It is new comic book day and the shelves are stacked with big swings from both DC and Marvel, plus a fresh chapter of one of the best horror books on the stands. Here is a closer look at the issues I am most excited to grab today and why they are worth adding to your stack.
These are spotlights, not full reviews, so they are safe to read if you just want a feel for each book before you head to the shop.
Batman #4
Matt Fraction and Jorge Jimenez keep pushing their new Batman run into bigger territory, and issue 4 looks like the point where Gotham’s crime problem turns into a full blown conspiracy thriller. Organized crime in the city has upgraded its playbook, turning into something more coordinated and dangerous than we usually see in a Gotham story. Bruce works the mystery of the Crown of Storms in the daylight while Batman hunts Anarky at night, and both threads point at a criminal network hiding in plain sight that threatens Gotham and far more than one city.
Fraction feels like he is leaning hard into the “world’s greatest detective” angle while still giving Jimenez room for big, kinetic action and slick costume shots. If you like a Batman story where the mob feels as scary as the rogues gallery, this is the tentpole DC book of the week.
Something Is Killing The Children #45
James Tynion IV and Werther Dell’Edera are deep into the current arc, and this issue sounds like a pressure cooker for Erica Slaughter. The story is centered on the Valmont Mountain House, where Erica and Jessica have been holed up while the next monster threat closes in. Jessica’s drinking finally hits a breaking point, forcing both women to face what their partnership actually is and whether it can survive the work they do.
At the same time, the clock is running out on the threat itself, pushing Erica toward a choice that could redefine how she operates as a hunter going forward. This series has always balanced gnarly creature horror with character work that hits hard, and issue 45 sounds like one of those chapters that quietly reshapes the whole book.
DC K.O.: Knightfight #2
The DC K.O. event is all about one on one showdowns, but Knightfight has turned that concept into a character study of Batman and his legacy. Written by Joshua Williamson with art by Dan Mora, the second issue keeps Bruce jumping between alternate futures where different Robins have taken up the cowl. Last issue leaned on Nightwing. This one shifts the spotlight to Jason Todd, whose world twists his Red Hood persona into a full Batman identity ruling over a warped Gotham.
Mora’s designs do a lot of the heavy lifting, contrasting bright, hopeful futures with hellish noir cityscapes while the story keeps asking what “Batman” even means when you strip away Bruce. It is still punching its way through the DC K.O. tournament structure, but if you are invested in the Bat family and the idea of who gets to wear the cowl, this tie in feels essential.
Spider-Man Noir #3
If you want something moodier on the Marvel side, Spider-Man Noir (2025) continues to build out its smoky alternate universe. Issue 3 is written by Erik Larsen with art by Marika Cresta, and it leans into supernatural noir. Gwen Stacy has taken her father’s murder case into her own hands and is trying to unmask Spider-Man, while Peter is dealing with actual ghosts and a new villain called Plasma Man.
That mix of guilt, spectral hauntings, and pulp crime is exactly what you want from this corner of the Spider verse. Cresta’s linework suits the trench coats and alleyways vibe, and the book is a nice change of pace if you have been craving street level Spidey stories that do not need to tie into ten other titles.
Doctor Strange #1
Doctor Strange gets a fresh start this week with a new number one from writer Derek Landy and artist Ivan Fiorelli, and it is not your usual Sanctum Sanctorum setup. Strange is no longer Sorcerer Supreme of Earth. Instead, he holds that title for Asgard after a chain of events that cut Midgard off from the rest of the realms. With no way home and very few allies, he heads to Alfheim to investigate a crisis brewing between elves and angels over a mysterious coffin, teaming up with Angela along the way.
Framing Strange as a stranded magician in unfamiliar territory gives the series a cosmic fantasy angle instead of the standard New York occult procedural. If you liked the older Journey into Mystery style of stories or just want a Doctor Strange run that feels big and strange again, this looks like a strong jumping on point.
Wiccan: Witches’ Road #1
The other big magic book of the week is a different flavor entirely. Wiccan: Witches’ Road is a five issue limited series written by Wyatt Kennedy with art by Andy Pereira, centered on Billy Kaplan and Hulkling after their time as space rulers. The couple returns to Earth, only for Hulkling to be left gravely wounded, which pushes Billy into a desperate attempt to save him. That sends Wiccan onto the Witches’ Road, a dark and macabre magical path that has massive consequences for both his powers and the wider Marvel universe.
Early previews describe it as a character driven horror fantasy with a heavy focus on their relationship, so it should hit for Young Avengers fans and anyone who likes their superhero magic with real emotional stakes. Between this and Doctor Strange, it feels like Marvel is quietly reshaping its magical corner, and this looks like the book where those changes could get very personal.
That is the stack I am most excited about today. Whether you are in the mood for Gotham conspiracies, multiversal Bat family drama, or queer magic horror, there is at least one issue here that can anchor your pull list.
gfpods.com 
Leave a comment