Greetings, and welcome to the latest edition of the Weekly Pull List!

Every week I team up with fellow comics contributors Chris (littleyellowboxes) and Ryley (ryley-stbatman) and we go through the week’s releases and spotlight our five most anticipated comics from our Pull Lists.

September is already upon us, which means that the wave of #0s from DC’s New 52 are finally upon us! Detailing, secret histories, revised origins and introducing new mysteries, they look set to have comic fans discussing them for quite a while yet! Over at Marvel, “Everything Burns” continues in The Mighty Thor, whilst over in Amazing Spider-Man, Spidey’s greatest mistake continues with “Alpha”!

Curious to see what made our top fives for the week? Then read on!

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CHRIS’ PICKS

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #693

Spider-Man’s new sidekick, Alpha, could well be the strongest hero in the Marvel Universe in the future. But getting to that future all hinges on Spidey training him properly in the present, and Alpha’s first big test is on the way, as the Jackal returns!

AVENGERS ACADEMY #36

“Final Exam” continues, and Jeremy Briggs is in for it as the Academy cadets battle their way through his complex in search of the cure for his SPIN Tech power removing serum. And if the kids don’t stop him, Briggs will strip all superhumans of their abilities, forever!

GREEN LANTERN #0

After the events of the Green Lantern Annual, Sector 2814 is missing a Green Lantern, and we can’t have that. Who will the wayward ring find, and how will their induction into the Green Lantern Corps affect the upcoming “Rise of the Third Army”?

PHANTOM STRANGER #0

In this brand new New 52 title, find out the secrets behind the most mysterious of all the mystical beings in the DC Universe. With consequences that will reach far into the future as the seeds of the Trinity War are sown, follow him, for he is the Phantom Stranger…

SMALLVILLE SEASON 11 #5

Lex Luthor’s insidious plan has rendered Superman without a secret identity, unable to return to the woman he loves, and now he faces more problems as another man has arrived in Metropolis in search of answers of his own. For the first time in Smallville history, Superman will have to beware the Batman!

CHRIS IS ALSO PICKING UP…

- ANIMAL MAN #0

- DARK AVENGERS #180

- DIAL H #0

- EARTH 2 #0

- THE MIGHTY THOR #19

- SWAMP THING #0

- VENOM #24

- X-FACTOR #243

- AQUAMAN VOL. 1: THE TRENCH HC

- TEEN TITANS VOL. 1: IT’S OUR RIGHT TO FIGHT TP

- THUNDERBOLTS: LIKE LIGHTNING TP

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RYLEY’S PICKS

ANIMAL MAN #0

Any Animal Man is good Animal Man, so of course this is going to be a highlight of my week, but what makes me excited is seeing Lemire’s interpretation of Buddy Baker’s origin story. Plus, we’re getting some more information that ties into the “Rotworld” event, which should round this issue out to being a great installment in a great series.

GREEN LANTERN #0

As DC’s Zero Month opens, one issue that I’m really anticipating is this one for Green Lantern. Featuring the official debut of the new Green Lantern, this issue is sure to both be entertaining and full of information as to where the Green Lantern books will be going as we head into the major crossover next month.

HAWKEYE #2

The first issue of Matt Fraction and David Aja’s Hawkeye series was a fantastic intro, so I’m hoping the series retains the same magic as it foes forth. From previews and whatnot, it seems like this second issue will still be great, and if you happened to miss out on last month’s debut, worry not as a second print will be coming out this week to accompany the new issue! Check it out!

PHANTOM STRANGER #0

The first of DC’s “Third Wave” series launches this week, and it comes in the form of Dan Didio’s Phantom Stranger. Didio’s OMAC series was a cult hit that was cancelled after eight issues, but it seems the Co-Publisher is getting a second shot at an ongoing title. Phantom Stranger promises to highlight some of the mysteries of the DCnU and reveal answers and secrets that fans have been wondering about sine last September, including more on the identity of the mysterious Pandora.

SWAMP THING #0

In this #0 issue, it looks like rather than examining the secret origin of Swamp Thing, we’ll be examining his past with Anton Arcane and his connection to The Rot, which is pretty awesome considering the character plays a major part in “Rotworld”. Plus, we get some art from Kano, who’s always great.

RYLEY IS ALSO PICKING UP…

- ACTION COMICS #0

- AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #693

- DARK AVENGERS #180

- DIAL H #0

- EARTH 2 #0

- INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #524

- THE MIGHTY THOR #19

- PUNISHER #15

- SWEET TOOTH #37

- GLORY VOL. 1 TP

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SAM’S PICKS

2000 AD PROG 1799

Another week comes by, meaning the next Prog of 2000 AD is out! It is an all out epic finale Prog too, with the longer running strips all coming to a conclusion! Will Lenny Zero’s daring heist be successful? Can Ichabod Azrael save all of reality, and his love? Will Aquila get the answers he seeks? Only way to find out is to pick this up!

The mini Judge Dredd story, “Innocent” also comes to an end—just in time for a certain lawman to hit the big screen in the UK!

ANIMAL MAN #0

Like Ryley, I also eagerly anticipate each new issue of Animal Man, and this month is no different. #0 promises to tell us Buddy’s revised origin, as well as explore the secret history of those who have taken the mantle of ‘Animal Man’ in the past, as this title builds toward seeing our hero fight a battle he has already lost in “Rotworld”!

GREEN LANTERN #0 [Image from FCBD: The New 52]

Ever since the appearance of the mysterious Green Lantern in the FCBD issue, the question has been on everyone’s minds: just who is he? Well, with the shocking end of the Green Lantern Annual, #0 is here to introduce us to Simon Baz! He couldn’t have chosen a worse time to join the Corps either, with the Third Army looming…

SWAMP THING #0

#0 promises to shed the spotlight once again on Anton Arcane, and his long history with both the Red and the Green as a champion of the Rot! Featuring the artistic talents of Kano, this looks set to be a gruesomely awesome issue, as Arcane’s relationship with Alec Holland is set to be further explored in these pages—and you just know he will play a major role in “Rotworld”…

TRANSFORMERS: REGENERATION ONE #83

It has been 20 years since the Autobots left Earth—more than enough time for Megatron to devastate the planet! It seems that humanity hasn’t been wiped out however, with a small band of survivors being led by none other than Spike Witwicky—the new Circuit Smasher! And it looks like he doesn’t care about the difference between Autobot and Decepticon any more!

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SAM IS ALSO PICKING UP…

- ACTION COMICS #0

- AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #693

- DIAL H #0

- THE MIGHTY THOR #19

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So those are our picks for this week!

What are you guys picking up this week? Anything you are especially looking forward to? Let us know in the comments below - even if you disagree with what we picked!

So until next week, relax and enjoy reading your comics!

[Images via Associated Press, CBR, DC Comics, IGN and MTV GEEK]