Welcome to Can’t Wait for Comics, your guide each week to what comics are arriving in comic book stores, bookstores and on digital.
This week brings another wave of DC’s Future State and Marvel’s King in Black tie-ins, as well two Star Wars: The High Republic comics. There’s also a fun new graphic novel featuring drunk mermaids who get stuck on land.
Check out a few recommendations below, or visit ComicList for this week’s full list of new comics arriving in stores, and the comiXology new releases page for what’s available digitally.
DC Future State
We have one more month to go in DC’s big Future State event, which looks at the various possible futures for many of their characters. This week brings six more issues, including the second issues of Swamp Thing, Wonder Woman, Superman of Metropolis and more. Shane, Tom and I have been talking about these titles in our “State of Future State” columns; you can read the ones that cover these particular titles here and here.
King in Black
If you’re buying all of King in Black AND Future State, be prepared to spend some money this week, as Marvel is releasing four tie-in titles on Wednesday — including the first issues of Black Knight and Marauders.
Avengers Mech Strike
The Avengers get mech suits in this five-issue miniseries by Jed MacKay and Carlos Magno. I’m not really sure what to make of this — is this the remnants of a Transformers crossover or Shogun Warriors reboot that never happened? — but I’m curious enough to check it out to see why they suddenly need giant robots suits. Although if I had the means, I’d have my own giant mech suit, so maybe a better question is, what took them so long to build them? And there better be toys coming.
Star Wars: The High republic
Disney/Lucasfilm’s The High Republic initiative is now in full swing, with novels and comics and more hitting the Outer Rim. This week brings the debut of IDW’s Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures by author Daniel José Older and artist Harvey Tolibao. It’s not to be confused with Marvel’s Star Wars: The High Republic #2, which also comes out this week.
Deep Beyond
Image Comics launches a new series by Mirka Andolfo, David Goy, Andrea Broccardo and Barbara Nosenzo. Deep Beyond is about a world devastated by the millennium bug, where scientists explore the abyss of the ocean and perhaps release something even more dangerous.
The Legend of Shang-Chi
Following the five-issue Shang-Chi miniseries that just came to a conclusion last month, Marvel releases a one-shot that pits Shang-Chi against Lady Deathstrike, by Alyssa Wong and Andie Tong.
Man-Bat
After pandemic-related delays, DC’s new Man-Bat series by Dave Wielgosz and Sumit Kumar arrives in stores. It details what happens when Kirk Langstrom and his alter-ego hit rock bottom, and Batman and the GCPD have to stop his spree of devastation.
Chained to the Grave
IDW kicks off a new horror/western miniseries about an undead cowboy who is literally chained to his headstone, and he searches for treasure to help out the family he left behind. It’s by Brian Level, Andy Eschenbach and Kate Sherron.
Fear Case
Matt Kindt and Tyler Jenkins re-team for a new supernatural detective series from Dark Horse titled Fear Case. It’s about a Secret Service agent and his new-age partner, who investigate a mysterious box known as the ”Fear Case,” which has appeared throughout history at sites of disaster and tragedy. Whoever comes into possession of this case must pass it on within three days or face deadly consequences.
Graphic Fantasy
Erik Larsen’s long-running series Savage Dragon wasn’t the first time the creator worked on the character — and it wasn’t in Megaton #3, either. No, it was actually in a fanzine called Graphic Fantasy, and now Image is reprinting the long out-of-print volume that introduces Paul Dragon and other characters.
Maniac Of New York
This week AfterShock Comics kicks off a new miniseries from Elliott Kalan and Andrea Mutti titled Maniac Of New York. It’s about a Friday the 13th-style killer named Maniac Harry who roams New York, unkillable and unstoppable, so official police policy is to avoid him. A detective and an aide from City Hall go rogue, however, determined to bring him down without official sanction.
Redemption
AWA kicks off a new series by Christa Faust and Mike Deodato Jr. that’s an apocalyptic western. Redemption, both the title and name of the town where it’s set, is hanging on by a thread after the end of the world, as a young girl seeks out a famous gunslinger to help save her mom and the town from a despot.
Represent!
Associated Press journalist, editor and author Jesse Holland teams up with artist Doug Braithwaite on the latest issue of the DC Digital First series Represent! The story will pull from Holland’s childhood on a Mississippi farm, which has been in his family since their first ancestor was freed from slavery—tended by his grandfather and his father before him. Holland must decide if he wants to be a farmer, like those who came before him, or follow his own path.
Thirsty Mermaids
Gallery13’s latest release. Thirsty Mermaids, comes from the uber-talented Kat Leyh of Lumberjanes fame. It’s about three mermaids who decide to magically masquerade as humans and head to a local seaside tourist-trap town. Only thing is, after they’re done partying, they don’t know how to change back into mermaids.