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!
Christopher’s Picks:
Marvel’s Voices: Pride #1 ($9.99): Happy Pride to all LGBTQ+ Marvel fans out there! Let’s hope the House of Ideas makes it a good one.
Black Panther #1 ($4.99): Is leaning into T’Challa’s resemblance to Batman by making him a literal vigilante on the streets of Wakanda the most original idea? Maybe not, but I wish Eve Ewing and Christopher Allen the best of luck with their new starting point.
Captain Marvel #50 ($4.99):Kelly Thompson’s eventful run has come to an end, becoming Carol Danvers’s longest series since Brian Reed’s “Ms. Marvel” run. Hopefully it won’t be long before we get another ongoing for Carol (and Kamala and Monica for that matter, wink wink), but for now, let’s savor this.
Total: $19.97
Johnny’s Picks:
Battle Chasers #10 ($3.99): You ever have one of those moments where you feel like you must have hit your head and somehow traveled back in time, or are, at the very least, experiencing some mild multiversal trauma? That was me, just now, when I found out that “Battle Chasers,” a fantasy comic that began its auspicious-yet-intermittent run some 20-plus years ago, returns to print this Wednesday! Good on Joe Madureira for not rebooting at a new number one and continuing on with the original numbering, after several years absent from the stands. Hopefully, the disinterest in boosting sales means more of a focus on the, as I recall, marginally thin storyline. Teaming with JoeMad is artist Ludo Lullabi, and while not exactly mimicking Madureira’s iconic style, there’s certainly a lot there that hearkens back to those early “Battle Chasers” issues. Though my hopes aren’t high for a return to a regularly scheduled series, I’m excited to see these characters back in action!
Miss Truesdale and the Fall of Hyperborea #2 ($3.99): Issue one of this miniseries from the world of Hellboy, written by Mike Mignola himself and introducing cartoonist Jesse Lonergan to the Hellboy-verse was maybe my favorite comic so far in 2023. Lonergan simply belongs in this universe, stylistically speaking – able to flit along those same chords that Mignola plucked so well, but adding flourishes of his own that makes his contributions distinct. The Hyperborean character Anum Yassa arrives on the page with such a wonderful design and presence, simple and striking, like Hellboy himself she creates a sort of effortless way of drawing the eye. This mini-series comes with my highest recommendation and has been the highlight of my summer.
Waller vs. Wildstorm #2 ($5.99): Writers Evan Narcisse and Spencer Ackerman, along with artist Jesus Merino, have created a pretty fantastic spiritual successor to some of the better elements of Warren Ellis’ time with the Wildstorm characters. I’m not sure how well it blends the Wildstorm and DC universes – I try not to pay too much attention to canon when I enjoy Big Two books – but what’s been crafted so far is a thrilling and tense series with some of the best spyworks I’ve seen in superhero books in some time. I love what this book is putting down, and I want more!
Xino #1 ($5.99): This Oni Press offering has some very exciting creators tackling surrealist sci-fi – like “That Texas Blood”‘s Chris Condon and “Pink Lemonade”‘s Nick Cagnetti tackling the world’s first intravenous video game system, to “The Dead Lucky”‘s Melissa Flores pens a tale about surgically activating the hidden dimensions of our senses. Add other talents like legends Phil Hester and Shaky Kane, and this first in a three issue series is a must-pull.
Total: $19.96 – Just under. Phew!
Continued below
Kate’s Picks:
DC Pride Through the Years #1 ($9.99): Take a journey with us through DC’s LGBTQ+ characters to see how our comic reflections and portrayals in this community have evolved and changed in 30 years. We can only understand – – and improve upon – – the future if we understand and embrace our past, warts and all.
Marvel’s Voices: Pride #1 ($9.99): The more we can celebrate Pride, the more we can raise up and celebrate LGBTQ+ voices to drown out the awful hate towards that community that is seizing the United States, the better off we will all be. Perhaps because they aired Sunday night, I am reminded of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s words at the 2016 Tony Awards, which themselves took place the day after the Pulse nightclub massacre in Orlando: “Love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love, cannot be killed or swept aside.”
Total: $19.98. Only two issues this week, but two very necessary ones.
