Grab Bag: Comic books to get this week: (Oct. 25, 2017)

These are just a handful of the comic books worth getting this week at the comic shop.

What comic books are worth the purchase for the week of Oct. 25, 2017? Let’s take a look.

Captain Marvel #125: written by Margaret Stohl and art by Michele Bandini. We’re picking up after Marvel’s most recent re-numbering trend. Margaret Stohl has been taking Carol on a long journey going back to even before Civil War II and Secret Empire. Now, she and Carol are heading into Captain Marvel’s past and revealing the long-kept secrets of her origins.

Carol Danvers is taking Alpha Flight and S.W.O.R.D. on a cosmic trip into a darker future. The events of the second Civil War and the betrayal of Steve Rogers with Secret Empire have changed Carol Danvers. With this new storyline, Dark Origin, we’ll go back to where it all started and see how she moves forward into a possibly darker future.

Wonder Woman #33: written by James Robinson with art by Ray McCarthy and Emanuela Lupacchino. James Robinson only took over the Wonder Woman title a couple of issues ago, but he has already begun making some big waves. Grail, Darkseid’s daughter, is trying to restore her father back to his prime and godlike power. She is out to steal the power from the children of gods to fuel her father’s return.

As you might imagine, this will bring her head to head with Wonder Woman and her allies. Grail is a perfect new nemesis for Diana. At the same time Wonder Woman’s brother, Jason, is on the verge of entering her life. The two siblings will soon come face-to-face with possibly dire consequences. They’ve been hinting at the arrival of Diana’s brother for a long time now and it will surely have a big impact Wonder Woman’s life.

Black Panther #166: Ta-Nehisi Coates and art by Leonard Kirk. Black Panther could not be getting more high profile lately. Coates has brought a whole new audience to the classic character and the soon to be released film is really raising the status of Wakanda’s favorite son. This still new run on the Black Panther has been hailed as one the strongest books on Marvel shelves today. With this issue, Coates is bringing back one the Panther’s greatest villains, Ulysses Klaw. In the comic books world, Klaw is the man that murdered T’Challa’s father.

Today, he faces off against this murderer all while his country struggles to rise again from all the turmoil that has boiled over in recent issues. In the recent past, T’Challa has already had to recover from a rebellion dedicated to the old gods. Wakanda’s gods have disappeared and its former gods have returned. The big question is what do they intend for a nation that no longer remembers them?

Batman: the Merciless #1: written by Peter J. Tomasi and art by Francis Manapul. Honestly, I am recommending this issue on the creative team alone. Francis Manapul is one of the best artists working in the industry today and Tomasi has been killing for DC for several years now. His run on the current primary Superman series has been one of my personal favorites since its beginning. I say that as someone who is not always a fan of Superman as a character. So given all of that, the fact that they are working together on a Dark Nights: Metal one-shot tie-in is a good reason to get excited.

Most of the Dark Nights one-shots have been very good. Each one tells a new story from the dark multiverse of these alternate Batman characters that are invading the DC universe in the main Dark Nights: Metal story. This twisted version of Batman is known as the Merciless and they are a messed up tribute to a fallen Wonder Woman from another world. From the previews they have released, it looks like this Merciless is a sword-wielding killer that has an odd sense of justice and gives his victims a quick death.

Image: Image Comics; art by Drew Moss

Copperhead #15: written by Jay Faerber and art by Drew Moss. Copperhead has been an indie favorite of mine since it started. I am a sucker for a good western story. Sheriff Clara Bronson has had a rough start in her new post in mining town of Copperhead on a backwater planet in the middle of nowhere. Most recently, Clara and her deputy Boo have been embroiled with solving the murder of the local mayor. In this new issue Clara has gone missing after the climactic end to the murder mystery and the hunt is on. Marvel and DC always get plenty of attention so don’t be afraid to branch out and try some indie comics.

Next: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #15 review: The rise of Oroku Karai

These are just five of the comic books coming out this week that worth picking up, be sure not to miss new comic book day and support your local shops.