By Zack Quaintance — Oh hey oh hey, it’s the Top Comics to Buy for March 17, 2021, and I’m at a point where I’m willing to put three (three!) superhero comics on the top five choices for the week. It’s a perfect storm of a complex under-the-radar run I’m really enjoying (Iron Man) with a couple titles from an exciting new publishing initiative. I’m also crazy-stressed right now (we’re moving…again), and the simple escape did me good over the weekend.

Anyway, there will be plenty to read this Wednesday…enjoy!

Top Comics to Buy for March 17, 2021

PICK OF THE WEEK
Nightwing #78
Writer: Tom Taylor
Artist: Bruno Redondo
Colorist: Adriano Lucas
Letterer: Wes Abbott
Publisher: DC Comics
Nightwing is back-and his drive to keep Blüdhaven safe has never been stronger! But his adopted city has elected a new mayor with the last name Zucco. When Nightwing enlists Batgirl’s help in investigating the politician bearing the same name as the man who murdered his parents, she unearths details that will shock and fundamentally change the hero.
The New York Times bestselling team of writer Tom Taylor (DCeased, Injustice) and artist Bruno Redondo (Injustice, Suicide Squad) are about to take Nightwing to the next stage of his evolution as a hero!
Why It’s Cool: Simply put, Nightwing #78 by Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo — the new start for the Infinite Frontier publishing initiative — might be the single best Nightwing comic I’ve ever read. It gets the tone for the character exactly right in a really fun way without pandering, it winks at the recent path, and it charts an interesting path for the future. It’s also relentlessly-satisfying to read on its own as a stand-alone story about Dick Grayson’s relationship with Alfred. It is as close to perfect as a single issue starting a new corporate superhero run can get really, especially for readers who aren’t looking for anything too experimental from their capes and tights books. Buy it; the odds are high you will love this ride.
Price: $3.99
Read It Digitally: Nightwing #78
Order a Copy: Nightwing #78

Iron Man #7
Writer: Christopher Cantwell
Artist: Cafu
Colorist: Frank D’Armata
Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Iron Man and his small band of allies go interstellar as they pursue Korvac to the farthest reaches of the galaxy, even as the villainous android intellect tries to telepathically lure Hellcat and Tony toward his bizarre utopian visions. But after an unexpected left turn leaves Iron Man on a remote and uncharted planet, Korvac might take the opportunity to blow Shellhead’s vulnerable friends out of the stars once and for all.
Why It’s Cool: This book has been absolutely stellar since writer Christopher Cantwell and artist Cafu started their run, and it just keeps getting better. It sort of started as a complex character study — and it remans that — but has also now expanded into being a rollocking old school Marvel Comics team romp through sci-fi absurdity. It is a type of superhero comic I did not realize I was always looking for until I started in on this book.
Price: $3.99
Read It Digitally: Iron Man #7
Order the First Trade: Iron Man Vol. 1 TPB

Justice League #59
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis, with Ram V.
Artist: David Marquez, with Xermanico
Colorist: Tamra Bonvillain, with Romulo Fajardo Jr.
Letterer: Josh Reed, with Rob Leigh
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer Brian Michael Bendis reunites with artist David Marquez (Miles Morales, Iron Man, Batman/Superman) for a new, star-studded Justice League featuring Superman, Batman, the Flash, Hawkgirl, Aquaman, Hippolyta, new DC powerhouse Naomi, and...is that Black Adam?! Superman is leading the charge to reinvent the Justice League-and at the same time, a new, cosmic-powered threat arrives from Naomi’s homeworld to rule the Earth!
And in the backup story, dark days lie ahead for the new Justice League Dark. Zatanna and John Constantine take a road trip, only to discover horror around the bend as a friend-and sometime foe-is reborn in fire! A legend is destroyed, and another takes a terrible turn, as Merlin reveals the beginning of a new, blood-drenched plot for all humankind. So begins writer Ram V’s new journey into the abyss with the Justice League Dark and artist Xermanico!
Why It’s Cool: Look, I know Brian Bendis’ work can be polarizing, but I think the writer is in an extended late career renaissance, brought on by playing in the DC Universe versus Marvel Comics. Now, he’s giving us his take on the widest cast of DC Comics characters yet, starting a universe-spanning epic in this book, which expands the League as we’ve seen it of late and also pulls in elements of Bendis’ Naomi series. And if that all weren’t enough, we also get a great new Justice League Dark back-up story from the fantastic team of Ram V. and Xermanico. It’s so good.
Price: $4.99
Read It Digitally: Justice League #59
Order the Last Run: Justice League by Scott Snyder Deluxe Edition Book One

Orphan and the Five Beasts #1
Script, Art, Letters: James Stokoe
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
A brand-new kung-fu epic from James Stokoe, the creator behind Orc Stain and Aliens: Dead Orbit!
Spurred on by her master's dying words, the adopted warrior "Orphan Mo" seeks to find and kill five former disciples who now threaten the land with corruption from their demonic powers. Part Five Deadly Venoms and part surreal grindhouse, James Stokoe brings his knack for ultra-detailed fantasy imagery and over-the-top violence to this classic tale of revenge.
Why It’s Cool: Have you seen James Stokoe’s artwork? He’s a singular and ample talent, and he brings it all to bear here in his new auteur book, Orpan and the Five Beasts, a straightforward-yet-wild story that involves a master taking on five former pupils and also demonic powers. Lean into it, books like this are what make comics amazing. Oh, and there’s another book in this same lane this week too…
Price: $3.99

Ultramega #1
Writer/Artist: James Harren
Colorist: Dave Stewart
Letterer: Rus Wooton
Publisher: Image Comics - Skybound
A cosmic plague has spread, transforming everyday people into violent, monstrous kaiju. Only the Ultramega—three individuals imbued with incredible powers—hold the line against this madness. Their battles level cities and leave untold horror in their wake. Now, the final reckoning approaches for the Ultramega…but is this a war they can even win?
Fight monsters and stand with humanity in this new Skybound original from the greatest artist of his generation, JAMES HARREN (RUMBLE, BPRD) and Eisner Award-winning colorist DAVE STEWART. Each issue is extra-sized, with a 60-page debut that can barely contain its giant heroes, creatures, and devastation!
Why It’s Cool: I’m not sure what we did to deserve this book, a 60-page kaiju romp from one of the premiere monster artists in all of comics, James Harren. This is bonkers no-holds-barred kaiju cartooning at its finest, all courtesy of James Harren and colored and lettered by Dave Stewart and Rus Wooton, who are two of the best at what they do as well.
Price: $7.99
Read It Digitally: Ultramega #1
Order a Copy: Ultramega #1

Others Receiving Votes

Abbott 1973 #3
Catwoman #29
Happy Hour #5
Head Lopper #15
I Walk With Monsters #4
Radiant Black #2
Red Atlantis #5
S.W.O.R.D. #4
Tartarus #10
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #115
X-Force #18

New #1s and One-Shots

Bequest #1
Black Knight Curse of the Ebony Blade #1
Captain America Anniversary Tribute One-Shot
GI Joe Castle Fall One-Shot
Jim Henson’s Storytellers Tricksters #1
King In Black Spider-Man One-Shot
Maria Llovet’s Eros Psyche #1
Superman Red and Blue #1
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin Director’s Cut #1
Ultraman: Trials of Ultraman #1

Trade Collections and Graphic Novels of Note

American Ronin TP
Bill and Ted Are Doomed TP
BPRD: The Devil You Know Omnibus HC
Daredevil By Chip Zdarsky Vol 1 To Heaven Through Hell HC
Dawn of X Vol. 14 TP
Everything Vol. 2 Black Friday TP
Fall Vol. 1 TP
Goon (2019) Vol 3 Fishy Men Witchy Women & Bitter Beer TP
Incredible Nellie Bly HC
Iron Man (2020) Vol 1 Big Iron TP
Judge Dredd End Of Days TP
Neil Gaiman Norse Mythology Vol. 1 HC
Ragnarok Vol 3 Breaking Of Helheim HC
Revolver TP Black Label Edition
Sandman Deluxe Edition Book 2 HC
Stillwater Vol. 1 TP
Superman vs. Shazam! TP New Edition
Tales From the Umbrella Academy Vol. 1 You Look Like Death TP

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.