comic

The iPad will be released to the public tomorrow, April 3, but we have one in the building for review purposes today (check out our hands-on review). I had a chance to try a couple of apps out myself and--let me tell you--this thing is something special. Pardon me for a few moments while I exhibit a little breathless fanboyism, but the iPad is truly an experience that you need to try for yourself before making any judgments.

What I noticed right off the bat is that the iPad puts out great sound (along with the large, bright screen), adding … Read more

The iPad will let you watch streaming movies from Netflix, play games from Electronic Arts, and read the latest adventures of Spider-Man, thanks to new apps announced Friday.

Netflix is offering subscribers a free app that lets them instantly watch an unlimited number of TV shows and movies streamed to the tablet. iPad streaming will be free on all Netflix plans costing $8.99 or more per month. Netflix subscribers can also stream TV episodes and films by selecting them from a broad list of genres via the iPad's touch screen or by adding them to a queue for … Read more

Beset by delays since it was first announced in 2009, the digital comics reader and store LongBox is finally here. It's a comprehensive attempt to bring some of that iTunes mojo to comics. This first look video showcases a bit of what was covered in Monday's hands-on, what the program can do, and what still needs work.

The LongBox public beta, for Windows and Mac, showcases a massive amount of potential, but it's definitely a rough work in progress. It faces massive challenges beyond getting the software to function correctly. Unlike music and MP3s, there's currently no single defining file format for comics. The "gray-market" CBR and CBZ are little more than image archive containers and not used by any comics publisher to distribute their comics digitally.

LongBox CEO Rantz Hoseley isn't worried about this, though. LongBox's greatest strength, he said, is that LongBox is a comprehensive platform. It's "comprehensive in terms of production tools and support provided to publishers and creators. Comprehensive in terms of devices and systems. Comprehensive in terms of how users purchase and use content, that we do not dictate how and where customers enjoy the content." He added this applies to archiving and re-downloading as well as content access, which implies that those features will be coming to LongBox.

There's also the issue of adoption. Except for the rise of graphic novels, comics publishers in America have been dependent on the direct market niche comic book stores. Will readers flock to digital versions of them? And will those readers jump from stores to digital, or will LongBox bring in new readership? Hoseley seemed confident in LongBox's ability to fuel growth. … Read more

After a much longer run as a private beta than originally intended, the digital comic book store and comics reader called LongBox has finally opened its doors. The public beta is available for Windows and Mac, and although it's still quite rough in some spots, it represents a major breakthrough for the print-centric medium.

When you open LongBox v0.5, you'll see a massive information overload. The layout uses boxes to keep the busy display from getting too chaotic, but the varying shades of blue don't keep things as separate as they could be. Just because this is comics doesn't mean you're going to encounter a lot of primary colors or ziptones here, but some of that old-school feel might have helped here.

In the upper left box, you'll see a horizontal scroll of featured titles. Below that is a newsfeed from the comic book news and reviews Web site Comic Book Resources. The Blackbox is a comic creator spotlight, with the debut focus on Steven Niles, perhaps best known as the writer of 30 Days of Night. It is currently not functioning.

The column on the right is devoted to your LongBox stats on top and a scroll list of comic books being published for the current week. The stats counter wasn't working in the version I tested but should display your purchased comics, comics subscriptions, and comics loaded on your current device. That's a hint at what's to come for LongBox, which anticipates an iPad version, an Android tablet version, Xbox support, and support for other handheld devices. Comics downloaded through LongBox are shared to your account in addition to being stored locally, so you'll be able to read them on any LongBox-supported device without having to download them a second time. … Read more

This week's Apple iPad announcement gives us the perfect opportunity to discuss the future of publishing with Cliff Chiang and Jerry Ma, two graphic illustrators in the comic book industry. They join us in the studio today to talk about their collaborative project, "Secret Identities," a graphic novel anthology of Asian American superhero stories.

Growing up as an Asian Americans in the world of comics isn't easy, especially when the only culturally identifiable characters you see are either stereostyped villains or hyper-sexualized women. As comic books quickly gain popularity here (although they are still not nearly as prevalent as in Japan), we're starting to see a shift in the cultural perception of comic books, away from the chiseled, American superhero archetype. The artists behind "Secret Identities" navigate this sea change with stories equally rooted in Asian American history and individual experience.

Throughout today's episode of The 404, Jerry and Cliff offer a unique perspective on the current state of the publishing industry and the move toward digital comic creation. As it turns out, neither of the guys are fans of the new iPad, but Jerry raises an interesting point about the practical application of the iPad in the hands of a parent. And although we didn't have a chance to talk to them about it on the show, both are still considering the Modbook, an aftermarket Apple MacBook modified to work as a tablet computer.

We also love when guests bring us gifts, so look out for another contest for a chance to win a copy of "Secret Identities" (also available for purchase on BlackLava) that features custom sketches from Jerry and Cliff!

One of the key features of the new Apple iPad is the introduction of Apple's new iBooks application, which promises to be both an e-book reader and a storefront for digital books. This obviously leads to a comparison between the iPad and that other famous e-book reader, the Amazon Kindle. But it seems to me that the only real advantage the iPad might have over the Kindle is that it's in color, which doesn't make much of a difference with simple black-and-white text.

But what about books that depend on color, art, and illustration? Indeed, what about … Read more

I am not really Batman, despite what I tell girls on dates, but if I had this badass Bat utility belt I could maybe convince them otherwise. I mean, it's only $279 and could easily hold all my portable gadgets, plus my wallet and a young lady's heart (not literally, of course).

The 38-inch-wide belt is made of faux leather and has eight pouches with Batman logo emblems on the snaps, as well as a gold-plated metal buckle with a Batman logo emblem. It'll be available in June of '10, but Entertainment Earth is taking preorders now. … Read more

One surprise guest on The 404 always makes for a great show, especially when it's Bonnie Cha, who's in town apartment hunting for her big move out to New York at the end of the year! We're so excited at the idea of hanging out with her full-time, and even more stoked to welcome our second surprise guest: 404 superfan Brendan!

Our new underage friend took it upon himself to arrive at the CNET offices in the middle of his N.Y. vacation, bright and early at 3 a.m. in anticipation of sitting in on the show. We're more than happy to oblige, because that's some serious dedication. 404 fans rule; thanks for stopping by, Brendan!

In honor of our two guests, we've got a hilarious show today, literally packed full of awfully random stories from the Internet. It's the first day we're all back together as a family, so Jeff takes a second to tell us about his Halloween adventures and his trip to see Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas" in 3D. It sounds like he might be changing his opinion on 3D, although we're all a little wary about Jim Carrey's upcoming 3D adaptation of "A Christmas Carol."

Next, Wilson offers two completely off-kilter stories that he dug from the colon of the Web about a creepy new Wii game that forces you to "cram a Wiimote inside a baby," according to Wilson's description, and another story about a bizarre space hotel that will charge guests $4.4 million for a three-night stay that includes majestic views of the rising sun...15 times a day. No, it's not Fhloston Paradise, it's real life, which is much scarier.

Speaking of movies, check out the official trailer for "Prince of Persia" and this photo of a shirtless Jake Gyllenhaal and tell us you won't be first in line when it comes out on May 28, '10.

Also, Wilson tells us Joss Whedon has issued an open letter to the Terminator owners asking to make a $10,000 bid to continue the popular franchise. The guy definitely means business, and we might be onboard were it not for the fact that he keeps referring to himself as a "legendary mastermind." He does, however, offer a throat lozenge for Christian Bale's John Connor if accepted and even puts in $10k for the Batman series while he's at it, so it's clear that Joss Whedon has lost his marbles. Maybe we should just keep it to blood-suckers and wooden stakes, how about it Joss?

Much thanks once again to everyone who sent in photos for our Halloween costume virtual catwalk you see below. If you'd like to be included, send us a photo of this year's get up to the404{at}cnet[dot]com.

Hope you guys enjoy today's show as much as we enjoyed recording it!

If you're a fan of comic books, you should also be a fan of the iPhone. Apple's smartphone is home to several neat comic-book apps designed specifically for those who want to enjoy harrowing stories of their favorite heroes in the Digital Age.

I've sifted through the many apps related to comic books and found a handful that you'll want to try out. Whether you're a DC Comics fan or you're partial to Marvel, I think you'll like what you find in these apps.

Clickwheel Comic Reader if you plan to read comic books on your iPhone, the Clickwheel Comic Reader will be able to satisfy that desire.

When you start using Clickwheel Comic Reader, you'll be able to sift through comic books and find one you want to read. The app doesn't have many of the classics like those you would find from an app like Comics or iVerse Comics (see below), but it does have some comic books you might care about. Either way, the app displays all your favorite content in full color on your iPhone. And since it's free, it's probably worth trying out if you don't mind reading a relatively small collection of books.

Comic Envi If you're more into comic strips than comic books, we have you covered too.

With the help of Comic Envi, you can check out some of your favorite comic strips. You can check out old, well-known comic strips, Web-only offerings, and more. You have the option of viewing them in a slideshow or by moving them with your fingers. You can also check out the daily updated strips or some of the titles in the archive. It's a neat utility, but beware that you will need to pay 99 cents to get it.… Read more