This week’s Top Comics to Buy for September 2 was an absurdly difficult list to write. I jumped around a lot in picking out not only my five favorites for the week, but also my 10 other comics I enjoyed section. Put it this way, you know it’s a tough week when there’s new #1s from Jeff Lemire & Dustin Nguyen and Steve Skroce that don’t make the top five. But that’s a good problem to have!
As I’ve been wont to do of late, I will also remind you that I have a comic of my own about to hit kickstarter! It has interior art from creators like Nick Cagnetti and Ryan Lee, plus covers by Jesse Lonergan and Fell Hound! I’d be super grateful if you follow the pre-launch page now … thanks!
Top Comics to Buy for September 2, 2026
Archie #1
Writer: Ben H. Winters
Artist: Fabio Moon
Colorist: Jason Wordie
Letterer: AndWorld Design
Publisher: Oni Press – Archie Comics
For his entire life, 17-year-old Archie Andrews has had it all: adoring friends, football glory, and a natural charm that always seems to make him the center of attention. Now, through his eyes, experience the warmth and wonder of Riverdale and its near-infinite roster of residents — the popular kids, the endearing oddballs, and everyone in between — as Archie embarks on a whirlwind, all-star adventure through his town’s past, present, and future… beginning with a local film festival that’s about to turn everything upside down! And, at the center of it all, lies an enigmatic paradox that only Archie’s pal Jughead Jones can possibly unravel…
Why It’s Cool: This first issue and latest revival of Archie does not (at first) seem interested in reinventing the franchise whole. It starts off with vignettes, humor, and cartooning of the highest tier. But it also seems to suggest there is something much deeper (and maybe high-concept) to come, and that’s exciting too. Overall, I just found Archie #1 to be an absolute blast, and I think any comics fan — regardless of past relationship to Archie — will enjoy this book.
Price: $4.99
Doom Patrol #1
Writer: Darcy Van Poelgeest
Artist: Niko Henrichon
Letterer: Lucas Gattoni
Publisher: DC Comics
The Doom Patrol is broke. Adopting a heroes-for-hire business model to stave off financial and emotional ruin, the team finds itself responding to a simple case — a missing cat. But when this case proves to be far from simple, the world’s strangest heroes find themselves pulled into a truly out-of-this-world situation! And elsewhere, beyond the view of Robotman, Elasti -Girl, and Negative Man — and perhaps even beyond the veil of our reality — a ghost of the team’s past is preparing to cross into their world.
Why It’s Cool: I don’t rank these picks, but if I did, Doom Patrol would be my favorite comic of the week. The art is gorgeous, the writing is sharp, and the ideas are perfect for the characters. I should note, that the Morrison / Case Doom Patrol is one of my favorite supehero comics runs of all-time, and so that’s where I was coming from when I picked up this comic — and I walked away thrilled with the direction the book was headed.
Price: $3.99
Legion of Super-Heroes #1
Writer: Joshua Williamson
Artist: Hayden Sherman
Colorist: Tamra Bonvillain
Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Publisher: DC Comics
One thousand years after the Last Son of Krypton’s rocket crashed on the Kent Farm comes a new future inspired by the Man of Tomorrow! But this new future is in danger! Superheroes are outlawed! Deadly enforcers known as the Persuaders keep the populace of the United Planets in check! Worlds are at war! And this dark tomorrow’s last glimmer of hope, R.J. Brande, has been brutally murdered. Can the mysterious Brainiac 1 of 5 solve Brande’s murder? To restore hope to the universe, he must assemble a legion of gifted young rebels from across the cosmos! But they are scattered across the universe!
Why It’s Cool: Have you seen the preview art for this book?! If a comic looks this good, you buy it. But seriously, artist Hayden Sherman and colorist Tamra Bonvillain alone make this one worth picking up, and it’s also got a script loaded with breadcrumbs for long-time fans of the property. I’ll have a more thorough review of this one in our DC column tomorrow.
Price: $3.99
Prima Apparata #1
Writer: Olivia Dufault
Artist: Rebekah Isaacs
Colorist: Marissa Louise
Letterer: Becca Carey
Publisher: Ignition Press
After Earth was shattered into surviving pockets across the galaxy, humanity’s most talented young women train at this prestigious celestial boarding school to become the next generation of mech pilots. But these students aren’t soldiers, they’re ballerinas; and the mechs aren’t built for battle, but performance. All engineered in body and mind to entertain a ruling class of cosmic patrons in an annual life-or-death recital of mankind’s only unifying story: the saga of Appolyta the Huntress, a goddess whose pursuit of one last elusive prey ends in heartbreak. This year’s top recruits, the quietly ambitious Mar and rebellious Rhea, endure a cutthroat curriculum to compete for the crowning title of Prima Apparata. As their bond deepens and Mar’s obsessive quest puts her under the wing of Appolyta herself, the line between art and indoctrination blurs—and the great personal cost of perfection will transform their lives.
Why It’s Cool: This book is recognizable a direct market comic, in everything from its art to its sci-fi genre concepts, but it’s also really different from any other book within the direct market. The artwork and colors and lettering are stunning, and the story incorporates ideas around genetic/robotic engineering, harvesting people for specific uses, cosmic conquests, storytelling, and ballet. It’s just such an eclectic mix that the creative team brings together in the mainstream comics format, and I love all that about it. Highly recommend taking a chance on this one. Should also note that if you’re into interesting indie comics, you should be checking out everything Ignition is putting out. It’s a really strong line of original comics.
Price: $4.99
Royals #6
Writer: Derek Kirk Kim
Artist: Jacob Perez
Publisher: Image Comics
Castor and Paul are put to the ultimate test in this explosive final issue! Everything has lead to this. It’s a showdown for the ages on a bloody Easter Sunday, and the very souls of the telepathic brothers are at stake. Don’t miss it!
Why It’s Cool: This book has been a great, genre-mashing delight from its first issue, and this week gives us a finale that is both exciting and emotionally satisfying. The highest praise I can give Royals is that I’m going to miss both this book AND it’s characters. Fun stuff.
Price: $4.99
10 Other Comics I Enjoyed This Week
100 Bullets – The US of Anger #3- Absolute Superman #23
- Batman #13 (Bad Seeds)
- Batgirl #23 (Bad Seeds)
- Crowbound #1
- Escape #9
- Giant Robot Hellboy Returns #2
- Minor Arcana #18
- Superman – The Stranger #1
- Tales of Wonder #1
New #1s and One-Shots
Archie #1- Batman / Superman – Weird Al – World’s Weirdest #1
- Black Panther / Namor Doomed #1
- Crowbound #1
- Cruel Kingdom 2 #1
- Doctor Strange and Doctor Doom – Triumph and Torment #1 (one-shot)
- Doom Patrol #1
- Hellraiser – Resurrections – New Wounds #1
- Legion of Super-Heroes #1
- Marvel Mangaverse – Web of Blood #1 (one-shot)
- Marvel Zombies War Zone #1
- No Gods, No Masters #1
- The Perfectly Monstrous Life of Adam Frankenstein #1 (one-shot)
- Prima Apparata #1
- Project Perseus #1
- Spider-Women 50th Anniversary Special #1 (one-shot)
- Superman – The Stranger #1
- Supernatural Wayward Special #1 (one-shot)
- Tales of Wonder #1
- Teen Titans #1
- X-Men Omega Red Dawn #1 (one-shot)
Graphic Novels and Trade Collections
A Ghost Arm Made of Angry Ghosts HC- All The People I Have Been HC
- Artillery Weapons of Art HC
- Batman – City of Madness TP
- Batman – White Knight Presents Generation Joker TP
- Bruce Wayne – Not Super – The Bat-Catastrophe – A Batman Graphic Novel TP
- Complete Crepax Vol 10 Surreal Stories HC
- The Cutting Garden HC
- DC Finest – Harley Quinn – The Ballad of Harley Quinn TP
- Fables – No More Happily Ever After TP (DC Compact Comics Edition)
- Fantastic Four Vol 2 The Invincible Woman TP
- Fence Book 1 TP
- Ghost Boys – The Graphic Novel HC/TP
- G.I. Joe Vol 4 The Hunt for Energon TP
- Hunger and the Dusk Deluxe Edition HC
- Invincible Vol 17 TP
- Iron Man Epic Collection Vol 8 Demon in a Bottle TP
- Kodi – A Place to Call Home TP
- Mexikid Dreams – A Graphic Memoir HC/TP
Superman – The Triangle Era Omnibus Vol 3 HC- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Casey Jones TP
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Godzilla TP
- Twilight Zone – Stories From the Fifth Dimension TP
- Two Suns HC
- Ultimate Wolverine Vol 3 The Makers Mark TP
- Vampire The Masquerade Complete Series TP (Compact Edition)
- Wonder Woman Rebirth by Greg Rucka Omnibus HC
- w0rldtr33 Deluxe Book 1 HC
Read past editions of the Top Comics to Buy!
And check out the Beat’s most recent comics reviews!
