Comics

The Weekly Pull: The Flash, Amazing Fantasy, Star Trek: Picard, and More

weekly-pull-week-of-august-31-2022.jpg

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.

Videos by ComicBook.com

This week, the Flash gets an annual, an amazing milestone for Marvel’s Spider-Man, and the next chapter of Star Trek: Picard.ย Plus, a celebration of 60 years of Sabrina the Teenage Witch, a new Astro City Metrobook, 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.

Amazing Fantasy #1000

amazing-fantasy-1000.jpg
  • Written by various
  • Art by various
  • Published by Marvel Comics

Marvel is celebrating Spider-Man’s 60th anniversary this year with multiple milestone issues. This week, it’sย Amazing Fantasy #1000, meant to commemorate the web-slingers first appearance in Amazing Fantasy #15. The anthology issue features talents like Kurt Busiek, Neil Gaiman, Jonathan Hickman, Jordie Bellaire, Ho Che Anderson, Marco Checchetto, Jim Cheung, Klaus Janson, and many more. This should be a celebration worth attending for any Spidey fan. — Jamie Lovett

Ant-Man #2

ant-man-2.jpg
  • Written by Al Ewing
  • Art by Tom Reilly
  • Colors by Jordie Bellaire
  • Letters by Cory Petit
  • Published by Marvel Comics

I typically avoid recommending second and third issues as a #1 ought to provide readers with everything they need to know to make up their minds. However, Al Ewing and Tom Reilly’s 60th-anniversary celebration of the Ant-Man legacy sets out to make each installment in the 4-part miniseries an event. The first issue utilized tremendous craft to pay homage to the Silver Age origins of Hank Pym in Tales of Suspense. Now, Ant-Man #2 promises to leap across Marvel Comics history once more to look at a very different Ant-Man: Eric O’Grady. The Irredeemable Ant-Man is an oft-overlooked run and an early favorite of mine around the same time that Civil War was hitting shelves โ€“ providing readers an absolute scumbag with great comedic effect provided by none other than Robert Kirkman and Phil Hester. That premise, in both style and era, provides a lot of opportunity for this team to take an entirely new approach in a story set to weave a wide array of takes on Marvel Comics together. Ant-Man laid out an ambitious premise in its first issue and looked back on an iconic era, but this week’s issue focused on the humor and off-beat ideas that ran through Marvel two decades ago has me even more excited to return. — Chase Magnett

Astro City: Metrobook Vol. 2

astro-city-metrobook-vol-2.jpg
  • Written by Kurt Busiek
  • Art by Brent Eric Anderson and Will Blyberg
  • Colors by Alex Sinclair
  • Letters by John G Roshell
  • Published by Image Comics

For those who have never picked up an issue of Astro City beforeโ€”perhaps intimidated by the series sprawling scope and decades of back issuesโ€”the “Metrobook” editions provide a splendidly-priced opportunity to see what superhero fans have been raving about since 1995. Each titanic paperback gathers together a sweeping swath of stories (nearly 500 pages in volume 2) for only $34.99. Even as someone who’s long loved the series, these volumes make for great reading and loaner copies as Astro City proves to be an ageless icon of the genre. For the uninitiated, this second installment provides a number of excellent starting points, including the classic tale “The Tarnished Angel.” That story of an ex-con supervillain playing the role of noir detective has long stood as a fan favorite and offers a great perspective on a world stuffed with idiosyncratic characters possessing fantastical powers. While it’s always easy to recommend Astro City, Metrobooks like this make it even easier to start (or re-start) reading the whole set of stories. — Chase Magnett

DC’s Saved by the Belle Reve #1

dcs-saved-by-the-belle-reve-1.jpg
  • Written by Various
  • Art by Various
  • Published by DC Comics

Fall is around the corner, and the change in seasons means that it’s time for another DC anthology. This week’s Saved by the Belle Reve aims to bring a back-to-school focus to its array of stories, and it’s safe to assume that it’ll bring something for everyone. From the return of Gotham Academy with its original creative team to delightful stories involving Azrael and the Suicide Squad, this anthology is jam-packed with creative and adorable vignettes. No other DC title this week will give you this much bang for your buck, trust me. โ€” Jenna Anderson

The Flash 2022 Annual

  • Written by Jeremy Adams
  • Art by Serg Acuna
  • Colors by Matt Herms
  • Letters by Justin Birch
  • Published by DC Comics

This might be the comic I’ve been looking most forward to this summer. If you are a Flash fan, you need to pick up The Flash 2022 Annual. If you aren’t a Flash fan, The Flash 2022 Annual is probably going to make you one. And if you are a romance novel fan, this issue is an absolute treat. The issue is a beautiful celebration of Linda and Wally’s relationship, reminding readers in a fun, Easter egg-packed way why they are one of the absolute greatest couples in comics all told through a very creative lensโ€” Linda’s novel. There is a ton of great and really, this issue is on every page just something you have to see, read, and enjoy. I cannot recommend it enough. Also? There’s a wild twist at the end that’s just so great.— Nicole Drum

Sabrina the Teenage Witch: 60 Magical Stories

sabrina-the-teenage-witch-60-magical-stories.jpg
  • Written by Various
  • Art by Various
  • Published by Archie Comics

Sabrina the Teenage Witch has become a sort of pop culture phenomenon, lighting up the television and comics world for decades. In celebration of her 60th anniversary, Archie is offering a chance to revisit one tale from each year of her history (thus far), alongside a slew of behind-the-scenes material. This year’s Best of Archie Comics: 80 Years, 80 Stories collection was already an inspired idea, and it’s safe to assume that Sabrina’s version of it will be as well. โ€” Jenna Anderson

Star Trek: Picard — Stargazer #1

star-trek-picard-stargazer-1.jpg
  • Written by Kirsten Beyer & Mike Johnson
  • Art by Angel Hernandez
  • Colors by J.D. Mettler
  • Letters by Neil Uyetake
  • Published by IDW Publishing

Star Trek fans have a while to wait yet before catching up with the returning Star Trek: The Next Generation crew in the upcoming third season of Star Trek: Picard. In the meantime, Star Trek: Picard — Stargazer will continue where Picard‘s second season left off. The series comes from the familiar Star Trek creative team of Kirsten Beyer, Mike Johnson, and Angel Hernandez and focuses on Jean-Luc Picard and Seven of Nine as both face challenges while reacclimating to life in Starfleet. Fans looking for a story to tide them over until next season should look no further. — Jamieย Lovett