The Weekly Pull: Detective Comics, Resurrection of Magneto, Universe Monsters: Dracula, and More
01/23/2024 11:13 am EST
Damn Them All #12
- Written by Simon Spurrier
- Art by Charlie Adlard
- Colors by Sofie Dodgson with Daniel Silva De Carvalho
- Letters by Jim Campbell
- Published by Boom Studios
Sometimes a final issue feels tragic and not just because the events contained within an exorcism story set in London's gutters and filled with monsters, both supernatural and human, are almost certain to end in tragedy. Damn Them All was a sincerely special series uniting some of the most accomplished talents in comics to tell a story built upon a great tradition (in this case Hellblazer) exactly how they wanted to tell it. Across 11 issues writer Simon Spurrier (Coda, Step By Bloody Step) and artist Charlie Adlard (The Walking Dead) have produced a world populated by devils and angels alike who reflect our own systems of power and self-destructive ambitions back through the lens of dark magic. Damn Them All is a suspenseful, terrifying, and shockingly funny read, but above all else, it's a damn smart comic book. Every issue revealed new layers of character and considerations for a world driven by its most avaricious actors. And those moments, whether they focused on a small conversation between humans or grand battles between entities barely bound in reality, were gloriously depicted by Adlard who revealed new layers to his own style, as well. Damn Them All #12 feels tragic because it's set to be the last and it will be missed, even if it already stands out as an evergreen and damn-near-perfect set of 12 issues. -- Chase Magnett
Detective Comics #1081
- Written by Ram V
- Art by Riccardo Federici and Stefano Raffaele
- Colors by Lee Loughridge
- Letters by Tom Napolitano
- Published by DC
Batman is dead; long live Batman. Ram V's "Gotham Nocturne" has already proven to be a riveting saga filled with classic villains, tantalizing supernatural lore, and sweeping questions about the very nature of Batman and his fallen city. It reached a crescendo earlier this month when Batman was hung before the citizens of Gotham before his barely-living form was stolen and sent far away by his remaining allies. The return begins this week in Detective Comics #1081 as Bruce Wayne finds himself far from home and without any of his familiar resources. "Elegy of Sand" promises to examine the core of this character at one of his lowest points since the iconic "Knightfall." Given everything V and his collaborators have already shown readers, opening the door to a serious character study under the harshest of lights marks Detective Comics as the must-read Batman series of 2024. Whatever begins in this issue already seems destined to be part of a great Batman epic. -- Chase Magnett
The Flash #123
- Written by Gardner Fox
- Art by Carmine Infantino
- Inks by Joe Giella
- Colors by Carl Gafford
- Letters by Gaspar Saladino
- Published by DC
In my mind, few comics are as singularly iconic as The Flash #123, which chronicled the meeting of "The Flash of Two Worlds" between Barry Allen and Jay Garrick. Without this issue's gimmick, the multiverse — both in DC and in all of superhero comics, honestly — most likely would not be what it is today. Unless you're lucky enough and wealthy enough to already have a copy in your collection, this reprint might be your best bet at owning a piece of comics history. — Jenna Anderson
Green Arrow #8
- Written by Joshua Williamson
- Art by Phil Hester
- Inks by Eric Gapstur
- Colors by Romula Fajardo Jr.
- Letters by Troy Peteri
- Published by DC
Now that the first arc of DC's Green Arrow relaunch is in the books, the series is back in Star City and settling into a new groove — and this issue exemplifies that wholeheartedly. As Oliver and Connor continue their quest to find their lost family member, a run-in with Onomatopoeia shakes things up even further. I'll be honest, it's surreal enough seeing Phil Hester draw a new meeting between Green Arrow and Ono in 2024, but the adventure that is crafted by him, writer Joshua Williamson, and company is a fun interlude to an already-promising series. — Jenna Anderson
Resurrection of Magneto #1
- Written by Al Ewing
- Art by Luciano Vecchio
- Colors by David Curiel
- Letters by Ariana Maher
- Published by Marvel Comics
The fall of Magneto during the Judgment Day event was one of the most memorable moments of the entire Krakoan era of the X-Men. As written by Al Ewing in the pages of X-Men Red, Magneto's brilliant death monologue felt like the culmination of a nearly 60-year arc, tracing the character's progression from straightforward villain to complex antihero and back and forth again. Ewing and his collaborators in the X-Office deliberately made Magneto's end challenging to reverse to enhance the impact on readers. It falls now to Ewing to take up the challenge and bring Magneto back for the Fall of X era. Who better than Storm, whose arms Magneto lay in as he perished, to take up the quest to bring Magneto back from beyond? With mundane mutant resurrection no longer an option, Ororo must brave the underworld and face Death herself to find Magneto in time for him to join his fellow mutants during their time of need. Expect Resurrection of Magneto to be an epic swan song for Ewing's time working on the X-Men and a memorable passage in Krakoa's final chapter. -- Jamie Lovett
Rom: The Original Marvel Years Omnibus Vol. 1
- Written by Bill Mantlo, et al.
- Art by Sal Buscema, et al.
- Published by Marvel Comics
After years of hopes from fans, it's finally happened. Marvel's stint of ROM — the comic adaptation of the beloved Hasbro toy line — is finally being reprinted. This week's omnibus condenses down the first thirty issues of the character's Marvel tenure, as well as a wacky guest appearance in Power Man and Iron Fist. This, as well as Marvel's forthcoming Micronauts omnibus, are definitely headed to my collection soon. — Jenna Anderson
Star Trek: Defiant #4
- Written by Christopher Cantwell
- Art by Ramon Rosanas
- Colors by Lee Loughridge
- Letters by Clayton Cowles
- Published by IDW Publishing
The history of Sela, a recurring villain on Star Trek: The Next Generation, is complex and sordid. Sela is the daughter of an alternate universe version of Enterprise security chief Tasha Yar and a Romulan general, conceived during Tasha's captivity within the Romulan Star Empire. Sela spoiled Tasha's attempts to flee the Empire with her daughter, an effort that cost Tasha her life. It was the first act of the half-Romulan child's unwavering loyalty to Romulus. On paper, Sela should be a captivatingly complex character. Despite that, Next Generation mostly used her as an archvillain hatching doomed plans to advance the Romulan Empire's reach and influence in the galaxy (and as an excuse to bring back Denise Crosby as a guest star, which is hardly an unworthy cause). Star Trek comics are poised to dig deep into Sela's character, and the "Day of Blood" crossover began to scratch that surface with Dr. Beverly Crusher dressing Sela down for how she shamed her mother's memory, motivating Sela, who typically moves in the shadows, into an uncharacteristic act of brazen heroism. Star Trek: Defiant Annual #1 promises to go even deeper with a time travel story that sees Sela meeting her mother face-to-face, which promises to be something special for longtime Star Trek fans. -- Jamie Lovett
Universal Monsters: Dracula #4
- Written by James Tynion IV
- Art by Martin Simmonds
- Colors by Martin Simmonds
- Letters by Rus Wooton
- Published by Image Comics
For as much as fans of The Department of Truth (myself included) may be anxious for writer James Tynion IV and artist Martin Simmonds to return to their horrifying saga of belief-shaping-reality, there's no denying that the detour presented in Universal Monsters: Dracula is worth the additional wait. This four-issue adaptation of the 1931 classic Dracula starring Bela Lugosi has exceeded all expectations. It has functioned as a genuine adaptation, taking the structure and core elements of Universal's own adapted story and reimagining it to flourish in the comics medium. Simmonds' depictions of Dracula and Renfield still astonish with sweeping colors and fearsome forms seemingly warping the pages themselves to a monster's dark will. Even readers familiar with the many source materials have discovered new angles and ideas within this potent new vision of one of horror's greatest icons. Universal Monsters: Dracula #4 is set to draw that story to a close and given all that readers have seen so far, they can only expect the best is still ahead as Dracula and Van Helsing face off. -- Chase Magnett
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