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
Space Ghost #2 (Dynamite) – David Pepose and Jonathan Lau start to probe into Space Ghost’s psyche with memories and glimpses of a past with kids and family while also unleashing some action-packed space adventures and creating a real bond between the titular character, Jan, Jace, and Blip. It’s whimsical to see Jace in Space Ghost’s ship bopping around like Anakin Skywalker in Phantom Menace, but there’s a real sense of peril once he hits the vacuum of space. Pepose and Lau make Space Ghost feel like playing with action figures as an adult with responsibilities, but end this issue on a light note that feels like classic Batman and Robin comics with a cosmic bent. Overall: 8.6 Verdict: Buy
Bear Pirate Viking Queen #2 (Image) – Sean Lewis and Jonathan Marks Barravecchia continue their masterful exploration of generational violence and imperialism in the middle chapter of Bear Pirate Viking Queen (BPVQ) Sure, you can learn about colonization in a classroom or from a textbook, but something about a godlike Viking and his bear companion ripping apart a unwitting family’s (Generically named Smith) home drives the point home more effectively language. Lewis’ poetic, yet straightforward captions brought to life by Barravecchia’s hand lettering continue to meld with the artist’s images that often bleed from page to page in ways that evoke Bill Sienkewicz or even Ralph Steadman in his portrayal of the Queen. BPVQ #2’s big ideas, striking imagery, and literal medieval ultraviolence definitely whetted my appetite for the series’ upcoming conclusion while being an intellectually satisfying chapter in its own right. Overall: 9.0 Verdict: Buy
Bestselling epic fantasy miniseries Bear Pirate Viking Queen, by award-winning storyteller Sean Lewis and talented newcomer artist Jonathan Marks Barravecchia, will be fully collected in a new trade paperback, hitting shelves in August from Image Comics.
The epic fantasy is a tale of the sea, of Pirates, Vikings, Queens, and bears, warring with each other and trying to assert dominance over the past and future of the world. Beautiful, poignant, and daring—readers embark on the adventure of a lifetime with a story by masterful writer Lewis and with mind-blowing hand-painted watercolor art by Barravecchia, resulting in a book unlike anything you’ve read. The first issue, a breakout hit, immediately sold-out at the distributor level and was rushed back for a second printing. Fans will now have the ability to read the whole series from start to finish in a brand new volume.
The Bear Pirate Viking Queen trade paperback (ISBN: 978-1-5343-8261-9, Lunar Code 0624IM264) will be available at local comic book shops on Wednesday, August 21 and independent bookstores, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Indigo, and Waterstones on Tuesday, September 3.
Writer Sean Lewis teams with artist Jonathan Marks Barravecchia have a breakout hit on their hands with last week’s Bear Pirate Viking Queen’s immediate sell-out at the distributor level. The debut issue of this blood-splattered miniseries launch will be rushed back to print in order to keep up with growing demand. The second printing will feature new artwork by Barravecchia.
Bears. Pirates. Vikings. And Queens—in this story of conquest, all four are battling for their claim to determine what the world will become. Rendered in stunning watercolor, this is a gorgeous story of the blood spilled to make countries. And what’s cooler than bears, pirates, vikings, and queens?
With 72 stunning pages, Bear Pirate Viking Queen is sure to be one of the most beautiful and thought-provoking books of the year.
Bear Pirate Viking Queen #1, second printing(Lunar Code 0424IM822) will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, June 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
Bear Pirate Viking Queen #1 (Image) – History and myth blur in Sean Lewis and Jonathan Marks Barravecchia‘s Bear Pirate Viking Queen #1. I wasn’t aware of Barravecchia’s work before this book, but in the future, his stuff will be an instant buy for me as his watercolors convey violence, nightmares, and eventually despair as a British sailor becomes a pirate baron and runs into a nemesis from another era. BPVQ oozes primality, and its cast members die in inventive ways as its protagonist channels a bear spirit until it bites him in the ass. On a more elevator pitch level, this book is basically Master and Commander meets The Northman with idiosyncratic visuals channeling Bill Sienkiewicz and even Ralph Steadman during the more darkly humorous scenes. (In a pirate raid, one of the crew member tries to board the ship by saying he needs to take a shit.) It’s utterly engaging and has a bit of a twist of the end and shift in perspectives that definitely makes me want to follow the rest of the series. Overall: 8.9 Verdict: Buy
Space Ghost #1 (Dynamite) – David Pepose and Jonathan Lau take Space Ghost back to his action adventure roots in this rollicking new series for Dynamite. Space Ghost himself is a mysterious, powerful force in the background while most of the comic is centered around Jan and Jace dealing with the loss of their father while fighting evil. There is tension from page one with explosions galore as Jan and Jace hide from space pirates and eventually fight back with the help of a costumed hero with the perfect Toth silhouette. On a visual level, I love the contrast between the realistic designs for the other characters and the ships and the simple linework for Space Ghost. It makes him look more otherworldly and definitely a little bit scary initially to some kids on their own. However, by the end of the first issue, he’s a true figure of hope against impossible odds as Pepose and Lau marry superheroes and space opera. Overall: 8.5 Verdict: Buy
(W) Sean Lewis (A/CA) Jonathan Marks Barravecchia In Shops: May 01, 2024 SRP: $4.99
MINISERIES PREMIERE From SEAN LEWIS (KING SPAWN) comes a blood-splattered story of conquest. Bears. Pirates. Vikings. And Queens-all battling for their claim to determine what the world will become. Rendered in stunning watercolor by artist JONATHAN MARKS BARRAVECCHIA, it’s a gorgeous story of the blood spilled to make countries. And what’s cooler than bears, pirates, vikings, and queens??? With 72 stunning pages, it’s sure to be one of the most beautiful and thought-provoking books of the year.
Bear Pirate Viking Queen #1 kicks off a blood-splattered story of conquest. Bears. Pirates. Vikings. And Queens-all battling for their claim to determine what the world will become. It’s a gorgeous story of the blood spilled to make countries. And what’s cooler than bears, pirates, Vikings, and queens???
Co-created by Sean Lewis and Jonathan Marks Barraveccia, Bear Pirate Viking Queen #1 is an interesting start to the series delivering an oversized first issue. Those “extra” pages allows readers to linger on the beautiful pages rendered in watercolor by Barravecchia.
Bear Pirate Viking Queen #1 is an intriguing start. The narrative follows pirates who come across a bear and later a Viking, all of it laid out in an almost poetic style.
Lewis’ story creates a narrative that feels like it mixes someone’s diary with poetry, all rendered in visuals that are dreamlike and somehow both frightening and beautiful.
Where the series will go and what happens next is a big question mark but the opening chapter should appeal to those who enjoy a classic pirate setting, a genre that feels rare in today’s modern comics. The bear. The Viking. That’s all to ponder well after you finish reading those final pages.
The draw of the comic is Jonathan Marks Barravecchia’s art. It’s jaw dropping and some of the best I’ve seen this year. It has a style that reminds me of David Mack and is rendered in watercolor. There’s a dream-like as aspect to the look and there’s pages and spreads that’ll leave you lingering to stare at and enjoy. It’s art that any comic fan would love to have a part of their collection.
Bear Pirate Viking Queen #1 is an interesting start. The story itself feels like a flow of one event into the next making readers ponder where it’ll all go. But, the thing to really hook you is the art which is some of the best on the shelves right now.
Story: Sean Lewis Art: Jonathan Marks Barravecchia Letterer: Jonathan Marks Barravecchia Story; 7.5 Art: 10 Overall: 7.95 Recommendation: Buy
Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
(W) Sean Lewis (A/CA) Jonathan Marks Barravecchia In Shops: May 01, 2024 SRP: $4.99
MINISERIES PREMIERE From SEAN LEWIS (KING SPAWN) comes a blood-splattered story of conquest. Bears. Pirates. Vikings. And Queens-all battling for their claim to determine what the world will become. Rendered in stunning watercolor by artist JONATHAN MARKS BARRAVECCHIA, it’s a gorgeous story of the blood spilled to make countries. And what’s cooler than bears, pirates, vikings, and queens??? With 72 stunning pages, it’s sure to be one of the most beautiful and thought-provoking books of the year.
Todd McFarlane Productions has announced a lineup of new titles, offered at competitive prices, to be dubbed “The New U” and to build upon the foundation laid by the smash-hit-maker Spawn Universe. This earthshaking new era will follow the monumental events of Spawn #350 and will kickoff with the upcoming Sam & Twitch: Case Files series launch this March.
The New U will offer fans a next-level reading experience featuring gripping storylines, dynamic characters, and jaw-dropping plot twists—all while retaining the low introductory price points that make Spawn titles the best bargain in the industry to date.
First up, Sam & Twitch: Case Files will drop readers into the gritty world of crime-solving with everyone’s fan-favorite Spawn Universe detectives in their own, brand-new series, Sam and Twitch: Case Files. Episodic tales of murder, intrigue, and deception abound in this noir crime drama masterfully created by McFarlane, and co-plotted by Jon Goff. It boasts art by Szymon Kudrański, whose ultra-realistic visuals and cinematic style jump from the page and make it feel more like a movie than a comic.
Readers will join Sam and Twitch as they navigate the treacherous streets of New York City, gumshoeing and confronting the darkness lurking around every corner. For readers in search of a comic outside the traditional superhero action found in the other popular Spawn Universe tales, these Case Files will be true-crime style murder mystery cases, showcase film noir aesthetics, and unfold like an R-rated Drama. The Sam and Twitch characters were created in 1992 by McFarlane and appeared in the chart-topping, history-making launch of Spawn #1. They have been a staple in the Spawn Universe ever since.
Next, Rat City #1 will launch in April with an extra-length debut and feature the talents of Erica Schultz and Zé Carlos. Readers will be immersed in the fantastical, sci-fi story of Peter Cairn, an ex-soldier, an amputee, and a Hellspawn in a post-war future. But Peter isn’t 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.
Then, May will bring forthMonolith #1 by Sean Lewis and Valerio Giangiordano will explore the origin of the hulking Hellspawn. What connection does he have to one of the most savage of his kind, Omega Spawn? Readers will follow his journey from the cosmic depths of deep-spawn to his first encounter with Al Simmons in this three-part miniseries.
The upcoming New U series will retain the usual low introductory price points of either $3.99 or $2.99—well below the $4.99 that is fast becoming the industry standard. McFarlane’s commitment to accessible pricing removes barriers for fans seeking to try out—and add—New U comics to their buy piles alongside the ever-expanding catalog of Spawn Universe offerings. New U titles will range in genre from Horror to Drama, Crime to Science-Fiction, and even Comedy and provide a story for every type of reader.
The repercussions of Spawn #350 affected every character’s fate, lead to a massive shift in the power dynamics within the universe, and gave birth The New U. Sam & Twitch: Case Files is only the first glimpse at what’s to come, with more series announcements and details yet to be revealed.
The rollout will continue in June and July with three more four-issue miniseries all sure to excite fans: Misery, Medieval Spawn, and Spawn Kills Every Spawn. In August, Violatorwith give the popular villain his own oversized, six-issue miniseries and the highly buzzed-about Knights vs. Samuraiwill follow later that the month. In September an all-new ongoing series titled Deadly Tales will launch. And in October, a bi-monthly series—with extended page count—No Home Here—will launch. Several more titles, including Focus, Spawn: The Dark Ages, She-Spawn, Bloodletter, andSpawn 77 will hit shelves and more information will be revealed for each in the coming months.
Sam & Twitch: Case Files #1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, March 27 – Lunar Code 0124IM212
Sam & Twitch: Case Files #1 Cover B by McFarlane will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, March 27 – Lunar Code 0124IM899
Rat City #1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, April 10 – Lunar Code 0224IM216
Monolith #1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, May 15 – Lunar Code 0324IM178
Oni Press has announced a publishing partnership with William M. Gaines Agent, Inc. that will see the full-fledged return of EC Comics to comic shop and bookstore shelves worldwide with a slate of all-new series beginning in the summer of 2024.
Beginning with Epitaphs From the Abyss #1 in July andCruel Universe #1 in August – the first official EC Comics series produced in nearly seven decades – Oni’s ambitious EC Comics publishing program will be overseen by Oni Press President & Publisher Hunter Gorinson and Editor-in-Chief Sierra Hahn in partnership with Cathy Gaines Mifsud and Corey Mifsud, the daughter and grandson of legendary EC Publisher William M. Gaines and administrators of William M. Gaines Agent, Inc.
Edited by Hahn, Oni’s curated line of EC titles – which will include at least two series on a monthly basis from July 2024 onward in the genres of horror, science fiction, fantasy, and more – will feature contributions from a rotating cast of high-profile comics talents that includes writers Jason Aaron, Brian Azzarello, Rodney Barnes, Corinna Bechko, Cullen Bunn, Christopher Cantwell, Cecil Castellucci, Chris Condon, Joshua Hale Fialkov, J. Holtham, Jeff Jensen, Matt Kindt, Sean Lewis, Stephanie Phillips, Jay Stephens, Zac Thompson, Ben H. Winters, and more; artists Kano, Peter Krause, Leomacs, Malachi Ward, Dustin Weaver, and more; designer Rian Hughes; alongside covers from Lee Bermejo, Greg Smallwood, J.H. Williams III, and more to be revealed in the weeks and months ahead.
Founded by M.C. “Max” Gaines – often cited as one of the original creators of the comic book format – as “Educational Comics” in 1944, EC spearheaded a watershed evolution in the craft, quality, and power of the comics medium under Max’s son, William M. Gaines, following the elder Gaines’ sudden death in 1947. Rechristening his father’s creation as “Entertaining Comics,” publisher, editor, and writer William M. Gaines recruited one of the most legendary creative stables in the history of the comics medium – including future Eisner Hall of Fame inductees Johnny Craig, Reed Crandall, Jack Davis, Will Elder, Al Feldstein, Frank Frazetta, Bernard Krigstein, Harvey Kurtzman, Joe Orlando, John Severin, Marie Severin, Al Williamson, Wally Wood, and many more – to oversee the creation of a revolutionary slate of new series that would soon grow to includeTales From the Crypt, Mad Magazine, Weird Sience, Two-Fist Tales, and more.
Widely celebrated for fearlessly confrontational stories that were as creatively innovative as they were culturally subversive – confronting racial and gender inequality, militarism, and environmental degradation in ways that would anticipate both the burgeoning counterculture and Civil Rights movements – EC’s urge to probe the darkness lurking beyond the edges of post-war America through tales of horror, science fiction, humor, and war earned the company millions of readers … and established a new high watermark for one of the first definitively American artforms: the comic book.
However, EC’s reign at the forefront of the American comic book industry – a period during which it eclipsed Marvel, DC, and Archie with sales of 10 million comics per year – would come crashing down in 1954 as an anti-comics moral panic swept America, inspiring book burnings, police surveillance, and a Congressional investigation that would see William M. Gaines’ testimony broadcast live in households across the country. This pro-censorship movement soon culminated in the creation of the Comics Code Authority, a sanitizing regulatory group whose guidelines were specifically tailored to remove EC’s comics from newsstands. EC’s final comics – until now – were published in 1956, and the hugely popular MAD was re-formatted as a magazine to escape Code scrutiny. Even so, the untimely death of EC could not erase the company’s far-reaching impact, having already inspired a young generation of readers – including John Carpenter, Guillermo del Toro, Matt Groening, James Gunn, George Lucas, Stephen King, George R.R. Martin, The Ramones, George Romero, Steven Spielberg, and hundreds more – who have cited EC’s iconoclastic brand of storytelling as a deep and primordial influence.
Writer Sean Lewis teams with fan-favorite artist Jonathan Marks Barravecchia for a blood-splattered story of conquest in the forthcoming, Bear Pirate Viking Queen. This three issue miniseries is set to launch in May from Image Comics.
Bears. Pirates. Vikings. And Queens—all battling for their claim to determine what the world will become. Bear Pirate Viking Queen is a gorgeous, high fantasy story about the blood spilled to make countries. With 72 pages rendered in stunning watercolor artwork, this new comic book series is sure to be one of the most beautiful and thought-provoking books of the year.
Bear Pirate Viking Queen #1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, May 1.
