The Weekly Pull: X-Men, Batman, The Witcher, and More

Jamie Lovett

12/29/2020 04:26 pm EST

It is nearly a new comic book day once again, and this time it's the lat new comic book day of 2020. New releases are on the way and will hit comic book stores and digital comics platforms. Every week in The Weekly Pull, ComicBook.com's team highlights some of the releases we're most excited about that will be arriving in stores. Those releases might be from the big two or a smaller publisher. They might be new monthly issues, an original graphic novel, or a collected edition. It can involve superheroes or come from any other genre. Whatever it may be that has us excited, and if it goes on sale this week, then we're going to let you know all about it.

This week, The Batman Who Laughs has his last stand in an epic Death Metal tie-in, Iron Man and Doctor Doom team up for a Christmas adventure, Jinny Hex goes solo, and more.

What comics are you most excited about this week? Let us know which new releases you're most excited about reading in the comments, and feel free to leave some of your suggestions as well. Check back tomorrow for our weekly reviews and again next week for a new installment of The Weekly Pull.

Batman Annual #5

(Photo: DC Comics)
  • Written by James Tynion IV
  • Art by James Stokoe
  • Published by DC Comics

With James Tynion IV's Batman run has thus far been overstuffed with gimmicky characters that feel more like copies of better characters (Punchline is no Harley Quinn and Ghost-Maker is no Hush). Batman Annual #5 takes the time to dig more into the origin of Clownhunter, perhaps the most interesting of these new faces but what makes this comic a must-read this week is that it centers, in a sense, not around Clownhunter, but a Batman character that we don't get nearly enough of -- Leslie Thompkins. A little hopeful and genuinely interesting with visually interesting art, it's a good read that any Batman fan currently invested in Tynion's run will want to check out. -- Nicole Drum

Dark Nights: Death Metal The Last 52: War of the Multiverses #1

(Photo: DC Comics)
  • Written by Various
  • Art by Various
  • Published by DC Comics

We're about to usher in a new year, and DC Comics will be bringing some major new changes along with it, with the Future State and Infinite Frontier initiatives changing everything we know about the canon. Before that, though, Dark Nights: Death Metal has to properly come to a close — and it looks like it will be doing so in an epic way. The latest in a string of anthology one-shots tied to the event, The Last 52: War of the Multiverses will show the ensemble of the DC universe joining forces in an all-out war against the Batman Who Laughs — one that truly shows the majesty and weirdness of the DC universe both on a character and creative level. With stories that cover everyone from the trinity to Lois Lane to John Constantine to The Atom, there's a lot of potential for creativity and community within the DC canon. — Jenna Anderson

Jimmy Hex Special #1

(Photo: DC Comics)
  • Written by Magdalene Visaggio
  • Art by Gleb Melnikov
  • Published by Wonder Comics (DC Comics)

Jinny Hex may be my favorite new idea to emerge front the Wonder Comics line at DC, and that's a grouping of series filled with great ideas. She presents with the tough attitude and some shared skills as her bounty hunting ancestor, but dismisses the baggage that comes with hunting human beings. Combine that with a chest full of powerful artifacts from the aforementioned ancestor and there's a lot of mileage to be found with this teenager whose powers (or connections) don't give them the swagger of a god. The possibility of Jinny Hex breaking out into her own stories is thrilling both for readers of young adult-centric superhero comics and those simply curious to find out what's in the chest, and this week's Jinny Hex Special #1 begins to mine it and offer new readers a quick re-introduction. The over-sized one-shot also delivers two of the publisher's brighter, new talents for a potent overall combination of potential to be discovered by fans just in time for the new year. -- Chase Magnett

King in Black: Iron Man/Doom #1

(Photo: Marvel Comics)
  • Written by Christopher Cantwell
  • Art by Salvador Larroca
  • Published by Marvel Comics

The King in Black event is in full swing in the Marvel Universe, and this week it may yield the perfect belated Christmas present for Marvel fans. Christopher Cantwell has adept at writing both Iron Man and Doctor Doom in their respective series. Now he's bringing the fan-favorite Marvel characters together for a King in Black tie-in story, and it looks like they'll be going up against a symbiote-possessed Santa Claus. Salvador Larroca draws the issue that should be at the top of every Marvel fan's Christmas list. -- Jamie Lovett

Lost Soldiers #5

(Photo: c)
  • Written by Ales Kot
  • Art by Luca Casalanguida
  • Published by Image Comics

All of the typical hyperbolic phrases for recommending comics, like "can't miss" and "catch up now," all seem inappropriate when pointing out Lost Soldiers to readers. It genuinely resonates as the sort of comic that I don't want to miss a single page of and would encourage others to read, but it carries an authentic weight that discourages unreserved excitement and glee. There are plenty of comics that consider the subjects of war, time, and masculinity, but few have ever provided such a robustly nuanced consideration as Lost Soldiers. The story itself is regularly excruciating—painting a portrait of a life defined by pain and an inability to change. However, it's the presentation that makes this grueling portrayal of war and its unending toll on human beings ring true. Alterations in the timeline and the careful layering of stages of life offer new depth with additional readings; the artwork throughout has been nothing short of stellar, especially when infused with the rainbow-like fog of memory from colorist Heather Moore. Lost Soldiers was one of the best comics released in 2020 and its final issue provides an ironic "bright spot" at the year's end. Don't miss it. -- Chase Magnett

Werewolf By Night #3

(Photo: Marvel Comics)
  • Written by Taboo and B. Earl
  • Art by Scot Eaton
  • Published by Marvel Comics

Werewolf By Night #3 may not be a read that works well as a standalone story -- you'll want to acquaint yourself with the first two issues of the series for the most context -- but it is easily one of the most interesting and visually fascinating of the short series. This issue digs into the mythology and culture of the werewolf as well as the indigenous culture it comes from and it's a beautiful turn to the story as it heads into its final story in January. Comics -- and media in general -- are sorely lacking the unique stories from and inspired by indigenous cultures so it's truly a delight to see one, especially done so accessibly. Do not miss this issue -- and check out the first two as well. It's good stuff. -- Nicole Drum

The Witcher: Fading Memories #2

(Photo: Dark Horse Comics)
  • Written by Bartosz Sztybor
  • Art by Amad Mir
  • Published by Dark Horse Comics

The Witcher: Fading Memories got off to a fantastic start, and luckily we didn't have to wait too long for a new chapter in Dark Horse's newest Witcher series. Writer Bartosz Sztybor introduced us to a difficult world for Witchers, as the creatures they made their living off of are not nearly as plentiful as they once were. This puts Geralt in survival mode, and though he is grateful for his newest task, it is far from what it seems at the start. Coupled with artist Amad Mir's beautiful visuals, it's a book no Witcher fan should miss out on. -- Matthew Aguilar

Wolverine #8

(Photo: Marvel Comics)
  • Written by Benjamin Percy
  • Art by Viktor Bogdanovic and Adam Kubert
  • Published by Marvel Comics

Wolverine is celebrating 350 issues, so it seems like the perfect time to bring some other characters from his past back into his life, starting with a personal fave Maverick. Logan and Maverick have a complicated past as part of Team X, and with other members of the team in the crosshairs, it's up to these two to figure out who is targeting them and why, so prepare for a trip down memory lane but with a modern twist, as writer Benjamin Percy and artist Adam Kubert continue to keep the momentum of Wolverine's stellar relaunch going. -- Matthew Aguilar

X-Factor by Leah Williams Vol. 1

(Photo: Marvel Comics)
  • Written by Leah Williams
  • Art by David Baldeon and Carlos Gomez
  • Published by Marvel Comics

Marvel's "Dawn of X" relaunch has been filled with so many pleasant surprises, and X-Factor is definitely no exception. The relaunch of the team - which takes on a unique and exciting context in the mutant utopia of Krakoa - includes a roster of bonafide fan-favorites, as Northstar, Polaris, Prodigy, Eye-Boy, Daken, and Prestige try to search for missing and murdered mutants. The end result is captivating, earnest, and just the right amount of meme-worthy, with Leah Williams creating a narrative that fans will genuinely love, and David Baldeon and Carlos Gomez delivering truly electric art. This is one "Dawn of X" installment you definitely don't want to miss. — Jenna Anderson

X-Men #16

(Photo: Marvel Comics)
  • Written by Jonathan Hickman
  • Art by Phil Noto
  • Published by Marvel Comics

The flagship title of Marvel's current crop of mutant-based series returns this week with X-Men #16. "Head of X" Jonathan Hickman teams with artist Phil Noto on the first issue of the series in the "Reign of X" era, which sees Cyclops teaming up with his kids, Cable and Prestige. Thus far, Hickman has used X-Men as an episodic spotlight for various prominent figures and concepts on Krakoa. In the wake of X of Swords, the series stands to start heading in a different direction, and fans should be excited to see how that goes. -- Jamie Lovett

Disclosure: ComicBook is owned by CBS Interactive, a division of Paramount. Sign up for Paramount+ by clicking here.

Latest News