The origin of The Flash! The loss of his mother put Barry Allen on the road to becoming a hero, but only when he gains his powers will he understand the most important lesson his must learn.

    And if those heroes can’t handle the job, who will stand against this mystical madness? Shade the Changing Man, Madame Xanadu, Deadman, Zatanna and John Constantine may be our only hope!

    Untreated, they fester and grow into the diseases of fear, uncertainty and hopelessness. Unaided, the law is blinded by bureaucracy and bound to a justice bent toward the protection even of the criminal. The face of a kinder and gentler nation is destroyed, carved into a harlequin's mask; a grim skull. And the wielders of the scythe laugh, secure in the knowledge that their crimes will go without punishment.They are wrong. In the urban jungle, there is one who stands alone and apart; one who lives not for the law, but only to see justice done. The Punisher reaps a different harvest.Once, he was Frank Castle, loving husband and father. A tour in Vietnam had shown him what war was. Part of him died there, but a precious part stayed alive, determined to return to the family he loved, and the peace and freedom that was his America. Part of him held on to live, until his family died in a hail of mob gunfire, victims of the wrong place and wrong time.Daily, criminals greedily cut their portions from the souls of the weak and weary, the foolish and the frightened. One man senses how the guilty feed like parasites on the heart of the American Dream. One man hears when evil laughs at the law. One man sees clearly that the most powerful criminals have placed themselves above the law. One man has become their judge, their jury.One man has become their Punisher.

    You won't find a sicker, more dangerous person in the Marvel Universe. But why? Why is he so vicious? Why is he so brutal? Why does he leave a wake of violence and death everywhere he goes? Look into Sabretooth's eyes and tremble at the truth.

    IT'S THE PROLOGUE TO THE BIGGEST MARVEL SERIES OF THE SUMMER! WHO IS THE WATCHER? That's what Nova is wondering after his latest brush with the moon-dwelling enigma he's encountered before! But what he discovers will have a profound effect on the young hero, as well as priming the pump for the most cataclysmic event in Marvel history! WHAT DID HE SEE?

    Now the Krypton Man is born anew from the Earth’s fiery sun—the same place where the Man of Steel buried the mysterious Kryptonian Eradicator.

    Now he's got 50 years of hard time to look forward to. But Something powerful has been growing within Ethan, and on the day of his sentencing, it escapes at last. It will change a life that has already been completely changed. It will follow him into the savage setting of a maximum-security prison, where each day is a struggle for survival. Will it be a source of massive power, a chance for redemption, or the cruelest of curses?

    Reprinting the critically acclaimed illustrator's earliest work, this first book in a series of three showcases the revolutionary art and influential storytelling style that returned Batman to his darker roots and heavily influenced his modern look. Presenting eight classic tales with current revisions to the original artwork by Adams himself, this superb hardcover features appearances by Superman, Flash, Robin, Aquaman, Deadman, the Teen Titans, and the Scarecrow.

    . . Battling demons from her past while fighting for her life, Colonial Marine Private First Class Zula Hendricks, in the company of Weyland-Yutani synthetics, is forced to question her strength and loyalty when the discovery of an insidious alien species on a derelict hauler sends her on a dangerous journey across the stars. Brian Wood brings his sharp storytelling to Aliens. Rising star Tristan Jones draws the scariest xenomorph youve seen in years . . .

    And now that Bethany's proposed a marriage of convenience to Tony, Christopher may have an instant family.Tony's having second thoughts about the wedding since Bethany confessed her secret. It shouldn't make a difference—their marriage is supposed to be temporary anyway. But he's finding it harder to imagine a future without her. What dreams must he give up to make the marriage work?The story concludes in Marriage by Contract Part 3.

    Across the galaxy, the most-wanted criminals shudder at the mere mention of his name… Boba Fett!Following the events of Dark Empire II, a Hutt's misguided affections lead to a death contract on a faraway planet. Hired by the Hutt, Boba Fett pursues an intergalactic magician who may hold the key to the Hutt's future. The fact that the magician has died only poses a slight problem for the bounty hunter, as not even the dead can escape from Boba Fett!

    was transferred from a holding cell to his permanent home at Blackgate Prison. E.M.P.'s electrical powers posed a threat, but the situation was in hand-until it wasn't. Now every light in Gotham is out, the police are in disarray, and a broken, bleeding Batman must fight his way to Blackgate, block by block, dragging E.M.P. behind him. But the dark corners of Gotham hold many surprises...and E.M.P. has many more shocks to deliver before the night is through! One of the most iconic Batman artists of the 21st century, the incomparable Jock (The Batman Who Laughs, Batman: The Black Mirror), has focused all his storytelling powers on the tale of one very, very dark night in Gotham City. It's always darkest before the dawn-if it ever comes...

    Deep in the wastes of Siberia, young Piotr Rasputin discovers his mutant abilities -- and becomes the newest target of the ruthless KGB! Guest-starring Professor Xavier.

    Known for his moody, shadowy illustrations, Colan was a natural fit as artist on Batman when he came to DC in the 1980s. His run of stories in the pages of both BATMAN and DETECTIVE COMICS included appearances by some of Batman’s greatest foes, including Man-Bat, The Monk, Rupert Thorne and more.

    Retelling the origin of the Swamp Thing! Meanwhile, in the present, Swamp Thing saves three hunters from a bear—but the hunters quickly turn their guns on the new perceived threat!