Tag Archives: scott koblish

The Big Shakedown #1 takes the familiar missing persons detective story and gives it a twist

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The Big One, the earthquake to end all earthquakes, has finally struck Los Angeles. The government decides not to rebuild and the city becomes a no man’s land for those that refuse to leave it. But hey, you can’t beat the weather.

Five years later Ester Blanco, a down on her luck former P.I., is willing to do anything to escape the City of Angels. She believes she’s found her ticket out when a desperate father hires her to solve a missing person’s case in a city where a third of the population is already missing. Instead, the trail of this lost girl leads Ester to uncover a dark web of cults, conspiracy and corruption that threatens every Angeleno that stayed behind.

Story: Jordan Blum, Tim Seeley
Art: Scott Koblish
Color: Hi-Fi
Letterer: Nate Piekos

Get your copy now!

Zeus Comics
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

The Big Shakedown #1 lives up to the hype of its high concept premise of a detective story set in a post-major seismic event L.A. nightmare

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Comic book cover for 'The Big Shakedown #1' featuring a character on a yellow scooter, wearing sunglasses and a blue jacket, against a backdrop of a fragmented city landscape.

Noir meets post-apocalyptic sci-fi in The Big Shakedown, a high concept series from Jordan Blum, Tim Seeley, Scott Koblish, and Hi-Fi. The book opens with an earthquake destroying Los Angeles, who is then abandoned by the right wing religious fanatic president of the United States. Without federal aid, the City of Angels turns into a shitshow governed by big tech/drone companies and local gangs and protection rackets. Cop-turned-PI-turned TV show consultant-turned odd-job-working survivor Ester is our entry into this dark world as a simple missing persons case turns very complicated. Blum, Seeley, and Koblish use this first issue to establish the world of The Big Shakedown, but there are plenty of mysteries around the corner, especially towards the end of this installment.

Ester is really a near perfect POV character. She’s flawed, but likable with plenty of demons to exorcise. However, she also has a great sense of humor and has a working class charm. Jordan Blum and Tim Seeley’s captions for her add a lot of personality to The Big Shakedown and keep the story moving. I love that she watches old Lakers game on her VCR to find a semblance of normalcy in this crazy world because I totally watched CPU teams duke it out on NBA 2K when all the sports leagues shutdown due to COVID in 2020. (The 2018-2019 season though, oof ; at least, there was LeBron.) Also, Ester is a total badass improvising her way out of several violent scraps so she can have the money to get what she wants, which is probably out of L.A.

Scott Koblish uses his background in superhero comics to amp up the action sequences in The Big Shakedown with Hi-Fi adding splashes of intense colors like when Ester fights off bill collectors with steaming hot pot of pozole. There is something primal about the way Ester beats the crap out of folks trying to rip her off or take her hard-earned money that hints at a darker past beyond helping a TV star learn how to realistically hold a gun and then sleep with him. Although, she is five years sober, Ester is still prone to impulsive decisions that sometimes make this book feel like watching a car accident in slow motion. But that’s better than the alternative: a boring trope salad, which The Big Shakedown is far from being.

The element that draws me most to The Big Shakedown is that it’s a working class struggle story clothed in heightened genre trappings. Ester really just wants to pay the bills, but the system around her is beyond broken so she has to claw and fight for every last dollar, which is more relatable than an upper middle class white guy with a scotch and cigar sitting behind the desk. It also feels like Jordan Blum, Tim Seeley, and Scott Koblish are drawing on both experiences with the global pandemic and even the L.A. wildfires to show how traumatic events change folks, and that although we might have the same skillsets on both sides of the tragedy, we’re vastly different people. After the quake in The Big Shakedown, folks aren’t shelling out money to hire consultants for cop shows, they’re trying to eke out a living by selling batteries and avocadoes because Southern California still has great weather. Ester has changed as a person in the past five years, and it looks like this comic will go into those changes while also exploring the usual procedural elements of the crime genre.

The Big Shakedown #1 lives up to the hype of its high concept premise of a detective story set in a post-major seismic event L.A. nightmare. Blum and Seeley craft an anti-hero that Emmy-thirsty cable execs would die for, and Koblish and Hi-Fi bring a frenetic energy and a contemporary update on that West Coast noir palette that keeps the story moving and me looking forward to the next blood, guts, sunshine, and snark-filled issue.

Story: Jordan Blum and Tim Seeley Art: Scott Koblish
Colors: Hi-Fi Letters: Nate Piekos
Story: 8.0 Art: 8.2 Overall: 8.1 Recommendation: Buy

Dark Horse provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

Preview: The Big Shakedown #1

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The Big Shakedown #1

Writer: Jordan Blum · Tim Seeley
Artist: Scott Koblish
Colorist: Hi-Fi
Cover artist: Scott Koblish

The Big One, the earthquake to end all earthquakes, has finally struck Los Angeles. The government decides not to rebuild and the city becomes a no man’s land for those that refuse to leave it. But hey, you can’t beat the weather.

Five years later Ester Blanco, a down on her luck former P.I., is willing to do anything to escape the City of Angels. She believes she’s found her ticket out when a desperate father hires her to solve a missing person’s case in a city where a third of the population is already missing. Instead, the trail of this lost girl leads Ester to uncover a dark web of cults, conspiracy and corruption that threatens every Angeleno that stayed behind.

THE BIG SHAKEDOWN is a sunbaked LA noir in the vein of Chinatown and The Long Goodbye and set in the post-apocalyptic remains of the most beloved/hated city in the world. From writers Jordan Blum (Minor Threats) Tim Seeley (Local Man) and artist Scott Koblish (The Despicable Deadpool) comes a pulpy tale of murder, destruction and traffic.

A pulpy, high-stakes journey through the remains of the City of Angels, uncovering a dark web that threatens the few survivors left standing.

Comic book cover for 'The Big Shakedown' featuring a young woman on a yellow scooter, dressed in a denim jacket and sunglasses, set against a backdrop of a stylized map and urban ruins.
A comic panel shows two characters, a boy and a girl, embracing on the beach. A smartphone in the foreground displays an emergency alert for an earthquake detected in Los Angeles, CA. The alert notifications indicate magnitude and time for different earthquakes, with messages about the city's recent seismic activity.
Comic panel depicting a devastating urban disaster, with collapsed buildings and debris. A woman is trapped under rubble, reaching for a smartphone, while a fire burns in the background. Text elements highlight the tragedy and chaos.
A comic book panel depicting a devastated cityscape with burning debris, collapsed buildings, and a damaged car in the foreground. The title 'TAKEDOWN' is prominently displayed at the top, and speech bubbles indicate a conversation about the city's destruction.
A comic panel depicting a post-apocalyptic Los Angeles five years after an earthquake, with a mix of urban decay and lively street markets. Several characters engage in fitness and wellness activities, and a vendor is seen at a market table, emphasizing a barter economy with cash-only transactions. The scene blends themes of resilience and adaptation in a changed environment.
A comic book panel showing a scene of action with two characters in combat. One character is throwing an object while the other is being knocked down. There are onlookers in the background, and a scenic coastal view is visible in the bottom panel with buildings and a dock.

Jordan Blum, Tim Seeley, and Scott Koblish bring readers a sunbaked apocalyptic mystery with The Big Shakedown

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Dark Horse Comics presents The Big Shakedown, a brand-new four-issue noir comic series from Jordan Blum, Tim Seeley, and Scott Koblish. Written by Blum and Seeley, illustrated by Koblish, colored by Hi-Fi, and lettered by Nate Piekos, this pulpy tale brings readers into a mystery through an earthquake-decimated Los Angeles. Issue #1 will be available in September 2026 and will feature cover art by Koblish.

The Big One, the earthquake to end all earthquakes, has finally struck Los Angeles. The government decides not to rebuild and the city becomes a no-man’s-land for those who refuse to leave it. But hey, you can’t beat the weather. 

Five years later, Ester Blanco, a down-on-her-luck former PI, is willing to do anything to escape the City of Angels. She believes she’s found her ticket out when a desperate father hires her to solve a missing persons case in a city where a third of the population is already missing. Instead, the trail of this lost girl leads Ester to uncover a dark web of cults, conspiracy, and corruption that threatens every Angeleno who stayed behind. 

Gather your emergency supplies and prepare for The Big Shakedown #1 (of 4) as it arrives in comic shops on September 16, 2026. It is now available for preorder from your local comic shop for $4.99.

The Big Shakedown #1

Preview: Archie vs Minor Threats #4

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Archie vs Minor Threats #4

Writer: Patton Oswalt, Jordan Blum, Timmy Heague
Artist: Scott Koblish
Colorist: Hi-Fi
Letterer: Nate Piekos
Cover artist: Scott Hepburn

Archie Andrews of Riverdale and Frankie Follis aka Playtime are forced to team-up. From adversaries to allies, an unlikely alliance is forged! The duo have been sucked into a magical abyss after chasing after the almighty Five Fingers of Merlin AND more importantly, their beloved Betty & Scalpel! This vortex of magic bends time and space to alter reality, confronting those who enter with their past and future, challenging them to question everything they know about themselves and the life they live. Can our dysfunctional dynamic duo survive this twisted mystic realm or will the magic-addicted Top Hat get in their way from not just saving the women they love, but their homes of Riverdale and Twilight City?…

Crime, milkshakes, and magic await you in this climatic crescendo finale of the first ever Minor Threats crossover!

From the villainously comedic minds of Patton Oswalt, Jordan Blum, Timmy Heague, and featuring artwork by the dastardly yet brilliant Scott Koblish!

Archie vs Minor Threats #4

G.I. Joe A Real American Hero – Hama Files Edition #152 features the origin of the JOEs but is rough

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One of the most important G.I. Joe issues ever returns in a new printing of the story that revealed the true story of how Joe Colton formed the world’s most elite fighting force.

Re-discover this special celebration of G.I. Joe’s 30th anniversary in 1994 featuring the greatest ‘Joe of all- time in his most important mission.

Story: Larry Hama
Art: Phil Gosier
Ink: Scott Koblish
Color: Chi
Letterer: Vickie Williams

Get your copy now! 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.

Zeus Comics
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

Superman and Spider-Man team for Eight New Original Stories Together from DC in March 2026

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Earlier this year, DC Comics and Marvel Comics announced the continuation of their historic crossover collaboration into 2026, beginning in January with the 50th anniversary of the first DC/Marvel crossover, Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man. DC has now revealed the creative teams and first look at cover art for its upcoming one-shot comic book Superman/Spider-Man #1.

When journalists Clark Kent and Peter Parker find themselves chasing the same story, the conspiracy they uncover could change the world—especially if Brainiac and Doctor Octopus have anything to say about it. (And we bet they do!) Good thing our intrepid newshounds are secretly Superman and the amazing Spider-Man. To bring this clash of reporters‑turned‑heroes to life, Mark Waid and Jorge Jiménez join forces to headline DC’s Superman/Spider-Man #1 with an unforgettable lead story.

And don’t miss these bonus stories in DC’s Superman/Spider-Man #1, all featuring DC and Marvel characters: Tom King and Jim Lee tell a tale of Lois Lane and Mary Jane Watson, Matt Fraction and Steve Lieber revisit Superman’s pal Jimmy Olsen…and Carnage, Sean Murphy takes us to the future with Superboy (Legion) and Spider-Man 2099, Gail Simone teams up with Belén Ortega for a look at what happens when Power Girl meets Punisher, Christopher Priest and Daniel Sampere show us a time when Superboy Prime (who reads all the comics!) decided to visit Spider-Man right after he got the black suit, and Greg Rucka and Nicola Scott take us on an exciting race between the Daily Planet and the Daily Bugle.

Plus, we finally get to answer the age-old question of who would win in a fair fight: Pa Kent or Uncle Ben! (Just kidding, those guys are too nice to fight each other, but Jeff Lemire and Rafa Sandoval will take us deep into the past to see the two men bond in the face of adversity.)

In addition to Jorge Jiménez’s main cover, DC’s Superman/Spider-Man #1 will feature open-to-order cardstock variant covers by Jim Lee, Scott Williams and Alex Sinclair, Daniel Sampere and Tomeu Morey, Dave Johnson, David Nakayama, Gabriele Dell’Otto, Mikel Janín, Rafael Albuquerque, Stanley “Artgerm” Lau, David Talaski, Arthur Adams, Chrissie Zullo, Josh Middleton, Scott Koblish, Olivier Coipel, Adam Hughes, Mitch Gerads, Jeff Spokes, Evan “Doc” Shaner, Steve Lieber, J. Scott Campbell, Clayton Crain, Rafael Sandoval, and more. Jorge Jiménez’s main cover will also be offered as an open-to-order foil variant cover.

DC’s Superman/Spider-Man #1 will publish on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, and will retail for $7.99 US (main) and $8.99 US (card stock variants).

Preview: Archie vs Minor Threats #3

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Archie vs Minor Threats #3

Writer: Patton Oswalt, Jordan Blum, Timmy Heague
Artist: Scott Koblish
Colorist: Hi-Fi
Letterer: Nate Piekos
Cover Artist: Scott Koblish

The villains of Minor Threats and iconic teenagers of Archie Comics have switched places!

Prepare to experience these characters like you’ve NEVER seen them before! Frankie Follis aka Playtime has gone from being Twilight City’s Queenpin of Crime to becoming Riverdale’s Queenbee teenager. The Five Fingers of Merlin has granted her the childhood she never had, void of crime, where the only score to be had is winning the Riverdale High Talent Show! The prize? Ultimate cosmic power! New villains from Twilight City have their eye on taking home the prize, a group of super crooks led by none other than Archie Andrews aka Gingersnap! Riverdale’s most pure hearted teenager breaks bad!

Archie vs Minor Threats #3

Preview: Archie vs Minor Threats #2

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Archie vs Minor Threats #2

(W) Patton Oswalt, Jordan Blum, Timmy Heague (A) Scott Koblish

After getting stranded on a field trip to Twilight City, ARCHIE and The Gang have been recruited into FRANKIE FOLLIS – aka PLAYTIME’S – WAR ON MAGIC and it’s getting bloody! Pull it together, Archie, DO. NOT. FAINT. BETTY and VERONICA are watching! As Frankie and the Riverdale crew close in on the elusive magical supervillain TOP HAT, our favorite teenage witch, SABRINA, enters the fray! AND Top Hat has found help in THE ALTERNATES’ CRAB LOUIE and MARY THE MULTI-MONSTER?! Wait, what?! If that wasn’t enough to entice you to pick up the second issue of your new favorite crossover, BARFLY’S $@&#eater recruits JUGHEAD AND JOSIE & THE PUSSYCATS for a Battle of The Bands! One thing is for sure, Redport is gonna rock!

Archie vs Minor Threats #2

Preview: From the World of Minor Threats: Archie vs. Minor Threats #1

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From the World of Minor Threats: Archie vs. Minor Threats #1

(W) Patton Oswalt, Jordan Blum, Timmy Heague (A) Scott Koblish
32 pages
$4.99

Not a hoax! Not a dream! The fun-loving teens of Riverdale collide with the crooked super-criminals of Twilight City in the most bombastic crossover of the year! It’s your favorite high schoolers forced to FIGHT your favorite costumed villains in a story that will have lasting ramifications on all involved!

ARCHIE, BETTY, VERONICA, JUGHEAD and friends are on on their way to a field trip to Twilight City when the magical meddling of SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH lands them in the seedy underbelly of Redport, the most villainous part of town controlled by Frankie Follis AKA PLAYTIME and her gang of MINOR THREATS. Archie and the others suddenly find themselves drafted into both sides of the war Playtime is waging against magic users in her turf. One thing is for sure… blood and milkshakes will be spilled!

Issue one of the four issue mini is written by Minor Threats co-creators Patton Oswalt and Jordan Blum with Timmy Heague (Archie Comics’ Fear the Funhouse: Toybox of Terror) and art by Scott Koblish (Deadpool).

From the World of Minor Threats: Archie vs. Minor Threats #1
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