Author Archives: Logan Dalton

Mini Reviews: DC x Sonic the Hedgehog #3 and Superman Unlimited #1

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Superman Unlimited #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

DC x Sonic the Hedgehog #3 (DC) – Ian Flynn and Adam Bryce Thomas keep the DC Comics/Sonic crossover fresh and fun in the miniseries’ 3rd issue. With the JL trapped in the Sonic Universe, Team Sonic takes over and does an admirable job protecting the DC Universe from various villains. Thomas’ combinations of the Sonic characters and DC characters’ costumes is adorable, and Flynn scripts some fun situations like Lex Luthor trying to manipulate/poison Knuckles with kryptonite, Amy Rose hitting Gorilla Grodd with a big hammer, and an especially epic showdown between Shadow and Joker. It’s fanservice at its finest, but it’s nice to have a break from the big plots and just have Sonic and his friends interact with more characters in the DC Universe with some colorful action from Adam Bryce Thomas and Matt Herms. Overall: 8.0 Verdict: Buy

Superman Unlimited #1 (DC) – In his first full comic written for DC Comics in decades, Dan Slott takes a big swing and shifts Superman and his family’s status quo with the help of one big Kryptonite asteroid coming towards Earth. He, Rafael Albuquerque, and Marcelo Maiolo have Superman get almost killed in Superman Unlimited #1, use his near-death state to re-tell his history/origin, and then introduce a new status quo to the DC Universe. It’s ambitious to say the least even though most of the comic feels like a cover song although it’s cool to see Albuquerque illustrate Smallville and iconic moments like the Death of Superman. I don’t know if Slott can pull it off, but this first issue is an era-introducing statement so I’m on the ride for now. Overall: 7.5 Verdict: Read

Sleep #1 is a new slow-burn, small-town horror series set in the 1990s

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Sleep #1

Sleep #1 is a new slow-burn, small-town horror series set in the 1990s written and drawn by Zander Cannon. Mild-mannered, church-going (But not annoyingly religious) barista Jonathan wakes up one Sunday to see blood, guts, and entrails strewn across his front lawn and is filled with unease as he goes about his day. With the exception of the beginning and end of the issue, Sleep is pretty standard issue slice of life stuff with Jonathan hanging out with potential love interest Tabby and his down and out friend Hipp, who has returned to town after his band didn’t pan out plus some quirky customers at his day job. This comic establishes that everyone knows everyone and their business in this small town so the horror and mystery hits even harder.

The greyscale that Zander Cannon uses in his art drives home the somnambulic nature of the setting of Sleep #1. The world of the comic drones on like the preacher’s sermon whose word bubbles are on the margins of the panel while the camera focuses on Jonathan and Tabby chit-chatting. But, at night, when the businesses close and most folks aren’t out and about, there are some strange occurrences that Cannon draws attention to with little spot lines, squiggles, and splashes of red. He uses a lot of silent and beat panels to build suspense and makes readers pause and drink in their surroundings instead of rushing to the next page. Cannon is also great with facial expressions, especially with Tabby, who is a bit of an outsider to the town’s dynamic and drinks in awkward moments like Hipp being upbraided by his former teacher turned coffee shop owner. Subtle shifts in lines and movements let you know a lot about how the characters carry each other from Hipp’s cocky ease to Jonathan’s 24/7 anxiety.

I love the eccentric nature of the town in Sleep #1 even without the horror elements. Zander Cannon sets up some out-of-pocket occurrences that you know have happened somewhere like an old man paying for a cup of coffee with a check. He makes the town seemed lived in with characters having backstories that often contrast with their current state in life. For example, the school pothead is a police officer, and of course, Hipp is the police chief’s son. No one seems to fit in their current role, especially the anti-corporate, yet blood-covered Jonathan. Jonathan’s comments about “selling out” definitely evoke a 1990s setting, and I love that Hipp and Tabby playfully roast him for his ultra ideological purity. But, he’s a likable character that’s easy to connect to act as an access point to the freak factor.

Sleep #1 has a well-crafted cast of characters from writer/artist Zander Cannon who conjures up a sleepy small town that’s the perfect venue for mysterious events. And more importantly, Cannon creates a memorable visual style for the book that puts you in a suburban haze until you’re seeing red.

Story/Art: Zander Cannon
Story: 8.4 Art: 9.2 Overall: 8.8 Recommendation: Buy

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

Mini Reviews: Godzilla vs X-Men, Supergirl #1, Absolute Batman #8, Exquisite Corpses #1, Invincible Universe: Battle Beast #1

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Supergirl #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

Godzilla vs X-Men (Marvel) – Godzilla continues his Marvel Universe Eras tour with a stop in the early 1990s and the X-Men lineup (Sans Jubilee) used for the classic animated series. It’s fitting that Fabian Nicieza handles the scripting duties, and he slips into the old hated and feared routine with a side of the kaiju genre. He and artist Emilio Laiso utilize Godzilla’s size scale to do some epic vertical fight sequences, including the best use of the Super Adaptoid in recent memory as an Ultraman/Voltron type figure. I also love the bond Professor X shares with Godzilla through their psychic link. Godzilla vs. X-Men has big-time action while still remaining true to the core of both properties and shows that Nicieza still has his fastball. Overall: 8.0 Verdict: Buy

Supergirl #1 (DC) – Sophie Campbell and Tamra Bonvillain‘s Supergirl has both Silver Age zaniness (Super-pets, mistaken identities, thought bubbles) and bright, contemporary visuals to go with nuanced characterization of its lead character. Kara struggles with her identity as superhero, Kryptonian, and citizen of Earth, especially when her parents invite her back to see her in sleepy Midvale where things are a little, shall we say, Twin Peaks-y. Sophie Campbell nails Kara’s voice and gives the book a fun, yet mysterious vibe that’s also new reader friendly. Overall: 8.7 Verdict: Buy

Absolute Batman #8 (DC) – Absolute Batman continues to have some of the best fight choreography in comics with guest artist Marcos Martin bringing the horror-tinged noise while Batman fights to get out of one of Mr. Freeze’s cryo chambers. He and writer Scott Snyder also use Bruce’s time in cryo to really zero in on the trauma he felt after his dad’s passing along with the guilt his late friend, Matches Malone, felt. Absolute Batman #8 puts this working class conception of Batman to good use having him integrated into his community (That happen to share the names of his greatest foes.) instead of being in a dark manor far away. Martin’s conception of Mr. Freeze will haunt me for quite a while, but it will be nice to get back on the Ark M plotline. Overall: 8.2 Verdict: Buy

Exquisite Corpses #1 (Image/Tiny Onion) – James Tynion, Michael Walsh, and Jordie Bellaire kick off an immersive horror/conspiracy universe in the triple-sized first issue of Exquisite Corpses. The high concept premise of the 13 wealthiest families hiring killers whose weapons are revealed to them on a playing card is reminiscent of things like Battle Royale, The Purge and even previous Tynion comics like Department of Truth and Something is Killing the Children. However, this first issue gives us folks to root for in the midst of the decadent carnage, and its extra length introduces the 12 killers with aplomb while leaving a room for a little a room. Slasher film plus March Madness plus paranoid conspiracies equals take money. Overall: 8.4 Verdict: Buy

Invincible Universe: Battle Beast #1 (Image/Skybound) – No prior knowledge of Invincible is needed for this violent, guilty pleasure of a fight comic from Robert Kirkman, Ryan Ottley, and Annalisa Leoni. After being kicked into a portal by Invincible, Battle Beast is on a quest for a worthy opponent to put him out his misery, but that’s easier said than done. Ottley and Leoni fill the pages of this first page with oodles of colorful extraterrestrial gore and body parts with most of the issue being a brutal fight sequence. However, Battle Beast #1 isn’t without a sense humor, and I live for the banter between the protagonist and the computer of ship whose crew Battle Beast previously brutally murdered. Overall: 7.4 Verdict: Read

Early Review: Godzilla #1 has rich world-building, explosive action, and makes us want to experience more of the universe

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Godzilla #1

In Godzilla #1, Tim Seeley, Nicola Cizmesija, and Francesco Segala craft an entire universe centered around kaiju and the energy they emit, namely, kai-sei. There are familiar elements from the Godzilla mythos like his emergence in 1954, a hilarious take on Jet Jaguar, and of course, some monsters to fight, punch, and interact them, but Seeley and Cizmesija mix them all together in a way that sustains an ongoing comic book series (With two spinoffs!) instead of just a one-shot or series of miniseries. This first issue introduces our protagonist Jacen Braid, the newest recruit of G-Force, who has big “fight and kill God” energy and a boatload of trauma. There’s definitely some big monster action, but most of what I liked about Godzilla #1 was the interactions between the different G-Force members and their distinct philosophies in handling kaiju.

Godzilla #1 hits the sweet spot between shonen manga and superhero team comics. There’s a true explosiveness to Nicola Cizemesija and Francesco Segala’s visuals, especially the conflicts that center around kai-sei. Speed lines crackle, facial expressions get more dramatic, and special effects lettering from Nathan Widick takes front and center when G-Force goes to war or just spars against one another. Seeley uses the extra length of the issue to build a rapport between the team and drop hints at this brave new world before introducing the series’ hook. Braid is definitely angsty, but he kicks ass. Also, his past trauma makes him easy to empathize with like in a small, touching sequence with his roommate. Finally, he has what I think the kids call “main character energy” as in he’s not a faceless soldier or scientist, but an actual foil for the kaiju.

Godzilla #1 has rich world-building, explosive action, and makes me want to experience more of the universe that IDW is creating featuring the King of Monsters and his monstrous and human friends and enemies.

Story: Tim Seeley Art: Nicola Cizmesija
Colors: Francesco Segala Letters: Nathan Widick
Story:7.8 Art: 8.4 Overall: 8.1 Recommendation: Buy

IDW Publishing provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Mini Reviews: Absolute Green Lantern #2 and Godzilla Heist #3

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Absolute Green Lantern #2

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 Green Lantern #2 (DC) – Al Ewing and Jahnoy Lindsay turn an old, dying alien into a super freaky horror antagonist in Absolute Green Lantern #2. Much of the story is set in flashbacks showing a Frieza-esque Abin Sur wreaking havoc slicing through bodies and Lindsay’s panel layouts too. There’s also a decent mystery vibe going on throughout the whole issue, and Ewing turns the traditional Green Lantern mythos on its heels with the gift of “no fear” being more of a curse than a blessing. I’m not a big Green Lantern guy, but this series definitely has my interest plus I’m digging Jahnoy Lindsay’s manga inspired approach to character design and storytelling. Overall: 8.1 Verdict: Buy

Godzilla Heist #3 (IDW) – Van Jensen and Kelsey Ramsay kick off the double/triple/quadruple crossing phase of the heist in Godzilla Heist #3. There’s tons of action and mayhem, but the comic doesn’t lose sight of its emotional heart which is that protagonist Pi’s mom (Aka the inventor of Mechagodzilla) was ripped off by the British government, and he’s coming to get his revenge. There are lots of spinning plot plates in Godzilla Heist #3, but they land smoothly for the most part ending on a killer cliffhanger. However, the real treat of the book is the spectacle of Godzilla obliterating London while Pi uses gadgets and tries to manipulate him while trying to get to the prize with all of his body parts intact. Overall: 7.9 Verdict: Buy

Grommets #7 nails what made this series so relatable and engaging

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Grommets #7

Grommets concludes in a bittersweet manner as Rick must sadly leave his punk skater buddies and potential interest Samra behind in Sacramento while his dad moves his family to Phoenix quicker than he anticipated. Writers Rick Remender and Brian Posehn and artists Brett Parson and Moreno Dinisio capture the happy/sad feeling of one last epic time with good friends before moving far away, and it’s cool to see the leaps and bounds that Rick and Brian have taken in improving their skating abilities although they are treated as town pariahs after the unfortunate events of the previous issue’s party. Grommets #7 nails what made this series so relatable and engaging with commentary on punk culture, a healthy sense of ACAB, and lots of messy teenage feelings.

Brett Parson’s art that is full of detail without sacrificing motion or storytelling is pure chef’s kiss in Grommets #7. Each panel is like a story in miniature. For example, I love seeing Rick’s friends’ reaction to him fumbling Samra, and there’s a real fluidity to the skating scenes in this issue compared to the unsteady bursts of pain and blood earlier in the series. The speed lines and letterer Russ Wooton’s sound effects add to the authenticity of the story, and you can almost smell the sweat coming down Rick and family’s faces when they move to the “dry heat” of Phoenix towards the end of the story. Also, as a comics/classic punk geek, Brett Parson gets all the band logos correct, and it’s interesting to see the correlation between the band’s image and sound and the characters’ personality. Of course, the Misfits fan pulls the jock’s still-beating heart out of his chest in an early fantasy sequence. To top things off, Dinisio keeps his color palette at a happy medium between photorealism and a Saturday morning cartoon while throwing in some fun flourishes like pink for Rick’s first kiss and a fade to black to finish things off.

In addition to the usual fun banter between Rick and Brian, Grommets #7 explores some interesting themes like police corruption and gatekeeping in subcultures. After the aforementioned fantasy sequence, the Sacramento County PD gaslight and blame the violent actions at the party on Rick, Brian, and their friends instead of the violent, rapey football players. Remender and Posehn’s dialogue for the cops is infuriating and all-too realistic even with Rick’s straight-laced father appearing with the boys and arguing their case, especially the bullet holes on his vehicle. The interaction shows the need for alternative spaces for folks to be and express themselves without fear of reprisal from authorities or the “majority”. However, in Grommets #7’s coda, they turn this dynamic on its head when the skaters in Phoenix don’t accept Rick and Brian (Oh yeah, he ends up moving to Phoenix too aka can you say possible sequel hook?) even though Rick is wearing a Black Flag T-shirt while Black Flag is playing. It wasn’t as big in the 1980s as it is today, but there are definitely folks in punk spaces who want to capitalize monetarily on the music and aesthetic for fame and fortune. However, these are just a couple of kids trying to fit in and looking for connections even if that involves a “skate or die” type of situation.

Grommets #7 is a beautifully rendered conclusion to Rick Remender, Brian Posehn, and Brett Parson’s scrappy coming of age story about being a skate punk in the 1980s. I could spend 70 more issues watching these crazy kids grow up, find new bands, learn new skate tricks, and getting into wild, retro-tinged shenanigans together. The letterhack who compared this book to Freaks and Geeks is absolutely true, and this is a comic whose collected edition I’ll definitely recommend to my fellow Jorts Fest attendees.

Story: Rick Remender and Brian Posehn Art: Brett Parson
Colors: Moreno Dinisio Letters: Rus Wooton
Story: 8.5 Art: 9.2 Overall: 8.9 Recommendation: Buy

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

Early Review: The Umbrella Academy: Plan B #1 is like getting kicked in the teeth after a six year nap

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Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba’s The Umbrella Academy is back with its fourth volume, Plan B. The Umbrella Academy: Plan B #1 offers readers of the comics their first extended glimpse of The Sparrow Academy who terrorize and subvert our protagonists every step of the way beginning with Ba’s clever cover for the comic, which features a sort of vandalism of the usual team shot and succinctly tells the story of The Sparrow Academy’s first mission in an airplane seatback diagram meets a school composition book design. There are call backs to The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite #1 with Way and Ba showing the surface similarities between The Umbrella and Sparrow Academies before ripping them apart.

The plot of The Umbrella Academy: Plan B #1 is the comic book equivalent is kicking a dog while it’s down over and over again. Oh, and then let’s rub your cute little face in the mud and treat the characters that you have been spent years connecting with in both the comics and television medium with the utmost of disrespect. Part of the appeal of The Umbrella Academy is the utterly screwed up nature of the book’s main cast, and Way and Ba play on this vulnerability for maximum drama and a colorful action sequence. Seriously, Gabriel Ba and colorist Dave Stewart bring out the bright lights and surrealism to establish the Sparrow Academy’s abilities and personalities through action not exposition. For everything The Umbrella Academy throws at them, there’s a superior countermeasure. And, of course, pulling the strings in the background like it was revealed in Hotel Oblivion is the android Mom, who raised the Umbrella Academy members while Sir Reginald Hargreaves was doing God knows what. A borderline-fascist android antagonist definitely hits home in 2025 in the era of Open AI taking over everything especially with Mom being the original “trad wife”.

Reading The Umbrella Academy: Plan B #1 is like getting kicked in the teeth after a six year nap. Gerard Way lets Ba’s visuals drive the momentum of the comic while giving everyone a much anticipated Umbrella vs Sparrow Academy throwdown that lives up to the hype. I marvel at the book’s powerful approach to fight choreography as well as the smart color choices from Stewart that help keep the long list of combatants distinct. Plus Way and Gabriel Ba’s prose is still as quirky and rhythmic as ever with the Sparrow Academy playing the role of upstart opening band that really should be the headliner in every way. Plan B is a confident return for The Umbrella Academy series, and I’m excited to see how the story plays out of this summer. It could make for entertaining reading while you wait in various lines to see My Chemical Romance on their “Long Live the Black Parade Tour”.

Story: Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba Art: Gabriel Ba
Colors: Dave Stewart Letters: Nate Piekos
Story: 8.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy

Dark Horse Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Pre-Order: Third Eye Comics – Golden Apple Comics – Kindle

Mini Reviews: Thunderbolts* welds superpowers and interpersonal struggle to craft an action packed and heart rending story

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Thunderbolts*

Sometimes, the staff at Graphic Policy are unable to get long reviews written. When that happens you’ll see these “mini reviews.”

These are Graphic Policy’s Mini Reviews and Recommendations.

Logan

Thunderbolts*– When Thunderbolts* began with the comic panel intro instead of the MCU, I knew it would be a solid flick. It’s an ode to the hard cases and the girlies with mental health struggles who just happen to have the powers of Superman or Russian spy martial arts. Director Jake Schreier wisely centers the film on Yelena Belova’s (Florence Pugh) journey, and her gifts for wry comedy and deep emotion are on display. I especially love her interactions with Bob (Lewis Pullman) and Red Guardian (David Harbour), who brings the loudest laughs. Instead of focusing on the next film, Thunderbolts* welds superpowers and interpersonal struggles to craft an action packed and occasionally heart rending story. Seriously, Yelena’s story is relatable to anyone who feels lonely and left out. Overall Verdict: 7.0

Mini Reviews: Wolverine and Kitty Pryde #1, We’re Taking Everyone Down With Us #2, Godzilla vs. Spider-Man, Lost Fantasy #1, Godzilla vs Los Angeles

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We're Taking Everyone Down With Us #2

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

Wolverine and Kitty Pryde #1 (Marvel) – Chris Claremont pens a sequel to the excellent 1984 Kitty Pryde and Wolverine miniseries that transformed her from Sprite to Shadowcat and from a Chicago suburban brat to a badass ninja. But she still has a little of the brat in her in the opening issue of Wolverine and Kitty Pryde, which features extended fight and training scenes, a reminder that Kitty Pryde’s dad and Professor X fought together in some war, and a truly trippy ending. My favorite part of the comic was Damian Couceiro‘s art that channels the explosive cartooning that John Romita Jr. and a young Frank Miller did during that era. It definitely feels like a lost relic from 1985 with much less overwrought caption boxes. Overall: 7.4 Verdict: Read

We’re Taking Everyone Down With Us (Image) – Trying to escape from Agent Rook with the help of her dead father’s robots, Annaliese starts to come into her own as a badass in We’re Taking Everyone Down With Us #2. Matthew Rosenberg‘s henchman banter game is on point, and Stefano Landini and Jason Wordie turn in colorful explosions and fun panel layouts like a 12 panel grid of a meeting between supervillains with each baddie occupying 25% of the page. Desperation and confusion are recurring themes for this comic, but thankfully not for the reading experience as Annaliese starts to piece together the situation she’s stuck in. Overall: 8.5 Verdict: Buy

Godzilla vs. Spider-Man (Marvel) – Joe Kelly, Nick Bradshaw, and Rachelle Rosenberg go back to the 80s as a black symbiote suit-wearing Spider-Man fights Godzilla and a love triangle between Mary-Jane and Black Cat. Kelly takes a quip a minute approach to scripting, and editor Nick Lowe tags in with notes mocking how convoluted Marvel continuity has gotten in the past four decades. But beneath the humor and Bradshaw’s epic renditions of the King of Monsters consumed by a Venom symbiote, Kelly has a good understanding of Godzilla as a protector of Earth from external threats like Venom and Knull. Also, his Peter Parker is the perfect hapless dork. Godzilla vs. Spider-Man has some epic fight sequences and is a perfect throwback comic even leaning less on guest stars than previous Godzilla vs. installments. Overall: 8.2 Verdict: Buy

Lost Fantasy #1 (Image) – Lost Fantasy is a new conspiracy-tinged fantasy series from Curt Pires and Luca Casalanguida. The first issue plays all the Chosen One beats in a slice of life setting before overturning the apple cart and setting up a dark, mysterious future. It strikes the right balance between action and worldbuilding with Pires and Casalanguida creating a proper alternate history world. As an added bonus, there’s a backup from Rockwell White, Pires, and Alex Diotto continuing the story of the “Indigo Children” that features interesting riffs on the Superman origin story and rhythmic grid layouts. It definitely made me want to go back and read the Indigo Children trade paperback. Overall: 8.6 Verdict: Buy

Godzilla vs Los Angeles (IDW) – The King of Monsters heads to the City of Angels in Godzilla vs Los Angeles, which is a showcase of the different cartooning styles of Angeleno creators. The first story in Godzilla vs Los Angeles, “Eye in the Sky” is an ode to heroic journalists from writer/artist Gabriel Hardman. Two traffic reporters whose job is being fazed out by drones take advantage to do some actual journalism, and Hardman is game to follow their dangerous journey shooting a Godzilla attack from a variety of angles. Hardman uses sharp, sudden panels to build tension as one of the protagonists starts shooting Godzilla from his iPhone on the kaiju’s back, and it ends up being a heightened homage to some of the bravest folks period. Featuring colorful cartooning from Nicole Goux and a witty script from Jordan Morris, “The Big Break” is a love letter to the very touristy, yet very L.A. studio tour complete with bad puns and annoying corporate mascots. I love the interplay between the script that the main character delivers for the tour and her very sad inner captions. However, “The Big Break” takes a fun turn once Godzilla gets involved and features some fancy driving and layout work from Goux ending with a tribute to a very family friendly film franchise. The third story in Godzilla vs. Los Angeles is a humorous history lesson about the subway system in L.A. from cartoonist Dave Baker, which would make a great place to hide from Godzilla and other kaiju although some Angelenos will take their chances and stay in their cars. I really enjoyed this story as a public transit enthusiast, and Baker’s writing style is accessible and humorous to go with his art that falls more on the cartoonish side of things. Godzilla vs Los Angeles concludes with J. Gonzo, Scott Hanna, and Heather Breckel‘s “Godzil-LA”, which is kind of the people’s tokusatsu history of L.A. as graffiti artists and film craftspeople from different L.A. neighborhood band together to take out the kaiju. “Godzil-LA” is a vibrant finisher to a comic that shows the tenacity and vitality of Los Angeles to withstand kaiju attacks in the ficitional world and wildfires in the real world. Overall: 9.1 Verdict: Buy

Planet Death #0 is a heavy metal trailer to this summer’s upcoming blood and guts, power armor and big-ass guns blockbuster comic

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Planet Death #0

Planet Death #0 is a heavy metal trailer to this summer’s upcoming blood and guts, power armor and big-ass guns blockbuster comic from writers Derek Kolstad and Robert Venditti and artists Tomas Giorello and Dave Stewart. The plot is simple: a group of human soldiers land on an alien planet to destroy a mysterious weapon and face incredible resistance while one of their own is being held hostage by the extraterrestrials. In this preview issue, Kolstad and Venditti don’t weigh the reader down with exposition or heavy world-building, but dive straight into the action giving a glimpse of what to expect in future issues.

Giorello’s line art and Stewart’s brash color palette are the stars of Planet Death #0. Most of the comic uses wide screen compositions with the occasional inset panel to show the details of the soldiers being literally welded into their power armor or reactions to the carnage from the human soldiers before they die gruesome deaths. Stewart’s color choices are like a blast from one of the soldiers’ rifles: green, orange, and red exploding. Coupled with Tom Napolitano special effects lettering, this is a comic that knows it’s a comic and not an illustrated screenplay for an upcoming sci-fi blockbuster. (Planet Death would make a great, expensive movie though.) In fact, the details in Tomas Giorello and Dave Stewart’s visuals are what populates this brave new fictional universe with Kolstad and Venditti keeping their text spare and additive. Each caption box adds to the feeling of unease as a battalion of highly trained, tech enhanced soldiers are about to go to their deaths.

The goal of Planet Death #0 is to set up the unstoppable force that the protagonist of the book must face to complete his mission. There are multiple pages of well-trained and well-armed space marine-type fighters attacking the planet, but they’re no match for the denizens of Planet Death. Heavy casualties is an understatement, and the results are like if the Rebels in Star Wars did a full frontal assault on the Death Star instead of finding an exhaust port shaped opening for a farm boy in a single fighter. The poses and multiplicity of splash page type image reminds me of early Image Comics (And Planet Death is apparently the best-selling single issue comic since Brandon Choi and Jim Lee’s WildC.A.T.S. #1.), but Giorello is both a strong storyteller and creator of posters that would look cool in your local metalhead’s living room. There is an air of futility to the events of Planet Death #0 that hook you in like dying in an early level of a video game and wanting to come back and try harder next time. I’m really rooting for these space marines to take out these aliens, but hopefully, I’ll learn more about both sides’ motivations or psyches in the upcoming series. But as long as there’s kick-ass fight scenes, bring it on!

Planet Death #0 sets up a grim, violent military sci-fi yarn with overwhelming odds and well-choreographed action and compelling vehicle and weapon designs from Tomas Giorello. It doesn’t reinvent the genre by any means, but synthesizes its influences and leans on the visual shock and awe of the comics to make for fun, yet harrowing summer read.

Story: Derek Kolstad and Robert Venditti Art: Tomas Giorello
Colors: Dave Stewart Letters: Tom Napolitano
Story: 7.5 Art: 8.9 Overall: 8.2 Recommendation: Buy

Bad Idea provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Midtown Comics – Third Eye Comics

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