The Weekly Pull: Guardians of the Galaxy Annual; The Six Fingers; Alien: Black, White & Blood, and More
Standout comics of the week from Marvel, Image Comics, and more.
Alien: Black, White & Blood #1
- Written by various
- Art by various
- Published by Marvel Comics
Marvel's output of Alien comics, as well as its run of Black, White, and Blood anthologies, have been hit-and-miss with me. Why, then, would I recommend a comic book that combines two uneven concepts that I, by my admission, have not enjoyed consistently? Because Ridley Scott's original claustrophobic and violent vision expressed in Alien seems particularly well suited to Black, White & Blood, which strips all color but crimson from the pages, a style that can capably emphasize isolation punctuated by violence. Anchoring Alien: Black, White & Blood is a story running through all four issues of the series by a creative team with sci-fi bona fides: writers Collin Kelly & Jackson Lanzing, who currently write IDW's flagship Star Trek ongoing and wrap their run on Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy this week, and artist Michael Dowling, who drew Judge Dredd and Judge Anderson for 2000 AD before getting American readers' attention with his work on the Spider-Man line. Their tale will be joined by short stories from different creative teams in each issue, starting this month with tales from rising stars like Ryan Cady, Dev Pramanik, Stephanie Phillips, and Marcelo Ferreira. This one has all the pieces to be an enjoyable bit of dark sci-fi. -- Jamie Lovett
prevnextCemetery Kids Can't Die #1
- Written by Zac Thompson
- Art by Daniel Irizarri
- Colors by Brittany Peer
- Letters by AndWorld Design
- Published by Oni Press
Writer Zac Thompson has made a name for himself with high-concept sci-fi and horror stories told across many of today's largest direct market publishers. Thompson's newest series with artist Daniel Irizarri threatens to blur the line between science-fiction and horror as a teenager finds themself trapped in a hellish video game setting played while they sleep in Cemetery Kids Don't Die. The series utilizes bold visions of dark magic and fantasy to compose the titular Cemetery Kids avatars in a digital landscape that is far more than it appears. Whether readers come for the horrifying aesthetics or an interrogation of how we cede our time (and ourselves) to digital interfaces, they're bound to be thrilled at what they discover in the first issue. Heightened contrasts between reality and fantasy as portrayed on the debut issue's outstanding cover promise a story layered with meaning and impactful design elements. Wherever the Cemetery Kids find themselves in pursuit of the "King of Sleep" as they set out to save their lost friend, it's bound to leave readers eagerly awaiting the next issue on the edge of their seats. -- Chase Magnett
prevnextChildren of the Vault
- Written by Deniz Camp
- Art by Luca Maresca
- Colors by Carlos Lopez
- Letters by Cory Petit
- Published by Marvel Comics
While much of "Fall of X" has resembled the slow deflation of an oversized balloon—disappointing, increasingly sad, and filled with irritating squeaks—there are always exceptions to any event or era, and Children of the Vault is a genuine X-Men highlight from the final year of Krakoa. It draws in extraordinary new writer Deniz Camp to deliver a new iteration of the hyper-advanced lifeforms referred to as the Children. Camp utilizes the seeming miracles of their existence, both as individuals and as a society, to create a grand metaphor in the finest tradition of X-comics. Their colonization of Earth and offer of gifts in trade for submission are met by two of Marvel's most reliable tough guys: Cable and Bishop. The result is a saga that's both smart and viscerally satisfying. Artist Luca Maresca composes both sci-fi wonders that threaten to reshape Earth and enormous guns for the two men who have heard this poisoned pitch before. Across four issues, the Children, Cable, and Bishop deliver the most impactful story from the entirety of "Fall of X" so far and one that largely stands on its own. So even if you're hesitant to check out much of the X-Men line these days, Children of the Vault is not to be missed as a complete collection. -- Chase Magnett
prevnextGuardians of the Galaxy Annual #1
- Written by Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing
- Art by Kev Walker
- Published by Marvel Comics
In a just world, this run of Guardians of the Galaxy would carry on for another dozen or so issues, because it feels like its Western-influenced bonanza has only scratched the surface. Still, there is something nice about this series getting to definitively conclude on its own terms, and this week's annual is set to deliver that. I have a feeling that this finale is going to be something special. — Jenna Anderson
prevnextThe Jaguar #1
- Written by Keryl Brown Ahmed
- Art by Tango
- Colors by Ellie Wright
- Letters by Jack Morelli
- Published by Archie Comics
I am a sucker for inspired reboots of Golden Age concepts, and Archie's Crusaders line has delivered that in spades. This week, the publisher's new take on The Jaguar, an orphan named Ivette "Ivy" Velez, gets the spotlight in her own one-shot. With Big Ethel Energy's Keryl Brown Ahmed penning the script, I have faith that this is going to be a delightful and reverential new addition to Archie's arsenal. — Jenna Anderson
prevnextSharp Wit and the Company of Women
- Written by Various
- Art by Various
- Published by A Wave Blue World
As soon as I saw the Tula Lotay cover for Sharp Wit and the Company of Women, my interest was immediately piqued. The anthology seeks to reframe the sword-and-sandals storytelling format through a feminist and LGBTQ+ context, a concept that has a lot of promise. I'm definitely looking forward to adding this anthology to my collection. — Jenna Anderson
prevnextThe Six Fingers #1
- Written by Dan Watters
- Art by Sumit Jumar
- Colors by Lee Loughridge
- Letters by Aditya Bidikar
- Published by Image Comics
As I hope my review of the issue conveyed, The One Hand #1 was a stellar start to a cyberpunk tale that brings the genre back to its noir roots. However, The One Hand is only one part of the story. Where that series follows an aging detective trying to track down the killer (or killers) that has haunted his entire career, The Six Fingers by Dan Watters and Sumit Kumar gives readers the other side of the story, following the supposed One Hand Killer as he embarks on his latest spree. The issue takes some surprising turns and hints at bigger things at play, and while each series feels capable of standing independently of the other, reading them together is sure to present some additional wrinkles as the two lead characters operate parallel of one another with imperfect information. Regardless, if you're looking for the breakout grungy sci-fi story of 2024, The Six Fingers (and The One Hand) is likely it. -- Jamie Lovett
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