The Comic Concierge

Dan runs through his top 10 favorite comics of the week, starting with Spider-Man: Spider's Shadow #5 as the most disappointing read. The list spans a wide range of genres and themes: White #2 explores political conflict in a world where only Black people have superpowers; Fantastic Four: Life Story #3 ages the FF through the 1980s Cold War; Eve #4 continues a post-apocalyptic journey with unexpected character revelations; Six Sidekicks of Trigger Keaton #3 delivers a fun mystery about the death of an obnoxious action star; Black Myth #2 blends noir crime with supernatural fantasy; Daredevil #33 raises stakes with the return of Bullseye; Rorschach #11 serves as the penultimate issue with intricate page design; Silver Coin #5 reveals the origin of its mysterious artifact; Monolith #4 delivers a tense survival story with minimal dialogue; and Bitter Root #15 concludes a major story arc about fighting toxicity and bitterness.

Your weekly guide to new comics hitting shelves, covering new series launches (Planet-Size X-Men, Static: Season One, Jupiter's Legacy: Requiem, Compass, Seven Swords, Save Yourself), ongoing series starting fresh arcs (Justice League, The Silver Coin, Superman: Red and Blue, Usagi Yojimbo, Norse Mythology), and new collected editions (Locke & Key Keyhouse Compendium, Jim Lives, DCeased: Hope at World's End, Resistance, Factory Summers). Wraps up with a deep dive into this week's pick: Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow #1 by Tom King and Bilquis Everly.

Dan walks through his top 10 favorite comics from the week, starting with his biggest disappointment: Secret Land #1. This week's standouts include Hailstone #2, a post-Civil War western mystery; Iron Man #9, exploring the villain Korvac's perspective; Strange Academy #11, a murder mystery featuring Howard the Duck; Bunny Mask #1, a creepy horror debut; The Six Sidekicks of Trigger Keaton #1, a wacky Hollywood murder comedy; The Good Asian #2, a noir detective story set in 1930s San Francisco; Rorschach #9, a procedural crime investigation; Karmen #4, an emotionally impactful story with standout art; Black Hammer: Visions #5, a Batman-adjacent tale with striking color work; and his #1 pick, Geiger #3, which recontextualizes the entire series.

Dan explores Ed Brubaker's 1995 semi-autobiographical debut Lowlife, a collection of interconnected short stories about a directionless Gen X character named Tommy navigating relationships, petty crime, and dead-end jobs. The episode examines Brubaker's early strengths in dialogue and character work, his use of first-person perspective, and how the book captures the listless mood of 90s slacker culture—comparing it to Richard Linklater films and Clerks. Dan also reflects on Brubaker's dual role as writer-artist on the project and what his early work reveals about the crime and relationship themes that would define his later career.

Dan reviews three manga: Kingdom of Z Vol. 1, a zombie story with two eccentric female fighters that feels paint-by-numbers despite its premise; Spy Family Vols. 2-3, a clever spy-comedy about a master spy who adopts a mind-reading child and hires an assassin as a wife to infiltrate an elite school; and Syrup Vol. 1, an anthology of short human-drama stories about women in relationships. While Spy Family impresses with its commitment to character challenges and humor, Kingdom of Z lacks depth, and Syrup, though charming, suffers from underdeveloped stories and limited artistic diversity.

A guide to this week's notable new comics across multiple categories. Covers ongoing series starting new arcs including X-Men #21 and Excalibur #21 (part of the Hellfire Gala storyline), Strange Academy #11, Iron Man #9, Black Hammer: Visions #5, and Ant #12. New series highlighted include DC Pride #1, Bunny Mask #1, White #1, and Secret Land #1. Also discusses collected editions like Batman: Earth One Vol. 3, Spider-Gwen Omnibus, Doctor Strange: The Oath, The Marvel Art of George Perez, and In by Will MacPhail. Wraps up with pick of the week: The Six Sidekicks of Trigger Keaton #1.

Weekly rundown of new comic releases covering ongoing series starting new arcs (Spawn, Killadelphia, Ascender, and more), notable first issues (Stargirl: Spring Break Special, Mister Miracle: The Source of Freedom, Reptil, and others), and new graphic novels and trades. Includes discussion of Black Widow #7 as the week's top pick.

Dan counts down his ten favorite comics from the week, covering a range of publishers and genres. The selection includes indie standouts like Knowing Jill and Stray Dogs alongside major releases from Marvel and DC, with discussion of craft across writing, art, coloring, and design. No major spoilers included—timestamps provided for easy navigation.

Dan explores three graphic novels that examine resistance and fighting back against oppression through different formats and time periods. Freiheit! follows real German resistance fighters using written word against the Nazi regime; Infinitum is an afrofuturist prose-and-comics hybrid following an immortal African king across centuries; and The Black Panther Party is a well-researched nonfiction graphic history by David F. Walker and Marcus Kwame Anderson. All three demonstrate how information and education serve as powerful tools against systemic oppression.

A guide to this week's notable new comic releases and story arcs, featuring Wonder Girl #1, Legends of the Dark Knight #1, The Immortal Hulk: Time of Monsters #1, Shang-Chi #1, and Red Room #1, plus ongoing series returning with new arcs and new trade paperbacks. Includes a pick of the week with Fantastic Four: Life Story #1.

Dan counts down his top 10 favorite new releases from the week, featuring indie titles alongside one major publisher release. The lineup spans Westerns, fantasy, science fiction, and mystery, with standouts including Hailstone, Nottingham, 1000 Storms, Black Hammer: Visions, Scout's Honor, Sea of Sorrows, Time Before Time, Ice Cream Man, Rorschach, and Karmen.

Dan reviews three graphic novels: Darryl Cunningham's The Age of Selfishness, examining Ayn Rand's life, philosophy, and influence on the 2008 financial crisis; Cunningham's How to Fake a Moon Landing, debunking conspiracy theories and science denial; and Ablaze Comics' Kidz, a zombie survival story following a group of kids in a dystopian future, influenced by 1980s adventure films. All three tackle serious subjects through accessible cartooning, though Kidz shifts to a darker, more entertaining tone.

A curated guide to new comics hitting shelves this week, covering notable debuts and new story arcs. Highlighted new series include Time Before Time (a time-travel crime story from Image), X-Corp (the business side of the X-Men), and Silver City (an afterlife mystery from Aftershock). Ongoing titles starting fresh arcs include Fantastic Four with the Bride of Doom storyline and Star Wars' War of the Bounty Hunters event. The week's trade releases feature Dreaming Eagles (Tuskegee Airmen by Garth Ennis), Cyclopedia Exotica, The Department of Mind-Blowing Theories, and Stone Fruit. Pick of the week: Barbalien: Red Planet, a Black Hammer Universe series exploring the AIDS crisis through a queer sci-fi lens.

Dan reviews three graphic novels exploring identity through different lenses: Soupy Leaves Home, a Great Depression-era tale of a runaway girl finding herself on the rails; Fangirl, an adaptation following a college freshman twin navigating independence and self-discovery; and King of Eden, a horror manga featuring an ancient virus that transforms people into supernatural creatures. All three offer complex questions about who we are without easy answers.

A rundown of new comics arriving this week, highlighting ongoing series starting new arcs like Action Comics #1030, Miles Morales Spider-Man #25, Black Widow #6, and Fantastic Four #31. Coverage includes notable new series Robin #1, RWBY/Justice League #1, The Marvels #1, and Shadowman #1, plus trade releases like Justice League: The Tower of Babel and Hellblazer: Rise and Fall. The episode closes with a pick of the week: Friend of the Devil.

Dan breaks down a curated list of Captain America comics designed for new readers, spanning different eras, writers, and characters who've held the shield. From Robert Morales' unflinching *Red, White, and Black* to Ed Brubaker's defining *Winter Soldier* run, these recommendations offer different tones and entry points—whether you're drawn to WWII stories, contemporary political themes, or alternate takes on the role by characters like Sam Wilson, Bucky, and John Walker. Each pick stands alone and requires no prior Marvel knowledge.

Dan walks through this week's new comics to help readers find entry points. He covers ongoing series starting new arcs including Wolverine, Guardians of the Galaxy, Star Wars: Bounty Hunters, Black Hammer: Visions, and The Comic Book History of Animation. Notable new #1s discussed include Batman: Detective, Locke & Key/The Sandman Universe: Hell & Gone, The Batman Scooby-Doo! Mysteries, Darkhawk: Heart of the Hawk, Home, You Promised Me Darkness, Canto and the Land of Giants, Jules Verne's Lighthouse, The Phantom on the Scan, and Jenny Zero. He also highlights trades and graphic novels like Batman: Death in the Family, Criminal volumes, and Wicked Things before sharing his pick of the week: Spider-Man: Spider's Shadow.

Kyle Higgins returns from a break to walk through the week's major comic releases. He opens with his recommendation of the week—Immortal Hulk #2—and explores Al Ewing's horror-influenced take on Bruce Banner. The episode covers Batman #50 and its controversial wedding outcome, the new Catwoman #1 series by Jock Jones, plus releases from Marvel (Man of Steel, Captain America, Deadpool, Cosmic Ghost Rider, Doctor Strange) and Dark Horse (Sword Daughter). Other titles discussed include Quantum Age, Lowlifes, Star Wars, Death or Glory, and Judge Dredd Under Siege.

Matt from Simplistic Reviews flips the script on this reverse Concierge episode, recommending Revival Vol. 1: You're Among Friends by Tim Seeley and Mike Norton. The discussion covers the series' premise of dead people mysteriously returning to life in a small town as fully human (not zombies), the strong character work across a large cast, and how it balances supernatural horror with genuine family drama. Matt and Dan highlight the effective gore and tension-building, the political layers involving the CDC, and note the mystery driving the plot—particularly around the protagonist's sister and what caused the revival. They also touch on the specter/ghost element and the morally complex demonologist character, and praise how the book packs substantial story into its five issues.

Jay Soderberg (PodVader from Next Fan Up) joins to discuss Kyle Starks's Kill Them All, a graphic novel that lovingly parodies 80s and 90s action films with its cartoony art style and over-the-top action sequences. The conversation explores the book's John Woo influences, its surprisingly smart take on action movie tropes, strong female characters who outshine the male protagonists, and how Starks demonstrates genuine affection for the genre he's subverting. The episode also touches on Soderberg's comic book history and broader discussion of modern versus classic comics.