What makes you buy a particular comic?

[penciljack]

We're not talking in the general sense here ... we all know we buy "comics" because comics are awesome. We're talking about that comic - that one right there, in your grubby little hands. Why did you buy THAT comic? What is the single most compelling reason that made you spend your hard-earned cheddar on that comic?

[Mike V]

Sometimes the author, usually though, it's when something has been recommended to me or has received good reviews.

[The P.R. Man]

if a creator is halfway cool to me at the one con I go to, I'll pretty much buy whatever he puts out, be it artist or writer.

-or they're Garth Ennis.


typically it's due to the charecter, or the artist, or I just heard it was a cool title.

edit: and if I happen to have money.

[Orphangrinder]

This is another poll where there's no good choice.

I'm usually either buying a book because there's a general consensus that it's good, or because I'm a fan of the artist. In the latter case, I often don't even end up reading it, because the story's probably garbage.

[penciljack]

They're ALL good choices.

[Zippy]

This one is tough. I went with characters because I'll buy a book with so-so art or so-so story. But I'll never buy a book that I think is based around crappy characters.

Hack/Slash and Lady Death are probably the only two floppies that I buy every single month. One has so-so art but a good story. The other has awesome art with a story that might have come from the mind of a mentally deficient orangutang. Both have great character designs and really cool concepts.

[CoreyPledger]

I voted writer. I don't care about who the writer is in particular, and I love looking at different art styles. I just like a good story.

[Rey de las Cabras]

I think a key item that is missing is 'The Buzz'. I've almost fallen off the map when it comes to comics and can barely keep up. When I do find time to shop, I go to a local shop and ask what's good, or what has a 'staff pick' flag. Same is true of digital comics...looking for reviews on blogs etc.

[penciljack]

Yeah, but "buzz" is too easy. Everybody who's followed comics at any length has bought something because of buzz, whether it be buzz about a particular creator, a controversy or something else.

[Popninja]

I'm typically drawn to an artist. For example, if Arthur Adams is drawing it, I WILL buy it, no question. Same with guys like Cheung or Coipel, Immonen or JRJr, Jim Lee or Jason Pearson and so many others. As far as writing goes, I love Kirkman's Invincible and would probably continue to buy it no matter who was drawing it, unless it was Liefeld or Bagley or someone whose work I just do not like. Same with writers like BKV or Morrison. Typically I'll read just about any comic they write, unless the art is just detestable, then I stay away. I gave up buying X-Men in the early aughts because the writing made me sick, but has the art been fantastic, like Scott Lobdell doing the writing on a Jim Lee drawn comic, I would have stuck around.

But typically, I pretty much buy comics for the artwork. Great writing is icing.