Jenny Sparkes #3 (of 6)
(W) Tom King (A) Jeff Spokes
In Shops: Oct 16, 2024
SRP: $4.99
The Justice League arrives on the scene to save the day, but will they listen to Jenny as she warns them this is a threat like no other? Could the heroes be outmatched by the might of Captain Atom in his quest for divinity? Let the games begin!
Skybound, Image Comics, and Hasbro have revealed the connecting variant cover series from superstar cover artist David Nakayama for the highly anticipated launch of G.I. JOE. From the chart-topping, acclaimed creative team of writer Joshua Williamson, artist Tom Reilly, and colorist Jordie Bellaire, the history-making comic book series kicks off on Wednesday, November 13.
Spanning issues #1-4, Nakayama’s connecting covers showcase a dynamic battle scene featuring the women of G.I. Joe and Cobra.
In addition to the kickoff of Nakayama’s connecting cover series, the extra-length debut issue will feature a wraparound main cover by Reilly, along with variant covers by other superstar artists Jerome Opeña and Dave Stewart; Brett Booth, Livesay and Andrew Dalhouse; David Finch, Danny Miki and Dave McCaig; Lee Bermejo; Sozomaika; Jenny Frison; Jeff Spokes, E.J. Su; Jonboy Meyers; and Andrea Milana.
Conrad Hauser, Codename DUKE, has assembled a special force known as G.I. Joe to battle the rising power of the mysterious COBRA in the aftermath of the Autobots and Decepticons’ arrival on Earth. But the enigmatic Cobra Commander has unleashed the power of Energon like never before!
Featuring the First Appearance of an ALL-NEW character and many familiar faces, this is the comic that will change everything you think you know about G.I. JOE…and that’s only half the surprises in store!
The full list of variant covers is below:
Jenny Sparks #2 (of 6)
(W) Tom King (A) Jeff Spokes
In Shops: Sep 18, 2024
SRP: $4.99
IT’S JENNY VERSUS THE 21ST CENTURY AS TOM KING AND RISING STAR ARTIST JEFF SPOKES’ NEW WILDSTORM SERIES RAGES ON! The Spirit of the 20th century returns for the 21st! Thinking her time on this world has finally ended, Jenny lays down to rest only to be woken by the horrific events of September 11th, 2001. Humanity still needs her, especially four seemingly random strangers in a bar. Will Captain Atom spare them from his murderous wrath? Or is Jenny in over her head?
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
Jenny Sparks #1 (DC/DC Black Label) – The Spirit of the 20th Century returns with a whimper, not a bang in Tom King and Jeff Spokes‘ Jenny Sparks #1. The comic which focuses on Jenny Sparks’ unexpected return to take out a deranged Dr. Manhattan, er, Captain Atom when the Justice League can’t is just (censored) swearing and edgelord posturing. Sparks did have an origin miniseries in 2000, but she’s really no fun without the Authority to riff on which is lampshaded in some of Captain Atom’s taunting dialogue. King and Spokes go full Pulp Fiction 90s and tell a non-linear story from different viewpoints that ends up colliding at a bar, but they end up feeling like distractions from Sparks’ return and Atom’s rampage. Jeff Spokes’ art has some creativity to it, especially when Captain Atom uses his powers, but you’re better off dusting off your old Ellis/Hitch (Or even Millar/Quitely) trades or watching Justice League Unlimited Season 2, Episode 9 than reading this new take on Jenny Sparks and Nathaniel Adam. Overall: 5.8 Verdict: Pass
Paranoid Gardens #2 (Dark Horse) -Little bit of a second issue slump for Gerard Way, Shaun Simon, Chris Weston, and Dave Stewart‘s Paranoid Gardens, but we find out a little bit more about the suspicious monkey mask guys and the nefarious Dr. Zerc. But the best part for me is Lou just trying to maneuver through life working at the weirdest care home in the universe, figuring out her potentially gifts, and her connection to the superhero admitted in the last issue. Weston’s art continues to be a deadpan delight, especially a series of multiple panels where the guy who was shooting heat vision last issue is drooling because he’s so doped up. Paranoid Gardens still revels in its uniqueness, and I’m interested to see the answers to some of these mysteries, including Lou’s past. Overall: 7.6 Verdict: Read
Ultimate Spider-Man #8 (Marvel) – Jonathan Hickman, Marco Checchetto, and Matthew Wilson‘s reimagining of Peter Parker’s Spider-Man continues to be one of my favorite comics of 2024. It juggles poignant character moments with long form plotting. For example, J. Jonah Jameson gets moments both silly (Arguing about sandwiches at a bakery that he thinks is a deli.) and sincere (Having a heart to heart with Peter’s son, Richard.) with Hickman giving him depth although he’s the books sixth or seventh lead. There are unbroken moments of Peter with his family and friends that balance out the high tech superheroics and cloak and dagger work as a Tony Stark guest appearance connects Peter and Harry Osborn to the larger world of the Ultimate Universe. And last, but not least, the Sinister Six are actually scary again! Overall: 8.4 Verdict: Buy
Jenny Sparks #1 (of 6)
(W) Tom King (A) Jeff Spokes
In Shops: Aug 21, 2024
SRP: $4.99
THE WILD STORM BEGINS! What could four strangers have to do with the fate of the world? Find out as Captain Atom goes rogue, threatening to destroy the planet he once swore to protect. Can any hero stop him? Well, it may take the most unconventional of them all…Jenny Sparks, the one woman tasked with keeping ALL the heroes in line, no matter the cost. With a snap of her fingers, she’s entered the fray and won’t quit until the job is done! The Spirit of the 20th Century returns for the 21st in this action-packed new miniseries by Eisner Award-winning writer Tom King (Wonder Woman, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow) and artist Jeff Spokes!
What could four strangers have to do with the fate of the world? Find out as Captain Atom goes rogue, threatening to destroy the planet he once swore to protect. Can any hero stop him? Well, it may take the most unconventional of them all…Jenny Sparks, the one woman tasked with keeping ALL the heroes in line, no matter the cost. With a snap of her fingers, she’s entered the fray and won’t quit until the job is done! Jenny Sparks #1 delivers an opening chapter that’s forgettable but also a bit too familiar.
Written by Tom King, Jenny Sparks #1 kicks off a DC Black Label series that dances around the character’s past with winks and nods for longtime fans. But, new readers won’t need to know any of that as the comic lays out multiple times Jenny’s role in this take on the character. With gods among men, Jenny is the one who keeps the gods in line. She takes down the heroes when they go too far. And so, she’s called into duty when Captain Atom loses control, rambling and wandering and killing civilians.
King is a writer that for me is hot or cold. There’s little in-between and a writer who has a bit too many tics in his style. Much of that is on display where as King goes to his usual nine-page layout of different individual characters talking to someone, a hero who steps over the line, and dialogue that winks and nods to readers but really comes off as a character saying the title of the series/film.
Captain Atom losing control or his mind isn’t unusual but it’s something that feels like it happens far too often as the go to driver of a DC plot. Here, Captain Atom roles between states of being while rambling on, accidentally killing an individual and then taking a bar hostage. It’s a plot that revolves around mental health, and feels a bit too caustic regarding it. We saw a similar tone with Heroes in Crisis, also written by King, that had its good and its bad but overall didn’t do its concept justice.
Jenny Sparks #1 further falls apart in that Jenny doesn’t stand out as a character. Her demeanor and the various situations she’s put in makes her come off as a non-magical John Constantine. Jenny rants about killing god and has a negative view towards superheroes, smokes, and generally is gruff. She comes off as Constantine with a gender switch making the overall experience feel even more of a read that never establishes its own personality.
The art by Jeff Spokes is decent. Captain Atom’s cycling through his looks is an interesting concept and there’s a sadness that comes off of the character. Jenny stands out some as well in design and look and other characters have a design that lets readers get a better sense of who they are. But, overall, much like the story, the visuals don’t jump out and excite.
Jenny Sparks #1 is an interesting debut as there’s a concept underneath that feels like it could be intriguing. But, the comic is dragged down by a main character who doesn’t stand out as unique yet and the story itself falls into King’s patterns. It’s one piece of the puzzle and King’s miniseries tend to read better as a whole than individual parts but this is one that has a long road ahead to achieve that.
Story: Tom King Art: Jeff Spokes Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Story: 7.0 Art: 7.0 Overall: 7.0 Recommendation: Pass
DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: TFAW – Zeus Comics – Kindle
Jenny Sparks #1 (of 6)
(W) Tom King (A) Jeff Spokes
In Shops: Aug 21, 2024
SRP: $4.99
THE WILD STORM BEGINS! What could four strangers have to do with the fate of the world? Find out as Captain Atom goes rogue, threatening to destroy the planet he once swore to protect. Can any hero stop him? Well, it may take the most unconventional of them all…Jenny Sparks, the one woman tasked with keeping ALL the heroes in line, no matter the cost. With a snap of her fingers, she’s entered the fray and won’t quit until the job is done! The Spirit of the 20th Century returns for the 21st in this action-packed new miniseries by Eisner Award-winning writer Tom King (Wonder Woman, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow) and artist Jeff Spokes!
Skybound, Image Comics, Hasbro have revealed interior pages and the stacked lineup of variant covers for G.I. JOE #1 from the chart-topping, critically acclaimed creative team of writer Joshua Williamson, artist Tom Reilly, and colorist Jordie Bellaire. The history-making comic book launch, which promises to introduce a bold new vision of G.I. JOE and Cobra to the Energon Universe, hits comic books shelves on Wednesday, November 13.
Conrad Hauser, Codename DUKE, has assembled a special force known as G.I. Joe to battle the rising power of the mysterious COBRA in the aftermath of the Autobots and Decepticons’ arrival on Earth. But the enigmatic Cobra Commander has unleashed the power of Energon like never before!
Featuring the First Appearance of an ALL-NEW character and many familiar faces, this is the comic that will change everything you think you know about G.I. JOE…and that’s only half the surprises in store!
This extra-length debut issue will feature a wraparound main cover by Reilly, along with variant covers by superstar artists Jerome Opeña and Dave Stewart; Brett Booth, Livesay and Andrew Dalhouse; David Finch, Danny Miki and Dave McCaig; Lee Bermejo; Sozomaika; Jenny Frison; David Nakayama; Jeff Spokes, E.J. Su; Jonboy Meyers; and Andrea Milana.
The full list of variant covers is below:
Fairy Tale Team-Up: Robyn Hood & Jasmine
(W) Dave Franchini, David Wohl (CA) Jeff Spokes
In Shops: Aug 07, 2024
SRP: $6.99
A former genie who freed herself from bondage, the fire-dagger-wielding femme fatale known as Jasmine has been on an epic journey in the world within the lamp, fighting oppression and helping those in need in this desert wasteland. But when she encounters an opponent who threatens to destroy this realm and those beyond, Jasmine enlists the aid of an unlikely ally-New York’s most notorious protector, Robyn Hood.
Grimm Fairy Tales #86
(W) Dave Franchini (CA) Jeff Spokes
In Shops: Jul 31, 2024
SRP: $3.99
Skye Mathers has battled her fair share of witches and deadly magic during her time as Guardian of the Nexus. But when a primordial evil is released that threatens the lives of all it comes across, will Skye be able to put this ancient wickedness back into the hell it has escaped from? Guest starring Gretel the Witch Hunter!
