By Zack Quaintance — This week’s list of Best comiXology Sales: Weekend of May 7, features a pair of thematically opposite Batman comics with the rip-roaring Batman Universe and the far more somber Batman: Creature of the Night, illustrated by the late John Paul Leon, may he rest in peace. In addition, we have some great deep dive choices to fill out our list of five. Check them out now, our picks from this week’s comiXology sales page!

Best comiXology Sales: Weekend of May 7, 2021

Batman: Creature of the Night
Writer: Kurt Busiek
Artist: John Paul Leon
Publisher: DC Comics
Bruce Wainwright, a comic book-reading kid obssessed with the Caped Crusader, loses his parents in a violent crime...and in the real world, no superheroes exist to save the day.
BATMAN: CREATURE OF THE NIGHT, written by Kurt Busiek (ASTRO CITY) and drawn by John Paul Leon (MOTHER PANIC) is a stand-alone story set outside of regular continuity in 1968 Boston, MA. The victim of the brutal murder of his family, young Bruce sees grief and rage build inside himself...until something strange starts taking wing in the Gotham night! Something similar to the comics he's been reading his whole life. As life begins to imitate art, will Bruce Wainwright be able to live up to his fictional namesake?
A deliberatel spiritual companion to the beloved SUPERMAN: SECRET IDENTITY, BATMAN: CREATURE OF THE NIGHT puts a new spin you've never seen before on the legend of Batman--and the dark emotions that drive him!
Why It’s Cool: Comics recently lost a mega-talent with the passing of John Paul Leon, and while JPL still has work forthcoming, Batman: Creature of the Night is likely his last major book. In this book, readers will find the trademark striking aesthetic and absurd commitment to immersive detail that made Leon’s art so special. The story itself is strong too, standing as a spiritual successor to the metafictional superhero comics classic, Superman: Secret Identity.
Price: $5.94
Buy It Here: Batman - Creature of the Night

Batman Universe
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Nick Derington
Publisher: DC Comics
In this story written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Nick Derington, Batman is pushed to his limit as he sets off in search of an item with incredible destructive powers-and embarks on a journey across the DC Universe! It's a race to the finish line as Batman chases the Riddler from Gotham to Gorilla City and beyond, with the fate of humanity in the balance. Guest stars include Vandal Savage, Green Lantern, Green Arrow, Deathstroke, Jonah Hex, and more! Collects Batman: Universe #1-6.
Why It’s Cool: On the complete other end of the thematic spectrum from Batman Creature of the Night is Batman Universe, a rip-roaring adventure comic that looks amazing and by the end of it turns into a good old fashioned romp through the entirety of the DC Universe. This is one of the first comics Brian Michael Bendis wrote for DC after coming over from Marvel, and it shows — this script is having a blast. Making it even better is the polished, top tier art from Nick Derington.
Price: $7.64
Buy It Here: Batman Universe

Ody-C: Cycle, Vol. 1
Writer: Matt Fraction
Artist: Christian Ward
Publisher: Image Comics
ODY-C, modeled after Homer's Odyssey, is a psychedelic, gender-broke science-fiction epic that tells the story of three legendary warrior-queens, Odyssia, Ene and Gamem, returning home after a centuries-long battle. Told in verse with a visual sensibility that redefines the very possibilities of the comics medium, this gloriously oversized hardcover also has exclusive bonus materials including essays by classicist Dani Colman, teaching aids, and a massive 10-page fold-out previously only available in the sold-out first issue. "FRACTION and WARD are doing wildly imaginative work combining fantastic Greek mythology with futuristic science fiction, and the book has a visual sensibility unlike anything else on the stands."— A.V. Club
Collects ODY-C #1-12.
Why It’s Cool: And now for something ENTIRELY different. In Ody-C, Matt Fraction and Christian Ward — two of the most talented and idiosyncratic creators in comics — reimagine Homer’s Odyssey with a gender-broke psychedelic sci-fi epic. You will never read another comic like this (not even close) in the best way.
Price: $17.99
Buy It Here: Ody-C: Cycle, Vol. 1

Scud, The Disposable Assassin - The Whole Shebang
Writer: Rob Schrab and various
Artist: Rob Schrab and various
Publisher: Image Comics
'BEGINNING, MIDDLE AND END' Scud is programmed to destroy a basement monster but he will self destruct if he does, so the robotic assassin puts the wounded creature on life support and becomes a freelance assassin to pay for the hospital bills. Collects SCUD #1-24, plus the super-sweet one-shot DRYWALL: UNZIPPED. 794 Pages!
Why It’s Cool: I’ve long thought that Rob Schrab’s Scud: The Disposable Assassin is one of the most underrated characters and concepts not just in comics but in all of modern media. This comic is an absolute blast, and is not to be missed, especially now that you can snag all nearly-800 pages of it for roughly 10 bucks.
Price: $10.79
Buy It Here: Scud, The Disposable Assassin - The Whole Shebang

Squadron Supreme
Writer: Mark Gruenwald
Artist: Paul Ryan and Various
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Collects Squadron Supreme (1985) #1-12 and Captain America (1968) #314.
On an Earth much like our own, the world's greatest superhuman champions are confronted by a society in ruins. Faced with the possibility of a new dark age for mankind, they choose the only course available to them -and take control of the world's governments themselves! Now they have one year in which to completely restructure human society. Can their plan succeed? Will a renegade member bring about their downfall? And what will happen when the Earth's mightiest heroes find themselves becoming instead its all-powerful, totalitarian overlords?
Why It’s Cool: Every week, I like to include at least one choice that is a beloved comic that I myself have never read. This week’s pick is the classic Squadron Supreme book written by Mark Gruenwald, which I’ve seen some folks on Twitter describe as maybe as good as Watchmen, if not better. High praise indeed, and this week I’m poised to pick it up and find out.
Price: $6.79
Buy It Here: Squadron Supreme

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.