Due to the lack of new comics, we’ve been rebranding Comics Should Be Cheap as Comics Should Be New. But in the interest of not burning out our staff’s potential picks in the first few weeks of this, potentially, months long new comics hiatus, we thought we would take a trip back in time to 2011 to see what comics our staff was buying nine years ago, on May 11, 2011. Enjoy!
This is one of those weeks where all of my favorite comics come out at the same time. On the one hand, this is awesome: tons of great comics at once! On the other hand, it makes this week’s Comics Should Be Cheap a bit predictable to those who have been checking out this column for a while. But you’re not just here for me, and we have other Multiversity writers’ lists for you to compare and contrast with. Who spends their twenty dollars on what? Follow the cut to see.
The Unwritten #25 ($2.99) – The previous “Leviathan” arc was – to say the least – a wild ride, and the single issue Mr. Bunn story was even more so. Now, we head into the next issue of Mike Carey and Peter Gross’s wonderful Vertigo title, which I still insist is the best title on the shelves. The previous arc revealed more about the power that Wilson was trying to tap into, and it looks like this upcoming one will give more information regarding Tommy and Wilson themselves. Excited? You bet your ass I am.
FF #3 ($2.99) – Three issue streak! Have you readers ever known me to say no to Hickman? Of course not. The ending of FF #2 seemed more like an ending for Secret Warriors, but I hardly mean that in a bad way. The connection between Valeria and Doom has always been interesting, and I’m interested in seeing how it develops further. Even more exciting: the council of Reeds! Yes! These guys got me interested in Hickman’s run in the first place, and I’m quite happy to see them again.
Batman Incorporated $6 ($2.99) – Four issue streak! Looks like we’re finding ourselves in the middle of another Morrison Mega-Arc, aren’t we? I certainly don’t mind. I’m not as crazy about Batman Inc. as I was about his earlier run on Batman, Batman & Robin and his other associated books, but this has certainly been a fun read. I’m also excited for more art from the underrated Chris Burnham, who definitely deserves to be on a book like this.
Undying Love #2 ($2.99) – Two issue streak! I already wrote an advance review for this comic. To sum it up: you want to buy it.
Journey Into Mystery #623 ($2.99) – Kieron Gillen’s first issue of Journey Into Mystery was better than the entirety of Matt Fraction’s latest run on [Mighty] Thor. Gillen’s original run on Thor was never given the proper room to breathe, having to wrap up JMS’s run and stall until Fraction was able to commit, but I loved it anyways. Now that he has his own book to work freely in, I’m only expecting good things from here on out.
The Flash #12 ($2.99) – I’m still not sure if I’m sold on Flashpoint yet. I’ve liked Geoff Johns’ latest volume of The Flash so far, but I simply don’t know enough about DC’s latest mega-event to get excited. It certainly doesn’t make this week’s list for me (draw the line at $2.99 my ass), but if this issue is coercive enough, I’ll probably be picking it up anyways.
Total: $17.94
Matt’s Picks:
Journey into Mystery #623 ($2.99) – I’m not going to lie to you, dear reader – I’m already a rather open Kieron Gillen fan, but his first issue of JIM floored me. Seriously. I’m on a big Thor kick thanks to the film, and I definitely enjoyed JIM more than the main Thor title. Gillen’s Loki is arguably one of the best characters in comics right now. If you haven’t been reading Thor, now is the time to start with this book. Don’t ask – just buy.
Continued belowBatman Inc #6 ($2.99) – Grant Morrison’s Batman run continues. What more do I need to say on this one that I haven’t already said a thousand times in previous editions of this column?
FF #3 ($2.99) – Jonathan Hickman’s Fantastic Four run continues. What more do I need to say on this one that I haven’t already said a thousand times in previous editions of this column?
Hellboy – Being Human ($3.50) – Hellboy is such an odd book to collect in single issues due to how much of it is not directly connected. However, that’s part of the joy of buying Hellboy like this – one and done stories that have an “order”, but can be read or bought at any time. The last Hellboy one-shot with Corben was actually one of my favorite Hellboys I’ve ever read, and Mignola and Corben are certainly a team to stick with.
New Mutants ($3.99)/X-Men Legacy #248 ($2.99) – Age of X is over now, and now we have the beginning of the Year of the X-Men for Legacy and New Mutants. I have wanted to drop X-Men Legacy for a while now (not because it’s bad, but because I don’t want to be buying every single X-Men title – it’s called budgeting!), but I always end up giving it “just another arc,” and those arcs are always fantastic. Mike Carey is far too good of a writer for me not to want to read more of his work.
Meanwhile, New Mutants is the little book that could, with Zeb Wells effectively winning my heart with characters I’d never fallen in love with as a younger reader like most New Mutants fans did. Instead, I found this book incredibly open and entertaining to the neophyte reader, and with DnA coming on board to play with X-Man – my favorite overused then/underused now character from when I was a kid, I’m willing to stay with this book for a bit as well.
Total: $19.45
As an additional note, I wanted to have Time Lincoln: Jack To The Future on my list as well, but I would’ve gone over budget. If you don’t mind going over budget, however, Time Lincoln is outrageous. I’d like to imagine I’m not the only one amused by it’s insanity.
Patrick’s Picks Pick:
All $20 toward the Deadman Vol. 1 TP. When you have a character named Boston Brand serving a deity called Rama Kushna, you’re either on drugs or you’re reading late-60s/early-70s DC. And that’s not always a good thing, but when it’s drawn by Neal Adams in his prime, it’s hard to feel wrong about it.
Total: $19.99
Josh’s Picks
X-Men Legacy #248 ($2.99) – I was dropping this book after Age of X…but then Mike Carey brought back the classic version of one of my absolute favorite mutants (that I won’t reveal here for the sake of all those not caught up), so now I just have to see how he managed to pull that one off.
Journey Into Mystery #623 ($2.99) – This book had, hands down, the absolute best debut issue of any book I’ve read in at least three years. I have no doubt in my mind that the work Gillen and Braithwaite will do here will end up defining this portion of their career. READ THIS BOOK. (It’s significantly less boring than The Mighty Thor too!)
Flashpoint #1 ($3.99) – I’m going to be honest here: this book could suck. It really really could. I’d say its possible, if not likely, that this will just end up being a hamfisted attempt at a DC Universe Age of Apocalypse and I will regret every dollar I spent on it, especially given the distinct downward spiral Johns’ work has been on as of late. But, I still have a boatload of respect and reverence for him and Kubert and their past work, so a shot will be given.
Chew #27 ($2.99) – I like Chew a lot, but I’ll be honest I read this book in trade. However, this week I will track this issue down just to see how Layman manages to jump ahead almost ten issues and then jump back and still have the thing line-up and make sense because really, thats awesome.
Continued belowFF #3 ($2.99) – Jonathan Hickman’s run on this book has been a Top 3 book for me month in, month out for over a year now and after the stunning end of the last issue, that will not be changing any time soon.
Amazing Spider-Man #660 ($3.99) – Normally I avoid books that come out for $3.99 twice a month, but Dan Slott has injected so much care and legitimate fun into his run on the book that I just can’t stay away. Sorry wallet.
Total:$19.94
