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Tomb Raider Comics, Your Guide to the Top Cow Series Starring Lara Croft

Alongside Indiana Jones, Lara Croft is one of the most famous archaeologists in popular culture, and for good reason! The heroine of the video game franchise Tomb Raider, she is an intelligent and athletic British adventurer who travels the world in search of mysterious artifacts and other magical items. She solves complex puzzles, swims into seemingly impossible places, and shoots bad guys in dangerous locations such as ancient ruins. She does all this while wearing a tank top, shorts, socks, and combat boots, with her hair tied up in a French braid. Most importantly, she stays cool while doing it all!

The first video game was released in 1996. It was the start of a media franchise consisting of many action-adventure games, novels, comics, feature films and short films, animated television series, and even two theme park rides.

Tomb Raider’s first comic book wasn’t published by Top Cow but by the Mean Machines Sega gaming magazine in issues #47-50. Written by the game’s writer Vicky Arnold and penciled by artist Paul Peart-Smith, it was a comic book promotion for the first Tomb Raider game. Our British adventurer also featured, a few years later, in a comic book produced by French publisher Glenat, which was quickly taken off the market for licensing issues. At this stage, Top Cow has finally secured the Tomb Raider’s rights, and was starting to publish Tomb Raider comics.

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Marvel’s Secret Wars Explained: The Events That Changed Comics

Fans had been dreaming about it for years, but it was ultimately the call for a toy line that would finally give life to the biggest team-up Marvel Comics could put together in 1984. Secret Wars was a commercial opportunity and became an industry-altering event that forever changed comics. No matter what people think about Jim Shooter’s tenure as Marvel editor-in-chief, this is his legacy.

Secret Wars (1984): The Original Battleworld

It was 1984, and toy manufacturer Kenner was about to launch its DC Comics-inspired line of action figures, Super Powers. At Mattel Toys, it was necessary not to let the comic book market go to the competition. That’s what led to a collaboration with Marvel Comics. Jim Shooter was all in and proposed to produce a story to promote the new line of Marvel action figures, “Cosmic Champions.” The title would eventually change, but the idea would stay the same: to provide a showcase of marketable superheroes and supervillains.

Following focus group tests, the twelve-issue limited series became “Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars.” The story starts with an omnipotent being called the Beyonder abducting dozens of characters to a patchwork planet named Battleworld. There, he announced, “I am from beyond! Slay your enemies and all that you desire shall be yours! Nothing you dream of is impossible for me to accomplish!” What follows is constant action, alliances, twists, and lasting developments that impacted the Marvel Universe.

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Peacemaker Reading Guide: Exploring Christopher Smith’s DC Comics Quest For Peace

“A man who loves peace so much that he is willing to fight for it!” That’s the original tagline from 1966 Fightin’ 5 #40. Published by Charlton Comics and created by writer Joe Gill and artist Pat Boyette, Peacemaker is Christopher Smith, a pacifist American diplomat, who is wearing red and white tights and a strange helmet to fight against super-criminals and other warlords. At least, he did it during the 5 issues his self-titled series lasted. He was just a bland hero of another era, but one that DC Comics acquired alongside The Question, Blue Beetle, and Captain Atom.

Peacemaker Kills For Peace in The DC Universe

It was the 1980s, and Peacemaker was one of the characters that was going to be reintroduced, making their debut in the new Alan Moore-Dave Gibbons series, Watchmen! But things got too dark, and DC Comics decided not to follow this road. Instead of Peacemaker, we got the Comedian, a character who made a bigger mark on the history of the comics industry than Christopher Smith’s vigilante alter-ego. At least, until James Gunn put him in his movie The Suicide Squad. Played by John Cena, the character is now the star of his own TV Show.

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Hellboy Omnibus Reading Order!

A large, red-skinned half-demon with a tail, horns, cloven hooves, and an oversized right hand made of stone, Hellboy does not go unnoticed. Mike Mignola’s creation made his first appearance in the San Diego Comic-Con Comics #2 (August 1993), more than thirty years ago. Since then, a whole Universe surrounding him has taken shape, filled with governmental agents, folkloric creatures, and Lovecraftian horror.

Hellboy has worked for the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (B.P.R.D.) and lived solo adventures set in many periods, but also spawned several spin-off series featuring other characters such as Abe Sapien or Lobster Johnson. Publisher Dark Horse Comics has collected many tales, story arcs, and spin-offs in several formats, such as trade paperbacks, Library Edition, and, of course, the famous Omnibus format.

The first Hellboy Omnibus (which was a reprint of B.P.R.D. Plague of Frogs) was released in 2011. It has been followed by many others, as there are more than 30 Omnibus sets in the Hellboy Universe at the time of writing. Initially only available in hardcover, paperback versions have been released since 2014. As the world of Hellboy continues to expand, we take a closer look at the Omnibus collection, which offers a great way for both new and seasoned readers to discover Big Red’s history.

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Ultimate Spider-Man Reading Order

Thanks to the Into the Spider-Verse animated movies, it is widely known that many versions of Spider-Man exist across the Marvel Universe. And they are not all called Peter Parker. Miles Morales was one of the breakout characters of the Ultimate Universe, set on Earth-1610. But he wasn’t the first one wearing the Spidey costume in this reality. The first Ultimate Spider-Man began to appear in 2000 in his own comic series, as part of the Ultimate Imprint. 

He became a commercial and critical success at the time, and his story would be mostly told in his own comic book series, Ultimate Spider-Man. Peter Parker’s life would shape differently from the classic Spidey, offering a new perspective, but still embodying the values that the character represents since the sixties. Following later in his footsteps is Miles Morales, who has grown up to become one of the most emblematic Spider-People in the Marvel Universe since then.

And since 2024, a new Ultimate Universe has been created, introducing a new Ultimate Spider-Man. 

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How to start reading DC Comics in 2025: Part 2, The Adventure Continues!

You have taken your first steps into the DC Universe, met the Trinity, read a few origin stories, and had fun adventures across Gotham, Metropolis, the Seven Seas, and outer space. But that’s only the beginning. With nearly nine decades of comics behind it, the DC Universe is full of tales still waiting to be discovered, characters to meet, and major events to experience.

You’re now a bit more familiar with this rich world, and chances are, you already have a few favorite heroes or villains you want to know more about. We encourage you to check if we have a dedicated reading guide for them (and if we don’t, shoot us a word!) to read more of his or her adventures. You have, after all, now dipped your toes into this vast ocean of stories, and now it’s time to dive deeper.

This guide is here to help you expand your reading, with more classic stories and celebrated runs, encounter more DC characters, and even step outside of continuity for original and timeless tales on some of the more iconic members of the DC Universe. 

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Comic Book News of The Week: Deadpool/Batman team-up and More!

What’s going on in the Comic Book World? Life can be pretty busy, so we highlight recent news and articles that may catch your interest in our eighth edition of Comic Book News.

More than twenty years after their last collaboration, Marvel and DC Comics are teaming up again for a major crossover event, bringing together Deadpool and Batman in a one-shot launching this September. Deadpool/Batman #1 will be written by prolific Spider-Man comics writer Zeb Wells and drawn by Greg Capullo. On the DC side, Grant Morrison and artist Dan Mora are creating the companion Batman/Deadpool one-shot set for November.

“I don’t do many comics these days, but there was no way I could turn down the chance to work with Dan Mora again, one of my all-time favorite artistic collaborators — and definitely no way I could turn down Batman and Deadpool!” Morrison says in a statement. “Expect 4th wall-busting mayhem, owls, blood, blades, and at least one giant typewriter!”

Both companies plan to continue their crossover efforts, with more one-shots scheduled for 2026, promising fans more exciting team-ups ahead.

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John Henry Irons, Steel Reading Order, Superman’s Ally

In the aftermath of The Death of Superman storyline, the DC Comics Universe was without a Man of Steel, but not for long, as soon appeared one man who became Steel, John Henry Irons (a reference to the African American folk hero John Henry).

First appearing in The Adventures of Superman #500 (1993), Irons was created by writer Louise Simonson and artist Jon Bogdanove as part of the Reign of the Supermen storyline, which followed the death of Superman at the hands of Doomsday. With Superman temporarily gone, four potential successors to Superman appeared to try to replace him as defender of Metropolis. Steel was one of them.

A brilliant engineer and weapons designer, Doctor John Henry Irons had once created powerful weaponry for a defense contractor, AmerTek, only to watch it fall into the wrong hands. Haunted by guilt, he abandoned his former life, faking his death and moving to Metropolis, where he was saved during a construction accident by Superman himself. Inspired by this event and Superman’s words (“live a life worth saving”), Irons finds a way to redeem himself, and, after Superman’s death, he takes up the mantle. He wanted not to replace Superman, but to honor him. To do this, Irons built a high-tech suit of armor and wielded a mighty hammer as the armored hero Steel.

When Superman eventually comes back, he accepts Steel as an ally. Since then, John Henry Irons kept fighting the good fight and was eventually joined by his niece, Natasha Irons, who would eventually become a hero in her own right. A brilliant teenager assisting her uncle, Natasha got her own armor of steel, and her relationship with John evolved as he became a true father figure for his niece. Being Steel became a family affair.

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What to Read This Month: The Best Comics of June 2025

Between Marvel Omnibus, DC Omnibus, the Epic Collection, DC Finest, Compact editions, and everything else publishers put out, there’s always way there’s always more to discover! Launched this past March, What to Read This Month highlights each month’s notable releases. Here’s our selection for May, featuring some great stories from… And if you missed last month’s picks, you can find them here.

June’s Comic Picks

All title summaries are taken and/or summarized from the copy provided by the publisher.

Superman Adventures Compendium One
By Scott McCloud, Mark Millar, Terry Austin, Marie Severin, Rick Burchett, Mark Evanier, Paul Dini

With the release of the new Superman movie approaching, it’s a good time to be a Superman fan! DC Comics is putting out many classic and new stories in various formats, including the first Compendium volume of Superman Adventures, the beloved comic inspired by Superman: The Animated Series. My biggest wish is that DC wouldn’t take so long to release the next volume (as it usually does for Compendium).

Superman: The Animated Series defined the Man of Steel for a whole new generation of young viewers. Now go beyond the adventures from the screen in the acclaimed comic book series set in the continuity of the show with stories written by the original series writers and in the style of the animated series, witness Superman battle Doctor Fate and Lobo wreak havoc upon Metropolis. Relive the show that brought the Man of Steel to life.

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Cyberpunk 2077 Comics – A Guide to the Stories Beyond the Game

The future in comics is not always post-apocalyptic; it can also be cyberpunk! A dystopian future is the setting of the famous Cyberpunk 2077 franchise. Based on a tabletop RPG, the Cyberpunk 2077 video game was launched in 2020. While not making a splash at the time (it was massively hyped and led to disappointment at the release), it has since become one of the best-selling games of all time.

You guessed it, the year is 2077. The action is mostly set in Night City, a place that’s known as the worst to live in America. Violence is at an all-time high and more people are living below the poverty line here than in any other location. MecaCorps control every aspect of life, while the streets are run by gangsters, tech hustlers, and illegal braindance dealers. And yet, nothing can stop humans from dreaming. Dreaming about the unattainable American Dream!

In recent years, the world of Cyberpunk 2077 has expanded in various directions, including a spin-off anime and several comic books. And today, we are taking a closer look at the Dark Horse comics set in the world of Cyberpunk 2077, telling new stories of people trying to survive and make a profit in this cutthroat world. 

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