Comic Life – Review
By App Type: Uncategorized
Our rating: 
By: plasq LLC
Version #: 1.0.2
Date Released: 2011-04-24
Developer:
Price: 7.99
User Rating:
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I admit I was slightly disappointed when I first got Comic Life. I was looking for a layout program to take my own illustrations and create a coherent comic book. Sadly, Comic Life seems more intended for photographers who want to make photo comics.
The program itself is very easy to use. You can pick a page layout among the limited options available and insert various graphics from the Photo Library. As a note, the "simple" option does not mean it’s a single-panel page. Once chosen, you can pick various panel layouts from one of the icons in the upper right corner. Obviously, you can add as many pages as you want to a comic (22 pages is standard. Unless you’re DC Comics, in which case it’s 17).
The program allows you to lay out pretty much every type of comic available, including strips. You can also change the color of the palette for all sort of effects.
You can modify the layouts from the basic examples given to make it look like anything you want (including but not limited to changing the shape of the panels). Once completed, the comic can either be printed, e-mailed or uploaded to Facebook.
However, the interface could be more intuitive. It took me a few minutes to figure out how to delete a page from a comic. Also, perhaps the program could use two or three-fingered actions to make certain things easier, like multiple selection. The program does come with a very good introductory comic on how to use it.
If you’re a comic book enthusiast and want a good starter program for trying to make your own, then Comic Life can make it easy to put together. Now all you have to do is plot, write and draw the thing. Some things Comic Life simply cannot do for you.
Quick Take
Value:Medium-High, depending on your needs.
Would I Buy Again:Possibly.
Learning Curve:Low.
Who Is It For:Those who take a lot of pictures and want to make a photo comic.
What I Like:Easy to use. Much functionality.
What I Don't Like:Interface is not as intuitive as I'd prefer. Price.
Final Statement:Until there is an actual comic book layout program in the app store, Comic Life is a good substitute
Comic Life for iPad has everything you need for creating and sharing comics, including fun and quirky templates, stylized image filters, and an easy-to-use drag and drop placement. You have full control over the design of your comics with a huge selection design options – colors, fonts, gradients, balloons, captions, panels and more.
The Comic Life app is designed to parallel that of Apple’s iWork suite of apps, making it easy for you to transition your skills from Pages and Keynote to Comic Life. With similar tap functions and commands, it is simple to hit the ground running with Comic Life for iPad.
The app makes it easy to design your comic exactly the way you want. Create radial and linear color gradients for perfect the lettering effect, precisely place balloon tails with advanced controls, reshape image panels, build titles and captions with all of your favorite font and style choices.
When your comic is complete, use the integrated reader to flip though the pages on your iPad. You can also easily share your comic with other options: print, e-mail, or upload to Facebook. New to Comic Life for iPad is our innovative In Tray option which allows you to share your comics with other iPads nearby. Comic collections provide a simple way to keep things tidy as the number of comics created on your iPad increases.
Using Comic Life for iPad you can:
- Create photo comics in the full featured comic editor.
- Read your comics with the integrated e-reader.
- Share your comics on Facebook, via Mail.
- Send your comics to a printer on your wireless network.
- Exchange comics with other iPads through the innovative In Tray.
- Choose from full page layouts including panels, titles and captions along with complimentary styles for a professional look.
- Drag and Drop elements anywhere in your comic page.
- Easily add photos from your library with the Place Photo button in panels.
- Curve and place balloon tails precisely with advanced tail controls.
- Resize and rotate images, clip them in panels along with balloons, captions, and lettering.
- Create multilayered color gradients to design the perfect style for lettering, captions or background.
- Use smart shapes to add common shapes and the free from shape drawing tool to create any line or shape you can imagine.
- Work without worry of losing your creation as documents are automatically saved whenever a change is made.
