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:
God Country #5 ($3.99) – Donny Cates is on a tear here lately with how good his books have been, and “God Country” might be my very favorite. A lot of that, of course, has to do with Geoff Shaw turning in some of the best art of his career on this book. This story of gods and an old man with a sword, all set in the middle of nowhere Texas, has just been something special and I can only imagine that continues as we get closer to the end of the story.
Birthright #24 ($2.99) – Only one issue away from the big issue #25 they’ve been promising and the story just keeps getting better. Getting to see Mikey not just as a brother or son, or failed chosen one, but through the eyes of his wife and someone who knew him as a helpless child in a scary world has been nice so far this arc.
Curse Words #5 ($3.99) – End of the arc! Wizord faces off against his ex-girlfriend and it’s sure to be worse than any fight you’ve had with an ex – mostly because of magic. Soule and Browne continue to create one of the weirdest and funniest books in shops.
Invincible #136 ($2.99) – Each issue gets us closer to the end, but each issue also continues to be really damn good. This issue promises the beginning of the final battle against Thragg’s new Viltrumite army, a battle that is apparently the bloodiest of the series, which is saying a ton. Roughly half the content of the last 135 issues is just one character covered in another character’s blood, so this should be interesting.
Royal City #3 ($3.99) – Jeff Lemire continues his spiritual follow-up to “Essex County” and it’s just as Jeff Lemire-y as I hoped for. Long story short, I’m loving it.
Total: $17.95. Dig around in the couch and get enough change to buy another $2.99 book.
Matt Lune’s Picks:
Grrl Scouts: Magic Socks #1 ($3.99) – I always love original, creator owned debut issues from Image Comics, and this punk, underground style brings with it a real sense of energy. Stemming from Jim Mahfood’s own printed and published comics from the mid-90s, this is the very definition of creator-owned and I’m looking forward to seeing what this is all about.
Flash #22 ($2.99) – ‘The Button’ has not gone in the direction that I was expecting, especially following such a strong debut issue back in “Batman” #21, however that’s not to say I haven’t enjoyed it. There’s no way I’m missing out on the finale, especially if the book provides the character return that the cover is promising. His return is not only exciting in itself, but the possibilities it opens up for the Rebirth universe is fascinating.
Secret Empire #2 ($4.99) – I was not expecting this series to be this good. Whatever your feelings on the controversial event so far, there’s no denying that the previous two installments in this main series have been skillfully done. Last issue presented the next generation of heroes in a way that felt fresh and energetic and actually made me excited for the upcoming ‘Legacy’ not-a-reboot, and this issue looks like it’ll catch up on the street level heroes stranded in the Darkforce-shrouded New York.
Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys: The Big Lie #3 ($3.99) – Having no experience with any of these characters previously, I had no interest in picking up this series. It was fellow Multiversity staffer Kyle Welch that turned me onto just how strong this book is, and when I caught up on the first two issues I could see why he loved it. It’s a deeply engaging noir murder mystery that presents a more mature look at these characters. If you like Riverdale or the ‘Archie Horror’ books then you’ll enjoy this approach too.
Continued belowLuke Cage #1 ($3.99) – I love Luke Cage, he’s easily in my top 5 favorite Marvel characters, maybe even my second favorite (nobody’s taking the top spot from Aunt Petunia’s Ever-Lovin’ Idol o’ Millions), so a new solo series is music to my ears. It looks like this will be taking its cues from the recent Netflix series and the “Jessica Jones” book in terms of tone, which is fine by me. Power Man’s had a bunch of different takes over the years so I’m excited to see what this series brings to the table
Total: $19.95 A strong week for the Big Two, but some solid indie titles help to round out my list.
Nick’s Picks:
Jughead #15 ($3.99) – Mark Waid takes over Jughead with this issue! I’m interested to see how he approaches this title differently from Archie since this has been the more comedy-centric series. It also looks like this first arc will explore Jughead’s asexuality, so I’m curious how he’ll approach that.
Curse Words #5 ($3.99) – Charles Soule’s unique brand of character-grounded exploration of wild inverted fantasy concepts meets Ryan Browne’s insane, kinetic art. The first arc ends here — if you’re not reading this yet, check out the first trade when it comes out next month!
Nick Fury #2 ($3.99) – That first issue had such little plot, but MAN was it pretty. With sequential art as fantastic as that, I’m in no matter how thin the story.
Archie #20 ($3.99) – Pete Woods has been a nice fit for Archie. This issue has gotten press as the beginning of a story arc that will contain a character death which will “change the Archie universe forever.” Archie has a good track record when it comes to events with over-the-top concepts that receive press releases, so I’m looking forward to how the team handles this.
Eleanor and the Egret #2 ($3.99) – These two creators have an interesting way of working together which seems to be driven by the art. I’m not sure where the story is going from here, but my curiosity has been piqued.
Total: $19.95
Kent’s Picks:
Animal Noir #4 ($3.99) – Forget Chinatown, Jake – it’s the Serengeti. I never thought the next great classicist noir would look like Mean Streets via Robert Crumb, but here we are. This issue ties off the final knot from the mini-series’ myriad threads of corruption, snuff films, familiar power grabs, and class disparity. Izar Luncek is a bit of a lunatic for making it all work.
Eleanor & The Egret #2 ($3.99) – Can’t say I ever expected John Layman and Sam Kieth to mesh as well as they do here. Aesthetically, there’s nothing else like this book out there. Check that, story, art, sentiment – this one sits on a rack all it’s own..
Dead Inside #5 ($3.99) – There’s no sign that John Arcudi and Toni Fejzula will stick their landing with any less precision than a shiv aimed squarely between the third and fourth rib. Fejzula’s murky, idiosyncratic art captures the perfect atmosphere of compromised morality that threatens to pull down any of those orbiting Detective Caruso’s prison murder investigation.
The Wild Storm #4 ($3.99) – After shit hit the fan, and kept hitting the fan, over the back half of last month’s issue, I can’t wait to see where Warren Ellis shifts the Wildstorm chess pieces once the dust settles. Jon Davis-Hunt’s action mixed a streamlined beauty and sci-fi violence into a ballistic set piece akin to the old bullet ballets firing out of Hong Kong in the 90s. And while that action was great, it’s how Ellis frames the character’s equal and opposite reaction that has me really intrigued this month.
God Country #5 ($3.99) – The other southern bastard, Emmet Quinlan, in a bloody battle for the lord of swords. Gods, yes. Donny Cates has ensured the epic grandeur of Geoff Shaw’s art is kept tethered to earth with a chicken-fried coating of regrets, redemption and all too human frailty.
Total: $19.96
Kevin’s Picks:
The Flash #22 ($3.99) – I’m still not sure how I’ve felt about “The Button” as it has been nothing like what I’ve expected. However, with the recently announced “Doomsday Clock” and Jay Garrick on the cover this seems like Rebirth essential. Is this the begging of a “JSA” or “Legion” title? Also I’m getting the lenticular cover cause I’m a sucker.
Continued belowArchie #20 ($3.99) – So I’ll level with you all, I started buying this because my mom was really interested in Archie Comics since she grew up with them, but month after month (minus the drop in art cause no one can top Fiona Staples) Mark Waid has delivered. This issue starts an Archie event (the solicits promising the biggest comic event in Archie history). Consider my curiosity piqued.
Royal City #3 ($3.99) – I’ve enjoyed Jeff Lemire’s newest creator-owned series thus far. It’s been a good palette cleanser from all the superhero bombast as of late and Lemire is one of my favorite creators.
Batman #23 ($2.99) – King’s “Batman” has been so-so, but I think the strongest issues have been January’s “Rooftops” with Gerads on art, so throw in Swamp Thing to this story and I’m calling that this will be the highlight of the run so far.
Teen Titans #8 ($3.99) – The other DC crossover for the week started strong and with a team like Priest, Abnett, and Percy plotting I feel like this is going to wind up being something special. Plus Phil Jimenez can take all my money with that variant cover.
Total: $18.95. A couple DC events, some nostalgia, and a little bit of quiet = Happy birthday to me!
Justin’s Picks:
Britannia: We Who Are About To Die #2 ($3.99) – This mini-series is looking like it will be just as fun as the first. I only hope that they will just keep doing them.
The Flash #22 ($2.99) – I was already excited to see how this crossover ends, but the “Doomsday Clock” announcement has me pumped even more. This story has been a pleasent surprise, but my wallet will be relieved not to be pulling two bi-monthly books anymore.
Invincible #136 ($2.99) – The monthly wait has been killing me after bingeing the whole series up to this arc, but I can’t wait to see how Kirkman wraps it up.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #15 ($3.99) – Nostalgia is key factor in liking this book, but Kyle Higgins is also doing a lot of fun things with the lore of the original series. I hope he stays on this book for a long time.
Star Wars #31 ($3.99) – “The Screaming Citadel” #1 was an amazing start to this crossover, and had everything I could ask for in a pair up of Luke and Doctor Aphra. I’m looking forward to seeing what Jason Aaron can do with the team up.
Superman #23 ($2.99) – I think this is the last double shipping book that I’m hanging onto from DC, and I will continue to do so. Having a consistently great Superman book is really exciting.
Total: $20.94. This was a big week for me and it was really hard to get under $20, but I’ve been under enough the past couple weeks to justify the extra money this time. I normally would pick up “4 Kids Walk Into a Bank” and “Powers,” but it’s been so long since the last releases that I may as well wait for the trades to save some money. “Astro City” also barely got edged out because I’m able to dip in and out of the series without having to play catch up.
Ramon’s Picks:
4 Kids Walk Into A Bank #4 ($3.99) — This has been cooking on the slow burner for a long time, and everyone hates a slow meal. If this were another book in another company, it would have been cancelled since issue #1 because people get tired of waiting. But the story that Rosenberg, Boss, and their team are telling is simply wonderful. It is worth the wait, and I would keep gladly waiting a year for issue 5 if necessary (but please, don’t make me wait anymore).
Jughead #15 ($3.99) — This is conflicting for me, it´s great to have Mark Waid on board, but it makes me sad that Ryan North’s run is over. Let’s see how can Waid handle Forsythe.
The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #20 ($3.99) — This is always a must have, awesome every page.
Continued belowArchie #20 ($3.99) — Another no-brainer, if someone wants to enter the world of comics, “All-New Archie” is my top recommendation.
Eleanor & The Egret #2 ($3.99) — Last issue was a lot of fun, I want to see where does this gorgeous weirdness goes.
Total: $19.95. This is a simple week for me, 5 titles for $20. Also, I read “March Of the Crabs” Vol.1 a while ago, it was a masterpiece of simplicity. This weeks we are getting Volume 2 ($19.99), if you can, give it a chance.
Vince’s Picks:
Wild Storm #4 ($3.99) – A masterclass in decompressed comics writing and a beautiful marriage of artist and writer. “Wild Storm” is the template for how to write a slow burning book without pissing me off. The slow move from plot point to plot point are actually executed with a purpose instead of just designed to pad the book. Thinking back to last issue, you had the deliberate pace of a new “Jenny” introduction and a carefully choreographed fight scene that both benefitted from taking their time. This is already one of the best comics on the stands every month, so don’t be a dummy and pick it up.
The Flash #22 ($2.99) – It’s ‘The Button’ what can I say? I’m just as surprised to be enjoying this as much as I am as anyone. Everything that absolutely shouldn’t work about it is working on me.
Teen Titans #8 ($3.99) – If ‘The Button’ is a little too blasphemous for you, try out ‘The Lazarus Contract.’ I’ve been nothing less that extremely impressed that Priest, Abnett, and Percy came together so smoothly to put out a crossover event that does each of the books correctly, captures all the different tones, and has lived up to the high cape comics drama that something like ‘The Judas Contract’ used to bring to the table. This is both decidedly modern and a bit of a throwback.
Rad Island (One-Shot) ($3.99) – I don’t know a damn thing about this but the cover and the solicitation look bonkers.
Generation X ($3.99) – I love me some X-Men, but what I like best about the X-Men are all the new, young mutants that are constantly being brought in and then forgotten about in short order. Well I won’t forget about you. *blasts Simple Minds on my jam box*
Total: $18.95
Mark’s Picks:
“Bad Machinery – Volume Seven: The Case of the Forked Road” $14.99 — Anyone that reads this column regularly knows that “Giant Days” is always on my list. Well, “Bad Machinery” is another title written by John Allison… drawn by him too… and set in the same universe as “Giant Days”. I’d be mad not to pick this up.
“The Case of the Forked Road” ran online from June 2013 to February 2014, but because I hate reading on screens, I haven’t read this yet. No spoilers!
“Dead Inside” #5 ($3.99) — I’ve really enjoyed the first four issue of this miniseries from John Arcudi and Toni Fejzula, and while this is where the miniseries ends, I’m hoping this isn’t the last we see of Linda Caruso. Arcudi has ideas for more and I’d love to see them come to fruition.
Total: $18.98
Matthew’s Picks:
Birthright #24 ($2.99) – Williamson and Bressan’s creator-owned ongoing returns, and the world rejoices. Hopefully Williamson will have some more creator-owned books soon, but in the meantime this book has been pretty fantastic issue to issue.
(Williamson’s finale to the Batman/ Flash crossover is also out this week if you’ve got a spare $2.99 you’re looking to donate towards his career growth.)
Royal City #3 ($3.99) – Jeff Lemire’s latest solo ongoing continues to be a welcome addition to an increasingly wonderful library of work.
Royals #3 / U.S.Avengers #6 / Ultimates 2 #7 ($3.99 each) – 3 Al Ewing Marvel comics in one week. How lucky are we?
Total: $18.95
Brian’s Picks:
Teen Titans #8 ($3.99) – The lowest profile of the three recent DC monthly events, ‘The Lazarus Contract’ is, just one issue in, on pace to be the best of the bunch. Khoi Pham and Ben Percy take the reins this week, and hope to continue the quality established last week.
Continued belowThe Flash #22 ($3.99) – The return of Jay Garrick – and, no offense to my boo James Robinson, but the Jay Garrick, not the New 52 “Earth 2” analogue – is cause for celebration. I can’t wait to see how this plays out.
Eleanor and the Egret #2 ($3.99) – John Layman and Sam Kieth’s art thief/talking bird book stunned me with its first issue. This is completely unlike either creator’s previous work, and that’s part of what makes it so exciting.
Curse Words #5 ($3.99) – Charles Soule and Ryan Browne’s wizard book continues to be one of he funniest books on the market each month.
Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye #8 ($3.99) – Michael Avon Oeming is doing the best work of his career on “Cave Carson,” and this book remains my favorite Young Animal book, though “Bug” is making a play for the top spot.
Total: $19.95
