This week’s Top Comics to Buy for April 16 is as pure a reflection as we’ve had in a while that grown-up ’80s kids are now running the comics asylum. You’ve got great comics featuring Ninja Turtles and G.I. Joes, those old champions of the ’80s toy shelves. And you’ve got a new Superman special, which while not as closely associated with the ’80s, the ’80s were a nice decade for Superman, with the decade opening on the release of Superman II.
So yeah, it’s fun for us late gen-x/elder millennial types to be getting new comics with those old characters we’ve known most our lives. One other thing before I get into this week’s full recs and release lists: this was another great week for DC. I ended up settling on the Summer of Superman Special as my top pick from the publisher, but books like Challengers of the Unknown, New Gods, Nightwing, and Wonder Woman could all just have easily have gotten the nod. Strong stuff. Anyway, onto the usual lists … enjoy!
Top Comics to Buy for April 16
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero – Silent Missions – Spirit #1
Writer/Artist: Leonardo Romero
Colorist: Cris Peter
Publisher: Image Comics – Skybound
The face of comic books changed forever when G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #21 introduced fans to the “Silent Interlude,” an action-packed story with no dialogue. Now, in a standalone silent issue from Leonardo Romero (Birds of Prey), the iconic G.I. Joe duo of Spirit and Freedom investigate mysterious disappearances in a nearby forest, only to discover a grotesque Cobra experiment…
Why It’s Cool: This book is part of a series of one-shots from Skybound’s G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero series, paying homage to Larry Hama’s famous silent comic, the original G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #21. A couple of the others have popped up in this space, and now it’s Spirit’s turn. This book is just fantastic, written and illustrated by the great Leonardo Romero with colors by Cris Peter. Aside from the great visual storytelling in these books, they’ve all just felt like incredible standalone one-shot tales with characters you may have known most of your life. It’s great.
Price: $3.99
Summer of Superman Special #1
Writers: Mark Waid, Dan Slott, and Josh Williamson
Artist: Jorge Jimenez (with finishes by Belen Ortega in Chapter 3), with Dan Mora
Colorist: Tomeu Morey
Letterer: Dave Sharpe
Publisher: DC Comics
This special oversize issue will set the stage for all the major events exploding throughout the Superman titles! When John Henry Irons and Lana Lang take their vows, everyone turns up for the big day–but trouble is brewing on the horizon, as threats from the past, present, and future kick off major new conflicts for the Superman Family. Brought to stunning life by the incomparable art of Jorge Jimenez (Batman, Super Sons), the Summer of Superman Special is the ground floor to the most exciting action imaginable in 2025!
Why It’s Cool: For me, one of the continued draws of superhero comics is they remind just a little bit of what it was like to read these things as a kid…and this is always the most true when one of the Big 2 serves up a giant-sized special that’s meant to set the scene for more stories to come. And we get a great one of those this week with Summer of Superman #1, in which we get the three writers who are going to be working on big Superman stories in the near future kicking their ideas off. What makes it all the more impressive is they do it through one long coherent story with shared art, making for a satisfying story on its own merits too.
Price: $5.99
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #8
Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Juan Ferreyra
Letterer: Shawn Lee
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Donnie’s on the edge! Once the most reliable and risk averse of the TMNT, Donatello’s mind is spinning out of control following his violent stay in captivity. Fortunately his brothers are there to protect him from the army of Foot Clan ninjas bent on destroying them all, but how can the Ninja Turtles save Donatello from the “voice” of their dead master Splinter that Donnie insists he’s hearing in his head!?
Why It’s Cool: It may be the Summer of Superman but we’re already deep into the Year of Turtles, with the long-running series launching a new superstar creative team of writer Jason Aaron and artist Juan Ferreyra. Ferreyra is among my favorite artists in monthly comics, and he’s doing absolutely fantastic work as this series continues to explore plot points set up in its opening issues. This one was great, with fun Leonardo narration and an exploration of what’s going on with Donatello.
Price: $4.99
Ultimate Wolverine #4
Writer: Chris Condon
Artist: Alessandro Cappuccio
Colorist: Bryan Valenza
Letterer: Cory Petit
Wolverine’s confrontation with Kitty Pryde and Gambit leaves him disoriented, violent and questioning his Maker’s Council overlords… who is “Logan”?
Why It’s Cool: This book is almost like an ultra violent puzzle box, wherein the clues are knowledge of X-continuity. This issue zeroes in on the primal nature of its brain-fried Winter Soldier Wolverine in a well-drawn sequence that leads us to yet another big reveal that moves us forward plot-wise. I really like how this comic has felt both action-packed and patient, elevating it up with The Ultimates and Ultimate Spider-Man as one of the must-reads of this line.
Price: $4.99
Usagi Yojimbo: Ten Thousand Plums #2
Writer/Artist/Letterer: Stan Sakai
Colorist: Hi-Fi Colour Design
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
A group of the Shogun’s men are found slain in the plum tree forest, and the only survivor is a young village girl reeling in shock from the attack. Usagi, Yukichi, and Gen agree to help protect the plum trees and prevent more tragedy from befalling the locals, but will their swords be enough? The latest Usagi story continues!
Why It’s Cool: Up there with death and taxes, one of the things you can count on in life is that Usagi Yojimbo comics will always always always be good. This new arc — Ten Thousand Plums — is not only good; it’s downright excellent. With nice twists and hints of horror storytelling, Usagi Yojimbo is better than it has been as years, making it one of the comics I most look forward to reading each month and a no-brainer decision for this list of Top Comics to Buy for April 16.
Price: $4.99
Other Comics I Enjoyed
Absolute Flash #2- Batman/Superman – World’s Finest #38
- Cable – Love and Chrome #2
- Challengers of the Unknown #5
- Dick Tracy #9
- Mothra – Queen of the Monsters #2
- The New Gods #5
- Nightwing #125
- Shadow of the Golden Crane #3
- Wonder Woman #20
New #1s and One-Shots
- Buried Long, Long Ago #1
- Godzilla vs. Hulk #1 (one-shot)
- Superior Avengers #1
- Web of Venomverse – Fresh Brains #1 (one-shot)
Graphic Novels and Trade Collections
- Babs Vol. 1 TP
- Black Widow Modern Era Epic Collection Vol. 1 – The Itsy-Bitsy Spider TP
- Cartoonists Club: A Graphic Novel HC (read our review!)
- Complete Crepax Vol. 9 City Stories HC
- Coven GN
- Essentials Vol. 1 Premiere Edition HC (read our review!)
- Fantastic Four by Ryan North Vol. 5 Aliens Ghosts and Alternate Earths TP
- Freak HC
- Goes Like This TP
- Hey Mary GN
- The Horizon Experiment TP (review coming soon!)
- John Muir: To The Heart of Solitude HC
- Joyride Complete Collection TP
- Marvel Masterworks Captain America Vol. 1 HC
- One Path Vol. 1 HC
- Predator vs. Black Panther TP
Punk Rock In Comics HC- Ranger Academy Vol. 3 TP
- Star Trek Vol. 4 – Pleroma TP
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Power Pack Vol. 2 TP
- Ultimate Black Panther by Bryan Hill Vol. 2 Gods and Kings TP
- Wolverine by Jason Aaron Omnibus Vol. 1 HC
- Wolverine Deep Cut TP
Read past editions of the Top Comics to Buy!
And check out the Beat’s most recent comics reviews!
