Quarantine may have its own dangers, but it’s no apocalypse. It gives everyone time to read, and to repair glasses as needed. So what are the good cheap reads right now? In this ongoing series, Superhero Hype takes a look at some of the better deals Amazon.com has running as of publication time. Please note that all deals are subject to change or sell out at any time based on supply and demand.
Superman Smashes the Klan Paperback
A graphic novel inspired by the famous 1940 radio serial in which Superman took a stand against hooded white supremacists. The radio show inspired real-life Superman fans to stand up to racism; Gene Luen Yang’s book teams up two Asian-American teens in 1946 with Kal-El. They help him bust cross-burners and protect their family when Kryptonite threatens to thwart the man of steel. Will this inspire modern readers to fight racial injustice? Read and find out!
Thor by Jason Aaron: The Complete Collection Vol. 2
Old King Thor, female Thor, an army of Thors and the original Odinson face Malekith, Galactus, Battleworld and more! Taika Waititi’s next Thor movie sequel is apparently inspired by some of this, but nobody yet knows how much. Read up on the action and get prepped for a dose of love and thunder.
Frank Miller’s Ronin Paperback
Frank Miller‘s groundbreaking miniseries is where most comic fans first learned the Japanese word for a masterless samurai. The iconic 1983 title focuses on an innocent samurai and his arch-enemy, trapped inside a cursed sword until they’re reawakened in a dystopian future. An influential work that inspired the likes of Samurai Jack and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, it’s well worth the $14.99 reduced price.
Doctor Strange by Donny Cates
Loki as the new Sorcerer Supreme? Mephisto as lord of Las Vegas? Doctor Strange’s life lives up to his surname in this cheeky, bizarre adventure by Donny Cates.
Absolute Carnage
Some folk’ll never eat a spider, but then again some folk’ll…just don’t call this Cletus a slack-jawed yokel! Carnage comes looking to kill everyone to ever wear a Klyntar symbiote, and that brings him into an expected and awaited confrontation with Venom. Just be warned that the ending teases a whole new story.
Cosmic Ghost Rider: Baby Thanos Must Die
Everyone loves a space saga about a mercenary and the infant version of a famous all-powerful movie alien. But this might not be the one that initially comes to mind. Counting on comic timeline rules being different from MCU movie rules, Frank Castle becomes the space Ghost Rider Punisher, and tries to kill Baby Thanos, as one does. Think his odds of succeeding are 50-50?
Grays Sports Almanac: Back To The Future 2
Sports? Did this suddenly become a sports site? Not quite. What we have here is a replica of the Macguffin from Back to the Future Part II. Except now it’s real, and it actually does have all those sports statistics through the year 2000. Use it for Biff Tannen cosplay, display it as a talking point, or buy for an actual sports stat nut. Just don’t get in a time machine and give it to your past self. Judging by the current state of the world, somebody else probably already did it first.
House of X/Powers of X Hardcover
The secret past, present, future, and far future of Mutantkind revealed! Across four time periods, the story of the X-Men gets a reboot — one that’s going to feature heavily in Hasbro’s toy line next year. Jonathan Hickman weaves a dense epic that’s a lot to take in…but it’s 20% off right now.
From Hell Paperback
Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell do a deep dive into every Jack the Ripper theory in this 576-page epic of historical fiction. Don’t think that the Johnny Depp movie loosely based on it spoiled the ending, either. The original, like most comics written by Moore, is far more challenging and essentially unfilmable. But it’s a 22% off tome that will keep readers occupied all day.
The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes 30th Anniversary Edition
Neil Gaiman‘s radical reimagining of the life of Morpheus, lord of dreams, recently saw all-star audiobook adaptation. It’s also in line for a modern-day series at Netflix. But nothing matches the hallucinatory visuals of the original comics. Sam Kieth’s imagery immersed us in waking dreams and nightmares, all while Gaiman’s richly referential world introduced readers to the Endless.
