Rob's Picks:

If Destruction Be Our Lot #2 – In a future where robots rule the Earth and humanity is believed to be extinct, only an animatronic Abraham Lincoln knows the truth. After sharing stories of real humans in the first issue, Honest Abe has attracted the wrong kind of attention, finding himself hauled before the gears of robotic justice. Despite receiving plenty of sensible advice about keeping his head down, the six-foot-four mechanical president has never been particularly good at blending in. Alongside his new companion Speed, Abe is declared defective and sentenced to a sprawling industrial labyrinth where reprogramming and disassembly await. What follows is a frantic escape through conveyor belts, assembly lines, and towering mechanical infrastructure as the pair fight for their freedom. Mark Russell brings the same affection for classic science-fiction concepts that made We're Taking Everyone Down With Us such a delight, but this series leans more heavily into humor and optimism. Robo-Lincoln’s earnest idealism makes him instantly likable, while conversations with the more pragmatic Speed hint at deeper themes beneath the comedy. Artist Andy MacDonald fills every page with inventive robot designs and enormous industrial environments that feel overwhelming in scale. The result is a charming blend of heartfelt science fiction and absurd comedy that feels tailor-made for fans of Futurama.

The Trillion Dollar Kid #1 – Ghost Machine continues its remarkable hot streak with another winning debut. Following the success of titles like Geiger and Hyde Street, Geoff Johns and Peter J. Tomasi introduce a new series that appears poised to connect many of the larger threads running through the publisher’s shared universe. Thomas Noble Townsend III is the richest thirteen-year-old on Earth, a genius inventor whose extravagant acts of philanthropy have made him a global celebrity. While the public sees a brilliant and eccentric young billionaire, Thomas’s parents have spent years pursuing a far stranger mission: locating individuals they call the Unbelievables, a collection of super-powered, supernatural, and otherwise impossible beings hidden throughout the world. Readers familiar with Ghost Machine’s catalog will recognize a few intriguing connections, but the issue wisely avoids diving headfirst into crossover territory. Instead, Johns and Tomasi focus on making Thomas an emotionally compelling protagonist despite his unimaginable wealth. When his family mysteriously disappears, Thomas sets out alongside his loyal robotic butler Sterling to uncover the truth and learn who the Unbelievables really are. The series carries a delightful Richie Rich meets Dexter’s Laboratory energy, elevated by Stefano Simeone’s vibrant artwork and bold color palette. It’s a fun, adventurous debut with just enough mystery to leave readers eager for more.

Of The Earth #2 – Chris Condon continues building one of the year’s most unsettling horror stories in this outstanding second issue. After returning to her family ranch in rural Texas, Tabby Black found her grandmother terrified, covered in an oily black substance despite there being no sign of a spill anywhere on the property. With the powerful Fossil Oil Company controlling nearly every aspect of life in the region and one of their employees missing on the ranch, Tabby suspects there’s more to the story than anyone is willing to admit. Desperate for answers, she reluctantly teams up with a company engineer, but their investigation only uncovers increasingly disturbing clues. Dead and mutilated animals, reports of mysterious figures wandering the barren landscape, and fleeting glimpses of impossible creatures all point toward something lurking beneath the earth that is far stranger than a simple oil deposit. Condon excels at slow-burn storytelling, allowing tension and dread to accumulate naturally rather than relying on constant shocks. The isolated setting and creeping sense of paranoia evoke some of the best episodes of The X-Files, where the fear comes not from what you see, but from what might be waiting just out of sight. Fans of Condon’s previous work on That Texas Blood and The Goddamn Tragedy will immediately recognize his talent for atmosphere and character-driven suspense. Of The Earth continues to be one of the strongest horror books currently on shelves and deserves a spot on every horror fan’s pull list.

Solo's Picks:

Absolute Green Arrow #2 – The mystery deepens in another outstanding installment of Absolute Green Arrow, a series that has quickly become one of my favorite books in the Absolute line. With this being a miniseries, the creative team wastes no time moving the plot forward, and one thing becomes abundantly clear: no character is safe. The book is completely unafraid to pull the trigger on major developments, giving every page a sense of tension and unpredictability. Dinah Lance is still reeling from the revelations of the first issue, and the emotional fallout drives much of the story. Her entire understanding of Oliver Queen has been shattered, leaving her angry, impulsive, and desperate for answers. That desperation leads her to violently interrogate one of Oliver’s former associates, uncovering evidence that the man she loved was hiding far more secrets than anyone realized. The standout sequence comes early in the issue as Dinah reflects on Oliver and the growing list of people connected to him who have turned up dead. The pages are constructed like blood-soaked puzzle pieces, creating some of the most inventive panel layouts I’ve seen in recent memory while perfectly capturing her fractured state of mind. Between the gripping mystery, strong character work, and stunning visual storytelling, Absolute Green Arrow continues to exceed expectations. If you've been following the Absolute Universe but haven't picked this title up yet, now is the time to change that.

X-Men United #4 – A team-building exercise goes spectacularly wrong in the latest issue of X-Men United, delivering one of the most entertaining and unexpected chapters of the series so far. Following a string of disagreements and failures in the field, the team decides they need a different approach to strengthening their bond. After rejecting Logan’s suggestion of a survival exercise, they settle on an idea from Bobby Drake: an advanced tabletop roleplaying experience that allows participants to physically enter the game's world. Naturally, things spiral out of control almost immediately. An unknown and immensely powerful entity appears to possess Bobby, turning the exercise into a nightmare and granting him the ability to wreak havoc while even suppressing Emma Frost’s powers. The strength of United continues to be its cast dynamics. The interpersonal drama feels authentic, capturing the soap-opera energy that has always been at the heart of the X-Men franchise. What impressed me most is how the issue feels like two stories in one. The first half focuses on humor and team chemistry before seamlessly transitioning into something much darker and more dangerous. It’s an excellent start to a new story arc, and the shocking death near the end guarantees readers will be talking about this issue for weeks. If you've been enjoying the series so far, this chapter is absolutely essential reading.

The Trillion Dollar Kid #1 – Geoff Johns, Peter J. Tomasi, and Stefano Simeone deliver a charming, imaginative debut that balances family-friendly adventure with genuine emotional depth. The premise revolves around the world’s first documented trillionaire—a thirteen-year-old boy whose fortune has made him one of the most powerful people on Earth. Despite his wealth, he’s a surprisingly lonely protagonist, masking his isolation behind elaborate spectacles, endless enthusiasm, and larger-than-life showmanship. There’s a clear Willy Wonka influence to the character, but the story quickly reveals there’s much more going on beneath the surface. The reason for his eccentric behavior ties directly into his unusual family history and the legacy he’s inherited. Determined to find a real sense of belonging, he embarks on a journey to locate the mysterious Unbelievables, a collection of supernatural and otherworldly figures who have secretly guided humanity’s most influential people throughout history. I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from this book based on the premise alone, but it completely won me over by the end. Simeone’s artwork is vibrant and full of personality, bringing a whimsical energy to every page, while Johns and Tomasi ground the fantasy with a surprisingly heartfelt exploration of loneliness, family, and identity. It’s an imaginative debut that offers plenty for younger readers while still providing enough emotional substance to engage adults. If you're looking for something fun, adventurous, and genuinely touching, The Trillion Dollar Kid is well worth checking out.