By Zack Quaintance — I absolutely love this week’s selection of the Top Comics to Buy, and the reason is that every single one of these books is friendly to new readers. Some of them — Ice Cream Man, namely — are anthology series, in which every issue is friendly to new readers. Others — like Coffin Bound or Usagi Yojimbo — are starting new story arcs that are about as friendly to new readers as is possible. Whatever the case, all five of the issues in this week’s list are comics we highly recommend readers picking up, regardless of familiarity with the individual series.

Keep reading to find out why…enjoy!

Top Comics to Buy for August 5, 2020

PICK OF THE WEEK
Ice Cream Man #20
Writer: W. Maxwell Prince
Artist: Martin Morazzo
Colorist: Chris O’Halloran
Letterer: Good Old Neon
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $3.99
One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish. Three fish, four fish, have some more fish. Five fish, six fish-are you sickish? Seven fish, eight fish...it's getting late fish. Nine fish, ten fish, everyone you love will die and life is pointless so why even get out of bed you little worm you sick little insect with your sad flailing arms and creepy-crawly legs my god I've never seen such a pathetic specimen how sad how truly tragic...red fish, blue fish.
Why It’s Cool: We’ve made it no secret that Ice Cream Man is our favorite monthly comic right now. It was our Best Comic of 2019, and every time a new issue comes out, it ends up on one of these weekly Top Comics to Buy lists. We love Ice Cream Man for a couple of reasons. Perhaps no book is better at speaking to the inherent existential dread of our times. In addition, the creative team behind this comic fearlessly challenges itself to play with form. That knack for speaking to modern fears combined with the unflinching expansion of formalism creates so many memorable single issues, and this week’s Ice Cream Man #20 is without questio one of them.
Buy It Digitally: Ice Cream Man #20

Coffin Bound #5
Writer: Dan Watters
Artist: DaNi
Colorist: Brad Simpson
Letterer: Aditya Bidikar
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $3.99
TAQA found solace in God-and that God lives in a syringe. With the city about to ban the holy narcotic, she vows to prove the existence of the divine, setting her on a path straight to the murderous EARTHEATER's door.
Why It’s Cool: I absolutely loved the first arc of Coffin Bound, which was inventive with both the way the book used its text as well as in the stellar artwork of DaNi and Brad Simpson. I loved how I didn’t know where the story was going, how I didn’t know what was waiting around every page, and how I didn’t know even entirely what the governing rules of the world were, so open to imagery and poeticism were its laws and physics. The book is back this month, and I’m happy to report absolutely everything I love about Coffin Bound is back with it…just with an entirely new story arc that anyone can pick up and jump into. I have rarely seen issues as new reader-friendly as Coffin Bound #5, which is certain to reel in anyone who picks it up and keep them for the duration of the arc.
Buy It Digitally: Coffin Bound #5

The Dreaming: Waking Hours #1
Writer: G. Willow Wilson
Artist: Nick Robles
Colorist: Mat Lopes
Letterer: Simon Bowland
Publisher: DC Comics - Black Label
Price: $3.99
A new chapter in the Sandman saga begins with an all-new miniseries populated by faces both familiar and new! One of Dream's heaviest responsibilities is the creation of nightmares-the beings that haunt our sleep and turn our thoughts toward darkness. In the form of Ruin, the nightmare of catastrophic failure, Dream was certain he'd built his next masterpiece... but Ruin can't help but live up to his name, sending every situation into a spiral of unexpected consequences. Unfortunately, Shakespearean scholar (and exhausted new mother) Lindy has dreamed of Ruin... and in the process, she's delivered him unto the waking world! The Sandman Universe is changing-and Hugo and World Fantasy award-winning writer G. Willow Wilson (Wonder Woman, Ms. Marvel, The Bird King) and breakout artist Nick Robles (Euthanauts) are here to welcome you!
Why It’s Cool: I mean, they had me at ‘a new chapter in the Sandman saga’, which guaranteed I was always going to check this book out. Now that I’ve read it, however, I can say that this book absolutely annihilated my expectations. I will likely write a full, detailed review later in the week, but let me just note here that the two leads of the creative team — writer G. Willow Wilson and artist Nick Robles — are two of the most talented folks in all of comics, and they are in perfect synch here, both operating at the absolute top of their ample powers. The result is a highly-litereary comic that feels at once as a natural extension of the classic Sandman Vertigo comics as well as something wholly different and entirely new. Simply put, you owe it to yourself to check this book out.

Usagi Yojimbo #11
Writer/Artist/Letterer: Stan Sakai
Colorist: Tom Luth
Editor: Bobby Curnow
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Price: $3.99
"The Return" Part 1 of 43. Usagi is back in his home province for a pilgrimage to his late lord's gravesite, however wearing the Mifune clan crest in Lord Hikiji's territory has made him an enemy.  Now beaten and almost near death, he has made his way to the one place he had been avoiding-the village in which he grew up.  Bittersweet memories awaken with his long-time love, until the village becomes embroiled in a plot to assassinate an emissary of the shogun.
Why It’s Cool: Usagi Yojimbo has long been one of my favorite comics. It’s the type of book that is so consistently, unwaiveringly-excellent that there’s a tendency to take it for granted, as if it is some magical story that has been pre-destined to run forever, fully-formed and always unravelling. The writer/artist/letterer behind these comics, Stan Sakai, is a master. Anyway, this week’s issue is a fantastic jumping on point, in that it both launches a new story and reminds us subtly of the key details from Usagi’s past. If you’ve been hearing myself and others talk up these comics for some time, there’s never been a better place to jump on than with this very issue.
Buy It Digitally: Usagi Yojimbo #11

Vampire: The Masquerade #1
Writers: Tim Seeley, Blake Howard, and Tini Howard
Artists: Devmalya Pramanik and Nathan Gooden
Colorist: Addison Duke
Letterer: Andworld Design
Publisher:
Price: $3.99
"From the internationally bestselling World of Darkness universe, Vault brings readers a brand-new VAMPIRE: THE MASQUERADE comic series, WINTER’S TEETH! When Cecily Baine, a courier for the Twin Cities Camarilla, takes a mysterious young vampire under her wing, she’s dragged into an insidious conspiracy. Will she be able to escape with her unlife and protect her aging, Alzheimer’s afflicted sister, or will she be yet another pawn sacrificed to the Masquerade? Meanwhile, an Anarch coterie investigates a vicious killing."
Why It’s Cool: Apparently, this comic takes place within the existing world of a role-playing game, but you know what? When I read it, I didn’t know any of that. I found it all out in the back of the book as well as upon subsequent googling for this review. And I absolutely loved this comic all the same. It’s just a well-done, gritty and character-driven vampire story, that sets up a narrative that promises to be all kinds of epic in the issues to come. It’s also essentially split into two stories, which adds an extra layer to an already enthralling read. Side note, this is another one of those weeks where Vault Comics puts out so many great books that it can be hard to choose just one. Both Finger Guns #4 and the finale of Heathen #12 were excellent, but this comic gets the nod in keeping with our established theme of new reader accessibility.
Buy It Digitally: Vampire - The Masquerade #1

Others Receiving Votes

• Black Cat #12

• Disaster Inc. #2

• Empyre #4

• Empyre X-Men #2

• Far Sector #7

• Finger Guns #4

• Fire Power by Kirkman and Samnee #2

• Heathen #12

• Justice League #50

• King of Nowhere #4

• Money Shot #7

• On the Stump #4

• Protector #5

• Ragnarok: Breaking of Helheim #6

• Sex Criminals #30

• Young Justice #17

New #1s and One-Shots

• Alien Original Screenplay #1

• Bad Mother #1

• Dark Nights: Death Metal - Legends of the Dark Knights #1

• The Dreaming: Waking Hours #1

• Empyre Handbook #1

• Giant-Size X-Men: Fantomex #1

• Gutt Ghost Trouble With the Sawbuck Skeleton Society One-Shot

• Horizon Zero Dawn #1

• Lords of Empyre: Celestial Messiah One-Shot

• Maestro Future Imperfect: Marvel Tales #1

• Rick and Morty Presents Birdperson #1

• Vampire: The Masquerade #1

Trade Paperbacks and Graphic Novels of Note

PICK OF THE WEEK
The Winter of the Cartoonist
Writer/Artist: Paco Roca
Translator: Andrea Rosenberg
Publisher: Fantagraphics
Price: $21.99
A graphic nonfiction story of the five extraordinary cartoonists who decided to rebel in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War and WWII. In 1957, Editorial Bruguera was one of Spain's largest publishing houses, putting out hugely popular weekly magazines and comics for young and old ― while retaining all rights and creative control of their artists' work. Spanish comics superstar Paco Roca investigates the true story of five cartoonists who, spurred by poor working conditions, arbitrary editorial edicts, and nationwide dictatorial rule, went on a quest for creative freedom. Little did they know that the corporation had begun actively trying to thwart their distribution and publishing efforts, turning their battle into a real-life David and Goliath tale. The Winter of the Cartoonist provides historical context and short profiles of these artists as they serve as everyday heroes for all of those who have chased a dream, no matter how high the obstacles that stand in front of them.
Why It’s Cool: Our friend (and great writer) d. emerson eddy has a full review of this book coming later this week, but as a bit of a tease, I’m going to quote for it here to explain why this is our PICK OF THE WEEK for graphic novels. d. writes, ‘The Winter of the Cartoonist is wonderful. It gives a unique and heavily researched look into a period of time in Spain's comics history and shows some conditions and events that we can learn from even going forward. The history and the characters are fascinating and Roca's artwork is stunning. This is a must for people who want to know more about the history of comics.’ I’m all in.
Buy It Digitally: The Winter of the Cartoonist

• Collapser TP

• Dog Man Vol 8 Fetch-22 HC With Dust Jacket

• Donut the Destroyer TP Vol. 1

• Emotional Load and Other Invisible Stuff GN

• Five Years Vol. 2 Stalemate TP

• Ghosted in LA Vol. 1 TP

• Gideon Falls Vol. 4 TP

• The Harrowing of Hell HC

• Heartstopper TP

• Houdini Handcuff King TP

• Morbius Vol. 1 TP

• One Story HC

• Preacher 25th Anniversary Omnibus Vol. 1 HC

• Prison Pit Complete Collection HC

• Punisher Soviet TP

• Savage Avengers Vol. 2 Dine With Doom TP

• Thor by Jason Aaron Vol. 4 HC

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.