Do the Zuda
Do the Zuda
Dec 04So I was finally inspired this morning to tromp over and check out Zuda Comics, where I quickly found a favorite.
I think there’s some slight refinements to be made–it would be neat if I could get an RSS feed to update me when the comics have new content, for example–but I was frankly stunned at how simple, elegant, intuitive, and versatile the comics reading interface is.
First off, it abandons the vertical orientation of print comics for a 4:3 aspect ratio that completely fills my monitor in full-screen mode. The controls are damned easy, and they fade quickly into the ether when in full-screen mode, so you can see the entire strip. Pages load very quickly as well.
On my nice flat-screen work monitor, it’s a seamless and satisfying reading experience–far better than any of the CBR files I “acquired” during the rapidly-receding halcyon days of illegal comics downloading. Not to slam the CBR format, as I think it’s the best at what it does, even if what it does ain’t pretty.
But this–now THIS is a way to read comics online. In that sense, it seems as though DC has stumbled upon a bit of an innovation. Which pleases me, and yet SHOCKS ME TO MY CORE.
These bastions of old media are supposed to be clinging to their paper periodicals for their very life, and they are, but DC is also quietly pushing the ball forward in a very leading-edge way. In doing so, they’re leaving Marvel behind in the dust, cause although the Digital Comics Unlimited interface is decent for what it does (and what it does ain’t pretty, neither), Marvel’s product isn’t nearly as sleek as the Zuda interface, which rocks. It also has no original content behind it, and if it ever does, it’s unlikely the content will push the comics format forward at all–it will probably be designed just like a print comic, so it will fit in the DCU reader, and so that they can print it and sell it.
This is a really exciting time to love comics.
