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

Bug Wars #1 (Image) – Bug Wars #1 transported me back to 6th grade when my friends and I would catch bugs for our life science class and have illicit preying mantis cage matches. This horror/fantasy comic from Jason Aaron, Mahmud Asrar, and Matthew Wilson introduces readers to a world of constant battle between a “civilized” ant society and a horde of beetle riding barbarians. The double page spreads that Asrar uses might make it seem it’s set in a distant fantasy universe, but it’s just a backyard in Alabama. Bug Wars would already be a fun high concept fantasy series, but throwing in the dysfunctional family dynamic makes it even more resonant as SJ tries to follow in his entomologist father’s footsteps and the lines between science and fantasy are blurred. Bug Wars is a cool concept with epic art that is executed well and leaves plenty of mysteries on the table for future issues. Overall: 8.3 Verdict: Buy

Feral #10 (Image) – Tony Fleecs, Trish Forstner, Tone Rodriguez, and Brad Simpson‘s Feral continues to breathe new life into the zombie survival genre by including cute, yet severely traumatized cats. Issue ten, which wraps up the series’ second arc, is no exception as the gang must band together to move the rabies-stricken body of a woman called the Lady to get out of her basement and find some kind of freedom. In 23 pages, Fleecs, Forstner, and Rodriguez show the effects of starvation on the cats, and formerly pampered Lord even turns to cannibalism. (If you could call a cat eating a human that.) Using cartoonish style art for the animals and photorealistic art for the humans makes everything that much more creepier, and Simpson’s dark reds turn an old lady’s dwelling into an abattoir. This is a frenetically paced, action packed comic and sets up new challenges for the main cast of characters. Overall: 8.5 Verdict: Buy

Absolute Batman #5 (DC) – Batman gets his ass kicked big time in the penultimate issue of Absolute Batman‘s first arc from Scott Snyder, Nick Dragotta, and Frank Martin. This is definitely a have your cake and eat it too kind of comic books featuring great commentary on our billionaire-dominated, last gasps of capitalism of society as well as brutal, yet intimate (I love the tiny panels Dragotta uses!) fight sequences with a Gothic flair. There are also timely flashbacks that add a touch of emotion to Batman’s actions in this issue. Never has a world where the system failed looked so iconic. Overall: 8.9 Verdict: Buy