Welcome to Can’t Wait for Wednesday, your guide to what’s coming to your local comic shop this week. Vampires are everywhere this week, from the swashbuckling horror of BOOM!’s Vampyrates to the World War II action of IDW’s Operation: Iron Coffin. We’ve also got new graphic novels by Katie Skelly, Ngozi Ukazu, Mike Maihack and more.
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 + Mad Cave + more)
- ComicList (Pretty much all of the above)
- Amazon/Kindle + Neon Ichiban (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. So check with your retailer to see what’s arriving at their shop this week.
Vampyrates! #1 (BOOM! Studios, $6.99): Set in a world ruled by vampires, this new fantasy series follows an exiled empress who joins the crew of a pirate ship to reclaim her throne. Fred Van Lente and Luca Pizzari blend swashbuckling adventure, political intrigue and supernatural horror in the series debut.
Clayface: Celebrity Dirt #1 (DC, $3.99): Basil Karlo attempts to reclaim his life in this six-issue miniseries from Jude Ellison S. Doyle and Fran Galan. Fresh out of Arkham, the former actor discovers someone else has stolen both his identity and his celebrity status, while a series of disappearances and horrific transformations hint at a much larger mystery. No doubt this’ll be a good warm-up for the fall’s big Clayface movie.
Exquisite Corpses: Rascal Randy #1 (Image Comics, $3.99): One of the breakout killers from Exquisite Corpses receives an origin story in this new five-issue miniseries. Writer Tyler Boss teams with artist Dylan Burnett and colorist Jordie Bellaire to explore how Aurora Springs’ beloved rabbit mascot became one of the deadliest murderers in the series.
Witness Point #1 (Dark Horse, $4.99): Created by Nathan Fillion and Heath Corson, this four-issue noir mystery begins after a Wisconsin town learns it has secretly housed generations of Witness Protection participants, including countless criminals. With a federal marshal murdered almost immediately after arriving, the town descends into paranoia. Artist Soo Lee brings the mystery to life.
Operation: Iron Coffin #1 (IDW, $4.99): Dracula seeks redemption by joining an Allied mission during World War II that drops him onto a Nazi train carrying a vampire plague. Kenny Porter and Tyrell Cannon combine wartime action with supernatural horror in this oversized debut, as part of IDW’s new “Dark” imprint.
Fantastic Four: First Foes – Shalla-Bal #1 (Marvel, $4.99): Set in the world of the Fantastic Four: First Steps film, this one-shot explores the origins of Shalla-Bal and the sacrifices that transformed her into Galactus’ Herald. Ryan North, Charles Soule, Mark Buckingham and Phil Noto chronicle her journey from astronomer to one of the Marvel Universe’s most powerful cosmic figures.
Fire and Ice: Darkwolf #1 (Dynamite, $4.99): Inspired by the cinematic fantasy world created by Frank Frazetta, this new series follows the legendary Darkwolf as he comes to the aid of a mother and her children fleeing a powerful warlock. Writer Dan Panosian and artist Andrey Lunatik launch a new chapter in Dynamite’s Fire and Ice universe with a story rooted in mythic fantasy and brutal action.
Doctor Who: Circuit Breaker #1 (Titan Comics, $6.99): The Doctor travels to ancient Greece in the opening chapter of a new two-part adventure from writers Dan Watters and Dulce M. Montoya. With artwork by Roberta Ingranata, Sami Kivelä, and Valentina Bianconi, the story finds even the Greek gods fearing a mysterious force from beyond the stars.
Jeff the Land Shark: Superstar #1 (Marvel, $4.99): Jeff returns in a new all-ages adventure where Mojo kidnaps him to star in his latest interdimensional reality show. Kelly Thompson reunites with artist Tokitokoro for a story featuring Jeff, his companion Ken and a host of unusual Marvel mash-up characters like Dazzlestorm and Wolverine-Man.
B.O. Wolf #1 (SHP, $5.99): Darin S. Cape and Elba Niado blend the legend of Beowulf with 1980s suburban life in this five-issue miniseries. As a group of middle school friends escape into tabletop role-playing games to cope with an abusive bully, the boundaries between myth and reality begin to blur in unexpected ways.
Calexit: Say Goodbye to Hollywood #1 (Black Mask Studios, $4.99): Matteo Pizzolo and C. Granda return to the world of Calexit, where California left the United States, with a new three-issue chapter set against an increasingly fractured America. As conflict engulfs California, smugglers, resistance fighters and ordinary citizens struggle to protect both their freedom and the future of Hollywood.
Aladdin #1 (Dynamite, $4.99): A new ongoing series returns readers to Agrabah as Aladdin, Jasmine, Abu, Carpet and Genie reunite for a new adventure. Written by James III with art by Agnese Eterno, the series finds the former street rat drawn into another threat that puts both his friends and the city in danger.
Dispatched #1 (Ignition Press, $4.99): Writer B. Clay Moore and artist Daniel Gete launch this action thriller about an ex-black ops operative turned delivery driver finds himself trapped inside an office complex under terrorist siege, forcing him to improvise weapons from the packages in his truck.
The Rocketeer: Infiltrator! #1 (IDW, $4.99): Gabriel Hardman and Dean Kotz kick off a new Rocketeer adventure centered on espionage and a mysterious superweapon, as Cliff Secord heads behind enemy lines during World War II after Betty agrees to pose as a Hollywood actress defecting to Nazi Germany.
It’s Symbie #1 (Marvel, $5.99): Marvel collects some of the mischievous symbiote’s adventures from its Infinity Comics line and beyond into a single print edition. Written by Jacob Chabot and MacKenzie Cadenhead with art by Enid Balam and Pepe Larraz, the collection sends Symbie bouncing across the Marvel Universe alongside heroes including Spider-Man, Thor and the Fantastic Four.
Absolute Batman #22 (DC, $4.99): Scott Snyder and guest artist Werther Dell’Edera explore the origin of the Absolute Universe’s Harley Quinn. Alongside Harley’s connection to Ark M, the issue also reveals more about the Robins’ evolution while Batman faces one of his greatest challenges yet.
White Boat #3 (DSTLRY, $8.99): Speaking of Scott Snyder, the long-awaited conclusion to his Lovecraftian horror series with Francesco Francavilla arrives this week. Lee faces an impossible choice after uncovering the truth behind the island’s mysterious cult, bringing the miniseries to a cosmic conclusion.
Sonic the Hedgehog: 35th Anniversary Special (IDW, $7.99): Sonic, Tails, Amy and Knuckles investigate a mysterious meteor that transforms the landscape around Angel Island, while Dr. Eggman pursues its strange power for his own purposes. Written by Iasmin Omar Ata with art by Thomas Rothlisberger, the oversized special celebrates 35 years of the video game super speedster.
Dingoliath #1 (Bad Idea, $5.99): Robert Venditti, Brockton McKinney and Manix Abrera launch a new shared horror universe with this one-shot introducing one of its deadliest monsters. What begins as a routine police raid on a drug kingpin quickly becomes a desperate fight for survival when officers encounter something far more terrifying than they expected.
Do a Powerbomb: Black & White #1 (Image Comics, $5.99): Daniel Warren Johnson’s Eisner Award-winning wrestling epic is one of the best comics of the past few years, and now it returns in a new black-and-white edition collecting the first two issues of the original series. The story follows aspiring wrestler Lona Steelrose as she enters an impossible tournament organized by a necromancer, where the stakes are far greater than any championship belt.
Heaven (Fantagraphics, $19.99): Katie Skelly returns with her first graphic novel since Maids, following a young woman who discovers a mysterious strip club in the desert that may offer the belonging she’s been searching for. Blending supernatural horror with coming-of-age drama, the standalone graphic novel features Skelly’s distinctive visual style throughout.
Orion (DC, $16.99): Ngozi Ukazu follows up Barda with a graphic novel centered on Orion, the New God raised on New Genesis who learns the truth about his birth as the son of Darkseid. As Apokolips threatens his adopted home, Orion must decide whether he is destined to become the hero his family believes him to be or the monster his lineage suggests.
Spider-Man: Mighty Mayhem (Abrams, $12.99): Cartoonist Mike Maihack continues his Mighty Marvel Team-Up series as Spider-Man joins a frog-sized Thor on a quest across the Nine Realms. The all-ages graphic novel teams the duo with Valkyrie and the Warriors Three to recover Odin’s magical artifacts before the Enchantress can claim them.
Ladies of the Knight (Oni Press, $19.99): Fiona Marchbank’s webcomic about an ambitious young squire and the reluctant knight assigned to train her in a kingdom where jousting has become a spectator sport get collected. The story mixes humor, friendship and medieval adventure as the mismatched pair learn to work together.
Superman’s Good Guy Gang: Follow the Leader (DC, $12.99): Rob Justus returns to his all-ages take on the DC Universe as Superman, Hawkgirl and Green Lantern argue over who should lead their superhero club. The competition becomes even more complicated when a young Mister Terrific arrives claiming to be the strongest hero of them all, turning a friendly rivalry into an entertaining contest.
Kloud 9: The Star Soldier (Top Shelf, $19.99): AJ O. Mason and Dominic Bustamante’s young-adult graphic novel follows a teenager whose romance with an alien deserter expands into a galaxy-spanning adventure. Combining science fiction, action and a slow-burn love story, the book explores first love amid an interstellar pursuit.
Freaks’ Squeele Vols. 1-2 (Magnetic, $24.99 each): Florent Maudoux’s long-running European fantasy series, which was recently crowdfunded by Magnetic Press, arrives in comic shops, introducing readers to a university that trains aspiring superheroes. Mixing superhero tropes and school-life comedy, the first two volumes follow Chance, Shadow and Xiong Mao as they navigate classes and their increasingly dangerous assignments.
Wolf’s Belly (Roaring Brook Press, $25.99): Author John August and artist Simón Estrada offer a fresh take on Little Red Riding Hood, revealing what really happened after Lu and her grandmother were swallowed by the wolf. The middle-grade graphic novel transforms the classic fairy tale into a fantasy adventure set inside a magical world within the wolf itself.
Disney Science in Comics: Cities of Tomorrow (Papercutz, $29.99): Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde from Zootopia investigate a mystery affecting Bunnyburrow in the latest entry in Papercutz’s educational Science in Comics series. Along the way, the story explores modern city development through an adventure written by a team of scientists: Dr. Francesca De Filippi, Dr. Chiara Anzolini, Prof. Fabio Fracas and Dr. AnnMarie P. Thomas, and illusdtrated by Benedetta Barone, Marino Gentile, Andrea Greppi and Emilio Urbano.
Lex Luthor: Diabolical Genius: A Superman Graphic Novel (DC, $12.99): A teenaged Lex Luthor sets out to prove he’s every bit the criminal mastermind he’ll one day become in this original young adult graphic novel. Written by Christof Bogacs with art by Valerio Chiola, the story follows a young Lex as he plots to kidnap Lois Lane, hoping to force Superman into handing over his greatest weakness. But he soon finds Superman’s friend, Batman, complicating his carefully laid plans.
My Tokyo Summer (Graphix, $16.99): Abby Denson writes and Utomaru draws the story of two girls — Abby, living in New York, and Yuuko, living in Tokyo — who become pen pals and bond over music, manga and comics. When Abby enrolls in a summer college program in Japan, the pair get the chance to meet in person.