The Weekly Pull: Superman: Son of Kal-El, Invincible Iron Man, A Vicious Circle, and More
Danger Street #1
- Written by Tom King
- Art by Jorge Fornes
- Published by DC
The very first second I first heard about Danger Street, I knew it would be an absolute must-read for me. The maxi-series filters the larger DC universe through an unexpected ensemble — the crop of characters who appeared in DC's First Issue Special issues in the 1970s. The idea of throwing Doctor Fate, The Creeper, the New Gods, Lady Cop, and The Green Team in a single book is ambitious, to say the least — but it's exactly the kind of concept that makes me downright excited about comics. With Tom King and Jorge Fornes at the helm, this is sure to be something special. — Jenna Anderson
Dark Crisis: Big Bang #1
- Written by Various
- Art by Various
- Published by DC
We're reaching the tail-end of the Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths, kicking off the year-long Dawn of DC initiative — and, seemingly, a more ambitious approach to the publisher's multiverse. Dark Crisis: Big Bang appears to usher in that concept wholeheartedly, with covers and solicitations teasing everything from the Jurassic League to Batman '89 to DC Super-Hero Girls. I'm already sold on the idea of folding some of these epic "Elseworld" stories into the larger multiverse, but I'm sure the ensemble on this one-shot — led by Mark Waid — will make it even more worthwhile of a read. — Jenna Anderson
Dark Web: X-Men #1
- Written by Gerry Duggan
- Art by Rod Reis
- Letters by Cory Petit
- Published by Marvel Comics
Last week, Marvel launched its latest crossover, Dark Web. The event sees Spider-Man's clone, Ben Reilly, a.k.a. Chasm, teaming with Jean Grey's clone Madelyne Pryor, a.k.a. The Goblin Queen, to wreak havoc on Earth by unleashing the demons of Limbo. The event is, essentially, "The Clone Saga" meets "Inferno" and it's off to a start that lives up to the bonkers nature of that premise. This week, we get to see the Spider-Man side of in The Amazing Spider-Man #15, but as a mildly mutant-obsessed comic book reader, I can't help but be even more excited about Dark Web: X-Men #1, which sees the New York-based X-Men team lead by Cyclops and Jean Grey dragged into the chaos. Gerry Duggan, who writes the ongoing X-Men series, is writing the tie-in, meaning the quality should be on par with that stellar series. Rod Reis, a standout artist on the X-line with his work on New Mutants, provides the art, which is reason enough to give the book a shot. If you've been a fan of the current X-Men run, or if you're planning to follow Dark Web, there's little reason not to pick up this issue. -- Jamie Lovett
Happy Horror Days #1
- Written by Frank Tieri, Joanne Starer, Joe Corallo
- Art by Joe Eisma, Butch Mapa, Patrick Piazzalunga
- Colors by Matt Herms
- Letters by Jack Morelli
- Cover by Adam Gorham
It's well-known that I"m a sucker for a holiday anthology but I'm really a sucker for a horror holiday anthology. And Archie delivers with three holiday-themed horror stories that are funny, a little scary, and totally Archie. "Wrath of the Sugar Plum Fairy" might be my favorite in this issue, but if you like creepy and Christmas, this one is for you. -- Nicole Drum
Invincible Iron Man #1
- Written by Gerry Duggan
- Art by Juan Frigeri
- Colors by Bryan Valenza
- Letters by Joe Caramagna
- Published by Marvel Comics
Over the past several years, Gerry Duggan has risen in the Marvel ranks to become one of the premiere writers of mainstream superheroes. He's gone from co-writing Deadpool to penning the relaunched Uncanny Avengers to joining the X-office, first on Marauders and currently on the flagship X-Men series. Throughout, he's told stellar stories with plenty of action, strong characterizations, and enough humor that they never feel like they're taking themselves too seriously. All that considered, he seems like the obvious choice to write the adventures of Iron Man in a post-Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark world, and that's what fans are getting with the launch of Invincible Iron Man this week. Duggan is teaming with Avengers artist Juan Frigeri for a story that finds Tony as alone and down on his luck as he's ever been. Things only get worse when assassins start gunning for him. Discovering what these creators have in store for the Golden Avengers should be a good time. -- Jamie Lovett
Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters #12
- Written by Chris and Laura Samnee
- Art by Chris Samnee
- Colors by Matthew Wilson
- Letters by Crank! and Chris Samnee
- Published by Oni Press
From its first few pages and across 11 titanic issues of unpossible monster-punching action the heartwarming bildungsroman titled Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters has astounded comic book readers. The series draws to a close this week as both the origins of the title are addressed and Jonna's family attempts to reunite at what may very well be their world's end. Artist Chris Samnee, long recognized as one of the most distinctive and capable visual storytellers in American comics, has affirmed that reputation with astounding design work and sprawling action sequences as thrilling as anything on the stands today. Yet what became most impressive about Jonna was the warm and rich familial narrative at its heart – a journey between two very different sisters with only one another to rely upon amidst so much pandemonium. The vibrant characters and emotionality are always clear within the spectacle allowing readers of all ages to appreciate the story, even at its most intimidating. While a finale promises there will be no more Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters in months to come, it also promises a satisfactory conclusion to one of the best comics emerging from the pandemic era. I, for one, was glad to have Jonna and Rainbow to keep me company and inspire courage along the way, and I already can't wait to read their story again. -- Chase Magnett
Superman: Son of Kal-El #18
- Written by Tom Taylor
- Art by Cian Tormey, Ruairi Coleman, and Scott Hanna
- Color by Romulo Fajardo Jr
- Letters by Dave Sharpe
- Published by DC
Over its run, Superman: Son of Kal-El has been a fantastic series, exploring not just Jon Kent's life as a superhero, but the very idea of what it means to be Superman as well. This week, the final issue arrives, concluding this sort of coming-of-age tale for Jon while setting the stage for new stories for this character. It's an issue that puts a bow on the adventures to now and offers readers hope for a new and exciting adventure to come — first in Action Comics #1050 and then in Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent. It's at the top of my "must read" list this week. -- Nicole Drum
A Vicious Circle #1
- Written by Mattson Tomlin
- Art by Lee Bermejo
- Colors by Lee Bermejo
- Letters by Becca Carey
- Published by Boom Studios
This is a Lee Bermejo comic; that's the recommendation. For the uninitiated, Bermejo is one of the most distinctive artists working in comics today who excels at developing atmospheric and visceral narratives filled with violence and grungy details. That style is a perfect fit for the story of A Vicious Circle which features two men inextricably linked to one another and drawn through time in an endless cycle of violence wherein they seek the other's death. Both the sci-fi premise and sprawling setting (moving from the distant future to the Earth's prehistoric past) promise readers a tour through Bermejo's skillset as the artist takes up a wide array of styles and homage elements to contrast the various timelines. That premise combined with the certain promise of Bermejo's execution on the page is all that's necessary to know this will be a comic book worth witnessing on the page. It's bound to be bloody and bloody impressive. -- Chase Magnett
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