From manga to YA books to introductory trade collections for longer running stories — there’s a wide-variety of comics under $15 available. This quick list of five is, of course, by no means comprehensive (you can and should hunt for finds of your own), but it is representative of the types of comics you can find for under $15 this holiday season.
These books are perfect for comics curious folks, co-workers in Secret Santa swaps, and pals who have a cursory interest in the medium but haven’t taken a full plunge. They are also some of my personal favorites. Check out my list of 5 great comics under $15 below!
5 Great Comics Under $15
Barbaric Vol. 1 – Murderable Offenses — $9.99
Barbaric is one of my favorite fantasy comics, armed as it is with a clever concept (a talking axe that gets drunk on blood!) and some of the grittiest barbarian art you’ve ever seen. This first volume is a pretty great introduction to what is now an ongoing series, and while it can serve as a great entry point to the world, it’s a very satisfying chunk of comics on its own.
Get it here
Friday Book 1 – First Day of Christmas — $14.99
Few — if any — comics right now are as good as Ed Brubaker and Marcos Martin’s Friday, a deconstruction of YA detective tropes. This is just a gorgeous book, with an aesthetic you might describe as neo gothic New England 1970s. It’s character driven, intriguing, and far deeper than you might expect coming into it. While it’s a deconstruction of YA tropes, this is a complex and fascinating comic.
Get it here
Kaya Book One — $9.99
Writer/artist Wes Craig and colorist Jason Wordie have delivered a real stunner with Kaya, a brother-sister-driven fantasy story with some of the most kinetic action storytelling you’ll find in any comic. This first volume is the start of a much larger story, one that is suitable for readers of all ages.
Get it here
Little Monarchs — $14.99
Little Monarchs was hands down my favorite comic of last year, and now you can snag a paperback version of the book for less than $15. It’s a great gift for anyone on your list, armed as it is with excellent real world details about butterfly migration as well as a dystopian tale that will twist in places where you least expect it. This is the type of book you can read with a little one and both enjoy in equal measure.
Get it here
Pluto, Vol. 1 — $12.99
You may have heard some buzz about Pluto lately after an anime adaptation debuted on Netflix to much critical acclaim. I absolutely loved the anime, but I’m here to tell you that the manga is even better. Be forewarned, however, that while this first volume will only cost you $12.99, you’d do well to pick up all eight at once. This is a mystery story that will grab you and push you until you’ve uncovered all of its answers.
Get it here
