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!
Mark’s Pick:
Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: The Return of Effie Kolb and Others ($19.99): I’m pretty sure each of the stories collected in this trade paperback have all been mentioned by me in past Comics Should Be Cheap columns, so I was a little hesitant to make this my pick this week. The thing is, each story in this collection is exceptional and they stand alone really well too. If you’ve never read Hellboy before, I think you’d be OK to pick this one up and you’d have a great time with it.
Another reason I put this on my list is because I’ve been waiting for this batch of stories to be collected for a while. Usually the Hellboy Universe collections tend to come out around four to six months after the publication of the last issue collected within. In this case, the last issue came out in December 2020 and this is coming out November 2022, which has pushed my anticipation for the title much higher than normal. I love the sketchbook material in these books, and when it’s a collection full of short stories, they always seem to be an extra special treat since there are so many different artists exploring their take on Hellboy. (This volume has Zach Howard, Matt Smith, Tiernen Trevallion, and Adam Hughes, so you know it’s gonna be good.)
And finally, it’s a “Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.” collection with a Mike Mignola cover again, something we haven’t seen since “Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: 1954” back in early 2018. That just makes it a little more special.
Total: $19.99. I’ll also be picking up “Gideon Falls – Book 2: The Eater of All Things,” “Shock Shop” #3, and “Love Everlasting” #4.
Johnny’s Picks:
Kaya #2 ($3.99): I absolutely love the stylistic choices creator Wes Craig is making in this book. On the one hand this also feels like a pitch for a cartoon series, down to the appealing cartoonish art and young main characters. On the other, this is filled with a wonderful amount of depth in both characterization and world-building. Also, this book has some gorgeous colors that really hop off the page.
Gospel #1 ($3.99): Also out from Image Comics this week is this book from creator Will Morris. Having only seen a few preview pages, I have to say I really loved the craftsmanship of Morris, paneling a chase sequence with the perfect amount of fluidity and uncomplicating the pages by removing any dialogue, leaving all the story up to sound effects, facial expressions and body language. The scene really piqued my interest and I can’t wait to see more of this historical fantasy epic when I grab the first issue this Wednesday.
Two Graves #1 ($3.99): I’m on an Image kick it seems, as this week also sees the debut of this title from writer Genevieve Valentine and artists Annie Wu and Ming Doyle. The conceit is that this story is told from two different perspectives, and each perspective helmed by a different artist. I love both Wu and Doyle’s work, so I’m a shoe-in for this tale described as “Death and the Maiden go on a road trip. Nobody gets out alive.”
Total: $11.97
Kate’s Picks:
Soldier Stories #1 ($5.99): It’s very easy to tell a veteran “Thank you for your service,” but do you know the full story behind that service? This Friday is Veterans Day, so it’s a perfect time to read and reflect.
Dark Ride #2 ($3.99): It was actually our review that sold me on this book, so I’m getting both #1 and #2 this week. Also the variant covers – that Werther Dell’Edera cover looks just the right amount of scary and cartoony and reminds me of some of those old school Chuck Jones-era Tom and Jerry cartoons and the Tony Fleecs/Agnes Garbowska one is so spot on to the Disney Beauty and the Beast VHS cover I expect the House of Mouse will not be amused.
Continued belowGospel #1 ($3.99): If you say it’s like Hayao Miyazaki, I’m getting it. Full stop and I will take no further questions at this time.
Billionaire Island Cult of Dogs #1 ($4.99): Let’s give capitalism the middle finger, y’all.
Total: $18.96
