Marvel Unveils Digital Comics Reader 3. Marvel has announced the release of a new and improved version of their Digital Comics Reader this morning, but I’m afraid I’m going to have to take their word for it. That’s not my way of saying I didn’t check it out; I’ll take any excuse I can get to muck about with some digital comics in the middle of a workday. All I mean to say is that, if Marvel has made major changes to their reader other than some look- and- feel improvements, I cannot tell what those changes are. As far as I can tell, it works the same way it did the last time I used it, which was admittedly some time ago. Maybe a day- to- day user of the product would find the improvements more obvious. Mind you, the fact that it works the way it works isn’t a bad thing. The last PSP firmware update added the option to download the Digital Comics reader app. One minor problem, though. There weren’t any digital comics to download at.The first time I ever saw the interface, I remember hissing and making a cross with my fingers in a vain effort to protect myself from it, but since then it has grown on me a great deal, either due to programming modifications or the creaky, glacial process by which I open my mind. I think you’d probably dig it if the idea of digital comics appeals to you at all. In addition to the typical one- page or two- page views, Marvel’s reader also has a “smart panel” mode that moves the page around the screen in a way that mimics how you would move your eye around the page. It’s pretty intuitive, although every time I use it my heart goes out to the poor intern that’s sitting in a cubicle somewhere designating “smart panels” on page after page after page. Marvel has announced the release of a new and improved version of their Digital Comics Reader this morning, but I’m afraid I’m going to have to take their word. It sounded like a good job when he took it! Now he’s scanning his 4. JMS Civil War tie- ins and envying the dead. But that’s not what we’re here to talk about. I am glad to see Marvel making this kind of investment in digital comics, but I still haven’t made an investment in a subscription. I am sitting in the center of the bullseye of the target audience for this product, I love the reader, and it’s only five bucks a month. Even if it’s just a file, I want the file on my hard drive where no one but me can decide to arbitrarily take it down.
I cling to the concept of ownership. Second: Marvel’s selection still completely misses the point. We’ve talked about this since the day they launched the service. The reader gives you access to thousands of old comics when what so many of us are actually clamoring for are day- and- date releases of the new ones. It’s like Sony creating a PS4 that only plays Atari cartridges. I understand that they don’t want to cannibalize the comic shops’ business– and I don’t want my guy to go out of business either– but in their attempt to please everyone they’re spending millions of dollars to create an online dentist’s waiting room. They must know that’s the only thing keeping them from owning the market and killing piracy utterly. Or am I just assuming my tastes are everyone’s tastes, when in fact all of you would love to spend five dollars a month to finally get access to all those House of M tie- ins?)I cannot bang the drum loudly enough about new releases, but I would still recommend Marvel’s digital reading experience if you’re feeling nostalgic (which is sort of ironic, now that I think about it). You don’t have to take my word for it: Marvel offers a handful of freebies so you can see for yourself. Check it out, and let me know how offbase you think I am.
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November 2016
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