Inky Pen is a monthly subscription service for comic enthusiasts. For the time being, it’s exclusive to the Nintendo Switch.
There is no free trial as the publishers state that “part of our philosophy is ensuring artists and publishers get paid appropriately for their content.” An admirable goal from the for sure, but perhaps misguided. I suspect a limited trial would produce more positive than negative in stimulating interest. Why not a 72-hour offering so people can at least get a sense of the service?
I was provided a code (good for one month) to check out the offerings. My code must be very limited because I am not seeing the range that others claim to. Only a couple dozen comics or so are available to choose from, nearly half of them being Archie comics. Paid subscribers must be offered more – “thousands” according to the press kit. At least the controls are fine with this small selection as you can read in book or scroll form with easy zooming.
For me, Inky Pen is a real bust, as I only have this amuse-bouche sampling to go on. It’s $7.99 a month, but I truly believe the lack of a trial will do more harm than good. Hopefully, the service can be improved in the coming months.
