Graphic.Ly have released some more details about their deal with Marvel:
Graphic.ly Brings Marvel Comics to Downloadable Desktop Comic Readers
Marvel Comics now available on all Graphic.ly digital platforms including Apple iOS, Android and Windows Phone 7 smart phones, tablets, PC’s and desktop.BOULDER, Colo. — Graphic.ly, one of the most innovative companies in digital comic books, announces that the company will begin offering single issue sales of Marvel comic books on its desktop reader; Graphic.ly becomes the first desktop digital comic reader to be able to offer single issue sales of Marvel comic books to its desktop community, including members in the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, as well as include Marvel comics on select mobile platforms. Prior to this, Marvel comics have been available on the Graphic.ly iPad application.
As the only digital comic book reader and community, Graphic.ly recreates the comic book store experience and enables readers are able to leave comments within the pages of the digital comics, as well as review each book, and rank the story, art work, cover art and overall experience. Through this social capability, Graphic.ly garners a truly unique reading experience. Additionally, readers are able to purchase books on Graphic.ly and read them on any device.
“Working with Graphic.ly we offer our fans and readers a community and platform where they are able to purchase, read and discuss our books on a variety of mobile and desktop environments,†said Ira Rubenstein, Executive Vice President of Marvel’s Global Digital Media Group. “Marvel Entertainment is always looking for new ways to reach our fans and community, and the social sharing and conversations on the Graphic.ly platform help us extend that connection.â€
Graphic.ly will be carrying many of the popular Marvel titles in its store, including: Iron Man; Kick Ass; Amazing Spider Man; Captain America, and Astonishing X-Men to name a few of the titles.
“By offering Marvel comic books on all our platforms, we are bringing the comics our community wants to read, wherever and whenever they want to read them,†said Micah Baldwin, CEO of Graphic.ly. “Beyond just reading, though, Graphic.ly listens to our community and brings the best comics to them on all platforms – from the desktop to the smartphone to the tablet computer – and enables them to have conversations with fans and readers around the world.â€
Graphic.ly is available on Windows and Mac desktops, through Windows 7 and Adobe AIR applications, as well as select mobile platforms, such as the iPad. Graphic.ly’s recently released iPad application also boasts the ability to perform a deep-dive zoom, and a pixel-perfect full screen picture to provide the best digital comic reading experience.
One thing I think that Graphic.Ly has going for it is the community aspect – they bought iFanboy early this year, and if they can integrate this with their platform in a user friendly way it would work!
Bleeding Cool also reports:
In other news, Graphic.Ly are building a comic service for the location service Foursquare, mapping fictional stories against real life locations. And everyone gets a copy of Beserker #0 to trial their new additional content service, with commentary and scripts to the comic you;re reading…
Warren Ellis also had some thoughts about the desktop app:
Graphic.ly is a digital comics store. The desktop edition is built on Adobe Air. It also has iPad/iPhone apps. On installing and first launch, it’s a little memory-greedy on my laptop — I imagine that if I did a restart and then launched it, it’d even out just fine. Haven’t given it a good roadtest yet, but the install was so smooth, and the first look at the thing so promising, that I thought I’d bring it to your attention.
EDITED TO ADD: Guess they haven’t got the payment system worked out properly yet. Payment does not lead to comic appearing in collection. This can be annoying. It can take a while for it to occur to you to quit the app entirely and relaunch it, whereupon you find the comic you bought in your collection. Not hugely impressive user experience.
