May has come to close and and that means it is time to select the Best Comic Books released in the past month! This was a month filled with a lot of quality releases. It was a month that was tough to just be able to select ten comic books that were the best. With that in mind I’ve put together my list of ten comics that I consider the Best Comic Books released in May.
10) THE LIFE AND DEATH OF LUCAS DREAMWALKER #1
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: R.L. Stine
Artist: Francesco Francavilla
Letterer: Nate Piekos
The Life and Death of Lucas Dreamwalker #1 is a great example of how to blend multiple genres into one story without losing focus. R.L. Stine is in his bag with how he blends horror, suspense, and time-hopping adventure work together. As Lucas Dreamwalker moves through three distinct time periods, there is a steady sense of dread hanging over everything he does.
What really makes the issue stand out, though, is Francesco Francavilla’s artwork. He gives each section its own distinct color palette, which helps sell the different time periods while still tying the whole story together. That visual consistency adds a lot to the atmosphere and gives the book a memorable identity, making the full experience linger long after you finish reading it.
9) IRON MAN #5
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Joshua Williamson
Artists: Carmen Carnero and Jan Bazaldua
Colorist: Nolan Woodard
Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Joshua Williamson wraps up his first Iron Man story arc with a strong issue that feels like the reset Tony Stark really needed. More importantly, Iron Man #5 makes it clear that this run is not just interested in revisiting Tony’s past, but in using that history to push him toward something new. As Tony starts putting his life back together, there is a real sense that he is thinking bigger than just himself, especially when it comes to what kind of legacy he wants to leave behind.
In an odd way, Tony has Madam Masque and A.I.M. to thank for this new direction. In the villains effort to create their own Tony Stark they opened the door for Tony’s new goal. Even though their plan does not fully work, they still come away with enough of a win to feel like a serious threat in the future. That balance leaves Iron Man in a really good spot, with Tony heading in a fresh direction and his villains set up to make things even more complicated from here.
8) BARBARA GORDON: BREAKOUT #1
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Mariko Tamaki
Artist: Amancay Nahuelpan
Colorist: Tamra Bonvillain
Letterer: Ariana Maher
Barbara Gordon: Breakout #1 continues DC Next Level’s strong streak of giving characters a fresh spark. After spending much of the last year a supporting cast member role across the Batman Family line, Barbara finally gets a story that’s built around her. Even better, the setup is one that only works because it is Barbara at the center of it, which makes the premise feel immediately worthwhile.
The idea of Barbara ending up in a Supermax prison because of her ties to the Batman Family is handled well. Mariko Tamaki and Amancay Nahuelpan make the story feel like a natural extension of what happened in Batman #9, while also answering the big question of why Barbara would willingly put herself in a position to be arrested in the first place. That extra context gives the current Batman Family direction more weight and helps Barbara Gordon: Breakout #1 land as a strong series debut.
7) UNCANNY X-MEN #28
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Gail Simone
Artist: Luciano Vecchio
Colorist: Matthew Wilson
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Gail Simone and Luciano Vecchio continue to show impressive command over a story packed with intersecting plotlines and a large ensemble cast. In Uncanny X-Men #28, they balance multiple things going on involving the Uncanny X-Men, the Outliers, the New Mutants, and the Graymalkin Prison cast of characters without ever letting the narrative feel overwhelming. The pacing remains consistent, helping the story sustain the tension while keeping the larger mystery compelling. It helps every part of the plot and character feel equally important.
6) NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH #2
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Sarah Gailey
Artist: Haining
Colorist: Rebecca Nalty
Letterer: Jodie Troutman
Neighborhood Watch #2 takes the sitcom-esque suburban set-up of the first issue and gives it a sharp jolt with a murder mystery. The discovery of a dead body immediately changes the atmosphere, turning what seemed like a peaceful community into something far more uneasy. Sarah Gailey and Haining do a great job showing how differently each character reacts, which helps the tension feel personal instead of just being plot driven.
That shift also lets the story dig deeper into who these people really are. Once the illusion of normal suburban life starts to crack, the characters become a lot more interesting, and the story is better for it. By the end, Neighborhood Watch #2 leaves you with a strong hook ending that makes you want to read what happens next.
5) NIGHTWING #138
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Dan Watters
Artist: Denys Cowan
Inker: Norm Rapmund
Colorist: Francesco Segala
Letterer: Wes Abbott
Nightwing #138 does a great job moving Dick Grayson’s current story forward. The way it integrates the recent events involving the Batman Family, specifically everything that has happened with Barbara Gordon, is done in an organic way to enhance the series’ current direction. Dan Watters makes those recent events land in a way that gives Dick’s mental state even more weight, as it becomes clear he is carrying guilt and pain from every direction. That added emotional pressure gives the issue a stronger sense of urgency and makes Dick feel more grounded throughout.
That is what makes Starfire’s guest appearance work so well here. Watters writes their relationship like one built on real trust, and that gives their team-up a lot more meaning than just being a cool pairing. Especially as Nightwing is not doing a great job at being able to hide the emotional strain the recent events in Bludhaven have had on him. It all works to make Dick’s final decision hit harder, with the possible fallout hanging over everything by the end.
4) SORCERER SUPREME #6
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Steve Orlando
Artists: Bernard Chang and Von Randal
Colorist: Ruth Redmond
Letterer: Joe Sabino
Sorcerer Supreme #6 is a strong reminder of just how expansive Marvel’s magical side can be. Steve Orlando, Bernard Chang, and Von Randal lean into that by taking us from Planet Maritarga to Wiccan’s Dreamscape to the Sanctum Sanctorum. That constant shift in setting keeps the issue feeling big and dynamic without ever losing its focus.
What really makes it work is how each setting reflects Scarlet Witch’s range of powers in different ways. At the same time, the ideas introduced in the first issue keep building here, giving the series a stronger sense of momentum. All of that helps Sorcerer Supreme #6 land as another compelling chapter in Wanda’s journey to truly make the top magical title in the Marvel Universe her own.
3) ZATANNA #2
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer and Artist: Jamal Campbell
Letterer: Ariana Maher
Jamal Campbell takes what he set up in the debut and pushes it to another level with Zatanna #2. This issue feels bigger in just about every way as Campbell expands the world around Zatanna and gives the series a stronger sense of scale. That larger scope makes the story feel more confident without losing sight of its main character.
A lot of that comes through in the way Campbell handles the unlimited potential of magic. The back-and-forth between Zatanna and the new antagonist gives their powers a real presence on the page. It helps sell just how important Zatanna’s new role really is. By the end, Zatanna #2 feels like another strong step forward for a series that is already establishing itself as one of DC Comics best comics.
2) TRANSFORMERS #32
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Robert Kirkman
Artist: Jason Howard
Colorist: Mike Spicer
Letterer: Rus Wooton
Transformers #32 firmly establishes who the Autobots are under Elita-Prime’s new leadership. By shifting the focus to the current state of Cybertron, the issue immediately feels different from most of what this series has delivered so far. That change in perspective gives the story a fresh energy and makes the bigger picture around the Autobots feel even more important.
That shift in setting also does a lot to highlight what Elita-Prime is trying to accomplish as the Autobots’ new leader. It gives her role more weight and makes the direction of the series feel that much more promising. We see that the Autobots placing their focus on Cybertron will not be any easier than it was before. The war with the Decepticons has gone on to long for a change in the Autobots leadership to turn the tide. That said, by the end of Transformers #32 you’re left with plenty to be excited about as this new era for the Autobots to continue to take shape.
1) ABSOLUTE WONDER WOMAN #20
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Kelly Thompson
Artist: Hayden Sherman
Colorist: Jordie Bellaire
Letterer: Becca Carey
Absolute Wonder Woman #20 feels like the first time Diana of the Wild Isle has taken a real loss. She has been through a lot already, from everything in her origin story to the battles that she’s had in the present day, but she has always found a way to push through. Because of that, this issue stands out in a big way by showing what it looks like when even Diana cannot simply power through the situation in front of her.
A lot of that comes down to how Veronica Cale shifts the playing field back in her favor. The damage she does here gives the story real weight and makes her feel even more dangerous going forward. More importantly, it leaves Absolute Wonder Woman in a much more interesting place, with Diana and her supporting cast set up for several, major compelling directions from here.
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