Each and every week, I, “Ant-Man!” Henchman 21 and “The Wasp!” Empress Eve read a lot of comics. Seriously you guys, a lot of comics. Maybe too many comics. I mean, it is possible”¦ theoretically. Naturally, we look forward to some more than others. I mean, who doesn’t? So, let’s take a look into the depths of our pull lists, grab some comics, and we’ll let YOU know what the top books to look forward to are for the week of July 23, 2015. Single issues and trades, they’re all here.

There are weeks when I get excited about scores of books that are being released. And then there are other weeks. This is one of those other weeks, as we get a whole batch of very good comics; Secret Wars is still rolling, DC continues to roll out new books in their most recent relaunch, IDW, Dark Horse, Image and the others pump out a fine line of books. So, we’re just going with a shorter list this week, including a long running series ending in a spectacular fashion, a book from last week that I didn’t get a chance to talk about, and a book you probably never thought you would see. Let’s get The GoD List started!

I love heroic fantasy. There’s just something about the quintessential “hero’s journey,” set in worlds inhabited by various races, where good stands against evil on an epic and magical scale.

I also love shared-world anthologies. Not only are they a great way to find new authors, but they’re also an excellent avenue for gaining a broader understanding of the particular fantasy setting. When I stumbled across the Kickstarter campaign for Champions of Aetaltis, created by Marc Tassin, it didn’t take me long to realize the potential for the stories set in this new fantastical land, or all of the fascinating world-building possibilities.

Already having successfully funded phase one of the world of Aetaltis — a 44 page Pathfinder compatible RPG called The Temple of Modren — Tassin has gathered a group of 17 highly accomplished authors to tackle the Champions of Aetaltis anthology. With the likes of Mel Odom, Larry Correia, Elizabeth Vaughan, Ed Greenwood, and Bill Willingham involved, this is likely to be an amazing collection! Continue below for more info and to watch the Kickstarter video.

Fables, Vol. 19
Trade Paperback | Kindle Edition
Written and Created by Bill Willingham
Illustrated by Mark Buckingham, Shawn McManus
Inks by Steve Leialoha
Colored by Lee Loughridge
Lettered by Todd Klein
Cover by Mark Buckingham
Vertigo Comics
Release Date: December 24, 2013
Cover Price: $16.99

Bill Willingham gives us another installment of his nigh-legendary series in Fables, Vol. 19. Before this trade paperback continues the story of the exiled “Fables” in Fabletown, NY, the first third of this edition features the collected back-up stories of Bufkin, the flying monkey with no wings and Lily, his miniature-sized girlfriend.

The collected back-up stories are illustrated by Shawn McManus. His slightly-cartoonish style works well for Bufkin’s revolution in Oz. Couple that with Willingham’s writing, and this self-contained story masterfully transitions from a revolutionary war against a tyrant, into an adventurous love story that follows the odd-couple of Bufkin and Lily until their beautiful end.

Bill Willingham, writer of the long running DC/Vertigo comic Fables has announced that the series will be wrapping up with issue #150, which barring delays should come out in early 2015.

Willingham said in the announcement that not only would he be bringing Fables to an end, but would also be retiring from a great deal of his comics work. Going along with this, Willingham said that the companion series Fairest will also be wrapping up around the same time Fables comes to an end.

Fables Encyclopedia
Hardcover | Kindle Edition
256 pages
Introduction by Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham
Written by Jess Nevins
Cover by Adam Hughes
Vertigo Comics
Release Date: October 29, 2013
Cover Price: $39.99

The Fables Encyclopedia, by Jess Nevins, covers issues 1 – 121, and 1001 Nights of Snowfall. After only a few pages, it became clear to me that this is an indispensible tome, serving to compliment, and enhance the issues it covers. Hopefully, there’ll be a second volume in another decade or so.

It’s loaded with panels from the comics, helping to refresh memories for more obscure characters, and includes enriching sidebar comments from Bill Willingham “” check out his notes on the Hope character “” cryptically cool! Plus, there are also fourteen pages of issue by issue annotations, as well as lots of behind-the-scenes tidbits, and clever revelations, such as artist Mark Buckingham‘s inspiration for Tom Harrow.