Welcome back to another edition of Fantastic Five, where we give props to the very best comics of the week! This week was another stacked one, headlined by two #1s. Let’s get right to the books!
#5: The Joker: The Man Who Stopped Laughing #10
More and more, it’s obvious The Joker: The Man Who Stopped Laughing will be a great story in the collected format. Each issue offers something a little different while hammering home the chaos and silly fun Joker can bring. The backups continue to find new ways of telling the two-Joker story while the main story edges closer to answers. While my patience is thin on this series, my anticipation grows stronger.
Read David Brooke’s full review!
#4: Shazam! #3
From an immensely talented creative team, Shazam! #3 is another excellent chapter in a story that grows more intriguing and tense with each issue without forgetting to be funny here and there. The many plots are weaved in a way that makes the story itself feel eager to get to the next issue rather than simply going through the motions for the sake of setting up the next story. Evidently, there’s a lot of fun being had by the creatives at work, and they continue to craft an infectiously fun superhero tale that is increasingly bordering on epic.
Read Eric Thomas’s full review!
#3: Doctor Strange #7
Overall, Doctor Strange #7 is a great start to the second arc “Don’t Let the Ashes Fill Your Eyes” by raising the stakes monumentally. This issue takes advantage of a long-forgotten Doctor Strange story and revives it with a new terrifying twist. This all leads to a cliffhanger that, although very predictable, will play a huge role in how the remaining pieces fall into place. Furthermore, this creates a riveting start to the next chapter in Mackay and Ferry’s run on Doctor Strange.
Read Michael Guerrero’s full review!
#2: Fire & Ice: Welcome to Smallville #1
All around, Fire & Ice Welcome To Smallville by Joanne Starer, Natacha Bustos, and Tamra Bonvillan is a fun and wild ride with strong emotional moments and a nice atmosphere that carries the humor of Keith Giffen with a modern touch. This is definitely the book to watch out for over the coming months.
Read Piper Whitaker’s full review!
#1: Kill Your Darlings #1
Kill Your Darlings #1 delivers a dark fantasy wrapped in bright colors, which should hook readers from start to finish. There’s no doubt on my end: between this, Vanish, and The Schlub, KLC Press is proving to be the place to be when it comes to comic imprints. More than that, it’s a reminder of why I love comics, and proof that even if you grow up you don’t have to shed your creative spirit.
Read Collier Jennings’ full review!
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!
