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.
Matthew’s Picks:
Secret Avengers #16 ($3.99) – Warren Ellis and Jamie McKelvie writing one of my favorite books Marvel is putting out. In the words of Ghandi, “Let’s do this shit!”
Ultimate Comics: Hawkeye #1 ($3.99) – I’m admittedly an Ultimate universe junkie. When I first got back into comics, I bought everything the Ultimate universe had to offer – everything. I still haven’t changed. But hey, it’s Hickman and Hawkeye. What can go wrong?
Angel & Faith #1 ($2.99) – I am not caught up in the Buffyverse at all, but when interviewing Rebekah Isaacs for Artist August, I asked her off the record if I could jump into this without having to read anything that came before or seeing Angel. She said, to no one’s surprise, “yes.” Well, alright then!
Amazing Spider-Man #668 ($3.99) – Spider-Man, Spider-Man. Does whatever a Spider can. Is his book great? Yes it is. Buy it now, you won’t regret this. Look out, here comes Dan Slott-man!
Wait, what? I don’t know. Just buy it.
Justice League #1 ($3.99) – Yeah, I guess.
Total: $18.95
Walt’s Picks:
Zorro Rides Again #2 ($3.99) – The first issue of this series was awesome. Who told you it was going to be awesome? That’s right, this guy. This issue is going to be awesome as well. Who says so? Well, you get it. Matt Wagner working on a pulpy character is always worth a buy, and Wagner working on Zorro is always worth two buys.
Secret Avengers #16 ($3.99) – Man oh man. Did you see the preview for this? If you were for some reason doubtful toward Ellis’s brief stint on this title, all you need to do is look at those few pages and I guarantee you’ll have your mind changed – if not by Ellis, than by Jamie McKelvie. Don’t get me wrong, I love McKelvie’s work, but those pages that I’ve seen have gone above and beyond my expectations.
Ultimate Comics: Hawkeye #1 ($3.99) – I do wish that Marvel would stop putting out $3.99 series, but I guess that’s just the way the cookie crumbles. And in this case, it should be worth it. Ultimate Hawkeye has always been one of the more interesting characters in the Ultimates, and it should be interesting to see what Jonathan Hickman has in store for the ace shot.
Skullkickers #10 ($2.99) – You still haven’t read Skullkickers? Jeez, don’t go around advertising that! Do you even know how low of an opinion anyone will have toward you if they hear that? Don’t worry, a new issue is out this week. You’re lucky you have a pal like me to get you in the know.
Amazing Spider-Man #668 ($3.99) – “Spider-Island” is the only currently ongoing summer event that I particularly care about. Flashpoint and Fear Itself are diverting, yes, but in “Spider-Island” I’m given a story where I actually care about how it affects the characters. Sure, it’s still just another superheroic action romp, but at least it has some heart in it.
Total: $18.95
Josh’s Picks:
The Sixth Gun #14 ($3.99) – Simply put, this is not just the best sci-fi/mystery/magic/western comic being published today, it is one of the best comics published today PERIOD. Engaging story lines, relatable characters and fantastic art make this one an absolute hit. Get on board with it before the show comes out and everyone pretends they were an OG fan!
Continued belowSkullkickers #10 ($2.99) – Another fantastic book you probably aren’t reading, no matter how funny you think the comics you read are, this one is funnier. And more violent. (Okay maybe not more violent, but Skullkickers violence is always funny, and NOTHING is funnier than violence for comedy’s sake.)
Invincible #82 ($2.99) – Despite the fact that he also writes The Infinite, Robert Kirkman is still one of the best writers in comics today and this book (along with The Walking Dead) is one of the reasons why. About as close to “classic Kirkman” as one can get, there are big things a-brewin’ for Mark Grayson, not the least of which is that new Invincible that we got teased a little while back.
Ultimate Comics Hawkeye #1 ($3.99) – One of my all time favorite writers writing one of my all time favorite characters in any universe. Check and mate.
Justice League #1 ($3.99) – This book is not on here because I am specifically excited for it, or even because I anticipate it being any good (like most of Johns’ recent work, I’m expecting nothing more than “passable”). This book is on here because I happen to think that the DCnU is one of the most exciting things to happen to mainstream comics in quite a while and fanboys be damned I’m gonna hold to that idea at least for the next month. Whether or not this initiative is a success or not remains to be seen, but given my pre-release thoughts on it, I pretty much HAVE to be on the ground floor to see how it starts. So there you go.
Total: $17.95
Patrick’s Picks:
Amazing Spider-Man #668 ($3.99): Everything else I want is more than $20. Insert disjointed rant about “EVERYTHING WAS BETTER IN WHATEVER YEAR YOU, THE READER, HAPPENED TO BE 15” at your leisure.
Total: $3.99
David’s Picks
Justice League #1 ($3.99) – I have to say, I am actually VERY skeptical of this book. Not because of the quality (or lack thereof), because I assume this book will be a very, very good superhero book. But because I don’t think we’ll get that many issues before delays. That said, this book should be pretty rockin’, and I’m excited to see what these guys have in store for us.
The Goon #35 ($3.50) – The Goon is awesome always, but this month we have something special coming to us in the form of the superb talents of writer Evan Dorkin. The man behind Milk & Cheese (the comic, not the foods) and Beasts of Burden is penning this issue, with series creator/writer/artist/god Eric Powell on art duties. It should be a grand ol’ time, and I can’t wait to see what this duo has in store for us.
Sixth Gun #14 ($3.99) – Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt have very quietly crafted one of the best comics in the industry with this Oni Press book, and the last issue found readers left at a point where our two heroes are squaring off with a gigantic mummy on a train with only powered-by-evil six shooters to protect them. How can you read that last sentence and not want to buy this book? Buy this book people. It’s outrageously good.
Uncanny X-Force #14 ($3.99) – I am the king of hyperbole – it’s a fact, my friends have told me this before. That said, I LOVE Rick Remender’s X-Force, I LOVE the Age of Apocalypse and I LOVE WWE championship belt wearing Apoca-Angel on the last page of issue #13. Plus, we all know AoA Nightcrawler is going to swashbuckle the shit out of someone in this issue in a “surprise” twist. Bring it on Remender. You are the man.
Invincible #82 ($2.99) – This is the best superhero comic on the market (told you I was the king of hyperbole), and month in and month out, Robert Kirkman, Ryan Ottley and the rest churn out incredible comics for all to revel in. This book has a permanent place on my CSBC list, and it should on yours too.
Continued belowTotal: $18.46
Gil’s Picks:
Angel & Faith ($2.99) — I’m a big fan of The Buffyverse. And the great Whedon himself saw fit to put my two favorite characters together in a continuation of the relationship they shared on the TV show, just reversed. And with Van Lente and Isaacs on the series, I’m beyond excited!
Flashpoint #5 ($3.99) — The best event of the summer concludes and sets up the new status quo for the DCU…or should I call it the DCnU? What will the new universe be like? How will The Flash save the day? Well, you should buy this to find out! That Reverse Flash, whattadick.
Herc #6.1 ($2.99) — Herc is one of the best books put out by Marvel, and with the new .1 that’s coming out, there’s no reason not to pick this up, unless you hate good comics. Do you hate good comics? OF COURSE NOT! Pick this up. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Justice League #1 ($3.99) — Well we didn’t have to wait long for the new DC Universe! Here’s the start of it. And the big guns are back. Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and others have come together to save the world from the greatest threat ever to befall the world. And you know it’s good, because everyone has V-Collars!
Witch Doctor ($2.99) — I was initially torn between adding this or adding Secret Avengers. While I love Warren Ellis and Jamie McKelvie, this is a book that flies a bit under the radar. Described as House meets The Exorcist, it has a lot of horror and comedy mixed with more supernatural medicine than you can shake a surgical stake at!
Total: $16.95
Brandon’s Picks:
Flashpoint #5 ($3.99) – Everything changes in a Flash is what we’re told. It turned out we didn’t even know the half of it. Now we know everything except how the transition occurs. We’ll find that here and I am excited and a little hesitant, but I’m buying this without a doubt.
Justice League #1 ($4.99) – Firstly, yes I am buying the combo pack. I want it as a collectors item. It’s the first of it’s kind and I think it’s neat. After this I will only buy the issue or the digital copy. I am buying this book because it is the beginning of a new era and it’s Johns and Lee bringing us the elite heroes of a new future. I am excited, which is a word that keeps coming out of my mouth in talking about the DCnU, for this book!
Uncanny X-Force #14 ($3.99) – Last issue was awesome and it was just last week! Hooray, the Comic Gods truly shine on us! The AoA romp has been fun, and as it gets close to the end we as readers are still left wondering how AoA Nightcrawler gets back to the good ole 616 area code of the Marvel multiverse. I also can’t wait to see if any other AoAers make it back to our neck of the woods.
Total: $11.97
