While I was writing about comics apps yesterday, namely comiXology, one thing I failed to look at were the instructions. To teach users how to read a comic on the app, they use… a comic!
The instructional comic walks you through the process step-by-step, showing you where to tap on the screen to go backward and forward, to use multi-touch to zoom in-and-out, and to rotate the device to view images in landscape mode. It’s an effective hands-on demonstration.
Both the Marvel and DC apps are built off of comiXology, so they have all the same features—including the instructional comic. The text is exactly the same, but each puts their own twist on it by inserting their own company’s character.
In addition to appearing in the instructions for the Marvel app, Iron Man also makes a very special appearance in a free promotional comic from Audi. The creative team is no slouch, with Paul Tobin writing and Patrick Olliffe, Scott Koblish, and Khoi Pham handling art duties. But the comic never lets you forget what the real point of it is, showing off Tony’s new Audi R8 Spyder every chance it gets:
Truly product placement at its finest.
