February is quickly shaping up to be one of the biggest months in recent memory for the comic book industry. From DC’s Joker: Year One to Spawn’s 350th issue to the debuts of major titles like Ultimate Black Panther and TMNT: The Last Ronin II, there’s a lot to keep track of in the weeks ahead.To help you keep track of it all, we’re here to break down the biggest and most noteworthy comic book releases of February 2024. Be sure to let us know in the comments what you’re reading this month!Joker: Year OneCreative Team: Chip Zdarsky, Giuseppe Camuncoli & Andrea SorrentinoPublisher: DCRelease Date: Feb. 6, Feb. 13 & Feb. 20The Joker’s origin story and early days remain shrouded in mystery, even after all these years, but DC is filling in some major gaps this month. “Joker: Year One” will be published weekly in the pages of Batman #142-144. This new storyline flashes back to the immediate aftermath of Joker’s origin in Batman: The Killing Joke, revealing what happened after Joker emerged from the vat of chemicals and how he established himself as the Clown Prince of Crime. That’s not to say this is simply a standalone flashback story, either. These three issues will also jump forward to the present, where Batman and Joker find themselves imprisoned at the hands of Zur En Arrh. Expect some major revelations about Joker’s past that will have a profound impact on his present-day relationship with Bruce Wayne.Ultimate Black Panther #1Creative Team: Bryan Edward Hill & Stefano CaselliPublisher: MarvelRelease Date: Feb. 7Marvel’s revived Ultimate imprint gains a second monthly series this month with the debut of Ultimate Black Panther. As with Ultimate Spider-Man, the idea behind this re-imagining is that T’Challa is taking up the Black Panther mantle in a world where The Maker tried to suppress the emergence of superheroes. As he becomes Black Panther, T’Challa finds himself the lone force defending Wakanda from the combined might of the twin gods Khonshu and Ra. Ultimate Spider-Man #1 was a very strong debut, one that reinvented Peter Parker and his world in clever ways. We expect no less from this first issue, especially with a team as talented as Bryan Edward Hill and Stefano Caselli. Wolverine: Madripoor Knights #1Creative Team: Chris Claremont & Edgar SalazarPublisher: MarvelRelease Date: Feb. 72024 happens to be the 50th anniversary of Wolverine’s debut. One way Marvel will be celebrating that milestone is by revisiting one of the most iconic Wolverine team-up stories of all time. Chris Claremont and Jim Lee’s Uncanny X-Men #268 famously paired Wolverine with Captain America and Black Widow for a gritty adventure in Madripoor. This limited series flashes back to that setting to tell an untold story of Logan, Natasha and Cap battling the Hand.Best of all, Claremont himself is penning this adventure. If you need a break from the chaos of the main X-Men line and crave something a little more classical in nature, Madripoor Knights could be just what the doctor ordered. Sinister Sons #1Creative Team: Peter Tomasi & David LafuentePublisher: DCRelease Date: Feb. 13Many DC fans still mourn the loss of Super Sons, easily one of the most entertaining team-up books to come along in years. The good news is that Super Sons now has a successor in the form of Sinister Sons. Rather than spotlighting the sons of Superman and Batman, this new series stars the offspring of General Zod and Sinestro. Can Sinister Sons recapture the appeal of Super Sons? With writer Peter Tomasi back in the saddle, and with the always excellent David Lafuente handling the art, we’re pretty optimistic about this new series. Who doesn’t want to read about a pair of underage villains trying to follow in their parents’ despotic footsteps?Spawn #350Creative Team: Todd McFarlane & Brett BoothPublisher: ImageRelease Date: Feb. 21This month Todd McFarlane’s long-running Spawn series reaches a milestone that’s practically unheard of in the world of creator-owned comics. It’s hard to believe Al Simmons has been battling the forces of Heaven and Hell for 350 issues now. This issue promises to be at least as game-changing as Spawn #300 was back in 2019. It introduces a new series artist in Brett Booth, a new costume for Spawn and answers a very important question – who will sit on the throne of Hell now that Malebolgia is dead? Expect that answer to have a major impact on this series going forward, as well as spinoffs like The Scorched and King Spawn. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin II – Re-Evolution #1Creative Team: Kevin Eastman, Tom Waltz, Isaac Escorza, Esau Escorza & Ben BishopPublisher: IDWRelease Date: Feb. 28This is easily one of the biggest new debuts of 2024. The original TMNT: The Last Ronin was a huge hit for IDW, revealing a world where only one of the original Turtles remained to carry on the fight against the Foot Clan. In this long-awaited sequel, the focus now shifts to the next generation of Turtles – Yi, Uno, Odyn and Moja. Do they have what it takes to carry on the legacy of their predecessors?Fortunately, many of the creators from the original The Last Ronin series are back for the sequel, including TMNT co-creator Kevin Eastman. We can’t wait to dive into this ne story and see the next generation of Turtles in action.Other February Comics to WatchSuicide Squad: Kill Arkham Asylum #1In the tradition of the Arkham and Injustice games, DC is celebrating the release of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League with the release of a new prequel comic. In Kill Arkham Asylum, Amanda Waller has taken control of the infamous facility, and she orchestrates a prison-wide deathmatch to determine which villains are best suited to join Task Force X. Each issue includes an exclusive DLC item for use in the game. (Feb. 6) Alien: Black, White & Blood #1Marvel’s Black, White & Blood comics are always a fun way of experiencing anthology stories with a visual twist, and now they’re applying that formula to the Alien franchise. This new series is anchored by a serialized story from Thunderbolts writers Colin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing, about a utopia-seeking society that descends into chaos due to their fear of the Xenomorphs. (Feb. 7) Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return #1BOOM! Studios’ newest Power Rangers series has two major selling points. One, it’s co-written by the original Pink Ranger herself, Amy Jo Johnson. Two, it’s set in an alternate universe where the original Rangers disbanded following a terrible tragedy, only to be brought back together 22 years later. Will this be the franchise’s answer to TMNT: The Last Ronin? (Feb. 7) Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver #1With Magneto currently dead in the Marvel Universe, what better time to focus on the troubled relationship between Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch? This new limited series from Steve Orlando and Lorenzo Tammeta will test the bonds of family as Wanda and Pietro confront a new threat from the Wizard. (Feb. 14) Edge of Spider-Verse #1The Spider-Verse is a vast place, and we’re always happy to see Marvel reviving the Edge of Spider-Verse series and delving deeper into these alternate worlds. The first issue of the newest Edge of Spider-Verse features two tales, one focused on fan-favorite heroine Spider-Byte, and the other introducing the spider-powered Weapon VIII. (Feb. 21)For more on what’s to come in the world of comics, check out IGN’s most anticipated comics of 2024 and learn more about the game-changing Ghost Machine initiative.Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.
