The Weekly Pull: Jurassic League, Captain America Epic Collection, Love Everlasting, and More
Aggretsuko: Out to Lunch #1
- Written by Josh Trujillo
- Art by Abigail Starling
- Colors by Andrew Dalhouse
- Letters by Crank!
- Published by Oni Press
I was a big fan of Aggretsuko: Out of Office which in turn put Aggretsuko: Out to Lunch on my must-read list so I'm here to suggest it to you. Aggretsuko and her colleagues go on a company retreat to a theme park where the positive and aspirational messages to follow her dreams push Aggretsuko into a bit of an existential crisis. A huge part of what makes Aggretsuko so interesting is how relatable the character is and that seems to be the case here as well. Definitely, a read to relate to and have a bit of fun with. -- Nicole Drum
Captain America Epic Collection: Sturm Und Drang
- Written by J.M. DeMatteis, Bill Mantlo, Mike Carlin, Peter B. Gillis, and Christopher Priest
- Art by Paul Neary, Mike Zeck, Ron Frenz, Herb Trimpe, and others
- Colors by Various
- Letters by Various
- Published by Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics' Epic Collections continue to provide readers with an outstanding price and quality to access the classics that inspire so many popular tales today. The newest edition to gather Captain America-related material sets its sights at the start of one of Captain America's most fertile eras. Collecting Captain America #286-301 (along with related issues), it provides the complete "The Death of the Red Skull" story. Writer J.M. DeMatteis and many collaborators staged an ultimate confrontation between Cap and his arch-nemesis that shocked readers in the 1980s and continues to reverberate through modern stories. Additionally, there's the Red Skull's daughter Sin, a crossover with Secret Wars, and a whole lot more. Perhaps what's best about this volume as a jumping-on point for readers interested in Captain America's past is that it's an entry point for, perhaps, the most influential era of Cap comics as it sets the stage for Mike Gruenwald's titanic run. "Sturm Und Drang" is a collection that delivers readers genuinely classic Cap comics and invites them to keep reading for more than 100 issues of the hero at his absolute best. If you consider yourself a fan of Captain America, this is a can't-miss collection. -- Chase Magnett
The Deadliest Bouquet #1
- Written by Erica Schultz
- Art by Carola Borelli
- Colors by Gab Contreras
- Lettering by Erica Schultz
- Published by Image Comics
The trope of estranged siblings reuniting after a parents' death has been played out a lot in popular culture, but the twist that The Deadliest Bouquet is bringing to the proceedings has me downright excited. The five-issue miniseries opens in 1998 with the murder of Jasmine Hawthorn, a badass Nazi hunter who passed on her skills of espionage to her three daughters; Rose, Poppy, and Violet. Now, after Jasmine's shocking death, the trio must put aside their differences and try to solve her murder. Just based on this first issue, The Deadliest Bouquet looks to be a snarky, shocking, and earnest look at family and sisterhood, and I'm excited to see what all it has in store. — Jenna Anderson
Dark Crisis: Worlds Without a Justice League - Green Lantern #1
- Written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson
- Art by Fernando Blanco
- Colors by Jodie Bellaire
- Letters by Troy Peteri
- Published by DC Comics
Worlds Without a Justice League has provided a welcome opportunity to examine what each of the League's core heroes truly means to their loved ones, their friends, and the world, and now it's Green Lantern's turn in the spotlight in Dark Crisis: Worlds Without a Justice League Green Lantern #1 Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Jeremy Adams, Fernando Blanco, and Jack Herbert re-envision John Stewart, Kyle Rayner, and the rest of the Green Lantern Corps while also contextualizing the role John plays and how important he is in the greater scheme of things. Those looking for a fresh take on the Lanterns are in for a treat, so don't miss out on all the ring-slinging fun. -- Matthew Aguilar
The Jurassic League #4
- Written by Juan Gedeon, Daniel Warren Johnson
- Art by Juan Gedeon, Jon MIkel
- Colors by Mike Spicer
- Letters by Ferran Delgado
- Published by DC Comics
Dinosaurs really do go with anything, don't they? The answer is yes of course they do, and that's part of why DC's Jurassic League has been so delightful. This week Jurassic League #4 hits stores, and with the new issue come several new recruits in the fight against Darkseid's army. Whether they can actually overcome the odds remains to be seen, but who isn't going to lose their mind over the additions of Aquanyx, Flashraptor, and the fantastically named Green Torch? Again, the answer is clear, as everyone is going to find something to love in one of the most pleasant surprises of the year. -- Matthew Aguilar
Kamandi by Jack Kirby Vol 1
- Created by Jack Kirby
- Published by DC Comics
While Jack Kirby's work in the mainstream comic space was undeniably boundless, no title has endured in the minds of its fans quite like Kamandi. The post-apocalyptic adventures of the last boy on Earth, Kamandi managed to be one of the most compelling and bizarre components of Kirby's bibliography, which allowed his unique aesthetic flair to truly shine. This week's reprint provides a perfect way to revisit the series' first twenty issues — which should be a must-read for any comic fans. — Jenna Anderson
Love Everlasting
- Written by Tom King
- Art by Elsa Charretier
- Colors by Matt Hollingsworth
- Letters by Clayton Cowles
I am a sucker for romance comics. I'm also a sucker for horror comics. I also really like Elsa Charretier as an artist and have been low-key obsessed with Love Everlasting since it launched as a Substack series so now that it's coming to Image Comics I kind of have to make it a recommendation this week. The series follows Joan Patterson, a woman who finds that she's trapped in a terrible cycle of "romance" and every time she falls in love, she's ripped from her world and ends up in another. It's a fascinating premise and again, I just love Charretier's art, but Tom King does a pretty solid job of dealing with various romance tropes and the unsettling dread of Joan's predicament. This one is one you just need to read. -- Nicole Drum
Parker Girls #1
- Created by Terry Moore
- Published by Abstract Studio
Terry Moore's Strangers in Paradise remains an iconic entry in the self-published comics boom of the 1990s. The raw and tumultuous romance between Katchoo, Francine, and David was touching, and the narrative gracefully flowed between moments of heartbreak and humor. In the years since, Moore has continued to expand his personal universe with series like Echo, Rachel Rising, and Motor Girl. This week, he returns to one of the earliest ideas from Strangers in Paradise with a new limited Parker Girls series, taking a turn for the noir. Moore's cartooning skills and knack for compelling characters has remained strong throughout his career, and seeing him take on yet another new genre is exciting stuff. -- Jamie Lovett
Samurai Doggy #1
- Written by Chris Tex
- Art by Santtos
- Published by AfterShock Comics
What's cooler than a samurai story? A samurai story where the lead character is a dog, perhaps. That's the premise behind Samurai Doggy, from the BlackOut team of Chris Tex and Santtos. The story follows Doggy on his quest to discover what happened to his eight siblings who her kidnapped as pups. There's a long history of great anthropomorphic animal comics, from Usagi Yojimbo to Blacksad. The stylish looking Samurai Doggy could be the next in that line. -- Jamie Lovett
World Record Holders
- Created by Guy Delisle
- Published by Drawn & Quarterly
If you recognize the name Guy Delisle, then you are already familiar with his outstanding travelogues showcasing regions and experiences from across the globe, ranging from Pyongyang to Jerusalem. With an animator's eye, he abstracts and stretches the human form to reveal the truth behind expressions and experiences with clarity and humor. Delisle has accumulated an impressive catalog of comics reflecting the human experience, much of it featuring his own experiences focused on specific locales. Now in World Record Holders, Delisle is engaged in a different form of memoir as he reflects on his award-winning, globe-spanning career and the many odd and eccentric encounters it has entailed. It includes misadventures from childhood to strange occurrences throughout his career, all of them presented with Delisle's idiosyncratic wit and deft hand. These short stories are bound to amuse and also inform as readers consider the sight of a cartoonist roaming the planet and encountering all sorts of cities and people. Even when trapped at home, Delisle continues to bring the world to readers as only comics can communicate. -- Chase Magnett
