Category Archives: Mini Reviews

Mini Reviews: WildC.A.T.s, Danger Street, and Know Your Station!

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WildC.A.T.s #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

WildC.A.T.s #3 (DC Comics) – WildC.A.T.s #3 begins and ends with an exciting splash page, and Matthew Rosenberg and Stephen Segovia focus on action in this issue as the Wildcats face off against the newly minted Seven Soldiers of Victory (Not the Grant Morrison or classic one ; more like the Wish.com/ Authority) and one a covert mission to rescue a kid whose death could lead to a Crisis level event. Rosenberg really puts the Wildcats on the shit-end of the stick in this issue, which fits their new role as the Halo Corporation’s sacrificial lambs and dirty workers while the Seven Soldiers get the headlines and good life. Segovia’s skill at page architecture ramps up the team’s mission from routine to impossible as they get holed up in a building, and their only salvation is a character being teleported in from a subplot who can’t fly a chopper. The tenseness of the main plot really helped to start to bond with the team beyond just Zealot with Ladytron’s deadpan quips about bloodstream nanites making her especially endearing. WildCATS is definitely a throwback to the Extreme 90s and the wide screen 00s, but with modern, bleeding edge visual storytelling from Stephen Segovia and smart writing and straightforward plotting from Matthew Rosenberg. Overall: 8.5 Verdict: Buy

Danger Street #2 (DC Comics/DC Black Label) – Tom King, Jorge Fornes, and Dave Stewart continue to link together obscure DC characters in the apocalyptic murder mystery Danger Street #2. King’s (by way of Dr. Fate’s helmet) storybook-style narration gives the comic a good flow and connects some of the seemingly disparate threads. Some of the most powerful scenes in the issue are the Danger Street Dingbats coming to terms with losing their own and the futility of hope as their cop friend struggles to find a lead on the murder. The stuff with the Green Team and Jack Ryder is pretty standard satire of ultracapitalism, but I love that Stewart uses similar flame colors for the Green Team’s murder basement, the exploding ship, and Darkseid’s realm. Yes, Darkseid still continues to appear in the title and shares a hug that makes you know the world is really coming to an end. This isn’t my favorite comic right now, but Fornes’ layouts and use of close-up’s in emotional scenes are really effective, and I continue to be a sucker for books that dig deeper into the motivations of B and C list characters. Overall: 7.9 Verdict: Buy

Know Your Station #2 (BOOM! Studios) – Know Your Station is a class-conscious murder mystery in space from Sarah Gailey, Liana Kangas, Rebecca Nalty, and Cardinal Rae. In this issue, protagonist Elise (A security liaison for a bunch of rich corporate people living in space) tries to find out who killed one of the passengers and her cop partner. This seems straightforward, but Gailey and Kangas make the story compelling by having her dealing with withdrawal symptoms from a psychedelic drug called Blue with the help of the onboard AI St Brigid, who is totally the best character. Rae’s wobbling letters and Nalty’s trippy palette are a standout in this issue and do a great job of simulating her struggles with sobriety and losing time. It’s a visual experience that can only be done in comic and is nicely by suspense and good interactions between Elise and this issue’s red herring Marin, an executive who she has a connection with. Overall 8.8 Verdict: Buy

Well, there you have it, folks. The reviews we didn’t quite get a chance to write. See you next week!

Please note that with some of the above comics, Graphic Policy was provided FREE copies for review. Where we purchased the comics, you’ll see an asterisk (*). If you don’t see that, you can infer the comic was a review copy. In cases where we were provided a review copy and we also purchased the comic you’ll see two asterisks (**).

Mini Reviews: WildC.A.T.s, Danger Street, and Batman/Spawn!

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WildC.A.T.s #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

Danger Street #1 (DC/Black Label) – Tom King and Jorge Fornes‘ latest, Danger Street #1, is Stand by Me meets Network meets Seven Soldiers focusing on seemingly unconnected DC B and Z-listers like the Danger Street Dingbats, Starman (Not Jack Knight), Metamorpho, Warlord, Creeper/Jack Ryder and more. Fornes’ art and Dave Stewart‘s colors give the book a kind of late Bronze Age/early 1980s vibe to go with King’s multi-layered script that combines satire with superhero shenanigans all held together by omniscient, fantasy style narration. Even though the players in Danger Street have vastly different personalities and moral codes, Tom King and Jorge Fornes thread them together by having them aspire to something more than their current lives whether that’s Jack Ryder having his own TV show, or Starman, Warlord, and Metamoropho wanting to join the Justice League in a very roundabout way. The extended length of book is enough time to give you a feel for the large cast of characters before the status quo is upset, and the goofy, zany superheroes have actual responsibilities and mistakes to own up to. Overall: 8.5 Verdict: Buy

Batman/Spawn #1 (DC/Image) – Batman/Spawn has smooth visuals and poster-worthy poses and spreads from artists Greg Capullo, Todd McFarlane, and Dave McCaig. But McFarlane’s plot is weak, the captions overwritten, and by the end, this is only a setup for a sequel featuring one of the two antihero’s clown villains. Batman/Spawn tries to find a parallel between both Bruce Wayne and Al Simmons’ loss, but there’s no emotional resonance: just an excuse for fisticuffs. (And speaking of fisticuffs, nothing tops the first fight between Batman and Spawn where the Hellspawn shreds the mere mortal.) In a nod to Capullo’s run on Batman, the main antagonist is the Court of Owls who also exist in Spawn’s dimension and want to use one of Martha Wayne’s pearls to travel between mentions. It’s Turtles in Time shit, but played absolutely seriously. Capullo is one hell of an artist, and it’s cool to see him on Spawn again, but this project needed a script worthier of his talents instead of yet another origin story retread with a crossover twist. The intentional (or unintentional) parody of that one scene from Batman v Superman did make crack a smile though. Overall: 5.9 Verdict: Pass

WildC.A.T.s #2 (DC) – Matthew Rosenberg and Stephen Segovia balance the corporate boardroom maneuvering and metahuman battles nicely in WildC.A.T.s #2. Grifter continues to be the ultimate wild card continuing to go off leash and investigating the Court of Owls while the rest of his team try to tow the corporate line. The fight scenes featuring him, (especially) Zealot, and the rest of the team are thrilling and also show that the Halo Corporation maybe needs a more public superhero team in this time and place. Along with the shootouts and board meetings, Rosenberg finds some time for a little levity in his script like when Maxine visits Grifter in the hospital to see if he got his dick shot off. Scenes like this make the cast of the book more endearing and down to Earth and keeps things fun as WildC.A.T.s continues to introduce loads of more characters and concepts. But, as I said in my review of the first issue, Matthew Rosenberg and Stephen Segovia do an excellent job of showing why you should actually care about some of the more obscure Wildstorm characters and don’t require a knowledge of old continuity even roasting it at times. Overall: 8.1 Verdict: Buy

Well, there you have it, folks. The reviews we didn’t quite get a chance to write. See you next week!

Please note that with some of the above comics, Graphic Policy was provided FREE copies for review. Where we purchased the comics, you’ll see an asterisk (*). If you don’t see that, you can infer the comic was a review copy. In cases where we were provided a review copy and we also purchased the comic you’ll see two asterisks (**).

Mini Reviews: WildC.A.T.s and Space Trash!

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Space Trash Vol. 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

WildC.A.T.S #1 (DC Comics) – Matthew Rosenberg, Stephen Segovia, and Elmer Santos bring back the (maybe) classic 90s paramilitary super team in an action-packed, accessible way. Rosenberg continues his characterization of Cole Clash as a violent, but slightly lovable fuck-up shooting his way through the DC Universe and generally being a terrible teammate. However, my favorite part of this first issue was Segovia’s varied fight choreography for the various WildCATs from Grifter’s drunken gun fu to Zealot’s precision and Caitlin Fairchild basically being a kid on Grand Theft Auto 5 with all the cheat codes turned on. You don’t have to be a Wildstorm stan to jump into this book, but maybe you will be by the end. Overall: 8.4 Verdict: Buy

Space Trash Vol. 1 (Oni Press) – Space Trash Vol. 1 is the opening salvo in Jenn Woodall’s queer punk dystopian sci-fi series. This volume introduces readers to the three leads Una, Stab, and Yuki and their place in the ecosystem of a fully automated school on the Moon. Woodall’s art is full of gorgeous and occasionally hilarious background details, like the graffiti that fills the school. I also love her approach to character design and personalities through fashion and hair styles. It takes a bit for the plot to kick in, but Space Trash ends up being quite revolutionary and relatable to our late capitalist world exploring themes of misinformation, surveillance, and of fucking course, queer liberation. Overall: 8.1 Verdict: Buy

Well, there you have it, folks. The reviews we didn’t quite get a chance to write. See you next week!

Please note that with some of the above comics, Graphic Policy was provided FREE copies for review. Where we purchased the comics, you’ll see an asterisk (*). If you don’t see that, you can infer the comic was a review copy. In cases where we were provided a review copy and we also purchased the comic you’ll see two asterisks (**).

Mini Reviews: Catwoman: Lonely City #4

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Catwoman: Lonely City #4

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

Catwoman: Lonely City #4 (DC/Black Label) – Cliff Chiang wraps up Catwoman: Lonely City with virtuosic effort as Selina, Poison Ivy, and the non-rhyming Etrigan break into the Bat-Cave to find the mysterious Orpheus with Harvey Dent and his Bat-cops on their heels. Chiang balances the messy and explosive (A magic battle between Etrigan and Clarion!) and the deeply personal with Selina struggling to shut the door on this era of her life while also kick-starting a new, less fascistic era for Gotham. I’m not a big fan of the Selina/Riddler romance, but I do love her relationship with his daughter Edie, who becomes the new Catwoman in a series of gorgeously acrobatic pages. Catwoman: Lonely City definitely has “final Catwoman story” vibes, but a heartfelt epilogue shows she still has a role to play in Gotham with Chiang using a more colorful palette to show the changes that new mayor Barbara Gordon has brought to the city. All in all, Catwoman Lonely City is a touching, action-packed story about legacy, resisting authoritarianism, and finding family in unexpected places. Overall: 8.9 Verdict: Buy

Well, there you have it, folks. The reviews we didn’t quite get a chance to write. See you next week!

Please note that with some of the above comics, Graphic Policy was provided FREE copies for review. Where we purchased the comics, you’ll see an asterisk (*). If you don’t see that, you can infer the comic was a review copy. In cases where we were provided a review copy and we also purchased the comic you’ll see two asterisks (**).

Mini Reviews: Least We Can Do, Chicken Devils, and Namor!

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Namor: The Sub-Mariner - Conquered Shores #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

Chicken Devils #1 (Aftershock) – Brian Buccelato’s Chicken Devil is back for another volume with a new artist (Mattia Monaco) and a side of domestic drama to go with the hot chicken vigilantism. Monaco brings a dose of anarchy to the comic with bursts of color any time something violent or stressful happens like Mitch dealing with an Albanian biker gang or trying to save his marriage in an Ikea. He trying to have a normal life in the midst of working with the cops to cover up his murders makes Chicken Devils darkly humorous like the early seasons of Breaking Bad. However, by the end of the first issue, the scope of the series expands with Mitch putting the restauranteur and dad hats to the side and embracing the vigilante label with some help. Talk about the ultimate mid-life crisis. Overall: 7.7 Verdict: Buy

The Least We Can Do #2 (Image) – The second issue of The Least We Can Do slows down and focuses on Uriel’s training to fight against the Eden Army. Predictably, it doesn’t go too well, and artist Elisa Romboli uses dynamic paneling to show Uriel get her ass kicked over and over again as she struggles to use her Medium in combat. And speaking of Mediums, Iolanda Zanfardino and Romboli provide a lot more information about the different kinds, and how it’s difficult to use one if it was stolen, not found. The Least We Can Do #2 is kind of heavy on telling/exposition, but I feel like I have a little better grasp on this world after reading. Overall: 7.1 Verdict: Read

Namor: The Sub-Mariner – Conquered Shores #1 (Marvel) – Just in time for his live action debut, Christopher Cantwell, Pasqual Ferry, and Matt Hollingsworth turn in a story of a victorious, aging, and regretful Namor in a world where the heroes are gone and waters cover the Earth. Ferry uses wide layouts for Atlantis and tighter ones for the oxygenated area of Atlantis and the human dwellings in New York to contrast their plight and provide motivation for Namor, who is retired as king and works to find some kind of equality between humans and Atlanteans. Having him be a kind of diplomat is interesting characterization, but the bruises he gets from Luke Cage’s men might put at end to that. All in all, Conquered Shores #1 is an interesting dystopian story illustrating the simple fact that getting what you always wanted isn’t always fulfilling plus it features gorgeous, at times haunting visuals from Pasqual Ferry and Hollingsworth and real world parallels to climate change and inequality. Overall: 8.6 Verdict: Buy

Well, there you have it, folks. The reviews we didn’t quite get a chance to write. See you next week!

Please note that with some of the above comics, Graphic Policy was provided FREE copies for review. Where we purchased the comics, you’ll see an asterisk (*). If you don’t see that, you can infer the comic was a review copy. In cases where we were provided a review copy and we also purchased the comic you’ll see two asterisks (**).

Mini Reviews: Kaya and Rings of Power “The Eye”

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Kaya #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

Kaya #1 (Image Comics) – Writer/artist Wes Craig begins a post-apocalyptic fantasy epic with hunter Kaya and royal princeling Jin finding a way to the North to find somewhere to be safe. Of course, this goes terribly wrong, and there are lizard riders, unlikely alliances, and lessons about the importance of survival versus history. Craig’s storytelling and Jason Wordie’s color palette are the big highlights of the series as he knows how to go for the big wide shot of abandoned villages and then tighten it up with a grid when Jin is bargaining for food. Craig’s cartoonish art style is perfect for conveying the emotions of grief and desperation as well as friendship, and overall, this is a good entry into an intriguing world. Overall: 8.9 verdict: Buy

Rings of Power S1E7 “The Eye”– In its darkest hour, Rings of Power has really found its quality. “The Eye” explores the fallout of the volcanic eruption in the Southlands. There’s more intrigue and heart in the Harfoot’s storyline plus weird-ass cultists, and setbacks in Elrond’s quest to save his people through the mining of mithril. Director Charlotte Brandstrom sets the tone for the episode in the first minutes with Galadriel and Theo finding an unlikely bond and looking for survivors in a flaming wasteland. Their interactions are wonderful, and Morfydd Clark adds a new layer of vulnerability to the Elf general. With orange and sepia filters and bleak cinematography, “The Eye” shows the true, human cost of war and revenge, but also resilience with a now-blinded Miriel vowing that Numenor will return to finish the job. The visual motif of flames continues as the Harfoots’ grove turns out to be blighted until the Stranger works his magic, and then it catches on fire again. However, Nori, Poppy, and the other Harfoots have grown and changed throughout this season and end up beginning a kind of adventure of their own. Change isn’t something that King Durin IV of Khazad-Dum is into as he forbids his son Prince Durin from mining mithril and gets in a heated argument with him that has actors Owain Arthur and Peter Mullan tapping into their dwarven rage. Durin III is strongly framed to be in the wrong especially in light of what could happen to the Elves, but one of the final frames of the episode challenges this assumption. By embracing the darkness and exploring guilt and defeat with a sliver of hope, “The Eye” is the strongest hour of Rings of Power this season and definitely connects to the work of an author that had to withstand the trenches in one of the world’s most pointless wars. Overall: 9.1

Well, there you have it, folks. The reviews we didn’t quite get a chance to write. See you next week!

Please note that with some of the above comics, Graphic Policy was provided FREE copies for review. Where we purchased the comics, you’ll see an asterisk (*). If you don’t see that, you can infer the comic was a review copy. In cases where we were provided a review copy and we also purchased the comic you’ll see two asterisks (**).

Mini Reviews: Vanish, Judgement Day, and Rings of Power

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Vanish #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

Vanish #1 (Image Comics) – Vanish #1 is the edginess I craved from Donny Cates, Ryan Stegman, JP Mayer, and Sonia Oback. The story follows a former Chosen One-type figure around as he abuses drugs and alcohol to numb his pain and avoid getting the job done against his Big Bad’s former associates. Vanish takes the total piss out of the Harry Potter series (A handgun could definitely finish Lord Voldemort off) while paying homage to 90s Image comics like Spawn and The Darkness with high energy, violent storytelling from Stegman and Mayer. It’s full of cool poses and costumes too like a Black Parade-inspired get-up for our protagonist. Also, the combination of human struggles with an over the top setting and plot reminds me a lot of my other favorite Cates comics (Venom, God Country) Vanish is good, dumb fun: the comic book equivalent of throwing back shots at your local Emo Nite. Overall: 8.0 Verdict: Buy

Rings of Power S1E5 “Partings”– Rings of Power turns up the intrigue as it begins the second half of the season. Every plotline becomes interconnected as Elrond finds out that Gil-Galad and Celebrimbor exploited his friendship with Durin and the Dwarves to find mithril and keep Elves alive while darkness spreads in Middle Earth. The triumph of evil continues in big and small ways whether that’s half the Southlanders joining Adar, the Stranger almost freezing Nori to death after saving the Harfoots from wolves, or Pharazon’s son Kemen burning 2 Numenorean ships to try to prevent them from helping the men of the Southlands. But “Partings” isn’t just cool Balrog flashbacks or the Numenorean navy flexing its power and is chock-full with small, interesting character moments. For example, Galadriel comes clean to Halbrand about how her last army mutinied, and she might have an obsession with ridding Middle Earth of every last Orc. Also, Durin and Elrond share a humorous moment where Durin repatriates an Elven table while working together to balance friendship, duty, and the fate of the Elven race after the mithril discovery. While waiting for the attack of Adar and his Orc legions, writer Justin Doble deepens the relationship between Arondir and the Southlanders he’s protecting showing some archery fundamentals to (future stepson, to be honest) Theo and understanding that there is a proclivity for evil among them, but they can also resist. All in all, “Partings” sharply draws the battle lines with the Southlanders, some Elves, and Numenoreans taking on the still mysterious Adar and his Orcs, but there’s also division in regards to the mithril, Pharazon, and even Halbrand, who may or may not want to be king. Overall: 8.3

Brett

A.X.E.: Judgement Day #5 (Marvel) – Overall, this event has gone down as one of Marvel’s best in a long time. There’s been a lot of action but also some depth about gods, destiny, and what living a good life means. Things look desperate in this issue but it delivers one hell of an ending that shakes things up in a major way. The art is solid as usual and the comic does a great job of capturing the desperate moment the world is in. Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy

Vanish #1 (Image Comics) – Donny Cates, Ryan Stegman, JP Mayer, and Sonia Oback deliver a debut that I feel like I’ve seen before. The concepts and comic don’t feel original or new but there’s a slickness about it all that harkens back to earlier Image. The story involves wizards in our real world acting as heroes and villains. Take some Birthright, mix in Thunderbolts, add in whatever magical kids story you prefer, and throw in the look of 90s Spawn and you get Vanish. Overall: 7.0 Recommendation: Read

Well, there you have it, folks. The reviews we didn’t quite get a chance to write. See you next week!

Please note that with some of the above comics, Graphic Policy was provided FREE copies for review. Where we purchased the comics, you’ll see an asterisk (*). If you don’t see that, you can infer the comic was a review copy. In cases where we were provided a review copy and we also purchased the comic you’ll see two asterisks (**).

Mini Reviews: Alien, E-Ratic, and two from DC!

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Alien #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

E-Ratic Recharged #1 (AWA Studios) – Even though Kaare Andrews’ art and Brian Reber’s colors crackle with energy, E-Ratic Recharged #1 is a pretty, by the numbers teen superhero comic. Andrews’ female characters are basically all written and drawn interchangeably, and the new one he introduces this issue has more thong wedgie shots that ones of her face even though she plays a pivotal part in this plotline. However, E-Ratic Recharged isn’t without its charms, especially in its fight scenes, and in how its protagonist Oliver’s patheticness and vulnerability makes Peter Parker seem like a picture of stability. Plus it has a solid cliffhanger. However, it feels like Kaare Andrews’ visual storytelling skills would be welcome on something more compelling than Wish.com Spider-Man meets Hourman. Overall: 6.0 Verdict: Pass

Alien #1 (Marvel) – Of course, utopias always go wrong in a world where the Weyland-Yutani corporation holds sway, and the new Alien comic from Philip Kennedy Johnson and Julius Ohta is no exception. Alien #1 has great pacing with a xenomorph attack before the title page before pulling back and focusing on a group of androids on the run, who get pulled back in to help some human colonies with the greatest prize of all: citizenship. Even though Alien #1 is an action-driven book, there’s still some good commentary about basically some people are less, say, American than others and have to earn basic human dignity. Ohta’s art isn’t super breathtaking, but I love how he draws the androids as basically flawless humans plus the aforementioned xenomorph attack has a great atmosphere and chiaroscuro lighting thanks to colorist Nitro. Overall: 8.1 Verdict: Buy

Brett

Batman #127 (DC Comics) – I’ve generally liked the new direction and creative team but the story feels like it’s mining a bit too much in Batman’s history as opposed to charting a new course. Alternate personalities dominate and if you don’t care about this particular one, I don’t, then the issue falls flat. The back-up story featuring Catwoman and Penguin is great though showing off a lot of potential for a classic villain. Overall: 7.5 Verdict: Read

Dark Crisis #4 (DC Comics) – This event completely relies on your nostalgia for Crisis on Infinite Earths and the multiverse. Neither really excite me and since recent events have touched upon the same topic, the overall story feels like we’ve seen this one too many times. Overall, a follow up event of a classic feels like a mash-up of too many events we’ve seen before. Overall: 6.0 Verdict: Pass

Well, there you have it, folks. The reviews we didn’t quite get a chance to write. See you next week!

Please note that with some of the above comics, Graphic Policy was provided FREE copies for review. Where we purchased the comics, you’ll see an asterisk (*). If you don’t see that, you can infer the comic was a review copy. In cases where we were provided a review copy and we also purchased the comic you’ll see two asterisks (**).

Mini Reviews: Minor Threats and Amazing Fantasy

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Minor Threats #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

Minor Threats #1 (Dark Horse) – Minor Threats #1 is a “the Rogues/other B-list villains hunt down the Joker” with the serial numbers filed off comic from Patton Oswalt, Jordan Blum, Scott Hepburn, and Ian Herring. But it’s still delightful. The story is told from the POV of Frankie (Formerly Playtime), who used to be a supervillain, but now is a bartender that caters to bad guys. Through flashbacks and looks at her work and whatever passes as her home life, Oswalt and Blum paint a portrait of a woman who is desperate to move on from heists and gadgets and wants to be a mom to her daughter. However, that part of her life will always be seductive. Minor Threats‘ setting, style, and palette of the comic is very Bronze Age-meets-Dark Age with an inset panel-filled page showing the injuries that Insomniac has inflected on a villain a la the “This is an operating table” scene in Frank Miller’s Dark Knight Returns. Hepburn and Herring add all kinds of fun background details in the art from the remnants of a kaiju battle in Frankie’s neighborhood to the Hoarders meets Silver Age supervillain decor of Frankie’s mom’s house. All in all, Minor Threats #1 has a hell of a hook and humanizes characters that are usually punching bags for the guys who get the toys and movies and Netflix shows and fills that Superior Foes-sized hole in my heart. Overall: 8.9 Verdict: Buy

Amazing Fantasy #1000 (Marvel) – Marvel celebrates one of their biggest cash cows with a homage featuring lots of creators who haven’t worked on the character. (And one who I wish never did.) Anthony Falcone and Michael Cho‘s first story follows Spider-Man’s annual arrest of a two-bit crook in a retro style with flat colors and references to past adventures. It has a slightly mean-spirited tone, but reminds readers of Spidey’s role as the ultimate neighborhood protector even when aliens/space gods are invading. In the second story, Dan Slott and Jim Cheung tell a heart-warming story of Spider-Man at age 60 while drawing some parallels to Uncle Ben and having him share some sweet moments with MJ and the rest of New York. Cheung’s visuals hit the right balance between dark and light, and I love how Slott writes the relationship between MJ and Peter.

The third story by Veep‘s Armando Iannucci and Ryan Stegman goes away from the legacy/homage stuff to introducing a farcical supervillain that uses hallucinogenic ink to have all Daily Bugle readers believe their favorite conspiracy theory, including the newspaper loving Spider-Man and J. Jonah Jameson winning an expose for his hit-pieces about Spider-Man. It ends up being very Scooby-Doo, but Iannucci gets in a few good jokes and kudos to him and Stegman for creating something new instead of coasting on older stories. After this, Rainbow Rowell and Olivier Coipel tell a simple story about Peter Parker taking pictures of non-Spider-Man things (Except for Spidey getting ice cream on his costume.) on the perfect New York day while inner monologuing about not having enough money to take Betty Brant on a date. Coipel brings some incredible composition work on the photos, and colorist Matthew Wilson gives everything a sunny feeling.

Amazing Fantasy #1000‘s fifth story is a horror yarn from Ho Che Anderson, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Klaus Janson, and Jordie Bellaire. It’s set around the death of Gwen Stacy and captures the darkness of that era from the POV of a mental hospital patient, who feels and sees spiders under her skin and suffers from unmentionable trauma. Spider-Man plays a smaller role in this story, but he listens to the patient and provides hope and healing, his reds and blues dancing against the flames. The sixth story from Kurt Busiek and the Dodsons wholeheartedly engages in nostalgia and creates a sequel to another story in Amazing Fantasy #15 with mixed result. The Dodsons’ art style is a good match for the pulpy battle between an early career Spider-Man and the Witch Queen, and Busiek finds some humor in an interdimensional conqueror experiencing 1960s New York, but this story is really just an exercise is knowing way more about old comics than you.

For the penultimate story, Jonathan Hickman and Marco Checchetto trot out one that is both intimate and multiversal in scope. Through the lens of a new Spider-Man, they parse out the suffering, love, and heroism that makes the friendly neighborhood web-slinger as well as the sense of humor. Having Spider-Men from different universes crack wise and swap war stories in a nine panel grid makes for entertaining, fulfilling reading. Plus it’s nice to see Jonathan Hickman doing something salt of the Earth and not high concept for once. Speaking of high concept, Amazing Fantasy #1000 wraps up with a semi-autobiographical story from Neil Gaiman and Steve McNiven about Gaiman reading Spider-Man as a boy in Sussex and then meeting Steve Ditko later in life. McNiven inks himself for this story and does a great job blurring reality and fantasy while Gaiman’s script conveys his love for, yet distance from Spider-Man. (This is his first time writing him.) All in all, the story captures the essence of what makes the character great because he has great power, yet relatable problems (“Rent!”), but still perseveres no matter the odds. Overall: 8.2 Verdict: Buy

Well, there you have it, folks. The reviews we didn’t quite get a chance to write. See you next week!

Please note that with some of the above comics, Graphic Policy was provided FREE copies for review. Where we purchased the comics, you’ll see an asterisk (*). If you don’t see that, you can infer the comic was a review copy. In cases where we were provided a review copy and we also purchased the comic you’ll see two asterisks (**).

Mini Reviews: Kvlts, Barbarians, Savage Avengers, and more!

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Barbaric: Axe to Grind #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

Trve Kvlt #1 (IDW Publishing) – Scott Bryan Wilson, Liana Kangas, and Gab Contreras explore the fantasy of making some money via robbery to escape your dead end job in Trve Kvlt #1. The story is told from assistant manager Marty’s POV, who has been at Burger Lord for 15 years ever since he wanted to make some extra scratch to buy tapes as a teenager. The restaurant has supportive co-workers, but abusive management and customers so it’s no wonder he’s robs 8 strip mall stores on his lunch break. However, Wilson and Kangas show the foolishness of this plan almost immediately with the heat getting put on him before the first issue even wraps up. Contreras’ color palette is the unsung hero of the issue showing the stress of the crime to using a softer palette for a new, idealist co-worker and finally faded nostalgia for Marty’s youth. Trve Kvlt #1 is a greasy, engaging crime yarn with a side of “Hail Satan”. Overall: 8.7 Verdict: Buy

Barbaric: Axe to Grind #1 (Vault) – Barbaric is back with vampires, giants, and sea monsters to boot as well as emotional damage. After rescuing his old barbarian buddy Steel from the thrall of giant vampires, Owen, Axe, and Soren begin an epic journey to defeat Gladius, a figure so evil that Owen refuses to talk about him. Michael Moreci’s script is humorous, especially when Axe interacts with different kinds of blood and gets drunk or “hungover”, but there’s a little heart too, especially in Owen and Steel’s interactions. They’ve been through some shit. Barbaric is an ultraviolent, darkly humorous take on the fantasy genre, and sticks the landing on its return issue, especially in its messy Nate Gooden drawn fight sequence. Overall: 8.2 Verdict: Buy

Brett

Daredevil #2 (Marvel) – There’s some major changes and revelations in this issue that changes a lot of Daredevil’s history and what has driven him. There’s multiple forces that have been manipulating him apparently with a possibility of the divine. There’s a bit of a reminder of the Punisher being an avenging angel but the story just veers towards it and fortunately doesn’t quite cross it. It’s an interesting addition that could add a lot to religious themes of the character. The art is of course amazing. It’s a celebration issue and the backup stories are a fun read. Overall, an intriguing issue that celebrates a big number for the series but doesn’t overdo that aspect. The only knock is an art shift in the main story that feels like a bit of a jolt before it’s clear what’s going on. Overall: 8.0 Verdict: Buy

Savage Avengers #4 (Marvel) – The heroes are still stuck on the past with Deathlok struggling with its reality. With the revelation this Deathlok is an aged Miles Morales we get the how of it all and witness the heroes final act. It’s a hell of an issue and possible future that should have folks talking about the series. Writer David Pepose is known for remixing concepts and he’s done it with this series and two well established characters and makes it look smooth. And is it the death of Conan the Barbarian!? Is this how he’s written out of Marvel comics!? Add in solid art and this has been a fun series that’s probably not on enough radars. Overall: 8.0 Verdict: Buy

Well, there you have it, folks. The reviews we didn’t quite get a chance to write. See you next week!

Please note that with some of the above comics, Graphic Policy was provided FREE copies for review. Where we purchased the comics, you’ll see an asterisk (*). If you don’t see that, you can infer the comic was a review copy. In cases where we were provided a review copy and we also purchased the comic you’ll see two asterisks (**).

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