If you’re a comic book lover (and if you’re reading Biff Bam Pop I’m guessing you do love your comics), you likely know that it’s a huge day for Marvel Zombies like myself, thanks to the release of the first issue of Avengers Vs X-Men. Marvel has been teasing this massive event for months now, so it’s pretty exciting to finally be able to see the teams get ready for battle. If you’re going to read the issue, and I recommend you do (the script from Brian Michael Bendis hits all the right note and the art by John Romita Jr is solid), you really want to make sure you check out the digital version available at comixology.com or via the comixology App.
It’s pretty much the future of comics.
Why digital?
Here’s the thing. I am a digital comics convert. I love reading my books via the comixology app, either on the iPad or Kobo Vox (the latter of which is an apk and not as intuitive as the iPad). In fact, if I’m the telling the truth here, before converting to comixology, I wasn’t buying monthly books. Instead, I was waiting for the trade paperbacks and hardcovers to be released, which meant I was often six months to a year behind what was happening in continuity. For a guy who likes to live his life spoiler free, that was becoming harder and harder to do.
Now, because of the convenience of simply opening up my iPad, I have the luxury of getting the latest issues quick and easy, and I’m no longer waiting to read those big stories. And think about this – I’m likely spending more money now on comics than I was when I was buying physical product. So while I may not be in my local comic shop very much, I feel as though I’m still supporting the industry. And as beautiful as comic art on a page looks, it simply appears gorgeous on a tablet.
Comixology
While there are other digital retailers out there, comixology is hands down the absolute best place to go. Their desktop version is welcoming, but it’s their iPad App that really allows them to shine. The interface is easy, your library looks cool and is simple to navigate, and they have fantastic 99 cent sales, everything from current series (I just got caught up on BOOM! Studios’ Irredeemable) to classic runs (I picked up the Denny O’neil/Neal Adams Green Lantern/Green Arrow run). I’ve also dealt with their customer service a few times and they’ve been amazingly quick and responsive. If I’m in love with digital comics, a lot of it has to do with how comixology presents them.
Infinite Comics, Infinite Possibilities
With today’s Avengers Vs X-Men 1 release, those who spend the $3.99 on the physical version also receive a code that will score them a free version of the deluxe digital edition, which includes the new Avengers Vs X-Men tie-in Infinite, which has been designed and written specifically for a unique digital interface. In many ways, Infinite reads like a motion comic, with movement from captions while utilizing the full screen of the iPad. While not as groundbreaking as I was expecting, I was still impressed with this new way of reading a digital comic. If more comic book companies start working towards a more interactive experience while reading, the possibilities of the medium could truly be infinite.
Final Thoughts
In theory, Avengers Vs X-men is just another in a long line of comic book crossovers, one with a stellar group of writers and artists at the helm. However, in the digital space it stands to reason that the series could not only net itself a whole host of readers who haven’t tried out comixology before, but it could begin to actually define a whole new medium.
That is, if any of our favourite heroes manage to survive their latest battle royale.
