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!
Johnny’s Picks:
Howard the Duck #1 ($5.99): A 50th Anniversary “WAUGH IF?…” celebration of our favorite down-on-his-luck P.I. duck? Count me in! Architects of the 2015 Howard reboot, creators Chip Zdarsky and Joe Quinones reunite here to honor the cult favorite character, and Marvel has also enlisted some other spectacular creators (Merritt K, Annie Wu, Daniel Kibblesmith, and Will Robson to name a few!) to tell different “What If?” style tales featuring the fifty-year-old fowl. Howard has always been a character to aptly put the “funny” in “funnybook,” giving exaggerated side-eyes to the otherworldly weirdness of the superhero shenanigans that surround him in the Marvel U, and maybe even a flipped bird or two. An irascible figure half Donald Duck and half Phillip Marlowe, Howard is the brilliant creation of Steve Gerber and Val Mayerik, and remains to this day a wonderfully unique and beloved character within the spandex dominated universe of Marvel, and I’m glad the company is showing him some love!
Kaya #13 ($3.99): I have plugged this title on several occasions, but few ongoing books give me the thrill that Wes Craig’s sci-fi fantasy epic for all ages manages to bring. While Craig’s brilliant and fluid storytelling chops make this book accessible to novice comic readers, longtime lovers of the medium will enjoy colorist Jason Wordie’s mood-setting watercolor backgrounds, and Tom Napolitano’s (AndWorld Design) lettering is vibrant and eye-catching, with little affectations like different tails to the word balloons for individual characters. This book feels like a labor of love, and while the story maybe isn’t redefining genres, it is injected with heart, energy, and dynamism from the creative team is infectious. And check out that Michael Cho cover! Dynamite!
Total: $9.98 – but a quick shout-out for actor Iman Vellani’s very fun run on the character she portrays in the MCU, Ms. Marvel, with the newest issue of “Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant #4” out this week – a book that is chock full of the same charm Vellani brings to the screen!
Kate’s Picks:
Conan the Barbarian #5 ($3.99): I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how much I’ve enjoyed Jim Zub and Roberto de la Torre’s Conan stories, and this issue kicks off a new arc, so it’s a good time to jump on board.
Ms. Marvel The New Mutant #4 ($3.99): Your reminder that Imam Vellani is just as charming on the page as she is on the screen. (And your other reminder to go see The Marvels post-haste if you have not already!)
Alice Never After #5 ($4.99): This is on here as a reminder to myself to finally catch up on this series, since this is the final issue.
Swan Songs #5 ($3.99): This story, a man in search of his inner child, is done in four color collage art, which has me intrigued to see how the two will work together. I’m imagining a Surrealist trip.
Total: $16.96
Mark’s Picks:
Giant Robot Hellboy #2 ($3.99) – This came out last week at some places, but it’s properly out everywhere this week. If you care about spoilers, you’ll want to read this one sooner rather than later. I won’t say more than that.
Wild’s End #6 ($4.99) – While this issue may be bringing this miniseries to a close, I hope we’ll be seeing a few more “Wild’s End” miniseries in the coming years. When the third book came out, I never expected more, so this fourth was an unexpected and pleasant surprise. I think I need to do a reread of the whole series when the trade comes out.
Continued belowFire Power #29 ($3.99) – One more issue to go after this. I’ve really enjoyed this burst of Chris Samnee creator-owned work with “Fire Power” and “Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters” the past few years. Hopefully his appetite for it is far from sated. I’ve got my fingers crossed for a new comic announcement.
Kaya #13 ($3.99) – I’m following Johnny’s recommendation as I’ve only just read (and enjoyed) the first arc at this point.
Total: $16.99. Although I’ve got my eye on a pair of OGNs as well, Joanna Cacao’s “The Secret of the Ravens” and Vivian Zhou’s “Atana and the Firebird” (which enchants even in the limited preview online).
