The Weekly Pull: X-Men: Forever, Dark Ride, Adventures of Superman, and More
Also this week, a new collection of Poison Ivy, Jonathan Hickman's Doom, and more.
Adventures of Superman: George Pérez
- Written by George Perez
- Art by George Perez
- Published by DC
It has been over two years since the passing of George Perez, but his impact on the world of comics continues to be nothing short of legendary. This week brings a new collection of all of Perez's work on DC's Man of Steel, ranging from classic adventures to newer New 52 exploits. Anyone who wants to learn more about one of comics' greatest modern creators — or prepare for next year's Superman movie — owes it to themselves to pick up a copy. — Jenna Anderson
Dark Ride #12
- Written by Joshua Williamson
- Art by Andrei Bressan
- Colors by Adriano Lucas
- Letters by Pat Brosseau
- Published by Image Comics
From beginning to end, Image's Dark Ride has undeniably been a labor of love, blending the mystery and lore of theme park culture with a gruesome aesthetic. With this week's twelfth issue, the series is brought to a close, and it's safe to assume that none of Devil Land will ever be the same. I am very excited to see what this finale has in store. — Jenna Anderson
Doom #1
- Written by Jonathan Hickman and Sanford Greene
- Art by Sanford Greene
- Colors by Rachelle Rosenberg, Sanford Greene
- Letters by Joe Caramagna
- Published by Marvel Comics
I dare you to look up the preview pages for Doom #1 and tell me you don't want to read this comic book. Sanford Greene has one of the boldest, most distinctive styles in mainstream comics, so there's good reason to pay attention whenever he puts out new work. Here, he's teaming up with fan-favorite writer Jonathan Hickman to write what a tale billed as a definitive Doctor Doom story, which is saying something since Hickman helped define the modern characterization of Doctor Doom through runs writing Fantastic Four, Avengers, and Secret Wars. Set in the Marvel Universe's near future, the story sees Valeria Richards teaming up with "Uncle" Doom to save a ruined world. That requires giving Doom enough power to face down Galactus. Doom #1 is two top-tier creators putting out a single, self-contained story about one of the finest characters ever to appear in superhero comics with an epic premise. Any fan would be a fool to miss it. -- Jamie Lovett
Hexagon Bridge
- Created by Richard Blake
- Published by Image Comics
There is nothing else like Hexagon Bridge on comic book store shelves today – a series that uses the comics form to its fullest effect in depicting a sci-fi odyssey with a family drama at its heart. The miniseries, originally published across five issues, is the work of master cartoonist Richard Blake who is solely responsible for each page turned. When considering the multiversal journey inverting physics and presenting impossible imagery, there's no clear division between the distinct artistic elements. Everything from the narrative's design through the individual panels and even down to the color choices and lettering builds upon itself to deliver a singular experience. The sci-fi exploration would be sufficient cause to recommend Hexagon Bridge, featuring truly outlandish landscapes and mind-boggling twists on perspective. However, Blake embeds a family with all of the humor, heart, and tenderness that comes from the best familial tales in this exceedingly strange setting. The final effect is an unforgettable exploration of a multiverse as multifaceted as the human heart. -- Chase Magnett
Poison Ivy Vol. 1: The Virtuous Cycle
- Written by G. Willow Wilson
- Art by Marcio Takara
- Colors by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
- Letters by Arif Prianto
- Published by DC
My only complaint about the absolutely outstanding Poison Ivy series at DC Comics is that it has taken nearly two years to receive the first affordable trade paperback collection after 22 issues. It's a complaint because trades are the ideal format for sharing and catching up on modern serialized comics, and Poison Ivy is a series that demands to be shared. Originally conceived as a miniseries (the story that would have ended in this volume containing 6 issues), writer G. Willow Wilson and artist Marcio Takara's take on Poison Ivy proved too popular to disappear from comic shelves. Whether it's the wondrous exploration of natural beauty often transforming into psychedelic horror on the page or the poignant themes regarding climate change and 21st-century feminism, the series encourages readers to lose themselves in its depths. Stories often shift between tones of horror, humor, and romance, sometimes even on the same page, with characters who defy the simple labels of hero and villain. There's no set of issues more picked over in my classroom library than these early installments of Poison Ivy; I'm grateful there's finally a more durable format to share them in as any fan of Gotham City stories shouldn't dare to miss Poison Ivy. -- Chase Magnett
Universal Monsters: Dracula
- Written by James Tynion IV
- Art by Martin Simmonds
- Colors by Martin Simmonds
- Letters by Rus Wooton
- Published by Image Comics
The iterative quality of Count Dracula has proven the antagonist's enduring quality as one of literature's greatest monsters, rising from the grave to cast his fearful shadow across novels, films, comics, and more. Even a comics adaptation of the original Bela Lugosi film adaptation of Dracula shows how haunting the imagery and ideas surrounding the Count remain as shown by two modern masters of horror comics, writer James Tynion IV and artist Martin Simmonds of The Department of Truth, in the pages of Universal Monsters: Dracula. Tynion and Simmonds don't settle for simply applying their fearsome style to the familiar narrative but make key adaptational choices that render this classic as something new and suited to the 21st century. Themes of corruption and grace define the 4-issue miniseries, utilizing Dracula's inhumanity to find its presence even in the lowliest of mankind. It's a story that delivers exactly what readers expect in one of this year's best horror comics but also summons something shockingly beautiful in its execution. -- Chase Magnett
X-Men: Forever #4
- Written by Kieron Gillen
- Art by Lucas Maresca
- Colors by Federico Blee
- Letters by Clayton Cowles
- Published by Marvel Comics
X-Men: Forever has been a highlight of the ramshackle Fall of X era. Despite showing signs of being rushed out of Marvel's editorial office to make way for the coming From the Ashes relaunch, writer Kieron Gillen has done the best job of making this feel like a finale to the Krakoan age, tying up dangling plot threads and touching on the same themes laid down by Jonathan Hickman in the era's earliest days. After the penultimate issue, X-Men: Forever #4 is shaping up to be not only the series' end but a culmination of the story of Hope Summers, a character that Gillen helped define way back during his first brush with Marvel's mutants, writing Uncanny X-Men and Generation Hope over 10 years ago. From the beginning, Hope Summers has reluctantly held the mantle of "mutant messiah" and as she told Exodus in X-Men: Forever #3, she's finally doing messiah stuff. But what's more messiah-like than dying? Will Hope sacrifice herself to resurrect the Phoenix, perhaps the only being that can challenge the Dominion called Enigma that looms over creation from outside of time? X-Men fans should be eager to find out. -- Jamie Lovett
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