Marvel and DC have been delighting superhero fans for years with new movies and series. MeinMMO editor Niko is rather bored with most of them nowadays. However, 2 subscriptions have reignited his joy for superheroes.
I have loved superheroes since I was a little kid. Whether it’s Spider-Man, Batman, or Superman: the stories of these costumed heroes still fascinate me today. Even though I like many movies from Marvel and DC, the latest films have been rather disappointing. They weren’t really bad, but quite uniform and thus rather dull.
So I regularly turned to comics, which offered me many different and also unusual stories. However, there was a problem: I have very limited space in my apartment. Therefore, I tried out 2 different subscription services that offered me a vast library of Marvel and DC comics.
And I can only recommend them to every fan.
One of the best Batman comics is also available as an animated film:
Like Netflix and Prime, but for comics
What are those apps? Since I mainly had an interest in DC and Marvel, I looked at Marvel Unlimited
and DC Infinite
. However, it should be noted that both apps are only available in English, as are the comics. Both apps offer the following content:
- DC Infinite
- Subscription: €6.99 monthly for the standard subscription, €10.99 monthly for the ultra subscription
- Standard: Offers you over 30,000 DC titles, Ultra over 35,000
- If you have Standard, you can read new comics 30 days after the physical release; with the Standard subscription, you have to wait 6 months.
- Marvel Unlimited
- Subscription: €10.49 monthly
- Offers over 30,000 Marvel titles
- You can read new comics 3 months after the physical release.
Both apps can be read on mobile phones, tablets, or browsers and offer annual subscription options if you want to save some money.
Reading on a mobile? Does that even work? I tried both apps on my phone, tablet, and browser and was quite impressed. At first, reading comics on a small phone seemed cumbersome, but both apps have a pretty smart feature for that.
You can set whether you want to scroll through the pages or if the app guides you from panel to panel, making it easier to read the individual images and speech bubbles. I really liked this when I wanted to read something on my phone while in transit or at the doctor’s office. Both apps had this feature, although I liked it a bit better in Marvel Unlimited.
But the best experience was on the tablet. Due to the size, you can see the entire pages better, which makes large panels appear more impressive. On the PC, you obviously have the largest screens, but I preferred the convenience of the mobile and tablet.
But to be honest, the technical aspects are only secondary to me. I just want to read many stories, and both apps allow me to do that quite well.
2 gigantic libraries that I can browse as a film fan
Why should I even read comics? In short: Because it’s a lot of fun. For a long time, I only knew superheroes from the movies and read very few comics. However, since I find the movies no longer as enjoyable, the extensive library of both apps is a true dream from multiple aspects:
- I can read comics that became movies to find out what changed.
- I can check out absurd and sometimes bad comics that would never become a film.
- Characters that I learned to love in the MCU I can get to know properly.
Both apps provide lists for various characters in case you have no idea where to start. Another aspect I love is the art style. Movies with real actors also differ in look, but real people are just real people. However, through the various artists, comics have another level.
Different drawing styles not only stick in your mind, they also ensure that figures are interpreted in different ways even without text and action. A Superman in Kingdom Come, drawn by Alex Ross, looks majestic, almost beautifully divine, while a Superman by Frank Quietly looks human and approachable. This gives me multiple perspectives on individual characters and matching stories.
The courage to be absurd
A subscription gives me more options to try. Because I have a large library with a subscription, I try more out. I know I like Spider-Man and Batman, but what about Booster Gold, Psylocke, or the Inhumans? In the comic store, I would probably stick to the tried and tested heroes, but with subscriptions, I can simply dive in and stop if I don’t like it.
Another aspect is the confusing structure of storylines. Even in collected volumes, there are references to other issues or events. Thanks to the large app library, I can quickly look it up if I have a question without having to buy an extra volume. Particularly, villains receive more attention in comics than they do in all the films.
And perhaps the most important point: Many stories are strong and emotional and often resonated with me more than many of the films. Authors take more risks in comics, and you can really tell. Sometimes that backfires, but often unique stories emerge. Ultimately, I would probably never have bought Ultimate Spider-Man, but it is one of the best stories with the spider.
Are there any alternatives? I have spent the last few weeks focusing only on the two apps, but there are several alternatives if you want to read digitally.
- SWOOSH: If you prefer to read in German, you can opt for the SWOOSH subscription. There are some comics from DC, about Batman, Predator, or Star Wars. You can also find various issues of Lustiges Taschenbuch here.
- Manga Plus: If you prefer to deal with mangas, you can check out the Manga Plus platform and app from Shueisha. There are many works, including One Piece, Chainsaw Man, or Jujutsu Kaisen. You can read the latest and first chapters for free; otherwise, an subscription also gives you access to more.
- On platforms like Amazon or Humble Bundle, you can digitally purchase and read various comics.
But to be honest, physical comic books are still better than all apps and digital options. Reading them is the most fun for me, and I regularly buy new issues. The paper and the binding give you a completely different feeling for the story, and the panels stand out the best.
However, if I just want to read something short, I very much like to turn to the subscriptions from DC and Marvel. I find that much more enjoyable than scrolling through platforms like TikTok on the subway. Comics are also perfect for watching villains fail: 10 characters from Marvel who defeated Thanos in battle
