Reinventing Storytelling for the Digital Age

San Francisco, California - Cognito Comics didn't want to simply make another graphic novel. They wanted to completely change the way people looked at digital publishing, storytelling and the iPad.

"After working in the video game industry for years, I wanted to bridge my love of technology and art to tell meaningful stories," said Daniel Burwen, Creative Director and Founder of Cognito Comics. "The story of CIA: Operation Ajax is very relevant to our current political landscape and the power of the iPad allows us to weave actual history throughout the medium of the graphic novel."

The story of CIA: Operation Ajax is based on the 1953 Iranian coup d'etat, during which the CIA and British government overthrew democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh and reinstalled the Shah to power. Scripted by Emmy-nominated writer/director Mike de Seve and edited by renowned author and journalist Stephen Kinzer (All The Shah's Men), CIA: Operation Ajax is a Cold War-era spy thriller powered by The Active Reader platform from Tall Chair, Inc.

Most digital graphic novels are static images like their print counterparts; CIA: Operation Ajax harnesses the power of the iPad to produce a truly dynamic experience. Built-in newsreels from the time period are scattered throughout the story, as are historical vignettes, character rosters and declassified CIA documents, all presented through an elegant interface.

"Given that we designed CIA: Operation Ajax for the tablet from the ground up, it only made sense for us to look at pricing in the same way," said Ash Aiwase, Business Development for Cognito Comics. "We're providing a reading experience that diverges from the current models of print, digital and motion comics with the goal of shaping the future of the comic book."

Ajax has been turning heads since it was released almost a year ago as a public beta, with the New York Times calling it "one of the coolest media experiences that I've seen on the iPad" just weeks after the beta release. This time, however, the story will be released in its entirety - and for a limited time, at no cost. No in-app-purchases, no hidden advertisements, just an incredible story that's ready to shake up the App Store and reinvent the graphic novel as we know it.

Device Requirements:

* Compatible with iPad

* Requires iOS 4.2 or later

* 407 MB

Pricing and Availability:

For the first two weeks, CIA: Operation Ajax 2.0 is completely free (Reg $7.99 USD) and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Books category.

Cognito Comics: http://cognitocomics.com/

CIA: Operation Ajax 2.0: http://itunes.apple.com/app/cia-operation-ajax/id472099770

YouTube Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvNfmr6oUJ0&feature=channel_video_title

Screenshot: http://a4.mzstatic.com/us/r1000/069/Purple/f0/65/17/mzl.gohxaxjy.480x480-75.jpg

App Icon: http://a1.mzstatic.com/us/r1000/112/Purple/f0/1d/25/mzm.ttsenaiu.175x175-75.jpg

Based in San Francisco, Cognito Comics is committed to innovative storytelling through emerging technologies. Copyright (C) 2011 Cognito Comics LLC. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPod and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.