By Michael Meade

With a new year comes new comic stories! I am ridiculously excited about the comics this week, especially the comics I have chosen to highlight. These stories are about reinventing yourself, reinventing your image, and reinventing your state of mind. These new comics will blow you away with not only their breathtaking art but also with how much we all can relate to the need to reinvent ourselves sometimes.

DC

Dark Knights of Steel #9

• Written by Tom Taylor
• Art by Yasmine Putri

For those who haven’t read this book yet, Dark Knights of Steel is about DC characters in a fantasy setting (to put it simply). This makes it a great pick for both fantasy fans and DC fans. This Elseworlds story has been absolutely fantastic. This issue particularly puts everything we know about the universe on its head. Taylor is telling this simple but effective story about a potential war between three kingdoms. A war with super-people that everyone hopes doesn’t happen. Putri’s art also brings you into a new world, with her new character designs and backgrounds, this book is a must-read for anyone.

Marvel

Scarlet Witch #1

• Written by Steve Orlando
• Art by Sara Pichelli

The Scarlet Witch is back and has reinvented herself for the greater good! She knows what it means to hit rock bottom and she is helping others to climb out of that lonely pit. This new series by Steve Orlando really demonstrates why he is one of the best comic writers out right now. The Scarlet Witch needed a direction and Orlando, with the help of the life-changing art of Pichelli, paint this picture of redemption and a need to help the world. No one is perfect, and this new series will demonstrate that you never are truly lost from being a hero.

Independent

Trojan #1

• Written by Michael Kraus
• Art by Marco Lesco

Continuing the theme of reinventing yourself, the magical world of fairies, centaurs, elves, and so much more have decided that they don’t want to hide anymore. Instead of magic and wonder, these creatures’ legends have fallen to wild rumor, and there is a person on a mission and their hacker that will bring to life these creatures who have finally decided to show themselves. Kraus writes a horror thriller like no one has before, with every twist and turn seemingly coming out of nowhere. The magic in this story isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be and sometimes leads you down a path you never wanted to go. Lesco also creates amazing depictions of fantasy and horror, things that if combined will make you rethink what really is magic. This is a really fun and ingenues look at fantasy and horror that needs to be read by any fantasy and horror fan!

DC Graphic Novel

Monkey Prince Vol 1 Enter the Monkey

• Written by Gene Luen Yang
• Art by Bernard Chang

This book is simply amazing, and I truly mean that. Luen Yang is a master at his craft and brings to light a brand new character to DC, which is something that is extremely hard to do. However, Luen Yang nails this character and everything they stand for. Chang also gives this new character life through the visuals. The bring pop of colors and the uncluttered action panels really highlight how amazing he is as an artist. The story is about a teenager who finds out they are the Monkey Prince, a warrior of legend who is meant to save the world. Obviously, there is some freakout, followed by lots of villains and even Batman and Robin! This comic is a must-read for literally anyone, it is fun, action-packed, well written, and very funny.