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

Comic Book History of Cocktails (Ten Speed Press) – Really interesting concept, but David Wondrich’s newness to the comics medium shows as his rambling text overwhelms Dean Kotz’s images. The sequences where fictional bartenders make historical cocktails are cute, and this could have worked as an illustrated recipe book. As a PBR, bourbon on the rocks, vodka cranberry (Especially at Goth clubs because it looks like you’re drinking blood.) swiller, maybe I wasn’t the target audience for this, but maybe worth a flip through if you’re a fancy cocktail drinker. Overall: 5.0 Verdict: Pass

Godzilla #2 (IDW Publishing) – Tim Seeley and Nicola Cizmesija‘s Godzilla series continues to have tons of moving parts and a large ensemble cast, but the heart of the series is the “chosen one” type figure Jacen, who seems destined to throw down with Godzilla. I love his interactions with his telepathic teammate Rumi, and how they symbolize Japanese and American attitudes about Godzilla as well as the world as a whole. However, Godzilla #2 isn’t all talking heads, and Cizemsija and colorist Francesco Segala serve up a freakish monster to give G-Force some grief and test Jacen’s abilities. The comic is a dark, slow burn, but still has some time for levity aka every Jet Jaguar shows up. Overall: 7.8 Verdict: Buy

Powers 25 #1 (Dark Horse) – Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming‘s Powers is back and still has the juice! There’s still the rapid fire dialogue and Alex Toth-meets-The Wire visuals, but this new series interrogates what it’s like for a universe filled with superheroes and also live streaming and ever changing laws . And it’s all told the POV of a rookie cop that has a history with Powers although some familiar faces from the previous series pop up and play key roles in Powers 25. I also enjoyed the series’ underlying them of why after all the technology and changes in the world, it still hasn’t gotten any better. It really resonates, and Bendis and Oeming set up one hell of a (grotesque) mystery. Overall: 8.0 Verdict: Buy

Red Hood #1 (DC) – Due to the cowardice of DC Comics in their firing of its writer Gretchen Felker-Martin, Red Hood #1 is the first thread in a violent mystery saga that sadly won’t be fully unraveled. There’s a muscularity to Jeff Spokes‘ line work and crimson red palette, and his New Angelique has real character to it that matches Felker-Martin’s lyrical narration. I love how much inner turmoil she gives Jason Todd, and how she lets Spokes cook on the fight sequences as the bullets fly and bodies fall. Jason Todd is a cool, complex character ripe for this kind of genre story, and it’s sad that we’ll never see the end of this. Overall: 8.4 Verdict: Buy

Absolute Batman #12 (DC) – There’s an idea floating around that Batman created his villains, and Scott Snyder, Nick Dragotta, and Frank Martin take this idea literally in Absolute Batman #12. In the big picture of the series, this will probably be seen as a pivotal issue as Snyder and Dragotta channel Dante’s Inferno and give each member of Bruce Wayne’s friend group a contrapasso of their own. Although told mainly in flashback, the scenes of transformation of Oswald Cobblepot, Edward Nygma, and Harvey Dent are like infusions of psychic torture straight to the brain as Bruce almost reaches a breaking point. (Emphasis on almost.) Nick Dragotta’s art is powerful and extreme as ever from the opening subway chase with Batman and Killer Croc to a certain character packing heat in a way Rob Liefeld only dreamed of. This reckless, riverboat gambler Batman continues to be the car crash I keep returning to, and Absolute Batman #12 is no exception and takes the concept to eleven. Overall: 9.2 Verdict: Buy