Oculus VR exec John Carmack is making a virtual reality comic book shop

By Will Fulton Published April 30, 2014

john carmack making virtual reality comic book shop marvel api — Image used with permission by copyright holder

As if his place in the Geek Pantheon were not secure enough, Oculus VR CTO and id Software co-founder John Carmack has tweeted that he is developing a virtual reality comic book shop (via Road to VR).

@Dethtron5000 I am building a VR comic book shop. Not kidding.

— John Carmack (@ID_AA_Carmack) April 25, 2014

The project is almost certainly related to the Marvel Developer API, announced earlier this year, which Carmack called “forward looking.” The API provides access to data for over 30,000 comics and 7,000 series over Marvel’s 75-year publishing history, including cover art, characters, and crossover events. Fans and developers can use this treasure trove of data to create non-commercial applications and websites. This is the first program of its kind from any major comics publisher.

Peter Olson, Marvel’s VP of Web and Application Development summed up why this API is perfect for Marvel comics in particular: “Unlike lists of books, movies, or news articles, our comics are an inter-connected web (no Spidey pun intended!) of data spanning 75 years. It’s the relationships between them that are fascinating. Everything is connected and continues to expand as more comics are released each week.”

Digitization has already allowed artists to explore a degree of non-linearity in the form of motion comics. Given the Marvel universe’s deep intertextuality, opening up these sorts of higher level connections for fans to play with seems like a logical next step. Carmack’s project is the first high profile use of the API, and will no doubt set the standard for other exciting applications going forward.

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Will Fulton is a New York-based writer and theater-maker. In 2011 he co-founded mythic theater company AntiMatter Collective…

Gaming

Ubisoft confirms Assassin’s Creed remakes are in the works

Basim perched on a ledge overlooking Baghdad

In a company interview with CEO Yves Guillemot posted on the Ubisoft website Thursday, the executive reveals that there are remakes of Assassin's Creed games in the works, although he doesn't specify which ones.

"Players can be excited about some remakes, which will allow us to revisit some of the games we've created in the past and modernize them," he says, implying that it could pertain to games made before Odyssey. "There are worlds in some of our older Assassin's Creed games that are still extremely rich."

Gaming

Surfaced patent shows what an Xbox streaming console would’ve looked like

An Xbox Series X sits next to both Series S models.

There have been a few Xbox devices that have never come to fruition, one of which was Keystone, a prototype for an affordable game streaming device you could hook up to your TV or monitor. Thanks to a surfaced patent, we've gotten an even closer look at what it would've potentially looked like.

The patent, first spotted by Windows Central, gives us a more complete view of the device. We've previously seen the Keystone in the flesh. Microsoft Gaming head Phil Spencer is known for hiding teases and interesting collectibles on the shelf in his office. In a 2022 X (formerly Twitter) post congratulating Bethesda on Fallout's 25th anniversary, you can see a small white device on the top shelf that's actually a Keystone prototype. Xbox told Digital Trends that it was a version of the device made before it decided to "refocus our efforts on a new approach.”

Gaming

Wordle Today: Wordle answer and hints for June 28

Someone playing Wordle on a smartphone.

We have the solution to Wordle on June 28, as well as some helpful hints to help you figure out the answer yourself, right here. We've placed the answer at the bottom of the page, so we don't ruin the surprise before you've had a chance to work through the clues. So let's dive in, starting with a reminder of yesterday's answer.
Yesterday's Wordle answer
Let's start by first reminding ourselves of yesterday's Wordle answer for those new to the game or who don't play it daily, which was "ORDER." So we can say that the Wordle answer today definitely isn't that. Now, with that in mind, perhaps take another stab at it using one of these Wordle starting words and circle back if you have no luck.
Hints for today's Wordle
Still can't figure it out? We have today's Wordle answer right here, below. But first, one more thing: Let's take a look at three hints that could help you find the solution, without giving it away, so there's no need to feel guilty about keeping your streak alive -- you put in some work, after all! Or just keep scrolling for the answer.

Today’s Wordle includes the letter D.
Today’s Wordle uses two vowels.
Today's Wordle can refer to a large number of animals, particularly livestock like cattle or sheep, that are moving together in a group.