By Zack Quaintance — When I was in the process of writing the Top Comics to Buy for March 24, I realized something — I’m really digging the paired down DC Comics superhero line. It’s not necessarily the promise of new concepts and new ideas and new whatever — we’ve seen so much of that before in corporate comics and it’s never really entirely new, at least not when billed that way — but rather the easy-to-access number of books coming every month, which is especially convenient when there are soooo many other great comics to read each week. Anyway!

As always, full list of picks for the week is below…enjoy!

Top Comics to Buy for March 24, 2021

PICK OF THE WEEK
Barbalien - Red Planet #5
Script: Tate Brombal
Story: Jeff Lemire and Tate Brombal
Art: Gabriel Hernandez Walta
Colors: Jordie Bellaire
Letters: Aditya Bidikar
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
In this blood-chilling finale, the martian hero Barbalien faces age-old hatred from Mars and Earth as he clashes with the bounty hunter after his head—and tensions finally boil over between his two lives as a police officer and hero, leaving the young man he’s come to love in the dangerous crossfire of an inevitable riot.
Why It’s Cool: As I discussed in my recent interview with the creators of this book, one of the greatest strengths of this Very Good Black Hammer Universe miniseries has been the mounting tension. Well folks, in this issue everything comes to a head — and it’s just as engaging and well-done as the rest of this book, one of 2021’s true must-read comics thus far.
Price: $3.99
Read It Digitally: Barbalien - Red Planet #5

Action Comics #1029
Writer: Phillip Kennedy Johnson
Penciller: Phil Hester
Inker: Eric Gapstur
Colorist: Hi-Fi
Letterer: Dave Sharpe
Publisher: DC Comics
“The Golden Age” reaches its conclusion in this issue that continues directly from Superman #29! Following an almost-deadly attack by an alien foe, the new Superman realizes that any threat could be the one! Neither Superboy nor Superman know what’s behind this latest attack. Two words: the Wall.
Plus, in an all-new backup “Tale of Metropolis,” writers Becky Cloonan and Michael W. Conrad continue the Midnighter story they started in DC Future State. But is the DC Universe ready for Trojan Solutions?
Why It’s Cool: The new Superman era in Infinite Frontier is off to a wonderful start with the one-two punch story this creative team told first in Superman #29 and now here in Action Comics #1029. I’m not going to say it’s a very different sort of Superman, but it’s definitely a Superman that is using Jon Kent differently, for perhaps the first time in his existence characterizing him as something other than kid. In giving Jon Kent more agency, this story is able to go to really poignant and rich places. Also, Phil Hester, Eric Gapstur, and Hi-Fi do really strong work with the art here, giving it a classic sort of sci-fi feel that I really enjoyed.
Price: $4.99
Read It Digitally: Action Comics #1029

Batman and Superman #16
Writer: Gene Luen Yang
Penciller: Ivan Reis
Inker: Danny Miki
Colorist: Sabine Rich
Letterer: Saida Temofonte
Publisher: DC Comics
In the aftermath of Dark Nights: Death Metal, catch a glimpse of brave new worlds within the DC Universe...but what are these strange planets? As we delve into the parallel lives of the Man of Steel and the Dark Knight, we’ll meet new villains, new heroes, alternate realities, and a transdimensional collision that you will need to see to believe! It’s the dastardly debut of a cadre of new villains, including the Spider Lady and her poisonous webs, Dr. Atom, who sports a Kryptonite pendant, and the maniacal machinations of the Unknown Wizard! You’ve never seen Batman and Superman like this before-so buckle up and get ready for the start of a new era courtesy of writer Gene Luen Yang and artist Ivan Reis!
Why It’s Cool: One of the big promises for this new nascent era of DC Comics is that the publisher will be making better (or any) use of its timelines and multiverse. This comic is a great example of what that might look like. I don’t want to spoil anything, but I will say it uses the alternate worlds and histories concept in really interesting formulistic ways that you won’t want to miss, and it’s really nice to see a corporate superhero comic taking some pretty gigantic chances.
Price: $4.99
Read It Digitally: Batman Superman #16

Haha #3
Writer: W. Maxwell Prince
Artist: Roger Langridge
Publisher: Image Comics
“REMI SAYS…”
Real friends need not speak a word to each other.
Our less-funny-than-the-title-suggests clown anthology continues with a silent mime story illustrated by legendary cartoonist ROGER LANGRIDGE.
Why It’s Cool: Haha — the Image Comics anthology series that looks like it is about clowns and actually is sort of about clowns but is more about the modern human condition — welcomes legendary artist Roger Langridge for this month’s issue, and what results is a mostly-silent mime story up there with the best visual stories to be told in the medium so far this year. This book remains one of the monthly comics direct market’s true must-read titles.
Price: $3.99
Read It Digitally: Haha #3

Usagi Yojimbo #17
Writer/Artist: Stan Sakai
Colorist: Hi-Fi
Editor: Bobby Curnow
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Tengu War! Part 2 (of 3) For the first time, Usagi has to team up with yokai (haunts and spirits) against an even greater enemy. However, he must prove himself worthy to join their ranks and must face a challenge from a tengu in a fight to the death. How can Usagi defeat a creature said to be the greatest sword master in all the country?
Why It’s Cool: Usagi Yojimbo is perhaps the most reliably-strong read in all of monthly comics (and has been for a very long time), and it’s current storyline is no exception, seeing Usagi team up with the supernatural to fight even more supernatural threats. It’s just great comics storytelling, and it is not to be missed.
Price: $3.99
Read It Digitally: Usagi Yojimbo #17

Others Receiving Votes

Batman: Black and White #4
Black Panther #24
Bitter Root #11
Cable #9
Comic Book History of Animation #4
Crimson Flower #3
Detective Comics #1034
Die! Die! Die! #14
Guardians of the Galaxy #12
Once and Future #17
Post Americana #4
Stray Dogs #2
Taskmaster #5

New #1s and One-Shots

Alien #1
Carnage Black White and Blood #1
Cold Dead War #1
Harley Quinn #1
King in Black Scream One-Shot
Lady Baltimore: Witch Queens #1
Rabid World #1
Teen Titans Academy #1
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Best of Michalangelo
Vampirella Vs. Purgatori #1

Trade Collections and Graphic Novels of Note

Delicates TP
Getting It Together TP
The Leak TP
Seen: True Stories of Marginalized Trailblazers: Rachel Carson OGN
Youth 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.