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Comic Strip Network Adds Five More Comic Strips to Lineup

The Comic Strip Network announced today (Oct. 23, 2006) it has added IPSO FACTO, DOT 'N DASH, JAC STRIPS, ZENJEFF and MR. STICK comic strips to its daily programming lineup. The Comic Strip Network (www.comicstripnetwork.com) broadcasts fresh comic strips daily to mobile phones worldwide and the Internet. CSN features funny cartoons rated to family newspaper standards, including MOSTLY HEADS, GIRLS & SPORTS, DATING AMY, THE MEANING OF LILA, DAY BY DAY and MOD.

"We've doubled our number of comic strips since August", says exec producer Robin Rowe. "We now carry more comic strips than some major newspapers, and we're adding more all the time."

ZENJEFF, created by Nick Reddoch and Clay Hollifield, is the adventures of a warrior named Zenjeff and his tiny fairy friend Peter. IPSO FACTO, created by Mike Wallster, divulges why penguins think people are so funny. DOT 'N DASH, also created by Wallster, started when Eddie's penguin pal from Ipso Facto discovered a lazy comic strip artist who drew only simple geometric shapes. JAC STRIPS, created by Jac Ting Lim in the Philippines, follows the events and thoughts in the daily life of a comic stripper. MR. STICK, created by stand-up comic Rob Troy, really sticks it to funny.

CSN viewers access mobile comics on mobile phones with color screens through all U.S. phone carriers, including Cingular, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon, as well as from other countries. CSN developed a new technology called mobile-rebound to bypass confusing phone menus so consumers access comics by sending a text message. Viewers receive an automated text message reply containing a bookmark to the Comic Strip Network. Comics are offered free to consumers, but carrier Internet data charges can apply depending on the viewer's phone plan. Consumers without mobile data service may contact their carrier to add WAP or Internet access.

With The WB and UPN merged and downsized to create The CW Network and NBC Universal laying off 700 employees for 2007, it seems a tough climate for launching a new entertainment network. CSN said it looks to the classic General MacArthur strategy: "Hit 'em where they ain't!" As incumbent television networks struggle to place one toe into the mobile space, CSN launched exclusively in mobile, spread to the Internet and television is next.

Newspapers are cutting back on their comics pages and falling back to their proven content. With incumbent artists struggling to hold onto shrinking newspaper comic page real estate, great new comic strips artists can go to CSN and mobile phones. When newspapers are cutting back comics, CSN has doubled it's content and will double again in 2007. The company humbly asks, "CSN save the comic strip?"

The website ComicStripNetwork.com delivers free daily mobile comics formatted for the Web. "We're really more interested in the two billion mobile phones than in Internet traffic," says Rowe. "Putting mobile comic strips on the Internet is part of our strategy of being on all screens everywhere." CSN mobile comics broadcast on the Internet may be of higher image quality and are always in color.

The Comic Strip Network delivers fresh comic strips daily in color to screens worldwide. CSN began originating comics daily on mobile in May 2006, the Internet in October, and will in the future on television, HDTV and cinema. CSN was founded by former DreamWorks Animation research technologist Rowe and former E! Entertainment Network mobile producer Darren Jones. The privately held company is based in Beverly Hills.

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Rick DeMott
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