#fantasticfour — Public Fediverse posts

Marvelous Market: Best New Comics September 23

*Checks notes* The Muppets meet Marvel?

Hello and welcome to the Marvelous Market, my weekly guide for anyone interested in going to a comic book store today. In addition to a full list of new # 1s and new volume 1s, I’ll be giving you my top 4 recommendations in 4 categories. Like Houston legend Mike Jones rapped, “We’re still tippin’ on four-fours.” I’m going to give you the top four new comics, top four ongoing comics, the top four graphic novels, and the top 4 preorders.

The work going into this curation is made possible by readers like you. For less than the cost of a cup of coffee a month, you can help make this work possible.

New Issue # 1s

CRIMES AGAINST NATURE # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

TWO BEST FRIENDS. A MAN AND HIS APE AGAINST THE WORLD.

A famous Hollywood Animal Trainer, Doctor Kermit Groeden, and his only client/best friend — Amigo the Ape, the first gorilla ever nominated for an Academy Award — are framed for a crime they didn’t commit.

Now they’re on the run. And to clear their names and save their lives, Kermit and Amigo will be forced to reveal their darkest secrets and confront each other’s hidden past. Will their friendship be able to survive? A story about secrets, sins, and simians.

THE MUPPETS TAKE THE MARVEL UNIVERSE # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

TONIGHT’S VERY SPECIAL GUEST STARS — THE MARVEL UNIVERSE!

To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of THE MUPPET SHOW… we bring you a crossover no one saw coming! Join EISNER-winning writer and one of the world”s greatest Muppet fans CHIP ZDARSKY along with a cadre of Marvelously talented creators as they unleash The Muppets’ trademark chaos on the MARVEL UNIVERSE. ROWLF THE DOG kidnapped by MOJO? KERMIT THE FROG, MISS PIGGY, FOZZIE BEAR, SPIDER-MAN, BLACK PANTHER and EMMA FROST to the rescue? DR. BUNSEN HONEYDEW and BEAKER experimenting with GAMMA RAYS and PYM PARTICLES? What could go wrong? Find out in this epic tale told in the MIGHTY MARVEL MUPPET MANNER!

STAR TREK # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

Their mission is new. Their legacy is not.

From the pen of fan-favorite writer Christopher Cantwell (Star Trek: Defiant, Star Trek: Red Shirts) and the brush of psychedelic standout Dennis Menheere (Etheres, Little Nightmares) comes the launch of an all-new flagship… and this time, we’re busting out of the four quadrants.

The Enterprise-G is on a desperate mission beyond the known Galaxy to relocate the dying Avuran people when its crew finds a perfect new home in a region of unknown space called the Epsilon Corridor. Three pristine Class-M worlds — the Trinity — await the refugees. No signs of civilization. No detectable threats. A colonist’s dream. But the dream fractures fast.

When Captain Seven of Nine and her divided, fast-tracked crew begin exploring the Trinity, they uncover disturbing contradictions: vanished structures, inexplicable artifacts, time skips, and evidence of a presence Starfleet’s century-old probes never detected. Each world houses a different ecosystem, different physics problems, and different secrets — as if they’ve been curated… or quarantined. But from who? Or what?

The first arc of Star Trek delivers a prestige, mystery-driven, high-stakes psychological thriller of an opening salvo — new worlds, new species, new existential threats — anchored by Seven, Jack, and Crash La Forge fighting to keep the mission together as the Galaxy’s oldest ghosts awaken.

THAT TEXAS BLOOD: HELL COMES TO ALLISON RANCH # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

THE ACCLAIMED FAN-FAVORITE SERIES RETURNS WITH A JAM-PACKED NEW NUMBER ONE, PERFECT FOR NEW READERS!

On March 19, 2003, Sheriff Joe Bob Coates and Deputy Wilson Hart are called to the Allison Ranch — the largest and richest ranch in the United States — where family grievances are blooming into full-blown war. This first issue will be loaded with bonus materials including behind the scenes peeks, newly conducted interviews, essays, cartoons, and MORE! 

ONGOING SERIES

ABSOLUTE BATMAN # 24

SOLICIT COPY:

WITHOUT THE BADGE… WITHOUT HER FATHER… ABSOLUTE BAT ENTERS THE SCENE. In the battle of self, of Batman versus Batman, there can be only one. Everyone Bruce has ever known, ever cared about, or ever loved will face their ultimate inner demons.

BLACK TOWER: THE RAVEN CONSPIRACY # 2

SOLICIT COPY:

Daniel Burroughs, a young American CIA trainee, is acclimating to his new London lifestyle … but it’s not easy to get used to his strange new coworkers at Black Tower. His boss is getting buddy-buddy with the Russians, his colleague is a witch who’s sleeping with a demon, and there’s an assassin circling their sorcerous spy agency … one who can slip in and out of his targets’ dreams!

THOR # 801

SOLICIT COPY:

THE QUEST FOR THOR BEGINS! Sigurd Jarlson is an ordinary man — but he alone can call Asgard’s greatest hero back to life. But to rebuild the bridge between humanity and the gods, he must begin his quest in the worst place of all. Somewhere in Hel, a man with a hammer begins a journey into mystery…

VOID RIVALS # 34

SOLICIT COPY:

ROM vs. the dreaded PREDACRON — everyone’s favorite bounty-hunter! Wait a minute! Whose book is this, anyway?

Trade Paperbacks, Hardcovers, and OGNs

THE ADVENTURE OF BLACK CAT NYANGO vol. 2 TP

SOLICIT COPY:

Though Nyango has proved just how useful sky magic is through his pawsitive attitude and unwavering determination, he’s still a long way off from being a full-fledged adventurer. The next step is to explore the possibilities of combining his bestowed attribute with a new form of power—seal magic!

DEAD GIRLS HC

SOLICIT COPY:

The teen daughter of an infamous serial killer must prove she isn’t the one behind recent copycat murders in this “tongue-in-cheek” (Booklist, starred review) graphic novel that’s a campy, feminist send-up of slashers that both celebrates and subverts classic tropes.

In the cozy town of Clossdale, a serial killer rampages! Five girls missing in as many weeks! Bodies turning up on the forest floor! And all fingers point to one vile fiend: Ash Hargreeves.

Except Ash didn’t do it. She may be the daughter of the infamous Clossdale Killer, and these copycat killings aren’t exactly convincing proof of her innocence—and okay, she’s kind of a weirdo who has two friends total, but when the murders strike a little too close to home, Ash decides to take a stand.

With the help of her besties, Ash is going to hunt down the killer, clear her mother’s name, and stop there from being any more dead girls—now and forever. After all, WWJLCD: what would Jamie Lee Curtis do?

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: THE MIRAGE YEARS 1984-1987 IDW Classics Collections TP

SOLICIT COPY:

Go back to where it all started in this pocket-sized collection that includes the first 10 issues of  Eastman & Laird’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the four Micro-Series one-shots by Mirage Studios in one convenient-to-read book!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles burst onto the comics scene in 1984 and made history! Now is your chance to read the first 10 issues, plus the Raphael, Michaelangelo, Donatello, and Leonardo Micro-Series one-shots by co-creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. Presented as they first appeared in black and white, new readers can experience the comics that started the phenomenon while longtime fans can revisit the series in an all-new format!

Along with Eastman and Laird’s early work, see the first work of Michael Dooney, Ryan Brown, Jim Lawson, and Steve Bissette, who would become longtime contributors to the TMNT series.

This IDW Classic Collection presents readers the chance to see where the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles phenomenon started in a convenient 6 x 9 format! 

ULTIMATE ENDGAME TP

SOLICIT COPY:

Marvel’s Boldest Experiment Concludes in an Unbelievable, Era‑Defining Finale for the Ultimate Universe!

Two years have passed in the Ultimate Universe — but inside the City, the Maker has had thousands of years to prepare for his return! With the barrier around the City finally gone, the world’s new heroes — including Spider-Man, America Chavez, Killmonger and Doom — must mobilize to defeat the Maker before it’s game over. For everyone. Inside the City, the desperate group battles the terrifying Children of Tomorrow — and discovers some surprising allies! Meanwhile, the rest of the world wages World War III, and Iron Lad makes a stunning and heartbreaking discovery that could change the fate of the Ultimate Universe forever. With shocking twists, painful deaths and massive reveals, this is the century’s ultimate super-hero event!

COLLECTING: Ultimate Endgame (2025) #1-5

Preorders on Final Order Cutoff

ARCHIE IN HELL # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

TO BE SAVED… HE MUST BE DAMNED! In the bloodstained tradition of AFTERLIFE WITH ARCHIE, something wicked this way comes to Riverdale in an infernal new ongoing series from multiple Eisner Award winner Patrick Horvath (Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees) and Russ Manning Award winner Tyler Crook (Out of Alcatraz, Harrow County)!

They say that every small town has a secret. Well, in the case of Riverdale, it’s one heck of a humdinger: An ancient order of cultists has infiltrated its townspeople, bent on using human sacrifice to usher a demon lord into our mortal plane. And they’ve finally identified the final target they need to bring a century’s worth of planning to fruition: hometown football champion and all-around good guy Archie Andrews. But this secret cabal never dreamed that actual witches walk Riverdale’s streets… and when cult and coven clash in the final stages of Archie’s secret-ritual sacrifice, the consequences will be cosmic… and young Archie Andrews will find himself damned to something far worse than Hell’s inner circle.

Unstuck from time and space. Bound to a terrible curse. Late for school. Things are about to go from bad to downright diabolical as Horvath and Crook unleash the most malevolently merciless Archie Comics tale ever told… and, truly, you’ll never, ever expect what happens next.

BEN 10 vol. 1: Event Arrival

SOLICIT COPY:

Fan-favorite animation hero Ben 10 returns in an all-new series, collected here for the first time! When a mysterious meteor crashes to Earth, 10-year-old Ben Tennyson discovers the Omnitrix, a high-tech alien gauntlet of incredible power and potential. With this device on his wrist, Ben has the power to transform into incredible alien forms. But can he control this power?

This is the modern, definitive take on Ben 10 from the team that created him – Man of Action – including the introductions of numerous alien foes in an epic retelling and expansion of his original story, written by Joe Casey. Then, writer Steven T. Seagle steps in as things take a turn for the creepy. In a rainy Northwest stop on their endless summer vacation, the Tennyson family is drawn to a circus where the crowds aren’t cheering, the clowns aren’t laughing, and the ringmaster has plans for a frightful future well beyond his broken big top. Can Ben master the Omnitrix in time to find the right alien to stop the bizarre ZOMBOZO from making Grandpa Max his next death-defying act?

Collecting BEN 10 #1 – 5 with a complete gallery of covers.

MAD SCIENCE DIVISION # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

It’s no secret Archimedes Anderson is a nepo hire. Assigned chief-coordinator of R&D at the American arm of genetic engineering and bioweapons development company Miyashi-Smith, everyone knows he’s here for one purpose: to slash the budget and trim the fat. If he can cut 30% from the unaffectionately nicknamed “Mad Science Division” budget, he’ll earn a cushy, high-level job at HQ.

He goes in with a move-fast-and-break-stuff attitude, knowing absolutely nothing about the dangerous genetic experiments taking place in the division. When he upsets the delicate equilibrium of the department factions and removes guard rails which protect the workers and the public, he winds up exposing them to terrible, evil experiments.

From the twisted minds of Dan Watters (Nightwing; TMNT: Shredder) and Brian Level (Venom: Black, White & Blood) comes a comedic, sci-fi horror series that asks, “What if DOGE dismantled the SCP Foundation?”

STARTSHIP GODZILLA: FIRST WARS Manga Style Edition TP

SOLICIT COPY:

Join a crew of cosmic misfits as they soar through the stars in Mechagodzilla in this series that ties in with the all-new Kai-Sei Era of Godzilla comics in a black-and-white edition!

You didn’t think kaiju were only on Earth, did you?

In the fight for galactic supremacy, no weapon is more powerful than a kaiju… and no team is better equipped to capture and transport these titanic monsters than the crew of Starship Godzilla!

This ragtag group flies through space in Mechagodzilla and takes high-risk, high-reward missions across the galaxy. A kaiju heading toward your planet? Give them a call. A colossal space pest clogging up your trade route? They’ll get rid of it. A galactic civil war utilizing kaiju on both sides? They’ll… uh… do their best to stay out of it. But where there’s a galactic war, there’s a galactic conspiracy, and our crew members may not all land on the same side of this fight.

A brand-new kaiju space epic starts here in Starship Godzilla from Chris Gooch (In Utero, Under-Earth) and Oliver Ono (Godzilla: Monster Island Summer Camp)! Part of the new Godzilla connected comic book universe with Godzilla (Kai-Sei Era) and Godzilla: Escape the Deadzone!

What did I miss?

If there are some great comics, collected or in single issues, that you think I should be reading, tell me about them! And if you do try out any of these series, let me know how you liked them, or didn’t. This is a safe space for haters. If you enjoy this service, please share this article on social media or tell someone that you know reads comics about it.

Divining Comics is brought to you by generous support from the “Best Friends of Divining Comics”: Alex Seubert. Dustin Commet

Divining Comics is also brought to you by the support of the “Friends of Divining Comics”: Comic Book Herald.

If you would like to add your name to the list of friends, best friends, or best friends forever, support this work for less than the cost of one cup of coffee a month at patreon.com/diviningcomics. You can also leave a one-time tip/buy my zines at ko-fi.com/spikestonehand. Or, if you can’t afford to support me financially at this time, simply follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Bluesky and share my posts there.

Marvelous Market: Best New Comics September 23

*Checks notes* The Muppets meet Marvel?

Hello and welcome to the Marvelous Market, my weekly guide for anyone interested in going to a comic book store today. In addition to a full list of new # 1s and new volume 1s, I’ll be giving you my top 4 recommendations in 4 categories. Like Houston legend Mike Jones rapped, “We’re still tippin’ on four-fours.” I’m going to give you the top four new comics, top four ongoing comics, the top four graphic novels, and the top 4 preorders.

The work going into this curation is made possible by readers like you. For less than the cost of a cup of coffee a month, you can help make this work possible.

New Issue # 1s

CRIMES AGAINST NATURE # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

TWO BEST FRIENDS. A MAN AND HIS APE AGAINST THE WORLD.

A famous Hollywood Animal Trainer, Doctor Kermit Groeden, and his only client/best friend — Amigo the Ape, the first gorilla ever nominated for an Academy Award — are framed for a crime they didn’t commit.

Now they’re on the run. And to clear their names and save their lives, Kermit and Amigo will be forced to reveal their darkest secrets and confront each other’s hidden past. Will their friendship be able to survive? A story about secrets, sins, and simians.

THE MUPPETS TAKE THE MARVEL UNIVERSE # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

TONIGHT’S VERY SPECIAL GUEST STARS — THE MARVEL UNIVERSE!

To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of THE MUPPET SHOW… we bring you a crossover no one saw coming! Join EISNER-winning writer and one of the world”s greatest Muppet fans CHIP ZDARSKY along with a cadre of Marvelously talented creators as they unleash The Muppets’ trademark chaos on the MARVEL UNIVERSE. ROWLF THE DOG kidnapped by MOJO? KERMIT THE FROG, MISS PIGGY, FOZZIE BEAR, SPIDER-MAN, BLACK PANTHER and EMMA FROST to the rescue? DR. BUNSEN HONEYDEW and BEAKER experimenting with GAMMA RAYS and PYM PARTICLES? What could go wrong? Find out in this epic tale told in the MIGHTY MARVEL MUPPET MANNER!

STAR TREK # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

Their mission is new. Their legacy is not.

From the pen of fan-favorite writer Christopher Cantwell (Star Trek: Defiant, Star Trek: Red Shirts) and the brush of psychedelic standout Dennis Menheere (Etheres, Little Nightmares) comes the launch of an all-new flagship… and this time, we’re busting out of the four quadrants.

The Enterprise-G is on a desperate mission beyond the known Galaxy to relocate the dying Avuran people when its crew finds a perfect new home in a region of unknown space called the Epsilon Corridor. Three pristine Class-M worlds — the Trinity — await the refugees. No signs of civilization. No detectable threats. A colonist’s dream. But the dream fractures fast.

When Captain Seven of Nine and her divided, fast-tracked crew begin exploring the Trinity, they uncover disturbing contradictions: vanished structures, inexplicable artifacts, time skips, and evidence of a presence Starfleet’s century-old probes never detected. Each world houses a different ecosystem, different physics problems, and different secrets — as if they’ve been curated… or quarantined. But from who? Or what?

The first arc of Star Trek delivers a prestige, mystery-driven, high-stakes psychological thriller of an opening salvo — new worlds, new species, new existential threats — anchored by Seven, Jack, and Crash La Forge fighting to keep the mission together as the Galaxy’s oldest ghosts awaken.

THAT TEXAS BLOOD: HELL COMES TO ALLISON RANCH # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

THE ACCLAIMED FAN-FAVORITE SERIES RETURNS WITH A JAM-PACKED NEW NUMBER ONE, PERFECT FOR NEW READERS!

On March 19, 2003, Sheriff Joe Bob Coates and Deputy Wilson Hart are called to the Allison Ranch — the largest and richest ranch in the United States — where family grievances are blooming into full-blown war. This first issue will be loaded with bonus materials including behind the scenes peeks, newly conducted interviews, essays, cartoons, and MORE! 

ONGOING SERIES

ABSOLUTE BATMAN # 24

SOLICIT COPY:

WITHOUT THE BADGE… WITHOUT HER FATHER… ABSOLUTE BAT ENTERS THE SCENE. In the battle of self, of Batman versus Batman, there can be only one. Everyone Bruce has ever known, ever cared about, or ever loved will face their ultimate inner demons.

BLACK TOWER: THE RAVEN CONSPIRACY # 2

SOLICIT COPY:

Daniel Burroughs, a young American CIA trainee, is acclimating to his new London lifestyle … but it’s not easy to get used to his strange new coworkers at Black Tower. His boss is getting buddy-buddy with the Russians, his colleague is a witch who’s sleeping with a demon, and there’s an assassin circling their sorcerous spy agency … one who can slip in and out of his targets’ dreams!

THOR # 801

SOLICIT COPY:

THE QUEST FOR THOR BEGINS! Sigurd Jarlson is an ordinary man — but he alone can call Asgard’s greatest hero back to life. But to rebuild the bridge between humanity and the gods, he must begin his quest in the worst place of all. Somewhere in Hel, a man with a hammer begins a journey into mystery…

VOID RIVALS # 34

SOLICIT COPY:

ROM vs. the dreaded PREDACRON — everyone’s favorite bounty-hunter! Wait a minute! Whose book is this, anyway?

Trade Paperbacks, Hardcovers, and OGNs

THE ADVENTURE OF BLACK CAT NYANGO vol. 2 TP

SOLICIT COPY:

Though Nyango has proved just how useful sky magic is through his pawsitive attitude and unwavering determination, he’s still a long way off from being a full-fledged adventurer. The next step is to explore the possibilities of combining his bestowed attribute with a new form of power—seal magic!

DEAD GIRLS HC

SOLICIT COPY:

The teen daughter of an infamous serial killer must prove she isn’t the one behind recent copycat murders in this “tongue-in-cheek” (Booklist, starred review) graphic novel that’s a campy, feminist send-up of slashers that both celebrates and subverts classic tropes.

In the cozy town of Clossdale, a serial killer rampages! Five girls missing in as many weeks! Bodies turning up on the forest floor! And all fingers point to one vile fiend: Ash Hargreeves.

Except Ash didn’t do it. She may be the daughter of the infamous Clossdale Killer, and these copycat killings aren’t exactly convincing proof of her innocence—and okay, she’s kind of a weirdo who has two friends total, but when the murders strike a little too close to home, Ash decides to take a stand.

With the help of her besties, Ash is going to hunt down the killer, clear her mother’s name, and stop there from being any more dead girls—now and forever. After all, WWJLCD: what would Jamie Lee Curtis do?

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: THE MIRAGE YEARS 1984-1987 IDW Classics Collections TP

SOLICIT COPY:

Go back to where it all started in this pocket-sized collection that includes the first 10 issues of  Eastman & Laird’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the four Micro-Series one-shots by Mirage Studios in one convenient-to-read book!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles burst onto the comics scene in 1984 and made history! Now is your chance to read the first 10 issues, plus the Raphael, Michaelangelo, Donatello, and Leonardo Micro-Series one-shots by co-creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. Presented as they first appeared in black and white, new readers can experience the comics that started the phenomenon while longtime fans can revisit the series in an all-new format!

Along with Eastman and Laird’s early work, see the first work of Michael Dooney, Ryan Brown, Jim Lawson, and Steve Bissette, who would become longtime contributors to the TMNT series.

This IDW Classic Collection presents readers the chance to see where the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles phenomenon started in a convenient 6 x 9 format! 

ULTIMATE ENDGAME TP

SOLICIT COPY:

Marvel’s Boldest Experiment Concludes in an Unbelievable, Era‑Defining Finale for the Ultimate Universe!

Two years have passed in the Ultimate Universe — but inside the City, the Maker has had thousands of years to prepare for his return! With the barrier around the City finally gone, the world’s new heroes — including Spider-Man, America Chavez, Killmonger and Doom — must mobilize to defeat the Maker before it’s game over. For everyone. Inside the City, the desperate group battles the terrifying Children of Tomorrow — and discovers some surprising allies! Meanwhile, the rest of the world wages World War III, and Iron Lad makes a stunning and heartbreaking discovery that could change the fate of the Ultimate Universe forever. With shocking twists, painful deaths and massive reveals, this is the century’s ultimate super-hero event!

COLLECTING: Ultimate Endgame (2025) #1-5

Preorders on Final Order Cutoff

ARCHIE IN HELL # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

TO BE SAVED… HE MUST BE DAMNED! In the bloodstained tradition of AFTERLIFE WITH ARCHIE, something wicked this way comes to Riverdale in an infernal new ongoing series from multiple Eisner Award winner Patrick Horvath (Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees) and Russ Manning Award winner Tyler Crook (Out of Alcatraz, Harrow County)!

They say that every small town has a secret. Well, in the case of Riverdale, it’s one heck of a humdinger: An ancient order of cultists has infiltrated its townspeople, bent on using human sacrifice to usher a demon lord into our mortal plane. And they’ve finally identified the final target they need to bring a century’s worth of planning to fruition: hometown football champion and all-around good guy Archie Andrews. But this secret cabal never dreamed that actual witches walk Riverdale’s streets… and when cult and coven clash in the final stages of Archie’s secret-ritual sacrifice, the consequences will be cosmic… and young Archie Andrews will find himself damned to something far worse than Hell’s inner circle.

Unstuck from time and space. Bound to a terrible curse. Late for school. Things are about to go from bad to downright diabolical as Horvath and Crook unleash the most malevolently merciless Archie Comics tale ever told… and, truly, you’ll never, ever expect what happens next.

BEN 10 vol. 1: Event Arrival

SOLICIT COPY:

Fan-favorite animation hero Ben 10 returns in an all-new series, collected here for the first time! When a mysterious meteor crashes to Earth, 10-year-old Ben Tennyson discovers the Omnitrix, a high-tech alien gauntlet of incredible power and potential. With this device on his wrist, Ben has the power to transform into incredible alien forms. But can he control this power?

This is the modern, definitive take on Ben 10 from the team that created him – Man of Action – including the introductions of numerous alien foes in an epic retelling and expansion of his original story, written by Joe Casey. Then, writer Steven T. Seagle steps in as things take a turn for the creepy. In a rainy Northwest stop on their endless summer vacation, the Tennyson family is drawn to a circus where the crowds aren’t cheering, the clowns aren’t laughing, and the ringmaster has plans for a frightful future well beyond his broken big top. Can Ben master the Omnitrix in time to find the right alien to stop the bizarre ZOMBOZO from making Grandpa Max his next death-defying act?

Collecting BEN 10 #1 – 5 with a complete gallery of covers.

MAD SCIENCE DIVISION # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

It’s no secret Archimedes Anderson is a nepo hire. Assigned chief-coordinator of R&D at the American arm of genetic engineering and bioweapons development company Miyashi-Smith, everyone knows he’s here for one purpose: to slash the budget and trim the fat. If he can cut 30% from the unaffectionately nicknamed “Mad Science Division” budget, he’ll earn a cushy, high-level job at HQ.

He goes in with a move-fast-and-break-stuff attitude, knowing absolutely nothing about the dangerous genetic experiments taking place in the division. When he upsets the delicate equilibrium of the department factions and removes guard rails which protect the workers and the public, he winds up exposing them to terrible, evil experiments.

From the twisted minds of Dan Watters (Nightwing; TMNT: Shredder) and Brian Level (Venom: Black, White & Blood) comes a comedic, sci-fi horror series that asks, “What if DOGE dismantled the SCP Foundation?”

STARTSHIP GODZILLA: FIRST WARS Manga Style Edition TP

SOLICIT COPY:

Join a crew of cosmic misfits as they soar through the stars in Mechagodzilla in this series that ties in with the all-new Kai-Sei Era of Godzilla comics in a black-and-white edition!

You didn’t think kaiju were only on Earth, did you?

In the fight for galactic supremacy, no weapon is more powerful than a kaiju… and no team is better equipped to capture and transport these titanic monsters than the crew of Starship Godzilla!

This ragtag group flies through space in Mechagodzilla and takes high-risk, high-reward missions across the galaxy. A kaiju heading toward your planet? Give them a call. A colossal space pest clogging up your trade route? They’ll get rid of it. A galactic civil war utilizing kaiju on both sides? They’ll… uh… do their best to stay out of it. But where there’s a galactic war, there’s a galactic conspiracy, and our crew members may not all land on the same side of this fight.

A brand-new kaiju space epic starts here in Starship Godzilla from Chris Gooch (In Utero, Under-Earth) and Oliver Ono (Godzilla: Monster Island Summer Camp)! Part of the new Godzilla connected comic book universe with Godzilla (Kai-Sei Era) and Godzilla: Escape the Deadzone!

What did I miss?

If there are some great comics, collected or in single issues, that you think I should be reading, tell me about them! And if you do try out any of these series, let me know how you liked them, or didn’t. This is a safe space for haters. If you enjoy this service, please share this article on social media or tell someone that you know reads comics about it.

Divining Comics is brought to you by generous support from the “Best Friends of Divining Comics”: Alex Seubert. Dustin Commet

Divining Comics is also brought to you by the support of the “Friends of Divining Comics”: Comic Book Herald.

If you would like to add your name to the list of friends, best friends, or best friends forever, support this work for less than the cost of one cup of coffee a month at patreon.com/diviningcomics. You can also leave a one-time tip/buy my zines at ko-fi.com/spikestonehand. Or, if you can’t afford to support me financially at this time, simply follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Bluesky and share my posts there.

Marvelous Market: Best New Comics September 23

*Checks notes* The Muppets meet Marvel?

Hello and welcome to the Marvelous Market, my weekly guide for anyone interested in going to a comic book store today. In addition to a full list of new # 1s and new volume 1s, I’ll be giving you my top 4 recommendations in 4 categories. Like Houston legend Mike Jones rapped, “We’re still tippin’ on four-fours.” I’m going to give you the top four new comics, top four ongoing comics, the top four graphic novels, and the top 4 preorders.

The work going into this curation is made possible by readers like you. For less than the cost of a cup of coffee a month, you can help make this work possible.

New Issue # 1s

CRIMES AGAINST NATURE # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

TWO BEST FRIENDS. A MAN AND HIS APE AGAINST THE WORLD.

A famous Hollywood Animal Trainer, Doctor Kermit Groeden, and his only client/best friend — Amigo the Ape, the first gorilla ever nominated for an Academy Award — are framed for a crime they didn’t commit.

Now they’re on the run. And to clear their names and save their lives, Kermit and Amigo will be forced to reveal their darkest secrets and confront each other’s hidden past. Will their friendship be able to survive? A story about secrets, sins, and simians.

THE MUPPETS TAKE THE MARVEL UNIVERSE # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

TONIGHT’S VERY SPECIAL GUEST STARS — THE MARVEL UNIVERSE!

To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of THE MUPPET SHOW… we bring you a crossover no one saw coming! Join EISNER-winning writer and one of the world”s greatest Muppet fans CHIP ZDARSKY along with a cadre of Marvelously talented creators as they unleash The Muppets’ trademark chaos on the MARVEL UNIVERSE. ROWLF THE DOG kidnapped by MOJO? KERMIT THE FROG, MISS PIGGY, FOZZIE BEAR, SPIDER-MAN, BLACK PANTHER and EMMA FROST to the rescue? DR. BUNSEN HONEYDEW and BEAKER experimenting with GAMMA RAYS and PYM PARTICLES? What could go wrong? Find out in this epic tale told in the MIGHTY MARVEL MUPPET MANNER!

STAR TREK # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

Their mission is new. Their legacy is not.

From the pen of fan-favorite writer Christopher Cantwell (Star Trek: Defiant, Star Trek: Red Shirts) and the brush of psychedelic standout Dennis Menheere (Etheres, Little Nightmares) comes the launch of an all-new flagship… and this time, we’re busting out of the four quadrants.

The Enterprise-G is on a desperate mission beyond the known Galaxy to relocate the dying Avuran people when its crew finds a perfect new home in a region of unknown space called the Epsilon Corridor. Three pristine Class-M worlds — the Trinity — await the refugees. No signs of civilization. No detectable threats. A colonist’s dream. But the dream fractures fast.

When Captain Seven of Nine and her divided, fast-tracked crew begin exploring the Trinity, they uncover disturbing contradictions: vanished structures, inexplicable artifacts, time skips, and evidence of a presence Starfleet’s century-old probes never detected. Each world houses a different ecosystem, different physics problems, and different secrets — as if they’ve been curated… or quarantined. But from who? Or what?

The first arc of Star Trek delivers a prestige, mystery-driven, high-stakes psychological thriller of an opening salvo — new worlds, new species, new existential threats — anchored by Seven, Jack, and Crash La Forge fighting to keep the mission together as the Galaxy’s oldest ghosts awaken.

THAT TEXAS BLOOD: HELL COMES TO ALLISON RANCH # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

THE ACCLAIMED FAN-FAVORITE SERIES RETURNS WITH A JAM-PACKED NEW NUMBER ONE, PERFECT FOR NEW READERS!

On March 19, 2003, Sheriff Joe Bob Coates and Deputy Wilson Hart are called to the Allison Ranch — the largest and richest ranch in the United States — where family grievances are blooming into full-blown war. This first issue will be loaded with bonus materials including behind the scenes peeks, newly conducted interviews, essays, cartoons, and MORE! 

ONGOING SERIES

ABSOLUTE BATMAN # 24

SOLICIT COPY:

WITHOUT THE BADGE… WITHOUT HER FATHER… ABSOLUTE BAT ENTERS THE SCENE. In the battle of self, of Batman versus Batman, there can be only one. Everyone Bruce has ever known, ever cared about, or ever loved will face their ultimate inner demons.

BLACK TOWER: THE RAVEN CONSPIRACY # 2

SOLICIT COPY:

Daniel Burroughs, a young American CIA trainee, is acclimating to his new London lifestyle … but it’s not easy to get used to his strange new coworkers at Black Tower. His boss is getting buddy-buddy with the Russians, his colleague is a witch who’s sleeping with a demon, and there’s an assassin circling their sorcerous spy agency … one who can slip in and out of his targets’ dreams!

THOR # 801

SOLICIT COPY:

THE QUEST FOR THOR BEGINS! Sigurd Jarlson is an ordinary man — but he alone can call Asgard’s greatest hero back to life. But to rebuild the bridge between humanity and the gods, he must begin his quest in the worst place of all. Somewhere in Hel, a man with a hammer begins a journey into mystery…

VOID RIVALS # 34

SOLICIT COPY:

ROM vs. the dreaded PREDACRON — everyone’s favorite bounty-hunter! Wait a minute! Whose book is this, anyway?

Trade Paperbacks, Hardcovers, and OGNs

THE ADVENTURE OF BLACK CAT NYANGO vol. 2 TP

SOLICIT COPY:

Though Nyango has proved just how useful sky magic is through his pawsitive attitude and unwavering determination, he’s still a long way off from being a full-fledged adventurer. The next step is to explore the possibilities of combining his bestowed attribute with a new form of power—seal magic!

DEAD GIRLS HC

SOLICIT COPY:

The teen daughter of an infamous serial killer must prove she isn’t the one behind recent copycat murders in this “tongue-in-cheek” (Booklist, starred review) graphic novel that’s a campy, feminist send-up of slashers that both celebrates and subverts classic tropes.

In the cozy town of Clossdale, a serial killer rampages! Five girls missing in as many weeks! Bodies turning up on the forest floor! And all fingers point to one vile fiend: Ash Hargreeves.

Except Ash didn’t do it. She may be the daughter of the infamous Clossdale Killer, and these copycat killings aren’t exactly convincing proof of her innocence—and okay, she’s kind of a weirdo who has two friends total, but when the murders strike a little too close to home, Ash decides to take a stand.

With the help of her besties, Ash is going to hunt down the killer, clear her mother’s name, and stop there from being any more dead girls—now and forever. After all, WWJLCD: what would Jamie Lee Curtis do?

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: THE MIRAGE YEARS 1984-1987 IDW Classics Collections TP

SOLICIT COPY:

Go back to where it all started in this pocket-sized collection that includes the first 10 issues of  Eastman & Laird’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the four Micro-Series one-shots by Mirage Studios in one convenient-to-read book!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles burst onto the comics scene in 1984 and made history! Now is your chance to read the first 10 issues, plus the Raphael, Michaelangelo, Donatello, and Leonardo Micro-Series one-shots by co-creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. Presented as they first appeared in black and white, new readers can experience the comics that started the phenomenon while longtime fans can revisit the series in an all-new format!

Along with Eastman and Laird’s early work, see the first work of Michael Dooney, Ryan Brown, Jim Lawson, and Steve Bissette, who would become longtime contributors to the TMNT series.

This IDW Classic Collection presents readers the chance to see where the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles phenomenon started in a convenient 6 x 9 format! 

ULTIMATE ENDGAME TP

SOLICIT COPY:

Marvel’s Boldest Experiment Concludes in an Unbelievable, Era‑Defining Finale for the Ultimate Universe!

Two years have passed in the Ultimate Universe — but inside the City, the Maker has had thousands of years to prepare for his return! With the barrier around the City finally gone, the world’s new heroes — including Spider-Man, America Chavez, Killmonger and Doom — must mobilize to defeat the Maker before it’s game over. For everyone. Inside the City, the desperate group battles the terrifying Children of Tomorrow — and discovers some surprising allies! Meanwhile, the rest of the world wages World War III, and Iron Lad makes a stunning and heartbreaking discovery that could change the fate of the Ultimate Universe forever. With shocking twists, painful deaths and massive reveals, this is the century’s ultimate super-hero event!

COLLECTING: Ultimate Endgame (2025) #1-5

Preorders on Final Order Cutoff

ARCHIE IN HELL # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

TO BE SAVED… HE MUST BE DAMNED! In the bloodstained tradition of AFTERLIFE WITH ARCHIE, something wicked this way comes to Riverdale in an infernal new ongoing series from multiple Eisner Award winner Patrick Horvath (Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees) and Russ Manning Award winner Tyler Crook (Out of Alcatraz, Harrow County)!

They say that every small town has a secret. Well, in the case of Riverdale, it’s one heck of a humdinger: An ancient order of cultists has infiltrated its townspeople, bent on using human sacrifice to usher a demon lord into our mortal plane. And they’ve finally identified the final target they need to bring a century’s worth of planning to fruition: hometown football champion and all-around good guy Archie Andrews. But this secret cabal never dreamed that actual witches walk Riverdale’s streets… and when cult and coven clash in the final stages of Archie’s secret-ritual sacrifice, the consequences will be cosmic… and young Archie Andrews will find himself damned to something far worse than Hell’s inner circle.

Unstuck from time and space. Bound to a terrible curse. Late for school. Things are about to go from bad to downright diabolical as Horvath and Crook unleash the most malevolently merciless Archie Comics tale ever told… and, truly, you’ll never, ever expect what happens next.

BEN 10 vol. 1: Event Arrival

SOLICIT COPY:

Fan-favorite animation hero Ben 10 returns in an all-new series, collected here for the first time! When a mysterious meteor crashes to Earth, 10-year-old Ben Tennyson discovers the Omnitrix, a high-tech alien gauntlet of incredible power and potential. With this device on his wrist, Ben has the power to transform into incredible alien forms. But can he control this power?

This is the modern, definitive take on Ben 10 from the team that created him – Man of Action – including the introductions of numerous alien foes in an epic retelling and expansion of his original story, written by Joe Casey. Then, writer Steven T. Seagle steps in as things take a turn for the creepy. In a rainy Northwest stop on their endless summer vacation, the Tennyson family is drawn to a circus where the crowds aren’t cheering, the clowns aren’t laughing, and the ringmaster has plans for a frightful future well beyond his broken big top. Can Ben master the Omnitrix in time to find the right alien to stop the bizarre ZOMBOZO from making Grandpa Max his next death-defying act?

Collecting BEN 10 #1 – 5 with a complete gallery of covers.

MAD SCIENCE DIVISION # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

It’s no secret Archimedes Anderson is a nepo hire. Assigned chief-coordinator of R&D at the American arm of genetic engineering and bioweapons development company Miyashi-Smith, everyone knows he’s here for one purpose: to slash the budget and trim the fat. If he can cut 30% from the unaffectionately nicknamed “Mad Science Division” budget, he’ll earn a cushy, high-level job at HQ.

He goes in with a move-fast-and-break-stuff attitude, knowing absolutely nothing about the dangerous genetic experiments taking place in the division. When he upsets the delicate equilibrium of the department factions and removes guard rails which protect the workers and the public, he winds up exposing them to terrible, evil experiments.

From the twisted minds of Dan Watters (Nightwing; TMNT: Shredder) and Brian Level (Venom: Black, White & Blood) comes a comedic, sci-fi horror series that asks, “What if DOGE dismantled the SCP Foundation?”

STARTSHIP GODZILLA: FIRST WARS Manga Style Edition TP

SOLICIT COPY:

Join a crew of cosmic misfits as they soar through the stars in Mechagodzilla in this series that ties in with the all-new Kai-Sei Era of Godzilla comics in a black-and-white edition!

You didn’t think kaiju were only on Earth, did you?

In the fight for galactic supremacy, no weapon is more powerful than a kaiju… and no team is better equipped to capture and transport these titanic monsters than the crew of Starship Godzilla!

This ragtag group flies through space in Mechagodzilla and takes high-risk, high-reward missions across the galaxy. A kaiju heading toward your planet? Give them a call. A colossal space pest clogging up your trade route? They’ll get rid of it. A galactic civil war utilizing kaiju on both sides? They’ll… uh… do their best to stay out of it. But where there’s a galactic war, there’s a galactic conspiracy, and our crew members may not all land on the same side of this fight.

A brand-new kaiju space epic starts here in Starship Godzilla from Chris Gooch (In Utero, Under-Earth) and Oliver Ono (Godzilla: Monster Island Summer Camp)! Part of the new Godzilla connected comic book universe with Godzilla (Kai-Sei Era) and Godzilla: Escape the Deadzone!

What did I miss?

If there are some great comics, collected or in single issues, that you think I should be reading, tell me about them! And if you do try out any of these series, let me know how you liked them, or didn’t. This is a safe space for haters. If you enjoy this service, please share this article on social media or tell someone that you know reads comics about it.

Divining Comics is brought to you by generous support from the “Best Friends of Divining Comics”: Alex Seubert. Dustin Commet

Divining Comics is also brought to you by the support of the “Friends of Divining Comics”: Comic Book Herald.

If you would like to add your name to the list of friends, best friends, or best friends forever, support this work for less than the cost of one cup of coffee a month at patreon.com/diviningcomics. You can also leave a one-time tip/buy my zines at ko-fi.com/spikestonehand. Or, if you can’t afford to support me financially at this time, simply follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Bluesky and share my posts there.

Marvelous Market: Best New Comics September 23

*Checks notes* The Muppets meet Marvel?

Hello and welcome to the Marvelous Market, my weekly guide for anyone interested in going to a comic book store today. In addition to a full list of new # 1s and new volume 1s, I’ll be giving you my top 4 recommendations in 4 categories. Like Houston legend Mike Jones rapped, “We’re still tippin’ on four-fours.” I’m going to give you the top four new comics, top four ongoing comics, the top four graphic novels, and the top 4 preorders.

The work going into this curation is made possible by readers like you. For less than the cost of a cup of coffee a month, you can help make this work possible.

New Issue # 1s

CRIMES AGAINST NATURE # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

TWO BEST FRIENDS. A MAN AND HIS APE AGAINST THE WORLD.

A famous Hollywood Animal Trainer, Doctor Kermit Groeden, and his only client/best friend — Amigo the Ape, the first gorilla ever nominated for an Academy Award — are framed for a crime they didn’t commit.

Now they’re on the run. And to clear their names and save their lives, Kermit and Amigo will be forced to reveal their darkest secrets and confront each other’s hidden past. Will their friendship be able to survive? A story about secrets, sins, and simians.

THE MUPPETS TAKE THE MARVEL UNIVERSE # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

TONIGHT’S VERY SPECIAL GUEST STARS — THE MARVEL UNIVERSE!

To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of THE MUPPET SHOW… we bring you a crossover no one saw coming! Join EISNER-winning writer and one of the world”s greatest Muppet fans CHIP ZDARSKY along with a cadre of Marvelously talented creators as they unleash The Muppets’ trademark chaos on the MARVEL UNIVERSE. ROWLF THE DOG kidnapped by MOJO? KERMIT THE FROG, MISS PIGGY, FOZZIE BEAR, SPIDER-MAN, BLACK PANTHER and EMMA FROST to the rescue? DR. BUNSEN HONEYDEW and BEAKER experimenting with GAMMA RAYS and PYM PARTICLES? What could go wrong? Find out in this epic tale told in the MIGHTY MARVEL MUPPET MANNER!

STAR TREK # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

Their mission is new. Their legacy is not.

From the pen of fan-favorite writer Christopher Cantwell (Star Trek: Defiant, Star Trek: Red Shirts) and the brush of psychedelic standout Dennis Menheere (Etheres, Little Nightmares) comes the launch of an all-new flagship… and this time, we’re busting out of the four quadrants.

The Enterprise-G is on a desperate mission beyond the known Galaxy to relocate the dying Avuran people when its crew finds a perfect new home in a region of unknown space called the Epsilon Corridor. Three pristine Class-M worlds — the Trinity — await the refugees. No signs of civilization. No detectable threats. A colonist’s dream. But the dream fractures fast.

When Captain Seven of Nine and her divided, fast-tracked crew begin exploring the Trinity, they uncover disturbing contradictions: vanished structures, inexplicable artifacts, time skips, and evidence of a presence Starfleet’s century-old probes never detected. Each world houses a different ecosystem, different physics problems, and different secrets — as if they’ve been curated… or quarantined. But from who? Or what?

The first arc of Star Trek delivers a prestige, mystery-driven, high-stakes psychological thriller of an opening salvo — new worlds, new species, new existential threats — anchored by Seven, Jack, and Crash La Forge fighting to keep the mission together as the Galaxy’s oldest ghosts awaken.

THAT TEXAS BLOOD: HELL COMES TO ALLISON RANCH # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

THE ACCLAIMED FAN-FAVORITE SERIES RETURNS WITH A JAM-PACKED NEW NUMBER ONE, PERFECT FOR NEW READERS!

On March 19, 2003, Sheriff Joe Bob Coates and Deputy Wilson Hart are called to the Allison Ranch — the largest and richest ranch in the United States — where family grievances are blooming into full-blown war. This first issue will be loaded with bonus materials including behind the scenes peeks, newly conducted interviews, essays, cartoons, and MORE! 

ONGOING SERIES

ABSOLUTE BATMAN # 24

SOLICIT COPY:

WITHOUT THE BADGE… WITHOUT HER FATHER… ABSOLUTE BAT ENTERS THE SCENE. In the battle of self, of Batman versus Batman, there can be only one. Everyone Bruce has ever known, ever cared about, or ever loved will face their ultimate inner demons.

BLACK TOWER: THE RAVEN CONSPIRACY # 2

SOLICIT COPY:

Daniel Burroughs, a young American CIA trainee, is acclimating to his new London lifestyle … but it’s not easy to get used to his strange new coworkers at Black Tower. His boss is getting buddy-buddy with the Russians, his colleague is a witch who’s sleeping with a demon, and there’s an assassin circling their sorcerous spy agency … one who can slip in and out of his targets’ dreams!

THOR # 801

SOLICIT COPY:

THE QUEST FOR THOR BEGINS! Sigurd Jarlson is an ordinary man — but he alone can call Asgard’s greatest hero back to life. But to rebuild the bridge between humanity and the gods, he must begin his quest in the worst place of all. Somewhere in Hel, a man with a hammer begins a journey into mystery…

VOID RIVALS # 34

SOLICIT COPY:

ROM vs. the dreaded PREDACRON — everyone’s favorite bounty-hunter! Wait a minute! Whose book is this, anyway?

Trade Paperbacks, Hardcovers, and OGNs

THE ADVENTURE OF BLACK CAT NYANGO vol. 2 TP

SOLICIT COPY:

Though Nyango has proved just how useful sky magic is through his pawsitive attitude and unwavering determination, he’s still a long way off from being a full-fledged adventurer. The next step is to explore the possibilities of combining his bestowed attribute with a new form of power—seal magic!

DEAD GIRLS HC

SOLICIT COPY:

The teen daughter of an infamous serial killer must prove she isn’t the one behind recent copycat murders in this “tongue-in-cheek” (Booklist, starred review) graphic novel that’s a campy, feminist send-up of slashers that both celebrates and subverts classic tropes.

In the cozy town of Clossdale, a serial killer rampages! Five girls missing in as many weeks! Bodies turning up on the forest floor! And all fingers point to one vile fiend: Ash Hargreeves.

Except Ash didn’t do it. She may be the daughter of the infamous Clossdale Killer, and these copycat killings aren’t exactly convincing proof of her innocence—and okay, she’s kind of a weirdo who has two friends total, but when the murders strike a little too close to home, Ash decides to take a stand.

With the help of her besties, Ash is going to hunt down the killer, clear her mother’s name, and stop there from being any more dead girls—now and forever. After all, WWJLCD: what would Jamie Lee Curtis do?

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: THE MIRAGE YEARS 1984-1987 IDW Classics Collections TP

SOLICIT COPY:

Go back to where it all started in this pocket-sized collection that includes the first 10 issues of  Eastman & Laird’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the four Micro-Series one-shots by Mirage Studios in one convenient-to-read book!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles burst onto the comics scene in 1984 and made history! Now is your chance to read the first 10 issues, plus the Raphael, Michaelangelo, Donatello, and Leonardo Micro-Series one-shots by co-creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. Presented as they first appeared in black and white, new readers can experience the comics that started the phenomenon while longtime fans can revisit the series in an all-new format!

Along with Eastman and Laird’s early work, see the first work of Michael Dooney, Ryan Brown, Jim Lawson, and Steve Bissette, who would become longtime contributors to the TMNT series.

This IDW Classic Collection presents readers the chance to see where the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles phenomenon started in a convenient 6 x 9 format! 

ULTIMATE ENDGAME TP

SOLICIT COPY:

Marvel’s Boldest Experiment Concludes in an Unbelievable, Era‑Defining Finale for the Ultimate Universe!

Two years have passed in the Ultimate Universe — but inside the City, the Maker has had thousands of years to prepare for his return! With the barrier around the City finally gone, the world’s new heroes — including Spider-Man, America Chavez, Killmonger and Doom — must mobilize to defeat the Maker before it’s game over. For everyone. Inside the City, the desperate group battles the terrifying Children of Tomorrow — and discovers some surprising allies! Meanwhile, the rest of the world wages World War III, and Iron Lad makes a stunning and heartbreaking discovery that could change the fate of the Ultimate Universe forever. With shocking twists, painful deaths and massive reveals, this is the century’s ultimate super-hero event!

COLLECTING: Ultimate Endgame (2025) #1-5

Preorders on Final Order Cutoff

ARCHIE IN HELL # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

TO BE SAVED… HE MUST BE DAMNED! In the bloodstained tradition of AFTERLIFE WITH ARCHIE, something wicked this way comes to Riverdale in an infernal new ongoing series from multiple Eisner Award winner Patrick Horvath (Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees) and Russ Manning Award winner Tyler Crook (Out of Alcatraz, Harrow County)!

They say that every small town has a secret. Well, in the case of Riverdale, it’s one heck of a humdinger: An ancient order of cultists has infiltrated its townspeople, bent on using human sacrifice to usher a demon lord into our mortal plane. And they’ve finally identified the final target they need to bring a century’s worth of planning to fruition: hometown football champion and all-around good guy Archie Andrews. But this secret cabal never dreamed that actual witches walk Riverdale’s streets… and when cult and coven clash in the final stages of Archie’s secret-ritual sacrifice, the consequences will be cosmic… and young Archie Andrews will find himself damned to something far worse than Hell’s inner circle.

Unstuck from time and space. Bound to a terrible curse. Late for school. Things are about to go from bad to downright diabolical as Horvath and Crook unleash the most malevolently merciless Archie Comics tale ever told… and, truly, you’ll never, ever expect what happens next.

BEN 10 vol. 1: Event Arrival

SOLICIT COPY:

Fan-favorite animation hero Ben 10 returns in an all-new series, collected here for the first time! When a mysterious meteor crashes to Earth, 10-year-old Ben Tennyson discovers the Omnitrix, a high-tech alien gauntlet of incredible power and potential. With this device on his wrist, Ben has the power to transform into incredible alien forms. But can he control this power?

This is the modern, definitive take on Ben 10 from the team that created him – Man of Action – including the introductions of numerous alien foes in an epic retelling and expansion of his original story, written by Joe Casey. Then, writer Steven T. Seagle steps in as things take a turn for the creepy. In a rainy Northwest stop on their endless summer vacation, the Tennyson family is drawn to a circus where the crowds aren’t cheering, the clowns aren’t laughing, and the ringmaster has plans for a frightful future well beyond his broken big top. Can Ben master the Omnitrix in time to find the right alien to stop the bizarre ZOMBOZO from making Grandpa Max his next death-defying act?

Collecting BEN 10 #1 – 5 with a complete gallery of covers.

MAD SCIENCE DIVISION # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

It’s no secret Archimedes Anderson is a nepo hire. Assigned chief-coordinator of R&D at the American arm of genetic engineering and bioweapons development company Miyashi-Smith, everyone knows he’s here for one purpose: to slash the budget and trim the fat. If he can cut 30% from the unaffectionately nicknamed “Mad Science Division” budget, he’ll earn a cushy, high-level job at HQ.

He goes in with a move-fast-and-break-stuff attitude, knowing absolutely nothing about the dangerous genetic experiments taking place in the division. When he upsets the delicate equilibrium of the department factions and removes guard rails which protect the workers and the public, he winds up exposing them to terrible, evil experiments.

From the twisted minds of Dan Watters (Nightwing; TMNT: Shredder) and Brian Level (Venom: Black, White & Blood) comes a comedic, sci-fi horror series that asks, “What if DOGE dismantled the SCP Foundation?”

STARTSHIP GODZILLA: FIRST WARS Manga Style Edition TP

SOLICIT COPY:

Join a crew of cosmic misfits as they soar through the stars in Mechagodzilla in this series that ties in with the all-new Kai-Sei Era of Godzilla comics in a black-and-white edition!

You didn’t think kaiju were only on Earth, did you?

In the fight for galactic supremacy, no weapon is more powerful than a kaiju… and no team is better equipped to capture and transport these titanic monsters than the crew of Starship Godzilla!

This ragtag group flies through space in Mechagodzilla and takes high-risk, high-reward missions across the galaxy. A kaiju heading toward your planet? Give them a call. A colossal space pest clogging up your trade route? They’ll get rid of it. A galactic civil war utilizing kaiju on both sides? They’ll… uh… do their best to stay out of it. But where there’s a galactic war, there’s a galactic conspiracy, and our crew members may not all land on the same side of this fight.

A brand-new kaiju space epic starts here in Starship Godzilla from Chris Gooch (In Utero, Under-Earth) and Oliver Ono (Godzilla: Monster Island Summer Camp)! Part of the new Godzilla connected comic book universe with Godzilla (Kai-Sei Era) and Godzilla: Escape the Deadzone!

What did I miss?

If there are some great comics, collected or in single issues, that you think I should be reading, tell me about them! And if you do try out any of these series, let me know how you liked them, or didn’t. This is a safe space for haters. If you enjoy this service, please share this article on social media or tell someone that you know reads comics about it.

Divining Comics is brought to you by generous support from the “Best Friends of Divining Comics”: Alex Seubert. Dustin Commet

Divining Comics is also brought to you by the support of the “Friends of Divining Comics”: Comic Book Herald.

If you would like to add your name to the list of friends, best friends, or best friends forever, support this work for less than the cost of one cup of coffee a month at patreon.com/diviningcomics. You can also leave a one-time tip/buy my zines at ko-fi.com/spikestonehand. Or, if you can’t afford to support me financially at this time, simply follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Bluesky and share my posts there.

Marvelous Market: Best New Comics September 23

*Checks notes* The Muppets meet Marvel?

Hello and welcome to the Marvelous Market, my weekly guide for anyone interested in going to a comic book store today. In addition to a full list of new # 1s and new volume 1s, I’ll be giving you my top 4 recommendations in 4 categories. Like Houston legend Mike Jones rapped, “We’re still tippin’ on four-fours.” I’m going to give you the top four new comics, top four ongoing comics, the top four graphic novels, and the top 4 preorders.

The work going into this curation is made possible by readers like you. For less than the cost of a cup of coffee a month, you can help make this work possible.

New Issue # 1s

CRIMES AGAINST NATURE # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

TWO BEST FRIENDS. A MAN AND HIS APE AGAINST THE WORLD.

A famous Hollywood Animal Trainer, Doctor Kermit Groeden, and his only client/best friend — Amigo the Ape, the first gorilla ever nominated for an Academy Award — are framed for a crime they didn’t commit.

Now they’re on the run. And to clear their names and save their lives, Kermit and Amigo will be forced to reveal their darkest secrets and confront each other’s hidden past. Will their friendship be able to survive? A story about secrets, sins, and simians.

THE MUPPETS TAKE THE MARVEL UNIVERSE # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

TONIGHT’S VERY SPECIAL GUEST STARS — THE MARVEL UNIVERSE!

To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of THE MUPPET SHOW… we bring you a crossover no one saw coming! Join EISNER-winning writer and one of the world”s greatest Muppet fans CHIP ZDARSKY along with a cadre of Marvelously talented creators as they unleash The Muppets’ trademark chaos on the MARVEL UNIVERSE. ROWLF THE DOG kidnapped by MOJO? KERMIT THE FROG, MISS PIGGY, FOZZIE BEAR, SPIDER-MAN, BLACK PANTHER and EMMA FROST to the rescue? DR. BUNSEN HONEYDEW and BEAKER experimenting with GAMMA RAYS and PYM PARTICLES? What could go wrong? Find out in this epic tale told in the MIGHTY MARVEL MUPPET MANNER!

STAR TREK # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

Their mission is new. Their legacy is not.

From the pen of fan-favorite writer Christopher Cantwell (Star Trek: Defiant, Star Trek: Red Shirts) and the brush of psychedelic standout Dennis Menheere (Etheres, Little Nightmares) comes the launch of an all-new flagship… and this time, we’re busting out of the four quadrants.

The Enterprise-G is on a desperate mission beyond the known Galaxy to relocate the dying Avuran people when its crew finds a perfect new home in a region of unknown space called the Epsilon Corridor. Three pristine Class-M worlds — the Trinity — await the refugees. No signs of civilization. No detectable threats. A colonist’s dream. But the dream fractures fast.

When Captain Seven of Nine and her divided, fast-tracked crew begin exploring the Trinity, they uncover disturbing contradictions: vanished structures, inexplicable artifacts, time skips, and evidence of a presence Starfleet’s century-old probes never detected. Each world houses a different ecosystem, different physics problems, and different secrets — as if they’ve been curated… or quarantined. But from who? Or what?

The first arc of Star Trek delivers a prestige, mystery-driven, high-stakes psychological thriller of an opening salvo — new worlds, new species, new existential threats — anchored by Seven, Jack, and Crash La Forge fighting to keep the mission together as the Galaxy’s oldest ghosts awaken.

THAT TEXAS BLOOD: HELL COMES TO ALLISON RANCH # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

THE ACCLAIMED FAN-FAVORITE SERIES RETURNS WITH A JAM-PACKED NEW NUMBER ONE, PERFECT FOR NEW READERS!

On March 19, 2003, Sheriff Joe Bob Coates and Deputy Wilson Hart are called to the Allison Ranch — the largest and richest ranch in the United States — where family grievances are blooming into full-blown war. This first issue will be loaded with bonus materials including behind the scenes peeks, newly conducted interviews, essays, cartoons, and MORE! 

ONGOING SERIES

ABSOLUTE BATMAN # 24

SOLICIT COPY:

WITHOUT THE BADGE… WITHOUT HER FATHER… ABSOLUTE BAT ENTERS THE SCENE. In the battle of self, of Batman versus Batman, there can be only one. Everyone Bruce has ever known, ever cared about, or ever loved will face their ultimate inner demons.

BLACK TOWER: THE RAVEN CONSPIRACY # 2

SOLICIT COPY:

Daniel Burroughs, a young American CIA trainee, is acclimating to his new London lifestyle … but it’s not easy to get used to his strange new coworkers at Black Tower. His boss is getting buddy-buddy with the Russians, his colleague is a witch who’s sleeping with a demon, and there’s an assassin circling their sorcerous spy agency … one who can slip in and out of his targets’ dreams!

THOR # 801

SOLICIT COPY:

THE QUEST FOR THOR BEGINS! Sigurd Jarlson is an ordinary man — but he alone can call Asgard’s greatest hero back to life. But to rebuild the bridge between humanity and the gods, he must begin his quest in the worst place of all. Somewhere in Hel, a man with a hammer begins a journey into mystery…

VOID RIVALS # 34

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ROM vs. the dreaded PREDACRON — everyone’s favorite bounty-hunter! Wait a minute! Whose book is this, anyway?

Trade Paperbacks, Hardcovers, and OGNs

THE ADVENTURE OF BLACK CAT NYANGO vol. 2 TP

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Though Nyango has proved just how useful sky magic is through his pawsitive attitude and unwavering determination, he’s still a long way off from being a full-fledged adventurer. The next step is to explore the possibilities of combining his bestowed attribute with a new form of power—seal magic!

DEAD GIRLS HC

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The teen daughter of an infamous serial killer must prove she isn’t the one behind recent copycat murders in this “tongue-in-cheek” (Booklist, starred review) graphic novel that’s a campy, feminist send-up of slashers that both celebrates and subverts classic tropes.

In the cozy town of Clossdale, a serial killer rampages! Five girls missing in as many weeks! Bodies turning up on the forest floor! And all fingers point to one vile fiend: Ash Hargreeves.

Except Ash didn’t do it. She may be the daughter of the infamous Clossdale Killer, and these copycat killings aren’t exactly convincing proof of her innocence—and okay, she’s kind of a weirdo who has two friends total, but when the murders strike a little too close to home, Ash decides to take a stand.

With the help of her besties, Ash is going to hunt down the killer, clear her mother’s name, and stop there from being any more dead girls—now and forever. After all, WWJLCD: what would Jamie Lee Curtis do?

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: THE MIRAGE YEARS 1984-1987 IDW Classics Collections TP

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Go back to where it all started in this pocket-sized collection that includes the first 10 issues of  Eastman & Laird’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the four Micro-Series one-shots by Mirage Studios in one convenient-to-read book!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles burst onto the comics scene in 1984 and made history! Now is your chance to read the first 10 issues, plus the Raphael, Michaelangelo, Donatello, and Leonardo Micro-Series one-shots by co-creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. Presented as they first appeared in black and white, new readers can experience the comics that started the phenomenon while longtime fans can revisit the series in an all-new format!

Along with Eastman and Laird’s early work, see the first work of Michael Dooney, Ryan Brown, Jim Lawson, and Steve Bissette, who would become longtime contributors to the TMNT series.

This IDW Classic Collection presents readers the chance to see where the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles phenomenon started in a convenient 6 x 9 format! 

ULTIMATE ENDGAME TP

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Marvel’s Boldest Experiment Concludes in an Unbelievable, Era‑Defining Finale for the Ultimate Universe!

Two years have passed in the Ultimate Universe — but inside the City, the Maker has had thousands of years to prepare for his return! With the barrier around the City finally gone, the world’s new heroes — including Spider-Man, America Chavez, Killmonger and Doom — must mobilize to defeat the Maker before it’s game over. For everyone. Inside the City, the desperate group battles the terrifying Children of Tomorrow — and discovers some surprising allies! Meanwhile, the rest of the world wages World War III, and Iron Lad makes a stunning and heartbreaking discovery that could change the fate of the Ultimate Universe forever. With shocking twists, painful deaths and massive reveals, this is the century’s ultimate super-hero event!

COLLECTING: Ultimate Endgame (2025) #1-5

Preorders on Final Order Cutoff

ARCHIE IN HELL # 1

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TO BE SAVED… HE MUST BE DAMNED! In the bloodstained tradition of AFTERLIFE WITH ARCHIE, something wicked this way comes to Riverdale in an infernal new ongoing series from multiple Eisner Award winner Patrick Horvath (Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees) and Russ Manning Award winner Tyler Crook (Out of Alcatraz, Harrow County)!

They say that every small town has a secret. Well, in the case of Riverdale, it’s one heck of a humdinger: An ancient order of cultists has infiltrated its townspeople, bent on using human sacrifice to usher a demon lord into our mortal plane. And they’ve finally identified the final target they need to bring a century’s worth of planning to fruition: hometown football champion and all-around good guy Archie Andrews. But this secret cabal never dreamed that actual witches walk Riverdale’s streets… and when cult and coven clash in the final stages of Archie’s secret-ritual sacrifice, the consequences will be cosmic… and young Archie Andrews will find himself damned to something far worse than Hell’s inner circle.

Unstuck from time and space. Bound to a terrible curse. Late for school. Things are about to go from bad to downright diabolical as Horvath and Crook unleash the most malevolently merciless Archie Comics tale ever told… and, truly, you’ll never, ever expect what happens next.

BEN 10 vol. 1: Event Arrival

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Fan-favorite animation hero Ben 10 returns in an all-new series, collected here for the first time! When a mysterious meteor crashes to Earth, 10-year-old Ben Tennyson discovers the Omnitrix, a high-tech alien gauntlet of incredible power and potential. With this device on his wrist, Ben has the power to transform into incredible alien forms. But can he control this power?

This is the modern, definitive take on Ben 10 from the team that created him – Man of Action – including the introductions of numerous alien foes in an epic retelling and expansion of his original story, written by Joe Casey. Then, writer Steven T. Seagle steps in as things take a turn for the creepy. In a rainy Northwest stop on their endless summer vacation, the Tennyson family is drawn to a circus where the crowds aren’t cheering, the clowns aren’t laughing, and the ringmaster has plans for a frightful future well beyond his broken big top. Can Ben master the Omnitrix in time to find the right alien to stop the bizarre ZOMBOZO from making Grandpa Max his next death-defying act?

Collecting BEN 10 #1 – 5 with a complete gallery of covers.

MAD SCIENCE DIVISION # 1

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It’s no secret Archimedes Anderson is a nepo hire. Assigned chief-coordinator of R&D at the American arm of genetic engineering and bioweapons development company Miyashi-Smith, everyone knows he’s here for one purpose: to slash the budget and trim the fat. If he can cut 30% from the unaffectionately nicknamed “Mad Science Division” budget, he’ll earn a cushy, high-level job at HQ.

He goes in with a move-fast-and-break-stuff attitude, knowing absolutely nothing about the dangerous genetic experiments taking place in the division. When he upsets the delicate equilibrium of the department factions and removes guard rails which protect the workers and the public, he winds up exposing them to terrible, evil experiments.

From the twisted minds of Dan Watters (Nightwing; TMNT: Shredder) and Brian Level (Venom: Black, White & Blood) comes a comedic, sci-fi horror series that asks, “What if DOGE dismantled the SCP Foundation?”

STARTSHIP GODZILLA: FIRST WARS Manga Style Edition TP

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Join a crew of cosmic misfits as they soar through the stars in Mechagodzilla in this series that ties in with the all-new Kai-Sei Era of Godzilla comics in a black-and-white edition!

You didn’t think kaiju were only on Earth, did you?

In the fight for galactic supremacy, no weapon is more powerful than a kaiju… and no team is better equipped to capture and transport these titanic monsters than the crew of Starship Godzilla!

This ragtag group flies through space in Mechagodzilla and takes high-risk, high-reward missions across the galaxy. A kaiju heading toward your planet? Give them a call. A colossal space pest clogging up your trade route? They’ll get rid of it. A galactic civil war utilizing kaiju on both sides? They’ll… uh… do their best to stay out of it. But where there’s a galactic war, there’s a galactic conspiracy, and our crew members may not all land on the same side of this fight.

A brand-new kaiju space epic starts here in Starship Godzilla from Chris Gooch (In Utero, Under-Earth) and Oliver Ono (Godzilla: Monster Island Summer Camp)! Part of the new Godzilla connected comic book universe with Godzilla (Kai-Sei Era) and Godzilla: Escape the Deadzone!

What did I miss?

If there are some great comics, collected or in single issues, that you think I should be reading, tell me about them! And if you do try out any of these series, let me know how you liked them, or didn’t. This is a safe space for haters. If you enjoy this service, please share this article on social media or tell someone that you know reads comics about it.

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