10 Avengers-Related Digital Comic Books to Read Right Now
Just in time for Endgame, we’ve got a slew of Avengers-related digital comic book recommendations that you should download to your PC, phone, or tablet right now.
The act of buying comic books used to be as simple as stopping by a local supermarket, 7–Eleven, or newsstand to pick up your favorite titles. Sadly, the direct market eventually killed that accessibility, leaving many long-time comic book fans (and potential new ones!) no easy way to find Avengers, Justice League, and other tales that astonish. Though there are efforts to reverse that misstep, technological innovations now make it incredibly easy to read a vast number of offerings from major and independent publishers, all without getting off your duff. Digital comics have changed the game.
Digital Comics Defined
What are digital comic books, you ask? Digital comics are, well…comic books in digital format. It’s a broad umbrella that covers digital versions of print titles (such as Deathstroke) and original digital titles (such as Avengers: Back to Basics). The Comixology marketplace is the big dog in the space, with its excellent sales, browser-based reader, and mobile apps. Before you explore the service, check out these Comixology tips that will improve your digital comics experience.
Digital comic books let everyone from the first-time reader to the longtime fan enjoy titles on a PC, tablet, or smartphone. There are books from big guns like DC and Marvel, as well as titles from smaller publishers like Boom, Dynamite, and Image. The comics aren’t strictly superhero-based, either. Though super-powered slobberknockers dominate the comic book industry, there’s also a healthy share of mystery, horror, science fiction, and slice-of-life stories. Digital comics offer something for everyone.
The Comic Books to Buy
If you’re looking for digital comic book recommendations, you’ve come to the right place. Unsurprisingly, the PCMag staff has quite a few comic book nerds in its ranks, and I’ve tapped the group for recommendations.
So check out the list below for our top digital comic book picks. The titles we showcase aren’t strictly the best comics on the market. Instead, consider this a collection of our favorite digital comics of the moment.
Are you ready to explore super heroics, hard drama, science fiction, and other genres? If so, these are the 10 digital comics that you should read right now.
And, if you’re curious about how comic books are made in contemporary times, check out From Ink to iPad: The Evolution of the Modern Comic Book.
The Avengers
Ant-Man. Wasp. Thor. Iron Man. These four heroes come together to battle the Hulk after Loki, the mischievous Asgardian, tricks the rage monster into going on a rampage. Featuring the legendary creative team of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, The Avengers shows how Earth’s Mightiest Heroes came into existence.
Doomsday Clock
Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ Watchmen is a classic mini-series that is held aloft as one of the comic book medium’s defining moments. Doomsday Clock, a 12-issue Watchmen sequel from writer Geoff Johns and artist Gary Frank, does the unthinkable: continuing Watchmen’s apocalyptic paranoia, while pulling that series’ characters into the mainline DC Universe just as a super-powered world war is set to erupt.
The Immortal Hulk
This ain’t the MCU Big Green. Writer Al Ewing and artist Joe Bennett reimagine Bruce Banner’s alter ego not as a superhero, loner, or rage machine, but as a monster who emerges at night and creeps in the shadows to exact vengeance upon humanity’s worst members. It’s a surprisingly macabre run, one that recalls The Twilight Zone’s sci-fi morality tales and EC Comics’ horror line. The Immortal Hulk’s title is taken from the fact that even if Banner dies, the beast lives on.
The Infinity Gauntlet
Sliding into theaters this week is Avengers: End Game, the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s post-apocalyptic tale of heroes gathering for a grudge match against the death-obsessed Thanos. As a result, now’s a good time to read (or re-read) The Infinity Gauntlet, the Jim Starlin penned, six issue mini-series that chronicles Marvel Comics’ legendary heroes battling the Mad Titan and his power glove.
Invaders
Three of the original Invaders — Captain America, Winter Soldier, and Jim Hammond, the O.G. Human Torch — undertake an investigation to determine why their former World War II partner, Namor the Sub-Mariner, has once again become a global threat. Taking place during the present day and World War II, Invaders explores Namor’s damaged psyche and mysterious post-war past. Marvel’s current MVP, Chip Zdarsky, handles the tale.
Marvel Comics Presents
It’s been 80 years since the debut of Marvel Comics #1, so the House of Ideas is resurrecting many long-dormant series in 2019. The new Marvel Comics Presents is one of them, and the beloved title retains its anthology format. This time there’s a twist! Each issue celebrates a different Marvel decade, featuring heroes and storylines from a particular time period. For example, issue #1 is 1940s-themed and has shorts starring Wolverine in World War II, Namor coming to grips with the A-bomb and humanity’s bloodlust, and a contemporary Captain America tale highlighting the hero’s impact in non-heroic situations.
Man and Superman
Man and Superman, a 100-page one-shot, is literally a comic from another time. Penned by comic veteran Marv Wolfman from 2006–2009 for inclusion in the cancelled Superman Confidential series, Man and Superman sat in DC’s back pocket until now. It was very much worth the wait. The giant-size comic book chronicles Clark Kent’s first few days in Metropolis as he learns what it means to be a reporter — and a hero.
Mysteries of Love in Space
Released in time for Valentine’s Day, Mysteries of Love In Space is a giant-size one-shot featuring romantic tales from around the DC Universe. As with real-world love, the stories in this collection contain happiness and sorrow, regret and hope. Some of the standout titles in this character-driven anthology feature Granny Goodness in “An Apokoliptan Love Story,” Kilowog in “Old Scars, Fresh Wounds,” and Lois Lane in “Glasses.”
Savage Sword of Conan
Last month, the relaunched Conan the Barbarian series graced this list, but it has been replaced by its Crom-approved sister series: Savage Sword of Conan. Penned by Gerry Duggan, with art by Ron Garney, Savage Sword of Conan opens with a five-part story arc that sees the wild warrior discovering an ancient treasure chest that contains mysterious secrets. If you like the hard-hitting Conan action, here’s even better news: Savage Sword hits comic shops and digital platforms twice per month.
The Seeds
Acclaimed creators Ann Nocenti (Daredevil, Catwoman) and David Aja (Hawkeye, Immortal Iron Fist) spin an alien invasion tale like no other. In The Seeds, a hidden extraterrestrial force is tasked with eliminating humans from the planet by enticing them into Zone B, a lawless, tech-free area that is filled with mysterious happenings. But The Seeds isn’t about ray guns, flying saucers, and little green men. Instead, the story explores weighty topics, such as humans’ environmental impact and click-bait journalism’s ability to sway the public.
Originally published at https://www.pcmag.com on April 26, 2019.
