This week’s Top Comics to Buy for January 22 is, of course, a list of new books, but the shared theme (if there is one) is paying homage to the past. We’ve got Godzilla Monsterpiece Theatre #3, which turns The Great Gatsby into a kaiju-meets-monsters slugfest. We’ve got a new issue of the Silver Age skewing homage, Metamorpho. We’ve to Ultimate Spider-Man #13, a Kraven’s Last Hunt homage, and we’ve got Time Waits #3, an actual book about going to the past.
I certainly didn’t plan it this way — as always, these are just my five favorites of the 20-some new comics I read this week (Sicko hahaha yes meme here) — but it’s fun that it lined up this way. Must be something in the air to do wacky new things with beloved novels and arcs and eras. Also, trade-wise this week is a landmark publishing event, with Mike Mignola’s latest, Bowling With Corpses and Other Strange Tales From Lands Unknown. Check The Beat’s review section for more on this book coming Thursday.
Anyway, as always all the regular lists are below … enjoy!
Top Comics to Buy for January 22, 2025
Godzilla Monsterpiece Theatre #3
Writer/Artist/Letterer: Tom Scioli
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Even in the face of the combined efforts of Jay Gatsby, Sherlock Holmes, Jules Verne, and the Time Machinist, Godzilla’s global rampage shows no sign of slowing down. That leaves our gang with no choice but to enlist the help a terrifyingly evil-Dracula himself! It’s Godzilla versus vampires in the thrilling finale to Godzilla’s Monsterpiece Theatre. Will our heroes (and villains) prevail? Will the boats beat on, ceaselessly against the current? Will saving Daisy finally be enough to change Gatsby’s fate and uncross the stars for these lovers?
Why It’s Cool: If you’ve loved this book through its first two issues (as I have), I’m certain you’re going to love how Tom Scioli’s madcap love letter to turn of the 19th Century-ish novels ends. I mean, just look at the cover — this one is wild, pitting Godzilla against literature’s most famous monsters. And, of course, the Gatsy-Daisy-Tom triangle also comes to a head, albeit very differently than it does in perhaps America’s single greatest novel, what with the time travel and kaiju and all. Sigh. I’m going to miss writing about this comic.
Price: $6.99
Metamorpho: The Element Man #2
Writer: Al Ewing
Artist: Steve Lieber
Colorist: Lee Loughridge
Letterer: Ferran Delgado
Publisher: DC Comics
Who could win the heart of the most fabulous freak of all? Only one more fabulous still…the switched-on Sapphire Stagg! But when Metamorpho and Element Gal join superstar Sapphire in the spotlight, they find themselves in the gunsights of a deadly rival for her cultural crown–one mendaciously managed by the maliciously malevolent…Mad Mod! But what’s Ol’ Staggsy’s connection to the coolest cat in crime…?
Why It’s Cool: It’s been a long long time since a comic has so thoroughly committed to its bit. This book is essentially being done as if it were the Silver Age, with dense paneling and scripting, but it somehow feels bolder than the vast majority of other superhero comics coming out right now. It’s really something. I don’t want to say too much more, because I’m also writing about this comic for tomorrow’s DC Round-Up column. In summary, I highly recommend this one.
Price: $3.99
Time Waits #3
Writers: Chip Zdarsky & David Brothers
Artists: Marcus To & Marvin Sianipar
Colorist: Matt Wilson
Letterer: Ariana Maher
Publisher: DSTLRY
Captured by EonCo, Blue is facing execution–alone, save for a gloating Wyatt, who is finally on the verge of getting his revenge. As his time sickness worsens, Blue could really use a friend–but how could he have any allies left when time has destroyed them all?
Why It’s Cool: This marks the finale issue for Time Waits, a genuinely-suspenseful and action-packed time travel heist story that succeeds in part because the character relationships are so rich. I did not expect myself to be so moved by the love story this one, but I did and it was great. Look for a full review in tomorrow’s Wednesday Comics column.
Price: $8.99
Ultimate Spider-Man #13
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Artist: Marco Checchetto
Colorist: Matthew Wilson
Letterer: Cory Petit
Publisher: Marvel Comics
The Sinister Six are all hunting Spider-Man and the Green Goblin for their ringleader, Kingpin-and this time, Kraven has the upper hand in Jonathan Hickman & Marco Checchetto’s love letter to “Kraven’s Last Hunt”!
Why It’s Cool: Jonathan Hickman, Marco Checchetto, and co., have built a fantastic new framework for telling Spider-Man stories…and this week they are using it to explore the best Spider-Man story of my lifetime, Kraven’s Last Hunt. I for one am very excited.
Price: $4.99
Void Rivals #16
Writer: Robert Kirkman
Artist: Lorenzo De Felici
Colorist: Patricio Delpeche
Letterer: Rus Wooton
Publisher: Image Comics – Skybound
Skuxxoid vs. Pythona! The battle you didn’t know you wanted!
Why It’s Cool: This was to me the most intriguing issue of Void Rivals since the book debuted, and surprise-revealed a new Transformers-GI Joe shared universe. There’s a developing mystery to how all three of these properties are going to be related moving forward, and Void Rivals seems to be at the middle of that. This issue made it crystal clear. Plus, the fighting was super cool.
Price: $3.99
Other Comics I Enjoyed
Absolute Wonder Woman #4
- Black Canary – Best of the Best #3
- Creepshow #5
- Dick Tracy #7
- Justice League Unlimited #3
- Life #4
- Spectrum #2
- Tin Can Society #5
- Wolverine Revenge #4
- Wonder Woman #17
New #1s and One-Shots
- Doctor Doom & Rocket Racoon #1 (one-shot)
- Patchwork Girl of Oz #1
- Sonic The Hedgehog: Best of Shadow #1 (one-shot)
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Best of Nobody #1 (one-shot)
- What If Galactus Transformed Rogue? #1 (one-shot)
- X-Men: Xavier’s Secret #1 (one-shot)
Graphic Novels and Trade Collections
Alien: Black, White & Blood Treasury Edition TP
- All-Nighter Vol. 3 TP
- Astro City Metrobook Vol. 6 TP
- Atlas Artist Edition Vol. 2: Al Williamson The City That Time Forgot HC
- Backtrack Deluxe Edition HC
- Blow Away TP
- Bowling With Corpses and Other Strange Tales From Lands Unknown HC
- The Butcher’s Boy TP
- Complete Elfquest: Future Quest TP
- Daredevil by Brian Michael Bendis & Alex Maleev Omnibus Vol. 2 HC
- DC Finest – Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters TP
Falling In Love on the Path to Hell Vol. 1 TP
- Fortune & Glory – The Musical TP
- Green Lantern War Journal Vol. 2 – The Builder TP
- Joy Operations Vol. 2 TP
- Marvel Masterworks: Doctor Strange Vol. 11 HC
- Savage Avengers by Gerry Duggan Vol. 2 TP
- Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider Vol. 1 Haunted TP
- Traveling to Mars TP
- Usagi Yojimbo – The Crow TP
- William of Newbury TP
Read past editions of the Top Comics to Buy!
And check out the Beat’s newest comics reviews!