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 short reviews from the staff of the comics, or graphic novels, we just didn’t get a chance to write a full review for. Given the lack of new comics, expect this weekly update to begin featuring comics that we think you’ll enjoy while you can’t get anything new to read – only new to you.

These are Graphic Policy’s Mini Reviews and Recommendations.

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Logan

Radio Spaceman #1 (Dark Horse)– Mike Mignola, Greg Hinkle, and Dave Stewart craft a world that’s a little steampunk, a little sci-fi, and of course, a little cosmic horror. Hinkle does an admirable job bringing Mignola’s designs to life, and this story has all kinds of cool shit like malfunctioning rayguns, eccentric inventors, attack frogs, and best of all, an astronaut with a skull for a head. Mike Mignola keeps the story simple and focuses on things like atmosphere and letting Hinkle’s art breathe as the story goes from a decrepit satellite to Forbidden Planet meets the Nostromo. It’s nice to see Mignola back doing sci-fi, and Greg Hinkle, and of course deity-tier colorist Dave Stewart, are well-matched collaborators for this new world. Overall: 8.2 Verdict: Buy 

A Thing Called Truth #5 (Image/Shadowline)– Iolanda Zanfardino and Elisa Romboli’s road trip/romance wraps up with sweeping gestures, dramatic arguments, and love at first sight. It’s like turning back time to when the mid-budget romcom ruled the box office, but queer this time. The incompatibility between Mag and Dorian’s personalities and approaches to life goes from the backburner to boil in A Thing Called Truth #5, and they get into a big argument. Romboli uses gutters between their angry faces and pointing fingers to hint that maybe they won’t work out as a couple. But A Thing Called Truth isn’t that kind of story. It’s more of a fairy tale about living life in the moment instead of being overwhelmed by things like jobs and capitalism. It’s yet another hit from Zanfardino and Elisa Romboli, who revive the romance genre with humor, passion, and queerness. Overall: 8.8 Verdict: Buy

One-Star Squadron #4 (DC)– One-Star Squadron is another compelling installment of this work place comedy meets satire of hypercapitalism from Mark Russell, Steve Lieber, and Dave Stewart. This issue focuses on Red Tornado attempting to lay off half of Heroz4U’s employees so they can slash payroll and sell the company. Lieber’s skill with facial expression comes in handy during the comedic bits (A page long riff on the “Coffee’s for closers” speech in Glengarry Glen Ross.), but he also does a great job conveying the tension that Red Tornado feels between being a good person and having a job support his family. Because as Maxwell Lord’s audiobook says, having a conscience isn’t an asset in 2022. Russell and Steve Lieber also spend some time with supporting characters like Power Girl, Minuteman, and in a truly tragic sequence, Gangbuster and show what they’re up to with the layoffs and sale impending. Their take on Power Girl is a picture perfect takedown of “girl boss” culture from the white suit to the lack of empathy. On top of being a timely, emotionally compelling story, One-Star Squadron continues to be loaded with background gags satirizing different aspects of contemporary society through a superheroic lens. Overall: 8.1 Verdict: Buy

Loaded Bible: Blood of My Blood #1 (Image)– Tim Seeley returns to Loaded Bible (I haven’t read the original comic) with Steve Orlando, Giuseppe Cafaro, and Josh Rodriguez. They check into a world where vampires and Catholics have teamed up to make the world a theocracy ruled by the Red Pope Dracula, and anyone not in keeping with the church’s teaching hangs out in the ruins of an old missionary space trip with a clone of Jesus. It’s high concept and has shades of late 90s Top Cow books, but is less heterosexual gazey. Clone Jesus is a compelling character, and Orlando, Seeley, and Cafaro spend their time fleshing out the utopia he has created and defended before overturning it. Blood of My Blood #1 has a schlocky, B-movie tone, but the art is nothing to right home about with the exception of a few memorable moments like one of the church’s ships dwarfing some survivors or any time Dracula makes an appearance. Overall: 7.3 Verdict: Read

What If?: Miles Morales #1 (Marvel)– Although it features a very predictable “twist”, Cody Ziglar and Paco Medina turn in an interesting riff on both Miles Morales and Captain America in What If?: Miles Morales #1. It’s awesome how closely Ziglar adheres to Miles’ origin all the way back in Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #1 with a star-spangled twist, and he writes the dynamic between Miles, his family, and his girlfriend Falcon in a fun, banter-heavy way. It’s not as off the wall and “What If” as it could be, but the glimpses of upcoming issues seem to be more off-beat with this universe/issue as the base level. Overall: 7.6 Verdict: Read

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Well, there you have it, folks. The reviews we didn’t quite get a chance to write. See you next week!

Please note that with some of the above comics, Graphic Policy was provided FREE copies for review. Where we purchased the comics, you’ll see an asterisk (*). If you don’t see that, you can infer the comic was a review copy. In cases where we were provided a review copy and we also purchased the comic you’ll see two asterisks (**).