This week on Comics Should Be Cheap, our article in which our writers pick the books they’d buy if they only had a budget of $20, everyone said they had a tough time of making their choices. It seems like there are a lot of options that really stand out, and not enough money to make the picks. But that’s the tough AND fun thing about this article.
Check out our choices after the jump, and let us know what you’re grabbing in the comments.
Hellboy: Double Feature of Evil #1 ($3.50) – The last time we had a Hellboy book teaming up Mike Mignola and Richard Corben, we were given Hellboy in Mexico, which, to me, is one of the absolute best comics of 2010 so far. To think that I wouldn’t take another shot with this team is absolute crazy talk. Sign me up!
Osborn #1 ($3.99) – I’m not sure what it is about this book, but I have a really good feeling about it. Kelly Sue Deconnick and Emma Rios, in my mind, are going to bring us a most excellent mini-series about one of the absolute worst villains in the Marvel Universe. Here’s hoping they go into depth about the Goblin Gang idea developing in current Spidey comics.
Superior #2 ($2.99) – The first issue of Superior was maybe the best Mark Millar book since Old Man Logan. Not only that, but Leinil Yu put in career best work on the first issue. Throw in an excellent and touching story that features a space monkey, and you better believe this makes the $20 cut for me.
Morning Glories #4 ($3.50) – Nick Spencer is a golden god at this point. It’s only a certain amount of time until we find him on a rooftop in Kansas as his adoring fans encourage him to jump into the pool they are surrounding. That’s the kind of Stillwater like streak Spencer is on. Morning Glories is his flagship, and what a flagship it is. I can’t wait to see where it goes from here.
Thunderbolts #150 ($4.99) – Thunderbolts at $4.99 seems a little sketch, but Jeff Parker and Kev Walker’s work is so damn good I can’t not make this one of my first purchases. I’m really excited to see the team square off against the big three Avengers, and it will be interesting to see where the book goes from here.
Total: $18.97
Brandon’s Picks
Avengers #7 ($3.99) – After the completely obvious and slightly misleading death last issue this issue looks to come in strong. Not only does it have the wildly panned Rulk but it also is supposed to establish the future of this title and it’s cast. I totally dig the writing and art on this book. I also, strangely, find myself excited to see what Bendis has in store for Rulk.
Batman: The Return ($4.99) – This is the big one for me this week. I am a huge Batman fan. Having said that the last couple years under Morrison have been very disappointing to me. I also can’t say I am that excited by the whole X-Corps…I mean Batman Inc. concept. So for me this issue is DC and Morrison’s opportunity to get me to buy in to the concept and new direction.
DC Universe: Legacies #7 ($3.99) – I love this book. As I’ve said before I feel this book is probably one of the best DC books right now and it has received NO PUBLICITY! It fucking kills me. Everyone begs for a DC History and here it is and I never hear anyone say anything about it. Len Wein is weaving the tapestry of the DCU in ways that other writers lay in bed envious of. Buy this book now!
Continued belowGreen Lantern #59 ($2.99) – At the end of Blackest Night the Indigo tribe absconded with Black Hand. We haven’t seen what the deal with that is since. Now this issue all that changes as we get to see what the hell is going on. Add to it that I love GL and this book is an uber buy.
X-Men #5 ($3.99) – It’s the X-Men book that has Jubilee and a fairly solid cast. That’s right, Jubilee! ‘Nuff Said!
Total: $19.95
Mocle’s Picks
Batman Incorporated #1 ($3.99) – While initially dubious of this “brave and the bold-esque” concept, it was ultimately Grant Morrison’s take on Batman that got me to enjoy reading the character for the first time in my life.That fact alone is worth giving this new chapter of his ongoing take on the dark knight a shot, even though I’ve often hit or miss with Yanick Paquette’s work. Plus that cover is absolutely great.
Morning Glories #4 ($3.50) – This book skyrocketed to my top five ongoings in record time and hasn’t moved since I put down the first issue. I honestly can’t remember the last time I was this engaged by a brand new book (it might have been Sweet Tooth, but even still) and I absolutely can’t wait to see what current comic book vunderkind Nick Spencer busts out to mess with my mind.
Avengers #7 ($3.99) – I’ve really really enjoyed Bendis’ classically tinged take on the Avengers. Of all the ongoings with “avenger” in their title right now, this one appears to be the BIG one. No matter how big or seemingly far reaching the stories told in other books are, this book has really been set up as the rudder of the Marvel Universe during the Heroic Age. Case in point: the highly controversial Red Hulk joining the team with this issue. If that doesn’t make for some intriguing funny book action I don’t know what will.
Superior #2 ($2.99) – I haven’t enjoyed a Mark Millar book more than I enjoyed the first issue of Superior in a very very long time. Don’t get me wrong though, Kick-Ass, Nemesis, War Heroes, etc are all great books, but somehow Superior packs just a little more substance…a little more heart…than the rest. Plus the continually evolving Leinil Yu pencil work makes it quite a sight to behold.
X-Factor #211 ($2.99) – Since it officially debuted back in 2005 (and even before that with the pre-curser Madrox mini-series), X-Factor has not ceased to entertain me. Seriously. There hasn’t been a single issue of this book that I have not liked. While the pencil work on this book has had as much of a revolving door cast as the book itself, the smart, stylized, new age chique meets old school flavor writing of Peter David has created a compelling, ongoing narrative about mutants, how they relate to each other and the world around them that is only getting better with age. Also: there are zombie Gods.
Total: $17.46
Walt’s Picks
Morning Glories #4 ($3.50) – Good creator-owned series should always be supported. Nick Spencer has received a lot of attention for this series, and with good reason. Each cast member of Morning Glories is multi-faceted and compelling, and I have said before that characterization is 50% of a great story. The story isn’t too shabby either (in other words, it’s terrifically gripping and exciting).
Batman Inc. #1 ($3.99) – I’m still not sold on every aspect of the direction Morrison is taking the Batman franchise, but I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, seeing as I’ve enjoyed everything else he has done with the character so far. Yanick Paquette art certainly doesn’t hurt. I’ll have to wait until tomorrow to find out, but something tells me that The Return one-shot isn’t going to be worth a purchase.
Superior #2 ($2.99) – Mark Millar’s work and I have had a… strained relationship lately. As such, I wasn’t expecting much of anything from the first issue of this series. Boy was I wrong. Sure, it was still a far cry from deep and intellectually stimulating, but it looks like Millar may be regaining that touch he had back in the days of The Ultimates. Toss in some of the best work Lenil Yu has done and a $2.99 price tag and you’ve got yourself a deal.
Continued belowThe Flash #6 ($2.99) – Geoff Johns is at his best when writing The Flash. I’ve enjoyed his Green Lantern work immensely, but it still pales in comparison to his original Flash run (Blitz was amazing). Despite the delays, this new volume has been an absolute treat. With this issue we finally have the end of The Dastardly Death of the Rogues, which has been great so far. I just wish Johns would focus on this and Green Lantern rather than the snooze-fest that has been Brightest Day.
X-Factor #211 ($2.99) – I say this every month, but this is the best X-Men title being published, no question. This arc has been one of the best in recent memory, and I’m really excited to see how it ends. There’s not much more I can say that I didn’t say last month (or the month before that). Buy this!
Supergirl #58 ($2.99) – This is the penultimate issue of Sterling Gates’ stay on the Supergirl title. There’s no way I am missing this issue, nor the next and final one, and no way you should either.
Total: $19.45
Matt’s Picks
This wasn’t a very hard week for me (cool brag, right?), but it is a big and expensive week. Take a look:
Batman: The Return ($4.99) – This is both the coda and the prologue that segues between Morrison’s two high concept Batman tales. After all the work I went into cataloguing this story, I’ll be darned if I don’t complete it! Plus, the preview DC put online looks marvelous. Love me some David Finch.
I can’t believe that I’m excited for a Batman comic. Yeesh. What has become of me?
Batman Inc #1 ($3.99) – My second Batbook of the week. The logic from the previous pick goes here as well, to an extent: it’s Morrison, it’s his new book, and I’ve been going with it so long. I’m not going to miss anything now. I’m not entirely sold on the book, but I have faith in Morrison to deliver a good story – even if it is with Batman.
I’m actually more excited to see who else shows up in the book, truthfully.
Morning Glories #4 ($3.50) – Image is the home of “little books that can,” Morning Glories being a prime example of that. I’ve missed out on putting Morning Glories in my CSBC section before, so this week I’m chosing Morning Glories over the others. You really should be getting this book.
Thunderbolts #150 ($4.99) – Jeff Parker has really carved himself a hole in the Thunderbolts, restoring the book to it’s more classical roots. While Warren Ellis and Andy Diggle’s runs were great, the book was in a lull throughout the end of Dark Reign and Siege. Now it’s one of the most consistently entertaining villain oriented comics. While I wish it would get out of it’s crossover-itis, I’m sure we’ll be able to push into more original tales soon.
Plus: Steve Rogers vs. Crossbones. How could you miss that?
Total: $17.47
