Here comes PULSE - a new UK comic for just 69p

ROK Comics have just launched a new ongoing digital anthology comic titled Pulse, - and it's only 69p an issue.

The 36 page full colour comic is available to read on the iPad through the new ROK Comics Ultra marketplace app on Apple's iTunes store.

Pulse is produced in partnership with Markosia Enterprises and is aimed at teenagers. The serial adventure strips in No.1 feature Team M.O.B.I.L.E., Dinocorps, Serpent Wars, and Endangered Weapon B.

Get the ROK Comics Ultra app here:
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/rok-comics-ultra/id804413888?mt=8

Find out more information on this brand new comic and its stories at the Down the Tubes website:
http://downthetubes.net/?p=15045  

ROK release two new audio comics

Latest bulletin from editor John Freeman...

MEET RICK FURY - RAPPER ON THE RAMPAGE! 

Don't just read this comic - hear it! ROK Records is proud to present the first free audio-enhanced issue of FURIOUS, starring none other than Geordie rapping superstar Rick Fury!

Featuring a full soundtrack that brings the story added life and excitement, FURIOUS is set in an alternate, dangerous Britain where Northern England has been leased to China to pay Britain's enormous debts and Scotland is an independent nation. On the streets of South Shields - now Shanghai North - the rebellious population are subject to absolute rule, where many forms of entertainment are banned and street gangs enforce the law of the occupying nation!

Rick Fury and fellow rap star Layla Lu voice the audio comic script from Rick Fury himself (assisted by Ben Kendrick) with art by Marc Olivent, colour from Kirsty Swan, lettered by Jim Campbell.

The ongoing FURIOUS audio comic is just one more step in artist/rapper Rick Fury's path to global domination! Rick's exceptional talent puts him at the forefront of his profession, bringing a fresh look to Hip Hop, rapping about everyday situations and life in general.

This free comic includes the option to buy Rick's latest single "Rage", which will unlock an exclusive Rick Fury video within the app!
- Official Rick Fury audio comic - voiced by Rick and Layla Lu!
- Full colour action comic with swipe to read navigation
- Exclusive Rick Fury video (on in-app purchase of his single, "Rage")
- Click-to-listen full audio soundtrack
- Don't just read this comic -- hear it!

FURIOUS Episode 1 for iphone, iPad and iTouch: https://itunes.apple.com/app/rick-fury/id573928983?mt=8

FURIOUS Episode 1 for Android devices: http://bit.ly/rick-fury-comic01

ZEZI - THE STORY SO FAR
19th November 2012: Don't just read this comic - hear it! Rok Records is proud to present the FREE official audio-enhanced ZEZI COMIC, telling the story of Birmingham's top rap act!

 Featuring a full soundtrack that brings the story added life and excitement, find out about ZeZi's rise - the triumphs, the setbacks, the personal tragedy that has shaped their success in different ways!



Birmingham born rapper, singer, song-writer Bc Da Bossman has been involved in writing and producing music since he was very young, crafting his skills with an assist from a music project organised by the band UB40 at Dep Studios Birmingham at just 16. Armed with these skills BC developed himself as an artist, working with some of Birmingham’s most accomplished musicians, rappers and engineers such as the B15 Project, MSI & Asylum and Pato Banton. But the music really came together with the formation of ZeZi and neither he or fellow band members DeNiro Capo, Durty Sqwurt and P.O.V. have looked back since.



Now, the winners of Radio 1's Freestyle Competition and the New Style Radio Competition have worked with ROK Records to bring their fans this special comic, charting how they came together, the near-tragic shooting that almost put paid to their plans but in the end, steeled them for greatness - and the story of their greatest fan, Taivann, whose life was cruelly cut short.



Working from a story by BC Da Bossman himself, top script writer and novelist Jasper Bark has crafted this bio-comic, drawn by Marc Olivent, coloured by Kirsty Swan and lettered by Jim Campbell.



This free comic includes the option to buy ZeZi's latest single "Spend It All", which will unlock an EXCLUSIVE ZeZi video within the app!
- Official ZeZi audio comic - voiced by the band themselves!

- Full colour action comic with swipe to read navigation

- Exclusive ZeZi video (on in-app purchase of Spend It All")

- Click-to-listen full audio soundtrack

- Don't just read this comic, hear it!

Zezi for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad: https://itunes.apple.com/app/zezi/id573944649

ZeZi for Android devices: http://bit.ly/zezi-comic

The Beatles are back, - as an audio comic!

Thanks to John Freeman of ROK Comics for the press release and image. Take it away, John....


Lancaster, England 5th November 2012: ROK Mobile Comics is pleased to announce the audio comics release of the first issue of its THE BEATLES STORY for iPad, iPhone and other mobile devices.

The series will collect, for the first time in its entirety, the classic and highly-acclaimed Beatles strip created by Angus Allan and Arthur Ranson for the British weekly comic, Look-In.

The digitally-enhanced audio comic includes rare Beatles videos and other material to complement the comic, including audio commentary memories from writer and radio broadcaster Angie McCartney.

Working closely with artist Arthur Ranson and the estate of writer Angus Allan, ROK will release THE BEATLES STORY as an eight-issue digital comic for iPad, iPhone, Android and other mobile devices later this year, the strip complemented by fully authored audio enhancements that will further bring this unique comic biography of The Beatles to life.

The launch will coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Fab Four's beginnings back in 1962, when The Beatles - John, Paul, George and Ringo - took the charts by storm in 1962 with their first official release, Love Me Do, quickly followed by Please Please Me and From Me to You. Beatlemania soon swept across the globe as the Fab Four recorded a staggering 12 studio albums, 13 EPs and 22 singles from 1962 to 1970. It is estimated they have sold over one billion records worldwide.

The Beatles continue to influence many musicians and artists today, attracting a new generation of fans. 

Beautifully realized, THE BEATLES STORY charts the history of the band from their struggle for success in the early 1960s through their entire career until the band's split in 1970. 

DJ Mike Read has called it "the only worthwhile strip record of the Beatles" and the creator-owned comic, first published in British comic Look-In has only ever been reprinted in an abridged form, both in the UK and in Europe.

THE BEATLES STORY is the latest audio comic project from ROK, who launched their first audio adventure comic Team M.O.B.I.L.E. earlier this year, with several new titles, including Houdini, new adventures of the world's greatest escape artist soon to follow, along with spy adventure Tomorrow We Live, written and drawn by Mike Collins. 

The company is also working on a number of music comics featuring up and coming bands, and a collection of Angus Allan and Arthur Ranson's other creator-owned strip for Look-In, The Elvis Story.

• The Beatles Story by Angus Allan and Arthur Ranson, with new covers by Martin Baines
• From iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/app/the-beatles-story/id569176209?mt=8
• Android Edition: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rok.comics.beatles001

New! Team M.O.B.I.L.E. - the audio comic!

Cover to issue No.1

The British comics industry continues to expand its horizons beyond the once-traditional newsstand with the newest digital release, Team M.O.B.I.L.E. being an audio comic! Here's John Freeman with the info...

ROK Comics, Britain's dedicated mobile comics publisher, has published its first originated audio comic title for the iPad – TEAM M.O.B.I.L.E.

Featuring a fully authored audio soundtrack and its own theme tune, TEAM M.O.B.I.L.E. is the exciting story of teenage secret agents battling dangerous enemies across the globe.

An ongoing adventure story, the first issue of TEAM M.O.B.I.L.E. centres on the story of misfit duo Maisy Brown and Sam Thompson, who are recruited into a secret organisation to battle crime, terrorism and other dangers.

TEAM M.O.B.I.L.E. is the creation of ROK Group PLC co-founder Jonathan Kendrick.

Jonathan has long harboured an ambition to marry comics with sound and published on mobile devices including the iPad and iPhone. Inspired by a love of James Bond and comics, he came up with the back story for the comic, including its top secret 'MindMerge' technology and gadgets.

"We are really pleased with the originality and quality of our first audio comic which has just been published on the iTunes store and we look forward to developing the story further," said Jonathan.

The strip is written by John Freeman from storylines by Jonathan Kendrick, with art by Andrew Chiu. Kris Carter is colouring the title, with Jim Campbell providing lettering and logos.

John's credits include work for Marvel, Judge Dredd Megazine and Black Ops Extreme for STRIP – The Comic Magazine, but he's perhaps better known as an editor, for ROK Comics and titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, STRIP and many others.

Andrew's credits include 2000 AD, the mainstay of the British comics industry, DC Comics, Vertigo Comics and ILEX Press.

Kris Carter's credits include Transformers and Doctor Who while Jim Campbell has worked for pretty much every major British comic publisher and some American companies, too.

The soundtrack, which complements the strip action, features the voices of both British and American actors, produced by Sneaky Snake Films in New York. The Team M.O.B.I.L.E. theme tune was created by accomplished composer Bob Townley, who's worked with a number of established chart artists in the US and UK.

ROK Comics is also publishing strips for mobile under license, including an Andy Capp (http://itunes.apple.com/app/andy-capp/id502842834) iPhone app in partnership with the Mirror newspaper and a Viz iPhone app (http://itunes.apple.com/app/viz-strip-teaser/id498509606) in partnership with Dennis Publishing.

Three iPhone apps published in partnership with individual creators – Ligeia the Vampire (http://itunes.apple.com/app/ligeia/id409858722) by Rodrigo Diaz Ricci, The Mobile Gospel (http://itunes.apple.com/app/mobile-gospel/id409877719) by Rich Diesslin and Madd Science (http://itunes.apple.com/app/madd-science/id409860018) by Steve English – are also available.

Further comics are in development.

ROK Comics, part of ROK Global PLC, continues to provide mobile comics content for WAP subscription services across the globe and is currently working with partners in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

• Team M.O.B.I.L.E. on iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/app/team-mobile-comic/id516600477

• Team M.O.B.I.L.E.online: http://www.theteammobile.com

• Visit ROK Comics at: www.rokcomics.com

Viz now available as an App

Viz, the adult comic which started out as a self-published mag with a print run of 200 copies, then later went ballistic with sales of a million, now has its own App. Here's the press release from Rok Global with all the info...

ROK Global PLC, the mobile and web technology, applications and services company, has announced its latest mobile application, a highly innovative iPhone application featuring characters and content from the hugely popular adult comic ‘Viz’, has been launched on the iPhone App Store.

Developed for Dennis Publishing, the Viz Strip Teaser iPhone application will provide customers with all the latest Viz characters and content. One issue is included in the free download, with subsequent issues priced at £1.49.


“Viz is a national institution in the UK so we’re delighted to have been chosen to develop the magazine’s iPhone app which we’re confident will prove very popular indeed.” Said Jonathan Kendrick, Chairman of ROK Global.

ROK Global is the parent company of ROK Comics (www.rokcomics.com), publishers of Team M.O.B.I.L.E. (www.theteammobile.com) and the digital edition of Britain's adventure anthology STRIP Magazine for iPad.

ROK has pioneered many new technologies and services in the rapidly-evolving mobile and web space including high quality mass-market Mobile TV (which can be streamed, live and on-demand, over 2.5G as well as 3G and Wi-Fi) which it licenses to Mobile Operators, revenue-generating applications available direct to consumers via the leading application stores, mobile security technologies which it licenses to law enforcement agencies and multi-language text-to-speech technologies which it licenses to website owners.

Check out www.rokglobal.com for more info and here to obtain the Viz Strip Teaser.