Welcome back to 10 Comics to Buy This Week. As you're probably well aware, there are a metric crap-ton of comic books hitting shelves every single week. And for the common consumer, it's financially impossible to pick up everything. That's where this column steps in like your superhero savior, drawing your attention to 10 books worth your hard-earned dollars during any given week.
We not only going to spotlight tights and capes books, but also some indie titles off the beaten path, which, if all goes well, will broaden your reading horizons.
Action Comics #12
After the saddening news that Grant Morrison is leaving ACTION COMICS with issue #16, we now need to cherish every issue a little bit more as they release before it’s too late. This week’s issue #12 sees Grant Morrison and artist Rick Bryant reveal the terrible secrets of “the Forgotten Superman.” We’ll also find out the fate of Lois Lane, who seemingly was plowed through by a giant truck. How could she survive that?!
Animal Man #12
The “Rotworld” crossover between ANIMAL MAN and SWAMP THING is upon us. Jeff Lemire’s ANIMAL MAN #12 represents the first chapter of the Rotworld prologue. Buddy has teamed up with Alec Holland and it’s now time to bring the pain to the Rot.
Daredevil #16
This issue is being tagged as “Nelson/Murdock no more!,” and that has us super sad. Will Foggy finally decide to split ties with Matt due to his recent detachment from his past? We’re not sure what’s going to go down here, but you can bet we’ll be picking up this issue to find out. Marvel is also promising a final page that will have Daredevil fans hitting up the Internet message boards post-haste.
Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe #1
Everyone always considers Deadpool the jokester of the Marvel Universe. But what if he was given a far darker twist that actually brought the character closer to being Jason Voorhees than a member of the Three Stooges? That’s the question writer Cullen Bunn and artist Dalibor Talajic plan to tackle in this new weekly horror series.
First X-Men #1
Legendary comic creator Neal Adams returns to the X-Men to tackle the secret first X-Men team that existed before Xavier ever brought Cyclops, Jean Grey, Beast and the like together. This series stars Wolverine and Sabretooth. While we remain skeptical about this one, we’re willing to give it a shot to see if it peels back a layer to the X-Men mythos that adds instead of detracts.
Harvest #1
Writer A.J. Lieberman (COWBOY NINJA VIKING, TERM LIFE) and artist Colin Lorimer join forces for a series about human traffickers, rogue medical teams, Yakuza-run organ mills and six-year-old drug fiends. What could possibly go wrong with that combination?
Harvest is pitched as the love child between DEXTER, ER and 100 BULLETS. Seems like an awesome set of inspirations to us. Also, our own G-Man has already read the issue and has informed me it’s quite good. If you value his opinion, and you should, then pick up HARVEST #1.
Hawkeye #1
Matt Fraction and David Aja reteam for a new series starring Hawkeye. If you’re familiar with their work on IMMORTAL IRON FIST, then you know what to expect from Fraction and Aja on HAWKEYE. This book is (hopefully) going to be a ton of fun and absolutely gorgeous. Do not miss this.
Infected #1
Writer/artist Chad Minshew adapts the first book in the New York Times best-selling horror trilogy by Scott Sigler, INFECTED. A mysterious disease has taken over the human race, turning them into paranoid, raving murderers. When former all-pro linebacker Perry Dawsey awakens to find odd welts growing on his body and strange voices in his head telling him to do terrible things, he must resist those urges or it could alter the fate of our entire species.
Mind the Gap #3
A perplexing mystery is afoot and everyone is suspect. Jim McCann and Rodin Esquejo’s MIND THE GAP has been a puzzling reading experience thus far. By that I mean it’s a story that keeps you guessing, with enough red herrings and distractions to get you off the scent of Ellie’s actual attacker. Basically, MIND THE GAP has been a pleasure to read from its first issue, with great characters and a solid mystery yarn to keep you engaged in the narrative. Be sure to pick this one up (and the previous two issues if you haven’t already).
Swamp Thing #12
Chapter two of the Rotworld prologue, continued from ANIMAL MAN #12. Buddy Baker and Alec Holland continue their travels to get to the bottom of this Rotworld mess they’ve caught themselves up in. This is one crossover you shouldn’t miss.
Erik Norris is a freelance writer for sites such as ComicVine, IGN and CraveOnline.com. You can stalk him on Twitter @Regular_Erik.