Rob's Picks:

Death Of The Silver Surfer #5 – Norrin Radd faces the end of his cosmic journey as he races to save Earth from the blood of Galactus! The Silver Surfer still needs the help of Kelly Koh, the agent tasked with killing him by the Bureau of Alien Neutralization. Betrayed and left for dead by her superiors, only an infusion of the Power Cosmic saved her life, leaving Koh far more willing and able to assist. With the incredible power comes an almost god-like perspective that threatens to overwhelm Kelly, who is now aware of the cruelty and death her work for the Bureau entails. Though lesser in scale, her crimes echo those of the Surfer, who condemned whole worlds to death as the Herald of Galactus. This issue has the Avengers, Fantastic Four, two Silver Surfers, plus Skaar and the Warbound fighting side by side in low orbit, but the most riveting sequence is a dialogue on guilt, grief, and responsibility for the consequences of our actions and inactions. Exploring the moral and philosophical dimensions of the universe in addition to the far reaches of space is the essence of the Surfer, and Greg Pak (Lawful) understood the assignment, reflecting on legacy and how we are defined by our choices throughout this series. Those themes reach a thundering crescendo in this finale, as the Silver Surfer casts aside his characteristic apprehension in order to take bold, irreversible action!

Absolute Batman Annual #1 – The expectation-defying, extra brutal remix of the Caped Crusader that kicked off the Absolute Universe gets a super-sized prequel in its first Annual! It’s the early days for young Bruce Wayne, who is still gathering resources and planning his vigilante war. Getting his hands on some very dangerous tools means doing business with some very dangerous people, leading Bruce to an arms dealer in Slaughter Swamp, an abandoned industrial development on the outskirts of Gotham. Times are hard for the remaining locals and even harder for a growing camp of poverty-stricken people driven out of the big city. Blaming the outsiders for all the Swamp’s ills, white supremacists recruit citizens for an attack on the camp. After intervening as Bruce goes poorly, the cape and cowl come out for an outrageous display of action. His one-man takedown of a fascist goon squad is as satisfying as comic book violence gets, but just in case we enjoy ourselves, this book provides Bruce (and us) with two moral barometers. The first is a local priest who refuses to endorse violence because he believes only compassion can turn people back toward the good. The second is Thomas Wayne. Appearing in interspersed flashbacks, Thomas is less morally certain than Bruce and the priest; rather than tell his son how to act against injustice, he teaches him to trust his gut in knowing when to act. Horror maestro Scott Snyder has put his personal stamp on the main series by finely balancing bone-breaking action, grim sincerity, and the fantastically grotesque—a tough act for any artist to follow. DC made the right call in tapping Daniel Warren Johnson (The Moon Is Following Us) for this book. The writer/illustrator is known for combining heart with absurdity to stunning emotional effect, and his love of pro-wrestling-style action spectacle is a perfect match for this brawling behemoth of a Batman. Rather than match the Snyder tone, he harmonizes, producing a very DWJ book that is perfectly in sync with the series we know and love. If an orgy of gloriously bombastic action isn’t enough, this Annual also includes the origin of the XXL Absolute Batmobile and a side story from Ultramega creator James Harren!

Return To Sleepy Hollow #1 – Tim Burton’s Legend of Sleepy Hollow gets a comic sequel that matches the film for style and chills. Fifteen years after Ichabod Crane dispatched the Headless Horseman, something evil reaches out of the past to menace the quiet village, bringing the famous constable back to the scene of his greatest adventure. Crane is very much the same character we remember from the film, still a committed man of science despite his encounter with the supernatural. His return means reuniting with his former lover and investigative partner Katrina, reopening wounds while rekindling their flame. The bodies have only just begun to stack up, and neither Crane’s science nor Katrina’s unique gifts are turning up answers to who, or what, is behind it all. Proto-forensic procedural and super-stylized period fantasy come together in this book as effectively as they did in the movie thanks to the combined efforts of writer Casey Gilly and artist Savanna Mayer. This feels like a true sequel that builds from the story we know, and I’m excited to see what this team can do given the chance to do something original with a familiar but underutilized property.

Solo's Picks:

The Beauty #1 – What an amazing week for comics, and to start off my recommendations is a series titled The Beauty by Jeremy Haun, Jason A. Hurley, and Emanuela Lupacchino! This title may be familiar to some as the original book was published by Image about ten years back. Now, it seems Ignition Press has taken over and brought the original crew on board to take another shot at this extremely unique title—and if this first issue is anything to go off of, they may have struck gold twice! The book centers on an extremely infectious STI named “The Beauty,” due to its unique side effect of transforming the infected into the most physically desirable version of themselves. Of course, there’s something much more sinister going on behind the scenes, and it’s up to our protagonists to find out! If you’ve read the first series, the first few pages may confuse you as they are nearly identical to the original, however after the iconic train scene, we are placed in all-new territory. Much like the original, this book is big on the thriller-drama aspect, so if you like a fast-paced detective story, definitely check this one out. There’s plenty here to keep you thoroughly entertained. Also, the OG is getting adapted into live action soon, so jump on the hype train early and give this a read!

Superman: Red & Blue (2025) #1 – Another Superman anthology and another color(s) book? Sign me up! Like most of these anthologies from major publishers, this one features phenomenal creators who each add something unique—whether it’s emotional panels, dynamic illustrations, or simple, clean storytelling. My favorite entry was the eponymous story by Michael Walsh, which absolutely nailed the characterization and feeling I expect when I go into a Superman comic. You see him doing all his usual heroics, but beneath it all is a very real, vulnerable human experience. There’s a particularly touching moment when he sits with an old man who recently suffered a heart attack—just talking—and even after he departs, you can see the effect these encounters have on Clark. Books like this, filled with emotional moments, are a beautiful reminder of what brings us back to Superman and to comics themselves. Please grab this book if you haven’t already—it’s a wonderful read!

Absolute Batman Annual #1 – Batman beats on bigots in this action-packed annual! Since inception, this version of Batman has been much more brutal than his counterparts (which is saying something), but this issue takes the violence up a notch, with Bruce taking on members of a white supremacist group just outside Gotham. DC made the brilliant choice to bring in legendary artist Daniel Warren Johnson to make this book stand out, and he did a phenomenal job making Absolute Batman look even more like a tank than he already was! Anyone familiar with Johnson’s work knows he loves to sneak a wrestling reference into his books, and his contribution here may be his best yet—Batman hitting a “One Winged Angel” on a member of the extremist group. The second portion of the book, by James Harren, is just as compelling, showing a young boy recruited by the Black Masks, at odds with his father who’s desperately trying to bring him back from the brink. I love a story that reflects the time it was made, and this one is loud and clear about the rising tensions in our country—so give it a read, and remember: Batman would want you to piledrive a Nazi!