UCLICK: Bringing mad comics to an iPhone near you.

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I recently came across a couple of UCLICK iPhone comic books–”Basic Instructions 1” and “Pibgorn 1.” Both are available on the iTunes store for $.99, as well as a whole slew of other “applications” put together by UCLICK. Application is in quotes because the app is little more than a digital comic book viewer. As such, I’m going to split this review into two parts: UCLICK‘s interface, and the artistic merit of the two comics in question.

THE APPLICATION

The interface is simple and unobtrusive.

UCLICK‘s aims are simple. They want to deliver comics and graphic novels to the iPhone. Seems simple enough. Instead of creating a single app devoted to storing and viewing multiple comics, however, they sell each comic as a separate app. I am really torn about this approach. I think I would rather have a “Comic Viewer” app that stores and catalogs all my comics, but I understand the logistical problems associated with this. Is it web-based? Can a developer sell add-on comics through the app store, or would it necessitate a third-party site to sell the comics and link with the iPhone app? Could I still view the comics while offline? I am ignorant in these things, but I would very much like it if these comics could take up one space on my home screen instead of several. Get on it, UCLICK; if there is a way to make it work, that is.

A serial title like Basic Instructions doesn't fit well in the "page through until you find the one you want" format.

But what we have here is a simple interface. It is clear that content is king with these guys, and that’s as it should be. The viewer works fine with an option to “flip” through pages or to advance using navigation buttons. All the artwork is automatically resized, one frame at a time, to fit the iPhone screen. Navigation is unassuming and allows the pictures to speak for themselves. When you exit the application and return, it remembers your last page. No need to make mental notes or flip through dozens of pages you have already read.

A big, big problem, though, is that the application has no thumbnail viewer or index. I have to flip through the screens one at a time if I am looking for my favorite part of the comic or want to show a particularly clever joke to a friend. Big problem, especially for a title like “Basic Instructions” which is very episodic with a lot of stand-alone jokes I would like to be able to reference to friends.

Another suggestion would be a bookmark option, allowing users to jump between different bookmarks to find their favorite parts quickly.

Still, the content drives these apps, and if you like the comics, then you’ll like the app. So, how were these two samples?

THE COMICS

An independent title like Pibgorn is well suited to the UCLICK distribution structure.

First, Pibgorn 1. It’s like a heady Back to the Future involving Mozart, a sexy demon and some kind of prescient entity in overalls. The dialogue is very tongue-in-cheek academic with a lot of hi-brow puns.

To say I loved this comic would be a lie, honestly, but I did find it entertaining. Enough to go buy the second volume in this series? Not so much. It was a little pretentious and self-satisfied, and the story seemed unnecessarily goofy and random at the same time that it was distinguished and complicated. Not my cup of tea, at least for a prolonged series.

Basic Instructions 1 however, was a blast to read “cover to cover.” Filled with fun/dumb/insightful exchanges that are wildly familiar to most anyone, this app is a series of Office Space-ish scenarios of a character demonstrating a set of simple and often outlandish how-to instructions.

Basic Instructions is hillarious.

The black-and-white graphics are simple and repetitive (most of the exchanges are conversations between coworkers at a water cooler), but the jokes are funny enough to elevate these series of musings to the point of unbridled hilarity. It’s worth a good chuckle, and definitely worth $.99.

AS A WHOLE

So in the end, I think the decision of whether to download these apps is an intensely personal one. If you are a fan of the content, you will enjoy having it on your phone at all times. You might get slightly frustrated by the usage of screen real-estate or the lack of features, but all that will be overshadowed by the value of a good read. If none of UCLICK‘s titles catch your eye, though, then take a pass on this one and know you aren’t missing any elaborate presentation or great user interface.

If you are going to buy a comic, though, go ahead and get it on your iPhone. Save a tree.

You can find Basic Instructions 1 here and Pibgorn 1 here.

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