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

Ultimate Spider-Man #1 (Marvel) – Jonathan Hickman and Marco Checchetto re-center the Spider-Man mythos around a midlife crisis in the new volume of Ultimate Spider-Man #1. The original Ultimate Spider-Man series was the first comic I really followed back in the late 2000s, and the Miles Morales relaunch was the first comic on my pull list so the title is near and dear to me. That being said, Hickman and Checchetto absolutely knock it out the part while focusing on the key cast of characters (the Parker family, Harry Osborn, J. Jonah Jameson) as people and not just icons or their superhero/villain identities. Jonathan Hickman nails the honest man-to-man conversations that Peter has with Uncle Ben about the loss of Aunt May as well as the Daily Bugle being bought by a Wilson Fisk that is more David Zaslav and less Boss Tweed. Checchetto’s facial expressions do a lot of heavy lifting as well capturing Harry Osborn’s anger at the loss of his father, Uncle Ben’s desire for truth and silent resignation plus Mary Jane Watson-Parker’s love and Peter’s existential crisis. With Peter Parker not appearing in costume until the final page and the deeper characterization of folks like Uncle Ben and Mary Jane, Ultimate Spider-Man #1 definitely evoked shades of the original volume, but the teen angst has been replaced with adult yearning along with shades of a universe that isn’t really conducive superheroes. Basically, Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley’s Ultimate Spider-Man was the Spider-Man comic I needed at 16, and Jonathan Hickman and Checchetto is the Spider-Man I need at 30. Overall: 9.3 Verdict: Buy

Brett

Rise of the Powers of X #1 (Marvel) – So far, Fall of X has a bit of a bumpy run as the line moves from what was to what’s coming. Fall of the House of X #1 was a rough start to this duo of comics that echo the launch of the Krakoan age. But, this series, which takes place in the future, shows a lot of promise as we see the X-Men doing what they do best, a last ditch effort to save reality and set things right. The end of the issue lays out an interesting moral quandary that should be intriguing to see where the debate goes. Overall, a solid entry in the X-Men mythology, packed with action and featuring some solid art. Overall: 8.5 Verdict: Buy

Wolverine #41 (Marvel) – We were promised a violent and brutal tale as Wolverine takes on Sabretooth… holy shit. Overall: 8.0 Verdict: Buy