Just in time for Turkey Day, it’s a smorgasbord of comic delights delivered piping hot from the publisher’s presses to your local comic book store’s shelves. This Comic Book Day comes jam-packed with all manner of the occult, otherworldly, and just plain odd. Trust me – you’re going to want to have something to read while you shiver in line at 5 in the morning on Black Friday, so head on down to your local shop and grab some of these goodies. Happy holidays and happy hunting, all!
Top Picks
Shadow Walk |Â Max Brooks, Mark Waid, Shane Davis, Mark Morales, Jared K. Fletcher and Morry Hollowell
Given the incredible creative pedigree behind Shadow Walk, I shouldn’t have had any reason to doubt it would be an absolute fucking blast to read, but for some reason I found myself doubting. It’s fitting that a story rooted deep within the frameworks of the eternal religion vs. science/faith vs. skepticism debate should have elicited such a reaction from me, but hey, I’m only human. Thankfully, my fears proved unfounded as Shadow Walk was an absolute fucking blast to read. World War Z‘s Max Brooks teamed up with Mark Waid and Legendary bossman Thomas Tull to craft the core story behind Shadow Walk, but it really comes to life in Waid’s script. The man has a way with dialogue that lends it an instant authenticity even when said dialogue is taking place in the literal Valley of Death. Long story short, Shadow Walk is a self-contained thrill ride, an electrifying experience, and a monstrously fun adventure into the heart of darkness and humanity’s worst fears.
After years of research and monitoring, the NSA assembles an elite team of scientists, spec ops soldiers, and a Christian theologian to head into a valley in modern day Iraq that just so happens to be the actual Valley of Death from scripture. The moment they pass through a curtain of human flesh, rendered in all its abject disgust and horror by the wonderful Shane Davis, you know this isn’t going to be Zero Dark Thirty; it’s a whole ‘nother ballgame. With an endearingly gritty cast of characters, Shadow Walk moves at a steady clip, offering up all manner of jaw-dropping, head-popping, and heart-stopping set pieces for Shane Davis’ pencils, Mark Morales’ brooding inks, and Morry Hollowell’s explosive colors to bring to life in all of its bombastic, adrenal glory. While at times the story seemingly moves too fast, it’s a minor quibble, and not enough to rule this out of anyone’s pull list. If you’re looking for a genuinely surprising, hyper-violent, and supremely fun book to tear through while you tear into some turkey this week, then Shadow Walk is a no-brainer.
Black Science #1 |Â Rick Remender, Matteo Scalera, and Dean White
Rick Remender is a machine. As if the multilayered, Marvel history-laden apocalyptica of Uncanny Avengers wasn’t enough, Remender’s new creator-owned series for Black Science is at once dense and featherlight, comprehensible and obtuse, a feat unto itself. Dropping the reader right into the action, Remender barely gives the reader a moment to catch their breath. From the get-go, we are on the run with two retro-futurist-looking scientists, Grant and Jen, who are running for their lives from anthropomorphic mermen riding giant basilisks. The whole affair gives off a classic sci-fi novel cover vibe in all the right ways, and Remender smartly keeps the action moving to off-set his sometimes over-the-top narrations. Still, Black Science‘s voice is undeniable and our hero, Ward, is a fierce individualist with deep-seated personal misgivings and enough regret to power a Large Hadron Collider.
Black Science is a visual feast thanks to gorgeous illustrations from Matteo Scalera and some psychedelic colors and paintings from Dean White. Lush, richly detailed panels transport us to another dimension beyond space and time, creating a sense of otherness while grounding the book in familiar territory all at once. The panel-work isn’t anything groundbreaking, but what’s contained therein is so damned effective that you won’t find yourself growing weary. The end result is one of the most enjoyable issue #1’s I’ve read in a long time, and the sinking feeling that soon I’ll be shelling out for some of Scalera and White’s artwork.
Sledgehammer 44: Lightning War #1 | Mike Mignola, John Arcudi, Dave Stewart, Laurence Campbell and Clem Robins
There’s just something about mixing the occult and World War II that leads to some really fabulously twisted stories, and few do it better than Mike Mignola and the little Hellboy-verse he’s created. Along with co-writer John Arcudi, the duo are returning to Sledgehammer 44 for a three-issue mini-series entitled Lightning War that takes us back to Europe 1944 where the Hammer is suffering a crisis of conscience and trying not to lose his humanity, and the Nazis have activated a supernatural, grey-skulled agent of their own. What follows is a lot of table-setting and reminiscing brought to life by some killer, innovative panels from Laurence Campbell and wonderfully moody colors from Dave Stewart. The issue isn’t as briskly paced as the others on this week’s pull list, but like much of Mignola and Arcudi’s work, the payoff is there and the mystery is afoot. Do yourself a favor and make sure this Lightning War strikes your pull list.
Pull List
DARK HORSE COMICS SEP130047 1 FOR $1 ABE SAPIEN #1 $1.00 SEP130031 1 FOR $1 THE VICTORIES #1 (MR) $1.00 AUG130106 BEST OF COMIX BOOK WHEN MARVEL WENT UNDERGROUND HC $35.00 JUL130042 BPRD VAMPIRE TP $19.99 AUG130103 BROTHERS OF THE SPEAR ARCHIVES HC VOL 03 $49.99 SEP130023 CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT #5 $2.99 AUG130107 CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT ARCHIVES HC VOL 01 BATTLES THE NAZIS $49.99 MAY130083 CLASSIC MARVEL CHARACTERS X-MEN #3 MARVEL GIRL $49.95 SEP130072 CONAN PEOPLE O/T BLACK CIRCLE #2 $3.50 AUG130104 CRIME DOES NOT PAY ARCHIVES HC VOL 06 $49.99 SEP130057 CRIMINAL MACABRE EYES OF FRANKENSTEIN #3 $3.99 SEP120035 GOON #44 $3.50 AUG130110 GRENDEL OMNIBUS TP VOL 04 PRIME $24.99 JUL130080 HOUSE OF GOLD & BONES TP $14.99 SEP130059 ITTY BITTY HELLBOY #4 $2.99 MAR130076 MASS EFFECT 18 IN NORMANDY SR-2 SHIP REPLICA $299.99 SEP130068 MASS EFFECT FOUNDATION #5 $3.99 SEP130039 MASSIVE #17 $3.50 SEP130040 MIND MGMT #17 $3.99 JUL130070 MISTER X EVICTION TP $15.99 SEP130034 NEVER ENDING #1 (MR) $3.99 AUG130111 NEXUS OMNIBUS TP VOL 04 $24.99 AUG130071 POLAR CAME FROM THE COLD HC $17.99 SEP120049 ROBERT E HOWARDS SAVAGE SWORD #6 $7.99 AUG130109 SIGNAL TO NOISE HC $24.99 SEP130018 SLEDGEHAMMER 44 LIGHTNING WAR #1 $3.50 SEP130061 STAR WARS LEGACY II #9 $2.99 DC COMICS JUL130265 100 BULLETS HC BOOK 05 (MR) $49.99 SEP130255 ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #7 $3.99 SEP130249 ALL STAR WESTERN #25 $3.99 SEP130189 AQUAMAN #25 $3.99 JUL130234 BATMAN & ROBIN HC VOL 03 DEATH OF THE FAMILY (N52) $22.99 AUG130292 BATMAN & ROBIN TP VOL 02 PEARL (N52) $16.99 JUL130233 BATMAN INCORPORATED HC VOL 02 GOTHAMS MOST WANTED (N52) $24.99 AUG130293 BATMAN INCORPORATED VOL 01 DEMON STAR (N52) $16.99 SEP130236 BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT #25 $2.99 SEP130296 BEWARE THE BATMAN #2 $2.99 SEP130152 CATWOMAN #25 (ZERO YEAR) $3.99 SEP130233 DAMIAN SON OF BATMAN #2 $3.99 SEP130157 FLASH #25 (ZERO YEAR) $3.99 SEP130184 FOREVER EVIL ARGUS #2 $2.99 AUG130304 GREEN ARROW TP VOL 01 HUNTERS MOON $14.99 SEP130251 GREEN TEAM TEEN TRILLIONAIRES #6 $2.99 SEP130263 INJUSTICE GODS AMONG US #11 $3.99 AUG130307 JOKER CLOWN PRINCE OF CRIME TP $16.99 SEP130178 JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #25 (EVIL) $3.99 SEP130246 LARFLEEZE #5 $2.99 JUL130225 LOIS LANE A CELEBRATION OF 75 YEARS HC $39.99 AUG130301 RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS TP VOL 03 DEATH OF FAMILY (N52) $16.99 SEP130247 RED LANTERNS #25 $2.99 SEP130300 SANDMAN OVERTURE #1 SPECIAL EDITION (MR) $5.99 SEP130221 SUPERMAN #25 $2.99 JUL130224 SUPERMAN A CELEBRATION OF 75 YEARS HC $39.99 JUL130231 SUPERMAN HEL ON EARTH HC (N52) $29.99 SEP130240 TALON #13 $2.99 SEP130187 TEEN TITANS #25 (EVIL) $2.99 SEP130311 TOM STRONG AND THE PLANET OF PERIL #5 $2.99 SEP130289 VERTIGO ESSENTIALS Y THE LAST MAN #1 (MR) $1.00 DC COMICS/DC COLLECTIBLES OCT130311 BLACKEST NIGHT SINESTRO AS GREEN LANTERN BUST $24.95 JUL130280 DC COMICS THE NEW 52 SWAMP THING DELUXE AF $49.95 IDW PUBLISHING SEP130427 DANGER GIRL THE CHASE #3 [DIG/P+] $3.99 SEP130387 DOCTOR WHO VOL 3 #15 $3.99 SEP130445 GHOSTBUSTERS #10 [DIG/P+] $3.99 SEP130403 GI JOE SPECIAL MISSIONS #9 [DIG/P+] $3.99 SEP130443 GODZILLA RULERS OF THE EARTH #6 [DIG/P+] $3.99 AUG130447 HALF PAST DANGER #6 [DIG/P+] $3.99 SEP130430 JUDGE DREDD #13 [DIG/P+] $3.99 SEP130352 MAXX MAXXIMIZED #1 [DIG/P+] $3.99 SEP130373 MR PEABODY & SHERMAN #1 [DIG/P+] $3.99 SEP130357 POWERPUFF GIRLS #3 [DIG/P+] $3.99 SEP130419 STAR TREK ONGOING #27 [DIG/P+] $3.99 SEP130439 THUNDER AGENTS #4 [DIG/P+] $3.99 SEP130385 TMNT CLASSICS TP VOL 07 $19.99 SEP130376 TMNT ONGOING #28 $3.99 JUL130400 TRANSFORMERS IDW COLLECTION HC VOL 01 RED LABEL ED PI JUL130365 TRANSFORMERS PRIME BEAST HUNTERS TP DIGEST VOL 01 $7.99 SEP130349 TRANSFORMERS REGENERATION ONE #96 [DIG/P+] $3.99 SEP130340 TRANSFORMERS ROBOTS IN DISGUISE #23 DARK CYBERTRON PART 3 [DIG] $3.99 SEP130436 X-FILES SEASON 10 #6 [DIG/P+] $3.99 SEP130457 ZOMBIE WAR #2 [DIG/P+] $3.99 IMAGE COMICS AUG130683 APHRODITE IX #6 [DIG] $2.99 SEP138212 APHRODITE IX #6 CVR B $2.99 AUG130685 ARTIFACTS #32 [DIG] $3.99 SEP130508 BAD DOG #5 (MR) [DIG] $2.99 JUN130534 BEDLAM #10 (MR) [DIG] $3.50 SEP130471 BLACK SCIENCE #1 CVR A SCALERA & WHITE (MR) [DIG] $3.50 SEP130472 BLACK SCIENCE #1 CVR B ROBINSON (MR) $3.50 SEP130523 CLONE TP VOL 02 $12.99 SEP130620 FIVE GHOSTS #7 [DIG] $2.99 SEP130623 HOAX HUNTERS #12 [DIG] $3.50 SEP130626 MORNING GLORIES #35 (MR) [DIG] $3.50 SEP138208 PRETTY DEADLY #1 2ND PTG (MR) $3.50 SEP130627 PRETTY DEADLY #2 (MR) [DIG] $3.50 SEP138246 RAT QUEENS #2 2ND PTG (MR) $3.50 SEP130629 RAT QUEENS #3 CVR A (MR) [DIG] $3.50 SEP130630 RAT QUEENS #3 CVR B (MR) $3.50 SEP130632 REVIVAL #15 [DIG] $2.99 SEP130634 SAGA #16 (MR) [DIG] $2.99 SEP138244 SEX CRIMINALS #1 3RD PTG (MR) $3.50 SEP138245 SEX CRIMINALS #2 2ND PTG (MR) $3.50 SEP130552 SEX TP VOL 01 SUMMER OF HARD (MR) $9.99 SEP130640 SIDEKICK #4 CVR A MANDRAKE & HIFI (MR) [DIG] $2.99 SEP130641 SIDEKICK #4 CVR B URUSOV (MR) $2.99 SEP130554 SPAWN ORIGINS DLX ED HC VOL 04 $100.00 JUL130547 THIEF OF THIEVES #18 (MR) [DIG] $2.99 SEP130648 WALKING DEAD #117 (MR) [DIG] $2.99 AUG130546 WALKING DEAD HILLTOP MENS T/S LG $19.99 AUG130545 WALKING DEAD HILLTOP MENS T/S MED $19.99 AUG130544 WALKING DEAD HILLTOP MENS T/S SM $19.99 AUG130564 WALKING DEAD KINGDOM T/S MENS LG $19.99 AUG130562 WALKING DEAD KINGDOM T/S MENS SM $19.99 AUG130565 WALKING DEAD KINGDOM T/S MENS XL $19.99 AUG130556 WALKING DEAD SAVIORS T/S MENS XL $19.99 AUG130557 WALKING DEAD SAVIORS T/S MENS XXL $22.99 AUG130535 WALKING DEAD SURVIVORS T/S MENS SM $19.99 AUG130540 WALKING DEAD SURVIVORS T/S WOMENS SM $19.99 MARVEL COMICS SEP130752 ALL NEW X-MEN #19 $3.99 SEP130680 AVENGERS ARENA #18 $2.99 SEP130683 AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #21 INF $3.99 SEP130816 AVENGERS TP BOOK 01 ABSOLUTE VISION $39.99 AUG130878 CAPTAIN AMERICA PREM HC VOL 02 CASTAWAY DIMENSION Z BK 2 $24.99 SEP130693 CATACLYSM ULTIMATE X-MEN #1 $3.99 SEP130766 DEADPOOL ANNUAL #1 $4.99 SEP130730 FF #14 $2.99 SEP130801 GAMBIT TP VOL 03 KING OF THIEVES $15.99 JUN130633 HAWKEYE #14 $2.99 SEP130716 INDESTRUCTIBLE HULK #16 $3.99 SEP130661 INFINITY #6 $5.99 AUG130763 INFINITY HEIST #3 $3.99 SEP130671 INFINITY HUNT #4 INF $3.99 AUG130861 KICK-ASS 3 #5 (MR) $2.99 SEP130733 MARVEL UNIVERSE ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #20 SYU $2.99 SEP130785 MMW ANT-MAN GIANT-MAN TP VOL 01 $24.99 AUG130886 MORBIUS LIVING VAMPIRE TP MAN CALLED MORBIUS $24.99 SEP130666 NEW AVENGERS #12 INF $3.99 SEP130718 NOVA #10 INF $4.99 AUG130863 POWERS BUREAU #8 (MR) $3.95 SEP130759 SAVAGE WOLVERINE #12 $3.99 SEP130705 SCARLET SPIDER #24 $2.99 SEP130795 SHADOW WALK PREM HC $24.99 JUN130676 SPIDER-MAN AND WOLVERINE BY WELLS AND MADUREIRA HC $29.99 SEP130811 SPIDER-MAN BIG TIME TP VOL 02 COMPLETE COLLECTION $34.99 SEP130814 SPIDER-MAN MARK OF TARANTULA TP $29.99 SEP130701 SUPERIOR CARNAGE #5 $3.99 SEP130697 SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #22 $3.99 AUG130882 SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN TP VOL 03 NO ESCAPE $17.99 SEP130677 UNCANNY AVENGERS #14 $3.99 SEP130767 UNCANNY X-FORCE #14 $3.99 SEP130748 WOLVERINE AND X-MEN #38 $3.99 SEP130676 WOLVERINE AND X-MEN ANNUAL #1 INF $4.99 COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS OCT130909 ABSOLUTION RUBICON #1 CATFIGHT WRAP CVR (MR) $9.99 AUG131024 ALL NEW FATHOM #4 DIRECT MARKET MAIN COVERS [DIG] $3.99 SEP131268 ARIOL SC VOL 03 HAPPY AS A PIG $12.99 SEP131224 ATTACK ON TITAN GN VOL 09 $10.99 SEP131038 BARRACUDA GN VOL 01 SLAVES $13.95 SEP130982 BART SIMPSON COMICS #87 $2.99 SEP131134 BATTLESTAR GALACTICA TP VOL 01 MEMORIAL $19.99 SEP130889 BETTY & VERONICA DOUBLE DIGEST #218 [DIG/P+] $3.99 AUG131215 BOYS DEFINITIVE EDITION HC VOL 06 (MR) $95.00 SEP131409 BTOOOM GN VOL 04 (MR) $11.99 AUG131346 BUCK ROGERS IN 25TH CENTURY #3 CHAYKIN CVR $3.99 OCT131252 CRAYON SHINCHAN ONE PEACE ED GN VOL 01 (MR) $12.95 OCT131253 CRAYON SHINCHAN ONE PEACE ED GN VOL 02 (MR) $12.95 OCT131254 CRAYON SHINCHAN ONE PEACE ED GN VOL 03 (MR) $12.95 SEP130946 CROSSED BADLANDS #42 (MR) $3.99 SEP130948 CROSSED BADLANDS #42 TORTURE CVR (MR) $3.99 SEP130947 CROSSED BADLANDS #42 WRAP CVR (MR) $3.99 OCT130912 CROSSED BADLANDS PATIENT ZERO ASHCAN (MR) $2.99 OCT130913 CROSSED SPECIAL 2013 HEADS CVR (MR) $5.99 SEP138012 CRYPTOZOIC MAN #1 2ND PTG $3.99 SEP131102 CRYPTOZOIC MAN #2 $3.99 JUN131054 DAMSELS #11 $3.99 SEP131129 DARK SHADOWS #23 $3.99 JUN130840 EXTINCTION PARADE #3 LEATHER CVR (MR) $14.99 SEP131226 FAIRY TAIL GN VOL 32 $10.99 SEP130998 FANBOYS VS ZOMBIES #20 [DIG] $3.99 JUL131173 FANTASTIC VOYAGE OF LADY ROZENBILT HC (MR) $29.95 AUG131067 FERALS #18 (MR) $3.99 AUG131069 FERALS #18 GORE CVR (MR) $3.99 AUG131068 FERALS #18 WRAP CVR (MR) $3.99 SEP138302 FOX #1 2ND PTG $2.99 SEP131274 GARFIELD SHOW GN VOL 02 JONS NIGHT OUT $7.99 SEP131275 GARFIELD SHOW HC VOL 02 JONS NIGHT OUT $11.99 SEP131420 GFT QUEST #1 A CVR SPAY $3.99 SEP131421 GFT QUEST #1 B CVR LAISO $3.99 SEP131422 GFT QUEST #1 C CVR CAFARO $3.99 SEP131455 GFT WONDERLAND DOWN RABBIT HOLE TP $15.99 SEP131447 GFT WONDERLAND TTLG #3 A CVR MALSUNI (MR) $3.99 SEP131448 GFT WONDERLAND TTLG #3 B CVR NUNES (MR) $3.99 SEP131449 GFT WONDERLAND TTLG #3 C CVR CUCCA (MR) $3.99 AUG130921 GIRL GENIUS HC VOL 12 SEIGE OF MECHANICSBURG $50.00 AUG130922 GIRL GENIUS TP VOL 01 AGATHA & BEETLEBURG (NEW PTG) $25.00 AUG130924 GIRL GENIUS TP VOL 03 AGATHA AND THE MONSTER ENGINE (NEW PTG $25.00 AUG130925 GIRL GENIUS TP VOL 04 CIRCUS OF DREAMS (NEW PTG) $25.00 AUG130920 GIRL GENIUS TP VOL 12 SEIGE OF MECHANICSBURG $25.00 OCT130939 GOD IS DEAD #1 GODDESS OF CATS CVR (MR) $5.99 OCT130940 GOD IS DEAD #1 WHITE LEATHER CVR (MR) $19.99 AUG131190 GREEN HORNET STRIKES TP VOL 01 $29.99 JUN131006 GREEN HORNET YEAR ONE OMNIBUS TP $29.99 OCT131226 HEDGE KNIGHT JET CITY ED TP $14.95 SEP131411 JACK FROST TP VOL 08 $13.00 SEP131317 JAMES BOND OMNIBUS TP VOL 05 $19.95 SEP131412 JUDGE GN VOL 02 $12.99 SEP131297 KAFKA CASTLE GN (MR) $19.95 SEP131413 KINGDOM HEARTS 358 / 2 DAYS GN VOL 01 $12.00 JUL131177 KNIGHTS OF THE DINNER TABLE #203 $5.99 SEP131042 LARGO WINCH GN VOL 09 PRICE OF MONEY $11.95 SEP138035 LETTER 44 #1 2ND PTG $1.00 SEP131251 LETTER 44 #2 $3.99 SEP131326 LIFE BEGINS AT INCORPORATION GN (MR) $20.00 SEP131043 LUCKY LUKE TP VOL 39 MAN FROM WASHINGTON $11.95 SEP131044 LUCKY LUKE TP VOL 40 PHIL WIRE $11.95 SEP131377 ONE PIECE BOX SET VOL 01 $185.99 OCT131129 PATHFINDER GOBLINS #5 $3.99 SEP131025 PEANUTS VOL 2 #13 [DIG] $3.99 SEP131407 PINK GN $16.95 OCT131140 PLUME #2 $3.99 OCT131141 PLUME #3 $3.99 OCT131142 PLUME #4 $3.99 JUL131249 ROY THOMAS PRESENTS PLANET COMICS SLIPCASE ED VOL 01 $159.99 SEP131227 SAILOR MOON SHORT STORIES VOL 02 $10.99 SEP131082 SHADOW #20 BOLSON CVR $3.99 SEP131083 SHADOW #20 CALERO SUBSCRIPTION CVR $3.99 SEP131081 SHADOW #20 ROSS CVR $3.99 JUL130995 SHADOW 1941 HITLERS ASTROLOGER HC $19.99 SEP131228 SHERLOCK BONES VOL 02 $10.99 SEP131408 SICKNESS UNTO DEATH GN PART 02 $11.95 JUN131225 SIXTH GUN DLX HC VOL 01 $59.99 SEP131266 SMURFS ANTHOLOGY HC VOL 02 $19.99 SEP130908 SONIC SUPER DIGEST #5 [P+] $3.99 AUG131008 SONIC SUPER SPECIAL MAGAZINE #9 [P+] $9.99 SEP130905 SONIC UNIVERSE #58 REG CVR [P+] $2.99 AUG131007 SONIC UNIVERSE TP VOL 06 TREASURE TEAM TANGO $11.99 SEP131415 SOUL EATER TP VOL 17 (MR) $11.99 SEP131416 SOULLESS MANGA GN VOL 03 $13.00 SEP131396 SUPER #3 $2.99 SEP131028 TAROT WITCH OF THE BLACK ROSE #83 (MR) [DIG] $2.95 SEP131046 THORGAL GN VOL 12 BRAND OF EXILES $11.95 OCT130950 UBER #5 WAR CRIMES CVR (MR) $5.99 MAR131076 WARLORD OF MARS #30 (MR) $3.99 AUG131241 WARLORD OF MARS DEJAH THORIS #32 (MR) $3.99 AUG131441 WITCH BUSTER TP VOL 04 BOOKS 7 & 8 $17.99 SEP131419 YOTSUBA & ! GN VOL 12 $12.00
What’s on your pull list this week? Let us know in the comments below!