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

Captain America #1 (Marvel) – Chip Zdarsky, Valerio Schiti, and Frank Martin go for the high concept, no holds barred take on their new volume of Captain America. The series is set in the past in the shadow of both 9/11 and the emergence of superheroes with Cap being one week out of the ice. There’s a feeling of skepticism around superpowered beings with the exception of ones that answer to the U.S. military like Captain America in this case. Captain America #1 sets up Dr. Doom as the antagonist for the Man Out of Time’s first mission and also fleshes out a new partner for him with a similar hatred for bullies and desire to service his country. However, 2001 isn’t 1941 by a long shot. I love how Zdarsky writes Cap coming to grips with the complexities of 21st century, and he and Schiti aren’t afraid to depict him as a larger than life figure. The past setting is honestly freeing for this arc to potentially be an evergreen tale. Also, the early 2000s being the beginning of the age of marvels gives the comic an Ultimate Universe type of vibe, but Chip Zdarsky is a much better writer than Mark Millar so I’m excited to see how he explores the hopes and fears of that time period with more maturity and the benefit of hindsight. Overall: 8.1 Verdict: Buy

Godzilla vs Thor #1 (Marvel) – This series is back to its epic ways as Jason Aaron, Aaron Kuder, and Jesus Aburtov spin a yarn of an epic duel between the God of Thunder and the King of Monsters. There’s a little bit of a connection to Aaron’s Punisher run, but most of the book is a callback to his iconic Thor run with Godzilla taking up the mantle of God Butcher and setting up an eternal battle between god and demon, life and death. Kuder and Aburtov are game with wide screen layouts and gorgeous colors showing the back and forth and destruction of both divine beings. This is a mythic read as well as being a fun coda to Jason Aaron’s Thor run. Overall: 8.9 Verdict: Buy

Godzilla: Heist #5 (IDW Publishing) – Enough sneaking around, Godzilla: Heist #5 is all about the battle royale between Godzilla and Mechagodzilla as Jai is willing to sacrifice his own life to kill the King of Monsters. I love Van Jensen‘s captions for Jai as he calculates ways to get Godzilla away from civilians while also realizing there will always be collateral damage. Kelsey Ramsay draws a bunch of big spreads to show the scale and physicality of the fight scene with destruction raining across the page. The ending is a slight cop-out, but I wouldn’t mind a sequel to this series, or even better having Jai be incorporated in the Kai-Sei era. Overall: 8.1 Verdict: Buy