Like many other comic enthusiasts, I resisted comic e-readers. There was just something about the visceral experience of physically leafing through the book and possessing that book as a sort of trophy after consumption. However, non-collectible comics create unwanted clutter, and e-comics are cheaper and can be accessed from anywhere (if you get the right app/program.)

I made the plunge into digital comics with the Dark Horse Mobile App. Digital comic apps offer a great way to enjoy your comics on the go and keep those non-collectible comics from piling up on your coffee table. If you are interested, this app is available for iPhone/iPad and Android (other Dark Horse digital comics can also be accessed from www.darkhorse.com with your favorite browser.) The interaction between your (free) Dark Horse Online account and (free) Dark Horse Mobile App allows you to create a comic cloud that can be accessed on multiple devices and platforms. This cloud setting also saves room on your device

The features of the app are pretty standard for e-readers (including bookshelf, collection, and store sections.) The best parts of the app are the accessibility to Dark Horse’s catalog, the reasonably large free section, and the easy to use scrolling. The app features a wide range of paid publications for starting at .99. These titles include favorites such as Hellboy, Aliens vs Predator, Conan the Barbarian, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Star Wars. There are also over 40 free comics. These include a nice sampling of the Dark Horse catalog including a number of sampler books, and the entire run of Falling Skies. This selection alone makes the app well worth the free download. Additionally, the app auto scrolls from one dialog section to the next on the digital comic page. This differentiates the Dark Horse App from other comic apps that force you to search the page for the next dialog block at the detriment of your reading experience.

The app is not without its drawbacks, but they are minor. The app may be best suited for devices with larger screens, as small text and finer details can be tough to see on smaller screens. With that said, the availability of a portion of one’s comic collection on a smaller screen could make public transit and doctors’ offices more bearable. Furthermore, once you are done reading the free comics, you are often prompted to buy the next comic in that particular series. This could tempt you into buying additional comics if you are not careful. However, this sales tactic is no more insidious than any other free app.