TOP 10 PUBLISHERS
Previews and press releases for some titles posted in COMING COMICS: JANUARY 2026
NO. 1 MARVEL COMICS
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #1, $4.99: It's a first issue, of a sort. so heads up.
FANTASTIC FOUR #52 (FACSIMILE EDITION), $4.99: First Black Panther.
IRON MAN #1, $5.99
Writer: Joshua Williamson
Penciller: Carmen Carnero
Cover Artist: Ryan Stegman
The unapologetic Iron Man is a once-in-a-lifetime hero — but the beating heart behind the armor is a once-in-a-century genius. Years ago, Tony Stark was knocking on death's door, so he created the Iron Man armor to survive! What happens the next time death comes calling? What weapon does he create then? What if … someone else creates it first? These questions have haunted Tony for years, a ticking time bomb inside of him waiting to explode. Femme fatale Madame Masque has also asked these questions, and with the power of Advanced Idea Mechanics behind her … she's ready to create the next great weapon. Welcome superstar JOSHUA WILLIAMSON as he makes his powerful return to the hallowed halls of Marvel, taking the reins of the Golden Avenger with Legacy Stormbreaker CARMEN CARNERO! This is classic super-hero storytelling in the MIGHTY MARVEL MANNER, just how you like it!
I jumped on the last Iron Man series with enthusiasm, because not only was it a re-launch in the post-RDJ era, but it was tied into "One World Under Doom." I was a bit disappointed, though. It felt like it was a lot of going-nowhere folderol with the Latverian resistance, and going-nowhere arguments about morality, while the actual main story was the origin story of a new magical villain. Whose name I've already forgotten. Whose powers I've already forgotten. And who, obviously, will not remain an Iron Man supporting character, and will probably go off to fight other magical characters. I felt a bit used.
This one promises to be more up my alley, with '70s supporting characters like Madame Masque (whoever she is these days). But I'm going to be a bit more cautious, and wait for reviews, before I dip in (if I do).
SORCERER SUPREME #2, $3.99
Writer: Steve Orlando
Penciller: Bernard Chang
Cover Artist: Lesley “Leirix” LI
WHO IS THE TRUE SORCERESS SUPREME? The Vishanti have called forth their own Sorcerer Supreme to challenge Wanda Maximoff's power: Wanda's former mentor, AGATHA HARKNESS! Wanda and Agatha are once again at odds as they duel for the title. Only one will remain the one true SORCERESS SUPREME…
I read the first issue of this, and it was so saccharine I felt like I needed a shot of insulin. And the plot was so disappointing I will never pick up another issue.
Scarlet Witch is the new Sorcerer Supreme (which is supremely implausible, given her history, which includes insanity and manslaughter). But suppose she is? Well, first order of business would be to deal with Dormammu, one of the Marvel Universe's biggest of Big Bads. He's so powerful that Dr. Strange, Brother Voodoo and even Dr. Doom could only hold him at bay, and it took a lot of out of them. He's basically the embodiment of a dark dimension, and is always banging on the door. Only a Sorcerer Supreme can stop him. This should be epic!
No, she whips him in a couple of panels.
But hey, what about the Vishanti? They should be pretty annoyed at this earthling grabbing the title. It's their job to pick the Sorcerer Supreme, and in case anyone's forgotten, they're the good cosmic beings that power the Sorcerer Supreme, as a counter to bad cosmic beings like Dormammu. Without them, Earth will be prey to all sorts of nastiness, like Nightmare and Tiboru. And they could evaporate Wanda off with a snap of their fingers!
No, she beats them in a panel or two as well. They retreat and empower Agatha Harkenss, not exactly the tactic you'd expect from cosmic beings. Even Wong could probably beat Agatha Harkness.
Speaking of Wong, he's no slouch in the magical department, and probably isn't cool with Wanda waltzing in and taking all of Stephen's stuff, like his Sanctum Sanctorum, cloak and amulet. Stephen is his friend, and he doesn't know this upstart from Adam. Or Eve. Will they throw down?
Nope, he's cool with it. Not such a good friend of Stephen's after all, I guess, even though he has been since the '60s.
Oh, well, there's still all the Doctor Doom stuff. Negative public opinion. Poisoned magicks. All sorts of evil junk he held in check or created. There should be tons of Doom Legacy to deal with! Let's have some consequences!
Nope.
Well, then, there's all that awful Wanda history. "No More Mutants." "House of M." "Brotherhood of Evil Mutants." Oh, and she was insane for a while. There's a ton of history there that needs to be dealt with if Wanda is ever going to be worthy of being Sorcerer Supreme. That could be fodder for the whole series! A "Wanda Redemption Tour" to bring aboard fans with long memories, like me!
Nope. She apparently got a shot of Instant Redempic before this issue even began. Nobody even brings up any of that stuff. Old news. Dustbin of history. Memory hole.
So issue #1 wasn't about superheroes, or magicians, or Dr. Doom, or Wanda's dodgy history, or even Sorcerer Supreme stuff. Then what WAS the issue about?
Feelings. Lots and lots of feelings. The story doesn't focus on the plot, such as it is. It focuses on how everybody feels about the plot.
I'll tell you how I feel about the plot: I wish there was more of it. And a lot less of this touchy-feely stuff.
Also, it's clear the writer has an agenda, vis-a-vis making Wanda a super-duper important and respected character. She is written as SO WORTHY OF LOVE that it feels like fanfic. Y'all know how I feel about stories by writers with an agenda.
You want Wanda to be loved, important and respected, Mr. Orlando? Earn it. Impress us. Show us Wanda doing awesome and important stuff. Show her earning, over multiple issues, the love and respect that everybody slings her way this issue, unearned. Show us, say, an adventure with Captain America, where we see her earn his trust. (Few know her better, and that's a long history I'd love to see addressed.) It could even be a flashback, given that she's been an Avenger again for a while (but not with Steve Rogers).
But no, Orlando just wants to tell us how awesome Wanda is. The only thing this issue shows us is Wanda's elaborate wardrobe. Sorcerer Supreme #1 seemed to revel in fashion as much as Modeling with Millie.
Sigh. I'm sure there's a market for this sort of thing. But it's sure not me.
MORE MARVEL
1776 #3 (OF 5), $3.99
AVENGERS EPIC COLLECTION VOLUME 16 UNDER SIEGE TP (NEW PRINTING), $49.99
END 2099 #2 (OF 5), $3.99
FANTASTIC FOUR BY WAID AND WIERINGO RISING STORM TP, $34.99
GIANT-SIZE X-MEN SECOND GENESIS REVISITED TP, $24.99
INFERNAL HULK #3, $3.99
MARVEL ZOMBIES RED BAND #5, $4.99
MILES MORALES SPIDER-MAN #42, $5.99
MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN MODERN ERA EPIC COLLECTION VOLUME 3: REVIVALS AND REVELATIONS TP, $42.99
PHOENIX VOLUME 3: ASTRAL BOND TP, $15.99
PUNISHER RED BAND #5 (OF 5), $4.99
STAR WARS: DARTH MAUL — BLACK WHITE AND RED TP, $17.99
STRANGE TALES #4 (OF 4), $3.99
NO. 2: DC COMICS
BATMAN ADVENTURES: MAD LOVE DELUXE EDITION HC (2026 EDITION), $29.99
(W) Paul Dini (A/CA) Bruce Timm
THE EISNER AWARD-WINNING ORIGIN OF HARLEY QUINN! Written and drawn by the masterminds behind the critically acclaimed Batman: The Animated Series, Paul Dini and Bruce Timm, this story reveals the origins of Harley Quinn as she proves her love to The Joker by trying to eliminate the Dark Knight on her own! Batman Adventures: Mad Love Deluxe Edition (2026 Edition) also features a behind-the-scenes look at the layouts and color guides by Timm as well as an introduction by Dini.
This is one of those books that if you haven't read it, you should. It belongs on pretty much any comic book fan's bookshelf.
BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN — THE LAST HALLOWEEN HC, $39.99
(W) Jeph Loeb (A) Various (CA) Tim Sale
THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED SAGA THAT STANDS AS THE MOST INFLUENTIAL BATMAN STORY OF ITS ERA MAKES ITS TRIUMPHANT RETURN! Art by Tim Sale, Eduardo Risso, Bill Sienkiewicz and More In 1996, you thought you knew the whole story of Batman: The Long Halloween. Now, acclaimed writer Jeph Loeb presents the much-anticipated final chapter: The Last Halloween, a captivating new mystery. Each issue pairs Loeb with one of the industry's foremost artists, creating a stunning homage to the artistry and legacy of Tim Sale. Featuring art by Eduardo Risso, Klaus Janson, Mark Chiarello, Cliff Chiang, Bill Sienkiewicz, Enrico Marini, Dave Johnson, Becky Cloonan, Chris Samnee, Matteo Scalera, and Dave Stewart. Gotham City will come to fear Halloween once more! In a city of liars, masked vigilantes, and criminals...can anyone be trusted? Includes BATMAN THE LONG HALLOWEEN: THE LAST HALLOWEEN #1-10 and the final collaboration between Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale, THE LAST HALLOWEEN #0.
Is the last part of "Long Halloween," the one I haven't read or bought or own? Cool. I think I'll skip this edition and wait until it arrives in a format that matches the others. Then read the whole thing all over again.
DC FINEST: BATMAN — THE CASE OF THE CHEMICAL SYNDICATE TP, $39.99
(W) Bill Finger (A) Bob Kane, Sheldon Moldoff, Jerry Robinson, Various (CA) Bob Kane
THE COMICS DEBUT OF BATMAN, ROBIN, CATWOMAN, AND THE JOKER! To most people, Bruce Wayne is just another wealthy socialite with too much time and money on his hands. But little does anyone suspect that the tragic murder of his parents inspired him to dedicate his life to honing his mind and body so that one day he could avenge their deaths. Knowing that criminals are a superstitious and cowardly lot, Bruce patrols Gotham’s rooftops as a justice-seeking creature of the night known as the Batman! This DC Finest volume collects Batman’s introduction in The Case of the Chemical Syndicate, plus other early appearances from DETECTIVE COMICS #27-52, BATMAN #1-5, and WORLD'S BEST COMICS #1 featuring Robin the Boy Wonder, Catwoman, and the Clown Prince of Crime: The Joker!
It's weird: I used to want all the comics before I started collecting in omnibus format, and I bought the entire Golden Age Batman in that format. Now I kinda wish I'd waited for these. (I didn't, because I couldn't see the future.)
I love how quickly the omnibus format gets us to the goal line (of everything being in print). Batman is already "caught up" to the Silver Age, and both Superman and Wonder Woman are in the early 1950s (with May 1958 being the goal line). One more omnibus will finish off the Golden Age Wonder Woman series (which only lacks Wonder Woman #72-97). Superman, who appeared in Action, Superman and World's Finest Comics, will take a little longer, but I'm hopeful DC will follow through. I'll be there with money in my fist when they do.
And I love how the omnibuses look on my shelf. There they stand, starting at the beginning of each character and marching forward through time with identical trade dress. It's satisfying to look at, and orders old comics in a way that makes any issue I look for easy to find.
But now I'm beginning to favor the DC Finest format. it's the format that I find easiest to read. And isn't that what we're here for?
DC'S SUPERGIRL NEXT DOOR #1 (ONE-SHOT), $9.99
(W) Various (A) Various (CA) Amy Reeder
SHE'S A SMALL TOWN GIRL IN A SUPER-POWERED WORLD…AND SHE'S LOOKING FOR LOVE! Written by Nathan Fairbairn, CRC Payne, Rosie Knight, Dorado Quick, Nicole Maines, Sarah Kuhn, Dave Wielgosz and More Art by Paulina Ganucheau, Arielle Jovellanos, Rafael Perez, Michael Shelfer and More There's something about Kara. She's effortlessly cool, adored by all, and looks great in a cape--she's truly all that! She could have fifty first dates lined up in a minute, but love actually wasn't on her radar...until now! In this hot new anthology, join Supergirl and a host of lovestruck heroes and villains as they bravely embark on quests for love, even if it means running through every rom-com trope to get there. You'd be hard pressed to find ten things to hate about this book, so pick it up this Valentine's Day--and place it on the shelf next to all the books you've loved before!
Cute.
SUPERMAN IN THE SEVENTIES TP (2026 EDITION), $19.99
(W) Various (A) Various (CA) Neal Adams
Written by Elliott S. Maggin, Dennis O'Neil, Len Wein and Others Art by Curt Swan, Jose Luis Garcia Lopez, Dick Giordano and Others A decade that saw the Man of Steel battle lethal foes both old and new, leave the Daily Planet for a job as a TV newsman, and snack (yes, snack!) on Kryptonite. The 13 tales collected in this edition allow fans a spectacular view of the Superman legend as it unfurled during the decade--from goofy hijinks to heartwarming drama to the pulse-pounding adventures of the Man of Steel! Join us in the never-ending quest for truth, justice, and the American way in Superman in the Seventies!
The Li'l Cap'n loved these DC "decades" reprint books, even when — as in this case — I owned and had read all the stories already. (My DC collection, mostly bought off the spinner rack, goes back to the early 1960s.) A book like this told us fans not only what was objectively important about a character in a given decade, but also what the editors thought was important about a character in a given decade. And it gave all of us a common starting point to talk about the character. We had all read the same stories!
I'm sure These Kids Today are less impressed, because they can get most of what the Superman stories from the '70s they want to read in a variety of other formats, including online. Like with other media, comics reprints have splintered, to where we haven't all read the same stories.
I'm definitely nostalgic about this book, and if I didn't have it (in first edition), I'd get it. But I can't imagine it will be a big seller. If you're a comics fan who lived any part of his life in the 20th century, you probably already have this book. If you're not, you probably don't care. Such is life.
ABSOLUTE
ABSOLUTE BATMAN #16, $4.99
(W) Scott Snyder (A/CA) Nick Dragotta
ABSOLUTE BATMAN IN HELL! Part two of our Absolute Batman/Absolute Wonder Woman story — Bruce Wayne is on a desperate hunt to help his friend Waylon, now transformed into a monstrous crocodile roaming the sewers, consumed with a deadly hunger. Batman's last option for a cure is to turn to a god for help ... but will he have to descend into the depths of hell to get it?
The first part was very well done, so I'm eager for Part Two. The first part never forgot it was a Wonder Woman story and never let Batman take over (which I appreciated). So I expect this one won't forget it's a Batman story. Also, there was genuine character development in Part One, a rarity in a crossover. I hope for the same here.
On a different note: I think it's something of a cliche and don't necessarily want to see it happen, but I wouldn't be surprised if these two became a couple. Going to Hell together might constitute a date in DarkseidWorld.
ABSOLUTE FLASH #11, $4.99
(W) Jeff Lemire (A/CA) Nick Robles
TRAPPED IN AN ALTERNATE DIMENSION! Wally finds himself pulled into the mysterious dimension that Barry was trying to access. But how can he escape and make it back to Fort Fox and save his father?
ABSOLUTE MARTIAN MANHUNTER #8, $4.99
(W) Deniz Camp (A/CA) Javier Rodriguez
A HUNT FOR THE WHITE MARTIAN!
ABSOLUTE WONDER WOMAN #16, $4.99
(W) Kelly Thompson (A/CA) Hayden Sherman
A NEW STORY ARC BEGINS AS DIANA CONFRONTS ZATANNA! The Season of the Witch arc begins here! After her exploits in the Area 41 maze, Diana has resolved to not let her personal mission overwhelm the one she was sent to the surface world to fulfill. But a new threat has emerged in Gateway City, and it turns out the best thing to send to kill Wonder Woman is ... another witch! Zatanna is here, and Diana's life will never be the same!
I've touted this title before as my favorite in the Absolute line, but it's more than that. It may be my favorite DC book right now. (Tom King's Wonder Woman being No. 2.) This issue brings Absolute Zatanna, who (it appears) has been tortured by the government into insanity. She's likely to be a far better witch than Diana, and utterly bloodthirsty, so it should be interesting to see how Diana survives past page 2.
Also, I had to laugh when I saw that Zatanna's still wearing fishnets — only on the top of her body this time. Because, you know, it's always Opposite Day in DarkseidWorld!
DC K.O.
DC K.O.: THE KIDS ARE ALL FIGHT SPECIAL #1 (ONE-SHOT), $5.99
FLASH #29, $3.99
JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED #15, $3.99
SUPERMAN #34, $4.99
MORE DC COMICS
BATMAN THE KILLING JOKE #1 (FACSIMILE EDITION), $4.99
DC POWER: RISE OF THE POWER COMPANY HC, $17.99
DETECTIVE COMICS #1105, $4.99
FIRE AND ICE: WHEN HELL FREEZES OVER TP, $17.99
GREEN LANTERN #31, $4.99
HARLEY AND IVY: LIFE AND CRIMES #3 (OF 6), $3.99
HARLEY QUINN #58, $3.99
JUSTICE LEAGUE RED #6 (OF 6), $3.99
NO. 3: IMAGE COMICS
MALEVOLENT #1, $3.99
(W) Justin Jordan (A) John Bivens, Felipe Sobreiro (CA) John Bivens
Thirty years ago, we unleashed demons into the world. But humans can adapt to anything, even a demon haunted world. But now, humanity has created something new. A weapon that can kill demons. If she doesn't kill us first.
New ongoing by Justin Jordan. John Bivens and Felipe Sobreiro of Spread.
Looks interesting. What other Image books this week do I need to sample, Legionnaires? (If you say Youngblood, I will give you such a noogie!) I think Jeff has already suggested Capes and Skinbreaker. I tried Bugs and, while the creative team is top shelf and they were clearly giving it their all, I just wasn't into the premise. YMMV.
CREEPSHOW VOLUME 4 #5 (OF 5), $3.99
(W) Joshua Williamson, Tradd Moore (A) Andrea Milana, Tradd Moore (CA) Lorenzo De Felici
FINAL ISSUE
The superstar G.I. JOE team of Joshua Williamson and Andrea Milana craft a chilling story of the ultimate A.I. that may spell very real doom for its creator!
And then, Eisner Award-nominated creator Tradd Moore (Silver Surfer: Black) delivers a haunting story of loneliness, love, and loss like no CREEPSHOW story before!
This is on my to-read list. It might be the best of the current crop of horror anthologies.
MORE IMAGE
AUTHOR IMMORTAL #4, $3.99
BLOOD SQUAD SEVEN #12, $3.99
BUG WARS: THE SPYDER WYTCH SPECIAL #1 (ONE-SHOT), $5.99
CAPES #3, $3.99
COLD WITCH: A TALE OF THE SHROUDED COLLEGE TP, $14.99
DRAWING BLOOD #10 (OF 12)(COVER A KEVIN EASTMAN), $3.99
DUST TO DUST #7 (OF 8), $3.99
FERAL #20, $3.99
FINAL BOSS #3, $3.99
G.I. JOE #18, $3.99
G.I. JOE: A REAL AMERICAN HERO #49 HAMA FILES EDITION, $3.99
KAYA #33, $3.99
LOST FANTASY #7, $4.99
SAVAGE DRAGON #278, $3.99
SEASONS VOLUME 2 TP, $16.99
SKINBREAKER #5, $4.99
SKINBREAKER TREASURY EDITION #5, $14.99
VOID RIVALS #26, $3.99
WRESTLE HEIST #2 (OF 5), $3.99
YOUNGBLOOD #3 (2025), $4.99
NO. 4: IDW PUBLISHING
GODZILLA LEGENDS: MOTHRA QUEEN OF THE MONSTERS TP, $17.99
Writer: Sophie Campbell
Artist: Matt Frank
Mothra has fallen after a fearsome battle with a terrifying new kaiju, Antra. Without its protector, the world has entered a state of desolation. Kaiju roam freely, and what remains of humankind has been forced into hiding.
But all hope is not lost! Mira is a young woman living in the wasteland who believes she lost her entire family in Mothra’s final stand—that is, until her missing twin shows up with two fairies! If Emi is to be believed, the sisters might hold the key to the rebirth of Mothra and the Earth’s return to normalcy. They just have to travel back in time and get its egg from the Jurassic period first.
I've read parts of this. Now I'll get the whole story.
I CAN SELL YOU A BODY TP, $16.99
Writer: Ryan Ferrier
Art & Colors: George Kambadais
A down-on-his-luck TV medium finds himself on the run from the cops, the mob, the Vatican, and a legion of ghosts looking for available bodies in this graphic novel crime/comedy adventure!
Denny Little is a former TV psychic turned clairvoyant for hire turned supernatural real-estate agent. Since discovering he can perform "reverse exorcisms"--transferring spirits into living bodies--he's become LA's most in-demand realtor, giving the dead a new lease on life. But when Denny falls in love with a new property, the family of the prospective tenant, a former mob boss, will get their money and revenge over our hapless hero's dead body.
This looks interesting.
MONSTER HIGH: BOOMUDA TRIANGLE #1, $4.99
RETURN TO SLEEPY HOLLOW #3, $4.99
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: CASEY JONES #4, $4.99
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: SATURDAY MORNING ADVENTURES VOLUME 2 #33, $4.99
TOKEN CITY WONDERCADE SEASON ONE GN, $14.99
NO. 5: DARK HORSE
ARCBOUND VOLUME 1 HC, $29.99
ART OF RUST HC, $54.99
GUY IN THE CHAIR #4 (OF 4), $4.99: The guy in the chair will, for me, forever be Ned Leeds (Jacob Natalon).
PRODIGY LIBRARY EDITION HC, $79.99: Wait, another Mark Millar book I haven't heard of? He's sure putting out a lot of stuff that doesn't make a splash.
WITCHER: BLOOD STONE #1 (OF 4), $4.99: It's weird, but I started reading the comics because of the TV show. And then I stopped watching the TV show, and dropped the comics. That's the opposite of my usual behavior.
NO. 6: BOOM! STUDIOS
BE NOT AFRAID #5, $4.99
BLINK AND YOU'LL MISS IT #5, $4.99
HELLO DARKNESS #18, $5.99
POWER RANGERS PRIME #14, $4.99 (FIND ON EBAY)
NO. 7: DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT
Previews for some of these titles are already posted in COMING COMICS.
HARLEY QUINN X ELVIRA #4, $4.99
RED SONJA VOLUME 3: THE MASTER FALLS TP, $19.99
SONJA REBORN #5, $4.99
TERMINATOR: METAL #4, $4.99
THUNDERCATS #23, $4.99
NO. 8: ONI PRESS
DEMON OF BEAUSOLEIL GN, $24.99
NILS THE TREE OF LIFE GN (MAGNETIC PRESS), $24.99
SPIRIT OF THE SHADOWS #1 (OF 5), $4.99: What if the Gentleman Ghost was a good guy who played the violin?
WHITE SHADOWS HC (MAGNETIC PRESS), $24.99
NO. 9: VIZ MEDIA
DISNEY TWISTED-WONDERLAND: USURPER FROM THE WILDS
JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE: PART 7 — STEEL BALL RUN, VOL. 5
PRINCESS MONONOKE FILM COMIC: ALL-IN-ONE EDITION
NO. 10: TITAN COMICS
CONAN THE BARBARIAN #28, $4.99
(W) Jim Zub (A) Fernando Dagnino (CA) Gerardo Zaffino
THE CONQUERING CROWN: The King of Aquilonia has gone mad, or so the rumors say. A tyrant sits upon the throne and all will suffer until he is deposed or dead. Conan the Mercenary cares nothing for these royal rumors and petty politics, but the Cimmerian’s skill in battle is about to put him in the path of a mad monarch, and his life will be forever changed.
CRANIACS #3 (OF 4), $4.99
ESCAPE FROM SKULL ISLAND #1 (OF 4), $4.99
(W) Simon Furman
(A) Christopher Jones
COVER A: MARIA WOLF
COVER B: CHRISTOPHER JONES
COVER C: SUNGHAN YUNE
COVER D: SERG ACUNA
COVER E: COLOR BLANK SKETCH ($5.99)
COVER F: MARIA WOLF FOIL TRADE ($14.99)
COVER G: SUNGHAN YUNE VIRGIN
COVER H: MARIA WOLF B&W
FC, 32pp, $4.99, On Sale January 28, 2026
SPINNING OUT OF RETURN TO SKULL ISLAND!
AN OFFICIAL CONTINUATION OF THE SKULL ISLAND ANIMATED SERIES!
OFFICIAL CANON STORY SET IN THE MONSTERVERSE!
Trapped on Skull Island, a desperate band of survivors struggles against the land’s relentless horrors while an ancient threat rises from below. But as chaos unfolds, flashbacks reveal Kong’s turbulent youth: his battles, losses, and the primal instincts that shaped him into the island’s sovereign.
Now, as hordes of monstrous beasts close in on the stranded humans, the most dangerous enemy of all regains strength to once more challenge Kong’s throne.
RAVEN: DARK HERO VOL. 2 GN, $12.99
Author: Tonkye
Artist: Akira Mitsuya
Publisher: Titan Manga
SC, 176 pages, B&W, $12.99
The stakes are higher in this gripping manga – A second volume where Suou Kouki’s powers intensify, new characters emerge, and the battle between hero and villain reaches a breaking point.
In the second volume of The Raven Dark Hero, Suou Kouki’s powers have grown exponentially, but so have the dangers that surround him. As he grapples with the overwhelming strength of his newfound abilities, the line between hero and villain blurs even more. With new, powerful characters entering the fray, Suou’s internal battle intensifies. Can he retain his humanity, or will his dark side consume him entirely? His struggle to distinguish right from wrong is more complicated than ever, and the consequences of his choices will impact not only his future but the fate of everyone around him.
Tonkye’s intricate storytelling continues to delve deep into the psyche of a man torn between light and shadow, while Akira Mitsuya’s stunning visuals bring the emotional turmoil and intense battles to life. This volume of The Raven Dark Hero pushes the boundaries of the superhero genre, leaving readers questioning the true cost of power and the meaning of heroism.
MORE PUBLISHERS
AHOY COMICS
TOXIC AVENGER COMICS #7, $4.99
TOXIC AVENGER TEAM-UP TP, $17.99
HEAVY METAL INTERNATIONAL
HEAVY METAL MAGAZINE #4, $14.99
(W) Various (A) Various (CA) Olivia de Berardinis
Post Apocalyptic Winter: As winter settles in and the new year begins, Heavy Metal #4 delivers a landmark issue filled with climactic finales and daring new visions. Enki Bilal concludes the first major arc of his acclaimed BUG saga, where politics, technology, and surrealism collide in unforgettable ways. Michael Conrad and Ilias Kyriazis bring Millstone to the close of its opening arc, weaving myth and destiny into a fateful conclusion. Sergio Gerasi’s reimagining of Valentina reaches its dreamlike finale, and Leah Moore, John Reppion, and Anna Morozova conclude the first chapter of Taarna, cementing her place as the eternal cosmic warrior. The magazine also continues its bold ongoing series, as Charley and Vlas Parlapánides with Marco Failla push Ink into darker territory and John Stanisci returns with a fierce new installment of Gladiatrix, where honor and brutality collide in the arena. Adding to this landmark lineup are three speculative shorts that venture into unsettling visions of the near future, stories where technology, identity, and control blur into haunting reflections of our own world. Baby Trigger by Mark McCann and Luis Guaragna, Sub Body by Homero Ríos, and Face Value by Flops each deliver a provocative glimpse into futures just around the corner. Heavy Metal #4 stands as a milestone, an essential edition where defining arcs reach their climax, ongoing sagas intensify, and new visions chart the shadows of tomorrow.
I thought these guys were out of business!
INVADER COMICS
DO NOT DISTURB #1 (OF 3), $6.99
(W) David R. Flores, Jarod Hunter Roe (A) David R. Flores, Lorenzo Scaramella, Letter Squids (CA) David R. Flores
DO NOT DISTURB is a mystery/thriller with a great supernatural twist, set within an infamous hotel called The Argyle. The story follows private investigator Randall Halsey who has been hired to find a missing young woman, only to realize she (and him) have been murdered. Not letting death stand in the way of solving the mystery, Randall has to maneuver through both the human and supernatural worlds that lay within the walls of The Argyle, traveling through time itself to set things right.
First issue.
MIDNIGHT FACTORY PRESS
WE DONT KILL SPIDERS VOL 1 TP
(W/A/CA) Joseph Schmalke
Midnight Factory Presents: In the early Viking age, a faithless Norseman detective is sent to a secluded hamlet where a series of brutal murders have occurred. Discovering the dark and bloody history of the village, he investigates the local outcast, a necromantic witch who brings his atheistic values into question. Determined to prevent further homicides, the two band together to discover the identity of a serial killer.
“Norseman detective”? From the Kattegat police precinct, no doubt.
MAD CAVE STUDIOS
ASTRO QUANTUM #1 (OF 5), $4.99
(W) Andrea Mutti, Arturo Fabra (A/CA) Andrea Mutti
Cast out to die on the toxic world of Maku, young Ishmaeel finds an unlikely ally in the sharp-tongued Soliumite exile Quee-Keg. Together, they claw their way through underground bazaars, brutal creatures of the Galaxy and bitter rivalries to chase a destiny bigger than either imagined: a place aboard the legendary Molok-hunting starship PEKUOD. An all-new epic space saga of survival, rebellion, and the hunger to reach beyond the stars starts here!
First issue.
SOURCE POINT PRESS
LONDON AFTER MIDNIGHT TP (MR), $24.99
(W) Ron Chaney, Dirk Manning (A) Joshua Ross, Colin Johnson (CA) Joshua Ross
A lost piece of film history has returned with an official graphic novel adaptation! Originally released in 1927 starring the iconic Hollywood legend Lon Chaney, the last known copy of the murder mystery/horror film London After Midnight was lost to the ages in the MGM vault fire of 1965, making it a “Holy Grail” of horror and film enthusiasts alike across the world for decades. Now, in conjunction with Chaney Entertainment and Source Point Press, this legendary piece of film history has been brought back to life as a graphic novel based on the original screenplay remastered and restored by Ron Chaney and adapted to graphic novel form by writer Dirk Manning (Nightmare World), illustrator Joshua Ross (Left Turns), colorist Colin Johnson (Love Stories About Death), letterer Dave Lentz (Homestead), and editor Drena Jo (Twiztid Haunted High-Ons). After a century of waiting, you can finally experience the full story of … LONDON AFTER MIDNIGHT!
A friend of mine when I was a kid used to draw Lon Chaney's London After Midnight character all the time, and when I asked him what it was, I was astounded when told me it was from a film ... that was lost! This was my introduction to the idea that old movies might disappear forever. That just seemed incredible to me. All those people invested in a movie ... and NOBODY saved a copy? Sure, movies were on material that degraded back then, but those could be easily salvaged as technology improved ... if someone had saved a copy. To lose one altogether? Astonishing.
It was years later that I discovered that a lot of old TV shows are gone forever ... because studios back then recorded over old shows to make new ones. Wow. Of course, syndication wasn't even envisioned at the time, and like '40s comics creators, TV creators found it hard to imagine anyone in the future would be interested in these crude entertainments.
How short-sighted.
UNCIVILIZED BOOKS
GIRL WHO RAISED THE DEAD GN, $19.95
(W/A/CA) Kawashima Norikazu
KRRRAK BOOM!! A young woman is struck dead by a bolt of lightning. But then a miracle-her charred body rises into the air and absorbs an eerie orb of light. When the girl comes back to life, she discovers that she possesses amazing telepathic powers. She can move objects. She can force people to do things against their will. She can see the future. She can even raise the dead!
Heckuva party trick.
Replies
I jumped on the last Iron Man series with enthusiasm...
I don't think I've done that since... 1998?
One more omnibus will finish off the Golden Age Wonder Woman series (which only lacks Wonder Woman #72-97).
Yes, and we're already two volumes in to the Silver Age. The third SA volume (collecting #150-177) had been solicited for January 28, but I see now that it's shipping on February 10. Now of DC would only get around to soliciting that seventh and final Golden Age volume.
And I love how the omnibuses look on my shelf.
Except when they change trade dress in the middle of a run! %#!@$
DC'S SUPERGIRL NEXT DOOR #1 (ONE-SHOT)
First of all, if it's a one-shot, it doesn't need to be numbered "1" (but that's just me). I Like Supergirl, but 10 bucks to "run through every rom-com trope"? Probably not. Speaking of omnibus editions, when are we going to see a Bronze Age Supergirl one? That's what I'd like to see!
SUPERMAN IN THE SEVENTIES TP
The Golden Age Superman omnibus series petered out in 1950 with v7, the single Silver Age volume overlaps with the Archives, and we have yet to see even a single volume of Superman (Superman!) from the Bronze Age. Having said that, though, I stopped buying the "decades" books at the "Sixtiies" so... maybe.
I think Jeff has already suggested Capes and Skinbreaker...
...and Good As Dead and Assorted Crisis Events (seriously, you should check out last week's #8 even if you haven't read any of the others).
If you say Youngblood, I will give you such a noogie!
Honestly, if Supreme is in it again I will definitely be buying it (even if it is by Liefeld).
I've read parts of [MOTHRA QUEEN OF THE MONSTERS]. Now I'll get the whole story.
Be sure to SING ALONG with it, too.
This was my introduction to the idea that old movies might disappear forever.
Mine was the 1921 Marx Bros. silent film, Humor Risk.
"No More Mutants."
Every time I see this, I imagine Bugs Bunny saying, "Hey, Laughing Boy! No more mutants!"
It was years later that I discovered that a lot of old TV shows are gone forever ... because studios back then recorded over old shows to make new ones.
There's still ninety-odd episodes of sixties Doctor Who missing for this very reason.
The first six months of Johnny Carson's run hosting The Tonight Show are missing for this very reason.
-It's been speculated that Chayney's London After Midnight makeup was devised for The Man Who Laughs, which early in its production was going to star Chaney.
-Images show his costume had bat-wing-like flaps under the arms.
-Novelisations of the film were published in America and France.
-The film was lost because the retained print was destroyed in a vault fire.
-The Phantom (1931) is a hodge-podge recycle spooky house film. It has sequences in which a villain dressed in all black scares women by looking insane and menacing and wriggling his fingers. My guess is these sequences visually imitate London After Midnight. (I recently watched a 1944 British thriller, Candles at Nine. I'm sure the actress playing the villainess modelled her performance after Max Schreck's in Nosferatu.)
-Browning remade London After Midnight as Mark of the Vampire with Bela Lugosi, which does survive.
-Chaney without makeup looks a lot like Boris Karloff. I suspect this influenced Karloff's casting in Frankenstein.
I found out about both London After Midnight and Mark of the Vampire through articles in Famous Monsters of Filmland. Oh how I wanted to see those two movies after reading about them. When I finally did see Mark of the Vampire I was terribly disappointed by the twist ending.
NONAGENARIAN SPOILER ALERT!
Some people involved in the production reportedly wanted a second twist, where it would turn out that actors that they hired to pretend to be vampires were actual vampires passing as actors pretending to be vampire in order to make some money. That would have made more sense, given what we saw onscreen.
Yes, and we're already two volumes in to the Silver Age. The third SA volume (collecting #150-177) had been solicited for January 28, but I see now that it's shipping on February 10. Now of DC would only get around to soliciting that seventh and final Golden Age volume.
I tried to figure out what was still needed in the Golden Age Superman series HERE.
I Like Supergirl, but 10 bucks to "run through every rom-com trope"? Probably not.
Same. And I'm about to drop Supergirl, because I'm growing weary of all the coming-of-age, teenage girl tropes. First drink, first crush, BFFs, etc. As I said about Sorcerer Supreme, I'm sure there's an aiudience for this, but it ain't me.
...and Good As Dead and Assorted Crisis Events (seriously, you should check out last week's #8 even if you haven't read any of the others).
I mean to read all of them, but maybe that's holding me back from sampling some of them.
Be sure to SING ALONG with it, too.
Of course. Do you take me for an amateur?
"Hey, Laughing Boy! No more mutants!"
Stan Lee liked to use the insult "laughing boy," too. I can remember Ben Grimm and Nick Fury using it. Probably others. I remember it because even as a kid I found it an odd phrase.
It's been speculated that Chayney's London After Midnight makeup was devised for The Man Who Laughs, which early in its production was going to star Chaney.
Did not know that.
Oh how I wanted to see those two movies after reading about them. When I finally did see Mark of the Vampire I was terribly disappointed by the twist ending.
I haven't seen Mark of the Vampire, and now I don't need to.
I've bought it, and it's really, really good. Maybe my favorite book of the week, and definitely my favorite discovery for a while now. Nick Cagnetti's art has more than a little Kirby in it, and it's suffused with the wild neons of a Marvel black-light poster. The lead character, Erik, is pulled from his arrival in heaven (and his reunion with his lost love) down into an underworld for judgment. Once there, he doesn't remember his life, but is given a book that documents it... but soon after he starts to read it, it's torn to pieces by wild hell animals. So he's on a mission to reclaim the pages in whatever order, so he can present the book for his judgment.
Needless to say, there's going to be some surprises in that book. And there are DEFINITELY surprises in this comic, which is an absolute blast. Very highly recommended.
That does look wild!
Nick Cagnetti's art has more than a little Kirby in it, and it's suffused with the wild neons of a Marvel black-light poster.
That "Kirby/blacklight" look remionds me very much of Nightworld released by Image a couple of years ago.*
*I say "a couple of years ago"; actually it was 2014.
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