By Zack Quaintance — So, as you’ve likely noticed if you follow either this site or my Twitter account, I spent most of last week promoting my first Kickstarter comic, Next Door. Over the years that I’ve formally been involved with the comics industry — primarily as a critic/reporter and a social media personality — I’ve written about too many comics to count. I have not, however, ever had to talk up and promote my own work directly, not until now. And I have to tell you…this way harder than it looks. In fact, I’d say that I came into this past weekend more burnt out on comics than I’ve ever been in my life. But still, I sat down to read my advanced review copies for the week…and the effect of just reading the books was restorative. And now it is my pleasure to share my restorative Top Comics to Buy for August 12 with all of you.

Enjoy!

Top Comics to Buy for August 12, 2020

PICK OF THE WEEK
Seven Secrets #1
Writer: Tom Taylor
Artist: Daniele Di Nicuolo
Colorist: Walter Baiamonte
Color Assists: Katia Ranalli
Letterer: Ed Dukeshire
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Price: $3.99
For fans of Once & Future and Undiscovered Country comes an all-new original series from #1 New York Times best-selling author Tom Taylor (DCeased, Immortal Hulk) and artist Daniele di Nicuolo (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers) about seven powerful secrets -- words, wonders, weapons, and worse -- with the power to change the world.. For centuries, the Order has trusted in Keepers and Holders to guard the Secrets in seven briefcases against all harm, but when their stronghold is attacked and the secrets put in peril, the entire Order must face their greatest fear -- an enemy who knows too much and is willing to kill to get what he wants. Now, the Order's newest member, Caspar, must discover the truth of the Secrets before the enemy does, or risk losing everything.
Why It’s Cool: This is a must-read book solely on the basis of the creative team, to start with. With writer Tom Taylor having done primarily work-for-hire comics, his launch of a new creator-owned series is certain to draw a great deal of interest. Pair him with artist Daniele Di Nicuolo (colored by Walter Baiamonte), and you’ve got a great recipe for stellar comics. I also love all things secrets in comics, and so this book has extra appeal for me. We’ll have a full review later this week, but if possible, you’ll want to make sure you pick this one up on Wednesday, no question.
Buy It Digitally: Seven Secrets #1

Billionaire Island #4
Writer: Mark Russell
Artist: Steve Pugh
Colorist: Chris Chuckry
Letterer: Rob Steen
Publisher: Ahoy Comics
Price: $3.99
Plots and plans abound in this month's Billionaire Island, from the co-creator of Second Coming! With Trent's fate in the, uh, paws of Business Dog, his future plans become flea-bitten. Elsewhere, Shelly and Falco plot a daring escape. Every AHOY comic also features extra prose stories and illustrations.
Why It’s Cool: Every issue of Billionaire Island has ranked on our Top Comics to Buy since the book launched earlier this year (back in the halcyon days of the pre-pandemic, in fact), and this week’s issue is no exception. This book continues to be one of the most clever satires of 2020 wealth disparity issues in any medium, and it’s a book not to be missed.
Buy It Digitally: Billionaire Island #4

Flash #759
Writer: Joshua Williamson
Artist: Rafa Sandoval and Scot Kolins
Inker: Jordi Tarragona
Colorist: Arif Prianto
Letterer: Steve Wands
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $3.99
“Finish Line” part one of six-leading to the finale of Joshua Williamson’s legendary run on The Flash! It’s Barry Allen’s last race! The Legion of Zoom has won. Central City is in ruins. Barry Allen is trapped in the Speed Force, his body taken over by the Reverse-Flash!
Why It’s Cool: Throughout the tenure of his long, long run on The Flash, writer Joshua Williamson and his collaborators have absolutely nailed the biggest moments, from the opening of the run to the Flash War story arc at the run’s veritable mid-way point. Now, the run heads into its end game with The Finish Line, part one, and it does so in a way that offers up a must-read issue for all fans of The Flash, The Flash Family, and The Flash mythos. Great work from all involved.
Buy It Digitally: Flash #759

Immortal Hulk #36
Writer: Al Ewing
Artist: Joe Bennett
Inker: Ruy Jose
Colorist: Matt Milla
Letterer: Cory Petit
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price: $3.99
NO HAPPY ENDINGS.
Why It’s Cool: There’s no better series in all of superhero comics than Immortal Hulk, and now — 36 issues into its run — it is somehow still continuing to get better and better and better, doubling down both on what has made the run work to date, as well as on taking the book in new directions, often by subtly pulling in more and more elements from the Hulk’s surprisingly deep mythos. This book is a sensation in comics, and every time an issue drops, it feels like an event. Every member of this creative team is doing their best work to date, including even celebrated cover artist Alex Ross, who continues to surprise on this book with both his execution and his concepts.
Buy It Digitally: Immortal Hulk #36

Undone by Blood Or The Shadow of a Wanted Man #5
Writers: Lonnie Nadler & Zac Thompson
Artist: Sami Kivela
Colorist: Jason Wordie
Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Publisher: Aftershock Comics
Price: $3.99
As Ethel approaches the truth about the man who murdered her family, she’s discover-ing that the justice of the old West isn’t as glorious as fiction makes it out to be. Chas-ing one fickle lead after another has not paid off. No one can be trusted – a lesson she failed to learn from cowboy legend, Solomon Eaton. And Solomon is in his own heap of trouble, going up against a town full of men who will do anything to prevent him from saving his son.
Why It’s Cool: The writing team of Lonnie Nadler and Zac Thompson do high-concept comics (both together as well as separately) as well if not better than anyone making comics today, and one of their most interesting series to date has been Undone by Blood Or The Shadow of a Wanted Man, which we’ve described from its start as feeling like a mix of Charlie Kaufman and Cormac McCarthy. Five issues in, this metafictional story of a hunt for revenge spread across essentially two worlds has been fantastic, and now both of the dual storylines in this book are facing down major conflict.
Buy It Digitally: Undone by Blood #5

Others Receiving Votes

Adventureman #3
Alienated #5
Dark Nights: Death Metal #3
Empyre #5
Empyre X-Men #3
Join the Future #4
Marauders #11
Old Haunts #3
Something is Killing the Children #9
Stealth #4
Superman #24
Usagi Yojimbo Color Classics #6
Vlad Dracul #2
Wonder Woman #760
X-Force #11

New #1s and One-Shots

Big Girls #1
G.I. Joe Real American Hero: Snake Eyes Origin One-Shot

Trade Paperbacks and Graphic Novels of Note

PICK OF THE WEEK
Lizard in a Zoot Suit GN
Writer/Artist: Marco Finnegan
Color Assists: Jason Millet
Publisher: Graphic Universe
Price: $12.99
Los Angeles, 1943. It's the era of the Zoot Suit Riots, and Flaca and Cuata have a problem. It's bigger than being grounded by their strict mother. It's bigger than tensions with the soldiers stationed nearby. And it's shaped like a five-foot-tall lizard. When a lost member of an unknown underground species needs help, the sisters must scramble to keep their new friend away from a corrupt military scientist, but they'll do it in style.
Why It’s Cool: If I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again — historical fiction is an under-explored genre within comics, and this new YA original graphic novel, Lizard in a Zoot Suit, combines historical fiction with science-fiction…to great results. This book is first and foremost a wonderful story of a family that faces oppression coming across a mysterious creature who both helps them and needs their help. But it’s also a look at the real-life race riots — the Zoot Suit Riots — that swept Los Angeles in 1943, an under-explored historical incident. What this book delivers is an engaging story that also educates, and it’s a great example of what comics storytelling can be at its best.

Corto Maltese: Mu The Lost Continent GN
Cult Classic, Creature Feature TP
Cruel Summer HC
Green Lantern Earth One, Vol. 2
Happiness Will Follow Original Graphic Novel HC
Lois Lane and the Friendship Challenge TP
Over The Ropes Vol. 1 TP
Seeds and Stems Megg & Mogg GN
Spider-Ham, Aporkalypse Now TP
Strange Skies Over East Berlin TP
Wonder Twins Vol. 2: Rise and Fall of the Wonder Twins 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.