The Weekly Pull: Unstoppable Doom Patrol, It's Jeff!, Kaya, and More
Clobberin' Time #1
- Written by Steve Skroce
- Art by Steve Skroce
- Colors by Bryan Valenza
- Letters by Joe Sabino
- Published by Marvel Comics
The premise of Clobberin' Time is clear and it's a classic winner within the framework of Marvel Comics: The Thing teams up with other popular characters to smash whatever needs smashing. Clobberin' Time #1 showcases Ben Grimm standing alongside the Hulk as they go to space where aliens and Celestials alike are in need of the aforementioned smashing. That concept might be enough to sell many readers, but when you add that these tales are written and drawn by Steve Skroce, that's impossible to miss. Skroce knows how to deliver over-the-top violence as well as anyone working in comics today, rivaling the likes of Geof Darrow. Whether it's in the gruesome war portrayed in We Stand On Guard or the irreverent and bloody satire of Maestros, Skroce's work makes each and every blow of combat land in an unforgettable fashion. So to have Skroce unleashing The Thing alongside classic sparring partners like The Hulk upon anything he might fancy in the Marvel universe is a formula for truly epic superhero action. What more could we ask for? -- Chase Magnett
Infinite Frontier
- Written by Joshua Williamson
- Art by Various
- Published by DC
I've yet to pass up an opportunity to recommend Infinite Frontier, DC's ambitious and energetic miniseries that ran in 2021. The series, which helped usher in the latest incarnation of DC's continuity, zigzags between a crop of fascinating and lesser-known heroes and villains, as they adjust to various new normals and prepare for the looming threat that's to come. Regardless of how you feel about the subsequent stories, namely Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths, Infinite Frontier is a marvelous entity in and of itself — one that will make you appreciate everything that the larger DC Universe has to offer. — Jenna Anderson
It's Jeff! #1
- Written by Kelly Thompson
- Art by Gurihiru
- Published by Marvel Comics
It's Jeff! is easily among my most-anticipated Marvel issues of this year. This week's collection takes the beloved online-exclusive Infinity Comic and finally puts it into print, chronicling the rambunctious adventures of Jeff the Land Shark. From casual situations to superhero antics, Jeff plays with the periphery of the Marvel Universe in some adorable ways, and Kelly Thompson and Gurihiru's work is top-notch. You owe it to yourself to add It's Jeff to your longbox. — Jenna Anderson
Kaya: Book One
- Written by Wes Craig
- Art by Wes Craig
- Colors by Jason Wordie
- Letters by Andworld Design
- Published by Image Comics
Wes Craig's work on Deadly Class made the artist an instant star amongst readers of Image Comics. From the very start of the series (nearly a decade ago) through its end, Craig crafted both compelling character portraits with specific designs capable of delivering any emotion and action sequences that absolutely streaked across pages featuring compelling shifts in perspective alongside innovative twists on familiar tropes. Craig's mastery of the form is clear, given that and all of his contemporaneous comics work, and his new series Kaya makes it evident that said mastery is continuing to grow. Kaya provides readers with a world unlike anything Craig has worked upon before featuring a pair of surviving children in a Kamandi-esque, post-apocalyptic landscape filled with Lizard-Riders and other strange folk and far more fearsome beasts. It is equal parts high adventure, epic fantasy, and Wes Craig-fueled comics. Whether it's the strange prophecies, family drama, or action sequences battling gargantuan spiders, each issue delivers something entirely new built upon some of the most thrilling comics storytelling to be found in the pages of any Image comics today. So don't miss the chance to get caught up or share when Kaya volume one hits shelves this week. -- Chase Magnett
Unstoppable Doom Patrol #1
- Written by Dennis Culver
- Art by Chris Burnham
- Colors by Brian Reber
- Letters by Pat Brosseau
- Published by DC
Doom Patrol is up there with Daredevil as one of those comics that has had an impressive number of high-caliber runs relative to its perceived level of importance to its publisher's overall line, with writers like Grant Morrison, Rachel Pollack, and Gerard Way, and artist like Richard Case, Ted McKeever, and Nick Derington all contributing to the title's legacy. Following the popularity of the Doom Patrol television series, the Doom Patrol returns to the DC Universe proper as part of the Dawn of DC initiative. The series once again has a creative team primed for another memorable run as the brilliant artist Chris Burnham of Batman Inc. fame joins forces with rising star writer Dennis Culver, hot off writing Future State: Gotham. Doom Patrol's very nature lends itself to weird and wild creativity, and there's good reason to believe this creative team will deliver on that potential. -- Jamie Lovett
Waller Vs. Wildstorm #1
- Written by Evan Narcisse,
At this point, I'll check out DC Black Label miniseries published in the imprint's bigger-than-average prestige format. Waller vs. Wildstorm stands out among the rest. The title implies a unique story pitting Amanda Waller, the DC Universe's hardass spymaster typically associated with the Suicide Squad, against the character from Jim Lee's Wildstorm universe, many of whom have espionage backgrounds. The series sees artist Jesús Merino teaming the writing team of Evan Narcisse and Spencer Ackerman, who both have backgrounds in journalism. Narcisse was mostly a culture writer (who has since transitioned into writing comics like Rise Of The Black Panther and consulting on the narratives for games like Spider-Man: Miles Morales), but Ackerman covered national security. That's a fascinating point of view to bring to a spy book, which Narcisse and Ackerman are filtering through the point of view of Lois Lane, the DC Universe's premier reporter. That puts an exciting blend of ideas in this high-end comics cocktail, and I am in, in, in. -- Jamie Lovett
Wolverine: Weapon X Deluxe Edition
- Writing and art by Barry Windsor-Smith
- Published by Marvel Comics
It's never the wrong time to read the best Wolverine story of all time: Wolverine: Weapon X. Only Chris Claremont and Frank Miller's original Wolverine miniseries comes even close to touching the brilliance of Barry Windsor-Smith's Weapon X. Serialized originally in Marvel Comics Presents, Weaponx X sees Smith's intricate artwork affecting a claustrophobic atmosphere, trapping readers in an origin story that blends psychological and body horror. This new Deluxe Edition appears to use the restored-from-the-original rendering of Smith's artwork from last year's Gallery Edition, which was touched up and recolored to allow more of Smith's original linework and details to shine stand out, but at a more practical size and price point. That includes additional reprints of Smith's short backup story from Wolverine #166 and the classic standalone collaboration with Claremont in Uncanny X-Men #205, "Wounded Wolf." If you missed or passed on the Gallery Edition in 2022, this looks to be the definitive version of a defining work for both the character and the artist. -- Jamie Lovett
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