Crema
- Written by Johnnie Christmas
- Art by Dante Luiz
- Colors by Dante Luiz
- Letters by Ryan Ferrier
- Published by Dark Horse Comics
ComiXology Originals continues to put out an outstanding array of comics across genres and curates a tremendous array of talents. While the convenience of digital comics is tough to beat, there’s still something special about the weight of a book and turning pages with your own hand, which makes it very exciting to see Dark Horse publishing those original stories for our library shelves. Crema is an excellent example. It tells the story of Esme, a barista who sees ghosts after drinking coffee, and Yara, an heiress longing after the aforementioned barista. Their story blends the supernatural and romantic with plenty of intrigue and suspense in a tale that spans multiple contents with plenty of excitement in New York City and Brazil, alike. Crema delivers a romance bound to be appreciated by generations young and old in a story that presents comics at their best, whether they’re read on a screen or on the page. — Chase Magnett
The Flintstones: The Deluxe Edition
- Written by Mark Russell
- Art by Steve Pugh and Rick Leonardi
- Colors by Chris Chuckry
- Letters by David Sharpe
- Published by DC Comics
One of the most underrated trends of the past decade of comics has been DC’s approach to the Hanna Barbera universe, as it has reimagined the franchise’s colorful characters in a wide array of ways. Outside of The Snagglepuss Chronicles, none are quite as darkly satirical and genuinely surprising as Mark Russell and Steve Pugh’s twelve-issue take on The Flintstones. Come for the gorgeous art from Pugh and Rick Leonardi, stay for a take on capitalism and the trappings of society that could only be told in Bedrock, and only in Russell’s incredible writing style. I’ve been eagerly awaiting a shiny deluxe release of this series for a while, and I’m so glad it’s finally arrived. — Jenna Anderson
The Joker #12
- Written by James Tynion IV
- Art by Giuseppe Camuncoli
- Inks by Cam Smith
- Colors by Arif Prianto and Romulo Fajardo Jr.
- Letters by Tom Napolitano
- Published by DC Comics
I was as skeptical as anyone when DC Comics announced the Joker would headline a new solo series. I would have been even more suspicious if I’d known how much the series would lean on Batman: The Killing Joke as foundational inspiration. But somehow, James Tynion IV and his collaborators have managed to subvert expectations, making The Joker less about Joker and more about the carnage and damage he leaves in his wake. With Jim Gordon at its center and plenty of wild twists and turns along the way, The Joker has been one of DC’s best series of the Infinite Frontier era. As it enters its endgame, now’s the time to get caught up for the finale. — Jamie Lovett
New Mutants #24
- Written by Vita Ayala
- Art by Danilo Beyruth
- Colors by Dan Brown
- Letters by Travis Lanham
- Published by Marvel Comics
While the X-Men line is widely in a state of flux as the transition into Destiny of X continues, some things remain the same. Vita Ayala will continue their stellar run on New Mutants with issue #24 this week, collaborating with incoming artist Danilo Beyruth to start a new story arc. New Mutants under Ayala has been fascinating as it’s been the one X-Men book in the line truly focused on life on Krakoa, particularly from the perspective of the mutants nation’s youth, with young mutants affecting change on the Krakoa in interesting and exciting ways.
We’re looking forward to more of that in the Destiny of X era. This new arc should be the perfect place for anyone who hasn’t been reading to get on board.
Pennyworth #7
- Written by Scott Bryan Wilson
- Art by Juan Gedeon
- Colors by John Rauch
- Letters by DC Hopkins
- Published by DC Comics
Pennyworth has easily been one of the best comics in recent months and the final issue is probably my number one pick this week. The finale of Alfred’s wild spy adventure with a story that crisscrosses his history, expect action, intellect, and just to be reminded how epic of a character Alfred is. Sure, Batman is cool and all, but this series — and this issue — proves that Alfred Pennyworth is where it’s at. You don’t want to miss this one (and hey, DC, can we please get more Alfred stories… maybe even more Pennyworth?) — Nicole Drum
Moon Knight #8
- Written by Jed MacKay
- Art by Alessandro Cappuchio
- Colors by Rachelle Rosenberg
- Letters by Cory Petit
- Published by Marvel Comics
Just because Moon Knight is currently on the sidelines thanks to the Kingpin doesn’t mean the Midnight Mission stops protecting its citizens, and it falls to the Hunter’s Moon to keep things running while Spector is out of commission, though Dr. Badr has some amends to make if he hopes to make this work. He’s going to need every ally he can get when he runs up against the entity known as Stained Glass Scarlet. Jed MacKay, Allesandro Cappuccio, Rachelle Rosenberg, and Cory Petit have crafted another riveting chapter of Moon Knight, and we can’t wait to see what’s next. — Matthew Aguilar
Secret X-Men #1
- Written by Tini Howard
- Art by Francesco Mobili
- Colors by Jesus Aburtov
- Letters by Clayton Cowles
- Published by Marvel Comics
The X-Men elections have quickly proven popular amongst fans seeking to elevate their favorite C-lister to a top title, but they also leave lots of those cult figures neglected after Polaris takes the prize. For everyone disappointed with that particular election, there’s Secret X-Men, which takes all of the also-rans and assembles them into their own team and title. Led by the classic New Mutants duo of Sunspot and Cannonball, this newly formed team is heading directly to space where they must save Shi’ar Empress Xandra on a secret mission. The leaders alone guarantee plenty of great comedic and action chops, but Secret X-Men is loaded with idiosyncratic characters who promise loads of superhero fun, including Armor, Banshee, Boom-Boom, Forge, Marrow, Strong Guy, and Tempo. This collection of powers and personalities is set to display fireworks and some potent new mutant machines given all of the potential combinations. If you found yourself disappointed in the first X-Men election, your boat has finally arrived, while Secret X-Men offers hope for all of the mutants currently under consideration, as well. — Chase Magnett
Strange Love Adventures #1
- Written by Various
- Art by Various
- Published by DC Comics
I’ll be honest, I am a sucker for absolutely any of DC’s holiday-themed anthologies, as I love seeing what clever and wide-ranging approaches they take to DC Comics canon. It seems like this week’s Strange Love Adventures will deliver both of those qualifiers in spades, with eight stories that will warm the hearts of even the most curmudgeonly of readers. This collection covers both the household names of DC and some lesser-known favorites, with an impressive array of creative teams breaking down their heartfelt and often-hilarious stories of love. Treat yourself to this as a Valentine’s Day present — you definitely won’t regret it. — Jenna Anderson
Suicide Squad: Blaze #1
- Written by Simon Spurrier
- Art by Aaron Campbell
- Colors by Jordie Bellaire
- Letters by Aditya Bidikar
- Published by DC Comics
If you are a fan of The Suicide Squad, be it from other books or movies and television shows, Suicide Squad: Blaze #1 is an absolute do not miss. The book takes a new approach to the team and some of its most iconic characters — including Harley Quinn — and shifts the focus all while upping the stakes in a big way when they’re put in leadership roles to oversee a group of regular prisoners who have been powered up for a high stakes mission with the very real and very high price of an extremely shortened lifespan. Written by Simon Spurrier with incredible art by Aaron Campbell, the book is a blend of the wild adventure of the Squad and intellectual horror and it’s unlike any Suicide Squad story you’ve ever read. — Nicole Drum
Superman: Son of Kal-El #8
- Written by Tom Taylor
- Art by Cian Tormey
- Inks by Raul Fernandez
- Colors by Federico Blee
- Letters by David Sharpe
- Published by DC Comics
Even a Superman can use some help every now and then, especially when he’s facing a long-dormant and massive creature from the depths of the sea. Luckily Jon knows someone who happens to call the sea home in Aquaman, making for a delightful team-up between two heroes who know a thing or two about stepping into iconic roles. Tom Taylor, Cian Tormey, Federico Blee, Raul Fernandez, and Dave Sharpe deliver a thrilling action-adventure and heartwarming love story all in one, and it’s only going to get better from here. — Matthew Aguilar
