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DC Comics launches new app and magazine aimed at young readers

Nice to see DC doing more for younger readers (i.e. the audience superheroes were created for in the first place).

Here's the press release:

DC Entertainment announced today that it has released a new family-friendly DC Nation app offering instant access to the best in all-ages content from DC Comics. Based on the popular Saturday morning programming block from Cartoon Network, Warner Bros. Animation and DC Entertainment, the free app features thousands of pages of kid-safe content including free, first issues of three of the all-time greatest kids’ comics BATMAN ADVENTURES #1, SUPERMAN ADVENTURES, #1 and the multiple Eisner Award-winning TINY TITANS #1.

The app will also offer several Super Hero Origin mini-comics and the first six installments of the ever-expanding DC Nation Secret Files, an encyclopedia of the coolest characters from DC Comics. A monthly DC Nation “mini-mag” will highlight the latest happenings with the Cartoon Network TV programming block. In addition to the wide-range of free comics in the app, more than 100 all-ages DC Comics titles will be available for purchase at $.99 each, with more titles added every week.

On the heels of the app launch, DC Entertainment will also release a new DC Nation Super Spectacular magazine in May. The 64-page magazine will be on newsstands and in comic book shops for $4.99 throughout the summer, offering kids a collection of new comics based on popular DC Nation shows including Young Justice and Green Lantern: The Animated Series. The magazine will also include exclusive versions of content that extends from the DC Nation app programming, including special versions of DC Nation Secret Files and a DC Nation Sneak Peek. The magazine is sponsored by LEGO® Batman™ 2: DC Super Heroes, an upcoming game from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment,.and will include an exclusive game code for its readers.

“DC Nation has already proven to be an extremely popular kids’ franchise,” stated Hank Kanalz, senior vice president of digital, DC Entertainment. “The new app and magazine will extend DC Nation’s reach while also delivering fresh content to core fans of the TV programming block.”

Other comic book titles available in the DC Nation app include: GREEN LATERN: THE ANIMATED SERIES, YOUNG JUSTICE, THE BATMAN STRIKES, KRYPTO THE SUPERDOG, TEEN TITANS, BILLY BATSON AND THE MAGIC OF SHAZAM!, SUPERGIRL: COSMIC ADVENTURES IN THE 8TH GRADE and YOUNG JUSTICE: CLASSIC SERIES, among others

I like the magazine format as an alternative to standard-size comic books, which don't get distributed hardly anyplace but specialty comic shops these days.

If hard copy comic books are to survive and gain new readers, they need to be available more places.

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This is pretty brilliant:

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Click the links to order discounted items from Amazon.

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Beach Boys detail new album

The first new Beach Boys album in more than 20 years, featuring the reunited, surviving members of the group and produced by Brian Wilson will be out June 5, reports the Billboard.

"It's all brand new," says group member Bruce Johnson. "There's a lot of what you'd hope to hear from Brian (Wilson) on there. It's not a quilt or a pot luck dinner; it's not like, 'OK, everybody show up with your songs.' It's not one of those kind of albums. There's a lot of Brian in there, and Mike (Love). It's just nice to know there is a Mike Love and a Brian Wilson still around to write together."

Johnson said the LP "reminds me of our 'Sunflower' album, which is probably one of our least-selling albums, and some of the songs there are stunning. This album has elements, kind of, of everything. "

An Al Jardine-penned tune, "Waves of Love," features vocal parts recorded by late Beach Boy Carl Wilson, Johnson says. He adds that Brian wrote "a little suite"for the release. The first single is titled "That's Why God Made the Radio."