Hey there comics fans! September is here and with is a TON of new books. We've combed through the catalogs and found a few books out of the onslaught of new stuff to highlight. Cause we think they're neat and fun! What did we highlight this month? Only one way to find out!

State of the Industry (the state of Diamond)

Hey there folks! First off - apologies for not getting this out sooner. August was kind of a rough month for me (Nick) personally, and there’s been a lot of information that’s been needing to be disseminated that I’ve frankly been slow to get out to folks. We’ve been getting feedback from subscribers to smaller press things that we’ve been missing books for them or that books are getting in late and I want to take a moment to address that.

We are continuing to get daily emails from publishers both to my email and to the staff inbox letting us know that they are cutting ties with Diamond. The company’s actions under their new ownership have been cut-throat to say the least, and without getting into all the industry drama, let me just say that it makes total sense from where I’m standing for many of the smaller publishers to do just that.

All of that said - Diamond remains the distributor of record for many of these publishers. This puts us in the uniquely rough spot of having a big long list of books from small press publishers that we would absolutely love to order but now need to track down and figure out how to order them. Those emails from the publishers - they’re a good first step in telling us where to look. A ton of them have already moved over to Penguin or Lunar, so good on them for that. It’s the ones remaining that we’re doing our best to source. Many of them are available from some book industry distributors such as Ingram, and where we can we’re putting in those orders. It’s that last 5-10% or so that account for the vast majority of the headache.

This is just an extended plea by me - please be patient with us. We are absolutely going to make mistakes going through this process. Ordering has become a lot more manual than before, which means more room for human error. So if you hear about a book that you ordered hitting the shelves and it’s not in your box, please reach out to us and let us know. Odds are really good that we can just order it after the fact and get it in there as fast as we can.

-Nick

Upcoming Comic Publisher Catalogs

Second stop before we get into our reviews and recommendations for September, here's a one-stop shop for all of the digital catalogs for most of the comics publishers we carry. If you're looking to get a head start on finding your own new favorites, or hey maybe you just want to stay well ahead of the deadlines, we've got you. We'll post links to the current plus upcoming months here in our look aheads every month.

September Release Comics

IDW | Boom  |  DC | Image | Marvel | Dark Horse | Titan | Next Phase | Previews

October Release Comics

IDW | Boom | DC | DSTLRY |  Image | Marvel | Dark Horse | Titan | Next Phase  | PRH Panels

November Release Comics

IDW | Boom | DC | DSTLRY | Image | Marvel | Dark Horse | Titan | Next Phase | PRH Panels

Don't want to look through all these PDFs? If you're an active subscriber you can always visit our subscription page and search the upcoming comic catalogs that way! (And bonus, if you see something you want, you can preorder or subscribe to it RIGHT THERE!).

Reviews and Recommendations

DC, Image, and Massive really caught our attention this month with a number of big releases, including a relaunch of Batman, the start of DC's fall/winter big crossover event, queer zombie horror/romance (?), and more. Please enjoy these lovely reviews and recommendations, courtesy of your friends on Team Phoenix - Elise, Sloane, and Nick.

DC KO #1

DC Comics

By Scott Snyder (writer) and Javi Fernandez (artist)

Scott Snyder is back to do one of the things he’s very good at (no, not writing Batman, that’s Matt Fraction’s job now) - headlining a big gigantic cosmic DC crossover event that’s somehow also metal AF. Last time we got Dark Knights Metal and Death Metal. This time it’s a mother@#$%ing wrestling tournament to save Earth and the rest of the universe. I don’t know what else to tell you to sell you on this book, other than to say if you like reading comics that elicit the sensation of attending a rock concert (or in this case a WWE match) without risking ear damage or splash damage from when one of the wrestlers maybe accidentally leaps out of the stands and onto your seat, then maybe this comic is for you.

More seriously - this is going to be one of the big crossovers of the latter half of 2025 and into 2026. If you like getting a sense for the general continuity of DC’s comic universe, definitely look into getting on the list. Same for if you’re on any of the myriad of titles that are likely to get crossover issues and want to know what the heck is going on. I fully trust Scott and Javi to make this book a fantastic read from start to finish. I mean this guy gave us Wonder Woman with an invisible chainsaw. What’s not to love?

-Nick

Batman #1

DC Comics

By Matt Fraction (writer) and Jorge Jiménez (artist)

Fucking. Matt Fraction? On Batman? What? Aside from very, very slowly writing Adventureman with Terry Dodson, I’d basically come to think of Matt as being in retirement after his fantastic comic Sex Criminals ended in 2020. The book was amazing but it seemed like it kind of broke him. So to hear that he was back on a weekly, and that it was going to be DC’s flagship title is kind of. Insane?

Not that he doesn’t deserve it, of course. His run on Hawkeye about a decade ago is widely considered one of the best superhero comics runs maybe ever, certainly in the modern age of comics, and it seems like he’s bringing some of that energy to the new Batman. Having read a preview of the first issue, he definitely seems interested not in a version of batman who’s some archetypal brooding figure but instead one who’s – as Elise put it to me – “just kind of a guy.” He misses Alfred and shares a tender moment with Killer Croc. He’s obviously still the world’s greatest detective, but more than that, he’s a person. Fraction’s also said that he intends to write more self-contained issues (think Ryan North’s recent Fantastic Four) which will probably also lend themselves more to character stories.

(Not to downplay the art, either. Jorge Jiménez was the artist for Chip Zdarsky’s recent Batman run, and he’s in full form here too. The art is fun to look at, the panel layouts are dramatic and creative, and Batman’s new costume is a lot of fun.)

I’ve been telling people since I started working here that “I don’t really read many superhero comics, I’m more of a horror/indie person,” but for the zillionth time in the last year DC’s got me rethinking that with a good creative team and a well-made comic. I don’t think I’ll be able to pretend that I’m ‘too cool for cape comics’ anymore once this one hits the shelves. Looking forward to this comeback by one of comics’ finest.

- Sloane

Everything Dead and Dying #1

Image Comics

By Tate Brombal (writer) and Jacob Philips (artist)

It feels funny to be recommending a post-apocalyptic zombie horror book in 2025, given how much the subgenre seems to have fallen out of favor in the last decade, but I think this one is well done enough that it can shine despite the fact that zombies aren’t really scary anymore. After all, it’s not the zombies that are scary in this one. It’s the crippling loneliness that comes with being a survivor. 

Ever since I read Lovecraft’s The Nameless City as a teenager, I’ve been obsessed with isolation horror. There’s something about being stuck by yourself that makes any situation a thousand times scarier. Everything Dead and Dying isn’t exactly isolation horror, for reasons I can’t quite get into without spoiling the first issue, but it definitely hits a lot of the same notes.

Tate Brombal started cooking this one up during peak isolation in 2020 – it’s about a farmer who’s worked hard to carve out a space for himself in a rural town that’s never really accepted him for being gay. He’s had to fight to build a family and find a place that he and his husband and adopted daughter can exist. When that space is ripped away from him by circumstances beyond his control he’s forced to see how far he’ll go to keep even a remnant of it alive. 

The first issue is a doozy – I’m obviously talking around a lot of it so as not to spoil anything, because I think it’s best read basically blind – and I think it’s worth a look for anyone who thinks they even might like it. The art and pacing and slowly unfolding nature of the narrative are all top notch, and it’s a worthwhile read for any horror fan as well as any gays from small towns who know just how hard it can be. Especially knowing who shops at this store I think it’s going to be a smash hit here at Phoenix.

- Sloane

Absolute Evil #1

DC Comics

By Al Ewing (writer) and Giuseppe CamuncoliI and Stefano Nesi (artists)

Oh heck. Nick is back on their Al Ewing all the time forever soapbox. JK I’m not but you should read this book anyways.

Hear me out please - this is not a new absolute series. But it is the kickoff for what could be the first crossover of the absolute line. So if you’re reading one or more of Absolute Batman / Superman / Wonder Woman / Flash / Martian Manhunter / Green Lantern books  or others, you’re most certainly going to want to grab a copy of this book and see where it leads. Just based on the ad copy and a little internet sleuthing it doesn’t look like there’s anything directly related (there’s no list of “these six issues are the crossover issues” or anything). And this book is very likely to provide a decent chunk of introductory villain context for those of you who need that. 

-Nick

It Killed Everyone But Me

Mad Cave Studios

By Ryan Parrott (writer) and Letizia Cadonici (artist)

I know I usually gush about writers more than artists, but I really like Letizia Cadonici. Her art is perfect for horror comics. Sketchy, impressionistic, and just odd enough that even the lulls in a book still leave you feeling ill-at-ease. She’s done art for both House of Slaughter and The Neighbors before this, and while those books had their ups and downs in terms of writing, Cadonici’s art really carried both titles. Now she’s back for another book that puts a twist on classic, campy slasher horror, by writer Ryan Parott (who’s done Rogue Sun and The Infernals and. Power Rangers I think? Star Trek? Not stuff I’m reading but I know he’s got a big readership across a lot of books, so he’s definitely good at his job even if he’s not as exciting a creator to me as a weird horror artist lady).

It Killed Everyone But Me is a look at what happens to the final girl after she gets away. When she’s older, and in therapy, and trying to move on with her life. And then, of course, when the original killer comes back and she’s forced to dig up all of the emotions she’s been trying to keep buried for so long and stop him again. What really draws me to this one is that unlike a lot of horror comics I read, this one actually looks. Fun? The way Parrott talks about writing it, you can tell he’s really reveling in writing an over-the-top eighties style horror villain, with one liners, excessive gore, and a twisted sense of humor. I don’t feel like I get to read enough popcorn movie horror books these days, so I’m looking forward to this one when it comes out.

- Sloane

One-Shots & Graphic Novels

This month's one-shots have it all - a new work from a local creator, heartfelt stories about loss and grief, wild queer centaur cowboy romance, and....a collaboration between DC and Marvel?  There's a lot to explore, so check them out! 

Hello Sunshine

Little Brown

By Keezy Young (writer and artist)

I’m a huge fan of Keezy’s work and so when I found out they had a new full length graphic novel coming out this fall I got so excited! I picked up Taproot from them years ago at a convention and fell in love with the lush, flowering art and empathetic, tender queer romance. Keezy also has made multiple auto-bio comics about their experience with bipolar, mania, and psychosis and Sunflowers has been a bestseller in our store since it came out last year. Hello Sunshine looks like a combination of these two elements. Its a book about a closted teen with severe mental health issues and a group of kids who seem to be the only ones trying to find out what happened to him, whether or not he actually ran away, and if they can bring him home.

They each have different relationships to him (secret boyfriend, childhood friend, twin brother) and the book explores all their varied responses to his disappearance. Their shame, guilt, anger, fear, love, and grief and the core of the story. I’m so excited to read this but also a little scared because I have a feeling I’m about to get my heart broken. I’m hopeful that although it tackles a lot of heavy subjects this group of friends will bring some levity to the story and on their instagram Keezy described it as “... a story about grief, severe mental illness, and love. But also it's kind of like if Scooby Doo was more gay.” The preview pages for this are gorgeous and tender and dark so I cannot wait to get my hands on this. 

- Elise

On Starlit Shores

Abrams

By Bex Glendining (writer and artist)

I’m familiar with Bex Glendining’s work as a colorist most of all and their work on Bad Dream and Brooms. I love their flat pastels with bursts of glowy neon that really brought these stories to life. On Starlit Shores will be their debut graphic novel and it is a meditation on grief and the joy they can shine through it. It is an urban fantasy that centers on friends Alex and Grim, returning to Alex’s hometown (that she barely remembers) after her grandmother's passing. The seaside town, Indigo Harbor, is home to witches, falling stars, and more than one mystery. As Alex’s packs up her grandmother’s belongings and tries to work through her own grief she reconnects with her own past and tries to solve some of the mysteries of grandmother’s. 

My grandmother passed back in October and I was devastated. Since then I have gone back East to visit her home and help sort through and pack up a lifetime of her (and my) memories. Every scrap of her handwriting has become precious and a piece of a larger story I can never know all the details of. Alex’s story of trying to honor her grandmother’s memory and learn what she can about her life, and the most important people in it, in a small town far from home really resonates with me. Come September you can catch me curling up under the blanket my grandma crocheted, listening to Marjorie by Taylor Swift and most likely balling my eyes out. 

- Elise

Hotblood: The Land of Promise

Madcave

By Toril Orlesky (writer and artist)

I have to be completely honest with you: I don’t know anything about this but it looks insane. I described it to Sloane as “Queer Human X Centaur Wild West Outlaw Romance??” I don’t know man but what I do know is Madcave has been ON ONE lately with these cool weird titles. This looks like the kind of thing Silver Sprocket would publish. Hotblood is based on the authors wildly popular webcomic which they posted on their tumblr between 2013 and 2015 and it follows a human outlaw and the centaur mercenary he hired. They grow closer as they evade capture and galavant through the American west in 1871, eventually finding romance as they explore the intersection of their lives. 

I gotta be real, seeing a cowboy riding a centaur in the preview pages really piqued my interest and the idea of a magical realist twist on some sort of queer Bonnie and Clyde story is very appealing to me. I love the art preview in Next Phase, it has a very sketchy/scrunchy quality (I don’t know a better way to describe this but I mean it in a good way) and the color palette of muted greys and browns sets a bleak and somewhat somber tone. The art is also majorly improved from the original which wasn’t bad but was not nearly as distinct as this. Overall I’m excited for this and cannot wait to learn more when it hits our shelves. 

- Elise

Deadpool / Batman +  Batman / Deadpool

Marvel & DC Comics

By So Many People. So many many people. 

Okay folks, DC is doing a thing that’s super confusing and for those of you ordering this book or it’s mirror (which is in @#$^ing October thanks DC) you need to know to be careful ordering this book. September is going to give us Deadpool / Batman. This is gonna feature team ups between Deadpool and Batman, Daredevil and Green Arrow, Captain American and Wonder Woman, and Jeff the Landshark and Krypto. This is headlined through Marvel and is going to feature the work of Zeb Wells, Kevin Smith, Chip Zdarsky, and Kelly Thompson for their respective stories (yes that means Kelly is writing a Jeff / Krypto team up). It looks like a ton of fun and I’m totes on board with this.

Pretty straightforward right?

OKAY HERE’S WHERE THIS GETS CONFUSING!

There’s another book coming out in October that’s Batman / Deadpool (please note the subtle difference of which character is getting the top billing there). This is going to be put out through DC. It’s going to feature team-ups between Batman and Deadpool, Constantine and Doctor Strange, Nightwing and Laura Kinney Wolverine, Harley and Hulk, and Static and Ms Marvel. Writing credits for this one go to Grant Morrison (Batman/DP), Josh Williamson, Hayden Sherman, and James Tynion on Constantine / Doc Strange, Tom Taylor (Nightwing), Amanda Conner (Harley / Hulk), and G Willow Wilson (Static / Ms Marvel). 

I know this is confusing, but please please please I’m begging you make sure you double check when you order these that you’re ordering the correct one! Check with a team member. Verify that you’ve got the correct one (Deadpool / Batman for the Marvel based one, Batman / Deadpool for the DC based one). 

Alternatively just buy both? I’m excited about pretty much all of these stories. These books look dope as heck.

- Nick

And that's it for this September's look aheads! If you saw something you wanted, please reach out to us and ask us about ordering it or setting it aside for you, or head over to our subscription page and add it to your pull! Otherwise, check back with us here later this month for a discussion of all fun things this October!