Innovation That Matters

Online store sells comics for the blind

Retail

Visually impaired comic fans can access the comic book experience through new website Comics Empower.

Springwise has covered a number of innovations to support the visually impaired. Amongst them, multi-sensory, 3D printed maps which help the blind to navigate and a tablet which uses liquid technology to convert text into Braille.

Comics Empower is a new platform which enables blind or visually impaired users to buy and enjoy comic books by producing audio versions of the titles. The online store is accessible to the blind through high contrast screens for visually impaired, and screen readers for those with no sight. The website stocks audio comics from existing producers such as Graphics Audio and Audio Comics. The business also produces its own audio comics in-house.

According to founder Guy Hasson, the in-house comics “communicate the comic book experience that we all recognize”. These stories are read page by page by a single narrator, and users go down each page from one panel to another, following the story, hearing the speech bubbles and captions. Could this model work on indie magazines for blind users?

Website: comicsempower.com/

Contact: comicsempower.com/contacts

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