Good things come to those who wait and many of you have been waiting an awfully long time for the Pull List to make its triumphant return. Well, your patience has been rewarded because we’re back, baby, and we’ve got a slew of awesome new comics coming your way this week. As this is a fresh start for our weekly comics round-up, we figured that a bunch of new #1 issues would be a fitting way to reintroduce ourselves. So, without further ado, take a peek at the Gotham City crime stories, magical girl mayhem, and fantastical fables we have coming your way on this week’s Pull List.

Zodiac Starforce #1

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Writer: Kevin Panetta
Artist/Letterer: Paulina Ganucheau
Colorist: Savanna Ganucheau
Cover by: Marguerite Sauvage

It is no small secret that I am a massive fan of Sailor Moon. That served as both my entry point to anime and to the magical girl trope as a whole, and I have never looked back. As such, there’s a soft spot in my heart anytime I see this template used in fiction, and it was what immediately drew me to Dark Horse Comics’ Zodiac Starforce #1. With dynamic artwork by Paulina Ganucheau and eye-popping colors from Savanna Ganucheau, Zodiac Starforce is an aesthetic smorgasbord of artistic delights. The art style vacillates between the serious action style of Sailor Moon and cartoonier moments that would be right at home in something like Excel Saga. However, the story is what really makes this story, well, magical.

Rather than dragging us through an origin story, Zodiac Starforce introduces us to a group of young, high school-aged girls who are already full-fledged Starforce Cadets. In fact, they have already saved the world once before (which, as we’ll learn, came at a terrible cost), but are now trying to simply live their lives and survive high school. However, the reemergence of a powerful monster, sinister premonitions, and a string of disappearances seem to indicate that there is trouble in paradise…and the Cadets might be the only ones who can save the day.

Much like the Sailor Scouts, the Cadets are all charming in their own ways. Emma, the de facto leader of the group, is trepidatious about going back to her old life, which seems intrinsically linked to a terrible personal tragedy; Kim is a fiery, independent spirit who suffers no fools and cares deeply for her friends; Savanna seems to be content with her new life in which her douchebag of a boyfriend ignores her and monsters don’t threaten her on a daily basis; and Molly has both a short temper and an exceedingly long line of suitors looking to win her affections. Though these ladies have drifted apart in the past few years, their bonds of friendship are made of sturdy stuff, and when a new crisis arises, they must come together again to save a friend in need. Who needs to be saved from what exactly isn’t something that I’ll spoil here because Zodiac Starforce is a comic that demands to be read. And are you really going to ignore the call of duty?

Over the Garden Wall #1

Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Writer: Pat McHale
Artist: Jim Campbell
Colorist: Danielle Burgos
Letters: Warren Montgomery

As those of you who tuned into Tuesday’s episode of The Pull on Geek & Sundry well know, I am a massive fan of BOOM! Studios’ Over the Garden Wall #1. Inspired by the Cartoon Network animated miniseries of the same name, Over the Garden Wall #1 transports readers to a fantastical realm that feels like Studio Ghibli’s version of Adventure Time. Written by Pat McHale and illustrated by Jim Campbell, Over the Garden Wall follows stepbrothers Wirt, a nebbish teenager who loves poetry and playing the clarinet, and Greg, a young adolescent with a skewed sense of humor and an abiding love of amphibians. Alongside their irritable bluebird companion Beatrice, the boys they try to find their way home after wandering into a mystical land. It is a familiar trope, but one that is told with a tongue planted firmly in cheek, a wicked sense of humor, and a childlike sense of wonder.

Now, Over the Garden Wall is being turned into a four-issue miniseries, with each one telling a standalone story. Issue #1, which takes place between episodes 3 and 4 of the series, is a lighthearted tale of the brothers trying to hitch a ride out of town. However, their plans are derailed and they soon find themselves guilted into helping a pair of seemingly faceless girls with their chores lest they accidentally wake the girls’ easily angered father. Though lighter in tone than the series on which it is based, the first issue manages to suck the reader in and endear you to these oddball brothers, as well as Beatrice’s constant stream of snark. It is a wildly inventive and entirely charming debut issue that should serve as both a terrific entry point for series newcomers and a welcome return for fans.

Batman: Arkham Knight — Genesis #1

Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Peter J. Tomasi
Artist: Alisson Borges
Colorist: Dave McCaig
Letters: Deron Bennett

Written by Peter J. Tomasi and illustrated by Alison Borges (with a stellar cover by Stjepan Sejic), Batman: Arkham Knight – Genesis is a hard-hitting prequel series of sorts. Unlike the past Arkham Knight comic, this six issue miniseries chronicles the rise to power of Gotham city’s newest and most nefarious villain, the titular Arkham Knight. Much like the game and the prequel comic, this Batman story is a bloody good time.

Tomasi sets the tone immediately with Ratcatcher standing over a battered, wounded Hush as rats rip and tear at the corpses of two recently slain cops. Suddenly, a brutal fight scene erupts in which Arkham Knight delivers the beatdown of a lifetime to Ratcatcher and gives the rats an all-you-can-eat buffet in the form of Ratcatcher’s face. What follows is a grim retelling of young Jason Todd’s early days as a runner for one of Gotham city’s many crime families. It is by parts thrilling, heartbreaking, and foreboding — all brought to life by Alisson Borges’ stellar artwork. Whether you’re a fan of the game or simply looking for a fresh perspective on the ever-growing Batman mythos, this is a book you need on your pull list.

—

The Complete List

(via Previews)

—

And for even more in-depth comics news, check out this week’s episode of The Pull on Geek & Sundry!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juHimdk15lw

What’s on your pull list this week? Share it with us in the comments below!

—

Dan Casey is the senior editor of Nerdist and the author of 100 Things Avengers Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die. You can follow him on Twitter (@Osteoferocious).