This week’s new releases really blew me away, making it absurdly difficult to narrow down my recommendations for Top Comics to Buy for June 25. One of my favorite ongoing series in comics — Lazarus — returns to begin its final arc today. Another stunner of a book, Ultramega, releases its delayed finale today. And at the same time we get standout new issues of top 2025 series like Absolute Martian Manhunter and The Seasons.
I read them all thoroughly, did what I could to narrow my list, and the landed on five recommendations below. But — this week more than ever — any of the books in the Other Comics I Enjoyed section could have easily made my top 5. It is, in brief, one of those good weeks. Check out my recommendations below, along with the usual set of release lists — and enjoy!
Top Comics to Buy for June 25
Absolute Martian Manhunter #4
Writer: Deniz Camp
Artist: Javier Rodriguez
Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Publisher: DC Comics
It’s a heatwave in Middleton, as tempers and temperatures run hot all over the city! In the white-hot heat, normally minor conflicts between neighbors turn deadly at the drop of a hat! Can John Jones and the Martian cool things down before Middleton erupts into chaos?
Why It’s Cool: With bold and striking art (especially the way it deploys colors), this very different sort of superhero comic is telling a great story about a man and his interiority. This issue goes deeper into his personal life and continues to explore what’s really happening. I love it. I wish there were more superhero titles taking big swings like this.
Price: $4.99
Lazarus: Fallen #1
Writer: Greg Rucka
Artist: Michael Lark
Colorist: Santiago Arcas
Letterer: Ariana Maher
Publisher: Image Comics
In a neo-feudalist world ruled by the ultra wealthy Families, each has a Lazarus, raised and trained to be the instrument of that Family’s will. Finally free of her father’s control, Forever is going to burn it all down.
Why It’s Cool: Lazarus is one of the truly great long-form comics achievements of the past 15 years or so, and now it’s back to complete it’s final arc. This first issue — which jumps through time a bit — is a great, tense start to the end game for the book. Don’t miss it.
Price: $3.99
News From the Fallout #1
Writer: Chris Condon
Artist: Jeffrey Alan Love
Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Publisher:Image Comics
In 1962 Nevada, a nuclear bomb test goes horribly awry and unleashes a contaminate into the atmosphere that turns people rotten. Otis Fallows, a private in the U.S. Army who is present for the test and is the only known survivor, flees the secret army base in search of a safe haven-but does such a place exist?
Why It’s Cool: In short, the aesthetic. Although it’s a very (very) different book, this one is in the same rarefied air as Absolute Martian Manhunter, in that it marries its concept with bold, non-traditional artwork that enhances the ideas in the story. It’s a quick read that seeds so many questions, and it will almost certainly have you coming back for the rest of the book.
Price: $3.99
The Seasons #5
Writer: Rick Remender
Artist: Paul Azaceta
Colorist: Matheus Lopes
Letterer: Rus Wooton
Publisher: Image Comics – Giant Generator
Spring Seasons has disappeared into the big top in search of her missing family but the fantastical temptations inside unveil truths she’d rather remain hidden.
Why It’s Cool: Since this genre-defying, hard-to-pin-down book has launched, I’ve had a sense that there’s something very weird going on beneath its surface. I mean, the book wants you to think that, clearly. Well friends, in this fifth issue we finally dive deep down beneath that surface, right into the weirdness, and it’s awesome. It’s scary and unsettling and suspenseful as hell, and the artwork by Paul Azaceta and colorist Matheus Lopes is really a great and different take on horror cartooning. I loved it, making this one an easy pick for my list of Top Comics to Buy for June 25.
Price: $3.99
Ultramega #9
Writer/Artist: James Harren
Colorist: Dave Stewart
Letterer: Rus Wooton
Publisher: Image Comics – Skybound
Every Ultramega before Noah has fallen. But will he follow in his father’s footsteps…or blast his own path, covered with the corpses of his enemy? James Harren’s masterwork comes to a ferocious finish!
Why It’s Cool: Have you read any of Ultramega? It absolutely rules. Every pages reads like a punch, and the story isn’t afraid to destroy everyone and everything in its path, often in disturbing (complimentary) and memorable fashion. This week we get the long-awaited (by me) finale, and it does not dissappoint. Don’t miss the end of this gritty, kaiju instant-classic.
Price: $7.99
Other Comics I Enjoyed
Assorted Crisis Events #4- Crush Depth #4
- Green Lantern #24
- Minor Arcana #8
- Moonshine Bigfoot #3
- Mr. Terrific: Year One #2
- Out of Alcatraz #4
- Sleep #2
- Ultimate Spider-Man #18
- When I Lay My Vengeance Upon Thee #5
- Void Rivals #20
- You’ll Do Bad Things #4
New #1s and One-Shots
- Biker Mice From Mars #1
- Don’t Forget Your Briefcase #1
- Giant-Size Age of Apocalypse #1 (one-shot)
- Godzilla 70th Anniversary Foil Classics – Godzilla Half-Century War #1 (one-shot)
- New History of the DC Universe #1
- Stranger Things – Tales From Hawkins 2 #1
- Tramps of the Apocalypse #1
- VR Troopers #1
- X-Men – From The Ashes – Demons and Death #1 (one-shot)
Graphic Novels and Trade Collections
Batman – Detective Comics – The New 52 Omnibus Vol. 1 HC- Batman / Superman – World’s Finest Vol. 6 – The Impossible HC
- Blood Hunters Mean Streets TP
- Blood Squad Seven Vol. 2 Con Season TP
- Chasm – Curse of Kaine TP
- Clementine Book 3 GN (read our review!)
- Goobers Vol. 1 TP (read our review!)
- The Flash Vol. 3 – As Above TP
- Heavy Vinyl Complete Collection TP
- Idris File HC
Iron Man Vol. 1 – The Stark-Roxxon War TP- Local Man Deluxe HC
- Marvel Masterworks Fantastic Four Vol. 27 HC
- Marvel Two-In-One Omnibus Vol. 1 HC
- Mighty Morphin Power Rangers – The Death Ranger Part 1 TP
- Model Five Murder TP
- Night Club Vol. 2 TP
- Nothing Special Vol. 3 Pride and Pompousness TP
- Power Girl Vol. 3 – The Star TP
- Rick and Morty Deluxe Double Feature Vol. 5 Heart of Rickness & Meeseeks PI HC
- Sarah & Darah TP
- Sesame Street – Grover Lends A Hand HC
- Silver Surfer Epic Collection Vol. 12 – Into the Outer Void TP
- Superman Birthright TP (DC Compact Comics Edition)
- Superman – The World HC
- Synap TP
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vol. 1 – Return to New York Library Edition HC
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Saturday Morning Adventures Vol. 5 TP
- Titans Vol. 3 – Hard Feelings TP
- Vaughn Bodes Complete Deadbone Erotica Omnibus HC
- Wolverine Revenge TP
- Wolverine / Sabretooth War Omnibus HC
- Wrestler HC
- X-Force by Benjamin Percy Vol. 4 HC
Read past editions of the Top Comics to Buy!
And check out the Beat’s most recent comics reviews!
