By Zack Quaintance — Headling the Top Comics to Buy for May 18, 2022, is a new series from writer Kyle Starks and artist Artyom Topilin, dubbed I Hate This Place #1. We spoke with Kyle weeks ago after reading and absolutely loving the first issue…now we get to see the world react to it as well, which is always fun. On top of that, we’ve got all a full round of other great comics filling out this week’s list…enjoy!

Top Comics to Buy For May 18, 2022

PICK OF THE WEEK
I Hate This Place #1
Writer: Kyle Starks
Artist: Artyom Topilin
Colorist: Lee Loughridge
Letterer: Pat Brosseau
Publisher: Image Comics - Skybound
SERIES PREMIERE
FOR FANS OF GIDEON FALLS AND HOME SICK PILOTS!
After inheriting a farm house, Trudy and Gabby are ready to start the next chapter of their lives together...except it's already home to a mysterious force that's attracted ghosts, aliens, and all kinds of supernatural beings for decades.
Now, Gabby and Trudy must play by the "house rules" in order to survive living among the most frightening creatures on Earth in this new series from KYLE STARKS (ASSASSIN NATION, THE SIX SIDEKICKS OF TRIGGER KEATON) and ARTYOM TOPILIN (ICE CREAM MAN PRESENTS: QUARANTINE COMIX SPECIAL).
Why It’s Cool: This one really blew me away. It’s written by Kyle Starks, whose action-comedy comics have long been favorites of mine, but with this book, he’s trying something new — a straight up horror story. And the results are fantastic. This is a horror story that uses basically all the usual tropes, and while it’s not a comedy, it still has hints of Starks’ usual wit and sense of humor. Plus the art team of Topilin and Loughridge shows major promise, and I’m told they just get better and better.
Price: $3.99
Buy It Here: Digital
Read our interview with Kyle Starks!

Batman / Superman - World’s Finest #3
Writer: Mark Waid
Artist: Dan Mora
Colorist: Tamra Bonvillain
Letterer: Aditya Bidikar
Publisher: DC Comics
Great Scott! It's a twisted time-travel tale of titanic tenure! In an attempt to get to the bottom of the mystery of the demon, Robin the Boy Wonder and the Supergirl of Krypton venture back in time to China circa 1600 B.C.-running headfirst into the ancient superheroes known as the House of Ji! Meanwhile, Superman and Batman are losing a race against time to save their fellow superheroes from the schemes of a new villain...one simply known as the Devil Nezha.
Why It’s Cool: This book has some big Batman Universe energy in that it's got a top tier art team just drawing their way through the DCU and you want to see them do every character. A truly excellent-looking book with the exact amount of adventure and laughs.
Price: $3.99
Buy It Here: Digital

The Blue Flame #8
Writer: Christopher Cantwell
Artist: Adam Gorham
Colorist: Kurt Michael Russell
Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Publisher: Vault Comics
The Blue Flame nearly dies in search of God. Reed and Dee have little luck getting Mateo out of custody. And Sam, recently sober and with a new job, begs for forgiveness and to be let back in the house. The case for humanity collapses as apologies are offered and taken.
Why It’s Cool: Well past the halfway mark now, the thematic interests of this deep and enigmatic series have become clear, and it’s powerful indeed. There’s the idea of a superhero kicking around in this book, but it’s not a superhero comic, not really. It’s poignant and ambitious, and one of my favorite comics stories in recent memory. This issue is a strong one.
Price: $3.99
Buy It Here: Digital

Shaolin Cowboy: Cruel to Be Kin #1
Writer/Artist: Geof Darrow
Colorist: Dave Stewart
Color Flatters: Mark Sweeney, Raunak Singh, Fred Paculba, and Josh Laird
Letterer: Nate Piekos
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
In Phase 4 of the SCU, the Shaolin Cowboy finds his parenting skills being tested when he is forced to homeschool during a pandemic of unparalleled violence, in this story torn from yesterday's viral twitter feeds.
Can he get a kung fu grip on the situation before a horde of .45 loving human monsters and not so human monsters send him to the ICU?
Only guns, swords, and flying guillotines will tell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
AMITOUFU!!!!!!
Why It’s Cool: To put it simply, reading this comic is like sitting back and watching a master of the medium at work and play. It’s a good read, stunning to look at, and exactly what you’ve come to expect from this series.
Price: $4.99
Buy It Here: Digital

The Wrong Earth - Purple #1
Writer: Stuart Moore
Artist: Fred Harper
Letterer: Rob Steen
Publisher: AHOY Comics
The Wrong Earth event of 2022 continues! Meet the masked vigilante Dragon-Fly of Earth-Kappa-a world of big hair, shoulderpads, and funk music, where the 1980s never ended and Greed is always Good. Written by Stuart Moore with stunning art and color by Fred Harper. All five Wrong Earth specials feature covers by co-creator Jamal Igle and a special incentive variant cover by legendary artist Gene Ha. This issue also features a second variant cover by Jerry Ordway.
Why It’s Cool: The Wrong Earth — one of the cleverest takes on superheroes that I’ve ever seen — has been doing a series of alternate earth one shots, and while they’ve all been fantastic, this one might be my favorite so far. It’s essentially set on an Earth where it’s perpetually the 1980s and the villain (or is he?) is somewhat styled after Prince. Yup, and it’s exactly as good as it sounds.
Price: $4.99

Others Receiving Votes

A Town Called Terror #2
Black Hammer Reborn #12
Eternals #12
House of Slaughter #6
I Am Batman #9
Joe Hill’s Rain #5
New Mutants #25
Usagi Yojimbo #28
X-Men: Red #2

New #1s and One-Shots

Duo #1
The Fox: Family Values #1
Marvel Voices Identity #1
Savage Avengers #1
Shadow War Zone #1
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Best of Rat King

Trade Collections and Graphic Novels of Note

Galaxy: The Prettiest Star TP
The Good Asian Vol. 2 TP
Heathen Complete Series TP
My Bad TP
Primordial HC
X-Men: Fall of the Mutants Omnibus HC
Yellow Cab GN

Read more great graphic novel and comics reviews!

Zack Quaintance is a tech reporter by day and freelance writer by night/weekend. He has written about comics for The Beat and NPR Books, among others. He Tweets compulsively about storytelling and comics as Comics Bookcase.