With hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of topics available, figuring out where to start in the world of comics is a daunting process.
ComiXology recently announced ComiXology Unlimited, which could be a great solution to this problem as it offers “Thousands of digital comics Love comics? This online guide is for you! Do you like comics? This online guide is for you! This guide explains how to download comics for free and legally, where to buy comics that aren't free, and even how to scan backup copies of comics you already own. Read More
But is ComiXology Unlimited a good deal? Let's take a look at what's on offer to help you decide if it's worth paying for.
ComiXology Unlimited can be compared to Netflix, kinda; For a monthly fee, you have access to everything ComiXology has made available to you. This is not all ComiXology has to offer, however; it's just a subset. Still, thousands of comics will keep you busy reading for a long time, and it's certainly a lot cheaper than buying digital comics online 8 places to buy comics online whether you like print or digital 8 places to buy comics online whether you like them on paper or digital I assume the reader here is an adult or at least in their teens who is probably reading at least one Dan Brown or the latest political philosophy bestseller.. Read more .
Another similarity between ComiXology Unlimited and Netflix is that the available comics will be rotated on a monthly basis, giving you access to new issues and removing access to others. It is not yet known how they will rotate and what will be available once the Unlimited plan is fully implemented.
ComiXology Unlimited will set you back $5.99 per month, which is pretty reasonable when you consider how much reading it allows you to do. However, it's important to look at the selection of comics available before deciding whether or not it's right for you.
This is, of course, a very important consideration. Is ComiXology Unlimited worth your money? To find out what was available, I did some searching in the app on my iPad. I started by looking through the “New to comics? Start here!" section. Here are some of the notable things I found:
There are many other comics in this section, but these are the ones that caught my eye. The Staff Picks section has some more notable offerings:
Again, there are many more, but those stood out to me. To see what else was available, I thought I'd look up some of the series I'm familiar with to see what volumes and issues can be read with an unlimited subscription. Here are some I found:
There's a plethora of Image, Dark Horse, and IDW comics on ComiXology Unlimited, giving you access to some of today's most popular series...but the Unlimited plan is remarkable when it comes to your favorite Marvel books. and DC. I did a search for some Marvel series that I really like or would like to read (Avengers vs. X-Men , 1602 , Mrs. Marvel ), and did not get any hits..
All of these comics are available to purchase on the ComiXology website, an excellent comics website. 5 Websites for comic fans. 5 Websites for comic fans. Instant downloads, lots of fan information, and no more waiting in line at the comic book store. Read More You won't get Wolverine, Batman, Wonder Woman, or any of your other favorite comic heroes with this plan.
ComiXology says the unlimited plan will be "growing and changing" over time, but what that means for the selection is everyone's guess, but it's a safe bet it won't include Marvel or DC, though.
The unlimited comics subscription scene is surprisingly small:Beyond ComiXology, Marvel Unlimited is the biggest name in the business, though there are a couple of other subscription services that offer digital comics. However, Marvel's service will set you back $9.99 per month, making it noticeably more expensive than ComiXology.
Obviously the biggest deciding factor when choosing one over the other is going to be which comics you're looking for. If you're a Marvel fan, ComiXology won't do it for you. If you want books from smaller brands like Dark Horse, Image, Dynamite, and BOOM!, then the cheaper option will be a good choice.
Another thing to consider is that ComiXology, at least at this point, seems to only have the first few volumes of a given series. Saga , for example, currently has six volumes in print, but only one is available on the Unlimited plan; You would have to buy the other volumes and download them to the app.
While many Marvel series are the same in their own Unlimited app, there are plenty of runs that are complete. I've read both Avengers vs. X-Men and Civil War in Marvel Unlimited, both relatively recent versions, and I was able to read all the volumes of both series.
If you plan to download comics to read offline The Best Apps for Reading Comics on Your iPad The Best Apps for Reading Comics on Your iPad There are many reasons to buy an iPad, but few are as nerdy as the search for a digital comic book reader. Read More read 12 books. , much less 50, but it might be a consideration for you.
In the end, ComiXology feels a bit like an attempt to boost sales by getting people hooked on early issues of comics and not giving them late ones, at least until a few months later. Despite this, it could be a good choice for people looking to explore what the world of comics has to offer.
After seeing what's available on ComiXology Unlimited, it seems like it's a good option for newcomers to the world of comics. There are some really great titles available, but you'll only be able to read the first few volumes, after which you'll have to pay full price to download the digital versions.
This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but if you compulsively want to read an entire story, it's just not going to happen on ComiXology. That said, there is a huge world of comics and graphic novels out there that will likely appeal to people who haven't read much, but are interested in seeing what's out there.
There are great illustrated works for people of all literary tastes, and this is an app that will help you discover the breadth of the world of comics. And for that, it's a subscription worth considering (just remember there are plenty of digital comics you can get for free too) 9 Of The Best Ways To Read Comics Online For Free 9 Of The Best Ways To Read Comics Online for free). The websites will let you read comics online for free, catch up on old topics, and find hidden gems. Read more).
Thinking about subscribing to ComiXology Unlimited? Or does it not seem worth the price? What about Marvel Unlimited or another comics subscription service? Feel free to share your thoughts below!
