The Weekly Pull: Batman: Urban Legends, Sandman Universe: Nightmare Contry, Kaiju Score: Steal From the Gods and More

It’s almost another new comic book day, which means new releases hitting stores and digital platforms. Each week in The Weekly Pull, the ComicBook.com team highlights the new releases that have us the most excited about another week of comics. Whether those releases are from the most prominent publisher or a small press, brand new issues of ongoing series, original graphic novels, or collected editions of older material, whether it involves capes and cowls or comes from any other genre, if it has us excited about comic books this week, then we’re going to tell you about it in The Weekly Pull.

This week, The Sandman Universe is back with a new nightmare, a new Kaiju Score series begins, and more Batman: Urban Legends. Plus, the first collection of a recent 2000 AD hit, a new collection of Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters, and more.

What comics are you most excited about this week? Let us know which new releases you’re looking forward to reading in the comments, and feel free to leave some of your suggestions as well. Check back tomorrow for our weekly reviews and again next week for a new installment of The Weekly Pull.

Batman: Urban Legends #14

• Written by Vita Ayala, Ryan Cady, Che Grayson, and Mark Russell
• Art by Nikola Cizmesija, Guiseppe Camuncoli, Cam Smith, Serg Acuna, and Karl Mostert
• Colors by Nick Filardi, Sebastian Cheng, Ivan Plascencia, and Trish Mulvihill
• Lettering by Steve Wands, William Schubert, and Josh Reed
• Published by DC Comics

When done right, Batman: Urban Legends can be something essential within DC’s arsenal, as it uses the ever-popular framing device of Batman and Gotham City to spotlight underrated characters or concepts. While that’s a tactic DC has used in some form or fashion since the Silver Age, it still feels like a marvel today — as evident by the wide array of intriguing stories that this week’s issue has. From new installments in the continuing Batman & Zatanna and Ace the Bat-Hound stories, to a team-up between Batman and The Question, to the birth of a new roster for the Birds of Prey, this issue has something for a wide variety of DC fans, and an impressive array of creative teams to boot. — Jenna Anderson

Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters Vol. 2

• Written by Chris Samnee and Laura Samnee
• Art by Chris Samnee
• Colors by Matthew Wilson
• Letters by Crank!
• Published by Oni Press

Each new issue of Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters is an exquisite treat as the series delivers one of the most potent visual narratives on comic bookshelves today. For readers like myself who closely track each new issue, the second collection offers both the excuse to reread issues #5-8 and an opportunity to display the series on their bookshelves and share it with friends and family. For anyone sufficiently mad (or patient) enough to await new collections, it will be impossible to set down as Jonna and Rainbow’s journey through the ravaged wilderness of their world continues. These issues present new challenges as Jonna is wrangled into a monster-fighting arena and Rainbow struggles to make sense of an unforgiving hidden city. And, of course, the volume is packed with astonishing new monsters, each better designed to capture readers’ imaginations, and ensuing battles bound to leave your jaw hanging whether it’s your first or fifth time seeing them. Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters remains a can’t-miss, all-ages comics sensation – don’t miss it. — Chase Magnett

Kaiju Score: Steal From the Gods #1

• Written by James Patrick
• Art by Rem Broo
• Letters by Dave Sharpe
• Published by Aftershock Comics

The first edition of The Kaiju Score was easily one of my favorite independent comics to come out in recent years, as it brought a creative and genre-bending take on the tropes of both heist and monster stories. This week’s new arc, Steal From the Gods, takes the excellent expectations set by the series and stretches them even further, as breakout character Michelle leads a new team on a heist to steal from giant monsters. You absolutely should be on the colorful, entertaining bandwagon that is The Kaiju Score, but if you aren’t already, this issue might be the perfect jumping-on point. — Jenna Anderson

Proteus Vex Vol. 1: Another Dawn

• Written by Mike Carroll
• Art by Henry Flint, Jake Lynch
• Colors by Jim Roswell
• Letters by Simon Bowland
• Published by 2000 AD

This year, I’ve been trying to keep up with 2000 AD, the UK’s long-running weekly sci-fi comics anthology that’s given the world such gifts as Judge Dredd, and that’s celebrating its 45th anniversary in 2022. While I’ve found plenty to love each week, one of my favorite series to show up in the magazine has been Mike Carroll and Jake Lynch’s Proteus Vex. The story is a potent blend of espionage and space opera. It’s like James Bond got involved in Star Wars but then went rogue after exposing Rebel Alliance war crimes committed at the end of the war, all rendered with beautiful, slightly surrealist art. Given how much I’ve adored the current Proteus Vex story arc, I’m thrilled to see 2000 AD putting out the first Proteus Vex collection. It offers the opportunity to check out the first Proteus Vex story, “Another Dawn,” featuring art by Henry Flint, who adds a Mobius-like touch. Any fan of exciting, thoughtful space opera should give this a look. — Jamie Lovett

The Sandman Universe: Nightmare Country #1

• Written by James Tynion IV
• Art by Lisandro Estherren, Yanick Paquette
  
• Colors by Patricia Delpeche, Nathan Fairbairn
  
• Letters by Simon Bowland
  
• Published by DC Comics 

The Corinthian has long been one of the most iconic creations from the original Sandman series, to the point that he’s shown up in some capacity in nearly every sequel or successor series that DC Comics has published over the years. Now he’s taking the spotlight. After going dark for a few months, DC Comics’ Sandman Universe line comes back to life this week with Nightmare Country #1 from James Tynion IV, Lisandro Estherren, and Yanick Paquette. While the series works with the established Sandman mythology, this issue looks to bring in new readers who might not be intimately familiar with the Endless family. Tynion applies the same thematic lens he uses in his hit Image Comics series Department of Truth, critiquing modern American society by weighing the value of its dreams and nightmares. Nightmare Country is one of the most exciting debuts of the year, fit for longtime fans or Sandman neophytes alike. — Jamie Lovett

Suicide Squad: Blaze #2

• Written by Simon Spurrier
• Art by Aaron Campbell
• Colors by Jordie Bellaire
• Letters by Aditya Bidikar
• Published by DC Comics

There is a very bitter element to Suicide Squad: Blaze #2; its release means that only one issue remains from the best team of creators to address Task Force X since the likes of John Ostrander, Kim Yale, Luke McDonnell, and John K. Snyder III made so many C-list villains iconic in the 1980s. The first issue was an absolute thrill to read with abundant character work, viscerally exciting action sequences, and an abundance of brutal commentary on the carceral state. Blaze #2 promises more and with the miniseries twist thoroughly explored, it promises an even faster pace as the team endures more missions with their overcharged and rapidly dwindling lives. The first issue delivered some familiar faces like Harley Quinn, Peacemaker, and, of course, Boomerbutt – each of them delivered with a familiar but essential sensibility. However, it’s the new nobodies that provide the most interest as they are centered in both the ongoing missions and conspiracy at the heart of this story. Their idiosyncratic and diverse personalities provided the same sort of instant interest and stakes that made Suicide Squad #1 a guaranteed cult favorite as soon as it hit stands. Where this story will take them is anyone’s guess, but coming from the reunited team that brought readers John Constantine, Hellblazer, it’s guaranteed to deliver on sky-high expectations. Let’s go! — Chase Magnett

X-Men ’92: House of XCII #1

• Written by Steve Foxe
• Art by Salvador Espin
• Colors by Israel Silva
• Letters by Joe Sabino
• Published by Marvel Comics

House of X helped transform the X-Men line in a way that hasn’t been done in decades. X-Men: The Animated Series remains, for many X-Men fans, the definitive take on the franchise even 30 years later. What happens when you combine these two iconic takes on Marvel’s mutants? Fans will find out in X-Men ’92: House of XCII #1. The new miniseries is in the competent hands of writer Steve Foxe and artist Salvador Espin, and we can’t wait to get a taste of these two great X-Men flavors combined. — Jamie Lovett