Author Archives: Brett

The Future Is… #4 continues the interesting concept in a frustrating package

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Sally is an “orbital,” living in our upper atmosphere, and has not touched Earth for ten years. She acts as a spacebound Robin Hood, helping those in need from afar, hacking satellites wielded by their corporate oppressors. And now: Wheeler’s recruited her for the ultimate heist, to fight back against the badder guys behind the bad guys.

These are higher stakes than any she’s faced before. The only thing standing between her and a collision course with space’s endless void is metal, grit, and gumption. The latest recruit to Black Mountain faces the ultimate fight for survival, where no one can hear you scream.

Story: Fred Van Lente
Art: Ennio Bufi
Color: Andrea Meloni
Letterer: Taylor Esposito

Get your copy now! To find a comic shop near you, visit http://www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook or digitally and online with the links below.

Zeus Comics

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The Toxic Avenger Erases Medical Debt to Promote the Film, Promising More

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Movies can spend tens of millions of dollars promoting a release. That can involve lavish tours, flying in influencers for screenings and premieres, advertising… it can be a lot. The Toxic Avenger is taking a different approach to promotion. Instead of some marketing stunt, the film is instead erasing $5 million in medical debit through the nonprofit Undue Medical Debt and has pledged to erase another $1 million in debt for every $1 million the film makes at the box office.

Undue Medical Debt is a nonprofit whose goal is to help end medical debt and provide relief to those impacted:

Undue Medical Debt (formerly RIP Medical Debt) is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose purpose is to strengthen communities by erasing financially burdensome medical debt. Founded in 2014 by former debt collection executives, Undue Medical Debt is one of the leading charitable organizations that help pay medical bills. We work tirelessly to end medical debt and ensure a future where everyone can access healthcare without fear.

They’ve relieved over $22 billion in debt for over 14.72 million individuals in the United States. Over a hundred million Americans, one in three, struggles with the weight of medical debt. It’s one of the top reasons for bankruptcy.

The Toxic Avenger had his life upended by unexpected medical debt.

So, instead of another big marketing stunt to promote the movie, Cineverse has partnered with national nonprofit Undue Medical Debt to erase at least $5M in medical debt for those families least able to pay.

AND… for every $1M The Toxic Avenger makes at the box office, we’ll erase another $1M.

Together, we can reduce the burden of medical debt. Because we only need one Toxic Avenger.

Learn more about Undue’s model at the link below and get tickets for THE TOXIC AVENGER now!

https://unduemedicaldebt.org/mission-and-history

The Toxic Avenger opens in theaters October 29 and now there’s an even better reason to go see it, you get to help those in need.

The Toxic Avenger

Doomed 2009 #1 Attempts to Prevent Future Disaster

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Doomed 2009 #1

The Future is Doomed! The world is Doom’s…but does that include the world that is yet to be? A coalition from the future – including OLD MAN LOGAN, RACHEL SUMMERS PHOENIX, BISHOP, COSMIC GHOST RIDER, THE MAESTRO and DEATHLOK say otherwise. But will the arrival of Doom 2099 change the odds for the new Sorcerer Supreme? Is he there to back his past self…or destroy him forever? Doomed 2009 #1 delivers a one-shot that shows one possible future to come.

When it comes to the Marvel Universe and futures, it’s best to not think about it. There’s so many options, so many possibilities, at this point, it feels like one giant “What if.” But, when it came to possible futures, I enjoyed the 2099 line when it first came out, introducing new takes on classic character or teams. It’s been decades since I read them but I still have my copies of Doom 2099 and have itched to go back and read them. Doomed 2009 #1 has me wanting to do that even more.

Written by Frank Tieri, Doomed 2009 #1 has Doom 2099 travel back in time with a team to stop Sorcerer Supreme Doom. He wants to prevent some major event in the future that Doom causes, what that is, we don’t know until the very end. Tieri presents what is basically one giant fight issue with teases of fights that have come before.

The concept of Tieri’s entry isn’t all that new, it echoes what we saw with the Fantastic Four’s battle with Doom in the recent relaunch of their series. It is interesting in some ways to see how Doom of the present deals with the team from the future. Where the comic really nails it is the ending which eventually reveals what Doom 2099 is attempting to prevent. It takes what is an issue that’s one long battle and turns it into something a bit more melancholy. It adds a sadness to Doom 2099 making his attempt to stop Doom in the present a bit more noble.

The art by Delio Diaz and Frank Alpizar is good. With color by Andrew Dalhouse and lettering by Travis Lanham, the comic packs a lot into its pages as the heroes battle it out with Doom. And, the comic changes things up smoothly. It starts as straight sci-fi going into a battle royale and then ending on a tragic note. Each section’s visuals really hone in on what it is and looks solid. The visuals too play off the more comedic moments Tieri throws in there and none of it feels out of place.

Doomed 2009 #1 is an entertaining read adding in an intriguing one-shot chapter into the story. It has me wanting to go back and re-read Doom 2099 and hoping we might get more of the character in the future. It’s not the most vital read for “One World Under Doom,” but one for hardcore fans of the 2099 line.

Story: Frank Tieri Art: Delio Diaz, Frank Alpizar
Color: Andrew Dalhouse Letterer: Travis Lanham
Story: 7.0 Art: 7.5 Overall: 7.0 Recommendation: Read

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

Universal Monsters: The Invisible Man #1 Starts the March to Madness

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Universal Monsters: The Invisible Man #1

Jack Griffin has always been invisible to the people around him—at least in his own mind. But when an experimental breakthrough presents a path to make his dreams of invisibility a reality, no one—not even the woman he loves—will stand in his way. Universal Monsters: The Invisible Man #1 brings the classic story to the comic page.

Skybound has been doing an amazing job bringing classic horror stories to comic pages with the return of Frankenstein, Dracula, The Creature From the Black Lagoon, and more. The stories have been a mix of original and adaptations of classic takes. Universal Monsters: The Invisible Man #1 is the latest entry to the series and feels more like the latter, an adaptation of the classic take as opposed to something new.

Written by James Tynion IV, Universal Monsters: The Invisible Man #1 introduces us to Jack Griffin, a scientist who accidentally discovers a chemical that impacts the color of them but also increases intelligence. It’s a discovery he wants to pursue, something he keeps close to his chest as he secretly shows disdain for those around him. Tynion delivers an individual where you can slowly see them slide into evil. Griffin is that individual who was the “quiet fellow” before he commits murder. The comic doesn’t rush things, allowing us to get to know Jack and see his slide into what’s to come.

Tynion is joined by Dani on art, colors by Brad Simpson, and lettering by Becca Carey. The art looks fantastic with a look and style that feels like a match for the anger within Jack. The flashes of violence slowly build in a proto American Psycho sort of way as he gets angrier and angrier throughout the comic’s progression. It captures the era well and promises a treat as the series progresses.

Universal Monsters: The Invisible Man #1 breathes new life into a classic allowing old fans and new readers to discover the horror story mixed with beautiful visuals. It’s a nice slow build for what should be a rather unnerving and scary time in future issues. The debut builds on the tension of the situation as the anger grows within Jack for what we know will be an eventual explosion. It’s a solid take on a story that has survived over 100 years for a reason.

Story: James Tynion IV Art: Dani
Color: Brad Simpson Letterer: Becca Carey
Story: 8.75 Art: 8.75 Overall: 8.75 Recommendation: Buy

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

Imperial War: Planet She-Hulk #1 Shows Off the Difficulty in Ruling a World

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Imperial War: Planet She-Hulk #1

Left behind on New Sakaar to keep the peace, Jen Walters discovers that in this savage realm, what’s needed isn’t a litigator, it’s a liquidator! Fortunately, She-Hulk is accomplished at being both! Imperial War: Planet She-Hulk #1 lets us catch up on what She-Hulk has been up to as war rages on elsewhere.

Imperial is a solid cosmic event currently playing out in the Marvel Universe. A corner of the world, it has remained to the side for quite a while, but the event has shaken things up brining instability to almost every part as multiple heads of state have been assassinated. As Hulk went off to wage war She-Hulk has been left behind on New Sakaar and generally forgotten about in the story. Imperial War: Planet She-Hulk #1 gives us a look as to what she’s dealing with… and it’s mostly being a rather frustrated leader.

Written by Stephanie Phillips and Jonathan Hickman, Imperial War: Planet She-Hulk #1 is an entertaining, though not vital, read. It gives us a peak into a part of the storyline that has mostly been to the side and will get more of a spotlight when the event wraps up.

Phillips and Hickman nail down the frustration that She-Hulk experiences as she attempts to deal with the rules of New Sakaar and mistaking it for a world ruled by actual laws. While she’s a lawyer on Earth, that doesn’t really translate to a world where strength really is the defining thing above all else. Hoping to have five days without death, event that is a stretch as she attempts to keep the peace in the streets as well as deal with the former ruler’s wives who may have had something to do with a murder in the royal castle. It ends in a bit of a predictable fashion, but Phillips and Hickman nail the tone in a way that makes the comic a fun and entertaining read.

The art by Emilio Laiso looks good. With color by Matt Milla and lettering by Joe Caramagna, the comic’s style matches the borderline comedic and overall lighter tone than a Hulk comic. But, that also feels a bit odd in a world like New Sakaar which you’d imagine being a bit grittier. The art style, which looks good, doesn’t quite match the location. But, it absolutely matches the tone of the comic highlighting the frustration of She-Hulk’s experience.

Like Imperial War: Black Panther #1, Imperial War: Planet She-Hulk #1 is only vital if you’re already reading Imperial. It’s a cute comic and absolutely has its moments but it acts mostly as a way to catch up on what She-Hulk is up to, and clearly lead into what happens next. It’s a fun addition to the excellence that is Marvel’s cosmic event but not required reading to enjoy it.

Story: Stephanie Phillips, Jonathan Hickman Art: Emilio Laiso
Color: Matt Milla Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Story: 7.5 Art: 7.75 Overall: 7.5 Recommendation: Read

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

Dream On is a cute graphic novel about dealing with reality while dreaming of something better

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Something is missing from Cassie’s life.

Her parents don’t have much money, she has to share her bedroom (and bed!) with her sisters, and her family never seem to have time for her. To make matters worse, her best friend Vali is always busy with a new friend.

When Cassie gets a letter from a magazine sweepstakes with the words “YOU’RE THE WINNER” stamped on the front, she thinks it’s the answer to all her problems.

She could buy new furniture to replace their shabby old sofa. Or maybe a car so her family doesn’t have to take two trips to go places. Or maybe she can make Vali her best friend forever by taking her on a fabulous vacation. The possibilities are endless, like an all-you-can-eat buffet!

But will prizes really solve Cassie’s problems?

And what will she lose if she doesn’t win anything at all?

Story: Shannon Hale
Art: Marcela Cespedes
Color: Lark Pien

Get your copy in comic shops! To find a comic shop near you, visit http://www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook or digitally and online with the links below.

Bookshop
Amazon

Roaring Brook Press provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, we’ll receive a percentage of the sale. Graphic Policy does purchase items from this site. Making purchases through these links helps support the site

Imperial War: Black Panther #1 Gives Us Some of the War from T’Challa’s Perspective

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Imperial War: Black Panther #1

Blamed for the assassinations that have started an all-out galactic war, T’Challa will first need to survive a brutal assault from the World-Breaker Hulk and Amadeus Cho before he can even think about hunting down the true culprit! And all while his spacecraft spirals towards certain doom! Sounds like another day at the office for the Black Panther! Imperial War: Black Panther #1 puts the spotlight on T’Challa as he’s under attack from the Hulk.

Imperial has been an impressive event so far. It has shaken up the cosmic section of the Marvel Universe and gives an epic story to so many characters that have been quiet on the side. While I’m not the biggest fan of the whole Intergalactic idea of Wakanda, they’re a key part of the event as they’re the ones blamed for multiple assassinations and it is their world that initially came under attack. Imperial War: Black Panther #1 drops readers into the action as T’Challa is being pursued by the Hulk and attempts to figure out what’s going on.

Written by Victor LaValle and Jonathan Hickman, Imperial War: Black Panther #1 feels a bit like a half issue and feels key in the overall story. It shows T’Challa figuring out something is amiss and attempting to ratchet down the fighting so everyone can figure out what’s going on and who’s to really blame.

LaValle and Hickman do a solid job of creating a rather hectic setting as T’Challa scrambles to not only survive but also get to a point where he can figure out what’s going on. The duo do a solid job in the story of making it feel like that moment just after a strike where those attacked are still attempting to figure out what just happened. It also does a solid job of showing T’Challa as the diplomat he can be.

There’s also a mystery teased here with a father and son that should be interesting to see where it goes.

The art by Cafu is good. With color by David Curiel and lettering by Ariana Maher, the comic looks good and fits into the look of the main series. It captures that chaos of what’s going on but it doesn’t quite nail that epic feel of the main series. But, it still looks solid and captures all of the moments well. The only negative it has so much to cover, it doesn’t feel like it doesn’t do justice to a few of them.

Who knows what will be shown in the main series, which makes this feel like a “half” issue, in that readers of the main series will want to pick it up to figure out what’s going on. Imperial War: Black Panther #1 isn’t one that anyone not invested in Imperial will care about. But, for those already reading that, this is a nice addition to the main series.

Story: Victor LaValle, Jonathan Hickman Art: Cafu
Color: David Curiel Letterer: Ariana Maher
Story: 8.0 Art: 8.0 Overall: 8.0 Recommendation: Read

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

Oroku Sakai is back in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder #1

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder #1

As a dark new power rises from the shadows of New York, so does a much darker power return to the city’s streets…for revenge. One of the most terrifying villains in the history of comics is back—and more deadly than ever! Returned forever changed by a maddening ordeal beyond imagining, the Shredder is a man out of time, betrayed by all around him, without the Foot Clan, and quite possibly insane. When one of his former Foot prodigies forms their own rival clan with infernal designs on New York, a recovering Shredder must quest deep into the criminal underworld, where enemies both old and new will discover what defiance will bring them at the end of the Shredder’s blades. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder #1 sees the return of Oroku Sakai to the world of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Written by Dan Watters, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder #1 is a good start, bringing a bit of mystery to the return of Shredder. It plays off ideas we’ve seen before where someone evil must be used to catch someone even worse. After mysteriously showing up, Sakai jacks up the individuals living in his old headquarters, with only one besting him. That group has been under surveillance and deemed a terrorist organization with designs on building a bomb. Sakai needs to stop them.

The art by Michele Bandini is good. With color by Marco Lesko and lettering by Darran Robinson, Sakai looks like a man broken and tired. A person who has seen some shit. Where the comic doesn’t quite hook is the action which isn’t the most dynamic. It’s good, but it isn’t anything that really stands out. But, overall the art looks good.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder #1 isn’t anything new overall, but feels new for this world and it’s done pretty well. While it doesn’t quite completely excite, it is an interesting chapter for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Story: Dan Watters Art: Michele Bandini
Color: Marco Lesko Letterer: Darran Robinson
Story: 7.5 Art: 7.5 Overall: 7.5 Recommendation: Read

IDW Publishing provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

The Mortal Thor #1 Gives Us a Fresh Grounded Take on Thor… Again

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The Immortal Thor #1

THE LEGEND BEGINS! The Norse Myths tell of Gods who walked the Earth, doing great deeds for the mortals who believed in them. But Asgard isn’t real, and never was. The Gods never soared in our skies, never stood with our heroes, never fought for kindness or justice. It was all just a story. Nobody’s coming to help us. But somewhere in the city… a man is waking up. A man with a hammer. The Mortal Thor #1 is the second chapter in Al Ewing‘s three chapter Thor epic.

Asgard is cut off from Earth and a man named Sigurd Jarlson has no memory of his past, just it has something to do with a hammer. Ewing goes back to some aspects of Thor we’ve seen before, again teasing the line between mortal and immortal. Sigurd Jarlson is back as a character, the name Thor used in the past when he couldn’t change back into Donald Blake. But, why doesn’t he remember? Why is he this way? Who gave him his apartment? The Mortal Thor #1 is a mix of some aspects of Thor’s past that are either loved or hated, but an interesting aspect to explore in today’s world.

Ewing seems to want to explore “what would god think of today’s world?” with this first issue as Sigurd is forced to find work to stay housed and offered a job where he’d have to be a scab and cross a picket line. In a world where supposed religious individuals are rejecting the words of their lord, it’s an intriguing direction.

Pasqual Ferry‘s art is good. With color by Matt Hollingsworth and lettering by Joe Sabino, the comic looks kind of dreamlike fitting Sigurd’s haze as he attempts to figure out what’s going on. It just being Thor with a different name is also emphasized as the character is imposing compared to others. There’s no hiding here much like the character’s use before. Add in some villains with this issue that feel almost like a throwback in their look and style, it all comes together that feels like the visuals are mining the past to head into the next phase of Thor.

The Mortal Thor #1 is a good issue that new readers can dive into. You don’t need to know what happened in the previous volume, but it’ll help really appreciate things. Just knowing it’s Thor without his memory is enough, but with Al Ewing, that might not even be the case. The Mortal Thor #1 is the start of the next chapter and one that shows off why Ewing is such a well respected and in-demand writer.

Story: Al Ewing Art: Pasqual Ferry
Color: Matt Hollingsworth Letterer: Joe Sabino
Story: 8.5 Art: 8.0 Overall: 8.4 Recommendation: Buy

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – The Seeds of Salvation #1 Teases an Interesting Mystery

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Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - The Seeds of Salvation #1

After plodding through uneventful mission after uneventful mission, Christine Chapel is itching for a real adventure. So, when an opportunity to reunite with her old scientist friend Jinare for research on the planet Poilant crops up, Chapel is excited to finally do what Starfleet does best: explore strange new worlds. However, when the Enterprise arrives in Poilant’s space, the crew cannot get into contact with Jinare or any of her researchers. Chapel, Una, Spock, La’An, and Scotty beam down, and they are greeted by…nothing…no one…and no signs of what caused their disappearance, only a robot named D6 who urges them to descend into the planet’s depths in search of his friends. But there’s more than scientists lurking in the watery abyss. Ancient life-forms and behemoths await—and they might mean more adventure than even Chapel can handle. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – The Seeds of Salvation #1 is a solid start that’s welcoming to Star Trek fans as well as new readers.

While I’ve seen all of the Star Trek films and watched a lot of the television shows, I’m not a Star Trek diehard. I know my basics and enjoy what I’ve seen but I haven’t watched the new shows on streaming (mostly because I don’t want to pay for yet another streaming service). So, I’ve never seen a full episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, but know enough about it, that it’s a prequel to the original Star Trek series. And even that knowledge is unnecessary.

Writer Robbie Thompson delivers a debut issue in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – The Seeds of Salvation #1 that’s easy for anyone to dive into. There’s little you need to know about the series to enjoy what is a fairly basic concept, a team arrives at a base to find it empty and only clues as to where everyone has gone. Add in a feeling of danger lurking and you have this comic. It’s straightforward but it works well.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – The Seeds of Salvation #1 isn’t a comic lost in Star Trek lore and details. Instead, it puts its focus on the characters and the mystery providing a read that plays into the puzzle as to what happened and playing with tropes like readers guessing what’s lurking in a shadow or around the corner. It keeps things focused and simple in that way.

Travis Mercer‘s art, along with color by JP Morgan and lettering by Jodie Troutman helps things out by really playing into that slight tension of the story. The characters feel a bit antsy in the beginning which then builds into the tension as the team begins to explore their destination. The art has fun with that at times focusing visuals elsewhere as the team explores off the page, instead focusing on what lurks in the shadows. It just dives right into what can make horror work and goes with it. Add in a nice take on the actors where they’re all easily recognizable, and it all comes together for a comic that looks good and is having fun visually with the already entertaining script.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – The Seeds of Salvation #1 is a nice start. Star Trek fans should enjoy this adventure of the crew while new readers can just enjoy a sci-fi mystery and not get caught up on it being based on an existing property. It’s the best of both worlds in that case as it explores a whole new world.

Story: Robbie Thompson Art: Travis Mercer
Color: JP Morgan Letterer: Jodie Troutman
Story: 7.75 Art: 7.75 Overall: 7.75 Recommendation: Read

IDW Publishing provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

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