Digital DC Comics

The voice behind Boosteriffic was asking for thoughts on the new DC/ComiXology partnership - how the books look and the like. He is (and you are) in luck, as I purchased JL:GL #1 on the iPhone version of the app.

Now, why did I do that? Well, as a Booster fanatic, I added JL:GL 1 to a frame that includes Booster Gold Vol 1 #1 and Vol 2 #1. I'd like to keep it there, mostly because it was a pain in the butt to get them positioned correctly rather than out of a desire to preserve the integrity of the comic book.

Of course, purchasing on ComiXology also grants me access via their webpage, so I will review my experiences with both versions.

ComiXology: The iPhone App:

Buying the comic:

Browsing and purchasing are a snap; everything works through the app store and it is a very natural and intuitive process. Nothing much else needs to be said!

Browsing your collection:

This app gives you several options in this way; you can sort by series, creator, imprint, and genre. As I have only one comic, this is not an issue for me. Others who end up amassing many will be happy to find a similar alphabetical browsing system as on the iPhone contacts list. You can scroll through the titles, or you can use the alphabet on the side to snap to a specific letter.

The only complaint I have for this part is that when you select the comic that you wish to read, the next screen summarizes the issue, has user ratings, talks about buying it in print, has an option for a preview... all of these buttons are larger and more centralized than the button to read the issue. This button is stuck up in the top right corner of the screen, which is not the first place one looks when all of the other information pops up.

Reading the comic:

This is what's really important, now, isn't it? Luckily, they get this right.

Turning the pages is done by tapping the bottom left or right of the screen or using a sweeping gesture in that direction. Intuitive enough. Actually, while I say "pages," I suppose it would be more accurate to say "panels." Luckily, load times are rarely present as you move from panel to panel, creating a fairly fluid reading experience.

Many panels are better read in landscape. This is fine, as the app is quick to respond to the accelerometer. There is also an option to allow you to rotate the panel automatically based on how the specific scene was drawn.

Splash pages are not a problem either. The app will zoom itself in so that characters and conversation can be seen and will also be presented in a full view so that the reader can get an idea of the scope of the page. They also thought ahead and made sure that the text would be presented in story order.

Take, for example, the page in JL:GL 1 where Captian Atom is introduced. First, the bubble at the top as well as the text boxes introducing the character are featured. Next, the app zooms to the two text boxes near his left arm. After that, we see the radio broadcast bubble in the bottom left of the panel. Finally, we zoom out so that we can see the entire page.

Whether you like to peripherally notice other panels as you read or feel that it would be a distraction in this type of setting, you are also in luck. you can either view the comic "letterboxed," whiting out everything that is not the current panel, or without letterboxing, allowing you to see the corners of other panels.

To wrap it up:

I am pleased to say that reading comics is easy and intuitive on this iPhone app!

The Browser-Based Version:

After logging in, I click "My Comics" and there it is. I click on the series, I click on the issue, and we're off to reading.

First let me say that graphically, they are trying to play on familiarity with the iPhone OS. The X in a circle on the top right of the screen, the little italic I for information, it all screams iOS motif.

This is, unfortunately, less exciting than reading on the iPhone. My laptop has a 15 inch widescreen monitor - which has never been inadequate for anything else - and the website just doesn't do it right. Everything is tiny, a good 2/3s the size of a comic book even in full screen mode. You can zoom in and out easily with the space bar and then scroll around, but this is just like reading a PDF document in Acrobat. You can't use the arrows to scroll around the page, it must be the mouse. It is just far less interactive.

However, they do have a saving grace: You can access "Guided View," which opens a smaller frame and allows you to view the comic in much the same way as on the app. I think that this should be the default. Everything is readable and you need nothing more than the left and right arrows to navigate it. The mouse also works, either by clicking the left or right side of the panel.

I suppose that it isn't ultimately TOO dissimilar from the iPhone version, but there's something far less organic about it. Maybe it is the keyboard/mouse interface rather than the touchscreen. Maybe it is just the fact that I'm on a computer rather than a sexy little pocket sized device. I mean, part of the fun of a comic book is that it is slim and easy to take most places, fit in a folder and pack in a suitcase, etc. While reading it on an iPhone is different, it's still the same benefit of a small package. Reading it on a bigger and heavier computer is just odd.

Well, whatever the reason, it's just not as 'fun' to read on the computer. The ComiXology website is functional and easy to use, but it isn't my favorite.

The Overall Verdict:

ComiXology works, no doubt about it. Whether comics fans will forgo their print purchasing in favor of the digital medium has yet to be seen. I'm a completest, so I'll likely continue to buy in print. What do you think? Will you make the switch?