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
If You Find This, I’m Already Dead #1 (Dark Horse) – Despite its wordy title, If You Find This I’m Already Dead (IYFTIAD) #1 is a thrilling take on parallel worlds from Matt Kindt, Dan McDaid, and Bill Crabtree. Robin is a reporter joining a US military detachment in another reality called Terminus. Things go FUBAR pretty early, and Robin and soldier Gil instantly go into survival mode. Kindt’s captions feel journalistic, but disappear during confusing and frightening moments like when Robin and Gil get the aid of one of the Terminus natives to try to escape via the sewer. As the story unfolds, it turns into a narrative of oppressor and oppressed just like our own world. There are no clear answers or heroes, and the comic ends on one hell of a cliffhanger. McDaid and Crabtree’s art brings gritty documentary realism to a fantastic environment, and they go for authentic emotions instead of being lost in the trippiness. IYFTIAD is easily one of the strongest first issues I’ve read in 2024. Overall: 9.1 Verdict: Buy
Petrol Head #4 (Image) – Before getting into the continuing adventures of the motley crew Lupa, Sid the Sat Nav (I need him as a GPS voice), Dave, and Petrol Head, Rob Williams and Pye Parr begin Petrol Head #4 with a big picture look at the dystopian world of the comic. Basically, they tested the ozone bubbles on prisoners giving them a chance at freedom before letting them die in isolation. This scene adds a layer of darkness and a sense urgency to Petrol Head #4 as our protagonists scramble around looking for an opening to sprinkle nanobots and cleanse the environment. The tone might be dark, but Parr’s vehicle designs continue to be unique, and Williams’ gallows humor keep the story moving. For example, there’s the racer Hybrid whose only good stat is breaking. Petrol Head #4 definitely has a bleak tone, but it’s counterbalanced by a colorful cast of characters that find the laughs in an apocalyptic surveillance state that seems like a heightened version of our own. Overall: 8.1 Verdict: Buy
Sinister Sons #1 (DC Comics) – Peter Tomasi, David Lafuente, and Tamra Bonvillain‘s new series starring the sons of Sinestro and General Zod is a nice little amuse bouche. The basic premise is that Sinson and Lor-Zod want to step out of their father’s shadows and making something for themselves. So far, that something is a lot of posturing and brattiness, but it makes for amusing reading especially with Lafuente’s cartoon-y visuals. Because I’ve been reading Kneel before Zod and not the current Green Lantern series, I have a better handle on Lor-Zod’s character versus Sinson, but Tomasi’s humorous script covers a multitude of sins. I do miss when a #1 on a comic didn’t come with added homework though. Overall: 7.4 Verdict: Read (I purchased a copy on Amazon.)
Brett
Fall of the House of X #2 (Marvel) – Overall, I haven’t been a fan of the Krakoan age of the X-Men. The concept, I think, went against the basics of the X-Men, though there was potential. So, I’m reading the “Fall” of that era mostly to see what comes next, hoping it all gets back to the X-Men I enjoyed in the past (and it’s ok if it doesn’t). Fall of the House of X #2 is one half of the closing chapter of this era, delivering the over the top event the X-Men is known for. Good or bad, Fall of the House of X #2 feels a lot like the classic events of the 90s, with a slightly choppy narrative where it feels like key moments are missed in its storytelling and instead the focus is on the spectacle. The issue is full of it, with Polaris front and center kicking ass. The issue overall is entertaining and as a slice of the overall story, it works, but on its own, it feels like an empty summer blockbuster. Overall: 7.0 Verdict: Read
