Superheroes, fantasy, and manga took over the world this last year. Manga broke records this year with their sales in the industry with titles like My Hero Academia and anything with Junji Ito’s name on it leading the pack. The surge in subversive superhero shows have also guided fans’ reading habits as well as the increasing popularity of Dungeons & Dragons. And, those at your local comic shop have noticed the trends. Here are Coliseum’s top-selling graphic novels and trade paperbacks:

Magic the Gathering has a stacked lineup of releases slated for the new year. One of the first is called Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty. The set in its essence combines the new and the old in bright splashes of color inspired by many facets of Japanese culture. It’s set that Magic the Gathering players are excited for based on aesthetics alone. There are other players who are skeptical as the previous Kamigawa block was widely regarded as less than good. So will this set prove to be a disappointment or will Wizards of the Coast bring the old into the distant future successfully? Let’s take a look.

With the recent release of “The Wheel of Time” and the soon-to-be-released second season of “The Witcher,” high fantasy fans are rejoicing. But, seasons are short. And, you probably want some other type of fantasy media to fill that hole in your heart when you’re finished binge-watching. High fantasy fans who are also comic lovers don’t have to look too far! There are plenty of comics that focus on fantasy but here are a few must-haves for those who adore high fantasy.

A core motif in any medium of fantasy is the journey. This adventure often leads to some sort of self-realization and really explores the relationships of those traveling together. Image’s recently solicited comic Step By Bloody Step seeks to emphasize this journey by showing it only through the lens of art. The textless series features colorful displays of landscapes, monsters, and people as a child and the armored giant travel through the world with not a word shared between them.

When it comes to participating in tabletop roleplaying games, there are two schools of thought when it comes to visualizing battles: theater of the mind and battle maps. Theater of the mind deals with visualizing the entire scenario in your head, which is fine for small-scale encounters but can be difficult for more complex or bigger ordeals. Maps mean miniatures, which gives players something to physically look at and presents all TTRPG fans up to a whole new hobby.

Local comic shops transformed years ago from simply selling single issues of our favorite characters to becoming a hub for all things in nerdom. Your LCS probably has a game night or a few (you should ask!), and your hobbies likely span beyond the pages of comics and into worlds like Dungeons & Dragons, leading you to ask fun questions like “what D&D class is Batman?” He’s obviously a rogue, but what about other DC comic characters and superheroes from Marvel? If you’ve ever pondered these questions or are just looking for inspiration for what D&D class you should be, the following is an incomplete, but entertaining insight into what Dungeon & Dragon 5e classes your favorite superhero would be.

With the new Spider-Man Movie Spider-Man: No Way Home hitting theaters in just a few weeks, we know fans are itching to get their hands on any related material they can. The newest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe picks up right where we left Peter Parker in Far From Home. His identity has been revealed and he’s dealing with the fallout of it all. The two trailers for the new Spider-Man movie pack so many bits of information in them that Marvel has fans wildly speculating the tiniest of details.

Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons is the latest addition to Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition library and an exciting reference guide for the dragon-lovers who play the game. The tome dives deeper than ever into the lore of dragons in 5e and expands on how players can interact with them and all of the magic that surrounds them. Whether you want to know the differences between a red and gold dragon or you’re looking for tools to help you better slay the creatures, this new D&D book has what you’re looking for.

A world shattered in an instant when clouds darken and sharp crystalline nails hail down on those below. The visual adaptation of Joe Hill’s short story from his book Strange Weather serves as the launching point for Image Comic’s new comic imprint Syzygy.

When it comes to shopping for the holidays, buying for the nerd in your life can be hard. Their special interest might not have associated products that are sold in big box stores. They already own everything related to their interest, and you’re stuck with finding something new but like the other thing they like. We’ve all been there. We’ve all done it. But, this year, Coliseum of Comics is here to help ease the troubles and worries that people deal with when trying to search high and low for a gift for the geek in their life.