Marvel, DC and Comixology: A Guide to Digital Comics

WandaVision‘s first season is just about to end, but Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Black widow, Loki, Justice League, Suicide Squad, The Batman, GCPD, and Vredemaker is just around the corner – and it’s not responsible for other series outside the main fields of Marvel and DC MODOK, Titans, or Harley Quinn.

There are more superhero TV series and movies debuting in 2021 than ever before, and some people might want to dive into comics. WandaVision led some staff members to dig into Vision and Wanda Maximoff-centered storylines, for example. I started reading Kieron Gillen’s Eternal run-up to Marvel Studios’ film. Whatever the reason why people want to start reading comics, there are a few different ways to do it.

Comics can be an expensive hobby. New expenses are usually $ 3.99 each. If someone reads eight or nine series at a time, the fee can add up week after week. Do not think of this guide as a recommendation for which series you should research. If you’re looking for it, Susana Polo, the comic book editor on our sister site, Polygon, gives a weekly review of books she reads and recommends. (This is an important part of my week, and it helps me figure out any issues I want to pick up or a series I might enjoy.)

Instead, it is a guide to the different enrollment methods available to people who want to use a number of comics at the same time and do so in a cost-effective way. These are not the only options, but one of the easiest. There are three primary subscriber services for comics:

• Comixology Unlimited ($ 6 per month)
• Marvel Unlimited ($ 10 per month or $ 70 per year)
• DC Universe Infinite ($ 8 per month from $ 75 per year)

Comixology Unlimited

It really is, really a good time for people to tackle comics due to the entry models that exist. If you’re just getting started, I highly recommend Comixology Unlimited, as it has the most diverse options, as well as many of the great common things. (Comixology is available as an add-on via your Amazon Prime account.) There are more than 25,000 comics available.

There are opportunities for fantastic series from publishers like Vertigo (Sex Criminals, Sweet Tooth, The Invisibles) or Sculptures (The Fade Out, Blackbird, Fatale, and Gatskop), along with top Marvel (Captain America, Iron Man, Immortal Hulk, Hawkeye, etc.) and DC series (Batman, Teen Titans, Wonder Woman, Justice League Dark, etc.).

What I love most about Comixology Unlimited is being able to explore any kind of books. I regularly click on a publisher, such as Valiant or Dark Horse, and search for what is offered via the Unlimited subscription. At this point, if there is a paperback available (it is a term that refers to a number of single printed editions, between four and 12 editions, but usually six) for someone to read. For example, if someone wants to read Matt Fraction’s Hawkeye, they can do this by reading different volumes that collect a number of single print editions. This is the best way to find older jewelry that people have not heard of before, especially if they are new to comics.

One downside of Comixology Unlimited is that Marvel and DC Comics offerings for dedicated fans may feel less than ideal. When I tried a number of back issues for WandaVision, specifically (and after seeing a Tumblr post about a guy Incredible Hulk from the 80s I wanted to go watch), I realized I would have to buy a lot more of it. While there was enough, I could read for free – everything House of M is part of Unlimited, for example – to read the entire history, I would have to use Marvel Unlimited.

Marvel Unlimited

Marvel Unlimited has more than 27,000 digital comics that people can read. You can download up to 12 comics to take with them at any given time, and Marvel’s team will, along with recommendation algorithms, put together a series of books looking for something to read. This is a great app to explore classic stories and some of the best runs for popular characters like Iron Man and Captain America. There is also the Star Wars universe for people to explore.

The biggest downside is new single expenses. Currently, new expenses are in current arcs such as The Amazing Spider-Man or The eternities are uploaded to Marvel Unlimited three months after their first release. About after the first three issues of a current run are available, it will appear in Marvel Unlimited. This is not good news for anyone who is aware of a number of Marvel titles. (These editions can also be purchased for $ 3.99 or $ 3.39 at Comixology with the Comixology Unlimited discount.)

I would say that Marvel Unlimited is the best for anyone who really wants to dive into reading almost every cartoon that Marvel has released over the years. If your goal is to go through all the different Spider-Man comics released since 1962, Marvel Unlimited is the best option to do so at the cheapest price.

DC Universe Infinite

The same goes mostly for DC Universe Infinite. It used to be DC Universe, a service with a few comics, but also a few TV shows (Harley Quinn, Teen Titans) and some older DC movies. When HBO Max was launched, the TV shows and movies moved to the WarnerMedia streaming platform, relaunching DC Universe as the only comic book platform called DC Universe Infinite.

In an effort to make DC Universe Infinite feel a little special, DC Comics has done some new things. The company has committed to relinquishing catalog titles of “Vertigo, Black Label and Milestone comics prints”, according to Polygon. There will also be exclusive DC Comics titles that live exclusively on DC Universe Infinite. The platform currently offers more than 24,000 comics. Like Marvel Unlimited, new versions are not immediately available. They will hit DC Universe Infinite six months after their release.

Again, both Marvel Unlimited and DC Universe Unlimited are perfect for people who want to read just as many recent comics with their favorite superheroes for a cheap monthly price. It’s not ideal for everyone who just wants to read the latest stuff. The best way is to use a digital retailer – or to support your local comic book store if physical prints are more your thing.

What seems completely inevitable is that both Marvel Unlimited and DC Universe Unlimited will be presented in a bundle featuring Disney Plus and HBO Max, respectively. The entertainment conglomerates that own all these properties want people to stay in their worlds – hence all the new movies and TV shows on streaming services. If that happens, it’s going to be easier for people to get to an episode of something like Loki and then dives into the history of the character.