Two exciting things happened to my comic collection this weekend. First off, Comixology decided to add a want list to their app. I really don’t know when it happened, as Apple now allows apps to update automatically, a fact I appreciate. The “want list” option is now beside the purchase option which I believe is a long pass due idea, that I didn’t realize I missed. Several times over the years, I have wanted to purchase a new digital book but had no money. By the time I had cash, I would have forgotten which books I wanted and just focused on new ones. Now, I can save them for later. Good job Comixology!
Probably more interesting though was my discovery of the CBI app. It is the best way I can see to keep your comic book inventory together. The app is free for the first 100 books you add to your list. After that, it costs $2.99, the price of a new issue of most books. At that point, though, you can list as many as you want.
Now, you might question why you would pay for such a service? Until two years ago, I didn’t keep any list of my comics. My wife finally convinced me to type my comic list into Excel and I have kept a decent track of my collection ever since. Still, the app offers numerous benefits, that I believe make it worthwhile.
First off, the app works with comics.org, one of the best apps for comic book information around. It automatically pulls writer, artist, etc information from the site and adds it to your list. So now, I know which writer I have collected the most books by. Not surprisingly, it is Geoff Johns who has written like 93 billion comics for DC in the last twenty years. I know that Keith Giffen is the artist I have the most books by. You can also tag issues and track your collection that way. The app downloads the covers from comics.org also and you can view your collection as a revolving cover database.
But, probably my favorite feature of the app is that it also tracks issues you do not have in a series. So now, when I find myself at a comic book convention, I can click on a title and it will tell me the issues I am missing. It’s a simple but handy feature that I hope to be able to use soon.
If your collection is small, I wouldn’t recommend downloading (or at least paying for) the app. On the other hand, if you have a sizable collection, this app is indispensable. The sheer amount of work it does for you is unbelievable. And although it uses data to add comics and fetch the information initially, it is an app that can be used to view your list away from wi-fi which will prove useful while shopping. Give it a shot!
The tin foil hat society 