The Weekly Pull: Superman and the Authority, Moon Knight, One Line, and More
It's almost another new comic book day, which means new releases hitting stores and digital [...]
Captain Marvel #30
- Written by Kelly Thompson Jamie McKelvie,
- Art by Jacopo Camagni, Jamie McKelvie
- Colors by Espen Grundetjern
- Letters by Clayton Cowles
- Published by Marvel Comics
The finale of "Strange Magic" is finally here, and fans who have been following Captain Marvel thus far are in for some welcome payoffs. Carol is in uncharted territory, both in the realms of magic and morality, and Kelly Thompson continues to expand Carol's world and unearth new layers to her character along the way. On the action side, artist Jacopo Camagni and colorist Espen Grundetjern craft some stellar sequences that showcase the boss of space at her best, but we even get a bonus story from Jamie McKelvie to close things out, so you're doing yourself a disservice if you miss out on all the fun. — Matthew Aguilar
prevnextM.O.M.: Mother of Madness #1
- Written by Emilia Clarke and Marguerite Bennett
- Art by Leila Leiz
- Colors by Triona Farrell
- Lettering by Haley Rose-Lyon
- Published by Image Comics
I've been waiting to evangelize about M.O.M.: Mother of Madness since I read (and reread) the first issue earlier this summer, and I'm so glad to finally have the chance to do so. The new Image Comics miniseries, which is co-created by Game of Thrones and Solo: A Star Wars Story star Emilia Clarke, tells the story of Maya, a single mother and scientist who begins to take ownership of her unique superpowers in order to take down a child trafficking ring. The first issue is filled with so much of what I love about comics — clever and unabashedly feminist dialogue, a sense of spectacle, gorgeous art, and a blend of coolness and earnestness. I loved the first issue so much, and I really hope that a lot of other people will as well. — Jenna Anderson
prevnextMoon Knight #1
- Written by Jed McKay
- Art by Alessandro Cappuccio
- Colors by Rachelle Rosenberg
- Letters by Cory Petit
- Published by Marvel Comics
With a Disney+ series starring Oscar Isaac on the horizon, Moon Knight could become Marvel's next hit character in Marvel Cinematic Universe. After all, he's often thought of Marvel's Batman, and Batman is pretty huge, right? But that description is also reductive. Yes, Moon Knight is a brutal, street-level hero who often engages in detective work, uses high-tech gadgets, and maintains an almost questionable commitment to consistent branding. Still, where Batman sometimes takes a trip into the weird, that's where Moon Knight -- who sometimes deals with multiple personalities and serves as a champion of the ancient god Khonshu -- lives. That milieu of gritty crime-fighting, paranormal fantasy, and psychological horror has provided past creators the tools to tell ambitious, often short-lived, stories that tend to be remembered long past their end. It's the perfect platform for the creative team of writer Jed McKay and artist Alessandro Cappuccio, two talented up-and-comers waiting for their breakout moment. Moon Knight offers these creators the opportunity to go in many different directions, and it should be exciting to see where they take the Fist of Khonshu next. -- Jamie Lovett
prevnextOnce & Future Vol. 3
- Writing by Kieron Gillen
- Art by Dan Mora
- Colors by Tamra Bonvillain
- Letters by Ed Dukeshire
- Published by BOOM! Studios
It's no secret that Once & Future is one of my favorite series in comics at the moment, and now you can pick up the next chapter of the story in trade. Once & Future Vol. 3 collects issues #13 through #18, and while the action on the ground level with Duncan, Bridgette, and Rose is just as compelling as always, Kieron Gillen puts the macro-level story into overdrive, as we start to see how high up the food chain Merlin's ties go, and it could put everything our favorite team has been fighting for in jeopardy. The stellar story is brought to stunning life by Dan Mora and colorist Tamra Bonvillain who have delivered some of the most stunning work in comics throughout the series, and you can expect no less from Vol. 3, so if you haven't discovered this series yet, do yourself a favor and change that ASAP. — Matthew Aguilar
prevnextOne Line
- Created by Ray Fawkes
- Published by Oni Press
Ever since discovering The People Inside in 2014, I have been an avid fan of Ray Fawkes' experiments with formalism specifically because of how they use strict constraints and comics' mundane building blocks to tell vibrant human stories filled with emotion. So the release of One Line, Fawkes' newest volume published by Oni Press, offers a moment of pure, geeky elation. As One Soul, the release immediately preceding this one told the story of 18 individuals from birth to death, this story will expand to tell the epic tale of 18 families across 4 centuries. It's a staggering undertaking to consider in any medium and perhaps one only realizable with the direct, poetic elegance of comics. Regardless of how those stories turn out and the outcome of this tremendous narrative experiment, I am confident that the ambition and creativity on the page will dazzle as is the case for every new comic Fawkes releases. -- Chase Magnett
prevnextThe Suicide Squad Case Files 1
- Written by Various
- Art by Various
- Colors by Various
- Lettering by Various
- Published by DC Comics
We're just a few weeks away from the debut of The Suicide Squad, which is expected to bring one of the most eclectic collections of DC Comics characters to the big screen. Odds are, there are some members of the saga's ensemble that you're not as familiar with — and luckily, The Suicide Squad Case Files 1 provides a good place to start. This trade paperback collects key appearances for just a few of the film's characters, including Bloodsport, Polka-Dot Man, and The Thinker. From King Shark's first full appearance in Superboy #9 to Weasel's fight with Firestorm in The Fury of Firestorm #38 to Amanda Waller's showcase in Suicide Squad: Amanda Waller #1, the issues included in this collection are just as varied and fascinating as the characters themselves. Regardless of how excited you are for The Suicide Squad, getting a reprinted collection of such a wild array of comics is definitely worth celebrating. — Jenna Anderson
prevnextSuperman and the Authority #1
- Written by Grant Morrison
- Art by Mikel Janin
- Colors by Jordie Bellaire
- Letters by Steve Wands
- Published by DC Comics
Grant Morrison is writing Superman again. If that isn't enough to get you interested, then you haven't been paying enough attention to Superman comics over the last 15 years. From 2005 to 2007, Morrison and artist Frank Quitely offered their take on Superman as a benevolent sun god in All-Star Superman. Morrison returned to Superman in 2011 with the launch of the New 52, offering their take on a younger Superman in Action Comics, returning the Man of Steel to his roots as a working-class hero. Here, Morrison and DC's superstar artist Mikel Janin present an older Superman, weathered from fighting a never-ending battle against evil and looking to lead a younger, more proactive generation of heroes ready to win the war. Any fan should be eager to see how Morrison caps off this Superman trilogy. -- Jamie Lovett
prevnextThor Annual #1
- Written by Aaron Kuder
- Art by Aaron Kuder and Cam Smith
- Colors by Chris O'Halloran
- Letters by Joe Sabino
- Published by Marvel Comics
Although I have not been a fan of Marvel Comics' 2021 annuals, an odd collection of set-ups featuring the Infinity Stones, I am a tremendous fan of Aaron Kuder and the comics he creates, which makes Thor Annual (2021) #1 a must-buy issue. That's especially the case after what Kuder delivered the last time he wrote and drew a one-shot tie-in to a larger event: King in Black: Immortal Hulk #1, a masterclass in visual storytelling and one of the best superhero Christmas specials ever created. Even if this year's Thor Annual doesn't reach the unbelievably high standard Kuder has established for his own body of work, it's still going to be an Aaron Kuder comic. Whether you're considering his abilities as an artist or writer, it's a big enough selling point to possibly reverse the trend with Marvel's annuals; I anticipate reading another killer one-and-done featuring the God of Thunder himself. -- Chase Magnett
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