Welcome back to a new edition of the Best Comic Books of the month for 2024. This time we are taking a look at the best comic books released in December, the final month of 2025. With that in mind we got a lot of comic books that set the stage for the new year for many publishers. That all led to yet another jammed pack month of releases that continue to show there is so much quality and variety in the industry to enjoy. With that in mind, find out what made my list of the ten best comic book releases for the month of December.
ABSOLUTE SUPERMAN #2
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Jason Aaron; Artist: Rafa Sandoval; Colorist: Ulises Arreola; Letterer: Becca Carey
All three Absolute Universe titles have brought a sense of discovery that we haven’t seen from DC Comics in quite some time. Absolute Superman #2 is the greatest example of this. Even if you know the core elements of who Superman is the take Jason Aaron and Rafa Sandoval have is completely fresh. You get the idea that your learning who this character is for the first time rather than for the hundredth time. The character arc we are taken on as Superman and Lois Lane, a military official in the Absolute Universe, interact with each other showed genuine growth. Best of all it presents Superman for the hero he is and builds up the antagonist to be villains you love to hate and look forward to the Man of Steel defeating. All that is wonderfully visualized by Rafa Sandoval’s stunning artwork.
BIRDS OF PREY #16
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Kelly Thompson; Artist: Sami Basri; Inker: Vicente Cifuentes; Colorist: Adriano Lucas; Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Birds of Prey #16 has such a strong balance with the team dynamic between the various members. Kelly Thompson and Sami Basri utilize the solo mission Cassandra Cain is on to test these dynamics. The way each character responds, particularly Big Barda and Barabra Gordo, works to highlight the bond the team has already formed. Through the close friendship between Black Canary and Oracle is highlight. Their friendship with how well they know each other is something that makes Birds of Prey special. The hook ending elevates the tension of the story going into the next chapter.
G.I. JOE #2
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Joshua Williamson; Artist: Tom Reilly; Colorist: Jordie Bellaire; Letterer: Rus Wooton
G.I. JOE #2 takes you on an intense thrill ride you don’t know where it will end up but are excited to find out. From the incredible action to the emotional fallout of the first JOEs vs Cobra battle, the investment in every character in this series is higher than when you first picked up this comic book. The choreography of everything that happens is truly incredible to read through. There is such a back-and-forth nature that feels like watching a great wrestling match you don’t know who will win. That unpredictability ended up adding to showcasing the current difference between the JOEs and Cobra.
GREEN LANTERN #18
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Jeremy Adams; Artist: Xermanico; Colorist: Romulo Fajardo Jr.; Letterer: Dave Sharpe
Green Lantern #18 is a spectacular end to an epic story and the beginning of a new age for the Green Lantern franchise. It is truly amazing seeing how Jeremy Adams and Xermanico accomplish such heights as every single page of Green Lantern #18 gives the vibes of a big event ending. It is massive credit to how Thaaros transformation into Dark Star went to establish him as such a big time threat. Everything that has been built throughout this run had a payoff, creating a sense as a reader you’re being rewarded for following the Green Lantern titles these last few years. The place Green Lantern is left as a franchise is just as exciting as the epic that just concluded.
JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED #2
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Mark Waid; Artist: Dan Mora; Colorist: Tamra Bonvillain; Letterer: Ariana Maher
Justice League Unlimited #2 highlights how important the follow-up is to a successful debut. Mark Waid and Dan Mora masterfully juggle multiple plotlines with a massive cast without any issue. Everything about this comic book feels like reading a big event, exactly how the Justice League should be presented. This leads to the character specific moments to hit harder. That is particularly the case with the sub-plot created around Martian Manhunter. Having these personal stories as sub-plots makes the bigger direction the JLU are on have greater importance.
PHOENIX #6
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Stephanie Phillips; Artist: Marco Renna; Colorist: David Curiel; Letterer: Cory Petit
With each passing issue of this Phoenix series there is a greater sense of escalation. Phoenix #6 continues that trend as Stephanie Phillips and Marco Renna go all in with establishing Thanos as the main antagonist. In the process they make sure to treat Thanos as the big time antagonist he should be to the Marvel Universe. What Thanos does by having the major powers in the universe turn against Jean Grey made this new rivalry special. How that gets turned into a story that has a large cosmic scale build greater excitement for where things will go next.
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #5
Creative Team
Writer: Jason Aaron; Artist: Darick Robertson; Inkers: Darick Robertson and Norm Rapmund; Colorist: Tony Avina; Letterer: Shawn Lee
Finally, after four issues of establishing where Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Donatello were at Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #5. The consequences for how each of the turtles start off this new series is used to tell a story that brings in other characters in fascinating ways. Seeing the state of New York City without the turtles around creates an intriguing status quo that will have to be dealt with. The position with Karai and the Foot Clan creates a lot of questions while what happens to Casey Jones leaves you understanding the type of stakes at hand for the Splinter Clan are returning to.
TRANSFORMERS #15
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Daniel Warren Johnson; Artist: Jorge Corona; Colorist: Sara Stern; Letterer: Rus Wooton
Transformers #15 delivers a start that exemplifies how to use all the momentum a series has to create even greater excitement for the future. From beginning to end this comic book delivers an experience that leaves the Autobots and Decepticons in spots where anything can happen on both sides. Creating such unpredictability just leaves you wanting to stand up and clap for what Daniel Johnson and Jorge Corona accomplish.
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #12
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Jonathan Hickman; Artist: Marco Checchetto; Colorist: Matthew Wilson; Letterer: Cory Petit
Jonathan Hickman and Marco Checchetto have truly created something special with their run on Ultimate Spider-Man. Ultimate Spider-Man #12 is the greatest example of the magic they’ve created as they made a superhero comic book about a family Christmas party be something you are invested in from beginning to end. The results of how the party was handled led to big reveals that created an even greater investment into the second year of this series.
ULTIMATE UNIVERSE: ONE YEAR IN
CREATIVE TEAM
Writers: Deniz Camp and Chris Condon; Artists: Jonas Scharf and Alessandro Cappuccio; Colorists: Mattia Iacono and Bryan Valenza; Letterer: Travis Lanham
Ultimate Universe #1 takes a tragic story to provide The Maker’s Council even greater heat as we get into the second year of Earth-6160. The way Nick Fury goes from villainous spy to tragic anti-hero is something that Deniz Camp and Jonas Scharf is incredible to experience. How the Ultimate Universe takes classic Nick Fury traits and gives them dark twists further elevated The Maker’s Council as an evil force we don’t know if the heroes can stop. It sets things up for the Ultimate Universe to have an even more successful second year.
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