Author Archives: Logan Dalton

Mini Reviews: Sabrina the Teenage #1, Midnight X-Men #1, Tales of Wonder #2, Concrete: Stars Over Sand #4, Dinner Date #1

Posted on by Leave a comment
Sabrina the Teenage Witch #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

Sabrina the Teenage Witch #1 (Oni Press) – Corinna Bechko and Kano’s Sabrina the Teenage Witch #1 seamlessly mixes teen drama and horror with a pop of color. Kano’s cartooning is agile, especially when Sabrina is freaking out about her powers and new imp-ish energy. Also, Bechko sets up a magic system for the series, but doesn’t forget the part. As an added bonus, cartoonist extraordinaire Nick Cagnetti illustrates a four page backup about the witch/familiar relationship. This new Sabrina series hits right in the middle between the supermarket digests and Chilling Adventures, which is perfect for an ongoing series. Overall: 8.1 Verdict: Buy

Midnight X-Men #1 (Marvel) – Vampires and X-Men are two of my favorite things so Midnight X-Men #1 was an easy sell to me. And it lives up to the hype as Jonathan Hickman, Matteo Della Fonte, and Arthur Helsi build a vicious, theocratic world with the faintest sliver of heroism. One thing I’ve enjoyed about Hickman’s writing over the years is that he has mastered the build up to an “Oh shit” water cooler moment in key issues of his runs. He pulls another one off in Midnight X-Men #1, and Della Fonte’s design add even more gravity to the sequence. And this is in addition to Stryker and Nightcrawler’s religious debates, some weird science, and one hell of a romance. As a former X-Men fan fic reader, I love a doomed ship, and Jonathan Hickman basically centers the hook of this new comic around one. Overall: 8.5 Verdict: Buy

Tales of Wonder #2 (Image) – This book is worth reading just for the nine panel grid of sequence of thinly veiled Stan Lee and Jack Kirby analogues beating the crap out of each other. But for all the meta-ness in Steve Skroce’s script, this is mostly big, loud superheroics drawn in loving detail and flashily colored by Ian Herring. Sometimes you want to pontificate on how Lee was an asshole, but sometimes you want to see a jacked patriot, bear, sexy witch, and vomiting fly thing kick butt. Overall: 7.9 Verdict: Buy

Concrete: Stars Over Sand #4 (Dark Horse) – Paul Chadwick showcases his range as a cartoonist in Concrete #4 offering visceral thrills and reflective moments. Maureen escaping from the broken helicopter is an action film in miniature and is pure adrenaline while Larry tries to break through to a semi-amnesiac Concrete. The issue predominantly focuses on Concrete’s cognitive state after he was struck by lightning, and the unvarnished truth is that it’s not good. There’s a mournfulness to Chadwick’s writing that matches his hero’s confusion. But there are sparks of light and humor like when Concrete joke about, well, concrete lands at his keynote speech at a concrete conference. Overall: 8.6 Verdict: Buy

Dinner Date #1 (Ignition) – Vampires, online dating, the gig economy, and the “good for her” subgenre all collide in Dinner Date #1. Joanna Starer crafts two whip-smart, yet messy and likable protagonists in Izzy and Syd while Khary Randolph and Emilio Lopez bring the immersive NYC after dark visuals. Dinner Date draws on the sad and bleak reality of being a woman in 2026, but add blood, fangs, and delicious sense of humor. I enjoy how Starer and Randolph start the story as a straight up sapphic romance before giving it a genre twist. This is the kind of comic I need in spooky season. Overall: 9 Verdict: Buy

The Demon #1 is a dark, quirky horror fantasy that explores relevant themes of addiction and power

Posted on by Leave a comment
Comic book cover featuring 'The Demon' title in bold yellow letters, surrounded by various monstrous creatures in dynamic poses against a dark background.

Contrary to its title, The Demon #1 is more the Jason Blood show than the Etrigan although there are loads and loads of other demons populating the nooks and crannies of Hell and Hell on Earth aka Gotham City. James Harren makes Blood a semi-amnesiac, unhoused wanderer who uses his special They Live-esque mask to see supernatural treats and protect the innocent folks of Gotham from them while struggling with wanting to unleash Etrigan. The comic starts with Jason Blood beating up a big, fat demon with a magic pine cone attached to an iron rod, but the stakes gradually get more post-apocalyptic and Arthurian. And Harren and colorist Dave Stewart of Hellboy, Umbrella Academy, Shaolin Cowboy, and loads of other great comics fame are game to up the grotesquerie and sprinkle in bits of whimsy as the book progresses.

James Harren is a cartoonist’s artist, and The Demon lets him go down all kinds of interesting avenues, including 1980s dark fantasy, a more urban take on talking/clothed animals a la Mouse Guard or Wind in the Willows, the humor and pitch black comedy of early Hellblazer comics, and touches of high fantasy and classic depictions of Gotham City in Batman: The Animated Series. If I had to describe the tone of The Demon, it’s a fusion of those late 1980s DC “mature reader” books that became Vertigo like Swamp Thing, Sandman, and of course, Hellblazer, updated for the doom scrolling era and with character designs inspired by Etrigan’s creator, Jack Kirby. We’ve got parallels between Jason Blood’s addiction to Etrigan’s power, Morgaine Le Fey’s addiction to Merlin’s power, and our own addiction to our cellphones via creepy spider smartphone demons that even frighten the council of Hell. Modern anxieties hit different with a side of demons, fairies, and talking mice.

The center of The Demon #1 is the interplay between Jason Blood and The Demon, who is actually quite wise and provides context to the story. He also represents the tempting nature of power, which is the other key them in the story as Morgaine Le Fey wants to drain the infant wizard Merlin and rule a world free of humanity and its stink. In a key page, James Harren depicts a demon-infested Earth almost like Apokolips, which is honestly what our current reality feels like a lot of the time. It’s more dealing with Glorious Godfrey’s prattle than dodging Omega sanctions though. There is conflict between Le Fey and her council who want to hold onto the current status quo instead of completely nuking everything from orbit instead of going all shock, awe, and blasts from Stewart’s color palette. I love when bad guys agree with other bad guys, and the mentions of smart phones, pharmaceuticals, and childhood development sets up more supernatural tinged pokes and prod’s at society’s ills.

In previous Demon stories, I feel like Jason Blood is always overshadowed by Etrigan. Sure, I dressed up as Blood for Halloween my senior year of college, but that was mostly because I was too lazy to put together a Riddler costume. He had his moments back in Paul Cornell’s Demon Knights, but he’s always the lukewarm appetizer before the charismatic, rhythmic feast that is Etrigan. But Harren turns the tables and makes Blood a gruff, likable hero, who is just trying to help out and keep the creepy demons away. In fact, his interactions with the gnomes, Elves, and talking animals is quite adorable, especially when he has them making magical circles. Finally, I love the chaotic design that Harren creates for Jason Blood with his weird shaped hair and baggy, yet strong frame that can definitely take a punch or two from a hellspawn, but eventually should probably just bite the bullet and summon Etrigan.

The Demon #1 is a dark, quirky horror fantasy that explores relevant themes of addiction and power through the lens of supernatural beings. James Harren draws some gnarly demons, and his writing can be poetic and memorable. The line “Nobody even asks why they and their kids are in a sexual relationship with something akin to a pocket mirror, a gun, a casino, and heroin” is seared into my brain every time I pick up my iPhone. I love that Harren continues the time-honored Miltonian tradition of giving devils the best lines.

Story/Art: James Harren
Colors: Dave Stewart Letters: Clayton Cowles
Story: 8.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

Mini Reviews: Badrock #3, Hillbilly: The Treason of Twelve-Toe Maggie #1, Adventure Time Halloween Special, lien vs X-Men #1, Hello Kitty #2

Posted on by Leave a comment
Cover of 'Hello Kitty and Friends: Hello World' comic featuring Hello Kitty with a magnifying glass, My Melody, and Kuromi holding a bag, with colorful background and playful elements.

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

Badrock #3 (Image) – Badrock went from being heartfelt, nostalgic, and a little badass to dumb in a hurry. Rob Liefeld, Seth Damoose, and Pedro Estouco serve up reheated Cold War leftovers in a half-assed dystopian world in Badrock #3. I’m also surprised Disney hasn’t sent their lawyers to take out the blatant Deadpool ripoff aka Vandel. But, hey, the action is still pretty cool, and Damoose set up a nice tech vs brawn battle when Badrock and the generically Asian superhuman Chynamo (Wtf is that name?) throw down. Overall: 5.7 Verdict: Pass

Hillbilly: The Treason of Twelve-Toe Maggie #1 (Dark Horse) – This is my first entry into Eric Powell’s Hillbilly stories, and it didn’t disappoint. He re-tells the tragic backstory of Rondell the Witch Killer and sets him off on a new adventure trying to get a magic hat from a particularly spry witch for the titular Twelve-Toe Maggie. There’s a folk poetry to Powell’s writing style, and I love all the digressions and talk of biscuits and molasses. This is basically Appalachian Hellboy/Witcher, and I’m here for it and want to go back and read the previous volumes. Finally, Eric Powell’s art style finds the right balance between pretty and ugly, and I love his design for Leon the wood booger. (I think he might be Mothman.) Overall: 8.8 Verdict: Buy

Adventure Time Halloween Special (Oni Press) – Finn and Jake come face to face with the grey areas between heroes and monsters in the dungeon crawling spectacular Adventure Time Halloween Special from Jeremy Malloul, Adam Seats, and Rebecca Nalty. Jake’s desire to fill up his adventurer punch card backfires, and he and Finn end up as minions in a dungeon with Seats twisting them into stranger shapes as the story progresses. However, walking in the monsters’ shoes basically upends their entire worldview. I love Adam Seats and Nalty zine-style art work and all the RPG references. It’s a fun bizarro version of Adventure Time, and Skeleton Princess is my new fave. Overall: 8.4 Verdict: Buy

Alien vs X-Men #1 (Marvel) – The xenomorphs cut through Marvel’s merry mutants with glee and green gore in Kieron Gillen and Gerardo Borges’ Alien vs X-Men #1. I love the blending of the Astonishing X-Men and Utopia eras, and Gillen and Borges’ take no prisoners approach to character deaths. There’s some crazy body horror stuff going on too. In the Chris Claremont/Dave Messina backup story, Kate Pryde becomes besties with the Brood Queen. This story is a little overwritten, but I’m here for the evil, villainous sapphic vibes between Kitty and Magik. Overall: 8.1 Verdict: Buy

Hello Kitty and Friends: Hello World #2 (IDW Publishing) – Hello Kitty #2 is a super cute celebration of community and also a darn good mystery. Seriously, Mariko Tamaki and Cody Lemieux pull out all the classic mystery stops, including red herrings and one heck of a cliffhanger. They also go deep into the Sanrio bench in this issue while focusing on My Melody’s daily life. (She’s totally me when I’m planning for events at work even though I have more of Kuromi’s sense of style.) This comic is truly my monthly oasis from all the bad things in the world. Overall: 8.9 Verdict: Buy

Amazing Spider-Man #1000 is a celebration of all the writers, artists, and memorable moments that made Spider-Man a pop culture icon

Posted on by Leave a comment
Cover of 'The Amazing Spider-Man' #100 featuring Spider-Man with a collage of faces on his mask.

Amazing Spider-Man is the first Marvel comic to actually hit four digit issues, and issue 1000 is a celebration of all the writers, artists, and memorable moments that made Spider-Man a pop culture icon. It hits most of the major relationships and milestones in Spider-Man/Peter Parker’s life and explores the tragedy that created him as well as the more fun kicking supervillain butt and flirting with Mary Jane type moments. However, the 100+ page comic gets off to a bit of a rough start.

Amazing Spider-Man #1000 begins with the requisite full length, present day story for folks who are actually following the ongoing series and not just checking in for the anniversary like yours truly. Joe Kelly, Pepe Larraz, and Federico Blee craft a story centered around Aunt May having a stroke and fighting for her life with her nephew Peter Parker/Spider-Man by her side as well as her long lost son, Cormac Crane. In the most predictable “twist” ever, Crane is the villainous Ravage (No relation that we know of to the 2099 or Hulk baddie.) and wants to take all of May and Peter’s memories so he can have the “life” he wish he’d had growing up. (I also too want to be filled with guilt when I experienced my uncle being murdered, and I had a chance to stop it.) This memory “exhuming” is a handy plot device to go down memory lane and revisit the important moments in Spider-Man’s heroic journey and especially in his relationship with Aunt May. The ordinary moments between Peter and May warmed my heart like when she brings him an “apologystrami” sandwich.

Kelly and Larraz’s reverence for the classic Stan Lee/Steve Ditko/John Romita comics comes through in their approach to the flashbacks in their Amazing Spider-Man #1000, especially Pepe Larraz’s cinematic compositions with layouts that look like Spider-Man’s mask or a smooth sequence where Spidey saves a train on a bridge a la Spider-Man 2. It’s why we love this character, but it’s paired with some ugly, soap opera (Derogatorily, not in a Chris Claremont way) plotting that definitely didn’t make me want to pick up issue 1001 although Larraz is a perfect fit for the character. There is no depth to Crane beyond him being a pure evil guilt trip with an omniscient knowledge of Spider-Man’s life. Even his visuals look like a Fortnite skin. I look forward to a six issue arc and then never hearing about him again. (Remember Teresa Parker?)

After an insightful Q&A with Tom Holland (I really resonated with his love for Ultimate Spider-Man.) and Destin Daniel Cretton (He’s a fellow Boomerang stan!), the second story in Amazing Spider-Man #1000 marks the Marvel Comics debut of Fargo/Legion/Alien Earth creator Noah Hawley with art from Patrick Gleason, Marco Menyz, and Erick Arciniega. Predominantly set in the memory care unit of a retirement home in Queens, New York, “Still Standing” is a poetic final Peter Parker adventure as he finds closure and eventually gets to see the legacy of Spider-Man realized through his grandson. The story starts unobtrusively enough until Peter’s first, long lost love Gwen Stacy waltzes back in his life, and feelings and regrets well up. Of course, there’s more to this reunion than meets the eye, and the whole memory loss aspect really makes it a tearjerker. (My grandma is going through a similar situation right now.)

“Still Standing” centers around conversations and past memories so Gleason’s character acting and Menyz and Arciniega’s wistful color palette with touches of red and blue help unpack these elements. Peter, his son Miles, and his grandson Spider-Man are at different stages in their lives and have distinct gaits and bearings. It’s very jarring to see Peter go from sitting in his easy chair to hanging from the ceiling, but having the proportionate strength and speed of a spider doesn’t go away even if his mind unfortunately isn’t doing too well. The interactions between Peter and Gwen are very charged as she brings light and love to his twilight years. I won’t spoil how Hawley and Patrick Gleason get from Point A to Point B, but I felt a touch of sadness and an even stronger sense of closure after reading this story. If this was the final issue of Amazing Spider-Man, this is the kind of story perfect for wrapping up the decades-long saga.

Amazing Spider-Man #1000’s intergenerational throughline continues in its third story “Requiem for a Goblin” by J.M. DeMatteis, Humberto Ramos, Victor Olazaba, and Edgar Delgado. This story is about the funeral of Harry Osborn, who became the New Goblin, but then made a heroic sacrifice back in 1993’s Spectacular Spider-Man #200. DeMatteis and Ramos dig into the friendship between Peter Parker and Osborn as well as their superheroic or villainous alter egos. Most of it takes place in Peter’s head while he tries to come to grips with the loss of his friend, and whether villainy was something he chose or something thrust on him by his abusive and evil father and grandfather. True to form, J.M. DeMatteis’ writing is dark and psychological while Humberto Ramos and Olazaba’s line work is more upbeat and takes you back to the more laidback days of the late 1990s/early 2000s. Their character designs coupled with Delgado’s palette have so much personality and energy, and it makes me miss the days when superheroes had robust civilian supporting cast. “Requiem for a Goblin” is the perfect, reflective story for fans of media like Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy and Ultimate Spider-Man where the Peter Parker/Norman Osborn/Harry Osborn father/son dynamic is important.

In “Tears of the Spider-Queen”, two comics auteurs Frank Miller and Peach Momoko join forces to spin a yarn (Pun very much intended.) of an early career Spider-Man coming to blows with Miller creation, the Hand. Body horror, superheroes, and ninjas collide as Spidey tracks down a young girl named Allison, who has been given the title of Spider-Queen by The Hand and transformed into something monstrous. Momoko’s manga-tinged visuals and powerful color palette goes hand in hand with the ratatat of Frank Miller’s Spillane-esque captions. Even now, you feel like he could turn in another run on Daredevil or a killer collaboration like Elektra Assassin or Martha Washington. His words accentuate the primal nature of Peach Momoko’s art, especially when Allison transforms from girl to spider. She’s a counterbalance to Spider-Man, but also someone for him to mentor and rescue. I hope we get to see more of her, but I’ll take this spine chilling story by two of my all-time favorite comics artists for now.

After this, Amazing Spider-Man #1000 goes a little lighter with a wrestling/Uncle Ben-centric story from *naturally* Triple H, Rob Fee, Ed McGuinness, Mark Farmer, and Matthew Wilson. Most of this sweet, sentimental story is a young Peter Parker geeking out about going to a wrestling match with his uncle. His enthusiasm is infectious and a good match for the big limbs and high energy of McGuinness and Farmer’s art that culminates in a double page spread featuring Crusher Hogan and D-Man duking it out. However, the best part of this story is reading Uncle Ben’s body language and understanding that the wrestling match was a financial sacrifice for him, but he’d do anything to make his nephew happy. It’s interesting that Spidey gets back to his working class hero roots in a story by probably the most corporate co-writer in this comic.

After the wrassling and splash pages, we get some snappy patter and well-paced action sequences in “The Gesture” courtesy of Brian Michael Bendis, Stuart Immonen (Inking himself!), and Marte Gracia. Spider-Man gets an Avengers alert on almost never used, often lost Priority Identicard, but first, he has take out some Z-list supervillains in Times Square. The insecurity, the well-timed comedy, and of course, the explosive action is all here and a reminder of why Bendis and Immonen (And Bagley before him, and Pichelli after him) were so great on Ultimate Spider-Man. Spidey’s roast of White Rabbit, Firebrand, and Basilisk is the perfect combination of his annual run-ins with the Shocker and when he verbally decimated the Kingpin. Brian Bendis’ love of deep Spider-Man lore comes out in this issue, and it has a heartwarming finale showing just how important he is to his friends and family with the help of Captain America. The heart and humor in this story definitely made me want to dust off my Ultimate Spidey omnibi!

The penultimate story in Amazing Spider-Man #1000 features a script from living legend Larry Lieber with art from Giuseppe Camuncoli, Klaus Janson, and Rachelle Rosenberg. It’s a straight up Spider-Man goes back to the Old West with a prominent appearance from Lieber co-creation The Rawhide Kid. This comic feels like going back in time over 60 years ago when John Wayne ruled the box office instead of, well, our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Camuncoli and Janson give the visuals an old school vibe that is aided by Rosenberg’s use of primarily flat colors. This feels like finding a long lost Western/superhero mash up comic and is just plain fun although both Spidey and the Rawhide Kid find common ground in shared tragedy.

Amazing Spider-Man #1000 saves the best for last in a retelling of Amazing Fantasy #15 from the POV of the policemen chasing the Burglar, who Spider-Man lets get away and then kills Uncle Ben. Dan Slott, Marcos Martin, and Muntsa Vicente drop us straight into a pulse pounding cops and robbers chase and shootout with speed lines, quick nimble paneling, and rapid fire dialogue. It’s a movie we’ve seen dozens of times, but edited and shot differently. Except for the tiniest of silhouettes, Spider-Man and Peter Parker are always off panel: they’re incidental characters in Arthur’s all-consuming quest to catch the Five Boroughs Burglar. This rule only applies to the flashback sequence, and as Slott and Martin progress into the present day, the Spider-Man iconography takes over the page. This represents closure and finality as Amazing Spider-Man #1000 closes a loop that began 60+ years ago in Amazing Fantasy #15. It’s a nigh-perfect way to conclude the comic.

A dud of an opening story aside, Amazing Spider-Man #1000 is an emotional and visually stunning journey through the triumph and tragedy of an American icon. Although each story has vastly different art and writing styles, creators as disparate as Noah Hawley and Triple H, Larry Lieber and Peach Momoko find common ground in shared themes of family, finding closure, and finding heroism after experiencing the darkest moment in one’s life. I don’t know if the current Amazing Spider-Man stories will be any good, but there’s an epic back catalog to dive back (Let’s say I probably have about 500 issues of ASM to catch up on.) that’s accessible thanks to Marvel Unlimited. Plus you could always re-read this book, especially the Hawley/Patrick Gleason story if you need a good cry.

Story: Joe Kelly, Noah Hawley, J.M. DeMatteis, Frank Miller, Triple H, Rob Fee,
Brian Michael Bendis, Larry Lieber, Dan Slott
Art: Pepe Larraz, Patrick Gleason, Humberto Ramos & Victor Olazaba, Peach Momoko,
Ed McGuinness & Mark Farmer, Stuart Immonen, Giuseppe Camuncoli & Klaus Janson, Marcos Martin
Colors: Klaus Janson, Marcos Martin
Letters: Joe Caramagna
Story: 8.1 Art: 8.9 Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

Mini Reviews: Shaolin Cowboy: Staying AI-Live #3 and Muppets Take the Marvel Universe #1

Posted on by Leave a comment
The Muppets Take the Marvel Universe #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

Shaolin Cowboy: Staying AI-Live #3 (Dark Horse) – Shaolin Cowboy: Staying AI-Live #3 continues to straddle the line between utterly brilliant and incredibly sophomoric. Geoff Darrow unleashes some of the best fight choreography on the comics page and also a used panty dispensing AI soda machine. He also includes more background gags in one issue than some 100+ issue ongoing series have in their entire run. I’m amazed by Darrow’s skill as a cartoonist, which is bolstered by Ian Herring’s colors and Nate Piekos’ precise letters and also get a lot of chuckles from his skewering of our current AI-addled, fascist, late capitalist reality. The setting of Shaolin Cowboy: Staying AI-Live has big Gatlinburg energy. Overall: 8.7 Verdict: Buy

Muppets Take the Marvel Universe #1 (Marvel) – Muppets Take the Marvel Universe #1 is living proof that anything, even a shared universe that has somewhat gone stale, can be improved by the presence of Muppets. The comic kicks things off with a multiverse-spanning epic courtesy of Chip Zdarsky and Pete Woods. It’s super funny, and Miss Piggy and Emma Frost are fabulous together. Also, with the help of Gonzo, Deadpool is the least annoying he’s been in years. The story ends up being a salute to ensemble casts and maybe even a template for future summer event stories. Next, in a “Terrible Idea”, Kyle Starks and Mike Henderson have Bruce Banner and Hank Pym play the straight men to the utter chaos that are the experiments of Honeydew and Beaker. Some of the imagery in this story is downright nightmare fuel, and it ends up being a great homage to all the superhero and villain-creating lab accidents. Miss Piggy roasts some sexist (literal)pigs and flirts with Rocket and Groot in the incomparable “Pigs of the Galaxy”. Mackenzie Cadenhead’s dialogue demonstrates why she’s a pop culture queen while David Baldwin and Yen Nitro marry colorful sci-fi and fashion with their visuals. This story needed more pages and a spinoff mini. Philip Kennedy Johnson and Athla Fabbio combine 60s counterculture and 80s action in the nearly silent “Bad Man”. Basically, Wolverine rescues the Electric Mayhem’s van in a story that emulates Larry Hama’s silent issues of GI Joe with day-go colors from Mike Atiyeh. It’s a super fun genre/era/tone mash-up. Momofuku executive chef Paul Carmichael teams up with Ashley Allen and Paco Medina to spin a tale of Dr. Strange, Swedish Chef, and a sick Clea. Allen nails the chef’s funky dialogue while Medina helps the build up of Strange’s consternation with a chef who sucks in every universe. But, somehow, he has the magic touch for Clea. Adam Goldberg and EJ Su wrap the comic up with a rapid fire succession of Muppets failing to join the Avengers in their fight against Dr. Doom. We get one last magical Miss Piggy moment and some Statler/Waldorf fourth wall obliteration before paying adieu to a vibrant cast of characters. (And some Marvel superheroes.) Overall: 9.2 Verdict: Buy

Mini Reviews: Hellraiser Resurrections: The Deep Gospel #1, Die Loaded #9, Absolute Green Arrow #5, Talespin #2

Posted on by Leave a comment
Absolute Green Arrow #5

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

Hellraiser Resurrections: The Deep Gospel #1 (BOOM! Studios) – I’ll preface this review, but I’m saying I’m not super knowledgeable about the Hellraiser franchise except for the original film and the 2022 remake. However, Tini Howard and Jenna Cha offer an exquisite maternal heroine’s journey for the female Cenobite who is cast down by the Engineer and claws her way up to the top through her own gumption and knowledge of the rules of this complex society. I relished in her tough love interactions with the neophyte cenobites, and Cha and Brad Simpson offer twisted visions of underworlds, blood, and twisted flesh. I was definitely lost in some places, but I have a new badass character to follow and enjoy and want to check out some of the other one-shots in the series. Overall: 7.9 Verdict: Buy

Die Loaded #9 (Image Comics) – Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans basically do Treasure Island, but make it horror in Die Loaded #9. It’s cool watching Sophie come into her own maneuvering through the complex world of Die with three Fallen in tow plus a crew of easily suggestible embryonic adventurers. Isabelle plays a key role in this issue and makes the first volume of the series seem even creepier with Hans getting (literally) Lovecraftian with her art style. With debts, compromises, and unruly children, Die Loaded is far from a fantasy, but Gillen and Stephanie Hans offer a glimpse of one towards this issue’s conclusion. This is definitely the drowning in the deep ocean/trapped in the dark woods stage of the story. Overall: 8.3 Verdict: Buy

Absolute Green Arrow #5 (DC) – Flashbacks grapple with Oliver Queen’s moral code and legacy while in the current day, the Green Arrow Killer and Dinah Lance must escape Hector Hammond’s clutches in Absolute Green Arrow #5. Pornsak Pichetshote and Rafael Albuquerque continue to make the billionaire class their punching bag in this gritty superhero book, which has added a body horror aspect thanks to the appearance of Solomon Grundy. Musk, Thiel, Epstein, and wannabe/failed immortal Bryan Johnson are all in Absolute Green Arrow’s crosshairs while it’s still a solid mystery story about Dinah trying to make her way in a corrupt world. The action is literally explosive in this installment with harsh flat colors from Marcelo Maiolo capturing the pain Green Arrow and Dinah feel as they fight for their lives. Finally, this issue is full of perfectly timed reveals that shift the series’ focus. Overall: 8.8 Verdict: Buy

Disney Talespin #2 (Dynamite) – Talespin #2 is a little cheesier than the first installment with a plethora of jam puns, but Amanda Deibert and Carlo Lauro continue to put Baloo and Kit for the wringer as they lose a delivery job to a “flashier” replacement. The comic pits style vs substance, and sadly substance doesn’t pay the bills as Baloo’s wife again has a discussion about him selling the Sea Duck. This story sets up the Khan Corporation as an important player in the series as well as more opportunities for Lauro to showcase his skill at drawing fancy flying. But it’s less charming than issue one and more like one of those cartoon episodes you’d skip or throw on in the background. Overall: 6.8 Verdict: Pass

Early Review: Dungeons & Dragons #1 is an accessible, action, and humor packed series

Posted on by Leave a comment
Cover art for Dungeons & Dragons comic issue #1 featuring three adventurers battling a dragon, with vibrant flames and dramatic poses.

In the first issue of the new Dungeons and Dragons ongoing series for Dark Horse, Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly, Ibraim Roberson, Arabson Oliveira, and Dan Brown strike a balance similar to the role of their wizard protagonist Mordenkainen, who is basically the ultimate centrist of magic. (But in a more badass than spineless way.) They pepper this comic with dark prophecies, characters on serious missions, and of course, there’s a giant dragon on the first page. However, Dungeons and Dragons #1 has humor and sexual tension as well with Lanzing and Kelly writing fun banter between Mordenkainen and the grifter/bard/author Volo, who he runs into our favorite of first act settings: the local tavern. Dungeons and Dragons is full of deep lore, complex magic, gods, monsters, and more, but it has a wit and self-awareness that appeals to the more casual fans of franchise like yours truly.

In crafting these characters, Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly, and Roberson create a sort of axis of seriousness on a scale of apocalypse to sexual innuendo. If there’s a lot of exposition, they season it with a well-timed quip or some kind of background gag to keep the yawns away and keep the story engaging. Mordenkainen and Volo have a classic comedy team dynamic, and this is amplified when other party members start to show up as the comic progresses. Also, kudos to Dungeons and Dragons’ creative team for taking time to flesh out the key players in the story instead of bombarding readers with names, abilities, places, and other various and sundry things that would have me scrambling around on Wikia instead of engaging in the story at hand. Because the comic takes place in one of the most richly developed fantasy worlds, there is a buzz of activity, but Lanzing and Kelly take an iceberg theory meets Chris Claremont subplots eventually become the main plot approach in Dungeons and Dragons #1. I’ve only read the first issue so I’m not 100% sure on the second part, but let’s just say I’m hoping for an old school 50-60 issue run or beyond on this series.

Visually, Dungeons and Dragons #1 goes for high fantasy shock and awe with a varied approach to page design depending on the tone of each story beat. Cover artist Esad Ribic sets the tone with a harried band of adventurers versus big ass dragon cover bringing the epic scope of his work on titles like Thor, Secret Wars, and Eternals to the world of D&D. Ibraim Roberson, Oliveira, and Brown match his approach in the interior art. Dan Brown’s palette show off the range of this book from the crackling warmth of a tavern to magic energy out the wazoo in the action bits. They succeed at splash or widescreen compositions that are a worthy game store poster or more screwball comedy scene that endear readers to the cast of characters and enhance Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly’s dialogue. Even Arabson Oliveira’s inks contribute to characterization with some folks having more of an aura than others.

Dungeons and Dragons #1 is an accessible, action, and humor packed series debut that reminded me a lot of the Forgotten Realms novels that I read when I was younger. However, Lanzing, Kelly, Roberson, and Oliveira don’t shy away from darker elements and moral ambiguity. And did I mention the dragons? In all seriousness, if you enjoy being immersed in a compelling fantasy world with peril and danger, order this one from your local comic shop even if you’re constantly Googling what a kobold is and should probably bookmark their Wiki page.

Story: Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly
Pencils: Ibraim Roberson Inks: Arabson Oliveira
Colors: Dan Brown Letters: Haley Rose Lyon
Story: 8.6 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.6 Recommendation: Buy

The FOC for Dungeons & Dragons #1 is September 21, and it will be released on November 4

Dark Horse provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Pre-Order: Third Eye Comics – Kindle

The Big Shakedown #1 lives up to the hype of its high concept premise of a detective story set in a post-major seismic event L.A. nightmare

Posted on by Leave a comment
Comic book cover for 'The Big Shakedown #1' featuring a character on a yellow scooter, wearing sunglasses and a blue jacket, against a backdrop of a fragmented city landscape.

Noir meets post-apocalyptic sci-fi in The Big Shakedown, a high concept series from Jordan Blum, Tim Seeley, Scott Koblish, and Hi-Fi. The book opens with an earthquake destroying Los Angeles, who is then abandoned by the right wing religious fanatic president of the United States. Without federal aid, the City of Angels turns into a shitshow governed by big tech/drone companies and local gangs and protection rackets. Cop-turned-PI-turned TV show consultant-turned odd-job-working survivor Ester is our entry into this dark world as a simple missing persons case turns very complicated. Blum, Seeley, and Koblish use this first issue to establish the world of The Big Shakedown, but there are plenty of mysteries around the corner, especially towards the end of this installment.

Ester is really a near perfect POV character. She’s flawed, but likable with plenty of demons to exorcise. However, she also has a great sense of humor and has a working class charm. Jordan Blum and Tim Seeley’s captions for her add a lot of personality to The Big Shakedown and keep the story moving. I love that she watches old Lakers game on her VCR to find a semblance of normalcy in this crazy world because I totally watched CPU teams duke it out on NBA 2K when all the sports leagues shutdown due to COVID in 2020. (The 2018-2019 season though, oof ; at least, there was LeBron.) Also, Ester is a total badass improvising her way out of several violent scraps so she can have the money to get what she wants, which is probably out of L.A.

Scott Koblish uses his background in superhero comics to amp up the action sequences in The Big Shakedown with Hi-Fi adding splashes of intense colors like when Ester fights off bill collectors with steaming hot pot of pozole. There is something primal about the way Ester beats the crap out of folks trying to rip her off or take her hard-earned money that hints at a darker past beyond helping a TV star learn how to realistically hold a gun and then sleep with him. Although, she is five years sober, Ester is still prone to impulsive decisions that sometimes make this book feel like watching a car accident in slow motion. But that’s better than the alternative: a boring trope salad, which The Big Shakedown is far from being.

The element that draws me most to The Big Shakedown is that it’s a working class struggle story clothed in heightened genre trappings. Ester really just wants to pay the bills, but the system around her is beyond broken so she has to claw and fight for every last dollar, which is more relatable than an upper middle class white guy with a scotch and cigar sitting behind the desk. It also feels like Jordan Blum, Tim Seeley, and Scott Koblish are drawing on both experiences with the global pandemic and even the L.A. wildfires to show how traumatic events change folks, and that although we might have the same skillsets on both sides of the tragedy, we’re vastly different people. After the quake in The Big Shakedown, folks aren’t shelling out money to hire consultants for cop shows, they’re trying to eke out a living by selling batteries and avocadoes because Southern California still has great weather. Ester has changed as a person in the past five years, and it looks like this comic will go into those changes while also exploring the usual procedural elements of the crime genre.

The Big Shakedown #1 lives up to the hype of its high concept premise of a detective story set in a post-major seismic event L.A. nightmare. Blum and Seeley craft an anti-hero that Emmy-thirsty cable execs would die for, and Koblish and Hi-Fi bring a frenetic energy and a contemporary update on that West Coast noir palette that keeps the story moving and me looking forward to the next blood, guts, sunshine, and snark-filled issue.

Story: Jordan Blum and Tim Seeley Art: Scott Koblish
Colors: Hi-Fi Letters: Nate Piekos
Story: 8.0 Art: 8.2 Overall: 8.1 Recommendation: Buy

Dark Horse provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

Mini Reviews: Fixation #1, Inglorious X-Force #9, Tank Girl: Blue Helmet #1, Of the Earth #5

Posted on by
Cover art for 'Tank Girl in Blue Helmet' featuring a female character with short black hair dressed in a green jacket and black shorts, standing confidently in front of a large tank-like vehicle, with a stylized, colorful background.

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

Fixation #1 (IDW Publishing) – Amy Chase and Savannah Mayer‘s Fixation is a chilling first chapter of metamodern horror where fandom goes very very wrong. The story centers around two super fans who are invited to the 10th anniversary of Blood Mountain, a book turned film series that seems very similar to the Twilight series with Vail standing in for Forks, Washington. The issue begins with a chilling murder and then introduces the cast of fans, actors, production assistants, and mysterious posters setting the scene for a fiction/reality blurring story. Chase and Mayer don’t just point and laugh at how “cringy” fandom is, but actually give the main characters time to show how Blood Mountain had an impact on their lives. They might take things too far, but they’re a lovable duo and I’m rooting for them. Some of the actors, not so much though. Overall: 7.7 Verdict: Buy

Inglorious X-Force #9 (Marvel) – In the penultimate issue of Inglorious X-Force, Tim Seeley, Michael Santa Maria, and Romulo Fajardo go for maximum action and soapiness with just a dash of humor. Domino has a hunch that Cable will assassinate future President Kamala Khan so she forms her own X-Force team to take it out. Seeley and Santa Maria have a lot of fun with the team dynamic although the main cast is more developed and likable. I do want to go back and read the based, hilarious pooch Pug-Smasher’s early appearances. If you like 90s comics with a smidgen more psychological depth and smoother storytelling techniques, then Inglorious X-Force continues to be a solid pickup especially as it builds to a full circle conclusion. Overall: 8.1 Verdict: Buy

Tank Girl: Blue Helmet #1 (Titan) – Alan Martin and Jamie Hewlett take the piss out of the Beats in the full color, Tank Girl: Blue Helmet. Basically, Tank Girl, Booga, and Barney go (literally) on the road with thinly veiled Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg, who end up being repulsed by all the sex, violence, farts, and other shenanigans. This strip is pure anarchy with Martin churning clever, yet sometimes long-winded zingers to match Hewlett’s wild and crazy pictures. My personal favorite bit is when it turns into a Hanna Barbera parody, which kind of, sort of foreshadows Jamie Hewlett’s co-creation of the Gorillaz. Anyways, the moral of the story is that college boys who read books just to get laid are pretty lame. Overall: 8.9 Verdict: Buy

Of the Earth #5 (Image Comics) – Of the Earth #5 is all blood, guts, and black oil from Andrew Ehrich, Chris Condon, and Charlie Adlard. The wildcatter is at his peak powers, and Tabby must find a way to extricate herself from the situation. Red and black are the colors of the day, and there’s lots of tight corners and suspense. Ehrich, Condon, and Adlard nicely bridge the gap between physical and psychological terror as the issue is really one big third act horror film set piece. This would have made a worthy series finale, but luckily there’s more! Overall: 8.7 Verdict: Buy

Mini Reviews: Tales of Wonder #1, Crowbound #1, Dungeon and Dragons: Total Party Killers #2, Archie #1, Batman/Superman/Weird Al: World’s Weirdest #1, Legion of Superheroes #1

Posted on by
Batman/Superman/Weird Al World's Weirdest #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

Tales of Wonder #1 (Image) – Cartoonist Steve Skroce simultaneously takes the piss out of the superhero industrial complex and (literally) flexes his artistic muscles in drawing those kind of characters in Tales of Wonder #1. The story centers around Stu and Jake who are basically Stan Lee and Jack Kirby if they were still alive. Paraplegic Jake keeps it close to his chest with grumpy humor while Stu won’t shut up. (The scene where he praises his collaborators while Skroce covers up his art with giant word balloons is priceless.) However, Tales of Wonder is far from a grounded story, and it shines brightest when it indulges its genre elements. Ugly American is kind of an amazing name for a 90s edgy jarhead superhero, especially since he’s created by a Canadian. Overall: 8 Verdict: Buy

Crowbound #1 (Image) – Crowbound is another beautiful collaboration from Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen. It’s centered around the relationship between a mother and daughter in a stark post-apocalyptic hellscape. Boldly opening with the mother Rose’s death, Lemire and Nguyen take us back in time to show key moments in her and her daughter Ava’s lives. Dustin Nguyen’s use of negative space unpacks the sadness of the comic with pops of color acting as reminiscences of happy times. Crowbound is definitely a downer of a read, but fits our hard times and has some glimmers of hope too. Overall: 8.6 Verdict: Buy

Dungeon and Dragons: Total Party Killers #2 (Dark Horse) – To use a bad pun, I think this issue killed my interest in this series. Christopher Hastings and Denis Medri focus more on expanding DnD Total Party Killers’ cast of characters and locations instead of giving us an interesting story to follow or characters to root for. (I do love the slime and baby eye.) The art is colorful, and there are some cool moments, but no real coherence. Overall: 5.8 Verdict: Pass

Archie #1 (Oni Press) – Ben Winters, Fabio Moon, and Jason Wordie take the World’s Most Popular Teenager back to his slice of life roots in Archie #1. Moon definitely elevates the material with his energetic art, and his flair for the dramatic comes in handy in the second of the three short stories in this comic about a film festival. Winters also knows Archie is supposed to be a funny comic and litters his script with zingers and character-based comedy. Jughead was definitely my favorite in this first issue, and he gets a solo story to wrap up the book where he comes to grips with the ghost of character development. But, yeah, this is classic, supermarket checkout Archie with slicker visuals and a touch of self-awareness. For now, there’s no deconstruction going on. Overall: 8 Verdict: Buy

Batman/Superman/Weird Al: World’s Weirdest #1 (DC) – I think the superhero comics genre may have peaked when Weird Al fought Mr. Nobody with a fifth dimensional accordion. Co-writer Mark Waid’s Yankovic-esque parody of the John Williams Superman theme was brave and bold, but I’m curious what Grant Morrison could have done with the material. But, seriously, Weird Al and fifth dimensional imps are match made in Heaven, and Dan Schoening and Fico Ossio’s art capture the wackiest of vibes. This comic book is life changing, and it’s AI art’s personal kryptonite. Now it’s time to “Eat It”. Overall: 10 Verdict: Buy

Legion of Superheroes #1 (DC) – In Legion of Superheroes #1, Joshua Williamson, Hayden Sherman, and Tamra Bonvillain try to find hope in a dystopian future through its youth. A fragment narrative structure offers glimpses at familiar faces like Brainiac 5, Lightning Lad, Saturn Girl, and the always hilarious and quite badass Matter Eating Lad. However, they’re separated by laws, different planets, and their own demons. Sherman’s visual vision of future superheroics is intriguing: nostalgia meets something new. Their trademark spiral layouts works for this kind of hop along story. I think I’m invested in the fate of the Legion like I am with the college kids I work with. Overall: 8.5 Verdict: Buy

« Older Entries