Pull List Roundtable 12/6/2017 – Barbella #1, Witchblade #1, Batman / TMNT II #1, Batman #36 & More

Columns, Features, Roundtables, Top Story

Matt Graham

  • Barbarella #1 – I know of Barbarella, but I’ve never seen it. I remember my aunt and dad giving me grief over the first McFarlane Toys Angela (Spawn) figure I picked up in 8th grade because her scantily clad look reminded them of Jane Fonda in Barbarella. I am enough of a Euro-comics geek to know that the movie is not where the character originated – Barbarella was created by Jean-Claude Forest as a serial sci-fi comic for the French V Magazine. It triggered waves of drama for being a pornographic comic book, although Forest created her as an emblem of the modern independent woman and sexual revolution.

I’m sure that will all go over great with parts of the Internet.

Writer Mike Carey is the main reason this revival piqued my interest. Then I saw Kenan Yarar’s art. Great art.

The interesting bit is I’ve read advance reviews of the comic, and even positive reviews are saying Carey went a little too political about conservative religion and politics. I’m a fan of when books do that, from any spectrum, because I like to analyse and chew on that sort of story, even if I disagree. We’ll see!

  • Red Sonja #11 – Red Sonja’s modern day journey continues as she tracks down the Hyborian historical expert she’s been seeking. Of course he has a dark secret and things are going to go wrong.
  • Extremity #9 – One of my favourite books of the year. Daniel Warren Johnson writes and illustrates a jaw-dropping sci-fantasy world as the backdrop to his bloody revenge and revolution tale. This is one book that makes me envious it isn’t mine every time I read it.
  • Paper Girls #18 – The future is invading. Never a good thing.
  • Witchblade #1 -When Top Cow shut the door on the Witchblade saga, I was saddened. Once the series reinvented itself past being an edgy 90s “bad girl” book, it was just a cool urban fantasy, especially with its ties to The Darkness and Magdalena. Ron Marz did phenomenal work on the 2000s run of the book, which passed the mantle off to a new heroine. Magdalena came back this year as a mini series with a new titular hero, and now Witchblade is, too.

Caitlin Kitteridge and Roberta Ingranata introduce a new wielder: journalist Alex Underwood, gunned down and left for dead. Ron Marz worked magic when he focused on Detective Sara Pezzinni’s NYPD work while battling the supernatural and criminal underworlds, and a journalist sounds like a fresh, while familiar, new way to reinvigorate Top Cow’s horror fantasy. I’ve been waiting for this since it was announced.

  • Astonishing X-Men #6
  • Hawkeye #13
  • X-Men Gold #17

James Fulton

There are three new comics coming out this week written by my favourite superhero writer, Christopher Priest. Three! 2017 has been all sorts of terrible, but it’s not all bad! They are:

  • Deathstroke #26 – Priest’s take on Slade Wilson has been very impressive, and each new issue feels like a bit of an event.
  • Inhumans: Once and Future Kings #5 – Priest did what few writers before him have done – he made me like the Inhumans royal family. Even his Maximus, one of the most annoying characters in creation, is kind of cool.
  • Justice League #34 – I don’t know the last time I read the flagship Justice League title. I know I haven’t touched the book since before the New 52, but with Priest writing it? I’m down. I know he’s on the book through February, so this is exciting.
  • Fix #10 – The absolute best thing about Secret Empire finally being over at Marvel is that Nick Spencer is back to putting out new issues of The Fix, his ridiculously funny LA crime comic.

Phil Allen

  • Barbarella #1 – I’ll admit that I don’t know much about Barbarella, so maybe this is a good place to start? Hope so, then maybe onto more from here.
  • Batman #36 – It will be interesting to see Tom King take on more Supes after his brief appearance in the previous arc, even if it only is for two issues (for now?). This seems like it will be a nice, back-to-basics story, break from the big arcs.
  • Batman/TMNT II #1 – James Tynion’s last B-Man/TMNT book was great, and I’m continuously enjoying his work on Detective. This should not disappoint.
  • No. 1 With A Bullet #2 – The first issue was pretty good, enough so that I’m interested to see where it goes from here. Very relevant, given today’s social media atmosphere.
  • Rasputin: Voice of The Dragon #2 – I’m glad to see Chris Mitten back on a Hellboy book, I feel like it’s been a little while. That reminds me, I need to go reread Umbral…
  • The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina #9 – This is not actually coming out this week, but it was originally slated for release. I’m obviously bummed by the constant delays of this series, but it’s still one of my favorite Archie’s (and still not as bad as Afterlife…)
  • Sleepless #1 – This one intrigued from the moment I heard about it, I’m glad it’s finally out.
  • Other issues I’m looking forward to:
  • Batman: White Knight #3
  • Black Cloud #6
  • Bombshells United #7
  • DC Universe Holiday Special 2017 #1
  • Green Arrow #35
  • Paper Girls #18
  • Rock Candy Mountain #6
  • Superman #36

Mike Maillaro

  • JUSTICE LEAGUE #34 – JUSTICE LEAGUE hasn’t done a lot for me since DC REBIRTH, but I am looking forward to seeing what Christopher Priest can do on the title. This is by far the most excited I have been for a JUSTICE LEAGUE title in a long time.
  • WITCHBLADE #1 – I have never actually gotten around to reading WITCHBLADE. It has been on my “must read” list for a long time. This new issue 1 seems like a great place to jump right in.
  • AMAZING SPIDER-MAN/VENOM – VENOM INC ALPHA #1 – This falls in the category of “Eh, why not check it out?” I enjoyed Venomverse far more than I expected, and I will always be a huge Spider-Man fan. I am not even 100% sure what this one is about, but I am still going to give it a shot.
  • SAVAGE DRAGON #229 – Larsen has taken an “all gloves off” approach to SAVAGE DRAGON as of late. This led to some scenes in the last issue that can basically only be described as porn. I have a real high bar in terms of getting shocked, but SAVAGE DRAGON manages to do it quite a bit lately, with complete porn, a woman carrying her dead fetus around with her, and tons of gratuitous violence and nudity (to be fair, SAVAGE DRAGON always had a lot of gratuitous violence). I still enjoy SAVAGE DRAGON for the most part, and I do appreciate that we have had storylines running in real time for the life of the series, but sometimes Larsen’s excesses make this book almost embarrassing to read.
  • DC HOLIDAY SPECIAL 2017 – I have always been a fan of these holiday special books. And DC’s HALLOWEEN SPECIAL about a month ago was great. Not a fan of the $10 price tag though. Not exactly in the “holiday spirit” but I guess if us suckers will pay for it, you might as well charge it.
  • FAITH’S WINTER WONDERLAND SPECIAL #1 – While I am still bummed out that we don’t have a FAITH ongoing series at the moment, I really enjoyed FAITH AND THE FUTURE FORCE and I am looking forward to this special (with only a $4 cover price, pay attention DC). Hopefully we will be getting more FAITH in the near future.
  • BATMAN/TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES II #1 – Not to be confused with the Batman/TMNT animated comic series that came out a few months back. I wouldn’t normally think that BATMAN and TMNT would be a great fit, but the first series was just so good. Can’t wait to see more.
  • The Fix #10 – Very glad this is finally coming out this week.  I totally needed my Fix fix.  Nick Spencer’s absurd criminal story is one of the most fun comics I’ve ever read, and it is always a welcome addition to my shopping list.
  • Alters #8
  • Archie #26
  • Bane Conquest #8
  • Batman #36
  • Batman White Knight #3
  • Black Lightning Cold Dead Hands #2 (Of 6)
  • Dastardly And Muttley #4 (Of 6)
  • Deadman #2 (Of 6)
  • Green Arrow #35
  • Green Lanterns #36
  • Harley And Ivy Meet Betty And Veronica #3 (Of 6)
  • Jetsons #2
  • Nightwing #34
  • Superman #36
  • Star Trek The Next Generation Mirror Broken #5 (Of 6)
  • Paper Girls #18
  • Astonishing X-Men #6
  • Avengers #674
  • Captain America #696
  • Doctor Strange #382
  • Guardians Of The Galaxy #148
  • Gwenpool The Unbelievable #23
  • Spider-Man #235
  • Spirits Of Vengeance #3 (Of 5)
  • Star Wars Darth Vader #9
  • X-Men Gold #17

Joe Smith

  • Batman #36 – This title has been stronger as of late, I hope the trend continues.
  • Batman: White Knight #3 – Wondering where this one is going to go.
  • Deathstroke #26 – This has been a good series.
  • Green Lanterns #36 – This is a series I’ve been consistently enjoying since I jumped on last Spring.
  • Justice League #34 – It’s been a LONG time since I’ve purchased an issue of this title.

John Babos

8 books this week.

    Astonishing X-Men #6
    Batman #36
    Black Lightning: Cold Dead Hands #2
    Deathstroke #26
    Green Arrow #35
    Justice League #34
    Nightwing #34
    Superman #36

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.