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

Closer (Image) – Closer #1 is the equivalent of a haunting pop single from one of your favorite artists, in this case, Kieron Gillen, Steve Lieber, and Tamra Bonvillain. They construct a universe that has gone to shit because a man’s relationship with a woman didn’t live up to the poetry of a Burt Bacharach song. There’s big Phonogram curse song energy to this issue as strange happenings dot its pages, and its sensible protagonist Marigold tries to make sense of what going on. I enjoyed the increasing frustration of the facial expressions Lieber gives in contrast to the idealized version of her from her ex. Sometimes, we don’t share the same connection with another person, and that’s not the end of the world, but it makes for an interesting comic. Overall: 9.1 Verdict: Buy

Monster High: House Haunters #1 (IDW Publishing) – A ScareBnB trip goes horribly awry in Ben Kahn, Sonia Liao, and Rebecca Nalty‘s Monster High: House Haunters #1. I love how this issue balances adorable art, witty jokes, and a genuinely terrifying situation. Seriously, this comic is laugh out loud funny, especially at a bit where this universe’s equivalent of a YouTube essayist makes some amazing puns on horror director’s names. The monstrous nature of the characters makes for some hilarious situations too, but especially as the comic reaches its final pages, Kahn and Liao inject some real suspense into the story. All in all, Monster High: House Haunters #1 is an enjoyable horror comedy comic for fierce fiends of all ages. Overall: 8.4 Verdict: Buy

Adventures of Lumen N #1 (Dark Horse) – James Robinson, Phil Hester, Marc Deering, and Jim Campbell‘s new series Adventures of Lumen N #1 starts out on its front foot with a little mystery and a lot of action. Its titular character, a young girl living in India at the turn of the 20th century, suddenly begins to figure out why she’s been trained in languages, ship navigation, and combat unlike her peers. This first issue establishes the premise of the series and is filled with the always lovely shapes of Hester with Robinson’s script oozing retro charm. I can’t wait to see more of Lumen and her mysterious grandfather’s relationship, which seems to be at the heart of the series. I’ve definitely seen comics similar to this one, but James Robinson and Phil Hester definitely have a special synergy, and I’m excited to see more angular, retrofuturism. Overall: 7.9 Verdict: Buy

Spider-Man ’94 #1 (Marvel) – J.M. DeMatteis, Jim Towe, and Jim Campbell‘s Spider-Man ’94 #1 is truly a bittersweet. There’s the sweetness of the bright colors and vibrant, yet cheesy in a 90s cartoon way banter between Spider-Man and Molten Man as well as the authentic emotionality of his interactions with Mary Jane, especially with how the animated series ended. But then there’s the bitterness of DeMatteis and Towe’s wholesale transposition of the spider totem part of JMS’ Amazing Spider-Man run, Morlun, and all. Morlun worked in the Spider-Verse so he might work here too, but he’s a personality-free villain, who just is evil for evil’s sake. I understand wanting to use a bad guy that didn’t exist during the original cartoon’s run, but Morlun and company ain’t it, chief. However, it’s nice to see Mary Jane and Peter in a mature, if not healthy relationship, and J.M. DeMatteis nails the voice of Christopher David Barnes’ Spidey so I’ll give the next issue or two a shot. Overall: 7.0 Verdict: Read

Bytchcraft #3 (Mad Cave Studios) – Aaron Reese, Lema Carril, and Bex Glendining take Em, Adri, and Michele out of the city and into the Sacred Green where they deal with beings beyond our comprehension. I love the blend of cosmological world-building and character interactions as Reese does an intriguing riff on Judeo-Christian concepts to set up the backbone of their universe. The tension between the coven is relatable for anyone with a longterm friend group that’s started to drift apart, but more apocalyptic. However, Bytchcraft #3 isn’t just yapping and has epic god vs god, magickal battle royales that Glendining’s majestic color palette elevates to epic levels. It’s Biblical literally and figuratively, but also bittersweet because magic always has a cost. Overall: 8.1 Verdict: Buy