We are in the middle of 2025 and are already beginning to become the year of the comic banner. This week we’ve broken down the picks of the outstanding series and Graphic Novel of the Year so far, from absolute Mars manhunters to exquisite corpses to bowling with corpses.
But before diving into the favourites, there’s a packed news segment featuring Marvel and DC’s September 2025 solicitations, huge updates from both publishers, Marvel/DC’s crossover expansion, and new series announcements from IDW, Dark Horse, Dynamite and more. Oh, and don’t miss this surprising visit from X-Men Monday Columnist Chris Hassan!
Plus: This week’s top book, next week’s most scheduled release, outstanding Kapow Moment, and always stylish judgments by Cover Jr.
Strap in. That’s a big thing!
You can find it on streaming the AIPT comic podcasts below or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or where you can get the podcasts.
AIPT Comics’ Top Book of the Week:
Dave:
Benjamin #1 (Ben H. Winters, Remax) Fantastic for Fanfare (2025) #2 (Various)
Alex:
Absolute Flash #4 (Lemire, Al Kaplan) Exquisite Corpses #2 (Tynion IV, Walsh, Marianna Ingazzi)
This week’s outstanding Kapou moment:
Alex: Gwenpool #2 (Cavan Scott, Stefanonesi)
Dave: Emma Frost: White Queen #1 (Amy Chew, Andrea Di Vito)
By judging the cover segment, Dave loves Terrieddson’s Ultimate Spider-Man #18 cover, and Alex can’t get over the amazing Absolute Man Hunter #4 cover! Check it out below!
Aipt Comics Podcast Best Comics of the Year…so far!
Alex:
Choose 3 Series:
Absolute Flash (Jeff Lemire, Nick Robles) Storm (Murewa Ayodele & Lucas Werneck) Exquisite Corpses (James Tynion IV, Michael Walsh, et al.)
Choose a graphic novel or collection:
A lovely house by the sea vol. 1 (Tynion IV, Alvaro Martinez Bueno)
Dave:
Choose 3 Series:
Assorted Crisis Events (2025) #1 (Deniz Camp, Eric Zawadzki) (Three Issues) Absolute Martian Manhunter (Deniz Camp & Javier Rodriguez) (Issue 3) Absolute Batman (2024) (Scott Snyder, Nick Dragotta, Marcos Martin) (Sixth issue this year)
Choose a graphic novel or collection:
Bowling with corpses and other strange stories from unknown lands. Written by Mike Mignola. Mike Mignora’s art. Dave Stewart’s colour.
Chris:
Choose 3 Series:
The Amazing Spider-Man (Joe Kelly, Pepe Lalas) (No. 6, 2025) Moon is Us (DWJ and Riley Rosmo) (No. 6, 2025) Jump Scare (Cullen Bunn and Danny Lucert) (No. 4, 2025)
Choose a graphic novel or collection:
Low orbit (Author – Artist Kazimir Lee)
