By Zack Quaintance — While putting together my list for the Top Comics to Buy for May 19, 2021, I was struck by just how many new series this year have really started to gain momentum, from the ground timeliness of Home to the unpredictable and ethereal nature of The Many Deaths of Laila Starr. Almost the entirety of this week’s list are new series that have an issue or two under their belt, and have just kept getting better.

Anyway, enough rambling…check out my exact picks below!

Top Comics to Buy for May 19, 2021

PICK OF THE WEEK
Home #2
Writer: Julio Anta
Artist: Anna Wieszczyk
Colorist: Bryan Valenza
Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Publisher: Image Comics
Juan is on the run. Shaken from the trauma of being separated from his mother, the sudden emergence of superhuman abilities, and an accidental jailbreak, he has two options: track down his aunt in Houston or learn to survive on his own.
Why It’s Cool: Much like the first issue of this series (which I wrote a glowing review of), Home #2 is an engaging comic book story built around a tragic real world action taken by our government, one that we collectively should be learning more about, discussing more, and, quite frankly, taking more responsibility for allowing to have happened. This book is just so well done, a truly vital comic, and I’m glad it exists.
Price: $3.99
Buy It Here: Home #2

Immortal Hulk - Time of Monsters #1
Writer: Alex Paknadel and Al Ewing
Artist: Juan Ferreyra
Letterer: Cory Petit
Publisher: Marvel Comics
AL EWING AND ALEX PAKNADEL INTRODUCE THE ORIGINAL HULK! Ten thousand years ago, something green and glowing comes to poison the ancient ground of the Fertile Crescent — and the hearts of its people. One boy is left to bear the consequences — and, for the first time...to open THE GREEN DOOR. Plus: Bruce Banner faces a challenge unlike any he's seen before as writer David Vaughan makes his Marvel debut!
Why It’s Cool: Immortal Hulk is just generally excellent (and has remained that way for a good long while now), but the one-shots bringing in writers and artists from outside the series have been uniformly next level good. I’m especially excited about this book, which brings in writer Alex Paknadel (of Friendo fame) to team with artist Juan Ferreyra, who simply does not make bad comics. If you’re still unconvinced, hey, just look at this cover.
Price: $4.99
Buy It Here: Immortal Hulk - Time of Monsters #1

Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters #3
Writer: Chris Samnee and Laura Samnee
Artist: Chris Samnee
Colorist: Matthew Wilson
Letterer: Crank!
Publisher: Oni Press
Now that once-separated sisters Rainbow and Jonna have found each other again, the next step in their quest is simple: find their missing dad. In their quest, the sisters stumble upon a pocket of humanity in the broken wastes. Warriors and community leaders Gor and Nomi seem nice enough as they welcome Jonna and Rainbow to their campfire...but remembering that there's danger around every corner is rule number one in this post-cataclysmic world.
Why It’s Cool: This series so far has been sheer cartooning excellence from one of comics best, with artist Chris Samnee teaming up with Laura Samnee and regular colorist Matthew Wilson. It’s an imaginative and gleeful book, and it remains that way in issue #3, which deepens the adversity in this story without cutting down on any of the energy. It’s great work, and this is one of those books I believe everyone and anyone should be reading.
Price: $3.99
Buy It Here: Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters #3

The Many Deaths of Laila Starr #2
Writer: Ram V.
Artist: Felipe Andrade
Letterer: AndWorld Design
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
The avatar of Death now exists in the mortal world as twenty-something Laila Starr after humanity begins the path to discovering immortality.
* Years pass, and Laila unexpectedly meets the boy who will change everything at one of the formative moments in his life.
* Laila must decide what she truly wants from him -- and how far these revelations will push her...
Why It’s Cool: I absolutely loved the first issue of this series (as I wrote in my The Many Deaths of Laila Starr #1 review). With this follow-up issue, however, the book decidedly moves away from where one might have expected it to go in the debut (which, to be fair, wasn’t easy to predict), and you know what? It’s all the better for it. Through two issues, I can honestly say I’ve never read a book like this one, and I can’t wait to see what happens next.
Price: $3.99
Buy It Here: The Many Deaths of Laila Starr #2

Ultramega #3
Writer/Artist: James Harren
Colorist: Dave Stewart
Letterer: Rus Wooton
Publisher: Image Comics
Noah was supposed to continue the Ultramega legacy, fighting monsters on behalf of humanity…but that was before the Kaiju Klan.
Now, Noah must fight for his life in the Koliseum.
And no human has ever left it alive.
This issue of visionary creator JAMES HARREN’s ULTRAMEGA contains 44 pages of story.
Why It’s Cool: Ultramega has been so good through its first two issues that I actually went back into my Best Image Comics of 2021 (So Far) list to make a post-publication addition, something I rarely or never do. This issue really keeps the momentum going, doubling down on the shocking twists in a way that reminds me of Game of Thrones (back when it was at its ridiculous peak of quality).
Price: $7.99
Buy It Here: Ultramega #3

Others Receiving Votes

Captain America #29
Catwoman #31
Daredevil #30
I Walk With Monsters #6
Justice League #61
Luna #4
Nightwing #80
Stillwater #7
Undone by Blood: The Other Side of Eden #3
Way of X #2

New #1s and One-Shots

Fantastic Four: Life Story #1
Far Cry - Rite of Passage #1
Legends of the Dark Knight Vol. 2 #1
Rangers of the Divide #1
Red Room #1
Shang-Chi #1
Wonder Girl #1

Trade Collections and Graphic Novels of Note

Black Star HC
Dreaming Eagles TP
Home Sick Pilots Vol. 1 Teenage Haunts TP
Invisible Kingdom Vol. 3 In Other Worlds TP
La Mano Del Destino TP
Shazam! The World’s Mightiest Mortal Vol. 3 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.