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!
Leo’s Picks:
Heartthrob Vol 1: Never Going Back Again ($9.99) – “Heartthrob” is one of those really great high concepts that sounds good on paper, but works even better with the team of Chris Sebela and Robert Wilson IV. At ten bucks and bearing the name of my favorite Fleetwood Mac song, it would be a crime if you didn’t check out this really great crime/romance/drama/a-bunch-of-other-great-things comic.
Invisible Republic #13 ($3.99) – I won’t lie to y’all, I kinda forget this book is a thing sometimes because it flies so low under the radar. That said, Gabriel Hardman and Corinna Bechko are making some really good comics here.
Black Science #26 ($3.99) – Speaking of comics that I forget about sometimes, “Black Science” is another one of those books that has been so consistently good for the entirety of its run that we kinda take it for granted. Remender is writing some of the best books of his career right now and “Black Science” is certainly near the top of that list.
Total: $17.97
Drew’s Picks:
Space Battle Lunchtime #7 ($3.99) – This is the penultimate issue of the miniseries, so I won’t try to convince you to pick it up if you aren’t already reading it. Instead, I’ll tell you how much fun this comic has been, and see if I can persuade you to pick up the trade collection. Natalie Reiss has been serving up a delightful adventure about an Earth girl who participates in an intergalactic cooking competition – think “Chopped” with aliens. Like the best Food Network shows, the comic focuses more on the drama between the cooks and less on the actual food. The light-hearted story is paired with artwork in line with traditional comic strips – exaggerated features and minimum detail. The open spaces gives Reiss the opportunity to let her colors sell the emotion of the story. When you see this one on the rack, flip through it and see if the warm colors invite you in the same way they did me. If they do, take the time to pre-order the collection.
Eclipse #4 ($3.99) – Top Cow has been turning out some quality material lately, and this series is no exception. The story so far has been about a cynical law enforcer protecting a politician’s young adult daughter from a psycho, but the science fiction setting and political intrigue promises a much richer story down the line. It’s still early enough to get in on the ground floor with this one. Plus, every issue so far has included two or three pages of process material showing the development and thought that goes into some of the art.
Invisible Republic #13 ($3.99) – Like some other great books, this one has suffered some delays in 2016. Unlike some of those books, I do not mind the delays one bit. This is a very dense political book that knows where it’s heading, and it gets better with multiple reads. Long gaps between issues lets me digest the previous material the way it needs to be digested. If you’re a fan of layered storytelling the spans a century, this is a book you should look into.
Power Puff Girls #5 ($3.99) – This doesn’t come close to being my favorite book, but it’s the only comic that everyone in my house reads (or has read to them). If you’ve got young daughters at home, there’s a good chance they’ll enjoy this book.
Woods #28 ($3.99) – After a meandering second act, this comic is back on course and seems to be going somewhere again. Yay!
Continued belowTotal: $19.95
Vince’s Picks:
Motor Crush #1 ($3.99) – Right up front: you’re crazy if you don’t pick this up. I’m fully expecting this title to be on nearly every one of our CSBC entries today. For anyone who doesn’t know already – this is the new creator-owned title from the team that took Batgirl to Burnside, and arguably changed DC Comic’s entire outlook going forward. You could be argued that they did it with one iconic cover, a costume, and a small handful of concept drawings alone. There’s tremendous comic booking power in the creative team of Babs Tarr, Cameron Stewart, and Brenden Fletcher – please support it. And if your LCS is one of the infamous ones that didn’t order this book – let ’em have it when you come into the shop this week.
Revival #45 ($2.99) – Revival is coming to an end, and while I’ve given all the praise I can give to this book over the years in this column, I can’t stress enough that fans of offbeat horror should check this out. It’s one of the few entries into the genre that has been able to hold my attention this long.
Shade the Changing Girl #3 ($3.99) – I’ve decided that this is the most satisfying of the stellar ‘Young Animal’ line, for my money. It’s the perfect mix of straightforward, dramatic storytelling and David Bowie traveling across space and time to find a mystic cloak.
Midnighter and Apollo #3 ($3.99) – Not enough can be said about how dialed in to making great comics Steve Orlando is – everything he touches turns to gold. But what should be emphasized even more than it has been already is how well he collaborates with his artist on any given project. “Midnighter”, and by extension this miniseries, have features so many well-executed and heady artistic touches that make the book a visceral read, regardless of who’s drawing it at any given time.
Total: $14.96
Matthew’s Picks:
Uber: Invasion #1 ($3.99) – Gillen’s most underrated title returns to stands in a new series. People think the book is hard to like because it stars Nazis, and they’re not wrong. But it’s good, and I’ve written a lot about why it’s good, and hey, what better use for a medium designed for escapism than a comic about Nazis and war that is not in any way reflective of the modern era. At all. Ever.
The Wicked + The Divine #24 ($3.50) – Why stand for one Gillen book when you can get two! And this one has McKelvie, so really it’s the best of all possible worlds.
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #1 ($4.99) – If we’re getting two Gillen books, we might as well get all three, right? Gillen’s Star Wars saga continues in a new title, with all of the characters he created and probably less of the continuity bullshit. Plus, Kev Walker! Should be a good time.
Black Science #26 ($3.99) – The Return of “Black Science”. My favorite Rick Remender book on the stands, and the spiritual successor to “Fear Agent”. If you’re not following along with this, you’re missing what will likely stand someday as Remender’s magnum opus.
Nailbiter #27 ($2.99) – Last but not least, Williamson and Henderson’s fantastic horror comic continues to be one of the most gripping ongoings out there today. Don’t miss out.
Total: $19.46 – It’s not Wednesday without a Gillen 3-way / with some other Image Comics in the middle there’s some leeway
Matt’s Picks:
Arclight #3 ($3.99) – Well, who’d’ve thunk we’d actually see this continue? It’s too bad the 8House line caved in on itself, because there were a lot of interesting comics and way cooler creators being published by a mainstream publisher than you usually see. At this point, I’m happy we’re going to be able to see some of these stories end.
Reggie and Me #1 ($3.99) – Here’s the newest Archie comic. This one’s narrated from the point-of-view of Reggie’s dog, Vader. Because apparently Reggie’s dog doesn’t sleep all day except when it needs to go bark at squirrels. Anyone want to bet on how many of issues of this come out before the next “Betty & Veronica”?
Continued belowWonder Woman ’77 Meets The Bionic Woman #1 ($3.99) – Andy Mangels returns to comics to turn in the script for this new crossover series. Judit Tondora provides the art. Mangels knows his shit about Wonder Woman, so it’s likely this will be a loving tribute to the character. It’s also nice that DC is continuing to push Diana out more, instead of brushing her off and throwing her in the background like they’ve done for pretty much the last 65 years.
The Circle #$1 ($3.99) – One part “Scott Pilgrim, one part “Heathers”, and one part “Mean Girls”, this new series from Damon Clark and Alyzia Zherno finds a teenage boy who’s the new kid at school. He’s bullied and ends up hanging out with the weirdo kids, who are into things like the occult. After a ritual goes wrong, his new friends are all possessed by demons or something, meaning he has to kill them all. SO…teenage life is hell?
Giant Days #21 ($3.99) – Just a reminder that “Giant Days” is great.
Total: $19.95
Brian’s Picks:
Motor Crush #1 ($3.99) – The team behind the Batgirl of Burnside is back with a new Image book. Need I say more?
Aquaman #12 ($2.99) – The best kept secret of ‘Rebirth’ is just how great Dan Abnett’s “Aquaman” has been. Seriously, don’t sleep on this: it is the perfect mix of political machinations, romantic drama, and huge action sequences, all with a question lying in the back of every single character not named Arthur or Mera’s mind – what is Aquaman really up to?
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #1 ($3.99) – I’m waaaaaaay behind on my Marvel Star Wars books, but I like the idea of the universe expanding beyond the characters we’ve seen on screen. One of the best parts about Dark Horse’s time with the property was how the universe kept expanding in different directions. Let’s hope this is the start of a larger expansion.
Superman #12 ($2.99) – FRANKENSTEIN! FRANKENSTEIN! FRANKENSTEIN! FRANKENSTEIN!
Faith #6 ($3.99) – Valiant’s most consistent title; Jody Houser is going to be a superstar in no time, so get in on the ground floor here.
Nightwing #10 ($2.99) – Post-Flashpoint Dick finally travels to Bludhaven, and I’m very, very interested to see how this plays out.
Total: $20.94 – Take the extra buck out of next week – sometimes, you’ve gotta rob Peter to pay Paul.
Ken’s Picks:
Nova #1 ($3.99): I’m going to be honest here. I am a fan of Richard Rider. His story from “Annihilation” to “The Thanos Imperative” was nothing short of amazing. It’s why I am also one of the few Rider fans that feels he shouldn’t come back. His story had such a natural end that bringing him back would cheapen it (see also: the resurrection of Star-Lord). And it really does feel like it diminishes Sam Alexander in this as well. But I could be wrong. The preview pages from Loveness, Perez & Herring prove promising. Perhaps they can take a bad idea and execute it well?
Nightwing #10 ($2.99): I am up and down on the idea of Nightwing returning to Bludhaven, despite Tim Seeley showing a great grasp of Nightwing’s history. That said: the big draw here is artist Marcus To drawing the book of another member of the Batfamily, which is oh so good.
Total: $6.98
Mark’s Picks:
Motor Crush #1 ($3.99) — I’m checking this series out entirely because of the creative team: Brenden Fletcher, Cameron Stewart, and Babs Tarr. I’m also curious to see the “Isola” prologue included within…
Giant Days #21 ($3.99) — I love these characters, and I love this series.
Rise of the Black Flame ($3.99) — I don’t want to say too much about this one here, but let’s just say I really enjoyed it. And Chris Mitten’s artwork is stunning.
Total: $11.97. Small week this time.
