Milo, aka “Bane of Kings”, runs down the Top 5 comics to look out for on 9 October 2013, featuring issues from DC Comics, Vertigo Comics, Image Comics and Marvel Comics. 

First off, there wasn’t a Top 5 Comics To Look Out For post last Wednesday and that was because the Monthly Comics Previews fell on the same day as the Top 5 Comics post would, so I felt like I didn’t want to overload it. Now that we’ve got that out of the way though, we can talk comics, and it looks set to be a bumper week as we have possibly what will be one of my most expensive weeks comics-wise, possibly ever, with a massive load of books that’s beyond the 5 ‘most anticipated’ ones that you can see here. For a full pull list, head over to this post on Comixology. Also, want a complete list of all the comics shipping this week? ComicList is the place to be. This week in the Top 5, we have Part Four of Zero Year, a new series from Vertigo Comics (and a new series from Image Comics), the inmates of Arkham Asylum go to war with Blackgate Prison for Gotham City and Thor encounters a gun-toting light elf and a dynamite loving dwarf.

BATMAN #24

Story: Scott Snyder | Art: Greg Capullo | Cover: Greg Capullo | Publisher: DC Comics Price: $6.99

Zero Year Part Four! In this amazing, double-sized issue, Batman is on the trail of the Red Hood Gang and their mysterious leader, secret origins are revealed, and a major surprise will change the course of Zero Year and Batman’s life!

WHY? It feels like it’s been ages since we’ve seen the last issue of Batman and with Forever Evil out of the way we can continue with Part Four of Zero Year. Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo bring some wonderfully awesome panels to the table in a double-sized issue that whilst it means I will have to pay more, it also means that I get more awesomeness from two of my favourite creators, who rank in the Top 5 of my favourite Writers and the Top 5 of my favourite artists respectively. And plus, it’s Batman - my favourite ongoing series at DC Comics right now and I can’t wait to see where Snyder and Capullo take the reader in this issue as it looks set to pit Bruce Wayne against the Red Hood Gang. One thing’s for sure, things are about to get very interesting.

COFFIN HILL #1

Story: Caitlin Kittredge | Art: Inaki Miranda | Cover: Dave Johnson | Publisher: Vertigo Comics |  Price: $2.99

COFFIN HILL stars Eve Coffin, a rebellious, teenage lowlife from a high-society family with a curse that goes back to the Salem Witch trials. Following a night of sex, drugs and witchcraft in the woods, Eve wakes up naked, covered in blood and unable to remember how she got there. One friend is missing, one is in a mental ward-and one knows that Eve is responsible.

After a stint as a Boston cop that ends in a bullet wound and unintended celebrity, Eve returns to Coffin Hill, only to discover the darkness that she unleashed ten years ago in the woods was never contained. It continues to seep through the town, cursing the soul of this sleepy Massachusetts hollow, spilling secrets and enacting its revenge. Set against the haunted backdrop of New England, COFFIN HILL explores what people will do for power and retribution.

Noted novelist Caitlin Kittredge, author of the Black London series, brings a smart, mesmerizing style to comics. Artist Inaki Miranda (FABLES) brings his dynamic storytelling to COFFIN HILL, following an acclaimed run on FAIREST.

WHY? Coffin Hill is a bit of an odd one for me. I haven’t encountered Caitlin Kittredge or Inaki Miranda before in comics, but the premise looks pretty interesting as it gives a strong supernatural/horror vibe and the preview issues look pretty awesome indeed with some stellar artwork. It’s also a Vertigo series – and I think Vertigo are the only comics publisher so far to produce work by a writer/artist who I have not liked with the exception of Scott Snyder and Stephen King’s American Vampire, which effectively redeemed itself with the recent anthology. So you can certainly count me in for Coffin Hill, and I may even consider checking out Caitlin Kittredge’s Black London series at some point.

FOREVER EVIL: ARKHAM WAR #1

Story: Peter J. Tomasi | Art: Scot Eaton | Cover: Jason Fabok | Publisher: DC Comics | Price: $2.99

As FOREVER EVIL hits the world, no corner of the DC Universe is in worse shape than Gotham City! Madness and mayhem hit the streets as both Arkham Asylum and Blackgate Prison unleash their prisoners upon the helpless citizens of Gotham. And with no Dark Knight to protect the city, what horrors will follow?

WHY? All Bat fans have asked themselves at one point what life in Gotham would be like if there was no Batman to protect its citizens, and both Arkham Asylum and Blackgate Prison let its prisoners loose. However, whilst we saw something of what it was like in The Dark Knight Rises, we never really got a full look at the sheer scale of destruction and damage that multiple super-villains (not just Bane and the Scarecrow) could do and with Peter J. Tomasi doing scripting duties I’m sure he’ll deliver. I’m certainly looking forward to seeing how this plays out – it’s the only one of the Forever Evil miniseries that screams a “Must Buy” to me. Can’t wait.

ROCKET GIRL #1

Story: Brandon Montclare | Art: Amy Reeder | Cover: Amy Reeder | Publisher: Image Comics | Price: $3.50

A teenage cop from a high-tech future is sent back in time to 1986 New York City. Dayoung Johansson is investigating the Quintum Mechanics megacorporation for crimes against time. As she pieces together the clues, she discovers the ‘future’ she calls home – an alternate reality version of 2013 – shouldn’t exist at all! Blast off with the new ongoing series by BRANDON MONTCLARE (Halloween Eve) and Eisner Award nominee AMY REEDER (Batwoman, Madame Xanadu).

WHY? Having not encountered anything by Brandon Montclare or Amy Reeder before, I can’t wait to check out Rocket Girl. The artwork and the preview pages look awesome and I’m really looking forward to seeing where this book goes, with an interesting premise and the fact that I want to check out more Image books, only following Ales Kot’s Zero and Greg Rucka’s Lazarus so far - Rocket Girl could be the perfect place to start. It looks really awesome.

THOR: GOD OF THUNDER #14

Story: Jason Aaron | Art: Ron Garney | Cover: Ron Garney | Publisher: Marvel Comics | Price: $3.99

• The Wild Hunt has begun! As Malekith the Accursed continues his bloody rampage across the Nine Realms, Thor finds new allies to aid him in the chase: A Dark Elf sorceress!

• A gun-toting Light Elf! A gargantuan Mountain Giant! A dwarf who loves dynamite! and a particularly surly troll..?!

WHY? The first issue in this arc kicked off last month with a bang and I can’t wait to see what Jason Aaron and Ron Garney can bring to the table. If the combination of Malekith the Accursed, Thor, a gun-toting Light Elf, a mountain giant and a dwarf that loves dynamite along with a particularly surly troll doesn’t sound appealing to you then all I need to do should be to throw in the name of Jason Aaron for you to be hooked. Aaron is one of my Top 5 favourite comics writers at the moment (along with Snyder above) and Thor: God of Thunder fits among my Top 5 of my favourite current ongoing Marvel books. This issue looks super awesome so you can really count me in for ti.