Comments on: ComiXology Comes to Android

By: Checking in on the Digital Distributors: A Status Update » Comics Worth Reading

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 00:31:24 +0000

[...] for the individual apps for DC and Marvel, and they provide comics almost everywhere (iOS, Android, web). They haven’t had many major announcements lately, with the most recent news being a DC [...]

By: Marvel Comics Now Available on Android Via Graphic.ly » Comics Worth Reading

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 20:47:23 +0000

[...] which is something customers have been asking for. (Although ComiXology carries Marvel and is available on Android, their Marvel publications are blocked from that [...]

By: Comics A.M. | Comic sales down in December, Nick Lowe promoted | Robot 6 @ Comic Book Resources – Covering Comic Book News and Entertainment

Tue, 11 Jan 2011 16:01:24 +0000

[...] Digital comics | Johanna Draper Carlson tries out the comiXology app for the Android OS and is somewhat underwhelmed. [Comics Worth Reading] [...]

By: Mike Kowalczyk

Mike Kowalczyk — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 12:49:09 +0000

Plus, The Walking Dead publishes on Comixology the same day as print! Been reading TWD through them for two months and I love it! No Marvel is not exactly detrimental. Since I’m a big trades-only guy, and the closest comic shop is 30 miles away, this service is perfect for people with similar situations.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 01:41:28 +0000

I’ve got the Comixology app on my Android – I really like it! The guided view is fantastic for reading on the smaller screen. Thankfully they’ve just released an update which fixed a problematic bug which stopped panels from being viewed (some sort of memory thing, I believe), so it’s a peach to use.

I have noticed that through Paypal (and on the Comixology website) that comics are at a lower price. For example, an Archie comic will set you back just 99 cents on Android or on the web, while it will cost you $1.19 on iTunes, etc (every other platform that starts with an “i”). Not that I’m against Apple at all, but, well, that’s a bit rich.

I do hope that Marvel come to the party soon. I also wonder how long it’s going to take for the publishers to have the digital comics out at the same time, or soon after, the print release. Surely they can see that would be to their benefit.

Anyway, just some musings. The digital comics platform is really happening at the moment!

By: Johanna

Johanna — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 00:45:44 +0000

Google reduced the return time to something like 15 minutes from the previous 24 hours. The plan-ahead-using-the-web idea is a good one, but eliminates the “impulse purchase”. So, early days yet. I’m sure changes are still coming.

By: Kelson

Kelson — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 00:11:44 +0000

Nice writeup! I tried it out briefly, but only took the time to read one of those 10-page previews. I still haven’t tried buying anything, so I didn’t even know about the limited payment options.

I’m not sure if the 24-hour return period is a Google Checkout policy or an Android Market policy. I do remember when iVerse(?) first launched comics on Android, they couldn’t sell within the app. They had to sell the comics as individual apps, subject to that return policy, and offered a free app that would let you move the comics to your SD card (this being a big deal back when the phones had so little memory on then)…but only after the 24-hour return period had passed. So you *could* read stuff for free if you wanted to by buying it, reading it, and immediately returning it, but you couldn’t keep a copy. (In theory. I’m sure someone figured out how to. Sooner or later, *all* copy protection gets broken.)

By: david brothers

david brothers — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 21:45:16 +0000

I’m pretty certain that the Paypal issue is because Android apps, including in-app purchases I believe, are returnable within 24 hours, no questions asked. Steinberger mentioned that as a concern of their expansion into Android, and that another competitor had taken a beating on those returns. I think that by going through paypal, they get to sidestep that issue.

Far from optimal, though. Paypal is a pain, and like you say, it going directly onto my bill would be great. As-is, I’ve been buying on the web site when new books drop and reading on my phone or at my computer later in the week.