Category: Recently Read

I am the audience for superhero comics; I am not a frustrated creator of them. Oh, maybe I was at some point decades earlier; I think it’s a generally recognized fact that a significant portion of the fan base of superhero comics are wannabe creators of them, and I was almost certainly someone who dreamed about that possibility when I was in high school, because of course I was. As I got older, though, that ambition faded and fell apart through a combination of knowing I wasn’t good enough and wanting to do other things anyway. I was happy enough to just enjoy reading them.

With the exception of Jack Kirby’s Fourth World.

I don’t mean that I don’t enjoy reading those characters; I do, very much — they’re likely my favorite collective of concepts and characters in mainstream superhero comics. Instead, it’s that when I do revisit those original Kirby books, as I tend to annually, I always end up thinking, Well, if you were going to do it today, you should do this… for whatever reason.

It’s never in the form of a plot idea, or anything I could ever pitch (not that I would), but odd background ideas and restaging things. It’s Kirby’s own fault: his Fourth World books were not only timeless, they were timely, with hippies and draft dodgers and commentary on media and society and the nature of war, and the nature of aging, even, and my head just… goes places. I can’t help it.

(Serifan is trans-masc; Darkseid’s primary weapon is Glorious Godfrey, who uses Kalibak as an example of masculinity that isn’t “allowed” by the left in an attempt to sow discord; the Forever People has a fandom of “stans” and “simps” that they don’t know what to do with because of their own attitudes towards equality; there needs to be more done with Apokolips conquering death and using technology as a cure to everything, and how that affects the Hunger Dogs, and so on.)

I’ll never do anything with any of these ideas, aside from forget them. Nonetheless, it’s fun to have them, and feels like a tribute to Kirby’s impossibly huge creativity — that he was so plugged into things that even I can be affected by it in such a way, almost 60 years later.

And so we reach the end of the comics of 2023, with this round-up of what I read in December. (Normally I do it closer to the start of the month, but the holidays distracted me. What do you want?) I went through a period of reading a lot of Christmas-themed comics in the middle of the month, in part because I wasn’t having an especially festive time and I wanted to jumpstart the season somehow. It kind of worked, in the same way that listening to a bunch of Christmas music kind of worked; more than anything, I learned to appreciate the cliche and stereotypes of these comics , and how creators navigated them — leaning in, in some cases, trying their best to avoid them in others.

When I started keeping track, it was something I thought I’d only do for a year as a project. I’ve found myself continuing to note down comics as I finish them. Along the lines, it became a habit instead of a project. The question is, should I keep posting them here for people to see…? We’ll find out this time next month, I guess.

For now, December 2023’s comics.

1. The Divided States of Hysteria #s 1-6
2. Dark Ride #1
3. Transformers (2023) #3
4. Duke (2023) #1
5. 2000 AD Prog 2362 (End of year Christmas prog)
6. Legion of Super-Heroes (2005) #37 (Jim Shooter returns)
7. Every Judge Dredd strip from 2000 AD in 2023
8. Excalibur (1988) #83-87
9. Dark Ride #s 2-4
10. Every Judge Dredd strip from 2000 AD in 2021
11. Ultimate Invasion #3
12. Excalibur (1988) #88-92
13. Marvel Age #1000
14. Batman (1940) #678-679
15. Batman (2016) #129
16. Jaegir: Warchild
17. Jaegir: In the Realm of Pyrrhus
18. Jeagir: Bonecrusher
19. Jaegir: Valkyrie 
20. Jaegir: The Path of Kali
21. Jaegir: Ferox
22. Marvel Mutts Infinity Comic #1
23. The Incredible Hulk (2023) #3
24. Legion of Super-Heroes: Millennium #s 1-2
25. Miracleman (2015) #1
26. Titans: Beast World #4
27. Action Comics #1061
28. Batman & Robin (2023) #5
29. Batman (2016) #141
30. Fire & Ice: Welcome to Smallville #5
31. Miracleman (2015) #s 2-16
32. All-New Miracleman Annual #1
33. Marvel Team-Up (1972) #78
34. Marvel Two-In-One #78
35. Marvel Team-Up (1972) #136
36. What If…? (1989) #s 28-29
37. Batman (1940) #428
38. Batman #428 Alternate Edition: Robin Lives!
39. Daleks: The Ultimate Comic Strip Collection Vol. 1
40. What If…? (1989) #s 30-32
41. G.I. Joe (1982) #s 11-20
42. What If…? (1989) #s 33-34
43. Secret Empire #s 0-10
44. Secret Empire: Omega #1
45. Fantastic Four (2012) #s 5-7
46. Fantastic Four (2012) #s 8-10
47. Immortal X-Men #15
48. X-Men (2021) #26
49. Doctor Strange (2023) #s 6-7
50. The Amazing Spider-Men (2022) #33
51. Fantastic Four (2022) #11
52. Scarlet Witch (2023) #s 7-8
53. Fantastic Four (2012) #s 11-16
54. Warlock: Rebirth #5
55. Avengers: Beyond #5
56. Captain Marvel (2019) #50
57. Spider-Man (2022) #s 10-11
58. Moon Knight (2021) #s 25-27
59. Nightwing (2016) #110
60. Titans (2022) #7
61. Superman (2023) #10
62. What If…? (1989) #s 35-39, 49
63. Wonder Woman (2023) #5
64. The Bogie Man #s 2-4
65. Silver Surfer (1987) #s 139-140
66. Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #23
67. Green Lantern: War Journal #5
68. John Constantine, Hellblazer: Dead in America #1
69. Justice League of America (1960) #152
70. The Flash (2016) #13
71. Green Arrow Annual (2017) #1
72. Harley Quinn (2016) #10
73. Batman: Gotham Nights #22
74. Detective Comics (1937) #826
75. Hawk & Dove (1989) #20
76. Superman (1987) #64
77. Adventures of Superman (1987) #487
78. DC Comics Presents #67
79. The New Adventures of Superboy #39
80. Super Friends (1976) #32
81. Superman (1987) #109
82. DCU Holiday Bash #1
83. DCU Holiday Bash II #1
84. DCU Holiday Bash III #1
85. DCU Infinite Holiday Special #1
86. DC Universe Holiday Special 2009
87. DC Universe Holiday Special 2010
88. DC Universe: Rebirth Holiday Special #1
89. Daredevil (2023) #1
90. Shadowpact #1-5
91. Star Trek: Defiant #s 1-3
92. G.I. Joe (1982) #22
93. James Bond: Agent of SPECTRE #s 2-5
94. The Incredible Hulk (2023) #4
95. Hawk & Dove (1989) #s 21-28
96. Shadowpact #s 6-8
97. Star Trek: Defiant #s 4-5
98. DC Holiday Special 2017
99. X-Force (2019) #44
100. Every Judge Dredd strip from 2000 AD in 2022
101. X-Men Red (2022) #22
102. DC’s Nuclear Winter Special #1
103. New Year’s Evil #1
104. DC’s Very Merry Multiverse #1
105. The Children’s Crusade #s 1-2
106. Starman (1994) #27
107. Batman (1940) #s 596, 598
108. Justice League Unlimited #s 16, 28
109. Swamp Thing Winter Special #1
110. Superman’s Christmas Adventure #1
111. Action Comics #93
112. Moon Knight: Silent Knight #1
113. Merry X-Men Holiday Special #1
114. Daredevil (1964) #266
115. The ‘Nam #23
116. Marvel Two-In-One #8
117. Iron Man (1968) #254
118. The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #314
119. Wolverine (2003) #49
120. The Winter Soldier: Winter Kills #1
121. Daredevil (2011) #7
122. King in Black: Immortal Hulk #1
123. Season’s Beatings #1
124. GLX-Mas #1
125. King in Black: Iron Man/Doctor Doom #1
126. World’s Greatest Super-Heroes Holiday Special #1
127. Doctor Doom (2019) #s 1-5
128. Doctor Doom (2019) #s 6-10
129. Iron Man (2020) #s 1-15
130. Iron Man (2020) #s 16-25
131. Runaways (2017) #s 1-9
132. 2000 AD Free Comic Book Day 2016, 2017, 2020, 2021
133. Klaus and the Crisis in Xmasville
134. Iron Man/Hellcat Annual #1
135. Hellcat (2023) #s 1-5
136. Thunderbolts Annual 2000 #1
137. Avengers Annual 2000 #1
138. Klaus and the Crying Snowman
139. Klaus and the Life and Times of Joe Christmas 
140. Titans: Beast World #5
141. Green Arrow (2023) #8
142. Amazons Attack (2023) #4
143. The Penguin (2023) #6
144. Batman: The Brave and the Bold (2023) #9
145. Titans: Beast World Tour – Star City #1
146. The Flash (2023) #5
147. Once and Future #s 1-10
148. Runaways (2017) #s 10-11
149. Once and Future #s 11-18
150. Runaways (2017) #s 12-38
151. Green Lantern: Mosaic #9 
152. Once and Future #s 19-24
153. Once and Future #s 25-26
154. The Amazing Spider-Men (2022) #34
155. Uncanny Avengers (2023) #2
156. Captain America (2023) #1
157. Alpha Flight (2023) #2
158. Guardians of the Galaxy (2023) #6
159. Wolverine (2020) #37
160. Uncanny Spider-Man #1
161. Once and Future #s 27-30
162. Asterios Polyp OGN
163. The Song of the Machine OGN
164. Detective Comics (2016) #s 1073-1076
165. Secret Wars (2015) #s 0, 1-3
166. Gold Goblin #s 1-5
167. Namor: Conquered Shores #s 1-5
168. New Gods (1971) #s 1-5
169. New Gods (1971) #s 6-11
170. New Gods (1984) #6 (New material only)
171. Super Powers (1984) #1-5
172. The Hunger Dogs OGN
173. Super Powers (1985) #1
174. New Gods Secret Files #1
175. Kirby 100: Darkseid Special #1
176. Kirby 100: The New Gods Special #1
177. Kirby 100: Manhunter Special #1
178. Kirby 100: The Black Racer and Shilo Norman Special #1
179. The Kamandi Challenge #s 1-6
180. The Kamandi Challenge #s 7-12
181. First Issue Special #13
182. New Gods (1971) #s 12-13
183. New Gods (1971) #s 14-19
184. Adventure Comics #459-460 (New Gods stories only)
185. Super-Team Family #15
186. DC Special Series #10
187. Justice League of America (1960) #183

There was a point, as I approached the end of my stay in the UK, where I was convinced this would be the month where I read the last comics of all. I’ve shared before that travel tends to lead to me reading less for whatever reason, and I returned to the US midway through the month, with only around 40 entries on this list — less than a third of the month, usually. How could I make up that shortfall, I asked myself? Surely, it was impossible…! Ah, but jet lag and insomnia combined to save the day in one sense, even if my exhaustion might have argued otherwise…

1. Superman (2023) #8
2. Titans (2023) #5
3. Titans: Beast World – Evolution #1
4. Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #21
5. Catwoman (2018) #59
6. Green Lantern: War Journal #3
7. Nightwing (2016) #108
8. Predator (2023) #5
9. Kingdom Come #s 1-4
10. The Wicked + The Divine #s 7-22
11. The Wicked + The Divine #s 23-26
12. The Wicked + The Divine #s 27-45
13. The Wicked + The Divine: The Funnies #1
14. The Wicked + The Divine: 1839 #1
15. The Wicked + The Divine 455 AD #1
16. The Wicked + The Divine: 1923 #1
17. The Wicked + The Divine: 1373 #1
18. The Wicked + The Divine Christmas Annual #1
19. Phonogram #s 1-6
20. Phonogram: The Singles Club #s 1-7
21. Phonogram: The Immaterial Girl #s 1-6
22. Best of 2000 AD Vol. 5
23. Young Avengers (2013) #11
24. Transformers (2023) #2
25. Young Avengers (2013) #s 2-5
26. Fantastic Four (2022) #10
27. Young Avengers (2013) #s 6-15
28. Action Comics #1059
29. Green Arrow (2023) #6
30. Titans: Beast World #1
31. Batman (2016) #140
32. Birds of Prey (2023) #4
33. Titans: Beast World Tour – Metropolis #1
34. X-Men (2021) #25
35. Astonishing Iceman #1
36. Titans: Beast World Tour – Waller Rising #1
37. Justice Society of America (2022) #7
38. The Flash (2023) #3
39. Judge Dredd: Poison (Rob Williams/PJ Holden 2000 AD serial)
40. Dreadnoughts Vol. 2
41. Where The Body Was OGN
42. W0rldtr33 #s 1-5
43. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1989) #s 11-12
44. Shazam! (2023) #6
45. Fire & Ice: Welcome to Smallville #4 
46. Batman/Santa Claus: Silent Knight #s 1-2
47. Suburban Glamour #s 1-4
48. Titans: Beast World #2
49. World’s Finest: Teen Titans #6
50. Danger Street #12
51. Immortal X-Men #14
52. The Amazing Spider-Man (2022) #31
53. Avengers (2023) #4
54. Batman & Robin (2023) #4
55. Titans: Beast World Tour – Gotham #1
56. Guardians of the Galaxy (2023) #s 4-5
57. SWORD (2009) #s 1-5
58. X-Men: Regenesis #1
59. Uncanny X-Men (1963) #544
60. The Helltrekkers
61. DC’s ‘Twas the Mite Before Christmas #1
62. Action Comics #1060
63. Uncanny X-Men (2011) #1
64. Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight (1989) #101 (Wagner/Ezquerra!)
65. Uncanny X-Men (2011) #s 2-20
66. Avengers vs. X-Men: Consequences #s 1-5
67. Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight (1989) #s 172-176 (Wagner)
68. Seven Secrets #s 13-18
69. Tales of Suspense #s 57, 60, 64
70. Avengers (1963) #16
71. Marvel Team-Up (1972) #22
72. Marvel Tales #100 (Hawkeye story only)
73. Avengers (1963) #189
74. Marvel Team-Up (1972) #92
75. Marvel Fanfare (1982) #3 (Hawkeye story only)
76. Avengers (1963) #223
77. Marvel Team-Up (1972) #95
78. Hawkeye (1983) #s 1-4
79. Captain America (1968) #317
80. Marvel Fanfare (1982) #39
81. Solo Avengers (1987) #s 1-6
82. Hercules: Prince of Power (1982) #1
83. Solo Avengers (1987) #s 7-12
84. Essential Judge Dredd: Tour of Duty Vol. 1
85. Solo Avengers (1987) #s 13-17
86. Wonder Woman (2023) #4
87. Batman/Santa Claus: Silent Knight #3
88. Hercules: Prince of Power (1982) #s 2-4
89. Batman: Off-World #2
90. G.I. Joe (1982) #1
91. Mosaic Prelude #1
92. Mosaic #1
93. Solo Avengers (1987) #s 18-20
94. Avengers Spotlight (1989) #21 (Retitled Solo Avengers)
95. Hawkeye (1994) #s 1-4
96. Marvel Comics Presents (1988) #s 159-161 (Hawkeye story only)
97. Hawkeye: Earth’s Mightiest Marksman #1
98. Silver Sable & the Wild Pack (1992) #s 1, 23
99. Silver Sable (2017) #36
100. Not Brand Ecch (2017) #14
101. Spider-Man: Fear Itself (1992 OGN)
102. Webspinners: Tales of Spider-Man #s 17-18
103. Hawkeye (2003) #s 1-8
104. New Avengers: The Reunion #s 1-5
105. Hawkeye & Mockingbird #s 1-6
106. Widowmaker #s 1-4
107. Hawkeye: Blindspot #s 1-4
108. Avengers: Solo (2011) #1
109. Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong #s 1-3
110. Green Lantern (2023) #6
111. West Coast Avengers (1984) #1
112. Doctor Who Magazine #s 596-597
113. West Coast Avengers (1984) #s 2-4
114. West Coast Avengers (1985) #1
115. War for Earth-3 #s 1-2
116. Teen Titans Academy #13
117. Suicide Squad (2021) #s 13-15
118. The Flash #780
119. Dark Nights: Death Metal – The Last Stories of the DC Universe #1
120. Dark Nights: Death Metal #s 1-2
121. X-Men: Red (2022) #14
122. Daredevil (2022) #14
123. Alpha Flight (2023) #1
124. Uncanny Avengers (2023) #1
125. Dark Nights: Death Metal #s 3-4
126. Dark Nights: Death Metal Guidebook #1
127. Dark Nights: Death Metal – Trinity Crisis #1
128. Dark Nights: Death Metal – Speed Metal #1
129. Dark Nights: Death Metal – Multiverse’s End #1
130. Dark Nights: Death Metal – Robin King #1
131. Dark Nights: Death Metal #s 5-6
132. Dark Nights: Death Metal – The Secret Origin #1
133. Dark Nights: Death Metal – The Last 52 #1
134. Dark Nights: Death Metal #7
135. Infinite Frontier #s 0-6
136. Justice League Incarnate #s 1-3
137. Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #22
138. Nightwing (2016) #109
139. The Knights of Pendragon (1990) #1
140. Superman (2023) #9
141. Titans: Beast World Tour – Central City #1
142. Green Lantern: War Journal #4
143. Justice League Incarnate #s 4-5
144. Justice League (2018) #75
145. Justice League: Road to Dark Crisis #1
146. Dark Crisis #s 0-3
147. Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths #s 4-7
148. Dark Crisis: The Deadly Green #1
149. Dark Crisis: The Dark Army #1
150. Dark Crisis: The Big Bang #1
151. Doctor Who: The Fourth Doctor Anthology (collection of all the old Marvel strips)
152. Titans: Beast World #3
153. Titans (2023) #6
154. Green Arrow (2023) #7
155. Justice Society of America (2022) #8
156. Action Comics Annual 2023
157. The Penguin (2023) #s 4-5
158. Amazons Attack (2023) #3
159. Batman/Santa Claus: Silent Knight #4
160. Avengers (1963) #s 305-310
161. Shazam! (2023) #7
162. Avengers (1963) #s 311-318
163. Justice League (2018) #59
164. Avengers (1963) #s 319-325
165. Avengers (1963) #s 326-333 (The entirety of the far-too-short Larry Hama run)
166. Wild Dog #s 1-4
167. Wild Dog Special #1
168. The Knights of Pendragon (1990) #s 2-8
169. Marvel Team-Up (2004) #s 1-13
170. Marvel Team-Up (2004) #s 1-13
171. Dragon’s Claws #5
172. Suicide Squad (1987) #s 1-4
173. X-Force (2019) #44
174. Jean Grey (2023) #1
175. Death’s Head (1988) #s 1-7, 9-10
176. Death’s Head: The Body in Question OGN
177. Fantastic Four (1961) #338
178. Sensational She-Hulk (1989) #24
179. The Amazing Spider-Man (2022) #32
180. The Invincible Iron Man (2022) #9
181. Suicide Squad (1987) #s 5-8
182. Secret Six (2008) #s 1-2
183. James Bond, Agent of SPECTRE #1
184. Secret Six (2008) #s 3-5
185. Doctor Who: Four Doctors #1-5
186. Doctor Who: Supremacy of the Cybermen #s 1-5
187. Secret Six (2008) #s 6-8

As is always the case, my comic book reading was impacted by comic book conventions in October — for whatever reason, I become so busy that my brain simply can’t handle the idea of reading anything that I don’t absolutely have to. With two different con trips in October that took up a couple of weeks between them, I’m honestly surprised I read as much as I did…

1. Catwoman (2018) #58
2. Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #20
3. Superman (2023) #7
4. Wonder Woman (2023) #2
5. Green Lantern: War Journal #2
6. Titans (2023) #4
7. Jay Garrick, The Flash #1
8. Something is Killing the Children #s 11-15
9. Captain Atom (1986) #s 1-2
10. The Amazing Spider-Man (2022) #28
11. She-Hulk (2022) #14
12. Avengers Beyond #4
13. Predator (2023) #4
14. Warlock: Rebirth #3
15. Captain Carter #s 1-5
16. Captain Atom (1986) #s 3-5
17. Captain Atom (1986) #6
18. Captain Atom (1986) #7-12
19. Something is Killing the Children #s 16-20
20. Fantastic Four (2018) #40
21. Fantastic Four (2018) #s 41-45
22. Incoming #1
23. DC’s Ghouls Just Wanna Have Fun #1
24. Smash! #1
25. Empyre: Avengers #0
26. Empyre: Fantastic Four #0
27. Empyre #s 1-6
28. Empyre Aftermath: Avengers #1
29. Empyre Fallout: Fantastic Four #1
30. Free Comic Book Day 2022: Avengers/X-Men #1
31. A.X.E. Judgment Day #s 1-2
32. Best of Tharg’s Terror Tales
33. The OMAC Project #s 1-6
34. The OMAC Project Infinite Crisis Special #1
35. Detective Comics (1937) #s 742-756 (Start of the Greg Rucka run)
36. Detective Comics (1937) #s 757-766
37. Batman: The 10 Cent Adventure
38. Batgirl (2000) #24
39. X-Men: Before the Fall – The Sinister Four #1
40. Doctor Strange (2023) #5
41. Action Comics #1058
42. Alan Scott, The Green Lantern #1
43. X-Men (2021) #24
44. Batman/Catwoman: The Gotham War – Red Hood #2
45. Amazons Attack (2023) #1
46. Green Arrow (2023) #5
47. The Flash (2023) #2
48. The Penguin (2023) #3
49. Tales of the Titans #4
50. Unstoppable Doom Patrol #50
51. Daredevil (2022) #12
52. Nightwing (1996) #s 65-66
53. Batman: Gotham Knights #s 25-26
54. Birds of Prey (1998) #s 39-40
55. Robin (1993) #s 98-99
56. Batman (1940) #599
57. Detective Comics (1937) #767
58. Batman (1940) #s 600-601
59. Detective Comics (1937) #768-770
60. Birds of Prey (1998) #41
61. Best of 2000 AD Vol. 4 TPB
62. Batgirl (2000) #s 27, 29
63. Nightwing (1996) #s 68-69
64. Batman: Gotham Knights #s 28-31
65. Birds of Prey (1998) #43
66. Batman (1940) #s 603-605
67. Detective Comics (1937) #s 771-772
68. Azrael: Agent of the Bat #91
69. Detective Comics (1937) #s 773-775 (End of Greg Rucka run)
70. Action Comics (2016) #s 987-992
71. Duke NYCC Ashcan
72. What If…? (1989) #s 1-13
73. Batman (1940) #s 635-636
74. Batman (1940) #s 637-650
75. Batman Annual #25
76. X-Force (2019) #42
77. Immortal X-Men #13
78. The Amazing Spider-Man (2022) #29
79. Scarlet Witch (2023) #6
80. Warlock: Rebirth #4
81. X-Men: Days of Future Past – Doomsday #1
82. Nightwing (2016) #107
83. Action Comics #s 1047-1050
84. Superman: Son of Kal-El #s 16-18
85. Superman: Kal-El Returns #1
86. Elvira’s House of Mystery #1
87. Batman/Catwoman: The Gotham War – Scorched Earth #1
88. The Return of Superman 30th Anniversary Special #1
89. Batman (2016) #139
90. Shazam! (2023) #5
91. Supergirl Special (2023) #1
92. What If…? (1989) #s 14-20
93. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom Special #1
94. Birds of Prey (2023) #3
95. Fire & Ice: Welcome to Smallville #3
96. The Joker: The Man Who Stopped Laughing #s 10-12
97. Batman: Three Jokers #3
98. Icon vs Hardware #s 4-5
99. Judgment Day: Aftermath
100. What If…? (1989) #s 21-23
101. Outsiders (2023) #1
102. What If…? (1989) #s 24-27
103. Alan Scott, the Green Lantern #2
104. Frank Miller’s RoboCop #s 1-9
105. Kings Watch #s 1-5
106. Flash Gordon (2014) #1
107. Flash Gordon (2014) #s 2-8
108. Flash Gordon Annual 2014
109. King: Flash Gordon #s 1-4
110. Helium Book One (2000 AD strip)
111. King: Jungle Jim #s 1-4
112. Fallen Friend: The Death of Ms. Marvel #1
113. It’s Jeff! #25
114. Extreme Venomverse #5
115. X-Men Red (2022) #13
116. King: Mandrake the Magician #s 1-4
117. King: Prince Valiant #s 1-4
118. King: The Phantom #s 1-4
119. Kings Quest #s 1-5
120. The Bogie Man #1
121. Flash Gordon: Kings Cross #s 1-4
122. Black Panther (2021) #s 1-15
123. Black Panther (2023) #s 1-2
124. Danger Street #11
125. WildC.A.T.S (2022) #12
126. Green Lantern (2023) #5
127. Batman and Robin (2023) #3
128. Speed Force (2023) #1
129. Wonder Woman (2023) #3
130. Batman: Off-World #1
131. Marvel 75th Anniversary Special #1
132. Wolverine (2020) #35
133. The Amazing Spider-Man (2022) #30
134. Chosen #s 1-3
135. American Jesus: The New Messiah #s 1-3
136. American Jesus: Revelation #s 1-3
137. The Incredible Hulk (2023) #2
138. The Avengers (2023) #3
139. The Invincible Iron Man (2022) #8
140. All-Hallows Eve #5
141. Hellcat (2023) #5
142. Ultimate Invasion #2
143. She-Hulk (2022) #15
144. The Wicked + The Divine #s 1-6

What was I reading back in September? It feels like a long time ago as I write this, but the answer appears to be “I read Operation: Galactic Storm for some reason.” For those who don’t know, Operation: Galactic Storm is a Marvel crossover from the 1990s that saw all of the Avengers characters go to war in space for reasons that didn’t make any sense, based on the seeming idea that naming something after the real-life Operation: Desert Storm was anything other than a tacky idea. I’d never actually read the storyline, but thankfully Marvel Unlimited exists, and… well, honestly, it’s as bad as it sounds. But somehow, still not the worst thing I read that month. See for yourself!

1. MPH #s 1-6
2. Doctor Strange (1974) #s 48-49
3. Batman: Gargoyle of Gotham #1
4. Hershey: Disease TPB
5. Hershey: The Cold in the Bones Parts One and Two
6. Lawless: Ballots Over Babylon
7. Lawless: Most Wanted eps 1-4
8. The Out: Book One 
9. The Out: Book Two
10. Alpha Flight (1983) #s 28-32, 35-38
11. Alpha Flight (1983) #s 39-44
12. Silver Age 80-Page Giant #1
13. Captain Glory #1
14. The Saga of Crystar, Crystal Warrior #1
15. Doctor Strange (2023) #3
16. The Punisher (2022) #12
17. Doctor Strange (1974) #s 50-54
18. The Out: Book Three
19. Secret City Saga #s 0, 1-2
20. Daredevil (1964) #s 292-296 (Start of Chichester run)
21. Daredevil (1964) #s 297-300
22. Daredevil (1964) #s 301-314
23. Superman Adventures #s 1-3
24. Adventures of Superman (2013) #s 1-6
25. Superman/Batman #s 79-80 (Chris Roberson DC One Million two-parter)
26. Daredevil (1964) #s 315-318
27. Daredevil (1964) #s 319-322
28. Superman Adventures #s 4-6
29. Daredevil (1964) #s 323-325
30. Green Arrow (2023) #4
31. The Flash (2023) #1
32. Action Comics #1057
33. The Penguin #2
34. Tales of the Titans #3
35. Superman: The Order of the Black Lamp (Batman: The Brave and the Bold strip)
36. Harcourt: Second Life eps. 1-2  (Batman: The Brave and the Bold strip)
37. Stormwatch: Down with the Kings eps. 1-5  (Batman: The Brave and the Bold strip)
38. Art Brut #s 1-4
39. Alpha Flight (1983) #s 45-50
40. Alpha Flight Annual (1986) #s 1-2
41. Superman Adventures #s 7-13
42. Scarlet Witch (2015) #s 1-15
43. Wolverine (1988) #s 69-75
44. Power Girl (2023) #1
45. Power Girl strips from Lazarus Planet: Assault on Krypton and Action Comics #s 1051-1053
46. Power Girl Special (2023) #1
47. Daredevil (2022) #12
48. Spider-Man (2022) #9
49. Immortal X-Men (2022) #12
50. X-Men (2021) #23
51. Fantastic Four (2022) #8
52. The Invincible Iron Man (2022) #7
53. X-Men: Before The Fall – Mutant First Strike #1
54. Wag #1
55. Batman, Incorporated (2022) #s 8-12
56. The Green Lantern Corps #s 202-203
57. Superman Adventures Annual #1
58. Superman Adventures #s 14-16
59. Sensational She-Hulk (1989) #s 18-24
60. Superman Adventures #s 17-21
61. Birds of Prey (2023) #2
62. Batman (2016) #138
63. Shazam! (2023) #4
64. Fire & Ice: Welcome to Smallville #2
65. Green Lantern: Legacy OGN
66. Green Lantern: Alliance OGN
67. Waller vs. Wildstorm #s 1-3
68. Avengers, Inc. #1
69. Blue Beetle (2006) #1
70. Ant-Man (2022) #s 1-4
71. Wasp (2023) #s 1-4
72. Avengers: Ultron Forever #1
73. New Avengers: Ultron Forever #1
74. Uncanny Avengers: Ultron Forever #1
75. Avengers Assemble (2012) #15
76. Captain Britain and the Mighty Defenders #s 1-2
77. Avengers Assemble (2012) #20
78. Avengers (2012) #34.1
79. Contest of Champions (2015) #s 1-6
80. Rorschach (2020) #s 1-3
81. Secret Warps: Soldier Supreme Annual #1
82. Secret Warps: Weapon Hex Annual #1
83. Secret Warps: Ghost Panther Annual #1
84. Secret Warps: Arachknight Annual #1
85. Secret Warps: Iron Hammer Annual #1
86. Doctor Strange (2023) #4
87. Moon Knight (2021) #24
88. Contest of Champions (2015) #s 7-10
89. Wolverine (2020) #34
90. The Amazing Spider-Man (2022) #27
91. X-Men Red (2022) #s 10-12
92. Batman/Catwoman: The Gotham War Prelude (Batman Day Edition) #1
93. New Avengers (2015) #s 1-18
94. U.S.Avengers #s 1-12
95. Superman/Batman: World’s Finest #1
96. The Terrifics #s 1-14
97. The Silencer #1
98. Justice League of America (2017) #s 22-24 (Promethea appearance)
99. Incredible Hulk Annual (1976) #11
100. Inhumans Prime #1
101. Royals #1
102. 2000 AD Prog 2351
103. Danger Street #10
104. Batman & Robin (2023) #2
105. World’s Finest: Teen Titans #4
106. Green Lantern (2023) #4
107. Wesley Dodds, The Sandman #1
108. Peacemaker Tries Hard! #6
109. 1st Issue Special #12 (Starman)
110. Manhunter (1994) #0
111. Royals #2
112. Royals #s 3-8
113. Manhunter (2004) #s 1-4
114. Royals #s 9-12
115. Inhumans: Judgment Day #1
116. Captain America (1968) #398 (Operation Galactic Storm)
117. Avengers West Coast #80 (Operation Galactic Storm)
118. Quasar #32 (Operation Galactic Storm)
119. Wonder Man (1991) #7 (Operation Galactic Storm)
120. Avengers (1963) #345 (Operation Galactic Storm)
121. Iron Man (1968) #278 (Operation Galactic Storm)
122. Thor (1966) #445 (Operation Galactic Storm)
123. Before Watchmen: Minutemen #s 1-6
124. Captain America (1968) #399 (Operation Galactic Storm)
125. Avengers West Coast #81 (Operation Galactic Storm)
126. Quasar #33 (Operation Galactic Storm)
127. Wonder Man (1991) #8 (Operation Galactic Storm)
128. Avengers (1963) #346 (Operation Galactic Storm)
129. Iron Man (1968) #279 (Operation Galactic Storm)
130. Thor (1966) #446 (Operation Galactic Storm)
131. Captain America (1968) #400 (Operation Galactic Storm)
132. Avengers West Coast #82 (Operation Galactic Storm)
133. Quasar #34 (Operation Galactic Storm)
134. Wonder Man (1991) #9 (Operation Galactic Storm)
135. Avengers (1963) #346 (Operation Galactic Storm)
136. Avengers (2023) #2
137. Hellcat (2023) #4
138. Manhunter (2004) #s 5-7
139. X-Force (2019) #41
140. Manhunter (2004) #8-14
141. Terra #s 1-4
142. Saga #66
143. Superman (1987) #s 186-187
144. Adventures of Superman (1987) #s 608-609
145. Superman: The Man of Steel #s 130-131
146. Action Comics (1938) #s 795-796
147. Void Rivals #4
148. Fantastic Four (2018) #39
149. Fantastic Four: Reckoning War #1
150. X-Factor (1986) #43-44
151. Superman (1987) #s 220-221
152. Adventures of Superman #s 642-643
153. Action Comics (1938) #829
154. Wonder Woman (1987) #s 219-220
155. Adam Strange (2004) #s 1-8
156. Parasocial OGN
157. Oblivion Song #s 1-6
158. 2000 AD Prog 2350 (Battle Action crossover issue)
159. The Rann/Thanagar War #s 1-6
160. The Rann/Thanagar War: Infinite Crisis Special #1
161. Proctor Valley Road #1
162. Treasury of British Comics Annual 2024
163. Counterfeit Girl TPB (2000 AD collection)
164. Proctor Valley Road #2
165. I Hate This Place #1
166. Something is Killing the Children #s 6-10

Oddly enough, I found myself tired of reading at one point this month; specifically, tired of reading comics, so I’d happily kill time writing something for work loosely, or reading the news or analysis of the news or whatever, but… reading comics…? I’d lost the appetite. Thankfully, it came back before too long. Maybe I was really just burned out on my specific choice of reading material for awhile. Who knows?

1. Sins of Sinister: Dominion #1
2. Ultimate Avengers #s 1-6
3. Ultimate Avengers 2 #s 1-6
4. Ultimate Avengers 3 #s 1-6
5. The Cull #1
6. Marvel Knights Spider-Man #s 1-4
7. G.I. Joe (1982) #s 1-2
8. Marvel Knights Spider-Man #s 5-6
9. Cartoon Show (Derek M. Ballard strip collection)
10. Dwellings #1
11. Marvel Knights Spider-Man #s 7-12
12. New X-Men (1991) #114
13. Superman and the Authority #s 1-4
14. Batman/Superman: The Authority Special #1
15. Dark Knights of Steel #s 1-11
16. Suicide Squad (2019) #1
17. A-1 (1989) #s 1-2
18. Suicide Squad (2019) #s 2-6
19. Mech Cadets #1
20. Suicide Squad (2019) # 7-11
21. Incredible Hulk (1999) #s 106-108
22. World War Hulk #s 1-2
23. Incredible Hulk (1999) #s 109-111
24. World War Hulk #s 3-5
25. World War Hulk: Aftersmash #1
26. Damn Them All #1
27. Illuminati (2015) #1
28. Thor (1966) #s 206-207
29. Avengers (1963) #s 183-184
30. Transformers Classic: UK Vol. 1 (Collected edition)
31. Earth 2 (2012) #s 10-14, Annual #1
32. Earth 2 (2012) #s 15-26, Annual #2
33. Earth 2: World’s End #1
34. Thor (2007) #s 1-4
35. Spider-Man: Reign #s 1-3
36. Alec: The King Canute Club
37. Immortal X-Men #11
38. Spider-Man (2022) #8
39. Joe Fixit #5
40. Thor (2007) #s 5-10
41. Angst Farm #1
42. Batman/Catwoman: Gotham War – Battlelines #1
43. Batman (2016) #137
44. Batman: The Brave and the Bold (2023) #3
45. WildC.A.T.s (2022) #1
46. WildC.A.T.s (2022) #s 2-5
47. Wildstorm 30th Anniversary Special #1
48. WildC.A.T.s (2022) #s 6-10
49. Thor (2007) #s 11-12, 600
50. Thor (2020) #27
51. Void Rivals #3
52. Thor (2020) #s 28-29
53. Batman Incorporated (2022) #1
54. Knight Terrors: Night’s End #1
55. Action Comics presents: Doomsday Special #1
56. Batman Incorporated (2022) #s 2-7
57. Captain Midnight (2013) #0
58. Doctor Who: The Twelfth Doctor #s 1-5
59. Captain Midnight (2013) #s 1-3
60. Nostalgia #s 1-5
61. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin #s 1-5
62. Dark Knights of Steel #12
63. Knight Terrors #4
64. Batman: The Brave and The Bold #4
65. Knight Terrors: Angel Breaker #2
66. Knight Terrors: Titans #2
67. Knight Terrors: Harley Quinn #2
68. Knight Terrors: Action Comics #2
69. Knight Terrors: Detective Comics #2
70. The Penguin (2023) #1
71. Voodoo (1997) #s 1-4
72. X-Men/Alpha Flight (1985) #1
73. Alpha Flight (2011) #s 0, 1-4
74. Codename: Knockout #0
75. All Star Superman #s 1-12
76. Alpha Flight (2011) #s 5-8
77. Gender Queer: A Memoir
78. Wolverine (2020) #33
79. The Invincible Iron Man (2022) #6
80. X-Men Red (2022) #11
81. Captain Marvel (2019) #49
82. The Amazing Spider-Man (2022) #s 23-25
83. The Authority (2003) #s 1-4
84. The Authority (2003) #s 0, 5-14
85. The Authority/The Authority: The Lost Year #s 1-12
86. The Authority: World’s End #1
87. Shazam! (2023) #3
88. Birds of Prey (2023) #1
89. Fire and Ice: Welcome to Smallville #1
90. Justice Society of America (2022) #6
91. Peacemaker Tries Hard! #5
92. Blue Beetle (2023) #1
93. The Authority: World’s End #s 2-17
94. The Unseen Hand #s 1-4
95. Deadline USA Vol. 2 #s 1-4
96. Thor: The Trial of Thor #1
97. Thor (2007) #s 601-603
98. Thor Giant-Sized Finale #1
99. Thor (2007) #s 604-621
100. Deadline USA Vol. 2 #s 5-8
101. Scarlet Witch (2022) #s 1-4
102. Destroyer Duck #s 1-3
103. Fantastic Four (2022) #7
104. X-Force (2019) #40
105. X-Men (2021) #22
106. She-Hulk (2022) #13
107. Venom (2021) #19
108. Guardians of the Galaxy (2023) #2
109. Scarlet Witch (2022) #5
110. Scarlet Witch Annual (2023) #1
111. Hulk Annual (2023) #1
112. Hey Kids! Comics! Vol. 2: Prophets #s 1-6
113. Survival Geeks (2000 AD strip collection)
114. Batman and Robin (2023) #1
115. Danger Street #9
116. Green Lantern (2023) #3
117. World’s Finest: Teen Titans #3
118. Petrolhead #1
119. Survival Geeks: Crisis of Infinite Nerds (2000 AD strip collection)
120. The Mean Arena #1 (2000 AD strip collection)
121. Rare Flavours: Tasting Menu ashcan
122. Pandora Perfect TPB (2000 AD strip collection)
123. Moon Knight (2021) #1
124. Bricktop A1 Special #1
125. Moon Knight (2021) #s 2-20
126. X-Force/Champions Annual #1
127. Moon Knight (2021) #s 21-23
128. Justice League: A Midsummer’s Nightmare #1
129. The Riverside Companion #s 1-3 (Kevin Huizenga minis)
130. Crime Destroyer: True Till Death (Shaky Kane one-shot)
131. The Worst (Molly Mendoza mini)
132. Fielder #1 (Huizenga)
133. Gag! (2023) #2
134. JLA #s 43-58 
135. Classic X-Men #s 1-32
136. X-Men/Alpha Flight (1998) #1
137. The Immortal Thor #1
138. Justice League (2016) #s 34-43
139. Fury (2023) #1
140. Hellcat (2023) #3
141. Justice League Elite #s 1-2
142. Justice League Elite #s 3-12
143. Steelworks #s 2-3
144. Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #19
145. Titans (2023) #3
146. Wonder Woman (2023) #1
147. Superman (2023) #6
148. Nightwing (2016) #106
149. Catwoman (2019) #57
150. Green Lantern: War Journal #1
151. Silver Surfer: Rebirth #s 1-5
152. Warlock: Rebirth #s 1-2
153. Silver Surfer (1987) #123
154. Transformers (2023) #1
155. Silver Surfer (1987) #s 125-138
156. Doctor Strange (2023) #2
157. Doctor Strange (1974) #64
158. Not Brand Ecch #11
159. Doctor Strange (1974) #47
160. G.O.D.S. #1
161. Starlight #s 1-6
162. Huck #s 1-6
163. The Ambassadors #s 1-6

Yet again, a comic convention left me… not really reading comics for a week, because so much was going on with everything else? Thankfully, I bounced back pretty strongly afterwards, even if I ended up reading a lot of Mark Millar comics towards the end of the month for no immediately apparent reason… Anyway: here are the comics I read in July.

1. Green Arrow & Black Canary #s 1-30
2. Justice League: Cry for Justice #s 1-7
3. Justice League: The Rise and Fall Special #1
4. Green Arrow & Black Canary #s 31-32
5. Justice League of America (2006) #s 41-43
6. Justice League: The Rise of Arsenal #s 1-4
7. Green Arrow (2010) #1
8. Titans: Villains for Hire Special #1
9. Home Sick Pilots #s 1-15
10. A Contract with God OGN
11. Green Arrow (2010) #s 2-15
12. Green Arrow: Rebirth #1
13. Green Arrow 80th Anniversary Special #1
14. Justice League (2018) #75
15. Dark Crisis #0
16. Tarzan of The Apes #s 207-214 (First Joe Kubert DC issues from 1972)
17. Divinity II #s 1-4
18. Divinity III: Stalinverse #s 1-4
19. Divinity #0
20. X-O Manowar (1992) #s 0, 1-2
21. Ninjak (2015) #1-9
22. X-O Manowar (2012) #s 1-8
23. Daredevil (2022) #s 7-9
24. Clobberin’ Time #1
25. X-O Manowar (2012) #s 9-29
26. Armor Hunters #s 1-4
27. Unity (2014) #s 8-11
28. Armor Hunters: Bloodshot #s 1-3
29. Armor Hunters: Harbinger #s 1-3
30. Armor Hunters: Aftermath #1
31. X-O Manowar (2012) #s 30-38
32. X-O Manowar Valiant 25th Anniversary Special #1
33. Invincible Iron Man (2023) #4
34. X-O Manowar (2012) #s 0, 39-50
35. X-O Manowar 2016  Annual
36. X-O Manowar: Commander Trill #1
37. Bloodshot (2012) #s 1-9, 0
38. Bloodshot and HARD Corps #s 0, 14-19, 22-23
39. Bloodshot (2012) #s 24-25
40. Bloodshot Reborn #s 1-13
41. Bloodshot Reborn 2016 Annual
42. Bloodshot Reborn #s 14-18
43. Bloodshot USA #s 1-4
44. Bloodshot Reborn #0
45. Psi-Lords (2019) #s 1-8
46. Nailbiter #s 1-15
47. Nailbiter #s 16-25
48. Room for Love OGN
49. Nailbiter #s 26-30
50. Rogues (2022) #s 1-4
51. Aquaman/Green Arrow: Deep Target #s 1-7
52. Aquaman: Andromeda #s 1-3
53. The End of the Century Club: Countdown TPB
54. The Sixth Gun #s 1-2
55. Sinister Romance (1988) #1
56. The Sixth Gun #3
57. Four Color #882 (Alex Toth Zorro)
58. Joe Fixit #4
59. Wolverine (2020) #32
60. Spider-Man (2022) #7
61. Venom (2021) #18
62. Immoral X-Men #3
63. X Lives of Wolverine #s 1-5
64. X Deaths of Wolverine #s 1-5
65. Wolverine: Patch #1
66. Danger Street #7
67. The Sixth Gun #s 3-6
68. Wolverine: First Class #1
69. Gag! (1982) #1
70. Titans (2008) #s 24-27
71. The Sixth Gun #7
72. Titans (2008) #s 28-38
73. The Brave & The Bold (1955) #69
74. Wolverine: First Class #s 2-6
75. Superman vs. Meshi #1
76. Wolverine: First Class #s 7-16
77. Planet of the Apes (2023) #1
78. Star Wars (2020) #33
79. Star Wars: Crimson Reign #s 1-5
80. Star Wars: Hidden Empire #s 1-5
81. Wolverine: First Class #s 17-21
82. The Second Death of Eddie Campbell OGN
83. Sweet Paprika #1
84. Void Rivals #2
85. Local Man #1
86. Mega-City Max #1
87. Ninjak (2015) #s 10-15
88. Local Man #s 2-5
89. Ninjak (2015) #s 16-27, 0
90. Ninja-K #s 1-5
91. Coyote #1
92. Ninja-K #s 6-9
93. Ninja-K #s 10-14
94. Shadowman (2012) #0, 1-16, 13X
95. Shadowman: End Times #1-3
96. Punk Mambo #0
97. Ninjak (2021) #s 1-4
98. Eternal Warrior (2013) #s 1-8
99. A Terrified Child Played by Jeremy Strong #1
100. Sweet Paprika #s 2-5
101. The Death-Defying Doctor Mirage #1
102. Fantastic Four (2022) #6
103. Predator (2023) #s 1-2
104. X-Men (2021) #s 20-21
105. Captain Marvel (2019) #s 46-48
106. Sweet Paprika #6
107. Hallow’s Eve #2
108. Captain America: Cold War Alpha #1
109. Superman: The Last Days of Lex Luthor #1
110. Knight Terrors #2
111. Peacemaker Tries Hard #4
112. Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent #6
113. Justice Society of America (2022) #5
114. Knight Terrors: Action Comics #1
115. Knight Terrors: Angel Breaker #1
116. Knight Terrors: Titans #1
117. Knight Terrors: Harley Quinn #1
118. Knight Terrors: Detective Comics #1
119. Knight Terrors: Batman #2
120. Knight Terrors: The Joker #2
121. Knight Terrors: Ravager #2
122. Knight Terrors: Black Adam #2
123. Knight Terrors: Poison Ivy #2
124. Strange Adventures (2019) #s 1-12
125. The Punisher (2022) #11
126. X-Force (2019) #39
127. She-Hulk (2022) #12
128. Conan the Barbarian (2023) #1
129. My First Paying Job as a Comicker (Eddie Campbell/Phil Elliott collection)
130. Heavy Rotation
131. X-Men: Hellfire Gala (2023) #1
132. Free Comic Book Day 2023: Avengers/X-Men #1
133. Hellcat (2023) #2
134. Justice League of America (1960) #s 171-172
135. The New World: Comics from Mauretania (hardcover collection)
136. Earth 2 (2012) #s 1-4
137. The Vallars: Episode One (3W3M Substack comic)
138. Temptation (collection of Glenn Dakin comics)
139. Eden’s End (Morrison/Sharp Substack comic)
140. Earth 2 (2012) #s 0, 5-8
141. Knight Terrors #3
142. Superman Annual (2023) #1
143. Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #18
144. Knight Terrors: Green Lantern #2
145. Knight Terrors: The Flash #2
146. Knight Terrors: Robin #2
147. Knight Terrors: Shazam #2
148. Knight Terrors: Zatanna #2
149. Danger Street #8
150. Knight Terrors: Superman #2
151. Tales of the Titans #2
152. Earth 2 #9
153. Nemesis #s 1-4
154. Nemesis Reloaded #s 1-5
155. Knight Terrors: Catwoman #2
156. Knight Terrors: Nightwing #2
157. World’s Finest: Teen Titans #2
158. Knight Terrors: Punchline #2
159. Knight Terrors: Wonder Woman #2
160. The Authority (1999) #s 13-29
161. The Ultimates (2002) #s 1-2
162. The Great Unwashed (Collection of Pleece Brothers material)
163. The Ultimates (2002) #s 3-6
164. Irredeemable #s 1-8
165. The Ultimates (2002) #s 7-13
166. The Ultimates 2 (2004) #s 1-2
167. Invincible Iron Man (2022) #5
168. Hulk (2021) #14
169. Wasp (2023) #4
170. Daredevil (2022) #10
171. The Ultimates 2 (2004) #3-13

As much as I don’t want to admit it, the most surprising thing about last week’s X-Men: Hellfire Gala #1 is how much it surprised me.

I don’t mean that in the sense of, “The plot twists were so shocking that I didn’t see them coming.” Really, the X-Men franchise has maybe three go-to comic central plots when it comes to its big twists, and the one at the center of this particular issue is the one that I feel has been most overused in the past 20 years: “ALL OF THE MUTANTS DIE.” It’s a cheap shot at the reader’s sympathies — who doesn’t want to root for the underdog survivors of a literal genocide, after all — and, in part because of its scale and also the fact that this is the third time we’ve seen it in the last two decades, the cheapest… and yet, here it is again.

Even that wasn’t the most surprising thing about the issue, though. (It is, nonetheless, surprising that we’re going back to that well that has been demonstrated twice now to not be quite the nuclear option that it would appear: who knew that it was so easy to reverse. genocide?) Also surprising, but not that surprising: that there are something like six different art teams throughout the issue, as if everyone were running to make the print deadline at the last minute… which is probably the case, let’s be real.

No, what’s so surprising about Hellfire Gala is just how obviously cynical the entire enterprise is. There’s no… spirit or soul to it; it’s workmanlike and there purely to hit specific moments to sell future comics. Why is Ms. Marvel resurrected and given so much prominence at the start of the issue, when it has little bearing on the larger story? To sell the Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant comic advertised in the back pages. Why do some mutants inexplicably survive the genocide? Because they’re the ones in the spin-off books. Why is the genocide created in such a way that there’s a blindingly obvious get-out clause? Because this is going to be reversed because nothing is permanent or has meaning beyond selling the next quarter’s worth of comic book issues.

I’m not surprised that all of this is the case; I’m surprised that there’s no real attempt to hide any of it, that there’s only the lightest attempt to weave the mandated targets and jumping-off points into an actual story, as opposed to a series of barely connected sales pitches to keep buying and buying and buying. In that respect, perhaps X-Men: Hellfire Gala is the endpoint of contemporary superhero comics: one that dispenses with the pretense and just embraces that you just want an excuse to keep going. And that, maybe, is the most surprising thing of all.

Thinking about comics again, after more time spent revisiting things I’d never read the first time around. This time, it was Jim Lee’s WildC.A.T.s, a title that was wildly successful back in the day — one that sold hundreds of thousands of copies and convinced a generation of fans that this was as good as comics could be.

I wasn’t one of them; I was just a handful of years too old to be in that target audience, and instead I was left looking on, confused by what everyone was into and why it worked for them and not for me. Those initial Image Comics titles left me cold even as I paid attention to their rise to fame, bypassing DC to become the second biggest publisher in the U.S. despite only putting out a handful of books. This was the future, or so it looked at the time, and I was standing on the sidelines, feeling old and past it even as I wasn’t even out of my teens yet.

Looking back at WildC.A.T.s. now, I’m struck by how straightforward and traditional it all feels, despite the bombastic, stylized artwork that honestly doesn’t really stand up to the test of time. (Some of those costume designs in particular, woof.)

The basic concept of the series’ mythology is familiar enough to be easily understood and manipulated in any number of ways in later issues, and you can see how old-school writers like Alan Moore and Steve Gerber felt like they could step into the space and make it work. What really stuck out was how open-ended it all was: it’s clear that Lee et al were thinking about something that could continue publishing indefinitely, something that feels particularly rare now, when new comics are telling A Story with a beginning, middle, and end, even if those three things happen to be spaced pretty far apart.

Is it too old-fashioned to come up with a concept that can be folded up indefinitely and used in perpetuity, I wonder? Have comic readers en masse become too sophisticated for such a thing, and instead need to know when an end is near? Sometimes, I find myself wanting something old-fashioned and endless in my comics. No wonder I’m looking back in the past so often.

Suddenly, it’s July! And that means we get to revisit what comics I’ve been reading in the past month, which is definitely good news for anyone who’s been wondering if I’ve been reading some Green Arrow comics. Or Bill Mantlo-written Cloak and Dagger comics. Or WildCATs, for that matter. (But really, I read all of the Mike Grell Green Arrow run, and then finished the Kevin Smith/Brad Meltzer/Judd Winick run, too. I think I really like Green Arrow now…?) Yes, I read a lot of comics again in June. I’m… sorry, maybe…?

1. Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters #s 1-3
2. Green Arrow (1987) #s 3-8
3. She-Hulk (2022) #s 1-6
4. Green Arrow (1987) #s 9-13
5. Marvel Graphic Novel #18: The Sensational She-Hulk (1985)
6. 20th Century Men #s 1-2
7. She-Hulk (2022) #s 7-10
8. Green Arrow (1987) #s 14-16
9. Icon vs. Hardware #s 2-3
10. Micronauts: The New Voyages #1
11. Dazzler (1980) #s 21-23
12. Star Trek (1984) #s 18-21
13. Dazzler (1980) #s 24-34
14. Marvel Graphic Novel #12: Dazzler the Movie (1984)
15. Dazzler (1980) #s 35-37
16. Beauty & the Beast (1984) #s 1-4
17. Dazzler (1980) #s 38-42
18. The Defenders (1972) #94
19. Milk & Cheese: Dairy Products Gone Bad (collected edition)
20. Alien: The Illustrated Story OGN (Simonson!)
21. Green Arrow (1987) #s 17-18
22. The Defenders (1972) #s 95-101
23. Star Trek (1984) #s 22-25
24. Micronauts: The New Voyages #s 2-3
25. The Defenders (1972) #s 102-105
26. Why Art? OGN (Eleanor Davis)
27. The Defenders (1972) #s 106-109
28. Micronauts: The New Voyages #4
29. Green Arrow (1987) #s 19-20
30. Spider-Man (2022) #6
31. Venom (2021) #17
32. Hallows Eve #1
33. Murderworld: Moon Knight #1
34. Murderworld: Game Over #1
35. Star Wars (2020) #s 31-32
36. Green Arrow (1987) #s 21-25
37. Death Bed #s 1-6 (Josh Williamson Vertigo mini)
38. Frostbite #s 1-6 (Josh Williamson Vertigo mini)
39. Unfollow #s 1-4
40. The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye OGN
41. Green Arrow (1987) #s 26-28
42. Dark Days: The Forge #1
43. Dark Days: The Casting #1
44. Nightwing (2016) #17
45. DC Pride Through The Years #1
46. Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #16
47. Superman (2023) #5
48. Green Arrow (2023) #3
49. Titans (2023) #2
50. Wonder Woman #800
51. Green Arrow (1987) #s 29-38
52. Detective Comics #s 1069-1072
53. Action Comics #s 1054-1056
54. Green Arrow (1987) #s 39-42
55. Detective Comics #1073
56. Green Arrow (1987) #s 43-50
57. Unstoppable Doom Patrol #4
58. Star Trek (1984) #s 26-28
59. The New Teen Titans (1980) #s 1-2
60. WildC.A.T.s (1992) #s 0, 1-9
61. WildC.A.T.s Trilogy #s 1-3
62. WildC.A.T.s Special (1993) #1
63. WildC.A.T.s (1992) #s 10-13
64. The New Teen Titans (1980) #3-6
65. Void Rivals #1
66. Fantastic Four (2022) #5
67. Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man (1976) #s 64, 69-70 (First appearances of Cloak & Dagger)
68. Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man (1976) #s 81-82
69. Cloak and Dagger (1983) #s 1-4
70. Marvel Team-Up Annual (1976) #6
71. Year Zero: Volume Zero #s 1-5
72. The Flash (1959)  #214
73. Bob The Galactic Bum #1
74. Cloak and Dagger (1985) #s 1-3
75. Marvel Fanfare #19
76. Cloak and Dagger (1985) #s 4-11
77. Bob The Galactic Bum #s 2-4
78. Cloak and Dagger: Predator and Prey OGN 
79. Strange Tales (1987) #s 1-6 (Cloak and Dagger stories only; end of Mantlo run on C&D)
80. Cloak and Dagger/Power Pack OGN
81. Marvel Super-Heroes: Contest of Champions #1
82. Showcase #100
83. World’s Finest Comics #300
84. Knight Terrors: First Blood #1
85. Knight Terrors: Batman #1
86. Knight Terrors: Black Adam #1
87. Knight Terrors: The Joker #1
88. Knight Terrors: Poison Ivy #1
89. Knight Terrors: Ravager #1
90. Knight Terrors: Green Lantern #1
91. Knight Terrors: Shazam #1
92. Peacemaker Tries Hard! #3
93. Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent #5
94. Judge Dredd: One-Eyed Jacks pt. 4-5 (Megazine serial)
95. Marvel Team-Up Annual (1976) #1
96. Adventureman #1
97. The Bojeffries Saga TPB (Top Shelf edition)
98. Dredd: Underbelly 
99. Dredd: Uprise 
100. Cyberforce (1992) #s 1-3
101. Green Arrow (1987) #s 51-62
102. G.I. Joe (1982) #s 100-106
103. Judge Dredd from 2000 AD March-June 2023 progs 
104. Smash! (2020 2000 AD spin-off oneshot)
105. Junkyard Joe #s 1-6
106. G.I. Joe (1982) #s 107-110
107. Immoral X-Men #2
108. Secret Invasion (2022) #s 1-5
109. Green Arrow (1987) #s 63-68
110. Nightwing (2016) #105
111. Green Arrow (1987) #s 69-81
112. Rogue Trooper: Blighty Valley pt. 1-12 (Ennis Rogue Trooper revival)
113. X-Force (2019) #s 7-20
114. The Spirit (2007) #1 
115. Wolverine (2020) #13
116. The Spirit (2007) #2
117. X-Force (2019) #s 21-28
118. X-Force (2019) #s 29-38
119. Wolverine (2020) #s 26-32
120. Knight Terrors #1
121. Knight Terrors: Zatanna #1
122. Knight Terrors: Robin #1
123. Knight Terrors: The Flash #1
124. World’s Finest: Teen Titans #1
125. The Spirit (2007) #3
126. Hulk (2021) #s 9-13
127. Cyberforce (1992) #s 4
128. Cyberforce (1993) #s 0, 1-3
129. The Spirit (2007) #s 4-8
130. Divinity #s 1-3
131. Rogue Trooper: Blighty Valley pt. 13 (Final chapter Ennis revival)
132. What If…? (1989) #54
133. Divinity #4
134. The Spirit (2015) #s 1-4
135. The Book of Death #s 1-4
136. The Book of Death: Harbinger #1
137. The Book of Death: X-O Manowar #1
138. The Spirit (2007) #9
139. Ultimate Invasion #1
140. The Incredible Hulk (2023) #1
141. Green Arrow (2001) #s 11-23
142. The Spirit (2015) #s 5-12
143. Vertigo Quarterly: Cyan #1
144. Vertigo Quarterly: Magenta #1
145. Vertigo Quarterly: Yellow #1
146. Vertigo Quarterly: Black #1
147. Green Arrow (2001) #s 26-32 
148. The Spirit (2007) #10
149. Green Arrow (2001) #s 33-46
150. The Incal: Dying Star OGN
151. The Spirit (2007) #s 11-12 (End of Darwyn Cooke run)
152. Prism Stalker: The Weeping Star OGN
153. Green Lantern/Green Arrow #s 76-77
154. WildC.A.T.s (1992) #s 15-20
155. Wildcats (1999) #s 0, 1-10
156. The Shadow (1987) #5
157. The Flash (1987) #s 1-15
158. She-Hulk (2022) #12
159. Joe Fixit #3
160. Wasp (2023) #3
161. Punisher (2022) #10
162. The Flash (1987) #s 16-24
163. The Shadow (1987) #1
164. The Flash (1987) #s 25-29
165. The Flash Annual (1987) #3
166. The Flash (1987) #s 30-40
167. The Flash (1987) #s 41-52
168. Green Arrow (2001) #s 47-50
169. The Flash (1987) #s 53-61 (End of William Messner-Loebs run)
170. Archer & Armstrong (2012) #s 1-5
171. The Amazing Spider-Man (2022) #s 21-22
172. The He-Man Effect: How America’s Toymakers Sold You Your Childhood OGN
173. Archer & Armstrong (2012) #s 6-13, 0
174. Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #17
175. Hawkgirl (2023) #1
176. Archer & Armstrong (2012) #s 14-17
177. Archer & Armstrong: Archer #0
178. Bloodshot and the HARD Corps #s 20-21
179. Archer & Armstrong (2012) #s 18-25
180. Harley Quinn: Black, White and Redder #1
181. Tales of the Titans #1
182. Knight Terrors: Superman #1
183. Knight Terrors: Punchline #1
184. Knight Terrors: Wonder Woman #1
185. Green Arrow (2001) #s 51-55
186. Green Arrow (2001) #s 56-75
187. Black Canary (2007) #s 1-4
188. Green Arrow/Black Canary Wedding Special #1