I absolutely love manga and graphic novels. They probably make up more than 50% of what I usually read and I enjoy keeping track of my favorite releases. Of course, being able to keep up with that much manga and graphic novel reading takes money and my pockets aren't the deepest. Thankfully, I've been reading graphic novels for nearly 16 years and I've been able to find small ways to continue supporting the creators that create the works that I love while not breaking the bank. So here are a few ways I've been able to keep reading graphic novels! (Disclaimer: This is from the perspective of someone who resides in the United States and lives in one of the bigger cities in their region. I completely understand that there are people with vastly different experiences when compared to my own and that there will never be a one size fits all.) Libraries I've been able to read nearly all my favorite series and latest releases thanks to my local public library. And if my library doesn't have what I want? I can usually ask my library to buy it and add it to their collection, have my library borrow it from another library in the U.S., or I can read it digitally through places like Libby and Hoopla Digital for free thanks to my library card. My library even has a fun tracker that keeps track of how much money you save by using their services rather than going out to buy books. Since the start of 2021 I've saved nearly $200! And this isn't even counting books I've read through Libby, Hoopla Digital, my local academic library, and my state library. So the number is probably much higher! Comixology I qualified for a Comixology free trial in December so I gave it a shot and ended up really liking it! For $5.99 a month you gain access to Comixology's Unlimited collection, a private library, where you can find a large number of select titles where you can read new and older releases as part of your membership. No limits or restrictions. And the Unlimited collection is constantly updated. Comixology has contracts with several different publishers so there's always something different to read. Shonen Jump This one is my personal favorites. For the cost of $1.99 per month I get access to a large portion of Shonen Jump's vault and official English translations to chapters that just recently dropped in Japan. You have your completed manga, on-going manga, and new manga all in one nice place. I used to buy the physical magazine as a teen when it still existed. So being able to subscribe to the digital Shonen Jump as an adult is kinda cool for me. (Note: I have personally not used it, but Crunchyroll is a nice alternative for those wanting more diverse genres.) Second-Hand Stores Nearly every single graphic novel I have ever bought has been second-hand. I'm fairly sure some of them are even third-hand. Some fun places I've bought graphic novels that no longer exist include LiveJournal community threads (wow, the major trust there when you think about it) and Hastings. However, places that still exist include: the Vintage Stock bargain bin (only in-store), Thriftbooks, Better World Books, Abebooks, and Amazon (used section). Ebay used to be an awesome place to buy dirt cheap graphic novels, but not so much nowadays. ~Final Thoughts~
I love my manga and graphic novels. Which is why I want to support my favorite creators so they can keep making more content. Although my contributions may not be as big as someone who buys their copies brand new, I still want to provide my contribution no matter how small it may be in comparison.
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