Jumping On: New Story Arcs Kicking Off On February 23, 2022

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, notable #1s, and One-Shots premiering this upcoming New Comic Book Day, Wednesday, February 23, 2022

New Arcs:

Shang-Chi #9, Marvel

BLOOD AND MONSTERS, PART ONE

NEW ARC STARTS HERE! For months, a mysterious mastermind has been operating behind the scenes to take down Shang-Chi and his family. Now, he is stepping out of the shadows to make his final strike. His objective? To destroy everyone in Shang-Chi’s bloodline! Join writer Gene Luen Yang and new ongoing artist, Marcus To (EXCALIBUR), as they embark on the next new phase of Shang-Chi’s legend!

LEGACY #135

Killadelphia #19, Image

“THE END OF ALL,” Part One

The perfect jumping-on point for new readers and a pivotal turning point for the series! The sold-out, Eisner Award-nominated horror series returns with the first issue of a brand new arc from RODNEY BARNES, the writer behind such hit shows as Marvel’s Runaways and STARZ’s American Gods, and JASON SHAWN ALEXANDER, the artist who redefined SPAWN.

Undead detective James Sangster Sr. and his werewolf allies are about to make their final stand against vampire queen Abigail Adams and necromancer Thomas Jefferson! But shocking new revelations come to light as demons unearthed from America’s past threaten the very world as we know it!

Horror Comics #10, Antarctic Press

Dracula in the West, Part 1

Escaping his final confrontation, Vlad Dracula has left Transylvania to seek a new, tranquil life, which he believes he will find in the American Old West in the dying frontier village of Penny Town. He does not find it. What he does find are problems facing sunlight, controlling his instincts, and facing creatures and characters out of local tribal and Mayan legends!

Notable #1s and One-Shots:

Ghost Rider #1, Marvel

Johnny Blaze has the perfect life: a wife and two kids, a job at an auto repair shop and a small-town community that supports him… But Johnny isn’t doing well. He has nightmares of monsters when he sleeps. And he sees bloody visions when he’s awake. This life is beginning to feel like a prison. And there’s a spirit in him that’s begging to break out! Benjamin Percy (WOLVERINE, X-FORCE) and Cory Smith (CONAN THE BARBARIAN, CAPTAIN MARVEL) are going back to basics with the Spirit of Vengeance! 

LEGACY #247

Supermassive #1, Image

THE SUPERHERO CROSSOVER EVENT OF 2022! Spinning out of 2021’s hottest new superhero debut, RADIANT BLACK launches into his first crossover event ever with the Image Comics debut of INFERNO GIRL RED and the first appearance of ROGUE SUN! The future of Image’s superhero universe is here!

POWER RANGERS: SHATTERED GRID architects KYLE HIGGINS and RYAN PARROTT, MAT GROOM and FRANCESCO MANNA from Marvel’s ULTRAMAN, and colorist extraordinaire IGOR MONTI unite for a one-shot, oversized crossover event so big it can only be called — SUPERMASSIVE.

Carnage Forever #1, Marvel

HOMECOMING / UNMADE IN HIS IMAGE / FUNNIES

A KILLER CELEBRATION! Cletus Kasady is the most notorious serial killer in the Marvel Universe—and it’s been thirty years since his first introduction! Thirty years of monsters, mayhem and murder—AND YOU HAVEN’T SEEN ANYTHING YET! With an awesome assembly of creators, this issue will HAVE IT ALL! A look back on Carnage’s past, his present and, just maybe, the first hints you’ll ever get of his visceral and violent FUTURE!

Aquamen #1, DC

When a suicide bomber in Middle America is revealed as an Atlantean sleeper agent seemingly gone rogue, the Aquamen—Arthur Curry and Jackson Hyde—are on the case. But it soon becomes clear that the tragedy was not just a single bad actor, but the beginnings of a much larger and more dangerous chain reaction…and the heart of an explosive Atlantean conspiracy! If Arthur’s not careful, the secrets he’s keeping—from Mera, Tula, Tempest, Atlantis, the surface, and even Jackson—could cause a rift from which the Aquamen might never recover!

Step by Bloody Step #1, Image

An armored giant and a helpless child. Together they cross an astonishing world brimming with beasts, bandits, and—deadliest by far—civilizations… If they stop walking, the earth itself forces them onwards. WHY? The child can’t ask. She and her guardian have no language, no memory, nothing—except each other.

Multiple-Eisner nominees SI SPURRIER (X-Men), MATÍAS BERGARA (Coda), and MATHEUS LOPES (Supergirl) present a watershed moment in modern comics: four double-length chapters of a bittersweet fantasy opus, completely text free.

Let’s take a walk.

All New Firefly #1, BOOM! Studios

Captain Kaylee leads the crew on a heist that proves too much for their moral code, but when mercenaries steal the relics anyway, it turns into a recovery mission

Meanwhile, unexpected revelations about Jayne’s family and past further complicate things.

But how will Jayne’s past collide with the crew’s desperate present, especially when it leads them to steal from… not the thieves den they had in mind…

Heavy Metal Drummer #1, Behemoth

1986 A.D.: Under the streets of Los Angeles breeds the seeds of a gruesome interdimensional conflict between order and chaos. Enter Dave, a junkee, heavy metal drummer whose life is about to get a whole lot shittier.

Distorted #1, Scout

Somewhere in the world, there is someone who feels different/special/cursed, who is losing their mind right now. You’re not alone. Take James for example. He would like to run away from his parents and from a life that doesn’t belong to him. On the other hand, Tom is forced to face his past and hunt down his own kind, like a hound on the leash of an unknown master. Brennar is on the hunt for money and a peace he can’t find anywhere. They are three people whose superpowers are more like a burden. In this world, there are no superheroes.

Transformers: War’s End #1, IDW

The Three-fold Spark has returned and nowhere on Cybertron is safe! Exarchon, who single-handedly started Cybertron’s last war, walks among the living again. Reunited with his former generals, Shockwave and Skywarp, he seeks once more to conquer Cybertron! But there may be hope… if Cyclonus can convince Megatron to work with the Autobots! The can’t miss companion to the Transformers ongoing!

Star Trek: Klingons #1, IDW

Dive deeper into the world of Star Trek with the first of several extra-long issues focusing on the memorable aliens of the franchise!

To begin: the story of Kahless the Unforgettable, from the death of his coward brother Morath to his victory at Three Turn Bridge. Witness history unfolding in this can’t-miss issue!

The Killer: Affairs of the State #1, BOOM! Studios

Caught and put to work as an on-call assassin for the French government, Killer has to adjust to working with a handler, a partner, and living life as a civilian. An underhanded target, a City Hall employee, leads Killer and his partner, Nicolas, toward a sinister web of city-wide corruption

But while Nicolas assures Killer that it’s all for the greater good, will Killer ever be able to get back to his nihilistic lifestyle, free from debt and government associations?

Belle: Queen of Serpents #1, Zenescope

32 Merciless Pages of Content!

After Belle’s recent revelation that one of her friends has been transformed into the Queen of Serpents, she must risk it all to restore her humanity–but is it already too late?

Black Hops: U.S.A. G.I.: Hopocalypse Now #1, Antarctic Press

The irradiated rabbit commando U.S.A.-*-G.I. is back for more high-stakes military action! Tasked with infiltrating a castle crawling with enemy soldiers, the Black Hops special mission force of U.S.A.-*-G.I., Patriot-R, Rigor-Tortoise, and their human handler, Penelope Freling, will have to fight their way to a rematch with the mercenary Hare Trigger. But the insidious mastermind Apex Moth may be working more angles than the heroes suspect!

Ice Canyon Monster #1, Blood Moon Comics

A Shaman releases a monster into the waters around the giant island of Greenland. Starting in the form of a tupilaq, this beast is designed to protect the waters at any cost–even if it has to kill. Welcome to the war of shaman curses and the consequences of them in the modern world. 

Beyond the Farthest Star Chronicles 50th Ann #1, American Mythology

In 1972 Beyond The Farthest Star was published as a backup feature in several issues of DC’s Tarzan series. This first comic book adaptation of the brilliant Edgar Rice Burroughs tale has not been seen outside those issues in 50 years! American Mythology is proud to present the first collection of these long lost chapters by legendary comic book creators Marv Wolfman, Denny O’Neil, Robert Kanigher, Dan Green, Howard Chaykin, Murphy Anderson, and Rudy Florses!  Come with us – Beyond The Farthest Star – with this special edition showcasing the brilliant imagination of Edgar Rice Burroughs!  This issue has two cover editions – Main and a 100 copy Century Edition by the legendary artist Roy G. Krenkel!  

Jaywalk #1, Domino Books

Excited to announce JAYWALK, a QUARTERLY anthology from DOMINO. Goal is 4 issues/year. Edited by Tinfoil founder Floyd Tangeman (w/ shadow edits from Domino), each ish features 6 artists doing 8 page stories. Issue #1 has an amazing cover Tangeman with color by Sam Seigel and stories by Angela Fanche, Ian Sundahl, Wyatt Warren, Ariel Cooper, Floyd Tangeman and Isaac Leahey-Leow. The goal of Jaywalk, as I see it: an ongoing forum for artists who work against the grain to publish REGULARLY. For a generation of experimental cartoonists, there’s a lack of publications to work in print/public on a consistent basis, which pushes creative work into a vacuum. We hope, with this publication, to provide an alternative. This series will hopefully be a strong articulation of everything Domino is currently trying to do, and we’re excited for you to read it.