Tag: Marvel Unlimited »

Comic book purists who like their comics bagged, boarded, and boxed may disapprove, but there's no doubt that digital comics have revitalized the comic book industry these last few years as more and more people embrace the platform on their tablets. Below are just a few of the ways and reasons to go digital this year.

Comixology

Where better to begin than with the biggest comic book store on iOS: Comixology. Featuring titles from DC and Marvel (sharing content from their respective apps), Valiant, Image, and a plethora of indie publishers - their thoughtful collections, frequent discounts, and generous giveaways are a great avenue for discovering new series and lesser-known works. Digital format is also often the only way to read out-of-print comic books or issues that would cost a fortune to purchase from online merchants.

Comics have often been thought of as a perfect medium between literature and cinema, and Comixology's Guided View technology only strengthens that idea. Delivering the content in a frame-by-frame format not only makes reading possible on smaller devices, but really builds suspense unlike anything comic readers will have previously experienced. Especially since there is no opportunity to have a cheeky peek at those bottom-of-the-page spoil-the-surprise panels.

iOS devices are great for using as e-readers, iPads in particular. Besides being great for reading books and novels, they're also ideal for comic book reading. Whether you've been reading comics for decades, or just discovering the magic within for the first time, here's a look at four of our favorite apps for enjoying some of the best comics and graphic novels out there.

Comics
From Comixology, Comics offers a huge wealth of comic books. With a 30,000+ library of books, it's the comic equivalent of iTunes which is pretty awesome indeed. There's something for everyone's taste here, with Marvel and DC residing happily alongside Disney, The Walking Dead, Star Trek and even My Little Pony. It's simple to browse around and a web-based interface ensures purchases can be read anywhere.

Marvel Unlimited
For those keen to buy individual comic books, Marvel Comics has things covered. For others who signed up to a Marvel Unlimited subscription and had to be restricted to only browsing on a PC or Mac, this recent app is a huge help. It's not the finest of apps to navigate (although it works much better on the iPad), but the sheer wealth of comic books that can be read while on the move and for a fairly low annual fee, it's well worth a look. It's kept me entertained on many a journey, as helped by the read offline feature.

Comics Unlimited
Offering a little bit of everything, amongst a subscription service and a way to check out freebies, Comics Unlimited is a jack of all trades. Archie, CSI, Transformers, Dragon Age and Grimm Fairy Tales all happily reside together on this service and flexible subscription options make it all the more appealing. It's simple to browse too, with intuitive controls and an attractive layout.

VIZ Manga
We've focused a lot on Western comic books, but there are plenty of great apps for Manga fans too. VIZ Manga is one of the best, providing a similar experience to Comics but with a focus on Manga. Naruto, Bleack, Death Note, Dragon Ball and many more are available here, with monthly free previews ensuring it's easy to find something new to entice one in.

Marvel Entertainment just announced its new comics app, Marvel Unlimited, that gives fans access to over 70 years worth of Marvel comics for a subscription price of $10 dollars per month. You can also get, for a limited time, a $60 dollar subscription for an entire year, netting you the same content for only $5 dollars a month. This is a huge step up from the crappy web interface the service had for the last couple of years.