Joshua Williamson introduces a 31st century that isn’t exactly the wonderful future Superman might have imagined. The United Planets is dealing with political violence, oppressive authorities, and a society where putting on a costume and helping people can get you into serious trouble. It’s an interesting setting for characters who traditionally represent the promise of a better tomorrow.

Some comic book characters just stick with you, and for me, the Doom Patrol has always been one of them. I’ve never needed my superheroes to be particularly normal, and this bunch has never come close. That’s probably why I’ve followed them for so many years. When I heard DC was giving them another shot, I immediately put this book at the top of my reading list.

Written by Sarah Gailey with artwork by Alessio Avallone, this issue takes us inside the tortured existence of Elliot Spencer, the man who became the Hell Priest. Trapped in Middle Hell, he’s subjected to something far worse than physical torture.

Written by Tini Howard with artwork by Jenna Cha, the story brings back the Priestess of Pain, who finds herself at odds with the Engineer after he attempts to rebuild her. Rather than accepting her place, she takes a path that leads deeper into the horrifying world of Hell and the brutal process of becoming a Cenobite.

More than anything, New Wounds #1 feels like an invitation into the next chapter of Hellraiser. It establishes the tone, introduces some very questionable people, brings the Puzzle Box back into play, and leaves you wondering what this new series is going to build from here.

Hell’s Council #1 is a decent addition to the Hellraiser universe, but I didn’t connect with it quite as much as some of the other Resurrections stories. The artwork and gore are definitely there, and I thought Butterball looked fantastic. Francesca Ciregia does a great job with the character, making him every bit as grotesque as I remember from the movies.

After reading Hellraiser: Resurrections – The Onanistic Ritual #1, I think Zac Thompson and Gavin Mitchell made the right choice. This is nasty, disturbing, and exactly the kind of horror comic I want from Hellraiser. The story takes a very modern kind of messed up personality and drops him directly into the world of the Cenobites.

The creative team alone caught my attention. Joe Casey and Robert Kirkman are writing, Andy Kubert handles the artwork, Dave McCaig is on colors, and Rus Wooton provides the lettering. That’s a hell of a lineup for a new superhero series, and Kubert’s artwork immediately gives the book a personality of its own.

I’m a sucker for a good dirty B-movie, and Hammerfist #1 feels like someone took one of those crazy 1980s movies, threw it into a blender with horror and crime, and turned the whole thing into a comic.

Written and drawn by Sean Gordon Murphy, the first issue introduces a future America where the GRID has taken over transportation and driving has become illegal. Cars are basically relics of another time, but Clutch still knows how to drive – and that makes him a pretty valuable outlaw.