Jumping On: New Story Arcs Kicking Off On October 20, 2021

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 and a few interesting #1’s premiering this upcoming New Comic Book Day, Wednesday, October 20, 2021.

New Arcs:

Star Wars: The High Republic #10, Marvel

‘A NEW STORY BEGINS THIS ISSUE – THE SHADOW OF THE NIHIL! Following the terrible events of The Rising Storm, the villainous NIHIL are in retreat, hunted by THE JEDI. WAYSEEKER KNIGHT ORLA JARENI is attacked by a lone Nihil Stormship in deep space, a Stormship commanded by one of the Jedi’s own. Which of STARLIGHT BEACON’S number have joined the Nihil Horde? And how far will they turn from the light?’

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #122, IDW

‘The fallout from the confrontation between the Mutanimals and the TMNT continues with many questioning what direction Mutant Town is headed for. While the Turtles discuss their new path forward, Hob begins to set his sights on a new target: Baxter Stockman!’

Notable #1s:

Gunslinger Spawn #1, Image Comics

‘Introducing the launch of the second new monthly title spinning out of the SPAWN UNIVERSE, with one of the most popular characters in the entire SPAWN mythology! This book contains three

separate GUNSLINGER stories, each taking a look at his journey through time – from the wild, wild west to the 21st century.

Will his 200-year-old past come back to haunt him as he navigates the strange world of 2021? Get ready for the past and present to collide in this new ongoing title!’

Batman Secret Files: Peacekeeper-01 #1, DC Comics

‘Picking up after the events of Fear State: Alpha, follow Sean Mahoney, a.k.a. Peacekeeper-01, in the wake of his exposure to highly potent Fear Toxin at the hands of the Scarecrow! Now, dosed with terror and facing a lifetime of fear and insecurity, Mahoney has found himself frantically reflecting on his past as a GCPD officer, and then as a prison guard at Arkham Asylum—all while desperately attempting to keep his mind from fracturing. Will Peacekeeper-01 give into fear…or become terror incarnate? 

FEAR STATE TIE-IN’

Aggretsuko: Super Fun Special #1, Oni Press

‘When Kabae gives Retsuko a book from a Regency-era romance series, our hero becomes obsessed. After reading the entire series over a sleepless weekend, Retsuko finds that her mother also loves the series, and the two spend an entire lunch talking about it. They are thrilled to realize that a pop-up shop themed around the book has opened nearby and is hosting a competition for a pre-release DVD of the TV show pilot! Also featuring two all-new stories from Brenda Hickey, Josh Tierney, and Shadia Amin.’

Swamp Dogs #1, Scout Comics

‘They came from the swamp… the scummiest squad of Confederate soldiers– brought back to life by powerful Voodoo magic. They crave power, carnage, and female flesh! They are the SWAMP DOGS! Now, young lovers Ayana and Violet, and their friends from the goofy stoner metal band The Grunch, will unknowingly fall into their ghoulish nest in HOUSE OF CROWS. Bear witness to a rollicking gorefest straight out of the shocking grindhouse and revengeful blaxploitation of the 1970s, and the cult horror classics of the 1980s… with a modern twist. Keep telling yourself, “it’s just a book, it’s just a book…”’

Catwoman: Lonely City #1, DC Comics

‘Ten years ago, the massacre known as Fools’ Night claimed the lives of Batman, The Joker, Nightwing, and Commissioner Gordon…and sent Selina Kyle, the Catwoman, to prison. A decade later, Gotham has grown up—it’s put away costumed heroism and villainy as childish things. The new Gotham is cleaner, safer…and a lot less free, under the watchful eye of Mayor Harvey Dent and his Batcops. It’s into this new city that Selina Kyle returns, a changed woman…with her mind on that one last big score: the secrets hidden inside the Batcave! She doesn’t need the money—she just needs to know…who is “Orpheus?”’

Nubia and the Amazons #1, DC Comics

‘PARADISE LOST

With the unexpected arrival of new Amazons, our hero is forced to reckon with her past and forge a new path forward for her sisters. Little does she know, a great evil grows beneath the island and it’s up to this former guardian of Doom’s Doorway to unite her tribe before paradise is lost forever!’

Phoenix Song: Echo #1, Marvel Comics

‘STRAIGHT OUT OF HER TRANSFORMATION IN AVENGERS, ECHO GETS AN EXHILARATING SOLO SERIES FROM BESTSELLER REBECCA ROANHORSE! Against all odds, one of the most powerful entities in the Marvel Universe chose Maya Lopez, a deaf street fighter, as its new avatar. And the burning question on everyone’s minds is: WHY?! But Echo is the last person to answer. Still learning her new cosmic abilities — and struggling with the Phoenix’s overwhelming personality — Echo strikes out to return to her roots. But the reservation has even fewer answers. And where power goes, evil follows. Someone wants Echo to fail — and unleash a power only the greatest heroes in history have been able to control. Avengers artist Luca Maresca joins superstar writer Rebecca Roanhorse for a story that will light the universe on fire!’

Refrigerator Full of Heads #1, DC Comics

‘Hill House Comics is back and heads are going to roll for making readers wait! The new wave of titles begins with a rancid return trip to bloody Brody Island. For a year now, the mysterious axe that unleashed pandemonium during the hurricane of ’83 has waited at the bottom of the bay but nothing that powerful stays buried. Brody Island has new visitors, and a new sheriff in town, too—not to mention a dangerous great white shark spotted in its waters—and when vacationing couple Calvin Beringer and Arlene Fields find themselves on the wrong side of Brody’s unsavory elements, their beachcombing will turn up something a lot sharper than sea glass… Crime novelist Rio Youers joins forces with artist Tom Fowler to unleash a gonzo grindhouse expansion on the lore of the original Basketful of Heads!’

Ant #1, Image Comics

‘”ANT: WHO SHE IS AND HOW SHE CAME TO BE!”

Erik Larsen takes on a whole new wall-crawler! ANT’s epic adventure kicks off with this all-new origin issue! A new ongoing title by ERIK LARSEN.’

Nita Hawes Nightmare Blog #1, Image Comics

‘”THE FIRE NEXT TIME,” Part One

From the universe of Eisner-nominated series KILLADELPHIA comes a terrifying new tie-in horror series by acclaimed Marvel writer RODNEY BARNES and fan-favorite SPAWN artist JASON SHAWN ALEXANDER.

Jimmy Sangster might have left Maryland for the vampire-infested city of “Killadelphia,” but there is still untold evil lurking the streets of Baltimore. The demon Corson has surfaced from the underworld to possess a once-wronged man, and his vengeance will come at the cost of humanity’s despair! But Jimmy’s former lover Nita Hawes – a woman with demons of her own – has begun a quest to root the evil out of her city. Guided by the ghost of her dead brother, she must come to terms with her own past, lest she join her brother in a state worse than death!’

Critical Role: The Tales of Exandria The Bright Queen #1, Dark Horse Comics

‘Leylas Kryn, the Bright Queen of the Kryn Dynasty, has spent multiple lives in pursuit of assembling the Luxon. With her eternal lover Quana at her side, she will stop at nothing to use its otherworldly power to bring a Golden Age to the peoples under her rule. So, when what might be the final piece of the Luxon appears nearby, Leylas sends Quana to collect it…with consequences that may threaten the entire Dynasty!’

My Little Pony : Generations #1, IDW Publishing

‘A brand-new Pony adventure begins here, encompassing generations both old and new when G1 and Friendship is Magic collide!

A long time ago, an evil witch named Hydia sought to destroy pony-kind. Now her granddaughters, Grackle and Dyre, are back to finish the job!

With the School of Friendship overloaded with students, Starlight Glimmer and the Mane Six reach out for help. Enter: Violet Shiver, Shadow Storm, and Black Belle! But these ponies aren’t quite what they seem; in fact, they’re working for Grackle and Dyre! With their sights set on revenge and a brand-new Smooze on hand, the young witches and their dastardly creations are ready to cause some mayhem…’

Pop Star Assassin #1, Behemoth Comics

‘The year is 1977. The King is dead. The world mourns. But…

When a mysterious briefcase turns up in his dressing room, Bruce– a coke-addled Elvis impersonator finds himself wedged between a Mob boss out for revenge and a government conspiracy with far-reaching, world-ending ramifications; all in an attempt to discover the true identity of his father’s killer.

It’s sex, drugs, rock n robots 70’s style in this all-out action adventure.

The year is 1977. The KING IS DEAD – LONG LIVE THE KING!

And who the f*ck is Molly?’

Freakshow Kingdom #1, Second Sight Publishing

‘Welcome to the Freakshow Kingdom! Jonathan Hedrick’s zombie universe is collected for the first time ever. Step inside a horrific realm full of the undead and those unfortunate to live among them and their own tragic deformities. Featuring the one-shot stories Freakshow Princess, Freakshow Knight, and Freakshow Jester.’

Verotika: Revenge #1, Verotik

‘Pumkyl is summoned by the White Witch for a most grisly task by Glenn Danzig and Simon Bisley. Verotik’s Devil-Girl Akuma-She makes her shocking return to the Verotik pantheon by Glenn Danzig and Rafa Garres. All wrapped in an Incredible painted cover by Simon Bisley!’

Hellcop #1, Image Comics

‘”WELCOME TO HELL”

When mankind first broke through the walls between dimensions, nothing could have prepared them for what they would find in Known Reality Plane 1301-A: it was absolute Hell. Literally. A covert security force was quickly assembled to patrol the Hellplane and ensure that none of the nastier denizens made their way Earthside. They were dubbed the Pan-Dimensional Security Corps.’

The Orville: Artifacts #1, Dark Horse Comics

‘When Ed bumps into his old astro- archaeology teacher, the professor asks for assistance in his pursuit of the lost fleet of the Zankon, whose systems-spanning empire rose and fell millions of years ago, according to legend. However, doing so means taking the Orville into a system so hazardous no ship has ever successfully navigated it.’

Night of the Ghoul #1, Comixology

‘A dazzling work of horror, intercutting between the present-day narrative and the story of a lost horror film.

The writer and artist behind Batman: The Black Mirror reunite to shed light on a celluloid artifact once thought forever missing, perhaps with good reason…’

Iron Head #1, Second Sight Publishing

‘In a huge battle that stretches for miles and miles, a fierce and terrible massacres of enemy soldiers by the Duke Higher, who seems to know no fear. In fact, he takes pleasure in killing does not spare anyone, even those who surrender. Higer has a face full of scars (a sign of countless battles and killings) but can not be killed.’

Dungeons & Dragons: Mindbreaker #1, IDW Publishing

‘The prelude to the much-anticipated video game Baldur’s Gate III begins here!

Changed by their experiences in Avernus, Krydle, Shandie, Delina, Nerys, Minsc, and Boo return home to Baldur’s Gate to find that something much more insidious has taken root… what could be behind the odd behavior of the Head Librarian of the Knowledge-Hold?’

Purgatori #1, Dynamite

‘DEBUT ISSUE!  From the team that brought you the seismic VAMPIRELLA VS. PURGATORI series comes the solo follow-up for the demon of dark humor!  Purgatori’s really living the vampire demon life. She’s got Lilith’s nasty mind worm eating her willpower. She’s going bug-nuts crazy. And now, there are a bunch of witches targeting her with their weird body-snatching schemes. Clearly, it’s time for some quiet introspection and careful planning, right?  Get ready for bloody mayhem instead!’

Forsaken #1, Second Sight Publishing

‘London, 1883. For Vida Gedmintas and the Order of the Golden Lance, what begins as another magically fuelled murder investigation soon turns into a race against time to prevent a dark wizard from summoning Abaddon, the Angel of Death, to our realm.’