DC Comics Wastes Opportunity With Nokia-Exclusive “The Dark Knight Rises” Motion Comic Alex Gerage, August 20, 2012August 20, 2012 When it was announced late last year that The Dark Knight Rises would take place eight years after the events of The Dark Knight, I wrote about how such news lent itself to tremendous viral marketing and hype-generating opportunities, primarily in the form of prequel comics that could tell stories of events that took place between the films. While that never materialized the way I hoped, DC Comics just announced the launch of a new app that does indeed offer a “prologue” comic to the film. But there’s a catch. Hit the jump to find out more. The Dark Knight Rises: Prologue is a brand new app launched by DC Comics and available exclusively on select Nokia phones. That’s right, Nokia. Not Apple products or Android-powered devices. Nokia. Does anyone even own a Nokia phone? Now, I’m half joking, because I understand that a marketing partnership between the two companies existed dating back to before the film was released, and the notion of exclusive content is an understandable consequence of such a deal (we’ve covered previous examples of their partnership), but I remain dumbfounded. To offer a prologue comic to a film a month after its release, on a provider with an assumedly small market share seems, well, pointless. Then there’s the app itself, which is seemingly forgotten when considering how it is offered. Judging by the provided screenshot of the motion comic, it appears this story takes place literally minutes before the film opens, leaving me to wonder just how impactful and revelatory it can really be. But then again, I wouldn’t know. I don’t own a Nokia. Much has been said over whether or not Christopher Nolan’s Batman story would continue on film. I personally prefer to let it stand alone as one of the greatest trilogies ever. Still, I think DC Comics possesses an incredible opportunity to creatively fill in the gaps over what happened during those eight years. And now that we have all seen the film, the possibilities are genuinely intriguing. What was Bane’s arrival to Gotham like? How did James Gordon evolve after his ethics were compromised at the end of The Dark Knight? How about some stories chronicling rising police star and eventual Batman heir John Blake? I contend that there’s not only potential to expand the Nolan Batman universe in comics form, but people would eat it up. Think Before Watchmen, but without the controversy and Alan Moore loyalists. Do you own a Nokia phone and would like to offer your thoughts on The Dark Knight Rises: Prologue app, since most of us won’t be able to check it out? Post your review in the comments section below. Apps AppsBefore WatchmenDC ComicsNokiaThe Dark KnightThe Dark Knight Rises
Do You Live Near a ‘Murder House’? This “American Horror Story” App Will Let You Know September 21, 2012September 21, 2012 You know how when you buy a house, the real estate agent is supposed to tell you the home’s history? What if the house you were looking at purchasing had a very gruesome, blood-stained past? You probably wouldn’t buy it and move on to the next listing. Well believe it… Read More
New “Archer” App Has Soundboard and Social Media Interaction January 10, 2013 One of my favorite parts of the animated spy comedy Archer on FX are the memorable quotes that I love to repeat. Whether warning someone that they are in the danger zone or explaining how you get ants, there are a plethora of one-liners from the show that are hilarious…. Read More
Swing into Action with “The Amazing Spider-Man” Augmented Reality App! May 10, 2012May 10, 2012 Coinciding with the release of the the new trailer launch for The Amazing Spider-Man, Sony Pictures Entertainment has launched a free mobile application, The Amazing Spider-Man Augmented Reality App! The application allows fans to get up close and personal with Spider-Man in online and real world environments by finding specially… Read More