Pull List Roundtable 11/29/2017 – Batman: Creature of The Night #1, John Wick #1, Darkhawk #51 & More

Columns, Features, Roundtables, Top Story

James Fulton

I love five Wednesday months, not because they give us a bunch of Annuals, but because companies other than DC spread their product around, and we get a few smaller weeks.

There’s nothing I want to really spotlight this week, but I’m looking forward to:

  • Black Magick
  • Kill or Be Killed
  • Lazarus X+66
  • Manifest Destiny
  • Motor Crush

All are very high quality Image books!


Phil Allen

Relatively small list for me, though majority goes to DC as usual – thanks, 5th week!

  • Batman Annual #2 – I’m really liking the Bat/Cat storylines so far, particularly Joelle Jones’ art on the last few issues. Makes me wish she would get her own Catwoman series.
  • Batman: Creature of The Night #1 – Kurt Busiek is a hit-or-miss for me, but I’m too big a Bat-fan to skip this.
  • Green Arrow Annual #1 – Ben Percy has been on GA for a little over two years now, and though I wasn’t really into some the New52 stuff, he’s been pretty great since Rebirth began. He’s found great stories and a good voice for Oliver. I hope he sticks around awhile.
  • John Wick #1 – The origin of John Wick! I watched both movies for the first time in the last couple months and am looking forward to the third. This will have to hold me over until then, and with Greg Pak at the helm I’m sure it’ll be pretty cool.
  • Mystik U #1 – I won’t lie, the fact that Zatanna is in this series is really the only thing that drew me to it. While I’m not familiar with the creators (except Mike Norton and his BattlePug) the buzz around this has me hoping it will be good.
  • Black Magick #9
  • The Ghost Fleet: The Whole Goddamned Thing
  • Kill or Be Killed #14
  • Lazarus X+66 #5
  • New Talent Showcase 2017 #1
  • Star Wars: Mace Windu, Jedi of The Republic #4
  • Star Wars: Poe Dameron #21
  • Super Sons Annual #1

Matt Graham: Joelle Jones. I see you are a man of taste.


Mike Maillaro

  • DARKHAWK #51 – I’ve really enjoyed these Marvel Legacy One-Shots. I really hope we get a more back to basics DARKHAWK story. Marvel has overcomplicated Darkhawk constantly over the last few years, and since I grew up on DARKHAWK comics I really hate all the changes.
  • BATMAN CREATURE OF THE NIGHT #1 – The ads for this look interesting, and I love Kurt Busiek. This sort of reminds me of his SUPERMAN: SECRET IDENTITY series from a long time ago. If DC is going to keep doing Batman stories, I love the more unusual stuff like this and WHITE KNIGHT.
  • NEW TALENT SHOWCASE 2017 #1 – Not sure if I will buy this for $8, but I do like trying to support these new talent books in hopes that the big companies will do more of them and find more new voices for the comic industry. But it seems destined to fail when you charge $8 for a book full of new talent.
  • MYSTIK U #1 – Another big price tag at $6. I think DC is shooting themselves in their foot when they charge this much for a book that is likely going to have a very niche audience anyway.
  • MOON KNIGHT #189 – Another great MOON KNIGHT series. Marvel has had a terrific track record with MOON KNIGHT series in terms of quality, though there never seems to be much of an audience, which is a real shame. They really should do a MOON KNIGHT series on Netflix ot something to bring exposure to this great character.
  • Death Of Cerebus in Hell #1 (Of 1)
  • Dark Ark #3
  • Fu Jitsu #3
  • Batman Annual #2
  • Green Arrow Annual #1
  • Hal Jordan And The Green Lantern Corps #33
  • Justice League Of America Annual #1
  • Super Sons Annual #1
  • G.I. JOE A Real American Hero #246
  • Powerpuff Girls The Bureau Of Bad #1 (Of 3)
  • Star Trek Boldly Go #14
  • Uncle Scrooge #32
  • Black Magick #9
  • Spawn #280
  • America #9
  • Jean Grey #9
  • Old Man Logan #31
  • Secret Warriors #9
  • Star Wars Jedi Of The Republic Mace Windu #4 (Of 5)
  • Star Wars Poe Dameron #21
  • U.S.Avengers #12
  • X-Men Blue #16
  • Eternity #2 (Of 4)
  • War Mother #4

 


Matt Graham

  • John Wick #1 – The world of John Wick is one I want to know more of, while at the same time it’s a world I’m content to be kept in the dark on. There’s a danger of wanting to know and see more of the fictional world we admire, and I’d point to the second and third Matrix films (coincidental Keanu tie, I swear) as stories where I didn’t like what happened when the lights went on – or rather, it couldn’t match up to what I had worked out for myself.

Greg Pak has set this comic about a young John Wick, a Vendettta One of sorts, and I think that sets a nice stage for expanding the assassin world of the movies without explaining away and ruining some of the mystique. Giovannia Valletta’s artwork nails the feel of the movies…I’d say brand at this point. Together Pak and Valletta nail the economy of action and dialogue that established the films.

Oh, John has a cat this time. I hope nobody touches the cat.

  • Vampirella #8 – No number reset heralds this creative team change. Writer Jeremy Whitley (Unstoppable Wasp, Princeless) takes the baton from Paul Cornell for issues 8-11 as Vampirella continues her future adventures. Andy Belanger (Black Church, Southern Cross) stays on for art duties. Last issue was a strrong joint effort handoff featuring a pyschedelic trek through Vampirella’s inner-self, that acknowledged the classic and recent takes on the character. Still, Cornell’s wrap up after the strong early issues felt a little dodgy, as if he ran out of time or space to execute a grander vision. Whitley managed to help resolve it all to run full steam into this next arc, and I’m excited to see where he takes it.

I’m also glad Dynamite isn’t going back to the drawing board on Vampirella’s character design, as this is her strongest look.

Vampirella still gets a lot of flak for being one of comics’ iconic scantily clad bad girls, but I think Dynamite has done a stellar job making her relevant while updating her and finding creators like Kate Leth and Paul Cornell who had things they wanted to say through the character and her world. I hope the trend continues without a looming Volume reset.

  • Darkhawk #51 – I liked Darkhawk as a kid, but I haven’t felt too excited by his modern takes, barring the stints on The Loners and Avengers Arena. The most exiciting part of this solicitation is that it takes place in New York, returning Darkhawk to the urban setting I first thought he was cool.
  • Jean Grey #9 – Jean and a near death experience should be old hat for her, but Dennis Hopeless manages to wring drama and character introspection out of it. I wish he was on X-Men Red, but we’ll see what the future holds.
  • Spider-Gwen #26 – Gwenom part 2! Gwenom vs SHIELD.
  • X-Men Blue #16

John Babos

7 books this week.

    Aquaman Annual #1
    Batman Annual #2
    Eternity #2
    Green Arrow Annual #1
    Hal Jordan and the GLC #33
    JLA Annual #1
    Super Sons Annual #1

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.