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
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 Allby 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 HorvathArt: Patrick Horvath Story: 8.2 Art: 9.4 Overall: 8.8 Recommendation: Buy
Oni Press provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
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
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
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
Absolute Batman Ark M Special #1 (DC) – Kind of a historical companion piece to Absolute Batman #15, Absolute Batman Ark M Special chronicles the transformation of Arkham Asylum into the grisly corporate, Absolute Joker-run nightmare that is Ark M. Scott Snyder and Frank Tieri riff off Amadeus Arkham journal entries that have popped up everywhere from comics to video games and create a generally uneasy feeling. I like that they make him a good man for his time, who is overwhelmed by the forces evil that have only intensified in the present day as evidenced in this issue’s epilogue. Ark M Special adds depth and context to Absolute Batman as a whole, and artists Joshua Hixson and Roman Stevens nail the period specific details while creating a throughline between the inmates of the 19th century and the foes Batman faces in the present day. Overall: 7.7 Verdict: Buy
Street Sharks #4 (IDW Publishing) – A new burger restaurant opens up in the Street Sharks’ city, and it reminded me of when In N Out opened their first restaurant east of the Mississippi last month. However, Stephanie Williams and Ariel Medel take the fast food addiction, culinary and marine puns, and of course, the wrassling and butt kicking action to the limit in Street Sharks #4. This book is chaotic, but it’s also breezy and nostalgic, perfect for a lunch break read. Like a Saturday morning cartoon, the Street Sharks always defeat the immediate threat, but Williams wisely keeps the stakes high by having public opinion be another antagonist in the book. Dr. Paradigm also gets a little more panel time, and boy, is this guy blatant evil as he gaslights the whole city. Overall: 8.8 Verdict: Buy
The Twilight Zone #3 (IDW Publishing) – James Stokoe‘s art is exquisite as ever, especially in the violent fight scenes that pepper The Twilight Zone #3. But this comic’s story is just okay. It’s a commentary on how the greatness of human culture doesn’t last, but our junk and fast food will. However, it doesn’t go deeper beyond barbarian warriors chatting slogans as they die in battle. But, hey, it’s an excuse for Stokoe to draw cool stuff like dinosaurs knights with machine guns a la the cheat codes in Age of Empires: Age of Kings. Overall: 7.5 Verdict: Read
Books like Batman #5 are why I love superhero comics. Matt Fraction, Jorge Jimenez, and Tomeu Morey create an entire issue that is centered around Bruce Wayne, not Batman, being chased by ninjas while on a kind of, sort of date with Dr. Annika Zeller, an Arkham employee who has invented something called the Crown of Storms to regulate electrical signals. So, of course, she’s on the run from rival ninja gangs, including Ojo aka Lady Death Man. There’s flirting, tension, cool gadgets, and a killer final page when an action from one of Wayne’s allies
Although, Jimenez has a much different art style from David Aja, Batman #5 reminded me a lot of another Fraction comic, Hawkeye #3 aka the freeway car chase issue where Clint Barton and Kate Bishop try out all the trick arrows. (It was adapted pretty well in the 2021 Disney Plus series too.) Batman #4 set up all kinds of labyrinthine plotting while this issue is all about a man getting a woman to safety and also dealing with his feelings about her. Of course, Dr. Zeller is a gorgeous woman, but Bruce is more attracted to lack of fear in solving mental health crises and speaking truth to power in a way that’s earned the ire of two and definitely more criminal syndicates. Even though the costume and cowl are miles away, some of his real personality comes out in this issue as he listens to her talk about innovative ways to make Gotham a better place, which is something he can assist through Bruce Wayne’s money and not just Batman’s fists. Finally, it’s so wholesome how protective Bruce is of Annika like when he immediately throws her into the safety of the dumpster when Ojo confronts him in an alley.
However, most of this issue is Jorge Jimenez and Morey turning in one of the coolest car chases (in comics) period. Seriously, there’s a double page spread that plays with time in an utterly insane way when Bruce catches a lock of Annika’s hair that was cut off by a biker gang member between her uttering “Oh God”. In this series of panels, you know what it’s like to have the reflexes of Gotham’s boy billionaire, who is also the Dark Knight. Specificity in sound effects from letterer Clayton Cowles and Jimenez are key in this and other segments of the chase sequences, and you hear the sword and the enemy’s body hit the side of the car before cutting to a small panel in silhouette that’s pure dark slapstick. In his colors, Tomeu Morey finds a happy medium between complex digital work and old school flat colors. When in doubt, pink and black look fantastic, and this scheme shows up in the issue’s movie poster-worthy title page along with the hand to hand fight between Bruce and Ojo.
Batman #5 also uses the high adrenaline action to fuel a kind of identity crisis for Bruce Wayne. He has to do Batman things to get through the issue, but has no access to his costume or gadgets beyond a sick suit of light body armor that’s also moisture wicking. Matt Fraction and Jorge Jimenez effectively use tics in Bruce’s vocabulary and shifts in body language to show when he’s blending or crossing over different parts of his dual identity. Of course, Ojo calls him out on this behavior, and this leads to Jimenez drawing his best, mean mugging action pose. Bruce Wayne is definitely more comfortable drifting cars and shifting gears than being a man in a business suit.
I love romantic comedies. I love action movies. So, I loved loved Batman #5. This comic is a showcase for Jorge Jimenez’s virtuosic art, Tomeu Morey’s ability to set the mood through colors, and also Fraction’s skill at quickly creating romantic chemistry and letting his artist cook. But, in a very cranked-to-eleven way, it demonstrates the best way to really know what someone is like is in a stressful situation, and I think Bruce passed with flying colors. (Until the final page.)
2025 was a hellscape of a year so in my comics reading habits, I fell hard into the “escapism” genre, including a lot of DC Comics. I don’t know if it was residual goodwill from James Gunn’s Superman, or the fact that they hired some of my favorite writers and artists, but I enjoyed so many books from the company formerly known as National Comics this past year. I also fully embraced the one-shot format this year, and honestly, the majority of this favorite comics list could have been made up of one-shots. I’ve always been a pop single girlie (And even purchased CD singles once upon a time) so it’s natural that I would enjoy this kind of thing in comics whether it’s Archie meeting my favorite stoners from the View Askewniverse, a glorious intercompany crossover between Thor and Shazam, or the singular book that topped this list.
There’s something rewarding about struggling with a comic early on, but eventually embracing and having it become one of your favorites. That describes my relationship with Kieron Gillen and Caspar Wijingaard‘s The Power Fantasy to a tee. I always enjoyed Wijingaard’s approach to fashion, layout, and color palette, but the book’s narrative started to draw me in during year two as he and Gillen toppled dominoes and showed just how frightening a world with godlike heroes could be. This concept has been explored in more juvenile ways in the past (I won’t name any names). However, Kieron Gillen and Caspar Wijingaard take more of a premium cable anti-hero approach in The Power Fantasy that is quite riveting and prioritize ethics and relationships over punching although this book had its fair share of pyrotechnics in 2025.
Writer Aaron Reese sadly passed away in January 2025, but they left us with a lasting legacy of Bytchcraft, a magical and fiercely queer series about a coven of witches in New York battling the apocalypse. Reese and artist Lema Carril crafted a world with a fascinating cosmology and magic system that definitely had Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Charmed, or Supernatural vibes, but its cast didn’t resemble the contents of a Duke’s Mayo bottle. Also, Carril’s eye for fashion made the characters some of the best-dressed in comics to go with a flashy color palette from Bex Glendining. Above all, Bytchcraft is a call to be queer and do magick, and I will clutch to it in the coming years.
A tense smash and grab job under the nose of a kaiju attack is one of the coolest concepts I’ve heard in a while, and Van Jensen and Kelsey Ramsay pull it off in their Godzilla : Heist miniseries with style, grace, and social commentary. Genre blends are tough to do, but Ramsay’s line art and Heather Breckel’s colors know when to go for gritty urban crime mode or pull it back for the big monster reveal. Plotwise, there’s plenty of cool gadgets, double crosses, and general mayhem, but it’s all grounded by protagonist Jai, who wants to get back at the British government for being imperialist losers and screwing over his mother. And the King of Monsters ends up being the perfect partner for this vengeance quest.
In its second and unfortunately final year, Deniz Camp, Juan Frigeri, and Phil Noto’s The Ultimatescontinues to be revolutionary pop art. Camp and Frigeri turn corporate mascots into avatars of resistance infusing them with leftist, anti-capitalist, and anti-imperialist ideologies while simultaneously making us care about them larger-than-life human beings. The Ultimates also gives each single issues its own unique identity whether that’s a commentary on the school-to-prison pipeline courtesy of Luke Cage, an epic poem set in Asgard, a kung-fu epic, or the wonderful Noto-drawnissues with Doom aka Earth-6160 Reed Richards trying to recreate the Fantastic Four that can be read in five different ways. It’s one of the best Marvel runs in recent memory, and I bittersweetly look forward to seeing how it all wraps and then going back and following the threads Deniz Camp seeded in early issues.
The combination of Hayden Sherman being a layout deity, Jordie Bellaire unleashing a color palette that is part Gothic nightmare and part ancient Greek pottery-inspired, and Kelly Thompson giving Diana a proper heroic-in-the-face-of-darkness character arc made Absolute Wonder Woman one of my favorite reads of 2025. Even the fill-in arcs drawn by Mattia De Iulis and Matias Bergara reveal important information about the cost of Wonder Woman using her abilities and her literally hellish past. But the real highlight is we got an honest to Hera Minotaur/labyrinth plotline featuring the return of some favorites from Greg Rucka’s Wonder Woman run as well as Sherman nailing the claustrophobic feel with their visuals. Also, Absolute Zatanna and the end-of-year crossover with Absolute Batman cemented this book as a proper blockbuster title.
Ryan North, Mike Norton, and Ian Herring’sKrypto : The Last Dog of Kryptonwas the one comic in 2025 that made ugly cry. Structured by seasons, Krypto explored tough topics like death and pet abuse in an honest, yet empathetic way and was also filled with a multitude of wholesome moments establishing its protagonist as the ultimate good boy. (Who can sometimes be naughty.) North and Norton drop the Silver Age concept of Krypto being able to talk and instead rely on body language and gestures to move the story forward. He also provides a listening ear and insight into characters like Lex Luthor and Superboy as well as the ordinary folks who cross his paths. Krypto : The Last Dog of Krypton isn’t just *the* definitive Krypto comic, but an evergreen for DC in general.
Al Ewing, Steve Lieber, and Lee Loughridge’s beyond sadly cut short six issue Metamorpho, The Element Manseries (Right before its lead’s triumphant big screen debut.) was the funniest and most clever comic of 2025. On the surface, Metamorpho is a send-up of Silver Age comics with Ewing channeling the late Stan Lee in his omniscient, mock-Beat, fourth wall leaning narration. However, as the series progressed and revealed its Big Bad, Metamorpho revealed itself as a love letter to the weird and wacky side of superhero comics, which is something I feel like DC has over Marvel. (See the Brotherhood of Dada and Brother Power the Geek, for example.) To name a few things, we had a Mod-themed antagonist, a supervillainous skewering of generative AI, and an emotional arc for Simon Stagg’s Neanderthal servant, Java. Finally, this book wouldn’t have succeeded without Lieber’s period-perfect visuals and impeccable comedic timing, especially during the more espionage-tinged issues where he pulls off Jim Steranko-esque layouts without being a weird racist.
3. Flip (First Second)
Cartoonist Ngozi Ukazu puts an original spin on the body swap genre in her graphic novel, Flip. In the book, a Black working class nerdy girl named Chi-Chi swamps bodies with a wealthy white jock named Flip Henderson, who she has a crush on and accidentally asks to the school dance via Power Point in an engaging, embarrassing opening scene. Flip showcases Ukazu’s skills with character acting, and it’s rewarding to slow down and see how Flip and Chi-Chi move differently in each other’s bodies. The story also has poignant commentary on race, class, and mental health, but also fun K-Pop dances and fandom. Seriously, every time Chi-Chi, her friends, and eventually Flip chat about their favorite K-Pop group and their biases, the comic takes on a sparkling energy. In a world of full of division, Flip makes the bold call to empathize with folks, who have different experiences, in an entertaining way.
After a strong launch in 2024, Scott Snyder, Nick Dragotta,Marcos Martin, Clay Mann, and Jock’sAbsolute Batman reached masterpiece status this year finishing especially strong with the conclusion of the horrific “Abomination” arc and even more horrifying stand-alone story that introduced Absolute Joker. Toxic, working class, and incredibly jacked Batman just works in our day and age, and Snyder and company aren’t afraid to take big swings and put truly original spins on iconic heroes, villains, and all the folks in-between. Reading this comic is like taking both a physical and psychological beating, and there is real power in the punches and moves Dragotta draws and in Martin’s flat colors. And the lobster to this juicy steak of a comic is the Absolute Batman Annual where skilled cartoonists like Daniel Warren Johnson, James Harren, and Meredith McClaren put their own stamp on this grimdark universe and also draw Batman breaking Nazis’ limbs and doing cool wrestling moves.
My favorite comic was Adventure Time : The Bubbline College Special aka the cutest sapphic romance ever between a STEM princess and a humanities vampire queen. This one-shot from one of the most hilarious cartoonists in the game, Caroline Cash, is a love letter to slow burn romances, fan fiction, unexpected LGBTQ+ representation in pop culture, and finding someone you connect with even if you start out on the wrong foot. Cash’s color palette revels in the trippy weirdness of the Adventure Time universe while still making room for tender glances and shoulder brushes. It hits the right balance between indie and mainstream, which is about perfect for my own personal comics-enjoying aesthetic.
Honorable mentions: Giant-Size Criminal (Image), Street Sharks (Oni Press), Exquisite Corpses (Image), DC x Sonic the Hedgehog (DC/IDW), Thor/Shazam (Marvel/DC)
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
Ultimates #19 (Marvel) – Deniz Camp and Juan Frigeri‘s Ultimates #19 is the character-driven companion to the fireworks of Ultimate Endgame #1. This issue zeroes on The Wasp, her relationship with Hank Pym, and decision to join HAND as a traitor. It’s a bittersweet read and really shows how much Janet cares more Hank despite having to defer their dreams and make moral compromises. Camp is definitely inspired by Hank and Janet’s history in the mainstream Marvel Universe, but adds psychological depth. Finally, Ultimates #19 isn’t just talking heads and longing looks, but Frigeri also shows how much of a badass is in an exciting sequence where she zips through the HAND’s soldiers. Overall: 9.0 Verdict: Buy
Ultimate Endgame #1 (Marvel) – Ultimate Endgame #1 is a decent start to the Earth-6160 concluding event. It really doesn’t get any better than the opening sequence where Deniz Camp and Jonas Scharf has The Maker kill all the Eternals in 1963 with Scharf’s art a twisted mirror of Jack Kirby’s work. All the rest is just setup and getting the main cast of characters under the Dome wrapping up with a half-hearted twist. This might seem like I strongly disliked this issue, but kudos to Camp for making Spider-Man the heart of the comic. I enjoyed his banter with Iron Lad, his last touching moment with his family, and of course, his one-liners/dad jokes as we get really Jonathan Hickman with it. Also, the artist choice was a stroke of genius with Terry and Rachel Dodson handling the more traditional superhero moments, and Scharf drawing the more sci-fi stuff influenced by Kirby as well as 2000 AD/Marvel UK. Overall: 7.6 Verdict: Buy
Even though I didn’t quite live up to my personal goal of writing a full length film review every week, 2025 was a really fun year for me at the cinema. If I had to sum up my viewing in one word, it would be “auteurs”. Seriously, let talented filmmakers like Ryan Coogler, Guillermo Del Toro, and Paul Thomas Anderson cook and have massive budgets, and they will make art that won’t just be discussed on opening weekend, but by posterity. (I’m definitely including/referencing Sinners in my popular music library instruction.)
Here are my 10 favorite movies of 2025. I didn’t watch everything that came out this year, but I loved most of what I saw. (Sorry, Captain America: Brave New World.)
10. The Naked Gun (Akiva Schaffer)
Conservatives claim that comedy is dead, but they just haven’t watched The Naked Gun yet. Liam Neeson is oblivious, deadpan perfection as Lt. Frank Drebin Jr., and he and Beth Davenport (Pamela Anderson) have silly chemistry that addsa dollop of romance to the spoof flick. To sweeten the deal, The Naked Gun is under 90 minutes and the most joke-dense film I’ve seen in the cinema in some time. It also roasts the hell out of tech bros and has the most hilarious end credits.
9. Lurker (Alex Russell)
Lurkeris a frighteningly intimate look at the relationship between artist and fan as retail clerk Matthew (Theodore Pellerin) grows closer to British R&B star Oliver (Archie Madekwe). Alex Russell does an excellent job progressively showing Matthew cannibalizing Oliver’s clout while simultaneously ending up becoming the inspiration he needs. A lo-fi score from Kenny Beats and grainy, intrusive cinematography from Pat Scola makes Lurker even more voyeuristic and uncomfortable.
8. Pavements (Alex Ross Perry)
Alex Ross Perry’s Pavements is a five layer movie burrito of documentary, biopic, musical theater, performance art, and tribute all centered around seminal, fiercely anti-commercial 90s rock band Pavement, who has recently reunited and gone on tour. (I was able to see them in 2024 at Riot Fest.) The film hits the right balance between irony and earnestness, and my favorite bits were seeing footage of the Pavement jukebox musical as well as Joe Keery’s quirky performance as the band’s frontman Stephen Malkmus during the biopic segments. As a band, Pavement didn’t care about appealing to the masses and/or Lollapalooza/Alternative Nation, and neither does this film, which makes it great in an era of estate-massaging ego trips disguised as art.
7. Marty Supreme (Josh Safdie)
Marty Supreme is another stressful, entertaining movie from a singular Safdie Brother about a table tennis protege named Marty Mauser (Timothee Chalamet), who must gather enough money to go to the World Championships in Japan with the help of an evil businessman (A perfectly cast Kevin O’Leary), a silver screen star in decline (Gwyneth Paltrow still has her fastball.), and his pregnant childhood friend/situationship (A breakout performance from Odessa D’Azion). The film is set in the 1950s, but is chock-full with 1980s New Wave needle drops that give it that sports movie sheen although Mauser is the epitome of narcissism. However, Chalamet gives his all in the role, and you can’t help but root for him in the end and then shudder about the college boys watching this movie on winter break and seeing him as an aspirational figure. (I want one of those orange ping pong balls though.)
6. The Secret Agent (Kleber Mendonça Filho)
The Secret Agentis a tense sociopolitical thriller set at carnival in Recife, Brazil during the height of the country’s military dictatorship. However, it’s also a film about constructing identities, misinformation, and maybe even the research process. Director Kleber Mendonça Filho and cinematographer Evgenia Alexandrova tap into 1970s sleaze in creating the film’s visual palette with plenty of yellow evoking the classic Brazilian football kit. This, of course, turns to red when shit hits the fan. The main takeaway from the film is the magnetic, yet earnest Wagner Moura as ex-professor/wanted man Armando, who really deserves a Best Actor nomination.
5. Superman (James Gunn)
Like both the epic poems and comic books of yore, James Gunn’s Supermanskips the origin story and plunges into the Man of Steel’s career in media res as he tries to mediate a conflict between Jarhanpur and Boravia, uncover a conspiracy connected to tech billionaire Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult), dog sit, and maybe even get the girl. In the best way, Superman feels like picking up a random trade paperback with Gunn crafting an entertaining supporting cast that doesn’t take the spotlight away from its titular protagonist’s arc. Above all, Superman is a sincere film, and that starts with David Corenswet’s performance as the Big Blue Boy Scout, who can say “Kindness is the real punk rock” and mean every word. It’s a near-perfect tone setter for James Gunn and company’s vision of the DC Universe.
4. Queens of the Dead (Tina Romero)
Tina Romero queers the horror comedy in the hilarious instant cult classic Queens of the Dead. This film has an elevator pitch to die for, namely, Brooklyn drag queens, queer folks, and one homophobic plumber fight zombies and try to find safety. However, Queens of the Dead isn’t just jokes, gore, and fabulous fits, and Romero and co-writer Erin Judge and actor Jacquel Spivey give anxiety-ridden drag queen Sam a beautiful heroic journey as they try to express themselves artistically in a late capitalist hellscape. And speaking of hellscape, Tina Romero brings plenty of pointed satire to the film that would make her father smile. We should really be on our phones less.
3. Sinners (Ryan Coogler)
Sinnersis an exciting vampire thriller meets blues musical that explores the concept of race and whiteness in the United States. The main juke joint sequence is worth the price of admission alone as director Ryan Coogler and star Miles Caton demonstrate that the history of popular music in the United States is the history of Black music. Caton’s triple threat performance is bolstered by Michael B. Jordan playing a dual role as Stack and Smoke. He has charming chemistry with Hailee Steinfeld, his bi-racial ex-girlfriend. Sinners has real heat to it, and you can smell the sweat and sex of the juke joint as carnal, supernatural, and spiritual unite, and Remmick’s (Jack O’Connell) Irish vampires try to break off a piece of it just like real life artists like Elvis Presley would in the near future. Finally, Sinners might have the best post-credits sequence of all time. (I feel like Buddy Guy playing himself slightly edges out Samuel L. Jackson’s debut as Nick Fury in Iron Man.)
2. One Battle After Another (Paul Thomas Anderson)
Bob Ferguson (Leonardo DiCaprio) juggles fatherhood and rekindling the ashes of revolutionary spirit in Paul Thomas Anderson’s epic film One Battle After Another. Just like the works of the author that inspired it (Thomas Pynchon), OBAA is more encyclopedia than film with the most exciting car chase scene, the most tender father/daughter moments, and the funniest supporting performance as Benicio Del Toro has the time of his life as the beer-guzzling “Sensei” Sergei. One Battle After Another doesn’t have any clear answers about being a good parent or fighting a cause while still trying to have a life and family, but that makes it all the more compelling and a lovely use of Warner Brothers’ $130 million.
1. Frankenstein (Guillermo Del Toro)
My favorite film of 2025 was Guillermo Del Toro’s none more Goth adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankensteinthat I was thankfully able to see in theatrically courtesy of my local independent theater, The Belcourt. Frankenstein is truly the loveliest film of 2025 with Del Toro and cinematographer Dan Lautsen conjuring frames that look like English Romantic oil paintings, Gustave Dore woodcuts, and Berni Wrightson’s pencil and ink illustrations depending on the mood. This attention to visual detail extends to the exquisite costuming and set design, especially anything Mia Goth’s Lady Elizabeth/Baroness Frankenstein wears. (Yes, this film is quite Freudian.) Frankenstein isn’t a plot beat by plot beat adaptation of the novel, but Del Toro captures the overarching themes about the destructive nature of technology (*cough* Generative AI) and the hubris of humanity. To top it all off, Jacob Elordi gives a truly tragic performance as The Creature, especially in one poignant scene where the Blind Man (David Bradley) teaches him to read and engage with art. (John Milton’s Paradise Lost, of course.)
Honorable Mentions: The Ballad of Wallis Island (James Griffiths), The Bad Guys 2 (Pierre Perifel), Hamnet (Chloe Zhao)
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
Absolute Wonder Woman #15 (DC Comics) – The first Absolute Universe crossover is an intricately drawn, smartly plotted, Gothic masterpiece from Kelly Thompson, Hayden Sherman, and Jordie Bellaire. Thompson’s dialogue shows the contrast between Diana’s desire for community despite her dark origins and Batman’s taciturnity, and Sherman and Bellaire’s visuals marry dark magic with dark detective work. Despite having “Wonder Woman” on the cover, this feels like a Batman comic with a story centered around detective work while mysterious forces gather in the background. The bond between Bruce and Diana also feels organic, and I love how the Absolute book are slowly building connectivity between the books instead of just lumping them into one Crisis-level slugfest. I look forward to Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta’s take on this dark, dynamic duo as well as the upcoming year of more gorgeous art from Hayden Sherman, heavy metal color palettes from Jordie Bellaire, and supernaturally-tinged character arcs from Kelly Thompson. Overall: 8.7 Verdict: Buy
Brett
Event Horizon: Dark Descent #4 (IDW Publishing) – Writer Christian Ward, artist Tristan Jones, colorist Pip Martin, and Letterer Alex Ray deliver more terror in this fourth issue. The series reveals what happened to the Event Horizon and we finally find out what led to the infamous message left in the film, “Libera Te Tutemet Ex Inferis.” The series has explored the torture and hell of the various crew, and this fourth issue focuses on John Kilpack, the captain of the ship. The King of Hell has tortured all of the other crew and here John is not just forced to watch his failure to protect his crew in the present but also the torture he experienced in the past. We see an abusive father and the ridicule and bullying of John because he’s gay. It’s an interesting issue that shifts things a bit in that John is an innocent compared to other members of the crew who have done terrible things, instead he was teased and abused growing up, which the King of Hell uses. The visuals continue the aesthetic of the series provided gore and terror as John has to decide what he needs to do to escape what he sees before him. It’s an interesting issue and key for fans of the film revealing the answer to a mystery of the series. Overall Rating: 7.95 Verdict: Buy
American Caper #2 (Dark Horse Comics) – Dan Houser, Lazlow, David Lapham, Chris Anderson, Lee Loughridge, and Nate Piekos continue to present a comic that skewers everything and there’s few to cheer on. The series has so far hit hot topic issues and exaggerated today’s politics and both left and right are in the crosshairs. American Caper #2 gives us more of bad people doing bad things as we learn a little more about motivations behind actions. It’s satire. It’s lampooning the world. Nothing is sacred. Everything is on the table. This is a comic where it’s ok to hate everyone and just sit back and enjoy the disaster unfolding for readers. Overall Rating: 7.5 Verdict: Read
