By Zack Quaintance — Hey hey and welcome into our Top Comics to Buy for January 12, 2022 list. It’s a big week for Batman (isn’t it always?), but that’s not all that’s hitting your local shop this week. We’re also getting a new Spawn book, the next phase of Chip Zdarsky and co.’s Daredevil run, a conclusion to one of last year’s most melancholic original series, and more. You can check out our picks for the best of the bunch below.

Enjoy!

Top Comics to Buy for January 12, 2022

PICK OF THE WEEK
Mazebook #5
Writing/Art: Jeff Lemire
Lettering: Steve Wands
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
From New York Times bestselling and Eisner award-winning Black Hammer and Sweet Tooth creator Jeff Lemire comes this ambitious and haunting comic series about family, mourning, and reality.
As Will continues his fight across a dangerous metropolitan maze on the hunt to find his long-gone daughter, he comes face-to-face with his own literal monsters as he tries to find her and bring her home.
Why It’s Cool: I really don’t want to give anything away about this very good comic, so I’ll just say that Mazebook #5 lands this story in the exact right place, doing right by the melancholic and poignant miniseries that led up to a very good (and very very sad) finale.
Price: $5.99
Pre-Order the Full Volume: Mazebook

Batman Urban Legends #11
Writers: Vita Ayala, Ram V., Mohale Mashigo, and Mark Russell
Artists: Nikola Čižmešija, Anand Radhakrishnan, Arist Deyn, and Karl Mostert
Colorists: Nick Filardi, John Pearson, and Trish Mulvihill
Letterers: Steve Wands, Aditya Bidikar, and Saida Temofonte
Publisher: DC Comics
BATMAN & ZATANNA: Vita Ayala and Nikola Cizmesija join forces to tell a story that will change Batman and Zatanna’s relationship forever. Every year the two have to come together to defeat an evil curse. This year they fail, and the world is in peril because of it.
HOUNDED: Ace the Bat-Hound, the goodest boy in the DCU, has his day in an epic story featuring many DC Super Pets, brought to you by Mark Russell and Karl Mostert.
WIGHT WITCH: Catwoman tie-in/“Fear State” aftermath! Aftermath. The mysterious relationship between Ghost-Maker and Wight Witch is revealed in all its horrifying glory here.
Why It’s Cool: There are some absolutely fantastic stories in this month’s Batman anthology, Batman Urban Legends #11, one of which pairs Batman with Zatana, another of which pairs Batman with Ace the Bathound, and a third that features a new story by Ram V. and Anand RK, the indie comics team behind books like Blue In Green and Grafity’s Wall.
Price: $7.99
Catch Up: Batman Urban Legends, Vol. 1

Detective Comics #1048
Writers: Mariko Tamaki, back-up by Matthew Rosenberg
Artists: Ivan Reis, back-up by Fernando Blanco
Inker: Danny Miki
Colorists: Brad Anderson, back-up by Jordie Bellaire
Letterer: Ariana Maher, back-up by Rob Leigh
Publisher: DC Comics
“The Tower” part two! The mysteries of Dr. Wear begin to unfold as a new doctor named Frow joins the staff of Arkham Tower. The Bat-Family tries to figure out the best way to infiltrate the facility, but someone may have gotten the drop on them…someone not unfamiliar with psychiatric facilities…one Dr. Harleen Quinzel, better known to you dear readers as Harley Quinn!
PLUS: “House of Gotham” part two! A boy’s parents were killed by The Joker, and he fell through the cracks of the system. Instead of being sent to a facility that could care for him and his trauma, he was sent to Arkham Asylum! Will the villains inside eat him alive or show him how to survive in a city ruthlessly overseen by Batman??
Why It’s Cool: In part two of this weekly series, Shadow of the Bat delivers another chapter building up the psychological thriller taking place in Gotham, doling out more about characters, about where our heroes are at (none of which are Batman in this book), and about where the future of Arkham is headed…all played out with incredible Ivan Reis-Danny MIki-Brad Anderson artwork.
Price: $4.99
Catch-Up: Detective Comics by Tamaki and Mora, Vol. 1

Joe Hill’s Rain #1
Story By: Joe Hill
Adaptation By: David M. Booher
Art By: Zoe Thorogood
Colors By: Chris O’Halloran
Letters By: Shawn Lee
Publisher: Image Comics
MINISERIES PREMIERE
THE FIRST IN CHRIS RYALL & ASHLEY WOOD'S NEW SYZYGY PUBLISHING IMPRINT LINE OF TITLES AT IMAGE COMICS!
On a seemingly normal August day in Boulder, Colorado, the skies are clear, and Honeysuckle Speck couldn't be happier. She's finally moving in with her girlfriend Yolanda. But their world is literally torn apart when dark clouds roll in and release a downpour of nails-splinters of bright crystal that shred the skin of anyone not safely under cover. RAIN makes vivid this escalating apocalyptic event, as the deluge of nails spreads across the country and around the world, threatening everything young lovers Honeysuckle and Yolanda hold dear.
Why It’s Cool: A very different and refreshingly-chilling sort of horror comic, Joe Hill’s Rain #1 is an adaptation of a novella the titular author wrote…and it makes for some damn fine comics, courtesy of David M. Booher, Zoe Thorogood, and co., who knock this adaptation out of the park.
Price: $3.99
Read the First Issue: Joe Hill’s Rain #1

Sword of Hyperborea #1
Writers: Mike Mignola and Rob Williams
Artist: Laurence Campbell
Colorist: Quinton Winter
Letterer: Clem Robins
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
From the ancient warrior Gall Dennar, to Sir Edward Grey, to the B.P.R.D.'s Agent Howards, the iconic Hyperborean sword from the world of Hellboy has landed in many influential hands. And this has been no accident. Trace the sword's path through the adventures and encounters that finally brought it to Ragna Rok, at the end of the world, and witness the sword's journey through history. Hellboy creator Mike Mignola gives us a new tale from the world of Hellboy, cowritten by Rob Williams and featuring the art of Mignolaverse veteran Laurence Campbell to deliver never-before-seen Hellboy lore!
Why It’s Cool: After kicking around in self-contained stories for a year (or was it two), the Hellboy Universe comics have returned a bit to where the main narrative ended, doing so with books like this one that fill in more of the lore that led up to the grand finale. This comic is a great look at the titular sword of hyperborea, which has popped up here and there in Hellboy mythos. It also returns one of my favorite BPRD artists to Hellboy, Laurence Campbell. A great read all around.
Price: $3.99
Read Hellboy and the BPRD: The Beast of Vargu and Others

Others Receiving Votes

Amazing Spider-Man #85
Batgirls #2
Dark Ages #4
The Good Asian #8
I Am Batman #5
The Joker #11
Lunar Room #2
Marauders #27
Odinns Eye #5
Savage Avengers #28
Stillwater #12
The Thing #3
What’s the Furthest Place From Here #3

New #1s and One-Shots

Daredevil: Woman Without Fear #1
Death of Doctor Strange: Bloodstone #1
Devil’s Reign: Superior Four #1
Hell Sonja #1
Justice League vs. The Legion of Superheroes #1
Marvel Voices: Indigenous Voices All-New 2021 #1
Scorched #1
Star Wars - High Republic: Eye of the Storm #1
Wastelanders - Black Widow #1
We Ride Titans #1

Graphic Novels and Trade Collections of Note

Daredevil By Chip Zdarsky Vol 7 Lockdown TP
Essential Judge Dredd Vol 4 Dredd vs Death TP
Falconspeare HC
Glass Wall GN
House Of El Book 2 The Enemy Delusion TP
Immortal Hulk Vol 11 Apocrypha TP
Many Deaths Of Laila Starr TP
Six Sidekicks Of Trigger Keaton Vol 1 TP
Something Is Killing The Children Vol 4 TP
Sports Is Hell HC
That Texas Blood Vol 2 TP
United States Of Captain America TP
X Of Swords TP
X-Men Mutant Massacre Omnibus HC Direct Market Alan Davis Variant Cover

See our past top comics to buy here, and check out our reviews archive here.

Zack Quaintance is a tech reporter by day and freelance writer by night/weekend. He Tweets compulsively about storytelling and comics as Comics Bookcase.