Category Archives: Mini Reviews

Mini Reviews: Ultimate Wolverine #12, Ultimate Spider-Man #23, Street Sharks #3, Circus Maximus #2, Absolute Batman #15

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Ultimate Wolverine #12

Sometimes, the staff at Graphic Policy read more comics than we’re able to get reviewed. When that happens you’ll see a weekly feature compiling reviews of the comics, or graphic novels, we just didn’t get a chance to write a full one for.

These are Graphic Policy’s Mini Reviews and Recommendations.

Logan

Ultimate Wolverine #12 (Marvel) – Ultimate Wolverine #12 is pure revenge. Chris Condon, Alessandro Cappuccio, and Bryan Valenza make it burn like a slug of whiskey to the back of your throat. With the whole supporting cast of the book killed off, Wolverine stands alone against Directorate X, its scientists, goons, and mutants and makes his presence known slash and swearing through this book’s runtime. After all the trauma and false hope he’s undergone, Ultimate Wolverine #12 hits with a powerful wave of catharsis with the Phoenix specimen playing a key role in the comic. (And probably in the future of the Ultimate Universe because talk about a big gun.) It feels good to watch Wolverine decapitate Sentinels and stab Colossus in the face while Moscow burns around him, and this comics ends up being one of the best in the series because of its focus on simple, effective brutality. Overall: 8.2 Verdict: Buy

Ultimate Spider-Man #23 (Marvel) – All the plot threads that Jonathan Hickman has been building in two years of this title collide in Ultimate Spider-Man #23, but Spidey’s tenacious heart still beats beneath the noise. Facial expressions have been Marco Chechetto and David Messina‘s calling card throughout the comic, and they do a lot of the heavy lifting as Peter Parker goes into action to save his son from the Kingpin’s tower while he’s trying to take down the Kingpin per Otto Octavius’ instructions. I live for the side eye that Peter’s daughter May gives Doc Ock. There are about 4-5 plotlines going in this series, but Hickman uses the classic throughline of the hero’s choice contrasting Harry Osborn and Peter Parker. This mirroring of Spider and Goblin is a great callback to the Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley Ultimate Spider-Man as well as the Sam Raimi Spider-Man films, but Ultimate Spider-Man #23 makes an original recipe out of some tasty ingredients. Overall: 9.2 Verdict: Buy

Street Sharks #3 (IDW Publishing) – Stephanie Williams, Ariel Medel, and Valenatina Pinto show that the Street Sharks are more brain than brawn (But they have good hearts!) in the third episode of this series. Fitting for this time of the year, the plot is college football related as the Street Sharks blending in with the shark costume-sporting fans of Fission University. It’s so wholesome to watch the Sharks interact and be complimented by their fellow students, and Jab even gets to help a young girl be reunited with her mother in a sequence that establishes him a truly selfless hero. Of course, there’s the over the top fight scenes, and Williams escalates the series’ overarching plot big time. Street Sharks continues to be an updated Saturday morning cartoon delight. Overall: 8.4 Verdict: Buy

Circus Maximus #2 (Mad Cave) – Mark Sable, Giorgio Pontrelli, and Emilio Lecce‘s Circus Maximus #2 has a really cool concept, but far too many fragmented sub plots to be a hit as an ancient Roman crime thriller. The main premise of a class warfare-driven heist right under the nose of Emperor Nero and his Praetorian Guard because everyone is watching a chariot race (Featuring the getaway driver as a participant.) at Hippodrome is very compelling, especially as Sable connects the caper to the Great Fire of Rome in 64 CE. However, there are a lot of moving parts, and some storytelling issues in transitions between scenes like when the aforementioned getaway driver becomes a gladiator. Also, a lot of the time, it feels like Mark Sable and Pontrelli glommed on a few concepts from Roman every day life and zeroed in on those at the expense of the big picture. Hopefully, the story improves, but the foundation of the thriller is definitely wobbly. Overall: 6.0 Verdict: Pass

Absolute Batman #15 (DC) – Scott Snyder, Jock, and Frank Martin do the nigh-impossible and put a fresh, frightening spin on the Clown Prince of Crime in Absolute Batman #15. The story is framed by Alfred telling a fish story about a family called the Grimms, but each version gets darker and more nefarious until the big double page reveal of a baddie that could easily be the Absolute Batman’s arch-nemesis. I love how Snyder and Jock root the Absolute Joker in history, capitalism, and even the history of the entertainment industry as a primal, immortal source of pure evil. Also, in the deepest knife twist of all, he’s very similar to the main DC Universe’s Bruce Wayne. Because billionaires are the real supervillains. Overall: 10 Verdict: Buy

Mini Reviews: Ultimate Universe: Two Years In, Ultimate X-Men #22, Hulk Smash Everything #1, Giant Size Criminal #1, Batman #4

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Hulk Smash Everything #1

Sometimes, the staff at Graphic Policy read more comics than we’re able to get reviewed. When that happens you’ll see a weekly feature compiling reviews of the comics, or graphic novels, we just didn’t get a chance to write a full one for.

These are Graphic Policy’s Mini Reviews and Recommendations.

Logan

Ultimate Universe: Two Years In (Marvel) – Ultimate Universe: Two Years In is a complex story about the Ultimate Guardians of the Galaxy trying to fix the universe using the power of timey wimey things. Deniz Camp and Alex Paknadel turn in a script oozing with ideas about the nature of humanity, hope, and if a better world can happen complete with talking dogs, nihilistic robots, cosmic surgery, and a truly unique take on Daredevil. This book is worth reading for the Ultimate Daredevil sequence alone which is fourth wall shattering comics storytelling at its finest from Camp, Paknadel, and Javier Pulido. Pulido’s vivid, flat colors are the cherry on top. It wavers under the weight of its own complexity sometimes, but Deniz Camp and Alex Paknadel find the emotions at the core of this space and time-spanning story with Patrick Boutin and Phil Noto‘s facial expressions especially keeping me immersed in the story. Earth-6160 is full of ideas and interesting characters, and it’s sad it will conclude soon. Overall: 8.2 Verdict: Buy

Ultimate X-Men #22 (Marvel) – This issue of Ultimate X-Men has massive Buffy season finale energy filtered through the unique stylings of Peach Momoko as the X-Men face off against the Shadow King aka Kageyama. I love Momoko’s re-characterization of the classic villain as a spurned teenage boy who wants to control the lead character, Hisako, and for her to be just as empty as him. She shows this through visuals with all kinds of logic-defying and fear-inducing shapes as Hisako’s armor and Kageyama’s shadows face off. But he is a lone terror, and she has the fierce backing of the X-Men to help her in this death-defying battle. The emotional core of this issue is totally mainly through the rise and fall of Peach Momoko’s art, and there’s a real sense of payoff in this book. I was down on this book’s plotting early on, but have really come to love it and am also craving fried chicken. Overall: 8.7 Verdict: Buy

Hulk Smash Everything #1 (Marvel) – Hulk Smash Everything is another all killer, no filler action-packed comic book from Ryan North, Vincent Carratu, and Federico Blee. Calming and/or redirecting the Green Goliath’s anger is the driving force behind this comic, which is pure mayhem beginning with the initial assault on Dr. Strange. Carratu’s visuals capture the battle between finesse and brute strength using surrealist layouts for the scenes with Strange working his mojo and big ass splash pages for Hulk’s rampages. Pair it with a truly epic cliffhanger, and this is series that looks like it’ll be entertaining me into 2026! Overall: 8.6 Verdict: Buy

Giant Size Criminal #1 (Image) – Sticking up a talented poker player in a hotel room seems like an easy enough crime, but this is Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips, and Jacob Phillips‘ Criminal so things are not so easy. They spin a yarn of a stick-up gone wrong complete with drugs (Phillips’ palette comes in handy here.), sex workers, cartoons, and of course, daddy issues. Even if you haven’t read a single Criminal story (Guilty as charged, I think), this is a great entry to the world and filled with humor and violence too. In addition to the 36 page lead story, Giant-Size Criminals features some background information about the creation of Criminal, some funny strips about Brubaker and Phillips’ experiences with the upcoming TV adaptation, and the holy grail of all, a Criminal TTRPG created by Kieron Gillen himself that’s worth the price of the comic. Overall: 9.5 Verdict: Buy

Batman #4 (DC) – A villain who runs an “algorithm of crime” is the perfect Big Bad for 2025/2026, and Matt Fraction, Jorge Jimenez, and Tomeu Morey use Batman #4 to give us a tantalizing introduction to the Minotaur. The grid layouts paired with a precise monologue raise the stakes even higher in the first and final frames of the book while the bits in between show the utter chaos and hopelessness of Gotham. However, Fraction’s trademark witty humor shines in a sequence where Bruce Wayne flirts his way into some information. (His target wearing Krocs is an adorable detail.) Batman #4 is more a building block than a full meal or even a course on a tasting menu, but Jimenez’s slick visuals and a frightening, yet relatable villain make it worth a read. Overall: 7.7 Verdict: Buy

Mini Reviews: Batman/Green Arrow/The Question: Arcadia #1, Absolute Wonder Woman #14, Absolute Batman #14

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Absolute Batman #14

Sometimes, the staff at Graphic Policy read more comics than we’re able to get reviewed. When that happens you’ll see a weekly feature compiling reviews of the comics, or graphic novels, we just didn’t get a chance to write a full one for.

These are Graphic Policy’s Mini Reviews and Recommendations.

Logan

Batman/Green Arrow/The Question: Arcadia #1 (DC Black Label) – Batman/Green Arrow/The Question: Arcadia #1 (BGQA from here on out) is like Neapolitan ice cream for folks who like street level heroes and socially conscious storylines. Cartoonist Gabriel Hardman cooks up an old school conspiracy thriller featuring three heroes from all over the ideological spectrum. However, BGQA #1 isn’t just talks and lectures, and there is serious power and action to the visuals as Oliver Queen punches frat bros at gentrified dive bars or Batman does his stealth thing at a corporate retreat. Hardman’s characterization of Batman is actually similar to Superman in The Dark Knight Returns, and I’m curious to see how that unfolds as this series progresses. Overall: 8.4 Verdict: Buy

Absolute Wonder Woman #14 (DC) – The two-parter about Diana fighting her dark double comes to a literally earth-shattering conclusion courtesy of Kelly Thompson, Matias Bergara, and Jordie Bellaire. Bergara is no mere fill-in artist, and he throws some beautiful, primal shapes with his layouts matching a conflicted color palette from Bellaire and painful narration from Thompson. And, on the bigger picture side of things, Absolute Wonder Woman #14 shows there is something askew and dark about the Absolute Universe, which makes heroes like Diana all the more needed. Kelly Thompson have built the foundation for a heroic, yet hellish take on the iconic superhero, and a crossover is additive to the narrative not a chore. And to wrap up, Absolute Zatanna and Jordie Bellaire’s glittering colors for her almost run away with the whole issue in a gnizilatnat esaet. Overall: 8.7 Verdict: Buy

Absolute Batman #14 (DC) – The conclusion to the big Bane/Venom arc in Absolute Batman from Scott Snyder, Nick Dragotta, and Frank Martin is everything I expected and more. Snyder structures the comic as a parallel story of the battle royale between Batman and Bane with an MMA match between Waylon Jones and Bibbo Bibbowski years earlier. Jones was supposed to go down early and take the money, but he wouldn’t take no for an answer and the same with Batman. Dragotta puts his heavy metal heart on the page as Batman outmaneuvers a constantly growing and bloating Bane. (He could give Demi Moore’s character in The Substance a run for her money.) Alfred Pennyworth’s narrative keeps the fight linked to Batman’s arc, and the story ends up being about fighting in community against a soulless evil. On almost the 40th anniversary of The Dark Knight Returns, Batman, once again, has an epic fight against a larger than life opponent, and Nick Dragotta puts his own unique brand on the Caped Crusader just like Miller did in the 1980s. And Bane was just an amuse bouche for an even more formidable foe. Overall: 9.9 Verdict: Buy

Mini Reviews: Starship Godzilla #2, Final Boss #1, Godzilla Destroys the Marvel Universe #5

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Final Boss #1

Sometimes, the staff at Graphic Policy read more comics than we’re able to get reviewed. When that happens you’ll see a weekly feature compiling reviews of the comics, or graphic novels, we just didn’t get a chance to write a full one for.

These are Graphic Policy’s Mini Reviews and Recommendations.

Logan

Starship Godzilla #2 (IDW Publishing) – 2 issues in, and Chris Gooch and Oliver Ono have already thrown the crew of the S.S. Mechagodzilla into utter chaos. Their ship is busted, and they have a delivery to make to get paid so let’s go gambling, I guess. Gooch’s fast paced plotting and Ono’s graphomania capture the frenetic pace of a space port city. They also find some heart under the hustle in the interactions between first mate Ayan and her grandmother, who teaches her how to repair the ship while disaster rages. Plus Ono’s take on one of my favorite kaiju kicks things up a notch. Overall: 8.1 Verdict: Buy

Final Boss #1 (Image) – Tyler Kirkham‘s Final Boss has that old school 90s image feel with brutal fight scenes and a focus on style over substance. Seriously, this book at its peak when it shuts the hells up and has protagonist Brazen Bull work over his gimp mask wearing opponent in the ring that starts like an MMA fight and turns into something out of Mortal Kombat. Kirkham, inker David Miller, and colorist Ifansyah Noor really put on a no holds barred show, and I love how Troy Peteri‘s word bubble/box placement shifts with the punches and other deadly moves. Overall: 7.6 Verdict: Buy

Godzilla Destroys the Marvel Universe #5 (Marvel) – Gerry Duggan, Javier Garron, Scientronc, and Jesus Aburtov don’t cop out and have the Marvel superheroes actually beat Godzilla in the conclusion to their five issue miniseries, but cement his place as an unstoppable force of nature. Fans of tokusatsu will revel in glee as Voltron, but make it Earth-616 duels with Magik’s Soulsword, Captain America’s shield, and all kinds of accoutrements. Most of the issue is dedicated to the battle royale, but Duggan, Garron, and Scietronc lay some track for an even more impactful sequel riffing on Marvel’s Illuminati without getting too heavy handed. Let’s just say that it doesn’t get any more epic than the last couple pages of this look. Overall: 9.0 Verdict: Buy

Mini Reviews: Street Sharks #2, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Godzilla #1, American Caper #1, Adventures of Lumen N #3

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Street Sharks #2

Sometimes, the staff at Graphic Policy read more comics than we’re able to get reviewed. When that happens you’ll see a weekly feature compiling reviews of the comics, or graphic novels, we just didn’t get a chance to write a full one for.

These are Graphic Policy’s Mini Reviews and Recommendations.

Logan

Street Sharks #2 (IDW Publishing) – Street Sharks #2 is another bowl of Saturday morning cartoon tastiness from Stephanie Williams, Ariel Medel, and Valentina Pinto. This issue is centered around a circus of animal hybrids who have been, let’s say, questionably enhanced by the mysterious Director. In the space of 20 pages, the Street Sharks save the day and wrap up the story in a stylish, action-packed bow. Williams’ script loves a good pun, and Medel continues to draw from professional wrestling to soup up the action sequences. There’s also an emotional connection between the Sharks and the circus and a continuing theme of how the media perceives the Sharks’ activities. This comic is a nostalgic, bonkers good time, and I wish it was an ongoing and not just a miniseries. Overall: 9.2 Verdict: Buy

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Godzilla #1 (IDW Publishing) – In the first issue of Tim Seeley, Fero Pe, and Luis Delgado‘s cross-property crossover, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fit together seamlessly with Godzilla and other Toho kaiju. They weld the backstory of the pre-corruption/schism Foot Clan to the threat of Godzilla to Japan and combine it with all kinds of funky mutagen science. This comic really does feel like using all the toys in the box moving at a rapid pace with plenty of action and fun banter. I love how Pe depicts the vast size and scale of the King of the Monsters compared to your usual human/turtle ninja and beneath the jokes and butt kicking, there’s a relevant theme of using tragedies to profit. So excited/scared for the Heroes in the Half-Shell to face King Ghidorah next issue. Overall: 8.7 Verdict: Buy

American Caper #1 (Dark Horse) – Co-written by Rockstar Games co-founder Dan Houser, American Caper #1 launches a pitch black crime comedy set in the heart of the American nightmare of land deals, lawyers, and families with something to hide. Houser is joined by co-writer Lazlow and a great art team of David Lapham, Chris Anderson, and Lee Loughridge that burnish its crime credentials. Lapham and Anderson don’t flatter anyone in their character designs, and Loughridge’s palette is Old West meets suburban sprawl fitting for a gentrified Wyoming town. The co-author of this comic has a nine figure net worth so the satire is definitely soft targets, but American Caper has a lurid charm to it like the Grand Theft Auto games. Overall: 7.8 Verdict: Buy

Adventures of Lumen N #3 (Dark Horse) – I hate to use this term, but Adventures of Lumen N #3 is a total filler issue. Writer James Robinson makes Aeon Nemo just a total mustache twirler of a Big Bad with no psychological depth although his writing fares better with the protagonist Lumen Nemo, who is reveling in her adventurous origins. The plot barely progresses, which is fine, but Robinson doesn’t flesh out any of the book’s relationships and characters except for reiterating things about Lumen. At least, Phil Hester and Marc Deeing make the Nautilus look cool with their angular art style. I guess a battle is going to happen in the next issue, but the series has taken quite a dip in quality. Drop this one and re-read Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill’s League of Extraordinary Gentlemen/Nemo books instead. Overall: 4.8 Verdict: Pass

Mini Reviews: Bytchcraft #5, Batman #3, and Harley and Ivy: Life and Crimes #1

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Harley and Ivy: Life and Crimes #1

Sometimes, the staff at Graphic Policy read more comics than we’re able to get reviewed. When that happens you’ll see a weekly feature compiling reviews of the comics, or graphic novels, we just didn’t get a chance to write a full one for.

These are Graphic Policy’s Mini Reviews and Recommendations.

Logan

Bytchcraft #5 (Mad Cave) – Bytchcraft concludes with a beautifully witchy and high energy hymn to queer family from Aaron Reese, Lema Carril, and Bex Glendining. Glendining’s palette shows the battle between night and light as the coven try to take down Eve. I also love how Reese and Carril tie in their narrative to the literal birth of Michele, Em, and Adri and show their bond between the light shows. There’s a real undercurrent of resistance and community building underneath the pop occult fantasy, and Bytchcraft ends up being a near-perfect call to be gay and do magick. Overall: 8.8 Verdict: Buy

Batman #3 (DC) – If I had to describe the third issue of Matt Fraction, Jorge Jimenez, and Tomeu Morey‘s Batman run, it’d be “engrossing.” Fraction layers juicy subplots on top of relevant social themes and lets Jimenez and Morey continue to cut loose with super cool gadgets that show that Bruce Wayne might not have a manor and a butler, but he’s not broke just yet. Also, Batman #3 goes into some dark places like Tim Drake’s boyfriend questioning why he ends up with bruises every time he spends time with Bruce, but also has a sense of humor with Matt Fraction topping himself with each esoteric Riddler riddle. Sure, this comic has a lot of the usual ass kicking, but Fraction and Jorge Jimenez also show how Batman’s actions influence Gotham from the board room to ordinary citizens making a lived-in tech Goth world. Overall: 8.7 Verdict: Buy

Harley and Ivy: Life and Crimes #1 (DC) – Erica Henderson aka one of the best working American cartoonists tells the definitive story of Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy’s beautiful, dangerous sapphic romance in Life and Crimes #1. I love that Henderson frames the opening pages like a romance film, and that she uses some of the visual vocabulary and designs of Batman : The Animated Series while making it her own with her impeccable sense of timing that works with both dark humor and drama. She also doesn’t shy away for showing the abuse of Harley and Joker’s relationships while letting Poison Ivy shine and be the badass hero she’s always been. The cherry on the top of this excellent issue is the highly charged color palette from Erica Henderson with lots of reds as Harley debates whether to stay with Joker, go her own way, or a fun third option, protect Ace Chemicals where she cast Dr. Harleen Quinzel aside and became Harley Quinn. Overall: 8.9 Verdict: Buy

Mini Reviews: Absolute Batman 2025 Annual

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Absolute Batman 2025 Annual

Sometimes, the staff at Graphic Policy read more comics than we’re able to get reviewed. When that happens you’ll see a weekly feature compiling reviews of the comics, or graphic novels, we just didn’t get a chance to write a full one for.

These are Graphic Policy’s Mini Reviews and Recommendations.

Logan

Absolute Batman 2025 Annual (DC) – Absolute Batman 2025 Annual is a victory lap for one of DC’s best current titles giving three talented cartoonists a chance to play in this universe’s gritty sandbox and flesh out its protagonist even more. Up first, Daniel Warren Johnson and Mike Spicer have a story about Batman waging a violent war against a white supremacist gang that is inflicting harm on Latino immigrants in Gotham. The sheer cowardice of DC editorial publishing this story by a white cisgender heterosexual man, but cancelling a book with subject material by a transgender woman isn’t lost on me. However, this lead off story is a tour de force in ass kicking from DWJ that’s enhanced by an aggressive color palette from Spicer and memorable sound effects lettering from Clayton Cowles. One of Absolute Batman’s strengths are its brutal fight scenes, and Johnson outdoes himself with each poses, hold, and choreography set. But this story isn’t just a beat ’em up and has a real soul to it, especially in the contrast between Batman and a pacifist priest, who was an activist with Thomas Wayne when he was a young man. DWJ explores the paradoxical nature of seeking peace, but also punch your local Nazi. (Or crash a giant tractor into their HQ.) James Harren continues the recurring theme of fathers and sons in his story about Batman raiding a Party Animals hideout in an old church. There’s a brutal Gothic elegance to Harren’s approach to Batman and his enemies fusing Kelley Jones and Mike Mignola with an old-fashioned can of whoop ass as Batman dodges truly insane weapons and traps that would make Kevin McCallister smile. This second story also has a strong sense of location that enhances the action. Absolute Batman 2025 Annual wraps things up with a two page story from Meredith McClaren that is both edutainment about bats as well as a glimpse at how Batman affects ordinary citizens in the Absolute DC Universe’s Gotham. Her soft, manga-influenced style is also a nice palate cleanser after the aggression of the two main stories. Absolute Batman 2025 Annual is a master class in action cartooning as well as continuing to flesh out this blue collar, socially informed take on the Dark Knight. Overall: 9.2 Verdict: Buy

Mini Reviews: Thanksgiving #1, War Wolf #1, Ultimates #17, Ultimate Spider-Man: Incursion #5, Ultimate Spider-Man #22, Powers 25 #2

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Thanksgiving

Sometimes, the staff at Graphic Policy read more comics than we’re able to get reviewed. When that happens you’ll see a weekly feature compiling reviews of the comics, or graphic novels, we just didn’t get a chance to write a full one for.

These are Graphic Policy’s Mini Reviews and Recommendations.

Logan

Thanksgiving #1 (Ahoy) – The cast of Mark Russell and Mauricet‘s satirical horror one-shot Thanksgiving #1 might take the pumpkin pie for the most dysfunctional holiday family dinner ever. The story starts with the usual jabs, microaggressions, racist comments, and sad backstory before escalating and making a larger point about how smiling, rich white men get away with everything in the United States. Mauricet’s visuals are delightfully grotesque and pair well with Russell’s snarky captions. Thanksgiving also features the most incompetent officers of the law since the national guard aimlessly milling around “war torn” Portland. It’s an engaging story with a couple twists and big time banality of evil energy. Overall: 8.0 Verdict: Buy

War Wolf #1 (Mad Cave) – A no-life loser ends up becoming the savior of mankind in the sci-fi comic War Wolf #1 from Steve Orlando, Marco Perugini, and Pascal Tora. Orlando and Perugini go to great lengths to make protagonist Tom Bruin as nebbish and unlikable as possible, and then the tables turn when he starts doing the extraterrestrial ass kicking. Bruin is the definition of accidentally became important at his job. All in all, War Wolf puts a a fun, provocative new spin on the well-worn alien invasion genre, and a big part of that is Marco Perugini and Tora treating the fight scenes like a no holds barred street fight instead of a choreographed raygun blaster-fest. Overall: 7.8 Verdict: Buy

Ultimates #17 (Marvel) – Ultimates #17 is a sequel to Ultimates #4 where Deniz Camp and Phil Noto told the story of Earth-6160 Dr. Doom (Aka Reed Richards) attempting to recreate the Fantastic Four. This comic is a surgical character study and unearths the pain that Doom suffered at the hands of the Maker and his fight to find redemption at all costs even if that hurts him and the young people he’s working with/experimenting on. Just like Ultimates #4, Ultimates #17 can be read in five different ways revealing new themes each time while adhering to Doom’s overall arc. This comic is imposter syndrome on a cosmic level and study in self-forgiveness in coping with trauma. I love the bond that Camp and Noto create between Doom and Ant-Man, and it’s nice to see these human moments as the Ultimate line almost reaches its crescendo. Overall: 8.7 Verdict: Buy

Ultimate Spider-Man: Incursion #5 (Marvel) – Deniz Camp, Cody Ziglar, and Jonas Scharf‘s Ultimate Spider-Man: Incursion has been an uneven miniseries, but it ends on a strong note with ramifications for both Miles Morales and Earth-6160. There’s the requisite superhero fight between an Origin boxed-up Emanuel Da Costa, Miles, Magik, and the Ultimates, but where the comic really resonates is the threads Camp and Ziglar connect between Earth-6160 and Earth-1610. I love Scharf’s rendition of key moments from Miles’ history coupled with insightful caption. It smooths out about 14 years of continuity wrinkles while also setting the stage for the big Maker showdown. A certain panel featuring Doom glitching out is a masterclass in how to do reaction shots. Although most of the miniseries is just varying-levels-of-fun superhero team-ups, Ultimate Spider-Man Incursion #5 lands the plane and ensures that this crossover had an actual impact on Miles Morales’ heroic journey and on the sadly concluding Ultimate Universal. Overall: 9.1 Verdict: Buy

Ultimate Spider-Man #22 (Marvel) – After the literal explosiveness of last issue, Jonathan Hickman, Marco Checchetto, and Matthew Wilson give us (relatively) a bit of a breather. It’s wild seeing Otto Octavius and Mole Man as allies, but Earth-6160 is full of strange bedfellows like that. Throughout this issue, there’s a feeling that the other shoe is going to drop, and something tragic is about to happen so there’s a bitter undertone to the sweet moments in this issue like an extended sequence with a happy Peter and MJ as well as a “family dinner”. Ultimate Spider-Man continues to have some of Hickman’s most human writing, and Chechetto’s skill with character acting enhancing that. Plus a black cat on a page turn has never been more foreboding. Overall: 8.2 Verdict: Buy

Powers 25 #2 (Dark Horse) – Powers 25 #2 continues to feel like vintage Powers from Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming with its tension between doing things by the book and following your gut. Kutter is a great POV character as she has a personal connection to the Powers, but is still learning the ropes. I can relate to her freaking out about a dead person with potentially a black hole in their face, but her tenacity is charming and makes her a compelling lead character. The Bendis patter works in this kind of police procedural story, and at least, he gives Oeming and colorist Filardi a chance to draw some interdimensional weirdness and not just talking heads. Overall: 7.6 Verdict: Read

Mini Reviews: Captain America #4, Krypto : The Last Dog of Krypton #5, Godzilla Destroys the Marvel Universe #4, Adventures of Lumen N #2

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Krypto: The Last Dog of Krypton #5

Sometimes, the staff at Graphic Policy read more comics than we’re able to get reviewed. When that happens you’ll see a weekly feature compiling reviews of the comics, or graphic novels, we just didn’t get a chance to write a full one for.

These are Graphic Policy’s Mini Reviews and Recommendations.

Logan

Captain America #4 (Marvel) – Chip Zdarsky and Valerio Schiti‘s Captain America run continues to explore the grey areas of being an American symbol using its early 2000s setting and (becoming less) clandestine missions in Latveria. There’s lots of punching and action sequences, but the real conflict is Steve Rogers realizing what the true cost of wearing the red, white, and blue is during the “War” on “Terror” with Dave Colton, the replacement Captain America acting as a foil. Seeing Rogers sock Dr. Doom on the jaw like he did to Adolf Hitler decades ago is a triumphant moment, but should it be? I liked the previous issue that dug into the role of Latveria during different World Wars, and how Cap inspired Doom a little better, but the series continues to be solid. Overall: 7.8 Verdict: Buy

Krypto: The Last Dog of Krypton #5 (DC) – Krypto #5 is a beautiful conclusion to this heartwarming miniseries from Ryan North, Mike Norton, and Ian Herring. This issue brings everything full circle with Krypto landing in Smallville and immediately righting wrongs like the town’s protector, Superboy. Krypto #5 is a contemporary love letter to those classic Silver Age Superboy where the young Man of Steel’s loneliness was assuaged by a dog who was also a refugee from his planet. Watching Krypto save the day and then forging a permanent bond with the Kent family brought tears to my eyes and was just the perfect ending to one of my favorite comics of 2025. North, Norton, and Herring have truly created the definitive Krypto comic, and it’s honestly a comic I would recommend to anyone. (Although, I’d pair it with a box of tissues with the House of El crest.) Overall: 10 Verdict: Buy

Godzilla Destroys the Marvel Universe #4 (Marvel) – Godzilla Destroys the Marvel Universe continues to be a well-paced, ass kicking good time and still hasn’t worn out its welcome. After fighting the X-Men to a standstill in the previous issue, the King of Monster turns his sights to a Wakandan tech/Pym particles enhanced Hulk for a big damn monster vs monster throwdown. Writer Gerry Duggan keeps the patter to a minimum while letting big panels from artists Javier Garron and Paco Medina and colorist Jesus Aburtov carry the title. I do love the interactions between Hulk and Namor as the misunderstood Defenders/anti-heroes may be the Marvel Universe final hope. Also, let’s just say tokusatsu enthusiasts will love parts of this issue as Godzilla Destroys charges to a megazord conclusion. Overall: 8.8 Verdict: Buy

Adventures of Lumen N #2 (Dark Horse) – In the second installment of The Adventures of Lumen N, James Robinson, Phil Hester, Marc Deering, and Bill Crabtree reveal more information about the mysterious Captain Nemo and his granddaughter as well as setting up the series’ Big Bad. It’s an exposition-heavy issue, but full of fantastical steampunk compositions from Hester and never neglects the family relationship between Lumen and Nemo, who is getting use to relationships again. I love how Robinson re-figures Nemo as a positive, anti-imperialist and environmentalist figure and uses the domestic bits to differentiate him from Alan Moore’s take on the character in League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. This issue is the yin to the first issue’s action-heavy yang, and I feel like I care about Lumen and Nemo going into an even more epic battle. Overall: 8.1 Verdict: Buy

Mini Reviews: Marvel Knights: Punisher #1, Marian Heretic #1, Absolute Batman #13

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Marian Heretic #1

Sometimes, the staff at Graphic Policy read more comics than we’re able to get reviewed. When that happens you’ll see a weekly feature compiling reviews of the comics, or graphic novels, we just didn’t get a chance to write a full one for.

These are Graphic Policy’s Mini Reviews and Recommendations.

Logan

Marvel Knights: Punisher #1 (Marvel) – This is an average, middle of the road Punisher story with brutal art from Dan Panosian and a phone-it-in kind of script from Jimmy Palmiotti. (I guess Garth Ennis didn’t want to come back.) The obituaries for the dead characters at the end is a fun touch and does humanize the thinly written casualties in Frank Castle’s war on crime. Marvel Knights: Punisher is guns, explosions, and minimal depth feeling more like a video game than a comic. Overall: 6.1 Verdict: Pass

Marian Heretic #1 (BOOM! Studios) – Catholicism, paganism, and nunsploitation ass kicking all blend into the engaging brew that is Tini Howard and Joe Jaro‘s new Marian Heretic series. The Witchblade/Magdalena influence is pronounced, but I love the worldbuilding that Howard does finding a middle path between the Trinitarian patriarchy of The City of Vespers and the witches in the wilds. God totally is a woman because Ariana Grande (and Kevin Smith in Dogma) said so. Jaro brings 90s-tinged art with big action and expressions, but moves the story along smoothly as the protagonist tries to comes to grips with grey areas in a black and white world. Marian Heretic #1 is religious trauma, but make it badass, and I look forward to learning more about this intense world and the women that make it tick. Overall: 8.0 Verdict: Buy

Absolute Batman #13 (DC) – Absolute Batman #13 is like the movie The Dark Knight Rises was actually good and didn’t have lame, ineffectual, pro-cop politics. Scott Snyder, Nick Dragotta, and Frank Martin weave together the story of Bruce and Selina’s romantic relationship with a setup for a final showdown between Bane and Batman with venom coursing through both their veins. Dragotta’s bulkier, jacked take on Batman pays off in this story as Batman comes face to face with being the monster that Gotham needs to protect them. He and Martin continue to bring bone-shattering power and passion to the fight scenes in this issue. (And also one sex scene.) In the plot department, Snyder is skillfully connecting the story of Waylon Jones’ big boxing match in the past to the Batman/Bane battle royale raising the stakes. Overall: 8.6 Verdict: Buy

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