On The Pull 02/03/2016

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.

Matt C: After various books were stuck on the other side of the Atlantic last week (due to the weather, or so we were told by Diamond) we've got a bumper crop of comics this Wednesday as those missing issues of Strayer, Black Magick, Saga and more finally arrive. Outside of those catch-up releases, there's still much to look forward too. Of particular interest is Black Widow #1. After an acclaimed run on Daredevil, Mark Waid and Chris Samnee are ready to put Natasha Romanoff through the paces, with Samnee having more of a hand in crafting the stories as well as providing the art. Black Widow has often been better served as a supporting character, with her solo books never really catching fire, but now, with a higher profile thanks to Scarlett Johansson's portrayal in the movies, perhaps now is the time for her to really shine on her own terms. The other highlight for me this week (from the selection of books actually scheduled for release on 02/03/2016 at least!) is the fourth instalment of Sheriff Of Babylon, the smart series that looks at the political complexities of the Iraq War from the ground level. Writer Tom King has really impressed over the last few months (see also: his work on The Vision) and it is becoming abundantly clear that he's a major talent in waiting.

Stewart R: At a time when I'm musing a serious cull of my entire pull-list there are still brand new comics that manage to call out for a first look to see if something great may be in the making. I'm going to be giving Discipline #1 a look having initially passed over it the first time I was writing up my list. It's got Peter Milligan as scribe, and while the 'carnal mysticism' of the plot - protagonist Melissa falls in lust with a man who proves to be far darker and dangerous than she could imagine - is not going to be for everyone (it's certainly not my usual wheelhouse) the art from Leandro Fernandez looks top notch so I'm gonna go in judging this book literally by its cover and see if it sticks. I'll also be giving Black Widow #1 a go to see what tone Waid and Samnee go for as they take over Natasha's journey and follow up on the great work they put in on their Daredevil book. In the second issue stakes the must-read book has to be Si Spurrier's Cry Havoc #2 to see just where this werewolf-tinged war book might lead us. The first issue was a very solid read and I've hope this could prove to be a big ongoing hit should the consistency persist. As Matt C alluded to there's a lot to catch up with this week thanks to last Wednesday's delivery delays so I'll also be flipping through the pages of Venus #3, A-Force #3 and Four Eyes: Hearts Of Fire #2 with gusto when these titles finally make it into my hands! Happy reading everyone!