Savagery, serial killers, and ghost stories

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This week’s Top Comics to Buy for November 12 felt like one of those that was specifically aimed at my tastes, including as it does a great new Hellboy adventure along with some gritty, oddball crime comic art from David Lapham, and the conclusion of my favorite Batman comic in some time. So yeah, I’m a happy reader that week, and it was fun to write about my favorites.

You can find all five of my recommendations below, along with the usual set of release lists … enjoy!

Top Comics to Buy for November 12

American Caper #1
Creator & Writer: Dan Houser
Producer & Additional Writing: Lazlow
Layouts & Pencils: David Lapham
Colorist: Lee Loughridge
Finishes: Chris Anderson
Letterer: Nate Piekos
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
A tale of two totally normal, completely damaged families in a world of corrupt businesses, inept local politicians, bungling criminals, and unfortunate leisurewear. We follow the fortunes of two neighbors on the point of collapse: a Mormon hit man and a gambling-addict lawyer, both intertwined in a real-estate deal gone wrong. Mix in a Mexican beauty queen on the run from her past, two escaped convicts in love, a Wall Street billionaire who has become a cowboy, and a maniac hell-bent on revenge. American culture has become a war about real estate, violence, and snake oil.
Why It’s Cool: This feels from the start like a big swing of a comic, one that is going to lean into the medium and also try to deliver a treatise on what’s ailing America these days. The writing is cheeky, the art gritty and interesting, and the scope of the thing feels like it might just take on the entire damn country. Oh, and not a single person in these pages is likable, and that might be the whole point.
Price: $4.99

Batman: Dark Patterns #12
Writer: Dan Watters
Artist: Hayden Sherman
Colorist: Triona Farrel
Letterer: Frank Cvetkovic
Publisher: DC Comics
Can the Dark Knight Detective quell the hungry flames threatening to erase Gotham before the city is no more, or will the Child of Fire’s inferno devour it all?
Why It’s Cool: I’ve recommended nearly every issue in this series within the space of this column, and I’m not going to stop at this week’s finale. My only pang of sadness here is that this phenomenal Batman comic has to come to an end. Here’s hoping DC Comics finds more space (mainline, Black Label, or Elseworlds) for this creative team to return to Gotham City soon.
Price: $4.99

Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Rite of Spring #4
Writer/Artist: Patrick Horvath
Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Why It’s Cool: This series has been a worthy follow-up to the breakout hit original book, introducing as it has a formidable opponent for its serial killer main character. In this most recent issue, things continue to get more and more tense as the threads that were so expertly lain out in the opening issue develop further. Simply put, at this point Beneath the Trees is an essential must-read.
Price: $4.99

Die Loaded #1
Writer: Kieron Gillen
Artist: Stephanie Hans
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Publisher: Image Comics
A year after their return from the hellish game world, the players gather for Chuck’s wake. They’ve finished with the game. The game isn’t finished with them. The three-time Hugo Award-nominated series is back in November. Get ready to roll initiative. Who’s going to DIE this time?
Why It’s Cool: I absolutely lived Die’s first run of comics, combining as it did writer Kieron Gillen’s obsessions with TTRPGs and artist Stephanie Hans absolutely gorgeous painted art. For a book based on gaming, Die has always been willing to go to very dark places with its character. This new series is picking up right where the original left off. This one was an easy choice for this week’s Top Comics to Buy for November 12.
Price: $3.99

Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: The Ghost Ships of Labrador #1
Writers: Mike Mignola and Rob Williams
Artist: Laurence Campbell
Colorist: Lee Loughridge
Letterer: Clem Robins
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
A town overrun by ghosts would be enough of a problem, but Hellboy has an even bigger problem on his hands when a fellow B.P.R.D. agent disappears amongst the paranormal chaos.
Why It’s Cool: Artist Laurence Campbell drew one of my favorite stretches in the Hellboy/BRPD main narrative, a suspenseful and dark stretch of that apocalyptic arc, replete with gigantic set pieces. This new story sees Campbell making a very welcomed return to the pages of Hellboy, to tell a story with a slightly smaller scope, yet with imagery that feels equally as grandiose. Also, on writing duties Mike Mignola is joined by Rob Williams, who is telling another haunting at sea tale via comics right now in the pages of 2000AD. What results is a great first half of a two-part Hellboy ghost story.
Price: $4.99

Other Comics I Enjoyed This Week

Action Comics #1092
Adventures of Lumen N #3
Aquaman #11
The Author Immortal #2
Black Diamond #3
C.O.R.T. Children of the Round Table #3
Death to Pachuco #2
Marvel Knights: The World to Come #4
Red Vector #4
Supergirl #7
Ultimate Wolverine #11

New #1s and One-Shots

1776 #1
Batman Static Beyond #1
Colossal Kaya #1 (one-shot)
Gargoyles x Fantastic Four #1 (one shot)
Liquidator #1
Peter Cannon Thunderbolt #1
Poison Ivy Annual #1
Predator Badlands #1
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Godzilla #1
Thundercats Panthro #1
X-Men: Tales From the Age of Apocalypse #1 (one shot)
Youngblood #1

Graphic Novels and Trade Collections

Adventureman Vol 4 Family Free HC
Armored Vol 1 HC
Avatar The Last Airbender Team Avatar Treasury Omnibus TP
Blade Forger TP
Blade Runner 2039 The Complete Series Omnibus HC
Blood & Thunder Vol 1 The Prisoner on Cell Block X TP
Comfortless TP
Creepy Archives Vol. 11 TP
DC Finest War The Big Five Arrive TP
Doctor Doom Epic Collection Vol 1 Enter Doctor Doom TP
Doctor Strange Epic Collection Vol 12 Strangers Among Us TP
Friday The Complete Series Deluxe Edition HC
Gehenna Naked Aggression TP
Goon Them That Don’t Stay Dead TP
Green Lantern Corps Vol 1 New World Rising TP
Gunnerkrigg Court Vol 3 Refine / Dissolve TP
Heaven West Virginia TP
Hello Darkness Vol 3 TP
Hunger Bill Sienkiewicz Premiere Edition HC
Incredible Hulk Omnibus Vol 3 HC
Injustice Gods Among Us Compendium 2 TP
Invincible Universe Battle Beat Vol 1 Heart of Glory TP
Jim Starlin’s Dreadstar Omnibus Vol 1 TP
Jupiter’s Legacy Library Edition Vol 2 HC
Lenore TP Slipcase Set
Little Batman Month One A Batman Graphic Novel TP
Lovers and Haters: A Love and Rockets Book TP
Masters of the Universe / Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Turtles of Grayskull TP
Micronauts The Original Marvel Years Epic Collection Vol 2 This Battlefield Earth TP
Minor Arcana Vol 2 Wheel of Fortune TP
Money Shot Vol 1 TP (compact edition)
My Year in Vietnam TP
Peacemaker Presents The Vigilante Eagly Double Feature TP
Power Rangers Prime Vol 2 TP
Shadow of the Golden Crane HC
Spider-Boy Vol 4 Full Circle TP
Super Sons The Complete Collection Book 2 TP
Superman Our Worlds At War Omnibus Vol 1 Prelude to War HC
These Savage Shores TP (compact edition)
Transformers Vol 4 Conquer and Control TP
Ultimate X-Men By Peach Momoko Vol 3 The Realm of the Mind TP
Where There’s Smoke There’s Dinner Confessions of a Cartoonist Cook TP
Witchblood TP (compact edition)
X-Men by Al Ewing Omnibus HC