Tag Archives: dinner date

Mini Reviews: Sabrina the Teenage #1, Midnight X-Men #1, Tales of Wonder #2, Concrete: Stars Over Sand #4, Dinner Date #1

Sabrina the Teenage Witch #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

Sabrina the Teenage Witch #1 (Oni Press) – Corinna Bechko and Kano’s Sabrina the Teenage Witch #1 seamlessly mixes teen drama and horror with a pop of color. Kano’s cartooning is agile, especially when Sabrina is freaking out about her powers and new imp-ish energy. Also, Bechko sets up a magic system for the series, but doesn’t forget the part. As an added bonus, cartoonist extraordinaire Nick Cagnetti illustrates a four page backup about the witch/familiar relationship. This new Sabrina series hits right in the middle between the supermarket digests and Chilling Adventures, which is perfect for an ongoing series. Overall: 8.1 Verdict: Buy

Midnight X-Men #1 (Marvel) – Vampires and X-Men are two of my favorite things so Midnight X-Men #1 was an easy sell to me. And it lives up to the hype as Jonathan Hickman, Matteo Della Fonte, and Arthur Helsi build a vicious, theocratic world with the faintest sliver of heroism. One thing I’ve enjoyed about Hickman’s writing over the years is that he has mastered the build up to an “Oh shit” water cooler moment in key issues of his runs. He pulls another one off in Midnight X-Men #1, and Della Fonte’s design add even more gravity to the sequence. And this is in addition to Stryker and Nightcrawler’s religious debates, some weird science, and one hell of a romance. As a former X-Men fan fic reader, I love a doomed ship, and Jonathan Hickman basically centers the hook of this new comic around one. Overall: 8.5 Verdict: Buy

Tales of Wonder #2 (Image) – This book is worth reading just for the nine panel grid of sequence of thinly veiled Stan Lee and Jack Kirby analogues beating the crap out of each other. But for all the meta-ness in Steve Skroce’s script, this is mostly big, loud superheroics drawn in loving detail and flashily colored by Ian Herring. Sometimes you want to pontificate on how Lee was an asshole, but sometimes you want to see a jacked patriot, bear, sexy witch, and vomiting fly thing kick butt. Overall: 7.9 Verdict: Buy

Concrete: Stars Over Sand #4 (Dark Horse) – Paul Chadwick showcases his range as a cartoonist in Concrete #4 offering visceral thrills and reflective moments. Maureen escaping from the broken helicopter is an action film in miniature and is pure adrenaline while Larry tries to break through to a semi-amnesiac Concrete. The issue predominantly focuses on Concrete’s cognitive state after he was struck by lightning, and the unvarnished truth is that it’s not good. There’s a mournfulness to Chadwick’s writing that matches his hero’s confusion. But there are sparks of light and humor like when Concrete joke about, well, concrete lands at his keynote speech at a concrete conference. Overall: 8.6 Verdict: Buy

Dinner Date #1 (Ignition) – Vampires, online dating, the gig economy, and the “good for her” subgenre all collide in Dinner Date #1. Joanna Starer crafts two whip-smart, yet messy and likable protagonists in Izzy and Syd while Khary Randolph and Emilio Lopez bring the immersive NYC after dark visuals. Dinner Date draws on the sad and bleak reality of being a woman in 2026, but add blood, fangs, and delicious sense of humor. I enjoy how Starer and Randolph start the story as a straight up sapphic romance before giving it a genre twist. This is the kind of comic I need in spooky season. Overall: 9 Verdict: Buy

Dinner Date #1 is a solid start to a somewhat twisted horror rom-com

Modern dating is rough. No one likes being on the apps, but it’s not much easier meeting people IRL. Especially when they might turn you into a vampire without warning. This is exactly what happened to Syd. She was only trying to get over her toxic ex—whom she may still drunkenly text from time to time—not looking to have her life totally changed. She thought finding the right guy before was hard, but now she has an unquenchable thirst for blood. Her dating pool has suddenly become her food chain!

Meanwhile, Izzy has been trying to make her dreams a reality in the Big Apple, though right now she’s part of the gig economy working as a rideshare driver. When Syd ends up in the back of Izzy’s car, there is an instant connection. Is this love at first sight, or will it all end with one bite?

Story: Joanne Starer
Art: Khary Randolph
Color: Emilio Lopez
Letterer: Andworld Design

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Zeus Comics


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Dinner Date #1 joins the October 7 Midnight Release Party

Ignition Press has announced it is celebrating the release of the new limited series Dinner Date #1 from Sirens of the City creators Joanne Starer and Khary Randolph by authorizing comic shops to begin selling the debut issue just after midnight on New Comic Book Day on October 7th.

Dinner Date #1 joins the impressive lineup of other midnight release titles, including Marvel’s launch of the Midnight Line (Midnight Spider-Man #1, Midnight X-Men #1, and Midnight Fantastic Four #1) as well as Oni Press/Archie Comic’s release of Sabrina the Teenage Witch #1 and Rob Liefeld’s Avengelyne #1 Midnight Variant from Image Comics.

Starer and Randolph’s vampire rom-com fits perfectly among the seasonally spooky offerings participating in the midnight release, and is just the first of the pair’s multiple projects coming from Ignition Press. Fans eager to get their hands on Dinner Date #1 even earlier can do so at Baltimore Comic-Con from September 25th – 27th with the special show exclusive cover by Alitha Martinez and Emilio Lopez, limited to only 500 copies.

Modern dating is rough. No one likes being on the apps, but it’s not much easier meeting people IRL. Especially when they might turn you into a vampire without warning. 

This is exactly what happened to Syd. She was only trying to get over her toxic ex—whom she may still drunkenly text from time to time—not looking to have her life totally changed. She thought finding the right guy before was hard, but now she has an unquenchable thirst for blood. Her dating pool has suddenly become her food chain! 

Meanwhile, Izzy has been trying to make her dreams a reality in the Big Apple, though right now she’s part of the gig economy working as a rideshare driver. When Syd ends up in the back of Izzy’s car, there is an instant connection. Is this love at first sight, or will it all end with one bite? 

Ignition Press Sponsors Ringo Awards and Baltimore Comic-Con 2026 Badges

Cover of the comic book 'Dinner Date' featuring a dark-haired woman applying lipstick while looking at her reflection. The background includes a colorful, stylized image of a man standing in a doorway. The title 'DINNER ♥ DATE' is prominently displayed at the top.

Ignition Press is heading to Baltimore Comic-Con from September 25th-27th, 2026 at the Inner Harbor’s Baltimore Convention Center, with a Gold Sponsorship for the Ringo Awards and special Murder Podcast-branded badges for attendees of the show. Additionally, the publisher is partnering with the convention for the early debut of Dinner Date #1 by Joanne Starer and Khary Randolph with a Baltimore Comic-Con exclusive cover by Alitha Martinez and Emilio Lopez, available for purchase at the Show Exclusives Booth located in the hall lobby. The show exclusive is limited to 500 copies available to the public, each one featuring a unique serial number. Fans can meet cover artist Martinez at the show at Booth #1710. Tickets are now available online!

Fans can meet some of their favorite Ignition Press creators at Booth #1901, including Olivia Dufault and Rebekah Isaacs, the creative team behind Prima Apparata; Dan Watters, writer of Mad Science Division; and Jeremy Haun, writer of The Folk of Dooney Hollow and The Beauty. Guests of Baltimore Comic Con also include Dave Wachter (Bad Thoughts) at Booth #2101 and Shawn Martinbrough (Murder Podcast) at Booth #205.

Ignition Press is proud to be a Gold Sponsor of the Mike Wieringo Comic Book Industry Awards—more commonly known as the Ringo Awards—which is an annual celebration of the creativity, skill and fun of comics. The publisher is thrilled to celebrate a nomination for Best Series with Murder Podcast from Jeremy Haun and Mike Tisserand, and celebrates nominations of Stefano Simeone (NO Place) for Best Colorist, Tula Lotay (Minotaur, Voyeur) for Best Cover Artist, and Riley Rossmo (Mad Science Division, Deluge) for Best Cover Artist. Attendees of the Ringo Awards will enjoy Prima Apparata-branded badges where co-creators Dufault and Isaacs will be among the award presenters. The publisher will also contribute to the Ringo Awards famous gift bag.

The publisher will host the Doing Comics Differently: Ignition Press Year One and Beyond panel on Saturday, September 26th at 11:00am in Room 343.

Join Ignition Press co-founders Filip Sablik (Publisher) and Jeremy Haun (Creative Director), along with an all-star panel of comic creators—Olivia Dufault (Prima Apparata), Rebekah Isaacs (Prima Apparata), Dave Wachter (Bad Thoughts), and Dan Watters (Mad Science Division)—reflect on their record-setting inaugural year, discuss thrilling upcoming series, and unlock announcements for their next phase of publishing. Plus, every attendee will receive a free gift for attending!

Preview: Dinner Date #1

Dinner Date #1

Written by Joanne Starer
Illustrated by Khary Randolph
Colors by Emilio Lopez
Cover A by Khary Randolph
Cover B by Steve Lieber
Cover C (Retailer Incentive) by Corin Howell

Modern dating is rough.

No one likes being on the apps, but it’s not much easier meeting people IRL. Especially when they might turn you into a vampire without warning.

This is exactly what happened to Syd. She was only trying to get over her toxic ex—whom she may still drunkenly text from time to time—not looking to have her life totally changed. She thought finding the right guy before was hard, but now she has an unquenchable thirst for blood. Her dating pool has suddenly become her food chain!

Meanwhile, Izzy has been trying to make her dreams a reality in the Big Apple, though right now she’s part of the gig economy working as a rideshare driver. When Syd ends up in the back of Izzy’s car, there is an instant connection. Is this love at first sight, or will it all end with one bite?

Dinner Date #1