Will Jason Momoa be playing Aquaman in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice? Who knows?! What we do know is that there’s plenty of reasons to celebrate being a comic book reader this week. If our exclusive previews of Batman ’66 Meets the Green Hornet and Wonder Woman #32 weren’t enough, then surely the news of Archaia’s Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Witches mini-series is right up your alley. But what’s that? You want more immediate gratification? Well, you’re in luck because it’s Comic Book Day and that means another edition of the Pull List to light your way through the murk and the mire to find those will-o-the-wisps you’re looking for in your local comic book store.

Top Picks

The Wicked + The Divine #1 | Image Comics | Kieron Gillen, Jamie McKelvie, Matthew Wilson, Clayton Cowles

Review by Dan Casey

Ever since John Lennon declared the Beatles to be “more popular than Jesus” back in 1966, there’s been a tangible deification of pop stars and celebrities, which is exactly what Kieron Gillen is putting under the microscope in their so-called “poptimist” exploration of the superhero genre, The Wicked + The Divine. The book’s core conceit is a simple one, at first blush: every 2 years, 12 gods from pantheons across the world are reincarnated as teenage pop stars. However, as the book’s tagline reminds us, “Just because you’re immortal, doesn’t mean you’re going to live forever.” It’s a wildly prescient, insightful, and downright entertaining book that manages to put youth culture and its ever-deepening obsession with celebrity and grandeur under the microscope without simultaneously sarcastically thumbing its nose at its subject matter. That isn’t to say that Gillen doesn’t lampoon many of the sillier tropes to be found within celebrity culture, but he does so in a natural way that manages to draw you deeper into the story.

Within the first issue, we’re introduced to a Thin White Duke-esque Lucifer, a Rihanna-ian version of Sekhmet, and a Lady Gaga-esque Amaterasu, as well as their legions of devoted followers who derive an orgasmic pleasure (sometimes literally) from being in their presence. Obviously, they command an incredible amount of power, but what about super powers? One snap of Luci’s fingers and two exploding heads later, we have our answer. It’s not just the ominous finger snap, but a reference in and of itself to its rhythmic power and the thrall that music can hold over us. And, of course, none of this would matter if it weren’t for Jamie McKelvie and Matthew Wilson’s stellar artwork. With crisp, clean lines, a cinematic sensibility, and terrific panel layout, the dynamic duo manages to lend a certain kinetic quality to Gillen’s script that keeps the action moving and the visuals exciting.

Although only a debut issue, Gillen has managed to sink his narrative hooks deep into my brain and make me crave more, and thanks to that artwork, I’ll have plenty to drool over until issue #2 makes its way into my hot little hands.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 10, #4 | Dark Horse Comics | Christos Gage, Nicholas Brendon, Rebekah Isaacs

Review by Eric Diaz

Four issues in, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 10 might be my favorite Buffy comic book season yet. While I enjoyed aspects of the seasons eight and nine, both of those seasons forgot that ultimately, Buffy still has to have a sense of fun and family underneath all the angst and drama. As it says in the opening recap of the issue, season ten finds Buffy Summers in the best place she’s been emotionally in a long, long time. She’s got her sister back (who almost vanished the previous season, due to being created by magic which went away) her friends Willow and Xander at her side again, and even Spike is behaving. Best of all, Buffy has her Watcher Giles back, even if he is stuck in the body of a twelve year old. Oh yeah, and Andrew is there too. But basically, the family is back together.

To recap what’s happened so far, in season eight, Buffy had to eliminate magic from the Earth to save it. Then in season nine, she spent all that time restoring magic to the world. But this is new magic, with no set rules and guidelines like before. So new vampires can walk around in sunlight, turn into panthers and all kinds of crazy stuff. These were powers that (at least in the Buffyverse) were soley in the domain of Dracula. And Dracula really doesn’t like not being special anymore. Dracula also has a bit of a hold over Xander still, who was his Renfield style man servant in the season five episode Buffy vs. Dracula, and together they steal the big Vampyr book (which Buffy received in the show’s very first episode) which is a tome of all magic in the universe. Except when Buffy erased the rules of magic, the book’s pages became all blank. Good old Vlad figures out that whatever you write in the big bad book becomes the new rule, so if he were to write “Dracula marries Katy Perry” it happens. (That doesn’t actually happen.) But he does write other stuff, and much wackiness ensues.

This issue, much like the previous three for this season, feels like the best of the television show, which is interesting because Joss Whedon really doesn’t have much to do with this comic, aside from being “executive producer”; it’s all written by Christos Gage, and for this issue, Xander himself, actor Nicholas Brendan. I’m not sure which parts of the writing were Nick’s, but Xander has some particularly great lines in this issue, which leads me to believe it was the man behind Xander himself doing the writing. Regardless, this issue was a blast, and it’s been awhile since hanging with the Scooby gang has been this fun.

Witchfinder: The Mysteries of Unland #1 | Dark Horse Comics | Kim Newman, Maura McHugh, Tyler Crook, Julian Totino Tedesco

Review by Charles Webb

“The looks uncommonly like a clue.”

Kim Newman and Maura McHugh’s endlessly playful script for the first issue of the supernatural mystery Witchfinder: The Mysteries of Unland keep the story buoyed along as agent of the Queen Sir Edward Grey investigates murder most foul in a marshland industrial village in Victorian England.

Looking like a dapper Edgar Allan Poe, McHugh and Newman’s uptight investigator Grey doesn’t think there’s anything to the case, but when he wanders into the village of Hallam – manufacturing center for Poole’s Elixir (a favorite of the Queen) – he finds that things are a little off-kilter. Pro-tip: if a town seems to have an eel fetish, best to just keep on moving (or better still, burn it all with fire). In the tradition of the best mysteries, by the end of the first act, our hero has discovered there’s some kind of plot only to come face-to-face with something that wants to kill him.

B.P.R.D. artist Tyler Crook sells the light touch humor here, as the put-upon and mostly bored Grey swiftly has his interests piqued by the town of Hallam. While Crook has a style all his own, some of the faces and eyes put me in the mind of Eric Powell, and a digression into an old-timey comic to explain an alternate theory of the plot reminds me of one of the non-sequitur gags from The Goon.

One issue in, and I’m already invested in the strange mystery in this little town and I can’t wait to find out where McHugh and Newman take it.

Pull List

DARK HORSE COMICS

APR140024 1 FOR $1 STRAIN #1 $1.00
APR140054 AXE COP AMERICAN CHOPPERS #2 $3.99
FEB140025 BLOODHOUND TP VOL 02 CROWBAR MEDICINE $19.99
APR140014 BPRD HELL ON EARTH #120 $3.50
APR140038 BRAIN BOY MEN FROM GESTALT #2 $2.99
APR140020 BTVS SEASON 10 #4 MAIN CVR $3.50
FEB140086 CHRONICLES OF KING CONAN TP VOL 08 ROAD EMPIRE $19.99
FEB140079 CLOWN FATALE TP (MR) $17.99
FEB140078 CRIMINAL MACABRE EYES OF FRANKENSTEIN TP $17.99
APR140074 EYE OF NEWT #1 $3.99
JAN140221 LEGEND OF KORRA PATCH AIR $4.99
JAN140220 LEGEND OF KORRA PATCH EARTH $4.99
JAN140222 LEGEND OF KORRA PATCH FIRE $4.99
JAN140223 LEGEND OF KORRA PATCH WATER $4.99
FEB140107 NGE SHINJI IKARI RAISING PROJECT TP VOL 14 $9.99
FEB140087 PORTENT TP ASHES $17.99
APR140057 STAR WARS DARTH MAUL SON OF DATHOMIR #2 $3.50
APR140072 WITCHER #4 $3.99
APR140012 WITCHFINDER MYSTERIES OF UNLAND #1 $3.50

DC COMICS

APR140217 BATMAN AND RAS AL GHUL #32 $2.99
APR140207 BATMAN ETERNAL #11 $2.99
APR140219 BATWOMAN #32 $2.99
MAR140270 BEFORE WATCHMEN COMEDIAN RORSCHACH TP $19.99
MAR140271 BEFORE WATCHMEN NITE OWL DR MANHATTAN TP $19.99
APR140293 FABLES #141 (MR) $2.99
FEB140264 GRAPHIC INK THE DC COMICS ART OF FRANK QUITELY HC $39.99
FEB140249 GREEN LANTERN LIGHTS OUT HC (N52) $24.99
APR140237 GREEN LANTERN NEW GUARDIANS #32 $2.99
APR140223 HARLEY QUINN #7 $2.99
MAR140254 LARFLEEZE TP VOL 01 REVOLT OF THE ORANGE LANTERNS (N52) $16.99
APR140288 MAD MAGAZINE #528 $5.99
APR140164 NEW 52 FUTURES END #7 (WEEKLY) $2.99
MAR140292 PREACHER TP BOOK 04 (MR) $19.99
APR140230 RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #32 $2.99
MAR148293 SANDMAN OVERTURE #1 2ND PTG (MR) $4.99
APR140248 SCRIBBLENAUTS UNMASKED CRISIS OF IMAGINATION #6 $2.99
MAR140268 SHOWCASE PRESENTS GREAT DISASTER FEAT THE ATOMIC KNIGHTS TP $19.99
APR140200 SUPERGIRL #32 $2.99
MAR140259 SUPERMAN HEL ON EARTH TP (N52) $19.99
JAN140236 SUPERMAN S-SHIELD LED SIGN PI
APR140287 TEEN TITANS GO #4 $2.99
APR140180 TRINITY OF SIN PANDORA #12 $2.99
APR140301 UNWRITTEN VOL 2 APOCALYPSE #6 (MR) $3.99
APR140186 WONDER WOMAN #32 $2.99

DC COMICS/DC COLLECTIBLES

DEC130361 JUSTICE LEAGUE WAR FLASH AF $19.95
DEC130364 JUSTICE LEAGUE WAR GREEN LANTERN AF $19.95
DEC130363 JUSTICE LEAGUE WAR SHAZAM AF $19.95
DEC130362 JUSTICE LEAGUE WAR SUPERMAN AF $19.95
DEC130360 JUSTICE LEAGUE WAR WONDER WOMAN AF $19.95

IDW PUBLISHING

MAR140376 ARCHIE SWINGIN SIXTIES DAILY NEWSPAPER COMICS 1963-1965 HC $49.99
JAN140431 CHARLES SCHULZ PEANUTS ARTIST ED HC PI
APR140420 DEADWORLD RESTORATION TP $19.99
APR140385 JUDGE DREDD MEGA CITY TWO DIRECTORS CUT #1 $4.99
APR140389 KILL SHAKESPEARE MASK OF NIGHT #1 $3.99
APR140360 LITTLEST PET SHOP #2 $3.99
APR140365 MY LITTLE PONY FRIENDS FOREVER #6 $3.99
FEB140359 PARKER THE HUNTER NOVEL HC ILLUS BY DARWYN COOKE $29.99
APR140446 POPEYE CLASSICS ONGOING #23 $3.99
APR140352 POWERPUFF GIRLS #10 $3.99
APR140357 SAMURAI JACK #9 $3.99
APR140345 STAR TREK CITY O/T EDGE OF FOREVER #1 $3.99
APR140346 STAR TREK CITY O/T EDGE OF FOREVER #1 SUBSCRIPTION VARIANT $3.99
APR140435 STARSTRUCK TREASURY ED $9.99
APR140374 TMNT ONGOING #35 $3.99
APR140372 TMNT TURTLES IN TIME #1 $3.99
APR140418 V-WARS #3 $3.99
APR140380 WINTERWORLD #1 $3.99

IMAGE COMICS

APR140557 ALEX + ADA #7 $2.99
MAR140562 APHRODITE IX #11 $3.99
APR140565 DRUMHELLAR #6 CVR A ROSSMO (MR) $3.50
APR140566 DRUMHELLAR #6 CVR B TEMPLESMITH (MR) $3.50
FEB140600 FATALE #23 (MR) $3.50
FEB140525 GLORY COMPLETE SAGA HC $34.99
APR148250 INVINCIBLE #111 2ND PTG (MR) $2.99
APR140574 MANHATTAN PROJECTS #21 $3.50
MAR148190 MANHATTAN PROJECTS #21 BLANK SKETCH CVR $3.50
APR140577 MICE TEMPLAR IV LEGEND #11 CVR A OEMING $3.99
APR140578 MICE TEMPLAR IV LEGEND #11 CVR B SANTOS & FREE $3.99
APR140579 MINIMUM WAGE #6 (MR) $3.50
APR140580 MPH #2 CVR A FEGREDO $2.99
APR140581 MPH #2 CVR B CANETE $2.99
APR148239 MPH #2 CVR C LEINIL YU $2.99
APR148240 MPH #2 CVR D LEINIL YU $2.99
OCT130620 SAVAGE DRAGON #195 (MR) $3.99
APR140596 SEX CRIMINALS #6 (MR) $3.50
FEB140537 VELVET TP VOL 01 BEFORE THE LIVING END (MR) $9.99
APR140486 WICKED & DIVINE #1 CVR A MCKELVIE & WILSON (MR) $3.50
FEB148313 WICKED & DIVINE #1 CVR B MCKELVIE & WILSON (MR) $3.50
FEB148314 WICKED & DIVINE #1 CVR C OMALLEY (MR) $3.50

MARVEL COMICS

MAR140766 ALL NEW X-FACTOR TP VOL 01 NOT BRAND X $17.99
MAR140762 AMAZING X-MEN TP VOL 01 QUEST FOR NIGHTCRAWLER $17.99
APR140645 AVENGERS #31 SIN $3.99
MAR140781 AVENGERS EPIC COLLECTION TP JUDGMENT DAY $34.99
APR140662 AVENGERS WORLD #8 ANMN $3.99
MAR140767 AVENGERS WORLD TP VOL 01 AIMPIRE $16.99
APR140709 DAREDEVIL #4 $3.99
APR140704 ELEKTRA #3 $3.99
MAR140779 GALACTUS DEVOURER TP $24.99
MAR140685 GEORGE ROMEROS EMPIRE OF DEAD ACT ONE #5 $3.99
APR140685 IRON MAN #28 ANMN $3.99
APR140708 IRON PATRIOT #4 $3.99
APR148147 MILES MORALES ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #1 2ND PTG MARQUEZ VAR $3.99
APR148152 MOON KNIGHT #1 3RD PTG SHALVEY VAR ANMN $3.99
APR148153 MOON KNIGHT #2 3RD PTG SHALVEY VAR ANMN $3.99
APR148148 MOON KNIGHT #3 2ND PTG SHALVEY VAR ANMN $3.99
APR148154 MS MARVEL #2 3RD PTG MCKELVIE VAR ANMN $2.99
APR140636 NOVA #18 SIN $3.99
APR140630 ORIGINAL SIN #4 $3.99
APR140698 PUNISHER #7 $3.99
APR148155 SHE-HULK #1 3RD PTG WADA VAR ANMN $2.99
APR148149 SILVER SURFER #2 2ND PTG ALLRED VAR ANMN $3.99
MAR140654 SILVER SURFER #3 ANMN $3.99
APR148150 SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #31 2ND PTG CAMUNCOLI VAR ANMN $5.99
MAR140765 SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN TP VOL 06 GOBLIN NATION $19.99
APR140691 THOR GOD OF THUNDER #23 $3.99
APR140695 THUNDERBOLTS #27 $2.99
APR140675 ULTIMATE FF #3 $3.99
APR140720 UNCANNY X-MEN #22 $3.99
APR140734 WOLVERINE AND X-MEN #5 $3.99
APR140728 X-MEN #15 $3.99

COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS

APR140956 A PIGGYS TALE #2 $2.99
APR141004 ADVENTURE TIME #29 MAIN CVRS $3.99
APR141014 ADVENTURE TIME ENCHIRIDION ED HC VOL 01 $74.99
FEB141091 ADVENTURE TIME SUGARY SHORTS HC VOL 01 NYCC EXC $49.99
APR141170 ALICE THE 101ST GN VOL 04 $12.95
NOV130802 ALL NEW FATHOM #7 DIRECT MARKET CVR A $3.99
NOV130803 ALL NEW FATHOM #7 DIRECT MARKET CVR B $3.99
JAN140887 ALL NEW SOULFIRE #5 DIRECT MARKET CVR A $3.99
JAN140888 ALL NEW SOULFIRE #5 DIRECT MARKET CVR B $3.99
MAR140834 ARCHIE #656 REG CVR $2.99
MAR140838 ARCHIE FUNHOUSE DOUBLE DOUBLE DIGEST #6 $5.99
FEB120952 ART OF RAMONA FRADON HC SIGNED ED $49.99
APR141289 AUTEUR #4 (MR) $3.99
FEB141023 BALLISTIC #5 (MR) $3.50
APR141478 BATTLE ROYALE ANGELS BORDER GN (MR) $12.99
MAR141123 BIONIC MAN TP VOL 03 END OF EVERYTHING $24.99
MAR141013 BLAKE & MORTIMER GN VOL 18 OATH FIVE LORDS $15.95
APR140831 CAVEWOMAN 20TH ANN 2014 FULL COLOR SHOWBOOK (MR) PI
DEC130985 CLIVE BARKER NEXT TESTAMENT #10 (MR) $3.99
MAR141122 DARK SHADOWS YEAR ONE TP $24.99
MAR141150 DF DEJAH OF MARS #1 RISQUE DF EXCLUSIVE CVR $29.99
APR140894 DICKS TP VOL 02 (MR) $19.99
APR141095 DOODLE JUMP #1 BLANK AUTHENTIX CVR $3.99
APR141091 DOODLE JUMP #1 CVR A GRAN $3.99
APR141092 DOODLE JUMP #1 CVR B UY $3.99
APR141093 DOODLE JUMP #1 CVR C SILVANI $3.99
APR141203 EC JOHN SEVERIN BOMB RUN HC $29.99
JAN140852 EDGE OF EMPIRE #2 $3.99
FEB141541 ESCAPO HC $24.99
APR141264 FAIRY TAIL GN VOL 39 $10.99
APR140876 FATHOM ANNUAL #1 $5.99
FEB141542 FEAR MY DEAR BILLY DOGMA EXPERIENCE HC $19.99
MAR140794 FEMFORCE #167 $9.95
MAR140801 FINAL PLAGUE TP (MR) $14.99
APR141526 GFT ASCENSION #5 A CVR SEJIC $3.99
APR141527 GFT ASCENSION #5 B CVR MYCHAELS $3.99
APR141528 GFT ASCENSION #5 C CVR VALENTINO $3.99
APR141501 GFT NEVERLAND AGE OF DARKNESS #4 A CVR MASSAFERA $2.99
APR141502 GFT NEVERLAND AGE OF DARKNESS #4 B CVR METCALF $2.99
APR141503 GFT NEVERLAND AGE OF DARKNESS #4 C CVR CHA $2.99
APR141504 GFT WONDERLAND AGE OF DARKNESS A CVR SPAY (AOFD) $5.99
APR141505 GFT WONDERLAND AGE OF DARKNESS B CVR HAMMOND (AOFD) $5.99
APR141506 GFT WONDERLAND AGE OF DARKNESS C CVR VALENTINO (AOFD) $5.99
APR141533 GFT WONDERLAND ASYLUM TP $15.99
APR141430 HARBINGER #24 CVR A LAROSA $3.99
FEB141409 HARVEY HORRORS COLL PACK WITCHES TALES SOFTIE SLIPCASE ED $109.99
APR141171 HENTAI PRINCE AND THE STONY CAT GN VOL 02 $12.95
MAR141016 LARGO WINCH GN VOL 13 COLD BLACK SEA $11.95
APR140992 LAST BROADCAST #2 (MR) $3.99
APR140822 LAST WEST GN $14.99
MAR140972 LOKI RAGNAROK & ROLL #4 $3.99
MAR140807 LUNITA #3 (MR) $3.99
APR141104 MAGNUS ROBOT FIGHTER #4 $3.99
APR141443 MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM ORIGIN HC VOL 06 $29.95
APR141265 NO 6 GN VOL 07 $10.99
APR141063 PHOTOBOOTH A BIOGRAPHY GN (MR) $20.00
APR141393 PINOCCHIO VAMPIRE SLAYER GN COMPLETE ED (MR) $24.95
FEB141185 RED SONJA #10 FRISON CVR $3.99
FEB141186 RED SONJA #10 SOHN CVR $3.99
MAR141094 RED SONJA OMNIBUS TP VOL 05 $29.99
APR141127 RED SONJA SANCTUARY ONE SHOT $4.99
MAR140994 REGULAR SHOW 2014 ANNUAL #1 $4.99
OCT131289 ROY THOMAS PRESENTS BRIEFER FRANKENSTEIN HC 1947 $47.99
FEB141410 ROY THOMAS PRESENTS BRIEFER FRANKENSTEIN SLIPCASE 1947 $64.99
APR141267 SAY I LOVE YOU GN VOL 02 $10.99
APR141047 SCHOOL BITES GN VOL 01 $12.95
APR141048 SCHOOL BITES GN VOL 02 $12.95
APR141043 SIMPSONS COMICS #212 $2.99
APR141045 SPONGEBOB COMICS ANNUAL GIANT SWIMTACULAR #2 $4.99
MAR141167 STEVE DITKO ARCHIVES TP VOL 01 STRANGE SUSPENSE $28.99
MAR141008 TAROT WITCH OF THE BLACK ROSE #86 DLX ED (MR) $19.99
FEB141222 THE LONE RANGER #25 $3.99
APR140970 THOMAS ALSOP #1 $3.99
APR140976 TRANSLUCID #3 $3.99
MAR140829 TUGG THE BULL TERRIER #1 $3.99
APR141163 TWILIGHT ZONE ANNUAL 2014 $7.99
APR141162 TWILIGHT ZONE TP VOL 01 $15.99
APR141416 UNITY #8 CHROMIUM SUAYAN (AH) $5.99
APR141415 UNITY #8 REG SUAYAN (AH) $3.99
MAR141164 WITZEND HC BOX SET WALLY WOOD $125.00
APR148002 WOODS #1 (2ND PTG) $3.99
APR141269 XXXHOLIC OMNIBUS TP VOL 02 $19.99
APR148251 ZOMBIE TRAMP VOL 2 TP (MR) $11.99

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