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Thursday, December 22, 2011

Cut the Rope: Comic — App Review

The adorable and addictively playable Cut the Rope (and its sequel, Cut the Rope: Experiments) just got their own comic book! Or, at least a comic app. The new Cut the Rope: Comic app has just been launched, and it offers up a colorful, story-filled insight into candy-hungry Om Nom, the star of the games.
Cut the Rope: Comic is a free download. For the effort, you get a twenty-page comic story written by Matt Anderson and drawn by Ricardo Garcia & Antonia Alfaro. It’s a boy meets monster tale, as young Evan Coulton finds a mysterious package on his doorstep, a’la the opening of the original Cut the Rope game. Inside is Om Nom, of course, and once the precocious, hyperactive, candy-loving monster gets loose, hijinks ensue.

Like any self-respecting comic story, issue one ends in a cliffhanger. And if you want to read Issue 2 and beyond, it’s going to cost you: $1.99 an issue so far, with two more issues currently available. More issues are “coming soon.”
The comic is cute, but not spectacular. I liked the artwork better than I liked the writing, for sure. There’s nothing much to complain about in a free comic, of course; but I don’t know whether I’m compelled to buy beyond this first issue.  Besides, I’m not a huge fan of having this as a separate app.
I have already abandoned the Marvel Comics and DC Comics apps in favor of having my entire digital collection in Comixology — why couldn’t creators ZeptoLab and Ape Entertainment have gone that route and then just advertised the release in-game?
  

The enormous popularity of the game itself has driven the parent company, ZeptoLab, to push ahead in the enrichment of their “brand”. The CEO, Misha Lyalin, had this to say:
 ”The comic book is just the first step in broadening the reach of the Cut the Rope brand. Starting with plush toys, apparel and accessories, we see significant opportunities to build our licensing and merchandising business and bring Om Nom into homes around the world.”

What I liked: The artwork is cute, and Om Nom really is a charmer. The price of download is definitely a draw here, as it allows you to sample an entire issue before you buy, and further issues are less expensive than many other digital comics.
What I didn’t like: The story is okay, but not great. Also, having a separate app kind of stinks, when there are already comic distribution apps out there.
To buy or not to buy: If you love Cut the Rope, it’s worth your while to read the first issue of the comic. Whether or not you buy beyond that will definitely depend on how much you like the first issue, though.

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