Still reeling from k-holing on the surplus of True Detective theories and think pieces swirling around the internet? Me, too. Fortunately, relief is in sight and its name is Comic Book Day, that magical day of the week when store shelves are flooded with a deluge of new graphic delights. With new offerings from the likes of Scott Snyder and Sean Murphy, Matt Kindt, Gail Simone, and more, there’s no shortage of ways to spend your hard-earned cash at your local comic book store this week. So, sit back, relax and let the pull list wash over you like a gentle wave.

Top Picks

The Wake #6 | Vertigo | Scott Snyder, Sean Murphy, Matt Hollingsworth, Jared K. Fletcher

The second half of Scott Snyder and Sean Murphy’s phenomenal deep sea thriller The Wake has begun, and it takes us 200 years into the future to a world where the oceans have risen, America is a devastated shell of its former self, and dangerous monsters stalk the seas. Our new heroine, Leeward, quickly proves that she is not to be taken lightly, making her money by decapitating the Mers, the aforementioned monsters, and selling their heads on the black market in exchange for radio parts. Why radio parts? Well, Leeward is looking for a signal, a sign of life, some indication that not all hope is lost. While it’s always better if you’ve read the story from the beginning, The Wake #6 is also fantastic because it’s a jumping-on point that works as well for new readers as it does for existing ones. Everything you need to know is carefully, tactfully explained in the context of the story, so you won’t feel hopelessly out of your element. Overall, The Wake #6 is a delightfully dystopian bit of storytelling from Scott Snyder who is continuing to show his incredible versatility as a writer and typically wonderful, visceral artwork from Sean Murphy, and the story’s second half is shaping up to be something you most definitely won’t want to miss.

Mind MGMT #19 | Dark Horse | Matt Kindt

The plot continues to thicken at a breakneck pace in Matt Kindt’s positively stellar psychodrama Mind MGMT, as Meru, Lyme, and the rogue agents continue their game of international brinksmanship against The Eraser and her growing army of superpowered malcontents. Tensions are running high as Meru and her team touch down in Berlin where they’re on the hunt for an agent who specializes in illusions. No one likes having their powers neutralized – especially agents – and Meru’s very presence is a constant source of stress for some in the group. Unfortunately for our heroes, the element of surprise is soon lost, forcing a city-wide game of cat and mouse that puts our protagonists in a fair bit more mortal peril than they realize they’re in. Kindt has a real talent for balancing copious amounts of backstory and exposition with a real sense of momentum; you’re absorbing a lot of information, but Kindt keeps the action moving in such a way that you never feel like you’re being subjected to a history lesson. Once again, the book is a visual tour-de-force, a woozy watercolor pastiche that evokes newspaper clippings hung up on a bulletin board like Rustin Cohle obsessing over a case, throwback espionage thrillers, and a style all the book’s own that sets it apart from the crowd. There’s a reason that we named this book one of our favorite comics of 2013, so get on board, because not even Denzel Washington can stop this runaway train.

Tomb Raider #1 | Dark Horse | Gail Simone, Nicolás Daniel Selma, Juan Gedeon, Michael Atiyeh, Michael Heisler

Have you played the new Tomb Raider game? If not, what are you waiting for? Not only was it one of the best games of 2013, but it was one of the best portrayals of Lara Croft we’ve seen in ages, which is why the news that the story would live on in comic book form was so exciting. Attaching Gail Simone as the writer? Even better. If you were worried that this would be a lame novelization of the game, then you can exhale, because this is not a retread of what you’ve already seen. Picking up in the wake of the events of the game, Lara is having trouble readjusting to civilian life. Plagued by nightmares of what happened on the island and wracked with guilt over those who didn’t return, Lara is doing her best just to get by, and her friends are growing increasingly cagey. A mysterious call from Jonah brings her out to the desert where her old friend is acting increasingly erratic, rambling about a curse that followed them off the island. What follows next gives the distinct impression that there might just be some truth to his craziness yet, and Lara has escaped the frying pan of Yamatai only to land in a fire that follows her wherever she goes.

Simone has a terrific sense of the characters and crafts a compelling enough narrative for the first issue. While a bit slow to start, the book soon hits the ground running and picks up enough speed to hook you in and get you excited for issue #2. Nicolás Daniel Selma’s artwork has a minimalist quality to it that is a bit jarring coming from the photorealism of the video game, but I quickly settled into his style and grew to appreciate his fluid, delicate lines. As far as video game adaptations go, this is one of the better books I’ve read, and is a great way to scratch that Tomb Raider itch until the next installment of the series comes out.

Pull List
DARK HORSE COMICS

OCT130053 ADVENTURES OF DOG MENDONCA PIZZABOY TP VOL 02 APOCALYPSE $14.99
OCT130071 ANGEL & FAITH TP VOL 05 WHAT YOU WANT NOT WHAT YOU NEED $17.99
OCT130070 BREATH OF BONES A TALE O/T GOLEM HC $14.99
DEC130090 CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT #8 $2.99
OCT130023 CHRONICLES OF KING CONAN TP VOL 07 DAY OF WRATH $19.99
NOV130024 CREEPY COMICS TP VOL 03 LURKING FATE $19.99
DEC130100 FURIOUS #2 $3.99
DEC130062 HALO ESCALATION #3 $3.99
DEC130123 KING CONAN CONQUEROR #1 $3.50
DEC130061 MASS EFFECT FOUNDATION #8 $3.99
MAY130084 MASS EFFECT TURIAN CRUISER SHIP REPLICA $34.99
DEC130107 MASSIVE #20 $3.50
DEC130106 MIND MGMT #19 $3.99
DEC130104 PARIAH #1 $3.99
DEC130066 SERENITY LEAVES ON THE WIND #2 $3.50
DEC130076 STAR WARS LEGACY II #12 $2.99
DEC130059 TOMB RAIDER #1 $3.50
DEC130069 VANDROID #1 $3.99

DC COMICS

NOV130268 100 BULLETS BROTHER LONO #8 (MR) $2.99
DEC130286 ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #10 $3.99
DEC130279 ALL STAR WESTERN #28 $3.99
DEC130220 AQUAMAN #28 $2.99
DEC130229 BATMAN SUPERMAN #8 $3.99
DEC130231 BATMAN SUPERMAN #8 COMBO PACK $4.99
DEC130266 BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT #28 $2.99
DEC130323 BEWARE THE BATMAN #5 $2.99
DEC130258 CATWOMAN #28 (GOTHTOPIA) $2.99
NOV130230 DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS TP VOL 03 BLACK LIGHTNING BLUE DEVIL $14.99
OCT130229 DC UNIVERSE VS MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE #5 $2.99
DEC130336 DEAD BOY DETECTIVES #3 $2.99
DEC130222 FLASH #28 $2.99
DEC130208 FOREVER EVIL ARGUS #5 $2.99
DEC130217 JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #28 (EVIL) $3.99
DEC130278 LARFLEEZE #8 $2.99
DEC130325 SCOOBY DOO WHERE ARE YOU #42 $2.99
DEC130245 SUPERMAN #28 $2.99
DEC130248 SUPERMAN LOIS LANE #1 $4.99
DEC130271 TALON #16 $2.99
DEC130284 TEEN TITANS #28 $2.99
NOV130236 THRESHOLD TP VOL 01 THE HUNTED (N52) $19.99
NOV130277 UNKNOWN SOLDIER TP NEW ED (MR) $14.99
DEC130347 WAKE #6 (MR) $2.99
DEC130232 WORLDS FINEST #20 $2.99

DC COMICS/DC COLLECTIBLES

OCT130304 BATMAN ARKHAM ORIGINS SER 2 ANARKY AF $24.95
OCT130303 BATMAN ARKHAM ORIGINS SER 2 DEADSHOT AF $24.95
OCT130305 BATMAN ARKHAM ORIGINS SER 2 DEATHSTROKE AF $24.95
OCT130302 BATMAN ARKHAM ORIGINS SER 2 FIREFLY AF $24.95
SEP138282 BATMAN ARKHAM ORIGINS SER 2 KILLER CROC DLX AF $24.95

IDW PUBLISHING

DEC130381 GHOSTBUSTERS #13 $3.99
DEC130391 JUDGE DREDD #16 $3.99
DEC130443 MY LITTLE PONY FRIENDS FOREVER #2 $3.99
DEC130449 POWERPUFF GIRLS #6 $3.99
DEC130446 SAMURAI JACK #5 $3.99
DEC130448 SAMURAI JACK SPECIAL DIRECTORS CUT $7.99
DEC130431 STAR TREK KHAN #5 $3.99
DEC130435 STAR TREK ONGOING #30 $3.99
DEC130417 THUNDER AGENTS #6 $3.99
DEC130419 THUNDER AGENTS ONGOING TP VOL 01 $17.99
DEC130422 TMNT NEW ANIMATED ADVENTURES #8 $3.99
DEC130427 TMNT ONGOING #31 $3.99
DEC130429 TMNT UTROM EMPIRE #2 $3.99
DEC130407 TRANSFORMERS REGENERATION ONE #99 $3.99
DEC130386 WRAITH WELCOME TO CHRISTMASLAND #4 $3.99
DEC130375 X-FILES CONSPIRACY TRANSFORMERS #1 $3.99
DEC130483 ZOMBIES VS ROBOTS NO MANS LAND PROSE SC $19.99

IMAGE COMICS

DEC130560 ARTIFACTS #35 $3.99
DEC130562 BLACK SCIENCE #4 (MR) $3.50
DEC130563 BOUNCE #10 (MR) $2.99
OCT130596 CHEW #40 (MR) $2.99
DEC130565 DEAD BODY ROAD #3 (MR) $2.99
DEC138365 DEADLY CLASS #1 2ND PTG (MR) $3.50
DEC130566 DEADLY CLASS #2 (MR) $3.50
OCT130600 ELEPHANTMEN #54 (MR) $3.99
DEC130572 FIVE WEAPONS #7 $3.50
DEC130496 INVINCIBLE TP VOL 19 THE WAR AT HOME $16.99
SEP130625 MANHATTAN PROJECTS #18 $3.50
DEC130515 MICE TEMPLAR TP VOL 04 .1 LEGEND PT 1 $17.99
DEC130493 ONE HIT WONDER #1 (MR) $3.50
DEC130520 PETER PANZERFAUST TP VOL 03 CRY O/T WOLF $14.99
NOV130516 RAT QUEENS #5 CVR A (MR) $3.50
NOV130517 RAT QUEENS #5 CVR B (MR) $3.50
DEC130487 REVENGE #1 (MR) $2.99
DEC130591 SATELLITE SAM #6 (MR) $3.50
DEC130594 SEX #11 (MR) $2.99
DEC138414 SEX CRIMINALS #3 3RD PTG (MR) $3.50
DEC130596 SHELTERED #7 $2.99
MAY130573 SUPER DINOSAUR #22 $2.99
NOV130469 SUPER DINOSAUR ADHESIVE BANDAGE TIN $9.99
OCT130504 THIEF OF THIEVES TP VOL 03 (MR) $14.99
DEC130600 THREE #5 $2.99
DEC130601 UMBRAL #4 (MR) $2.99
DEC130605 WALKING DEAD #122 (MR) $2.99

IMAGE COMICS/MCFARLANE TOYS

DEC131878 OQP NBA SERIES 24 PAUL PIERCE AF PI
DEC131874 TMP NBA SERIES 24 AF PI
DEC131875 TMP NBA SERIES 24 ANTHONY DAVIS AF PI
DEC131876 TMP NBA SERIES 24 DERRICK ROSE AF PI
DEC131877 TMP NBA SERIES 24 LEBRON JAMES AF PI
DEC131879 TMP NBA SERIES 24 STEPHEN CURRY AF PI
DEC131880 TMP NBA SERIES 24 TIM DUNCAN AF PI
NOV131974 TMP SPORTS NFL ELI MANNING AF PI

MARVEL COMICS

NOV130711 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ART OF MOVIE HC SLIPCASE $49.99
DEC130721 AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #24 $3.99
SEP130783 CAPTAIN AMERICA WINTER SOLDIER HC MOVIE CVR $34.99
DEC130727 CATACLYSM ULTIMATES LAST STAND #5 $3.99
DEC130752 DEADPOOL #24 $2.99
DEC138203 DISNEY KINGDOMS SEEKERS OF WEIRD #1 2ND PTG DEL MUNDO $3.99
DEC130616 FANTASTIC FOUR #1 ANMN $3.99
DEC130712 GEORGE ROMEROS EMPIRE OF DEAD ACT ONE #2 $3.99
DEC130694 GUARDIANS OF GALAXY #12 ANMN $3.99
JUL130649 HAWKEYE #15 $2.99
DEC130742 INDESTRUCTIBLE HULK #19 $3.99
DEC130744 MARVEL UNIVERSE ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #23 SYU $2.99
DEC130720 MIGHTY AVENGERS #7 $3.99
DEC130706 MIRACLEMAN #3 $4.99
DEC130771 MMW FANTASTIC FOUR TP VOL 10 $24.99
DEC138411 NIGHT OF LIVING DEADPOOL #1 2ND PTG SHAW VAR $3.99
DEC130746 ORIGIN II #3 $3.99
DEC130717 REVOLUTIONARY WAR SUPERSOLDIERS #1 $3.99
DEC130725 SECRET AVENGERS #16 $3.99
DEC130779 SECRET AVENGERS TP VOL 02 ILIAD $17.99
DEC130755 SECRET SERVICE TP (MR) $12.99
DEC130784 SUPERIOR FOES SPIDER-MAN TP VOL 01 GETTING BAND BACK $16.99
DEC130653 SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #28 ANMN $3.99
DEC130785 SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN TEAM UP TP VERSUS $17.99
DEC130792 THOR BY WALTER SIMONSON TP VOL 04 $29.99
DEC138201 THUNDERBOLTS #20.NOW 2ND PTG TEDESCO VAR ANMN $2.99
DEC130682 THUNDERBOLTS #22 ANMN $2.99
DEC130726 UNCANNY AVENGERS #17 $3.99
DEC130776 UNCANNY AVENGERS TP VOL 01 RED SHADOW $19.99
DEC130614 WOLVERINE #2 ANMN $3.99
DEC130749 WOLVERINE AND X-MEN #42 $4.99
DEC130793 X-FORCE BY KYLE AND YOST COMPLETE COLLECTION TP VOL 01 $34.99

COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS

DEC131317 ARCHER & ARMSTRONG TP VOL 04 SECT CIVIL WAR $14.99
DEC131098 ARMY OF DARKNESS VS HACK SLASH #6 CASELLI CVR $3.99
DEC131099 ARMY OF DARKNESS VS HACK SLASH #6 SEELEY CVR $3.99
DEC131100 ARMY OF DARKNESS VS HACK SLASH #6 TEMPLESMITH CVR $3.99
OCT131297 ATOMIC ROBO REAL SCIENCE ADV TP VOL 02 $13.95
JAN140969 BALLISTIC #4 (MR) $3.50
DEC131397 BAR MAID #3 A CVR TUCCI (MR) $3.50
DEC131398 BAR MAID #3 B CVR FRANCHESCO (MR) $3.50
DEC131399 BAR MAID #3 C CVR QUALANO (MR) $3.50
DEC130862 BETTY & VERONICA DOUBLE DIGEST #221 $3.99
DEC131089 BLACK BAT #9 $3.99
DEC131090 BLACK BAT #9 TAN SUBSCRIPTION CVR $3.99
DEC131319 BLOODSHOT & HARD CORPS #0.2014 PULLBOX SEPULVEDA $3.99
DEC131318 BLOODSHOT & HARD CORPS #0.2014 REG LOZZI $3.99
DEC131011 BRAVEST WARRIORS #17 MAIN CVRS $3.99
DEC131199 CAPE HORN HC (MR) $39.95
DEC130821 CHARLIE BROWN & FRIENDS TP $9.99
DEC130920 CROSSED BADLANDS #48 (MR) $3.99
DEC130922 CROSSED BADLANDS #48 TORTURE CVR (MR) $3.99
DEC130921 CROSSED BADLANDS #48 WRAP CVR (MR) $3.99
DEC131102 CRYPTOZOIC MAN #4 $3.99
AUG131252 DAMSELS #13 $3.99
DEC131228 DANCE CLASS HC VOL 07 SCHOOL NIGHT FEVER $10.99
DEC130983 DECEIVERS #3 $3.99
NOV131018 DEJAH THORIS & GREEN MEN OF MARS #11 (MR) $3.99
NOV131019 DEJAH THORIS & GREEN MEN OF MARS #11 ANACLETO SUBSCR $3.99
MAY131110 DF TEN GRAND #1 LEE EXC VIRGIN CVR JMS SGN $39.99
DEC131045 DOC SAVAGE #3 $3.99
DEC131046 DOC SAVAGE #3 CASSADAY VIP CVR $3.99
DEC130831 EDGE OF EMPIRE #1 $3.99
DEC131206 FAIRY TAIL GN VOL 35 $10.99
OCT131321 FIRST KINGDOM HC VOL 03 (MR) $24.99
DEC130806 FRACTURE #3 $2.99
DEC130959 FUTURAMA COMICS #70 $2.99
JAN141047 GANDHI MY LIFE IS MY MESSAGE CAMPFIRE GN $16.99
OCT130822 GEARHEARTS STEAMPUNK GLAMOR REVUE #9 $3.99
DEC131374 GFT QUEST #4 A CVR LAISO (AOFD) $3.99
DEC131375 GFT QUEST #4 B CVR NUNES (AOFD) $3.99
DEC131376 GFT QUEST #4 C CVR TYNDALL (AOFD) $3.99
NOV130757 GOLD DIGGER HOLIDAYS SPECIAL #3 $3.50
DEC131159 GRAPHIC CLASSICS GN VOL 03 HG WELLS 3RD ED $12.95
DEC130993 HACKTIVIST #2 (MR) $3.99
JAN141242 HENRY AND GLENN FOREVER AND EVER #4 (MR) $5.00
DEC131312 INSUFFICIENT DIRECTION GN $14.95
DEC130805 JACK HAMMER #2 BRETT WELDELE CVR $3.99
DEC130804 JACK HAMMER #2 MAIN COVERS $2.99
JAN141048 JELLABY CAPSTONE ED GN VOL 01 LOST MONSTER $12.95
NOV130780 JUGHEADS DOUBLE DOUBLE DIGEST #200 $5.99
OCT130953 LEGEND OF OZ THE WICKED WEST ONGOING #15 $3.50
NOV130852 LEGEND OF OZ THE WICKED WEST ONGOING #16 $3.50
DEC131055 LEGENDS OF RED SONJA #4 $3.99
OCT131027 LEONARD STARRS MARY PERKINS ON STAGE TP VOL 12 $24.95
NOV130781 LIFE WITH ARCHIE #34 REG CVR $3.99
DEC131198 LOVING DEAD HC (MR) $19.95
OCT131258 MEGAGOGO GN VOL 01 $19.99
DEC131224 NANCY DREW DIARIES GN VOL 01 $9.99
JAN141235 NEGIMA OMNIBUS GN VOL 09 $19.99
DEC131015 PEANUTS VOL 2 #16 $3.99
DEC130808 PIRATE EYE TP VOL 01 $11.99
DEC130807 PRINCELESS ENCORE ED #4 $2.99
NOV130906 REGULAR SHOW #10 MAIN CVRS $3.99
DEC130955 REX ZOMBIE KILLER #3 $3.50
DEC130972 ROBOCOP BETA ONE SHOT $3.99
NOV130869 ROBOCOP TP VOL 02 LAST STAND PT 1 (MR) $14.99
DEC131109 ROBOTECH VOLTRON #2 $3.99
JAN140945 ROVER RED CHARLIE #1 FETCH CVR (MR) $3.99
OCT131028 RUSTY RILEY DAILIES HC VOL 01 1948 -1949 $49.95
DEC130960 SERGIO ARAGONES FUNNIES #12 $3.50
AUG131099 SERUSIS #5 $3.50
DEC131291 SNOWPIERCER HC VOL 02 THE EXPLORERS (MR) $24.99
NOV130787 SONIC SUPER SPECIAL MAGAZINE #10 $9.99
NOV131141 SPIDER ULTIMATE WIDESCREEN COLLECTION TP $23.95
NOV130760 STEAM WARS #4 $3.99
NOV131111 STONE COLLECTOR GN VOL 01 $14.95
DEC130965 TAROT LOVE IS MAGICK S&N DELUXE BUNDLE (MR) $24.99
NOV130925 TAROT WITCH OF THE BLACK ROSE #84 DLX ED (MR) $19.99
OCT131132 THE LONE RANGER #22 $3.99
DEC131092 UNCANNY TP VOL 01 SEASON OF HUNGRY GHOSTS $19.99
DEC131026 VALERIAN GN VOL 06 AMBASSADOR OF THE SHADOWS $11.95
OCT130805 WHERE BOLD STARS GO TO DIE GN (MR) $7.95
JAN141414 WILL EISNER DREAMER GN $16.95
JAN141417 WILL EISNER READER GN $16.95
JAN141415 WILL EISNERS CONTRACT WITH GOD TRILOGY HC NEW PTG $35.00
DEC131327 X-O MANOWAR #22 ORDERALL CONRAD UNITY $3.99
DEC131326 X-O MANOWAR #22 REG LAROSA UNITY $3.99

What’s on your pull list this week? Let us know in the comments below or tell me on Twitter!