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Comic Book Day: Pull List for May 7, 2014

It’s only fitting that the day we relaunch Nerdist.com, we’d have some colossally cool Pull List picks for you. Godzilla may not have stomped its way into theaters yet, but Legendary has an original graphic novel to get you ready for the kaiju craziness. Plus, Bryan Hitch blends humor and heroism to explosive effect in a brand new Real Heroes. Lastly, DC’s latest weekly event has landed on store shelves, and brought Batman Beyond and an apocalypse waiting to happen with it. And that’s just barely scratching the surface, because today is Comic Book Day and there’s a cornucopia of graphic goodness just waiting to be had.

Top Picks

Godzilla-Awakening-Cover

Godzilla: Awakening | Legendary Comics | Max Borenstein, Greg Borenstein, Eric Battle, Yvel Guichet, Alan Quah, Lee Loughridge, Patrick Brosseau

Godzilla isn’t just a giant lizard with atomic breath, and Godzilla: Awakening isn’t just a prequel to the highly anticipated film starring the eponymous lizard. Rather, Godzilla: Awakening, an original graphic novel from Legendary Comics, lays down the foundation for a larger Godzilla-and-kaiju-filled universe. Written by the film’s screenwriter Max Borenstein and his brother Greg Borenstein, Godzilla: Awakening takes place decades prior to the 2014 film, and follows one Mr. Serizawa, a Hiroshima survivor-turned-government agent who grows obsessed with discovering the truth behind the massive kaiju he encounters while responding to a distress call in the South Pacific.

Although Mr. Serizawa is a reference to the character of Dr. Serizawa from the original 1954 film, he is entirely his own man. Whereas the original Serizawa created the Oxygen Destroyer that meant Godzilla’s doom, this Serizawa sees the monster as a scaly savior of sorts and seeks to learn the true purpose behind the behemoth. Still, the book manages to pay homage to the original while creating a world that is distinctly its own. With sweeping, cinematic artwork, massive scene-stealing monster mayhem, and compelling character work, Godzilla: Awakening is something you’ll find yourself tearing through like Godzilla would through so many cities.

If I have one complaint about Awakening, it’s that it feels a bit short. I found myself wishing that they had delved deeper into the world they were establishing and followed Serizawa further on his mad, Ahab-like quest for truth. That being said, it’s always nice to leave people hungry for more and this serves as an excellent appetizer to May 16th’s massive main course. Legendary Comics continues to make the most of its film wing’s considerable IP, and Godzilla: Awakening is a real atomic feather in its cap.

realheroes_2

Real Heroes #2 | Image Comics | Bryan Hitch

Review by Charles Webb

Blending a little bit of The Three Amigos with glossy, Millar-style cynicism, Real Heroes is actually kind of clever – even if it takes the bulk of the second issue to wade through a bunch of resisting the call to action nonsense from our “fake” heroes. Hitch captures the allure and pants-wetting terror of being a superhero for a group of actors who don’t seem to have a whole lot else going for them besides the crushing grind of fame.

It’s that Millar-ness (and for once, I’m not using that as a dig against a book) that makes it work and that Millar-ness (now I am) which holds it back. See, more than a decade ago, the kind of larger-than-life suspicion of the rich and famous high life felt funny and incisive, especially when paired with big, explosion-heavy action. Now, a year after getting a Superman movie where our hero straight up snaps a dude’s neck (no, you let it go), this mode of storytelling just feels like heightened posturing.

Which is kind of my roundabout way of saying that first impressions aside, I want to know where Hitch is going with Real Heroes. We can connect the dots with this kind of thing (cynical non-heroes become frightened but enthusiastic saviors), but I’m curious about the route he plans to take to get there.

FUTEND-Cv1-7da34-61600

The New 52: Future’s End #1 | DC Comics | Brian Azzarello, Keith Giffen, Dan Jurgens, Jeff Lemire, Patrick Zircher

Review by Eric Diaz

DC’s success rate with weekly series is hit-and-miss, to say the least. Their first weekly back in 2006, titled simply 52, was a massive gamble that paid off. The follow-ups, not so much. DC seems to be righting that ship somewhat, as Batman: Eternal has been pretty good, and now this year they are introducing two other weekly book, the first of which hits today, The New 52: Future’s End, brought to us by writers Brian Azzarello, Jeff Lemire, Dan Jurgens, Keith Giffen (who worked on the original 52 series), and artist Patrick Zircher.

The real set-up for this book actually took place in the Free Comic Book Day issue #0, where the basic plot for this story appeared. Opening 35 years in the future, the world is a dystopian ruin, where robot OMACs (Omni Mind And Community) have assimilated many of Earth’s heroes and are targeting whatever human resistance is left. These OMACs were created by Bruce Wayne and Mr. Terrific decades prior before evolving into what they are now. So Bruce Wayne sends young Terry McGinnis (that’s Batman Beyond to you) back into the past to stop these machines from ever having been created, and therefore erasing this horrible future. If it sounds like the plot to X-Men: Days of Future Past, it’s because it’s the plot to X-Men: Days of Future Past.

So, in this first issue, Terry McGinnis arrives in the past, but not “our” present… he lands five years in our future, after the Sentinels OMACs have been created. We get glimpses of the DCU in five years’ time – Hawkman is a member of the Authority, Grifter is killing aliens posing as humans, Firestorm has a spiffy new costume, etc. Problem is, DC has already gone on record saying that this “five years later” future that the book is set in is just a “possible” future, meaning it almost certainly won’t come into play this way, meaning none of this matters. It’s fun to see Batman Beyond incorporated into the main DCU, and I think Patrick Zircher’s pencils are pretty good here, but just two issues in and there’s a warmed over “been there, done that” feel to all this. Brian Azzarello and Jeff Lemire in particular are really solid writers, and time will tell if they can make something out of this concept that right now feels like a rip on a story that’s classic and just happens to have a $200 million dollar movie opening in a couple weeks. The best I can give this book right now is a giant “meh.”

Pull List

DARK HORSE COMICS

JAN140194 ALLEY OOP COMPLETE SUNDAYS HC VOL 01 1934-1936 $75.00
MAR140078 ANGEL AND FAITH SEASON 10 #2 MAIN CVR $3.50
MAR140048 BAD BLOOD #5 $3.99
JAN140203 CONAN AND PEOPLE OF BLACK CIRCLE HC $19.99
JAN140165 EMILY AND THE STRANGERS HC VOL 01 $12.99
JAN140172 FEAR AGENT TP VOL 02 MY WAR (2ND ED) $16.99
MAR140092 GRINDHOUSE DOORS OPEN AT MIDNIGHT #8 $3.99
JAN140193 MAGNUS ARCHIVES TP VOL 03 $19.99
MAR140055 MICHAEL AVON OEMINGS VICTORIES #11 (MR) $3.99
JAN140170 MURDER MYSTERIES HC 2ND ED $19.99
JAN140158 SHOOT FIRST TP $12.99
JAN140183 STAR WARS OMNIBUS DARK TIMES TP VOL 02 $24.99
MAR140033 TERMINATOR SALVATION FINAL BATTLE #6 $3.99
JAN140209 TRIGUN MAXIMUM OMNIBUS TP VOL 03 $19.99
JAN140160 TRUE LIVES OF FABULOUS KILLJOYS LTD ED HC $79.99
JAN140159 TRUE LIVES OF FABULOUS KILLJOYS TP $19.99
MAR140091 VEIL #3 (MR) $3.50

DC COMICS

FEB140250 ALL STAR WESTERN TP VOL 04 GOLD STANDARD (N52) $16.99
MAR140180 AQUAMAN AND THE OTHERS #2 $2.99
MAR140284 ASTRO CITY #12 $3.99
MAR140208 BATMAN ETERNAL #5 $2.99
JAN140342 BATMAN HC VOL 04 ZERO YEAR SECRET CITY (N52) $24.99
FEB140195 BATMAN SUPERMAN #10 $3.99
FEB140197 BATMAN SUPERMAN #10 COMBO PACK $4.99
FEB140248 BATMAN TP VOL 03 DEATH OF THE FAMILY (N52) $16.99
MAR140228 BATWING #31 $2.99
MAR140215 DETECTIVE COMICS #31 $3.99
MAR140217 DETECTIVE COMICS #31 COMBO PACK $4.99
MAR140191 EARTH 2 #23 $2.99
MAR140286 FAIREST #26 (MR) $2.99
FEB140325 GODZILLA HC $19.99
MAR140186 GREEN ARROW #31 $2.99
MAR140231 GREEN LANTERN #31 (UPRISING) $2.99
MAR140233 GREEN LANTERN #31 COMBO PACK (UPRISING) $3.99
MAR140288 HINTERKIND #7 (MR) $2.99
MAR140187 JUSTICE LEAGUE 3000 #6 $2.99
MAR140240 MOVEMENT #12 $2.99
MAR140164 NEW 52 FUTURES END #1 $2.99
FEB140293 SAGA OF THE SWAMP THING TP BOOK 06 (MR) $19.99
MAR140278 SCOOBY DOO TEAM UP #4 $2.99
MAR140241 SWAMP THING #31 $2.99
FEB140235 TEEN TITANS ANNUAL #3 $4.99
MAR140190 TRINITY OF SIN THE PHANTOM STRANGER #19 $2.99
MAR140249 VAMPIRE DIARIES #5 $3.99
FEB140296 WAKE #8 (MR) $2.99
FEB140266 WATCHMEN TP INTERNATIONAL EDITION NEW ED $19.99
FEB140265 WATCHMEN TP NEW ED $19.99
FEB140261 WORLD OF WARCRAFT DARK RIDERS TP $16.99

IDW PUBLISHING

MAR140379 AMELIA COLE AND THE HIDDEN WAR GN $19.99
AUG130375 BLACK DYNAMITE #2 $3.99
MAR140465 CROW PESTILENCE #3 $3.99
JAN140507 GABRIEL RODRIGUEZ LOCKE & KEY ARTIST ED PORTFOLIO PI
MAR140411 GI JOE A REAL AMERICAN HERO TP VOL 09 $19.99
FEB140454 ILLEGITIMATES #5 $3.99
FEB140452 IN THE DARK HORROR ANTHOLOGY HC $49.99
OCT130442 JINNRISE #10 $3.99
MAR140353 MAXX MAXXIMIZED #7 $3.99
MAR140395 MY LITTLE PONY FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC TP VOL 04 $17.99
FEB140459 OTHER DEAD HC $24.99
MAR140385 POWERPUFF GIRLS #9 $3.99
MAR140377 ROCKY & BULLWINKLE #3 $3.99
MAR140436 SINISTER DEXTER #6 $3.99
FEB140384 TALES O/T TMNT TP VOL 04 $19.99
MAR140344 TMNT COLOR CLASSICS SERIES 2 #7 $3.99
MAR140339 TMNT NEW ANIMATED ADVENTURES TP VOL 02 $17.99

IMAGE COMICS

MAR140559 68 RULE OF WAR #2 CVR A JONES & FOTOS (MR) $3.99
MAR140560 68 RULE OF WAR #2 CVR B ZORNOW & FOTOS (MR) $3.99
MAR140561 ALEX + ADA #6 $2.99
JAN140572 APHRODITE IX #10 CVR A SEJIC $2.99
JAN140573 APHRODITE IX #10 CVR B SEJIC $2.99
FEB140590 APOCALYPSE AL #4 CVR A KOTIAN & FARMER $2.99
MAR140488 BURN THE ORPHANAGE REIGN OF TERROR #1 CVR A GRACE & S $3.50
MAR140489 BURN THE ORPHANAGE REIGN OF TERROR #1 CVR B BELANGER $3.50
MAR140490 BURN THE ORPHANAGE TP VOL 01 BORN TO LOSE (MR) $12.99
MAR140564 CLONE #16 (MR) $2.99
SEP130617 CYBER FORCE #9 $2.99
DEC130570 FATALE #22 (MR) $3.50
MAR140541 I KILL GIANTS FIFTH ANNV ED TP $19.99
MAR140542 INVINCIBLE UNIVERSE TP VOL 02 $16.99
MAR140478 MADAME FRANKENSTEIN #1 CVR A JONES & FILARDI $2.99
MAR140479 MADAME FRANKENSTEIN #1 CVR B MITTEN $2.99
MAR140480 NAILBITER #1 (MR) $2.99
MAR140588 RAT QUEENS #6 (MR) $3.50
FEB140621 REAL HEROES #2 CVR A HITCH $3.99
FEB140622 REAL HEROES #2 CVR B GIBBONS $3.99
FEB140623 REAL HEROES #2 CVR C JOCK $3.99
FEB140624 REVENGE #3 (MR) $2.99
FEB140625 REVIVAL #20 (MR) $2.99
FEB140626 SATELLITE SAM #8 (MR) $3.50
MAR140603 SPAWN #243 $2.99
MAR140549 TODD THE UGLIEST KID ON EARTH TP VOL 02 $12.99

MARVEL COMICS

FEB140842 AGE OF ULTRON TP $34.99
FEB148306 ALL NEW GHOST RIDER #1 2ND PTG MOORE VAR ANMN $3.99
MAR140731 ALL NEW X-FACTOR #7 $3.99
MAR140638 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1.1 ANMN $3.99
DEC130761 ANNIHILATION OMNIBUS HC $125.00
MAR140716 BLACK WIDOW #6 $3.99
JAN140792 CASTLE UNHOLY STORM PREM HC $24.99
MAR140645 CYCLOPS #1 ANMN $3.99
FEB148307 DAREDEVIL #1 2ND PTG SAMNEE VAR ANMN $3.99
MAR140745 DEADPOOL VS CARNAGE #3 $3.99
FEB140821 FIRE GN HC (MR) $19.99
FEB140843 INDESTRUCTIBLE HULK TP VOL 02 GODS AND MONSTER $19.99
MAR140648 IRON FIST LIVING WEAPON #2 ANMN $3.99
FEB140831 IRON MAN FATAL FRONTIER HC $34.99
FEB148309 LOKI AGENT OF ASGARD #2 2ND PTG FRISON VAR ANMN $2.99
MAR140707 LOKI AGENT OF ASGARD #4 $2.99
MAR140664 MAGNETO #3 ANMN $3.99
MAR140697 MILES MORALES ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #1 $3.99
MAR140676 MIRACLEMAN #5 $4.99
MAR140650 MOON KNIGHT #3 ANMN $3.99
MAR140717 NEW WARRIORS #4 $3.99
MAR140615 ORIGINAL SIN #1 $4.99
MAR140722 PUNISHER #5 $3.99
MAR140739 SAVAGE WOLVERINE #18 $3.99
MAR140728 SHE-HULK #4 $2.99
FEB148308 SILVER SURFER #1 2ND PTG ALLRED VAR ANMN $3.99
FEB140837 UNCANNY X-MEN PREM HC VOL 03 GOOD BAD AND INHUMAN $24.99
DEC130758 X-MEN ADAMANTIUM COLLECTION HC $200.00
FEB140834 X-MEN DAYS OF FUTURE PAST PROSE NOVEL HC $24.99
JAN140780 X-MEN NO MORE HUMANS OGN HC $24.99
FEB140852 X-MEN VS HULK TP $24.99

COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS

MAR140991 ADVENTURE TIME FLIP SIDE #5 MAIN CVRS $3.99
MAR141430 ALL YOU NEED IS KILL GN VOL 01 (MR) $14.99
FEB141307 ANDROID ANGELS GN $14.95
MAR141405 ARCHER & ARMSTRONG #20 CVR A CRYSTAL $3.99
MAR141406 ARCHER & ARMSTRONG #20 CVR B WALSH $3.99
FEB140932 B & V FRIENDS DOUBLE DIGEST #238 $3.99
FEB141582 BAR MAID #5 A CVR NUNES (MR) $3.50
FEB141583 BAR MAID #5 B CVR QUALANO (MR) $3.50
FEB141584 BAR MAID #5 C CVR FRANCHESCO (MR) $3.50
FEB141320 BENITO MAMBO DLX HC $34.95
JAN141126 BLACK BAT #10 $3.99
JAN141127 BLACK BAT #10 TAN SUBSCRIPTION CVR $3.99
MAR141444 BLEACH 3IN1 TP VOL 08 $14.99
MAR140886 CALIBAN #2 (MR) $3.99
MAR140888 CALIBAN #2 TERROR CVR (MR) $3.99
MAR140887 CALIBAN #2 WRAP CVR (MR) $3.99
MAR141031 CHAOS #1 BLANK AUTHENTIX CVR $3.99
MAR141028 CHAOS #1 CVR A SEELEY $3.99
MAR141029 CHAOS #1 CVR B LUPACCHINO $3.99
MAR141027 CHAOS #1 MAIN CVR CAMPBELL $3.99
MAR141445 CLAYMORE GN VOL 24 $9.99
FEB141297 CLOCKWORK GAME GN $19.95
FEB141281 COMPLETE PEANUTS HC VOL 21 1991-1992 $29.99
MAR141166 COMPLETE PEANUTS TP VOL 01 1950-1952 $22.99
MAR140926 CRITTER (ONGOING) #20 $1.00
MAR140876 CROSSED BADLANDS #53 (MR) $3.99
MAR140879 CROSSED BADLANDS #53 FATAL FANTASY CVR (MR) $3.99
MAR140878 CROSSED BADLANDS #53 TORTURE CVR (MR) $3.99
MAR140877 CROSSED BADLANDS #53 WRAP CVR (MR) $3.99
FEB141112 DARWINS DIARIES GN VOL 02 DEATH OF BEAST $13.95
OCT131001 DAY MEN PEN & INK #1 $9.99
FEB148400 DEAD LETTERS #1 (2ND PTG) $3.99
MAR140955 DEAD LETTERS #2 $3.99
JAN131129 DF UNCANNY X-MEN #1 CGC GRADED 9.8 $99.99
JAN131130 DF UNCANNY X-MEN #2 CGC GRADED 9.8 $99.99
NOV131064 DF WALKING DEAD #115 MIDNIGHT RELEASE CGC GRADED $99.99
FEB141121 EPIC #1 $3.99
MAR140869 FATHOM KIANI VOL 3 #3 DIRECT MARKET CVR A $3.99
MAR140870 FATHOM KIANI VOL 3 #3 DIRECT MARKET CVR B $3.99
JAN140836 FEMINIST BUT GN COMICS ABOUT WOMEN $20.00
MAR141003 GARFIELD #25 $4.99
FEB140898 GET FUZZY TREASURY TP JERKTASTIC PARK $18.99
MAR141505 GFT GRIMM FAIRY TALES #97 A CVR REI (AOFD) (MR) $2.99
MAR141506 GFT GRIMM FAIRY TALES #97 B CVR CAFARO (AOFD) (MR) $2.99
MAR141507 GFT GRIMM FAIRY TALES #97 C CVR GARZA (AOFD) (MR) $2.99
MAR140900 GOD IS DEAD #12 (MR) $3.99
MAR140901 GOD IS DEAD #12 CARNAGE WRAP CVR (MR) $3.99
MAR140902 GOD IS DEAD #12 END OF DAYS CVR (MR) $3.99
MAR140903 GOD IS DEAD #12 ICONIC CVR (MR) $3.99
MAR141366 HEY MISTER COME HELL OR HIGHWATER PANTS GN (MR) $14.95
MAR141449 HIGH SCHOOL DEBUT 3IN1 TP VOL 02 $14.99
FEB141630 KLINGON ART OF WAR HC $25.99
FEB141028 LIBERATOR EARTH CRISIS #2 (MR) $3.99
FEB141117 LUCKY LUKE TP VOL 45 TYING THE KNOT $11.95
MAR141447 MIDNIGHT SECRETARY GN VOL 05 (MR) $9.99
NOV130983 MISS FURY #10 CVR A TAN $3.99
NOV130984 MISS FURY #10 CVR B SYAF $3.99
NOV130985 MISS FURY #10 CVR C WORLEY $3.99
NOV130986 MISS FURY #10 CVR D CALERO $3.99
MAR141443 NARUTO 3IN1 TP VOL 08 $14.99
JAN140956 NECROMANTICAL #1 $3.99
MAR141442 NISEKOI FALSE LOVE GN VOL 03 $9.99
MAR141450 OTOMEN GN VOL 18 $9.99
FEB141119 PANDORA BOX GN VOL 04 GREED (MR) $11.95
MAR141451 PHANTOM THIEF JEANNE GN VOL 02 $10.99
MAR141311 POKEMON ADVENTURES GN VOL 22 RUBY SAPPHIRE $9.99
MAR141438 PSYREN GN VOL 16 $9.99
MAR141452 RANMA 1/2 2IN1 TP VOL 02 $14.99
JAN141107 RED SONJA #9 FRISON CVR $3.99
JAN141108 RED SONJA #9 HANS CVR $3.99
MAR140970 REVELATIONS #5 (MR) $3.99
FEB141018 REX ZOMBIE KILLER #4 $3.50
MAR141410 SHADOWMAN TP VOL 04 FEAR BLOOD SHADOWS $14.99
JAN140966 SHAHRAZAD #5 $3.50
MAR141300 SIXTH GUN #40 $3.99
MAR141448 STROBE EDGE GN VOL 10 $9.99
JAN140837 SUGAR BOOGER #2 $5.95
MAR140964 SUICIDE RISK #13 $3.99
JAN141152 THE LONE RANGER #24 $3.99
FEB141120 THORGAL GN VOL 15 CAGE $11.95
MAR141052 TUROK DINOSAUR HUNTER #4 $3.99
FEB148375 USAGI YOJIMBO TP VOL 03 WANDERERS ROAD $16.99
MAR141446 VAMPIRE KNIGHT TP VOL 18 $9.99
MAR141095 VAMPIRELLA SOUTHERN GOTHIC TP $19.99
FEB141321 WHITE LAMA HC (MR) $39.95
MAR140952 WOODS #1 MAIN CVRS $3.99
FEB140937 WORLD OF ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #39 $3.99
JAN141284 WWE ONGOING #4 $3.99

What’s on your pull list this week?

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Comments

  1. David Winchester says:

    Miles Morales Ultimate Spider-Man & The New 52 Futures End!

  2. Daniel says:

    I would also argue that DC’s The New 52: Future’s End is the same plot (with minor tweaks) as last year’s Age of Ultron run by Marvel. At least that’s what I took from the FCBD first issue.

    – Superhero makes something that destroys humanity
    – Future hero (Terry McGinnis/Wolverine) goes back in time to kill someone before the thing is made.
    – Hijinks ensue

    Though I will say that so far Future’s End seems more promising than Age of Ultron was. AoU started strong but then just got too convoluted and drug out for my liking.