S.W.O.R.D. Returns to Orbit, a Haunted House Walks and More Staff Picks for 12/9

Each week, Xavier Files staff offer their recommendations for what to read. New DC comics come out Tuesdays, everything else Wednesdays. Forrest’s Pick S.W.O.R.D. #1: Mutants! In! Spaaaaaaaaace! Krakoa gets its own Space Force in once and future SWORD Director Abigail Brand, frequent space-dwelling mutant leader Magneto, former Acolytes Fabian Cortez and Frenzy, current Galadorian…

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Alex Paknadel on Redfork, the Systemic Problems of Appalachia, Misery Tourism and Writing for the TKO Format

Redfork is a six-issue miniseries/six-part graphic novel by writer Alex Paknadel, artist Nil Vendrell, colorist Giulia Brusco and letterer Ryan Ferrier. It follows Noah as he leaves prison and returns to his Appalachian hometown, where he discovers sinister forces both without and deeply within that community. It is available now from TKO Studios. This interview…

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The Phantasm Arrives in Canon as Batman/Catwoman #1 Washes the Taste of Batman #104 out of Our Bat Chatters’ Mouths

Will Nevin: This is a heckuva week, but for mostly the wrong reasons — because while Bat/Cat #1 (I can’t believe Tom King resisted his urge to go there again) was overwhelmingly fine, Batman #104 is — and I say this with as little hyperbole as possible — an embarrassing look at when a comic…

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Just in Time for the End of the Series, a Primer on BOOM Studios’ Lumberjanes

This week marks the end of a series I’ve been following since its inception six years ago: Lumberjanes from BOOM Studios. This charming all-ages series, created by Grace Ellis and Shannon Watters, explores friendship, various camp skills, romance and a forest full of mythical creatures, interdimensional portals and magic. So it’s not exactly like any…

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A Packed Week with Big Heads, Big Endings, and Big Stakes in Marvel Files with Miles Morales: Spider-Man #21, Black Widow #4, Champions #3, Fantastic Four: Road Trip #1, and M.O.D.O.K: Head Games #1!

Hello friends and readers! It’s a chunky week as Jude Jones does double duty with Miles Morales: Spider-Man #21 and Champions #3, Andrea Ayres graces us with her opinions on Black Widow #4, Tony Thornley hits the road with Fantastic Four: Road Trip #1, and our boss Zachary Jenkins loses his head with M.O.D.O.K.: Head…

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Learn How To Keep Going After A Total Party Kill In Hellions #7

The team becomes A Sharpened Blade in Hellions 7, our first issue post-X of Swords, from Zeb Wells, Stephen Segovia, David Curiel, and Cory Petit. Austin Gorton: It seems like only yesterday the Hellions were completing their ultimately-futile mission on Arakko and we mourned the (occasionally sad, often hilarious) deaths of them all, but we…

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Everything is KNULL in King in Black #1

God has finally come in the introductory issue of Venom’s biggest event yet: King in Black #1. Written by Donny Cates, penciled by Ryan Stegman, colored by Frank Martin, and lettered by Clayton Cowles. Forrest Hollingsworth:  After nearly two years the time of ascendancy for us Goop Troopers, us Slime Scholars, us Venom Fu– aha…

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“Daredevil, How Do You Plead?” This Week in Daredevil #24

Matt reckons with Foggy’s plan to temporarily replace him with his brother Mike, while the auction for Hell’s Kitchen proceeds, and Daredevil’s court case finally begins. All this and more written by Chip Zdarsky, pencilled by Mike Hawthorne, inked by JP Mayer, colored by Mattia Iocono, and lettered by Clayton Cowles. Vishal Gullapalli: This isn’t…

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A Bonus Bat Chat Catches Up on ‘Detective Comics’ and ‘White Knight Presents Harley Quinn’

Detective Comics #1,031 Welcome to a special holiday week Bat Chat! The Mirror inserts himself into Gotham’s mayoral race as he continues his anti-vigilante crusade, Damian makes a move to prove he’s smarter than Batman, and a Bat rogue makes his return in ā€œDetective Comicsā€ #1,031 from Peter J. Tomasi, Bilquis Evely, Mat Lopes and…

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