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!
Vince’s Picks:
ODY-C #1 ($3.99) – I am all across the board with Matt Fraction. I think he’s a terrific writer, but that he caters to a lot of different audiences, so some of his books end up sticking with you and some of them don’t. “Casanova”, however, is undoubtedly the best thing he’s ever done, if I have anything to say about it. “ODY-C” is cut from the same cloth in many ways. Christian Ward shoves Homer’s “Odyssey” through an deliriously colorful psychedelic filter.
Gotham By Midnight ($2.99) – If someone told you to match up a DC character with a genre for a book that would be drawn by Ben Templesmith, would you come up with anything other than “paramornal” and “Batman”? I somehow doubt it. So I’m in – you don’t need to tell me any more than that. But one other thing that’s also interesting to note that this is easily the type of book that DC could have made $3.99 right off the bat. Hell, it’s got “Gotham” on the cover and a top notch artist that I would say is an actual “name” in the industry. Kudos to them for continuing to put out most of their books at this price point, even if they aren’t totally “holding the line” at $2.99 anymore. You’ll notice that it’s the only book on my list that’s less than $3.99 this week.
Capture Creatures ($3.99) – A comical and reverential riff on the “Pokemon” genre, “Capture Creatures” is the latest in a long line of titles that have made Boom! Studios one of my top 3 publishers of the year 2014. They’ve been on a roll and I have no reason to believe this will be anything less than inspired. Plus, in 4th and 5th grade, Pokemon was practically my life blood. And nostalgia is my wheelhouse.
Planet Gigantic #1 ($3.99) – I loved, loved, loved the preview art that we put up on this one. It just seems like pure fun teenaged adventure from the quietly high quality publishing house that is “Action Lab.”
Transformers vs. G.I. Joe #4 ($3.99) – Speaking of nostalgia, this book is like reading a series about the adventures you played out across your living room floor. And it might even be nuttier and more outrageous, at times, than those battles were.
Total: $19.95
Matthew Meylikhov’s Picks:
POP #4 ($3.99): The end of Curt Pires and Jason Copland’s mini-series is a raucous good time, a mind-bending and page-breaking romantic comedy/odyssey done in the way that only Pires and Copland can do. I’ve read the issue and I’m sure I’m not supposed to really say anything about it, but I will say one thing: it features one of the most impressive sequences I’ve seen in comics this year, and it’s truly a site to see it all breakdown.
Superior Foes of Spider-Man #17 ($3.99): Our second finale of the week, Nick Spencer and Steve Lieber’s underdog comedy book comes to a close as every thread in the book reaches an inevitable boiling point. Spencer excels at long-con stories and Lieber is a masterful artist; how will they resolve all these disparate threads? I don’t know, but I’m excited to see how they do it.
The Unwritten: Apocalypse #11 ($3.99): The penultimate issue of Mike Carey and Peter Gross’ magnum opus. I can’t wait to see how it ends. I don’t want to see it go.
ODY-C #1 ($3.99): A new beginning to help round out all these endings we’ve got going on, Matt Fraction and Christian Ward’s new genderbent iteration of “the Odyssey” seems incredibly promising and enticing to me, both as a fan of Greek mythology and sequential narrative fiction. Which one will end up being the selling point, though? You’ll have to buy it along with me this week to find out.
Continued belowSecret Avengers #10 ($3.99): And, just to keep things even, something that is neither a beginning nor an ending — simply the latest issue of Ales Kot, Michael Walsh and Matt Wilson’s “Secret Avengers.” It’s getting weird; lets hope it gets damn weirder.
Total: $19.95 – Holy shit, everything I picked this week was $3.99. Oh the times, they are a-changin’…
David’s Picks:
Superior Foes of Spider-Man #17 ($3.99) – Good night you princes of Manhattan, you kings of Crime Alley. Oh how I will miss the sweet embrace of this book, but I will treasure the time we had together (except those issues where it wasn’t Spencer and Lieber for some reason). Either way, SUPFOES, I love you long time. Stay gold, Boomerang. Stay gold.
ODY-C #1 ($3.99) – Matt Fraction and Christian Ward getting big, getting weird and doing their thing in a gender reversed retelling of Homer’s Odyssey isn’t the type of story one ever expects to read a comic of, but then you do and you’re like, “okay, that was awesome.” Looking forward to it.
Lazarus #13 ($3.50) – One of the best titles of the year may be hitting its creative high point in its latest arc “Conclave”. But Rucka and Lark, if you guys make Forever kill Joacquim in the final issue of it like solicits sort of suggest, we’re through! You hear me! Donezo!
Trees #7 ($2.99) – Warren Ellis and Jason Howard may not be telling a story for everyone in this book, but I can tell you, it’s most definitely for me.
Wayward #4 ($3.50) – I really, really like this book. Jim Zub and Steve Cummings are building an interesting and charming world here, Cummings’ art is beautiful, and the backmatter ensures that I learn something each issue. The rare win win win comic. That’s right. Three wins.
Total: $17.97
Leo’s Picks:
Planet Gigantic #1 ($3.99) – Due to printer delays, this book is already out digitally, but it’s finally hitting shops. Action Lab is one of my favorite small publishers, and Planet Gigantic is a fun, all-ages book, which is something we sincerely need more of. After reading Grissom’s self-published book, Deadhorse, I’m up for what he’s doing with Planet Gigantic.
Capture Creatures #1 ($3.99) – Boom! has been doing great with some of the creator-owned projects they’ve published, like Teen Dog. As someone who spent many, many hours of their childhood hunched over a Gameboy playing Pokemon Red, and coupled with Boom’s track record, Capture Creatures seems like something worth checking out.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes #1 ($3.99) – I like Planet of the Apes. I like Michael Moreci’s work. I like Dan McDaid’s work. This is a no-brainer.
Manhattan Projects #25 ($3.50) – I’ve been keeping up with Manhattan Projects from the first issue, and while my passion for the book has diminished a little, it’s still one of the most fun and ridiculous books out there. This is the last issue before a big break and a new direction for the book, so I can’t stop now.
Toe Tag Riot #1 ($3.50) – I like Matt Miner’s work on his Liberator books and I like Sean Von Gorman’s art and general insanity, so it’s cool to see the two team up for a book about zombie punk rockers who are heading out to eat the Westboro Baptist Church.
Total: $18.97
Keith’s Picks:
Gotham by Midnight #1 ($2.99) – Ray Fawkes writes about the supernatural goings-on in Gotham City in this new title that’s illustrated by Ben Templesmith. I enjoyed Fawkes’ issues of “Batman: Eternal” and his focus on Jim Corrigan (a.k.a. The Spectre) in that book, so I trust he can delve into the unexplained with ease. Corrigan returns and a bunch of new characters are introduced in “Gotham by Midnight”. Templesmith’s art seems appropriately spooky for a book like this. I’ve never read anything featuring his art, but I like the preview pages that have been released online. If this book is just as satisfying as the other Bat-books, then we’re in for another addition to the Bat-renaissance.
Continued belowArkham Manor #2 ($2.99) – Gerry Duggan has conjured a fun story that may seem gimmicky (Wayne Manor converted into an insane asylum), yet holds lots of promise based on the intriguing ending to the magnificent first issue. Shawn Crystal’s art is powerful and he brings a unique style to Batman and his city. I hope he, as well as Duggan, remain in Gotham City for a long while.
Catwoman #36 ($2.99) – Catwoman’s book was faltering for far too long and I was hopeful that the new team of writer Genevieve Valentine and artist Garry Brown would impress me with their first issue. Not only did it impress me, but “Catwoman” #35 blew me away. Now I can celebrate the fact that I can now follow the feline antics of my favorite villainess/anti-hero.
Aquaman #36 ($2.99) – Jeff Parker is having a lot of fun on this book and has brought a unique take on the character since taking the reins from Geoff Johns (who reinvigorated the character at the start of the New 52). With the return of Arthur’s mother (and a cover promising a standoff with Martian Manhunter!), this issue looks to continue yet another run deserving of a deep sea/land dwelling class act.
Mind MGMT #28 ($3.99) – Wow. Meru looks badass with that sword and the cast of “Mind MGMT” strewn beneath her feet on the cover of issue 28. As this stunning book gets closer to its conclusion, I have to remember one thing: Matt Kindt has a new ongoing next year.
Total: $15.95 (Take the extra $4.05 and put it towards the purchase of the “Punk Rock Jesus Deluxe Edition”. The inimitable Sean Murphy writes and supplies the magnificent black and white artwork).
Matt Garcia’s Picks:
Memetic #2 ($4.99) – The pandemic continues, and people all over the world are starting to turn into psycho killers called Screamers. Tynion’s work on his creator-owned stuff at Boom! has been strong: moody, intense, and just the right levels of creepy. He likes these big ensemble casts and Eryk Donovan did well in the first issue maintaining that constant, building dread. Hopefully it continues through this one.
MIND MGMT #28 ($3.99) – This series just keeps getting better and better, weirder and weirder, and increasingly intriguing. We’re in the final year of this story and though the threads are all starting to come together, it’s just as interesting to see how Kindt’s going to play with the comic page as it is to see what corner Meru is turning down next.
Oddly Normal #3 ($2.99) – Witch girls and monsters and alternate-dimensional realms brimming with vibrant colors . . . what’s not to love? Otis Frampton is still finding his grounding in this world, but I’m happily exploring it with him.
Secret Avengers #10 ($3.99) – Although I think this book has lost some of its energy and humor (and not really in exchange for anything else either), that it’s overpriced, and that Kot often gets so caught up in being allusive and clever it’s sort of distracting, I can’t deny it’s a book I consistently enjoy and have a lot of fun reading. Kot is good at maintaining the team dynamic and Walsh delivers some fine kinetic art. Plus, Maria Hill is rapidly becoming my favorite character in the entire Marvel Universe.
Total: $15.96 – I even have some money leftover to help contribute to the Barnes and Noble 50% Off Criterion movies sale that’s going on right now. Woo.
Greg’s Picks:
Usagi Senso #5 ($3.99) – Don’t wait for the trade on this. I know it’s issue 5 of a 6-issue mini, but here’s all you need to know to jump on right now: Martians invade feudal Japan. And if the last page doesn’t make you want to pick up the next issue, I honestly don’t know what to tell you.
Trees #3 ($2.99) – Warren Ellis sci-fi drawn by a levelling-up Jason Howard? Yes please!
Lazarus #13 ($3.50) – Chess may be the game of kings, but poker is the game of Lazarus. Reads, tells, bluffs, calls, all ins, folds… it’s all here, both at the table and outside it. Every issue I think it’s can’t get better, and it does.
Continued belowFlash Gordon Annual #1 ($7.99) – Bummed as I am that the Parker/Shaner/Bellaire team is leaving Flash, I am excited about the incoming creators, including the Acker/Blacker writing team. You can get a first glimpse of their Flash work here, along with enough other Gordon content to put you right back into that tryptophan coma you just rousted yourself out of.
Total: $18.46
Brian’s Picks:
Sundowners #4 ($3.50) – Quietly, this is one of the best books on the market right now, and certainly among the most surprising. Get in on this now – this is the type of book that’ll be huge in 5 years and you’ll pretend you were in on the ground floor. But you weren’t – like a jerk.
Manhattan Projects #25 ($3.50) – I recently did a big re-read, and I am so pumped for where this series is going. I also like saying the slogan “Science, bad” like Frankenstein’s monster might. Try it, it’s fun!
Gotham by Midnight #1 ($2.99) – The diversity of the Bat-line is one of the things that 2014 will be remembered for, comics wise – this is yet another step in that direction.
ODY-C #1 ($3.99) – C’mon, do I really need to explain myself?
Shadow Show #1 ($3.99) – This checks off a number of things I like in a project: Ray Bradbury inspired, Joe Hill, C.P. Wilson. I’m in.
Total: $17.97
