By Zack Quaintance — Well, here we are with the Top Comics to Buy for June 1, 2022, a bit of a quiet week before the coming summer comics storm brings us big superhero events, new indie series, and all kind of other colorful stories to read. This week’s crop of books is still a pretty interesting one, featuring one of the my favorite comics right now, some interesting superhero annuals, and more.

Check out the full list of picks below…and enjoy!

Top Comics to Buy for June 1, 2022

PICK OF THE WEEK
The Nice House on the Lake #9
Writer: James Tynion IV
Artist: Álvaro Martínez Bueno
Colorist: Jordie Bellaire
Letterer: Andworld Design
Publisher: DC Comics - Black Label
All Arturo wants is for his partner, Sam, to be happy-so why isn't he? What is scratching at the edge of Sam's memories that keeps him restless and unsatisfied? As a journalist, nothing can keep Sam from the truth-no matter what that truth could cost the man he loves...
Why It’s Cool: As I wrote in my review of The Nice House on the Lake #8, the second arc of one of the best series in monthly comics is doing some interesting things with deliberate disorientation, and in this week’s The Nice House on the Lake #9, the narrative starts to unravel that even further. As we get deeper into this one, the horror is slowly building, the oddities becoming more known, and the sense of desperation heightened. It’s all so good.
Price: $3.99
Buy It Here: Digital

Action Comics 2022 Annual #1
Writers: Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Si Spurrier
Artists: Dale Eaglesham and Ian Churchill
Colorist: Lee Loughridge
Letterer: Dave Sharpe
Publisher: DC Comics
As the Warworld Saga reaches a breaking point, battle lines are drawn between the two towering forces at odds: Mongul and Superman. In this special 2022 annual we'll explore how our combatants have evolved over the years to represent the beacons of hope and tyranny that they respectively embody...and witness the first chilling chapter of their ultimate final battle!
Why It’s Cool: As I’ve also written on this site, Action Comics’ Warworld Saga is just fantastic, a fast-paced action-heavy deep sci-fi concept with a very cool aesthetic and set of superhero characters. This annual is an expanded look at the nature of authority — be it through ruthlessness or kindness — the tension at the thematic heart of this story. The art in this one is especially excellent, making it a must-read for anyone following the Warwrold Saga.
Price: $5.99
Buy It Here: Digital

The Closet #1
Writer: James Tynion IV
Artist: Gavin Fullerton
Colorist: Chris O’Halloran
Letterer: Tom Napolitano
Publisher: Image Comics
A tale of existential familial horror by JAMES TYNION IV (THE DEPARTMENT OF TRUTH, RAZORBLADES) and GAVIN FULLERTON (BOG BODIES, Bags). Thom is moving cross-country with his family and dragging the past along with them. His son, Jamie, is seeing monsters in the bedroom closet and will not let them go.
Why It’s Cool: We’re in a bit of a golden era for horror comics, with more to choose from than any other period, at least in my lifetime, anyway, and one of the things you get when a genre booms like this is variety. The Closet #1 is a great example of this, a personal and honest comic that trades in subtlety to foster its creepiness. A thoughtful book, this one is a great read.
Price: $3.99
Buy It Here: Digital / Trade
Read our review of The Closet #1

Justice League: Road to Dark Crisis #1
Writers: Joshua Williamson, Jeremy Adams, Chuck Brown, Phillip Kenned Johnson, and Stephanie Phillips
Artists: Dan Jurgens (inked by Norm Rapmund), Rosi Kampe, Fico Ossio, Leila Del Duca, Clayton Henry
Colorists: Hi-Fi, Matt Herms, Sebastian Cheng, Jordie Bellaire, Marcelo Maiolo
Letterer: Josh Reed
Publisher: DC Comics
The Justice League has tragically fallen in battle, and now we see the aftermath. How does the world react to the Justice League being gone? Which heroes rise up...and which villains try to take advantage? And what dark forces are lying in wait to attack? An all-star roster of DC talent showcases a world without a Justice League and sets the stage for next month's Dark Crisis event!
Why It’s Cool: I am nothing if not a sucker for Road Tos (or Countdown Tos) for big silly summer superhero events, and so Dark Crisis is no exception. In this one, we get essentially an anthology of short stories looking at the reaction to and fallout of the events of Justice League #75. In that sense, this book feels more like a bridge between that comic and the summer event to come, but the stories are well-done, shiny, and fun, just like you want from this type of grandiose superhero jam comic.
Price: $5.99
Buy It Here: Digital
Check out our Dark Crisis Reading List Checklist!

Step By Bloody Step #4
Story: Si Spurrier
Artist: Matias Bergara
Colorist: Matheus Lopes
Graphic Design: Emma Price
Glyphology: Jim Campbell
Publisher: Image Comics
MINISERIES FINALE
The tragedy. The truth. The great secret, revealed at last. And a painful lesson:
Sometimes you can't complete a journey without turning to see how far you've come.
Why It’s Cool: This has been a really interesting fantasy series, a silent (almost literal) walk through a gorgeous and immersive fantasy world. There has been (by design) some confusion and some questions from the start of this one, and Step By Bloody Step #4 has a circular set of reveals that make it all the more interesting, all the more meaningful.
Price: $4.99
Buy It Here: Digital

Others Receiving Votes

Avengers Forever #6
Black Panther #6
Captain Marvel #38
Carnage #3
Fire Power #21
Ghost Rider #3
Hardware Season One #6
Little Monsters #4
Miles Morales - Spider-Man #38
Once and Future #26
Strange #3
We Have Demons #3
What’s the Furthest Place From Here? #6
X-Men ‘92 - House of XCII #2

New #1s and One-Shots

Batman 2022 Annual #1
Cyberpunk 2077: Blackout #1
New Think #1
Phalanx #1
Shadow War Omega #1
Super Freaks #1
Triskele #1

Trade Collections and Graphic Novels of Note

Death And Return of Superman Omnibus HC
Fire Power Book 1 HC
History Comics National Parks TP
History Comics Stonewall Riots TP
Luke Cage Omnibus HC
Marvel June 1962 Omnibus HC
Murder Falcon Deluxe Edition HC

Read more great graphic novel and comics reviews!

Zack Quaintance is a tech reporter by day and freelance writer by night/weekend. He has written about comics for The Beat and NPR Books, among others. He Tweets compulsively about storytelling and comics as Comics Bookcase.