The Weekly Pull: Dead X-Men, Trinity Special, Coda, and More
01/30/2024 01:23 pm EST
Coda #5
- Written by Simon Spurrier
- Art by Matías Bergara
- Colors by Patricio Delpeche
- Letters by Jim Campbell
- Published by Boom Studios
The second volume of Coda draws to a close this week and, much like the first, will doubtlessly leave readers aching for more without requiring a clever cliffhanger or twist. Whereas the first volume focused on marriage, its sequel has turned towards the prospect of children. Every issue has been partially narrated by Hum in a letter to his unborn child; that framing has provided a moving new perspective on the series' essential themes of loneliness, purpose, and family in a fallen world. Combine that emotional heft with colorful new plots examining how technology and religion warp culture, and Coda #5 is shaping up to be a heavy issue. Whether it's the formation of cults to establish authoritarian-style order or brutal new weapons of mass murder being used to dispose of "bad guys," it's apparent that the world is changing in ways that will look gloriously gorey in artist Matías Bergara's depiction. No matter how wondrous the violence may appear, it's ultimately a terrifying force when juxtaposed with the much more relatable and endearing quest of starting a family. Surrounded by uncertainty and with no promises of future safety, Hum will have to confront what it means to start a family when the future is anything but guaranteed. -- Chase Magnett
Daredevil: Born Again Gallery Edition
- Written by Frank Miller
- Art by David Mazzucchelli
- Published by Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics Gallery Editions have proven to be pricey but glorious reproductions of some of the publisher's most celebrated stories, including X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills, and Wolverine: Weapon X. The oversized dimensions allow readers to pore over each page's incredible linework in ways they never otherwise could have, which is what they'll want to do with Daredevil: Born Again Gallery Edition. While Batman: Year One tends to be the more famous of Frank Miller and David Mazzuchelli's collaborations, I feel that can be attributed to the fact that it has Batman in it. While Batman: Year One is an excellent tale, Daredevil: Born Again stands as a signpost pointing in the direction of many great comics to follow, putting it firmly into the Western superhero canon, such as it is. The story sees Daredevil's life under siege when the Kingpin learns of his secret identity as Matt Murdock. While "superhero's secret identity is discovered" is hardly a unique setup in the genre, Miller and Mazzuchelli tell the tale like no other, making it feel grounded while wrapping it in grandiosity, with Mazzuchelli producing some truly iconic work. This should be the definitive edition of a definitive Daredevil story. -- Jamie Lovett
Dark Avengers Modern Era Epic Collection: Osborn's Reign
- Written by Brian Michael Bendis, Matt Fraction, and others
- Art by Mike Deodato Jr. and others
- Colors by Various
- Letters by Various
- Published by Marvel Comics
In nearly 20 years of keeping up with Marvel Comics continuity, "Dark Reign" still stands out as one of the strongest overall eras of the publisher's continuity-oriented comics line. Following the events of Secret Invasion, Norman Osborn was empowered to run the United States in a militaristic fashion (in collaboration with a cabal of other villains). With superheroes on the run and Osborn's sociopathic Avengers lineup governing affairs, creators in all corners of the Marvel universe uncovered excellent story opportunities. At the heart of this era was the newest chapter in writer Brian Michael Bendis' Avengers saga, with Dark Avengers focusing on Osborn's team of predators and maniacs. Now that story is collected with various essential tie-ins and one-shots for readers to (re-)discover at a very affordable price tag. For new and old readers alike, it's an invitation to visit one of Marvel Comics' most productive eras and explore superhero adventures under an increasingly authoritarian United States government. -- Chase Magnett
Dead X-Men #1
- Written by Steve Foxe
- Art by Jonas Scharf, Bernard Chang, and Vincenzo Carratù
- Colors by Frank Martin
- Published by Marvel Comics
At first glance, you might look at the title Dead X-Men and think, "Wow, Marvel Comics has run out of adjectives to attach to their heroes." That may or may not be true, but it isn't the discussion for today. When Marvel Comics calls this book Dead X-Men, they mean it literally. Dead X-Men, from Steve Foxe and Jonas Scharf, Bernard Chang, and Vincenzo Carratù stars the five mutants elected to the X-Men at the last Hellfire Gala who were then immediately slaughtered by Nimrod at the onset of the second mutant massacre: Jubilee, Cannonball, Frenzy, Dazzler, and Prodigy. How they've been revived, with mutant resurrection currently offline, is part of the mystery and likely what ties the book to Fall of X's co-flagship title, Rise of the Power of X. Whatever the explanation, it is nice to see a group of fan-favorite characters (every X-Men has a cult following somewhere on the internet) getting to shine after being the brunt of a brutal and bloody joke. -- Jamie Lovett
Jill and the Killers #1
- Written by Olivia Cuartero-Briggs
- Art by Roberta Ingranata
- Colors by Rebecca Nalty
- Letters by Haley Rose-Lyon
- Published by Oni Press
I've previously written in this feature about how encouraging it is to see Oni Press returning to its roots as a publisher of quirky comics with a punky, DIY aesthetic vibe. Jill and the Killers #1 appears to be the next new book in that trend. From writer Olivia Cuartero-Briggs and artist Roberta Ingranata, Jill and the Killers follows a teenager, Jill Estrada, who is trying to return to school and some semblance of normalcy after the unexplained disappearance of her mother. At the same time, her friends are getting into a true-crime-themed subscription game where each new case is custom-made to fit the players' lives. However, Jill's case is eerily familiar to her real life, and things only get weirder from there. While Cuartero-Briggs is new to me, I know Ingranata is a stellar artist based on her previous work for Titan's Doctor Who comics. Between that and the killer (pun fully intended) premise, this oversized first issue seems more than worth a look. -- Jamie Lovett
Trinity Special #1
- Written by Tom King
- Art by Daniel Sampere, Belen Ortega
- Colors by Alejandro Sánchez, Tomeu Morey
- Letters by Clayton Cowles
- Published by DC
New characters get introduced into the realm of superhero comics all the time, but the rollout of Trinity has certainly been rare. The future-set superheroine and biological daughter of Wonder Woman has become a surprising centerpiece of Tom King and Daniel Sampere's run, and this week's Trinity Special provides an easy recap of her story thus far. From her Wonder Woman backup stories to a new tale teasing her future, this issue is a collectible way to catch up on the newest component of Wonder Woman's history. — Jenna Anderson
Waller vs. Wildstorm
- Written by Spencer Ackerman and Evan Narcisse
- Art by Jesus Merino
- Inks by Vicente Cifuentes
- COlors by Michael Atiyeh
- Letters by Dave Sharpe
- Published by DC
Waller vs. Wildstorm will certainly be relevant for those looking forward to James Gunn and Peter Safran's DC Universe, between Viola Davis' return in a Waller television series and the forthcoming The Authority movie. But beyond that, the series delivers a pleasant surprise of a crossover, combining the two titular corners of the larger DC Universe in a tale of action and espionage. This week's collection of the entire four-issue miniseries is absolutely worth your time. — Jenna Anderson
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