Black Widow and Hawkeye #1
- Written by Stephanie Phillips
- Art by Paolo Villanelli
- Colors by Mattia Iacono
- Letters by Joe Sabino
- Published by Marvel Comics
Over the years, Black Widow and Hawkeye have had two formidable Marvel histories, both as individual heroes and as allies. While the two have joined forces in the comics countless times, the prospect of Stephanie Phillips writing their newest adventure has me excited. Combined with Paolo Villanelli’s art, and the recent reveal of Natasha hosting a symbiote, this has the potential to be something special. — Jenna Anderson
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Fables #162
- Written by Bill Willingham
- Art by Mark Buckingham and Steve Leialoha
- Colors by Lee Loughridge
- Letters by Todd Klein
- Published by DC
Nearly 25 years after Fables made its debut—marking it as one of the last great Vertigo series—the series arrives at another conclusion after a 12-issue revival. That revival took readers to the Black Forest and introduced an array of new fables (including Peter Pan, freshly arrived in the public domain) to conflict with the series’ classic cast. It also made clear that the concept and its creators, including the original writer-artist duo of Bill Willingham and Mark Buckingham, haven’t lost a step in the intervening decades. Both the sprawling, magical storylines and deeply personal family dynamics evident within the Fables saga were shown to be as powerful as ever across the 12-issue return. Although the original series’ finale provided readers with an outstanding conclusion, it was clear that there would never be a permanent “happily ever after” in a world set to remind readers that stories never really end. Whether or not Fables returns again, this new farewell remains an issue to celebrate and a worthy addition to this beloved Vertigo series. — Chase Magnett
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Helen of Wyndhorn #1
- Written by Tom King
- Art by Bilquis Evely
- Colors by Mat Lopes
- Letters by Clayton Cowles
- Published by Dark Horse Comics
Look, you put Bilquis Evely on a book with a logline describing it as a “Gothic sword and sorcery epic that’s Conan the Barbarian meets The Wizard of Oz,” and I’m going to read it, it’s as simple as that. Of course, you could put Evely on almost anything, and I’d at least give it a shot. I’ve been a fan of intricate linework since first encountering it while she drew DC’s Sandman Universe series The Dreaming, where she made a lasting impression. Here she’s teaming with Tom King, a writer who has been hit or miss with me, but the hits tend to hit hard. The premise for Helen of Wyndhorn – a woman returns to the estate of her father, a writer, after his death and discovers the secrets that inspired his adventure stories hidden within – is solid, and my hopes are high. – Jamie Lovett
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I Heart Skull-Crusher #1
- Written by Josie Campbell
- Art by Alessio Zonno
- Colors by Angel de Santiago
- Letters by Jim Campbell
- Published by BOOM! Studios
After Josie Campbell’s absolutely outstanding work on DC’s New Champion of Shazam! and the My Adventures with Superman animated series, I would check out anything and everything that she is attached to. It doesn’t hurt that I Heart Skull-Crusher, her new post-apocalyptic YA series launching this week, absolutely sounds like my jam. The series, with art by Alessio Zonno, is set in a wasteland of extreme sports, as a group of misfits work to compete in a tournament of Screaming Pain Ball. I expect this to be utterly delightful. — Jenna Anderson
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The Immortal Thor Vol. 1
- Written by Al Ewing
- Art by Martin Coccolo
- Colors by Matthew Wilson
- Letters by Joe Sabino
- Published by Marvel Comics
The completion of writer Al Ewing’s prior series The Immortal Hulk established “Immortal” as one of Marvel’s most impressive title adjectives – one that marked a serious contemplation of long-standing characters with vivid and innovative new concepts. So it’s no surprise that the first new series to use that descriptor, The Immortal Thor, has been one of the must-read superhero comics from this past year. The first arc is collected this week for readers everywhere to catch up on what that hype is about. Whereas The Immortal Hulk emphasized Hulk’s roots in horror, The Immortal Thor leans into the much more extensive history behind the character of Thor, examining their roots in Norse mythology as well as comic books. That combination of modern and classic mythos is presented in a splendid thesis statement in these six issues, which feature Thor collecting modern wielders of Mjolnir’s might to battle the gods who predated even Thor in a generational tale of gods. In addition to the grand ideas that Ewing is renowned for, the series also presents the best of Martin Coccolo’s already outstanding comics output to date. Sweeping settings and grand battles come alive on these pages in a style unmatched by anything else under the Marvel Comics’ umbrella today. So if you’re not already reading The Immortal Thor, take this Wednesday as an opportunity to catch up. — Chase Magnett
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Napalm Lullaby #1
- Written by Rick Remender
- Art by Bengal
- Letters by Rus Wooten
- Published by Image Comics
Rick Remender has become a creator-owned comics institution with his output at Image Comics over the past several years, approaching a decade. In Napalm Lullaby, he’s reteaming with Bengal, an incredible artist who previously worked with Remender on Death or Glory, and longtime collaborator Rus Wooten on letters. The book follows a child with unusual powers raised to believe that they are god and who has ultimate moral authority over their cult of followers. Billed as Remender’s somewhat reluctant return to the superhero genre, it should be interesting to see what the creative team has in store when they apply their creativity to such a tale without corporate or shared universe concerns. – Jamie Lovett
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Star Trek: Sons of Star Trek #1
- Written by Morgan Hampton
- Art by Angel Hernandez
- Colors by Nick Filardi
- Letters by Clayton Cowles
- Published by IDW Publishing
Star Trek: Sons of Star Trek is the latest addition to IDW Publishing’s Star Trek line, which has been stellar ever since the low-key soft relaunch that introduced the Star Trek and Star Trek: Defiant. As I noted in my advance review of the first issue, Sons of Star Trek shifts the focus away from Sisko, Worf, and the other Star Trek all-stars that populate those series and puts it on the literal next generation: Jake Sisko, Nog, and Alexander Rozhenko, with Q Junior taking a few tricks out his father’s playbook to teach the three of them a lesson. It’s a classic Star Trek premise that feels fresh and a welcome addition to IDW’s Star Trek comics lineup. – Jamie Lovett
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Suicide Squad: Dream Team #1
- Written by Nicole Maines
- Art by Eddy Barrows and Eber Ferreira
- Colors by Adriano Lucas
- Letters by Becca Carey
- Published by DC
I will never not be moved by the grand trajectory of Nia Nal / Dreamer, who went from a loose adaptation of Dream Girl created specifically for The CW’s Supergirl show, to one of the most popular LGBTQ+ superheroes being published today. This week, Dreamer’s story evolves into a stint leading the Suicide Squad, thanks to a new series written by the character’s actress, Nicole Maines. I am very excited to see what’s next for Dreamer, especially in such an unexpected alliance with characters like Harley Quinn, Bizzaro, and more. — Jenna Anderson
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Swan Songs
- Written by W. Maxwell Prince
- Art by Martin Simmonds, Caspar Wijngaard, Filipe Andrade, Caitlyn Yarsky, Alex Eckman-Lawn, and Martín Morazzo
- Colors by Martin Simmonds, Caspar Wijngaard, Filipe Andrade, Caitlyn Yarsky, Alex Eckman-Lawn, and Chris O’Halloran
- Letters by Good Old Neon
- Published by Image Comics
If you haven’t read the writer W. Maxwell Prince’s outstanding output at Image Comics, Swan Songs provides a perfect introduction to their Kafkaesque work. Whereas the long-running Ice Cream Man details standalone stories with a wide-ranging collection of overlapping tropes and figures, Swan Songs offers a set of tales bound by theme. Each of the six installments focuses on the ending of something, ranging from a marriage to the entire world. It also draws together a diverse collection of artists with styles that contrast one another to fit the unique tone and approach of each installment. They are immensely satisfying in their own right and make for a titanic anthology of skillful pathos when collected behind a single cover in this volume. Each entry is profound enough to require readers set down the comic before them and guarantees a satisfying reading experience when bound together. So whether you’re looking to see what the buzz surrounding Prince is all about or discover some of the most talented artists working under the Image Comics banner today, Swan Songs is bound to satisfy… until it inevitably draws to a close, again and again. — Chase Magnett
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