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Preview: Sleepy Hollow: The Witches of the Western Wood #5

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Sleepy Hollow: The Witches of the Western Wood #5

(W) Delilah S. Dawson (A) Jose Jaro

Revisit the world of Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hollow in The Witches of the Western Wood!

The Headless Horseman will ride tonight. From the moment Sarah and Mary Archer witnessed the Hessian’s death in the Western Woods, their lives have been shadowed by the demon’s dark presence. And Sarah finally has everything she needs to revive the Horseman and unleash his axe upon the town of Sleepy Hollow—and her own sister. Witness the witch’s rampage and the Headless Horseman’s first ride in this epic conclusion!

Comic book cover featuring a witch holding a skull, riding a black horse under a full moon surrounded by dark trees, titled 'Sleepy Hollow: The Witches of the Western Wood'.
Cover page for 'Sleepy Hollow: The Witches of the Western Wood' featuring title, writer, artist, colorist, letterer, designer, and editor credits, with a brief description of the story.
A graphic novel panel depicting a mysterious character in a dark cloak riding a black horse through a wooded area, with a full moon and fog in the background. Elements of horror and suspense are present, with text snippets suggesting themes of possession and a calling.
A woman in dark clothing holds a lantern and stands near a body on the ground, pondering while goats gather around her. Flames are visible in the background, and she grips an axe in one hand. The scene conveys a sense of contemplation and loss, with dialogue emphasizing themes of cleaning and companionship amid destruction.
A dark scene depicting a figure on horseback in the background, with a cloaked character approaching a small house at night. The house shows a flickering candlelight, and two figures, a man and a girl, stand at the doorway conversing. Flowers are visible in the foreground, along with a full moon illuminating the eerie setting.
A comic page featuring a dark, misty landscape with a large moon, depicting two cloaked figures in the first panel, one carrying a bundle. The second panel shows one figure speaking about starting anew. In the third panel, a character in a cozy room pours something into a cauldron while reflecting on sacrifices. The final panel features handwritten notes and a quill as a character writes a letter.
A dark, atmospheric comic panel depicting a cloaked figure holding an envelope with a wax seal, standing in front of a full moon. Another panel shows the figure on a horse, emphasizing themes of waiting and decisions made.

Preview: Killer Influences #3

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Killer Influences #3

(W) Joey Esposito (A) Valeria Burzo

Melvin and Kylie have gone from tepid allies to full-blown enemies. As Melvin hunts Kylie down to make her his next victim, she’ll have to use all of her knowledge about serial killers, and everything she’s learned about Melvin, in order to stop him. But is she willing to sacrifice all the clout, followers, and social media infrastructure she’s built up? Would she rather die an icon than live life as a known grifter? And even if she can stop Melvin from killing her, can she ever fully make things go back to normal, or have too many people noticed her work? Don’t miss the dark conclusion to this IDW Crime epic!

Comic book cover for 'Killer Influences' issue 3, featuring a character holding a yellow flower and a staff, surrounded by a shadowy forest and figures in the background.
Description of a comic book back cover featuring a synopsis about characters Kylie and Melvin, who make a dangerous pact, along with credits for the writer, artist, colorist, letterer, and editor.
Comic strip featuring multiple panels with characters discussing a podcast about a cold case related to Caddyshack, humorously contemplating various theories and opinions.
A dark, cluttered room with a doctor working on a patient lying on a table while an elderly person in a wheelchair watches a TV showing two men laughing. In the second panel, a figure reclines with a view of the TV, hearing laughter from a golf game.
A comic book panel depicting a character in glasses and a lab coat performing a disturbing surgery, surrounded by blood and a mannequin. The character expresses feelings of being laughed at and shares a dark revelation about their identity.
A comic-style illustration depicting a gruesome scene with a blood-stained room. A character wearing protective glasses and a lab coat is interacting with a bloodied figure in a chair. The character appears to be questioning their confidence while references to blood and body parts can be seen. In the next scene, the same character is seen throwing a bloody object towards a trash bin full of grotesque remains.
A young man carrying a bag walks in a snowy alley beside a building, with garbage bags on the ground.
A comic panel featuring a female character with dark hair, dressed in a black jacket and jeans, walking a dog along a snowy path. She is deep in thought, glancing towards a nearby building. In adjacent panels, she appears to be knocking on a door, displaying a sense of urgency and concern.

Preview: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder #12

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder #12

(W) Dan Watters (A) Giona Zefiro

It has all been leading to this. Shredder’s plan falls into place in one epic standoff with the E.P.F.’s Director Braunze! With every single move expertly calculated, Shredder unleashes his final play in his war with the E.P.F. But he might have something besides a couple blades up his sleeve… this time he isn’t after just blood, now it’s winner take all.

Cover of 'Shredder' comic from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, featuring a character in a dark outfit standing on a patterned floor with a symbol, blood stains, and dramatic lighting.
Cover page of 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder Chapter Twelve - The Devil's Bargain,' featuring credit details including writer, artist, colorist, letterer, editorial assistant, and editor.
A military base with tanks and soldiers arranged in formation, set against a large, imposing headquarters building in the background.
A scene depicting military tanks firing towards a distant explosive impact with vibrant flames and smoke, suggesting an intense battlefield setting. The lower section shows an explosion near a large building, emphasizing destruction and tension.
A comic book panel depicting a group of diverse military personnel gathered around a high-tech circular table, discussing strategy. One character, a woman with an eye patch and white hair, is speaking passionately. The setting features digital screens displaying maps and military data.
A group of characters in a comic panel, featuring a muscular figure in armor with a weapon, flanked by others in tactical outfits. The scene conveys a tense moment with a character holding a gun, ready to confront the armored figure.
A comic book scene featuring a masked character with claws confronting a man while a gun is being fired. The masked character demonstrates aggressive body language, while the other man appears distressed. The background conveys action with splashes of red and motion lines, indicating tension in the scene.

Preview: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #22

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #22

(W) Gene Luen Yang (A) Fero Peniche

The hunt for the Ujigami door knocker continues! It’s the Hungry Ghost Festival, a time when the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead is at its thinnest, bringing back both Turtle friend and foe! With Karai and Stockman attempting to raise an army of undead ninja, it’s the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ last chance to close the door before the dead come back for good. Can they do it in time?!

Cover of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic issue 22 featuring the four turtles standing on a rooftop in a city at night, surrounded by glowing ghosts and skyscrapers.
Comic book cover featuring Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with a green background, titled 'The City That Never Dies, Part Two'.
A scene in Chinatown featuring anthropomorphic turtle characters walking in a crowded street filled with colorful lanterns and shops. One character is talking excitedly about ice cream, while others express surprise at the crowd.
A colorful street scene featuring characters in traditional attire, including dragon and lion dance costumes, during a festive celebration. In the foreground, a group of characters, including anthropomorphic turtles, discuss the significance of the event. The backdrop includes tall buildings and vibrant decorations for the festival.
Comic panel featuring a blue-masked turtle character surrounded by a crowd, looking surprised at a large, green figure in the background. The crowd includes various people of different ages, some appearing shocked or curious. Dialogue exchange between the turtle and a humanoid character with a distinct animal-like appearance.
A comic scene depicting anthropomorphic turtles in ninja attire entering a tea room, interacting with a restaurant staff member. The characters engage in dialogue while the setting features traditional Asian decor.
A scene from a comic featuring anthropomorphic characters. A large, muscular character with a beastly appearance confronts a group of fighters, while two turtles observe. Tension is evident as characters discuss danger and choices of life or death.

Preview: Star Trek: The Last Starship #11

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Star Trek: The Last Starship #11

(W) Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly (A) Adrián Bonilla

The penultimate issue!

After decades of struggle, Sato, Kirk, Agnes, Zed, and Valqis have come back together—united to save the Federation from the trap that is the Emerald Chain closing in around them. The tension is high; trust is at an all-time low and has been broken before. They’ve been through hell, and not always on the same side. But Dr. Zed sees a path toward healing.

They’ve all been wrong. They’ve all made mistakes. Now, and only now, does the crew of the U.S.S. Omega have the chance to make it all worth it.

Despite Solara and her demented protégé Osyraa circling ever closer aboard the Emerald Chain flagship, the crew of the Omega are going to build T’Galatheon Gate—and save what little is left of Starfleet..for those who will follow in their footsteps.

Cover art of 'Star Trek: The Last Starship' comic issue 11, featuring an expressive character against a cosmic backdrop, highlighted in vibrant purples and blues.
Cover of the Star Trek comic titled 'The Last Starship', featuring a dynamic design and text summarizing the storyline about the state of the Federation and characters Admiral Sato and James Kirk.
A comic book panel featuring two characters in a tense conversation at a table. One character, with a cybernetic eye and facial marking, expresses the high stakes of a situation. The other character listens intently, highlighting the theme of critical choices and consequences.
Blueprint of a space station designed to direct fleet power and stabilize a space-time anomaly, featuring labeled sections like Operations & Maintenance, Control Room, Deflectors, and Spacecraft Docking Platforms.
A scene from a comic book featuring two alien characters in Starfleet uniforms discussing the status of depleted resources and personnel. One character expresses concern about the lack of dilithium, while another shares updates on various ships and graduates.
A comic book panel depicting a tense dialogue between three characters inside a futuristic setting. One character, with facial tattoos and a concerned expression, confronts another character. A third figure, dressed in an outfit hinting at authority, stands nearby. The background features glowing technological elements.
An illustrated comic panel depicting a tense discussion among three characters, set against a backdrop of spaceships and explosions. One character expresses a strategic concern while another suggests an action plan, highlighting the urgency of their situation.

Mini Reviews: Fixation #1, Inglorious X-Force #9, Tank Girl: Blue Helmet #1, Of the Earth #5

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Cover art for 'Tank Girl in Blue Helmet' featuring a female character with short black hair dressed in a green jacket and black shorts, standing confidently in front of a large tank-like vehicle, with a stylized, colorful background.

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

Fixation #1 (IDW Publishing) – Amy Chase and Savannah Mayer‘s Fixation is a chilling first chapter of metamodern horror where fandom goes very very wrong. The story centers around two super fans who are invited to the 10th anniversary of Blood Mountain, a book turned film series that seems very similar to the Twilight series with Vail standing in for Forks, Washington. The issue begins with a chilling murder and then introduces the cast of fans, actors, production assistants, and mysterious posters setting the scene for a fiction/reality blurring story. Chase and Mayer don’t just point and laugh at how “cringy” fandom is, but actually give the main characters time to show how Blood Mountain had an impact on their lives. They might take things too far, but they’re a lovable duo and I’m rooting for them. Some of the actors, not so much though. Overall: 7.7 Verdict: Buy

Inglorious X-Force #9 (Marvel) – In the penultimate issue of Inglorious X-Force, Tim Seeley, Michael Santa Maria, and Romulo Fajardo go for maximum action and soapiness with just a dash of humor. Domino has a hunch that Cable will assassinate future President Kamala Khan so she forms her own X-Force team to take it out. Seeley and Santa Maria have a lot of fun with the team dynamic although the main cast is more developed and likable. I do want to go back and read the based, hilarious pooch Pug-Smasher’s early appearances. If you like 90s comics with a smidgen more psychological depth and smoother storytelling techniques, then Inglorious X-Force continues to be a solid pickup especially as it builds to a full circle conclusion. Overall: 8.1 Verdict: Buy

Tank Girl: Blue Helmet #1 (Titan) – Alan Martin and Jamie Hewlett take the piss out of the Beats in the full color, Tank Girl: Blue Helmet. Basically, Tank Girl, Booga, and Barney go (literally) on the road with thinly veiled Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg, who end up being repulsed by all the sex, violence, farts, and other shenanigans. This strip is pure anarchy with Martin churning clever, yet sometimes long-winded zingers to match Hewlett’s wild and crazy pictures. My personal favorite bit is when it turns into a Hanna Barbera parody, which kind of, sort of foreshadows Jamie Hewlett’s co-creation of the Gorillaz. Anyways, the moral of the story is that college boys who read books just to get laid are pretty lame. Overall: 8.9 Verdict: Buy

Of the Earth #5 (Image Comics) – Of the Earth #5 is all blood, guts, and black oil from Andrew Ehrich, Chris Condon, and Charlie Adlard. The wildcatter is at his peak powers, and Tabby must find a way to extricate herself from the situation. Red and black are the colors of the day, and there’s lots of tight corners and suspense. Ehrich, Condon, and Adlard nicely bridge the gap between physical and psychological terror as the issue is really one big third act horror film set piece. This would have made a worthy series finale, but luckily there’s more! Overall: 8.7 Verdict: Buy

Event Horizon: Inferno #5 delivers an action focused finale

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Event Horizon: Inferno #5

Daniel Durante thought that he was above the laws of Heaven and Hell. That he could come to this awful place and, as he’d done all his life, take from it what he wanted. Daniel Durante was wrong. Event Horizon: Inferno #5 wraps up the sequel of the tale of a greedy man getting exactly what he wised for!

Event Horizon: Inferno has been an interesting sequel. IDW Publishing has previously given us a prequel to the horror movie Event Horizon with Dark Descent. That prequel comic series shared a lot with the original film in tone and giving us events and answers tied to it. Event Horizon: Inferno as a sequel isn’t as connected, instead focusing on Daniel Durante and his want to getting to the ship and access to hell. In my review of earlier issues, I described the sequel as Aliens to the movie and prequel’s Alien. That sequel was much more action focused as opposed to the original’s more horror leanings. This is similar with Inferno much more of an action oriented story, just set with horrors all around.

Written by Christian Ward, Event Horizon: Inferno #5 keeps that focus as the remaining survivors attempt to make it back to their ship to escape, Durante attempts to get all he desires, and the ship wants to trap everyone to feed itself. The comic really breaks down into two different paths, Durante trying to get what he wants while others scramble and battle their way to safety. It’s a fine ending and works with the previous four issues. On it’s own, it feels a little anticlimactic in some ways with some dialogue falling into the cheese category.

The art by Rob Carey with color by Xenon Honchar and lettering by Alex Ray looks good. Like the story itself, it falls more on the action spectrum of what’s depicted than the horror with the comic mostly featuring red tentacles and a hoard of demons that are a bit hard to really see beyond the blob. This isn’t an issue with the disturbing visuals the property is known for but it’s good overall, doing what it needs to do.

Event Horizon: Inferno #5 feels like a bit of a whimper of an ending but overall it’s good and wraps things up well while leaving things open for more horror to come. There’s a lot of interesting concepts in the series and the finale does a good job of giving its definitive thoughts on some of them. For those into the horror series, it’s one to check out.

Story: Christian Ward Art: Rob Carey
Color: Xenon Honchar Letters: Alex Ray
Story: 7.5 Art: 7.75 Overall: 7.5 Recommendation: Read

IDW Publishing provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

Fixation #1 is an interesting look at toxic fandom

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Fixation #1

When superfan Taylor Van Owens wins a contest to stay in the legendary Mallard house—the most iconic filming location for the hit vampire book turned movie Blood Mountain—she and her best friend Karrah arrive in Vail expecting to sink their fangs into a weekend straight from a fangirl’s dream. The cast has reunited for a tenth-anniversary celebration, devotees have descended on the small town, and nostalgia hangs thick in the air. But shortly before their arrival, a young woman is found dead inside the Mallard house. The death is quickly brushed off as an unstable fan taking her fantasies too far, but rumors swirl as the police quietly open a murder investigation. With cameras rolling and ravenous Blood Mountain buffs to appease, production works overtime to keep the story from leaking, insisting the fandom is “one big family,” but unease spreads through the town. Resentful locals, jealous superfans, sensitive actors, and desperate producers overwhelm Taylor as she moves in a haze through meet-and-greets, vigils, and book signings. Every interaction feels loaded. Every corner holds a potential threat. Every vampire has a taste for blood. And the killer isn’t finished. They’ll stain the town red to ensure they go down in Blood Mountain history. This isn’t just a random act of violence—it’s a crime of passion a decade in the making. Fixation #1 kicks off an interesting concept that feels like it’s a bit of Scream mixed with Twilight and a focus on toxic fandoms.

Written by Amy Chase, Fixation #1 is a pretty solid start introducing the key characters and teasing the killer threatening a fan celebration for a popular book and movie franchise. The comic, and story, feels like it has a few influences and things it’s playing off of, but it all comes together for a nice horror franchise of its own. A superfan wins a contest to stay at the home of the popular film, but a murderer is stalking the town and has some connection, or beef, with the film and its stars.

Fixation #1 could easily just come off as the start of a horror story but Chase delivers interesting moments and plot points that make the debut a nice commentary on entertainment. A cover up by the studio would be enough but the lack of care about how the fandom is treating each other, as well as a shift in attitude when a star is threatened, feels like there’s more that’s being said. It’s a comic that can be enjoyed on multiple levels, from the slasher enthusiast to those looking for something a little more elevated and meta in their horror.

The art by Savanna Mayer is good. The style fits the genre well but there’s a roughness to it that doesn’t quite click for me. When it comes to the art, there’s nothing necessarily negative but overall it doesn’t play with its concept enough. We see the killer far too often, instead of teasing it out. The “scares” don’t really deliver as much as they should or could. It’s a lot more forward with cards on the table as far as what it reveals instead of teasing things and letting the tension build. Mayer is joined by James Fenner on color and Sandy Tanaka on letters and the trio deliver a comic that’s visually good but doesn’t really stand out from the pack.

Fixation #1 is a solid debut that shows off a lot of potential and interesting aspects. It has a little more to say than being a simple slasher and I want to find out more as to what’s going on. Overall, it’s a good start and fans of horror definitely should check it out.

Story: Amy Chase Art: Savanna Mayer
Color: James Fenner Letters: Sandy Tanaka
Story: 7.75 Art: 7.25 Overall: 7.6 Recommendation: Red

IDW Publishing provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

Preview: Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Coastal Chaos #1

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Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Coastal Chaos #1

(W) Andrew Joustra (A) Louie Joyce

Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water… Tales of the TMNT is back! The Turtles once again head down somewhere grimy, smelly, and wet — the Jersey Shore. (Sorry, New Jerseyans!) What starts as a fun family vacation turns into coastal chaos when Mikey almost gets attacked by something with big teeth, a big dorsal fin, and big… arms?! We’re gonna need a bigger shell…

Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Coastal Chaos #1

Preview: TMNT: Journeys #13

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TMNT: Journeys #13

(W) Peter Laird (A) Jim Lawson

Splinter’s death looms large over the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and their allies as they all try to find new purpose in their lives. Donatello is working with the Utroms and runs afoul of a new alien that leads to combat. Raphael is struggling and about to endure the next great change of his life. Casey tries to help April explain the truth behind her identity, who she is, and who her family is. And Michelangelo, acting as an ambassador to Earth for aliens, must help a group of Protoceratons.

TMNT: Journeys #13
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