Welcome to another edition of The Pull List Comic Reviews! Since the hectic holiday schedule and copious amounts of eggnog have affected my time and brain cells, respectively, this week’s reviews are more of the quickie variety. While short and sweet – well, as short and sweet as I’m going to get – there’s enough yuletide cheer to make even Gotham warm over. As always, WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD.

PULL OF THE WEEK:

Avengers: The Initiative #31
Marvel Comics – $2.99 US
Writer: Christos N Gage
Artist: Rafa Sandoval
Score: 8.5/10

The music’s pumping, the booze is flowing and the girls are dancing. Seems like Taskmaster’s right where he wants to be, until Norman Osborn decides to come to Camp H.A.M.M.E.R. for an inspection. Nobody said pimpin’ was easy, especially since Taskmaster has to get his place running on all cylinders before the boss arrives, bearing “gifts.”

Incredibly solid issue by writer Gage. Throughout the entire string of storylines, like “Civil War,” “Secret Invasion” and “Dark Reign,” select characters from both sides of the fight have begun to question whether or not they’re on the right side. Makes for some good reading and interesting dynamics as “Siege” starts to pick up steam. Artist Sandoval continues to be consistently good, especially where Taskmaster is included in the scene.

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The beloved comics hero Captain America is being reborn and in true Marvel style, they’ve got a whole lot of other books relating to this historic event. Fortunately, we love reading about Cap’s adventures just as much as Marvel loves releasing new titles, so its all good. Now, Marvel has unveiled a prelude comic to one of its biggest events of the year, exclusively at its website and available today.

Check out all the details (and the nice cover art after the jump) from the official Marvel press release:

Read what happens before the biggest story of the summer begins!

Captain America Reborn: Prelude

Eight-Page Prelude Exclusive to Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited Available for Free June 30, 2009

New York, NY (June 30, 2009) – Marvel is proud to announce that fans can now get a look at the exclusive prequel to Captain America: Reborn #1 courtesy of Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited at www.marvel.com/reborn. Captain America Reborn: Prelude, from Eisner-winning scribe Ed Brubaker and fan favorite artist Luke Ross, reveals just what happens before the hotly anticipated Captain America: Reborn #1 hits stores tomorrow! The entire world knows of the tragic event that transpired in Captain America #25, when Steve Rogers, the man who fought as our nation’s Sentinel of liberty for over 70 years, was brutally gunned down on the steps of a New York courthouse.

But now, miraculously, there may be a way to save Steve Rogers and the key could lie in the hands of the daughter of his greatest enemy. How does the Red Skull’s femme fatale offspring play into all of this? What does she know about the assassination of the world’s greatest hero? And will this information save our greatest icon or doom him forever? Find out now in the eight-page Captain America Reborn: Prelude, free to all readers at www.marvel.com/reborn

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