September was full of amazing comic books from all of the best comic book companies. For instance, DC Comics’ Absolute Superman #23 was one of the most disturbing comic books of the year. It showed the heinous reality of child trafficking, but used Toy Man as an example of how these things happen. As awful as that was, the issue ends with Superman’s character becoming stronger despite the atrocious villain he was forced to deal with.

Just like September, there are a lot of great comic books to look forward to reading. Some of them will have intense fights, while others will be full of mystery, drama, and love. However, which ones should fans grab on new comic book day?

10

Absolute Batman #25

DC Comics

Absolute Batman #24 ended with Bruce Wayne saying that he knew where he was going after beating Jonathan Crane, and the last panel showed the mansion of Jack Grimm (Joker). That means, after 24 issues, the Dark Knight and the Joker Who Doesn’t Laugh may face off in the final story of this arc. Unfortunately, this may not go the way people hope.

To look at it in wrestling or boxing terms, the money is in the rematch. Having Batman lose the fight or escape without a loss leads to another battle. The easy guess is that the Bat (Barbara Gordon) will stop Bruce from doing something he’ll regret. Another option is that Joker and Batman don’t fight at all.

Deathstroke said that he could easily beat Batman, and Joker agreed. To quote DMX, “Your people pumped you up to watch you get beat.” Grimm is a trickster and could be playing Slade Wilson to watch him lose this fight. Plus, now that Barbara Gordon is involved and donning a brand-new look, it will be even harder for Slade to get his win as his advantage has been visibly filed down.

9

Something Is Killing the Children #50

Boom! Studios

The upcoming Something Is Killing the Children is simply a must-pull for everyone currently reading the series. This is for reasons beyond just because it’s a groundbreaking issue #50. It’s the first time readers will see Erica Slaughter’s story in the present in a long time.

The House of Slaughter is in disarray, and Erica could be the key to fixing things. After a time away from the house and the lives she’s affected (for good and bad), her influence will be immediately felt. So, get prepared for what will be one of the most important issues in this universe, and it starts here.

Also, to catch up on what’s been going on in the House of Slaughter, make sure to read Fall of the House of Slaughter. Major things happened that will contribute to the future of Something Is Killing the Children.

8

Smile: Any Given Smile #2

IDW

The first issue of Smile: Any Given Smile set up the rest of the series perfectly, and in a terrifying way. Just like at the end of the movie Smile 2, the parasite has its eyes set on infecting a large number of people at a football game. What’s worse is that it looks like there’s more than one person who will die smiling in seven days, and they’re connected to the sports gambling industry. So more people than anyone knows are in danger.

Writer Stephanie Williams has a couple of storylines going on at once, but they’re both easy to follow. Combine that with the way artist Pablo Collar and colors by Tríona Farrell add a new flavor to the franchise, and the result is a series making the must-read list two months in a row.

7

Avengers: Armageddon #5

Marvel Comics

In the previous issue of Avengers: Armageddon, Red Hulk exploded in Russia, resulting in the deaths of innocent people and Bucky Barnes. It’s easy to guess that this is the moment that results in the general public losing faith in superheroes, but that isn’t the only important part of the upcoming finale.

After everything is said and done, some heroes will be held accountable for the disaster. The question is who that will be, and exactly how Nick Fury Jr. will play into all of this.

There’s a reason why he renamed S.H.I.E.L.D. to Strategic Human Intelligence, Enforcement and Logistic Defense and helped create weapons to take down Red Hulk and other superpowered beings. It could be because he will be harder on superheroes than his father (Nick Fury Sr.) was. Or maybe he will be part of the people held responsible for the disaster in Russia.

6

Universal Monsters: The Bride of Frankenstein Lives

Image Comics

Image Comics’ Universal Monsters stories continue rolling with another classic story, The Bride of Frankenstein Lives. The various miniseries have all been good, but this one will be something special thanks to the phenomenal creative team responsible for 2026’s Wonder Woman Annual #1.

Writer Kelly Thompson continues to show that she is a comic book writer who will never disappoint her readers. Teaming her with Mattia De Iulis to create a grim but beautiful version of the classic tale will be something fans of horror and comics won’t want to miss. Also, expect some changes from the original story that will help make this miniseries one of the best in the Image Comics run

5

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #3

Marvel Comics

In Miles Morales: Spider-Man #2, the new big bad, Revenant (real name Martin Moore), did something to Spider-Man that turned him into a living bomb. Luckily, Miles got away from innocent people before blowing up. Sadly, he exploded in the air and is likely unconscious and falling without any help.

So far, Revenant has been an interesting villain. For one, he’s both sympathetic and not. It’s understandable that he’d want revenge for being fooled by Jefferson. He thought they were friends and ended up being betrayed. However, Moore was also part of an organization that was selling dangerous drugs, so he’s still a bad person.

Another intriguing thing is that he’s not just a big guy with cool powers. Moore has shown that he knows how to creatively use his powers. This will force Spider-Man (Miles Morales) to be more careful and creative when they fight, especially after being turned into a bomb. It will be cool to see how he adapts to this new powerhouse in issue #3.

4

Transformers #37

Image Comics

Megatron could leave his crystal cocoon stronger than when he went in, while Optimus Prime is much weaker. A different sect of Cobra-La has declared that they’ll be going on the offensive. Starscream is back and embracing evil. That’s all happening on Earth, but don’t forget that there’s still a war on Cybertron.

“How far will Elita Prime go to win the war on Cybertron?” – Image Comics

Elita Prime has done some questionable things, but she shouldn’t be judged too harshly. War makes people do things they normally wouldn’t. With that being said, the Image Comics description above for Transformers #37 shows that she’ll have to make a decision to determine what kind of leader she wants to be. She may also understand why Optimus made the decisions that she was against.

3

No Gods, No Masters #2

Boom! Studios

Sometimes all it takes is to read one issue of a series and see that the story has a lot of potential. That’s the case with No Gods, No Monsters. There was kaiju, a sympathetic story, and enough action to let readers know what they were getting into.

Despite issue #1 being a quick read, it was easy to understand what the lead characters wanted, introduce the antagonist, and show that the three protagonists have pure intentions and goals. Unfortunately, one of them may betray the others if it’s them or their mother. That will add to the drama and keep everyone excited about the story.

2

Dark Knights of Steel II #4

DC Comics

Amanda Waller is one of those villains that will make a comic book reader angry. She doesn’t need the ability to bend steel or move at super speeds. She’s despicable because she can manipulate a situation better than anyone, and some innocent person is always hurt in the process. Apparently, this isn’t exclusive to Earth-0.

With the help of the King’s Bane, Waller kills Superman’s mother, Queen Lara, and this is only the beginning. Who knows what else Amanda Waller will do to become ruler of the kingdom? She may be willing to kill Bruce Wayne. Waller’s already kidnapped her daughter. Why wouldn’t she murder Bruce, even if Bane isn’t okay with it?

1

Redcoat #21

Image Comics

After trapping Benedict Arnold in cement and killing the remaining people responsible for the death of his family, there’s no telling where Simon Pure’s head is at. He was selfish, impulsive, and mildly unstable before. Will he revert to the person he was, or can Albert Einstein talk some sense into him? Furthermore, do the events of this issue connect to the Ghost Machine crossover, “Radioactive Revolution”? For now, there’s only going to be one way to find out once it drops on October 21.