Pull List Roundtable 9/28/2016 – Teen Titans Rebirth #1, Josie And The Pussycats #1 , X-O Manowar #50, & More!

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John Babos

13 new books this week pour moi.

  • Action Comics #964 – The mystery deepens over a new Clark Kent apart from Superman?
  • Batman Beyond Rebirth #1 – Terry McGinnis is back. What happens to adult Tim Drake?
  • Bloodshot Reborn #17 – A solid read from Valiant. Enjoying this book.
  • Blue Beetle #1 – A surprising enjoyment from the one-shot. Curious who the ongoing series’ debut issue will read.
  • DC Universe Rebirth #1 (5th print) – The Phil Jimenez cover is simple and elegant. I like it!
  • Deathstroke #3 – Enjoying this book so far. Rose Wilson as Ravager is on the way!
  • Detective Comics #941 – More from Monster Men mini. Eh.
  • Flash #7– More on the younger Wally West’s journey to Kid Flash in Teen Titans!
  • Suicide Squad #3 – This is the book to watch after last issue’s surprises (plural).
  • Teen Titans Rebirth #1 – Will the sixth member of the team be revealed?
  • Thunderbolts #5 – More Civil War II shenanigans?
  • Titans #3 – My fave book so far of the DC Rebirth era with TEC.
  • X-O Manowar #50 – The end of an era.

Matt Graham

  • Josie And The Pussycats #1 – Marguerite Bennett and Audrey Mok are always a lure, but the truth is Josie and The Pussycats is my favourite Archie property. They were always a favourite when they popped up in digests, the theme song is addictive (check out Juliana Hatfield and Tanya Donelly’s 90’s cover), and I saw the movie twice in theaters. And I still that movie is up there with They Live as the best consumer and capitalist satire of all time.

Now that Archie has reworked its comic line to be a Degrassi/CW styled teen drama, there are no characters I’m willing to follow down this path than Josie, Valerie, and Melody. I have hopes this will be a spiritual successor to my missed Black Canary comic.

Bennett was super excited about the upcoming book and how great Mok’s pages were when I spoke to her last month, and I am forwarding that enthusiasm out into the world. After Animosity, Insexts, and her Red Sonja run, I can’t think of anyone else geared for getting into Josie’s head with the new tone.

  • Surgeon X#1 – Holy shit. Sara Kenney, the acclaimed British filmmaker has teamed up with artists John Watkiss and James Devlin and Vertigo’s founding editor Karen Berger (!) to produce a black comic medical dystopian thriller. The story came from an unsent pitch Kenney came up with 2000AD’s Future Shock, evolving with research for 10 years until now. All in. ALL. IN.

A far-right British government sets the classic dystopian stage in the wake of an antibiotic apocalypse. In a world where infection and disease can no longer be fought with tradtional means, brilliant surgeon Rosa Scott uses experimental surgery and treatment on the black market. With a disintegrating moral code and a malleable view of the Hippocratic Oath (she confesses she believes life is a privilege, not a right), Dr. Scott’s god-complex should be a tense journey that skews t0o close to the real world. As all dystopian tales should.

  • Deadly Class #22 -Rick Remender creates many worlds and characters and Deadly Class is my favourite.
  • Snotgirl #3 – Brian Lee O’Malley’s new ongoing title is my surprise of the summer. Lottie is a protagonist that I find reflects much of myself: insecurities, an unhealthy obsession with what other people think, and killer fashion sense. I didn’t know what to expect from this book, but O’Malley and Leslie Hung hooked me. It could be Lottie’s inner monologues, the gut punches and swerves thrown every few pages, or the way it takes apart modern social media and society. I’ve read comments online (see, I care what people think) and know that people are upset that the book is not a straight forward fashion blogger murder mystery, or that they were offended by how the world of blogging and social media is portrayed, or that the characters not Lottie are boring. Fair play to them, but I didn’t expect fashion blogger murder to be the crux of the book, and as I’m close to the fashion blogger world myself (really!), I think the book may have hit too close to home for the thin skinned.
  • Cap Marvel #9 – Riding this one to the end, but probably won’t keep up come December.
  • Doctor Strange Annual – I’ve enjoyed Marvel’s annuals for the first time in years.
  • Spider-Gwen #12
  • Spider-Woman #11
  • Ultimates #11

Mike Maillaro

  • BATMAN BEYOND REBIRTH #1 – Terry is back! I actually enjoyed Tim Drake filling in as Batman for a little while, but when I read Batman Beyond, I am looking for Terry McGinnis. Batman Beyond tends to slip below the radar a lot of the time, but I have enjoyed pretty much all of DC’s attempts to set comics in the Batman Beyond universe.
  • TEEN TITANS REBIRTH #1 – Teen Titans needs a rebirth more than just about any other book DC was putting out. It’s been consistently disappointing for a very long time. I am curious to see what Damian can bring to the mix. I love young hero books, so I am really hoping this one can find it’s footing.
  • STAR TREK WAYPOINT #1 – While I am still a little annoyed that IDW ended the ongoing Star Trek series, I was happy to see this mini-series announced as part of Star Trek’s 50th Anniversary. This comic is supposed to have a TNG and Original Series story in it, so hopefully it will take some of the sting off.
  • JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS #1 – While I did think Jughead took some time to find it’s footing (loved the change in creative team and direction last issue), I have really enjoyed the Archie relaunch. I am still having nightmares about the last time I saw Josie and the Pussycats (VAMPIRES), but I can’t wait for this one!
  • X-O MANOWAR #50 – I can’t believe they are ending Valiant’s longest running series! Been a huge fan of X-O Manowar since the old Valiant. Hoping to hear some kind of announcement of a spinoff or something like that, because comic shelves are going to feel empty without some kind of X-O Manowar series…
  • FLASH #7 – Last time we found out Godspeed’s identity. A few weeks ago I complained about a certain reveal at the end of Nightwing, and I feel the same way here. It’s just getting so cliché to introduce a new heroic character only to have then end up being revealed as a villain in the end. I really hope there is more to this story, because I liked the idea of Flash having a partner. But I guess they needed to clear the stage to put Wally West back in that role.
  • EDEN’S FALL #2 – Eden’s Fall basically seamlessly fit Tithe, Postal, and Think Tank all together. I really enjoyed the first issue of this one. Looking forward to seeing where this story goes from here and what kind of impact it will have on the core series.
  • MS MARVEL #11 and SPIDER-WOMAN #11 – Two of my favorite Marvel series, both of which got a bit bogged down by Civil War crossovers. I do think they are making the best out of what they can in the framework, but for me, it feels like a waste of two great books.
  • CAPTAIN MARVEL #9 – On the flip side, I do think CAPTAIN MARVEL has done a great job of giving Carol Danvers a lot more depth. In the main Civil War series, she’s seemed pretty rigid and relentless, but last issue gave her a lot more humanity.
  • CAPTAIN AMERICA SAM WILSON #13 – USAGENT!! I loved the scenes in issue 12 where USAgent talked about not being used as a pawn. Granted in the end, he sort of falls in line, but I still thought it was some great scenes.
  • Captain Kid #2
  • Mae #5
  • Action Comics #964
  • Astro City #39
  • Batgirl #3
  • Blue Beetle #1
  • Detective Comics #941
  • Hal Jordan And The Green Lantern Corps #5
  • Suicide Squad #3
  • Titans #3
  • Wacky Raceland #4 (Of 6)
  • Wonder Woman #7
  • Back To The Future #12
  • Walt Disney’s Comics And Stories #734
  • Dream Police #12
  • Postal #15
  • Saga #38
  • Disney’s Darkwing Duck #5
  • Captain America Steve Rogers #5
  • Civil War II Kingpin #3 (Of 4)
  • Doctor Strange Annual #1
  • Extraordinary X-Men #14
  • Moon Girl And Devil Dinosaur #11
  • New Avengers #1
  • Nighthawk #5
  • Nova #11
  • Rocket Raccoon And Groot #10
  • Star Wars #23
  • Thunderbolts #5
  • Totally Awesome Hulk #10
  • Ultimates #11
  • Web Warriors #11
  • X-Men ’92 #7
  • Bloodshot Reborn #17
  • Generation Zero #2

James Fulton

  • Deadly Class #22 – The last arc had a heartbreaking ending that stuck in my mind all summer. I’m a little nervous to pick this book up again, because I’m worried about just how much worse Rick Remender is planning on making Marcus’s life in it. Poor kid…
  • Deathstroke #3 – I’m currently rereading Priest’s Black Panther, and am enjoying seeing the parallels in storytelling technique to this series, which has climbed to the top of my favourites list at DC.
  • Star Wars #23 – You don’t hear a lot about Star Wars lately, but I’ve been enjoying the current arc, which has had the gang steal a Star Destroyer.
  • X-O Manowar #50 – When Valiant relaunched with this title, I was immediately impressed. Now, Robert Venditti has shepherded this series through much more than fifty issues, what with the preponderance of zero issues, annuals, and specials, and is letting his story come to a close. This book has been impressive on so many levels in the current state of the industry, and Venditti and everyone he worked with on it should be applauded and deeply gratified.

Phil Allen

Lots of DC and Image for me this week!

  • Batman Beyond: Rebirth #1 – Terry has returned! The last series started heading in a good direction with Tim, but it’ll be good to have Mcginnis back in the suit!
  • Blue Beetle #1 – Rebirth one-shot was interesting, glad to see a Beetle back in the ‘verse. Maybe a Booster Gold coming soon?
  • Deadly Class #22 – New arc, new school year. If you read the last arc, you know some things went down and we’re in store for a ride.
  • Detective Comics #941 – Monster Men Pt. 3!
  • Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #5 – I’ve tried reading several Green Lantern books for awhile now but nothing catches mt interest, though so far this one has me the most intrigued. I think I need a team GL book, I just don’t find Hal Jordan interesting enough on his own.
  • Hellblazer #2 – Love me some Swamp Thing. Maybe a solo book or a return on Justice League Dark is in order for Rebirth?
  • ODY-C #11 – Glad to have a Fraction book back in the pull. It hasn’t been too long since his last release, but I’m just used to having more.
  • Saga #38 – Taking a step back and seeing more of the war in addition to the family is great, it makes the story feel even bigger if that were possible. Still a regular favorite of mine.
  • Star Wars #23 – Joyriding in a Star Destroyer! Can it get cooler?
  • Teen Titans: Rebirth #1 – Can Damian remember the human element of team-leading?
  • Wonder Woman #7 – Of the two arcs, I’m enjoying “Year One” more than “The Lies. But I am enjoying the series overall.
  • Other issues I’m looking forward to:
  • Action Comics #964
  • Batgirl #3
  • Descender #15
  • Ms. Marvel #11
  • Outcast #21
  • The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #12
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.