Welcome to Can’t Wait for Wednesday, your guide to what comics are arriving in comic book stores, bookstores and on digital.
I’ve pulled out some of the highlights for this week below, but for the complete list of everything you might find at your local comic shop and on digital this week, you’ll want to check out one or more of the following:
- Penguin Random House (Marvel + IDW + Dark Horse + more)
- Lunar Distribution (DC + Image + more)
- Diamond’s PreviewsWorld (Dynamite + more)
- ComicList (Pretty much all of the above)
- Amazon/Kindle new releases (digital comics)
As a reminder, things can change and what you find on the above lists may differ from what’s actually arriving in your local shop. With Diamond going through bankruptcy proceedings, distribution has become even more tumultuous, with deliveries and arrival dates changing. So check with your retailer to see what’s arriving at their shop.
Batman #157 (DC, $4.99): This issue marks the end of Chip Zdarsky and Jorge Jimenez’s time on Batman, as next issue Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee return to the title for a sequel to their “Hush” storyline. Tony S. Daniel, no stranger to Batman, joins them for their final, double-sized issue.
“I love Batman. It’s been a true joy working on the title,” Zdarsky said in his newsletter about leaving the title. “But some time in the spring I got the itch in the back of my brain to wrap things up. Partly because Jorge and I were finishing up the giant Failsafe/Zur story, but also because my amazing Bat-editor Ben Abernathy had left for Transforming G.I. Joes at Skybound. I also had a terrifying workload in front of me and had to make some hard decisions about what needed to be prioritized.”
As a fan I’m sad to see Zdarsky and Jimenez go, but I’m looking forward to seeing what they do next.
Power Man: Timeless #1 (Marvel, $4.99): If you were wondering when you might see the future version of Luke Cage introduced in the 2023 Timeless one-shot, wonder no more. This miniseries by co-writers Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing and artist Bernard Chang brings the ultra-powerful hero — he has the powers of the Hulk, the Sentry and Iron Fist combined — to the present day.
Frankenstein: New World #1 (Dark Horse, $3.99): After the world ended, Frankenstein’s story was just beginning. The legendary monster’s future adventures started in 2022’s Frankenstein: New World, and now he’s back for a sequel, by Mike Mignola, writers Christopher Golden and Thomas Sniegoski, artist Peter Bergting, colorist Michelle Madsen and letterer Clem Robins.
Bronze Faces #1 (BOOM! Studios, $4.99): Shobo and Shof Coker (New Master) team with artist Alexandre Tefenkgi for this heist story set at the British Museum with the real-life Benin Bronzes at its center.
The Quarrel (Critical Entertainment, $2.99): I am not familiar with Critical Entertainment or this book’s creators, Mason Mendoza and Alonso Molina Gonzales, but the cover caught my eye and the watercolored artwork previewed on their website is absolutely lovely. The comic itself is about a red-tailed hawk chasing an oriole through Central Park, and I hope I can find a copy for myself.
Star Wars: Legacy of Vader #1 (Marvel, $4.99): Written by Charles Soule with artwork by Luke Ross, this new ongoing series shows Kylo Ren’s quest to learn more about his grandfather, Darth Vader. The leader of the First Order sets a course for everywhere from Mustafar to Tattooine to confront his own inner turmoil.