Now Posted! SOLDIERS Part 8: Discussion

MAJ Sterling and Dr Wahil have a sit down.  Can two enemies have a simple discussion, or will it end in disaster?

Click Here to read this week’s episode!

Don’t forget — you can get the entire Zero Issue (all 9 parts!) for your iphone for only 99 cents!  And, coming soon, Kindle!

Navigation Upgrades for SOLDIERS

We’ve been following the stats, as any good webcomicker does, and have been noting a trend in our readership.

It seems that a good number of readers think SOLDIERS is like any other webcomic and posts only a page a day, when really it’s closer to 18.  Crazy, I know!  I think the fact that we have the episode embedded in a Flash Gallery really throws them.  So, we’ve made some changes.  For our long time readers, I hope these changes don’t bother you, for our new readers I hope they make it easier.

First change is the Episode Navigation Arrows at the bottom.  Now there are First, Previous, Next, and Current.  Also, notice that the “Episode” part is included.  I think this may have been throwing some people off, as so many other comics use these arrows to go from image to image.  We put out a new EPISODE each week, not just another page.  Hopefully, by making the labels less vague our readers will better understand how the comic is organized.

Second change is to intro each Episode with a short blurb explaining that the comic is in a Flash Gallery.  We also raised the image a bit so when you move your mouse over the image you will clearly see the navigation controls. I encourage you to try the full screen option on the far right of the navigation controls — especially if you are using a netbook.

Also, special bonus, there is an easier method to reading each episode — your keyboard’s arrow keys.  After you advance to the first page using the navigation controls and your mouse, you can advance to all of the other images just by using the right or left arrows of your keyboard (this is how I read them).  It’s easier, faster, and a lot more natural.  Try it, I’ll be you’ll like it.  Just remember, you have to advance the first image with your mouse first (just how the code it written, we’re working on it).

If anyone has any more questions, concerns, or ideas go ahead and tell us about it with a comment.  We read , and usually respond, to every comment left on the site.

Rob

SOLDIERS Zero Part 7: Introductions

Who is the enemy in Afghanistan?  MAJ Sterling gets one step closer to finding the leader of the Ghazni insurgents.

Read this week’s episode here.

And if you have an ipod — go here to buy the entire issue of SOLDIERS! Only 99 cents!

Rob

Interview with a Vet: Lucas Siegel, 91W Combat Medic

Since we started SOLDIERS, I’ve gotten a number of requests from readers for more information about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Instead of rehashing Wikipedia, I thought it would be best to hear it directly from those who served, so I started “Interview with a Vet”, which can be found under the “About” tab on the SOLDIERS navigation bar.

Lucas Seigel, before he was Site Editor for Newsarama, was a combat medic who served a year in Iraq in 2003-2004. He graciously agreed to share his story with us.

If you want to learn about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, forget the press. Listen to a Vet.

The SOLDIERS go on the Offensive in Part Six!

Four SOLDIERS, no rules, and a lot of guns.  The insurgents will never know what hit them…

The latest episode of SOLDIERS is here.

Veterans Day

SOLDIERS will be silent this week in honor of Veterans Day.  We will resume updating next Tuesday, November 17th.

If you want to learn more about Veterans Day, or find local Veterans Day events, CLICK HERE.

Remember, if you see a Veteran this week, shake their hand and thank them for their service.

Rob

SOLDIERS on iTunes!

Click the Image to Buy SOLDIERS Zero

After 6 weeks of being in the approval queue, SOLDIERS Zero was finally approved for sale on iTunes!  The entire issue of SOLDIERS Zero is now available for download directly to your iphone or ipod touch.

We made SOLDIERS specifically for mobile devices — everything from the aspect ratio to the transitions to the word balloons.  Reading it all at once, on a digital device, is the way it was meant to be seen.  We are extremely proud of the way it turned out — download it now and see for yourself! The total story is 185 screens and it’s all for the bargain price of 99 cents.

The app for SOLDIERS Zero was created by the extraordinary team at Infurious Republic.  They did a lot of customization to their app for SOLDIERS and I can honestly say it is head and shoulders beyond any other app out there.  The app is made in layers, with the art and letters separate.  Go ahead and hit the “Speech” button on the app menu bar and you can get rid of the word balloons and marvel at Martin and Chris’ incredible artwork.  Want to jump around?  Use the “scrubber” by sliding your finger along the bottom of the screen — with visual scrolling, you get to see each image as you scroll forward and back.  No more guessing — go directly to the scenes you want to see.  Future issues will have extra art layers, “director’s” commentary, and Easter Egg surprises.  No other app has anywhere near the capability of the Infurious Comic Reader.

As our first digital comic, this is a big milestone for Underwater Samurai Studios.  Martin, Chris, Charles and I put a lot of effort into this, we hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed making it!

Rob

P.S.  Stay tuned, because we have several more titles in production — SOLDIERS is just the beginning!

SOLDIERS Zero, Part Five: The Plan

It’s Tuesday and SOLDIERS Part Five: The Plan is posted!  You can read it here.

And don’t forget to vote for us on Top Web Comics!

Thanks for following SOLDIERS!

Rob