Marvelous Market: Best Comics to Buy June 18
All of the best comics from Marvel, DC, Image, and more!
This post might be truncated if read via email. Click here to read on the Website
Hello, and welcome to the Marvelous Market. If this is your first time here, welcome. This is the log of comics I, Spike Stonehand, the world's greatest comic critic, am considering buying this week. The work going into this curation is made possible by readers like you. For less than the cost of a cup of coffee a month, you can help make this work possible.
Don't Miss This, Floppy Magazine
BLOOD AND THUNDER # 2
I could have picked any number of titles you will see down the list for my pick of the week. AVENGERS VS. ALIENS I'm sure will not disappoint, and has been a must-read through three issues. I'm excited for the end of the current run of Star Trek titles. How could I not pick year 2 of ULTIMATES or issue 2 of a James Tynion / Michael Walsh serial killer comic? Because you, if you are plugged in to comics discourse, have heard about all of those comics already. BLOOD & THUNDER # 1 was a genuine surprise from me, even with Robert Kirkman's name attatched and personal favorite Benito Cereno writing. This could be a sleeper top comic of the year, and I want you, dear reader, to check it out.
Solicit Copy: The Prisoner from Cell Block X has escaped, but can Blood and her infuriatingly talkative gun Thunder stop him in time? Plus, discover the first meeting between Blood and Thunder!
Don't Miss This, Trade Paperback or Hardcover
GOOBERS
On the other hand, picking the TPB / Hardcover / OGN of the week was a bit more difficult. Nothing stood out to me as a must-buy, and the stuff I read in single editions was, at best, good but not great. So, I figure I'll take a chance and recommend something that looks interesting. Cody Ziglar is a rising star, writing the current MILES MORALES: SPIDER MAN title. The aesthetics for this look gross, horrifying, cute, and well-designed all at once. So, take a chance on this. Let me know how it goes.
Solicit Copy: Shaun of the Dead meets Nope with an injection of IT in GOOBERS - a hugely humorous horrorfest!
Something strange is bugging the residents of Pine Cove.
Clayton Lowe is headed back to his small Southern hometown, despite his best efforts to leave it in the rearview mirror. Clay’s new friends from grad school are about to meet his old friends from high school and discover that something may have finally changed in the town where nothing ever changes: Pine Cove is ground zero for an infestation of body-snatching alien-bugs.
Time to bury the past.
And it ain’t going to be easy.
From Cody Ziglar (Miles Morales: Spider-Man, Deadpool, Spider-Punk, Futurama) and Ryan Lees (Rick & Morty) comes a body-snatching splatter-fest of horror and humor!
What Else I'm Grabbing:
ABSOLUTE FLASH # 4
AVENGERS VS. ALIENS # 4
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN # 6
BATMAN & ROBIN: YEAR ONE # 8
EXQUISITE CORPSES # 2
G. I. JOE # 8
I HEART SKULL-CRUSHER # 10
THE NEW GODS # 7
STAR TREK OMEGA # 1
ULTIMATES # 13
ZATANNA # 5
New Number One Issues
BENJAMIN # 1
SOLICIT COPY: IN ONE L.A. MOTEL ROOM, A COSMIC QUEST IS ABOUT BEGIN. . . . Edgar Award nominee and Philip K. Dick Award-winner Ben H. Winters (EC's Cruel Universe, The Last Policeman Trilogy) and rising star Leomacs (EC's Epitaphs from the Abyss, Refrigerator Full of Heads) unravel a three-part, prestige format series exploring the hallucinatory second life of a brilliant author who imagined our desperate future but never imagined he'd become part of it . . .
More than just a writer, more than just a science-fiction icon, Benjamin J. Carp was a cultural revolutionary. Across 44 novels and hundreds of short stories-including the counterculture classic The Man They Couldn't Erase-Carp pushed the boundaries of literary respectability for the sci-fi genre and his readers' perception of reality itself . . . until decades of amphetamine abuse and Southern California excess finally ended a mind-bending career that always just escaped mainstream success. He died in 1982.
Until 2025 . . . when Benjamin J. Carp awakens, alive, in a burned-out motel on the fringes of Los Angeles. He remembers dying. He knows he shouldn't exist. Is he a dream? A robot? A ghost? A clone? A simulation? In his own time, Carp pondered all of these scenarios intensely through his fiction-and, now, as he treks from Studio City to Venice Beach and onward into the paranoid sprawl of 21st-century Los Angeles, he will be called to investigate his greatest mystery yet: himself.
In the tradition of Philip K. Dick's A Scanner Darkly and Thomas Pynchon's Inherent Vice comes a uniquely fascinating and hilariously deranged excursion into the metatextual nexus where existence and oblivion, past and future, genius and madness, and glitter and grim reality all meet just beyond Hollywood Boulevard . . .
BLOODLETTER # 1
SOLICIT COPY: Tasha Thornwall is THE BLOODLETTER, mystical mercenary of the world's secret underground. A former CIA operative forced to live in the shadows after being outed by Al Simmons 10 years ago, Tasha is now out for revenge when she learns Al Simmons is alive as Spawn. The mission to hunt down and kill Spawn begins in this debut miniseries by JOSEPH P. ILLIDGE (DC Comics' The Shadow Cabinet) and TIM SEELEY (HACK/SLASH, LOCAL MAN, Nightwing), along with the incredible art talents of CHRISTIAN ROSADO.
BRING ON THE BAD GUYS: DOOM # 1
SOLICIT COPY: THE BALANCE OF POWER IS FOREVER CHANGED! An ancient artifact known as the SOUL FORGE has the power to collect all the souls on Earth! Doctor Doom must stop it at all costs! Who is the mysterious Sister Sorrow, and what is her connection to Doom?
Part One of SEVEN Villainous One-Shots!
BYTCHCRAFT # 1
SOLICIT COPY: Set against the backdrop of modern-day New York City during a seemingly permanent supernatural eclipse, Bytchcraft follows a queer coven bound by magic and blood, each bringing their own flair to the craft: a pretentious oracle who speaks with gods, an emo necromancer with a forked tongue, and a nature witch with the soul of a fairy tale princess. Under the guidance of their enigmatic guardian MTHR, the coven discovers they're at the center of an ancient prophecy, and all wytchkind hangs in the balance!
EMMA FROST: WHITE QUEEN # 1
SOLICIT COPY: IN THE DARKEST DAYS OF THE HELLFIRE CLUB!
Before she became a mainstay of the heroic X-Men, Emma Frost had another role: White Queen of the Hellfire Club! As she grapples for power with the rest of the Inner Circle, witness Emma's ruthless ascent to the top! And when she discovers there is a mole within the Hellfire Club leaking secrets to their sworn enemies, the X-Men, Emma will stop at nothing to uncover the truth! Take a deep dive into Emma's past, learn shocking secrets and be prepared to bow down to the White Queen!
GARGOYLES: DEMONA # 1
SOLICIT COPY: A THOUSAND YEARS OF ADVENTURE BEGINS HERE!
After kicking off with a special prologue story in Dynamite Entertainment's Free Comic Book Day issue #0, the long-awaited tale of Goliath's former love and sworn enemy of the Manhattan Clan gets underway in earnest with a return to the Dark Ages and the aftermath of the destruction of Castle Wyvern!
The year is 1093, and the now-immortal Demona has become a lonely and hunted creature. Bereft of both clan and home after her betrayal of Scotland's king, she wanders south to Northumberland in search of a safe haven - only to find that her old nemesis, Canmore, is raiding the city.
Canmore's destruction is visited upon human and Gargoyle alike, and when she discovers the depths of his cruelty and the fate of her kind at his hands, Demona's fury sets in motion a cycle of vengeance that will last for centuries - and may yet consume the entire world!
Written by Gargoyles creator GREG WEISMAN and illustrated by acclaimed artist - and veteran of the original animated series - FRANK PAUR, this first chapter of the brand-new, centuries-spanning saga Gargoyles: Demona features cover art for the ages from PAUR, MEGHAN HETRICK, MARK SPEARS, and JAE LEE & JUNE CHUNG!
GODZILLA VS. AVENGERS # 1
SOLICIT COPY: ROUND FIVE: VS. THE NEW AVENGERS!
The original New Avengers return to face an unstoppable enemy — GODZILLA! In the aftermath of a massive battle between Godzilla, Fin Fang Foom, the Avengers, and Jet Jaguar, S.H.I.E.L.D. tries to make sense of what went down — but everyone's telling a different story! What really happened during that fateful clash? Find out when Earth's Mightiest Heroes take on Earth's Mightiest Kaiju!
ROUND FIVE IN A SERIES OF SIX ONE-SHOT THROWDOWNS!
JEFF THE LAND SHARK # 1
SOLICIT COPY: FRIENDS AND RIVALS! Hot off his star-making appearance in Marvel Rivals, everyone's favorite walking fish-boy has bitten off his first starring miniseries! Join Jeff as he teams up with many of the friends he's made over the years and outsmarts more than a few rivals along the way... and this time, he's got some all-new abilities on his side! Join Jeff co-creator Kelly Thompson and artist Tokitokoro as they sharpen the teeth of the undeniable star of the entire Marvel Universe — love him or hate him, you know you want to see MORE JEFF!
KRYPTO: THE LAST DOG OF KRYPTON # 1
SOLICIT COPY: ALL-STAR WRITER RYAN NORTH CRASH-LANDS KRYPTO ON EARTH! There will come a day when Krypto stands beside Superman, helping him fight off monsters, aliens, and supervillains — a day when this dog will save his adoptive world thanks to the incredible powers granted him by Earth's strange yellow sun. But he's not there yet. Today, Krypto is a normal puppy on Krypton, spending each happy, snoozy, endless day alongside his family: Jor-El, Lara, and baby Kal-El. But when a rocket test goes wrong, Krypto finds himself lost in space — and soon crash-landing, all alone, on a strange and alien world called Earth.
THE LAST WITCH: BLOOD AND BETRAYAL # 1
SOLICIT COPY: The one thing Saoirse has always known: witches are evil. But now she is one, and she has to contend with what that means for herself and her brother Brahm.
All the while, Nicneven has plans that can mean the end of Ireland as they know it. Saoirse must learn to control her magic — and her temper — if they want any chance of defeating her.
Are her own prejudices against witches creating more of a barrier between herself, her powers, and her family?
MONSTER HIGH: LOCKETNESS MONSTER # 1
SOLICIT COPY: A fang-favorite returns! For the first time in over a decade, IDW is bringing out-of-print Monster High comics back to unlife. Each short story from I Only Have Eye for You by Heather Nuhfer and Kellee Riley is back in a new format for fans to enjoy.
This month, Gil swims upon a fintastic shell. He fashions a faboolous necklace for Lagoona, and all is well. But when the ghoul dons the shell, she is not herself. If only Gil had left it on the ocean shelf!
THE ODDLY PEDESTRIAN LIFE OF CHRISTOPHER CHAOS: CHILDREN OF THE NIGHT # 1
SOLICIT COPY: A new school year begins for Christopher Chaos and his friends as he finds himself divided from his mentor, Adam Frankenstein, and searching for answers outside of any textbook. But when a dangerous, new monster arrives in New Briar City with a mysterious hunter on his trail, a strange case develops that only Christopher can solve! Will the Monster Club survive their latest foe or will they be torn apart-piece by bloody piece?
This terrifying new arc for the series introduces the Chaosverse's Dr. Henry Jekyll and a brand-new monster hunter known only as Helbound!
RED SONJA: NOIR # 1
SOLICIT COPY: The crimson-maned warrior of song and legend muscles her way into trouble once more in this all-new tale of hard-boiled Hyboria!
When her mercenary partner is murdered, Sonja is drawn into a feverish hunt for a priceless artifact known as the Crimson Calypso. The She-Devil with a Sword is out for revenge-but first she's got to slice her way through a web of deception and violence, waging a war of both weapons and wits against a pitiless and implacable foe.
Gimlet-eyed wordsmith DAVID AVALLONE joins legendary ink-slinger EDU MENNA for this special 40-page one-shot packed with two-fisted betrayals and bloody retribution-all wrapped in treacherously alluring covers from LESLEY "LEIRIX" LI, JOSEPH MICHAEL LINSNER, and cosplay by MOLLY STEWART!
RETURN TO SKULL ISLAND # 1
SOLICIT COPY: AN OFFICIAL CONTINUATION OF the SKULL ISLAND ANIMATED SERIES! KONG RETURNS! SPINNING OUT OF THE HIT NETFLIX SHOW!
A ragtag group of castaways must return to an island steeped in dark secrets and danger!
After Kong's battle with the Kraken, survivors soon discover that far worse lurks in the shadows... and that their unlikely ally may not be able to protect them from Skull Island's horrors!
STAR WARS: DOCTOR APHRA: CHAOS AGENT # 1
SOLICIT COPY: Out from the shadow of Darth Vader, Doctor Aphra returns! An all-new ongoing series featuring the rogue archaeologist as she makes her way through the galaxy in the era of the New Republic! Aphra must team up with Luke Skywalker to track down a rare artifact! And what will she do when her tattoos no longer function?!
THEY CHOOSE VIOLENCE # 1
SOLICIT COPY: Laneka, Deidre and Karen, three HBCU besties turned professional career women, enraged by the systemic injustice plaguing their community, band together to form a vigilante squad that targets White Supremacists deemed to have circumvented the justice system and gotten away with protected murder. Serving up grisly justice in increasingly creative ways, the vigilante posse becomes front-page news while always staying one step ahead of the law. It’s liberating, it’s addictive and it’s kinda fun – until a copycat killer emerges. They Choose Violence asks what happens when you go down the dark, unforgiving road of revenge? What happens when the only path forward is escalation? There’s no turning back now – for anyone.
ZENESCOPE LEGENDS: 2025 # 1
SOLICIT COPY: Summer 2025 brings together three thrilling tales of heroism, magic and the supernatural!
Hercules Payne fights to save a troubled teen from gang life, proving that true strength comes from the choices we make.
Gretel, the infamous witch hunter, is forced to confront a dark debt from her past that may cost her more than she can afford.
Mystere uncovers a chilling ghostly secret in the heart of New Orleans, where not all spirits seek peace.
Three legendary heroes. Three unforgettable stories. One must-read issue!
40 Pages of Content!
Trade Paperbacks, Hardcovers, and OGNs
Maybe you haven't yet been convinced of the superiority of monthly floppy comics. Well, here are some longer form and collected editions for you!
THE 13TH FOOTPRINT vol. 1
SOLICIT COPY: Following their son Ao’s release from the hospital, Touya, Haru, and Ao were all ready to start a new life in their picturesque new home. But that was before the postcards arrived... Each postcard details an event—one that won’t happen until the next day. Follow this family on an adventure to unravel the mystery, stopping to help everyone they can along the way.
AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER: THE LOST ADVENTURES AND TEAM AVATAR TALES OMNIBUS
SOLICIT COPY: Follow Team Avatar as they journey through the Four Nations! From Earth King Kuei to the Kyoshi Warriors, and Mai to the Boulder, your favorite Avatar: The Last Airbender friends are back for a wide-ranging exploration of life in their world. And where they go, danger, fun, and hijinks are sure to follow!
The comics continuation of Nickelodeon's hit series Avatar: The Last Airbender returns with a treasure trove of short stories, collected in an omnibus format.
This full-color omnibus collects short stories from The Lost Adventures and Team Avatar Tales, and includes the work of fan-favorite creators like Michael Dante DiMartino, Gene Luen Yang, Gurihiru, Faith Erin Hicks, Kiku Hughes, and many more! Add this gorgeous collection to your bookshelf today!
BATWOMAN: ELEGY
SOLICIT COPY: Graphic novels to read anywhere: DC Compact Comics collect DC's bestselling, most iconic stories in a new size!
Marked by the blood-red bat emblem, Kate Kane is a soldier fighting her own private war – one that began years ago and haunts her every waking moment.
A new villain has emerged in Gotham, masquerading as Alice, inspired by Alice in Wonderland. She sees herself as the hero in her own twisted fairytale with Gotham as her personal Wonderland. Kate Kane, also known as the Batwoman, is tasked with stopping Alice before she unleashes a deadly poison throughout the city. Presented in the Compact Comics format, get the critically acclaimed graphic novel for only $9.99!
Collects: Detective Comics #854-860.
BLACK COHOSH
SOLICIT COPY: A heartfelt, comedic coming-of-age debut from a bright new talent
When we meet Eagle Valiant Brosi, he is a long-haired commune kid, bullied by other kids,teachers, and his neighbors. And because of his speech impediment, Eagle observessilently and often. Mom―a classic earthy, free spirit prone to discursive lectures on naturalmedicine and the efficacy of certain plants―is the only one who really cares. So Eagle letsothers talk and talk and talk, revealing their true natures and selfish (sometimes evenselfless) motivations.
In Black Cohosh, Eagle pieces together the puzzling and hurtful things he has been told ashe takes his first, tragic steps into adulthood. While things may seem grim, Brosi’sdrawings are loose and limber, stretching and falling across each page. His cast of hippiearchetypes come with iconic thatches of hair, bushy beards, and scrawny, gesticulatingarms. Black Cohosh is a captivating debut from a natural storyteller with the expert timingof a veteran comedian and the soothing empathy of a death doula.
BRAWLHALLA TALES: NIX
SOLICIT COPY: Welcome to Brawlhalla! In this first-ever graphic novel based on the epic fighting game, follow Nix, a freelance reaper for the underworld, on a fight-filled action adventure into the warrior's paradise of Valhalla.
Nix, a freelance angel of death and the finest reaper of the Underworld, misses her mark at the hands of a rogue Valkyrie — and she never misses! She travels across the nine realms to Valhalla to reclaim her bounty, but the afterworld is not as she expected. Nix discovers strange enemies, stranger friends, and tougher fights than she ever imagined. Now begrudgingly teamed up with an unlikely partner, Nix will need to win Odin's tournament of heroes if she wants to keep her job and, more importantly, her soul.
A fun, action packed graphic novel that will delight both longtime fans and newcomers alike, immersing them in the vibrant world of Brawlhalla, uniquely brought to life in a comic book format for the first time by the creators of the game. With writing and narrative guidance from Brawlhalla co-creator Matt Woomer, art by game Illustrator R.J. Jost, this is a legendary story you won't want to miss.
CATS WITH JOBS vol. 1
SOLICIT COPY: Where there’s a job, there’s a cat ready to work in this adorable new manga from the creator of The Evil Secret Society of Cats, Yokai Cats, and Monster Cats.
Ever wondered what it would be like if your cat had to get a job? The cats in this book do every kind of occupation you can imagine, and they do it just the way they like. Feline chefs, dentists, wrestlers, detectives, opera singers and much more await in this hilarious full-color collection! Also includes a set of stickers featuring some of the working cats!
THE COMPLETE ANGLER: A GRAPHIC ADAPTATION
SOLICIT COPY: A foundational environmentalist text centuries ahead of its time, The Compleat Angler is one of the most reprinted books in the English language. From the ruins of the English Civil War to the challenges we all face today, Gareth Brookes’ highly original multimedia adaptation of Izaak Walton’s classic focuses on its instructional aspects, highlights its eccentricities and contemplative themes of nature and friendship, and draws parallels between today’s politically divided and ecologically endangered England and that of the 17th century.
Following Brookes’ similarly ambitious The Dancing Plague, this adaptation is lovingly rendered in both linocut engraving and hand-drawn pen-and-ink to contrast the meditative and the instructional in Walton’s writing. As a guidebook on how to fish, this 350-year-old manual makes the perfect gift for any angling enthusiast, and its reflective writing connects with post-pandemic desires for calm, mindful pursuits and a return to nature.
DAZZLER: WORLD TOUR
SOLICIT COPY: The mutant musician is back on the road and ready to dazzle!
Alison Blaire, Marvel's glittering mutant songstress, has been in and out of the limelight over the years – but now the time has finally come for Dazzler to reclaim center stage! Alison is embarking on a new world tour, the culmination and celebration of her entire musical career – with stops in London, Tokyo and New York City! And along for the ride is her new road crew: Domino, Strong Guy and Multiple Man! But while Dazzler may be ready to focus on her music, her celebrity-mutant status and a violent attack may sideline the entire endeavor before it's even begun. Just who is the mystery villain out to cancel Dazzler's performances – permanently? Plus: A Concert of Champions is the biggest show in town – starring Dazzler, Lila Cheney, Luna Snow, Spider-Gwen and the sinister new metal band Deep Void!
Collecting DAZZLER (2024) #1-4 and CONCERT OF CHAMPIONS #1.
DC FINEST: METAMORPHO: THE ELEMENT MAN
SOLICIT COPY: Years 1964–1972 of DC Finest: Metamorpho
Adventurer Rex Mason would do anything for the right price! When he's hired by his girlfriend’s evil millionaire father to steal the legendary Orb of Ra, his life is forever changed! Transformed by the ancient Egyptian artifact, Rex is reborn as Metamorpho. He can now transform his body into hundreds of different substances and shapes, but he’s gotta figure out how to save his love life first…maybe if he becomes a superhero?
Collects stories from BRAVE AND THE BOLD #57-58, #66, #68, #101, METAMORPHO #1-17 and JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #42.
THE DEVIL'S GRIN vol. 1
SOLICIT COPY: Millennial cartoonist Alex Graham’s follow-up to her acclaimed graphic novel Dog Biscuits follows the residents of Henryville, Idaho and their intertwined lives—and involves demons, Jim Morrison, a cartoonist with supernatural talent, sewer rats, and much more.
It’s 1974 in Henryville, Idaho. Robert hasn’t had an ordinary life. It began in a rush: flushed down a toilet by his mother and carried into the sewer by a demon. This monstrous presence stalks Robert into adulthood, haunting his dreams. Robert just wants to be like his idol, Jim Morrison: writing poetry, playing rock ‘n’ roll, chasing beautiful women. But try as he might to avoid sleep, he can never seem to escape the clutches of the demon. And it’s not just Robert: the demon soon begins haunting the entire city of Henryville. Dandelion, a young poet, falls in love with Robert and begins having confusing, terrifying romantic visions of the demon she can’t seem to shake. Gary, a cartoonist, becomes convinced that his vengeful cartoons are channeling the word of a righteous God, capable of manipulating reality in powerful and destructive ways. Robert, Dandelion, Gary, and other residents of Henryville find themselves tangled in a web of sex, drugs, rock ‘n’ roll, newspaper funnies, and demonic possession. Will the residents of Henryville find a way to escape? Was Robert and Dandelion’s romance doomed from the start? Will Robert’s band be any good?
With its mix of comedy, horror, magic realism, anthropomorphism, naturalism, humor, psychedelia, and pathos, The Devil’s Grin is a remarkable work of contemporary fiction by one of comics’ most distinctive storytellers. Weaving together multiple character arcs at a brisk, deft pace, Graham juggles their secrets, desires, and insecurities in continually surprising ways, slowly introducing layers of malice that lead to an unexpected darkness. Graham’s clear yet loose cartooning perfectly unfolds every twist and turn with creative precision.
6" × 9" - 420 pages - Black-and-white with spot color.
FREE AGENTS vol. 1
SOLICIT COPY: A team of young veterans, survivors of a massive intergalactic war are now stranded on Earth, free agents for the very first time in this high stakes, action-packed new series.
Salvo. Pike. Katari. Shakti. Ridge. Maraud. Chalice.
They've fought every day of their existence and won a terrible victory. Now they're stranded on Earth, free agents for the first time.
But when relics from their long war appear, threatening their chance at better lives, their greatest battle begins. They've fought for a million planets. Can they fight to save their own souls?
Collects FREE AGENTS #1-7.
GOD TIER vol. 1
SOLICIT COPY: The mysterious anarchist Typhon, the god of monsters, has sparked a fire that has spread across the world. Pablo Costello, and his sister Anna, are trapped in between the raging battle between gangs, police, gods and monsters.
HACK / SLASH: BODY BAGS
SOLICIT COPY: When slasher hunters Cassie Hack & Vlad roll into Terminus, GA in search of a killer, they're instantly up to their asses in bounty hunters! Meanwhile, Mack "Clownface" Delgado needs to school his daughter Panda in the ways of Bodybagging, and it needs to happen quickly, which means a private school lock-in for baggers in training — and a teen-slicing slasher.
Yeah, big knives, short skirts, and swear words are gonna start flying.
Worlds collide in the most twisted crossover of 2024, that reintroduces the cult-favorite crew of BODY BAGS, from Eisner nominee TIM SEELEY (LOCAL MAN, HACK/SLASH) and OG HACK/SLASH artist STEFANO CASELLI (Ultimate Black Panther, X-Men)!
Collects HACK/SLASH = BODY BAGS #1-4.
HAWKMOON: THE BLACK JEWEL
SOLICIT COPY: ADAPTED FROM THE MICHAEL MOORCOCK NOVEL!
SET IN A DYSTOPIAN FUTURE WITH ALIENS, MONSTERS AND MAGIC CREATURES ALL FIGHTING FOR SURVIVAL!
Set in a post-apocalyptic age of primitive technology and strange magic, Europe has been conquered by the tyrannical Granbreton empire led by King-Emperor Huon. When the city of Köln falls under the empire's iron ire and its Duke, Dorian Hawkmoon is captured, it's up to one of the last strongholds of civilization to rescue him and end the Granbreton's evil rule.
KING CONAN: THE ORIGINAL COMICS OMNIBUS vol. 1
SOLICIT COPY: ALL HAIL KING CONAN!
CONAN THE BARBARIAN, THE THIEF, THE MERCENARY, AND NOW... CONAN THE KING!
From the battlefield to the throne room, from barbarian to legendary monarch, the timeless saga of Conan reaches the era when he became KING!
Collecting issues #1-19 of King Conan (1980-1983).
MISSING ON THE MOON
SOLICIT COPY: The year is 1997, and crime on the Moon runs rampant... and in the Lunar colony of Buzztown, a billionaire's daughter has just gone missing. Washed-up private investigator Daniel Schwinn is tasked with finding the missing child, but in the process discovers a dark conspiracy stemming back decades... Schwinn will have to navigate a world of undead drug addicts, mechanized robocops, and blue-skinned Soviets known as Darksiders to discover the truth. In doing so, he'll have to confront his own allegiances, and try to atone for past mistakes since resurfaced.
MOON KNIGHT: FISH OF KHONSHU vol. 1
SOLICIT COPY: Superstar writer Jed MacKay begins a new chapter in his highly acclaimed Moon Knight saga!
As an avatar and agent of the Egyptian God of the Moon, Khonshu, former mercenary Marc Spector has died and come back to life on more than one occasion. To the ignorant, his fate beyond death’s grasp may seem idyllic — but being chosen as a Fist of Khonshu comes with a heavy cost! And like bones in a street fight, Marc Spector — and the multitudes he contains — may be about to break!
COLLECTING: Moon Knight: Fist of Khonshu (2024) #0-5.
THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS: LONG LIVE THE PUMPKIN QUEEN
SOLICIT COPY: A NEW NIGHTMARE COMES TO HALLOWEEN TOWN!
An all-new graphic novel based on the New York Times best-selling Disney novel Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas: Long Live the Pumpkin Queen by Shea Ernshaw!
Jack and Sally Skellington seem like the perfect couple - but all is not well in Halloween Town!
After escaping from Dr. Finkelstein and marrying her true love, Jack, Sally has become the realm's official Pumpkin Queen. But as much as she adores her skeletal husband, the spotlight of popular attention and the weight of her many new royal obligations have left Sally wondering if she might have actually just traded one form of captivity for another. To make matters worse, when Sally and Zero discover a hidden doorway leading to the previously unknown Dream Town, the resulting cascade of calamities threatens not only her new position as Pumpkin Queen, but also the very foundations of her world!
To save her beloved home, Sally will have to summon all the strength she has within her seams - or else the future could become a nightmare without Halloween!
Featuring the timeless characters from Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas, this all-new graphic novel is adapted by acclaimed author LIZ MARSHAM (Disney Princess: Ariel and the Sea Wolf, Disney Tangled: The Series) and illustrated by ALESSIO PETILLO and ISMAEL CANALES, and features hauntingly beautiful cover art by comics legend JILL THOMPSON!
NOSTALGIA
SOLICIT COPY: A reclusive rock star receives a mysterious package that forces him to face both his past and a resistance movement that represents all of the ideals he had once stood for. A wild exploration of stardom and its price from Babydaddy of the Scissor Sisters in his comics writing debut!
OUTSIDERS vol. 1
SOLICIT COPY: Prepare to be captivated by another masterpiece from the mind of Kanou Akira, where fantasy meets reality, with Outsiders Volume 1. Delve into a world where vampires and werewolves clash in the shadows, and humans unravel the secrets of an ancient feud.
Navigate the world of dark fantasy alongside Ema, a high school student who is full of energy and determination. She embarks on a perilous path that will challenge her beliefs and reshape her destiny.
The courageous, young protagonist finds that she possesses special abilities, but will those same gifts attract unwanted attention? Will her curious nature help her uncover secrets, or lead to her demise?
With mesmerizing artistry, Akira brings this dark tale to life, capturing the bustling streets of Japan and the eerie shadows where otherworldly creatures lurk. Although Akira thrusts readers into a treacherous war between fantastical creatures, it is in a world not so different from our own.
These monsters aren’t from another dimension, they are from ours and have been fighting an age-old battle within the shadows. Outsiders Volume 1 casts that same shadow over the reader, who is caught in the chaos and conflict and left on the edge of their seat.
POWERPUFF GIRLS vol. 1
SOLICIT COPY: SUGAR! SPICE! AND EVERYTHING NICE! These are the ingredients you need to make the perfect little girl! But one day in the lab, Professor Utonium accidentally added a little something extra to the recipe: CHEMICAL X! And lo, the POWERPUFF GIRLS were born!
Since that fateful day, BLOSSOM, BUBBLES, and BUTTERCUP have dedicated their lives to fighting evil in every form ― tirelessly defending their idyllic city from petty criminals, destructive monsters, and diabolical super-villains alike.
Now, the titanic trio's latest round of ultra-powered adventures are available in all-new collected editions! The Powerpuff Girls Vol. 1: The Day Is Saved! includes issues #1-3 of the ongoing series from writer KELLY THOMPSON and artists PAULINA GANUCHEAU, KAREN S. DARBOE, and MIRIANA PUGLIA, together with The Powerpuff Girls Halloween Special from author AMANDA DEIBERT and artist CAT STAGGS!
RADIO STORM vol. 1
SOLICIT COPY: Are love and salvation possible at the end of the world? For core-user Sak, such a dream is unthinkable. Bullied by his peers at the war academy for his seemingly useless abilities, Sak spends every day focused only on survival. But when a deadly plague compromises the haven of his school, fantasy suddenly starts looking a whole lot more like reality. Now Sak must find his Caller—a person who amplifies his powers and who he'll feel an innate, deep sense of affection for. The only problem? When he finally meets his stranger, he thinks Sak has lost his mind! In the face of unreciprocated feelings, weaponized distrust, and life-or-death stakes, can Sak and his Caller meet on the same wavelength? Or will their journey lead them to a hell of regret…?
THE RAGNAROK SYSTEM OF THE DESPERATE REINCARNATED DEMON LORD AND THE SEVEN AGGRESSIVE MAIDENS vol. 1
SOLICIT COPY: Rintarou, a renowned hero who helped save Japan from being taken over by demons, has become an unconfident university student. Though he still has his incredible abilities, there’s one thing he doesn’t have—a girlfriend. But one day, a princess suddenly approaches him and asks to be his wife, his girlfriend...or even his friend with benefits!?
THE SEASONS vol. 1
SOLICIT COPY: Summer, Winter, Spring, and Autumn are the Seasons Sisters, the daughters of the world-renowned Seasons Detectives. Ten years ago, their famous parents disappeared. Left to raise themselves, the sisters formed an unbreakable bond. Now that bond is tested as the sisters fall prey to sinister forces. The youngest sister, Spring, is the last hope of saving them from a fate worse than death. Will Spring be able to piece her shattered family back together before it's too late for them all?
RICK REMENDER (BLACK SCIENCE) and PAUL AZACETA (OUTCAST) weave an elevated tale of whimsical horror unlike anything ever experienced in comics and it all starts here! Perfect for fans of BOUNDARY-BREAKING HORROR in all forms.
Collects THE SEASONS #1-4.
SPICE AND WOLF COLLECTOR'S EDITION vol. 1
SOLICIT COPY: Kraft Lawrence has been walking the lonely path of the itinerant merchant for seven years. His life changes forever when he meets Holo, the Wolf-God of the harvest, and the two begin traveling together. Soon they discover a unique business opportunity, but their plans go awry when a competing organization captures Holo and threatens to turn her over to the oppressive, monotheistic Church. Can Lawrence rescue his companion, and will the pair become more than just friends? Find out in this newly released deluxe collector's edition!
SUPERMAN ADVENTURES COMPENDIUM ONE
SOLICIT COPY: Set in the continuity of Superman: The Animated Series, this bestselling comic book run takes the Man of Steel on adventures outside of the screen.
Superman: The Animated Series defined the Man of Steel for a whole new generation of young viewers. Now go beyond the adventures from the screen in the acclaimed comic book series set in the continuity of the show. With stories written by the original series writers and in the style of the animated series, witness Superman battle Doctor Fate and Lobo wreak havoc upon Metropolis. Relive the show that brought the Man of Steel to life.
Collects: Superman Adventures #1-29; Superman Adventures Annual #1; Batman & Superman Adventures: World's Finest #1; Superman Adventures Special: Superman/Lobo - Misery In Space #1
X-MEN: RAID ON GRAYMALKIN
SOLICIT COPY: The first exhilarating crossover of the From the Ashes era of X-Men!
With one of their own incarcerated, the X-Men move on Graymalkin Prison to free their teammate. But it's not just one team: In Alaska, Cyclops' X-Men scramble a rescue mission – while in Louisiana, Rogue's X-Men strike out on their own sortie! Doctrinal rivals each with their own objective, will these two fractious teams find themselves at cross-purposes? Of course they will – after all, an “X” is made by two lines crossing! Rogue and Cyclops come to blows as emotions come to a head, pitting the two groups of X-Men against one another in a place where their only chance for survival is to stand together. Xavier's dream lies shattered, and broken edges always draw blood!
Collecting X-MEN (2024) #8-10 and UNCANNY X-MEN (2024) #7-8.
What did I miss?
If there are some great comics, collected or in single issues, that you think I should be reading, tell me about them! And if you do try out any of these series, let me know how you liked them, or didn’t. This is a safe space for haters. If you enjoy this service, please share this article on social media or tell someone that you know reads comics about it.
Divining Comics is brought to you by generous support from the “Best Friends of Divining Comics,”My Marvelous Year and Alex Seubert.
Divining Comics is also brought to you by the support of the “Friends of Divining Comics,” Comic Book Herald.