Author Archives: Logan Dalton

Mini Reviews: Touched by a Demon #2, Sonic Racing: Crossworlds #1, Exploit #1

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Exploit #1

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

Touched by a Demon #2 (Dark Horse) – Touched by a Demon continues to be a charming, darkly humorous series from cartoon Kristen Gudsnuk. This book excels at both the macro and micro levels of storytelling. I live for the background gags and the distinction in character designs between demons and humans, but Gudsnuk also does a good job of letting Bifrons and Zuzu struggle and fail yet somehow find growth in an organic way. This is a comic that’s very silly and yet also deals with serious subjects like abuse in an empathetic way. It also has numerous smart things to say about theology and free will in an even handed way. Overall: 9.0 Verdict: Buy

Sonic Racing: Crossworlds #1 (IDW Publishing) – Sonic Racing Crossworlds #1 is a tie-in comic to a new Sonic racing game of the same title. (That’s a fun development.) However, it feels a lot like when you were younger, and an older friend or sibling would unplug your controller so that you won’t really playing. Crossworlds #1 has bright colors, anarchic action, and even some snappy one-liners from Iasmin Omar Ata. (I love how they write the Shadow/Jet rivalry.) However, with so many characters, plot threads, and utter randomness, the book ends up having no flow on a big picture level. Overall: 5.8 Verdict: Pass

Exploit #1 (Mad Cave Studios) – Co-written by former Wired, Verge, and Comics Alliance journalist Laura Hudson, Exploit #1 is a high adrenaline valentine to the fourth estate, especially the tech side. Hudson, Tim Leong, and Emiliana Pinna craft an intriguing and relatable lead in Kirby, who is 34 years and interning at one of the last tech magazines that isn’t under the thrall of billionaires and AI. I love her enthusiasm and thirst for truth and making a difference even if she isn’t in the typical intern age bracket. She’s not naive and idealist ; she just has nothing left to lose. Before introducing the thriller elements, Hudson, Leong, and Pinna go full day in the life of an up and coming journalist with snappy dialogue, bright colors from Rebecca Good, and zippy panel-to-panel transitions. Exploit #1 is a comic about a conflict that is near and dear to my heart while also being a compelling and entertaining read. Overall: 9.4 Verdict: Buy

Mini Reviews: Wiccan: The Witches’ Road #3, Escape #6, The Power Fantasy #16

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Escape #6

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

Wiccan: The Witches’ Road #3 (Marvel) – Wiccan #3 is another middling issue of this series starring one of Marvel’s most iconic gay couples. I enjoyed the glimpses Wyatt Kennedy and Andy Pereira gave us of Billy Kaplan’s past as a kid in New York and his “first love”, but the comic is really text heavy. Also, I’m not super invested in the new Demiurge. Having Morgana Le Fay kind of be a sympathetic figure works for a while, but of course, she doesn’t end up that way. There are definitely fragments of a cool story, and any scene with Billy and Doll-Teddy are heartwarming, but I can’t recommend this series just yet. Overall: 6.7 Verdict: Pass

Escape #6 (Image) – In Escape #6, Rick Remender and Daniel Acuna‘s war story lives up to its title as Milton is nabbed by the Narenians and must make his way out. His interactions with the Narenian commander shows the contrast between his solid heroism and the Narenians’ evil as the baddie taunts him about his wife and tries to get a rise out of him by saying enemy saboteurs will seduce her. This conversation (Really, more of a monologue) makes the ensuing action even more explosive. I love how Remender and Acuna use tiny, quick panels to show Milton freeing himself from captivity and put his individual actions in the larger context of the war. I’m not exaggerating when I say that in the future, Escape will be considered one of the great war comics, and lot of it is Rick Remender’s personal connection to the material because his grandpa was a World War II vet. Overall: 8.9 Verdict: Buy

The Power Fantasy #16 (Image) – Kieron Gillen and Caspar Wijingaard show the true extent of the Superpowers’ destructive abilities in this mind-blowing issue of The Power Fantasy. This issue definitely feels like a finale, but I’m glad that it’s being continued with its new more cynical status quo. Wijingaard’s art is just flat out epic in this issue, especially a crimson-tinged double page splash that will be drilled into my brain for quite some time. The Power Fantasy #16 shows why the detente between the Superpowers is so important and digs into the frightening reality of being a human being in this world where you’re just a figure on a casualty list. Overall: 8.6 Verdict: Buy

The Peril of the Brutal Dark #1 finds its sea legs in the third act

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The Peril of the Brutal Dark #1

The Peril of the Brutal Dark #1 reads like a prologue and first chapter of a series thriller starring a protagonist with a three syllable name like Jack Reacher, Alex Cross, or in this case, Ezra Cain. Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips show Cain in action, set up a tantalizing MacGuffin, and probably the best part of this comic is its setting during the early days of World War II as Americans scramble to join the European war effort against Hitler, Mussolini, and Imperial Japan. On a micro-level, some of the scenes in The Peril of the Brutal Dark don’t really flow well, but by the time, Cain is meeting with a museum curator connected to his past as an anthropology student and especially when you reach the final page cliffhanger, the book remembers it’s a damn good crime yarn.

I’ll lead with the shortcomings. The cold open The Peril of the Brutal Dark takes place on the Greek isle of Lemnos where a mysterious group of men discover the anvil of Hephaestus featuring Indiana Jones style traps and a heavy red veil of mystery. I like the purposeful vagueness, and that Condon uses actual Greek words in his script, but the fight with the automatons is anticlimactic as the men flash some flame and the statues stand stiff. There’s no peril or suspense, and it just ends up being a fetch quest that connects to the book’s present day plot. Or I could be wrong, and these automatons’ activities could be vital to the overarching story. Let’s just say that I have a feeling that The Peril of the Brutal Dark will read better in trade paperback.

My other issue with The Peril of the Brutal Dark #1 is how one-dimensional its protagonist seems in the action scene where he tries to retrieve a briefcase and get paid. Later, through conversations with police officers, other citizens, and some press clippings on the last few pages, we learn that Ezra Cain is a community man, who is willing to go the extra mile that the police won’t even if that means using his gun. But this scene is just a basic shoot ’em up like something out of Grand Theft Auto. (Hell, I felt like I had a better handle on the characters in L.A. Noire before the shooting started so that’s why I didn’t use that reference.) Phillips is also better at drawing static and establishing scenes than fast moving action as he and Condon introduce new characters and figures will nilly before ending up with a bloodstained suitcase. Jacob Phillips’ color palettes are vibrant and emotion evoking from the reds of the discovery of Hephaestus’ anvil to the yellow lowlights of Cain’s office when something suspicious about to happen.

That being said, I would say that I liked The Peril of the Brutal Dark as a comic although it isn’t one of the best crime comics I’ve read recently. It combines noir elements with pulp adventure fiction, and Chris Condon has a good handle on the class, race, and political dynamics of the time period. There are elements of codeswitching in Ezra Cain’s behavior from playfulness with cops to wary intelligence with the museum creator and finally open love and protection with a character that appears towards the end of the book. Early on, he looks like a generic white guy, but once we get to see him in action and especially conversation, he seems like an interesting enough fellow to follow down a Greek mythology conspiracy rabbit hole.

Although, it features whispers of a labyrinth of conflict and violence and one and is centered around a genuinely cool artifact, The Peril of the Brutal Dark isn’t a knock it out of the park first issue, both storywise and visually. However, it finds its sea legs in the third act, and the cliffhanger and supplemental material are what make it a “Read” and not a “Pass” for me. I personally am giving issue two a shot, but if you’re not a big crime comic person, it might be worth sitting this one out or waiting for the trade.

Story: Chris Condon Art: Jacob Phillips Letters: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Story: 6.0 Art: 7.5 Overall: 6.8 Recommendation: Read

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

Mini Reviews: Death Fight Forever #1, he Florida Hippopotamus Cocaine Massacre #1, The Muppets Noir #1, Street Sharks #5, and Wonder Woman #30

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Wonder Woman #30

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

Death Fight Forever #1 (Image) – After an intoxicating flash forward, Andrew Maclean and Alexis Zirritt bring the world of old school beat ’em up arcade games to comics in Death Fight Forever #1. It’s a simple take out an evil guy in a creepy pyramid type of story, and both sides have tricks up their sleeves. Death Fight Forever is a visuals driven book focusing on the next sprayed on the side of tour van set piece. Maclean’s writing adds pitch black humor and brotherly love to the proceedings, and there’s some heart beneath badassery. But, yeah, this comic is like playing your favorite arcade game late at night with a little bit of a beer buzz. Overall: 8.5 Verdict: Buy

The Florida Hippopotamus Cocaine Massacre #1 (Mad Cave) – With a name like that, I had to check out Fred Kennedy and James Edward Clark‘s new series The Florida Hippopotamus Cocaine Massacre #1. (TFHCM from here on out.) TFHCM #1 satirizes Reagan era America with big guns, lines of blow, and plenty of action, and the antagonist seems a lot like Trump too even though he’s technically a Pablo Escobar type. Clark’s approach to the visuals is VHS fever dream meets Reefer Madness meets Miami Vice with a side of those hyperactive toy ads, especially in his figure work. This is a book that definitely gets overstimulating at time, but it’s chock-full of so many jokes, wacky characters, and moments of pure badassery that it’s well worth your time and money. Overall: 8.0 Verdict: Buy

The Muppets Noir #1 (Dynamite) – Once again, Roger Langridge seamlessly brings the world of Muppets from TV puppets to comics in The Muppets Noir #1. His writing is clever, his visuals are absurd, and once Kermit gets hit by that brick and enters a dreamworld where he’s a private eye with a phobia of pies, he creates a fully realized world of mansions with singing pig statues, Gonzo doing stunts at the cabaret, Sam Eagle abusing his arrest powers, and more. The story really feels like Kermit casting a film noir with his fellow Muppets, and Roger Langridge has a ball with the language and casting. Plotwise, The Muppets Noir #1 is establishing and exploring, but there’s a bit of a curve ball in the last few pages. Overall: 8.4 Verdict: Buy

Street Sharks #5 (Oni Press) – This marine pun and punching filled series wraps up in Street Sharks #5 as Stephanie Williams and Ariel Medel pit the titular heroes against Dr. Paradigm once and for all at the ultimate 90s destination: the shopping mall. But beneath the quips and cool wrestling moves, this story (And honestly the series as a whole.) follows the throughline of the Street Sharks trying to be loved and not feared. Seriously, Dr. Paradigm is very good at blackmail, but maybe a Super-Adaptoid version of the Street Sharks was a step too far. I love that Williams and Medel cut away from the action to show the reaction of onlookers, including characters from previous issues. Street Sharks #5 is about muscular mutant sharks kicking mad scientist butt, but it’s also about a community defending itself against predatory capitalism and finding heroes in unlikely places. I seriously need some Street Sharks merch. Overall: 8.7 Verdict: Buy

Wonder Woman #30 (DC) – In the conclusion to her two part arc, Stephanie Williams shows her command over Wonder Woman’s robust supporting cast putting both their strengths and flaws on display as they battle Eris for Lizzie. She and Jeff Spokes make one hell of a team as insightful dialogue pairs with muscular action. Spokes’ colors also set the tone for each stage of the fight with Eris. It’s so cool to see Nubia, Philippus, Diana, Yara, Donna, and Cassie as three dimensional characters in just 40-odd pages as Williams and Jeff Spokes bring dense, old school type storytelling, but loses the old school attitude. Plus the text and visuals complement each other nicely, and Spokes kicks ass at drawing powerful, loving women. Overall: 8.8 Verdict: Buy

Ultimate Spider-Man #24 succeeds because it brings all of what made this book great to a crescendo

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Finally, one of the Ultimate Universe books sticks the landing, and of course, it’s the flagship title Ultimate Spider-Man with Jonathan Hickman, Marco Checchetto, David Messina, and Matthew Wilson concluding the series on a suitably heartfelt note. The strength of this series has been its focus on the web (Pun intended) of relationships between Peter Parker and his family and friends, and the extra pages in Ultimate Spider-Man #24 gives plenty of space for character-driven grace notes as well as an exciting battle royale against Kingpin, Mr. Negative, Mysterio, and Earth 6160’s Anti-Venom, who is a gnarly love child of Todd McFarlane spaghetti webbing and John Romita Jr. bulky design with a sleek high tech Hickman twist.

To use a vastly different comic as a metaphor, Ultimate Spider-Man #24 has a nice balance of love and rockets. Checchetto and Messina draw some big, physical action sequences especially when an enhanced Wilson Fisk is involved. However, they and Hickman also make a flashback to when Mary Jane realized she was pregnant with Richard end up becoming the crux of the issue and probably the whole run. There’s a clear throughline to Peter unexpectedly becoming a father and also obtaining superpowers, and it’s been cool to see his relationship with his son Richard develop throughout the series as he takes on the mantle of Spider-Man, er, Venom. (I was kind of sad to see Peter’s interactions with May kind of tail off because her being the only one to know he was Spider-Man was an adorable highlight of early Ultimate Spider-Man issues.) Richard levels up and has a big damn superhero moment in Ultimate Spider-Man #24, but it’s nice that the comic doesn’t end with some big blast of energy instead giving the Parker family some time to breathe and reflect before leaping headlong into the action of Ultimate Endgame in which Peter plays a key role.

Ultimate Spider-Man #24’s excellent rounding out of character arcs doesn’t just apply to the Parkers, but to their friends the Osborns as well. Harry Osborn wants to be a heroic figure like his friend Peter Parker, but he’s caught in the middle between his wife who has merged with four other people to be Mysterio and his father Norman, who taunts him via AI. So, he doesn’t really do anything in the big final battle except watch the Maker’s Council try to rebuild and watch Mysterio consolidate power and not resemble the woman he married in the slightest. These scenes and Harry’s whole arc in Ultimate Spider-Man explore what if your family was a negative influence on you as a hero instead of giving you something worthy to fight for. This search for motivation is what ends up being the last stop for Harry in Ultimate Spider-Man (I’m sure we’ll see him in Endgame.), and it’s cool seeing Peter take up a mentor role in his life as well as being his best friend. In a positive way, it reminds me of Peter and Harry’s relationship in the Sam Raimi Spider-Man films sans the James Franco smarminess and with more cool tech because this is in fact a Jonathan Hickman comic.

Without gratuitous guest stars and through an epic broadcast/monologue from those truth-searching newspapermen Ben Parker and J. Jonah Jameson, Hickman, Marco Checchetto, and David Messina align Ultimate Spider-Man with the anti-fascism and capitalism of Deniz Camp and company’s The Ultimates. The narrative captions add a heft and relevance to the book’s extended fisticuffs/whatever is going on with Richard Parker’s web fluid/symbiote. You can see why these characters play a key role in Ultimate Endgame, but as I mentioned earlier, Jonathan Hickman doesn’t focus on big political statements, but every day resistance through the lens of an iconic superhero and his supporting cast.

Ultimate Spider-Man #24 succeeds because it brings all of what made this book great to a crescendo. There’s the action against colorful, tech savvy, ultracapitalist villains, a grounding in family and friends, and even some romance, both mature between Peter and Mary Jane and developing between Richard and Black Cat. Add the gorgeous art from Marco Checchetto and David Messina and solid coloring from Matthew Wilson (He nails the flat colors for the Venom/Anti-Venom fight scene.), and this is a memorable final chapter in this superhero comic for grown-ups that still know has to have fun and will go down as an evergreen run for Marvel’s mighty webslinger.

Story: Jonathan Hickman
Art: Marco Checchetto and David Messina
Colors: Matthew Wilson Letters: Cory Petit
Story: 8.6 Art: 8.6 Overall: 8.6 Recommendation: Buy

Marvel Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

Mini Reviews: Spider-Man Noir #5, Die Loaded #4, Bleeding Hearts #1, The Crown: A Tale of Hell #1, Star Wars: Jar Jar #1

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Star Wars: Jar Jar #1

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

Spider-Man Noir #5 (Marvel) – Erik Larsen, Andrea Broccardo, and Rachelle Rosenberg mix a little bit of Clone saga and a Spider-Man “No More” with a lot of Nazi punching and the pulpy action that is Spider-Man Noir’s signature in the final issue of this miniseries. This could very well be the *last* Spider-Man Noir story as Larsen and Broccardo show the cost that Peter Parker’s alter ego has taken on both his relationships and life in general as he’s caught in the crossfire between Nazis and old school American gangsters. I love the level of maturity that Erik Larsen writes Peter and Gwen’s relationship with as she struggles with the father who she worshiped and idolized being a Nazi. Maybe, Peter Parker will live a relatively quiet life as a 1930s P.I., but a final panel leaves the door open for more masked man adventures. Overall: 8 Verdict: Buy

Die Loaded #4 (Image) – Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans introduce a new party member in Die Loaded #4. It’s Chuck’s son, Callum, who is a Fool like his father and probably a bigger one with access to the right wing landscapes of online gaming and anime porn as Sophie resignedly observes. Sophie must balance trying to put Callum in his place and getting the quest started and realizing that one day her son, Stuart, will be a teenager and hopefully won’t be like this misogynist. It’s really fun watching Sophie grow into the role of Godbinder and interface with the world of Die while Gillen and Hans take potshots at Chosen One tropes and Gen Z. There’s a frosted glass flashback that particularly shows her growth as a leader as the new quest begins. Overall: 8.6 Verdict: Buy

Bleeding Hearts #1 (DC/Vertigo) – Vertigo is back with a bang thanks to the reunion of 20th Century Men‘s Deniz Camp and Stipan Morian on the tale of sensitive, ethical zombie Poke in a world that is very much the opposite. Usually, mindless cannon fodder, Camp and Morian humanize the living dead while not giving them the Warm Bodies relationship and much of this issue is dedicated to world-building and a worm’s eye view of zombie society, how their names are constructed, and different cliques and relationships. Fititng the tone of the story, Morian and colorist Matt Hollingsworth’s visuals are gruesome, yet lovable like its protagonist Poke, who is easy to latch onto in a very deep, tortured everyzombie way. Overall: 8.5 Verdict: Buy

The Crown: A Tale of Hell #1 (Dark Horse) – Brother writers Mike and Todd Mignola and artist Warwick Johnson-Cadwell craft a tale of sibling rivalry and literally hellish political wrangling centuries before Hellboy’s birth. It’s a rare peek at the twisted destiny Hellboy was born into and rejected to become a hero. I love how Johnson-Cadwell draws his figures like chess pieces on a board while still imbuing them with a physicality that drives home their arguments about who is worthy to wear the titular crown. However, The Crown #1 isn’t all bitching and moaning, but has some juicy twists towards the end. Let’s say Hellboy had more siblings than two. Overall: 8.1 Verdict: Buy

Star Wars: Jar Jar #1 (Marvel) – Jar Jar Binks (and Beq) actor Ahmed Best, Marc Guggenheim and artists Kieran McKeown, Laura Braga, and Mike Atiyeh complete the Jar Jar redemption in this engaging and socially relevant one-shot. Best and Guggenheim use the metaphor of the mining planet Urubai and the caste of the Unseen to draw attention to the plight of exploited workers like cobalt miners in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It’s all filtered through a pulpy lens, but it’s in the same vein as the Andor television show or the Rebel Alliance being a stand-in for South Vietnam’s National Liberation Front. There’s definitely some silly moments, and Ahmed Best and Marc Guggenheim have Jar Jar’s speaking patterns down to a tee, but it’s offset by showcasing him as a complex figure whose innocence was preyed upon by powerful interests. It’s cool to see Jar Jar, Beq, and Mira Bridger push back against the moment in Episode II that made Jar Jar such a despised character. Also, a cameo from badass bounty hunter Aura Sing doesn’t hurt either. Even if your opinions about Jar Jar Binks have stayed static since 1999, this is the comic to change your mind. Overall: 9.7 Verdict: Buy

Sirens: Love Hurts #1 is a grown person’s superhero comic that nails the complex dynamics of relationships in 2026

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Sirens: Love Hurts #1

Sirens: Love Hurts #1 is the triumphant return of Babs Tarr to drawing interior comics art as well as a perfect use of the Black Label imprint to tell a more mature as in complex relationship dynamics and not gratuitous violence, language, and sex, although Harley Quinn does call Bruce Wayne a “fuckboy” in a memorable panel. (He’s not, though.) Tarr, writer Tini Howard, breakdown artist Xanthe Bouma, colorist Miquel Muerto, and seriously snazzy letterer Becca Carey bring anti-heroes/villains Quinn, Poison Ivy, and Catwoman together with do-gooder/rockstar/billionaire fiancée Black Canary to solve the murders of women in Gotham that the police have neglected.

Sirens: Love Hurts #1 is truly a girl’s girl comic. From the immaculate fits designed by Babs Tarr to the fact that this story features both a brunch and a night out, Sirens exudes fun despite its dark subject material. These are four very different women with a wide range of moral compasses and approaches to fighting crime, relationships, and just life in general, and the story flows from this rather than just “Oh, I guess it’s been a lot of talking, let’s have an action sequence.” There’s also a true sense of symmetry in Sirens’ storytelling, one the whole creative team contributes to, like a five-panel page with a four-panel grid, where each cast member lays out their boundaries for their working relationship. The expressiveness of Tarr’s character portraits, combined with Howard’s witty dialogue and Muerto’s flat background colors, establishes the dynamic before they go their separate heist/superhero ways.

This symmetry threads its way throughout Sirens #1, keeping narrative momentum while indulging in plenty of chaos. (Seriously, I’m obsessed with Tini Howard and Babs Tarr’s take on Harley Quinn in this book and need Ashnikko to dress up as her at one of her gigs.) After finding the murder victim Julie in a state that is more true crime horror than superhero, each Siren does their own research in a way that’s true to their character whether (In a relatable moment for yours truly.) it’s Poison Ivy using her university/grad school credentials, Harley Quinn finding Julie’s therapist file and address, Catwoman flirting with Batman, and Black Canary juggling life as a rock star and crime fighter back stage at the Light. These solo moments apart contribute to the moments of banter and fun when the team unites towards the back end of the comic and debuts yet another glorious set of outfits/costumes from Tarr. (Her reimagining of the Uma Thurman Poison Ivy costume in Batman and Robin as a disguise is truly iconic.)

Sirens : Love Hurts #1 is a grown person’s superhero comic that nails the complex dynamics of relationships in 2026. (Seriously, the poly dynamic between Harley and Ivy has never been this well-done or hilarious.) I love that there are multiple discussions of boundaries in different aspects of the story whether that’s in relation to the law of Gotham City or whatever Harley/Ivy, Dinah/Oliver, and Bruce/Selina and various other wild cards are. However, above all, this is a be hot, do crime, and fight injustice towards women comic with style for days thanks to the visuals of Babs Tarr and Miquel Muerto.

Story: Tini Howard Art: Babs Tarr Breakdowns: Xanthe Bouma
Colors: Miquel Muerto Letters: Becca Carey
Story: 9 Art: 9.5 Overall: 9.3 Recommendation: Buy

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

Free for All is an action book for the shitty fascist, late capitalist reality that is 2026

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Free For All

What if instead of sitting on their money like Smaug the Dragon, funneling it into documentaries about the wife of a rapist directed by a rapist, or using it to actively billionaires (and trillionaires, ugh) donated half their fortunes to the people. And if they refused, they fought each other to the death in a Roman gladiators, but slightly more high tech manner. This is the premise of the graphic novella Free for All by auteur cartoonist Patrick Horvath. The story has been released in a few different formats, but I would argue that the upcoming Oni Press edition is the definitive version featuring an interview with Horvath and some behind the scenes commentary on the book’s thrilling final pages. So, it’s a treat for process nerds as well as folks who want a cathartic, yet slightly unsettling shot of fight comic adrenaline.

Let’s start by talking about the art! Patrick Horvath is a cartoonist’s cartoonist, and he does a good job using page composition and body language to flesh out the two main characters, Ted, a real estate magnate (Think the late Dr. Jerry Buss if he had a Spartacus fixation instead of a basketball/chasing women one!) and his ex-wife Luella, who is a woman spurned-turned-girl boss-turned-first lady of vengeance. (Think MacKenzie Scott meets Katniss Everdeen, but more District One or Two than Twelve.) At pivotal parts in Free For All, Horvath goes full trippy anatomy model on us and uses these memorable visuals and free verse captions to give us a literal glimpse into their heads. It’s part human vulnerability, part CEO LinkedIn mantra. I definitely don’t love these characters, but I don’t despise them either.

Where Free For All really works is in the actual fights. There are two main ones in the book: Ted vs Cameron, a healthcare CEO and Ted vs Luella. Even though Ted is beyond a match for Cameron, Patrick Horvath plays out the battle to show his bond with the crowd and obsession with fighting. There is some dark humor too in Cameron fiddling with the sci-fi raygun weapon plus plenty of flop sweat and a heavy heaping of red blood and gore. Horvath definitely goes for over the top with the violence. And like all healthcare CEOs, he is pretty pathetic. However, the fight between Ted and Luella is a proper physical chess match that is heightened by the bond they once shared. The battle could really go any way.

Free for All is an action book for the shitty fascist, late capitalist reality that is 2026. It’s kind of utopian, kind of dystopian, and kind of about a couple slamming the door shut on their relationship in a way that affects the world economy. Patrick Horvath has become a comics superstar for his work on Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees, and this is another exciting addition to his body of work showing off his fight choreography chops and satirical bite.

Story: Patrick Horvath Art: Patrick Horvath
Story: 8.2 Art: 9.4 Overall: 8.8 Recommendation: Buy

Oni Press provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Bookshop – Amazon

Mini Reviews: Marian Heretic #4, Archie x Army of Darkness #1, Godzilla Infinity Roar #1, D’Orc #1, Batman #6

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Batman #6

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

Marian Heretic #4 (BOOM! Studios) – Shit hits the highest heavens in Marian Heretic #4 as the titular character drops the charade of fighting for the patriarchy and kicks ass for the mother goddess instead. Tini Howard and Joe Jaro skillfully juxtapose Marian’s past and present and unpack that her power doesn’t come from a blessed Communion wafer, but from her background as mixed martial artist. Caught up in a whirling dervish of blends of Christianity and old school paganism, Marian ends up being at the eye of the storm. All the gloves are off, the torture devices and firearms are out, and Howard and Jaro have set the stage for a spiritual battle royale. Overall: 8.4 Verdict: Buy

Archie x Army of Darkness #1 (Dynamite) – I love Archie Comics (Especially the old house style!) and the Evil Dead so I’m kind of a biased mark for this kind of thing. Bill and Ben Galvan bring the carnage, splatter, and gore of Sam Raimi movies into wholesome, innocent Americana with a Deadite channeling Alien-meets-Temple of Doom by pulling Moose’s still-beating heart out of his jock body. But, unfortunately, Erik Burnham structures this story in a kind of jumbled together way. I appreciate the Archie working at S-Mart with Ash subplot, but it should have gone at the beginning or middle of the comic not the end. Maybe, this whole series would have worked bigger as a lengthy one-shot a la the excellentArchie/Jay and Silent Bob, but I’m still tuning in for the Archie/Ash banter and hopefully some lessons in chainsaw use. Overall: 6.6 Verdict: Read (If you’re a big Archie/Army of Darkness)/Pass (If not)

Godzilla Infinity Roar #1 (Marvel) – Godzilla Infinity Roar #1 is big, dumb, and full of fun. Gerry Duggan, Ig Guara, and Javier Garron set the King of Monsters and symbiote god Knull loose on the Marvel Universe causing a cosmic scale of destruction and freaking out the various intergalactic players. They just want to let them find their way to Earth and be done with it, but not if elements from the Avengers, FF, and Guardians of the Galaxy have their way. Cue an utterly pointless battle scene between the Guardians, Knull, and a being of an unfathomable. However, this scene of total filler is counterbalanced by ending setting up a battle that I’ve been waiting almost my whole life to see. Overall: 7.4 Verdict: Read

D’Orc #1 (Image) – Both political sides sucking is a relatable refrain, and Brett Bean explores it in fantasy comedy kind of way in D’Orc #1, which features plenty of violence, gore, puns, and supernatural elements. But the best scene is a simple six panel grid of both the light and dark sides finishing each others’ sentences and having the same conversation about our half dwarf/half orc protagonist as some kind of violent harbinger of doom. Even in this first issue, the d’orc has his own little arc going from creeping in the trees with his talking shield to using the talking shield for active violence. What is likely to follow is a silly, yet timely take on the fantasy genre from Bean and the dark Saturday morning cartoon palette of colorist Jean-Francois Beaulieu. Overall: 8.0 Verdict: Buy

Batman #6 (DC Comics) – After last month’s single action sequence centric issue, Matt Fraction and Jorge Jimenez are back to the ratatat subplot/gadget heavy storytelling in Batman #6. Fraction seeds in lots of real world themes like AI as a substitute for companionship and police corruption while not neglecting the action. Jimenez and colorist Tomeu Morey really let Batman cut loose in a sequence versus the new and improved Monster Men. However, there is also room for moments with Bruce’s sons Tim Drake and Damian Wayne with this issue being a big milestone in Bruce and Tim’s relationship. I love for the awkward conversation that Bruce and Annika have at the beginning of the comic where he tries to explain why his son is Robin featuring some well-timed beat panels from Jorge Jimenez. Overall: 8.2 Verdict: Buy

Free for All is an action book for the shitty fascist, late capitalist reality that is 2026

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Free For All

What if instead of sitting on their money like Smaug the Dragon, funneling it into documentaries about the wife of a rapist directed by a rapist, or using it to actively billionaires (and trillionaires, ugh) donated half their fortunes to the people. And if they refused, they fought each other to the death in a Roman gladiators, but slightly more high tech manner. This is the premise of the graphic novella Free for All by auteur cartoonist Patrick Horvath. The story has been released in a few different formats, but I would argue that the upcoming Oni Press edition is the definitive version featuring an interview with Horvath and some behind the scenes commentary on the book’s thrilling final pages. So, it’s a treat for process nerds as well as folks who want a cathartic, yet slightly unsettling shot of fight comic adrenaline.

Let’s start by talking about the art! Patrick Horvath is a cartoonist’s cartoonist, and he does a good job using page composition and body language to flesh out the two main characters, Ted, a real estate magnate (Think the late Dr. Jerry Buss if he had a Spartacus fixation instead of a basketball/chasing women one!) and his ex-wife Luella, who is a woman spurned-turned-girl boss-turned-first lady of vengeance. (Think MacKenzie Scott meets Katniss Everdeen, but more District One or Two than Twelve.) At pivotal parts in Free For All, Horvath goes full trippy anatomy model on us and uses these memorable visuals and free verse captions to give us a literal glimpse into their heads. It’s part human vulnerability, part CEO LinkedIn mantra. I definitely don’t love these characters, but I don’t despise them either.

Where Free For All really works is in the actual fights. There are two main ones in the book: Ted vs Cameron, a healthcare CEO and Ted vs Luella. Even though Ted is beyond a match for Cameron, Patrick Horvath plays out the battle to show his bond with the crowd and obsession with fighting. There is some dark humor too in Cameron fiddling with the sci-fi raygun weapon plus plenty of flop sweat and a heavy heaping of red blood and gore. Horvath definitely goes for over the top with the violence. And like all healthcare CEOs, he is pretty pathetic. However, the fight between Ted and Luella is a proper physical chess match that is heightened by the bond they once shared. The battle could really go any way.

Free for All is an action book for the shitty fascist, late capitalist reality that is 2026. It’s kind of utopian, kind of dystopian, and kind of about a couple slamming the door shut on their relationship in a way that affects the world economy. Patrick Horvath has become a comics superstar for his work on Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees, and this is another exciting addition to his body of work showing off his fight choreography chops and satirical bite.

Story: Patrick Horvath Art: Patrick Horvath
Story: 8.2 Art: 9.4 Overall: 8.8 Recommendation: Buy

Oni Press provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Pre-Order: Bookshop – Amazon

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