The Weekly Pull: Ultimate Black Panther, Birds of Prey, Thundercats, and More
This week also brings the collected edition of Peacemaker Tries Hard!
Birds of Prey #6
- Written by Kelly Thompson
- Art by Leonardo Romero
- Colors by Jordie Bellaire
- Letters by Clayton Cowles
- Published by DC
With this week's issue, the first arc of DC's Birds of Prey relaunch comes to a close, culminating one of the coolest and most visceral DC storylines I've experienced in recent memory. Kelly Thompson, Leonardo Romero, and company have knocked it out of the park at every single turn, honoring the past of the beloved DC team while also forging something new. Expect a lot of long-awaited moments, gorgeous art from Romero, and some exciting teases for what the book's future holds. — Jenna Anderson
prevnextDC's How to Lose a Guy Gardner in 10 Days #1
- Written by Various
- Art by Various
- Published by DC
Let's be honest, the genius title of DC's latest holiday-themed anthology is more than enough for me to recommend it. But the stories within How to Lose a Guy Gardner in 10 Days promise to deliver so much potential, spotlighting surefire favorites like The Flash and Wonder Woman, as well as deeper cuts like Red Tornado and Plastic Man. I have a feeling this is going to be a perfect and festive addition to our collections this Valentine's Day season. — Jenna Anderson
prevnextFire & Ice: Welcome to Smallville #6
- Written by Joanne Starer
- Art by Natacha Bustos
- Colors by Tamra Bonvillain
- Letters by Ariana Maher
- Published by DC
It genuinely breaks my heart that this is the last time I can recommend a new issue of Fire & Ice: Welcome to Smallville. This joyous, goofy book has been a delight for the past six months, updating the status quos of Bea, Tora, and countless supporting DC characters in a hilarious and heartfelt fashion. Here's hoping the team of Joanne Starer, Natacha Bustos, and company will partner together on something once again because their work on this series has been wonderful. — Jenna Anderson
prevnextThe Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe - Master Edition Omnibus Vol. 1
- Written by Various
- Art by Various
- Colors by Various
- Letters by Various
- Published by Marvel Comics
The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe or simply OHOTMU was an absolutely essential resource for young geeks discovering Marvel's shared superhero universe in the decades before the proliferation of Wikis. Carefully crafted pages provided concise biographies alongside character details and key issues, as well as excellent artwork, for a sweeping collection of creations spanning decades. Long after their initial publication, these pages still offer a treasure trove of information and artistic snapshots perfect for flipping through. They also offer a treasure-map-like chart to find the best of Silver and Bronze Age Marvel Comics, sending readers down rabbit holes to uncover a forgotten C-list villain or unknown appearance of a favorite hero. The act of discovery is essential to exploring the catalog of Marvel Comics and there are few resources more enjoyable to use in that discovery than OHOTMU, which makes these new omnibus editions an excellent investment for superhero comic book scouts of any age. -- Chase Magnett
prevnextThe One Hand #1
- Written by Ram V
- Art by Laurence Campbell
- Colors by Lee Loughridge
- Letters by Aditya Bidikar
- Published by Image Comics
The solicit for The One Hand #1 is plenty enticing, bearing all of the staples of a modern noir: a veteran detective prepared to retire returns to an old case filled with grisly clues and unsolved angles. There's plenty of intrigue and gritty moods to be found in a simple synopsis. But as much as I love the genre, it's the names attached to this new Image Comics series that make it a must-buy. Writer Ram V has proven, again and again, that he is one of the most innovative storytellers working in the direct market today. Whether they fall into the worlds of horror, superheroes, or fantasy, V's stories tackle poignant subject matter with a deft hand and portray stories that utilize the comics form masterfully. Artist Laurence Campbell's work on 2000 A.D., B.P.R.D., and across Marvel's MAX line has made his ink-stained pages a definitive vision of dark underworlds in modern comics. When you put V and Campbell together on a nasty piece of detective fiction, what more could you even ask for? Only for The One Hand #1 to arrive sooner. -- Chase Magnett
prevnextPeacemaker Tries Hard!
- Written by Kyle Starks
- Art by Steve Pugh
- Colors by Jordie Bellaire
- Letters by Becca Carey
- Published by DC
If you had told me at the start of 2021 that Peacemaker would be one of DC's best characters in the coming decade, I would have laughed in your face. And I would have been terribly wrong to do so. What began in James Gunn's adaptations, The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker, in which Christopher Smith is shown to be both a deeply dangerous individual and a sympathetic sort of idiot bringing excitement, humor, and pathos to every scene, is brought to the comics in Peacemaker Tries Hard. Writer Kyle Starks holds a well-earned reputation for combining gonzo action and comedy, and his take on Peacemaker lands every bit as well as his creator-owned work. Starks takes full advantage of the DC Comics setting, seizing upon the most ludicrous villains and ideas for both their silliness and surprising layers of tragedy. Artist Steve Pugh is perfectly situated to the task as he offers a satirical tone while presenting every character and situation with clarity. The action and drama are never diluted by the depiction of giant death machines and disembodied brains. Peacemaker Tries Hard made me laugh harder than any comic from 2023 and brought more than a couple of tears to my eyes. It's the best superhero surprise of the past year and not to be missed. -- Chase Magnett
prevnextThundercats #1
- Written by Declan Shalvey
- Art by Drew Moss
- Colors by Arnacia Studio
- Letters by Jeff Eclkeberry
- Published by Dynamite Entertainment
Even though "the He-Man effect" mostly hit me in the early 1990s – as my shelves full of materials related to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Batman, and X-Men will attest – I am a child of the 1980s, which means I caught the tail end of all the hype around He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, Transformers, G.I. Joe, Voltron, and yes, Thundercats. Like any self-respecting child born in 1985, I have held up my fair share of toy swords and vaguely sword-like objects while delivering my rendition of Lion-O's signature "Thundercats ho!" rallying cry. There's something in the air right now with big relaunches of familiar universes from this era with marquee creators, be it Daniel Warren Johnson's Transformers or Jason Aaron's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles relaunch, and the pre-order numbers suggest fans expect Dynamite's Thundercats series to be the next installment of this trend. With Declan Shalvey writing the book and Drew Moss providing artwork suited to the Saturday morning cartoon vibes, who's to say they're wrong? Get ready to party like it's 1985. -- Jamie Lovett
prevnextUltimate Black Panther #1
- Written by Bryan Hill
- Art by Stefano Caselli
- Colors by David Curiel
- Letters by Cory Petit
- Published by Marvel Comics
Marvel's second Ultimate Marvel Universe is off to an impressive start. The Ultimate Invasion miniseries captivated readers, followed by the Ultimate Universe one-shot that set the stage for a fresh reimagining of Marvel's iconic characters, beginning with Jonathan Hickman and March Checchetto's Ultimate Spider-Man. This week, the Ultimate Marvel Universe gets a little bigger with the launch of Ultimate Black Panther from Bryan Hill and Stefano Casselli. The series sees the continent of Africa increasingly coming under the control of Khonshu and Ra, the duo known as Moon Knight. Wakanda stands against Moon Knight's forces, led by its king, the Black Panther, but for how long? The premise, not to mention the first issue's preview pages, suggests this is a Black Panther story unlike any other. Given the new Ultimate Marvel Universe's strong output so far, it's easy to be excited about Ultimate Black Panther's launch. -- Jamie Lovett
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