The Weekly Pull: She-Hulk, Gotham City: Year One, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and More
Book of Evil #1
- Written by Scott Snyder
- Art by Jock
- Colors by Jock
- Letters by Emma Price
- Published by Comixology Originals
While Scott Snyder's name may be most prominently associated with his tremendous reimaginings of Batman, the comics writer is producing much of his career-best work outside of mainstream superhero comics on ComiXology today. Relatively recent releases like Night of the Ghoul, Clear, We Kill Demons, and Canary have partnered with him some of the best artists working in comics today to deliver a ranging set of terrifying tales, often examining social conditions through the lenses of horror and sci-fi. Snyder's name would be sufficient, but seeing him reteamed with longtime collaborator and rarefied comics storyteller Jock makes their newest creation, Book of Evil, a must-buy even for digital holdouts. The story focuses on a dystopian future in which humanity is plagued by a transformation into psychopaths and a set of young people setting out to defy their fate. Jock's sharp, distinctive linework is perfectly suited to the concept, capable of cutting at readers' psyches and portraying the limits of sanity. Snyder's fascination with whether humanity can pull itself back from the brink plays out in clarifying fashion in a series posed to address that theme exceedingly well. Whatever comes in Book of Evil, no matter how harrowing, it's still bound to prove irresistible for comics readers. -- Chase Magnett
prevnextGotham City: Year One
- Written by Tom King
- Art by Phil Hester
- Published by DC
Gotham City: Year One is an almost stupid intersection of my interests — Tom King writing lesser-known DC characters, Phil Hester drawing any DC characters, and those characters in question including Slam Bradley and the Wayne family. This first issue is set to chronicle Bradley's hard-boiled fight to save a member of the Wayne family — and potentially the shining veneer of Gotham City itself — in a story set decades before Batman even began to take flight. Even amid the deluge of Gotham and Bat-themed books on the stands right now, I have a feeling this one has the capacity to be something really special. — Jenna Anderson
prevnextJunkyard Joe #1
- Written by Geoff Johns
- Art by Gary Frank
- Colors by Brad Anderson
- Letters by Rob Leigh
- Published by Image Comics
Military comics aren't generally my thing, but as someone with loved ones — both living and not — who are veterans, their stories and experiences are incredibly important to me and that is a major reason why Junkyard Joe #1 is getting my recommendation this week. An expansion of Johns and Franks' Geiger universe, the comic takes readers into the horrors of war (specifically the waning years of the Vietnam War), following a unit and their mysterious robot soldier before shifting to the present to explore the damage caused by that conflict. To say much more would be spoilers, but suffice it to say that the book is a worthy read with unflinching art and, more than that, the proceeds from Junkyard Joe #1: Special Black & White Veterans Edition will be donated to two charities, the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans and Veterans Aid so it's a story that's doing some good, too. -- Nicole Drum
prevnextKaya #1
- Written by Wes Craig
- Art by Wes Craig
- Colors by Jason Wordie
- Letters by Andworld Design
- Published by Image Comics
With Deadly Class complete (and the final issue set to debut in just a couple of weeks), artist Wes Craig sets his sights on an Image series entirely of his own making in Kaya #1. Craig's artwork distinguished Deadly Class as one of Image's best ongoing narratives with dense layouts and striking designs; Craig has expanded his repertoire in a variety of shorter works like The Gravedigger's Union, as well. Yet Kaya sets out to expand readers' expectations of the talented cartoonist delving into new genres and modes of storytelling. The debut issue introduces readers to a young girl blessed with magical abilities and tasked with the care of her younger brother in a brutal world filled with monstrous threats. High adventure and terrifying twists merge in an issue bound to light up readers' imaginations when introducing them to an astounding new world filled with mysteries and more. Craig has long stood as one of the most dynamic artistic talents at Image Comics and his newest vision shouldn't be missed. -- Chase Magnett
prevnextPoison Ivy #5
- Written by G. Willow Wilson
- Art by Marcio Takara, Brian Level, Stefano Gaudiano
- Colors by Arif Prianto
- Letters by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
- Published by DC
Thus far in Poison Ivy, the story has seen Pamela as largely the aggressor, making her way about the country in a scheme to spread a toxin that will end humanity and restore the Earth even as we delve a bit deeper into her own trauma and struggles and humanity. However, this issue flips the story a bit and reveals a larger threat and a truth behind what is really going on and in the doing, gives readers an exciting read that you simply can't miss. This is easily one of the best DC series right now and this issue is just as easily an important issue to check out this week. -- Nicole Drum
prevnextSabretooth: The Adversary
- Written by Victor LaValle
- Art by Leonard Kirk
- Colors by Rain Beredo
- Letters by Cory Petit
- Published by Marvel Comics
Victor LaValle, best known for his novels, is hardly the first writer to try to add some depth to Victor Creed's character. There have been previous miniseries attempting to dig into Sabretooth's psyche and entire ongoing series that wanted to present him as a hero, or at least a troubled antihero, some involving gimmicks like "inversion." In the five issues that make up Sabretooth: The Adversary, LaValle accomplishes more character development and presents more meaningful insights into who Victor Creed is and what he represents to the mutant community than all of those previous issues combined. As told through Leonard Kirk's stellar artwork, Sabretooth: The Adversary is the definitive Sabretooth story, and it isn't close. With the next chapter coming soon in Sabretooth and the Exiles, everyone who missed the miniseries in serialization should check out this collection. -- Jamie Lovett
prevnextShe-Hulk Vol 1: Jen Again
- Written by Rainbow Rowell
- Art by Roge Antonia
- Published by Marvel Comics
At the time of this writing, we only have two episodes left of the first season of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law — but there are still so many ways to continue to celebrate Jennifer Walters. Among them is her latest ongoing solo series, the first arc of which is collected in this new trade paperback, subtitled "Jen Again." With the help of endlessly-charming work from writer Rainbow Rowell and artist Roge Antonia, Jen gets brought back into a status quo that marries her Sensational-era absurdity with her more modern status quo. These initial issues contain some of my favorite She-Hulk sequences of the past few years, and if you've been even passively enjoying her Disney+ series, you owe it to yourself to check this collection out. — Jenna Anderson
prevnextTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures
- Written by Erik Burnham
- Art by Tim Lattie
- Colors by Steve Lavigne
- Letters by Shawn Lee
- Published by IDW Publishing
Nostalgia for the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles television show may be at an all-time high. That's due to the release of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge, a spiritual successor to the classic TMNT arcade games, which appeared in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection not long after. Top that off with NECA's line of action figures and characters from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures showing up in The Armageddon Game, and Turtlemania is back again. IDW Publishing is doubling down on that action with the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures miniseries, a comic book devoted to the visual and storytelling style of the iconic cartoon. The preview pages show that the creative team on the book is more than capable of emulating the goofy magic that endeared the series to a legion of fans in the first place. The cover suggests it'll feature many of the characters featured in Shredder's Revenge, making it a fantastic place for TMNT fans to seek that next adventure. -- Jamie Lovett
prev