By Zack Quaintance — In this Best comiXology Sales Weekend of October 16, we’ve got several more horror-tinged stories in keeping with this spooky season. The highlight is Man and Superman and Other Stories, a classic volume we’ll talk up more below. But in addition, we’ve also got perhaps the Batgirl run for a certain generation, a tight IDW original series, and more.

Check out our full list below!

Best comiXology Sales Weekend of October 16, 2020

PICK OF THE WEEK
Man and Superman and Other Stories
Writers: Al Feldstein and Harvey Kurtzman
Artist: Harvey Kurtzman
Publisher: Fantagraphics Books
All of the creator of Mad magazine’s rarely seen EC science fiction comics stories in a single volume! These stories ― all drawn by Kurtzman, some of which he also wrote ― are from the pages of Weird Science, Weird Fantasy, Tales from the Crypt, and more. With Al Feldstein, Kurtzman created "Lost in the Microcosm," "The Man Who Raced Time," and "Atom Bomb Thief." There's also "The Radioactive Child," "The Last War on Earth," and the titular story, a cautionary tale about how the laws of physics would impact a real-world superhero, delivered in a uniquely bold, slashing cartoony-but-dead-serious style.
Why It’s Cool: With the spooky season upon us, why not revisit some foundational classic sci-fi comics with a scary tinge? That’s what you get from Man and Superman and Other Stories, which sees Al Feldstein of EC Comics and latter of Mad Magazine working with Harvey Kurtzman on these rarely seen-yet-classic tales. What is perhaps most interesting about this particular volume is the titular story, a superhero deconstruction story before that was cool (or even really a thing), one that applies real-world physics to a superhero. There’s just so much for comics fans to love in this collection, which spans nearly 200 pages of compressed comics storytelling.
Price: $9.99
Buy It Here: Man and Superman and Other Stories

Cassandra Cain as Batgirl (2000 - 2006), Vol. 1 - Vol. 3
Writer: Kelley Puckett and others
Artist: Damion Scott and others
Publisher: DC Comics
Cassandra Cain is a fighter like no other. At only 17, the teenage assassin takes down enemies three times her size without batting an eye. But her incredible skills come at a cost: unable to speak or write, Cassandra instead reads body language as naturally as breathing-an ability that makes her even deadlier. After Batman witnesses her save the life of Commissioner Gordon during the events of No Man's Land, the Dark Knight sees in Cassandra the successor to the Batgirl name. Now, under the tutelage of Barbara Gordon-the original Batgirl herself-Cassandra Cain must find a new purpose and make amends for her violent past. But can someone who was born to kill ever be worthy to take up the cowl of a fallen legend?
Why It’s Cool: If you’ve been following the Bat-Family in current DC Comics, you may have noticed of late that something is going on with Batgirl, something that might just suggest that Cassandra Cain is headed to once again take up the character’s mantle, which is a pretty cool development for kids like me who great up reading Cassandra Cain as Batgirl stories, three volumes of which just so happen to be on sale now!
Price: $5.09 each or $15.27 total
Buy It Here: Batgirl Vol. 1; Batgirl Vol. 2; and Batgirl Vol. 3

Harleen
Writer/Artist: Stjepan Sejic
Publisher: DC Comics - Black Label
It's been months since Dr. Harleen Quinzel began interviewing criminals at Arkham Asylum, and she's having strange dreams about one of them in particular: The Joker. What starts off as nightmares will soon evolve into fantasies. Despite warnings from the Dark Knight himself, she's utterly fascinated by this man who seems the perfect expression of her theory; who says all the things she needs to hear; who seems to know her better than she knows herself. Harleen is a bold new reimagining of the origin of one of DC's most beloved characters, as envisioned by writer/artist Stjepan Sejic. Collects Harleen #1-3.
Why It’s Cool: I think the excellent 2019 book Harleen by writer/artist Stjepan Sejic was the first time I really understood the vision for what DC Comics’ Black Label imprint would and could become. It took a very talented creator whose work is perhaps better suited for big ambitious takes than the grind of monthly comics, and it set him free with a well-tread character, giving her a new spin within the context of an extremely well-told and well-illustrated story, far from the usual schtick and frequent characterization usually applied to her. The end result was that me — an avowed Harley Quinn barely-tolerator — greatly enjoyed a story about Harley Quinn that drew from her history and mythos, simply applying it to a narrative in different ways with the vast talent of a unique creator.
Price: $11.04
Buy It Here: Harleen

Road of Bones
Writer: Rich Douek
Artist: Alex Cormack
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Horror, history, and Russian folklore collide in this brutal survival tale, where the worst prison in the world is merely the gateway to even darker terrors. In 1953, the Siberian Gulag of Kolyma is hell on Earth–which is why Roman Morozov leaps at the chance to escape it. But even if they make it out, Roman and his fellow escapees still have hundreds of miles of frozen tundra between them and freedom. With the help of a mysterious being straight out of his childhood fairy tale stories, Roman just might make it–or is the being simply a manifestation of the brutal circumstances driving him insane?
Why It’s Cool: Road of Bones was part of a wave last year of really strong, largely-contained creator-owned comics from IDW Publishing, the likes of which included this book, Canto, and the Eisner-winning Ghost Tree. All of these books were original concepts that were exceptionally-well executed. Road of Bones is perhaps the most harrowing of these comics, following escapees from a Siberian Gulag as they fight to evade pursuers, the elements, and betrayal among each other. This is a great comic to read for those who appreciate subtle horror and want to savor the sting of the cold weather to come.
Price: $4.49
Buy It Here: Road of Bones

The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys: California
Writers: Shaun Simon and Gerard Way
Artist: Becky Cloonan
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Years ago, the Killjoys fought against the tyrannical megacorporation Better Living Industries, costing them their lives, save for one – the mysterious Girl. Today, the followers of the original Killjoys languish in the Desert while BLI systematically strips citizens of their individuality. As the fight for freedom fades, it's left to the Girl to take up the mantle and bring down the fearsome BLI! Collects The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys #1–#6 and "Dead Satellites" from Free Comic Book Day 2013. From Gerard Way, creator of the Eisner Award–winning The Umbrella Academy! Hardcover limited to 2,500 copies! Hardcover includes an extensive sketchbook with artwork from Becky Cloonan, Gabriel Bá, Paul Pope, Gerard Way, Fábio Moon, Rafael Grampá, and Brian Ewing.
Why It’s Cool: Compared to the other comics that My Chemical Romance lead singer Gerard Way has been involved with (Umbrella Academy, Doom Patrol), The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys flies a bit under the radar. The simple answer is probably that the other two have had high-profile recent television adaptations, while this franchise is still waiting for its moment on the screen. Nevertheless, now is a great time to revisit or jump into Killjoys, what with this sale as well as the release of a new Killjoys comic this past week.
Price: $5.49
Buy It Here: The True Lives of the Fabulous KIlljoys - California

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.