diff --git a/lib/ComicBook.js b/lib/ComicBook.js
index 6aa30f1..6ee288d 100755
--- a/lib/ComicBook.js
+++ b/lib/ComicBook.js
@@ -452,9 +452,10 @@ function ComicBook(id, srcs, opts) {
 	 */
 	ComicBook.prototype.preload = function () {
 
-		this.showControl("loadingOverlay");
-
 		var i = pointer; // the current page counter for this method
+		var rendered = false;
+
+		this.showControl("loadingOverlay");
 
 		function loadImage(i) {
 
@@ -462,17 +463,41 @@ function ComicBook(id, srcs, opts) {
 			page.src = srcs[i];
 
 			page.onload = function () {
+
 				pages[i] = this;
 				loaded.push(i);
 
-				$("#cb-status").text("loading " + Math.floor((loaded.length / no_pages) * 100) + "%");
+				var percentage_loaded = Math.floor((loaded.length / no_pages) * 100);
 
-				// TODO: put back in the page render code, page request code
+				$("#cb-status").text("loading " + percentage_loaded + "%");
+
+				// double page mode needs an extra page added
+				var buffer = (options.displayMode === "double" && pointer < srcs.length-1) ? 1 : 0;
+
+				// start rendering the comic when the requested page is ready
+				if ((rendered === false && ($.inArray(pointer + buffer, loaded) !== -1)
+					||
+					(typeof page_requested === "number" && $.inArray(page_requested, loaded) !== -1))
+				) {
+					// if the user is waiting for a page to be loaded, render that one instead of the default pointer
+					if (typeof page_requested === "number") {
+						pointer = page_requested-1;
+						page_requested = false;
+					}
+
+					ComicBook.prototype.drawPage();
+					ComicBook.prototype.hideControl("loadingOverlay");
+					rendered = true;
+				}
+
+				if (percentage_loaded === 100) {
+					$("#cb-status").delay(500).fadeOut();
+				}
 			};
 		}
 
-		// Loads the pages at a rate of 3 forward, 1 back. This should make scrolling
-		// pages in both directions faster.
+		// loads pages in both directions so you don't have to wait for all pages
+		// to be loaded before you can scroll backwards
 		function preload(start, stop) {
 
 			var forward_buffer = 3; // TODO: make this into a config option?