The Weekly Pull: Black Panther, Green Lantern, Radiant Black, and More
It is nearly new comic book day again. New releases are on the way and will hit comic book stores [...]
DC Love Is a Battlefield #1
- Written by Various
- Art by Various
- Published by DC Comics
The DC Comics universe is home to a wide array of swoon-worthy couples, many of whom have gotten in and out of the spotlight over the years. That makes this week's Love Is a Battlefield one-shot, which highlights some of the best and most surprising pairings in the DCU, a very welcomed addition to its holiday anthologies. The stories in Love Is a Battlefield cover iconic couples like Hawkman and Hawkwoman and Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy, to more unexpected pairings like Kid Flash and Red Arrow and even Amanda Waller and Perry White. That promise, combined with a list of captivating creators that includes Tim Seeley, Mark Russell, and John Ridley, make this a one-shot that definitely deserves to be on your pull list. -- Jenna Anderson
prevnextFuture State: Dark Detective #3
- Written by Mariko Tamaki
- Art by Dan Mora
- Published by DC Comics
Future State: Dark Detective has been offering up to readers not only an intriguing story of the dystopian, Magistrate-controlled Gotham, but it's also presented a real, back-to-basics Batman story as well that sees Bruce Wayne do some serious detective work all while trying to survive a city that wants him dead. Dark Detective #3, however, starts putting some of the bigger pieces of the puzzle together and reveals just how in over his head Bruce may be. It's an interesting take and a place we don't always see the character in which makes it fascinating and a fun read. There's also another installment of Grifters in this issue which by itself is reason enough to check it out. -- Nicole Drum
prevnextFuture State: Green Lantern #2
- Written by Josie Campbell, Geoffrey Thorne, Robert Venditti
- Art by Tom Raney, Dexter Soy, Andie Tong
- Published by DC Comics
Green Lantern #1 was easily one of the best Future State books so far, and the encore seems to be just as stellar. Not only do we get the continuation of John Stewart's story but we also get an amazing team-up between the newest Lantern and the biggest in the Corps, as well as a team-up that finally answers the question of what happened to Hal Jordan. It's another action-packed issue that highlights how versatile the Corps is, and no Lantern fan is going to want to miss it. -- Matthew Aguilar
prevnextFuture State: Kara Zor-El, Superwoman #2
- Written by Marguerite Bennett
- Art by Marguerite Sauvage
- Published by DC Comics
Kara Zor-El, Superwoman has been one of the biggest pleasant surprises of Future State thus far, as the first issue brought a profound and absolutely gorgeous take on the Girl of Steel's story. Going into this issue, it's clear that her role as the protector of the moon's refugees — and her self-confidence regarding her standing in the Superman family — are sure to be further evolved, in a way that should hopefully reverberate into Kara's future DC Comics appearances. This miniseries has the potential to be one of the best Kara stories in recent memory, so you absolutely should join on the bandwagon. — Jenna Anderson
prevnextKing in Black: Black Panther #1
- Written by Geoffrey Thorne
- Art by German Peralta
- Published by Marvel Comics
With the King in Black event in full swing, there's nowhere in the Marvel universe that isn't impacted by Knull's forces -- including Wakanda. But what does Knull's invasion look like in one of the most advanced nations on Earth -- and how does Black Panther react to a threat that is unlike anything they've ever seen? On the premise alone, King in Black: Black Panther is an interesting story and it's a must-read this week. Between Thorne's thoughtful story and Peralta's detailed and grand art -- art that is both grounded and epic thanks to Aburtov's art and you've got an exciting chapter -- and perhaps turning point -- of the King in Black story that you do not want to miss. -- Nicole Drum
prevnextLost Soldiers
- Written by Ales Kot
- Art by Luca Casalanguida and Heather Moore
- Published by Image Comics
Lost Soldiers was my favorite comic published in 2020; the contest isn't even close for me. Even as a longtime reader of Ales Kot's work, this story stood out for how it merged many of the writer's consistent themes and interests in a cohesive manner and paired them with one of the most outstanding artistic teams to portray sequential storytelling. Casalanguida's brutal line work combined with Moore's inspired coloring made this story of warfare and trauma spread across 40 years come to life in a stunning and visceral fashion. They embed readers into the minds of men broken by war as this terrifying tale interrogates difficult subjects, including the cross-section of toxic masculinity and rape. It is undoubtedly a harrowing read, but what it says about humanity offers rays of understanding and possibly even hope. I cannot provide a higher recommendation for a comic in 2021. If you missed Lost Soldiers in single issues, don't dare to let this perfect volume escape your eyes and bookshelf. -- Chase Magnett
prevnextMighty Morphin #4
- Written by Ryan Parrott
- Art by Marco Renna
- Published by BOOM! Studios
The time has finally come to learn the identity of the mysterious Green Ranger, and it's definitely going to have a major impact on the current team. That said, the fallout from the revelation will be much bigger than just the Rangers, as things have been rather tense already between Zordon and Promethea's Grace Sterling, and we can't imagine things will get better after this. Writer Ryan Parrott and artist Marco Renna are set to turn the Rangers' worlds upside down, and it should make for one hell of a show. -- Matthew Aguilar
prevnextMorbius Epic Collection: The Living Vampire
- Written by Don McGregor, Gerry Conway, Mike Friedrich, Stever Gerber, and others
- Art by Luis Dominguez, Paul Gulacy, Gil Kane, Ross Andru, Rich Buckler, and others
- Published by Marvel Comics
If you have never read the earliest Morbius stories from Marvel Comics, you can expect to enjoy them in the same fashion that many of us will enjoy Jared Leto's performance in Morbius whenever that movie arrives: Ironically. There is some outstanding artwork compiled from the likes of Gil Kane and Rich Buckler from various Marvel series in the 70s, but the stories themselves are consistently bizarre, for better or for worse. The fun in discovering (or rediscovering) many of these issues comes from their status as a time capsule. It's difficult to imagine who thought some of these ideas were good, but they are so strange as to deliver their own idiosyncratic charm. You can chuckle along with the parts that are outdated, while still appreciating some stunning pencils and inks covering Marvel's moodiest characters. Just like this recommendation, Morbius Epic Collection is an odd duck and, while it's certainly not for everyone, it might just deliver an unexpected evening of fun reading. -- Chase Magnett
prevnextORCS! #1
- Writing and art by Christine Larsen
- Published by KabOOM!
Dungeons & Dragons is having a boom period right now, and the pandemic has neophyte adventurers playing via video chat over the internet with friends. The heroes taking on a band of orcs is a fantasy scenario as old as The Lord of the Rings. In ORCS!, Christine Larsen looks to examine fantasy worlds from the Orcs' perspectives, and she does with great art and potent doses of humor and personality. This is the perfect light-hearted tale for any fantasy gaming or literature aficionado or anyone looking to have a little fun with a boisterous and eager band of misfits. -- Jamie Lovett
prevnextRadiant Black #1
- Written by Kyle Higgins
- Art by Marcelo Costa
- Published by Image Comics
With Marvel and DC Comics taking up as much room and the genre as the "big two" publishers tend to do, it can be easy to forget that the superhero genre is larger than Batman and the Avengers. it is always exciting to see what happens when new creators begin building new superhero stories, and potentially universes, from the ground up and free of decades of continuity. We've seen success stories from Valiant's relaunch and Jeff Lemire's Black Hammer universe. Now Kyle Higgins and Marcelo Costa are trying their hands with Radiant Black #1, introducing a new hero in a familiar archetype to the world. With the talent involved, this could be Image Comics' next Invincible. -- Jamie Lovett
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