Buying comics can be an expensive hobby. A lot of fans simply can’t afford everything they’re interested in, due to rising prices and the over-saturation of the market with superhero titles.
That’s why we’re here. Every week, the Multiversity staff is asked “What would you buy this week if you couldn’t go over $20?” and shares their reasons why, in order to help others who might have similar tastes make their own decisions in buying comics on a budget. Be sure to leave your own picks in the comments!
Black Beetle: No Way Out #3 ($3.99) – Pulp style comics may not be everyone else’s bag, but they are mine, and few artists in the industry today do them as well as Francesco Francavilla. Hell, few artists in the industry today are as good as Francavilla, period. I try to read every issue he works on, and that goes double for this great creator-owned series.
B.P.R.D. #106 ($3.50) – Now that I’m caught up, “B.P.R.D.” is an always-buy, pretty much no matter what. It should be the same for you.
Mara #4 ($2.99) – It took a bit, but “Mara” finally hooked me. Perhaps it’s because I’m more of a fan of political deceit than I am of sports… nah, that couldn’t be it. As the mini reaches its second half, I’m very interested to see where Wood, Doyle, and Bellaire take this book, and how its earlier themes tie into the shift in tone.
Thief of Thieves #13 ($2.99) – While I loved the first arc of this book, this second one has just kind of been… there. I’ve enjoyed it, sure, but it hasn’t exactly blown my socks off. Still, I’m interested in seeing how Asmus closes the arc out — if it’s still just good and not great, no big deal, Diggle joins next issue.
Daredevil #24 and #25 ($2.99 each) – I’m an issue behind on “Daredevil,” but since my other two choices — “The Shadow: Year One” and “Pathfinder,” both of which you should check out — are $3.99, I figured I’d cheat and get the most bang for my buck.
Total: $19.45
Danger Club #5 ($2.99) – Is it back? Is it really back!? I feel like it’s been ages since the last issue of Landry Q. Walker and Eric Jones’ post-cape superhero tale. All that means, I guess, is that I’ll get to set aside some quality time revisiting those issues again to get myself back up to speed on what was, at the time, one of the smartest, most self-assured books on the stands.
Revival #9 ($2.99) – Here is a book with some serious legs. Issue #8 might have been the best issue to date, which is saying something, because Tim Seeley and Mike Norton have had a rock-solid series on their hands from issue 1. If you’re feeling like most horror media seems to be retreading familiar ground these days, checking in with “Revival” will serve you well as you’ll find a myriad of characters to sustain in you in the moments when the creators aren’t freaking you out.
Captain Marvel #12 ($2.99) – I’m not sure how I feel about a “major Avengers event” getting folded in with this gem of a book, but Kelly Sue DeConnick hasn’t steered us wrong before. Maybe this is the kick in the pants that the sales numbers are looking for. But then again, how often does that actually work? And how often does it work without compromising what made the book so great in the first place? I am wishing very hard for the best here.
Daredevil #25 ($2.99) – This is a good week for old standbys. The books that never seem to let me down. Waid and Samnee have a good thing going on here. The kind of thing you hope will never end, because it’s just such a note-perfect take on a character.
Wonder Woman #19 ($2.99) – A lot of comic readers seemed torn by the last issue of “Wonder Woman.” In some ways, it magnified the things that they didn’t like about Azzarello’s take on the character (the seemingly endless double-crosses, the obtuse motivations, the disdain of all of the characters for one another, etc…). But for me, it was the perfect capper on one “season-long” arc for the character. The last panel of issue #18 felt like the first real “end” of a chapter for Azzarello and Chiang. I can’t wait to see where they go next.
Continued belowHoax Hunters #9 ($2.99) – A little love for the book that I do the monthly interview column for. Once again, Michael Moreci and Steve Seeley widen the mysteries behind the Hoax Hunters and deepen the world that they live and operate in. Brent Schoonover provides some nice fill-in art, as well. And there you go, ladies and gents – not a $3.99 book in the bunch!
Total: $17.94
B.P.R.D. #106 ($3.50) – More Peter Snejbjerg = more awesome!
DC Universe Presents #19 ($2,99)/Wonder Woman #19 ($2.99) – Both of these issues interested me completely, and then I saw the full “WTF” covers. Now, I am substantially less interested, but morbidly interested to see what sort of crazy tomfoolery is afoot. If this were a better comics week, neither of these would make the list.
Justice League #19 ($2.99) – This book is finally starting to get interesting, almost two years into its existence. Better late than never, I suppose?
Total: $12.47 – Save up for next week.
Batman: Year 100 New Trade Printing ($19.99) – Let’s be frank: everybody loves Batman. I mean, that’s kind of like a fact of comic life — we measure sales in Batmans. So if a Batman book previously out of print is coming back into print, that’s probably a sign you’re going to want it, right? And then you realize that it is full to the brim of Paul Pope artwork, and suddenly things become clear: you don’t just want it … you need it.
Batman. Paul Pope. Nothing else needs to really be said after that.
Final Verdict: $19.99
Michelle’s Picks:
Danger Club #5 ($2.99) – It’s finally back! I’ve already gushed about this title aplenty, so I’ll only add that this is probably the most depressing and yet somehow the most heartening superhero story out there right now.
Batwoman #19 ($2.99) – We all miss J.H. Williams’ art, but Trevor McCarthy’s doing great work on this title, and the story’s looking pretty solid, too, even if it’s off to a slow start. Let’s see where it goes.
Revival #9 ($2.99) – A consistent hard-hitter that you should already be reading – if not for the varied and surprising small-town-gone-gory story, then at least for Mike Norton’s lovely art.
Five Ghosts #2 ($3.50) – The first issue was amazing, and now there are spider gods in the picture. Do you really need convincing?
Li’l Depressed Boy #16 ($3.99) – In contrast to “Danger Club” up there, and in contrast to its own title, this has been a pretty gleeful little comic lately. This is definitely about to change, but regardless, an issue of “Li’l Depressed Boy” is always going to be a beautiful and subtle thing – however glum or gleeful it gets.
Total: $16.46.
