On The Pull 17/08/2016

New comics are due to hit the shelves on Wednesday so here’s a look ahead at some of the books we’ll be picking up this week.

Andy H: Lots of cool stuff on offer this week and from a whole bundle of publishers. Dark Horse have some great books on their roster at the moment. Following the rollicking first issue of Black Hammer, issue #2 is eagerly anticipated. After the introduction of all the players this issue looks at Golden Gail, a fifty-something hero trapped in a nine year-old's body. Jeff Lemire continues to prove what a talent he is. Also from Dark Horse is Brian Wood's latest title, Briggs Land #1. It looks like a story of a crime family but with the promise of so much more. If you've ever read a Brian Wood comic chances are you are going to want to read this as well. Plenty of Rebirth action continues over at DC with Batman #5 concluding the first Tom King story arc. If you're looking for the latest issue #1 then Supergirl: Rebirth #1 is landing this week. I've lost track of the different versions of Supergirl over the years (Peter David's run my personal favourite) but I'll always give the first few issues a go. Hunt #2 from Image is on the pull this Wednesday as I really enjoyed the first issue. Taking ideas from Irish legend and mythology, this was a good fill-in for the recent lack of Vertigo titles on my pull-list. So, plenty of new blood, but I'll finish with a couple of old favourites: the insane I Hate Fairyland and the sublime Manifest Destiny. Two very, very different titles but a great way to showcase why comics are such a fantastic and diverse medium.

Matt C: I guess Briggs Land #1 sticks out the most this week as writer Brian Wood is developing a TV adaptation over at AMC while Dark Horse publishes the ongoing comic book series. It may not reach the screen (how many books have we heard about being adapted for TV only for talk to disappear as quickly as it began?) but at the very least we should get a decent crime comic out of the deal. Also from Wood, via Image, we have more 'hard bastard' Viking drama with Black Road #5. Batman #5 is going to have it's work cut out to convince me to keep on going. I have a lot of time for Tom King - The Vision and Sheriff Of Babylon are two of the best books currently being published - and while I've enjoyed the preceding four issues of Batman, I can't say I've been especially blown way, at least not for a fortnightly book that's been hit by the Brexit price bump. The other title appearing this Wednesday that I'm sticking my spotlight on is Descender. It perhaps hasn't received as much praise as some of Jeff Lemire's other books of late, but it's a sci-fi tale with a really strong emotional centre, something the writer does so well. Oh, and as we're on the subject of Lemire... Black Hammer #2. You need to get on that if you've not done so already. Trust me.