Every week there is a true flood of new cartoons: new issues, variant covers, new #1, fresh miniseries. There are plenty of dozens of bookshelves to land in local comic shops, but it can also be achieved at local indie bookstores! ). From fresh original graphic novels, the much-anticipated archive editions and recent collections of cartoons, from collections for all traders, there are plenty of trade paperbacks and hardcovers to fill the shelves.
After reviewing these types of books for AIPT over the years, I have come to appreciate what makes the collection really special. Here at TradeWatch, I picked five books next week and it seems like the most exciting to me. This is my recommendation for the week of August 18th, 2025.
Absolute New Frontier (2025 Edition)
DC Comics, HC – $125.00 (Buy Now)
DC
In the 1950s, Cold War fantasies banned mysterious men from the Golden Age. Stubborns like Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman continued to fight for truth and justice, but as the world was hurt towards an uncertain future, a new kind of hero would be needed to define the way in America.
For those who didn’t get a much more affordable (but much smaller) compact comic edition of this book last week, this massive hardcover is the best way to truly sink into the late Darwin Cook’s incredible artwork. This is just the latest reprint of the book, first released in 2006. DC’s labor stays on the shelf is a true dedication to the work of an incredible and unparalleled genius.
Buff Soul
fantagraphics, hc – $29.99 (buy now)
Life quickly becomes chaotic as cartoonist More Romanova joins her rockstar best on a tour in the US, and adolescent trauma begins to plague her. Buff Soul is a graphic novel about friendship and sadness, and finding yourself in relation to others.
Swedish artist More Romanova is a manga artist who can’t be mistaken for others. A boring character, a singular character with boring proportions, a commitment to a kind of 1980s design aesthetic, and her work all come out with a bit of intimate modern malaise. Buff Soul talks about a tour he went with a rock star friend and looks like a rock and roll memoir type book. It seems to be the perfect background for nasty eye-opening and internal revelation.
Space Opera Xanadax: Beyond the unknown dimensions of the galaxy
Image Comic, TPB – $19.99 (Buy Now)
The super-charged cybernetic-enhanced gloomy loneliness, known only as Xanadax, lies on a clash course with Kill Crazy’s Space Enemies No. 1, a fleet of ruthless space pirates, slimy crime bosses, a deadly grace hunter, an empire facing oppressive star, and an army of Homisidal robots!
Tom Saiori has a distinctive, almost singular career. His work is unmistakable. Sometimes inspired by Kirby, there’s the energy of a kid playing with action figures (he has published a biography of Jack Kirby and is working on action figure properties such as Transformers vs. GI Joe and Gobot). There are wild ideas in the drafting of his book as well as the story of his story. Space Opera Xanadax is a book owned by his latest creator and looks like a distillation of 1000 childhood sci-fi influences, from action figures to comics to video games. Check out this recent interview at comicartfans.com and take a peek at the book before it’s released.
Superman Legacy Box Set
DC Comics, TPB – $84.99 (Buy Now)
This graphic novel box set brings together some of Superman’s greatest and most influential stories, is the perfect reading list for those who love The Man of Steel.
Collect four major Superman stories: The Man of Tomorrow? , Kingdom Come, Superman: All Seasons, All-Star Superman. Given that James Gunn frequently cites the latter two to make a big impact on this summer’s great Superman film, this set doesn’t just set the foundation for new readers (and a great place to go back for longtime fans). None of these books are difficult to do on your own. Most of them had recent reprints, absolute versions, or compact comic releases, but the convenience of some of the best soup stories is appealing.
This place kills me
Abrams Books, HC/TPB – $29.66/$19.99 (Buy Now)
Talked in manga, letters, diaries and news articles, the place is a page-turning whodunnit from award-winning authors Tanaka and Tanaka Mariko, where readers are on the edge of their seats and praised by illustrator Nicole Go, who begs for an encore.
Tamaki and Nicole Go are both famous creators who deserve to have a lot of influence on their own. This new original graphic novel brings them together to create an academic murder mystery. What seems most convincing to me is that it essentially looks like an epistreal. This is a totally unique way to create comic books.
