By Zack Quaintance — I thought the year for comics started slowly, but now we’re back into a high volume of quality releases in terms of both the ongoing stuff and the new series launch. Our committee (of one) favors ongoing on the weekly Top Comics to Buy list, assuming that many readers are going to give new #1s a shot regardless. This week, however, we should note that there are a couple of strong new series dropping with Amethyst #1 and Finger Guns #1, both of which are well worth your money. 

And now, on to the Top Comics to Buy for February 26!

Top Comics to Buy for February 26, 2020

*PICK OF THE WEEK*
X-Men #7
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Artist: Leinil Francis Yu
Colorist: Sunny Gho
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price: $4.99
MUTANTS ARE FOREVER! The Resurrection Protocols have changed everything for Mutantkind. NO MORE can humans' hate and fear take their lives from them. But... what ELSE has it changed?
Why It’s Cool: I don’t know where or when, but I feel like I’ve been hearing about X-Men #7 as the next big X-Issue for some time now. This is a good thing. There’d been similar buzz around the past few X-Men comics as well, and, for my money, X-Men #4 - #6 were very strong. This one has an added thing of having Apocalypse wielding a big ‘ol sword right there on the cover, which is enough to boost it to comic of the week status for our committee (of one). This issue gets an added boost from another big X-Men thing coming this week, which is Giant-Sized X-Men #1. We are new #1 adverse in this list, but that book with its cast of Jean Grey and Emma Frost combined with Russel Dauterman doing interior artwork — it’s a good week to be an X-fan, once again.

Black Stars Above #4
Writer: Lonnie Nadler
Artist: Jenna Cha
Colorist: Brad Simpson
Letterer: Hassan Ostmane-Elhaou
Publisher: Vault Comics
Price: $3.99
A frozen death searches for Eulalio in the neverending wilderness. While the northern town is nearer than ever, the infant child under her care is changing, and she must decide if it is a being she can trust, of it it will only bring her closer to the ruins of reality.
Why It’s Cool: This series continues to be (excuse the trite phrase) a masterclass in ambience and tone, and this fourth issue is powered in equal parts by poetic turns of phrase combined with top-tier comics artwork. I’ve written about this one pretty frequently too, but I remain impressed at what the creative team is doing here, telling a story on such untouched ground within comics and really any other medium, for that matter. 

Heathen #9
Writer: Natasha Alterici
Artist: Ashley A. Woods
Letterer: Morgan Martinez
Publisher: Vault Comics
Price: $3.99
Aydis is ambushed by trolls shortly after arriving at the godlands. To her surprise, they spare her life and only take her captive. She'll have to find a way to turn them into allies, or risk failing her mission.
Why It’s Cool: I tend to think of Heathen as the original Vault Comics title, owing to the fact that this was the book that first brought the publisher to my attention way back when. It has a special place in my reading preferences because of that, and also because it has been one of the best and most consistent indie comics titles on the shelves in recent years. This issue represents a next step for Heathen, bringing artist Ashley A. Woods into the fold, and I’m happy to report that the book’s level of quality is as high as ever. I don’t know how one would quantify this, but I also think we may be in the golden age of Norse comics. 

Monstress #26
Writer: Marjorie Liu
Artist: Sana Takeda
Letterer: Rus Wooton
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $3.99
In a border city about to be invaded by Federation troops, Maika finally begins to accept who she must become to survive... no matter the cost.
Why It’s Cool: Monstress is a rare fantasy comic in that it has felt like it’s marching toward something (and something huge and important) from its very start. There has been some side-questing, some narrative space devoted to supporting characters who accent the main story, but for the most part, we’ve gotten a steady trail of revelations aimed at some coming fight. In this issue, we see our hero begin to accept not only who she is but also what she must do to have a larger impact on the world around her. It’s powerful stuff, and — as we’ve said many times before — you should ball be reading this comic book.

Wasted Space #14
Writer: Michael Moreci
Artist: Hayden Sherman
Colorist: Jason Wordie
Letterer: Jim Campbell
Publisher: Vault Comics
Price: $3.99
Billy makes his escape from emotional hell and Molly fights a warlock.
Why It’s Cool: I’ve written so many words about why I like this comic, and I’m still not tired of telling people they should be reading it. This issue is perhaps a great example of how this series has been evolving as of late. All of the high adventure and high philosophy that’s been here from the start is still around, along with the sincere contemplations of the world and of life, but Wasted Space is now developing an almost-meta self-awareness, too. The book is (somehow) even better for it. Anyway, I’ll see you all when Wasted Space #15 comes out and find yet another way to recommend this comic.

New #1s and One-Shots

• 2020 Force Works #1

• Amethyst #1

• Dollar Comics Amethyst #1

• Dollar Comics Flash Vol. 2 #1

• Falcon & Winter Soldier #1

• Fantastic Four Grimm Noir #1

• Finger Guns #1 (Review!)

• Giant-Sized X-Men: Jean Grey & Emma Frost #1

• Hidden Society #1

• Leviathan Dawn #1

• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Jennika #1

• Tomorrow #1

• Wolverine By Claremont & Buscema #1 Facsimile Edition

Others Receiving Votes

• Ant-Man #2

• Batman / Superman #7

• Dial H For Hero #12

• Far Sector #4

• Heart Attack #4

• Ice Cream Man #18

• Kill Lock #3

• Olympia #4

• Protector #2

• Sex Criminals #27

• Shazam! #11

• Suicide Squad #3

• Usagi Yojimbo Color Classics #2

• X-Force #8

• X-Men / Fantastic Four #2

Trades and OGNs of Interest

• All Actions Classics Tom Sawyer GN

• Battle Stations TP

• Batman Broken City TP New Edition

• Batman Overdrive TP

• Cottons Vol. 1 Secret of the Wind TP

• Cottons Vol. 2 White Carrot HC

• Dawn of X Vol. 2 TP

• Excalibur Epic Collection Vol. 4 Curiouser And Curiouser TP

• Flash of Two Worlds Deluxe Edition HC

• Grumble Vol. 2 Raising Hell in the Garden State TP

• Inappropriate HC

• Infinity 8 Vol. 6 Ultimate Knowledge HC 

• Invaders Vol. 2 Dead in the Water TP

• Lupus TP

• Marvel Masters of Suspense Stan Lee & Steve Ditko Omnibus Vol. 2 HC

• Samurai Grandpa TP

• Second Coming Vol. 1 TP

• Tales From the Dark Multiverse HC

• Tank Girl Vol. 2 Tank Girl Forever TP

• We Are The Danger Vol. 1 TP

See our past top comics to buy here, and check out our reviews archive here.

Zack Quaintance is a tech reporter by day and freelance writer by night/weekend. He Tweets compulsively about storytelling and comics as Comics Bookcase.