#marvel-comics — Public Fediverse posts

The Art of Marvel Rivals is a must-have for any fan of multiplayer shooters, super heroic action, or breathtaking competition across Marvel’s Multiverse!

On sale now: amzn.to/4asH9Zq

#Games #Art #MarvelRivals #Books #Marvel #MarvelComics #Artist #GameDev #GamingSky #BookSky #ComicSky #PromoSky

The Art of Marvel Rivals is a must-have for any fan of multiplayer shooters, super heroic action, or breathtaking competition across Marvel’s Multiverse!

On sale now: amzn.to/4asH9Zq

#Games #Art #MarvelRivals #Books #Marvel #MarvelComics #Artist #GameDev #GamingSky #BookSky #ComicSky #PromoSky

The Art of Marvel Rivals is a must-have for any fan of multiplayer shooters, super heroic action, or breathtaking competition across Marvel’s Multiverse!

On sale now: amzn.to/4asH9Zq

#Games #Art #MarvelRivals #Books #Marvel #MarvelComics #Artist #GameDev #GamingSky #BookSky #ComicSky #PromoSky

The Art of Marvel Rivals is a must-have for any fan of multiplayer shooters, super heroic action, or breathtaking competition across Marvel’s Multiverse!

On sale now: amzn.to/4asH9Zq

#Games #Art #MarvelRivals #Books #Marvel #MarvelComics #Artist #GameDev #GamingSky #BookSky #ComicSky #PromoSky

The Art of Marvel Rivals is a must-have for any fan of multiplayer shooters, super heroic action, or breathtaking competition across Marvel’s Multiverse!

On sale now: amzn.to/4asH9Zq

#Games #Art #MarvelRivals #Books #Marvel #MarvelComics #Artist #GameDev #GamingSky #BookSky #ComicSky #PromoSky

A Look Back at Amazing Spider-Man #363 (1992)

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Spider-Man fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the mid-1990s to examine a small part of the Marvel Comics shared universe through a tale of the Amazing Spider-Man monthly series.

Issue #362 was a compelling read on its own. The creators had the difficult tasks of having Spider-Man and Venom in conflict once again, have the two stop fighting each other and then agree to join forces together to go up against Carnage who was simply too dangerous to be left free. Having read a lot of comic books showing Spider-Man and Venom in conflict with each other, to see them become partners was really alienating.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Amazing Spider-Man #363, published in 1992 by Marvel Comics with a story written by David Michelinie and drawn by Mark Bagley.

Early story

The story begins inside the office of Daily Bugle publisher J. Jonah Jameson and Carnage has him cornered. The symbiote-wearing murderer does not give a damn about Jameson’s importance in the city and he throws him across the room to hurt him a lot. Suddenly, editor-in-chief Robbie Robertson enters the office with an assistant and Carnage notices them.

Elsewhere in New York, Spider-Man and Venom (both previously encountered Carnage after arriving in the city) swing their way through the city towards the Daily Bugle. While traveling, Spider-Man finds it very odd that he has partnered with his mortal enemy to go after the sociopathic murderer Carnage who does not even have the twisted conscience of Venom.

As Spider-Man mentions the need to call the Avengers for assistance, Venom rejects it and reminds him of the freedom promised to him when the mission against Carnage is over. Privately, Spider-Man begins to regret the arrangement with his mortal enemy.

The two arrived at J. Jonah Jameson’s office only to discover they are too late. Robbie Robertson tells them that the monster – Carnage – took Jameson with him going somewhere south and it wanted a large group of people to witness something…

Quality

To be clear, this comic book marks the end of the 3-part storyline that started with issue #361 (Carnage’s deadly debut). Similar to the previous issue, David Michelinie carefully set up scenes to build-up not only the tension for the inevitable final conflict with Carnage, but also to emphasize the moral and legal complications of Spider-Man’s team-up with Venom (who has been convicted by the justice system). That said, there was this very notable moment in which law enforcers wanted to apprehend Venom but Spider-Man intervened by taking responsibility on his behalf and pointed to Carnage as the greater danger to society.

Carnage in this comic book is really unhinged, obsessed with death and has no morals whatsoever. He has Jameson as his hostage and does not care about the lives of those who got in his way. In his insane mind, having a great audience for his bloody plan was a priority here and he shamelessly tries to connect with members of audience who share his cold-blooded ways. The insanity and unrelenting violence of Carnage are heavily emphasized here which only added to the tension of the final conflict.

The final conflict here is very action-packed and intense. Visually, this is one of the finest works of Mark Bagley in 1992 and he really delivered the spectacle big-time here. Not only that, Bagley brought Michelinie’s script to life which made the personal encounters between Spider-Man, Venom and Carnage very lively to see.   

Conclusion

Amazing Spider-Man #363 (1992) is undoubtedly a powerful conclusion to the 3-part storyline that started in issue #361. Carnage’s personality and unrelenting violence has been clearly defined here and he easily eclipsed Venom when it comes to being evil and murderous as a super villain. Spider-Man here is desperate to stop Carnage and yet he maintained his sanity to focus on the mission while ensuring the protection of civilians and doing some restraint on his enemy-turned-partner Venom (who has violent impulses). The build-up is powerful and the same can be said about the pay-off. While the conclusion is expected, this comic book raises questions about Spider-Man’s honor and what he morally lost when he became so desperate he made very risky and very questionable decisions along the way.

Overall, Amazing Spider-Man #363 (1992) is highly recommended!

+++++

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Imprinted Image: I’m Going Live Today at 2 Central

Comics Link Roundup July 12

Last week I asked and you answered. I now have more than 50 subscribers on YouTube, the requirement before you can go live. So, to celebrate, I’m doing a livestream today at 2 PM Central time. You can watch by clicking the video embedded below.

https://www.youtube.com/live/hKSD-jnWpaY?si=e1gSFJH0izDeoM0p

Anyways.

Welcome to Imprinted Image, my comics newsletter. If this is your first time, welcome! This is the best way to keep up with my comics blog. After links to my most recent writing, I’ll provide a roundup of comics industry links. This can be news, media, criticism, or anything that I personally found interesting.

Please don’t forget about the resources tab on this website. It’s a collection of reading guides, tutorials, and free legal resources like public domain image archives. I want this to be as useful as possible, so if you have any additions please send them my way.

I made a comic! It’s a two-page mini-zine, and you can read it for free here. But! If you would like a cool print version mailed you, there are two ways you can do that. Either support me on Patreon to get this and any future physical media I do, or buy it on Ko-fi for as low as $ 1.

I also have a behind the scenes video previewing the physical mini-comic, as well as some behind-the-scenes information on my inspiration.

https://youtu.be/C1938iMGzOc

Divining Comics is sponsored by readers like you

I have a Patreon! For as little as $3 a month, you can keep the lights on at this blog and get your name at the bottom of every article. At higher tiers, you can vote in monthly Patreon polls and more! Anything you can offer means the world to me, and I cherish all my supporters.

Comics Challenge YouTube

I designed and am participating in a comics challenge this year, alongside some friends in the My Marvelous Year community. I have picked 52 comics from 52 categories, shown below. I’d love for you to participate and comment along as you are reading! Note that on this list, categories that match with episodes from the Extra Issues podcast.

I decided to create a YouTube documenting my reading journey!

This week, I read the incredible LIFE AND TIMES OF SCROOGE MCDUCK. Who knew that Disney tie-in comics could look so good?

https://youtu.be/XmH4DUhoxps?si=nWj_TY4tXOYoV_Xw

Next week, in honor of Bastille Day, French month begins with THE SMURFS

I’ve also been doing little shorts where I poorly read a scene I liked from these comics. I guess shortform video gets juiced in the algorithm because they have been blowing up. You can check out the playlist of them here.

It would mean the world to me if, in addition to watching this video, you subscribed to my channel and gave the video a like. No one knows exactly how the black box of social media algorithms work, but I do know that if you interact with the video in different ways, YouTube might show it to more people who would be interested. The other easy way you can help is by sharing this video with a comic fan in your life!

Link Roundup

News:

Variant Covers are continuing to be hot, but not without controversy. Due to claims by fans that comic shops are creating artificial scarcity with their custom variant cover drop schedules, DC comics has made a list of rules for their variant covers to prevent price gouging, and violators can be banned from purchasing DC comics going forward.

There’s a new sales record for a piece of original comic art. No, it isn’t from Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, Jerry Siegel or Bob Kane. It’s a piece by Don Heck, one of the first page drawings of Iron Man.

The digital comics market is still in flux. Image takes their titles away from GlobalComix, meaning the only way to buy them now is on the Kindle, Apple, or Google Book store, or if you have access to the SweetShop beta, the only comics-focused reader with Image titles.

Comix Wellspsring, a print service popular with independent comics, is suspending operations. This is after they recently announced a deal with GlobalComix to bring their digital first comics to print.

Comic Book Yeti has a list of crowdfunding projects you may way to back

Buy a bundle of digital comics for cheap over on Humble Bundle. They have a bunch of Sonic the Hedgehog comics.

Other News Roundups:

Comics Beat’s biweekly Digest: 7/7. 7/10.
SKTCHD’s Comics Disassembled: 7/10.
The Comics Journal’s This Week’s Links: 7/10.

Stats:

PranaDM’s Top 400 Comics sold: 7/10.
Bleeding Cool’s Top Weekly Bestseller List: 7/11.
Bleeding Cool’s Most Anticipated Comics: 7/5. 7/11.
Bleeding Cool’s Hottest Comics: 7/7.
ICv2 Top Graphic Novels – Superhero, Author, and Manga:
Image Top 10 Comics: June 2026.

Writing:

Comic Book Herald published a TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: THE LAST RONIN reading order.

SKTCHD posted a retrospective on Nick Dragotta‘s career and how he became one of the hottest artists of the moment.

Shelfust has an article on ultraviolence in SIEGE # 2.

The Comics Journal posted a career retrospective on Gerry Conway and a reconsideration of Jim Shooter‘s legacy.

My favorite video and podcasts:

Podcasts:

OFF PANEL had on Ed Brubaker to talk the CRIMINAL TV show and his upcoming UNFINISHED TALES and Iman Vellani to talk her debut comic writing in CHACHU.

LET’S TALK COMICS also interviewed Iman Vellani about CHACHU.

MY MARVELOUS YEAR posted 2014 Variant Cover F, talking X-MEN ’97 season 2. Their sister podcast, EXTRA ISSUES, published part 6 of their Osamu Tezuka series, talking PHOENIX and LETTERS TO ADOLPH. On patreon, you can get early access to their first episode on HELLBOY.

• WordPress
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram

Divining Comics is brought to you by generous support from the “Best Friends of Divining Comics,” Alex Seubert and 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. Follow me on YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and Bluesky and share my posts there.

Imprinted Image: I’m Going Live Today at 2 Central

Comics Link Roundup July 12

Last week I asked and you answered. I now have more than 50 subscribers on YouTube, the requirement before you can go live. So, to celebrate, I’m doing a livestream today at 2 PM Central time. You can watch by clicking the video embedded below.

https://www.youtube.com/live/hKSD-jnWpaY?si=e1gSFJH0izDeoM0p

Anyways.

Welcome to Imprinted Image, my comics newsletter. If this is your first time, welcome! This is the best way to keep up with my comics blog. After links to my most recent writing, I’ll provide a roundup of comics industry links. This can be news, media, criticism, or anything that I personally found interesting.

Please don’t forget about the resources tab on this website. It’s a collection of reading guides, tutorials, and free legal resources like public domain image archives. I want this to be as useful as possible, so if you have any additions please send them my way.

I made a comic! It’s a two-page mini-zine, and you can read it for free here. But! If you would like a cool print version mailed you, there are two ways you can do that. Either support me on Patreon to get this and any future physical media I do, or buy it on Ko-fi for as low as $ 1.

I also have a behind the scenes video previewing the physical mini-comic, as well as some behind-the-scenes information on my inspiration.

https://youtu.be/C1938iMGzOc

Divining Comics is sponsored by readers like you

I have a Patreon! For as little as $3 a month, you can keep the lights on at this blog and get your name at the bottom of every article. At higher tiers, you can vote in monthly Patreon polls and more! Anything you can offer means the world to me, and I cherish all my supporters.

Comics Challenge YouTube

I designed and am participating in a comics challenge this year, alongside some friends in the My Marvelous Year community. I have picked 52 comics from 52 categories, shown below. I’d love for you to participate and comment along as you are reading! Note that on this list, categories that match with episodes from the Extra Issues podcast.

I decided to create a YouTube documenting my reading journey!

This week, I read the incredible LIFE AND TIMES OF SCROOGE MCDUCK. Who knew that Disney tie-in comics could look so good?

https://youtu.be/XmH4DUhoxps?si=nWj_TY4tXOYoV_Xw

Next week, in honor of Bastille Day, French month begins with THE SMURFS

I’ve also been doing little shorts where I poorly read a scene I liked from these comics. I guess shortform video gets juiced in the algorithm because they have been blowing up. You can check out the playlist of them here.

It would mean the world to me if, in addition to watching this video, you subscribed to my channel and gave the video a like. No one knows exactly how the black box of social media algorithms work, but I do know that if you interact with the video in different ways, YouTube might show it to more people who would be interested. The other easy way you can help is by sharing this video with a comic fan in your life!

Link Roundup

News:

Variant Covers are continuing to be hot, but not without controversy. Due to claims by fans that comic shops are creating artificial scarcity with their custom variant cover drop schedules, DC comics has made a list of rules for their variant covers to prevent price gouging, and violators can be banned from purchasing DC comics going forward.

There’s a new sales record for a piece of original comic art. No, it isn’t from Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, Jerry Siegel or Bob Kane. It’s a piece by Don Heck, one of the first page drawings of Iron Man.

The digital comics market is still in flux. Image takes their titles away from GlobalComix, meaning the only way to buy them now is on the Kindle, Apple, or Google Book store, or if you have access to the SweetShop beta, the only comics-focused reader with Image titles.

Comix Wellspsring, a print service popular with independent comics, is suspending operations. This is after they recently announced a deal with GlobalComix to bring their digital first comics to print.

Comic Book Yeti has a list of crowdfunding projects you may way to back

Buy a bundle of digital comics for cheap over on Humble Bundle. They have a bunch of Sonic the Hedgehog comics.

Other News Roundups:

Comics Beat’s biweekly Digest: 7/7. 7/10.
SKTCHD’s Comics Disassembled: 7/10.
The Comics Journal’s This Week’s Links: 7/10.

Stats:

PranaDM’s Top 400 Comics sold: 7/10.
Bleeding Cool’s Top Weekly Bestseller List: 7/11.
Bleeding Cool’s Most Anticipated Comics: 7/5. 7/11.
Bleeding Cool’s Hottest Comics: 7/7.
ICv2 Top Graphic Novels – Superhero, Author, and Manga:
Image Top 10 Comics: June 2026.

Writing:

Comic Book Herald published a TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: THE LAST RONIN reading order.

SKTCHD posted a retrospective on Nick Dragotta‘s career and how he became one of the hottest artists of the moment.

Shelfust has an article on ultraviolence in SIEGE # 2.

The Comics Journal posted a career retrospective on Gerry Conway and a reconsideration of Jim Shooter‘s legacy.

My favorite video and podcasts:

Podcasts:

OFF PANEL had on Ed Brubaker to talk the CRIMINAL TV show and his upcoming UNFINISHED TALES and Iman Vellani to talk her debut comic writing in CHACHU.

LET’S TALK COMICS also interviewed Iman Vellani about CHACHU.

MY MARVELOUS YEAR posted 2014 Variant Cover F, talking X-MEN ’97 season 2. Their sister podcast, EXTRA ISSUES, published part 6 of their Osamu Tezuka series, talking PHOENIX and LETTERS TO ADOLPH. On patreon, you can get early access to their first episode on HELLBOY.

• WordPress
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram

Divining Comics is brought to you by generous support from the “Best Friends of Divining Comics,” Alex Seubert and 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. Follow me on YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and Bluesky and share my posts there.

Imprinted Image: I’m Going Live Today at 2 Central

Comics Link Roundup July 12

Last week I asked and you answered. I now have more than 50 subscribers on YouTube, the requirement before you can go live. So, to celebrate, I’m doing a livestream today at 2 PM Central time. You can watch by clicking the video embedded below.

https://www.youtube.com/live/hKSD-jnWpaY?si=e1gSFJH0izDeoM0p

Anyways.

Welcome to Imprinted Image, my comics newsletter. If this is your first time, welcome! This is the best way to keep up with my comics blog. After links to my most recent writing, I’ll provide a roundup of comics industry links. This can be news, media, criticism, or anything that I personally found interesting.

Please don’t forget about the resources tab on this website. It’s a collection of reading guides, tutorials, and free legal resources like public domain image archives. I want this to be as useful as possible, so if you have any additions please send them my way.

I made a comic! It’s a two-page mini-zine, and you can read it for free here. But! If you would like a cool print version mailed you, there are two ways you can do that. Either support me on Patreon to get this and any future physical media I do, or buy it on Ko-fi for as low as $ 1.

I also have a behind the scenes video previewing the physical mini-comic, as well as some behind-the-scenes information on my inspiration.

https://youtu.be/C1938iMGzOc

Divining Comics is sponsored by readers like you

I have a Patreon! For as little as $3 a month, you can keep the lights on at this blog and get your name at the bottom of every article. At higher tiers, you can vote in monthly Patreon polls and more! Anything you can offer means the world to me, and I cherish all my supporters.

Comics Challenge YouTube

I designed and am participating in a comics challenge this year, alongside some friends in the My Marvelous Year community. I have picked 52 comics from 52 categories, shown below. I’d love for you to participate and comment along as you are reading! Note that on this list, categories that match with episodes from the Extra Issues podcast.

I decided to create a YouTube documenting my reading journey!

This week, I read the incredible LIFE AND TIMES OF SCROOGE MCDUCK. Who knew that Disney tie-in comics could look so good?

https://youtu.be/XmH4DUhoxps?si=nWj_TY4tXOYoV_Xw

Next week, in honor of Bastille Day, French month begins with THE SMURFS

I’ve also been doing little shorts where I poorly read a scene I liked from these comics. I guess shortform video gets juiced in the algorithm because they have been blowing up. You can check out the playlist of them here.

It would mean the world to me if, in addition to watching this video, you subscribed to my channel and gave the video a like. No one knows exactly how the black box of social media algorithms work, but I do know that if you interact with the video in different ways, YouTube might show it to more people who would be interested. The other easy way you can help is by sharing this video with a comic fan in your life!

Link Roundup

News:

Variant Covers are continuing to be hot, but not without controversy. Due to claims by fans that comic shops are creating artificial scarcity with their custom variant cover drop schedules, DC comics has made a list of rules for their variant covers to prevent price gouging, and violators can be banned from purchasing DC comics going forward.

There’s a new sales record for a piece of original comic art. No, it isn’t from Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, Jerry Siegel or Bob Kane. It’s a piece by Don Heck, one of the first page drawings of Iron Man.

The digital comics market is still in flux. Image takes their titles away from GlobalComix, meaning the only way to buy them now is on the Kindle, Apple, or Google Book store, or if you have access to the SweetShop beta, the only comics-focused reader with Image titles.

Comix Wellspsring, a print service popular with independent comics, is suspending operations. This is after they recently announced a deal with GlobalComix to bring their digital first comics to print.

Comic Book Yeti has a list of crowdfunding projects you may way to back

Buy a bundle of digital comics for cheap over on Humble Bundle. They have a bunch of Sonic the Hedgehog comics.

Other News Roundups:

Comics Beat’s biweekly Digest: 7/7. 7/10.
SKTCHD’s Comics Disassembled: 7/10.
The Comics Journal’s This Week’s Links: 7/10.

Stats:

PranaDM’s Top 400 Comics sold: 7/10.
Bleeding Cool’s Top Weekly Bestseller List: 7/11.
Bleeding Cool’s Most Anticipated Comics: 7/5. 7/11.
Bleeding Cool’s Hottest Comics: 7/7.
ICv2 Top Graphic Novels – Superhero, Author, and Manga:
Image Top 10 Comics: June 2026.

Writing:

Comic Book Herald published a TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: THE LAST RONIN reading order.

SKTCHD posted a retrospective on Nick Dragotta‘s career and how he became one of the hottest artists of the moment.

Shelfust has an article on ultraviolence in SIEGE # 2.

The Comics Journal posted a career retrospective on Gerry Conway and a reconsideration of Jim Shooter‘s legacy.

My favorite video and podcasts:

Podcasts:

OFF PANEL had on Ed Brubaker to talk the CRIMINAL TV show and his upcoming UNFINISHED TALES and Iman Vellani to talk her debut comic writing in CHACHU.

LET’S TALK COMICS also interviewed Iman Vellani about CHACHU.

MY MARVELOUS YEAR posted 2014 Variant Cover F, talking X-MEN ’97 season 2. Their sister podcast, EXTRA ISSUES, published part 6 of their Osamu Tezuka series, talking PHOENIX and LETTERS TO ADOLPH. On patreon, you can get early access to their first episode on HELLBOY.

• WordPress
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram

Divining Comics is brought to you by generous support from the “Best Friends of Divining Comics,” Alex Seubert and 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. Follow me on YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and Bluesky and share my posts there.

Imprinted Image: I’m Going Live Today at 2 Central

Comics Link Roundup July 12

Last week I asked and you answered. I now have more than 50 subscribers on YouTube, the requirement before you can go live. So, to celebrate, I’m doing a livestream today at 2 PM Central time. You can watch by clicking the video embedded below.

https://www.youtube.com/live/hKSD-jnWpaY?si=e1gSFJH0izDeoM0p

Anyways.

Welcome to Imprinted Image, my comics newsletter. If this is your first time, welcome! This is the best way to keep up with my comics blog. After links to my most recent writing, I’ll provide a roundup of comics industry links. This can be news, media, criticism, or anything that I personally found interesting.

Please don’t forget about the resources tab on this website. It’s a collection of reading guides, tutorials, and free legal resources like public domain image archives. I want this to be as useful as possible, so if you have any additions please send them my way.

I made a comic! It’s a two-page mini-zine, and you can read it for free here. But! If you would like a cool print version mailed you, there are two ways you can do that. Either support me on Patreon to get this and any future physical media I do, or buy it on Ko-fi for as low as $ 1.

I also have a behind the scenes video previewing the physical mini-comic, as well as some behind-the-scenes information on my inspiration.

https://youtu.be/C1938iMGzOc

Divining Comics is sponsored by readers like you

I have a Patreon! For as little as $3 a month, you can keep the lights on at this blog and get your name at the bottom of every article. At higher tiers, you can vote in monthly Patreon polls and more! Anything you can offer means the world to me, and I cherish all my supporters.

Comics Challenge YouTube

I designed and am participating in a comics challenge this year, alongside some friends in the My Marvelous Year community. I have picked 52 comics from 52 categories, shown below. I’d love for you to participate and comment along as you are reading! Note that on this list, categories that match with episodes from the Extra Issues podcast.

I decided to create a YouTube documenting my reading journey!

This week, I read the incredible LIFE AND TIMES OF SCROOGE MCDUCK. Who knew that Disney tie-in comics could look so good?

https://youtu.be/XmH4DUhoxps?si=nWj_TY4tXOYoV_Xw

Next week, in honor of Bastille Day, French month begins with THE SMURFS

I’ve also been doing little shorts where I poorly read a scene I liked from these comics. I guess shortform video gets juiced in the algorithm because they have been blowing up. You can check out the playlist of them here.

It would mean the world to me if, in addition to watching this video, you subscribed to my channel and gave the video a like. No one knows exactly how the black box of social media algorithms work, but I do know that if you interact with the video in different ways, YouTube might show it to more people who would be interested. The other easy way you can help is by sharing this video with a comic fan in your life!

Link Roundup

News:

Variant Covers are continuing to be hot, but not without controversy. Due to claims by fans that comic shops are creating artificial scarcity with their custom variant cover drop schedules, DC comics has made a list of rules for their variant covers to prevent price gouging, and violators can be banned from purchasing DC comics going forward.

There’s a new sales record for a piece of original comic art. No, it isn’t from Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, Jerry Siegel or Bob Kane. It’s a piece by Don Heck, one of the first page drawings of Iron Man.

The digital comics market is still in flux. Image takes their titles away from GlobalComix, meaning the only way to buy them now is on the Kindle, Apple, or Google Book store, or if you have access to the SweetShop beta, the only comics-focused reader with Image titles.

Comix Wellspsring, a print service popular with independent comics, is suspending operations. This is after they recently announced a deal with GlobalComix to bring their digital first comics to print.

Comic Book Yeti has a list of crowdfunding projects you may way to back

Buy a bundle of digital comics for cheap over on Humble Bundle. They have a bunch of Sonic the Hedgehog comics.

Other News Roundups:

Comics Beat’s biweekly Digest: 7/7. 7/10.
SKTCHD’s Comics Disassembled: 7/10.
The Comics Journal’s This Week’s Links: 7/10.

Stats:

PranaDM’s Top 400 Comics sold: 7/10.
Bleeding Cool’s Top Weekly Bestseller List: 7/11.
Bleeding Cool’s Most Anticipated Comics: 7/5. 7/11.
Bleeding Cool’s Hottest Comics: 7/7.
ICv2 Top Graphic Novels – Superhero, Author, and Manga:
Image Top 10 Comics: June 2026.

Writing:

Comic Book Herald published a TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: THE LAST RONIN reading order.

SKTCHD posted a retrospective on Nick Dragotta‘s career and how he became one of the hottest artists of the moment.

Shelfust has an article on ultraviolence in SIEGE # 2.

The Comics Journal posted a career retrospective on Gerry Conway and a reconsideration of Jim Shooter‘s legacy.

My favorite video and podcasts:

Podcasts:

OFF PANEL had on Ed Brubaker to talk the CRIMINAL TV show and his upcoming UNFINISHED TALES and Iman Vellani to talk her debut comic writing in CHACHU.

LET’S TALK COMICS also interviewed Iman Vellani about CHACHU.

MY MARVELOUS YEAR posted 2014 Variant Cover F, talking X-MEN ’97 season 2. Their sister podcast, EXTRA ISSUES, published part 6 of their Osamu Tezuka series, talking PHOENIX and LETTERS TO ADOLPH. On patreon, you can get early access to their first episode on HELLBOY.

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Divining Comics is brought to you by generous support from the “Best Friends of Divining Comics,” Alex Seubert and 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. Follow me on YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and Bluesky and share my posts there.

Imprinted Image: I’m Going Live Today at 2 Central

Comics Link Roundup July 12

Last week I asked and you answered. I now have more than 50 subscribers on YouTube, the requirement before you can go live. So, to celebrate, I’m doing a livestream today at 2 PM Central time. You can watch by clicking the video embedded below.

https://www.youtube.com/live/hKSD-jnWpaY?si=e1gSFJH0izDeoM0p

Anyways.

Welcome to Imprinted Image, my comics newsletter. If this is your first time, welcome! This is the best way to keep up with my comics blog. After links to my most recent writing, I’ll provide a roundup of comics industry links. This can be news, media, criticism, or anything that I personally found interesting.

Please don’t forget about the resources tab on this website. It’s a collection of reading guides, tutorials, and free legal resources like public domain image archives. I want this to be as useful as possible, so if you have any additions please send them my way.

I made a comic! It’s a two-page mini-zine, and you can read it for free here. But! If you would like a cool print version mailed you, there are two ways you can do that. Either support me on Patreon to get this and any future physical media I do, or buy it on Ko-fi for as low as $ 1.

I also have a behind the scenes video previewing the physical mini-comic, as well as some behind-the-scenes information on my inspiration.

https://youtu.be/C1938iMGzOc

Divining Comics is sponsored by readers like you

I have a Patreon! For as little as $3 a month, you can keep the lights on at this blog and get your name at the bottom of every article. At higher tiers, you can vote in monthly Patreon polls and more! Anything you can offer means the world to me, and I cherish all my supporters.

Comics Challenge YouTube

I designed and am participating in a comics challenge this year, alongside some friends in the My Marvelous Year community. I have picked 52 comics from 52 categories, shown below. I’d love for you to participate and comment along as you are reading! Note that on this list, categories that match with episodes from the Extra Issues podcast.

I decided to create a YouTube documenting my reading journey!

This week, I read the incredible LIFE AND TIMES OF SCROOGE MCDUCK. Who knew that Disney tie-in comics could look so good?

https://youtu.be/XmH4DUhoxps?si=nWj_TY4tXOYoV_Xw

Next week, in honor of Bastille Day, French month begins with THE SMURFS

I’ve also been doing little shorts where I poorly read a scene I liked from these comics. I guess shortform video gets juiced in the algorithm because they have been blowing up. You can check out the playlist of them here.

It would mean the world to me if, in addition to watching this video, you subscribed to my channel and gave the video a like. No one knows exactly how the black box of social media algorithms work, but I do know that if you interact with the video in different ways, YouTube might show it to more people who would be interested. The other easy way you can help is by sharing this video with a comic fan in your life!

Link Roundup

News:

Variant Covers are continuing to be hot, but not without controversy. Due to claims by fans that comic shops are creating artificial scarcity with their custom variant cover drop schedules, DC comics has made a list of rules for their variant covers to prevent price gouging, and violators can be banned from purchasing DC comics going forward.

There’s a new sales record for a piece of original comic art. No, it isn’t from Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, Jerry Siegel or Bob Kane. It’s a piece by Don Heck, one of the first page drawings of Iron Man.

The digital comics market is still in flux. Image takes their titles away from GlobalComix, meaning the only way to buy them now is on the Kindle, Apple, or Google Book store, or if you have access to the SweetShop beta, the only comics-focused reader with Image titles.

Comix Wellspsring, a print service popular with independent comics, is suspending operations. This is after they recently announced a deal with GlobalComix to bring their digital first comics to print.

Comic Book Yeti has a list of crowdfunding projects you may way to back

Buy a bundle of digital comics for cheap over on Humble Bundle. They have a bunch of Sonic the Hedgehog comics.

Other News Roundups:

Comics Beat’s biweekly Digest: 7/7. 7/10.
SKTCHD’s Comics Disassembled: 7/10.
The Comics Journal’s This Week’s Links: 7/10.

Stats:

PranaDM’s Top 400 Comics sold: 7/10.
Bleeding Cool’s Top Weekly Bestseller List: 7/11.
Bleeding Cool’s Most Anticipated Comics: 7/5. 7/11.
Bleeding Cool’s Hottest Comics: 7/7.
ICv2 Top Graphic Novels – Superhero, Author, and Manga:
Image Top 10 Comics: June 2026.

Writing:

Comic Book Herald published a TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: THE LAST RONIN reading order.

SKTCHD posted a retrospective on Nick Dragotta‘s career and how he became one of the hottest artists of the moment.

Shelfust has an article on ultraviolence in SIEGE # 2.

The Comics Journal posted a career retrospective on Gerry Conway and a reconsideration of Jim Shooter‘s legacy.

My favorite video and podcasts:

Podcasts:

OFF PANEL had on Ed Brubaker to talk the CRIMINAL TV show and his upcoming UNFINISHED TALES and Iman Vellani to talk her debut comic writing in CHACHU.

LET’S TALK COMICS also interviewed Iman Vellani about CHACHU.

MY MARVELOUS YEAR posted 2014 Variant Cover F, talking X-MEN ’97 season 2. Their sister podcast, EXTRA ISSUES, published part 6 of their Osamu Tezuka series, talking PHOENIX and LETTERS TO ADOLPH. On patreon, you can get early access to their first episode on HELLBOY.

• WordPress
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Divining Comics is brought to you by generous support from the “Best Friends of Divining Comics,” Alex Seubert and 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. Follow me on YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and Bluesky and share my posts there.

Marvel had a big summer 2026 crossover event with the X-Men and Avengers comics, but plans changed

Marvel scrapped its X-Men/Avengers crossover after major publishing changes, and turned it into this fall’s DNX. Marvel’s next…
#NewsBeep #News #Movies #AU #Australia #avengers #Comics #DNX #Entertainment #JedMacKay #MarvelCinematicUniverse #MarvelComics #MarvelComicsUniverse #X-Men
https://www.newsbeep.com/au/793676/

Marvel had a big summer 2026 crossover event with the X-Men and Avengers comics, but plans changed

Marvel scrapped its X-Men/Avengers crossover after major publishing changes, and turned it into this fall’s DNX. Marvel’s next…
#NewsBeep #News #Movies #AU #Australia #avengers #Comics #DNX #Entertainment #JedMacKay #MarvelCinematicUniverse #MarvelComics #MarvelComicsUniverse #X-Men
https://www.newsbeep.com/au/793676/

#FridayFollow
#Canada
#Canadian
#CanPoli
#USPoli
#WorldPoli
#Ukraine
#Russia
#Isreal
#Palestine
#AI
#Clankers
#Bots
#DataCentres
#StarTrek
#StarWars
#DoctorWho
#RickAndMorty
#ClarksonsFarm
#Xmen97
#BobsBurgers
#AmericanDad
#Dune
#MarvelComics
#DCcomics
#Taskmaster
#NewZealandSpy
#Cats
#Caturday
#TTRPGs
#AD&D

#FridayFollow
#Canada
#Canadian
#CanPoli
#USPoli
#WorldPoli
#Ukraine
#Russia
#Isreal
#Palestine
#AI
#Clankers
#Bots
#DataCentres
#StarTrek
#StarWars
#DoctorWho
#RickAndMorty
#ClarksonsFarm
#Xmen97
#BobsBurgers
#AmericanDad
#Dune
#MarvelComics
#DCcomics
#Taskmaster
#NewZealandSpy
#Cats
#Caturday

Fresh out of the @cgccomics slab lab! 🕷️ We just locked a massive 80s grail into the vault: Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #8 (1984) in a solid 7.5! 🖤 Found raw at A Hero's Legacy before they closed their doors. This is the legendary origin of the Venom symbiote!

Massive props to @Marvel, @JimShooter, @MikeZeck & @JohnBeatty for this masterpiece!

Dive into more vault treasures: https://comicbookaddicts.com/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon

#SecretWars #MarvelComics #CGCComics #Venom #ComicBookAddicts

Fresh from @cgccomics! 🎯 Scored a massive Top Pop! Added Longshots #1 (2025) Yoon Variant to the vault. Found raw at Newbury Comics in Manchester, CT, it came back a pristine 9.8! Only 3 in 9.8 and 0 higher!

Huge shoutout to @Marvel, writers @GerryDuggan & @jhickman, interior artist @Alanrobinson, and cover artist @junggeunyoon for this masterpiece.

See more: https://comicbookaddicts.com/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon

#Longshots #MarvelComics #CGCComics #ComicBookAddicts #TopPop

#MarvelComics #DCComics
Não sei se tem algo de verdade nesse rumor, mas a Disney vai encerrar as publicações da Marvel Comics aos poucos e licenciar a mesma para Webton até 2030 e a DC apostando tudo no Absolute Batman.

#MarvelComics #DCComics
Não sei se tem algo de verdade nesse rumor, mas a Disney vai encerrar as publicações da Marvel Comics aos poucos e licenciar a mesma para Webton até 2030 e a DC apostando tudo no Absolute Batman.

#MarvelComics #DCComics
Não sei se tem algo de verdade nesse rumor, mas a Disney vai encerrar as publicações da Marvel Comics aos poucos e licenciar a mesma para Webton até 2030 e a DC apostando tudo no Absolute Batman.

#MarvelComics #DCComics
Não sei se tem algo de verdade nesse rumor, mas a Disney vai encerrar as publicações da Marvel Comics aos poucos e licenciar a mesma para Webton até 2030 e a DC apostando tudo no Absolute Batman.

#MarvelComics #DCComics
Não sei se tem algo de verdade nesse rumor, mas a Disney vai encerrar as publicações da Marvel Comics aos poucos e licenciar a mesma para Webton até 2030 e a DC apostando tudo no Absolute Batman.

Fresh from @cgccomics! ⚡ Added Incredible Hulk #449 (1997) to the vault! Scored raw from Brick House Comics & Collectibles Warehouse in Meriden, CT, it came back a solid 8.0 (White Pages)!

Features the 1st appearance of the Thunderbolts! Story by Peter David, art by Mike Deodato Jr.

See more: https://comicbookaddicts.com/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon

#IncredibleHulk #MarvelComics #CGCComics #Thunderbolts #ComicBookAddicts

Fresh from @cgccomics! 🛸 Added a gorgeous Marvel Spotlight v2 #8 (1980) Newsstand Edition to the vault! Scored raw from Legends of Superheros in Oakville, CT, it came back a solid 9.0 (White Pages)!

Featuring Captain Marvel with a story by Mike Barr & art by Frank Miller!

See more: https://comicbookaddicts.com/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon

#CaptainMarvel #MarvelComics #CGCComics #ComicBookAddicts #FrankMiller

‘Marvel TōKon: First Strike’ Comic One-Shot and Variant Covers Celebrate the Release of ‘Marvel TōKon: Fighting Souls'

https://www.marvel.com/articles/comics/marvel-tokon-first-strike-comic-one-shot-and-variant-covers-game-tie-in

#marveltokon #marvelcomics #marvel #comics #videogames #gaming #gamingnews

‘Marvel TōKon: First Strike’ Comic One-Shot and Variant Covers Celebrate the Release of ‘Marvel TōKon: Fighting Souls'

https://www.marvel.com/articles/comics/marvel-tokon-first-strike-comic-one-shot-and-variant-covers-game-tie-in

#marveltokon #marvelcomics #marvel #comics #videogames #gaming #gamingnews

‘Marvel TōKon: First Strike’ Comic One-Shot and Variant Covers Celebrate the Release of ‘Marvel TōKon: Fighting Souls'

https://www.marvel.com/articles/comics/marvel-tokon-first-strike-comic-one-shot-and-variant-covers-game-tie-in

#marveltokon #marvelcomics #marvel #comics #videogames #gaming #gamingnews

‘Marvel TōKon: First Strike’ Comic One-Shot and Variant Covers Celebrate the Release of ‘Marvel TōKon: Fighting Souls'

https://www.marvel.com/articles/comics/marvel-tokon-first-strike-comic-one-shot-and-variant-covers-game-tie-in

#marveltokon #marvelcomics #marvel #comics #videogames #gaming #gamingnews

‘Marvel TōKon: First Strike’ Comic One-Shot and Variant Covers Celebrate the Release of ‘Marvel TōKon: Fighting Souls'

https://www.marvel.com/articles/comics/marvel-tokon-first-strike-comic-one-shot-and-variant-covers-game-tie-in

#marveltokon #marvelcomics #marvel #comics #videogames #gaming #gamingnews

Random Panels I have drawn.
From a Punisher/Wolverine parody in WHAT THE--?! With writer Peter Gillis and letterer Willie Schubert.
#screwytuesday #surlyhack #randompanelsihavedrawn #cartooning #comicbooks #comicbookart #marvelcomics #wolverine #punisher #whatthecomics

Random Panels I have drawn.
From a Punisher/Wolverine parody in WHAT THE--?! With writer Peter Gillis and letterer Willie Schubert.
#screwytuesday #surlyhack #randompanelsihavedrawn #cartooning #comicbooks #comicbookart #marvelcomics #wolverine #punisher #whatthecomics

Random Panels I have drawn.
From a Punisher/Wolverine parody in WHAT THE--?! With writer Peter Gillis and letterer Willie Schubert.
#screwytuesday #surlyhack #randompanelsihavedrawn #cartooning #comicbooks #comicbookart #marvelcomics #wolverine #punisher #whatthecomics

Marvelous Market: Best New Comics July 8

Ngozi Ukazu *clap clap clap clap clap*

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

DISPATCHED # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

MacGyver meets Die Hard in this life-or-death unboxing! Estranged from his family and living under a government-issued alias, ex-black ops agent Morgan Power endures a life in suburban exile as a delivery driver for a major global courier company. It’s a 180 from his action-packed classified work abroad, until a routine shift puts him in the crosshairs of a domestic terrorist takedown. Trapped in the parking garage of a besieged corporate office park, Power goes back to basics with nothing but his survival skills and a delivery van full of unopened packages — and endless possibilities — to fight his way from floor to floor and free the hostages. But some boxes hold more trash than treasure, and Powers will also have to contend with his intensifying PTSD as the situation escalates and time runs out. Writer B. Clay Moore (Bloodland, The Leading Man) and rising artist Daniel Gete (Skin Police) deliver a classic lockdown thriller with a fresh twist!

EXQUISITE CORPSES: RASCAL RANDY # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

THE COTTON-TAILED EXQUISITE CORPSES KILLER GETS A SPINOFF ORIGIN STORY.

The sleepy little town of Aurora Springs, NY, has exactly one claim to fame: it’s the birthplace of Rascal Randy. Not the man in the suit — the man has never mattered. He was no one until he put the mascot head on for the first time, until he felt the life leave someone’s body through the thickly furred gloves of the suit.

No, Aurora Springs is the birthplace of Rascal Randy the rabbit, who, once upon a time, was poised to become the greatest animated character this country had ever seen — until greed and tragedy changed his trajectory forever.

Now, before the events of EXQUISITE CORPSES SEASON 1, witness the final murder spree of this iconic killer, as chaos hops into town with buckteeth bared and ears flopping… and the secret, sordid history of Rascal Randy is finally revealed.

IT’S SYMBIE # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

SYMBIE GOES SOLO! Symbie may be a symbiote without a host, but that’s never slowed him down! Ever since Spider-Man freed him from a mad scientist’s lab, Symbie has made it his mission to unleash mischief across the Marvel Universe. His latest targets? The Fantastic Four, Thor, Scarlet Witch, Iron Man, Captain America and the Marvel Mutts! From SYMBIE INFINITY COMIC to MARVEL MUTTS INFINITY COMIC and AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, see some of Symbie’s greatest Marvel moments so far – all in one place for the very first time!

WITNESS POINT # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

From the minds of Nathan Fillion (Firefly, Castle) and Heath Corson (Animal Kingdom, Minor Threats), and illustrated by Soo Lee (Carmilla: The First Vampire), comes a new modern noir series full of mystery, murder, and the chaos of a small town caught up in a massive government screw up.

Welcome to Baraboo, a small Midwestern town nestled in the mountains of Wisconsin, home of the Ringling Brothers Circus headquarters and friendly neighbors that all know and trust each other… until it’s revealed that the town has been the dumping ground for every murderer, con-man, and crook in the Witness Protection program for the past forty years. “Witness Point” as Baraboo was nicknamed by the previous marshal, has now become a hotbed of conspiracy as every resident of this formerly sleepy town eyes their neighbor with new suspicion, wondering who among them could secretly be the worst kind of criminal.

It doesn’t help when the new marshal, sent to help beleaguered sheriff “Kite” Calhoon clean up the mess, is found with his head and hands cut off, his body dumped in town square with the Annual Harvest Festival just around the corner. Thankfully they’ve sent another marshal to help. Unfortunately, she tells them she’s the ONLY marshal sent to help. And the identity of the dismembered man becomes another piece of the puzzle as the town descends into chaos.

ONGOING SERIES

ABSOLUTE BATMAN # 22

SOLICIT COPY:

THE ORIGIN OF HARLEY QUINN! As the Robins nest in Gotham’s backyard, and Batman faces ultimate defeat, Harley Quinn’s origin is revealed. How does Harley connect with Ark M, and how did the Robins fledge from hatchlings to birds of prey? The call of more than one predator will be answered in this issue.

FREE PLANET # 14

SOLICIT COPY:

VIVE LA RÉVOLUTION! Lutheria’s greatest fear has come true: Renewed war with the Interplanetary Development Alliance. In the explosive final issue of FREE PLANET’s first story cycle, the Freedom Guard has been drawn into a revolution on neighboring Dumuzid. But not everyone will make it out alive…

M.A.S.K. # 2

SOLICIT COPY:

THE NEW HIT ENERGON UNIVERSE SERIES CONTINUES! Bruce Sato and Gloria Baker — are you ready to save the world? As Matt Trakker’s newest M.A.S.K. recruits race to recover a weapon of unknown origin, V.E.N.O.M. strikes!

W0RLDTR33 # 21

SOLICIT COPY:

Despite everything Amanda has been through, she can’t forget that, hidden somewhere deep inside the relentless assassin known as PH34R is a shy little girl named Sammi. So with PH34R nowhere to be found, Amanda goes back where it all began. Amanda goes to the Winter house.

Trade Paperbacks, Hardcovers, and OGNs

HEAVEN HC

SOLICIT COPY:

Four young women investigate a vanishing strip club in this supernatural, surreal graphic novel.

Out past the edge of town, there exists a strip club called Heaven that only some can find. Some say it’s a mirage. Others say you can’t miss the giant neon heels lighting up the desert night skies.

Dolly can’t find a place to belong. After losing her identity as a gymnast and navigating family turbulence, she’s adrift from school and friends. When a mysterious presence beckons her to Heaven, she wonders if she may just have found her place — but just what does it want in return?

Katie Skelly’s first graphic novel since her acclaimed Maids in 2020, Heaven finds out what happens when the artist’s quintessential cool girl characters let their guards down and let the world in. With a supernatural strip club backdrop and an eye-popping sense of color that would make Dario Argento proud, Heaven reinforces Skelly’s place as one of the most distinctive voices working in contemporary comics today.

ORION TP

SOLICIT COPY:

WHEN PRINCE ORION UNCOVERS HIS SINISTER PARENTAGE, HE MUST DECIDE FOR HIMSELF IF HE IS DESTINED TO BE A HERO — OR A VILLAIN.

The festivals on New Genesis are merry, and the gods who fill its skies are lovers. But Prince Orion, adopted son of the Highfather, is none of these things. A brooding, battle-hungry warrior, Orion wonders how he was ever chosen to become an intergalactic prince, secretly in fear that he does not belong on the planet he calls home. And then Orion’s darkest nightmares are confirmed when the Highfather himself brings Orion’s true parentage to light: Not only is Orion from Apokolips , adopted as part of a cosmic pact, but he is the spawn of the tyrant Darkseid . How can Orion face his loved ones as a beast from Apokolips ? How can he live with himself when a tar-black evil runs through his veins? And when Darkseid threatens to destroy all of New Genesis, Orion will have to answer the ultimate question: Could he ever be a hero? Or was he born to become a monster?

In this highly anticipated sequel to Barda, #1 New York Times bestselling author/illustrator Ngozi Ukazu (Check, Please !) takes readers on an epic sci-fi adventure featuring the fan-favorite New God Orion.

PUNISHER & FURY MAX Omnibus HC

SOLICIT COPY:

Legendary PUNISHER scribe Garth Ennis reveals the secret, bloody history of Frank Castle and Nick Fury!

Before the Punisher was born in Vietnam, Frank Castle had already become a dark legend of the battlefield. Now learn the truth about Castle’s first command — and his first kill. It’s the answer to the question: What made the Punisher? Colonel Nick Fury certainly had an impact along the way. As an old man, Nick sits alone in a dank hotel room, coughing his confessions into a tape recorder, laying out a legacy of carnage stretching back to World War II — including his encounters with a young Marine sniper named Frank Castle. You won’t believe the horrors Frank and Nick went through in Vietnam — and how they survived to tell the tale! Nick’s constant lust for combat has blinded him to all other concerns, but the end is coming. The debt is long past due. And Fury’s true legacy will soon be written in blood for all to see. Plus: a modern-day tale of the Punisher, rooted in seeds planted decades ago in Moscow and Afghanistan!

COLLECTING: Punisher: The Platoon (2017) #1-6, Fury MAX (2012) #1-13, Get Fury (2024) #1-6, Punisher: Soviet (2019) #1-6

WRESTLE HEIST TP

SOLICIT COPY:

A no-holds-barred heist caper packed with body slams and backstabs for fans of over-the-top action!

After being crippled by a shady wrestling promoter, a former pro wrestler gathers a team of others wronged in the ring to rob the promoter blind during the biggest wrestling event of the year! From the outrageous, action-packed mind of multi-time Eisner nominee KYLE STARKS (Peacemaker Tries Hard, Sexcastle, I Hate This Place), with eye-popping colors by VLADIMIR POPOV (Where Monsters Lie, Fearscape).

Collects issues #1-5.

Preorders on Final Order Cutoff

THE BLOOD BROTHERS MOTHER HC

SOLICIT COPY:

NEW GRAPHIC NOVEL DEBUT from Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso-the legendary creative team behind the seminal crime series 100 Bullets!

In the old American West, three children set off across the wild Texas frontier to rescue their mother-kidnapped by ruthless outlaws who gunned down their preacher father. Throughout their journey, they’ll face the harsh elements of an unforgiving landscape, deadly animals hungry for blood, merciless bounty hunters and so much more… all in a relentless quest to rescue their family.

Along the way, they’ll learn the terrible cost of revenge — not just in lives, but in how it stains a soul. While revenge may be satisfying in the moment, it leaves a yearning behind that lasts a lifetime. And once you taste it, nothing else is ever so sweet.

In the tradition of The Searchers and The Outlaw Josey Wales comes a brutal new western series from writer BRIAN AZZARELLO and artist EDUARDO RISSO-the Eisner award-winning team behind the Vertigo crime classic, 100 Bullets and Image Comics, Moonshine!

For fans of 1883, BLOOD MERIDIAN, & THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY.

CHACHU # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

1979. Leila, a 19-year-old Pakistani-Canadian girl, stands on the cusp of adulthood, eager to experience the “real world” for the first time. With a head full of Hollywood dreams and a penchant for pulp novels, she ventures to California to connect with her estranged uncle — her “Chachu” — a middle-aged, semi-retired private eye who gained brief fame after marrying the starlet he was initially hired to find. But when Chachu’s wife goes missing once again, the two are forced on an impromptu road trip to track her down — with Leila navigating young adulthood and Chachu confronting his own mortality and regrets.

Inspired by her own coming-of-age experiences in the entertainment industry, CHACHU is the solo writing debut of superstar IMAN VELLANI (Ms. Marvel), a reinterpretation of the classic neo-noir private investigator story brilliantly illustrated by MARIANNA IGNAZZI (EXQUISITE CORPSES) and colored by JORDIE BELLAIRE (Absolute Wonder Woman).

DEATH VIGIL # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

The smash hit series is back! Bad news: You’re dead. Good news: You can join a band of Death Knights and help protect the world from necromancers and cosmic horror. The pay’s not great, but you’ll love your co-workers. So grab your spirit weapon and prepare for battle against the Primordial Enemy — join Death Vigil today!

From critically acclaimed creator STJEPAN ŠEJIC (STJEPAN ŠEJIC, RAVINE, APHRODITE lX, WITCHBLADE, Harleen) comes the exciting return of his creator-owned series DEATH VIGIL! The story of modern-age Death Knights locked in an ongoing war against the ever-growing power of the ravenous primordial Elder Gods. The only catch is you have to die first. Become a corporeal immortal Death Knight, and obtain reality-altering weaponry in the never-ending battle between Good and Evil.

H.P. LOVECRAFT’S THE DUNWICH HORROR HC

SOLICIT COPY:

The horror was born before dawn on February 2, 1913—the feast of Candlemas, although the people of Dunwich call that ancient festival by a different name. Of unknown father, Wilbur Whateley was not christened—yet he descended still from a one-proud Puritan family that left Salem in 1692 to found Dunwich, Massachusetts. And the descent of the Whateleys and their old town has been deep indeed—its now crumbling houses overlooked by bare hills topped by stone circles, where unhallowed rituals were held before the first settlers ever came.

Yet it was none other than ten year old Wilbur Whateley that led Dr. Henry Armitage, head librarian at Miskatonic University, to drive the dusty, rutted roads out to Dunwich, and meet the child prodigy who had been corresponding with him on the most abstruse and disturbing lore. Dr. Armitage could hardly believe the sight of the priceless hoard of occult books rotting away in the Whateley farmhouse—nor that of the dark, goatish Wilbur, for whom those books had been his only education.

But young Wilbur Whateley is not content with his homeschooling—to complete his studies, he needs something Miskatonic possesses, the Latin edition of the Necronomicon. And if they’re too snooty to lend their precious copy out to a country boy like him, Wilbur has other means to try to get it. The lad is no mere academic dilletante; he studies these things for a reason. Wilbur Whateley was born into this world with a great and horrific purpose—to open a doorway for those not of this world to return to Earth!

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 July 8

Ngozi Ukazu *clap clap clap clap clap*

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

DISPATCHED # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

MacGyver meets Die Hard in this life-or-death unboxing! Estranged from his family and living under a government-issued alias, ex-black ops agent Morgan Power endures a life in suburban exile as a delivery driver for a major global courier company. It’s a 180 from his action-packed classified work abroad, until a routine shift puts him in the crosshairs of a domestic terrorist takedown. Trapped in the parking garage of a besieged corporate office park, Power goes back to basics with nothing but his survival skills and a delivery van full of unopened packages — and endless possibilities — to fight his way from floor to floor and free the hostages. But some boxes hold more trash than treasure, and Powers will also have to contend with his intensifying PTSD as the situation escalates and time runs out. Writer B. Clay Moore (Bloodland, The Leading Man) and rising artist Daniel Gete (Skin Police) deliver a classic lockdown thriller with a fresh twist!

EXQUISITE CORPSES: RASCAL RANDY # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

THE COTTON-TAILED EXQUISITE CORPSES KILLER GETS A SPINOFF ORIGIN STORY.

The sleepy little town of Aurora Springs, NY, has exactly one claim to fame: it’s the birthplace of Rascal Randy. Not the man in the suit — the man has never mattered. He was no one until he put the mascot head on for the first time, until he felt the life leave someone’s body through the thickly furred gloves of the suit.

No, Aurora Springs is the birthplace of Rascal Randy the rabbit, who, once upon a time, was poised to become the greatest animated character this country had ever seen — until greed and tragedy changed his trajectory forever.

Now, before the events of EXQUISITE CORPSES SEASON 1, witness the final murder spree of this iconic killer, as chaos hops into town with buckteeth bared and ears flopping… and the secret, sordid history of Rascal Randy is finally revealed.

IT’S SYMBIE # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

SYMBIE GOES SOLO! Symbie may be a symbiote without a host, but that’s never slowed him down! Ever since Spider-Man freed him from a mad scientist’s lab, Symbie has made it his mission to unleash mischief across the Marvel Universe. His latest targets? The Fantastic Four, Thor, Scarlet Witch, Iron Man, Captain America and the Marvel Mutts! From SYMBIE INFINITY COMIC to MARVEL MUTTS INFINITY COMIC and AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, see some of Symbie’s greatest Marvel moments so far – all in one place for the very first time!

WITNESS POINT # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

From the minds of Nathan Fillion (Firefly, Castle) and Heath Corson (Animal Kingdom, Minor Threats), and illustrated by Soo Lee (Carmilla: The First Vampire), comes a new modern noir series full of mystery, murder, and the chaos of a small town caught up in a massive government screw up.

Welcome to Baraboo, a small Midwestern town nestled in the mountains of Wisconsin, home of the Ringling Brothers Circus headquarters and friendly neighbors that all know and trust each other… until it’s revealed that the town has been the dumping ground for every murderer, con-man, and crook in the Witness Protection program for the past forty years. “Witness Point” as Baraboo was nicknamed by the previous marshal, has now become a hotbed of conspiracy as every resident of this formerly sleepy town eyes their neighbor with new suspicion, wondering who among them could secretly be the worst kind of criminal.

It doesn’t help when the new marshal, sent to help beleaguered sheriff “Kite” Calhoon clean up the mess, is found with his head and hands cut off, his body dumped in town square with the Annual Harvest Festival just around the corner. Thankfully they’ve sent another marshal to help. Unfortunately, she tells them she’s the ONLY marshal sent to help. And the identity of the dismembered man becomes another piece of the puzzle as the town descends into chaos.

ONGOING SERIES

ABSOLUTE BATMAN # 22

SOLICIT COPY:

THE ORIGIN OF HARLEY QUINN! As the Robins nest in Gotham’s backyard, and Batman faces ultimate defeat, Harley Quinn’s origin is revealed. How does Harley connect with Ark M, and how did the Robins fledge from hatchlings to birds of prey? The call of more than one predator will be answered in this issue.

FREE PLANET # 14

SOLICIT COPY:

VIVE LA RÉVOLUTION! Lutheria’s greatest fear has come true: Renewed war with the Interplanetary Development Alliance. In the explosive final issue of FREE PLANET’s first story cycle, the Freedom Guard has been drawn into a revolution on neighboring Dumuzid. But not everyone will make it out alive…

M.A.S.K. # 2

SOLICIT COPY:

THE NEW HIT ENERGON UNIVERSE SERIES CONTINUES! Bruce Sato and Gloria Baker — are you ready to save the world? As Matt Trakker’s newest M.A.S.K. recruits race to recover a weapon of unknown origin, V.E.N.O.M. strikes!

W0RLDTR33 # 21

SOLICIT COPY:

Despite everything Amanda has been through, she can’t forget that, hidden somewhere deep inside the relentless assassin known as PH34R is a shy little girl named Sammi. So with PH34R nowhere to be found, Amanda goes back where it all began. Amanda goes to the Winter house.

Trade Paperbacks, Hardcovers, and OGNs

HEAVEN HC

SOLICIT COPY:

Four young women investigate a vanishing strip club in this supernatural, surreal graphic novel.

Out past the edge of town, there exists a strip club called Heaven that only some can find. Some say it’s a mirage. Others say you can’t miss the giant neon heels lighting up the desert night skies.

Dolly can’t find a place to belong. After losing her identity as a gymnast and navigating family turbulence, she’s adrift from school and friends. When a mysterious presence beckons her to Heaven, she wonders if she may just have found her place — but just what does it want in return?

Katie Skelly’s first graphic novel since her acclaimed Maids in 2020, Heaven finds out what happens when the artist’s quintessential cool girl characters let their guards down and let the world in. With a supernatural strip club backdrop and an eye-popping sense of color that would make Dario Argento proud, Heaven reinforces Skelly’s place as one of the most distinctive voices working in contemporary comics today.

ORION TP

SOLICIT COPY:

WHEN PRINCE ORION UNCOVERS HIS SINISTER PARENTAGE, HE MUST DECIDE FOR HIMSELF IF HE IS DESTINED TO BE A HERO — OR A VILLAIN.

The festivals on New Genesis are merry, and the gods who fill its skies are lovers. But Prince Orion, adopted son of the Highfather, is none of these things. A brooding, battle-hungry warrior, Orion wonders how he was ever chosen to become an intergalactic prince, secretly in fear that he does not belong on the planet he calls home. And then Orion’s darkest nightmares are confirmed when the Highfather himself brings Orion’s true parentage to light: Not only is Orion from Apokolips , adopted as part of a cosmic pact, but he is the spawn of the tyrant Darkseid . How can Orion face his loved ones as a beast from Apokolips ? How can he live with himself when a tar-black evil runs through his veins? And when Darkseid threatens to destroy all of New Genesis, Orion will have to answer the ultimate question: Could he ever be a hero? Or was he born to become a monster?

In this highly anticipated sequel to Barda, #1 New York Times bestselling author/illustrator Ngozi Ukazu (Check, Please !) takes readers on an epic sci-fi adventure featuring the fan-favorite New God Orion.

PUNISHER & FURY MAX Omnibus HC

SOLICIT COPY:

Legendary PUNISHER scribe Garth Ennis reveals the secret, bloody history of Frank Castle and Nick Fury!

Before the Punisher was born in Vietnam, Frank Castle had already become a dark legend of the battlefield. Now learn the truth about Castle’s first command — and his first kill. It’s the answer to the question: What made the Punisher? Colonel Nick Fury certainly had an impact along the way. As an old man, Nick sits alone in a dank hotel room, coughing his confessions into a tape recorder, laying out a legacy of carnage stretching back to World War II — including his encounters with a young Marine sniper named Frank Castle. You won’t believe the horrors Frank and Nick went through in Vietnam — and how they survived to tell the tale! Nick’s constant lust for combat has blinded him to all other concerns, but the end is coming. The debt is long past due. And Fury’s true legacy will soon be written in blood for all to see. Plus: a modern-day tale of the Punisher, rooted in seeds planted decades ago in Moscow and Afghanistan!

COLLECTING: Punisher: The Platoon (2017) #1-6, Fury MAX (2012) #1-13, Get Fury (2024) #1-6, Punisher: Soviet (2019) #1-6

WRESTLE HEIST TP

SOLICIT COPY:

A no-holds-barred heist caper packed with body slams and backstabs for fans of over-the-top action!

After being crippled by a shady wrestling promoter, a former pro wrestler gathers a team of others wronged in the ring to rob the promoter blind during the biggest wrestling event of the year! From the outrageous, action-packed mind of multi-time Eisner nominee KYLE STARKS (Peacemaker Tries Hard, Sexcastle, I Hate This Place), with eye-popping colors by VLADIMIR POPOV (Where Monsters Lie, Fearscape).

Collects issues #1-5.

Preorders on Final Order Cutoff

THE BLOOD BROTHERS MOTHER HC

SOLICIT COPY:

NEW GRAPHIC NOVEL DEBUT from Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso-the legendary creative team behind the seminal crime series 100 Bullets!

In the old American West, three children set off across the wild Texas frontier to rescue their mother-kidnapped by ruthless outlaws who gunned down their preacher father. Throughout their journey, they’ll face the harsh elements of an unforgiving landscape, deadly animals hungry for blood, merciless bounty hunters and so much more… all in a relentless quest to rescue their family.

Along the way, they’ll learn the terrible cost of revenge — not just in lives, but in how it stains a soul. While revenge may be satisfying in the moment, it leaves a yearning behind that lasts a lifetime. And once you taste it, nothing else is ever so sweet.

In the tradition of The Searchers and The Outlaw Josey Wales comes a brutal new western series from writer BRIAN AZZARELLO and artist EDUARDO RISSO-the Eisner award-winning team behind the Vertigo crime classic, 100 Bullets and Image Comics, Moonshine!

For fans of 1883, BLOOD MERIDIAN, & THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY.

CHACHU # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

1979. Leila, a 19-year-old Pakistani-Canadian girl, stands on the cusp of adulthood, eager to experience the “real world” for the first time. With a head full of Hollywood dreams and a penchant for pulp novels, she ventures to California to connect with her estranged uncle — her “Chachu” — a middle-aged, semi-retired private eye who gained brief fame after marrying the starlet he was initially hired to find. But when Chachu’s wife goes missing once again, the two are forced on an impromptu road trip to track her down — with Leila navigating young adulthood and Chachu confronting his own mortality and regrets.

Inspired by her own coming-of-age experiences in the entertainment industry, CHACHU is the solo writing debut of superstar IMAN VELLANI (Ms. Marvel), a reinterpretation of the classic neo-noir private investigator story brilliantly illustrated by MARIANNA IGNAZZI (EXQUISITE CORPSES) and colored by JORDIE BELLAIRE (Absolute Wonder Woman).

DEATH VIGIL # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

The smash hit series is back! Bad news: You’re dead. Good news: You can join a band of Death Knights and help protect the world from necromancers and cosmic horror. The pay’s not great, but you’ll love your co-workers. So grab your spirit weapon and prepare for battle against the Primordial Enemy — join Death Vigil today!

From critically acclaimed creator STJEPAN ŠEJIC (STJEPAN ŠEJIC, RAVINE, APHRODITE lX, WITCHBLADE, Harleen) comes the exciting return of his creator-owned series DEATH VIGIL! The story of modern-age Death Knights locked in an ongoing war against the ever-growing power of the ravenous primordial Elder Gods. The only catch is you have to die first. Become a corporeal immortal Death Knight, and obtain reality-altering weaponry in the never-ending battle between Good and Evil.

H.P. LOVECRAFT’S THE DUNWICH HORROR HC

SOLICIT COPY:

The horror was born before dawn on February 2, 1913—the feast of Candlemas, although the people of Dunwich call that ancient festival by a different name. Of unknown father, Wilbur Whateley was not christened—yet he descended still from a one-proud Puritan family that left Salem in 1692 to found Dunwich, Massachusetts. And the descent of the Whateleys and their old town has been deep indeed—its now crumbling houses overlooked by bare hills topped by stone circles, where unhallowed rituals were held before the first settlers ever came.

Yet it was none other than ten year old Wilbur Whateley that led Dr. Henry Armitage, head librarian at Miskatonic University, to drive the dusty, rutted roads out to Dunwich, and meet the child prodigy who had been corresponding with him on the most abstruse and disturbing lore. Dr. Armitage could hardly believe the sight of the priceless hoard of occult books rotting away in the Whateley farmhouse—nor that of the dark, goatish Wilbur, for whom those books had been his only education.

But young Wilbur Whateley is not content with his homeschooling—to complete his studies, he needs something Miskatonic possesses, the Latin edition of the Necronomicon. And if they’re too snooty to lend their precious copy out to a country boy like him, Wilbur has other means to try to get it. The lad is no mere academic dilletante; he studies these things for a reason. Wilbur Whateley was born into this world with a great and horrific purpose—to open a doorway for those not of this world to return to Earth!

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 July 8

Ngozi Ukazu *clap clap clap clap clap*

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

DISPATCHED # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

MacGyver meets Die Hard in this life-or-death unboxing! Estranged from his family and living under a government-issued alias, ex-black ops agent Morgan Power endures a life in suburban exile as a delivery driver for a major global courier company. It’s a 180 from his action-packed classified work abroad, until a routine shift puts him in the crosshairs of a domestic terrorist takedown. Trapped in the parking garage of a besieged corporate office park, Power goes back to basics with nothing but his survival skills and a delivery van full of unopened packages — and endless possibilities — to fight his way from floor to floor and free the hostages. But some boxes hold more trash than treasure, and Powers will also have to contend with his intensifying PTSD as the situation escalates and time runs out. Writer B. Clay Moore (Bloodland, The Leading Man) and rising artist Daniel Gete (Skin Police) deliver a classic lockdown thriller with a fresh twist!

EXQUISITE CORPSES: RASCAL RANDY # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

THE COTTON-TAILED EXQUISITE CORPSES KILLER GETS A SPINOFF ORIGIN STORY.

The sleepy little town of Aurora Springs, NY, has exactly one claim to fame: it’s the birthplace of Rascal Randy. Not the man in the suit — the man has never mattered. He was no one until he put the mascot head on for the first time, until he felt the life leave someone’s body through the thickly furred gloves of the suit.

No, Aurora Springs is the birthplace of Rascal Randy the rabbit, who, once upon a time, was poised to become the greatest animated character this country had ever seen — until greed and tragedy changed his trajectory forever.

Now, before the events of EXQUISITE CORPSES SEASON 1, witness the final murder spree of this iconic killer, as chaos hops into town with buckteeth bared and ears flopping… and the secret, sordid history of Rascal Randy is finally revealed.

IT’S SYMBIE # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

SYMBIE GOES SOLO! Symbie may be a symbiote without a host, but that’s never slowed him down! Ever since Spider-Man freed him from a mad scientist’s lab, Symbie has made it his mission to unleash mischief across the Marvel Universe. His latest targets? The Fantastic Four, Thor, Scarlet Witch, Iron Man, Captain America and the Marvel Mutts! From SYMBIE INFINITY COMIC to MARVEL MUTTS INFINITY COMIC and AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, see some of Symbie’s greatest Marvel moments so far – all in one place for the very first time!

WITNESS POINT # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

From the minds of Nathan Fillion (Firefly, Castle) and Heath Corson (Animal Kingdom, Minor Threats), and illustrated by Soo Lee (Carmilla: The First Vampire), comes a new modern noir series full of mystery, murder, and the chaos of a small town caught up in a massive government screw up.

Welcome to Baraboo, a small Midwestern town nestled in the mountains of Wisconsin, home of the Ringling Brothers Circus headquarters and friendly neighbors that all know and trust each other… until it’s revealed that the town has been the dumping ground for every murderer, con-man, and crook in the Witness Protection program for the past forty years. “Witness Point” as Baraboo was nicknamed by the previous marshal, has now become a hotbed of conspiracy as every resident of this formerly sleepy town eyes their neighbor with new suspicion, wondering who among them could secretly be the worst kind of criminal.

It doesn’t help when the new marshal, sent to help beleaguered sheriff “Kite” Calhoon clean up the mess, is found with his head and hands cut off, his body dumped in town square with the Annual Harvest Festival just around the corner. Thankfully they’ve sent another marshal to help. Unfortunately, she tells them she’s the ONLY marshal sent to help. And the identity of the dismembered man becomes another piece of the puzzle as the town descends into chaos.

ONGOING SERIES

ABSOLUTE BATMAN # 22

SOLICIT COPY:

THE ORIGIN OF HARLEY QUINN! As the Robins nest in Gotham’s backyard, and Batman faces ultimate defeat, Harley Quinn’s origin is revealed. How does Harley connect with Ark M, and how did the Robins fledge from hatchlings to birds of prey? The call of more than one predator will be answered in this issue.

FREE PLANET # 14

SOLICIT COPY:

VIVE LA RÉVOLUTION! Lutheria’s greatest fear has come true: Renewed war with the Interplanetary Development Alliance. In the explosive final issue of FREE PLANET’s first story cycle, the Freedom Guard has been drawn into a revolution on neighboring Dumuzid. But not everyone will make it out alive…

M.A.S.K. # 2

SOLICIT COPY:

THE NEW HIT ENERGON UNIVERSE SERIES CONTINUES! Bruce Sato and Gloria Baker — are you ready to save the world? As Matt Trakker’s newest M.A.S.K. recruits race to recover a weapon of unknown origin, V.E.N.O.M. strikes!

W0RLDTR33 # 21

SOLICIT COPY:

Despite everything Amanda has been through, she can’t forget that, hidden somewhere deep inside the relentless assassin known as PH34R is a shy little girl named Sammi. So with PH34R nowhere to be found, Amanda goes back where it all began. Amanda goes to the Winter house.

Trade Paperbacks, Hardcovers, and OGNs

HEAVEN HC

SOLICIT COPY:

Four young women investigate a vanishing strip club in this supernatural, surreal graphic novel.

Out past the edge of town, there exists a strip club called Heaven that only some can find. Some say it’s a mirage. Others say you can’t miss the giant neon heels lighting up the desert night skies.

Dolly can’t find a place to belong. After losing her identity as a gymnast and navigating family turbulence, she’s adrift from school and friends. When a mysterious presence beckons her to Heaven, she wonders if she may just have found her place — but just what does it want in return?

Katie Skelly’s first graphic novel since her acclaimed Maids in 2020, Heaven finds out what happens when the artist’s quintessential cool girl characters let their guards down and let the world in. With a supernatural strip club backdrop and an eye-popping sense of color that would make Dario Argento proud, Heaven reinforces Skelly’s place as one of the most distinctive voices working in contemporary comics today.

ORION TP

SOLICIT COPY:

WHEN PRINCE ORION UNCOVERS HIS SINISTER PARENTAGE, HE MUST DECIDE FOR HIMSELF IF HE IS DESTINED TO BE A HERO — OR A VILLAIN.

The festivals on New Genesis are merry, and the gods who fill its skies are lovers. But Prince Orion, adopted son of the Highfather, is none of these things. A brooding, battle-hungry warrior, Orion wonders how he was ever chosen to become an intergalactic prince, secretly in fear that he does not belong on the planet he calls home. And then Orion’s darkest nightmares are confirmed when the Highfather himself brings Orion’s true parentage to light: Not only is Orion from Apokolips , adopted as part of a cosmic pact, but he is the spawn of the tyrant Darkseid . How can Orion face his loved ones as a beast from Apokolips ? How can he live with himself when a tar-black evil runs through his veins? And when Darkseid threatens to destroy all of New Genesis, Orion will have to answer the ultimate question: Could he ever be a hero? Or was he born to become a monster?

In this highly anticipated sequel to Barda, #1 New York Times bestselling author/illustrator Ngozi Ukazu (Check, Please !) takes readers on an epic sci-fi adventure featuring the fan-favorite New God Orion.

PUNISHER & FURY MAX Omnibus HC

SOLICIT COPY:

Legendary PUNISHER scribe Garth Ennis reveals the secret, bloody history of Frank Castle and Nick Fury!

Before the Punisher was born in Vietnam, Frank Castle had already become a dark legend of the battlefield. Now learn the truth about Castle’s first command — and his first kill. It’s the answer to the question: What made the Punisher? Colonel Nick Fury certainly had an impact along the way. As an old man, Nick sits alone in a dank hotel room, coughing his confessions into a tape recorder, laying out a legacy of carnage stretching back to World War II — including his encounters with a young Marine sniper named Frank Castle. You won’t believe the horrors Frank and Nick went through in Vietnam — and how they survived to tell the tale! Nick’s constant lust for combat has blinded him to all other concerns, but the end is coming. The debt is long past due. And Fury’s true legacy will soon be written in blood for all to see. Plus: a modern-day tale of the Punisher, rooted in seeds planted decades ago in Moscow and Afghanistan!

COLLECTING: Punisher: The Platoon (2017) #1-6, Fury MAX (2012) #1-13, Get Fury (2024) #1-6, Punisher: Soviet (2019) #1-6

WRESTLE HEIST TP

SOLICIT COPY:

A no-holds-barred heist caper packed with body slams and backstabs for fans of over-the-top action!

After being crippled by a shady wrestling promoter, a former pro wrestler gathers a team of others wronged in the ring to rob the promoter blind during the biggest wrestling event of the year! From the outrageous, action-packed mind of multi-time Eisner nominee KYLE STARKS (Peacemaker Tries Hard, Sexcastle, I Hate This Place), with eye-popping colors by VLADIMIR POPOV (Where Monsters Lie, Fearscape).

Collects issues #1-5.

Preorders on Final Order Cutoff

THE BLOOD BROTHERS MOTHER HC

SOLICIT COPY:

NEW GRAPHIC NOVEL DEBUT from Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso-the legendary creative team behind the seminal crime series 100 Bullets!

In the old American West, three children set off across the wild Texas frontier to rescue their mother-kidnapped by ruthless outlaws who gunned down their preacher father. Throughout their journey, they’ll face the harsh elements of an unforgiving landscape, deadly animals hungry for blood, merciless bounty hunters and so much more… all in a relentless quest to rescue their family.

Along the way, they’ll learn the terrible cost of revenge — not just in lives, but in how it stains a soul. While revenge may be satisfying in the moment, it leaves a yearning behind that lasts a lifetime. And once you taste it, nothing else is ever so sweet.

In the tradition of The Searchers and The Outlaw Josey Wales comes a brutal new western series from writer BRIAN AZZARELLO and artist EDUARDO RISSO-the Eisner award-winning team behind the Vertigo crime classic, 100 Bullets and Image Comics, Moonshine!

For fans of 1883, BLOOD MERIDIAN, & THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY.

CHACHU # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

1979. Leila, a 19-year-old Pakistani-Canadian girl, stands on the cusp of adulthood, eager to experience the “real world” for the first time. With a head full of Hollywood dreams and a penchant for pulp novels, she ventures to California to connect with her estranged uncle — her “Chachu” — a middle-aged, semi-retired private eye who gained brief fame after marrying the starlet he was initially hired to find. But when Chachu’s wife goes missing once again, the two are forced on an impromptu road trip to track her down — with Leila navigating young adulthood and Chachu confronting his own mortality and regrets.

Inspired by her own coming-of-age experiences in the entertainment industry, CHACHU is the solo writing debut of superstar IMAN VELLANI (Ms. Marvel), a reinterpretation of the classic neo-noir private investigator story brilliantly illustrated by MARIANNA IGNAZZI (EXQUISITE CORPSES) and colored by JORDIE BELLAIRE (Absolute Wonder Woman).

DEATH VIGIL # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

The smash hit series is back! Bad news: You’re dead. Good news: You can join a band of Death Knights and help protect the world from necromancers and cosmic horror. The pay’s not great, but you’ll love your co-workers. So grab your spirit weapon and prepare for battle against the Primordial Enemy — join Death Vigil today!

From critically acclaimed creator STJEPAN ŠEJIC (STJEPAN ŠEJIC, RAVINE, APHRODITE lX, WITCHBLADE, Harleen) comes the exciting return of his creator-owned series DEATH VIGIL! The story of modern-age Death Knights locked in an ongoing war against the ever-growing power of the ravenous primordial Elder Gods. The only catch is you have to die first. Become a corporeal immortal Death Knight, and obtain reality-altering weaponry in the never-ending battle between Good and Evil.

H.P. LOVECRAFT’S THE DUNWICH HORROR HC

SOLICIT COPY:

The horror was born before dawn on February 2, 1913—the feast of Candlemas, although the people of Dunwich call that ancient festival by a different name. Of unknown father, Wilbur Whateley was not christened—yet he descended still from a one-proud Puritan family that left Salem in 1692 to found Dunwich, Massachusetts. And the descent of the Whateleys and their old town has been deep indeed—its now crumbling houses overlooked by bare hills topped by stone circles, where unhallowed rituals were held before the first settlers ever came.

Yet it was none other than ten year old Wilbur Whateley that led Dr. Henry Armitage, head librarian at Miskatonic University, to drive the dusty, rutted roads out to Dunwich, and meet the child prodigy who had been corresponding with him on the most abstruse and disturbing lore. Dr. Armitage could hardly believe the sight of the priceless hoard of occult books rotting away in the Whateley farmhouse—nor that of the dark, goatish Wilbur, for whom those books had been his only education.

But young Wilbur Whateley is not content with his homeschooling—to complete his studies, he needs something Miskatonic possesses, the Latin edition of the Necronomicon. And if they’re too snooty to lend their precious copy out to a country boy like him, Wilbur has other means to try to get it. The lad is no mere academic dilletante; he studies these things for a reason. Wilbur Whateley was born into this world with a great and horrific purpose—to open a doorway for those not of this world to return to Earth!

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 July 8

Ngozi Ukazu *clap clap clap clap clap*

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

DISPATCHED # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

MacGyver meets Die Hard in this life-or-death unboxing! Estranged from his family and living under a government-issued alias, ex-black ops agent Morgan Power endures a life in suburban exile as a delivery driver for a major global courier company. It’s a 180 from his action-packed classified work abroad, until a routine shift puts him in the crosshairs of a domestic terrorist takedown. Trapped in the parking garage of a besieged corporate office park, Power goes back to basics with nothing but his survival skills and a delivery van full of unopened packages — and endless possibilities — to fight his way from floor to floor and free the hostages. But some boxes hold more trash than treasure, and Powers will also have to contend with his intensifying PTSD as the situation escalates and time runs out. Writer B. Clay Moore (Bloodland, The Leading Man) and rising artist Daniel Gete (Skin Police) deliver a classic lockdown thriller with a fresh twist!

EXQUISITE CORPSES: RASCAL RANDY # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

THE COTTON-TAILED EXQUISITE CORPSES KILLER GETS A SPINOFF ORIGIN STORY.

The sleepy little town of Aurora Springs, NY, has exactly one claim to fame: it’s the birthplace of Rascal Randy. Not the man in the suit — the man has never mattered. He was no one until he put the mascot head on for the first time, until he felt the life leave someone’s body through the thickly furred gloves of the suit.

No, Aurora Springs is the birthplace of Rascal Randy the rabbit, who, once upon a time, was poised to become the greatest animated character this country had ever seen — until greed and tragedy changed his trajectory forever.

Now, before the events of EXQUISITE CORPSES SEASON 1, witness the final murder spree of this iconic killer, as chaos hops into town with buckteeth bared and ears flopping… and the secret, sordid history of Rascal Randy is finally revealed.

IT’S SYMBIE # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

SYMBIE GOES SOLO! Symbie may be a symbiote without a host, but that’s never slowed him down! Ever since Spider-Man freed him from a mad scientist’s lab, Symbie has made it his mission to unleash mischief across the Marvel Universe. His latest targets? The Fantastic Four, Thor, Scarlet Witch, Iron Man, Captain America and the Marvel Mutts! From SYMBIE INFINITY COMIC to MARVEL MUTTS INFINITY COMIC and AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, see some of Symbie’s greatest Marvel moments so far – all in one place for the very first time!

WITNESS POINT # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

From the minds of Nathan Fillion (Firefly, Castle) and Heath Corson (Animal Kingdom, Minor Threats), and illustrated by Soo Lee (Carmilla: The First Vampire), comes a new modern noir series full of mystery, murder, and the chaos of a small town caught up in a massive government screw up.

Welcome to Baraboo, a small Midwestern town nestled in the mountains of Wisconsin, home of the Ringling Brothers Circus headquarters and friendly neighbors that all know and trust each other… until it’s revealed that the town has been the dumping ground for every murderer, con-man, and crook in the Witness Protection program for the past forty years. “Witness Point” as Baraboo was nicknamed by the previous marshal, has now become a hotbed of conspiracy as every resident of this formerly sleepy town eyes their neighbor with new suspicion, wondering who among them could secretly be the worst kind of criminal.

It doesn’t help when the new marshal, sent to help beleaguered sheriff “Kite” Calhoon clean up the mess, is found with his head and hands cut off, his body dumped in town square with the Annual Harvest Festival just around the corner. Thankfully they’ve sent another marshal to help. Unfortunately, she tells them she’s the ONLY marshal sent to help. And the identity of the dismembered man becomes another piece of the puzzle as the town descends into chaos.

ONGOING SERIES

ABSOLUTE BATMAN # 22

SOLICIT COPY:

THE ORIGIN OF HARLEY QUINN! As the Robins nest in Gotham’s backyard, and Batman faces ultimate defeat, Harley Quinn’s origin is revealed. How does Harley connect with Ark M, and how did the Robins fledge from hatchlings to birds of prey? The call of more than one predator will be answered in this issue.

FREE PLANET # 14

SOLICIT COPY:

VIVE LA RÉVOLUTION! Lutheria’s greatest fear has come true: Renewed war with the Interplanetary Development Alliance. In the explosive final issue of FREE PLANET’s first story cycle, the Freedom Guard has been drawn into a revolution on neighboring Dumuzid. But not everyone will make it out alive…

M.A.S.K. # 2

SOLICIT COPY:

THE NEW HIT ENERGON UNIVERSE SERIES CONTINUES! Bruce Sato and Gloria Baker — are you ready to save the world? As Matt Trakker’s newest M.A.S.K. recruits race to recover a weapon of unknown origin, V.E.N.O.M. strikes!

W0RLDTR33 # 21

SOLICIT COPY:

Despite everything Amanda has been through, she can’t forget that, hidden somewhere deep inside the relentless assassin known as PH34R is a shy little girl named Sammi. So with PH34R nowhere to be found, Amanda goes back where it all began. Amanda goes to the Winter house.

Trade Paperbacks, Hardcovers, and OGNs

HEAVEN HC

SOLICIT COPY:

Four young women investigate a vanishing strip club in this supernatural, surreal graphic novel.

Out past the edge of town, there exists a strip club called Heaven that only some can find. Some say it’s a mirage. Others say you can’t miss the giant neon heels lighting up the desert night skies.

Dolly can’t find a place to belong. After losing her identity as a gymnast and navigating family turbulence, she’s adrift from school and friends. When a mysterious presence beckons her to Heaven, she wonders if she may just have found her place — but just what does it want in return?

Katie Skelly’s first graphic novel since her acclaimed Maids in 2020, Heaven finds out what happens when the artist’s quintessential cool girl characters let their guards down and let the world in. With a supernatural strip club backdrop and an eye-popping sense of color that would make Dario Argento proud, Heaven reinforces Skelly’s place as one of the most distinctive voices working in contemporary comics today.

ORION TP

SOLICIT COPY:

WHEN PRINCE ORION UNCOVERS HIS SINISTER PARENTAGE, HE MUST DECIDE FOR HIMSELF IF HE IS DESTINED TO BE A HERO — OR A VILLAIN.

The festivals on New Genesis are merry, and the gods who fill its skies are lovers. But Prince Orion, adopted son of the Highfather, is none of these things. A brooding, battle-hungry warrior, Orion wonders how he was ever chosen to become an intergalactic prince, secretly in fear that he does not belong on the planet he calls home. And then Orion’s darkest nightmares are confirmed when the Highfather himself brings Orion’s true parentage to light: Not only is Orion from Apokolips , adopted as part of a cosmic pact, but he is the spawn of the tyrant Darkseid . How can Orion face his loved ones as a beast from Apokolips ? How can he live with himself when a tar-black evil runs through his veins? And when Darkseid threatens to destroy all of New Genesis, Orion will have to answer the ultimate question: Could he ever be a hero? Or was he born to become a monster?

In this highly anticipated sequel to Barda, #1 New York Times bestselling author/illustrator Ngozi Ukazu (Check, Please !) takes readers on an epic sci-fi adventure featuring the fan-favorite New God Orion.

PUNISHER & FURY MAX Omnibus HC

SOLICIT COPY:

Legendary PUNISHER scribe Garth Ennis reveals the secret, bloody history of Frank Castle and Nick Fury!

Before the Punisher was born in Vietnam, Frank Castle had already become a dark legend of the battlefield. Now learn the truth about Castle’s first command — and his first kill. It’s the answer to the question: What made the Punisher? Colonel Nick Fury certainly had an impact along the way. As an old man, Nick sits alone in a dank hotel room, coughing his confessions into a tape recorder, laying out a legacy of carnage stretching back to World War II — including his encounters with a young Marine sniper named Frank Castle. You won’t believe the horrors Frank and Nick went through in Vietnam — and how they survived to tell the tale! Nick’s constant lust for combat has blinded him to all other concerns, but the end is coming. The debt is long past due. And Fury’s true legacy will soon be written in blood for all to see. Plus: a modern-day tale of the Punisher, rooted in seeds planted decades ago in Moscow and Afghanistan!

COLLECTING: Punisher: The Platoon (2017) #1-6, Fury MAX (2012) #1-13, Get Fury (2024) #1-6, Punisher: Soviet (2019) #1-6

WRESTLE HEIST TP

SOLICIT COPY:

A no-holds-barred heist caper packed with body slams and backstabs for fans of over-the-top action!

After being crippled by a shady wrestling promoter, a former pro wrestler gathers a team of others wronged in the ring to rob the promoter blind during the biggest wrestling event of the year! From the outrageous, action-packed mind of multi-time Eisner nominee KYLE STARKS (Peacemaker Tries Hard, Sexcastle, I Hate This Place), with eye-popping colors by VLADIMIR POPOV (Where Monsters Lie, Fearscape).

Collects issues #1-5.

Preorders on Final Order Cutoff

THE BLOOD BROTHERS MOTHER HC

SOLICIT COPY:

NEW GRAPHIC NOVEL DEBUT from Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso-the legendary creative team behind the seminal crime series 100 Bullets!

In the old American West, three children set off across the wild Texas frontier to rescue their mother-kidnapped by ruthless outlaws who gunned down their preacher father. Throughout their journey, they’ll face the harsh elements of an unforgiving landscape, deadly animals hungry for blood, merciless bounty hunters and so much more… all in a relentless quest to rescue their family.

Along the way, they’ll learn the terrible cost of revenge — not just in lives, but in how it stains a soul. While revenge may be satisfying in the moment, it leaves a yearning behind that lasts a lifetime. And once you taste it, nothing else is ever so sweet.

In the tradition of The Searchers and The Outlaw Josey Wales comes a brutal new western series from writer BRIAN AZZARELLO and artist EDUARDO RISSO-the Eisner award-winning team behind the Vertigo crime classic, 100 Bullets and Image Comics, Moonshine!

For fans of 1883, BLOOD MERIDIAN, & THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY.

CHACHU # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

1979. Leila, a 19-year-old Pakistani-Canadian girl, stands on the cusp of adulthood, eager to experience the “real world” for the first time. With a head full of Hollywood dreams and a penchant for pulp novels, she ventures to California to connect with her estranged uncle — her “Chachu” — a middle-aged, semi-retired private eye who gained brief fame after marrying the starlet he was initially hired to find. But when Chachu’s wife goes missing once again, the two are forced on an impromptu road trip to track her down — with Leila navigating young adulthood and Chachu confronting his own mortality and regrets.

Inspired by her own coming-of-age experiences in the entertainment industry, CHACHU is the solo writing debut of superstar IMAN VELLANI (Ms. Marvel), a reinterpretation of the classic neo-noir private investigator story brilliantly illustrated by MARIANNA IGNAZZI (EXQUISITE CORPSES) and colored by JORDIE BELLAIRE (Absolute Wonder Woman).

DEATH VIGIL # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

The smash hit series is back! Bad news: You’re dead. Good news: You can join a band of Death Knights and help protect the world from necromancers and cosmic horror. The pay’s not great, but you’ll love your co-workers. So grab your spirit weapon and prepare for battle against the Primordial Enemy — join Death Vigil today!

From critically acclaimed creator STJEPAN ŠEJIC (STJEPAN ŠEJIC, RAVINE, APHRODITE lX, WITCHBLADE, Harleen) comes the exciting return of his creator-owned series DEATH VIGIL! The story of modern-age Death Knights locked in an ongoing war against the ever-growing power of the ravenous primordial Elder Gods. The only catch is you have to die first. Become a corporeal immortal Death Knight, and obtain reality-altering weaponry in the never-ending battle between Good and Evil.

H.P. LOVECRAFT’S THE DUNWICH HORROR HC

SOLICIT COPY:

The horror was born before dawn on February 2, 1913—the feast of Candlemas, although the people of Dunwich call that ancient festival by a different name. Of unknown father, Wilbur Whateley was not christened—yet he descended still from a one-proud Puritan family that left Salem in 1692 to found Dunwich, Massachusetts. And the descent of the Whateleys and their old town has been deep indeed—its now crumbling houses overlooked by bare hills topped by stone circles, where unhallowed rituals were held before the first settlers ever came.

Yet it was none other than ten year old Wilbur Whateley that led Dr. Henry Armitage, head librarian at Miskatonic University, to drive the dusty, rutted roads out to Dunwich, and meet the child prodigy who had been corresponding with him on the most abstruse and disturbing lore. Dr. Armitage could hardly believe the sight of the priceless hoard of occult books rotting away in the Whateley farmhouse—nor that of the dark, goatish Wilbur, for whom those books had been his only education.

But young Wilbur Whateley is not content with his homeschooling—to complete his studies, he needs something Miskatonic possesses, the Latin edition of the Necronomicon. And if they’re too snooty to lend their precious copy out to a country boy like him, Wilbur has other means to try to get it. The lad is no mere academic dilletante; he studies these things for a reason. Wilbur Whateley was born into this world with a great and horrific purpose—to open a doorway for those not of this world to return to Earth!

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 July 8

Ngozi Ukazu *clap clap clap clap clap*

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

DISPATCHED # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

MacGyver meets Die Hard in this life-or-death unboxing! Estranged from his family and living under a government-issued alias, ex-black ops agent Morgan Power endures a life in suburban exile as a delivery driver for a major global courier company. It’s a 180 from his action-packed classified work abroad, until a routine shift puts him in the crosshairs of a domestic terrorist takedown. Trapped in the parking garage of a besieged corporate office park, Power goes back to basics with nothing but his survival skills and a delivery van full of unopened packages — and endless possibilities — to fight his way from floor to floor and free the hostages. But some boxes hold more trash than treasure, and Powers will also have to contend with his intensifying PTSD as the situation escalates and time runs out. Writer B. Clay Moore (Bloodland, The Leading Man) and rising artist Daniel Gete (Skin Police) deliver a classic lockdown thriller with a fresh twist!

EXQUISITE CORPSES: RASCAL RANDY # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

THE COTTON-TAILED EXQUISITE CORPSES KILLER GETS A SPINOFF ORIGIN STORY.

The sleepy little town of Aurora Springs, NY, has exactly one claim to fame: it’s the birthplace of Rascal Randy. Not the man in the suit — the man has never mattered. He was no one until he put the mascot head on for the first time, until he felt the life leave someone’s body through the thickly furred gloves of the suit.

No, Aurora Springs is the birthplace of Rascal Randy the rabbit, who, once upon a time, was poised to become the greatest animated character this country had ever seen — until greed and tragedy changed his trajectory forever.

Now, before the events of EXQUISITE CORPSES SEASON 1, witness the final murder spree of this iconic killer, as chaos hops into town with buckteeth bared and ears flopping… and the secret, sordid history of Rascal Randy is finally revealed.

IT’S SYMBIE # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

SYMBIE GOES SOLO! Symbie may be a symbiote without a host, but that’s never slowed him down! Ever since Spider-Man freed him from a mad scientist’s lab, Symbie has made it his mission to unleash mischief across the Marvel Universe. His latest targets? The Fantastic Four, Thor, Scarlet Witch, Iron Man, Captain America and the Marvel Mutts! From SYMBIE INFINITY COMIC to MARVEL MUTTS INFINITY COMIC and AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, see some of Symbie’s greatest Marvel moments so far – all in one place for the very first time!

WITNESS POINT # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

From the minds of Nathan Fillion (Firefly, Castle) and Heath Corson (Animal Kingdom, Minor Threats), and illustrated by Soo Lee (Carmilla: The First Vampire), comes a new modern noir series full of mystery, murder, and the chaos of a small town caught up in a massive government screw up.

Welcome to Baraboo, a small Midwestern town nestled in the mountains of Wisconsin, home of the Ringling Brothers Circus headquarters and friendly neighbors that all know and trust each other… until it’s revealed that the town has been the dumping ground for every murderer, con-man, and crook in the Witness Protection program for the past forty years. “Witness Point” as Baraboo was nicknamed by the previous marshal, has now become a hotbed of conspiracy as every resident of this formerly sleepy town eyes their neighbor with new suspicion, wondering who among them could secretly be the worst kind of criminal.

It doesn’t help when the new marshal, sent to help beleaguered sheriff “Kite” Calhoon clean up the mess, is found with his head and hands cut off, his body dumped in town square with the Annual Harvest Festival just around the corner. Thankfully they’ve sent another marshal to help. Unfortunately, she tells them she’s the ONLY marshal sent to help. And the identity of the dismembered man becomes another piece of the puzzle as the town descends into chaos.

ONGOING SERIES

ABSOLUTE BATMAN # 22

SOLICIT COPY:

THE ORIGIN OF HARLEY QUINN! As the Robins nest in Gotham’s backyard, and Batman faces ultimate defeat, Harley Quinn’s origin is revealed. How does Harley connect with Ark M, and how did the Robins fledge from hatchlings to birds of prey? The call of more than one predator will be answered in this issue.

FREE PLANET # 14

SOLICIT COPY:

VIVE LA RÉVOLUTION! Lutheria’s greatest fear has come true: Renewed war with the Interplanetary Development Alliance. In the explosive final issue of FREE PLANET’s first story cycle, the Freedom Guard has been drawn into a revolution on neighboring Dumuzid. But not everyone will make it out alive…

M.A.S.K. # 2

SOLICIT COPY:

THE NEW HIT ENERGON UNIVERSE SERIES CONTINUES! Bruce Sato and Gloria Baker — are you ready to save the world? As Matt Trakker’s newest M.A.S.K. recruits race to recover a weapon of unknown origin, V.E.N.O.M. strikes!

W0RLDTR33 # 21

SOLICIT COPY:

Despite everything Amanda has been through, she can’t forget that, hidden somewhere deep inside the relentless assassin known as PH34R is a shy little girl named Sammi. So with PH34R nowhere to be found, Amanda goes back where it all began. Amanda goes to the Winter house.

Trade Paperbacks, Hardcovers, and OGNs

HEAVEN HC

SOLICIT COPY:

Four young women investigate a vanishing strip club in this supernatural, surreal graphic novel.

Out past the edge of town, there exists a strip club called Heaven that only some can find. Some say it’s a mirage. Others say you can’t miss the giant neon heels lighting up the desert night skies.

Dolly can’t find a place to belong. After losing her identity as a gymnast and navigating family turbulence, she’s adrift from school and friends. When a mysterious presence beckons her to Heaven, she wonders if she may just have found her place — but just what does it want in return?

Katie Skelly’s first graphic novel since her acclaimed Maids in 2020, Heaven finds out what happens when the artist’s quintessential cool girl characters let their guards down and let the world in. With a supernatural strip club backdrop and an eye-popping sense of color that would make Dario Argento proud, Heaven reinforces Skelly’s place as one of the most distinctive voices working in contemporary comics today.

ORION TP

SOLICIT COPY:

WHEN PRINCE ORION UNCOVERS HIS SINISTER PARENTAGE, HE MUST DECIDE FOR HIMSELF IF HE IS DESTINED TO BE A HERO — OR A VILLAIN.

The festivals on New Genesis are merry, and the gods who fill its skies are lovers. But Prince Orion, adopted son of the Highfather, is none of these things. A brooding, battle-hungry warrior, Orion wonders how he was ever chosen to become an intergalactic prince, secretly in fear that he does not belong on the planet he calls home. And then Orion’s darkest nightmares are confirmed when the Highfather himself brings Orion’s true parentage to light: Not only is Orion from Apokolips , adopted as part of a cosmic pact, but he is the spawn of the tyrant Darkseid . How can Orion face his loved ones as a beast from Apokolips ? How can he live with himself when a tar-black evil runs through his veins? And when Darkseid threatens to destroy all of New Genesis, Orion will have to answer the ultimate question: Could he ever be a hero? Or was he born to become a monster?

In this highly anticipated sequel to Barda, #1 New York Times bestselling author/illustrator Ngozi Ukazu (Check, Please !) takes readers on an epic sci-fi adventure featuring the fan-favorite New God Orion.

PUNISHER & FURY MAX Omnibus HC

SOLICIT COPY:

Legendary PUNISHER scribe Garth Ennis reveals the secret, bloody history of Frank Castle and Nick Fury!

Before the Punisher was born in Vietnam, Frank Castle had already become a dark legend of the battlefield. Now learn the truth about Castle’s first command — and his first kill. It’s the answer to the question: What made the Punisher? Colonel Nick Fury certainly had an impact along the way. As an old man, Nick sits alone in a dank hotel room, coughing his confessions into a tape recorder, laying out a legacy of carnage stretching back to World War II — including his encounters with a young Marine sniper named Frank Castle. You won’t believe the horrors Frank and Nick went through in Vietnam — and how they survived to tell the tale! Nick’s constant lust for combat has blinded him to all other concerns, but the end is coming. The debt is long past due. And Fury’s true legacy will soon be written in blood for all to see. Plus: a modern-day tale of the Punisher, rooted in seeds planted decades ago in Moscow and Afghanistan!

COLLECTING: Punisher: The Platoon (2017) #1-6, Fury MAX (2012) #1-13, Get Fury (2024) #1-6, Punisher: Soviet (2019) #1-6

WRESTLE HEIST TP

SOLICIT COPY:

A no-holds-barred heist caper packed with body slams and backstabs for fans of over-the-top action!

After being crippled by a shady wrestling promoter, a former pro wrestler gathers a team of others wronged in the ring to rob the promoter blind during the biggest wrestling event of the year! From the outrageous, action-packed mind of multi-time Eisner nominee KYLE STARKS (Peacemaker Tries Hard, Sexcastle, I Hate This Place), with eye-popping colors by VLADIMIR POPOV (Where Monsters Lie, Fearscape).

Collects issues #1-5.

Preorders on Final Order Cutoff

THE BLOOD BROTHERS MOTHER HC

SOLICIT COPY:

NEW GRAPHIC NOVEL DEBUT from Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso-the legendary creative team behind the seminal crime series 100 Bullets!

In the old American West, three children set off across the wild Texas frontier to rescue their mother-kidnapped by ruthless outlaws who gunned down their preacher father. Throughout their journey, they’ll face the harsh elements of an unforgiving landscape, deadly animals hungry for blood, merciless bounty hunters and so much more… all in a relentless quest to rescue their family.

Along the way, they’ll learn the terrible cost of revenge — not just in lives, but in how it stains a soul. While revenge may be satisfying in the moment, it leaves a yearning behind that lasts a lifetime. And once you taste it, nothing else is ever so sweet.

In the tradition of The Searchers and The Outlaw Josey Wales comes a brutal new western series from writer BRIAN AZZARELLO and artist EDUARDO RISSO-the Eisner award-winning team behind the Vertigo crime classic, 100 Bullets and Image Comics, Moonshine!

For fans of 1883, BLOOD MERIDIAN, & THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY.

CHACHU # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

1979. Leila, a 19-year-old Pakistani-Canadian girl, stands on the cusp of adulthood, eager to experience the “real world” for the first time. With a head full of Hollywood dreams and a penchant for pulp novels, she ventures to California to connect with her estranged uncle — her “Chachu” — a middle-aged, semi-retired private eye who gained brief fame after marrying the starlet he was initially hired to find. But when Chachu’s wife goes missing once again, the two are forced on an impromptu road trip to track her down — with Leila navigating young adulthood and Chachu confronting his own mortality and regrets.

Inspired by her own coming-of-age experiences in the entertainment industry, CHACHU is the solo writing debut of superstar IMAN VELLANI (Ms. Marvel), a reinterpretation of the classic neo-noir private investigator story brilliantly illustrated by MARIANNA IGNAZZI (EXQUISITE CORPSES) and colored by JORDIE BELLAIRE (Absolute Wonder Woman).

DEATH VIGIL # 1

SOLICIT COPY:

The smash hit series is back! Bad news: You’re dead. Good news: You can join a band of Death Knights and help protect the world from necromancers and cosmic horror. The pay’s not great, but you’ll love your co-workers. So grab your spirit weapon and prepare for battle against the Primordial Enemy — join Death Vigil today!

From critically acclaimed creator STJEPAN ŠEJIC (STJEPAN ŠEJIC, RAVINE, APHRODITE lX, WITCHBLADE, Harleen) comes the exciting return of his creator-owned series DEATH VIGIL! The story of modern-age Death Knights locked in an ongoing war against the ever-growing power of the ravenous primordial Elder Gods. The only catch is you have to die first. Become a corporeal immortal Death Knight, and obtain reality-altering weaponry in the never-ending battle between Good and Evil.

H.P. LOVECRAFT’S THE DUNWICH HORROR HC

SOLICIT COPY:

The horror was born before dawn on February 2, 1913—the feast of Candlemas, although the people of Dunwich call that ancient festival by a different name. Of unknown father, Wilbur Whateley was not christened—yet he descended still from a one-proud Puritan family that left Salem in 1692 to found Dunwich, Massachusetts. And the descent of the Whateleys and their old town has been deep indeed—its now crumbling houses overlooked by bare hills topped by stone circles, where unhallowed rituals were held before the first settlers ever came.

Yet it was none other than ten year old Wilbur Whateley that led Dr. Henry Armitage, head librarian at Miskatonic University, to drive the dusty, rutted roads out to Dunwich, and meet the child prodigy who had been corresponding with him on the most abstruse and disturbing lore. Dr. Armitage could hardly believe the sight of the priceless hoard of occult books rotting away in the Whateley farmhouse—nor that of the dark, goatish Wilbur, for whom those books had been his only education.

But young Wilbur Whateley is not content with his homeschooling—to complete his studies, he needs something Miskatonic possesses, the Latin edition of the Necronomicon. And if they’re too snooty to lend their precious copy out to a country boy like him, Wilbur has other means to try to get it. The lad is no mere academic dilletante; he studies these things for a reason. Wilbur Whateley was born into this world with a great and horrific purpose—to open a doorway for those not of this world to return to Earth!

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.

Filled with superb artwork and illustrated characters from the original Marvel Comics, Marvel Encyclopedia is the one book every fan has to own!

On sale now: amzn.to/4uKokYS

#Marvel #XMen #Avengers #SpiderMan #FantasticFour #Books #TV #Art #MarvelComics #MCU #Artist #BookSky #ComicSky #PromoSky

Filled with superb artwork and illustrated characters from the original Marvel Comics, Marvel Encyclopedia is the one book every fan has to own!

On sale now: amzn.to/4uKokYS

#Marvel #XMen #Avengers #SpiderMan #FantasticFour #Books #TV #Art #MarvelComics #MCU #Artist #BookSky #ComicSky #PromoSky

Filled with superb artwork and illustrated characters from the original Marvel Comics, Marvel Encyclopedia is the one book every fan has to own!

On sale now: amzn.to/4uKokYS

#Marvel #XMen #Avengers #SpiderMan #FantasticFour #Books #TV #Art #MarvelComics #MCU #Artist #BookSky #ComicSky #PromoSky

Filled with superb artwork and illustrated characters from the original Marvel Comics, Marvel Encyclopedia is the one book every fan has to own!

On sale now: amzn.to/4uKokYS

#Marvel #XMen #Avengers #SpiderMan #FantasticFour #Books #TV #Art #MarvelComics #MCU #Artist #BookSky #ComicSky #PromoSky

Filled with superb artwork and illustrated characters from the original Marvel Comics, Marvel Encyclopedia is the one book every fan has to own!

On sale now: amzn.to/4uKokYS

#Marvel #XMen #Avengers #SpiderMan #FantasticFour #Books #TV #Art #MarvelComics #MCU #Artist #BookSky #ComicSky #PromoSky

Here is my Review of Thor #12 2025 w/ Spoilers: https://youtu.be/PzElD_glepo #Thor #Marvel #Comics #MarvelComics #Review

Here is my Review of The Amazing Spider-Man #32 2025 w/ Spoilers: https://youtu.be/bWb5TkPetbA #TheAmazingSpiderMan #Marvel #Comics #MarvelComics #Review

Here is my Review of The Amazing Spider-Man #32 2025 w/ Spoilers: https://youtu.be/bWb5TkPetbA #TheAmazingSpiderMan #Marvel #Comics #MarvelComics #Review

Here is my Review of Iron Man #7 2026 w/ Spoilers: https://youtu.be/wrqVz89tJXc #IronMan #Marvel #Comics #MarvelComics #Review

Here is my Review of Avengers JLA Facsimile #2 w/ Spoilers: https://youtu.be/aHB4XIqmI5U #AvengersJLA #Facsimile #Marvel #Comics #MarvelComics #DC #Comics #DCComics #Review

Here is my Review of Avengers JLA Facsimile #2 w/ Spoilers: https://youtu.be/aHB4XIqmI5U #AvengersJLA #Facsimile #Marvel #Comics #MarvelComics #DC #Comics #DCComics #Review

Here is my Review of Doctor Strange #8 2025 w/ Spoilers: https://youtu.be/tkfhQrAnuH8 #DoctorStrange #Marvel #Comics #MarvelComics #Review

Here is my Review of Doctor Strange #8 2025 w/ Spoilers: https://youtu.be/tkfhQrAnuH8 #DoctorStrange #Marvel #Comics #MarvelComics #Review

Here is my Review of Fantastic Four #13 2025 w/ Spoilers: https://youtu.be/oxWfSIGQ6yg #FantasticFour #Marvel #Comics #MarvelComics #Review

Here is my Review of Fantastic Four #13 2025 w/ Spoilers: https://youtu.be/oxWfSIGQ6yg #FantasticFour #Marvel #Comics #MarvelComics #Review

Abandon ship! 🚤💥 Pulled G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #12 from my Hero's Legacy stash! "Three Strikes for Snake-Eyes!" by Larry Hama & Mike Vosburg is pure 1983 adrenaline. Beyond the cover action, this key issue features the 1st appearances of Doc & Snow Job! Peak 80s nostalgia.

See more at https://comicbookaddicts.com/!?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon

#GIJoe #MarvelComics #HerosLegacy #ComicBookAddicts #80sComics

Welcome to Springfield! 🐍 A nice little town... unless you're a G.I. Joe!

Pulled this classic G.I. Joe #10 today. Scored this @Marvel GOAT at Hero's Legacy in Manchester, CT before they closed. Scarlett & Snake Eyes walking right into a Cobra ambush! You just can't beat this 80s action figure nostalgia.

See more retro pickups at https://comicbookaddicts.com/!?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon

#GIJoe #MarvelComics #HerosLegacy #ComicBookAddicts #80sComics #SnakeEyes

The cosmic scale of the 90s Marvel universe was unmatched! 🌌🏄‍♂️ Just added The Silver Surfer #82 (July 1993) to the vault. Written by Ron Marz with that iconic Ron Lim art, this issue brings the absolute heat as Tyrant easily dismantles the heaviest hitters in the galaxy—Gladiator, Beta Ray Bill, Morg, Terrax, and the Surfer himself! A massive must-have for the collection.

Check out our latest updates at https://comicbookaddicts.com/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon

#SilverSurfer #MarvelComics #RonLim #RonMarz #CosmicMarvel

A Look Back at Amazing Spider-Man #362 (1992)

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Spider-Man fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the mid-1990s to examine a small part of the Marvel Comics shared universe through a tale of the Amazing Spider-Man monthly series.

Following his first-ever encounter and battle with Carnage, Spider-Man realized that he alone cannot stop the sadistic, symbiote-wearing murderer. Worse, Carnage is on the loose in New York City and as time passes, civilians can easily get killed by him. As such, Peter Parker got very desperate and has decided to let his deadliest enemy get loose.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Amazing Spider-Man #362, published in 1992 by Marvel Comics with a story written by David Michelinie and drawn by Mark Bagley.

Early story

The story begins with Spider-Man and Johnny Storm of the Fantastic Four are riding a highly advanced team vehicle heading to the deserted Caribbean island where Eddie Brock/Venom is located. Spider-Man knows he is taking a lot of risk to meet Venom knowing that the murderer stalked him and came close to killing him before. Knowing that Carnage can easily kill civilians in New York City anytime, Spider-Man made it clear to Johnny that he needs to get Venom back to stop Carnage.

Sometime after arriving on the island, Johnny and Spider-Man (armed with the Fantastic Four’s sonic rifle) meet with Eddie Brock on the beach. Peter Parker quickly reveals his face to him and attempts to start a conversation. After overcoming the surprise of seeing Spider-Man alive, Eddie quickly turns into Venom and leaps towards Spider-Man for an attack. The webslinger quickly used the sonic rifle at him while Johnny turns into his fiery form. Venom overcomes the pain of the sonic blast, smashes the sonic rifle, and starts hitting Spider-Man hard…

Quality

This comic book tells parallel tales focused on Spider-Man and Venom, and Carnage. The meat of the story is about the desperate webslinger reaching out to his deadliest foe even though it means putting himself in great danger once again. David Michelinie is excellent in the dramatic portrayal of Spider-Man who has literally been pushed to the edge by Carnage and having no choice but to make a decision his own wife (who had a traumatizing first encounter with Venom sometime prior) disapproves of.

In issue #361, Peter Parker was technically a detective who worked on the trail of violence left behind by Carnage. Everything changed for the worse for Spider-Man during his violent first encounter with Carnage and he witnessed how unrelenting the murderer really is. The bloody “Carnage rules” message left behind had impact on his conscience.

That said, Spider-Man’s transformation into a desperate hero is very believable here thanks to David Michelinie’s strong writing.

Along the way, the rivalry between Spider-Man and Venom turned intense very quickly. It was during this encounter where you will feel the pressure intensify on Peter as he has to somehow convince Venom to stop being violent and join him to go after Carnage (note: Eddie Brock and Cletus Kasady shared a prison cell previously). Of course, Venom has the undying obsession of killing Spider-Man and he has no reason to believe him. Venom also has his own distorted belief about innocence. The rematch between the two – with Johnny Storm on the side – is the very meat of the story and it is engaging to read.

Carnage is here as well and the creators showed exactly what Spider-Man feared would happen.

Conclusion

There is a lot to like in Amazing Spider-Man #362 (1992). It has a lot of action drawn by Mark Bagley, has suspense in the right moments and the story itself is very engaging to read. The very heart of the story is the encounter between Spider-Man and Venom on the deserted island due to the high stakes involved plus the tension from the past returned in lively fashion. Spider-Man is desperate and he really pays a huge price for making a decision that his own wife disapproves of. Ultimately, New York City has Carnage as its newest crisis and what happened here blurred away the boundary that separates good from evil.

Overall, Amazing Spider-Man #362 (1992) is recommended.

+++++

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Imprinted Image: Two Subscribers Away

Comics Link Roundup July 5

As of writing this, I am sitting at 48 subscribers on YouTube. When I hit 50, I am able to livestream. That sounds like a lot of fun and I am looking forward to trying that out. Even if you don’t want to watch any of my videos, it would be a huge kindness if you went and subscribed to my channel.

Anyways.

Welcome to Imprinted Image, my comics newsletter. If this is your first time, welcome! This is the best way to keep up with my comics blog. After links to my most recent writing, I’ll provide a roundup of comics industry links. This can be news, media, criticism, or anything that I personally found interesting.

Please don’t forget about the resources tab on this website. It’s a collection of reading guides, tutorials, and free legal resources like public domain image archives. I want this to be as useful as possible, so if you have any additions please send them my way.

I made a comic! It’s a two-page mini-zine, and you can read it for free here. But! If you would like a cool print version mailed you, there are two ways you can do that. Either support me on Patreon to get this and any future physical media I do, or buy it on Ko-fi for as low as $ 1.

I also have a behind the scenes video previewing the physical mini-comic, as well as some behind-the-scenes information on my inspiration.

https://youtu.be/C1938iMGzOc

Divining Comics is sponsored by readers like you

I have a Patreon! For as little as $3 a month, you can keep the lights on at this blog and get your name at the bottom of every article. At higher tiers, you can vote in monthly Patreon polls and more! Anything you can offer means the world to me, and I cherish all my supporters.

Comics Challenge YouTube

I designed and am participating in a comics challenge this year, alongside some friends in the My Marvelous Year community. I have picked 52 comics from 52 categories, shown below. I’d love for you to participate and comment along as you are reading! Note that on this list, categories that match with episodes from the Extra Issues podcast.

I decided to create a YouTube documenting my reading journey!

My Adventure Comics June continued with CORTO MALTESE, a comic I absolutely loved. You can tell why it is one of your favorite creator’s favorite comics. Fantagraphics will publish new color editions later this year.

https://youtu.be/v6MClz7Yt-s?si=MmSq31rSmQqeW-fl

Next week, I’m covering THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SCROOGE MCDUCK.

I’ve also been doing little shorts where I poorly read a scene I liked from these comics. I guess shortform video gets juiced in the algorithm because they have been blowing up. You can check out the playlist of them here.

It would mean the world to me if, in addition to watching this video, you subscribed to my channel and gave the video a like. No one knows exactly how the black box of social media algorithms work, but I do know that if you interact with the video in different ways, YouTube might show it to more people who would be interested. The other easy way you can help is by sharing this video with a comic fan in your life!

Link Roundup

News:

The biggest controversy in comics was about Tillie Walden’s new book CHARITY & SILVIA. Professor Rachel Cleves claims that Walden’s book is an unauthorized adaptation of her non-fiction, researched biography of the same name. Walden and her publisher maintain that Cleves book was one source among many. You can read all of their statements and a full rundown of the claims here.

Some of the big drama on comics social media this week was John Romita Jr.’s cover for AMAZING SPIDER-MAN # 1000. Some thought it wasn’t very exciting, others loved it, and still others (probably the camp closest to where I fall) think it was merely inked and colored in a way not suited to JRJR’s style.

I haven’t really dived in to the new digital comics landscape myself (I don’t read digitally as much anymore), but there are still moves being made. As the post-Comixology landscape continues to evolve, do any of you use new services like Sweet Shop, Neon Ichiban, or GlobalComix? What are your thoughts?

Stephanie Williams was the first black woman ever nominated for Best Writer at the Eisners. Some of the bigger comics news sites didn’t catch this. The Beat has an opinion piece arguing why this oversight is a big deal and the ways to stop something like it from happening going forward.

The Diamond Bankruptcy Saga continues at a slow pace. The publishers who claim ownership over the items Diamond held under consignment, the Alliance suit claiming Diamond didn’t negotiate in good faith, and the SparklePop suit claiming Alliance poached talent are all hitting deadlines in the next few months.

The Beat has a roundup of crowdfunding projects you may want to back.

Buy a bundle of digital comics for cheap over on Humble Bundle. They have Supergirl comics

Other News Roundups:

Comics Beat’s biweekly Digest: 6/23. 6/26. 6/30. 7/3.
SKTCHD’s Comics Disassembled: 6/26. 7/3.
The Comics Journal’s This Week’s Links: 6/26. 7/3.

Stats:

PranaDM’s Top 400 Comics sold: 6/26. 7/3.
Bleeding Cool’s Top Weekly Bestseller List: 6/27. 7/4.
Bleeding Cool’s Most Anticipated Comics: 6/29.
Bleeding Cool’s Hottest Comics: 6/23. 6/30.
ICv2 Top Graphic Novels – Superhero, Author, and Manga: Spring 2026.

ABSOLUTE BATMAN issues are getting sold for absurd prices on eBay.

Writing:

Comic Book Herald published his favorite graphic novels of June 2026.

SKTCHD posted a “Double Take” with Oliver Sava on the new Zander Cannon book SLEEP.

Shelfust has an article on THE ULTIMATES # 21 as a work of popcorn resistance. They also continue their Year of Evil looking at Scarlet Witch’s first appearance in X-MEN # 4. Finally, their issue by issue coverage of SPAWN hits # 14.

How To Love Comics posted a BLACK HAMMER reading order.

The Comics Journal posted a career retrospective on the life of Mark Gruenwald.

My favorite video and podcasts:

Podcasts:

OFF PANEL had on Matt Kindt to discuss his new MIND MGMT spinoff NEW AND IMPROVED and Omar Valdivieso to talk about the omnibus industrial complex.

LET’S TALK COMICS interviewed Trish Forster about her career and time on FERAL and STRAY DOGS.

MY MARVELOUS YEAR posted 2014 pt. 9, talking SECRET AVENGERS, LOKI: AGENT OF ASGARD, and CAPTAIN AMERICA, and 2014 pt. 10, talking UNCANNY AVENGERS and the AXIS event.

YouTube:

SKTCHD chatted with Chip Zdarsky for part 6 of their year-long conversation on how Chip’s year is going.

MATTTT published a documentary on Ed Brubaker and his frustrations with his time at Marvel comics.

COMIC TROPES posted a video on David Mazzucchelli’s defining Batman art in YEAR ONE, a video on comic book creators who made incredibly popular characters but went broke because of the deals Marvel, DC, and others offer, and a video on shark comics.

COMICBOOK COUPLE’S COUNSELING continued season 2 of their miniseries “The Stacks,” where they have industry people select comics to talk about from the shelves of Third Eye Comics, like the Criterion Closet, with Matt Fraction.

• WordPress
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram

Divining Comics is brought to you by generous support from the “Best Friends of Divining Comics,” Alex Seubert and 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. Follow me on YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and Bluesky and share my posts there.

Imprinted Image: Two Subscribers Away

Comics Link Roundup July 5

As of writing this, I am sitting at 48 subscribers on YouTube. When I hit 50, I am able to livestream. That sounds like a lot of fun and I am looking forward to trying that out. Even if you don’t want to watch any of my videos, it would be a huge kindness if you went and subscribed to my channel.

Anyways.

Welcome to Imprinted Image, my comics newsletter. If this is your first time, welcome! This is the best way to keep up with my comics blog. After links to my most recent writing, I’ll provide a roundup of comics industry links. This can be news, media, criticism, or anything that I personally found interesting.

Please don’t forget about the resources tab on this website. It’s a collection of reading guides, tutorials, and free legal resources like public domain image archives. I want this to be as useful as possible, so if you have any additions please send them my way.

I made a comic! It’s a two-page mini-zine, and you can read it for free here. But! If you would like a cool print version mailed you, there are two ways you can do that. Either support me on Patreon to get this and any future physical media I do, or buy it on Ko-fi for as low as $ 1.

I also have a behind the scenes video previewing the physical mini-comic, as well as some behind-the-scenes information on my inspiration.

https://youtu.be/C1938iMGzOc

Divining Comics is sponsored by readers like you

I have a Patreon! For as little as $3 a month, you can keep the lights on at this blog and get your name at the bottom of every article. At higher tiers, you can vote in monthly Patreon polls and more! Anything you can offer means the world to me, and I cherish all my supporters.

Comics Challenge YouTube

I designed and am participating in a comics challenge this year, alongside some friends in the My Marvelous Year community. I have picked 52 comics from 52 categories, shown below. I’d love for you to participate and comment along as you are reading! Note that on this list, categories that match with episodes from the Extra Issues podcast.

I decided to create a YouTube documenting my reading journey!

My Adventure Comics June continued with CORTO MALTESE, a comic I absolutely loved. You can tell why it is one of your favorite creator’s favorite comics. Fantagraphics will publish new color editions later this year.

https://youtu.be/v6MClz7Yt-s?si=MmSq31rSmQqeW-fl

Next week, I’m covering THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SCROOGE MCDUCK.

I’ve also been doing little shorts where I poorly read a scene I liked from these comics. I guess shortform video gets juiced in the algorithm because they have been blowing up. You can check out the playlist of them here.

It would mean the world to me if, in addition to watching this video, you subscribed to my channel and gave the video a like. No one knows exactly how the black box of social media algorithms work, but I do know that if you interact with the video in different ways, YouTube might show it to more people who would be interested. The other easy way you can help is by sharing this video with a comic fan in your life!

Link Roundup

News:

The biggest controversy in comics was about Tillie Walden’s new book CHARITY & SILVIA. Professor Rachel Cleves claims that Walden’s book is an unauthorized adaptation of her non-fiction, researched biography of the same name. Walden and her publisher maintain that Cleves book was one source among many. You can read all of their statements and a full rundown of the claims here.

Some of the big drama on comics social media this week was John Romita Jr.’s cover for AMAZING SPIDER-MAN # 1000. Some thought it wasn’t very exciting, others loved it, and still others (probably the camp closest to where I fall) think it was merely inked and colored in a way not suited to JRJR’s style.

I haven’t really dived in to the new digital comics landscape myself (I don’t read digitally as much anymore), but there are still moves being made. As the post-Comixology landscape continues to evolve, do any of you use new services like Sweet Shop, Neon Ichiban, or GlobalComix? What are your thoughts?

Stephanie Williams was the first black woman ever nominated for Best Writer at the Eisners. Some of the bigger comics news sites didn’t catch this. The Beat has an opinion piece arguing why this oversight is a big deal and the ways to stop something like it from happening going forward.

The Diamond Bankruptcy Saga continues at a slow pace. The publishers who claim ownership over the items Diamond held under consignment, the Alliance suit claiming Diamond didn’t negotiate in good faith, and the SparklePop suit claiming Alliance poached talent are all hitting deadlines in the next few months.

The Beat has a roundup of crowdfunding projects you may want to back.

Buy a bundle of digital comics for cheap over on Humble Bundle. They have Supergirl comics

Other News Roundups:

Comics Beat’s biweekly Digest: 6/23. 6/26. 6/30. 7/3.
SKTCHD’s Comics Disassembled: 6/26. 7/3.
The Comics Journal’s This Week’s Links: 6/26. 7/3.

Stats:

PranaDM’s Top 400 Comics sold: 6/26. 7/3.
Bleeding Cool’s Top Weekly Bestseller List: 6/27. 7/4.
Bleeding Cool’s Most Anticipated Comics: 6/29.
Bleeding Cool’s Hottest Comics: 6/23. 6/30.
ICv2 Top Graphic Novels – Superhero, Author, and Manga: Spring 2026.

ABSOLUTE BATMAN issues are getting sold for absurd prices on eBay.

Writing:

Comic Book Herald published his favorite graphic novels of June 2026.

SKTCHD posted a “Double Take” with Oliver Sava on the new Zander Cannon book SLEEP.

Shelfust has an article on THE ULTIMATES # 21 as a work of popcorn resistance. They also continue their Year of Evil looking at Scarlet Witch’s first appearance in X-MEN # 4. Finally, their issue by issue coverage of SPAWN hits # 14.

How To Love Comics posted a BLACK HAMMER reading order.

The Comics Journal posted a career retrospective on the life of Mark Gruenwald.

My favorite video and podcasts:

Podcasts:

OFF PANEL had on Matt Kindt to discuss his new MIND MGMT spinoff NEW AND IMPROVED and Omar Valdivieso to talk about the omnibus industrial complex.

LET’S TALK COMICS interviewed Trish Forster about her career and time on FERAL and STRAY DOGS.

MY MARVELOUS YEAR posted 2014 pt. 9, talking SECRET AVENGERS, LOKI: AGENT OF ASGARD, and CAPTAIN AMERICA, and 2014 pt. 10, talking UNCANNY AVENGERS and the AXIS event.

YouTube:

SKTCHD chatted with Chip Zdarsky for part 6 of their year-long conversation on how Chip’s year is going.

MATTTT published a documentary on Ed Brubaker and his frustrations with his time at Marvel comics.

COMIC TROPES posted a video on David Mazzucchelli’s defining Batman art in YEAR ONE, a video on comic book creators who made incredibly popular characters but went broke because of the deals Marvel, DC, and others offer, and a video on shark comics.

COMICBOOK COUPLE’S COUNSELING continued season 2 of their miniseries “The Stacks,” where they have industry people select comics to talk about from the shelves of Third Eye Comics, like the Criterion Closet, with Matt Fraction.

• WordPress
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram

Divining Comics is brought to you by generous support from the “Best Friends of Divining Comics,” Alex Seubert and 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. Follow me on YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and Bluesky and share my posts there.

Imprinted Image: Two Subscribers Away

Comics Link Roundup July 5

As of writing this, I am sitting at 48 subscribers on YouTube. When I hit 50, I am able to livestream. That sounds like a lot of fun and I am looking forward to trying that out. Even if you don’t want to watch any of my videos, it would be a huge kindness if you went and subscribed to my channel.

Anyways.

Welcome to Imprinted Image, my comics newsletter. If this is your first time, welcome! This is the best way to keep up with my comics blog. After links to my most recent writing, I’ll provide a roundup of comics industry links. This can be news, media, criticism, or anything that I personally found interesting.

Please don’t forget about the resources tab on this website. It’s a collection of reading guides, tutorials, and free legal resources like public domain image archives. I want this to be as useful as possible, so if you have any additions please send them my way.

I made a comic! It’s a two-page mini-zine, and you can read it for free here. But! If you would like a cool print version mailed you, there are two ways you can do that. Either support me on Patreon to get this and any future physical media I do, or buy it on Ko-fi for as low as $ 1.

I also have a behind the scenes video previewing the physical mini-comic, as well as some behind-the-scenes information on my inspiration.

https://youtu.be/C1938iMGzOc

Divining Comics is sponsored by readers like you

I have a Patreon! For as little as $3 a month, you can keep the lights on at this blog and get your name at the bottom of every article. At higher tiers, you can vote in monthly Patreon polls and more! Anything you can offer means the world to me, and I cherish all my supporters.

Comics Challenge YouTube

I designed and am participating in a comics challenge this year, alongside some friends in the My Marvelous Year community. I have picked 52 comics from 52 categories, shown below. I’d love for you to participate and comment along as you are reading! Note that on this list, categories that match with episodes from the Extra Issues podcast.

I decided to create a YouTube documenting my reading journey!

My Adventure Comics June continued with CORTO MALTESE, a comic I absolutely loved. You can tell why it is one of your favorite creator’s favorite comics. Fantagraphics will publish new color editions later this year.

https://youtu.be/v6MClz7Yt-s?si=MmSq31rSmQqeW-fl

Next week, I’m covering THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SCROOGE MCDUCK.

I’ve also been doing little shorts where I poorly read a scene I liked from these comics. I guess shortform video gets juiced in the algorithm because they have been blowing up. You can check out the playlist of them here.

It would mean the world to me if, in addition to watching this video, you subscribed to my channel and gave the video a like. No one knows exactly how the black box of social media algorithms work, but I do know that if you interact with the video in different ways, YouTube might show it to more people who would be interested. The other easy way you can help is by sharing this video with a comic fan in your life!

Link Roundup

News:

The biggest controversy in comics was about Tillie Walden’s new book CHARITY & SILVIA. Professor Rachel Cleves claims that Walden’s book is an unauthorized adaptation of her non-fiction, researched biography of the same name. Walden and her publisher maintain that Cleves book was one source among many. You can read all of their statements and a full rundown of the claims here.

Some of the big drama on comics social media this week was John Romita Jr.’s cover for AMAZING SPIDER-MAN # 1000. Some thought it wasn’t very exciting, others loved it, and still others (probably the camp closest to where I fall) think it was merely inked and colored in a way not suited to JRJR’s style.

I haven’t really dived in to the new digital comics landscape myself (I don’t read digitally as much anymore), but there are still moves being made. As the post-Comixology landscape continues to evolve, do any of you use new services like Sweet Shop, Neon Ichiban, or GlobalComix? What are your thoughts?

Stephanie Williams was the first black woman ever nominated for Best Writer at the Eisners. Some of the bigger comics news sites didn’t catch this. The Beat has an opinion piece arguing why this oversight is a big deal and the ways to stop something like it from happening going forward.

The Diamond Bankruptcy Saga continues at a slow pace. The publishers who claim ownership over the items Diamond held under consignment, the Alliance suit claiming Diamond didn’t negotiate in good faith, and the SparklePop suit claiming Alliance poached talent are all hitting deadlines in the next few months.

The Beat has a roundup of crowdfunding projects you may want to back.

Buy a bundle of digital comics for cheap over on Humble Bundle. They have Supergirl comics

Other News Roundups:

Comics Beat’s biweekly Digest: 6/23. 6/26. 6/30. 7/3.
SKTCHD’s Comics Disassembled: 6/26. 7/3.
The Comics Journal’s This Week’s Links: 6/26. 7/3.

Stats:

PranaDM’s Top 400 Comics sold: 6/26. 7/3.
Bleeding Cool’s Top Weekly Bestseller List: 6/27. 7/4.
Bleeding Cool’s Most Anticipated Comics: 6/29.
Bleeding Cool’s Hottest Comics: 6/23. 6/30.
ICv2 Top Graphic Novels – Superhero, Author, and Manga: Spring 2026.

ABSOLUTE BATMAN issues are getting sold for absurd prices on eBay.

Writing:

Comic Book Herald published his favorite graphic novels of June 2026.

SKTCHD posted a “Double Take” with Oliver Sava on the new Zander Cannon book SLEEP.

Shelfust has an article on THE ULTIMATES # 21 as a work of popcorn resistance. They also continue their Year of Evil looking at Scarlet Witch’s first appearance in X-MEN # 4. Finally, their issue by issue coverage of SPAWN hits # 14.

How To Love Comics posted a BLACK HAMMER reading order.

The Comics Journal posted a career retrospective on the life of Mark Gruenwald.

My favorite video and podcasts:

Podcasts:

OFF PANEL had on Matt Kindt to discuss his new MIND MGMT spinoff NEW AND IMPROVED and Omar Valdivieso to talk about the omnibus industrial complex.

LET’S TALK COMICS interviewed Trish Forster about her career and time on FERAL and STRAY DOGS.

MY MARVELOUS YEAR posted 2014 pt. 9, talking SECRET AVENGERS, LOKI: AGENT OF ASGARD, and CAPTAIN AMERICA, and 2014 pt. 10, talking UNCANNY AVENGERS and the AXIS event.

YouTube:

SKTCHD chatted with Chip Zdarsky for part 6 of their year-long conversation on how Chip’s year is going.

MATTTT published a documentary on Ed Brubaker and his frustrations with his time at Marvel comics.

COMIC TROPES posted a video on David Mazzucchelli’s defining Batman art in YEAR ONE, a video on comic book creators who made incredibly popular characters but went broke because of the deals Marvel, DC, and others offer, and a video on shark comics.

COMICBOOK COUPLE’S COUNSELING continued season 2 of their miniseries “The Stacks,” where they have industry people select comics to talk about from the shelves of Third Eye Comics, like the Criterion Closet, with Matt Fraction.

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Divining Comics is brought to you by generous support from the “Best Friends of Divining Comics,” Alex Seubert and 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. Follow me on YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and Bluesky and share my posts there.

Imprinted Image: Two Subscribers Away

Comics Link Roundup July 5

As of writing this, I am sitting at 48 subscribers on YouTube. When I hit 50, I am able to livestream. That sounds like a lot of fun and I am looking forward to trying that out. Even if you don’t want to watch any of my videos, it would be a huge kindness if you went and subscribed to my channel.

Anyways.

Welcome to Imprinted Image, my comics newsletter. If this is your first time, welcome! This is the best way to keep up with my comics blog. After links to my most recent writing, I’ll provide a roundup of comics industry links. This can be news, media, criticism, or anything that I personally found interesting.

Please don’t forget about the resources tab on this website. It’s a collection of reading guides, tutorials, and free legal resources like public domain image archives. I want this to be as useful as possible, so if you have any additions please send them my way.

I made a comic! It’s a two-page mini-zine, and you can read it for free here. But! If you would like a cool print version mailed you, there are two ways you can do that. Either support me on Patreon to get this and any future physical media I do, or buy it on Ko-fi for as low as $ 1.

I also have a behind the scenes video previewing the physical mini-comic, as well as some behind-the-scenes information on my inspiration.

https://youtu.be/C1938iMGzOc

Divining Comics is sponsored by readers like you

I have a Patreon! For as little as $3 a month, you can keep the lights on at this blog and get your name at the bottom of every article. At higher tiers, you can vote in monthly Patreon polls and more! Anything you can offer means the world to me, and I cherish all my supporters.

Comics Challenge YouTube

I designed and am participating in a comics challenge this year, alongside some friends in the My Marvelous Year community. I have picked 52 comics from 52 categories, shown below. I’d love for you to participate and comment along as you are reading! Note that on this list, categories that match with episodes from the Extra Issues podcast.

I decided to create a YouTube documenting my reading journey!

My Adventure Comics June continued with CORTO MALTESE, a comic I absolutely loved. You can tell why it is one of your favorite creator’s favorite comics. Fantagraphics will publish new color editions later this year.

https://youtu.be/v6MClz7Yt-s?si=MmSq31rSmQqeW-fl

Next week, I’m covering THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SCROOGE MCDUCK.

I’ve also been doing little shorts where I poorly read a scene I liked from these comics. I guess shortform video gets juiced in the algorithm because they have been blowing up. You can check out the playlist of them here.

It would mean the world to me if, in addition to watching this video, you subscribed to my channel and gave the video a like. No one knows exactly how the black box of social media algorithms work, but I do know that if you interact with the video in different ways, YouTube might show it to more people who would be interested. The other easy way you can help is by sharing this video with a comic fan in your life!

Link Roundup

News:

The biggest controversy in comics was about Tillie Walden’s new book CHARITY & SILVIA. Professor Rachel Cleves claims that Walden’s book is an unauthorized adaptation of her non-fiction, researched biography of the same name. Walden and her publisher maintain that Cleves book was one source among many. You can read all of their statements and a full rundown of the claims here.

Some of the big drama on comics social media this week was John Romita Jr.’s cover for AMAZING SPIDER-MAN # 1000. Some thought it wasn’t very exciting, others loved it, and still others (probably the camp closest to where I fall) think it was merely inked and colored in a way not suited to JRJR’s style.

I haven’t really dived in to the new digital comics landscape myself (I don’t read digitally as much anymore), but there are still moves being made. As the post-Comixology landscape continues to evolve, do any of you use new services like Sweet Shop, Neon Ichiban, or GlobalComix? What are your thoughts?

Stephanie Williams was the first black woman ever nominated for Best Writer at the Eisners. Some of the bigger comics news sites didn’t catch this. The Beat has an opinion piece arguing why this oversight is a big deal and the ways to stop something like it from happening going forward.

The Diamond Bankruptcy Saga continues at a slow pace. The publishers who claim ownership over the items Diamond held under consignment, the Alliance suit claiming Diamond didn’t negotiate in good faith, and the SparklePop suit claiming Alliance poached talent are all hitting deadlines in the next few months.

The Beat has a roundup of crowdfunding projects you may want to back.

Buy a bundle of digital comics for cheap over on Humble Bundle. They have Supergirl comics

Other News Roundups:

Comics Beat’s biweekly Digest: 6/23. 6/26. 6/30. 7/3.
SKTCHD’s Comics Disassembled: 6/26. 7/3.
The Comics Journal’s This Week’s Links: 6/26. 7/3.

Stats:

PranaDM’s Top 400 Comics sold: 6/26. 7/3.
Bleeding Cool’s Top Weekly Bestseller List: 6/27. 7/4.
Bleeding Cool’s Most Anticipated Comics: 6/29.
Bleeding Cool’s Hottest Comics: 6/23. 6/30.
ICv2 Top Graphic Novels – Superhero, Author, and Manga: Spring 2026.

ABSOLUTE BATMAN issues are getting sold for absurd prices on eBay.

Writing:

Comic Book Herald published his favorite graphic novels of June 2026.

SKTCHD posted a “Double Take” with Oliver Sava on the new Zander Cannon book SLEEP.

Shelfust has an article on THE ULTIMATES # 21 as a work of popcorn resistance. They also continue their Year of Evil looking at Scarlet Witch’s first appearance in X-MEN # 4. Finally, their issue by issue coverage of SPAWN hits # 14.

How To Love Comics posted a BLACK HAMMER reading order.

The Comics Journal posted a career retrospective on the life of Mark Gruenwald.

My favorite video and podcasts:

Podcasts:

OFF PANEL had on Matt Kindt to discuss his new MIND MGMT spinoff NEW AND IMPROVED and Omar Valdivieso to talk about the omnibus industrial complex.

LET’S TALK COMICS interviewed Trish Forster about her career and time on FERAL and STRAY DOGS.

MY MARVELOUS YEAR posted 2014 pt. 9, talking SECRET AVENGERS, LOKI: AGENT OF ASGARD, and CAPTAIN AMERICA, and 2014 pt. 10, talking UNCANNY AVENGERS and the AXIS event.

YouTube:

SKTCHD chatted with Chip Zdarsky for part 6 of their year-long conversation on how Chip’s year is going.

MATTTT published a documentary on Ed Brubaker and his frustrations with his time at Marvel comics.

COMIC TROPES posted a video on David Mazzucchelli’s defining Batman art in YEAR ONE, a video on comic book creators who made incredibly popular characters but went broke because of the deals Marvel, DC, and others offer, and a video on shark comics.

COMICBOOK COUPLE’S COUNSELING continued season 2 of their miniseries “The Stacks,” where they have industry people select comics to talk about from the shelves of Third Eye Comics, like the Criterion Closet, with Matt Fraction.

• WordPress
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram

Divining Comics is brought to you by generous support from the “Best Friends of Divining Comics,” Alex Seubert and 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. Follow me on YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and Bluesky and share my posts there.