Recently ICv2 had a chance to sit down with Trevor Roth of Roddenberry Productions and Stephen Christy of Archaia and talk about their collaboration on the innovative science fiction mini-series Days Missing, which will debut at San Diego with a full-size 99-cent first issue.  In Part I of the interview they discuss the nature of the project and their unique approach in using multiple creative teams.  In Part II they talk about marketing the Days Missing comics to Star Trek fans via the Web, at conventions and on iPhones.

How are you planning to use the Website to increase awareness of the comic?

Roth: I think at this point the Website is really starting out to provide people with information about Days Missing, and provide them with some unique characteristics of the way we are producing the book itself--who the players are in that.  As we unfold the various creative teams that are working on the books, people will be able to get some ideas about the process we have taken on thus far.  I think that once the book is actually out there, we will let the Website play a slightly different role by which it can expand on the experience of the comic itself, and allow people to further engulf themselves in the environment, in the character of “The Steward” and in the story of Days Missing as a whole.

How do you plan to market Days Missing to attract the Star Trek audience, which appears to be reinvigorated by the release of the Star Trek movie?

Roth: One of the most fortuitous benefits of finding a great partner like Archaia has been to recognize the similarities and oftentimes crossovers between what are the true comic book fans out there who will be reading a book like this, and the people that we already know and speak to and love, and who love us in regard to our past, our tradition and our history.  It is so fortuitous that it really became almost a natural or organic step for Roddenberry to step into the comic book genre and create something that is representative of a new generation of our company.

Do you see the Net as the main vehicle to use to reach the legions of Star Trek fans?

Roth: I always would say that the Internet is very important to us, to any comic book or science fiction industry leader, so most assuredly there will be a big push on the Internet.  Obviously one of the things that we like to balance that with, and I know Archaia does too, is forging personal relationships, so going out to places like San Diego Comic-Con where we are launching it with the release of the first issue there, as well as the to the Las Vegas convention that we are going to two weeks after that--the biggest Star Trek convention of the year.  We want to make sure that we continue the tradition of Gene and Majel Roddenberry, who got out there for face-to-face interactions with fans.

Are you planning to preview portions of the comic on the Web?

Christy: We are definitely going to be previewing portions of the issue, both before the comic comes out and afterwards, on the Web.  We can’t mention at this time who are partner is going to be, but we are going to be distributing the comic through iPhones, so that you will be able to download the comic on your  iPhone for 99 cents per issue.  Beyond that I don’t think you will see the entire comic going for sale online until at least a few months after the print issues are out.