IGN's Most Anticipated Comics of 2014

We're barely one month into 2014, and already it's shaping up to be quite a memorable year for the industry. All-New Marvel NOW is in full swing. DC will soon be transitioning from Forever Evil to a drastically altered New 52 lineup. And meanwhile, publishers like Image and Dark Horse are giving the Big Two more of a run for their money than ever.

So you know what to keep an eye out for in the months ahead, we've put together a list of the most promising new series that have been announced for 2014 so far. From a weekly Batman comic to new solo books for Magneto and Sinestro to more horror goodness from Scott Snyder, these books need to be on your radar.

We purposely stuck to ongoing series and mini-series rather than graphic novels for this list. OGNs are deserving of their own list, so be on the lookout for that in the coming weeks. And be sure to let us know what comics you're most looking forward to in the comments section below.

Charles Soule Gets Even Busier

We've often joked about how it seems like half the books in the industry are being written by Charles Soule. Thankfully, being one of the busiest writers in comics hasn't impacted the quality of Soule's work. And he'll be adding two major new projects to his slate in the next few months.

The first is She-Hulk, which launches later this month. Anyone who loved Dan Slott's She-Hulk run should be excited for this book. It too focuses on Shulkie struggling to maintain a balance between her professional, superhero, and romantic lives. Soule is a practicing lawyer himself in addition to being a superhero fanatic, so we suspect he's just the man for the job. Javier Pulido's striking artwork is also a major selling point.

Then in April, Soule will be teaming with Joe Madureira for what is easily his biggest Marvel project yet - Inhuman. Yes, this is the series that spins out of the events of Infinity and was supposed to be written by Matt Fraction. Fraction leaving was a bummer, but we think Soule is a more than suitable replacement as the Inhumans enter a major new era. He can do epic spectacle, and he can do intimate drama. This series should have a lot of both.

What to look out for: She Hulk #1 & Inhuman #1

DC's Weekly Books

For a while, DC had a steady stream of weekly series going - 52, Countdown to Final Crisis, Trinity, etc. But since the New 52 started, they've focused squarely on putting out 52 monthly comics. That approach seems to be shifting, and it may only be a matter of time before they drop the "New 52" name entirely. The publisher will be launching at least two new weekly series this spring.

The first of these is Batman Eternal, which kicks off in April. Eternal seems to be a consolidation of the Batman line, bringing together a rotating team of four writers (James Tynion IV, Ray Fawkes, Tim Seeley, and Kyle Higgins) along with "showrunner" Scott Snyder. Each writer will work on individual storylines, but every arc will contribute to an overarching storyline that both ties in with Snyder's Batman run and extends across the width and breadth of the franchise.

The second is an interesting project titled The New 52: Future's End. A joint effort between Brian Azzarello, Keith Giffen, Dan Jurgens, and Jeff Lemire, Future's End flashes forward five years into the future of the New 52, where it appears that Brother Eye and its OMACs have taken over the world. One of the big selling points of this series is that it inducts Batman Beyond into official DC continuity.

It's good to see the weekly comic back in vogue at DC, but especially now that both titles are so integral to the present and future of DC's lineup.

What to look out for: Batman: Eternal #1 & The New 52: Future's End #1

Cullen Bunn's Villainous Turn

It's going to be a big year for Cullen Bunn. He's being tasked with giving two of the biggest and best villains in comics their own ongoing solo series. At Marvel, Bunn is picking up where Brian Michael Bendis left off with Magneto in Uncanny X-Men #16. Magneto's powers are broken, and he's at odds with just about everyone in the wake of Avengers vs. X-Men, but he's still a force to be reckoned with in the Marvel Universe. Bunn will team with Gabriel Hernandez Walta in March to explore what's next for the Master of Magnetism.

Similarly, Bunn will be picking up Sinestro's story from where Geoff Johns left the character at the end of his long Green Lantern run. Sinestro's brief second stint as a Green Lantern is over, and he's taken on the burden of Parallax. Interestingly, the book is just called "Sinestro, not "Sinestro Corps" as originally rumored, so we wonder what role his Corps will play in the series. Bunn and artist Dale Eaglesham will launch Sinestro in April.

We're excited that these two villains are being given their own books after all this time. They're certainly deserving of the honor. Hopefully Bunn can bring the same flair for character drama found in Fearless Defenders and his creator-owned series The Sixth Gun.

What to look out for: Magneto #1 & Sinestro #1

A Marvel Murder Mystery

It's never a question of if Marvel is planning another major event storyline, only when that event will appear. Fans are getting a slight breather from the event cycle as All-New Marvel NOW gets underway. But big things are looming in the spring as Jason Aaron and Mike Deodato collaborate on Original Sin.

Original Sin is a murder mystery sparked by the death of the Watcher. With the killer on the loose and in possession of the Watcher's technology and many secrets, two factions of Marvel heroes set out to bring them to justice. The core mini-series will kick off in May, but look for a prologue in April from writer Mark Waid and artist Jim Cheung, as well as the usual slate of tie-ins.

Original Sin is Jason Aaron's first time flying solo on a linewide Marvel event, and we're eager to see what he can bring to the table. His work on Schism suggests he's perfectly capable of delivering spectacle without sacrificing the vital character work that so many of these projects do. Another draw is that Original Sin seems to largely be a self-contained story that isn't just a cog in a larger cycle of events. We're also excited to see the original Nick Fury take a starring role in the conflict after quietly fading from the scene in the last few years.

What to look out for: Original Sin #1

Lex Luthor's Justice League

As you might expect, the Justice League franchise will be undergoing big changes after Forever Evil wraps up. Justice League of America is ending, and Justice League United is rising in its place. But even the core Justice League isn't immune to these changes. The team are reluctantly welcoming a new leader into their midst - Lex Luthor. Having led his own team in opposition to the Crime Syndicate, Luthor is apparently giving the superhero game a try.

It's an interesting status quo shift for the series. Luckily, Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis are staying on board, so not everything will be changing. And if we've learned anything about Johns over the years, is that he can work wonders with DC's iconic villains. That's half the appeal of Forever Evil right there. We expect great things from the series as Luthor becomes the focal point in April's Justice League #30.

What to look out for: Justice League #30 & Justice League United #1

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