It’s almost 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.
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This week, DC enters its next phase, Infinite Frontier, while the X-Men gets reimagined in Demon Days: X-Men. Scott Snyder and Tony Daniel launch their new creator-owned series Nocterra, as do Chris and Laura Samnee (the latter being decidedly more kid-friendly than the former), 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.
America Chavez: Made in the USA #1
- Written by Kalinda Vazquez
- Art by Carlos Gomez
- Published by Marvel Comics
America Chavez returns this week with America Chavez: Made in the USA #1 and if you aren’t already a fan of this incredible character, now’s the time to jump in. From writer Kalinda Vazquez with art by Carlos Gomez and color by Jesus Aburtov, the book is a gorgeous and action-packed story as much about America as a superhero as it is about America the person as the story digs into her past and what that means for her present and future as well. It’s a fantastic introduction to the character for new fans as well as a great story for those who are already familiar with the powerful hero. — Nicole Drum
Casual Fling #2
- Written by Jason Starr
- Art by Dalibor Talajic
- Published by Upshot (AWA Studios)
I decided to check out Casual Fling #1, from AWA’s Upshot imprint, on a whim. The issue starts as a pretty straightforward account of two people in a marriage who are not on the same page, which leads one of them to commit adultery in what’s supposed to be a one-night stand. What hooked me and brought me back to the book for a second issue is Jason Starr and Dalibor Talajic veering into erotic thriller territory towards the end. I can’t remember the last time I encountered a comic book series created in the vein of films like Fatal Attraction and Basic Instinct. I don’t know if Casual Fling will ultimately live up to its potential, but I’m interested enough to see how this genre translates into comics to pick up another issue. — Jamie Lovett
Demon Days: X-Men #1
- Writing and art by Peach Momoko
- Published by Marvel Comics
Marvel’s X-Men line is as hot as it’s been in years, with Jonathan Hickman and the rest of the X-office creators giving their stories a cohesive aesthetic and mission statement. For something completely different, we turn to Demon Days: X-Men #1, which has Japanese artist Peach Momoko, best known for her highly sought-after variant covers, reimagining the X-Men and the more expansive Marvel universe through a different cultural lens. The first issue has a reimagined Psycloke at the center of a fairytale-like story. It is the first issue in a series of similar one-shots releasing quarterly to tell a longer overarching story. Best to get in on the ground floor. — Jamie Lovett
Infinite Frontier #0
- Written by Various
- Art by Various
- Published by DC Comics
Sure, DC has definitely gone through a lot of narrative relaunches and redirections over the years, and after the pomp and circumstance of things like Death Metal and Future State, it might be understandable to feel a little overwhelmed. But Infinite Frontier, a one-shot that is set to kickstart the next year of stories within the DC universe, feels like the best possible escalation and subversion of that feeling. With a star-studded creative team and a series of narrative vignettes covering everyone from Alan Scott to Wonder Girl to Green Arrow and Black Canary, it feels like there’s something in this one-shot to excite and delight everyone. I’m definitely excited to check it out, and you should be too. — Jenna Anderson
Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters #1
- Written by Chris Samnee and Laura Samnee
- Art by Chris Samnee
- Published by Oni Press
I don’t believe there’s a single #1 issue coming in 2021 that I am more excited about than Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters. As I type these sentences the PDF is sitting in my taskbar waiting to be read, but I wanted to type this out first—best not to reveal too much about the creative possibilities locked inside. Chris and Laura Samnee’s vision of a monster-fighting wilderness and the powerful young woman who roams it will inevitably receive comparisons to classics, new and old, like Jack Kirby’s Kamandi and Jeff Smith’s Bone, but the truth is that there is no one like Samnee in comics, today or before. While his accomplishments on Daredevil and Black Widow made it perfectly clear that he was a masterful storyteller, this is a comic that is 100% original and the possibilities seem endless. Sprawling spreads filled with enormous monsters, a charismatic fresh leading character with unbounded energy, and a definitive all-star team from the current era of comics make the front cover of Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters one of the most inspiring images I’ve looked at in a long time. I can’t wait to read what’s inside and hope you find the same thrill this Wednesday when it debuts. Now is a great time to be reading comics. — Chase Magnett
Mike Mignola: The Quarantine Sketchbook
- Art by Mike Mignola
- Published by Dark Horse Comics
It feels surreal that we’re coming up on a full year of the COVID-19 pandemic — but even amid all of the pain and uncertainty of the past year, there have been some bright spots. In the early days of quarantine, Mike Mignola’s posts on social media were definitely among them, as the legendary Hellboy creator began sharing sketches for an impressively wide array of characters and pop culture artifacts. Seeing SpongeBob SquarePants, Pokémon, and even the Keebler Elves translated into Mignola’s unique aesthetic style was nothing short of a joy, making the debut of this week’s Mike Mignola: The Quarantine Sketchbook — which collects his various sketches from those months — a must-buy for me. No other art book could perfectly encapsulate the bizarreness and the desire for comfort that many have felt over the past year, while also just offering some genuinely awesome art. — Jenna Anderson
Nocterra #1
- Written by Scott Snyder
- Art by Tony S. Daniel
- Published by Image Comics
Scott Snyder and Tony Daniel are well known for their work on Batman, but now they’re teaming up for a completely new creation titled Nocterra, and you don’t want to miss out on all the fun. Granted, the premise isn’t exactly fun for those involved, as Nocterra takes place in a world that descended into darkness years ago, and those caught in the darkness turn into fearsome monsters. The series follows one of the few lights in this world, a big rig driver who helps take refugees across the darkened landscape and delivers a fascinating look at the resilience of humanity amid an extreme circumstance that doesn’t mind dipping into the fantastical. If you’re looking for something new to try, this is a series that might be right up your alley. (Here’s ComicBook.com’s full review.) — Matthew Aguilar
Nottingham #1
- Written by David Hazan
- Art by Shane Connery Volk
- Published by Mad Cave Studios
The tale of Robin Hood is one of the more well-known classic stories, but Mad Cave Studios is putting a unique spin on the mythos with Nottingham. Instead of Robin Hood, this new series follows the Sheriff of Nottingham as he hunts down a brutal serial killer who is taking out tax collectors, and through the investigation, the Sheriff will make some very powerful enemies. There’s also always the threat of what the Sheriff describes as a terrorist group known as the Merry Men hiding in the forests, led by a mysterious person known only as the Hood. This is not your familiar Robin Hood tale, and that’s why you might just find yourself hooked. — Matthew Aguilar
Suicide Squad #1
- Written by Robbie Thompson
- Art by Eduardo Pansica
- Published by DC Comics
It’s a brand new Suicide Squad in Suicide Squad #1 out this week, complete with a new leader for Task Force X — none other than Peacemaker. It’s an interesting and exciting shift for the team, but one made even more interesting is that the roster for this iteration of the Squad isn’t your usual set of suspects. It makes for a wildly different dynamic, and that in turn makes for an exciting read. It’s a big departure, but it’s a fun one and well worth checking out. — Nicole Drum
The Swamp Thing #1
- Written by Ram V
- Art by Mike Perkins
- Published by DC Comics
Swamp Thing is the DC Comics character with the strongest tradition of launching iconic creators. Alan Moore’s Saga of the Swamp Thing is the obvious example, but readers should recall that Brian K. Vaughan, Mark Millar, and Scott Snyder all cut their teeth on this bog-like boogeyman early in their careers, too. Ram V’s arrival at DC Comics has been remarked by readers of his work at Vault, and expectations have been set reasonably high. Both V and artist Mike Perkins have already shown themselves to be excellent comics storytellers with a special knack for horror, so it follows that their teaming up on The Swamp Thing could deliver another iconic take for this classic DC B-lister. An early outing in Future State made it clear that ambition is not something this series will lack as Earth’s avatar confronts climate change—a very real global threat—in the 21st century. Wherever this series takes its eponymous hero, readers can expect to see great things from two creators with bright horizons ahead of them. — Chase Magnett
