If You Could Only Buy Three Comics (Revisited)

A couple of years ago, I wrote about cutting down the pull list by figuring out what I really liked reading, as opposed to what I just bought out of habit. This was followed up by a harsher test: if you could only buy three comics, what would you choose? At the time, I picked The Unwritten, Madame Xanadu, and The Unknown. Yes, at the time, The Flash wasn’t in my top three.

I found myself thinking about this again. Two of those series are gone, and I’m enjoying The Flash a lot more than I used to. What would my choices be today?

  • The Flash, definitely. While I didn’t care much for Flash: Rebirth, the ongoing series has proved to be a fun adventure.
  • The Unwritten. I think we’re approaching the half-way point with this series, which continues to be fascinating, thought-provoking, entertaining, and occasionally downright creepy as it explores the way stories shape the world. This book was one of my picks for the Read This Too! recommendation.

Those two are easy. The third one? That’s the hard part. The two contenders are:

  • Velocity. In the strictest sense of the question, I’d have to go with this one. It’s been a great story, and I want to see how it ends. But once that last issue comes out, I’d go with…
  • Lady Mechanika, which is shaping up to be a good steampunk mystery/adventure.

Actually, since Lady Mechanika is bimonthly and Velocity’s finale will probably come out between its issues, I could probably make a case for them sharing the third slot!

So what missed the cut, and why?

  • Farscape. I don’t like the New Jedi Order technique of having invaders destroy everything that’s previously been established about the universe, but I’m not ready to let go. That said, if I had to drop it, I’d happily rewind my personal canon to the end of Peacekeeper Wars.
  • Halcyon. An intriguing (if flawed) miniseries, and I’d like to read the whole thing, but I wouldn’t miss it too much if I couldn’t get the last two issues.
  • Fallen Angel. Somewhere around 15-20 issues into the IDW series, my interest level dropped, and I’m not sure why. It’s moved to a series-of-miniseries schedule, though, so there’s usually only a few issues each year.
  • Starborn. Three issues in, I’m still deciding whether to stick with this ongoing book in the first place.

One miniseries, one new series, an old favorite and a continuation of a TV series. (I’m also buying Wheel of Time and Darkwing Duck, but I’m not the main person reading them, so I don’t think they should really count for my three.)

So…If you had to buy only three comics a month, what would you choose?

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15 thoughts on “If You Could Only Buy Three Comics (Revisited)

  1. Craig MacD.

    Well, since Doom Patrol has been cancelled, I’d have to go with The Flash (more out of devotion to the character/concept than any real love for the current series), Secret Six, and the upcoming Batwoman series. Batman Inc. would have made the cut but it looks like there are problems with it getting out on time. The GL titles I’m dropping after “War of the Green Lanterns” and JSA and JLA tend to be good, but not great.

    Reply
  2. Ken O

    While Flaspoint is going to shoot it all to hell, the only monthly books I buy anymore are Flash and Mouse Guard. Everything else I’ve gone the wait for trade route.

    Reply
  3. Wayne Lippa

    Hmmmm, that’s a good question. My top 2 would be The Flash and the main Green Lantern title, but #3’s a bit tougher because I’m enjoying most of the Batman-related titles these days. I think I would go with Batman, Inc. because, despite the delays, even 2 issues in I think it’s worth the wait. I’ve been loving Morrison’s Batman since he started on the main title.

    Reply
  4. Nick

    Wow, not an easy question but I think my 3 titles would be:

    X-Factor
    Secret Avengers
    Flash

    There aren’t a lot of books that I HAVE to have each month. Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors was a close call as well as the main GL title. That’s about it though.

    Reply
  5. Fastest

    Adventure Comics
    Legion of Super-Heroes
    The Flash

    Lets not beat around the bush, I read super hero comics because of my loves for the Flash and Legion mythos. It doesn’t matter how good or bad they are, they are the reason I read comics. They all just so happen to be fantastic right now.

    Reply
  6. Luke

    (Invincible) Iron Man
    The Flash
    glamourpuss (although this one is bi-monthly)

    Outsiders would have been on this list in place of Flash if it were not cancelled. That book rocks it hard. But Flash makes the cut now!

    Reply
  7. Jason West

    The Flash
    Green Lantern

    The first 2 are easy.

    Brightest Day ends in 4 issues. Flashpoint only lasts for 5. Avengers: The Children’s Crusade only has 5 more issues. Once it hits issue 44 and Jurgens comes back I would probably have to go with

    Booster Gold

    as my third. The same 3 I’ve been reading for years. Johns’ Flash and GL and Jurgens’ Booster Gold. 🙂

    Reply
  8. kyer

    Anything with Flash (prefer Wally though).
    I like the more comedic Booster Gold, but was just told that Giffen is about to leave the book.
    Deadpool for the same reason if it wasn’t so graphically violent as well as humorous. I like his scattered mind.
    Been curious about Fables of which my nearby bookstore actually has a lot of TPB in stock, but haven’t had much opportunity to really look through them and get a feel for the rating or characters.

    Anyone have recommondations for ‘fun’ comics without flying entrails added into the mix, I’m willing to hear them.

    Reply
    1. Kelson Post author

      If you don’t like graphic violence, I’d suggest avoiding Fables. Great stories, but they are graphic when it comes to things like war and murder.

      Reply
  9. Jesse

    Red Robin, Ultimate Spider-Man, Fables.

    Next three might be Detective Comics, Invincible, and Flash.

    Next three might be Walking Dead, Batgirl, and New Avengers.

    Reply
  10. KC Flash

    My greatest reading enjoyment comes from DC Archives and Marvel Masterworks these days…However, if I had to limit my purchases to a just a few current books it would be: Flash, Captain America, Daredevil, Jonah Hex, and Batman related books.

    I have huge runs of certain characters and often find it difficult to “break” a run so to speak. I don’t know if it is loyalty to a character or hope that things will turn around in a given series that results in me keeping up with some of the series I collect.

    I am still holding out hope for another Golden Age Flash Archives though :))

    Reply
    1. Wayne Lippa

      It has been FAR too long since the last Golden Age Flash Archives. Has anyone heard if they’ll be doing any more of those or the Barry Allen Flash Archives, or are those Archives dead in the water?

      Reply
      1. KC Flash

        DC has really not been releasing too many Archives as of late. The last one released was the Batman: Dark Knight Archives #7. There is no new information that I am aware of regarding ANY upcoming new DC Archive per se.

        It appears that DC may begin to move away from the Archive format and continue on with the new Omnibus format that was recently introduced in the Green Lantern Omnibus and the upcoming Geoff Johns: The Flash omnibus…I have the Green Lantern omnibus and really am pleased with the format. I suspect everyone will be pleased with the Flash omnibus.

        It is possible that DC could someday release the Barry All run in an omnibus format but the odds probably aren’t too good for the release of more Golden Age Flash Archives. DC seems to be recently only focusing on Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman in the Archive format.

        Just my thoughts…

        Reply
  11. JonQCitizen

    My three that I MUST have are:

    1. Elephantmen (Image). Richard Starkings is a genius writer with an entire universe filled with “mad” scientists, genetically mixed animal-human hybrids, beautiful women….intrigue, suspense, comedy, & action! In my opinion, the best comic being published today.

    2. Green Lantern. Been following this one since Rebirth. Geoff Johns (as everyone on this site is aware) is a master at weaving the long story mixed with a bunch of “oohh”, “no way!”, & “didn’t see that coming” shorter stories. Green Lantern is his masterpiece!

    3. Flash. I starting reading the “old” Flash after I fell in love with John’s writing. I was skeptical of a guy wearing red and “just” running really fast….but John’s helped me fall in love with the Scarlet Speedster. I loved Wally West’s character, but I’m excited about the direction that Barry is going! Can’t wait for Flashpoint.

    **I want you to know how torturous narrowing down the last two were, since I collect around 10 a month….Green Arrow was close to bumping The flash.**

    Reply

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