6 new comics to read in October, including Batman, Storm, and more

Absolute Batman #1 (DC Comics, on sale October 9) has the potential to be this year’s biggest superhero release. It’s the start of the new Absolute line of reimagined DC heroes. It brings writer Scott Snyder back to the character that made him a comics superstar. But most excitingly, it’s a showcase for artist Nick Dragotta, whose brilliant design skills sell the idea that this is a genuinely different Dark Knight. Snyder and Dragotta’s version of Bruce Wayne is a working-class engineer who is built like a tank, and this new backstory results in a Batman that is all about utility. The brick of a Bat-Symbol on his chest detaches to create the head of an ax, his cape has poles and hooks that allow him to snatch enemies from a distance, and his ears are detachable knives.

The preview art highlights how all of these features energize the action storytelling, and reuniting Dragotta with his East Of West colorist, Frank Martin Jr., guarantees that readers are going to be treated to astonishing visuals in every issue. This art team sets the bar extremely high for the rest of the Absolute titles, but with creators like Hayden Sherman (Absolute Wonder Woman), Rafa Sandoval (Absolute Superman), Nick Robles (Absolute Flash), and Jahnoy Lindsay (Absolute Green Lantern) all on board, this new DC universe has the creative backbone to distinguish itself from the wide array of existing variations.

Horror fans rejoice! The comic-book dark lords have heard your prayers and delivered not one, not two, but three new stories from artist Vanesa R. Del Rey, whose work on books like The Empty Man, Scarlet Witch, and Redlands have made her a modern master of the genre. First up is The Creeping Below #1 (Boom! Studios, on sale October 2), teaming Del Rey with writer Brian Azzarello and colorist Hilary Jenkins for a revenge thriller about a young female metalhead who is resurrected by the Old Gods of Norse mythology when she’s sacrificed at a music festival. The setting shifts from the forests of Oslo to the White House with The Exorcism At 1600 Penn #1 (IDW, on sale October 16), a well-timed story about the first female president dealing with a demonic invasion, a potential third world war, and being a mother of two teenagers. Written by Hannah Rose May, Exorcism reunites Del Rey with her frequent colorist collaborator Jordie Bellaire, an expert at heightening the atmosphere and emotion in Del Rey’s linework. 

Finally, Del Rey does double duty as writer-artist for a short comic in Come Find Me: An Autumnal Offering (DSTLRY, on sale October 30), a collection of scary stories curated by Becky Cloonan. Co-written by Andrew Betsch with layouts by John Starr and colors by Lee Loughridge, “Coal & Clover” takes readers to a coal mining town in the early 20th century, where a man’s murder drives his widow to make a deal with sinister forces. Other Come Find Me creators include Celine Loup, E.M. Carroll, Molly Mendoza, HamletMachine and Joe Pavelka, and Cloonan herself, a murderers’ row of creators that are pushing the visual boundaries of comic-book horror.