Here is a cute "magical girl" manga that has just started, so the buy-in price is pretty low.  Witch Hat Atelier is about the exploits of Coco, a young seamstress who always wanted to be a witch, but she wasn't born with the power.  When she accidentally discovers her magical abilities, she freezes her mother and gets swept away by a witch who vows to train her so that she can undo the damage she's done to her mom.  I imagine we will not see this mother again for some time, as this story centers around her training and the trouble she gets in or causes.  The story is sweet and is reminiscent of the "adventuring-to-obtain" storyline of Magic Knight Rayearth. 

Illustrated by Sana Takeda
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I had a lot of people tell me I would really like this story, and I honestly don't know why I waited so long to get into it.  During ComicCon this year, I went on a comics-buying rampage, and this was one of them. Boy am I hooked! I am now eagerly awaiting the release of the fourth trade paperback, counting down the days!

Monstress follows the exploits of Maika Halfwolf through a beautifully drawn  matriarchal, steampunk world.  Humans fight against Archanics, a hybrid race of humans and Ancients.  Archanics often have animalistic features, are prone to magical abilities, and their bodies contain Lilium, a substance that, when ingested by humans, can give them great power.  Maika travels across the known world piecing together the history of her family, her ancestry, and her mysterious powers, all while being pursued by human witches as other Archanics.  Maika is not your typical heroine. She's rude, unfeeling, and singularly focused, which is rare for a female lead.  Her constant tag-along companion, Kippa, cares enough for both of them with her childlike innocence and belief in the good in the world.