Robot Comics Launches Creative Commons Comics

Robot Comics has launched its new Creative Commons line of mobile comics for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and Google Android.

Following the macroeconomics practice of releasing free products to extend the use of any given platform, Robot Comics hopes to increase the awareness, use, and natural enjoyment of mobile comics worldwide by releasing professionally produced mobile versions of open source comics media.

First out of the gate is Cory Doctorow's Futuristic Tales of the Here and Now. This is the Creative Commons comics adaptation of six short stories by the award-winning Boing Boing website editor and science-fiction writer, originally published in print by IDW Publishing. Futuristic Tales of the Here and Now has been adapted from its traditional print version to mobile comic edition, offering eight Creative Commons mobile comics specifically designed for iPhone, iPod touch and Android devices. Combined, the mobile Futuristic Tales have been downloaded more than 30,000 times in less than two months.

Cory recently covered the Robot Comics release of his work on his Boing Boing blog, including a reference to the somewhat controversial rejection of his the first issue of FTotHaN by Apple.

Robot Comics have also launched Ubunchu, the unnofficial manga of the world’s cutest Linux distro, worldwide on Apple’s mobile phones. Two editions are offered: the original Japanese right-to-left version and the Western left-to-right adaptation. And, like its inspiration Ubuntu, it can be downloaded for free.

Created by Hiroshi Seo and originally published by ASCII Media Works Inc. under a Creative Commons license, which has allowed its translation and adaptation into multiple languages and formats, Robot Comics has created a remix of the comic specifically designed for Android, iPhone and iPod touch devices.

Ubunchu Issue #2 (also Creative Commons) was recently released in Japan and will be released next month by us.



Also in the final title of the first tranche of Creative Commons Comics is Misery Depot. In the story, an anomaly causes an elderly mother to awake undressed inside a humid capsule. The voice of her daughter echoes in her memory, the intent of her words forgotten. Was she sharing the completeness of their unity, or hatefully wishing her mother’s demise?

A free mystery/science fiction one-shot intended for mature audiences, it's available in two editions: Misery Depot Redux and Misery Depot Finite.

• For the full list of Futuristic Tales of the Here and Now titles and links for readers to directly find the stories on the Apple or Google marketplace, go to www.robotcomics.net/2009/06/cory-doctorows-futuristic-tales/#more-754.

• For more information about the Ubunchu Manga for mobiles visit www.robotcomics.net/2009/06/unofficial-ubuntu-manga-ubunchu-arrives-iphone.

• For more information about Misery Depot visit: http://www.robotcomics.net/2009/03/misery-depot-redux.