Spooky season is well underway and I’m loving it, as evidenced by the relatively darker content of this week’s Top Comics to Buy for October 11. Four of the five books on here, in fact, have supernatural elements to them. And, as previously established, I love it. Let’s get to this week’s recommendations and the usual set of lists…enjoy!
Top Comics to Buy for October 11, 2023
A Haunted Girl #1
Writers: Ethan Sacks and Naomi Sacks
Artist: Marco Lorenzana
Colorist: Andrea Mossa
Letterer: Jaime Martinez
Publisher: Image Comics – Syzygy Publishing
Cleo, an adopted 16-year-old Japanese-American whose depression drove her to near-suicide, is trying unsuccessfully to reintegrate back into her old life. But her struggles are just beginning as she encounters an increasingly terrifying succession of ghosts. Is she losing her grip on reality…or is the explanation much worse?”
Why It’s Cool: Haunting and emotionally complex, this book draws from a real life incident to make a poignant and impactful comic. It’s the first of a four-issue series built upon a deeper type of horror. It’s also really well-told and illustrated. If you’re looking for something new and supernatural to checkout this month, this book is it.
Price: $4.99
Army of Darkness Forever #1
Writer: Tony Fleecs
Artist: Justin Greenwood
Colorist: Brad Simpson
Letterer: Troy Peteri
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Picking up immediately after the events of Army of Darkness (the Director’s Cut, natch), Ash chainsaws his way through the Techno Army of Darkness in 2093 and defends the sacred aisles of the S-Mart in 1993! (What? How!?) Meanwhile, in the distant past, his lady love Sheila fights off a rising evil at Castle Kandar!
Why It’s Cool: Because it’s an absolute blast. The creative team is fantastic, the licensed material super fun, and the concept they come up with a riotous crowdpleaser. If you are a person of fine tastes and enjoy Evil Dead, don’t miss this comic.
Price: $3.99
Batman: City of Madness #1
Writer/Artist: Christian Ward
Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Publisher: DC Comics – Black Label
Buried deep beneath Gotham City there exists another Gotham. This Gotham Below is a living nightmare, populated by twisted mirrors of our Gotham’s denizens, fueled by the fear and hatred flowing down from above. For decades, the doorway between the cities has been sealed and heavily guarded by the Court of Owls. But now the door swings wide, and the twisted version of the Dark Knight has escaped…to trap and train a Robin of his own. Batman must form an uneasy alliance with the Court and its deadly allies to stop him–and to hold back the wave of twisted super-villains, nightmarish versions of his own nemeses, each one worse than the last, that’s spilling into his streets!
Why It’s Cool: We have an effusive roundtable chat about this book going up later today, but I’ll make it plain — this is the single best Batman comic I’ve read in a good long time. The art is gorgeous and story concept new and engrossing, using a mix of new and old characters. I just can’t recommend this one enough.
Price: $6.99
Kaya #12
Writer/Artist: Wes Craig, with a back-up by Gabriel Hernandez-Walta
Colorist: Jason Wordie
Letterer: Andworld Design
Lord Vox, the robot who ordered the destruction of Kaya’s village, must answer for what happened in the Poison-Lands. The plans of the all-powerful robot empire are revealed when we meet the empire’s supreme leader, the Oracle!
Why It’s Cool: I don’t know how many new ways I can find to tell you all to read Kaya at this point, but you all should really be reading Kaya, probably the best fantasy comic of the past couple of years. This is a stand alone issue too, one that any reader could pick up and use as an entry point to the immersive world that Wes Craig and his collaborators have created. Also, this book is just so good-looking.
Price: $3.99
Space Usagi – Yokai Hunter #1
Writer/Artist/Letterer: Stan Sakai
Colorist: Emi Fujii
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Fans of legendary swordsman and wanderer Usagi Yojimbo have enjoyed countless tales told of his exciting adventures-tales told over hundreds, perhaps thousands, of years. Someone in the far future enjoys another classic adventure featuring the rabbit ronin, and Stan Sakai’s Space Usagi universe returns with a unique, new story.
Why It’s Cool: I mean, the title really says it all with this one, doesn’t it? It’s Usagi fighting Yokai, and it rules, armed as it is with Sakai’s usual mastery of comics storytelling craft. Plus, I’m not going to give it away here, but this one has one of the most interesting endings of any Usagi Yojimbo comic I’ve ever read. Fun stuff, and an easy addition to the Top Comics to Buy for October 11.
Price: $4.99
Others Receiving Votes
Batman & Robin #2- Damn Them All #9
- Danger Street #10
- Creepshow #2
- Earthdivers #11
- Fishflies #2
- Green Lantern #4
- Groo In the Wild #3
- Hunger and the Dusk #3
- Hunt for the Skinwalker #2
- Madness #3
- Murder Inc Jagger Rose #6
- Project Cryptid #2
- Weird Work #4
- World’s Finest Teen Titans #4
New #1s and One-Shots
Captain Marvel – Assault on Eden #1 (one-shot)- Capwolf and the Howling Commandos #1
- Chilling Adventures Presents – Welcome to Riverdale #1 (one-shot)
- Destiny Gate #1
- Garbage Pail Kids – Trashin’ Through Time #1
- Midlife (Or How To Be A Hero At Fifty) #1
- Nights #1
- Operation Sunshine #1
- Sonic The Hedgehog – Halloween Special #1 (one-shot)
- Superior Spider-Man Returns #1 (one-shot)
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Saturday Morning Adventures – Halloween Special #1 (one-shot)
- Wesley Dodds: Sandman #1
Graphic Novels and Trade Collections
- Animalheads TP
- Cereal TP
- Dark Ride Vol. 2
- Dead Boy Detectives Omnibus HC
- Giant Kokju TP
- Golden Voice: The Ballad of Cambodian Rock’s Lost Queen GN
- I Hate This Place Vol. 2 TP
- Lonely Boys GN
- Not All Robots Vol. 1 TP New Edition
- Poor Helpless Comics Cartoon (And More) of Ed Subitzky GN
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Reborn Vol. 7 – Isolation TP
- The Walking Dead 20th Anniversary Box Set #1
- Wonder Woman: Blood and Guts – The Deluxe Edition HC
Read past editions of the Top Comics to Buy!
