Hey there, everybody. Welcome to another week of great comics at Carol and John’s Comic Shop! The weather is slowly warming up and so are the comic book storylines. There’s a big new event starting up in the Bat-corner of DC Universe and the mutants of Krakoa are plotting big things as well at Marvel. We’ve got plenty of other books too this week, so let’s see what’s good.

DC Comics

It’s the Bat-Crossover of the spring, with the Shadow War event beginning in Shadow War Alpha new this week. The League of Shadows are gunning for Deathstroke’s head! After the shocking assassination of [REDACTED], Batman and Damian Wayne’s Robin will try to beat the League of Shadows in a race to get to Deathstroke and bring him to justice. Written by Joshua Williamson, writer of this summer’s Dark Crisis and the upcoming issue #75 of Justice League featuring the Death of the Justice League, this looks to be a major installment in the DC Universe for 2022.

“FaZe Clan, the world’s most prominent and influential esports and gaming organization, joins forces with Gotham City’s heroes for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure! A new enemy has emerged, and the Dark Knight must call on the world’s greatest gamers to help! FaZe founders Rain, Apex, Banks, Temperrr, and other members of the team unite and gain new abilities to combat an escalating digital threat. Will Batman, Nightwing, Robin, Batwoman, Batwing, and the members of FaZe Clan be enough to stop the Riddler’s devious scheme?” FAZE UP TILL MY DAYS UP. Apparently, that’s what the kids say today, I asked my buddy who’s a Twitch streamer. Don’t be a noob and pick up this issue. Perfect for anybody who was reading Batman/Fortnite.

Issue #1 was a knockout, and after a little delay, we finally have the next installment in Jock’s new DC Black Label series, Batman: One Dark Knight. Batman and Gotham have encountered a new villain called E.M.P. that has wiped out all the power in the city during a prison transport. Batman has miles to go and no Batmobile or any other fancy toys to help him as he navigates the chaotic streets of Gotham with one of the city’s most dangerous new criminals in tow. I’m excited to see where this next issue takes us in this prestige three-issue miniseries. There’s also a variant cover this week from one of my favorite artists, Paul Pope! Read Batman: Year 100 if you haven’t already!

Marvel Comics

The Krakoan Age of mutants continues with new series writer Kieron Gillen and the Immortal X-Men. “IN THE QUIET COUNCIL, NO ONE CAN HEAR YOU SCREAM! The Quiet Council rules the Krakoan age, for better… or worse. Now, shaken by INFERNO and X LIVES / X DEATHS OF WOLVERINE they strive to hold together, no matter how much they want to tear each other apart. Writer Kieron Gillen returns to the world of X with artist Lucas Werneck (Trial of Magneto) to bring us all into the room where it happens. ‘It’ being ‘the most powerful people on Earth deciding the fate of the whole planet.’ Prepare for sinister secrets to be revealed and learn that some secrets are more sinister than others…” The X-Men line is going through a soft relaunch of sorts and this title seems to be the new core title. To me, my X-heads.

Tom Taylor is one of the hottest writers in comics, with megahits DCeased, Dark Knights of Steel, and the current Nightwing series. But his big Marvel miniseries, Dark Ages, is one not to miss either and this week sees the dramatic conclusion with issue #6. “All the sacrifices made on the day the world went dark could be for nothing if Apocalypse has his way. Some of the greatest minds on the planet have been enslaved by the tyrant and are working on a plan that could end in annihilation. Will our heroes, fighting for their loved ones and lost ones, be able to stop Apocalypse and his forces, or could the world end again?” There’s been a lot of big moments so far, and some great Deadpool bits for Ben, so we’ll see what’s in store for the finale this week.

Also new this week is Ghost Rider #2 and Hulk #5. Both series have been big hits for Marvel, with Ghost Rider being a great back-to-basics approach to the Spirit of Vengeance and Donny Cates’s Hulk being an over-the-top action smash. Hulk #5 follows up on the blockbuster final page introduction of Spider-Hulk from last issue and pits the Starship Hulk against President Thunderbolt Ross’s greatest weapon. You’ll definitely want to jump on both series now if you haven’t already.

Small Press

Erica Slaughter returns this week with Something Is Killing The Children #21. The horror smash from Boom! Studios is back from James Tynion IV and Werther Dell’Edera and sees Erica taking on a new case and a new kind of monster that has sprung up. But after the events of the last arc, she’s turned her back on the Order of St. George and the shadowy organization doesn’t forgive or forget. If you haven’t read the series so far, you’re missing out on one of the best small press horror books out there. And with the landmark issue #25 coming up, big things are on the horizon for Erica Slaughter, for better or worse.

Kurt Busiek’s Astro City is back at Image Comics, and is being reintroduced to readers in this week’s Astro City: That Was Then Special. “Who were the Jayhawks? How did they inspire five teen sidekicks looking for answers to hit the road in a rickety crime mobile in 1969? And how will this affect Astro City in the present? This one-shot special features new and existing heroes and launches a mystery that will drive the forthcoming Astro City series. And don’t miss the Astro City Metrobook, collecting the first three years of the acclaimed series!” We’ve got both the special and Metrobook TP hitting the table this week, so if you’ve ever wanted to see what the fuss is about, now’s your best chance.

It’s a great week to read comics, just like every week. We’ll see you all at the shop!