Jumping On: New Story Arcs Kicking Off On February 22, 2023

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 New Story Arcs, Notable #1s, and One-Shots premiering this upcoming New Comic Book Day, Wednesday, February 22, 2023

New Story Arcs:

Thor #31, Marvel

A NEW ARC PACKED WITH TWISTS & REVELATIONS BEGINS HERE! The gates to Valhalla are broken, and the souls of all who inhabit it have vanished! With the help of Jane Foster and Odin, Thor must find who has the power—and the audacity—to disturb the final rest of Asgard’s greatest warriors of all time…and what it means for the rest of the Marvel Universe! PLUS! This issue includes a special super-heroic backup story featuring Thor and Black Panther celebrating Black History Month!

LEGACY #757

Nocterra #12, Image

NO BRAKES, PART ONE

NOCTERRA returns! Emory Riggs has never had an easy life-especially not after the calamity of “PEDAL TO THE METAL.” As the new leader of Sundog Colony, he and the crew must concoct a new plan to reach Eos. But little do they realize that the shades have found a leader of their own…

Notable #1s and One-Shots:

Superman #1, DC

IT’S THE DAWN OF DC! Superman has returned to Metropolis and his greatest enemy Lex Luthor is finally behind bars. The future of the Superman family has never been brighter! As Clark Kent settles back into his life, iconic and new enemies erupt from the shadows to strike down the Man of Steel! But waiting in the wings to back up Big Blue is…Supercorp?! What secret project has Lex given to Superman?! “A hero is only as good as their villains” will be put to the test in this brand-new oversize #1 featuring comics’ greatest superhero by DC Comics architect Joshua Williamson and award-winning superstar artist Jamal Campbell!

Batman: One Bad Day – Clayface #1, DC

All Basil Karlo ever wanted to be was an actor…no…one of the greatest actors there’s ever been. However, his life went off course when he became the shape-shifting monster known as Clayface. After years of doing battle with Batman in Gotham City and distancing himself from his dream, Clayface goes out west to Los Angeles. Creating a new identity, he pursues his dream of acting only to find that Gotham City isn’t the only place with an overwhelming sense of dread to it, and that he might not have what it takes to make it in the City of Angels. So he’ll reshape the city to fit his needs in a deadly pursuit of stardom. From the rising-star creative team of Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing (Batman Beyond: Neo-Year, Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty) and Xermanico (Flashpoint Beyond), this is an epic tragedy not to be missed!

Immoral X-Men #1, Marvel

ADORED AND RESPECTED! They said the mutants were humanity’s future. It’s 10 years later and they were proven to be right. The X-Men exist in a world that adores and respects them…so why are they sworn to crush it?! But while they do, Emma can take a few minutes out to crush Mister Sinister.

SINS OF SINISTER TIE-IN

Lazarus Planet: Omega #1, DC

FATE AND FURY. The Devil Nezha and his son are at war—with all of humanity caught in the middle! The Lazarus storms are intensifying worldwide, Earth’s superheroes are on the ropes, and Batman is living on borrowed time. It’s up to Zatanna, the Spectre, the Demon, Klarion, and the rest of the DCU’s magic users to join Damian Wayne and set things right—but to do that, they’ll have to uncover Nezha’s final, explosive secret! Plus: Dreamer has rescued Doctor Fate’s helmet from destruction…but why does it keep glowing like that? The Dawn of the DCU begins as the Lazarus Planet saga crashes to a close!

Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures – The Nameless Terror #1, Dark Horse

Even in the shining light of the High Republic, there are shadows lurking in the galaxy. A Jedi mission to the planet Dalna suddenly comes under attack by unknown assailants. As the knights retreat to an ancient structure, it quickly becomes clear that they are far from safe. Something evil stalks the ruins, a ruthless predator, an unknown terror, a Nameless Fear!

Black Adam #8, DC

RISE! A new chapter begins in the 24th century B.C. with Teth-Adam—Egypt’s original, cheerful, and noble champion of Shazam—facing his greatest challenge in the person of his former enslaver, now sorcerously enhanced to become Ibac the Invincible! Mighty Adam’s heroic defense of Egypt is compromised by the dark secret he harbors. Meanwhile, in the present day, Black Adam saves a crippled jetliner from crashing into the Middle East’s most controversial city, sparking unrest at home in Kahndaq!

Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #1, Marvel

THE CAPTAIN COMES HOME! And she’s got a whole new mission! With Otherworld settled, Braddock Manor restored, and her brother Captain Avalon at her side, you’d think things look pretty good for Betsy Braddock. Only it turns out, good ole Britain doesn’t want her back. No one wants a mutant menace carrying the shield of Captain Britain, and Betsy’s made more than a few enemies along her way. Quest-less and country-less, Betsy must define a role for herself. A fresh take on a beloved character, don’t miss the latest Tini Howard extravaganza and fan-favorite artist Vasco Georgiev’s Marvel debut!

Blue Book #1, Dark Horse

From the New York Times bestselling and award-winning cocreators of Something is Killing the Children, The Nice House on the Lake, The Department of Truth, and Powers comes this ambitious, nonfiction comic book experience depicting true stories of UFO abductions with an eye to capturing the strange essence of those encounters.

In this debut issue, Tynion presents what he calls his “True Weird” stories. Tales of ordinary people encountering the strange and the impossible. Teaming with artist Michael Avon Oeming, they retell some of the most popular UFO and alien encounter accounts starting with the infamous Betty and Barney Hill abduction-the widely publicized and very first abduction that went on to shape and influence all future encounter stories.

Also includes the short “True Weird: Coney Island” by James Tynion IV, Klaus Janson, and Aditya Bidikar!

Punisher War Journal: Base #1, Marvel

THE ORIGIN OF THE WAR JOURNAL! Before he was the Punisher, Frank Castle was a husband, a father and a Marine. Not necessarily in that order. In this story from between the pages of PUNISHER, Frank tries to come home…but finds it impossible to leave the war behind him. 

Local Man #1, Image

SERIES PREMIERE

STRAY DOGS creator TONY FLEECS teams with REVIVAL’s TIM SEELEY for a series that combines rural crime noir and superhero action.

Once the star recruit of the media sensation super-team THIRD GEN, JACK XAVER had it all. But when controversy sends CROSSJACK crawling back to his mom and dad’s basement in the Midwest, Jack struggles to fit into a world he left far behind. And then the bodies start piling up.

Draculina: Blood Simple #1, Dynamite

Vampirella’s hateful, self-absorbed twin is back in a new volume and this time her Vampire Privilege entitlement is failing her as Vampirette, her preteen other-self, has become a literal mirror image of the life she could have had and person should could have become if she wasn’t, y’know, Draculina. Also: Lilith has returned and the meddling vampire Mm from Hell is determined to reunite her estranged daughters while Levi, a murderous sea creature, intends to crash the family reunion!

Heavy Metal #1, Whatnot

To commemorate the passing of our friend, Kim Jung Gi, this special cover honors his final contribution to Heavy Metal. The master artist who inspired millions with his sprawling, elaborate live drawings and the incredible brushwork that appeared everywhere from museum exhibitions and galleries to comic art published by Marvel, DC, and more, gave joyously to the creative community to the very last and we are endlessly grateful for the opportunity to include his work in our new beginning. The legendary sci-fi, fantasy and horror magazine commemorates the start of its 46th year with a brand new #1 issue, featuring original stories and serials and designed as a jumping on-point for new readers. Author(s): Joe Trohman and Brian Posehn, Matthew Medney, Didier and Lyse Tarquin, Chris Anderson, Joe Harris Artist(s): Scott Koblish, German Ponce, Federico Pietrobon, Didier and Lyse Tarquin, Santa Fung, Chris Anderson”

The Nowhere Man #1, Bad Kids Press

Richard is trapped in a spirit world called The Dreamtime, a surreal landscape of the subconscious where dreams are real. Follow his journey as he encounters gods, shamans, and other strange, unexpected creatures. Straddling the fields of action/adventure, introspective literature, and horror, check out this confident first issue from master storyteller Jonny Bloozit!

Rick and Morty Presents: Time Zoo #1, Oni

Rick and Morty realize that nothing has really changed for them over the past couple of years. In fact, it seems like the world is still the same. No new music genres. Or movie stars. Or video games. And that cheese in the fridge is getting real weird.

When Rick and the entire Smith family realize they’re trapped in a Time Zoo, it’s up to Summer to save the day. No, really. Summer has to save the family.

Deadfellows #1, Scout

Nonstop Title! Pete Miller has just gotten out of his two-year relationship, reeling from the chaos of it all without friends or family around. As he moves into his new awful, one-bedroom apartment Pete attempts to take his own life, but is stopped by a benevolent ghost. Moved by the kindness of this supernatural stranger, Pete sets out to bond with this ghost at all costs-but he quickly learns he doesn’t understand the paranormal or their intentions.

Sereno #1, Comics Experience Publishing

Meet Sereno, the Mystic Master of Light and guardian of New Teia, a city where magic and science intertwine by night! An avatar of collective Paranoia, a shepherd of Nightmares, and a Cult of Hate are just the start of an evil conspiracy transforming the city. Can Sereno fight back while keeping super cat burglar Rufián from stealing… his heart?

Fallen #1, Red 5

Casper Clay, an ancient warrior and immortal servant of Zeus turned private detective, navigates the murky depths of a criminal underworld to solve the murder of a god at the hands of a mysterious killer. As he gets closer to unraveling the truth he learns that there may be more at stake than solving a case.

Godfell #1, Vault

One sunny day in the land of Kerethim, God falls dead from the sky. The impact sends out shockwaves that draw in royal families at war, shadowy creatures of the dark, and armies of the dispossessed, all coming to lay claim to parts of God’s body. Into this power struggle wanders Zanzi Vuiline, a soldier and berserker trying to get home from a years-long war. Forced to fight her way through the strange landscapes in and on God’s corpse, from the soles of its feet through the top of its head, Zanzi will acquire a mysterious traveling companion on her own pilgrimage.

Ancient Enemies: The Djinni #1, Frank Miller Presents

Spinning out from the pages of ANCIENT ENEMIES, we spotlight THE DJINNI, a mysterious half-human / half-alien creature born from the wreckage of a crashed spaceship. This book reveals his secret origin as he struggles with his alien birthright and his mission to kill an opponent he never met. Written by Kevin Van Hook (co-creator of Bloodshot) and art by Jose Luis (Superman/Batman & Suicide Squad) 1:25 “Monster” variant by Danilo Beyruth and Joe Prado

Rock & Roll Hell #1, Sumerian

The summer of ’91. Rural Finland. The Rock and Roll Hell Open Air metal festival is in full swing with the American death metal band Feral Carnage set to headline. During their set, what is first mistaken as an elaborate pyrotechnic show turns out to be the second coming of Jesus Christ. Taking one look at the people in attendance of the show, Christ damns the festival and orders his army of heaven to smite them from his fathers creation. Fueled by beer, weed, and the imperious power of metal, Feral Carnage must summon the forces of hell to fight back.

Junction Jones and the Corduroy Conspiracy #1, Scout

In the derelict slums of the multidimensional town of Junction, Mister Nibs and Junction Jones scour the dangerous alleyways in search of illicit organic material to sell off at the local black market chopshops and transmutation garages, until an anonymous tip leads them to the remains of a murdered Earth hobo. The evidence they uncover on the body points to a vast government cover-up, a conspiracy of which they’re now inexplicably at the center. Their first instinct? Run and hide! But a suspicious maintenance team that just so happens to arrive at the same time, looking for the same body, may hamper that. In the ensuing stand-off Jones decides the best option may be a joke; will it fall flat or land?

The Three Stooges: Curly Celebration #1, American Mythology

Spread out, ya numbskulls! Everyone’s favorite Stooge is back for a Curly celebration! Three creative teams provide different wacky Curly stories to make you nyuk, nyuk, nyuk all the way to the comic shop! These stories are fun for everyone and a perfect way to share your love of slapstick goodness with the family this holiday season! Join us in celebrating all things Curly as the loveable lunk takes center stage in this special commemorative issue!

Moriarty: Clockwork Empire #1, Titan

In a London opium den, a monster is killed by the police with seven bullets to the body. At the Diogenes club, an investigator and his partner thwart the Machiavellian plans of a card-playing automaton, and that evening the monster’s alter ego will come out of the hospital unscathed… and Holmes and Watson are on the case!

Legend Fell #1, American Mythology

Epic Fantasy Arrives at American Mythology! There’s an evil growing inside the kingdom of Shadowrock! Death has found a home in the villages outside of the castle’s mountainous walls, and King Eldros has put out a call to the greatest warriors of the realm. What he gets is a disgraced noble, a freelancer looking to repair his father’s shattered legacy, a dwarf with a bad attitude, a thief looking to secure her place in the Madori, a caster, a grey heart – the last of his kind, and a boy looking to avenge his family after losing them to “those who sleep below”! It’s sword and sorcery – the American Mythology way! Part terror – part magic – all adventure! Can this mismatched group of adventurers learn to work together and find the one weapon that can stop this evil before the entire kingdom is lost? Join us on an epic journey into a bold new world of magic and monsters brought to you by the comic company that myths call home! This issue comes with four covers – Main Cover by concept artist Vincent Spencer, Homage Variant by Buz Hasson & Ken Haeser, Adventure Awaits Variant by Eliano Marques, and a special Century Edition limited to just 100 printed also by Hasson & Haeser.

John Carpenter’s Tales of Science Fiction: The Envoy #1, Storm King

Two cutting-edge scientists, friends and rivals since college, race to be the first to make alien contact. One finds a golden entity that offers to cure the worst Earthbound diseases. Simultaneously the other has discovered a creature that could be an alien or even a ghost. Is it two-in-one extraterrestrial contact… or something more monstrous?