IDW Comics App

The IDW Comics app is a great choice for reading comics on your iPad/iPhone. Even though it only includes comics from IDW Publishing, there are 400 individual titles to choose from, including G.I. Joe, Transformers, and CSI. Comics download quickly over a 3G connection, and the reading experience is very good. You can choose how the pages transition -- by sliding, curling, or fading -- and there is no delay when moving between pages or frames.

iVerse Comics App

The iVerse Comics app and IDW app are nearly identical, a nice one too. It contains nearly 1,000 comics from publishers like IDW, Marvel, Red 5, and Image. You'll also get 40 free comics. The download process is quick, and the comics have been optimized for the app, so you can scroll between frames with just the swipe of a finger.  But you can find Arcana, Evil Twin, Zenescope, and others not included here, what a pity.

Comics by ComiXology

If you like a lot of variety, the Comics by ComiXology app  is one of your best bets. This app includes more than 2,000 titles from Marvel, Image, Red 5, Asylum Press, and so on. More than 150 free comics are included with the app, which is very generous compared to other comic apps. Unfortunately, the ComiXology app is let down by its sluggish performance. Sadly, you may encountered "loading" icons when moving between pages or frames, which slows down the reading experience.

DC Comics App

The DC Comics app is built on the same platform as the Comics by ComiXology app, so it has the same excellent reading experience. The app utilizes ComiXology's "Guided View" optimization, so it's easy to move from panel to panel by swiping your finger. Even though they share the same framework, it is noticeably faster than Comics by ComiXology. Downloads were faster than most comic apps, with most comics downloading in less than a minute over 3G. You won't get the same variety as you will in the iVerse or ComiXology apps, but fans of DC Comics will find a lot to like here.

Panelfly Comics App

The Panelfly Comics app has one of the best interfaces of any of the comic apps I tested -- it's sleek, stylish, and intuitive. The app features comics from a variety of publishers, including Marvel, Dark Horse, Icon, and Bluewater Productions. Comic downloads are a little bit slower than the other apps (about three to four minutes over 3G), but the comics are presented in a whole-page view, so it closely replicates reading an actual comic. But sometimes you will encountere a few crashes when navigating back to the home screen.

Marvel Comics App

The one also includes comics from just one publisher, but you'll get some very popular series, including X-Men, Wolverine, and Amazing Spider-Man. The app has roughly 500 comics available for download, but not many new comics are included. But users can find very few comics published after 2008. It also has fewer free comics than other apps, and it has a flawless reading experience that makes it easy to become engrossed in your favorite comic.

I should say, I get a kick out of a comic. I really like some of the comic, so I transfer books from ipad to computer for backup. Really good comic will never get out of date. If you have used these tools already, I guess you really like comic book, do not you?