Being a comic fan can be tough. With so many publishers printing more and more books, canceling titles and starting new ones, it can be daunting when you head to the comic book shop on a Wednesday to know exactly what’s coming out.

The current system of presenting and ordering comics three months ahead of their release as set forth by the sole comics distributor, Diamond Comics, doesn’t make it any easier either. We’re not a fan of that system, we think it’s slowly strangling comics to death, but we realize it’s a harsh reality of how the industry works and we definitely don’t want you to miss out on any of the cool comics being published.

And so, as opposed to regurgitating the list of comics solicited in Previews each month, we present to you some of the highlights of things you probably won’t want to miss out on.

SPOILER WARNING! In order to get people to order comics, the publishers have a funny habit of revealing what’s happening in the books. If you don’t want anything at all to be spoiled, then you’ll probably want to skip this post and take your chances with your pre-orders and/or your shopping.

Marvel NOW! First Issues!

2013 kicks off with six new number ones in the great Marvel Comics volleyball rotation that is Marvel NOW!

UNCANNY X-FORCE #1

Story by Sam Humphries

Art by Ron Garney

Cover by OLIVIER COIPEL

Variant Cover by RON GARNEY

Design variant by Kris Anka

Blank Cover Also Available

Young Baby Variant by SKOTTIE YOUNG THE DARKEST CORNERS OF THE MUTANT UNIVERSE: EXPOSED! The X-Men: sworn to protect a world that fears and hates them. UNCANNY X-FORCE: charged to deal with situations the X-Men fear and hate! Psylocke and Storm lead a new team of outcasts and scoundrels, including fan-favorite Puck, the villainous Spiral, and the mysterious Cluster. The first adversary to strike out from the darkness? X-legend BISHOP! 32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

NEW AVENGERS #1

Story by Jonathan Hickman

Art by Steve Epting

Cover by JOCK

Variant Cover by J. Scott Campbell

SKETCH VARIANT BY J. SCOTT CAMPBELL

Variant Cover by STEVE EPTING

Young Baby Variant by SKOTTIE YOUNG

Blank Cover Also Available To prevent the collision of our universe with another, the Illuminati, led by the Black Panther, must assemble NOW! It’s the most powerful and brilliant team in the Marvel Universe–The Black Panther, Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Black Bolt, Mister Fantastic, Namor the Sub-Mariner and The Beast–against an infinite legion of parallel realities. 32 PGS. /Rated T+ …$3.99

THE SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #1

Story by DAN SLOTT

Art & Cover by RYAN STEGMAN

Variant Cover by JOE QUESADA

Sketch Variant Cover by JOE QUESADA

Variant Cover by Humberto Ramos

Variant Cover by Giuseppe Camuncoli

design variant by Ed McGuinness

Young Baby Variant by SKOTTIE YOUNG

Blank Cover Also Available THEN!…Peter Parker spent a lifetime living up to the responsibilities his powers foisted upon him but his Amazing story finally ended dramatically in the historic Spider-Man #700. NOW!…The new Amazing Spider-Man has arrived and he is better in every single way. Smarter, stronger…Superior. 32 PGS. /Rated T+ …$3.99

YOUNG AVENGERS #1

Story by KIERON GILLEN

Art & Cover by JAMIE MCKELVIE & MIKE NORTON

Colors by MATTHEW WILSON

Variant Cover by BRYAN LEE O’MALLEY

Young Baby Variant by SKOTTIE YOUNG

Blank Cover Also Available Legacy isn’t a dirty word… but it’s an irrelevant one. It’s not important what our parents did. It matters what WE do. Someone has to save the world. You’re someone. Do the math. The critically acclaimed team of Gillen/McKelvie/Wilson (with added Norton Sauce) decide to reinvent the teen superhero comic for the 21st century, uniting Wiccan, Hulkling and Hawkeye with Loki, Marvel Boy and Ms. America. No pressure. Young Avengers is as NOW! as the air in your lungs, and twice as vital. It’s the book that knows Hyperbole is the BEST! THING! EVER! 32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99

SAVAGE WOLVERINE #1

Story, Art, & Cover by Frank Cho

Variant Cover by JOE QUESADA

Sketch Variant Cover by JOE QUESADA

Variant Cover by FRANK CHO

Young Baby Variant by SKOTTIE YOUNG

Blank Cover Also Available Wolverine awakes to find himself transported to the Savage Land and labeled public enemy number one! With no memory of how he got there, and Shanna the She-Devil his only ally, Logan must unravel the mystery that slumbers at the heart of the Savage Land before it finds a way to kill him first. This January, Wolverine is all brawls, babes, and brachiosaurs, and you’ll never see the end — or the future of the Marvel Universe — NOW! 32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99

MORBIUS: THE LIVING VAMPIRE #1

Story by JOE KEATINGE

Art by RICHARD ELSON

Cover by Gabrielle Dell’otto

Variant Cover by Ed McGuinness

Young Baby Variant by SKOTTIE YOUNG

Blank Cover Also Available Morbius….the hunted, haunted fugitive.

Morbius…the dead souled scientist.

Morbius…the Living Vampire. Somewhere inside Doctor Michael Morbius is a good man who just needs a second chance. After escaping from The Raft in Amazing Spider-Man 699.1, Morbius is scraping desperately through each day trying to carve out a life in a world that has turned its back on him. However his redemption…may be worse than his sin. NOW Morbius returns in this long-awaited ongoing series, where the line between hero and villain becomes brutally and bloodily blurred. 32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99

Marvel NOW! Double Shipping!

At this point it’s well known that Marvel is a big fan of double shipping most of their most popular titles. What better way to squeeze some more money out of a shrinking market? And that brings us to… (See you in the next segment.)

NEW AVENGERS #2

Story by Jonathan Hickman

Art by Steve Epting

Cover by JOCK

Variant Cover by SIMONE BIANCHI • “EVERYTHING DIES”

• The Illuminati gather to plan for the death of Everything.

• Infinity gems, old wounds, lies, agendas and universal incursions.

• “It breaks hope — it crushes what makes us decent and steals what little honor remains.” –Black Swan 32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

THE SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #2

Story by DAN SLOTT

Art & Cover by RYAN STEGMAN

Variant Cover BY ED McGuinness • The All-Now Supereir Spider-Man battles All-New Sinister Six!

• PLUS: Spider-Man and Mary Jane…REUNITED!

• PLUS: Slott and Stegman… REUNITED! 32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

ALL-NEW X-MEN #5

Story by Brian Michael Bendis

Art & Cover by Stuart Immonen

Variant Cover by OLIVIER COIPEL • The first story of a new era comes to its conclusion.

• One of the original X-Men will be forever changed! 32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

AVENGERS #3

Story by JONATHAN HICKMAN

Art by JEROME OPEÑA

Cover by DUSTIN WEAVER

AVENGERS 50TH ANNIVERSARY VARIANT BY DANIEL ACUNA

VARIANT Cover BY ADI GRANOV

VARIANT Cover BY ESAD RIBIC • “THE GARDEN”

• The birth of the New Adam.

• On Mars, the Battle between The Avengers and the Garden comes to a dramatic conclusion.

• “If you want LIFE and all the good things living entails, then you’ll have to earn it.” –Ex Nihilo 32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

Marvel NOW! Double Shipping With Artist Changes!

… the effect of double shipping on the art side of these books. Obviously, unless their name is Mark Bagley or possibly John Romita Jr., one artist can’t handle upwards of 18 issues a year. So these double shipped books, they’re going to have alternating art teams.

ALL-NEW X-MEN #6

Story by Brian Michael Bendis

Art by DAVID MARQUEZ

Cover by Stuart Immonen

X-Men 50th Anniversary Variant by TBA • David Marquez (Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man) takes the artistic reins for 3 issues!

• Brian Bendis further defines the future of the X-Men! 32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99

AVENGERS #4

Story by JONATHAN HICKMAN

Art by ADAM KUBERT

Cover by DUSTIN WEAVER

VARIANT Cover BY ESAD RIBIC • “THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF MAJOR TITANS”

• The Secret Origin of Hyperion.

• The Legacy of the Garden unfolds in the Savage Land.

• “We’ll have to field test our theories here. NOW.” –Dr. Deeds 32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

Double Shipping, NOW! Without Renumbering!

But it’s not just Marvel NOW! books that are double shipping in January! (And one is saying goodbye only to say hello again the very next month.)

SECRET AVENGERS #36

Story by RICK REMENDER

Art by MATTEO SCALERA

Cover by ARTHUR ADAMS • In The Core Venom and Valkyrie set out on a mission to kill Father.

• In New York The Master Mold rises and the only way to stop him is to kill The Torch!

• Black-Ant vs Hawkeye the final showdown! 32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99 SECRET AVENGERS #37

Story by RICK REMENDER

Art by MATTEO SCALERA

Cover by ARTHUR ADAMS

Final issue variant by Mike Perkins • FINAL ISSUE!

• The conclusion to the Rise of the Descendants! All secrets revealed!

• Father and the Descendants begin Contagious Robotic Evolution, merging the Descendants with all of humanity!

• What is the secret behind the power of Parvez?

• The ultimate test of Hawkeye! 32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

VENOM #29

Story by CULLEN BUNN

Art by THONY SILAS

Cover by SHANE DAVIS • AN ALIEN NATION RISES!

• Flash Thompson uncovers a mystery in Philadelphia, and Katy Kiernan may be its first victim!

• Cullen Bunn (WOLVERINE) and Thony Silas (AMAZING SPIDER-MAN: ENDS OF THE EARTH) continue the tale of Venom’s first adventure in his new home! 32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99 VENOM #30

Story by CULLEN BUNN

Art by THONY SILAS

Cover by Paulo Siqueira • VENOM VS. THE U-FOES IN THE CITY OF BROTHERLY SHOVE!

• In a race against time, can Flash Thompson rescue not just his friends but th entire city of Philadelphia from an alien plot?

• Get ready for the most TOXIC final page in Venom history! 32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99

WOLVERINE & THE X-MEN #23

Story by Jason Aaron

Art & Cover by Nick Bradshaw • Wolverine vs. Frankenstein!

• The Murder Circus claims its victims! 32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99 WOLVERINE & THE X-MEN #24

Story by Jason Aaron

Art by TBA

Cover by RAMÓN K. PÉREZ • DATE NIGHT!

• Kitty and Iceman! Storm and Wolverine? 32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

And NOW! The Return of Pichelli!

Okay, so Sara Pichelli never really went away from Miles Morales, she just slid over to Spider-Men, but now she has slid back to the mothership and I couldn’t be more excited.

ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN #19

Story by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS

Art & Cover by SARA PICHELLI • VENOM WARS BEGINS!!!

• Miles finally has his costume, his web shooters, and now he has his first A-list Spider-Man villain! There’s a new Venom in town and he’s hungry!

• All this, plus Miles’ new girlfriend and the return of award-winning Ultimate Spider-Man artist Sara Pichelli! 32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

The Best Book Marvel is Publishing… Right NOW!

There are a lot of best books being published at any given moment. These are three.

HAWKEYE #7

Story by MATT FRACTION

Art & Cover by DAVID AJA • Cherry’s got a gun. And she looks good in it.

• Hawkeye gets distracted. Just like you are right now. 32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99

FURY MAX #8

Story by Garth Ennis

Art by Goran Parlov

Cover by DAVE JOHNSON • Fury and Castle are POW.

• What do the Viet Cong have in mind for the war heroes? 32 PGS./Explicit Content …$3.99

DAREDEVIL #22

Story by MARK WAID

Art by Chris Samnee

Cover by Paolo Rivera • Daredevil teams up with the ALL NEW Superior Spider-Man!

• Yes, America, we’ve heard your calls! Stilt-Man Is BACK! Better than ever thanks to some last minute help from Doctor Octopus.

• The Eisner and Harvey Award winner for book of the year continues to baffle all of us here at the House of Ideas! 32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99

Okay NOW! Brubaker is Really Done

Ed Brubaker may be saying his farewell to Captain America today but he’ll be hanging around with Cap’s sidekick until January. And then he’ll really be gone. (Not dead; to Image.)

WINTER SOLDIER #14

Story by ED BRUBAKER

Art by BUTCH GUICE

Cover by DANIEL ACUñA • The grand finale of the BLACK WIDOW HUNT

• Will Bucky sacrifice everything to save his love?

• Can Black Widow even be saved?

• Ed Brubaker finishes his critically-acclaimed run and no one escapes unscathed! 32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99

And NOW! Something For The Old School Fan

The West Coast Avengers. For comic book fans of a certain age those four words conjure up sepia-toned memories of simpler times. Times in which Hawkeye, Mockingbird, Wonder Man, Tigra, and sometimes Tony Stark hung out in LA getting into all sorts of sun-drenched shenanigans.

AVENGERS: WEST COAST AVENGERS OMNIBUS, VOL. 1 HC

Written by ROGER STERN, BOB HARRAS, STEVE ENGLEHART & DANNY FINGEROTH

Penciled by BOB HALL, LUKE MCDONNELL, AL MILGROM, RICHARD HOWELL, STEVE DITKO & MARK BRIGHT

Covers by GREG LAND & AL MILGROM Earth’s Mightiest Heroes head west! Hawkeye splits from the Avengers and sets up shop in California. But the newly recruited members of Avengers “franchise” — including Tigra, Wonder Man, Mockingbird and a new Iron Man — soon find themselves in over their heads! Meanwhile, Ultron and the Grim Reaper target Wonder Man’s “brother,” the Vision — and the Vision’s wife, the Scarlet Witch! Can the West Coasters keep this complex bloodline from getting bloodier? Plus: Both Avengers teams are betrayed from within! Also guest-starring the the Thing, Hank Pym, Firebird and Nick Fury! Collecting WEST COAST AVENGERS (1984) #1-4, IRON MAN ANNUAL #7, AVENGERS (1963) #250, WEST COAST AVENGERS (1985) #1-16, VISION AND THE SCARLET WITCH (1985) #1-2, AVENGERS ANNUAL (1967) #15, WEST COAST AVENGERS ANNUAL #1; and material from AVENGERS (1963) #239, #243-244 and #246, and AVENGERS WEST COAST #100. 760 PGS./Rated T …$99.99

Thor Not Ready For Relationship Right NOW!

All right thinking people love this book and if you were one of those people who wanted a nice collection for our shelf, but didn’t want to pick up the two digest-sized editions, this one’s for you. The bad news? This title was still canceled before Langridge and Samnee got to tell their planned 12-issue story. The good news? Those digests must have sold well enough to justify this collection. So, that’s nice.

THOR: THE MIGHTY AVENGER — THE COMPLETE COLLECTION TPB

Written by ROGER LANGRIDGE

Penciled by CHRIS SAMNEE

Cover by CHRIS SAMNEE It’s Thor as you’ve never seen him when Eisner and Harvey Award-nominated writer Roger Langridge and artist Chris Samnee re-imagine the God of Thunder! Thrill as Thor battles raging robots the size of cities and fights side-by-side with Iron Man for the first time! Gasp as he tames the mightiest sea creatures and tests his might against the Sub-Mariner! Swoon as he rescues damsels in distress from the vilest villains! Plus: When mischievous Loki’s machinations throw Thor and a World War II-era Captain America into King Arthur’s court, it’s a time-twisting tale of Camelot craziness that neither Avenger will ever forget! Collecting THOR THE MIGHTY AVENGER #1-8, FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2011: CAPTAIN AMERICA & THOR. 216 PGS./Rated T …$24.99

For a comprehensive list of Marvel Comics’ offerings in January, click here… NOW!