I'm not against digital comics, I never have been but I cannot stand reading comics on the computer screen. It hurts my eyes and you can't (feasibly or hygenically) take your laptop into the toilet with you where I do the majority of my reading, sad but true. The problem has always been the device with which you read from, enter the Apple Tablet. News from technology column of the Chicago Sun-Times suggests that the much rumoured almost mythical Apple Tablet will be teaming up with Longbox Digital Comics.

Up until now it's either pc or iphone for reading digital comics, both have their pros and cons but in the end neither is custom built with comics in mind meaning that any digital comics network would have to adapt the layout of comics on the transition from paper to digital. This is something I've never been happy with. Part of the beauty of a comic book is the way in which the story unfolds, quite literally in some cases. In order to build tension pages are extensively planned and laid out so that often either scary or dramatic reveals are uncovered on the turn of a page in a large well filled splash page, you just can't do this with most of the digital readers out there at the moment. Then there's the movement shown in comics, often to get the full idea of what a character is doing or about to do you need to look at more than one panel at a time, just not possible with the iphone.

A tablet computer would be approximately the correct size, about the size of a modern comic book in fact, be portable as all hell; I'm never without a bag full of comics so a tablet wouldn't be a bother and may even work out lighter and as long as they sort the backlight out it should save my poor peepers. By teaming up with someone like Longbox, Apple are also embracing the fact that they are not experts in the industry and could do with a helping hand in setting the whole thing up, a very good sign of their dedication and commitment to getting it right. The future of digital comics is looking bright, almost bright enough for me to start saving my pennies right now for this fabled Apples Tablet

Because of course I went to North Carolina and hit the con big time, or maybe I've just trawled through the net and picked out the bits I found most interesting, believe whatever helps you sleep easier.

Spinning out of New Avengers is a new Brother Voodoo ongoing series Doctor Voodoo: Avenger of the Supernatural as written by Rick Remender. Anyone that listens to the Sidekickcast will know Remender is a particular favourite of ours especially his FEAR Agent, Gigantic and Punisher runs so this new series is definitely one to watch. No news on the artist yet but Remender generally tends to attract fantastic artists.

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