[Update – we have new information and some clarification on the original news out of the panel at SDCC. Click here for the updated report, which includes a quote we got from founder and CEO of SYN Kirt Mcmaster.]

Panelfly has formed a partnership with Sony, AOL, and Hulu to produce a new digital comics reader software called Syn, according to CEO Wade Slitkin, who made the announcement during the “Digital Comics Now” panel at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con.

A Syn iPad app was said to be released soon, featuring the Panelfly skeletal software. This will replace the Panelfly name and become the main product for the company.

This is the first “cross-platform” partnership made with a digital comics company and details have yet to be released. However, the temporary holding page, synner.net, states a 2011 release and offer e-mail notifications when new details become available.

As reported earlier, DC Comics has finally launched their digital publishing initiatives with a native application for Apple’s iOS4 mobile operating system (iPad, iPhone, iTouch) and two separate distribution deals with comic reader platform ComiXology and Sony’s PlayStation Network (PS3, PSP) — with plans to sell comics digitally through the DC Comics website later in the year [read DC Comics Releases iPad/iPhone App].

“As both a comic book creator and Co-Publisher, it was incredibly important that our plan includes not only creator incentive payments, but also an innovative component that supports comic shop owners. We see digital as an opportunity to grow our entire business,” stated Jim Lee in DC’s official press release.

Lee first spoke about the company’s digital comics publishing strategy at a Wonder*Con 2010 panel, which fell on the same day Apple’s iPad was released as well as Marvel Entertainment’s own native application. At the time he stressed that there was no market for digital publishing for the simple fact that no one was making money from it yet. With this new initiative, it’s looking like DC plans to change that entirely by building into its preexisting print sales.

The discussion from the Longbox panel at San Diego Comic-Con evoked heated commentary against DRM file formats, flash development, and the business of digital comic books.

“If I purchased a comic on my computer, I should be able to also read that on my xbox or my iPhone or my hypothetical (touch screen tablet) reader… There should not be an additional price for that. There should not be an additional penalty for it and [it] shouldn’t dictate to me how I logically can use the content I purchased,” said Rantz Hoseley, CEO of Longbox, a company that’s producing an application that seeks to do for digital comics what iTunes did for music and video.

[For a demo of the Longbox application, see our video coverage — Read: SDCC 09 Video: Longbox Digital Comics App Demo]

Hoseley’s comments read like they were part of a discussion thread on digg or reddit when written down. It’s not difficult to understand why there’s been a decent amount of buzz surrounding the efforts of the Longbox crew after the public debut at Hero Con. The app is scheduled to launch late October/ early November with (tentatively) more than seven publishers that include: Archia, Shadowline Sliverline, Boom Studios, Top Cow, Richard Starking’s library of content (Elephant Men), and other creator owned and published comics.

The Longbox is the standard storage and catalog unit for comic books and perhaps the most recognizable staple after bags and boards for collectors. The digital version is a bit more handy, or at least it aims to be, according to members of the Longbox Digital company.

At San Diego Comic Con, the company hosted a live demonstration of the Longbox application, which aims for the scope of iTunes but specifically tailored for all things digital comics.

The free app will have native versions on both Windows and OS X when it launches in late October, however, keys for a closed beta version were given to those attending the SDCC panel and will go live soon, according to the company.

There approach seems to be more Hulu, than iTunes in the sense that small creator owned and published work is eligible only after being screened for quality. So at this time it seems unlikely that they’ll build out support for user generated content.

This was the second publicly showcased demo since the app’s initial announcement (at Hero Con earlier this year). This build debuted new features such as a three-setting toggled viewer mode, a magnified lens tool that can adjust to the desired size and several other tweaks and polishes. In future builds, CEO of Longbox Rantz Hoseley stated there would be social functions as well as the ability to connect with pre-existing social networks.

Check out a live demo of the application below…

By Mitch Barracuda

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