Pull List Roundtable 3/9/2016 – Batman and Robin Eternal #23, Vision #5, Ninjak #13 & More (Spoilers)

Columns, Features, Roundtables, Top Story

John Babos

6 new books this week.

  • Batman and Robin Eternal #23 – The end is nigh; this is the last month for this weekly 1/2 year anniversary celebration of DC Comics’ Robin’s 75th birthday. What will be next for Batman’s Robins?
  • Earth 2 Society #10 – I wonder if this take on Earth 2 will continue post Rebirth or whether we’ll get a return to the class post-Crisis JSA or… both?
  • Green Lantern: Edge of Oblivion #3 – Awesome creative team picking up threads from another amazing creative team. The GLC of Rebirth is intriguing and this mini will take use there.
  • New Suicide Squad #18 – Villains. What’s not to like?
  • Ninjak #13 – Shadowman and Punk Mambo guest star. Not your typical ‘Jak story. Not sure if that’s a good or a bad thing yet.
  • Telos #6 – The end of a criminally under-read post-Convergence mini-series.

Mike Maillaro

Last week, I only had a handful of books. This week, I am swamped with over 30 books I am buying. Can’t we spread things out a little more evenly, comic industry?

  • INSEXTS #4 – Aftershock is putting out some real crazy books. A friend of mine called them the next Valiant. Now, I still love the old Valiant, but I do see it as a fitting title. A nice variety of books covering some real fresh new ground. INSEXTS might be their loftiest book. It’s set during Victorian times and focuses on a secret lesbian couple…who happen to have some kind of freaky insect powers. It’s one of the craziest books I’ve ever read and definitely worth checking out.
  • VISION #5 – I was a late arrival on this series. I love Tim King’s work on Grayson, but I just never thought I could be interested in a Vision series. My friend Grey (who also turned me on to Aftershock) has recommended this a few times. I finally read the first four issues last night. HOLY CRAP! This is an incredibly disturbing book. From about halfway through the first issue (when they promise that later in the series an elderly couple will die in a horrible fire set by one of the main characters), it was real clear this was going to be unlike anything else the Big Two put out. I have no idea where this series is going (especially since King is now DC exclusive), but I am on board for the ride.
  • SHAFT IMITATION OF LIFE #2 – David F. Walker is back writing Shaft! The first series was awesome, and the first issue of Imitation of Life was more of the same. I kind of wish this was an ongoing series, but I guess I would rather a great mini-series every now and then than an ongoing series that felt forced.
  • STARFIRE #10 – Another casualty of DC Rebirth. Starfire is one of my favorite series. It’s fun and light-hearted, which is sorely lacking from most comics these days. I just hope they keep her far away from Red Hood and The Outlaws…unless Palmiotti and Conner are taking that book over. They are a great fit for Starfire!
  • NINJAK #13 – I never expected to see Shadowman’s story continuing in Ninjak, but I am a huge Shadowman fan, so I am happy that it happened! Hopefully this will lead to Shadowman getting his own series again. Ninjak is a terrific series, and I love how it makes it’s way through the entire Valiant universe.
  • ALL-NEW WOLVERINE #6 – When X-23 first appeared in NYX, I was just getting ready for one of my hiatuses in comic reading. By the time I came back to reading comics, she was already a pretty established character, but I basically missed all that. All that said, I have really enjoyed her in this new series. I like the way they’ve involved characters like Doctor Strange. She’s really carved out a nice corner of the Marvel universe for herself. It’s rare for new characters to get a strong footing, so I’m glad to see Laura/X-23/WOLVERINE!! is doing so well!
  • MS MARVEL #5 – My favorite superhero at the moment! And not just because she’s from Jersey City! Ms Marvel is a terrific character. It’s been great to see her get a little more exposure in books like All-New All-Different Avengers and the next issue of Spider-Man. Like I just said about X-23, it’s great to see a new character succeed.
  • BATMAN AND ROBIN ETERNAL #23 – This weekly series is starting to wind down. Unlike Batman Eternal, most of the big surprises have been doled out across the series, so we’re not going to get everything all loaded into overstuffed last issues. This series was the perfect pacing and length for this story.
  • RED WOLF #4 – I don’t hear much about this book, but I think it’s been a pretty solid book. Unfortunately, I can’t imagine it will have much legs, but part of the reason I do this column is to bring attention to books people might not normally know about. It’s not one of Marvel’s more flashy books, but it does it’s job real well. A fun “fish out of water” story which helps expand on Marvel’s “new” reality some.
  • ACTION COMICS #50 & DETECTIVE COMICS #50 – 2 big anniversary issues that should bring some dramatic changes to the “Truth” and “Bat-Gordon” storylines, respectively. I know these stories haven’t always been the most popular with the readers, but I’ve thought they were great shifts to the status quo and very entertaining. In a few issues, both of these books will go back to their original numbering as they speed towards their 1000th issues.
  • DOCTOR STRANGE #6 – Another Marvel series that doesn’t get anywhere near the attention it deserves. Hopefully with the movie coming out that will change some!

James Fulton

This is not a very exciting week for me.

  • Bunker #15 – It’s been a while since we last saw this very interesting series about a group of friends with knowledge of the future. This is a very involved, very rewarding series.
  • Descender #11 – Jeff Lemire’s story in this series is really good, but people should be buying this for the incredible work Dustin Nguyen is doing on the art. One of the most beautiful books on the stands…
  • Last Contract #3 – I am really feeling everything that Ed Brisson is writing these days. This is an excellent series about an old hitman who is not really able to retire (are they ever?).
  • Massive: Ninth Wave #4 – Brian Wood is at his best when writing done-in-one stories, and so I love this prequel mini to his excellent epic series The Massive.
  • Vision #5 – Tom King is writing a series that is as close as Marvel is ever likely to come to capturing an early-Vertigo level of ‘mature reader-ness’ with this series, which is very dark and very unpredictable.

Matt Graham

Light week for me.

  • All-New Wolverine #6 – Six issues. Will it make 12? I hope for 24, that’s usually the end point these days.
  • Doctor Strange #6 – The story is good, but the Bachalo’s art is incredible.
  • Vision #5 – I wish Marvel would do more books like this, especially with Tom King going to DC. For now, we have one of the darkest, strangest titles Marvel has put out in decades.
  • Descender #11 – If you like robots and Dustin Nguyen, and you should, then you need to be buying this.
  • Insexts #4 – Bodice ripper meets body horror. I’ll leave you with the pitch for the first issue. “At the dusk of a century, a pair of vengeful Victorian vixens discover a horrifying power that transforms them into rich and strange new creatures. Armed with their dark, evolving forms, they descend into a world of the cultured and occult, with new senses and new sensuality, to forge a life for themselves and the child of their love.”

Paul Miranda

This is the smallest week ever for reading and/or purchasing. That’s a first :0

  • inSEXts #4
  • POWER BUTTON #0
    Alternative Comics, the publisher and the genre, always catch my eye. Cool logo!!
  • BAKER STREET PECULIARS #1
    The reference is obvious. Nevertheless, I didn’t realize there is a legit group of literary critics examing in minute detail the works of Sir Doyle. In that case though, the characters are given a supernatural spin.
  • SNOW BLIND #4 (of 4)
  • TOMMY #1 (of 3)
    Creature releases a mini that will make you think twice about playing with and owning dolls. If you already found them creepy, stay away from this title!!
  • ACTION COMICS #50
  • CATWOMAN #50
  • DETECTIVE COMICS #50
    I was remiss in mentioning last week’s GL #50. The New 52 is sinking like a sunset. Here are three more of the dozen ‘originals’. The bigger news is that ACTiON and DETECTIVE will resume their true numbering. WOOT! WOOT!!
  • BATMAN/TNMT #4 (of 6)
    The fans have been clamoring this series!! The copies have left the shelves. #1 and #2 are going to third printings!! It’s the most madcap mash-up ever.
  • SHAFT: IMITATION of LIFE #2 (of 4)
  • REINCARNATION MAN #2 (of 4)
  • DISNEY PRINCESS #1
    I’m hoping to buy this and give it to my niece. It’s for her. Honest!! She’s bedazzled by all the characters and aspires to be royalty herself. Plus, Joe Books is Canadian. How many of you knew that?
  • AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #9
  • DR. STRANGE #6
  • SPIDER-MAN/DEADPOOL #3
  • MOCKINGBIRD #1
    Bobbi Morse at her best: butt kicking, bringing forth biology skills, and bedding her beau. All this seems like a walk in the park. I was flabbergasted with her new costume redesign.
  • HENCHGIRL #5

Phil Allen

DC titles start to hit 50 this month, meaning “Rebirth” is right around the corner. Hopefully that means stories will start to wrap up, at least the ones in regular continuity.

  • Batman: Contagion – I had only a handful of the individual issues from this event some time ago, but was never able to find the rest. I’m glad DC has been bringing back old stories in new TPB and HC editions over the last year or so, more please!
  • Batman and Robin Eternal #23
  • Catwoman #50
  • Codename Baboushka: The Conclave of Death #5 – I’ve read the first couple issues of this so far, and while I’m not sure where it’s going or what I particularly like about the series, it is fun and I’m intrigued.
  • Constantine: The Hellblazer #10
  • Descender #11
  • Detective Comics #50 – The beginning of the end is here with “Rebirth” coming up, and I’m happy to see that the title will be returning to it’s original pre-New 52 numbering. The countdown to #1000 is back on!
  • Fables: The Wolf Among Us #15
  • Gotham Academy #16
  • The Haunted Mansion #1 – My wife and I honeymooned to Disneyland last year in October, and most of the park was decorated for Halloween already so naturally we stopped at the Haunted Mansion (which had been taken over by the characters of Nightmare Before Christmas!) It’s been years since I bought a Disney-related comic, but I don’t see how I can pass this up.
  • Howard the Duck #5
  • Jupiter’s Circle #4
  • Limbo #5
  • Ms. Marvel #5
  • Rocket Raccoon and Groot #3
  • Shutter #19 – Between consistent writing bring the interesting stories and the beautiful artwork being a treat for the eyes, this is definitely one of my favorites right now. From where I’m at in reading, I haven’t quite caught up to the last issue, but I’m excited to get back on track.
  • The October Faction #14
Mike Maillaro is a lifelong Jersey Boy and geek. Mike has been a comic fan for about 30 years from when his mom used to buy him Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Adventures at our local newsstand. Thanks, Mom!! Mike's goal is to bring more positivity to the discussion of comics and pop culture.