This week on Comics Should Be Cheap, Brandon, Gil, Walt, Matt and myself make our picks on what we would grab with our $20 in a particularly loaded week. With tons of intriguing options, are jobs are harder than usual, but we manage to make the tough choices. If you’re looking for suggestions on what to grab, take a look at our lists after the jump and go from there.
Atomic Robo and the Deadly Art of Science #1 ($3.50) – Atomic Robo is the most fun you can have in comic books, so any time a new series starts up, you can bet I’ll be picking up Brian Clevinger and Scott Wegener’s incredible book. If you aren’t getting this book, you are really, really missing out.
BPRD: Hell on Earth: New World #4 ($3.50) – This arc in BPRD has been my favorite in recent memory, as the return of Daimio and the mystery in British Columbia have been exceptional. Throw in the intrigue of the Johann/Panya combo as well as the hellish outbreaks around the world, and you’ve got yourself a jam-packed mini-series that is nearing its end.
Chew #15 ($2.99) – Chew has to be one of the best five comics out there at this point, and this issue immediately follows the sad conclusion of Chew #14, in which Amelia Mintz leaves Tony Chu like an ice cold gangster. John Layman and Rob Guillory have managed to turn in 14 straight phenomenal issues, and I don’t think it will stop with this one.
Halcyon #1 ($2.99) – While Marc Guggenheim is not a writer who has been 100% guaranteed goodness throughout his career, I have faith in his creator owned work, as he, Tara Butters, Ryan Bodenheim, and Alisa Tager roll out a new series that sounds like a truly excellent blend of sci-fi and superheroes. I’m excited now, but as a number one, I find it hard not to be excited for most number ones…
T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #1 ($3.99) – Like Nick Spencer and Cafu’s T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #1. This book sounds completely ridiculous, a sort of superhero suicide squad, but I have an odd amount of faith in Nick Spencer, a name that is quickly skyrocketing in the world of comics. Here’s hoping the faith is well earned. Plus, Darwyn Cooke cover!
The Unwritten #19 ($2.99) – The Unwritten is up there with Chew near the top of the best books in comics list, and I’m really excited to see where the book is going to go after the big changes with the Cabal after the last issue. I think this book is just getting started, and the prospect of that being true is incredibly exciting for me.
Total: $19.96
Gil’s Picks
Chew #15 ($2.99) – There’s nothing else to say other than this book is one of the most consistently awesome books on the market. It’s irreverent, it’s beautifully grotesque, it’s…everything I’m looking for in a book.
Justice League: Generation Lost #13 ($2.99) – Still the best of the Bi-weekly Brightest Day Tie-Ins, this one has been a tour de force. And with the hateful Magog trying to step up to Captain Atom, it’s starting to echo of the very thing Max Lord is supposed to prevent.
New Avengers #6 ($3.99) — Where is this going?! Well, I want to know. Still my favorite Avengers title; it continues with a great magical yet street level story, with some BEAUTIFUL ART from Stuart Immonen. Pick this up.
Boondock Saints: Head of the Snake #1 ($3.99) — What’s this? A Boondock Saints title? I didn’t know this was coming out, but that’s all I need to know to make it appear on my hold! Wow! I am a terrible fan, though. I’ll do my penance by repeating the Boondock Saints Prayer over a thousand times.
Avengers: Children’s Crusade #3 ($3.99) — I really can’t wait for this story. I love the whole concept, and I love the art. It’s worth being on anyone’s hold. Heinberg is telling a story we’ve been waiting for forever, and Jim Cheung’s art is wonderful. And who doesn’t want to find out why and how Wanda has been imprisoned by Doom for God knows how long?
Continued belowTotal: $17.95, because you deserve a treat afterwards for getting such solid books!
Brandon’s Picks
Justice League: Generation Lost #13 ($2.99) – The JLI vs Magog with Max Lord pulling the strings! This book is going to be freaking awesome. I love this book and it is consistently one of my favorite books from DC. I mean come on it has Booster Gold it fanpeeps!
Chew #15 ($2.99) – This book is bigger than usual and it’s still cheaper than a lot of the books you’re probably buying. This is a fantastic book with a clever and unique plot and if you aren’t reading it then shame on you. Plus, this is the one-quarter mark in the series so if you aren’t reading it this is more than likely a great issue to jump in.
Avengers: The Children’s Crusade #3 ($3.99) – This has been an entertaining book with absolutely stunning artwork. I’m really looking forward to this book as it has been a couple months since the last issue. The suspense that is generated from the gap between issues on this book actually seems to help my interest.
Nancy In Hell #4 ($2.99) – It’s the epic conclusion that we’ve all been waiting for. To be honest I first picked this book up as a joke but it has grown on me. The art was the first thing that started to really get me on board but the story itself sold me. It’s very B-Horror in the vein of Evil Dead but with a clever twist on the Devil.
New Avengers #6 ($3.99) – An Avenger will die! Well we’ve heard that one before right? Yeah, but this is Bendis’ New Avengers so I trust it will still be a blast even if we can assume the character in question will surely return sooner than later. Plus, this issue is supposed to start to setup, along with #7, the semi-permanent roster of this team.
Booster Gold #38 ($2.99) – Booster Gold bitches!
Total: $19.94
Walt’s Picks
The Unwritten #19 ($2.99) – Comic of the year, all years. This would be worth buying if it was $3.99 but still had the same amount of pages. If you have any sort of access to this comic and you’re not taking advantage of it, you’re making a bad life choice. If that access involves not spending money, then you’re just making a morally bad choice.
Return of Bruce Wayne #6 ($3.99) – While the anticipation of Bruce Wayne’s return was more or less satisfied with the last issue of Batman & Robin, we still need to find out exactly how he got back. Between this and Batman & Robin, Return of Bruce Wayne is a tad more “Morrison-y,” if you’ll excuse the made-up term, and as such this final issue could make it or break it. I’m betting on the former.
T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #1 ($3.99) – Nick Spenser has become the new big man on campus, and with good reason (have you been reading Morning Glories?). In comics, it seems like rising star writer + obscure character/team = great success, and I’m willing to be we’ll be seeing that with this new series. I would assume that Spenser has more or less free reign on this title, and as such we will hopefully get work on par with his creator-owned work. Also, delicious Frank Quitely cover is delicious.
Thor #617 ($3.99) – I’m a big Fraction fan, but I’ll admit that I’m a bit wary about this issue. To be as vague as possible, if Fraction is doing in this issue what he appears to be doing in this issue, it could either be really good or completely groan-worthy. We’ll have to see. Also, I never thought I would say this, but… keep up the great work, Pasqual Ferry.
Ultimate Comics Thor #2 ($3.99) – Hickman’s first issue of this was just as good as I expected, and there’s no reason to believe that this next one won’t be equally entertaining. I especially enjoy that this is coming out on the same day as Fraction’s Thor, as the two titles explore similar themes with the same characters, but in very different ways.
Continued belowA note: The new issue of Amazing Spider-Man came very close to making the list. On our most recent Countdown of Top 5 Brand New Day arcs, Dan Slott was the head writer for three of mine. I think he’s a great Spider-Man writer, and am excited to see what he does when he’s the only writer on the book. That being said, I will not pay for an issue where Humberto Ramos handles the art. Sorry Dan, I guess I’ll see you next arc.
Matt’s Picks
Red Mass For Mars ($14.99) – Jonathan Hickman’s final creator owned Image series, available for the first time in it’s complete package. For more on my thoughts on this book, see yesterday’s Off The Cape.
Batman: Return of Bruce Wayne #6 ($3.99) – Batman and Robin #16 was utterly phenomenal (and if you don’t believe me, just ask Walt. There are some missing pieces though, which were caused by DC not publishing the story in the correct order, probably because they just wanted to get the issues out. But now, we get to read the final piece of this complex puzzle, albeit out of order, and with this and next week’s Return, Grant Morrison’s Rise and Fall and Rise of Batman is finally complete, and Batman Inc is ready to begin.
