The Pull List 6/26
- Batman/Superman #1: The first meeting between the DC universe’s two major heroes is chronicled in this new series, which I believe is from the same team behind Before Watchmen: Ozymandias. It has an incredibly unique art style and it really contrasts the heroic and optimistic Clark with the darker, more disturbed Bruce. The main thrust of the story is that there is someone attacking Waynetech employees in Metropolis and it’s revealed to be a mind controlled Catwoman, who was possessed by some sort of energy being who seemingly takes control of Superman.
- TMNT #23: Things are getting serious in the world of the Ninja Turtles as Casey Jones fights for his life after being stabbed by Shredder and Leonardo’s mind is corrupted by the evil sorceress, Kitune, and may become Shredder’s newest apprentice. They really go all out with Leo’s hallucinations this issue, with multi page spreads and jagged, uneven panels contributing to the feel of his world being shattered.
- Ghostbusters #5: After the original quartet returned from their inter-dimensional prison, there was some rearranging that had to occur with the New Ghostbusters with Janine returning to her old job, Ray’s assistant Kylie staying on, douchebag Ron getting sent to Chicago to help the “Rookie” (your character from Ghostbusters: The Game) and Agent Ortiz returning to the FBI in New Mexico. I really like how their fleshing out everyone in this series, especially Winston, who usually gets forgotten and it does a great job of incorporating all the Ghostbusters canon every month.
- Star Trek #22: Spock has gone insane from the Pon Farr and the crew of the Enterprise has to set out to rescue him, only it turns out he may not want to be rescued as he’s joined a group of savage Vulcan outcasts. Meanwhile, the Klingons are ready for a war with a fleet of Warbird starships. If you’re a fan of the new Star Trek universe and want to know what is happening post After Darkness, you should be checking out this series.
- Captain America #8: A shocking turn of events in the battle in Arnim Zola’s horrible dimension as Cap, on the verge of death, manages to turn his son Ian back from Zola’s brainwashing, only to have Sharon Carter arrive out of nowhere and shoots and possibly kills Ian, who falls over a railing. Meanwhile, Zola and his army of mutants are poised to enter our dimension and turn everyone into a Zola clone. I’ve come around to this arc but I’m ready for Cap to return to our dimension and end Zola once and for all.
- Avengers Arena #11: After a few action packed issues, things slow down this issue to catch up on what Avengers Academy students Hazmat and Reptil have been up to. Hazmat, who is normally full of fight and determination, has seemingly resigned herself to death and is content to just lounge on the beach all day. The kids from Braddock Academy that Nico managed to teleport away from the evil Katie arrive and think that she’s taking the coward’s way out but Reptil manages to talk her back and the two agree to join the Brits to take the fight back to Katie. We also learn from the space adventuring teen Cammi that there are potentially five days left in this horrible competition.
- Deadpool #12: The thrilling conclusion to Deadpool’s battle with the demon Vetis ends when DP’s necromancer friend, Michael returns from Hell with some fancy new white robes and Mephisto in tow, ready to take Vetis back to Hell for punishment. Mephisto tempts Agent Preston, still locked in Deadpool’s brain with the chance for a new body but they refuse. Next issue seems like it will be another awesome “vintage” issue co-starring Luke Cage and Iron Fist.
- Guardians of the Galaxy #4: A fantastic issue of Guardians where the group is trying to lay low in seedy bar after Peter Quill broadcast a message condemning his father, the King of Spartax. A group of Spartax warriors breaks up the bar, while Gamorra finds herself attacked by a bounty hunter after giving Tony Stark a little more than he bargained for in bed. One thing I hope makes it to the movie intact is Rocket’s absolute gleefulness when getting into fights and his friendship with Groot.
- Godzilla: Rulers of the Earth #1: I fell off the regular Godzilla series but apparently following issue #13, a swarm of new monsters took up permanent residence on Earth and there’s now an entire new science dedicated to studying them. The first conference of these scientists is interrupted by, of all monsters, Zilla aka American Godzilla, who hasn’t been seen since getting blown to smithereens in Godzilla: Final Wars. There is also an evil alien presence with Gigan and a potential new Mechagodzilla. None of the characters from the original series, like the Stathamesque Boxer, appear to be around, maybe something happened to them in issue #13 I missed?
- Nova #5: Sam Alexander is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with as in this issue he takes down the Nova traitor Titus and an entire fleet of Chitauri ships with the Ultimate Nullifer. He also seems to have made a friend in The Watcher and he also learns that his mother always knew that Sam’s father was Nova. We also learn that said father is still alive in some sort of alien work camp.
- Secret Avengers #5: SHIELD is trying to sort out the mission to kill AIM’s Scientist Supreme in this issue. Originally Black Widow was supposed to take the shot but was attacked and it was left to Hawkeye, who refuses to kill and instead shoots a net arrow to stop Black Widow’s fall. Nick Fury Jr. ends up killing Dr. Forson but it may have been a decoy, as Director Maria Hill learns Dr. Forson is still alive and the UN has made AIM Island a member of the UN security council to avoid an international incident.
- Wolverine #5: Logan’s investigation into the mysterious alien weapon leads him to the SHIELD helicarrier Hercules, where he learns almost all of the crew was mind controlled by whatever controlled the weapon. Logan manages to free some of the crew who were not infected and they fight their way to the armory, only to learn the ship has dived under the Atlantic and Nick Fury Jr has opened a hatch to flood the level they are on.
- X-O Manowar #14: Aric manages to stop the evil leaders of the Vine aliens and frees the slaves of the Vine homeworld in an epic final battle. With the day saved and the remaining Vine pledging their loyalty to him, Aric leaves the planet in the hands of the priest who has been helping him the entire time and takes his people offworld, where he will take his rightful place as king of the Visigoths. Definitely excited to see where they go from here, with the main villains defeated and Aric reunited with his people. It would be interesting to see if he tried to force modern Earth to carve out some sort of territory for himself and his people.
- Judge Dredd #8: Dredd learns that the kidnapping and cloning of rich citizens earlier in the series was part of the robot revolutions plan to turn them into cyborgs and the start of a new Mega City One, under the law of the robotic “Circuit Court”. Dredd learns this in a darkly hilarious sequence where he interrogates the surgeon who created the clones, who keeps somehow killing himself and Dredd forces the doctors to keep reviving him until they “accidentally” turn him immortal. Anderson learns that the Circuit Court is operating out in the Badlands and Dredd sets out to find and stop them.
- The Wake #2: This series keeps up it’s feeling of a Crichtonesque thriller as the team learns exactly what they at the secret underwater lab to study, a merman who seems to be from some prehistoric species, as detailed in an incredible opening. The creature seems to have some sort of psychic power, causing hallucinations among the crew. Like I said last issue, if you are a fan of movies like The Abyss, Leviathan or Sphere, you should definitely check out The Wake.
- The Five Ghosts of Fabian Gray #4: Master thief Fabian Gray undergoes a series of tests put out by the literary ghosts inhabiting his body, as they do not wish to be trapped but will allow it if he is worthy. He has to assist a young fox against a vicious wolf to please Robin Hood, solve a riddle to pass with Merlin and duel a samurai to gain the favor of the samurai spirit who I believe is either Miyamoto Musashi or Zatoichi. Meanwhile, a magic battle rages that ends with Fabian’s monk rescuer being killed by the evil magician, Iago.