This week’s Top Comics to Buy for March 18 is kind of a rare column, in that it features nearly all mid-run issues, not a single new #1 in site. I think part of that is the time of year, a sort of calm before Free Comic Book Day starts a new series/initiative storm. But there’s also just more publishers giving books the length they need to breath, which is nice.
You can find my five favorites below, along with a set of 10 more comics I enjoyed, and the usual new #1/graphic novel release lists … enjoy!
Top Comics to Buy for March 18
End of Life #2
Writer: Kyle Starks
Artist: Steve Pugh
Colorist: Chris O’Halloran
Letterer: Becca Carey
Publisher: DC Comics – Vertigo
Okay, so maybe hiding out in this podunk town with his sick father, estranged ex, and nauseatingly pleasant townsfolk was a bad idea. But Eddie has a plan to make things right. If he can just give back what he stole from the Raven, no harm no foul, right? His accomplices, the Murder Brothers, will help him out… right? Wrong, dog. Very wrong.
Why It’s Cool: It was tough for me to write about the new Vertigo books last month, having read the first three issues of each, and knowing full well that every one of them got even better as it went. End of Life in its second issue this week benefits from its cast being introduced, which lets the creative team really settle into crafting some fun recurring jokes and interactions between them. And you know what? Issue #3 next month is even better than this one!
Price: $3.99
Nightwing #136
Writer: Dan Watters
Pencils: Denys Cowan
Inks: Norm Rapmund
Colorist: Francesco Segala
Letterer: Wes Abbott
Publisher: DC Comics
The city’s new super-highway was meant to be its lifeline but has instead become a hotbed of strange and violent incidents. Nightwing’s investigation into this haunted road drives him toward a tragedy from which he may never recover — and sends him looking for answers in Blüdhaven’s tragic past. Superstar artist Denys Cowan joins ongoing writer Dan Watters for a supernatural noir tale of urban folklore… in a city where the unavenged dead will stay silent no longer.
Why It’s Cool: Dan Watters writing Nightwing has been awesome from the start, and now he’s joined on a new arc by Denys Cowan, inked here by Norm Rapmund. And while the preview text teases a new era of Nightwing, I think Nightwing #136 is just a stunner of a single issue, a smart and creepy meditation on urban design mistakes (I know!). Don’t miss it, and I think this is also a great jumping on point if you haven’t been reading.
Price: $4.99
Our Soot Stained Heart #4
Writers: Joni Hagg and Stipan Morian
Artist: Stipan Morian
Colorist: Ropemann
Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
Riots on the streets, the city on fire, and one girl at the heart of it! What can Peggy and her friends do to diffuse this volatile situation? Can a coal powered tyrant be toppled? Join us for the conclusion of the series, and witness the birth of new myths and traditions!
Why It’s Cool: One of the best and most-interesting-looking comics comes to a riotous end with this week’s very satisfying conclusion. Be sure to snag this book in trade if you missed it in singles.
Price: $5.99
Powers 25 #7
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Michael Avon Oeming
Colorist: Nick Filardi
Letterer: Joshua Reed
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics – Jinxworld
Meet… THE GRAND. A whole new generation of powers that have gathered together specifically to reject the status quo of generations before them. After decades of Powers that abused their powers and turned on each other these new emissaries see themselves above what’s gone before them. How do they fit into the new status quo of the Christian Walker Powers Act? If the cops have to play by new rules and the Powers are playing by new rules… will these new rules conflict or celebrate each other? It’s a race to see who can uncover the conspiracy behind the latest Powers murder.
Why It’s Cool: I’ve been over it and over it in this space, but I just think Powers is as good as it’s ever been with this new series. It’s one of my favorite indie comics of all-time, and each issue continues to make me feel grateful that it’s not only back, but that the creators are continuing the story at such a high level.
Price: $4.99
Ultimate Wolverine #15
Writer: Chris Condon
Artist: Alessandro Cappuccio
Colorist: Bryan Valenza
Letterer: Cory Petit
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Wolverine’s brainwashed programming seizes control! What havoc will he wreak on his already overwhelmed and outnumbered group of allies? And what sheer bad@%#ery will Jean Grey display to subdue him once more?!
Why It’s Cool: As this book prepares to wrap-up (this is the penultimate issue), it’s sort of thematically heading back to where it started, but Wolverine now has some friends (and enemies) in tow. All the new Ultimate Universe stuff aside, I just think this series has been a fantastic alternate world X-Men story.
Price: $4.99
10 Other Comics I Enjoyed
Absolute Flash #13- Batwoman #1
- Dead Teenagers #1
- Deathstroke #1
- Devil On My Shoulder #4
- Exquisite Corpses #11
- Lucky Devils #7
- Roots of Madness #5
- Superman Unlimited #11
- The Ultimates #22
New #1s and One-Shots
Baby Garfield #1- Batwoman #1
- Dead Teenagers #1
- Deathstroke #1
- Leonide The Vampyr: The House of Yonda #1
- Lenore Blood and Money #1
- Lobo #1
- Sentry #1
- Super Creepshow #1
- Thundercats x Silverhawks Road to War #1 (one-shot)
Trade Collections and Graphic Novels
Animan HC (read our review!)- Beat Every 1-Up GN
- Breaklands Season 2 The Citadel TP
- Castle Swimmer Vol 3 HC
- Crazy For You TP (review coming soon!)
- Creeping Below TP
- Critical Role: Legend of Vox Machina – Whitestone Chronicles Vol 2 Cassandra HC
- Cyberpunk 2077 Library Edition Vol 2 HC
- Deadly Tales of the Gunslinger Spawn Vol 1 TP
- Death to Pachuco TP
Don’t Forget Your Briefcase TP- Eddie Brock Carnage Vol 2 The Killing Muse TP
- Elseworlds Batman Omnibus Vol 1 HC
- Flash Rebirth TP (DC Compact Comics Edition)
- Godzilla Destroys the Marvel Universe TP
- Plants vs Zombies Zomnibus Vol 4 HC
- Reborn Library Edition HC
- Skullkickers Compact Attack Edition Vol 2 TP
- Space Relic Hunters HC
Star Trek Discovery Omnibus TP- Star Wars Hyperspace Stories Grievous TP
- Star Wars Legends Empire Omnibus Vol 4 HC
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Saturday Morning Adventures On the Go Half-Shell Shenanigans TP
- Tom Strong Compendium 2 TP
- Trinity Daughter of Wonder Woman TP
- Ultimate Spider-Man Epic Collection Vol 2 Hunted TP
- Ultimates by Deniz Camp Vol 3 Rescue Mission TP
- X-Men Road to Onslaught Omnibus Vol 2 HC
Read past editions of the Top Comics to Buy!
And check out the Beat’s most recent comics reviews!
