Next month, fans will get to celebrate the long and storied history of the God of Thunder with the writers and artists who helped build his legacy! Arriving just in time for Thor’s 60th anniversary, Thor #24 will be a 74-page epic honoring 750 thunderous issues. The milestone issue will see some of Thor’s greatest legends return home to tell thrilling new tales set during their landmark runs.
Thor #24 will take place in the aftermath of “God of Hammers,” the latest epic in writer Donny Cates and artist Nic Klein’s hit run on the title. After a scorched-earth victory that cost the God of Thunder both his hammer and his father, Thor and all of Asgard mourn Odin, unaware that the former All-Father lives on in Thor’s newly reforged hammer!
In addition to the main story by Cates and Klein, here are the all-new tales readers can look forward to:
Writer J. Michael Straczynski and artist Oliver Coipel reunite for a story set during their redefining Thor saga
Legendary comics creator Dan Jurgens writes and draws an incredible Thor and Balder teamup
Comics icon Walter Simonson makes his grand return to Thor, writing and drawing an all-new adventure that explores the origin of his beloved creation, Beta Ray Bill
Al Ewing and Lee Garbett collaborate for the first time since Loki: Agent of Asgard to bring you an all-new chapter for the god of mischief that leads directly into Ewing’s upcoming Defenders Beyond series
And prepare for a revelatory tale about Odin that only writer Jason Aaron and artist Das Pastoras can deliver!
Check out interior pages and Nic Klein’s design sheet for Mjolnir’s new look now and pick up Thor #24 when it arrives on April 27!
There’s that iconic, and once very overdone, moment in detective stories where the suspects are all gathered and we’re walked through the crime. At the end, the criminal is revealed in a moment that’s supposed to be full of surprise and then that’s followed up with a confrontation. Death of Doctor Strange #4 is exactly that in comic form, no more and no less.
Jed MacKay has been casting this mystical tale and up to now has kept readers guessing as to who might behind Strange’s murder. The obvious suspect, Baron Mordo, is a bit too obvious leaving the remaining suspects rather scant. Like a solid detective story, MacKay has Strange befuddled by dead ends and clues that don’t help matter. And, just like so many detective stories before, we’re taken through the steps as Strange puts together who was behind his murder.
The way the issue is presented and how the narrative plays out, the comic is very much a throwback to old-school detective stories. That plays so well with the fact that at its center is a “classic” version of Strange who was around when this type of narrative was regularly released. It’s one that has waned in recent years but with its lack of overuse, it comes off as a bit of a throwback and fun when presented here.
Lee Garbett‘s art is solid as usual with some great use of angles to really play off of the narrative style and what MacKay is going for in the storytelling. There also continues to be an interesting artistic thing being done with the retro-Strange compared to the more modern characters. Antonio Fabela‘s colors pop on the page playing off the mystical elements so well. Cory Petit‘s lettering also gives a lot of personality to the characters.
Death of Doctor Strange #4 is a very unexpected issue in many ways. With one issue to go, it reveals who the murderer is. But, it’s done in a way that’s an unexpected narrative throwback. It adds to the pulp and pop sense of the comic that has been underlying since it launched. While it doesn’t have that major moment where the next Sorcerer Supreme stands up, it brings a fun sense to the page delivering a murder mystery that’s an homage to what has come before.
Story: Jed MacKay Art: Lee Garbett Color: Antonio Fabela Letterer: Cory Petit Story: 8.0 Art: 8.0 Overall: 8.0 Recommendation: Buy
Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
As a lifelong comic book fan, I can honestly say, I love living in the times we are now. Growing up, the only thing we had to see onscreen were the cartoons from Marvel. Eventually, we would see the Japanese version of Spider-Man, which doesn’t quite hold up. Then there was the Incredible Hulk TV show, which actually showed a complex superhero, before the modern explorations we’re able to enjoy now.
Then came the Blade movies, and we not only got to see action in the horror genre but watch comic books start to become part of the mainstream. Fast forward to now, and we have comic book superheroes in live action and animated TV shows and movies. The recent hit MCU TV show What If..? proves you can tell complex compelling stories using animation. In the debut issue of TheDeath Of Doctor Strange, the Sorcerer Supreme has finally met his mortality, leaving the world defenseless without him at guard.
We open on Stephen as he awakes in the Sanctum Sanctorum, as he goes on a walk with Bats, he recount show his gift for surgery came back and how he has at least returned to it , part time. Of course, his job as Sorcerer Supreme takes paramount, as he stops a police shooting a man who was possessed b the Seven Sons of Cinnibus, thereby severing a connection to the evil lords, whilst saving the man’s life. Later, we find Stephen teaching a class at the Strange Academy, where Dole, Dormammu’s son , sense his father’s presence nearby, alerting Stephen to spring into action, with Illyana by his side, as he encounters the Crimson Bands Of Cyttoraki who have entered his dimension. Then everything gets titled on its head, when one night as he sits in the Sanctum Sanctorum alone, a malevolent force is at their doorstep and has Stephen at a disadvantage. By the issue’s end, all his allies feel his life-force leave the astral plane, the mystery of who killed lies at the center, Mordo is not the culprit and multiple extra dimensional invasions are happening all over Earth.
Overall, TheDeath Of Doctor Strange #1 begins a crackling murder mystery that proves anyone can be the villain. The story by Mackay is exciting. The art by the creative team is gorgeous. Altogether, a thriller worthy of Dashiell Hammett.
Story: Jed MacKay Art: Lee Garbett Color: Antonio Fabela Letterer: Cory Petit Story: 9.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 9.0 Recommendation: Buy
Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Listen, we all know Doctor Strange isn’t going to stay dead. With a film coming out next year, the character will eventually be back in the way we’ve known (though maybe a bit more aligned with the film). So, the “death” aspect to The Death of Doctor Strange #1 isn’t much of a surprise or interesting. Who the murderer is, might be. The details of the comic are really what’s going to win us over.
Written by Jed MacKay, The Death of Doctor Strange #1 takes us through Stephen Strange’s life. He recounts his origin in some ways and what his role in the Marvel Universe is. We get the balance that this is a person who has a lot of responsibility as a Doctor and as the Sorcerer Supreme. MacKay generally beats us over the head that without Strange, the Marvel Universe and Earth is facing a major threat. The debut issue is a lot of setup as to WHY Strange dying matters.
The Death of Doctor Strange #1 is that moment of the story while the villain’s shadow looms over and threatens everything underneath. The issue is the ball in the air and now we have to see how well it can be hit. The defenses are down. Someone is a murderer. The question is who will stand up to protect the Earth. How will they do it. And, how killed Stephen Strange? None of this is surprising at all and none of the setup feels all that original. We’ve seen “key” heroes get killed and then a threat shows up that only they can stop. This is just a magical version of that. It’s not bad as a start but it’s also not all that exciting.
The art by Lee Garbett matches the tone of the story itself. With color by Antonio Fabela and lettering by Cory Petit, it’s good but not great. There’s nothing bad about the art at all. What’s missing is that bit of excitement. For a comic all about “magic”, the art doesn’t really have any. The scenes of its use feel rather… mundane, like a kids’ magician making some colors. There’s never that moment that really surprises or takes advantage of the fact this is magic we’re dealing with. Everything feels a bit… grounded.
Beyond the very end reveal, there’s nothing surprising or all that interesting about The Death of Doctor Strange #1. It reminds people of who Stephen Strange is and why he’s important. It’s a comic that feels like it exists to make the case as to why its main character matters. The fact it has to makes it feel like that’s been a failure leading up to all of this. Most of the comic is pretty much what we’d expect but it’s a decent setup and start. Really what matters is where it all goes from here and if the team can really make this an exciting story to come now that there’s actual danger to deal with.
Story: Jed MacKay Art: Lee Garbett Color: Antonio Fabela Letterer: Cory Petit Story: 7.25 Art: 7.25 Overall: 7.25 Recommendation: Read
Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
We all live in a shadow. Whether it’s a family member or something from our past, or our own expectations, we’re haunted. Shadecraft #1 delivers an exploration of that with Zadie Lu. Zadie is a high school student who is afraid of the shadows and for good reason. The shadows seem to be alive and attacking her for some reason.
Writer Joe Henderson takes us into a world that’s familiar but also haunting. So many of us have had that feeling that we’re being watched or chased and some might have experienced that sensation being their shadow. This takes that and turns it into both a magical and scary concept. What’s going on? We’re not quite sure but the setup is solid.
In Zadie, Henderson has found a character so many can relate to. An older brother whose shadow she falls. A rather serious parent whose shadow she also falls. Then there’s that of reputations and school popularity and Zadie’s life is one that feels familiar. Henderson also doesn’t go over the top with his concepts, instead building things slowly for the end reveal. It keeps readers guessing what’s in Zadie’s head and what’s real.
Lee Garbett‘s art helps with that by teasing the shadows giving them a look that can be both normal and not. At times it feels like the shadows are reaching for Zadie but in reality it’s what they should be doing. Antonio Fabela‘s color is key in that the shadows are dark and ominous but also not just flat black. There’s a life in them thanks to Garbett and Fabela. Simon Bowland‘s lettering is solid enhancing the moments and emotions just right.
Shadecraft #1 is a solid start. It’s a mystery as to what’s going on and dances between horror and something much more. There’s a family touch to it that grounds the story and adds a bit more than just scares and tension. The school aspects make Zadie a more believable character and one that’s a bit easier to connect to. I have a feeling that the series is going to deliver a lot more of that and turn on the waterworks.
Story: Joe Henderson Art: Lee Garbett Color: Antonio Fabela Letterer: Simon Bowland Story: 8.0 Art: 8.0 Overall: 8.0 Recommendation: Buy
Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
As seen in TheLego Batman Movie, the Arkham video games, and the Batman comics of the 1990s and early 2000s, Batman’s strength is in the world and characters that he creates access to. Whether that’s his allies, villains, nooks and crannies of Gotham, or even police officers that he either works with or against, these personalities and settings are why I continue to return to the Batman side of the DC Universe. The creators of Batman: Urban Legends #1 understand this and flesh out different Batman-adjacent characters and even sometimes explore their relationship to the Dark Knight while also telling action, romance, and crime stories.
First up in this Gotham-themed anthology is the beginning of a six part Batman and Red Hood serial where Batman and his former protege-turned-killer vigilante (He’s switched to rubber bullets for the moment.) investigate a source of a hallucinatory street drug tackily called Cheerdrops. Writer Chip Zdarsky has a firm grasp on Jason Todd’s voice, including the darkness inside his soul and his hunger for justice, especially for Gotham’s beleaguered working class. Artists Eddy Barrows and Eber Ferreira and colorist Adriano Lucas nail the grit of the city with explosive linework and jagged layouts to go with a color palette that has had all the light sucked out of it. However, Excalibur’s MarcusTo does the art in the flashbacks, which features brighter colors as well as simpler, cleaner lines with a more traditional superhero feel even though one of the scenes is set during “Under the Red Hood” when Jason Todd came back from the dead and started killing criminals.
“Batman and Red Hood” is also a study in contrasts in how two very different crime fighters deal with the same crisis. Batman is the World’s Greatest Detective and is super methodical with Barrows and Ferreria drawing him looking at the chemical makeup of Cheerdrops CSI-style, and his All-Star Superman-esque moment with a jumper is less feel-good and more evidence collection. On the other hand, Jason fights crime with his guts and heart and even admits in a wry line from Zdarsky that he’s not a great detective as he struggles to find a Cheerdrop stash house. However, he does find a boy named Tyler, and of course, Jason is great with kids and even lets him wear part of his mask while he looks for his dad in a dodgy part of Gotham. Zdarsky, Barrows, and Ferreira create something truly heartwarming between Jason Todd and Tyler.
There’s a throughline between this and the flashbacks where Batman (Portrayed as more of an action figure than man by To) struggles being a father figure to Jason, and Alfred does the job perfectly because he sees him as a human being and not an obstacle in his war on crime. Chip Zdarsky writes Alfred Pennyworth as the perfect parent to the Bat-family, who isn’t afraid to tell Batman that he’s full of shit and chooses compassion over a closed fist. And speaking of Batman, I love how Zdarsky doesn’t give him an inner monologue and depicts him more as a force of nature than a gun toting, broken man like Jason Todd, who agonizes over every decision and whose interaction with Tyler bring back memories of his mom who died of a drug overdose. Also, he’s not afraid to go a little dark, and Eddy Barrows and Eber Ferreira jagged layouts and emotional poses are along for the ride.
The second story in Batman: Urban Legends #1 is an eight page Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy one-off from writer Stephanie Phillips, artist Laura Braga, and colorist Ivan Plascencia. Plascencia is this story’s secret weapon that shows the happy, hilarious times of Harley and Ivy’s first dates and the bleak current times for Harley as she has moved back to Gotham in her solo title and as a recurring character in Batman. Braga’s art is expressive and high energy for both the good times (Harley and Ivy smooching and snapping selfies) and bad times (A sudden bolt of lightning shattering their pictures), and she is a good fit for a story that isn’t centered around a heist or fight against a superhero, but a relationship. She and Phillips tap into the depth of feelings that Harley has for Ivy, and through some handy plant symbolism, they create hope for the relationship that has become very popular for fans in the past decade. “Harley and Ivy” is a nice, nearly slice of life oasis in the midst of the three other stories, which have more moving parts.
The third story in this comic is a 10 page “Outsiders” feature by Brandon Thomas, Max Dunbar, and Luis Guerrero starring Black Lightning, Katana, and an interesting take on Metamorpho. Thomas turns in kind of a mystery plot with the story starting with Black Lightning and an unseen Metamorpho in a Japanese prison before cutting to a bonkers, two page spread of a speedboat chase. Unlike the previous two stories in Batman: Urban Legends #1, Thomas and Dunbar go for a action over character focus, and honestly, I’m here for it. Dunbar uses arrows from their pursuers to act as eye-lines to follow the high speed chase, and he and Thomas have a clever moment or two up their sleeve, especially in regards to Metamorpho’s first appearance. The story isn’t particularly deep, but it has the vibe of a James Bond cold open with superpowers as Guerrero really makes Black Lightning’s abilities sizzle. Finally, Brandon Thomas’ plotting really kept me engaged with thinking about why characters were acting a certain way, and the the mini mystery box structure has me intrigued for the upcoming issue.
Grifter is a character I didn’t really know a lot about except for some random comics like the New 52 Team 7 and JLA/WildCATs, but Matthew Rosenberg, Ryan Benjamin, and Antonio Fabela have made this anti-hero/rapscallion and his various pratfalls quite lovable and hilarious Batman: Urban Legends #1’s final story. Grifter is like that guy who bluffs at poker, but never has a good hand. And until maybe the penultimate page of the comic, he’s either screwing up or making a joke about it beginning with his mad rush towards supervillain fire during his Team 6 days with a lot of characters with familiar names from Wildstorm comics. (I’m not an expert on these characters, and you don’t have to be to enjoy the story.) Grifter uses his sense of humor to detract from his mediocre performance as Lucius Fox’s bodyguard or to avoid getting his ass kicked by Batman, but he also has a mystery side that is revealed when he has a “date” at one of Penguin’s bars. The mystery starts to really unfold towards the end of the comic, but Rosenberg hints at every time, he talks on a headset with what I assume is his older brother.
The comedy in “Grifter” isn’t just limited to Matthew Rosenberg’s delightfully smartass dialogue. It shows up a lot in Ryan Benjamin’s visuals, which range from G.I. Joe or Authority homages (When the superheroes clean up Team 6’s mess.) in the flashback to pure slapstick. For example, Grifter spills a drink at a party Lucius Fox is meeting a client at and spills a drink on a woman. In this situation, Benjamin doesn’t just show a simple facial expression, but throws in some growlixes and makes you know that she’s furious that the soaking wet guy in Converse and blue jeans is even in the same room with her. This playfulness extends to the fight between Batman and Grifter, which starts as a serious throwdown and ends up in a total cat and mouse situation with Grifter finally getting enough self-awareness to call it quits. However, their paths will cross, and you can tell that Batman understands he’s a wildcard with his connections to Lucius Fox, the criminal underworld, and probably those Wildstorm guys. All in all, Matthew Rosenberg, Ryan Benjamin, and Antonio Fabela turn in a hilarious action-comedy set in DC’s weirdest and (sometimes) dourest city and also slowly unveil what seems to be a master plan to merge the worlds of Wildstorm and Gotham.
Batman: Urban Legends #1 is an absolute win for the anthology format that DC Comics has been trying out with all of the four stories in the comic being entertaining and shedding light on a unique cast of characters. The longer stories that bookend the comic are especially noteworthy thanks to Chip Zdarsky’s pitch-perfect handle on the fascinating character of Jason Todd in “Batman and Red Hood” and Matthew Rosenberg and Ryan Benjamin’s skill with verbal and visual humor in “Grifter”.
Story: Chip Zdarsky, Stephanie Phillips, Brandon Thomas, Matthew Rosenberg Art: Eddy Barrows, Eber Ferreira, Marcus To, Laura Braga, Max Dunbar, Ryan Benjamin Colors: Adriano Lucas, Ivan Plascencia, Luis Guerrero, Antonio Fabela Letters: Becca Carey, Deron Bennett, Steve Wands, Saida Temofonte Story: 8.0 Art: 8.6 Overall: 8.3 Recommendation: Buy
DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Out of all of the various aspects of DC’s Future State so far, the place Gotham’s in has been the most intriguing. It’s a police state ruled by “The Magistrate”, an organization that hunts down masked individuals to bring order to the city. It’s a literal police state where the jackbooted militarized force patrols the streets to bring order. We’ve seen a new Batman and Harley Quinn’s place among other stories, but, where’s Bruce Wayne? Future State: Dark Detective #1 begins to answer that question with one of two stories.
Writer Mariko Tamaki brings us the main event, what happened to Bruce Wayne. The Magistrate is good and is able to do what so many have tried, “kill” Batman. But, like so many before, Batman’s not really dead and now underground figuring out what to do next. With Batman dead, Bruce Wayne too is dead. The duo wander a Gotham that’s unfamiliar and dangerous. It’s a neon city that feels like something out of an anime as opposed to the dark and grimy Gotham of the past.
Future State: Dark Detective #1 delivers an interesting Batman and Bruce Wayne. Stripped of his toys and money, Wayne is on the run and underground. It’s a city he doesn’t recognize and one where he’s unsure of what to do and where to go. But, he’s Bruce Wayne, he’s the Batman. When he witnesses a crime, he suits up back into action which puts him on the run from The Magistrate again. Injured and battered, this isn’t the Batman we’re used to, there’s an actual feeling he might fail and lose.
Part of that dread is due to the art of Dan Mora. Joined by Jordie Bellaire on color and Aditya Bidikar on lettering, the art shows the pain of Bruce’s battle. Juxtaposed with the bright lights of Gotham, you can see a beaten down Bruce, one who’s struggling. From the way he moves, to the look on his face, the details to show Bruce’s struggles are fantastic. There’s also the bright lights of the city which really pop. There’s such some great details here that really make the city stand out as a character by itself. This is a Gotham I want to explore and see more of.
There’s a second tale, “Future Past” focused on Grifter. Written by Matthew Rosenberg with art by Carmine Di Giamdomenico, color by Antonio Fabela, and lettering by Andworld Design, it’s a fairly straightforward story that also adds depth to this new Gotham. With Gotham under a police state, Grifter is playing it low, trying to not bring attention to himself but that doesn’t mean he’s not being hunted by the Magistrate. He comes across Luke Fox and from there it’s a race to get out of Gotham. The story is one we’ve seen but it adds depth to Gotham and allows us to see another slice of the big picture that’s playing out through multiple series. It’s an entertaining story full of personality and action and shows that Grifter should be front and center in his own series.
Future State: Dark Detective #1 is an entertaining comic. It works better as part of the puzzle through multiple series in Future State. On its own though, it still delivers a comic you can sit back and enjoy. The art shines as it powers two stories that are similar in some ways and tell us so much about this new reality. So far, this is a Gotham and world I want to see more of it after this mini-event ends.
Story: Mariko Tamaki, Matthew Rosenberg Art: Dan Mora, Carmine Di Giandomenico Color: Jordie Bellaire, Antonio Fabela Letterer: Aditya Bidikar, Andworld Design Story: 7.75 Art: 8.65 Overall: 7.85 Recommendation: Buy
DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Wolverine #8 celebrates 350 issues of Wolverine in solo adventures and for such a big number, the issue is rather… normal. Marvel has apparently decided to play things a bit conservative with an issue that’s pretty much a normal issue. There’s not a bunch of guest creators doing short stories or celebrating creators of the past. Instead, Wolverine #8 is a solid jumping-on point for those who haven’t been reading the series and want to check it out.
Writer Benjamin Percy, artist Adam Kubert, and colorist Antonio Fabela kick things off with a story featuring Wolverine and CIA operative Jeff Bannister. “War Stories” features the two soldiers sharing some of the scars they carry with them. It’s a solid opening and sets up things down the road but an entire issue of just this could have been an amazing anniversary issue.
There’s some real emotion and pain danced around with the opening and a full issue could have really delivered an amazing end to the year. The idea of these two soldiers sharing their pain and haunted past could make for a very interesting read. Mix it in with the very real world issue of PTSD in our soldiers and there’s potential magic. This would have been a very interesting way to “celebrate” 350 issues.
Wolverine #8‘s main story, also written by Percy, is a bit more traditional as Wolverine is tasked to continue the battle against Xeno and others attacking various facilities. In this case, the path leads him back to his Team X partner Maverick, a character whose use over the years has been rather mixed. It’s a pretty standard story but it at least delivers a jumping-on point for new readers. Most is explained and done well enough that you don’t feel like you’re missing anything.
Percy is joined by artist Viktor Bogdanovic and colorist Matthew Wilson. Along with letterer Cory Petit, the art is solid though feels a bit reserved in some ways. This isn’t a story with flashy splash pages or really panel breaking layouts. The panels are mostly boxes and the images are kept within. It’s an odd artistic choice in that the art looks good but it’s also not splashy.
For an anniversary issue, Wolverine #8 feels pretty average as far as issues. It’s a good issue and a good starting point for readers but this isn’t one that really celebrates anything. It seems to do that by just telling a solid and entertaining story.
Story: Benjamin Percy Art: Adam Kubert, Viktor Bogdanovic Color: Antonio Fabela, Matthew Wilson Letterer/Production: Cory Petit Design: Tom Muller Story: 8.25 Art: 8.1 Overall: 8.15 Recommendation: Buy
Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
DC’s “Joker War” has been a bit of a mixed bag for me as an event. Some of it feels like we’ve seen it before. While it has some good moments, it also feels like it never quite commits to the chaos. What bothers me the most is that the story feels like it’s just a bridge to what comes next. It’s not a story I feel like I can pick up on its own to enjoy. Through the issues of Batman, it never quite feels like a story that is a stand-alone adventure to enjoy. That might be even more pronounced in Batman: The Joker Warzone #1. It’s a tie-in comic filled with creative talent, solid stories, art, and a few “continued in 2021”. It’s also very good.
“A Serious House” opens the comic. Written by James Tynion IV with art by Guillem March, color by Tomeu Morey, and lettering by Clayton Cowles it focuses on a confrontation between the Joker and Bane. The story is fantastic with a fascinating back and forth as Joker goes over his issues with Bane and contemplates ending his life. There’s a “play” like quality about the segment and with amazing art it’s the highlight of the issue. It sets up something for 2021 which feels a bit frustrating in that it telegraphs more to come instead of surprising and hints that the Joker survives “Joker War” for that to happen.
“Family Ties” features writer John Ridley, art by Olivier Coipel, color by Matt Hollingsworth, and lettering by Deron Bennett. Focused on the Fox family, the story focuses on their receiving information to unlock Bruce Wayne’s fortune. But, Ridley takes that concept and adds so much to it giving us a mini-debate about what good Bruce, and thus Batman, are doing with all of this money. Could they use the money in a better way to help people? Should it go back to Bruce. With an ending that feels ripped from the headlines, Ridley shows why he’s one of the best storytellers in any medium today.
“The Symbol” is by writer Joshua Williamson, art by David LaFuente, color by Hi-Fi, and lettering by Gabriela Downie. Orphan and Spoiler are on a mission to get a Bat-symbol where they wind up fighting Hench Master. Hench Master feels like a new character whose job it is to “train” henchmen for various villains. It’s a fun story that feels like it’d fit in any Batman anthology and an entertaining fun distraction that’s a bit cheerier with some good action sequences.
“Ashes of Eden” is by writer Sam Johns, art by Laura Braga, color by Antonio Fabela, and lettering by Tom Napolitano. Ivy is dealing with the destruction of Eden. The entire segment is a declaration from Ivy about where her head is at and what’s to come. It’s also another story arc that we’ll see in 2021. What’s interesting, and possibly the most controversial, is Ivy seems to reject all humans and that might include Harley. Whether I’m reading too much into it, I have no idea but the Ivy/Harley stans may get a bit angry about what’s to come for these two.
Wrapping up the comic is “Clown Hunt” by writer James Tynion IV, art by James Stokoe, and lettering by Clayton Cowles. This is our first real story about Clownhunter who has stalked the Joker’s henchman and delivered brutal justice. We don’t know much about the character but we get our first good look at Clownhunter without the mask and better sense of what the citizens of Gotham thinks about him. There’s a lot of potential for a long-term interesting addition to the world of Batman and where this one goes is exciting.
Overall, Batman: The Joker Warzone #1 is a solid one-shot. It adds some stories within “Joker War” without making them vital. There’s a bit too much left to be experienced in 2021 which emphasizes my issues with “Joker War” overall. It doesn’t feel self-contained enough. If you took those segments and left out the “too be continued,” these would be really solid on their own. Even if you’re not reading “Joker War,” there’s enough here to enjoy and worth checking out. It’s the rare event one-shot where you can ignore the actual event.
Story: James Tynion IV, John Ridley, Joshua Williamson, Sam Johns Art: Guillem March, Olivier Coipel, David LaFuente, Laura Braga, James Stokoe Color: Tomeu Morey, Matt Hollingsworth, Hi-Fi, Antonio Fabela Letterer: Clayton Cowles, Deron Bennett, Gabriela Downie, Tom Napolitano Story: 8.25 Art: 8.25 Overall: 8.25 Recommendation: Buy
DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
We know Thanos raised Gamora, but how did a little girl from a peaceful world become one of the deadliest people in the galaxy? Find out in Thanos: Zero Sanctuary which collects the six issue series.
Story: Tini Howard Art: Ariel Olivetti Color: Antonio Fabela Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Get your copy in comic shops now and on book shops on December 10! 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.
Marvel 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
