{
  "id": 13085248,
  "title": "After Going Hands-On With the New Marvel Comics App, I Still Don't Know Why Unlimited Had to Die",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/after-going-hands-on-with-the-new-marvel-comics-app-i-still-dont-know",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-09T09:36:23.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "IGN",
    "slug": "ign",
    "url": "https://www.ign.com/articles/after-going-hands-on-with-the-new-marvel-comics-app-i-still-dont-know-why-unlimited-had-to-die"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Last week, Marvel announced it was phasing out the Marvel Unlimited app in favor of a new Marvel Comics app, built by Webtoon. During a visit to New York Comic Con, I got a chance to try out the new app, but I found myself questioning its purpose. Similar to Marvel Unlimited, the Marvel Comics app will provide access to the entire Marvel and Star Wars comic libraries through both of its subscription tiers. The main edge Webtoon has over Unlimited is the speed with which new comics will be made available — with the higher-priced 'Ultimate' tier receiving new issues just 30 days after print, compared to Unlimited's 90-day wait. Webtoon shared a rough timeline for the app, which plans to include Disney and Pixar comics, make it simpler to create custom reading lists, and enable different profiles for the comics fans in the same household, even kids. However, Webtoon has not provided specific dates for when any of these upgrades will be available, so for now, the main changes seem to be minor cosmetic ones. Webtoon stated that their goal was to make the app faster and easier to use. While Marvel Unlimited has been around since 2007, the app's interface still feels outdated. But rather than giving Marvel Unlimited a modern redesign, the decision was made to create an entirely new app. Although the navigation appears more contemporary, the app itself doesn't feel noticeably quicker than Unlimited. Once you open an issue, the Marvel Comics app becomes more engaging. Initially, you're greeted with a summary page, which displays information about the selected issue and allows you to swipe through other issues in the series at the top of the screen. There's also a section displaying all the reading guides associated with the issue. In the past, Marvel Unlimited's reading guides have been invaluable to me, as I often struggle to find the patience to read entire comic runs that can contain hundreds of issues. The reading guides in the Webtoon app seem to have remained intact, but I couldn't verify their completeness during my brief interaction at NYCC. Once inside a comic, the interface remains largely unchanged. You can still opt to read the entire page or read panel by panel, with the option to automatically zoom out to appreciate the artwork when you're ready to move on to the next page, mirroring the experience of reading a physical comic. This feature is excellent, but it's not hard to configure, and Marvel Unlimited already offered the same functionality. Although the new UI is visually appealing, it would have been a more prudent approach to roll out an extensive update to Marvel Unlimited instead of mandating a switch to a completely new app. The Marvel Comics app will allow users to transfer their existing library and reading progress, but I can't help but wonder if the risks associated with migrating users were worth it. The new Marvel Comics app is set to launch on November 16, offering over 35,000 digital comics. Marvel Unlimited will be discontinued starting December 7, 2026.",
  "summary": "Earlier this week, Marvel announced that it was discontinuing the Marvel Unlimited app, only to have it replaced by the new Marvel Comics app, powered by Webtoon. At New York Comic Con I had the chance to go hands-on with the app, and I am struggling to see why it needs to exist.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}