Category Archives: Mini Reviews

Mini Reviews: Die Loaded #10, Amazing Spider-Man Halloween Special, Inglorious X-Force #10

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Comic book cover featuring a woman with long white hair and flowers in her hair, surrounded by glowing flames and geometric shapes. The title 'DIE' is prominently displayed along with the words 'LOADED' and '10'.

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

Die Loaded #10 (Image) – This issue is really an excuse for Stephanie Hans to draw cool, dungeon crawling action as the party reaches the Dreamlands. She and Kieron Gillen part the veil on many of the inner workings of Die too. However, my favorite bit of this issue is the last third where Sophie learns that Ash was a very different person in the world of the game. I’m excited to see how the last two issues unpack their relationship as well as its effect on Sophie’s journey and her struggle trying to get her spouse’s friends’ undead kids and mom out. Overall: 8.1 Verdict: Buy

Amazing Spider-Man Halloween Special (Marvel) – Just in time for spooky season, Justina Ireland and Mike Hawthorne gift us with a fun stand-alone Spidey yarn where he must save the holiday with the help of frenemy Hallow’s Eve. Hallow’s Eve’s different-powered masks make for an engaging and clever story, especially when she messes with Spidey’s powers, and he must get creative to save the day. Ireland even goes into Hallow’s Eve’s motivation to not go full hero, and she and Hawthorne bring plenty of humor to the book. As backups, we’ve got a whimsical story from Lee Gatlin about Sinister Six trick or treaters, and Ty Templeton bringing Peanuts style gag strips to the Marvel Universe. I’d honestly read the Templeton stories more than the actual main universe ones. Overall: 8.8 Verdict: Buy

Inglorious X-Force #10 (Marvel) – I wasn’t a big fan of Inglorious X-Force’s final timey wimey plot, but I’ve come to love the volatile combination of Kamala Khan, Boom Boom, Cable, Hellverine, and Archangel. I will definitely follow them over to Fugitive X-Force. But Inglorious X-Force #10 is kind of a mess and is full of paradoxes and keywords. Thankfully, Michael Santa Maria and Romulo Fajardo bring the amped up 90s aesthetic and have enough subtlety to assist Tim Seeley with character grace notes like Boom Boom’s rise to leadership and Kamala Khan getting a glimpse of her future. (I live for President Khan!) Overall: 7.6 Verdict: Read

Mini Reviews: Doom Patrol #2, Sicko #3, Legion of Super-Heroes #2

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Doom Patrol #2 cover

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

Doom Patrol #2 (DC) – Darcy Van Poelgeest and Niko Henrichon continue to put the World’s Strangest Heroes through the wringer in a frantic issue of Doom Patrol. But underneath the quirky hijinks, there’s an emotional texture that comes out in Van Poelgeest’s prose and Henrichon’s linework. I feel Larry Trainor’s pain and even more surprisingly Niles Caulder’s after reading this book. Also, the scene where the team fights over a Neil Diamond tape in their van on the way to a mission is a master class in character development. Overall: 8 Verdict: Buy

Sicko #3 (Ignition) – Three issues in, Sicko has settled into its, and Tini Howard and Amilcar Pinna have started fleshing out Valentine and her fellow Breton’s disease patients along with a potential love interest. Valentine’s current reality (Pun intended), but she actually has something to live for. Pinna’s art highlights her vibrancy compared to her fellow patients, many of whom don’t “pass” in the outside world. Sicko is a surreal conspiracy thriller, but also has important commentary on people with disabilities, healthcare systems, and other systems of control. I can’t wait to see what cool ideas Howard and Pinna throw at the proverbial dart board in future issues of Sicko, which has real Grant Morrison’s Invisibles energy. Overall: 9.2 Verdict: Buy

Legion of Superheroes #2 (DC) – Legion of Super-Heroes continues to be one of the best looking books on the stands with Hayden Sherman’s futuristic layouts and Tamra Bonvillain’s pops of color. Joshua Williamson also starts to weave together the various threads in this story of hope and heroism vs manipulation and authoritarianism. There is something primal about the villain too and his faux hero vibes. Matter Eating Lad continues to be my fave though. Overall: 8.2 Verdict: Buy

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

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Sabrina the Teenage Witch #1

Sometimes, the staff at Graphic Policy read more comics than we’re able to get reviewed. When that happens you’ll see a weekly feature compiling reviews of the comics, or graphic novels, we just didn’t get a chance to write a full one for.

These are Graphic Policy’s Mini Reviews and Recommendations.

Logan

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sometimes, the staff at Graphic Policy read more comics than we’re able to get reviewed. When that happens you’ll see a weekly feature compiling reviews of the comics, or graphic novels, we just didn’t get a chance to write a full one for.

These are Graphic Policy’s Mini Reviews and Recommendations.

Logan

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

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

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

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

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

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

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The Muppets Take the Marvel Universe #1

Sometimes, the staff at Graphic Policy read more comics than we’re able to get reviewed. When that happens you’ll see a weekly feature compiling reviews of the comics, or graphic novels, we just didn’t get a chance to write a full one for.

These are Graphic Policy’s Mini Reviews and Recommendations.

Logan

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

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

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

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Absolute Green Arrow #5

Sometimes, the staff at Graphic Policy read more comics than we’re able to get reviewed. When that happens you’ll see a weekly feature compiling reviews of the comics, or graphic novels, we just didn’t get a chance to write a full one for.

These are Graphic Policy’s Mini Reviews and Recommendations.

Logan

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sometimes, the staff at Graphic Policy read more comics than we’re able to get reviewed. When that happens you’ll see a weekly feature compiling reviews of the comics, or graphic novels, we just didn’t get a chance to write a full one for.

These are Graphic Policy’s Mini Reviews and Recommendations.

Logan

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

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

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

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

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

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Batman/Superman/Weird Al World's Weirdest #1

Sometimes, the staff at Graphic Policy read more comics than we’re able to get reviewed. When that happens you’ll see a weekly feature compiling reviews of the comics, or graphic novels, we just didn’t get a chance to write a full one for.

These are Graphic Policy’s Mini Reviews and Recommendations.

Logan

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mini Reviews: Concrete: Stars Over Sand #3, Badrock #2, Witchblade/Vampirella #1, Black Tower: Raven Conspiracy #1

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Concrete: Stars Over Sand #3

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

Concrete: Stars Over Sand #3 (Dark Horse) – Concrete: Stars Over Sand starts to ramp up as pieces of memories start to form in its amnesiac protagonist’s head. Paul Chadwick’s visuals depict the pure beauty and savagery of nature, and I love the details he spotlights for the different flora and fauna. This issue explores the monstrousness and humanity at the heart of Concrete and sets up a doozy of a penultimate issue. Overall: 8.5 Verdict: Buy

Badrock #2 (Image) – Badrock continues to punch above its weight as the titular character comes to grips with losing his power. Rob Liefeld’s captions capture the sadness Thomas feels when he’s powerless and then the triumph when he regains them temporarily. Artist Seth Damoose also gets to channel the Extreme Studios 90s with a massive double page pinup. However, the real emotional crux of this story is the relationship between Badrock and his mom. This is what made Badrock #2 sink its hooks into me along with big, explosive turn your brain off action. Overall: 8.3 Verdict: Buy

Witchblade/Vampirella #1 (Image) – Two 90s “Bad Girl” icons collide and wrestle with their cravings for revenge, violence, and of course, blood in Witchblade/Vampirella #1. Marguerite Bennett and Laura Braga focus on friendship and visceral ass kicking in this one-shot with several double page spreads full of kicking, biting, and the power of the Witchblade. I love how Vampirella acts as a kind of devilish guardian angel for Sara Pezzini while female friendship triumphs over the male gaze. Braga’s design for the vampiric Witchblade is very cool though. Overall: 7.9 Verdict: Buy

Black Tower: The Raven Conspiracy #1 (DC/Vertigo) – The occult, spycraft, and supernatural creatures all collide in the multi-layered first issue of Ram V and Mike Perkins’ Black Tower: The Raven Conspiracy #1. An American going to England to find magic is relatable to me, but not the chases and conspiracies. There’s quite a bit of exposition in Black Tower #1, but it’s tempered by the aforementioned chases and one bloody fight scene. V stays out of Perkins’ way and keeps the set pieces quiet before bringing his snarky, yet thoughtful dialogue to bear. I’m definitely lost in a maze after reading this first issue, but definitely want to see where the rabbit hole leads. Overall: 8 Verdict: Buy

Mini Reviews: Talespin #1, Spider-Man/Hulk: Fire and Brimstone #1, American Caper #10, Shellshock #1, Inglorious X-Force #8

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Talespin #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

Talespin #1 (Dynamite) – Amanda Deibert and Carlo Lauro revive the 90s classic in suitably high-flying fashion in Talespin #1. Most of the comic’s page count is dedicated to the aptly named Sky Ryder’s acrobatics as she dazzles Baloo and Kit with her derring do in taking down the villainous Karny. Lauro makes the exciting clean and easy to follow while Deibert adds notes of wistfulness, adventure, and economic anxiety in her script. Re-engaging with this world as an adult, Talespin is definitely Baloo from the Jungle Book getting caught up in Casablanca or The Maltese Falcon. This is a solid first chapter with plenty of Disney Afternoon action. Overall: 7.7 Verdict: Buy

Spider-Man/Hulk: Fire and Brimstone #1 (Marvel) – Spirituality and truly groan worthy puns collide in Spider-Man/Hulk: Fire and Brimstone by Kevin Smith, Andrew McElfresh, RB Silva, and Federico Blee. Seriously, the first third of this comic is an overstimulating flurry of puns and hard to follow crowd scene. However, it locates its heart when Hulk finds peace through a happy childhood memory and then wraps up with a big, high concept swing. The idea of a man of science finding faith is quite compelling, and I’ve always enjoyed Smith’s explorations of religions. However, the inconsistent scripting and poorly blocked action make this first issue not quite a home run, but it does finish better than it starts. Overall: 7.0 Verdict: Read

American Caper #10 (Dark Horse) – Dan Houser, Lazlow, David Lapham, and Chris Anderson has gone from a bonkers guilty pleasure satire comic to just bonkers. Houser and Lazlow continue to pile subplot on subplot including a digression featuring a Kanye parody without tying them together until the very end with some quick violence. Lapham and Anderson’s visuals are pure gleeful absurdity, but I think I have to tap out of this story. (Or lack of one.) Overall: 4.5 Verdict: Pass

Shellshock #1 (Oni Press) – The one-shot Shellshock is a modernization of EC Comics’ Shocking SuspenStories focusing on the horrors of war with emotion and a pinch of dark humor. The first story in Shellshock is from John Arcudi and Shawn Martinbrough and is a harrowing look at the effects of airborne toxins on US veterans during the war in Afghanistan. Martinbrough’s art is hellish, and Arcudi scripts his protagonist Rita with empathy and compassion. The next story “Christmas” from Michael Conrad and Albert Monteys tries to find the shared humanity during World War I as the Germans and English celebrate a Christmas truce. Monteys contrasts the starving Germans and well-fed Englishmen to show how bad the war has gone for them and make the story’s twist hurt that much more while Conrad’s captions are pure anti-war brilliance. Julio Anta and David Lapham’s “Blowback” goes for dark humor over sobering reality as a CIA covert assassination expert tries to weather the family BBQ. The jingoism is turned up to 10, and the absurdity up to 11 in this wild and crazy parable about the perils of trying to outdrink beat cops. Shellshock new stories wrap up with the verbose sci-fi story “World of Wars” by Benito Cereno and Tom Fowler. I’m impressed with the sheer amount of alien races Cereno and Fowler were able to create to illustrate how war and conflict will sadly be never ending even going into the future. Shellshock concludes with its best story yet, “Yellow” from the EC all star team of Bill Gaines, Al Feldstein, and Jack Davis. Their portrayal of a strained father/son relationship is heartbreaking, but there’s still room for that pitch black EC humor. Colonel Henderson remorselessly smoking a cigarette will stick with me for quite some time. As the US fights a senseless conflict in Iran, Shellshock hits home with how war has more of an effect on ordinary folks than the people who declare it, but hey, a crockpot CIA wonk having his head explode can be funny sometimes. Overall: 9.1 Verdict: Buy

Inglorious X-Force #8 (Marvel) – With the exception of a confusing timey wimey final scene, Inglorious X-Force #8 is a solid clash of old school and new school storytelling. Tim Seeley and Luca Maresca have a ripped from the headlines bad guy who uses online video platforms and AI algorithms to make mutant youth hopeless and poison humans against them, but we’ve also got Cable, Boom Boom, and X-Force blowing shit up. This series is more interesting as a black ops team trying to stop mutant threats in extralegal ways and brushing up against even more extreme groups, but the Cable/time travel of it all kind of screws it up. However, the series has enough goodwill and flashy visuals that I’ll give this rabbit hole a shot and maybe re-read Cable’s Wikipedia entry this weekend. Overall: 7.8 Verdict: Buy

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