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.

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Eternals 50th Anniversary Special (Marvel) – A group of creators pay homage to the Eternals’ past, present, and future in The Eternals 50th Anniversary Special with mostly positive results. The comic leads off with a Captain America and Ikaris tale from Ethan S. Parker, Griffin Sheridan, Phil Noto, and Dale Eaglesham where they have a hot dog together and go down memory lane. Noto handles the present day, slice of life visuals, and his adeptness for body language captures the camaraderie between the two men out of time/Jack Kirby creations. In the flashback story, Eaglesham channels the King in a mad science, Nazi punching, and eye beam blasting punch-up. And what ties each period together is the humor from Parker and Sheridan’s script with Ikaris even getting in some dry one-liners. (I love that Cap calls him Ike!) The next story from former Marvel editor Ralph Macchio and one of my favorite current comic book artist Michael Cho puts the spotlight on Ransak, a Deviant, who is conventionally attractive and shunned by his peers. Cho’s powerful line art and Lee Loughridge’s dazzling colors make the angst that Ransak feels inside manifest physically through his gladiator fights, including one against an abusive figure from his fast and even his sparring against Eternal, Thena. Macchio’s writing has an old school lilt, but the violence and emotions keep the story moving, and Ransak is very to empathize with. Unfortunately, the last story from Fall Out Boy frontman Patrick Stump and artist Domenico Carbone is the weakest. The concept of a lost Eternal who can move items from anywhere in the universe is super imaginative, but it’s an idea that needs more room to breathe instead of a short story at the end of a special. Also, Stump peppering the script with captions, dialogues, and extended metaphors in the middle of high powered fight scenes hinders the flow of the story. Carbone’s art is serviceable, but some of the page transitions are awkward. This story definitely needed another editorial, but hey, Patrick Stump’s involvement in the Eternals 50th Anniversary Special got me to read the book. Two strong stories and one stinker with potential is a decent batting average for an anthology, and I’m not even that big of an Eternals fan beyond the Kieron Gillen/Esad Ribic run. Overall: 8.0 Verdict: Buy

Deadpool: April Pool’s Day #1 (Marvel) – In Deadpool: April Pool’s Day, Gail Simone, CF Villa, Robert Gill, and Ig Guara have crafted a comic that is both a laugh a minute and a Valentine to the old forgotten genre comics Marvel used to publish. Star Comics stans rejoice! Simone also gives Deadpool a solid heroic arc through the different “genre verse” shenanigans, and the one-shot ending team-up is super wholesome. I enjoy when Wade is written this way. Finally, I wonder if there are any Starr the Slayer comics on Marvel Unlimited. Overall: 8.7 Verdict: Buy

Touched by a Demon #3 (Dark Horse) – Touched by a Demon #3 is easily the best issue of the Kristen Gudsnuk penned and drawn series. The case of the week is a riff on the old monkey’s paw, but the wishes aren’t cursed. However, it exposes their client as a toxic piece of shit and not the mild and meek office scapegoat Zuzu thought he was. The back half of the issue returns to theology, and Bifrons and Father Angelo continue to have searing chemistry while discussing Church Fathers and Antichrist. This comic is really a beautiful discussion of good, evil, and moral philosophy while being hilarious and having super cute art. It’s the full package and has one (literal) hell of a cliffhanger too. Overall: 9.5 Verdict: Buy