If you are a movie fan, then there is no way you haven’t heard of the Marvel Cinematic Universe or better known to fans as MCU. For those who do not know, MCU is an American entertainment franchise with many a series of superheroes that Marvel Comics produces.
It all started with the famous Iron Man series in 2008, with Robert Downing Junior playing the role of the protagonist. Due to the film’s instant and immense success, the makers decided to go ahead with their plan of releasing superhero movies in phases, over a decade. With the last movie “The Endgame,” the first phase also ended.
A lot of fans find themselves researching the stories of their favorite superheroes. They spend time reading comic books, articles, snippets, and anything else they get a hand on. As a result, Marvel decided to launch an app and called it “Marvel Unlimited” so that fans can get access to 28,000 digital comics with a click of a button!
About The App
Marvel Unlimited allows you to look through over 80 years’ worth of comic stories with a simple subscription. It gives you a sneak peek and a full story on all the key characters you see on the big screen.
So, for example, other than Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America, you can expect to find a lot of content on Thanos, the ultimate villain from Phase one of the saga. Marvel keeps updating the digital library, and newer issues are added every 7 days after completing at least 90 days in the retail stores.
The app also allows its readers to curate custom reading as per their preferences and follow their favorite superheroes or superstars’ stories. Marvel Unlimited belongs to the Walt Disney Group companies and you can expect their in-app ads on their products and services.
There is a special team of Marvel experts that curates the content for the app. This is done by keeping in mind the releases during the year, popular superheroes, and buzzing stories in the media. For example, if you see heavy promotions of “Infinity War,” you will most likely find a similar storyline from the relevant comic book on the dashboard of the app.
Main Features
A great feature of the app is the ability to download up to 12 comic books at a time. This comes as a no-brainer that there are so many interesting characters, and you might want to read more than one character at a time. Plus, there is a section on monthly and free releases, which gives fans many reasons to stay engaged with the app throughout the month.
Like how you can work across devices and save it on cloud servers, you can do the same with Marvel Comics. Once you login using the same credentials across all your devices, you can sync your reading progress so that you aren’t lost, and there is continuity. Bookmarking a page has never been cooler than this; try it on your app now!
Do not have access to the internet at all times on your phone? Download your desired comic on your phone for offline reading. This is especially helpful when having no internet when you are free, or commuting can be boring. The comic books help you fill up that gap and allow you to catch up until you complete that train or bus journey to work.
Cost
You can start reading your favorite comics for free for the first 7 days with no commitment. If you like what you read, then you take the monthly plan at $9.99. Do note that the free trial cannot be used over and over and or in between intervals. It is specifically meant for first-time users only. This is also the most popular plan available at Marvel Unlimited.
The second tier is the annual plan at $69 per year plan, which is billed at once, and you save $50 compared to the first plan. This comes to around $5.75 per month, and you should select this plan if you are very sure of your subscription and usage; otherwise, stick to option number one.
The final tier is the annual plus plan at $99 which allows you to take home the new exclusive kit, which has goodies like the Limited-edition Hasbro, Marvel heroes Ms. Marvel: Spider-Man costume figure, which is not available anywhere else worldwide!
Be prepared to get invited to exclusive Marvel events and get a 10% discount on all Marvel merchandise.
How To Download
If you are an Android user, go to the Google Play Store and click on the install button. You can follow the same process using a desktop as long as you are logged into the same account as on your phone. You can only download the app on the Android and iOS systems on your phone currently.
As for desktop users, you can simply logon to the website, where you will get a page full of the latest comics. You can browse through the free comics on your phone or the website. If you wish to get a print version, enter the pin code (within the USA) and see the nearest outlet. The digital version fits your desktop screen, and all you need to do is click the “arrow” sign.
To fulfill the promise of sync and continuity, Marvel keeps adding newer devices and platforms to their distribution channel so that their comics are available everywhere. Apart from the app download, you can now do a Windows and a Mac download too. Please note that currently, you can’t download the app on the Microsoft app store.
How To Use The App
Once you download the app, you will be taken to the default dashboard, where you will need to sign in or click the “get started” button if this is your first time.
Since Marvel’s subscription is linked to Google Play, you will be taken to the authorization page, where you will confirm your credit card details and click on the “subscribe” button.
Do not worry; you will not be charged right away but on the 8th day. Next, on the homepage, you will see comics in various categories. Browse what you like, and in case you do not find your favorite hero there, go to the top right search magnifier and look for the title.
Once you start reading, you will notice a “now reading” section on the top of all the other comics. You can even use the toggle button to in a certain content you like.
Why You Will Love The App
If you have already availed of the first 7-day free trial from Marvel Unlimited, you will agree that the UI, navigation, and flow of reading the comics on any device are seamless.
By simply clicking on the arrow button, the interface makes sure it gives you a complete tour of the images on the dashboard and then brings you back to the dialogue box, all in seconds!
Compared to competition like ComiXology and DC universe’s new digital content offer, Marvel is hands-down better. Besides, DC tries to copy Marvel’s trends, is slow, and lags in user experience. In short, if you are a Marvel fan, you will extend the 7-day trial into a monthly subscription at least.
Tips
If you are using Microsoft Apps and have tried to search for Marvel Unlimited App, you will get search results to convince you to visit the store to download the app.
However, once you click the link, you will realize you are downloading “Comics Unlimited” with an “unlimited comics download option.”
Please do not fall for such marketing gimmicks and stick to the Marvel site only. There is an app called “Marvel Comics App” on the Google Play Store with 10 million downloads. This app is not the same as “Marvel Unlimited”!
While Marvel Comics allows you to access digital comics that you have purchased via the app or ComiXology, Marvel Unlimited gives you access to 28000 plus digital comics right away on a google play-based subscription.
Pro-Tip
If you are spending a lot of time on the app reading tons of comics in a day, it is best to first set the setting or the background right and set the stage before you read.
Open the settings menu and select between white, black, and red color themes. This will not change the color of the comics, but the bars above and below will change in reading mode.
Conclusion
Marvel Cinematic Universe has not only created fandom but something more than that – a cult. The brand connects so strong that the last decade has been a testimony to the 27 billion dollars’ worth of revenue earned by the company only by making mega movies. The App is an extension to that testimony, and hence it is here to stay.
There is nothing to lose to give the app a shot if you are a first-time user. With flexible and no-commitment cancellations, given that they remind you two days before charging your card, the app is a complete package. It Is advisable to download across devices as there is no extra cost to use the same subscription, as long as you are the one reading the content.
