Comixology may be the face of the digital comics movement, but it isn’t the only player in the ever-expanding game. Tapas Media’s Taptastic lets comics fans read webcomics—free of charge!—on tapastic.com, as well as on the company’s Android and iOS mobile apps. You won’t find high-profile titles (in fact, the selection is very manga-inspired), but readers with an appreciation for indie titles, or those with an open mind, may like Tapastic’s quirky webcomic catalog.

Comic Content
The ad-supported Tapastic bills itself as the “YouTube for comics” due to its goal of becoming the central hub for webcomics. Although Tapastic doesn’t have Girls With Slingshots or Questionable Content, there are a ton of comics spread across numerous genres. I particularly enjoyed the Joy of Tech (a comic about technology and pop culture), Fisheye Placebo (a political webcomic with exceptionally high production quality), and Weapon Zero (and apocalyptic, sci-fi tale).

Comics fans can explore Tapastic’s offerings by mousing over the “Browse” icon and checking out recently updated series, popular series, and collections of themed titles (such as the superhero-centric Heroes & Villains). You can also search by a comic’s title or creator’s name.

Tapastic also uses a unique TV-style guide that displays when new webcomics (or as Taptastic dubs them, “episodes”) are released. The Joy of Tech, for example, drops on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. It’s an interesting way to discover—and follow—new titles. Creators with a strong audience and consistent publishing schedule can become “Primetime” publishers who earn 70-percent ad revenue (yes, there are ads). That’s an enticing way to attract new storytellers, which Tapastic may need to become the go-to site for webcomics.

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The Tapastic Experience
You start by creating a Tapastic account or logging in with your Facebook credentials. Taptastic adds a starting item to your reading list—a guide that introduces readers and artists to the site’s features.

You can subscribe to series by clicking the big subscribe button. Episodes are automatically added to your reading lists for fast access. You can also share comics using email, Facebook, Google+, and Twitter. Fans can also leave comments, rate series, and grab embed code to post comics on websites. In short, there are many ways to distribute your favorite titles to interested parties.

Tapastic webcomics are displayed on a page that encourages you to read in a vertical fashion instead of horizontal. As a longtime comics head, I found this layout highly unusual. I would’ve loved a left-to-right reading option. Still, I enjoyed reading Tapastic’s offerings.

Turning the Page
If you’re into webcomics, Tapastic should be bookmarked as a frequent online destination. Many of the titles are manga-influenced, so if you aren’t into that style of comic, the site may not be for you. Those looking to explore the indie webcomics scene, however, will find a lot to like.