Pull List
Anyone that
is a regular at a comic shop has what is known as a “pull list.” This is basically just a subscription to
individual books that the store owner or employees “pull” for them and set
aside each week. Even if that individual
does not have a set pull list with the comic shop itself, they probably have a
mental one that they go to whenever a new comic Wednesday comes around to make
sure that they are getting to read their favorite series or creator.
I currently have a mental pull list
that is divided between monthly comic books (affectionately referred to in the
business as floppies) and trade paperbacks.
When I was younger, especially when I was going to school at the Kubert
school, my pull list was dominated by superheroes. I had quite a bit of disposable income and
there was a good chance that I was going to spend a substantial amount of it on
comic books and related paraphernalia. The
majority of those superheroes resided in the Marvel Universe, with the
exception being a few Batman issues
here and there. I eventually started to
scale back my comic book buying when the quality of the stories and art did not
match the investment (around the time I graduated the Kubert school in
2005). Slowly I have started to get back
into it more and more. My pull list that
basically consisted of Invincible
trades and anything that Richard Moore produced grew into a fairly substantial
yet rewarding group that is dominated much more by different, non-superhero
fare (after a brief dalliance in the “New 52” that ended with a confirmation of
my feelings on DC Comics and superhero comics in general).
For those
that would like to check out what I am reading, here is a list and short
explanation as to why I read what I read.
Comics:
Think Tank- A new
addition to the list. All you need to
know about why this is now a mainstay on my list can be found
here.
Punk Rock Jesus-
Also a new addition. You can check out
the review and a good explanation as to why you should give it a shot as well
here.
KISS- I have
always been a fan of not only KISS music, but also their comics. You can check out my review of the first
issue
here.
It is not for everyone, but the story is
decent and the art is some of the best on a
KISS
series since Angel Medina.
Masters of the
Universe- The only true DC book that I am reading (or probably will read
for that matter). This is more for
nostalgia’s sake than anything but it is not too terrible of a read if you want
to get away from the superhero books.
Find the review to issue one
here.
Mega Man- I have
been a Mega Man fan since I was young, and I have passed that love for the blue
bomber on to my son. This book is for
him as much as me, but it is a good read nonetheless, even if I am not too keen
on Manga-styled art.
Trades/Graphic Novels:
Atomic Robo- This
may be one of the most well written comics I have seen in a long time. Nik and I have gone back and forth recently
as to how well the weird science mixes with real life because of how the
characters (especially Robo) react to it.
The art is superb as well. I love
the simple, open illustrations. Plus,
two words: Doctor Dinosaur!
Berona’s War- The
writing is a little rough at times, but the art is beautiful. If you mix Saving Private Ryan with a Disney cartoon, you would get Berona’s War. Highly recommended as an art book if nothing
else. Plus, as a fairly inexpensive
hardcover offering, you can’t go wrong.
Invincible- I’ve
been on the Invincible bandwagon
since I picked up the first trade on a whim.
This is the best superhero book on the market and one of the most
consistently good books of the last decade.
Plus, the sketches and process stuff in the back of the trades with commentary
by creators Kirkman and Ottley are a phenomenal addition.
The Goon- This is
a new addition as well. After reading
issue 40 a few weeks ago (the review can be found
here)
I knew that I had to get caught up quickly. I am not all the way through the trades, but
The Goon is a superb comic created by
one of the best in the business in Eric Powell.
Mass Effect- I’ve
long been a fan of the games, and the comics do a great job of expanding on the
story and adding to the mythology of the Mass
Effect universe. The art is great
considering the amount of different alien species and technology that makes up
the universe itself.
Wizard of Oz
series- The only Marvel comic I have or will purchase now has nothing to do
with superheroes at all. To be honest, I
pick this up for the gorgeous Skottie Young art. Eric Shanower’s story sticks very close to
the original Oz books and the stories
themselves have just not aged well (the initial book The Wizard of Oz is decent but I think that is only because of
familiarity). This is no knock on
Shanower as he does the best he can with what he is given, but what seemed cute
or even groundbreaking upon its initial release seems a little stale now. Another book that can be purchased as an art
book and nothing else and would still be as valuable.
Ghostbusters-
Another book picked up on a whim that I could not put down. Reading this series feels like watching a third
movie, it is written so well and so spot on in terms of the individual voices
to each of the already well established characters. Why they have not approached this creative
team to write the third Ghostbusters
movie I have no idea. The art is super cartoony
but it is a style that I love and that fits with the subject matter very
well.
Elephantmen- I was
late to this party as well but this series is incredible. There are little gripes here and there about
the art (coloring is often too dark) and the story can be a tad confusing at
times (especially in the collections as they don’t always completely follow the
numerical order of the issues themselves), but the overall series is awesome
(and I’m a sucker for anthropomorphic animal series done well). The best thing is the hardcover collections
are jam-packed full of additional content.
Seriously, 2/3 of the collection is sketches and cover
illustrations. A beautiful addition to
any collection.
Chew- I also came
late to Chew, but I think I should
get a pass on that as I converted Nik and his wife to the fold. The art is consistently great and the stories
are always well done. Even reading them
as trades, the recaps of Tony Chu’s cibopath powers never get old which is a
testament to Layman’s ability to keep everything fresh. My favorite part of the series is the
additional stuff that you can find hidden in the background, be it pictures hanging
on walls or messages written on a note on the fridge. It’s like a where’s Waldo of hilarious
extras. You can tell Layman and Guillory
have a lot of fun with this title. Plus:
Poyo!
So what’s
on your pull lists? Anything I should be
reading that I’m not? Anything that I am
reading that you think is garbage? Try
and convince me either way, I am always open for a good comic discussion!
