Finding Comic Books

Below is an abbreviated guide to finding single-issue comics. The Comic Arts Research Guide is also useful.

Online Comics (Free or free to you because SDSU subscribes)

Underground and Independent Comics - Volume I, 2, 3 (Alexander Street Press) This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
This primary-source database includes the full-text of underground comix, predominately from the 1960s-1970s. Underground Comix were generally excluded from mainstream publication due to their inclusion of explicit drug use, sexuality, and violence.

TIP: search by keyword for "pirate" or try an Advanced Search for comics that include "pirate" in the title.

Digital Comic Museum
The site offers FREE public domain Golden Age Comics. Do a keyword search near the top of the page for "pirate."
Comic Book+
Free Golden and Silver Age comic books. This link should take you directly to the search results for "pirate." If not, try that keyword.
Internet Archive: Collections of Comic Books and Graphic Novels
Over 35,000 online graphic novels, manga and comic books. Focus is on older international and lesser-known American comics.

Online Comics at the Public Library (Free with a public library card)

Apply for a public library card
Comics Plus
Digital Comics anytime, anywhere—with your public library card! With LibraryPass’ ComicsPlus, you have access to more than 20,000 digital comics, graphic novels, and manga

Online Comics for a Fee

Comixology: An Amazon Company
Over 750 free comics. [Note: It is unclear if these titles will be offered in perpetuity or if this a freebie during the COVID-19 pandemic]. Other comics available for a fee.

SDSU Print Comics (single issues - for graphic novels and collected editions, a.k.a. Trade Paperbacks, see 'Finding Books or E-Books')

SDSU Comics Hub
The Comics Hub is a catalog of the floppy comics (i.e. individual issues, like magazines) owned by the SDSU Library Special Collections and University Archives.

NOTE: Unfortunately, this collection is unavailable during the COVID-19 stay-at-home orders. However, you can use this database to identify titles that you might find elsewhere.