Hello and welcome to The Pull! Each week, we (Ghost, Reed & Samantha) put together a definitive list of comics we’re most looking forward to reading. Then we send it off to you, to pick and choose from our pull list as you please.
But wait! Before we list our comics picks for the week, we also want to feature some comics crowdfunding campaigns:
WHITE: Kwanza Osajyefo, Jamal Igle, Khary Randolph, Tim Smith 3 and Sarah Litt launched the Kickstarter campaign for WHITE, the sequel to the critically-acclaimed superhero series BLACK. They have 26 days left to raise $39,999. As of Tuesday, 3/5, they’ve raised $11,747. Click here to pledge.
FELL SWOOP: Alakotila launched the Kickstarter campaign to bring the Fell Swoop webcomic to print! This queer space romance is about a human medic and an alien scavenger who fall in love while trying to survive an unexpected and unfortunate situation. They have 10 days left to raise $11,000. As of Tuesday, 3/5, they’ve raised $5,699. Click here to pledge.
This week, we have 6 titles for your perusal. Did we miss something really great? Let us know in the comments or hit us up on Twitter @ItsThePull!
Age of X-Man: Prisoner X #1
Writer: Vita Ayala
Artist: Germán Peralta
Colorist: Mike Spicer
Letterer: VC’s Joe Sabino
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Samantha: I think Vita Ayala is writing one of the most high-risk mini-series in the entire Age of X-Man event, and they are more than up to the task. Not only was Bishop arrested in Alpha, but he was erased from his loved ones’ memories. Now that he’s in a high-security prison with other mutants who have repeatedly broken the “guiding principles,” what happens? Who can he trust? And as the veneer of Nate Grey’s dystopia starts to peel, where will the chips fall when things start to crumble? I’m also stoked about Germán Peralta’s art and Mike Spicer’s color work for this series. Have you seen the preview pages? Bring. It. On.
Ghost: Like X-Tremists, I have been waiting for Prisoner X since it was announced. I am so insanely excited for this book and to see Vita Ayala’s take on Bishop and the flip side of this AOXM utopia. This will be the first glimpse we get into the world of people who don’t fit into Nate’s perfect world. I can’t wait and you should certainly be picking this up.
Reed: Vita Ayala a goddamn superstar. Prisoner X is a landmark book: not only do we have an Afro-Latinx person writing a team lead by Bishop, one of the few Black characters in X-Men, but Ayala is — I think, and please correct me if I’m wrong! — the first non-binary person to have a Marvel comic. This is a massive achievement and Ayala does it all with style and sharp dialogue. This book is the one to read if you’re going to read any of the Age of X-Man minis.
Champions #3
Writer: Jim Zub
Artist: Steven Cummings
Colorists: Marcio Menyz & Federico Blee
Letterer: VC’s Clayton Cowles
Cover Artist: Kim Jacinto
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Samantha: Frankly, I’m just really enjoying this series. The writing is surprisingly delightful, the art is solid and the colors are stunning. Champions strikes a nice balance between teen drama and saving-the-world shenanigans that makes everything work really beautifully.
Die #4
Writer: Kieron Gillen
Artist: Stephanie Hans
Letterer: VC’s Clayton Cowles
Publisher: Image Comics
Ghost: I cannot implore you enough to read Die. If you’ve ever wanted a dark, twisted tale of wayward TTRPG players you’ve got it right here. Every issue stuns me with how good it is and Stephanie Hans’ artwork elevates this book in ways I wasn’t sure were possible.
Samantha: If you’re anywhere near Critical Role fandom, you’ve probably thought about tabletop roleplay games and dice at least once in the last few days. I highly encourage you to take those thoughts and not only play a TTRPG, if you can, but read this stellar comic that explores all of our worst impulses through a fantasy world constructed in a game much like D&D. Each issue of Die is better than the last, which shouldn’t be possible, and yet! I absolutely cannot get enough. I anticipate new issues of this series every single month.
Female Furies #2
Writer: Cecil Castellucci
Artist: Adrianna Melo
Colorist: Hi-Fi
Letterer: Carlos M. Mangual
Publisher: DC Comics
Samantha: I read the first issue of Female Furies after reading Nola Pfau’s stellar review for WWAC. She’s right: this book is great. The preview pages for issue #2 also have me excited to see how this story grows. I’ll be honest and admit that I don’t often read DC comics, but this series definitely has my attention.
Morning In America #1
Writer: Magdalene Visaggio
Artist: Claudia Aguirre
Letterer: Zakk Saam
Publisher: Oni Press
Samantha: I have been looking forward to Morning In America ever since Oni Press announced it last fall, especially after interviewing writer Magdalene Visaggio about the series. The comic follows a gang of teenage girls who decide to do something about a wave of childhood disappearances in their failing Ohio factory town. Like anything Visaggio writes, it’s sharp, humorous and utterly fucking delightful. Aguirre and Saam’s work on the first issue is also gorgeous — this is a fantastic creative team. Get in on this series early. Trust me: you don’t want to miss a single panel.
Uncanny X-Men #13
Writer: Matthew Rosenberg
Artist: Salvador Larroca
Colorist: Guru-eFX
Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Ghost: Matthew Rosenberg’s run on Uncanny X-Men so far has been nothing short of stellar. He’s breathing life back into this title in a ways that feels new, fresh and classic all at the same time. I’m not super sold on the art, but Matt’s scripting can elevate just about anything. You should be picking this book up every two weeks.
Reed: I’m a sucker for anything Cyclops and Wolverine and I’ve been so thrilled with the story Matthew Rosenberg is unfolding in the pages of Uncanny. It’s a rare treat to get a book where my favorite characters are all written well. This week’s issue brings us closer and closer to shit hitting the fan and I’m loving every second of it.