How many Marvel Comics are there? The History of Marvel Comics? OK, so Marvel has been around for a long time, almost 85 years to be exact. And in that time we’ve been introduced to countless iconic heroes and endless memorable storylines. There’s a lot of content to consume as a fan and it’s only picking up speed as the franchise expands at an ever faster rate.

The rise of the MCU has led to a significant increase in demand from an audience who would have largely ignored the comic books 15 years ago. Because of this, there’s been a boom in comic production, with more new heroes, villains and adventures being added than ever before. So with all this content being released over the course of 84 years it makes you wonder, just how many Marvel comics are there now? Well the reality is it’s pretty difficult to quantify just how many there actually are. It’s possible that someone out there knows the exact answer but it’s such a great amount that we’re going to have to settle for a rough estimate.

How many Marvel Comics are there?

The vast pantheon of issues is probably a lot bigger than you’d think but bear in mind, with over 80 years of releasing comics there. The first reliable source for ascertaining an exact number would be the Marvel comics app: Marvel Unlimited. The app gives users access to pretty much the entire library of comics released under the Marvel brand. The $5.00 monthly subscription service boasts over 30,000 issues for users to read, so if you’re interested in reading up on some Marvel that’s a good place to start. But does it really have every single release from the last 8 decades?

30,000 is a pretty sizable amount, but wait, there’s more! Marvel published an official index in 2009 and they listed 32,000 comics. Of course, if there were 32,000 comics 14 years ago we can safely assume that the number is much higher now. Especially when you consider the fact that investment in characters old and new has only increased as the interest in the medium has risen. We’re seeing more new issues and heroes now than ever before so that number has got to be way higher.

So we know that after 70 years we had 32,000 comics; how many more could have been added to the collection in the space of 14 years? Well, according to most sources and by all estimates we should be at around 40,000 individual comics now, perhaps even more. This number literally includes everything the comic company has put out such as the licensed characters from other franchises such as Godzilla or Star Wars, even the Alien franchise has been done in comic form by Marvel before.

How Many Marvel Comics are There & Where Can I Read Them for Free?

In this post, I’ll delve into the history of Marvel and explore how many comics the company has published to date (spoiler alert… it’s a lot!)

Then, I’ll share four of the top-rated sites on the internet to read Marvel comics for free.

The History of Marvel Comics

To get an idea of how many Marvel comics there are, we need to take a brief journey back in time and look at the history of this world-famous publisher.

Back in the early days, Marvel wasn’t known as Marvel. Instead, the original company was called Timely Comics, which began as the brainchild of pulp-magazine publisher Martin Goodman.

This was the start of the golden age of comic books, and Goodman saw the growing market as the perfect opportunity to launch a brand new enterprise.

Timely Comics’ first-ever publication was released in October of 1939, under the simple title ‘Marvel Comics #1.’ It marked the debut appearance of the classic superhero ‘The Human Torch’, and the action-packed story grabbed the attention of readers across America.

A staggering 900,000 copies were sold within the first two months, and Martin Goodman knew immediately that he was onto a winner.

Timely Comics went from strength to strength, and just two years later, in March of 1941, Captain America was born. The patriotic superhero’s debut issue, simply titled ‘Captain America Comics #1,’ sold almost a million copies and set the scene for decades of future success.

But it wasn’t always smooth sailing for the Marvel enterprise. After the end of World War II, there was a shift in American attitudes, and suddenly, superheroes were no longer as fashionable as they once were.

And so, Goodman was forced to shift focus to a wider range of genres, such as crime, horror, romance, espionage, and sports.

He began publishing these titles under the logo of his news distribution company, Atlas News, and ultimately, Atlas Comics was born.

These were tough times for Goodman and his team, and the instant success of their first comics proved hard to beat.

Yet the downturn didn’t last for long, and between the mid-1950s and early 1960s, superheroes became popular all over again. This was thanks in part to Marvel’s rival company, DC Comics, who began introducing their classic characters such as Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, and the Green Lantern to readers across America.

Atlas Comics jumped on the superhero bandwagon, and soon after, they officially became known as Marvel Comics.

Then, in 1961, the Fantastic Four hit the scene and attracted a whole new set of adult readers to the Marvel universe.

Gone were the days of polished, handsome, and gleaming superheroes who always say and do the right thing. Instead, these new icons had human traits and flaws that contrasted with their incredible abilities. Some characters, such as the Hulk, even looked like villains, and this fresh approach to these popular heroes saw Marvel soar from strength to strength.

This was the peak of what would later be dubbed ‘The Marvel Age of Comics,’ and many of the stories from this era are still making an impact on readers around the world today.

How Many Marvel Comics are there in Total?

Ever since those early days, the company now known as Marvel has been publishing an incredible amount of comics; in fact, there are so many, it’s hard to define an exact number.

There are a variety of estimates to be found online, but all we know for sure is that since the first issue was released in 1939, the company has published at least 40,000 issues, and that number continues to rise rapidly each year.

That’s an incredible back catalog to work through, and even the most fanatic aficionados would struggle to take on the task of reading every single one. But in case you’re thinking of giving it a go, it’s estimated that you’d need 440,000 minutes, or a whopping 917 days, to read everything in the Marvel universe.

But if that feels like a little too much commitment, don’t worry; just continue your Marvel reading journey one comic book at a time.

And to help you explore the very best that this famous publisher has to offer, I’ve put together a list of some of the best places on the internet to read Marvel comics for free.

Where Can I Read Marvel Comics for Free?

The official home of Marvel is, of course, marvel.com, where you can find a full, alphabetized list of every comic in their vast universe. But of course, they’re not giving them all away for anything.

Most comics on the official Marvel site come at a cost, but there is a small selection of free issues to explore too. This list changes all the time, so it’s well worth checking in regularly to see what’s on offer.

Another great alternative is Marvel Unlimited, an official offshoot of the main Marvel site where you can read as many comics as you like for a small monthly subscription fee.

While Marvel Unlimited might not be completely free, if you’re an avid Marvel fan who wants to explore as many comics as possible, this is a great, cost-effective way to do it.

But if you’re short on cash or want to sample some Marvel comics for free before you commit, there are some great sites online where you can read select issues without spending a dime. Below, I’ve listed four of the very best to get you started.

Above is information about How many Marvel Comics are there? What is this movie about? that we have compiled. Hopefully, through the above content, you have a more detailed understanding of Marvel Comics are there. Thank you for reading our post.