Chapter 2 of Matt Schorr and Joe Bilicic’s Moby Dick: Back from the Deep shows the chaos that ensues in a beach town when there is a threat to the water. If you go into the water, you risk attack from the beast, but many people are more concerned about how their businesses will be hurt by closing the beaches. As the saga continues, we see the tensions rising internally and externally, as the majestic monster becomes an increasing threat to the lives and livelihood of the townspeople.

Welcome to a world where the past, present, and future all echo each other, the paranormal is the only way to understand the normal, and everything happens for a reason. Elizabeth Crowens’ page turner creates wonder and intrigue into the mystical possibilities of everyday life and the ways that decisions shape the future.

When he’s not battling Gotham City’s worst criminals and supervillains, Bruce Wayne is the city’s most eligible bachelor. Over the past 80 years, he has been the object of attraction of many female characters, but Bruce struggles to maintain long-term relationships due to his vigilante responsibilities. While Bruce’s social life remains active, his role as Batman always takes priority. Throughout the franchise, his dating escapades have kept us wondering whether Bruce could ever successfully balance both.

Both seasons of the Netflix series, Stranger Things, have combined the familiarity of the 1980s and the terrifying unknown of dark fantasy worlds. Creators Matt and Ross Duffer and producer/director Shawn Levy have mastered the art of balancing multiple genres and emitting an array of moods that leave viewers perplexed, terrified, and nostalgic. Gina McIntyre’s Stranger Things: Worlds Turned Upside Down: The Official Behind-the-Scenes Companion is a compelling look into all of the creative pieces that have come together to create a pop culture sensation.

Navy veteran and award-winning Golden Age comic book artist Sam Glanzman brought the battles of World War II into the hands of readers. His powerful renderings depict a realistic glimpse into the challenges and energy of combat. Publisher and Editor-In-Chief Drew Ford has put together a collection of Glanzman’s work from the series, Combat. Coming off Christopher Nolan’s 2017 film, Dunkirk, audience members now have another opportunity to see the battle and rescue brought back to life. Releasing Glanzman’s work now is also a nice tribute, as he recently passed away in July 2017 at the age of 92.

Herman Melville’s 1851 classic and epic novel, Moby Dick, painstakingly details the whaling industry alongside the sea travels of an ill-fated crew. The white whale is a formidable source of intrigue and motivation whose sheer existence incites a dangerous journey into the deep. Even if you have not trucked your way through the massive novel, you know that Moby Dick is a destructive force whose massive size illustrates how small man is and how hard it is to combat an animal who rules the sea. Moby Dick: Back from the Deep’s creator and writer Matt Schorr uses Melville’s tale and its legacy as inspiration for another intense adventure, where the white whale rules the sea, and no one is safe.

“Fundamental Comics,” a monthly editorial series that introduces readers to comics, graphic novels, and manga that have been impactful to the sequential art medium and the comic book industry on a foundational level. Each month, a new essay will examine a familiar or less-known title through an in-depth analysis, exploring the history of the title, significant themes, and context for the title’s popularity since it was first released.

This issue takes a unique path, in that it primarily covers a new segment of “Coming to America.” Shadow makes a brief appearance, as he returns to Lakeside, but then his storyline is temporarily stalled. We are then catapulted back in time to witness the horrors of the transatlantic slave trade and the relationship between slaves and African gods.

I was already engrossed before even getting to page 1. When the title appears - its funky lettering reminiscent of the '60s - the ocular shape of the letters makes me feel as though Eric is looking at me, while I also look at him. It’s like I’ve gained access to this world on the other end of a telescope. As a whole, Eric takes us on a journey through time and different realities. Tom Manning’s masterpiece is a portal to a familiar '60s rock landscape but also a strange world with some bizarre characters. The fun part is not knowing what’s real and what isn’t. Is Eric’s reality a result of his drug usage, or is he really traveling to alternate dimensions? What’s the deal with the TV? Why does Eric seem to be treated like a god? It’s all unclear, but so intriguing. There’s violence, there’s mystery, and there’s rock and roll.

My Ainsel #4 is another foray into the deep, dark depths of both America and human nature. I feel as though each month, American Gods takes us into a Gothic dungeon for story time. The stories are typically meant to educate, illuminate, or ruminate on some larger issue, but they do not contain the typical moral lessons you’d find in fairy tales or myths. This is a Gaiman world, and in a Gaiman world, we must expect to be shocked, disturbed, and confused. Lessons may not be obvious or necessarily seem relevant, but they are all part of the anthology of Gaiman’s mythology.