Comic Haul from 12/26/25

January 2, 2026

New Orleans Skyline

I wanted to do one of these at least three times before this, but finally had time to sit down and hack away my thoughts and go over what I got and why. Before diving into what I got, I want to explain how awesome my “mostly” local comic book store is. I live about an hour outside New Orleans, LA and just a bit further from Crescent City Comics. I love this store. I used to have a store significantly closer, but it closed down about ten years ago at this point. Anyways, Crescent City Comics is incredible from their layout, their selection of single issues and trades, to additional nerdy goodies from manga and graphic novels to board games and tabletop role-playing guides. The physical layout of the store is efficient, with plenty of room to browse while seeing hundreds of titles. They are never out, if there is a volume or an issue I’m looking for, I swear they always have it. They label everything that’s either new that week or new from the previous two to three weeks, so when I make my monthly pilgrimage I know what to check out first. Next door there’s even an extra store front a couple a Saturdays a month where they sell older comics and slightly damaged goods for a lower price. The employees are kind and attentive, man, this sounds like I should be adding this under a review for their store.

Batman #4 Planet She-Hulk #2

Anyways, on December 26th, the day after Christmas, I took my recently acquired Santa funds and made my way into the city. I had a few titles on my mind that I knew I wanted like Batman #4 and Aliens Vs Avengers. Jorge Jimenez and Matt Fraction have done such a great job with the dark knight this year, making his blue vibrant and fun, great in contrast to the incredible Absolute Batman from Scott Snyder. I also wanted to catch the strange AvA comic because I was recommended it not by one, but two people I follow on the internet whose tastes I trust. So I picked it up. I also checked to see if there were any new issues of comics I had picked up in the previous month that I liked. I sometimes look up to see when a new single issue comic is releasing, but I find it way more enjoyable just to walk inside and pick up anything that seems cool or interesting. Even more so, I love picking up an issue and just thumbing through it, seeing all the amazing art inside. So, here’s what I picked up.

Single Issues

Volumes

Batman/Santa Claus: Silent Knight Returns Aliens vs. Avengers

I already talked about some of these, but the big pick up I want to defend is Batman-Santa Claus: Silent Knight Returns. I flipped through it expecting to see something silly, but instead I saw one of my favorite heroes, Zatanna, and a ripped Santa with an alien wife trying to find him I think? The art was great and the story seemed genuine. Though it might be after Christmas, the cold weather will still keep me company during my read. I have been reading Planet She-Hulk and Gotham Academy, so those pick ups were no brainers. And the Speed Racer comic caught my eye because the Wachowskis’ Speed Racer with my doppelganger Emile Hersh is one of my favorite movies of all time. And lastly I got Absolute Flash because I’ve been picking up all of the Absolute line, no matter the hero because they have all been such fresh takes on the heroes, often switching up the person beneath the mask in interesting ways. I’ll give an update on my thoughts on these comics down the line once I finally get a breather to read them. I’d probably end the post here, but I’m making up for three other undocumented trips in this one. So let me see what I bought since August when I started making my rounds to the store more frequently.

Single Issues

Volumes

Zatanna: It's Showtime! Absolute Wonder Woman Vol. 1: The Last Amazon

Wow, I forgot how much I’ve bought this year until typing it out. As you can see I indulged in all of the Absolute titles from DC and even checked out the Ultimate universe from Marvel with Spider-Man. I grabbed a few titles because they popped up on “Top Comics of 2024/2025” lists that I browsed when I reengaged with the medium like The Moon is Following Us, Power Fantasy, and Helen of Wyndhorn. A few I picked up because of the art like I Love Skull-Crusher. I continued gathering for Poison Ivy and Moon Knight. I already had a bunch of volumes for both of them, and genuinely forgot which volumes were new versus already owned. I got some titles for research like the Power Rangers comics and Radiant Black. And then there was Zatanna, all six issues and the trade paperback. Jamal Campbell I hope they let you run with her for another fifty issues. The art and style along with the characters and story are so good. I have been waiting for a comic like this for Zatanna all my life it feels like. I was disappointed to hear that it was only a six issue run, but when I found out that Jamal is coming back with more issues next year! Sign me up, I’m there on release week.

I would also normally talk more about which ones I liked and which ones were a bit of a let down, but I haven’t even finished half this list. I’m not even gonna be able to touch most of these titles until I move next Summer. Now, the more recent purchases I’m reading along with all of my single issues, but pretty much all of the Absolute line is going to have to wait. Good news, I’ll be able to read and update everyone of my favorite picks come this time next year (or sooner).

Moon Knight: Fist of Khonshu Vol. 2: Subterranean Jungle Poison Ivy Vol. 5: Human Botany

Some parting messages, visit your local comic shop, engage with American comics if you only read manga, there’s a ton of awesome stuff to discover, and listen, reading a single issue of a comic for fifteen minutes is a way better use of your time then drowning in the void of social media and doomscrolling, give your time to Batman as he uses his chest symbol like a sledgehammer to defeat the craziest his rogue’s gallery has ever been.

Thank you for reading, have a wonderful 2026.