of the Ferryman and the River Styx. He wanted to do something contemporary with it, so that’s what I was given. From there, I brought to the table people selling their soul to the Devil. Eventually the Devil is going to collect on that so the Ferrymen carry the souls to hell.”

The series’ protagonist is Gideon Thorne, known as a tracker or “Ferryman”, ” a cop who, in the ’70s, lost his wife to a serial killer,” Andreyko said. “He winds up killing the serial killer in court and killing himself. In the morgue, the Devil says, ‘you’re good at your job so if you work for me you’ll see your wife one more time’.”

As the series open, Thorne tells the Devil he’s done and the Devil agrees but says, just take on one more job.

Dark Castle was originally founded by producers Silver, Robert Zemeckis and Gil Adler to produce modern day remakes of the oeuvre of  the legendary William Castle. This began with House on Haunted Hill but in time, they began producing original works as well. Now Dark Castle is branching out into comics as well.

“There are definite thoughts that this would be cool to live on in other media,” Andreyko confirmed of Dark Castle’s intent. “I’m writing it as a comic book story though. They say, Don’t write what you think is commercial, right what you feel. So I’m writing the story in the confines of a comic book with the pluses of a comic book. That being said, it could easily be translated into film, but I’m not doing this to make it into a movie.”

He also told the magazine that his Locke & Key comic book is now being tailored for a television series as opposed to a feature film.  The interesting news here is that Frank Darabont is likely to write and direct at least the pilot.

In an interview with Newsarama, Marks excitedly reveals the Hack/Slash film adaptation will take a new direction in which it will be “the first chance [we will get] to see a slasher movie where there is more than one slasher!”  Slashers, for those of you who are unfamiliar, are what the government calls “Revenants” and whose purpose is solely to kill.  The film will be heavily character based and “[you're] going to get to know the people who are surviving and dying.”

Viewers will get to follow Cassie and her partner, Vlad’s, hunt from one slasher to the next, while we “[build] out the mythology of how this world works with its undead slashers.”

In concluding his interview, Mark proudly discloses that “[He's] been pulling lines, moments and scenes from the comic leading up to the numbered run that fans will notice.”  The film is written with an “R rating mentality” and fans should expect nothing less with original creator, Tim Seeley, being closely involved in the production.

Marks has become one of the hottest comics-related screenwriters in Hollywood.  In addition to Hack/Slash, he wrote the much lauded Green Arrow script formerly known as Supermax, and likely to be the next DC Comics-related film to go before the cameras. Marks will also be writing comics material for Devil’s Due.