I don’t know about you, but 2026 doesn’t feel like it started on the right foot.
...great way to open a newsletter, right?
But hear me out.
I read comics for a thousand different reasons.
Sometimes I just want to have fun.
Other times I want a story that moves something inside me.
I want insane artwork. Experimental stuff.
I want something that makes me laugh.
And then there are moments when I want to read something that perfectly matches the mood I’m in.
So, ladies and gentlemen, to close out the January 2026 FOC newsletters, this is what I’ve got for you: a broken hero, a serial killer, and some good, healthy conspiracy thinking.
February, step up. I'm not scared of you.
Department Of Truth The Complete Conspiracy Deluxe Book 02
Alright, this is a volume I can’t say too much about.
Why?
Because I read the first hardcover and then waited for the second one in the same format, without touching a single issue in between.
Why would I do that?
Well, if you’re asking, it probably means you haven’t read the first one either.
Let’s take a step back.
In a world full of conspiracies and fake news (I’m talking about the series, not reality, relax), Cole Turner, an FBI agent, discovers that the line between collective madness and reality is much thinner than it seems.
In a kind of dark, fairy-tale balance, people’s beliefs, when strong enough, can actually rewrite reality.
The premise is pure high-concept, exactly what we’ve come to expect from Tynion over the years.
But for me, what truly makes the difference is the artwork.
If you love the madness of Dave McKean, if Andrea Sorrentino got under your skin with Gideon Falls - then Martin Simmonds is going to blow your mind.
The oversized Image hardcover format is exactly what I was waiting for to fully enjoy the return of The Department of Truth.
Pre-order now, or you’re a flat-earther 😈
Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees: Rite Of Spring
What if Hannibal Lecter took place in the world of Animal Crossing?
(Alright, alright, Samantha isn’t exactly Lecter in the strict sense. Can we skip the nitpicking for a second?)
Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees was one of the most disturbingly delightful surprises I’ve come across in recent years.
When I first stepped into the town of Woodbrook, I got lost in its gorgeous colors. When I met Samantha and the other characters, I felt… safe.
I trusted the comic. I trusted the story.
And I was genuinely happy to discover that there are authors like Patrick Horvath out there. In this sequel, Horvath brings the same care and attention he showed in the first chapter, and somehow manages to raise the bar even higher.
Not an easy thing to do, but he pulls it off.
We’re talking about a beautiful-looking horror story, dense in both narrative and character development.
We’re talking about a damn good comic.
Not only is the sequel coming out in hardcover, but the first volume is finally getting the same treatment.
A perfect excuse to grab both!
Batman by Chip Zdarsky Omnibus HC Vol. 1
Hey folks, let me be emotional for a moment.
The fact that we’re here talking about the pre-order for this Omnibus reminds me that I’m getting older. When I started working at Walt’s, this run was still ongoing.
But more than that, it reminds me that when I first started here, WCS was a small shop in Berlin. Now we’re waiting for our first store-exclusive variant of an Omnibus.
I’m still getting used to all of this.
…Alright. Let’s begin.
Zdarsky’s run goes far beyond expectations.
Does that mean it’s the best Batman run ever?
I’m sure Chip would say yes.
But what I mean is that whatever you expect from a story, it’s pushed to the extreme.
The ideas are eccentric, bold, and more than once you’ll find yourself muttering a solid “WTF” while reading.
Bruce himself might not be the one you remember: he’s broken, questioned, by others, by you, even by himself.
This Omnibus is full of stories where characters have to rebuild themselves, question who they are and what they stand for.
Honestly, that’s my kind of story.
This is also the run where I first encountered Jiménez.
If you’re reading the current Batman run, you already know what I’m talking about.
If instead you’ve been living in a cave since the Paleolithic, let’s just say you missed the current rockstar of American comics.
(Also the artist behind our exclusive variant, just saying.)
For the stories it contains and for what this volume represents for us, I can only tell you one thing: pre-order it.
This is one of those cases where waiting for the release date is a real gamble.
(P.S.: Matheus, don't repeat your mistake! Most of us already pre-ordered our copy)
All Books on FOC…
...can be found here! Wednesday is the official deadline for low pre-order prices (but we never change prices before Friday... shhhh it's a secret!)
Also: don't be Matheus, simply pre-order!
See you,
Simone