System and method for creating and viewing comic book electronic publications

An electronic device comprising:

• a display screen;
• a touch input surface coupled to the display screen;
• a memory that includes an electronic comic book and instructions for operating the device;
• control circuitry coupled to the memory, coupled to the touch input surface and coupled to the display screen, the control circuitry capable of executing the instructions and is operable to at least:
• display at least a portion of a page of the electronic comic book on the display screen;
• display a first text portion in a first bubble shape associated with a first illustration on the portion of the page, the first text portion being delineated from the first illustration by the first bubble shape;
• display a second text portion in a second bubble shape associated with a second illustration on the portion of the page, the second text portion being delineated from the second illustration by the bubble shape, wherein the second text portion and second bubble shape are displaced in a first direction from the first text portion and the first bubble shape;
• detect a navigation gesture in a second direction on the touch input surface wherein the navigation gesture is offset from the first and second text portions and the first and second bubble shapes and wherein the first direction is different from the second direction;
• sequentially enlarge only the first text portion and the first bubble shape relative to the first illustration and enlarge only the second text portion and the second bubble shape relative to the second illustration in response to the detection of the navigation gesture;
• and
• restoring the first text portion and the first bubble shape to their original size when enlarging the second text portion and the second bubble shape.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions that, when executed by a computer system, at least cause the computer system to:

• display at least a portion of a page of an electronic comic book on a touch screen of the computer system;
• display a first text portion in a first bubble shape associated with a first illustration on the portion of the page, the first text portion being delineated from the first illustration by the first bubble shape;
• display a second text portion in a second bubble shape associated with a second illustration on the portion of the page, the second text portion being delineated from the second illustration by the bubble shape, wherein the second text portion and second bubble shape are displaced in a first direction from the first text portion and the first bubble shape;
• detect a navigation gesture in a second direction on the touch screen of the computer system wherein the navigation gesture is offset from the first and second text portions and the first and second bubble shapes and wherein the first direction is different from the second direction;
• sequentially enlarge only the first text portion and the first bubble shape relative to the first illustration and enlarge only the second text portion and the second bubble shape relative to the second illustration, in response to the detection of the navigation gesture;
• and
• restoring the first text portion and the first bubble shape to their original size when enlarging the second text portion and the second bubble shape.