The Weekly Pull: Batman, X-Men, Monkey Meat, and More

Apache Delivery Service #1

• Written by Matt Kindt
• Art by Tyler Jenkins
• Colors by Hilary Jenkins
• Letters by Tyler Jenkins
• Published by Dark Horse Comics

There are two names on the cover of this book that provide a clear directive to purchase for any fan of horror comics: Matt Kindt and Tyler Jenkins. Their sense of style and visual storytelling (as they're both accomplished artists) have crafted some truly haunting reads over the years, including the recent terror titled Fear Case. Now they're collaborating on another fearsome idea in the pages of Apache Delivery Service. The new series centers on two men stalking the jungles of Vietnam for treasure and discovering generations of horrors. Any reader with a passing concept of the region's history will understand the layers of human darkness that are set to be uncovered from wars across the twenty-first century. Whether readers are seeking out chilling new images, jungle-bound ghost stories, or a terrifying treatise on humanity's darkness, they're bound to be thrilled by what they find in Apache Delivery Service #1. -- Chase Magnett

Batman #119

• Written by Joshua Williamson
• Art by Jorge Molina, Adriano Di Benedetto, and Mikel Janin
• Colors by Tomeu Morey
• Letters by Clayton Cowles
• Published by DC Comics

Joshua Williamson's run on Batman continues and takes us further into the stunning revelation that it's Lex Luthor funding Batman Inc. as well as the mystery of Abyss this week and without giving anything away, trust me when I say that this is a must-read issue. Under Williamson's command, Batman is back to being Batman again, finally unencumbered by the stale and never-ending drudgery of whatever mess Joker War and its aftermath were. This is a Batman that is both seasoned and at the same time new all over again which makes it thrilling to read—especially as the hero may just be in over his head outside of Gotham. -- Nicole Drum

Black Widow #13

• Written by Kelly Thompson
• Art by Rafael T. Pimentel
• Colors by Jordie Bellaire
• Letters by Cory Petit
• Published by Marvel Comics

Black Widow was one of the comic highlights of my 2021, and it's safe to assume that trend is about to continue in the new year. While technically the second installment in a four-issue arc, this week's chapter dives into a previously-unseen corner of Natasha Romanoff's history, concerning Madripoor and a new villain named the Living Blade. I could not trust Kelly Thompson, Jordie Bellaire, Cory Petit, and new artist Rafael T. Pimentel more to tell this story and do so in a genuinely compelling, masterclass way. -- Jenna Anderson

Captain Marvel #35

• Written by Kelly Thompson
• Art by Sergio Fernandez Davila
• Inks by Sean Parsons
• Colors by Jesus Aburtov
• Letters by Clayton Cowles
• Published by Marvel Comics

Captain Marvel's been on the defensive for most of "The Last of The Marvels," but the tide seems to finally be turning, as Carol has tapped into a power she didn't even know she had. Vox Supreme didn't see it coming either, but things get even more chaotic with the addition of the Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy. That said, the tease of big things for the Captain Marvel mythology is the book's biggest hook, as Marvel is calling it the biggest expansion of the Captain Marvel mythos since Carol first took on the mantle. Big things are in store, so you won't want to miss it! -- Matthew Aguilar

DC Horror Presents: Soul Plumber #4

• Written by Marcus Parks and Henry Zebrowski
• Art by PJ Holden and John McCrea
• Colors by Mike Spicer
• Letters by Becca Carey
• Published by DC Comics

DC Horror Presents: Soul Plumber is easily one of the weirdest comics currently running and it's also one of the best (it was even nominated for our own 2021 Golden Issue Award for Best Limited Series). This week's Soul Plumber #4 continues the excellence and the insanity and while reading the previous three issues will certainly help you make some sense of what's going on, this issue is a wild and weirdly hilarious skewering of predatory fringe cults, the mainstream church, and there are even aliens. Yes, aliens. Edgar's pure, albeit warped, intentions keep taking him into stranger and darker territory and it's a journey that you want to go along for. -- Nicole Drum

Inferno #4

• Written by Jonathan Hickman
• Art by Valerio Schiti and Stefano Caselli
• Colors by David Curiel
• Letters by Joe Sabino
• Published by Marvel Comics

It's the end of an era as Jonathan Hickman brings his tenure on the X-Men franchise to a pulse-pounding conclusion. What started in House of X and Powers of X with Moira MacTaggert, Mystique, and Destiny should find some form of resolution, with the three women shaping what comes next in Destiny of X. This is an intriguing turn of events since most readers would expect Charles Xavier or Magneto to be the central figures in an X-Men event series. Not so here, since we've been promised that Moira, Mystique, and Destiny's storyline established in House of X/Powers of X will be tied up in Inferno.

Will we see Moira's 10th life, aka the current Marvel Universe, wiped out of existence? Will Orchis be successful in using Omega Sentinel and Nimrod to eradicate all of mutantkind? Every X-Men fan should have this at the top of their pull list to find out how Hickman leaves things for the rest of the X-Office. -- Tim Adams

Justice League Infinity #7

• Written by J.M. DeMatteis and James Tucker
• Art by Ethen Beavers
• Colors by Nick Filardi
• Letters by DC Hopkins
• Published by DC Comics

In 2021, fans of the DC Animated Universe ate well. Superman: The Animated Series got its first HD remastering and Blu-ray release. Batman: The Animated Series continued in the second season of the Batman: The Adventures Continue comic book series. Batman Beyond returned in the pages of Batman: Urban Legends. And Justice League Unlimited got its comic book continuation in Justice League Infinity. Justice League Infinity #7 marks the end of that miniseries, bringing the story of Amazo the android breaking the barrier between universes to its conclusion. It's been a fantastic ride for fans of Justice League Unlimited, and there's no reason to believe it won't end similarly. All that's left is to enjoy and to hope for another season. -- Jamie Lovett

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Vol. IV: The Tempest

• Written by Alan Moore
• Art by Kevin O'Neill
• Colors by Ben Dimagmaliw
• Letters by Todd Klein
• Published by Top Shelf Productions

While the first two volumes of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen may be the most familiar to comics readers at large, that shouldn't be used to dismiss the often astonishing merits of the series' more experimental sequels. Now its final installment, The Tempest, is being released in trade paperback making most of the saga widely accessible to all readers. This installment is a must-read for those who appreciate The League or either of the artists who crafted it. The Tempest pulls at plot threads scattered across all of this series tumultuous lore, which neatly intersects with a meta-narrative on Moore and O'Neill's departures from the field of comics. It showcases the great aspirations and treacherous conditions that shaped their works and careers in a retrospective filled with humor and dense illustrations. This is a farewell that ought to be appreciated by comics readers for decades to come, but that's no reason to miss it today. -- Chase Magnett

Monkey Meat #1

• Created by Juni Ba
• Published by Image Comics

It's strange to think of Juni Ba as a newcomer in comics. His breakout graphic novel Djeliya, published by TKO Studios in 2021, has the visual storytelling acumen of a cartoonist who has been honing their skills for years. And Ba has been. While Djeliya was his first major published work, it's clear from interviews that he's been preparing all of his life to become comics' next big thing. A lifelong student of fan and student of comics while growing up in France and Senegal, Ba absorbed influences from around the world that helped to inform his distinct art style. All of that was readily apparent in Djeliya, a story steeped in African legend about the power of stories and the responsibility of those who tell them that was one of the most acclaimed comics of 2021. All of this makes Juni Ba's next project, Monkey Meat -- described as a fantasy anthology series set in "a magical hyper-capitalist hellscape" with every issue a standalone story -- 2022's first must-read debut issue. -- Jamie Lovett

Naomi: Season One

• Written by Brian Michael Bendis and David Walker
• Art by Jamal Campbell
• Published by DC Comics

We're just a matter of days away from the launch of The CW's Naomi, the latest live-action DC superhero to join the network's multiverse of shows. If you're finding yourself unfamiliar with the relatively-new comic history of Naomi McDuffie, the newly-released Naomi: Season One collection provides the best encapsulation yet. Not only does the collection encompass Brian Michael Bendis, David Walker, Jamal Campbell and company's unique vision for the teenage superhero and her world, but it flat-out showcases a compelling youthful comic storyline. Both on the page and the screen, Naomi is about to surprise a lot of people, and you owe it to yourself to catch up on her world if you haven't already. — Jenna Anderson

Something is Killing the Children Vol. 4

• Written by James Tynion IV
• Art by Werther Dell'Edera
• Colors by Miquel Muerto
• Letters by AndWorld Design
• Published by BOOM! Studios

Something Is Killing The Children finally revealed the origins of Erica Slaughter and how she ended up as one of the best monster hunters around, and it delivered the best arc of the series thus far in the process. Something Is Killing the Children Vol. 4 shows the traumatic events that led to Erica joining the Order and the constant obstacles she had to overcome along the way, and fans get a much truer sense of who she is and what makes her so special. James Tynion IV and Werther Dell'Edera knew they had to hit her origin story out of the park, and they did so in spades, so if you are on the fence about giving the series a try, let this be the one you try because you won't regret it. -- Matthew Aguilar

X-Men #6

• Written by Gerry Duggan
• Art by Pepe Larraz
• Colors by Marte Gracia
• Letters by VC's Clayton Cowles
• Published by Marvel Comics

Aside from the selection of Krakoa's first official X-Men team, the biggest story element to come out of the relaunched X-Men comic is the introduction of the mysterious Captain Krakoa. Removing Wolverine from the equation, the X-Men have never had one character stand up and represent them like a Captain America figure to the public. Plus, there is the mystery of Captain Krakoa's true identity. Is he a familiar mutant, a new creation, or perhaps even a Chimera — a mutant bioengineered by taking DNA and characteristics from existing mutants? Chimeras date back to a possible future witnessed in Powers of X. The intrigue alone in discovering who Captain Krakoa is should entice readers to learn the hero's origin story. -- Tim Adams