The Weekly Pull: Excalibur, Hellblazer, Basketful of Heads and More
Another new comic book day approaches and fans are ready to get their hands on some new titles. [...]
Basketful of Heads #1
Written by Joe Hill
Art by Leomacs
Published by DC Black Label/Hill House Comics
Basketful of Heads is the first series to arrive from the new pop-up imprint Hill House Comics, a horror-themed selection of comics curated by writer Joe Hill, and it's just in time for Halloween. Hill, best known for novels like NOS4A2 and Horns as well as the hit comics series Locke & Key, himself is writing this six-part miniseries. Readers familiar with his past work will likely see his attachment as cause enough to check out the series. Hill is almost as prolific as his father, Stephen King, and also sports a similar ratio of hits among his constantly expanding canon. However, readers should also be paying careful attention to artist Leomacs who is teamed with colorist Dave Stewart here. Hill's ability to craft a potent premise and spine-chilling scares in a script was never in doubt, but making those ideas work on the comics page is a much more difficult feat. Mood and tension are perfectly realized in Basketful of Heads, ensuring the story lives up to its daunting title. Any readers looking for a perfect comics scare this Halloween need look no further. Basketful of Heads delivers one of the best new horror comics of 2019 and marks a shocking premiere for Hill House Comics. -- Chase Magnett
Batman Annual #4
Written by Tom King
Art by Jorge Fornes, Mike Norton
Published by DC Comics
One of the best things about the Batman Annual is that the stories are frequently a refreshing step away from whatever is going on in the main continuity and Batman Annual #4 does that on a spectacular scale as it sees Batman take on what can only be described as a weirdly fitting challenge considering the book comes out the day before Halloween. Written by Tom King, the issue is a "day to day" look at Batman's life and it's something that is both very fitting for King's work with the hero as well as something that is deeply satisfying making it a book that you absolutely need to check out. -- Nicole Drum
Captain Marvel: Liberation Run
Written by Tess Sharpe
Published by Titan Books
Fans can catch Captain Marvel in a brand new adventure thanks to author Tess Sharpe in Captain Marvel: Liberation Run, a new novel that pairs Carol with an oddball team that is sure to be quite entertaining. After saving a young Inhuman pilot named Chi from crashing her ship, Carol learns of a planet that is enslaving Inhumans and gathers a group that features Ant-Man, Mantis, and Amadeus Cho to break them all out. If that team seems full of possibilities to you, you aren't alone, and now you have a chance to see Carol kicking ass when Liberation Run hits paperback. — Matthew Aguilar
DCeased #6
Written by Tom Taylor
Art by Trevor Hairsine, Neil Edwards
Published by DC Comics
Tom Taylor, Trevor Hairsine, Neil Edwards, and Rainier Beredo have delivered some unforgettable moments in DCeased, but issue #6 somehow raises the stakes even further and delivers some seismic gut punches in the process. Trust us, this thrilling conclusion will leave you sad, angry, hopeful, and above all entertained, and while we're sad to see the series go, it left one hell of an impression. — Matthew Aguilar
Deadpool by Skottie Young Vol. 3: Weasel Goes to Hell
Written by Skottie Young, Dana Schwartz
Art by Nic Klein, Reilly Brown, Scott Hepburn
Published by Marvel Comics
The final volume of Skottie Young's run on Deadpool features a pretty wide array of twists and turns, as Wade faces everything from trolls in Australia to a literal trip through hell. This collection of issues is as epic and strange as a Deadpool story should get, but with a huge amount of heart and humanity thrown in. It also contains Dana Schwartz and Reilly Brown's truly-delightful Deadpool Annual 1, which is a sort of proverbial cherry on top of this collection. — Jenna Anderson
Excalibur #1
Written by Tini Howard
Art by Marcus To
Published by Marvel Comics
Marvel's Dawn of X continues with its third new X-Men ongoing series, Excalibur. The series has rising star Tini Howard writing and Marcu To providing art. To has long been the most underappreciated artist doing work for Marvel's X-Office and Excalibur looks to be his time to shine. Unlike the other Dawn of X series to date, Excalibur is less about the mutant nation of Krakoa. While that's still all in the background, Howard has crafted a more timeless conceit that would feel at home during any X-Men era. As with iterations of Excalibur in the past, this series is where mutants meet magic. In this case, it's where Krakoa crosses over with the Arthurian realm of Otherworld. Betsy Braddock takes center stage as she steps into the role of Captain Britain. She's joined by Jubilee, Rogue, Gambit, and — the team's most intriguing member — Apocalypse. Excalibur looks to showcase two talents on the rise and prove how versatile Marvel's new status quo for the X-Men can be. -- Jamie Lovett
Fantastic Four: Grand Design #1
Writing and art by Tom Scioli
Published by Marvel Comics
X-Men: Grand Design married a true comics auteur with one of the richest storytelling traditions in superhero comics with astounding results, and now Fantastic Four: Grand Design aims to repeat that success with cartoonist Tom Scioli at the helm this time. Scioli is one of the most recognizable creators working in the medium today and his style is closely tied to the co-creator of the Fantastic Four: Jack Kirby. Comics like Godland reveal the influence and appreciation of Kirby's work in Scioli's without every diminishing their own ambitions to serve the past. It's an approach perfectly designed for a project like this, one capable of keeping a foot in the past and future. Fantastic Four: Grand Design is bound to deliver more stellar Scioli pages and seems likely to provide a well-informed, idiosyncratic reading on Marvel's version of "the great American novel" as told through the tales of the First Family. It's even possible that this new grand design could exceed the expectations set by its predecessor. -- Chase Magnett
Hellboy and the BPRD: Long Night at Goloski Station
Written by Mike Mignola
Art by Matt Smith
Published by Dark Horse Comics
It's easy to recommend every one-shot produced in the Hellboy or B.P.R.D. canon (or better yet both). Mike Mignola is one of comics bona fide best storytellers and the collection of artists who work on these titles form one of the best collections of talent in American comics today. However, Long Night at Goloski Station holds a special place within this already hallowed assembly for two reasons. First, it tells its story (excellently timed to be read with Halloween) as a "one crazy night" scenario—a classic construct of the horror genre that fits this one-and-done approach perfectly. Second, Matt Smith is one of the most underrated artists working in comics today. Smith is a brilliantly expressive cartoonist who constructs character and portrays emotion with a deft hand and minimal linework. His pages are always well-considered and never overwrought. Whether he's portraying a moment of sorrow or horror it's bound to land. Smith's work in Long Night at Goloski Station promises one of the best comics reads this Halloween and, hopefully, new readers ready to discover his artwork. -- Chase Magnett
The Sandman Universe Presents Hellblazer
Written by Si Spurrier
Art by Marcio Takara
Published by DC Black Label
Since launching in August 2018, The Sandman Universe line of titles has been stellar, and Si Spurrier and Bilquis Evely's The Dreaming stands tallest among the inaugural four. While their run on The Dreaming is coming to an end, Spurrier will move on to a new Sandman Universe title. Hellblazer will bring John Constantine back into the shadows of the DC Universe that once fell under the defunct Vertigo imprint. It starts with The Sandman Universe Presents Hellblazer, the one-shot that also serves as the kickoff to "year two" of The Sandman Universe. Spurrier writes irreverence and the etherealism with equal quality, a talent should serve him well in Constantine's world. Based on the preview pages, artist Marcio Takara possesses a similar set of skills. After years of standing alongside DC's capes crowd, the return of Hellblazer feels like Constantine's homecoming. We can't wait to see what it brings. --Jamie Lovett
Silver Surfer: Black #5
Written by Donny Cates
Art by Tradd Moore
Published by Marvel Comics
At long last, the finale to Donny Cates' Silver Surfer: Black mini-series is here, promising a fitting conclusion to the most explosive cosmic story of the summer. Having the same writer on both Silver Surfer and Guardians of the Galaxy has thrust the cosmic corner of the Marvel Universe forward substantially and fittingly enough, it seems like Cates knows what sells the most books. Silver Surfer: Black has been an incredibly rich story about Norin Radd, that most SS fans should enjoy. Then on top of everything else, Moore's work on this has set an incredibly high standard for anyone else hoping to take on the wielder of the Power Cosmic at any future point. -- Adam Barnhardt
Thor Vol. 3: War's End
Written by Jason Aaron
Art by Mike Del Mundo
Published by Marvel Comics
Regardless of how much you kept up with the overall War of the Realms event, this collection is a gorgeous and surprisingly-essential look at Marvel's God of Thunder and those in his world. Jason Aaron, Mike Del Mundo, and company crafted a series of issues that are relatively self-contained, but incredibly impactful and emotional. This trade is absolutely worth your money. — Jenna Anderson
Vamps: The Complete Collection
Written by Elaine Lee
Art by Will SImpson
Published by Vertigo/DC Comics
Halloween is just a few days away and with the spooky holiday coming up, it seems like the perfect time for Elaine Lee's Vamps: The Complete Collection to be released. First published as a Vertigo series in the mid to late 1990s, the collection coming out on Wednesday combines not just the original six-issue series, but the two additional series, Vamps: Hollywood and Vein and Vamps: Pumpkin Time. The series, generally, follows a girl gang of vampires hitting the open road on motorcycles in search of a new life but like all good open road stories, there are complications along the way -- namely the demons in the leader Howler's past. The series is fun, a little campy, and a timely read that you won't want to miss. -- Nicole Drum
WWE Then Now Forever Vol. 4
Written by Derek Fridolfs, Bill Hanstock, Bren Schoonover, and others.
Art by Kendall Goode, Carlos Magno, Brent Schoonover, and others.
Published by BOOM! Studios
BOOM! Studios has another packed collection of delightful WWE stories coming at ya with WWE Then. Now. Forever Vol. 4, and regardless of what era you enjoy most, it's got something right up your alley. Fans will get a behind the scenes look at the formation of Money Incorporated, the showdown between Asuka and Charlotte, the inspiration behind Jinder Mahal's resurgence, and more, and that's not including stories featuring Velveteen Dream, Adam Cole, Aleister Black, Naomi, the Usos, Ric Flair, and others. Odds are you'll find a superstar you love here, and if not you'll definitely find a new one to love by the time the collection's come to an end. — Matthew Aguilar
X-Men: Starjammers
Written by Chris Claremont, Terry Kavanagh
Art by Dave Cockrum, John Byrne, Paul Smith
Published by Marvel Comics
The House of Ideas is finally releasing another batch of trade paperbacks featuring the earliest Starjammers tales and suddenly, all is right in the world. Collecting over a dozen separate comic book issues, this TPB features the Starjammers' earliest adventures with the X-Men and Shi'ar Empire. Dave Cockrum helped to create this space-faring group and this collection includes every Starjammers appearances drawn by the late artist. Part X-Men, part epic space opera, this trade is sure to have the best of both worlds. -- Adam Barnhardt
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