The Inhumans are getting their own movie possibly starring Vin Diesel? DC’s Aquaman movie has two dueling screenwriters? Kermit might be joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Throg? With so much great superhero cinema news coming down the pipeline, it can be difficult to remember that there are even more great comic books coming out every week. So, what is a hero-hungry reader like yourself to do? Simple! Let us be your sherpas through the slippery slopes of Comic Book Day. Keep scrolling down through this week’s edition of the Pull List where you’ll read about what’s next for Batman, Dark Horse’s final days with Star Wars, a brand new sci-fi series from Dan Abnett and I.N.J. Culbard, and much more.
Top Picks
Batman #34 | DC Comics | Scott Snyder, Gerry Duggan, Matteo Scalera
The long, dark, twisted journey that was Scott Snyder’s “Zero Year” arc has come to a close and now we’re looking to Gotham’s future. While there are certainly hints scattered throughout Batman #34 that portend what’s coming down the Batman pipeline, the issue is largely a self-contained story from writer Gerry Duggan and artist Matteo Scalera. Let me say this right now: if Duggan’s Arkham Manor series is half as good as this issue, it’ll still be better than most of what’s on store shelves. In his first crack at the Dark Knight, Duggan gives us a terrific transitional story that brings us back to modern day where Batman is hot on the trail of a mysterious killer stalking the streets of Gotham. While that’s nothing new as far as Gotham’s streets are concerned, the killer’s targets do seem to be throwing Batman for a loop. They’re not high profile politicians or chiefs of police; they’re average Joes. Or, in the words of the killer, a terrifying new character called The Meek, “they’re nobody.” Little does he know, everyone in Gotham City is someone to Batman, and he’s always watching.
One-shots are, perhaps, the most difficult feat to pull off in comics in that they need to tell a complete story in the span of a single issue. Thankfully, the combination of Duggan and Scalera here proves that they’re more than up to the task. After the long-churning, slow burn build of “Zero Year” – which was very enjoyable – it’s almost a relief to have a nice, one-and-done issue in which we get conflict and resolution in 22 pages. Though the idea of calling a killer murdering helpless residents of Gotham a “palate cleanser” seems weird, the issue does feel like a breath of fresh air for longtime readers. Scalera’s moody, sinewy artwork lends a thrilling macabre undertone to the issue and makes the moments of violence all the more impactful as a result. His pencils have a rough-hewn quality and his layouts offer a gritty cinematic quality that is pitch perfect for a serial killer story like this. Duggan’s pacing is on point and the issue plays out a bit like Hannibal goes to Gotham City in all the right ways. This is Gerry Duggan’s design, and it is one that I’m eager to see more of, especially as we trudge forward into a new era of Batman, Arkham Manor, and beyond.
Dark Ages #1 | Dark Horse Comics | Dan Abnett and I.N.J. Culbard
Review by Charles Webb
For the first few pages, writer Dan Abnett and artist I.N.J. Culbard keep us cold and in the muck with the wandering band of mercenary soldiers, led by Captain Hawkherst: they’re starving, cold, and hoping to make their way to France to earn some money cutting up rivals for the throne. But when a meteor crashes near their camp, unleashing something out of Lovecraft, they’re counting their dead and forced to flee to a nearby monastery.
If that description seems thin, the first issue isn’t quite that: Abnett gives us some time with Hawkherst and his men – completely unsentimental knights, all scars and talk about killing. Abnett wisely doesn’t play them as monsters, instead making his mercenaries professionals who are just very, very proficient at murder for hire.
If you need a hook for Dark Ages, think of it as something from the Mignolaverse where it turns out the horrors from beyond the stars are weird space monsters. Abnett and Culbard play up the horror of that first attack with fire and terror for Hawkherst and his men, the kind of thing that wouldn’t be out of place in the opening act of a B.P.R.D. story. The duo, then, are in good company because I love the hell out of some B.P.R.D..
Star Wars #20 | Dark Horse Comics | Brian Wood and Carlos D’Anda
Review by Eric Diaz
And thus, we come to the end of a long and very fruitful era, as Star Wars #20 is the final issue in that galaxy far, far away to come from Dark Horse Comics, after nearly twenty three years of being the comic book home or stormtroopers and Jedi alike, the twentieth issue is the last one ever before the big move to Disney owned Marvel next year.
Brian Wood’s and Carlos D’Anda’s final issue of Star Wars is a fun, light romp one last time with characters like Luke, Leia and Han. In this last issue, the rebels receive a message from Princess Leia’s childhood friend Seren Song, who is a Rebel agent who went undercover in the very earliest days of the Rebellion forming. Seren has been out of contact for so long, no one knows if she had become an Imperial during that time for real or not.
Writer Brian Wood captures the essence of the characters perfectly, it really feels like they popped out from their appearance in A New Hope. (the issue is set in the time right after Episode IV.) I’ll be sad to see him go once the title moves over to Marvel next year. There isn’t anything huge revealed in this last issue or anything like that, it’s just a nice adventure from the rebel crew, one Star Wars fans everywhere would enjoy.
Pull List
DARK HORSE COMICS
JUN140013 ABE SAPIEN #15 $3.50
APR140037 BLACKOUT #4 $2.99
JAN140210 CLASSIC MARVEL UNCANNY X-MEN 94 #1 STORM $49.95
JUN140025 CREEPY COMICS #17 $3.99
JUN140075 DARK AGES #1 $3.99
JUN140031 GHOST #7 $2.99
APR140017 GUNS OF SHADOW VALLEY HC $24.99
JAN140218 LEGEND OF KORRA PINT GLASS SET $29.99
MAR140104 LEGEND OF KORRA SHOT GLASS SET $19.99
APR140015 LOBSTER JOHNSON GET LOBSTER #5 $3.99
APR140089 SAMURAI EXECUTIONER OMNIBUS TP VOL 02 (MR) $19.99
JUN140090 SIN CITY BUTTONS COUNTER $200.00
JUN140063 STAR WARS #20 2013 ONGOING $2.99
APR140062 STAR WARS LEGACY II TP VOL 03 WANTED ANIA SOLO $19.99
MAR140022 STAR WARS LUCAS DRAFT DELUXE ED HC BOX SET $99.99
JUN140061 TERMINATOR SALVATION FINAL BATTLE #8 $3.99
JUN140032 X #16 (MR) $2.99
DC COMICS
MAY148276 ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #14 2ND PTG $3.99
JUN140298 ASTRO CITY #14 $3.99
JUN140225 BATGIRL #34 $2.99
JUN140215 BATMAN #34 $3.99
JUN140218 BATMAN #34 COMBO PACK $4.99
MAY140376 BATMAN EARTH ONE TP $12.99
JUN140208 BATMAN ETERNAL #19 $2.99
JUN140232 BIRDS OF PREY #34 $2.99
JUN140297 COFFIN HILL #10 (MR) $2.99
JUN140186 CONSTANTINE #17 $2.99
JUN140305 FBP FEDERAL BUREAU OF PHYSICS #13 (MR) $2.99
APR140265 FLASH HC VOL 04 REVERSE (N52) $24.99
MAY140367 FLASH TP VOL 03 GORILLA WARFARE (N52) $16.99
JUN148090 GRAYSON #1 2ND PTG $2.99
JUN140241 GREEN LANTERN CORPS #34 $2.99
MAY140373 GREEN LANTERN WRATH OF THE FIRST LANTERN TP (N52) $19.99
JUN148087 HARLEY QUINN #4 2ND PTG $2.99
JUN140228 HARLEY QUINN #9 $2.99
MAY140378 HE MAN AND THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE TP VOL 03 $14.99
JUN140258 INJUSTICE GODS AMONG US YEAR TWO #9 $2.99
APR140299 INVISIBLES HC BOOK 02 DELUXE EDITION (MR) $29.99
JUN140155 JUSTICE LEAGUE UNITED #4 $3.99
JUN140159 JUSTICE LEAGUE UNITED #4 COMBO PACK $4.99
JUN140293 MAD MAGAZINE #529 $5.99
JUN140161 NEW 52 FUTURES END #15 (WEEKLY) $2.99
JUN140176 NEW SUICIDE SQUAD #2 $2.99
MAY140409 PREACHER TP BOOK 05 (MR) $19.99
JUN140295 SCOOBY DOO WHERE ARE YOU #48 $2.99
JUN140253 SMALLVILLE SEASON 11 CHAOS #1 $3.99
JUN140205 SUPERBOY #34 $2.99
JUN140193 SUPERMAN WONDER WOMAN #11 (DOOMED) $3.99
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JUN140190 WORLDS FINEST #26 $2.99
DC COMICS/DC COLLECTIBLES
FEB140307 DC COMICS NEW 52 STARFIRE AF $24.95
IDW PUBLISHING
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JUN140427 X-FILES SEASON 10 #15 $3.99
IMAGE COMICS
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MAY140751 ZERO #10 (MR) $2.99
MARVEL COMICS
MAY140881 ALL NEW X-MEN #30 $3.99
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JUN140700 AMAZING X-MEN #10 $3.99
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JUN140641 SPIDER-MAN 2099 #2 $3.99
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JUN140701 WOLVERINE AND X-MEN #7 $3.99
JUN140703 X-FORCE #8 $3.99
JUN140709 X-MEN #18 $3.99
COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS
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MAY140989 CAVEWOMAN FALLEN ONE SHOT CVR A DURHAM $3.99
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JUN140878 CROSSED BADLANDS #59 (MR) $3.99
JUN140881 CROSSED BADLANDS #59 FATAL FANTASY CVR (MR) $3.99
JUN140880 CROSSED BADLANDS #59 TORTURE CVR (MR) $3.99
JUN140879 CROSSED BADLANDS #59 WRAP CVR (MR) $3.99
JUN141561 DEADMAN WONDERLAND GN VOL 04 $9.99
JUN141132 DEJAH THORIS & GREEN MEN OF MARS TP VOL 02 (MR) $16.99
JUN141187 DF GUARDIANS O/T GALAXY #1 EXC CVR BONUS PKG $14.99
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JUN141125 DOODLE JUMP #3 $3.99
JUN141296 EL NINO OMNIBUS HC (MR) $44.95
JUN140756 F1RST HERO #1 MAIN CVR $3.99
JUN141307 FAIRY TAIL GN VOL 41 $10.99
JUN141615 GFT AGE OF DARKNESS TP VOL 02 $15.99
JUN141617 GFT HELSING TP $15.99
JUN141585 GFT INFERNO RINGS OF HELL #1 A CVR JOHNSON (AOFD) (MR $3.99
JUN141586 GFT INFERNO RINGS OF HELL #1 B CVR LAISO (AOFD) (MR) $3.99
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JUN141600 GFT WONDERLAND #26 B CVR LEISTER (MR) $3.99
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JUN140858 GOD IS DEAD #18 (MR) $3.99
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JUN140851 GOD IS DEAD BOOK OF ACTS OMEGA (MR) $5.99
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MAR141075 HEART OF THE BEAST HC 20TH ANNV SGN REMARK ED (MR) $95.00
JUN140934 HEXED #1 $3.99
MAY148197 HUGH HOWEYS WOOL GN $14.95
JUN141567 ITSUWARIBITO GN VOL 12 $9.99
MAY141580 JASON SHIGA DEMON #1 $4.95
MAY141404 JIM HC $29.99
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MAY141365 KINGS WATCH TP VOL 01 $19.99
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JUN141102 LADY ZORRO #2 $3.99
MAY141298 LEGENDERRY A STEAMPUNK ADV #6 $3.99
JUN141129 LEGENDS OF RED SONJA TP VOL 01 $19.99
MAY141545 LENA FINKLES MAGIC BARREL GN $17.00
JUN141568 LOVELESS GN VOL 12 $9.99
JUN141544 MAGI GN VOL 07 $9.99
JUN141297 MEGALEX HC $29.95
APR140798 MEN OF MYSTERY #93 $29.95
MAY140965 MIDNIGHT TIGER #1 MAIN CVR $3.99
JUN141309 MONSTER SOUL GN VOL 02 $10.99
MAY141470 MY LITTLE MONSTER GN VOL 03 $10.99
JUN141310 NEGIMA GN VOL 28 KODANSHA ED NEW PTG (MR) $10.99
JUN140774 NIGHT O/T LIVING VIDIOTS GN (MR) $19.95
JUN141106 PATHFINDER CITY SECRETS #4 EXC SUBSCRIPTION CVR $4.99
JUN141104 PATHFINDER CITY SECRETS #4 MAIN GENZOMAN $4.99
JUN141107 PATHFINDER CITY SECRETS #4 ULTRA LTD CUMMINGS CVR $19.99
MAR141082 PATHFINDER HC VOL 02 TOOTH & CLAW $29.99
APR141254 PHANTOM COMP SUNDAYS HC VOL 02 1943-1945 $60.00
JUN141335 PRINCESS UGG #3 $3.99
MAY140956 RACHEL RISING #27 $3.99
MAR141089 RED SONJA #11 FRISON CVR $3.99
MAR141090 RED SONJA #11 LUPACCHINO CVR $3.99
APR141060 RED TEN TP VOL 01 $14.99
MAY141465 ROBOT CLOWN MOB GN (MR) $9.99
SEP130869 RUN LIKE HELL GN (MR) $14.99
JUN141385 SAN HANNIBAL #3 $2.99
JUN141160 SANITARIUM #2 (MR) $3.99
FEB141355 SCOTT PILGRIM COLOR HC VOL 05 $24.99
MAR141264 SHEENA #3 $3.99
DEC130802 SKYWARD #8 MAIN COVERS $2.99
JUN141362 SMURFS ANTHOLOGY HC VOL 03 $19.99
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JUN141049 THE DEVILERS #2 $2.99
APR141286 THE PEOPLE INSIDE HC $24.99
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MAY148342 UNITY #8 2ND PTG $3.99
JUN141397 US JUDGE DREDD COMP CASE FILES TP VOL 08 $19.99
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APR141148 WARLORD OF MARS TP VOL 04 (MR) $24.99
JUN141528 WOLFSMUND GN VOL 05 $12.95
MAY148343 X-O MANOWAR #26 2ND PTG $3.99
MAY141483 ZOMBILLENIUM HC VOL 02 HUMAN RESOURCES $14.99
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What’s on your pull list this week? Let us know in the comments below or on Twitter.
