The Weekly Pull: Daredevil, Superman: Son of Kal-El, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Armageddon Game, and More
Barbaric: The Harvest Blades #1
- Written by Michael Moreci
- Art by Robert Wilson IV
- Colors by Addison Duke with Andrew Misisco
- Letters by Jim Campbell
- Published by Vault Comics
The first round of Barbaric was an absolute blast and one of the strongest outings from impressive new publisher Vault Comics. So the return of Owen the Barbarian—a Conan-like bruiser cursed to do good with his sentient and bloodthirsty companion Axe—for this one-shot is very welcome nearly a year after the first series concluded. While the series will continue in September (in the pages of Axe to Grind), a one-shot promises a clear focus on the series' charms without the plot of it all and an opportunity to witness a guest artist tackle this setting. Nate Gooden's depiction of excessive violence and regular tumult made the series a must-read, but the addition of Robert Wilson IV in The Harvest Blades promises a continuation in excellence. Wilson is a master of embodying aesthetics and having him address the sword & sorcery style of Barbaric is very promising, indeed. Wherever Owen might roam and whatever havoc he may cause, it's bound to look nothing short of glorious in Wilson's hands. Combine that with the irreverent premises and humor from the first series, and The Harvest Blades is bound to provide readers either an excellent introduction or a much-needed return to the world of Barbaric. -- Chase Magnett
prevnextBatman: Urban Legends #17
- Written by Ryan Cady, Joey Esposito, Alex Paknadel, Dan Watters
- ARt by Riley Rossmo, Amancay Nahuelpan, Serg Acuña, Gleb Melnikov
- Inks by Scott Hanna
- Colors by Trush Mulvihill, Jordie Bellaire, Luis Guerrero, Alex Guimarães
- Letters by Pat Brosseau, Troy Peteri, AndWorld Design, Ariana Maher
- Published by DC Comics
Batman: Urban Legends #17 shakes things up a bit, delivering four self-contained one-shot stories as opposed to the longer form stories of past issues, and if you've been looking for a few fun team-ups, you will find a lot to love here. Whether he's teaming up with The Flash, Aquaman, or Mera or facing off against Black Adam, it's always fun seeing Batman interact with the broader DC Universe. If you prefer something a bit more classic Dark Knight instead, then the Riddler-focused "On His Worst Nights" will be right up your alley, so every Batman fan should be covered. -- Matthew Aguilar
prevnextCaptain Marvel #39
- Written by Kelly Thompson
- Art by Juan Frigeri and Alvaro López
- Colors by Jordie Bellaire
- Letters by Clayton Cowles
- Published by Marvel Comics
Captain Marvel #38 had quite the cliffhanger, and we get some welcome answers in issue #39. More questions follow of course, but the mystery is building in some compelling ways. The gravity of Carol's situation is balanced by the hilarious scenes between Spider-Woman and Binary, though those scenes are still grounded in emotional growth that looks to take Binary as a character to new heights. Plus, vampires???? It's a wild ride, so don't miss out on all the fun. -- Matthew Aguilar
prevnextDaredevil #1
- Written by Chip Zdarsky
- Art by Marco Checchetto
- Colors by Matthew Wilson
- Letters by Clayton Cowles
- Published by Marvel Comics
The #1 attached to this Daredevil title is a bit misleading in that the creators attached to it also began and oversaw the impressive prior volume of the series. In the wake of Devil's Reign—with two Daredevils now in Hell's Kitchen, Wilson Fisk gone, and Luke Cage as mayor of New York City—it certainly provides a jumping-on point and fresh outlook for one of Marvel Comics' best series of the past few years. From the start, Zdarsky and Checchetto have utilized Daredevil to seriously consider the role and consequences of powerful individuals in society with Matt Murdock's (exceedingly Catholic) dedication to moral and ethical conduct navigating very difficult terrain. They've addressed topics ranging from police brutality to the carceral state while resisting the urge to settle complex issues with bromides. Instead, the story has utilized the superhero genre to frame essential themes in a new light and offer some excitement and humor amidst the darkness. Whatever they have in store for this new volume of Daredevil, their past work promises that this is a can't-miss debut from Marvel Comics. -- Chase Magnett
prevnextDark Crisis: Worlds Without a Justice League - Superman #1
- Written by Tom King, Chuck Brown, and Brandon Thomas
- Art by Fico Ossio and Chris Burnham
- Colors by Sebastian Cheng and Adriano Lucas
- Letters by Troy Peteri
- Published by DC Comics
DC's Dark Crisis event is continuing to defy expectations, with the "Death of the Justice League" clearly being much more than meets the eye. This week brings the first Worlds Without a Justice League one-shot, which chronicles the unexpected alternate realities that iconic DC heroes appear to have been thrown into. This stretch of one-shots is sure to be a significant one within the tapestry of Dark Crisis and the DC universe as a whole, and you'd be doing yourself a favor to check it out. — Jenna Anderson
prevnextInjustice: Year Zero - The Complete Collection
- Written by Tom Taylor
- Art by Cian Tormey and Roge Antonio
- Published by DC Comics
The Injustice universe has become a unique component of DC Comics storytelling, chronicling the exploits of the violent, character-driven world of the beloved video game franchise. This week sees the release of the "Complete Collection" of Year Zero, the prequel miniseries that sets the groundwork for the various plot twists and betrayals that are ahead. Not only is this prequel a great jumping-on point for new Injustice readers, but it's a twist on the kind of JLA and JSA crossover story that DC hasn't told for a while, so that's a cause for celebration in and of itself. — Jenna Anderson
prevnextSuperman: Son of Kal-El #13
- Written by Tom Taylor and Nicole Maines
- Art by Clayton Henry
- Colors by Marcelo Maiolo and Matt Herms
- Letters by Dave Sharpe
- Published by DC Comics
Supergirl's Dreamer makes her big DC Comics mainstream debut in Superman: Son of Kal-El #13 and that by itself would be plenty of reason to read it this week but the issue also comes after the shocking accidental reveal of Jay's identity to the world it's also a major turning point in the quickly-arriving showdown between the heroes and Lex Luthor and President Bendix's forces. This is a HUGE issue and it's one you don't want to miss… but also Dreamer has arrived! And that's just the icing on the cake. Read this one. You'll be glad you did. -- Nicole Drum
prevnextTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Armageddon Game - Opening Moves #1
- Written by Tom Waltz
- Art by Fero Pe
- Colors by Ronda Pattison
- Letters by Shawn Lee
- Published by IDW Publishing
After helping craft the hit Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin miniseries, Tom Waltz returns to IDW Publishing's main Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles continuity for the upcoming event story "The Armageddon Game." Before returning to the ongoing series he wrote for 100 issues (which Sophie Campbell has done a fantastic job of writing since he left), the two-part Opening Moves sets the stage for what's to come. The issue is a solid jumping-on point for anyone interested in diving into this excellent reimagining of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles universe, and it is sure to have longtime readers excited for what's next. -- Jamie Lovett
prevnextX-Men: The Hellfire Gala #1
- Written by Gerry Duggan
- Art by Kris Anka, Russell Dauterman, Matteo Lolli, and Carlos Villa
- Colors by Rain Beredo, Frank Martin, Matt Milla, and Matt Wilson
- Letters by Cory Petit
- Published by Marvel Comics
Last year, Marvel Comics began a new tradition with Krakoa's inaugural Hellfire Gala, where the citizens of the mutant nation chose the first-ever democratically-elected X-Men (with real-life fans voting only to select the roster's final member). It's that time of year again, and while the pomp around the event is somewhat lessened -- the inaugural gala's story touched every X-Men comic plus added a few specials, while this year's event is contained within a single issue -- it's no less exciting. Fans once again voted, a new X-Men team will debut, and Moira will hatch whatever plan she has for eliminating mutantkind. This is an issue no X-Men fan should miss and should serve as a great place for anyone curious about what the next year of X-Men comics will bring to get a taste. -- Jamie Lovett
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