Category Archives: Mini Reviews

Mini Reviews: Godzilla: Heist #5, Godzilla vs Thor #1, and Captain America #1

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Captain America #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

Captain America #1 (Marvel) – Chip Zdarsky, Valerio Schiti, and Frank Martin go for the high concept, no holds barred take on their new volume of Captain America. The series is set in the past in the shadow of both 9/11 and the emergence of superheroes with Cap being one week out of the ice. There’s a feeling of skepticism around superpowered beings with the exception of ones that answer to the U.S. military like Captain America in this case. Captain America #1 sets up Dr. Doom as the antagonist for the Man Out of Time’s first mission and also fleshes out a new partner for him with a similar hatred for bullies and desire to service his country. However, 2001 isn’t 1941 by a long shot. I love how Zdarsky writes Cap coming to grips with the complexities of 21st century, and he and Schiti aren’t afraid to depict him as a larger than life figure. The past setting is honestly freeing for this arc to potentially be an evergreen tale. Also, the early 2000s being the beginning of the age of marvels gives the comic an Ultimate Universe type of vibe, but Chip Zdarsky is a much better writer than Mark Millar so I’m excited to see how he explores the hopes and fears of that time period with more maturity and the benefit of hindsight. Overall: 8.1 Verdict: Buy

Godzilla vs Thor #1 (Marvel) – This series is back to its epic ways as Jason Aaron, Aaron Kuder, and Jesus Aburtov spin a yarn of an epic duel between the God of Thunder and the King of Monsters. There’s a little bit of a connection to Aaron’s Punisher run, but most of the book is a callback to his iconic Thor run with Godzilla taking up the mantle of God Butcher and setting up an eternal battle between god and demon, life and death. Kuder and Aburtov are game with wide screen layouts and gorgeous colors showing the back and forth and destruction of both divine beings. This is a mythic read as well as being a fun coda to Jason Aaron’s Thor run. Overall: 8.9 Verdict: Buy

Godzilla: Heist #5 (IDW Publishing) – Enough sneaking around, Godzilla: Heist #5 is all about the battle royale between Godzilla and Mechagodzilla as Jai is willing to sacrifice his own life to kill the King of Monsters. I love Van Jensen‘s captions for Jai as he calculates ways to get Godzilla away from civilians while also realizing there will always be collateral damage. Kelsey Ramsay draws a bunch of big spreads to show the scale and physicality of the fight scene with destruction raining across the page. The ending is a slight cop-out, but I wouldn’t mind a sequel to this series, or even better having Jai be incorporated in the Kai-Sei era. Overall: 8.1 Verdict: Buy

Mini Reviews: Aliens vs. Avengers #4, You Never Heard of Me #5, Godzilla vs. Avengers #1, Krypto: The Last Dog of Krypton #1, Exquisite Corpses #2, Emma Frost: The White Queen #1

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You Never Heard of Me #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

Aliens vs. Avengers #4 (Marvel) – Jonathan Hickman, Esad Ribic, and Ive Svorcina‘s Aliens vs. Avengers miniseries concludes in bleak, operatic fashion with a pitched battle between the remaining superheroes and Wakandan empire soldiers and the Sinister/xenomorphs. With the universe dying/concluded, the fighting is truly no holds barred, and there’s plenty of creative kills and heroic sacrifices. Ribic is known for his widescreen, epic work, but he showcases his gift for motion in a sequence where Wolverine, Armor, and Emma Frost try to take out Emma Frost. But Aliens vs. Avengers #4 isn’t just fisticuffs, and it features some classic Hickman philosophical underpinnings about life in a universe whose creators hate it. (Seriously, best use of the Engineers from Prometheus ever.) Overall: 8.7 Verdict: Buy

You Never Heard of Me #5 (Dark Horse) – Oh boy, this was a tear jerker. Iolanda Zanfardino and Elisa Romboli conclude the saga of Will, the boy with powers of foresight that he didn’t want, with a beautiful, earned happy ending as he grows closer to both his family and new friends. Zanfardino is so good at writing intimate, poignant conversations with Romboli’s expressive visuals making them that more expressive like Charlie connecting with her dad, who gives her the courage to ask the girl she likes out. The comic made me cry, but it also gave me a lot of good feelings as well especially in some of the visions of the future which get their own gold-tinged color palette. Overall: 9.4 Verdict: Buy

Emma Frost: The White Queen #1 (Marvel) – In Emma Frost: The White Queen #1, Amy Chu, Andrea DiVito, and Antonio Fabela turn the clock to the bad old days when Frost was a villain and not an X-Man. Until a Chris Claremont/John Byrne X-Men lineup teleport in to rescue an Argentine anti-fascist mutant, this comic is a delicious look at how Frost manipulates so-called powerful men with her right hand woman Noor. After that, it turns into a standard issue throwback X-Men comic, but Di Vito makes the nostalgia look good with fastball specials plus a Wolverine/Hellfire Club rematch with a twist. This series isn’t essential, but could potentially be a solid intermediate step between Emma Frost the White Queen and Emma Frost the superhero. Overall: 7.0 Verdict: Read

Godzilla vs. Avengers #1 (Marvel) – Godzilla vs. Avengers #1 is definitely the weakest of the Godzilla vs Marvel one-shots as David Walker, George Jeanty, Karl Story, and Frank D’Armata overindulge in 2000s nostalgia in a talky, yet substance-less issue. Yeah, most of this comic is the New Avengers bantering to an exasperated Maria Hill about a battle versus Godzilla in Astoria, Oregon guest starring Fin Fang Foom and Jet Jaguar. (I do love the ongoing joke about how Jet Jaguar neither resembles a Jet nor a Jaguar.) A little Bendis talk is fun, but this is just overload especially when we get a 24 panel page speculating on Fin Fang Foom’s gender identity. Probably Godzilla vs. Avengers‘ biggest weakness is there no real throughline or connection between the kaiju and Marvel material. It’s just a generic superhero battle with quips on quips, and every character sounds the same except Captain America. Overall: 5.7 Verdict: Pass

Krypto: The Last Dog of Krypton #1 (DC) – Ryan North and Mike Norton turn in a story of Krypto’s younger days and journey to Earth filled with heart and humanity. I love how they center the narrative around Krypto with Kal-El only playing an ancillary role although Jor-El and Lara-Zor-El’s anxiety about Krypton kickstart the plot, especially its first half. Norton’s background drawing Battleplug comes in handy as his take on Krypto is expressive and shows a wide range of emotions, especially during the comic’s several silent sequences. The back half of Krypto #1 is relatable to anyone who has felt lost and alone in a strange land. This series could end up being the *definitive* Krypto story and look forward to seeing how the protagonist interacts with his unexpected ally introduced on the final page cliffhanger. Overall: 8.8 Verdict: Buy

Exquisite Corpses #2 (Image) – Exquisite Corpses #1 was so epic in concept and execution that it’s normal that Exquisite Corpses #2 has a little bit of a sophomore slump. However, James Tynion IV, Michael Walsh, Mariana Ignazzi, and Jordie Bellaire have fun with a little sexy killer versus creepy killer as well as showing hopeless it is for the townsfolk of Oak Valley. There’s plenty of gore and creative kills as Pretty Boy and the Congregation team up. There’s big Texas Chainsaw Massacre vs Interview with a Vampire vibes (Even though Pretty Boy is of the living.) with a charming, good looking killer matching skills with a disgusting, cultish one. However, Exquisite Corpses continues to make the ordinary folks of Oak Valley the most sympathetic figures even as they’re led as lambs for the slaughter. Maybe, at least, some of them will survive. Overall: 8.0 Verdict: Buy

Mini Reviews: Marvel United: A Pride Special, Lost Fantasy #2, and Absolute Batman #9

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Marvel United: Pride

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 United: A Pride Special (Marvel) – The good ol’ 616 Universe gets into the Pride spirit with four wonderful, action-packed short stories featuring both LGBTQ+ characters and creators, including a few personal faves. Marvel United starts with a cosmic deep dive bang with Al Ewing and Kei Zama spinning a yarn of Aaron Fischer’s Captain America, Escapade (ice to see her back.), and Charlene McGowan battling Hate Monger with the power of love, inclusivity, trippy art, and old school Marvel lore. Up next, Wyatt Kennedy and Baileigh Underwood turn on the waterworks in a wholesome story about Mystique’s love for Nightcrawler centered a dream she had about raising him as a boy. It’s bittersweet seeing Kurt grow up in a loving home with Mystique and Destiny, but Kennedy and Underwood make up for it by showing Mystique being proud of the blue fuzzy elf in the present day. I love how this story shows the softer side of Raven Darkholme. Be gay, do crime, and have heart to heart’s about exes is at the core of “Bolter”, a Sera/Black Cat team-up from Zoe Tunnell and Federica Mancin. Even though they’ve never ran into each other in comics before, Sera and Felicia Hardy are instant frenemies, and I love how this story also leaves the door open for a Sera and Angela reunion with Mancin’s visuals underlining the deep feelings they have for each other. Marvel United concludes with a story set in the 1940s featuring Captain America and Marvel’s 1st LGBTQ+ character Arnie Roth from Anthony Oliveira and Pablo Collar. This story reveals how much of the DNA of Steve Rogers’ heroism was in his gay neighbor who was denied benefits by the VA because of his sexuality, but was finally memorialized towards the end of this story. Their friendship complements the action nicely, and an interview with Roth co-creator J.M. DeMatteis provides insight into his work and career as well as how far LGBTQ+ representation has come in comics. I love how Marvel United gets to the humanity of characters like Escapade, Mystique, Sera, and Arnie Roth underneath the shiny costumes and hopefully sets them up for more appearances down the road in Marvel comics. Overall: 9.0 Verdict: Buy

Lost Fantasy #2 (Image) – Lost Fantasy continues to be an engaging blend of fantasy and noir from Curt Pires and Luca Casalanguida. This issue features bullet magic and a hidden occult world layered over our own. The small town setting offsets the giant swords, lightsabers, and monsters nicely, and I love how the protagonist’s conflict is as much psychological as physical. As a bonus, we get another chapter of Pires’, Rockwell White, and Alex Diotto‘s “Indigo Children”, which is a high octane saga rooted in space opera and the technological parts of old school superhero comics. Overall: 7.7 Verdict: Buy

Absolute Batman #9 (DC) – He only appears in his full glory towards the end of the issue, but Absolute Batman #9 debuts its bigger scarier, take on Bane courtesy of Scott Snyder, Nick Dragotta, and Frank Martin. Batman’s new mission is rescuing his friend Waylon Jones from Ark M, and he acts with increased desperation and separation from his mom and deeper connection to Pennyworth and his future rogues gallery. There are all kinds of supporting characters, backstories, and subplots filling the margin, but Snyder and Dragotta ignore this noise and masterfully meld the martial arts and slasher genres as all of Batman’s training is no match for Bane. I got chills when the narration dropped out, and colorist Martin accentuates the shadows. Overall: 8.3 Verdict: Buy

Mini Reviews: Marvel Knights: The World to Come #1, Imperial #1, and Godzilla Heist #4

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Imperial #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: The World to Come #1 (Marvel) – Although it features expertly rendered art from Joe Quesada and warmly nostalgic coloring and letters from Richard Isanove and Richard Starkings, Marvel Knights: The World to Come #1 is a self-indulgent epilogue to Priest‘s iconic run on Black Panther. It’s both self-serious and parody with Priest’s narrator (Still Everett Ross!) poking fun at his non-linear storytelling. Priest goes back and forth in time without spending enough time to set up each era. Even the notes in the back feel like half-baked worldbuilding compared to other potential futures in the Marvel Universe, and some of Priest’s word and dialogue choices are cringeworthy. I feel like this comic might have been fun in 1998, but it feels like moldy leftovers in 2025. Joe Quesada deserved some better scripts for his return to interiors. (Thankfully, Marvel Knights #1 is less wordy than Kevin Smith’s Daredevil.) Overall: 5.3 Verdict: Pass

Imperial #1 (Marvel) – Jonathan Hickman, Iban Coello, and Federico Vicentini‘s Imperial is a little space opera, a little mystery, and a whole lot of fun. Heads of state across the cosmic side of the Marvel Universe are getting poisoned included Hulk’s estranged son Skaar, and a disparate cast of characters must find out who’s responsible before the universe breaks out into war. Imperial #1 is full of political intrigue, but what’s really compelling is the tension between father and son represented between Peter Quill and J’Son of Spartoi and the aforementioned Hulk and Skaar. Richard Rider’s Nova presence is welcome too, and Hickman, Coello, and Vicentini ably balance space action and passive aggressive backstabbing. Imperial #1 is an epic first salvo in a blockbuster summer event series that (as far as I know) doesn’t require reading 20 other books. Overall: 8.7 Verdict: Buy

Godzilla Heist #4 (IDW Publishing) – Van Jensen, Kelsey Ramsay, and Heather Breckel get the job done in this fast-paced penultimate issue of the heist/double crosses with giant monsters miniseries. Protagonist Jai comes face to face with a mad scientist and his mother’s invention Mechagodzilla all the while Godzilla is rampaging through London. Godzilla Heist #4 is light on the Godzilla and heavy on the heist with Jai spending the issue trying to get out of a very stressful situation punctuated by Breckel’s use of reds. There are also some flashbacks, a wee bit of character growth for Jai, and plenty of gun play and hand to hand action setting up a battle royale in the finale. Overall: 7.9 Verdict: Buy

Mini Reviews: Monster High: Pride 2025, Metamorpho: The Element Man #6, Absolute Martian Manhunter #3, Detective Kaiju #1, Mommy Blog

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Mommy Blog

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

Monster High: Pride 2025 (IDW) – Monster High kicks off Pride Month a week early with a couple cute, yet spooky stories. First up is a “fiends” to lovers called “Math Camp” by Jacque Aye, Siobhan Keenan, and Bex Glendining, which was also relatable to me as someone with lifelong math anxiety. I love the chemistry that Aye and Keenan craft between Clawdeen Wolf and Toralei, and how Clawdeen uses her knowledge of fashion to get through math equations. The plotting, puns, and bright colors are like an old school Saturday morning cartoon, but fierce and more queer-inclusive. The second story by Megan Brown, Bowen McCurdy, and Katherine Shuda deals with the ramifications of an emotional vampire using the “L” word. (Love, not lesbian.) McCurdy orchestrates a dangerous situation set up in a haunted fairgrounds to bring them together and even throws in some chibi style art to make the action/chase sequences even more adorable. I feel like being queer and being into monsters goes hand in hand, and Monster High: Pride 2025 pulls this off in a really fun way. I’ve always thought their characters have had the best aesthetics, and it’s nice to learn about their actual personalities in this comic. Overall: 8.0 Verdict: Buy

Metamorpho: The Element Man #6 (DC) – One of the most underrated DC books of the past few years concludes in freakish fashion as Al Ewing, Steve Lieber, and Lee Loughridge put Metamorpho through his final paces in a fight against Solaris, the Tyrant Sun. There’s still a Silver Age energy to Ewing’s dialogue and captions (So much alliteration!), a touch of early Bronze Age in some of the deep cut references and winking nods at the book’s cancellation, and Lieber even turns in some Golden Age art in a unique two page seqeuence. But Metamorpho #6 also feels like the eccentric cousin of Grant Morrison’s DC One Million and All-Star Superman, especially in the climax of the battle between Metamorpho and Solaris. The final issue ends up being a love letter to the different eras of superhero comics and reminding us that they’re at their finest when they’re at their weirdest. Of course, there’s plenty of heart and heroic sacrifice too with Sapphire Stagg and Metamorpho rekindling their romance. I would love a lot more adventures with this style of writing and art, but six near perfect issues is a damn good run. Overall: 9.6 Verdict: Buy

Absolute Martian Manhunter #3 (DC) – Deniz Camp and Javier Rodriguez‘s Absolute Martian Manhunter continues to be one of the most immersive and impactful comic of 2025. This is a book that can be read on a variety of levels: Rodriguez’s trippy imagery and more traditional art, Camp’s narrative captions for John Jones, and Martian vision, which letterer Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou conveys in (At times literal) cloudy script. The plot of the issue deals with Jones investigating a series of homicide/arsons done against unhoused folks as the White Martian threat ramps up, and it turns into a beautiful, occasionally violent meditation on home, shelter, and being. Javier Rodriguez’s art makes the familiar alien in scenes like Jones interacting with his two distant kids. Absolute Martian Manhunter #3 is walking in someone else’s shoes, but with extra visual flair. Overall: 9.6 Verdict: Buy

Detective Kaiju #1 (Massive) – Despite its super cool title, Michael Calero and Kit Wallis‘ Detective Kaiju #1 is a fragmented first chapter. (Disclaimer: I haven’t read Quested, the series’ parent book.) The main thing that took me out of the book was figuring what the protagonist’s size was at any given time ; sometimes, he has the physical proportions of, say, Hellboy and sometimes he’s Godzilla-size. It left me wondering if the sequences Detective Kaiju is a private eye are dream sequences, and the ones where he’s facing the military and tanks are reality and vice versa. Even this quibble aside, overall, Detective Kaiju #1 feels like a collection of loose incidents instead of a coherent chapter in a narrative although I appreciate Calero’s lettering and some of Wallis’ design choices. Overall: 5.8 Verdict: Pass

Mommy Blog (Image/Ninth Circle) – Mommy Blog is an incredibly frightening, yet darkly hilarious one-shot from Marguerite Bennett, Eleonora Carlini, and Hoyt Silva that holds up a mirror to mom/influencer culture and laughs at it with a bloodstained mouth and visually cartoonish glee. Bennett’s script is wordy, but absolutely dripping in wit quickly introducing the main character, her world, and off-base opinions. Capitalism and white supremacy are Bennett and Carlini’s main targets, but they make the medicine go down with blood, gore, and suburban drama. This is a horror story for our always on/always live streaming culture where public and private life blurs together unrecognizably and relationships are just stepping stones. Overall: 9.4 Verdict: Buy

Mini Reviews: DC x Sonic the Hedgehog #3 and Superman Unlimited #1

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Superman Unlimited #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

DC x Sonic the Hedgehog #3 (DC) – Ian Flynn and Adam Bryce Thomas keep the DC Comics/Sonic crossover fresh and fun in the miniseries’ 3rd issue. With the JL trapped in the Sonic Universe, Team Sonic takes over and does an admirable job protecting the DC Universe from various villains. Thomas’ combinations of the Sonic characters and DC characters’ costumes is adorable, and Flynn scripts some fun situations like Lex Luthor trying to manipulate/poison Knuckles with kryptonite, Amy Rose hitting Gorilla Grodd with a big hammer, and an especially epic showdown between Shadow and Joker. It’s fanservice at its finest, but it’s nice to have a break from the big plots and just have Sonic and his friends interact with more characters in the DC Universe with some colorful action from Adam Bryce Thomas and Matt Herms. Overall: 8.0 Verdict: Buy

Superman Unlimited #1 (DC) – In his first full comic written for DC Comics in decades, Dan Slott takes a big swing and shifts Superman and his family’s status quo with the help of one big Kryptonite asteroid coming towards Earth. He, Rafael Albuquerque, and Marcelo Maiolo have Superman get almost killed in Superman Unlimited #1, use his near-death state to re-tell his history/origin, and then introduce a new status quo to the DC Universe. It’s ambitious to say the least even though most of the comic feels like a cover song although it’s cool to see Albuquerque illustrate Smallville and iconic moments like the Death of Superman. I don’t know if Slott can pull it off, but this first issue is an era-introducing statement so I’m on the ride for now. Overall: 7.5 Verdict: Read

Mini Reviews: Godzilla vs X-Men, Supergirl #1, Absolute Batman #8, Exquisite Corpses #1, Invincible Universe: Battle Beast #1

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Supergirl #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

Godzilla vs X-Men (Marvel) – Godzilla continues his Marvel Universe Eras tour with a stop in the early 1990s and the X-Men lineup (Sans Jubilee) used for the classic animated series. It’s fitting that Fabian Nicieza handles the scripting duties, and he slips into the old hated and feared routine with a side of the kaiju genre. He and artist Emilio Laiso utilize Godzilla’s size scale to do some epic vertical fight sequences, including the best use of the Super Adaptoid in recent memory as an Ultraman/Voltron type figure. I also love the bond Professor X shares with Godzilla through their psychic link. Godzilla vs. X-Men has big-time action while still remaining true to the core of both properties and shows that Nicieza still has his fastball. Overall: 8.0 Verdict: Buy

Supergirl #1 (DC) – Sophie Campbell and Tamra Bonvillain‘s Supergirl has both Silver Age zaniness (Super-pets, mistaken identities, thought bubbles) and bright, contemporary visuals to go with nuanced characterization of its lead character. Kara struggles with her identity as superhero, Kryptonian, and citizen of Earth, especially when her parents invite her back to see her in sleepy Midvale where things are a little, shall we say, Twin Peaks-y. Sophie Campbell nails Kara’s voice and gives the book a fun, yet mysterious vibe that’s also new reader friendly. Overall: 8.7 Verdict: Buy

Absolute Batman #8 (DC) – Absolute Batman continues to have some of the best fight choreography in comics with guest artist Marcos Martin bringing the horror-tinged noise while Batman fights to get out of one of Mr. Freeze’s cryo chambers. He and writer Scott Snyder also use Bruce’s time in cryo to really zero in on the trauma he felt after his dad’s passing along with the guilt his late friend, Matches Malone, felt. Absolute Batman #8 puts this working class conception of Batman to good use having him integrated into his community (That happen to share the names of his greatest foes.) instead of being in a dark manor far away. Martin’s conception of Mr. Freeze will haunt me for quite a while, but it will be nice to get back on the Ark M plotline. Overall: 8.2 Verdict: Buy

Exquisite Corpses #1 (Image/Tiny Onion) – James Tynion, Michael Walsh, and Jordie Bellaire kick off an immersive horror/conspiracy universe in the triple-sized first issue of Exquisite Corpses. The high concept premise of the 13 wealthiest families hiring killers whose weapons are revealed to them on a playing card is reminiscent of things like Battle Royale, The Purge and even previous Tynion comics like Department of Truth and Something is Killing the Children. However, this first issue gives us folks to root for in the midst of the decadent carnage, and its extra length introduces the 12 killers with aplomb while leaving a room for a little a room. Slasher film plus March Madness plus paranoid conspiracies equals take money. Overall: 8.4 Verdict: Buy

Invincible Universe: Battle Beast #1 (Image/Skybound) – No prior knowledge of Invincible is needed for this violent, guilty pleasure of a fight comic from Robert Kirkman, Ryan Ottley, and Annalisa Leoni. After being kicked into a portal by Invincible, Battle Beast is on a quest for a worthy opponent to put him out his misery, but that’s easier said than done. Ottley and Leoni fill the pages of this first page with oodles of colorful extraterrestrial gore and body parts with most of the issue being a brutal fight sequence. However, Battle Beast #1 isn’t without a sense humor, and I live for the banter between the protagonist and the computer of ship whose crew Battle Beast previously brutally murdered. Overall: 7.4 Verdict: Read

Mini Reviews: Absolute Green Lantern #2 and Godzilla Heist #3

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Absolute Green Lantern #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

Absolute Green Lantern #2 (DC) – Al Ewing and Jahnoy Lindsay turn an old, dying alien into a super freaky horror antagonist in Absolute Green Lantern #2. Much of the story is set in flashbacks showing a Frieza-esque Abin Sur wreaking havoc slicing through bodies and Lindsay’s panel layouts too. There’s also a decent mystery vibe going on throughout the whole issue, and Ewing turns the traditional Green Lantern mythos on its heels with the gift of “no fear” being more of a curse than a blessing. I’m not a big Green Lantern guy, but this series definitely has my interest plus I’m digging Jahnoy Lindsay’s manga inspired approach to character design and storytelling. Overall: 8.1 Verdict: Buy

Godzilla Heist #3 (IDW) – Van Jensen and Kelsey Ramsay kick off the double/triple/quadruple crossing phase of the heist in Godzilla Heist #3. There’s tons of action and mayhem, but the comic doesn’t lose sight of its emotional heart which is that protagonist Pi’s mom (Aka the inventor of Mechagodzilla) was ripped off by the British government, and he’s coming to get his revenge. There are lots of spinning plot plates in Godzilla Heist #3, but they land smoothly for the most part ending on a killer cliffhanger. However, the real treat of the book is the spectacle of Godzilla obliterating London while Pi uses gadgets and tries to manipulate him while trying to get to the prize with all of his body parts intact. Overall: 7.9 Verdict: Buy

Mini Reviews: Thunderbolts* welds superpowers and interpersonal struggle to craft an action packed and heart rending story

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Thunderbolts*

Sometimes, the staff at Graphic Policy are unable to get long reviews written. When that happens you’ll see these “mini reviews.”

These are Graphic Policy’s Mini Reviews and Recommendations.

Logan

Thunderbolts*– When Thunderbolts* began with the comic panel intro instead of the MCU, I knew it would be a solid flick. It’s an ode to the hard cases and the girlies with mental health struggles who just happen to have the powers of Superman or Russian spy martial arts. Director Jake Schreier wisely centers the film on Yelena Belova’s (Florence Pugh) journey, and her gifts for wry comedy and deep emotion are on display. I especially love her interactions with Bob (Lewis Pullman) and Red Guardian (David Harbour), who brings the loudest laughs. Instead of focusing on the next film, Thunderbolts* welds superpowers and interpersonal struggles to craft an action packed and occasionally heart rending story. Seriously, Yelena’s story is relatable to anyone who feels lonely and left out. Overall Verdict: 7.0

Mini Reviews: Wolverine and Kitty Pryde #1, We’re Taking Everyone Down With Us #2, Godzilla vs. Spider-Man, Lost Fantasy #1, Godzilla vs Los Angeles

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We're Taking Everyone Down With Us #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

Wolverine and Kitty Pryde #1 (Marvel) – Chris Claremont pens a sequel to the excellent 1984 Kitty Pryde and Wolverine miniseries that transformed her from Sprite to Shadowcat and from a Chicago suburban brat to a badass ninja. But she still has a little of the brat in her in the opening issue of Wolverine and Kitty Pryde, which features extended fight and training scenes, a reminder that Kitty Pryde’s dad and Professor X fought together in some war, and a truly trippy ending. My favorite part of the comic was Damian Couceiro‘s art that channels the explosive cartooning that John Romita Jr. and a young Frank Miller did during that era. It definitely feels like a lost relic from 1985 with much less overwrought caption boxes. Overall: 7.4 Verdict: Read

We’re Taking Everyone Down With Us (Image) – Trying to escape from Agent Rook with the help of her dead father’s robots, Annaliese starts to come into her own as a badass in We’re Taking Everyone Down With Us #2. Matthew Rosenberg‘s henchman banter game is on point, and Stefano Landini and Jason Wordie turn in colorful explosions and fun panel layouts like a 12 panel grid of a meeting between supervillains with each baddie occupying 25% of the page. Desperation and confusion are recurring themes for this comic, but thankfully not for the reading experience as Annaliese starts to piece together the situation she’s stuck in. Overall: 8.5 Verdict: Buy

Godzilla vs. Spider-Man (Marvel) – Joe Kelly, Nick Bradshaw, and Rachelle Rosenberg go back to the 80s as a black symbiote suit-wearing Spider-Man fights Godzilla and a love triangle between Mary-Jane and Black Cat. Kelly takes a quip a minute approach to scripting, and editor Nick Lowe tags in with notes mocking how convoluted Marvel continuity has gotten in the past four decades. But beneath the humor and Bradshaw’s epic renditions of the King of Monsters consumed by a Venom symbiote, Kelly has a good understanding of Godzilla as a protector of Earth from external threats like Venom and Knull. Also, his Peter Parker is the perfect hapless dork. Godzilla vs. Spider-Man has some epic fight sequences and is a perfect throwback comic even leaning less on guest stars than previous Godzilla vs. installments. Overall: 8.2 Verdict: Buy

Lost Fantasy #1 (Image) – Lost Fantasy is a new conspiracy-tinged fantasy series from Curt Pires and Luca Casalanguida. The first issue plays all the Chosen One beats in a slice of life setting before overturning the apple cart and setting up a dark, mysterious future. It strikes the right balance between action and worldbuilding with Pires and Casalanguida creating a proper alternate history world. As an added bonus, there’s a backup from Rockwell White, Pires, and Alex Diotto continuing the story of the “Indigo Children” that features interesting riffs on the Superman origin story and rhythmic grid layouts. It definitely made me want to go back and read the Indigo Children trade paperback. Overall: 8.6 Verdict: Buy

Godzilla vs Los Angeles (IDW) – The King of Monsters heads to the City of Angels in Godzilla vs Los Angeles, which is a showcase of the different cartooning styles of Angeleno creators. The first story in Godzilla vs Los Angeles, “Eye in the Sky” is an ode to heroic journalists from writer/artist Gabriel Hardman. Two traffic reporters whose job is being fazed out by drones take advantage to do some actual journalism, and Hardman is game to follow their dangerous journey shooting a Godzilla attack from a variety of angles. Hardman uses sharp, sudden panels to build tension as one of the protagonists starts shooting Godzilla from his iPhone on the kaiju’s back, and it ends up being a heightened homage to some of the bravest folks period. Featuring colorful cartooning from Nicole Goux and a witty script from Jordan Morris, “The Big Break” is a love letter to the very touristy, yet very L.A. studio tour complete with bad puns and annoying corporate mascots. I love the interplay between the script that the main character delivers for the tour and her very sad inner captions. However, “The Big Break” takes a fun turn once Godzilla gets involved and features some fancy driving and layout work from Goux ending with a tribute to a very family friendly film franchise. The third story in Godzilla vs. Los Angeles is a humorous history lesson about the subway system in L.A. from cartoonist Dave Baker, which would make a great place to hide from Godzilla and other kaiju although some Angelenos will take their chances and stay in their cars. I really enjoyed this story as a public transit enthusiast, and Baker’s writing style is accessible and humorous to go with his art that falls more on the cartoonish side of things. Godzilla vs Los Angeles concludes with J. Gonzo, Scott Hanna, and Heather Breckel‘s “Godzil-LA”, which is kind of the people’s tokusatsu history of L.A. as graffiti artists and film craftspeople from different L.A. neighborhood band together to take out the kaiju. “Godzil-LA” is a vibrant finisher to a comic that shows the tenacity and vitality of Los Angeles to withstand kaiju attacks in the ficitional world and wildfires in the real world. Overall: 9.1 Verdict: Buy

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