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

Sentinels #1 (Marvel) – In one of the more unique “From the Ashes” books, Alex Paknadel and Justin Mason make the mutant-hunting Sentinels the protagonists with a twist: they’re humans with Sentinel-tech grafted to them with side effects. There’s a little bit of John Ostrander’s Suicide Squad in this book’s DNA with hapless soldiers going on difficult missions against terrible foes (Omega Red in this case) for evil bureaucrats. The characters in Sentinels are literally cogs in a machine, but Paknadel gives the team leader Lockstep, wild card Voivod, and rookie Drumfire some shades of personality although they kind of seem like action figures for now. It’s hard to find anyone to root for this in title, but I’m going to give upcoming issues a shot because of the wild swings of the premise, its dark satirical moments, and Mason’s old school action art. Overall: 7.6 Verdict: Read

Exceptional X-Men #2 (Marvel) – Eve Ewing and Carmen Carnero‘s Exceptional X-Men continues to be a delightful slice of life title (Cubs and White Sox fans arguing at the bar Kitty Pryde works at, cute dates at soccer games), but is starting to shape up into a proper X-title with the introduction of two additional young mutants. A bullying incident goes way out of hand, and Kitty has to intervene yet again while getting psychic messages from Emma Frost. Instead of rejecting the call to be a hero, Kitty rejects the call to be a mentor, and Ewing and Carnero do a good job of showing how the grind of trying to be “normal” gets to her. One final note: it’s so creepy what Carmen Carnero does to the characters’ eyes when Emma Frost psychically controls them. Overall: 8.0 Verdict: Buy

Ultimates #5 (Marvel) – Deniz Camp and Juan Frigeri breathe life into the ol’ “heroes fight, then team up versus the villain” cliche in Ultimates #5. They introduce Charli Ramsey, an indigenous Hawkeye, who takes out pipelines and various Roxxon installations with the help of some trick arrows developed by Stark. The confrontation between Charli and Captain America is the final nail in the Western genre’s coffin and also interrogates the fact of the Ultimates actually being anti-establishment as Tony Stark sent Cap to take out Hawkeye. However, they end up being siblings in ass kicking and frustrating fossil fuel billionaires. From its opening Crazy Horse and Theodore Roosevelt epigraphs, Ultimates #5 has incisive sociopolitical commentary, but Frigeri excels at blocking out action scenes using inset panels to demonstrate each of Charli’s trick arrows. Overall: 9.0 Verdict: Buy

Public Domain #9 (Image) – Dallas Comics and Synergy Entertainment hit San Diego Comic Expo to promote their two different takes on The Domain in Chip Zdarsky‘s Public Domain #9. This issue crammed full with visual and verbal jokes about comic cons while showing the uphill battle that Dallas Comics faces against its competitors. Basically, comics are small fries compared to other media, but there’s also the accessibility of even its greatest creators with Syd Dallas having genuine interactions with fans across the issue. However, Public Domain #9 also an undercurrent of heart-breaking pain that has nothing to do with comics. Zdarsky continues to be the master of juggling of different story tones as he goes from pop culture parodies and wise assery to difficult conversations in nine panel grids. Overall: 8.4 Verdict: Buy

Action Comics #1070 (DC) – Both the lead Superman story from Mark Waid and Clayton Henry and the backup Supergirl story from Mariko Tamaki and Skylar Patridge feel like “zero issues” in Action Comics #1070. Both feature extended action (Or conversation and flying for the Supergirl backup) sequences and reveal the actual premise of the story arc in the final pages. The lead story has some funny moments with Jimmy Olsen, and you can definitely tell Waid is geeking out when different color Kryptonites are involved. However, cool twisted design from Henry aside, the story feels lightweight until it starts getting into how unethical the Phantom Zone is and making it the setting of the current arc. The backup story is just Patridge drawing different female Super-characters beautifully and Supergirl going on an unknown mission. She doesn’t get much characterization in that story or the lead one. Unless you have a Xander and Oz from Buffy the Vampire Slayer-esque fixation of different color kryptonites, this “jumping on point is worth skipping or waiting for the trade paperback. Overall: 6.1 Verdict: Pass