The TALKING COMICS PULL LIST

Every Wednesday, the Talking Comics collective will post a mega-list of the comics they’re most excited to pull off the shelves that week. With the wide range of personal tastes on our staff here, you know there’s bound to be something worth sampling come New Comic Book Day!!!

Then, check back here on Thursday and Friday to see if the comics on the Pull List met the team’s expectations with reviews and quippy quotables!!!

New Comic Book Day – May 18th, 2016

This week’s contributors:

• Huw Parry (@H_paz)
• John Dubrawa (@thisjohnrd)
• Kelsey Hlavaty (@kelssamus)
• Steve Seigh (@dead_anchoress)
• Justin Towson (@joroak)
• Matt Wood (@JohnnyMattWood)
• Steve Seigh (@dead_anchoress)
• Bob Reyer (bobreyer@talkingcomicbooks.com)

And lovingly edited by Joey Braccino (@joeybraccino)

#####

ARCHIE COMICS

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina #5 – By Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa & Francesco Francavilla 

• When you consider how wonderfully creepy the first four issues of this series have been, it serves to heighten the disappointment in having its publishing schedule be so inconsistent. That said, I’m much looking forward to this new issue of Sabrina, even if I’ll have to re-read the first four to try to jog my memory as to the plot!–Bob

BOOM! STUDIOS

Goldie Vance #2 – By Hope Larson & Brittney Williams

• I adored the tone and tenor of Goldie Vance #1, with its humor and its brightness and joy. I’m pumped to follow the (mis)adventures of our budding junior detective Goldie as she tries to solve the mysterious disappearance of one of the hotel guests from last issue. Larson and Williams have introduces a spectacular stable of characters in a single issue, and I’m thrilled to continue on with this book going forward! – Joey

DC COMICS

Superman: American Alien #7 (of 7) – By Max Landis & Jock

• NO! DON’T GO! Superman: American Alien has been an absolutely phenomenal series from writer Max Landis and while I can’t wait to read the conclusion, I am saddened to see it go. However, going out on guest artist Jock drawing the book is not a shabby way to conclude this terrific miniseries. The plot of this one, to me, is inconsequential. Max Landis wrote a freaking issue with Clark Kent pretending to be Bruce Wayne and partying on his yacht and it was amazing, so I’m sure whatever he has cooked up for the last issue of American Alien is going to be great.-John D.

Future Quest #1- By Jeff Parker & Evan “Doc” Shaner

• When DC announced that they were making a new line of comics based off of Hanna-Barbera properties, my initial hyperbolic-internet-gut-reaction of negativity was quickly squelched when I saw this title. It’s one of those ideas that you question how no one has done this before: mix all of those sixties Alex Toth/Hanna-Barbera action cartoons together in a single universe. Johnny Quest, Space Ghost, Birdman, The Galaxy Trio, The Herculoids combined with a few of the more cartoony H-B superheroes like The Impossibles and Frankenstein Jr. is exciting on its own, but to then add the wonderful team of Jeff Parker and Doc Shaner is a promise of respect and attention to the source material. If you read their Shazam issues during Convergence last year, you know how successful their collaboration is in creating pure fun comics. – Matt

IDW PUBLISHING

Archangel #1 – By William Gibson & Butch Guice

• From the solicits: “Science Fiction Superstar William Gibson comes to comics! The U.S. political leaders of 2016 abandon the radioactive planet they’ve destroyed and harness the power of humanity’s last hope: The Splitter, a colossal machine designed to manufacture a bright new reality for them to infiltrate and corrupt.” Flipping through some of the preview pages, the military sci-fi of it seems to blend perfectly with Butch Guice’s moody noir visuals. I’m a huge fan of Butch Guice (WINTER SOLDIER!!!!) and, frankly, IDW has been on a roll lately in terms of hard sci-fi and innovative storytelling, so I’m totally in. Check it! – Joey

MARVEL COMICS

All-New Wolverine #8 – By Tom Taylor & Marcio Takara

• Although this is a tie-in to the upcoming Civil War II (actually this appears to be a tie-in to the prelude to Civil War II, oh brother), writer Tom Taylor has been the best it is at what he does, and what he does is write compelling characters. Laura has grown a lot in just seven issues of this wonderful series and with the prospect of her meeting up with Old Man Logan (I read solicits, unfortunately), I can only see her getting to be a more complex character.-John D.

Civil War #0 – By Brian Michael Bendis and Olivier Coipel  

• I’ve always been a fan of big summer crossover events and this creative team has me jazzed.  Although Civil War was not one of my favorite concepts from the House of Ideas, this storyline seems more intriguing.  Also, Coipel is the one of the best in the business.  Consider me sold.- Justin  

• I told myself for so long that I’d avoid this event, but I feel compelled to read it as something big is bound to happen. Plus, if I do avoid it I won’t have anything to read for a good while and I can’t be dealing with that! I wasn’t a fan of the original Civil War so I really hope that this time around the story is much more nuanced and emotionally smart than its predecessor. I really hope I’m not burned by this event, at least the team for this first book is one that I can get behind so I’m quietly optimistic! – Huw

Deadpool: Last Days of Magic #1 – By Gerry Duggan and Scott Koblish

• Another tie-in to the current Doctor Strange arc that I’ve been really enjoying. I’m hoping for some silly fun here with Deadpool and Doctor Strange fighting to help their mutual and magically inclined friends survive the cleansing of magic from the universe. I’m finding the fact that this story arc is deemed large enough to add these side stories in to be quite a cool idea, fingers crossed this one adds even more depth and scope to the battle to save magic. I reckon this’ll be a hoot, apart from the $4.99 cover price from Marvel…again! – Huw

• I feel similar to Huw! I’ve been enjoying both the Doctor Strange and Deadpool comics right now, so why not put the two of them together right? My favorite part of Doctor Strange interacting with other Marvel comics is the humor it brings, so obviously Deadpool will bring some funny moments. (Also, the 4.99$ cover price… I feel ya Huw.) – Kelsey

Silver Surfer #4 – By Dan Slott & Michael Allred & Laura Allred

• Without spoiling it, last month’s Silver Surfer #3 was a big, big issue. Not only was it the Surfer’s 50th anniversary, but something happened that is going to make the next few issues of this book incredibly interesting. The cover of this one kind of gives that away but trust me, you’ll want to start hopping on board Silver Surfer if you haven’t already done so. Seriously. Bob Reyer loves this book and so should you.-John D.

• (I do…I do! John  is 100% right about my love for this book, and about how great it is, too!- Bob)

Spider-Man #4 – By Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli

• It feels like SO long since the last issue of this book was out (I’m sure it’s been about six weeks!) and I’m glad to finally have another issue to delve into.The last issue was a mixed bag, with Miles’ grandmother giving him hell for his grades slipping and I wasn’t really taken with her character. But the stuff with Kamala was really good fun. I think this is a book still trying to properly hit it’s stride but there’s plenty to enjoy and with Black Cat setting her sights on making Miles’ life tricky, things should get very interesting very quick – Huw

VALIANT COMICS

Wrath of the Eternal Warrior #7 – By Robert Venditti and Raul Allen  

• Valiant Comics is awesome and you should check them out. The Eternal Warrior is a great example of that.  A warrior who can die but always comes back to life. That concept begs to be examined in different time frames and Valiant has done exactly that. They’ve done really good and thought out mini-series and Wrath is no exception.  This issue marks a new jumping on point and yes, you should totally do that.- Justin

VERTIGO

Clean Room #8 by Gail Simone and Jon Davis-Hunt

• The second arc of the series has been promised to really knock our socks off. Astrid Mueller must now focus on controlling her empire and continuing to fight her battles against her demons (literally) – while Chloe teams up with a detective to find out what’s really going on in the Clean Room. This series has never left me bored; every issue ends with such an intense (and extremely scary) cliffhanger! Excited to see what the new arc will bring! – Kelsey

OTHER PUBLISHERS

Tank Girl: 2 Girls, 1 Tank #1 (Titan) – By Alan Martin & Brett Parson 

• TANK GIRL!?!?!??! I mean, need we say more? To be honest, my only exposure to Tank Girl is the absurdly entertaining cult film from 1995, but I’m well aware of the character’s origins in the comic book medium. What better way to jump into that bad@$& character than with a brand new number one and mini-series from Titan, especially a brand new number one form Alan Martin, one of the character’s original creators!!! Definitely pumped for this one! – Joey

#####

And that’s our Pull List for this week!!! If you happen to pick up any of these books, please join the conversation here or on twitter and let us know what you think! As we update the site with reviews and verdicts on these comics, we’d love to include your input!

#READCOMICS