Writers Geoff Johns (Infinite Crisis) and Richard Donner (Superman: The Movie) look ahead to upcoming issues of their run on Action Comics in an all-star double-sized annual featuring artists Joe Kubert, Art Adams, Rags Morales (Identity Crisis), Tony Daniel (Teen Titans), Eric Wight (The OC) and more.

Helmet of Fate: Ibis the Invincible: Tad Williams (w), Phil Winslade (a)
Helmet of Fate: Detective Chimp: Bill Willingham (w), Shawn McManus (a), Brian Bolland (cover)
32 pp.

Golden Age mystic Ibis the Invincible searches for a successor and Detective Chimp is on the case of what happened to Doctor Fate's helmet in the first month of a five-part event leading into the forthcoming new Doctor Fate ongoing series.

Scalped #1
Jason Aaron (w), RM Guera (a), Jock (cover)
32 pp.

Fifteen years ago Dashiell 'Dash' Bad Horse escaped from a life of poverty on the Prairie Rose Indian Reservation to start a new life in the white man's world. Now he's back, and in the shadow of the towering casino complex finds tribal leader Lincoln Red Crow has swapped his former civil rights activism for a new calling as a brutal crime kingpin. Contemporary Native American culture meets The Sopranos in the new ongoing series from hot writer Jason Aaron (The Other Side) and Heavy Metal alumnus RM Guera, with covers by Jock (Losers).

Doom Patrol volume 5: Magic Bus TP
Grant Morrison (w), Richard Case, Stan Woch, Philip Bond et al (a), Brian Bolland (cover)
208 pp.

The indescribable adventures of the World's Strangest Heroes continue in issues #51-7 of Grant Morrison's career-making run on Doom Patrol, featuring the final fate of the Brotherhood of Dada, the debut of the Candlemaker, the infamous Jack Kirby tribute issue and more.

Ion: The Torchbearer TP
Ron Marz (w), Greg Tocchini (a), Kalman Andrasofszky (cover)
144 pp.

One Year Later in the DC Universe Kyle Rayner finds himself once again possessed by the godlike power of Ion -- but will more power than any mortal should be able to bear turn the former protector of Earth and carrier of the Green Lantern legacy away from the path of light? Collecting Ion #1-6, the first half of a cosmic limited series from veteran Green Lantern scribe Ron Marz and artist Greg Tocchini (1602: New World).

From Marvel Comics:

Ultimate Civil War Spider-Ham Crisis (Featuring Wolver-Ham) one-shot
J Michael Straczynski (w), Mike Wieringo, Mike Allred, John Severin, Jim Mahfood et al (a), Wieringo (cover)
32 pp.

Back by popular demand (possibly), everyone's favourite porcine wall-crawler Spider-Ham returns in an all-star special also featuring Iron Ham, Fantastic Ham, Ant-Ham, Ultimate Captain Ham, Hambit, Hamneto, Wolver-Ham and so many more, from the collective hammy genius of writer J Michael Straczynski (Amazing Spider-Ham, Hamtastic Four) and artists including Mike Wieringo (Adventures of Superham), Mike Allred (Madham) and John Severin (Ham-Fisted Tales, The 'Ham).

Iron Man: Hypervelocity #1 (of 6)
Adam Warren (w), Brian Denham (a), Warren (cover)
32 pp.

The testing of an experimental new version of the Iron Man armour finds Tony Stark caught in the middle of a global conflict between an insurgent techno-terrorism cult and the massed hardware of an elite paramilitary unit, in a new limited series from writer Adam Warren (Livewires, Gen13) and artist Brian Denham.

Silent War #1 (of 6)
David Hine (w), Roy Allan Martinez (a), John Watson (cover)
32 pp.

Spinning out of House of M and Son of M, the depowered Quicksilver's theft of the precious Terrigen Mists from the Inhumans has seen their leader Black Bolt declare war on humanity. Now, friends will become enemies as Gorgon leads an all-out assault on New York City and the Fantastic Four must defend their home against the militant Inhumans.

Thunderbolts #110
Warren Ellis (w), Mike Deodato Jr (a), Marko Djurdjevic (cover)
32 pp.

Cult writer Warren Ellis (Ultimate Fantastic Four, Planetary, Newuniversal) brings his trademark edge to a controversial take on the all-new Thunderbolts introduced in the pages of Civil War -- but with the new roster including symbiotic monster Venom, sadistic assassin Bullseye and criminal genius Norman Osborn, how far will the post-Civil War administration be prepared to go in tracking down rogue unregistered superhumans?

Wolverine #50
Jeph Loeb (w), Simone Bianchi, Ed McGuinness (a)
48 pp.

Kicking off a landmark story arc from writer Jeph Loeb (Batman: Hush, Superman/Batman, Lost) and rising star painter Simone Bianchi which will finally reveal the secrets of the conflicted relationship between Wolverine and his savage nemesis Sabretooth. Are they clones, brothers, father and son, or something even more unexpected? Find out in the double-sized 50th issue, also featuring a 12-page backup story from Loeb and Superman/Batman collaborator Ed McGuinness pitting Logan against a certain big green smashing machine.

X-Men Annual #1
Mike Carey (w), Mark Brooks (a)
48 pp.

In the aftermath of their showdown with the homicidal Children, Rogue and her new X-Men team return to the hijacked SHIELD Helicarrier searching for a way to restore the minds of mutant twins Northstar and Aurora -- but a powerful enemy from the past has their own designs for the pair, setting the stage for a major X-Men crossover during 2007.

Spider-Man: Death of the Stacys Premiere HC
Stan Lee, Gerry Conway (w), John Romita Sr, Gil Kane (a)
160 pp.

A young Peter Parker faces the death of two of the most important figures in his life at the hands of Doctor Octopus and the Green Goblin in two of the most acclaimed and groundbreaking Spider-Man stories ever, presented completely remastered in a deluxe prestige hardcover edition collecting Amazing Spider-Man #88-92 and #121-2.

Avengers Assemble volume 4 HC
Kurt Busiek (w), Jerry Ordway, Alan Davis, Norm Breyfogle, John Romita Jr et al (a), Davis (cover)
416 pp.

The Earth's Mightiest Heroes face some of their greatest foes in the fourth giant oversized hardcover of Kurt Busiek's acclaimed Avengers tenure, incorporating the Maximum Security crossover. Collecting Avengers #35-40 and Annual 2000s and 2001, Avengers: The Ultron Imperative, and Maximum Security #1-3 and Dangerous Planet.

Astonishing X-Men volume 3: Torn TP
Joss Whedon (w), John Cassaday (a)
144 pp.

After months of manipulating the X-Men in secret, the new Hellfire Club is ready to make its move. Who is the secret organisation's sleeper agent within the mansion, which core team member will lose their powers, and which X-Man is destined to destroy the alien Ord's homeworld? Collecting Astonishing X-Men #13-18 from the continuing superstar team of Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and John Cassaday (Planetary).

When an act of industrial espionage releases the highly experimental Extremis technology, Tony Stark must undertake a risky and permanent transformation to take down a crazed biologically augmented terrorist. Cult writer Warren Ellis (Ultimate Fantastic Four, Transmetropolitan) and digital painter Adi Granov craft a new beginning for Iron Man leading into his controversial actions during Civil War. Collecting Iron Man #1-6.

Loaded Bible 2: Blood of Christ one-shot
Tim Seeley (w), Mike Norton (a), Skottie Young (cover)
48 pp.

Jesus is back and he's better than ever in the long-awaited second installment of Loaded Bible, with art by Mike Norton (All-New Atom, Runaways). Excommunicated from his own church, genetically engineered vampire-slaying messiah Jesus Christ roams the wastelands of a post-apocalyptic America on a holy quest to rid the Earth of blood-soaking undead once and for all.

The Iron Ghost: Geist Reich TP
Chuck Dixon (w), Sergio Cariello (a)
144 pp.

In the dying days of the Second World War as the Allies edge towards victory, the masked Iron Ghost stalks the shadows of a collapsing Third Reich taking out Nazi officers guilty of crimes that would otherwise go unpunished. Two German police officers are assigned to the case but with scant evidence to work with they are obliged to investigate all suspects -- including some within their own ranks. Collecting the wartime action mystery from prolific writer Chuck Dixon (Nightwing, The Phantom) and artist Sergio Cariello (Lone Ranger, Sojourn).

The Magdalena returns and Danielle Baptiste continues to adjust to life as the new bearer of the Witchblade in a self-contained story featuring lush fully painted art from rising star talent Stjepan Sejic (The Darkness/Wolverine).

Hunter-Killer volume 1 TP
Mark Waid (w), Marc Silvestri, Eric Basaldua (a)
336 pp.

The official fiction of the Cold War as a nuclear arms race is merely a cover story for the more disturbing truth that both the United States and Soviet Union were secretly developing and stockpiling human super weapons, 'Ultra Sapiens' with a potential destructive power greater than any atom bomb. Now the conflict is over the Ultra Sapiens continue to operate underground, some working for the government tracking down and bringing into the line the others who chose to go rogue -- but hidden in rural Wisconsin is a secret weapon which could tip the balance of this hidden war in favour of either side. Collecting Hunter-Killer #0-12 plus the Hunter-Killer Dossier one-shot from acclaimed writer Mark Waid (52, Kingdom Come, The Flash) and superstar artist Marc Silvestri (Uncanny X-Men, Wolverine).

Conan and the Midnight God #1 (of 5)
Joshua Dysart (w), Tone Rodriguez (a), Jason Alexander (cover)
32 pp.

Conan has claimed the throne of Aquilonia and the hand of the beautiful Zenobia, but his new responsibilities don't mean the warrior king will be hanging up his sword any time soon. When his kingdom is attacked by a sinister Stygian sorcerer, Conan rallies the armies of Aquilonia in an all-out assault that will send political shockwaves across the entire realm of Hyboria. Kicking off a new five-part Conan adventure from Joshua Dysart (Swamp Thing) and Tone Rodriguez (Violent Messiahs).

Ethan has no idea his roommate Vincent is the megalomaniacal supervillian Overlord. Vincent is unaware his roommate Ethan is the supremely virtuous superhero Star Fighter. When in costume they are mortal enemies; at home they just annoy the heck out of each other. Collecting the surprise hit limited series.

From the smaller publishers:

Fathom: Kiani #0
Vince Hernandez (w), Marcus To (a)
24 pp.

The Fathom saga continues in a preview issue to the forthcoming Kiani miniseries, as a previously unknown faction of the Blue makes its presence known and Blue warrior Kiani embarks on a quest of discovery that will uncover secrets best left hidden.

Garth Ennis' Chronicles of Wormwood #1
Garth Ennis (w), Jacen Burrows (a)
32 pp.

Wormwood is undeniably the Antichrist -- his dad is Satan and he has seemingly unlimited demonic powers, which have helped him ease into a comfortable niche in the high society of contemporary New York. His best friend Jesus is a mentally challenged African-American man who doesn't seem to be the second coming and certainly isn't performing any miracles or trying to prevent the imminent Apocalypse. Cult writer Garth Ennis returns to the blasphemous territory of Preacher in a potentially even more offensive end-of-the-world epic, with art by 303 collaborator Jacen Burrows.

Bone volume 5: Rock Jaw, Master of the Easter Border SC & HC
Jeff Smith (w/a)
192 pp.

Jeff Smith's massively acclaimed all-ages fantasy series Bone continues in new colour editions as Fone and Smiley Bone venture into the mountains to return a lost rat cub, only to encounter the mighty mountain lion Rock Jaw.

GI Joe: Declassified TP
Larry Hama (w), Pat Quinn & Valentine de Landre (a), Francis Manapul (cover)
144 pp.

GI Joe comics godfather Larry Hama returns to the series he created with the previously untold first mission of the original 13-member team.

Enigmatic Spanish cartoonist Marti Riera returns to the American comics market with a new anthology series mixing short stories with a brand new serial of his legendary 1980s Dick Tracy-inspired creation The Cabbie.

Wildermere volume 1 TP
CF (w/a)
124 pp., B&W

When a mysterious alien device washes up on the shores of a quiet seaside village, the very fabric of reality is distorted and an unremarkable holiday hamlet transformed into a bizarre nightmare realm. Collecting Wildermere #1-5 from cult UK cartoonist CF, mixing the surrealism of Alice in Wonderland with the hard-edged dystopian vision of 1984.

Star Trek: The Next Generation celebrates its 20th anniversary with a long-awaited return to comics and brand new adventure from David Tischman (American Century, Bite Club) and Casey Maloney (Children of the Grave). The USS Enterprise-D is dispatched to assess Tigan-7's bid to join the United Federation of Planets, only to be attacked by a planetary authority that claims to have had no contact with the Federation. A covert investigation by Captain Jean-Luc Picard and his crew uncovers an information-obsessed society continually rewriting its 6000-year official history to maintain a fragile political stability.

Acclaimed artist Ashley Wood takes his iconoclastic approach to sequential art and graphic design to a new level in a new ongoing advertisement-free series featuring a rotating cast characters headed by Les Morts 13.

Intrepid teenage sleuths Frank and Joe Hardy go undercover to investigate a string of apparent murder attempts at a high-stakes skateboarding event, in the latest all new Hardy Boys adventure from former X-Men writer Scott Lobdell.

Beginning a new archival series reprinting unabridged and in original publication order the classic 2000AD Strontium Dog stories from Judge Dredd creators John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra and fellow British comics luminary Alan Grant. Following the apocalyptic nuclear Great War of 2150, showers of radioactive Strontium 90 in the resulting fallout led to the birth of a large population of physically deformed mutants segragrated from mainstream society and forced to work as mercenaries and bounty hunters.

Akira Club
Katsuhiro Otomo (w/a)
256pp.

Considered by many to be the "finest work of graphic fiction ever created", Katsuhiro Otomo's manga Akira is a work of amazing power and scope, with a level of illustration skill unmatched to this day in the medium. Akira Club, available now for the first time in English-language edition, is an essential companion to Akira, a fantastic collection of Otomo's mind-blowing visions. Including over one hundred title illustrations created for the original serialisation, Akira Club also features rarely-seen alternate art, preliminary drawings, production sketches, and a variety of other Akira images, all accompanied by commentary from the artist himself. Akira Club is one for all Akira enthusiasts, manga fans, and people interested in fantasy and science-fiction illustration.

Cromartie High School Vol 9
Eiji Nonaka (w/a)
150pp.

A surprise nomination for the 2006 Eisner Awards, Cromartie High School follows the story of Takashi Kamiyama, a typically-average high school student who wouldn't hurt a fly. But when Takashi befriends a motley crew of thugs, a gorilla, and a trashcan-shaped robot, he starts to learn more than just his ABC's - he's learning everything there is to know about being a juvenile delinquent!!

Gravitation EX Vol 1
Maki Murakami (w/a)
208pp.

The eagerly-awaited sequel to the shonen-ai smash hit Gravitation is finally here! Eiri Yuki can't heal the emotional wounds he suffered at the hands of his first love, Yuki Kitagawa, whom he later murdered. In order to try and leave the past behind for good, he and his lover Shuichi go to New York to visit the original Yuki's grave... only to find that he's left a young son, Riku, behind! What will happen as a result of the lovers' decision to bring Riku back to Japan with them? Find out in Gravitation EX Volume 1!

Loveless Vol 4
Yun Kouga (w/a)
192pp.

In the newest volume of this surprise hit, Soubi unexpectedly meets Koya and Yamato, two new Zero warriors. When they challenge him to a battle, Soubi is left badly wounded, and as a result, a concerned Ritsuka asks Natsuo and Yoji to teach Soubi about the relationship between a Fighter Unit and the Sacrifice. Later, Soubi battles Koya and Yamato again, but this time, it's a 2-on-2 battle, and Ritsuka's fighting too!

Welcome to the NHK Vol 2
Kenji Oiwa, Tatsuhiko Takimoto
192pp.

The turmoil and tragedy surrounding Satou and Misaki only serves to bring the pair closer and closer, but it seems that all Misaki's efforts could be going to waste... When Satou becomes upset about the fact that all his troubles seem to involve women, he vents to Yamazaki, and somehow only manages to become even more frustrated than before. Is it too late for Misaki to save him from his inherent self-destruction?

Bleach Vol 17
Tite Kubo (w/a)
224pp.

The rebellion within the Soul Society only continues to grow as doubts spread about the death sentence of Rukia Kuchiki, ex-Soul Reaper. Rukia's childhood friend, Renji, is determined to save her, and vows to cut down the captain of his own squad... but he's unaware of the terrifying fate awaiting him...

Hachi's back home, present at an awesome Trapnest concert! Convinced that Ren will see them in the audience, she's convinced Nana to come along too... but since when was life that easy? Nana's not even sure that she wants Ren back. And when Hachi finds Trapnest walking straight off the stage and in her front door, is she prepared for what will come next? Or will her fangirlishness land her in a heap of trouble? Find out in the next volume of the super-popular manga series, NANA!

Boys are going missing and a strange little girl is lurking around... but she shouldn't even exist! Such are the mysteries that lead us into the fourth volume of smash hit Godchild, in which we'll learn more about Dr. Disraeli and his complicated connection to Cain's estranged, supposedly-dead father, and the secret society Delilah.

Things get complicated for poor Sano in this volume of popular manga title Hana-Kimi: his brother Shin is back, having become a rising star of the high jump, and he's determined to prove himself by beating his older brother. And it gets worse from there: Shin's coach is their father! Can Mizuki just sit back and watch as Sano is forced to fight the father he turned away from... and the brother who never forgave him for doing so?

Angel Sanctuary Vol 18
Kaori Yuki (w/a)
200pp.x

As the pieces all begin to fall into place, High Angel Rosiel's plan finally becomes clear: with Lucifer under his control, he intends to enter Atziluth through the Gate of the Grand Cross, and take control of the Tablet of Heaven. When they discover Rosiel's plan, Setsuna and the other angels hurry to the Gate in an attempt to stop the High Angel from bringing about the world's destruction.