My Random Blog
Posts tagged Comics
Digital Comics
01 year ago
I love reading digitial comics on my iPad. Before my iPad I’d still read comics, normally once a series had been collated into what known as a trade paperback (or trade, or TBP) but the cost would seriously limit my reading. For example an issue from a series I’ve recently loved “Hack/Slash” issue 28 Dec 2009. Cover price $3.50, UK Price £3.50 ($5.16), and trust me it takes some finding. Comics aren’t big here in the UK because it’s unrealistic to take that sort of punt on something. Remember in the UK comics aren’t carried in shops (except the occasional specialist store in the big cities), and even then you’ll be lucky to find much beyond DC and Marvel.
But as soon as the iPad came along I knew things were about to change and boy has it changed. It’s so much better from a UK comics reader’s point of view now. Prices are matched with the US much better. That same issue of Hack/Slash cost me 59p, a price that is about as good as free. OK, I can’t lend it to anyone without lending them my iPad (not that I lend anyone comics anyway) but the fact I have it at all is testament to the iPad and the Comics by Comixology app. I would never of come across the series without them. Over the last few months I’ve read every bit of Hack/Slash available and I highly recommend you do the same.
That said, recently Kotaku had a really good post about digital comics and what’s wrong with it at the moment. I’ve also read other blogs and articles about digital comics and there’s a growing consensus and for some a growing frustration about how the digital comic market is operating.
First comics are generally not available “day and date”, meaning the same day the print version hits the shop. Sometimes it might be a few weeks delay but in other cases it’s years. Action Comics, the comic that spawned Superman, one of DC’s biggest comics, the latest issue is July 2007. Plus considering that issue is #851 you’d expect there to be plenty of back issues to get stuck into? There’s 8. Yes, less than 1% of one of the most popular comic in the world is available. I understand it might take time to digitize the back catalog, but digital comics have been on the cards for years, add the 10 months the iPad has been out, 8 issues is just pathetic.
Another problem many have is many series don’t have free or low-cost introduction issues. Most comics are £1.19 ($1.99), while it’s hardily a fortune it’s too much if you are looking for something new. Some series do have free first issues, which is good. But some have 8 page Issue 0 previews, which aren’t enough to give you a feel about weather you’ll like a series or not. Rarely have I found a series that I take an instant like to. To give a series a proper chance you have to get to issue 3 or 4. I’d love to see issues 1 & 2 free and 3 & 4 at 59p (99c). By then I’ll probably know if I’m will to put down £1.19 an issue. Don’t get me wrong I think 59p an issue is a good price points for all comics.
The last problem is a problem with locating certain comics. Going digital is a great chance for comics to regain a place in mainstream media. Over the past 20+ years they’ve slowly been whittled down to a niche and unless you have some knowledge, buying a comic can be quite a task. The “comic book guy” of the Simpson is how a great many people see it. Some publishers haven’t made it easy, restricting their comics to their app. So even if you do get a great recommendation about a new comic, unless you know who published it you might have trouble finding it. Luckly many publisher are working with Comixology including Marvel and DC. It’s fast becoming “the” digital comic shop but I hope it doesn’t become “the only” digital comic shop. In something as new and rapidly changing as digital comics, competition is a must. I’d also like to see better recommendation and new reader points (points in long running comics where new readers can pick up the story) to be much better highlighted.
So, digital comics are great, but they could be better. Hopefully since it’s still early days the current problem will be sorted out in time. If you have a iPad I urge you to download some of the comic apps and have a look around. Also this post let me post a load of really cool art from said comics.
Ashley.
iOS, iTunes & I
01 year ago
by Phlashman
in Technology
OK, I admit it! I’ve become a little bit of an Apple fanboy but just an iFanboy, I’m still not a fan of OS X. Anyway, I have just got my iPhone 4. It’s pretty great, the screen is the most spectacular thing. It really has to be seen to be believed. The upgrade in processor and RAM takes the performance to a whole new level. My old 3G is extremely sluggish in comparison, even more so if you update to iOS4.
Once again Apple has delivered a top of class product, despite still having big issues. The antenna/death-grip problem has maybe been the biggest problem an Apple product has ever seen, it really is quite a big problem. I’ve tried the death grip myself and sure enough I could get the signal down to nothing within a few seconds. I haven’t came across a situation in actual use where it’s been a problem for me yet, but I’ve only had it a day.
I’m really enjoying iOS, it feels like it’s just a few small steps from perfection as the “lightweight” OS. Here’s what I’d do to if I was Steve Jobs, some of this is already rumoured, some of it is wishful thinking but if these things could get done I’d be there in an instant with my money.
First, the App Store has to have an unregulated section. Make it so users have to read and accept several screens of warnings about voiding warranties, but let developers have the freedom to create. Sure there will be nasty horrid apps, but also there will be gems that will grow to become the next big thing. At the moment they are being stamped out by the App Store police before they have the time to see the light of day (Yes, you could jailbreak but you shouldn’t have to IMO). Every app that gets submitted goes in to this category until Apple approve it, if they don’t it stays there unless there’s some serious harm it’s doing.
Second, it’s about time iTunes got a total overhaul. The major thing for me would be the pricing structure, tonight I got lost in iTunes for the iPad. I was watching lots of trailers, they looked and sounded fantastic but I still can’t bring myself to value digital downloads on a piece by piece basis. District 9 is my favourite film of recent years but £10 for a digital version? That I can only watch on my PC or iDevices? No sale. On the other hand I’m loving Spotify. £10 a month for all the music I want? I didn’t normally spend that much on music anyway but not only am I paying more than I used to for music, I’m consuming more new music. Spotify’s only problem is it’s music catalogue, it’s good but not nearly as large as iTunes.
So my plan for iTunes would be go monthly subscriptions: £10 per month for music, £10 per month for TV, £10 per month for Films, £10 for Books, £10 for Comics, all you can eat. Link it to your iTunes account not your iDevice. That way if I go round my friends house I can login and watch films I have paid to access on their iDevice. This way also stops the need for mass local storage. I only need space on my iDevice for the media I want offline, that’ll be my all time favourite music and a few recent albums, and a few films or programmes for when I’m travelling. This keeps devices smaller and cheaper. Lastly with iTunes I’d allow targeted ads for cheaper subscriptions, but also allow non-subsidised ad-free subscriptions.
Third, iOS has to spread to the TV. Watching films on your iPad is great, but bizarre when you are sitting about 10ft from your great big 1080p TV and sweet surround sound setup. Yes, I can see me watching a film on an iPhone or iPad on the plane or train or a situation where I know I’m going to be doing a lot of waiting. But not in my living room or bedroom.
I’d re-do AppleTV, make it a HDMI through device so it can overlay it’s interface on your existing TV. Add iOS to bring the world of apps to the big screen, it’d be great if I can just catch up on my tweets during an ad break or have a system to enhance programs with extra information. Imagine having an app for a series you can turn on while you watch the programme and it detects where in the programme you are. Then you can pause and see a little “making of…” bit for that scene? Again, this can be subsidised with targeted and/or interactive ads. A channel could display a special marking during their ident at the start and end of each break to let the system know when it can do ads in live broadcasts.
So, that’s it. Obviously there’s a few things to get ironed out, like how iOS would work on a non-touch based TV. If Apple made this happen, I’d get a new AppleTV for £200 and I’d get Music, TV, Film, Book and Comic subscriptions (£50 a month, up from the current £0) and seriously consider cutting down my Sky channels to just the sports.
Of course if Google or Microsoft or anyone else can delivery these services on devices with the quality of the iPad and iPhone 4 first, then they’d get my money instead.