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.
Follow the cut to see everyone’s picks for the week, and feel free to share your own list in the comments!
American Vampire #24 ($2.99) – On the one hand, the big reveal in the previous issue was kind of obvious. On the other, that didn’t make it any less awesome. Don’t know what I’m talking about? Then you clearly aren’t reading on of the best comics currently being published. Scott Snyder gets a lot of credit from critics these days – myself included – for being DC’s secret weapon, but an equal amount of praise should also be handed out to artist Rafael Albuquerque. Snyder brings the creepiness, and Albuquerque brings the glee… and more creepiness.
Dark Horse Presents #9 ($7.99) – Another day, another The Massive short. But, as great as Brian Wood is, that is far from the only reason to pick this bad boy up. Anthology comics are sadly underrated these days, even though they tend to have the most bang for one’s buck. Before it’s too late, I recommend hunting down the previous issues of the latest volume of Dark Horse Presents, and enjoy some great comics you might miss out on otherwise.
Fantastic Four #603 ($2.99) – Fantastic Four #600 was mind-blowing. #601, though, was a bit of a letdown. Then came #602, and my mind was once again blown. Hopefully this issue doesn’t follow the already somewhat established pattern and instead coasts off of the forward momentum established with #602, but we’ll have to wait until tomorrow to find out. Sounds good to me.
Prophet #22 ($2.99) – I dig sci-fi in general, but I dig highly inventive sci-fi even more. That, my friends, is exactly what Brandon Graham’s Prophet is. [Insert snarky comment about reading a comic created by Rob Liefeld, even though that has no bearing on the comic at hand.]
Total: $16.96 (The remaining comics I’m really, and not just kind of, interested in are $3.99)
Matt’sPicks Pick:
Between Gears ($19.99) – It has been said time and again that Image is the place to be for weekly books that really help to push creativity to the forefront. A prominent proponent of the creator-owned, you can find something new almost every single week from Image. I must honestly sound like a shill for the company at this point, but it nevertheless remains true (and the $200 they send me weekly to promote them doesn’t hurt, of course!).
With that in mind, the only book I really want to recommend this week is Natalie Nourigat’s Between Gears. I’ve been a fan of Nourigat’s work for some time now, and have been ever since fellow MC-er introduced me to her work. With a self-made holiday postcard framed on my wall with my other artistic prizes, I’ve been eagerly anticipating some major published work from her, as she is an undeniably underrated talent in the industry. This week sees Natalie Nourigat’s year-long chronicle of life during her senior year of college arriving at local comic book shops everywhere, and I couldn’t be more excited to buy it (which is ostensibly weird, because I can only imagine how uncomfortable it must make Nourigat to see people online writing “I can’t wait to read your diary!”). I’ve long since been waiting for the collected edition of her online diary comic to be released, and I can only assume that the finished product collected as a whole will read just as well as EmiTown did, if not moreso (and EmiTown 2 is only a month or so away!).
Continued belowThat being said, sure, there are a bunch of good comics out this week. New Bulletproof Coffin, Chew, LDB, Morning Glories and Prophet from Image, a new DHP from Dark Horse, the finale of “Archie meets KISS” in Archie. I hear Marvel and DC might have books out this week too. However, despite the bevy of titles I could recommend, none are going to reach the emotional apex that the sheer and brutal honesty of Between Gears encapsulates from front to back, and I couldn’t be more excited to pick up my copy. I would recommend you do so as well.
Total: $19.99 (plus tax, I suppose)
David’s Picks:
Morning Glories #16 ($2.99) – Is it a little egotistic to make my first pick a comic that I’m actually in? Maybe. But holy crap, I’m in this comic! Plus, Nick Spencer and Joe Eisma are on one hell of a roll, and I can’t wait to see where we go next.
Prophet #22 ($2.99) – The first issue was remarkable, taking the second spot on my top comics of January rankings. With Brandon Graham and Simon Roy back for round two, so am I. Can’t wait to see what is next.
Chew #24 ($2.99) – All Image, all the time! This is one of the consistent greats of Image’s line-up, and with Tony Chu in trouble, I have no doubt that Layman and Guillory are going to disgust and entertain with the best of them this week.
Flash #6 ($2.99) – This has been my favorite DCnU book to date. Granted, I’m a Flash fan in general, but Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato are doing something that no one has ever done before: making me love Barry Allen. That’s a hell of a thing.
Wolverine and the X-Men #6 ($3.99) – I honestly don’t care what else happens in this comic, I just know it features Wolverine and Quentin Quire gambling in space. If I was a movie studio and Jason Aaron and Nick Bradshaw were pitching me an idea, all they would need to say is “Wolverine and Quentin Quire gambling in space.” It’s just awesome.
American Vampire #24 ($2.99) – I’m loving this current arc of AV from Snyder and Albuquerque, with an atypically tough greaser as the lead and hot rods ruling the day. With the way the last issue ended, I’m eager to find out what comes next.
Total: $18.94
