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!
Matt Lune’s Picks:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer #2 ($3.99) – This reboot came out swinging with a solid issue #1, so not only am I down for wherever this book is taking me, I’m fascinated to see this relaunch come into its own.
Age Of X-Man The X-Tremists #1 ($3.99) – Look, Leah Williams is a Buy On Site for me, and she should be for you too. “Age of X-Man” is a great sandbox for Williams to play in, and if her work on “What If: Magik” proves anything, its that she can take established concepts and put a fresh new spin on things.
Avengers No Road Home #3 ($3.99) – Last year’s “No Surrender” was exactly the kind of big-budget superhero comics that The Avengers should be all about. We’re only a few issues in but “No Road Home” is looking to be exactly the same.
Daredevil #2 ($3.99) – The first issue of “Daredevil” should have cemented in people’s minds that Chip Zdarsky is a serious contender in Marvel’s current writing pool. His work on “Peter Parker” and “Marvel Two-in-One” showed that he has a greater range than a lot of people may have thought, but this series is shaping up to be his career-defining best work yet.
Redlands #11 ($3.99) – While never quite living up to one of the greatest first issues of the last few years, the level of quality in every issue of “Redlands” is far higher than a lot of other books on the stands, and it deserves your attention.
Total: $19.95 – Marvel heavy week this week, but what can I say? I’m enjoying what they’re putting out.
Mark’s Pick:
“B.P.R.D.: Vampire” (2nd edition TPB, $19.99)— Gabriel Bá and Fábio Moon’s “B.P.R.D.: Vampire” is one of the best stories the Hellboy Universe has to offer. I adore this book. I remember back when it was coming out in singles, how audacious the first five pages seemed. Bá and Moon took a quarter of the issue to simply show us the aftermath of a vampire attack, corpses floating down the river, blood stark against snow. A quarter of the book! And yet, years later, that sequence is still burnt onto my brain. There’s so much silence stillness in ‘Vampire,’ so you’d think the book would feel light, but it has quite the opposite effect. It makes the reader linger, and the characters’ emotions take on a larger-than-life quality.
This new edition adds an epilogue of sorts, taken from the pages of last year’s “Hellboy Winter Special,” and it’s really got me hoping for more. I know it’s unlikely right now, after all there’s this comic called “The Umbrella Academy” that’s been turned into a Netflix series, and considering how much it’s blowing up right now, I don’t see Bá having time for another ‘Vampire’ story any time soon. But, y’know, just having this new short story is nice. It’s like a little promise. Bá and Moon haven’t forgotten about this series. Someday—probably not today—there will be more.
Total: $19.99.
Kate’s Picks:
Black Hammer Age of Doom #8 ($3.99) – It’s been way too long without Black Hammer in my life. Everyone’s out of their (literal) element and no one knows what’s going to happen next. But we do know it’s going to be well done.
West Coast Avengers #8 ($3.99) – The solicit promises a “sexy undercover mission” so you know it has to be good. Even if Kate Bishop’s ex is coming back to town (which may be good or not good, depending on how things ended. I sense the latter).
Continued belowMan-Eaters #6 ($3.99) – Between this series and an Oscar win for a film about menstruation, periods are right now more than just the end of a sentence. Let’s take on the patriarchy, one tampon at a time.
Honor and Curse #1 ($3.99) – Mad Cave Studios (who we interviewed this week!) has a bit of something for everyone in their catalogue, from Biblical epics to what can be best called “medieval fantasy meets Thundercats.” This is their first new title for 2019, and it combines romance, historical fiction, and the supernatural. Definitely something for everyone!
Life is Strange #4 ($3.99) – I am not a big video gamer, but Life is Strange is one of the few games I played from start to finish, and one of fewer games still that I would play again. The game itself has two distinct endings, and this takes one of those endings (not the one I picked) and continues that story. It’s been fun to see what might have been had I chosen a different path for Max and Chloe.
Total: $19.95. Way too much good stuff this week!
Vince’s Picks:
Corto Maltese: The Secret Rose ($19.99) – These IDW translations of Hugo Pratt’s “Corto Maltese” series are not only filled with some of the best comic booking you’ll ever want to look at, but among the best softcover packagings I’ve ever seen from the medium. They’re beautifully sized (the art really benefits from being allowed to breathe on the big pages), aesthetically pleasing, and feel good in your hands. The thick cover stock feels durable, but still flexible. I know I’m mostly talking about the technical comic packaging nerd shit, but they really are stunning.
Total: $19.99
