Vasundhara Srivastava
Being a comic book aficionado can be an expensive hobby, not all of us have the money to blow on the latest issues each month.
Here are some of the best places to read full comics online for free.
1. View Comic Online
View Comic contains comic books from all major publishers including Marvel, DC, Vertigo and Image. Whilst the interface is not the most user-friendly there are still good amount issues available to read even if the experience isn’t the best.
The website has been around for five years and in that time they have built up a decent collection of issues. This is one of those websites where you may have to do some hunting to find the gems. Their back catalogue has a varied mix of mainstream superheroes and obscure books. Some of this content is in murky grey when it comes to legality, all of the contents have been uploaded by View Comic users, not staff, so you may find copyright issues. It is up to you whether you feel comfortable downloading comics that may not have been legally uploaded.
2. Read Comics
ReadComics.io is considered one of the best sources of comics online. This is an easy to use website with great features such as; genre browser, A-Z list and an advanced search. This is the best free website if you are looking for one specific run of a comic or an obscure gem from your past. This is also a great option if you want to see new up top date issues from popular series like Old Man Logan, Star Wars and Saga.
Again, this is a website where anyone can upload what they want, so it is up to you if you wish to respect the copyright of the creators and publishers.
3. GetComics
GetComics has an especially large collection of Marvel and DC comic books, but there are also content from smaller lesser known publisher. The website has an easy to use search function and all content is well categorized.
One thing that sets GetComics apart, for better or for worse, is that there is no online reader. This means you will need to download the issues to read them.
4. comiXology
This primary is an online comic book shop with one of the best apps for digital comics, so there is content that costs money but there is also a large, frequently updated, collection of free comics.
Unlike some of the other websites mentioned on this list that just holds Marvel, DC and other big-name publishers, comiXology also houses manga and indie content. The issue with this is site is that comic runs lack consistency, so if you fall in love with a series you may have to pay for the rest of it.
The mobile app provides such a great reading experience you may still love this site, even if you have to pay for content.
5. DriveThru Comics
Drivethru stands out for omitting Marvel and DC for their list of publishers. However, there is a large collection of other popular and smaller publishers from different genres. Many first issues are free in a series but the subsequent issues will be charged.
DriveThru has a smart search menu that allows users to browse publishers, genres, formats and prices. This is a great way to discover and try new content without having to pay for it and then if you like it you pay for later issues in a pay-for-what-you-use scheme.
6. Amazon Best Sellers
Many people overlook Amazon for a free comic book option but it offers a surprising amount of free content, if you know where to look. Start in the Comics and Graphic Novels Best Sellers List and select the Top 100 Free option to see what kind of popular free titles are available to download.
Amazon has a good filter system on the left-hand sidebar that allows you to narrow down your options so you can find the comic you are interested in. Amazon updates their list hourly so check regularly for new titles and updated content.
7. ElfQuest
ElfQuest are an award-winning independent comic company that have been running since the late 1970’s. Every one of their issues released pre 2014 is available to download for free on its website. There are several series available that feature sprawling fantasy worlds and mystical creatures. Now ElfQuest can be purchased at Dark Horse but there are years of content on ElfQuest.
8. Digital Comic Museum
For real comic book connoisseurs, Digital Comic Museum is a dream, it’s perfect way to see where your comic books got their start. This website archives comic books from the Golden Age (1930s- 1950s) for no charge. There is an absence of some of the big famous characters, although Captain Marvel makes an appearance, but it’s a great way to know your comic book history and see how those early comics made such an impact on the runs we know and love now.
This doesn’t have any modern content but it’s fascinating for anyone who loves old comics, is studying graphic design or wants to start their own comic book run. It is interesting to see how far the artwork and storytelling has come.
9. The Internet Archive
The Internet Archive offers thousands of free graphic novels and comics, although they aren’t many mainstream issues. This is a great place if you are looking for obscure and little-known gems and manga.
The one downside of The Internet Archive is that there is a huge amount of material that has not been correctly labelled. It can be hard to find what you are looking for so the best bet is to use the name of the comic run or character, or just randomly scroll until something catches your eye.
10. ComicWalker
Kadokawa, one of the biggest manga publishers in Japan, were fed up with fans scanning and uploading their content so they decided to launch their own free service that allows users to read their content for no charge.
Not all of Kadokawa’s popular titles are here but a decent amount of their back catalogue can be found. They have a great app that can be used without signing up but if you do register you get features like creating a library of favorites and setting up notifications when a new issue is published. ComicWalker can also be accessed from a browser, alongside the user-friendly app.
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