Would you read more comics if they were cheaper?
If you don’t read comics, I get it. Maybe you think it’s nerdy, or maybe you hate reading. Maybe it’s the gatekeepers, telling you that you wouldn’t get it or don’t belong. Maybe you just don’t have an accessible way to learn more about them, or individual issues are too expensive.
If it’s those last two, I can help you.
Below, I’ll list out a few affordable alternatives that can help make reading comics a little easier on you and your wallet.
Trade Paperbacks
What Are They? Collections of single issues of comics.
Often, these are either sequential issues of a single title or multiple different titles coming together for a single event. They usually cover one or more story arcs and are often about 5 or 6 single issues.
An “omnibus” usually collects more issues and is often bound in high-quality hardcover. These will often cost much more, but you still save money vs. collecting single issues. To further reduce price, these may also come as a paperback edition without color.
How Much Do They Cost?
Trade paperbacks are most often around $10-15
An omnibus can run you anywhere from $70-125
Used physical editions can save you some money
Amazon is often cheaper, but local comics shops will sometimes have loyalty programs to save you money when you buy these
Pros
You can still support your local comic book shop (if you buy them from there)
You can read an entire story arc at one time instead of over months, and it’s collected for you
Cheaper than single issues
Can still read physical copies instead of relying on a device
Look nice on a bookshelf
Cons
A typical trade usually comes out awhile after its collected issues, so you’ll be reading this awhile after the issues’ original publication date
While it’s cheaper than buying single issues of comics, it can still be very expensive to read and collect trades as a hobby
Often, publishers like Marvel & DC only look at single issue sales, so if you don’t buy the single issues, the title might be canceled by the time the trade paperback is published
They take up space when you start collecting them
Where Do I Get Them?
Marvel Unlimited
What Is It? An app where you can read a large chunk of Marvel comics digitally (most commonly on your phone or tablet). It’s basically Netflix for Marvel comics.
How Much Does It Cost?
$9.99 a month, $69 a year OR $99 a year for their premium “Annual Plus” membership
Price is often discounted for first time customers
Pros
You can read most comics published in the last decade or so, and many from before that
If you read 3 issues a month, you’ve already saved money
No limit to the number of comics the app allows you to read
You can download 12 issues at a time to your device, so you can read offline
You can browse comics by title, creators, big comics event and more, depending on how you like to read them
Marvel updates the app weekly with new and old issues
No limit to how long you can have titles in your library
Can read each page as the whole page or panel-by-panel, helpful for reading on your phone
You can purchase digital copies directly from the app
Cons
It’s only Marvel comics
There’s a 6 month delay from when a comic hits markets to when it’s available to read on the app
Still missing many issues from Marvel’s backlog, so you can’t just read, for example, all X-Men titles published in the ‘80s.
Marvel Max titles (for adult audiences) aren’t available
Resolution for older comics isn't as good as other digital comics platforms
A lot of people prefer physical copies of comics, and this is only for a digital medium
Where Do I Get It? • On Marvel’s website • On your device’s app store
DC Universe
What Is It? An app where members can read a curated, growing list of DC comics, watch new and classic DC movies and TV shows, and more.
How Much Does It Cost?
$7.99 a month or $74.99 a year
Pros
You can read a good chunk of DC's comics library (more than other apps offer)
The fact that it also offers movies and TV shows puts it ahead of other similar apps right now
If you read 2 issues a month, you’ve already saved money
No limit to the number of comics the app allows you to read
You can use their app and comics reader on your TV, mobile devices and casting technology
Members have access to exclusive merchandise
Can read each page as the whole page or panel-by-panel, helpful for reading on your phone
You can get a 7-day free trial
Cons
It’s only DC comics
Not all comics have made it into their available pool yet
A lot of people prefer physical copies of comics, and this is only for a digital medium
It's still a new app, so I need to dig into it to find out more!
Where Do I Get It? • On DC’s website • On your device’s app store
Hoopla Digital
What Is It?
A digital extension of your local library.
How Much Does It Cost? It’s free with a local library card!
Pros
Again, it’s free
Tons of comics, as well as ebooks, audiobooks, movies & music available
Some comics are available the day they hit comic book shops
Great variety of titles and publishers
It downloads each item to your device, so you don’t have to be connected to the Internet to enjoy it
Cons
You can only check out 10 items a month (this includes non-comics, too)
You can only borrow each item for 3 weeks
A lot of people prefer physical copies of comics, and this is only for a digital medium
Does not work with all libraries, and you need a library card to use it
Picture quality isn't always as good as Comixology
Where Do I Get It? On your device’s app store
Comixology Unlimited
What Is It? Another all-you-can read comics app through an Amazon owned comic book aggregator.
How Much Does It Cost? $5.99 a month
Pros
Free for the first 7-30 days (depending on how/where you sign up)
It offers some options you can’t find on other apps
Carries a lot of comics from Marvel, Image and other publishers
Their user interface for reading comics and image quality is probably the best of all the apps
You can purchase digital copies directly from the app
Can read each page as the whole page or panel-by-panel, helpful for reading on your phone
If you read 2 issues a month, you’ve already saved money
No limit to the number of comics the app allows you to read
They often have really great sales if you want to purchase any digital comics
Cons
The “Unlimited” comics are mixed in with the regular Comixology comics you have to pay for
Can be difficult to navigate if you’re only looking for free/Unlimited options
Depth of Marvel titles is good, but only one tenth of Marvel Unlimited
Slightly more expensive than Marvel Unlimited
Even though it’s owned by Amazon, you don’t get this service for free if you have an Amazon Prime membership, and it's separate from their Kindle Unlimited membership
Where Do I Get It? • On Comixology’s website • On your device’s app store
Humble Bundle
What Is It? Part website, part charity. They have heavily marked-down media, from comics, to books, to video games. It’s often the best price you’ll find for each of those things, but it’s only for a limited time.
How Much Does It Cost? It depends. You can always pay as much as you like, since it’s partially for charity, but there are often tiers of the discounted media – the more you pay, the more you get.
Pros
You can often get great deals on digital copies of comics for a fraction of the price you’d usually pay for them
You get to keep the digital editions – no expiration date
Comic files can be downloaded in multiple formats, depending on how you like to read them, and you can send those files to friends if you want
You often get a good selection of titles to read whenever you get time
You can name your price and how much of that money goes to the comics publisher, the Humble Bundle people or a charity
Items are often DRM-free, so they don’t control how many devices you access your downloads from
You can justify your spending habit by telling people (and the IRS?) you’re donating to charity
Cons
Sometimes, they don’t sell comics, or you’ve already read their selection
The deals stay up for a week, so you have to wait awhile for it to refresh
Because prices change and there are tiers to each sale, it’s hard to budget for these comics, vs. other options listed here
Image quality can vary per file
Where Do I Get It? The Humble Bundle website: www.humblebundle.com
Other Notes
I’ve read that the Scribd app offers an “Unlimited” option for comics, but I’ve only been able to find ebooks, magazines, audiobooks, sheet music and some documents on it. If they offer comics, they’re buried amongst other media, and the $8.99 a month they ask in order for you to use their service is more expensive than other options represented here.
Please don’t torrent or steal comics. The creators don’t make a million bucks an issue – many make less than you would think – and stealing comics hurts them.
If you feel guilty for borrowing a library version for free, do the creators a solid and write a review for them on Amazon, or something. And tell a friend how much you liked it.
Some publishers, like Panel Syndicate, put out their own comics on their websites for pay-what-you-want prices, and the creators are often extremely talented (especially the Panel Syndicate ones). While you can get all their comics for free, you should probably throw at least a little money their way.
There are other app options, like Comichaus or Line Webtoon that offer free or affordable libraries of indie comics from less well known creative teams.
A big thanks to ComicBookHerald.com for being such a great reference for this article and in general for comics. Click that link for a deeper dive into these options, tablet recommendations and some good starting points for new comic book readers. They’re also a phenomenal resource for reading order suggestions for Marvel & DC events and series.