A Quick Look at Graphite Comics, a New Digital Comics Service

With each passing year, digital comics seem to gain more and more prominence. According to Comichron, they only make up 10% of comic sales in terms of dollars in 2018. Even then, any format with those kinds of numbers is worth paying attention to. More anecdotally, I know far more comic fans who read digital comics through Comixology and similar platforms than those who don’t. Particularly popular are the likes of Marvel Unlimited and DC Universe, where you pay a monthly fee for access thousands of issues, old and new. The newly released website and application Graphite is very much comparable to these services but has already distinguished itself.

Graphite is closest in structure to the anime streaming site Crunchyroll, where the content is free but a premium version is available. Like Crunchyroll, premium users don’t have to see ads while everyone else does. It’s a solid model, at least from a consumer perspective but its drawbacks are apparent. At this time, Graphite only offers the first few volumes, if even, for the major titles it has accrued. But I didn’t expect to see relatively popular series like Locke and Key or Giant Days end up entirely for free on any platform. If Graphite’s current state is any indication of its future, it will be a good way to get acquainted with new series but not for binging old favorites.

On that note, Graphite has a decent selection, especially considering it only just debuted. Really that means there are a few diamonds in the rough. The library draws almost exclusively from smaller publishers, with the biggest name being IDW. There’s quite a few licensed comics and those seem to be pushed to the forefront. As much as I might sing the praises of Transformers: More than Meets the Eye (also available on Graphite), The vast majority of tie-in comics just aren’t worth reading and that’s still true for those on Graphite.

Thankfully, Graphite offers a few genuinely great titles like Mark Waid’s Irredeemable, Sunstone, and Mouse Guard. It might be lacking in content right now but that doesn’t mean it has nothing to offer. Unfortunately, the manga section is a different story. It uses some very liberal definitions of what qualifies but still manages to avoid anything really worth reading. Hopefully, Graphite can find some better titles or at the very least focus their efforts elsewhere.

Graphite also hosts various webcomics, mainly from Webtoons. I’m not much of a webcomic fan but I’m not really sure why you’d read them on Graphite and not their original platform. Especially since Graphite’s app has no download function, so you’re not saving data.  It does at least live up to Graphite’s stated intention of having all your favorite comics in one place. In an era where streaming services are fragmenting, that’s a solid goal for an up and comer like this.

Graphite features a playlist function, which I admit simulates the analog experience of the reading pile pretty well. It also has a flexible age restriction system. Comixology lists recommended ages and Netflix has a cordoned off “Netflix Kids,” so it’s exciting to see a major service with something a little more dynamic. Skimming through their library, I do feel that certain books could use higher age ratings. But “appropriateness” is admittedly very difficult to quantify.

Unfortunately, I found most versions of the platform itself difficult to use. The mobile browser site has the most intrusive ads as well as some technical issues. The app is a similar story. The features are better integrated but it’s offset by how prone to technical issues it is. It ran poorly on my LG phone, which easily handles Comixology, Marvel Unlimited, and 2000 AD’s app. The desktop version proved to offer the best experience, both in terms of image quality and just general usability. And that’s even though it has the clunkiest user interface of all three.

Digital comics may very well be the future of the medium but it remains to be seen if Graphite will be a part of that history. It’s certainly filling a specific niche that the other services have largely overlooked. Even then, Graphite has some heavy competition and at this point, I’m not sure if the free option is going to measure up to paid equivalents that offer better selections and experiences. But it’s only just started and I think it can succeed if it works on improving its offerings as well as the overall experience itself. I’d at least like to see Graphite evolve into something that can bring comic books to a wider audience. Graphite is little over a week old, so it has time to grow. And in its current state, I’d say there’s definitely room for improvement.