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

Word Balloons #1187: What will be the favorite for the month?

Somewhat behind my planned schedule – let’s look back at September 2023 for my picks for my favorites of the comics I read. This is an adaptation of an idea from my friend the Food Dude. Each month, 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 month’s list is pretty well September releases, though. I do realize it’s November now, surprisingly enough, so I hope to get the October list together before the end of the next month! 

Here are my top 10 for September 2023!

10. World’s Finest Teen Titans #3

The Teen Titans head to a superhero convention, but Batman bars Robin from going. When the team tussles with obsessive fan ‘Toyboy,’ will they have the leadership to stop him? Writer Mark Waid and artist Emanuela Lupacchino continue as the creative team in this series focusing on the early days of the Teen Titans team of Robin, Kid Flash, Wonder Girl, Speedy, Aqualad, and Bumblebee.

9. Saga #66

Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples wrap their latest arc as they step away from the main cast to catch readers up with Gale.   

8. Captain America #1 (2023) 

J. Michael Straczynski starts his run with a look into Cap’s past, with art by Jesus Saiz. Do memories from Steve’s past connect to a new evil? 

7. Void Rivals #4

Robert Kirkman and Lorenzo De Felici's space adventure continues to develop. Solila takes Darak prisoner as the pair return to the Sacred Ring, but even more questions are raised. 

6. Superman #6 

Superman discovers that Lex Luthor has kept a prisoner chained beneath Riker’s Island for some time, so he goes to investigate. Art by Gleb Melnikov is reminiscent of Frank Miller mixed with Greg Capullo, and while that combination suggests Batman more than Superman, I thought Melnikov was a good fit for this issue. Written by Joshua Williamson and part one of “The Chained.” 

5. Sacrificers #2  

Rick Remender and Max Fiumara continue the tale of the Sacrificers – young inhabitants of a sci-fi world where everything is at peace – at the cost of one child per family. The Sacrificers are on a long journey to their destiny, and not all of them agree on what that might be. 

4. The Enfield Gang Massacre #2 

The “That Texas Blood” team of Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips continue this tale from sun-baked late 1800s Ambrose County. Montgomery Enfield and his gang attempt escape after being accused of murder by a retired Texas Ranger.

3. World’s Finest #19

Mark Waid and artist Travis Moore tell the second part of Superman and Batman’s first meeting – or at least a version thereof. A Phantom Zone villain has used the Riddler as a pawn and now escapes to reign terror on Earth. Superman and Batman (and Alfred, a bit) must learn to work together to defeat the villain and return him to the Zone. Cover by Dan Mora. 

2. Wonder Woman #1 

Tom King and Daniel Sampere are the creative team for this new launch, in which the U.S. bars Amazons from American soil. Great craftsmanship from Sampere in showing action and elegance and fear and paranoia. 

1. Batman: Gargoyle of Gotham #1

Rafael Grampa’s noir-ish Batman owes something to Frank Miller’s interpretation, but is uniquely its own, with dazzling visuals and storytelling. The Black Label series is clearly for mature readers, as a serial killer works his way through Gotham City.  

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, Oklahoma.