The Pull List for January 21, 2015

Okay, so I'm going to start out with, "I'm sorry that I didn't do a review last week." I totally intended to review the new Star Wars series that made its - in my opinion - stellar debut. First, I don't have internet at my apartment; well, I do, but it's centrally-located wifi, and my apartment is just far enough from the main office to be out of range. Second, I just started my pull list at another shop last week, and while they do their best to pull the books for me that I want, the actual list won't start until next week or so. It's also a shop that just opened back on Black Friday, so their stock is mainly Marvel and DC. So basically what I'm saying is that I'll be doing some reviews for the next few weeks, but The Pull List won't come back into full swing until February. 

But anyway, here's what I'm looking forward to this week. I may not get them for a few weeks, but if you have a chance, you should check all of these out! Except the ones under Gone. This week has a ton under that subheading.

Definitely To Buy

Bee and Puppycat #8
Via Previews World

Bee and Puppycat #8 (Boom! Studios) - After finally buying and reading the Adventure Time with Fionna and Cake trade last month, I am firmly in love with Natasha Allegri's work. It's not that I didn't enjoy Bee and Puppycat before I read it, but her ability to tell a sweet, yet deceptively deep story with cute visuals is a rare one indeed.

Black Widow, Vol. 2: Tightly Tangled Web
Via Amazon

Black Widow, Vol. 2: Tightly Tangled Web TP (Marvel) - I seriously love the Edmondson/Noto team with this series, so I go the route of Saga and Sex Criminals for Black Widow: I will read an issue when it comes out but wait to buy the trade. I like to binge-read on series that I really enjoy, even if it does mean that, occasionally, I am waaaay behind. It's a price I'm willing to pay (sometimes), however.

Drifter #3
Via Image Comics

Drifter #3 (Image) - This series actually surprised me with how good it is. I love how slowly the world is opening up - which is a tough feat since this girl is getting a little frustrated with Jason Aaron keeping me in the dark about Thor's identity - and the mystery of Abram's arrival just keeps getting deeper and deeper. The strength of Drifter, other than its stellar art, is how the reader only knows as much about what's going on as Abram does, but what I'm really excited about it seeing the dominant species of the planet. One of my favorite aspects of the Mass Effect universe is that humanity is one small race of people amidst many, and I'm looking forward to learning more about this universe.

Elektra #10
Via Marvel Comics

Elektra #10 (Marvel) - In a similar manner to She-Hulk, I fell in love with this series and then discovered that it was being canceled. I don't necessarily disagree with a lot of the criticism: Elektra often appears flat, personality-wise, and Bloody Lips? What the hell kind of a name for a villain is that? But I find that it is best read in large chunks: the first six issues were in a bundle for cheap at my old job (and we had a 35% off sale going on) and I read them all on my lunch break, ultimately cementing my love for the art and storytelling.

G.I. Joe #5
Via Previews World

G.I. Joe #5 (IDW) - Good God, Karen Traviss is doing an excellent job with G.I. Joe. If you had asked me a year ago if I thought I'd ever read a comic that involved the 80s cartoon, I would have spit whatever I was drinking in your face and then laughed, not even bothering to give you a verbal answer. Honestly, I think why G.I. Joe is working so well is because of Traviss. Any other writer, and it would have been simply standard military propaganda fare. Instead, we get more nuanced treatment of characters, especially Scarlett, and a "more realistic" approach to military operations. I placed "more realistic" in quotations because, hahaha, this is a comic book.

The Multiversity Guidebook #1
Via Newsarama

The Multiversity Guidebook #1 (DC) - This is called a "detailed concordance" for DC's massive number of timelines and worlds, but it's also been "written by Grant Morrison," so it could have a story within it, as well. Your guess is as good as mine, but even if it is just an index of sorts, I find it exceptionally helpful to be able to see the backstory on a lot of characters with whom I'm not familiar (uh, Captain Carrot, anyone?).

Roche Limit #5
Via Image Comics

Roche Limit #5 (Image) - Once the first arc is done, this may be one of the first casualties of The Great Culling of Comics for me. I love the story and art, but it's not one that I get ridiculously excited about when I see it in previews. That's kind of sad actually, because the first issue had me itching for the next. Perhaps I'm just prepping myself for the influx of new comics I'm going to be reading come this spring and summer.

The Valiant #2
Via Valiant Entertainment

The Valiant #2 (of 4) (Valiant Entertainment) - Well, Valiant, you got me. I did not expect to like the first issue. As a matter of fact, it sat in my holds box for about two weeks before I finally just said, "Fuck it, I am going to read it." And now? I may actually have to start reading all of the titles connected with it. This was a brilliant marketing strategy to boost sales by introducing you to some pretty cool characters that I otherwise would have dismissed. Granted, I was already impressed with The Death-Defying Dr. Mirage, so it shouldn't have surprised me that other books under Valiant's publishing house could be good. So I will eat humble pie and take back all the bad shit I used to say about the guys over at Valiant.

Wytches #4
Via Image Comics

Wytches #4 (Image) - I am not going to lie; this series both confuses me and intrigues me. Sometimes, I feel like I know what's going on, and at other times, I wonder if I should go back and read the first issues before continuing with the recent one. Luckily, this is only issue four, so reading the three before this really isn't that big of a task, but as the number continues to grow, I'm not sure if I'll be willing to backtrack that much.

I'll Look at It

Black Widow #14
Via Marvel Comics

• Black Widow #14 (Marvel) - Like I said above, I'm going to read this but put it back on the stands because, well, why pay for the single issues and the trades? I'm not a collector, at least for most comics, so going the trade route is usually cheaper. Plus, I get to see all of the variant covers. Win/win, for the most part. But, anyway, things are about to get good with Natasha going after Chaos, and I can't wait to see how far she is willing to go to find them.
• Guardians of the Galaxy #23 (Marvel) - Another one that I buy only the trades. I have an idea. I think that, starting in February, I'm going to have a whole other subheading that says, "Trade Only," so I don't repeat myself. I like this plan.
• Ivar, Timewalker #1 (Valiant Entertainment) - Like I said above, after reading the first issue of their The Valiant miniseries, I am more than willing to give their other series a chance. And this is a new series, so it's not like I'm going to have to wait for a new arc to start, like with Unity. 
• Princess Ugg #7 (Oni Press) - I've been skimming this series since it began, but it wasn't until the last issue, where Ulga grabs the prince and just kisses him, that I am all about Princess Ugg. The series is kind of Old Hat and didn't really seem to add anything new that we haven't seen with Red Sonja, but I feel like it's found its footing. If it keeps getting better like this, I may have to upgrade it to To-Buy. 

Teen Titans #6
Via Newsarama

• Teen Titans #6 (DC) - Okay, so the new Power Girl kicks ass. Her introduction in last month's issue was impressive, and although this is usually, as I call it, my "light and fluffy," Teen Titans may just graduate into the Definitely Buy.
• The Wicked + The Divine #7 (Image) - After last month's issue, I made the decision to stick with trades on this series. I have the first arc in the single issues and the paperback, and that's good enough to tame the collector in me. 

Slightly Interesting

• Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 10 #11 (Dark Horse) - As Season 10 has gone on, I just have lost interest in Buffy, which makes my inner fangirl very, very sad. I mean, yes, 10 is infinitely better than 8, and perhaps if I wasn't so half-assed in reading the series, I might be more invested. But I'm not. I'm going to read the trades before I make a decision about whether or not I should keep reading, though. 
• Burning Fields #1 (of 8) (Boom! Studios) - The writers of Roche Limit are doing this miniseries, and the premise seems solid. 
• Powerpuff Girls Super Smash Up #1 (of 6) (IDW) - I really enjoyed the animated series back when it first aired on Cartoon Network, but I was never a rabid fan of it. However, I will be checking it out, just to see what IDW does with it. 

Gone

• Batwoman #38 (DC) - This series used to be one of my favorites, but sadly, since the creative team changed, it's just plummeted into full ick territory. Thankfully for me, though, Batwoman is one of the titles that's on the chopping block in March of this year, so it's not like I will be missing out on much.
• Green Lantern: New Guardians #38 (DC) - Yet another one of the canceled DC series, Green Lantern: New Guardians was probably my favorite going into the Godhead arc from last year, but it was quickly outshone by Red Lanterns, which, hahaha, is also ending. I am just not interested in Kyle and Carol now, but as he's a fan favorite, he'll probably move to the regular Green Lantern series. Unless they actually kill him off? /shrugs
• The Kitchen #3 (Vertigo) - Now, I'm not saying that this isn't a good series, because it is. Ming Doyle's artwork is beautiful, and Ollie Masters has a distinct grasp on the voices of the story's characters. It just doesn't grab me, the same way that Breaking Bad or The Sopranos never grabbed me. I hope that the series continues, though, so if badass gangster ladies are your thing, go grab a copy!
• Rocket Salvage #2 (Boom! Studios) - Didn't hate it, but I definitely didn't feel compelled to keep reading. 
• Rumble #2 (Image) - Just not interested in any way about this title. It seemed promising, but as I flipped through the first issue, I found that the art wasn't that great and the action just sort of bounced around. It just wasn't for me. 
• Spider-Woman #3 (Marvel) - I read the last two issues and absolutely hated them, mainly because of Greg Land's awful art, so this title is going bye-bye. At least until March, because Javier Rodriguez - who designed the new costume for Jessica Drew - is replacing Porn-Face as the artist! Whee! There is a Comic God up there who likes me.
• Supergirl #38 (DC) - I think I'm just going to keep this simple: Supergirl just doesn't do anything for me. It's not bad, and I know of several people that are enjoying the new creative team, but meh. Pass. 
• Wonder Woman #38 (DC) - This series just isn't getting any better, and I'm just going to pull a Juju and refuse to even look at it until eventually DC gets its head out of its ass and replaces the Finches with better writers and artists. Blech. So sad that they did this to Diana.