Hey gang, it’s the first of the month, which means its Comic Guide time once again. There is a lot to cover this month as there are several great books that you should be checking out. Blackest Night and Battle for the Cowl are coming out from DC, and Dark Reign and War of Kings are going strong at Marvel. There’s also a bunch of good stuff coming from Dark Horse as well. Here are ten comics from each of the Big Three that you should pay attention to.

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DC Says: A city looking to kill itself. A population without its dark avenger, without answers, without hope. A cop looking to save Gotham from its own madness. A reporter looking to reclaim her career by revealing that it's no coincidence the city's top billionaire and its urban legend are missing at the same time. A doctor seeking to regain her soul by stepping back into Hell. One hero who can't quite get it right no matter how hard she tries. Harvey Bullock. Vicki Vale. Dr. Leslie Thompkins. Stephanie Brown. What do all these people have in common?

DC Says: Following the events of the "New Krypton" crossover, the Man of Steel has had to embrace his past to ensure humanity's future. And while a devastating armed conflict with Earth may have been averted, keeping the peace will be Superman's greatest challenge yet.

DC says: "Batman: R.I.P." and FINAL CRISIS saw the end of Batman. Now, months following the disappearance of her protector, Gotham City sits at a precipice and it may be too far gone for Nightwing, Robin, Commissioner Gordon and the rest of the city's heroes to save the day. Amid the fires, rioting, looting and gang warfare, one question rings out from the souls of Gotham's desperate citizens: Where is Batman?

DC says: To give the full details of this story would spoil the dramatic finale of the "New Krypton" crossover, and we don't want to do that! Suffice to say, a "World Without Superman" is a very dangerous place, indeed, and the only thing standing between the good (and not so good) folks of Earth and an impending shadow of doom are the all-new Nightwing and Flamebird!

DC says: Gotham City is in a state of emergency. Crime runs rampant, commerce is at a standstill, and gang warfare is on the rise. Through its darkest hours, one man has stood firm against the criminal element in Gotham – Police Commissioner James Gordon. Now, in the aftermath of "Batman: R.I.P.," Gordon and the GCPD will have to reclaim Gotham and take down Mister Freeze without the assistance of Batman. But with evil on the rise, will this be the beginning of the end of law enforcement in Gotham City? The battle has just begun in this all-new one-shot.

DC says: Best-selling comic book writer/director Kevin Smith (GREEN ARROW, Daredevil, Clerks) concludes his 3-part miniseries event starring The Caped Crusader! The wild ride that caught Batman between The Joker and Onomatopoeia comes to a crashing halt as Batman is forced to choose between capturing Onomatopoeia and saving the Joker's life! Will Onomatopoeia have the final word with a deadly "Bang!"? Find out in this exciting conclusion!

DC says: Born on a Monday! Writer/artist Scott Kolins (THE FLASH, FACES OF EVIL: SOLOMON GRUNDY) brings you the origin behind one of the most mysterious figures in DC comics! Smashing out of the pages of his "Faces of Evil" one-shot, Solomon Grundy teams with Cyrus Gold – the man he once was before becoming a monster – to uncover the truth behind the Grundy curse! But how can he team with Cyrus Gold? How was Solomon Grundy created? And can Cyrus ever be set free? There are seven issues for each day of the nursery rhyme that haunts the longtime DC favorite, and by Sunday, could this be the end of Solomon Grundy?

DC says: Vril Dox – the son of Brainiac – finds himself fleeing from the universe's deadliest bounty hunters as he tries to figure out who stole his intergalactic L.E.G.I.O.N. police force from him. But the more he learns, the less he likes! Guest-starring Supergirl.

DC says: He was a husband and a father. A brother and a friend. A cop and a dark knight. But he had all that taken away. And in return, he was given a suit of sorrows, a quest for redemption and a new name. He is Azrael, avenging angel for the Order of Purity and a new protector for Gotham City's troubled times. But who will protect the citizens from him?

DC says: Shaken by the loss of one of their teammates, the Titans attempt to regroup and move on. But they discover that their problems aren't even close to over as their past comes back to haunt them in this prelude to the major "Deathtrap" crossover with TEEN TITANS starting next month!

Marvel says: In the wake of SECRET INVASION, Mockingbird is alive and has returned to Earth after being held captive by the Skrulls. Ronin, her estranged husband, volunteers to help her adjust to her new life as a member of the new Avengers, but some old wounds run too deep. And what deadly secret did she bring back with her that could tear them, and the world, apart once more? It's high-octane action and intrigue as the Mr. & Mrs. Smith of the Marvel Universe take on one of the biggest threats in the world...and each other!

Marvel says: Across the infinite stretches of the multiverse, countless worlds are forever changed by the monster known as the Hulk… but must his tale always end in tragedy? Join us as we revisit fan favorite Marvel alternate worlds for new tales of the rampaging green goliath! In this ALL-NEW oversized special, we journey to the House of M, the Microverse, a Future Imperfect, and the year 2099!

Marvel says: The end is here! Or, is it a new beginning? Massive climatic disturbances are wreaking havoc with the planet — underwater volcanic eruptions, tidal waves crashing over whole cities and snowstorms burying entire countries—and even the assemblage of the Ultimate U’s mightiest is no match for this worldwide destruction! Featuring Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, the Ultimates, the Hulk and more, find out whose lives are at stake in this defining moment of truth for the Ultimate Universe. Brought to you by award-winning scribe Jeph Loeb and superstar artist David Finch, this is the must-have book that will set the stage in the Ultimate U for years to come. If you want to get in on the most astounding changes taking place in all of comics, this is the place to be. You have been told!

We say: The first issue was FAN-tastic, this is your chance to get caught up before issue #3.

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Marvel says: If Captain Marvel is no more, how is he here? With War of Kings about to explode across the galaxy, two of the Guardians face death itself! Drax and Quasar journey beyond the veil of life in a desperate quest to find Moondragon. But what is waiting for them on the other side, and will it ever let them return? It’s a double shot of cosmic horror – that plants the seeds for where GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY is heading next!

Marvel says: WORLD'S MOST WANTED PART 4! Tony risks it all to say goodbye to a friend. Maria Hill arrives in Texas – only to find she's been beaten to the punch and now is outnumbered, outgunned, and out of luck. And time. And hope. All this as Pepper Potts goes to an old ally in hopes of stopping things from getting a whole lot worse for Tony Stark – everybody's pal Jim Rhodes...once Iron Man himself and currently WAR MACHINE. Worlds are colliding! Guys in robot suits are fighting! Norman Osborn is ruling the world! Holy $%&#!

Marvel says: SERIES FINALE! Ultimatum tie-in!
Xavier’s School for Gifted Students was a sanctuary for young mutants…but in the wake of Ultimatum, it’s starting to look more like a graveyard. Don’t miss this groundbreaking series’ final issue as the scattered X-Men pull together to stand united in the face of extinction!

Marvel says: Since the move to San Francisco and after the events of X-Infernus, Nightcrawler realizes a hard truth—he has to quit the X-Men. Kurt has realized that the X-Men just don’t need him anymore. He hasn’t been operating at his highest levels and even the biggest strength he has—teleportation—has been made redundant by Pixie who can do it better and more efficiently. Don’t miss the departure of one of the most important characters in X-Men history.

Marvel says: FINAL ISSUE! Is this the end of Spider-Girl? Can Peter and Mayday overcome Norman Osborn’s final revenge?! Will the Black Tarantula and Araña survive against the Goblin Lord and the brand new May? What does fate hold in store for little Ben and Mary Jane? When the smoke finally clears, will it still be Spider-Girl’s world? Be There For the End!

We say: May Day has had a great run, another piece for your awesome collection.

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Marvel says: This is the big one! The results are in, the masks are off and Spider-Man might just go down forever! With the secret of Menace revealed and the identity of the Spider-Tracer killer brought to light, the world of Peter Parker, Harry Osborn, Lily Hollister, Carlie Cooper and Vin Gonzales will never be the same! Questions you’ve asked since Spider-Man first entered his Brand New Day will be answered. But who will be left standing to pick up the pieces…and how does it involve Norman Osborn? This one’s a can’t miss, so be there for the conclusion of CHARACTER ASSASSINATION!

Marvel says: WHO IS THE NEW SORCERER SUPREME? Doctor Strange has failed as the Master of the Mystic Arts and all the other mystic characters are the heir apparent. Strange comes to the New Avengers for help as the mystic battle royale begins. Plus, how can the Avengers trust Spider-Man if he won't take his mask off?

Dark Horse says: Since Harmony's television stunt, the ensuing of general vampire-love from the masses, and the destruction of the Scotland base, operations at Slayer headquarters have been somewhat strained. Rogue Slayers - -Simone and her gang -- have not been helping Slayer-civilian relations with their attacks against the military, bank robbing, and occasional snitching at Hot Topic. Now, Andrew has a lead on how to gain intel on Simone's plans . . . but he has to go to Italy -- now! With Xander and Willow busy holding together their Slayer legions Buffy seems to be the only one with an open schedule to act as Andrew's backup. Hours of travel . . . just Buffy and Andrew . . . Really?

Dark Horse says: The Goon's tenth anniversary is upon us! To celebrate, we present this special Goon Anniversary issue, picking up right where Goon Year left off -- featuring thirty-two pages of story from creator Eric Powell, and a sketchbook section with contributions from Eric's comic-creator heroes -- Mike Mignola! Jeff Smith! Kevin Nowlan! And more!

Dark Horse says: The Queen of Blood is rallying her monstrous army and preparing to march against the human race, and humanity's survival depends on Hellboy and Alice finding a supernatural army of their own. But the monsters Hellboy has killed over the years had powerful friends, and a vicious horde out for revenge has lured the pair into a trap. Now Hellboy and Alice's only hope for survival rests with three strange little birds, and their even stranger mistress.

Dark Horse says: The Amazon Jungle is among the most ancient and biologically diverse places on earth, but it's being plundered for its resources and destroyed at a rate of thousands of acres a day. Reporter Malcolm Hillard travels to this remote land of mystery to investigate the disappearance of an American worker and sabotage at a timber site. Locals tell him it is the work of spirits of the Amazon, but Malcolm doesn't believe in anything like that -- until he sees something he can't explain deep in the jungle.

Dark Horse says: As Johann faces the fight of his life, Abe and Kate learn the story of Victorian occultist Martin Gilfryd's transformation into Memnan Saa, the prophesied king of Hyporborea who would "tame fire to breed dragons."

Dark Horse says: Trapped, tortured, and left for dead, Arachnakid and the Blue Gauntlet must set aside their differences to escape the insanity of the City of Lore. In Germany, Soldier American and Prairie Ghost face off against an army of cloned former allies in hopes of stopping Wolfsangel from creating a Frankenstein's monster capable of wielding the hammer of Thor! Who is the mysterious Mook? What are Divinity's true motives, and will the Greek Gods be humanity's saviors or final executioners?

Dark Horse says: Nahtok, a powerful wizard with the desert tribes of Shem under his command, now looks to expand his motley empire northward into the politically unstable Koth -- where Koth's leaders are more likely to kill each other on the battlefield than join together to face a common foe. The only thing standing in Nahtok's way is the small border kingdom of Khoraja and their battered military forces, now led by the inexperienced Princess Yasmela. Amalric's mercenaries -- with Conan still riding among their numbers -- are charged with reinforcing Yasmela's depleted army, as the conquering Nahtok draws near and Yasmela is haunted by both evil threats and holy visions. Tim Truman, Tomás Giorello, and José Villarrubia continue their adaptation of Robert E. Howard's "Black Colossus," a chilling Robert E. Howard tale that finds Conan at a strange crossroads in his mercenary career and on the path to the largest-scale battle of his life, as a clash between Nahtok and Amalric's men appears inevitable!

Dark Horse says: To end The United Broadcast Company's malevolent control over Earth, Gigantic must steal a UFO and battle his way to the UBC's heavily fortified base station on the dark side of the universe. Only one thing stands between Gigantic and his mission to free us all -- the entire United States army! Fan-favorite creators Rick Remender (Fear Agent, The End League) and Eric Nguyen (X-Men, Strange Girl) continue their modern twist on classic 1950s sci-fi kitsch!

Dark Horse says: After their climactic battle against Darth Krayt, Cade and his crew are hurtling through a lightning storm with mortally wounded Imperial Knight Azlyn Rae and Jedi Knight Shado Vao. They hope to reach the planet Kiffer, where Bantha Rawk might help with Cade's seemingly impossible plan to save Azlyn. The Sith, too, are handling the aftermath of the battle on Had Abbadon. Some will awaken to find the battle did not end as they believed . . .

Dark Horse says: Propelled by nuclear armageddon, The Séance, Spaceboy, and The Kraken race through time to solve the mystery of Number Five's past, and find themselves thrown into the turmoil of war, assassination, and strange visitations into their own childhoods.