It is nearly a new comic book day once again. New releases are on the way and will hit comic book stores and digital comics platforms. Every week in The Weekly Pull, ComicBook.com‘s team highlights some of the releases we’re most excited about that will be arriving in stores. Those releases might be from the big two or a smaller publisher. They might be new monthly issues, an original graphic novel, or a collected edition. It can involve superheroes or come from any other genre. Whatever it may be that has us excited, and if it goes on sale this week, then we’re going to let you know all about it.
This week, mutant go to space in SWORD #1, Batman returns to the black and white format, and Home Sick Pilots blends horror and punk rock. Plus, DC Returns to the multiverse with two very different titles, and more.
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What comics are you most excited about this week? Let us know which new releases you’re most excited about 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 Black & White #1
- Written by James Tynion IV, J.H. Williams III, G. Willow Wilson, Emma Rios, and Paul Dini
- Art by Tradd Moore, J.H. Williams III, Greg Smallwood, Emma Rios, and Andy Kubert
- Published by DC Comics
Every volume of Batman: Black and White presents an all-star lineup from its own era of comics. Regardless of a reader’s taste, these short story assemblies are about more than the individual strengths of writers and artists. Instead, they present highly regarded talents who display a diverse array of skills, approaches, and styles. The result is a collection that will always be interesting and almost certainly contain at least one unforgettable entry. This continuation of Black and White appears more than capable of delivering on that promise, too, considering the immense talents attached. Artists extraordinaire J.H. Williams III and Emma Rios are both given their own stories, while the likes of Tradd Moore and Greg Smallwood bring their inimitable styles to the page. Batman: Black and White #1 portrays Batman as everything Gotham’s downtrodden detective to the world’s most accomplished protector. No matter your personal preferences, you’re bound to discover an outstanding Batman tale in these pages. — Chase Magnett
Captain Marvel #24
- Written by Kelly Thompson
- Art by Lee Garbett
- Published by Marvel Comics
Carol has found herself smack in the middle of an alternate reality leading a team of the children of some of Marvel’s biggest icons, but the surprises don’t end there, and we are about to get some major answers in Captain Marvel #24. The mysteries surrounding the OVE and their stronghold are still intriguing, and meeting all these wonderful alternate versions of Marvel favorites has made us hope that someday they’ll make the jump to our universe. Fingers crossed folks! — Matthew Aguilar
Comic Book History of Animation #1
- Written by Fred Van Lente
- Art by Ryan Dunlavey
- Published by IDW Publishing
The Comic Book History of Animation provides readers a sequel from the same outstanding artistic team that brought us The Comic Book History of Comics; expectations should be accordingly high. If this new series meets the bar set by its predecessor, then anyone who picks it up can expect to learn a lot without ever becoming bored. Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavey understand that the words and images in comics enhance one another, so they use the medium to provide additional depth beyond the essential historical prose. The research is excellent and that in turn supports a clear narrative perspective to help the uninitiated dive into a complex and convoluted story of how illustrations were made to move on a movie screen. You don’t have to be a nerd to want to learn more about the history of animation and it’s hard to imagine a more enjoyable approach to that education than The Comic Book History of Animation. — Chase Magnett
Dark Nights Death Metal The Last Stories of the DC Universe #1
- Written by Various
- Art by Various
- Published by DC Comics
Yes, the overall Dark Nights: Death Metal event has splintered off in a lot of unexpected and wild ways over the past few months. But the event has been at its best when it has honored the characters and worlds of the DC universe that are on the periphery – something that this week’s The Last Stories of the DC Multiverse one-shot does in spades. This collection of stories on the final night before the fight against Perpetua and The Batman Who Laughs spans across a wide array of DC characters, as they make their final preparations before the battle that’s ahead. This one-shot has so much to it, even for those who haven’t been following any of the Death Metal event, from Mark Waid’s first return to DC in a decade working with Francis Manapul on the Superman story “Man of Tomorrow”, to Gail Simone and Meghan Hetrick’s absolutely, positively perfect Green Arrow and Black Canary story “Dust of a Distant Storm”. Even if Death Metal has fallen off of your radar, The Last Stories of the DC Multiverse has more than enough in it to justify joining your collection. — Jenna Anderson
DC’s Very Merry Multiverse #1
- Written by Various
- Art by Various
- Published by DC Comics
If I’m being honest, I’m always hyped for DC’s seasonal anthology issues, which highlight various characters from across the DC universe in honor of a particular holiday. DC’s Very Merry Multiverse, a new 80-page giant from the company, is absolutely no exception, with a roster of stories that will surely get fans in the holiday spirit. The issue feels eclectic in all the right ways, with combinations of characters and creative teams that are too perfect for words, like Paul Scheer, Nick Giovanetti, and Steve Lieber on a delightful Harley Quinn story, John Layman and Dani on a Gotham by Gaslight-themed Batman story, and Tom King and Scott Koblish on “A Very Lobo Hanukkah”. Plus, DC’s Very Merry Multiverse is set to shine a light on characters who are relatively underappreciated in the DC lore, from Teen Justice to President Superman to Prez. No other comic this week is going to give you this much bang for your buck, highlight the weirdness of the DC universe, and get you excited for the next few weeks of holidays all at once. — Jenna Anderson
Heroes at Home #1
- Written by Zeb Wells
- Art by Gurihiru
- Published by Marvel Comics
With everyone at home thanks to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, one has to ask: what do heroes do at home? Marvel answered that question with their Heroes at Home features over the summer and now, those comics have been compiled in one collection. The collection is sure to very much be an of-the-moment thing, but also offers a bit of comfort, humor, and normalcy in what is a certainly abnormal time. Everyone deals with quarantine differently. This charming little collection might just make you feel a little better about all that banana bread being baked as it reminds us that heroes are people, too. — Nicole Drum
Home Sick Pilots #1
- Written by Dan Watters
- Art by Caspar Wijngaard
- Published by Image Comics
A haunted house story? Sure, whatever. A story about a haunted house in the 1990s inhabited by a punk band’s singer that is somehow inspired by both Power Rangers and The Shining? Now you have my attention. That’s Home Sick Pilots, the new series by Dan Watters and Caspar Wijngaard. The former is the co-creator of Coffin Bound, and the latter is the artist of Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt. That a powerful pitch and an accomplished creative team. What more are you looking for from a new comic? — Jamie Lovett
King in Black: Namor #1
- Written by Kurt Busiek
- Art by Benjamin Dewey and Jonas Scharf
- Published by Marvel Comics
The King in Black event is here on the page of Marvel Comics and if you happen to be a fan of Namor the Sub-Mariner and honestly just the Atlanteans in general, then you’ll want to check out this week’s King in Black: Namor #1. The story actually takes place in the past, giving an adventure featuring a young Namor and others and offers an origin story for some of Atlantis’ greatest villains. An interesting premise, a neat spinoff of sorts, and a chance to see teenager Namor, the book is a must-read for anyone interested in the under the sea side of things. And, of course, I can’t not recommend something Namor. He’s the best. — Nicole Drum
Mighty Morphin #2
- Written by Ryan Parrott
- Art by Marco Renna
- Published by BOOM! Studios
The new era of Power Rangers kicked off in style with Mighty Morphin #1 and Power Rangers #1, but as fans know who read the latter, things will never be the same for both titles or teams moving forward. After what happened, the fallout begins in Mighty Morphin #1, and that’s on top of there being a new Green Ranger in the mix, who no one knows the identity of aside from Billy and Grace. Plus Lord Zedd is back in a huge way, so yeah, the world of Power Rangers is not getting any less complicated anytime soon, and we’re here for all of it. — Matthew Aguilar
SWORD #1
- Written by Al Ewing
- Art by Valerio Schti
- Published by Marvel Comics
Mutants have conquered death and carved out a nation for themselves on Earth. So what comes next? That’s the question posed in SWORD #1, the first issue of the newest addition to Marvel’s X-Men line. Al Ewing of Immortal Hulk fame re-teams with Empyre artist Valerio Schti and colorist Marte Gracia to take mutantkind to the stars. Given how revolutionary the recent X-Men era has been on Earth, readers won’t want to miss out on seeing what happens when it heads to space, especially not under such a talented and acclaimed creative team. — Jamie Lovett
