Greetings from across the pond, me old china! This week’s pull list is coming to you all the way from foggy Londontown, where I’m stationed for the week as I try to track down a real life TARDIS and talk to Simon Pegg and Nick Frost about The World’s End and other assorted projects. But not even the allure of fish and chips and room temperature beer could keep me from my sworn duty to bring you the latest and greatest in your local comic book store, because no matter where Wednesdays happen, it’s still Comic Book Day, and this is the pull list. So, brace your wallets for impact and check out this week’s top picks.

Top Picks

Afterlife with Archie #2 | Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Francesca Francavilla

Note: This book technically doesn’t come out until November 20th, but the folks at Archie Comics generously sent me an advance review copy.

With its heady blend of tongue-in-cheek nostalgia, alternately heartfelt and hilarious dialogue, and necrophagic narrative excellence, Afterlife with Archie may be the single most entertaining book on store shelves right now. Carrie writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa crafts a dark, self-aware, and deeply entertaining version of Riverdale. Who knew that it would take a zombie apocalypse to make me care about Archie again? Per usual, Francesca Francavilla churns out saliva-inducing panel after panel of gorgeous, jaw-dropping, face-eating art. Francavilla is one of the greatest artists in the game right now, and Aguirre-Sacasa really knows how to make the artist shine by giving him these increasingly insane and fist-pumping scenes to illustrate. Forget all the other zombie-related comics coming out this week — Afterlife with Archie is the real deal and is a certified must-read for longtime fans of the series and recent Riverdale recruits alike.

Shaolin Cowboy #2 | Geof Darrow and Dave Stewart

After speaking with veteran comics creator Geof Darrow last week, I gained a newfound respect for his little oddball creation Shaolin Cowboy. Its protagonist, wielding a double-sided bo staff with chainsaws affixed to either end, cuts a bloody swath through hordes of zombies in this almost entirely wordless issue. The only sound comes from the chainsaw, writing in stark, bold letters at the top of each gloriously jam-packed panel and accompanied by a slowly depleting fuel gauge. Darrow achieved an almost Wall-E-ian use of silence in the first issue, contrasting the inner calm and focus of its titular character with gloriously over the top violence. This issue kicks things up to eleven with a nearly wordless 19 pages that pack in such minute and grotesque detail that you won’t know whether to throw up or give it up for Darrow and Stewart. If you like your zombie apocalypse stories with a side of kung-fu wisdom and a palpable sense of ultraviolent zen, then look no further than Dark Horse’s Shaolin Cowboy.

The Walking Dead #116 | Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard

As much as I try to tell myself that there are other comics I should be reading, I can’t escape the allure of The Walking Dead. Kirkman and Adlard are celebrating ten years of flesh-eating mayhem in style with their latest arc, “All Out War”, that pits the survivors of the Kingdom, Alexandria, and the Hilltop against the monolithic evil of The Saviors. Negan, at this point, is like the Andrew Dice Clay-flavor variant of The Governor. He’s a fucked up, megalomaniacal sadist with a mean streak a mile long, but he’s ruthless, charismatic, and intelligent enough to rule over his fellow man. When we last left Rick and his army, they were engaged in a tense match of brinksmanship at the Saviors’ home base, but little did we know that Rick had a trick up his sleeve. By shooting out the windows and breaking down their gates, Rick hopes to trap the Saviors inside by attracting a herd of walkers to their gates. It’s ballsy and probably cost them a few lives – possibly Holly’s – but it’s damn fun to watch it play out, especially when Charlie Adlard zooms out for one of his patented wide-angle two-page spreads. This is The Walking Dead at its balls-to-the-wall craziest – its biggest battle yet – and “All Out War” is quickly proving itself to be necessary reading for anyone who calls himself or herself a fan of the series. Do yourself a favor and sate your otherworldly hunger by picking up this issue post-haste.

Pull List

PREMIER PUBLISHERS

DARK HORSE COMICS

SEP130046 ABE SAPIEN #7 $3.50
JUL130025 AKANEIRO HC $14.99
JUL130077 BANDETTE HC VOL 01 PRESTO $14.99
SEP130021 BLOODHOUND CROWBAR MEDICINE #2 $3.99
SEP130038 CLOWN FATALE #1 $3.99
JUL130028 COLOSSAL CONAN HC $150.00
JUL130090 LONE WOLF & CUB OMNIBUS TP VOL 03 $19.99
SEP130037 RESIDENT ALIEN SUICIDE BLONDE #3 $3.99
JUL130078 SABERTOOTH SWORDSMAN HC $17.99
SEP130041 SHAOLIN COWBOY #2 $3.99
SEP130042 SHOOT FIRST #2 $3.99
SEP130065 STAR WARS #11 2013 ONGOING $2.99
JUL130081 TERMINATOR BURNING EARTH TP $17.99
SEP130032 X #7 (MR) $2.99

DC COMICS

JUL130228 AQUAMAN HC VOL 03 THRONE OF ATLANTIS (N52) $24.99
AUG130295 AQUAMAN TP VOL 02 THE OTHERS (N52) $14.99
SEP130303 ASTRO CITY #6 $3.99
SEP130149 BATGIRL #25 (ZERO YEAR) $3.99
SEP130143 BATMAN #25 (ZERO YEAR) $4.99
SEP130146 BATMAN #25 COMBO PACK (ZERO YEAR) $5.99
SEP130260 BATMAN ARKHAM UNHINGED #20 $3.99
SEP130297 BATMAN LIL GOTHAM #8 $2.99
SEP130301 COFFIN HILL #2 (MR) $2.99
SEP130195 CONSTANTINE #8 $2.99
SEP130287 DC COMICS ESSENTIALS GREEN LANTERN #1 (N52) $1.00
SEP130307 FBP FEDERAL BUREAU OF PHYSICS #5 (MR) $2.99
SEP130180 FOREVER EVIL ARKHAM WAR #2 $2.99
SEP130159 GREEN LANTERN CORPS #25 (ZERO YEAR) $3.99
SEP130262 INJUSTICE GODS AMONG US ANNUAL #1 $4.99
JUL130242 INJUSTICE GODS AMONG US HC VOL 01 $19.99
AUG130306 JOE KUBERT PRESENTS TP $19.99
SEP130174 JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #9 (EVIL) $3.99
SEP130177 JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #9 COMBO PACK (EVIL) $4.99
SEP130194 JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICAS VIBE #9 $2.99
SEP130193 KATANA #9 $2.99
SEP130153 NIGHTWING #25 (ZERO YEAR) $3.99
AUG130296 RED LANTERNS TP VOL 03 THE SECOND PROPHECY (N52) $19.99
APR130220 SILVER AGE TEEN TITANS ARCHIVES HC VOL 02 (RES) $75.00
SEP130261 SMALLVILLE SEASON 11 #19 $3.99
SEP130186 SUICIDE SQUAD #25 (EVIL) $2.99
SEP130219 SUPERBOY #25 $2.99
SEP130204 SUPERMAN WONDER WOMAN #2 $3.99
SEP130207 SUPERMAN WONDER WOMAN #2 COMBO PACK $4.99
AUG130299 SWAMP THING TP VOL 03 ROTWORLD THE GREEN KINGDOM (N52) $16.99
SEP130200 WORLDS FINEST #17 $2.99

DC COMICS/DC COLLECTIBLES

JUN130318 BATMAN ARKHAM CITY MR HAMMER HARLEY QUINN AF 2 PK $39.95
JUN130319 BATMAN ARKHAM CITY SICKLE AND PENGUIN AF 2 PK $39.95
MAY130280 BATMAN BLACK & WHITE JOKER STATUE BY GREG CAPULLO $79.95
JUN130311 DC COMICS SUPER VILLAINS BLACK ADAM AF $24.95
MAY130269 SUPERMAN WONDER WOMAN THE KISS STATUE $249.95

IDW PUBLISHING

SEP130394 DOCTOR WHO PRISONERS OF TIME #11 $3.99
SEP130399 GI JOE #10 [DIG/P+] $3.99
SEP130405 GI JOE A REAL AMERICAN HERO #196 [DIG/P+] $3.99
SEP130408 GI JOE FUTURE NOIR TP NEW ED $14.99
JUL130395 HAUNTED HORROR HC $24.99
SEP130434 MARS ATTACKS JUDGE DREDD #3 [DIG/P+] $3.99
SEP130413 MY LITTLE PONY ART GALLERY $3.99
SEP130414 MY LITTLE PONY MICRO SERIES #9 SPIKE [DIG/P+] $3.99
SEP130452 OTHER DEAD #3 [DIG/P+] $3.99
SEP130369 POPEYE CLASSICS ONGOING #16 [DIG/P+] $3.99
AUG130423 ROCKETEER SPIRIT PULP FRICTION #3 [DIG/P+] $3.99
SEP130416 STAR TREK KHAN #2 [DIG/P+] $3.99
SEP130422 STAR TREK ONGOING TP VOL 06 AFTER DARKNESS $17.99
AUG130431 STAR TREK STARDATE COLL HC VOL 01 $49.99
SEP130379 TMNT COLOR CLASSICS SERIES 2 #1 $3.99
SEP130386 TMNT VILLAIN MICROSERIES TP VOL 01 $17.99
JUL130401 TRANSFORMERS IDW COLLECTION HC VOL 02 RED LABEL ED PI
SEP130346 TRANSFORMERS MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE TP VOL 05 $19.99
SEP130347 TRANSFORMERS PRIME BEAST HUNTERS #7 [DIG/P+] $3.99
SEP130344 TRANSFORMERS ROBOTS IN DISGUISE 100 PENNY PRESS #1 $1.00
SEP130423 TRIPLE HELIX #2 [DIG/P+] $3.99
SEP130354 WRAITH WELCOME TO CHRISTMASLAND #1 [DIG/P+] $3.99

IMAGE COMICS

AUG130605 BOMB QUEEN DLX ED HC VOL 04 (MR) [DIG] $24.99
SEP130614 BOUNCE #7 (MR) [DIG] $2.99
AUG130609 CHEW SMORGASBORD ED HC VOL 01 (MR) $100.00
MAY130426 MANHATTAN PROJECTS #16 [DIG] $3.50
SEP130486 MANIFEST DESTINY #1 [DIG] $2.99
AUG138466 PETER PANZERFAUST #15 2ND PTG $3.50
AUG138463 ROCKET GIRL #1 2ND PTG $3.50
SEP130633 ROCKET GIRL #2 [DIG] $3.50
JUL130465 SON OF MERLIN TP VOL 01 $19.99
AUG138462 THREE #1 2ND PTG $2.99
SEP130644 THREE #2 [DIG] $2.99
SEP130478 UMBRAL #1 (MR) [DIG] $2.99
SEP130647 WALKING DEAD #116 (MR) [DIG] $2.99
AUG130547 WALKING DEAD HILLTOP MENS T/S XL $19.99
AUG130552 WALKING DEAD HILLTOP T/S WOMENS XL $19.99
AUG130569 WALKING DEAD KINGDOM T/S WOMENS LG $19.99
AUG130560 WALKING DEAD SAVIORS T/S WOMENS LG $19.99
AUG130558 WALKING DEAD SAVIORS T/S WOMENS SM $19.99
AUG130542 WALKING DEAD SURVIVORS T/S WOMENS LG $19.99
AUG130541 WALKING DEAD SURVIVORS T/S WOMENS MED $19.99
SEP130566 WALKING DEAD TP VOL 19 MARCH TO WAR $14.99
AUG138464 ZERO #2 2ND PTG (MR) $2.99

IMAGE COMICS/MCFARLANE TOYS

AUG130729 ASSASSINS CREED GOLDEN AGE PIRACY 3PK AF PI

MARVEL COMICS

SEP130749 ALL NEW X-MEN #18 $3.99
SEP130679 AVENGERS ARENA #17 $2.99
SEP130709 CAPTAIN AMERICA LIVING LEGEND #3 $3.99
SEP130689 CATACLYSM ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #1 $3.99
SEP130765 DEADPOOL #19 $2.99
AUG130901 ESSENTIAL DAREDEVIL TP VOL 06 $19.99
SEP130727 FEARLESS DEFENDERS #11 INF $3.99
AUG130897 HULK BY JEPH LOEB TP VOL 01 COMPLETE COLLECTION $34.99
SEP130707 MARVEL KNIGHTS X-MEN #1 $3.99
SEP130735 MARVEL UNIVERSE AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #2 SYU $2.99
JUN130668 MMW MARVEL TWO IN ONE HC VOL 01 $69.99
AUG130891 MU AVENGERS EARTHS HEROES DIGEST TP VOL 04 $9.99
SEP130758 SAVAGE WOLVERINE #11 $3.99
SEP130702 SUPERIOR FOES OF SPIDER-MAN NOW #5 $2.99
SEP130696 SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #21 $3.99
SEP130717 THOR GOD OF THUNDER #15 $3.99
AUG130876 THOR SUNLIGHT AND SHADOWS TP $29.99
AUG130875 THOR WARRIORS THREE TP COMPLETE COLLECTION $34.99
SEP130761 WOLVERINE #11 $3.99
AUG130889 WOLVERINE TP SABRETOOTH REBORN $19.99
SEP130754 X-MEN GOLD #1 $5.99
AUG130881 X-MEN LEGACY TP VOL 03 REVENANTS $15.99

COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS

SEP131392 07 GHOST GN VOL 07 $9.99
JUN130873 12 REASONS TO DIE #4 $3.50
SEP130992 3 GUNS #4 [DIG] $3.99
AUG131435 A CENTAURS LIFE GN VOL 01 (MR) $12.99
JUL131279 A1 #6 $3.99
SEP131009 ADVENTURE TIME CANDY CAPERS #5 MAIN CVRS $3.99
AUG131114 ADVENTURE TIME SUGARY SHORTS HC VOL 01 $34.99
AUG131437 ALICE I/T COUNTRY HEARTS MAD HATTERS TEA PARTY GN VOL 01 (MR $13.99
SEP130912 ALL NEW SOULFIRE #1 ASPEN RESERVED CVR $1.00
SEP130911 ALL NEW SOULFIRE #1 DIRECT MARKET CVR [DIG] $1.00
SEP131245 ANYTHING THAT LOVES GN (MR) $29.99
SEP131363 ARCHER & ARMSTRONG #15 REG HENRY $3.99
AUG130991 ARCHIE 1000 PG COMICS JAMBOREE TP $14.99
JUL131057 ARMY OF DARKNESS TP VOL 02 KING IS DEAD LONG LIVE THE QUEEN $19.99
JUL130729 ATOMIC SHEEP GN $18.99
JUL131058 BATTLESTAR GALACTICA #5 (MR) $3.99
JUN131268 BETTIE PAGE IN DANGER #10 (MR) $9.95
JUL131077 BIONIC WOMAN TP VOL 01 MISSION CONTROL (RES) $24.99
SEP131310 BLUE MORNING GN VOL 03 (MR) $12.99
AUG131430 BODIE TROLL #4 $2.99
JUL131280 CHRONOS COMMANDOS DAWN PATROL #5 $3.99
SEP131070 CODENAME ACTION #3 $3.99
SEP130942 CROSSED BADLANDS #41 (MR) $3.99
SEP130944 CROSSED BADLANDS #41 TORTURE CVR (MR) $3.99
SEP130943 CROSSED BADLANDS #41 WRAP CVR (MR) $3.99
AUG131438 DANCE IN VAMPIRE BUND OMNIBUS VOL 04 (MR) $19.99
JUL130782 DEAD RECKONING GN VOL 01 CONTAGION [DIG/P+] $19.95
AUG131148 DEATHMATCH #11 [DIG] $3.99
JUL130741 DELUSIONAL HC $24.95
JUN131082 DF DEJAH THORIS GREEN MEN OF MARS #7 RISQUE RED CVR $19.99
MAY131099 DF GUARDIANS O/T GALAXY #1 EXC CVR PONSOR SGN $10.00
JUN131099 DF JUPITERS LEGACY #2 MIDTOWN CVR $19.99
JUN131098 DF LAZARUS #1 MIDTOWN CVR $29.99
JUL131108 DF STAR WARS #1 MIDTOWN CVR $19.74
JUL131106 DF WARLORD OF MARS DEJAH THORIS #31 RISQUE RED CVR $19.99
JUN131092 DF X-MEN #1 MIDTOWN EXC CAMPBELL CVR $16.99
AUG131453 FIRST KINGDOM HC VOL 02 (MR) $24.99
SEP131393 FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST 3IN1 ED TP VOL 06 $14.99
JUN131030 GARTH ENNIS RED TEAM #6 (MR) $3.99
MAR130798 GENE SIMMONS COMICS ANTHOLOGY SC VOL 02 (MR) [DIG/P+] $19.95
JUL130774 GENIE THE GENIUS #2 $2.99
SEP131441 GFT GRIMM FAIRY TALES #91 A CVR QUALANO $2.99
SEP131442 GFT GRIMM FAIRY TALES #91 B CVR LAISO $2.99
SEP131443 GFT GRIMM FAIRY TALES #91 C CVR CUCCA $2.99
SEP131454 GFT HUNTERS SHADOWLANDS TP $15.99
AUG131545 GFT OZ #4 A CVR LASHLEY (MR) $2.99
AUG131546 GFT OZ #4 B CVR CAPPROTTI (MR) $2.99
AUG131547 GFT OZ #4 C CVR ORTIZ (MR) $2.99
AUG131548 GFT OZ #4 D CVR PANTALENA (MR) $2.99
AUG131549 GFT OZ #4 E CVR GARZA (MR) $2.99
AUG131417 GOLD POLLEN AND OTHER STORIES HC (MR) $27.50
AUG130912 GOLDEN AGE GLAMOUR TP VOL 01 $34.95
SEP131371 HARBINGER #18 REG WALSH $3.99
SEP131373 HARBINGER DLX HC VOL 01 $39.99
JUN131246 HARVEY HORRORS CHAMBER OF CHILLS SOFTIE TP VOL 04 $24.99
SEP131014 HEROBEAR & THE KID INHERITANCE #4 [DIG] $3.99
JUL131134 HIP HOP FAMILY TREE GN $24.99
SEP131383 INU YASHA VIZBIG ED GN VOL 17 $19.99
JUL131282 IT CAME #4 $3.99
JUN130936 LARGO WINCH GN VOL 05 SEE VENICE $11.95
SEP131246 LAVENDER MENACE TALES OF QUEER VILLAINY GN (MR) $9.99
SEP130980 LEGEND OF MOLLY DOVES #1 $3.99
AUG131259 LIES ARE A GENTLEMANS MANNERS GN (RES) (MR) $12.95
AUG131439 MAYO CHICKI GN VOL 04 (MR) $12.99
AUG131194 MISS FURY #7 CVR A TAN $3.99
AUG131195 MISS FURY #7 CVR B SYAF $3.99
AUG131196 MISS FURY #7 CVR C WORLEY $3.99
AUG131197 MISS FURY #7 CVR D CHEN $3.99
SEP131113 MOCKING DEAD #3 $3.99
JUL131091 MOON & BLOOD GN VOL 04 (RES) $6.95
SEP131056 NOIR #1 $3.99
AUG130971 OLD CITY BLUES GN VOL 02 $12.95
AUG131153 OTHER STORIES AND THE HORSE YOU RODE IN ON GN $18.00
JUL131080 PATHFINDER #11 $3.99
AUG131305 PEANUTS EVERY SUNDAY HC 1952 – 1955 $49.99
SEP130986 PROTOCOL ORPHANS #1 [DIG] $3.99
JUL131004 RED SONJA OMNIBUS TP VOL 04 $29.99
SEP131136 RED SONJA TP VOL 12 SWORDS AGAINST JADE KINGDOM $19.99
SEP131384 RIN-NE GN VOL 13 $9.99
AUG131440 SENRAN KAGURA SKIRTING SHADOWS GN VOL 01 (MR) $12.99
SEP131089 SHADOW GREEN HORNET DARK NIGHTS #5 CASSADAY CVR $3.99
SEP131090 SHADOW GREEN HORNET DARK NIGHTS #5 CUTE SUBSCRIPTION $3.99
SEP131088 SHADOW GREEN HORNET DARK NIGHTS #5 ROSS CVR $3.99
AUG131253 SHERLOCK HOLMES TP VOL 02 LIVERPOOL DEMON $19.99
SEP130852 SHIFTER HC VOL 01 $19.99
SEP131142 SHOWA HISTORY OF JAPAN 1926 -1939 TP $24.95
JUL130750 SNOOPY COWABUNGA TP $9.99
AUG131455 SOLID STATE TANK GIRL HC $19.99
AUG131001 SONIC MEGA MAN WORLDS COLLIDE TP VOL 01 $11.99
SEP130989 SONS OF ANARCHY #3 (MR) [DIG] $3.99
SEP131311 SPIRITUAL POLICE GN VOL 01 (MR) $12.99
SEP130985 SPONGEBOB COMICS #26 $2.99
AUG131656 SQUARED AWAY DOONESBURY COLL HC $25.00
JUL130781 THE GLOOM GN $19.95
JUL131090 TRITON OF THE SEA GN VOL 02 $19.95
SEP131200 TUNE GN VOL 01 VANISHING POINT $16.99
SEP131344 UNITY #1 REG BRAITHWAITE $3.99
SEP131292 US ROGUE TROOPER TALES OF NU EARTH GN VOL 02 $19.99
JUL131053 VAMPIRELLA TP VOL 04 INQUISITION $19.99
AUG131367 VINLAND SAGA GN VOL 01 $19.99
SEP131404 WALLY WOOD EERIE TALES OF CRIME & HORROR HC NEW PTG $39.95
SEP131405 WALLY WOOD EERIE TALES OF CRIME & HORROR SC NEW PTG $24.95
SEP131243 WATSON AND HOLMES #5 $3.99
AUG131442 WORLD WAR BLUE GN VOL 03 $12.99
AUG131428 ZOMBO YOU SMELL OF CRIME GN (MR) $17.99

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