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For iOS, there's a DC Comics app, a Marvel Comics app, an IDW Comics app, and an Image Comics app (as well as others like Dark Horse and Disney).

However, there's also a Comixology App that includes DC, Marvel, IDW, Image, and various others, and it looks like many (maybe all?) of those publisher apps are based on the same code as the Comixology app (some of the descriptions explicitly mention being powered by the Comixology technology).

There's obviously an advantage to reading in the Comixology app: it's possible to use one app to read across many publishers. Are there any reasons to read in the individual apps instead? For example, do I get a better experience somehow reading Spider-Man in the Marvel app?

I presume the actual comic images are 100% identical, so benefits would have to be in the interaction (except that I think this is what's common), or something other than the reading experience (like additional information or notifications or related material).

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    Before you suggest asking on apple.se instead, please consider that these publishers primarily produce works that are specifically on-topic here, and so my guess is that the comics experts at this site will be able to give a better answer than an Apple expert.
    – Tony Meyer
    Mar 10, 2012 at 6:37
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    The reason for branded app is that it doesn't lead one to read competitors' content
    – DVK-on-Ahch-To
    Mar 10, 2012 at 15:17
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    Comments explaining the downvotes would be nice.
    – Tony Meyer
    Mar 11, 2012 at 18:44
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    Is this question on-topic? This meta question debates it.
    – user56
    Apr 21, 2012 at 16:14
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    I downvoted it because I believe that, although it's a good question, it's not on-topic in this forum. See the meta question that Gilles points to. If the consensus ends up being that these questions are on-topic, I'll remove my downvote.
    – Mark Beadles
    Apr 22, 2012 at 20:05

2 Answers 2

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With regards to the DC, Image, Marvel, and IDW app, you can use whichever app you'd like. The Comics app will have the same content.

The DC app actually will not have some Vertigo titles, because of its age-rating for the app, so the Comics app and Vertigo app will have some content the DC app won't. But, once you buy the Vertigo comics in the Comics or Vertigo app, they'll sync back to the DC app.

If you'd like to have your Marvel app purchases show in the Comics app, just shoot an email to [email protected] and we can work on that for you.

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Direct Answer: No.

Brand-specific apps are the same ComiXology's Comics app with brand-filters. ComiXology's Comics app is all-in-one. You don't need brand-specific apps if you don't mind out-of-interest comics listings.

Initially, I was also confused with Comics, Marvel Comics and DC Comics Android apps. After a huge inspection, I found: It was marketing which screwed things up.

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