TOP 10 PUBLISHERS
NO. 1: DC COMICS
DC FINEST: ROBIN — THE ORIGIN OF ROBIN TP
(W) Mike Friedrich, Elliot S. Maggin, Various (A) Gil Kane, Irv Novick, Various (CA) Carmine Infantino, Joe Giella
Collects Robin's major solo appearances in Batman #184, 192, 202, 213, 227, 229-231, 234-236, 239-242, 244-245, 248-250, 252, 254, and 259; Detective Comics #342, 386, 390-391, 394-395, 398-403, 445, 447, and 450-451; World's Finest Comics #141, 147, 195 and 200; and Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #111 and 130.
This looks like the moral equivalent of Silver Age Robin Archives Vol. 1. I looked up the first few, and they were all essentially short back-up stories starring Robin, like his solo stories in Star-Spangled Comics, rather than Batman stories that happen to feature Robin prominently. I don't know if that's true of all of them, but the description does say "solo." I have read them all, of course, but memorizing the format isn't something I did at the time.
It doesn't include any Batman Family stories, because this book takes us to 1974, and Family didn't begin until the next year. A second DC Finest: Robin might include the Robin-Batgirl stories in Batman Family. But it might not, since most of them were reprinted in the Batgirl: Bronze Age Omnibus Vol. 1.
I should note that Silver Age Batman Omnibus Vol. 2 (due in December), only reaches 1960. It's going to take years for that series to reach Batman's "New Look," which I don't have to tell this crowd began in 1964. This book begins in 1965, so if you want some of that New Look goodness early, here's a way to do it.
ABSOLUTE
ABSOLUTE BATMAN #21
(W) Scott Snyder (A/CA) Nick Dragotta
SCARECROW'S REIGN OF TERROR CONTINUES! Friends become enemies. Enemies become friends. Final forms are revealed, and Scarecrow's reign of terror threatens to upend everything.
If you're not following the series, that's Absolute Two-Face on Cover A, and Absolute Penguin on Cover C. This books is selling big guns, but it's only my third-favorite Absolute title (after Wonder Woman and Superman). I think I've just seen so many Batman Elseworlds that it doesn't have the same impact on me that it could have.
ABSOLUTE FLASH #16
(W) Jeff Lemire (A/CA) Nick Robles
THE ROGUES STRIKE BACK! As Wally races to find the answers about the mysterious S.T.A.R. Labs founders, the Rogues have resurfaced with a new mission: secure Grodd and his father before they take over Colorado!
I gave up on this one. But then, I've never been much of a Wally West fan. I like my Flashes to be scientists. And I was really disappointed that, when given the opportunity to completely re-invent the rogues, Lemire didn't go as far as I'd have liked. Some of them are still about as dangerous to a speedster as a hangnail.
ABSOLUTE GREEN ARROW #2 (OF 6)
(W) Pornsak Pichetshote (A/CA) Rafael Albuquerque
WITHOUT THE TRICK ARROWS … WITHOUT THE MONEY … WITHOUT MERCY … WHAT'S LEFT IS THE ABSOLUTE HUNTER!
A serial killer is slaughtering corrupt billionaires. The only clue to his identity is the mysterious green arrows sticking out of his victims' corpses. Executive protection specialist Dinah Lance, a.k.a. Absolute Black Canary, is one of the people tasked to uncover this murderer's identity as she investigates her suspects ... all familiar DC archers uniquely linked to a recently murdered Oliver Queen. I Know What You Did Last Summer for billionaires, Absolute Green Arrow reimagines the Emerald Archer's mythos into a dangerous, urban horror murder-mystery by Eisner winners Pornsak Pichetshote (Dead Boy Detectives, Infidel) and Rafael Albuquerque (Detective Comics, American Vampire).
I'm getting this for the mystery, and so far, so good — I don't have any idea who's behind the mask. Also, I think I prefer my archers to be lethal like this. I'm not bloodthirsty; it's just that bows and arrows are designed to be lethal weapons, and not using them that way feels contrived. (I feel that way about Vigilante and other gun-slingers as well — if you're going to pack a gun, you'd better be willing to use it for what it was designed to do. Ditto swordsmen like Black Knight.) That won't work in the sanitized main universe, but it goes down fine in Darkseidville.
They re-iterated in the first issue that Oliver Queen is dead, and they didn't leave much wiggle room. At some point, I'm going to have to accept it. Right now, though, I'm still not convinced.
VERTIGO
END OF LIFE #5
MORE DC
BATMAN SUPERMAN WORLDS FINEST #52
BATWOMAN #4
CATWOMAN #88
DEATHSTROKE THE TERMINATOR #4
DETECTIVE COMICS #359 FACSIMILE EDITION: "The Million-Dollar Debut of Batgirl," as everyone reading this already knows.
JUSTICE LEAGUE: DREAM GIRLS -- A DC PRIDE EVENT #3 (OF 4)
LOBO #4
LOBO #1 FACSIMILE EDITION
MAD MAGAZINE #600
NEW TITANS #36
NIGHTWING #139
SUPERMAN UNLIMITED #14
COLLECTIONS
SUPERMAN ACTION COMICS (2025) VOL 1: BOY OF STEEL TP
BATMAN: UNDER THE RED HOOD TP (DC COMPACT COMICS EDITION)
DARK CRISIS OMNIBUS HC
NO. 2: MARVEL COMICS
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #31
Written by JOE KELLY
Art and Cover by PATRICK GLEASON
The 1000th issue of Amazing Spider-Man arrives in September, and the lead up to the monumental milestone has already begun! Joe Kelly’s hit run with artists Pepe Larraz, John Romita Jr. and more has been heating up since Peter Parker returned from his cosmic adventures in “Death Spiral,” a new crossover with Venom that kicked off earlier this month. Today, fans can peek ahead at what awaits on the other side of this bloody affair.
In AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #31, Patrick Gleason joins Kelly for “THE TALK.” Just in time for AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1000, Peter Parker’s world is turned upside down with one of the biggest reveals in Spider-Man history. Don’t miss this pivotal story that leads directly into AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1000 and beyond!
On what fans can expect from the revelatory issue, Kelly shared, “There is so much to say about this issue… it’s heartbreaking, for one. Some of the most honest and emotional stuff we’ve done. Pat Gleason delivers a powerhouse performance and captures everything I’d hoped for. It’s also one of those times where you can honestly say ‘this changes everything.’ A family secret comes to light that rocks Peter and May to foundation of their relationship. It’s huge and has ramifications well past issue #1000. I try not to oversell these sort of moments … but this is the big one.”
If you're not reading Amazing Spider-Man (or keeping up with events on the internet, as I am), last issue revealed that May and Ben Parker had a biological son, which makes him Peter Parker's first cousin and, more or less, a step-brother. I'm assuming "The Talk" in this issue will give us a backstory I don't want or need, as I don't care for the idea. They just keep throwing things against the wall in this series, most of them symbiote-flavored. It feels desperate.
SPIDER-MAN: LONG WAY HOME (2026) #1
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Penciller: Adam Kubert
Cover: Adam Kubert
A DARK HOMECOMING AWAITS...
It's a world before the Punisher. A world where the existence of the Hulk is but a whisper of a rumor. A world where A.I.M. has just developed a Cosmic Cube in the jungles of South America. Frank Castle, Bruce Banner and Peter Parker are all on a mission to keep the Cube out of the wrong hands - including each other's. In this three-way free-for-all for the power of the cosmos, who will come out on top? Legendary creators Jonathan Hickman and Adam Kubert team up to tell the grittiest Spider-Man story of the ages!
If I'm reading this right, it's set in what we would call 1962. Spider-Man and Hulk have just been created, and Frank Castle is still a Marine (in whatever forever war it was that Mark Waid set up). Thor and Ant-Man were also created in 1962, but I don't imagine we'll see them. Ditto other characters that have been retconned to exist in that time frame (Wolverine, Mr. Sinister, et al), or the pre-existing Fantastic Four and Sub-Mariner. This book seems to focus on these three characters exclusively, at the beginning of their careers.
Which might be fun. We don't have to wonder why the Avengers and the X-Men don't show up, because they don't exist yet. See Variant Covers
MORE MARVEL
DEADLY HANDS OF K'UN-LUN (2026) #5
SILVER SURFER FACSIMILE EDITION (2026) #4
SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY (2026) #2
COLLECTIONS
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN EPIC COLLECTION: THE GOBLIN'S LAST STAND [NEW PRINTING 2] (TRADE PAPERBACK)
CAPTAIN MARVEL: HIGHEST, FURTHEST, FASTEST OMNIBUS CARMEN CARNERO COVER (HARDCOVER)
CAPTAIN MARVEL: HIGHEST, FURTHEST, FASTEST OMNIBUS STEPHEN SEGOVIA COVER [DM ONLY] (HARDCOVER)
MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN BY CODY ZIGLAR VOL. 8 - REVENGE OF RABBLE (TRADE PAPERBACK)
NEW X-MEN MODERN ERA EPIC COLLECTION: PLANET X (TRADE PAPERBACK)
SPIDER-MAN: THE OTHER (TRADE PAPERBACK)
THE SUPERIOR FOES OF SPIDER-MAN (TRADE PAPERBACK)
NO. 3: IMAGE COMICS
IF DESTRUCTION BE OUR LOT #2
(W) Matthew Rosenberg, Mark Elijah Rosenberg (A/CA) Andy MacDonald, Francesco Segala
After the robot cops finally nab him, animatronic ABE gets hauled to the factory for a little “maintenance.” But if he keeps yapping about humans, there ain’t gonna be enough of him left to fix. They got a whole bag of dirty tricks waitin’ for him — torture, mind-wipin’ and magnets so mean they’ll pull the thoughts right outta your skull. A strange and thunderous tale of the future — dark, mechanical, unforgiving and the sci-fi smash hit of the year.
I read the first issue and was intrigued. (Warning: Spoilers.)
The premise is that humans have been extinct for 87 years — or so it is thought by the millions of robots left behind, performing their tasks endlessly for a society that no longer exists. (See "There Will Come Soft Rains" by Ray Bradbury.) One such is an animatronic Abraham Lincoln, who performs the Gettysburg Address every day for nobody. He is our protagonist.
Through a series of events, "Abe" ends up befriending a bus, and convincing it to leave its regular routes (that it has been performing with no passengers for more than 80 years). This is a dangerous world for robots, though, as any injury or malfunction seems to summon a great cyborg beast that chews up said robot for parts. The bus gets into an accident, a crowd of "junkies" try to strip it for parts, and the police arrive. The reason for the accident, though, is that Abe saw a human. When he tells the police robots and the junkie robots this, the cops start reprogramming all the witnesses to forget what Abe said. In other words, humans do exist in this world, the powers that be know it, and serious steps are taken to keep this fact secret. Now Abe has a mission.
It's an interesting mystery, and as with all post-apocalypse stories, we want to know how humanity got from Point A to Point B. The art isn't terribly attractive, being junky and mechanical, but that's appropriate for the subject matter.
ODIN #2 (OF 9)
(W) James Tynion IV, Marguerite Bennett (A) Letizia Cadonici, Jordie Bellaire (CA) Alex Eckman-Lawn
Robert gave up being Roberto to fit in with his Nazi punk friends. Now those same friends have dragged him to the frozen forests of Norway to summon a “god.” And he may have to give up much, much more before they’re through with him. … The twisted team of JAMES TYNION IV (EXQUISITE CORPSES), MARGUERITE BENNETT (WITCHBLADE), LETIZIA CADONICI (House of Slaughter), and JORDIE BELLAIRE (REDLANDS) continues the most jaw-dropping horror series of the year!
I read the first issue of this, too, and am looking forward to more. (Warning: Spoilers.)
The premise is a group of American neo-Nazis traveling to rural Norway to "summon a god." A Norse god, obviously, probably the namesake of the title. Among them is Adele, who is actually an undercover journalist from the Aurora (probably Colorado) Tribune — we see the story through her eyes. We get thumbnail descriptions of the other eight people in the story, so we vaguely know them. They take a bus to the middle of a frozen wilderness, and then ingest some hallucinogenics. Great idea, right?
Anyway, we get some drug-addled pages where we can only guess what's happening, but when they sober up it's been long enough for hair and nails to grow out ... and they discover that one of them is dead ... and half-eaten. Ruh roh.
I'm ready for more. The art isn't very slick, but you can tell the characters apart and the story is served.
OF THE EARTH #2 (OF 6)
(W) Chris Condon, Andrew Ehrich (A/CA) Charlie Adlard
A representative for the oil company, Thomas Morton, arrives at the Winters Ranch to investigate the strange phenomena surrounding Gramma Betty and a missing oil worker.
The first issue didn't tell us a lot, but it intimated more than a little. (Warning: Spoilers.)
The issue begins with a description of a cryptid called "The Wildcatter," a legend which is made up for this story. It's an oily shapeshifter with a human face, that preys on those who dig too deeply in the ground, or dig with greed (unclear which or both). This is all in text, from a fictitious author's forthcoming book.
The comic book proper begins with a girl named Tabby, who is on the run from what is implied to be an abusive relationship. She also seems to have stolen a lot of money, a la Marion Crane in Psycho. She drives to her grandmother's house in Solitude, Texas, where she makes a terrible discovery. (It doesn't seem very smart to me to visit relatives when you're on the run from an apparently dangerous ex-boyfriend, but maybe she never told him about gramma.) The drive to Nana's house fills the bulk of the issue, and is extremely ominous. (See: Twilight Zone's "The Hitch-Hiker," Dennis Weaver in Duel.)
It's a first issue with more atmosphere than facts. That's helped along by artist Charlie Adlard, a mainstay of The Walking Dead, who obviously knows a little about creating suspense. I imagine I'll learn a bit more this issue, and maybe get a second character!
SUPER CREEPSHOW #4
(W) Sam Humphries, Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly (A) Sean Izaakse, Matteo Lolli, Dave McCaig, Romulo Fajardo Jr. (CA) Pye Parr
REVENGE IS THE SWEETEST GIFT.
SAM HUMPHRIES (Green Lantern) and SEAN IZAAKSE (Green Arrow) showcase a retired super criminal whose past isn’t quite done with him... PLUS: JACKSON LANZING & COLLIN KELLY (Giant-Size X-Men) and MATTEO LOLLI (Deadpool) birth a superhero with the ability to grant life. Yeah, that’s not gonna end well ...
I read this regularly. Why would I not? Superheroes and horror anthologies are two of my favorite things!
THE TRILLION DOLLAR KID #1
The highly anticipated, first-ever Ghost Machine crossover event begins in The Trillion Dollar Kid #1 by Geoff Johns (Geiger, Rook: Exodus), Peter J. Tomasi (The Rocketfellers), and Stefano Simeone (Radiant Black) on shelves from Image Comics. This exciting launch will feature first appearances of brand-new characters and kick off a massive-new chapter in the popular line of comics.
The Trillion Dollar Kid #1 is part one, with more jaw-dropping events to follow! Hornsby & Halo #14 (on sale Wednesday, June 24) will be part two, The Rocketfellers #13 (on sale Wednesday, July 22) will be part three, and the grand finale to the crossover event palooza drops in The Trillion Dollar Kid #2 (on sale Wednesday, July 29).
Among us are … The Unbelievables, and Tommy Townsend III — the world’s first 13-year-old trillionaire — wants to find them! His world abounds with wonder and spectacle, including a robot bodyguard named Sterling, all trying to make the world a better place. But Tommy learns quickly that money can’t buy everything … and propels himself on a journey that sets the stage for this entire new universe!
Richie Rich should sue. And what an expensive legal battle that would be!
Anyway, this is the first issue of a linewide crossover (not counting the zero issues). I haven't decided if I'm going to follow it. I will continue to read Hyde Street and Geiger, and maybe Redcoat, but I don't think I want to follow the story into the other Ghost Machine titles that I've sampled and don't much enjoy.
MEMORIES OF GISELLE OGN
(W/A/CA) Katia Vecchio
"For its tenderness, nuance, and complex portrait of the traumas left by childhood sexual abuse, Memories of Giselle is a standout graphic novel." — Foreword Reviews (Starred Review)
"An absorbing coming-of-age story that slowly reveals its truth and leaves a lasting emotional impact." — AIPT
"Sincere and absolutely brutal. ... Heavy, but told with great beauty and sensitivity." — Jordie Bellaire, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Redlands, Adventures of Young Diana
A tender, coming-of-age, slice-of-life graphic novel that explores the psychological journey of a young woman carrying the weight of childhood trauma. Giselle grows up haunted by the constant memories of her grandmother and a single, haunting image of a boat — a symbol of a trauma she has long buried. As adolescence brings struggles with intimacy and vulnerability, fragments of the past begin to surface, leading her to a devastating truth she had long repressed. MEMORIES OF GISELLE is a harrowing yet deeply human coming-of-age tale about memory, trauma, and the courage it takes to reclaim one’s life.
Critically-acclaimed cartoonist Katia Vecchio (Silver Vessels, Painted) makes her Image Comics debut.
“Memories of Giselle is the story I needed to tell in order to give shape to experiences that often remain unspoken," said Vecchio. "My hope is that readers will find, in Giselle’s journey, the courage to look at their own pain with compassion, and to understand that acceptance begins with acknowledging what we’ve had to carry.”
She killed her Nana. She killed her Nana! SHE DROWNED HER IN THE LAKE!
JK. I have no idea what repressed memories we're talking about here. Her grandmother probably did die, but probably of natural causes or an accident, and that's why Giselle is all pitiful. But TBH, if Giselle DIDN'T kill her Nana, then it wouldn't be worth my while to read it. I have long since hit my limit on "touching" coming-of-age stories. Toughen up, you whiny brats!
MORE RANDOM IMAGE PREVIEWS
INVINCIBLE UNIVERSE: BATTLE BEAST #10
he next chapter of the bestselling series from co-creator/writer Robert Kirkman (Skinbreaker, Void Rivals), co-creator/artist Ryan Ottley (The Amazing Spider-Man), colorist Annalisa Leoni (Cobra Commander), and letterer Rus Wooton (The Walking Dead) arrives as Conquest crashes onto shelves in comic shops on June 17, 2026.
Battle Beast vs. Conquest! At long last — it's the fight everyone has always wanted!
TRANSFORMERS: WORST BOT EVER— BOT SWAP!
Today Skybound Comet, in collaboration with Image Comics and leading games, IP, and toy company Hasbro, revealed a first look at TRANSFORMERS: Worst Bot Ever– Bot Swap! The latest book in the series of Middle Grade OGNs from writer Brian “Smitty” Smith (Pea, Bee, and Jay) and artist Marz Jr. will be available in comic shops on June 17 and everywhere books are sold on July 14, 2026.
As Ballpoint struggles to fit in with his new Autobot friends, a mishap with an experimental weapon causes him to swap bodies with the most feared Decepticon of them all — Megatron! Will Ballpoint’s newfound size and strength finally garner him the acceptance he desires? Maybe! Will the mighty Megatron really accept being placed in the itty-bitty body of the Worst Bot Ever? Of course not!
“I'm absolutely thrilled to bring more Ballpoint to both longtime and new TRANSFORMERS fans,” said writer Brian ‘Smitty’ Smith. “This book has something for everyone, even if you hate pens!”
"So excited to be drawing the lovable, little rascal again!” added artist Marz Jr. “Is bigger always better? You never know until you walk a mile in another TRANSFORMER bot’s mechanical leg!"
"Your favorite new Transformers Bot is back and worse than ever!” said Alex Antone, Editorial Director at Skybound. “Smitty’s story and Marz Jr.’s art are a match made in comic book heaven, and we’re looking forward to bringing you even more of Ballpoint’s hilarious mishaps!”
As noted, this is an OGN for middle schoolers.
LEGO NINJAGO: DARK ISLAND TRILOGY OGN TP
Today Skybound and Image Comics, in partnership with global children’s book publisher AMEET, announced the graphic novel release of LEGO® NINJAGO®: DARK ISLAND TRILOGY. Perfectly timed in celebration of LEGO NINJAGO’S 15th anniversary, the first-ever collection of the iconic series by writer Greg Farshtey and artist Paul Lee will be available everywhere books are sold May 2026, featuring a new cover by Tri Vuong (Everyday Hero Machine Boy).
Long out of print, LEGO NINJAGO: DARK ISLAND TRILOGY is a key piece of Ninjago lore — essential for longtime fans and increasingly relevant to LEGO’s ongoing storytelling, while still remaining new reader friendly.
A new darkness threatens Ninjago as Master Wu senses a growing imbalance between good and evil. Will Master Wu and the ninjas’ Spinjitzu be enough against threats new and old alike? Or will the coming darkness sweep across Dark Island like a massive storm and take everyone with it?
"We're thrilled to bring this out-of-print story back to LEGO NINJAGO fans everywhere,” said Diegs Lopez, Senior Editor at Skybound. “The Dark Island Trilogy is full of epic set pieces and Spinjitzu action and a must read for new and established fans."
MORE IMAGE
DEPARTMENT OF TRUTH: THE COMPLETE CONSPIRACY DLX BOOK 2 HC
DRAWING BLOOD #11 (OF 12)
GEIGER VOL 5 TP
GI JOE #23
MIRKA ANDOLFO'S SWEET PAPRIKA: OPEN FOR BUSINESS TP
REDCOAT #18
WALKING DEAD DELUXE #139
NO. 4: IDW PUBLISHING
SLEEPY HOLLOW: THE WITCHES OF THE WESTERN WOOD #2 (OF 5)
Author Delilah S. Dawson
Illustrated by Jose Jaro
Revisit the world of Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hollow in this prequel, The Witches of the Western Wood!
After witnessing the death of the Hessian, Sarah Archer is haunted by visions of a headless horseman. The ever-present specter influences Sarah’s already cold heart, and she grows more cruelly protective of her twin, Mary, and vindictive toward the residents of Sleepy Hollow. But she will soon learn that dallying with dark magic brings about deadly consequences.
When I read the first issue I felt a bit like I was coming into the middle of a story, and as I discovered, in a way I was. This is a prequel to Tim Burton's 1999 movie Sleepy Hollow, which I'm nearly certain I've seen, but do not remember. Evidently a character in that movie named Mary Van Tassell was really named Sarah Archer — and this is Sarah's story.
Warning: Spoilers.
In the first issue, we see Sarah as a child, with her smaller, weaker twin sister, Mary. Her mother was a healer and/or midwife, married to an unfaithful man who beat her. Mom knew black magic as well as white, so Dad doesn't last long. Sarah is aware of the murder, and the town of Sleepy Hollow — which regards the mother as a witch — suspects as much. The trio are thrown out of their house, and forced to live in a cave. The mother becomes bitter and cruel, and begins to beat the children. But Sarah has learned quite a bit about her mother's methods, and knows just how to deal with someone who strikes you ...
The art is clear and clean, if not terribly exciting. Looking forward to this issue.
MORE IDW
MONSTER HIGH: BOOMUDA TRIANGLE #5
SMILE FOR THE CAMERA #4
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #87
STAR TREK: THE LAST STARSHIP #8: I read the first issue of this book (so I know the big twist), and meant to continue, but just started putting it off and putting it off. And now we're at issue #8! I do mean to continue, because I think it's worthwhile. At this point I should just wait for a collection.
COLLECTIONS
THE ART OF STAR TREK & DEFIANT
Angel Unzueta; MIke Feehan; Ramon Rosanas, Marcus To
You’ve read the series, now revel in the art that brought to life the critically acclaimed and award-winning Star Trek and Defiant comic series!
Star Trek and Defiant have woven a story consisting of 65 issues’ worth of comics into one interconnected epic. This art book gives you an in-depth look into what made it all possible, focusing on cover art, concept art, and final interior art. Also included are interviews with a select number of artists talking about their process and what makes Star Trek special for them.
Artists include Ramon Rosanas, Francesco Francavilla, Declan Shalvey, Rachael Stott, Malachi Ward, JK Woodward, Liana Kangas, Ángel Unzueta, Angel Hernandez, Marcus To, Megan Levens, and more. In total, over 65 artists are highlighted for their contributions to the series!
I'm not one for art books, but this is a lovely preview.
GIGS GN
Written by Mark Mosedale, Illustrated by Si Smith
In a frighteningly near future where Basic Income is supplemented by gig work assigned by “the app”…an octogenarian punk and a lonely young worker seek escape through music. A street artist makes art by night and paints over it by day. A has-been detective chases a case into a forgotten world. A drug runner makes a long, strange delivery. A writer marks her days on a decaying space station she can’t leave. And a refugee asks for help in the last free place.
A.I. took the work. Gigs replaced jobs. Ordinary people are left to scrape together lives in a world that's no longer built for them. This is Gigs, a new graphic novel from Top Shelf releasing June 16, 2026. With a hard-won blend of biting satire and humanistic passion, two creators from the North of England weave together six divergent chapters into an extraordinary graphic novel. Gigs is both a powerful warning about the oppressive world to come and a defiant celebration of the humanity that will sprout up in the cracks.
"When we started working on Gigs in 2019. We hoped that doing a book about AI taking jobs and necessitating a universal basic income wouldn't become irrelevant in the time we spent making it. It turns out that that was the wrong thing to hope for,” says co-creator Mark Mosedale. “Still, there are all the right things left to hope for and, as Woody Guthrie wrote, you've got to keep the hoping machine running. For me, writing Gigs has been a big part of that."
"When we started Gigs I was reaching for that feeling that great music gives me - hearing Tinseltown in the Rain for the first time, or Pearly-Dewdrops’ Drops, or Once In A Lifetime. When this stuff finds you, it's proof that another, better world is possible, and an encouragement to look for it,” says co-creator Si Smith. “Imagining a dystopia is relatively easy, especially right now, and the world that we’ve built in Gigs is quite bleak. But whilst hope and joy and revelation are definitely much harder to create, Mark and I have had a good go at it."
With a hard-won blend of biting satire and humanistic passion, two creators from the North of England weave together six divergent chapters into an extraordinary graphic novel. Gigs is both a powerful warning about the oppressive world to come and a defiant celebration of the humanity that will sprout up in the cracks.
Sounds all too plausible.
NO. 5: DARK HORSE
CONCRETE: STARS OVER SAND #1 (OF 5)
Writer/Artist: Paul Chadwick
The Eisner, Harvey and Reuben Award-winning Concrete is back with a 5-part story of amnesia, wilderness, and suspense. Concrete has entered the desert and not come back. Larry and Maureen are frantic. Reports come that he is wandering the nearby arid mountains, covered with blood, attacking people. Concrete, lightning-struck, confused, roams a frightening world he can’t understand. Roars tear across the sky. A strange globe rises. His body is sheathed in stone. He thinks he is being hunted. People are a threat.
His journey back to life, and his friends’ dire search against a looming deadline, is as strange and tense as any Concrete story ever told.
First new Concrete comic in 20 years!
I always tried to enjoy Concrete as much as all these award-givers did, but couldn't summon the enthusiasm. It always felt kinda boring and self-indulgent to me. I don't know why I feel that way, because I can't point to anything specific. I just do. And so I find that I no longer read Concrete.
But everybody else seems crazy about it, so here's a preview of this new series.
HELLBOY IN LOVE: OBSIDIAN #1 (OF 2)
Writer: Mike Mignola · Christopher Golden
Artist: Alex Nieto
Anastasia is called to Crete when an excavation team unearths a tomb with striking similarities to the engraved skull stolen from her by a witch in India. The trail for proof of the mysterious Suaren Artea society may not have gone as cold as she thought, but danger still lurks behind every turn.
Praise for Hellboy in Love: The Art of Fire:
“Another fantastic entry in the Hellboy Universe and Hellboy in Love series. The creative team packs a lot into just two issues and hits so many of the classic story beats of a Hellboy tale.” — Comic Watch
I'm so far behind on these various Hellboy series that I don't even know who Hellboy is in love with. (Or why she's OK with dating the future King of Hell, who looks the way Hellboy does.) Maybe I should get a collection of these, too.
HELLBOY AND THE B.P.R.D.: THE MONSTER OF NIVOLA
Writer: Mike Mignola · Christopher Golden
Artist: Daniele Serra
Rumors of a monster bring Hellboy to a nearly abandoned town in Sardinia, where the search for the creature leads to a local abbey with a shocking secret of its own.
Writer Christopher Golden and artist Daniele Serra join Mike Mignola in exploring the meaning of true monstrosity in this standalone Hellboy one-shot!
Great jumping-on point!
Acclaimed artist Daniele Serra joins the Hellboy universe.
Good grief, here's another. Eventually we're going to have more flashback Hellboy stories than the original ones.
HIDDEN SPRINGS #2 (OF 4)
Writer: Rob Williams
Artist: Nil Vendrell
As a group of octogenarian ex-celebrities try to shepherd a baby kaiju to safety, they’re found by military agents who try to capture it — with devastating results! As the Hollywood has-beens are caught in the crossfire, they have to ask themselves, just what are they willing to sacrifice to save an alien creature?
Celebrated writer Rob Williams (Petrol Head, Judge Dredd)!
Kaiju powers plus grandparent follies.
So this is a big-concept book. Really, really big. A baby kaiju, whose capture will cause the end of the world, is being chased by the military, while being protected by six octogenarians from a rest home: an actor with memory problems, a director with one eye, a former beauty, an Ozzy Ozborne type, a former comedian dying of liver failure and Bob. Nobody knows much about Bob. There are also two Gen Z caretakers, but it was unclear at the end of the first issue if they would join the six or not. One of them is an idealist, so I'd say she's in. The other is a slacker, so I don't know. This issue will almost certainly clarify where everyone stands.
The art is nice, if a bit cartoony. I do like the baby kaiju design. Yes, I'm gonna read this second issue. The characterization of the olds is well done.
KOSHEI THE DEATHLESS OMNIBUS HC
The complete saga of the unkillable man and the Witchfinder who fight to defend what remains of the world after Hellboy.
Sent to kill Hellboy by the Baba Yaga in Darkness Calls, Koshchei the Deathless hinted at a long and tragic life before being enslaved to the Russian witch. Now Koshchei relives every horrible act on his road to immortality and beyond, with none other than Hellboy himself — in Hell.
Then, after the end of the world above and the death of Hellboy, Koshchei is summoned by the Witchfinder Ed Grey to finish the one task he could not — take up his sword again and fight a dark foe hell-bent on destruction.
Finally, Ed Grey is summoned by Alice, queen of the last standing realm on earth, to defend her and England against Morgan Le Fay and her champion in a final standoff. Grey must transform into the defender he was destined to be if England has a chance of surviving, while Le Fay has her own shadowy intentions.
Hellboy creator Mike Mignola and fan-favorite artist Ben Stenbeck team up for a final saga after the end of the world.
This hardcover omnibus collects Koshchei the Deathless #1-6; Koshchei in Hell #1-4; Sir Edward Grey: Acheron one-shot; and The Serpent in the Garden: Ed Grey and the Last Battle for England #1-3; plus all epilogues, a cover gallery, and sketchbook section.
I think I have individual pieces of this collection in smaller collections, but it will nice to have the stories all in one place.
Also, I really like the art in this preview. It's Mignola-esque without being derivative, and super-polished.
MORE DARK HORSE
AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER — THE KYOSHI WARRIORS #2
MAGIC: THE GATHERING: UNTOLD STORIES — JACE #2
COLLECTIONS
THE ART OF STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE — THE MANGA VOLUME 1 HC
MINECRAFT: OPEN WORLD THE ENDER TRIALS TPB
NO. 6: VIZ MEDIA
ASSASSIN’S CREED SHADOWS: TALES OF IGA VOL. 1
HAIKYU!! (3-IN-1 EDITION) VOL. 9
MAGILUMIERE MAGICAL GIRLS INC. VOL. 13
MISSION: YOZAKURA FAMILY VOL. 23
ONE PIECE (OMNIBUS EDITION) VOL. 36
STEEL OF THE CELESTIAL SHADOWS VOL. 10
NO. 7: DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT
MUMM-RA THE EVER LIVING #3
MUPPETS NOIR #3
STITCH BOOK: TOP SECRET ADVENTURES HC
SUPERNATURAL #8
THUNDARR THE BARBARIAN #5
VAMPIRELLA (2026) #3
NO. 8: BOOM! STUDIOS
SOMETHING IS KILLING THE CHILDREN #48
NO. 9: KODANSHA
PARASYTE PAPERBACK COLLECTION VOLUME 7
MARS 30TH ANNIVERSARY VOLUME 1
NO. 10: ONI PRESS
CATACOMB OF TORMENT #12
(W) J. Holtham, David Lapham, Maria Lapham, Alex Segura (A) David Lapham, David Rubin (CA) Oliver Dominguez
The summer is swelterin' ... .and so are you as the Tormentor stokes the flames underneath your roasting spit with a callous cackle! Welcome back to the Catacomb of Torment ... where our favorite thing to bring to the neighborhood cookout is YOU! First up: Comics masters David & Maria Lapham (Stray Bullets) carve off a flank of depraved intensity with an all-new tale of macabre mortality and modern dance (shudders) in their EC Comics writing debut! Then: dangerously depraved storytellers J. Holtham (Hulu's The Handmaid's Tale), David Rubín (Space Scouts), and Alex Segura (Star Wars: Battle of Jakku) serve up a second and third helping of snapping ligaments and prolonged suspense with brand-new tales of terror! More, please!
Still reading this as well. If you need to catch up, CATACOMB OF TORMENT VOL 1 TP is out this week as well.
MORE ONI PRESS
ADVENTURE TIME (2025) #14
DEAD TEENAGERS #4 (OF 5)
MURDER DRONES #4 (OF 6)
MORE PUBLISHERS
AHOY COMICS
BABS: THE BLACK ROAD SOUTH #4 (OF 6)
(W) Garth Ennis (A/CA) Jacen Burrows
More sword-and-sorcery mayhem from the co-creator of The Boys! Babs, Izzy, and Culpepper are cast away on the rapids of a body of liquid so disgusting we don’t even want to tell you what it is until we already have your money. Plus, the raft they’re riding might not be completely dead, in quite a gross way.
Westfield canceled my pre-order for issues #5-6. I don't know if they've been re-solicited yet. Or if they will be.
DRAWN & QUARTERLY
(W/A/CA) Nick Maandag
Roommates Xavier, Doug, and Tim are just regular guys trying to make it on the dating scene. Meeting women isn’t easy, they might even call it impossible! Changing social mores, dating apps, and good old-fashioned shyness cause misstep after misstep. Recent mixed signals at the restaurant all three work at cause a cascading series of rules and regulations, putting everyone on edge. Some people adapt, others dig their heels in fleshing out a hilarious comedy about modern communication where bad faith arguments and self-serving directives clash leading to HR reprimands and ever-expanding apologies. As friends and co-workers struggle to connect under these conditions, some become lovers while others become mortal enemies. In Betas, Nick Maandag lampoons popular ideas around free speech, consent, and scold culture all while asking: can ever learn to talk to one another? And can we ever feel safe?
Looks a bit Beto Hernandez-ish.
(W/A/CA) Tillie Walden
An openly Lesbian couple survives and thrives in 19th century Vermont — a true story, as told by Tillie Walden. The month is February in the year 1807. The place is Weybridge, Vermont: small, cold, lonely, and beautiful. Sylvia Drake is exhausted. As an unwed woman with few prospects, she is residing with and caring for her sister’s rambunctious family. Today the house is abuzz awaiting a guest — Charity Bryant. A friend of the family, she is most known for her elegant letters, with their swoopy and evocative penmanship and carefully chosen prose. But Charity’s visit is a guise, she is coming to Vermont to start over after heartbreak and rumours — so many rumours — that have grown too loud back in Massachusetts. The true, exceptional story of these remarkable women is brought to life with humor and passion by the unparalleled and award-winning Tillie Walden (On A Sunbeam). We see America grow alongside these women over a period that brings about the railroad, many novels, 14 Presidents, riots, rebellion, plagues, and poetry. Based on extensive archives of their writing, Charity and Sylvia is a groundbreaking biography that is also the story of 19th century America.
FANTAGRAPHICS
(W/A/CA) Ernie Bushmiller
Nancy is an American icon. She’s timeless. She’s a meme. The world-famous artist Andy Warhol once painted her portrait. She’s been on a postage stamp. To this day, when you look up “comic strip” in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, it shows a Nancy comic by Bushmiller! As another famous cartoonist once put it, “It’s easier to read a Nancy comic than it is to not read one.” Nancy, along with on-and-off again boyfriend Sluggo, deliver absurd laughs panel after panel, all rendered in Bushmiller’s chiseled cartoon perfection that feels untethered to time or place. An acknowledged masterpiece of humor and cartooning, Nancy’s brand of lowbrow absurdism and unexpected visual delights have held sway over generations of early readers, artists and celebrities, to say nothing of its impact on American culture as a whole! Bushmiller created Nancy from 1938 to 1982, and in recent years, interest in his work has surged to a fever pitch. Jam-packed with over 300 comic strips from the years 1953–1954, Nancy For All Seasons features a fresh and contemporary new design that will entertain all ages.
The appeal of this strip has always eluded me, but I know that's not a universal opinion. So for them that wants it, here it is.
(W/A/CA) Nick Thorburn
A good old-fashioned underground comic for our current times: a heady bouillabaisse of humor, philosophy, profanity, absurdism, and existentialism. From the pen of multi-talented indie musician (Islands, Unicorns) and cartoonist (Penguins) Nick Thorburn comes this perfect object of the comic book form. A 64-page color one-shot menagerie of interconnected comic strips that smartly channels the tradition of underground comix. Find out why those smarty pants at The Believer magazine say, "Thorburn makes sharp social commentary through a series of dark humor vignettes that revolve around macabre body horror, dalliances into the absurd, and the sociopolitical intricacies of human existence."
I know I'm the one calling for lethal archers above, but "macabre body horror" is a bridge too far for me.
MAD CAVE
PHANTOM VS THE RED DRAGONS (ONE-SHOT)
(W) Ray Fawkes (A) Lynne Yoshii (CA) Alessio Zonno
THE PHANTOM MUST DIE! But how do you kill a Ghost? The Red Dragons are gonna try – and anyone who gets in the way is just collateral damage! When someone in The Phantom’s familiar cowl starts sinking the Dragons’ pirate operations, Princess Sin goes on the warpath. The South China Sea belongs to the Red Dragons – and they’re not afraid of one man in a mask. Not yet. Another thrilling installment in Ray Fawkes’ action-packed adventure with guest artist Lynne Yoshii!
As I may have mentioned before, I don't think modern publishers have done a very good job with classic characters like Dick Tracy, Flash Gordon and The Phantom. Were the comics I read as a kid that much better, or do they just seem so, seen through the patina of nostalgia? Anyway, I don't plan on reading this.
MASSIVE
ZORRO: MAN OF THE DEAD VOL 1 MASTER CLASS HC
(W/A/CA) Sean Gordon Murphy
Massive Select presents the Zorro: Man of the Dead MASTER CLASS (Retail edition). This prestigious 11x14 hardcover collects volume one of Sean Murphy's reimagining of the masked vigilante with nearly 100 pages of bonus material. This retail edition of the sold out Kickstarter Exclusive Master Class edition is packed with tutorials, page breakdown, and loads of insight from one of comic's top talents, Sean Murphy. Available for the first time ever.
OK, maybe Dick Tracy, Flash Gordon and The Phantom suck. But this by Sean Gordon Murphy, and I expect it to be fantastic. So, yeah. definitely getting this one.
TITAN COMICS
GUN HONEY DOUBLES DOWN #1 (OF 4)
(W) Charles Ardai
(A) Ang Hor Kheng
Cover A: Stanley ‘Artgerm’ Lau
Cover B: Adam Hughes Variant
Cover C: Cosplay Trade Cardstock Variant ($6.99)
Cover D: Ang Hor Kheng Variant
Cover E: Rare Tempter Wraparound Nude / Clothed Bagged Variant ($10.00)
Cover F: Yasmine Variant
Cover G: Cosplay Trading Card Bagged Variant ($10.00)
Cover H: Yasmine Nude Foil Bagged Variant ($16.99)
Cover I: Adam Hughes Foil Variant ($14.99)
Cover J: Stanley ‘Artgerm’ Lau Virgin Variant
Cover K: Adam Hughes Virgin Variant
Cover L: Stanley ‘Artgerm‘ Lau Inks Virgin Variant
Cover M: Stanley ‘Artgerm’ Lau Copic Cardstock Variant ($6.99)
Publisher: Titan Comics and Hard Case Crime
FC, 32pp, $4.99, In shops: June 10, 2026
JOANNA TAN IS BACK AND SHE’S DOUBLING DOWN AS GUN HONEY RETURNS
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.
Returning in June 2026, with superstar artists Adam Hughes (Wonder Woman, Catwoman, Batgirl) and Stanley "Artgerm" Lau (Robotech, Conan the Barbarian, Wonder Woman, Supergirl). Plus, covers by Rare Temper, Yasmine, and a stunning cosplay variant by model Tabitha Lyons with collectible trading card!
Award-winning author and Hard Case Crime co-founder Charles Ardai returns to the critically-acclaimed GUN HONEY universe with a bold new international thriller sultry weapons smuggler Joanna Tan. This action-packed installment delivers all the intrigue and intensity that fans have come to expect, and will be brought to life through the explosive, cinematic artwork of returning series artist Ang Hor Kheng.
Praised by noir master Ed Brubaker as "the finest kind of noir thriller", the GUN HONEY universe has a TV series in development by Piller/Segan (Haven, The Dead Zone) and Malaysia-based Double Vision (The Bridge), as well as previous GUN HONEY comics including GUN HONEY, BLOOD FOR BLOOD, COLLISION COURSE; and a spin-off series set in the same world, HEAT SEEKER.
I have enjoyed this series off and on. Oddly, I enjoy it more when they emphasize the story over the soft-core porn.
SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN REFORGED #5
(W) Roy Thomas
(A) John Busvema
Cover A: Alan Quah
Cover B: Earl Norem Variant
Cover C: Alan Quah Virgin Variant
Cover D: Earl Norem Foil Variant ($19.99)
(CA) Alan Quah
Prepare to embark on one of Robert E. Howard’s greatest Conan adventures ever: “People of the Black Circle!” With a kidnapped queen in tow, Conan battles through rival conspirators, treacherous sorcerers, and hideous monsters to confront the biggest threat of all -- the dark magic of the vicious Black Seers!
Thomas and Buscema were quite a team.
AOASHI (3-IN-1 EDITION) VOL. 1 (VOLS. 1-3)
Volume 1 of the Aoashi Omnibus from Titan Manga collects and translates Volumes 1-3 of the original award-winning Japanese manga series.
To the world stage! Glory and ambition lie ahead of young Ashito Aoi as he takes the first steps to becoming a pro soccer player. But after being catapulted into a new harsh environment, can he hold onto his spider’s thread and climb his way to the top?
A fateful encounter on Futami Beach in Ehime, Japan leads to the meeting between Fukuda Tatsuya; once a rising star and a player on the cusp of greatness whose career ended all too soon, and Aoi Ashito; a brash and hot-headed striker who loves soccer despite his selfish tendencies.
After being selected to try out for the Tokyo City Esperion Youth club, Ashito Aoi stakes his future on the chance to create a better life for his single mother and older brother, all while realizing his own shortcomings and dealing with the highly competitive world of J-Youth Soccer.
With a mix of competitive high school soccer and a true-to-life representation of soccer and youth academies, Aoashi volume 1 starts the journey of the award-winning manga series.
Replies
Toughen up, you whiny brats!
Go to bed, old man!
DC FINEST: ROBIN — THE ORIGIN OF ROBIN TP
Includes Batman #184, Detective Comics #342, 386, World's Finest Comics #141, 147, 195, and Jimmy Olsen #111, 130 not included in Robin: The Bronze Age Omnibus. That's not enough to entice me to purchase it for eight comics I don't already have reprinted (although, @$5, that's about the cost of eight new comics). Hmm...
I'm not bloodthirsty; it's just that bows and arrows are designed to be lethal weapons...
Except the ones with boxing gloves on the tips, of course. ;)
Ditto swordsmen like Black Knight.
"Taste the flat of my blade!"
MAD MAGAZINE #600
Not as far as I am concerned. AFAIAC, MAD came to an end in 2018 with its 550th issue. A new series replaced it, but #551-599 were never published.
The 1000th issue of Amazing Spider-Man arrives in September...
Oh, don't even get me started!
...last issue revealed that May and Ben Parker had a biological son
Oh, they did not! (Remember this?)
How well has that held up in the last 23 years?
If I'm reading this right, it's set in what we would call 1962.
Hey, man... I read Torn. Let someone else read Long Way Home.
THE TRILLION DOLLAR KID #1 - Richie Rich should sue.
Not to mention Elon Musk. The coincidental IRL synchronicity is remarkable.
I find that I no longer read Concrete... But everybody else seems crazy about it
Count me among those "crazy about it." I no longer read Concrete, either, but only because it hasn't been published in a while.
I'm so far behind on these various Hellboy series...
Hellboy is a series that lost me because of it's stupid numbering. I started reading it from the beginning, then decided to take a break at one point. When I decided to get back into it, I didn't know which series I had missed to read in which order so I scrapped the whole thing. What is it with comic book publishers and their avoidance of sequential numbering?
Good grief, here's another.
See?
Westfield canceled my pre-order for issues #5-6. I don't know if they've been re-solicited yet. Or if they will be.
It wouldn't be the first time AHOY has "cancelled" a series midstream only to collect the "missing" issues in the tpb.
The appeal of this strip has always eluded me...
Me, too... until I read Three Rocks.
Were the comics I read as a kid that much better...?
Yes, they were.
Oddly, I enjoy it more when they emphasize the story over the soft-core porn.
I've never read it, but (judging from the covers), when would that be?
SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN REFORGED - Thomas and Buscema were quite a team.
I've been going through something of a "Conan" phase lately. Yesterday I was in Half Price Books and found three volumes of "Savage Sword" essentials. Instead of be half price, however, they were double. :(
Go to bed, old man!
I was in bed when I typed that, youngster! And get off my lawn!
That's not enough to entice me to purchase it for eight comics I don't already have reprinted (although, @$5, that's about the cost of eight new comics). Hmm...
I think it may be for me. I don't think they're going to reprint Jimmy Olsen up to #111 and #130 in my lifetime. I've read those issues, of course, but not in a conceptual group like this.
Not as far as I am concerned. AFAIAC, MAD came to an end in 2018 with its 550th issue.
Same.
Oh, they did not! Remember this?)
I HAD forgotten it, until you just reminded me. Thanks a lot.
Hellboy is a series that lost me because of it's stupid numbering. I started reading it from the beginning, then decided to take a break at one point. When I decided to get back into it, I didn't know which series I had missed to read in which order so I scrapped the whole thing. What is it with comic book publishers and their avoidance of sequential mumbering?
This. I have no idea what order to read Hellboy series or collections. My solution? Not read them at all. You'd think the publishers would try to avoid putting readers in the position of just giving up.
It wouldn't be the first time AHOY has "cancelled" a series midstream only to collect the "missing" issues in the tpb.
Doggoneit!
I've never read it, but (judging from the covers), when would that be?
It happens. Buried beneath all the gigantic, naked bazoombas and hot girl-on-girl action, there's an espionage story struggling to be free.
I HAD forgotten it, until you just reminded me. Thanks a lot.
I'd be more likely to believe they had a mermaid daughter.
The Secret Origin of Lori Lemaris!
Count me as another who's really excited for Concrete's return. I love that gentle giant.
As for Gun Honey, I bought the first series on the strength of Charles Ardai's name (as Richard Aleas, he wrote two of my favorite Hard Case Crime novels, Little Girl Lost and Songs of Innocence). But honestly, those covers make the book a little too embarassing to bring up to the register. Maybe Hoopla has 'em and I'll read more that way. The first one was pretty good... but the art is DEFINITELY on the cheesecakey side.