- The Nintendo Switch is
great at playing games,
but it's a one-trick pony.
You probably already knew that.
As good as a video game console as it is,
it's admittedly lacking in
entertainment applications.
Unlike XBOX One or PS4,
there's not much you can do
outside of playing video
games on the console.
There's no Netflix, there's no HBO Go,
there's no Crunchy Roll,
there's no NFL Sunday Ticket
if you're a nerd.
There are only three non-gaming apps
on the switch right now.
There's Hulu, there's YouTube,
you know what those are,
but there's also Inky
Pen, a comic book reader
exclusive to the switch.
While I think it's nice
to have all of these apps
available on the Switch,
I ultimately don't think
that it's necessary.
Nintendo has never been in the business
of making an all-in-one
entertainment console.
Nintendo makes video game systems
designed to play video games,
something they do very well I might add.
So I don't get why people
keep asking for Netflix
to come to the Switch, or why they keep
asking me to check out Inky Pen.
You can already use these
apps on other platforms.
Hell, you could do it on your phone
which you have with you already.
So I'm sorry, I'm just
not interested in looking
into Inky Pen or any other
entertainment app on the Switch.
You're going to have to look
somewhere else for that.
Seriously, who wants to read comics
on the Switch anyway.
- Alright, it's my turn for some
of them sweet Switch views.
(video game music)
Ever since I first got my Nintendo Switch
I always kind of hoped it would become
my all purpose media tablet.
In addition to playing games on it,
I also thought it would be cool to maybe
watch some Netflix, read comics,
and even do some light web browsing.
- Hey what the (beeps)
are you doing in my chair?
(snaps)
That was close.
Basically I only wanna
take one device with me
when I travel instead
of having to take both
my Switch and my Kindle Fire.
First world problems I know.
It's been admittedly slow getting these
entertainment apps on the Switch,
but we do have some.
I mean we do have Hulu,
we do have YouTube,
and I'm pretty sure Netflix is coming.
I mean I have it on my
Vita for crying out loud.
Slow as hell, and I don't recommend it,
but at least Netflix is on the damn thing.
Comixology is probably the
biggest name in digital comics.
Unfortunately they're not
on the Nintendo Switch;
however, a small independent
company called Inky Pen is.
So can this up and coming
app service be the definitive
comic book experience
on Nintendo's platform?
Let's get into that.
So elevator pitch.
Inky Pen is an app for the Nintendo Switch
that gives you all you can read access
to hundreds and hundreds of
comics all for $7.99 a month.
Basically it's like Netflix
streaming but for comics.
The app is available
worldwide, but the content
is currently only in English.
So if you can understand what I'm saying
you can understand the stuff on Inky Pen.
So what exactly does this
service have to offer?
Well quite a lot actually.
There are a lot of big
name publishers on here
like Valiant, Dark Horse,
IDW, Archie, Dynamite,
Titan, smaller publishers
like Papercutz and Humanoids,
and even some comic strips like Peanuts
and Calvin and Hobbes and Dilbert.
Kids still read Dilbert right?
They don't have everything
from every publisher,
and much like Netflix they
don't carry the latest
and greatest, and a lot
of the licensed books from
Dynamite and IDW aren't on there,
but you will not be starved for content.
There's a lot to read
here and not get bored.
Like they don't have
every volume of Hellboy,
but they've got the first 10,
so you'll be good with Hellboy content
at least until the movie comes out.
Using the app is pretty
simple and straightforward.
You login from the home screen,
and you're immediately
brought to the discover page
upon first use.
From here you can browse
their featured comics,
and they have quite a few
on their front page alone.
If you can't find exactly
what you're looking for
a quick tap of the 'R'
button will bring you
to the search page
where you can search for
exactly what you are looking for.
Selecting a title brings you to its page
where you can choose any issue or volume
from that series.
Just select one and press 'A',
and you're ready to begin reading.
Comics are presented in one
of two ways on Inky Pen.
The first way is called book form.
Here two pages of the comic book are shown
on screen at the same time.
You use the left analog
stick or swipe the screen
left to right to turn the page.
Using the right analog stick zooms in
and lets you free look
around the two pages.
The second viewing method
is called scroll view.
Here the entire screen is filled
with one page of the comic.
You start from the top and
actually scroll your way down
to the bottom.
It gives you less to see all at once,
but I think it gives you a clearer view
of the action and dialogue.
This is actually my preferred method
for reading comics on Inky Pen.
I mean, if you think about it,
that's how we read comics normally.
You start at the top
and work your way down,
and it is represented here
in a really interesting
and intuitive way.
It's really easy to use and get into,
but it's not ideal.
It may be fine if your
reading comics on your TV,
but who does that?
Seriously, are you reading
comics on DC Universe
from your television?
Why?
Anyway, ideally there should be an option
for you to be able to hold
your switch vertically
and flip through the pages like you would
on a Kindle or an iPad.
You know, simulating an actual book.
I'm sure there's probably
some technical reason
why they can't do this,
and I know the Switch's
bezel is absurdly big
for a screen that size,
so that might have played
into it in some capacity,
but the screen is still
not that much smaller
than an eight inch Kindle
Fire which is what this is,
and I can read full-page
comics on this just fine.
Hell, I can read full page
comics on my iPhone 6.
I don't, but I could if I wanted to.
Another issue with Inky Pen,
which you may have noticed already,
the big three comic
publishers are not on there.
So no Marvel, no DC, and no Image.
Also, no Boom Studios, no
Oni Press, no Fantagraphics,
no Zenescope, so sorry for all you people
who like sexy Alice in
Wonderland and sexy Robin Hood,
and sexy Jungle Book apparently,
and that might be a deal breaker for you.
Not having access to
Marvel, DC, or Image comics
is pretty significant.
Especially when you
consider that Comixology's
equivalent, Comixology
Unlimited, also offers
Netflix-style access
to thousands of comics
for $5.99 a month and they have
the big three publishers on there,
and it's also on more platforms that just
the Nintendo Switch.
Inky Pen is only for
the video game console.
You can't put it on your
phone, or your tablet,
or your laptop.
Now I think it's important to remember
that the team behind Inky
Pen is not a very big one.
It's just a couple of
guys and gals from Norway.
These guys and gals in fact.
So it's not like they have instant access
to all the top publishers,
although the publishers
they do have on the service
is pretty impressive, I'm not gonna lie,
and they're still only on version one
of their software, so it's still possible
that they could update it in the future
and add things like vertical reading
and other quality of life improvements
like not telling me I disconnected
from the internet even though
I know I'm still connected.
So, in summary, is Inky
Pen a good service?
Well actually yes.
It's really easy to use and sign up for,
and they have a lot of
great comics on there.
Like I said before, you're
pretty much guaranteed
not to get bored,
but is the value there?
$7.99 a month is a lot to ask for
for a subscription service that's only
available on one platform
and that doesn't even have access
to some of the biggest names in comics.
I mean let's look at the
competition that's out there.
Comixology Unlimited,
again, is cheaper per month,
is available on more devices,
and has more publishers
in their catalog so they
have more titles available.
Also, you have the Comixology store
where you can buy comics a la carte
if you're so inclined.
You got things like Prime reading
which is included in your
Amazon Prime subscription.
You have things like Marvel Unlimited
which is $9.99 a month,
but it gives you access to virtually
every Marvel comic ever.
And then there's
something like DC Universe
which is also $7.99 a
month, like Inky Pen,
but doesn't have as many
comics as Inky Pen does,
but it more than makes up for it
with great movies and
television shows available.
As it stands right now, I
can really only recommend
Inky Pen to somebody who's into comics
and who only has a Nintendo
Switch as their mobile device.
Maybe if you have a kid
who likes to read comics
but you don't feel comfortable
giving them an iPad
this might be a good solution.
Of course if you do that,
just make sure you set the content filter
to the appropriate age,
cause there's some adult
things on there surprisingly,
but otherwise, as of
right now, you honestly
might be better off carrying
another device with you
to get your comic book fix
in between game sessions
at least until they can
work out some of the kinks
and add some more titles to it,
and definitely add in vertical reading.
I think that would go a long way.
What do you think about Inky Pen
and the idea of reading
comics on the Nintendo Switch?
Does this idea intrigue you?
Do you think it's dumb?
Do you want to see
other entertainment apps
on the system or am I the only one?
Let me know down below or
anywhere on the internet.
I mean seriously, they have the germ
of a good idea in there,
just add vertical reading,
work out some of the other kinks,
add more titles, and
maybe lower the price,
and you've got something great
unless Comixology comes to the Switch
in which case you screwed.
Of course don't forget
that we have new videos
every Tuesday and Wednesday,
and Wednesday night 8:00 p.m. eastern
is always Wulff Den live, so
subscribe to see all of that,
like this video, and
share it with a friend,
a friend who reads comics
and owns a Nintendo Switch,
they're out there, and
I'm sure they also would
like to read comics on
their Nintendo platform.
It's not just me, I know it's not just me.
Thank you all for watching.
I will see you next time.
(funky music)
