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

Exceptional X-Men #3 (Marvel) – Exceptional X-Men‘s lineup and focus start to snap together in its third issue. A physical/ideological fight between Emma Frost and Kitty Pryde might be the headliner, but Eve Ewing and Carmen Carnero also continue to flesh out Thao, Alex, and Trista’s characters and start to build their team dynamic even extending into costumes and codenames. (Axo, which is short for Axolotl, is my favorite.) Alex was 100% right when he asked why Emma and Kitty had tea after phasing/diamond-forming at each other, and Ewing and Carnero grasp the tension and respect between them. Emma is a more traditional, tough love educator while Kitty wants to get away from the X-Men and show a different way for young mutants live. But what really ends up being most important is what Axo, Melee, and Bronze want for themselves. With its small, tightknit cast and lack of missions/fight for the sake of fights, Exceptional X-Men is a breath of fresh air in the mutant/superhero space. Overall: 8.5 Verdict: Buy

The Power Fantasy #4 (Image) -The cast of The Power Fantasy comes together at Masumi’s art show where Kieron Gillen and Caspar Wijingaard explore what would happen if an all-powerful person gets a bad review. And that’s basically create a devouring monster: Godzilla but scarier. I love how Wijingaard integrates Masumi’s actual art with the style of the comic with the abstract paintings overwhelming the frame when she almost melts down before mellowing into the usual flow and palette of The Power Fantasy. The Power Fantasy #4 provides more insight into Masumi’s personality and insights, but Etienne Lux continues to be the prime mover and gets the series’ equivalent of an action scene. The Power Fantasy #4 uses art and its critical reception to just show how fragile and tense its world is. Overall: 7.9 Verdict: Buy

Godzilla Rivals: SpaceGodzilla vs King Ghidorah (IDW) – Godzilla Rivals: SpaceGodzilla vs King Ghidorah (GR: SvK from here on out) is both an epic kaiju battle royale and emotional family drama from creators Dave Baker, Kevin Catalan, and Heather Breckel. GR: SvK is filled with poster-worthy pages of colorful battles between the titular characters plus everyone’s favorite radioactive lizard, and Baker and Catalan do a solid job blocking out the fights between these three behemoths. Along with the fights, they build an arc between a son who wants his father to meet his grandson and a father who just wants to use SpaceGodzilla’s crystals for renewable energy. It’s really exceeded my expectations for this kind of comic. Overall: 8.8 Verdict: Buy

The Question: All Along the Watchtower #1 (DC) – I feel like this DC comic was tailor made for me because it’s Renee Montoya in a cowboy hat toting a giant shotgun and solving mysteries with her ex-fiancee Batwoman, Jaime Reyes, and Ted Kord. Alex Segura and Cian Tormey use the new Justice League Unlimited/Watchtower/All-In era of the DC Universe as a backdrop for fun action/detective stories featuring various B, C, and Z-listers while keeping Montoya’s arc front and center. I love how they set up the stakes of the series by having the Trinity handpick Montoya, and the reveal of Batwoman as the field agent touches a real emotional chord. All Along the Watchtower #1 has an epic scope while staying grounded like your favorite street-level title. Overall: 9.0 Verdict: Buy