By Zack Quaintance — This week brings us an excellent and eclectic week of comics from some of our favorite independent publishers, with Image Comics chief among them. In fact, if not for Lonely Receiver #2 (our pick of the week!), it would have been a clean Image Comics sweep this week for our Top Comics to Buy for October 7. What’s especially nice is the genres are varied as well.

Check out our full list below!

Top Comics to Buy for October 7, 2020

Lonely Receiver #2
Writer: Zac Thompson
Artist: Jen Hickman
Letterer: Simon Bowland
Publisher: AfterShock Comics
Price: $3.99
As she reels from a breakup with her phone, Catrin's life spins out of control. Every-thing about her existence was connected to her partner. Now she has no money, no ID, and no way to engage with the world. She's drifting alone in a sea of connection, except for the pair of disembodied eyes watching her…
Why It’s Cool: Lonely Receiver had a great debut last month, stylishly laying out an interesting and singular mission statement, at least in terms of monthly comics. This second issue sees the book really settling into its unique identity, which enables the fantastic creative team to shine even further. There’s quality in every layer of this book, from Zac Thompson’s melancholic captioning to Jen Hickman’s tonally-perfect visual manifestation of the protagonist’s feelings, to Simon Bowland’s expert lettering that compliments it all. This is, simply put, a must-read comic.
Buy It Digitally: Lonely Receiver #2

Adventureman #4
Writer: Matt Fraction
Artist/Colorist: Terry Dodson
Inker: Rachel Dodson
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $3.99
On the eve of the rise and return of the greatest evil the world has ever seen, only Claire Connell and her family can save us as the mantle of ADVENTUREMAN passes between generations.
Why It’s Cool: The Matt Fraction and Terry/Rachel Dodson team-up Adventureman has been a rewarding and over-sized read from the start. It’s built on an interesting premise: a pulp story has been erased from the memory of mankind, but is not re-emerging through a book discovered by a mother and child. The result is a beautiful comic and a fantastic read for anyone with even a cursory interest in old pulp paperbacks, stories, and aesthetics.
Buy It Digitally: Adventureman #4

Coffin Bound #7
Writer: Dan Watters
Artist: Dani
Colorist: Brad Simpson
Letterer: Aditya Bidikar
Graphic Designer: Emma Price
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $4.99
BIG SWORDS! SHARP SUITS! INHERENT DECAY! With more killers on her tail, Taqa must decide whether to trust in God or earthly loved ones for protection. But the closer she comes to death, the closer she inches to her goal. Perhaps she can hold on just a little longer…
Why It’s Cool: Coffin Bound is one of the most surprising and fearless comics on a monthly basis, and this week’s issue is no exception. It’s an abstract but never disorienting journey into a number of heavy themes from religion to mortality to duty to self. I never know what’s coming up on the next page of an issue of Coffin Bound, but I always know it’s going to be wholly excellent.
Buy It Digitally: Coffin Bound #7

Decorum #5
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Artist: Mike Huddleston
Letterer: Rus Wooton
Design: Sasha E. Head
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $4.99
There are many assassins in the known universe, this is the story of the most well-mannered one. “I have a respect for manners as such, they are a way of dealing with targets you don’t agree with or like.”
Why It’s Cool: Decorum #5 continues to be just an absolute tour de force of an artistic demonstration from Mike Huddleston, complimented excellently by Jonathan Hickman’s industry-best mind for high concept sci-fi. This issue is a little bit tidier than past issues, essentially serving as a training montage that also works hard to show us what our main character is made of. While, again, this is an artist showcase first and foremost, the story in this individual issue is a fun and rewarding read as well.
Buy It Digitally: Decorum #5

Getting It Together #1
Writers: Sina Grace and Omar Spahi
Artist: Jenny D. Fine and Sina Grace
Colorists: Mx. Struble
Letterer: Sean Konot
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $4.99
Each extra-juicy, extra-length issue of this must-read miniseries is guaranteed to satiate even the thirstiest drama-hound! Newcomer artist JENNY D. FINE shines alongside Marvel Comics' Iceman writer SINA GRACE and co-creator OMAR SPAHI in the all-new modern dramedy you didn't know you needed! Sam and Jack are best friends, and Sam is dating Lauren, Jack's indie rocker sister and roommate. Tensions skyrocket when Sam and Lauren decide to open up their long-term relationship, sending social shockwaves through their friend group and the entire Bay Area, leaving poor Jack caught in the middle! Life gets pretty messy when you're in your 20s and your friends are your family.
Why It’s Cool: The decentralization of the comics industry in recent years has led to a boom across genres, with even the direct market diversifying past the superhero comic books that have been a stalwart financial backbone for the industry for years. One genre, however, that has not been overdone as of yet is slice of life, dating and romance. That, however, seems likely to change and change in a very stylish way. Enter Getting It Together #1, a good-looking and well-executed look at a set of 20 somethings in the same social circle going through romance, the end of romance, social pitfalls, and so much more. And it’s all done with expert comic book storytelling.
Buy It Digitally: Getting It Together #1

Others Receiving Votes

• Amazing Spider-Man #850

• BANG! #4

• Batman #100

• Die #14

• Dreaming Waking Hours #3

• Far Sector #8

• Justice League #54

• Marauders #13

• Money Shot #9

• No One’s Rose #5

• We Only Find Them When They’re Dead #2

• Wolverine #6

• X-Factor #13

• Young Justice #19

New #1s and One-Shots

• American Ronin #1

• American Vampire 1976 #1

• Champions #1

• Hollywood Trash #1

• Legend of the Swamp Thing Halloween Spectacular One-Shot

• Neil Gaiman Norse Mythology #1

• Penultiman #1

• Sonic The Hedgehog Bad Guys #1

• Spider-Man Marvels Snapshots #1

• Transformers Back to the Future #1

• Walking Dead Deluxe #1

Graphic Novels and Trade Collections of Note

First Knife TP
Writers: Simon Roy and Daniel Bensen
Artist: Artyom Trakhanov
Colorist: Jason Wordie
Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $16.99
In the hot ruins of far-future North America, a slave stumbles across an ancient and bloody power. A conqueror bargains with godlike beings. A soldier tries to bring back his lost world. As the full moon approaches, the remaining humans of Earth find themselves standing between the forces that once nearly destroyed it.
Why It’s Cool: Formerly known as Protector, this collection has been renamed First Knife (which is a better name anyway). What hasn’t changed, however, is the content inside. This book was a fantastic and imaginative apocalyptic comic that envisioned a shattered North America years from now. The writing is thoughtful and the art is visionary. This is one of those trades you’ll buy, pick up, and not set down until you’ve consumed each and every panel within.
Buy It Digitally: First Knife TP

• Archangel 8 TP

• Batman Gotham by Gaslight Deluxe Edition HC

• Clock Vol. 1 TP

• Dawn of X Vol. 8 TP

• Legion of Super-Heroes Vol. 1 Millennium TP

• Mister Miracle Deluxe Edition HC

• Sandman Expanded Edition Box Set

• Stairway Anthology TP

• Streets of Paris Streets of Murder Complete Noir Stories of Manchette & Tardi

• World of Black Hammer Library Edition Vol. 1 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.