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Comics Should Be Cheap! (11/21/12)

By | November 20th, 2012
Posted in Columns | 2 Comments

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!

Brian’s Picks:

Hawkeye #4 ($2.99) – Even without David Aja on board this month, skipping this book would be stupid. Stupid, I tells ya.

B.P.R.D. 1948 #2 ($3.50) – Cool brag alert: I’ve read this. It is awesome. Max Fiumara is doing incredible work, and there are many, many instances of awesome within.

Wonder Woman #14 ($2.99) – No character has benefitted from the New 52 as much as Wonder Woman (well, maybe Animal Man and/or Swamp Thing). The Azzarello/Chiang /Akins team has this book working at a smooth pace, splitting the difference between fill-in art and regular artists, and with Orion on the horizon, there is no reason not to be picking up this book.

Glory #30 ($3.99) – I didn’t expect to care one iota about “Glory,” and yet here we are. Hands down, one of the books I look most forward to each month.

Journey Into Mystery #646 ($2.99) – While I was said to see Loki and Kieron Gillen leave this title, keeping it in the Asgardian family is a smart move, and hopefully, one that will prove just as successful.

Total: $16.46

Vince’s Picks:

Frankenstein Alive, Alive #2 ($3.99) – Gorgeous Bernie Wrightson art. The first issue came out, like, forever ago, but the results are so worth waiting for. This is going to be a gorgeous trade/omnibus someday, but for now it’s an unmissable event book whenever it’s released.

Wonder Woman #14 ($2.99) – There’s no stopping the best book in the New 52.

Sword of Sorcery #2 ($3.99) – There are problems with this book, but dammit, I like it a whole lot and would easily recommend it to anyone looking for something different to try w/in the DC universe. While “Demon Knights” is the legitimately strong and original fantasy narrative, “SoS” is like a warm plate of comfort food.

Hawkeye #4 ($2.99) – A beautifully drawn no-brainer at this point.

Revival #5 ($2.99) – A continually refreshing horror series in a world where zombie-stuff has taken over pop culture.

Deadpool #2 ($2.99) – The first entry of Duggan, Posehn, & Moore’s Deadpool “relaunch” was a lot of fun and beautiful to look at. I picked this, because I was able to squeeze another $3 book in here. This is a huge week though, as I could easily recommend Remender’s Cap #1, the Cargo of Doom finale, Unwritten, Judge Dredd, or Waid’s Hulk #1. Too many good bets on the shelves this week! If only the “Complete Calvin & Hobbes” softcover qualified for this column – my job would have been easier.

Total: $19.94

Matt’s Picks

Comeback #1 ($3.50) – THIS BOOK IS FANTASTIC AND I CAN NOT EMPHASIZE IT ENOUGH SO I AM GOING TO BREAK ALL THE CARDINAL RULES OF WRITING ON THIS SITE AND GIVE YOU A RUN-ON SENTENCE ALL IN CAPITAL LETTERS JUST TO SHOW HOW SERIOUS I AM THAT YOU SHOULD BUY AND LOVE “COMEBACK” #1 LIKE I DID THAT ONE TIME AT NYCC 2012 WHEN THEY HAD ADVANCE COPIES THAT SOLD OUT IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE BECAUSE THIS BOOK WAS SO CRAZY ANTICIPATED (AND QUITE DESERVINGLY SO).

Ahem. Buy.

Revival #5 ($2.99) – One of my favorite new Image series of the year, “Revival” is astoundingly great each issue. This wrpas up the first arc of the book, and I am on the edge of my seat to see how it’ll conclude.

Glory #30 ($3.99) – This book is unfortunately heading towards its conclusion, and while that saddens me I’ll stand by it until it is over. The price-jack for the final few issues will hopefully be worth it.

Continued below

Clone #1 ($2.99) – New Image/Skybound title? Try it out. Why not.

Hawkeye #4 ($2.99) – With my beloved Gillen-based run on “Journey into Mystery” gone and “Defenders” having reached it’s unfortunately cut-short conclusion, “Hawkeye” now rises up as my favorite Marvel title. This is the first non-Aja illustrated issue, but I have high hopes still.

Unwritten #43 ($2.99) – I oddly always forget that this book is coming out, which is insane to me because it’s one of my favorites. This week I am not forgetting, however. This week I am recommending!

Total: $19.45

Alaskan David’s Picks

B.P.R.D. 1948 #2 ($3.50): Do we have any idea what’s coming the rest of this mini-series, besides Truman? Not really. Does it matter? Nope. This is just damn good comics from Mignola, Arcudi and Fiumara.

Hawkeye #4 ($2.99): Matt Fraction and Javier Pulido continue the best book Marvel is making.

Comeback #1 ($3.50): Ed Brisson and Michael Walsh are going to give you one hell of a mash-up of sci-fi and grounded noir. Just you wait.

The Unwritten #43 ($2.99): The last issue continued our adventure in Australia and sent Tom to somewhere…well, somewhere fictional with some rather interesting people greeting him. Things are getting good in The Unwritten, but they’re always good so that isn’t much of a transition.

Total: $12.98 (a small week, but I’m leaving my options open for game time decisions like Remender/JR Jr.’s Captain America and Waid/Yu’s Hulk)

Scottish David’s Picks

Indestructible Hulk #1 ($3.99) – I am a huge Hulk fan. I loved Jason Aaron’s run on “Incredible” that just wrapped up leading in to this series. I’m also a huge fan of Mark Waid and how he likes to take core concepts of beloved characters that may have been forgotten and reinvigorate them with his own twist. So now only does that make this the perfect Marvel NOW! book for me, but bringing in the other major half of “Superman: Birthright” in the form of Leinil Yu makes this even better.

Captain Marvel #7 ($2.99) – I’m going to throw this out there that you’ll most definitely see this book on my list every single time it comes out. I love it. I can’t get enough of it. Kelly Sue DeConnick’s writing has been superb and resonant thus far with incredible dialogue and the art has been to die for. Accept no substitutes.

Captain America #1 ($3.99) – This may get the entire rest of the site to turn on me, but I barely read any of Brubaker’s “Captain America”. I got up to “Reborn” and fell off the wagon and haven’t caught up since. But bringing in Rick Remender to reinvigorate the character by bringing in some of the old school Jack Kirby-style pulp sci-fi? Boom, I’m there.

Journey Into Mystery #646 ($2.99) – Yes, yes, yes. Yes. I have been so excited for this. Getting to see Sif take the reigns of “Journey Into Mystery” to tell the story of Asgard’s finest warrior and the difficulties of her being a woman in a predominantly male-oriented culture? YES. I need this book.

Deadpool #2 ($2.99) – I was rather on the fence about the first issue after hating what Deadpool turned into at the hands of Daniel Way, but after being finally swayed by Tony Moore’s art I found myself laughing out loud throughout the issue. And with that last spread? I’m in first issue 2.

Clone #1 ($2.99) – I’m going to take a leaf out of 4 Colour’s book and round out with my “scarf” book of the week, “Clone”. I know surprisingly little about the actual story of this book, but I do know that I’m a sucker for high concept sci-fi and I’m a sucker for stories centered around clones. It’s like it was tailor made for me.

Total – $19.94 (Made it by the skin of my teeth)

Drew’s Picks:

Daredevil #20 (2.99) – Waaaay back when I read Waid’s first issue of “Daredevil,” I thought using the Spot was a brilliant, inspired choice for Matt’s power set. I am incredibly excited to see what happens next with Coyote.

Continued below

Blue Beetle #14 (2.99) – This series has received some bad press, but it always entertains me. I’m always happy to pick deep, resonating comics for my CSBC list, but this one is my guilty pleasure. It’s pointless, shallow, and doesn’t try to be anything but fun. I’ll be following this until the end.

Green Lantern: New Guardians #14 (2.99) – Rayner’s on a quest to master all emotions, and last month he tapped into Rage in a very boring way. Still, Bedard’s done a great job with Arkillo so far, so I’m hoping this issue will be of a higher quality.

Iron Man #2 (2.99) – So far, this is the only Marvel NOW! reboot I’m giving a shot. The first issue was pretty ok, and I’m willing to give the series a couple more issues to hook me.

Total: $11.96 – A light but hopefully solid week.

Alternate Pick: Last Days of an Immortal HC ($24.95) – I’ve been looking forward to this sci-fi book since it was first solicited over a year ago. I don’t know why it was delayed, but you can bet I’ll be buying it now.

Michelle’s Picks:

The Secret Adventures of Houdini, Vol. 1 ($6.99) — Written by Todd Hunt, drawn by Sean Von Gorman, and published by the relentlessly surprising Alterna Comics, this is a new take on the latter years of Harry Houdini’s life… and by new, I mean spotlight-on-psychics-and-spiritualism new. Von Gorman’s art looks great as well, black and white and very soft and ethereal. If you’re wondering how to get your paws on this one, the official site lists off a whole bunch of different ways for you to purchase it (the price up here is for the print edition, but you can get it digitally for much less).

Comeback #1 ($3.50) — I’m definitely not the only one here looking forward to this new miniseries written by Ed Brisson — and the odd thing is, this title might be that much more intriguing because Hollywood’s tried its hand at the time-traveler-changes-the-past concept so many times, and failed in so many ways. I mean, leave it to a Shadowline title (not to mention Brisson himself) to take a concept and run with it, and turn it into something so much more weird and wonderful that you’d foreseen. Having had a few quick looks at the interior pages, I’m not sure what I think of Michael Walsh’s art just yet, but Jordie Bellaire’s colours certainly catch the eye. Overall, very high expectations for this one.

Revival #5 ($2.99) — Tim Seeley and Mike Norton’s “rural noir” (one part zombies, one part snow) has just been getting better and better with every issue. I don’t think anyone who’s been keeping up so far could look away now, even if they wanted to. Plus, it’s got a great cover. Such a cool sweater. (The whole barfing-up-an-arm thing is pretty gnarly too, of course.)

Batwoman #14 ($2.99) — More Batwoman/Wonder Woman crossover wtfery? Yes please! I won’t jibberjabber any more that I already have about the awesomeness of J.H. Williams III’s art, though. It kind of speaks for itself — and sounds all velvety and godlike, like Morgan Freeman.

Total: $16.47


//TAGS | Comics Should Be Cheap

Brian Salvatore

Brian Salvatore is an editor, podcaster, reviewer, writer at large, and general task master at Multiversity. When not writing, he can be found playing music, hanging out with his kids, or playing music with his kids. He also has a dog named Lola, a rowboat, and once met Jimmy Carter. Feel free to email him about good beer, the New York Mets, or the best way to make Chicken Parmagiana (add a thin slice of prosciutto under the cheese).

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