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Best comiXology Sales: Year-End 2020

By Zack Quaintance — If you’re anything like me, you’re sitting at your computer during this sleepy tweener week wondering where you can spend more money, hiding any resultant debt as you will beneath a cascade of excuses about holiday spending, as if you didn’t just buy a ton of things for yourself. Ahem.

Anyway, I’m here to help you with that! Which is why today I’ve complied a list of the Best comiXology Sales: Year-End 2020. Enjoy the indulgence, friends, right along with me as we burn down this awful awful year…

Best comiXology Sales - Year-End 2020

The Mark Russell Special - Billionaire Island and Second Coming
Writer:
Mark Russell
Artists: Steve Pugh, Richard Pace, and Leonard Kirk
Publisher: AHOY Comics
Billionaire Island — A savage satire reuniting the critically acclaimed team behind DC's The Flintstones―writer Mark Russell (SECOND COMING) and artist Steve Pugh (Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass)―in a new graphic novel. Welcome to Billionaire Island, where anything goes...if you can afford it. But the island's ultra-rich inhabitants are about to learn that their ill-gotten gains come at a VERY high price.
Second Coming — The book everyone's talking about, by award-winning writer Mark Russell (Wonder Twins, The Flintstones) and artist Richard Pace (Pitt, New Warriors) ...now in one volume! God commands Earth's mightiest superhero, Sunstar, to accept Jesus as his roommate and teach him how to use power more forcefully. Jesus, shocked at the way humans have twisted his message over two millennia, vows to straighten them out. With an Introduction by Patton Oswalt. Collects Second Coming #1-6.
Why It’s Cool: Mark Russell is the sharpest satirsit in comics, and he’s paired here with artists who are on his level, packing these books with smart visual gags that add to the ideas. The collections for Billionaire Island and Second Coming have so many relevant takes on 2020, and the end of this awful year is a great time to check them out.
Prices: Billionaire Island - $8.49; Second Coming, Vol. 1 - $9.99
Buy Them Here: Billionaire Island; and Second Coming, Vol. 1

The AHOY Comics Starter Kit — Dragonfly & Dragonflyman Vol. 1 and Wrong Earth Vol. 1
Writer:
Tom Peyer
Artists: Jamal Igle, Peter Krause, Russ Braun, Juan Castro, and more
Publisher: AHOY Comics
Dragonfly & Dragonflyman Vol. 1 - Now collected in one dimension-smashing volume! In the darkness of Earth-Omega, THE DRAGONFLY exacts vengeance from sadistic killers and corrupt authorities. On sunlit Earth-Alpha, the upstanding DRAGONFLYMAN fights for justice alongside the police. This prequel to THE WRONG EARTH takes place before they became trapped on each other's worlds! Can two versions of the satanic Devil-Man corrupt their souls?
Wrong Earth Vol. 1 - Collecting the smash-hit miniseries that launched AHOY Comics! On dark, gritty Earth-Omega, masked vigilante Dragonfly punishes evil maniacs and evades corrupt authorities. On sun-splashed Earth-Alpha, costumed crook-catcher Dragonflyman upholds the letter of the law. Now they're trapped on each other's worlds, where even the good guys don't share their values! This volume also collects all the original Stinger and Dragonflyman backup stories, plus extra behind-the-scenes features.
Why It’s Cool: If you haven’t been reading AHOY Comics, you’ve been missing out. No publisher is doing superhero satire so well (or, really, superheroes) as AHOY, and these two books are an absolutely perfect entrance point into the line.
Prices: Dragonfly & Dragonflyman Vol. 1 - $8.49; and The Wrong Earth Vol. 1 - $9.99
Buy Them Here: Dragonfly & Dragonflyman Vol. 1; and The Wrong Earth Vol. 1

Marvel Has The Jokes — Punisher Kill Krew and Spider-Ham: Aporkalypse Now
Writers:
Gerry Duggan and Zeb Wells
Artists: Juan Ferreyra and Will Robson
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Punisher Kill Krew — The War of the Realms may be over — but for the Punisher, the conflict never ends! To combat Malekith's invasion, Frank Castle raised his own personal army. And now, in the war's aftermath, they have some scores to settle! The Punisher has stolen Thor's flying goat and is traversing the Ten Realms on a mission. But why is his first stop - Counter-Earth?! Frank made a promise of vengeance — and he keeps his promises. But a van full of orphans is about to make that vow a lot more complicated. And while Frank has picked up some unlikely allies, can he keep them alive? Featuring the Black Knight, Foggy Nelson and more in an action epic unlike anything you've ever seen. One Krew. Ten Realms. All-out war!
Spider-Ham: Aporkalypse Now — Not a dream! Not a hoax! Not an imaginary tail! (Get it?) Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham returns to the pages of his very own series! As if the swiney super hero's recent adventures across the various dimensions of the Spider-Verse weren't enough, Spider-Ham now finds himself jumping through time! And accompanied by Spider-Man (the human version), no less! It's the human/porcine/arachnid Marvel team-Up you've been waiting for! But can Ham and Man prevent the horrors of — Aporkalypse Now?! What threat could be so dangerous — so deadly — that it imperils the Marvel Multiverse's piggy protector, even with his cartoonish resistance to injury? Find out in one of the wildest adventures the Spider-Verse has ever seen!
Why It’s Cool: Are you a grown and professional person who has been reading superhero comics (arguably!) too long and now tend to appreciate the utter absurdity of the genre? Well then, do I have a pair of books for you! These are both absolutely hilarious, and you can jump right into them, even (especially?) if you have no idea what’s going on with the characters.
Prices: $2.54 each
Buy Them Here: Punisher Kill Krew; and Spider-Ham: Aporkalypse Now

Giant Days…Just Giant Days - The Full Series
Writer:
John Allison
Artists:
Lissa Treiman, Max Sarin, and more
Publisher:
BOOM! Studios
Susan, Esther, and Daisy started at university three weeks ago and became fast friends because their dorm rooms were next to each other. Now, away from home for the first time, all three want to reinvent themselves. But in the face of hand-wringing boys, "personal experimentation," influenza, mystery-mold, nu-chauvinism, and the willful, unwanted intrusion of "academia," they may be lucky just to make it to spring alive."
Why It’s Cool: Giant Days is in the conversation for the best and most fun slice-of-life comic in recent years, following as it does a social circle going through college life. The jokes are clever and dry, the emotional beats are earned, and the entire thing will suck you in until you read it all, which you can do now at fantastic sale prices.
Prices:
Volumes range from $2.24 to $6.74
Buy It Here:
Giant Days Landing Page

From Hell — Both Editions
Writer:
Alan Moore
Artist: Eddie Campbell
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Why It’s Cool: While other Moore works tend to get more attention (thinking specifically here of Watchmen), there’s a strong case to be made for From Hell being the writer’s masterpiece, teaming as he does with the powerful talent behind Alec, Eddie Campbell, an all-time great cartoonist. I’d also be remiss here if I didn’t point any who are interested toward our Comics Anatomy: From Hell feature, which does a spectacular job breaking down some of the visual influences. I took a poll recently on Twitter about how best to read this series, and the consensus seemed to be to read the original version first but then to also read the new full-color version, giving yourself both of the reading experiences that the creators of this classic work have doled out.
Price: $4.49 for the original version, or $13.49 for the master edition
Buy It Here: From Hell; or From Hell - Master Edition

All of Saga to Date — Saga Compendium One
Writer:
Brian K. Vaughan
Artist: Fiona Staples
Publisher: Image Comics
THE ULTIMATE BINGE-READ! Collecting the first nine volumes of the critically acclaimed, New York Times bestselling series into one massive paperback, this compendium tells the entire story (so far!) of a girl named Hazel and her star-crossed parents. Features 1,400 pages of gorgeously graphic full-color artwork, including a new cover from Eisner Award-winning SAGA co-creator FIONA STAPLES. Collects SAGA #1-54
Why It’s Cool: As the solicit information points out, this book is the ultimate Saga binge read, doling out all 54 issues of the series to date. It’s a great price (less than $.40 an issue!), and theoretically this would be a perfect way to get into the book or to refresh your memory before the series returns, hopefully in 2021 (please!).
Prices: $21.59
Buy It Here: Saga Compendium One

The 2020 Brubaker and Phillips Graphic Novel Kit — Pulp, My Heroes Have Always Been Junkies, and Bad Weekend
Writer:
Ed Brubaker
Artist: Sean Phillips
Publisher: Image Comics
Pulp — Max Winters, a pulp writer in 1930s New York, finds himself drawn into a story not unlike the tales he churns out at five cents a word—tales of a Wild West outlaw dispensing justice with a six-gun. But will Max be able to do the same when pursued by bank robbers, Nazi spies, and enemies from his past?
My Heroes Have Always Been Junkies — The first original graphic novel from the bestselling creators of CRIMINAL, KILL OR BE KILLED, THE FADE OUT and FATALE. Teenage Ellie has always had romantic ideas about drug addicts, those tragic artistic souls drawn to needles and pills have been an obsession since the death of her junkie mother ten years ago. But when Ellie lands in an upscale rehab clinic where nothing is what it appears to be... she’ll find another more dangerous romance, and find out how easily drugs and murder go hand-in-hand.
Bad Weekend — JUST IN TIME FOR CONVENTION SEASON—the ultimate comic con crime tale! Comics won’t just break your heart. Comics will kill you. Hal Crane should know, he’s been around since practically the beginning. Stuck at an out-of-town convention, waiting to receive a lifetime achievement award, Hal’s weekend takes us on a dark ride through the secret history of a medium that’s always been haunted by crooks, swindlers, and desperate dreamers.
Why It’s Cool: Brubaker and Phillips — the best and most prolific team in crime comics — is shifting their output to original graphic novel formats…so why not checkout what they’ve done with that format to date?
Prices: Ranging from $4.94 to $6.29
Buy Them Here: Pulp; My Heroes Have Always Been Junkies; and Bad Weekend

Lee and Ditko’s Amazing Spider-Man
Writer:
Stan Lee
Artist: Steve Ditko
Publisher: Marvel Comics
When a young Peter Parker is given the fantastic powers of an arachnid, he must also deal with the fantastic pressures of an everyday teenager. Check out these stories of spectacular web-slinging adventure from Spidey's very beginning, including the tragic origin that started it all, the first appearances of the Daily Bugle, J. Jonah Jameson, Doctor Octopus, the Sandman, the Vulture, Electro, and guest-star nods by the Fantastic Four and Human Torch.
Why It’s Cool: Some of the best superhero comics of all time are on-sale now with 272-page-volumes available for as low as $.84. If you love Spider-Man (and hey, who doesn’t?) and haven’t read these original Stan Lee and Steve Ditko comics, there has never been a better time. You can snag all four volumes (the last of which features the artwork of John Romita) for less than $6.
Prices: Range from $.84 to $1.69; or $5.91 for all four volumes
Buy Them Here: Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 1; Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 2; Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 3; and Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 4

Tom King Trilogy — Mister Miracle, The Omega Men, and Sheriff of Babylon
Writer:
Tom King
Artists: Mitch Gerads and Barnaby Bagenda
Publishers: DC Comics and DC Comics - Vertigo
Mister Miracle — Scott Free is the greatest escape artist who ever lived. So great, he escaped Granny Goodness' gruesome orphanage and the dangers of Apokolips to travel across galaxies and set up a new life on Earth with his wife, Big Barda. Using the stage alter ego of Mister Miracle, he has made quite a career for himself showing off his acrobatic escape techniques. He even caught the attention of the Justice League, who has counted him among its ranks.
The Omega Men — Kyle Rayner, the White Lantern, is dead. And the Omega Men killed him. On live TV. They're a criminal gang, a terrorist organization, a fanatical cult.
Sheriff of Babylon — Inspired by his real-life experiences as a CIA operations officer in Iraq, writer Tom King teams with artist Mitch Gerads—the creative team behind the critically acclaimed Mister Miracle—to deliver a wartime crime thriller like no other. THE SHERIFF OF BABYLON: THE DELUXE EDITION collects all 12 issues of the groundbreaking Vertigo series. This special hardcover volume also features a new introduction by King and afterword by Gerads, as well as a gallery of preliminary artwork from Gerads and cover artist John Paul Leon.
Why It’s Cool: Most comics fans at this point know writer Tom King, the Very Serious creator of some of the most severe superhero comics coming out today from one of the Big 2 publishers. But do you know his earlier works? Well, if the answer is no, you can now check out three of them at excellent sale prices.
Prices: Ranging from $5.09 to $6.79
Buy Them Here: Mister Miracle; The Omega Men; and Sheriff of Babylon

Ostrander’s Suicide Squad Vol. 1 - Vol. 8
Writer:
John Ostrander
Artists: Luke McDonnell, Keith Giffen, Graham Nolan, and more
Publisher: DC Comics
It’s up to the government to keep the bad guys in captivity-but Amanda Waller, a tough-as-nails federal agent, has other plans. She's heading up Task Force X (aka, the Suicide Squad) as an ultimatum to the world's most notorious super-villains. These criminals chew on a tricky bargain: either accept her devious, nearly impossible missions in the name of democracy, or rot in jail. And one other thing: most operatives don't make it back alive!
Why It’s Cool: The all-time greatest Suicide Squad run was penned by John Ostrander in the 1980s, leaving us a set of fantastic comics that speak to the bombast of the area in the best possible way…and now you can buy all eight volumes of it on sale, as I did just now.
Prices: $4.24 per volume or $33.92 for the entire run
Buy Them Here: Suicide Squad 1987 - 1992

Check out our picks for the Best Comics of 2020!

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


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