Marvel Unlimited
The Netflix of comics. I love it. I love the service, I love the iOS app, and I love the selection it provides. Let me explain.
When I first subscribed to this service I was unsure whether the $55 yearly subscription was going to be worth it. I read all about how the selection was limited, about how bad the user interface was. Still, the value proposition seemed great. I would have access to read thousands of Marvel comics at any time, granted I have access to the Internet. So I bought it and I put it to the test.
IGN’s comic book podcast, IGN Assemble, was planning a big podcast on the initial run of Astonishing X-men. Great. I went to my newly downloaded Unlimited app and searched for the series. It was there. All of it. I read 20+ straight issues of the series over the course of a few days. With just that, my money was more than paid for. The interface for reading the comics on my iPad or iPhone, while not as good as Comixology, worked. The display was beautiful, transitions worked, and most importantly, I was able to read the comics I wanted to read in a way that wasn’t a hinderance.
Since then, I have read more comics than I can count. I was able to read back issues to catch up on current runs (of which I pick up new issues in print at the local shop). I am able to read the essentials of the past while dipping my beak in newer runs to see if I like them. Did I just read a top 10 list on a comic site? You bet I read all relevant books with this app. Am I diving into the list of shame; events that I haven’t read but should? Yep (Civil War, Days of Future Past, Secret Wars, etc..). I use it just about every day.
Can I say that my $55 purchase was justified? I give a resounding YES. Will I do it again? I think you know the answer. While not perfect by any means, I can say that Unlimited is more than worth the price of admission if you like to read comics. Not every issue ever published by Marvel is available. There are gaps in the middle of runs; sometimes in the most inconvenient of places. At times, things can get frustrating. That said, when Unlimited hits, it hits right. Entire runs of great books and events are in here. Really, if you want to monetize it, All you need to do is read 18 books in a year to justify the purchase.
Here’s to hoping DC comes out with something similar.