Best of the Best Part 2

Dec 30

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I last did something like this in July for the six months from January 1st all the way to June 30th. This list is for July 1st and all the way through to December 30th (the last day doesn’t count!). As I mentioned at the end of that list, this isn’t going to be regurgitation of my “Reading Awards” page, but something more varied. The list takes into account everything I’ve read in the last six months.

Let’s see what makes the cut and which comes close then!

In a slight departure from how I do my Reading Awards and because I hate being so damn picky and because this really is a best of the best list for me, I’m going to be presenting the Top 6 here, not the Top 3. The list is also divided into three sections – Novels, Audio Dramas and Comics – each with two subsections – Top 6 and Honourable Mentions. And just to repeat, this is a July-December 2012 list.

So let’s have at it, yeah?

Best of the Best Novels

The Top 6 –

1. Cora Oglesby #1: The Dead of Winter by Lee Collins

TheDeadOfWinter-144dpiOfficial URL | Goodreads | My Review | Guest Post

Cora and her husband hunt things – things that shouldn’t exist.

When the marshal of Leadville, Colorado, comes across a pair of mysterious deaths, he turns to Cora to find the creature responsible. But if Cora is to overcome the unnatural tide threatening to consume the small town, she must first confront her own tragic past as well as her present.

A stunning supernatural novel that will be quickly joined by a very welcome sequel, She Returns From War, in February 2013.

2. Dragon Apocalypse #1: Greatshadow by James Maxey

greatshadowOfficial URL | Goodreads | My Review

Greatshadow is the primal dragon of fire, an elemental evil whose malign intellegence spies upon mankind through every candle flame, waiting to devour any careless victim he can claim. The Church of the Book has assembled a team of twelve battle-hardened adventurers to slay the dragon once and for all. But tensions run high between the leaders of the team who view mission as a holy duty and the super-powered mercanaries who add power to their ranks, who view the mission primarily as a chance to claim Greatshadow’s vast treasure trove. If the warrior fails to slay the beast, will they doom mankind to death by fire.

3. Jane Carver #2: Swords of Waar by Nathan Long

swords-of-waarOfficial URL | Goodreads | My Review

Watch out, Universe, Jane Carver is back!

Jane Carver, a hell-raising, redheaded biker chick from Coral Gables, Florida, had found a new life and love on Waar, a savage planet of fearsome creatures and swashbuckling warriors. Until the planet’s high priests sent her back to Earth against her will.

But nobody keeps Jane from her man, even if he happens to be a purpleskinned alien nobleman.

Against all odds, she returns to Waar, only to find herself accused of kidnaping the Emperor’s beautiful daughter. Allying herself with a band of notorious sky-pirates, Jane sets out to clear her name and rescue the princess, but that means uncovering the secret origins of the Gods of Waar —and picking a fight with the Wargod himself.

Good thing Jane is always up for a scrap . . . .

Swords of Waar is the wildly entertaining sequel to Jane Carver of Waar, and continues the raucous adventures of science fiction’s newest and most ball-busting space heroine.

4. Shotguns & Sorcery #1: Hard Times In Dragon City by Matt Forbeck

Shotguns & Sorcery - Hard Times in Dragon CityOfficial URL | Goodreads | My Review | Guest Post

Retired adventurer Max Gibson has seen better times. Ever since he and his treasure-hunting friends struck it big and called it quits a decade back, it seems like things have slid downhill.

It’s hard enough to scrape by in a sprawling mountain city in which elves and dwarves live higher than humans in every way. It’s worse at night, when the groans of the zombies laying an eternal siege to the city provide a ceaseless reminder that the Dragon Emperor himself is the only thing that keeps the hordes of hungry dead from storming the walls.

When Max is called in to help investigate the wholesale slaughter of a long-dead dwarf friend’s family, he thinks maybe he’s finally hit bottom. Then the love of his life — the elf who left him when their careers as adventurers ended — walks back through his door, desperate for his help and with nowhere else to turn.

It’s not getting any easier. That’s for sure.

Hard Times in Dragon City is the first novel in the Shotguns & Sorcery setting.

5. Eli Monpress #1: The Spirit Thief by Rachel Aaron

Spirit ThiefOfficial URL | Goodreads | My Review

Eli Monpress is talented. He’s charming. And he’s a thief.

But not just any thief. He’s the greatest thief of the age – and he’s also a wizard. And with the help of his partners – a swordsman with the most powerful magic sword in the world but no magical ability of his own, and a demonseed who can step through shadows and punch through walls – he’s going to put his plan into effect.

The first step is to increase the size of the bounty on his head, so he’ll need to steal some big things. But he’ll start small for now. He’ll just steal something that no one will miss – at least for a while.

Like a king.

6. The Wall of Night #1: The Heir of Night by Helene Lowe

heirofnightOfficial URL | Goodreads | My Review | Guest Post

If Night falls, all fall . . .

In the far north of the world of Haarth lies the bitter mountain range known as the Wall of Night. Garrisoned by the Nine Houses of the Derai, the Wall is the final bastion between the peoples of Haarth and the Swarm of Dark–which the Derai have been fighting across worlds and time.

Malian, Heir to the House of Night, knows the history of her people: the unending war with the Darkswarm; the legendary heroes, blazing with long-lost power; the internal strife that has fractured the Derai’s former strength. But now the Darkswarm is rising again, and Malian’s destiny as Heir of Night is bound inextricably to both ancient legend and any future the Derai–or Haarth–may have.

Honourable Mentions –

1. Shattered Sigil #1: The Whitefire Crossing by Courtney Schafer

whitefirecrossingOfficial URL | Goodreads | My Review | Guest Post

Dev is a smuggler with the perfect cover.

He’s in high demand as a guide for the caravans that carry legitimate goods from the city of Ninavel into the country of Alathia. The route through the Whitefire Mountains is treacherous, and Dev is one of the few climbers who knows how to cross them safely. With his skill and connections, it’s easy enough to slip contraband charms from Ninavel—where any magic is fair game, no matter how dark—into Alathia, where most magic is outlawed.

But smuggling a few charms is one thing; smuggling a person through the warded Alathian border is near suicidal. Having made a promise to a dying friend, Dev is forced to take on a singularly dangerous cargo: Kiran. A young apprentice on the run from one of the most powerful mages in Ninavel, Kiran is desperate enough to pay a fortune to sneak into a country where discovery means certain execution—and he’ll do whatever it takes to prevent Dev from finding out the terrible truth behind his getaway.

Yet the young mage is not the only one harboring a deadly secret. Caught up in a web of subterfuge and dark magic, Dev and Kiran must find a way to trust each other—or face not only their own destruction, but that of the entire city of Ninavel.

2. The Collector #2: The Wrong Goodbye by Chris F. Holm

TheWrongGoodbye-144dpiOfficial URL | Goodreads | My Review | Guest Post | Cover Reveal for “The Big Reap“

Meet Sam Thornton. He collects souls.

Because of his efforts to avert the Apocalypse, Sam Thornton has been given a second chance – provided he can stick to the straight-and-narrow.

Which sounds all well and good, but when the soul Sam’s sent to collect goes missing, Sam finds himself off the straight-and-narrow pretty quick.

3. Seven Wonders by Adam Christopher

SevenWonders-144dpiOfficial URL | Goodreads | My Review

Tony Prosdocimi lives in the bustling Metropolis of San Ventura – a city gripped in fear, a city under siege by the hooded supervillain, The Cowl.

When Tony develops super-powers and acts to take down The Cowl, however, he finds that the local superhero team Seven Wonders aren’t as grateful as he assumed they’d be…

4. The Siege of Castellax by C. L. Werner

Siege-of-CastellaxOfficial URL | Goodreads | My Review

The Chaos Space Marines of the Iron Warriors Legion have long been renowned as the masters of siege warfare, able to inflict devastating firepower and unimaginable cruelty upon their foes. On the world of Castellax, twisted Warsmith Andraaz builds his own empire even as a system-crushing ork Waaagh! approaches, and drives his own slaves ever harder to meet their production quotas and supply materiel for the Legion’s many warbands. Their walls are strong and their weapons ready, but how long can the planet hold out against the deadly greenskin invasion when whisperings of rebellion begin to pass between the Iron Warriors’ downtrodden vassals?

5. Spin The Sky by Katy Stauber

SpintheSkyOfficial URL | Goodreads | My Review

HOME IS WHERE THE HERD IS . . .

Fifteen years after winning the Spacer War, Cesar Vaquero has returned to Ithaca, a rugged orbital colony that boasts the only herd of cattle in space, and a wife and a son who don’t even recognize him when he shows up at their doorstep. Posing as a homeless drifter, he soon discovers that making his way home past space pirates, one-eyed giants, and mad scientists was the easy part . . .

Penelope swore off men after her husband disappeared. She’s been busy enough running the ranch, raising her son, and fending off pushy suitors eager to get their hands on her and her herd. But something about this war-weary drifter stirs forgotten feelings in her, even as sabotage, rustlers, and a space stampede threaten to tear Ithaca apart!

Spin the Sky is an rollicking, high-spirited riff on a certain classic odyssey—featuring characters as big and full of surprises as Space itself!

6. Blood and Feathers by Lou Morgan

blood and feathersOfficial URL | Goodreads | My Review | Guest Post

Alice isn’t having the best of days: she got rained on, missed her bus, was late for work. When two angels arrive, claiming her life so far is a lie, it turns epic, grandscale worse.

The war between the angels and the Fallen is escalating; an age-old balance is tipping, and innocent civilians are getting caught in the cross-fire. the angels must act to restore the balance – or risk the Fallen taking control. Forever. Hunted by the Fallen and guided by Mallory – a disgraced angel with a drinking problem – alice will learn the truth about her own history… and why the angels want to send her to hell. What do the Fallen want from her? How does Mallory know so much about her past? What is it the angels are hiding – and can she trust either side? Caught between the power plays of the angels and lucifer himself, it isn’t just hell’s demons that Alice will have to defeat…

Best of the Best Audio Dramas/Audiobooks

I didn’t listen to a lot of audio dramas/audiobooks this time around so this is only going to be a straight Top 6 list.

The Top 6 –

1. Dune Chronicles #1: Dune by Frank Herbert

Dune-Frank_Herbert01Official URL | Goodreads | My Review

Here is the novel that will be forever considered a triumph of the imagination. Set on the desert planet Arrakis, Dune is the story of the boy Paul Atreides, who would become the mysterious man known as Maud’dib. He would avenge the traitorous plot against his noble family—and would bring to fruition humankind’s most ancient and unattainable dream.A stunning blend of adventure and mysticism, environmentalism and politics, Dune won the first Nebula Award, shared the Hugo Award, and formed the basis of what is undoubtedly the grandest epic in science fiction. Frank Herbert’s death in 1986 was a tragic loss, yet the astounding legacy of his visionary fiction will live forever.

2. Horus Heresy: Strike and Fade by Guy Haley

advent-strike-and-fadeOfficial URL | Goodreads | My Review

In the aftermath of the Isstvan V massacre, a group of Salamanders survivors lay a trap for their foes, a group of unwary Night Lords on the hunt for easy prey.

This is the fourteenth Advent Calendar 2012 story from Black Library and is a mini audio-drama for the Horus Heresy series.

3. Horus Heresy: Grey Angel by John French

grey-angelOfficial URL | Goodreads | My Review

On a distant world of the Imperium, an agent of Rogal Dorn finds himself the prisoner of a Legion whose loyalties may be divided. Shackled and bound, the former Luna Wolf must fight a battle of wits with his captor, lest the course of the Horus Heresy take an unexpected turn. Will his very presence drive his erstwhile allies into the arms of the Warmaster or will maintaining the status quo prevent another Legion from turning traitor? And just who is the mysterious Space Marine aiding him from the shadows?

4. Bloodquest: Prisoners of the Eye of Terror by Ben Counter

bloodquest-prisonersOfficial URL | Goodreads | My Review

Travelling across the daemon world of Eidolon in search of the stolen Blade Encarmine, Blood Angels Captain Leonatos and his battle-brothers are saved from death by another servant of the Emperor, Murius Aquinam. To their surprise, they recognise his name – he fought alongside the Blood Angels four thousand years ago. Can he still be trusted after four millennia in the Eye of Terror, or is he as much of a threat as the servants of Chaos that they fight?

5. Horus Heresy: Garro – Sword of Truth by James Swallow

SwordTruthcoverOfficial URL | Goodreads | My Review

Nathaniel Garro, knight errant and agent of the Sigillite, returns from the battlefields of Calth to find a new mission already waiting for him – a ragged fleet of Space Marines from several Legions lingers at the edge of the Terran system. With the presence of World Eaters and Emperor’s Children causing concern among the loyalist defenders and drawing a grim parallel with his own frantic flight, Garro must look beneath the obvious if he is to determine friend from foe…

6. Riyria Revelations Vol.1 Theft of Swords – The Crown Conspiracy by Michael J. Sullivan

s-typeopts13Official URL | Goodreads | My Review | Guest Post

Acclaimed author Michael J. Sullivan created instant best sellers with his spellbinding Riyria Revelations series. This first volume introduces Royce Melborn and Hadrian Blackwater, two enterprising thieves who end up running for their lives when they’re framed for the death of the king. Trapped in a conspiracy bigger than they can imagine, their only hope is unraveling an ancient mystery – before it’s too late.

The omnibus contains The Crown Conspiracy and Avempartha, the first two novels of the Riyria Revelations series.

Best of the Best Comics – Single Issues

The Top 6 –

1. New 52: Earth 2 #0 by James Robinson

EARTH2_Cv0_ds Official URL | Goodreads | My Review

Earth 2 has had to evolve under the constant threat of attack from Apokolips, and without the influence of its three greatest heroes. Many have bravely risen up to take this challenge including the Flash, Hawkgirl, The Atom, and The Green Lantern Alan Scott.

• This special zero issue is the tragic origin of Earth 2’s greatest villain!

• Don’t miss Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman in action on Earth 2!

2. New 52: Birds of Prey #0 by Duane Swierczynski

BOP_Cv0 Official URL | Goodreads | My Review

After the mysterious demise of Team 7 and on the run for a murder she didn’t commit, Black Canary became a rogue hero and focused her attention on parts of the criminal underworld that escape the grasp of most normal heroes.

• But the first meeting of Black Canary and Batgirl…is not at all what you expect!

• This special zero issues tells how the Birds of Prey came to be after Team 7?

3. New 52: Batman #14 by Scott Snyder

Batman 14 Official URL | Goodreads | My Review

• “DEATH OF THE FAMILY” continues!
• The Joker is back and somehow more sinister than ever! What caused this change? And can even Batman stop a Joker so driven and dangerous?
• And where is Alfred?
• Plus: In the backup feature, The Penguin is running out of options as he’s confronted by The Joker!

4. Before Watchmen: Minutemen #4 by Darwyn Cooke

Before Watchmen Minutemen 04Official URL | Goodreads | My Review

Darwyn Cooke brings readers the tale of the Minutemen. Formed in 1939 by Captain Metropolis and Sally Jupiter, the team brought together some of the most well known crime-fighters of the era. But public glitz and glamour only hide the grim and gritty reality behind the masks.

“You tell them, Hollis. Tell them all what they did to us!”
And don’t miss the latest sensational chapter of the CRIMSON CORSAIR, from writer LEN WEIN and artist JOHN HIGGINS.

5. Masters of the Universe #3 – Battle Cat by Mike Costa

MOTU03Official URL | Goodreads | My Review

Dive into the secret history of how Prince Adam’s trusted companion, Cringer, became the fearsome ally of He-Man known as Battle Cat!

6. Marvel Now: Thor, God of Thunder #3 by Jason Aaron

Thor 03Official URL | Goodreads | My Review

• Following the bloody wake of murdered gods across the depths of space, Thor tracks the God Butcher into the present!

• Discovering a forgotten cave on earth that echoes with the cries of tortured gods…the Thunder God is shocked to find himself among them…!

Honourable Mentions –

1. He-Man and the Masters of the Universe #4 by Keith Giffen

He-Man 04Official URL | Goodreads | My Review

The brand new mini-series by James Robinson continues as Prince Adam begins to unravel Skeletor’s plots.

• Teela and Adam journey to a mysterious volcano where they’ll face Evil-Lyn and her warlord, MAN-AT-ARMS!

• Can Adam and Teela defeat their former ally?

2. New 52: Justice League #15 by Geoff Johns

JusticeLeague15Official URL | Goodreads | My Review

• Part 1 of “THRONE OF ATLANTIS,” crossing over with AQUAMAN!

• Don’t miss the debut of IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO (AQUAMAN) as the new JUSTICE LEAGUE art team!

• Can the Justice League band together to battle the forces of Atlantis?

• And in the backup feature, Shazam comes face to face with Black Adam, and Billy makes a decision that will shock his friends!

3. Prophecy #3 by Ron Marz

Prophecy 03Official URL | Goodreads | My Review

The battlelines are drawn. With each passing hour, the sorcerer Kulan Gath uses the Mayan 2012 doomsday prophecy to push the world closer to destruction. But his sworn enemy Red Sonja followed him through time itself, and has now gathered a team of allies to oppose Gath and his army of the dead. Joined by Vampirella, Dracula, Pantha, Herbert West the Reanimator and many more, Sonja has sworn to stop Gath, even if the cost is her own soul. Dynamite’s biggest crossover ever rolls on, masterminded by writer Ron Marz, with artist Walter Geovani doing the best work of his career!

4. Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre #3 by Darwyn Cooke and Amanda Conner

Before Watchmen - Silk Spectre 03Official URL | Goodreads | My Review

Laurie Juspeczyk would one day play a pivotal role in the fate of the world in the pages of WATCHMEN, but before then, she was a young girl trying to follow in her mother’s footsteps as one of the world’s greatest crime-fighters–whether she wanted to or not.

“San Francisco, baby. The best part of the trip…is the trip.” Plus: Don’t miss the CRIMSON CORSAIR backup story by writer LEN WEIN and artist JOHN HIGGINS!

5. Planetoid #2 by Ken Garing

planetoid02Official URL | Goodreads | My Review

After crash-landing in a vast heap of space junk, wayward space-pirate Silas now journeys on to an area of the planetoid, known as “The Slab”. It’s rumored that human tribes eke out a living on this endless surface of fabricated metal… BUT, so do gangs of sadistic robots! Silas will have to gather information and find allies in order to make a stand against the larger tyrannical forces that control the planetoid.

6. Danger Girl/G.I.Joe #3 by Andy Hartnell

DangerGirl_GIJoe_03-CvrAOfficial URL | Goodreads | My Review

It’s the most dangerous event of the summer, and the action continues right here!  Abbey Chase has been working behind enemy lines as an Agent of COBRA, but when the G.I. JOE strike force puts the Danger Girl team in the line of fire, who will Abbey side with to win the battle?

Best of the Best Comics – Graphic Novels/Trades

The Top 6 –

1. Superman Earth One Volume 2 by J. Michael Straczynski

Superman E1 Vol2Official URL | Goodreads | My Review

The highly anticipated sequel to the #1 New York Times best-selling graphic novel SUPERMAN: EARTH ONE by acclaimed writer J. Michael Straczynski and superstar artist Shane Davis is here! Young Clark Kent continues his journey toward becoming the World’s Greatest Super Hero but finds dealing with humanity to be a bigger challenge than he ever imagined! From a ruthless dictator to a new love interest who’s NOT Lois Lane, things are never easy for this emerging Man of Steel.

And the worst is yet to come, in the form of a man-monster with an insatiable appetite, the Parasite! The only thing that might appease his hunger is The Last Son of Krypton! But that will also mean he will have Superman’s powers without his conscience, and Kal-El learns to live without powers beyond those of mere mortals.

2. Saga Volume 1 by Brian K. Vaughan

SagaV1Official URL | Goodreads | My Review

From New York Times bestselling writer BRIAN K.VAUGHAN (Y: THE LAST MAN, EX MACHINA) and critically acclaimed artist FIONA STAPLES (MYSTERY SOCIETY, NORTH 40), SAGA is the sweeping tale of one young family fighting to find their place in the worlds.

When two soldiers from opposite sides of a never-ending galactic war fall in love, they risk everything to bring a fragile new life into a dangerous old universe. Fantasy and science fiction are wed like never before in a sexy, subversive drama for adults. This specially priced volume collects the first arc of the smash hit series The Onion A.V. Club calls “the emotional epic Hollywood wishes it could make.”

Collects SAGA #1-6

3. Angel & Faith Volume 2 – Daddy Issues by Christos Gage

Angel & Faith Vol.2Official URL | Goodreads | My Review

The dark streets of London are increasingly dangerous as murderers, mystically devoid of emotion, begin to impact the lives of Angel and Faith. In unraveling this new mystery, the pair follow clues in the Watcher’s Files to a demon from Giles’s past and a “child” from Angel’s. Then, Drusilla returns to her homeland and becomes the hot new vampire in the underground scene! While Angel faces Dru, Faith must deal with issues that reawaken her inner turmoil—a visit from her deadbeat dad, who’s looking for a favor, and a troubled Slayer hell bent on revenge. Collects Angel & Faith #6–#10.

* Includes the one-shot featuring Giles’s magical great-aunts!

* With guest artist Chris Samnee (Serenity)!

* Drusilla is back!

4. The Darkness: Rebirth Volume 1 by David Hine

TheDarknessRebirthOfficial URL | Goodreads | My Review

A BOLD NEW ERA OF THE DARKNESS!

“THE CRACK IN EVERYTHING”
Hot on the heels of THE DARKNESS II video game release, this introductory-priced volume welcomes the new creative team of DAVID HINE (THE DARKNESS: FOUR HORSEMEN, THE BULLETPROOF COFFIN, Detective Comics) and JEREMY HAUN (ARTIFACTS, Detective Comics)! On the surface, Jackie Estacado has everything he ever wanted – control of the Darkness, a successful career, and happy family life. Only his desire to make his life truly perfect will be his undoing. What will Jackie do when everything begins to slip away?

Featuring a complete cover gallery alongside a host of bonus content and extras, this entry-level priced collection is a must for anyone curious about Top Cow’s REBIRTH!

Collects THE DARKNESS #101-105

5. Dungeons & Dragons Volume 1 – Shadowplague by John Rogers

DungeonsDragons_Vol1_TPBOfficial URL | Goodreads | My Review

Join writer John Rogers (Blue Beetle) and artist Andrea Di Vito (Annihilation) as they bring us a tale of high adventure and deep secrets. Adric Fell leads a band of heroes in a world where civilization has been reduced to a few scattered points of light amid a rising tide of shadows.

6. New 52: Batgirl Volume 1 by Gail Simone

Batgirl Volume 1Official URL | Goodreads | My Review

As a part of the acclaimed DC Comics–The New 52 event of September 2011, Barbara Gordon is finally back as Batgirl The nightmare-inducing brute known as Mirror is destroying the lives of Gotham City citizens seemingly at random. Will Barbara be able to survive her explosive confrontation with this new villain, as well as facing dark secrets from her past? A new chapter in the riveting adventures of Batgirl continue in stunning fashion, with script by fan-favorite Gail Simone and stellar art by superstar Ardian Syaf This volume colles issues 1-6 of Batgirl, part of the DC Comics–The New 52 event.

Honourable Mentions –

1. Grimm Fairy Tales: Alice in Wonderland Volume 1 by Raven Gregory

alicewonderland01Official URL | Goodreads | My Review

Decades ago, a girl named Alice was sacrificed into the horror-filled realm of Wonderland but her terrifying and awe-inspiring experiences there have been shrouded in mystery.

The one thing known is that her time spent in a world full of insanity left her a broken adult. However, her courageous will to survive is what ultimately saved humanity. Now the story of Alice’s visit into Wonderland is fully revealed and the truth of the terror will be told in full! From Raven Gregory, Ralph Tedesco and Joe Brusha, the same minds behind Grimm Fairy Tales and Return To Wonderland comes the newest series that Zenescope fans have been waiting for. What every Zenescope fan has been waiting for is finally here! Follow Zenescope back down the rabbit hole and find a world of madness like you have never seen before!

2. Star Wars: Crimson Empire Saga by Mike Richardson and Randy Stardley

CrimsonEmpireSagaOfficial URL | Goodreads | My Review

The blood-soaked tale of the last surviving member of Emperor Palpatine’s Royal Guard is now complete in one dust-jacketed hardcover edition! From revenge to redemption, the story of Kir Kanos takes him from the deserts of Yinchorr, to the halls of Imperial power, and to the inner circle of the New Republic. Included are encounters with Darth Vader, Boba Fett, Luke Skywalker, and Leia Organa Solo. An epic tale in one epic tome!

*The complete Crimson Empire Saga in one deluxe edition!

3. New 52: Birds of Prey Volume 1 by Duane Swierczynski

Birds of Prey Vol.1Official URL | Goodreads | My Review

One is wanted for a murder she didn’t commit. The other is on the run because she knows too much. They are Dinah Laurel Lance and Ev Crawford – a.k.a. Black Canary and Starling – and joining them are the villainous Poison Ivy and the heroic Batgirl and together, as Gotham City’s covert ops team, they’re taking down the villains other heroes can’t touch. They are the Birds of Prey.

4. Spider-Men by Brian Michael Bendis

Spider-MenOfficial URL | Goodreads | My Review

It’s the ULTIMATE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN EVENT OF THE YEAR, as Spider-Man comes face-to-face with …Spider-Man! Can even Peter Parker and Miles Morales – the Spider-Men of two worlds – defeat Mysterio, the Master of Illusions? And what happens when Miles encounters an older, wiser version of his inspiration, Peter Parker? Guest starring Nick Fury and the Ultimates! Be here for the story that makes history, as Brian Michael Bendis tears down the walls between the Marvel Universe and the Ultimate Universe!

COLLECTING: Spider-Men 1-5

5. New 52: Aquaman Volume 2 by Geoff Johns

Aquaman Vol.2Official URL | Goodreads | My Review 0-12 | My Review #13-15

Long before the King of the Seven Seas joined the Justice League, Aquaman was a part of another super-team: The Others. These young costumed adventurers traveled the globe, each trying to find their own individual road to redemption.Six years later after a grisly murder, The Others are reunited. They know only one man could be responsible: Black Manta. Aquaman must lead the charge to stop his arch-nemesis, but will the years have fractured The Others just enough to keep them from bringing this villain to justice? By the critically acclaimed creative team behind BLACKEST NIGHT Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis, AQUAMAN VOLUME 2: THE OTHERS is the heart-stopping heart stopping follow up to the #1 New York Times best-selling AQUAMAN VOLUME 1: THE TRENCH. This volume collects issues #7-13, as well as the special #0 issue.

6. Battle Beasts Volume 1 by Bobby Curnow

BattleBeastsVolume1Official URL | Goodreads | My Review #1-2 | My Review #3-4

It’s just another average day for Bliss, an ignored linguist at the Department of Defense. However, when Bliss unlocks the secret translation of an ancient scroll, terror rains from the sky… in the form of the BATTLE BEASTS! Unstoppable creatures armed to the teeth, the Battle Beasts are determined to make Earth their own personal war zone. Nothing can stop their merciless carnage. Nothing except perhaps a gentle word from the one woman who can understand them—Bliss!

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