Author Archives: Brett

Regicide #1 is Fantasy Adventure with an Unexpected World

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Regicide #1

A farmhand lives a simple life until village elders insist he set out for the capital with a dangerous stranger. Their mission? Kill the murderous viceroy of Transylvania! It’s Dracula meets Berserk in this dark fantasy series full of sexy entities and betrayal. Regicide #1 delivers a debut issue that goes in directions that are unexpected and weird.

On its surface, the concept of Regicide is rather simple, a mission to topple the murderous leader of a nation that has brought an evil to the lands. But, as Regicide #1 progresses, the series turns from an action adventure into a twisted dark fantasy.

Written by Patrick Kindlon, Regicide #1 is an intriguing start, introducing a world that’s far more dark and sinister than the surface level would have you believe. And that’s part of the point of the comic. A dark entity has corrupted the land and those within. That becomes quite clear and is emphasized over and over as the issue progresses.

Kindlon gets to the point quickly as we’re introduced to a simple farm hand and a masked individual who are paired up for their mission. The masked man is mysterious, with little revealed, but the farm hand is made out to be the reluctant warrior who has only battled animals and unsure if he can do the same against other human beings. We find out whether he can as the duo come across those who would oppose them… and it’s all very… weird an unexpected.

What easily could just be an action story with a fantasy setting, dives deep in the fantasy as individuals are revealed to be far more than human during battles. The craziness of it all is illustrated by Ludovic Lalliat who delivers an oddity to the characters, each with stories to tell on their own. A woman is revealed to be far more, a guard the same, while a farm hand shows off amazing feets of strength and ability to battle. All of which is given a slight indie style to it, a little unpolished in a way, almost like the story is being recounted by someone else.

But the comic features more from Kindlon with two more short stories tied into the main one, with art by Pramono Estu and Matt Bataglia. Each is a fine edition, fleshing out the characters and world a bit more and surely setting up something to come.

Regicide #1 is a fine start with an intriguing concept and a world where it feels like anything can happen. It leans far more into dark fantasy than the action I initially expected. And with that, it keeps me guessing as to where the series could go from here.

Story: Patrick Kindlon Art: Ludovic Lalliat, Rio Oka, Pramono Estu, Matt Bataglia
Story: 8.0 Art: 8.0 Overall: 8.0 Recommendation: Read

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

The Infernal Hulk #10 shifts the battle… we’re just not sure in whose favor

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The Infernal Hulk #10

The heroes have lost their last chance to stop Infernal Hulk…except for Bruce Banner himself. As Hulk closes in on New York, Banner and Doctor Voodoo risk their lives and souls against a terrifying enemy. Failure will mean eternal enslavement and torment…but success could give them the only weapon that might bring victory against Infernal Hulk. Meanwhile, another secret weapon joins the fray…Charlie Tidwell herself, the skinwalker Lycana! The Infernal Hulk #10 is another amazing entry in the current Hulk epic, one that’s packed with important moments.

I’ve never been a big Hulk person. I’ve read some story arcs here and there but it’s never been a comic I regularly read or character I cared about. Writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson has shifted that with an epic story (much like his vision for his time writing Superman) that takes the character and readers through a journey where you never know exactly what to expect. Johnson has taken the Hulk back to his horror roots, with an ancient being now controlling the Green Giant and raising an army of monsters to create a new Age of Monsters. The heroes have failed at every moment to stop this Infernal Hulk leaving the situation looking desperate with an unclear path to victory.

But through that destruction, Johnson keeps things focused not on the Infernal Hulk’s terror, but more importantly on the heroes who want to be anything but. At first it was Bruce Banner, hiding out with Betsy Ross, having lost his ability to become the Hulk and attempting to live a normal life. Johnson has now added Charlie Tidwell to the mix of heroes and weapons, a character who might really shift the battle. Together, we get a story of two individuals dragged into the situation and seeing a duty they have to do, not want to do.

But, even with two glimmer of hopes, Johnson also ramps things up giving us moments that echo the best zombie stories with overwhelming forces and those standing up against them with the odds not in their favor. It continues the feeling of desperation that has been a driver of this series, a pervasive feeling held by so many.

That feeling is helped by Adam Gorham‘s art who along with Matthew Wilson‘s colors and Cory Petit‘s lettering, creates a comic that’s steeped in emotion and horror. There’s a sense of overwhelming dread in multiple ways in the issue. Even the bright spots, Banner fighting a demon and the Lycana revelation, still are muted in same way, as if these might go away at any moment (and one might). Add in the ending, and you have an issue whose visuals add to the unknown as to who is gaining ground in the battle. The issue, and series as a whole, also continues to do an amazing job with the color, delivering a darker look but one that’s not all shadows. There’s a glow that has permeated the comic from early on, an almost fluorescent choice, that gives the comic a sickly feel. The lettering too continues to pack in the emotion and add to each moment.

The Infernal Hulk #10 is another fantastic issue of a fantastic series of a fantastic run. There’s till a whole other chapter still to come, and it’s building to be a doozy. Johnson continues to show he’s a master at long form comic storytelling, one that doesn’t feel decompressed, but one where each issue is packed with key moments. Mixed with some fantastic art, The Infernal Hulk continues to be the best comic Marvel is releasing right now.

Story: Phillip Kennedy Johnson Art: Adam Gorham
Color: Matthew Wilson Letterer: Cory Petit
Story: 9.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 9.0 Recommendation: Buy

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #1 Delivers an Entertaining but at Times Awkward Debut

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Miles Morales: Spider-Man #1

Miles Morales is back in black (and red)! Spider-Man thinks he has it allllll handled: homework, super-villains…a new school crush?? No, no–Miles’ is focused on what matters: helping the good folks of Brooklyn. Friendly. Neighborhood. Spider-Manning at his best! But a vengeful villain from Jeff Morales’ past with SHIELD threatens to destroy not only Spider-Man–but the entire Morales family! Miles Morales: Spider-Man #1 is an interesting debut that feels like a bit of a reset as it charts the next chapter for Miles, his friends, and family.

I’m by no means a Miles Morales expert. He’s a character I’ve read a lot of comics of, but he’s also one I don’t necessarily always follow. I might read an arc or a mini-series, but I’ve rarely regularly read his solo ongoing comics. Like Spider-Man in general, I drop in and out of following his adventures. But, with Miles Morales: Spider-Man #1, I get to start “fresh” with a new first issue and see what I might have missed and where things are going.

Written by Bryan Edward Hill, Miles Morales: Spider-Man #1 is an entertaining start that does a good job of laying the groundwork for what’s to come while also reflecting on Miles’ recent adventures. You don’t need to know everything and Hill expertly rewards long-time readers while also making it new reader friendly. Miles quickly goes over the major changes and adventures in his life while his friend Ganke discusses measuring his powers while listing them off. In one or two panels, new readers quickly get the information they need to do. That allows the comic to really focus on Miles’ current status while introducing a new villain.

And, the new villain is interesting. With ties to Miles’ fathers’ past, this mystery helps build off of what has come before in a natural way and creates a thread that feels organic and not a random new villain. The new baddie also feels like a challenge for Miles making no clear answer to how he can be defeated.

Hill also focuses on Miles’ personal life with him back in school and a possible new love interest. The interactions between Miles and Valentina are nice and cute and there’s potential there but you also know things are going to go sideways at some point. She’ll not be who she says or she’ll become someone that can be threatened to get to Miles. There’s just too many teases things aren’t quite as innocent as they could be and there’s something more coming.

Where the comic stumbles a bit is in some of the dialogue. Miles is a teenager and there’s just some moments that don’t feel like something any current kid would say. It’s small moments but enough for me to pause. (Do kids still say “preach”?). It also could be the awkwardness that is Miles in general and I’m not familiar with. But, I’m not around teenage boys so maybe I’m completely off in that.

The art by Nico Leon is fantastic. With color by Bryan Valenza and lettering by Cory Petit, the pages pop with a bright energy about it. Even when battling a villain, the comic still has a style where it doesn’t seem dark and brooding. The only gripe is Valentina’s eyes are supposed to be really “pretty” and stand out but they don’t really pop on the page. Valentine De Landro also provides art in flashback sequences that tell the connection between Miles’ dad and the new villain that does have a more ominous feel about them. It’s a nice contrast between the two styles and really shifts the tone.

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #1 is an entertaining start and does a solid job of balancing everything it needs to. New readers can hop in while ongoing readers get something new as well. The villain feels natural and like a real threat. It’s a solid debut that’s well worth checking out.

Story: Bryan Edward Hill Art: Nico Leon, Valentine De Landro
Color: Bryan Valenza Letterer: Cory Petit
Story: 7.75 Art: 8.25 Overall: 7.75 Recommendation: Read

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

Blokees Build: DC Defender Version 03 Arkham: Chaos Prologue – Robin

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DC Defender Version 03 Arkham: Chaos Prologue arrives as Gotham enters a new battle chapter. Officially licensed DC model kits feature authentic armor details, approx. 2.36 in height, and 18–24 pieces, giving each model kit a strong visual presence.

We open up our third box and it’s Robin!

Get yours!

Blokees
Entertainment Earth

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

Paramount’s CEO David Ellison Threatens to Exit California Unless the State AG Negotiates Regarding the Warner Bros. Deal

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Veruca Salt with a David Ellison name tag

Paramount CEO David Ellison is taking another page out of the Veruca Salt playbook of stomping your feet until you get what you want. Ellison has told executives of Paramount that he will begin the process of exiting California on October 1 unless State Attorney General Rob Bonta negotiates a settlement regarding the antitrust suit regarding the takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery.

Bonta is leading a group of 12 state Attorneys General that have formed like Voltron in an antitrust lawsuit against Paramount in its attempted $110 billion (potentially $111 billion) takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery. Paramount had agreed to pause any business with the takeover until the trial ends or June 2027. The trial has been set to begin on March 2.

Paramount also faces a lawsuit from the Writers Guild of America as well as one filed by shareholders.

Bonta has released a statement regarding the threat:

In a span of weeks, Paramount agreed to halt the merger until a court decision or until June 2027, asked for a November trial, and is now back with another attempt to blackmail the state into letting an illegal deal through. Paramount has lost the plot as it continues to lose in court. It didn’t work the first time — on the eve of our July lawsuit — and it won’t work this time.

If Ellison follows through with his threat, the relocation would begin with the company’s headquarters and followed by studio jobs. The rumor or Ellison and Paramount leaving the state have swirled for some time.

Paramount faces an increased cost to its deal if it’s not closed by September and the trial alone adds about $1.3 billion to the $110 billion price tag. If the deal falls apart altogether, there’s a $7 billion termination fee. Warner Bros. Discovery can walk if the deal isn’t closed by June 4.

Paramount has been attempting to wage a PR campaign in its favor with Ellison rallying his allies to write op-eds supporting the merger. But, Paramount seems to be hurting its cause by trying to play public opinion as opposed to making concessions with the Attorneys General that may lessen their opposition.

With each volley, and the further strain on the Ellison fortune, the chances of this deal collapsing seems to increase with each day.

The Marshal King, Vol. 1 is a pretty good start but some lettering issues dampens the enjoyment

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This is the Age of Desperados. For millennia, outlaws, bandits, and varmints have had the run of the wild west’s vast deserts, with only the U.S. Marshals to stand against them. Ride along with Jimmu Godspeed as he searches for the legendary power of the Marshal King to bring these times of chaos to an end!

When Jimmu Godspeed shows up with his infamous father’s body in tow, the whole outlaw world is shaken to its core. But instead of keeping his father’s legacy alive, he decides to enroll in the Western U.S. Marshal Training Institute! Nobody can guess his angle as he steps foot in the halls. But when put to the test, what will he choose—the law or glory?

Story: Boichi
Art: Boichi
Translation: David Evelyn
Touch-up and Lettering: Michelle Pang

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.

Bookshop
Amazon

VIZ Media 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

Early Review: Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen’s Crowbound #1 has the Vibe of 80s Twisted Children’s Films

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Crowbound #1

Rose isn’t special. She works in the Factory just like everyone else — a dark, sprawling monolithic structure that runs along the coast and cuts the world in two. All that’s left now are desolate settlements that exist in its shadow, made up of submerged villages, derelict woods, and deadly swamps. No one knows what’s left of the world on the other side… But when Rose’s young daughter Ava is violently taken from their shanty town home a year before she is meant to join the work force, Rose will come face-to-face with the surreal, harrowing forces outside the Factory’s walls… Crowbound #1 is another fantastic debut from Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen that’d fit right into the traumatic children’s films of the 80s.

When it comes to creative teams in comics, Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen is one where if you see they’re working on a comic together, you buy it. The combination of the two always results in entertaining stories that feature amazing art. Someone needs to back up the truck of money and just lock them in to do whatever they want. Crowbound is a new series that features the creative duo, and you better believe I read the first issue as soon as I could.

Crowbound #1 is the kind of story and debut you’d expect. It teases the grand picture, focusing on an emotional hook of a mother whose daughter has been taken away by those that rule. Interspersed, the issue has a dreamlike aspect to it as Rose and Ava dream, picturing what might be and remembering what was. There’s a haunting feel of it all and the mix between Lemire’s narrative and Nguyen’s art the comic has a feel of the 80s “children’s” movies I grew up with and delivered fantasy and a dose of trauma.

And there’s absolutely trauma here. Violence against women is present and while it’s not over the top in its depiction, it still got me to wince. But, it’s all a set up for what seems like a fantasy revenge tale, where Rose rises up against her oppressive rules to get her daughter back.

Nguyen’s art is his distinctive style and with the narrative, it takes an almost melancholy feel about it. The visuals are interesting telling us so much about the world and the characters, but there’s also a sadness to it all as well. And that feeling extends to the lettering by Steve Wands. It feels like there’s a choice in the lettering to deliver a style that matches the struggling society depicted as well as work with the dreamlike sequences.

Crowbound #1 opens up a lot of questions and the first issue doesn’t give a lot of answers. What it does give is a very focused story with an emotional core many can relate to. It’s a story of a mother who fights to get back her daughter. It’s a story of a parent protecting their child. How that plays out will be the big question and with Lemire and Nguyen at the helm, it’s one I can’t wait to find out the answer to.

Crowbound #1 comes to shops September 2, 2026.

Story: Jeff Lemire Art: Dustin Nguyen Letterer: Steve Wands
Story: 8.5 Art: 10 Overall: 9.0 Recommendation: Buy

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Pre-Order: Third Eye Comics – Kindle

Blokees Build: DC Defender Version 03 Arkham: Chaos Prologue – Nightwing

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DC Defender Version 03 Arkham: Chaos Prologue arrives as Gotham enters a new battle chapter. Officially licensed DC model kits feature authentic armor details, approx. 2.36 in height, and 18–24 pieces, giving each model kit a strong visual presence.

We open up our second box and it’s Nightwing!

Get yours!

Blokees
Entertainment Earth

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

Comics Legend Chris Claremont is a Baltimore Comic-Con 2026 Guest

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Chris Claremont

Come to the Baltimore Comic-Con this September 25-27, 2026 at the Baltimore Convention Center in the Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. Baltimore Comic-Con has announced the return of one of comics’ most influential writers, Chris Claremont. Get your tickets for the show online now.

Writer Chris Claremont has encountered more success than most writers ever dream of. He is a NY Times best-selling author, been awarded the prestigious Kellogg Award in Arts and Letters by Bard College, his alma mater, Italy’s Yellow Kid life time achievement award, and been inducted into the Will Eisner Comics Industry Awards Hall of Fame. His papers are collected in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library of Columbia University, New York.

Chris’s stories are trend-setters for the industry. Although best known for his work on Marvel Comics’ X-Men series where he created the characters of Legion, The New Mutants, Dark Phoenix, Rogue, Gambit, Sabretooth, Kitty Pryde, and Mystique amongst many others, he has also written seminal characters such as Batman and Superman, originated Wolverine, The New Mutants, and Captain Britain for Marvel, and written several creator-owned series. Chris is published world-wide in many different languages. He has authored nine novels. He has spoken at Princeton, MIT, U Penn, and Columbia University, has taught at NYU/Tisch School of the Arts, and has appeared on television in the US and abroad. He is the subject of monographs and documentaries. His work has touched millions.

Chris’s initial unbroken 17-year run on Marvel Comics’ The Uncanny X-Men is the stuff of industry legend. During that tenure, he took a lackluster series and transformed it into the dominant, best-selling title in the industry. His run culminated with the launch of the new title, X-Men. The first issue sold over 7.9 million copies. No one has come close to breaking this record. It is a conservative estimate Chris has sold in excess of 750,000,000 comics world-wide.

Chris’s work on the X-Men has brought resounding creative success. The story arc “Dark Phoenix,” with its radical treatment of the story’s central character, paved the way for the reinterpretation of superhero mythos throughout the comics industry. The graphic novel God Loves, Man Kills examines morality in all its guises, adding a sophistication to comics theory, and is the subject of academic papers. He has made Wolverine a household name.

Chris is well known for his progressive treatment of women in a genre that oftentimes relies on stereotype. Active, intelligent, courageous women characters such as Jean Grey, Kitty Pryde, Mystique, Rogue, and Storm have made Chris’s X-Men as popular with women readers as men, a rarity in the comics field.

Chris is equally well-known for his ground-breaking stories that fight prejudice and speak out for inclusivity for all, regardless of race, religion, gender or sexual orientation. These themes are highlighted in the “Genosha” story arcs in The Uncanny X-Men, and the “Mekanix” and “Intifada” story arcs in X-Treme X-Men.

Chris embraced mutants as a metaphor for all who are viewed as outsiders by the majority. Such daring real-word topics are rarely tackled in the conservative mainstream comics industry. Chris took this on at personal and professional risk.

The Summer of 2000 saw the release of the feature film X-Men, based largely on material created by Chris. The second Wolverine movie is based on the graphic novel Wolverine by Chris and Frank Miller. The X-Men movie Days of Future Past hews to his story arc. The trend-breaking TV series Legion is based on his characters, as is the movie The New Mutants. Chris’s stories are responsible for billions in movie profits.

Chris is especially proud of his creator-owned work, which includes the historic fantasies The Black Dragon and Marada, the She-Wolf (artist: John Bolton) and the comic book series Sovereign 7. Chris’s prose novels include the science fiction High Frontier series First Flight, Grounded!, Sundowner, the fantasy series Shadow Moon, Shadow Dawn, and Shadow Star (co-authored with George Lucas), and the dark fantasy Dragon Moon. Chris is hard at work on new projects for comics, prose, and film.

Endeavour #3 wraps things up but feels too much like Lord of the Flies and could use another issue

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The storm has passed, but the real horror has only begun. Adrift and starving, the surviving children of the Endeavour are haunted by guilt, paranoia, and the whispering ship beneath their feet.

As the line between reality and madness unravels, they’ll discover the sea isn’t the only thing that wants them.

Story: Stephanie Phillips
Art: Marc Laming, Tony Shasteen
Color: Lee Loughridge
Letterer: Tom Napolitano

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.

Zeus Comics

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

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