Counting down the days until New York Comic Con? Agonizing over cosplay options? Or busy preparing the perfect conversation opener in case you get stuck in an elevator with Brian K. Vaughan? 

Here are ten new and ongoing comic book series to get you excited for this year's convention:

Bitch Planet (2014-present) by Kelly Sue DeConnick and artist Valentine De Landro

Besides being a fun title to say, Bitch Planet has been getting a lot of positive buzz. Published by Image Comics and only five issues in, it's described as a "women-in-prison sci-fi exploitation riff. Think Margaret Atwood meets Inglourious Basterds." 

In a patriarchally-oppressed dystopian reality, women who are considered "non-compliant" are sent to a prison planet to fend for themselves.

The first trade paperback is Bitch Planet, Vol 1: Extraordinary Machine and will be out October 7th.

Blacksad (2000-present) by Juan Diaz Canales and artist Juanjo Guarnido

To call this a new or ongoing series might be a bit of a stretch. But I've been told (by the Internet) that there will be future issues, and I'm clutching that hope to my chest the way Amazon and Goodreads users have held on to the hope of Hugh Laurie's The Paper Soldier being published since 2009. (I don't think it's going to happen, guys. We've got to let it go.)

Created by Spanish authors and published by the French publisher Darguad, this series follows private eye John Blacksad as he investigates different crimes, often set in the context of historical events. If you love the Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett tradition of hardboiled crime novels but have always wondered: What if Philip Marlowe was a tough-talking anthropomorphic cat?,  then this, my friend, is the comic series for you.

Reading order: Blacksad (which collects Somewhere Within the Shadows, Arctic Nation, and Red Soul), A Silent Hell, Amarillo.

Chew (2009-present) by John Layman and artist Rob Guillory

Tony Chu is a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) agent who's able to receive psychic "memories" from what he eats. He uses his cibopathic powers (often reluctantly) to solve crimes in a world where all poultry is outlawed due to a virulent bird flu epidemic. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the food-related supernatural powers inhabiting this world. 

An animated film adaptation of Chew is also in the works. The main characters Tony Chu, Amelia Mintz, and Mason Savoy will be voiced by Steven Yeun, Felicia Day, and David Tennant, respectively. 

Reading order: Taster's Choice, International Flavor, Just Desserts, Flambe, Major League Chew, Space Cakes, Bad Apples, Family Recipes, Chicken Tenders, Blood Puddin'. Two more are expected to be released in 2016: The Last Suppers and Sour Grapes.

Chrononauts (2015-present) by Mark Millar and artist Sean Gordon Murphy

What happens when two best buds gain the ability to time-travel? Surely, they'll only use their vast scientific knowledge and god-like powers for good?

Yeah, right. 

When a time-travel experiment goes awry, Danny Reilly has to travel through the ages to find his best friend Corbin Quinn. And of course, it wouldn't be a proper adventure without a deadly team of agents on their trail. This series takes the buddy film genre and mashes it with Stargate-like time-hopping. The word on the street (Internet) is that a Chrononauts film is being made. I can only hope that there will be a BFF-casting of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck in the lead roles. Please, film gods, let it be so. 

The first trade paperback Chrononauts, Vol 1 was released on September 9th.

Lumberjanes (2014-present) by Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, Shannon Watters, and artist Brooke A. Allen.

A fantastic comic book series for young and old alike, Lumberjanes follows the adventures of five girls at scout camp. The name of the camp? Miss Quinzella Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet's Camp for Hardcore Lady Types. The five friends face off against three-eyed foxes, river monsters, arm-wrestling statues, hipster yetis, and overcome other supernatural obstacles as they earn their Lumberjane scout badges.

Infinitely quotable, I've found myself habitually yelling "What the junk!" and "Oh my Bessie Coleman!" in moments of great distress or excitement. This is a wonderful series for readers of all ages and begins with Lumberjanes, Vol 1: Beware the Kitten Holy.

The Manhattan Projects (2013-2014) and The Manhattan Projects: The Sun Beyond the Stars (2015-present) by Jonathan Hickman and artist Nick Pitarra

Enjoy alternate histories like The Man in the High Castle or The Plot Against America? Try this darkly comedic series that reimagines the Manhattan Project. Featuring Joseph Oppenheimer (Robert Oppenheimer's evil twin), Albert Einstein (and his clone Albrecht Einstein from an alternate reality), a narcissistic Richard Feynman, and disguised extraterrestrial Enrico Fermi, this series is completely mad and twisted but in the best way possible.

Reading order: Science Bad, They Rule, Building, The Four Disciplines, The Cold War. The series continues with a new format in The Manhattan Projects: The Sun Beyond the Stars. 

Powers (2000-2012) and Powers Bureau (2013-present) by Brian Michael Bendis and artist Michael Avon Oeming

Already adapted into a television series, Powers provides a new spin on the police procedural. This comic book series follows homicide detectives Christian Walker and Deena Pilgrim as they investigate superhumans, also know as "powers."

Don't be fooled by the simple, cartoony style and the occasionally text-heavy pages. This series is dark, gory, and completely epic. 

Reading order: Who Killed Retro Girl?, Roleplay, Little Deaths, Supergroup, Anarchy, The Sellouts, Forever, Legends, Psychotic, Cosmic, Secret Identity, The 25 Coolest Dead Superheroes of All Time, Z, Gods. The series continues as Powers Bureau in Undercover and Icons.

Prophet (2012-2014) and Prophet: Earth War (2015-present) by Brandon Graham and artist Simon Roy

This 2012 revival of the character John Prophet (who first appeared in the 1992 comic Youngblood) takes place 10,000 years in the future. Prophet awakens from hypersleep and has to navigate a treacherous alien city to fulfill his orders. 

Every page of this beautifully-drawn comic is pure creativity and imagination. I found myself marveling at the incredibly detailed alien landscapes and creatures, often flipping back for a closer look. Things are never quite what they seem, and this is a fantastic series for those looking for a futuristic sci-fi adventure. 

Reading order: Remission, Brothers, Empire, Joining. The stories continues in Prophet: Earth War.

Saga (2012-present) by Brian K. Vaughan and artist Fiona Staples

With Saga already winning a slew of awards and topping every best-of list, there's hardly anything more I can say besides READ THIS SERIES. The excellence of Brian K. Vaughan is perhaps only surpassed by the talent of artist Fiona Staples. At the macro level, Saga is about a galactic war between the planet Landfall and its moon Wreath. But at the heart of it, the story is about parenthood and family. Two lovers from opposing sides, winged Landfallian Alana and horned Wreather Marko, attempt to escape the interspecies conflict with their new child, Hazel, while being pursued by soldiers, bounty hunters, and madmen.

The moment I saw the splash page introducing bounty hunter The Stalk, I was hooked. The series also features robot royalty, monstrous giants with bad hygiene, lying sphinx cats, and lovable harp seals named Ghüs.

Reading order: Saga, Vol 1, Saga, Vol 2, Saga, Vol 3, Saga, Vol 4. The fifth volume was released September 9th.

Sex Criminals (2013-present) by Matt Fraction and artist Chip Zdarsky

Intended for mature readers, Sex Criminals is another award-winner that's generated a lot of positive reviews. The premise revolves around two characters, Jon and Suzie, who are able to stop time when they sleep together. Discovering this, they decide to rob a bank in order to save Suzie's beloved library. The only problem is that they're being monitored by others like them, the so-called sex police led by the aptly-nicknamed Kegelface.

Smart and hilarious, this series takes unexpected paths, touching on both the comically absurd but also serious issues like mental illness and depression. This is a fun, entertaining read with likable characters that you'll immediately connect with. (And don't forget to check out the backmatter, "Letter Daddies," where Fraction and Zdarsky answer reader questions about sex, love, and depression with sometimes funny but often insightful responses.)

Reading order: One Weird Trick, Two World One Cop. New issues are ongoing.

These are just ten out of hundreds of amazing comic book series. What are your suggestions?