If you need a little inspiration for tonight's Halloween festivities, this augmented reality magazine cover featuring the Dark Knight himself, Batman, may do the trick.
The cover is a collaboration between DC Comics and GQ Magazine France and is part of the magazine's new "geek" issue. Aside from a dive into all things geeky, the issue's cover also serves as an interactive promotion for the upcoming Justice League live-action movie hitting theaters on Nov. 17.
Of course, the magazine is hoping that you buy the print edition to give the AR demonstration a try, but since most of us reading this aren't in France, there's an easier way.
On your iOS or Android device, download the DC All Access app. Once that's installed, you'll be asked to register as a new user, but I was able to use the app without registering.
After you're presented with the main screen, you'll see an option at the bottom of the menu displaying an "AR" button. Simply tap that button.
Next, point your smartphone or tablet camera at a picture of the magazine cover (yes, it's okay if that picture is just on your computer screen) and watch the GQ Magazine cover come to life.
Over the last few months, we've seen several major magazines attempt to harness the power of AR to draw in new readers. And while some of those AR demonstrations have been impressive, it's still unclear as to whether or not these interactive breadcrumbs actually lead to repeat readers and paying subscribers.
Last year, print publishers like The New York Times and Sports Illustrated tried similar experimental forays into interactive promotions with virtual reality tie-ins facilitated by Google Cardboard devices. That experiment within print publishing circles appears to have been short-lived.
But while the VR experiences required users to interact with clunky, (literally) cardboard viewers, these new AR demonstrations only require a simple tap of your smartphone screen to launch the experience. That alone will likely give AR promotional tie-ins with print publishing ventures a longer shelf life.
The GQ France cover illustration was created by Italian comic book artist and Enrico Marini and it also gives us a preview of his new two-part graphic novel series for DC Comics titled Batman: The Dark Prince Charming, which will debut on Nov. 1.
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Cover image via Enrico Marini/Twitter
Screenshots and GIF by Adario Strange/Next Reality
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