Comic Book best picks of the week: 10/27/21

New week, new comics. So, what ended up being some of the best comic book stories to come out this week?

From beginnings to near endings, plenty of comic book issues hit the shelves this past week, but what were the best to hit the stands?

Let’s find out, shall we?

Best comic book picks:

DC Vs. Vampires #1

Written by James Tynion IV & Matthew Rosenberg, Art and Colors by Otto Schmidt

In what has almost become a tradition for DC Comics now, another Halloween means the start of a new out-of-continuity horror series. This year though, they’re doing something different and are bringing vampires back into the fold of the DC universe. And if this first issue is any indication of what the series is going to be like, it’s going to be a lot of twisted fun.

This first issue is a lot of backstory and set-up for the twelve-issue series, but even within that, it revels in the possibilities of what one can do bringing vampires into the world of superheroes. And the way that this issue does so makes for a lot of uncertainty moving forward as well. Already, no one feels safe and anyone could die at any moment or turn into a vampire. This was a very fun first issue and hopefully the rest of the series can keep up the momentum.

Black Widow #12

Written by Kelly Thompson, Pencils by Elena Casagrande, Inks by Elisabeta D’Amico, Colors by Jordie Bellaire

Another month, another new issue of the best comic that Marvel has been consistently putting out for the past year. Every issue of Black Widow has been fantastic and #12 is no different. Kelly Thompson and Elene Casagrande are a dream team on this book and it shows with each issue that comes out. The writing and the art are excellent, no matter if it’s the beginning, middle, or end of an arc.

In this alone, we get such a great team dynamic between Natasha, Bucky, Clint, and Yelena that really helps to expand their relationships without being completely bogged down with how serious the issue starts. This issue manages to balance the serious tone and fun nature that this team has incredibly well. Plus, the humor sprinkled throughout is perfectly placed.

Inferno #2

Written by Jonathan Hickman, Art by Stefano Caselli, Colors by David Curiel

The second issue of the culmination of Jonathan Hickman’s work on the X-Men and the island of Krakoa is beyond excellent. There’s really just no other way to describe it. Intrigue, drama, machinations, and plot twists galore, it’s just a near perfect read and it is impossible to tell how it’s going to end. The threads that have been laid out throughout his run are all beginning to pay off here and it’s becoming very clear how Hickman was playing the long game with his run, which isn’t all that surprising.

Beyond the inherent drama that exists in this issue though, it’s incredibly emotional simply due to Mystique and Destiny’s reunion. This is something that has been teased since House of X/Powers of X and to finally see it come to fruition in such an emotionally impactful way, it was great to read. And the thing is, it’s hard not to root for Mystique and Destiny to overthrow Xavier and Magneto, at least partially, which is another aspect that makes this such a compelling read.

Daredevil #35

Written by Chip Zdarsky, Art by Stefano Landini & Francesco Mobili, Colors by Marcio Menyz

Daredevil has been firing on all cylinders since this run began and the latest issue is no different. This issue is basically one long fight scene and it’s all the better for it. Watching Elektra figure out how to fight multiple Bullseyes at once makes for such an intense read and it’s an absolute joy to behold. Amidst the great fights, there’s an underlying cleverness to how this issue is written that keeps you on the edge of your seat while reading.

And in the few brief moments where the fighting takes a pause, we get to see how much Elektra has grown since she put on the horns and became Daredevil in Matt’s place. She’s still a very hard person, but there’s now a kindness to her that simply didn’t exist before she became the devil of Hell’s Kitchen. It’s great, subtle character growth that hopefully continues on long after she, presumably, no longer is Daredevil.

House of Slaughter #1

Story by James Tynion IV & Tate Brombal, Written by Tate Brombal, Art by Chris Shehan, Colors by Miquel Muerto

A spin-off to the immensely popular, terrifying, and great series Something is Killing the Children, House of Slaughter builds out the world that was presented there and brings us fully into the world of monster hunting. There’s so much about this world that still needs to be explored so its great to finally see that beginning to happen, as well as the fact that it’s wrapped in a story that already feels very different than anything that has happened so far in Something is Killing the Children.

Acting as a prequel to Something is Killing the Children, House of Slaughter follows Aaron Slaughter as he navigates his training to become a monster hunter, as well as his hunt for a monster as an adult. It jumps back and forth between these timelines constantly throughout the issue, which could be very jarring, but it never is. In fact, it works incredibly well in building out Aaron’s character and how much he had grown by the time he became an adult. And the way that this issue ends, it’s going to be an interesting series.

Have you read any of these comic book arcs yet? What was your favorite comic book of the week? Let us know in the comments below!