Free comics online: Review Marvel Digital Comics
Marvel Comics took the initiative over DC to offer free comics online last year. Although I am not a subscriber, I occasionally read their free samples at Marvel Digital Comics.
The comics are full color, and their software (which appears to be uncrackable using conventional methods) has a smart panel feature which enables you to read the comic clearly and logically on your screen. I have a great flat panel monitor at home, and I have to say the artwork looks fantastic blown up, panel by panel.
All of this was to stop piracy (many fans download PDFs of comics from BitTorrent or LimeWire, which is illegal), and to try and make some money (current subscription fees are $10 per month or $60 per year for unlimited access). Besides it’s great marketing and publicity.
The free samples are nice, and more comics get added to the library every week.
If you keep reading the free samples, however, annoying pop ups will appear over the comic telling you to subscribe.
For a casual fan, I would recommend browsing the free sample library. The actually unlimited collection contains thousands of comics, from original 1960′s vintage to the new stuff that the Internet and comic shops are buzzing about, like Illuminati and World War Hulk. In fact, many hot comics are in the free sample section.
I sure wish there was ONE list I can see on my screen, but most of the lists are thumbnails or only shows 24 comics on a screen, similar to Netflix, so you have to spend a lot of time browsing.
I would recommend this site to anyone into comics and anyone who is curious. For example, with the popularity of the Iron Man movie, perhaps you want to check out a new comic featuring a retelling of his origin.
Since Marvel has changed their business plan a few years ago (they make their money through movie-related merchandise, toys, animated cartoons direct to DVD) the actual selling of printed comics through subscriptions and comic shops simple isn’t their core business anymore.
The Internet is LOADED with comic book fan sites, and Marvel Digital Comics Headquarters gets an awfully lot of hits.
PROS:
- Great FREE quality comics
- Hundreds of FREE COMICS (great selection)
- Unlimited access gives you the ability to read THOUSANDS of comics online
- Viewing software is generally smart when switching from panel to panel
CONS:
- If I’m a paying subscriber, I would want full collection runs of series; there are too many gaps.
- After your subcription runs out, you have nothing to show for it besides your memories (you can’t download or print).
- Internet only (and it’s browser based).
- Free samples have pop-ups to convince you to subscribe
- Sometimes the smart viewer will cut-off speech bubbles, so you have to zoom out. The overall interface has seemed to improved from last year, though.
- It takes a while to browse due to the inability to have the entire library listed on one page.
- Autorenew your credit card: be careful.
- You have to sign up with a verifiable e-mail to read the free comics
- Like most fans, I want EVERY Marvel comic that ever existed up there
Ultimately, just check out the free samples and see if you want to donate $10 per month or $60 for a year. There is no bait-and-switch- everything you see on the site is yours to read.
To put prices in perspective, a comic costs around $3 to $5 dollars an issue now. Back issues? Unless you’re at a comic book convention and get lucky, you’re going to be paying a lot to read back issues.
I have to commend Marvel for going digital. The possibilities are endless. It’s possible they will stop printing one day due to high costs, and sell monthly digital comics through some sort of subscription program, but that is not an official statement. Printed comic books still make money because collectors have jobs. Most collectors are 30+ now. The digital comics they currently provide are a great way to get new and younger fans.
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Buyer beware! I used to be a hardcore fan of Marvel Digital Comics, but they just screwed up their sign in mechanism and effectively screwed me out of my $10 for this month.
Right after signing up for the month I can’t sign in and I can’t recover my password. I was able so sign in to purchase the subscription, but unable to sign in the first time I returned to read.
I’ve gotten no response from Marvel about this. I highly recommend avoiding these idiots until they can get their act together and fix their crap.