ComicZeal Releases a Nice New Iphone Comic Book Reader App
iPhone Comic App Dept: I just downloaded the new ComicZeal app for iPhone, and it is a winner! (Thanks to Maddux for the tip!) With ComicZeal you can download a fantastic assortment of public-domain comic book files and read them in their very simple-to-use reader.
The comic book files download fast, and they stay on your iPhone so you can read them off-line anytime you want. They are a very good resolution. The images open quickly and they pinch and zoom very fast, with a very smooth response.
The comics can be read in portrait and/or landscape mode, too!
I have emailed the developers at bitolithic.com to find out how comic book creators and publishers can create their own iPhone comics to work with their ComicZeal application. I’ll post a real review and more details as soon as I get a chance. Check out ComicZeal at: http://www.bitolithic.com/ComicZeal/comiczeal.htm and http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=288016881&mt=8
UPDATE: The ComicZeal developers replied to my email and told me that they’ll be releasing a beta version of their iPhone-comic generator software which will allow creators and publishers to post their own comics that work with the ComicZeal app. from Emiliano’s email to me:
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[...] Nicholas Carlson wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptiPhone Comic App Dept: I just downloaded the new ComicZeal app for iPhone, and it is a winner! (Thanks to Maddux for the tip!) With ComicZeal you can download a fantastic assortment of public-domain comic book files and read them in … [...]
They say in their app’s description that if you email them about it, they’ll ad you to the Generator beta. I’ve just done so I really hope that beta is starting soon although I don’t understand how we could install a beta that was restricted unless the Gwnerator is only on the PC side. This is so exciting. I told the pessimists this was coming sooner rather than later!
@Erik: Hi Erik…yeah… Ive got myself on their beta notificatioin list, too. I love the way this app works, so I’m pretty excited about it too!
This is HUGE! Finally a true comic reader! I can’t wait for the comic creator to come out so I can start uploading the comics I’ve already got. Where did you guys email to get on the beta list?
Until that happens, though, I’ve got a tip. I’ve been using Datacase to view the images in folders after decompressing the cbr/cbz files. Just today I downloaded an app called Air Sharing (free right now on the app store) and I’m liking it much better. Seems quicker with the images and I like how it automatically scrolls down a little in the list after viewing each image so you know which page is next. Give it a try.
Fantastic news!
I’ve been using dbelement’s Stripr app the last 6 months and I’ve loved it. I hope this app can add to that.
By the way, for those that have never used Stripr, check it out, it’s really fantastic. There’s a huge community, and you’ll get to discover new comics through the rating system. Here’s a quick link to dBelement Stripr Comic site: http://dbelement.com/apps/stripr.php
or http://stripr.dbelement.com on your iPhone.
I’m happy to see a dedicated comicbook reader come to the AppStore. I bought it this evening and overall pleased with it. The converter/server app is easy to use and works well. It was here I discovered the app does indeed have landscape mode - crucial for iPhone comic reading.
In future updates I hope the developer will add the option to get rid of the status bar at the top and the navigation bar at the bottom of the screen. Real estate is too precious on the iPhone screen to take up needlessly!
I hope too that .cbr and .cbz support will be added. I don’t buy the battery/processing power argument. Leave it up to the user to convert to .cbi or not. The digital noise/ pixelated look when zoomed in on a small panel is absent with uncompressed - i.e. .cbr or .cbz compared to .cbi - comics. .