Digital comics, represent somewhere between 10 to 12 percent of overall comic book purchases—a number that's expected to rise by the end of 2013 That's a lot of people reading a lot of comics on electronic devices.
It makes sense when you think about it; comic book stores aren't nearly as commonplace as they were in their '80s and early '90s heyday. Digital comic readers let you dive into your favorite books from the comfort and convenience of your smartphone or tablet—you no longer need to live near a comic book store to pick up Chew, The Superior Spider-Man, Batman, or other titles. All you need is a tablet, and tablets are everywhere. In fact, analyst firm IDC estimates that over 190 million tablets will ship worldwide in 2013.
The four iPad digital comic book readers in this roundup include the industry powerhouse, as well as lesser known, but quality, offerings. Below is just a sampling of what the apps can do; check out the full reviews for a big picture view of each digital comic book app's functionality.
Comics (Comixology)
Free
The appropriately-named Comics offers over 40,000 digital comic books and graphic novels that you can read on your iPad, computer, and numerous other devices. Comics makes the buying and reading experience a simple and inviting endeavor, even though the library is missing quite a few older books (and Dark Horse Comics' entire catalog). Some may dismiss Comics due to its DRM, but in terms of convenience (and the incredibly cool Guided View), it can't be beat. Note: when people say Comixology, this is the app they're talking about; Comixology is the company that makes the Comics app, and also the name of its website.
YACReader
$1.99
Does the iPad need yet another comic reader? The answer is a resounding "yes." YACReader (which literally stands for Yet Another Comic Reader) is a feature-packed iPad app that's one of the best mobile comic readers on the market. YACReader lacks an integrated store, but the app supports numerous comic-friendly file formats, import methods, and reading styles. Digital comic book enthusiasts, YACReader is well worth the purchase.
ComicRack
$7.99
ComicRack is relatively expensive dedicated digital comics reader, but the app lets you deftly read and manage a wide variety of DRM-free file types (its page scrubbing is quite excellent, too). ComicRack also has excellent page scrubbing that lets you see which pages you're rifling through. ComicRack suffers from occasional lag when you turn pages, but it's a very solid read app.
Dark Horse Comics
Free
Comixology's Comics app may be the premier marketplace for purchasing digital comics, but that hasn't prevented Dark Horse Comics from forging ahead with its own store. Dark Horse Comics iPad app does many things right—there are tons of free comics and even content from Dynamite Entertainment (publishers of The Boys and Game of Thrones)—but its sluggish performance may have you looking to try out other readers.