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Digital Comic Readers | Your Preferred Reader & Why

bralinatorbralinator Posts: 5,967
in Comics Talk Community - The On Topic Forum
Returning to a previous discussion started by @fredzilla - who here reads comics digitally?

Are you using an app like Comixology (or Marvel UnlimitedDC, or Dark Horse with no DRM-free feature)or do you use an Android app or iOS app to read downloaded comics (.PDF, .CBR, .ePub, .CBZ, etc readers)? For the purposes of this discussion, I'd like to stick to locally stored digital comics, as opposed to the online subscription models. After what happened with the previously mentioned Graphic.ly, I think the locally stored digital comics is, in my opinion, the best route to take when going digital with your comics. Although with the BIG 2, that isn't really an option.

If you use an app for downloaded comics, can you share why you chose that particular app, what you think the pros & cons are, and if you would recommend it to others? I know there are SEVERAL readers available for cheap and even free. I used to strictly use Comixology until I took advantage of a couple of Groupee and HumbleBundle offers as well as other free comic download sites (like DriveThruComics, ComicBook +, the Internet Archive, and The Digital Comics Museum), so I downloaded Sidebooks. I've been considering an upgrade and wanted to see what you guys were using.

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Comments

  • TorchsongTorchsong Posts: 2,794
    I read my digital funnybooks on my Kindle Fire.

    I also have a sizable SD card on it where I house most of the downloaded PDFs I get from deals like Humblebundle and the like. I'm currently just using a generic pdf reader.

    I'd definitely be interested to hear what others use
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  • bralinatorbralinator Posts: 5,967
    One of the things I like about Sidebooks is how I can get the digital comics on the tablet. It has a PC reader that I rarely use, but it has a neat Dropbox feature you can sync it to and drop the comics in there. Then, within the app, select which books in Dropbox you want to download and carry with you.
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  • nweathingtonnweathington Posts: 6,748
    bralinator said:

    One of the things I like about Sidebooks is how I can get the digital comics on the tablet. It has a PC reader that I rarely use, but it has a neat Dropbox feature you can sync it to and drop the comics in there. Then, within the app, select which books in Dropbox you want to download and carry with you.

    Right now I only read digital comics on my laptop. My phone is just too small for me to bother reading on. But I've been thinking about getting a tablet. I use Dropbox a lot, so how does Sidebooks’ download feature differ from simply using Dropbox?
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  • BrackBrack Posts: 868
    Annoyingly it's often horses for courses, with no one solution fitting all.

    For example, I found the Shonen Jump app is better for reading Shonen Jump than reading Shonen Jump through Comixology. It has a hot-linked contents page that makes skipping the strips I don't read easy.

    Conversely, the Shotaro Ishinomori manga on Comixology has some of the best guided view usage I've seen on there. It's almost like watching an animatic.

    Then there's £1 2000AD collections that Kindle does periodically. Which annoyingly don't transfer into your Comixology account when you link them, but for that price I am willing to deal with Kindle's fairly makeshift comic presentation.
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  • mwhitt80mwhitt80 Posts: 4,638
    Brack said:

    Annoyingly it's often horses for courses, with no one solution fitting all.


    Conversely, the Shotaro Ishinomori manga on Comixology has some of the best guided view usage I've seen on there. It's almost like watching an animatic.

    I have never used guided view on comixology. I will have to try it on cyborg 009 or kamen rider now. His stuff is already as close to reading a cartoon as one can get. I love kamen rider and cyborg 009 as is
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  • bralinatorbralinator Posts: 5,967
    nweathington said:

    bralinator said:

    One of the things I like about Sidebooks is how I can get the digital comics on the tablet. It has a PC reader that I rarely use, but it has a neat Dropbox feature you can sync it to and drop the comics in there. Then, within the app, select which books in Dropbox you want to download and carry with you.

    Right now I only read digital comics on my laptop. My phone is just too small for me to bother reading on. But I've been thinking about getting a tablet. I use Dropbox a lot, so how does Sidebooks’ download feature differ from simply using Dropbox?
    You can use it either way. Some books open simply from the Dropbox app, but once you have Sidebooks on your tablet and you're signed into Dropbox, it is integrated into Sidebooks. In fact, once Sidebooks has opened a comic in its library from your Dropbox account, the file no longer needs to stay in Dropbox. For anyone with limited Dropbox space, this is a benefit. Sidebooks keeps the comic (or book) in its instantly accessible library, but it no longer needs to be hosted in Dropbox.

    I'm not sure how this works on other readers, but I know the Dropbox feature is quite popular with comic readers.
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  • nweathingtonnweathington Posts: 6,748
    bralinator said:

    In fact, once Sidebooks has opened a comic in its library from your Dropbox account, the file no longer needs to stay in Dropbox. For anyone with limited Dropbox space, this is a benefit.

    Okay, that might make it worth it. Is there a limit on storage space with Sidebooks?
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  • bralinatorbralinator Posts: 5,967
    The only limit is how much data your tablet will actually hold. You can keep all your books on Dropbox until it fills up and just not ingest them into Sidebooks until you're ready to begin reading those titles.

    Plus, it's free! Get the Apple iOS version or the Android Version.

    I'm just not that jazzed about the way it handles organizing. It isn't intuitive and it isn't easy. It's really just a basic reader, so that's why I started this thread.
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  • nweathingtonnweathington Posts: 6,748
    A basic reader is probably all I'd be looking for. I'm not a guided view kind of guy. When I read digitally, I'm constantly zooming in and out. I want to see the page flow, the panel borders, how the artist is pacing the story and emphasizing the action with larger panels versus smaller panels, etc. I might use guided view with something that's designed with that in mind, or with something where all the panels are on a strict grid, but that’s it.

    I'd mostly be using it when travelling, so I wouldn't really need much in the way of organizing either, as I'd be cycling stuff in and out after every trip.
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  • bralinatorbralinator Posts: 5,967
    nweathington said:

    A basic reader is probably all I'd be looking for. I'm not a guided view kind of guy. When I read digitally, I'm constantly zooming in and out. I want to see the page flow, the panel borders, how the artist is pacing the story and emphasizing the action with larger panels versus smaller panels, etc. I might use guided view with something that's designed with that in mind, or with something where all the panels are on a strict grid, but that’s it.

    I'd mostly be using it when travelling, so I wouldn't really need much in the way of organizing either, as I'd be cycling stuff in and out after every trip.

    Based on your comments here Eric, I think Sidebooks is going to be perfect for you. I use it in very similar ways as you describe. Good luck finding a good deal on a tablet. I saw some professionally refurbished iPad 2's for around $100 with warranty here and comparable Samsung Galaxy tablets for even less.
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  • nweathingtonnweathington Posts: 6,748
    bralinator said:

    Based on your comments here Eric, I think Sidebooks is going to be perfect for you. I use it in very similar ways as you describe. Good luck finding a good deal on a tablet. I saw some professionally refurbished iPad 2's for around $100 with warranty here and comparable Samsung Galaxy tablets for even less.

    Cool. Thanks for the info. Not sure what or when I'll be picking one up. I'll probably go the refurbished route, as I won’t need the latest model, and I won't be using it on a regular basis. Maybe for Christmas.
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  • bralinatorbralinator Posts: 5,967
    Refurbished is a wise and frugal choice if it's primarily just going to be used as a reader. The only other question is do you go with the 10" tablet style or something smaller like a Fire or mini iPad? A smaller tablet can easily be held in just one hand, but the full size tablets are much nicer to read on because of the added real estate. Good luck.
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  • nweathingtonnweathington Posts: 6,748
    Oh, I'm definitely going with a 10", whatever I brand I end up with. And I've done refurbished before. My first 12"x17" scanner was a $1200 scanner that I got refurbished for $450 back in 2002. Still runs just fine, though it’s SCSI interface and the drivers are completely out of date, so I don’t use it any more.
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
    I read comics on my Kindle Fire (only 35 bucks), with the Comicat app, which was less than 5 bucks...
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  • DarkGuyverDarkGuyver Posts: 13
    Does anyone read comics through the Madefire app? I don't have any experience with digital comics other than Comixology but I like the guided reading it offers. But I also like some of the motion and sound that Madefire has too.
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  • mwhitt80mwhitt80 Posts: 4,638
    edited September 2016
    I do a combination of things.
    I use comixology app for non- Marvel titles. I love getting indies from them.

    I have a yearly subscription to Marvel Digital Service. I love having the library, but I have a Kindle fire (which forces you to use the garbage Amazon app store) so you have to side load the app. I'm not a fan of the app.

    Finally for all my humble bundle purchases I actually use adobe's free .pdf reader for the Kindle.
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  • bralinatorbralinator Posts: 5,967
    It would be optimal if there were one reader app to rule them all
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  • little_witchlittle_witch Posts: 185
    I use comixology and perfect view on android but I'm not keen on perfect viewer so will be looking at other options. Most of my drm-free comics are from humble bundles
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  • bralinatorbralinator Posts: 5,967
    little_witch said:

    I use comixology and perfect view on android but I'm not keen on perfect viewer so will be looking at other options. Most of my drm-free comics are from humble bundles

    Have you tried Sidebooks or any other readers for those DRM-free books?
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  • little_witchlittle_witch Posts: 185
    Going to sidebooks first see how it goes
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  • bralinatorbralinator Posts: 5,967
    I currently use it, but looking for a better option. It isn't bad.
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  • little_witchlittle_witch Posts: 185
    I find perfect viewer very clunky
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