21 comics to watch out for in June 2019

Every month, SYFY WIRE will comb the new release listings for major comics publishers from Archie to Valiant and everywhere in between to bring you the comics you must look out for.

June will be absolutely packed with reading options as the summer gets underway and publishers offer everything from end-of-an-era final issues to new series launches to major events. In the end-of-an-era department, that's all led by the final issue of The Wicked + The Divine, one of the most exciting and celebrated creator-owned comics of the last five years.

In terms of new series, there's plenty of that going on, too. Marvel's launching new stories starring Black Cat and the Silver Surfer, while DC's offering the kickoff of its Event Leviathan series and Frank Miller's take on Superman's origin. Plus, Valiant's new Psi-Lords series, a Rick and Morty spinoff, a new home for Usagi Yojimbo, and so much more.

Check out our 20 top picks at the comics shop in June below.

(Via Previews)

WRITER: Kieron Gillen
ARTIST / COVER A: Jamie McKelvie, Matt Wilson
COVER B: Olivia Jaimes
JUNE 26 / 32 pages / FC/ M / $3.99

There's never been another comic quite like The Wicked + The Divine. In the five years since it launched, Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie's creator-owned fantasy about a group of gods recurring throughout history and trying to negotiate life as deities before dying has remained one of the most ambitious and beautiful comics on the stands. Now, with its 45th issue, it all comes to an end. If you haven't caught up with the series just yet, you've still got a few weeks to catch up. 

Credit: Marvel Comics

• JASON AARON (W) • RUSSELL DAUTERMAN (A)
• Cover by ARTHUR ADAMS
• Connecting Realm Variant Cover by GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLI
• Variant Cover by VICTOR HUGO
• VARIANT COVER BY MARK TEXEIRA
• International Connecting Variant Cover by DAVID YARDIN
• Young Guns Variant Cover by PEPE LARRAZ
• 40 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99

This month, Marvel's epic event War of the Realms comes to a close with two blockbuster issues from writer Jason Aaron, artist Russell Dauterman and a host of guest artists working on various variant covers. Through four epic issues we've watched Malekith and his army wage war across the Ten Realms, and it all comes down to this, as Black Panther and the rest of Earth's remaining heroes assemble every last ounce of strength they've got for Midgard's last stand. 

DC Comics

• written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
• art and cover by ALEX MALEEV
• variant cover by KENNETH ROCAFORT
• ON SALE 06.12.19
• $3.99 US | 1 of 6 | 32 PAGES
• FC | RATED T+

For months now writer Brian Michael Bendis has been building up to something big in the pages of Action Comics, chronicling a culling of Metropolis' criminal organizations at a level that Superman and Lois Lane have never seen before. Now, the evil organization known as Leviathan is taking their quest to bring a new order to the DC Universe global, and every hero on Earth will be affected. If you're looking for ambitious DC Comics event storytelling to add to your summer reading, look no further.

IDW Publishing

Stan Sakai (w & a & c)

FC • 32 pages • $3.99

For 35 years now, Stan Sakai's Usagi Yojimbo has been a beacon of brilliant comic book storytelling. In one of the most consistently high-quality comic book series of all time, Sakai has told us the story of Miyamoto Usagi, a wandering ronin who just happens to be a rabbit, and readers have remained loyal even when Sakai's made changes. This year he's making two big changes: Leaping to IDW Comics from the series' longtime home at Dark Horse, and telling a full color story with his first three-part IDW tale. 

Erik Burnham (w) • Dan Schoening (a & c)

FC • 32 pages • $3.99

June 19

You love the Transformers. You love the Ghostbusters. Now, in the grand tradition of fun-filled licensed crossovers that have come before, the two franchises are meeting in a new IDW series. It all begins when the Autobots pick up a Cybertonian signal on a planet called Earth, where they meet up with the Ghostbusters, who just happen to have an Autobot called Ectotron on their side. What's not to love?

Archie Comics

Script: Sina Grace
Art: Derek Charm, Matt Herms, Jack Morelli
JUGHEAD’S TIME POLICE #1 CVR A Reg: Derek Charm
JUGHEAD’S TIME POLICE #1 CVR B Reg: Tyler Boss
JUGHEAD’S TIME POLICE #1 CVR C Reg: Francesco Francavilla
JUGHEAD’S TIME POLICE #1 CVR D Reg: Robert Hack, Kelly Fitzpatrick
JUGHEAD’S TIME POLICE #1 CVR E Reg: Tracy Yardley
On Sale Date: 6/12
32-page, full color comic
$3.99 U.S.

One of the great joys of the characters of Archie Comics is their endless adaptability. They can do wholesome teen adventures, but they can also do seedy murder mysteries, horror stories, and even science fiction. In Jughead's Time Police, Jughead Jones is about to put the whole Archie timestream at risk and go where none of his friends have gone before, all so he can fix an embarrassing performance at a pie bake-off. He's just that passionate about food. 

Marvel Comics

• DONNY CATES (W) • TRADD MOORE (A/C)
• VARIANT COVER BY GERALD PAREL
• VARIANT COVER BY Nick Bradshaw
• VIRGIN VARIANT COVER BY NICK BRADSHAW
• HIDDEN GEM VARIANT COVER BY MIKE ZECK
• BLANK VARIANT COVER ALSO AVAILABLE
• 32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
• June 12

Marvel Comics

• JED MACKAY (W) • TRAVEL FOREMAN (A)
• Cover by J. SCOTT CAMPBELL
• HIDDEN GEM VARIANT COVER BY TERRY DODSON
• VARIANT COVER BY ARTGERM
• VIRGIN VARIANT COVER BY ARTGERM
• VARIANT COVER BY TRAVEL FOREMAN
• VARIANT COVER BY PHIL NOTO
• VARIANT COVER BY ELIZABETH TORQUE
• VARIANT COVER BY SKOTTIE YOUNG
• BLANK AND GAME VARIANT COVERS ALSO AVAILABLE
• 40 PGS./Rated T …$4.99
• June 05

After years of stealing scenes (and many, many other things) as one of the most popular supporting characters in Spider-Man's world, Black Cat finally gets her own ongoing series this month. Recent events in Amazing Spider-Man have left Felicia Hardy without a home base. She's not a hero but she's also no longer an accepted thief. She's on the run from the cops and the thieves guild, and she'll have to use every trick she's got to survive. 

Marvel Comics

• PETER DAVID (W) • DALE KEOWN (A/C)
• VARIANT COVER BY JUNGGEUN YOON
• VARIANT COVER BY ADAM KUBERT
• 40 PGS./ONE-SHOT/Rated T+ …$4.99
• June 5

In a 12-year run on The Incredible Hulk, writer Peter David redefined the character and set a standard for fans and fellow creators that still echoes through Hulk comics to this day. Now, David reunites with longtime Incredible Hulk artist Dale Keown for this one-shot story in which a fed-up Bruce Banner finally finds a fight worthy of the Hulk to shake him out of his funk. Whether you're a longtime fan of David's work or a current Hulk reader looking to see why he's a legendary writer, you'll want to pick this up.

Marvel Comics

• KIERON GILLEN (W) • ANGEL UNZUETA (A)
• Cover by GERALD PAREL
• VARIANT COVER BY Bill Sienkiewicz
• Action Figure Variant by JOHN  TYLER CHRISTOPHER
• GREATEST MOMENTS VARIANT COVER BY JULIAN  TEDESCO
• 32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99
• June 19

It's a month of big endings for Eisner Award-winning writer Kieron Gillen. In addition to closing out his creator-owned epic The Wicked + The Divine over at Image, he's also ending an acclaimed run on Marvel's main Star Wars title with issue #67, the finale of the "Scourging of Shu-Torun" arc. Gillen took over the book nearly two years ago, and had a tough act to follow thanks to writer Jason Aaron's epic run, but he put his own spin on the series and its fan-favorite characters, and now he's set to bring an equally epic conclusion to his time in a galaxy far, far away. Fan favorite writer Greg Pak will take over the series next month. 

DC Comics

• written by FRANK MILLER
• art by JOHN ROMITA JR. and DANNY MIKI
• cover by JOHN ROMITA JR. and DANNY MIKI
• cover by FRANK MILLER
• PRESTIGE FORMAT
• ON SALE 06.19.19
• $7.99 US | 1 of 3 | 64 PAGES

More than three decades ago, Frank Miller wrote Batman: Year One, still considered by most fans to be the definitive Batman origin story. Now, the legendary creator will turn his talents to the Man of Steel for a new take of how Kal-El of Krypton became Superman. Throw in art from the legendary John Romita Jr. and you've got an absolute must-read saga. 

IDW Publishing

• Tim Seeley (w) • Tim Seeley & Jim Terry (a) • Tim Seeley (c)
• FC • 32 pages • $3.99
• June 26

Tim Seeley's legendary slasher hunter Cassie Hack returns for a new adventure that will bring her face to face with one of the most beloved horror/fantasy creations of the last 40 years: The Crow. This time around, Cassie and her pal Vlad are hunting a soul brought back by the crow who just can't seem to stop killing, but they're not alone in their quest to end the carnage. Promising a take on the Crow unlike anything we've seen before, this is bound to be a fun ride for horror and dark fantasy fans.

Oni Press

(W) James Asmus, Jim Festante (CA) Josh Perez (A/CA) CJ Cannon

In Shops: Jun 12, 2019
$4.99

Rick and Morty has long since crossed over from television phenomenon to comic book phenomenon. The series based on the TV show hits its 51st issue this month with no signs of slowing down, and now we're heading into spinoff territory with Mr. Meeseeks, a new story following the titular creatures who are obligated to perform whatever duty they've been assigned no matter what it takes. Their mission in this story? Search for the meaning of life, of course.

AfterShock Comics

(W) Marguerite Bennett, Cullen Bunn, Andrew Dabb, Aaron Douglas, Garth Ennis, Justin Jordan, Joe Pruett, Jim Starlin, R. L. Stine, Jill Thompson, Tieri, Frank, Ray Fawkes, Steve Rasnic Tem, Kevin J. Anderson (A) Russell Braun, Tim Bradstreet, Leila Leiz, Ariela Kristantina, Eleonora Carlini, Yuzuki N', Larry Stroman, Jamal Igle, Cully Hamner, Cliff Richards, Sam Kieth, Andrei Bressan, Jill Thompson, Phil Hester

In Shops: Jun 26, 2019
$34.99

Last year AfterShock Comics emphasized its commitment to boundary pushing, top tier comics talent with SHOCK, an anthology of stories from some of the best creators in the business. Now, they're following it up with a second hardcover. As you can see from the talent listed above, it's another absolutely stacked roster of creators, from brilliant artists to gifted prose stylists, and they're once again blending genres to create daring new short stories you won't want to miss.

AfterShock Comics

(W) Christopher Sebela (A/CA) Chris Visions (Variant) Claire Roe

In Shops: Jun 12, 2019
$3.99

Christopher Sebela (High Crimes, Crowded) is one of the best high-concept writers working in comics right now, delivering intriguing hook after intriguing hook. This month, he launches yet another hook-laden new series. Trust Fall is the story of Ash, a woman with the ability to teleport things, which she uses to help her family move up in the world of crime. There's just one problem, though: Ash can teleport whole bank vaults away, but she can't teleport herself, so every job is a "trust fall" in which she must count on her family to save her. How's that for a story hook?

Dark Horse Comics

Mike Mignola (W/Variant Cover), Duncan Fegredo (A/Cover), and Dave Stewart (C)
On sale June 19
FC, 32 pages
$3.99
One-shot

The fan-favorite team of Hellboy creator Mike Mignola and artist Duncan Fegredo re-team for this new one-shot set to kick off a new era for Big Red and the B.P.R.D. Set in a Romanian village plagued by both a curse and a monster, the one-shot offers up two new Hellboy tales from two of the most celebrated creators to ever work on the character. 

Dynamite Entertainment

Price: $3.99
Rating: Teen +
Cover A: Lucio Parillo
Cover B: Sergio Davila
Cover C: Cosplay Cover
Writer: Luke Lieberman
Art: Sergio Davila
Genre: Sword and Sorcery
Format: Comic Book
Page Count: 32 Pages
ON SALE DATE: 6/12/2019

Dynamite's been the place to go for exciting new Red Sonja adventures for some time now, and this month the publisher's adding to its library with a new miniseries celebrating the character's early years. Writer Luke Lieberman (Red Sonja: Doom of the Gods) and artist Sergio Davila (Conan) bring us a new story of Sonja the Red before she was "Red Sonja," featuring the arrival of the "demon conqueror" Raka and the return of Sonja's old friend Ozzyus. 

Dynamite Entertainment

Price: $3.99
Rating: Teen +
Cover A: Dave Johnson
Cover B: Marco D’Alfonso
Cover C: Ramon Villalobos
Cover D: Ben Caldwell “Trading Card Variant”
Writer: Jeff Parker
Art: Dean Kotz
Genre: Science Fiction
Format: Comic Book
Page Count: 32 Pages
ON SALE DATE: 6/19/2019

Sometimes the most unlikely crossovers are the most fun, and while John Carter and the Martians of Mars Attacks! are technically from the same planet, they didn't seem ever likely to meet. Well, that's about to change. Exactly how they've never crossed paths now that they apparently exist in the same universe is still a mystery, but we're about to find why this wonderfully bonkers crossover tale was possible. 

Valiant Entertainment

Written by FRED VAN LENTE
Art by RENATO GUEDES
Cover A by ROD REIS
Cover B by JONBOY MEYERS    
Cover C by ALAN QUAH
Cosmic Variant Cover by MARCO RUDY
Pre-Order Edition by PAULINA GANUCHEAU
Blank Cover Also Available

$3.99 | 32 pgs. | T+ | On sale JUNE 19th

For seven years we've been watching the always ambitious, always fun Valiant Universe continue to expand after its relaunch in 2012, and the publisher's still not out of new tricks and old characters to reinvent. This month we get to see how that continued spirit of reinvention finally makes its way to Psi-Lords, a group of Valiant heroes who last had their own series all the way back in 1995. The series promises a "cosmic adventure like no other," and given that Fred Van Lente (Archer & Armstrong) is writing the book, that seems like something the series will make good on.

BOOM! Studios

Publisher : BOOM! Studios
Retail Price : $7.99
Writer: Ryan Parrott
Artist: Eleonora Carlini and Francesco Mortarino
Cover Artists:
Main Cover : Dan Mora
Preorder Cover : Kris Anka
Incentive Cover : Gurihiru

In Shops: June 19

Even as it's lived on in live-action storytelling, the world of Power Rangers has also grown increasingly richer thanks to a wide variety of comics talents. Now, everything the Go Go Power Rangers series has been building to reaches its culmination in this new event featuring a showdown with Alpha 1. Power Rangers fans everywhere won't want to miss it. 

IDW Publishing

Magdalene Visaggio (w) • Marley Zarcone (a & c)

FC • 32 pages • $3.99

In Shops June 26

If you're looking for a new series that's like nothing else on the stands, it seems like Marilyn Manor might be exactly what you're after. From Eisner-nominated writer Magdalene Visaggio (Eternity Girl) and Eisner-nominated artist Marley Zarcone (Shade, the Changing Girl), the series follows "First Brat" Marilyn Kelleher as she and her best friend Abe decide to throw an all-out party at the White House. Secrets, mystical journeys, and the ghosts of America's past await in this portrait of 1980s excess from two of comics' most exciting rising stars.