A new year is a weird thing. Technically speaking, time is a ceaseless march of brutality and beauty (pardon the terrible slam poetry), and thus any kind of segmentation is weird. But there’s no escaping the boundless hope and optimism that these first few weeks of January represent — as if we really can turn it all around despite those bad vibes and awful news being just a calendar’s page away.
So, we choose to look forward with positivity, and for comics fans, that means looking forward to the year’s biggest releases. Whether from the Big Two, or an indie darling, these are the books that have our staff hoping for more greatness in 2022. And since sharing’s great even if we’re still 352 days from Christmas, be sure to let us know your own picks.
Let’s do this, 2022…
– Chris Coplan, AIPT Comics Editor
Ben Reilly: Spider-Man #1
Written by J.M. DeMatteis/Art by David Baldeón
We’re going back to the ’90s Clone Saga, but this time with a better focus. J.M. DeMatteis and David Baldeon return to Ben Reilly’s first time as Spider-Man, exploring some “unlocked memories” as Spidey Ben deals with a series of possibly connected murders in the Big Apple. Without all the mandates from the previous editorial, I think they’ll give us some high-quality, sensational action and drama. [Due Out 1/19]
– Christopher Franey
Silver Surfer: Rebirth #1
Written by Ron Marz/Art by Ron Lim
As a kid, few books had as magnetic a pull on me as Silver Surfer — perhaps because it was a book I managed to get a lot of despite living in the middle of nowhere. Or perhaps because of its embrace of insane, abstract concepts as a matter of fact. Big, epic, and oddly human, most of that 1987 run of the series felt special within the scope of the Marvel Universe. Lucky for me (and kids like me), the power team of Ron Lim and Ron Marz are popping in to tell a quick tale of the era. There are few other books I’d rather revisit. [Due Out 1/19]
– Colin Moon
Angel #1
Written by Christopher Cantwell/Art by Daniel Bayliss
The one controversial opinion I cling to is that Angel is better than Buffy. Does that make the latter any less groundbreaking and amazing? No, it just means that Angel always felt more inventive and playful — like Buffy but without as many glaring flaws. So I’m super jazzed for writer Christopher Cantwell to tackle the (greatest) vampire with a soul, with a story focusing on Angel and Cordelia as monster hunters and stars of Detective TV. There’s so much potential here — more puppets, heaps of Angel/Spike banter, and the always lovable Lorne (!) — and this could be a great new chapter for the franchise. [Due Out 1/19]
– Chris Coplan
Marauders #1 Annual
Written by Steve Orlando/Art by Creees Lee
My most anticipated new comic of 2022 is Steve Orlando’s upcoming run of Marauders, starting with the annual. Seeing the new team members come together, and the Brimstone Love villain on the cover from X-Men 2099, is completely fascinating to me and I cannot wait to see where Orlando takes my favorite team this year. The announcement of Cassandra Nova joining the fray sent me for a spin, so I need lots of justification as to why she is now helping the good guys. Needless to say, all this shock value has paid off because of all the new titles coming to the X-Men line-up, Marauders is the one I’m looking forward to the most. [Due Out 1/26]
– Chandler Poling
Sabretooth #1
Written by Victor LaValle/Art by Leonard Kirk
You may know Victor LaValle from horror-fantasy mish-mash novels like The Devil in Silver and The Changeling. He’s certainly an interesting fit for a proper Sabretooth series, a character that could be a horror baddie or a supervillain depending on your take. And based on the solicitation — exploring what happened as Sabretooth spent time in the Pit — a proper mainstream horror title could be a doozy. [Due Out 2/2]
– Chris Coplan
Nightwing #89
Written by Tom Taylor/Art by Bruno Redondo
Nightwing has been a great series and a way to delve deeper into the DCU’s most charming himbo. Superman: Son of Kal-El, similarly, has been a powerful start to Jonathan Kent’s own superhero career. So, what happens when they crossover? A story about Nightwing returning the favor to Superman to act as a mentor for his inexperienced, highly impatient son. It’s bound to be a great new chapter to both series, and a poignant story about the raw humanity that exists in these larger-than-life superhero tales. [Due Out 2/15]
– Chris Coplan
Iron Fist #1
Written by Alyssa Wong/Art by Michael YG
Sure, not everyone loves the idea of replacing Danny Rand as Iron Fist. (Like, this guy is especially worked up about the news.) But sometimes a fresh start can be good for a character, and just because a mysterious new Iron Fist emerges doesn’t mean we’re done with exploring a newly de-powered Danny Rand. If this is at all like The Immortal Iron Fist — which greatly expanded the Iron Fist canon — then this could be a great entry. Sorry, guy on the internet. [Due Out 2/16]
– Chris Coplan
Ghost Rider #1
Written by Benjamin Percy/Art by Cory Smith
Ghost Rider returns with a new #1 in February, and it looks to be bringing the emotions and pain in big supply. With the original solicitation, Johnny Blaze lives in a nightmare with the perfect life and family — but if you know Blaze, he has already lost his family. Benjamin Percy and Cory Smith bring Vengeance back! [Due Out 2/23]
– Christopher Franey
Fox and Hare #1
Written by Jonathan Tsuei/Art by Stacey Lee
I’m a sucker for comics that play with ideas of dystopia through colorful and clean art, and Vault’s upcoming series Fox and Hare fits the bill. Not only does the art look stunning, but the concept of Asian creators using a cast of Asian characters to reclaim the cyberpunk genre is incredibly cool. To top it off, it reminds me of my all-time favorite comic, Moth & Whisper — another sleek, dystopian Robin Hood-type story. The pandemic delayed the release of the comic by four months, but it also led the creators to fine-tune the intricacies of their story. Fox and Hare is so promising I’d wait another four more months, but I’m hoping its late February date actually sticks. [Due Out 2/23]
– Madeleine Chan
Naomi: Season Two #1
Written by Brian Michael Bendis and David F. Walker/Art by Jamal Campbell
This feels like a big book. The first “season” of Naomi was a genuine accomplishment: a new and engaging hero in the halls of DC that spoke to older and newer fans alike. But the creative team aren’t ready to rest on their laurels, and season two promises to expand Naomi’s place in the DCU as well as tackle the mystery of her powers. Is another book a cash-grab for the forthcoming CW show? Yeah, but it’s one we can accept readily given the sheer joy of this book. [Due Out 3/8]
– Chris Coplan
Superman: Son of Kal-El #9
Written by Tom Taylor/Art by Bruno Redondo
Like Nightwing #89, this one is going to be smack ya right in the feels. [Due Out 3/8]
– Chris Coplan
Little Monsters #1
Written by Jeff Lemire/Art by Dustin Nguyen
My most anticipated series of the year has to be Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen’s Little Monsters #1. It’s a vampire story that’s not about the horror, but as Lemire puts it, it’s about the experiences of kids who “live an endless life of innocence and games and childhood.” Lemire and Nguyen only make magic when they work together, and this will be more of that and then some. [Due Out 3/2]
– David Brooke

Join the AIPT Patreon
Want to take our relationship to the next level? Become a patron today to gain access to exclusive perks, such as:
- ❌ Remove all ads on the website
- 💬 Join our Discord community, where we chat about the latest news and releases from everything we cover on AIPT
- 📗 Access to our monthly book club
- 📦 Get a physical trade paperback shipped to you every month
- 💥 And more!
You must be logged in to post a comment.