Riot Headline The Best Books of 2024
Comics/Graphic Novels

What’s on Your Pull List? January 28, 2015

Chris M. Arnone

Senior Contributor

The son of a librarian, Chris M. Arnone's love of books was as inevitable as gravity. He holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Missouri - Kansas City. His novel, The Hermes Protocol, was published by Castle Bridge Media in 2023 and the next book in that series is due out in winter 2024. His work can also be found in Adelaide Literary Magazine and FEED Lit Mag. You can find him writing more books, poetry, and acting in Kansas City. You can also follow him on social media (Facebook, Goodreads, Instagram, Twitter, website).

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, Chris Arnone tells us what’s on his pull list.

Bitch Planet #2 by Kelly Sue DeConnick and Valentine De Landro (Image)

Bitch Planet 2

When my friends ask me for comic book recommendations, I’ve been leading with Bitch Planet since the first issue. My pitch for it: Orange is the New Black in space. It’s funny, dynamic, irreverent, and filled with diverse characters. I want to know more about the world DeConnick and De Landro have built. I’m not sure where the series is going, but I’m hooked.

Gotham Academy #4 by Becky Cloonan, Brenden Fletcher, and Karl Kerschl (DC)

Gotham Academy 4

I love Batman, I really do, but I’ve been trying to avoid most mainstream titles for fear of getting sucked back into crossover events and suddenly finding myself spending triple-digit money on comics each month. Gotham Academy is my Batman salve. It’s fun, different, and just Batman-flavored enough to satisfy that craving. It’s like Chilton Academy from Gilmore Girls, but with ghosts and superheroes.

Green Lantern by Geoff Johns Omnibus Volume 1 by Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis, Ethan Van Sciver, et. al. (DC)

Green Lantern Geoff Johns Omnibus

Before Geoff Johns’ seminal run on Green Lantern, all the lanterns in the DC Universe were green, Parallax was just Hal Jordan’s crazy name, and Sinestro was the only dude with a yellow ring. Johns managed to retcon Parallax from a name into the physical embodiment of fear. This led to yellow lanterns, red lanterns, and all the rest of the now-huge Green Lantern mythos in the DC Universe. It all started right here.

Mind MGMT #30 by Matt Kindt (Dark Horse)

Mind MGMT 30

Matt Kindt’s Mind MGMT has been one of my favorites for a long time. It expertly combines superpowers with government conspiracy and twists in frightening ways. Before Mind MGMT, I never realized just how spooky telepathy could be. This issue promises to reveal the origin of The Eraser, a character that has haunted the book since nearly the beginning.

Thor #4 by Jason Aaron and Russell Dauterman (Marvel)

Thor 4

Finally, we get Thor-on-Thor action! Well, not like that. Thor versus Thor, really. The Odinson is back and none too happy that someone else is wielding Mjolnir. This showdown was inevitable. Fans of the original Thor have been quick to say, “Yeah, but just wait until good ol’ Thor comes back for his hammer.” So it’s good to see Jason Aaron pulling this bandage off early and getting it out of the way so people will know this new Thor his here to stay.