Git Collections Offers A New Way To Read Marvel Comics - Is It Worth it?

While many comic book readers have been consistently let down by digital comic book offerings, ownership, and services getting shut down, Git Collections offers a new way to read the classics at a pretty affordable rate — but what’s the catch?

Git Collections is probably best known for selling CDs that give access to digital comics. They’ve been around for more than twenty years, but more recently, they’re trying something different. For $79 USD, you can buy a licensed collection of digital comics archives ranging from 750 to over 1000 issues for classic characters like Spider-Man, X-Men, Captain America, and more, including annuals, specials, and crossovers, all on one USB (with both USB and USB-C plug-ins). There’s no subscription service, and you are granted lifetime access to those comics. The value is fantastic if you want to read a character’s entire history on your iPad, computer, or phone.

Plugging in a USB and being able to read hundreds of Marvel Comics is unquestionably a good thing. New and old readers can go through Spider-Man’s entire history from the 1960s to 2024. However, there are a few important things to know about the collections and how they work. While setting up the computer USB isn’t difficult, you do need to install a reader and activate the license through a DRM Safeguard. Once installed, you get 3 licenses for 3 unique devices. You can uninstall and allocate to another device if needed. Activating on an iOS/Android device is trickier, as you need to download a companion app and take about ten minutes to get it set up. Git Collections has pretty in-depth instructions about the process, but it’s admittedly complicated.

I asked the folks at Git Collections some questions about the products, potential concerns, and more. Check out our conversation below.

How does Git Collections stand out in a digital market that has left customers burned before?

The GIT Brand has been publishing digital technology for over 2 decades and over that time we have sold our products into big box stores and specialty retailers internationally.

Because we produce licensed authentic MARVEL comics, we have a contractual obligation to protect that IP. This is best accomplished through encryption technology, and so we have utilized a DRM provider who has been in operation for more than 30 years and are one of the most prominent in their industry. Between our two companies there is over 50 years of market and financial viability.

What would you say to people who are apprehensive about ownership when it comes to digital comics?

Comic book collecting and reading preferences are entirely a personal choice. We hope that anyone who encounters our archives would do so with an open mind and would consider what new conveniences and accessibility may be available to them in ways that aren't possible through other means such as subscription services and physical collections. The advantages here are significant in the following ways: accessibility, chronological and catalogued libraries, no physical storage, no condition sensitivity, no high barrier to cost for scarce and older issues, taking your collection on the go anywhere and reading at any time without cloud or internet dependency.

And at $0.10 per comic the risk for digital ownership and adoption has never been lower nor can you find better value in the marketplace.

What's your pitch to comic stores about selling digital collections alongside physical issues?

For those retailers who are specifically concerned that our merchandise is somehow in competition with their physical stock, we respond with the following context: Firstly, our products uniquely fill a gap in the collecting space by providing complete series collections all in one place for a one-time purchase. This significantly reduces the barrier for those customers as an entry point for collecting or those who are dealing with cost and storage constraints. It's also a format that could be preferable and is convenient anytime your physical collection is out of reach. GIT offers all our customers and, by extension, retail customers same-day tech support, relieving the busy owners of any burden of support inquiries. The files are encrypted so consumers can't share, reproduce or copy the content and therefore alleviate concerns for eating into sales and profit. We believe that our collections complement what specialty retailers offer, not just for revenue diversification, but also for increasing foot traffic and interest in paperbacks.

What can you say about the long-term stability of the product? Is there support?

The market success of the product line is dependent upon customer and retailer reception. Moderate to high adoption will ensure that we can continue to bring more Titles to hobbyists everywhere. That includes smaller runs, events, and crossovers at reduced price points, with the possibility of branching out to DC and Indie Brands. We offer same-day customer support: [email protected] 

When it comes to design, did you want them to feel like they had shelf value, like comics?

The packaging designs are carefully chosen for aesthetic appeal and ultimately had to be approved through MARVEL's licensing team. We intentionally built a collector-grade package with elevated materials of construction and a USB key specifically for owners to display on a shelf.

What would you tell a seasoned comic collector to draw them into this switch? Is it simply an alternative to physicals, or would you consider it a worthy replacement?

We don't see our offering as a binary exclusive choice between paper and digital. It doesn't have to be one or the other and we're not interested in trying to replace paper. Rather, it's a worthy stand-in for specific use cases and circumstances. We intend to complement what collectors have today or provide a comprehensive entry point for new collectors or someone who wants a modernized way to collect and read. Our product line excels where paper becomes a limitation. We enable access and convenience to the collection anytime and anywhere you're away from home. You can enjoy reading without concern for degrading the condition of expensive preserved older comics, without physical storage constraints, without the need to constantly organize, without endless searching, and without investing thousands of dollars to amass a collection this massive. For the "unseasoned" collector, our complete runs offer endless opportunities to discover new issues, characters, events and storylines.

Ultimately, Git Collections, despite a few small difficulties during the installation process (specifically on iOS/Android devices), is a worthwhile product for completionists who aren’t looking to collect physical books or are looking for a way to read a character’s entire history on the go. For the price, it’s hard to beat. While collectors like myself will always prefer physical media like floppies and trades, Git Collections offers a digital alternative that makes a lot of sense. If you want to go digital, there are few better and more affordable options out there.