Category Archives: Mini Reviews

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

Mini Reviews: The Last Day of HP Lovecraft #1, Gotham Academy: First Year #1, Umbrella Academy: Plan B #3, Bytchcraft #4, and Batman #2

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Gotham Academy: First Year #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

The Last Day of HP Lovecraft #1 (BOOM!) – A translation of a French graphic novel by Romuald Giulivo and Jakub Rebelka, The Last Day of HP Lovecraft #1 delves into the final day of the racist, anti-Semitic, yet highly influential horror writer. Rebelka visualizes the author’s imagination through strange, feverish dreamscapes narrated by the recurring Mythos character Randolph Carter. The book critiques, pays homage to, and riffs on the works of Lovecraft and attempts to answer what kind of person would invent cosmic horror. The characterization of Carter is enjoyable as a puckish, nigh-omniscient protagonist as he both trolls and fanboys over HP Lovecraft. As an added bonus, there’s a handwritten letter from a dying Lovecraft to a dead Robert E. Howard about death. Overall: 7.9 Verdict: Buy

Gotham Academy: First Year #1 (DC) – After too long of a hiatus, Gotham Academy is back with a prequel focusing on Olive Silverlock’s first year at the boarding school. Writers Brenden Fletcher, Becky Cloonan, and Karl Kerschl zero in Olive’s Batman-induced trauma as well as the general awkwardness of the first day at a preppy boarding school finding humor from the school’s strange aristocratic conditions. On the art side, Marco Ferrari and Eva De La Cruz capture the lush, dark academia before dark academia was a thing tone of the school and add some memorable flourishes like a monstrous portrayal of Batman. Olive Silverlock is a relatable outside character, and the prominent role of Arkham Asylum might bring folks from the superhero world into the Goth YA universe. Overall: 8.3 Verdict: Buy

Umbrella Academy: Plan B #3 (Dark Horse) – Just like My Chemical Romance’s current Long Live the Black Parade tour, Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba engage with the contemporary rise/reign of fascism in a cheeky, theatrical way. But unlike the concerts, which recontextualizes MCR’s 2006 album The Black Parade into a satirical look at an authoritarian regime in a focused way using that album’s song as the spine, let’s just say Umbrella Academy Plan B continues to be all over the place storywise. There are some memorable moments like Klaus having an NA meeting with ghosts, Luther’s hero St. Zero pleading with him to return from the Moon to Earth and save it from the Sparrow Academy, and the Sparrows spreading chaos on national TV. But the various threads never cohere together like the previous issue, which was centered around a fight between the Umbrella and Sparrow Academies. Maybe, the bigger picture will be more clear in the next 3 issues, but for now, Umbrella Academy is a beautiful drawn, colored, and lettered (By DRAAG’s own Nate Pieko) mess. Overall: 6.1 Verdict: Pass

Bytchcraft #4 (Mad Cave) – The penultimate issue of Bytchcraft is rich, dense occult fantasy storytelling from Aaron Reese, Lema Carril, and Bex Glendining. I love how they interweave the theme of found family and matriarchy with a blockbuster, world ending threat. Also, there’s plenty of quips and humor (Especially from my personal favorite character Em.) to balance out the apocalypse of it all like the coven coming up with a game plan in a diner in Queens. Bytchcraft is a gorgeous and immersive comic, and I’m sad to see it end next month, but it continues to be a lasting legacy for the late Reese. Overall: 8.4 Verdict: Buy

Batman #2 (DC) – Batman and Robin are more ACAB than ever in the 2nd issue of Matt Fraction, Jorge Jimenez, and Tomeu Morey‘s Batman run. This issue focuses on the relationship between Batman and Tim Drake using a flashback framing narrative of the Caped Crusader teaching Robin how to drive stick/the Batmobile. Fraction and Jimenez strike a balance between vulnerability and badassery, cool gadgets and heroes down on their luck. The fight sequences are full of piss and vinegar, and I love how Matt Fraction writes Batman and Tim Drake’s relationship like a parent and an adult child while the heat continues to come down on them in the ongoing plotline. Overall: 8.9 Verdict: Buy

Mini Reviews: Comic Book History of Cocktails, Godzilla #2, Powers 25 #1, Red Hood #1, Absolute Batman #12

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Absolute Batman #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

Comic Book History of Cocktails (Ten Speed Press) – Really interesting concept, but David Wondrich’s newness to the comics medium shows as his rambling text overwhelms Dean Kotz’s images. The sequences where fictional bartenders make historical cocktails are cute, and this could have worked as an illustrated recipe book. As a PBR, bourbon on the rocks, vodka cranberry (Especially at Goth clubs because it looks like you’re drinking blood.) swiller, maybe I wasn’t the target audience for this, but maybe worth a flip through if you’re a fancy cocktail drinker. Overall: 5.0 Verdict: Pass

Godzilla #2 (IDW Publishing) – Tim Seeley and Nicola Cizmesija‘s Godzilla series continues to have tons of moving parts and a large ensemble cast, but the heart of the series is the “chosen one” type figure Jacen, who seems destined to throw down with Godzilla. I love his interactions with his telepathic teammate Rumi, and how they symbolize Japanese and American attitudes about Godzilla as well as the world as a whole. However, Godzilla #2 isn’t all talking heads, and Cizemsija and colorist Francesco Segala serve up a freakish monster to give G-Force some grief and test Jacen’s abilities. The comic is a dark, slow burn, but still has some time for levity aka every Jet Jaguar shows up. Overall: 7.8 Verdict: Buy

Powers 25 #1 (Dark Horse) – Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming‘s Powers is back and still has the juice! There’s still the rapid fire dialogue and Alex Toth-meets-The Wire visuals, but this new series interrogates what it’s like for a universe filled with superheroes and also live streaming and ever changing laws . And it’s all told the POV of a rookie cop that has a history with Powers although some familiar faces from the previous series pop up and play key roles in Powers 25. I also enjoyed the series’ underlying them of why after all the technology and changes in the world, it still hasn’t gotten any better. It really resonates, and Bendis and Oeming set up one hell of a (grotesque) mystery. Overall: 8.0 Verdict: Buy

Red Hood #1 (DC) – Due to the cowardice of DC Comics in their firing of its writer Gretchen Felker-Martin, Red Hood #1 is the first thread in a violent mystery saga that sadly won’t be fully unraveled. There’s a muscularity to Jeff Spokes‘ line work and crimson red palette, and his New Angelique has real character to it that matches Felker-Martin’s lyrical narration. I love how much inner turmoil she gives Jason Todd, and how she lets Spokes cook on the fight sequences as the bullets fly and bodies fall. Jason Todd is a cool, complex character ripe for this kind of genre story, and it’s sad that we’ll never see the end of this. Overall: 8.4 Verdict: Buy

Absolute Batman #12 (DC) – There’s an idea floating around that Batman created his villains, and Scott Snyder, Nick Dragotta, and Frank Martin take this idea literally in Absolute Batman #12. In the big picture of the series, this will probably be seen as a pivotal issue as Snyder and Dragotta channel Dante’s Inferno and give each member of Bruce Wayne’s friend group a contrapasso of their own. Although told mainly in flashback, the scenes of transformation of Oswald Cobblepot, Edward Nygma, and Harvey Dent are like infusions of psychic torture straight to the brain as Bruce almost reaches a breaking point. (Emphasis on almost.) Nick Dragotta’s art is powerful and extreme as ever from the opening subway chase with Batman and Killer Croc to a certain character packing heat in a way Rob Liefeld only dreamed of. This reckless, riverboat gambler Batman continues to be the car crash I keep returning to, and Absolute Batman #12 is no exception and takes the concept to eleven. Overall: 9.2 Verdict: Buy

Mini Reviews: Closer, Monster High: House Haunters #1, Adventures of Lumen N #1, Spider-Man ’94 #1, Bytchcraft #3

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Closer #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

Closer (Image) – Closer #1 is the equivalent of a haunting pop single from one of your favorite artists, in this case, Kieron Gillen, Steve Lieber, and Tamra Bonvillain. They construct a universe that has gone to shit because a man’s relationship with a woman didn’t live up to the poetry of a Burt Bacharach song. There’s big Phonogram curse song energy to this issue as strange happenings dot its pages, and its sensible protagonist Marigold tries to make sense of what going on. I enjoyed the increasing frustration of the facial expressions Lieber gives in contrast to the idealized version of her from her ex. Sometimes, we don’t share the same connection with another person, and that’s not the end of the world, but it makes for an interesting comic. Overall: 9.1 Verdict: Buy

Monster High: House Haunters #1 (IDW Publishing) – A ScareBnB trip goes horribly awry in Ben Kahn, Sonia Liao, and Rebecca Nalty‘s Monster High: House Haunters #1. I love how this issue balances adorable art, witty jokes, and a genuinely terrifying situation. Seriously, this comic is laugh out loud funny, especially at a bit where this universe’s equivalent of a YouTube essayist makes some amazing puns on horror director’s names. The monstrous nature of the characters makes for some hilarious situations too, but especially as the comic reaches its final pages, Kahn and Liao inject some real suspense into the story. All in all, Monster High: House Haunters #1 is an enjoyable horror comedy comic for fierce fiends of all ages. Overall: 8.4 Verdict: Buy

Adventures of Lumen N #1 (Dark Horse) – James Robinson, Phil Hester, Marc Deering, and Jim Campbell‘s new series Adventures of Lumen N #1 starts out on its front foot with a little mystery and a lot of action. Its titular character, a young girl living in India at the turn of the 20th century, suddenly begins to figure out why she’s been trained in languages, ship navigation, and combat unlike her peers. This first issue establishes the premise of the series and is filled with the always lovely shapes of Hester with Robinson’s script oozing retro charm. I can’t wait to see more of Lumen and her mysterious grandfather’s relationship, which seems to be at the heart of the series. I’ve definitely seen comics similar to this one, but James Robinson and Phil Hester definitely have a special synergy, and I’m excited to see more angular, retrofuturism. Overall: 7.9 Verdict: Buy

Spider-Man ’94 #1 (Marvel) – J.M. DeMatteis, Jim Towe, and Jim Campbell‘s Spider-Man ’94 #1 is truly a bittersweet. There’s the sweetness of the bright colors and vibrant, yet cheesy in a 90s cartoon way banter between Spider-Man and Molten Man as well as the authentic emotionality of his interactions with Mary Jane, especially with how the animated series ended. But then there’s the bitterness of DeMatteis and Towe’s wholesale transposition of the spider totem part of JMS’ Amazing Spider-Man run, Morlun, and all. Morlun worked in the Spider-Verse so he might work here too, but he’s a personality-free villain, who just is evil for evil’s sake. I understand wanting to use a bad guy that didn’t exist during the original cartoon’s run, but Morlun and company ain’t it, chief. However, it’s nice to see Mary Jane and Peter in a mature, if not healthy relationship, and J.M. DeMatteis nails the voice of Christopher David Barnes’ Spidey so I’ll give the next issue or two a shot. Overall: 7.0 Verdict: Read

Bytchcraft #3 (Mad Cave Studios) – Aaron Reese, Lema Carril, and Bex Glendining take Em, Adri, and Michele out of the city and into the Sacred Green where they deal with beings beyond our comprehension. I love the blend of cosmological world-building and character interactions as Reese does an intriguing riff on Judeo-Christian concepts to set up the backbone of their universe. The tension between the coven is relatable for anyone with a longterm friend group that’s started to drift apart, but more apocalyptic. However, Bytchcraft #3 isn’t just yapping and has epic god vs god, magickal battle royales that Glendining’s majestic color palette elevates to epic levels. It’s Biblical literally and figuratively, but also bittersweet because magic always has a cost. Overall: 8.1 Verdict: Buy

Mini Reviews: Catacomb of Torment #2, Godzilla Destroys the Marvel Universe #2, Black Cat #1, Umbrella Academy: Plan B #2, Krypto: The Last Dog of Krypton #3

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Black Cat #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

Catacomb of Torment #2 (Oni Press) – Catacomb of Torment #2 takes the actual horror of our current late capitalist reality and turns it up to 11 transforming it to the horror genre. In “Red Blend”, Evan Dorkin and Lukas Ketner go straight for the jugular taking shots at rich white men who have inherited all their wealth and exploit their workers while selling it for spare parts to private equity investor. Ketner is kind of the master of the reaction shot showing the protagonist Jud’s kind younger sister Grace get more and more horrified at his action until his comeuppance. Let’s just say you’ll never look at wine in the same way after reading this short story. Featuring a fashion illustration visual style from Fabiana Mascolo, her and Jeremy Lambert‘s “The Dressmaker” continues the anthology’s eat the rich vibe with an up and coming fashionista (over)matching wits with a boring rich guy. The fits are immaculate in this comic, and I love how they match the protagonist’s personality as Lambert and Mascolo dig into how women are treated differently depending on how they dress. The anthology wraps up with Matt Bors and Kano‘s “Hostile Architecture” where urban designer Desmond takes spikes on ledges, bars on benches, and sharp bits on subway turnstiles to a sadistic, high tech extreme. A series of panels where a grinding skateboarder goes flying made me gasp big-time, and the scenarios get even more and more extreme. I love the horror franchise that this story ends up being a riff on, and Kano’s art is a tortuous delight. If you like classic horror, hate capitalism, and maybe are just a little sick and twisted, then you’ll enjoy Catacomb of Torment #2. Overall: 8.6 Verdict: Buy

Godzilla Destroys the Marvel Universe #2 (Marvel) – Godzilla Destroys the Marvel Universe continues to be too much fun thanks to Gerry Duggan, Javier Garron, Juann Cabal, and Paco Medina, whose art style blend seamlessly for some giant monster versus superheroes action. After a framing flash forward to 2099, his issue focuses on various scientific and magical ways to take out Godzilla, including Pym particles, the crimson bands of Cytorrak, and Thor riding Fin Fang Foom. Of course, these all fail, and the fight against the King of Monsters turns into a delay of the inevitable. I love that Duggan’s signature humor doesn’t go away during this mammoth-sized story with some of C-list supervillains reacting pricelessly to Godzilla destroying their favorite bar. Overall: 7.9 Verdict: Buy

Black Cat #1 (Marvel) – Felicia Hardy is trying to live a more heroic life in the new Black Cat series from G. Willow Wilson, Gleb Melnikov, and Brian Reber. Having a female writer on Black Cat does wonders for her characterization, and I love the insights into what makes her tick while she runs from the cops and supervillains, who have become more bold and dangerous since Spider-Man is dealing with something over in his book. On the visual side, Melnikov’s art is sexy and stylized, and he continues to have a real knack for fight choreography as Black Cat and the Lizard throw down in this one. His comedy chops are too as I got a laugh out of just seeing all the random heroes and villains in Night Nurse’s waiting room. Overall: 8.5 Verdict: Buy

Umbrella Academy: Plan B #2 (Dark Horse) – The conflict between our titular heroes and the Sparrow Academy in Umbrella Academy: Plan B #2 has some Justice League vs The Authority, but with that signature Gerard Way/Gabriel Ba/Dave Stewart quirkiness. Way and Ba’s gift for pitch black humor is still intact as demonstrated in a flashback of a Sparrow Academy training exercise (I definitely watched this past weekend’s English Premier League matches differently.), Klaus’ new status quo, and a raygun obsessed US president. The anti-fascist satire is on fire this issue as Way and Ba begin to expand the plot of the series while still having time to check in with the individual members of the Umbrella Academy. To be honest, I couldn’t pick anyone from the Sparrow Academy in a lineup except for their version of Space Boy. Overall: 8.1 Verdict: Buy

Krypto: The Last Dog of Krypton #3 (DC Comics) – Krypto #3 is a touching, standalone story of heroism from Ryan North and Mike Norton. I love how Norton and colorist Ian Herring show the windswept winter landscapes that turn from idyllic to dangerous and progress the story through body language and context clues. Nothing is stronger than a bond between and kid and their pet, and Krypto #3 reinforces that while building up Krypto’s legacy as a hero in his own right. I love how this book is basically Superman: For All Seasons, but with Krypto. Overall: 9.5 Verdict: Buy

Mini Reviews: Cul-De-Sac #1, Captain America #2, and Ancestral Recall #1

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Captain America #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

Cul-De-Sac #1 (Bad Idea) – Mike Carey and Jonathan Wayshak team up on an interesting riff on the vampire genre that humanizes both the hunters and the monsters that they’re after. The stories focuses around a powerful vampire clan called the Necratil that can have children, live basically normal lives, and super scarily, drain the life out of their prey instead of sucking their blood. I love the normalcy with which the vampire kids are portrayed compared to the vampire hunters without taking away the air of menace. And on the art side, Wayshak has a little bit of that Richard Corben flair for any time someone is doing something monstrous and does a little classic newspaper cartoon style for the more mundane moments. Overall: 8.0 Verdict: Buy

Captain America #2 (Marvel) – This issue of Captain America is all about exploring the nuances and tough choices facing and being Cap in the early 20th century. Chip Zdarsky and Valerio Schiti craft a parallel narrative with sand-swept flashbacks of Colton’s experiences in the War on Terror and his current mission with Steve Rogers in Latveria. The stories look at the pros and cons of American interventionism and also highlight Rogers’ naive idealism as well as his status as a living symbol and legend. It’s not a simple smash and grab mission for sure. Overall: 8.7 Verdict: Buy

Ancestral Recall #1 (AHOY Comics) – Jordan Clark and Atagun Ilhan‘s Ancestral Recall lives up to the hype of its concept, which is an elderly painter named Melvin uses the power of Black history to help find his missing wife. I love how much of a curmudgeon Melvin is and his interactions with his neighbor-turned-sidekick Myran, who is the epitome of hospitality. On the visual side, Ihan uses the different historical figures that Melvin embodies to play with different styles like noir and swashbuckling adventure. (Also, did you know that Philip Marlowe was originally based on a Black man?) This comic is a robust argument against algorithm/AI culture and for re-connecting with one’s roots and neighbors. Overall: 8.3 Verdict: Buy

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