The Weekly Pull: Batman: Dark Age, X-Men '97, The Goon: Them That Don't Stay Dead, and More
This week also brings the X-Force finale, the new Green Arrow and Somna issues, and more.
Batman: Dark Age #1
- Written by Mark Russell
- Art by Michael Allred
- Colors by Laura Allred
- Letters by Dave Sharpe
Spinning out of Superman: Space Age, Batman: Dark Age is the latest series from Mark Russell, known for his satirical work, and Mike Allred, one the greatest artists in modern comics history, with Allred's frequent collaborator, and wife, Laura Allred providing colors. Russell and Allred's "Age" books have a premise in line with Marvel's "Life Story" comics (Russell having previously written Fantastic Four: Life Story) in that they recontextualize the mythology of their subjects, casting them against the backdrop of real-world events. While the premise was novel at Marvel Comics, it is even bolder when applied to DC's iconic character since the DC Universe has never claimed to be "the world outside your window." Batman: Dark Age sees the young, rich, and listless playboy Bruce Wayne getting in trouble with the law and signing up for a tour of duty in Vietnam on his way to meeting Ra's al Ghul and returning to Gotham to wage war on the city's crime families. There's always the risk that combining fantasy and reality will see the fantastical elements overwhelming and trivializing important historical moments. And yet, with the Allreds providing their usual gorgeous art, it's hard to resist the pitch and hope that the creators find the necessary balance to make the story a winner. -- Jamie Lovett
prevnextBirds of Prey: Progeny
- Written by Gail Simone
- Art by Paolo Siqueira, Nicola Scott, and James Raiz
- Inks by Robin Riggs, Doug Hazlewood
- Colors by Hi-Fi
- Letters by Pat Brosseau, Travis Lanham
- Published by DC
I will forever be thankful that DC has been collecting and reprinting Gail Simone's original run on Birds of Prey because the series deserves to be preserved in a glossy hardcover format. This week's newest installment follows the team in the throes of the "One Year Later" status quo — which not only leads to one of Black Canary's biggest stories of the 21st century but also some massive new threats for the team. If you haven't checked out this era of the Birds yet, this is a great chance to remedy that. — Jenna Anderson
prevnextThe Goon: Them That Don't Stay Dead #1
- Created by Eric Powell
- Published by Dark Horse Comics
It's the 25th anniversary of The Goon and that's a damn fine cause to celebrate in the world of comics. Eric Powell's eponymous thug has been keeping Lonely Street clear of zombies and all sorts of other riffraff (supernatural and otherwise) for a quarter century in a cartooning style unlike any other. With an abundance of violence, humor, and violent humor, Goon, Frankie, and other oddball members of their crew have developed a mythos to rival the likes of Hellboy or Usagi Yojimbo, making their return to Dark Horse Comics in The Goon: Them That Don't Stay Dead #1 seem like destiny. Even readers unfamiliar with the series will be able to pick up this new #1 and quickly discover what makes the title a cult favorite amongst comics readers. Those who have been anticipating more of The Goon for years (myself included) are bound to be looking out for the reappearance of favorite characters and tropes in a black-and-white spectacle without rival. Regardless of what you already know, The Goon: Them That Don't Stay Dead returns Powell's can't-miss cartooning to store shelves for a great week of new comics. -- Chase Magnett
prevnextGreen Arrow #10
- Written by Joshua Williamson
- Art by Sean Izaakse, Tom Derenick
- Colors by Romulo Fajardo Jr.
- Letters by Troy Peteri
- Published by DC
The second I first saw the cover for this week's Green Arrow, my jaw dropped. After nearly a year of this series promising to reintroduce some of the long-forgotten members of the ArrowFam, the prospect of cameos from Speedy and Artemis was music to my ears. The actual issue within, which shows the two crimson-hued heroines in a team-up with Red Arrow and Red Canary, feels like the makings of another delightful dynamic in the Dawn of DC era. — Jenna Anderson
prevnextJLApe: The Complete Collection
- Written by Various
- Art by Various
- Published by DC
As I explained when recently recommending DC's Ape-ril Special, I will never tire of the publisher's old edict that gorillas sell comics. The JLApe crossover was one of the more modern examples of that, portraying a crossover involving DC's biggest heroes being turned into monkeys. As you would expect, plenty of hilarity ensues, as well as a pretty charming glimpse at what makes the DCU work so well. Check out this new collection to experience the whole story for yourself. — Jenna Anderson
prevnextSomna #3
- Written by Becky Cloonan and Tula Lotay
- Art by Becky Cloonan and Tula Lotay
- Colors by Lee Loughridge, Dee Cunniffe, and Tula Lotay
- Letters by Lucas Gattoni
- Published by DSTLRY
DSTLRY debuted at the end of 2023 with a stellar collection of creators and concepts, but Somna has defined itself as the publisher's first great critical success. From the very first issue, it was apparent that cartoonists Becky Cloonan and Tula Lotay, collaborating as both writers and artists on Somna, were a comics dream team (literally and metaphorically, given the contents of Somna). The historical setting of 17th-century England is brilliantly and brittlely realized by Cloonan during the day, while Lotay's soft, liquid impressions summon fantasy and horror in the form of the devil. Each issue displays their artwork in outstanding fashion on enormous pages and installments that run long enough to draw readers ever deeper into this irresistible nightmare. The greatest fear induced by the series, though, is its inevitable conclusion this week. All great horror requires a conclusion and the visions plaguing this small town threaten to blend the dueling artistic visions into an unforgettable finale. It's not to be missed. -- Chase Magnett
prevnextX-Force #50
- Written by Benjamin Percy
- Art by Robert Gill
- Colors by GURU-eFX
- Letters by Joe Caramagna
- Published by Marvel Comics
It is exceedingly rare to see writers in modern superhero comics deliver a series run that lasts much longer than a year. Outside of very specific writers on A-list, evergreen titles, the expectation is that most stories will be closed out quickly as sales decline, possibly to be continued in other series if the creators are lucky. That makes Benjamin Percy's run on X-Force seem borderline miraculous. The saga of a mutant black ops team striving to protect Krakoa from outside threats (and their own worst actors) has covered the entirety of the Krakoan era of X-Men comics – the sole ongoing series to manage that feat. While the story certainly had its ups and downs, there's no denying that it told its own twisted tale of intelligence agencies and ethical atrocities with all of the space required to let its characters and concepts breathe. With Beast posed as the series' ultimate villain, a well-earned status at this point, it prepares to wrap up an extraordinary tale of mutant angst, violence, and redemption this Wednesday. X-Force #50 is an issue to be celebrated as it finishes telling the sort of story and series we see so rarely in comics today. -- Chase Magnett
prevnextX-Men '97 #1
- Written by Steve Foxe
- Art by Salva Espin
- Colors by Matt Milla
- Letters by Joe Sabino
- Published by Marvel Comics
I tried to resist the wave of X-Men nostalgia that was cresting over the horizon as the premiere of X-Men '97 drew nearer, and I lasted until I got the screeners for the first few episodes. Now I'm rewatching X-Men: The Animated Series, reading '90s X-Men comics, playing 2D X-Men video games, and eagerly anticipating new X-Men '97 episodes on Wednesdays. This week brings a double dose of X-Men '97 since, in addition to the new episode arriving on Disney+, Marvel Comics is also keeping in the tradition of X-Men Adventures and Adventures of the X-Men by bringing the animated iteration of the mutant heroes to comics. Rather than adapting episodes of the show, as X-Men Adventures did, or offering new tales in a splinter timeline, like Adventures of the X-Men, the new X-Men '97 series sees writer Steve Foxe and artist Salva Espin filling in the gap between the end of X-Men: The Animated Series and the beginning of the X-Men '97 cartoon. Foxe and Espin are no strangers to X-Men: The Animated Series' distinct '90s flavor, having produced 2022's X-Men '92: House of XCIII, which imagined if the Krakoan age had happened about 30 years early. X-Men '97 #1 doesn't come with a pizza, soda, and VHS tape, but it's probably the closest comics readers will come to tapping into that '90s feeling. -- Jamie Lovett
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