What’s on your Pull List?: December 9, 2015
Every week, a different Panelteer will give you a rundown of the comics they’re most looking forward to for the week. Floppies, trades, and omniboo are all fair game here. This week, Dave tells us what’s on his pull list.
It’s December, and I haven’t done my Christmas shopping yet, so… maybe I should use the pull list to talk about gifts I can get… oh who am I kidding? These are all for ME!
Cover Art by Greg Ruth
Alabaster: The Good, the Bad, and the Bird #1 by Caitlin R. Kiernan, Daniel Warren Johnson, and Carlos Badilla (Dark Horse)
I never hear anyone talk about this book, but I’ve been quietly enjoying Kiernan’s Alabaster series for a while now. My knowledge of Kiernan goes back to her foray into 90s Vertigo, writing a bunch of Sandman spin-offs before eventually leaving comics to go back to prose. But she quietly returned to comics with the character of Dancy Flammarion, who maybe talks to angels and kills a lot of things with a knife. And talks to a bird. It’s an intriguing Southern supernatural series that can be hard to pin down but is always enjoyable to me. Granted a lot of that had to do with Steve Lieber’s art on the previous series, but… I want to give Daniel Warren Johnson a chance.
Cover Art by Sal Velluto
Black Panther by Priest: The Complete Collection Vol. 2 by Priest, Sal Velluto, and Various (Marvel)
One of my absolute FAVORITE comics that rose from the rebirth of Marvel that began with the Marvel Knights imprint is Priest’s run on Black Panther. It’s a sharp political action series that’s really, really funny, and very inventive with its storytelling. If you haven’t read this run, do yourself a favor and get these trades. I’m double-dipping. No joke.
Cover Art by Andrei Bressan
Birthright #12 by Joshua Williamson and Andrei Bresnan (Image)
Still reading it. Still dying to know where this is headed. Great serialized storytelling. I ain’t quitting it any time soon.
Cover by Mikel Janin
Grayson #15 by Tim Seeley and Mikel Janin (DC Comics)
Hmmm… So, Grayson is one of the newer DC books that has won me over with its writing — despite not liking the initial concept. But… I’m not into this whole Robin War cross-over, which spills into Grayson with this issue. I hope this doesn’t leave me confused…
Cover by Tyler Crook
Harrow County #8 by Cullen Bunn and Tyler Crook (Dark Horse)
This is one of my favorite new series of 2015. Crook’s watercolors and Bunn’s creepy, nuanced slow burn of backwoods horror is just comic book perfection. Check it out.
Cover by Sana Takeda
Monstress #2 by Marjorie M. Liu and Sana Takeda (Image)
I’ll admit that I wasn’t sold on the first issue of Monstress. It looks beautiful and the world its set in is that crazy blend fantasy that’s perfect for comics, but I didn’t quite engage fully with the first issue. But I’m giving it another chance.
Cover by Brett Parson
New Romancer #1 by Peter Milligan and Brett Parsons (DC/Vertigo)
I’m contractually obligated to buy all the new Vertigo #1s due to my column with Brian, but even if I wasn’t, a new Vertigo title by Peter Milligan is always one I’ll check out. Milligan’s one of those writers that I don’t always love, but when he’s ON (see also, Shade, The Changing Man from DC/Vertigo), he’s one of the best out there.
Cover by David Aja
Scarlet Witch #1 by James Robinson and Vanessa Del Rey (Marvel)
I’ve always like the Scarlet Witch. And James Robinson, while not always my favorite, did create a couple of my favorite comics (Starman, The Golden Age), so I’ve gotta give this a chance.
Cover by Alex Ross
Secret Wars #8 by Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribic (Marvel)
Yeah, I’m still reading it.
Cover by David Latham
Stray Bullets: Sunshine & Roses #10 by David Lapham (Image)
There’s not an issue of Stray Bullets I don’t fully enjoy. Lapham’s simple black and white lines portray a really complicated set of unsavory characters. I love this series.
Cover by Steve Leialoha
Suicide Squad TPB Vol. 2: The Nightshade Odyssey by John Ostrander & Various and Luke McDonnell & Various (DC Comics)
I don’t know how the Suicide Squad film is going to play out, but what I can tell you is that I am THRILLED that they’re finally releasing trades of one of my all-time favorite series — John Ostrander’s 80s run of Suicide Squad! This second volume includes a cross-over with the famous “Bwahaha” era of the Justice League International. Pick this up! Really great political intrigue mixed with super-heroics and a cast of characters as flawed as any great cable drama.
Cover by Darwyn Cooke
Twilight Children #3 (of 4) by Gilbert Hernandez, Darwyn Cooke, and Dave Stewart (DC/Vertigo)
If you’ve read the aforementioned Vertigo Round-up, then you know that Twilight Children is my absolute FAVORITE of the new crop of Vertigo titles. Magic realism in a small seaside village, mixed with a retro sci-fi vibe, and all filtered through the gorgeous lens of Darwyn Cooke’s spectacular storytelling. I honestly don’t want this one to end.
