Jumping On: New Story Arcs Kicking Off On July 28, 2021

One of the hardest and most frustrating things about finding new comics to read and enjoy is finding a good jumping on point. It can be confusing and disheartening to pick up a single issue from the middle of an arc without having the context of the previous chapters.

With that in mind, here are some titles kicking off new story arcs and a few interesting #1’s premiering this upcoming New Comic Book Day, Wednesday, July 28, 2021.

New Arcs:

Spawn #320, Image

‘As the NEW Spawn Universe begins, our hero is pulled into making a decision that will ultimately force the conflict that spins into SPAWN’s new monthly title coming next month, (KING SPAWN #1). Spawn’s battle against a new and expanding ROGUES GALLERY starts here!’

Black Cat #8, Marvel

‘INFINITY SCORE STARTS HERE! Felicia Hardy, a.k.a. the Black Cat, is hired to steal the Infinity Stones. Has anyone told her that these stones are now PEOPLE? Regardless, Nick Fury will do anything to stop the stone-bearers from being gathered, even if that means taking all nine of Felicia’s lives. Black Cat has been picking away at the corners of the Marvel Universe, but this heist will put her square in the middle…just where she DOES NOT WANT TO BE!’

Notable #1’s

Superman: Son of Kal-El #1, DC

‘Jonathan Kent has experienced a lot in his young life. He’s fought evil with Robin (Damian Wayne), traveled across galaxies with his Kryptonian grandfather, and lived in the future with the Legion of Super-Heroes, who were intent on training him for the day his father could no longer be Superman. There is a hole in the Legion’s history that prevents Jon from knowing exactly when that will happen, but all signs point to it being very soon. It’s time for the son to wear the cape of his father and continue the never-ending battle as a symbol of hope for his home planet.’

Samurai 2.0 #1, Action Lab Comics

 

The year is 21xx. World War III has devastated the world.  A foreigner arrives in the city of Neo-Tokyo. His name is Ketsuo, and he is the last remaining graffiti samurai, intent on clashing with the Emperor, who has prohibited any art form and persecutes anyone who dares to create.

Amazing Fantasy #1, Marvel

‘EXPERIENCE THESE HEROES LIKE NEVER BEFORE! Red Room Black Widow, teenage Spider-Man, World War II Captain America—the most iconic versions of your favorite Marvel characters from across time and space all wake up on an island of intrigue, darkness and…Amazing Fantasy. Are they dead? Are they dreaming? Or have they truly been transported to another fantastical realm? And is there any way for them to return home? This isn’t just a love letter to your favorite Marvel eras, it’s a reinvestment in the seminal characters you’ve always loved, plucked from their quintessential timelines. Brought to you by Kaare Andrews, this is the one you’ve been waiting for, True Believers… It’s one Amazing Fantasy for the ages!’

Batman Secret Files: Huntress #1, DC

‘Huntress returns in an all-new one-shot adventure! Gotham’s Violet Vengeance lived through a lot in the last few weeks…including her brain being invaded by a violent parasite bent on sending her on a deadly slugfest bender. Not fun, amiright? Well, Helena Bertinelli is no one to mess with—and when the villainous Vile’s parasite gives her the ability to see through the eyes of his victims? You best believe she’s gonna track him down and pop an arrow in that slimeball. Look out, Batman, Huntress is on the prowl…’

Black Beacon #1, Heavy Metal

‘There’s an intergalactic space station out there bigger than our solar system where  wants everyone to come along and meet up. The beacon made it sound like a utopia, but what Niko finds upon her arrival is a lawless expanse where everyone is out for themselves and she’s so late she doesn’t even have a seat at the table. A story of survival, truth, and experience lies in front of Niko if she can figure out who to trust and what to do before the secret of her journey catches up with her.’

Possessive #1, Zenescope

‘Let’s not mince words. Todd’s a loser. He has no job, no prospects, and almost no drive. With his wife ready to take the children and go, Todd buys the family their dream home.  Todd takes a chance on a house that needs much more upkeep than a few coats of paint and new carpet.  And little does Todd know, in the attic resides a terrifying and deadly spirit who does not do well with cohabitation.  But while this frightening specter may have murderous tendencies, she might just be what Todd needs to turn his life around.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall meets the Grudge, you know you’re in for a hell of a ride! From the comedic and possibly unhinged minds of Adam F. Goldberg and Hans Rodionoff comes this off-beat love story that will warmly haunt the very depths of beating and non-beating hearts alike.’

Groo Meets Tarzan #1, Dark Horse

‘The team behind the hit Groo the Wanderer series goes to Comic-Con, finding inspiration not only in their enthusiastic fans but in their fellow creators, too—especially those working on Tarzan comics. Sergio Aragonés finds a way to introduce the two characters to each other, and so Tarzan, the lord of the jungle, is set on a path that will lead him to Groo, the master of cheese dip. Also includes the return of the Rufferto backup strips!’

Horizon Zero Dawn: Liberation #1, Titan Books

‘TITAN’S SMASH-HIT COMIC SERIES IS BACK FOR A SECOND ARC!

Critically acclaimed original creative team return for a new chapter in the story of Aloy and Erend! Fending off deadly machines, the pair hunt down the killer of a member of the Oseram tribe!

Over 80,000 copies sold on #1 – 11th bestselling comic of August 2020!

New game Horizon Forbidden West is coming to PlayStation in 2021!

Featuring fantastic cover art by Peach Momoko!’

Sonjaversal #6, Dynamite

‘ALL-NEW STORY! ALL-NEW SONJA’S! PERFECT JUMPING-ON POINT FOR NEW READERS!

A low-level criminal is suddenly making a big mysterious underworld splash…which is remarkable, considering that the guy’s very recently DIED. Sounds like a case for NOIR SONJA. But not only does N.S. have to solve The Mystery Of The Successful Cadaver, she’s got to manage the arrival of a whole new cadre of Sonja’s that’ll throw her investigation for a loop…’

Dune: Blood Of The Sardaukar #1, BOOM! Studios

‘When the choice is vengeance or honor, which lies at the heart of a Sardaukar?

Jopati Kolona one of the Sardaukar: the emperor’s elite military unit. The Sardaukar are unbeatable, unbending in their devotion to the emperor, and feared throughout the galaxy.

When Jopati meets Duke Leto of House Atreides, the house he believes responsible for the destruction of his home planet and family, he will be forced to question a life-long hatred.

Tasked with overthrowing the Atreides stronghold on Dune for his master, Jopati will be forced to choose between duty and forgiveness.’

Symbiote Spider-Man: Crossroads #1, Marvel

‘PETER DAVID AND GREG LAND DO THE TIME WARP AGAIN! After three sense-shattering series, Peter David, Greg Land, Jay Leisten and Frank D’Armata—the entire SYMBIOTE SPIDER-MAN crew—RETURN! This time, they’re taking Spider-Man down the road less traveled to the supremely psychedelic CROSSROADS DIMENSION! In their most ambitious series yet, the SYMBIOTE team puts Peter Parker and his alien costume on a collision course with none other than THE INCREDIBLE HULK, in a story set just before Peter David’s landmark run on the Hulk series!’

The Last Book You’ll Ever Read #1, Vault

‘Civilization is a lie. Hidden deep in our genes is the truth. And it is slowly clawing its way to the surface. Olivia Kade knows the truth, and she has become the prophet of the coming collapse. Her book, SATYR, is an international bestseller, and it is being blamed for acts of senseless violence and bloodshed all over the world. Olivia’s own life is in danger from those who have read her work. Determined to conduct a book tour, she hires security professional Connor Wilson to act as her bodyguard. She only has one requirement: he cannot read her work.’

We Don’t Kill Spiders #1, Scout

‘Black Caravan Imprint: In the early Viking Age, a faithless Norseman detective is summoned to a Scandinavian hamlet where a series of murders have occurred. Discovering the dark and bloody history of the village he investigates the local outcast, a necromantic witch who brings his atheistic values into question. Determined to prevent further homicides the two band together to discover the identity of a serial killer.’

Mirka Andolfo’s Sweet Paprika #1, Image

‘Paprika is a successful businesswoman, a New Yorker of Italian origin. Job and career consume her, forcing her to neglect her personal needs as well as her friends and family. Her heart is broken from a previous relationship and its consequences, and a rigid upbringing has made her a very introverted person. She wants a romantic relationship, but she doesn’t know what she’s doing. Not like Dill, a na ve and suave delivery boy with an angelic attitude, handsome, and always surrounded by beautiful women falling for him. He doesn’t have a worry in the world, and this makes Paprika very nervous. But he’s the guy who could help her with her feelings (and with… sex). Bridget Jones’s Diary meets Sex and the City, with a pinch of The Devil Wears Prada in the new international hit by acclaimed creator MIRKA ANDOLFO (UNNATURAL, MERCY).’

Swamp God #1, Heavy Metal

‘At the end of the American Civil War, a ragtag squad of Confederate soldiers calls upon the ultimate evil to save the South. Now, the remains of their unit must team with Union soldiers to survive the horrors of the Swamp God.’

Runes #1, Source Point Press

‘In 850 CE Alba (present-day Scotland), it is night. A storm rages on the Great Sea and a Viking drakkar is shipwrecked against the cliffs. The only prisoner on the ship, a Northman, miraculously manages to escape. Fleeing from his past, from unforgiving nature and armed only with luck, the man moves into the clearings of the coast. Foreigner and hated in this land, the skilled Viking warrior will clash with the inhabitants of Alba, while a powerful witch watches him. Fighting for his life… surviving for revenge. A Northman.’

Count Draco Knuckleduster #1, Scout

 

The Curse of the Cryptocrystalline Stone continues in 2021! Follow the Cosmic Ghoul Warrior and young psychic, Acele Aerglo, as they embark on the next chapter of an adventure that will take them from the vastness of The Void to the depths of an aquatic moon crawling with fantastic creatures! This action-packed tale of SINISTER CELESTIAL SORCERY picks up where last year’s SMASH-HIT Phantom Starkiller left off. This time around, the story is told from behind the mask of the mysterious and malevolent Count Draco Knuckleduster and his Cybernetic Chrononautical Exosuit! Can the curse be broken in time… or is it already too late?

Stanley the Snowman #1, Scout

Cool down from the summer heat with an uplifting “Christmas in July” special! Jenny Rose is a bit of a loner. She’s not into dolls, the latest cell phones or coolest games. She loves spending time with her family and learning about their traditions from her grandfather. He passes onto her a secret ritual that only one family member in a generation can do, bringing Stanley the Snowman to life! Stanley is a magical snowman, the embodiment of the holiday spirit and their family history. After months of preparation, the night finally arrives… but things don’t go exactly as planned!

Djinn Hunter #1, Blackout Comics

‘The cosmos is in chaos! The elder council of Djinn must stop their rogue member, Abyss and his minions from granting wishes to mortals, resulting in untold horrors. Their only hope is Zara, the Djinn Hunter. Will she hunt down the mad Djinn or doom the realms to destruction?’

Crash & Troy #1, Action Lab

‘Explosions! Space chases! Cat videos! Crash and Troy are mercs for hire! Latest mission? Break out some blue nerd from an intergalactic prison. Who cares?! But blue nerd’s post-prison plans might kill billions!’