Comics Review

When the iPad was unveiled, many people salivated at the thought of reading comics on the tablet. iPhone apps are aplenty, but reading on its tiny screen doesn't have the same feel as reading a bound volume; large panels, especially, are hard to read, and in such tiny form it lacked the same sense of wonder you get from traditional comics. Many apps have sense surfaced on the iPad to solve this problem, with Comics being one of our favorites.

Comics is both a comic reader and a store; as such, it is an appropriately free app. It's built on the same technology powering the Marvel Comics app, but it has a much wider selection that includes Marvel's comics, making that app somewhat irrelevant in the long run.

Because it's a store, if you already have a substantial comic collection, it might be tempting to avoid starting anew. After all, you can neither import your existing comics if they are digital, and you'll be forced to repurchase comics you already own. That being said, this is the perfect gateway app to get you into comics if you've not previously had an interest.

You're not going to find everything here. Marvel's catalog is limited (as is Marvel's own app), and other notables like DC Comics are not to be found. Nevertheless, they do have a wide variety that includes Image Comics, Red 5, and even independent comics. Much of this is more gritty than you're standard superhero comics of old, with plenty of adult-themed comics that feature more prominent violence and adult language, which is nice considering Apple's frequent rejection of more mature apps.

Comics also uses comiXology's patented Guided View, a feature you may love or hate depending on how you prefer to read. You can black out surrounding panes (or leave them visible), and Guided View takes you from one pane to another (or to other sections of large panes) with a simple swipe, including fade outs when a new scene begins. This helps keep you in suspense and animates the action in a way that breathes new life to static pages. You can also view full pages if you like, and flipping the iPad allows you horizontal and vertical views.

There are about 1,300 comics currently, 80 of which are free (an insane bonus). You can preview comics you're thinking of buying, and it lets you easily order the print version if that's more to your liking. Granted, you'll miss out on the experience of perusing old comics in a comic shop, and you can't trade with friends, but there is no denying the convenience of instantly reading whatever you want. Considering this app will only grow over time, hopefully with more publishers, this is an app you should check out even if you've never read a comic before. This could be what hooks you.