DC Comics Black Label imprint has a new addition spearheaded by none other than best-selling author and Eisner Award-winner Joe Hill. The team behind Image Comics’ Gideon Falls takes on the Joker in an all new miniseries and things get fantastically dark in an all new series about myths and monsters.
Marvel Comics gives the “Grand Design” treatment to the first superhero family, and the most underrated X-Men-related teams comes roaring back to life in an all new series by two industry darlings. All this just proves that Wednesday is the best day of the week.
5 Basketful of Heads #1
By: Joe Hill, Leomacs, Dave Stewart, Deron Bennett, and Reiko Murakami
Seeing Vertigo Comics go the way of the dodo was a sad moment in comic history, but in its absence, the legendary publisher has expanded the number of imprints under their roof. The newest addition of the family is a new horror imprint (just in time for Halloween) overseen by Eisner Award-winning writer, Joe Hill.
Hill House Comics has unleashed its first monster with Basketful of Heads #1 by Hill and artist Leomacs. Don’t expect to see a ton of blood and guts in this debut issue, but where it lacks in carnage is more than makes up for in world-building and introducing compelling characters.
4 Batman Annual #4
By: Tom King, Jorge Fornes, Mike Norton, Dave Stewart, and Clayton Cowles
Tom King embraces all the zany aspects of the Dark Knight with gravitas in Batman Annual #4. Gorgeously illustrated by Jorge Fornes, Mike Norton, and Dave Stewart, this beefy issue tells recounts so many of Batman’s wild adventures ranging from taking down high profile murderers to literally fighting dragons.
Batman Annual #4 has everything (no seriously). Each page is packed with bite-sized adventures all narrated in journal form. So of these exploits unfold over a few pages, but most are relegated to a mere single panel, but no matter the length, each sketch of a bigger story is as impactful as their peers. This is more than an annual issue -- this is a celebration of the World's Greatest Detective and his steely resolve.
3 Joker: Killer Smile #1
By: Jeff Lemire, Andrea Sorrentino, Jordie Bellaire, and Steve Wands
The Joker is more than just a costumed clown wreaking havoc in Gotham City. He’s more than just a figurehead for anti-social behavior or an avatar for chaos. The Joker, at least as he’s presented in Joker: Killer Smile #1, is an infectious disease, one that poisons the mind more than it hurts the body.
Writer Jeff Lemire and artist Andrea Sorrentino, the team behind the critically-acclaimed horror series Gideon Falls approach the Joker with a dash of Thomas Harris and a heavy dose of Mind Hunters in a psychological horror story unlike any other. With so much buzz in the media about the characters thanks to the blockbuster Joaquin Phoenix vehicle, it’s nice to see a version of the villain that is the furthest thing from being affable.
2 The Last God #1
By: Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Riccardo Federici, Sunny Gho, Dean V. White, and Kai Carpenter
This comic has everything: dark magic, bloody swordplay, horrific monsters, and political intrigue, all gorgeously rendered with a keen eye for detail. The Last God #1 from DC Comics’ Black Label imprint might scratch the itch for readers who are looking for some epic dark fantasy stories in the graphic medium.
Written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson (Jim Henson’s The Power of the Dark Crystal) and illustrated by Riccardo Federici (Aquaman), The Last God #1 is the beginning of a generational story about reclaiming power, even if it means doing so will lead to death and destruction. This book is simply gorgeous and the story is unique enough to keep readers engaged.
Fantastic Four Grand Design #1
By: Tom Scioli
“The story of the Fantastic Four is the story of the universe,” intones a caption in the beautiful debut issue of Fantastic Four: Grand Design by cartoonist virtuoso Tom Scioli (American Barbarian). This retelling the history of the titular superhero family is sharp, concise, and extremely entertaining.
Similarly to Ed Piskor’s X-Men: Grand Design cycle of comics, Fantastic Four: Grand Design bridges the gap between comics of yesteryear and today with wit, humor, and heart. Whether you’re a die hard FF fan or a casual comic reader who can appreciate the art form, this comic is a treat.
1 Excalibur #1
By: Tini Howard, Marcus To, Erick Arciniega, VC's Cory Petit, Tom Muller, Matthew Wilson, and Mahmud Asrar
Writer Tini Howard (Thanos) and artist Marcus To (Nextgen) have resurrected the X-Men-adjacent team Excalibur in the latest addition to Marvel Comics’ “Dawn of X” initiative. Calling the Braddock family dysfunctional is a bit of an understatement. With Betsy heading to Krokoa, leaving her twin brother Brian back at the family estate, things get really weird, really fast.
In a fun, fast, and wild debut issue, Howard and To have given one of the all-too-often overlooked X-teams new life (literally and figuratively) in the fantastic Excalibur #1.
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