In December 10th’s “Top Comics to Buy This Week,” two of my favorite cartoonists in comics right now bring their idiosyncratic styles to single-issue comics. Two of them are Jesse Lonergan, who appears in the new issue of the Hellboy universe, and Stipan Morian, who appears in the new original series of Mad Cave. That alone would make for a good week, but it also got off to a very strong start with a new twist for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and a development for Ultimate Spider-Man that is determined to deliver a shocking finale.
In short, I read a manga this week. Here are my top 5 picks, along with the usual set of other release lists. Enjoy!
Top comics to buy on December 10, 2025
Absolute Batman #15
Screenplay: Scott Snyder
Artist: Jock
Colorist: Frank Martin
Author: Clayton Cowles
Publisher: DC Comics
Alfred reveals to Bruce the story of the man he has been chasing for years. Appearance: Joker! Scott Snyder and Jock reunite for an absolute cosmic epic!
Why it’s cool: Scott Snyder and Jock are a very solid team in Batman and Joker comics, and this comic shows their vision of what an absolute cosmic version of the character could be. You probably already know if you’re going to pick up this book, but if you’ve dug into the Absolute Batman experience, this take on the Joker is very much in line with what’s come before. We’ll talk more about this in tomorrow’s DC Roundup column.
Price: $4.99
Miss Truesdale and the Rise of Man #1
Screenplay: Mike Mignola
Artist: Jesse Lonergan
Author: Clem Robbins
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Gladiator Anum Yassa wanders the forest to learn about his past, present, and future life. But she’s not everyone’s hero. The dark entity will continue to pursue her until she is stopped, and the fate of humanity was stopped by her.
Why it’s cool: This new Miss Truesdale miniseries reunites the entire creative team from the excellent 2023 miniseries “Miss Truesdale” and “The Fall of Hyperborea.” That means Jesse Lonergan will be teaming up with Mike Mignola once again. And while the story of this new book, like its predecessor, is steeped in the deep lore of the Hellboy universe, don’t let that stop you if you don’t. This first issue is also a comic that has all the elements you need to enjoy it on its own. And with Lonergan’s top-notch panel-bending comics, you’ll definitely want to do it too.
Price: $4.99
Our hearts stained with soot #1
Screenplay: Joni Hegg, Stipan Molian
Artist: Stipan Morian
Colorist: Ropeman
Author: Hassan Otuman Elaou
Publisher: Mad Cave Studio
The Confederacy is a wondrous city in the far north, ruled by the brutal Governor Grass and his factory owners. Coal is the lifeblood of the city, and for honest workers like young Peggy Stones, unreasonable quotas can make life tough. You have to do terrible things every day to get extra coal at the end of the year. Peggy’s life is thrown into turmoil after she is imprisoned and exiled, and a harrowing journey to the ends of the world begins to find answers that could change the world.
Why this is cool: I already reviewed this book ahead of FOC and suggested that people pre-order this book, but the bottom line is that you shouldn’t miss the artwork in this comic. This comic leans into the strengths of Stipan Moryan, explaining to him a series of epic genre set pieces. Also, the world of Our Soot Stained Heart was immersive, and I was drawn into the story of the book. At just $6 for the double-sized first issue, it’s hard to pass up.
Price: $5.99
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #13
Screenplay: Gene Luen Yang
Artist: Freddie E. Williams II
Colorist: Andrew Dalhouse
Author: Sean Lee
Following the surprising events of TMNT #12, the Turtles face a different New York than ever before. There they are considered heroes. The celebrations don’t last long as new threats vie for control. Papa Ben, a mutant yak, is determined to expand his gang’s power base. But little does he know that he and the other TMNT villains are being stalked by a powerful new assassin… Ujigami.
Why it’s cool: Last issue was tough saying goodbye to the creative team that gave this book so much work over 12 issues, but the bitterness really wears off this week with the arrival of the first issue from the new team. The headline here is that Gene Luen Yang is writing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, working with artist Freddie E. Williams II. The first problems are also fun, quickly establishing a new regrouping atmosphere for the group while simultaneously setting new challenges in motion. I really dug it.
Price: $4.99
Ultimate Spider-Man #23
Screenplay: Jonathan Hickman
Artist: Marco Cecchetto, David Messina
Colorist: Matthew Wilson
Author: Cory Petit
Are we going to talk about what happens in the penultimate issue of ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN? It’s going to be full of spoilers! Just know that we’re heading towards a finale you won’t want to miss.
Why it’s cool: This is the penultimate issue of Ultimate Spider-Man by Jonathan Hickman and Marco Checketto, with most issues focusing on Peter Parker’s family and a 30-day timeskip between issues. And while Jonathan Hickman’s usual high-concept sci-fi superhero plot was definitely playing out in the background, it worked really hard to make us care about Peter, Mary Jane, and their children. We’re currently heading towards a planned ending that basically puts everyone we care for in great danger and ends everything in a big brawl. As a result, what we get in Ultimate Spider-Man #23 is a very well-paced white knuckler. It also helps that this is a universe outside of the main continuity and no one has plot armor.
Price: $5.99
Other interesting comics
Action Comics #1093 Aquaman #12 Miscellaneous Events #7 Batman and Robin #28 Captain Henry and the Grave of Time #2 Crownsville #2 Death to Pachuco #3 Free Planet #7 Marvel Knights Punisher #3 Minor Arcana #12 Transformers #27 Ultimate Black Panther #23
New #1 and one shot
Darkness #1 DC KO Wonder Woman vs. Lobo #1 (One Shot) Defenders of the Earth – Dark Destiny #1 The End 2099 #1 Shiver Supenstories 2 #1 (One Shot)
Graphic novels and trade collections
2000AD Annual 2026 HC Absolute Green Lantern Vol 1 Without Fear HC/TP Adventure Man Vol 2 A Fairy Tale of New York TP Amazing Spider-Man Vol 1 Get Back Up TP Aquaman Vol 1 The Dark Tide TP Arcana Royale TP Blue Palo Verde TP Cosmic Cadets Book 2 Accused TP DC Finest Wonder Woman – Introducing Wonder Woman TP Doom Patrol by Keith Giffen and Matthew Clark HC Falling in Love on the Path to Hell Vol 2 TP Fantastic Four by Mark Waid & Mike Willingo The Insurgent Iron Man TP The Insurgent Iron Man TP Jim Henson’s Labyrinth Goblin City Complete HC Joe Hill’s Cape Omnibus TP King Conan Original Comics Omnibus Vol 2 HC Marvel Team-Up Omnibus Vol 1 HC Nemesis The Warlock Definitive Edition Vol 4 TP Augrest Vol 2 TP Rhea Irvins The Smiths HC Secret Six TP Spectacular Spider-Man Law This Monster Treasury Edition TP Star Wars Young Jedi Adventures – Training Session HC Tales From EroticTech Indie Anthology With Sex Robots Vol 1 TP Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Ultimate Collection Vol 7 TP Thistleborn Vol 3 The Duel Tree HC Treasury of British Comic Annual 2026 HC Wrack and Rune TP X-Men by Gerry Duggan Omnibus HC Yojimbo Vol 2 Nights of Rust TP You’ll Do Bad Things TP
Read past editions of the top comics to buy!
Check out Beat’s reviews of the latest comics.
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