Top 8 Comic Book Apps iPhone

Most die hard comic book fans will tell you that there’s nothing quite like that feeling of receiving the latest issue from your favorite series in the mail or from your local vendor; there’s something important about owning a physical copy of a comic book and part of you wants to take it around with you but part of you wants to wrap it up and preserve its mint condition for the future. It might be understandable then for many comic fans to be against apps such as those we present here on the list, since they are concerned solely with the digital editions of works. If you’re the kind of reader with no such qualms however then you’ll love some of these comic book apps for their convenience, and simply the fact that you have hundreds and thousands of issues available at your fingertips. Of course, once you’ve downloaded a comic you can then take it with you wherever you go, and that goes for the entire collection you have stored on your device. Take it or leave it, the future of comic books is on digital devices such as the iPhone and these are the top apps that offer a service right now.

8. Manga Rock (Free)

Let’s start off with an app that is not exactly for comic book fans, but those that follow manga in particular. Manga Rock currently boasts an impressive array of over 10,000 books to choose from, generating content from MangaReader, MangaFox and MangaEden. The features here are fairly basic but that won’t matter to Manga fans  who simply can’t find this level of access to digital content in another iPhone app. The only real drawback with this free version of the Manga Rock app is that it allows you to download just the one book for offline reading, though you can read as much as you like when connected to a wi fi network. With an optional in app purchase of around $5 you can unlock the ability to download as many books as you like for offline reading.  – Download from iTunes

7. DC Comics (Free)

DC Comics is one of the more recognized comic book brands in the world and their official app is well worth checking out for fans of such series as Wonder Woman, Batman and of course Superman. The app allows you to access over 80 format titles each month with over 1,000 graphic novels and comic books published every year. You can access all of DC’s top titles, read them full view on your iPhone or iPad and even access them on your desktop, too. – Download from iTunes

6. iComics ($1.99)

iComics is a polished little app that is also worth considering if you’re looking for something simple that does a job well, but boasts he features to make it count. It’s one of the more customizable titles on the App Store currently, allowing you to do things such as switch to right-to-left reading which may be applicable in some cases. You can organize your comics into user specified collections, which is great if you like making best of lists and like to keep things well managed. You can share individual pages of a comic book via email and even print them if you have the means. The app also supports a wide range of different document formats, perhaps the most we’ve seen from any such app including .ZIP, .CBZ, .CBR, .CBT, .PDF .EPUB and many more. – Download from iTunes

5. Comic Zeal ($4.99)

I should start by stating that I really love the name of this app: the word “zeal” suggests something like a religious fervor and I think that perfectly captures the feeling that you might experience while waiting for your latest copy to arrive, or the atmosphere down at the comic book shop when a new issue is due. Comic Zeal is an app that was under development for quite some time, and the work and effort really pays off here as the final product is impressive in its array of features and general overall polish. Comic Zeal offers a range of organizational functions that makes managing your comic book collection easier, with file transfer support and the support of such services as Dropbox, Google Drive and iCloud Drive. This is only the tip of the iceberg however and I’d say that the feature rich nature of the app more than justifies its $5 price tag, though it may seem somewhat overwhelming for those readers who have few demands.  – Download from iTunes

4. Dark Horse Comics (Free)

As already mentioned, most of the big comic book brands out there have their own offical app and Dark Horse is no different. This app will allow you to access all your favorite Dark Horse titles from anywhere at your fingertips. There are a bunch of free comics to download and read which is excellent for those who want to test the app out, with prices starting at just 99 cents for paid alternatives. There are currently over 3,000 comics currently online including such well known series as Emily the Strange, Battlestar Galactica and Tomb Raider. – Download from iTunes

3. Madefire (Free)

MadeFire is another well known online digital comic book store, providing access to comics by the likes of DC and Dark Horse among others. While the features and functionality that MadeFire offers isn’t exactly different or better than that you might find in other similar apps, it is notable for a few reasons. Firstly, there are the “Motion Books” that are exclusive to MadeFire and are basically a way to bring comic books to life with interactivity, sound and animation. It’s a nice idea, but one that on reflection does seem a little gimmicky. MadeFire is also perhaps the comic book app most connected to the online comic book community, with deviantArt integration that allows you to find interesting new artists online. – Download from iTunes

2. Marvel Comics (Free)

Marvel is by far the biggest name in comic books and continues to grow and grow given the success of its movie spin offs such as The Avengers films. While it is possible to access your Marvel favorites through other digital stores and apps, the official Marvel app is well worth checking out if you want to get your Marvel fix directly from the source. It also has smart list functionality, which is a great way to organize your favorites. – Download from iTunes

1. Comics by ComiXology (Free)

As the world of digital comics goes, ComiXology is perhaps the most well known name out there at present, with excellent access to such brands as Marvel, DC and even Disney.  The app is notable for its nice interface and useful features, though we should note here that it currently does not support the purchase of comic books through the app itself. Since Apple takes a percentage of all in app purchases, ComiXology decided to remove this feature from the app altogether and instead simply allows you to do so from their website, which can be linked to wishlists that are managed within the app. It’s not too much of an inconvenience if you don’t mind going online to finalise your purchases, though might be annoying for those looking to grab issues on the fly. – Download from iTunes