Top Comics to Buy for March 1, 2021

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By Zack Quaintance — This Top Comics to Buy for March 1, 2021 list is one that has more fantastic new #1 series launches on it than I can remember in recent times. I had to be a bit judicious here about which ones I picked for the list. Books like Nocterra and BRZRKR are both absolutely fantastic…but they come into this week with an established fanbase thanks to very successful Kickstarters. So, I’m okay spreading the love to less-heralded fresh starts like ENIAC and Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters.

Anyway, full list is below…enjoy!

Top Comics to Buy for March 1, 2021

PICK OF THE WEEK
The Plot #8
Writers: Tim Daniel and Michael Moreci
Artist: Joshua Hixson
Colorist: Kurt Michael Russell
Letterer: Jim Campbell
Publisher: Vault Comics
In order to break the curse that has haunted the Blaines for generations, Chase must destroy his family legacy. But can you really heal an entire history of shared trauma? Blood, flame, and sacrifice ignite the saga's incendiary final chapter!
Why It’s Cool: Since its first issue dropped, The Plot has felt like one of the most intriguing and fully-formed horror comics of all time. This week, we get a finale for this excellent comic, and it’s an ending that not only lives up to the previous seven chapters, it makes the entire journey satisfying and rewarding. In a market rich with scary stories and comic books, The Plot stands out as one of the best.
Price: $3.99
Read It Digitally: The Plot #8 on comiXology
Order the First Volume: The Plot Vol. 1

ENIAC #1
Writer: Matt Kindt
Artist: Doug Braithwaite
Colorist: Diego Rodriguez
Letterer: Dave Sharpe
Publisher: Bad Idea
At the height of World War II, the world's most ingenious minds began a race to create a super-weapon capable of ending the war with the push of a button. One of those projects gave us the atom bomb...and another produced the world's first supercomputer: ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer) – an immeasurably complex mathematical model that targeted the Axis war machine by calculating missile trajectories and troop deployments. Everybody knows that. It's real-life American history. Or so we were told.
On August 6th, 1945, the United States dropped the nuclear bomb on Hiroshima. Three days later, a second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki... Only President Truman wasn't the one who gave order. It was ENIAC. In the Allies' determination to end the war, they had accidentally created the world's first autonomous machine intelligence...which had quickly deduced that one bomb wouldn't be enough. But ENIAC's real plan was only just beginning...Now, 75 years later, an encrypted countdown has just been detected in Earth's satellite network and mankind only has three days left before ENIAC launches every weapon in the planet's nuclear arsenal simultaneously. With few options and even less time, the Secretary of Defense has just given two covert operatives the most important mission in human history: kill ENIAC.
Why It’s Cool: Look, new publisher Bad Idea is polarizing because…well, you can look up the Twitter outrage (someone on my feed called their limited distribution choices “the worst type of capitalism” …which, what?), but every preview and review copy of their actual comics I’ve seen so far has been absolutely outstanding, including The Hero Trade teaser last year by the great David Lapham. Now, this week we get the first full issue from the new publisher, and my suspicion is that it will be Very Good. If I’m able to find it, I’ll be picking this one up.
Price: $3.99

Infinite Frontier #0
Writers: Joshua Williamson, Brian Michael Bendis, James Tynion IV, Becky Cloonan & Michael W. Conrad, Joelle Jones, Tim Sheridan, Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Geoff Johns, and Geoffrey Thorne
Artists: John Timms, David Marquez, Jorge Jimenez, Alitha Martinez, Mark Morales, Joelle Jones, Stephen Byrne, Rafa Sandoval, Jordi Tarragona, Jamal Igle, Alex Maleev, Todd Nauck, Dexter Soy, Howard Porter, John Romita Jr., and Klaus Janson
Colorists: Alex Sinclair, Tamra Bonvillain, Tomeu Morey, Emilo Lopez, Jordie Bellaire, Alejandro Sanchez, Hi-Fi, and Brad Anderson
Letterer: Troy Peteri
Publisher: DC Comics
The next phase of the DC Universe begins here! Dark Knights: Death Metal presented the darkest threats of the Multiverse. DC Future State revealed what may lie ahead. Now it’s time to look into the Infinite Frontier of the current-day DC Universe.
In Gotham City, The Joker jolts citizens awake with an attack even the Dark Knight never expected. In Brazil, a young woman discovers her destiny and her connection to the Amazons. In Belle Reve, Amanda Waller plots an invasion of Arkham Asylum. In the far reaches of space, Mongul dreams of galactic domination, while the Green Lantern Corps hosts a summit of its greatest enemies. At the Hall of Justice, the League joins forces with Black Adam. Beyond the mortal world, Wonder Woman settles into a new role in the godsphere. And somewhere in the DC Universe-it’s the return of Stargirl, in an all-new tale written by Geoff Johns!
This oversized, all-star issue kicks off the next great era of storytelling and excitement as top writers and artists reveal what’s next for the World’s Greatest Heroes and opens the door to some of the greatest stories of 2021.
Why It’s Cool: I don’t want to spoil this one for anyone, and I’ll be writing a full review for this site and participating in a roundtable chat about this comic with The Beat. That said, I’ll just note — as an entertaining table-setter? This comic is better than the much-loved DC Rebirth #1. Read it, and get excited.
Price: $5.99
Read It Digitally: Infinite Frontier via comiXology
Order a Physical Copy: Infinite Frontier via Amazon

Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters #1
Writers: Chris and Laura Samnee
Artist: Chris Samnee
Colorist: Matthew Wilson
Letterer: Crank!
Publisher: Oni Press
Rainbow has been searching for her sister, Jonna, for a year. The last time she saw Jonna was also the first time she saw one of the monsters that now roam the planet. They're big, ugly, and dangerous creatures, driving humanity to the brink of extinction. Though there isn't much hope for survival out in the wild, Rainbow knows that her sister is out there somewhere—and she'll do anything to find her.
Don't miss the brand-new, all-original, action-packed series co-written and drawn by Eisner Award-winner Chris Samnee! Chris is joined for his very first fully creator-owned book by co-writer Laura Samnee and frequent coloring collaborator Matthew Wilson! JONNA AND THE UNPOSSIBLE MONSTERS is the all-ages adventure of a lifetime!
Why It’s Cool: Chris Samnee is one of the best working cartoonists in the industry, and in this story, his kinetic sense of top-tier storytelling is entirely set free. This comic is largely silent, but the visuals are so lush and immersive, that it doesn’t feel that way. It’s also a great all ages comic, one you can read and enjoy yourself before passing it to your child, younger sibling, or other kid.
Price: $3.99
Read It Digitally: Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters #1

Undone by Blood, or The Other Side of Eden #1
Writers: Lonnie Nadler and Zac Thompson
Artist: Sami Kivela
Colorist: Jason Wordie
Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Publisher: AfterShock Comics
The early 1930’s: The height of the Great Depression and beginning of the Dust Bowl. Silvano Luna Del Rio works as a postman in Buttar, Texas. Reeling from a tragic past, with only a gun and a Western novel to his name, Silvano sets out to take back from the country that took so much from him by robbing the first skyscraper West of the Mississippi. But acts of retribution are never as simple as they seem, as his target is home to an eccentric fraternal brotherhood hiding their own dark secrets.
By Silvano’s side is an old west novel featuring famed gunslinger Solomon Eaton. As both sto-ries unfold simultaneously, in true UNDONE BY BLOOD fashion, the mythic Western informs choices in reality, for better or worse.
Why It’s Cool: The visionary metafictional revenge western from Lonnie Nadler, Zac Thompson, and Sami Kivela is back, with a new interest in the 1930s, Great Depression era of Westerns, centered around the Dust Bowl. It takes what was already an excellent story in an exciting new direction. Also, the artwork here is absolutely fantastic, and colorist Jason Wordie (who deserves an Eisner!) lends it all a perfect pulpy feel with the washed out tones. This is a good book, and you should without question have it in your stack.
Price: $4.99
Read It Digitally: Undone by Blood, or The Other Side of Eden #1 via comiXology
Order the First Volume Physically: Undone by Blood Vol. 1 via Amazon

Others Receiving Votes

  • Batman #106

  • Dreaming Waking Hours #8

  • Fear Case #2

  • Fire Power #9

  • Hellions #10

  • King In Black: Thunderbolts #3

  • Resonant #8

New #1s and One-Shots

  • America Chavez, Made in the USA #1

  • BRZRKR #1

  • Chariot #1

  • Crime Syndicate #1

  • Dead Dogs Bite #1

  • Demon Days X-Men One-Shot

  • King In Black: Captain America One-Shot

  • King In Black Handbook

  • King In Black Wiccan and Hulking One-Shot

  • James Bond, Agent of SPECTRE #1

  • Marvel Action, Captain Marvel Vol. 2 #1

  • Nocterra #1

  • Sensational Wonder Woman #1

  • The Swamp Thing #1

Trade Collections and Graphic Novels

  • Doctor Doom Vol. 2 Bedford Falls TP

  • Elfquest Stargazers Hunt TP

  • Girlsplaining OGN

  • X of Swords 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.