Update: There is a more recent version of this post for deciding on a tablet for comics in 2023.
More often than not, decisions involving comic books don’t create too much financial stress. There are obvious exceptions (Nic Cage’s copy of Action Comics #1 comes to mind), but generally speaking a $2.99 (or, gasp!, $3.99) comic won’t break the bank.
This all gets thrown out the window when we start considering the device you want to use to read your digital comics. Do you stick to a laptop/desktop? Do you invest in a sleek 10 inch tablet? What about a mini tablet to save a few dollars? And what about the Kindle or Nook e-reader devices? What’s the best device for comic book reading?
It’s a tough question, and one I’ve been researching and wrestling with myself until recently. The answer will depend to some degree on your needs and liquidity (meaning both your access to cash and your ability to go full Hydro-Man at a moment’s notice). Nonetheless, I believe there’s a clear answer here to help you make an informed purchase.
Why Can’t I Just Roll With My Laptop For Comics?
For the first year and a half of my digital comic book reading lifespan, I used nothing but my laptop. This was made possible through an early subscription to Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited and an uncanny ability to ignore significant degrees of wasted screen space.
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Although this screenshot is Marvel Unlimited specific, the general problem applies across desktop comic readers – they’re largely designed for vertical reading, a la an actual comic book. This is true of everything from Comixology to Dark Horse Comics to a .cbr file reader like ComicRack.
Naturally, tablets lend themselves towards these dimensions, where vertical displays trump width. Can you read comic books on your laptop? Of course – but the art and story is going to fill up the screen far more naturally on a tablet, with the added benefit of swiping panels like turning the page.
End of the day, a laptop is expensive enough, and it’s understandable if you want to use your nice computer as a one stop shop for all digital endeavors. Just know that your comic book reading is going to be severely limited by small font, tiny panels, and a far from smooth reading experience. Plus, the all-time downside: you can’t easily carry the computer with one-hand into the bathroom. Comics are the role tablets were born to play.
Beginning the Tablet Discussion: What Are You Looking For?
Ok, you get it, you get it, tablets are the best thing to happen to comic book reading since Scott Mcloud. What should you look for in one of these new age technological wonders?
Before you dive into any particular tablet for comics, it’s important to consider what you’re planning to use this device for. Considering you’re reading this post, the short answer is probably: a device that lets me enjoy digital comics the absolute most.
But before we get into the nitty gritty of comic book enjoyment, what else do you want from a tablet? Is the tablet for at home use only? Will you be commuting long distances with your new tablet? Are you going to be working on this tablet, or is it purely for entertainment purposes?
Go ahead and answer all these questions in earnest before you move on. And if you’re like me, and the answer is simply “I want to read comics, and lots of them at that,” our decision is much easier.
10 inch Tablet Vs. The 7 inch Mini Tablet: Does Size Matter?
The biggest debate of all is whether to lay down your money on the full-size or mini tablet.
On average, a full-size 10 inch tablet is going to cost between $150 and $250 more than a 7 inch mini. Given that potential savings, the temptation is to look very closely at the 7 inch tablet and consider if the screen size alone is worth an extra $200.
Looking at the above screen shot, you can tell pretty clearly that the full size tablets are going to approach the standard comic book reading experience much more accurately. My copy of Image Comics’ Saga is the biggest of the three reading options, but the latest version iPad is very close. The Google Nexus 7 mini tablet on the other hand, is quite a bit smaller.
So is the answer that cut and dry? Suck up the extra expense, roll with the iPad or alternate full size tablet based on the additional size, and enjoy your comics?
This is where I found myself around a month ago. I’ve had a new iPad through work for some time (yay, work supporting comics unknowingly!) and knew full well that the full-size tablet solved every digital comic book need I had. The resolution was amazing, the comics looked great, and I could leave every issue in single page mode and read no problem.
But… Google’s Nexus 7 is only $229! Based on the price I had to at least consider the quality of comic book reading on Google’s 7 inch tablet. I got some great feedback on Google+ about comic fans and the experience they’ve had with different tablet devices.
What you’ll take away from the discussion is that nearly all these comic fans who have a Nexus 7 love the device for comic books and everything else. Based on this feedback, I went ahead and got a Google Nexus 7 for myself. Comics on the tablet look great but I won’t pretend there isn’t a size disadvantage. See for yourself.
The 7 Inch Tablet Experience
As I mentioned, my verdict on the full-size tablet, a la the iPad, is that it’s absolutely perfect for comic book reading. The only question remaining is whether the full-size device is worth the extra expense.
Purely from a comic book reading perspective, I can now verify that that those extra Benjamins are seriously in doubt.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my Google Nexus 7 and have only rarely switched back to the iPad despite the size difference.
What does Google’s mini tablet have going for it?
- Convenient transportation – The 7 inch tablet offers a degree of transportability that’s hard to beat. You can easily hold the device with just one hand while reading comics, the tablet is incredibly light, and you could even conceivably fit the device into a cargo pocket if needed. While this might not be much of a plus if you’re just reading at home, if you’d like to bring your comics on your commute, the 7 inch is an easier carry-on.
- Resolution – Comics look great on the Nexus 7. Again, I can’t sit here and pretend they look better than the new iPad, but I really don’t notice a discernible difference. I’ve now started watching FX’s Wilfred on my Nexus 7 while sitting in front of the TV. And I’d do it again.
- Savings – A Nexus 7 for $229 compared to a new generation iPad for $499, or even the Nexus 10 for $399 leaves you at least $170. For that price you could take advantage of Comixology’s current $.99 The Walking Dead sale and buy the first 100 issues.
The major downside is that single-page reading on the 7 inch tablet is generally not very practical. You will need to zoom some, or if reading in Comixology, use panel-by-panel reading. This is a slightly different experience than just having the page in front of you and may take some getting used to.
The Marvel Unlimited Conundrum – Or, Why I Rule Out the Nook and Kindle
If you’re wondering why there’s so little talk of Barnes and Noble’s Nook HD+ (voted CNET’s best tablet value) or Amazon’s Kindle Fire HDX (voted CNET’s best media consumption tablet), the answer largely comes down to Marvel Unlimited.
I’ll explain: as a long-time subscriber to Marvel’s digital library service, it’s pretty important to me that my e-reader support the Marvel Unlimited app. With the Kindle and Nook, I just have no confidence that this will be the case.
The Marvel Unlimited digital app came to Android several months after it was released for iOS, and it’s Android supported form is clearly secondary to iOS. Don’t believe me? Just check out the MU reviews in Google Play. It’s appalling!
Personally, I don’t think the Marvel Unlimited on Android is particularly flawed, with one major exception: the comic fails to utilize the full screen space every single time.
Yes, you can zoom in with a simple pinch of the fingers, but having to do so on every page becomes tedious. It’s a weird flaw in the Marvel Unlimited Android app experience, especially on the Nexus 7 where size is already the major concern.
Which brings me to my potentially unfounded concerns with book the Nook HD+ and Kindle Fire: if the Marvel Unlimited Android app has weird technical glitches on Google’s Nexus tablets, how glitchy is it going to be on off-brand devices that simply allow access to the Google Play store?
If Marvel Unlimited is not a concern for you, though, then the Kindle Fire and Nook HD+ may become very real considerations. I would point you to this quality post from the Comic Book Reader Guide for more if that fits your need.
The Final Test – Which Device Will I Use?
In about 5 minutes when I complete this post, I’m going to plop down on my couch and continue reading Peter David’s excellent early Marvel Knights entry Madrox (a pre-cursor to David’s equally exciting X-Factor).
So far I’ve read the first two issues on my Nexus 7. But as I sit here, I realize the iPad is sitting right there. And that I wouldn’t have to zoom, or pinch, or worry about weird Marvel Unlimited size issues.
I’m going to read my comics on the full-size tablet. It’s a no-brainer.
Now, obviously, this is a bit of a luxury to even have this option. But it illustrates my final point, which is that if you have the resources, invest in the 10 inch tablet. You won’t have a single complaint about comic book reading ever, aside from the usual Dan Slott did WHAT?!
I’ll leave Android vs. iOS up to you, and personally I’ve come to like both operating systems. If you’re a Marvel Unlimited fanatic like myself, I’d drive you towards iOS as that app has cleaner functionality in my opinion.
If you’re looking to save upwards of $200, though, and you have a long commute, or travel consistently, I’ve loved the experience of owning a Nexus 7. It’s a fantastic device, and all things considered comic book reading is perfectly viable.
I should probably caveat that all this is coming from a guy so addicted to comics he developed a way to read comics on his tiny little iPhone 4, but you can totally trust me.
So what do you think? What has your experience with digital comic reading been? What devices do you prefer, or which are you considering getting? Do what feels right to you in the comments!
Ive been trying for weeks to load all my cbr and cbz files on the 128gb micro sd I use with my surface. And I don’t know if it’s the tablet, the card, or whatever… but shortly after I transfer from usb to the micro sd, the files disappear. It’s strange because I have 7 or 8 movie, some music, pictures, and atleast 2000 video game roms I use with NESBOX… all that transfered and stayed on the card just fine, no problems. But my cbz and cbr files just disappear. Anyone had a similar issue? Or maybe a solution?
@Derrick
Yes, I had that problem with some cheap, off brand 128gb microSDs. Bought some Samsung 64gb micros and have not had any problems since… although have not tried 128gb yet.
I’ve been using an ASUS Zenpad 10, which has been pretty decent for a budget tablet. Battery life is my biggest, but most substantial gripe with it. Runs on an atrociously weak 4890 mAh battery which will require charging daily with use. Comparatively, the newest iPads are 10k mAh, with even the new iPad mini at 5120 mAh. Its 1280×800 resolution is serviceable, but also seems a little behind the times today.
Recently, I have been eyeing the RecPad10 as an upgrade. With the Apple Retina level resolution (2048X1536), much stronger battery (8900 mAh), and moderate upgrades over the Zenpad 10 specs at $180, it seems like a pretty good deal. If anyone gets this before me, please report back and let us know your thoughts.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0106CAN12/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=35L3PI84RM3DO&coliid=I24MV7P3SQJTOO
Great article, thank you! Although that plus the comments have simultaneously confused and helped me. I pretty much want a full display experience, and the Samsung Tabs are 10″ or there’s the Nook+ which is 9″. (I would go iPad but Air would be better and that’s slightly too much.) I think they’re the cheapest options?
What do you think has the best reading experience with the app overall? Because while I could use it for other things I think a tablet just for MU would be a good purchase for me, the amount I read on there.
Also just to complain, the Unlimited app’s failure to correctly load offline books has got better but it’s the WORST.
First things first, offline reading is a darn travesty. I’m such a fan of the service, but man alive would I use it more if that worked well!
Marvel Unlimited for Android has gotten a lot better this year. So you’ll be in a very good place with a 10″ Samsung Galaxy. The Nook’s a pretty flawed tablet, but I’ve been using it exclusively for MU reading for over a year, and it’s a really great value. As I reconsider things, though, I’d probably just spend a bit more on a slightly nicer Galaxy. That’s my take 🙂
Looking into a tablet mainly for reading comics, what’s better 8″ or 10″? Leaning more towards a 10″ but if an 8″ is still enjoyable and comfortable while saving a few bucks I’m willing to shave off 2″ of screen real estate.
Full size is better.
That said, plenty of fans are happy with 8″ devices. I find this to be especially true if you’re comfortable using Comixology’s smart panel view. Otherwise singe page view will occasionally require a bit of pinch and zoom.
I’ve just bought a Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 (8″) for £150 before going on holiday. Way better than the 7″ and not as disappointing as I thought coming back from a no brand android 10″. I would have gone for the Samsung Tab S 10.5 ( amoled etc etc) if I could have afforded it, as there’s no way you can read my current model in direct sunlight. But the 8″ is fine for anywhere else. I’m also using and have always used Perfect Viewer.. Perfect for 3months ( 11gb) of holiday catch-up reading.
Now if only the continuities could match up, or am I a month too early 😉
I have Nook HD+ for a year and its great. The display size fits almost perfectly to one page, it has great resolution and colors, long battery life, microSD slot. And Marvel Unlimited worked just fine on my Cyanogenmod.
Finally got a tab. Picked up a Le Pan tc1020 10.1″ is awesome for viewing comics. It’s pretty much a Chinese ipad, but android op. Screen is beautiful and the price was $200 Loving reading comics on my Le Pan.
The Galaxy Tab Pro (with 12.1″ screen) is pretty awesome for comics. I use a combination of Unlimited(which,yes is a little buggy, but bearable for filling in caps), and the Comixology Marvel App (though I only buy the 99c comics). As well as the huge screen, it has a stylus which means I can eat my lunch and swipe the pages with my stylus (preventing a horrible dirty screen).
Any comments on the updated Android app for Marvel Unlimited? I heard that it was updated a few months back and was curious how it works on the Nexus 7 and Nook HD+. Does it still fail to fill the screen, is it still buggy? It’s a deciding point for me with purchasing one of those tablets. Thanks!
The Android app for Marvel Unlimited is hugely improved. I wrote my thoughts on the update, and it’s only gotten better since then. A little buggy here and there, but fills the screen much better. Landscape mode isn’t perfect, you’ll have to pinch and zoom a little, but full page viewing on the Nook HD+ or Nexus 7 works very well.
Still highly recommend the Marvel Unlimited experience on the Nook. Been extremely happy with the price point on a device I use to read comics daily.
Bit the bullet and picked up a Nook HD+ for under 200 – thank you for the advice, this thing is perfect for Marvel Unlimited. It’s already worlds better than the browser, which I was struggling to load from any desktop. The app might crash every once in a while, but since it opens back up in a second, it’s no big deal. And the screen is large and sharp – I’m really happy with it.
One question – do you know if there’s a way to full-screen the app? Movies, for example, full-screen on the Nook HD+, but this (and some other apps) always has a black status/navigation bar on the top and the bottom, which shrinks the image down a little. I couldn’t find any way to change it in the settings, so it might just be how it is (though the iPhone app doesn’t do this). But still, thanks again!
Excellent, glad you’re enjoying.
I haven’t found a full screen workaround yet. Reading through the browser occasionally offers this option, but I prefer the app overall. Full screen reading is definitely an option I’d like to see added, though. Particularly true for landscape mode pages.
The Samsung Tab S is awesome for reading digital comics and Marvel Unlimited. It even comes with a free Marvel Unlimited subscription for 3 months.
Amoled display is gorgeous, incredible for reading. Nicer than a LED screen.
10.5 inch screen and weight is 1 pound (465 grams). Super light and does not make it uncomfortable holding for long periods of time.
You can add a Micro SD card for extra storage. 128 gb card = reading forever.
32 GB Tab S is 50 bucks cheaper than 32 GB Ipad Air. So just from a comic book stand point, I feel it is the ultimate reader.
Awesome feedback, thanks for sharing! I didn’t know about the 3 months of Marvel Unlimited. That’s really cool.
I use a 3rd generation iPad,but I find marvel unlimted doesn’t fit properly in smart reading mode. Misses off speech bubbles, fails to load comics, wipes my library etc.. But that’s the app, not the tablet. I’d always stick to full size rather than a mini, but I’d definitely recommend going for the air series after reading so much on this beast! Way too heavy!
Interesting about the device being too heavy. There’s definitely an advantage to the lightness of reading a comic.
And yeah, those Marvel Unlimited app bugs are universal across devices. Actually even more pronounced outside of iOS. Still a good deal though 🙂
I have Nexus & and it is great.Bigger tablets start to make hand ache after sometime and not very convenient to read sleeping. Please suggest where I can get tablet editions of comics .Live in bandwith hungry region and hires for tablet is waste of Mb
Thanks for all the great advice and tips. I’m scouring the web trying to find good information on tablets for comic reading. One thing I can’t seem to find is if any tablet can connect to a shared drive on my main computer where I store all my CBR files and read them remotely instead of downloading them to the device or to a cloud. Do any of the tablets you’ve mentioned allow that option?
So you don’t want to download the CBR files to the device or have the available through the cloud? I know that trick 🙂
I think what you’re looking for is a remote desktop app: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/microsoft-remote-desktop/id714464092?mt=8
Something like that maybe? And then the right app will depend on your devices / desktop OS. Let me know if that’s what you’re looking for!
What are your thoughts on the Surface tablet from Microsoft. I have a lot of .cbr files and like the usb/micro sd ports.Trying to decide what would be the best bang fro my buck.
Have to admit I don’t know much about the Surface. Haven’t spent any time with one yet. Be curious to hear from someone who has though 🙂
I was on the same dilema than you guys. After using and not being 100% satisfied with a Galaxy Tab Plus 7 inch, then a Kindle Paperwhite and a Kindle Fire HDX 8.9, finally I found my perfect, but bit expensive device.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 is the perfect size and display to read comics and manga. I can easily read and collect mangas on the Manga Rock App. And on the same time read great american and european comics like The Worlds of Aldebaran.
Trust me Im very perfectionist, and I finally can say that I love my comic/manga devices.
Great article btw.
Thank you 🙂 Great feedback, thanks for that!
I got a Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 too and curious why Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 is better. Would appreciate sharing your experience.
I’m also looking for a bigger one and my eye is on Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1.
Cheers!
Thanks for this! I’m about to make a choice between a Kindle Fire HD, an Ipad Mini 2, and the iPad Air… haven’t decided yet, but this article helped flesh out the arguments for different readers.
Thanks again!
Been reading on the 2012 Nexus 7 for about a year. Upgraded to the Nexus 10 today and I hope to be reading on it for a long time to come. The Ipad is a great device but for comics the Nexus 10 has it beat. The Nexus 10 has a better screen ratio for comics than the Ipad, so it fills up the screen without any bars on the side. Since it’s been out for a while if you are patient you can find some deals on it, trust me, it’s worth every penny for digital comic reading.
Thanks for the info – I’ve borrowed an old IPad for the weekend and am definitely considering plunking down for a ten-inch screen. Have you used the marvel app on yours? Having finally gotten the “read offline” to work on the old iPad showed me that it CAN work…
I use the Marvel Unlimited app very regularly on the iPad. It’s not flawless, but it’s a primarily smooth experience (Android is another matter).
I was particularly happy with the “next comic” feature Marvel recently added after you finish an issue. Anything that keeps me plowing through a series is a nice feature. I would definitely recommend it to any comic fans, with the caveat that there may be some patience required.
After having a Nexus 7 since the day it launched in 2012 i’ve read about 150 comics on it (mostly the entire series of Walking Dead). That fact alone shows that it possible and indeed quite enjoyable. There was a lot of zooming and switching from portrait to landscape however and whilst this never stopped me it was a detractor.
Following recent price drops I purchased a Nexus 10 and omg what a difference. Hands down the 10″ is better. Just finished reading 47 Ronin and just read a page at a time the way it’s meant to be. No zooming necessary.
Really good feedback, thanks for that. It’s definitely possible to enjoy the 7 inch experience, but once you go full tablet, that full page read is sooo enjoyable.
Great summary.
After going back and forth I decided to pick up an Ipad Air.
Comixology runs great and looks beautiful but Marvel Unlimited is a (minor) disappointment. Androind has more issues still but even the iOS version has some flaws.
In portrait mode the comic utilizes the entire height but not the width – most readers fit comics automatically to the width of the screen, the Ultimate app misses that option altogether.
Also the resolution of most comics isn’t that great – at least if you try smart panel view the resolution makes the panels look not very sharp and the fonts are blurry.
Agreed. Marvel Unlimited on iOS isn’t perfect, but comparatively it’s lightyears better (especially after the recent updates).
You make a good point about panel resolution – Comixology just looks so much better. Anytime they throw a .99 cent bundle around, it’s tough not to pounce.
I am also an avid comic reader, who has been previously using a laptop. I sue a Kindle to read books & love it. I’m now going to buy a notebook/ipad type device for comics for convenience & wondered if Powergirl ended up buying the 10.2 Google Nexus (& if so if she likes it)
Dave,
What do you think about the Google Nexus 10.1, the one with the 2560×1600 Display? I hear text is really clear on it, so I was thinking of getting one. It’s kind of like buying an industrial strength vacuum cleaner to clean up a plant pot that was knocked over, considering how much raw power it has, but I’m looking for something that’s going to be zippy for a long time to come, plus this’ll be the first Tablet I’ve ever owned, and while I plan on buying it to read comics initially, I could expand outward into who knows what eventually. The only deal breaker with the Nexus 10 atm for me is the lack of Expandable Memory via SD.
Thoughts?
First thought is that you’re largely going to love the nexus 10 to read comics. That display is fantastic, and the 10 inch screen offers a pretty flawless full page reading experience.
And now the caveats. If you’re a marvel unlimited subscriber, the android app can be a minor headache. At 10 inches you should be saved the biggest one (lots of zooming), but android just isn’t supported that well. Fortunately you can just read through the website, assuming most of your reading is done with a Wi – Fi connection.
Reading through comixology or a .cbr reader like Comic rack is going to be great. I would recommend the 32 gb storage, as a comixology library can eat into 16 fairly quickly. That said, it’s fairly easy to manage, so if you’re willing to do a little maintenance every now and again, the 16 GB memory can work fine.
The final part is basically your fantastic pot plant analogy. There are cheaper tablets for just comic reading. For example I recently grabbed a 9 inch nook hd+ for just over $100. I’m really enjoying reading comics on this device, especially for the price.
But end of the day, you’re going to be able to enjoy a high end tablet for tons of other things. If it’s in your range, I’d recommend going a little nicer with a first tablet.
Final note: the Google nexus 10 2 is reportedly released the first week of Jan 2014. You may want to wait for this and consider the new tablet, or see if the original device comes down in price.
I didn’t even know about the 10 2 …Thanks for the heads up. I’ll definitely sit on these gift cards a little while longer. You just earned yourself a fan, thanks for the tips!
Glad I could help!
So it looks like you compare the iPad and Nexus, what about Samsung Galaxy?
Can’t speak to the tablet, but I’ve been using a Galaxy S4 for my phone and it presents a lot of unique problems that seem to be Android related. Again, though this is only regarding Marvel Unlimited.
I’ll try to put this to good use immediately.
At last, someone comes up with the “right” answer!
Great comparison between the different size devices. This is still why I’m going to stick with my iPad 3 for now, despite my preference for Android. Just can’t beat the full-screen view. And now that the new iPad Air has come out that is even lighter, that’s a very tempting option as well.
Curious if you’ve tried an 8″ Android tablet, like the new LG Gpad. Wondering how those size tablets would work for comic book viewing.
I love the full screen iPad experience. One of the main knocks I had for comic book reading was the overall bulk of my iPad 2 (comparatively at least) and the iPad Air seems to knock that out of the park. Definitely can’t go wrong with that if it’s in your price range.
I haven’t tried an 8″ tablet personally. I’m looking to get my hands on an 8.9″ device to get a better sense of that in between experience.
One thing I would say is that I technically CAN read in single page mode on the 7″ device. It just gets particularly straining when there’s a lot of text on a page (I’m looking at you, Kirkman’s Invincible). I’m sure the 8″ makes this slightly more reasonable, but again, that’s just a hunch.
Thanks for the feedback!
Bought myself a Nook HD+ when it was on sale.
A 9″ 1920x1080p display just for comic reading and for only 1/4 the cost of an iPad = no brainer.
It’s also 520g and has expandable storage.
Thanks for the feedback. The Nook HD+ is without a doubt the best combination of size/value I’ve seen.
How do you normally read comics on your device? Comixology? .CBR files on something like ComicRack? I’m curious what your experience/preferred method is. Thanks!
Do you (or anyone else) have a take on how well Marvel Unlimited runs on the Nook HD+? I found this article posing a really good concern, but no actual anecdotals…I really want to be able to read MU on something larger than my current 7-inch tablet, and the Nook’s price is really tempting now that it has Google Play access.
Good question. Been meaning to add this to the post, but for now I’ll just do it here.
I’ve been using the Nook HD+ as my primary tablet reader for a few months now. I got about 20% off through Groupon Goods, and for the price and larger size, the Nook HD+ is by FAR the best value.
The downside? The Marvel Unlimited app has all the same problems Android devices everywhere have. Each comic page shows up small, meaning you have to pinch and zoom w/ every page.
As a workaround, I’ve been reading directly through Marvel.com and using the web reader. For vertical pages, this is the best solution. For horizontal double page spreads, the web reader does not adjust appropriately, and you can’t pinch zoom on the tablet for this. It’s not perfect, but I’ve read a LOT of comics this way.
Long story short, the iPad using the Marvel Unlimited app is still the best experience. But if you want to save a boatload of money for a comparable experience and size, the Nook HD+ is a savvy call.
Thanks for the reply – if the Nook is basically the same level of clunky as other Android tablets, it seems like the one I’ll buy, hoping that maybe at some point Marvel will deign to make the app work for 80% of the market share.
Also, is it just me or does using Marvel Unlimited on an Android tablet make you REALLY SICK of Marvel’s recent overreliance on double-page spreads?
Definitely not just you. Double page spreads are basically a throwaway with the current issues.
And here’s to hoping with that Android update. One day, true believers. One day.
You can root the NookHD (or +) to a pure Android device pretty cheaply and easily if they get the general Android issues ironed out but Nook continues to have problems.
I just don’t use any of the Barnes & Noble stuff, rooted mine right out of the box. For now, I still have the same sizing issues with the Ap tho’.
Rooting to pure Android is interesting feedback, thanks. That will be interesting once the new iOS update rolls out to the app on Android devices.
I got email back from Sunbelt Digital (who run the Marvel Unlimited app) after I sent them an email complaining about the wrong-size-page and, more importantly, the fact that Read Offline doesn’t work on Android tablets.
They say that there will be an update in “a few weeks” which will address these problems.
Fingers crossed…I won’t buy a tablet until I see some reviews!
Seems like that update was published for Android a few days ago, and preliminary reviews on Google Play Store are MUCH better.
I’m writing some thoughts on it, but so far, yes, much improved. Exciting for android users as the app is up to speed with iOS now. Significant improvements in many aspects of the reading experience.
Definite improvement in the Android app. Dramatically more functional in my opinion. Wrote some extended thoughts here.
This is an amazing article. Thank you for current and thoughtful information. I really am leaning towards the Kindle Fire HDX as I will be loading up comics into dropbox and loading them to my device. Has anyone had experience reading comics on the Kindle Fire HDX. I like that it has a faster processor and seems to be a better multimedia device.
Thanks Brandon , glad this was useful. Don’t have much first hand Kindle Fire experience but hopefully we can find someone who does.
Hey Brandon I have a kindle fire hdx and reading comics is great because there is a app I love to advertise and am very thankful for having to read comics with it is comicat and for 2.99 it is a great investment comics are great with this app and you can download from your computer straight to your kindle fire with this, I have downloaded a lot of comics to read with this app and you can create your own bookshelf to browse your issues and read them
Whoa! I have been looking around for a review of Nexus 7 with comixology. Thanks for a excellent review.
Currently I read comics on my Nexus 4 in guided view, it works very well. I also use Comic Rack, full page in landscape mode which is excellent and doesn’t require much zooming.
I want something bigger for home use and it looks like I’m gonna get a Nexus 7 soon!
Nice, glad this was helpful.
I’ve been really enjoying ComicRack on the Nexus 7. I’ll generally zoom in just to make things easier, but it’s a very smooth experience. And the tablet is a lot of fun – everything looks great on it.
I have a relatively cheap no-name Android 4.1 Tablet (9.7 inch) and when using the Marvel Unlimited App I almost get a real fullscreen (http://s7.postimg.org/cypbqy6p7/20131014_204757.jpg). I only have small blanks on the left and the right (which is totally normal considering the ratio of the screen). I was just about to buy a 10.1 inch Android tablet specifically for Marvel Unlimited (screen ratio should be perfect then, eliminating the blanks on the sides) but after reading about this strange behaviour on your google nexus, I will have to test the app on the new tablet before I buy it. So thanks for the heads up!
Yeah, definitely worth checking I think. It may have more to do with tablet size than the android os. Let me know how it goes!
Finally had some time to try out (and buy) a 10.1 inch android tablet (Lenovo Ideatab S6000). When using the Marvel Unlimited App I have now a perfect fullscreen. Yet I would recommend getting an Ipad (if the only purpose is Marvel Unlimited) as the android app is still very buggy in its current state…
Awesome, thanks for the feedback. Good to know that at 10 inches the Android app does at least fill the screen.
Hi, I finally got my Lenovo, same as yours, and it is great. I tried the 7 inch tablets but it is an odd size… Mostly because I have the Samsung 5 inch which is more portable and it is my device of choice for book reading. So I read my books ion my 5 inch, and mags and comics on my 10 inch.
Therefore I’m opinion the 7 inche table lets are an odd size.
Also, not all 10 inchers are the same. The Lenovo is a 16:10 ratio while many others are 16:09 which does not work as well. So if you go for a 10 inch make sure it is a 16:10 one. The Lenovo was barely 200 quids.
I have a Kindle Fire HD 8.9″ and a Marvel Unlimited subscription. To date, there isn’t a Kindle Fire version of the Marvel Unlimited App. So to use it you have to side-load the app. And your observations about it’s performance are pretty accurate. It needs a lot of work.
However, for as long as I’ve had my Fire, I’ve read my Marvel Unlimited comics directly from the Marvel.com website. I list of links in EverNote to facilitate locating the books I want to read. The link opens the Silk Browser right to the correct page. When you open a comic to read, it opens to fill the full screen unlike the app, navigation works great, and the comic looks beautiful. You can still pinch and stretch as you see fit. But since my tablet is an 8.9″, I seldom do so.
Thus, I’ve found the Kindle Fire to be great a tablet option, especially if you have a library of other Amazon content (like me).
Awesome feedback. I’ve been so focused on the app functionality, that I didn’t really even factor in browser reading, but that’s a great call. Definitely opens up the appeal of the Kindle Fire for Marvel Unlimited subscribers. I’d guess the primary downside would be offline reading capability if that’s a need for travel/commuting. If you have a strong wi-fi connection, though, that 8.9″ screen for $229 is mighty tempting.