Comic Nexus Weekly Buying Guide – November 28, 2012

Columns, Features, Previews, Roundtables, Top Story

And it’s the third week for the buying guide. Hopefully, it is helping you with your weekly purchasing decisions, or at least give you ideas for future purchases. Onto the last week of November. And well, some weeks you get a big turkey feast and other weeks you get leftovers. Not necessarily bad comics, but most of the November Marvel NOW books have debuted, and most of the heavy hitters from DC aren’t published in “Week 4”. So, maybe we can help you find something you weren’t going to get anyway.

Top 10 Anticipated Comics for November 28, 2012

The following are the top 10 comics that are most likely to be purchased by the members of the Comic Nexus staff.

  1. FF #1 (Marvel Now!)
  2. TALON #2
  3. BATMAN INCORPORATED #5
  4. AQUAMAN #14
  5. MORNING GLORIES #23 (Mature Readers)
  6. ALL NEW X-MEN #2 (Marvel Now!)
  7. THOR GOD OF THUNDER #2 (Marvel Now!)
  8. JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #14
  9. ALL STAR WESTERN #14
  10. UNCANNY AVENGERS #2 (Marvel Now!)

Bagged or Bored List

The Comic Nexus staff ranked their interest in the top comics for the week. The following is the full break down. Here is the ranking guide:

5.0 – Definitely will buy
4.5 – Likely to buy
4.0 – Thinking about buying
3.5 – Waiting to see reviews
3.0 – Will read story (trade, friend, discounted)
2.5 – Would buy, but not enough money
2.0 – Not interested enough
1.5 – Uninterested in this book.
1.0 – I wouldn’t buy this with your money.

Publisher Title Price

Rob

Grey

Matt

James

Joey

Mike

Avg

Image Comics 68 SCARS #3

$3.99

1.5

1.0

1.0

3.0

1.0

1.5

1.50

Marvel Comics A PLUS X #2 (Marvel Now!)

$3.99

2.0

4.0

3.0

1.5

1.0

1.5

2.17

Boom Studio ADVENTURE TIME #10 [DIG]

$3.99

1.5

1.0

1.0

1.5

1.5

1.5

1.33

Marvel Comics ALL NEW X-MEN #2 (Marvel Now!)

$3.99

4.5

5.0

5.0

3.0

1.0

4.0

3.75

DC Comics ALL STAR WESTERN #14

$3.99

4.0

1.5

5.0

5.0

4.0

1.5

3.50

DC/Vertigo Comics AMERICAN VAMPIRE #33 (MR)

$2.99

3.0

2.5

5.0

5.0

2.0

2.5

3.33

Dark Horse ANGEL & FAITH #16 STEVE MORRIS CVR

$2.99

3.0

3.5

2.0

1.5

2.5

1.5

2.33

DC Comics AQUAMAN #14

$2.99

2.5

4.5

5.0

1.5

5.0

4.5

3.83

DC Comics ARROW #1

$3.99

2.5

3.5

3.0

2.0

2.0

3.5

2.75

Marvel Comics ASTONISHING X-MEN ANNUAL #1

$4.99

2.5

4.0

4.0

3.0

1.0

1.5

2.67

Bongo Comics BART SIMPSON COMICS #77

$2.99

1.5

1.0

1.0

1.5

3.0

1.5

1.58

DC Comics BATMAN BEYOND UNLIMITED #10

$3.99

2.0

4.5

2.0

1.5

3.0

4.5

2.92

DC Comics BATMAN INCORPORATED #5 (RES)

$2.99

4.5

5.0

4.0

5.0

4.0

1.5

4.00

DC Comics BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT #14

$2.99

4.5

2.0

4.0

1.5

4.0

1.5

2.92

Image Comics BEDLAM #2 (MR)

$3.50

4.0

4.5

1.0

5.0

1.0

1.5

2.83

DC Comics BEFORE WATCHMEN OZYMANDIAS #4 (MR)

$3.99

1.5

2.0

3.0

1.0

2.0

1.5

1.83

DC Comics BEFORE WATCHMEN SILK SPECTRE #4 (MR)

$3.99

1.5

2.0

5.0

3.0

4.5

1.5

2.92

Dark Horse BPRD HELL ON EARTH #101

$3.50

2.5

2.0

3.0

5.0

2.0

2.5

2.83

Marvel Comics CAPTAIN AMERICA AND BLACK WIDOW #639

$2.99

2.5

2.0

2.0

3.0

1.5

1.5

2.08

Image Comics CHEW #30 (MR)

$2.99

3.0

4.0

3.0

5.0

2.0

1.5

3.08

IDW Publishing COBRA ONGOING #19

$3.99

2.5

1.0

2.0

1.5

3.0

2.5

2.08

IDW Publishing CROW #5

$3.99

2.0

1.0

3.0

1.5

3.0

2.0

2.08

Image Comics FATALE #10 (MR)

$3.50

3.0

2.5

2.0

5.0

2.0

3.0

2.92

Marvel Comics FF #1 (Marvel Now!)

$2.99

3.5

5.0

5.0

5.0

3.0

5.0

4.42

DC Comics FLASH #14

$2.99

2.5

4.0

3.0

1.5

3.0

2.5

2.75

DC Comics FURY OF FIRESTORM THE NUCLEAR MEN #14

$2.99

2.0

2.0

3.0

1.5

2.0

1.5

2.00

Bongo Comics FUTURAMA COMICS #64

$2.99

2.5

1.0

1.0

1.5

3.0

1.5

1.75

Marvel Comics GAMBIT #6

$2.99

2.5

1.5

1.0

1.5

1.0

2.0

1.58

Dark Horse GHOST #2

$2.99

2.0

2.5

4.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

2.92

IDW Publishing GHOSTBUSTERS ONGOING #15

$3.99

1.5

5.0

1.0

1.5

3.0

3.5

2.58

IDW Publishing GODZILLA ONGOING #7

$3.99

1.0

2.0

1.0

2.0

2.0

1.5

1.58

Dynamite GREEN HORNET #31

$3.99

2.0

1.0

1.0

1.0

2.5

1.5

1.50

Boom Studio HELLRAISER ROAD BELOW #2 (MR) [DIG]

$3.99

1.5

1.0

1.0

1.0

1.0

1.5

1.17

DC Comics I VAMPIRE #14

$2.99

3.0

2.0

5.0

5.0

2.0

2.5

3.25

DC Comics JOE KUBERT PRESENTS #2

$4.99

2.0

1.0

1.0

3.0

3.0

2.0

2.00

DC Comics JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #14

$2.99

4.5

3.0

5.0

5.0

2.5

1.5

3.58

DC Comics LOT 13 #2 (MR)

$2.99

3.5

3.5

2.0

1.5

2.5

1.5

2.42

Marvel Comics MARVEL UNIVERSE ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #8

$2.99

1.5

1.0

3.0

1.5

2.5

1.5

1.83

Dynamite MASKS #1

$3.99

2.5

1.0

2.0

1.0

4.0

1.5

2.00

Image Comics MORNING GLORIES #23 (MR)

$2.99

3.0

3.0

5.0

5.0

2.0

4.5

3.75

Image Comics MULTIPLE WARHEADS ALPHABET TO INFINITY #2

$2.99

1.5

4.0

1.0

5.0

1.5

1.5

2.42

IDW Publishing MY LITTLE PONY FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC #1

$3.99

1.5

1.0

1.0

1.0

3.0

1.0

1.42

Marvel Comics NEW AVENGERS #34

$4.99

2.0

2.0

3.0

3.0

1.0

1.5

2.08

Image Comics NOWHERE MEN #1

$2.99

1.5

2.0

1.0

4.0

3.5

1.5

2.25

Boom Studio PEANUTS VOL 2 #4 [DIG]

$3.99

1.5

1.0

1.0

1.0

1.5

1.5

1.25

DC Comics PHANTOM LADY #4

$2.99

2.0

2.0

2.0

2.0

2.0

1.5

1.92

Image Comics PLANETOID #4

$2.99

1.5

1.0

1.0

5.0

1.5

1.5

1.92

Image Comics PROPHET #31

$3.99

1.5

1.0

1.0

5.0

1.5

4.0

2.33

DC Comics RED LANTERNS #14 (RISE)

$2.99

2.0

2.5

2.0

1.5

4.5

3.5

2.67

Dark Horse RIPD CITY O/T DAMNED #1

$3.50

2.0

2.0

3.0

1.5

1.5

1.5

1.92

DC Comics SAVAGE HAWKMAN #14

$2.99

3.5

1.0

2.0

1.0

3.0

1.5

2.00

Marvel Comics SECRET AVENGERS #34

$3.99

3.0

3.5

3.0

5.0

1.0

1.5

2.83

Dark Horse STAR WARS DAWN O/T JEDI PRISONER OF BOGAN #1

$2.99

2.0

1.0

1.0

5.0

2.0

1.5

2.08

DC Comics SUPERMAN #14

$2.99

2.5

3.0

3.0

1.5

5.0

1.5

2.75

DC Comics SUPERMAN FAMILY ADVENTURES #7

$2.99

2.0

1.0

3.0

1.5

3.0

2.5

2.17

DC Comics TALON #2

$2.99

4.5

4.5

4.5

5.0

4.5

1.5

4.08

DC Comics TEEN TITANS #14

$2.99

2.5

2.5

2.0

1.5

3.5

1.5

2.25

IDW Publishing TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES ONGOING #16

$3.99

2.0

2.0

2.0

1.5

2.0

1.5

1.83

Marvel Comics THOR GOD OF THUNDER #2 (Marvel Now!)

$3.99

4.0

5.0

4.0

3.0

1.0

5.0

3.67

IDW Publishing TRANSFORMERS PRIME RAGE O/T DINOBOTS #1

$3.99

3.0

2.0

1.0

1.0

2.0

1.5

1.75

IDW Publishing TRUE BLOOD ONGOING #7

$3.99

1.5

1.0

1.0

1.0

1.5

1.5

1.25

Marvel Comics ULTIMATE COMICS IRON MAN #2

$3.99

3.0

2.0

2.0

3.0

1.0

1.5

2.08

Marvel Comics ULTIMATE COMICS X-MEN #19

$3.99

3.0

2.0

5.0

4.0

1.0

3.5

3.08

Marvel Comics UNCANNY AVENGERS #2 (Marvel Now!)

$3.99

2.0

5.0

3.0

5.0

1.0

4.5

3.42

Marvel Comics VENOM #27.1

$2.99

1.5

2.0

1.0

3.0

2.5

1.5

1.92

Dynamite WARLORD OF MARS #22 (MR)

$3.99

1.5

1.0

1.0

1.0

1.5

1.5

1.25

Oni Press WASTELAND #41 (MR)

$3.99

2.5

1.0

3.0

5.0

1.5

1.5

2.42

Image Comics WITCH DOCTOR MALPRACTICE #1

$2.99

1.5

1.0

1.0

5.0

1.0

1.5

1.83

Marvel Comics WOLVERINE MAX #2 (MR)

$3.99

2.5

2.0

2.0

2.0

1.0

1.5

1.83

Marvel Comics X-MEN LEGACY #2 (Marvel Now!)

$2.99

2.0

4.0

4.0

4.5

1.0

1.5

2.83

Marvel Comics X-TREME X-MEN #7

$2.99

2.0

4.0

2.5

1.5

1.0

4.0

2.50

 

Staff Picks

The following section, the members of the Comic Nexus Staff give their opinions of the book they are most looking forward to this week:

Joe Smith – Aquaman #14

This book has been a win for me as I’ve purchased and enjoyed every issue of this run. I’ve bought maybe 10 books from this character in total (and not consecutively). The thing that I’m most anxious about is how the book is going to look with the departure of Reis as he’s been a fundamental part of the creative team. I want this book to continue its success nonetheless.

Mike Mailaro – Thor: God of Thunder #2 (Marvel NOW!)

I really wasn’t expecting all that much from Thor 1, but I have to say, that comic completely blew me away. Loved the story, loved the art, glad that the next issue was only two weeks away. It is very rare that Marvel can mark a book 4 bucks and get me to feel satisfied by that, but Thor was worth it and I don’t even mind paying it twice in a month. BRING ON THE GOD BUTCHER!!

Grey Scherl – Ghostbusters (Ongoing) #15

Really? Nobody else here reads this? It’s almost like I don’t know you guys anymore! We all have different tastes in comics, but I thought we’d at least share in our love of the Ghostbusters!In all seriousness though, with the finale of The Boys in the last several weeks, Ghostbusters has moved up into contention with Hack/Slash for my favorite book outside of the big two. Do you like the Ghostbusters movies? Did you grow up with the cartoon? Hell, did you play the video game a few years ago? Erik, Dan, and Tristan can answer yes to all of these things, and no, they aren’t afraid of any ghosts. The book embraces all the things that have made the franchise endure so many years and generations.Right now our team of Ghostbusters is facing a new kind of threat, that of competition, as a former rejected applicant has invented his own anti-ghost gear and started a team called the Ghostsmashers, but Egon thinks that blowing ghosts up instead of trapping them is a bad thing and…look, you don’t need a synopsis, just look deep into your heart and ask yourself the most important question you will come up with today.

“Do I love the Ghostbusters?”

And if the answer is yes, then go buy this book. If the answer is no? Go buy this book and work on changing it to a yes.

Matt Graham – Morning Glories #23

Morning Glories as a concept has been done over and over in books, television, films, and certainly comic books. A group of talented youths is taken in/sent/accepted by a school/laboratory/shady government cover where they are trained/studied/exploited by bad people. We’re talking about Lost, the 70s classic The Fury, Battle Royale, and of course, The X-Men/New Mutants. At first glance, there’s nothing unique about it: a group of teenagers comfortably stereotyped into their social roles in a mysterious prep school that betrays its sinister intentions right from the start. And that’s why it works beautifully.Nick Spencer has cannibalized the best of the concepts like the original X-Men, The Breakfast Club, and by his own admission, “Runaways meets Lost”. Except unlike Lost or most ongoing series, he has a plan with a definite ending at the 100 issue mark. This book is one of the most absorbing books I’ve deigned to buy monthly. Joe Eisma’s art is gorgeous and as is crucial for a book about teenagers, he actually draws teenagers. His line work is fantastic when it comes to making clothes look worn and draped over bodies, and his crisp architecture goes a long way into selling the school as a consistent entity.Spencer and Eisma also play it close to the vest when it comes to their title, so all I can tell you is that the past twenty-two issues have been rife with murders, flashbacks, flashforwards, and untrustworthy characters and events, and the introduction of The Truants is stepping it up and answering as many questions as it’s dropping. Get in on this now.

James Fulton – Prophet #31 (Image) and Multiple Warheads Alphabet to Infinity #2 (Image)

I’m picking two books to discuss this week, because I’ve noticed that one is getting no love from the Nexus staff, and the other is only being appreciated by one other person, at least at the time of writing this (don’t let me down Grey). These books are Prophet and Multiple Warheads: Alphabet to Infinity, both by the incomparable Brandon GrahamProphet has revived the old (horrible) Rob Liefeld character, and made him interesting. The series follows Old Man Prophet, who long-time Image readers would remember, as he has reawakened and has to work to put a stop to the Earth Empire, which appears to be run by clones of himself. The larger plot moves slowly, but each individual issue is a smorgasbord of great science fiction concepts, strong narrative, and fantastic art (this month – Giannis Milonogiannis).Multiple Warheads, meanwhile, is Brandon Graham at his wildest, as he writes and draws two as yet unconnected stories – one featuring a couple on an extended road trip through a strange future landscape; the other following the adventures of a black market organ harvester. The book is funny, stunningly original, and a visual wonder.

Trade of the Week – X-Factor: Road to Redemption (Marvel)

As a comic book reader, you really have to consider cost and value when choosing comics. This can be even more true when it comes to trade paperbacks. I mean you have hardcover editions listing for $25.00 that tie into three other similarly priced hardcover editions, where you only care about a single issue.You get the point.And then there are those certain series. Where the writer or the title has enough clout where the trades are almost always standalone series. Even better when the trade is printed as a softcover.

Peter David carves out his own little section of the Marvel universe, and then does whatever he wants with it. He takes any under-utilized characters and makes them interesting. And you get all of this for $17.00 (or less than 10 bucks if you want to wait for Amazon). Currently, I am a few trades behind on this series, but even so, this would easily be my choice for new trade this week.

Gift Idea of the Week – The Complete Calvin and Hobbes (paperback edition)

Okay, quiz time:

  • Do you know someone who likes all-ages comics/comic strips/sequential art?
  • Do you not know what to get this person?
  • Are you willing to spend $50.00 on them?
  • Do they have a soul?

If so, (or if you fit the description yourself), then may I humbly suggest The Complete Calvin and Hobbes collection, recently released in paperback form.

Calvin and Hobbes is, in my humble opinion, the greatest comic strip ever created. Only Peanuts can be argued as being better. Bill Watterson created the character of Calvin, the young trouble-maker that most of us see in our souls, if we look closely enough. And to balance that out, he gives him a best friend in the form of his stuffed tiger, Hobbes, who provides child-like wisdom to the destructive Calvin.

I own the tome-like hardback edition of this myself. And other than its bulk (each volume in the slip case is really heavy), it is wonderful. And on Amazon, it is being sold for $50.00. Everyone should own this.

Conclusion

There are some really good suggestions from the staff here, with some independent books really getting some focus this week.

Good hunting!

RJ Schwabe is a man who just cracked his fourth decade, and has yet to put his toys away. He is a life-long comic book fan, who is enjoying digital comics more than he ever thought he would. Big fan of nerdy television and comic books, and is a recovering pro-wrestling addict. His review blog can be found at http://looksat40.wordpress.com