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Top Comics to Buy for June 24, 2020

Zack Quaintance

By Zack Quaintance — After an onslaught of new books last week, the top comics to buy for June 24, 2020 represents a bit of a return to the post-COVID-19 crisis normal, with a little bit of a scaled back lineup. Among that, however, there are still plenty of gems, including a fantastic DC Comics - Black Label one-shot, the continuation of the best long-form superhero run today, two phenomenal fantasy comics, and more.

Check out our picks below!

Top Comics to Buy for June 24, 2020

*PICK OF THE WEEK*
Batman: Smile Killer #1
Writer: Jeff Lemire
Artist: Andrea Sorrentino
Colorist: Jordie Bellaire
Letterer: Steve Wands
Publisher: DC Comics - Black Label
Price: $5.99
It wouldn't be a Joker story without a surprise...and right on cue, here's an unexpected one-shot epilogue to Joker: Killer Smile! Young Bruce Wayne grew up watching The Mr. Smiles Show - and the show might have been watching him back! And not only was young Bruce watching, he was listening... listening as Mr. Smiles spoke across the airwaves only to him... The Eisner Award-winning creative team of writer Jeff Lemire and artist Andrea Sorrentino land one last gut-punch - turning the mythos of the Batman on its head in the most devastating trick The Joker has ever devised! PRESTIGE FORMAT.
Why It’s Cool: First and foremost, the artwork here by Andrea Sorrentino is so good, that you may become angry while reading this that he’s not the full-time main series Batman artist. I know I sure did. But in a broader sense, this book is essentially everything I wish the main Batman comic was right now. I won’t go that far into it (that’s a whole other conversation), but it’s bold, fearless, gritty, good-looking, and relentlessly immersive. This is a loose tie-in to The Jeff Lemire/Sorrentino Joker: Killer Smile book, but another point in this comics favor is that anyone familiar with Batman can pick it up and read it. And should.
Buy It Now: Via comiXology

Immortal Hulk #34
Writer: Al Ewing
Artist: Butch Guice
Colorist: Paul Mounts
Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price: $3.99
The Thoughtful Man is here - and his dreadful thoughts are vast and dark enough to swallow even the Devil. Samuel Sterns walked through the Green Door and gained knowledge. Follow him through the journey of his life - from his rebirth to his final experiment. Follow the LEADER.
Why It’s Cool: We’ve been over and over this, but Immortal Hulk is the best thing currently happening in superhero comics. Full stop. And we haven’t gotten a new issue of it since the distribution stoppage on March 25, which marked the release of Immortal Hulk #33. Well, now the book is back, armed with guest artist Butch Guice and a full-bore appearance of long-time Hulk foil, The Leader. We, to put it mildly, consider this issue (as well as the rest of this modern classic run) a must-buy.
Buy It Now: Via comiXology

Monstress #28
Writer: Marjorie Liu
Artist: Sana Takeda
Letterer: Rus Wooton
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $3.99
Trapped in a burning city under siege, Kippa must survive against all the odds.
Why It’s Cool: If Immortal Hulk iI our favorite run happening in superhero comics, Monstress is without question our favorite fantasy comic coming out today. It’s a rich and layered run brought to life by impossibly intricate and imaginative artwork. It also seems to be cruising toward some sort of giant culmination of many of its plot lines, with a number of the cast facing dangers and poignancies. I mean, just look at the solicit text for this issue: Trapped in a burning city under siege…That really says it all about the level of excitement to expect here, now doesn’t it?
Buy It Now: Via comiXology

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Once & Future #8
Writer: Kieron Gillen
Artist: Dan Mora
Colorist: Tamra Bonvillain
Letterer: Ed Dukeshire
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Price: $3.99
When a strange newcomer arrives at the dark court of Camelot, his presence disrupts The Otherworld. Sometimes winning the battle risks losing the war...as Duncan and Bridgette will soon find out.
Why It’s Cool: Speaking of excellent fantasy comics, next up we have Once and Future #8. This book may not do as much world building as Monstress, but its conceit is such that it doesn’t have to. It’s set in modern times and entangled violently with established British Arthurian folklore. The first arc of this book was very good, but in this second arc, the reading experience has gotten even better, with the scripts calling upon artist Dan Mora to cut his ample talents free and really deliver striking visuals, all of which are made even better by the phenomenal work on this title of colorist Tamra Bonvillain.
Buy It Now: Via comiXology

Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen #11
Writer: Matt Fraction
Artist: Steve Lieber
Colorist: Nathan Fairbairn
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $3.99
Hey, look-it's issue 11 of a 12-issue series, so it's the perfect jumping-on point for new readers! Mysteries get solved, criminals are revealed, and a secret ally emerges from the shadows. Want more? There are robots, aliens, and The Daily Planet faces a threat to its existence at the same moment the actual planet faces the same! Now's the time to get on board, guys!
Why It’s Cool: This series has been a blast since it began, and now we come to the penultimate issue. As the solicit text cheekily points out, this is perhaps not the best jumping on point for new readers. But if you’ve been reading (and enjoying) this book since it began (as I have), you’re going to absolutely love this issue, which makes such delightful use of background characters and callback gags, that you’ll put it down and want to go back and read all the previous issues. Great stuff from a bonkers (in the best way!) team of creatives.
Buy It Now: Via comiXology

Other Comics Receiving Votes

  • Aquaman #60

  • Die #11

  • Heathen #11

  • Low Low Woods #6

  • Middlewest #17

  • Plunge #4

  • Sex Criminals #29

  • Spider-Ham #5

  • Suicide Squad #6

  • Year Zero #2

Recent / Upcoming Digital-Only Titles

  • Batman: Gotham Knights #10

  • From Beyond the Unknown #1

  • Superman: Man of Tomorrow #8

  • Swamp Thing: New Roots #9

  • Titans: Titans Together #1

  • Wonder Woman: Agent of Peace #7

New #1 Comics

Trade Paperbacks & Graphic Novels

*PICK OF THE WEEK*
Dragonfly and Dragonfly Man
Writer: Tom Peyer
Artist: Peter Krause
Colorist: Russ Braun
Letterer: Andy Troy
Publisher: Ahoy Comics
Price: $16.99
Now in one dimension-smashing volume! In the darkness of Earth-Omega, The Dragonfly exacts vengeance from sadistic killers and corrupt authorities. On sunlit Earth-Alpha, the upstanding Dragonflyman fights for justice alongside the police. This prequel to The Wrong Earth collects all five issues of Dragonfly and Dragonflyman plus the 2019 AHOY Free Comic Book Day story.
Why It’s Cool: There is perhaps no better superhero concept for 2020 than one that juxtaposes an idealized bygone time with a view of the modern world where cynicism and darkness has won out. That’s the central premise of this trade collection, which is a must-buy for readers interested in superheroes and even those who aren’t, playing as delightfully as it does with tropes that might have otherwise put readers off of the caped and cowled set of stories. Moreover, writer Tom Peyer and Peter Krause are veteran, master creators doing top-tier work on this series.
Buy It Now: Via comiXology

  • Art Life GN

  • Ascender Vol. 2 TP: The Dead Sea

  • Banned Book Club GN

  • Crowded Vol. 2 TP

  • Kaijumax Deluxe Edition Vol. 2 HC

  • Legends of the Dark Knight - Matt Wagner HC

  • Legion of Super-Heroes Silver Age Omnibus Vol. 3 HC

  • Lumberjanes Vol. 14 X Marks the Spot TP

  • Nixie of the Mill-Pond and Other European Stories TP

  • Nobody Left TP

  • Parallel GN

  • Primer TP

  • Streets of Paris Streets of Murder

  • Stringbags GN

  • Windows of the World GN

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.

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