This week of fresh comics brings many gifts. From DC Comics we learn the secret origin of the Arkham Knight, get a glimpse of just how well gods and mortals really mingle in small towns, and one of the most visually striking books being published goes hog wild.

Image Comics brings the pain with one of its flagship titles pitting a returning rival against its titular hero and new alliances are made in Donny Cates and Lisandro Estherren’s Southern fried vampire drama. And Star Wars returns once again to the Age of Rebellion, this time focusing one of the most vile villains in the franchise’s history.

6 Detective Comics #1004

By Peter J. Tomasi, Brad Walker, Andrew Hennessy, Nathan Fairbairn, and Rob Leigh

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Detective Comics #1004 poses a nightmare scenario for any expecting parent: a pregnant wife stranded in Arkham Asylum amidst a full blown riot. The implications of where something so harrowing could lead are utterly horrific and they make for one of the darkest origin stories in DC Comics.

Peter J. Tomasi and Brad Walker dive into Astrid’s past, giving her the motivation and the means to become the Arkham Knight. And while her reason to don the mask and sword are predicated upon a gross misunderstanding, her journey is captivating and believable.

5 Dial H for Hero #3

By Sam Humphries, Joe Quinones, Arist Deyn, Jordan Gibson, and Dave Sharpe

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Dial H for Hero is one of the most visually dynamic titles on the shelf right now. Joe Quinones and Arist Deyn inject so much aesthetic versatility in each issue by switching up styles and tone mid-page (and often without warning) depending on what the story calls for. It’s madcap comic bliss that even the most jaded fan will succumb to its charm.

Dial H for Hero #3 focuses on Summer, dipping into her past and the tribulations she faced as a younger child. Things get very meta from there, nodding to the indie comic book of yesteryear and the trailblazing mature reader titles from DC Comics of the mid to late ‘80s.

4 Wonder Woman #71

By G. Willow Winslow, Xermancino, Ramulo Fajardo Jr., Pat Brosseau, Terry Dodson, and Rachel Dodson

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Wonder Woman #71 meditates on what it means to be a god among mortals and how the ideals of the divine can elevate and corrupt people of our world. In the third installment of the fantastic story arc “Love is a Battlefield,” G. Willow Winslow and Xermancino maintain the tight writing and beautiful art work they have made hallmarks of this series.

While there isn’t a ton of godly action in this issue, the quiet moments between Diana and Atlantiades are extremely strong and carry things along nicely. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Wonder Woman comic without the appearance of some larger-than-life threat waiting to ruin everyone’s day, and this issue has that covered.

3 Redneck #20

By Donny Cates, Lisandro Estherren, Dee Cunniffe, and Joe Sabino

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Redneck #20 is a perfect example of how vampire fiction can still feel fresh to readers who have consumed so much of what the sub-genre has to offer. Despite being populated by monsters, there is a deft human element in this series that makes it standout. Redneck is about family more so than it is about blood-sucking undead creatures of the night… well, it’s about that too.

Desperate to save Bartlett, JV brokers a deal with the devil in Redneck #20 when he seeks help from Carrona, a vampire who practices ancient, dark magic and doesn’t exactly give off warm vibes. But then again, are any of these characters all that cuddly?

2 Savage Dragon #244

By Erik Larsen, Ferran Delgado, Nikos Koutsis, and Mike Toris

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Every issue of Savage Dragon is bonkers from soup to nuts. No other comic on the market is quite as brutally satirical and unflinchingly crass, which is exactly why the series has been a cult favorite for decades among discerning comic fans. Savage Dragon #244 is no different. It’s offensive, ridiculous, and often hilarious.

Malcolm's mettle is tested by the return of one of his father’s rivals, Powerhouse, a giant chicken man in a domino mask and cape. This issue balances domestic drama with outlandish superhero power flexing in a manner only a twisted mind like Erik Larsen can make work. Savage Dragon continues to keep the indie superhero heart of Image Comics beating.

1 Star Wars: Age of Rebellion - Jabba the Hutt #1

By Grek Pak, Emilio Laiso, Roland Boschi, Marco Turini, Andres Mossa, Rachelle Rosenberg, Neerah Menon, VC's Travis Lanham, Terry Dodson, and Rachel Dodson

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The title of the story in this issue, “Great to Be Jabba” is a bit misleading in the greater context of the Star Wars Universe. We all know the villainous gangster’s ultimate fate (which, for those of you who have somehow avoided Return of the Jedi for decade, was being choked out by Leia with the shackles Jabba bound her with).

Star War: Age of Rebellion – Jabba the Hutt #1, however, looks to a time before the Hutt meets his deserved end when he was still one of the most notorious gangsters in the galaxy. As Han once so facetiously put it, “Jabba, you’re a wonderful human being.”

NEXT: The Ultimate Superman Gift Guide

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