Tag Archives: die: loaded

Mini Reviews: Die Loaded #10, Amazing Spider-Man Halloween Special, Inglorious X-Force #10

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Comic book cover featuring a woman with long white hair and flowers in her hair, surrounded by glowing flames and geometric shapes. The title 'DIE' is prominently displayed along with the words 'LOADED' and '10'.

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

Die Loaded #10 (Image) – This issue is really an excuse for Stephanie Hans to draw cool, dungeon crawling action as the party reaches the Dreamlands. She and Kieron Gillen part the veil on many of the inner workings of Die too. However, my favorite bit of this issue is the last third where Sophie learns that Ash was a very different person in the world of the game. I’m excited to see how the last two issues unpack their relationship as well as its effect on Sophie’s journey and her struggle trying to get her spouse’s friends’ undead kids and mom out. Overall: 8.1 Verdict: Buy

Amazing Spider-Man Halloween Special (Marvel) – Just in time for spooky season, Justina Ireland and Mike Hawthorne gift us with a fun stand-alone Spidey yarn where he must save the holiday with the help of frenemy Hallow’s Eve. Hallow’s Eve’s different-powered masks make for an engaging and clever story, especially when she messes with Spidey’s powers, and he must get creative to save the day. Ireland even goes into Hallow’s Eve’s motivation to not go full hero, and she and Hawthorne bring plenty of humor to the book. As backups, we’ve got a whimsical story from Lee Gatlin about Sinister Six trick or treaters, and Ty Templeton bringing Peanuts style gag strips to the Marvel Universe. I’d honestly read the Templeton stories more than the actual main universe ones. Overall: 8.8 Verdict: Buy

Inglorious X-Force #10 (Marvel) – I wasn’t a big fan of Inglorious X-Force’s final timey wimey plot, but I’ve come to love the volatile combination of Kamala Khan, Boom Boom, Cable, Hellverine, and Archangel. I will definitely follow them over to Fugitive X-Force. But Inglorious X-Force #10 is kind of a mess and is full of paradoxes and keywords. Thankfully, Michael Santa Maria and Romulo Fajardo bring the amped up 90s aesthetic and have enough subtlety to assist Tim Seeley with character grace notes like Boom Boom’s rise to leadership and Kamala Khan getting a glimpse of her future. (I live for President Khan!) Overall: 7.6 Verdict: Read

Mini Reviews: Hellraiser Resurrections: The Deep Gospel #1, Die Loaded #9, Absolute Green Arrow #5, Talespin #2

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Absolute Green Arrow #5

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

Hellraiser Resurrections: The Deep Gospel #1 (BOOM! Studios) – I’ll preface this review, but I’m saying I’m not super knowledgeable about the Hellraiser franchise except for the original film and the 2022 remake. However, Tini Howard and Jenna Cha offer an exquisite maternal heroine’s journey for the female Cenobite who is cast down by the Engineer and claws her way up to the top through her own gumption and knowledge of the rules of this complex society. I relished in her tough love interactions with the neophyte cenobites, and Cha and Brad Simpson offer twisted visions of underworlds, blood, and twisted flesh. I was definitely lost in some places, but I have a new badass character to follow and enjoy and want to check out some of the other one-shots in the series. Overall: 7.9 Verdict: Buy

Die Loaded #9 (Image Comics) – Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans basically do Treasure Island, but make it horror in Die Loaded #9. It’s cool watching Sophie come into her own maneuvering through the complex world of Die with three Fallen in tow plus a crew of easily suggestible embryonic adventurers. Isabelle plays a key role in this issue and makes the first volume of the series seem even creepier with Hans getting (literally) Lovecraftian with her art style. With debts, compromises, and unruly children, Die Loaded is far from a fantasy, but Gillen and Stephanie Hans offer a glimpse of one towards this issue’s conclusion. This is definitely the drowning in the deep ocean/trapped in the dark woods stage of the story. Overall: 8.3 Verdict: Buy

Absolute Green Arrow #5 (DC) – Flashbacks grapple with Oliver Queen’s moral code and legacy while in the current day, the Green Arrow Killer and Dinah Lance must escape Hector Hammond’s clutches in Absolute Green Arrow #5. Pornsak Pichetshote and Rafael Albuquerque continue to make the billionaire class their punching bag in this gritty superhero book, which has added a body horror aspect thanks to the appearance of Solomon Grundy. Musk, Thiel, Epstein, and wannabe/failed immortal Bryan Johnson are all in Absolute Green Arrow’s crosshairs while it’s still a solid mystery story about Dinah trying to make her way in a corrupt world. The action is literally explosive in this installment with harsh flat colors from Marcelo Maiolo capturing the pain Green Arrow and Dinah feel as they fight for their lives. Finally, this issue is full of perfectly timed reveals that shift the series’ focus. Overall: 8.8 Verdict: Buy

Disney Talespin #2 (Dynamite) – Talespin #2 is a little cheesier than the first installment with a plethora of jam puns, but Amanda Deibert and Carlo Lauro continue to put Baloo and Kit for the wringer as they lose a delivery job to a “flashier” replacement. The comic pits style vs substance, and sadly substance doesn’t pay the bills as Baloo’s wife again has a discussion about him selling the Sea Duck. This story sets up the Khan Corporation as an important player in the series as well as more opportunities for Lauro to showcase his skill at drawing fancy flying. But it’s less charming than issue one and more like one of those cartoon episodes you’d skip or throw on in the background. Overall: 6.8 Verdict: Pass

Mini Reviews: Hello Kitty: Hello World #1, Die Loaded #8

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Hello Kitty and Friends: Hello World #1

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

Hello Kitty and Friends: Hello World #1 (IDW Publishing) – Hello Kitty has its cake (Or in this story, cinnamon roll) and can eat it too with adorable characters and engaging narrative with a genre shifting cliffhanger. Mariko Tamaki has a grasp on what makes every Sanrio character uniquely adorable and uses Hello Kitty’s podcast to introduce us to this world. (This job works for her protagonist vibe.) Cody Lemieux’s layouts have a snapshot vibe like the camera Hello Kitty uses to get pics of her friends, and I especially enjoyed his lush double page spread of the cast’s various homes. The cuteness still works even as the genre shifts from slice of life to true crime, but Tamaki and Lemieux keep things all ages instead of going for deconstruction and cynicism. If you own at least one Sanrio item, do yourself a favor and pick up this book. Overall: 8.0 Verdict: Buy

Die Loaded #8 (Image Comics) – Die Loaded goes swashbuckling adventure of a sort in issue 8. Kieron Gillen keeps a firm handle on Sophie mothering and improvising her way through undead children, gods, and various bullshit before latching onto a story that she knows the inner workings of. This is while in the background, the political and epic worldbuilding bit of Die starts to take off again. Stephanie Hans’ art continues to be glorious, especially her and letterer Clayton Cowles’ work with the different gods. The characters of Die still sound ordinary, but she gives them an ethereal sheen. Die Loaded #8 is a pivotal book in the series with a memorable double page spread, but continues its strong characterization. Overall: 8.8 Verdict: Buy

Witchblade passes the Gauntlet around with Team-Up Variants this September

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Image Comics and Top Cow have revealed a line-wide Witchblade Team-Up variant covers in celebration of the milestone Witchblade (2024) #25 issue’s premiere this September. Some of the biggest names in comics will put their artistic spin on Witchblade as its iconic characters make an appearance across the covers of some of Image’s most popular ongoing series.

Witchblade is a comic book series published by Top Cow Productions, which ran from November 1995 to October 2015 and December 2017 to January 2020. The series was created by Marc Silvestri, David Wohl, Brian Haberlin, and Michael Turner. The comic series was made into a TNT television series in 2001 and was directed by Ralph Hemecher and starred Yancy Butler as Sara Pezzini. Later, Top Cow and Japanese animation studio Gonzo produced an anime adaptation of Witchblade, which debuted in 2006.

Marguerite Bennett and Guiseppe Cafaro’s current run on Witchblade (2024) features a reimagined origin, with contemporary takes on familiar characters, as well as fresh story arcs to hook new fans and rekindle the energy and excitement that fueled the ’90s Image Revolution. New York City Police Detective Sara Pezzini’s life is forever fractured by her father’s murder. Cold, cunning, and hellbent on revenge, Sara now stalks a vicious criminal cabal beneath the city, where an ancient power collides and transforms her into something wild, magnificent, and beyond her darkest imaginings. How will Sara use this ancient power? …Or will she be consumed by it?

Witchblade will appear on the covers of:

Available at comic book shops on Wednesday, September 2:

  • Royals #6 Cover G Witchblade Team-Up by Jacob Perez – UPC: 70985304634900671
  • Tales of Wonder #1 Cover H Witchblade Team-Up by Steve Skroce & Neeraj Menon – UPC: 70985304861900181

Available at comic book shops on Wednesday, September 9:

  • Blood & Thunder #17 Cover E Witchblade Team-Up by Ej Su & Dee Cunniffe – UPC: 70985304317101751
  • Death Vigil (2026) #2 Cover B Witchblade Team-Up by Stjepan Sejic – UPC: 70985304830500221
  • Geiger #25 Cover F Witchblade Team-Up by Gary Frank & Brad Anderson – UPC: 70985303965502561
  • Starhenge Book Two: A Kiss for Atticus #3 Cover G Witchblade Team-Up by Liam Sharp – UPC: 70985304788900361
  • Witchblade (2024) #25 Cover C Connecting Witchblade Team-Up by Pat Boutin & Steve Firchow – UPC: 70985304035402531

Available at comic book shops on Wednesday, September 16:

  • The Darkness (2025) #8 Cover C Connecting Witchblade Team-Up by Pat Boutin & Steve Firchow – UPC: 70985304537300831
  • Die: Loaded #9 Cover C Witchblade Team-Up by Caspar Wijngaard – UPC: 70985304496300931
  • Exquisite Corpses: Fox Mask Killer #1 Cover I Witchblade Team-Up by Michael Walsh – UPC: 70985304858900191
  • Kaya #37 Cover C Witchblade Team-Up by Wes Craig – UPC: 70985303591603731
  • Monstress #64 Cover B Witchblade Team-Up by Sana Takeda – UPC: 70985302020206421
  • Regicide #2 Cover E Witchblade Team-Up by Akila Gabriel – UPC: 70985304831200251
  • Something Epic #15 Cover D Witchblade Team-Up by Szymon Kudrański – UPC: 70985303738501541

Available at comic book shops on Wednesday, September 23:

  • Badrock #3 Cover E Witchblade Team-Up by Rob Liefeld – UPC: 70985304712400351
  • Bug Wars: The Coming of The Wardoom #2 Cover C Witchblade Team-Up by  Justin Mason – UPC: 70985304828200231
  • Invincible Universe: Capes #11 Cover F Witchblade Team-Up by Mark Englert – UPC: 70985304498701161
  • Crimes Against Nature #1 Cover E Witchblade Team-Up by Gavin Smith – UPC: 70985304857200151
  • The Department of Truth #39 Cover D Witchblade Team-Up by Letizia Cadonici – UPC: 70985303032403941
  • D’Orc #8 Cover C Witchblade Team-Up by Brett Bean – UPC: 70985304572400831
  • The Eye Collector #4 Cover C Witchblade Team-Up by GMB Chomichuk – UPC: 70985304709400431
  • Feral #26 Cover D Witchblade Team-Up by Trish Forstner & Tim Seeley – UPC: 70985303949502641
  • Ghost Pepper #15 Cover F Witchblade Team-Up by Ludo Lullabi – UPC: 70985304394201561
  • M1: Monster Racing League #4 Cover B Witchblade Team-Up by Jae Lee – UPC: 70985304702500421
  • Radiant Black #44 Cover C Witchblade Team-Up by Marcelo Costa – UPC: 70985303068304461
  • Yumi: 00EX #2 Cover C Witchblade Team-Up by Chris Bachalo – UPC: 70985304832900231

Available at comic book shops on Wednesday, September 30:

  • Final Boss #10 Cover D Witchblade Team-Up by Tyler Kirkham – UPC: 70985304494901041
  • Hammerfist #2 Cover C Witchblade Team-Up by Brett Parson – UPC: 70985304826800231
  • Hyde Street #13 Cover E Witchblade Team-Up by Ivan Reis & Danny Miki – UPC: 70985304127601331
  • Spawn #379 Cover C Witchblade Team-Up by Brett Booth – UPC: 70985300214737931

Mini Reviews: Die Loaded #7

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Die Loaded #7

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

Die Loaded #7 (Image) – Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans use TTRPG, fantasy, and even fandom tropes to explore to deep human feelings about things like motherhood after IVF and living with dementia in Die Loaded #7. After the chaos of the previous arc, Sophie and Tommy have started taking over the role of team “parents” and more importantly voices of reason. Throughout the issue, they navigate ethical struggles and hard choices connected to their past lives in the “real world”.

Hans brings a grave line and dark palette to these glimpses in contrast with the more stylized horror fantasy vibes of most of the series. However, Die Loaded #7 isn’t all doom and gloom ; I got a chuckle from Die’s denizens cosplaying as human IT workers/Linux evangelists.

Overall: 8.7 Verdict: Buy

Preview: DIE: Loaded #7

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DIE: Loaded #7

(W) Kieron Gillen (A) Stephanie Hans

A missing party member. No way to get home. What to do? It’s time to get good. But when our cast is falling apart, can they even remember to take the first step? A new dramatic arc for this hit book.

DIE: Loaded #7

Preview: DIE: Loaded Vol. 1 – Zero Sessions

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DIE: Loaded Vol. 1 – Zero Sessions

(W) Kieron Gillen (A) Stephanie Hans

What if the fantasy game you played as a teenager became real—and refused to let you go? The cult-favorite, “goth Jumanji” series returns for an epic new story of a dark fantasy adventure game gone horrifically right or wonderfully wrong.

A year after their return from the hellish game world, the players gather for Chuck’s wake. They’ve finished with the game. The game isn’t finished with them. The three-time Hugo Award-nominated series is back. Get ready to roll initiative. Who’s going to DIE this time?

Collects DIE: LOADED issues #1-6.

DIE: Loaded Vol. 1 – Zero Sessions

Die: Loaded Kicks Off a New Story Arc this July

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Bestselling creative duo Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans will usher in an all-new story arc for Die: Loaded. Die: Loaded #7 will kick off a dramatic new chapter and hit shelves from Image Comics this July.

A missing party member. No way to get home. What to do? It’s time to get good. But when our cast is falling apart, can they even remember to take the first step?

Over the course of its original run, Die topped Image Comics’ sales charts, with multiple distributor-level sellouts and strong reorder activity fueling its rise. Often described as “goth Jumanji,” the series has gained a cult following since its 2019 debut and helped spark a wave of RPG-inspired storytelling.

Die: Loaded #7 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, July 8:

  • Cover A by Hans
  • Cover B by Aleksi Briclot
Die: Loaded #7
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