Every Wednesday, I find myself anticipating the latest releases of my favorite comic book stories. Unfortunately, I often find myself keeping up with way too many titles to actually be up-to-date on all of them.
With this though, I came to realize that I am in a good position to offer some recommendations to those of you who may be looking for something new to read.
So, without further ado, here are some titles that I highly recommend anyone to read in the new year.
X-Force (2019 - )
Candidly, most of the X-Men titles running right now are pretty solid. With that being said, X-Force is undoubtedly one of the stand-outs of Marvel's Dawn of X launch.
In the context of Dawn of X, the X-Force team was created to operate as a covert, CIA-esque unit on behalf of Krakoa and mutantkind to investigate any existing, or burgeoning, threats. As a result, members of X-Force, including characters such as Wolverine and Domino, often find themselves taking on top-secret missions that comprise mysterious conspiracies and a whole lot of action.
Writer Benjamin Percy and artist Joshua Cassara have been driving this series since its first installment, and the two have yet to miss a beat.
X-Force is full of action and non-stop entertainment, but those qualities never once hinder the progression of the overarching narrative or the development of the X-Force team itself.
So, if you are a fan of the X-Men, or if you are trying to better acquaint yourself with the team, X-Force is a title worth checking out. Additionally, with only five issues under its belt, you have more than enough time to catch up before the next installment hits stands at the end of January!
Batman: Curse of the White Knight (2019 - )
If you have read Sean Murphy's work on Batman: White Knight, then you know the caliber that he is capable of when composing Batman stories.
Batman: Curse of the White Knight operates as the follow-up to the events that take place in Batman: White Knight. However, Batman: Curse of the White Knight does stand alone as its own cohesive tale.
The context of the story itself traverses Gotham City's rich history, contributing to a mystery that has Batman question everything he knows about his beloved city and the people that inhabit it.
DC's Black Label titles have certainly been divisive and controversial, with many stories published under the title being underwhelming ones.
Thankfully though, Batman: Curse of the White Knight revitalizes the label by offering a stellar, unique tale that distinguishes itself from every other Batman story running right now.
Batman: Curse of the White Knight is only five issues deep, with the next installment releasing on January 22nd. So, if you are looking for an Elseworlds-esque Batman tale that is vastly different from any recent Batman tales you may have explored, this is the one for you.
Marauders (2019 - )
Yes, I am including another X-Men, Dawn of X title on this list, but you can't blame me. Marauders is arguably the most fun I am having with a comic book right now.
The series follows Captain Kate Pryde, yes Kate, as she captains a ship comprising notable X-Men figures including Iceman and Storm. Together, they locate distressed mutants around the world and provide them with safe passage to Krakoa. Though, it should come as no surprise that missions of this nature are never as simple as they may seem. Thus, Captain Pryde and her crew often find themselves managing unexpected conflicts as they sail around the world.
Marauders is undoubtedly a unique book, and it has provided Pryde with some fresh and bold characterization.
With this, I cannot emphasize enough how fun this book is. We get to see Captain Pryde use her powers in a plethora of unique ways. Additionally, the adventures her and her crew embark on are just so completely entertaining.
Marauders is only five issues deep, and I truly cannot emphasize enough how much you should read this book. So, just do it.
Harleen (2019)
So, this run has ended rather recently. However, it has established itself as a definitive and outstanding DC Black Label title that I feel the need to call it out despite the fact that is not an ongoing series like the other runs mentioned in this post.
Harleen, from writer and artist Stjepan Šejić, traverses the origin story of the one and only Harley Quinn. Of course, the origin of Harley Quinn may not be anything new to us readers. However, this particular story depicts the slow manifestation of Harley Quinn's fascination with the Clown Prince of Crime.
So, not only is Harleen's narrative fascinating and well-developed, but the series' art is absolutely captivating, even a little surreal at times.
Thus, Harleen is truly a cohesive work of art that can be disturbing at times, but it is truly a captivating saga that digs deep into Harley Quinn in a way we have never seen before.
Now, despite the series' conclusion, you can still catch up on issues #1-3, which will also be released as a compilation in hardcover next month.
The Beginning
As aforementioned, I am keeping up, or trying to keep up, with a plethora of ongoing titles. Yes, I would probably recommend the majority of them. Today though, I wanted to just provide a taste and insight into some potential new reading you could immerse yourself in.
A new year incites new beginnings. So, if you are looking to get into comic books, or if you already enjoy comic books, you truly cannot go wrong with any of the titles I have shared with you today.
So, here's to new adventures in comic books. Happy reading!
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