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 Picks:
Our Bones Dust #1 ($3.99): This Ben Stenbeck’s first comic as both writer and artist. I’ve been enjoying his work since I was first introduced to it in “B.R.P.D.: The Ectosplasmic Man” back in 2008, and since then I’ve seen him grow as a storyteller. His work on “Koshchei in Hell” has some of my favorite pieces of visual storytelling for 2023. I interviewed him about “Our Bones Dust” a couple of months back, I’ve read the first two issues. Stenbeck is really pushing to tell the story through the art, slowing things down to make us look, and he’s put extra pages in each issue to aid that. It’s a four-issue miniseries that’s got the page count of a five-issue miniseries.
Hellboy Winter Special: The Yule Cat ($3.99): It’s been a few years, but the Winter Special is back! This time, instead of a bunch of short stories, this is a single story written and drawn by Matt Smith. Yes, you read that correctly, he’s writing Hellboy now. And he takes to it like a duck to water. There’s a number of character moments that put a big grin on my face. Chris O’Halloran is once again coloring Smith, and I think this is his best work in the Hellboy Universe to date.
The Midnite Show #3 ($3.99): In the first two issues, we’ve had all manner of classic monsters on a rampage, but now that Van Helsing is the mix, our heroes can actually start fighting back. Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt are clearly having a blast with this series.
Petrol Head #2 ($3.99): Now that Lupa and Petrol Head have met, I’m looking forward to seeing how these two characters bounce off of each other. Their relationship is the heart of this comic, so there’s a lot riding on this one.
Total: $15.96.
Kate’s Picks:
Time Traveler Tales #1 ($3.99): I am going to recommend this to my little seven year old buddy Sam, who watched his very first episode of Doctor Who over this weekend with “Wild Blue Yonder” and proclaimed he “loved it!” because he needs more wibbly wobbly timey wimey adventures in his life.
Dark Spaces Hollywood Special #4 ($3.99): Putting this on the list solely for that Rocketeer inspired variant cover by Jacob Edgar. That is all.
Creepshow Holiday Special #1 ($3.99): Because some of the best holiday stories from the festive season are the ones that actually might fit better on Halloween. (Krampus, anyone?)
Stuff of Nightmares Slay Ride #1 ($7.99): And yet more festive season horror, this one from the pen of a horror writer of my formative years, R.L. Stine.
Total: $19.96
Johnny’s Picks:
Hellboy Winter Special: The Yule Cat #1 ($3.99): They really had me at “Yule Cat,” not gonna lie, but this Hellboy tale being the entire creation of veteran Hellboy artist Matt Smith really seals the deal. I’ve been a fan of Smith’s since his 2016 Image mini-series “Lake of Fire,” a dark, visceral comic pitting medieval crusaders vs. aliens, it was the exact kind of genre mash-up I needed to see. Since then, Smith has became a trusty member of the Hellboy family, and I have no doubts this yarn about a mythical Icelandic beast will be the perfect appetizer for a season that does horror even better than autumn. (Yeah, I said it!)
Marvel’s Voices: Avengers #1 ($6.99): By and large, the “Voices” series from Marvel has been a fun experiment, letting outside talent come in and play with the toys. This time out, I’m most interested in what Jason Concepcion has to offer. You may know him on X (formerly known as Twitter) as @netw3rk , but he’s been a staple in the sports & entertainment discussion/analysis field for a while now, whether it be co-hosting the popular podcast “Binge Mode,” to his Emmy winning digital show “NBA Desktop” he combines an encyclopaedic knowledge of all things nerdy with an encyclopaedic knowledge of sports. I’ve loved his takes on pop culture and sports for years, so I can’t wait to see what he does with my favorite superheroes. Also, I love John Cassaday’s cover, wondering at first what the hell Ghost Rider was doing with his chain, realizing it wraps all the way around the back of the heroes and back around to the front in the soft-focus foreground. Neat!
The Hunger & The Dusk #4 ($3.99): Christian Wildgoose’s art continues to grow on me, and I thought it was already impressive out of the gate. While I still think there is room to grow graphically, in terms of panelwork and pacing, his panels are very much alive and set firmly in the world he and writer G. Willow Wilson are building. The expressive faces, postures, and costumes just ooze charm and immersiveness. With such attention to detail, the little extra time between issues is totally worth the wait.
Total: $14.97 – but put me down for the new “Petrol Head,” too. Loving this new series, and it seems like it’s a fave within the Multiversity bullpen!
