Content Comics on the Kindle

Von Allan · 07-21-2010, 04:08 PM

I was hoping someone here might be willing to demo a Kindle file for me. I believe I've formatted it correctly, but I don't have a Kindle (I have a Sony Reader) so it's pretty tricky to verify it. I'm particular curious to know how readable it is and if the Table of Contents works correctly.

The file is the first 22 pages or so of my graphic novel called Stargazer (the main website is at http://stargazer.vonallan.com). Very quickly, the story focuses on three young girls and how the find themselves transported to another planet. If your a fan of graphic novels like Jeff Smith's Bone, I think you'll like it.

The zipped file can be downloaded at http://media.vonallan.com/comics/Stargazer_Part_One.zip

Thanks very much!

HaggisMacJedi · 07-21-2010, 04:41 PM

I downloaded your .zip file and I'm not sure how to manage it. It was basically a bunch of individual .jpeg files, so I emailed the first one to my Kindle and it looks great.

So I guess if I had to load each page as an individual jpeg like that, it would be a ginormous pain in the you know what, but if it is all batched together as one document, then cool.

As for the one page I loaded on there, it looks fantastic!

Can you tell me what I'm doing wrong to only get them as individual pages?

Von Allan · 07-21-2010, 04:52 PM

First, thanks for giving it a shot. And thanks for the compliment, too!

Now, it should be a collection of individual jpegs, because these are panels from my graphic novel. It should be batched together with the table of contents helping navigate it (I've set it for every 10 pages or so). If I've done things right, by hitting "next page" or whatnot you should go to the next image. And so on. An HTML document controls this and should make navigating the story a breeze. If that's not happening, then something odd is going on.

Would you mind trying just uploading the zip file to your Kindle? If you can't, then you may need to use something like Calibre to manage it. I wish I could help more, but since I don't own a Kindle I can't provide too much information, though hopefully someone else here might be able to.

bear4hunter · 07-21-2010, 05:02 PM

@ Haggis: you have to put the JPGs in a subdirectory of the pictures folder, latter (if not created already) has to be in the root of your kindle

Your file structure than looks like
(kindle root) pictures/comic book/1.jpg, 2.jpg
Kindle actually reads the folder "comic book" as the book title, and puts it on the home screen.
If you open it, you browse through the JPGs 1 -> 2 -> 3 etc.
Worked like a charm, in Kindle 2 - DX should work as well, might look pixelated though, because of the bigger screen resolution.

@ Von Allen: there is a way you can make a kindle native book (mobi or prc) with the JPGs: putting the images in a HTML document, which can easily be converted with Mobipocket Creator.
(I was writing this as you posted using a HTML container, so it's obsolete...)

Von Allan · 07-21-2010, 05:16 PM

Sorry, that's my bad phrasing. I should have said HTML document. Sorry!

vili · 07-22-2010, 03:38 AM

It seems to work fine on my Kindle 2 (international) if I convert the package into a prc file with Mobipocket Reader. Table to Contents is at the end of the book, but I suppose that's intentional? I don't see any difference with image quality compared with what I see on my computer screen.

I couldn't get it to show if I just copy the package as it is, zipped or unzipped.

I hope this helps!

Kitard · 07-22-2010, 04:00 AM

Hi Von Allen - I just downloaded you comic pages and they work great.

If you rename the .zip file to a .cbz (comic book zip - essentially a zip of images) the Kindle will recognize it automatically without further conversion.

It should also track the page you have read up to, so you can come back later.

Nice work on the first installment.

Von Allan · 07-25-2010, 12:10 PM

Hi Vili,

Yes, that definitely helps. And yup, the table of contents was deliberately put at the back. It's probably a bit odd, but it has a lot to do with how Amazon previews ebooks. Since it's so graphics heavy, it's handy to have all of the art right up front.

Von Allan · 07-25-2010, 12:11 PM

Hi Kitard,

Thanks very much for giving it a shot. I hadn't realized that Kindle can handle .cbz - I use that extension fairly often, so that's a handy thing to know.

07-21-2010, 04:08 PM	#1
Von Allan Writer/Artist guy Posts: 20 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Device: Sony Reader PRS-300	Comics on the Kindle I was hoping someone here might be willing to demo a Kindle file for me. I believe I've formatted it correctly, but I don't have a Kindle (I have a Sony Reader) so it's pretty tricky to verify it. I'm particular curious to know how readable it is and if the Table of Contents works correctly. The file is the first 22 pages or so of my graphic novel called Stargazer (the main website is at http://stargazer.vonallan.com). Very quickly, the story focuses on three young girls and how the find themselves transported to another planet. If your a fan of graphic novels like Jeff Smith's Bone, I think you'll like it. The zipped file can be downloaded at http://media.vonallan.com/comics/Stargazer_Part_One.zip Thanks very much!

07-21-2010, 04:52 PM	#3
Von Allan Writer/Artist guy Posts: 20 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Device: Sony Reader PRS-300	First, thanks for giving it a shot. And thanks for the compliment, too! Now, it should be a collection of individual jpegs, because these are panels from my graphic novel. It should be batched together with the table of contents helping navigate it (I've set it for every 10 pages or so). If I've done things right, by hitting "next page" or whatnot you should go to the next image. And so on. An HTML document controls this and should make navigating the story a breeze. If that's not happening, then something odd is going on. Would you mind trying just uploading the zip file to your Kindle? If you can't, then you may need to use something like Calibre to manage it. I wish I could help more, but since I don't own a Kindle I can't provide too much information, though hopefully someone else here might be able to. Last edited by Von Allan; 07-21-2010 at 05:17 PM. Reason: Clarifying that it was a HTML document and NOT a container

07-21-2010, 05:02 PM	#4
bear4hunter Addict Posts: 248 Karma: 100148 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Germany, Munich Device: Kindle 3 & DX Graphite, PocketBook 302 & Pro 603	@ Haggis: you have to put the JPGs in a subdirectory of the pictures folder, latter (if not created already) has to be in the root of your kindle Your file structure than looks like (kindle root) pictures/comic book/1.jpg, 2.jpg Kindle actually reads the folder "comic book" as the book title, and puts it on the home screen. If you open it, you browse through the JPGs 1 -> 2 -> 3 etc. Worked like a charm, in Kindle 2 - DX should work as well, might look pixelated though, because of the bigger screen resolution. @ Von Allen: there is a way you can make a kindle native book (mobi or prc) with the JPGs: putting the images in a HTML document, which can easily be converted with Mobipocket Creator. (I was writing this as you posted using a HTML container, so it's obsolete...) Last edited by bear4hunter; 07-21-2010 at 05:06 PM.

07-22-2010, 04:00 AM	#7
Kitard Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 12 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Kindle DX G	Comic book support Hi Von Allen - I just downloaded you comic pages and they work great. If you rename the .zip file to a .cbz (comic book zip - essentially a zip of images) the Kindle will recognize it automatically without further conversion. It should also track the page you have read up to, so you can come back later. Nice work on the first installment.

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07-21-2010, 04:41 PM	#2
HaggisMacJedi Zealot Posts: 130 Karma: 1145527 Join Date: Jun 2008 Device: Kindle Fire HD, Kindle 4, iPhone 4	I downloaded your .zip file and I'm not sure how to manage it. It was basically a bunch of individual .jpeg files, so I emailed the first one to my Kindle and it looks great. So I guess if I had to load each page as an individual jpeg like that, it would be a ginormous pain in the you know what, but if it is all batched together as one document, then cool. As for the one page I loaded on there, it looks fantastic! Can you tell me what I'm doing wrong to only get them as individual pages?

07-21-2010, 05:16 PM	#5
Von Allan Writer/Artist guy Posts: 20 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Device: Sony Reader PRS-300	Sorry, that's my bad phrasing. I should have said HTML document. Sorry!

07-22-2010, 03:38 AM	#6
vili Member Posts: 11 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: Kindle 2	It seems to work fine on my Kindle 2 (international) if I convert the package into a prc file with Mobipocket Reader. Table to Contents is at the end of the book, but I suppose that's intentional? I don't see any difference with image quality compared with what I see on my computer screen. I couldn't get it to show if I just copy the package as it is, zipped or unzipped. I hope this helps!

07-25-2010, 12:10 PM	#8
Von Allan Writer/Artist guy Posts: 20 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Device: Sony Reader PRS-300	Hi Vili, Yes, that definitely helps. And yup, the table of contents was deliberately put at the back. It's probably a bit odd, but it has a lot to do with how Amazon previews ebooks. Since it's so graphics heavy, it's handy to have all of the art right up front.

07-25-2010, 12:11 PM	#9
Von Allan Writer/Artist guy Posts: 20 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Device: Sony Reader PRS-300	Hi Kitard, Thanks very much for giving it a shot. I hadn't realized that Kindle can handle .cbz - I use that extension fairly often, so that's a handy thing to know.

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