Jumping On: New Story Arcs Kicking Off On January 26, 2022

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, notable #1s, and One-Shots premiering this upcoming New Comic Book Day, Wednesday, January 26, 2022.

New Story Arcs:

Saga #55, Image

‘At long last, Hazel and her star-crossed family are finally back! But where the hell have they been? As thanks for fans’ endless patience, the Saga team is proud to return with a double-length issue—44 pages of story for the regular $2.99 price point—without variant covers or gimmicky renumbering. Just more pulse-punding adventure, heart-wrenching character drama, and gloriously graphic sex and violence, as Saga begins the second half of the series and the most epic chapter yet.’

Monstress #36, Image

‘NEW STORY ARC

A betrayed Maika hovers near death, and Kippa must navigate the intricate politics of the Dusk Court on her own.’

Monstress #36, Image

‘The explosive second arc starts here! After the game-changing events in Brazil, the Awakened regroup to plan their next steps. But with thousands of lifetimes rushing back to them, can they agree on anything long enough to get started? And what are their enemies planning on the other side of the world?’

Notable #1s/One-Shots:

Batman / Catwoman Special #1, DC

‘Some great romances are destined to be. The Batman / Catwoman series shows readers the romance between Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle as it changed over their lives, but what about their connections from before they became costumed adventurers? This special one-off issue, meticulously illustrated by John Paul Leon (Batman: Creature of the Night), traces the life of Selina Kyle from her earliest days to her entry into the criminal underworld, and reveals that Bruce was actually a presence in her life all along. Whether it was fate or coincidence, this story gives even more reasons why Selina and Bruce’s connection is one of the most enduring love affairs in comics.’

X Deaths of Wolverine #1, Marvel

‘DEATH IS NOT THE END. DEATH IS THE OMEGA. WEEK 2—If WOLVERINE’s future lies in the past, what does that mean for the present? The reciprocal series to X LIVES OF WOLVERINE, X DEATHS OF WOLVERINE is can’t-miss reading, chock-full of revelations for the best there is as well as the fate of mutantkind!

CONTINUED FROM X LIVES OF WOLVERINE #1 / CONTINUED IN X LIVES OF WOLVERINE #2’

Happy Hill #1, Comixtribe

‘When a child goes missing on the grounds of an exclusive vacation resort, the investigation uncovers dark secrets hidden for decades, and an unstoppable supernatural menace who will make this vacation permanent! Happy Hill is a vacation horror thriller. Available with two enhanced covers, Happy Hill reveals the horrifying truth about how far some people will go to be happy. The hills are alive with the sound of screaming!’

Mary Jane & Black Cat: Beyond #1, Marvel

‘Black Cat has been kidnapped, and the only person who can save her is…MARY JANE WATSON?! Mary Jane has never liked Felicia Hardy, and now she has to save her life?! But remember, this is the Black Cat we’re talking about. Things are never quite what they seem.

BEYOND TIE-IN’

Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: 1957 – Forgotten Lives #1, Dark Horse

‘Hellboy and Professor Trevor Bruttenholm team up for some quality father-son time at a New York potter’s field where they try to unravel the mystery of a spectral being haunting the packed graveyard. Upon arrival, the two of them quickly realize there may be more things haunting the buried poor at the mass grave than meets the eye. . .

Celebrated writer Mike Mignola and longtime collaborator Chris Roberson bring you another exciting Hellboy one-shot, with exquisite art by Stephen Green and Dave Stewart!’

Marauders Annual #1, Marvel

‘A NEW CREW SETS SAIL! With Kate Pryde at the helm, the Marauders are ready to renew their mission of mutant rescue! She’s got the mission—all she needs now is a new boat and a fresh crew to match. Pryde and Bishop must unite a crew of mutants, new and old, to spring Daken from imprisonment at the hands of a leader who’s as cruel as he is charismatic: the primal provocateur known as Brimstone Love! It’s the Marauders versus the Theater of Pain, a torture troupe that’s set up shop in Xavier’s School’s old backyard! Come aboard for the first adventure as Steve Orlando takes the helm with our sea-faring mutants!’

Until My Knuckles Bleed #1, Behemoth

‘From the creator of the bestselling comic, Polar, now a NETFLIX HIT MOVIE starring Mads Mikkelsen, comes a new creator owned series. A tale of crime and capes in the style of THE BOYS, WATCHMEN and SIN CITY. The 90s were the most extreme age of the superheroes… but times have changed. Gabin Hart, AKA Damager, now works as a bouncer in a strip club managed by the Russian mob, hangs out sporadically with his ex Avengelady, and wrestles with the long-term effects of his cyber-implants. But Fate always keeps one last cheap shot up its sleeve for a hero.’

Devil’s Reign: Winter Soldier #1, Marvel

‘A power-mad Mayor Fisk has been gathering information on Super Heroes. How far will Bucky Barnes go to steal the file on his own shadowy, half-remembered past as the Winter Soldier? And what horrible revelation awaits him if he can get past the Kingpin? Some secrets are meant to stay buried. And some doors are meant to stay closed.

DEVIL’S REIGN TIE-IN’

Peacemaker: Disturbing the Peace #1, DC

‘Long before joining the Suicide Squad, Christopher Smith, codename Peacemaker, meets with a psychiatrist—a woman dangerously obsessed with his bizarre and violent past. From his tragic childhood to his military service overseas to his multiple missions with Special Forces, Smith has more than his share of skeletons in the closet. But who’s actually analyzing whom? And will this trip down memory lane result in yet more fatalities? 

Garth Ennis and Garry Brown delve deep into Christopher Smith’s history of violence, and reveal what might bring peace—or not—to the Peacemaker.’

Tales Told in Technihorror – Season 2 #1, Scout

‘Black Caravan Imprint: Tales Told in TechniHorror returns for a second season! Continuing the trend of jumping between sub-genres of horror effortlessly, season 2 includes tales from the dark ages, the wild west, a nod to 80’s slashers, and classic horror comics of the 60’s and 70’s, before finishing on a meta story about a comic book artist. All whilst giving it the unique TechniHorror spin. Includes a mini pinup gallery of horrors.’

Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser – Halcyon Legacy #1, Marvel

‘THE VOYAGES OF THE GREATEST OF ALL-STAR CRUISERS! As the legendary HALCYON embarks on a momentous…cruise, the ship heads toward a confrontation with THE FIRST ORDER! But what secret from THE HIGH REPUBLIC ERA can help the passengers and crew all these years later? And how did JEDI NIBS and BURRY fend off a NIHIL attack on one of the ship’s first ever voyages?’

Usagi Yojimbo: Lone Goat & Kid #1, IDW

‘Presented in all-new color, the next series of classic Usagi reprints focuses on a series of important short stories from the early days of the ronin rabbit’s adventures! In this first issue, “Frost and Fire”, Usagi is tasked with retrieving a slain samurai’s swords-if he can solve an impossible moral quandary first!’

End After End #1, Vault

‘Life is nothing if not a series of endings.

School. Jobs. Friendships. Love.

Until THE end.

Walter Willem’s end was fast and unexpected. His was an unremarkable life. So, how is it that his story continues as cannon fodder in an endless war waged against an insatiable darkness hellbent on consuming all of existence?

And is Walter right in believing he’s arrived in the midst of this titanic battle as the one destined to finally end it?

That’s the tale of the End After End.’

All Guts No Glory #1, Zenescope

‘36 Pages of Content!

Unbeknownst to the general population, there are highly trained military teams who bravely protect us from dozens of species of monsters that we don’t know exist! And then there are the guys who clean it all up… Craig and Jimmy are those guys. And while Craig has accepted his lot in life, Jimmy, on the other hand, desperately wishes to one day become an elite monster hunter himself. But when Craig and Jimmy stumble onto a charming vampire named Sara, they’ll be forced to decide if they should risk everything to help save her soul.’

New Men #1, Action Lab Comics

‘It’s the near future, and those who face death without fear are given the abilities of gods – superpowers! People are tying themselves to train tracks and running into burning buildings to gain these powers. Few succeed. Most die. Those that succeed are “New Men”, but they’re hunted down by the badass bounty hunter, Shade! Dive headfirst into the mind-blowing world of bio-punk superhuman action straight from amazing first-time African creators, Ayodele and Akande!’

Dark Red: Where Roads Lead #1, AfterShock

‘PRESTIGE FORMAT ONE-SHOT

The hit vampires-in-the-heartland series returns!

Following the events surrounding the defeat of the Order of the Eventide, blue-collar vampire Chip tries to return to his life of quiet, rural isolation. But soon he has to ditch his late-night convenience store shift to travel across the country to New Orleans to visit a dying veteran. What starts as a trip of noble intent becomes a quest through a hell of wars to retrieve a stolen soul and escape an old enemy.

Writer Tim Seeley (BRILLIANT TRASH, THE BEQUEST) and artist Corin Howell (Shadow Service) return to bring us the next chapter in the epic tale of horror and adventure that is DARK RED – and this one has twice the bite!’

Star Trek: The Next Generation – Best of Captain Picard #1. IDW

‘Revisit some of the best adventures of Captain Picard in this extra-long collection! Featuring stories from across multiple Star Trek comic publishers, this issue is perfect for any fan wanting to learn more about the celebrated Starfleet officer.’

Space Bastards: Special Delivery #1, Humanoids

‘A special, extra-sized one-shot from the mad minds behind SPACE BASTARDS! Postmaster General Roy Sharpton must rely on an untested green recruit to save the Intergalactic Postal Service! A fledgling entrepreneur crosses paths with a trio of Bastards! Planetary authorities try to get some answers after innocents are gunned down in a feathery, neon-pink bloodbath! Three short stories featuring art by Gabo, Boo Cook, and the legendary Simon Bisley, all under a cover by Glenn Fabry!’

Everything Sucks #1, Silver Sprocket

‘Noah and Calla are high, hungry, and should probably go outside. Unfortunately, the outside sucks. You can’t even get a burger without the whole place almost burning down! Michael Sweater combines 90s animation nostalgia, sitcom antics, and a seasoning of stoner comedy in this new series. Includes stickers and poster!’

Cat Shit One Vol. 3 #1, Antarctic Press

‘FIRST TIME IN PRINT IN ENGLISH!

Perky, Rats and Botasky, the members of special forces unit Cat Shit One, have left the jungles of Southeast Asia for the island tropics just off South America. For our hirsute heroes, it ain’t just the humidity, it’s the heat of battle!’

Duel #1, Bliss On Tap Publishing

‘Are you ready to duel? In the first issue we meet an FBI Agent tasked with investigating the mysterious deep website Duel.global, which pits its growing number of subscribers against each other in real life, in a race to stop a high schooler who has challenged the site’s highest ranked dueler in a match to the death.’

Bonyeer: The Aromatic #1, Keenspot

‘Japanese sensation Hirano “Piyotycho” Masanori makes his English-language comic book debut! Bonyeer the Aromatic is a world-famous, treasure-hunting zombie-killer, but she has an embarrassing secret – her zombie-killing success is the result of Death-Dealing armpit stink, and the only thing keeping the world safe from her smell is an Odor-Neutralizing hoodie! But when fighting monsters works up a serious sweat, there’s no stopping the funk from flying!’

Cheap Tricks #1, Bad Kids Press

‘A western adventure featuring a gunfightin’ Grandma who will do anything to protect her Grandson. That means pulling every cheap trick in the Old West to survive!’