Using a switch on the card itself, someone making a purchase can actually earn pages of digital comics. Once enough pages are earned (through making purchases with the card) you'll get and actual, physical copy of the book for your very own.
Pretty cool? Yes. Futuristic? Yep. Unique? Definitely. I can't think of any other entertainment company around right now that's doing anything this interesting and future forward.
Here's the release itself for you to peruse since it probably does a waaaaaay better job describing things than I did.
Dark Horse Comics makes history again today with the announcement of a revolutionary new partnership with Dynamics Inc. Dynamics is an innovator in next-generation payment devices, and will now launch a new comic book experience application for ePlate™ mobile payment devices. The innovative offering brings a new kind of experience to comic book fans by enabling them to earn access to exclusive Dark Horse digital comics with every purchase made with the ePlate™ device. This groundbreaking technology will link payment devices with exclusive Dark Horse comic content, and empower consumers to engage with Dark Horse and other brands that excite them with every swipe or online purchase.
At any time, users can decide to use the Dark Horse Experience™ application for the ePlate™ payment device. The Dark Horse application allows users to earn pages of exclusive Dark Horse comic books with each purchase. After all pages of a particular comic are obtained, the user is provided with a complete digital comic. After a certain number of digital comic books are collected, Dark Horse provides, at no cost to the user, a collectible print copy of each exclusive comic book earned. Users will be able to earn comic books faster with purchases made at Dark Horse affiliates, sponsors, and retail outlets. At any time, a user can also decide to earn Dark Horse credits instead of exclusive content so that the user can earn any product from DarkHorse.com.
“Dark Horse is always looking for new ways to expand the comics-reading audience,” said Mike Richardson, president and founder of Dark Horse Comics. “Our new partners at Dynamics have created a platform which gives not only existing comics fans, but a wide variety of consumers, the ability to obtain exclusive Dark Horse content just by making day-to-day purchases.”
“Dark Horse hit the nail on the head with its Experience™ application,” said Jeff Mullen, CEO of Dynamics. “Dark Horse Experience leverages unique content—available nowhere else—and provides participating merchants with an exciting promotional tool to attract customers.”Such cool stuff. Read more about how this tech is evolving here.
