Author Archives: Logan Dalton

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

Mini Reviews: Wiccan : Witches’ Road #2, Touched by a Demon #1, The Power Fantasy #15, Exquisite Corpses #9, Wonder Woman #29

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Wonder Woman #29

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: Witches’ Road #2 (Marvel) – With Hulkling immobilized or a puppet, Wyatt Kennedy and Andy Pereira don’t have his chemistry with Wiccan to draw on so this second chapter suffers in comparision with the first one. We get Wiccan finally setting off the Witches’ Road on a fetch quest for Baba Yaga with a sarcastic talking fox named Nameless for a companion. I love their interactions, but at this point, Billy Kaplan’s journey isn’t super compelling. His first stop is connected to Roxxon, but the corporate satire elements don’t really mesh with the magical ones. By the final page, Kennedy has bet big time on the Demiurge to be the story engine for this comic so your enjoyment of Wiccan : Witches’ Road depends on how cool you are with that concept. Gotta love a stakes-raising cliffhanger though. Overall: 6.9 Verdict: Read

Touched by a Demon #1 (Dark Horse) – Touched by a Demon #1 is a delightful mixture of pitch black comedy and pure emotion all wrapped in a cute visual package courtesy of cartoonist Kristen Gudsnuk. An earl of Hell named Bifrons and his assistant Zuzu set up a life coaching program so Bifrons can find redemption after he’s spurned by Lucifer and other demons like Mammon. They have exactly 1 customer and give some advice that might work in a theoretical/vent-type of way, but not in practice. Gudsnuk peppers Touched by a Demon with all kinds of funny background gags like hellish athleisure brands as well as witty one-liners, but she uses a lot of the page space in this first issue to get to the core of Cifron’s feelings along with his first client, Wendy. They’re both in bad, no-win situations that escalate as the comic progresses and really sinks its claws (Or pitchforks.) in you. Overall: 7.9 Verdict: Buy

The Power Fantasy #15 (Image) – Shit truly and utterly hits the fan in The Power Fantasy #15. Eliza is slowly starting to realize that her visions maybe aren’t from God so the other Superpowers have to band together to figure out a way to neutralize her. Kieron Gillen deftly walks the plot tight rope and even leaves room for something interesting world building like the Vatican’s new location being in Ethiopia as well as some emotional moments between the newly broken-up Isabella and Masumi. (Caspar Wijingaard‘s art is a vision for Masumi’s paintings.) And speaking of Wijingaard, his linework and especially color palette is pure apocalyptic fury. He crafts red skies that make Crisis on Infinite Earths look like child’s play just like the events of this issue. Overall: 8.5 Verdict: Buy

Exquisite Corpses #9 (Image) – Tyler Boss, James Tynion, Valentine De Landro, and Michael Walsh give the folks of Oak Valley a fighting chance in Exquisite Corpses #9. A queer black nail polish-sporting baddie and a crazy conspiracy theorist teaming up to save the day is a foreshadowing of the US in the future, and I love Xavi’s growth as an unlikely hero especially their fight with the bunny-masked hero. However, victory is still far away. Like almost every issue of Exquisite Corpses, the story is sprawling and split between a massive cast, but it’s nice to see the good guys get a bit of a W for once. Also, Jordie Bellaire‘s flat black and reds continue to accentuate the violence and menace through her color palette. Overall: 7.6 Verdict: Read

Wonder Woman #29 (DC) – In Stephanie Williams and Jeff Spokes‘ inaugural issue of Wonder Woman, they show that the titular character is more than just Diana Prince. In fact, this is more of an ensemble book with different iterations of Wonder Woman and Wonder Girl babysitting Diana’s daughter Lizzie Prince. Before setting up the conflict, Williams gives us a flavor of Donna Troy, Yara Flor, Cassie Sandsmark, and Queen Nubia and their different personalities that especially shines in the way they fight and spar. There’s a real “it takes a village” family dynamic in this book, which makes its initial baddie that much more compelling. Also, Spokes’ fight choreography is gorgeous just like the powerful women he draws. (There are no men in this comic.) Overall: 8.3 Verdict: Buy

Mini Reviews: Babs: The Black Road South #1, Ultimates #20, Die Loaded #3, Knull #1, and more!

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Babs: The Black Road South #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

Babs: The Black Road South #1 (Ahoy! Comics) – Garth Ennis and Jacen Burrow continue to take the piss out of the fantasy/barbarian/metal bikini genre in Babs: The Black Road South #1. The banter between the titular character, her companion Izzy, and her talking sword are this book’s comedic foundation on which so many shenanigans can be built. Seriously, there’s a five page sequence where Izzy and Babs rap about Red Sonja’s virginity. It’s fun to see high fantasy and wild karaoke meet, but Babs: The Black Road South isn’t all sunshine and rainbows using the protagonist’s financial insecurity and incompetency to fuel the plot. Overall: 8.0 Verdict: Buy

Ultimates #20 (Marvel) – Deniz Camp and Phil Noto unravel the backstory of Earth-6160 Vision and Nick Fury and let the good guys get some licks in in another rip-roaring issue of Ultimates. Most of the narration is done from Vision’s POV, and I love that it is in keyword format like the world’s most powerful search engine. Ultimates #20 is pure payoff showing that the seeds of resistance against the Maker’s fascism have been on the board for decades. On a nerdy level, there are a lot of fun cameos and guest stars as the fight between HAND and the Ultimates in Detroit turns into an all hands on deck situation. Ultimate Endgame is an epic war crossover arc so it’s nice to have titles like Ultimates take some of the storytelling load off and flesh out the players, both old and new. Overall: 8.4 Verdict: Buy

Die Loaded #3 (Image) – Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans continue to make side characters protagonists in Die Loaded #3 with the appearance of Sol’s mom, Margaret, who becomes the party’s Dictator. Her life has been so tragic with her son going missing and acting distant, and of course, all her rage is directed towards the world of Die in a powerful series of panel. But she’s also a teacher, and Gillen and Hans turn what could be a one-note nag into yet another mother figure for Molly and an ally in their journey. Also, it cool, yet sad to see Sophie start to learn the world of Die as there are costs for her abilities. Overall: 8.2 Verdict: Buy

Brett

Avengers #34 (Marvel) – A big anniversary issue that continues the story that began with this series’ relaunch. Jed MacKay and Farid Karami deliver an epic showdown with Kang that’s interesting but not exciting. Having not read most of this series, the details of the story are lost and what’s shown doesn’t intrigue me enough to go back. A back-up story featuring Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley is a bit easier to dive in to and features Bendis’ signature humor. Overall, for such a momentous issue, it fails to deliver a real celebration. Overall: 7.0 Verdict: Read

Knull #1 (Marvel) – Something is building with Knull at the center again, so it’s interesting to dive in and catch up with what’s going on. Al Ewing and Tom Waltz deliver an issue that catches readers up but kicks off the next chapter in an interesting way. Juanan Ramirez‘s art is interesting and entertaining. The issue does a solid balance of introducing new readers to the character but also delivers something new for long time fans of the character. Overall Rating: 7.75 Verdict: Read

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #14 (IDW Publishing) – The new creative team of Gene Luen Yang and Freddie E. Williams II have been delivering a feel that mixes the recent relaunch but a bit more of the classic Turtles too. A new villain has been an intriguing addition but the brothers back together feels right, down to their sniping at each other. The comic has a good mystery to it along with action and so far has been a nice continuation from the previous run that was phenomenal. Overall Rating: 8.0 Verdict: Buy

Tomb Raider: Sacred Artifacts #1 (Dark Horse) – It’s been a long time since I’ve read a Tomb Raider comic but it felt like one to check out. Written by Casey Gilly with art by Antonio Di Caprio, the issue is interesting in setting up where Lara Croft is in life and frames the re-introduction in an interesting way, using a television interview. Overall, it has its moments but like recent live action attempts, doesn’t really excite. Overall Rating: 7.5 Verdict: Read

Uncanny X-Men #22 (Marvel) – The X-Men are currently in their “Shadows of Tomorrow” phase and it’s an interesting one as only a few characters know what was going on. So, this series dives right back into things, so not so much a jumping on point but a continuation. Writer Gail Simone does give us an entertaining one-shot in some ways and you can enjoy it without knowing all of the backstory. The art by David Marquez is great as always. The issue is good, though caters to current readers not new ones hoping to hop on, but that’s more an issue with the previous event “Age of Revelation” and how it tied into various series more than anything else. Still, it’s an issue you can enjoy even if you’ve haven’t been reading this series or really have never read an X-Men comic. Overall Rating: 8.0 Verdict: Buy

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