Marvel by Comixology.
Version x.x [October 2010]
Price: Free
Importing: None, just like Comixology, all comics are bought through the store front. There are quite a few that are free, mostly just teases to get you to pay an average of £1.19 for each subsequent comic in the series.
Formats: None.
Organisation: Very nicely done with tabs showing your purchased comics, free comics available, popular choices and new releases or browse the titles.
Tapping a comic in the store will bring up a smaller window, giving you the details and allowing you to preview the comic or view the rest of the comics in the series. The preview is a very small windowed version of the comic, showing the cover and the first couple of pages.
Like the other apps, Marvel also gives free comics - at the time of this review, Daredevil 1 and Ultimates 1 are a few of the free comics on offer.
Viewing Experience: Exactly like Comics by Comixolgy, ie supurb, which is not surprising, seeing as how they use the same engine.
The comics flow from one panel to another with a nice transition, the panel or section expands to fill the whole screen with the background either removed or dulled to focus your attention to the section at hand. It really is a joy to read in this manor.
A simple tap on the screen will advance the panel and across pages, and you can tap the middle to bring up a page view or return to the menu.
Comixology Engine: Like the
DC and
Image apps, this also runs from the same Comixology engine, and all have their own store fronts to the exclusion of their rivals comics. Marvel takes this further though as it not only offers only Marvel comics, but you must create a Marvel account and cannot use your comixology account. Just to confirm in case you don't get what I am saying, comics bought in the Marvel app will NOT show up if you log into the Comics, Image or DC apps - they are completely different and separate accounts.
Theydon's Thoughts: Check Comixology for more info, as my thoughts there are very apt here as well regarding the costs of the comics - so don't forget to stock up on iTunes vouchers!
However, unless you really really rate Marvel over the other publishers, I just don't see the need for this app at all when Comixology supplies DC, Marvel, Image and the indies all under one roof, plus anything you buy in any of the other apps is available in any app that has a comixology account - something Marvel just does not do.
In Marvels case, for whatever reason, they have completely excluded themselves from the combined store front, and you log in with a Marvel account, not a comixology account. To me, this is really just Marvel being arsey and I cant see a reason for it other than just to be difficult. I really dont get the point of it.
As the app itself is free and offers different free comics to the other apps, there is nothing stopping you from helping yourself and grabbing a varied selection of comics across all the publication houses.
As it stands though,
Comixology is still the best Comic reader that has its own store.
This review is my own personal opinion, and reviewed on a non jailbroken iPad running the latest OS. I will endeavour to review and amend any apps that receive updates to help you make your own mind up, and happy to receive any differing opinions.