The Comics of August 2025

It’s an odd thing to find myself revisiting comic book runs that didn’t impress me the first time around, only to appreciate them significantly more a decade or so after the fact, but look at what I read throughout August: 2010s Marvel Comics all over, and I found myself having a lot more fun than I expected. Marvel Now, you tell me? Turns out, Marvel Then makes a lot more sense, even if I find myself somewhat exhausted when the big crossovers of the moment kick in.

Also appreciated in August: Howard Chaykin’s Black Kiss — I’m not entirely sure “appreciated” is the appropriate word, even now — and, far less on the fence, Rob Williams and RM Guera’s absolutely fucking wild Judge Dredd collaborations. Hell, I even re-read Grant Morrison and Steve Yeowell’s Zenith Phases 1, 3 and 4. (I didn’t skip Phase 2 intentionally, I simply ended up re-reading 3 and 4 by accident and got sucked in…)

  1. Fear Itself #s 2-3
  2. Defenders (2011) #9
  3. AVX: Consequences #1
  4. Uncanny Avengers (2012) #1
  5. Marvel NOW! Point One #1
  6. AVX: Consequences #2
  7. Defenders (2011) #10
  8. Fear Itself #4
  9. Royals #9
  10. All-New Guardians of the Galaxy #146
  11. History of the Marvel Universe #1
  12. Batman and Robin: Year One #10
  13. Superman Unlimited #4
  14. Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #42
  15. Detective Comics #1100
  16. Justice League Red #1
  17. Defenders (2011) #s 11-12
  18. Royals #10
  19. All-New Guardians of the Galaxy #s 147-150
  20. Fear Itself #s 5-7
  21. Incredible Hulk (2011) #1
  22. Avengers: The Veracity Trap OGN
  23. AVX: Consequences #s 3-4
  24. Iron Man (2012) #s 1-3
  25. Fear Itself #s 7.1-7.3
  26. Infinity (2013) #1
  27. Age of Ultron #1
  28. AVX: Consequences #5
  29. Uncanny Avengers (2012) #2
  30. Age of Ultron #2
  31. Deadline (1989) #23
  32. Age of Ultron #s 3-10, 10.AI
  33. Infinity (2013) #s 2-6
  34. Inhumanity #s 1-2
  35. Infinity Countdown: Adam Warlock #1
  36. Infinity Countdown Prime #1
  37. Infinity Countdown #1
  38. Royals #s 11-12
  39. Inhumans: Judgment Day #1
  40. All-New Venom #9
  41. The Amazing Spider-Man (2025) #7
  42. Captain America (2025) #2
  43. One World Under Doom #6
  44. Uncanny X-Men (2024) #19
  45. Iron Man (2012) #s 4-5
  46. Guardians of the Galaxy (2019) #s 2-6
  47. Iron Man (2012) #6
  48. Guardians of the Galaxy (2019) #s 7-12
  49. Action Comics #s 1088-1089
  50. Titans (2023) #26
  51. Cobra Commander #5
  52. Destro #s 1-2
  53. Transformers UK: Target 2006
  54. Absolute Superman #2
  55. Guardians of the Galaxy (2020) #2
  56. Iron Man (2012) #7
  57. History of the Marvel Universe #2
  58. Defenders: Beyond #1
  59. Loki: Agent of Asgard #1
  60. Iron Man (2012) #8
  61. Loki: Agent of Asgard #2
  62. Iron Man (2012) #9
  63. History of the Marvel Universe #3
  64. Guardians of the Galaxy (2020) #3
  65. The Ultimates (2016) #1
  66. Marvel Super-Heroes: Contest of Champions #1
  67. Absolute Superman #s 2-3
  68. Justice League: The Nail #1
  69. Justice League of America (1960) #1
  70. Loki: Agent of Asgard #3
  71. Iron Man (2012) #10
  72. Judge Dredd: Tunnels eps. 1-7
  73. Captain Planet and the Planeteers #1
  74. Guardians of the Galaxy (2020) #4
  75. Marvel Boy (2000) #s 1-2
  76. Iron Man (2012) #11
  77. Loki: Agent of Asgard #4
  78. The Ultimates (2016) #2
  79. Black Kiss #s 1-3
  80. Marvel Super-Heroes: Contest of Champions #2
  81. The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #s 222-224
  82. Loki: Agent of Asgard #5
  83. Original Sin #0
  84. Original Sin: Thor & Loki – The Tenth Realm #s 1-3
  85. Black Kiss #s 4-7
  86. Marvel Boy (2000) #3
  87. History of the Marvel Universe #4
  88. Destro #3
  89. Black Kiss #s 8-12
  90. Absolute Superman #5
  91. History of the Marvel Universe #5
  92. Original Sin: Thor & Loki – The Tenth Realm #s 4-5
  93. Loki: Agent of Asgard #s 6-8
  94. Iron Man (2012) #12
  95. Marvel Boy (2000) #4
  96. Judge Dredd: Rend and Tear with Tooth and Claw
  97. Marvel Boy (2000) #5
  98. X-Men (2024) #20
  99. Giant-Size X-Men (2025) #2
  100. History of the Marvel Universe #6
  101. Fantastic Four (2025) #2
  102. Predator vs. the Marvel Universe #1
  103. Loki: Agent of Asgard #9
  104. Marvel Boy (2000) #6
  105. Iron Man (2012) #13
  106. Uncanny X-Men (1963) #s 500-503
  107. Iron Man (2012) #14
  108. Loki: Agent of Asgard #10
  109. The Ultimates (2016) #3
  110. Mighty Avengers (2013) #1
  111. Uncanny X-Men (1963) #s 504-505
  112. DC All In Special #1
  113. Loki: Agent of Asgard #s 11-13
  114. Iron Man (2012) #s 15-16
  115. Mighty Avengers (2013) #2
  116. Guardians of the Galaxy (2013) #0.1
  117. Avengers Assemble (2012) #1
  118. Iron Man (2012) #17
  119. Iron Man: Fatal Frontier Infinity Comic #1
  120. Avengers Assemble (2012) #s 2-3
  121. Black Kiss 2 #1
  122. Uncanny X-Men (1963) #s 506-507
  123. Loki: Agent of Asgard #14
  124. Avengers Assemble (2012) #s 4-5
  125. Iron Man: Fatal Frontier Infinity Comic #2
  126. Loki: Agent of Asgard #s 15-17
  127. Thor (2020) #24 (Loki story only)
  128. Defenders: Beyond #2
  129. Fantastic Four (1961) #319
  130. Avengers Assemble (2012) #s 6-7
  131. Defenders: Beyond #3
  132. Absolute Superman #s 6-7
  133. Avengers Assemble (2012) #8
  134. Guardians of the Galaxy (2013) #1
  135. Absolute Superman #8
  136. Superman (2023) #29
  137. Justice League Unlimited (2024) #10
  138. JSA (2024) #11
  139. Uncanny X-Men (1963) #508
  140. Guardians of the Galaxy (2013) #2
  141. The Last Defenders #1
  142. Guardians of the Galaxy (2013) #s 3-5
  143. Uncanny X-Men (1963) #s 509-510
  144. The Last Defenders #2
  145. Defenders Beyond #4
  146. Mighty Avengers (2013) #3
  147. The Immortal Thor #1
  148. Guardians of the Galaxy (2013) #6
  149. Defenders Beyond #5
  150. Loki (2019) #1
  151. Valkyrie: Jane Foster #s 1-2
  152. Cheetah and Cheshire Rob the Justice League #2
  153. Absolute Green Lantern #6
  154. The Last Defenders #3
  155. Avengers: Ultron Forever #1
  156. The New Avengers: Ultron Forever #1
  157. Uncanny Avengers: Ultron Forever #1
  158. Avengers Assemble (2012) #15
  159. Valkyrie: Jane Foster #3
  160. Mighty Avengers (2013) #4
  161. The Last Defenders #4
  162. Iron Man: Fatal Frontier Infinity Comic #3
  163. The Flash (2023) #s 14-15
  164. Guardians of the Galaxy (2013) #7
  165. The Immortal Thor #2
  166. Mighty Avengers (2013) #5
  167. The Immortal Thor #3
  168. Uncanny X-Men (1963) #511
  169. The Last Defenders #5
  170. Mighty Avengers (2013) #6
  171. The Immortal Iron Fist (2006) #1
  172. Mighty Avengers (2013) #s 7-9
  173. The Last Defenders #6
  174. Vengeance #1
  175. Uncanny X-Men (1963) #s 512-514
  176. Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-Men: Utopia #1
  177. Dark Avengers (2009) #s 7-8
  178. Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-Men: Exodus #1
  179. Dark Reign: X-Men – The List #1
  180. Punisher: War Journal (2006) #1
  181. Uncanny X-Men (1963) #515
  182. Adventure Comics (1938) #210
  183. The Amazing Spider-Man (2025) #10
  184. Black Cat (2025) #1
  185. Imperial #3
  186. Marvel All-on-One: The Thing vs. The Marvel Universe #1
  187. Uncanny X-Men (1963) #s 516-517
  188. The Immortal Iron Fist (2006) #2
  189. The Immortal Thor #4
  190. Guardians of the Galaxy (2013) #8
  191. Iron Man: Fatal Frontier Infinity Comic #4
  192. Mighty Avengers (2013) #10
  193. Uncanny X-Men (1963) #s 518-519
  194. Valkyrie: Jane Foster #4
  195. Uncanny X-Men (1963) #s 520-521
  196. Hawkeye (2012) #s 1-2
  197. Absolute Superman #9
  198. Wonder Woman (2023) #s 22-24
  199. X-Men: Second Coming #1
  200. Uncanny X-Men (1963) #s 522-524
  201. Nightwing (2016) #78
  202. Uncanny X-Men (1963) #525
  203. X-Men: Second Coming #2
  204. Uncanny X-Men: The Heroic Age #1
  205. Iron Man: Fatal Frontier Infinity Comic #s 5-6
  206. Guardians of the Galaxy (2013) #9
  207. Hawkeye (2012) #3
  208. Uncanny X-Men (1963) #526
  209. Mighty Avengers (2013) #11
  210. Guardians of the Galaxy (2013) #10
  211. Alien (2021) #1
  212. New Gods (1971) #1
  213. Justice League Dark (2018) #1
  214. DC Sneak Peak: Justice League United #1
  215. Justice League United #11
  216. Justice League Adventures #1
  217. JLA: Incarnations #1
  218. Nightwing (2016) #79
  219. Uncanny X-Men (1963) #527
  220. Mighty Avengers (2013) #12
  221. JLA: Incarnations #2
  222. New Gods (1971) #2
  223. Absolute Martian Manhunter #s 1-6
  224. The New Gods (2024) #s 1-9
  225. JLA: Incarnations #3
  226. Mighty Avengers (2013) #s 13-14
  227. Uncanny X-Men (1963) #528
  228. The Order (2007) #1
  229. Black Kiss 2 #2
  230. Star Trek: Lower Decks – Warp Your Own Way OGN
  231. Transformers (2023) #23
  232. G.I. Joe (2024) #10
  233. Exquisite Corpses #s 3-4
  234. Black Kiss 2 #s 3-6
  235. The Order (2007) #2
  236. Zenith: Phase One
  237. The Order (2007) #s 3-4
  238. Uncanny X-Men (1963) #529
  239. The Immortal Hulk #s 1-2
  240. Captain America and the Mighty Avengers #s 1-2
  241. The Order (2007) #5
  242. Uncanny X-Men (1963) #s 530-534
  243. The Order (2007) #6
  244. Iron Man: Fatal Frontier Infinity Comic #s 7-8
  245. Guardians of the Galaxy (2013) #s 11-13
  246. Captain America and the Mighty Avengers #3
  247. Iron Man: Fatal Frontier Infinity Comic #s 9-13
  248. Iron Man (2012) #s 18-19
  249. JLA: Incarnations #4
  250. New Gods (1971) #3
  251. Mr. Terrific: Year One #s 1-4
  252. The Immortal Hulk #3
  253. !Gag! (1987) #1
  254. Sinister Romance (1988) #1
  255. Captain America and the Mighty Avengers #4
  256. Iron Man (2012) #20
  257. Uncanny X-Men (1963) #534.1
  258. The Order (2007) #7
  259. Avengers (2023) #29
  260. The Mortal Thor #1
  261. West Coast Avengers (2024) #10
  262. The Order (2007) #8
  263. Uncanny X-Men (1963) #535
  264. Iron Man (2012) #21
  265. Captain America and the Mighty Avengers #5
  266. The Order (2007) #s 9-10
  267. Invincible Iron Man (2008) #1
  268. Uncanny X-Men (1963) #536
  269. Iron Man (2012) #22
  270. Captain America and the Mighty Avengers #6
  271. The Immortal Hulk #4
  272. Hawkeye (2012) #s 4-5
  273. Captain America and the Mighty Avengers #s 6-7
  274. Uncanny X-Men (1963) #537
  275. The Immortal Hulk #5
  276. Iron Man (2012) #23
  277. Invincible Iron Man (2008) #2
  278. Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man Annual #1
  279. Captain America and the Mighty Avengers #s 8-9
  280. Uncanny X-Men (1963) #538
  281. The Immortal Hulk #s 6-7
  282. Death of the Silver Surfer #3
  283. Fantastic Four Fanfare #4
  284. X-Men (2024) #21
  285. Zenith: Phase Three
  286. Zenith: Phase Four
  287. Bring on the Bad Guys: Abomination #1
  288. Predator: Black, White & Blood #1
  289. Imperial War: Black Panther #1
  290. Imperial War: Planet She-Hulk #1
  291. The Immortal Hulk #8
  292. Uncanny X-Men (1963) #539
  293. Iron Man (2012) #24
  294. Invincible Iron Man (2008) #3
  295. Hawkeye (2012) #6
  296. Contest of Champions (2015) #1
  297. Uncanny X-Men (1963) #540
  298. Invincible Iron Man (2008) #4
  299. Hawkeye (2012) #7
  300. The Immortal Hulk #9
  301. JLA: Incarnations #5
  302. Uncanny X-Men (1963) #541
  303. Invincible Iron Man (2008) #s 5-6
  304. The Immortal Hulk #10
  305. The Immortal Hulk: The Best Defense #1
  306. Namor: The Best Defense #1
  307. Doctor Strange: The Best Defense #1
  308. Silver Surfer: The Best Defense #1
  309. The Defenders: The Best Defense #1
  310. The Immortal Hulk #11
  311. JLA: Incarnations #6
  312. Uncanny X-Men (1963) #s 542-544
  313. Generation Hope #s 1-2
  314. X-Men: Schism #s 1-4
  315. X-Men: Regenesis #1
  316. Uncanny X-Men (2011) #1
  317. Wolverine & the X-Men (2011) #1
  318. The Immortal Hulk #12

The Comics of July 2025

The curse of Comic-Con strikes again, and then some — having a lack of wifi in my hotel room at SDCC this year (don’t ask; it was very frustrating) meant that I couldn’t read anything on Marvel Unlimited, DC Universe Infinite, or any other cloud-based reader for a full week, putting me slightly behind my reading totals of the past few months. Still, it’s not about how many comics, right? Right?

Anyway: I transitioned out of reading Fantastic Four before the movie came out — honestly, the movie hype might have overloaded me on the characters? — and opted in, instead, to revisiting some of Al Ewing’s Marvel stuff from the past few years and related stories, which is how I ended up both a Defenders and Guardians of the Galaxy rabbit hole at the end of the month… although what brought me to both Avengers vs. X-Men and Avengers vs. X-Men: Versus, I really couldn’t tell you.

Anyway: Here’s what I read comic-wise last month, delayed just a little because I wanted to complain about The Fantastic Four: First Steps first.

  1. Captain America (2025) #1
  2. All-New Venom #8
  3. Avengers (2023) #28
  4. The Immortal Thor #25
  5. Empyre #s 1-2
  6. Fantastic Four (2018) #21
  7. Iron Man (1968) #226
  8. Captain America (1998) #13
  9. Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes II #3
  10. Green Lantern Corps (2006) #2
  11. Iron Man (1968) #s 227-231
  12. Empyre #3
  13. The Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) #s 284-285
  14. Captain America (1998) #s 14-15
  15. Iron Man (1968) #232
  16. Empyre #s 4-5
  17. Fantastic Four (2018) #s 22-23
  18. Empyre #6
  19. Empyre Aftermath: Avengers #1
  20. Empyre Aftermath: Fantastic Four #1
  21. The Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) #286
  22. The Ultimates (2024) #13
  23. Fantastic Four (2018) #24
  24. Captain America (1998) #s 16-18
  25. The Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) #287
  26. Iron Man (1968) #233
  27. Avengers (1963) #120
  28. Captain America (1998) #19
  29. Defenders (1972) #13
  30. Green Lantern Corps (2006) #3
  31. Eternals (2006) #1
  32. The Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) #288
  33. Transformers (2023) #s 19-22
  34. The Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) #289
  35. Captain America (1998) #s 20-22
  36. Fantastic Four (2018) #25
  37. Iron Man (1968) #234
  38. Avengers (1963) #121
  39. 2000 AD Prog 2441
  40. Archie Meets Jay and Silent Bob #1
  41. The Power Fantasy #10
  42. X-Men (2024) #19
  43. X-Men: Hellfire Vigil #1
  44. The Amazing Spider-Man (2025) #7
  45. Where Monsters Lie #1
  46. Blood Squad Seven #1
  47. DC All In Special #1
  48. Challengers of the Unknown (2024) #s 1-5
  49. The Question: All Along The Watchtower #1
  50. Lucas Wars OGN
  51. Drome OGN
  52. Fantastic Four (2018) #26
  53. Avengers (1963) #122
  54. Captain America (1998) #23
  55. Captain America (2017) #695
  56. The Question: All Along The Watchtower #s 2-3
  57. Marvel Fanfare #7
  58. Where Monsters Lie #s 2-3
  59. Local Man #1
  60. The Question: All Along The Watchtower #s 4-6
  61. Iron Man (1968) #s 235-236
  62. Defenders (1972) #13
  63. Avengers (1963) #123
  64. Where Monsters Lie #4
  65. Fantastic Four (2018) #s 27-28
  66. Captain America (2017) #696
  67. Justice League: The Atom Project #1
  68. Action Comics #1064
  69. Superman (2023) #13
  70. Void Rivals #s 7-12
  71. Star Trek (2022) #19
  72. Thundercats (2024) #1
  73. Avengers (1963) #124
  74. Captain Marvel (1968) #s 25-27
  75. Captain America (2017) #697
  76. Fantastic Four (2018) #s 29-30
  77. Fantastic Four: 4 Yancy Street #1
  78. Fantastic Four (2018) #31
  79. X-Men/Fantastic Four (2020) #s 1-2
  80. Fantastic Four: Prodigal Son #1
  81. Fantastic Four: Marvels Snapshots #1
  82. X-Men: Marvels Snapshots #1
  83. The Legion of Super-Heroes Annual (1982) #1
  84. The Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) #290
  85. Fantastic Four (2025) #1
  86. The Fantastic Four: First Steps #1
  87. It’s Jeff: Infinity Paws #1
  88. X-Men/Fantastic Four (2020) #s 3-4
  89. Fantastic Four (2018) #32
  90. Captain America (2017) #698
  91. Superman: House of Brainiac Special #1
  92. Action Comics #1065
  93. The Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) #291
  94. Void Rivals #s 13-18
  95. Captain Marvel (1968) #s 28-33
  96. Avengers (1963) #125
  97. Captain America (2017) #s 699-700
  98. Iron Man (1968) #237
  99. Fantastic Four (2018) #33
  100. Defenders (1972) #14
  101. Marvel Legacy #1
  102. The Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) #s 292-293
  103. Superman (2023) #1
  104. The Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) #294
  105. Superman (2023) #2
  106. Fantastic Four (2018) #34
  107. Iron Man (1968) #238
  108. Superman (2023) #s 3-4
  109. Captain America (2017) #s 701-704
  110. Iron Man (1968) #s 239-240
  111. Steelworks #s 1-6
  112. The Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) #295
  113. Green Lantern Corps (2006) #s 4-6
  114. Avengers (1963) #126
  115. Defenders (1972) #15
  116. Avengers (2016) #675
  117. Uncanny Avengers (2015) #s 26-27
  118. The Spectre (1992) #54
  119. Final Crisis: Resist #1
  120. Avengers (1963) #127
  121. Fantastic Four (1961) #150
  122. Uncanny Avengers (2015) #s 28-30
  123. Avengers (2016) #676
  124. Iron Man (1968) #241
  125. Fantastic Four (2018) #35
  126. Avengers (2016) #677
  127. Iron Man (1968) #242
  128. Avengers (1963) #128
  129. Defenders (1972) #16
  130. Superman (2023) #5
  131. Superman Annual (2023) #1
  132. Iron Man (1968) #s 243-244
  133. The Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) #s 296-297
  134. Avengers (2016) #678
  135. Fantastic Four (2018) #36
  136. Avengers (1963) #129
  137. Iron Man (1968) #245
  138. The Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) #s 298-299
  139. Giant-Size Avengers #2
  140. Avengers (1963) #130
  141. Avengers (2016) #679
  142. Marvel Swimsuit Special: Friends, Foes & Rivals #1
  143. Fantastic Four (2018) #37
  144. Iron Man (1968) #246
  145. Fantastic Four (2018) #38
  146. Avengers (2016) #680
  147. Iron Man (1968) #s 247-248
  148. Avengers (1963) #131
  149. Void Rivals #19
  150. G.I. Joe (2024) #9
  151. Avengers (2016) #s 681-684
  152. Contagion (2019) #s 1-5
  153. Iron Man (1968) #s 249-250
  154. Fantastic Four (2018) #39
  155. The Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) #300
  156. Fantastic Four: Reckoning War Alpha #1
  157. Avengers (2016) #685
  158. Iron Man (1968) #s 251-253
  159. Avengers (2016) #686
  160. Superman (2023) #6
  161. Fantastic Four (2018) #40
  162. Iron Man (1968) #s 254-257
  163. Avengers (1963) #132
  164. Giant-Size Avengers #3
  165. Avengers (2016) #687
  166. Superman (2023) #7
  167. Superman: The Last Days of Lex Luthor #1
  168. Avengers (2016) #688
  169. Fantastic Four (2018) #41
  170. Fantastic Four: Trial of the Watcher #1
  171. Avengers (2016) #s 689-690
  172. Quicksilver: No Surrender #s 1-5
  173. Avengers: No Road Home #1
  174. The Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) #301
  175. Beyond! #1
  176. Fantastic Four (1998) #544
  177. Inhumans Prime #1
  178. Absolute Green Lantern #1
  179. Beyond! #s 2-6
  180. Fantastic Four (1998) #s 545-546
  181. Absolute Green Lantern #s 2-3
  182. Superman: The Last Days of Lex Luthor #s 2-3
  183. Superman (2023) #s 8-9
  184. The Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) #302
  185. Fantastic Four (2018) #42
  186. Avengers: No Road Home #2
  187. Iron Man (1968) #s 258-260
  188. Superman (2023) #10
  189. Fantastic Four (2018) #s 43-46
  190. The Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) #303
  191. The Legion of Super-Heroes Annual (1982) #2
  192. Marvel Comics #1000
  193. Defenders (2021) #s 1-3
  194. The Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) #304
  195. Iron Man (1968) #261
  196. Fantastic Four (1998) #547
  197. Avengers: No Road Home #s 3-4
  198. Cheetah and Cheshire Rob the Justice League #1
  199. Supergirl (2025) #3
  200. Batman & Robin: Year One #9
  201. Superman (2023) #28
  202. New History of the DC Universe #2
  203. Justice League Unlimited (2024) #9
  204. Justice League: Dark Tomorrow Special #1
  205. JSA (2024) #s 9-10
  206. Batman (2025) #1
  207. Absolute Green Lantern #s 4-5
  208. Superman Unlimited #3
  209. Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #41
  210. Titans (2023) #25
  211. The Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) #s 305-306
  212. Imperial #2
  213. Metamorpho: The Element Man (2024) #s 1-2
  214. Superman (2023) #11
  215. The New Adventures of Superboy #50
  216. The Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) #307
  217. Iron Man (1968) #s 262-263
  218. Defenders (2021) #s 4-5
  219. Defenders (2011) #1
  220. Fantastic Four Fanfare #3
  221. The Insurgent Iron Man #10
  222. The Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) #308
  223. Defenders (2011) #s 2-3
  224. Iron Man (1968) #264
  225. Metamorpho: The Element Man (2024) #3
  226. Letter 44 #1
  227. Free Comic Book Day 2022: Avengers/X-Men #1
  228. Godzilla Destroys the Marvel Universe #1
  229. AXE: Judgement Day #s 1-6
  230. AXE: Avengers #1
  231. AXE: X-Men #1
  232. AXE: Eternals #1
  233. The Brave and the Bold #200
  234. Batman and the Outsiders (1982) #1
  235. Roxy: Romance Reborn #1
  236. Letter 44 #s 2-7
  237. Avengers (1963) #133
  238. Avengers: No Road Home #5
  239. Defenders (2011) #4
  240. Fantastic Four (1998) #548
  241. Royals #1
  242. Guardians of the Galaxy (2020) #1
  243. Annihilation: Scourge Alpha #1
  244. Guardians of the Galaxy (2019) #1
  245. All-New Guardians of the Galaxy #1
  246. Demon Knights #1
  247. Superman (2023) #12
  248. Action Comics #1065
  249. Superman (2023) #s 14-15
  250. Spider-Man vs. the Sinister Sixteen #1
  251. Amazing Spider-Man (2025) #8
  252. GODS: One World Under Doom #1
  253. Uncanny X-Men (2024) #18
  254. West Coast Avengers (2024) #9
  255. Assorted Crisis Events #5
  256. Ultimates (2024) #14
  257. Ultimate Spider-Man (2024) #19
  258. All-New Guardians of the Galaxy #2
  259. Royals #2
  260. Defenders (2011) #5
  261. Demon Knights #2
  262. Incredible Hulk vs. Quasimodo #1
  263. Secret Six (2025) #s 5-6
  264. Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #38
  265. Justice League Unlimited (2024) #6
  266. Royals #s 3-4
  267. Archie: The Decision #1
  268. Duke (2023) #s 1-4
  269. Royals #s 5-6
  270. Defenders (2011) #6
  271. All-New Guardians of the Galaxy #3
  272. Avengers vs. X-Men #0
  273. Batman (2025) #2
  274. All-New Guardians of the Galaxy #s 4-9
  275. Iron Man (2012) #1
  276. Avengers vs. X-Men #1
  277. All-New Guardians of the Galaxy #10
  278. Defenders (2011) #7
  279. Royals #7
  280. Fantastic Four (1998) #549
  281. Fear Itself #1
  282. Avengers vs. X-Men #1.5
  283. All-New Guardians of the Galaxy #11
  284. Royals #8
  285. Duke (2023) #5
  286. Cobra Commander #s 1-2
  287. Avengers vs. X-Men #2
  288. Avengers vs. X-Men: Versus #1
  289. Batman/Superman: World’s Finest Annual #1
  290. Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #39
  291. Justice League Unlimited (2024) #s 7-8
  292. Avengers vs. X-Men #s 3-4
  293. Avengers vs. X-Men: Versus #2
  294. Avengers vs. X-Men #5
  295. Avengers vs. X-Men: Versus #3
  296. Avengers vs. X-Men #6
  297. Superman (2023) #16
  298. Cobra Commander #s 3-4
  299. Defenders (2011) #8
  300. All-New Guardians of the Galaxy #12
  301. Avengers vs. X-Men #s 7-9
  302. Avengers vs. X-Men: Versus #s 4-5
  303. Avengers vs. X-Men #s 10-12
  304. Avengers vs. X-Men: Versus #6

The Comics of June 2025

And this was what I read through in June, a month that saw me busier than the average bear between work and a short (too short!) trip to the Bay Area to see my best friend. For the most part, nostalgia was reigning supreme as it has been doing in the last few months, not least because I finally completed by collection of early 1990s Green Lantern and spin-off books and fully dived into that cosmology. (There’s so much to talk about there, all of it overshadowed by the fact that the writer was later jailed after pleading guilty to possession of child porn. Yeah, I know.)

I also worked through a re-read of Squadron Supreme and its follow-ups — a very strange fan-fic as officially published comic from Marvel in the 1980s, based around the seeming pitch of “What if we published DC characters? And… yeah, that’s it, I guess” — and a bunch of assorted superhero comics of the 1970s, ’80s, and ’90s; it’s an accidental re-education on the genre’s development and the tricks lost and left behind as tastes changed. Sometimes, I think about wanting to write a really wonky book tracking those shifts in methodology and trickery, in part as a guide to see what could be re-adopted or re-explored, but then I remember that no-one would want to read such a thing.

Anyway: June’s comics looked like this.

  1. Money Shot #s 1-5
  2. Conan the Barbarian (2023) #s 15-16
  3. Avengers (1963) #s 283-285
  4. West Coast Avengers (1985) #24
  5. West Coast Avengers Annual (1986) #2
  6. Superman (1986) #s 7-8
  7. Adventures of Superman (1986) #430
  8. Action Comics (1938) #590
  9. Legion of Super-Heroes (1984) #37
  10. Green Lantern (1990) #9
  11. Albion #1
  12. Action Comics Weekly #601
  13. Superman (1939) #371
  14. Justice League Europe Annual #2
  15. Superman (1939) #391
  16. The Spirit Casebook 
  17. Green Lantern (1990) #s 10-11
  18. Avengers Annual (1967) #16
  19. West Coast Avengers (1985) #25
  20. Avengers (1963) #286
  21. Fantastic Four (1998) #s 501-502
  22. Defenders (1972) #s 46-47
  23. West Coast Avengers (1985) #26
  24. Action Comics (1938) #591
  25. Legion of Super-Heroes (1984) #38
  26. Superman (1986) #9
  27. Adventures of Superman (1986) #s 431-432
  28. Green Lantern (1990) #12
  29. Marvel Knights: The World to Come #1
  30. All-New Venom #7
  31. Defenders (1972) #48
  32. Ghost Rider vs. Galactus #1
  33. Green Lantern (1990) #13
  34. Fantastic Four (1998) #s 503-508
  35. Green Lantern (1990) #14
  36. West Coast Avengers (1985) #27
  37. Defenders (1972) #49
  38. Green Lantern (1990) #15
  39. Imperial (2025) #1
  40. Immortal Thor #s 23-24
  41. X-Men (2024) #s 10-17
  42. Action Comics (1938) #s 592-593
  43. Superman (1986) #s 10-11
  44. Adventures of Superman (1986) #s 433-435
  45. Fantastic Four (1998) #s 509-511
  46. Green Lantern (1990) #s 16-17
  47. Avengers (1963) #287
  48. West Coast Avengers (1985) #28
  49. Defenders (1972) #50
  50. Justice League Unlimited (2024) #8
  51. New History of the DC Universe #1
  52. Uncanny X-Men (1963) #137
  53. Green Lantern (1990) #18
  54. Avengers (1963) #288
  55. West Coast Avengers (1985) #29
  56. Superman (2023) #27
  57. Green Lantern (1990) #s 19-25
  58. Green Lantern Annual (1992) #1
  59. Green Lantern: Mosaic #1
  60. Avengers (1963) #289
  61. West Coast Avengers (1985) #30
  62. Fantastic Four (1998) #s 512-513
  63. HERBIE Infinity Comic #1
  64. Green Lantern: Mosaic #s 2-4
  65. Transformers (2023) #21
  66. Green Lantern: Mosaic #5
  67. Guy Gardner Reborn #s 1-3
  68. Avengers (1963) #290
  69. West Coast Avengers (1985) #31
  70. Fantastic Four (1998) #514
  71. Doctor Who: The Cruel Sea
  72. Avengers (1963) #s 291-297
  73. The Mighty Thor (1966) #s 396-400
  74. Solo Avengers #1
  75. Fantastic Four (1998) #s 515-516
  76. West Coast Avengers (1985) #32
  77. Green Lantern (1990) #s 26-28
  78. Avengers (1963) #s 298-300
  79. Action Comics Annual (1987) #1
  80. Superman Annual (1987) #1
  81. Adventures of Superman Annual (1987) #1
  82. Fantastic Four (1998) #517
  83. Green Lantern (1990) #29
  84. Fantastic Four (1998) #518
  85. West Coast Avengers (1985) #33
  86. Doctor Strange & Doctor Doom: Triumph and Torment OGN
  87. Astonishing Tales #s 1-3
  88. Giant-Size Super-Villain Team-Up #1
  89. Mephisto vs. #1
  90. The Last Avengers Story #s 1-2
  91. Mephisto vs. #s 2-4
  92. Hawkeye: Earth’s Mightiest Marksman #1
  93. Avengers: Infinity #s 1-3
  94. Avengers: The Ultron Imperative #1
  95. Avengers (1998) #1
  96. Squadron Supreme (1985) #1
  97. Death of the Silver Surfer #1
  98. Fantastic Four (1998) #570
  99. West Coast Avengers (1985) #s 34-37
  100. Fantastic Four (1998) #519
  101. Giant-Size Amazing Spider-Man (2025) #1
  102. One World Under Doom #5
  103. Giant-Size Dark Phoenix Saga #1
  104. Runaways (2025) #1
  105. Storm (2024) #s 7-9
  106. Star Wars (2025) #2
  107. Trinity, Daughter of Wonder Woman #1
  108. West Coast Avengers (1985) #s 38-39
  109. West Coast Avengers Annual (1986) #3
  110. Green Lantern: Mosaic #6
  111. Green Lantern (1990) #s 30-31
  112. Guy Gardner (1992) #1
  113. West Coast Avengers (1985) #s 40-43
  114. Squadron Supreme (1985) #2
  115. Fantastic Four (1998) #520
  116. Squadron Supreme (1985) #3
  117. Guy Gardner (1992) #2
  118. All Star Superman #5
  119. Fantastic Four (1998) #521-524
  120. Guy Gardner (1992) #3
  121. Green Lantern (1990) #32
  122. Squadron Supreme (1985) #4
  123. Marvel 2-in-One (2017) #s 1-2
  124. Avengers: Loki Unleashed! #1
  125. Avengers: Infinity #4
  126. Avengers: The Origin #1
  127. Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes (2005) #1
  128. Squadron Supreme (1985) #s 5-6
  129. Adventure Comics (1938) #210
  130. Marvel 2-in-One (2017) #3
  131. Squadron Supreme (1985) #s 7-10
  132. Green Lantern (1990) #33
  133. Squadron Supreme (1985) #s 11-12
  134. The Squadron Supreme: Death of a Universe OGN
  135. Quasar (1989) #13
  136. Green Lantern (1990) #34
  137. Quasar (1989) #s 14-16
  138. Green Lantern (1990) #35
  139. Avengers (1998) #s 2-4
  140. Marvel 2-in-One (2017) #4
  141. Avengers (1998) #s 5-6
  142. Avengers/Squadron Supreme Annual #1
  143. Squadron Supreme: New World Order #1
  144. Green Lantern: Mosaic #s 7-8
  145. Avengers: The Origin #s 2-5
  146. Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes (2005) #2
  147. Marvel 2-in-One (2017) #5
  148. G.I. Joe (2024) #8
  149. Batman Family #2
  150. Batman Eternal #1
  151. Tom Strong #1
  152. Green Lantern: Mosaic #9
  153. Green Lantern (1990) #36
  154. Guy Gardner (1992) #4
  155. Marvel 2-in-One (2017) #6
  156. Marvel 2-in-One Annual (2018) #1
  157. Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes (2005) #s 3-4
  158. Avengers (1998) #s 7-8
  159. X-Factor Annual (1987) #3
  160. The Punisher Annual (1988) #1
  161. Silver Surfer Annual (1988) #1
  162. Aliens vs. Avengers #4
  163. Guy Gardner (1992) #5
  164. Marvel 2-in-One (2017) #s 7-10
  165. Fantastic Four (2018) #1
  166. Green Lantern (1990) #37
  167. X-Men (2024) #18
  168. West Coast Avengers (2024) #8
  169. New Avengers (2025) #1
  170. Godzilla vs. Avengers #1
  171. Fantastic Four Fanfare #2
  172. Bring on The Bad Guys: Doom #1
  173. The Amazing Spider-Man (2025) #6
  174. Fantastic Four (2018) #s 2-3
  175. Marvel 2-in-One (2017) #11
  176. Avengers (1998) #9
  177. Captain America (1998) #1
  178. Iron Man (1998) #1
  179. Guy Gardner (1992) #s 6-7
  180. Marvel 2-in-One (2017) #12
  181. Fantastic Four (2018) #4
  182. Showcase ‘93 #s 1-5
  183. Avengers (2023) #27
  184. The Amazing Spider-Man (2025) #s 1-5
  185. Avengers Assemble (2024) #s 1-5
  186. Non-Stop Spider-Man #1
  187. Green Lantern: Mosaic #10
  188. Fantastic Four (2018) #5
  189. Fantastic Four Wedding Special (2018) #1
  190. Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes (2005) #s 5-8
  191. Green Lantern: Mosaic #11
  192. Non-Stop Spider-Man #2
  193. Captain America (1998) #s 2-3
  194. Astonishing Avengers Infinity Comic #1
  195. Fantastic Four (2018) #6
  196. Non-Stop Spider-Man #s 3-5
  197. Black Widow (2016) #s 1-2
  198. Green Lantern (1990) #38
  199. Astonishing Avengers Infinity Comic #2
  200. Black Widow (2016) #3
  201. Future State: Green Lantern #s 1-2
  202. Green Lantern (1990) #39
  203. Black Widow (2016) #4
  204. Fantastic Four (2018) #7
  205. Captain America (1998) #s 4-5
  206. Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes II #s 1-2
  207. Green Lantern (1990) #40
  208. Guy Gardner (1992) #8
  209. Captain America (1998) #s 6-7
  210. Black Widow (2016) #s 5-6
  211. Green Lantern: Mosaic #12
  212. Captain America (1998) #s 8-12
  213. Fantastic Four (2018) #8
  214. Black Widow (2016) #s 7-12
  215. Astonishing Avengers Infinity Comic #s 3-4
  216. Avengers (1998) #11
  217. Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty (1998) #s 1-4
  218. Iron Man (1998) #s 2-3
  219. Fantastic Four (2018) #9
  220. Green Lantern: Mosaic #13
  221. Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty (1998) #s 5-7
  222. Iron Man (1968) #s 201-207
  223. Green Lantern: Mosaic #14
  224. Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty (1998) #s 8-9
  225. Iron Man (1968) #s 208-210
  226. Avengers (1963) #s 105-108
  227. Green Lantern: Mosaic #s 15-18
  228. Green Lantern (1990) #41
  229. Avengers (1963) #s 109-111
  230. Fantastic Four (2018) #s 10-11
  231. Green Lantern (1990) #42
  232. Avengers (1963) #112
  233. Fantastic Four (2022) #33
  234. Green Lantern (1990) #43
  235. Ultimate Spider-Man (2024) #18
  236. Deadpool (2014) #15
  237. Green Lantern Annual (1992) #2
  238. Guy Gardner (1992) #s 9-14
  239. Green Lantern Corps (2011) #0
  240. Fantastic Four (2018) #12
  241. The Darkstars (1992) #s 17-24
  242. Green Lantern (1990) #s 44-45
  243. DC Universe: Trinity #2
  244. Green Lantern (1990) #s 46-47
  245. Fantastic Four (2018) #13
  246. Avengers (1963) #113
  247. Iron Man (1968) #211-213
  248. Green Lantern Corps: Recharge #1
  249. Guy Gardner: Warrior #s 17-21
  250. The Darkstars (1992) #s 0, 25-27
  251. Avengers (1963) #114
  252. Justice League (2011) #40
  253. Justice League: The Darkseid War – Green Lantern #1
  254. Fantastic Four (2018) #14
  255. Avengers (1963) #115
  256. Defenders (1972) #8
  257. Iron Man (1968) #214
  258. Green Lantern Corps: Recharge #s 2-5
  259. Green Lantern (2005) #s 1-3
  260. Iron Man (1968) #s 215-217
  261. Void Rivals #s 1-6
  262. Avengers (1963) #s 116-117
  263. Defenders (1972) #9
  264. Fantastic Four (2018) #15
  265. Iron Man (1968) #218
  266. Green Lantern (2005) #s 4-6
  267. Transformers (2024) #s 1-6
  268. Star Trek: Defiant #17
  269. Defenders (1972) #10
  270. Avengers (1963) #118
  271. Fantastic Four (2018) #16
  272. The Beast (1997) #1
  273. Magneto (1996) #1
  274. 2000 AD Sci-Fi Special 2025
  275. 2000 AD Progs 2439-2440
  276. Star Trek: Defiant #s 18-21
  277. Green Lantern (2005) #s 7-8
  278. Transformers (2024) #s 7-12
  279. Fantastic Four (2018) #s 17-19
  280. Invisible Woman (2019) #s 1-2
  281. Green Lantern (2005) #9
  282. Invisible Woman (2019) #3
  283. Fantastic Four (2018) #20
  284. Iron Man (1968) #219
  285. Empyre: Avengers #0
  286. Empyre: Fantastic Four #0
  287. Invisible Woman (2019) #s 4-5
  288. Green Lantern (2005) #s 10-11
  289. Avengers (1963) #119
  290. Defenders (1972) #11
  291. Transformers (2024) #s 13-18
  292. Energon Universe 2024 Special #1
  293. Iron Man (1968) #220
  294. Action: The Story of A Violent Comic
  295. Green Lantern (2005) #s 12-13
  296. Green Lantern Corps (2006) #1
  297. Assorted Crisis Events #4
  298. We’re Taking Everyone Down With Us #s 2-4
  299. You’ll Do Bad Things #s 2-4
  300. Iron Man (1968) #221
  301. The Legendary Lynx OGN
  302. Iron Man (1968) #222
  303. Green Lantern (2005) #s 14-15
  304. Iron Man (1968) #s 222-225
  305. Green Lantern (2005) #s 16-17

The Comics of May 2025

My nostalgic trip through the comics that I grew up with continued unabated in May. If anything, it got worse; by mid-month, my “I’ll read an issue of Fantastic Four every night” had metastasized into “I’ll read an issue of Fantastic Four and, sure, then The Thing and Avengers and West Coast Avengers too, every night.” And when I wasn’t doing that, I was working my way through the (very cheap) back issues of Alpha Flight I’d bought months ago, or using Hoopla to finally properly dig into the new Conan comics, which help me finally understand the appeal of the character for the first time… well, ever. (I actually bought all of the Alpha Flight issues because I figured they’d never be reprinted or released digitally; a week after buying the last batch, Marvel announced they’re doing a big reprint in September. I feel like I accidentally made it happen.)

There’s something to be said for doing all this, though; I’ve learned to appreciate the workmanship of the comics I grew up on and breathed like air. When I was a kid, these were magical objects that I worshipped, in my way, but appreciated from that point of view primarily. Looking at them now from my older, jaundiced eyes, I can see the formulas and the shortcuts and the men behind the curtain, but I find myself almost loving them more for all that.

So, what else did I read in May? Quite a lot. Take a look:

  1. Fantastic Four (1961) #261
  2. The Thing (1983) #7
  3. Captain America (1968) #383
  4. Captain Marvel (2000) #15
  5. Alpha Flight (1982) #29
  6. Fantastic Four (1961) #262
  7. Captain America (1968) #384
  8. Alpha Flight (1982) #30
  9. Captain Marvel (2000) #s 16-19
  10. Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #39
  11. Superman Unlimited #1
  12. Batman & Robin: Year One #7
  13. Wonder Woman (2023) #21
  14. Titans (2023) #23
  15. The New Gods (2024) #6
  16. Alpha Flight (1982) #31
  17. It’s Jeff! Infinity Comic #49
  18. Alpha Flight (1982) #32
  19. Fantastic Four (1961) #263
  20. The Thing (1983) #s 8-9
  21. Captain America (1968) #385
  22. Captain Marvel (2000) #20
  23. DC All In FCBD 2025 Special Edition #1
  24. Fantastic Four (1961) #264
  25. The Thing (1983) #10
  26. Fantastic Four (1961) #265
  27. Alpha Flight (1982) #35
  28. Fantastic Four (1961) #266
  29. The Thing (1983) #11
  30. Captain America (1968) #386
  31. Captain Marvel (2000) #s 21-22
  32. The Batman Adventures (1992) #s 26-28
  33. The Batman Adventures Annual #s 1-2
  34. Batman & Robin Adventures #s 1-2
  35. All-Star Comics #s 69-70
  36. Abslom Daak: Dalek Killer
  37. Fantastic Four (1961) #267
  38. The Thing (1983) #12
  39. Captain America (1968) #387
  40. Captain Marvel (2000) #s 23-26
  41. It’s Jeff! Jeff Week #1
  42. Star Wars (2025) #1
  43. Captain Marvel (2000) #s 27-28
  44. One World Under Doom #s 1-3
  45. Fantastic Four Fanfare #1
  46. Fantastic Four (2022) #s 27-31
  47. West Coast Avengers (2024) #7
  48. All-New Venom #6
  49. 2000 AD Progs 2431-2432
  50. Captain Marvel (2000) #s 29-35
  51. Alpha Flight (1982) #36
  52. Fantastic Four (1961) #s 268-269
  53. The Thing (1983) #13
  54. Captain America (1968) #388
  55. Captain Marvel (2002) #1
  56. Alpha Flight (1982) #s 37-38
  57. Fantastic Four (1961) #270
  58. The Thing (1983) #s 14-15
  59. Captain America (1968) #389
  60. Free Comic Book Day 2025: Amazing Spider-Man/Ultimate Universe #1
  61. Free Comic Book Day 2025: Fantastic Four/Giant-Size X-Men #1
  62. Free Comic Book Day 2025: Star Wars #1
  63. Captain Marvel (2002) #s 2-6
  64. Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) #285
  65. Fantastic Four (1961) #271
  66. The Thing (1983) #16
  67. Captain America (1968) #390
  68. Avengers (1963) #241
  69. Captain Marvel (2002) #s 7-12
  70. Alpha Flight (1982) #s 39-40
  71. Fantastic Four (1961) #272
  72. The Thing (1983) #17
  73. Captain America (1968) #391
  74. Avengers (1963) #242
  75. Captain Marvel (2002) #13
  76. Plastic Man No More! #s 1-4
  77. Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) #286
  78. Secrets of the Legion of Super-Heroes #1
  79. Detective Comics (1937) #411
  80. Fantastic Four (1961) #s 273-274
  81. The Thing (1983) #s 18-19
  82. Detective Comics (1937) #425-427
  83. Alpha Flight (1982) #41
  84. Energon Universe 2025 Special #1
  85. Transformers (2023) #20
  86. Fantastic Four (1961) #275
  87. The Thing (1983) #20
  88. Avengers (1963) #s 243-245
  89. Captain Marvel (2002) #14
  90. Captain America (1968) #392
  91. Secrets of the Legion of Super-Heroes #2
  92. Alpha Flight (1982) #42
  93. Fantastic Four (1961) #276
  94. The Thing (1983) #s 21-22
  95. Fantastic Four (1961) #277
  96. Avengers (1963) #246
  97. Captain Marvel (2002) #s 15-19
  98. Captain America (1968) #393
  99. Detective Comics (1937) #428
  100. Fantastic Four (1961) #278
  101. Avengers (1963) #s 247-248
  102. West Coast Avengers (1984) #s 1-2
  103. The Thing (1983) #23
  104. Star Wars (1977) #50
  105. Secrets of the Legion of Super-Heroes #3
  106. Detective Comics (1937) #429
  107. Captain America (1968) #394
  108. Fantastic Four (1961) #279
  109. The Thing (1983) #24
  110. Avengers (1963) #249
  111. West Coast Avengers (1984) #3
  112. Defenders (1972) #s 12-13
  113. Star Wars (1977) #51
  114. Conan the Barbarian (2023) #5
  115. Alpha Flight (1982) #43
  116. Conan the Barbarian (2023) #s 6-7
  117. West Coast Avengers (1984) #4
  118. Avengers (1963) #250
  119. One World Under Doom #4
  120. Godzilla vs. X-Men #1
  121. Conan the Barbarian (2023) #8
  122. Justice League Unlimited (2024) #7
  123. Superman (2023) #26
  124. Mr. Terrific: Year One #1
  125. Batman (2016) #160
  126. Metamorpho: The Element Man (2023) #6
  127. Defenders (1972) #s 14-15
  128. Alpha Flight (1982) #44
  129. Fantastic Four (1961) #280
  130. The Thing (1983) #25
  131. Avengers (1963) #s 251-252
  132. Astonishing Spider-Man Infinity Comic #27
  133. Avengers (1963) #s 253-257
  134. Alpha Flight (1982) #45
  135. Fantastic Four (1961) #s 281-282
  136. The Thing (1983) #s 26-27
  137. Avengers (1963) #s 258-259
  138. Alpha Flight (1982) #46
  139. X-Men and Alpha Flight #1
  140. Thunderbolts (2006) #102
  141. Alpha Flight Annual (1986) #1
  142. Fantastic Four (1961) #283
  143. The Thing (1983) #28
  144. Avengers (1963) #260
  145. West Coast Avengers (1985) #s 1-2
  146. The Vision and Scarlet Witch (1985) #s 1-2
  147. Fantastic Four (1961) #284
  148. The Thing (1983) #29
  149. Fantastic Four Annual (1963) #19
  150. Avengers Annual (1967) #14
  151. Avengers (1963) #261
  152. Conan the Barbarian (2023) #s 9-12
  153. Fantastic Four (1961) #285
  154. Marvel Graphic Novel #18: The Sensational She-Hulk
  155. The Thing (1983) #30
  156. West Coast Avengers (1985) #3
  157. The Vision and Scarlet Witch (1985) #3
  158. Avengers (1963) #262
  159. Conan the Barbarian: Battle of the Black Stone #s 0-1
  160. Superman: A Friendship Unleashed #1
  161. Alpha Flight (1982) #47
  162. Avengers (1963) #263
  163. Fantastic Four (1961) #286
  164. The Thing (1983) #31
  165. West Coast Avengers (1985) #4
  166. The Vision and Scarlet Witch (1985) #4
  167. Star Wars (1977) #52
  168. Thunderbolts (2006) #s 103-104
  169. Captain Marvel (2002) #21
  170. Green Lantern (2023) #23
  171. Captain Marvel (2002) #s 22-25
  172. Avengers (1963) #264
  173. Fantastic Four (1961) #287
  174. The Thing (1983) #32
  175. West Coast Avengers (1985) #5
  176. The Vision and Scarlet Witch (1985) #5
  177. The Sandman Universe presents: Hellblazer, Dead in America #11
  178. Justice League America (1987) #0
  179. Star Slammers (1994) #s 1-4
  180. Star Slammers Special #1
  181. Blasters Special #1
  182. Conan the Barbarian: Battle of the Black Stone #s 2-4
  183. Savage Sword of Conan (2024) #1
  184. Alpha Flight (1982) #s 48-50
  185. Alpha Flight Annual (1986) #2
  186. Jack Kirby’s Secret City Saga #0
  187. Bombast #1
  188. Captain Glory #1
  189. Justice League America (1987) #93
  190. Avengers (1963) #265
  191. Fantastic Four (1961) #288
  192. The Thing (1983) #33
  193. West Coast Avengers (1985) #6
  194. The Vision and Scarlet Witch (1985) #6
  195. Avengers (1963) #266
  196. Secret Wars II #s 6-7
  197. Justice League America (1987) #99
  198. Fantastic Four (1961) #289
  199. The Thing (1983) #34
  200. West Coast Avengers (1985) #7
  201. The Vision and Scarlet Witch (1985) #7
  202. Secret Wars II #s 8-9
  203. Justice League America (1987) #104
  204. Spider-Man and Wolverine (2025) #1
  205. Avengers (1963) #267
  206. Fantastic Four (1961) #290
  207. The Thing (1983) #35
  208. West Coast Avengers (1985) #8
  209. The Vision and Scarlet Witch (1985) #8
  210. Astonishing Spider-Man Infinity Comic #28
  211. Superman (1987) #s 28-29
  212. Adventures of Superman (1987) #s 451-452
  213. Justice League America (1987) #s 105-106
  214. Avengers (1963) #268
  215. Fantastic Four (1961) #291
  216. The Thing (1983) #36
  217. West Coast Avengers (1985) #9
  218. The Vision and Scarlet Witch (1985) #9
  219. Superman (1987) #s 30-31
  220. Adventures of Superman (1987) #s 453-454
  221. Action Comics Annual (1988) #2
  222. Thunderbolts (2006) #105
  223. The Amazing Spider-Man (2025) #4
  224. Fantastic Four (2022) #32
  225. The Incredible Hulk (2023) #25
  226. Iron Man (2024) #8
  227. Star Wars: Legacy of Vader #4
  228. Thunderbolts: Doomstrike #5
  229. The Ultimates (2024) #12
  230. Justice League America (1987) #107
  231. Avengers (1963) #269
  232. Fantastic Four (1961) #292
  233. West Coast Avengers (1985) #10
  234. The Vision and Scarlet Witch (1985) #10
  235. Superman (1987) #s 32-33
  236. Adventures of Superman (1987) #s 455-456
  237. Action Comics (1938) #643
  238. Dark Days: The Forge #1
  239. Dark Days: The Casting #1
  240. Fantastic Four (1961) #s 293-295
  241. Justice League: The Atom Project #6
  242. JSA (2024) #8
  243. Absolute Green Lantern #3
  244. Action Comics (1938) #1087
  245. Batman and Robin (2023) #22
  246. Absolute Batman #9
  247. Supergirl (2025) #s 1-2
  248. Avengers (1963) #270
  249. West Coast Avengers (1985) #11
  250. The Vision and Scarlet Witch (1985) #11
  251. West Coast Avengers (1985) #12
  252. The Vision and Scarlet Witch (1985) #12
  253. The Man of Steel (1986) #s 1-4
  254. Avengers (1963) #s 271-272
  255. West Coast Avengers (1985) #13
  256. Avengers Annual (1967) #15
  257. West Coast Avengers Annual (1986) #1
  258. The Man of Steel (1986) #s 5-6
  259. Superman (1986) #s 1-2
  260. Action Comics (1938) #584
  261. Fantastic Four (1961) #296
  262. Fantastic Four (1998) #60
  263. Assorted Crisis Events #3
  264. The Power Fantasy #9
  265. G.I. Joe (2024) #7
  266. Void Rivals #19
  267. Death of Inhumans #s 1-5
  268. Fantastic Four (1998) #61
  269. Avengers (1963) #273
  270. West Coast Avengers (1985) #14
  271. Adventures of Superman (1986) #s 424-425
  272. Action Comics (1938) #585
  273. Guy Gardner (1992) #s 9-10
  274. Green Lantern/Green Arrow: World’s Finest Special #1
  275. Green Lantern (2011) #s 21-22
  276. Green Lantern (1990) #1
  277. West Coast Avengers (1985) #15
  278. Avengers (1963) #s 274-277
  279. Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #40
  280. The New Gods (2024) #7
  281. Batman and Robin: Year One #8
  282. Wonder Woman (2023) #22
  283. Titans (2023) #24
  284. Detective Comics (1935) #1098
  285. DC vs. Vampires: World War V #10
  286. Green Lantern (1990) #s 2-3
  287. Fantastic Four (1998) #62
  288. West Coast Avengers (1985) #16
  289. Superman (1986) #s 3-4
  290. Adventures of Superman (1986) #s 426
  291. Action Comics (1938) #586
  292. Conan the Barbarian (2023) #13
  293. Green Lantern (1990) #4
  294. Marvels Annotated #1
  295. Green Lantern (1990) #s 5-6
  296. Fantastic Four (1998) #63
  297. West Coast Avengers (1985) #17
  298. Astonishing Spider-Man Infinity Comic #29
  299. Green Lantern (1990) #s 48-50
  300. Guy Gardner: Warrior (1992) #21
  301. Green Lantern: Rebirth (2004) #s 1-6
  302. Green Lantern (1990) #7
  303. Giant-Size X-Men (2025) #1
  304. Fantastic Four (1998) #64
  305. West Coast Avengers (1985) #18
  306. Adventures of Superman (1986) #s 427-428
  307. Action Comics (1938) #587
  308. Convergence: Crime Syndicate #s 1-2
  309. Fantastic Four (1998) #s 65-66
  310. Human Torch (2003) #s 1-7
  311. Spider-Man/Human Torch #s 1-5
  312. West Coast Avengers (1985) #19
  313. Avengers (1963) #278
  314. Fantastic Four (1998) #67
  315. Superman (1986) #s 5-6
  316. Adventures of Superman (1986) #429
  317. Action Comics (1938) #s 588-589
  318. Conan the Barbarian (2023) #14
  319. West Coast Avengers (1985) #20
  320. Avengers (1963) #279
  321. Fantastic Four (1998) #68
  322. Batman: Dark Patterns #1
  323. Fantastic Four (1998) #s 69-70, 500 (Series renumbers)
  324. Batman: Dark Patterns #s 2-3
  325. West Coast Avengers (1985) #21
  326. Batman: Dark Patterns #s 4-6
  327. Superman Unlimited #2
  328. Avengers (2023) #26
  329. Wallace Wood Presents: Shattuck
  330. DC Pride 2025 #1
  331. Green Lantern (1990) #8
  332. Avengers (1963) #s 280-281
  333. West Coast Avengers (1985) #22
  334. Avengers (1963) #282
  335. West Coast Avengers (1985) #23

The Comics of April 2025

When I was a kid, John Byrne’s Fantastic Four was the bee’s knees for reasons I didn’t fully understand. I didn’t even read that many issues of it when it was coming out — maybe a handful of issues towards the back end of the run, when I found them imported in newsagents or reprinted in the UK version of Secret Wars — but for some reason, I instinctively thought of it as the idealized Marvel superhero book. Reading it in full as an adult a few years back for Baxter Building on the Wait, What? podcast with Jeff made me realize how wrong I was (the idealized Marvel superhero book was really the Lee/Kirby run), but I ended up diving back into it in April in my attempt to continue a nightly reading routine, and it’s… better than I gave it credit for last time, maybe? Perhaps some things just read better in serialized format. Or it could be that my mind has just decayed to the point where I can’t tell what’s good or bad anymore. (See also me reading the full Alan Grant-written run of Marvel’s very disappointing 1990s RoboCop comic.)

Anyway: here’s what I read, comic-wise, in April.

  1. All-New Venom #5
  2. Daredevil: Cold Day in Hell #1
  3. X-Men (2024) #14
  4. West Coast Avengers (2024) #6
  5. Fantastic Four (1961) #95
  6. The Mighty Thor (1966) #172
  7. Captain America (1968) #341
  8. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #412
  9. Invincible #51
  10. Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes (1974) #s 233-235
  11. Star Trek (1989) #30
  12. Fantastic Four (1961) #96
  13. The Mighty Thor (1966) #173
  14. Captain America (1968) #342
  15. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #413
  16. Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes (1974) #236
  17. Astonishing Spider-Man Infinity Comic #s 21-22
  18. All-Star Comics #68
  19. JLA/JSA: Virtue and Vice OGN
  20. Superman (2023) #25
  21. Justice League Unlimited (2024) #6
  22. Superman: The Last Days of Lex Luthor #3
  23. Batman (2016) #159
  24. Green Lantern (2023) #22
  25. Invincible #s 52-54
  26. Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes (1974) #237
  27. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #s 414-416
  28. Superboy (1949) #s 195, 197 (Legion of Super-Heroes stories only)
  29. Helen of Wyndhorn #1
  30. Fantastic Four (1961) #97
  31. The Mighty Thor (1966) #174
  32. Captain America (1968) #343
  33. Hulk: Future Imperfect #s 1-2
  34. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #417
  35. Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes (1974) #s 238-242
  36. Metamorpho, The Element Man (2024) #5
  37. Absolute Martian Manhunter #2
  38. Superboy (1949) #s 198-199
  39. Fantastic Four (1961) #98
  40. The Mighty Thor (1966) #175
  41. Captain America (1968) #344
  42. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #418
  43. It’s Jeff! Infinity Comic #45
  44. Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes (1974) #s 243-244
  45. Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes (1974) #s 200-201
  46. Fantastic Four (1961) #99
  47. The Mighty Thor (1966) #176
  48. Captain America (1968) #345
  49. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #419
  50. Invincible #s 55-58
  51. The Batman Adventures (1992) #s 1-3
  52. Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes (1974) #s 202-203
  53. Fantastic Four (1961) #100
  54. The Mighty Thor (1966) #177
  55. Captain America (1968) #346
  56. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #420
  57. Fantastic Four (1961) #101
  58. The Mighty Thor (1966) #178
  59. Captain America (1968) #347
  60. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #421
  61. Kingdom Come #s 2-3
  62. The Batman Adventures (1992) #s 4-5
  63. Fantastic Four (1961) #s 102-104 (End of the Lee/Kirby era!)
  64. The Mighty Thor (1966) #s 179-181 (End of the Lee/Kirby era!)
  65. Fantastic Four (1961) #232 (First Byrne)
  66. Captain America (1968) #348
  67. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #s 422-423
  68. The Mighty Thor Annual (1966) #5
  69. Kingdom Come #4
  70. The Batman Adventures (1992) #6
  71. Invincible #s 59-67
  72. Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes (1974) #s 245-247
  73. The Amazing Spider-Man (2025) #1
  74. Robocop (1990) #1
  75. Captain America (1968) #349
  76. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #424
  77. Fantastic Four (1961) #233
  78. Justice Society of America (2007) #s 13-15
  79. The Question: All Along the Watchtower #6
  80. Batman/Superman: World’s Finest Annual #1
  81. Detective Comics Annual (2025) #1
  82. Firekind
  83. Robocop (1990) #2
  84. Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes (1974) #s 204-206
  85. Robocop (1990) #3
  86. Fantastic Four (1961) #s 234-235
  87. Captain America (1968) #350
  88. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #425
  89. Astonishing Spider-Man Infinity Comic #23
  90. The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones #s 4-5
  91. Fantastic Four (1961) #236
  92. Captain America (1968) #351
  93. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #426
  94. The Power Company Recharged #1
  95. Justice Society of America (2007) #s 16-17
  96. The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones #6
  97. Robocop (1990) #4
  98. Justice Society of America Annual (2008) #1
  99. Justice Society of America (2007) #18
  100. Web of Spider-Man (1985) #s 14-15
  101. Mystik U #1
  102. Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes (1974) #s 248-252
  103. Justice Society of America (2007) #s 19-20
  104. Justice Society of America: Kingdom Come Special – Superman #1
  105. Justice Society of America: Kingdom Come Special – Magog #1
  106. Justice Society of America: Kingdom Come Special – The Kingdom #1
  107. Justice Society of America (2007) #s 21-22
  108. Invincible #s 68-70
  109. Invincible Returns #1
  110. Robocop (1990) #5
  111. Fantastic Four (1961) #237
  112. Captain America (1968) #352
  113. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #427
  114. It’s Jeff! Infinity Comic #46
  115. The Batman Adventures (1992) #7
  116. Justice Society of America (2007) #s 23-27
  117. Nick Fury vs SHIELD #s 1-2
  118. Fantastic Four (1961) #238
  119. Captain America (1968) #353
  120. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #428
  121. Invincible #s 71-96
  122. Justice Society of America (2007) #s 28-29
  123. The Batman Adventures (1992) #8
  124. Helen of Wyndhorn #2
  125. Web of Spider-Man (1985) #s 16-27
  126. Justice Society of America (2007) #s 30-33
  127. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #s 429-431
  128. The Batman Adventures (1992) #s 9-10
  129. Marvel Rivals Infinity Comic #7
  130. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #s 432, 434 (#433 unavailable on Marvel Unlimited?)
  131. Fantastic Four (1961) #239
  132. Captain America (1968) #354
  133. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #s 433, 435-439
  134. The Batman Adventures (1992) #s 11-12
  135. Justice Society of America (2007) #34
  136. JSA All-Stars #1
  137. Fantastic Four (1961) #240
  138. Captain America (1968) #s 355-357
  139. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #440
  140. JSA All-Stars #s 2-3
  141. Justice Society of America (2007) #s 35-40
  142. JSA All-Stars #s 4-6
  143. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #s 441-450
  144. The Batman Adventures (1992) #s 13-14
  145. Robocop (1990) #6
  146. Exquisite Corpses #1
  147. Fantastic Four (1961) #241
  148. Captain America (1968) #358
  149. Astonishing Spider-Man Infinity Comic #24
  150. Black Canary: The Best of the Best #6
  151. Justice League: The Atom Project #5
  152. JSA (2024) #7
  153. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #451
  154. The Batman Adventures (1992) #15
  155. Justice League of America (2006) #s 44-48
  156. Justice Society of America (2007) #s 41-43
  157. Fantastic Four (1961) #242
  158. Captain America (1968) #359
  159. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #s 452-454
  160. X-Factor (2024) #9
  161. Superior Avengers #1
  162. Star Wars: The Legacy of Vader #3
  163. Iron Man (2024) #7
  164. Exceptional X-Men #8
  165. Concert of Champions #1
  166. Star Trek (1989) #31
  167. JSA All-Stars #7
  168. Robocop (1990) #s 6-7
  169. Fantastic Four (1961) #243
  170. Captain America (1968) #360
  171. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #s 455-456
  172. The Batman Adventures (1992) #16
  173. Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes (1974) #s 253-258
  174. Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) #259
  175. Robocop (1990) #8
  176. Fantastic Four (1961) #244
  177. Captain America (1968) #361
  178. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #457
  179. Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) #s 260-261
  180. The Batman Adventures (1992) #17
  181. The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #216
  182. The Incredible Hulk (1962) ## 458-460
  183. Heroes Reborn: The Return #s 1-4
  184. Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) #s 262-265
  185. Helen of Wyndhorn #s 3-6
  186. Robocop (1990) #9
  187. Fantastic Four (1961) #245
  188. Captain America (1968) #362
  189. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #461
  190. It’s Jeff! Infinity Comic #47
  191. Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) #s 266-267
  192. Robocop (1990) #10
  193. Fantastic Four (1961) #246
  194. Captain America (1968) #363
  195. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #462
  196. JSA All-Stars #s 8-11
  197. Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) #s 268-271
  198. The Batman Adventures (1992) #18
  199. Justice Society of America (2007) #s 44-49
  200. Invincible #s 97-104
  201. Fantastic Four (1961) #247
  202. Captain America (1968) #364
  203. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #463
  204. Justice Society of America (2007) #s 50-54
  205. Axel Pressbutton #s 1-3
  206. Fantastic Four (1961) #248
  207. Captain America (1968) #365
  208. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #464
  209. G.I. Joe (2024) #6
  210. The Power Fantasy #8
  211. Youngblood Deluxe #1
  212. JSA All-Stars #s 12-13
  213. Spector: Incorruptible
  214. JSA All-Stars #s 14-18
  215. The Batman Adventures (1992) #19
  216. Invincible #s 105-107
  217. Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) #272
  218. The New Golden Age #1
  219. Axel Pressbutton #s 4-5
  220. The Amazing Spider-Man (2025) #2
  221. Avengers (2023) #25
  222. One World Under Doom #3
  223. X-Men (2024) #15
  224. Fantastic Four (1961) #249
  225. Captain America (1968) #366
  226. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #465
  227. Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) #273
  228. Justice Society of America (2022) #s 1-2
  229. Final Crisis: Superman Beyond #1
  230. Axel Pressbutton #6
  231. Six months’ worth of The Phoenix (Yes, really, six months of a weekly comic)
  232. Fantastic Four (1961) #250
  233. Captain America (1968) #367
  234. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #466
  235. Astonishing Spider-Man Infinity Comic #25
  236. Marvel Rivals Infinity Comic #8
  237. Final Crisis: Superman Beyond #2
  238. Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) #274
  239. The Batman Adventures (1992) #20
  240. Justice Society of America (2022) #s 3-6
  241. Stargirl: The Lost Children #1
  242. Invincible #s 108-122
  243. Action Comics #1086
  244. Batman and Robin (2023) #21
  245. Laser Eraser and Pressbutton #1
  246. Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) #s 275-276
  247. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #467 (Final Peter David)
  248. The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #217
  249. Fantastic Four (1961) #251
  250. Captain America (1968) #368
  251. Justice Society of America (2022) #s 7-8
  252. Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) #s 277-280
  253. Invincible #s 123-132
  254. Fantastic Four (1961) #252
  255. Captain America (1968) #369
  256. It’s Jeff! Infinity Comic #48
  257. Marvel Rivals Infinity Comic #9
  258. Justice Society of America (2022) #s 9-12
  259. Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) #s 281-282
  260. Invincible #s 133-144
  261. Captain Marvel (2000) #s 0-5
  262. The Incredible Hulk: The End #1
  263. The Spectacular Spider-Man (1976) #s 134-136
  264. The Sensational She-Hulk (1988) #12
  265. Wolverine: Global Jeopardy
  266. Spider-Man: The Trial of Venom
  267. Mommy Blog #1
  268. Fantastic Four (1961) #s 253-254
  269. Captain America (1968) #370
  270. Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) #283
  271. Spider-Man 2099 (1992) #s 1-3
  272. JSA (2024) #1
  273. Laser Eraser and Pressbutton #2
  274. Fantastic Four (1961) #s 255-256
  275. Captain America (1968) #371
  276. Captain Marvel (2000) #s 6-7
  277. Spider-Man 2099 (1992) #4
  278. Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) #284
  279. JSA (2024) #s 2-7
  280. DC vs. Vampires: World War V #s 7-9
  281. The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #s 218-221
  282. The New Defenders #128
  283. Batman (2016) #s 158-159
  284. The New Defenders #s 129-130
  285. Absolute Green Lantern #2
  286. Secret Six (2025) #3
  287. Laser Eraser and Pressbutton #3
  288. Fantastic Four (1961) #257
  289. Captain America (1968) #s 372-377
  290. Captain Marvel (2000) #8
  291. Predator vs. Spider-Man #1
  292. Laser Eraser and Pressbutton #s 4-5
  293. Fantastic Four (2022) #31
  294. Godzilla vs. Spider-Man #1
  295. Laser Eraser and Pressbutton #6
  296. Ultimate Spider-Man (2024) #16
  297. Fantastic Four (1961) #258
  298. Captain America (1968) #379
  299. Captain Marvel (2000) #9
  300. Astonishing Spider-Man Infinity Comic #26
  301. Planet Death #0
  302. The Batman Adventures (1992) #s 21-22
  303. Batman the Long Halloween: The Last Halloween #s 0-1
  304. The Batman Adventures (1992) #23
  305. Batman the Long Halloween: The Last Halloween #s 2-7
  306. Heavy Metal (2025) #1
  307. All-Flash #1
  308. The Saga of Crystal, Crystal Warrior #1
  309. Fantastic Four (1961) #259
  310. The Thing (1983) #s 1-4
  311. Captain America (1968) #380
  312. The Batman Adventures (1992) #24
  313. Captain Marvel (2000) #s 10-13
  314. Captain America (1968) #381
  315. Alpha Flight Annual #1
  316. Fantastic Four (1961) #260
  317. The Thing (1983) #s 5-6
  318. Captain America (1968) #382
  319. Captain Marvel (2000) #14

The Comics of March 2025

As is traditional, heading to a convention completely wrecked by regular rhythm of comic book reading, with Emerald City Comic Con at the start of the month leaving me too exhausted to read much if anything at the end of each day. That said, I managed to climb back on the horse pretty impressively, based on this outrageous list of things that I read last month. (It’s actually not as impressive as it might look, but I will say that my habit of reading Fantastic Four, The Mighty Thor, Captain America and The Incredible Hulk every evening proves to make it look pretty great.) That said, if anyone could explain what made me so obsessed with DC’s Justice Society as I became midway through the month, that would very much be appreciated…

  1. All Star Superman #1
  2. Fantastic Four (1961) #64
  3. The Mighty Thor (1966) #141
  4. Captain America (1968) #314
  5. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #374
  6. G.I. Joe (1982) #s 31-33
  7. All Star Superman #2
  8. Fantastic Four (1961) #65
  9. The Mighty Thor (1966) #142
  10. Captain America (1968) #315
  11. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #375
  12. G.I. Joe (1982) #34
  13. Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) #285
  14. Icon (1993) #s 9-10
  15. Jack of Hearts #2
  16. Fantastic Four (1961) #66
  17. The Mighty Thor (1966) #143
  18. Captain America (1968) #316
  19. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #376
  20. Icon (1993) #s 11-13
  21. New Gods (2024) #4
  22. Legionnaires #58
  23. Jack of Hearts #s 3-4
  24. Astonishing Spider-Man Infinity Comic #18
  25. Fortune and Glory: The Musical
  26. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #s 377-379
  27. Icon (1993) #s 14-15
  28. Avengers (2023) #24
  29. Doctor Strange of Asgard #1
  30. The Ultimates (2024) #10
  31. Uncanny X-Men (2024) #11
  32. NYX (2024) #9
  33. Storm (2024) #6
  34. Fantastic Four (1961) #67
  35. The Mighty Thor (1966) #144
  36. Captain America (1968) #317
  37. Superman: Birthright #s 1-3
  38. Fantastic Four (1961) #68
  39. The Mighty Thor (1966) #145
  40. Justice League Unlimited (2024) #5
  41. Metamorpho: The Element Man (2024) #4
  42. Peacemaker Presents: The Vigilante/Eagly Double Feature #1
  43. Superman (2023) #24
  44. Fantastic Four (1961) #69
  45. The Mighty Thor (1966) #146
  46. Captain America (1968) #318
  47. Wonder Woman (2023) #19
  48. Superman: Birthright #4
  49. Fantastic Four (1961) #70
  50. The Mighty Thor (1966) #147
  51. Fantastic Four (1961) #71
  52. The Mighty Thor (1966) #148
  53. Fantastic Four (1961) #72
  54. The Mighty Thor (1966) #149
  55. Fantastic Four (1961) #73
  56. The Mighty Thor (1966) #150
  57. Fantastic Four (1961) #74
  58. The Mighty Thor (1966) #151
  59. Justice League: The Atom Project #4
  60. Green Lantern (2023) #21
  61. Black Canary: The Best of the Best #5
  62. Birds of Prey (2023) #19
  63. Superman: Birthright #5
  64. Captain America (1968) #319
  65. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #s 380-381
  66. Captain America (1968) #320
  67. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #s 382-385
  68. Superman: Birthright #6
  69. The Best of 2000 AD Special Edition #1
  70. DR & Quinch’s Totally Awesome Guide to Life
  71. Fantastic Four (1961) #75
  72. The Mighty Thor (1966) #152
  73. Showcase ‘94 #s 8-9 (Waverider story only)
  74. Zero Hour (1994) #s 4-0
  75. Zero Hour 30th Anniversary Special #1
  76. Generation Zero: Gods Among Us Special Edition #1
  77. Generations Shattered #1
  78. Generations Forged #1
  79. Fantastic Four (1961) #76
  80. The Mighty Thor (1966) #153
  81. Astonishing X-Men Infinity Comic #13
  82. Astonishing Spider-Man Infinity Comic #19
  83. Superman: Birthright #s 7-12
  84. Action Comics (2011) #s 1-2
  85. Action Comics (2011) #s 3-4, 7
  86. Fantastic Four (1961) #77
  87. The Mighty Thor (1966) #154
  88. JSA (2024) #6
  89. Resurrection Man: Quantum Karma #1
  90. Action Comics (2011) #8
  91. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #s 386-387
  92. Captain America (1968) #s 321-322
  93. Paradax (1987) #1
  94. 2x Peter Milligan and Brett Ewins
  95. All-New Venom #4
  96. The Amazing Spider-Man (2022) #69
  97. Nick Fury vs. Fin Fang Foom #1
  98. Iron Man (2024) #6
  99. Phoenix (2024) #9
  100. Star Wars: Legacy of Vader #2
  101. West Coast Avengers (2024) #5
  102. X-Men (2024) #13
  103. X-Factor (2024) #8
  104. Star Trek (1989) #1
  105. Secret Six (2025) #s 1-2
  106. You’ll Do Bad Things #1
  107. We’re Taking Everyone Down With Us #1
  108. G.I. Joe (2024) #s 1-2
  109. Fantastic Four (1961) #78
  110. The Mighty Thor (1966) #155
  111. G.I. Joe (2024) #s 3-5
  112. America vs. the Justice Society #1
  113. All-Star Comics #s 58-61
  114. JSA (1999) #s 52-55
  115. Aquaman (2025) #2
  116. JSA (1999) #s 56-58
  117. Hawkman (2002) #s 23-25
  118. Action Comics (2011) #5
  119. JSA (1999) #s 59-60
  120. All-Star Comics #62
  121. JSA (1999) #s 61-64
  122. The Power Fantasy #s 5-7
  123. Fantastic Four (1961) #79
  124. The Mighty Thor (1966) #156
  125. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #388
  126. Captain America (1968) #323
  127. JSA (1999) #s 65-67
  128. Action Comics (2011) #6
  129. Booster Gold (1985) #s 8-9
  130. Avengers (1963) #s 235-236
  131. JSA (1999) #s 68-70
  132. G.I. Joe (1982) #s 35-37
  133. All-Star Comics #63
  134. America vs. the Justice Society #2
  135. Alpha Flight (1983) #6
  136. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #389
  137. Aquaman (2025) #3
  138. JSA (1999) #s 71-72
  139. All-Star Comics #64
  140. Captain America (1968) #324
  141. Invincible #s 1-14
  142. JSA (1999) #s 73-77
  143. JSA Classified #s 1-4
  144. Justice Society of America (1992) #s 1-2
  145. Avengers (1963) #237
  146. Star Trek (1989) #s 2-4
  147. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #s 390-393
  148. JSA (1999) #s 78-81
  149. Star Trek (1989) #s 5-7
  150. JSA (1999) #82
  151. Sooner or Later
  152. Sooner or Later Presents: Swifty’s Return
  153. Fantastic Four (1961) #80
  154. The Mighty Thor (1966) #157
  155. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #394
  156. Captain America (1968) #325
  157. Avengers (1963) #238
  158. JSA (1999) #83
  159. G.I. Joe (1982) #38
  160. Invincible #s 15-16
  161. Action Comics (2011) #9
  162. Exceptional X-Men #7
  163. One World Under Doom #2
  164. Action Comics (2011) #s 9-12, 0
  165. X-Force (2024) #9
  166. Cable: Love and Chrome #3
  167. Batman and Robin (2023) #20
  168. Fantastic Four (1961) #81
  169. The Mighty Thor (1966) #158
  170. Captain America (1968) #326
  171. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #395
  172. Avengers (1963) #239
  173. Fire & Ice: When Hell Freezes Over #1
  174. Green Lantern Corps (2025) #3
  175. JSA (1999) #s 84-87
  176. Justice Society of America (2006) #1
  177. Action Comics (2011) #s 13-14
  178. Fantastic Four (1961) #82
  179. The Mighty Thor (1966) #159
  180. Captain America (1968) #327
  181. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #396
  182. Justice Society of America (2006) #s 2-4
  183. Avengers (1963) #240
  184. All-Star Comics #65
  185. Justice Society of America (1992) #s 3-5
  186. G.I. Joe (1982) #s 39-40
  187. Action Comics (2011) #15
  188. Fantastic Four (1961) #83
  189. The Mighty Thor (1966) #160
  190. Captain America (1968) #328
  191. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #397
  192. Action Comics (2011) #s 16-18
  193. Star Trek (1989) #s 8-12
  194. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #s 398-400
  195. Justice Society of America (1992) #s 6-7
  196. Aquaman (2025) #4
  197. Star Trek (1989) #13
  198. Fantastic Four (1961) #84
  199. The Mighty Thor (1966) #161
  200. Captain America (1968) #329
  201. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #401
  202. Star Trek (1989) #s 14-16
  203. Justice Society of America (1992) #s 8-10
  204. G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #s 301-305
  205. All-Star Comics #66
  206. Fantastic Four (1961) #85
  207. The Mighty Thor (1966) #162
  208. Captain America (1968) #330
  209. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #402
  210. Web of Spider-Man (1985) #s 2-3
  211. It’s Jeff! Infinity Comic #43
  212. Star Trek (1989) #s 17-21
  213. G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #s 306-307
  214. Invincible #s 17-24, 0
  215. G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #s 308-310
  216. Web of Spider-Man (1985) #s 4-9
  217. Fantastic Four (1961) #86
  218. The Mighty Thor (1966) #163
  219. Captain America (1968) #331
  220. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #403
  221. Star Trek (1989) #s 22-24
  222. Invincible #s 25-30
  223. Invincible: Origins #1
  224. Justice Society of America (2006) #s 7-9
  225. Al’s Baby
  226. Fantastic Four (1961) #87
  227. The Mighty Thor (1966) #164
  228. Captain America (1968) #332
  229. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #404
  230. Invincible #s 31-34
  231. Marvel Team-Up (2004) #14 (Invincible crossover)
  232. Web of Spider-Man Annual #s 1-3
  233. All-Star Comics #67
  234. Hawkgirl (2006) #50
  235. Astonishing Spider-Man Infinity Comic #20
  236. Astonishing X-Men Infinity Comic #s 14-15
  237. Web of Spider-Man (1985) #s 10-13
  238. Star Trek (1989) #s 25-28
  239. Fantastic Four (1961) #88
  240. The Mighty Thor (1966) #165
  241. Captain America (1968) #333
  242. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #405
  243. Godzilla vs. Fantastic Four #1
  244. Fantastic Four (2022) #30
  245. Uncanny X-Men (2024) #12
  246. Star Trek (1989) #29
  247. Thunderbolts: Doomstrike #2
  248. The Amazing Spider-Man (2022) #70
  249. The Incredible Hulk (2023) #23
  250. Summer of Superman Special #1
  251. Challengers of the Unknown (2024) #5
  252. Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #38
  253. Wonder Woman (2023) #20
  254. Fantastic Four (1961) #89
  255. The Mighty Thor (1966) #166
  256. Captain America (1968) #334
  257. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #406
  258. X-Manhunt: Omega #1
  259. Wolverine: Revenge #5
  260. Daredevil (2023) #19
  261. Weapon X-Men #2
  262. Ultimate Spider-Man (2024) #15
  263. Fantastic Four (1961) #90
  264. The Mighty Thor (1966) #167
  265. Captain America (1968) #335
  266. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #407
  267. DC vs. Vampires: World War V #s 1-4
  268. DC vs. Vampires: World War V – Darkness and Light #1
  269. DC vs. Vampires: World War V #s 5-6
  270. Justice League of America (1960) #166
  271. Fantastic Four (1961) #91
  272. The Mighty Thor (1966) #168
  273. Captain America (1968) #336
  274. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #408
  275. It’s Jeff! Infinity Comic #44
  276. 52: World War III #s 1-4
  277. Justice League of America (1960) #167
  278. Fantastic Four (1961) #92
  279. The Mighty Thor (1966) #169
  280. Captain America (1968) #337
  281. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #409
  282. Justice Society of America (2006) #s 10-12
  283. Detective Comics #1096
  284. Titans (2023) #22
  285. The New Gods (2024) #5
  286. Absolute Wonder Woman #s 1-5
  287. Justice League of America (1960) #168
  288. Fantastic Four (1961) #93
  289. The Mighty Thor (1966) #170
  290. Captain America (1968) #338
  291. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #410
  292. Invincible #s 35-47
  293. Fantastic Four (1961) #94
  294. The Mighty Thor (1966) #171
  295. Captain America (1968) #s 339-340
  296. Iron Man (1968) #228
  297. The Incredible Hulk (1962) #411
  298. Serenity: Those Left Behind #1
  299. Kingdom Come #1
  300. Red Hulk (2025) #2
  301. Invincible #s 48-50
  302. Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes #s 231-232
  303. All-New Collector’s Edition #55 (Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes)

Someone Should Record A Teen Titans Song Called “Titanic” to the Tune of Atomic

At some point in November, I started re-reading The New Teen Titans, a comic book series that was for a large stretch of the 1980s one of the most acclaimed comic books in the U.S. market — and one of the leading titles for DC Comics at a time when it was positioning itself as one of the most forward-thinking publishers out there for mainstream audiences. By all logic, such a description would suggest that New Teen Titans is an all-time classic that people place in the same pantheon as Chris Claremont’s contemporaneous run on Uncanny X-Men, or other such 1980s superheroes classics. And yet… they don’t.

The problem is, bluntly, that the last… half of the classic 1980s/early 90s run is not particularly very good. In fact, it’s so bad that it’s almost more interesting than the good stuff, for reasons that amount to little more than simply asking, “What the fuck is happening?” over and over and over again.

The “classic” New Teen Titans run starts in 1980 when Marv Wolfman and George Perez revive the 1960s team book with a bunch of new characters and a mission statement that essentially consists of, “see what Claremont is doing in X-Men? Yeah, that, but even more soapy.” It was an immediate smash hit because, honestly, it’s addictive glossy soap superheroics that very deliberately places all of the big threats as something with personal connections to one of the core cast, because everything in the damn comic is soap opera and character-driven, and that’s what makes it work. Keeping everything claustrophobically focused on its core cast is a strong enough gimmick to keep the momentum going even when you realize that some plots are going nowhere, and others are repeating over and over again. (How many times need we worry that one of the team is evil?)

And then, stunningly, everything goes to pieces. The 1980s New Teen Titans comic was successful enough that, four years in, it gets replaced by another comic, also called New Teen Titans, which gets renamed The New Titans with its 50th issue because, well, maybe teens weren’t in anymore. That second series continues until its 130th issue in 1996 or so, but here’s the thing: everything after, maybe, #62 or so is… terrible. Not just “not very good,” but, actively bad. And it’s all because the series seems to utterly forget what works.

I can’t deny it: the sudden, unmistakable drop-off in quality is what kept me reading until the end, in part because I was compelled to try and figure out if there was method to the seeming madness of dropping almost all of the pre-existing cast in any number of melodramatic ways — one is literally tied to a missile, flown into Russia, and then transformed into a mind-controlled robot; that’s not a joke — while also wondering just how crazy things could get.

There’s something compelling to me about watching artistic “flops,” or failures in some degree or another, but the fate of New Teen Titans is almost singular in the ways in which it doesn’t just lean into the skid as things start to go wrong, but almost speed up into it, too: doubling down, as if to see what might happen if the crash is harder, more violent, more destructive. You almost have to admire that sense of nihilism, if it wasn’t for the fact that… it’s kind of boring to read…?

The Comics of December 2024

In a very strange way, December — a month where I read a lot of holiday comics, and a lot of Teen Titans comics and related series thereof — might have been the month that most perfectly represented my 2024 reading trends (revisiting old series and/or catching up with things I hadn’t read but felt like I should as a superhero fan, but doing so in bulk) and also the month that broke me of that tendency, at least in the short term. I read a lot of comic books in December, but outside of the obvious choices, very few were memorable, and very many were instantly forgettable if not downright bad. (Most of the 2003 Teen Titans series, I’m sadly looking at you.) Maybe 2025 is a year where I read less, but what I do read will be of higher quality. Check in with me this time next month and we’ll see if I followed through on that promise to myself.

  1. The Titans (1999) #s 1-2
  2. The Titans Secret Files & Origins #1
  3. The Titans (1999) #s 3-4
  4. Secret Origins (1986) #13
  5. Action Comics Weekly #s 613-618, 626-634 (Nightwing stories only)
  6. The Titans (1999) #s 5-20
  7. The Titans Secret Files & Origins #2
  8. Crisis #8 (Third World War story only)
  9. Rogue Trooper: The War Machine
  10. DC Rebirth Holiday Special #1
  11. Astonishing X-Men Infinity Comic #1
  12. The Titans (1999) #s 21-25
  13. Team Titans #s 5-11
  14. Fantastic Four: Antithesis #s 1-4 
  15. Team Titans #s 12-14
  16. The Titans (1999) #s 26-30
  17. Marvel Team-Up (1972) #1
  18. The Brave and the Bold (1955) #148
  19. Batman (1940) #309
  20. Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight (1989) #79
  21. The Titans (1999) #s 31-37
  22. The Titans (1999) #s 38-41
  23. Marvel Holiday Magazine Digital Comic #s 1-3
  24. Avengers Unlimited Infinity Comic #25
  25. Gwenpool Holiday Special: Merry Mix-Up #1
  26. All-New Venom #1
  27. Iron Man (2024) #2
  28. West Coast Avengers (2024) #1
  29. X-Men (2024) #8
  30. The Avengers (2023) #21 
  31. The Titans (1999) #s 42-50
  32. Titans/Young Justice: Graduation Day #s 1-3
  33. The Amazing Spider-Man (2022) #s 61-62
  34. The Christmas Spirit of 1940: Black Henry and Simple Simon
  35. Avengers Assemble (2024) #s 3-4
  36. Wolverine (2024) #4
  37. Teen Titans (2003) #1
  38. Titans East Special #1
  39. Titans (2008) #s 1-3
  40. Titans (2008) #s 4-5
  41. World’s Greatest Super-Heroes Holiday Special #1
  42. Batman Annual (2016) #1
  43. Harley Quinn Holiday Special #1
  44. Titans (2008) #6
  45. DC Special: The Return of Donna Troy #s 1-4
  46. Titans (2008) #s 7-11
  47. It’s Jeff! Infinity Comic #38
  48. Klaus #1
  49. Titans (2008) #s 12-15
  50. Blackest Night: Titans #s 1-3
  51. Titans (2008) #s 16-23
  52. Titans Hunt #s 1-2
  53. Klaus #s 2-7
  54. DC’s Nuclear Winter Special #1
  55. DC Universe Holiday Special 2010 #1
  56. Batman/Santa Claus: Silent Knight Returns #2
  57. Titans Hunt #s 3-8
  58. Justice League (2011) #51
  59. Titans: Rebirth #1
  60. Titans (2016) #1
  61. Weirdworld (2015 Vol 2) #1
  62. Klaus and the Witch of Winter
  63. Klaus and the Crisis in Xmasville 
  64. 2000 AD Prog 2413 (Year-end Christmas Prog)
  65. Essential Rogue Trooper: The Traitor General
  66. Transformers (2023) #s 7-10
  67. Klaus and the Crying Snowman
  68. Klaus and the Life and Times of Joe Christmas
  69. The Ultimates (2024) #7
  70. DC’s Batman Smells, Robin Laid an Egg #1
  71. DC’s Very Merry Multiverse #1
  72. Titans (2016) #s 2-6
  73. Titans (2016) #s 7-11
  74. Teen Titans (2016) #8
  75. Deathstroke (2016) #s 19-20
  76. Teen Titans: The Lazarus Contract Special #1
  77. Titans Annual (2016) #1
  78. Astonishing X-Men Infinity Comic #2
  79. Titans (2016) #s 12-19
  80. Dazzler (2024) #3
  81. NYX (2024) #6
  82. Star Wars: Battle of Jakku – Republic Under Siege #s 1-3
  83. Transformers (2023) #s 11-15
  84. Titans (2016) #s 20-22
  85. Titans Annual (2016) #2
  86. Titans Special (2018) #1
  87. The Christmas Spirit of 1941: A Trilogy
  88. Titans (2016) #s 23-25
  89. Deathstroke (2011) #1
  90. Deathstroke (2014) #1
  91. Deathstroke: Rebirth #1
  92. Deathstroke (2016) #1
  93. The Christmas Spirit of 1945: Horton J Winklerod
  94. Adventure Comics (1938) #82
  95. DCU Holiday Bash III #1
  96. Titans (2016) #s 26-32
  97. Green Arrow (2016) #45
  98. Nightwing (2016) #50
  99. Titans (2016) #s 33-35
  100. Teen Titans Academy #1
  101. Future State: Teen Titans #1
  102. Hellblazer (1988) #49
  103. Teen Titans Academy #s 2-4
  104. The Brave & The Bold (1955) #57
  105. Teen Titans Academy #s 5-7
  106. Teen Titans Academy 2021 Yearbook #1
  107. Shazam (2022) #1
  108. Teen Titans Academy #8
  109. Shazam (2022) #s 2-4
  110. Teen Titans Academy #s 9-10
  111. The Best of DC #22
  112. Action Comics #s 1078-1982
  113. Metamorpho, The Element Man (2024) #1
  114. The New Gods (2024) #1
  115. Challengers of the Unknown (2024) #1
  116. Justice League Unlimited (2024) #2
  117. Justice League: The Atom Project #1
  118. Teen Titans Academy #s 11-15
  119. Superman (2023) #20
  120. Superwoman Special #1
  121. Judge Dredd: A Better World
  122. GI Joe (2024) #2
  123. 2000 AD Prog 2414 (New Dredd by Williams/Wyatt!!!)
  124. Batman (2016) #s 155-156
  125. Batman: Dark Patterns #1
  126. Green Lantern (2023) #18
  127. Green Lantern: Fractured Spectrum #1
  128. JSA (2024) #s 2-3
  129. Green Lantern/Green Arrow: World’s Finest Special #1
  130. Titans (2023) #18
  131. Catwoman (2018) #71
  132. Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #34
  133. It’s Jeff! Infinity Comic #39
  134. Superman (2023) #21
  135. The Flash (2023) #16
  136. Black Canary: Best of the Best #2
  137. Detective Comics #1092
  138. Jenny Sparks (2024) #s 5-6
  139. Aquaman (2025) #1
  140. Absolute Superman #s 2-3
  141. Birds of Prey (2023) #s 16-17
  142. Batman and Robin (2023) #s 16-17
  143. Batman and Robin: Year One #4
  144. Wonder Woman (2023) #s 16-17
  145. Super Friends (1976) #42
  146. Forbidden Tales of Dark Mansion #15 
  147. The Christmas Spirit of 1946: A Fable
  148. Deathstroke Inc. #1
  149. Deathstroke Inc. #s 2-7
  150. Shadow War: Alpha #1
  151. Batman (2016) #s 122-123
  152. Deathstroke Inc. #s 8-9
  153. Robin (2021) #s 13-14
  154. Shadow War Zone #1
  155. Shadow War: Omega #1
  156. Marvel Rivals Infinity Comic #1
  157. Astonishing X-Men Infinity Comic #3
  158. Dark Crisis #s 1-2
  159. The Amazing Spider-Man (2022) #62
  160. Captain America (2023) #16
  161. Dazzler (2024) #4
  162. Daredevil (2023) #16
  163. Fantastic Four (2022) #27
  164. The Incredible Hulk (2023) #20
  165. The Immortal Thor #18
  166. Ultimate Universe: One Year In #1
  167. Ultimate Spider-Man (2024) #12
  168. Dark Crisis #3
  169. Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths #s 4-6 (Name change!)
  170. Titans (2023) #19
  171. Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths #7
  172. DC All In Special #1
  173. Deathstroke Inc #s 10-12
  174. Super-Team Family #s 11-14
  175. Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #35
  176. Catwoman (2018) #72
  177. Zatanna (2025) #1
  178. Zatanna: Bring Down the House #s 1-5
  179. The Question: All Along the Watchtower #2
  180. Batman: The Brave and the Bold (2023) #20
  181. Deathstroke Inc. #s 13-15
  182. Deathstroke (2016) #s 2-4
  183. Teen Titans (2003) #2
  184. Superman (1938) #2
  185. Batman: Dark Patterns #2
  186. Teen Titans (2003) #s 3-6
  187. Deathstroke (2016) #s 4-8
  188. Batman/Santa Claus: Silent Knight Returns #4
  189. DC Comics Presents (1978) #67
  190. Teen Titans (2003) #7
  191. Teen Titans (2003) #s 8-12
  192. Marvel Holiday Tales to Astonish #1
  193. Uncanny X-Men (2024) #7
  194. Star Wars: The Battle of Jakku – Republic Under Siege #4
  195. Phoenix (2024) #6
  196. Infinity Watch (2024) #1
  197. TVA #1
  198. It’s Jeff! Infinity Comic #40
  199. What If…? (1989) #41
  200. The Christmas Spirit of 1947: Joy
  201. What If…? (1989) #s 67-68
  202. The Question: All Along the Watchtower #3
  203. Challengers of the Unknown (2024) #2
  204. The New Gods (2024) #2
  205. Justice League Unlimited (2024) #3
  206. Teen Titans (2003) #s 13-16
  207. Teen Titans/Legion Special #1
  208. Teen Titans (2003) #s 17-23
  209. Outsiders (2003) #s 1-3
  210. What If…? (1989) #s 46-47
  211. Astonishing Spider-Man Infinity Comic #9
  212. The Flash (2023) #17
  213. Metamorpho, The Element Man (2024) #2
  214. EC Shiver Suspenstories #1
  215. What If…? (1989) #51
  216. The Christmas Spirit of 1948: Basher Bains
  217. Outsiders (2003) #s 4-10
  218. Action Comics (1938) #521
  219. DC Comics Presents (1978) #68
  220. JSA (1999) #33
  221. DC Comics Presents (1978) #71
  222. Outsiders (2003) #s 11-25
  223. Teen Titans (2003) #s 24-25
  224. JSA (1999) #s 34-37
  225. Martian Manhunter: Divergence #1
  226. Outsiders (2003) #s 26-31
  227. Teen Titans (2003) #s 26-28
  228. Martian Manhunter (2015) #1
  229. X-Men (2004) #9
  230. West Coast Avengers (2024) #2
  231. Timeslide #1
  232. Teen Titans (2003) #s 29-31
  233. Iron Man (2024) #3
  234. Exceptional X-Men #4
  235. Outsiders (2003) #32
  236. Teen Titans (2003) #s 32-33
  237. Outsiders (2003) #33
  238. Astonishing X-Men Infinity Comic #4
  239. Marvel Rivals Infinity Comic #2
  240. Suicide Squad: Blaze #1
  241. The Christmas Spirit of 1949: S. Kringle Klaus
  242. Teen Titans (2003) #34
  243. Rare Flavours #s 1-2
  244. Teen Titans (2003) #s 35-37
  245. Batman/Santa Claus: Silent Knight Returns #5
  246. The Christmas Spirit of 1950: Darling’s First Christmas
  247. The Christmas Spirit of 1951: Joe Fix
  248. Outsiders (2003) #s 34-37
  249. Power Girl (2023) #1
  250. Nightwing (1996) #71
  251. Teen Titans (2003) #s 38-39
  252. Teen Titans (2003) #s 40-41
  253. Outsiders (2003) #s 38-43
  254. JSA (1999) #38
  255. Astonishing Spider-Man Infinity Comic #10
  256. The Gargoyle (1985) #1
  257. Teen Titans (2003) #s 42
  258. Outsiders (2003) #s 44-46
  259. Fantastic Four (1961) #1
  260. Teen Titans (2003) #s 43-50
  261. JSA (1999) #s 39-42
  262. Martian Manhunter (2015) #2
  263. JSA (1999) #s 43-45
  264. Fantastic Four (1961) #2
  265. It’s Jeff! Infinity Comic #41
  266. Rare Flavours #3
  267. Nightwing (1996) #72
  268. Star Wars: Darth Vader (2020) #s 1-5
  269. Rare Flavours #4
  270. Cover Story: The 2000 AD Design Art of Robin Smith
  271. Martian Manhunter (2015) #s 3-4
  272. Laura Kinney, Wolverine #1
  273. Teen Titans (2003) #s 51-55
  274. Nightwing (1996) #73
  275. Outsiders (2003) #50
  276. Outsiders: Five of a Kind – Nightwing/Captain Boomerang #1
  277. Outsiders: Five of a Kind – Shazam/Katana #1
  278. Outsiders: Five of a Kind – Martian Manhunter/Lightning #1
  279. Outsiders: Five of a Kind – Aquaman/Metamorpho #1
  280. Outsiders: Five of a Kind – Wonder Woman/Grace #1
  281. Martian Manhunter (2015) #s 5-6
  282. Batman and the Outsiders (2007) #s 1-9
  283. Fantastic Four (1961) #3
  284. Star Wars: Darth Vader (2020) #s 7-17
  285. Hulk (2008) #25 (First Jeff Parker issue)
  286. The Gargoyle (1985) #2
  287. Star Wars: Darth Vader (2020) #s 18-21
  288. Batman and the Outsiders (2007) #s 10-12
  289. Teen Titans (2003) #s 56-60
  290. Martian Manhunter (2015) #s 7-8
  291. JSA (1999) #s 45-48
  292. Astonishing X-Men Infinity Comic #5
  293. Marvel Rivals Infinity Comic #3
  294. Fantastic Four (1961) #4
  295. JSA (1999) #s 49-51
  296. Rare Flavours #s 5-6
  297. Judge Dredd: Regicide
  298. JLA Secret Files & Origins #2
  299. New Year’s Evil: Prometheus #1
  300. Teen Titans (2003) #s 61-66
  301. Terror Titans #1
  302. Teen Titans (2003) #67
  303. Terror Titans #s 2-6
  304. Outsiders (2007) #s 13-14
  305. Batman and the Outsiders Special #1
  306. Star Wars: Darth Vader (2020) #s 22-26
  307. Fantastic Four (1961) #5
  308. The Avengers (2023) #22

Step Three, Seasonal Profit

What makes a good Christmas story?

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, for obvious reasons — look at the calendar, after all. It’s the most wonderful time of the year, as any number of singers will tell you if you listen to the radio long enough, and that means that I’ve been watching more than my fair share of holiday movies and reading just as many (if not more) holiday comic books. I even made the mistake of watching Red One, the “Chris Evans is a dirtbag and Dwayne Johnson is a giant security elf and I guess they’re a buddy comedy team now?” movie from this year, and…. oh boy.

The problem with Red One is the problem with Spirited, a very similar holiday movie starring Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds from last year; both are comedies in which a real-world cynic comes to accept the magic of the holidays while paired with a secretly-disillusioned magical being who also comes to believe in the holidays all anew, and everyone lives happily ever after, and both make the mistake of thinking that the way to do this is by replacing magic with a mixture of special effects and “hilarious” real-world elements. Santa’s treated like the President with a special security detail, get it? The North Pole is an efficiently-run bureaucracy, understand? It’s so relatable.

Except, of course, it’s not. It’s restrictive and boring and makes everything feel more generic; there’s, if anything, a purposeful lack of magic, as whimsy and wonder get replaced by cynicism and formula.

My contrast, I’ve been re-reading Will Eisner’s The Christmas Spirit throughout the month, which collects the various holiday-themed installments of his 1940s newspaper strip The Spirit. Every single story in there feels like a model of what works for a good Christmas story, because every single one is based around a very simple idea: at some point, someone will be moved to make a kinder choice than they normally would, and everything changes for the better as a result. It’s a formula that doesn’t require gimmicks, winks at the audience while referencing Santa, magic, or snowmen, or anything other than the belief that the holidays are really about trying to be kind and good… and seeing what happens as a result.

There’s a lesson there for… well, basically everyone who’s thinking that Vin Diesel should play Santa’s half-brother through adoption who has to save the holidays in a big budget streaming special this time next year. But then, seeing what Eisner did and trying to learn from it has never really been a bad idea.

The Comics of November 2024

The first half of this month passed in a bit of a blur, for reasons I can’t even begin to comprehend — it’s not as if anything was particularly busy on my end, but I guess the election results left my head in more of a spin than I thought — but nonetheless, I kept on keeping on reading comics at a fair clip through the whole thing. Somehow, I ended up on both a John Ostrander’s DC work and a Greg Rucka’s later DC work kick (they’re connected, via Amanda Waller; I was also tracking through all the Suicide Squad material, as you can see), which proved to be far more enjoyable than I might have expected, despite the DC Universe Infinite app collapsing at the time. (It’s fixed, since; I celebrated by reading too many New Teen Titans comics, and oh boy.) Here’s what I read last month, anyway.

  1. Action Comics #1076
  2. Batman & Robin: Year One #2
  3. Batman & Robin: Year One Noir Edition #1
  4. Wonder Woman (2023) #15
  5. Titans (2023) #15
  6. Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #33
  7. Catwoman (2018) #s 69-70
  8. Suicide Squad (1987) #52
  9. Justice League of America (1960) #159
  10. Star Wars: Battle of Jakku – Insurgency Rising #3
  11. Wolverine: Revenge #3
  12. NYX (2024) #4
  13. Suicide Squad (1987) #s 53-59
  14. Captain America (2023) #14
  15. Deadpool Team-Up #3
  16. Phases of the Moon Knight #3
  17. Namor (2024) #4
  18. The Power Fantasy #s 1-3
  19. Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt (2019) #s 1-5
  20. Star Trek (2022) #13
  21. Suicide Squad (1987) #s 60-66
  22. Suicide Squad (2007) #s 1-3
  23. Checkmate (2006) #1
  24. The Fury of Firestorm (1982) #53
  25. Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man
  26. Checkmate (2006) #s 2-4
  27. Firestorm (1982) #s 54-60
  28. Manhunter (1988) #s 5-7
  29. Blue Beetle (1986) #s 1-2
  30. Firestorm: The Nuclear Man (1982) #s 61-69
  31. Firestorm: The Nuclear Man Annual #5
  32. Manhunter (1988) #s 8-12
  33. Marvel Treasury Edition #28 (The Amazing Spider-Man/Superman)
  34. DC Universe: Decisions #s 1-4
  35. Titans (2008) #9
  36. Batman vs. The Incredible Hulk
  37. Drax the Destroyer (2005) #1
  38. DC All In Special #1
  39. Manhunter (1988) #s 13-15
  40. Firestorm: The Nuclear Man (1982) #70
  41. Aliens vs. Avengers #2
  42. The Avengers (2023) #20
  43. X-Men (2024) #7
  44. X-Force (2024) #5
  45. X-Factor (2024) #4
  46. Venom War #4
  47. Ultimates (2024) #6
  48. Star Wars: Battle of Jakku – Insurgency Rising #4
  49. Marvel and DC Present The Uncanny X-Men and the New Teen Titans
  50. The New Teen Titans (1984) #s 20-23
  51. The New Teen Titans Annual (1984) #2
  52. One Star Squadron #s 1-2
  53. X-Men: From the Ashes Infinity Comic #22
  54. Astonishing Spider-Man Infinity Comic #s 3-4
  55. One Star Squadron #s 3-6
  56. Damage Control (2022) #s 1-2
  57. Batman/Punisher: Lake of Fire
  58. Punisher/Batman: Deadly Knights
  59. The New Teen Titans (1984) #s 24-27
  60. Checkmate (2006) #s 5-7
  61. Suicide Squad (2007) #4
  62. V for Vendetta #1
  63. Action Comics (1938) #1
  64. Action Comics #1077
  65. The Flash (2023) #15
  66. Superman (2023) #20
  67. Detective Comics #1091
  68. Absolute Wonder Woman #2
  69. Action Comics (1938) #411, 443, 482
  70. Superman (1939) #326
  71. World’s Finest Comics #s 251-252
  72. Suicide Squad (2007) #5
  73. Superman (1939) #327-328
  74. Action Comics #500
  75. Suicide Squad (2007) #s 6-8
  76. Hawkworld (1989 miniseries) #s 1-3
  77. Hawkworld (1989) #s 1-2
  78. Suicide Squad (2009) #67
  79. Secret Six (2008) #s 17-18
  80. Suicide Squad (2011) #s 1-5
  81. Darkseid vs. Galactus: The Hunger 
  82. Spider-Man and Batman #1
  83. Fantastic Four: Full Circle Expanded Edition
  84. Suicide Squad (2011) #s 6-8
  85. Checkmate (2006) #s 8-10
  86. Hawkworld (1989) #3
  87. Checkmate (2006) #s 11-17
  88. Outsiders (2003) #s 47-49
  89. Star Trek (2022) #14
  90. Checkmate (2006) #s 18-20
  91. Suicide Squad (2011) #s 9-15, 0
  92. Superman in ‘The Computers that Saved Metropolis’ (Radio Shack 1980 giveaway comic)
  93. Green Lantern/Silver Surfer #1
  94. Silver Surfer/Superman #1
  95. Action Comics (1938) #512
  96. Superman (1939) #352
  97. Darker Image #1
  98. Checkmate (2007) #s 21-26
  99. Detective Comics (1937) #s 854-865 (Question back-ups only)
  100. Convergence: The Question #s 1-2
  101. Lois Lane (2019) #s 1-12
  102. 2000 AD Annual 2025
  103. Judge Dredd Megazine #474
  104. Suicide Squad (2011) #s 16-23
  105. New Suicide Squad #s 1-4
  106. Reign in Hell #s 1-2
  107. DC Universe Presents #s 13-16
  108. X-Men: From the Ashes Infinity Comic #23
  109. X-Men: To Serve and Protect #3
  110. New Suicide Squad #s 5-8
  111. Uncanny X-Men (2024) #5
  112. The Amazing Spider-Man (2022) #61
  113. Captain America (2023) #15
  114. The Spectacular Spider-Men #9
  115. Venom (2021) #39
  116. Psylocke (2024) #1
  117. Spider-Man: Black Suit & Blood #4
  118. Superman (1939) #355
  119. Superman (1939) #s 358-359
  120. New Suicide Squad #s 9-22
  121. New Suicide Squad Annual #1
  122. Harley Quinn and Suicide Squad: April Fools Special #1
  123. Suicide Squad: Rebirth #1
  124. Firestorm: The Nuclear Man (1982) #s 71-73
  125. Superman (1939) #s 360, 362
  126. Firestorm: The Nuclear Man (1982) #s 74-79
  127. Manhunter (1988) #s 16-17
  128. Doom Patrol (2001) #s 11-14
  129. Firestorm: The Nuclear Man (1982) #s 80-83
  130. Astonishing Spider-Man Infinity Comic #5
  131. DC: The New Frontier #1
  132. Firestorm (1982) #s 84-85
  133. Void Rivals #s 7-12
  134. Suicide Squad (2016) #s 1-8
  135. Venom War: Fantastic Four #1
  136. Suicide Squad by Jim Lee Unwrapped (includes alternate version of Suicide Squad (2016) #1)
  137. Superman (1939) #363
  138. Action Comics (1938) #s 523, 545
  139. Justice League vs. Suicide Squad #s 1-6
  140. Justice League (2016) #s 12-13
  141. Suicide Squad (2016) #s 9-10
  142. Manhunter (1988) #18
  143. The Spectre (1992) #9
  144. Martian Manhunter (1998) #0
  145. Suicide Squad (2016) #s 11-12
  146. Action Comics (1938) #546
  147. Final Crisis: Revelations #s 1-2
  148. Final Crisis: Revelations #s 3-4
  149. Suicide Squad (2016) #s 13-15
  150. Final Crisis: Revelations #5
  151. Suicide Squad (2016) #s 16-20
  152. The New Gods (1971) #s 2-3
  153. Star Wars (1977) #s 55-57
  154. Star Wars: Rebellion (2006) #s 1-2
  155. 2000 AD Prog 2410
  156. Battle Action (2024) #4
  157. Star Trek (1989) #s 7-9
  158. Suicide Squad (2016) #s 21-25
  159. Suicide Squad: Amanda Waller #1
  160. Superman (1987) #4
  161. Star Wars: Rebellion (2006) #s 3-5
  162. Inhumans (2000) #1
  163. Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Comic Magazine #1
  164. Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes #1
  165. Wonder Man (1986) #1
  166. Marvel Spotlight (1971) #s 26, 31
  167. Marvel Spotlight (1979) #s 9-11
  168. Vigilante (1983) #36
  169. Superman (1987) #170
  170. The New Gods (1971) #4
  171. Hellblazer (1988) #s 25-26 (Grant Morrison fill-in)
  172. Constantine (2013) #s 1-3
  173. Suicide Squad (2016) #s 26-41
  174. Trinity Annual (2017) #1
  175. Trinity (2016) #s 12-16
  176. Star Trek (1989) #s 10-12
  177. Star Wars (1977) #s 58-60
  178. Action Comics (1938) #556
  179. Superman (1939) #403
  180. Suicide Squad (2016) #s 42-46
  181. Aquaman (2016) #s 39-40
  182. Suicide Squad (2016) #s 47-50
  183. Suicide Squad (2019) #1
  184. Zenith: Phase 1
  185. Batman/Captain America
  186. Uncanny X-Men (1963) #s 19-21
  187. Star Wars (1977) #s 61-66
  188. Zenith: Phase 2
  189. Suicide Squad (2019) #2
  190. Ultimate Spider-Man (2024) #11
  191. Venom War: It’s Jeff #1
  192. Firestorm (1982) #s 86-88
  193. Hellblazer (1988) #s 135-140
  194. Suicide Squad (2019) #s 3-5
  195. Star Wars (1977) #s 67-77
  196. The Spectre (1992) #s 10-13
  197. Battle Action (2024) #3
  198. X-Men: From the Ashes Infinity Comic #24
  199. Astonishing Spider-Man Infinity Comic #6
  200. The Hunger and the Dusk #1
  201. Hellblazer (1988)  #s 141-143
  202. Daredevil/Batman: Eye for an Eye
  203. Suicide Squad (2019) #s 6-11
  204. Suicide Squad (2021) #s 1-3
  205. Teen Titans Academy #3
  206. Suicide Squad (2021) #4
  207. Firestorm (1982) #89
  208. Suicide Squad (2021) #s 5-6
  209. Suicide Squad Annual (2021) #1
  210. Superman and the Authority #s 1-4
  211. The Power Fantasy #4
  212. Batman and Spider-Man 
  213. Superman/Fantastic Four 
  214. Immortal Thor #17 
  215. Exceptional X-Men #3 
  216. Avengers Assemble (2024) #3 
  217. Phoenix (2024) #5 
  218. Storm (2024) #2 
  219. Wolverine (2024) #3
  220. NYX (2024) #5
  221. The New Teen Titans (1984) #s 28-32
  222. Crisis (UK) #s 1-2 (Third World War stories only)
  223. The New Teen Titans (1984) #s 33-36
  224. Destro #1
  225. Scarlett #1
  226. The New Teen Titans (1984) #s 37-38
  227. The New Teen Titans Annual (1984) #3
  228. Infinity Inc. (1984) #45
  229. Destro #s 2-5
  230. The New Teen Titans (1984) #39
  231. The New Teen Titans (1984) #s 39-42
  232. Teen Titans Spotlight #1
  233. The New Teen Titans (1984) #s 43-49
  234. The New Teen Titans Annual (1984) #4
  235. Scarlett #2
  236. Star Wars (1977) #78
  237. Crisis (UK) #s 3-4 (Third World War stories only)
  238. Teen Titans Spotlight #s 2-6
  239. Vigilante (1985) #s 20-21
  240. World’s Finest Comics (1941) #s 254, 270
  241. The New Titans (1984) #s 50-52
  242. Teen Titans Spotlight #s 7-11
  243. Vigilante (1985) #22
  244. The New Titans (1984) #s 53-56
  245. The New Titans Annual (1984) #5
  246. The New Titans (1984) #s 57-59
  247. Secret Origins Annual (1986) #2
  248. The Multiversity Guidebook #1
  249. X-Men: From the Ashes Infinity Comic #25
  250. Batman (1940) #440
  251. The New Titans (1984) #60
  252. Harley Quinn in Paradise #1
  253. Scarlett #s 3-5
  254. Batman (1940) #s 441-442
  255. The New Titans (1984) #61
  256. The New Titans (1984) #s 62-67
  257. The Multiversity: Mastermen #1
  258. The Multiversity: Ultra Comics #1
  259. The Amazing Spider-Man (2022) #62
  260. Venom War #5
  261. The Multiversity #2
  262. The New Titans (1984) #s 68-70
  263. The New Titans Annual (1984) #6
  264. The New Teen Titans: Games OGN
  265. The New Titans (1984) #s 71-75
  266. The New Titans (1984) #s 76-77
  267. Crisis (UK) #5 (Third World War story only)
  268. The New Titans (1984) #s 78-79
  269. The New Titans Annual (1984) #7
  270. The New Titans (1984) #s 80-86
  271. Crisis (UK) #6 (Third World War story only)
  272. The New Titans (1984) #s 87-89
  273. Crisis (UK) #7 (Third World War story only)
  274. Astonishing Spider-Man Infinity Comic #7
  275. Deathstroke the Terminator #s 14-16
  276. The New Titans (1984) #s 90-92
  277. Team Titans #s 1-3
  278. Titans Sell Out! Special #1
  279. Deathstroke the Terminator #17
  280. Team Titans #4
  281. The New Titans (1984) #93
  282. The One Hand #s 1-5
  283. The Six Fingers #s 1-5
  284. Zombo: Can I Eat You?
  285. JLA (1997) #s 1-4
  286. Batman/Santa Claus: Silent Knight Returns #1
  287. The New Titans (1994) #s 94-100
  288. Zombo: The Day Zombo Died
  289. The New Titans (1994) #s 101-111
  290. Zombo: Planet Zombo
  291. Uncanny X-Men (1963) #168
  292. The New Titans (1994) #s 112-114, 0
  293. It’s Jeff! Infinity Comic #32
  294. The New Titans (1994) #s 115-117
  295. Superman vs. The Incredible Hulk
  296. Batman/Daredevil #1
  297. The New Titans (1994) #s 118-122
  298. The New Titans Annual (1984) #11
  299. The New Titans (1994) #s 123-130
  300. JLA/Titans #s 1-3