Top Comics to Buy for July 1, 2020
By Zack Quaintance — It’s an usual week, with no new releases from DC or Marvel Comics. Marvel is still ramping up to a full return from the COVID-19 driven distribution stoppage, essentially alternating weeks of release for physical titles as they recover. DC Comics, meanwhile, is quitting Diamond Comics Distribution, in favor of two new distributors. That’s a whole other thing, but the point is that as a result, there are no new DC books this week for our Top Comics to Buy for July 1, 2020.
Instead, we have a great selection of indie comics to choose from…let’s check them out!
Top Comics to Buy for July 1, 2020
PICK OF THE WEEK
Billionaire Island #2
Writer: Mark Russell
Artist: Steve Pugh
Colorist: Chris Chuckry
Letterer: Rob Steen
Publisher: Ahoy Comics
Price: $3.99
Like an action movie come to life, Trent storms onto Billionaire Island in search of answers - and he's willing to get them anyway he can. Meanwhile, Shelly is after answers of her own...but will she regret getting them? The infiltration of Billionaire Island is on! Every AHOY comic also features extra prose stories and illustrations. Featuring a variant cover by Darick Robertson (The Boys).
Why It’s Cool: Mark Russell and Steve Pugh are two of the smartest creators within comics, and this book sees the duo reuniting (having previously worked on The Flintstones) on a timely concept that involves the world’s billionaires essentially abandoning it (physically) for an island where they all live. In this second issue, the plot continues to accelerate, as a mysterious infiltrator poses as a billionaire to gain interest. Oooo. Very intriguing.
Buy It Now: Billionaire Island #2 via comiXology
Fire Power by Kirkman & Samnee #1
Writer: Robert Kirkman
Artist: Chris Samnee
Colorist: Matthew Wilson
Letterer: Rus Wooton
Publisher: Skybound / Image Comics
Price: Free
An All-New upcoming monthly series created by Robert Kirkman and Chris Samnee! The one who wields the firepower is destined to save the world, but Owen Johnson has turned his back on that life. He doesn't want the power, he never did. He only wants to raise his family and live his life, but unseen forces are at work to make that impossible. Danger lurks around every corner as Owen's past comes back to haunt him.
Why It’s Cool: We’ll talk more about Fire Power later (hint it’s also prominently featured as our graphic novel pick of the week), but armed with the mass-appeal plotting of Robert Kirkman and the top-tier cartooning of Chris Samnee, this book is a massive hit waiting to happen, and it’s so well built to be read in installments. Basically, if you like reading periodical comics, you’ll want to get in on the ground floor of this one, which is as fun and searing as the fire balls that are so central to its plot.
Negan Lives #1
Writer: Robert Kirkman
Artist: Charlie Adlard
Letterer: Rus Wooton
Publisher: Skybound / Image Comics
Price: $4.99
The greatest f*@king comic book villain of ALL-TIME returns. 'Nuff said.
Why It’s Cool: Anyone who read The Walking Dead all the way to its end, would have all but guaranteed that there would eventually be a story about the current status of Negan, who was the one dangling plot thread not so neatly wrapped up by the series’ satisfying finale that pretty neatly wrapped up most plot threads. Now, the creative team for the vast majority of the run is coming back together for a one-shot that they are sending to local comic shops free of any charge, as part of an effort to help the struggling local retailers get back on their collective feet. It’s a great way to drum up support, goose sales to giant levels, and give fans of The Walking Dead a fix they haven’t had in nearly a year — a new comic book story set within the Walking Dead’s world.
Buy It Now: Only available at comic shops
The Plot #5
Writers: Tim Daniel and Michael Moreci
Artist: Joshua Hixson
Colorist: Jordan Boyd
Letterer: Jim Campbell
Publisher: Vault Comics
Price: $3.99
Discovering a journal in the attic, Chase drowns in the dark waters of his family's history.
Why It’s Cool: We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again — there are a ton of great comics out right now, and chief among them is The Plot, an eerie familial story that somehow creeps readers out via senses well beyond the comics page. We don’t want to give much away here, but this one goes back in the history of the story — way back — and the resultant story is just fantastic. We’ll have more on this coming up later in the week (hint hint hint!), but The Plot was also pretty noticeably snubbed by this year’s Eisner’s Award nominations, so stay tuned for more about that on this site in the weeks to come…
Buy It Now: The Plot #5 via comiXology
Olympia #5
Writers: Tony Pires & Curt Pires
Artist: Alex Diotto
Colorist: Dee Cunniffe
Letterer: Micah Myers
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $5.99
MINISERIES FINALE! The war for planet earth is waged in this extra-length finale.
Why It’s Cool: From its start (and now here at its finish), Olympia has felt like a metafictional love letter to comics and comics history, fashioned by the utterly wonderful artist team of illustrator Alex Diotto and colorist Dee Cunniffe. It’s also laced (as we see more of here) with a very personal take on the subject matter from writer Curt Pires. The end result is an exploration of why sueprheroes remain such a cultural fascination for so many readers, underscored with a not insignificant burst of heart from Pires. This is also a deep and over-sized read, so if you’ve been up on the book until this point, get ready for a deep, long read with this finale.
Buy It Now: Olympia #5 via comiXology
Read our Olympia #5 Review
Other Comics Receiving Votes
The Boys: Dear Becky #2
I Can Sell You a Body #4
Killing Red Sonja #2
King of Nowhere #3
Nailbiter: Returns #2
Protector #4 (read our review)
Red Sonja #16
Ronin Island #12
New #1 Comics
All America Comix #1
Devil’s Highway #1 (read our review)
Goddamned: Virgin Brides #1 (read our review)
Marvel Action Classics: Avengers Featuring Iron Man #1
Trade Paperbacks and Graphic Novels
PICK OF THE WEEK
Fire Power by Kirkman & Samnee Vol. 1 Prelude TP
Writer: Robert Kirkman
Artist: Chris Samnee
Colorist: Matthew Wilson
Letterer: Rus Wooton
Publisher: Skybound/Image Comics
Price: $9.99
SERIES PREMIERE! ALL-NEW series created by ROBERT KIRKMAN (THE WALKING DEAD, INVINCIBLE, OBLIVION SONG) and Chris Samnee (Daredevil)! Owen Johnson's journey to China to learn about his birth parents eventually leads him to a mysterious Shaolin Temple. The students there study to rediscover the Fire Power, the lost art of throwing fireballs. A power they claim will be needed soon to save the world. Will Owen Johnson be the first person in a thousand years to wield the FIRE POWER?
Why It’s Cool: So, I wrote a full review of this Fire Power Prelude OGN before the distribution hiccup bounced it back into July, but my overall take on it still stands — people are going to love this and I’d be shocked if it’s not a massive hit. In fact, this prelude OGN is so good, that it has me predicting that Fire Power will be the first Kirkman comic since The Walking Dead to hit so big that it brings over part of his massive audience from that cultural phenomenon. It’s that good, fun, and accessible. It’s so accessible that I imagine plenty of mainstream readers will not only get it, but will love it right away. Chris Samnee’s artwork, meanwhile, will serve up plenty for hardcore comics storytelling fans to enjoy as well. In short, this book is just very very good.
Buy It Now: Fire Power OGN via comiXology
A Walk Through Hell Complete Series HC
Absolute Fourth World by Jack Kirby, Vol. 1 HC
Batman Arkham Asylum TP New Edition
Child Star GN
Dawn of X Vol. 6 TP
Eve Stranger TP
Excalibur by Tini Howard Vol. 1 TP
Infinite Crisis Omnibus HC New Edition
Isola Vol. 2 TP
Johnny Dynamite Explosive Pre-Code Comics
Kabuki Omnibus, Vol. 3
Postal: Deliverance Vol. 2 TP
Raiders TP
Timely’s Greatest Golden Age Sub-Mariner by Bill Everett Post-War Years HC
Unpresidented Cartoons of Chaos HC
Wild Thing, Or My Life as a Wolf 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.