Forum 2.0

Comics in December 2025

With the demise of Diamond's website and Previews, the task of knowing what's to come — and what to order, in the various ways we do it — has gotten harder. Would it be useful to have a list of advance solicitations? Here, for example, is Marvel's fo

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Homage Covers: X-Men #138 (Cover date October 1980)

The original cover, by John Byrne and Terry Austin, is cover-dated to october 1980.

 

 

In chronological order by cover date, these are covers that I know of that I consider to be clear enough homages.  Thanks to the Grand Comics Database for the images

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Deadpool/Batman #1 Reactions (SPOILERS)

1. We begin with "Dead of Knight", by Zeb Wells and Greg Capullo. The Joker summons Deadpool to Earth-Zero (It's a long story.) to help him deal with Batman. Batman cleverly plays the pair of them off against one another. Now, I've always despised Deadp

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Comics for Sept. 17, 2025

ADVANCE PICK OF THE WEEK

MARVEL/DC DEADPOOL/BATMAN #1 ($6.99): Wait, this is here already? Honestly, I haven't been breathlessly anticipating it. But it's bound to be the best-selling book of the month, if not the year. It includes:

• Batman/Deadpool

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Comics for Sept. 10, 2025

NOTE: NING's photo-placement tool stopped working early Tuesday, and wasn't fixed by Tuesday night. I had to go with just the art I that was already uploaded before the tool broke.

ADVANCE PICK OF THE WEEK

DC FINEST: HORROR — THE DEVIL'S DOORWAY TP (

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Dan Jurgens' Thor

At the end of Randy Jackson's "Walt Simonson's Thor" discussion last year, I posted: "I'm waffling between "Dan Jurgens' Thor" and "Walt Simonson's Ragnarok." I've finally made up my mind. Before I get to it, though, I would like to re-read Dark Hors

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DCF Blue Beetle

First, Dan Garrett...

Charlton's Blue Beetle was not the first... he was not even the first named "Dan Garrett." The original Blue Beetle was a police officer in his civilian identity who first appeared in Mystery Men Comics #1, published by Fox Publi

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Comics for Sept. 3, 2025

ADVANCE PICK OF THE WEEK

BATMAN #1 (DC, $4.99) is by Matt Fraction and Jorge Jiménez. I assume this will sell pretty well.

“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Batman," Fraction said. "It was the first comic I ever read. Jorge and I have a very super

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Sky Masters of the Space Force

Here is a complete episode guide for the strip. All art is by Jack Kirby, inked first  by Wally Wood and later by Dick Ayers. The only credited scripters were Dick and Dave Wood, but it is widely believed that Jack Kirby wrote the later scripts.

THE C

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Spectacular Spider-Man Omnibus

I remember when Spectacular Spider-Man debuted (or Peter Parker the Spectacuar Spider-Man, as it was called then). The series' initial raison d'être was to focus on the "Peter Parker" side of "Spider-Man." I turned my nose up at it (same as I did wit

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Comics for Aug. 27, 2025

THIS WEEK'S ADVANCE PICK

THE MORTAL THOR #1 (Marvel, $4.99) is by Al Ewing and Pasqual Ferry. To be clear, I haven't been reading Ewing's Thor. But now I may have to.

Thor is on a hero's journey that may require me to break out my Joseph Campbell. Im

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Cool DC Shop Figurine

I was sure that I could not be tempted by anything superhero-related, but then I saw this.Bat-Signal. 

Here it is at home: 

 

Here it is lit: 

And here's the signal on my ceiling: 

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Comics for Aug. 20, 2025

ADVANCE PICK OF THE WEEK

DC Finest: Hawkman -- Wings Across Time TP (DC, $39.99): I have all of the original comics, and the Silver Age Hawkman Archives, but I'm still excited! I won't mind getting these again, and reading them in order -- especially

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The Greatest Joker Stories Ever Told

BATMAN #1 - "The Joker"

The Joker got off to a strong start with not one but two stories in the very first issue of Batman. No clown, he, but a psychopathic thief and serial killer from the very beginning whose murders were nothing short of inventive.

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Gasoline Alley

I just finished reading all of For Better or For Worse, one of three family-oriented continuity strips that occur in more-or-less "real time" that I've been reading for most of my life (the other two being Doonesbury and Funky Winkerbean). But the gr

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Comics for Aug. 13, 2025

Here are some books likely to ship Aug. 13, 2025.

EVENTS

20TH CENTURY FOX/MARVEL

Predator Kills the Marvel Universe #1 (of 5, $5.99): I don't understand the poularity of a series where everyone dies. I don't want to see my favorite characters die! Is

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Moon Knight (1980)

There was a brief time in the early 1980s when Moon Knight was my favorite character (basically the Moench/Sienkiewicz run of the character's solo series). Although I have reread Moon Knight from time-to-time over the years, I always go back to his e

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Comics for August 6, 2025

Some books that will probably come out August 6:

"ONE WORLD UNDER DOOM"

ONE WORLD UNDER DOOM #6 (OF 9, $4.99) is by Ryan North and R.B. Silva.

"Reed reveals a terrible secret he’s acquired about Doom’s global domination." My thinking is (and always h

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Comics for July 30, 2025

Some books that are scheduled for July 30, 2025.

"BRING ON THE BAD GUYS"

BRING ON THE BAD GUYS: LOKI #1  (OF 7, MARVEL, $4.99) is by Anthony Oliveira. Mephisto gives Loki a task. But you and I know Loki never does what he's told.

 

“SUMMER OF SUPER

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Comics for July 23, 2025

Here are some books that will probably come out July 23.

"ONE WORLD UNDER DOOM"

DOOM'S DIVISION #5 (OF 5, last issue)

Here's the solicitation: After being imprisoned by White Fox, Doom’s Division is free--and they want answers. But White Fox won’t gi

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