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I need some advice from people who reads superhero comics and is fairly up-to-date on what's coming out and how much it'd set me back.

So I'm pretty keen on the ol' comic books. My uncle used to get a big box every month; all your marvel and dc series in one big subscription and I'd just read them when he was done. So I was keeping up with X-Men, Batman, Spider-man, Superman, all your Avengers and your Justice League and your Guardians of the Galaxy- the full shebang. But a few years ago, he left home and moved up north with a woman he met on the internet.

I couldn't possibly afford to buy all the comics he bought, so I've been tiding myself over with IDW's Transformers output, and Marvel's Ultimate Graphic Novel Collection.

But now, I'm starting to wish I could keep up with the comics that are coming out now, and I was wondering what the best service is for reading them digitally. Is there something where you can pay either Marvel or DC a subscription, and you can read everything that comes out? I have a laptop, but ideally I'd like to read stuff on my Kindle Fire. Is the best bet just to buy digital editions of each book as they come out? How much does that run to? Ideally I'd want Spider-Man, Batman, Superman, X-Men, Iron Man and Fantastic Four, plus whatever ensemble books are relevant to those characters.

I'm not worried about owning it- once its read, I'm okay with the company taking it away. The stuff I'm worried about keeping (i.e stuff written by James Roberts) I have on a shelf in nice polythene bags.

Oh, and I don't really want to go down the "pirate scans" route. If not for moral reasons, more for reasons of its not an ideal way to read.

There's not a cheap way to do this, is there?

Marvel offer an unlimited service seen http://marvel.com/comics/unlimited I'm not sure on the quality of the service or the comics they offer, such a low price breeds suspicion, so I would assume a lot of the more recent comics (maybe from the last 12 months or so?) aren't included, but maybe someone else on the board has more knowledge of that.

I'm not sure if DC offer a similar service, if not you'll likely be stuck buying single issues (or trades) using the comixology app for the Kindle Fire. They tend to be around the same price as print, so you're looking at what... 2.99 for a standard issue now?

And is there ever a cheap, legal and morally just way of doing anything? :P

A friend of mine does the Marvel unlimited thing and swears blind by it, though it's not bang up to date if you're a bit behind as well that doesn't matter so much. Plus buggerloads of older issues.

Yeah, I think I'm gonna go in for that one. I don't really care about being bang up to date; if they update every month with, say, the issues from 2 years ago that would suit me fine. I just want to read them, I'm not gonna be too bothered about keeping with the dialogue the way I like to with Transformers.

If DC do the same thing, I'm basically sorted.

Summerhayes wrote: I don't really want to go down the "pirate scans" route. If not for moral reasons, more for reasons of its not an ideal way to read.

It's a far better experience than current digital services, unless they've massively improved recently.

Reprints like Essential X-Men are a pretty good starting point; I've just started getting together some volume 2 issues and it means you get a decent selection of storylines.

I use the Marvel Comics iPhone app. It runs really well, is available for android as well and has regular sales. Comixology have a bunch of apps for other publishers and even their own app where you can download any comics available through any comixology app.
Price wise though, Marvel Unlimited looks best, and even has it's own mobile app now. If the damn website accepted Japanese credit cards then I'd be using it.

If it's not hobbled by geographical IP restrictions that'd make it unworkable and you need a "friend abroad" gimme a shout.