New Comic Book Day is here, and this week’s stack feels like a perfect snapshot of why we love comics in the first place. You have once in a lifetime crossovers, a universe shaking finale, a medieval horror revival, and a big Power Rangers showdown that could flip the grid on its head.
If you are looking for a quick guide to what deserves a spot in your pull box, here are my favorite picks this week and why they stand out.
Batman / Deadpool #1
DC and Marvel are actually sharing toys again, and they picked two of the loudest kids in the sandbox. Batman / Deadpool #1 throws the Dark Knight and the Merc with a Mouth into a trippy adventure that is meant to mess with your head and make you question what is real. With Grant Morrison writing and Dan Mora on art, you already know this is not going to be a simple “team up and punch the bad guy” story.
What really makes this issue feel special is how packed it is. You get a headline Batman and Deadpool story, then a full on magic mashup with Constantine and Doctor Strange from Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, Joshua Williamson, and Hayden Sherman. After that, Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo play with Nightwing and Laura Kinney in a story that lets you see some fun parallels between Dick and Laura as ground level heroes who never really wanted the spotlight.
Mariko Tamaki and Amanda Conner then throw Harley Quinn and the Hulk together, which sounds like a chaos sandwich in the best way. Finally, G. Willow Wilson and Denys Cowan bring Static and Ms Marvel into an electrified crossover that feels tailor made for fans who grew up loving both Milestone and Marvel’s newer generation of heroes. If you want the book that everyone will be talking about this week, it is this one.
Batman / Superman: World’s Finest #45
If you like classic superhero drama that still feels big and fresh, Batman / Superman: World’s Finest #45 is your comfort food. Lex Luthor and the Joker are teaming up again, but their latest plan rests on a single shared goal: finally taking out both Batman and Superman for good.
The hook here is not just “the bad guys win for a while.” This issue kicks off “The Merger,” a story that leans into paranoia, betrayal, and the fragile line between two of the most dangerous minds in the DC Universe. Lex thinks a few steps ahead, Joker lives to break the rules, and both are convinced they can outplay the other. You can feel that a big twist is brewing, and the issue sets the table for a lot of fallout for both Gotham and Metropolis.
One World Under Doom #9
If you have been following One World Under Doom #9, this is the big one. This finale finds Doom already having done the impossible. He fought Earth’s heroes, he won, and he used the power of the Sorcerer Supreme to lock that victory into a fixed point in time. No time travel, no magical retcon, no second chances.
Of course, the catch is that in the exact moment he “won,” Doom also planted the seed of his own downfall without realizing it. The story leans into that tragic angle in a way that really fits the character. This is Doom staring down a defeat he cannot erase and making a choice that will scar the entire world.
On top of that, the issue sets up the future on the magic side of things by asking a huge question: if the Sorcerer Supreme falls, who steps up next. So you get both a heavy character piece for Doom and a tease for where Marvel’s mystical corner could go from here.
Spawn: The Dark Ages #1
Spawn is heading back to the age of swords and superstition. Spawn: The Dark Ages #1 is set in a brutal version of early Britain, where Saxon raiders, Pictish warriors, and Hibernian invaders all press in on a fragile kingdom. Aurelianus has just been crowned king, but his throne is already shaking from both outside attacks and an angry populace.
The tension really comes from the rumors of another king, one blessed by the old Celtic gods. To the Christians, that blessing is nothing more than a mark of the Devil, a cursed “Spawn” rising out of the old ways. The book leans into moody, historical fantasy with a hellish edge, and it is a great pick if you want something darker than standard superhero fare but still rooted in the Spawn mythos.
Power Rangers Prime #12
For fans of Power Rangers, Power Rangers Prime #12 is the kind of issue that makes you clear a spot in the long box. This is the climax of a big arc, with the Rangers teaming up with the VR Troopers to bring down Volar in a battle that sounds like pure 90s kid wish fulfillment.
The twist is that survival is only half the story. Even if the heroes win, the book asks what that victory actually costs them. Meanwhile, Rita is working one final spell that could rewrite everything, which hints at a big status shift for the series moving forward. If you like your Power Rangers stories loud, dramatic, and universe shaking, this one feels like required reading.
New Comic Book Day is always a good excuse to try something outside your usual stack, and this week offers a little bit of everything, from reality bending crossovers to moody medieval horror and high stakes tokusatsu energy. Whether you are in it for Batman and Deadpool’s chaotic chemistry or you just want to see what Doom does when he finally gets exactly what he wants, there is a standout issue waiting for you at the shop today.
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