We’ve got a few returns this week giving shape to the Top Comics to Buy for May 1. Space Ghost is back, Barbaric is back, Garth Ennis is back penning a MAX comic, and A Wave Blue World is bringing Mezo back for a third volume — and all these books are great. You can find out more about each below, along with our usual lists … enjoy!
Also, my Kickstarter comic is ending this week! If you like my weekly column, please check it out and maybe buy a copy. We’ve got great artists (many have appeared in this space), and I really think we’ve made something special!
Top Comics to Buy for May 1, 2024
Barbaric – Born in Blood #1
Writer: Michael Moreci
Artist: Nathan Gooden
Colorist: Fabiana Marques
Letterer: Jim Campbell
Publisher: Vault Comics
Worried Axe is going to find out you fell behind on a few issues? Scared to admit that despite all your friends raving about Barbaric for years, you still haven’t joined in on the fun? Rejoice! For Barbaric: Born in Blood begins the next season of Owen, Axe, and Soren’s tale. Yes, that’s right! We did it…the thing everyone says they’re doing, even when they’re lying through their teeth: a genuinely good jumping on point. How, you ask? Well, it all starts with a compelling new bad guy.
Why It’s Cool: Barbaric is just such a well-constructed series that every new volume is able to build-out the world and tell us new, fun things about our characters. This arc gets a cool new villain from the hero’s past, which is a sentence I always enjoy typing. Don’t miss the newest arc of the best barbarian book in comics.
Price: $3.99
Get Fury #1
Writer: Garth Ennis
Penciler: Jacen Burrows
Inker: Guillermo Ortego
Colorist: Nolan Woodard
Letterer: Rob Steen
Publisher: Marvel Comics – MAX Comics
It’s 1971, there is a war raging in Vietnam, and Nick Fury has been captured by the Viet Cong. At this moment, they don’t quite understand that they have in their possession a man who knows enough secrets to damage the United States beyond comprehension. The C.I.A., however, DOES realize this and they can’t risk their enemy getting those secrets, so they dispatch the most deadly man in the U.S. Army – LT. FRANK CASTLE.
Why It’s Cool: Writer Garth Ennis is back at Marvel for the first time in forever, doing a new series on the publisher’s explicit MAX Comics imprint — and he has not lost his fastball at all. This is a gritty, over-the-top war comic that imagine Frank Castle and Nick Fury having a run-in in the jungles of Vietnam. And, it’s got a fantastic Dave Johnson cover.
Price: $3.99
Kaya #18
Writer/Artist: Wes Craig
Colorist: Jason Wordie
Letterer: Tom Napolitano
Publisher: Image Comics
The city erupts in violence between the rebels and the King’s army. Caught in the middle, Kaya makes a fateful decision that will set her and Jin on a dangerous new direction. Hearts are broken and fates are sealed in the explosive conclusion to “The Temple of Shazir!”
Why It’s Cool: This book is, simply put, the most kinetic and high-energy action-fantasy comic we have, and the story just keeps going bolder and getting better as its central quest continues. This is an absurdly entertaining and well-paced single issue that sets up big things to come by its end.
Price: $3.99
Mezo – Trial of Roden #1
Writers: Jarred Luján and Tyler Chin-Tanner
Artist: Val Rodrigues
Colorists: Gab Contreras and Tomi Varga
Letterer: Pete Carlsson
Publisher: A Wave Blue World
In the aftermath of war, the Tzalekuhl Empire has reclaimed its dominance over the land of Mezo. But there is a traitor in the midst. Roden, the once faithful soldier, showed mercy to the enemy by aiding their escape. Now he faces judgement before the Almighty Kuhl. Who will come to his defense? Old friends, fellow soldiers, and even bitter rivals will decide the fate of the man who once risked everything to save them all.
Why It’s Cool: Fresh off an absolute star turn in Vault Comics’ Unnatural Order, artist Val Rodrigues is back drawing a new volume of Mezo. This book looks great, and it has an excellently-written first chapter around its titular trial. If you haven’t check out Mezo to date, now is the time to grab the first two volumes and go all in on this new series — you’ll be glad you did.
Price: $4.99
Space Ghost #1
Writer: David Pepose
Artist: Jonathan Lau
Colorist: Andrew Dalhouse
Letterer: Taylor Esposito
Publisher: Dynamite
Greed and corruption flourish in the darkness between stars. With the territories of the Galactic Federation spread far and wide across the vastness of space, pirates and hijackers ransack the distant colonies with cruel disregard for the innocent scientists living within them. Yet there is a cosmic vigilante who metes out justice throughout the galaxy, bringing vengeance to those prey upon the defenseless.
Why It’s Cool: Put simply, this book is a total banger. Writer David Pepose really leans into the idea of a ghostly space vigilante to pen a fantastic, action-heavy cosmic superhero adventure. And artist Jonathan Lau delivers some top-tier visuals. In an era where Space Ghost has mostly been known for a cheeky Adult Swim talk show, this is a great new take that returns the character to the zeitgeist in interesting ways.
Price: $4.99
Others Receiving Votes
- Cemetery Kids Don’t Die #3
- Crave #6
- Ghostlore #10
- Paklis #8
- Savage Sword of Conan #2
New #1s and One-Shots
- Bear Pirate Viking Queen #1
- Blood Brothers Mother #1
- Blood Hunt #1
- DC’s Spring Breakout #1 (one-shot)
- Deadpool & Wolverine WWIII #1
- Flash 2024 Annual #1 (one-shot)
- Harley Quinn 2024 Annual #1 (one-shot)
- Lester of the Lesser Gods #1
- Nightwing 2024 Annual #1 (one-shot)
- Roboforce #1
- Scale Trade #1
- Star Wars: Phantom Menace 25th Anniversary Special #1 (one-shot)
- Superman: House of Brainiac Special #1 (one-shot)
- Toxic Summer #1
- Whisper Queen: A Blacksand Tale #1
- White Trees: A Blacksand Tale #1 (one-shot)
Graphic Novels and Trade Collections
- The Cull Vol. 1 TP
- Enfield Gang Massacre TP
- Sandman Universe – Nightmare Country TP
- Savage Strength of Starstorm Vol. 1 TP
- Scrapper HC
- Skeeters TP
- So Long Sad Love GN
- Spider-Boy Vol. 1: The Web-Less Wonder TP
- Stoneheart Vol. 1 TP
Read past editions of the Top Comics to Buy!
