By Zack Quaintance — Here we are bright and early with our Top Comics to Buy for September 2, 2020, and it’s my favorite kind of week — eclectic. Nowhere is this more evident than with our pick of the week, Lonely Receiver #1. We’ll go into more detail about it below, but this is the type of surprising and singular book we just love to see launched, one that delivers an expert grasp of comics-making craft along with bold risk taking.

Check out the rest of our list below…

Top Comics to Buy for September 2, 2020

*PICK OF THE WEEK*
Lonely Receiver #1
Writer: Zac Thompson
Artist: Jen Hickman
Letterer: Simon Bowland
Publisher: AfterShock Comics
Price: $4.99
Catrin Vander, a lonely video producer, buys an Artificial Intelligence partner that’s meant to bond for life. After ten years together, her holographic wife suddenly disconnects without a warning. The breakup drives Catrin to the point of near insanity. She's alone for the first time in years and reeling from a loss she can’t comprehend.
Why It’s Cool: As creator-owned, relatively independent comics have continued to boom in recent years, we’ve seen a revival within comics of many genres that had sort of been overshadowed by the continued popularity of superhero stories. We’ve seen a surge of horror comics, a trickle of new Westerns, and more. Now, we’re seeing a stirring of new romance comics, and it’s a refreshing thing indeed. The Lonely Receiver might just be the new gold standard for modern romance comics, combining complex and compelling relationship dynamics with a fascinating interest in artificial intelligence. There really isn’t anything else like this story being done with monthly comics, and that makes this book a can’t miss title this week.
Buy It Here: Lonely Receiver #1

The Dreaming: Waking Hours #2
Writer: G. Willow Wilson
Artist: Nick Robles
Colorist: Mat Lopes
Letterer: Simon Bowland
Publisher: DC Comics - Black Label
Price: $3.99
New mother Lindy is trapped in the Dreaming, and the lovestruck nightmare Ruin is loose in the real world. Dream must put this situation right-but to do so, he’ll have to travel into the Black Chest where he keeps his most dangerous nightmares…and pull the answers right from the mouth of the unimaginable Endless Teeth!
Why It’s Cool: I just can’t believe how much I’m loving this new series, The Dreaming - Waking Hours. It’s so close to perfect, and, quite honestly, the only reason I’m not dubbing it perfect is because I want to see where it goes first. But it’s really been just a fantastic comic, and it’s also for my money the most natural sequel ever to Neil Gaiman et. al’s all-time great Sandman story. Everything about this book — from the art to the narrative choices — is outstanding.
Buy It Here: The Dreaming - Waking Hours #2

Empyre #6
Writer: Al Ewing and Dan Slott
Artist: Valerio Schiti
Colorist: Marte Gracia
Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price: $5.99
Who will rule the EMPYRE? There can be only one King of Space-and it's the last liege standing! But as combat rages on, the clock ticks down to catastrophe! Will the ultimate interstellar weapon fry planet Earth before or after all sentient life on the planet is wiped out? The Avengers and the Fantastic Four are tested as never before-as EMPYRE comes to a pulse-pounding finish!
Why It’s Cool: I’ve been pleasantly surprised with Empyre as an event, especially with the way that it has somewhat gleefully subverted the standard expectations that come along with this kind of giant Big 2 event story. With all that in mind, I’m looking forward to the end of the story, too. We’ve already got another giant Marvel Comics event bearing down on us with X of Swords, but I’m still excited to see how this massive space battle adventure plays out first.
Buy It Here: Empyre #6

King of Nowhere #5
Writer: W. Maxwell Prince
Artist: Tyler Jenkins
Colorist: Hilary Jenkins
Letterer: Andworld Design
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Price: $3.99
After the shocking events of the last issue, Denis is forced to come to terms with the truth of his own past -- and the enemies he made along the way. It all comes down to this, as citizens of Nowhere are forced to choose sides in a duel that could save, or destroy, the sanctity of their town.
Why It’s Cool: Last issue, we got what’s really going on here from this series, and rather than take away any of the magic and mystery, it functioned as as super compelling reveal, one that reframed the very real threat that was bearing down on our protagonists. Now, this week we get to see how that threat plays out during the series finale of this fantastic, ethereal book.
Buy It Here: King of Nowhere #5

Monstress #30
Writer: Marjorie Liu
Artist: Sana Takeda
Letterer: Rus Wooton
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $3.99
Who will win this crucial first battle between the Federation and Arcanics? And whose side is Maika on, anyway?
Why It’s Cool: I don’t know why, but it’s really hard for me to wrap my head around the idea that Monstress has now reached 30 issues. I remember when this book hit, the feeling that we were getting a new standard for quality high fantasy storytelling within comics, and I remember how it felt to read the masterful, over-sized first issue of one of the most intricate books we’ve ever had. Now the long-running narrative continues to speed toward major battles, major conflicts, and what might just be the beginning of the end for one of the best creator-owned series in all of comics.
Buy It Here: Monstress #30

Others Receiving Votes

Ascender #12
BANG! #3
Bitter Root #10
Cable #4
Coffin Bound #6
DCeased: Dead Planet #3
Die #13
Disaster Inc. #3
Guardians of the Galaxy #6
Fire Power #3
Usagi Yojimbo #12
Young Justice #18

New #1s and One-Shots

Black Widow #1
Broken Gargoyles #1
Grendel Kentucky #1
Hellblazer: Rise and Fall #1
Inkblot #1
Marvel Zombies Resurrection #1
Orville Vol. 2 #1
Sex Criminals: Sexual Gary Special
Spy Island #1
Star Trek: Hell’s Mirror
We Only Find Them When They’re Dead #1

Graphic Novels and Trade Collections of Note

PICK OF THE WEEK
Powers: The Best Ever HC
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Michael Avon Oeming
Publisher: DC Comics - Jinxworld
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Eisner Award-winning cops-and-capes comic POWERS, original creators Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming have reunited for the most significant POWERS story ever. Really. Spanning decades and genres while hearkening back to its earliest origins, the story of superhero turned homicide detective Christian Walker comes to a fantastic conclusion. This graphic novel, incorporating remastered pages from POWERS (2015) #7 and #8, is a celebration of the series' entire run, and includes a look back at the cult-classic TV show, including an exclusive look at the third season that never was, and an all-new series-spanning retrospective interview with Brian Michael Bendis!
Why It’s Cool: Powers is one of those series that’s been so good for so long, it’s easy to take it granted. And now it’s coming to an end. Hard to believe, really, but here it is. The joyful homage to all things superheroes, told through the gritty lens of a detective on the street is getting an original graphic novel-sized conclusion from its creators, all-time greats Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming.
Price: $19.99
Buy It Here: Powers The Best Ever

Amazing Spider-Man by J. Michael Straczynski Omnibus Vol. 2 HC
Be Gay, Do Comics TP
Booster Gold Future Lost HC
Breathless Vol. 1 TP
Gravetrancers Vol. 1 TP
Green Arrow Long Bow Hunters Saga Omnibus Vol. 1 HC
Ice Cream Man Vol. 5
Immortal Hulk Vol. 7 TP
Omni Vol. 1 TP
Teen Titans: Beast Boy TP
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Reborn Vol. 1 From the Ashes TP
The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys California Library Edition 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.