In a tight economy it isn’t always clear what you should spend your hard earned money on, and with comic books getting more and more expensive, your dollar doesn’t go as far at the comic shop as it used to. We here at Complex feel your pain, so we're compiling a weekly list of which books are truly worth your money. Keep reading for all the goodness hitting shelves today.
Batman and Robin #20
What it’s about:Batman and Robin was launched in the aftermath of Batman R.I.P. and it has been solely focused on the relationship between the new Batman (Dick Grayson, the original Robin, who took up the mantle of Caped Crusader when he believed Bruce Wayne had died) and Robin (Bruce's son Damian). The book is especially interesting when it deals with Grayson’s inability to keep Damian in line while trying to ease into his new role as the Dark Knight. Sometimes a brooding Batman can be a boring Batman, so the inclusion of Damian really adds a jolt of energy to the book.
What to expect this month: Ultra hot writer Peter Tomasi reteams with his Green Lantern Corps artist, Patrick Gleason, on the beginning of a brand new story titled Black Knight, White Knight. With the introduction of a highly talented creative team to the book, now is the perfect time to jump on board. Right after Detective Comics, Batman and Robin is the best Batman book on shelves.
Cinderella: Fables Are Forever #1
What it’s about: Bill Willingham’s Fables is easily one of the best comic book series to come out in the past decade. Set in a world where fairytale characters are living, breathing beings, Fables explores how they try to integrate into modern society. Cinderella: Fables are Forever is a spinoff of the main series and promises to keep the fun, humor, and emotion of Fables intact.
What to expect this month: While spinoffs usually don’t pan out too well for television or movies, comics have a pretty decent track record of them, especially Fables. This spinoff continues the story of Cinderella in her role as a secret agent for the sheriff of Fabletown. This book is a great way to get introduced into a new world of comic book storytelling. It is perfect for fans of non-superhero comics as it takes classic literary characters and gives them a fresh twist.
New Avengers #9
What it’s about:New Avengers is Marvel’s way of introducing characters that most fans don’t know much about and have them on a team with some of Marvel’s heavy hitters. Second-tier characters such as Luke Cage, Mockingbird, and Iron Fist are given time to shine alongside Spider-Man, Wolverine, and the Thing. While New Avengers may feature some lesser-known characters, it is usually a better read than Marvel’s more popular Avengers book.
What to expect this month: The Infinity story arc starts this month and Marvel promises to reveal a secret so dangerous that even Nick Fury is afraid of it. But Marvel makes those types of promises every week, so don’t get your hopes up that it’ll live up to their hype. However, with the usually entertaining writing of Brian Michael Bendis and the always-gorgeous art of Mike Deodato, New Avengers is definitely worth a look.
Wolverine #5.1
What it’s about: Jason Aaron is one of the best writers in comics and if you need any proof of it then check out the rest of his Wolverine run, Punisher Max run, or his Vertigo book, Scalped. It also doesn’t hurt that his fantastic writing is matched by the heavily atmospheric art of Jefte Palo. Aaron’s interpretation of the anti-social mutant is a breath of fresh air as opposed to the way Wolverine has been written by other writers recently.
What to expect this month: This is the second installment of Marvel’s Point One initiative created to present new fans with easily accessible stories for popular characters that have years and years of back stories. In this Point One story, Aaron celebrates Wolverine’s birthday the hard way with plenty of mayhem and blood spilled. If you enjoyed the X-Men movies or cartoons then this is a great way to experience more great Wolverine stories by a talented creative team.
Suicide Squad Volume 1: Trial By Fire (Collects Suicide Squad #1-8 and Secret Origins #14)
What it’s about: Suicide Squad was the original villains book. Instead of having criminals serve time in prison, federal agent Amanda Waller recruits the most dangerous villains in the DC Universe to help the government fight the dangerous battles that no one else wants to sign up for. The choice is simple: either take on these life-threatening missions or face life in prison. This is the first time that DC Comics is collecting these early Suicide Squad issues in one book, and it’s a great deal considering what people are charging for them individually on eBay. This book was released during a time in the '80s when DC was at its peak with books like Watchmen, Dark Knight Returns, and Swamp Thing changing the comics industry forever. While Suicide Squad never reached those heights, it did present a fresh take on comics that most publishers shy away from today.
