IDW Brings Star Trek Comics To The iPad

Apples new iPad (or if you prefer iPADD) is the hot thing in tech right now. And IDW, the publisher of Star Trek comics, has just announced they will be taking advantage of the device Steve Jobs calls ‘magical’. As of today all the IDW iPhone applications (including the Star Trek comics application) are available optimized for the iPad. See below for press release, screenshots and demo videos.

 

Star Trek comics come to the iPad

Press Release

IDW Comics Debut on the iPad

Premier publisher at the forefront of digital distribution

Store front apps available today for
IDW Comics, TRANSFORMERS, G.I. JOE and Star Trek

San Diego, CA (April 3, 2010) – IDW Publishing is proud to announce that the hugely anticipated Apple iPad will feature four IDW comics applications today at launch. Taking full advantage of the iPad’s full –screen, full-color capabilities, each IDW store front will offer the next level of reading experience to fans. The free IDW iPad comic shop apps each include a selection of comics with the initial download, and offer more comics as in-app purchases. Fans can choose apps for their favorite brands, like Star Trek, G.I. JOE and TRANSFORMERS, or download the IDW Comics app for access to all the company’s iPad releases.

Each store front app will offer readers the highest quality viewing experience, with a full-page display that showcases the eye-catching art and vivid stories. IDW has developed several new features to enhance the comics and take full advantage of the iPad’s capabilities.

“The iPad is a wonderful format for comics, as the screen size is close enough to the print size that readers can view the full page,” said IDW Director of ePublishing, Jeff Webber. “Our iPad apps are also compatible with our iPhone and iPod touch apps. So you can purchase a comic shop apps on one device, and read it on another. The apps will automatically identify which one you are using, and adjust to offer the best reading experience.”

IDW was the first comics publisher to launch its own "in app purchase" storefronts for the iPhone and iPod touch with not one, but four new comic shop applications. For fans of G.I. JOE, TRANSFORMERS and Star Trek, IDW has introduced new comic applications that offer full collections all in one app. The company also introduced the IDW Comics app, which collects the entire digital catalog. All IDW store front apps are powered by iVerse (http://www.iversecomics.com/).

IDW currently has over 400 individual issues available through the App Store, with more available every week. IDW comics are currently available for the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch through the App Store.

IMAGES:

Star Trek App


VIDEOS:

IDW demo

iVerse Demo

 

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Ok now I want an ipad, even though I don’t need one.

All these book/magazine apps are enough for me to get an iPad. I played with my friend’s iPad earlier today and it’s pretty amazing. It is essentially a big iPod Touch, but it’s all in the software.

That is going to rock! I love IDW comics on my touch. Now to save the moola. I’m waiting for ver 2.0. So excited!

Ok….this is all very cool. Question is: How many people here have one now?

I’ll have mine as soon as UPS delivers it…

Wow…that is amazing. THIS is the future of comics. I never thought a comic would look good on a computer screen, but this iPad is tailor-made for it. Stunning!

So cool…but the absence of flash support (for video…hulu,embedded clips etc.) is a deal-breaker for me. Add that, Apple, and I’m there.

I’m trying really hard to not want an iPad… but this is not making it easy for me.

But Hulu is coming to the iPad and Netflix already is on it.

But is the 3G version worth it?

No, I don’t think the 3G version is worth it unless you travel a lot and don’t want to be carrying your computer around with you a lot. The problem is that you have to pay an extra $130 for it plus you’ll be paying $15 or $30 per month for a data plan through AT&T. If you think about it and you’re going to be on your iPad a lot on the road and won’t be able to be connected to a lot of Wi-Fi networks, then it’s a good deal but I think I’ll just stick to a base Wi-Fi version. I’ll just use my phone for everything else.

I’ll wait to get one at TJ Maxx for $29.95

IPAD+LCARS INTERFACE!!! DO IT DO IT DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I bet that the iPad will eventually replace text books in schools.

The iPad is perfect for comic books. I’ll wait for the second generation one to come out in a year or so (hopefully with a webcam for Skype/iChat), then I’ll definitely get one!

And, 12. Spocko, I agree. It’ll beat lugging large numbers of expensive textbooks around the place!

Been playing with the iPad all afternoon. Book, comics, movies, tv all look pretty good. The free IDW Star Trek comics don’t seem to be formatted for the iPad yet.

I’m hoping that the iPad makes its way to the university student stores soon. I checked online and they’re still priced at $500 for the student store, which is lame because I got a $2000 macbook pro for $1850 and every little bit helps.

sorry but boo Ipad. Yay Star Trek comics though!

Spocko… I doubt iPad will replace textbooks. Universities won’t want to be permanently wedded to the iTunes store. Look for the more open HP or Dell alternative tablets (which won’t require selling your soul to Steve Jobs), or perhaps a Color Kindle or Nook down the road to actually be favored by universities.

@#17

Totally Agree!

I just don’t care for Apple – Microsoft needs to
get on the ball and deliver their own PADD and
make it better…of course.

There aren’t a whole lot of things the iPad can do that another device can’t already do better, but this is a *perfect* use for it. Not enough to get me to consider buying one — the day these tablet devices can give me full access to the textbooks I need is the day I buy one– but an excellent idea nonetheless.

No USB, flash, camera, microphone, HDMI, or multitasking?

This won’t stop the Apple cult from throwing hundreds of dollars at the corporation for this latest set of emperors clothes…

I’ll wait for an open system thats more flexible, useful, and of course, cheaper.

Apple released it as is because they know thousands of jump-the-gunners will buy it, no matter what the cost.
No thanks.

Is it me or is the Technology of Trek becoming possible Today. Think about what Tos had and what we have now. This is so Kool.

300,000 were sold on the first day. Just get ready because if you aren’t getting one you’ll be seeing them all over the place very soon.

The ipad is perfect for elderly people like my mother, who would LOVE to surf the internet, but have a real problem overcoming the technical hurdles. The interface is so user freindly that it completely eliminates the keyboard and mouse and that is exactly needs to happen for many of the elderly to embrace it. And once they see how light it is, how easy it is to just touch and scroll, embrace it they will. For a lot of house-ridden elderly, this will open up the world. That’s a good thing.

Where I do beleve that text books should be replaced by ipads, it makes no sense to buy one. You’re paying triple what you could pay for a netbook which does more (flash, camera, more memory to name a few). I think people are just buying this because it’s Apple, and they can do no wrong. Sorry, but I’ll stick with my ipad nano (iPod touch).

24… We’ll see after the initial Apple “Gotta Have One!” Devotee sales rush dies down. Maybe iPad is the next iPhone or iPod Touch, but I doubt it. iPad is not as useful as the iPhone and not as portable as the Touch. It is in a market no-man’s land, and it is still a very open question how big that market is, especially in this economy.

I love my iPod Touch, but the screen is very small for some things, such as reading Star Trek comic books! So for me, the iPad is a win!

Got rid of my laptop, my iPad does everything I need on the road. I’m a Mac newbie, having worked on and with PCs for 17 years. The only app i have had crash on my iMac in the couple of months I’ve had it? Microsoft Word for Mac! Go figure!