Category Archives: Mini Reviews

Mini Reviews: Horizon Experiment: The Sacred Damned, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Green Lantern Dark, Absolute Wonder Woman, Iron Man, Dazzler, and more!

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Absolute Wonder Woman #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

Horizon Experiment: The Sacred Damned #1 (Image) – Sabir Pirzada and Michael Walsh‘s The Sacred Damned #1 reminded me a lot of 1988’s Hellblazer #1 which opens with a man eating everything in sight, but dying of starvation. Pirzada and Walsh dig into the horrors of the overconsumption of American culture, but from the POV of a badass Muslim occultist named Inayah Jibril. In The Sacred Damned, she investigates the strange case of a college football player possessed by Djinn and comes to grips with her own demons. Jibril’s no hero and even revels a little bit in the fact that Kyle is getting comeuppance for his careless, hateful, privileged life. Pirzada’s plotting and Michael Walsh’s visuals are classic Vertigo horror, but from a different perspective than white British men. Overall: 8.2 Verdict: Buy

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #4 (IDW) – This Leonardo-centric issue has a lot of navel-gazing with just a pinch of ninja action at the end as Jason Aaron and Cliff Chiang show us what Leo has been up to for the past nine months. The answer (Communing with turtles on the banks of the Ganges.) isn’t that exciting, but it’s fun to watch him get off his ass and return to being the leader of the Hamato Clan. As with the previous two issues of TMNT, the art is the headliner with Chiang playing with shapes, silhouettes, and shadows when Leo saves some soft shell turtles from poachers. His color palette also sets the mood for the story from the serenity of meditation to the harshness of crashing a helicopter into a building. Overall: 7.0 Verdict: Read

Green Lantern Dark #1 (DC) – Tate Brombal, Something is Killing the Children’s Werther Dell’Edera, and Giovanna Niro tell a tale of hope in utter bleakness in Green Lantern Dark #1. They construct a world without heroes except for a reluctant Green Lantern and a girl who believes in her. Dell’Edera’s horror chops come in handy as Solomon grundy’s minions overwhelm the tone and snuff out the light. Some of the panels have strange angles though, and it’s hard to follow the story, especially in an early diner sequence. However, Green Lantern Dark #1 is a stripped down tale about finding hope in the darkest places that rings true in today’s world. Pair it with a power outage for an even better reading experience. Overall: 8.0 Verdict: Buy

Paranoid Gardens #4 (Dark Horse) – Gerard Way, Shaun Simon, and Chris Weston finally start to reveal what’s actually going on that creepy, extraterrestrial retirement home in Paranoid Gardens #4. Antagonist Dr. Zerc is in full selfish mode and doing whatever he can to live forever no matter the cost while protagonist Loo scrambles around and helps out bonding with the unnamed superhero, who basically was pulled over by a space cop on the way to save the day. Putting mundane situations in weird, new contexts is where Paranoid Gardens really sings, and Weston’s deadpan-style art matches this tone nicely like when a vampire has a group therapy session with some ghosts. Paranoid Gardens is 2/3 finished, but really shows some narrative momentum in issue four although the book continues to be scatter-brained for better or worse. Overall: 7.5 Verdict: Read

Alien Romulus #1 (Marvel) – Zac Thompson, Daniel Piccioto, and Yen Nitro turn in a solid adaptation of an Alien Romulus prequel story by the film’s writer/director Fede Alvarez and co-writer Rodo Sayagues. It connects Alien Romulus even more closely to the original Alien film as well as Prometheus with Rook pontificating about creating new life and immortality while xenomorphs wreck the Renaissance. There are even some dark moments when a scientist contemplates using the xenomorphs for human genocide before he dies a gruesome death. The art from Piccioto is pretty standard issue, but he turns up the gore to match Thompson’s frenetic dialogue. However, Alien Romulus #1‘s biggest strength is how seamlessly it works with Alien Romulus film. You can read this, put on Alien Romulus (On VHS, perhaps.) and have your own xenomorph double feature. Overall: 7.8 Verdict: Buy

The Power Fantasy #3 (Image) – In Power Fantasy #3, Kieron Gillen and Caspar Wijingaard both narrow their focus on the angelic Superpower Santa Valentina and broaden it to show just how different the world of The Power Fantasy is from our own culminating in a “wtf” type final page. I love how unchanging Wijingaard makes Santa Valentina’s facial expressions from jumping out of the womb with atomic powers to her telepathic chats with Etienne Lux in the present day. She’s truly the never-fading representation of youth culture with a glowing color palette from Caspar Wijingaard. The Power Fantasy #3 (Especially a key data page.) adds context to this book’s world and characters, and I’m even more afraid to be a regular person in this universe. Overall: 8.3 Verdict: Buy

Dazzler #2 (Marvel) – After proclaiming that she’s a mutant with her new track “Out and Proud” and surviving a supervillain attack, Alison Blaire is off to London for the next stop of her world tour. Even though there’s a typical mind control/sabotage type plot in this issue, Dazzler’s real antagonist is a talk show host as Jason Loo and Rafael Loureiro show how the press use loaded questions and twist artists’ words. I felt more tension when Dazzler was trying to get through the interview than when she was destroying a radio show live lounge set or duking it out with a mind controlled Domino. Dazzler #2 definitely ups the stakes and fear and hated quotient. My one qualm with the book is that the art is a little too Marvel house style, but Loureiro does turn in some gorgeous fits for Alison Blaire and company, especially a secret guest star. Overall: 8.0 Verdict: Buy

Absolute Wonder Woman #1 (DC) – Kelly Thompson, Hayden Sherman, and Jordie Bellaire unleash a literally hellish take on Diana of Themiscyra in Absolute Wonder Woman #1. They create a world of fickle gods and frightening monsters, and Wonder Woman’s usual villain Circe is her closest friend, confidant, and mother. Although there are scenes set in the present, Absolute Wonder Woman #1 is very much in origin story mode showing how Diana became a hero and warrior while growing up in Hell. A lot of the story comes from details in Sherman’s art as they and Bellaire show Circe and Diana’s empty cave turn into a magical home where a young woman can learn to be a warrior and save the world. Hayden Sherman also uses a lot of cool layouts, especially during the fight scenes in the present, which are super metal. Absolute Wonder Woman #1 is a darker take on the iconic character that still preserves her heroic nature. Overall: 8.7 Verdict: Buy

Iron Man #1 (Marvel) – Political journalist Spencer Ackerman teams up with artist Julius Ohta and colorist Alex Sinclair to tell a story of Tony Stark at his lowest (Again.) as he must will himself to fight a takeover of Stark Unlimited by Roxxon and AIM. Ackerman and Ohta repurpose B and Z-list villains as agents of the late capitalist military-industrial-social media complex, and I’m not gonna lie, it’s kind of charming to see Tiger Shark as social media troll/streamer/online gambling fixer. However, contemporary window dressing and Julius Ohta art that makes Tony Stark look utterly burned out aside, I feel like I’ve read this story when it was written by David Michelinie, Matt Fraction, Christopher Cantwell, or hell, even Gerry Duggan when it wasn’t a sub-plot book for X-Men. (Are we running out of Iron Man stories? Should we have retired them like Robert Downey Jr. did with the role in the MCU?) This book has some fun moments like the factory workers shading Stark, the new Iron Monger design/Justine Hammer showing she’s not a nepo baby, but it’s not a hit straight out of the gates. Overall: 7.5 Verdict: Read

Mini Reviews: Batman & Robin: Year One, Godfather of Hell, Avengers Assemble, and Mystique

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Batman and Robin: Year One #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

Mystique #1 (Marvel) – Of course, a character who can change form in every panel makes for a compelling comic. Cartoonist Declan Shalvey turns in a comic that has Raven Darkholme searching for a mysterious MacGuffin in the ashes of SHIELD and Krakoa with new CIA mutant liaison Nick Fury Jr. hot (Or not so hot) on her heels. The whole comic is an action-packed cat and mouse game with some fun layouts from Shalvey like a double page spread with different central character on each panel. Throw in a heart-breaking final page and emotional moments between Nick Fury Sr and Jr, and Mystique #1 is a fine and unique addition to the X-line. Overall: 7.8 Verdict: Buy

Avengers Assemble #2 (Marvel) – Steve Orlando, Scot Eaton, Elisabetta D’Amico, and Sonia Oback‘s Avengers Assemble #2 continues the formula of standalone mission with a side of character development for the teammates not on the mission plus the growth of a larger threat. I love how Orlando writes banter for the Avengers with Night Thrasher getting all the best lines as he verbally spars with Hawkeye while trying to figure out what to do with some ghost apes. This mission isn’t just punching, but Cap must demonstrate his leadership skills and figure out why intelligent ape ghosts are terrorizing a small Massachusetts town. Eaton and D’Amico nail the multiple crowd scenes, and Avengers Assemble keeps scratching that old school team comic itch. Overall: 8.0 Verdict: Buy

Godfather of Hell #1 (Vault) – Godfather of Hell is a stylish supernatural crime comic from Cavan Scott, Pius Bak, and Raul Angulo. A mob enforcer named Dario has a pang of conscience at the wrong time, gets whacked, and goes to Hell where he’s haunted by the disgusting forms of his kills. However, he has a skill set that the demon Samael likes so he gets a kind of anti-redemption second chance. Bak and Angulo bring a flashing colors, kind of gonzo sensibility to the art with small panels that show how much Dario has compromised himself in his life. Scott’s script is a cross between Karen Berger’s Vertigo books and Axel Alonso’s crime ones he edited before going to Marvel so there’s a little bit of nostalgic feel to the comic while also being something new. Overall: 8.1 Verdict: Buy

Batman and Robin Year One #1 (DC) – If Absolute Batman was revisionist, then Batman and Robin Year One #1 is vintage Batman at its finest from Mark Waid, Chris Samnee, Mat Lopes, and Clayton Cowles. Skipping the death of Dick Grayson’s parents, this comic explores the early days of the partnership between Batman and Robin. Like previous “Robin Year One” type stories, the villain they face is Two-Face, but he’s just the herald to a greater evil. It’s only the first issue so I don’t want to be quick to judgment, but the “new villain in town” angle is a little overused. We’ll see if he’s the formidable threat that Two-Face proclaimed. However, Batman and Robin Year One has some pronounced strengths, including three-dimensional characterization for both leads and even Two-Face who has a different speaking and facial expression style depending on what side of his face is talking. However, the real reason to pick up this book is Samnee’s visuals. The car chases, splash pages, and high-flying action is a give-in, but Chris Samnee is truly the master of the beat panel: adding tension and/or humor to what would usually be a basic interaction like Batman ghosting Commissioner Gordon. It’s fun seeing his and Waid’s take on such an iconic character, and this is a must-read especially for fans of Batman: The Animated Series. Overall: 8.5 Verdict: Buy

Mini Reviews: Sentinels, Exceptional X-Men, Ultimates, Public Domain, and Action Comics

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Sentinels #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

Sentinels #1 (Marvel) – In one of the more unique “From the Ashes” books, Alex Paknadel and Justin Mason make the mutant-hunting Sentinels the protagonists with a twist: they’re humans with Sentinel-tech grafted to them with side effects. There’s a little bit of John Ostrander’s Suicide Squad in this book’s DNA with hapless soldiers going on difficult missions against terrible foes (Omega Red in this case) for evil bureaucrats. The characters in Sentinels are literally cogs in a machine, but Paknadel gives the team leader Lockstep, wild card Voivod, and rookie Drumfire some shades of personality although they kind of seem like action figures for now. It’s hard to find anyone to root for this in title, but I’m going to give upcoming issues a shot because of the wild swings of the premise, its dark satirical moments, and Mason’s old school action art. Overall: 7.6 Verdict: Read

Exceptional X-Men #2 (Marvel) – Eve Ewing and Carmen Carnero‘s Exceptional X-Men continues to be a delightful slice of life title (Cubs and White Sox fans arguing at the bar Kitty Pryde works at, cute dates at soccer games), but is starting to shape up into a proper X-title with the introduction of two additional young mutants. A bullying incident goes way out of hand, and Kitty has to intervene yet again while getting psychic messages from Emma Frost. Instead of rejecting the call to be a hero, Kitty rejects the call to be a mentor, and Ewing and Carnero do a good job of showing how the grind of trying to be “normal” gets to her. One final note: it’s so creepy what Carmen Carnero does to the characters’ eyes when Emma Frost psychically controls them. Overall: 8.0 Verdict: Buy

Ultimates #5 (Marvel) – Deniz Camp and Juan Frigeri breathe life into the ol’ “heroes fight, then team up versus the villain” cliche in Ultimates #5. They introduce Charli Ramsey, an indigenous Hawkeye, who takes out pipelines and various Roxxon installations with the help of some trick arrows developed by Stark. The confrontation between Charli and Captain America is the final nail in the Western genre’s coffin and also interrogates the fact of the Ultimates actually being anti-establishment as Tony Stark sent Cap to take out Hawkeye. However, they end up being siblings in ass kicking and frustrating fossil fuel billionaires. From its opening Crazy Horse and Theodore Roosevelt epigraphs, Ultimates #5 has incisive sociopolitical commentary, but Frigeri excels at blocking out action scenes using inset panels to demonstrate each of Charli’s trick arrows. Overall: 9.0 Verdict: Buy

Public Domain #9 (Image) – Dallas Comics and Synergy Entertainment hit San Diego Comic Expo to promote their two different takes on The Domain in Chip Zdarsky‘s Public Domain #9. This issue crammed full with visual and verbal jokes about comic cons while showing the uphill battle that Dallas Comics faces against its competitors. Basically, comics are small fries compared to other media, but there’s also the accessibility of even its greatest creators with Syd Dallas having genuine interactions with fans across the issue. However, Public Domain #9 also an undercurrent of heart-breaking pain that has nothing to do with comics. Zdarsky continues to be the master of juggling of different story tones as he goes from pop culture parodies and wise assery to difficult conversations in nine panel grids. Overall: 8.4 Verdict: Buy

Action Comics #1070 (DC) – Both the lead Superman story from Mark Waid and Clayton Henry and the backup Supergirl story from Mariko Tamaki and Skylar Patridge feel like “zero issues” in Action Comics #1070. Both feature extended action (Or conversation and flying for the Supergirl backup) sequences and reveal the actual premise of the story arc in the final pages. The lead story has some funny moments with Jimmy Olsen, and you can definitely tell Waid is geeking out when different color Kryptonites are involved. However, cool twisted design from Henry aside, the story feels lightweight until it starts getting into how unethical the Phantom Zone is and making it the setting of the current arc. The backup story is just Patridge drawing different female Super-characters beautifully and Supergirl going on an unknown mission. She doesn’t get much characterization in that story or the lead one. Unless you have a Xander and Oz from Buffy the Vampire Slayer-esque fixation of different color kryptonites, this “jumping on point is worth skipping or waiting for the trade paperback. Overall: 6.1 Verdict: Pass

Mini Reviews: Skin Police, TMNT Nightcrawler, and Creeping Below

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The Creeping Below #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

Skin Police #1 (Oni Press) – Jordan Thomas, Daniel Gete, and Jason Wordie bring the 2000 AD vibes to their new series, Skin Police about catching unauthorized human clones that freak out and do things like murder commercial pilots while hallucinating Satan and his devils. Skin Police is like Blade Runner, but with extra body horror and plenty of satire about police/surveillance states as a rookie “skin police” follows the veteran around this first issue. The plot isn’t compelling just yet, but this might be worth a read for the Judge Dredd fans. Overall: 7.4 Verdict: Read

TMNT: Nightwatcher #2 (IDW Publishing) – With the big reveal out of the way, Juni Ba, Fero Pe, and Luis Delgado go into the basically of the origin of how Jennika threw off the ninja mask and became the new Nightwatcher. Pe’s art captures the restlessness and trauma she feels with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles scattered across the four corners of the globe while still showing she has a good heart and wants to protect the mutant community. I love the parallels that Ba creates between immigrant communities in the US and the residents of Mutant Town, and how he and Pe basically make the Nightwatcher a high tech Golem. TMNT: Nightwatcher continues to be a smart, action-packed vigilante comic with visuals that evoke old Mazzucchelli or Romita Jr comics, but with progressive ideals and a contemporary approach to characterization. Overall: 8.6 Verdict: Buy

The Creeping Below #1 (BOOM!) – Brian Azzarello, Vanessa Del Rey, and Hilary Jenkins explore the world of Norwegian black metal, murder, and mayhem in The Creeping Below #1. Protagonist Val is the perfect stand-in for many readers who aren’t familiar with this subculture, but is curious about the emotions and iconography behind it. However, curious may or may not have killed the cat, and the imagery goes from gigs and song lyrics to reality as the comic works to a bloody crescendo. Also, Del Rey and Jenkins’ are downright epic and will have you throwing the horns to Thor or the Norse deity of your choice. Overall: 7.7 Verdict: Buy

Mini Reviews: The Moon is Following Us, Hello Darkness, NYX, and Horizon Experiment: The Manchurian

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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

Hello Darkness #3 (BOOM! Studios) – Hello Darkness #3 leads off with a dark twist on “mukbang” YouTube videos as Michael W. Conrad, Martin Morazzo, and Chris O’Halloran skewer the fame at whatever cost crowd with a side of cannibalism. The almost deadpan quality of Morazzo’s visuals make the story that much more disgusting. Next is a three panel mad scientist story from Robert Hack that’s of middling quality. After that is the second part of James Tynion, Werther Dell’Edera, and Miquel Muerto‘s Something is Killing the Children serial. I love the dreamlike quality of Dell’Edera’s pencils as small-town man Barry tells Erica Slaughter the story of a monster snatching up and tearing apart his young neighbor. It’s a small slice of a larger story, but has the atmosphere that has made such SIKTC such a hit. Plus I’m enjoying these small scale character studies while the main book focuses on Erica’s arc. This is followed by Andy Lanning, Trevor Hairsine, and Rain Beredo‘s “Kampfgeist” a World War I-set war/cosmic horror yarn. Breaking the stalemate on the Western Front awakens something much worse as Hairsine art progresses from realism to something out of Viking zombie film. Hello Darkness #3 concludes with the most chilling chapter of Garth Ennis and Becky Cloonan‘s “The War” yet. A couple try to leave New York on a private plane as the potential of nuclear attack looms over the Big Apple. There’s a very “It can’t happen hear” vibe to this whole chapter with Cloonan capturing the naked emotion in the characters’ faces that world may actually be ending. Overall: 8.0 Verdict: Buy

The Moon is Following Us #1 (Image) – Daniel Warren Johnson and Riley Rossmo team up for an imaginative fantasy/sci-fi/genre mash-up epic about a husband and wife rescuing their daughter in a world of her dreams. Like a video game without a tutorial, Johnson starts in the middle of the action with the protagonists getting help from a friendly frog with machine guns and running into bad guys of all different shapes and sizes. Rossmo and colorist Mike Spicer really cut loose in the portion set in the simulation while Daniel Warren Johnson handles art in the “real world” and shows the emotional connection Duncan and Samantha have with their daughter Penny. The Moon is Following Us is truly an ass kicking, yet heart-rending read. Overall: 8.4 Verdict: Buy

Horizon Experiment: The Manchurian #1 (Image) – The Manchurian is a slick entry point into the labyrinthine world of Chinese spycraft that very different from Western espionage from Pornsak Pichetsote and Terry and Rachel Dodson. The one-shot reads like the first act of a James Bond film showing our hero, Calvin Low, in action and establishing his relationships and vulnerabilities as well as the underpinnings of this heightened, yet research-grounded world. The Dodsons kick ass at the fight choreography, but they also show the moments where Calvin loses the super spy facade and freaks out about his panic attacks with his soon-to-be-broken up with girlfriend while still keeping his cover. The Manchurian stands alone and has a fairly emotionally satisfying conclusion, but I want more of this world and to learn more about contemporary Chinese espionage. Overall: 8.1 Verdict: Buy

NYX #3 (Marvel) – Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing, Francesco Mortarino, and Raul Angulo get all the pieces of the puzzle right in the NYX #3. This issue focuses on Anole who just wants to live a normal life as a bartender, but is laid off by bigoted ownership and ends up caught in a struggle between young mutants like Ms. Marvel and Sophie Cuckoo, the Morlocks, and the Purifiers. There’s plenty of big, colorful action in NYX #3 like Ms. Cuckoo psychically lobotomizing Purifiers, or Laura Kinney just obliterating them. However, the issue’s main strength is Kelly and Lanzing’s introspective scripting for Anole who may have a hero’s heart, but just wants to focus on being and finding himself. He does that with the help of the Morlocks who have their own kind of paradise in the tunnels of New York. Throw in a bit of a twist at the end, and NYX is starting to find its voice as the queer-friendly, youthful street level X-Book. Overall: 8.6 Verdict: Buy

Mini Reviews: Dazzler debuts and The Power Fantasy amazes

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Dazzler #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

The Power Fantasy #2 (Image) – In the second installment of The Power Fantasy, Kieron Gillen and Caspar Wijingaard take a step back after Etienne Lux’s assassination of the US president to deal with the ramifications of that event and also start to flesh out the book’s cast of character’s. I love Wijingaard’s distinct design and color palette for each superhuman. Also, Etienne Lux could be one of the all-time great Gillen characters with his passive aggressive approach to having the power of a nuclear arsenal. This is a book driven by conversation and philosophical debates where one false move can lead to destruction. Issue one was definitely flashier, but The Power Fantasy #2 is an important piece of world-building. Also, I love the essays in the back. Overall: 8.0 Verdict: Buy

Dazzler #1 (Marvel) -At long last, we have an Alison Blaire goes on tour and lives the pop star life comic, and Jason Loo, Rafael Loureiro, and Java Tartaglia knock it out of the park. It all starts with Loureiro and Tartaglia’s visuals and choreography that capture everything from a shimmering light show/supervillain battle to a tense sparring session between Dazzler and her head of security, Domino. Loo also explores the marginalized folks as mutant metaphor with the added layer of Dazzler as a pop star. There are sequences with her manager, Wind Dancer, about how to use her abilities at her gig that remind me a lot of how queer artists are told to play down their sexuality to capture their sexuality. But, despite the hate and protests (Kind of feels like reading the Facebook comment section of an article about Chappell Roan.), Dazzler gets to show off her gifts in a beautiful song called “Out and Proud” with lyrics from Jason Loo. He and Rafael Loureiro have captured the almost-tears inducing power of current queer pop artists like Roan, Billie eilish, Renee Rapp, and MUNA in the trappings of superhero comics. Dazzler #1 is a must read for any superhero fan or even if you just like pop girlies. Overall: 9.4 Verdict: Buy (I purchased a copy.)

Mini Review: Rings of Power S2E4 “Eldest”

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Rings of Power S2E4 "Eldest"

Sometimes, the staff at Graphic Policy get to more things than we’re able to get reviewed. When that happens you’ll see a weekly feature compiling reviews of the movies, tv shows, 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

Rings of Power S2E4 “Eldest” – Rings of Power continues its thematic focus on the different races of Middle Earth by looking at some of its oldest (and smallest) beings namely wizards, Ents, halflings, and at long last, fan favorite Tom Bombadil. The wig work isn’t great, and Rory Kinnear initially sounds like a posh London police officer trying to be a bloke at a pub, but he nails Bombadil’s main character trait, which is his effortless immortality. He talks about the birth of the stars like most people talk about what they had for dinner and could be a great mentor to the Stranger unlike his failure with the still super generic Dark Wizard. Connected to this plotline, Nori and Poppy run into another halfling tribe called Stoors, who live underground. Initially, their leader Gund (Tanya Moodie) is wary of them, but they discover that they share similar customs. Directors Louise Hooper and Sanaa Hamri use silent sequences and montages to show the idyllic life they live compared to the epicness of above ground. Speaking of epicness, there’s no Sauron in this episode, but lots of petty bickering between Elrond and Galadriel, who are written a little one note in this episode. Thankfully there’s the live action debut of the Barrow-wights and a badass, flaming arrow slow-mo action sequence to distract us. And what about the Ents? They appear nearly out of nowhere as Isildur, Arondir, and a guilt-ridden Estrid look for Theo. Jim Broadbent and Olivia Williams voice the regal Snaggleroot and angry Winterbloom and reintroduce some of Lord of the Rings’ environmental themes to the TV show. All in all, “Eldest” is a fanservice potpourri which reminds audiences that Middle Earth is a place full of ancient beings as well as petty disputes and drama. Overall Verdict: 7.1

Mini Reviews: Wolverine, Avengers Assemble, The Domain, an Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!

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Wolverine #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

Wolverine #1 (Marvel) – Opening with Logan running with a pack of wolves, Wolverine #1 trods familiar ground, but the ultraviolence of Martin Coccolo‘s visuals and the poetry of Saladin Ahmed‘s captions for its protagonist, Nightcrawler, and even Cyber keep it from getting too stale. It does fall into the trap of being a puzzle box story like a lot of the “From the Ashes” title, and the overarching villain seems a little corny. However, I’m not complaining too much about a comic where Wolverine goes berserk while also being besties with the blue elf. Overall: 7.2 Verdict: Read

Avengers Assemble #1 (Marvel) – Expansive cast of characters, check. Punchable Neo-Nazi villain, check. Fun one-liners and fight scenes, check. Steve Orlando, Cory Smith, Oren Junior, Elisabetta D’Amico, and Sonia Oback turn in an adrenaline rush of a launch issue in Avengers Assemble #1. With a blend of A-listers (Captain America), recent MCU darlings (Shang-Chi, Monica Rambeau), and delightful B and C-listers (Julie Power, Night Thrasher), this comic is accessible to the new fan and the hardcore. Narrativewise, Orlando splits the action between a fight with a powered-up Sin and a poker game between the late arrivals to Avengers Mansion. It’s the perfect combination of characterization and ass kicking with Smith and company getting ample opportunities to show off the team’s power set. My only qualm with this book is that it looks like it’s only a five issue miniseries. Overall: 8.4 Verdict: Buy

The Domain #3 (Image) – The in-universe Dallas Comics book from Public Domain contains to be a solid sci-fi/superhero read from Chip Zdarsky, Rachael Stott, and Eren Angiolini. Stott’s slick visuals get kicked up a notch as Des actually uses her powers for good (And not so good.), and the aliens carrying the Domain bracelet try to get them back. Zdarsky’s dialogue for the extraterrestrials is really funny like a running gag of not killing any humans that sadly ends in a neck snap once the, ugh, Space Force gets involved. The Domain continues to be a little bit Doctor Who, a little bit of the human drama of the better Spider-Man comics, and an intelligible Spider-Man. It’s fun to read in conjunction with the characters and themes of Public Domain, but also works well as a standalone narrative. Overall: 7.9 Verdict: Buy

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #2 (IDW) – The second issue of the Jason Aaron run on TMNT features art and colors from Rafael Albuquerque and Marcelo Maiolo and centers around Michelangelo’s hollow life as the star of a Japanese ninja TV show. I love that Maiolo uses a similar palette for the glitz and glamor of paparazzi and Mikey’s diamond-encrusted nunchaku as well as the blinding high tech armor of the ninjas that attack him in the penthouse. On the characterization side, Aaron peers into the broken, lonely child underneath the class clown, and Albuquerque shows how Mikey’s ninja skills has devolved compared to his opponents. The ending is a little cliched fakeout superhero comics, but the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series continues to have breathtaking visuals, strong action, and interesting character development. Overall: 8.0 Verdict: Buy

Mini Review: Rings of Power S2E2 “Where the Stars are Strange” and E3 “The Eagle and the Sceptre”

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Rings of Power S2E2 "Where the Stars are Strange"

Sometimes, the staff at Graphic Policy get to more things than we’re able to get reviewed. When that happens you’ll see a weekly feature compiling reviews of the movies, tv shows, 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

Rings of Power S2E2 “Where the Stars are Strange” – Veteran TV writer Jason Cahill (Sopranos, Fringe) weaves together an episode of corruption and decay after Rings of Power’s premiere had a glimpse of hope with the healing power of the Elf Rings. However, that all is stripped away when Galadriel has a red-tinged vision of Celebrimbor being corrupted by Sauron. The actual, climactic scene of Sauron corrupting Celebrimbor is a masterclass from actors Charlie Vickers and Charles Edwards. Slight changes in his accent transform Vickers from a down on his luck Man to an envoy of the Valar. (The invisible gods of Middle Earth.) Sauron with an assist from Celebrimbor’s assistant Mirdania (A scene-stealing Amelia Kenworthy.) plays on the Elf smith’s weaknesses and desire for creation and accomplishment. It’s like watching Lucifer assemble an army to take on Heaven in Paradise Lost and makes for compelling television. Sauron and Celebrimbor’s first target for rings of power are the Dwarves who are struggling with some MacGuffin-y issue. However, the scenes with them shine thanks to a humorous and charismatic performance from Sophia Nomvete as Disa, one of the bright spots of Season 1. It’ll never get old watching her tell Prince Durin and King Durin to get over themselves. The other main plotline in episode 2 is The Stranger, Nori, and Poppy entering the land of Rhun. A random appearance from Ciaran Hinds as Diet Caffeine Free Saruman aside, this plot trods story ground from the first season arc with these characters with The Stranger being enigmatic, losing control, and being surrounded by weird magic freaks. (They have Green Goblin masks now.) One struggling plotline aside, I enjoyed this episode, and directors Charlotte Brandstrom and Louise Hooper make the no-expenses-spared visuals shine. Overall: 8.0

Rings of Power S2E3 “The Eagle and the Sceptre” – After the first two episodes had big plots dealing with Elves and Dwarves, Helen Shang‘s script for “The Eagle and the Sceptre” focuses on Men, both Numenoreans and the Southlanders left in the wake of last season’s battle against Mordor. The political maneuvering in Numenor is really intriguing with Pharazon (Trystan Gravelle) playing both the populist and elitist in attempt to prevent the now-blinded Miriel (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) from succeeding to her father’s throne. An added wrinkle is Elendil’s daughter Earien (Ema Horvath) supporting him when it’s revealed that Miriel had a palantir in her tower. (Peter Thiel named his company after it so it’s definitely bad.) Along with this, Shang and directors Louise Hooper and Charlotte Brandstorm focus on Isildur (Maxim Baldry) trying to find a way off Middle Earth, his horse, and various other side quests featuring the badass elf Arondir from last season, the annoying Theo, and a new, not what she seems female character, Estrid. The Southland sequences were the weakest in the previous season, but I love the political parallels between Numenor and colonial powers like the US and UK interfering in a war and leaving the folks affected by it to scrape by. This, but with mountain trolls and giant spiders. And, finally, in what has made Rings of Power Season 2 much more compelling than it’s predecessor, we see more of the corruption of Celebrimbor with Sauron just walking around and watching him alienate his fellow Elves as he begins to forge the seven Dwarven rings. It’s the whole the Devil doesn’t damn you to Hell, but you damn yourself saying played out with some wonderful glances and smirks delivered by Charlie Vickers, who is enjoying the Annatar role. Overall: 7.7

Mini Reviews: Exceptional X-Men, Public Domain, Minor Arcana, and Cruel Universe

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Exceptional X-Men #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

Exceptional X-Men #1 (Marvel) – Exceptional X-Men #1 is the best first issue of “From the Ashes” by a mile. Eve Ewing, Carmen Carnero, and Nolan Woodard craft a Millennial/Gen Z alliance in superhero garb as ordinary bartender Kitty Pryde saves burgeoning mutant Trista at a Bunny Starlite Dream gig. The Black and queer subtexts become text in this book, but Carnero also draws some dynamic action sequences with pops of color from Woodard, especially during the concert. This is the smart, relatable, slice of life X-Book, but it’s definitely not a Kitty Pryde solo book if the last few pages have anything to say. Overall: 9.1 Verdict: Buy

Public Domain #8 (Image) – In Public Domain #8, Dallas Comics is up and running with a brusque, no-nonsense colorist and a taciturn letterer being added to the staff. Of course, there’s personal complications galore as well as their distinguished competition in the way of their triumphant creator-owned comic book success. I love how Chip Zdarsky melds late stage capitalism along with the history of comics in this issue. For example, there’s a bullpen, but not a lot of collaboration in it because of clashes in working personalities. Also, some of the trademark battles between Dallas and Jaspers evoke the Golden and Silver Age of Comics in trying to trademark characters and variant of characters. (E.g. Wonder Man, Captain Marvel to name a few.) And, of course, it’s all drawn lovingly with distinct personalities for each character by Zdarsky. The flat colors work well for the kind of story that’s being told like a fading gold sunset for the Dallas Comics team all being in the office at once. Featuring family drama, inside baseball, and nine panel grids, Public Domain continues to be a tense delight. Overall: 8.9 Verdict: Buy

Minor Arcana #1 (BOOM! Studios) -From its dreamy living inside a tarot card intro, Jeff Lemire‘s Minor Arcana #1 has got atmosphere in spades. It follows a young woman named Theresa who moves back to the small town of Limberlost to help her sick mom and run her magic shop even though she doesn’t believe in those kind of things. Minor Arcana is an immersive read with wispy linework from Lemire to go with the terse, angsty prose. Theresa doesn’t want to be in her old haunts where she’s confronted by spectres of her past, including her alcohol addiction when she automatically stumbles into a bar after a tiff with her mother. Minor Arcana #1 is a melancholy tone poem that hits like the scrawly Depeche Mode and The Cure posters in Theresa’s childhood bedroom. Overall: 8.7 Verdict: Buy

Cruel Universe #2 (Oni Press) – Cruel Universe #2 kicks off with “Organic”, a portrait of pure disgust from Stephanie Phillips and Riley Rossmo that pokes fun at the hypocrisy of so-called organic companies. It’s about a farm where humans are the meat and everyone’s okay with that in a delightfully deadpan way. There aren’t any real personalities to latch onto, but Rossmo’s layout for the slaughter sequence has to be seen to be believed. Next is “Brilliant and Deceived”, a classic twist-ending two page shocker from Ben H. Winters, Leomacs, and Inak Azpaizu that riffs on the Bride of Frankenstein. It feels like a classic EC story thanks to Leomacs’ retro style art and costuming plus Azpaizu’s flat colors The third story is “And the Profit Said…” by Chris Condon, Javier Fernandez, and Alessandro Santoro. It’s about a man with inoperable brain cancer working a dead end job who gets some experimental surgery from his employer and sees the future. This begins as a gift, but eventually becomes a curse. I love the bits of this story that are a dark reflection of the American dream, but the ending seems rushed and unsatisfying. Fernandez’s visuals are quite gruesome though, and Santoro’s palette truly captures the emptiness of corporate life. Finally, a sci-fi gun changes an injured cowboy’s life in the fittingly named “Ray Gun” from Christopher Cantwell, David Lapham, and Nick Filardi. Thanks to Lapham’s chops, this story has the slickest panel to panel storytelling of any of the stories in Cruel Universe #2, and the effects of the gun itself is sci-fi horror at its finest. At first, it’s cathartic to see protagonist Buck gun down his asshole boss, but this power is slippery slope and he’s just a pawn in a bigger game. Cruel Universe #2 is a showcase for some talented comics artists and really captures the helplessness of life under late stage capitalism with a side of cannibalism, mad scientists, precognition and ray guns. Overall: 8.0 Verdict: Buy

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