A shocking twist in one of the best horror comics in years

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I really loved the books featured in this week’s Top Comics to Buy for January 14. I mention it here from time to time, but there are weeks where the releases are so strong that it makes this five-recommendation system feel restrictive. This was definitely one of those weeks. I could have easily expanded my picks to 7 or 10 issues.

And you can find my recommendations below, along with the usual set of releases lists … enjoy!

Top Comics to Buy for January 14, 2026

Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Rite of Spring #5
Writer/Artist: Patrick Horvath
Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Discover Samantha Strong’s endgame in the penultimate issue of Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Rite of Spring. Samantha’s plans for Monica… and all of Woodbrook… are finally revealed!
Why It’s Cool: You almost certainly will not see the ending of this comic coming — I know I didn’t. And I feel like I’ve already said too much about it. Just keep going if you’re already reading this book (which you should be, it’s one of the best monthly comics), and if you haven’t, this series and its predecessor are both must-read comics.
Price: $4.99

Captain Henry and the Graveyard of Time #3
Writers: Mike Mignola and Bruce Zick
Artist: Bruce Zick
Letterer: Clem Robins
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
The Captain and his fellow stranded travelers are attacked by a legion of monsters when the Time King orders them to be destroyed.
Why It’s Cool: I absolutely love when Hellboy Universe (Giant-Sized Hellboy, anybody?) stories get pulpy, and this is one of the pulpiest I’ve read in a good long while. It’s got guys shooting energy bolts out of swords at ghosts. That’s just plain old good comics.
Price: $4.99

DIE: Loaded #3
Writer: Kieron Gillen
Artist: Stephanie Hans
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Publisher: Image Comics
Did you ever wonder: “Was Sauron’s mum sad? She had such hopes for him.” Here, we venture into a world where a broken mother guards the ruins of her son’s downfall. Can anyone survive?
Why It’s Cool: Die has always been most interesting to me when it really unabashedly takes aim at your heartstrings, and this issue — largely oriented around a mother’s grief and doubts and regrets — is one of the most moving issues of this excellent series to date.
Price: $3.99

G.I. Joe #17
Writer: Joshua Williamson
Artist: Tom Reilly
Colorist: Jordie Bellaire
Letterer: Rus Wooton
Publisher: Image Comics – Skybound
DREADNOK WAR CONCLUDES! G.I. Joe vs Cobra vs Dreadnoks! Will the shocking end to the Duke and Cobra Commander team-up result in death? And a last page twist that will change G.I. Joe forever in the Energon Universe…
Why It’s Cool: Along Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees Rite of Spring (see above!), this comic really nailed one hell of a cliffhanger ending, one I certainly didn’t see coming. And with Transformers and G.I. Joe starting to act in earnest here, this is a must-read comic for anyone following the Energon Universe.
Price: $3.99

Our Soot Stained Heart #2
Writers: Joni Hagg & Stipan Morian
Artist: Stipan Morian
Colorist: Ropemann
Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Peggy Stones has come far on her own, but not a step further! Will she make it long enough to find out if the mythical Baron of Stories is real? Who are they, and will they help young Peggy to stop Fuel’s Day, or are they just another obstacle in her way? Find out what lies at the far reaches of the north, and whether Peggy’s journey was worth it!
Why It’s Cool: Our Soot Stained Heart has some of my favorite art in comics right now, and the second issue picks right up where the first issue left off, knowing exactly where to put all of its big spreads and splash pages and set pieces, in ways that show-off while also moving our story along. This book was an easy choice for the Top Comics to Buy for January 14, and it’s quickly become one of the most exciting indie comics for me.
Price: $4.99