This month sees the release of two big Marvel collections. J. Michael Straczynski’s entire run re-launching Thor is collected in one hardcover volume (Oct. 6). Then, X-Men: Second Coming Revelations, with writers like Mike Carey and Matt Fraction, concludes the epic storyline from Messiah Complex (Oct. 27).

Best-selling horror novelist Peter Straub (Ghost Story) makes his foray into the world of comics with Vertigo’s The Green Woman (Oct. 12). Straub brings back serial killer Fielding “Fee” Bandolier from his novel The Throat.

Perhaps best known as a guest star on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the anthropomorphic rabbit ronin Usagi Yojimbo is the star of the long-running series of the same name, which mixes history, comedic action and Kurosawa. Usagi Yojimbo: The Special Edition (Oct. 12) is a gargantuan collection in honor of the 25th anniversary. Included are the first seven volumes, plus plenty of extras.

X’ed Out (Oct. 19), Charles Burns’ much-anticipated follow-up to Black Hole , is volume one in a down-the-rabbit-hole-type epic about a man who wakes to find his dead cat in his apartment and follows it through a hole in the wall. It’s Burns’ first work in color.

Grant Morrison has two upcoming releases. Absolute All-Star Superman (Oct. 26) collects his great run in one volume, loaded with extras. Then his fun work launching a new Dynamic Duo returns in Nov. 9 with Batman and Robin, Vol. 2.

Two hugely influential artists are the subjects of new books, Genius, Isolated: The Life and Art of Alex Toth (Nov. 9) and Unexplored Worlds: The Steve Ditko Archives, Vol. 2 (Dec. 6).