This week’s Top Comics to Buy for December 18 features three superhero books, and it really could have been more, with Challengers of the Unknown #1, Jenny Sparks #5 and other titles making a strong push. This just goes to show, I think, how strong a year Marvel and DC have had with the surge of their Absolute and Ultimate initiatives leading the way. Anyway! You can find my five favorite comics for the week below, along with the usual release lists … enjoy!
Top Comics to Buy for December 18, 2024
Godzilla Monsterpiece Theatre #2
Writer/Artist: Tom Scioli
Publisher: IDW Publishing
The roar of the twenties escalated to a mighty SKREONK as Godzilla attacked the party of the wrong man and hurt the wrong lady. Now Jay Gatsby has enlisted the help of Sherlock Holmes, Thomas Edison, Jules Verne, The Time Machinist, and more to put an end to the Godzilla threat once and for all. Watch as our new team travels twenty thousand leagues under the sea and turns Paris into the ultimate Godzilla trap in this thrilling feat of cartooning by the unrivaled Tom Scioli.
Why It’s Cool: One of my favorite comics of the year continues this week, and it, unsurprisingly, stays excellent. As smart as it is irreverent, I love this book.
Price: $6.99
The New Gods #1
Writer: Ram V.
Artist: Evan Cagle, with Jorge Fornes
Colorist: Francesco Segala
Letterer: Tom Napolitano
Publisher: DC Comics
An old god has died, and the reverberations of his passing are felt across the universe, setting forth the soldiers of an intergalactic army and awakening the latent powers of a mysterious child on Earth. But this has all been foreseen–prophesized by the Source and fed as enigmatic images to its agent, Metron. Now, as Metron brings word of this cosmos-shattering prediction to the residents of New Genesis and Apokolips, both worlds are thrown into chaos and conflict. On Earth, Scott Free and Barda find themselves unaware of this incoming chaos while consumed with their most daunting task yet: parenthood. Ram V and Evan Cagle bring the Fourth World to a whole new generation in this epic of cosmic proportions. An old god has died…the New Gods are born!
Why It’s Cool: If I had to describe why I liked this comic in one word, it would be — epic. I mean, it is a story about cosmic gods, after all. But the creative team also does a great job grounding things in a character-drive story on Earth. I had high expectations for this book, and it still exceeded them.
Price: $3.99
Paranoid Gardens #6
Writers: Gerard Way and Shaun Simon
Artist: Chris Weston
Colorist: Dave Stewart
Letterer: Nate Piekos
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Series finale! Chaos unfolds as the Gardens compete with a hostile cult’s amusement park takeover and Loo seeks to put an end to the madness once and for all.
Why It’s Cool: I’ve loved every issue of this deeply odd series, and this finale is no exception. The Weston-Stewart art continues to look pristine and perfect here as the script brings us home for a satisfying and wonderfully unpredictable finish.
Price: $3.99
Plastic Man No More #4
Writer: Christopher Cantwell
Artist: Alex Lins and Jacob Edgar
Colorist: Marcelo Maiolo
Letterer: Becca Carey
IT’S THE END OF PLASTIC MAN! OR IS IT? There sure are a lot of people who’d like to stop him from detonating the nuclear bomb he fashioned out of a member of the Metal Men–including the very son he’s trying to save with this kamikaze scheme. But Patrick has come too far and sacrificed too much to stop now…
Why It’s Cool: This book was excellent start to finish. It’s got a great concept, juxtaposing Plastic Man’s personal medical struggle against the way the rest of the Justice League treats him as comic relief. But elevating it further is an absolutely shattering father-son tale. Don’t miss this one, it’s so good.
Price: $4.99
Ultimate Spider-Man #12
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Artist: Marco Checchetto
Colorist: Matthew Wilson
Letterer: Cory Petit
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Season’s greetings from the Parker family! But why is Peter acting so strangely during the most wonderful time of the year? And what’s got Gwen so concerned? Don’t miss the thrilling conclusion of the second arc – and the first year – of ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN!
Why It’s Cool: Rounding out this week’s Top Comics to Buy for December 18 is Ultimate Spider-Man #12, the ending of this fantastic comic’s second arc. I’m not going to spoil the twists here, but I will just say this book typifies what to me makes this book such a success — a blending of grounded family drama with high-concept superhero hijinks.
Price: $4.99
10 Other Comics I Enjoyed
Absolute Batman #3- G.I. Joe #2
- Jenny Sparks #5
- John Constantine: Hellblazer – Dead in America #11
- Lilith #2
- The Power Fantasy #5
- The Question: All Along the Watchtower #2
- The Sacrificers #13
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #5
- Wonder Woman #16
New #1s and One-Shots
Alligator Loki – Holiday Special #1 (one-shot)- Challengers of the Unknown #1
- Freddie: The Fix #1
- Gargoyles Winter Special #1 (one-shot)
- Green Lantern / Green Arrow: World’s Finest Special #1 (one-shot)
- Hellverine #1
- Horizon Experiment – Motherfu*kin Monsters #1 (one-shot)
- Missing on the Moon #1
- Something Is Killing the Children #1 Deluxe Edition
- Star Wars – The High Republic Adventures Phase III – Wedding Spectacular #1 (one-shot)
- TVA #1
Graphic Novels and Trade Collections
Adventureman Vol. 1 – The End And Everything After TP- Batman – Bruce Wayne Murderer, Turned Fugitive Omnibus HC
- Blood Hunt Marvel Universe TP
- British Invasion HC
- Caravaggio – The Pallette and the Sword Vol. 1 TP
- Chris Moulds – War of the Worlds HC
- Collected Crimehot Vol. 1 TP
- Cult of the Lamb Vol. 1 – The First Verse TP
- DC Finest – Catwoman Life Lines TP
- Death of Wolverine Omnibus HC
- Everfrost TP
- Manifest Destiny Deluxe Edition Book 2 HC
- Man’s Best TP
- Robin: Son of Batman by Patrick Gleason – The Deluxe Edition HC
- Stainless Steel – Rat Color Omnibus TP
- Superman Vol. 3: The Dark Path TP
- Yellow GN
Read past editions of the Top Comics to Buy!
