Rob's Picks:

X-Men: The Hellfire Murder #1 - The social event of the season becomes a high-fashion whodunit in the latest Hellfire Gala one-shot. Sebastian Shaw rolls out the red carpet for mutantkind's elite, filling the ballroom with heroes, villains, and influential power players for an evening of networking and intrigue. With members of 3K among the guests and Shaw quietly laying the groundwork for his latest scheme, the festivities are cut short when murder strikes the gala. Wolverine and Jubilee take charge of the investigation, and their good cop/bad cop dynamic makes for an entertaining central mystery, but the real highlight of the issue is everything happening around it. Cyclops and Psylocke undertake a covert mission, young mutants navigate budding romance, and Mister Sinister spends the evening verbally dismantling Sebastian Shaw with some of the sharpest dialogue an X-book has seen in years. Considering the impressive roster of writers involved—including Al Ewing, Jed MacKay, Gail Simone, and Saladin Ahmed—it's no surprise the character work is this strong, and Ahmed does an excellent job tying the various threads together into one cohesive story. Of course, no Hellfire Gala would be complete without outrageous fashion, and this year's lineup ranges from elegant Victorian-inspired gowns to full-on BDSM formalwear. Not every design lands, but the standout looks, particularly those worn by Nathaniel Essex and Warren Worthington, are memorable for all the right reasons. Even if murder mysteries aren't usually your thing, this issue is worth reading simply to see how strong the current era of X-Men storytelling has become.

Terminal #1 - Robert Kirkman and Joe Casey deliver another wonderfully subversive superhero story with one of the year's most ambitious debuts. Marilyn Howe has spent years searching for her missing sister Alessandra, unaware that her investigation is about to pull her into a secret war between two superpowered factions. After surviving an attack by a mysterious assassin, Marilyn learns that Alessandra now serves the Activators, a clandestine organization led by a giant sentient eyeball capable of awakening dormant superhuman abilities hidden within a person's DNA—provided the process doesn't kill or horribly mutate them first. Desperate to reunite with her sister, Marilyn undergoes the activation herself, only to discover that extraordinary power comes with an extraordinary price. One of the book's greatest strengths is its confidence in the reader. Rather than pausing to explain every detail of its bizarre mythology, the creative team throws you directly into the action and trusts the worldbuilding to unfold naturally through character interactions and escalating conflict. Every chapter introduces another fascinating concept, making the story feel unpredictable while keeping the momentum high. Although the Awoken remain somewhat mysterious, what little we do see is enough to blur the line between heroes and villains, adding an intriguing moral ambiguity to the conflict. Kirkman has explored superhero deconstruction before, but Terminal feels more mature and restrained than many of his previous efforts. Fans of character-driven team books that embrace weird ideas without sacrificing emotional stakes should absolutely give this one a shot.

Universal Monsters: Blood of the Wolfman #2 - Adam Jaeger survived the horrific massacre at his first college party, but being the lone survivor has only deepened the mystery surrounding what really happened that night. While the authorities suspect some kind of animal attack, Adam can't shake the feeling that the monster responsible may actually be himself. Searching for answers, he first turns to therapy, giving readers a deeper look into the recurring nightmares and buried trauma that continue to haunt him, as well as offering new insight into his troubled family life. When psychology fails to provide the answers he desperately needs, Adam seeks help from a fortune teller, a welcome nod to the classic Universal Wolf Man films that feels like a natural extension of the story rather than forced nostalgia. Joshua Williamson continues to prioritize atmosphere over outright horror, steadily building suspense while exploring the crushing weight of guilt that hangs over nearly every character. Adam struggles with survivor's guilt and the terrifying possibility that he's responsible for the killings, while his father increasingly appears to be hiding secrets of his own. Although this issue spends more time developing its mystery than delivering major scares, every revelation adds another layer of unease, making the inevitable transformation feel all the more terrifying when it finally arrives.

Solo's Picks:

Sicko #1 - Tini Howard and Amilcar Pinna deliver one of the wildest debuts of the year with Sicko! A woman suffering from a mysterious, undiagnosed illness finds herself on the radar of multiple government agencies after her bizarre symptoms begin defying all medical explanation. Her immune system is literally attacking her body, but unbeknownst to her it has also awakened a terrifying ability that allows her to spread the disease to others in explosive fashion. What really elevates this book is its protagonist. Rather than falling into the familiar trope of a helpless victim, she's sharp, resourceful, and determined to advocate for herself despite knowing her condition is likely fatal. That confidence makes even her most reckless decisions feel understandable and keeps the story engaging from beginning to end. Amilcar Pinna's artwork strikes a great balance between grounded realism and spectacular visual flair, particularly whenever the disease manifests in full force. I've said it before and I'll say it again—Ignition Press simply doesn't seem capable of missing right now. Be sure to grab this one while you can!

Gambit: Wanted #1 - Gambit fans are in for a real treat as Chris Claremont and Robert Gill reunite the Ragin' Cajun with his roots in this thrilling new series. When his younger sister mysteriously disappears, Remy LeBeau follows the trail to a dangerous casino filled with some of the deadliest clientele imaginable. After a brisk recap of Gambit's origin and his time with the X-Men, the story settles comfortably into the crime-thriller territory that suits the character so well. One of the issue's greatest strengths is how much attention it gives to Remy's Louisiana heritage and family, grounding the mystery in the culture and relationships that have always defined him. Robert Gill's artwork captures Gambit's effortless swagger while making every action sequence and emotional confrontation feel dynamic and cinematic. The final page delivers a genuinely chilling reveal, introducing a villain with a terrifying expression that immediately leaves you eager for the next chapter. If you've been waiting for a Gambit series that fully embraces both the thief and the family man, this is absolutely worth picking up.

Terminal #1 - A woman's desperate search for her missing sister leads her to a cosmic entity that offers humanity one last chance at survival in one of the year's most impressive debuts. Ever since it was announced, Terminal has generated enormous buzz thanks to the all-star creative team of Robert Kirkman, Joe Casey, Andy Kubert, and Dave McCaig, and I'm happy to say the hype was completely justified. While superhero stories have experimented with nearly every genre imaginable, this book still manages to carve out its own identity through a refreshingly original origin story and a compelling examination of what someone must sacrifice to truly become a hero. Without spoiling too much, the mysterious being responsible for granting these incredible powers is clearly hiding far more than it's revealing, leaving readers constantly questioning who the real heroes and villains are. Those lingering doubts only intensify during the final pages, which completely reshape your expectations for where the story is headed. I was hooked from start to finish and can't wait to see this fascinating world explored further. Most people have probably already picked this one up, but if you somehow haven't yet, do yourself a favor and grab a copy today.