Matt's top 10 comic-book reads, March 2023

What will be the month's top comic book?

Matt’s Top 10 Comic-Book Reads, March 2023 

As another month comes to a close, I’ll again recap my favorite comic books read over the past month. This is an adaptation of an idea from my friend the Food Dude.  I’ll select from the comics that I’ve read during the past month, whether they be old, new, or whatever, included or excluded as I see fit at the time. This past month skewed toward new or new-ish releases, and was pretty heavy on DC and Superman. I’m always a big Superman fan, as seen by last month’s #1. Will Superman take the top spot two months in a row? Read on! 

Here is my March 2023 top 10 countdown. 

10. X-O Manowar Unconquered #1

The barbarian with a powerful suit of space armor returns in time for his 30th anniversary in this series from writers Becky Cloonan and Michael W. Conrad, with art by Liam Sharp. Aric faces powerful foes on another planet as this new series begins. Sharp’s cosmic, enthralling art is a selling point.  

9. Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent #1 

There’s a lot of multiversal mayhem in the first issue of “Adventures,” which opens with a Superman facing off against an overpowering foe. This is just the cold open to get us into the action, as we move back to DC’s primary Earth and meet up with Jon Kent, getting used to his identity again being secret due to recent machinations in the “Superman” books.  More: https://matthewd2t3s.substack.com/p/adventures-of-superman-returns-at

8. Milestone 30th Anniversary Special 

The year 2023 marks the 30th anniversary of Milestone Media, celebrated with the “Milestone 30th Anniversary Special.” 

Milestone Media, which began publishing in 1993 and was distributed by DC Comics, was the home for characters including Icon, Rocket, Static, and Hardware … This one-shot is a celebration of one of the great comic-book lines of the 1990s that is finding its way in a new version for modern audiences now. More: https://matthewd2t3s.substack.com/p/milestone-media-celebrates-30-years

7. Superman #2 (2023) 

Superman faces off against the newer, deadlier Parasite, who drains Superman’s powers and uses them to split into multiple versions of himself. The Parasite is just one of the supervillains being experimented on by a group of scientists, called, on the nose enough, “The Secret Order of Mad Scientists.” The Daily Planet is back in action covering all things Superman, with Lois Lane at the helm as editor-in-chief. As Superman searches for Lois, he runs into a new antihero character. This issue introduces the mysterious Marilyn Moonlight, a ghostly character with a Western-themed appearance. Writer Joshua Williamson and artist Jamal Campell are crafting an epic that’s as cinematic as a silver-screen Superman adventure, but with all the touches that make it a great comic. So far so good on this relaunch. 

6. World’s Finest #12 

Supergirl and Robin attempt to go on a date, and shenanigans ensue, in this issue of the consistently fun series from writer Mark Waid. Artist Emanuela Lupacchino provides art. 

5. Unstoppable Doom Patrol #1 

A strong debut from the Dawn of DC, putting the Doom Patrol in a new setting with an important mission that isn’t just smash-the-bad-guys. I’m interested to see where it goes, and recommend giving this one a read. More on Unstoppable Doom Patrol: https://matthewd2t3s.substack.com/p/doom-patrol-release-and-speeding

4. Clear #1 

In this sci-fi future noir, writer Scott Snyder and artist Francis Manapul have created a dystopian world where everyone uses neurological interfaces to alter their perceptions of the world, except for a hardy few who choose to see things “Clear,” or as they are. Private eye Sam Dunes chooses to see things as they are – but when his former paramour is killed, he finds out there are layers upon layers to this mystery that even he can’t see through. 

3. Local Man #2

One of my favorite series of the year so far, exploring the fall of former 1990s-style hero Crossjack, through his modern story and flashbacks to his previous adventures.  Tim Seeley and Tony Fleecs are the creative team. 

2. No/One #1

A new addition to Kyle Higgins’ Massive-verse, featuring a clandestine vigilante known as No/One, who releases evidence of crimes of high-powered people, and his conflict with the killer Richard Roe, who takes it upon himself to murder those same individuals. It’s a dark, layered mystery set in Pittsburgh. The superhero crime drama, which has an accompanying podcast, is written by Kyle Higgins and Brian Buccellato with art by Geraldo Borges, colors by Mark Englert, letters by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, and design by Michael Busuttil.

1. Superman: Space Age #1-3

There might be months where any of this month’s top 5 could have taken the top spot, but with the conclusion of “Superman: Space Age” by Mark Russell and Mike Allred, I have read the entire miniseries and found it one of the more compelling Elseworlds-style miniseries of recent years. I combined the three to rank them together as No. 1 for the month.

Weaving through historical events a la “Justice League: New Frontier,” Superman becomes a hero and tries to save humanity from threats interior and exterior in this miniseries. It starts stronger than it finishes, but it’s still absolutely worth the time for Superman fans, and those who like the work of either Russell or Allred.  This Superman is active from the 1960s to the 1980s, and works to prevent an oncoming Crisis that he has been warned about by a mysterious visitor. 

What comics did you read and like this month? Feel free to let me know in the comments! 

Matthew Price, matthew@matthewlprice.com, has written about the comics industry for more than two decades. He is the co-owner of Speeding Bullet Comics in Norman.