6 new comics to read in October, including Batman, Storm, and more

Absolute Batman #1 (DC Comics, on sale October 9) has the potential to be this year’s biggest superhero release. It’s the start of the new Absolute line of reimagined DC heroes. It brings writer Scott Snyder back to the character that made him a comics superstar. But most excitingly, it’s a showcase for artist Nick Dragotta, whose brilliant design skills sell the idea that this is a genuinely different Dark Knight. Snyder and Dragotta’s version of Bruce Wayne is a working-class engineer who is built like a tank, and this new backstory results in a Batman that is all about utility. The brick of a Bat-Symbol on his chest detaches to create the head of an ax, his cape has poles and hooks that allow him to snatch enemies from a distance, and his ears are detachable knives.

The preview art highlights how all of these features energize the action storytelling, and reuniting Dragotta with his East Of West colorist, Frank Martin Jr., guarantees that readers are going to be treated to astonishing visuals in every issue. This art team sets the bar extremely high for the rest of the Absolute titles, but with creators like Hayden Sherman (Absolute Wonder Woman), Rafa Sandoval (Absolute Superman), Nick Robles (Absolute Flash), and Jahnoy Lindsay (Absolute Green Lantern) all on board, this new DC universe has the creative backbone to distinguish itself from the wide array of existing variations.

Horror fans rejoice! The comic-book dark lords have heard your prayers and delivered not one, not two, but three new stories from artist Vanesa R. Del Ray, whose work on books like The Empty Man, Scarlet Witch, and Redlands have made her a modern master of the genre. First up is The Creeping Below #1 (Boom! Studios, on sale October 2), teaming Del Rey with writer Brian Azzarello and colorist Hilary Jenkins for a revenge thriller about a young female metalhead who is resurrected by the Old Gods of Norse mythology when she’s sacrificed at a music festival. The setting shifts from the forests of Oslo to the White House with The Exorcism At 1600 Penn #1 (IDW, on sale October 16), a well-timed story about the first female president dealing with a demonic invasion, a potential third world war, and being a mother of two teenagers. Written by Hannah Rose May, Exorcism reunites Del Rey with her frequent colorist collaborator Jordie Bellaire, an expert at heightening the atmosphere and emotion in Del Rey’s linework. 

Finally, Del Rey does double duty as writer-artist for a short comic in Come Find Me: An Autumnal Offering (DSTLRY, on sale October 30), a collection of scary stories curated by Becky Cloonan. Co-written by Andrew Betsch with layouts by John Starr and colors by Lee Loughridge, “Coal & Clover” takes readers to a coal mining town in the early 20th century, where a man’s murder drives his widow to make a deal with sinister forces. Other Come Find Me creators include Celine Loup, E.M. Carroll, Molly Mendoza, HamletMachine and Joe Pavelka, and Cloonan herself, a murderers’ row of creators that are pushing the visual boundaries of comic-book horror.

The works of Keum Suk Gendry-Kim are typically explorations of the past, showing readers the history of South Korea through deeply personal stories that emphasize the human stakes of the nation’s conflicts. For her first work of contemporary fiction, Dog Days (Drawn & Quarterly, on sale October 23), Gendry-Kim and translator Janet Hong examine tradition vs. modernity through the struggles of a childless married couple that moves from the city to the countryside, where they quickly find themselves at odds with the conventional views of the local residents. Readers can expect an insightful look at the challenges of building bonds with a new community, but the real selling point is the adorable pack of pups on the cover. The dogs play an integral role in the narrative as the couple’s companions, and Gendry-Kim has a keen talent for capturing the expressive spirit of each canine. She understands how to visualize the affection between a pet and its owner, which adds a new layer of emotion for her to delve into with her tender, knowing pen.

Zainab Akhtar (who has previously contributed to The A.V. Club) is one of the finest curators of independent comics in the industry, and her publishing company, ShortBox, has helped phenomenal creators from across the world reach a larger audience. While ShortBox has stopped publishing physical comics, it is still the place to find some of the most ambitious, thoughtful, and just plain cool comics you’ll read all year thanks to the annual ShortBox Comics Fair. Every October, Akhtar gathers a line-up of artists with singular voices and approaches to the comic-book medium, offering a smorgasbord of talent whose works are available at the click of a button. 

There are 121 exhibitors at the fair this year, and the previews ShortBox has been posting to its X account show off the amazing variety that the fair brings to the comics ecosystem. Some comics I’m especially looking forward to: Kim Salt’s Rejectamenta, which explores the cost of creation through the rivalry of two young godlings, VER’s Sacred Bonds, a painted fantasy romance about an arranged marriage to bond two tribes, and Mohnfisch’s Aglæca, a moody Medieval tale about strangers meeting in a remote castle on a stormy night.

When it comes to female Marvel heroes, Ororo “Storm” Munroe sits at the top of the pantheon. She has a huge pop culture presence thanks to her appearances in X-Men cartoons, films, and video games. She’s deeply entrenched in the larger Marvel Universe thanks to her previous marriage to Black Panther and affiliation with the Fantastic Four and Avengers. And unlike almost every big hero, she’s never been killed off and has stayed a constant presence in Marvel Comics since her debut. She’s one of the publisher’s icons, and Storm #1 (Marvel Comics, on sale October 2) positions her as a central solo figure with her own sprawling mission. 

Written by Murewa Ayodele with art by Lucas Werneck and colorists Alex Guimarães and Fer Sifuento-Sujo, this new series aims to establish Storm as not just Earth’s protector, but as one of the universe’s great cosmic forces. It’s not that far-fetched an idea considering the Krakoa era had Storm leading an entire planet of mutants on Mars, and this first issue wisely approaches the theme of great power from a perspective that emphasizes how difficult it can be to control and the vulnerability that creates in the wielder. The visuals match the grand scope of the writing, and Werneck draws a majestic Storm that radiates the energy of a goddess, even when she’s not commanding the elements.