Some important notes for those who are considering buying it (from someone who has bought the Pro version and THEN the EX version):
If you own Pro and are upgrading to EX, you are given a cheaper price. They recognize the issue with wanting to upgrade but having to buy a separate version, and thus prices have been changed to suit this.
The EX version is NOT necessary if you're just creating manga/comics, HOWEVER, EX does come with additional rulers that are AWESOME FUN to use (including the lovely perspective ruler, /swoons <3) It also comes with printing options/layouts for those that plan on bringing their manga to print, as well as the animation tool.
- The Animation tools do NOT come for free. I think they do come on the Pro version, but they are very limited. If you want to get the full animation experience with everything it has to offer, I believe you have to purchase the EX version. Worth it for 2D animators like myself, but if you're not an animator, Pro will probably do you just fine (unless you absolutely need those other features I mentioned above.) If you're still learning animation and have the money to drop, go ahead, but if you just want to test the waters of animation without spending the unnecessary money on it, just practice on paper or in SAI or any other drawing program you already have that's capable of animating instead. Drawing is one thing, but animation is a whole other realm that a lot of artists just can't/won't do, and that's okay.
- This time CSP has gone on sale for 60% off, but I've seen it go on sale for 75% as well. If you WANT to wait it out and see if they do another 75% off sale, by all means, it's your choice, HOWEVER the last time they did that sale was before the inclusion of the animating tools with EX, so with that in mind, they may not be returning to it again. 60% is still really good though, especially considering it knocks the high price of EX down to something that's slightly affordable, and Pro ends up being only ~$20 which is GREAT because as I've said already, Pro will give you pretty much everything you need (unless you need those perspective rulers, animation tools, and printing tools I mentioned earlier).
- Don't feel like you're missing out too much though if you have to "settle" for Pro - it's a very good purchase and not one you want to pass up. As I've mentioned way above already, they do offer good deals for upgrading from Pro to EX as well (so long as you keep your serial code on you somewhere) so if you want to buy EX and can't afford it, then buy Pro and wait for the next sale to go on and buy it when you do have the money. The programs will always be there to purchase, and Pro is nothing to shake a stick at. By that point you might figure you don't need EX anyway and can stick with Pro and the tools it offers.
Hope that helps!! I 100% recommend buying it, whether you're getting Pro OR EX. They're both awesome versions with tons to offer, especially with that awesome sale price, and for anyone that wants to up their comic game, CSP has LITERALLY EVERYTHING. Panelling tools, expansive pen libraries, material libraries that offer everything from 3D reference models to sound effects, blurring and coloring tools, the works - pretty much everything you've had to struggle doing in Photoshop/Paint Tool SAI, wrapped up in one beautiful package, including SAI's great coloring tools, and Photoshop's image exporting, text formatting, and graphic design tools. It's everything you need as a comic artist.
