Monday, October 12 is this cycle's FOC deadline — the last call for retailers (and the last call for you) to lock in orders before the order window slams shut. Below is our curated rundown of what's genuinely worth ordering before that cutoff, plus a look at last cycle's picks that are either still in transit or already in stores and heating up.
On FOC This Monday, October 12
These books are still open for order — miss Monday's cutoff and they're gone until (and unless) a second printing happens. Here's what we're watching this cycle.
Red Sonja Barbarella #1 (Dynamite)
Two of pop culture's most iconic heroines collide in this brand-new sci-fi/fantasy crossover #1, and Dynamite has thrown its single widest cover program of the entire cycle behind it — eleven open-market covers deep, topped off by a foil, a metal premium edition, a blank sketch variant, and even a blind-bag "mystery" cover for collectors who like a little chance mixed into their speculation. New-reader-friendly crossover #1s with this much variant firepower are exactly the kind of book that tends to disappear fast once FOC closes.
Batman #15 (DC Comics)
The Assassination of Bruce Wayne storyline keeps escalating as six assassins close in on Gotham. This cycle's cover lineup leans hard into anniversary nostalgia with a Watchmen 40th-anniversary homage variant, on top of a 1:25 incentive cover — a combination that's kept Batman's ongoing near the top of retailer order sheets all year.
Batgirl #25 (DC Comics)
Batgirl hits a 25-issue milestone, and DC is marking the occasion with a full cover lineup including a foil edition. Round-number anniversary issues on an ongoing this consistently ordered tend to be among the safer FOC bets of any given cycle.
Power Rangers Green #4 (BOOM! Studios)
"The Green Ranger Returns" storyline reaches its climax, and BOOM! has built one of its deepest incentive ladders of the year around it — a connecting cover, a foil, and incentive tiers running from 1:10 all the way to 1:50. A beloved '90s toy-and-TV franchise with this much incentive support is a textbook FOC speculation play.
Archie Vs The Terminator #2 (Archie Comics / Dynamite)
The crossover nobody saw coming continues, with teenage John Connor still enrolled at Riverdale High and Archie's gang caught in the crosshairs. A licensed crossover this unusual tends to draw outsized collector curiosity, and the deep cover lineup here — including a metal premium edition — reflects that.
Midnight: X-Men #2, Midnight: Fantastic Four #2 & Midnight: Spider-Man #2 (Marvel)
Marvel's new horror-anthology imprint launched its first three #1s today, and interest has been immediate — so the FOC window on each title's second issue is the real action this cycle. All three carry the same shared variant architecture across the line: a "Midnight Bloodbath" cover, a "Midnight Special" cover, and a horror-homage variant, giving speculators a clean way to follow whichever corner of the new universe is breaking out.
Midnight Spider-Man #2 Cover A
Shop NowG.I. Joe: A Real American Hero/Tomb Raider #2 (Image Comics / Skybound)
The first-ever G.I. Joe/Lara Croft crossover continues straight off a buzzy #1, with a foil cover backing up the standard lineup. Crossovers pairing a toy-line icon with a video-game icon are a rare enough combination that follow-up issues tend to hold collector attention.
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero/Tomb Raider #2 Cover A
Shop NowA Quiet Place: Rising Tides #1 (Titan Comics)
A new #1 built around the horror-movie franchise, with a main cover from Declan Shalvey plus a genuinely unusual "Lendl Florida Travel Guide" parody variant alongside a Kirkham cover. New horror-movie #1s tend to draw speculation interest in direct proportion to how actively the franchise is in theatrical release windows, and A Quiet Place has stayed a reliable one.
A Quiet Place: Rising Tides #1 Cover A (Shalvey)
Shop NowThundercats (2026) #2 (Dynamite)
The 2026 relaunch of the '80s animated classic continues, with a wide open-order lineup this cycle. Nostalgia-driven revivals of beloved Saturday-morning franchises have been a dependable through-line in speculation circles all year.
Supernatural: Dean Winchester #2 & Supernatural: Sam Winchester #2 (Dynamite)
The Winchester brothers get companion ongoing series, each with its own deep open-order lineup including a pair of photo covers and matching photo-virgin variants. Paired TV-license ongoings like this tend to move in lockstep on the secondary market, so collectors often chase both at once.
Doom Patrol #1, Legion of Super-Heroes #1 & Teen Titans #1 — Second Printings (DC Comics)
All three of DC's newest ongoing launches sold through their first printings fast enough to need a second round within weeks — about as clean a demand signal as a new #1 can send. Each second printing carries its own foil variant on top of the standard and card-stock covers.
Doom Patrol #1 Second Printing Cvr A Niko Henrichon
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Legion Of Super-Heroes #1 Second Printing Cvr A Hayden Sherman Wraparound
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Teen Titans #1 Second Printing Cvr A Daniele Di Nicuolo
Shop NowGangs Of Gotham #1 (DC Comics)
A brand-new ongoing spinning directly out of Batman: Bad Seeds, with a five-cover lineup topped off by a foil edition. New Bat-family spinoffs launching straight out of a just-finished event tend to carry over whatever momentum the event built.
Past FOC, Not Out Yet — Coming Soon
The order window on these has already closed, but none of them have shipped yet. If you missed the cutoff, here's when to actually expect them on shelves.
Poison Ivy #49 (DC Comics) — streets October 28
This issue's order window closed back on October 5, but Poison Ivy's Batman: Bad Seeds tie-in doesn't actually hit shelves until October 28. The Stjepan Sejic "Bad Seeds" spot-foil cover has been one of the most-discussed covers of the whole event.
Poison Ivy #49 Cover A Jessica Fong (Batman Bad Seeds)
Shop NowGreen Lantern #40 (DC Comics) — streets October 28
FOC on this one passed October 5, with the book itself not streeting until October 28. The Fernando Pasarin/Oclair Albert connecting cover anchors "Green Lantern: First Light," with a Mario Foccillo card-stock variant alongside it.
Green Lantern #40 Cover A Fernando Pasarin & Oclair Albert Connecting
Shop NowCatwoman #92 (DC Comics) — streets October 21
Another Batman: Bad Seeds tie-in with its order window already closed, due on shelves October 21. The David Nakayama "Bad Seeds" spot-foil variant has been drawing steady attention since solicitation.
Catwoman #92 Cover A Sebastian Fiumara (Batman Bad Seeds)
Shop NowWonder Woman #38 (DC Comics) — streets October 21
FOC has passed, but this one doesn't street until October 21. "Amazons United" continues as the Amazons lock down Themyscira, with a card-stock lineup this cycle.
Wonder Woman #38 Cover A Daniel Sampere
Shop NowSpider-Woman #1 (Marvel) — streets November 4
Jessica Drew's new ongoing cleared FOC back on October 5, but the actual ship date is still a few weeks out at November 4. A fresh #1 entry point on an MCU-adjacent character continues to be one of the more durable types of speculation play.
Invincible Universe: Capes #12 (Image Comics) — streets October 28
This Invincible Universe spinoff's order window has closed, with the book itself not landing until October 28. Renewed streaming attention on the wider Invincible universe has kept the whole spinoff lineup — Capes included — in the speculation conversation.
Invincible Universe: Capes #12 Cover A Mark Englert
Shop NowFriendly Neighborhood Mary Jane #1 (Marvel) — streets November 4
FOC passed October 5; the book itself doesn't street until November 4. The Bruce Timm variant remains the cover collectors are most likely to chase here, given how rarely he turns up on interior comic covers.
Already on Shelves — Not on FOC, But Still Worth Grabbing
These aren't part of this cycle's FOC at all — they're already out — but they're driving real secondary-market buzz right now and worth a look while copies last.
Midnight: X-Men #1, Midnight: Fantastic Four #1 & Midnight: Spider-Man #1 (Marvel)
Releasing today: the launch of Marvel's new horror-anthology universe, with all three #1s hitting the same day to concentrate collector attention. Jonathan Hickman returns to X-Men continuity in all-new costumed-horror form, and early reaction has been the single biggest talking point in comics this week.
Batman #14 (DC Comics)
Already on shelves as part of Batman: Bad Seeds, with Fraction and Scalera turning up the heat as the night wears on toward dawn.
Batgirl #24 (DC Comics)
Out now, with Batgirl racing across a Gotham transformed by the Bad Seeds superbloom — the Kyuyong Eom spot-foil variant has been a popular pull this week.
Batgirl #24 Cover A David Talaski (Batman Bad Seeds)
Shop NowAvengelyne #1 (Image Comics)
Rob Liefeld's Avenging Angel returns with a brand-new #1, already on shelves. The character's long Hollywood history keeps resurfacing in speculation conversations whenever a new entry point like this arrives.
Avengelyne #1 Cover A Daniel Maine
Shop NowG.I. Joe: A Real American Hero/Tomb Raider #1 (Image Comics / Skybound)
The first-ever G.I. Joe/Lara Croft crossover is out now, and it's already driving demand for its own follow-up (see the On-FOC section above) — always a good sign for a new miniseries launch.
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero/Tomb Raider #1 Cover A Elena Casagrande & Alex Guimaraes
Shop NowAbsolute Superman #24 (DC Comics)
Already shipped: Absolute Steel suits up as the Get Brainiac arc continues. The Absolute line has been the single hottest ongoing conversation in DC speculation all year.
Absolute Superman #24 Cover A Rafa Sandoval
Shop NowJonah Hex And The Shadow Of Death #1 (DC Comics)
On shelves now: horror artist Michael Walsh takes on Jonah Hex at the end of the Wild West, backed by a deep seven-cover lineup including a Brian Bolland foil.
Jonah Hex And The Shadow Of Death #1 Cover A Michael Walsh
Shop NowGodzilla [Kai-Sei Era] #13 (IDW Publishing)
Already out, kicking off a new story arc with Godzilla sharing a body with G-Force operative Jacen Braid. The J. Gonzo glow-in-the-dark variant has been the standout pull of the week.
Godzilla [Kai-Sei Era] #13 Cover A (Ito)
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