Milo, aka “Bane of Kings”, covers the the third entry of this series this year, looking at the Top 5 Must-Read Comics on this NCBD, featuring stuff from Dark Horse, Marvel, DC and Image.

This is one heck of an awesome week for comics this week. We have the beginning of The Trial of Jean Grey, All New Invaders ,and Black Widow, Hawkeye at Marvel alone whilst DC takes us to the origins of Batman in Zero Year. So lots of must-read titles are being put out this week and of course I couldn’t cover them all, so if you’re interested in the full release head over to ComicList, and if you want to know all the books that I’m picking up then head over to Comixology.

ALL NEW INVADERS #1

Story: James Robinson | Art: Steve Pugh | Cover: Mukesh Singh |Publisher: Marvel Comics | Price: $3.99

GODS AND SOLDIERS” PART ONE

•  Eisner Award winner James Robinson (STARMAN, EARTH 2) returns to MARVEL, uniting with Steve Pugh (ANIMAL MAN, HOTWIRE, GEN-X) to create a unique, modern day take on the INVADERS.
•  The KREE EMPIRE intends to conquer the universe using a weapon that will grant them an army of NORSE GODS.
• It falls to four heroes united by their past-CAPTAIN AMERICA, NAMOR, THE ORIGINAL HUMAN TORCH and the WINTER SOLDIER-who must now face the future and wage war against the Kree to save Earth.

James Robinson is an incredibly awesome writer and his Earth 2 series was one of the first that I read when I was getting into comics. Still gutted to see that he’s left but DC’s loss is Marvel’s gain but I’m totally down for any work he’s putting out and All New Invaders and Fantastic Four are going to be must buys for me. Can’t wait for this issue.

BATMAN #27

Story: Scott Snyder | Art: Greg Capullo | Cover: Greg Capullo | Publisher: DC Comics | Price: $3.99

‘ZERO YEAR’ reaches an all-important crossroads as Batman and Jim Gordon try to turn the lights back on in Gotham City. This issue leads directly into the final arc of Zero Year, which begins here next month!

Zero Year continues. It’s a great series and I’m really digging each installment of the exploration of Batman’s early career is awesome. It feels like ages since the last issue came out though, however this series hasn’t lost any of its charm and I can’t wait for more awesomeness.

DEADLY CLASS #1

Story: Rick Remender | Art: Wesley Craig | Cover: Wesley Craig | Publisher: Image Comics | Price: $3.50

It’s 1987. Marcus Lopez hates school. His grades suck. He has no money. The jocks are hassling his friends. He can’t focus in class, thanks to his mind constantly drifting to the stunning girl in the front row and the Dag Nasty show he has tickets to. But the jocks are the children of Joseph Stalin’s top assassin, the teachers are members of an ancient league of assassins, the class he’s failing is ‘Dismemberment 101,’ and his crush, a member of the most notorious crime syndicate in Japan, has a double-digit body count. Welcome to the most brutal high school on Earth, where the world’s top crime families send the next generation of assassins to be trained. Murder is an art. Killing is a craft. At King’s Dominion High School for the Deadly Arts, the dagger in your back isn’t always metaphorical, nor is your fellow classmates’ poison. Join writer RICK REMENDER with rising star WESLEY CRAIG (Batman) and legendary colorist LEE LOUGHRIDGE (Fear Agent) to reminisce about the mid-1980s underground through the eyes of the most damaged and dangerous teenagers on Earth.

A brand new series from Rick Remender should be great. The premise sounds fun and his Black Science work was one of his best to date so I’m hoping for great things here. Should be awesome.

HAWKEYE #16

Story: Matt Fraction | Art: Annie Wu | Cover: David Aja  | Publisher: Marvel Comics | Price: $2.99

• The adventures of Lady Hawkguy out west continue as Kate helps a reclusive and Sixties-damaged pop music genius find his lost masterpiece.
• Madame Masque, meanwhile, finds HER. By which we mean starts trying to kill her again.
• Also the cat needs cat food and there’s none to be found. What’s THAT about?
•  Hey not for nothin’ but you guys gotta try these Cronuts!

A Kate Bishop-centric issue should be great and especially if it has some art by the awesome Annie Wu who is a capable replacement for David Aja and Francesco Francavilla. Very much looking forward to this one.

STAR WARS: LEGACY #11

Story: Corrina Bechko | Art: Gabriel Hardman | Cover: Rachelle Rosenberg | Publisher: Dark Horse Comics | Price: $2.99

Just who is Ania Solo? Is she a lowly salvage dealer from a backwater planet, as she says, or is she an escaped prisoner and the murderer of an Imperial Knight, as the authorities claim?

The best Star Wars series is this one and I’m loving every issue. Great artwork, great storyline and great characters. This is literally a must read for any SW fan and the trade that’s already out for Volume 1 is a must buy. Highly recommended.