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

X-Men ‘97 Season 2 #1 (Marvel) – Steve Foxe and Salva Espin’s tie-in comic is tasty snack to hold you over until X-Men ‘97 returns. With the X-Men scattered to different time periods, there’s a void in the mutant world, and X-Factor, Akkaba cultists, the Brotherhood, and young mutants like Jubilee and Sunspot are trying to fill it. This feels like reading a random X-issue from the mid-90s in the best way. The best parts are definitely Jubilee and Sunspot making pop culture quips and dealing with discrimination while trying to help fellow mutants. Most of the main cast isn’t in this because they’re “dead”, but Season 2 #1 has a big villain on deck especially for a tie-in book. Overall: 7.5 Verdict: Read

Justice League: Dream Girls #1 (DC) – Dreamer and Galaxy fight their way through some visually interesting dream worlds in this Pride Month treated scripted by their co-creators, Nicole Maines and Jadzia Axelrod. The art team is spectacular too with Nicola Scott drawing a vision of Dreamer as Wonder Woman, J. bone channeling Batman: The Animated Series for a Gotham library caper, and the expressive Brandt & Stein handling the real world. (I love how they draw Star Sapphire’s eye roll.) JL Dream Girls #1 is a buffet of queerness, strong characterization, and superhero/sci-fi lore. And for dessert, there’s a Greg Rucka and Claire Roe backup story where Batwoman falls for an anti-data center activist. Poor Kate is always unlucky in love, but at least there’s Claire Roe’s muscular visuals. Overall: 8.7 Verdict: Buy

The Deadman #1 (DC) – In The Deadman #1, W. Maxwell Prince, Martin Morazzo, and Chris O’Halloran both streamline and make Boston Brand an infinitely more interesting character with plenty of gallows humor and and a warm hug of humanity. This comic captures folks at their most vulnerable moments: right before their passing, and Deadman acts as a kind of wisecracking midwife to make sure their souls’ get to the other side. But souls can be used to gain power as well, which sets up the series’ central conflict. Deadman’s foe is Bryan Johnson, but if he had an unquenchable appetite for old Hellblazer comics and didn’t get the point of the first issue of Sandman. The Deadman #1 is a refreshingly original spin on a great B-list character, and the Prince and Morazzo ouevre continues to be an insta-buy for me. Overall: 8.4 Verdict: Buy