Top 5 Comics I Look Forward To Every Month

I did some looking back at my writing recently and I came across a post from September 2020.  Yep, as the world started to explore returning to work, school, and life, I was still reveling in the solitary times of reading comics.  I posted a Top 5 Comics that I look forward to Every Month in 2020, so I took a look at my list these days in 2024 to see how things have changed.  Take a look at the 2020 list here and see how some of my top comic choices have changed over four years.  

My Top 5 Comics I look forward to reading every month:  

5. Annihilation 2099 -  Marvel Comics - I discovered this book on the shelves of my LCS with issue 2 (shown left). I know the Annihilation story of many years ago; I know the 2099 story of even more years ago, so I thought this had potential with my mind just putting two things together.  It was even better than I thought it would be.  These are one-shot stories per issue.  I don't know where it is going (besides several enticing one-shots), but I look forward to who the next issue will feature and what villain will be introduced in 2099.  

4.  The Transformers - Image Comics -  I really enjoyed the 1980's Transformers cartoons, but just couldn't get behind the Transformers movies.  I just couldn't follow the transformations in the movies.  They went too fast, and that is what was cool about the Transformers, watching them transform!  Anyway, I saw that Image Comics released a Transformers line and have connected with other titles (G.I. Joe, and Void Rivals) through the Energon Universe.  I figured I'd give it a try and boy has this been fun!  If you are/were a fan of the Transformers, this book certainly has the feel of the original.  

3.  Conan the Barbarian - Titan Comics - I was visiting with Jim Zub on my podcast Teachers in the Dungeon when Conan the Barbarian came up.  My beef with so many Conan titles in the recent past is that Conan has so much back story and baggage, that I can't tell what the heck is happening.  Who are friends and who are foes?  Then, I came across Zub's Free Comic Book Day issue introducing Conan.  I told him that his writing, while interestingly complex, really simplified the story.  I know that doesn't seem to make much sense, but I could follow what Conan was doing and the story and characters were  clear.  This book is definitely worth picking up if you haven't yet.  

2.  Geiger - Image Comics - My friend Cory was recommending some of his favorite comics to me when he mentioned the book Geiger.  He named it as one of his favorite of the year.  So, I picked it up, and I couldn't agree more.  While still early in the series, it has had its ups and downs story-wise, but overall it is interesting and enjoyable.  It is a dark future and Geiger has become infected with radiation that he can "kind of" control.  But instead of using it for evil, he chooses it to help people.  He is dangerous, but he tries to be careful to not hurt anyone.  This is a worthwhile book to check out.  

 

1.  The Amazing Spider-Man - Marvel Comics - After looking at the 2020 list, it may seem obvious that this would be my choice.  It is no secret that I am a huge Spider-man fan, but this wasn't a no brainer choice as my number one book to look forward too. All of the books above went through my head as possible number ones.  This Spider-Man book has been most excellent for about a year and a half!  The art is phenomenal and the story exceptional.  One of my gripes over the years has been the constant recycling of the same villains, but for some reason, the "old" villains have felt new or maybe more developed in this book.  If you haven't checked  Spidey in a while or you've somehow never been a fan of the web-head, this might be the time to jump on.  Issue 1000 isn't that far away.  Okay, 50 issues away, but still that isn't too far away.  I can't wait to start experiencing the build up to that Amazing Milestone!  

Free Comic Book Day: Top Stories previewed

Free Comic Book Day has come and gone and the large pile of free comic books has been following me around room-to-room as I read them.  Also in that pile are some comics and a graphic novel I purchased at my Local Comic Shop (LCS) that day.  Most of the Free Comic Book Day books are previews to series or storylines that are upcoming, while some offer a side story glimpse of a current run.  This is a look at my post before FCBD where you will find books that I was looking forward to reading.  Interestingly, two of the three books below were on my pre-FCBD list.  

Here are three books that preview some really fun and cool-looking stories: 

"Target: Peter Parker" and "Forgotten Mavels:" 

Target: Peter Parker has Peter and his date attacked by pizza parlor animatronic band animals.  When
Spider-Man shows up, he discovers that the animals are trying to warn him that, "you are his target."  The animatronic animal is shut down by Norman Osborne.  Norman concludes this little preview of things to come by saying on the last panel, "...it looks like we got here just in time."   In the Forgotten Marvels, we have Captain America, Iron Man, and Doctor Doom working together!  They infiltrate an archive of oddities when they are attached by H.A.N.D agents.  In the battle, Cap apparently finds their target, lights a Molotov cocktail, and throws it to a standing burned-out corpse.  When it explodes into flame, the corpse comes to life as the Human Torch.  Say what??  I'm sold.  

Archie Horror Presents The Cursed Library Prelude: 

Jinx Holliday, the daughter of Satan, is telling horror stories from the library in which she sits to a tied-up mummy of some sort.  There are some familiar faces, kind of, like Betty Cooper, Archie Andrews,
Jughead Jones and Veronica Lodge.  It's creepy, but it looks like a ton of fun.  

Conan: Battle of the Black Stone:  

Writer Jim Zub brings his A-game to writing what can be a complex character with tons of history.  This preview introduces the idea of a Conan story to fit into a "universe" with many of, the original creator, Robert E. Howard's other famous characters like Solomon Kane, James Allison, and Dark Agnes.  There is a description of this universe called the Howardverse at the back of the book.  But, the action revolves around Conan battling invaders.  When he topples a massive foe, he discovers a signet stone around the neck of the adversary which rips open memories he had buried deep.  It seems Conan has discovered the Black Stone which will link him to many of Howard's other characters.  Stay tuned and hold on, this seems to be quite a ride.