10 Comics to Watch for in the Second Half of 2018

Last week we examined the best comics of 2018 so far, and it was an extraordinary list packed with talented creators and a wide range of stories. The year is only half over though and there are still a lot of great comics still to come. Whether they come in the form of sequels to existing masterpieces, brand new series, or translations from stellar cartoonists, each of these comics is something worthy of anticipation.

So if you are wondering what to keep an eye out for in the second half of 2018 and what to place on pre-order, then just read ahead to see which comics we are most excited about.

X-Men: Second Genesis

Created by Ed Piskor

Published by Marvel Comics

Release Date: July 25th

The first chapter in Ed Piskor’s summative history and analysis of Marvel Comics’ X-Men franchise made our list for the first half of this year, and we expect its sequel to be every bit as good, if not better. This installment begins with the events of Giant-Size X-Men #1, the start of the team’s most fertile creative period. Watching Piskor recontextualize and merge so many of the plot threads that defined a generation of comics and creators will be a pure delight.

The New World

Written by Ales Kot

Art by Tradd Moore

Published by Image Comics

Release Date: July 25th

There is no one in comics like Tradd Moore. His bold designs and propulsive, energetic action sequences are unparalleled, and any new comics series from this artist is cause for celebration. Combine that style and storytelling with Kot’s politically grounded concept of lovers torn between a second American civil war and you truly have the makings for greatness. Whether readers are looking for a thrill ride or something to make them think about how we maintain or lose relationships in this time, The New World is bound to deliver.

The Seeds

Written by Ann Nocenti

Art by David Aja

Published by Dark Horse Comics

Release Date: August 1st

David Aja returns to comics this August after a long absence in the most anticipated new series from the Berger Books imprint. This series is set to fuse all sorts of strange ideas in a surprisingly low key atmosphere marked by intimate storytelling. Environmentalism, obsession with technology, and the decline of society are all themes explored in a future Earth where aliens have come to select samples of a dying species: not bees, but us.

The Sandman Universe

Written by Neil Gaiman

Art by Sebastian Fiumara, Max Fiumara, Tom Fowler, Domonike Stanton, and Bilquis Evely

Published by Vertigo Comics

Release Date: August 8th

With all of the artists announced for a new Sandman imprint launching this fall, it’s tough to not be excited for every series in the new line. This launching point will showcase all of the immense artistic talents and ideas as writer Neil Gaiman returns to launch the whole affair. It looks to be both a gift for longtime fans of the series and a potential introduction for a new generation. No matter where you stand in comics, more Sandman is almost always a good thing.

Crowded

Written by Christopher Sebela

Art by Ro Stein and Ted Brandt

Published by Image Comics

Release Date: August 15th

A series about app-based assassinations and bodyguards feels like the perfect satire for 2018. Sebela has been on a hot streak in 2018 and the premise of Crowded reads like his funniest and most action-packed idea of the year. Combining that great concept with the dynamic duo of rising stars, Stein and Brandt, makes this a must-read new Image Comics series. The series has already attracted attention from Hollywood who are producing a movie based purely on the start of Crowded.

Border Town

Written by Eric M. Esquivel

Art by Ramon Villalobos

Published by Vertigo Comics

Release Date: September 5th

There are a lot of great new series coming from Vertigo Comics at the end of 2018 and start of 2019, but none look quite as impressive as Border Town. It digs into the American immigrant experience and the modern zeitgeist with plenty of style. Villalobos is one of the best artists working in comics today, and his preview pages for this series will blow even existing fans away. Border Town is the perfect starting point for a big Vertigo relaunch.

My Brother’s Husband, Vol. 2

Created by Gengoroh Tagame

Published by Pantheon Graphic Novels

Release Date: September 18th

The second-half of this translation is bound to be a tearjerker, as anyone who read the first volume would know. My Brother’s Husband is an intimate portrait of family and how difficult change can be. It carefully considers all of its three core characters, providing a sympathetic point of view for everyone involved. The first volume provided lots of hope and understanding, something we hope the second can build upon for its conclusion.

Parallel Lives

Created by Olivier Schrauwen

Published by Fantagraphics Books

Release Date: November 20th

This is the number one comic to watch for if you’re a fan of unique cartooning and comics that push the boundaries of storytelling. Schrauwen provides six different tales in this collection, all of which offer a surrealist bent on mundane themes. There is nothing quite like Parallel Lives on shelves right now, and it is bound to remind readers of the immense possibilities found within the comics medium.

Wonder Woman

Written by G. Willow Wilson

Art by Cary Nord

Published by DC Comics

Release Date: November 2018

The recent announcement that writer G. Willow Wilson and artist Cary Nord would be taking over Wonder Woman before the end of 2018 has garnered a great deal of much deserved excitement. Wilson’s masterful work on Ms. Marvel reveals an ability to blend the delight of superhero stories with their massive metaphorical potential. This series is bound to return the character to the same heights of the Rebirth launch, if not to something even greater still.

The Sea

Created by Rikke Villadsen

Published by Fantagraphics Books

Release Date: December 15th

The English debut of cartoonist Rikke Villadsen brings a touch of magical realism to comics in North America. This tale of a fisherman who brings up both a baby and a talking fish plays upon the small scope of this work and combines it with much larger questions concerning life. The sea, fog, and ship are all rendered in graphite for a moving impression of a challenging life and world.