|
||||||||
Marvel, digital comics and the UK |
![]() |
|
|
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
|
|
#1 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,200
|
Marvel, digital comics and the UK
Comic companies realise that their medium needs to evolve and adapt to new technology.
Marvel realises this as well, hence their recent introduction of exclusive motion comics such as Spider Woman and X-Men, available on iTunes. Marvel have also surprised me by putting digital versions of comics onto the iPhone app ComiXology. I never thought they'd do this, but would prefer to do their own thing to have complete contol. However, both of the above formats are unavailable to users in the UK. Does anyone know why Marvel do this? What have we done to upset them? Just wondering, like. Also, what is your opinion on digital comics? The future or a fad? |
|
|
|
|
Please sign in or register to remove this advertisement.
|
|
|
#2 |
|
Inactive Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: I'll have a half
Posts: 830
|
I've been reading digital comics for years picking up the latest weekly DCP scans of the new Marvel, DC and Image titles every Thursday morning.
I enjoy reading the on my computer but the program I have for my Mac isn't great for comic reading as it's very slow to load. |
|
|
|
|
|
#3 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Derby
Posts: 27,583
|
In the light of the launch of the iPad and with a gazillion other tablets on the way, I thought that it was time for a thread revival.
The best comics app is Comics by Comixology. It has deals in place with many big publishers including DC and Marvel. The Comics app even has a specific DC store which means there's no need to also download DC's Comixology made app. Wide range from costume superhero stuff to gritty contemporary stuff. There's dozens of free mags to read before you even have to buy anything. App also has 'guided view' mode so you can read caption by caption rather than page by page. Particularly useful if viewing on the iPhone. Create an account and all your purchases are stored on their server so even if you wipe your device they'll be there to download again. The other important apps are Marvel's, also made by Comixology, but with what seems mostly exclusive Marvel content. There's also the IDW app - not made by Comixology. That doesn't have guided view and has far fewer settings. IDW has lots of TV/ Movie franchise comics like Transformers or comic versions of movies. There's other franchise specific apps by Comixology and a few other apps I haven't looked at too closely. Are comic apps the future? I think they could be. Comic apps are great for discovering comics you wouldn't normally notice. Also the publishers can promote new franchises early by putting them on their app featured section and discounting the price. I've spent a fortune this weekend alone and bought some #1 issues of new franchises. Great stuff and much better than those old scanned versions. Coming to Android as well I think. |
|
|
|
|
#4 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Derby
Posts: 27,583
|
Worth a thread revival now that DC is starting to fully concentrate on digital editions of comics for the new generation as they like to call it. It's worth trying out these apps just for the huge number of free samples that publishers offer. Read some crazy, mixed up stuff and it wasn't even Japanese!!
Comixology's iPhone/iPad & Android apps are a good place to start. Apps are free and there's enough free stuff on there to keep you reading for a very long time. |
|
|
|
|
#5 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Derby
Posts: 27,583
|
Recommend checking out the DC sneak peeks of the Flashpoint stories - 1 June.
|
|
|
|
|
#6 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Caithness
Posts: 249
|
If you go to ebay.co.uk you will find Digital Comics on Disc for sale. I see that there is a Silver Surfer Collection for sale for only £2.50 including Postage and Packing. It looks OK.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#7 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 8,671
|
Quote:
If you go to ebay.co.uk you will find Digital Comics on Disc for sale. I see that there is a Silver Surfer Collection for sale for only £2.50 including Postage and Packing. It looks OK.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#8 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Hull, UK
Posts: 7,363
|
Yup, that's piracy. I know a few places where you can download old comics, but I not gonna advertise them, lol!
|
|
|
|
|
|
#9 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,218
|
It looks like most publishers are on Comixology now aside from Dark Horse?!
In any case what are people's feeling about going digital and physical copies? I bought the Spider-Man mini-series "I'm with Stupid" via the Marvel app and loved how clean it looked on my tablet. I'm contemplating buying "Spider-Man: Blue" too but I also feel like I should buy that as a trade paperback since Spidey is my favourite; I have Year One and The Dark Knight Returns as TPBs and love having them on my shelf. |
|
|
|
|
#10 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Edinburgh
Posts: 23,319
|
Dark Horse have their own app, and very good it is too.
https://digital.darkhorse.com/ Marvel also do Digital Comics Unlimited, which is subscription-based rather than pay per book. http://marvel.com/digital_comics/calendar |
|
|
|
|
|
#11 |
|
Guest
Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 958
|
I've been spending loads on Comixology. There's always a sale on. One of my best buys was the set of Atomic Robo collections for a total of about fifteen quid. I didn't spend much more than that on Scott Pilgrim, The Walking Dead or Locke & Key. I haven't had so many comics to read since the days of the Comics Warehouse.
Wish Dark Horse, Rebellion and DC's trades were on there too, but probably just a matter of time. |
|
|
|
|
|
#12 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 126
|
Quote:
I've been spending loads on Comixology. There's always a sale on. One of my best buys was the set of Atomic Robo collections for a total of about fifteen quid. I didn't spend much more than that on Scott Pilgrim, The Walking Dead or Locke & Key. I haven't had so many comics to read since the days of the Comics Warehouse.
Wish Dark Horse, Rebellion and DC's trades were on there too, but probably just a matter of time. |
|
|
|
|
|
#13 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,218
|
Although the regular pricing could be lowered I do like that they have regular sales on the Marvel store.
|
|
|
|
|
#14 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Edinburgh
Posts: 23,319
|
Quote:
Yeah, I especially like the creator sales where they spotlight a particular writer or artist. I do think the price of regular digital comics needs to come down though...
|
|
|
|
|
|
#15 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 1,204
|
So there's now an iPad app for the Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited subscription - is this available in the UK? $60 a year for access to 13000 comics including most of the new titles on a six month delay seems like a bargain.
You can only store six issues for offline reading but I'm rarely out of range of WiFi when I have my iPad. |
|
|
|
|
|
#16 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Cambridge, UK
Posts: 31
|
Quote:
So there's now an iPad app for the Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited subscription - is this available in the UK? $60 a year for access to 13000 comics including most of the new titles on a six month delay seems like a bargain.
You can only store six issues for offline reading but I'm rarely out of range of WiFi when I have my iPad. |
|
|
|
|
#17 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: The Sunny Side Of The Street
Posts: 40,099
|
Quote:
So there's now an iPad app for the Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited subscription - is this available in the UK? $60 a year for access to 13000 comics including most of the new titles on a six month delay seems like a bargain.
You can only store six issues for offline reading but I'm rarely out of range of WiFi when I have my iPad. |
|
|
|
|
|
#18 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 1,204
|
Not retina quality but pretty good, apparently.
http://io9.com/5989154/marvel-unlimi...ut-now-for-ios According to the article they scan separately for Marvel Unlimited and Comicology, which is nuts. (Should have signed up yesterday when there was a Promo code out in the wild that got the annual sub down to 48 bucks.) |
|
|
|
|
|
#19 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 1,204
|
I downloaded the iPad app to try out without signing up for a sub. So if you read a comic and select smart panels, that option resets when you open the next comic - I'd prefer if you could set that in some kinda master options, but I couldn't find anything like that. Similarly there are big arrows on screen overlaid on the panel/page which aren't really necessary.
The quality of the scanning seems fine. You can't pinch zoom to check detail and the smart panel isn't anything as sophisticated as it is for some of the modern stuff (of which I'm only really familiar with newish DC and it has been excellent, cinematic even) working more like an automated zoom than anything else. I'm still mighty interested in subbing after seeing this, despite my misgivings about the interface. There must be thirty comics up for free so if you have an iPad it's a free download and you've nothing to lose trying it. Apparently it's optimized for iOS 6 but I didn't have any problems with my iPad 3 using 5.1ish. You can't subscribe through the app because I guess they'd lose 30% of the sub that way, so you still have to go to the website. I have a 60Mb Virgin Media connection so I didn't see any slowdown or pause while downloading the comics I viewed but you can't, as far as I can see, store comics to view offline with the un-subbed app. Right now I'd say the app is functional but lacking in features. I really hope they actively improve it. I'm currently trying to talk myself out of subbing until I'm sure they make a better job of the app. Marvel was what I read in the early 70s and I'm at that age when nostalgia is a bitch. |
|
|
|
|
|
#20 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 1,204
|
Marvel giving away 700 first issues as digital comics:
http://marvel.com/news/story/20260/s...#ixzz2NEn6PYFg |
|
|
|
|
|
#21 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 8,671
|
Quote:
Marvel giving away 700 first issues as digital comics:
http://marvel.com/news/story/20260/s...#ixzz2NEn6PYFg
|
|
|
|
|
|
#22 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 1,204
|
I have zero problem with the nerd sobriquet. Reading comics is nerdy by definition.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#23 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 8,671
|
I don't think so, it's just something that folk generally associate with nerds. My missus reads comics but she's definitely not a 'nerd'!
Reading is the drug, comics are just another delivery system for it. |
|
|
|
|
|
#24 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Cambridge, UK
Posts: 31
|
Quote:
Also available through Comixology, too, though last time I checked it had killed the site... and MSN had labelled all comic fans as "nerds" in an amazingly open-minded news article
![]() I still think Comixology is a great service and I'm huge advocate of digital comics - but this stunt wasn't very well planned and has made them look bad. They have promised to run the sale again (soon) for those that missed out on the 700 issue 1's. I managed to grab about 30 odd issues (of stuff I actually wanted to read) before it all went tits up. I never planned on getting all 700, so I wasn't too bothered. |
|
|
|
|
#25 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 8,671
|
Quote:
I still think Comixology is a great service and I'm huge advocate of digital comics - but this stunt wasn't very well planned and has made them look bad.
I think I managed to grab 30-40 or so comics. Some are newish that I've considered recently, others are older comics that I've recently put in one of the 15 or so boxes I've just shoved in my loft - saves me having to dig them out!
|
|
|
|
![]() |
|
|
All times are GMT. The time now is 01:09.



