Rob's Picks:

Werewolf By Night #1
Until Blood Hunt exploded across the greater Marvel Universe, its horror-adjacent heroes were having a quiet renaissance. We’ve seen incredible runs on Blade and Ghost Rider, the revival of classic titles like Tomb of Dracula, and now Werewolf By Night howls once again! With the Disney+ special and last year’s excellent one-shot, fans—old and new—have been eagerly anticipating Jack Russell’s return. In this issue, we find him tying up some monstrous loose ends in the castle of Doktor Nekromantik shortly before the events of Blood Hunt. When a pair of innocents are torn apart in the night, Jack begins to question whether he’s still in control of his beastly curse. Luckily, his old flame Elsa Bloodstone arrives to bring him into the fight against Varnea’s legions of vampires. Meanwhile, a pair of villains try to elevate their status in both the criminal and supernatural underworlds. Writer Jason Loo does an excellent job catching up readers who may have missed recent events, so don’t sleep on this one—even if you haven’t read the 2023 one-shot or passed on Blood Hunt.

Jonny Quest #1
It seems the industry has finally cracked the code for reviving classic IPs. Transformers, Thundercats, and Space Ghost are just a few examples of new creative teams embracing the visual styles of yesteryear while enhancing the quality and maturity of the writing. Jonny Quest #1 from writer Joe Casey (Dutch) and artist Sebastián Piriz (Exorcists Never Die) gives Hanna-Barbera’s boy adventurer the same treatment. Picking up after the Jonny Quest Free Comic Book Day book, the Quest family returns to their private island home only to discover things aren’t quite as they left them. Their suspicions are soon confirmed with a shocking revelation. Before they can fully process this, they are ambushed by an old enemy and a familiar teammate. The creative team captures the look and feel of the original Jonny Quest perfectly. The characters play off each other with dialogue that stays true to the original series' style without feeling like an outdated pastiche. If you’ve ever been a fan of Jonny, Haji, Dr. Quest, and the all-time great cartoon badass Race Bannon, this title will reward your nostalgia in spades.

Ultimates #3
Our team goes searching for a classic Avenger and finds something new. Fifteen months remain until the Maker returns, and the plans of Iron Lad and Doom are far from complete. The duo hopes to recruit the strongest one there is—heading to a secret island in the Pacific to find the Hulk. This island, bombarded by gamma rays from Dr. Banner’s experimental bombs, has turned into a monster-filled landscape fit for a Godzilla movie. Giant lizards are no match for a dragonslayer like Thor, but the gamma-infused humans that inhabit the island are another story altogether. The rearranged chessboard of the new Ultimate Universe gives us fresh perspectives on familiar characters, and this issue compels us to take a second look at Banner. Traditionally, Banner has been seen as a victim of the military-industrial complex, hunted and controlled by it. Writer Deniz Camp reexamines Banner’s role, presenting him as a willing and vital participant in that system. It’s a thoughtful issue that lays bare the twisted morality of the Maker’s world and highlights its devastating consequences for the innocent.

Solomon's Picks:

Spider-Society #1
Spider-Society launched this week, and it was an absolute blast! Picking up after the events of Edge of Spider-Verse #4, the story opens with Miles and Gwen enjoying a quiet morning before being thrust into action by an emergency alert from Madame Web. The book quickly dives into a whirlwind of fan-favorite spider-people, offering some great catch-up moments before the pace shifts dramatically with the arrival of the Sinister Squadron. The Squadron, composed of multiversal versions of the heroes' most dangerous villains, launches an all-out assault on Spider-Society HQ. This issue focuses a bit more on Anya, hinting at her development in the coming issues. If you enjoyed last year’s Across the Spider-Verse, this is definitely a story to pick up!

Venom War #1
Venom War kicked off this week with a solid start! If you haven't heard, Peter Parker is bonding with the symbiote once again to confront the lingering symbiotic threat. Created by Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing, and Greg Land, the first issue sets Peter against civilians forcibly turned into Hobgoblins, all meant to distract him from the real threat. Luckily, NYC's newest hero, Jackpot, shows up to lend a hand. Besides the stunning artwork, the dynamic dialogue between Peter and the symbiote is the standout feature of this book (though it veers into cheesy territory at times). I'm excited to see how this event unfolds—grab your copy today!

The Power Fantasy #1
We’ve seen countless stories tackle the "super-powered humans with a twist" concept, with varying degrees of success, but The Power Fantasy stands out as a near-perfect debut. Created by Kieron Gillen and Caspar Wijngaard, this series presents a clever and immersive world where superheroes function like nuclear arms, balancing global power by mutually agreeing to keep each other in check. The tension between characters' individual agendas and the delicate status quo makes for an intriguing, smart, and captivating story. It’s one of the best debut issues I’ve read in a while, and I can’t recommend it enough. Add this to your pull list ASAP—you won't want to miss it!