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Image Comics’ new series Generation Gone is about the future, but the science-fiction comic isn’t set in the far flung. In fact, you’ll recognize its setting as practically identical to our own. Its characters live in a surveillance state, bogged down by the cost of health care, student loans, racial disparity and middle-class malaise. But writer Ales Kot and artist André Lima Araújo are nonetheless focused on the idea of the future — namely, who has the right to it. Millennials have had the future stolen from them, Kot suggests. They’re on the verge of stealing it back. That’s a paraphrase from Mr. Akio, the shadowy government contractor whose behind the scenes actions launch Generation Gone into motion. Part Elon Musk, part J. Robert Oppenheimer, he’s working on mechanized weapons technology for the US government. His ambition is rooted elsewhere, in something called Project Utopia. “Everything in the world is code,” Akio explains to a board of government operatives. From computer

Whether you’ve been watching it as it airs in Japan on Crunchyroll, Daisuki or FunimationNow or watching it Saturday nights in English on Adult Swim, you have to admit that “Dragon Ball Super” — the anime continuation of Akira Toriyama’s legendary “Dragon Ball” franchise — is a heck of a ride. Far superior to the derided “Dragon Ball GT,” “Super” widely expands the cosmic scope of Toriyama’s universe while keeping the action and humor that makes the rest of the franchise so entertaining. RELATED: Dragon Ball Launches ‘What If…?’-Style Manga The first volume of the “Dragon Ball Super” manga, written and drawn by Toyotarou from outlines by Toriyama, continues that trend while also cutting a lot of the dead air that crops up when you have to stretch out a story arc across several episodes of a television show (one based on a movie, no less). Toyotarou starts out adapting 2013’s “Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods” in just four chapters, then skips the fun fanservice of 2015’s “Dragon Ball Z:

From its humble introduction as a single standalone “Dungeons & Dragons” adventure, Ravenloft has always had a strong lure. Tracy and Laura Hickman’s adventure spawned a sequel, then an entire world full of multiple realms of horror. With the latest Dungeons & Dragons campaign having just released a new version of that classic adventure, it makes perfect sense for Jim Zub and Nelson Daniel to poke around in this classic setting. In order to do so, though, “Dungeons & Dragons: Shadows of the Vampire” #1 needs to take its cast out of the Forgotten Realms, and — in doing so — it’s off to a slow start. “Dungeons & Dragons: Shadows of the Vampire” #1 is a sequel to the “Dungeons & Dragons: Legends of Baldur’s Gate” miniseries from last year, although the text piece in the back promises you don’t need to have read the previous series to enjoy this one. As someone in that boat, I think that’s mostly true; at no point does Zub seem to expect everyone to have read the ear

I’ve never played any of the “Dragon Age” games. It’s something that I hope to change soon, but — for the moment — its allure to so many others is lost on me. When Dark Horse Comics billed “Dragon Age: Magekiller” #1 as a good jumping-on point for their “Dragon Age” comics, coupled with Greg Rucka as the writer, I was intrigued. As it turns out, Rucka, Carmen Carnero and Terry Pallot’s comic was exactly as advertised, even for someone like myself. “Dragon Age: Magekiller” #1 introduces us to Tessa and Marius, who will hunt down and kill a mage for you (thus the subtitle), provided you pay them the right price. And as the first issue progresses we learn about the duo as they finish one contract and then agree to another one. But of course, nothing is as straightforward as our protagonists would hope. Rucka has Tessa narrate “Dragon Age: Magekiller” #1, and it’s part of what makes this comic inviting. She makes the action compelling in no small part because of her down-to-earth nature

“Goners” #3 continues to deliver the unfurling saga of the Latimer family as told by writer Jacob Semahn, artist Jorge Corona, colorist Gabriel Cassata and letterer Steve Wands. This issue gives readers a little more history while continuing to build the world around the Latimers in King’s Bluff, where readers last saw the primaries of the cast plummeting from a window. An opening scene doubles as a prologue for the entire adventure, and sends readers back to the Alamo, which was more supernaturally charged than previously believed. Juxtaposed with the current Latimer predicament in King’s Bluff, readers are led to believe the problems of today have roots that stretch farther back than “Goners” #1, when we all met Zoe, Josiah and the rest of the Latimers. Corona’s cartoon-tinged artwork packs exaggerated expressions and undermines the eerie tragedy seeping through “Goners” #3 as the two Latimer children try to find their way in a terrifying world that has them on the run. Zoe and J

With a growing trend towards seasonal storytelling in comics, any comic hitting its bicentennial issue needs to be celebrated in a big way, which is exactly what Savage Dragon creator, Erik Larsen, does in “Savage Dragon” #200, presenting readers with over eighty pages of story in this “100-page super spectacular.” Larsen writes the vast majority of the issue, but also steps to the side for the occasional assist. “Savage Dragon” #200 is a full, complete story that checks in across the Dragon universe, giving readers brief introductions to the cast of characters that encircle Malcolm Dragon and his father, the original Savage Dragon. The story in “Savage Dragon” #200 is parsed out into chapters, but the prevalent arc throughout this comic book is complete from one cover to the next, with the exception being the “Vanguard” tale that closes out the issue. Opening with a twenty-page lead-in tale written and drawn by Larsen, this issue quickly introduces readers to Malcolm, Maxine, Ang

Readers who’ve followed “Strong Female Protagonist” as a twice-weekly webcomic know that it’s an intelligent, heartfelt coming-of-age story that uses superheroics as a metaphor for individual ability, in a world that needs so much more than that. The Kickstarter-funded trade paperback collects Volumes 1-4 of the adventures of Alison Green, a “biodynamic individual” and former superhero who’s starting over as an activist college student. Molly Ostertag’s warm, human artwork and Brennan Lee Mulligan’s thoughtful, kind script create a complicated world that’s as deeply frustrating and surprisingly rewarding as our own. The titular “strong female protagonist,” Alison, is the heart and soul of the book, and her characterization is its biggest strength. Like many superheroes, she’s relentlessly, hungrily seeking — but instead of gunning for victory or the stars, she’s trying to understand the people around her. Alison wants systemic solutions that make people’s lives fundamentally, categor

Despite the similarities the logo shares with “Goonies” and the apparent zombie on the cover of this comic book, “Goners” #1, co-created by writer Jacob Semahn and artist Jorge Corona contains a story that is equal parts mystery, adventure and supernatural thriller — imagine “Escape to Witch Mountain” meets “Leave It To Chance” with a side of “Invincible.” Semahn and Corona elect to hit the ground running in “Goners” #1, introducing readers to the Latimer family and the rain-soaked, shadowy world that surrounds them. The elder Latimers, Raleigh and Evelyn, are news darlings, chasing down mysterious threats and righting wrongs in televised affairs. In this debut issue, however, their adventures are cut short while the spotlight shifts over to their children: seventeen-year-old Zoe and twelve-year-old Josiah. Semahn keeps the duo arm’s reach from most of the literary sibling cliches, a choice that gives the characters a chance to reach out to readers. The writer doesn’t dwell on either

Just as mammoth as its namesake, Judd Winick, Geoff Shaw and John J. Hill’s “A Town Called Dragon” #1 lumbers onto the scene with a 58-page monster that oscillates between Viking-era Norway and the current day town of Dragon, Colorado. When a team of German scientists uncovers an unhatched dragon egg left in the mountains by a Leif-Erikson-led Viking suicide mission, the sleepy little town of Dragon and its unsuspecting citizens encounter the stuff of legend amidst a storm of blood and fire. Although readers get a lot of bang for their buck considering the length of this first issue, “A Town Called Dragon” moves just a bit too slow in getting to its premise. On the very first page, “A Town Called Dragon” gives us a promise of what’s to come with a good three pages taking place in medias res, featuring a few of the protagonists — Cooper and Kelly — desperately facing down some unrevealed beast. However, after this tease, the issue cycles back centuries to establish an elaborate set up

The worn-out recommendation of “Do one thing and do it well” seems to gain new life every time Archaia manages to produce a new original graphic novel. “The Reason for Dragons” comes from the creative team of writer Chris Northrop and artist Jeff Stokely with a bit of creative fairy dust sprinkled in by Sean Murphy, who provides a nice, revelatory introduction for this tale. A story of coming of age, choosing the right and proper thing to do and keeping an active imagination, this graphic novel opens with our sixteen-year-old protagonist, Wendell, getting lessons on how to kick ass and change oil on a motorcycle from his stepfather, Ted. The problem is Wendell couldn’t care less about motorcycles, oil or kicking ass. He’s delivered to us as a dreamer, more content reading “Moby Dick” under the shade of a tree than plying a new skill or learning any new skills. Ted, however, thinks the boy should focus on things that have real-world application. Their inability to properly communicate