This week’s Top Comics to Buy for July 29 is, obviously, coming in the immediate aftermath of SDCC, wherein the industry is nursing a collective hangover. I didn’t go this year, though, so I had plenty of time this weekend to dig into the week’s small but mighty set of releases. And there are some real highlights, which I’ll get into below.
But first … if you enjoy my weekly recommendations, I have a new comic of my own coming out, featuring artwork by the great Nick Cagnetti (Spirit of the Shadows). It’ll be on Kickstarter this fall, and you can follow the pre-launch page now with this link … thanks!
Top Comics to Buy for July 29
2000AD #2491
Writers: Ken Niemand, Dan Abnett, Kek-W, and Liam Johnson
Artists: Jake Lynch, INJ Culbard, Dave Kendall, David Roach, and Rob Richardson
Colorists: Emily Roach, and Jim Boswell
Letterers: Annie Parkhouse, Simon Bowland, and Rob Steen
Publisher: 2000AD / Rebellion
I can only suggest you rest your nodalreceptors in a bucket of iced water, my Squaxx, because the Thrills aren’t cooling off anytime soon — one flick through the contents of this pulse-pounding prog will convince you of that, with the latest ghafflebette chapters of Nightmare NY, Brink, Anderson, The Fall of Deadworld and Judge Rico all demanding your attention.
Why It’s Cool: Have you stopped to consider how cool it is that 2000AD is back in US comic shops on a weekly basis? You should, and issues like this week’s continue to make me do so. If you’re a weekly comics sicko — which seems likely since you’re reading this comic — you clearly appreciate good, long-form periodical storytelling, and 2000AD is serving up some great stuff right now, with the continuing Finders / Oubliette storyline that will likely startle you if you’re not familiar with Dredd’s gothic flexibility. I’m loving it.
Price: $7.99
Concrete – Stars Over Sand #2
Cartoonist: Paul Chadwick
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Concrete awakens in the desert, his seared brain unable to put names to the terrifying objects in the sky. He picks a direction — the wrong one. Maureen organizes searchers and frets about Concrete’s irreplaceability as a father. This is part 2 of 5 of Concrete’s journey through amnesia and paranoia back to life and the people he loves.
Why It’s Cool: We are just so lucky that Paul Chadwick is continuing this masterpiece. I had that thought on almost every page of the new issue, which takes the startling events of the first issue and extrapolates them into new, often-heartbreaking terrain. What a comic.
Price: $4.99
Is Ted OK? #6
Cartoonist:Dave Chisholm
Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
OK, readers, this issue is an absolutely jam-packed 40 pages! It’s trippy, cosmic, beautiful, and emotional on a deep, personal level. It finishes the story. It satisfies. Do you want specifics? Stop reading right now if you don’t want any spoilers, OK? We’re serious. Are you still reading? OK, then–Ted awakens thousands of feet in the air. He, along with Sarah and Christina, has to figure out how to get back down to Earth, down to the place where everything is happening, down to The Dome, where Noah™’s mask has fully come off. Interdimensional chaos ensues.
Why It’s Cool: Simply put, this is the finale issue of one of the most interesting, moody, and complex books of the year — and it’s going full anime battle sequence (with a psychological bend), to great effect.
Price: $5.99
Nano #1
Writers: Matt Kindt and Alexandra Grant
Artist: Natacha Bustos
Letterer: Sophia Hilmes
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Sana is a bad-ass operative of the underground organization The Order. She and her longtime comrade, Lukas, have been assigned to Nano, a mega-city run on prison labor and roiling from blackouts. While Lukas is tasked with infiltrating Nanocorp’s secretive research facility, Sana’s mission is something she’s never trained for: playing the doting wife of Lukas’s cover. In her guise as a middle school P.E. teacher, she’s forced to cool her jets and teach 8th graders stretching, while Lukas puts himself in danger. But when the signs are unmistakable and Lukas’s mission is clearly going sideways, Sana can no longer sit on the bench.
Why It’s Cool: Natacha Bustos artwork is simply awesome in this issue. It’s clear with its storytelling, bright in a sci-fi way that fits its story, and not afraid to go heavy on details, from the action sequences to the handful of times the script calls for maps/diagrams. This is also an imaginative near-future story told in a mysterious suspenseful way. I loved it.
Price: $8.99
The Patron #1
Writer:Christian Ward
Artist:John J. Pearson
Letterer:Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Publisher:Ignition Press
A true patron of the fine arts, Mr. Cherish has dedicated his life to scouting and supporting emerging artists, launching countless unknowns from obscurity into industry superstardom. Unfortunately for these young artists, the secret to Cherish’s success is their untimely demise. Nothing makes a work of art more desirable and valuable to collectors than the passing of its creator, and Cherish has refined his ability to orchestrate spectacular tragedies without leaving a trace… before selling his dead protégés’ oeuvres for massive profits. Painter Matty Barnes is primed to become Cherish’s next “hit” — but when the script is flipped on this latest murder, a posthumous twist calls the artist’s fate and legacy into question putting the patron’s empire in the dueling crosshairs of law enforcement and a merciless third-party connoisseur.
Why It’s Cool:For starters — what a great creative team. Every member is top at what they do, and I’m especially a fan of artist John J. Pearson. But this is also a fantastic idea for a book, a sort of horror-crime comic hybrid set in the high end art world. It all adds up to another great title from Ignition Press, the field leader right now in great original comics.
Price:$4.99
10 Other Comics I Enjoyed This Week
Batman / Superman World’s Finest Annual #1- Feral #25
- Ghost Pepper #13
- In Your Skin #4
- Hellboy in Love Obsidian #2
- Justice League: Knight Vision Special #1
- Only the Savage Are Left #2
- Superman Annual: Year One Thousand #1
- Toxic Avenger Comics #10
New #1s and One-Shots
Batman / Superman World’s Finest Annual #1 (one-shot)- DC’s Hawk-Girl Summer #1 (one-shot)
- Detective Comics Annual #1 (one-shot)
- Dirt Beneath the Devil #1
- Horror of Godzilla #1
- Justice League Knight Vision Special #1 (one-shot)
- Nano #1
- The Patron #1
- Predator Versus Planet of the Apes #1
- Queen in Black #1
- Queen in Black – Defenders of Light and Dark #1
- Queen in Black Hela #1 (one-shot)
- Rocket Racoon Rocket Rewind #1 (one-shot)
- Superman Annual Year One Thousand #1 (one-shot)
- What If Kraven Survived His Last Hunt #1 (one-shot)
Graphic Novels and Trade Collections
1776 TP- Aquaman By Geoff Johns Book 1 TP
- Avatar – The Last Airbender Chibis Vol 2 Sokkas Boomerang Class HC
- Big Burn HC
- Daredevil by Ann Nocenti & John Romita Jr. Omnibus Vol 2
- Darkness Vol 1 TP
- DC Finest – Green Lantern Hard-Traveling Heroes TP
- Event Horizon Dark Descent TP
- The Field GN
- Hyde Street Vol 2 TP
- Johnny Boo on the Go Friends and Enemies TP
- Judge Dredd Complete Case Files Vol 23 TP
- Legend of Korra Kya and the Secret of the Sand TP
- Mad Dog Morgan HC
- Marian Heretic Vol 1 TP
- Masters of the Universe Vol 1 The Sword of Flaws TP
- Murder Next Door A Graphic Memoir TP
Our Soot Stained Heart TP- Plants vs Zombies – Zomnibus Vol 5 HC
- Predator Black White & Blood Treasury Edition TP
- Skin Police Vol 2 Paid In Flesh TP
- Star Wars Legends The Newspaper Strips Omnibus HC
- Tom The Dancing Bug Vol 1 Secret Origins TP
- Trailer Park Warlock Vol 2 TP
- Ultimate X-Men By Peach Momoko Vol 4 Childrens Whereabouts TP
- Ultraman Omnibus HC
- Venom Modern Era Epic Collection Vol 2 Sting of the Scorpions TP
- X-Men Age of Apocalypse Omnibus HC
- X-Men by Jed MacKay Vol 4 Age of Revelation Aftermath TP
Read past editions of the Top Comics to Buy!
And check out the Beat’s most recent comics reviews!
