The best new comics to read in November: Crossing streams, eternal recurrence

2020 is almost over — though not yet. With the U.S. presidential election out of the way, this strange year is reaching its end. But there's still plenty of time to read comics, either for yourself or to check out potential holiday gift ideas.

Below, EW has rounded up five comics we think are very much worth checking out this November.

Billionaire Island collection (Ahoy)

Mark Russell (writer), Steve Pugh (artist)

The election is over, but politics lasts forever. There's still a lot of extreme inequality in America, and Billionaire Island is a fascinating satirical look at how bad everything could get if we continue on the path we're on. It's hard to write comics with interesting politics, but Mark Russell (The Flintstones, Exit Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles) is probably the best at it these days, and he brings his sharp touch to this story about an island ruled by billionaires. Well, sure, in this book billionaires rule the whole world, but the titular island is where they go to have fun: keep journalists in cages, hunt people for sport, and indulge all their worst impulses. From such a high perch, it's easy to think there's nothing that can hurt you… is there?

The Billionaire Island collection is available Nov. 24.

Crossover #1 (Image)

Donny Cates (writer), Geoff Shaw (artist)

The word crossover has a special meaning to fans of superhero comics. Ever since DC unleashed Crisis on Infinite Earths in 1985, comic crossovers have referred to special books that bring together all kinds of characters who wouldn't interact otherwise in order to fight some apocalyptic threat. These stories even have stakes at the meta level: They usually result in significant changes to the internal continuity of Marvel or DC. Image's new series Crossover is attempting to be a referendum on the whole concept, bringing together not only different Image characters but also, maybe, possibly, characters from Marvel and DC too. The best way to see how big this could get is to get in on the ground floor. Cates and Shaw have already proven their ability to make riotously entertaining comics with previous collaborations on God Country and Thanos, so even if Crossover doesn't reach its lofty ambitions, it should be a good time.

Crossover #1 is available now.

Norse Mythology #2 (Dark Horse)

Neil Gaiman & P. Craig Russell (writers), Jerry Ordway (artist)

The comic book adaptation of Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology continues apace. Much like Gaiman's original book, the comic is divided into several short stories. The second issue is called "The Treasures of the Gods," and concerns itself with telling the story of how the Norse gods acquired their most famous artifacts. If all you know of Thor, Loki, and Mjolnir comes from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it's worth checking out a more faithful take on the original source material.

Norse Mythology #2 is available now.

Stillwater #3 (Image)

Chip Zdarsky (writer), Ramón K. Perez and Mike Spicer (artists)

The sunniest horror comic you're likely to find on stands right now, Stillwater used its first two issues to establish a singularly creepy premise: a town where no one dies. Evoking the "stranger in a strange land" horror of The Stepford Wives or Midsommar, Stillwater protagonist Daniel West thought he was showing up to receive inheritance from a dead aunt but instead found himself surrounded by people whose immortality has given them a terrifyingly casual attitude towards violence and cruelty. There are still plenty of world-building questions to be answered (how long has the town been like this? how old are its inhabitants?) that should keep Stillwater an engrossing horror read for months to come.

Stillwater #3 is available Nov. 18.

Sweet Tooth: The Return #1 (DC Comics)

Jeff Lemire (writer/artist)

Jeff Lemire is one of the most tireless creators in comics. It's not just that he often appears to be writing multiple different comics in multiple genres; he also digs in on his best books and builds them out, as exemplified by the whole universe of Black Hammer comics that exist now. This month, Lemire returns to one of his breakout comics with Sweet Tooth: The Return, ahead of the promised Netflix adaptation of the comic about a hybrid deer-boy living in a post-apocalyptic future. Talking to EW in 2018 about his horror series Gideon Falls, Lemire acknowledged Twin Peaks as one of his primary influences. Certainly there are echoes of 2017's Twin Peaks: The Return in the title of this new Sweet Tooth revival, but we'll have to wait and see how they match up on the story level.

Sweet Tooth: The Return #1 is available now.

Related content:

• The end of Sweet Tooth: A deep dive with Jeff Lemire about wrapping up his acclaimed comics saga
• Watch the trailer for Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology comic
• The best new comics to read in October: Spooky season is here