With so much of the entertainment industry seeking to draw attention to black creators and storytellers, Marvel Comics has responded by making a number of stories featuring black heroes and black creators free on its Marvel Unlimited digital comics service.
These free comics span several decades of Marvel’s library, from classic series like Marvel Knights: Black Panther, Deathlok, and Damage Control to more recent projects like Killmonger, Ironheart, and Adam: Legend of the Blue Marvel. Scroll down to see the full list, along with links to the individual listings on Marvel Unlimited:
- MARVEL’S VOICES ONE-SHOT (2020)
- BLACK PANTHER AND THE CREW: WE ARE THE STREETS
- BLACK PANTHER AND THE CREW (2017) #1-6
- POWER MAN AND IRON FIST: THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN
- POWER MAN AND IRON FIST (2016) #1-5
- BLACK PANTHER: WORLD OF WAKANDA
- BLACK PANTHER: WORLD OF WAKANDA (2016) #1-6
- DEATHLOK: THE SOULS OF CYBER-FOLK
- DEATHLOK (1991) #1-5
- IRONHEART: THOSE WITH COURAGE
- IRONHEART (2018) #1-6
- BLACK PANTHER: THE CLIENT
- BLACK PANTHER (1998) #1-5
- ADAM: LEGEND OF THE BLUE MARVEL
- ADAM: LEGEND OF THE BLUE MARVEL (2008) #1-5
- BLACK PANTHER BOOK 6: THE INTERGALACTIC EMPIRE OF WAKANDA PART 1
- BLACK PANTHER (2018) #1-6
- SHURI: THE SEARCH FOR BLACK PANTHER
- SHURI (2018) #1-5
- MOSAIC: KING OF THE WORLD
- MOSAIC (2016) #1-5
- CAPTAIN AMERICA/BLACK PANTHER: FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS
- CAPTAIN AMERICA/BLACK PANTHER: FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS (2010) #1-4
- BLACK PANTHER – LONG LIVE THE KING
- BLACK PANTHER – LONG LIVE THE KING (2017) #1-6
- BLACK PANTHER: KILLMONGER – BY ANY MEANS
- KILLMONGER (2018) #1-5
- FALCON: TAKE FLIGHT
- FALCON (2017) #1-8
- THE NEW FANTASTIC FOUR
- FANTASTIC FOUR (1998) #544-550
- BLACK PANTHER EPIC COLLECTION: PANTHER’S RAGE (ISSUES #19-22)
- DAMAGE CONTROL
- DAMAGE CONTROL (1989A) #1-4
- MARVEL RISING: HEROES OF THE ROUND TABLE
- MARVEL RISING (2019) #1-5
- TRUTH: RED, WHITE AND BLACK
- TRUTH: RED, WHITE AND BLACK (2003) #1-7
While Marvel Unlimited normally requires a monthly subscription, these books are being made free to read for all users for the month of June. Most of these titles can also be acquired for free on ComiXology and Amazon.
Given how long this list is, you may be wondering which free books are worth prioritizing. Read on for a few recommendations to get started.
Black Panther: The Client
This graphic novel reprints the opening story in writer Christopher Priest’s lengthy Black Panther run, which is widely regarded as one of the best and most influential in the character’s history. Priest drastically revamped the character and his place in the Marvel Universe, depicting him as a monarch torn between his loyalty to his fellow heroes and his duties to Wakanda. The series deals with complex political issues, yet the fact that it’s narrated from the perspective of T’Challa’s bumbling American ally, Everett K. Ross, helps inject an element of humor into the series.
Truth: Red, White and Black
While Captain America is recognized as one of the most morally righteous heroes in the Marvel Universe, this series from writer Robert Morales and artist Kyle Baker shows that Cap’s legacy, much like the country he represents, is built on the exploitation of African Americans. Inspired by the real-life Tuskegee trials, Truth reveals the US military experimented on black soldiers in an effort to perfect the Super-Soldier Serum that later transforms Steve Rogers into an American hero. One by one, these soldiers meet unhappy fates until only one remains to remember the truth of Captain America’s origin.
Ironheart: Those With Courage
Teen heroine Riri Williams made her debut in the pages of The Invincible Iron Man, temporarily taking up the mantle from a comatose Tony Stark. But once Tony reclaimed his Iron Man identity, Riri blazed a new trail as Ironheart. This series further cements Riri as one of Marvel’s best teen heroes, one who comes from a tragic background yet embodies hope and a love of science and invention. This book is certainly a great starting point for teen readers getting into comics and looking for positive role models.
Black Panther: Killmonger – By Any Means
2018’s Black Panther movie shone a spotlight on Erik Killmonger, transforming this long-standing Marvel villain into a figure of profound tragedy. This mini-series offers a new take on the character’s origins, one still set within Marvel’s traditional comic book universe but incorporating many elements from the movie. Bolstered by a stellar creative team in writer Bryan Edward Hill and artist Juan Ferreyra, this book is a must-read for anyone fascinated by the would-be king of Wakanda.
Damage Control
With the Marvel Universe seemingly facing alien invasions and terrorist attacks every week, you have to wonder how all the collateral damage gets cleaned up. That’s the premise fueling Damage Control, a comedic series centered around the organization whose job it is to clean up New York City after every superhuman disaster. As if that job isn’t difficult enough, the company is co-owned by Tony Stark and Wilson Fisk. If you’re curious about these characters following their brief appearance in Spider-Man: Homecoming, this book is a perfect chance to dive into their corner of the Marvel Universe.
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For more reading recommendations, check out IGN’s Top 25 Batman graphic novels and our picks for the best comics to read on ComiXology Unlimited. HBO is also making Watchmen Season 1 available to watch free for Juneteenth through June 21, while a number of movie studios and TV networks have made a selection of films, TV shows, and documentaries that address racial inequality free to watch for the month of June, including Selma and Just Mercy.
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Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.
Source: IGN.com Marvel Reveals Free Comics Spotlighting Black Creators