Tag Archives: fco plascencia

Dark consequences to Spawn’s actions will bear out in The Curse of Sherlee Johnson this May

Todd McFarlane Productions will unveil a bold new chapter in the Spawn Universe with the launch of a chilling new series—The Curse of Sherlee Johnson by Daniel Henriques and Jonathan Glapion—this May from Image Comics.

This double-length, emotionally charged, visually-striking premiere will mark Henriques’ writing debut and Glapion’s first ever interiors. It will be brought to life with the stunning colorwork of industry veteran FCO Plascencia and take readers into unknown corners of the Spawn Universe.

At the heart of this new saga is Sherlee Johnson, a seven-year-old whose death at the hands of the notorious serial killer Billy Kincaid rocked readers back in Spawn #5 and set off a chain of unforeseen consequences. Now Sherlee is reborn—transformed and armed with mysterious powers—yet still struggles with the loss of her previous life. She must navigate a brutal, unforgiving world alongside the enigmatic Stranger, as she wrestles with lingering pain and the pressures of a newfound purpose and destiny.

The highly collectible Spawn #5 issue—which first hit shelves in 1992—will be brought back to print for fans eager to revisit Sherlee’s original appearance and see where it all began.

This new standalone series offers an accessible entry point for new readers while rewarding long-time fans with unexpected appearances and deep connections to the larger Spawn Universe. With its intense storytelling and focus on the cost of heroism, The Curse Of Sherlee Johnson is set to be a must-read for anyone ready to explore the darker corners of the Spawn Universe.

The Curse of Sherlee Johnson #1 will launch with 48 pages of gripping storytelling and dynamic artwork for $5.99 and will feature four highly anticipated covers. It will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, May 21:

  • Cover A by Glapion – Lunar Code 0325IM243
  • Cover B by Todd McFarlane – Lunar Code 0325IM244
  • Cover C Virgin B&W Variant by McFarlane – Lunar Code 0325IM245
  • Cover D blank sketch cover – Lunar Code 0325IM246

The City of Owls Fanhome Edition… there’s better options to read this story

Fanhome has launched The Legends of Batman, an expansive series of hardcover graphic novels featuring the greatest adventures of DC’s legendary Caped Crusader.

This incredible series of stories brings Batman’s life story together in an epic full-color collection.

The Legends of Batman Collection includes the best and most essential Batman adventures by legendary creative teams. The collection forms an expansive overall narrative that begins with Batman’s origin in Year Zero and culminates in Batman Year 100.

The Fanhome The Legends of Batman collection delivers a modern classic: The City of Owls!

Collecting: Batman #8-12, Batman Annual #1

Subscribe

Story: Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV
Art: Greg Capullo, Jonathan Glapion, Rafael Albuquerque, Jason Fabok, Becky Cloonan, Andy Clarke, Sandu Florea
Color: FCO Plascencia, Dave McCaig, Peter Steigerwald, Nathan Fairbairn
Letterer: Richard Starkings, Jimmy Betancourt, Sal Cipriano, Dezi Sienty, Patrick Brosseau


Fanhome provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

The Court of Owls Fanhome Edition… there’s better options to read this story

Fanhome has launched The Legends of Batman, an expansive series of hardcover graphic novels featuring the greatest adventures of DC’s legendary Caped Crusader.

This incredible series of stories brings Batman’s life story together in an epic full-color collection.

The Legends of Batman Collection includes the best and most essential Batman adventures by legendary creative teams. The collection forms an expansive overall narrative that begins with Batman’s origin in Year Zero and culminates in Batman Year 100.

The Fanhome The Legends of Batman collection delivers a classic: The Court of Owls!

Collecting: Batman #1-7

Subscribe

Story: Scott Snyder
Art: Greg Capullo
Ink: Jonathan Glapion
Color: FCO Plascencia
Letterer: Richard Starkings, Jimmy Betancourt


Fanhome provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Batman: Zero Year Part 2 (Fanhome Edition) wraps up the solid Batman tale by Snyder and Capullo

Fanhome has launched The Legends of Batman, an expansive series of hardcover graphic novels featuring the greatest adventures of DC’s legendary Caped Crusader.

This incredible series of stories brings Batman’s life story together in an epic full-color collection.

The Legends of Batman Collection includes the best and most essential Batman adventures by legendary creative teams. The collection forms an expansive overall narrative that begins with Batman’s origin in Year Zero and culminates in Batman Year 100.

The Fanhome The Legends of Batman collection continues with Batman: Zero Year Vol. 2

Collecting: Batman #27 and #29-33

Subscribe

Story: Scott Snyder
Art: Greg Capullo
Ink: Danny Miki
Color: FCO Plascencia


Fanhome provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Wolverine Revenge #1 is a shallow popcorn revenge tale

Wolverine Revenge #1

In Wolverine Revenge #1, the world has been turned upside down. Asteroid M has been destroyed and Magneto, in his death, has set off an EMP that has fried technology across much of the world. On top of the deaths from Asteroid M’s fall, the world is on the brink as a lack of technology and power threaten billions. Enter Wolverine, who is recruited by Nick Fury and what remains of S.H.I.E.L.D. to try to save the day, but the mission goes sideways and all that remains now is revenge.

Wolverine Revenge #1 brings together two titans in the industry, writer Jonathan Hickman and artist Greg Capullo for a story that’s a bit silly, a bit jarring, and like a big budget popcorn film, not much depth.

The first issue is the set up to get us to that “revenge” aspect of things. Wolverine’s on a mission with some big names but the story quickly takes them off the board in a rather shallow way leaving no shock, no connection, and a big shrug and sigh about it all. The comic is action without any feeling for the characters or what has happened to the world.

Hickman’s story has some meat to its bones but it’s rather lean rushing us through any key moment to get us to care about what’s going on. Visuals as to the chaos on the ground would help. Giving us supporting characters that are more than “red shirts” would help with the surprise as to what happens. Overall, the issue feels like it goes through the motions to get us to what we came for, Wolverine tearing stuff up, but that’s not until the second issue.

Wolverine Revenge #1 is supposed to be Greg Capullo’s big return to Marvel, showing off his skills that have been highlighted so well with other publishers, but even that feels like nothing special. Character proportions feel odd. The deaths of the characters leave little surprise and are done in a way that doesn’t shock. It’s not until the very end there’s anything that’s visually interesting, but even then, that’s muddled. There’s little visually here that says big return and the comic feels like it’s out of the 00s visually at times.

Wolverine Revenge #1 has potential for something interesting but this first issue isn’t it. Odd choices visually and a story that rushes through things doesn’t help, it leaves a weird disconnect between the reader and events. We’re told far too much, shown too little, and left with no emotional connection or care for what happens. It’s point is to get to the end so the real story can begin. When there’s so many more visceral and emotional Wolverine stories out there, it’s hard to recommend this one as one to check out.

Story: Jonathan Hickman Art: Greg Capullo
Ink: Tim Towdsend Color: FCO Plascencia Letterer: Cory Petit
Story: 6.5 Art: 6.75 Overall: 6.5 Recommendation: Pass

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review


Purchase: TFAWZeus ComicsKindle

Batman: Zero Year Part 1 (Fanhome Edition) is a nice start to the subscription service

Fanhome has announced the launch of The Legends of Batman, an expansive series of hardcover graphic novels featuring the greatest adventures of DC’s legendary Caped Crusader.

This incredible series of stories brings Batman’s life story together in an epic full-color collection.

The Legends of Batman Collection includes the best and most essential Batman adventures by legendary creative teams. The collection forms an expansive overall narrative that begins with Batman’s origin in Year Zero and culminates in Batman Year 100.

The Fanhome The Legends of Batman collection kicks off with Batman: Zero Year Vol. 1

Collecting: Batman #21 to #26

Subscribe

Story: Scott Snyder
Art: Greg Capullo, Rafael Albuquerque
Ink: Danny Miki
Color: FCO Plascencia, Dave McCaig


Fanhome provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Batman: The Court of Owls gets collected in a new way, DC’s new digest format!

Graphic novels to read anywhere: DC Compact Comics collect DC’s bestselling, most iconic stories in a new size! Get eleven issues of Batman covering the Court of Owls saga for just $9.99!

Story: Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV
Art: Greg Capullo, Rafael Albuquerque
Ink: Jonathan Glapion
Color: FCO Plascencia, Nathan Fairbairn, Dave McCaig
Letterer: Richard Starkings, Jimmy Bentacourt, Pat Brosseau, Dezi Sienty

Get your copy in comic shops! To find a comic shop near you, visit http://www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook or digitally and online with the links below.

Bookshop
Amazon
Kindle


This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, we’ll receive a percentage of the sale. Graphic Policy does purchase items from this site. Making purchases through these links helps support the site

Rat City #1 delivers an ok start

Rat City #1

Peter Cairn is an ex-soldier, an amputee, and a Hellspawn in a post-war future. But Peter’s not dead like Al. Peter got his Spawn powers from the nanites in his prosthetic legs-nanites that were affected when Al Simmons initiated his necroplasmic detonation in the present. Al had no clue that the effects would ripple across not just space, and but time as well. Rat City #1 delivers a middling entry in the Spawn mythos.

Written by Erica Schultz, Rat City #1 has a lot of potential going in. Set in the future, it could deliver an interesting take on Spawn and technology. But instead, we get a drawn out debut that is rather boring in the end teasing what could have been. Schultz is a talented writer whose work on Hallow’s Eve, Bylines in Blood, and more have delivered some entertaining reads. But, all of that makes Rat City #1 a bit more of a letdown.

The concept of a future Spawn is interesting. One, who is powered by nanites delivers an ample opportunity for an exploration into AI, technology, and “ghosts in the machines.” But, Rat City #1 gives us a debut that drags on introducing us to Peter Cairn, not enough setting up what’s the clear villains, and unfortunately ties into something Al Simmons has done. I haven’t read the main Spawn series for quite some time, so a “necroplasmic detonation” has little interest for me and makes me, a “new” reader, feel like I need to go read whatever is going on in Spawn to really understand what’s happening with this comic.

Schultz delivers an interesting character in Cairn. While he does horrible things, he also comes off as having some set of rules. And Schultz presents him as a discarded soldier which again has a lot of potential. Where the comic falls short is really mining that. Diving into a soldier no longer needed and discarded by a healthcare system is something that could set itself apart from the other Spawn series. But, with teases of conspiracy and the technology/healthcare company just presented as assholes, the comic takes its most interesting aspects and minimizes them. Cairn attempts to live a normal life after everything, but the comic doesn’t spend enough time exploring that, building up Cairn as a character. Add in some bad dialogue and overall it’s a debut of missed opportunity.

The art by Zé Carlos has its moments and overall style is nice but it too feels like a missed opportunity. With color by Jay David Ramos, FCO Plascencia, and Marcello Iozolli and lettering by Schultz the design of the world and characters are rather uninspired. While it looks good, we’ve seen tech enhanced characters in Wetworks and Cyberforce and each has much more interesting designs. The world itself looks like The Fifth Element as well, leaving a lot to be desired as far as the creativity of it all.

Rat City #1 feels like an interesting opportunity that falls short. It ties itself a bit too much to whatever is going on in Spawn instead of building upon themes and concepts from the original series in new and interesting ways. While there’s a lot of potential, it drags along not using the extra-length issue to make its main character interesting and one we want to learn more about. Add in some rather odd dialogue and you have a debut that’s serviceable but doesn’t hook the reader. Unless you’re really into Spawn and the “necroplasmic detonation,” this is one you can generally skip.

Story: Erica Schultz Art: Zé Carlos
Color: Jay David Ramos, FCO Plascencia, Marcello Iozolli Letterer: Erica Schultz
Story: 7.0 Art: 7.3 Overall: 7.0 Recommendation: Read

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review


Purchase: Zeus ComicsKindle

Mini Reviews: Spider-Punk and Sam and Twitch

Spider-Punk: Arms Race #2

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

Spider-Punk: Arms Race #2 (Marvel) – I’m having a lot of fun with the sequel to Cody Ziglar and Justin Mason‘s ass-kicking and anti-fascist af Spider-Punk series. Arms Race #2 puts the onus on the mini’s villain, Doc Ock, who goes on anti-capitalist rants and is generally menacing. There’s a lot of the anarchism of Heath Ledger’s Joker in his characterization coupled with a desire to be “superior”. On the good guy side, the banter between the Spider-band continues to be fun, and the addition of the Wakandans adds some tension, multiculturalism, and cooler technology. But the highlight of the series continues to be the action scenes with gorgeous double page spreads, powerful poses, and splashy colors from Morry Hollowell. Never has a beatdown of the Rhino looked so epic, and Ziglar and Mason make good use of the Spider-band’s unique power sets with Mattea Murdock’s Daredevil getting the big finishing move in this issue. Overall: 8.1 Verdict: Buy

Sam and Twitch Case Files #1 (Image) Sam and Twitch Case Files #1 is a cliche-ridden police procedural from Todd McFarlane, Jon Goff, Szymon Kudranski, and FCO Plascencia. The opening and closing feature unique layouts, eye-catching imagery, and true intrigue, but is dragged down by the police brutality-filled middle section as well as the biggest cop story cliche. (Being suspended and then immediately hopping on a case.) Sam’s blustering viciousness doesn’t really hold up in 2024, and Twitch is really just a wet blanket until the last couple pages. In addition to this, the dialogue is cringeworthy in some spots like McFarlane and Goff trying to capture some banter between young people with random Mario Kart-related insults. Also, Tom Orzechowski is one of the lettering greats, but the lack of speech bubbles makes following the speaking order more difficult and hurts the flow of the story in some spots. If you really need a Sam and Twitch fix, you’re better off picking up the old Bendis/Maleev issues from the 1990s. At least, the dialogue will be better. Overall: 5.5 Verdict: Pass

Review: Spawn’s Universe #1

Spawn's Universe #1

Big things are happening in Spawn’s universe expanding the world beyond the title character. The hope is to spawn (no pun intended) a universe of stories. Spawn’s Universe #1 is the next step in creator Todd McFarlane‘s plan to do exactly that.

Spawn’s Universe #1 is home to a lot of great comic artists and I thought they all knocked it out of the park. Whether it was Jim Cheung doing the main character, or Brett Booth on Gunslinger, Stephen Segovia working with Medieval, or Marcio Takara on art for She-Spawn’s story, I thought all of the artists working on this issue really nailed the look and feel of what they were given to illustrate. Art-wise, this is the kind of effort that I think could get people interested in this book. There’s not an ugly page to be found here and each artists’ style feels so distinct from one another. The various colorists and letterers put the cherry on top of a fantastic-looking issue.

Todd McFarlane handled the writing duties on all the stories and the one thing I’d say is I do kinda like how he writes. It feels like a mix of old and new, still decompressed for the newer era of comics but with a nice bit of narrative caption boxes throughout the issue. The story did seem to have a few problems. My main one is that I’m pretty sure there are characters used here and I have no idea who they are. Who is the guy on Omega’s island? Who was the guy with angel wings? Are these people that read the monthly title would know? There’s a lot of action in the pages and Spawn’s still a cool character but adding in some more of the Spawns and Cy-Gor was an added treat. The short stories are good starting points for what will happen with the supporting cast. I thought Gunslinger Spawn’s solo story was the best of the lot.

Overall, Spawn’s Universe #1 is a tiny bit confusing to read but it’s nice to look at. I’m hoping it’s just that I’m not a monthly Spawn reader that causes it but then it begs the question: is this a good jumping-on point for new readers to Spawn? I think that Spawn’s Universe will be a rewarding experience for those who have stuck with the title but that’s it, outside of just simple artistic enjoyment. Still, Spawn is 300+ issues old and a new launching pad should still offer something for the older readers. Hopefully, newer readers can make sense of it all.

Story: Todd McFarlane Art: Jim Cheung, Brett Booth, Stephen Segovia, Marcio Takara
Inks: Adelso Corona, Todd McFarlane Lettering: Tom Orzechowski, Andworld Design
Colors: Fco Plascencia, Andrew Dalhouse, Peter Steigerwald
Story: 5.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 7.0

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review


Purchase: comiXology KindleZeus ComicsTFAW

« Older Entries