06/03/2026
It’s a great day to be a comic book enthusiast! Fan Expo is behind us and it’s time to focus on some of the summer events and new titles that await us. Be sure to stop by our sponsor Vault 35 who will have its own variant for issue #2 from the smash hit series Event Horizon. There will be a special in store signing with the cover artist AC today Wednesday June 3 from 11am to 4pm. DC still having issues with Absolute Batman quality control so you might want to focus on Absolute Green Lantern or Batgirl. Marvel has the first family traveling back in time to save the world, while Dead Pool continues to be a solid read right now. Image makes it a Spawn kind of week and heavy on the collected stories. Still, lots to read and stories to share aw we’ve got five stacked high ready to fly.
#10> The GCPD’s “Operation Peregine” struck a deep blow to the heart of the Bat-Family. But while Savage and his TUCOs celebrate their victory, Batman is about to set the record straight. He knows how to take a punch. He knows how to get back up. And he’s about to show Vandal Savage, the Minotaur, and anyone else who threatens Gotham City exactly what they’re messing with.
(S) Matt Fraction (A) Jorge Jimenez
Smurfs Take> To be honest I always thought Vandal Savage was a punk and never any real threat. I mean if he hasn’t conquered the world yet and he’s been alive since the Bronze age I don’t see him much of a threat. But then he makes his way to Gotham and suddenly I’m rethinking that stance has he starts to make like hell for the Batfamily on top of Poison Ivy being the mayor. So thrilled with this series right now making me a Batfan once again as the story really starts to get interesting.
Inferno #2> Two centuries ago, after vanishing for seven years, the starship Event Horizon reappeared near Neptune. Possessed by a demonic entity, the ship murdered most of its rescue crew before it was blown in two. One half fell into a portal to Hell and the other stayed in our solar system.
Today, a billionaire, Daniel Durante, leads a crew of private space marines to the wreckage of the Event Horizon to investigate the ship. Durante is dead set on bringing his brother back from the afterlife and the means to do it lies aboard the Event Horizon! But his crew may have something to say about that...
Christian Ward (Event Horizon: Dark Descent, Batman: City of Madness) and Rob Carey (Aliens: Resistance, Outsiders) continue the most anticipated sci-fi horror comic of the year!
(S) Christian Ward (A) Robert Carey
Smurfs Take> Everything I wanted in a first issue and then some. My god this is mind blowing horror in comic form that would make any fan of the movie or genre stop and take notice…after a deep breath. I’ve always loved the film and wished they would make a sequel but for now we’ve got this and it’s more than enough. This is also the Vault 35 variant cover pictured, get it at the store while you can.
: Survive #1> Kara Zor-El lives a life of small problems. How are you supposed to hold a floppy little baby like her new cousin Kal? Who should she ask to the spring formal? And when will her father and her uncle Jor-El stop squabbling?
But the planet Krypton has big problems…like the militaristic dictator Zod ruthlessly crushing dissent and threatening to unleash the planet’s most dangerous weapons on the opposition.
And when things boil over and Krypton begins to burn, Kara and her infant cousin will find themselves trapped together in a prototype rocket, struggling to survive in a hostile universe that doesn’t care if they live or die…and which might prefer the latter!
(S) Etyhan Parker, Griffin Sheridan (A) Rod Reis
Smurfs Take> With the film right around the corner I’m happy that DC is taking the time to spotlight some stories around Supergirl. This looks stellar to be perfectly honest. I know it’s an Elseworld story and to be fair a lot of my favorite ones are from DC because they can get really creative. I have no doubt it will be worth the pickup and can easily see it as an animated special down the line.
…? Uncanny X-Men #1> WHAT IF...CYCLOPS HAD STAYED WITH MADELYNE PRYOR? Imagine a world where Madelyne Pryor, the Goblin Queen, had survived the Inferno. What would have happened if Cyclops had saved her soul? What would have happened if he and Maddie had raised their son, Nathan Summers? What would that world look like? And why would that be the most terrible thing to happen to mutantdom and Earth itself?
(S) Gerry Duggan (A) Jan Bazaldua
Smurfs Take> Also responsible for some of Marvels better stories that have later become mainstream. The What If series has always been a must read for me just for argument’s sake and this one being no exception since this story rocked the X-Men in one of the most unexpected ways. The question is, does the Goblin Queen fare any better in this version?
: The Movie 40th Anniversary Edition #1> MINISERIES PREMIERE
CELEBRATE THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MOVIE THAT DEFINED A GENERATION!
Experience this new printing of the limited series adapting one of the most iconic animated films of all time—THE TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE!
When Optimus Prime and Megatron wage their final battle on Earth...from the ashes rises a whole new beginning for the Autobots and Decepticons that is truly more than meets the eye!
Re-presented on deluxe newsprint, this is the comic book celebration that no TRANSFORMERS fan can miss!
(S) Ralph Macchio (A) Ian Akin, Brian Gravey, Don Perlin
Smurfs Take> I try to avoid listing second prints or reissues in the top 5. Simply because they’ve probably been talked about before or are classic stories that have been out there for a long time. The reason for the exception this time is the anniversary yes, but because of the impact on the fans and so many kids out there. So many of us walked out of the theater just rocked to our core from what we witnessed, and most were never the same again. I own every version of this movie and do plan on seeing it again in the theater when they release it again but just too hard to overlook this one. And if you’ve never read it, here’s your chance.
Picks for the Vault
#376> For several months, the creature known as Spawn has been missing. Last seen fighting an enormous creature off the coast of Oregon, with other unknown beings of power. Now, the man known as Al Simmons is trying to live a quiet life, his past unknown to those around him. But the truth is a hard thing to hide. Especially when a reporter is looking for the story of a lifetime, a young homeless teen is desperate for salvation, and the last two honest cops in New York City, Sam and Twitch, come looking for their friend. Spawn is drawn back out of the shadows to face the world that he left behind.
Spawn #376 features a brand-new creative team with MATTHEW ROSENBERG (WHAT’S THE FURTHEST PLACE FROM HERE, 4 Kids Walk Into a Bank) taking on writing duties and STEPHEN SEGOVIA (SCORCHED, New Avengers) on art. If you have been curious about the Spawn Universe, this is the place to jump on.
(S) Matthew Rosenberg (A) Stephen Segovia
Smurfs Take> It’s been a long time since the regular Spawn title has made the top 5. It’s not ben all that good to perfectly honest, but I think that’s all about to change as Matthew takes over the writing duties and based on last issue things are looking extremely bright.
