Planetwide Media, a leading provider of interactive entertainment and online software applications announced today the official beta launch of Hypercomics.com, the next generation online social network for Online Comics and Storybooks. Membership to Hypercomics.com is free and allows anyone - from a fan to a professional comic book creator - the ability to create, upload their own personal comic creations and search officially licensed and approved content from various genres such as comic books, animations, manga and anime. Users can create and publish personalized digital comic books, storybooks, game comics or photo comics to share with friends, family and fans.

More than just an online social network, Hypercomics.com serves as a key resource for fans and content creators by providing an online destination to publish, search, create, showcase, review, rate and discuss new comic book and storybook creations. Hypercomics.com provides complete online social networking functionality including commentary, ratings, blogs, forums and groups. Hypercomics.com will allow comic creators to share their work, discuss others’ work, enter contests and read interviews with Comic Book Industry professionals. Exclusively and for a limited time, the first 5,000 members to sign up for a Free Account during the Beta Launch of the Hypercomics.com and post one or more user generated creations (UGC) will receive a free digital download of Comic Book Creator software. A trial version of Comic Book Creator will let a new member design, create and post UGC’s online to Hypercomics.com and will let “you” become the comic book creator. You will be able to share UGCs with your friends.

“Building a social network and community at Hypercomics.com is an outgrowth of our self-publishing digital comic book creation software ‘Comic Book Creator’, which puts user generated creations in the hands of everyone,” said Kevin Donovan, President of Planetwide Media. “Hypercomics.com was created with the intent to connect entertainment brands directly to their fan bases who have been craving more and more interactivity with their favorite characters.”

Several key market indicators suggest that Hypercomics.com is launching at the right place and the right time. Comic book inspired entertainment is reaching a broader audience. Comic books have made a comeback with the recent release of major Super Heroes films. NBC Television’s new hit series “Heroes” integrates both comic book and graphic novel genres. Marvel Entertainment characters are being prominently featured in films, DVDs and video game releases throughout 2007 and running to the end of 2008. Through its patent pending Comic Book Creator software, Planetwide Media provides a unique offering in today’s consumer driven marketplace. Hypercomics.com and the Comic Book Creator software embrace the “remix and mash up culture” by empowering consumers to create stories with a variety of branded/licensed art and digital assets. The Comic Book Creator software personal media platform allows users to remix and mash up artwork, photos and audio assets across multiple to! uch points - from social networks to blogs and beyond - while maintaining the original content owner’s brand integrity through our Digital Rights Management system. Comic Book Creator is a next generation interactive solution for brands, licensors and advertisers seeking a platform to fully embrace today’s digital mashup culture and engage consumers in ways never before possible.

[tags]UGC, user generated creation, Comic Book Creator, Hypercomics.com, comic[/tags]