When one hears the word comic books, the first thing that comes to mind is superheroes and Marvel comics. There are so many genres to choose from – alternative, Manga, fantasy, the so-called “graphic” novel for adults, horror, comics for children and so on.With app dominating the technology scene, books and comic are also going digital the way.
Mobile app now making it easier for fans to download their favorite superhero story to their phone and try out new comic books – as well.
As a die-hard fan, you don’t have to go looking for a bookstore to purchase a book that may not be available in store or worse still, could be out of print completely.
All the big publishing houses like DC, Marvel and others have made inroads into the digital world with the launch of their individual mobile apps.
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This move is prodding other comic publishers to make the same move. All one has to do is to only observe this frenzy to know that the time for the comic app is here.
The Business Model for The Comic App
Comic apps have their own category on the Apple iTunes store and Google Play stores. -In fact, Google play store alone has over 100,000 digital comic listed on its platform.
You can navigate to – the Books category or in Entertainment and check which comic apps are available. Whether you want a specific genre or superhero story, comic apps offer readers a chance to go on a great adventure.
These apps are available in a subscription model as well and at different prices, based on the solution.
Developing a comic app is not very difficult. To start off the journey – for your brand, hire a good comic app development company. Once the app has been completed and tested, it can be published to help users get their favourite characters with just a click.
Just like people who love their Kindle app, there are others who are fans of comics.
There is no question that they are going to be thrilled with the level of accessibility being offered by a comic app like:
- Reading their favorite superhero’s adventures anytime, anywhere
- No need to carry bulky books when everything is available on their smartphone
- Access to an online book store and an in-app purchase feature
- Formats supported include .rtf, pdf, HTML5 and .txt
- Notifications via pop-ups, texts and emails
- Available for download on Android and iOS
The process of creating a mobile app for comics is no different than any other app. The actual app development can be done one of two ways:
- Create the app with independent software which will be able run without an Internet connection
- Create it using a web-based app
Most app developers prefer to create web based apps as they are more user-friendly and have clean, simple features. Offline software is great for creating intense content.
It is entirely up to the comic publisher to choose the format that they want and then go forward with the process.
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Features Available on A Comic App
- User registration: This is the first step for users to get access to the app – either via email, social media log in or with a phone number.
- Category: This section lists the comics available for reading. There are free and paid books to choose from. Users can go through the list and decide if they want to sign up for a subscription eventually.
- Personalization: This is used quite a lot by publishers to recommend books based on their interest and choice of categories.
- Tagging favourites: Allowing users to tag their favourites based on their preferences will pull up their favourite comic book. This feature prevents scrolling back and forth to find the one that they were reading last – in every individual category.
- Reviews and Ratings: Every app prompts the users to rate the app and book and also write a review. By offering a section for either option, the feedback from this section can be used to upgrade the app and also know their preferences. This will help a publisher to serve their readers/app users better.
- Push Notifications: This feature is crucial for any mobile app – it is used to inform users about new offers, book launches and even discounts on every purchase.
- News: This is another feature which allows for importing of blog posts or other feeds with updates on new launches, movies and other interesting information.
- Languages: Once an app is developed, adding a language is very easy. The same comic can be offered to readers worldwide in their native languages.
- Payment platforms: These are being integrated practically into every app to make it easy for users to purchase what they want and also pay for subscriptions. Payment gateways could include debit/credit cards, PayPal or any other method, depending on individual countries.
Current List of Popular Mobile Comic Apps:
1) ComiXology
Easily one of the best known digital comic platforms, this app has published content from Marvel, DC comics and Image. All a reader has to do is download the app, buy the comic and get started on their reading.
Available on both Android and iOS platforms, this app has a huge customer base. It also offers an unlimited subscription which lets readers buy and read all the comics that they want. Users however, cannot import any other collection they have.
2) Comics Plus
This is another popular platform for comic lovers to purchase and download digital versions of their favourite characters.
Readers can buy from multiple publishers and use the app’s built in uView (enhanced technology for reading) which makes reading on a touch screen device very easy.
Built in parental controls ensure that children can access only appropriate content. Comic rentals are also available for a set number of hours. -You can check the app for further information.
3) Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Publishing has chosen to develop its own app and storefront. Their app makes it easy to read and offers support for right to left modes of reading.
Users can buy and also download free issues – these are usually teasers to get readers excited about an entire library of comics.
4) Marvel Comics
With this app, users have the entire Marvel library of comics to choose from. Subscriptions range from $10/month to $70/year. New comics are added often, and users have to be online to access and also read all about their favourite character’s adventures.
If you want to binge or re-reading all your favourite comics, this is the app for you.
5) DC Comics
This app works as a gateway to the entire DC catalogue for its users – they can read all the stories related to Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and more.
By downloading the app on different devices, it is easy to for a reader to pick up where they left off with a story. The app has a guided view reading mode which makes it extremely convenient to use for all readers, regardless of their age.
Cost of Developing A Comic App
The cost of developing such an app depends on factors such as:
- -The complexity of the app
- App size –
- Number of platforms where the app will be hosted
- Development region
Based on which country the development team is based in, costs could range anywhere from $10 – $250 per hour. Again, based on the number of features, it could cost up to $30,000 or more per platform.
However, if you are looking to build a cross-platform app with more advanced features, be prepared to shell out something in the range of $ 50,000.
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Conclusion
Comic apps are a special entertainment category targeting a specific user group. No doubt the experience of reading a comic on an app is very different when compared to reading a book.
Thanks to mobile apps, readers are able to access comics which are hard to find and what could be better than an app which promotes a love for reading?