Digital comics service ComiXology is adding a new way for readers to get their fix of sequential art in the form of ComiXology Unlimited, a subscription service that opens up thousands of graphic novels, single issues, and collections for a single monthly fee.
Priced at $5.99 a month, ComiXology Unlimited is certain to turn some avid readers' heads. At $3 to $5 a pop, subscribing to multiple series à la carte can quickly drain wallets each Wednesday (when new books release).
Books "borrowed" from ComiXology Unlimited's can be downloaded and read offline on mobile devices, just like any comic bought outright on the service.
ComiXology's subscription plan isn't as unlimited as the name suggest, however, with only a curated selection of books across publishers such as Dark Horse, Image, Archie, BOOM!, and Oni Press being eligible for free reading.
That said, the list does contain some contemporary must-reads, like the the beautifully somber mythical Western Pretty Deadly, the kid-and-adult-friendly Lumberjanes, the better-than-the-show-trust-me horror epic The Walking Dead, sci-fi/fantasy hotness Saga, the retro-flavored chronology Hip-Hop Family Tree, and Mark Waid's surprisingly hip and earnest Archie reboot.
Best for beginners
However, only the first volume or two of each series is available for free, meaning that getting hooked on any particular book will require dropping more money on top of the Unlimited subscription fee.
Superhero fans will also notice that Marvel and DC books are absent from the list. While DC doesn't offer much of a digital contender, Marvel has had its own take on a comics subscription - Marvel Unlimited - since 2007.
Additionally, ComiXology Unlimited is currently exclusive to the US, and iPhone owners will still have to deal with Amazon taking out in-app purchases from the iOS app following the company's buy-up by the retail giant in 2014.
However, for half the price of a trade paperback, ComiXology does offer an amazing starter pack of critically acclaimed books that are sure to result in readers expanding their pull lists.
ComiXology also offers a decent recommendation guide on its website, if you're looking to make the most of Unlimited's 30-day free trial. Seriously, though, give that Archie reboot a look.
