Absolute Wonder Woman: Gods and Mortals
- Writing and art by George Perez
- Published by DC Comics
Now feels like a perfect time to read and appreciate the comic work of George Perez, and while Crisis on Infinite Earths and JLA/Avengers have rightly been spotlighted in recent weeks, some of his most dynamic work might hail from his 1980s stint on Wonder Woman. This week’s re-release gives readers a new opportunity to revisit Perez’s classic run, with the Absolute print size allowing his aesthetic reinventions of Diana Prince’s world to really shine. Gods and Mortals is already a collectors’ item, but that’s especially the case with this newest printing. — Jenna Anderson
Batman: Killing Time #1
- Written by Tom King
- Art by David Marquez
- Colors by Alejandro Sánchez
- Letters by Clayton Cowles
- Published by DC Comics
Tom King is no stranger to Batman, having written DC’s main title and also the Batman/Catwoman Black Label miniseries. This time he’s paired with the superstar artist David Marquez for a fun tale pitting the Dark Knight against some of the greatest members of his impressive rogues’ gallery: Catwoman, Riddler, and Penguin. Both creators are worthy enough to follow their projects individually, but together they should form a truly Dynamic Duo. There’s the mystery of what could be Bruce Wayne’s most prized possession, as well as how accurate the “killing” in “Killing Time” will actually be. — Tim Adams
The Nice House on the Lake #7
- Written by James Tynion IV
- Art by Álvaro Martínez Bueno
- Colors by Jordie Bellaire
- Letters by Andworld Design
- Published by DC Comics
The Nice House On the Lake was one of DC Comics’ best new series of 2021 and it’s a delight to have it return in 2022 following a 3-month hiatus. The newest issue starts the second half of this apocalyptic tale focused on a small group of friends held in an impossible, alien environment by one of their own. It’s the experimental nature of their confinement and survival that takes center stage with the series’ return as the “rules” about the house begin to shift and the rabbit hole about what exactly has or will happen to Earth goes ever deeper. It seems impossible for anyone but the series creators, Tynion and Bueno, to say where all of this is leading. However, The Nice House On the Lake #1-6 made it very clear that whether readers are seeking out complex characterization, enthralling and idiosyncratic visuals, or a mystery that’s made for the comics medium, this series is prepared to deliver. Whether you’ve been eagerly anticipating its return or wondering whether it was worth catching up, this week provides the perfect opportunity to dive into the deep end with The Nice House On the Lake before it’s all over. — Chase Magnett
Radio Spaceman #1
- Written by Mike Mignola
- Art by Greg Hinkle
- Colors by Dave Stewart
- Letters by Clem Robins
- Published by Dark Horse Comics
Sometimes all a comic book needs is one cool image and Mike Mignola is a master of generating really, really cool images. His pencil sketches provided the spark of inspiration for Radio Spaceman, a 2-issue miniseries featuring the spacesuit filled with a floating skull and surrounded by debris that first appeared without any intent for publication. But that image, now reflected on the cover for the first issue, provided plenty of ideas combined with Mignola’s other visual vocabulary to generate a complete story stuffed with mysteries, strange creatures, and plenty of peculiar technology. It’s anyone’s guess as to where the story might go, but it seems like a guarantee that it will be filled with odd and dark imagery, as well as a narrative unconcerned with standard plot elements. It’s an opportunity for Mignola and artistic collaborator Greg Hinkle to delight in whatever ideas they want to explore on the page and that’s a promise for something very interesting – out tomorrow. — Chase Magnett
Star Trek Discovery – Adventures in the 32nd Century #1
- Written by Mike Johnson
- Art by Angel Hernandez
- Colors by JD Mettler
- Letters by Neil Uyetake
- Published by IDW Publishing
Star Trek: Discovery is in the midst of its fourth season but has been absent from comics for a while. That changes this week with the debut of Star Trek: Discovery — Adventures in the 32nd Century. In this new miniseries, each issue focuses on a different character from or adjusting the era Discovery‘s crew journeyed to in its third season. The first issue focuses on fan-favorite character Grudge, Cleveland “Book” Booker’s queen of a cat, giving her perspective on the sudden appearance of Michael Burnham and her crew in Book’s life. With veteran Star Trek comics creators Mike Johnson and Angel Hernandez at the helm, this should be a delight for Discovery fans. — Jamie Lovett
War for Earth-3 #1
- Written by Robbie Thompson and Dennis Hopeless
- Art by Steve Pugh, Dexter Soy, and Brent Peeples
- Colors by Matt Herms
- Letters by Josh Reed, Travis Lanham, Simon Bowland
- Published by DC Comics
As someone who has already been enjoying the goings-on of DC’s current Teen Titans Academy and Suicide Squad books, I’m very intrigued to see how War For Earth-3 will unfold. The event will place the two groups and The Flash up against the Crime Syndicate, as Amanda Waller’s plans for Earth-3 begin to come to roost. This is the kind of expansive, character-heavy melting pot of an event comic that we don’t always get in the world of superhero comics anymore, so I’m eager to follow this one through. — Jenna Anderson
What If… Miles Morales #1
- Written by Cody Ziglar
- Art by Paco Medina
- Inks by Walden Wong, Victor Olazaba, and Sean Parsons
- Colors by Chris Sotomayer
- Letters by VC’s Cory Petit
- Published by Marvel Comics
If you haven’t noticed, Marvel is riding the multiverse wave across different media. Miles Morales has the upcoming Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Part One), and now the comics are exploring different variants of the young web-slinger. In the first issue of What If… Miles Morales, instead of becoming Spider-Man, readers get to visit a world where he’s Captain America. Miles has some of the same qualities that made Steve Rogers the perfect Super-Soldier, so it’ll be fun to see what obstacles he faces and if this is a present-day story of a Cold War-era tale. Miles will even have his own Falcon sidekick in Starling! — Tim Adams
X-Men by Gerry Duggan Vol. 1
- Written by Gerry Duggan
- Art by Pepe Larraz, et al.
- Colors by Marte Gracia, et al.
- Letters by Clayton Cowles
- Published by Marvel Comics
X-Men #9 arrives in stores this week, but for those who didn’t immediately sign up for the latest incarnation of the flagship X-Men title, there’s also the series’ first collection. While the volume only bears writer Gerry Duggan’s name in its title (per Marvel’s standard naming conventions), and Duggan scripts an enjoyable superhero romp, it’s undoubtedly the art team of Pepe Larraz and Marte Gracia, who are the stars here. Since they collaborated on House of X, Larraz’s gracefully fluid compositions combined with Gracia’s lush colors have been the high mark for superhero comics visuals. If you haven’t already been following the series and want to see the X-Men at their most superheroic, check this volume out. — Jamie Lovett
