Marvel Comics: A Gateway to Reading
And how I keep reading today with Marvel Unlimited
I’ve been dabbling with the idea of adding a recurring column where I write about the comics that I’ve been reading lately. The majority of my comics I read are on Marvel Unlimited, the incredible digital app that Marvel has for their digital back catalogue (note: it isn’t free, but its $60/ year).
Marvel Unlimited (MU) has over 29,000 issues from nearly the entire history of Marvel comics — although there are lots of early issues missing. I grew up reading Marvel comics almost exclusively. I dabbled with Batman and Superman from DC Comics, and a few stories from independents like Image.
My dad grew up reading Marvel too. He started early and collected issues from their very first run. Those included The Avengers, Iron Man, and The Incredible Hulk. He gave those to me when I was around 10 to read and I took great care of them.
The earliest issues he had that have survived time before the proverbial torch passing include The Avengers #9, and Iron Man #10 — #21 and real early Incredible Hulk issues too.
It is largely to my parents that I can thank my love of comics for their origin. My mom started a tradition of getting me comic books when I would be home sick from school.
She picked up comics like X-Men, The Amazing Spider-Man, and Ghost Rider. It wasn’t long before I was spending my allowance on comics and comic book cards (that’s right, the money eater that proceeded Pokémon cards).
I used to shop at Westfield Comics in Madison, WI. I loved going in there. My mom would be shopping nearby at a store that shared an entrance with the comic shop and she’d let me hang at Westfield.
I’d pull comics from the shelves, put them on the counter, along with comic cards, and when she came back, we’d debate how many of the aggressive stack I’d actually be able to get, particularly how far my piggy bank and allowance would cover.
I distinctly remember the look of the owner. He was mid-30s, a bit shy, balding, but kind enough to let a kid roam the store for 30-plus minutes and trust that I’d actually buy something (I looked at the store’s website — he still works there!).
The excitement that I had with a new issue in hand and a pack of cards to open is one of those things you never forget. Trying to rush my mom to the car so I could open the pack, hope for a “special card”, and start reading.
My mom was a 3rd grade teacher for over 40 years, so for her, any enticement for her kids to read was good. The medium never mattered, just that we wanted to read.
Marvel Comics were my love, and Calvin & Hobbes was my gateway to broader thought (my love for Calvin & Hobbes deserves its own post).
Fast-forward to today and I am actively entrenched in Marvel Unlimited.
One of the reasons is the introduction of their reading lists. As you might imagine, these are often curated to tie-in to Marvel Cinematic Universe storylines.
For example, while Moon Knight was running, there were character primers.
And then most recently when Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness was released, there were primers on Doctor Stranger and subsequent characters and storylines.
This year they also introduced something called Infinity Comics. These are custom made digital comics that are vertical scrolling narratives designed for phone interfaces.
The art is incredibly creative and play around with the format to make some unique and special storytelling.
I’ve enjoyed it for that experience and I’ve enjoyed reading storylines I’ve missed, classics, and recommendations (I get a lot from the X-Ray Vision podcast).
I truly love the medium of comics, and there is such a variety out there to experience. While this post is exclusively about Marvel, I’ve spent time read from other publishers too (in part through Comixology), and enjoyed stories like Saga.
The love of comics has translated to my kids as well, who get a few print subscriptions delivered and have gone to Free Comic Book Day at a local store for the past seven years.
I admit that there is certainly something intimidating about going into a comics shop. I think part of it is not knowing where to start. And in that regard, digital comics are a good place to transition your comfort to the medium if you haven’t delved into it before.
Any personal storyline recommendations you think are worth a read? Share in the comments!
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