The Weekly Pull: Immortal X-Men, Duke, Batman/Santa Claus, and More
12/26/2023 04:49 pm EST
Batman/Santa Claus: Silent Knight #4
- Written by Jeff Parker
- Art by Danny Kim and Stephen Segovia
- Published by DC
An argument can be made that, once December 25th has come and gone, Christmas-themed stuff has quickly fallen out of fashion. If you're not someone who believes in that argument, or you just want some genuinely fun comic book storytelling, then this week's finale of Batman/Santa Claus: Silent Knight is here to help. The DC Universe's fight to save the holiday season has been nothing short of delightful thus far, and there are revelations and story beats in this final issue that are just too good to pass up. — Jenna Anderson
Book of Butcher #1
- Written by James Tynion IV
- Art by Werther Dell'Edera
- Colors by Miquel Muerto
- Letters by Andworld Design
- Published by Boom Studios
I only discovered the "Slaughterverse" this summer while on vacation, but I instantly understood what the hype surrounding Something is Killing the Children is all about and quickly consumed every issue I could lay my hands on. In addition to the core series and anthology stories contained in House of Slaughter, there's the brilliant combination of narrative and textual lore found in the one-shot Book of Slaughter. Its beautiful presentation and suggestions about the shape of the story to come is enough to leave readers wide-eyed in anticipation of the big turns and surprises still awaiting us, and Book of Butcher promises to deliver more of the same to start the fifth year of publication. There's no doubting the creative team of writer James Tynion IV and artist Werther Dell'Edera or their brilliant conception of nightmares made real, and Book of Butcher promises readers a terrifying new addition to this saga. 2024 should be an excellent year for the "Slaughterverse.". -- Chase Magnett
Duke #1
- Written by Joshua Williamson
- Art by Tom Reilly
- Colors by Jordie Bellaire
- Letters by Rus Wooton
- Published by Image Comics
It's been shown time and again that you should never bet against Robert Kirkman; the immediate success of the Energon universe at Image Comics is one more proof point and one that's delivering a lot of good comics. Joining Daniel Warren Johnson's essentially perfect Transformers and Kirkman and Lorenzo De Felici's intriguing Void Rivals is a familiar face from G.I. Joe: Duke from writer Joshua Williamson and artist Tom Reilly. Many readers will be familiar with Williamson's recent work at DC Comics on series like the critical darling Nightwing and crossover events like Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths; he's a writer who can nail the dynamics of a charming hero with an eccentric cast while balancing that with spectacular stakes and scale. Artist Tom Reilly is the biggest selling point for Duke #1 in my eyes, though, as brilliant design work and stunning cartooning define the Energon line. Reilly's recent work at Marvel Comics has shown his deft ability to maintain classic figures within a storytelling style that feels vibrant and modern. The quick military action and big ideas bound to appear in Duke will be instantly compelling under Reilly's pencils. Whether readers are looking to stay on top of the Energon line, pick up a great G.I. Joe comic, or discover the next great Tom Reilly sequence, Duke #1 is bound to deliver this week. -- Chase Magnett
Green Arrow #7
- Written by Joshua Williamson
- Art by Carmine Di Giandomenico, Trevor Hairsine
- Colors by Romula Fajardo Jr.
- Letters by Troy Peteri
- Published by DC
The first arc of DC's Green Arrow relaunch is now in the books, with the series being promoted to an ongoing and paving a new road for the ArrowFam. This week's Green Arrow #7 proves to be something of a re-debut issue for the book, bringing Oliver Queen back to the present day and presenting him with a number of challenges in the future. There are some truly wonderful character interactions within these pages, and the work from Joshua Williamson, Sean Izaakse, and company is only getting better. Don't miss out on this series, if you've already done so. — Jenna Anderson
Immortal X-Men #18
- Written by Kieron Gillen
- Art by Juan José Ryp
- Colors by David Curiel
- Letters by Clayton Cowles
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Published by Marvel Comics
Jonathan Hickman's early exit from the X-Office caused concern within the X-Men fandom that had invested in Hickman's overarching plans for Krakoa. We may never know how closely the final years of the X-Men's Krakoa era resemble what was first planned, and I think it hard to argue that the line didn't grow unwieldy and cluttered with superfluous content following Hickman's departure as "Head of X." However, none of that means that worthwhile, substantive X-Men stories ceased being told once Hickman stopped directing Marvel's mutant narrative. Chief among the quality titles that began after Hickman's exit is Immortal X-Men, the series that earned ComicBook.com's Golden Issue for best ongoing comic book of 2023. Written by Kieron Gillen and drawn primarily by Lucas Werneck, Immortal X-Men focused on the characters who made up the Quiet Council of Krakoa, the governing body that helped give rise to a flourishing mutant nation while simultaneously sowing the seeds of its downfall with their politicking, manipulations, petty personal grudges, and outright power grabs. For its final act, Gillen took Immortal X-Men in an eschatological direction, treating the "Fall of X" like mutantkind's Biblical last days. The series concludes with this week's Immortal X-Men #18 (though Gillen will help turn the lights out on the Krakoan age with the upcoming Rise of the Powers of X miniseries), featuring the always killer artwork of Juan José Ryp. It's a swan song not to be missed. -- Jamie Lovett
Secret Wars II
- Written by Jim Shooter
- Art by Al Milgrom
- Inks by Josef Rubinstein, Steve Leialoha
- Colors by Marie Severin, Julianna Ferriter, Christie Scheele
- Letters by Joe Rosen, Rick Parker
- Published by Marvel Comics
The words "Secret Wars" have become especially buzzed-about, thanks to Marvel's planned film adaptation that will close out its Multiverse Saga. Even though it's safe to assume most of the movie will draw inspiration from the original Secret Wars and Jonathan Hickman's modern-day reboot, it's worth revisiting or visiting the 1984 sequel Secret Wars II. Yes, it's easy to spot the storyline's many flaws, but there's an inherent sense of charm and spectacle that can be appreciated, especially before it sees the big screen. — Jenna Anderson
Timeless #1
- Written by Jackson Lanzing & Collin Kelly
- Art by Juann Cabal
- Colors by Edgard Delgado
- Letters by Travis Lanham
- Published by Marvel Comics
This is the third consecutive year that Marvel will celebrate the end of one year and the start of another with a Timeless one-shot that will supposedly offer a glimpse of the future of the Marvel Universe, basically serving as a sample platter of the upcoming year's storylines while seeding some mystery unfolding in its frame story that never seems to pay off. (I know Kang is hanging out with the Avengers now, but wasn't Miracleman supposed to show up at some point? If they forgot about the idea, that's fine with me. No, wait, don't remind them!) While the events of this year's Timeless occur in a version of the Marvel Universe's future, it's unclear if ties to the past Kang story that weaved through the first two, especially with Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing, relative newcomers to Marvel's roster of writers, taking over scripting duties for this volume. Marvel fans have questions about what Marvel has planned for 2024, and Timeless #1 should offer the first clues to the answers. -- Jamie Lovett
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