Rob's Picks:

The Deadman #1 W. Maxwell Prince and Martín Morazzo prove once again that they are uniquely suited to blending horror, humor, and heartfelt introspection, delivering what may be the most distinctive superhero debut of the week. Boston Brand has always occupied a strange corner of the DC Universe—too supernatural for traditional cape books and too heroic for straight horror—and this creative team embraces that ambiguity completely. Structured as a series of encounters within a hospital’s terminal ward, the issue uses Deadman’s ability to walk alongside the dying as a vehicle for meditations on mortality, regret, and acceptance. The anthology-style format allows each room and each soul to tell its own small story while Brand’s witty narration ties everything together. What elevates the book beyond clever concept work is its sincerity. Beneath the fourth-wall jokes and supernatural weirdness lies a genuine compassion for its characters and subject matter. When the story pivots toward more traditional comic-book action in the final act, Morazzo’s inventive visuals transform the confrontation into something appropriately surreal and unsettling. Like the best issues of Ice Cream Man, this comic is equal parts strange, funny, melancholy, and insightful. Whether you're a longtime Deadman fan or discovering Boston Brand for the first time, this is an exceptional introduction to one of DC’s most overlooked heroes.

Supergirl: Survive #1 DC’s growing line of Elseworlds stories continues its hot streak with a book that manages to make Krypton’s destruction feel emotionally fresh again. Rather than rushing toward the familiar catastrophe, Ethan S. Parker spends much of the issue establishing Kara Zor-El as an ordinary teenager navigating family tensions, friendships, and adolescent anxieties while the adults around her argue over the future of their doomed world. That patience pays off enormously once Krypton’s collapse begins. The tragedy hits harder because the people being lost feel tangible and real rather than merely pieces of Superman lore. The strongest element of the issue is the relationship between Kara and her family, particularly the strained dynamic between Zor-El and Jor-El, which adds emotional complexity to the iconic escape sequence. Once the familiar rocket enters the picture, the series reveals its true premise: Kara becoming the protector and guardian of infant Kal-El during a dangerous journey across the cosmos. It's a simple but incredibly effective twist that transforms a well-worn origin story into something that feels entirely new. By the time the issue ends, the promise of a spacefaring survival adventure built around the bond between cousins is more than enough reason to eagerly await the next chapter.

Only The Savage Are Left #1 Zack Kaplan delivers a strong opening chapter that combines post-apocalyptic horror, young-adult romance, and monster survival into a surprisingly compelling package. The premise initially sounds familiar—a devastating virus destroys civilization and turns humanity into violent creatures—but the book quickly distinguishes itself through its focus on Ryder and Oaklynn's relationship. The apocalypse isn't merely a backdrop for action; it's the force that repeatedly disrupts and reshapes their connection over the course of several years. Kaplan smartly structures the issue through flashbacks, allowing readers to see both the collapse of society and the emotional fallout simultaneously. While the romance provides the heart of the story, Stefano Raffaele's artwork ensures the horror elements never lose their bite. The infected are genuinely grotesque creations, and the violence carries enough weight to remind readers that survival is never guaranteed. The comparison to The Walking Dead is inevitable, but the emphasis on young love, combined with the fast-moving virus and unique cure mechanic, gives the book its own identity. By the time Ryder abandons the safety of his community to follow Oaklynn into the wasteland, the series has established both strong emotional stakes and a dangerous world worth exploring further.

Solo's Picks:

X-Men ’97: Season 2 #1 This prelude to the upcoming season accomplishes exactly what a companion comic should: it feels like a missing episode rather than a tie-in obligation. Picking up in the aftermath of Extinction Day, the issue captures the grief, uncertainty, and desperation hanging over mutantkind while refusing to let the characters sit with that pain for long. The emotional centerpiece belongs to Jubilee and Roberto, whose conversation perfectly illustrates the impossible reality the surviving mutants now face. Their exchange is heartfelt, frustrating, and deeply human, grounding the larger conflict in personal stakes. What makes the issue particularly impressive is just how much narrative ground it covers without ever feeling rushed. Major character developments, political tensions, and new threats all emerge naturally from the fallout of the season finale. The arrival of X-Factor at a memorial service turns an already tense situation into outright chaos, immediately reminding readers that the X-Men's struggles never remain personal for long. Visually, the book strikes an ideal balance between the classic X-Men: The Animated Series aesthetic and the updated look of X-Men ’97, while the dialogue and characterization feel pulled directly from the show itself. If this issue is any indication, the world of X-Men ’97 hasn’t lost a step.

DC X Sonic: Metal Legion #2 The second installment of this crossover continues to prove that the creative team understands exactly why these worlds work together. While the action and team-ups remain entertaining, the true stars of the issue are Lex Luthor and Dr. Eggman, whose partnership rapidly devolves into a hilarious contest of ego and manipulation. Watching two villains who are essentially different versions of the same personality attempt to outmaneuver one another creates some of the book's funniest moments. On the heroic side, the established relationships from the previous series continue to pay dividends. The interactions feel less like novelty pairings and more like genuine friendships, giving the crossover a natural chemistry that many event books struggle to achieve. The artwork also feels noticeably stronger and more confident than the previous series, bringing additional energy to both the quieter character moments and the larger action sequences. The scenes involving the Legion of Doom are especially entertaining, combining classic supervillain pettiness with the cartoonish charm that Sonic’s world naturally provides. Whether you're invested in DC, Sonic, or both, this series continues to be one of the most unexpectedly enjoyable crossover projects in recent memory.

The Deadman #1 Few creative teams seem more perfectly suited to Boston Brand than W. Maxwell Prince and Martín Morazzo, whose blend of surrealism, humor, and emotional sincerity makes this feel like a natural extension of their strengths. Rather than diving immediately into superheroics, the issue spends much of its time exploring Deadman’s new role as a spiritual custodian, guiding lost souls through the strange limbo that exists alongside everyday life. The result is a collection of haunting, often darkly funny encounters that showcase both the absurdity and tragedy of existence. From spirits trapped in endless arguments to ghosts doomed to the most humiliating fates imaginable, every vignette feels distinct while contributing to the book’s larger meditation on life and death. Morazzo’s visuals are particularly effective, transforming mundane locations into dreamlike landscapes populated by memorable and often unsettling figures. What ultimately makes the book work, however, is Boston Brand himself. Despite being surrounded by death, he remains vibrant, empathetic, and deeply invested in the people he encounters. That warmth prevents the story from becoming overly bleak and gives the comic a surprisingly hopeful core. Like the best work from the Ice Cream Man team, The Deadman balances weirdness, humor, and genuine emotional insight in a way few other comics can match.