Comics to Check Out for 1/27/2021

There are a whole host of new comics to check out this week. Here are just a few of them!

Fantastic Four #28

Ever since writer Dan Slott took the reins of guiding Marvel’s First Family into new adventures, both the book and concept of the Fantastic Four has felt like a breath of fresh air. As we’ve seen with three lackluster movie adaptations and some runs on the book that have been hit or miss, the Fantastic Four as an idea and as characters can be difficult to get a handle on. That’s why it was so heartening when Slott began writing the tales of the fantastic family, as the characters began to feel like they were getting the respect and treatment they deserved.

And that tradition continues with issue #28, written by Slott with art by R.B. Silva and colors by Jesus Aburtov. Fantastic Four #28 concludes with the team’s confrontation with the Griever at the End of All Things, and, luckily, they get a last-minute, Hail Mary assist from the guardian of the spaceways, the Silver Surfer. It’s always a barrel of fun when Norrin Radd pops up in any comic, but especially in an FF comic, as the character has his origins in those pages. Add to that the fact that Slott always nails the Silver Surfer’s lofty, contemplative dialogue—thanks in part to his work on a Silver Surfer solo series—and this made Fantastic Four all the more enjoyable. Silva and Aburtov’s work is gorgeous and gives these sorts of cosmic yarns the gravitas they deserve. With the Griever storyline tied up, now is the time to check out the series if you like high adventure peppered with familial dynamics.

Batman: Black and White #2

The entire issue of this anthology series is solid, top to bottom, but writer Tom King and artist Mitch Gerads’ contribution, “The Unjust Judge,” is a good distillation of who the Dark Knight is, and the story is gutting. The book also spotlights tales from David Aja, Sophie Campbell, and a whole host of seasoned talent who know how to weave a Batman tale. And if King and Gerads’ take is leaving you somber, Campbell’s story, “All Cats Are Grey,” will give you a much needed reprieve from the sadness.

Strange Academy #7

I feel like Strange Academy is a title that isn’t getting the proper attention it deserves—which is a shame, because it’s such a fun, sometimes emotionally-gutting read, as we see in issue #7 with the fallout with The Hollow and the havoc wrought. Writer Skottie Young’s words and plotting here are magnificent, coupled with artist Humberto Ramos’ always engaging, kinetic linework. Ramos has always known how to make the action pop off the page, but he does so well with quieter moments, as he does as the students sit in their grief. From the book’s primary protagonist Emily to Doctor Strange himself, the whole creative team work with the weight of sadness and how healing isn’t always an immediate thing to overcome. You’re doing yourself a disservice if you don’t give this book—and the previous issues—a peek.