Three different MC writers this week, three different top picks and hugely different lists with only one commonality (Brubaker and Phillips’ return to Incognito). It’s another week of Comics Should Be Cheap, as MC’s writing staff picks what books they would snag if they only had $20 on hand to get comics.
Check out what we pick after the jump.
Beasts of Burden/Hellboy ($3.50) – Hellboy and Beasts of Burden are flat out two of the best books on the market, and this isn’t just a money grab from Dark Horse – it makes sense for the two books to pair up. This book brings together some of the most unlikely paranormal detectives in Hellboy and the Beasts crew, and it pairs up writers Evan Dorkin and Mike Mignola with artist Jill Thompson. For all intents and purposes, you can’t get a more talented crew on a book – it just can’t happen. This is my pick of the week, and it would be almost any week of the year.
Incognito: Bad Influences #1 ($3.50) – Anytime Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips pair up, it’s an absolute must-buy. That’s a comic book rule. I don’t care who you are. If you don’t buy every book they combine forces on, you’re missing out on one of the greatest teams in comics today. This book continues the story from the first volume of this Icon series, and if it’s anywhere near as good as the first one, it’s going to be another fine addition to their impressive resumes.
Thunderbolts #149 ($2.99) – Since Jeff Parker started up The Heroic Age incarnation of this book, it’s been probably the best Marvel team book out there. It’s a HUGELY enjoyable book that should be on everyone’s pull list, and that’s why it is the first mainstream superhero book on my pull.
Fantastic Four #584 ($2.99) – While I’m not loving this book as much as I did when it first launched, the Three arc started off well and the pairing of Jonathan Hickman and Steve Epting is a very good one. Here’s hoping this arc builds into something that matches Hickman’s seminal “Solve Everything” run.
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #15 ($3.99) – The last issue before the big renumbering, this issue finds new co-artist Sara Pichelli joining the regular team of Brian Michael Bendis and David LaFuente, and I for one can’t wait to see her first issue of work. UCSM has been one of my favorite books around since its restart, and I have no problem saying it’s the best Spidey book on the market.
Scalped #42 ($2.99) – Best comic in comics. It makes this list every time it comes out. Ho hum.
Matt’s Picks
Secret Warriors #21 ($2.99)/Fantastic Four #584 ($2.99) – I’m lumping these two together, because I say this every time this happens: if Hickman writes a book, you buy it. End of story.
Incognito: Bad Influences #1 ($3.50) – Brubaker and Philips are a creative team to be reckoned with. Between Sleeper, Criminal, and the first volume of Incognito, they’ve created some all time favorite comics of mine that make Ed Brubaker and Sean Philips both names that I will buy 99.9% of the time they have new material out. And when that new material happens to be the second volume of Incognito? You can count me there twice.
Action Comics #894 ($3.99) – Cornell has turned Action Comics from an “all right” book post-Geoff Johns writing it to a book that’s 100% better than when Johns was at the helm. Yeah. I went there, and I’ll say it again: Action Comics has not been this good for the past decade. With Death herself showing up as Cornell brings in Gaiman’s classic character, one can only assume that this could possibly be the best issue of his run so far – and he’s just getting started!
Continued belowSupergirl Annual #2 ($4.99) – I have been screaming from the top of the mountains (of the internet, via Multiversity Comics) about how good Supergirl by Sterling Gates is. Now we get his second annual as he spends last time elaborating about her past and environment and more time working on a classic story element: Braniac 5 and Supergirl’s relationship. Of course, this isn’t the same Supergirl from those old stories, so it’ll be very interesting to see what Gates does with it as his run comes to a close.
Total: $18.46
Walt’s Picks
Incognito – Bad Influences #1 ($3.50) – If you read the first Incognito mini, then you know what to expect from this book in terms of quality. Brubaker and Philips are both experts of their respective crafts, and working on creator-owned material truly lets them soar. If you didn’t read Incognito when it first came out, you should do that first and make sure the series is for you (hint: it is) and then pick up the first issue of the newest series.
Supergirl Annual #2 ($4.99) – Supergirl? The Legion of Superheroes? Halloween? SATAN GIRL? Shut up and take my money, Sterling Gates. I enjoyed the way Gates and Robinson liked wrote the Legion during the New Krypton saga, so we’ll just have to see whether that was all Robinson or if Gates has as solid a grasp on the team as I think he does. To be honest, though, I doubt there’s anything Gates could do with this book that I wouldn’t enjoy.
Action Comics #894 ($3.99) – The best Superman book doesn’t have Superman in it. Paul Cornell has been doing a superb job on this title, giving us an incredibly interesting Lex Luthor — which is high praise, as many writers have given us iconic Lexes. And let’s not forget the solid interiors from artist Pete Woods. But let’s cut to the chase: why should you buy this issue? Simple: Death. The most recognizable of The Endless from Neil Gaiman’s Sandman series (other than Morpheus himself) will be appearing in this issue, and supposedly all of her dialogue will be written by Gaiman himself. As a massive Gaiman fanboy, I say yes, yes, yes.
Fantastic Four #584 ($2.99) – This issue marks the second part of Hickman’s much-anticipated “Three” arc, and we already have a lot going on, from Ben Grimm becoming human again to the return of Galactus (again). Obviously, there has been a lot of buzz about who we’ll be losing at the end of this arc. I don’t make any claim at knowing who it will be, but I’m pretty sure that Ben’s transformation will play a large role in the death of whoever-it-is. The only way to be sure, though, is to buy the next issue of Hickman’s great run on the title.
Secret Warriors #21 ($2.99) – A double-dose of Hickman! Yay! Unfortunately, this means we are one step closer to the end of Secret Warriors. Not so yay. All good things must come to an end, I suppose, and while I’m sad to see the title go, I’m certain it will go out with a bang. Let’s see what Hickman has in store for us with part two of “Night,” shall we?
Total: $18.46
