Category Archives: Reviews

Whatever After: The Graphic Novel – Fairest of All is an adorable twist on classic fairy tales

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Once upon a time, Abby and her little brother, Jonah, were ordinary kids. The next minute? The mirror in their basement slurped them up and magically transported them into the fairy tale of Snow White.

Yes, really!

When Abby and Jonah stop Snow from eating the poison apple, they think they’re heroes. But wait! If Snow doesn’t die, she won’t meet her prince and get her happy ending. Oops.

Now it’s up to Abby and Jonah– with some help from Snow and the seven dwarfs–to outwit the witch and save the famous fairy tale in time.

But what if Snow’s REAL happy ending is something else entirely?

Story: Sarah Mlynowski
Art: Anu Chouhan
Adapted by: Meredith Rusu
Color: Bethany Crandall

Get your copy now! To find a comic shop near you, visit http://www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook or digitally and online with the links below.

Bookshop
Amazon

Graphix provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, we’ll receive a percentage of the sale. Graphic Policy does purchase items from this site. Making purchases through these links helps support the site

Battle Action Vol. 3 is a solid anthology collection with a mix of stories and creators

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All new Battle Action stories from series writer Garth Ennis (Preacher, The Boys), who is now joined by new all-star writers and artists including Brian K. Vaughan (Saga, Y: The Last Man) and Chris Burnham (Batman).

BATTLE RETURNS – NOW WITH MORE ACTION!

The third Battle Action collection features the return of Action favourites Hook Jaw, the controversial Kids Rule O.K., and Death Game – one of the culprits behind the suspension of Action in 1976.

Joining these stories are new adventures for El Mestizo, the Civil War-era bounty hunter, on the trail of a double-agent; German Panzer commander Hellman, who discovers the hard truth behind the cause he fights for; Major Eazy, fighting alongside American paratroopers in the invasion of Sicily; Nina Petrova and the Angels of Death, as the Soviet airwoman sets out to rescue a comrade from behind enemy lines; and Dredger, the ice cold secret agent, whose origin is revealed for the first time.

Featuring an all-star roster of talent, as writers Brian K. Vaughan, Torunn Gronbekk, Dan Abnett, Rob Williams, John Wagner, Garth Ennis and Steve White team up with artists Chris Burnham, Tom Foster, PJ Holden, John McCrea, Henry Flint, Mike Dorey, Dan Cornwell, Patrick Goddard and John Higgins to bring you the latest and greatest edition of Battle Action.

Story: Garth Ennis, Brian K. Vaughan, John Wagner, Steve White, Rob Williams, Dan Abnett, Torunn Gronbekk
Art: Chris Burnham, Dan Cornwell, John McCrea, Henry Flint, Tom Foster, Mike Dorey, PJ Holden, Patrick Goddard, John Higgins
Color: Len O’Grady, Matt Soffe, Jack Davies, John Higgins, Sally Jane Hurst
Letterer: Rob Steen

Get your copy now! To find a comic shop near you, visit http://www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook or digitally and online with the links below.

Bookshop
Amazon

Rebellion provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, we’ll receive a percentage of the sale. Graphic Policy does purchase items from this site. Making purchases through these links helps support the site

Preview: The Raven: Dark Hero Vol. 1

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The Raven: Dark Hero Vol. 1

Artist: Akira Mitsuya

This manga explores a shattered superhero’s dream—where power corrupts, morality crumbles, and one boy’s journey from hero to villain will leave you questioning what it means to be a true hero, or dark hero…

Created by the elusive Tonkye, known for his work in crafting complex, character-driven narratives, and brought to life by artist Akira Mitsuya, The Raven Dark Hero delivers intense battles, emotional depth, and a fresh take on the superhero genre.

The Raven: Dark Hero Vol. 1

Death Dog #1 introduces a New Robot Nightmare

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Death Dog #1

In a near-future America, Wyatt—an innocent 13-year old accused of shoplifting—is pursued by murderous robot police dogs. But an accident transforms one of his terrifying pursuers into a tame, docile, and affectionate robodog who tries to bond with and protect Wyatt! A touching tale of a terrifying future, Death Dog #1 takes “man’s best friend” and turns them into a robotic nightmare.

When it comes to publishers I can trust to skewer society, AHOY Comics is up there. Its releases have regularly poked at the world, making fun, and twisting it for our enjoyment. Death Dog #1 continues that with a list of targets for its twisted humor.

Written by Bryce Ingman, Death Dog #1 takes us to a feature where dogs are no longer around but their personalities have been transferred into robot versions. And with all technology, it’s then abused by corporations, twisted to meet whatever profit driven goal they have. So, what was a nice robotic companion are now death machines attacking criminals and biting off the hands of perceived shoplifters no matter their guilt or innocence.

Death Dog #1 delivers laughs in a “holy shit I can’t believe they went there” sort of way making readers wonder where it’ll go next. It also teases a society that has become happy in bloodlust and cheering on punishments usually reserved for religious fanaticism. And that’s likely a point of it all.

That bloodlust is brought visually by Alan Robinson who is joined by Paul Little on color and lettering by Rob Steen. The art does a great job of nailing the visual jokes delivering the punchlines at unexpected moments and with art that finds the humor in the rather gory situations. Arms are ripped off and hands threatened to as robots go all in on doing their job. The world is an interesting one looking like our current one, but slightly off. There’s something about it all that screams futuristic but I couldn’t pinpoint why.

As with all AHOY releases, there’s extras from James Finn Garner and Joe Orsak and Ingman and AR Sullivan. These all add to the experience and are nice additions to a comic that’s already worth checking out. It adds to the 22 page story giving a little extra for the price.

Death Dog #1 is twist and fun with a reality that’s probably coming to ours at some point. There’s a chuckle about it all that goes away when that point hits. Where it all goes should be interesting, but if it can deliver this commentary through the rest of the series, it’s one to definitely check out.

Story: Bryce Ingman, James Finn Garner Art: Alan Robinson, Joe Orsak, AR Sullivan
Color: Paul Little Letterer: Rob Steen
Story: 8.0 Art: 7.75 Overall: 7.9 Recommendation: Read

AHOY Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

V for Vendetta is a classic but its DC Compact Comics edition has some issues

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Taking place in a totalitarian England following a devastating war that changed the face of the planet, V FOR VENDETTA was the inspiration for the hit 2005 movie starring Natalie Portman and Hugo Weaving.

This amazing graphic novel spotlights a mysterious man in a white porcelain mask and his young protégé as they fight political oppressors through terrorism and seemingly absurd acts. It’s a gripping tale of the blurred lines between ideological good and evil and details a world where political and personal freedoms are non-existent.

Story: Alan Moore
Art: David Lloyd
Color: David Lloyd, Steve Whitaker, Siobhan Dodds
Letterer: Jenny O’Connor, Steve Craddock, Elita Fell
Additional Art: Tony Weare

Get your copy now! To find a comic shop near you, visit http://www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook or digitally and online with the links below.

Bookshop
Zeus Comics
Amazon

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, we’ll receive a percentage of the sale. Graphic Policy does purchase items from this site. Making purchases through these links helps support the site

Hikaru in the Light! Vol. 2 is another hit as the competition to become an idol really begins!

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Hikaru and her best friend, Ran, have made it past auditions… and now the real tests begin: dance tests, vocal tests, nerve-racking rankings, and devastating eliminations, all to see who has the star potential to make it through to the next round. The competition is growing fierce, and with so much talent in the room, Hikaru will need to dig deep to let her voice shine.

Story: Mai Matsuda
Art: Mai Matsuda
Translation: Azuki

Get your copy now! To find a comic shop near you, visit http://www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook or digitally and online with the links below.

Bookshop
Amazon

Graphix provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, we’ll receive a percentage of the sale. Graphic Policy does purchase items from this site. Making purchases through these links helps support the site

The Books of Clash Vol. 6 is another fun volume introducing a whole new mysterious island

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Skeleton twins Rylie and Wylie are worried about their uncle Skulgar. They haven’t seen him since he set off across the ocean in search of the master builder, Maestro. But Maestro has just shown up at their doorstep with terrible news: Skulgar has disappeared! The twins and Maestro join forces with Terry, Pim Pim, and Jane, who journey to Mystery Island to confront Skulgar’s mysterious kidnapper.

Story: Gene Luen Yang
Art: Kendall Goode
Ink: Alison Acton
Color: Karina Edwards, Alex Campbell

Get your copy now! To find a comic shop near you, visit http://www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook or digitally and online with the links below.

Bookshop
Amazon

First Second provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, we’ll receive a percentage of the sale. Graphic Policy does purchase items from this site. Making purchases through these links helps support the site

Circus Maximus #1 Brings the Heist Genre to Ancient Rome

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Circus Maximus #1

Rome. 64 AD. The most daring heist in history is being planned by an unlikely crew – a former slave, a Vestal Virgin, a charioteer and a disgraced architect – each with their own personal motives. While Rome is distracted by the chariot racing and gladiatorial games of the Circus Maximus, the crew plans to rob the Imperial treasury under the Temple of Saturn. But when Emperor Nero sets fire to the city, they’ll be lucky to escape his wrath with their lives, let alone the loot. Circus Maximus #1 is the familiar heist genre but in a setting that feels new and different.

Written by Mark Sable, Circus Maximus #1 is an interesting debut. It’s a comic that you can tell if you know the history, its enjoyment is at a different level. But, Sable writes the debut issue in a way that you don’t need to know that history. Taking place in ancient Rome, it helps to know Emperor Nero and a bit about that world, but, the comic dives into the heist genre so well, you can focus on the characters, their motivations, and how they plan on pulling off the heist.

Like so many of the stories in the genre, the issue spends time introducing us to the characters and giving us a motivation for their actions beyond simply getting rich. Each team member brings a bit to the plan, a specialist that if they fail in their duty the whole thing falls apart. It’s good in that it creates a debut that’s accessible instead of diving too deep into history and getting lost in it. Circus Maximus #1 uses the history and setting more as backdrop and a driver of the story but its characters and their actions are the main focus here.

They negative is the comic rushes through all of that. We don’t get a lot of time to get to know the characters. There’s a bit of a focus as to why they’re undertaking this mission but it’s not to the point we really care if they succeed. So, we know the why of it all but it feels like it’s at a distance.

Giorgio Pontrelli‘s art is good. With color by Emilio Lecce and lettering by Dave Sharpe, the characters, dress, and setting all look like ancient Rome. I’m not an expert and can’t speak to the accuracy of it all but it feels right and enough that it immerses the reader without distracting. The visuals overall help move the story along focusing in on details and panning in or out to capture what’s going on. It handles the more emotional moments and also delivers solid action as well.

Circus Maximus #1 is an interesting debut that has a lot of potential. It rushes through the introduction and the initial part of the heist, making it intriguing to see where it goes. The historical aspect makes it feel fresh and for those that know that history, I’m sure it’s a more intriguing read. The fact it can pull off the surface level and deeper enjoyment is impressive.

Story: Mark Sable Art: Giorgio Pontrelli
Color: Emilio Lecce Letterer: Dave Sharpe
Story: 7.75 Art: 7.75 Overall: 7.75 Recommendation: Read

Mad Cave Studios provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics

Space Scouts #1 Has Fun With Familiar Concepts and Journeys

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Space Scouts #1

A young girl heads to the center of the universe to compete in a reality show to become the next “Space Scout.” What starts as a teenage drama turns into deadly war at the edge of the universe as the “winning” recruits are sent into a clandestine interminable battle that they most likely won’t survive. Space Scouts #1 is an interesting start that feels self-aware and attempting to deliver something more than its familiar concepts would tease.

Written by Matt Kindt, Space Scouts #1 is a solid start to the series though overall it’s something we’ve seen before. But, the comic is well aware of that, addressing it all as the story progresses. Early on, the comic refers to its own concept as a cliché of the hero’s journey

Ember is the hope for her planet. She has abilities and has been entered into a contest to join the Space Scouts. Her planet, and her family, also get elevated in numerous ways. There’s a lot riding on her shoulders. The problem is, she doesn’t want it to be like that, she wants to forge her own path.

But, Kindt twists things up a little taking us quickly through the first challenges and whitling it down to the final 10 contestants. Where the comic easily could have been Ember against other contestants that would have been a major challenge, Kindt has Ember changing her attitude and figuring out she can manipulate the game in ways to up her odds. It’s an interesting direction and an unexpected one that took the comic from familiar, to something new and interesting.

David Rubín‘s art is solid. The characters, settings, everything, is varied and interesting to look at, every detail telling a little bit of the story. The comic has a feel in many ways like something Mike Allred would have done, and I found myself checking the credits to make sure it wasn’t him. Kindt doesn’t take time to really explain the characters and world, so it lands on the art to fill in those gaps and it does an excellent job in doing so. The comic’s visuals pop in interesting ways giving a solid sci-fi feel with a little wink and nod thrown about.

Space Scouts #1 is a solid debut that has me intrigued to see where it goes and what comes next. There’s a solid look and feel to it all and the comic teases readers it’s more than what’s presented, there’s something else going on here than just a contest. It’s Kindt and Rubín, so it’s not too surprising the comic is a solid debut. It’s definitely a debut that’s well worth checking out.

Story: Matt Kindt Art: David Rubín
Color: David Rubín Letterer: David Rubín
Story: 8.35 Art: 8.35 Overall: 8.35 Recommendation: Buy

Dark Horse provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

Crownsville #1 Explores the Real Horrors of the Past and Delivers a Terrifying Debut

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Crownsville #1

Founded at the turn of the 20th century outside of Annapolis, Maryland, the Crownsville Hospital was a notoriously segregated, all-Black psychiatric institute. After decades of overcrowding and neglect—alongside darker, more-persistent rumors of patient abuse and illegal medical experiments—it was finally closed. Today, it stands condemned—a crumbling testament to a legacy of all-too-real terror inflicted on a marginalized and vulnerable community. But even as a ruin of its former self, Crownsville still casts a long shadow. . . . When an unexplained death inside the abandoned hospital is ruled a suicide, Annapolis police detective Mike Simms and journalist Paul Blairare are compelled to dig deeper, only to discover the reality of the horrors that once took place there . . . and the powerful connection they share to the anguished spirits of the dead that are still locked within its walls. Crownsville #1 is a tense debut mixing history with horror to deliver a debut that mines the past to face the future.

I’m not one who normally goes straight to the horror comic but the premise of Crownsville #1 is one that piqued my interest and made it a debut comic I had to check out. Written by Rodney Barnes, to say the issue is good is an understatement. It’s good, really good, with a concept and deliver that sucks you in and leaves you unnerved. The series dives into the real history of the Crownsville Hospital, a segregated facility in a time when experimenting on individuals deemed “lesser” was a practice, a reprehensible one.

Where Barnes’ writing shines is to explore that past but weaving it into the story in a way that doesn’t feel like it’s preaching to the reader. Instead, the history is the core of the story and the concept explores that history. I’m not an expert on the subject and facility, but with it so close, Crownsville #1 makes me want to visit, explore, and learn more. It’s also haunting in so many ways.

Part of that unnerving experience is the art by Elia Bonetti and the lettering by Marshall Dillon. Bonetti’s art has a gritty, worn, almost dirty quality about it. The look screams ghost story, but there’s a sadness about it all. The art is haunting in multiple ways, with the emotion and weight depicted on the characters’ faces to the literal ghosts depicted. Barnes created a “mood” for the comic and Bonetti nails it in every way. Marshall Dillon’s lettering too stands out with a special touch to the ghosts and the echoes of the past which delivers a chill on the page.

Crownsville #1 is a hell of a debut. It nails the horror/ghost vibe it’s going for while using it to explore real history and horrors of the past. This is a stand out debut and sure to make “best of” lists when the time comes.

Story: Rodney Barnes Art: Elia Bonetti Letterer: Marshall Dillon
Story: 10 Art: 10 Overall: 10 Recommendation: Buy

Oni Press provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

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