The Weekly Pull: Excalibur, Absolute Fourth World, Billionaire Island, and More

Absolute Fourth World by Jack Kirby Vol. 1

Writing and art by Jack Kirby
Published by DC Comics

It's odd to recall there was a time, only about ten years ago, when assembling Jack Kirby's "Fourth World Saga" didn't offer readers a number of options as various pieces fell out of print and the reading order was left for most collectors to discover on their own. It's also a relief that The King's magnum opus is now discoverable by anyone with an imagination ready to witness wonders. The newest absolute edition out this week is a truly titanic volume bringing together at least six issues from each of the four series that composed the story. It's oversized glory places proper emphasis on Kirby's career-high character designs and paneling, making for an ideal introduction to this biblical reimagining of the good and evil in the 20th century. If you have never experienced the Fourth World before, or don't have the saga on your bookshelves, this first volume offers an ideal package to treasure one of the greatest stories ever told in comics. -- Chase Magnett

Billionaire Island #2

Written by Mark Russell
Art by Steve Pugh
Published by Ahoy Comics

It feels like it's been a whole lifetime since the debut of Billionaire Island back in March right before the coronavirus pandemic hit, but the book is back this week and its satirical and razor-sharp book about untouchable billionaires is one that for all its surreality is rooted in reality. With a first issue that was full of twists, turns and, chilling accuracy, the second issue, out this week, is poised to be full of the same. And if that isn't enough, the book features Steve Pugh's always fantastic art making it a title you have to check out. -- Nicole Drum

Buffy the Vampire Slayer #15

Written by Jordie Bellaire
Art by Ramón F. Bachs
Published by BOOM! Studios

Buffy the Vampire Slayer came to BOOM! Studios with a lot of thunder, but the results of the first year or so of stories were mixed. There were great ideas, some great art, and writer Jordie Bellaire for sure gets these characters' voices. Despite that, it was hard to feel grounded in the story. It moved at a break-neck pace to set up the surprise launch of Angel and the subsequent crossover event, Hellmouth, tripping over itself a few times along the way.

But the handful of issues that have come out since Hellmouth ended have been a turnaround. The art is still excellent, but Bellaire seems to have more space to let her story breathe. She's used that space to set up a new status quo. On the one hand, it feels comfortingly familiar, replicating the "normal girl against the darkness" vibe of the television series. At the same time, Bellaire interrogates some of the unquestioned conceits of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. If you've slept on this rebooted version of the series, now is the time to give it a look. --Jamie Lovett

Eve Stranger

Written by David Barnett
Art by Philip Bond
Published by IDW Publishing/Black Crown

The latest title from IDW's Black Crown imprint, Eve Stranger follows its titular character, who is an amnesiac working for a mysterious benefactor. Each week, Eve undergoes a completely different mission - ranging from a superspy to a treasure hunter to a personal shopper - only to have her memory wiped before every Friday morning. When Eve begins to suspect that something malicious is behind this arrangement, she fights back — and things are sure to get weirder and more entertaining from there. This high-concept take on the action-adventure world looks and feels very compelling and effortlessly cool, and is the kind of under-the-radar comic that definitely deserves your attention. — Jenna Anderson

Excalibur by Tini Howard Vol. 1

Written by Tini Howard
Art by Marcus To
Published by Marvel Comics

The entire "Dawn of X" relaunch has been a joy to follow, giving Marvel's wide-ranging roster of X-Men characters a new staftus quo. That exciting storytelling is perhaps most abundantly clear in Excalibur, which sees Betsy Braddock (who has unintentionally become the new Captain Britain), Rogue, Gambit, Jubilee, Rictor, and Apocalypse go up against the magical threats that threaten Krakoa. Even with a story so heavily steeped in lore, Tini Howard crafts a narrative in Excalibur that is unbelievably accessible and that zigs and zags in some incredibly heartfelt and captivating ways. Marcus To's art is a perfect compliment to it all, portraying Krakoa in a moody, earnest light. The best ensemble comics are the ones that truly embrace and celebrate each of their characters, and Excalibur undoubtedly does so in spades. — Jenna Anderson

Protector #4

Written by Simon Roy
Art by Artyom Trakhanov
Published by Image Comics

There's sympathy to spare for any series that launched this spring—as Diamond left the direct market high and dry, with so many new comics to be forgotten in the midst of a crisis. One debut that should not be missed is Protector, a dystopian, sci-fi epic occurring on an Earth separated by centuries of ecological disaster and war. Each issue has expanded upon the various cultures and characters who populate a world that seems to rhyme with our own, even as demonic machines and strange religions are imagined in unbelievable fashions. Protector delivers an immersive reading experience that defies all of the most familiar storytelling tropes in comics today. Not since the pages of Prophet has Image Comics published a series that felt so ambitious and essential. Even in the midst of our current crises, it should not be missed. -- Chase Magnett

Star Trek: Year Five #12

Written by Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing
Art by Kieron McKeown, Silvia Califano, Stephen Thompson
Published by IDW Publishing

Star Trek: Year Five isn't the first attempt to flesh out the final year's of the original series' five-year mission, but it is undoubtedly the best. "Showrunners" Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing have worked with their talented team to bring a modern sheen to the original Enterprise's voyages. The crew takes on social issues that are at the fore today rather than those from the 1960s. It reads like a modern take on the original Star Trek concept, as it should. The stellar art team makes sure that it hasn't come at the expense of sequential art storytelling. Star Trek: Year Five #12 closes out the first "season" of the series. Kelly and Lanzing write the issue, revealing to the answers to the mystery they seeded in the very first issue. This series and this issue are clear must-reads for Star Trek fans and even the mildly Star Trek curious. -- Jamie Lovett

X-Men Milestones: Messiah War

Written by Craig Kyle, Duane Swierczynski, Christopher Yost
Art by Mike Choi, Clayton Crain, Ariel Olivetti
Published by Marvel Comics

There's quite a bit to love about the modern-day X-Men, but a new Milestone collection from Marvel is highlighting a fan-favorite story from days past. That would be X-Men Milestones: Messiah War, which picks up the threads of the modern classic "Messiah Complex" and takes X-Force into the future to fight alongside Cable in his quest to keep Hope alive from Bishop. Now the crew not only has Bishop to deal with but also Stryfe, and things get even crazier once you throw Apocalypse into the mix. If you want to read Messiah War all in one place, you can't go wrong with this. -- Matthew Aguilar