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

Marvel United: A Pride Special (Marvel) – The good ol’ 616 Universe gets into the Pride spirit with four wonderful, action-packed short stories featuring both LGBTQ+ characters and creators, including a few personal faves. Marvel United starts with a cosmic deep dive bang with Al Ewing and Kei Zama spinning a yarn of Aaron Fischer’s Captain America, Escapade (ice to see her back.), and Charlene McGowan battling Hate Monger with the power of love, inclusivity, trippy art, and old school Marvel lore. Up next, Wyatt Kennedy and Baileigh Underwood turn on the waterworks in a wholesome story about Mystique’s love for Nightcrawler centered a dream she had about raising him as a boy. It’s bittersweet seeing Kurt grow up in a loving home with Mystique and Destiny, but Kennedy and Underwood make up for it by showing Mystique being proud of the blue fuzzy elf in the present day. I love how this story shows the softer side of Raven Darkholme. Be gay, do crime, and have heart to heart’s about exes is at the core of “Bolter”, a Sera/Black Cat team-up from Zoe Tunnell and Federica Mancin. Even though they’ve never ran into each other in comics before, Sera and Felicia Hardy are instant frenemies, and I love how this story also leaves the door open for a Sera and Angela reunion with Mancin’s visuals underlining the deep feelings they have for each other. Marvel United concludes with a story set in the 1940s featuring Captain America and Marvel’s 1st LGBTQ+ character Arnie Roth from Anthony Oliveira and Pablo Collar. This story reveals how much of the DNA of Steve Rogers’ heroism was in his gay neighbor who was denied benefits by the VA because of his sexuality, but was finally memorialized towards the end of this story. Their friendship complements the action nicely, and an interview with Roth co-creator J.M. DeMatteis provides insight into his work and career as well as how far LGBTQ+ representation has come in comics. I love how Marvel United gets to the humanity of characters like Escapade, Mystique, Sera, and Arnie Roth underneath the shiny costumes and hopefully sets them up for more appearances down the road in Marvel comics. Overall: 9.0 Verdict: Buy

Lost Fantasy #2 (Image) – Lost Fantasy continues to be an engaging blend of fantasy and noir from Curt Pires and Luca Casalanguida. This issue features bullet magic and a hidden occult world layered over our own. The small town setting offsets the giant swords, lightsabers, and monsters nicely, and I love how the protagonist’s conflict is as much psychological as physical. As a bonus, we get another chapter of Pires’, Rockwell White, and Alex Diotto‘s “Indigo Children”, which is a high octane saga rooted in space opera and the technological parts of old school superhero comics. Overall: 7.7 Verdict: Buy

Absolute Batman #9 (DC) – He only appears in his full glory towards the end of the issue, but Absolute Batman #9 debuts its bigger scarier, take on Bane courtesy of Scott Snyder, Nick Dragotta, and Frank Martin. Batman’s new mission is rescuing his friend Waylon Jones from Ark M, and he acts with increased desperation and separation from his mom and deeper connection to Pennyworth and his future rogues gallery. There are all kinds of supporting characters, backstories, and subplots filling the margin, but Snyder and Dragotta ignore this noise and masterfully meld the martial arts and slasher genres as all of Batman’s training is no match for Bane. I got chills when the narration dropped out, and colorist Martin accentuates the shadows. Overall: 8.3 Verdict: Buy