Technology

The application is pretty well designed. The user interface is straightforward and simple to use. It is pretty much the same interface as their other application, Comixology which allows users to maintain their pull-lists, peruse shipping lists, read reviews, and listen to podcasts. Comics available for download/purchase have covershots and preview pages, as well as detailed information about the book. There is also an option to buy each book in paper format and a comic shop locater tool.

The actual reading of the comics is where I am of mixed thoughts. The images are all sharp and easy to read. Navigation is simple - tap on the left side of the screen to go backwards, tap on the right side of the screen to go forwards. The issue is not the application, but the limitations of the size of the iPhone screen. Each comic is read not a page at a time, but a panel at a time. After a few minutes it becomes natural and enjoyable. The story gets experienced, but it loses the layout. The concept of a page is gone. The reader has no idea how many panels were on a particular page, no idea of the artistic design that went into panel layout and no sense of the anticipation that often is built by the last panel on a particular page. I wonder how comics like this weeks Detective Comics, with its unconventional panel design will look when broken to view one panel at a time.