The Collins Compendium of Free Online Comic Books

Two of the greatest obstacles that comics have in reaching readers are exposure and cost. Fortunately, the internet has provided remedies for both. There are now a plethora of comic books that can be read in full online, completely legally (at least, 99% of them) and at absolutely no cost. Here I have endeavored to collect as many of these as possible, now totalling over 300 full issues and stories, in one place.

Whether you have been meaning to try a new title, or if you've never read a comic in your life, there's still something here for you to enjoy. Follow a link or two or three. Some comics that I especially recommend carry an asterisk, but I haven't come close to reading everything here. Maybe you'll find something you enjoy.

And if you find yourself wanting more, click on the Buy button adjacent to an issue to view or purchase a collected edition of that comic.

DC | Marvel | Image | Dark Horse | Oni | Alias | Vertigo/Wildstorm/ABC | Independents

DC Comics - May require Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Vertigo/Wildstorm Comics - Recommended for Mature Readers. May require Adobe Acrobat Reader.

America's Best Comics - Alan Moore's own imprint. Includes:

  • Tom Strong #1
  • Tomorrow Stories #1
  • Top Ten #1*

Image's Online Comics

Oni Press' FreeComic - A variety of first issues from the alternative publisher. Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader. Includes...

  • Adventures of Barry Ween, Boy Genius #1
  • Blue Monday #1
  • Courtney Crumrin & the Night Things #1
  • Fortune & Glory #1*
  • Geisha #1
  • Jingle Belle #1
  • Kissing Chaos #1
  • Sidekicks #1
  • Soulwind #1
  • Whiteout #1*

Dark Horse E-Comics - Requires Flash Plug-in. Includes some 90+ comics:

Warp Graphics

  • Elfquest: Graphic Novel #1: Fire & Flight
  • Elfquest: Hidden Years #1
  • Elfquest: Dreamtime #1
  • Elfquest: The Jury
  • Elfquest: Rogue's Curse
  • Xanth: Return to Centaur

Alias - A series of full issue previews provided to Newsarama.

Tokyopop

Golden Age Public Domain Comics 		Marvel Comics - Go to Marvel Digital Comics for unlinked issues.

Independents

The Agency #1 - Top Cow.

Atomika #1 and Atomika #4 - Russian superheroics.

The Ballad of Sleeping Beauty #1* - And previews of other Beckett Comics.

Battle Pope #1

Captain Confederacy #1-10 - Five pages a week of the alternative universe hero.

Devi #1 - Virgin Comics.

Feather #1-5 - A fantasy comic by the creator of Marvel's "Eden's Trail."

Fell #1* - Warren Ellis & Ben Templesmith's $1.99 monthly.

Free Scott Pilgrim #1

Fillmore! - An original story based on the late, lamented Disney series.

Girl Genius #1 - Feminism meets steampunk, courtesy of Phil Foglio. Read the entire first *volume* online for free.

"Heroes" Graphic Novels - From the hit NBC TV series.

John Woo's 7 Brothers #1 - Warning: mature subject matter and language.

Kabuki #1-4 - New pages added daily.

The Matrix - Numerous visions of the Wachowski brothers' universe, from such esteemed folks as Neil Gaiman and Bill Sienkiewicz.

Max Hamm, Fairy Tale Detective in "Just Right"*

Owly - The adventures of Andy Runton's cute little owl.

Proximity Effect #1-2 - Top Cow.

Ramayan 3392 A.D. #1 - Virgin Comics.

Red Sonja #1 - Dynamite Entertainment.

Season of the Witch #1

Snake Woman #1 - Virgin Comics.

The Spirit* - Will Eisner's origin of his classic pulp creation.

Super Teen Topia #1

Supernatural Law - Beware the creatures of the night - They have lawyers!

Western Tales of Terror #3: Fool's Ransom - A short story by Jay Faerber.

Zot: Hearts & Minds - Scott McCloud's science hero returns in this online-only adventure.

If you're interested in reading more current comics, you can check out the first 4 pages of numerous brand-new issues at Mile High Comics' FirstLook, which maintains an archive of previews from the last six weeks.

And if you know of more comics I could include, or discover that any of these links have gone bad, please e-mail me.

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