I’ve said we are in a new “Golden Age” for comics for years. Comics are being released in all genres and for all ages. I still remember a time not so long ago when there were virtually no comics for kids. Any fan—new or old—can find countless comics for their enjoyment.
The flip side is that it can be daunting to sort through the options with all the comics available and coming out. Even though Previews barely scratches the surface of what is being put out— each month, it lets a couple of hundred pages of new comics come out. There’s still DC and Marvel, which are no longer part of Diamond. Tons of indy publishers and a never-ending supply of Kickstarter campaigns to check out.
I believe a thriving comic book industry needs all the various publishers and comics—past and present—to keep it growing and thriving. If you’re a fan who only sticks to the Big Projects, Publishers, or Events—you’re missing out. Fans need to continue to sample comics outside of what they usually read because they might be surprised by what they find.
Another problem is that comics are not cheap, and everyone is limited in what they buy each month. Fortunately, there are both free and cost-effective ways to not only read new comics but catch up on all favorites and dig into a series they had always meant to check out.
One of the longest-running sites for comics in the public domain is Comicbook+, which has over 40,000 comics available to download from the Golden through Silver Age. These are all free and legal to read—without piracy concerns. Suppose you are enjoying the current Shazam! DC series, you can go here and read hundreds of Captain Marvel stories from the 1940s through the early 1950s. No, DC won’t have lawyers hounding you—they own the characters—but the copyright for the comics lapsed long ago. Hence, they are in the public domain.
You can also check out some creators who got their start long before the heroes took over at DC and Marvel during the Silver Age. Many newer fans don’t know that King Kirby—along with Joe Simon—created the romance comic genre. Their Young Romance comics are on the site. If you thought Don Heck only did Iron Man and the Avengers—you’ll find some genuinely fantastic horror comics drawn in the 1950s.
One of the newer players in digital comics is Global Comix (costing $8.00 a month), and it stands out for several reasons. First, they do carry many top publishers like Oni Press, Image Comics, and BOOM! Studios. Every week, they add titles, and this past October, they started showcasing select comics for DC. In the first seven volumes of Tom King’s Batman run, there are Vertigo titles, Superman, and even lesser-known titles like Blue Beetle: Graduation Day.
However, several things set them apart from other digital platforms. Their catalog is over 80,000 comics, representing almost 300 publishers—big and small. The emphasis here is on the small because they have an active program to support and help the smaller publishers get noticed. ComiXology used to be good at this sort of thing, but it has changed over the past few years, making it harder for the smaller publishers to get noticed.
Then there’s Hoopla, a digital library service where you can borrow books, movies, and comic books. It is free if—your library carries it. The only downside is you can only borrow ten things a month. Still, it is worth checking out. When new trades come out, they carry whatever comes out from most of the major publishers—the same day they are released. Some publishers. Like Image, release single issues the same day they hit the comic shops.
Again, a thriving comic book industry needs all the various publishers and comics—past and present—to keep it growing and thriving. And, we as fans must do our part by seeking out comics outside of the Big Publishers. Long-time comic fans often frown when reading digital comics, and I don’t get that. It’s cost-effective and allows you to read comics that you might not be able to afford or even find. Again, these services also allow you to sample comics that you usually might not be inclined to buy at your comic shop.
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