By Zack Quaintance — Soooo, we’re changing up the previews formula this week, moving to featuring some of our top picks for this upcoming Wednesday, rather than the top PR preview stuff that got sent to us last week, a move that should be more useful and more fun, two things that rarely go together.

This week features some of our favorite new creator-owned books for 2018 continuing on, as well as the launch of a pair of promising new ones. There are also some pretty high profile books wrapping up big arcs, ongoing mega superhero stories, and more. With all that in mind, let’s get into the solicit text plus a quick line or two about why we think some of these books are cool.

Top Comics for August 15, 2018

Batman #53
Writer: Tom King
Artist: Lee Weeks
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $3.99
"Cold Days" continues! The jury in the Mr. Freeze trial is hopelessly deadlocked because one man won't vote guilty-and that man is Bruce Wayne. Freeze's defense is that Batman used excessive force, making his arrest illegal, and Bruce is the one man who actually knows for sure what went down between Batman and his ice-cold nemesis. And if Bruce is right, that means everything he's devoted himself to as the Caped Crusader is a lie; he is hurting more than helping. With Dick Grayson putting the Batsuit back on to keep Gotham City safe while Bruce is sequestered, could this be the out Bruce needs to discard the cape and cowl forever?
Why It’s Cool: There has been no wedding hangover for Tom King, who (in our opinion) is telling one of the best stories of his run, exploring Bruce Wayne’s emotional recovery from what happened at the wedding, which actually speaks to his emotional recovery from all trauma in general, an idea that’s pretty relevant given his life decisions.

Crude #5
Writer: Steve Orlando
Artist: Garry Brown
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $3.99
Blackstone is ready to explode! Piotr has beaten every thug, mercenary, and soldier Petropinnacle has sent to kill him. Now, the city’s true ruler steps up to show this tired KGB dog what true power is.
Why It’s Cool: Deeply violent, deeply emotional. This is a cold and savage father-son story that has us hooked with its nuanced emotional center. This is one of our our favorite new creator-owned titles of 2018, hands down.

Gideon Falls #6
Writer: Jeff Lemire
Artist: Andrea Sorrentino
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $3.99
"THE BLACK BARN": Conclusion-Father Fred enters The Black Barn on a daring rescue attempt but nothing can prepare him for the horrors within. Meanwhile Norton and Angie delve deeper into Norton's past and zero in on the secrets of the Barn. A 2018 Eisner Award nominee for Best Writer, JEFF LEMIRE!
Why It’s Cool: We’d say this conclusion to the first arc stands to give us more answers to the many mysteries spread throughout Gideon Falls, but this is Gideon Falls. Nothing is a given, except that this book will be expertly-written and loaded with incredible imagery. This is another of our favorite new creator-owned titles of 2018

Skyward #5
Writer: Joe Henderson
Artist: Lee Garbett
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $3.99
END OF STORY ARC “MY LOW-G LIFE,” Conclusion The pulse-pounding conclusion of our first arc! Everything comes to a head as Willa takes the fight to Barrow. And not everyone’s getting out of this one alive…
Why It’s Cool: This yet ANOTHER of our favorite creator-owned titles, the one that probably caught us the most by surprise given we’re not familiar with the creative team. The last line about a character dying here, though? Oof, that’s going to be interesting in this book that until has been somewhat light.

The Weatherman #3
Writer: Jody Leheup
Artist: Nathan Fox
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $3.99
Cut off, on the run, and hunted by The Marshal, Nathan and Cross try to stay alive long enough to find Nathan’s lost memory and the key to stopping another world-ending attack. But they’ll have to survive each other first…
Why It’s Cool: HOLY WOW WHAT ARE THE ODDS...this is yet ANOTHER of our favorite new creator-owned comics of 2018. This is just one of those comics that feels like its creators have something vital and important to say. We have no idea what that is, but the telling has been super compelling thus far.

New #1s for August 15, 2018

Crowded #1
Extermination #1
Pearl #1

Others Receiving Votes

Babyteeth #12
Catalyst Prime Summit #8
Catalyst Prime Superb #12
Ether Copper Golems #4
Infinity Wars #2
Justice League #6
Lost City Explorers #3
Thor #4
Tony Stark: Iron Man #3
Vagrant Queen #3
Wic + Div #38
Wild Storm #16

Zack Quaintance is a journalist who also writes fiction and makes comics. Find him on Twitter at@zackquaintance. He lives in Sacramento, California.