The recent string of successful Marvel and DC movies coupled with an increase in the availability of digital comics has helped fuel the revival of the comic book industry.
Unfortunately, going down to the local comic shop to pick up your favorites can be expensive. Single issues can cost $3 or more, and that adds up fast.
Thankfully, you can save some money by using these sites to read comics online for free. No matter what kind of comics you’re into, you should find them on one of these sites.
1. Read Comics
ReadComics.io is one of the best sources of free comics online. The A-Z list, genre browser, and advanced search make it easy to find what you’re looking for. You’ll find a lot of recent issues here from popular series like Star Wars, Saga, The Wicked + The Divine, and Old Man Logan.
Again, people have uploaded all sorts of issues here, and it’s up to you to respect the copyrights of the creators. If you’re not breaking any laws, though, this is the best place to read comic books online for free.
2. View Comic
Whether you’re looking for comic books from Marvel, DC, Image, Vertigo, or other major publishers, View Comic is a good bet. The interface doesn’t give you many features, and it’s not the best reading experience. But if you’re willing to search through the collection, you’ll find a lot of great issues lurking within.
View Comic has only been around for about five years, but it has thousands of issues available. The books here cover everything from popular mainstream superheroes to more obscure books.
Because the collection has been uploaded by View Comic users, and not the staff, you’ll find many copyrighted issues. It’s up to you to only download comics that you have the right to (or to deal with the consequences if you don’t).
3. GetComics
This is a great place to read Marvel and DC comic books online. You’ll also find many issues from smaller publishers. Browse the category pages or use the search function to find what you’re looking for.
One thing that sets GetComics apart from other comic book sites is that there’s no online reader. You need to download issues to read them. The site does provide a link to readcomics.ru, though, where you can read comics online for free.
4. comiXology
If you want to read comics online, comiXology is tough to beat. It’s primarily an online comic shop (and one of the best apps for digital comics), so most issues cost money. But there’s a large, frequently updated collection of free comics as well.
In addition to Marvel, DC, Dark Horse, and other big-name publishers, you’ll find manga, independent releases, and issues from smaller publishers. If you find a series you like, you’ll probably have to pay for the rest of it. But the mobile app provides a great reading experience, so it may be worth it.
And if you’re into manga, check out these other ways to read manga online.
5. DriveThru Comics
You won’t find the big names here: Marvel and DC are absent from the list of publishers on DriveThru.
However, there’s a large collection with a variety of comics that span genres and styles. Many first issues are free, and if you like the series, you can buy subsequent issues from the store. Many of those that aren’t free are pay-what-you-want.
The filters in the search menu on DriveThru can be used to browse genres, formats, publishers, and prices. Use them to narrow down the selection of comics and start exploring. It’s hard to know what you’ll find here, but DriveThru is always a good place to read free comics online.
6. Amazon Best Sellers
You might not think of Amazon as a good bet for free comic books online. But there’s a surprising amount of free content available if you know where to look. A good place to start is the Comics & Graphic Novels Best Sellers list. Click Top 100 Free to see the most popular free titles available for download.
You can also filter the list by genre on the left, helping you find the comics you’re interested in. The list is updated hourly, so check back regularly for new titles.
7. ElfQuest
This award-winning independent comic has been running since the late 1970s. Every issue released before 2014 is available for free on its website. If you like sprawling fantasy worlds, this is for you. There are several series available that detail the adventures of different characters and story arcs.
The series has now concluded with the Final Quest story arc, which can be purchased from Dark Horse. The publisher has also released the complete ElfQuest series in collected editions. But you can get a good headstart on the series by reading the rest of the comics online for free.
8. Digital Comic Museum
If you want to see where today’s comic books got their start, check out the Digital Comic Museum. You can spend days reading free comic books from the Golden Age (1930s-1950s). The titles and characters may not be familiar (though Captain Marvel does show up), but you can see how the Golden Age books had a strong influence on today’s works.
If you’re looking for modern comic books, you won’t find any here. But it’s fun to browse through some of the classic titles from 60 years ago and see how far the artwork and storytelling have come. It might seem anachronistic to read comics online when those comics were produced long before the internet existed. But it’s a great contrast.
9. The Internet Archive
The Internet Archive has thousands of free graphic novels and comics available online. There aren’t many mainstream issues here, but you can find some gems (especially if you enjoy manga). Unfortunately, this repository can be very difficult to navigate.
Because of the huge amount of material and inconsistent labeling, searching for the name of a comic or a character is probably your best bet. But if you’re just getting into comic books and you want to see what’s out there, away from the mainstream, scrolling through the Archive and clicking on a few random comics might be a good tactic.
Start Reading Comics Online for Free Now!
The sites listed above let you read comics online for free. Free comics online let you jump into the world of comics, revisit your favorites, and get a glimpse into the past to see what the Golden Age of comics was like.
Comic books are enjoying a resurgence, and you can take full advantage of this if you know the best comic book websites to visit.
Image Credits: Evart/Shutterstock
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