TOP 10 PUBLISHERS
NO. 1: DC COMICS
NEXT LEVEL: ONE SHOT #1 (ONE-SHOT)
DC today announced Next Level: One Shot #1, a brand‑new 48‑page DC All In special from writer Gerry Duggan, artist Fernando Blanco, and letterer Buddy Beaudoin, spotlighting the one and only Deadshot in a high‑stakes mission that pushes DC Next Level toward its explosive future.
In Next Level: One Shot, DC’s deadliest assassin goes to the Next Level and uncovers a conspiracy that will change everything. Duggan and Blanco tell the tale of a job gone sideways, a father and his daughter, and a web of super-powered lies that stretches throughout the entire DC Next Level cast of characters … and points in the direction of war on the horizon. This epic issue tells you everything you need to know about what’s next for Next Level … if you survive the experience.
Next Level: One Shot #1 is written by Gerry Duggan, with art and a main cover by Fernando Blanco. Variant covers are provided by Mark Spears, Jorge Corona, and Carmine Di Giandomenico, with a 1:25 variant cover by Mario Foccillo and a foil variant by Mark Spears. Next Level:
I don't really have any interest in Deadshot, a one-note character who works best in ensembles like Secret Six. But I kind of like the idea of tying the Next Level characters together in a storyline, especially if DC took its sweet time building to a climax in B-plots or backups in various books.
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BAD SEEDS
BATMAN: BAD SEEDS — SUNSET #1 (ONE-SHOT)
(W) Matt Fraction, G. Willow Wilson (A/CA) Giuseppe Camuncoli, Cliff Rathburn
THE BATMAN: BAD SEEDS EVENT STARTS HERE!
One Night. One City. No Escape.
Poison Ivy unleashes a Gotham City-wide crossover event told over one long, dark night of chaos and survival.
As the sun sets on Gotham City, something ancient wakes beneath its streets!
In "Batman: Bad Seeds," the next major Batman event kicking off in August and running through October, Poison Ivy unleashes a desperate act of eco-terror that transforms Gotham into a hostile landscape of prehistoric plant life. Told across one long, dark night, the event unfolds as Gotham’s heroes, villains, and civilians fight to survive.
Led by showrunners Matt Fraction and G. Willow Wilson, "Batman: Bad Seeds" is a Gotham-wide comic book crossover that pulls every corner of the city into the crisis. While Fraction (Batman) and Wilson (Poison Ivy) steer the event’s core narrative, the writers and artists behind Detective Comics, Batgirl, Batwoman, Catwoman, Nightwing, and Harley Quinn each deliver pivotal chapters that track Gotham’s transformation as the night deepens. Across 10 weeks, readers will follow the crisis as it spreads from block to block, title to title.
As Ivy’s plants spread, Gotham begins to mutate — buildings swallowed by vines, streets overtaken by carnivorous flora, and entire neighborhoods reverting to a primordial state. With the Bat-Family hunted, the GCPD fractured under Commissioner Vandal Savage’s militarized rule, and civilians trapped in a city turning against them, Gotham City becomes a living battleground where every chapter brings a new evolution.
Rather than tell my comic shop to pull all "Bad Seeds" titles — they'll inevitably miss one or two — this looks like a perfect tradewait.
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POISON IVY #47
(W) G. Willow Wilson (A) Leandro Fernandez (CA) Jessica Fong
A "BATMAN: BAD SEEDS" PRELUDE!
SOMETHING VERY BAD IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. Gotham City is done with Mayor Pamela Isley — there's just one problem for everyone there: She's not done with them. The stage is set for the explosive new Batman line crossover event — Bad Seeds!
The first time I've been interested in this title.
***
ABSOLUTE
ABSOLUTE CATWOMAN #3 (OF 6): The only six-issue Absolute title to remain six issues. At least so far.
ABSOLUTE WONDER WOMAN #23
(W) Kelly Thompson (A/CA) Hayden Sherman
ABSOLUTE ARES IS HERE — AND THE EPIC HERETIC ARC BEGINS!
Back from the underworld, Diana returns to Area 41 with more than justice on her mind. What she finds is not what she expected, but neither is life in Gateway, as a new threat is rising. Unfortunately, Diana recognizes this particular threat ... the gods themselves have come to Gateway City!
Every time I consider quitting the Absolute titles, I remember how much I enjoy this one. Two years in, and Thompson is still dropping bunker-busters.
***
KINGDOM OF ZOD
SUPERMAN #41
(W) Joshua Williamson (A) Eddy Barrows (CA) Guillem March
KINGDOM OF ZOD: PART FOUR! SUPERMAN VERSUS ZOD!
An epic battle of power and revenge across the Kryptonite Kingdom! An eye for an eye! But Superboy-Prime joins the fight, hoping to show the returning Superman how much he's changed! With a shock ending that will change the Kingdom of Zod and the DC Universe forever!
Unsurprisingly, "Kingdom of Zod" adds a fourth title. Is that all the current ongoing Super-titles?
***
VERTIGO
BLACK TOWER: THE RAVEN CONSPIRACY #1 (OF 6)
The award-winning team of Ram V and Mike Perkins reunite for Black Tower: The Raven Conspiracy #1, the start of an all-new six-issue recurring DC Vertigo comic book series. Wizard spies in the UK navigate a global cold war over sorcery, revealing a hidden world of occult power! And in the shadows between diplomacy and the arcane, the real war begins.
Twenty-three-year-old Darren Burroughs out of Audubon, Pennsylvania, is a “gifted” rookie sent under the guise of a diplomatic aide to train with Division Nine — an obscure, outdated and easily dismissed arm of British intelligence that specializes in dealing with paranormal incidents. In the right sort of spy circles, they’re known by a different, more feared name … Black Tower.
It’s 2026, and in the age of cyberwarfare and drone strikes, someone is plotting to steal the head of a giant-king to break a centuries-old ward that has kept invading forces out of Britain. Magic and espionage collide as the Black Tower’s band of misfits, led by the enigmatic Alistair Romeo, delves into a maelstrom of spells and silencers, working against time and in the shadows to fight the esoteric battles bubbling under the surface of our visible wars.
Eisner Award winner Ram V (Detective Comics, The Swamp Thing) and acclaimed artist Mike Perkins (The Swamp Thing, The Bat-Man: First Knight) team up once again to bring you a contemporary spy thriller with the distinct flavor of Vertigo magic … from His Majesty with love.
This sounds super-familiar. Like Rivers of London, or Magic Order, or Black Air in Captain Britain (although I haven't read all of those, so I may be wrong). But I'm pretty sure I've read "secret, supernatural version of MI5" a few times. But just because it's a familiar idea doesn't mean the title can't be good — it will depend on the execution, as it always does. The art looks nice.
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MORE DC
ACTION COMICS #1 FACSIMILE EDITION
AVENGERS JLA #4 FACSIMILE EDITION: This is a cover that makes you want to read the comic book RIGHT NOW. I've already read it, and now I want to read it again! RIGHT NOW!
DETECTIVE COMICS #1112
FLASH #36
GREEN LANTERN #38
HARLEY QUINN #65
JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED #22
SUPERMAN: FATHER OF TOMORROW #4 (OF 6)
ZATANNA (2026) #5
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COLLECTIONS
ABSOLUTE MARTIAN MANHUNTER VOL 2: THE AGENCY HC
BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS TP
BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN — THE LAST HALLOWEEN TP
FLASH VOL 5: DC K.O. TP
GREEN LANTERN VOL 6: WITH THIS RING TP
RED ROBIN: TIM DRAKE COMPENDIUM TP
TITANS VOL 5: DC K.O. TP
***
NO. 2: MARVEL COMICS
TOMB OF APOCALYPSE #1 (OF 5)
Written by ASHLEY ALLEN
Art by DOMENICO CARBONE
From his throne on Arakko, the powerful and ancient mutant known as Apocalypse will make his presence felt on Earth once again as he recruits Jubilee on a dangerous quest to secure a mysterious Celestial artifact in TOMB OF APOCALYPSE #1 by rising star writer Ashley Allen (Magik & Colossus) and artist Domenico Carbone (Moon Knight: Fist of Khonshu). When an unknown device from Mars crash lands outside the X-Men’s home at Haven House, Jubilee answers the call in a bid to prove herself as more than just a babysitter for the Outliers. Activated by her mutant powers, the device sends both Jubilee and Wolverine across the world to a desert outpost in Egypt being excavated by armed mercenaries — the Tomb of Apocalypse! As they descend deep into the earth to uncover what Apocalypse has planned for humanity, mutantkind, Earth and Arakko, they’ll discover they’re not alone as they cross paths with long-time allies Rictor and Shatterstar.
Allen and Carbone are pulling from years of X-Men storytelling and long-simmering plot points across multiple eras of mutant history to light the way forward with Jubilee and Wolverine leading the charge. How will the former mallrat react to being pulled into Apocalypse’s machinations and who else might the X-Men encounter in the underground maze full of puzzles and death? The Tomb of Apocalypse will reveal itself across this five issue limited series with major changes coming for those who dare to enter it.
“For Earth’s mutants, it has taken time to regroup and process the fall of Krakoa,” explains Allen. “But unfortunately for our heroes, Apocalypse values action. And he’s never been one to miss out on an opportunity."
"Jubilee answers the call in a bid to prove herself as more than just a babysitter for the Outliers." Of course, Wolverine has to come along to babysit her (and to sell the book), suggesting the reverse.
***
X-MEN #36
Written by JED MACKAY
Art and Cover by NETHO DIAZ
Variant Cover by ROD REIS
Marvel Comics recently announced DNX, an all-new event series by Jed MacKay and Federico Vicentini kicking off in September. The storyline sees the X-Men and the Fantastic Four unite against 3K in a race to stop the supervillain group from unleashing a virus that forcibly — and horribly — transforms humans into mutants! Built up since the start of MacKay’s run, DNX will be preceded by two pivotal lead-in chapters this August, X-MEN #35 and #36, each packed with shocking developments that set the stage for the highly anticipated event.
The X-Men have met their match in 3K, a cabal of mutant supervillains brought together by a common goal: MAKE MORE MUTANTS. Their plan involves unleashing the X-Virus on the world, an event that triggered one of the darkest timelines imaginable in Age of Revelation. Cyclops and the 3K’s Chairman, a.k.a. founding X-Man Beast, both witnessed the horror of that future and returned home with renewed missions: the X-Men to prevent it, 3K to own it. While the X-Men seek out the Fantastic Four to help save one of their own, 3K prepares to unleash the X-Virus in a major population center. X-MEN #35 and #36 by MacKay and artists Tony S. Daniel and Netho Diaz lead directly into the saga as the X-Men’s current Beast — a younger Hank McCoy restored to a more innocent time in his life — grapples with the dark reflection he sees in the Chairman, while 3K targets Magneto, whose mysterious illness is revealed to be directly tied to the X-Virus.
In X-Men #35, Hank McCoy, the bouncing blue Beast, is haunted by a ghost — not of his past, but of his future ... and his present. The Chairman of 3K, an older, amoral version of himself, represents one of the greatest threats the X-Men have faced since the fall of Krakoa, and Beast must struggle with his own terrible potential.
In X-MEN #36, 3K works toward a viable build of the X-Virus, brought back from the Age of Revelation. Until now they have been frustrated — but when the Chairman realizes that the missing piece of the puzzle lies within Magneto, 3K moves on the X-Men’s home base in Alaska.
"X-MEN #35-36 paves the road to DNX, with 3K's Chairman taking the last of his first steps towards a new world,” MacKay explained. “It's been exciting to write this version of Hank McCoy, fully freed from morality and ethics, and putting him on a collision course with the X-Men for DNX will change both the X-Men and 3K moving forward!
I guess I should have run this press release when X-Men #35 came out, but better late than never. If you're interested in the next X-event, these two issues seem important.
From the preview, I'd have titled this one "The Temptation of Magneto!"
***
WHAT IF ...? X-MEN #1
Writer: Ashley Allen
Penciller: Sumit Kumar
Cover Artist: Lucas Werneck
WHAT IF ... CASSANDRA NOVA KILLED PROFESSOR X?
In a world where Cassandra Nova killed Charles Xavier in the womb, telepaths are hunted and experimented on - and what she's making from them is far worse than what she's taking. But when telepaths Jean Grey and Emma Frost escape, Cassandra Nova will stop at nothing to bring them back! Bring on Cassandra's X-Men!
It looks like X-Men fighting X-Men again. I guess when you have a cast this big, no ordinary villain has a chance, so the writers have to pit them against each other. It's like the early Avengers team, which was so powerful they often fought one of their own (Avengers #1-3, 7, 9-10).
***
20TH CENTURY
PREDATOR VS. THE PLANET OF THE APES #2
QUEEN IN BLACK
QUEEN IN BLACK: VENOM UNCHAINED #2
MORE MARVEL
GODZILLA CONQUERS THE MULTIVERSE #2
COLLECTIONS
DAREDEVIL/PUNISHER: THE DEVIL'S TRIGGER TP
MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN MODERN ERA EPIC COLLECTION — SITTING IN A TREE TP
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NO. 3: IMAGE COMICS
DOCTOR STRANGE BY PAUL SMITH ARTIST'S EDITION HC
Skybound, in partnership with Scott Dunbier’s Act 4 Publishing, announced today that they are bringing a fan-favorite Marvel Comics classic to life like never before with Doctor Strange by Paul Smith Artist’s Edition, arriving in stores August 2026.
Continuing their collaboration with Marvel Comics, Skybound and Act 4 present Doctor Strange by Paul Smith Artist’s Edition, a chance for readers to experience the original, true-to-size artwork of a masterful visual storyteller. This deluxe 12” x 17” hardcover, spanning 192 pages, presents Paul Smith’s complete stories from Doctor Strange #65, #69-70 and #72 (all four of which were penciled and inked by Smith), along with over 40 additional pages from various issues, a selection of beautiful covers, and rarely seen artwork representing every corner of the Marvel Universe. Also included here is the 10-page Daredevil story from Marvel Fanfare #1, Smith’s first published Marvel Comics work.
“Paul Smith, at this point in his career, was doing some of his best Marvel art ever,” said Scott Dunbier. “A good portion of this book features Paul inking his own stuff, and his delicate linework is truly a treat to behold, just gorgeous.”
Doctor Strange remains one of Marvel Comics’ most iconic characters, mesmerizing readers and audiences alike since his debut in 1963 and becoming a cornerstone of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Paul Smith’s celebrated contributions to Doctor Strange are often cited as a cult classic within the character’s publishing history. With his refined linework and moody storytelling, Smith’s take on the Sorcerer Supreme helped redefine the character and further cemented him as a legend in Marvel Comics history. This Artist’s Edition of his popular Doctor Strange issues offers a one-of-a-kind glimpse into the craftmanship behind his celebrated work.
"Paul Smith was truly hitting an amazing stride when he took on Doctor Strange," said Senior Editor Nachie Marsham. "This Artist’s Edition is a stellar showcase of his linework and imagination."
An Artist’s Edition is an art book disguised as a comic collection. Although appearing to be in black and white, all the art is scanned in color, enabling the reader to see the work as close to the original as possible — ink gradients, blue pencil, and all the unique nuances that make original art so special — are all clearly visible and printed at the same size as drawn. The only better way to experience these pages is by looking at the artist’s drawing board, as they’re drawing.
I loved Paul Smith's Doctor Strange. My one complaint is that he didn't do enough of it, and I could see why — he was really pouring in a lot of work. (His X-Men work was much less detailed.) I think Doctor Strange was bi-monthly at the time, to accommodate him, IIRC. As you can see, he incorporated a little Ditko into his own style.
***
HAMMERFIST #1
Reservoir Dogs collides with Evil Dead in a filthy crime story that mutates into a savage splatter-horror nightmare from New York Times bestselling author Rick Remender (Escape, Captain America) and acclaimed artist Steve Epting (Velvet, Captain America), with colors by Matt Hollingsworth, in the upcoming Hammerfist. This all-new ongoing series was announced exclusively at IGN this week and is set to launch this August from Image Comics.
Hammerfist will launch with a lineup of jaw-dropping variant covers by such superstar artists as Jerome Opeña, Nic Klein, Dan Panosian, Daniel Acuña, Andrew Robinson, and more as well as a blank sketch cover and a special foil-treated version of Robinson’s cover art.
“Hammerfist is for people who grew up on those unhinged genre films of the VHS era, over-the-top, hard-R, wildly original, but never forgetting to be fun,” said Remender. “A hardboiled crime story that mutates into an ultra-violent, Raimi-style horror story following a low-rent killer who becomes the only thing standing between us and eternal darkness. Getting to see it come to life in the hands of a master like Steve Epting is a dream come true. I’ve wanted to collaborate with him for years, and the pages speak for themselves, cinematic, brutal, and emotional. Paired with Matt Hollingsworth’s color there just isn’t a better art team.”
In Hammerfist, readers meet Mike Denton: a dirtbag hitman, junkie, and absentee father. He’s spent his life chasing the easy fix — drugs, cheap sex, and murder for money — all while failing the one person who still believes he can be better: his daughter.
Now, on the eve of Black Noon — an ancient darkness that erases the light in all things — Mike has to drag himself out of the gutter, awaken a supernatural weapon powered only by love, and fight his way through the living embodiment of evil to save her. This is the story of an unredeemable killer forced to do the one thing he’s avoided his entire life: Stand for something other than himself.
Epting added: “Collaborating with Rick on Hammerfist has been incredible. The book is unpredictable, gritty and funny. A hardboiled crime story that mutates into fever-dream horror without ever losing the heart underneath. There’s real emotion under all the blood and chaos; we just take the most violent road possible to get there. I can’t wait for readers to see what we’ve been building.”
You can probably tell from all the words above that this story attaches a lot of custom genre parts to a grindhouse chassis, all of which is elevated by Steve Epting's art. Our protagonist is established in the opening scene as a grade-A dirtbag, who narrates the story with bitter, film-noir, tough-guy dialogue. He doesn't know what he's getting into, and since he doesn't, neither do we. All I'll say is that it involves a bank heist, a hidden agenda and a twist ending that sets the course for the series.
Hammerfist treads enough familiar turf — crime thriller, neo-noir, supernatural horror — that I have an idea where it's going to go. But not all of the genres play nice with each other, so I'm expecting to be surprised, and pleasantly so. I'm in good hands with Remender and Epting.
***
TERMINAL #2
Skybound and Image Comics shared a first look at Terminal #2, the blockbuster new series created by the dream team of Robert Kirkman (Invincible, The Walking Dead) and Joe Casey (Uncanny X-Men, Wildcats), Andy Kubert (X-Men, Batman), David Finch (Ultimate X-Men, Batman), and Arthur Adams (X-Men). Terminal #2 lands in comic book shops on August 26.
The world’s most important technological visionary has been targeted for death in the secret super-powered conflict that might doom the world.
And Marilyn Howe’s decision will change the shape of this war...
The complete lineup of covers for Terminal #2 includes an open to order variants by Andy Kubert & Dave McCaig, an open to order cover by David Finch & Dave McCaig, an additional open to order cover by Arthur Adams & Dave McCaig, a 1:25 incentive variant by Ben Oliver, 1:50 incentive variant by Mahmud Asrar & Dave McCaig, and a 1:100 incentive variant by Yanick Paquette & Simon Gough.
Due to incredible fan demand, Terminal #1 will return with a second printing, featuring two new covers by Rick Leonardi and Neeraj Menon, arriving in comic shops on August 26, 2026. Readers won’t want to miss the chance to pick up this historic debut issue!
Perfect for fans of Invincible and the most acclaimed eras of X-Men, Terminal is the most violent and unpredictable superhero series on shelves. The murderers’ row of creators—Kirkman, Casey, Kubert, Adams and Finch—have each redefined superhero comics in their own right, and their powerful storytelling is on full display in Terminal. With a full creative team including inker Sandra Hope (Flashpoint), colorist Dave McCaig (The Walking Dead Deluxe), and letterer Rus Wooton (Transformers), Terminal is a superhero series with twists no one will expect.
Another one I didn't get to.
***
WITCHBLADE/VAMPIRELLA #1 (ONE-SHOT)
Witchblade series writer Marguerite Bennett (Odin, Bombshells, Batwoman) and Witchblade fan favorite artist and alumni Laura Braga (Future State: The Next Batman, Captain Marvel, Dazzler) team up to bring two leading comics ladies together in an epic one-shot, Witchblade/Vampirella #1. The first of two exciting mashups will hit shelves in August from Image Comics/Top Cow, followed by another jaw-dropping crossover event in the Vampirella/Witchblade #1 one-shot by Erica Schultz (Rat City, The Deadliest Bouquet) and Valentina Pinti (Daredevil: Unleash Hell) in September from Dynamite Entertainment.
“This is the kind of crossover that only works when everyone leans in — creatively and as partners,” said Matt Hawkins, President and COO at Top Cow, in an exclusive scoop with CBR. “You’ve got two iconic characters, two publishers, and a story that doesn’t play it safe. It puts Sara and Vampirella on a collision course where trust is fragile and the consequences are permanent.”
Nick Barrucci, CEO and Publisher at Dynamite Entertainment, added: “It's been over 20 years since Witchblade and Vampirella teamed up. The previous stories were fantastic, and we needed the right creators to ensure that we were bringing even more compelling stories to the fans. Working hand in hand with Top Cow, we were able to do just that. These stories will excite fans and we can't wait to get these stories into fans' hands.”
In this first Witchblade/Vampirella one-shot, Detective Sara Pezzini has seen her share of things that go bump in the night … but nothing like this. When a mutated vampire descends on the city, leaving a trail of blood and chaos, even Sara is pushed to her limits. Just as hope begins to fade, help arrives in the form of a legendary hunter of the undead: Vampirella. But with Sara already infected by the creature’s bite, time is running out. Will Vampirella be forced to stake first, ask questions later?
“Witchblade and Vampirella go together like me and Laura Braga — our story is fun, sexy, ferocious, and full of monstrosity,” said Bennett. “Times are tough and everyone deserves a treat — including Sara Pezzini and Vampirella. ;D”
This isn't a historic team-up like "Flash of Two Worlds," because the characters are owned by different companies — which means no consequences. But it's a fun little romp. Sara gets bitten early (as you can see in the preview below, so the spoiler isn't on me). But it's by a "mutant" vampire (according to Vampirella), which changes the "rules." In this scenario, the vampirism isn't permanent: Sara can save her humanity by killing her "maker" before dawn. Vampi and Witchie (Bladey?) team up to take down the killer, and it would be a spoiler to say more.
All I'll say is that the book does its job, which is to showcase the two characters in the best light, both art and story, so Vampirella readers will become interested in Witchblade, and vice versa.
***
ENERGON UNIVERSE
I don't normally give Energon Universe titles their own subhead, but we have a lot of them this week, plus this neat trailer from SDCC.
G.I. JOE: A REAL AMERICAN HERO #109 HAMA FILES EDITION
G.I. JOE A REAL AMERICAN HERO COMPENDIUM TP VOL 4
MASK ORIGINS #1 (ONE-SHOT)
ROM SPECIAL #1 (ONE-SHOT)
VOID RIVALS #33
***
GIGANTIC GN
From Rick Remender (Hammerfist, Fear Agent, Escape) and Eric Nguyen (Strange Girl) comes an over-the-top, action-packed collected edition of Gigantic: The Complete Series. This trade paperback collects issues #1-5 of the fan-favorite science-fiction romp and will be available next week at comic book shops and everywhere books are sold in September.
A brutal twist on The Truman Show concept, Gigantic follows a brainwashed alien superhero, dropped onto Earth as the unwitting star of a 24/7 intergalactic reality program. This kaiju-sized superhero epic about fame, violence, and the prison of spectacle is a must-read.
It was a perfect spring day in San Francisco until a towering, armored alien tore through the skyline and turned the city into rubble. But who is this invader? Why are otherworldly forces hunting him? And why is he so… Gigantic?
"Still stands as one of my favorite concepts and worlds," said Remender. "When I began writing it back in 2006 I never would have guessed it would still be so relevant. Excited for a new generation to get to read it."
Nguyen added: "As artist and co-creator I’m thrilled to bring fans this gorgeous all‑in‑one volume edition of Gigantic. In a story about a giant robot, BIGGER is always BETTER."
This wasn't listed as coming out this week, and I don't have a DRC. But then I got this PR a couple of days ago saying it will arrive Aug. 26, and Image's website says so, too. So I'm adding it. I give it a 50/50 that it will actually ship next week.
***
MORE IMAGE
BADROCK #2
BATTLEPUG: COSMIC DOGGYSSEY TP
CORPSE KNIGHT #5 (OF 6): This is a good series, but I didn't have time to read issue #5 this week.
DEPARTMENT OF TRUTH VOL 7 TP
DO A POWERBOMB BLACK AND WHITE #2 (OF 3)
EYE COLLECTOR #3: I keep meaning to catch up on this one.
FINAL BOSS #9
FIREBORN #4
GHOST PEPPER #14
INVINCIBLE UNIVERSE: CAPES #10: This one too, thanks to Jeff's recommendation.
KING SPAWN #58
SPAWN #378
SPAWN: THE CURSE OF SHERLEE JOHNSON #7
UNIVERSAL MONSTERS: BLOOD OF THE WOLF MAN #3 (OF 4): I've fallen behind on this one. Of all the Universal monsters, the Wolfman interested me the least. I've tried to figure out why. Maybe, having always lived in cities, I don't have a learned fear of wild animals. They're animals, which means you can outwit them, or barricade against them, or shoot them (with silver bullets, which you'll make when you realize you're fighting a werewolf) -- and you only have to do that three nights a month. Also, those full moon rules mean that all a werewolf-infested community has to do is watch to see who is conspicuously absent during the full moon, and you've found your werewolf, who can be easily dispatched in human form. Werewolf movies all seem to follow the same blueprint, where somebody gets infected, they try to find a cure, but in the end are killed with a silver bullet, usually by someone they love, who has figured out their lover/spouse/family member is the monster. Oh, the tragedy. I do give points to American Werewolf in London, with Griffin Dunne hilarious as a sort of undead Greek chorus. That was a lot more fun than the Standard Werewolf Story happening in the foreground.
***
NO. 4: IDW PUBLISHING
OPERATION: IRON COFFIN #2
Author Kenny Porter
Illustrated by Tyrell Cannon
Discover the deal Dracula made with Quincy Harker that led to him assisting the Allied forces in stopping the deadly Nazi train that contains a deadly vampire virus! Dracula continues to fight his way through the train and now must face down the three augmented soldiers who follow Hazel and Ivy’s every command. He has a great deal of power, but can he combat the power of the Spear, the Gunner, and the Bell?! And how much more of Dracula’s history is about to catch up to him?
This looks interesting, and I mean to sample it.
***
THE ROCKETEER: INFILTRATOR! #2
Author Gabriel Hardman
Illustrated by Dean Kotz
An unforeseen threat changes the mission for the Rocketeer and his girlfriend, Betty. Concerned about the French Resistance, the Nazis bring in their greatest counterintelligence agent to protect their superweapon from any threat. Cliff and Betty have only just arrived in Nazi territory, and already this mission is proving more dangerous than the Allied Powers advertised… It’s a good thing they made a new friend with a license to kill.
Gabriel Hardman and Dean Kotz continue their story that takes the Rocketeer behind enemy lines in a way he’s never been: undercover!
This one has been recommended, so I meant to give it a try this week. Alas, Zeus had other ideas and I sat in the dark instead. Maybe next month.
***
STAR TREK: STARFLEET ACADEMY — LOST CONTACT #5
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: SATURDAY MORNING ADVENTURES #40
COLLECTIONS
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: THE LAST RONIN
***
NO. 5: DARK HORSE
HIDDEN SPRINGS #4 (OF 4)
Writer: Rob Williams
Artist: Nil Vendrell
With one of their number dead and the military closing in on their escape boat with its kaiju cargo, the residents of Hidden Springs Seniors Home are running out of options. But the waters of the Pacific are hiding a secret that could make or break the oldsters’ desperate attempt to save the world. Can they return “Jones” the baby Kaiju to his ocean home and prevent the apocalypse?
They did a good job.
The story began with some rest-home residents and their two young handlers on a day trip, who run across a baby kaiju in the woods who needs to get back to its mama in the deep ocean. They are immediately sympathetic, as most of us would be. Cue Evil Government Troops in pursuit, and there's your story.
It could have been by the numbers, and sometimes it almost had to be. But Williams did a good job of backstory-ing some of the olds, without it being intrusive. Vendrell's art told the story so well, I might not have needed dialogue.
I was surprised (and relieved) when the youngs didn't become the focus. It looked like the story was going to go that way at first. But when you set up a story with wildly disparate, ecletic personalities, you should focus on that. And Williams did.
That's probably worth the price of the collection, just to make you smile.
***
KINGDOM OF EARTH #2
Writer: David Dastmalchian · Leah Kilpatrick
Artist: Soo Lee
In the ruins of Chicago, political tensions rise as the ambitious Orpheus challenges Romero, Grand Leader of the Northern Territory. Meanwhile, Frankie chooses to follow the terrifying beast Virago. The young human remains wary but curious as to why they were spared—are there such things as “Good Monsters” amidst the hordes of malevolent creatures vying to dominate the Kingdom of Earth?
The book throws a lot at you at first, and by the second issue, I have caught up.
Various monsters have arisen from the earth and the sea, and taken over the world. That's the premise, and you just have to accept this impossible thing before breakfast.
Humans are now slaves or food, usually both. North America has been split into five kingdoms, and our focus is on the "Northern Territory," which runs from roughly the Rio Grande to the Arctic Ocean, and from the Rockies to the Appalachians. I don't know why it's called "Northern," since the "Western Territory" runs just as far north, paralleling the Northern Territory to the west. But it's another thing you accept before the story starts, or you don't.
The monsters fall into categories, and the the text page at the end of each issue describes two. After two issues, we've learned about Ozark Howlers, Dark Watchers, Van Meter Visitors and Bray Road Beasts. The text suggests all these creatures were urban legends before the "Occurrence," when all these things appeared all at once and took over the world. Some of them seem vaguely familiar, and could be variations on stories like the Chupacabra or Jersey Devil, but I'm not familiar enough with cryptid folklore to say.
Anyway, issue #1 begins with a trainload of humans being taken somewhere to be food. But the train breaks down. And the humans all die due to faulty ventilation, angering the Dark Watcher administrator. Not because of the cruelty, but because it's food waste. She kills the guy in charge and promotes the next guy, a Howler.
This train business is horrific. It suggests Nazi trains taking Jews to murder camps and today's human trafficking in stifling semi-truck trailers, which isn't urban legend at all. It tells you what kind of story you're in.
Amid the corpses, one young girl has survived, by hiding under the dead. She escapes into the woods, but this is a very efficient Nazi Monster regime, and the doglike Bray Road Beasts are hot on her heels, sniffing out her human breath. Then she is saved by a Howler, for undisclosed reasons. And it is the very Howler who just got promoted back on the train. He takes her back to his den, where she discovers that he had previously raised another young human ... one that the other monsters joke about, because he earned a nickname by publicly ripping off her head.
Yikes. At this point, you're either in, or you're out. (I'll be back next month.)
***
MORE DARK HORSE
GRENDEL: DEVIL'S CRUCIBLE — SEDITION #2
HE-MAN AND THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE #6
THE RING: THE MAN WHO BEAT THE MAN #3
COLLECTIONS
AVATAR LEGENDS: MASTERS OF THE ELEMENTS VOLUME 1
THE EC ARCHIVES: THE COMPLETE VALOR TPB
***
NO. 6: VIZ MEDIA
MANGA IN THEORY AND PRACTICE: HOW TO CREATE VILLAINS
SPLATOON: SQUID KIDS COMEDY SHOW VOL. 5
***
NO. 7: DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT
VAMPIRELLA #5
Writer: Christopher Priest
Artist: Davis Goetten
"Messiah Complex" begins a new story arc with Vampirella caught in a crisis of conscience between the violent drug cartels she's been collecting bounties for hunting down and the shadowy organization paying her. Meanwhile, her no-longer-quite-so-evil twin Draculina seeks guidance from Vampi's priest, ex-love interest Victory explores her new, dark powers, and the powerful Vampire Oracle implements a vampiric nuclear option to usurp his master, Dracula.
I meant to catch up on this one, too. Somehow I missed issue #4, but I can probably muddle through without it next month.
VAMPIRELLA ARCHIVES VOL 6 TP
Dynamite Entertainment is bringing another hotly anticipated release to the shelves of retailers and fans this June, ready to heat up the summer, as Vampirella Archives Volume 6 adds to the new line of paperbacks reprinting the icon's original era.
This sizzling sixth entry reprints issues #36-42 of the Vampirella magazine produced originally by Warren Publishing. These stories were originally released from fall 1974 through spring 1975.
This book and its five former volumes can be picked up in any order by readers, with their largely anthology format. Each issue is stuffed full of multiple stories from horror, sci-fi, and fantasy, and the cherry on top is the continuing adventures of the Daughter of Drakulon. The preceding fabulous fifth book kicked off the run on Vampi's tales by writer Flaxman Loew, the first appearance of her feline frenemy Pantha, as well as a concentration of work by the legend Jeffrey Catherine Jones.
For the sixth book in the batting order, fans can delight to more gorgeous Vampirella artwork by her definitive creator of the era, Jose Gonzalez, as always. Though more than perhaps any other volume, the majority of the Drakulonian's stories here feature different artists offering a novel look, including Leopold Sanchez and Jose Ortiz. Writer Flaxman Loew's core run comes to a close here, with Bill DuBay set to replace him next volume. A real treat for fans here is "She Who Waits!" from #37 with a return of Archie Goodwin alongside Gonzalez, and presented in full color!
Pantha stars in a story within, and Esteban Maroto richly illustrates two stories featuring Dracula. Other creators in these issues include Doug Moench, Martin Pasko, Steve Skeates, Rafael Auraleon, Jose Bea, Fernando Fernandez, Luis Bermejo, Paul Neary, and more.
For those looking ahead, the next volume will include the critical first appearance of Vampi rogue the Blood Red Queen of Hearts, legendary writer Len Wein, another powerful Pantha epic, and more.
Vampirella didn't launch until I was about 10, which meant I didn't start reading the magazine until I was old enough to buy it, around age 13-14 or so. (There was a head shop that sold them, where I assume the clerk was too stoned to care how old I was if I could get my money over the counter.) Which made the early issues a forbidden fruit that I always wanted to read. So, naturally, I glommed on to the hardbacks when they came out. Did I enjoy the stories because of nostalgia, or because they featured a half-naked chick in cheesy, 1970s-style supernatural stories, often drawn by talented Spanish artists? Both, of course. Anyway, they're being released in TPB now, and you can check the preview to see if they appeal to you.
***
MORE DYNAMITE
LION KING #5
SUPERNATURAL #10
THUNDERCATS X SILVERHAWKS: THUNDERHAWKS #5
***
NO. 8: BOOM! STUDIOS
FALL OF THE HOUSE OF SLAUGHTER #4
COLLECTIONS
THE POWER RANGERS ART OF DAN MORA
SOMETHING IS KILLING THE CHILDREN OMNIBUS VOL. 2
***
NO 9: KODANSHA
ANYWAY, I'M FALLING IN LOVE WITH YOU. VOLUME 11
ASHITA NO JOE: FIGHTING FOR TOMORROW VOLUME 6
THE AYAKASHI HUNTER'S TAINTED BRIDE VOLUME 7
BECAUSE I, THE TRUE SAINT, WAS BANISHED, THAT COUNTRY IS DONE FOR! VOLUME 4
GO! GO! LOSER RANGER! VOLUME 18
I HAVE A CRUSH AT WORK VOLUME 6
SENPAI IS AN OTOKONOKO: MY CROSSDRESSING CLASSMATE VOLUME 7
TOKYO TARAREBA GIRLS RETURNS 2 VOLUME 6
WELCOME TO DEMON SCHOOL! IRUMA-KUN: IRUMAFIA EDITION VOLUME 5
WITCH HAT ATELIER: GRIMOIRE EDITION VOLUME 2
***
NO. 10: ONI PRESS
***
Replies
MORE PUBLISHERS
ARCHIE COMICS
ARCHIE COMICS 85th ANNIVERSARY PRESENTS: BETTY & VERONICA FASHION PAGES (ONE-SHOT)
Art: Various
Main Cover: Dan DeCarlo
Variant Covers: Dan DeCarlo (Betty Variant), Dan DeCarlo (Veronica Variant)
Foil Variants: Dan DeCarlo, Dan DeCarlo (Betty Variant), Dan DeCarlo (Veronica Variant)
On Sale Date: 8/26
32-page, full color comic
$4.99 (REG) / $7.99 (FOIL)
Hit the runway with Betty and Veronica as they showcase their best and brightest outfits! B&V have been synonymous with fashion since they first touched down in Riverdale, and this collection of fashion pages, one-page comics, and style-centric stories showcases just why they’ve been icons for 85 years! Just in time for Paris Fashion Week!
If this is the only DeCarlo they're giving me, I'll take it.
***
ARCHIE COMICS DIGEST #7: HALLOWEEN SPECIAL
Art: Various
Cover: Dan Parent w/ Rosario "Tito" Pena
On Sale Date: 8/19
96-page, full color digest
$9.99
Spooky season is here and Archie and his friends are ready to go trick-or-treating! From jack-o-lanterns to groovy ghouls, there’s no better place to celebrate Halloween than Riverdale!
I'm glad Archie is still publishing digests. Whatever it takes to keep the company in business.
***
CLOVER PRESS
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN: CLASSIC NEWSPAPER COMICS 1980 TP
DC ART OF JORGE JIMENEZ HC
TOM THE DANCING BUG VOL 2: SEX, TOM THE DANCING BUG, AND ROCK N ROL...
***
FANTAGRAPHICS
LOST MARVELS NO. 4: GIL KANE RARITIES VOL 1 — JUNGLE BOOK, KA...
PRINCE VALIANT VOL 31 1997-1998 HC
***
MAD CAVE
DENVER #1 (OF 3)
In a near-future world drowned by rising oceans, Denver survives as one of the last tightly controlled safe zones on the planet where every resource is rationed and every citizen is monitored. Max Flynn, a veteran border officer struggling to protect his family under these unforgiving rules, is shattered when his wife is suddenly kidnapped. A mysterious enemy forces him to betray Denver from within or lose her forever. As Max assembles a trusted crew and descends into the city’s underbelly, his desperate hunt threatens to expose the cracks in Denver’s rigid order and ignite a reckoning that could end the last safe city on Earth.
Another post-apocalypse story with a lot of snow and ice. That's the apocalypse I'd prefer to the one we're going to get. But I guess stories where millions are dying from heat stroke and lack of fresh water aren't as fun to make.
Nice covers, though. And Palmiotti and Conner are involved, which is encouraging.
***
MASSIVE PUBLISHING
DEVIL’S DUE PRESENTS: HACK/SLASH-MERCY SPARX #1 (ONE-SHOT): For some reason I got all the Hack/Slash hardcovers, although I haven't made it very far into them. I never picked up any Mercy Sparx, as it just looked like T&A. Maybe there's more to it, if they can finagle a team-up.
***
TITAN COMICS
BLACK STAR #2 (OF 5)
(A) JOE BACARDO
Cover A: Jenna Cha
Cover B: Joe Bacardo
Cover C: Francesca Ciregia
Cover D: Jenna Cha - Inks Cardstock Variant ($6.99)
Cover E: Jenna Cha - Glow In The Dark Variant ($14.99)
PUBLISHER: TITAN COMICS
FC, 32pp, $4.99, IN-STORES: 26 AUGUST 2026
Written by Kristin Kreuk, star of Smallville, Murder in a Small Town and Reacher.
Amidst skirmishes between two warring factions in the early nineteenth-century fur trade, Dashiell Carlyle discovers he has magical abilities … and that he’s not alone. Thrust into a secret order with designs to use their magic to build a new and better world, Dashiell discovers that their utopia may come at a horrific cost.
I got through the first issue and the middle of the second, and realized I had a poor grasp on what was happening. So I'm going to start over. I'm sure my incomprehension is due to my own myriad shortcomings.
***
CONAN THE BARBARIAN #34
(A) FERNANDO DAGNINO
COVER A: ESAD RIBIC
COVER B: JESUS MERINO
COVER C: NICOLA SCOTT
COVER D: JUAN ALBERTO HERNANDEZ
COVER E: JUAN ALBERTO HERNANDEZ - VIRGIN CARDSTOCK ($6.99)
COVER F: JUAN ALBERTO HERNANDEZ - GLOW IN THE DARK ($14.99)
COVER G: ESAD RIBIC - WRAPAROUND CARDSTOCK ($6.99)
FC, 32pp, $4.99, IN-STORES: 26 AUGUST 2026
Conan and Valeria are pirates of the Red Brotherhood, living a life of lawless adventure on the Western Sea, but occult forces from the Cimmerian’s past have him in their sights once more and they will not rest until the barbarian’s body and soul are torn asunder!
This is part two of "Cursed Shores Beyond," so I read issue #33 to catch up.
The story is set while Conan is with the Red Brotherhood. So is Valeria, from "Red Nails," who popped up (and died) in Arnold Schwarzenneger's Conan the Barbarian, and maybe one or two other places. Howard described her as "tall, full-bosomed, and large-limbed," and a better swordsman than Conan. Oh, and blonde. This distinguished her from Bêlit, who was dark-haired and, presumably, of average height.
But both had agency and utility in Robert E. Howard stories, which distinguished them from many of the women in pulp fiction, who were just there to be rescued. Zub stakes out Valeria's independence early on; she has slept with Conan (in "Red Nails") but is not his lover here, nor his property. "We traveled together and it was memorable," she says of Conan, "but I am no one's conquest. We were partner thieves, nothing more." Conan, of course, doesn't care or appears not to care.
In this story, the good ship Briney Wren is damaged by an unnatural storm and is left sinking near an unnamed island. Left with no choice, the remaining crew go ashore to discover a strange obelisk with skeletons imbedded (who look as if their deaths were unpleasant). Not to mention dinosaurs. Then they are attacked by an invisible specter with red eyes, one that Conan had already battled on the Wren (last issue). Plus some cultists, in the usual full-body robes. Conan slips the net, but it doesn't look good.
Zub has been writing this title since its inception at Titan, and he consistently takes Conan out of the rut he had fallen into at Marvel, without sacrificing anything essential. The threats are little fresher, and Zub builds out secondary characters a bit more (without killing them, which both REH and Roy Thomas tended to do). Zub's scripts sometimes offend my copy editor's ears by using the almost-right word instead of the right word ("pending" instead of "impending," for example, or an inexact synonym), but it's a minor complaint that I doubt most would notice.
Points also to Dagnino, whose John Buscema impression is impeccable. Conan and Valeria look exactly as Big John would have drawn them, and there's even a "smirking swordsman" named Morley who's a dead ringer for Buscema's version of Fandral the Dashing. With apologies to everyone else who's ever drawn Conan, this is how readers expect Conan to look.
***
GUN HONEY: DOUBLES DOWN #3 (OF 4)
(A) ANG HOR KHENG
COVER A: SOZOMAIKA
COVER B: TEHANI FARR
COVER C: COSPLAY CARDSTOCK VARIANT ($6.99)
COVER D: ANG HOR KHENG
COVER E: RARE TEMPTER - WRAPAROUND NUDE/CLOTHED BAGGED VARIANT ($10)
COVER F: CHRIS WAHL
COVER G: SOZOMAIKA - WRAPAROUND NUDE/CLOTHED BAGGED VARIANT ($10)
COVER H: SOZOMAIKA - VIRGIN NUDE BAGGED VARIANT ($10)
COVER I: SOZOMAIKA - FOIL VARIANT ($14.99)
COVER J: TEHANI FARR - NUDE BAGGED VARIANT ($10)
COVER K: TEHANI FARR - FOIL VARIANT ($14.99)
COVER L: CHRIS WAHL - VIRGIN CARDSTOCK VARIANT ($6.99)
FC, 32pp, $4.99, IN-STORES: 19 AUGUST 2026
When a botched attack on the dictator of Russia sends three identical-looking men fleeing Moscow for Siberia, Finland, and the Black Sea, Gun Honey Joanna Tan is offered $10 million to separate the real target from his doubles -- and make sure the right man dies.
Another book I meant to catch up on this week, until fate intervened. I guess I'll comfort myself with these naughty covers.
***
I'm going to give Black Tower a try. Ram V can be a little too slow-burn for me, but the supernatural MI-5 concept appeals to me, and Perkins's art looks gorgeous (as always).
I'l likely pick up the Deadshot one-shot, too. I haven't kept up with all the Next Level books, other than Firestorm, so this might be a nice guide as to which ones to catch up with on DCUI.
I wish I had the dough for that big Paul Smith volume!
And I enjoyed the first issue of that Rocketeer book -- the first Rocketeer story I've read in a while. But whether writing or drawing, Gabe Hardman always has the goods.
Gotham City went to the plants in 1975 and 1986!
I'm picking the Dark Knight Returns tpb because I realized that the one I have is over forty years old! Yikes!
I am also getting the EC Valor book because I enjoyed the Panic and Extra volumes!
I didn't really expect one of these this week under the circumstances, so good on ya!
Unsurprisingly, "Kingdom of Zod" adds a fourth title. Is that all the current ongoing Super-titles?
It is (unless you include the Adventures of Superman: Book of El maxi-series that is just about to wrap). After two issues of each of the main titles, "Kingdon of Zod" will conclude the the Kingdom of Zod Special.
Another one I didn't get to.
I posted some thoughts on Terminal #1 to the "Pick of the Week" thread on July 22/23.