Pull List Roundtable 2/24/2016 – Street Fighter X G.I. JOE #1, Karnak #2, Black Magick #5, Superman: Lois and Clark #5 & More (Spoilers)

Columns, Features, Roundtables, Top Story

Mike Maillaro

  • JUSTICE LEAGUE 3001 #9 – With the announcement of the DC Rebirth launch list, I was pretty sad to see Justice League 3001 didn’t make the cut. It’s always one of my favorite DC books. This is especially frustrating because the May solicits had an awesome cover for Legion of Death which looked incredible. But sadly, that arc will probably only be two issues before the series abruptly ends.
  • STREET FIGHTER X GI JOE #1 – I usually read the solicits pretty closely to see what books I might want to read. Somehow I missed this. I am a huge GI Joe fan, and I have probably spent hundreds of dollars in various Street Fighter games over the years. I have no idea if this will be any good, but I still want to see it.
  • POSTAL #10 – One of my favorite Image books. It was just announced that POSTAL, TITHE, and THINK TANK are going to have a crossover soon. I don’t read Think Tank, but I may start because Postal and Tithe are excellent.
  • KARNAK #2 – Not a dream! Not a hoax! KARNAK #2 is finally coming out! It’s been so long I barely remember the first issue, but I did remember really enjoying it. I guess I had better re-read it before issue 2 comes out…
  • FAITH #2 – The first issue was great. I had high expectations for this book, and it manages to exceed them. Valiant puts out a lot of great comics, and FAITH is definitely on that list.
  • GRAYSON #17 – Looks like Dick Grayson will go back to being Nightwing during Rebirth. I just hope that they keep King and Janin as the creative team. Like JL3001, GRAYSON is always one of my favorite titles. I honestly am not that worried about the title change, but only if they keep this awesome creative team.
  • SPAWN #261 – I don’t talk about SPAWN all that much just because I’ve read it so long, it’s kind of just there on my pulllist. Which is unfair, because it’s a book I enjoy quite a bit. Larsen and McFarlane make a terrific creative team, and SPAWN is really in a great place right now, with Spawn declaring war on hell to try and bring his ex-wife back to life. It sort of feels like this is a SPAWN story that should have been told like 200 issues ago, but SPAWN sort of meandered through some huge changes over the years when different creative teams tried out new things on the book. But SPAWN has gone back to basics, and it’s a stronger book for it.
  • FLASH #49 – The last issue where Barry was being hunted by the Rogues who were working for the Central City Police was pretty brilliant. As we build up towards next month’s big issue 50 (not to mention Flash being hinted at as a big part of REBIRTH), I’m real curious where this series is going.
  • WE ARE ROBIN #9 – No surprise, but it doesn’t look like this book survived the cut for REBIRTH either. I will admit, it’s a little slow moving at times, but it’s been a solid ground-level look at Gotham. If nothing else, it’s helped provide some variety to DC. A Batman book without any Batman characters. But, it looks like only
    GOTHAM ACADEMY (which I don’t like all that much) will have to continue that.
  • HOWLING COMMANDOS OF SHIELD #5 – This book gets just about no press, and I think it’s probably already been cancelled since it didn’t show up in May’s solicits. I don’t know why Marvel keeps trying to reimagine the Howling Commandos as monsters. It’s a fun idea, but it doesn’t ever seem to sell all that many books. Monster books are way out of style and probably won’t be coming back.
  • SUPERMAN LOIS AND CLARK #5 – With a lot of Superman titles coming out of Rebirth (like Superwoman, The Super-Man, and Supersons), I suspect this book is going to be really important moving forward. Which is a good thing. It’s a great series, and I’ve loved having Jurgens on a Superman book again.
  • ALL-NEW ALL-DIFFERENT AVENGERS #6 – Vision has betrayed the Avengers, tearing the team apart from the inside. Unfortunately, this has been telegraphed since real early in the series, and it doesn’t make a lot of sense with the going-on’s in Vision’s solo book. I hate being cynical about ANAD AVENGERS, but I just feel this book is punching way below it’s weight class. With this creative team and these characters, it should be great…but so far it’s just barely been average.
  • SILK #5 – Silk has been pulled in a lot of directions since her new series started. She’s working undercover with SHIELD to try and take down Black Cat. Meanwhile, she has a day job, is fighting against the Goblin Nation, and trying to find her own family. I get the same excitement from SILK that I used to get from AMAZING SPIDER-MAN when I first started reading comics. That is a very good thing.
  • BACK TO THE FUTURE #5 – I am glad they have decided to make this an ongoing series. It’s been great to see some of the stories before, after, and in-between the BACK TO THE FUTURE movies. My only gripe with the series is that sometimes it feels like the stories are rushed because of only having a limited number of pages to tell them, but hopefully now that this is an ongoing series that will give them more time to expand and clarify the stories.

John Babos

10 books this week.

  • Aquaman #49 – The march to #50, #52 and Rebirth #1 continues!
  • Batman and Robin Eternal #21 – In the home stretch. How will DC’s Robins and Batman be changed forever?
  • Bloodshot Reborn #11 – Analog Man continues!
  • Deathstroke #15 – Slade Wilson vs. an army of Bizarros? I’m in!
  • Flash #49 – The Rogues have been deputized and they team with Barry Allen to take down the Flash!
  • Justice League #48 – Darkseid War continues!
  • Suicide Squad Most wanted Deadshot and Katana #2 – As the Suicide Squad is set to hit theaters, two of their number get a close-up.
  • Superman: Lois and Clark #5 – I suspect this series will continue in Rebirth. A great mini-series.
  • Superman / Wonder Woman #26 – The march to Rebirth continues where Batman will make 3 in Trinity.
  • Teen Titans #17 – The end is near as this iteration of TT looks to be mercifully over as Rebirth approaches.

Matt Graham

  • Street Fighter X G.I. JOE #1 – Cammy vs Scarlett and Laura vs Jady Jaye is all I ask for. Wait, I also want Vega to destroy the twins.
  • Wynonna Earp #1 – I read the old comic in 1997 and 2003. Looks like I missed a 2011 series. Now there’s a TV show coming. It’s funny seeing everyone mine the comic industry for something to produce. I do like a good supernatural gunslinger tale, though.
  • Cry Havoc #2 – First issue hooked me on several levels. This is one of those titles that seems custom made for me while being mined from my own head and notebook. Closest thing to Queen and Country I’ve read in a while. Werewolves aside. See, I love a supernatural soldier.
  • All-New X-Men #5 – New arc!
  • Daredevil #4 – This series sure nails the page turn and cliffhanger arts. Last issue Matt Murdock’s enemy Ten Fingers showed up in his office after they spent the night battling the Hand together. That’s an awkward walk of shame.
  • Patsy Walker AKA Hellcat #3 – Patsy Walker is an interesting title. I’ve heard it called a cheap knock-off of Squirrel Girl, but I don’t read that or follow that character, so I only have what I’ve seen. Kate Leth’s afterword in the first issue emphasized the book is for everybody and all-ages while the actual comic features some mature content and commentary that may not be for everyone. I think it’s harmless and provokes discussion, but I can see why others would shy away. As an old school Hellcat and Patsy fan, I found this Patsy regressed from the one we saw in She-Hulk, choosing to focus on the fun and silly aspect of that version rather than the fun and mature balance – she reads like a young teenager, which goes against the next scene at times.  That said, I continue to buy the book because I do enjoy Leth’s writing and dialogue while Brittney Williams’ art is delightful and refreshing against most of what Marvel has on the stands. I like what the book is seeking to do, it just feels like its goals and execution conflict at times.

James Fulton

This is not the most exciting of weeks, so I’m going to take the chance to spotlight a few Image titles that deserve way more press than they get.

  • Black Magick #5 – Greg Rucka and Nicola Scott are putting together one of the most consistently excellent comics out there. Black Magick is a police procedural where the detective character also happens to be a witch (in the Wiccan sense) on her spare time. When she is summoned to a hostage taking by name by someone who has almost the exact name as her, it looks like some bad things are coming to her hip, peaceful town. Scott’s work here is better than anything I’ve ever seen her do, and I loved her run on Birds of Prey.
  • The Goddamned #3 – Jason Aaron and RM Guera’s Scalped stands out as one of the best comics series I’ve ever read. I loved every issue of it. Now, they are working together on a story set in pre-flood Biblical times, when things are really, really bad. Cain is wandering the land looking to die, while Noah is gathering animals and wood for his arc. I don’t think the Pope would approve of this series at all – it’s pretty harsh – but I love it.
  • Invincible Republic #9 – I like my science fiction to be pretty grounded, and that’s what Corinna Bechko and Gabriel Hardman are doing with this political thriller set on a moon that is shaking off years of dictatorial rule. Our journalist main character has stumbled upon the secrets of the Mallory regime, and his story is told while we also look back at the old days through flashbacks. Hardman’s art is reason enough to buy this book, but the story is fantastic.

Paul Miranda

  • IMPOSTER #1 (of 4)
    21 Pulp brings out its second mini-series. The premise is real intriguing.
  • STRAITJACKET #4 (of 4)
    My local comic shop didn’t even get one copy for the third issue I was the only fortunate one to get #2. Had to find #1 elsewhere. Fingers crossed I can find that the penultimate chapter as well as this final entry.
  • QUEEN of VAMPIRES #2 (of 7)
    ARH Comix is producing this mini pretty quickly. There are two more on tap based on the gorgeous statuesque women [literally!] NSFW.
  • OHGRR SOUP
    I’m on real friendly terms with the President of Bliss On Tap. This GN is listed for this week but in reality it comes out the following (Mar. 2nd). Hopefully, I can grab this somewhere in the metropolis where I reside.
  • BART SIMPSON COMICS #100
    Eat my shorts!! Ay, caramba!! The mischievous spike-haired ten-year-old blows out a centenary of candles. I’ve been eagerly awaiting this one for months!!
  • ZONE CONTINUUM
    Bruce Zick’s indie opus has been snatched by Dark Horse. New readers (like yours truly) can marvel at the work done almost a quarter of a century ago!!
  • BATMAN & ROBIN ETERNAL #21 (of 26)
  • CYBORG #8
  • DKIII: THE MASTER RACE #3 (of 8)
  • DEATHSTROKE #15
  • GRAYSON #17
  • JUSTICE LEAGUE #48
  • WE ARE ROBIN #9
    Two massive events in this bunch, and they both involve something, rather someone DARK ;-P The other commonality is the delay….
  • CHAKRA the INVINCIBLE #8
  • STREET FIGHTER x G.I. JOE #1 (of 6)
    I don’t read either comic. I prefer the animated version of the latter and since I’m not a gamer, I’m minimally familiar with the former. This mini is a straight-up round robin based on votes (or is that creator bias?) until only one remains standing!!
  • GODDAMNED #3
  • ALL-NEW ALL-DIFFERENT AVENGERS #6
  • ASTONISHING ANT-MAN #5
  • DAREDEVIL #4
  • KARNAK #2
    It’s comforting to see the hermitic Inhuman resurge after a three-month break. Plus, Kamala Khan is reinstated with Earth’s practical heroes.
  • WONDER WOMAN: AMAZON WARRIOR
    Diana is one of my many weaknesses. I care not if others scoff at my pick from Scholastic.
  • JOHN CARPENTER’S ASYLUM #13
  • BLOODSHOT REBORN #11
  • FAITH #2 (of 4)
  • DC ESSENTIALS: BATMAN & ROBIN #1
    One dollar really stretches in this inflation-plagued era. Gently remove the coins from the piggy bank.

Phil Allen

  • Art Ops #5 – You may have noticed recently that I’m still behind and have been catching up on a few number ones (you’ll see a couple more further down the list). This was one that didn’t grab me right away but I will admit that it does have an interesting premise and I curious where it will go…
  • Black Magick #5 – Another #1 I just read! I’m always a fan of Greg Rucka so this was one I definitely had to get and I can’t wait to get to more!
  • Hellboy & B.P.R.D. 1953: Beyond the Fences #1 – I haven’t nearly as much Hellboy as I should, but these ‘1953’ series have been a good jump-on point for new fans. I recommend this, the previous one-shot, and mini-series.
  • Plutona #4 – I have read at least two issues for this series, and it’s another new favorite! For me, Jeff Lemire is one of those writers that I don’t consider a favorite (yet) but he’s so consistent, from what I’ve seen so far, that he never disappoints. And along with Emi Lenox’s art, this is one not to be missed. I’m interested to see how the series will wrap up.
  • Saga #34 – Because it’s Saga.
  • Wild’s End: The Enemy Within #6 – The finale to the second arc! And hopefully not the final finale! In my opinion, as far as anthropomorphic personifications of animals go, this is on par with Autumnlands: Tooth & Nail.
  • Other issues I’m looking forward to:
  • Batman and Robin Eternal #21
  • Dark Knight III: The Master Race #3
  • Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency: A Spoon Too Short #1
  • Fight Club 2 #9
  • Outcast #16
  • The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #5
  • Wayward #14
  • We Are Robin #9
  • Wolf #6
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.