By Zack Quaintance — Love is in the comics air this week with the new releases, which include a DC Comics anthology just brimming with talented creators old and new, as well as love/sex adjacent comics like Going to the Chapel and Money Shot. All in all, it’s a strong week with a bit more of a thematic focus than most Wednesdays, one that will start setting the mood for next week’s holiday. 

Anyway, our picks for the week are below — enjoy!

Top Comics to Buy for February 5, 2020

*PICK OF THE WEEK*
DC Crimes of Passion #1
Writer: Various
Artist: Various
Colorist: Various
Letterer: Various
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $9.99
Passion. Betrayal. Murder. When you're a private investigator, these are things you experience daily. But when you add capes to the mix-like Batman, Catwoman, and Harley Quinn? Things get even messier. The name's Slam Bradley, and I'm telling you that this year's Valentine's Day special has more intrigue than you can shake a stick at. Ten tales of love-the kind of love that can push people over the edge. Don't miss it...or I'll make you pay.
Why It’s Cool: These quarterly (I think...right?) DC Comics anthologies are something I always look forward to. We get to see the DC characters in odd or novel situations, often written and illustrated by rising creators, the sort who if they don’t continue on with DC will surely be heard of elsewhere in short order. This Valentine’s anthology is an interesting one this year, featuring as it does top-tier artists (Greg Smallwood, John Paul Leon, etc.), teaming with younger DC writers like Steve Orlando and Ram V. The nature of these things means some stories are better than others, but there’s more than enough worthwhile content in this one to keep DC fans engaged.

Going to the Chapel #4
Writer: David Pepose
Artist: Gavin Guidry
Colorist: Liz Kramer
Letterer: Ariana Maher
Publisher: Action Lab
Price: $3.99
It's time to bride or die! With the police about to storm the chapel, Emily must choose her allegiances and her own uncertain future. Can Emily face her fears of lifelong commitment, or will her anxieties be dashed by a runaway bullet? Find out here in this thrilling finale!
Why It’s Cool: If I had to describe this book one word, I’d call it a romp, and it’s been a romp from the start. The romp continues here as well during the finish. Simply put, this book is hilarious, combining a gangster heist story with the already-loaded relationship drama inherent to a wedding, mixing together zany family members, past relationships, and plenty of other volatile elements. What it all adds up to is one of the most fun creator-owned books coming out today. To get a sense of what this one is all about, look no further than the cover, which sports the tagline: The end is here — it’s time to bride or die!

Isola #10
Writer: Branden Fletcher & Karl Kerschl
Artist: Karl Kerschl & Msassyk
Letterer: Aditya Bidikar
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $3.99
END OF STORY ARC
Secrets from the past threaten to tear Olwyn and Rook apart.
Why It’s Cool: Isola, which switch to an every-other-month release schedule for this current story arc, is one of the most gorgeous comics in shops today. The art is just absolutely stunning. The story, meanwhile, is generally a bit understated, with a pressing challenge — often a chasing threat — testing and probing a central relationship between two lead characters. We’ve gotten glimpses into the past to inform that dynamic in past issues, but in Isola #10, we get sort of an unprecedented amount of information about the past...in a way that creates added friction for the future of the book. All of it is, of course, rendered with great beauty. 

Money Shot #4
Writer: Tim Seeley & Sarah Beattie
Artist: Rebekah Isaacs
Colorist: Kurt Michael Russell
Letterer: Crank!
Publisher: Vault Comics
Price: $3.99
In the afterglow of an orgasm that devastated an army, the XXX-Plorers must pick up the pieces, pull up their britches, and figure out how to save a dying world. But first: The horror known only as BWEEDT! Ball-swinging science and romance in the Mighty Money Shot tradition!
Why It’s Cool: Money Shot is a singular comic, probing as it does questions of sexuality, science, technological advancement, commerce, media interest, and the intersection of all of the above. It’s a smart book, that sort of advertises itself as a sexy comedy with aliens before then revealing itself as a smart commentary on how our economic systems support knowledge, also with aliens. As the book has gone on, it’s become increasingly character-driven, which is a bit part of what’s for sale in this excellent fourth issue.

Usagi Yojimbo #8
Writer/Artist/Letterer: Stan Sakai
Colorist: Tom Luth
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Price: $3.99
"Tatami," Part 1 of 2. Usagi returns to his home province only to find intrigue and betrayal! An important tea ceremony is about to take place, but what sinister plan does Lord Hikiji have for it and how are the Neko ninja clan involved?
A new storyline that acts as a great jumping on point!
Why It’s Cool: There’s no comic more consistent these days than Stan Sakai’s (with Tom Luth’s colors) Usagi Yojimbo, a sort of timeless story of a wandering samurai who adheres to a code and often gets entangled in the most trying moments of the lives of others. Since moving to IDW eight issues ago, this book has been incredibly friendly to new readers (including myself) stumbling into a property that has existed for many years. This issue marks the start of a two-part arc, which is being directly billed as friendly jumping on point for new readers — and it is. So, if you’ve heard the comics world at large singing this one’s praises, go ahead and check this one out. 

New #1s and One-Shots

• After Realm Quarterly #1

• Aggretsuko #1

• Ant-Man #1

• Backtrack #1

• Battlecats: Tales of Valderia #1

• Captain America The End One-Shot

• Captain Ginger Season 2 #1

• Conan Battle for the Serpent Crown #1

• Dark Agnes #1

• Disney Pixar The Incredibles 2 - Slow Burn #1

• Immortal Hulk Great Power One-Shot

• Man Who F@#*-ed Up Time #1

• Marvel’s Avengers Hulk #1

• Predator Hunters III #1

• Star Wars Darth Vader #1

• Tart #1

• X-Men/Fantastic Four #1

Others Receiving Votes

• Butcher of Paris #3

• Copra #5

• Crowded #11

• Daphne Byrne #2

• Daredevil #17

• Doctor Doom #5

• Dreaming #18

• Gideon Falls #21

• Justice League #40

• Lois Lane #8

• Marauders #7

• Martian Manhunter #12

• Young Justice #13

Trades and OGNs of Interest

• Almost American Girl HC/TP

• Black Badge Vol. 3 HC

• Die Vol. 2 Split the Party TP

• EC Archives Psychoanalysis HC

• Fred’s Big Feelings: Life and Legacy of Mister Rogers HC

• Gender: A Graphic Guide SC

• Giant Days Vol. 12

• Green Arrow Rebirth Vol. 8

• Harleen HC

• High Level TP

• J & K HC

• JLA: The Wedding of The Atom & Jean Lorring HC

• Star Trek Year Five Vol. 1

• Why Did We Trust Him?

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.