By Zack Quaintance — I just got back from my first trip to New York Comic Con, and boy is my everything exhausted. It was a great show, though. I covered it for ComicsBeat, and I found myself running from panels to the press room to panels and back again. Covering these shows is never easy, but it’s nice to have a challenge within the context of what might otherwise be overwhelming. Also, as a professional journalist by trade, I feel like I’m doing at least a little bit of service to the industry.

But I digress. This week’s picks for Top Comics to Buy for October 9, 2019 feature some of the best creator-owned comics today. An artful and varied bunch, I will distract no further before jumping right into the list.

Let’s do this!

Top Comics to Buy for October 9, 2019

*PICK OF THE WEEK*
These Savage Shores #5
Writer: Ram V.
Artist: Sumit Kumar
Colorist: Vittorio Astone
Letterer: Aditya Bidikar
Publisher: Vault Comics
Price: $3.99
In the aftermath of war, victories and defeats are counted. But there are things lost that can never be regained. And so, a monster now travels to a civilized land for a final confrontation. A clash of ideologies that will leave in its wake a devastation of the soul. Along These Savage Shores from whence the monsters came to a world full of good men.
Why It’s Cool: These Savage Shores has been a creative tour de force, the most powerful comic of a wildy-powerful Vault publishing line. In this finale issue, the creative team absolutely sticks the landing, doing so in a way that is sure to haunt readers while also making them think. I’m sad this series has now ended, but I’m certain it will find a long life once more readers start to discover it in trade. I know I will be buying one for my shelf.

Coffin Bound #3
Writer: Dan Watters
Artist: Dani
Colorist: Brad Simpson
Letterer: Aditya Bidikar
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $3.99
In the clutches of the unstoppable assassin they call the Eartheater, Izzy must break free to rescue those she once cared for from the hands of the murderous poet Paulie. But once they learn of her past sins, will they want her to save them?
Why It’s Cool: I don’t want to spoil anything here, but this issue doubles-down on some of my favorite themes and imagery from this excellent series’ debut. This book is just so stylish and singular. It’s the best type of comic — one that can stand out on both the merits of its visuals as well as the questions and concerns raised by its plotting/script. I’m loving this.

Ice Cream Man #15
Writer: W. Maxwell Prince
Artist: Martin Morazzo
Colorist: Chris O’Halloran
Letterer: Good Old Neon
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $3.99
"COAT CHECK STORY"
Lillian is wearing someone else's coat.
Why It’s Cool: The creative team of one of the best books in all of comics continues to do a masterful job honing in on shared concerns and fears of our modern times, extrapolating them into these poignant and disturbing anthology stories. This one has to do with what we inherit from our parents, with how little control we sometimes seem to have over cyclical family traits, and the inherent horror of that business. It always feels odd to say about a comic that is anchored and tied together by a fanged and terrifying ice cream man, but there is no more human comic coming out today than Ice Cream Man. This remains an absolutely must-read title.

Powers of X #6
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Artist: R.B. Silva
Inkers: R.B. Silva and Adriano Di Benedetto
Colorist: Marte Gracia
Letterer: Clatyon Cowles
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price: $5.99
THE INEVITABLE TRUTH.
The revelatory tale of Mutantkind's fall comes to a conclusion that will lay the groundwork of the X-Men's stories for years to come! Superstar writer Jonathan Hickman (NEW AVENGERS, FF, INFINITY) and rising star artist RB Silva (UNCANNY X-MEN) wrap the series that reveals everything!
Why It’s Cool: Whereas House of X #6 saw Jonathan Hickman and co. absolutely stick the landing for the best X-Men story in 20 years (an unbelievable and high-concept course correct and reinvigoration for a much-loved but lately-neglected franchise), Powers of X #6 sees the setup for the future of the X-Men. This is a comic that essentially sets the stage for the six books soon to come out under the Dawn of X banner, and it’s just so well-done. It’s hard to envision a future (the central concern of this comic, as it would have it), where these two comics together aren’t seen as a gold standard for how to revive flagging superhero characters.

Usagi Yojimbo #5
Writer: Stan Sakai
Artist: Stan Sakai
Colorist: Tom Luth
Letterer: Stan Sakai
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Price: $3.99
The enthralling conclusion to "The Hero"! Usagi has been retained as a bodyguard to writer Lady Mura as she escapes her powerful, abusive husband. However, he is cornered in a dilemma when duty and honor conflicts with bushido, the rigid code of the samurai. Can only tragedy come of his decision?
Why It’s Cool: Honestly, Usagi Yojimbo is so consistent that it should be on here every single month. It, however, tends to fall into that trap where we (our committee of one, anyway) take it for granted. This issue (like any of the others in this series) is really something special. There’s nothing especially flashy about Usagi Yojimbo—it’s just smart as all get out, fairly-traditional graphic sequential storytelling done by a master of the craft.

New #1s and One-Shots

Batman Giant #1
Batman’s Grave #1
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Angel Hellmouth #1
Cobra Kai Karate Kid Saga Continues #1
DC Villains Giant #1
Dead Legends #1
Doctor Doom #1
Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Terror Season 2 #1
Future Fights First White Fox #1
Joker Harley Criminal Sanity #1
Joker Year of the Villain #1
Journey to Star Wars Rise of Skywalker Allegiance #1
Rwby #1
Secrets of Sinister House Vol. 2 #1
Shoplifters Will Be Liquidated #1
Thought Bubble Anthology 2019

Others Receiving Votes

Batman Universe #4
Black Hammer / Justice League #4
Collapser #3
East of West #43
Event Leviathan #5
Ghosted in LA #4
Invaders #10
Livewire #11
Oblivion Song #20
Outer Darkness #11
Pretty Deadly Rat #2
Superman #16
Thumbs #5
Wonder Woman #80
Wonder Twins #8

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.