Free Digital Comics To Read Under Quarantine
by James Ferguson
COVID-19 has forced us all into self-isolation, canceling conventions and keeping us indoors. It’s an introvert’s dream, but it can lead to some cabin fever. Fortunately, the comic book industry is here to help. Publishers and creators alike have put a number of digital comics online for free for you to read right now. Here is a sampling below.
First up, ComiXology always has a batch of free comics available for you to try out, including a rotating collection of Marvel #1s. Right now you can pick up the first issue of my favorite version of Guardians of the Galaxy along with the first issue of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for free.
Image Comics has the first issues of dozens of series available for free on its website, including recent titles like Undiscovered Country and The Clock. I can personally recommend Nailbiter, Murder Falcon, and I Hate Fairyland.
Read #1 issues for free! Like what you read? Contact your local comic shop to order the rest of the series: https://t.co/QOQ0ycXGXz
— Image Comics (@ImageComics) March 14, 2020
Writer Felipe Cagno has put a number of his comics online for free, partly for your quarantined reading pleasure, but also to promote his current Kickstarter campaign. You can check out Lost Kids, Too Good to Be True, and The Chronicles of the Few and the Cursed.
Writer Mike Garley shared all three parts of Samurai Slasher on his Patreon page. You don’t have to be a backer to access the books. This is a pretty cool horror title that’s well worth your time too.
Jim Zub did something similar on his Patreon, sharing the first volumes of two of his creator-owned books Skullkickers and Wayward.
Dave Scheidt has shared both volumes of the all-ages monsters comic Wrapped Up, illustrated by Scoot McMahon. I cannot recommend this book enough, especially if you have little ones at home.
Stuck inside? Looking for something to do? Have kids? I’m giving away free PDFs of my all ages middle grade comic book series Wrapped Up for FREE!
Volume One: https://t.co/tvMHWfBiyZ
Volume Two: https://t.co/bN1eKwFfzu #kidlit #comics #kids pic.twitter.com/FMocLQ5nrd— Dave Scheidt (@DaveScheidt) March 15, 2020
Paul Allor is offering some free comics including the complete collections of Past the Last Mountain, Tet, and Strange Nation. If you’re a new writer using this time to work on your script, Allor is also offering free script critiques.
Hey, comics community! I’m offering two things to help out during these weird times:
1. Free comics: https://t.co/TXvPNnAvqk
2. Free comics script critiques. If you’re a newer creator using this time of isolation to polish up your skills, check out the image for details. pic.twitter.com/XrHrvrwN1j
— Paul Allor Loves You (@PaulAllor) March 15, 2020
Purgatory, an indie book that began life as a webcomic will be coming to print later this year. You can catch up on the series online right now.
Ghost Island, a series described as “Jurassic Park…but with ghosts” has its first two issues available online for free at AfterLightComics.com.
Valiant Comics is putting up a different issue for free every day through Twitter including the newest Bloodshot series. Check out the thread below.
To our amazing comics family, friends, and fans: please enjoy some new free downloadable comics! This thread will be regularly updated with #1 issues, fun reads, & even full trade volumes!
This is a challenging time, & we hope free comics help a little!#StayValiant #FreeComics pic.twitter.com/AiJKVdqpii— Valiant Comics (@ValiantComics) March 13, 2020
Vault Comics has a number of first issues available on its website for free, similar to the Image Comics setup. I can recommend Wasted Space, Fearscape, and Maxwell’s Demons to start, but honestly, if you’re into genre books, you can’t go wrong with any of them.
That’s a good place to get started. I’ll try to add more as I find them. Let me know what you’re reading during this trying time.
