Official Comic vs Upgrade Soul
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Official Comic
Access the official digital guide for San Diego Comic-Con International and WonderCon. Find event schedules, maps, exhibitor details, guest information, and exclusive item listings.
- Event schedules
- Interactive maps
- Exhibitor directory
- Special guest listings
- Exclusive item information
- Latest news
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Get the official digital guide to San Diego Comic-Con International and WonderCon. Download this free app for the latest event schedules, maps, exhibitors, special guests, exclusive items, news and more!
Upgrade Soul
Experience a critically acclaimed sci-fi graphic novel with an immersive digital format. Enjoy seamless navigation, interactive 3D effects, and a dynamic musical score that enhances the storytelling. Discover behind-the-scenes content and unlockable extras.
- Immersive digital graphic novel
- Seamless navigation
- Native multi-panel experience
- Interactive 3D picture-box effects
- Dynamic musical score
- Behind the scenes extras
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Revisit the most acclaimed sci-fi graphic novel of 2018 the way it was designed to be read! Originally conceived as an immersive digital comic, the print edition of Upgrade Soul (2018, Lion Forge), was named one of the best graphic novels of 2018 by Publishers Weekly, Paste, The Library Journal, Vulture, and more. Winner of the Dwayne McDuffie Award and nominated for Eisner, Harvey, Ringo, and Ignatz Awards, Upgrade Soul is an unforgettable story made even more unforgettable by the technology you hold in your hand. Written and illustrated by Ezra Claytan Daniels (BTTM FDRS), Upgrade Soul tells the story of Hank and Molly Nonnar, wealthy science buffs who decide to fund a risky, experimental therapy to rejuvenate the human body, with only one condition: that they be first in line to receive it. The uniquely immersive Upgrade Soul app complements the reading experience with: • Smooth, seamless navigation • Native multi-panel experience without awkward panning and zooming • Interactive 3D picture-box effects throughout • Dynamic score by acclaimed composer Alexis Gideon that you perform as you read • Great experience when mirrored to Apple TV • Behind the scenes extras and unlockable content coming soon Paste Magazine - #1 Graphic Novel of 2018 “Earth-shattering sci-fi. Every choice, every component of Upgrade Soul simply works.” Vulture - Top 10 Graphic Novels of 2018 “Masterfully crafted.” Publishers Weekly - Best Books of 2018 “Immersive, touching sci-fi.” Tor - Best Comics of 2018 “This is science fiction at its best.” Library Journal - Best Books of 2018 “A skillfully told, beautifully illustrated tale.” Visit the website: upgradesoul.com Get in touch on Twitter: @opertoon Or via email: info@opertoon.com
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Upgrade Soul at 69% against Official Comic's 18%. Upgrade Soul also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.1). Official Comic's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 9) and ratings volume (459 vs 31). On price, update cadence, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Upgrade Soul sells 9 one-off in-app purchases. Official Comic asks for nothing beyond the download.
Upgrade Soul holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Official Comic has 459 ratings behind it against 31, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 18% of Official Comic's written reviews are positive against 69% of Upgrade Soul's.
Official Comic ships an update every 3 months, Upgrade Soul every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Official Comic | Upgrade Soul |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.1 (459 ratings) | 4.7 (31 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 18.0% of reviews | 69.1% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 459 — better | 31 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 6 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 10.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 92 MB | 393 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | San Diego Comic Convention Inc | Opertoon LLC |
Customer experience
Official Comic
Upgrade Soul
User reviews
Official Comic
From 459 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Helpful for navigating the convention
- 👍 Useful for finding schedules and events
- 🗺️ Provides detailed maps and floor plans
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- 🔍 Lack of search functionality
- 🔑 Login and account issues
- 📆 Outdated or incorrect schedule information
- 🤖 Poor user interface and navigation
Upgrade Soul
From 31 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 💡 Innovative storytelling medium
- 🎨 Beautiful art and visuals
- 🎶 Immersive music and soundscapes
- ✨ Unique and captivating experience
- 🚀 Excellent pacing and panel movement
Room to improve
- ⏳ Long wait times for chapters
- 💰 High cost for chapters/full story
- 🤏 Short chapter length
- 🐛 Technical issues (crashing, not opening)
- 🤔 Unclear if story is finished
Bugs and requests
Official Comic
Reported bugs
5 issues- App crashes on launch or during use
- Login credentials not working
- Sync issues between app and website
- Incorrect or missing schedule data
- Navigation issues and confusing UI
Requested features
5 requests- Add search functionality for schedules and events
- Improve syncing and account management
- Provide more detailed event information
- Enhance map features with better resolution and interactivity
- Implement a grid-style schedule view
Upgrade Soul
Reported bugs
8 issues- App crashes on opening
- Chapters fail to download or crash during download
- Sound not working after update/purchase
- 3D effects keep reappearing after being toggled off
- App doesn't open on older devices (iPad v1, iPhone 3GS)
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- App displays upside down
- Flickering effects can be distracting or cause eye strain
- App closes before content can be viewed
Requested features
7 requests- Continue development and release more chapters
- Make chapters longer
- Lower the price of chapters
- Provide updates on release schedules
- Fix the 3D effects or make them toggleable
Show 2 moreShow fewer
- Improve download stability for chapters
- Make the engine more user-friendly for non-programmers
In-app purchases
Official Comic
No in-app purchases
Upgrade Soul
- Chapter 2$0.99
- Chapter 3$0.99
- Chapter 4$0.99
Show 6 moreShow fewer
- Chapter 5$0.99
- Chapter 6$0.99
- Chapter 8$0.99
- Chapter 9$0.99
- Chapters 2-6$3.99
- All Chapters$7.99
Questions
Is Official Comic free?
Is Upgrade Soul free?
Which has better reviews, Official Comic or Upgrade Soul?
Do Official Comic or Upgrade Soul have ads?
Which is updated more often, Official Comic or Upgrade Soul?
Other comparisons
