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Stray Bullets Comics: Looking Back At David Lapham’s 30-year-old Crime Classic

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After starting his career as a penciller at Valiant Comics, David Lapham followed Jim Shooter when he left to launch Defiant Comics, but thirty years ago, in 1995, it was his turn to open his own indie publishing house: El Capitan Books. His flagship self-published title was something quite different from what he was known to draw. No superheroes, but black & white crime fiction with the award-winning Stray Bullets series.

Entirely written, illustrated, and lettered by Lapham himself (who won the Eisner Award for Best Writer/Artist in 1996), the long-running series targets a mature audience with bleak stories of violence dipped in drama, romance, desperation, and disillusionment. It’s about regular people and criminals, children and adults, growing up and dying, at the periphery or in the heart of the crime world.

David Lapham’s Stray Bullets is not about one character going forward, as it follows a panel of different characters in stories told in a non-chronological fashion. It builds a large narrative, piece by piece, focusing on human experiences, developing thematically complex, rich tales defying clichés and tropes, notably about the consequences of violence and the cyclical nature of trauma. They are tragic vignettes revolving around people pushed to their limits. Every bullet makes an impact.

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Galactus Origin Story, The Creation of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s Devourer of Worlds

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One of Marvel Comics’ most powerful cosmic entities, Galactus was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in Fantastic Four #48 (March 1966).

Initially, Galactus was just imagined as another super-villain that was to be bigger than the previous antagonists. But in order to differentiate him from the others and avoid delivering a stereotypical bad guy, Lee and Kirby decided to reimagine the character on a grander scale. The writer wanted him to be really evil. The artist went biblical. They wanted something new and created it. As a result, unlike typical antagonists, Galactus was not a villain in the traditional sense but a cosmic force of nature, an ancient being who consumes planets to sustain his existence.

This was different to the point of creating a shift in comic book storytelling at the time. But this article is not here to talk about Galactus’ impact on the medium, but to explain who he is as a Marvel character. As he is making another appearance on the big screen this summer, it’s the perfect moment to revisit his comic book origins.

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Marvel Zombies Reading Order

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The year is 2005. At this time, The Walking Dead has not yet been adapted into a television series, but Rick Grimes and his group are in the early stages of surviving the Zombie Apocalypse in Image Comics. Undead beings were ready to infect the Marvel Universe, or at least one of its Earths. When Ultimate Reed Richards travels to another universe, he discovers a world in ruins, devastated by zombies—the Zombieverse!

Created by Mark Millar, Greg Land, and Robert Kirkman, the Zombieverse quickly expanded with a limited series, followed by a prequel and additional sequels. Since then, zombies have continued to ravage different worlds within the Marvel Universe, making regular appearances. They are set to invade Disney+ with the upcoming Marvel Zombies animated television miniseries, created by Zeb Wells and scheduled for release in October 2025.

Discover now the zombified versions of your favorite Marvel heroes and villains with our Marvel Zombie Reading Order, from the first appearance of the Zombieverse to various limited series and more recent Marvel zombie comics!

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Transformers IDW Reading Order

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Like with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the Buffyverse, or the G.I. Joe comic book franchise, IDW took over the Transformers comics and launched its own continuity–and there are some discussions about the more legitimate continuity, but it’s not the subject of this article. We are here to talk about the third Transformers comics series.

The first was published by Marvel (from 1984 to 1991), and the second by Dreamwave Productions (from 2002 to 2004). After that, IDW Publishing took over with the third series (the Generation 1 continuity) written by Simon Furman starting with issue #0 in October 2005 and a regular series starting in January 2006 (and ending in November 2018). The fourth series is a relaunch at IDW that started in 2019.

And so, as the official synopsis tells it, it began on Earth, in 2006. The fate of the planet is already sealed, its destiny decided… by the marauding mechanical beings known as Decepticons. In their way stand an embattled crew of seven hardy Autobot warriors, sworn to prevent the impending Armageddon at any cost, and an unlikely trio of human misfits, pulled kicking and screaming into a hitherto hidden world of pain and hurt. The can of worms is open, the genie is out of the bottle… and nothing will ever be the same again! It begins again — here, now — the saga of the war-torn robots in disguise, the Transformers!

In 2022, IDW Publishing lost the license to publish Transformers comics. Skybound Entertainment (an imprint of Image Comics) took it over and created the Energon Universe.

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Hercules Reading Order (Marvel Comics)

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Everybody knows Thor, the God of Thunder and one of Marvel’s most popular heroes. When the Norse God was adapted into a Marvel character in the sixties, a pantheon of deities and heroes was also introduced, such as Hercules Panhellenios. 

Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Hercules first appeared as a rival to Thor and is portrayed as a screw-up demi-god who is frequently cast out of Olympus by Zeus. From there, he quickly became a regular guest star in Thor’s adventures, went on to smash against the Hulk, and has been part of The Champions, The Avengers, and, more recently, the Guardians of the Galaxy. 

While Hercules may not be a big name in Marvel Comics, the Prince of Power has maintained a regular presence in the superhero community. From his origins to becoming The Incredible Hulk and his many battles alongside the Avengers, follow our guide to discover the Hercules comics to read!

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DCeased Reading Order, A DC Comics zombie apocalypse by Tom Taylor

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While the dead came back to life during Brightest Day, the superheroes of DC Comics didn’t face a full-blown Zombie Apocalypse that destroyed the world yet. On the main continuity, at least. Earth-55 has been ravaged by a Zombie Apocalypse in 2019 and became one of the most popular DC comics stories from this year, spanning several spin-offs and sequels. 

Coming from Tom Taylor (also behind the Injustice Comics), artist Trevor Hairsine, and inker Stefano Guadiano, DCeased tells the story of the biggest infection that the heroes of the DCU have to face. When a mysterious techno-virus is released on Earth, 600 million people are infected and turned instantly into violent, monstrous engines of destruction. No one and no place on this alternate Earth are spared. From whole cities to the undersea kingdom, the paradise islands, the virus is affecting every place, every soul. Can Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and the rest of the Justice League save the World from complete annihilation, or is it already too late? 

This is a Zombie Apocalypse, after all, and anyone can die! Superheroes, supervillains, cops, and citizens are now fighting to stay alive in a devastated world filled with ravenous zombie-like creatures that will stop at nothing before everyone has fallen. 

Presented as DC Comics’ equivalent to Marvel Zombies, DCeased is the “DC universe meets the Zombie Apocalypse”, and you can now discover this tale in single issue, hardcover, paperbacks and omnibus! 

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Comic Book Treasury is Going on a Summer Repeat

It will soon be five years that Comic Book Treasury has been launched, delivering new reading guides (and a few features) every week since then.

While I still love exploring the world of comic books and creating new guides to help both new and seasoned readers, things have been tough lately and I’m feeling a bit burned out. I love this website and I’m so thankful for everyone who visits, but navigating the ever-changing internet over the past few years has been a real challenge. I feel it’s time to slow down a bit.

For a little while, the site will be on a summer repeat, resurfacing refreshed and updated guides on the front page. With over 650 articles on Comic Book Treasury, there’s plenty of classic comic fun waiting to be rediscovered.

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Where to Start Reading Superman Comics? A Beginner’s Guide to the Man of Steel

So, you want to read some Superman comics? Whether you’re completely new to comic books, a Marvel fan, or just haven’t given Big Blue a chance yet, there’s a Superman comic out there for you. In fact, there’s a Superman comic for everyone! Still, with over 80 years of stories, reboots, and alternate timelines, getting started can feel overwhelming.

So, where should you start? There’s no single right or wrong answer. The old, good, and proven method used by many old timers was to simply pick a comic, just like that! But we’re here to offer a little bit more, as there are several ways to enter the Superman Universe, depending on your tastes. Whether you’re a fan of comic book history, prefer modern stories, or want to explore Superman’s personal life beyond heroics, there’s a perfect first story for you.

To celebrate Superman’s return on the big screen, here’s a curated beginner’s guide with several routes to help find the perfect place to start reading The Man of Steel! 

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Best Guy Gardner Comics, Your Essential Guide for the Green Lantern

History was made when Abin Sur chose Hal Jordan to be his successor as Green Lantern. However, under different circumstances, it could have been someone else selected for the role. It could have been Guy Gardner. Hal Jordan happened to be the closest choice, a good reminder that life is all about luck and timing. 

This alternate scenario was explored in Green Lantern #59 (1968), which marked the first appearance of Guy Gardner. He was then a physical education instructor from East City, relegated to being backup should anything happen to Jordan. This Silver Age version of the character, created by John Broome and Gil Kane, is quite different from the modern Guy Gardner, well-known for his bowl cut and brash personality.

Originally portrayed as a somewhat ordinary and non-dysfunctional individual, Guy Gardner was revamped in the 1980s thanks to writers Steve Englehart and Joe Staton. They redefined him as an obnoxious and hot-headed Lantern. And through the work of many writers, Guy Gardner has revealed many facets of his complex personality, going through numerous changes, retcons, and challenges. Despite his offensive and impulsive nature, Guy also demonstrates, with time, incredible loyalty, devotion, and determination, making him one of the greatest warriors in the universe.

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Fantastic Four First Appearance: A Look Back at the First Family’s debut

Marvel’s First Family is making her first steps (again) this summer on the big screen with a new adaptation set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While the MCU officially launched in 2008 with Iron Man, the Fantastic Four laid the groundwork for the Marvel Comics we know today.

Now is a good time to take a look back at the debut of the Fabulous Foursome in The Fantastic Four #1, which hit the shelves on August 8, 1961—64 years ago.

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