Each week, Xavier Files staff offer their recommendations for what to read. New DC comics come out Tuesdays, everything else Wednesdays.
Chris’ Pick
Excalibur #16: So Betsy is a sneering stained-glass mosaic, Saturnyne is keeping Jubilee’s son as her dragon pet that can melt reality and the Captain Britain Corps is back with a thicc-ass goose. What’s Excalibur gonna do now? And more importantly: WHERE IS PETE WISDOM? IS HE OK? (Literally everyone on staff except Matt Lazorwitz, Liz Large and Justin Partridge: “Dan, no one cares. Please stop with this. You’re embarrassing yourself.”) LOOK, I’m just a father who cares about his son, OK? Written by Tini Howard and drawn by Marcus To. ($3.99) Previously, in Excalibur …
Vishal’s Pick
The Picture of Everything Else #1: A sequel of sorts to Oscar Wilde’s “Picture of Dorian Gray,” but with more murders, written by Dan Watters (Home Sick Pilots) and drawn by Kishore Mohan for Vault. ($3.99) Check out the latest from Vishal.
Dan’s Pick
The Seeds: Two years ago, Ann Nocenti (Longshot) and David Aja (Hawkeye) released two issues of a Dark Horse miniseries about aliens coming to collect the last specimens of a dying Earth, and the journalist working to uncover it all. And it was great! And then for a while, nothing happened. But now it’s all out in trade. Hooray! ($19.99) Check out the latest from Dan.
Will’s Pick
Department of Truth #4: Them Truth Boys (James Tynion IV and Martin Simmonds) go after QAnon. Noice. ($3.99) Previously, in Department of Truth …
Ari’s Pick
Something Is Killing the Children #13: The monsters in Archer’s Peak have surrounded the school where Erica and Tommy make their last stand. Even if the House of Slaughter can save them, will the price of their help be too high? Written by James Tynion IV and drawn by Werther Dell’Edera. ($3.99) Check out the latest from Ari.
Ritesh’s Pick
Ice Cream Man #22: Welp, looks like Rick’s about to transform Advent calendars into a meditation on human existential dread, so Merry Christmas, I guess. Written by W. Maxwell Prince, drawn by Martin Morazzo and colored by Chris O’Halloran. ($3.99) Check out the latest from Ritesh.
Matt’s Pick
Gideon Falls #27: Jeff Lemire, Andrea Sorrentino and Dave Stewart’s haunting Image thriller comes to an 80-page conclusion. Can the combined forces of this rag-tag band of adventurers be enough to stop the Laughing Man and his limitless legions of evil? Buy the book and find out, fool! ($7.99) Check out the latest from Matt.
Cori’s Pick
Action Comics #1,028: Brian Michael Bendis wraps his run on the Superman books with this looks at the various members of the Superman family, tying in threads from Lois Lane, Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen, Legion of Super-Heroes and more. Drawn by John Romita Jr. and inked by Klaus Janson. ($3.99) Check out the latest from Cori.
Zack’s Pick
Klaus: The Life & Times of Santa Claus HC: Before Dan Mora drew Power Rangers, Once & Future or Detective Comics (Yo, Mora’s resume? No joke.), he drew tales of a warrior Kris Kringle alongside Grant Morrison. This BOOM Studios compilation includes Klaus and the Crying Snowman and Klaus and the Life & Times of Joe Christmas. ($24.99) Check out the latest from Zack.
Tony’s Pick
Hawkeye: Freefall TPB: Matthew Rosenberg and Otto Schmidt’s miniseries about Clint Barton’s fall from grace — the one that was almost canceled by the Diamond shutdown — is collected. ($17.99) Check out the latest from Tony.
Dan Grote is the editor and publisher of ComicsXF, having won the site by ritual combat. By day, he’s a newspaper editor, and by night, he’s … also an editor. He co-hosts The ComicsXF Interview Podcast with Matt Lazorwitz. He lives in New Jersey with his wife, two kids and two miniature dachshunds, and his third, fictional son, Peter Paul Winston Wisdom.
