5 FREE (no, really!) Image Comics #1’s You Should Read

If you saw our post suggesting Marvel #1’s you could read for free during Marvel’s recent promotion, you might have been disappointed to then not actually be able to get to ComiXology to download some comics. The huge demand killed the site, and they had to put the promotion on hold for now.

Still, as one reader pointed out in the comments, kind of sucks for those who downloaded the app or made a ComiXology account just because of this promotion. What if you want to try out digital comics for the first time without the risk of putting down some cash? Never fear! There are actually some free #1’s ALL THE TIME on ComiXology, from publisher Image. You can also check out the rest of the free comics there, but I can’t vouch for the quality of all of them.

1. Saga
walkingdeadsagaRead this one – seriously, read it. It’s written by Brian K. Vaughn of Y: The Last Man fame, and drawn by the seriously talented Fiona Staples. It’s one part space opera, one part Romeo & Juliet, and one part Just Plain Weird. Apparently it was billed as Star Wars meets Game of Thrones in solicitations, and I can totally see that. Definitely not kid friendly. I hope you like robot sex. Also you can get the trade for just $5.55 on Amazon, which is a steal.

2. Invincible
Before Robert Kirkman wrote The Walking Dead, there was Invincible! A traditional super hero comic, it features Mark Grayson, who might be a normal teenager if it weren’t for the fact that his dad’s a famous super hero and now he’s developed powers, too.

3. America’s Got Powers
Imagine what would happen if all the babies born on a certain day in a certain place in America were gifted with super powers. Obviously, we’d put them on a reality TV show and have them fight against each other. This is only a 6-book series, so not much commitment even after the first free issue. Plus, if you pay attention you’ll spot David Tennant in the art.

4. No Place Like Home
If the new Oz movie coming out has you hammering for more, how about taking a horror spin on things? In this new series, a young woman named Dee (and her little dog, too) returns home to Emeraldsville to bury her parents, only to find that tornadoes and flying monkeys have been killing people. Though the first issue is a little slow, it’s atmospheric and a proper horror beginning, with a creepy old man who knows more than he seems and everything!

5. The Walking Dead
You’ve probably heard of this one – there’s a TV show. It’s about zombies. Here’s the comic book that started it all, and it’s awesome.