April 8, 2008
For Immediate Release

Smashout Comics, an online comics publisher specializing in quality digital reprints and original material, announces the return of THE DESERT PEACH, Donna Barr's pioneering independent comic book of the 1980s.

The main character in this groundbreaking series is the Pfirsich Rommel, the gay brother of Germany's famous General Erwin Rommel, "The Desert Fox," The concept of a gay officer in the WWII German army was a shocker back then, liberating everything from gay comics to the depiction of enemies and friends, as well as the place of female creators in an art form that had formerly been almost completely male.

"The Desert Peach is the Desert Fox's gay brother," says Barr. "He's handsome, suave, intelligent, self-aware, but no matter how he tries, he keeps ending up in the German Army -- mostly to watch out for his brother, Erwin. If you like history, comedy and irony, if you want a real book that will make you cry, gasp, laugh, get pissed off or do the happy dance, this is for you. Parental advisory: contains stupid adult tricks."

"I'm pleased to offer The Desert Peach at Smashout Comics," says Steve Horton, editor-in-chief of Smashout. "The art is amazingly dynamic, and frankly, Desert Peach is hilarious."

"How do I feel about being the first non-gay comic to include gay characters?" says Barr. "More enlightened -- and more ahead of my time -- than most of the comics industry. And my guy is more well-rounded and human than any of the others. No brag, just fact; ask my gay readers and the people who love them."

Nine issues of The Desert Peach are posted to e-book site Wowio. There are a total of 35 issues, including a Desert Peach novel and play, that will be posted in the coming months.

Download The Desert Peach for free here:
http://www.wowio.com/users/searchresults.asp?nGroupId=241

ABOUT SMASHOUT COMICS
Smashout Comics (www.smashout.net) is an independent comics studio that focuses on online reprints and original series on Wowio.com, and is responsible for webcomics GAMBLING SOULS, GROUNDED ANGEL, and THE DRIFTER, the Image print comic STRONGARM, and the how-to books WEBCOMICS 2.0 from Course PTR and PROFESSIONAL MANGA from Focal Press.

About WOWIO LLC
WOWIO LLC, a privately owned company based in York, PA, opened on the World Wide Web in August 2006 and endeavors to dramatically expand access to important written works by eliminating the economic, geographic, and logistical barriers of readers. WOWIO is today the only source where readers can legally download high-quality copyrighted e-books from leading publishers for free. Readers have access to a wide range of offerings, including works of classic literature, college textbooks, comic books, and popular fiction and non-fiction titles.