In 2009 I bought a Kindle mostly out of curiosity. I thought for sure I'd turn it one, flip around the store, download a book, read a few pages, and put it up for sale on Craigslist the next day. Instead, I downloaded a book and promptly read for four hours straight. Short of a full year later I ended up reading more books than I had in the last decade. It's a great device, something I can't imagine living without now, but it has always had one short coming: no comics, no trades, or graphic novels.
Long time readers will know that I normally don't gush about products in this space but my bet is that you're going to want to know about Panelfly. It's Kindle for comics and it's off to a great start. This is the kind of app that I'm hoping everyone will download, use, and support because I'd like to see it succeed (rather than have Marvel, DC., Darkhorse, etc., create their own reader). Ever since using the Kindle 2 I've wanted a comic shop in a box and that's exactly what Panelfly delivers. It's already getting more use than any other leisure app on my iPhone right now and I can't imagine how much better it's going to be on the iPad with it's faster processor and larger screen.
As a bonus Panelfly happens to be well designed and a pleasure to use. Upon opening the main menu sits on top of cover art from one of the issues in your library. This type of treatment continues throughout the Library where all of your issues are stored and initially listed by title (the list can also be sorted by publisher, author, artist, and genre). The store will be familiar territory though it should be noted that it's not a knock-off of iTunes Store but just as easy to use. Users are able to browse issues just as you would in a comic shop, by opening the book and taking a look inside. Purchasing requires setup of an account but after that it's as simple as Amazon's One-Click. The hardest part of this application will be to resist buying almost everything that comes out on a weekly basis. Thankfully issue prices are not as expensive as printed issues and there are a number of free books available. A practice I presume will keep going as publishers continue to seek new readers.
Ok, that's it. Now it's all on you. After you've downloaded Panelfly check out Robot 13, a title that will remind you of the artistic and storytelling quality of early Hellboy.
Join the fray by reading through and commenting at the end.
Oh! I wish I could try it! But you know, living in México and all that, looks like they (or apple) don't want my money.
Demonoid is a fine digital comics 'store' though.
I downloaded the graphic novel, Storeyville because I thought it would be like Being John Malkovich with like 100 Greg Storey's walking around saying, "Greg Storey, Greg Storey."
I was diassapointed.
Once the iPad gets a camera, Panelfly will be the reason I buy one.
As a guy with a $200+/month comics habit, an iPhone and a strong urge to get an iPad, I think I'm supposed to be the target market for Panelfly, especially since while I bag and store my read comics for later sale, I'm not a collector or trader.
But I'm not really jazzed about this. Maybe it's because I have a good relationship with the folks at my local comics shop who - just like independent bookstores - are pretty much on the edge of going out of business all the time. Maybe it's because I'm like one of those old fogeys (35? When did I turn 35?) who enjoys the whole tactile experience of feeling the paper and turning pages. Maybe it's because I can't imagine getting the experience from a little screen like I get from a two-page spread like this one. (That shot is a montage of Batwoman fighting her way through the underworld that begins and ends with kicks to the face. AWESOME.)
I don't know. I've tried Comixology's "Comics" and been underwhelmed. Maybe this will be a lot better. A part of me hopes that it isn't.
> But you know, living in México and all that, looks like they (or apple) don't want my money.
That sucks.
> Once the iPad gets a camera, Panelfly will be the reason I buy one.
Really? I can't think of when I would ever hold up something the size of a book to take a photo.
@Jemaleddin, you make some compelling points. This post was named after the owner of the best comic shop located in Tustin, California. That said, I don't miss having to store endless amounts of comics. I used to have fourteen long boxes and it was a pleasure to get rid of them.
> Really? I can't think of when I would ever hold up something the size of a book to take a photo.
In meetings with clients about design related stuff, it would be very handy to have a camera built in that could snap photos and attach those images to my notes. But it's also not hard to have some other camera with me to do the same job, and if you want to do anything with the image you should be using a quality camera. Still, a camera on the iPad would be handy in many ways. There's lots of times where I need to take an image of something in order to remember it, a kind of visual note taking.
Arg, can't buy it in Australia either.
We Antipodeans are patient so I'll wait until Apple thinks to offer it through our Downunder iTunes store. Thanks for the heads-up GS.