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.

[killingyouguy]

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.

That's the problem with buying for an artist. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big art nerd. And I will occasionally buy a book just because of the artist involved, or the colorist if it's Dean White - almost as a cheap art book, if that makes sense. But I buy comics to read them, not to look at them, so at the end of the day, everything comes down to writing. In most cases, that means a writer I know and love. Fraction, Ennis, Ellis, Bendis, Brubaker, Hickman, Morrison, Alan Moore etc. In some cases, it's a book I happen to pick up because I've heard it is good - like Locke and Key, or Chew, or the Unwritten. I'll admit to being a little too unwilling to try new stuff from people that aren't as established with me, unless I've heard great things. But I'm also pretty poor as comics get more expensive, and once I've got all the books that I HAVE to buy, the ones I might want to try become increasingly difficult to justify.

[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.